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  • MIL-OSI Global: Colombia’s fragile peace process in danger as guerrilla violence rises

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dale Pankhurst, PhD Candidate and Tutor in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast

    Colombia has experienced an upsurge in political and criminal violence over the past few months. In late February, the National Liberation Army (ELN) leftist guerrilla insurgent group carried out four bombings in Cúcuta, a city on the border with Venezuela. Several people were left injured by the attacks, and 1,200 soldiers were subsequently deployed across the city.

    Then, in early March, dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) Marxist-Leninist rebel group captured 29 members of the security forces in the Cauca region, including a police lieutenant colonel and an army major. The renegade faction expressed anger at government efforts to eradicate 8,000 hectares of coca in the area.

    Colombia’s fragile peace process, in which the government has sought to bring the country’s multiple armed groups to the negotiating table, looks to be in danger. Some leftist insurgent groups remain active, while drug cartels and offshoots of Colombia’s former right-wing paramilitaries, such as the Clan del Golfo, continue to expand their influence.

    Colombia suffered Latin America’s longest-running insurgency. In the 1960s, Farc emerged with the goal of overthrowing the Colombian state and establishing a communist government.

    It wasn’t until the late 1990s, when the drug trade emerged as a funding source, that the Farc insurgency became a serious threat to Colombia’s government. Farc took over large parts of rural Colombia, forcing state control to retreat to the urban centres of regional towns and cities. By 2001, Farc was operating in the periphery of Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.

    At the same time, the Colombian security forces also battled other left-wing insurgent forces. These included the 19th of April Movement (M-19), the Popular Liberation Army (EPL) and the ELN, which is now Colombia’s largest active guerrilla insurgent group.

    In response to the revolutionary Marxist threat, anti-insurgent paramilitaries coalesced under the banner of the United Self-Defense Forces. These paramilitary groups both collaborated and conflicted with the state, before the vast majority disbanded through a government demobilisation programme between 2002 and 2006.

    It is estimated that the decades-long armed conflict in Colombia resulted in the deaths of over a quarter of a million people, with many more injured and displaced from their homes. Tens of thousands are still missing.

    The insurgency was officially brought to an end in 2016, when the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with Farc. The group was to be demobilised, victims of the conflict would receive justice, and the government promised significant investment in rural areas previously under Farc control.

    It also guaranteed seats for former Farc rebels in the Colombian Senate and House of Representatives for two terms, starting in 2018. In its new incarnation as a political party, Farc would then have to secure seats through engaging in elections.

    Despite the peace agreement and demobilisation programmes, there are a variety of armed groups across Colombia still intent on collapsing the peace process. The ELN, for example, has rejected every peace deal since its inception in 1964.

    It continues to carry out attacks and seeks to control territory throughout Colombia, particularly in regions where the drug trade proliferates. In 2019, the ELN carried out a suicide car bombing at the General Santander National Police Academy in Bogotá, killing 21 people as police cadets readied for their graduation ceremony.

    Several Farc fronts also rejected the 2016 peace agreement and formed their own dissident factions, including the so-called Central General Staff and the Segunda Marquetalia. Farc dissidents and the ELN have clashed over the years, but have both used neighbouring Venezuela as a launch pad to conduct attacks into Colombia.

    Demobilised Farc combatants face assassinations and threats from dissident rebel factions who view former militants that are now pro-peace as traitors. These threats may encourage some demobilised groups to rearm in the future.

    Alongside the growing insurgent threat, Colombia’s security forces are also dealing with neo-paramilitary factions which are, like the remaining dissident guerrillas, heavily involved in drug trafficking.

    Groups such as the Clan del Golfo seek to generate wealth and power through criminality while also attacking rebel groups such as the ELN and Farc dissidents. These neo-paramilitary groups have an estimated membership of 6,000 volunteers spread throughout Colombia.

    Establishing ‘total peace’

    Following the 2022 election of Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, a new peace strategy was announced that was designed to disarm and demobilise the remaining leftist insurgents, neo-paramilitary factions and organised crime cartels. Petro, himself a former M-19 guerrilla and the country’s first leftist president, sought to use his plan for “total peace” to end Colombia’s remaining violent campaigns.

    It was hoped that peace talks between Petro’s government and rebel factions may have produced better outcomes than previous attempts due to Petro’s left-wing politics and his history as a rebel combatant in the 1980s. However, attempts at establishing peace have repeatedly collapsed.

    The decision by the US president, Donald Trump, to cut foreign aid to Colombia has also heightened fears that groups such as the ELN will benefit as a result. The funding that has been slashed primarily focused on helping communities living in poverty and isolation as well as supporting anti-gang and pro-peace programmes.

    Government initiatives to secure peace continue to stall. But community organisations at a regional and local level have achieved success in transitioning demobilised combatants back into civilian life.

    Groups such as the Medellín-based Peace Classrooms Foundation have used the experiences of former paramilitary members and rebels to warn of the dangers of violence. These groups may hold the key to addressing some of the social injustices that encourage dissent and violence in Colombia.

    The continued violence in Colombia should remind anyone with an interest in wanting peace to succeed that the internal armed conflict is far from settled.

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

    – ref. Colombia’s fragile peace process in danger as guerrilla violence rises – https://theconversation.com/colombias-fragile-peace-process-in-danger-as-guerrilla-violence-rises-252582

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What Britons and Europeans really think about immigration – new analysis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Claire Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, ODI Global

    Shutterstock

    When we hear about immigration from politicians and media across Europe, the story is almost always negative. In some countries, this is old news. The UK tabloid press has printed thousands of anti-migrant articles over the last two decades. Anti-immigrant rhetoric has been a feature of Danish politics since the early 1990s. In contrast, Viktor Orban’s extreme, racist and Islamophobic rhetoric – adopted largely from 2015 – marks Hungary out as a relative newcomer.

    Across Europe, refugees and other migrants are routinely represented as a problem or “crisis”. It would be natural to assume, then, that the public feels the same way – that attitudes to immigration are negative, possibly worsening. Politicians routinely imply this when they say they must introduce strict immigration rules in response to public concerns.

    Opinion polls regularly show that the European public disapprove of the government’s handling of immigration and may see levels as too high. But long-term European Social Survey (ESS) data – the latest of which came out at the end of 2024 – shows positive trends.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

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    At ODI Europe, my colleagues and I have been studying public attitudes and political narratives around migration across Europe for five years. Our analysis has found that, compared to 20 years ago, more Europeans (in many, but not all countries) feel immigration makes their country a better place to live.

    Positive attitudes have particularly increased in Ireland, the UK, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. Similar positive trends emerge when the public is asked about the economic and cultural impacts of immigration.

    The UK is among the countries with the least anti-immigration views in Europe. While in 2002-03 only 27% of the British public felt immigration had a positive impact on the economy, this has jumped to 66% in 2023-24. However, it is a drop from the 69% who felt immigration had a positive economic impact in the previous survey round (2020-22).

    The UK also topped the table in the last World Values Survey as a country that is highly accepting of immigration and particularly welcoming of the cultural diversity it brings.



    Read more:
    The UK now ranks as one of the most socially liberal countries in Europe – new research

    The Migration Observatory finds that a majority of the British public favours making immigration easier for workers coming into the NHS, care work and other jobs where there are shortages.

    Researchers from the think tank British Future have found that most of the public would prefer current levels of international student migration to stay the same or increase. International students currently make up 40% of net migration to the country.

    Why the differences?

    The disparity between what we hear about public attitudes and what the data actually shows merits some explanation.

    We know that people’s attitudes on migration are largely stable, based on deeply held values and mainly formed when young. People’s attitudes are relatively slow to change. Generational change is likely key to explaining the long-term positive trends in this area. On the other hand, the salience of immigration – whether the public see immigration as a top issue of concern – can fluctuate dramatically, driven by media attention and political narratives.

    This sounds incongruous given the rise of the far right in some European countries. However, we know that austerity policies, economic insecurity and economic decline are key factors driving the far-right vote.

    Researchers have also uncovered a “reverse backlash” effect. This is where greater success of populist radical right parties is actually accompanied by more citizens reporting positive attitudes on immigration, specifically because they want to distance themselves from radical right views.

    Negative trends

    What does stand out in the latest round of ESS data is that more negative trends are emerging across multiple countries simultaneously. This is most notable in Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands and Poland, but also in Iceland and France.

    In Ireland, there is a substantial ten percentage point fall from the previous survey round (2020-22) in respondents reporting that immigration makes their country a better place to live. The UK sees a five percentage point fall (from 68% to 63%) on the same question – still a significant positive majority compared to only 17% who feel immigration makes the UK a worse place to live – but a notable shift nonetheless.

    This could be a temporary fluctuation, like the kind seen in Sweden and Germany, between 2018-19 and 2020-22. Both countries took in high numbers of refugees during Europe’s so-called “refugee crisis”, which may have led to an uptick of concern around the impact of immigration. However, these fluctuations can be minor and short-lived.

    Another possibility is that we are finally seeing public attitudes shift in line with the more hostile, anti-immigrant environment that has been nurtured by politicians and media. This could be the start of another generational shift – possibly a reflection of the fact that some far-right groups are proving to be particularly popular with younger voters.

    These dips may prove temporary – if not, we risk squandering the public good of a positive European public precisely at a time when Europe needs immigration the most.

    Claire Kumar via ODI Global – has received funding from IKEA Foundation for this research work.

    – ref. What Britons and Europeans really think about immigration – new analysis – https://theconversation.com/what-britons-and-europeans-really-think-about-immigration-new-analysis-252268

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Beijing plans to bounce back against Trump’s tariffs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham

    China’s president Xi Jinping recently held a meeting with 40 leaders of multinational companies, including BMW and AstraZeneca.

    In contrast to Donald Trump’s rhetoric, Xi told the top level executives that globalisation was not going away. Xi is attempting to boost foreign investment in China, which has dropped in the last few years, and build new relationships that will offset Trump’s tariffs on many Chinese goods.

    In the March 28 meeting, Xi “vowed to improve market access” and assured corporate leaders that “lines of communication” between them and the Chinese government are open.

    Xi is hoping to build on an anti-Trump bounce and inspire businesses to back Beijing as some signs emerged that China’s economy was doing a little better than expected in early 2025. Industrial production went up by 5.9% in January and February. Credit growth, which measures the amount of loans banks give out, also appears to be picking up, suggesting that businesses might be growing in China.

    Retail sales, which are a major economic marker indicating consumer spending, has risen by up to 4% in January and February this year, compared to last year.

    Beijing is also willing to create further stimulus packages to sustain China’s economic growth, which might lift consumer confidence further.

    But this is hampered by a real estate crisis that began in 2021. What followed was an already high local government debt that was exacerbated by the property crisis, and high youth unemployment that existed since 2023.

    The big question then is what are the factors that could lead to a more buoyant outlook in China’s economic fortunes?

    Beijing’s policy resolve

    According to a Bloomberg report, China has traditionally relied on cheap loans and subsidies to boost economic sectors in infrastructure, manufacturing, and the property market. However, those times are over.

    The problem is China has produced more goods to sell than people are willing to buy. In the past, Beijing relied on the west to purchase its products, but with rising protectionism and looming tariffs stemming from a Donald Trump-led US, US consumption of Chinese goods is likely to fall.

    And if another key market in the form of the EU were to take a cue from Trump’s economic playbook and impose more tariffs on China, then Chinese hope for sales in the west for economic growth may not materialise.

    Beijing’s surest way of boosting sales is through domestic consumption. This isn’t easy as China’s domestic spending remains relatively low at 40% of the country’s GDP, which is about 20% lower than the global average. And if Beijing wants cautious consumers to spend amid a relatively weak economic outlook, it needs to do more to raise consumer confidence.

    Although China did introduce a stimulus package in September 2024, it has resolved to do more. In an early March 2025 speech in the Chinese parliament, Chinese premier Li Qiang promised a “special action plan” to vigorously raise domestic consumption for 2025. Several weeks later Li reiterated in the China Development Forum that Beijing would roll out more stimulus packages when the need arose.

    These assurances are likely to have helped improve market sentiment, and the fact that China’s GDP growth target was also set at an ambitious level of around 5%, might signal Beijing’s confidence and resolve that the economy will improve.

    China’s AI revolution

    In the past, China was considered a copycat nation known for manufacturing shanzai, or fake and pirated products. This difficulty in innovating and reliance on the designs of others largely lay with an education system steeped in rote learning, and a top-down culture with a conformist approach.

    This is why experts thought China would struggle when the US decided to introduce restrictions on Chinese access semiconductor and AI technologies. However, despite these restrictions, China has managed to develop a highly capable AI model of its own in the form of DeepSeek, which was unveiled early this year, and immediately boosted China’s image as an innovator.

    Unlike other AI models, DeepSeek was apparently made at a fraction of the cost of other traditional AI models such as ChatGPT, and may have a more efficient coding scheme that allows for quicker problem solving. This has prompted Donald Trump to coin DeepSeek’s development as a wake-up call for the US tech industry.

    Many AI startups in China are now revamping their business models to compete with DeepSeek, following widespread adoption of the latter’s technology. As the AI revolution in China could potentially reduce costs and thereby boost efficiency in the financial sector.

    Following Trump’s return to the Oval Office, investors across the globe have been trying to reduce their reliance on the US by looking for investment opportunities elsewhere. This isn’t entirely surprising given Trump’s knack for the unpredictable, and how new US tariffs have been applied to a host of US allies such as Mexico, Canada, and the European Union.

    While Trump is striking an increasingly protectionist tone, China is taking the opposite approach. Trump’s penchant for tariffs and disregard for the economic interest of US allies may mean Beijing might not need to do too much to attract more nations and businesses to consider turning towards Chinese markets.

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

    – ref. How Beijing plans to bounce back against Trump’s tariffs – https://theconversation.com/how-beijing-plans-to-bounce-back-against-trumps-tariffs-253086

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Inner London residents told me their food waste problems – composting definitely isn’t the answer

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sayed Elhoushy, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Queen Mary University of London

    “It’s always frustrated me that we can’t compost here – even though I get why. Tower blocks just aren’t built for it,” said Alexandra, a 42-year-old Tower Hamlets resident, living on the ninth floor. She gestures toward the tall buildings in her neighbourhood. Her frustration is shared by many, where food waste collection from blocks of flats remains a challenge.

    Tower Hamlets in east London is England’s most densely populated borough, with more than 15,000 people per square kilometre. More than 81% of its residents live in high-rise flats, and 30% of its rubbish is food waste.

    For residents like Alexandra, the lack of options is disappointing. “When I first moved here, I looked into food waste disposal, but there weren’t many options for people in flats,” she says. Unfortunately, her experience reflects a wider problem.

    According to the UK waste charity Wrap, nearly a quarter of the UK’s food production is wasted each year – that’s over 6.4 million tonnes of edible food worth £21 billion, enough to feed the country for nearly three months. Households contribute approximately 60% of this waste, which not only costs money but also fuels climate change.

    London authorities have introduced reduction and recycling plans (RRPs) to tackle food waste and increase recycling. These efforts align with the mayor’s London-wide strategy to halve food waste by 2030. While these targets are ambitious, their implementation in high-rise boroughs such as Tower Hamlets remains a challenge.

    The communal bins overflowing with rubbish and recycling waste in London Borough of Tower Hamlets, April 2024.
    I Wei Huang/Shutterstock

    For many residents, food waste is both an environmental issue and a logistical nightmare. “We tried compost bins in our building, but rats and foxes loved them more than we did,” laughed Aisha, a resident I interviewed at a community centre in March 2023.

    Limited space makes traditional composting methods such as wormeries (small-scale systems where worms break down organic waste into compost) unfeasible. The people I interviewed explained that community-led schemes often struggle due to limited participation in the first place, contamination from improper waste disposal and pest control issues including attracting rats and foxes.

    In my work as a sustainability marketing researcher, I’m investigating alternatives and researching how best to maintain sustainable consumer behaviour.

    Co-creation – in this case, designing solutions with the residents trying to tackle food waste – is so important, but often overlooked. By talking directly to the people involved, a plan will end up being much more effective because people trust it more and engage with it more willingly.

    In 2023, I led a six-month behaviour change research project with East London Garden Society, a community-driven initiative focused on promoting gardening and environmental sustainability in east London. I interviewed 15 Tower Hamlets residents, listened to numerous community meetings and analysed community discussions to uncover the real barriers to food waste reduction.

    My findings were clear: residents don’t just want tips – they want a voice.

    As 64-year-old Maryam put it: “I really appreciate that you’re taking a resident-first approach, gathering feedback and understanding experiences. That’s how you’ll find what truly works.”

    By placing residents at the centre, we can ensure that solutions are built to last. But co-creation alone is not enough – residents need systematic changes, such as better infrastructure.

    The role of technology

    A 2024 study shows how technology is reshaping the food system from production to consumption. Apps such as Olio help consumers share surplus food and reduce waste.

    Some composting machines or food waste processors are compact enough for household kitchens, requiring no garden. Residents can use the resulting compost to grow small plants on their balconies or add it to their green waste bin – this process is made easier by the reduction in volume.

    Larger compost machines can turn organic food waste into nutrient-rich soil in just 24 hours, reducing its volume by up to 80% – while these can handle organic waste from multiple high-rise buildings, they need to be installed in a bigger shared community space.

    In Tower Hamlets, where space is limited, compact technology offers a convenient solution. But, as we found in our research, it’s not without its challenges.

    As Frank, a man who lives on a top-floor flat, explained: “This machine is much quicker than traditional composting, but what about the cost and the electricity it uses?” While smart technologies offer convenience, some Tower Hamlets residents raised concerns about energy consumption and costs – so there is a trade-off between ease and energy efficiency.



    Read more:
    Most food waste happens at home – new research reveals the best ways to reduce it

    Surprisingly, composting technology, often seen as the eco-friendly solution, may be worsening the food waste crisis. As a marketing expert, I spoke directly with many consumers at Tower Hamlets.

    One told me that composting makes them feel “less guilty” about throwing out food. When composting serves as a licence to waste, it can increase the amount of food that is discarded.

    Making composting easy diverts waste from landfills, but that doesn’t address root causes including simply buying too much food in the first place. To reduce food waste, technology must promote behavioural change such as better meal planning and waste monitoring. Knowing how much food waste they produce, compared to their neighbours, can encourage people to change their behaviour.

    So many cities face the same problems, with densely populated communities living in flats without gardens. Without co-creating practical solutions with residents, achieving waste reduction goals will be tough.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Sayed Elhoushy received funding from the East London Garden Society (£3000) for the Food Waste Pilot Project (#10239808) (Nov 1, 2022 – Feb 28, 2023) and from the SBM Small Grant Fund (£2,500) (Apr 3 – Jul 14, 2023).

    – ref. Inner London residents told me their food waste problems – composting definitely isn’t the answer – https://theconversation.com/inner-london-residents-told-me-their-food-waste-problems-composting-definitely-isnt-the-answer-250160

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Dover — Update: Police seek information regarding home invasion

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division continues to seek the public’s assistance in relation to a home invasion in West Dover.

    On December 13, at approximately 7:35 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a report of a home invasion on West Dover Rd.

    During the course of the investigation, a light-coloured vehicle of interest that was present at the time of the incident was identified.

    The investigation, led by the General Investigative Section of the RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, continues.

    Anyone with information about the vehicle or this incident is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 24-169864

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. eliminates carbon tax

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The B.C. government is cancelling the carbon tax by introducing legislation to drop the rate to $0, effective Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

    “British Columbians are doing everything they can to reduce their emissions. But people shouldn’t have to choose between climate action and being able to afford their bills,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why we are eliminating the consumer carbon tax, which has become divisive at a time we need to be united. We will help people with costs and fight climate change by ensuring big polluters continue to pay, encouraging industry to innovate and giving British Columbians affordable options to make sustainable choices.”

    The reduction of the tax to $0 is an immediate step to align B.C.’s carbon tax rate with the new federal carbon tax rate. The elimination of the carbon tax means people in British Columbia will no longer be required to pay the consumer carbon tax, taking approximately 17 cents per litre off the cost of fuel and approximately 15 cents per cubic metre for natural gas on their home heating bill.

    The climate action tax credit, developed to help offset the impacts of the consumer carbon tax on people and families, will also be cancelled. The final payment will be distributed in April 2025.

    “The carbon tax has been an important tool in B.C. for over a decade and half, but it has become too politically divisive and a distraction from the important issues we are tackling,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance. “While this is a significant shift for our province, we will offset the impact while focusing on growing the economy during these challenging economic times.”

    Cancelling the tax and the credit will have an estimated impact of $1.99 billion in the coming fiscal year. The Province will restructure programs funded by carbon tax revenue to minimize the impact on B.C.’s budget, while supporting people in British Columbia in achieving climate goals.

    The Province will continue to ensure big polluters pay through the B.C. output-based carbon pricing system. The system supports decarbonization efforts, incentivizing industry to lower their emissions to avoid paying the tax.

    “We remain committed to driving down emissions while making life more affordable,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “We are continuing to invest in practical solutions, such as home heat pump rebates for those who need them most and energy-efficiency upgrades, so people can lower their energy costs and reduce emissions without bearing an extra financial burden.”

    The Province has made notable progress in promoting the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, expanding public charging infrastructure, and enhancing energy efficiency in homes and buildings. These efforts contribute to emission reductions, support economic growth by creating jobs in clean-energy sectors and help lower energy costs for people in British Columbia.

    Quick Facts:

    • B.C.’s carbon tax will be eliminated the same day as the federal carbon pricing requirement.
    • Natural gas retailers will be required to provide credits or refunds to customers who were erroneously charged the carbon tax on or after April 1, 2025.
    • The average amount of carbon tax that would have been paid by families in B.C. is approximately $410 in 2025-26.

    Learn More:

    For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/Legislation

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Governor Primavera Showcases Colorado’s Leadership in Health Innovation at National Health Equity Summit

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER — Colorado continues to set the standard for digital health transformation and health equity as Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera traveled to Orlando, FL, for the Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Summit last week.

    Representing one of the nation’s most forward-thinking states in healthcare innovation, Lt. Governor Primavera highlighted the groundbreaking work of the Colorado Social Health Information Exchange (CoSHIE) and its role in improving access to care, integrating social determinants of health (SDoH) data, and advancing health equity across the state.

    CoSHIE is a pioneering initiative that bridges healthcare and social services, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive, whole-person care. By leveraging technology to seamlessly connect medical providers, community-based organizations, and public health agencies, CoSHIE is reducing gaps in care, addressing social needs, and driving better health outcomes for Coloradans.

    “Colorado has long been a leader in health care innovation, and our work with the Colorado Social Health Information Exchange is a testament to that commitment,” said Lt. Governor and Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care, Dianne Primavera. “By integrating social determinants of health into our digital health strategies, we’re ensuring that individuals receive the support they need — whether it’s food security, housing assistance, or access to mental health care — alongside traditional medical treatment. This will support our continued efforts to ensure that all Coloradans have access to high-quality, affordable health care.”

    Stephanie Pugliese, Executive Director of the Office of eHealth Innovation (OeHI), emphasized the importance of community collaboration in driving CoSHIE’s success: “Colorado Social Health Information Exchange represents more than just a technological advancement — it’s a reflection of Colorado’s unwavering commitment to equity and person-centered care. By aligning state agencies, health care providers, and local organizations, we’re building a more connected and compassionate system that meets people where they are and helps improve their overall well-being.”

    Colorado’s ongoing efforts in health technology extend beyond CoSHIE, with investments in telehealth, rural broadband expansion, and data-driven policy initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes statewide. These initiatives underscore Colorado’s commitment to using technology as a force for good — ensuring healthcare is more accessible, equitable, and efficient.

    For more information on Colorado’s digital health initiatives, visit OeHI’s website.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: WEEX Drives Global Strategy with Dubai Office and TOKEN2049 Spotlight

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, WEEX officially announced the opening of its international office in Dubai’s central financial district, joining top-tier exchanges like Bybit, OKX, and Bitget in establishing a physical presence in the region. As the most dynamic crypto hub in the Middle East, Dubai continues to attract leading platforms. WEEX has also seen rapid growth in global markets, driven by its ongoing advantages in trading security, product liquidity, and user experience.

    The WEEX Dubai international office now houses over 600 employees, making it one of the largest crypto exchange operations in the region. Andrew Weiner, Vice President of WEEX, said: “With WEEX’s rapid growth in the Middle East and global markets, we plan to expand our team further in Dubai over the next one to two years, adding 30 to 50 new hires to better support local operations and service deployment.” As WEEX continues to grow its user base, product offerings, and international influence, Dubai will serve as the central hub for the platform’s global expansion, driving localized operations and team-building efforts to enhance WEEX’s global strength and influence.

    As a global crypto trading platform founded in 2018, WEEX has already served over 6.2 million users across 130+ countries and regions. With a daily trading volume of over $5 billion, WEEX supports more than 1,700 trading pairs, including popular mainstream and emerging tokens. The platform offers spot and derivative trading with leverage up to 400x. Backed by strong liquidity and a precision trading matching system, WEEX also protects users’ assets with a 1,000 BTC Protection Fund. The platform’s innovative copy trading feature has attracted a significant number of professional traders and users, making it one of the most popular tools for precision trading today.

    Meanwhile, WEEX has partnered with global brand ambassador Michael Owen and five regional ambassadors to further promote the concept of Precision Trading. The platform is also launching the “Win With Michael Owen, Sign up & get up to $100 for Free” campaign. New users who register can receive up to $30,000 in USDT rewards and have a chance to win a signed football jersey by watching Michael Owen’s newly released brand video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRB-V2hMhuM

    As a legendary striker, Michael Owen is known for his precision, efficiency, and decisiveness on the field. This relentless pursuit of precision aligns perfectly with WEEX’s core philosophy of Precision Trading. Reflecting on how to make quick, accurate decisions under pressure, Michael Owen said: “I realized early on that being fully prepared for all possible outcomes is key to making the best decision in the moment. Otherwise, hesitation can cause opportunities to slip by.” This “instinctive decision-making,” built through years of practice and experience, helped him master risk management and timing, principles that align perfectly with WEEX’s approach to trading.

    Since the partnership, WEEX has continued refining its precision trading tools and deepening its market strategies, helping users improve decision-making efficiency and enhance risk control. Looking ahead, WEEX will continue to use its Dubai international office as the central hub of its global strategy, focusing on product development, localized services, and regulatory compliance. Through platforms like TOKEN2049, WEEX will further drive the adoption of Precision Trading across broader markets. Michael Owen and the global ambassador team will continue to collaborate with WEEX to help more investors navigate market volatility, capture opportunities, and unlock the full potential of the crypto industry.

    Disclaimer: WEEX does not currently conduct any virtual asset activities in the UAE and has not been licensed by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). WEEX will only engage in virtual asset activities in Dubai upon obtaining the necessary VARA license.

    Comtact:
    Regina O’Keefe
    market@weexglobal.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by WEEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Treasurer Steiner Calls On Congress To Protect Oregon And Other States From Medicaid Budget Cuts

    Source: US State of Oregon

    regon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner called on congressional leaders to protect Medicaid from budget cuts designed to fund tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. In Oregon, approximately 1 in 3 state residents get their health insurance from the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), Oregon’s Medicaid program.

    At a national news conference with other state treasurers earlier in the day, Treasurer Steiner stated:

    “Medicaid cuts will delay or deny health care, raise costs and push more families closer to financial instability and bankruptcy.

    Oregon’s economic stability is also at risk. Medicaid budget cuts or cost shifts to states will eliminate jobs, hamstring our economy and destabilize the health care system, especially in rural communities across Oregon.

    The bottom line: Medicaid works. In Oregon, Medicaid has helped slow the growth of health costs. It provides vital health coverage and senior care that most middle- and lower-income families cannot afford to live without.

    America must provide opportunity to working families who are already struggling to save for emergencies, their children’s education, and retirement – not put greater financial burdens on their shoulders. Protecting Medicaid is a vital investment in their well-being. I urge Congress to put the interests of working families ahead of another tax cut benefiting the wealthiest Americans and corporations.”

    Treasurer Steiner’s full remarks can be seen here: https://bit.ly/41N1Z0X

    Facts about Oregon’s Medicaid program:

    • Medicaid covers 1 in 3 people in Oregon (1.4 million people).
    • Today 97% of Oregonians have health coverage. Before Oregon expanded Medicaid nearly 1 in 5 Oregonians lacked health coverage.
    • 57% of Oregon children – and 45% of all births – are covered by Medicaid.
    • 2 out of every 3 nursing home residents rely on Medicaid.
    • Counties in rural areas typically have Oregon’s highest Medicaid enrollment rates. In Oregon Congressional District 2, which spans most of Oregon east of the Cascades:
      • More than 4 in 10 residents receive health care through the Oregon Health Plan (the highest percentage in the state).
      • 7 in 10 children are covered by OHP.
      • More than 110,000 adults are covered by Medicaid expansion.
    • Medicaid budget cuts under consideration by Congress could cost Oregon more than $3 billion in federal funding and put coverage at risk for more than 670,000 Oregonians.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft celebrates 50 years of employee giving program

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft celebrates 50 years of employee giving program

    Fifty years ago, Microsoft opened its doors and introduced us to a world of technology innovations that touch every part of our lives. We have grown from six buildings and Lake Bill in Redmond to offices in over 190 countries. Hundreds of thousands of people have shipped thousands of products that have made all of us more connected, efficient and innovative.

    Through all the growth, change, and technological progress, there is one common thread that ties our Microsoft employees and their communities together— Microsoft’s Give program. It’s fundamental to who we are as a company. It reflects our values and our commitment to helping every person and organization on the planet do more.

    In 2024, our contributions reached historic milestones, highlighting the shared benefits of our giving program for the nonprofits we support and for Microsoft and its employees, who tell us again and again they derive heartfelt value from our community connections. We’ve logged nearly 6 million volunteer hours and $1.3 billion in lifetime donations to Washington nonprofits.

    Giving is deeply ingrained in our culture

    It is an honor to celebrate the generosity of our employees who passionately give their time and money to support nonprofits they care about in the communities where they live and work.

    • In 2024, our employees worldwide volunteered 1.2 million hours and raised over $255 million to support 36,000 nonprofits around the world.
    • In our first full year of the Change Agent program—where employees volunteer their time to help nonprofits on their digital transformation journey—we had 1,200 employees line up to participate and the demand is growing.
    • Our employees, past and present, have donated over $3 billion since our first Give campaign and provided the equivalent of 1,277 years of volunteering to 36,000 organizations globally.

    Investing in our own backyard​

    Nowhere is this commitment to giving more evident than in Washington, our HQ state, where so many of our employees who live right here in the Puget Sound region are so deeply committed to making a difference. It shows in the numbers!

    • The total donations in 2024 to nonprofits in the state was $88 million, and over 460,000 hours of volunteer time. It’s the highest number of volunteer hours we’ve ever provided in Washington in a single year.
    • We supported 4,900 nonprofits in the state in 2024—another record.
    • Our lifetime giving in Washington state alone has surpassed $1.3 billion and Microsoft employees have logged 6 million volunteer hours.
    • The most inspiring statistic? 80% of our Washington state employees participated in our giving program – sharing their time and their personal resources.

    These numbers tell the story of impact, but it is the personal stories of our local changemakers and the nonprofits they support that tell the real story.

    What really matters

    The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is also celebrating a 50-year anniversary. What started as a regional cancer center has turned into a world-class biomedical research and clinical care institution. Microsoft and our employees have supported the critical work of Fred Hutch since the 1980s.

    Some employees have a very personal reason for their commitment to the organization. La Shanda Hurst lost her father to colon cancer when he was just 43 years old. Her support of the Hutch is rooted in her drive to make a difference. “My overall calling has to do with my life experience, losing my dad so early, and trying to drive impact.” For her, “I’m thinking about supporting causes and making an impact 365 days a year.”

    Her focus on results is echoed by many of our employees. They have shared that volunteering not only allows them to make a tangible difference in their communities but also fosters a strong sense of connection and purpose. One of our employees states the drive for impact beautifully when he said, “When my time is over on this planet, what will I say I really did to make an impact?”

    Committing to long-term impact

    Northwest Harvest is one of the country’s largest independent food banks, collecting and distributing food to more than 400 partner organizations across the state of Washington. It is also one of our top ten giving recipients—in both dollars and volunteer hours—year after year.

    Thomas Reynolds, CEO of Northwest Harvest, talks about the importance of the relationship, “The partnership with Microsoft means that there are literally thousands of people who take action on food justice issues here in Washington State. They provide financial support, their time, and their wisdom.”

    We often talk about the importance of scale. However, critical and complex issues like hunger and food security also require a long-term commitment to effect meaningful and lasting change. The continuity of our employees’ support provides a solid foundation to help the organization reach its goal of cutting hunger in half by 2028, and doing the same for the number of households struggling without enough food on the table.

    Investing in a future for everyone in the digital economy

    We believe economic growth and opportunity must reach every person, organization, community, and country. Even in a state like Washington, home to some of the largest and most influential companies globally, economic opportunities are not available to all.

    To help address the challenge, our Give program has supported the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) since its inception in 2011. WSOS removes barriers to education and helps historically excluded students create a path to high-demand STEM, health care, and trade careers in Washington state. As a first-generation college student, Douglas Lepar, Microsoft Director of Operations Program Management, experienced the same challenges as WSOS scholars. He also brings years of experience and knowledge of working in the technology field, which he generously shares with scholars through the Skills that Shine mentor program. “I’ve been so impressed and humbled by the students I have seen who, thanks to this incredible program, have managed to juggle all those things while still thriving, growing, and engaging.”

    Looking forward

    I am both grateful and inspired when I look at how Microsoft employees give to create a positive and lasting social impact. There is a tremendous amount of change in the world today, placing significant pressure on nonprofits organizations worldwide. They are grappling with immensely complex situations and are being asked to respond to more crises than ever before. Our changemakers continue to step up as advocates, allies, funders, and volunteers. Their commitment gives me hope that we can rise to today’s challenges and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

    Tags: Give Campaign

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kuruman high-density operation leads to R38 000 fines issued

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    A high-density operation in the greater Kuruman, Northern Cape, has resulted in fines amounting to R38 500 issued for various road traffic violations.

    The South African Police Service (SAPS), under the leadership of Northern Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Johny Besnaar, together with the Provincial Head for Proactive Policing, Brigadier Irene Kopeled, and Acting John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District Commissioner, Brigadier Kenneth Baloyi, led a successful high-density operation in the greater Kuruman area and Bothithong policing precint. 

    The high-density operation, which was carried out on 28 and 29 March 2025, was supported by the Community Police Forum (CPF) and Community in Blue Patrollers.

    “The multi-disciplinary operations were executed by members from the affected stations, [including] SAPS K9 unit, flying squad, members from the Provincial Proactive policing, Provincial Corporate Communication and the Vehicle Safeguarding Section (VSS),” the SAPS said in a statement on Sunday. 

    The police actions targeted various offences, including aggravated and business robberies, burglary at residential premises, preventing stolen property in transit, combating of drugs and human trafficking, as well as stock theft 

    The disruptive actions commenced with stop and searches, foot patrols, blue light patrols, compliance inspections and drugs searches.

    Police also conducted roadblocks on the N14 road during which 392 vehicles were stopped and searched, where fines amounting to R38 500, were issued for various road traffic violations.

    During compliance inspections, tuckshops and taverns operating in Kuruman and Bothithong, were visited.

    One tavern was closed down and a fine was issued for non-compliance.

    A total of seven people were also arrested for contraventions, including drunk and driving, possession of drugs, riotous behaviour, shoplifting, and contravention of the Immigration laws.

    Police further discovered an unregistered day care centre operating without the required documentation in a Kuruman residential area, and the local Department of Social Development personnel were contacted for further handling.

    The Acting District Commissioner and Brigadier Baloyi commended all role-players and law enforcement agencies, who were involved the crime blitz, for the collaboration in combating and preventing crime during the operations.

    “These actions reaffirmed that police will continue to stamp down the authority of the state in the district, especially as we are approaching the Easter holidays and beyond,” the SAPS said.

    Members of the public are encouraged to report any criminal activities via the MySAPS  App or the 08600 10111 Crime Stop number. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Human rights ought to be upheld every day 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    By Neo Semono

    Human Rights Month may have drawn to a close, but the significance of human rights extends further than a mere month. 

    Human Rights are not just ideals enshrined in our Constitution – they are the foundation of dignity, justice, and freedom that shape our everyday lives.

    South Africa’s Bill of Rights safeguards fundamental freedoms. This includes the right to life, freedom of expression, association, and peaceful protest. Yet, in the hustle and bustle of daily life – how often do we stop and take a minute to reflect on these? 

    In fact, reflecting on them ought not to be a mere ceremonial obligation that takes place during the month of March. It should be instead a commitment and conversation that occurs throughout the year.

    The month of March this year marked over six decades since the painful events of 21 March 1960 where 69 lives were lost in the Sharpeville Massacre in Gauteng. The massacre came to be as a result of citizens choosing to protest against the pass laws of the apartheid government.

    Today, South Africa’s constitution states that everyone has the right to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions, peacefully and unarmed.

    This year’s Human Rights Month was commemorated under the theme: “Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights”.

    While some would  likely only remember the month for the convenient long weekend it provided through Human Rights Day on 21 March, the theme spoke to issues affecting the globe today.

    And while many sophisticated advancements have been made over the years and will be made in the future, human rights will always matter. They are that ever-important coat that forms part of the priceless family heirloom.

    Human rights affect every aspect of life in that they are very closely linked to each person’s inner being. For example, each person that has been abused, raped and been a victim of a crime, finds it very difficult to forget how that horrid moment made them feel and how it trampled on their human rights.

    The recent horrific attack and killing of six community-based patrollers in Soshanguve, Gauteng, a day after the commemoration of Human Rights Day, has badly affected the nation’s psyche.

    The brave six, together with six others, had raised their hands up to help keep the community of the Marry Me informal settlement located north of Pretoria, safe. They paid the ultimate sacrifice.

    These patrollers were ordinary people committed to making a difference in their part of the world. The fact that citizens across the country become part of community police forums (CPFs) speaks to the fact that South Africans have an inherent can-do attitude even if it places their lives at risk.

    We should salute the fallen patrollers as well as those who continue to serve on CPFs.

    The South African Police Service (SAPS) Act states that the police service shall liaise with the community through CPFs to establish and maintain a partnership between the community and the SAPS. 

    The Act also speaks to promoting cooperation between the SAPS and the community in fulfilling the needs of the communities regarding policing as well as promoting joint problem identification and problem-solving by the service and the community.

    Government has expressed concern over crime levels with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu voicing his concern over what appears to be the increasing number of murder cases during his visit to Soshanguve last week.

    Human rights also extend to issues including inequality and addressing unemployment as stated by Deputy President Paul Mashatile in his Human Rights Day address describing these as “fundamental human rights issues.” 

    He said that while South Africa has experienced notable economic growth through expanding economic participation, the harsh reality of a 31.9% unemployment rate reveals the ongoing struggle faced by many in the country against poverty and inequality. 

    “This is not merely an economic issue. It represents a fundamental matter of human rights and fairness, demanding a concerted and sustained effort from all of us,” he said.

    Last week, news also broke that 23 South Africans were rescued from Myanmar. This after they were lured by an employment agency to Thailand under the pretences of lucrative jobs that were advertised on various social media platforms. 

    They were held captive for over four months in a cybercrime compound in Myanmar where they were subjected to physical torture and forced labour, among others. The repatriation of the victims was part of a bilateral cooperation agreement to combat human trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime signed by Thailand and South Africa in 2023. 

    In the same week, it was reported that over 30 Ethiopian nationals were able to escape from a house in Johannesburg’s Lombardy East. It is suspected that they were victims of a human trafficking syndicate.

    Trafficking in persons is a crime and violation of human rights, and the country has the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act which deals with trafficking in all its various forms while also providing for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking.

    As Human Rights Month closes off, we ought to continue to look out for the collective rights of each and every person every day of the year. 

    Human rights are not abstract concepts; they touch every aspect of life. They are about safety, dignity, and the ability to live free from fear and oppression. As we move beyond Human Rights Month, we must carry forward the spirit of vigilance, advocacy, and action. Safeguarding human rights is not the duty of government alone. It is the collective responsibility of all of us. 

    Every day presents an opportunity to uphold the rights of others, ensuring that justice and freedom remain a lived reality for all. –SAnews.gov.za  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Congressman Dan Goldman Reiterates Continued Warnings About Trump’s Third-Term Ambitions

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Goldman Introduced Resolution in November Reaffirming 22nd Amendment’s Clear Prohibition on Third Trump Term 

      

    Read Goldman’s Statement on Most Recent Trump Comments Here 
    Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) once again condemned Trump’s most recent comment alluding to a third term in office, where he stated unequivocally that he was ‘not joking’ about running for a third term. Back in November, Congressman Goldman saw Trump’s ‘jokes’ for what they were – trial balloons. In response, Goldman introduced a House Resolution urging his congressional colleagues to reaffirm the 22nd Amendment’s plain prohibition on any president serving beyond two elected terms in office. 

    With Trump now openly planning his fourth presidential run, Goldman’s urgent call for people to take Trump’s comments seriously is more relevant than ever. 

    March 31, 2025 

    Amending the constitution to run again would require 2/3rds approval by Congress and ratification by 38 states. Democrats are sounding the alarm. 

     

    Congressman Dan Goldman saying, ‘this is yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy.’ 

    New York Times: As Trump Refers to Third Term, Democrat Wants to Leave No Constitutional Loophole 

    November 13, 2024 

     

    Mr. Goldman’s resolution is an early indication of how Democrats may try to hold Mr. Trump accountable and defend democratic institutions with Republicans headed toward full control of Congress and few guardrails remaining to rein him in. Introducing the measure allows Mr. Goldman to draw public attention to Mr. Trump’s statements, which he calls “anti-democratic and authoritarian. 

    CBS News: Trump says he’s looking for ways to serve a third term as president 

    March 30, 2025 

     

    “This is yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy,” said a statement from Rep. Daniel Goldman, a New York Democrat who served as lead counsel for Trump’s first impeachment. “If Congressional Republicans believe in the Constitution, they will go on the record opposing Trump’s ambitions for a third term.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Elisapie’s Juno-winning album: Promoting Inuktitut through music

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Richard Compton, Professor, Department of Linguistics, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

    Singer Elisapie’s fourth album, Inuktitut, was nominated for adult alternative album of the year and album of the year at the 2025 Juno Awards, and won best adult alternative album at the Juno Awards Gala, March 29.

    The album features covers of 10 pop and classic rock songs, including the Rolling Stones’s “Wild Horses” and Metallica’s “The Unforgiven,” re-imagined in Inuktitut. Inuktitut is the first language of 33,790 Inuit in Canada, according to the 2021 Census.

    Elisapie’s nomination offers a good opportunity to reflect on the situation of Inuktitut and how creative work, including music, helps promote it.

    Our work touches on the inter-generational transmission of Inuktitut. We share perspectives as a Qallunaaq (non-Inuk) linguist (Richard) and as an Inuk school teacher (Sarah) in Nunavik, with Sarah’s personal experiences in the community highlighted.

    Together, we have co-taught courses for Inuit teachers in Puvirnituq and Ivujivik. We are also both affiliated with a research group focused on Indigenous education based at Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

    Elisapie’s ‘Isumagijunnaitaungituq’ (The Unforgiven)

    Music in Inuktitut

    Sarah notes that:

    I was amazed that [Elisapie] could make the long words in Inuktitut fit with the rhythm of the music; she did it so precisely. It took me back to the 1980s, when I was growing up. It would have been nice if songs like these had been interpreted back then. It’s been a long time coming, but it shows that nothing is impossible. The songs sound so natural in Inuktitut.

    On the day we talked about this story, Sarah remembered:

    I was at the Snow Festival yesterday [in Puvirnituq], and some of the teenagers knew all the words to her songs and were singing along. We didn’t have that when I was growing up.

    She remembers first seeing Elisapie sing in the early 1990s at one of the first snow festivals in Puvirnituq.

    Elisapie’s album has also sparked interest outside of Canada, with stories in such venues as Rolling Stone, Vogue and Le Monde.

    Beyond how Elisapie beautifully interprets the songs, creative choices like using throat singing on the first track, “Isumagijunnaitaungituq (The Unforgiven),” and stunning music videos showcasing life in the North brings the language to a wider audience.

    The album’s cover art features the word Inuktitut, ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, in syllabics — a writing system originally use for Cree and adapted to Inuktitut, where the individual symbols represent consonants and the way they point represents vowels.

    Elisapie’s ‘Taimangalimaaq’ (Time After Time)

    Diversity of the Inuit language

    The word Inuktitut itself means “like the Inuit,” and is the name for part of a wider language continuum spoken across the North American Arctic. This language continuum includes Iñupiaq in Alaska, Uummarmiutun, Sallirmiutun and Inuinnaqtun in the Western Canadian Arctic, Inuktitut in the Eastern Arctic, Inuttut in Labrador and Kalaallisut in Greenland.

    This abundance of names reflects a diversity of varieties, each with their own pronunciations and differences in grammar and vocabulary stretching across Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland.

    Speakers in each community look to their Elders as models of how the language should be spoken. While this multiplicity of dialects poses challenges for translation and creating teaching materials, each variety marks local identity and links generations.

    This diversity also fascinates linguists, as each variety attests to a different way of organizing the unconscious rules of grammar in the human mind.

    For instance, Inuktitut has a rich system of tense markers on verbs, signalling events that just happened, happened earlier today, before today or long ago. Inuinnaqtun, to the west, lacks most of these tense markers, but instead allows more complex combinations of sounds.

    A role model for youth

    Sarah stresses the importance of Elisapie’s music for the language:

    It’s so impressive that people like Elisapie are doing such amazing things with the language. She grew up around the same time as me and when I was in school there were so few teaching materials in Inuktitut, and we focused more on speaking than reading and writing. Even if her main goal might not have been to promote the language, she’s doing it, because kids listen to her. More teenagers are willing to sing in Inuktitut now because they have role models like her and Beatrice Deer.

    Deer is an Inuk and Mohawk musician from Quaqtaq, Nunavik, who also sings in Inuktitut, as well as English and French.

    Indigenous language education rights

    In Canada, all levels of government have failed to provide adequate access to education in Indigenous languages, even in regions where Indigenous Peoples form the majority.

    In Nunavik, where Elisapie is from, 90 per cent of the population (12,590 out of 14,050) identifies as Inuit and 87 per cent (12,245 out of 14,050) report Inuktitut as their first language. And yet Inuktitut is only the primary language of instruction up until Grade 3.

    About promoting Inuktitut, Sarah says:

    We’re lucky that in most of the villages in Nunavik, the language is still strong. But it’s still concerning that some people have started speaking in English to their kids. What we really need to promote it is to have school in Inuktitut from kindergarten to the end of high school [secondary 5 in Québec]. That’s why a group of Inuit teachers, including me, visited Greenland to learn more about their education system. They’ve had schools in their language for almost 200 years. We just started in the ‘50s.

    While bilingualism may bring economic benefits, the lack of support for Indigenous languages often results in a situation where bilingualism robs children of the chance to fully develop in their first language.

    Right to education in Indigenous language

    In addition to violating Indigenous Peoples’ inherent right to get an education in their language (see the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), current education policies also go against recommendations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

    UNESCO recommends that Indigenous minority languages be taught as the primary language in school for the first six to eight years, as this has been shown to contribute to children’s well-being and self-esteem.

    Unfortunately, Canada’s official language laws continue to place the two colonial languages of English and French above Indigenous languages, particularly in education funding.



    Read more:
    Ancestral languages are essential to Indigenous identities in Canada

    New challenges have also emerged for maintaining and extending the domains in which Inuktitut is used. Once cut off from high-speed internet, new satellite technology has brought access to more Inuit communities, along with new economic opportunities.

    However, this connectivity also brings an avalanche of English content, from viral videos and streaming platforms to social networks and mobile games.

    Vital for promoting Inuktitut

    It is in this changing linguistic and media landscape where Inuktitut language and cultural production, like Elisapie’s album, are vital for promoting Inuktitut.

    Children and teenagers need content that speaks to them — things they see as new, fun, cool and representing their generation. This includes music, comic books, novels, video games and even Hockey Night in Canada in Inuktitut.

    So whether Elisapie’s music is being played in community radio stations, featured in an episode of CBC’s North of North or streamed as a music video on social media, it serves the added role of taking up a little more space for Inuktitut in people’s daily lives.

    This is an updated version of a story originally published on March 28, 2025. It clarifies Elisapie was nominated for two awards and won best adult alternative.

    Richard Compton receives funding in the form of research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Transmission and Knowledge of the Inuit Language.

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

    – ref. Elisapie’s Juno-winning album: Promoting Inuktitut through music – https://theconversation.com/elisapies-juno-winning-album-promoting-inuktitut-through-music-251774

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Governments must ensure caregivers have support to keep doing their vital work

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Heather Aldersey, Professor and Canada Research Chair (Disability Inclusive Development), Queen’s University, Ontario

    People with disabilities and their families often have an even greater need for support over time, especially if a disability is progressive or family members experience their own health challenges. (Shutterstock)

    April 1 marks National Caregivers Day in Canada. The day is meant to recognize the carers who provide vital care and support to those in need.

    We all need care and support to navigate challenges in life. Help can come from formal support (paid professionals and government programs), and from natural support networks (family, friends and neighbours).

    People with disabilities and their families often have an even greater need for support over time, especially if a disability is progressive or family members experience their own health challenges due to aging.

    The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE) released its National Caregiving Strategy on Feb. 18, stating that caregiving is the next frontier in Canadian public policy. As the CCCE’s executive director, Liv Mendelsohn, said: “Millions of Canadians are navigating caregiving with minimal support, and it’s simply unacceptable.”

    This article’s co-author, Donna Thomson, is a caregiver, author and educator. She is the mother of two grown children, one who has severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. Thomson also helped care for her mother who lived with dementia until she passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96.

    Family caregivers often need support themselves in order to keep working both inside and outside of the home. Parents of adult children with developmental disabilities in Canada are hardly ever asked: “What do you do for your son or daughter that paid helpers cannot?” Even less often, that question might be followed by: “Wow, that’s a lot. Would you like some support to continue doing those things?”

    With a federal election on the horizon, Canadians can call on their governments to improve support for caregivers.
    (Shutterstock)

    Importance of natural caregivers

    Our research recognizes that both formal and informal supports are essential in enabling people with disabilities and their families to live their best lives. We want to understand how individuals, families, organizations and communities can best come together to get people with disabilities and their families the types of supports they need and want, when they need and want them.

    Over the course of our research, we conducted a document and literature review, alongside interviews and focus groups with people with disabilities, family members and formal disability support providers. We identified that family or friend caregivers often support a person they care for with a sense of love and commitment to a depth that is rare in formal support relationships.

    Unbound by professional obligations, safety standards or employer/funder priorities, these natural supporters can often be vocal advocates for the best interests of those they are supporting.

    However, sometimes finding and sustaining natural support in the community doesn’t come easily for people with disabilities and their families. In those instances, organizations and facilitators (formal supports), can help broker the creation and maintenance of natural support networks.

    Community organizations offering formal supports and supporting the creation and maintenance of natural supports can sometimes be beholden to funder obligations. This can limit the flexibility and adaptability required to best meet the needs of those they support.

    Additionally, organizations are often constrained by safety considerations, aversion to risk or the challenges posed by overly bureaucratic systems. Sometimes, this can mean the support provided to a person or family does not directly respond to what the individual or family needs. Even more frustrating is that waiting times can be so long to access formal supports that identified needs or priorities change in the meantime.

    Sometimes, finding and sustaining natural support in the community doesn’t come easily for people with disabilities and their families.
    (Shutterstock)

    CCCE’s caregiving strategy

    The CCCE strategy is a recognition that care work makes all other work possible. It echoes our research findings that both paid and unpaid caregivers need financial support as well as targeted programs and services.

    The strategy calls upon the Canadian government to make caregiving a priority while ensuring a sustainable care provider workforce.

    Supports are also a provincial issue. For example, in Ontario, the Ministry for Children, Community and Social Services has published a framework that offers a long-term vision for transforming developmental services so people with developmental disabilities fully participate in their communities and are supported to live their lives.

    Care and support can also be a gender issue, given that in Canada and around the world the majority of both formal and informal support is being provided by women and girls.

    Missing perspectives

    Our research also highlighted a notable gap in the research landscape. Research on natural support in Canada is often not explicit about or does not incorporate understandings of natural support from the perspectives of Indigenous, Black, rural, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups.

    People belonging to these groups may have their own needs and experiences that relate to navigating natural and formal support systems in Canada. Future-focused research agendas into natural supports, such as those proposed in the CCCE strategy’s recommendations, must intentionally seek to understand support and care experiences from these perspectives.

    At the Global Disability Summit taking place this week in Berlin from April 2-3, we will join voices from around the world to call on national leaders and decision-makers to ensure disability policies translate into tangible actions and inclusive practices.

    Our research shows the deep, important impact of federal and provincial policy and funding both for formal and natural supports to flourish. With a federal election on the horizon, Canadians can call on their governments to improve support for caregivers, ensure support systems are in place and flexible enough to respond to individual and family needs, and enable natural support networks to flourish.

    This is important, because the care we give to each other, regardless of age or ability, is what will sustain us as families.

    This article was co-authored by Donna Thomson, a caregiver, author and educator.

    Heather Aldersey receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Universities Canada, and the Mastercard Foundation.

    – ref. Governments must ensure caregivers have support to keep doing their vital work – https://theconversation.com/governments-must-ensure-caregivers-have-support-to-keep-doing-their-vital-work-249829

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Violent attempt to set fire to Muslim woman in Ajax exposes persistent Islamophobia in Canada

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nadiya N. Ali, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Trent University

    The National Council of Canadian Muslims’ senior advocacy officer Fatema Abdalla read the survivor’s statement about what happened at a news conference last week. ‘I don’t feel safe for my daughters,’ the statement reads, ‘all of whom wear hijab.’ NCCM/Instagram

    A 25-year-old woman recently attempted to set a Muslim woman on fire in Ajax, Ont.

    Afterwards, the survivor provided a statement, which was read for her at a news conference. In it, she described her visit to her “favourite quiet corner of the library” as ordinary and routine. This ordinary moment, however, turned nightmarish and extraordinary in an instant.

    According to the survivor, the attacker attempted to yank her hijab off. She hurled objects at her head, including scissors and a metal object. The attacker then poured an unknown liquid on her hijab and flicked her lighter several times, allegedly attempting to light the fabric ablaze. Library staff and security intervened before any more harm could take place.

    Afterwards, the survivor, a mother of two girls, explained that she’s unable to quell her terror. She said: “I can’t stop thinking: what if the lighter had worked? What if my hijab had caught fire?” But most of all, she’s terrified for her hijab-wearing daughters’ safety in public spaces.

    No one should feel unsafe in public spaces. However, for racialized people, public space in North America is fraught with heightened risks. It’s shaped by a deep undercurrent of white anxieties propping up the racial order of society.

    This incident is not an isolated act of violence. It is situated within a broader social climate that normalizes the policing of how racialized people “should” enter and occupy public spaces.

    We are two scholars and community organizers who have long been working on issues related to Islamophobia and racism. The traumatic event in Ajax highlights the persistent and deeply ingrained nature of gendered Islamophobia in Canada and beyond.

    Whether through horrific displays of public violence like this one, or legislative action like Bill 21 in Québec, the bodies of Muslim women have long been battlegrounds for white supremacist anxieties and ideologies.

    White panic

    While we don’t yet know the attacker’s affiliations or what inspired her to commit this act of terror, this incident echoes racist aspirations for “purity.”

    Racial anxiety about the inflow of multiple generations of Muslims is integral to the way Islamophobia channels white supremacist panic over the growing population of Muslims in Canada — and the attack in Ajax is no exception.

    White supremacist anxieties about demographic changes are articulated most clearly and directly in the “Great Replacement Theory” (and variations of it) that vilifies racialized people, asserting a drive to preserve “white innocence,” tied to eugenic fantasies of purifying North America and Europe.

    Muslims, in this racist ideology, figure as foreign invaders, a demographic threat and as “provocateurs” who are trying to overtake the white population through immigration and reproduction — or as some white supremacists call it, “baby Jihad.”

    The changing demographics of Ajax

    Over the past decade, Ajax — in Durham region east of Toronto — has seen significant demographic changes, with an overall growth rate of about 15 per cent. The town is home to more than 125,000 people and about 14 per cent of them are Muslim.

    The growth of Muslim communities is situated within a broader shift. A substantial portion of the population increase has been driven by a diverse group of racialized communities so that now, 65 per cent of the total population of Ajax would be considered racialized.

    The new population has infused new life to Ajax, and the Durham region more broadly. It seems, however, that not everyone is happy about this growth.

    Gendered Islamophobia

    The bodies of Muslim women have long been objectified, serving as a site where white racial anxieties are projected and enacted. Taken up as a sort of Trojan horse, their perceived ability to give birth and reproduce culture is weaponized against them. After all, they hold the power to propagate this “dangerous other,” and dislodge the order of whiteness.

    Jasmin Zine, a critical Muslim studies scholar, has used and developed the term “gendered Islamophobia” to explain the way the bodies and practices of Muslim women are produced as racial problems. Muslim women in public spaces are constructed as hazardous cultural contaminants, polluting the public square and threatening the purity of the (white) nation with their very existence.

    The responses to this perception of contamination take multiple forms. In Québec, for instance, Muslim women are being aggressively foreclosed from participation in public spaces and institutions with laws like Bill 21 and Bill 94.

    ‘Unprovoked attack:’ Racism in public life

    The Durham Police are calling this an “unprovoked attack.” But the provocation is precisely what needs to be named. Of course, the victim did not actively provoke the attacker. But it’s important to ask how our social arrangements prime and sustain the currents that produce Muslim women as provocations on sight.

    This phenomenon of “unprovoked” attacks on visibly Muslim women in public spaces is far too common in Canada. These have ranged from a devastating physical assault in a mall parking lot in Edmonton to a knife attack on the TTC in Toronto, the fatal act of terror in London, Ont. against a family simply taking a walk together to this recent attack in Ajax. Muslim women around the country are rightly asking if public spaces are safe for them.

    Racialized individuals must navigate what Black studies scholar George Lipsitz describes as “privileged moral geographies.”

    For instance, the frame of “disorderly conduct” often serves as a common tool to mark the “wrong ways” in which racialized individuals assert their presence in public settings. This includes the regulation of what foods are deemed appropriate for public consumption, the enforcement of norms around personal space, noise and loitering.

    The catch, however, is that when you are already racialized as a “cultural pollutant,” “conduct” merely fuels the racist climate that already marks you as an improper subject by sheer existence.

    Have another samosa?

    Standard sociological contact theory says greater exposure to diversity breeds opportunity for intergroup contact, which is presumed to foster tolerance.

    Canadians like to believe in our multicultural country — that another samosa party or heritage night is all we need to confront intolerance and prejudice.

    However, what contact theory frames get wrong is the assumption of the public as a neutral site of engagement where people all have equal access to participation.

    Public space is already and always infused with racial logic that neutralizes and naturalizes certain bodies while amplifying and bloating other bodies with objectifying scripts. This perpetually and always produces them as out of place — and as problems that disrupt the order of the public square.

    Until we confront the entrenched racialized ideas that govern public space, creating a landscape where some are seen as natural occupants while others are made alien, true inclusivity and safety will remain out of reach.

    Kaley-Ann Freier, age 25, of Ajax has been charged with assault with a weapon for the attack.

    Nadiya N. Ali has received funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

    Nadia Hasan receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    – ref. Violent attempt to set fire to Muslim woman in Ajax exposes persistent Islamophobia in Canada – https://theconversation.com/violent-attempt-to-set-fire-to-muslim-woman-in-ajax-exposes-persistent-islamophobia-in-canada-253002

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Victim of fatal Morden collision named as detectives continue to appeal for information

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Morden earlier this month.

    Specialist officers from the Met have been supporting the man’s family at this difficult time and are now seeking the public’s help as part of enquiries.

    Police were called at 18:51hrs on Monday, 3 March to reports of a road traffic collision between a car and a pedestrian in Green Lane, Morden.

    Despite the efforts of the London Ambulance Service and officers, the pedestrian, a 49-year-old man, sadly died at the scene.

    He has been formally identified as Sinnathamby Karunakaran.

    Detective Constable Caroline Landy of the Roads & Transport Unit, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with Sinnathamby’s family at this tragic time.

    “We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of Green Lane between 18:35hrs and 18:50hrs – were you commuting home from work or within the area at this time and saw something that might be helpful to us?

    “If you were driving or live in the area, please check any dashcam or doorbell camera footage to see if you may have captured what happened.

    “We believe that there may be witnesses who have yet to come forward. No matter how small, anyone with any information is urged to contact us immediately.”

    Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with footage of this incident to contact police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC quoting CAD 6080/3MAR25.

    The car stopped at the scene. The investigation continues and no arrests have been made at this time.

    Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Jason Anavitarte and Rep. Trey Kelley Introduce Legislation to Provide for Polk County Homestead Exemptions

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (March 31, 2025) — Last week, Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas) introduced Senate Bill 356 to allow for residents of Polk County to apply for a homestead exemption from school district ad valorem taxes.

    “Many senior citizens in Polk County have contributed taxes to their school districts for decades after their children had gone through the education system,” said Sen. Anavitarte. “They have paid into the system for long enough, and I’m proud to offer them the opportunity for financial relief as our overall economy contends with rising property taxes and rapidly increasing property values. SB 356 will help our community keep property taxes manageable, particularly for those with fixed incomes who ought to be able to enjoy their retirement.”

    The legislation would allow residents aged 65 years or older to receive an exemption of either 50% or $60,000 of the assessed value of the homestead, whichever value is higher. For residents aged 70 years or older, the exemption would increase to either 75% or $80,000 of the assessed value of the homestead, whichever value is higher. Residents aged 77 years or older would be exempted from the full assessed value of the homestead.

    Rep. Trey Kelley (R–Cedartown) added, “I am proud to introduce HB 848 alongside Senator Anavitarte’s SB 356, which will provide meaningful property tax relief to the senior citizens of Polk County. I want to thank the numerous senior citizens who reached out to us through this process, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for lower taxes for all Polk County residents.”

    Homestead exemptions reduce the property taxes homeowners owe on their legal residence. Georgia homeowners must apply for a homestead exemption with their local county tax officials by April 1st.

    For more information about the legislation, click here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Chairman of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and a portion of Paulding County. He may be reached via email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Social factors help explain worse cardiovascular health among adults in rural vs. urban communities

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory
    Monday, March 31, 2025

    NIH-funded study reveals variables, such as poverty and education, that may underpin higher rates of heart disease and its risk factors.
    What
    A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) uncovered higher rates of heart disease and worse heart health affecting adults living in rural communities compared to urban areas and the factors that likely drive these differences. They found adults living in rural areas were more likely than those living in large cities to have heart disease (7% vs. 4%), high blood pressure (37% vs. 31%), high cholesterol (29% vs. 27%), obesity (41% vs. 30%), and diabetes (11% vs. 10%). Across all age groups, the differences in high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes were largest among adults ages 20–39 living in rural areas vs. cities.
    Investigators reviewed data from more than 27,000 adults who participated in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey to understand geographical differences in rates of heart disease and risk factors for conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Since higher rates of heart disease among adults in rural areas compared to cities have been established, they also sought to understand factors driving these variations.
    They found that factors such as levels of income and education, having enough food to eat, and owning a home mostly explained the higher rates of people in rural areas who had high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Prior research has also shown how difficult circumstances, such as living in poverty, can affect cardiovascular health, including increasing inflammation in the body. Additionally, having access to healthcare, which is important for overall health, did not factor into these differences. Lifestyle risk factors for heart disease such as smoking and being less active also didn’t explain these differences, although adults living in rural areas were more likely to smoke and be less active.
    The researchers also found that rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease were largest in rural areas compared to cities in the South. Rates of obesity were higher across rural areas throughout the U.S., especially in the Northeast.
    More than 60 million U.S. adults live in rural communities, and heart disease remains the nation’s leading cause of death. In this study, 1 in 7 adults lived in rural areas (counties of less than 50,000 people), 1 in 2 lived in small or medium-sized cities (counties of 50,000 to less than 1 million people), and 1 in 3 lived in large cities (counties of 1 million or more).
    Identifying factors driving the higher burden of heart disease and risk factors in rural regions remains a critical research priority. The authors note that insights from their study could inform public health efforts and policies to support and improve the cardiovascular health of people — especially younger adults — living in rural areas.
    The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) grant R01HL174549.
    Who
    Sean Coady, M.A., Deputy Chief of the Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, NHLBI
    Study
    Liu M, Marinacci LX, Joynt Maddox KE, Wadhera, RK. Cardiovascular Health Among Rural and Urban US Adults—Healthcare, Lifestyle, and Social Factors. JAMA Cardiol. 2025; doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2025.0538.
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Stops Discriminatory Practices Targeting Jewish New Yorkers at Rockland County Car Wash

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office has stopped Super 4 Seasons, a Rockland County car wash company, from running a discriminatory scam that targeted Jewish customers preparing for Passover. In the days leading up to Passover, many Jewish families clean their homes, cars, and other spaces to remove “chametz,” or leavened products. An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that in the weeks leading up to the holiday, Super 4 Seasons advertised a “Passover Special” cleaning promotion, targeting Jewish customers, that cost more than three times the standard price for the same service. Attorney General James is requiring Super 4 Seasons to immediately stop promoting or offering any discriminatory car wash special and, if the company fails to do so, pay a $75,000 penalty.

    “Targeting Jewish New Yorkers with deceptive pricing around Passover is a clear act of religious discrimination and will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General James. “Every New Yorker, regardless of their faith, deserves to be treated fairly and equally. My office will not hesitate to hold businesses accountable when they exploit families’ religious observance.”

    The OAG opened an investigation into Super 4 Seasons in April 2024 after receiving several complaints that the car wash company was knowingly charging Jewish customers $169 for a service that was otherwise available for just $47. As part of the investigation, OAG conducted undercover testing, interviewed complainants, and reviewed thousands of the company’s sales entries. The OAG found that Super 4 Seasons had promoted similar Passover-specific services dating back to at least 2018 and that in the weeks leading up to Passover, Jewish customers had been routinely denied access to standard pricing and were falsely told that only the high-priced “Passover Packages” were available.

    The OAG investigation also found that Super 4 Seasons persistently posted promotional signs advertising that only “Passover Packages & Up” were available, falsely claiming that standard services were not offered ahead of Passover. When an OAG investigator dressed in traditional Orthodox Jewish clothing inquired about standard pricing, he was told the car wash is “not doing anything except shampoos and Passover cleanings right now.” The car wash employee even told the investigator, “We are doing this just for you guys.”

    However, when another OAG investigator who was not wearing Orthodox Jewish clothing asked Super 4 Seasons for the standard services, he was offered and sold standard-priced services. When he inquired about the promotion, an employee responded that it was “for Jews,” adding that they needed to pay more “because their cars are so dirty.” The OAG recovered sales records for this same period, confirming that regular services had in fact been provided throughout the holiday.

    As a result of the OAG’s investigation, Super 4 Seasons will immediately stop these discriminatory practices, and is barred from promoting or advertising car wash services that allude to special pricing for religious holidays. Super 4 Seasons is also prohibited from charging Jewish customers more than other customers for the same car wash services and is not allowed to change its pricing or limit available services in the two months leading up to and during Passover. If Super 4 Seasons fails to adhere to these terms, it will be required to pay a penalty of up to $75,000.

    Attorney General James recently issued a consumer alert urging Jewish communities to be cautious of illegal and discriminatory practices ahead of Passover. Attorney General James reminds New Yorkers to be vigilant against scams on essential Passover goods and services, including car washes, essential food items, matzah and kosher-for-Passover products, cleaning services, travel, and accommodations. Under New York law, it is illegal to discriminate against someone based on religion. Anyone who is aware of businesses using discriminatory practices or believes that they were charged more for services because of their religion, race, or background is encouraged to file a complaint online or call 1-800-771-7755.

    This matter was handled by Hate Crimes and Bias Prevention Section Chief Rick Sawyer, Assistant Attorney General Rachel Finn, and Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Westchester Regional Office Andy Aujla, with assistance from Research Analyst Heather-Destiny Konan, under the supervision of Civil Rights Bureau Chief Sandra Park and Deputy Bureau Chief Travis England. The investigation was led by Investigators Liam Cassidy and Andy Rodriguez under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Cynthia Kane. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes, the Civil Rights Bureau is part of the Division for Social Justice led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux, and the Westchester Regional Office is a part of the Division of Regional Affairs led by Deputy Attorney General Jill Faber. All are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Construction Company to Pay $191,070 to the United States to Resolve False Claims Allegations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Claims Relate to Fraudulent Disaster Recovery Services After Devastating 2016 Flooding in West Virginia

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today that Thompson Construction Group Inc., of Sumter, South Carolina, has agreed to pay the United States $191,070 to resolve civil allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment from federal disaster recovery grant funds and by falsely certifying that homes it had constructed were compliant with contract conditions. 

    On June 26, 2016, portions of central and southern West Virginia experienced extreme levels of rainfall, resulting in historic flooding over a vast swath of the region.  Flood waters rushing across West Virginia’s mountainous landscape damaged or swept away thousands of homes, businesses, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving thousands of West Virginia residents homeless and at least 23 dead. Following a presidential disaster declaration issued in response to the flooding, Congress appropriated funds for disaster recovery in West Virginia to be administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. These funds were made available to fund an array of recovery needs in West Virginia including housing rehabilitation and replacement for low income homeowners.

    Thompson was awarded a series of contracts to reconstruct homes that were damaged or destroyed during the catastrophic flood. Because future flooding and water intrusion was a concern, the contracts included specific requirements for water management including crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps to be installed in homes constructed in a flood plain. These requirements were detailed in pre-bid construction specifications and incorporated into the contracts awarded.

    Thompson completed construction of these homes and submitted invoices certifying compliance with the contract terms and was paid from federal CDBG-DR funds.  Investigators later learned, however, that crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps had not been installed as required, making Thompson’s claims and certifications false.

    The Settlement Agreement announced today requires Thompson to pay $95,535 in restitution and $95,535 in double damages pursuant to the False Claims Act.

    “Numerous West Virginia families devastated by the 2016 flooding relied on Thompson Construction, which received significant taxpayer dollars only to leave these families vulnerable to future flooding,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend HUD-OIG and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations for conducting the civil investigation, the Affirmative Civil Enforcement-Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet in our office for assisting the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil for securing this settlement.”

    “Thompson Construction Group’s actions diverted limited federal taxpayer resources that were intended to help victims rebuild homes that had been damaged by devastating floods and instead used that money to line their pockets.”  said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with HUD-OIG. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our prosecutorial, law enforcement, and oversight partners to aggressively pursue individuals who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.”

    “The Commission on Special Investigations is committed to investigating all matters involving the misappropriation and theft of public funds,” said Commission Director Rick Eplin. “Commission investigators spent many days in the field interviewing homeowners and contractors in this matter. In addition, they collected photographic evidence that clearly supported the allegations set forth. We are thankful for the support of our federal partners with HUD-OIG and the United States Attorney’s Office who made a successful resolution of this case possible.”

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to talk to children about the Canada-U.S. tensions

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jean-François Bureau, Professor, School of Psychology, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    Mainstream public discourse in the first months of 2025 have been dominated by tensions between Canada and United States. These include references to Canada becoming annexed as the 51st American state and the trade war, with threats and the application of tariffs by the U.S. and counter-tariffs by Canada.

    While this political climate brings uncertainty at an international level, it comes with fear of job loss for many Canadians at a time when the cost of living is already straining many families’ finances.



    Read more:
    Canadians are feeling increasingly powerless amid economic struggles and rising inequality

    These topics may appear to be concerns for adults, but children may also feel the effects. As psychology researchers studying parent-child relationships and child mental health, we believe it is important to consider children’s potential fears and anxiety in the current political climate.

    Here, we explain why it’s important to address this topic with children, and how parents can do so in a reassuring and informative manner.

    Children’s concerns and emotions

    While the economy and politics could seem like topics that children would not really care about, recent research suggests that many children and youth actually worry about these topics.

    Back in 2020, American parents of children aged six to 17 years old were asked to rate their child’s anxiety about political news, in terms of voting issues covered in media since the 2016 election. According to the study by psychology researcher Nicole E. Caporino and colleagues, 36 per cent of children worried about the U.S. getting into war, and 37 per cent worried about their family’s finances.

    Studies suggest children worry about issues affecting their families.
    (Shutterstock)

    Similarly, studies elsewhere suggest children and youth worry about issues affecting their families. Based on these numbers, we can assume that many Canadian children also worry about the current Canada-U.S. political climate.

    Of course, it’s worth remembering not all families experience political and economic events in the same way. For example, children whose families face economic precarity are likely already living with stressors affecting their households like unemployment or food insecurity. Current tensions may also exacerbate children’s existing concerns.

    Given that children may be concerned and worried, some parents may intuitively seek to avoid the topic with children to avoid provoking more distress. However, discussing a stressful event can actually decrease the distress felt towards it.

    When children are able to talk about what concerns them with their parents, they learn important emotional regulation and coping skills. For example, they learn how to identify and understand their emotions, and how to regulate those emotions. Discussions between parents and children also help foster a climate of trust, in which children feel like they can rely on their parents in moments of need.

    Noticing, tackling children’s anxiety and fears

    Children may not always have the words to articulate their concerns in the same way that adults do. Parents should watch for anxiety symptoms in their children, which may manifest in various ways, including having mood changes, being more irritable or sad, having difficulty sleeping, being more clingy than usual, or withdrawing from activities. There are also signs that may be harder to spot.

    We present five ways to address the situation with your children:

    1. Use direct questions to understand how children feel. Direct questions can help understand how children feel. For example, you may ask: “What have you heard about what’s happening?” or “How do you feel about it?” These questions can help understand what specifically is scary to them.

    Children could be worried about no longer seeing family in the U.S., or some may even fear a military clash.
    (Shutterstock)

    This is especially important given that children tend to worry about different things than adults. For example, younger children with family in the U.S. may worry they will no longer be able to see their family members anymore. Older children may be worried about a parent losing a job, the country’s economic instability or environmental impacts. Some children may even fear a military clash.

    2. Be sensitive to how the conflict is presented. In the media, it is common to refer to the diplomatic and economic tensions as a “trade war.” While adults understand that trade wars do not involve military attacks, this concept is much more abstract for children.

    Hearing the word “war” may trigger difficult images for them, including armed soldiers, weapons and devastation. This is especially true for children with lived experience of war, political conflict or displacement.



    Read more:
    Coronavirus isn’t the end of ‘childhood innocence,’ but an opportunity to rethink children’s rights

    It’s important to reframe the conflict in ways that children can understand. For example, parents can compare the conflict between two children. Parents might say: “You know when there are two children upset with each other at school, and they have a big disagreement. Sometimes it can take a lot of time to find a solution that works for everyone. The conflict between Canada and the U.S. is a bit like that. It could take a lot of time and trouble to find a solution.”

    3. Avoid misinformation. When discussing these topics, parents should seek to clarify any misinformation and provide reassurance. They should also help ensure children receive information from credible sources rather than social media or peers, who may sensationalize or misinterpret events. Providing factual but age-appropriate explanations is a key ingredient in mitigating fear and uncertainty.

    4. Focus on co-operation and opportunities instead of boycotting.

    Many Canadian families are choosing to boycott American products. In order to ease the emotional burden on children, it can be helpful to reframe the boycott as an opportunity for co-operation. For instance, parents can highlight how they are trying to support local businesses.

    Similarly, for families with resources to travel, changes in travel plans can be framed as a way to discover new places. A parent might frame it as: “This year, instead of going to the beach, we’re going to be exploring some incredible places closer to home. We’re going to have so much fun trying new things!” This approach creates curiosity and control, not anxiety. It can also be beneficial for children’s development to learn to be more flexible with change.



    Read more:
    When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial

    5. Create a sense of normalcy and routine. As important as it is to validate children’s fears, it is equally important to help them maintain a sense of normalcy. Families should strive to balance discussions about the trade war and its potential ramifications with more light, mundane topics. Similarly, limiting the time that children watch the news or when it is audible can help limit further concerns from developing.

    Routines are also beneficial for children’s development and well-being. Maintaining a predictable schedule, such as a bedtime routine, can help children feel safe and less anxious. Focus on adding fun and soothing activities to the daily routine. This lets children know life goes on.

    Navigating turbulent times

    As the trade war with the U.S. plays out, parents should consider how it may impact their children’s emotions and sense of safety. Even serious conflicts such as this one don’t last forever, and solutions will come.

    In the meantime, parents can help children cope with these challenging times by offering age-appropriate explanations and encouraging resilience.

    Jean-François Bureau receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Consortium National de Formation en Santé.

    Audrey-Ann Deneault receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Centre de recherche universitaire sur les jeunes et les familles.

    – ref. How to talk to children about the Canada-U.S. tensions – https://theconversation.com/how-to-talk-to-children-about-the-canada-u-s-tensions-252435

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Kweisi Mfume Introduces Legislation to Commemorate African American World War II Hero Doris Miller

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on National Medal of Honor Day, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) announced the introduction of a pair of bills to commemorate the life and legacy of African American Mess Attendant Doris ‘Dorie’ Miller. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mess Attendant Miller manned an anti-aircraft gun and downed enemy planes, despite the fact that the racially segregated steward’s branch of the Navy was not trained to use anti-aircraft guns. Congressman Mfume’s bills seek to award the Medal of Honor and a Congressional Gold Medal to Mess Attendant Miller. 

    “Today is ‘Dorie Miller Day’ on Capitol Hill. Dorie Miller protected America, and we are all the beneficiaries of his bravery. His valiance is even more admirable because he courageously worked to save a democracy that he could not fully enjoy at that time, as the United States military did not become fully integrated until almost seven years after his heroism in World War II,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “I am honored to continue the work of my friend, the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who had fought to give Mess Attendant Miller’s legacy the celebration of the Medal of Honor since 2001. While the Trump administration shamefully seeks to eviscerate Black history from the American story, I am introducing my dual-tracked legislative effort to award both the Medal of Honor and a Congressional Gold Medal to Dorie Miller so he can finally be recognized with an American salute that is long overdue,” he concluded.   

    This legislation’s introduction comes in the wake of reports that most U.S Department of Defense webpages chronicling the heroism of Mess Attendant Miller had been eliminated following a directive to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content from Pentagon platforms.  

    The Life of Doris ‘Dorie’ Miller 

    Background 

    • Born in Waco, Texas on October 12, 1919.
    • Son of Connery and Henrietta Miller.
    • Dropped out of school to support the family farm, worked part-time as a cook in a small restaurant in Waco.

    Military Career 

    • Enlisted in the United States Navy in September of 1939.
    • After bootcamp training, was assigned to the USS West Virginia as a messman.
    • Quickly moved up in the ranks from messman to ship’s cook, third class, and was stationed at Pearl Harbor.
    • Black sailors serving in the racially segregated steward’s branch of the Navy were not trained to use anti-aircraft guns.
    • On December 7, 1941, Doris Miller was doing laundry at around 8:00 a.m. when a Japanese torpedo hit his ship, anchored in Pearl Harbor.
    • He rushed to the main deck to help move his mortally wounded captain out of harm’s way and attend to other wounded sailors.
    • He then manned a 0.50-calibre anti-aircraft gun and fired at the attacking planes.
    • According to news stories and other sailors’ accounts, Doris Miller downed 2 to 5 enemy planes before he was forced to abandon ship.

    National Awards and the Medal of Honor  

    • Doris Miller was awarded a commendation from the Secretary of the Navy as well as the Navy Cross on May 27, 1942, in a ceremony at Pearl Harbor.
    • In 2017, the town of Waco, Texas unveiled a riverside memorial featuring a 9-foot-tall, 700-pound bronze sculpture of hometown hero Doris Miller.
    • In 2020, the Navy commissioned an aircraft carrier to be named after Doris Miller.
    • Doris Miller has yet to receive the Navy’s highest award, the Medal of Honor.
      • Mr. Miller’s family and friends have fought for decades to convince the Navy to award Doris Miller with the Medal of Honor posthumously.
      • More than 15 cities have expressed support, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution endorsing the effort in 2001.
      • Congress has introduced a resolution in support of the Navy awarding Doris Miller the Medal of Honor every year since 2015.
      • Decisions on military honors are typically reserved for the military, and the Navy has not yet decided to change course on Doris Miller’s status.

    Medal of Honor Bill – Doris Miller 

    • This bill authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in the United States Armed Forces, to Mess Attendant Doris ‘Dorie’ Miller.
    • The late Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson had fought to give Mess Attendant Miller’s legacy this recognition since 2001.
    • This legislation is endorsed by the National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETs) and the Dorie Miller Medal of Honor Committee. 

    Congressional Gold Medal Bill – Doris Miller 

    • The second bill of this dual-tracked legislative effort to federally recognize Doris Miller awards him posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the United States.
    • If approved by Congress, Doris Miller’s family would receive the medal and it would be displayed at the Smithsonian Museum. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU advances €100 million to Spain for post-storm recovery efforts

    Source: European Union 2

    The Commission has today paid an advance of €100 million from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to Spain to help finance its recovery efforts following the October 2024 DANA storm in Valencia. This is the maximum amount allowed under the EUSF as advance payment. 

    Spain’s official EUSF application for DANA-related damages, submitted in January 2025, is currently being assessed by the Commission. Once this assessment is concluded, the Commission will make a proposal for the total amount to be granted from the EUSF to Spain. 

    Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, stated: “The DANA storm has caused profound devastation in Valencia with hundreds of lives lost and many homes and infrastructure destroyed. Our commitment to supporting the people and the region through this challenging recovery remains unwavering.”

    The EU Solidarity Fund is a post-disaster relief instrument providing financial support to EU Member States and candidate countries for their recovery efforts in the aftermath of severe natural disasters.

    The funding can be used to restore essential infrastructure such as energy, water, health, education, or telecommunications systems, as well as for measures to protect cultural heritage or for clean-up operations. Granting an advance payment does not prejudge the final amount of the EUSF assistance to be granted, which will depend on the Commission’s assessment of Spain’s application and on budgetary availability.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE awarded finalists of NTO in computer game development

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    © Higher School of Economics

    On March 28, the HSE Cultural Center hosted a ceremony to award prize winners and winners of the Computer Game Development profile among schoolchildren in grades 8–11 National Technology Olympiad (NTO). More than 60 people took part in the final. The profile is organized by the National Research University Higher School of Economics in partnership with the Ninsar.Games studio, the National Cyber-Physical Platform “Berloga”, VK Play and VK Education.

    In the finals, which took place at the HSE from March 24 to 29, schoolchildren, united in teams, solved real engineering problems. They developed a game prototype according to the specified technical requirements and guidelines – a game simulator in the setting of the National Cyber-Physical Platform “Berloga”.

    At the award ceremony, the finalists were greeted by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova. “The Olympiad is not just a competition, but an entire ecosystem that selects the best of the best. I am proud of each of you. You have passed a colossal selection and received knowledge that has made you stronger, wiser and more experienced. Trying yourself, going beyond the usual school curriculum – these are the competencies that will often be required of you in life. Learn, dare, dream and do not stop there! Remember that our country is a country of colossal opportunities, and everything is in your hands!” said Olga Petrova.

    The winners in the special nomination from the Berloga platform were announced by its leader, President of the Association of Participants of Technological Circles Alexey Fedoseyev. He presented prizes to representatives of three teams, as well as acceleration certificates.

    “We will be glad to work with you, to bring the games not just to publication, but to implementation in educational environments, to receive feedback not only from those who download and play them on the Internet, but also from teachers, from people who can influence their further promotion. I hope that you will get unique products,” Alexey Fedoseyev emphasized.

    The diplomas to the winners of the Olympiad were presented by Alexander Egorov, head of the VK Play Indie division, and Egor Sechinsky, founder of Ninsar.Games, responsible developer of the “Computer Game Development” profile.

    According to Alexander Egorov, the games created by the Olympiad participants help solve certain problems, which is better than just “walking in the dark and trying to find some kind of light.” “I sincerely believe that you will soon be able to enter the market, gather your first fan base and open a franchise, and sometime in the future, raise enough capital to make the games of your dreams,” he said.

    Egor Sechinsky recalled that the NTO in the field of “Development of Computer Games” is being held for the sixth time and that the projects that were this year surprised him again. He recommended the finalists not to abandon their developments and bring them to such a level of readiness that they could “put them on the shelf in their portfolio”. “We in the industry are ready to help you, promote you and make sure that new young talented teams appear,” he concluded.

    The winners in the individual competition were congratulated by Dmitry Kaisin, Deputy Rector for Development at University 2035, and Yaroslav Paunov, Director of the Human Resources Development Division of the Young Professionals division of the ASI.

    Dmitry Kaisin said that he himself had once participated in the final of a similar competition, saw how quite young people came out on stage to congratulate the winners, and wanted to become like them. He recommended that schoolchildren do what they love — make a hobby their job, and also make friends with equally passionate colleagues.

    Yaroslav Paunov noted that the peculiarity of NTO is “tasks from the market and for the market, their practical applicability.” “You don’t just solve and invent something, contributing to your development and, perhaps, to future admission to such a top university as HSE, but you prepare for the market while still in school,” he believes.

    The difference between NTO and many other Olympiads is that, in addition to the individual standings, there is a team standings. In the profile “Development of Computer Games”, the winner in the team standings was the team “Paradigma”, consisting of four people: Yaroslav Reznikov (Simferopol), Olesya Polischuk (Sevastopol), Gleb Shakhanov (Moscow Region) and Artem Reus (Sevastopol). Yaroslav also won in the individual standings, Olesya, Gleb and Artem became prize winners. In addition, the team was among the winners of a special nomination from the platform “Berloga”.

    The awards were presented to the team members by Olga Petrova and the Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, the responsible secretary of the NTO organizing committee Dmitry Zemtsov.

    “When we conceived this profile, we hoped that it would include its own geniuses and stars who would create games that would change the world. I have no doubt that such people are among the finalists of the anniversary, tenth season of the National Technology Olympiad. For example, I remember the very young Egor Sechinsky, who today already acts as the founder of the Ninsar.Games gaming studio and the organizer of the Computer Game Development profile of the NTO, selecting the best Olympiad participants for his team, with whom he creates popular games,” said Dmitry Zemtsov.

    In an interview with the Vyshka.Glavnoye news service, members of the Paradigma team said that they had developed a game called Arktos (the ancient Greek name for the Ursa Major constellation). The idea of the game is that bears crash in space, end up on an uninhabited planet, and solve OGE problems there, with each problem bringing them closer to returning home to their den. Thus, exam preparation is built into the exciting game.

    The team had clearly defined roles: Yaroslav was the captain and main programmer, Olesya was a tester, Gleb was a graphic artist, and Artem was a game designer. Olesya also acted as a manager — she negotiated playtests, and in particular, she managed to organize playtests at Sevastopol Gymnasium No. 1. “We collected a huge amount of feedback, and it really helped us,” she said.

    Work on the project lasted for six months, and the team’s mentor, ITMO first-year student Vladimir Mikhnev, played an important role in it. “At the finals at the HSE, I came to them every evening and told them what they had succeeded in doing and what needed to be corrected,” he says. “The guys discussed my proposals together, agreed with some, rejected others. Of course, winning the Olympiad is, first and foremost, their merit, their hard work.”

    All team members are considering the possibility of entering various universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg, including HSE, MIREA, MAI, ITMO. They plan to develop professionally in the IT field, including in the field of computer game development.

    The 2024/25 academic year is the tenth anniversary season of the National Technology Olympiad. It is held under the coordination of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education together with the federal project “Russia – Country of Opportunities” of the national project “Youth and Children” with the support of the “Movement of the First”, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and the ANO “NTI Platform”. The Olympiad project office is located at the HSE with the methodological support of the Association of Participants of Technology Circles (NTI Circle Movement).

    This academic year, NTO set a new record: almost 220,000 students applied to participate in the tracks of the largest engineering competitions. More than 2,000 schoolchildren and students from 72 regions of Russia and three other countries: Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan reached the finals.

    Winning in the Computer Game Development profile, as in most other NTO areas, will give schoolchildren the opportunity to receive 100 USE points in one of the subjects or enter a university without entrance examinations. NTO results are accepted by more than 100 Russian universities.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public invited to learn about I-5 fish passage project between Bellingham and Burlington in online open house

    Source: Washington State News 2

    BELLINGHAM – A major effort to restore fish passage under both directions of Interstate 5 begins in late April between Bellingham and Burlington.

    The Washington State Department of Transportation will remove 17 existing barriers to fish passage and replace them with 10 new structures designed to allow fish to swim freely under I-5 and adjacent county roads. This work, which will continue through 2027, will reconnect natural stream habitat for Lake Creek, Chuckanut Creek and unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek and Lake Creek along a 6-mile stretch of I-5 in south Whatcom and north Skagit counties.

    The new fish passages also will update aging structures beneath I-5, creating more resilient roads and waterways.

    WSDOT invites people to learn more about the project at an online open house starting Monday, March 31.

    The online open house will help people learn about the I-5/Tributaries to Friday, Lake & Chuckanut Creeks – Fish Passage project, what to expect during construction, and why this work is necessary. It includes maps, timelines of tentative schedules and a look at what traveling on I-5 will look like during construction, which is expected to finish in 2027.

    I-5 Friday, Lake and Chuckanut Creeks Fish Passage Online Open House information 

    Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout the state. The Department of Commerce’s Drive-In WiFi Hotspot locator provides available places to log on.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Strengthening rural health care facilities

    [.

    To further these goals, Budget 2025’s new Rural Hospital Enhancement Program will improve rural health care facilities to better address rural health challenges and provide greater access to essential health services. If passed, Budget 2025 will provide $15 million to support project planning, which includes conducting facility and functional assessments of rural hospitals to determine what capital planning solutions and services are required to maximize each facility’s potential and better meet the needs of rural communities.

    “Rural Albertans should be able to access the health care services they need close to home. The new Rural Hospital Enhancement Program will ensure we are continuing to make data-driven decisions, and that resources are being appropriately deployed to address the areas with the greatest need.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Once project plans for each facility are developed, they will be used to inform future capital planning discussions and funding decisions for new projects. This program will expedite the time between planning and construction, so projects are completed sooner to support rural communities.

    “As an MLA from rural Alberta, I know first-hand how important it is to have access to high-quality health care facilities close to home. This investment in projects in rural communities across Alberta will enhance care and strengthen our communities. I cannot wait to get to work on these critical projects.”

    Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

    Alberta’s government is also supporting existing capital programs and projects that will maximize the potential of rural health care facilities and enhance health care for rural Albertans. These investments will ensure that rural patients can receive care in the communities where they reside, reducing the need for long-distance travel to urban centres for essential medical services. By enhancing infrastructure and expanding services, the province aims to improve access to timely and high-quality care. These efforts will help alleviate pressure on larger hospitals and support the overall well-being of Albertans living outside major cities.

    “Our government is investing in health facilities and programs to ensure we are meeting the needs of rural Albertans. This includes much-needed planning funds to replace the Cardston Health Centre, one of the oldest health facilities in the province.”

    Justin Wright, parliamentary secretary for rural health (south)

    Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is continuing to support capital projects that will deliver value to and maximize benefits for rural Albertans. These projects include:

    • $25 million to complete projects approved under the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program
    • $20 million in planning funds for primary care centres in rural, remote and Indigenous communities
    • $80 million to develop the La Crete Maternity and Community Health Centre
    • $1 million in planning funds for the Cardston Health Centre
    • $18 million to fund furnishings, equipment and information technology infrastructure for the Mountview Health Complex in Beaverlodge
    • $170 million in capital lease costs for the Mountview facility

    “More Albertans are choosing to live in rural communities, and we’re improving their access to health care services while planning for the future. We’re making major investments in northern Alberta, including in La Crete and Beaverlodge where residents travel too far to access care.”

    Ron Wiebe, parliamentary secretary for rural health (north)

    “Budget 2025 enables Covenant to continue partnering with the Alberta government in refocusing the health care system. We are grateful for the opportunity to develop plans to complete capital projects at our rural facilities and expand access to quality health care for every Albertan.”

    Patrick Dumelie, CEO, Covenant

    Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government will continue to improve health care facilities across the province to ensure that all Albertans can get the care they need, when and where they need it.

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick facts

    • More than 18 per cent of Albertans live in rural and remote communities.
      • Alberta’s rural population is expected to grow by 20 per cent, from 1.06 million in 2023 to 1.27 million by 2051.
    • The first phase of planning under the Rural Hospital Enhancement Program will evaluate 20 facilities across the province:
      • Myron Thompson Health Centre in Sundre
      • Whitecourt Healthcare Centre
      • Brooks Health Centre
      • Hinton Healthcare Centre
      • William J. Cadzow – Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre
      • St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Vegreville
      • Drumheller Health Centre
      • Slave Lake Healthcare Centre
      • Edson Healthcare Centre
      • Killam Health Care Centre
      • Drayton Valley Hospital and Care Centre
      • Pincher Creek Health Centre
      • Athabasca Healthcare Centre
      • Valleyview Health Centre
      • Barrhead Healthcare Centre
      • Northwest Health Centre in High Level
      • Peace River Community Health Centre
      • Central Peace Health Complex in Spirit River
      • Lacombe Hospital and Care Centre
      • Milk River Health Centre
    • The Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program was created in 2021 with total funding of $140 million to execute 44 projects in rural communities across the province.
      • The $25 million in 2025-26 will complete the remaining projects being supported by this program.

    Related information

    • Budget 2025 Capital Plan
    • Rural Health Action Plan

    Related news

    • Refocusing emergency services (March 10, 2025)
    • Budget 2025: Increasing hospital capacity | Budget de 2025 : Augmenter la capacité d’hospitalisation | alberta.ca (March 6, 2025)
    • Delivering care close to home in La Crete (Feb. 25, 2025)
    • Enhancing health care services in Beaverlodge (Nov. 25, 2024)
    • Improving health care in rural and remote Alberta (Oct. 3, 2024)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla Announce Bill to Establish the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Park

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  — On César Chávez Day, Representative Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced bicameral legislation to create the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park. This bill would preserve the nationally significant sites associated with César E. Chávez and the farm worker movement across California and Arizona. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is cosponsoring the legislation.

    César Chávez is a Latino icon and civil rights leader, labor leader, and community organizer whose legacy is deeply embedded in the story of California, the farm worker movement, and the push for worker and civil rights. Chávez empowered Latinos and farm workers to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, and countless other protections. His commitment to social justice has inspired generations, and fuels ongoing efforts to improve the lives of all people, regardless of their ethnicity or the color of their skin. 

    “Having grown up as the son of farmworkers in the Coachella Valley, I remember the profound hope César Chávez instilled in our communities and farmworkers across the nation. His legacy continues to inspire me to this day,” said Representative Ruiz. “It’s vital that we amplify the voices of communities whose stories are too often left unheard. The César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Act, aims to empower the National Park Service to honor and share these important stories, celebrating the diverse and vibrant history of our country.”

    “On César Chávez Day, we commemorate the work and legacy of an iconic Latino civil rights leader. His example of defending workers’ rights across the country serves as a blueprint for overcoming some of our nation’s biggest challenges, demonstrating the immense power behind organized movements fighting against injustice,” said Senator Padilla. “Establishing the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park would pay proper homage to César Chávez’s tireless work for the dignity, respect, and equal treatment of workers — priorities facing immense threats under the Trump Administration. Our National Park system should memorialize the diverse legacy and culture of all Americans and give farm workers the recognition they deserve.”

    “Today, we honor the profound legacy and sacrifices of César Chávez — a civil rights activist who expanded and defended the rights of farm workers through the power of organizing. The designation of the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park recognizes the countless contributions he made which paved the way for better wages and working conditions for millions of farm workers,” said Senator Schiff. 

    The hundreds of sites that are part of the National Park system preserve our natural, historical, and cultural heritage while offering vital spaces for teaching, learning, and outdoor recreation. While the National Park Service (NPS) embraces their role as “America’s storytellers,” too few national park units primarily focus on women, communities of color, or other historically marginalized groups. The sites preserved by this bill would ensure that the National Park system better represents the diverse history of our nation. As a farm worker himself, César Chávez maintained a strong connection to the natural environment, and this bill uplifts his story and those of others whose contributions helped build the farm worker and civil rights movements that are pillars of American history.

    Specifically, this legislation would:

    • Create the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park, which would include the existing the César E. Chávez National Monument, which includes La Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz in Keene, California.
    • Upon written agreement from the site owners, the National Historical Park would include the following sites: Forty Acres in Delano, California; the Santa Rita Center in Phoenix, Arizona; and McDonnell Hall in San Jose, California.
    • Conduct a National Historic Trail Study for the “Farmworker Peregrinación National Historic Trail,” the 300-mile march route taken by farm workers between Delano and Sacramento in 1966.

    In 2008, Congress enacted bipartisan legislation from former Arizona Senator John McCain and former California Representative Hilda Solis to direct the NPS to conduct a special resource study of sites that are significant to the life of César Chávez and the farm labor movement in the western United States. In 2012, President Obama established the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, California. In 2013, the NPS transmitted the Special Resource Study to Congress. The study team evaluated over 100 sites significant to César Chávez and the farm labor movement in the western United States, finding that several were nationally significant and depicted a distinct and important aspect of American history associated with civil rights and labor movements that is not adequately represented or protected elsewhere. While the NPS included five potential management alternatives to protect these sites, they ultimately recommended that Congress establish a National Historical Park that would incorporate nationally significant sites in California and Arizona related to the life of César Chávez and the farm labor movement.

    A map of the proposed park can be found here.

    A list of endorsing organizations can be found here. 

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Seniors care scheme extended

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Social Welfare Department today announced the extension of the “District Services & Community Care Teams – Scheme on Supporting Elderly & Carers” to all 18 districts for a period of 12 months starting tomorrow, with a view to providing support and care to elderly people and carers in need.

    Addressing the launch ceremony, Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing said that all 452 Community Care Teams across the city will help identify elderly people and carers in need through visits and contacts in the coming 12 months. Apart from sending care and providing assistance, the care teams will also refer those in need to social welfare service units for suitable support.

    Piloted in Tsuen Wan District and Southern District in the first quarter of 2024, the Scheme on Supporting Elderly & Carers has made great achievements. By the end of February this year, 36 care teams in the two districts had visited or contacted over 7,200 singleton/doubleton elderly, carers of elderly, or carers of people with disabilities, making over 1,200 referrals for welfare services. Moreover, over 300 senior citizens and people with disabilities received subsidies for the installation of emergency alarm systems through referrals made by the care teams.

    Mr Cheuk said that with the extension of the scheme to 18 districts, care teams are expected to reach over 60,000 households in need. He also expressed hope that members of the care teams would go beyond serving as care ambassadors in the community by strengthening collaboration with other stakeholders.

    In addition to encouraging carers to use the Designated Hotline for Carer Support (182 183) and the Information Gateway for Carers, care teams will enhance communication with the hotline to arrange visits or contacts for the carers in need, he added.

    At the ceremony today, the Deputy Chief Secretary presented certificates of appointment to the care teams of 18 districts, and presided at a pledging ceremony to start the extension of the scheme. The care teams of Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po Districts then conducted home visits to households.

    The Social Welfare Department will arrange training for the care teams, covering communication skills, information on local social welfare services and referral procedures. It will also maintain close communication with the care teams and provide assistance to ensure a smooth implementation of the scheme.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Officials attend cultural ceremony

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak and Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today attended the “Ancestor Worship Ceremony of the Yellow Emperor in the Year of Yisi” in Zhengzhou, Henan.

    The Yellow Emperor, born in Zhengzhou, is regarded as the cultural ancestor of the Chinese nation. The ceremony is a significant cultural event held annually in Henan.

    Miss Mak remarked that by attending an event of such cultural value, Hong Kong compatriots can enhance their sense of national identity.

    During her visit to Zhengzhou, Miss Mak met CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Executive Deputy Director Zhou Ji; Secretary of CPC Henan Provincial Committee and Director of Henan Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee Liu Ning; and CPC Henan Provincial Committee Deputy Secretary and Governor of Henan Province & Secretary of Party Leadership Group Wang Kai.

    Additionally, Miss Mak met Hong Kong students studying in Zhengzhou to learn about their lives on the Mainland. She encouraged young people to grasp the opportunities open to them, gain a deeper understanding of China’s development, and contribute to the country and to Hong Kong.

    The home affairs chief was due to return to Hong Kong this afternoon. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –