NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New direction ensures affordable, stable electricity rates

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    In response to the economic and trade uncertainty faced by people and businesses across British Columbia , the Province is taking action to provide stability in BC Hydro’s electricity rates during these unpredictable times, while keeping rate increases below cumulative inflation.

    “We must take urgent action to protect British Columbians from the uncertainty posed by rising costs while building a strong, robust and resilient electricity system for the benefit of B.C.’s long-term energy independence,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “That is why we are submitting a rate stability direction to the B.C. Utilities Commission to set BC Hydro’s rate increases for the next two years. This move guarantees certainty and reaffirms our commitment to keeping electricity rates well below the North American average and cumulative inflation, while growing our clean-energy advantage.”

    BC Hydro has among the lowest electricity rates in North America. The rate stability direction to the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) will help maintain that advantage by setting BC Hydro’s annual average rate increase at 3.75% for the next two years. For the average residential household, which currently pays approximately $100 a month, this equates to an additional $3.75 per month.

    BC Hydro rate changes are staying below cumulative inflation, keeping electricity costs near the lowest in North America and about half what Albertans pay. These rate changes ensure BC Hydro can continue to build the critical local and provincial renewable energy infrastructure and supply needed to bolster B.C.’s economy, while maintaining rate increases below cumulative inflation for seven consecutive years. BC Hydro’s cumulative rate increases between 2017-18 and 2026-27 will be 12.4% below cumulative inflation.

    “The rate stability direction from the Province will provide customers and growing industries with the certainty they need during these times, while ensuring our rates remain affordable,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO, BC Hydro. “The rate adjustment will go toward supporting critical investments in our system that will ensure we maintain our status as a leader in renewable energy, encouraging overall economic growth and job creation.”

    The rate adjustments for the upcoming two years reflect rising operating costs due to inflation, the needed Site C hydroelectric project coming into service, and the critical work required to significantly invest in B.C.’s energy supply and infrastructure to bolster B.C.’s economy and energy security.

    BC Hydro is taking a number of actions to meet the growing demand from population growth and housing construction, business and industrial development, and transportation. These actions will power more than one million new homes. This includes:

    • adding the Site C hydroelectric project, which will power 500,000 homes and boost supply by 8%;
    • adding 10 new renewable energy projects through the 2024 call for power, which will power 500,000 homes and increase supply by a further 8%; and
    • investing in energy efficiency, which is expected to result in 2,000 gigawatt hours per year of electricity savings or enough to power 200,000 homes.

    BC Hydro is also investing $36 billion through its 10-year capital plan to expand and strengthen community and regional electrical infrastructure, and to ensure power can be delivered to new homes, businesses and industries. These investments will create economic opportunities throughout the province, including approximately 10,000 jobs for skilled workers, and generate economic growth for First Nations and communities in B.C.

    In addition to the rate stability direction, government is providing support to people in British Columbia who are vulnerable or in crisis, a top priority during uncertain times. A key resource for supporting customers is BC Hydro’s Customer Crisis Fund, which offers grants for those in temporary financial crisis. Government has taken action to ensure an additional $1.9 million will be added to the fund, which is expected to help approximately 4,700 households between now and April 2026.

    For customers not eligible for the Customer Crisis Fund, BC Hydro offers equal payment plans that spread out the cost of winter bills, and flexible payment plans. Low-income conservation programs also offer income-qualified customers the opportunity to save energy and money. These programs have delivered approximately $6 million in annual electricity cost savings to customers over the past four fiscal years. BC Hydro has also expanded its rate options for residential customers, offering more billing choices and new opportunities to save money, including optional time-of-day pricing and an optional flat rate, which will be introduced on April 1, 2025.

    BC Hydro has filed the two-year rate adjustment publicly with the BCUC, along with supporting information. The rate increases will take effect April 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026.

    Through the rate stability direction and other actions, the  B.C. government is working to bring down costs for families, strengthen health care, make communities safer, help people find a home they can afford in a community they love, and grow a stronger economy that works for everyone.

    Quick Facts:

    • BC Hydro’s residential, commercial and industrial rates are the third lowest in North America (among 22 utilities surveyed in Hydro Quebec’s 2024 Rates Comparison Report).
    • Adjusting for inflation, electricity in B.C. costs the same today as it did more than 40 years ago.

    Learn More:

    For more information about BC Hydro’s electricity rates, visit: http://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BCHydroRates.pdf

    To access a multi-language page that helps British Columbians find out about tax benefits and credits, how to file, how to get free support with filing, and how to register for direct deposit to get their refund and benefits sooner, visit: gov.bc.ca/TaxBenefits

    To learn about other programs that are available to help with everyday costs, including a multi-language benefits connector to help find programs people may be eligible for, visit: gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: John A. Sarcone III’s Remarks Upon his Swearing-In as United States Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III made these remarks today upon his swearing-in at the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse:

    Thank you, Chief Judge Sannes. Thank you to the Judges of the Northern District of New York, to Clerk of the Court John Domurad, and to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Hanlon, who has ably assisted me with the onboarding process.

    I would like to first thank my family for the support and love throughout my life and career, My Wife Cecilia and Children who could not join us today, John Anthony (a Junior at Penn State) and Francesca (a freshman at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina) and Juliet, a sophomore at Croton Harmon High School who is missing school to be here.

    Also present are my Mom Deann, my sister Jennifer Genes, Aunt Jane Fiorito and cousins Bill and Janet Tuttle, Cousin Bruce Fiorito and his wife Lorraine, thank you for your steadfast support.

    To my brothers Michael and Raymond and their families who could not join us today and extended Sarcone, Fiorito and Hickey families and my wife Cecilia’s family, thank you for your love and support.

    Thanks, and a big shout out to my close confidante and friend Ola Hawatmeh.

    My dear friends Father Douglas Crawford and Rabbi Abraham Klein. Thank you for joining me today.

    Thank you, Governor George Pataki, for all your support throughout the years.

    I would like to recognize Senate Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Bill Weber, Assembly Leader Will Barclay, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, my dear friends Chairman Douglas Colety and Chairman Don Minichino, who took time out of their busy schedules to join me today.

    Thank you, Ambassador Elise Stefanik, for your support of my appointment.

    Also joining me are my Dear friend, mentor and former law partner, NYS Appellate Division 2nd Department Justice Mark Dillon and his wife Michelle, my longtime friend and colleague Maury Heller, Al Buonamici, and mentor in everything election law John Ciampoli.

    Thanks to some very special friends who believed in me and fought with me in the political trenches for the past 10 years, Former Congressman John Sweeney, White House Counsel David Warrington, First Deputy White House Counsel Gineen Bresso, Deputy White House Counsel Stuart McCommas.

    And to all friends and colleagues who traveled to Albany today to witness my swearing-in on this most sacred and blessed day, THANK YOU.

    Incidentally, the family bible that I swore my oath on was passed down from my great grandmother Jennie Curtis Hickey to my grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Hickey Fiorito and to my mom Deann Sarcone. I chose today to be sworn in to honor my late grandmother Dot! I was also spiritually moved when my brother Raymond pointed out the date Attorney General Bondi signed the Order appointing me to this most prestigious position, February 28. That day would have been my father’s 87th birthday, whom we lost 35 years ago.

    During the first Trump Administration, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the 14th Regional Administrator for the United States General Services Administration, Northeast Caribbean Region. My jurisdiction included the Northern District of New York and this historic courthouse.

    These federal courthouses mean something – they project the majesty and authority of our government. Everyone knows that important work is going on inside.

    I am honored to be welcomed again into this building, this time as U.S. Attorney, to lead the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, who are doing the important work of representing the United States in enforcing its laws both civil and criminal.

    Since I was appointed U.S. Attorney two weeks ago, here are just some of the great results this office has achieved:

    • A Nigerian citizen, who has been illegally present in this country for decades and living under stolen identities, pled guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies that caused $1.7 million in losses;
    • A North Country woman pled guilty to her role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that left a Romanian family of four dead in the St. Lawrence River; and
    • A former music teacher was convicted after trial of transporting students across state lines, and raping and sexually abusing them.

    These cases are each the result of close collaboration between AUSAs and our law enforcement partners. My goal is to continue this great work, and to implement the mandate by President Trump and task of Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore public confidence in our justice system. I am humbled and honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their faith and trust in me to carry forth that mandate as the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district.

    Which leads me to this subject – what makes a good prosecutor? It’s not what college or law school you went to, or whether you have been a career prosecutor, as recent events show. What matters is judgment.

    A good prosecutor has wisdom, common sense, a strong moral and ethical compass, a sense of fairness and empathy, coupled with legal skills and acumen honed over time and from a diversity of representations and matters. As recent events have also shown, there’s just no substitute for common sense. For instance, we recently witnessed the heads of Ivy League institutions equivocate on whether calling for the genocide of Jews by a minority of its students and others violates their own rules.

    I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion, is best entrusted to those with the full breath of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom and informed judgment emerge. With these values in mind, I look forward to working together with everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our dedicated Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, in pursuit of honest, transparent, non-political enforcement of federal laws and to restore public confidence in our federal government and our Justice Department.

    As United States Attorney leading this office, I will prioritize our resources to keep our northern border secure; to work with federal, state and local authorities to maintain safe communities; root out public corruption; protect our seniors from being victimized by endless scams and consumer fraud; to end lawlessness and willful disregard for Federal laws; keep our kids safe from illegal drugs; and combat human trafficking.

    I pledge to dedicate steadfast resources to root out hate crimes of all kinds and will not tolerate violations of college students’ rights to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs and I give fair warning to university leaders that our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form.

    In conclusion, I am honored and humbled to be standing here before you, my family, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests and our amazing Judges of the Northern District of New York. Thank you all for honoring me with your presence.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Colleagues Raise Concerns About How Great Lakes Will Be Impacted by NOAA Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led her colleagues in pressing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for more information about the termination of probationary staff and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes.

    “We write to express our deep concern over the firing of probationary staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes,” wrote the Senators.

    “The Great Lakes are among the United States’ greatest natural treasures, strengthening our economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The Lakes provide drinking water to over 30 million people, generate clean hydropower, and generate $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product,” the Senators continued. “National and regional NOAA programs help protect these lakes and support our constituents who call the Great Lakes home.”

    The Senators pressed Admiral Hann to detail (1) the number of people fired at NOAA during her tenure as Acting Administrator, (2) the number of people fired at each NOAA program serving the Great Lakes, (3) the services that will be terminated as a result, and (4) her plan to preserve these services.

    In addition to Klobuchar, the letter was also signed by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Gary Peters (D-MI).

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

    Dear Vice Admiral Nancy Hann:

    We write to express our deep concern over the firing of probationary staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes. We request information on these firings—including at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and any other NOAA installations and programs that serve the Great Lakes area—as well as a concrete plan for re-establishing terminated public services.

    The Great Lakes are among the United States’ greatest natural treasures, strengthening our economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The Lakes provide drinking water to over 30 million people, generate clean hydropower, and generate $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product.

    National and regional NOAA programs help protect these lakes and support our constituents who call the Great Lakes home. The National Weather Service provides our weather and climate forecasts and warnings. The National Sea Grant Program helps conserve our aquatic resources. The Marine Debris Program prevents microplastics and litter from entering the Great Lakes, protecting our wildlife, natural resources, fishing and boating economy, and nearby residents’ health. The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research invests in our clean drinking water. And the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) provides critical information for resource use and management decisions, including information on algal blooms and hypoxia, invasive species, ice cover and shipping navigability, and storm surges and coastal flooding.

    We are deeply concerned that the layoffs at NOAA will harm these critical initiatives. The staffing reductions have already required the GLERL, for example, to take an “indefinite hiatus” from its public communications, depriving the public of critical information such as what to do during a flood warning and how to stay safe in the extreme cold. When these communications go dark, the public suffers.

    Therefore, we request the following information by March 28, 2025:

    1. The number of people fired at NOAA during your tenure as Acting Administrator.
    1. The number of people fired at each NOAA program that serves the Great Lakes: 
      1. National Weather Service
      2. National Estuarine Research Reserve System
      3. NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
      4. National Sea Grant Program
      5. NOAA Marine Debris Program
      6. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
      7. Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
      8. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
      9. Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
      10. Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR)
      11. Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)
      12. Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC)
    1. The services that will be terminated as a result of the firings at each of the above programs.
    1. Your plan to maintain or restore these services.

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Raskin, Blumenthal, Lawmakers Push White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Trump Administration Corruption

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 17, 2025
    Given Concerns, Warren, Blumenthal, Van Hollen Also Push for Investigations of Elon Musk’s Potential Ethics Violations and VA Secretary Doug Collins Also Serving as Acting Director of Federal Ethics Office
    “Despite President Trump’s promises to fight for working families, he has appointed a string of corporate billionaires and industry insiders, putting them in positions to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary Americans.”
    Text of Letter to Wiles (PDF) | Text of Letters to Investigators (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), sent White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles a 10-page letter sounding the alarm on the overwhelming corruption and vast conflicts of interest throughout the Trump administration. 
    This comes just days after President Donald Trump joined Elon Musk to make what appeared to be a sales pitch for Teslas on the White House lawn. 
    This letter was sent along with two additional letters from Senators Warren, Blumenthal, and Van Hollen urging 1) the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to determine whether Elon Musk has broken ethics rules through his possible involvement in the Federal Aviation Administration’s work with Starlink, despite his financial interest in the work, and 2) the Government Accountability Office to determine whether Doug Collins’s competing responsibilities as both Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is undermining the work of either OGE or the VA.
    “One month into President Trump’s second term, his new administration is already beating his earlier record of corruption,” wrote the lawmakers.
    Within the first 50 days of his second term, President Trump has:

    Appointed former lobbyists, billionaire chief executive officers (CEOs), and stockholders with a direct financial stake in their own policy work. 

    Ceded power to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

    Maintained his network of foreign real estate ventures and refused to divest from his maze of business interests.

    Attempted to fire at least 17 Inspectors General who were working to root out corruption in federal agencies and fired the head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

    Become the first president in history to fire the director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the primary office responsible for mitigating conflicts of interest in the executive branch.

    At the start of his last term, he released an executive order requiring appointees to agree to an ethics pledge. Now, Trump has still not issued any such pledge — though the past three presidential administrations did so.
    “Even now, it is not too late for President Trump to reverse course and put our national interests ahead of his personal dealings,” continued the lawmakers.
    The members of Congress urged President Trump to take the following steps to not just pay lip service to “draining the swamp” and to remediate the Administration’s worst signs of corruption: 

    Reinstate the government watchdogs who President Trump purportedly fired, including all Inspectors General, the OGE Director, and the OSC Director, and commit to protecting those offices from further political interference.

    Thoroughly vet potential nominees for all conflicts of interest and refuse to appoint anyone who would enter with clear conflicts that existing recusal and divestment rules alone cannot resolve. 

    Promptly issue an ethics pledge that is at least as robust as the Biden ethics pledge or President Trump’s own pledge from 2017, and ensure robust enforcement.

    Divest from his business holdings, in this case by either liquidating the Trump Organization assets or placing them in a truly blind trust operated by an independent trustee who is instructed to divest the assets and reinvest the proceeds in other holdings so that the President does not know what the trust contains. He should also disclose his tax returns from the past three years.

    Revoke Mr. Musk’s power to profit from his efforts to manipulate the executive branch for his own benefit. Mr. Musk should also be required to promptly release his financial disclosure form so that the public can understand his potential conflicts of interest.

    “The American people deserve a presidential administration that governs exclusively in the public’s interest,” concluded the lawmakers. 
    The lawmakers requested that the White House respond regarding its intention to take action on these concerns by March 31, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Allyn Dale, Director of the MA in Climate and Society program at the Columbia Climate School, Columbia University

    After the devastating 1994 genocide, Rwandans returning from the violence established homes and began farming where they could find land.

    Since then, the Rwandan government has aimed to bring people scattered across rural parts of the country into grouped settlements which they have called “model villages”. These are intended to provide extra support for highly vulnerable residents, such as the homeless and those who are living in “high risk zones” – areas prone to floods, drought and mudslides, and which are likely to be affected by climate change in the future.

    Rwanda has a population of 14.5 million. An estimated 62,000 rural families have been resettled into 14,815 villages, of which 253 are considered “model villages”. Some of them are considered “green”, because they use solar power and biofuels as energy sources. Rainwater harvesting, tree planting, and terraced vegetable plots are other features of the green, environmentally friendly model villages.

    We conducted a study to understand the impact of relocating rural communities from high risk zones where they face threats from a changing climate, such as erratic rainfall, drought, floods and landslides. We looked at two lake island communities who were experiencing floods. They also suffered a lack of health and education services and security problems from being too close to an unguarded border.

    We used the Rweru Model Green Village as a case study. Based on our interviews with families who were moved there, we found that relocating people can be double-edged. On the positive side, resettlement increased access to modern facilities and social services. On the downside, people found it hard to earn a living. They lacked access to natural and financial capital and had to adapt to a different climate.

    The resettlement programme overall is now understood to be part of the government of Rwanda’s approach to climate change adaptation. However, our findings suggest that this should be done with care, considering factors like community expectations and government development plans.

    Why people were moved

    The Rweru Model Green Village was set up in 2016 to house residents from two nearby islands on Lake Rweru, Sharita and Mazane. Located along the southern border with Burundi, these islands were home to generations of Rwandans. But they lived in relative isolation without access to services like education, healthcare or markets.

    We interviewed and surveyed people from 64 households in the Rweru village. At the time of our research, 1,777 people had been moved in, all from Sharita and Mazane islands.



    Read more:
    Rising risks of climate disasters mean some communities will need to move – we need a national conversation about relocation now

    Participants said fishing had been a way of life on the islands, providing them with a consistent source of protein. Beans, potatoes, cassava and sorghum grew successfully. Even relatively impoverished households said they had enough food to live on: 55% said the productivity of the land was high.

    However, 84% of respondents also described an isolated life without services. As one put it:

    we were cut off from the rest of the world.

    Many mentioned the lack of drinking water, roads and electricity as a major drawback to living on the islands. While primary school was available, older children could only get to a secondary school by a two hour boat ride. Some dropped out of school.

    Healthcare was absent, and respondents described harrowing journeys to find medical attention. As one woman said:

    When we were still there in Sharita, a woman could want to deliver a baby but getting a boat it takes a long time, a woman can even lose her life waiting.

    The boat rides were dangerous because of hippos in the lake, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and the risk of drowning.

    Others said that people from Burundi could access the islands easily and sometimes assaulted or killed the island residents. About 76% of the people we interviewed described their lives before relocation as dangerous. Residents had been asking to be resettled for some time because of these problems.

    One of the driving forces for organising rural life into model villages is to enhance the capacity of residents to adapt to changes, including climate impacts such as the increased risks of flooding, drought or landslides. In that way, the model green village programme is also understood to have climate change adaptation elements.

    The pros and cons after resettlement

    After resettlement, most respondents described improvements in their overall quality of life. They were less exposed to floods, which they’d experienced on the islands. They had improved access to healthcare, social services and quality housing.

    Many (66%) described the housing they received as the most important advantage of their new lives:

    Above all, the nicest thing I was given was the house.

    They also described clean water (26%), markets (50%), healthcare (55%), schools (50%) and electricity (24%) as benefits of living in the new model village. It was the first time they’d been able to manage livestock, having only had chickens on the islands. Their children were benefiting from having milk.



    Read more:
    Climate change will force up to 113m people to relocate within Africa by 2050

    Some residents appreciated having a mattress for the first time; 50% indicated furniture and kitchen equipment as advantages. About 34% of respondents were pleased that they no longer needed to travel by boat.

    They also felt safer. But despite these positive outcomes, they said they were poorer and had less food. Unlike the islands, the micro-climate inland was very hot, with little rain and increasing drought.

    Most people we interviewed (55%) said their new, smaller plots of land were “infertile”, “unproductive” or “barren”. They couldn’t fish or grow enough fruit or vegetables. One person said many of the elderly people who were moved only ate one meal a day in the village “and others are starving completely”.

    Increased hunger caused children to miss school:

    Sometimes I cannot put food on the table, my son sleeps with an empty stomach and he cannot go to school the next day.

    The future of model green villages

    The Rwandan government plans to continue setting up model villages, and wants these to be sustainable for many years.

    More research is needed to determine whether living in a model village provides young people with a better quality of life. The government will also need to address the economic challenges, food insecurity and welfare needs of residents in the new villages.

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

    – ref. Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there? – https://theconversation.com/rwanda-has-moved-people-into-model-green-villages-is-life-better-there-250975

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary K. Waite, Professor Emeritus, Early Modern European History, University of New Brunswick

    In this etching from Dutch theologian Lambertus Hortensius’ 1614 book ‘Van den oproer der weder-dooperen,’ Anabaptists warn the residents of Amsterdam of the coming vengeance of Christ in 1535. (Lambertus Hortensius)

    Far-right politics and Christian nationalism are on the rise in North America and Europe, leading to growing concerns about what it means for human rights and democracy.

    As an historian of the demonizing language of the 16th century, I have been watching current events, around QAnon and Christian nationalist support for United States President Donald Trump with considerable trepidation.

    Why? Because we’ve seen before what happens when religious groups use government to force their beliefs and morality upon society.

    Religion scholar Bradley Onishi writes that the Christian nationalist movement known as the “New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the most influential and dangerous Christian nationalist movements in the United States” and has become “a global phenomenon.”



    Read more:
    New Apostolic Reformation evangelicals see Trump as God’s warrior in their battle to win America from satanic forces and Christianize it

    This movement has reshaped its theology in ways eerily reminiscent of the prophets of the Anabaptist kingdom of Münster of the 1530s in present-day Germany. As my scholarship has examined, those religious dissenters faced polemical demonizing by religious authorities and faced violent oppression, via torture and execution.

    Today’s Christian nationalists, however, have faced no such maltreatment. Yet, like persecuted dissenters of the 1530s, they claim divine authority to remake society.

    The Anabaptists of Münster

    A portrait of Jan van Leiden, a leader of the Münster Anabaptists, by Dutch artist Jan Muller circa 1615.
    (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

    The 16th-century Reformation had originally broken down the religious state of medieval Europe. However, Protestant leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin quickly saw the advantage of having civic governments force conformity to their reforms, and punish dissent.

    Among those targeted were the small groups of dissenters whose Biblical interpretation, congruent with the life and teaching of Jesus, led them to follow the Gospel’s command to preach and baptize “on confession of faith” and a person’s commitment to discipleship.“ By contrast, reformers, and the church they sought to reform, “practised and required infant baptism for the entire population (usually required by law).”

    Derisively called Anabaptists, the small group of dissenters also refused to participate in government. For these practices they were persecuted, with hundreds horrifically tortured and executed.

    Driven to desperation, some Anabaptists in northwestern Europe and northern Germany looked for hope to the Westphalian city of Münster in present-day Germany.

    Here the city’s major preacher, Bernhard Rothmann, was moving the city into the Reformed Protestant camp, rather than that of their Lutheran neighbours. When large numbers of Anabaptist refugees arrived in 1533, they won the civic election and Münster became an Anabaptist city.

    The Catholic bishop of Münster had other ideas. Hiring Catholic and Lutheran troops, he laid siege to the city and things became desperate. Enraged by persecution, the Münsterite Anabaptists changed their image of Jesus from the peacemaker of the Gospels to the apocalyptic Jesus of Revelation.

    The Jesus of Anabaptist Münster

    Rothmann’s original theology was like what Calvin would develop for Geneva. What made the two cities distinct was the charismatic leadership of the Dutch Anabaptist prophet Jan Matthijs, who predicted that Christ would return on Easter Day, 1534, adding both urgency and confidence in applying God’s directives.

    Now besieged, Matthijs and Rothmann took their reform movement in a more “dominionist” direction, meaning they believed their movement should take moral, spiritual and religious control over society. They expelled anyone who refused to co-operate.

    When Christ did not return on Easter 1534 and Matthijs was killed by the besiegers, his successor, Jan van Leiden, simply postponed Christ’s return to the following Easter and declared himself a semi-divine king.

    He also abandoned the message of the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount in favour of the vengeful Jesus of the Book of Revelation. Rothmann justified this in a tract which I translated as:

    “It was … the intention of our hearts in our baptism, that we would suffer for Christ, whatever men did to us. But it has pleased the Lord … that now we and all Christians at this time may not only ward off the violence of the godless with the sword, but also, that he has put the sword into our hands to avenge all injustice and evil over the entire world.”

    King van Leiden sent people out to spread this revolutionary message and take over other cities. This led to several militant episodes, including in Amsterdam, where in February 1535, 11 Anabaptists paraded naked through the streets proclaiming the “naked truth” of God’s anger.

    Others delivered the message while waving swords. Finally, in May, 1535 about 40 Anabaptists captured Amsterdam’s city hall. All were arrested and executed. These were the actions of desperate people inspired by their prophets’ assurances of divine authority. When, however, Münster fell at the end of June 1535, the result was massive disillusionment, a return to non-violence and increased persecution.

    This etching (circa 1629-1652) by Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch depicts Anabaptists walking naked through the streets of Amsterdam after being inspired to remove and burn their clothes in February 1535.
    (Rijksmuseum)

    Divine authority to remake society?

    This transformation of the Münster Anabaptists into vengeful militants reminds me of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). As Matthew D. Taylor has revealed, this movement sees itself as fighting a “spiritual battle” against the demonic forces opposing Trump; some participated (non-violently) in the Jan. 6, 2020 riot.

    Taylor concludes with a warning that the NAR act as “spiritual warmongers, constantly expanding the arena of spiritual warfare, mapping it onto geographical territory and divisive politics in a deeply destabilizing and antidemocratic manner.” It is as if we are listening to Rothmann’s fiery sermons again.

    One difference, of course, is that the NAR folk are not under persecution, despite what they might claim. Taylor describes this as “the Evangelical Persecution Neurosis.”

    Three of the NAR’s principle components are:

    1. A charismatic approach to Christian life that affirms God speaks directly to them. They see themselves as biblical prophets who speak God’s commands which must be implemented regardless of social impact.

    2. The Evangelical Christian belief of living in the end-times on the eve of Jesus Christ’s return for judgment. NAR preachers proclaim that while Jesus in the Gospels taught to “turn the other cheek,” they now follow the judgmental Jesus of the apocalyptical Book of Revelation and mobilize a struggle with Satan to rely on scapegoat ideology.

    3. Derived from a group of Reformed or Calvinist theologians called “Christian Reconstructionists,” and building on Calvin’s theology of the “godly city,” they pursue a broader “dominionist” rationale to take over all of society for Christ. Believing one is living in the end-times means that society must be taken over and cleansed immediately, adding to urgency.



    Read more:
    I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun

    Believers, drawing on these three beliefs, derive an assurance they speak with God’s voice. This was the case for the Münster Anabaptists, and now similarly, for the NAR. As the example of the Münster Anabaptists suggests, we’ve seen this many times before throughout history, and it doesn’t end well.

    A 1685 engraving by Dutch poet and engraver Jan Luyken depicting the 1571 burning of Anabaptist woman Anneken Hendriks from Thieleman van Braght’s 1660 book ‘The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs Mirror.’
    (Allard Pierson Museum)

    There have been many more recent episodes of Christian groups claiming divine authority to remake society. Like Jan van Leiden, those in the NAR or who concur with its theology have recast the Jesus of the Gospels, and U.S. President Donald Trump, in apocalyptic terms.

    U.S. congresswoman Lauren Boebert, for example, who has been described as a Christian nationalist and is a strong gun advocate, is among those who say God anointed Trump to the presidency.

    This gives a gloss of divine approval for Trump’s autocratic goals. As authoritarianism and Christian nationalism rises, the fusion of charismatic authority with Reformed Protestant certitude and end-times fervour continues to attract followers.

    Gary K. Waite has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history – https://theconversation.com/christian-nationalism-in-the-u-s-is-eerily-reminiscent-of-dominionist-reformers-in-history-250600

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Stop waiting for a foreign hero: NZ’s supermarket sector needs competition from within

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Retail Academic Researcher, PhD Candidate & Sessional Academic, University of Sydney

    non c/Shutterstock

    New Zealand’s concentrated supermarket sector is back in the spotlight after Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she was open to offering “VIP treatment” to a third international player willing to create competition.

    However, New Zealanders hoping for a foreign hero to break up the current supermarket concentration will be waiting a long time.

    It could take five years or more for an international brand such as Aldi to enter New Zealand and establish a nationwide chain. It is a risky bet. So far, no foreign operator has expressed interest publicly in setting up shop here on a national scale.

    To create more competition in the supermarket sector, the New Zealand government needs go back to where the issues began: allowing multiple companies to merge until there were few alternatives for shoppers.

    Breaking up two of the major entities in the sector would be a relatively quick way to reintroduce competition and improve affordability for everyone.

    The rise in concentration

    The current state of New Zealand’s supermarket sector – dominated by Woolworths (formerly Countdown), Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island – is a result of successive mergers and acquisitions along two tracks.

    The first was Progressive Enterprises’ (owner of Foodtown, Countdown and Five Guys banners) purchase of Woolworths New Zealand (which also owned Big Fresh and Price Chopper) in 2001.

    Progressive Enterprises was sold to Woolworths Australia, its’ current owner, in 2005. In less than 25 years, six brands owned by multiple companies were whittled down to a single brand, Woolworths.

    The second was the concentration of the “Foodstuffs cooperatives” network. This network once included four regional cooperatives and multiple banners including Mark’n Pak and Cut Price, as well as New World, PAK’nSave and Four Square.

    The decision of the four legally separate cooperatives to include “Foodstuffs” in their company name blurred the lines between them. The companies looked similar but remained legally separate.

    As a result of mergers, these four separate companies have now become Foodstuffs North Island – franchise limited share company, operating according to “cooperative principlies” and Foodstuffs South Island, a legal cooperative.

    In a recent failed application to merge into one company, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island admitted to sharing information between the two legally separate companies. They are also not meaningfully competing with each other as they operate in regions which do not overlap.

    Breaking up the current players to compete

    While the Commerce Commission declined the clearance for Foodstuffs North Island Limited and Foodstuffs South Island to merge into one single national grocery entity, more can be done to drive competition in the supermarket sector.

    The fastest option would be to break up the “Foodstuffs” companies into smaller entities, with the breakaway and re-branding of PAK’nSave across both islands.

    But to do this the government would need to update legislation to allow parliament to force divestiture, consistent with the United Kingdom and the United States.

    This would allow New Zealand to go from three supermarket companies to five or more in a short period of time.

    Reducing the power dependency of suppliers and customers on the current companies would also reduce barriers to entry for overseas brands.

    Global players will take too long

    Breaking up the local dominant supermarket players is simply faster, and more straightforward, than waiting for a foreign company to enter New Zealand. It takes time and is expensive to build scale with stores. It can also be risky, as recent history in Australia shows.

    Aldi Australia, a favourite of New Zealand consumers hoping for a global alternative, took 20 years to reach scale as a third major player in that country. Originally from Germany, Aldi entered Australia as a declining brand – Franklins – left the market.

    In 2017, another German company, Kaufland, announced ambitious plans to enter the Australian market, starting with 20 stores. It purchased its first site in 2018 and hired 200 staff. However, the company abandoned launch plans in 2020 and divested completely from the market.

    Additionally, it took US-based bulk retail store Costco three years – and NZ$100 million – to go from announcing its plans for one New Zealand store to open. The retailer has hinted at opening a second location but this has not yet happened.

    In the end, the solution to New Zealand’s concentrated supermarket sector needs to come from within. Breaking up the power held by the dominant supermarket companies will allow prices to come down more quickly than waiting for a foreign supermarket to arrive.

    The government allowed the market to become concentrated, so it can now fix it. An international brand is not the hero – local, New Zealand-owned competition is.

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

    – ref. Stop waiting for a foreign hero: NZ’s supermarket sector needs competition from within – https://theconversation.com/stop-waiting-for-a-foreign-hero-nzs-supermarket-sector-needs-competition-from-within-251910

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Blueprint Enterprises Launches to Invest In and Accelerate the Growth of Canadian Companies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Blueprint Enterprises (“Blueprint”), a family-backed holding company dedicated to acquiring and growing exceptional Canadian businesses, launched today.

    Blueprint plans to make majority investments in established Canadian businesses with a long-term ownership horizon. As experienced operators and investors, the Blueprint team will provide capital, operating expertise, and strategic resources to these companies to accelerate growth.

    Damian Creber, Blueprint’s CEO and Co-Founder, stated, “We want to see more Canadian companies on the global stage and believe we can help them achieve that exciting mission through our differentiated partnership approach. Uniquely, Blueprint’s preferred ownership period is forever which allows us to meaningfully invest for the future while providing a long-term home for wonderful Canadian companies.”

    David Mowat, Blueprint’s President and Co-Founder, adds, “Having most recently operated a large business in the U.S., I am excited to return to my Canadian roots and apply my experience at home. Blueprint is designed with an appreciation for the uniqueness of each company – whether an owner wants to continue with the business or transition immediately, we have the capability to facilitate that while protecting their legacy.”

    Blueprint is launching with an Advisory Board of highly accomplished founders, operators, and investors who will provide support to both Blueprint and its companies. Yen Liow, Chairman of Blueprint’s Advisory Board, says, “As an investor across both public and private markets for 30 years, I believe the opportunity that Blueprint is pursuing is incredibly exciting. Damian and David, alongside their team and the Blueprint Advisory Board, are well-equipped to help Canadian business owners realize the full potential of their companies.”

    Blueprint can make investments up to $100 million and will consider any form of majority investment, including growth partnership, succession planning, or owner transition.

    About Blueprint Enterprises
    Blueprint Enterprises is a family-backed holding company dedicated to acquiring and growing exceptional Canadian businesses. We are hands-on partners: investing our capital, time, expertise, and resources to accelerate growth in our companies while preserving each of their unique legacies. Our focus is on multi-decade growth, our preferred ownership period is forever, and we can make investments up to $100 million. For more information, visit: www.blueprintenterprises.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Supply & Demand Chain Executive Names AutoScheduler.AI Executives as 2025 Pros to Know

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Orchestration Platform and WMS accelerator, announces that Keith Moore, CEO, and Jeff Potts, Chief Customer Officer, are winners of this year’s Pros to Know Award given by Supply & Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain. This award recognizes outstanding executives whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders leveraging the supply chain for competitive advantage. Keith Moore is recognized in the Rising Stars category, and Jeff Potts is recognized in the Leaders in Excellence category.

    “Jeff Potts is a great asset for the company with over 30 years of experience in the supply chain industry and truly deserves to be recognized as a Leader in Excellence,” says Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. “He uses his strategy, analytics, and the best talent to target new customers and markets while deepening engagement with existing clients. I am honored to be recognized again in the Rising Star category for this prestigious award.”

    “Many of today’s supply chain pros are more than just leaders within their space; they’re true pioneers of change. This year’s list of winners really pushed the boundaries in all facet, creating, implementing, transforming, innovating, reinventing, and collaborating. They executed on all fronts, over-delivering and over-performing. They are true professionals to know in the supply chain space,” says Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and co-founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum.

    Jeff Potts is the Chief Customer Officer of AutoScheduler.AI. He is responsible for all aspects of expanding customer business for the company. Jeff focuses on improving sales performance, creating great product and pricing strategies, and delivering customer satisfaction.

    Keith Moore is the CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. He is responsible for providing organization-wide strategic oversight and establishing external engagement and development initiatives. He spends most of his time working with his customers to deliver supply chain solutions focused on driving efficiency in distribution centers.

    AutoScheduler.AI ushers in a new era as the brains of a warehousing operation and is the only solution on the market designed to optimize operational activity to decrease touches and increase capacity per headcount. AutoScheduler.AI helps businesses manage what they need today to succeed while predicting what they need in the future to meet the increased demand in labor, space, and time.

    Go to https://sdce.me/51zgjx6o to view the full list of winners.

    About AutoScheduler.AI

    AutoScheduler.AI empowers you to take full control of your warehouse with a cloud-based solution that seamlessly integrates with your existing WMS/LMS/YMS or any other solution. We automate critical tasks like labor scheduling, dock management, and task sequencing, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. You’ve already invested in the software to run your warehouse—what we do is provide the orchestration layer that ties it all together to make real-time data driven decisions. With AutoScheduler.AI, you get smart orchestration for a smarter, more agile warehouse. For more information, visit: http://www.autoscheduler.ai.

    About Supply & Demand Chain Executive

    Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the only supply chain publication covering the entire global supply chain, focusing on trucking, warehousing, packaging, procurement, risk management, professional development and more. Supply & Demand Chain Executive and its sister publication, Food Logistics, also operate SCN Summit and the Women in Supply Chain Forum. Go to www.SDCExec.com to learn more.

    About IRONMARKETS 

    IRONMARKETS, formerly known as AC Business Media, is a leading business-to-business media and buyer engagement platform with a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, landscape, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain markets. IRONMARKETS delivers relevant, cutting-edge content through its industry-leading digital properties, trade shows, conferences, videos, magazines, webinars, and newsletters. Learn more at https://www.iron.markets.

    Contact:
    Becky Boyd
    MediaFirst PR
    Becky@MediaFirst.Net
    Cell: (404) 421-8497  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: 12 million senior citizens participate in active longevity programs

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    March 17, 2025

    Tatyana Golikova at the presentation of the results and awarding of the winners of the fifth All-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity.

    The presentation of the results and the awarding of the winners of the fifth all-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity took place at the site of the Government Coordination Center. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, General Director of the ANO “National Priorities” Sofia Malyavina and experts. 2684 applications from 89 regions of Russia were submitted to the fifth all-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity.

    The experts recognized 10 practices from Lipetsk, Ryazan, Samara, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Ulyanovsk regions, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Chuvash Republic and St. Petersburg as the best. The winners received cash prizes of 500 thousand rubles for the development of their projects. Three practices were awarded in the special nomination “Comprehensive Infrastructure Solutions” – from Krasnoyarsk Krai, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra and Chelyabinsk Region.

    Tatyana Golikova noted that over the past five years, competitive selection has become an integral part of state policy in relation to the elderly.

    “These are not just citizens of the third age, these are our beloved grandparents, for whom we do everything possible to ensure that their lives go on, so that this generation, with its unique experience, passes on the best traditions to the younger generation and so that it always feels absolutely in demand. The year 2024 marked the end of one of the national projects that was announced by the President – this is the national project “Demography”, where events on the topic of active longevity occupied a strong place. The new national projects that started on January 1, 2025, on the instructions of the head of state, incorporate all the best that we managed to achieve over the previous period. And today this is no longer just one national project “Family”, but also events of the national project “Personnel”, events of the national project “Long and Active Life”, a number of other events in other national projects that we will implement in order to create a comfortable environment for our older citizens. The best practices that we have developed, including within the framework of our competition, are becoming an integral part of the Strategy of Actions in the Interests of Senior Citizens until 2030, developed by the Government and planned for adoption in the near future,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    According to Tatyana Golikova, 12 million senior citizens participate in active longevity programs. Of these, 8.5 million are actively involved in sports, 2 million in social tourism, a million in third-age universities, and more than 200,000 are active “silver” volunteers.

    “We will continue this work – both within the framework of the strategy and within the framework of national projects. And, of course, we want more senior citizens to be shoulder to shoulder with us. Our fifth all-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity involved all 89 subjects of the Russian Federation in 2024. More than 2,600 projects, including 110 best ones that became finalists. I hope that we will continue to work together, promoting all the events that we have planned for our respected senior citizens,” Tatyana Golikova emphasized.

    The winners in the nomination “Medical and social care, public care and prevention” were the following practices: “Circle of Good” (St. Petersburg), ANO “Good Sergievo”; “Rapid Response Service” (Sverdlovsk Region), Interregional Charitable Public Foundation “Yekaterinburg Jewish Cultural Center “Menorah”.

    The following projects received awards in the category “Active Life: Culture, Tourism, Volunteering”: “Kindness Nearby 2.0” (Tyumen Oblast), Tyumen Regional Charity Fund “Older Generation”; “Good Friend: Joint Work of a Nursing Home with Volunteers and NGOs” (Samara Oblast, Zhigulevsk), Solnechnopolyansky Nursing Home.

    Winners in the Education and Employment category: a program to maintain the professional longevity of social workers aged 50 from small villages (Samara Oblast), ANO Center for Social Services for the Population of the Northern District; a project to improve legal literacy, Legal Odyssey: A Journey to Knowledge (Ulyanovsk Oblast), and the Silver Dawn boarding house for senior citizens named after Z.A. Kudinova in the village of Yazykovo.

    In the nomination “Healthy Lifestyle” the best were: the health training project “Manage Your Health” (Ryazan Region), Ryazan State Medical University named after Academician I.P. Pavlov; the Spartakiad “Longevity Games. Life-lover” (Republic of Tatarstan), the administration of the city of Kazan and the Spartakiad project committee.

    In the nomination “Practice for Men 60” the awards were received by the authors of the practices: Fishing Sport Festival “Fishing without Borders” (Lipetsk Region), Department of Social Policy of Lipetsk Region; “Express-grandfathers” (Chuvash Republic), Shemurshinsky Center for Social Services to the Population.

    In the special nomination “Integrated Infrastructure Solutions”, the following practices received gratitude: the “Veteran” house (Chelyabinsk Region), PAO “Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works”; “Social Apartments” – an ecosystem for the active life of senior citizens (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra), Department of Social Development of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra; “We Know That the Impossible is Possible!” (Krasnoyarsk Region), Krasnoyarsk nursing home for senior citizens and disabled people “Botanichesky”.

    “The competition is gaining popularity year after year. Today, 12 million people and all subjects of the Russian Federation are actively participating in the program. “Active Longevity” has started working. It really gives everyone who has the desire and opportunity to prove themselves. To prove themselves in sports, to prove themselves in creativity. And to lead a truly active lifestyle. Therefore, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone, it is you who fill the active longevity programs with the content that today gives a lot of positive emotions to our older generation. Thank you!” – the head of the Ministry of Labor Anton Kotyakov addressed the winners of the selection.

    A total of 110 participants were included in the finalists of the fifth all-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity. All projects will be published in the collection “Active Longevity – 2024”, and will also receive expert support and access to replication through the platform of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives “Smarteka“.

    “Every year, the number of applications and regions grew. 2024 gave us a 2.5-fold increase compared to last year and a 10-fold increase compared to 2020, when we were just starting. All the winning projects were divided into the following nominations: 10 were submitted in the Education and Employment nomination, 15 in the Healthy Lifestyle nomination, 23 projects in the Medical and Social Care nomination, 49 projects in the Active Life nomination, and 13 in the Practices for Men 60 nomination. These practices vary in scale. We have 88 practices on a regional scale, six on a federal scale, four on a city scale, and 12 on a rural scale,” said Sofia Malyavina, General Director of the National Priorities ANO.

    She also noted that over five seasons, the all-Russian selection covered not only all regions, but also all possible types of practices for the older generation. Therefore, it now makes sense to shift the focus from finding the best solutions to their systematization and inclusion in comprehensive regional programs.

    “We have already started discussions with the Ministry of Labor and would like to discuss with you [experts and selection participants] how we should further transform the assessment of practices and the competition itself. Perhaps now we should assess the comprehensiveness of regional programs, and then we should approach the development of a methodology that takes into account the contribution of leading organizations of a particular region to the comprehensive program of active longevity,” said Sofia Malyavina.

    In the near future, experts and partners of the all-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity will formulate proposals for the launch of the new season.

    The All-Russian selection of the best practices of active longevity is held annually by the ANO “National Priorities” with the support of the Ministry of Labor of Russia on the platform of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives “Smarteka”. The partners are the National Research University Higher School of Economics, the Public Chamber, the Silver Age Alliance, the Russian Gerontological Scientific and Clinical Center, the Agency for Social Information, the All-Russian Organization of War and Labor Veterans, the Pochet charitable foundation and the Odnoklassniki social network.

    The national project “Family” was launched in Russia in 2025 by decision of President Vladimir Putin. The main goal of the project is to support families with children, large families, care for reproductive health and strengthen family values. The national project also provides for the development of initiatives for active longevity, ensuring high-quality care for older people and the formation of a family-oriented cultural infrastructure.

    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 Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Antigua and Barbuda

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    March 17, 2025

    Washington, DC: On March 13, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Antigua and Barbuda and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting on a lapse-of-time basis. The authorities need more time to consider the publication of the Staff Report prepared for this consultation.[2]

    Antigua and Barbuda’s post-pandemic economic expansion is continuing. Real output is estimated to have surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with growth estimated at 4.3 percent, driven by strong tourism and one-off events (including the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the T20 Cricket World Cup). Inflation was elevated in 2024, reflecting contributions from specific items, notably communication, as well as increases in indirect taxes.

    The recovery in nominal GDP, along with improved fiscal balances, brought down the public debt from around 100 percent of GDP in 2020 to 67 percent in 2024. However, gross financing needs are projected to remain around 10 percent of GDP in the medium term. Substantial domestic and external arrears, albeit with domestic arrears uncertain in size, have limited financing options. The fiscal primary balance improved to 4.6 percent in 2024, aided by indirect tax increases, a broader economic recovery, and one-off factors (e.g., nearly 2 percent of GDP from an asset forfeiture and unusually low capital spending). The 2025 Budget envisages stronger tax revenues and higher capital spending.

    According to Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) preliminary estimates, the current account deficit narrowed to 7 percent of GDP in 2024, reflecting both a higher service trade balance—mainly tourism receipts—and a smaller goods deficit due to a contraction in imports. FDI inflows were resilient to tightening global financial conditions and continued to support ongoing hotel construction. Credit growth is recovering, with nonperforming loans contained.

    Executive Board Assessment[3]

    In concluding the 2025 Article IV consultation with Antigua and Barbuda, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal, as follows:

    Antigua and Barbuda’s post-pandemic economic expansion continues. Economic activity, boosted by tourism, is estimated to have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. As the recovery matures, staff projects economic growth to moderate from 3 percent in 2025 to 2½ percent over the medium term. After an increase in inflation in 2024, in part reflecting one-off factors, underlying price pressures are expected to dissipate. The external position in 2024 is assessed to be moderately weaker than the level implied by medium term fundamentals and desirable policies. Efforts to raise revenue and address debt and fiscal challenges bore fruit in 2024, though further steps will be needed to restore debt sustainability, address the stock of outstanding arrears, and reduce gross financing needs in the medium term.

    Risks are currently tilted to the downside, although upside risks are also present. Downside risks emanate from elevated uncertainty about the global outlook; a deepening of geoeconomic fragmentation; commodity price volatility; climate-related vulnerabilities; and capacity constraints in the construction sector. Upside risks stem from stronger demand for tourism; improved air connectivity; new cruise port facilities; hosting of special events; and the intensification of productivity-enhancing structural reforms, which could support higher medium- and long-term growth.

    Addressing external and domestic arrears is key to broadening financing options. While the fall in nominal debt in 2024 is welcome, outstanding arrears to domestic suppliers and to the Paris Club remain obstacles to debt sustainability and constrain Antigua and Barbuda’s potential access to external and domestic financing. Given the additional vulnerabilities stemming from climate change and the resulting substantial adaption and resilience-building investment needs, efforts to address the current debt challenges, bolster government revenues, and improve public financial management are all the more critical. 

    Recent improvements in tax revenue are welcome, with further domestic revenue mobilization needed in the medium term to ensure fiscal sustainability. Antigua and Barbuda’s tax revenues remain below the authorities’ fiscal resilience guideline targets and are low by peer country standards. The authorities’ 2024 Budget measures have started to close the gap, but more will be needed in the medium term. To mobilize revenue without recourse to a personal income tax or higher ABST rates, near-term priorities could include tighter control of tax exemptions, transitioning to HS2022 classification in customs, and modernizing the framework for property taxation. Intensifying efforts to introduce a single window system at customs and to operationalize systems to allow e-filing, e-payment and e-registration of taxes is warranted. Introducing a large taxpayer unit as well as modernized IT systems would strengthen tax administration.

    Better targeted social assistance would enhance inclusion while curbing inefficiencies. The current framework of social protection is fragmented across sectors and ministries. Staff sees scope to streamline these social programs to reduce overlap and tailor social assistance to the most vulnerable households. In this vein, staff encourages the development of a centralized information system or unified database to maintain accurate records of all beneficiaries, track support received, and identify gaps or duplications in coverage.

    Room remains to strengthen fiscal institutions and oversight, building on recent progress. The operationalization of the Fiscal Responsibility Oversight Committee is welcome. To promote transparency and help build public understanding, staff encourages publication of FROC reports once further experience has been gained. These goals would also be served by parliamentary endorsement of the Fiscal Resilience Guidelines and the medium-term fiscal framework. Statutory exemptions should be consistent with the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority Act and the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority should monitor the approved projects. The envisaged reestablishment of the SOE unit in the Ministry of Finance would enhance SOE oversight and contain potential fiscal risks.

    To reinforce financial stability and build on efforts to promote financial inclusion, regional coordination remains key. Staff assesses the financial sector to be broadly stable, with credit growth recovering and non-performing loans approaching prudential levels. The launch of the regional credit bureau can promote faster access to credit while maintaining lending standards. The ECCB-led climate risk initiatives and the regional partial credit guarantee scheme should also boost credit quality and financial intermediation. A more risk-based supervisory framework for credit unions, with enhanced monitoring of asset quality and credit forbearance measures in the context of the planned regional common regulatory standards, would help put credit unions and banks on a more level playing field. The inclusion of the ECCB in the National Oversight Committee on Financial Action improves coordination among supervisory authorities. The increase in investment thresholds for the Citizenship by Investment Program and the improved due diligence process can help safeguard the program’s integrity. 

    Intensifying reforms to improve the business environment would support potential growth by improving the allocation of resources between firms and addressing obstacles to firms’ operations. Staff analysis finds potential for large aggregate productivity gains from the reallocation of resources between firms, and scope to continue addressing obstacles that firms report in areas such as workforce education, access to finance, and customs and trade regulations. Targeted efforts to increase educational opportunities, employer‑employee matching at the One Stop Employment Centre, and the completion of the Skills Demand Survey, are warranted. Offering courses at local institutions could increase financial literacy among MSMEs, and implementing the single electronic window at customs would increase the efficiency of importing and exporting of goods.

    Table 1. Antigua and Barbuda: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators

     

    Population (2023)

    102,195

    Adult literacy rate (2015)

    99

    GDP per capita (US$, 2023)

    19,627

    Mean years of schooling (2022)

    10.5

    Life expectancy at birth (years, 2022)

    79.2

    Human Development Index rank

    54

    Mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births, 2022)                    10                                        (2022, of 193 economies)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Est.

    Projections

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    National Income and Prices

    Real GDP

    -18.9

    8.2

    9.1

    2.4

    4.3

    3.0

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    2.5

    Nominal GDP

    -18.2

    13.5

    16.5

    7.5

    10.9

    6.7

    5.0

    4.6

    4.5

    4.5

    Consumer prices (end of period)

    2.8

    1.2

    9.2

    3.3

    6.0

    3.0

    2.0

    2.0

    2.0

    2.0

    Consumer prices (period average)

    1.1

    1.6

    7.5

    5.1

    6.4

    3.5

    2.4

    2.0

    2.0

    2.0

     

    Money and Credit

    Net foreign assets

    -4.4

    18.2

    3.3

    0.2

    3.3

    3.2

    3.8

    2.5

    1.3

    0.3

    Net domestic assets

    -0.6

    -4.4

    1.3

    4.4

    -1.3

    6.4

    1.3

    2.0

    3.2

    4.2

    Broad money (M2)

    -8.7

    13.9

    4.6

    4.6

    2.1

    9.5

    5.0

    4.6

    4.5

    4.5

    Credit to private sector

    4.8

    -4.1

    -2.1

    7.0

    10.2

    6.0

    5.5

    5.0

    5.0

    5.0

     

    Central Government

    Primary balance

    -3.7

    -2.3

    -0.3

    0.5

    4.6

    0.7

    0.8

    0.9

    1.0

    1.0

    Overall balance

    -6.2

    -4.5

    -2.8

    -1.7

    2.5

    -1.3

    -1.0

    -0.7

    -0.6

    -0.5

       Total revenue and grants

    19.8

    18.9

    17.9

    17.1

    21.4

    19.9

    20.1

    20.2

    20.1

    20.0

       Total expenditure

    26.0

    23.4

    20.7

    18.8

    18.9

    21.2

    21.1

    20.9

    20.7

    20.5

     

    External Sector

    Current account balance

    -15.6

    -17.8

    -15.6

    -13.5

    -7.0

    -10.5

    -10.2

    -10.1

    -9.8

    -9.5

    Trade balance

    -28.6

    -29.6

    -34.4

    -32.8

    -28.2

    -30.4

    -30.3

    -30.2

    -30.0

    -29.9

    Nonfactor service balance

    17.3

    19.5

    28.2

    28.4

    30.4

    28.8

    29.1

    29.4

    29.6

    29.9

       Of which: Gross tourism receipts

    29.2

    30.5

    44.4

    45.4

    46.8

    46.7

    47.2

    47.7

    48.1

    48.5

    Overall balance

    -6.5

    3.5

    -0.1

    -2.5

    0.5

    0.9

    1.5

    -0.1

    -1.1

    -1.4

    External public sector debt

    47.5

    45.5

    39.4

    36.0

    30.9

    31.1

    34.5

    37.3

    39.7

    39.0

     

    Savings-Investment Balance

    -15.6

    -17.8

    -15.6

    -13.5

    -7.0

    -10.5

    -10.2

    -10.1

    -9.8

    -9.5

    Savings

    22.4

    28.4

    25.4

    25.3

    28.0

    25.6

    25.2

    25.0

    24.8

    24.7

    Investment

    38.0

    46.2

    41.0

    38.8

    35.0

    36.1

    35.4

    35.0

    34.6

    34.2

     

    Memorandum Items

    Net imputed international reserves (US$ million)                      222          324           346           319          322           375           443

    491

    517

    524

      (Months of prospective imports)

    3.1

    3.2

    3.3

    3.1

    2.7

    3.0

    3.4

    3.6

    3.6

    3.5

    GDP at market prices (EC$ million)

    3,811

    4,326

    5,040

    5,416

    6,007

    6,408

    6,731

    7,037

    7,353

    7,684

    Public debt stock (EC$ million) 1/, 2/

    3,829

    4,021

    4,134

    4,134

    4,028

    4,063

    4,265

    4,410

    4,502

    4,601

      (Percent of GDP)

    100.5

    93.0

    82.0

    76.3

    67.1

    63.4

    63.4

    62.7

    61.2

    59.9

    Sources: Country authorities, ECCB, UN Human Development Report, World Bank, and IMF staff estimates and projections.

    1/ Includes stock of principal and interest arrears, unpaid vouchers, and suppliers’ credits.

    2/ Includes central government guarantees of state enterprises’ and statutory bodies’ debt.
                                 

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The authorities have requested additional time to decide on the publication of the staff report. A final decision is expected not later than 28 days from the Board consideration date.

    [3] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/17/pr25067-antigua-and-barbuda-imf-executive-board-concludes-2025-article-iv-consultation

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Launch of Joint Task Force October 7

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department today announced the leadership team and membership of Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), an initiative that will seek justice for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates.

    “The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win—and there will be consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Department’s resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.”

    The Attorney General established JTF 10-7 on her first day in office, demonstrating the high priority the Justice Department is placing on honoring the memories of the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the attack, including 47 U.S. citizens, and supporting the approximately 250 additional people that Hamas abducted, including 8 U.S. citizens.

    JTF 10-7 will focus on targeting, charging, and securing for prosecution in the United States the direct perpetrators of the October 7 attack — the terrorists on the ground that day who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians. JTF 10-7 will also assume responsibility for the pending charges against Hamas leadership relating to the October 7 attack and other acts of terrorism, and to bring those criminals to the United States to face justice for their reprehensible role in these atrocities. Finally, JTF 10-7 will investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals and entities providing support and financing to Hamas, related Iran proxies, and their affiliates, as well as acts of antisemitism by these groups.

    “The victims of Hamas’s decades-long violent campaign of terrorism against Israel will always have the support of the U.S. government, and the Department will no longer permit illegal support of Hamas on our campuses and elsewhere in the homeland,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Antisemitic acts of terrorism – whether here or abroad – will never go unpunished. This task force represents our unyielding commitment to those who have suffered at the hands of these brutal terrorists.”

    “The FBI is committed to establishing the Joint Task Force October 7 to continue the FBI’s investigative and victim assistance efforts related to the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our federal and international partners, this task force is a collaborative initiative between agencies, and together we will work to accomplish our vital counterterrorism mission.”

    JTF 10-7 will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), a senior FBI Special Agent as the Task Force Commander, and an FBI Intelligence Analyst as Deputy Task Force Commander, all under the supervision of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. JTF 10-7 will also include trial attorneys from NSD, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and other detailees, with additional dedicated support from the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    JTF 10-7 will be supported by dedicated FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who are mostly co-located in Virginia. These professionals will contribute to JTF 10‑7’s expertise in investigating and prosecuting domestic and extraterritorial terrorism cases, including terrorism-financing matters, and serve as points of contact with the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Victim Services Division.

    The FBI will coordinate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies on JTF 10-7 activities, as well as foreign counterparts through the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Israel. FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Finance, which has already been a tremendous partner in the ongoing investigations.

    These efforts will build on the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these heinous acts and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: FAO warns of ‘unprecedented’ avian flu spread, in call for global action

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Health

    The rapid spread of the highly infectious avian flu virus H5N1 has reached an “unprecedented” scale, wiping out hundreds of millions of birds worldwide and increasingly spilling over into mammals, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Monday.

    Briefing Member States in Rome, FAO officials called for urgent action to strengthen biosecurity, surveillance and rapid-response mechanisms to curb the outbreak.

    FAO Deputy Director-General Godfrey Magwenzi stressed that the crisis threatens to have “serious impacts on food security and food supply in countries, including loss of valuable nutrition, rural jobs and income, shocks to local economies, and of course increasing costs to consumers.”

    With millions relying on poultry for meat and eggs, the challenge is not only to contain the virus but also to protect food production systems.

    The economic impact is also being felt worldwide. For example, egg prices reached a record high in the United States during February according to the US Consumer Price Index, with farmers forced to slaughter over 166 million birds so far in total as avian flu has spread – mostly egg-laying chickens.

    So far this year more than 30 million birds in the US have been killed, according to news reports.

    Coordinated response needed

    FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol underlined the need for a global, coordinated response, calling H5N1 a “transboundary” threat that no country can tackle alone.

    To address the crisis, FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have launched a ten-year Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza.

    “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. By working together, we can reduce the impact of avian influenza and protect both animal and human health – locally and globally,” Ms. Bechdol said.

    Over the past four years, H5N1 has expanded to new regions, causing massive losses in domestic birds, disrupting food supplies and pushing poultry prices higher.

    At least 300 new wild bird species have been affected since 2021, posing a serious threat to biodiversity.

    Collective action and innovation

    FAO reaffirmed its commitment to global monitoring, data sharing and technical guidance to help countries contain the virus.

    Ms. Bechdol also stressed the importance of private sector engagement, particularly in developing vaccines, diagnostics and high-quality animal health services.

    The briefing also included a third call for funding proposals under the Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank.

    Over the past two years, FAO has co-led dozens of Pandemic Fund projects aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, early warning systems and health infrastructure to prevent future outbreaks.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins − and where it could be heading next

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester College

    Global order? Put a pin in it. Getty Images

    The phrase “international rules-based order” has long been a fixture in global politics.

    Western leaders often use it to describe a framework of rules, norms and institutions designed to guide state behavior. Advocates argue that this framework has provided the foundation for decades of stability and prosperity, while critics question its fairness and relevance in today’s multipolar world.

    But what exactly is the international rules-based order, when did it come about, and why do people increasingly hear about challenges to it today?

    The birth of a universal vision

    The rules-based international order, initially known as the “liberal international order,” emerged from the devastation of World War II. The vision was ambitious and universal: to create a global system based on liberal democratic values, market capitalism and multilateral cooperation.

    At its core, however, this project was driven by the United States, which saw itself as the unmatched leader of the new order.

    The idea was to replace the chaos of great power politics and shifting alliances with a predictable world governed by shared rules and norms.

    Central to this vision was the establishment of institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. These institutions, alongside widely accepted norms and formalized rules, aimed to promote political cooperation, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and economic recovery for countries damaged by war.

    However, the vision of a truly universal liberal international order quickly unraveled. As the Cold War set in, the world split into two competing blocs. The Western bloc, led by the United States, adhered to the principles of the liberal international order.

    Meanwhile, the Soviet-led communist bloc established a parallel system with its own norms, rules and institutions. The Warsaw Pact provided military alignment, while the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance managed economic cooperation. The communist bloc emphasized state-led economic planning and single-party rule, rejecting the liberal order’s emphasis on democracy and free markets.

    Emerging cracks

    When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the liberal international order appeared to have triumphed. The United States became the world’s sole superpower, and many former communist states integrated into Western institutions. For a brief period, the order’s universal vision seemed within reach.

    By the 1990s and early 2000s, however, new cracks began to appear.

    NATO expansion, the creation of the World Trade Organization and greater emphasis on human rights through institutions such as the International Criminal Court all closely aligned with Western liberal values. The spread of these norms and the institutions enforcing them appeared, to many outside the West, as Western ideology dressed up as universal principles.

    In response to mounting criticism, Western leaders began using the term rules-based international order instead of liberal international order. This shift aimed to emphasize procedural fairness – rules that all states, in theory, had agreed upon – rather than a system explicitly rooted in liberal ideological commitments. The focus moved from promoting specific liberal norms to maintaining stability and predictability.

    New challenges to the status quo

    China’s rise has brought these tensions into sharp relief. While China participates in many institutions underpinning the rules-based international order, it also seeks to reshape them.

    The Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank illustrate Beijing’s efforts to establish alternative frameworks more aligned with its interests. These initiatives challenge existing rules and norms by offering new institutional pathways for economic and political influence.

    Meanwhile, Russia’s actions in Ukraine – especially the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion – challenge the order’s core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    Western inconsistencies have long undermined the credibility of the rules-based order. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, widely criticized for bypassing international norms and institutions, exemplified a selective application of the rules. This double standard extends toward Washington’s selective engagement with international legal bodies and its inconsistent approach to sovereignty and intervention.

    An uncertain future

    Supporters argue that the rules-based order remains vital for addressing global challenges such as climate change, pandemics and nuclear proliferation.

    However, ambiguity surrounds what these “rules” actually entail, which norms are genuinely universal, and who enforces them.

    This lack of clarity, coupled with shifting global power dynamics, complicates efforts to sustain the system.

    The future of the rules-based international order is uncertain. The shift from “liberal” to “rules-based” reflected an ongoing struggle to adapt a complex web of rules, norms and institutions to a rapidly changing international environment.

    Whether it evolves further, splinters or endures as is will depend on how well it balances fairness, inclusivity and stability in an increasingly multipolar world.

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

    – ref. What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins − and where it could be heading next – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-rules-based-order-how-this-global-system-has-shifted-from-liberal-origins-and-where-it-could-be-heading-next-250978

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Europe had worst measles outbreak since 1997 – new data

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton

    SamaraHeisz5/Shutterstock

    Europe has had the highest number of measles cases since 1997, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). There were 127,350 cases in 2024 – about double the number from 2023.

    “Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. “Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security.” Last year, there were 38 deaths from measles.

    Transmission is similar to COVID, with respiratory droplets and aerosols (airborne transmission) spreading the virus between people. The infection produces a rash and fever in mild cases, and encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia and blindness in severe cases.

    Hospitalisation and deaths are overwhelmingly in unvaccinated people, with mortality rates in developed countries around one in 1,000 to one in 5,000 measles cases.

    Each person infected with measles will, on average, spread the virus to between 12 and 18 other people. This is more infectious than COVID. For example, someone with the omicron variant would spread the virus to around eight others.

    In 2022 the WHO had described measles as an “imminent threat in every region of the world”. The widespread impact of COVID made it harder for people to access healthcare, reducing the ability of regular health services, like vaccinations, to function properly.

    These new stark figures from WHO Europe are an inevitable consequence of lower vaccination rates. Measles is almost entirely vaccine-preventable, with two doses providing greater than 99% protection against infection. The vaccine has an excellent safety record, with severe harm being extremely rare.

    The proportion of the population that needs to be vaccinated to keep local transmission low and prevent outbreaks (so-called “herd immunity”) is around 95%.

    WHO Europe highlighted some examples of where there are clear gaps in vaccine coverage. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania, fewer than 80% of eligible children were vaccinated in 2023, with rates below 50% for the past five or more years. Romania had the highest number of measles cases in Europe in 2024 – an estimated 30,692 cases.

    Misinformation is the driver

    Misinformation is an important factor that reduces vaccine uptake. For example, in the UK, former physician Andrew Wakefield presented falsified data in 2002 claiming the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine caused autism. He somehow got these claims published in The Lancet – although the paper was later retracted.

    This fake scare received sustained media coverage, which resulted in lower uptake in young children at the time and was then a key factor a large measles outbreak among teenagers in England in 2012.

    The claims have spread internationally. In 2020, a US population survey found that “18% of our respondents mistakenly state that it is very or somewhat accurate to say that vaccines cause autism”.

    Sadly, misinformation about health can even be found at the highest levels of government. US President Donald Trump repeatedly made false claims during the COVID pandemic, including the suggestion that injecting disinfectant might cure COVID. In 2025, he appointed Robert F. Kennedy as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has long espoused anti-vaccine viewpoints, including being required to apologise in 2015 for comparing vaccination programmes to the Holocaust.

    RFK Jr. was made to apologise for comparing vaccination programmes with the Holocaust.
    Maxim Elramsisy/Shutterstock

    In a recent interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity, Kennedy said of the MMR vaccine: “It does cause deaths every year. It causes — it causes all the illnesses that measles itself causes, encephalitis and blindness, et cetera.”

    This is untrue. The Infectious Disease Society of America points out that there have been “no deaths related to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in healthy individuals”. This is amid two measles deaths in unvaccinated people in the US, the first such deaths since 2003. There are estimates that the measles vaccine prevented 94 million deaths globally between 1974 to 2024.

    The US National Institute for Health, one of the world’s biggest funders of health research, announced on March 10 2025 that it was axing research that aimed to understand and address vaccine hesitancy.

    This goes alongside the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) apparently planning a large study into potential associations between vaccines and autism, despite dozens of studies indicating there being no such link.

    This volatility coming from the US and elsewhere matters for Europe. Trump and the US have political supporters in Europe, so their messaging carries weight and could do harm. Anti-vaccine sentiment promoted on Facebook from within the US resulted in comments on the posts from multiple countries. The use of social media has been observed to spread misinformation internationally, for example, within Europe. Russian trolls are also involved in creating arguments about vaccines.

    There is an urgent need for outbreaks to be brought back under control and for accurate information about vaccines to be the key message in public discussions. As Dr Kluge highlights: “The measles virus never rests – and neither can we.”

    Michael Head has previously received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Research England and the UK Department for International Development, and currently receives funding from the UK Medical Research Foundation.

    – ref. Europe had worst measles outbreak since 1997 – new data – https://theconversation.com/europe-had-worst-measles-outbreak-since-1997-new-data-252327

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp, DPS Announce Further ICE Partnership

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – At the direction of Governor Brian P. Kemp, Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Billy Hitchens has requested U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) train all 1,100 sworn officers under his command through the 287(g) Program to better assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety in the state. First authorized by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, this program enables ICE to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight. On the day of his 2025 inauguration, President Donald Trump also issued an Executive Order entitled Protecting the American People Against Invasion which requires ICE to utilize this program in partnership with state and local law enforcement.

    “If you are in our country illegally and committing crimes, you have no place in Georgia,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This is another commonsense measure on top of those we’ve taken since I first took office to further enable hardworking law enforcement to assist in identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who pose a risk to public safety. I’m also thankful we now have an administration and partner in the White House who recognizes the gravity of this issue and prioritizes keeping Americans safe by securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigration.”

    At his direction, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) also already participates in the 287(g) program through the Jail Enforcement Model. This ongoing agreement with ICE and the state was renewed in 2019 and again in 2020. Just last week, ICE contacted the GDC requesting two additional corrections officers to assist in deportation of illegal, criminal aliens as part of the 287(g) agreement. The Department currently has a sergeant and three corrections officers assigned to these continuous measures. Thanks to the hard work of state and local law enforcement, GDC currently incarcerates roughly 1,730 criminals on ICE detainers who have been taken off the streets.

    Participating in the 287(g) program enhances collaboration between state and local law enforcement with ICE partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of aliens who pose a public safety risk and undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. On behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Colonel Hitchens submitted a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) request to the Department of Homeland Security to participate in the Task Force Model (TFM) within the ICE 287(g) program. This agreement will create a network of knowledge and teamwork that will broaden the ability of DPS to keep citizens across the State of Georgia safe.

    “We take the safety of Georgians and travelers to this state very seriously,” said Colonel Billy Hitchens. “This training and collaboration between agencies increases our ability to keep our communities safe. Identifying those who pose a threat and who are not in our country legally through education and interagency communication allows us to serve our citizens to the best of our ability, which is ultimately our goal.”

    As part of the 287(g) program, participating law enforcement receive education from ICE and have greater ability to communicate with the federal agency about individuals who they encounter during the course of their duties. Nominees to the program receive training at the expense of ICE related to the immigration duties pertinent to the MOA. The partnership also provides another tool to troopers and officers to use during traffic stops, crash investigations, and commercial vehicle inspections throughout the state. 

    About DPS

    The Georgia Department of Public Safety was created in 1937 and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Capitol Police and the Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD). GSP troopers investigate traffic crashes and enforce traffic and criminal laws on the state’s roads. Capitol Police officers prevent and detect criminal acts, and enforce traffic regulations throughout Capitol Hill. MCCD officers conduct safety inspections of commercial motor vehicles and inspect highway shipments of hazardous materials. 

    Learn more about the Department of Public Safety here. 

    The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight. The 287(g) Program enhances the safety and security of our nation’s communities by allowing ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and remove criminal aliens before they are released into the community.

    The 287(g) program allows ICE — through the delegation of specified immigration officer duties — to enhance collaboration with state and local law enforcement partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of aliens who undermine the safety of our nation’s communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. Nominees for the program receive training at the expense of ICE related to the immigration duties pertinent to the applicable MOA.

    Learn more about ICE 287(g) program here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in California Religious Land Use Case Brought by Small Christian Church

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California supporting a small Christian church’s claim that the City of Santa Ana violated its rights under the under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the church’s zoning application to use space in the city’s professional district as a house of worship.

    The statement of interest was filed in Anchor Stone Christian Church v. City of Santa Ana, a private lawsuit alleging that the City violated RLUIPA by enacting and enforcing zoning provisions that treat religious uses less favorably than secular places of assembly. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s professional district allows, as of right, nonreligious assembly uses like museums and art galleries, but only allows religious assembly uses with the city’s discretionary approval of a conditional use permit (CUP).  

    “RLUIPA prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.” 

    “Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally for the Central District of California. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”

    The lawsuit alleges that Anchor Stone is a small Christian church of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. It obtained space within the city’s professional district and applied for a CUP to operate a Church but was denied by the city. The Church filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order allowing it to worship at its property. The Department’s statement of interest supports the Church’s argument that the zoning code, on its face, treats religious uses less favorably than nonreligious assembly uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the city has failed to justify this unequal treatment.

    RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

    As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Additionally, as part of a series on combating religious discrimination and promoting awareness of RLUIPA, the department hosted an outreach forum last year with land use practitioners and religious leaders at Fowler School of Law at Chapman University in Orange County, California.

    Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Launch of Joint Task Force October 7

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    The Justice Department today announced the leadership team and membership of Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), an initiative that will seek justice for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates.

    “The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win—and there will be consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Department’s resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.”

    The Attorney General established JTF 10-7 on her first day in office, demonstrating the high priority the Justice Department is placing on honoring the memories of the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the attack, including 47 U.S. citizens, and supporting the approximately 250 additional people that Hamas abducted, including 8 U.S. citizens.

    JTF 10-7 will focus on targeting, charging, and securing for prosecution in the United States the direct perpetrators of the October 7 attack — the terrorists on the ground that day who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians. JTF 10-7 will also assume responsibility for the pending charges against Hamas leadership relating to the October 7 attack and other acts of terrorism, and to bring those criminals to the United States to face justice for their reprehensible role in these atrocities. Finally, JTF 10-7 will investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals and entities providing support and financing to Hamas, related Iran proxies, and their affiliates, as well as acts of antisemitism by these groups.

    “The victims of Hamas’s decades-long violent campaign of terrorism against Israel will always have the support of the U.S. government, and the Department will no longer permit illegal support of Hamas on our campuses and elsewhere in the homeland,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Antisemitic acts of terrorism – whether here or abroad – will never go unpunished. This task force represents our unyielding commitment to those who have suffered at the hands of these brutal terrorists.”

    “The FBI is committed to establishing the Joint Task Force October 7 to continue the FBI’s investigative and victim assistance efforts related to the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our federal and international partners, this task force is a collaborative initiative between agencies, and together we will work to accomplish our vital counterterrorism mission.”

    JTF 10-7 will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), a senior FBI Special Agent as the Task Force Commander, and an FBI Intelligence Analyst as Deputy Task Force Commander, all under the supervision of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. JTF 10-7 will also include trial attorneys from NSD, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and other detailees, with additional dedicated support from the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    JTF 10-7 will be supported by dedicated FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who are mostly co-located in Virginia. These professionals will contribute to JTF 10‑7’s expertise in investigating and prosecuting domestic and extraterritorial terrorism cases, including terrorism-financing matters, and serve as points of contact with the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Victim Services Division.

    The FBI will coordinate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies on JTF 10-7 activities, as well as foreign counterparts through the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Israel. FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Finance, which has already been a tremendous partner in the ongoing investigations.

    These efforts will build on the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these heinous acts and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, McCormick introduce bipartisan, bicameral bill to combat the flow of fentanyl

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) introduced the Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics Act of 2025 to combat the flow of fentanyl coming into American communities that is killing hundreds of thousands of Americans. This legislation would improve federal coordination to?combat this crisis, with a particular focus of responding to China’s central role in producing fentanyl precursors and laundering drug money.
    In addition to Senators Coons and McCormick, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.). Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) cosponsored the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Fentanyl?continues to claim lives every day and?devastate?communities in Delaware and across the country,” said Senator Coons. “We know China is contributing to this crisis, and I’m proud to support the introduction of this bipartisan bill to determine how agencies can best coordinate to eliminate redundancies, maintain safeguards, and make our law enforcement efforts to address China’s role as effective as possible.”
    “Fentanyl killed nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year and over 200 Americans each day,” said Senator McCormick. “This legislation would empower our federal government to coordinate all the tools at its disposal to combat the trafficking of lethal fentanyl that is ruining American families. I’ve heard from too many families who have lost their loved ones to fentanyl overdoses, I refuse to allow it to continue.”
    “The CCP is the leading force behind the fentanyl crisis, and the United States is failing to respond while they profit from the loss of American lives. This Joint Task Force will pool resources across the federal government and respond to this crisis with everything from sanctions to joint drug raids to keep this deadly substance out of our communities,” said Representative Newhouse. “This task force will help President Trump and his administration accomplish his goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl from China across our northern and southern borders.”
    “The U.S. government must take decisive action at every link of the illegal synthetic narcotic supply chain, beginning with China,” said Representative Auchincloss. “This Task Force would provide a coordinated framework to hold bad actors accountable for the state-sanctioned poisoning of Americans.”
    Improving federal coordination is critical to combatting fentanyl. This legislation establishes a Joint Task Force to Counter Illicit Synthetic Narcotics, which will be composed of representatives from the Departments of Justice, Treasury, Homeland Security, State, Commerce, Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and any other agency deemed appropriate. Together, these agencies can conduct joint operations, enforce sanctions, disrupt trafficking networks, and address the central role of the People’s Republic of China in the opioid crisis.
    As Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, Senator Coons has worked across the aisle in the Senate to address America’s fentanyl crisis. He introduced the bipartisan Fentanyl Safe Testing and Overdose Prevention Act with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in 2023, which aims to prevent deaths from fentanyl poisoning by increasing access to fentanyl test strips. Senator Coons also hosted a Senate Law Enforcement Caucus roundtable last year with Senator Cornyn to hear on-the-ground perspectives on the fentanyl and xylazine crises from Delaware and Texas and discuss ways to support law enforcement and public health officials. He also introduced a resolution designating May 7, 2024, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to raise awareness and educate the public regarding the dangers posed by counterfeit fentanyl pills.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in California Religious Land Use Case Brought by Small Christian Church

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California supporting a small Christian church’s claim that the City of Santa Ana violated its rights under the under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the church’s zoning application to use space in the city’s professional district as a house of worship.

    The statement of interest was filed in Anchor Stone Christian Church v. City of Santa Ana, a private lawsuit alleging that the City violated RLUIPA by enacting and enforcing zoning provisions that treat religious uses less favorably than secular places of assembly. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s professional district allows, as of right, nonreligious assembly uses like museums and art galleries, but only allows religious assembly uses with the city’s discretionary approval of a conditional use permit (CUP).  

    “RLUIPA prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.” 

    “Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally for the Central District of California. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”

    The lawsuit alleges that Anchor Stone is a small Christian church of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. It obtained space within the city’s professional district and applied for a CUP to operate a Church but was denied by the city. The Church filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order allowing it to worship at its property. The Department’s statement of interest supports the Church’s argument that the zoning code, on its face, treats religious uses less favorably than nonreligious assembly uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the city has failed to justify this unequal treatment.

    RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

    As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Additionally, as part of a series on combating religious discrimination and promoting awareness of RLUIPA, the department hosted an outreach forum last year with land use practitioners and religious leaders at Fowler School of Law at Chapman University in Orange County, California.

    Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nearly 230 transition housing spaces open for women, children leaving violence

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Julia (Boyle) Davidson, executive director, Ishtar Women’s Resources Society –

    “We at Ishtar Women’s Resource Society are grateful to be moving our Ishtar Transition House to a bright and welcoming new home. The new house will enable us to support more women and their children, including a second-stage housing unit.”

    Makenna Rielly, executive director, Victoria Women’s Housing Society –

    “Transitional housing provides women and children fleeing intimate-partner violence time to determine their next steps. It allows them space to create safety plans, address trauma and remain within their community, minimizing disruption in their lives. In partnership with BC Housing and the community, we work to rebuild lives.”

    Daylene Jones, executive director, Haven Society –

    “The addition of second-stage housing to our community will make a huge difference for women and children impacted by violence. The ability to take the time needed to process, heal, and prepare for their future in a safe, supportive, and affordable living environment is essential for those leaving violence.”

    Liza Scott, interim executive director, Cowichan Women Against Violence Society –

    “We are pleased to announce the opening of Kw’i Lelum (‘Rise House’), providing safe, transitional housing for women, children, and families escaping violence. Rooted in cultural connection and community support, Kw’i Lelum offers a secure environment and resources to empower survivors on their path to independence.”

    Kristy Rogge, executive director, Cythera Transition House Society –

    “The opening of the Bernice Gehring Building is an incredible milestone and opportunity for our community. This space will be home to our second-stage program and longer-term housing for women and children. This first-of-its-kind housing project will provide a safe, stable environment, empowering families to rebuild, heal, and thrive in their community.”

    Syma Nehal, program director, Nisa Foundation –

    “Nisa Homes was born out of a need to support the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our community. As such, we work hard to provide a place for women to live comfortably and feel safe in a supportive home environment, explore their cultural identity, and directly connect with their community.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Changes to speech and language can help detect Alzheimer’s early – here are five things to look out for

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sarah Curtis, Doctoral Candidate, Language use in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease, School of Arts and Humanities, Nottingham Trent University

    More people than ever are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease New Africa/Shutterstock

    Ten million people are diagnosed with dementia worldwide each year – that’s more than ever. According to the Alzheimer’s Society approximately one million people in the UK are currently living with the disease. Studies predict this figure will rise to 1.6 million people by 2050.

    Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and leads to a decline in memory and thinking skills. This is a physical illness that causes the brain to stop working properly and gets worse over time. Identifying the onset of Alzheimer’s early can help patients and caregivers find the right support and medical care.

    One way to detect Alzheimer’s early is by spotting changes to people’s use of language. This is because new speech problems are one of the first signs of a mental decline that could indicate the onset of this disease.

    Here are five early, speech-related signs of Alzheimer’s disease to look out for:

    1. Pauses, hesitations and vagueness

    One of the most recognisable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is trouble remembering specific words, which can often lead to frequent or long pauses and hesitations. When a person with Alzheimer’s is struggling to remember a word, they may talk vaguely such as saying “thing”, or describing and talking around a word. For example, if someone is having trouble remembering the word dog, they may say something like “people have them as pets … they bark … I used to have one when I was a child”.

    2. Using words with the wrong meaning

    Trouble remembering the right word can be an early feature of Alzheimer’s. People with Alzheimer’s might replace a word they are trying to say with something related to it. For example, instead of saying “dog”, they might use an animal from the same category, saying “cat” for instance. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, however, these changes are more likely to be related to a broader or more general category such as saying “animal” instead of “cat”.

    3. Talking about a task rather than doing it

    Someone with Alzheimer’s may struggle with completing tasks. Instead of performing a task, they may talk about their feelings toward the task, express doubts, or mention past abilities. They might say, “I’m not sure I can do this” or “I used to be good at this”, rather than discussing the task directly.

    4. Less word variety

    A more subtle indicator of Alzheimer’s disease is the tendency to use simpler language, relying on common words. People with Alzheimer’s often repeat the same verbs, nouns and adjectives instead of using a broader vocabulary. They can also use “the”, “and” or “but” frequently to connect sentences.

    5. Difficulty finding the right words

    People with Alzheimer’s can have trouble thinking of words, objects or things that belong in a group. This is sometimes used as a cognitive test for the disease. For example, those with Alzheimer’s may struggle to name things in a specific category, such as different foods, different parts of the body or words that start with the same letter. This gets harder as the disease progresses, making these tasks increasingly challenging.

    Age is the biggest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s – the chance of developing the disease doubles every five years after the age of 65. However, one in 20 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are under the age of 65. This is referred to as younger – or early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

    While forgetting words now and then is normal, persistent and worsening problems remembering words, speaking fluently, or using a variety of words could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Identifying these signs early can be particularly important for people at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as they age, such as people with Down Syndrome.

    Sarah Curtis 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. Changes to speech and language can help detect Alzheimer’s early – here are five things to look out for – https://theconversation.com/changes-to-speech-and-language-can-help-detect-alzheimers-early-here-are-five-things-to-look-out-for-252251

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Europe faces worst measles outbreak since 1997 – new data

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton

    SamaraHeisz5/Shutterstock

    Europe has had the highest number of measles cases since 1997, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). There were 127,350 cases in 2024 – about double the number from 2023.

    “Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. “Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security.” Last year, there were 38 deaths from measles.

    Transmission is similar to COVID, with respiratory droplets and aerosols (airborne transmission) spreading the virus between people. The infection produces a rash and fever in mild cases, and encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia and blindness in severe cases.

    Hospitalisation and deaths are overwhelmingly in unvaccinated people, with mortality rates in developed countries around one in 1,000 to one in 5,000 measles cases.

    Each person infected with measles will, on average, spread the virus to between 12 and 18 other people. This is more infectious than COVID. For example, someone with the omicron variant would spread the virus to around eight others.

    In 2022 the WHO had described measles as an “imminent threat in every region of the world”. The widespread impact of COVID made it harder for people to access healthcare, reducing the ability of regular health services, like vaccinations, to function properly.

    These new stark figures from WHO Europe are an inevitable consequence of lower vaccination rates. Measles is almost entirely vaccine-preventable, with two doses providing greater than 99% protection against infection. The vaccine has an excellent safety record, with severe harm being extremely rare.

    The proportion of the population that needs to be vaccinated to keep local transmission low and prevent outbreaks (so-called “herd immunity”) is around 95%.

    WHO Europe highlighted some examples of where there are clear gaps in vaccine coverage. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania, fewer than 80% of eligible children were vaccinated in 2023, with rates below 50% for the past five or more years. Romania had the highest number of measles cases in Europe in 2024 – an estimated 30,692 cases.

    Misinformation is the driver

    Misinformation is an important factor that reduces vaccine uptake. For example, in the UK, former physician Andrew Wakefield presented falsified data in 2002 claiming the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine caused autism. He somehow got these claims published in The Lancet – although the paper was later retracted.

    This fake scare received sustained media coverage, which resulted in lower uptake in young children at the time and was then a key factor a large measles outbreak among teenagers in England in 2012.

    The claims have spread internationally. In 2020, a US population survey found that “18% of our respondents mistakenly state that it is very or somewhat accurate to say that vaccines cause autism”.

    Sadly, misinformation about health can even be found at the highest levels of government. US President Donald Trump repeatedly made false claims during the COVID pandemic, including the suggestion that injecting disinfectant might cure COVID. In 2025, he appointed Robert F. Kennedy as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has long espoused anti-vaccine viewpoints, including being required to apologise in 2015 for comparing vaccination programmes to the Holocaust.

    RFK Jr. was made to apologise for comparing vaccination programmes with the Holocaust.
    Maxim Elramsisy/Shutterstock

    In a recent interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity, Kennedy said of the MMR vaccine: “It does cause deaths every year. It causes — it causes all the illnesses that measles itself causes, encephalitis and blindness, et cetera.”

    This is untrue. The Infectious Disease Society of America points out that there have been “no deaths related to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in healthy individuals”. This is amid two measles deaths in unvaccinated people in the US, the first such deaths since 2003. There are estimates that the measles vaccine prevented 94 million deaths globally between 1974 to 2024.

    The US National Institute for Health, one of the world’s biggest funders of health research, announced on March 10 2025 that it was axing research that aimed to understand and address vaccine hesitancy.

    This goes alongside the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) apparently planning a large study into potential associations between vaccines and autism, despite dozens of studies indicating there being no such link.

    This volatility coming from the US and elsewhere matters for Europe. Trump and the US have political supporters in Europe, so their messaging carries weight and could do harm. Anti-vaccine sentiment promoted on Facebook from within the US resulted in comments on the posts from multiple countries. The use of social media has been observed to spread misinformation internationally, for example, within Europe. Russian trolls are also involved in creating arguments about vaccines.

    There is an urgent need for outbreaks to be brought back under control and for accurate information about vaccines to be the key message in public discussions. As Dr Kluge highlights: “The measles virus never rests – and neither can we.”

    Michael Head has previously received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Research England and the UK Department for International Development, and currently receives funding from the UK Medical Research Foundation.

    – ref. Europe faces worst measles outbreak since 1997 – new data – https://theconversation.com/europe-faces-worst-measles-outbreak-since-1997-new-data-252327

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: This is why physical affection can boost your health

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    By Viren Swami, Anglia Ruskin University

    In the opening scene of Love, Actually, Hugh Grant’s character says how, whenever he gets gloomy with the state of the world, he thinks about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport. The reason is on screen: we see couples kissing, old friends embracing, children smiling and laughing as they jump into the arms of their parents.

    Airports are great places to really understand the importance of physical affection – hugging, kissing, cuddling, holding hands, or even just touching. But physical affection is ubiquitous in everyday life, too – and with good reason. Science shows that non-sexual physical affection produces more than just moments of joy – it also benefits our mental and physical health.

    Physical affection is one of the most direct and important ways that people communicate intimacy in their romantic relationships. And it seems to occur in romantic relationships all over the world, despite cross-cultural differences in ideas of love and romance.

    People in romantic relationships report more intimate physical affection than singletons. They’re also more comfortable allowing their partners to touch more of their bodies than strangers or friends. For example, most people are comfortable being touched on their thighs and abdomen by their partner, but not by other people.

    Even how we touch our partners is different to how we touch other people. When participants in one study were asked to stroke their partner, a friend, a stranger, or an artificial arm, they did so more slowly with their partner. Slower strokes may be experienced as more pleasant and erotic than quicker strokes. Even just thinking about physical affection from a partner evokes pleasant and erotic sensations.

    There is now strong evidence showing that physical contact is associated with better physical and mental health. One review of “touch interventions” – think massage – in 212 studies involving more than 13,000 participants found that physical touch benefited everything from sleep patterns to blood pressure to fatigue. Touch interventions were especially helpful in reducing pain, depression and anxiety.

    Couple’s therapy

    Before you rush off to book yourself a massage, you should know that much of the evidence suggests the strongest benefits come from physical affection with romantic partners. Several studies have found that, in couples, physical affection is associated with a range of physiological effects, including lower blood pressure and better immune responses.

    In couples, physical affection is also associated with better psychological wellbeing. One study found that couples who sleep-touched – cuddling shortly before or after sleep – felt happier and calmer in the morning, which meant they were more likely to enjoy the company of their partners.

    Physical affection – including kissing and affection after sex – is also associated with greater relationship and sexual satisfaction, and better ratings of one’s relationship overall, which in turn contribute to better psychological wellbeing. And even when conflicts do occur, hugging seems to reduce levels of negative mood in couples.

    Cuddle up, because there’s more. Receiving physical affection from a partner makes us feel psychologically stronger. One study found that women showed less activation in parts of the brain that respond to threat when holding their husband’s hand. Even just imagining touch from a partner can increase one’s willingness to take on challenging tasks.

    Another way to look at this is to examine what happens when we lose physical affection. Studies have shown that “touch deprivation” – the absence of touch – is associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. Indeed, the loss of affection from others during the pandemic hit many people hard. Among couples, a lack of physical affection is associated with lower relationship satisfaction, stress, and feelings of loneliness.

    There are several ways in which physical affection provides these benefits. Affectionate touch is known to activate reward centres of the brain, which boosts our mood and promotes feelings of wellbeing. Touch also stimulates the release of oxytocin, which can strengthen social bonds and increase feelings of trust between individuals. It’s for these reasons that oxytocin is sometimes called the “cuddle chemical”.

    Physical affection also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reduces perceived pain, which suppress physiological stress systems. One study found that a 10-minute neck-and-shoulder massage from one’s partner helped lower cortisol responses, helping to regulate levels of stress.

    Psychologically, physical affection in romantic relationships is an important way to keep our emotions under control. Touching one’s partner in a caring manner helps to improve their mood and makes them feel loved, secure, and safe. As feelings of connection, trust, and belonging are strengthened through non-sexual physical signs of affection, negative effect is reduced and psychological well-being is improved.

    However, not everyone likes to be touched, even if it is by their romantic partners. Some people are “touch avoidant” – and some people may actually be apprehensive about being touched. For instance, people with avoidant attachment styles – characterised by a discomfort with emotional closeness – often have very negative views about cuddling and are more hesitant to touch their partners. Conversely, people with anxious attachment styles – characterised by a fear of abandonment – may desire more touch than they receive.

    But when couples have similar touch preferences, it can lead to greater attraction, closeness, and commitment to one another. And if you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate non-sexual physical affection into your relationships, consider home massage. One study found that couples who took turns massaging each other at home felt a deeper connection with each other, and felt more relaxed and less stressed.

    Viren Swami, Professor of Social Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

    If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gary K. Waite, Professor Emeritus, Early Modern European History, University of New Brunswick

    In this etching from Dutch theologian Lambertus Hortensius’ 1614 book ‘Van den oproer der weder-dooperen,’ Anabaptists warn the residents of Amsterdam of the coming vengeance of Christ in 1535. (Lambertus Hortensius)

    Far-right politics and Christian nationalism are on the rise in North America and Europe, leading to growing concerns about what it means for human rights and democracy.

    As an historian of the demonizing language of the 16th century, I have been watching current events, around QAnon and Christian nationalist support for United States President Donald Trump with considerable trepidation.

    Why? Because we’ve seen before what happens when religious groups use government to force their beliefs and morality upon society.

    Religion scholar Bradley Onishi writes that the Christian nationalist movement known as the “New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the most influential and dangerous Christian nationalist movements in the United States” and has become “a global phenomenon.”



    Read more:
    New Apostolic Reformation evangelicals see Trump as God’s warrior in their battle to win America from satanic forces and Christianize it

    This movement has reshaped its theology in ways eerily reminiscent of the prophets of the Anabaptist kingdom of Münster of the 1530s in present-day Germany. As my scholarship has examined, those religious dissenters faced polemical demonizing by religious authorities and faced violent oppression, via torture and execution.

    Today’s Christian nationalists, however, have faced no such maltreatment. Yet, like persecuted dissenters of the 1530s, they claim divine authority to remake society.

    The Anabaptists of Münster

    A portrait of Jan van Leiden, a leader of the Münster Anabaptists, by Dutch artist Jan Muller circa 1615.
    (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

    The 16th-century Reformation had originally broken down the religious state of medieval Europe. However, Protestant leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin quickly saw the advantage of having civic governments force conformity to their reforms, and punish dissent.

    Among those targeted were the small groups of dissenters whose Biblical interpretation, congruent with the life and teaching of Jesus, led them to follow the Gospel’s command to preach and baptize “on confession of faith” and a person’s commitment to discipleship.“ By contrast, reformers, and the church they sought to reform, “practised and required infant baptism for the entire population (usually required by law).”

    Derisively called Anabaptists, the small group of dissenters also refused to participate in government. For these practices they were persecuted, with hundreds horrifically tortured and executed.

    Driven to desperation, some Anabaptists in northwestern Europe and northern Germany looked for hope to the Westphalian city of Münster in present-day Germany.

    Here the city’s major preacher, Bernhard Rothmann, was moving the city into the Reformed Protestant camp, rather than that of their Lutheran neighbours. When large numbers of Anabaptist refugees arrived in 1533, they won the civic election and Münster became an Anabaptist city.

    The Catholic bishop of Münster had other ideas. Hiring Catholic and Lutheran troops, he laid siege to the city and things became desperate. Enraged by persecution, the Münsterite Anabaptists changed their image of Jesus from the peacemaker of the Gospels to the apocalyptic Jesus of Revelation.

    The Jesus of Anabaptist Münster

    Rothmann’s original theology was like what Calvin would develop for Geneva. What made the two cities distinct was the charismatic leadership of the Dutch Anabaptist prophet Jan Matthijs, who predicted that Christ would return on Easter Day, 1534, adding both urgency and confidence in applying God’s directives.

    Now besieged, Matthijs and Rothmann took their reform movement in a more “dominionist” direction, meaning they believed their movement should take moral, spiritual and religious control over society. They expelled anyone who refused to co-operate.

    When Christ did not return on Easter 1534 and Matthijs was killed by the besiegers, his successor, Jan van Leiden, simply postponed Christ’s return to the following Easter and declared himself a semi-divine king.

    He also abandoned the message of the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount in favour of the vengeful Jesus of the Book of Revelation. Rothmann justified this in a tract which I translated as:

    “It was … the intention of our hearts in our baptism, that we would suffer for Christ, whatever men did to us. But it has pleased the Lord … that now we and all Christians at this time may not only ward off the violence of the godless with the sword, but also, that he has put the sword into our hands to avenge all injustice and evil over the entire world.”

    King van Leiden sent people out to spread this revolutionary message and take over other cities. This led to several militant episodes, including in Amsterdam, where in February 1535, 11 Anabaptists paraded naked through the streets proclaiming the “naked truth” of God’s anger.

    Others delivered the message while waving swords. Finally, in May, 1535 about 40 Anabaptists captured Amsterdam’s city hall. All were arrested and executed. These were the actions of desperate people inspired by their prophets’ assurances of divine authority. When, however, Münster fell at the end of June 1535, the result was massive disillusionment, a return to non-violence and increased persecution.

    This etching (circa 1629-1652) by Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch depicts Anabaptists walking naked through the streets of Amsterdam after being inspired to remove and burn their clothes in February 1535.
    (Rijksmuseum)

    Divine authority to remake society?

    This transformation of the Münster Anabaptists into vengeful militants reminds me of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). As Matthew D. Taylor has revealed, this movement sees itself as fighting a “spiritual battle” against the demonic forces opposing Trump; some participated (non-violently) in the Jan. 6, 2020 riot.

    Taylor concludes with a warning that the NAR act as “spiritual warmongers, constantly expanding the arena of spiritual warfare, mapping it onto geographical territory and divisive politics in a deeply destabilizing and antidemocratic manner.” It is as if we are listening to Rothmann’s fiery sermons again.

    One difference, of course, is that the NAR folk are not under persecution, despite what they might claim. Taylor describes this as “the Evangelical Persecution Neurosis.”

    Three of the NAR’s principle components are:

    1. A charismatic approach to Christian life that affirms God speaks directly to them. They see themselves as biblical prophets who speak God’s commands which must be implemented regardless of social impact.

    2. The Evangelical Christian belief of living in the end-times on the eve of Jesus Christ’s return for judgment. NAR preachers proclaim that while Jesus in the Gospels taught to “turn the other cheek,” they now follow the judgmental Jesus of the apocalyptical Book of Revelation and mobilize a struggle with Satan to rely on scapegoat ideology.

    3. Derived from a group of Reformed or Calvinist theologians called “Christian Reconstructionists,” and building on Calvin’s theology of the “godly city,” they pursue a broader “dominionist” rationale to take over all of society for Christ. Believing one is living in the end-times means that society must be taken over and cleansed immediately, adding to urgency.



    Read more:
    I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun

    Believers, drawing on these three beliefs, derive an assurance they speak with God’s voice. This was the case for the Münster Anabaptists, and now similarly, for the NAR. As the example of the Münster Anabaptists suggests, we’ve seen this many times before throughout history, and it doesn’t end well.

    A 1685 engraving by Dutch poet and engraver Jan Luyken depicting the 1571 burning of Anabaptist woman Anneken Hendriks from Thieleman van Braght’s 1660 book ‘The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs Mirror.’
    (Allard Pierson Museum)

    There have been many more recent episodes of Christian groups claiming divine authority to remake society. Like Jan van Leiden, those in the NAR or who concur with its theology have recast the Jesus of the Gospels, and U.S. President Donald Trump, in apocalyptic terms.

    U.S. congresswoman Lauren Boebert, for example, who has been described as a Christian nationalist and is a strong gun advocate, is among those who say God anointed Trump to the presidency.

    This gives a gloss of divine approval for Trump’s autocratic goals. As authoritarianism and Christian nationalism rises, the fusion of charismatic authority with Reformed Protestant certitude and end-times fervour continues to attract followers.

    Gary K. Waite has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Christian nationalism in the U.S. is eerily reminiscent of ‘dominionist’ reformers in history – https://theconversation.com/christian-nationalism-in-the-u-s-is-eerily-reminiscent-of-dominionist-reformers-in-history-250600

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fungi are among the planet’s most important organisms — yet they continue to be overlooked in conservation strategies

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jonathan Cazabonne, Doctorant en mycologie et écologie des vieilles forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)

    Fungi are among the most important organisms on Earth. Even though most of the world’s described 157,000 fungal species are only visible with a microscope, these organisms are essential to our ecosystems, our societies and economies.

    They break down organic matter and interact with all groups of organisms — including other fungi. They’re key actors in forest carbon storage, nutrient cycling, as well as plant growth and resistance to environmental stress.

    Fungi are also important to human cultures — including as a source of food, medicine and art. Economically, fungi also support a growing economy centred around mycotourism — with a growing number of travellers visiting Canada and Spain each year to forage for wild mushrooms.



    Read more:
    Rural communities in Québec are embracing ‘mushroom tourism’ to boost local economies

    All the benefits fungi provide to humans are estimated to be worth the equivalent of US$54.57 trillion. This is why it’s an understatement to say that the world’s ecosystems and human societies are shaped by fungi.

    And yet fungi continue to be an important but overlooked element of conservation strategies.

    Why fungi are forgotten

    Conservation efforts have long focused on protecting well-studied animals and plants. This is reflected in the number of species that have been assigned a conservation status by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

    Around 84 per cent of known species of vertebrates have received an IUCN conservation status. But just 0.5 per cent of all described fungi — 818 fungal species — are currently present on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Considering scientists estimate that there could be around 2.5 million fungal species in the world — of which we currently only know about six per cent of them — this means just 0.03 per cent of all fungi have been assigned a conservation status.

    Several factors explain this alarming reality.

    Fungi are difficult to study in both nature and under experimental conditions. This is because of many species’ microscopic size, their short lifespan and the hidden habitats they call home — such as soils, the tissues of other organisms and dung deposits.

    Many species of fungi are difficult to study because of their microscopic size.
    (Shutterstock)

    Fungi are also considered “uncharismatic” — meaning they don’t have the level of human appeal that some other species have. Much of their diversity is cryptic, as well. This means that while many fungi were once considered to be a single species, in reality they’re made up of multiple species that may look similar but are genetically distinct from one another. Because of this, conservation projects for fungi are poorly funded and do not easily capture public interest.

    Protecting the unknown

    In recent years, there’s been momentum within the scientific community to recognise fungi as a distinct kingdom within conservation strategies — one that’s on equal footing with animals and plants.

    A significant milestone in this movement has been the adoption of the term “funga,” which mirrors “fauna” and “flora”. This designates the fungal diversity within a given environment or habitat.

    Another important advancement was the recent pledge for fungal conservation that was presented at the 2024 Conference of Parties (COP16) in Colombia. This pledge urged parties to make fungal conservation a priority given fungi are central to achieving the biodiversity targets set out by the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    More local initiatives are also emerging. In Québec, over 70 mycologists and biologists signed an opinion letter encouraging the government to integrate fungi into its legislative framework.

    Such progress is not trivial and may help correct misconceptions about fungi that continue to be present among the public, economic sectors and policymakers. For example, the misconception that fungi are plants is something that still persists to this day. Allowing this misconception to continue being perpetuated is harmful to the field of mycology, and may be preventing it from becoming a standalone discipline that deserves dedicated funding and specialists.

    Still, there’s much we don’t know about these unique, important organisms. And in order for us to be able to protect and preserve the planet’s fungi, we need to begin by formally identifying areas where knowledge is lacking and close these gaps.

    Last year, researchers used Laboulbeniomycetes — a class of poorly understood microfungi — as a case study to understand what biodiversity and conservation shortfalls continue to affect funga. This group of fungi includes species that rely on arthropods to disperse their spores or act as hosts for them. Many of these fungi live as minute parasites on the surface of insects such as cockroaches and ladybirds.

    The case study uncovered four major biodiversity shortfalls that are undermining the conservation of funga. These include knowledge gaps in species diversity, distribution, conservation assessments and species persistence.

    Part of conservation

    Failing to protect fungi means, by extension, failing to protect the roles they play in our ecosystems and daily lives.

    This is especially timely, as fungi, like animals and plants, are also facing numerous threats. Habitat degradation, pollution, invasive species and climate change may all increase their risks of extinction.

    And, as recently exemplified in vertebrates, many undescribed species of fungi may be even more at peril than we might know. This is because they’re most likely to be found in remote geographical regions — such as tropical rainforests — and thus heavily susceptible to human-induced changes.

    A key priority to better integrate fungi into conservation biology is to accumulate data on species diversity. But in order to accumulate data and understand how we can better protect fungal species worldwide, we need to fund research on fungi and make mycology a more attractive field for young scientists.

    One thing remains certain: the more we explore, the more we realise just how little we know.

    Jonathan Cazabonne is financially supported by a B2X doctoral research fellowship from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT).

    Danny Haelewaters receives funding from the Czech Academy of Sciences (Lumina Quaeruntur Fellowship LQ200962501).

    – ref. Fungi are among the planet’s most important organisms — yet they continue to be overlooked in conservation strategies – https://theconversation.com/fungi-are-among-the-planets-most-important-organisms-yet-they-continue-to-be-overlooked-in-conservation-strategies-250483

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Youth are charting new freshwater futures by learning from the water on the water

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrea Reid, Assistant Professor, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia

    The future of freshwater is increasingly in jeopardy across Canada and around the world.

    Lakes, rivers and wetlands face numerous threats, from climate change to a range of harmful pollutants. Today, one-quarter of freshwater fauna are at risk of extinction.

    As climate change and other stressors worsen, ecological grief is increasingly recognized as a legitimate response to the losses of valued species and ecosystems.

    This grief poses a serious threat to mental health and well-being for many, with young people often feeling an outsized burden. While young people have contributed little to these challenges over their lifetimes, they face bearing the brunt of intensifying climate change impacts.

    Similarly, this existential angst is reportedly heightened among marginalized groups. This is often true for Indigenous Peoples, who are frequently the least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet yet face higher climate risk or vulnerability to the direct consequences of climate change.

    What we need are adaptive approaches that address this grief and reconnect people with the natural world at this time of profound disconnection. Research about ecological grief points to approaches that centre social support, deep listening and sensitivity, as well as valuing an ethic of care as key elements. This is ultimately about fostering community and interconnectedness in relationships.

    As freshwater scientists, we are committed to contributing toward a better future for fresh waters. This is what led us to create a registered charity, Riparia, where we work to unite these concerns and approaches by facilitating free land-based learning programs for young people, especially Indigenous young women.

    These programs are geared towards facing this climate-uncertain future together and the profound need for improved stewardship of freshwater ecosystems.

    Why land-based learning

    Land-based learning is, by definition, experiential and rooted in local culture and history. It is a mode of education that arises from connecting learners with the land, by spending time on the land, in ways that engage minds, bodies, hearts and spirits.

    This approach has always been at the core of Indigenous learning. While conventional classrooms are often a far cry from these lived experiences, there is growing interest in breaking out of these confines and engaging in active land-based learning across the continent.

    In our time contributing towards land-based learning initiatives over the last decade, we have observed numerous benefits. There’s a saying that numbers numb and stories stick; we find that the voices of youth who participated in land-based learning best convey its meaning and impact.

    Among other benefits, land-based learning has fostered a heightened sense of connection to the land and water, spurred a deep drive to steward and care for these systems and built a community of practice to achieve that. In the words of youth aged 13-18 who participated in Riparia programs between 2019-2024:

    “I could feel my point of view of the world changing. In every way. I felt as though I had become closer to the land.”

    “This experience changed my view on how we should be more active in the environment and protect our water.”

    “Being with these girls reassured me that our environment’s future isn’t something we have to take on alone and it will be much easier if we do it together.”

    Together, our experiences with Riparia and the growing body of literature highlighting beneficial outcomes of land-based learning, tell us that these approaches can play an important role in fostering the community of care required to chart new freshwater futures.

    Learning that centres Indigenous perspectives

    Throughout the history of outdoor education — as an organized approach to learning in western systems — harmful stereotypes have been reproduced and Indigenous knowledge systems have been appropriated.

    How many recall attending youth camps bearing the names of Indigenous Peoples or places? Were they involved in any way? Was there regard for whose land this is?

    How many have participated in journey “wilderness”-based experiences? Many such experiences have often perpetuated western ideas of a “pristine” or “wild” “nature,” free from human influence. This point of view is in line with the doctrines of terra nullius (Latin for “nobody’s land”) and aqua nullius (“nobody’s water”) used to justify European colonization of Indigenous lands and waters.



    Read more:
    Terra nullius has been overturned. Now we must reverse aqua nullius and return water rights to First Nations people

    What we need is learning that recognizes that Indigenous Peoples, languages and cultures are alive and evolve in close relationship with the land.

    We also need learning to be accessible so it can play a foundational role building the community of care that humans and fresh waters now require.

    Little programming — from youth outdoor education through university — is built with Indigenous learners in mind. Few initiatives are offered at no cost to participating youth and their families. Women remain underrepresented in existing outdoor education initiatives because of cultural and social inequalities.

    What we can do

    As scientists supporting youth engagement through Riparia, we join the growing movement to break down these specific barriers to access.

    You can also contribute to this movement by helping connect young people in your life to existing youth engagement programs and offering support through relevant local ways or donations.

    But youth are not the only ones who need connection to land and water. We all deal with eco-grief. We all need water. And we all need to work together to chart new futures. Spending time in and on the water together is an important step in this direction. This video offers an opportunity to dive into what land-based learning with, in, and for fresh waters can look like and feel like.

    As a 15-year-old Kanien’kehá:ka participant in a Riparia 2019 program shared with us: “Water is the most important thing, it’s the thing we all have in common.”

    Dr. Andrea Reid co-directs Riparia from her role as an Assistant Professor at The University of British Columbia. She is a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Indigenous Fisheries Science.

    Dr. Dalal Hanna co-directs Riparia from her position as an assistant professor at Carleton University, where she leads the Watershed Stewardship Research Collaborative.

    – ref. Youth are charting new freshwater futures by learning from the water on the water – https://theconversation.com/youth-are-charting-new-freshwater-futures-by-learning-from-the-water-on-the-water-250987

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s local food system faces major roadblocks without urgent policy changes

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Rosie Kerr, Research Associate, Sustainable Food Systems Lab, Lakehead University

    As Canada’s trade conflict with the United States escalates, governments are encouraging Canadians to buy local to support the country’s economic, social and environmental stability and independence.

    But while enthusiasm in purchasing locally made food is growing, actually identifying Canadian products in grocery stores is often confusing. Decades of free trade have deeply integrated Canada’s food supply chains with the U.S., making it difficult to determine what is actually local.



    Read more:
    Trump tariffs have sparked a ‘Buy Canadian’ surge, but keeping the trend alive faces hurdles

    Even for Canadian-owned companies, most food products are enmeshed in global supply chains and often contain a mix of Canadian and foreign ingredients.

    Canada’s beef industry is a striking example of this. Two multinational corporations — American-owned Cargill and Brazilian-owned JBS — process more than 95 per cent of beef produced in Canada. This means that even if some of the food consumers purchase is labelled as Canadian-owned, the economic benefit may be flowing outside the country

    As food systems researchers and practitioners who have explored ways for Canadians to feed themselves in equitable and sustainable ways, it has become clear that local food systems lack the infrastructure and supply to meet increasing demand.

    What’s holding local food systems back?

    In collaboration with Sustain, an Ontario-wide network that promotes healthy, just and sustainable food and farming, we conducted a study to understand the policy priorities of organizations and businesses working to build local food economies in regions across the province.

    Ontario already has a vibrant network of farmers, organizations and food entrepreneurs ready to meet local food demand. However, systemic challenges continue to hinder their ability to scale up production and distribution.

    To better understand how to support Ontario’s food system, we surveyed over 90 organizations working in different food-related sectors.

    Through this research, we developed a series of policy reports focused on supporting aspiring farmers, protecting land for food production and strengthening local food systems.

    Our findings show that regulatory changes to support small- and medium-sized enterprises and key investments could remove barriers and allow local food economies to flourish.

    Smaller farms struggling to survive

    Our study identified several barriers holding back Ontario’s local food economy. The first set of barriers are on the supply side. A strong local food system depends on a strong network of farmers. However, many small- and medium-sized farms that supply local markets face disproportionate barriers that threaten their survival.

    Many current government policies favour large-scale food production, making it difficult for smaller farmers to flourish.

    Compounding the issue is Canada’s looming farm succession crisis. More than 40 per cent of farmers in Canada are expected to retire by 2033, yet many aspiring farmers cannot afford to purchase farms or access start-up capital. When farmers can’t afford land, it’s often sold for non-agriculture uses.

    To tackle these barriers, our study calls for provincially supported low-interest loan programs to finance down-payments, construction and equipment. Strengthening policies to protect farmland from urban sprawl, among other strategies, is also essential, as is expanding access to public land for local, ecological food production.

    Processing, distribution bottlenecks

    The second set of barriers we identified affect the farm-to-plate process. Small- and medium- sized farmers need better access to retail opportunities to sell fresh produce, along with the infrastructure to process raw foods into products like flour, packaged meats, jams, sauces and pickles.

    This is especially evident in Ontario’s meat-processing sector, where a shortage of local abattoirs has led to long wait times.

    To address these issues, our study recommends increased investment in regional food hubs. Food hubs are shared-use facilities that manage the aggregation, processing and distribution of food products from local and regional producers, giving them better access to markets.

    These hubs are essential to meeting the growing demand coming for sustainable, local food from businesses, public institutions and school food programs. But they are only part of the picture.

    We also identified funding opportunities that could bolster local food economies. These include expanding Ontario’s Fair Finance Fund to provide more financing options for regional food enterprises and supporting new abattoirs through the expansion of the Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative.

    A co-ordinated strategy is needed

    Ontario manufacturers, retailers and farmers have all shown a willingness to expand local food production, but they need better support from policymakers to make it viable. There must be policies in place to support local food production and processing, remove key barriers and prioritize much-needed investments.

    Across Canada, other provinces and territories face similar challenges in building strong local food networks. Most of the recommendations we heard are similarly outlined across different regions.

    With consumer interest in local food on the rise, this is a critical moment for governments at all levels to improve avenues for new farmers, invest in processing and storage facilities and build local distribution networks — all essential to building a robust local food system.

    Moe Garahan, a board member of Sustain Ontario, co-authored this article.

    Rosie Kerr receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Charles Z. Levkoe receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

    Leigh Potvin receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Council for Articulation and Transfer, the Government of Nova Scotia, and the University of the Arctic.

    – ref. Canada’s local food system faces major roadblocks without urgent policy changes – https://theconversation.com/canadas-local-food-system-faces-major-roadblocks-without-urgent-policy-changes-251578

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Revised Council Tax Support Scheme introduced

    Source: City of Liverpool

    A simplified Council Tax Support Scheme for working age people is coming into operation in Liverpool next month.

    Council Tax Support is a discount which helps households on low incomes with their annual bill.

    Around a third of households in Liverpool are in receipt of the benefit.

    The changes, which begin in April, have been designed to support people on the lowest incomes, ensure they are easy to understand and provides incentives for people moving into work.

    Households will get a 12-month award so they know how much their Council Tax bill will be reduced by over a year, enabling them to budget.

    The changes also align with Universal Credit and provide some certainty for people moving into or out of work, whilst continuing to provide support to those that need it most.

    The new-look scheme is designed to be financially sustainable but is still one of the most generous among the UK’s big ‘core’ cities and in the Liverpool City Region.

    The upper and lower limits in net earning bands have been extended by £50 per week for couples, while for households with children they are increased by £25 per child per week.

    The maximum percentage of Council Tax discounted has changed from 91.5 per cent to 84 per cent, and awards are capped at the level of a Band B property, which has an annual bill of £1,980.57.

    More information is available at https://liverpool.gov.uk/counciltaxsupport.

    The new changes do not affect the Council Tax Support Scheme for pensioner households, the rules for which are controlled by central Government.

    Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation, Cllr Ruth Bennett, said: “We are hugely proud of the range of support we offer to the most vulnerable residents in Liverpool and take our responsibility extremely seriously.

    “However, we need to make sure that the Council Tax Support Scheme is affordable and sustainable in the long-term.

    “The changes make the scheme simpler to understand, and also provide households with a level of certainty by enabling them to know how much they will receive over a 12-month period, and is focused on providing support for those who need it most.

    “Our Council Tax Support Scheme remains one of the most generous among the big cities and within the Liverpool City Region.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Statement on Vote to Avert a Government Shutdown That Would Hurt Granite Staters, Enable President Trump and Elon Musk to do More Harm

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting to advance the continuing resolution to keep the government open:
    “Like so many Granite Staters, I’m deeply disturbed by the actions of this administration to cut programs millions of families rely on, fire civilian workers who keep us safe, disband agencies and create chaos. Let’s be very clear: playing into Republicans’ hand by allowing the government to shutdown would give Elon Musk and President Trump unchecked power to continue dismantling the federal government. I will not stand by and allow that to happen.
    “By refusing to continue bipartisan negotiations, some Republicans pushed us—yet again—to the brink of a manufactured crisis that would be a disaster for the American people. In New Hampshire, if there is a shutdown, thousands of Federal employees wouldn’t receive paychecks, veterans’ services could be jeopardized and home and business loans could be delayed. While President Trump and Elon Musk would be thrilled to furlough hundreds of thousands of workers without pay, I refuse to give them that power.
    “Americans want us to work together to solve problems and make their lives better. Partisan gamesmanship like this doesn’t help the people we serve – and it certainly doesn’t keep America safe and secure. I’m glad we’re avoiding a disastrous government shutdown, but enough is enough. These never-ending continuing resolutions create inefficiencies within government, put our national security and public safety at risk and sow uncertainty in the economy. Congress must return to our bipartisan process of working together to deliver spending packages that provide the long-term certainty our states and communities need.”

    MIL OSI USA News –