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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Phenomenal figures released for York’s Park and Ride

    Source: City of York

    Figures released today show that 2024 was the busiest year for York’s Park and Ride since 2017, with the total number of journeys exceeding 4.5 million, almost one million higher than in 2023.

    December saw the most trips for a decade, recording nearly 500,000 journeys, a 3.5 per cent increase on the previous highest monthly total set in December 2016.

    City of York Council estimates that people boarding at the Park and Ride sites in December resulted in over 61,700 cars not travelling into central York – equivalent to a line of traffic that would be long enough to reach central London*.

    York’s Enhanced Bus Partnership, which oversees £17.2million of government funding for the Bus Service Improvement Plan, ran a marketing campaign to promote the Park and Ride as well as direct bus services for six weeks before Christmas. Working with Make It York and all bus operators, the social media posts and adverts reached over 2.2million people in a campaign targeting towns and cities where previous research has shown Christmas Market visitors come from.

    Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Economy and Transport at City of York Council, said:

    Just shy of half a million journeys in one month is an incredible milestone to reach, so thank you to all the residents and visitors for using the Park and Ride, and thank you to First Bus for increasing the number of buses available during this incredibly busy period.
     

    First Bus invested in more services on the network in November and December, increasing frequency on several routes to support the York local and visitor economy in anticipation of customer demand. First Bus replicates this investment during other busy periods to keep York visitors and commuters moving sustainably throughout the year.

    Cllr Ravilious continued;

    The numbers are phenomenal but we do also need to recognise that York still experienced congested streets in the run up to Christmas, so while we are delighted, we continue our work throughout the year to support and promote the city’s bus services as well as other sustainable forms of transport. Our young people’s ticketing and marketing campaigns, which and are funded by central government, have over the last 12 months helped make bus use more attractive and given more people more options, and we will soon be consulting on improvements to the Park and Ride sites.”

    Kayleigh Ingham, Commercial Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said:

    The superb performance throughout 2024 is a tribute to the commitment and high standards of service delivered by the First Bus team.

    We’ve demonstrated that bus is an easy and sustainable way to travel into York. We’re attracting more customers due to good value fares, zero-emission buses, and our service, which is delivered with a smile. The benefits this brings, with cleaner air and quieter city centre roads, contributes to York’s environmental targets.

    Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:

    It is wonderful to see the great results for bus travel for the year and 500,000 journeys during the Christmas period is fantastic. We are very fortunate to have a bus service within the city that supports both demand and sustainability. Collaboration between all parties on communicating key messages was key and we look forward to working with and supporting the transport sector throughout 2025.
     

    *In December First Bus sold 148,310 tickets at the Park and Ride sites alone (the remaining journeys being people who joined the bus along the route or were returning from the city centre). Industry standard definition of occupancy per car for a leisure trip is 2.4 people. This gives us a total of 61,700 cars that didn’t come into the city centre over Christmas. Google Maps shows that the road route from York Minster to Westminster Abbey is 210 miles. If we say a car takes up 6m of space on the road, 61,700 x 6m = 230 miles. Therefore 61,700 cars would stretch all the way to central London.

    These Park and Ride figures follow the Department for Transport’s own statistics released late in 2024 which show that York’s bus services as a whole (ie all local services and the Park and Ride) are once again in the top ten of all local authorities for the number of bus trips per resident. An average of 70.6 journeys per head of population in 2023/2024 ranks York the best in Yorkshire and nationally sits 9th out of 90 English local authority areas.

    The data also showed that York’s bus trips are up 35% from 2021/22, almost quadrupled from 2020/21 and now back within 3% of the level they were in 2019/20 (ie the year before covid). This is one of the best post-pandemic recovery rates in the country.

    In addition to December’s figures, November 2024 was the busiest November ever recorded, with 10% more passengers than the previous record set in 2016. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Easy access for local people to university libraries

    Source: City of Leicester

    UNIVERSITIES in Leicester and Leicestershire are opening up their libraries to public users.

    A new partnership between three universities and local councils means anyone aged 18+ and living in the city, county or Rutland will easily be able to access university libraries and borrow up to 10 books at a time.

    Local people will now be able to become members of the university libraries for free, benefitting from access to new resources, study spaces, longer opening hours and increased availability of library services.

    Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are all involved in the partnership.

    The University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU) and Loughborough University are opening up their libraries to anyone who lives, works or studies in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. Membership will be easy to apply for by filling in an online form, and separate membership options may be available for college and sixth-form students.

    All of the university libraries hold large print collections which local people will be able to access and borrow – and there are specialist collections covering a wide range of academic subjects and aligning to the universities’ teaching and research areas.

    Loughborough University holds broad collections, with particular depth in sport, business and creative arts, while the University of Leicester has collections of books and journals on regional and local history, a very large collection of Sue Townsend’s published works, and an extensive English literature collection. They also have a Represent collection, being developed in partnership with students, to include more works by under-represented voices.

    At De Montfort University, the library holds collections relating to DMU and local history, the history of photography, sports history – especially winter sports – and chess, arts and illustration, plus fashion and costume history.

    Local people will be able to access library services seven days a week. They will be able to borrow up to 10 items from any of the university libraries, and will be able to use the open study spaces.

    Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: “This is a fantastic addition to our library services. Our three local universities are an asset to our communities, bringing in knowledge, skills, and prosperity to our region as well as making a considerable contribution to our local economy and culture.

    “Thanks to this new initiative, they will make a further positive contribution by sharing their resources with local people. It’s a great opportunity for library users, who will now be able to access a range of free library services seven days a week.”

    Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, said: “The new partnership is a fantastic opportunity for Leicester and Leicestershire residents and will open an even wider range of resources and assets to our communities. I hope local people are able to make the best of what our fantastic universities have to offer and take advantage of this new partnership.”

    In June 2022, a new Universities Partnership was launched locally. It is a commitment between De Montfort University, Loughborough University, the University of Leicester and the city and counties of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to work together for the benefit of local people and for local prosperity.

    Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership said: “The three universities are working hard with local councils to bring benefits to local communities and this is another example of that commitment.

    “Universities are fantastic assets to their regions and by opening their library doors to local people, we are not only welcoming them onto our campuses – we are providing a wonderful additional service.

    “The educational resources we are making available will benefit our locality and reflect our collective ambition to inspire and provide additional learning opportunities for local people.”

    The libraries are now open to public users. For anyone who isn’t online, local public libraries can provide support with the application process. Valid photo ID and proof of address are required to join.

    Information on how to find each of the three universities’ libraries, how to apply for membership and where to find details of opening hours can be found at:

    Universities in Leicester and Leicestershire are opening up their libraries to public users.

    A new partnership between three universities and local councils means anyone aged 18+ and living in the city, county or Rutland will easily be able to access university libraries and borrow up to 10 books at a time.k

    Local people will now be able to become members of the university libraries for free, benefitting from access to new resources, study spaces, longer opening hours and increased availability of library services.

    Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are all involved in the partnership.

    The University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU) and Loughborough University are opening up their libraries to anyone who lives, works or studies in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. Membership will be easy to apply for by filling in an online form, and separate membership options may be available for college and sixth-form students.

    All of the university libraries hold large print collections which local people will be able to access and borrow – and there are specialist collections covering a wide range of academic subjects and aligning to the universities’ teaching and research areas.

    Loughborough University holds broad collections, with particular depth in sport, business and creative arts, while the University of Leicester has collections of books and journals on regional and local history, a very large collection of Sue Townsend’s published works, and an extensive English literature collection. They also have a Represent collection, being developed in partnership with students, to include more works by under-represented voices.

    At De Montfort University, the library holds collections relating to DMU and local history, the history of photography, sports history – especially winter sports – and chess, arts and illustration, plus fashion and costume history.

    Local people will be able to access library services seven days a week. They will be able to borrow up to 10 items from any of the university libraries, and will be able to use the open study spaces.

    Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: “This is a fantastic addition to our library services. Our three local universities are an asset to our communities, bringing in knowledge, skills, and prosperity to our region as well as making a considerable contribution to our local economy and culture.

    “Thanks to this new initiative, they will make a further positive contribution by sharing their resources with local people. It’s a great opportunity for library users, who will now be able to access a range of free library services seven days a week.”

    Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, said: “The new partnership is a fantastic opportunity for Leicester and Leicestershire residents and will open an even wider range of resources and assets to our communities. I hope local people are able to make the best of what our fantastic universities have to offer and take advantage of this new partnership.”

    In June 2022, a new Universities Partnership was launched locally. It is a commitment between De Montfort University, Loughborough University, the University of Leicester and the city and counties of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to work together for the benefit of local people and for local prosperity.

    Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership said: “The three universities are working hard with local councils to bring benefits to local communities and this is another example of that commitment.

    “Universities are fantastic assets to their regions and by opening their library doors to local people, we are not only welcoming them onto our campuses – we are providing a wonderful additional service.

    “The educational resources we are making available will benefit our locality and reflect our collective ambition to inspire and provide additional learning opportunities for local people.”

    The libraries are now open to public users. For anyone who isn’t online, local public libraries can provide support with the application process. Valid photo ID and proof of address are required to join.

    Information on how to find each of the three universities’ libraries, how to apply for membership and where to find details of opening hours can be found at: universitiespartnership.org/open-libraries

    Picture caption: (Seated L-R): Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership, and Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, with partners who have worked on the project. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Still time to have say on ambitious nature strategy

    Source: City of Leicester

    THERE’S still time for city residents to have their say on an ambitious draft strategy to make space for nature across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

    The Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will help to protect nature and allow it to recover by conserving and improving habitats and biodiversity. It will identify locations to create or improve habitat and provide the greatest benefit for nature and the wider environment.

    The city council is working with Leicestershire County Council on the development of the strategy, in liaison with other local authorities, land management organisations, and the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra).

    People have already been sharing their views since the consultation was launched last month.

    The consultation runs until Friday 28 February and is inviting comments from residents, farmers, landowners and other interested groups on the draft strategy, which sets out practical actions to boost the area’s wildlife and natural spaces.

    The main points include:

    • A big picture look at how habitat loss. Shrinking species populations and the effects of climate change can be tackled
    • The priority habitats and species that need urgent attention
    • What action is needed to build a healthier, more connected natural environment
    • Creating space for nature to flourish while supporting local people and their livelihoods

    The draft strategy also highlights important habitats including woodlands, wetlands, and urban green spaces, along with key species that need help.

    The survey can be found here and features interactive maps which can be used to view projects in detail and make comments.

    Several in-person and online briefing sessions have been organised to give people the opportunity to learn more about the LNRS, ask questions, and share your thoughts.

    These events are open to everyone. The in-person sessions include a presentation, a Q&A and an opportunity at the end to speak to the presenter.

    The first takes place on Thursday 13 February, (7pm-9pm), at the Symington Building in Market Harborough, and the second is on Monday 17 February, (7pm-9pm), at Loughborough Town Hall. A third will take place on Tuesday 18 February, (7pm-) at Bishop Street Methodist Church in Leicester city centre, while the fourth takes place in the Rutland County Council Chamber from 2.30-4pm on Tuesday 25 February.

     The online sessions take place on Tuesday 11 February (6.30-7.30pm), Tuesday 18 February (4pm-5pm) and Tuesday 25 February (1pm-2pm and 6.30-7.30pm.

    More information and registration for the in-person or online briefing sessions can be found on Leicestershire County Council’s website here

    A spokesperson for the city council said: “We want to hear from as many groups and individuals as possible so we can agree priorities for nature locally and identify locations that will benefit most.

    “We can’t do this by ourselves. We know we need to strike a balance between helping nature and wildlife recover, protecting the livelihoods of those who own and cultivate land, and the wider needs of people who live here.”

    Responses to the consultation, which runs until Friday 28 February, will be used to develop the final version of the LNRS, which will be published in the summer.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Senior councillors set to give new Assisted Living Leeds headquarters final green light

    Source: City of Leeds

    Funding approval sought to refurbish new base in Stourton

    Senior councillors in Leeds will be asked to give the final go-ahead for enhanced new headquarters for the Assisted Living Leeds service which helps people with health issues to live in their own homes at a meeting next week.

    At the meeting of the council’s executive board at Civic Hall on Wednesday 12 February, councillors will be asked to approve £3.4million of funding to allow the refurbishment of the service’s new base at Waterside Road in Stourton to complete a £9million investment overall in the new facility.

    The Assisted Living Leeds service run by Leeds City Council plays a vital role in supporting people of all ages when they have been discharged from hospital to live independently at home. Working 24 hours a day, Assisted Living Leeds operates the Leeds Tele Care Service providing and monitoring assistive technology and equipment which allows people to live at home rather than being in a hospital or dedicated care setting.

    The service also provides a ‘return and reuse’ service, which allows used equipment to be returned, decontaminated, and reissued, where appropriate.

    The service is currently based at Clarence Road, a 1960s building which requires increasing ongoing maintenance. With the service also growing due to demand, in 2019 the council approved £5.6m for the acquisition of the new site at Waterside Road after assessing possible new locations in the city.

    The new site will offer high-quality modern accommodation and due to its layout also offers significant operational benefits which will help to improve the efficiency of service delivery and customer service. It will also help to future-proof the service for the coming years.

    Leeds City Council executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture Councillor Salma Arif said:

    “We are delighted that we are now in a position to get the refurbishment of the new Assisted Living Leeds headquarters underway as once completed it will bring significant benefits for our city and its residents.

    “The Assisting Living Leeds service provides an essential and invaluable lifeline to support people of all ages to be able to live healthy, happy and productive independent lives at home, and this move to its new location will enable it to continue to grow stronger and stronger helping even more people for years to come.”

    Should approval be given for the refurbishment to proceed, the new headquarters would be scheduled to open in January 2026.

    The new building when open will also become home to the council’s flood risk management team, monitoring rainfall and river levels across the city.

    To see the report being considered by the executive board visit Council and democracy (agenda item 9).

    To find out more about Assisted Living Leeds visit Equipment to help you live at home

    ENDS

    For media enquiries please contact:

    Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

    Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

    Tel: 0113 378 6007

     

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join Us on 2/27 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: Judicial Reform in Pakistan: Challenges and Implications

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Tariq Ahmad, a foreign law specialist in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Tariq has previously contributed posts on Islamic Law in Pakistan – Global Legal Collection Highlights, the Law Library’s 2013 Panel Discussion on Islamic Law, Sedition Law in India, New Report from the Law Library of Congress On The Regulation of Hemp Around the World, and FALQ posts on Proposals to Reform Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws, Article 370 and the Removal of Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Status, and The Controversy Over Marriage and Anti-Conversion Laws in India, among others.

    Join us on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 2 p.m. EST for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar, “Judicial Reform in Pakistan: Challenges & Implications.”

    This webinar aims to provide background, an overview of the changes, and the legal and political implications of the judicial reforms implemented through the 26th constitutional amendment to Pakistan’s Constitution. It will look at changes made to the composition of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the appointment process of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), the formation and powers of constitutional benches of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and other related changes. The speakers will also discuss the implications of these reforms for judicial independence.

    Please register here.

    This webinar will be presented by Senior Foreign Law Specialist Tariq Ahmad and guest presenter Dr. Waris Husain. Tariq’s work at the Law Library of Congress covers mostly South Asian common law jurisdictions, particularly India and Pakistan. He takes a particular research interest in religion and law issues in the South Asia region. Tariq holds an LL.M. degree in international law from American University Washington College of Law and an LL.B. from University College London.

    Dr Husain is an adjunct professor of international law at the Howard University School of Law. Dr. Husain holds an S.J.D. degree from American University Washington College of Law, specializing in constitutional and comparative law. His dissertation focused on the development of judicial review in the Supreme Courts of Pakistan, India, and the United States which was published in 2017.  He received his LL.M. in international human rights from WCL and his J.D. from the Howard University School of Law.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Eagles Autism Foundation Awards Research Funding to UConn School of Medicine

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Just in time for the Super Bowl, researchers at UConn School of Medicine are part of a big win for autism research.

    UConn School of Medicine’s innovative autism research has been prestigiously awarded by the Eagles Autism Foundation to be one of its 22 cutting-edge autism research projects selected to receive a slice of $8.1 million in grant funding raised by fans.

    The grant funding was all powered by the proceeds raised by participants for the 2024 Eagles Autism Challenge and the Eagles Autism Foundation’s other annual fundraising initiatives. Impressively, since 2018, 169 autism research projects and community grants have been funded by the Foundation nationally and internationally, which is dedicated to raising funds for innovative autism research and care programs to assist those currently affected by autism, as well as future generations to make a lasting impact in the field of autism.

    Dr. Eric S. Levine.

    For the last three years, as a proud Eagles fan (and also a life-long Patriots fan) and professor of Neuroscience at UConn School of Medicine, Dr. Eric S. Levine has served on the Eagles Autism Foundation’s Advisory Board as a research expert reviewing submitted research grant proposals.

    But last year Levine decided to apply for a grant himself for his own cutting-edge UConn neuroscience research lab’s work exploring autism’s genomic genesis, and he won!

    Levine’s new award grants his lab over the next two years $400,000 in research funding to expand its laboratory investigations to identify genetic pathways that may cause autism spectrum disorders and better ways to study them.

    To start, his team has been studying two rare, genetic disease syndromes that also result in profound autism, Angelman Syndrome and Dup15q Syndrome. They impact about 1 in 5,000 children. While it still is not clear yet scientifically about autism spectrum disorders’ genetic origins, it is known that both of these autism-linked syndromes are connected to a child’s genetic differences that lead to a missing piece of a chromosome (Angelman Syndrome) or chromosomal duplication (Dup15q Syndrome) in the same 15q11-q13 region.

    Levine’s cutting-edge autism research at UConn is reprogramming the donated skin or blood cells of Angelman or Dup15q syndrome patients to develop them in the lab into brain cells that exactly mirror each patient’s genomics for further study. These green flashing neuronal cells are being analyzed by Levine’s Lab for their physical structure, intracellular calcium dynamics, and functional electrical activity (Image of Levine Lab).

    In this region, Levine has been studying the impact of the genetic deletions or duplications on the behavior and activity of neuronal brain cells. In contrast to single-gene mouse models, amazingly these studies use skin cells or blood cells obtained from patients living with either Angelman or Dup15q syndrome that are then reprogrammed and grown in the lab at UConn School of Medicine to develop into brain cells that mirror exactly each patient’s genomics.

    “This is really unique, personalized medicine, and a better way for us to study the genomics and physiology of a real child’s brain cells and the possible role multiple genes may be playing leading to autism. All kids are different. We can analyze the physical structure of their neurons, measure intracellular calcium dynamics, and record functional electrical activity,” says Levine, who has received donations of cells from families for study. “It’s very exciting to pivot our autism research to translational research studying actual patient-derived human neurons.”

    (Levine Lab image)

    In his translational research efforts, Levine hopes to compare neurons of patients and identify what role various genes play in the brain cells of the patients with syndromes also causing autism, and how their brain cells behave differently, and even test what possible current drugs or new drugs might be beneficial to patients to improve both their symptoms and quality of life.

    “There is so much to learn about the brain,” says Levine, whose work as a neuroscientist every day is driven by his fierce curiosity to learn more and more about how the brain works, and also inspired by the autism patients and families he has had the privilege to meet through the Eagles Autism Foundation over the last few years.

    “The families I have met are so grateful for our autism research efforts, and more hope is on the way. It is a very exciting time for autism research and real, tangible progress and results with research advances and drug clinical trials,” says Levine.

    “Our focus at UConn is finding the next generation of therapies,” says Levine, whose ultimate goal for his autism research is exploring the future power of gene testing and gene therapy for autism spectrum disorders and related-syndromes, including very early-on in life whether in-utero or during a young child’s life.

    “It’s challenging, but the goal is gene therapy to reduce the expression of any uncovered genetic mutations or find a way to silence these problematic genes in neurons. Finding a way to do so, would have a significant effect on autism spectrum disorder patients,” Levine says.

    (Levine Lab image).

    His research team has already shown there is a driver gene of UBE3A, which breaks down other cellular proteins in neurons, which can be either under- or overexpressed in the Angelman and Dup15q syndromes. But Levine and his team are turning their attention and focus to other genes in that same 15q11-q13 region such as GABA-A receptors and HERC2 that could also be contributing to autism spectrum disorders.

    “If we can better understand the common pathway in the brain for these two genetic syndromes that lead to autism, we may someday understand other forms of autism, especially what causes behavioral issues such as loss of verbal communication, cognitive deficits, and impaired motor-function skills,” says Levine.

    “I love being a part of this awesome Eagles Autism Foundation effort,” says Levine of UConn medical school’s Department of Neuroscience. “They are raising more and more funding for advancing autism research every year, including basic research funding. The better the Eagles team does, the more money that is raised. I am rooting for the Eagles and more winning touchdowns helping to advance our scientific insights into autism.”

    In addition to transformational research project funding like Levine’s, the proceeds are also heartwarmingly supporting community grants to organizations enhancing the lives of those affected by autism.

    “This year’s scientific review process was one of the most competitive evaluations we ever had,” says Jeffrey Lurie, chairman and CEO, Philadelphia Eagles. “The number of submissions we received in such a short period of time speaks to how much the field of autism research and care has evolved. For far too long, autism was misunderstood, underfunded, and under-researched. While there is still more work to be done, we are now seeing autism being prioritized at the highest level by some of the most recognized institutions around the world. We thank this year’s recipients for their support of the autism community and hope their groundbreaking work inspires others to follow in their footsteps.”

    The 8th annual Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025. To register for the event, visit EaglesAutismChallenge.org. The Eagles Autism Foundation is offering a 50% discount on registration using promo code: LETSHUNT.

    For more information on the 2024 scientific review process and all the funded institutions, visit: EaglesAutismChallenge.org/our-impact-2024/.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Dose of History: Love is the Best Medicine

    Source: US State of Connecticut

     Cecily and Joe DiPiro: a Forever Type of Love  

    Picture this: UConn basketball season, 1975. You purchase your tickets for 50 cents apiece and head to the old fieldhouse, not yet knowing the glory of Gampel Pavilion. You and your date hit it off, and the rest is history!  

    For Cecily and Joe DiPiro, this is where their love story started. Their time at UConn began as freshmen in the School of Pharmacy, eager to dive into their passion. The following year, in January of 1975, they met while working at Yale New Haven Hospital. Amid conversation at the hospital, they realized they were in a few of the same classes together (nothing sparks love like organic chemistry). A month later, they were in that old fieldhouse on their first date. Cecily even has the ticket stub to prove it.  

    Over the next few years, Cecily and Joe’s passion grew as they fell in love with UConn. Their fondest memories include being proud members of AZO, a Professional Pharmaceutical Fraternity, and the Student Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP). In addition to their pharmacy coursework, Cecily and Joe cheered on the Huskies during hockey games, skied down Horsebarn Hill when a small ski slope was still in operation, enjoyed the campus creamery, and embraced the UConn social scene, finding time to party amidst their busy schedules. During their time at UConn, Cecily and Joe were put in charge of a Beerfest, where they convinced faculty members to pour beer while raising money for the 1978 yearbook. They also went on a trip to Eli Lilly, riding a bus for 15 hours with their classmates to Indianapolis, where they received a two-day tour of the company. 

    Cecily and Joe DiPiro

    After their late-night study sessions and Beer Fests at UConn were over and Cecily and Joe graduated, they went into separate residency programs. Joe went to the University of Kentucky for his residency and Pharm.D. while Cecily went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. After a year in each of their residency programs, they tied the knot while continuing their passion for pharmacy. Cecily worked as a hospital pharmacist at UK Medical Center until Joe graduated, and then they moved to the Augusta, GA area. Joe worked for the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, while Cecily was a hospital pharmacist at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital. She spent most of her career as a hospital pharmacist, and in later years, worked as a diabetes coach and as a grants manager for the SC Pharmacy Association. Joe held leadership roles as Dean of South Carolina College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2014 and Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy from 2014 to 2022. The pair also worked on several writing projects together. While busy with their professional careers, Joe and Cecily found time to raise their three children, one of whom is a pharmacist, and now are blessed with eight healthy and active grandchildren! 

    Cecily and Joe DiPiro

    After retiring from their successful careers, Cecily and Joe have found time to appreciate the connections they made early on in their lives at UConn’s School of Pharmacy. Looking back, they hold a special place in their hearts for the camaraderie they felt with their classmates and faculty during their journey at the School. Back in the ‘70s, when many UConn students would venture home on the weekends, the couple and their classmates would stay on campus and have the library to themselves, forming study groups and offering each other support and encouragement. “Our classmates were our day-to-day family,” says Cecily, reminiscing about heading to the old library with the Gold Dome roof to study with classmates. Joe added, “If you didn’t show up to class, they’d have the notes.” There might have been more than just studying at the old library, as Joe and Cecily recall four or five other couples in their class who eventually got married.  

    Although they haven’t been back to campus in several years, Cecily and Joe will always feel connected to their UConn family. Through exchanging Christmas cards or reconnecting in person at UConn reunions, they find ways to stay connected to their Husky roots, remembering the love they fostered for pharmacy and each other here at Storrs. 

    Bill and Erica Baker: From Lab Partners to Life Partners 

    Fast forward about twenty years from Cecily and Joe’s time at the UConn School of Pharmacy, and this is where Bill and Erica’s love story begins. Both attending E.O Smith High School near UConn, they began their story as lab partners in their senior year during advanced biology. They quickly realized they shared a common goal of attending UConn to pursue pharmacy. From running around the UConn campus during high school gym class to attending sporting events in the ‘80s long before they enrolled, Bill and Erica were excited to deepen the kinship they had felt with the university while growing up. 

    Bill and Erica Baker Celebrating Bill’s Graduation

    The following year, now at UConn as commuter students, the couple made it official.  Bill says their relationship grew naturally, bonding over the same Pre-Pharmacy classes and spending time at each other’s houses after class. During their sophomore year, Bill and Erica joined UConn’s professional pharmacy fraternity AZO and remained active members in the following years, and Bill now serves as the faculty advisor for the organization. Throughout their time at UConn, Bill and Erica developed their own friend groups, creating a strong network of friends and study partners. They continued their passion for pharmacy and gained experience, with Bill working at Walgreens and Erica in a hospital pharmacy. Despite being busy with their professional and academic careers, Bill and Erica found time to enjoy campus-wide events like Spring Weekend and concerts at Jorgensen. They also took part in classic UConn traditions, such as attending basketball games at Gampel.

    Bill and Erica Celebrating Erica’s Graduation

     Bill and Erica’s biggest relationship challenge came toward the end of their time at the School when Bill graduated in 2002 while Erica had one more year to complete. When Bill graduated, he accepted a post-pharmacy traineeship in Hartford. During this time, he lived with Erica, who was finishing up her last year at UConn. A month after Erica graduated in 2003, they married and moved to Delaware. Coordinating a wedding and a big move while Bill was employed and Erica was still finishing her degree was a challenge, but it was something the couple overcame. They eventually settled in Delaware, where Erica got a post-grad job. Despite the challenge, the couple felt relieved when they chose similar career paths, both wanting to work in a hospital setting so their schedules would align. 

    Bill and Erica Baker Present Day

    Now a faculty member, Bill strives to appreciate the opportunities he has as a UConn professor. He’s especially grateful for what he can give back to UConn: ‘The honor of being here, and giving back to the school and community that has meant so much to me.’ With three young children, Bill and Erica remain busy with their professional and personal lives but always make time to support their Husky family through watching and attending basketball and football games. Bill urges current UConn students in the School of Pharmacy to take every opportunity they are given, make connections, and never get too overwhelmed: ‘Obviously, you want to enjoy yourself.’ 

     “We went to school here,” says Bill “We lived elsewhere for a period of time. And then now we’re back here.” Once a Husky, always a Husky!” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Clean Core Thorium Energy Raises $15.5M in Series Seed

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has raised a $15.5M Series Seed round of financing to advance the ANEEL fuel – a patented blend of thorium & HALEU designed to be seamlessly deployed into existing reactors. With plans to commercialize in 2026, the capital will be used towards solidifying the company’s technical partnerships, such as the irradiation test at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the further validation work at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a planned Demonstration Irradiation, and more. Further, this financing will be used to fund activities related to the company’s hiring, supply chain partnerships, and regulatory and licensing requirements.

    The syndicate of investors participating in this round are led by a Singapore-based family office and notable business leaders including Sumant Sinha, CEO and Founder of ReNew, Lakshmi Narayanan, former CEO of Cognizant Technologies, and Deepak Parekh, former Chairman of HDFC Bank.

    Mehul Shah, CCTE’s CEO and Founder, said:

    “We are not only excited to have fresh capital infused in the business for critical growth, but also ecstatic to invite those with deep ties to the global energy industry as advisors and investors to accelerate our progress. This announcement marks the next chapter in CCTE’s growth to revolutionize nuclear energy.

    By demonstrating thorium’s ability to deliver immediate and substantial operational benefits, we can accelerate the renewed momentum of nuclear. This new fuel cycle enhances reactor economics, strengthens energy security, improves safety, and ensures proliferation resistance—all within an existing and proven reactor system.”

    In 2024, CCTE achieved major milestones to advance the ANEEL fuel, including:

    About Clean Core Thorium Energy
    Clean Core Thorium Energy is a nuclear fuel company exploring thorium-driven nuclear innovations. Clean Core’s patented nuclear fuel technology (called the ANEEL™ fuel) is comprised of thorium and high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and is capable of improving the safety and cost-efficiency of pressurized heavy-water reactors. The ANEEL™ fuel is a novel solution to safety, waste, and proliferation concerns in today’s nuclear plants. Learn more at https://cleancore.energy/. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and X.

    Contact: info@cleancore.energy

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Highlights Record Speed of Senate Confirmations, Supports Work of POTUS’ Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    Washington, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Republican Conference Vice Chair, delivered a floor speech applauding the record-breaking speed of Senate confirmations for President Donald Trump’s nominees. Lankford also pointed to the important work the Secretaries are doing as soon as they are sworn in.

    Excerpts

    “We have confirmed more people now in the Senate than were confirmed in the first three weeks of the Biden Administration and in the first three weeks of the first Trump Administration combined. That’s because we’ve been willing to be able to run the clock and to be able to press this.”

    ….

    “We started the hearings before the President was even sworn in, to be able to make sure that we’re ready and we’re literally doing hearings in committees, queuing up the next people, even as we’re dealing with the folks that are on the floor, to be able to make sure that we can move as rapidly as possible. This is not just about President Trump. It’s about the United States and about us having a good operation for our government.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: U.S. Taxpayer-funded Drag Show Exposed

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the New York Post dropped more receipts exposing the Biden State Department’s radical, far-left agenda with an article that reveals video of a drag workshop in Ecuador funded by American taxpayers.

    WATCH HERE

    The Biden State Department paid Fundacion Dialogo Diverso, an LGBTQ group in Ecuador, nearly $75,000 over three years, including a $25,000 grant last year. The group tapped into those funds to put on a two-day drag workshop and produce a video of the event. Fundacion Dialogo Diverso’ video notes in the credits that funds from the U.S. government were used to bankroll the performance.

    This is just the latest in a series of outrageous State Department and United States Agency for International Development grants uncovered by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast.

    Democrats and unaccountable bureaucrats don’t want Americans to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted abroad. Chairman Mast is here to set the record straight.

    Read the full New York Post story here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NFFE-IAM Federal Worker Stewards Train, Prepare at Winpisinger Center

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Approximately 30 National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) members recently traveled to the IAM’s Winpisinger Center for a week-long steward class.

    The program involved training in areas specific to the federal sector, such as collective bargaining, the Hatch Act and legislative action, prohibited personnel practices, unfair labor practices, grievance handling, arbitration, and an overview of the Federal Labor Relations Act. The members also discussed the issues facing all federal workers with the recent change of political power in Washington. This program was extremely helpful for the stewards, officers and business representatives serving federal members.

    NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin visited with the members mid-week, briefing and preparing them for the coming attacks against Federal Workers. Erwin spoke about the recent gains in membership sign-ups and awarded many attendees with organizers’ pins. 

    “The lifeblood of our union, which gives us power and a voice on Capitol Hill, comes from federal workers becoming dues-paying members,” said Erwin.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Breaking Fellow Inmate’s Jaw

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    PEORIA, Ill. – Travis Jay Nyhoff, 42, who is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Illinois (FCI-Pekin), was sentenced on January 10, 2025 to 33 months’ imprisonment for aggravated battery. The sentence will run consecutive to the term of imprisonment Nyhoff is presently serving for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the court considered the following uncontested information regarding the assault. On December 8, 2023, Nyhoff had approached another inmate from behind as the inmate was watching television in the common area, yanked his chair out from beneath him, and proceeded to strike the inmate across the face with the chair and then hurl the chair at the wall. The unprovoked attack was documented by security footage. The inmate sustained a broken lower jawbone, a laceration to his face that penetrated his oral cavity, and several dislodged teeth. He later underwent surgery to repair his jawbone.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Nyhoff with assault in April 2024, and he entered a guilty plea in August 2024.

    The statutory penalties for aggravated battery are two to five years’ imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan RCMP SERT Year in Review: 230 firearms and more than 17,000 grams of illicit drugs seized in 2024

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT) continued to work diligently with frontline RCMP officers from detachments across the province to remove harms from communities and help keep Saskatchewan residents safe.

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT – which includes Crime Reduction Teams (CRT), the Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit (HTCEU), Offender Management Unit (OMU), Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Teams (STRT) and Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Teams (WEST) – helps protect community well-being by tackling serious and gang-related crimes, and take dangerous drugs and weapons off the streets.

    Removing harms from Saskatchewan communities

    Illicit drugs continue to harm people across the province. In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT teams seized:
    – 6,572 grams of cocaine;
    – 4,732 grams of methamphetamine;
    – 130 grams fentanyl;
    – 6,349 grams of other illicit drugs; and
    – 86 tablets.

    From 2014 to 2023, violent firearms offences in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction increased 271 per cent – rising from 126 in 2014 to 467 in 2023.

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT removed 230 firearms from the hands of criminals across the province in 2024.

    Investigational highlights

    In July 2024, Yorkton STRT seized approximately 161 grams of methamphetamine and 14 firearms, along with other items, from a business, a rural property and a vehicle in the Yorkton area. During a subsequent search of the rural property, RCMP officers located a severely injured, forcibly confined adult male inside a barn. Investigation determined the man had been kidnapped. Two adult males faced kidnapping, drug and firearms charges, among others.

    • Swift Current STRT laid charges against two individuals after seizing 31 firearms from a residence in Lafleche, SK and a rural yard site south of the town in November 2024.
    • In October 2024, North Battleford Crime Reduction Team – Gang Task Force (CRT-GTF) executed search warrants at two residences in North Battleford. At the residences, officers located and seized a loaded handgun, a rifle, approximately 81 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 58 grams of crack cocaine, ammunition, a sum of cash and drug trafficking paraphernalia. As a result of investigation, two adult males and an adult female were arrested.
    • While executing a search warrant at an apartment building in La Ronge in February 2024, La Ronge CRT seized a loaded handgun, 60 grams of cocaine, 31 grams of methamphetamine, a sum of cash and other drug paraphernalia. Two adults were arrested and charged.
    • In August 2024, Swift Current STRT executed two search warrants in Swift Current as part of an ongoing investigation. Officers located and seized 503 grams of methamphetamine, 52 grams of fentanyl and 105 grams of cocaine, among other evidence. An adult male was arrested at the business and charged.

    What is SERT?

    Saskatchewan RCMP SERT is made up of 108 RCMP officers and 31 civilian support staff. With different teams located in 10 Saskatchewan communities, SERT is readily mobile and able to quickly deploy to surrounding areas. Teams are also assisted every single day by over 1,500 RCMP employees, including more than 1,000 sworn officers at 80 plus detachments across the province.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Beloit Man Sentenced to 22½ Years for Producing Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Misael Dominguez Adorno, 25, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 22 ½ years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 25 years of supervised release.  Dominquez Adorno pleaded guilty to this charge on October 9, 2024.

    In November 2022, Beloit Police received a CyberTip indicating that someone at Dominguez Adorno’s residence uploaded sexually explicit images onto the internet.  Based on the tip, officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the home, where they seized numerous cell phones, iPads, computers, and flash drives.

    Officers analyzed the devices and found videos of Dominguez Adorno engaged in sexually explicit conduct with five minors, whom officers were able to identify.  Officers also found that Dominguez Adorno had received sexually explicit images from a 6th minor victim.

    Judge Conley expressed concern that Dominguez Adorno only cared about getting what he wanted from each of his young victims, manipulating them to his advantage. Judge Conley also noted that Dominguez Adorno did not seem to realize that he had stolen part of each victim’s youth with his actions.

    The charge against Dominquez Adorno was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.

    This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Questrade celebrates seventh consecutive DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence recognition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questrade (www.questrade.com) — Canada’s #1 rated* online brokerage — is thrilled to announce that it has repeated in receiving the DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence for Telephone Service for the seventh consecutive year. Awarded by DALBAR, Inc., the DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence celebrates exceptional customer service and best-in-class standard of care provided by firms across the financial services industry.

    “Receiving this honour again is incredibly humbling as it demonstrates our team’s consistency in setting high benchmarks for the service experience we provide to our customers year after year,” said Jason Grieve, Chief Client Officer, Questrade. “As we look further into 2025, our customers can expect a whole host of new low-fee investment products and capabilities alongside our unmatched customer service offerings – all of which stand true to our standard of disrupting the status quo of the financial services ecosystem in Canada.”

    “For seven consecutive years, Questrade has upheld an exceptional standard of customer service that sets it apart in the financial services industry,” said Shelley Eramo, Director at DALBAR, Inc. “Achieving the DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence is no small feat – it requires unwavering dedication to delivering a consistently superior customer experience. Questrade’s commitment to innovation and client care is evident year after year, and we are pleased to recognize their ongoing success in raising the bar for service excellence.”

    Questrade continues to provide trusted and established alternatives to the high-fee investment products currently available on the market with award-winning digital platforms, ultra-low managed portfolio fees, and commission-free ETF purchases in its self-directed accounts. Building on its mission to help Canadians become much more financially successful and secure, the company is accelerating the speed at which it brings new capabilities and services to its customers in 2025 and beyond.

    In addition to Questrade’s recognition, Questrade Financial Group (QFG) subsidiary Community Trust Company (CTC) has also been recognized with the DALBAR Seal of Service Excellence for the second straight year. The notable, repeat achievement underscores the consistently high standard of service and care provided across the group’s entire portfolio.

    About DALBAR, Inc.

    DALBAR, Inc. is the financial community’s leading independent expert for evaluating, auditing, and rating business practices, customer performance, product quality and service. Launched in 1976, DALBAR has earned recognition for consistent and unbiased evaluations. As the nation’s leading financial services market research firm, it performs a variety of ratings and evaluations of practices and communications that are committed to raising the standards of excellence in the financial services and healthcare industries. With offices in both the US and Canada, DALBAR develops standards and measurement systems that improve the quality of products, service and compliance for the retirement, mutual fund, broker/dealer, discount brokerage, life insurance, healthcare, and banking industries.

    About Questrade

    Questrade, Inc. (“Questrade”) is changing the Canadian financial services industry by leveraging technology to lower fees while providing a viable alternative to traditional financial investment options, thereby allowing Canadians to Keep More of their Money. As a leader and innovator in financial services, Questrade is a trusted ally that advocates for consumers, focused on improving value. With 25 years of challenging the status quo as one of Canada’s leading, non-bank online brokerages and over $50 billion in assets under administration, Questrade and its affiliates provide financial products and services, including securities and foreign currency investments. For more information, visit www.questrade.com or on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @Questrade. Questrade, Inc. is a registered investment dealer, a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). Questrade is a wholly owned subsidiary of Questrade Financial Group Inc.

    *MoneySense 2024

    Media Contact

    For more information, contact Susan Willemsen at The Siren Group Inc. Tel: 416-461-1567 or M: 416-402-4880, or email: susan@thesirengroup.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: TWAAO: BaFin warns against offers on website twaao.com

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The financial supervisory authority BaFin warns against offers on the website twaao.com. According to information available to BaFin, TWAAO allegedly based in Frankfurt is offering financial and investment services and crypto-asset services without the required authorisation.

    Anyone offering financial or investment services or crypto-asset services in Germany requires a license from BaFin. However, some companies offer such services without the required license. Information on whether a particular company is authorized by BaFin can be found in the company database.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on Section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (KWG) and Section 10 (7) of the German Crypto Markets Supervision Act (KMAG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ReFi Solutions: BaFin warns consumers against offers on website refi-solutions.com

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority BaFin warns consumers against offers from the company ReFi Solutions or Remote Finance Solutions on website refi-solutions.com. According to information available to BaFin, banking transactions and financial services are being provided on this website without the required authorisation.

    Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the required authorisation. Information on whether companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Grow State Markets: BaFin warns against website fina-eu.growstatemarkets.com (previously: growstatemarkets.com)

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The financial supervisory authority BaFin warns against trading platform Grow State Markets. According to its findings, financial, investment and crypto asset services are provided by Grow State Markets (which in the past operated the website growstatemarkets.com) without the required authorisation. The company is not supervised by the alleged FINAEU (European Financial Authority). There is no FINAEU supervisory authority and it does not supervise companies that operate in the financial sector.

    FINAEU was already a subject of a warning issued by BaFin on 29 August 2024.

    Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the required authorisation. Information on whether companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on Section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (KWG) and Section 10 (7) of the German Crypto Markets Supervision Act (KMAG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Kaine Introduce Bill to Incentivize Landowners to Participate in Military Land Use Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have introduced the Incentivizing REPI Sales Act of 2025. The bipartisan, bicameral bill promotes military readiness by encouraging the land around military installations to be preserved for the military to train, test, and operate.

    The House companion is led by Reps. Greg Murphy (R-NC) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).

    Senator Budd said in a statement:

    “As the United States confronts new and dangerous global threats, our military must maintain its readiness and lethality through realistic training at home installations. I’m proud to partner with Senator Kaine to encourage additional REPI participation in order to strengthen military readiness.”

    Senator Kaine said:

    “Our Armed Forces need resilient, modern bases so they can undergo the most realistic and high-quality training. I am a longtime supporter of the DOD’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, which helps meet that goal while simultaneously conserving public lands. This legislation will incentivize participation in this program by creating a tax incentive for property owners who sell land or property for the military to use for training, resilience, and other important purposes. I am proud to work with Senator Budd on this legislation, and I will continue to do everything I can as a Senator representing one of the most military-connected states in the country to support our military installations.”

    Dr. Murphy said:

    “The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environment Protection Integration (REPI) is essential to our national security and invaluable ecosystems. Avoiding land use conflicts in areas used by our military is imperative to their ability to conduct critical training and maintain readiness. The Incentivizing Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Sales Act supports this successful initiative by incentivizing landowners to participate in this important program when considering the sale of property near military installations.”

    Rep. Panetta said:

    “Rising land costs are making it more difficult for the military and conservation partners to protect the land around bases. Our bipartisan bill would make it easier to preserve those critical buffers by waiving the capital gains tax for landowners who sell to conservation organizations for Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) projects.  By strengthening the REPI Program, we can ensure military installations remain mission-ready while safeguarding the surrounding environment.”

    Background:

    • The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program supports cost-sharing agreements between the Military Services, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and private conservation organizations to avoid land use conflicts near military installations, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities, and increase resilience to weather events and other environmental concerns.
    • REPI is a key tool used by DOD and its partners to protect the military’s ability to train, test, and operate. Development of lands and loss of habitat near military installations, ranges, and airspace can lead to restrictions or costly and inadequate training and testing alternatives.
    • Preserving natural areas is vital for keeping skies dark, which is necessary for night training, protecting habitats off-base for endangered species, and facilitating nature-based approaches to mitigate flooding and severe weather.
    • REPI successfully protected 27,000 acres around Fort Liberty, NC in order to provide a flight corridor for Grey Eagle drone training and conduct Robin Sage, the final training exercise of Special Forces qualification. This action also helped recover the local population of red-cockaded woodpeckers.
    • The Incentivizing REPI Sales Act excludes the appreciated land value from federal capital gains tax for landowners who sell land or easements near military installations specifically for REPI purposes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Talk to someone if worried about mental wellbeing

    Source: Northern Ireland Direct

    Date published:

    Talk to someone if worried about your or someone else’s mental or emotional wellbeing. If in distress or despair, contact Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.

    Loneliness

    Loneliness can affect your mental and emotional wellbeing.

    Many people have experienced, or are experiencing, feelings of loneliness.

    Sometimes admitting you feel lonely is difficult.

    It’s important to try to connect with friends, family and communities, and to look out for those who may be experiencing loneliness.

    If you’re struggling and need to speak to someone, there are helplines on the Helplines NI website.

    Start a caring conversation

    Start a caring conversation with someone you’re concerned about. Let them know about that concern.

    Give them the space to explain what’s going on and how they’re feeling. 

    Offering a gentle word of support and listening in a non-judgemental way can make all the difference.

    Encourage them to tell their story in their own way and at their own pace. Let them know that you will support them to find the help that they need.

    By asking the questions ‘are you feeling a bit low?’ or ‘are you worried about something?’, you’re:

    • acknowledging their distress
    • giving them the chance to talk about something that is probably very frightening for them

    It’s even okay to ask someone if they have had thoughts about harming themselves or about suicide.

    Talking about how they’re feeling could be the first step towards recovery.

    You can find information on what you can say and do to help someone on this Public Health Agency leaflet. 

    Training courses 

    There are training courses available in:

    • mental and emotional wellbeing
    • suicide prevention

    You can find out more at this link:

    Recognising potential warning signs

    Mental health issues can affect anyone at any time of life and in different ways. 

    There are some early warning signs that may show mental ill-health or a mental health problem, including:

    • mood swings or a consistently lower mood
    • lack of care for personal appearance or personal responsibilities
    • increased use of alcohol or other drugs
    • a loss of interest in doing things they previously enjoyed
    • withdrawing from social activities or spending less time with family and friends
    • disturbed sleep, perhaps not getting enough sleep or sleeping too much
    • eating less than normal or overeating, perhaps losing or gaining weight
    • being more irritable, over-sensitive or aggressive
    • having difficulty following a conversation, remembering things or concentrating
    • experiencing repeated physical symptoms such as aches and pains or unexplained illnesses
    • a drop in work performance
    • doing things that don’t make sense to others
    • hearing or seeing things that no-one else can hear or see
    • talking about not wanting to live

    Someone having suicidal thoughts may not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want help and support. It can be difficult finding the words to say how they’re feeling.

    You can find out more about what to do if you think someone might be in need of immediate help on the Mental health emergency – if you’re in crisis or despair page.

    You can find out more about mental health on these pages:

    In distress or despair – Lifeline

    If you or someone you know is in distress or despair, contact Lifeline on:

    This is a confidential service, where trained counsellors will listen and help immediately on the phone and follow up with other support if necessary.

    The helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    Take steps to improve your wellbeing

    By taking simple steps and introducing them into everyday life you can improve your mental health and wellbeing.

    Connect with people

    Spend time developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. 

    Be active

    Exercising can make you feel good, so find an activity that suits your mobility and fitness.

    Go for a walk or run, cycle, play a game, garden or dance.

    Take notice 

    Pause to look around you. What can you see, feel, smell or even taste?

    Look for beautiful, new, unusual or extraordinary things in your everyday life and think about how that makes you feel.

    Keep learning

    Try something new, sign up for a course or rediscover an old hobby.

    Set a challenge you will enjoy –  learning new things will make you more confident, as well as being fun to do.

    Give

    Do something nice for a friend or a stranger.

    Volunteer your time for a community group or charity.

    Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

    These can all lead to improving your wellbeing.

    More useful links

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tariff Response Survey, Hotline

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province has created channels for Nova Scotian business owners dealing with the United States to get quick access to the latest information related to tariffs.

    “Now more than ever, we need to be Nova Scotia loyal. Our local businesses know this, and they’re looking for ways to grow their business across Canada and internationally. They’ll have questions, and we’re here to help,” said Premier Tim Houston. “If the Trump Tax returns, it will raise costs for everyone on both sides of the border. Our hope is the United States will not reinstate this harmful policy. In the meantime, we are fighting for Nova Scotian businesses, and we’ll take strong action to help them stay strong and competitive.”

    A survey is at https://novascotia.ca/tariffs . Business people who fill out the online survey will be able to share information about barriers to expanding into interprovincial or international markets. The Province will take that information into account as it moves forward with its tariff response.

    There is also a tariff information line at: 1-800-670-4357. If a business person calls and needs follow up, a business navigator will contact them. Other Nova Scotians with questions that require follow up should leave their name, email address and phone number.

    Quick Facts:

    • in 2023, Nova Scotia exports to the U.S. were $4.4 billion and imports were $682.7 million; the leading exports were tires, fish/prepared seafood, forest products, aerospace products, and plastics
    • Nova Scotia exports to Mexico were $28.5 million in 2023, and imports were $47.6 million
    • Canada is the largest export market for 36 U.S. states and ranks among the top three for 46 states; 43 states export more than $1 billion annually to Canada
    • nearly 70 per cent of Canadian goods exported to the U,S, are integral to manufacturing other products, directly supporting American manufacturing
    • more than 29,000 Nova Scotian jobs depend on exports to the U.S. – about one in every 16 jobs and more than half (54 per cent) of all jobs in Nova Scotia that are supported by international exports

    Additional Resources:

    Producers and retailers can register for Nova Scotia Loyal by visiting https://www.nsloyal.ca

    Other than cropping, CNS photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aliens involved in road rage incident charged with firearms offenses following multi-agency investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WACO, Texas — Two undocumented aliens from Guatemala were arrested for federal firearms offenses Feb. 3 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

    Anderson Morales-Calderon, 19, and Ever Morales-Calderon, 25, were arrested and charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas with aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm as undocumented aliens.

    Anderson and Ever first came to the attention of law enforcement Jan. 24 after a 911 caller reported that someone in their vehicle had pointed a rifle at a semi-truck on IH-35 during a road rage incident. Officers from the Troy and Lorena Police Departments responded to the call and conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle. During the stop, officers observed two air rifles and a .22 rifle in plain view in the back seat and floorboard of the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that both Anderson and Ever had illegally entered the U.S.

    “ICE is committed to aggressively pursue dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration violators who perpetuate violence in our local communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “Our officers work tirelessly, in conjunction with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, to identify and apprehend undocumented aliens who threaten public safety, national security or border security.”

    If convicted, Anderson and Ever each face up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will consider U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors in deciding on any potential sentence.

    The Troy and Lorena Police Departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update – Inskip crocodile sighting

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 5 Feb 2025

    Open larger image

    Wildlife officers have conducted land-based and vessel-based searches for the crocodile

    Wildlife officers will continue searching for an estimated two-metre-long crocodile in the Inskip Point area after receiving further sighting reports and video of the animal in the ocean.

    The crocodile was first observed by a ranger on the beach in front of the Sarawak camping area on 3 February 2025.

    The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation has since received four additional sighting reports of the crocodile in the area.

    Video taken by a camper on Monday 3 February 2025 showing the crocodile swimming close to the beach near the barge landing.

    Senior wildlife officer Joshua Morris said wildlife officers conducted land-based searches on 3 and 4 February 2025 and used a drone, but did not confirm the presence of the animal with poor weather conditions hampering their search.

    “Wildlife officers will conduct further land and water-based searches today, including an intensive vessel-based spotlight search tonight,” Mr Morris said.

    “We believe this is the same crocodile that was recently seen in the Bundaberg region on 23 January 2025.

    “We thank the people who provided the sighting reports and urge anyone who sees what they believe to be a crocodile to make a sighting report as soon as possible.

    “Fishers and people on the beach are an extra set of eyes in the search for this crocodile.

    “Rangers have installed crocodile warning signs at key locations and will continue to provide advice to people in camping areas in the Inskip Point region.

    “This crocodile has fled into the water at the sight of people and has so far avoided crowded beaches, but we still need people to be vigilant around the water.

    “Make considered choices when it comes to swimming and use a barrier such as an esky when fishing from the beach.

    “We believe the crocodile might head back north to its habitat when weather conditions improve, but if it stays in the southeast Queensland region, it will be removed from the wild.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Queensland rangers join Victorian bushfire battle

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 6 Feb 2025

    Open larger image

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service personnel, from left to right Ranger Kurt Zietlow from Cairns, Senior Ranger Brett Duke from Toowoomba, Senior Ranger Chris White from Atherton, Ranger Girresse De Simone from Springbrook, and Ranger Cooper Jenkins from Tewantin, prior to their departure to assist in fighting Victorian bushfires.

    Five fire-trained Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) rangers are joining the fight against ongoing bushfires in western Victoria.

    The rangers will join other interstate firefighters in response to significant bushfires near Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, as part of an ongoing fight to preserve nearby communities and valuable ecosystems.

    They are Senior Ranger Chris White from Atherton; Ranger Kurt Zietlow from Cairns; Ranger Girresse De Simone from Springbrook; Ranger Cooper Jenkins from Tewantin; and Senior Ranger Brett Duke from Toowoomba.

    The rangers will form part of a 20-person taskforce that includes fire personnel from other state agencies, supporting crews from Victoria who have been fighting fires in the area since late 2024.

    Due to the intense and rapidly-changing nature of bushfire response, the rangers have been put through rigorous fitness and practical testing to ensure they are equipped to face the task ahead of them.

    The rangers flew to Melbourne on 6 February 2025 before heading to the fireground near the national park.

    DETSI Deputy Director General Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Ben Klaassen said they welcomed the opportunity to assist with the bushfire response.

    “Current weather conditions in many parts of Queensland means we have capacity to deploy a crew of our fire-trained rangers to help out our southern neighbours,” Mr Klaassen said.

    “We hope that our assistance will not only help protect nearby communities and the environmental and cultural values of Little Desert National Park and Grampians (Gaiwerd) National Park but will also give our counterparts some well-earned reprieve after a long bushfire season.

    “We wish our team all the best over the coming days and a safe return, and of course are sending our thoughts to impacted Victorian communities.”

    Senior Ranger Chris White said the deployment would be an opportunity for all involved agencies to learn from each other.

    “I’m looking forward to helping out our Victorian neighbours and gain some new perspectives,” Ranger Chris said.

    “Queensland rangers are no strangers to bushfires, but we can certainly learn a lot from the Victorian crews about how they do things on the fireground at a very large and complex incident”.

    The QPWS crews are expected to return on 12 February.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former University Employee Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.

    During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizen, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Torki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.

    Testimony was also presented that Torki was a researcher at the University of South Carolina at the time of the chat. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.

    All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Henryetta Resident Pleads Guilty to Burglary and Assault

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lynn Lusk, age 34, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Burglary in the First Degree in Indian Country, and one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, and Attempting to Strangle and Suffocate in Indian Country.

    The Indictment alleged that on March 22, 2024, Lusk broke into the dwelling house of an individual and entered, intending to commit a crime within.  The Indictment further alleged that Lusk then strangled and suffocated a dating partner.

    The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Muskogee Police Department.

    The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Lusk will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner and Kaine Announce $540,000 in Federal Funding for Floyd County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $540,000 in federal funding for Floyd County to expand high-speed broadband in the region. The funding was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments that innovates and invests to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in 423 counties across the Appalachian region.

    “This project perfectly highlights the good that federal funding does for our communities,” said the senators. “This funding will bring broadband to Floyd County, expanding job opportunities, boosting the local economy, and supporting individual households. Despite illegal attempts from the Trump administration to sabotage federal funding, including for broadband, public safety, roads and bridges, and more, we will continue to fight for projects like this.”

    Specifically, the funding will go towards the Citizens Telephone Cooperative for the Citizens Industrial Park Broadband Expansion Project. As a result of this project, 26,400 linear feet of middle mile broadband network will be constructed to serve 285 businesses with 10Gbps speeds.

    Sens. Warner and Kaine have been outspoken about the harm that President Trump’s funding freeze would have had on Virginians and Virginia businesses. Last week, the senators called out President Trump’s order as illegal and costly, less than 48 hours after it was originally issued, the order was blocked by federal courts, and rescinded by the administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Peace in Sudan: what it’s going to take

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mulugeta G Berhe, Senior Fellow, World Peace Foundation, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, Tufts University

    Sudan, which included South Sudan up to 2011, has never known peace and stability since independence in 1956. The country’s instability stems from the absence of democratic rule; failure to manage its diversity; military coups; civil wars; and its fragmented and bloated security sector.

    Numerous political processes to mediate the peaceful resolution of conflicts started in the first decade of independence and continue today. None of these have delivered anything. The earliest peace efforts – in 1965 – sought to internally resolve the country’s north-south divide, which eventually triggered Africa’s longest civil war.

    Since then, there have been at least a dozen attempts driven by local or external actors to resolve political crises. Among them were:

    • the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement that ended the first civil war, mediated by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie

    • a 1988 agreement to silence the guns, made by John Garang of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani of the Democratic Unionist Party

    • the 2019 Khartoum Declaration, mediated by the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Britain, which provided a road map for the transition of Sudan into an elected and democratic government.

    More recent talks have centred on the war that broke out in April 2023 pitting the Sudan Armed Forces against the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group. The two protagonists and various civilian groups have been called to Jeddah, Cairo, Bahrain, Djibouti, Addis Ababa, Geneva, Ankara and other locations for talks under different auspices and with different formats. Multilateral organisations like the UN, AU, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and League of Arab states have been engaged directly or through their support in some of the mediation efforts.

    I have two decades of research and practice in conflict prevention, management and resolution with a focus on east Africa and the Horn. It’s my view that mediation processes in Sudan are destined to fail for three main reasons. The first is the lack of an accurate definition of the problems of Sudan, and a lack of broader direction of its resolution and areas of consensus. The second is lack of agreement on who should get everyone together to discuss and resolve it. Finally, the lack of public participation.

    What’s missing

    Sudan needs to find the right formula to manage its diverse political, economic and cultural interests under a viable state. It must bring peace, democracy, justice and genuine reconciliation among Sudanese.

    The most robust attempt to define the problem was the process convened in the years of 2009-2012 by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel led by the former president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, in his capacity as a Special Envoy of the AU PSC. The panel’s final report defined the problems of Sudan as:

    • diversity management (differences between groups based on religion and on socioeconomic power)

    • absence of a viable state that values peace, democracy, justice and reconciliation

    • lack of a consultative forum or process for all Sudanese to contribute to important issues.

    The panel report suggested that the Sudanese needed to arrive at a consensus through inclusive consultation. This has never taken place.

    The second overriding problem is related to the architecture of mediation processes. Before South Sudan’s secession, Sudan shared a border with nine African countries. Even after the south left, Sudan remains a huge nation linking regions, and located at the strategic maritime route of the Red Sea.

    Sudanese conflicts have been entangled in multiple regional and international cross-cutting interests. Outside actors have had various agendas: stability, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian action.

    The existence of multiple interests by itself is an asset towards peace making in Sudan. But failure to coordinate them properly has been generating competing processes. This gives the Sudanese parties a chance to “shop for forums”, enabling them to procrastinate and avoid real engagement.

    Key steps to effective Sudanese mediation

    The key task of a mediator is assisting the Sudanese to define the problems of Sudan correctly, arrive at a consensus on it, and agree on a mechanism to resolve it.

    Defining the problem and building consensus: Any mediation process begins with conflict parties defining the problem and developing the options for their resolution. The parties should have confidence in the neutrality of the mediator.

    At this stage, the conflict parties are usually not represented by the top decision makers but by second level players with the expertise to develop options for decision making. This is because decision makers typically do not want to take positions from which they cannot backtrack.

    Understanding this is important in creating a coordination mechanism for external stakeholders.

    Neutral arbiter: The lead mediator needs to demonstrate neutrality to the conflicting parties as much as possible. Given the conditions in Sudan, a multilateral organisation such as the UN is most suited for the task. The UN has the ultimate responsibility. The AU, the Arab League and IGAD can also be engaged in support of the mediation by using their leverages on the conflicting parties. The choice of focal point must be accessible to all parties and perceived as neutral.

    Foreign power influence: Creating the right mix of incentives for the warring protagonists is vital. This is a task for the external powerbrokers, which have the leverage on the warring parties. The protagonists will make decisions framed by their security, political and economic interests in the wider region.

    But they may also be influenced by the fact that the humanitarian cataclysm in Sudan will have an impact on their interests. And failure to prevent that disaster will damage their reputations.

    The US can use its relationships with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other external powerbrokers so that they refrain from supporting one or the other actor. The front-line states can use their influence on the warring parties to encourage them to work for peace.

    The UN, the African Union, IGAD, and the League of Arab States are the sources for any international legitimacy to the parties. The Sudanese actors will need to respond positively to the demands of these institutions in search of international legitimacy given that the institutions act in a complementary manner.

    With the right architecture for peacemaking, a peace process can be achieved in Sudan.

    – Peace in Sudan: what it’s going to take
    – https://theconversation.com/peace-in-sudan-what-its-going-to-take-248328

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrating World Pulses Day with Birmingham’s Full of Beans campaign

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Thursday, 6th February 2025

    Tuesday 10th February marks World Pulses Day, a global awareness event promoting the importance of pulses, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas.

    Birmingham’s Public Health team is on a mission to help everyone discover just how amazing pulses are.  

    Pulses may be small, but they are mighty! They are packed full of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to any meal, or a great snack for a boost of energy during the day. Their versatility means that they can be used in a wide variety of dishes and are a staple in many different cuisines.  

    They are also great for the planet because growing pulses helps to improve the quality of the soil, fewer greenhouse gases are released, and they use much less water compared to other sources of protein such as meat.  

    They can also help create nutritious meals that are affordable, particularly at a time when many households are concerned about the cost of living. 

    Birmingham Public Health is promoting the power of pulses through its Full of Beans campaign, which aims to increase the amount of beans and pulses eaten in schools, in families, and in food businesses.

    Under this initiative, and as World Pulses Day approaches, the team has created a feast of activities and resources, including booklets and online information, to help people discover, explore and celebrate beans and pulses through growing, tasting and cooking. Recipe ideas are also available via the Full of Beans communities on the Samsung Food app here.

    Keep an eye for further information, including activities and recipes, via Birmingham Public Health’s Healthy Brum social media channels on World Pulses Day itself.

    Further information on the Full of Beans campaign can be found here.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: International Community Must Keep Pushing for Permanent Ceasefire, Work towards Gaza’s Reconstruction, Secretary-General Tells Palestinian Rights Committee

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Speakers Urge Member States to Fully Support UN Palestine Refugee Agency’s Vital Work, Stress Rising Violence by Israeli Settlers in West Bank Must Stop

    The international community must keep pushing for a permanent ceasefire and work towards the reconstruction of Gaza, the UN Chief told the Palestinian Rights Committee today, highlighting the essential role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the process.

    “At its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his remarks to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People as it opened its 2025 session.

    However, the realization of those rights steadily slips farther out of reach as the world witnesses “chilling, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people”, he said.  Nearly 50,000 people — 70 per cent of them women and children — have been reported killed and most of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure — hospitals, schools and water facilities — has been destroyed.  Displacement after displacement, hunger and disease left an entire generation homeless and traumatized.

    “We cannot go back to more death and destruction,” he asserted, adding that the UN is working around the clock to reach Palestinians in need and scale up support.  That requires rapid, safe, unimpeded, expanded and sustained humanitarian access, he said, calling on Member States to fully fund humanitarian operations and support UNRWA’s vital work.

    In the search for solutions, it is crucial to stay true to the bedrock of international law and avoid any form of ethnic cleansing, he stressed, adding that a viable, sovereign Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel is “the only sustainable solution for Middle East stability”.

    Relatedly, he voiced grave concern over rising violence by Israeli settlers and other violations in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  “The violence must stop,” he said, urging respect for international law, including the International Court of Justice orders.

    “The ceasefire was a decisive step forward in providing aid and safety,” said Coly Seck (Senegal), the elected Chair of the Committee for 2025.  He called on States to “reinvent strategies to block the way for those enemies of peace on Palestinian ground” and on the international community to defend “these people long oppressed”, adding:  “This is a key year for the Palestinian cause.”

    Permanent Observer for State of Palestine Rejects Concept of ‘Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Open Hell in the West Bank’

    Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, said that while “we are delighted to have a ceasefire”, the agreement must become permanent and cover all parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  He rejected the concept of “a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and open hell in the West Bank”, and underscored the need to implement all the agreement’s provisions, including the reconstruction of Gaza and the safe return of the Palestinians to the areas from which they were displaced.

    Outlining his objectives for 2025, he stressed that defending UNRWA — the most successful story of multilateralism since the UN’s inception — is paramount.  Furthermore, he outlined his plan to work with all Member States towards a successful international conference in June, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, to accomplish the objectives established by the International Court of Justice. The body determined that prolonged occupation of the Palestinian Territory is unlawful and must be terminated as quickly as possible.  Echoing that, the General Assembly legislated that this illegal occupation must be terminated within one year.

    Underscoring the need to rebuild Gaza, he declared:  “It is part of our homeland, and we do not have a homeland other than the State of Palestine [nor] are we looking for other homelands or countries”.  Rejecting any idea of ethnic cleansing, he urged all countries to help Palestine’s Government in this endeavour.  Accordingly, he spotlighted “intense meetings and communications” between President Mahmoud Abbas and the leaders of Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

    “There is no power on Earth that can remove the Palestinian people from our ancestral homeland, including Gaza,” he said, adding that the return of 400,000 Palestinians to the north is “our answer for those who want us to kick us out of Gaza”.

    UNRWA Is Stabilizing Force, Committed Partner to Peace, Agency Official Says

    Greta Gunnarsdottir, Head of the UNRWA Liaison Office in New York, speaking on behalf of the Agency’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazarini, said that, although the Knesset legislation prohibiting UNRWA’s operations creates challenges, the Agency’s local staff continues to operate “at considerable personal risk” in the occupied West Bank.  While operations in Gaza continue, it is unclear how the contact prohibition with Israeli officials will constrain the Agency’s work.  Since the ceasefire, UNRWA has distributed food to 750,000 people and conducted 17,000 medical consultations; in January, 260,000 children enrolled in its online learning programmes.

    However, she emphasized curtailing UNRWA’s operations will undermine the ceasefire and sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition.  “The Government of Israel is investing significant resources to portray the Agency as a terrorist organization,” she said, adding that — as a result — donors are declining or reducing funding.  “For 75 years, UNRWA has been a stabilizing force and a committed partner for peace in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  It must be allowed to remain so until a political solution is at hand,” she stated.

    UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Calls Israel’s Starving of 2.3 Million Palestinians in Gaza ‘Fastest Starvation Campaign in Modern History’

    Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, speaking via video conference, recalled that Israel announced its intent to starve the civilians in Gaza on 6 October 2023 — before the Hamas attacks.  On the reached agreement, he said:  “This is not a ceasefire, [but] a slowing down of Israel’s genocide and starvation campaign.”

    On 6 October 2023, Gaza had been under a blockade for 23 years, with 50 per cent of its civilians already food insecure and 80 per cent dependent on humanitarian aid.  “How is it even possible for Israel to starve 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza so quickly and so completely,” he asked, citing it as “the fastest starvation campaign in modern history”.

    One of the reasons for UNRWA’s creation in 1948 was to prevent the starvation of the Palestinian people, he pointed out, stressing that “there has always been the risk of starvation”.  The International Court of Justice has recognized the risk of genocide and the occurrence of starvation, as reflected in its warrants on the crime of starvation against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

    The right of return and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people constitute the foundation necessary for future political solutions, he continued.  Israel has been attacking Palestinians “at degrees of violence not seen before”, destroying food systems and creating conditions of hunger that will last for generations.  Moreover, it has attacked the UN itself — it shot at peacekeepers in Lebanon, killed a record number of UN staff in Gaza, mostly UNRWA, and declared the Secretary-General a persona non grata.

    Nonetheless, he emphasized that without the support of the United States and Germany — among others — Israel would be unable to implement its starvation campaign and commit genocide.  Washington, D.C., under the previous administration, exited international law, while “the current administration exited the UN” by defunding UNRWA, threatening to defund the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and withdrawing from the Human Rights Council. “What is at stake is the international legal order and the UN itself,” he warned, highlighting the importance of the Hague Group, which was created to implement the decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

    Recounting Death of Relatives in Gaza Due to Israeli Bombings, UNRWA USA Philanthropy Director Stresses ‘We Will Continue’

    “My world shuttered for the first time on 24 November 2023, when Israel dropped a bomb on the family home where my brother lived,” said Hani Almadhoun, Senior Director of Philanthropy at UNRWA USA, also recalling the humiliation of his other brother, who was falsely accused of being a fighter.  “Palestinian men were paraded by the Israeli army in their underwear as if they were part of some grotesque spectacle,” he observed.  While his non-profit organization supports UNRWA’s work, he noted that individual efforts — no matter how heartfelt — cannot replace the comprehensive support of an established institution like UNRWA.  He further recalled that, in February 2024, together with his brother Mahmoud, he co-founded the Gaza Soup Kitchen, which soon became a “lifeline” serving hot meals to thousands of families.

    When hospitals were under siege, Mahmoud also created a medical clinic that provided baby formula and diapers and founded a small school for 560 children.  He said that “forcing the Palestinians out of Gaza is as unrealistic as draining the ocean”, stating:  “Whenever the world failed the Palestinian people […] the land did not.”  His concluded by citing the words of his brother Mahmoud, who was killed by an Israeli strike in November 2024: “We will continue.”

    Committee Members Highlight UNRWA’s Indispensable Role, Reject Any Attempts to Expel Palestinians from Occupied Palestinian Territory

    In the ensuing discussions, Committee members highlighted UNRWA’s indispensable role, with Cuba’s delegate stressing that “to prohibit the work of the Agency today means undermining the present and the future of the Palestinian people”.

    While Guyana’s delegate underscored that “the ceasefire must be a stepping stone towards the lasting peace”, her counterpart from Venezuela warned that the latest developments in the West Bank could threaten the agreement.

    Others, including Nicaragua’s representative, rejected the recent declarations that imply attempts to expel the Palestinian population from its territories.  A displacement plan — “even opening it for discussion” — is unacceptable, said Türkiye’s representative.

    Echoing that, Qatar’s delegate said that, during the comprehensive reconstruction process in Gaza, the international community must ensure that Palestinians remain on their land.

    For her part, Egypt’s delegate said that commemorating the Committee’s fiftieth anniversary manifests “the failure of the international community to assist the Palestinian people”.

    2025 Work Programme Adopted, Bureau Elected  

    In other business, the Committee adopted its work programme for 2025 and unanimously elected Coly Seck (Senegal) as Chair and Neville Melvin Gertze (Namibia), Jaime Hermida Castillo (Nicaragua), Ahmad Faisal Muhamad (Malaysia), Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir (Indonesia) and Ernesto Soberón Guzmán (Cuba) as Vice-Chairs.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –