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Category: Pandemic

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City of York Council to Appoint New Chief Executive as Ian Floyd Announces Retirement

    Source: City of York

    Claire Douglas and Ian Floyd

    Published Thursday, 3 July 2025

    City of York Council has today announced that Ian Floyd, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Paid Service, will retire at Easter 2026 after dedicating more than 17 years of service to the city.

    A key figure in York’s recent history, Ian has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2020 and has been instrumental in delivering transformational projects and guiding the council through significant challenges. Under his leadership, the council successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, maintained a balanced financial position despite national funding pressures, and oversaw the adoption of York’s first Local Plan in over 70 years. He helped secure an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating for Children’s Services in 2024, played a key role in establishing the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the York Central development and the completion of the York Community Stadium.

    Recruitment for a new Chief Executive will begin in the coming weeks, following approval at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee later this month. Subject to approval, the new Chief Executive will take up the statutory role of Head of Paid Service and will lead the organisation into its next chapter, working closely with elected members, partners, and communities to deliver on the Council Plan and York’s long-term ambitions.

    Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, paid tribute to Ian, saying:

    Ian has dedicated the last 17 years of his working life to York, including as Head of Paid Service since 2019. He has provided calm, consistent and visionary leadership through periods of uncertainty and change.

    “His commitment to public service, his support for staff, and his passion for the city have made a lasting impact. I thank him sincerely for his dedication and service.”

    Reflecting on his decision to retire, Ian Floyd said:

    It has been a privilege to serve City of York Council and to work alongside so many talented and committed colleagues to deliver lasting improvements for the city.

    “From the adoption of our first Local Plan in decades, to the launch of the Combined Authority and the transformation of services for children and families, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. This decision is a personal one, and I’m making the announcement now to allow for a smooth transition.”

    The new Chief Executive is expected to be appointed later this year, with a planned start date in spring 2026. Full details of the recruitment process will follow on the council’s website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • PM Modi calls India-Ghana friendship “sweeter than sugarloaf pineapple” in Accra address

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Parliament of Ghana on Thursday and highlighted the “sweetness” of the relationship between the two countries, which he said was rooted in shared struggles.

    “The histories of India and Ghana bear the scars of colonial rule, but our spirits have always remained free and fearless. We draw strength and inspiration from our rich heritage. We take pride in our social, cultural and linguistic diversities. We built nations rooted in freedom, unity and dignity. Our relationship knows no bounds,” PM Modi said.

    “And with your permission, may I say, our friendship is sweeter than your famous Sugarloaf Pineapple,” he added.

    PM Modi highlighted India’s democratic system, noting that the country has more than 2,500 political parties, 22 official languages and thousands of dialects. The Prime Minister repeated the figure after seeing the reaction from members of Ghana’s Parliament.

    “I repeat, 2,500 political parties. Twenty different parties governing different states. Twenty-two official languages, thousands of dialects. This is also the reason that people who come to India have always been welcomed with an open heart. The same spirit helps Indians integrate easily wherever they go. Even in Ghana, they have blended into society, just like sugar in tea,” PM Modi said.

    Praising the African nation, the Prime Minister said, “Ghana is known as the land of gold, not just for what lies under your soil but as much for the warmth and strength in your heart.”

    “When we look at Ghana, we see a nation that shines with courage, that rises above history, that meets every challenge with dignity and grace. Your commitment to democratic ideals and inclusive progress has truly made Ghana a beacon of inspiration for the entire African continent,” he added.

    PM Modi highlighted that with President John Mahama, India and Ghana have decided to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Partnership.

    “The world order created after the Second World War is changing fast. The revolution in technology, the rise of the Global South and shifting demographics are contributing to its pace and scale. The challenges such as colonial rule that humanity has faced in earlier centuries still persist in different forms,” he said.

    Listing new and complex crises such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism and cybersecurity, PM Modi said that institutions created in the last century are struggling to respond.

    The Prime Minister reiterated India’s vision during its 2023 G20 Presidency — One Earth, One Family, One Future — and underscored how India highlighted Africa’s place at the global high table, with the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency.

    “The changing circumstances demand credible and effective reforms in global governance. Progress cannot come without giving voice to the Global South. We need more than slogans; we need action. That is why during India’s G20 presidency, we worked with the vision ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” PM Modi said.

    Stressing India’s commitment to ensuring Africa’s rightful place in global decision-making, the Prime Minister said, “We are proud that the African Union became a permanent member of the G20 during our presidency. For India, our philosophy is humanity first,” he said, quoting a Sanskrit verse that he translated as: “May all be happy; may all be free from illness; may no one suffer in any way.”

    This philosophy, PM Modi said, has shaped India’s approach to the world. “It guided our actions during the COVID pandemic. We shared vaccines and medicines with over 150 countries, including our friends in Ghana,” he highlighted.

    The PM added that “India carries Africa in its heart” and called for building a stronger partnership.

    On being conferred with Ghana’s highest civilian award, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the PM said, “It is a matter of great pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s national award, The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by the President. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Mahama ji, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”

    The Prime Minister dedicated the award to the youth of both countries. “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions, and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” he said.

    The award was presented during PM Modi’s visit to Ghana, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 30 years.

    PM Modi also paid tribute at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, honouring Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s founding President and a revered leader of the African independence movement.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Prime Minister addresses the Parliament of Ghana

    Source: APO


    .

    ​Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed a special session of the Parliament of Ghana today, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. The session, convened by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon’ble Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, was attended by Members of Parliament, Government officials and distinguished guests from both the nations. The address marked a significant moment in India-Ghana relations, reflecting the mutual respect and shared democratic values that unite the two countries.

    2. ​In his address, Prime Minister highlighted the historical bonds between India and Ghana, forged through shared struggles for independence and a common commitment to democracy and inclusive development. He expressed gratitude to the President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama and the Ghanaian people for the National Honour conferred upon him, calling it a symbol of enduring friendship. Drawing on the contributions of the great Ghanaian leader – Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, he emphasized that the ideals of unity, peace, and justice are the foundation of strong and lasting partnerships.

    3.​ Quoting Dr. Nkrumah, who once said – “The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart” and who laid great stress on the long-term impact of building democratic institutions, Prime Minister underscored the importance of nurturing democratic values. Noting that India as a Mother of Democracy had embraced democratic ethos as part of its culture, Prime Minister highlighted the deep and vibrant roots of democracy in India. He pointed to India’s diversity and democratic strength as a testament to the power of unity in diversity, a value echoed in Ghana’s own democratic journey. He also highlighted the pressing global challenges such as climate change, terrorism, pandemics, and cyber threats and called for a collective Global South voice in global governance. In this context, he underlined the inclusion of African Union as a permanent member of G20 during India’s presidency.

    4.​ Prime Minister lauded Ghana’s vibrant parliamentary system and expressed satisfaction at the growing exchanges between the legislatures of both countries. In this context, he welcomed the establishment of the Ghana-India Parliamentary Friendship Society. Expressing the resolve of the people of India to make the country a developed nation by 2047, Prime Minister noted that India would stand shoulder to shoulder with Ghana in its pursuit of progress and prosperity.

    5. ​Full address of Prime Minister may be seen here.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Brookfield Business Partners Announces Sale of Assets to Seed New Evergreen Private Equity Strategy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Transaction enables Brookfield Business Partners to monetize a partial interest in three businesses at a value accretive to the trading price of its units and shares

    • Provides new evergreen private equity strategy with an immediate, diversified portfolio

    • The Transaction was subject to a rigorous, independent review process which included a fairness opinion provided by an independent third-party financial advisor

    BROOKFIELD, NEWS, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brookfield Business Partners (NYSE: BBU, BBUC; TSX: BBU.UN, BBUC), today announced that it has reached an agreement to sell a portion of its interest in three businesses (the “Transaction”) to a new evergreen private equity strategy (the “New Fund”) targeting high-net-worth investors, managed by Brookfield Asset Management.

    Under the terms of the Transaction, Brookfield Business Partners will sell an approximate 12% interest in its engineered components manufacturing operation (“DexKo”), an approximate 7% interest in its dealer software and technology services operation (“CDK Global”) and an approximate 5% interest in its work access services operation (“BrandSafway”) to the New Fund.

    Brookfield Business Partners will receive units of the New Fund (the “Units”) with an initial redemption value of approximately $690 million, representing an aggregate 8.6% discount to the net asset value (“NAV”) of the interests sold. In the 18-month period following the initial closing of the New Fund, expected later this year, the Units are expected to be redeemed for cash at an 8.6% discount to NAV at the time of redemption. Any remaining Units still outstanding after this 18-month period will be redeemable at NAV.

    A joint independent committee comprising independent directors of Brookfield Business Partners retained an independent financial advisor and external legal counsel to assist with their review of the Transaction. The joint independent committee received a fairness opinion from their independent financial advisor, and following consultation with their advisors determined that the Transaction is fair and in the best interests of Brookfield Business Partners.

    Anuj Ranjan, CEO of Brookfield Business Partners said, “The Transaction provides a strong outcome for Brookfield Business Partners’ unitholders and shareholders and provides the new evergreen private equity strategy with an immediate diversified seed portfolio prior to its launch. The realization of these partial interests, at a value that is accretive to the trading price of our units and shares, enables Brookfield Business Partners to continue to accelerate the return of capital under current and future buyback programs, reinvest in the growth of its business and reduce corporate leverage.”

    The sale is expected to be completed on July 4, 2025.

    Independent Review Process

    The Transaction was reviewed by independent committees (the “Independent Committees”) formed by the boards of directors of the general partner of Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and of Brookfield Business Corporation (collectively, the “Boards”), which are comprised of independent directors. The Independent Committees retained Stikeman Elliott LLP as their external counsel and Origin Merchant Partners as their independent financial advisor to assist in their review of the Transaction.

    The Independent Committees received an opinion from Origin Merchant Partners that, subject to various assumptions, qualifications and limitations to be set forth in its opinion letter, the consideration to be received by Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Brookfield Business Corporation pursuant to the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Brookfield Business Corporation.

    After consultation with their independent financial and legal advisors, the Independent Committees unanimously determined that the Transaction is fair to and in the best interests of Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Brookfield Business Corporation, and unanimously recommended to the Boards that Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Brookfield Business Corporation approve the Transaction. The Boards have unanimously (excluding conflicted directors, who did not participate in deliberations) determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Brookfield Business Partners L.P. and Brookfield Business Corporation and approved the Transaction.

    As the value of the Transaction is less than 25% of the consolidated market capitalization of Brookfield Business Partners L.P., the Transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under applicable securities laws.

    Brookfield Business Partners is a global business services and industrials company focused on owning and operating high-quality businesses that provide essential products and services and benefit from a strong competitive position. Investors have flexibility to invest in our company either through Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE: BBU; TSX: BBU.UN), a limited partnership or Brookfield Business Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BBUC), a corporation. For more information, please visit https://bbu.brookfield.com.

    Brookfield Business Partners is the flagship listed vehicle of Brookfield Asset Management’s Private Equity Group. Brookfield Asset Management is a leading global alternative asset manager with over $1 trillion of assets under management.

    For more information, please contact:

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements and Information

    Note: This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, include statements with respect to the CDK Global, BrandSafway and DexKo businesses, their growth and leadership prospects and the Transaction described in this news release, including the expected redemption value of the Units, the timeline for redemption and the use of the proceeds therefrom, and include words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “believes”, “estimates”, “seeks”, “intends”, “targets”, “projects”, “forecasts”, “views”, “potential”, “likely” or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “would” and “could”.

    Although we believe that such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, investors and other readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Brookfield Business Partners, CDK Global, BrandSafway and/or DexKo to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us or are within our control. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations and our plans and strategies may vary materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information herein.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: the cyclical nature of our operating businesses and general economic conditions and risks relating to the economy, including unfavorable changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, inflation, commodity prices and volatility in the financial markets; the ability to complete and effectively integrate acquisitions into existing operations and the ability to attain expected benefits; business competition, including competition for acquisition opportunities; strategic actions including our ability to complete dispositions and achieve the anticipated benefits therefrom; global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; changes to U.S. laws or policies, including changes in U.S. domestic and economic policies as well as foreign trade policies and tariffs; technological change; litigation; cybersecurity incidents; the possible impact of international conflicts, wars and related developments including terrorist acts and cyber terrorism; operational, or business risks that are specific to any of our business services operations, infrastructure services operations or industrials operations; changes in government policy and legislation; catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and pandemics/epidemics; changes in tax law and practice; and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section in our annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed on Form 20-F.

    We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements and information, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Magazine: The Good Neighbor

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In Mister Rogers’ view, Michelle (Bussiere) Puzzo ’98 (SAH) is a hero.

    “Just help people,” says the co-founder, chief executive, and only paid staff member of UR Community Cares. “Just help people that say they need help.”

    Talking in her office on the second floor of the Eastside Neighborhood Resource Center in Manchester, Connecticut, Puzzo is the consummate responder, offering solution after solution to problems faced by older adults who seek to age in place in a world where community is diminished, aging is stigmatized, and help is hard to come by — and expensive.

    For decades after earning her bachelor’s in physical therapy, Puzzo provided in-home PT to older people after strokes, heart attacks, or surgeries. On most visits, patients would ask for something beyond the scope of her work — a hand with laundry, taking out the trash, or looking up a cleaning service on their smartphones.

    “Many people were just living — and struggling to live — alone at home,” she says. Many couldn’t afford an aide or didn’t qualify for assistance programs. She saw it on a personal level, too, with her own grandmother who suffered from macular degeneration and dementia. For years, Puzzo mowed her grandmother’s lawn ­weekly and helped her with miscellaneous needs, pitching in as the entire family rallied to help Meme live her later years in her home. “She was so reliant on us. It’s hard on a family,” Puzzo says. “We’re just not set up socially to have these support systems.”

    After Meme died in February 2019, Puzzo acted on the idea for UR (pronounced “your”) Community Cares, which had been gestating for a while. She registered her business with the state and set up a website; from there, it has been Puzzo waking up at 3 a.m. every day, tapping into resources, connecting with others who want to help, networking, marketing, and raising money to grow one person’s notion into a statewide organization of thousands.

    Just before the pandemic hit, Puzzo created Neighbors Helping Neighbors, the signature program of UR Community Cares. Its secure online platform connects volunteers with people over age 70 (or those over 18 with a disability) who need help. Participants on both sides undergo background checks (“Just because you’re 80 doesn’t mean you’re a good person,” Puzzo says), and volunteers can’t do any licensed work, but requests for housework, transportation, yardwork, and companionship are fair game.

    “The phone is ringing all day long — insurance company denials, lack of community support, people not able to drive themselves home from a colonoscopy,” Puzzo says. “This really adds value to communities to be able to support people that aren’t able to pay for private caregivers or handymen,” she continues. “The problem exists in every single town. The whole world is aging, and how are we going to handle it?”

    Read on for more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Participates in 8th Plenary, Closing Sessions of Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Seville, July 2, 2025

    The State of Qatar has participated in the Eighth Plenary and Closing Sessions of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville, Spain.

    HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, represented the State of Qatar in both sessions.

    The conference concluded with the adoption of a comprehensive document affirming that financing for development should not remain synonymous with traditional aid, but rather should transform into a sustainable investment approach that leads to the creation of opportunities and economic growth in developing countries.

    The document noted that reforming the global financial system is an urgent necessity, including enhancing the representation of developing countries in international financial institutions, improving borrowing conditions to align with development capabilities, and imposing fair taxes on wealth and environmentally polluting activities.

    The document noted that reducing inequality between and within countries can only be achieved through transparent and equitable financing that takes into account the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups.

    In this context, it emphasized that the global debt crisis must not impede development.

    Therefore, the document supported innovative mechanisms, including debt-for-development or climate investment swaps, automatic debt service suspension in emergencies and disasters, and the establishment of a global debt registry to enhance transparency and accountability.

    It is worth noting that the Doha 2023 Declaration established the framework for the principles of economic justice and support for least developed countries, while the Seville Declaration is expected to operationalize these principles through a multilateral implementation platform based on innovative financing tools and new development alliances.

    The Doha 2023 Declaration affirmed the recognition of accumulated challenges and acknowledged that least developed countries are suffering from accumulated crises, including the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, rising debt, lack of financing and investment, and fragile supply chains.

    The Doha Declaration also included a comprehensive vision for development through 2031, encompassing a program of six priority tracks: investing in human capital (health, education, and social protection), accelerating digital transformation, addressing climate change and enhancing resilience, supporting integration into the global economy, strengthening governance and institutions, and mobilizing resources and concessional financing.

    The Doha 2023 Declaration also called for enhancing access to concessional financing and grants, debt relief or cancellation, increasing the share of least developed countries in global trade, and accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The Seville Declaration represents a pivotal link in a series of global initiatives and establishes a new phase of investment- and equity-based development financing, in preparation for the in-depth review of the international community’s commitments to least developed countries, which will be held in Doha next November.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Peter M Macharia, Senior postdoctoral research fellow, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp

    The lack of reliable information about health facilities across sub-Saharan Africa became very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid a surge in emergency care needs, information was lacking about the location of facilities, bed capacity and oxygen availability, and even where to find medical specialists. This data could have enabled precise assessments of hospital surge capacity and geographic access to critical care. Peter Macharia and Emelda Okiro, whose research focuses on public health and equity of health service access in low resource settings, share the findings of their recent study, co-authored with colleagues.

    What are open health facility databases?

    A health facility is a service delivery point where healthcare services are provided. The facilities can range from small clinics and doctor’s offices to large teaching and referral hospitals.

    A health facility database is a list of all health facilities in a country or geographic area, such as a district. A typical database should assign each health facility a unique code, name, size, type (from primary to tertiary), ownership (public or private), operational status (working or closed), location and subnational unit (county or district). It should also record services (emergency obstetric care, for example), capacity (number of beds, for example), infrastructure (electricity availability, for example), contact information (address and email), and when this information was last updated.

    The ideal method of compiling this list is to conduct a census, as Kenya did in 2023. But this takes resources. Some countries have compiled lists from existing incomplete ones. Senegal did this and so did Kenya in 2003 and 2008.

    This list should be open to stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners and researchers. Health facility lists must be shared through a governance framework that balances data sharing with protections for data subjects and creators. In some countries, such as Kenya and Malawi, these listings are accessible through web portals without additional permission. In others, such facility lists do not exist or require extra permission.

    Why are they useful to have?

    Facility listings can serve the needs of individuals and communities. They also serve sub-national, national and continental health objectives.

    At the individual level, a facility list offers a choice of alternatives to health seekers. At the community level, the data can guide decisions like where to place community health workers, as seen in Mali and Sierra Leone.

    Health lists are useful when distributing commodities such as bed nets and allocating resources based on the health needs of the areas they serve. They help in planning for vaccination campaigns by creating detailed immunisation microplans.

    By taking account of the disease burden, social dynamics and environmental factors, health services can be tailored to specific needs.

    Detailed maps of healthcare resources enable quicker emergency responses by pinpointing facilities equipped for specific crises. Disease surveillance systems depend on continuously collecting data from healthcare facilities.

    At the continental level, lists are crucial for a coordinated health system response during pandemics and outbreaks. They can facilitate cross-border planning, pandemic preparedness and collaboration.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, these lists informed where to put additional resources such as makeshift hospitals or transport programmes for adults over  60 years of age.

    The lists are used to identify vulnerable populations at risk of emerging pathogens and populations that can benefit from new health facilities.

    They are important when it comes to making emergency obstetric and newborn care accessible.

    What goes wrong if you don’t have them?

    Many problems arise if we don’t know where health facilities are or what they offer. Healthcare planning becomes inefficient. This can result in duplicate facility lists and the misallocation of resources, which leads to waste and inequities.

    We can’t identify populations that lack services. Emergency responses weaken due to uncertainty about where best to move patients with specific conditions.

    Resources are wasted when there are duplicate facility lists. For example, between 2010 and 2016, six government departments partnered with development organisations, resulting in ten lists of health facilities in Nigeria.

    In Tanzania, over 10 different health facility lists existed in 2009. Maintained by donors and government agencies, the function-specific lists didn’t work together to share information easily and accurately. This prompted the need for a national master facility list.

    What needs to happen to build one?

    A comprehensive list of health facilities can be compiled through mapping exercises or from existing lists. The health ministry should take responsibility for setting up, developing and updating this list.

    Partnerships are crucial for developing facility lists. Stakeholders include donors, implementing and humanitarian partners, technical advisors and research institutions. Many of these have their own project-based lists, which should integrate into a centralised facility list managed by the ministry. The health ministry must foster a transparent environment, encouraging citizens and stakeholders to contribute to enhancing health facility data.

    Political and financial commitment from governments is essential. Creating and maintaining a proper list requires significant investment. Expertise and resources are necessary to keep it updated.

    A commitment to open data is a necessary step. Open access to these lists makes them more complete, reliable and useful.

    Peter Macharia is funded by Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- Belgium (FWO, number 1201925N) for his Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship.

    Emelda Okiro receives funding for her research from the Wellcome Trust through a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship (#224272).

    – ref. How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases – https://theconversation.com/how-far-is-your-closest-hospital-or-clinic-public-health-researchers-explain-why-africa-needs-up-to-date-health-facility-databases-259190

    MIL OSI –

  • Corporate profits in India grew nearly 3x faster than GDP between FY20–25: Report

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India Inc has shown remarkable financial strength over the last five years, with corporate profits growing nearly three times faster than the country’s GDP between FY20 and FY25, a new report said on Thursday.

    The profit-to-GDP ratio has risen significantly to 6.9 per cent — reflecting strong earnings performance despite economic challenges, according to the data compiled by Ionic Wealth (Angel One).

    The report, titled ‘India Inc. FY25: Decoding Earnings Trends & Path Ahead’, highlights that FY25 was a resilient year for Indian companies.

    Revenue of Nifty 500 firms grew by 6.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY), while EBITDA rose by 10.4 per cent and profit after tax (PAT) increased by 5.6 per cent.

    Notably, mid-cap and small-cap companies outshined large-cap firms in terms of profit growth, recording 22 per cent and 17 per cent PAT growth respectively, compared to just 3 per cent for large caps.

    Sector-wise, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) emerged as a major driver of profitability, with its share of total profits nearly doubling since the pandemic.

    Auto, capital goods, and consumer durables also posted healthy earnings growth.

    Consumer durables led with a massive 57 per cent PAT growth in FY25, followed by healthcare at 36 per cent and capital goods at 26 per cent, as per the report.

    Companies also benefited from margin improvements in sectors such as cement, chemicals, metals, and auto, helped by easing inflation and better input cost management.

    The report also points to a significant jump in capital expenditure plans. India Inc. aims to nearly double its capex to Rs 72.25 lakh crore during FY26–30, with a majority of the investment expected to be self-funded.

    Around 80 per cent of this capex is focused on upgrading existing operations and generating new income, with sectors like power, green energy, telecom, auto, and cement leading the next wave of investments.

    Looking ahead to FY26, the outlook varies by sector. Banks and NBFCs may see loan growth stabilise as interest rates are expected to ease in the second half of the year.

    The IT sector is likely to witness a recovery, driven by cost-optimisation deals and demand from BFSI clients.

    Pharma growth will be supported by expansion in chronic therapies and hospital networks, while the FMCG sector is expected to benefit from improving rural demand and a good monsoon, the report said.

    (IANS)

  • Corporate profits in India grew nearly 3x faster than GDP between FY20–25: Report

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India Inc has shown remarkable financial strength over the last five years, with corporate profits growing nearly three times faster than the country’s GDP between FY20 and FY25, a new report said on Thursday.

    The profit-to-GDP ratio has risen significantly to 6.9 per cent — reflecting strong earnings performance despite economic challenges, according to the data compiled by Ionic Wealth (Angel One).

    The report, titled ‘India Inc. FY25: Decoding Earnings Trends & Path Ahead’, highlights that FY25 was a resilient year for Indian companies.

    Revenue of Nifty 500 firms grew by 6.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY), while EBITDA rose by 10.4 per cent and profit after tax (PAT) increased by 5.6 per cent.

    Notably, mid-cap and small-cap companies outshined large-cap firms in terms of profit growth, recording 22 per cent and 17 per cent PAT growth respectively, compared to just 3 per cent for large caps.

    Sector-wise, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) emerged as a major driver of profitability, with its share of total profits nearly doubling since the pandemic.

    Auto, capital goods, and consumer durables also posted healthy earnings growth.

    Consumer durables led with a massive 57 per cent PAT growth in FY25, followed by healthcare at 36 per cent and capital goods at 26 per cent, as per the report.

    Companies also benefited from margin improvements in sectors such as cement, chemicals, metals, and auto, helped by easing inflation and better input cost management.

    The report also points to a significant jump in capital expenditure plans. India Inc. aims to nearly double its capex to Rs 72.25 lakh crore during FY26–30, with a majority of the investment expected to be self-funded.

    Around 80 per cent of this capex is focused on upgrading existing operations and generating new income, with sectors like power, green energy, telecom, auto, and cement leading the next wave of investments.

    Looking ahead to FY26, the outlook varies by sector. Banks and NBFCs may see loan growth stabilise as interest rates are expected to ease in the second half of the year.

    The IT sector is likely to witness a recovery, driven by cost-optimisation deals and demand from BFSI clients.

    Pharma growth will be supported by expansion in chronic therapies and hospital networks, while the FMCG sector is expected to benefit from improving rural demand and a good monsoon, the report said.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Peter M Macharia, Senior postdoctoral research fellow, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp

    The lack of reliable information about health facilities across sub-Saharan Africa became very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid a surge in emergency care needs, information was lacking about the location of facilities, bed capacity and oxygen availability, and even where to find medical specialists. This data could have enabled precise assessments of hospital surge capacity and geographic access to critical care. Peter Macharia and Emelda Okiro, whose research focuses on public health and equity of health service access in low resource settings, share the findings of their recent study, co-authored with colleagues.

    What are open health facility databases?

    A health facility is a service delivery point where healthcare services are provided. The facilities can range from small clinics and doctor’s offices to large teaching and referral hospitals.

    A health facility database is a list of all health facilities in a country or geographic area, such as a district. A typical database should assign each health facility a unique code, name, size, type (from primary to tertiary), ownership (public or private), operational status (working or closed), location and subnational unit (county or district). It should also record services (emergency obstetric care, for example), capacity (number of beds, for example), infrastructure (electricity availability, for example), contact information (address and email), and when this information was last updated.

    The ideal method of compiling this list is to conduct a census, as Kenya did in 2023. But this takes resources. Some countries have compiled lists from existing incomplete ones. Senegal did this and so did Kenya in 2003 and 2008.

    This list should be open to stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners and researchers. Health facility lists must be shared through a governance framework that balances data sharing with protections for data subjects and creators. In some countries, such as Kenya and Malawi, these listings are accessible through web portals without additional permission. In others, such facility lists do not exist or require extra permission.

    Why are they useful to have?

    Facility listings can serve the needs of individuals and communities. They also serve sub-national, national and continental health objectives.

    At the individual level, a facility list offers a choice of alternatives to health seekers. At the community level, the data can guide decisions like where to place community health workers, as seen in Mali and Sierra Leone.

    Health lists are useful when distributing commodities such as bed nets and allocating resources based on the health needs of the areas they serve. They help in planning for vaccination campaigns by creating detailed immunisation microplans.

    By taking account of the disease burden, social dynamics and environmental factors, health services can be tailored to specific needs.

    Detailed maps of healthcare resources enable quicker emergency responses by pinpointing facilities equipped for specific crises. Disease surveillance systems depend on continuously collecting data from healthcare facilities.

    At the continental level, lists are crucial for a coordinated health system response during pandemics and outbreaks. They can facilitate cross-border planning, pandemic preparedness and collaboration.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, these lists informed where to put additional resources such as makeshift hospitals or transport programmes for adults over  60 years of age.

    The lists are used to identify vulnerable populations at risk of emerging pathogens and populations that can benefit from new health facilities.

    They are important when it comes to making emergency obstetric and newborn care accessible.

    What goes wrong if you don’t have them?

    Many problems arise if we don’t know where health facilities are or what they offer. Healthcare planning becomes inefficient. This can result in duplicate facility lists and the misallocation of resources, which leads to waste and inequities.

    We can’t identify populations that lack services. Emergency responses weaken due to uncertainty about where best to move patients with specific conditions.

    Resources are wasted when there are duplicate facility lists. For example, between 2010 and 2016, six government departments partnered with development organisations, resulting in ten lists of health facilities in Nigeria.

    In Tanzania, over 10 different health facility lists existed in 2009. Maintained by donors and government agencies, the function-specific lists didn’t work together to share information easily and accurately. This prompted the need for a national master facility list.

    What needs to happen to build one?

    A comprehensive list of health facilities can be compiled through mapping exercises or from existing lists. The health ministry should take responsibility for setting up, developing and updating this list.

    Partnerships are crucial for developing facility lists. Stakeholders include donors, implementing and humanitarian partners, technical advisors and research institutions. Many of these have their own project-based lists, which should integrate into a centralised facility list managed by the ministry. The health ministry must foster a transparent environment, encouraging citizens and stakeholders to contribute to enhancing health facility data.

    Political and financial commitment from governments is essential. Creating and maintaining a proper list requires significant investment. Expertise and resources are necessary to keep it updated.

    A commitment to open data is a necessary step. Open access to these lists makes them more complete, reliable and useful.

    Peter Macharia is funded by Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- Belgium (FWO, number 1201925N) for his Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship.

    Emelda Okiro receives funding for her research from the Wellcome Trust through a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship (#224272).

    – ref. How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases – https://theconversation.com/how-far-is-your-closest-hospital-or-clinic-public-health-researchers-explain-why-africa-needs-up-to-date-health-facility-databases-259190

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul Shafer, Associate Professor of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University

    The Affordable Care Act has survived its fourth Supreme Court challenge. Ted Eytan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 6-3 ruling that preserves free preventive care under the Affordable Care Act, a popular benefit that helps approximately 150 million Americans stay healthy.

    The case, Kennedy v. Braidwood, was the fourth major legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. The decision, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh with the support of Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor, ruled that insurers must continue to cover at no cost any preventive care approved by a federal panel called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Members of the task force are independent scientific experts, appointed for four-year terms. The panel’s role had been purely advisory until the ACA, and the plaintiffs contended that the members lacked the appropriate authority as they had not been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court rejected this argument, saying that members simply needed to be appointed by the Health and Human Services Secretary – currently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – which they had been, under his predecessor during the Biden administration.

    This ruling seemingly safeguards access to preventive care. But as public health researchers who study health insurance and sexual health, we see another concern: It leaves preventive care vulnerable to how Kennedy and future HHS secretaries will choose to exercise their power over the task force and its recommendations.

    What is the US Preventive Services Task Force?

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was initially created in 1984 to develop recommendations about prevention for primary care doctors. It is modeled after the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, which was established in 1976.

    Under the ACA, insurers must fully cover all screenings and interventions endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

    The task force makes new recommendations and updates existing ones by reviewing clinical and policy evidence on a regular basis and weighing the potential benefits and risks of a wide range of health screenings and interventions. These include mammograms; blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis screenings; and HIV prevention. Over 150 million Americans have benefited from free coverage of these recommended services under the ACA, and around 60% of privately insured people use at least one of the covered services each year.

    The task force plays such a crucial role in health care because it is one of three federal groups whose recommendations insurers must abide by. Section 2713 of the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to offer full coverage of preventive services endorsed by three federal groups: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. For example, the coronavirus relief bill, which passed in March 2020 and allocated emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, used this provision to ensure COVID-19 vaccines would be free for many Americans.

    The Braidwood case and HIV prevention

    This case, originally filed in Texas in 2020, was brought by Braidwood Management, a Christian for-profit corporation owned by Steven Hotze, a Texas physician and Republican activist who has previously filed multiple lawsuits against the ACA. Braidwood and its co-plaintiffs argued on religious grounds against being forced to offer preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a medicine that prevents HIV infection, in their insurance plans.

    At issue in Braidwood was whether task force members – providers and researchers who provide independent and nonpartisan expertise – were appropriately appointed and supervised under the appointments clause of the Constitution, which specifies how various government positions are appointed. The case called into question free coverage of all recommendations made by the task force since the Affordable Care Act was passed in March 2010.

    In the ruling, Kavanaugh wrote that “the Task Force members’ appointments are fully consistent with the Appointments Clause in Article II of the Constitution.” In laying out his reasoning, he wrote, “The Task Force members were appointed by and are supervised and directed by the Secretary of HHS. And the Secretary of HHS, in turn, answers to the President of the United States.”

    Concerns over political influence

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is meant to operate independently of political influence, and its decisions are technically not directly reviewable. However, the task force is appointed by the HHS secretary, who may remove any of its members at any time for any reason, even if such actions are highly unusual.

    Kennedy recently took the unprecedented step of removing all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which debates vaccine safety but also, crucially, helps decide what immunizations are free to Americans guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. The newly constituted committee, appointed in weeks rather than years, includes several vaccine skeptics and has already moved to rescind some vaccine recommendations, such as routine COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and children.

    Kennedy has also proposed restructuring out of existence the agency that supports the task force, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. That agency has been subject to massive layoffs within the Department of Health and Human Services. For full disclosure, one of the authors is currently funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and previously worked there.

    The decision to safeguard the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force as a body and, by extension, free preventive care under the ACA, doesn’t come without risks and highlights the fragility of long-standing, independent advisory systems in the face of the politicization of health. Kennedy could simply remove the existing task force members and replace them with members who may reshape the types of care recommended to Americans by their doctors and insurance plans based on debunked science and misinformation.

    Partisanship and the politicization of health threaten trust in evidence. Already, signs are emerging that Americans on both side of the political divide are losing confidence in government health agencies. This ruling preserves a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act, yet federal health guidelines and access to lifesaving care could still swing dramatically in Kennedy’s hands – or with each subsequent transition of power.

    Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles published on Sept. 7, 2021; Dec. 1, 2021; Sept. 13, 2022; April 7, 2023; and April 15, 2025.

    Paul Shafer receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Department of Veterans Affairs. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    Kristefer Stojanovski receives funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    – ref. The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands – https://theconversation.com/the-supreme-court-upholds-free-preventive-care-but-its-future-now-rests-in-rfk-jr-s-hands-260072

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul Shafer, Associate Professor of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University

    The Affordable Care Act has survived its fourth Supreme Court challenge. Ted Eytan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 6-3 ruling that preserves free preventive care under the Affordable Care Act, a popular benefit that helps approximately 150 million Americans stay healthy.

    The case, Kennedy v. Braidwood, was the fourth major legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. The decision, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh with the support of Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor, ruled that insurers must continue to cover at no cost any preventive care approved by a federal panel called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Members of the task force are independent scientific experts, appointed for four-year terms. The panel’s role had been purely advisory until the ACA, and the plaintiffs contended that the members lacked the appropriate authority as they had not been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court rejected this argument, saying that members simply needed to be appointed by the Health and Human Services Secretary – currently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – which they had been, under his predecessor during the Biden administration.

    This ruling seemingly safeguards access to preventive care. But as public health researchers who study health insurance and sexual health, we see another concern: It leaves preventive care vulnerable to how Kennedy and future HHS secretaries will choose to exercise their power over the task force and its recommendations.

    What is the US Preventive Services Task Force?

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was initially created in 1984 to develop recommendations about prevention for primary care doctors. It is modeled after the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, which was established in 1976.

    Under the ACA, insurers must fully cover all screenings and interventions endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

    The task force makes new recommendations and updates existing ones by reviewing clinical and policy evidence on a regular basis and weighing the potential benefits and risks of a wide range of health screenings and interventions. These include mammograms; blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis screenings; and HIV prevention. Over 150 million Americans have benefited from free coverage of these recommended services under the ACA, and around 60% of privately insured people use at least one of the covered services each year.

    The task force plays such a crucial role in health care because it is one of three federal groups whose recommendations insurers must abide by. Section 2713 of the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to offer full coverage of preventive services endorsed by three federal groups: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. For example, the coronavirus relief bill, which passed in March 2020 and allocated emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, used this provision to ensure COVID-19 vaccines would be free for many Americans.

    The Braidwood case and HIV prevention

    This case, originally filed in Texas in 2020, was brought by Braidwood Management, a Christian for-profit corporation owned by Steven Hotze, a Texas physician and Republican activist who has previously filed multiple lawsuits against the ACA. Braidwood and its co-plaintiffs argued on religious grounds against being forced to offer preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a medicine that prevents HIV infection, in their insurance plans.

    At issue in Braidwood was whether task force members – providers and researchers who provide independent and nonpartisan expertise – were appropriately appointed and supervised under the appointments clause of the Constitution, which specifies how various government positions are appointed. The case called into question free coverage of all recommendations made by the task force since the Affordable Care Act was passed in March 2010.

    In the ruling, Kavanaugh wrote that “the Task Force members’ appointments are fully consistent with the Appointments Clause in Article II of the Constitution.” In laying out his reasoning, he wrote, “The Task Force members were appointed by and are supervised and directed by the Secretary of HHS. And the Secretary of HHS, in turn, answers to the President of the United States.”

    Concerns over political influence

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is meant to operate independently of political influence, and its decisions are technically not directly reviewable. However, the task force is appointed by the HHS secretary, who may remove any of its members at any time for any reason, even if such actions are highly unusual.

    Kennedy recently took the unprecedented step of removing all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which debates vaccine safety but also, crucially, helps decide what immunizations are free to Americans guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. The newly constituted committee, appointed in weeks rather than years, includes several vaccine skeptics and has already moved to rescind some vaccine recommendations, such as routine COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and children.

    Kennedy has also proposed restructuring out of existence the agency that supports the task force, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. That agency has been subject to massive layoffs within the Department of Health and Human Services. For full disclosure, one of the authors is currently funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and previously worked there.

    The decision to safeguard the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force as a body and, by extension, free preventive care under the ACA, doesn’t come without risks and highlights the fragility of long-standing, independent advisory systems in the face of the politicization of health. Kennedy could simply remove the existing task force members and replace them with members who may reshape the types of care recommended to Americans by their doctors and insurance plans based on debunked science and misinformation.

    Partisanship and the politicization of health threaten trust in evidence. Already, signs are emerging that Americans on both side of the political divide are losing confidence in government health agencies. This ruling preserves a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act, yet federal health guidelines and access to lifesaving care could still swing dramatically in Kennedy’s hands – or with each subsequent transition of power.

    Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles published on Sept. 7, 2021; Dec. 1, 2021; Sept. 13, 2022; April 7, 2023; and April 15, 2025.

    Paul Shafer receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Department of Veterans Affairs. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    Kristefer Stojanovski receives funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    – ref. The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands – https://theconversation.com/the-supreme-court-upholds-free-preventive-care-but-its-future-now-rests-in-rfk-jr-s-hands-260072

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Paul Shafer, Associate Professor of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University

    The Affordable Care Act has survived its fourth Supreme Court challenge. Ted Eytan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 6-3 ruling that preserves free preventive care under the Affordable Care Act, a popular benefit that helps approximately 150 million Americans stay healthy.

    The case, Kennedy v. Braidwood, was the fourth major legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. The decision, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh with the support of Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor, ruled that insurers must continue to cover at no cost any preventive care approved by a federal panel called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Members of the task force are independent scientific experts, appointed for four-year terms. The panel’s role had been purely advisory until the ACA, and the plaintiffs contended that the members lacked the appropriate authority as they had not been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court rejected this argument, saying that members simply needed to be appointed by the Health and Human Services Secretary – currently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – which they had been, under his predecessor during the Biden administration.

    This ruling seemingly safeguards access to preventive care. But as public health researchers who study health insurance and sexual health, we see another concern: It leaves preventive care vulnerable to how Kennedy and future HHS secretaries will choose to exercise their power over the task force and its recommendations.

    What is the US Preventive Services Task Force?

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was initially created in 1984 to develop recommendations about prevention for primary care doctors. It is modeled after the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, which was established in 1976.

    Under the ACA, insurers must fully cover all screenings and interventions endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

    The task force makes new recommendations and updates existing ones by reviewing clinical and policy evidence on a regular basis and weighing the potential benefits and risks of a wide range of health screenings and interventions. These include mammograms; blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis screenings; and HIV prevention. Over 150 million Americans have benefited from free coverage of these recommended services under the ACA, and around 60% of privately insured people use at least one of the covered services each year.

    The task force plays such a crucial role in health care because it is one of three federal groups whose recommendations insurers must abide by. Section 2713 of the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to offer full coverage of preventive services endorsed by three federal groups: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. For example, the coronavirus relief bill, which passed in March 2020 and allocated emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, used this provision to ensure COVID-19 vaccines would be free for many Americans.

    The Braidwood case and HIV prevention

    This case, originally filed in Texas in 2020, was brought by Braidwood Management, a Christian for-profit corporation owned by Steven Hotze, a Texas physician and Republican activist who has previously filed multiple lawsuits against the ACA. Braidwood and its co-plaintiffs argued on religious grounds against being forced to offer preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a medicine that prevents HIV infection, in their insurance plans.

    At issue in Braidwood was whether task force members – providers and researchers who provide independent and nonpartisan expertise – were appropriately appointed and supervised under the appointments clause of the Constitution, which specifies how various government positions are appointed. The case called into question free coverage of all recommendations made by the task force since the Affordable Care Act was passed in March 2010.

    In the ruling, Kavanaugh wrote that “the Task Force members’ appointments are fully consistent with the Appointments Clause in Article II of the Constitution.” In laying out his reasoning, he wrote, “The Task Force members were appointed by and are supervised and directed by the Secretary of HHS. And the Secretary of HHS, in turn, answers to the President of the United States.”

    Concerns over political influence

    The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is meant to operate independently of political influence, and its decisions are technically not directly reviewable. However, the task force is appointed by the HHS secretary, who may remove any of its members at any time for any reason, even if such actions are highly unusual.

    Kennedy recently took the unprecedented step of removing all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which debates vaccine safety but also, crucially, helps decide what immunizations are free to Americans guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. The newly constituted committee, appointed in weeks rather than years, includes several vaccine skeptics and has already moved to rescind some vaccine recommendations, such as routine COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and children.

    Kennedy has also proposed restructuring out of existence the agency that supports the task force, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. That agency has been subject to massive layoffs within the Department of Health and Human Services. For full disclosure, one of the authors is currently funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and previously worked there.

    The decision to safeguard the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force as a body and, by extension, free preventive care under the ACA, doesn’t come without risks and highlights the fragility of long-standing, independent advisory systems in the face of the politicization of health. Kennedy could simply remove the existing task force members and replace them with members who may reshape the types of care recommended to Americans by their doctors and insurance plans based on debunked science and misinformation.

    Partisanship and the politicization of health threaten trust in evidence. Already, signs are emerging that Americans on both side of the political divide are losing confidence in government health agencies. This ruling preserves a crucial part of the Affordable Care Act, yet federal health guidelines and access to lifesaving care could still swing dramatically in Kennedy’s hands – or with each subsequent transition of power.

    Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles published on Sept. 7, 2021; Dec. 1, 2021; Sept. 13, 2022; April 7, 2023; and April 15, 2025.

    Paul Shafer receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Department of Veterans Affairs. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    Kristefer Stojanovski receives funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

    – ref. The Supreme Court upholds free preventive care, but its future now rests in RFK Jr.’s hands – https://theconversation.com/the-supreme-court-upholds-free-preventive-care-but-its-future-now-rests-in-rfk-jr-s-hands-260072

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: ROSNEFT OIL COMPANY FULL YEAR 2024 IFRS RESULTS

    Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    • 2024 HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION  AMOUNTED TO 255.9 MLN TOE
    • 2024 LIQUID HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION AMOUNTED TO 184.0 MLN TONS
    • 2024 GAS PRODUCTION TOTALLED 87.5 BCM
    • 2024 EBITDA AMOUNTED TO RUB 3,029 BLN
    • 2024 NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ROSNEFT SHAREHOLDERS AMOUNTED TO RUB 1,084 BLN
    • 2024 FREE CASH FLOW AMOUNTED TO RUB 1,295 BLN
    • 2024 UNIT UPSTREAM COSTS AMOUNTED TO $2.9/BOE
    • THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PAID TAXES AND OTHER PAYMENTS BY THE COMPANY TO THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION EXCEEDED RUB 6.1 TRLN

    Rosneft Oil Company (hereafter, “Rosneft”, and the “Company”) publishes its results for 12M 2024 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

      12M
    2024    		 12M
    2023    		 % change
      RUB bln (except for %)
    Revenues from sales and equity share in profits of associates and joint ventures 10,139 9,163 10.7%
    EBITDA 3,029 3,005 0.8%
    Net income attributable to Rosneft shareholders 1,084 1,267 (14.4)%
    CAPEX 1,442 1,297 11.2%
    Adjusted free cash flow 1,295 1,427 (9.3)%

     

    Igor Sechin, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, said:

    “In the reporting year, the Company operated against the backdrop of oil production cap under the OPEC+ agreement, increased taxation, the natural monopolies tariff rises outstripping inflation, incremental anti-terrorist security costs, growing sanctions pressure, and unprecedented interest rates increases.

    Management focused its efforts on revenue and EBITDA growth, while maintaining unit upstream costs at less than $3/boe, which is in line with our strategic objective, as well as on debt burden reduction. At the end of the year the net financial debt/EBITDA ratio amounted to less than 1.2x.

    Rosneft is the country’s largest taxpayer. In 2024, the total amount of paid taxes and other payments made by the Company to the consolidated budget of the Russian Federation exceeded RUB 6,1 trillion1.This is record high both for the Company and for the whole of the Russian market.

    The net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders is lower as compared to the previous year due to the impact of non-cash factors, the main one being the revaluation of tax liabilities due to the income tax rate increase to 25% from 2025. In accordance with IFRS requirements, this resulted in a restatement of deferred tax with a negative income effect of RUB 0.24 trillion. However, efficient execution and improved development parameters of a number of our key projects afforded an opportunity to dramatically reduce the negative effect of these changes.

    The sizable key rate increase exerted additional pressure on the net income. In particular, the Company’s interest expenses on loans and borrowings increased 1.5 times in 2024. I should note that the Bank of Russia maintains a very high real interest rate in the economy: in the last two years, it has been the highest in the world.

    Taking into account our shareholders’ interests and in full compliance with the dividend policy, in February, the Company paid an interim dividend of RUB 36.47 per share. The Company has been paying dividends consecutively since 1999. The dividend base has remained unchanged since the 2011 dividend, which ensures transparency and predictability of the dividend amount. I am pleased to note that in the last year alone the number of our shareholders increased by almost a third and reached 1.5 million people.

    Taking into account the negative macroeconomic environment, the Company forcibly adjusts its strategy to sustain its fundamental value. In 2024, in order to support its stock prices during the periods of sharp decline, the Company continued its Share Buyback Program previously approved by the Board of Directors. At the end of October – beginning of November 2024, when the Russian stock market hit its local lows, Rosneft successfully bought back about 2.6 mln of its shares at an average price of RUB 443.7. The Company used the same mechanism during 2020, when commodity markets suffered a COVID-pandemic related price crisis. At that time, the Company bought back about 0.76% of its shares at an average price of RUB 347.5. The current stake value exceeds the buyback price by more than 1.5х”.

    Operating performance

    Exploration and production

    FY2024, liquid hydrocarbon production amounted to 184.0 mln tons (3,737 th. bpd) on the back of, primarily, the production cap in compliance with the decisions of the Russian Government.

    In 2024, the Company’s gas production amounted to 87.5 bcm (1,455 th. boepd), maintaining Rosneft’s status as the largest independent gas producer in Russia. Greenfield projects in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District commissioned in 2022 account for over a third of the Company’s gas production.

    As a result, in 2024, the Company’s hydrocarbon production amounted to 255.9 mln toe (5,192 th. boepd).

    In 2024, production drilling footage exceeded 12 mln meters. Rosneft commissioned over 3 th. new wells, horizontal wells accounting for 72% of that amount.

    In 2024, Rosneft conducted 1.2 th. linear km of 2D seismic and 5.3 th. sq. km of 3D seismic onshore Russia. The Company completed testing of 62 exploratory wells with a success rate of 89%.

    In 2024, Rosneft discovered 7 deposits and 97 new hydrocarbon accumulations to the total of 0.2 bln toe under the AB1C1+B2C2 categories of the Russian reserve classification due to the high efficiency of the Company’s exploration activities. As a result, Rosneft’s hydrocarbon reserves under the Russian classification amounted to 21.5 bln toe (AB1C1+B2C2) at the end of 2024.

    Following an audit under the international PRMS classification (Petroleum Resources Management System), the Company’s 2P hydrocarbon reserves amounted to 11.4 bln toe. The 2P reserves replacement ratio exceeds 100%.

    Vostok Oil Project

    As part of the Vostok Oil project, in 2024, the Company completed 0.7 th. linear km of 2D seismic and 0.6 th. sq. km of 3D seismic. Rosneft carried out successful testing of 4 wells, with 1 well being drilled and 3 more wells being tested.

    In the reporting year, the project scope expanded from 52 to 60 license areas, and the resource base under the Russian classification increased to 7.0 bln tons of crude oil.

    The Company continues pilot development of the Payakhskoye, Ichemminskoye and Baikalovskoye fields: in 2024, production drilling footage amounted to 92 th. meters, while 11 production wells were completed. Successful drilling and testing of wells at the Payakhskoye field resulted in transportation of produced oil to the nearby Suzun field.

    Work is underway at the ‘Vankor – Payakha – Sever Bay’ trunk oil pipeline. As of the end of 2024, over 78,000 piles were installed; 359 km of pipeline were laid, including a 119 km long two-piped section. The Company completed laying and leak testing of the main pipeline crossing the Yenisei River, continues laying the backup pipeline.

    The Company completed most of the work on the construction of two cargo berths, as well as a berth for the port fleet at the Sever Bay Port terminal. Construction of the first oil loading berth is underway, and preparatory work for the second one is carried out. Construction of a crude oil delivery and acceptance point and the Suzun oil pumping station is underway. The Company continues with the construction of logistics infrastructure and hydraulic engineering installations, shore reinforcement, and expansion of onshore and berth infrastructure.

    Refining

    In 2024, Rosneft processed 82.6 mln tons of crude oil in Russia.

    Efforts have been made to maintain a high degree of reliability of refining assets and transition to domestic technologies. In particular, Rosneft provides its refineries with proprietary catalysts, which are essential for the production of high-quality motor fuel. In 2024, Rosneft produced more than 2 th. tons of catalysts for hydrotreatment of diesel fuel and gasoline fractions, as well as protective layer catalysts. Rosneft subsidiaries also produced 138 tons of gasoline reforming catalysts and 390 tons of catalysts for hydrogen production, petrochemicals and adsorbents. 1.6 th. tons of coked catalysts for hydrotreatment of diesel fuel were regenerated.

    Stable supply of high-quality motor fuel to Russian consumers is one of Rosneft’s key priorities. In 2024, the Company sold 43.6 mln tons of petroleum products in the domestic market, including 13.1 mln tons of gasoline and 18.1 mln tons of diesel fuel.

    The Company is an active participant of trading activities at the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX). In the reporting year, Rosneft sold 10.1 mln tons of gasoline and diesel fuel on the exchange, which is twice the required volume.

    Financial performance

    Operating performance and the current macroeconomic environment combined with management solutions determined the dynamics of the Company’s key financial indicators.

    The Company’s revenue2 for 2024 amounted to RUB 10,139 bln, representing an increase of 10.7% year-on-year on the back of higher Urals prices. EBITDA amounted to RUB 3,029 bln with an EBITDA margin of 29.7%.

    The unit upstream liftng costs in 2024 amounted to $2.9/boe.

    FY2024 net income attributable to Rosneft shareholders amounted to RUB 1,084 bln, which was 14.4% lower year-on-year and driven primarily by higher debt financing rates, as well as non-cash factors, including exchange rate revaluation of foreign currency liabilities and the effect of changes in the income tax rate.

    In 2024, capital expenditures amounted to RUB 1,442 bln, which was 11.2% year-on-year higher due to the scheduled implementation of the investment program at Upstream assets. At the same time, free cash flow3 in the reporting period reached RUB 1,295 bln.

    The net debt / EBITDA ratio at the end of 2024 remained unchanged in comparison with the end of Q3 2024, amounting to 1.2x, despite new negative macroeconomic factors.

    ESG

    Based on 2024 results, Rosneft reaffirmed its leading positions in sustainable development as well as high quality of information disclosure.

    The Company once again became a constituent of the Moscow Exchange – RAEX “ESG Balanced” Index with the best performance among Russian oil and gas companies. Rosneft became the only Russian oil and gas company with an AA ESG-rating assigned by RAEX for its “very high” level of ESG risk and opportunity management, with Rosneft governance rating at the highest AAA level.

    As a result of RAEX research, Rosneft was recognized as a leader of efficient management of water resources, becoming the only Russian oil and gas company among the top-10 rating participants with the highest scores in prudent water consumption, as well as in the quality of corporate policies and programs related to water consumption. The share of recycled and reused water at Rosneft production facilities consistently has exceeded 90% for 10 years.

    Moreover, Rosneft became the only Russian oil and gas company with the highest A+ rating “Leader of Corporate ESG Practices in the Russian Federation” from the Corporate Development Agency “Da-strategy”.

    In the reporting period, the Company proceeded with activities aimed at achieving sustainable development goals under the ‘Rosneft-2030: Reliable Energy and Global Energy Transition’ strategy.

    Rosneft applies advanced technologies and state-of-the-art production methods to create a safe working environment and minimize the risk of occupational injuries and occupational illnesses. In 2024, the Lost Workday Injury Severity (LWIS) went down by 23%.

    In 2024, there were no gas, oil and water shows (release of oil, gas or water to the surface) during well drilling operations at Rosneft facilities. The Company continued with pipeline replacement as part of its efforts to minimize oil and petroleum product spills.

    In 2024, Rosneft reduced the area of contaminated land by 9%, and the volume of oily waste – by 11% under the corporate program for the elimination of environmental legacy. In particular, the Company completed execution of a large-scale remediation program of legacy lands harmed during the Soviet years at the Samotlor oil field. Biological soil productivity was restored at the area of more than 2.2 th. hectares.

    1 Excluding the reimbursement of the excise duty on crude oil, which represents compensation for oil companies’ losses from motor fuels domestic price controls and refinery modernization costs.
    2 Includes sales revenue and income from associated organizations and joint ventures.
    3 Adjusted for prepayments under long-term oil supply contracts, including accrued interest payments thereon, net change in operations of subsidiary banks, and operations with trading securities.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft Oil Company
     March 20, 2025

    These materials contain statements regarding future events and expectations that are forward-looking estimates. Any statement in these materials that is not historical information is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to adjust the data contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.

    Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grace McQuilten, Professor of Art and Associate Dean, Research and Innovation, School of Art, RMIT University

    Creative Australia’s decision earlier this year to rescind the selection of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s 2026 representatives at the Venice Biennale sent shockwaves through the arts sector.

    For many artists and arts workers, it reinforced concerns around participation and access for those from culturally and racially diverse backgrounds.

    This week’s reinstatement of the artistic team offers some comfort. However, the entire incident has reinforced that, while diversity in the arts is celebrated, inclusion at the highest level can’t be taken for granted.

    Some worrying stats

    Our 2024 survey of more than 900 visual and craft artists, and visual arts workers (who we define as workers who support the visual arts sector), revealed several concerning findings in relation to opportunity and inclusion for culturally and racially diverse creatives.

    The first key finding was more than 67% of artists and 78% of arts workers felt there were cultural and/or access-related barriers to them participating in the sector.

    The second was culturally diverse workers in the sector tended to identify as “early career” rather than “established”. This points to challenges for career progression and, in turn, to systemic and structural barriers to career development.

    Of all the people we surveyed, 17% of visual artists and 20% of visual arts workers reported being of a culturally diverse background. Of these, only 15% of artists and 14% of arts workers reported being at an “established” career stage.

    By contrast, among the general population of artists (including those without a diverse background), 30% of the artists reported being “established” in their careers, along with 26% of arts workers.

    Art shouldn’t be at the behest of politics

    Issues around political censorship and cultural bias in the sector were not a focus of our survey, which was conducted nine months after the war in Gaza began, and before Creative Australia’s selection (and swift cancellation) of the 2026 Venice Biennale team.

    Nonetheless, respondents were concerned their political views, and/or their cultural or racial background, could impact their likelihood of advancing a career in the sector.

    Some respondents explained if they were no longer working as an artist or arts worker in five years’ time, it would most likely be due to “systemic discrimination” and “increasing censorship prevalent in this industry”.

    According to an independent review into the Sabsabi decision (and its reversal):

    While no formal assessment was undertaken, it is clear that there was a general awareness within Creative Australia, among those with knowledge of the selected Artistic Team, that the decision had the potential to be controversial. The Panel heard that, at the time, the decision was described as ‘bold’ or ‘courageous’. The source of potential controversy was seen to lie in the fact of selecting any artist with heritage connected to the Middle East at a time when conflict in that region was so emotive and polarising, rather than because of the proposed nature of the work to be undertaken at the 2026 Venice Biennale.

    Entrenched harmful biases

    Sadly, the negative response from politicians to the initial selection of Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino gave credibility to our respondents’ concerns.

    One participant told us “being called Ahmed* is a bit of a disadvantage given the international situation”.

    Another said “only certain cultures and political plights are given support”.

    Financial security is also potentially at risk. As one respondent explained, the main barrier to their personal financial security were political values. “My work is at risk when governments change,” they said.

    Artists and arts workers from culturally and racially diverse backgrounds also reported more significant impacts from the cost-of-living crisis, along with poorer mental health and work-life balance.

    Importantly, our findings don’t stand in isolation. Similar issues have been identified by Diversity Arts Australia, who in 2022 reported on the significant negative impacts of the pandemic on First Nations artists and artists of colour.

    Also, in 2021, Creative Australia reported on problems around inclusion and access for culturally diverse communities in the arts and cultural sector.

    What might progress look like?

    Our research involved making a number of policy recommendations to tackle these issues.

    For one thing, there is a clear need for organisational change. On this front, arts organisations and employers should invest in cultural competency training for all staff and board members. They should also prioritise professional development and career growth for culturally and racially diverse staff.

    To drive meaningful change, funding incentives should be introduced to support diverse leadership. This should include higher pay for culturally and/or racially diverse leaders whose backgrounds lead them to having added responsibility in the workplace.

    The sector also needs greater transparency around cultural and racial representation in staffing and leadership roles, including board roles. This will promote accountability and help drive cultural change.

    Finally, success for artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds requires the Australian art world to engage with multiple world views – and understand not all art will be immediately accessible to all audiences.

    The controversy surrounding Creative Australia’s biennale backflip offers an opportunity for the visual arts sector to reckon with deep and troubling issues of structural inequity, along with broader questions of free expression – especially in a fraught political climate.

    These issues are wider than the art world. But what better place to start?

    *Name changed to protect identity.

    Grace McQuilten received funding from the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects funding scheme (project LP200100054). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian government or Australian Research Council.

    Kate MacNeill received funding from the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Projects funding scheme (project LP200100054). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian government or Australian Research Council.

    – ref. The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality – https://theconversation.com/the-takeaway-from-the-venice-biennale-saga-the-art-world-faces-deep-and-troubling-structural-inequality-260316

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Kingdom of the Netherlands – Curaçao: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    July 2, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC.

    Curaçao’s economic activity expanded by 5 percent in 2024, as strong tourism performance trickled into the wider economy. Stayover arrivals, growing at double digits, continued to outperform Caribbean peers and carried over to other sectors, including whole trade, real estate, and construction. Mostly related to holiday homes and hotels, construction was further fueled by strong mortgage growth and complemented by a resumption of public investments under the Road Maintenance Plan. Average headline inflation declined to 2.6 percent in 2024 from 3.5 percent in 2023, in line with global oil prices and lower US inflation. Real wages increased for the first time in five years but job creation continued to be dominated by informal construction and tourism-related sectors while formal employment declined. The primary surplus continued its upward trajectory on the back of increased tax collection on goods and services. The current account deficit widened due to higher merchandise imports, mainly related to construction activity.

    The government is pursuing an ambitious agenda to steer a now tourism-led economy, amidst heightened global uncertainty. Mindful of tourism saturation and a decoupling of local living standards, the authorities strive to improve social conditions while generating sustainable and green growth amid safeguarding solid public finances. The near doubling of the tourism footprint within five years brought profound structural shifts to Curaçao’s economy, including the decline in manufacturing and rise in services, lower overall wages, higher informality, and greater reliance on – more regressive – indirect taxation. Policy responses need to shift accordingly. Priorities are rightly focused on upgrading tourist experiences and diversification, improving skills and labor market conditions, and reforming the tax system in an equitable way while addressing social spending pressures. The administration has delivered on a first round of targeted, one-off pension increases this year, continued reforms to contain health costs, expanded investment in education infrastructure, and came closer to its renewables target with the opening of the latest wind park in 2024. The landspakket, a structural reform package agreed with the Netherlands in 2020, continues to guide structural reforms.

    Outlook and Risks

    Growth is projected to moderate to 4 percent in 2025, balancing domestic impulses and heightened global uncertainty, before gradually converging to 2 percent over the medium term. Further expansion of stayover tourism and construction activity will continue to support growth in 2025, along with fiscal expansion driven by higher public investments. Potential negative effects of slowing global demand and heightened uncertainty would dampen tourism flows towards the end of 2025 and 2026. Growth is expected to moderate to 2 percent over the medium term, given saturation in tourism and slower global demand, while public capital spending would be carried forward, including in road infrastructure and the energy value chain. Headline inflation is projected to stabilize at 2.5 percent in 2025, subject to oil price-related uncertainty. Fiscal accounts would remain in surplus, fully compliant with the fiscal rule, allowing the government to partially settle a large bullet loan in 2025 with own liquid reserves, thereby accelerating the impressive downward trajectory of debt. The current account deficit would decline in the medium term but remain elevated.

    Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside. External risks include trade policy and investment shocks, which could induce higher inflation and lower external demand, adversely impacting tourism arrivals. Domestic upside risks include faster-than-expected advances in the green hydrogen value chain project and development of other energy sources. On the downside, lower-than-expected disbursements in public investments and delays in infrastructure improvements could set back the expected increase in potential growth from the expansion of hotel capacities. Continued high growth in mortgage credit fueling rising house prices could lead to financial sector as well as household balance sheet vulnerabilities. Buffers include access to favorable refinancing conditions on the Dutch capital market, subject to compliance with the fiscal rule, which grants the island substantial fiscal space, notably for capital and emergency spending.

    Tailoring Fiscal and Structural Policies to a Tourism-led Economy

    Safeguarding Medium-term Fiscal Sustainability

    Reaching the medium-term debt target and further sustaining growth will require weighing the need to boost investments and address social spending pressures while reforming the tax system in an equitable manner.  

    Advancing healthcare reforms is an urgent priority to restore the sector’s financial sustainability and limit medium-term fiscal risks. Annual deficits of the SVB healthcare fund amounted to around 5 percent of GDP over the past years, excluding central government transfers, with an additional 1 percent of GDP annual deficit by the Curaçao Medical Center. Transfers to the latter were recently increased to better cover operating costs and invest in new medical equipment, but the health system’s overall finances remain unsustainable. Curaçao’s health expenses, around 13 percent of GDP, stand out relative to regional peers and surpass the OECD average. Possible efficiency gains on the spending side would include additional volume and price measures for pharmaceuticals, re-evaluation of laboratory service tariffs, further expansion of primary care to contain hospital visits, and improvements in preventive care, with the latter likely to materialize over the longer horizon. Revenue reform options would include a broadening of the contributor base, e.g., via the inclusion of migrant workers, increasing co-payments for higher-income households, allowing for price differentiation for the privately insured, exploring options to charge for add-on services, with a possible secondary, private insurance market for these services, and expanding the potential in medical tourism. 

    The authorities’ plans to adjust pension benefits for lower-income households in a fiscally responsible manner are welcome and should be accompanied by widening the contribution base. Staff welcomes the intention to reassess benefit levels, given the pausing of indexation and a decline in real per capita benefits by 23 percent between 2016 and 2024. Applying inflation indexation to residents’ pensions only would allow for a broadly balanced budget of the old-age pension scheme (before central government transfers). Considerations to providing a supplement for low-income pensioners, which could cost around ½ percent of GDP per year, should be partially financed by broadening the contributor base. Legalizing predominantly young migrant workers and providing incentives for them and their employers to formalize (see below) would increase revenues by about 0.3 percent of GDP. Ensuring longer-term sustainability of social insurances would likely imply tapping general budget resources, which could be expanded with selected measures while avoiding earmarking (see below). Meanwhile, the current draft law to make second-pillar occupational pension plans mandatory would reduce reliance on old-age pensions and increase private savings, which would also help alleviate the sizable current account deficit.

    The authorities envisage the introduction of a VAT while continuing the modernization of the tax authority and improving revenue collection. Given Curaçao’s already significant tax burden and the recent expansion of direct taxation from a pre-pandemic average of 11 percent of GDP to 14 percent of GDP in 2024, plans to design the envisaged VAT reform in a revenue-neutral and equity-enhancing way are welcome. Expanding property taxation on second homes should be prioritized, as well as the purchase and implementation of digital infrastructure to modernize Curaçao’s tax system. Further considerations to introduce a tourism fee (by 2026), end tax holidays on import duties, and adjust permitting fees would lift revenues and contribute to compensating for potential pension increases.

    Further efforts are needed to boost investments and improve government service delivery. While capacity constraints were successfully addressed in the ramp-up of investments in 2024, including by hiring external project managers, capacity in planning and execution must be strengthened further to administer the needed investment increase of 2-3 percent of GDP in the coming years, including via a centralized investment planning unit. Implementing multi-year project budgeting and establishing a transparent procurement system will be critical to improve execution, ensure the efficient allocation of financing resources, and grant space to a gradual inclusion of adaptation investments against damage from sea level rise. Efforts to render health and pension spending as well as goods and services taxation more equitable hinge on improving means-testing and maintaining a state-of-the-art registry for lower-income households.  

    Labor Market Policies to Address Informality and Improve Education

    Informality could be addressed by strengthening incentives for formal work, improving enforcement and monitoring, and tightening eligibility criteria for receiving benefits. Decomposing changes in the formal workforce over the past decade, the strong decline in formal employment was mostly driven by a drop in registered jobs among men, especially in prime working age. Half of this decline cannot be explained by demographics, migration, or unemployment, and is likely attributed to the transition to informality. Tourism and construction sectors offer relatively more opportunities for informal work, making it harder to design the right incentives for formalization. Incentivizing formality, however, is crucial to maintaining government revenues and ensuring social protection for workers, and could be fostered by: facilitating access to education, increasing formal sector productivity, introducing more in-work benefits for workers with incomes between minimum and median wage, and stricter eligibility criteria for monthly assistance, along with strengthening enforcement and monitoring.

    Skill deterioration compounded by population aging is a key drag on long-term potential growth. The 2023 census showed that education levels of new entrants to the labor force are below the level of the pre-retirement cohort, and young employees tend to work in more precarious positions. Ongoing investments in education, in line with landspakket recommendations, including in schools’ physical as well as digital infrastructure, are very welcome. Recent initiatives to attract graduates back to the island, including with tax incentives, and an expedited labor permitting process for high-skill workers are important steps in the right direction. These could be complemented by vocational training to lift the overall skill level and reduce skill mismatches, in line with government’s proposed stimulation package with incentives for employer-led vocational education. Integrating migrants into the workforce would grant them perspectives to grow and invest in their skills.

    Fostering Competitiveness and Diversification

    Bracing for slower growth and mindful of market saturation and the global context, the authorities’ focus is rightly on tourism value added and diversification of source markets. Roads and transportation are among the key bottlenecks of the island, and more public investments are needed to improve the connectivity within the island for tourists to venture out. Public and private investments should also be directed to maritime infrastructure to attract more yacht tourists and move up the tourism value chain. Increasing the number of taxi licenses is welcome and will improve tourist experiences through better mobility. Efforts to tap markets in South America have proven successful, and new flight routes opened from Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, countries with a large consumer base and rising purchasing power.

    Fostering non-tourism sectors in areas of competitive advantage would help build resilience against global shocks and attract additional investments. Building on recent successful reforms to expedite business permits and promote digitalization, more progress is needed to achieve the authorities’ goals as outlined in the National Export Strategy. Curaçao’s connection to a new submarine cable throughout the Caribbean and Miami from 2027 onwards could help expand the island’s data center industry – conditional on sufficient absorption capacity of the electricity grid and a moderation in electricity prices, which remain among the highest in the region. Planned investments in the grid by Aqualectra would be supported by funding from the Netherlands and provide the basis for lifting renewables electricity production to 70 percent by 2027 from around 50 percent currently. The envisaged floating offshore wind park of 3-10 GW would help cover Curaçao’s entire electricity demand and create new export opportunities, in addition to exploratory investments in other energy sources.

    In the presence of global uncertainty, diversification of trade as well as regional integration are key for mitigating Curaçao’s exposure to external shocks. Curaçao’s imports remain concentrated on advanced markets, providing ample room to expand goods imports from neighboring countries, such as Brazil and Colombia. As a new associate CARICOM member and acknowledging limitation of independent trade policy given Kingdom laws, Curaçao should continue strengthening regional cooperation and trade integration with neighboring states.

    The authorities’ commitment to lower corruption vulnerabilities are welcome. The online gaming law has been approved by parliament in end-2024, an important step towards meeting the landspakket’s rule of law target. Curaçao’s recent accession to the UN Convention Against Corruption and delisting from the EU grey list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, following key legal updates in 2024, is another step in the right direction and opens doors for further international cooperation and bilateral tax treaties, as pursued by the authorities. The mutual evaluations of the AML/CFT frameworks for both Curaçao and Sint Maarten are underway, with results expected to be published in mid-July 2025.

    The Monetary Union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten

    The external balance of the Union is expected to improve, following a mild deterioration in 2024. The Union’s current account deficit widened to around 17 percent of GDP in 2024 driven by higher imports, mainly related to construction on Curaçao, and despite strong growth in tourism receipts. Going forward, stronger travel receipts, moderation in construction-related imports, and an increase in renewables would support a contraction of the Union’s current account deficit towards 10 percent of GDP in the medium term. The deficit will continue to be financed by private investment inflows and decumulation of assets abroad. The stock of international reserves would remain broadly stable and adequate over the medium term. Given still sizable deficits and a sustained real effective exchange rate appreciation, staff’s preliminary assessment suggests that the external position in 2024 was weaker than the level implied by fundamentals and desirable policies in Curaçao and broadly in line in Sint Maarten, albeit subject to high uncertainty given persistent measurement biases. The assessment for the Union is the same as for Curaçao due to its larger size and current account deficits.

    The monetary policy stance is appropriate and continues to support the peg. Following developments in the US, the CBCS cut its benchmark pledging rate by a cumulative 100 basis points in September and November 2024 to 4.75 percent, and has kept it unchanged since then, in line with the pegged exchange rate regime. Transmission to banking sector interest rates continues to be weak, as deposit rates stayed broadly constant throughout the recent tightening and easing cycles, with a mild uptick in late 2023 driven by time deposits, and Union lending rates declined between 2018 and end 2024. Excess liquidity is the key impediment to the transmission, further exacerbated by the absence of interbank and government securities markets.

    With lending rates declining, credit growth has accelerated, entirely driven by mortgages in Curaçao. Mortgage credit in the union, the second highest in the Caribbean, has been growing by double digits in real terms post pandemic, while real overall credit growth has been negative. Driven by Curaçao, mortgages are expected to remain on an upward trajectory, including financing for the construction of second homes and vacation rental apartments. In Sint Maarten, on the contrary, mortgage credit growth turned negative in 2024, possibly reflecting delays in construction projects and cross-border financing on the French side. With the islands’ financial sectors predominantly financing tourism-related activities, credit to non-tourism sectors is declining in real terms.

    The financial sector is broadly sound and systemic risks are contained, but mortgage growth needs to be monitored closely while a macroprudential toolkit is further developed. Banks are well capitalized, among the highest in the region, but both NPLs and provisioning remain weaker than the CBCS early warning signal – and with respect to peers. Liquidity is abundant and has further increased, but the Union’s banks are somewhat less profitable than the Caribbean median and concentration remains high. Closely monitoring mortgage growth to detect overheating in the real estate sector and possible vulnerabilities in household balance sheets should become a priority, in particular given continued data gaps. Overcoming these gaps and further developing a macroprudential toolkit towards the introduction of CCyBs, and thresholds for the loan-to-value and debt-service-to-income ratios are warranted to detect vulnerabilities and ensure timely response to potential shocks. Caps on mortgage credit growth or mortgage loan exposure could be applied should the positive mortgage credit gap widen further.

    The IMF mission would like to thank the authorities for their cooperation and the candid and constructive discussions that took place during June 18-25.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Reah Sy

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/07/02/07022025-curacao-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Doctor Arrested for Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Insurance Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    The Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Sean Buckley, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the arrest of ALI RASHAN on charges of health care fraud.  As alleged in a five-count Indictment unsealed on June 25, 2025, RASHAN, a medical doctor, was the CEO and founder of ClearMD, a provider of COVID-19 testing services in New York City which fraudulently billed insurance companies for approximately $24 million for COVID-19 testing and submitted fraudulent medical records in furtherance of this fraudulent scheme.  RASHAN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses on June 25 and the case has been assigned to Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.

    “While New Yorkers were doing their best to get through a public health crisis, Ali Rashan was allegedly cashing in on it,” said Attorney for the United States Sean Buckley.  “Our Office will not tolerate those who exploit the city’s pandemic response for personal profit.”

    “Ali Rashan allegedly facilitated an elaborate scheme using fabricated medical records to steal more than $24 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.  “This defendant allegedly violated his dual authorities as a medical doctor and CEO to receive reimbursement from thousands of illegitimate claims.  The FBI remains dedicated to investigating any individual who selfishly exploits our health care system for their personal benefit.

    According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:[1]

    From at least 2021 until in or about 2023, RASHAN, the founder and owner of ClearMD, a provider of medical testing services, agreed to submit and caused to be submitted to insurers fraudulent claims that billed for unperformed and unrequested services purportedly provided to patients who sought testing for COVID-19 and fraudulent medical records in support of these fraudulent claims.  For example, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit or cause the submission of thousands of claims that billed for evaluation and management (“E/M”) services that were never performed.  Furthermore, at times during the relevant period, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit claims to insurers billing for two to four COVID-19 testing codes, even though ClearMD had administered only a single COVID-19 test to patients.  Thereafter, in response to requests from insurers for documentation supporting its claims for reimbursement, RASHAN instructed ClearMD staff to write a software program to generate false medical records to support ClearMD’s fraudulent billings.  RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit these fabricated medical records to insurers to deceive them about the services that ClearMD had provided and to justify ClearMD’s retention of amounts paid to ClearMD in response to fraudulent claims.  This scheme resulted in losses of at least approximately $24 million.

    *                *                *

    RASHAN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to make false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of false statements relating to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.  Mr. Buckley also thanked the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration for their assistance in this investigation.

    The charges announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15.6 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances.  The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets.  In connection with this nationwide health care fraud takedown, the Government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets.

    Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Timothy Capozzi, and Jaclyn Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Finland’s derogation for mink fur farming and the ban on fur farming throughout the EU – E-002603/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002603/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Maria Ohisalo (Verts/ALE)

    The Commission has added the American mink to the EU list of invasive alien species.[1]However, Finland wants to continue mink fur farming and is therefore going to apply for a derogation to do this.

    To obtain a derogation, it must be demonstrated that there are compelling reasons of public interest for mink fur farming. However, public interest does not come into play in this case because fur farming in Finland is not economically viable, nor is it important for the country’s economy. Fur farming actually poses huge problems in terms of animal rights[2] and pandemic risk[3].

    The vast majority of EU Member States have already banned fur farming either partially or completely. Significant fur farming activities now only take place in Finland, Poland, Greece and Lithuania.

    The European Citizens’ Initiative on a fur-free Europe, which calls for an EU-wide ban on fur farming, has garnered over 1.5 million validated signatures and has been referred to the Commission for consideration. The Commission’s response to the initiative is due by March 2026.[4]

    • 1.Why is the Commission granting problematic derogations to a list of invasive alien species that has already been drawn up on the basis of scientific assessment?
    • 2.Is the Commission planning to propose an EU-wide ban on fur farming?

    Submitted: 27.6.2025

    • [1] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/invasive-alien-species_en
    • [2] https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/new-scientific-report-fur-farming-animal-welfare-needs-cannot-be-met
    • [3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09007-w
    • [4] https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2022/000002_en
    Last updated: 2 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Rising star: Meet Dylan, our youngest security researcher

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Rising star: Meet Dylan, our youngest security researcher

    At just 13 years old, Dylan became the youngest security researcher to collaborate with the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC). His journey into cybersecurity is inspiring—rooted in curiosity, resilience, and a deep desire to make a difference.

    Early beginnings: From scratch to security

    Dylan’s fascination with technology began early. Like many kids, he started with Scratch—a visual programming language for making simple games and animations. But for Dylan, Scratch was more than a toy; it was the start of a much bigger journey. He quickly moved on to HTML and other languages, and by 5th grade, he was analyzing source code behind educational platforms. One experiment—unlocking games before completing the lessons—landed him in a bit of trouble but also sparked a growing interest in how systems work.

    That curiosity only deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic. When his school disabled student access to create Teams meetings, Dylan found a workaround using Outlook. It wasn’t about bypassing rules—it was about helping classmates stay connected in a time of isolation. It was a glimpse of the problem-solver he was becoming.

    Dylan’s first vulnerability

    When his school later disabled student-created Teams chats, Dylan didn’t give up—he got creative. What began as a quest to restore communication options became his introduction to security research. After 9 months of self-teaching, exploration, and trial and error, he discovered a vulnerability that let him take over any Teams group. That breakthrough marked his entry into the world of responsible disclosure—and kicked off his relationship with MSRC.

    Soon after, Dylan submitted his first official vulnerability report to Microsoft. In response, the Bug Bounty team updated its program terms to allow participation from researchers as young as 13. Since then, Dylan has worked closely with MSRC, demonstrating technical insight and professionalism well beyond his age.

    Collaborating with MSRC

    Dylan’s communication skills are as impressive as his technical ones. He’s known for respectfully pushing back when he disagrees with MSRC’s initial assessments—always aiming to understand their perspective and articulate his own clearly. This thoughtful approach has earned him respect and helped drive meaningful results.

    One notable example: Dylan submitted a vulnerability in the Authenticator Broker service that was initially considered out of scope. Through clear, constructive dialogue, he helped MSRC understand its broader implications. The result? Not only was the issue acknowledged, but the bounty program also expanded its scope to include it for future submissions—a testament to Dylan’s impact.

    Challenges and triumphs

    Despite his achievements, Dylan’s path hasn’t been easy. He’s faced misunderstood reports and setbacks, but credits his family—especially his mother, father, stepparents, and grandparents—for helping him stay grounded, patient, and professional.

    His journey hasn’t just been technical. During the pandemic, Dylan also lost his voice due to a health issue and underwent two surgeries to recover it. The experience only strengthened his resolve and resilience.

    What’s next for Dylan?

    Now a junior in high school, Dylan balances schoolwork with extracurriculars like Science Olympiad, math competitions, swimming, biking, and cello. He filed 20 vulnerability reports last summer alone—up from just six total beforehand.

    He’s been named to MSRC’s Most Valuable Researcher list for both 2022 and 2024. In April 2025, Dylan competed at Microsoft’s Zero Day Quest—a premier onsite hacking event in Redmond, Washington—and took home 3rd place, an incredible achievement that placed him among the top researchers globally.

    Despite a busy academic schedule, Dylan continues to see security research as a rewarding hobby. He’s passionate about learning, exploring new vulnerabilities, and giving back to the community. Long-term, he’s open to a range of possibilities, including continued work in cybersecurity, science, or civics.

    Dylan also dreams of attending security conferences as soon as he’s old enough, eager to meet fellow researchers and learn from the best. For other young researchers, his story is proof that age is no barrier—what matters most is creativity, persistence, and a willingness to learn.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crime in California drops again — state records second-lowest homicide rate since 1966

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    What you need to know: California is delivering on its promises – significant investments in public safety help ensure safety in communities statewide with lower crime rates in 2024.

    Sacramento, California – As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Betrayal” that would slash public safety funding across the country, California continues to chart a different path — investing in real solutions that are delivering real results.

    New data released by the California Department of Justice shows that in 2024, nearly every major crime category declined, including violent crime, property crime, homicides, aggravated assaults, motor vehicle theft, burglary, and robbery. In addition, total full-time criminal justice personnel increased 1.9% from 2023 to 2024.

    In the wake of a nationwide spike in crime during the pandemic, California made the choice to invest — not abandon — our communities. While Republicans in Congress push a bill that would gut law enforcement funding and the President focuses on arresting farmworkers, California is showing what real public safety looks like: serious investments, strong enforcement, and real results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Homicide rates

    The 2024 homicide rate is now the second lowest since at least 1966. The overall number of homicides decreased by nearly 12% since 2023. 

    California’s homicide rates have historically been lower than many other states. According to CDC data from 2022, the latest year available for all states, Alabama’s homicide rate was 152% higher than California’s, Oklahoma’s was 41% higher and Arkansas’ was 100% higher.

    • Louisiana = 2nd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Alabama = 3rd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Arkansas = 6th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Tennessee = 10th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022 
    • Oklahoma = 20th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022

    California Trends: 2023 and 2024

    • Violent Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 6%
    • Property Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 8.4%
    • Homicide Rate: ↓ Decreased 10.4% 
    • Aggravated Assault Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.5% 
    • Motor Vehicle Theft Rate: ↓ Decreased 15.2% 
    • Burglary Rate: ↓ Decreased 9.1% 
    • Robbery Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.3% 

    Trends over time 

    Since 2019, property crime, arson, burglary, and robbery have all decreased in California. Burglary rate decreased 18.8% from 2019 to 2024, the largest decrease of all categories. During that same time period, property crime rate decreased 9.1%, arson rate decreased 8.7%, and robbery rate decreased 9.6%. 

    Firearms vs. public safety 

    According to the Homicide in California report, firearms were still the most common weapon used in a homicide when a weapon was identified. Of all crime-linked guns recovered in 2024, 65% were not associated with a California sale, meaning that they likely originated out of state, in jurisdictions with weaker gun safety laws. Year after year, California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some of the lowest rates of gun deaths — by Giffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety. 

    The data points are based on crimes reported to local law enforcement, which are then reported to CADOJ. The underlying data associated with the annual reports is available on OpenJustice here.

    Stronger enforcement. Serious penalties. Real consequences.

    California has invested $1.6 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

    Last August, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains at near historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

    As part of the state’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced last year the state distributed $267 million to 55 communities to help local communities combat organized retail crime. These funds have enabled cities and counties to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects. 

    Saturating key areas 

    Working collaboratively to heighten public safety, the Governor tasked the California Highway Patrol to work with local law enforcement areas in key areas to saturate high-crime areas, aiming to reduce roadway violence and criminal activity in the area, specifically vehicle theft and organized retail crime. Since the inception of this regional initiative, there have been over 7,300 arrests, more than 5,000 stolen vehicles recovered and over 350 firearms confiscated across Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland.

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: After weeks of pressure from Governor Newsom, President Trump finally allowed California’s wildfire crews to return to the frontlines — but nearly 5,000 soldiers, including California National Guard members, remain sidelined in Los Angeles,…

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: California has invested billions of dollars to fight fires and treated millions of acres to reduce wildfire risk, while the Trump administration continues to cut resources and neglect its responsibility to manage the 57% of the state’s…

    Jun 30, 2025

    News PLACER COUNTY — As California enters peak fire season, Governor Gavin Newsom will make an announcement with the potential to help prevent wildfires on over half of forest lands in the state.WHEN: Tuesday, July 1, at approximately 10 a.m.LIVESTREAM: Governor’s…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Peter M Macharia, Senior postdoctoral research fellow, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp

    The lack of reliable information about health facilities across sub-Saharan Africa became very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid a surge in emergency care needs, information was lacking about the location of facilities, bed capacity and oxygen availability, and even where to find medical specialists. This data could have enabled precise assessments of hospital surge capacity and geographic access to critical care. Peter Macharia and Emelda Okiro, whose research focuses on public health and equity of health service access in low resource settings, share the findings of their recent study, co-authored with colleagues.

    What are open health facility databases?

    A health facility is a service delivery point where healthcare services are provided. The facilities can range from small clinics and doctor’s offices to large teaching and referral hospitals.

    A health facility database is a list of all health facilities in a country or geographic area, such as a district. A typical database should assign each health facility a unique code, name, size, type (from primary to tertiary), ownership (public or private), operational status (working or closed), location and subnational unit (county or district). It should also record services (emergency obstetric care, for example), capacity (number of beds, for example), infrastructure (electricity availability, for example), contact information (address and email), and when this information was last updated.

    The ideal method of compiling this list is to conduct a census, as Kenya did in 2023. But this takes resources. Some countries have compiled lists from existing incomplete ones. Senegal did this and so did Kenya in 2003 and 2008.

    This list should be open to stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners and researchers. Health facility lists must be shared through a governance framework that balances data sharing with protections for data subjects and creators. In some countries, such as Kenya and Malawi, these listings are accessible through web portals without additional permission. In others, such facility lists do not exist or require extra permission.

    Why are they useful to have?

    Facility listings can serve the needs of individuals and communities. They also serve sub-national, national and continental health objectives.

    At the individual level, a facility list offers a choice of alternatives to health seekers. At the community level, the data can guide decisions like where to place community health workers, as seen in Mali and Sierra Leone.

    Health lists are useful when distributing commodities such as bed nets and allocating resources based on the health needs of the areas they serve. They help in planning for vaccination campaigns by creating detailed immunisation microplans.

    By taking account of the disease burden, social dynamics and environmental factors, health services can be tailored to specific needs.

    Detailed maps of healthcare resources enable quicker emergency responses by pinpointing facilities equipped for specific crises. Disease surveillance systems depend on continuously collecting data from healthcare facilities.

    At the continental level, lists are crucial for a coordinated health system response during pandemics and outbreaks. They can facilitate cross-border planning, pandemic preparedness and collaboration.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, these lists informed where to put additional resources such as makeshift hospitals or transport programmes for adults over  60 years of age.

    The lists are used to identify vulnerable populations at risk of emerging pathogens and populations that can benefit from new health facilities.

    They are important when it comes to making emergency obstetric and newborn care accessible.

    What goes wrong if you don’t have them?

    Many problems arise if we don’t know where health facilities are or what they offer. Healthcare planning becomes inefficient. This can result in duplicate facility lists and the misallocation of resources, which leads to waste and inequities.

    We can’t identify populations that lack services. Emergency responses weaken due to uncertainty about where best to move patients with specific conditions.

    Resources are wasted when there are duplicate facility lists. For example, between 2010 and 2016, six government departments partnered with development organisations, resulting in ten lists of health facilities in Nigeria.

    In Tanzania, over 10 different health facility lists existed in 2009. Maintained by donors and government agencies, the function-specific lists didn’t work together to share information easily and accurately. This prompted the need for a national master facility list.

    What needs to happen to build one?

    A comprehensive list of health facilities can be compiled through mapping exercises or from existing lists. The health ministry should take responsibility for setting up, developing and updating this list.

    Partnerships are crucial for developing facility lists. Stakeholders include donors, implementing and humanitarian partners, technical advisors and research institutions. Many of these have their own project-based lists, which should integrate into a centralised facility list managed by the ministry. The health ministry must foster a transparent environment, encouraging citizens and stakeholders to contribute to enhancing health facility data.

    Political and financial commitment from governments is essential. Creating and maintaining a proper list requires significant investment. Expertise and resources are necessary to keep it updated.

    A commitment to open data is a necessary step. Open access to these lists makes them more complete, reliable and useful.

    – How far is your closest hospital or clinic? Public health researchers explain why Africa needs up-to-date health facility databases
    – https://theconversation.com/how-far-is-your-closest-hospital-or-clinic-public-health-researchers-explain-why-africa-needs-up-to-date-health-facility-databases-259190

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Guest blog: Legal insights on cross-border disputes  

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Guest blog: Legal insights on cross-border disputes  

    Disputes involving cross jurisdictions are inherently complex, requiring careful navigation and an understanding of both domestic and international legal frameworks. 

    But what are cross-border disputes? 

    Cross-border disputes refer to legal conflicts arising between parties based in different jurisdictions. These disputes may arise from: 

    • Contractual breaches in international agreements. 
    • Joint venture (JV) conflicts involving entities from multiple jurisdictions. 
    • Investment disputes under bilateral or multilateral treaties 
    • Issues involving trade restrictions, data protection, or intellectual property enforcement across borders 

    Common legal avenues for resolution 

    • International arbitration: Often the preferred dispute resolution for neutrality, flexibility, relative speed and international enforceability—especially under conventions like the 1958 New York Convention.  
    • Litigation before national courts: In certain circumstances may be necessary, however, the challenges in relation to jurisdiction, language, and procedure can hinder efficient resolution.  
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Includes mediation and conciliation, which may preserve commercial relationships through providing non-adversarial forums that may be less time-consuming and more cost-effective. ADR processes are especially valuable in preserving long-term commercial relationships and maintaining confidentiality, even where they do not result in binding outcomes. 

    Key legal challenges 

    • Choice of law and forum clauses: Poorly drafted or ambiguous clauses may lead to parallel proceedings or jurisdictional disputes that undermining legal certainty and increasing the risk of conflicting outcomes. 
    • Recognition and enforceability of awards and judgments: Ensuring that outcomes can be enforced in other jurisdictions is critical, especially where assets are held in jurisdictions with limited recognition of foreign awards or judgments 
    • Cultural and legal diversity: Misunderstanding local legal norms, regulatory landscape, or dispute resolution mechanisms can complicate outcomes. 

    Case study: Developer-contractor dispute in Lusail, Qatar 

    Background: A Qatari real estate developer engaged with a European construction firm for a US$ 200 million luxury residential project in Lusail. The contract was governed by Qatari law and included an arbitration clause provided for disputes to be resolved by ICC Arbitration seated in London.

    Issue: The project faced delays due to pandemic-related disruptions. The contractor invoked force majeure and sought extensions of time and cost adjustments. The developer counterclaimed for breach of contract and liquidated damages. 

    Resolution strategy: 

    • ICC Arbitration was initiated in London. 
    • Coordination with local and European counsel helped secure interim relief on overseas assets. 
    • The arbitral tribunal awarded US$ 35 million in damages and partial legal fees. 
    • The arbitral award was recognised and enforced in the contractor’s home jurisdiction, enabling recovery of losses and project continuation with a new contractor. 

    This matter highlights the importance of well-drafted dispute resolution clauses, as well as a coordinated legal strategy across jurisdictions. 

    Practical considerations for cross-border commercial engagements 

    To mitigate risk and ensure effective dispute resolution when operating internationally, businesses should: 

    • Draft clear dispute resolution clauses identifying governing law, jurisdiction, and arbitration venue and seat. 
    • Conduct enforceability assessments before entering into cross-border contracts. 
    • Retain legal counsel with expertise in both local laws and international frameworks. 
    • Consider pre-dispute strategies such as contract risk audits and compliance checks. 

    Conclusion 

    Cross-border disputes can disrupt operations, damage reputations, and strain commercial relationships. However, with proper planning and experienced guidance, such disputes can be resolved efficiently – preserving both commercial value and protecting long-term interests. 

    *Disclaimer: The content of this article may not reflect the official views of the International Chamber of Commerce. The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and other contributors.  

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Crypto & Bitcoin Casinos: Reddit Community Reveals The Safe Crypto Casinos in 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  All iGaming’s explosive new report dives into the red-hot rise of crypto casinos, flipping the iGaming world upside down! Fueled by blockchain and powered by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, top crypto casinos deliver lightning-fast transactions, privacy, and game-changing features like provably fair gaming and immersive virtual reality.

    Get the inside scoop on the trends supercharging the best Bitcoin casinos, see how they stack up against traditional casinos, and learn how to play responsibly. Our report breaks down market shifts, predicts the future of crypto gambling, and guides you to the ultimate crypto casinos for a safe, pulse-pounding experience in 2025!

    CHECK OUT TOP CRYPTO CASINO – EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH INSIGHTS AWAIT<<

    Trends in the Crypto Casino Market

    All iGaming’s meticulous research highlights the best crypto casinos as a transformative force in the iGaming industry, driven by technological innovation and evolving player preferences. Their analysis, based on 3,000 platform evaluations and 60,000 player interactions, identifies six key trends reshaping the market.

    Key Trends Identified by All iGaming

    1. Lightning-Fast Transactions: All iGaming’s data shows that crypto casinos process deposits and withdrawals in under 10 minutes, with top platforms achieving sub-minute transaction times. This is a stark contrast to traditional casinos, which often require 24–72 hours for withdrawals due to banking intermediaries. Blockchain’s decentralized ledger eliminates delays, ensuring players can access funds swiftly.
    2. Expansive Game Libraries: All iGaming reports that leading top crypto casinos offer over 9,000 game titles, including slots, table games (e.g., blackjack, roulette), live dealer options, and provably fair games unique to blockchain platforms. Providers like Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, and NetEnt contribute to diverse catalogs, surpassing traditional casinos’ typical 3,000–5,000 titles.
    3. Enhanced Privacy and No-KYC Options: All iGaming’s community polls reveal that 68% of players value privacy, driving demand for no-KYC (Know Your Customer) or low-KYC platforms. These casinos use blockchain to ensure secure, anonymous transactions, appealing to players in regions with restrictive gambling laws.
    4. AI and VR Integration: All iGaming’s platform assessments note that artificial intelligence (AI) personalizes game recommendations and bonus offers based on player behavior, while VR creates immersive environments, such as virtual poker rooms where players interact via avatars, replicating land-based casino dynamics.
    5. Stablecoin and NFT Integration: All iGaming highlights the adoption of stablecoins like USDT and USDC, which mitigate cryptocurrency volatility, making gambling more accessible. Additionally, some platforms integrate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and play-to-earn models, allowing players to earn digital assets, blending gaming with investment opportunities.
    6. Decentralized Platforms and Smart Contracts: All iGaming’s research confirms that Web3 casinos, built on blockchains like Ethereum and Solana, use smart contracts for automated, transparent payouts. These contracts ensure fairness by allowing players to verify game outcomes, a feature absent in traditional casinos.

    These trends, identified by All iGaming, position crypto casinos as leaders in innovation, offering unparalleled speed, variety, and transparency.

    CLOSE LOOK ON TOP-PERFORMING CRYPTO CASINO<<

    All iGaming’s Research Methodology

    All iGaming’s authoritative insights stem from a robust, multi-faceted research methodology outlined in their June 2025 report. Their approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the crypto casino landscape:

    • Player Engagements: All iGaming analyzed 60,000+ player interactions across global forums, social media, and iGaming communities to capture preferences, pain points, and satisfaction metrics. This qualitative data provides insights into why players prefer crypto casinos.
    • Platform Assessments: All iGaming evaluated 3,000+ crypto casino platforms, focusing on game diversity, transaction speeds, security protocols, user interfaces, and reward structures. Their assessments include both established and emerging platforms.
    • Community Polls: All iGaming conducted 1,000+ surveys targeting players in 50 markets, gathering quantitative data on adoption rates, platform reliability, and player priorities like privacy and speed.
    • Market Analysis: All iGaming’s studies span 50 global markets, including North America, Europe, Asia, and emerging regions like Latin America, ensuring a holistic view of regional trends and regulatory impacts.

    This methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative data, underpins All iGaming’s finding that best crypto casinos exhibit a 350% higher growth rate than traditional online casinos, driven by superior technology and player-centric features.

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    Performance Analysis: Crypto Casinos vs. Traditional Casinos

    All iGaming’s research provides a detailed comparison of the best crypto casinos and traditional online casinos across key performance metrics, highlighting the former’s dominance.

    Transaction Speed

    All iGaming’s platform assessments reveal that crypto casinos process transactions 15 times faster than their traditional counterparts. Deposits are often instant, and withdrawals take 2–8 minutes, compared to 24–72 hours for traditional casinos reliant on banking systems. Blockchain’s decentralized infrastructure eliminates intermediaries, ensuring efficiency.

    Game Variety

    All iGaming’s data shows the best crypto casinos offer expansive catalogs, with top platforms boasting over 8,000 titles, including 500+ live dealer games and provably fair options. Traditional casinos, constrained by legacy systems, typically provide 3,000–5,000 titles, limiting player choice.

    Player Satisfaction

    All iGaming’s player engagement studies report a 94% satisfaction rate for crypto casino users, attributed to dynamic rewards (e.g., up to 600 free spins or 5 BTC welcome bonuses), provably fair games, and robust security measures like SSL encryption and two-factor authentication (2FA). Traditional casinos, while reliable, score lower at 82% due to slower innovation.

    Growth Metrics

    All iGaming projects that crypto casinos will capture 47% of the $153.57 billion global online gambling market by 2027, driven by a 350% higher growth rate. The overall market, valued at $78.66 billion in 2024, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8%, with best crypto casinos as a primary driver.

    Security and Transparency

    All iGaming’s research confirms that blockchain’s decentralized ledger ensures tamper-proof transactions, giving top crypto casinos an edge over traditional platforms, which face risks like fraud and data breaches due to centralized systems.

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    Responsible Gambling Practices

    All iGaming’s research emphasizes the importance of responsible gambling, particularly in the high-stakes world of best crypto casinos. Their studies highlight practices that allow players to engage with the iGaming ecosystem safely without active wagering:

    • Research and Education: All iGaming’s resources, including guides and platform reviews, educate players on casino features, licensing, and risks. These tools enable informed decision-making without financial commitment.
    • Demo Modes: All iGaming notes that 85% of top crypto casinos offer free-play versions of games like slots, blackjack, and roulette, allowing players to explore mechanics and strategies risk-free.
    • Setting Limits: All iGaming’s platform evaluations highlight tools like deposit limits, session timers, and loss caps, which players can set proactively to manage potential spending.
    • Accessing Support: All iGaming recommends platforms that link to organizations like Gamblers Anonymous or BeGambleAware, enabling players to seek preemptive support for maintaining healthy habits.
    • Regulatory Awareness: All iGaming advises players to verify local gambling laws, as regulations vary. For example, jurisdictions like Malta permit offshore crypto casinos, while others, like the UK, impose stricter controls. VPNs may enable access in restricted regions, but compliance is critical.

    These practices, endorsed by All iGaming, ensure players can explore the best crypto casinos safely and responsibly.

    Market Dynamics According to All-iGaming

    All iGaming’s market analysis reveals the forces driving the iGaming industry’s evolution, with crypto casinos at the forefront:

    • Technological Advancements: All iGaming’s research highlights blockchain, AI, and VR as transformative technologies. Smart contracts ensure fair play, AI personalizes experiences (e.g., tailored bonuses), and VR creates immersive environments, boosting engagement.
    • Regulatory Landscape: All iGaming notes that crypto-friendly jurisdictions like Malta, Curaçao, and Panama offer flexible licensing, fostering growth. Conversely, stricter regulations in the UK and parts of the US create challenges, though legalization in states like New Jersey generates significant revenue.
    • Consumer Behavior: All iGaming’s polls show that 62% of US iGamers aged 18–34 prefer crypto casinos for their privacy, high betting limits, and innovative features. High rollers and privacy-conscious players are key demographics.
    • Economic Factors: All iGaming links rising disposable incomes, global tourism, and the post-COVID shift to online platforms with increased crypto casino adoption. The pandemic accelerated the closure of physical casinos, boosting digital alternatives.

    Future Outlook By All-iGaming Experts

    All iGaming’s forward-looking research predicts a transformative future for the best crypto casinos, with key developments by 2030:

    • Market Expansion: All iGaming forecasts a $55.3 billion crypto casino market by 2032, capturing 47% of the global online gambling market by 2027, driven by a 27.29% CAGR.
    • Technological Integration: All iGaming expects AI-driven personalization, VR gaming, and blockchain-based loyalty programs to become industry standards, enhancing player retention and engagement.
    • Regulatory Evolution: All iGaming anticipates that as cryptocurrencies gain mainstream acceptance, regulators will develop frameworks balancing innovation and consumer protection. Malta and Curaçao will remain crypto-friendly hubs.
    • Sustainability: All iGaming highlights growing concerns about blockchain’s energy consumption, predicting a shift toward eco-friendly solutions like proof-of-stake protocols to align with industry sustainability trends.
    • Web3 and DeFi: All iGaming predicts that decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT integration will introduce new revenue streams, such as staking and yield farming, merging gaming with financial opportunities.

    All iGaming’s insights suggest best crypto casinos will dominate, compelling traditional operators to adopt blockchain technologies to stay competitive.

    CHECK OUT THE BEST CRYPTO CASINO WITH GAME-CHANGING PAYMENT OPTIONS!>>

    Selecting Top Crypto Casinos

    All iGaming’s expert recommendations provide a detailed framework for choosing reputable crypto casinos, ensuring safety, fairness, and enjoyment:

    1. Licensing and Regulation: All iGaming advises selecting platforms licensed by reputable jurisdictions like the Malta Gaming Authority, Curaçao eGaming, or Panama. Licensed casinos adhere to strict standards, ensuring fair play and fraud protection.
    2. Security Measures: All iGaming recommends platforms with SSL encryption, 2FA, and regular audits. Blockchain-based casinos should use decentralized ledgers for transparent transactions, as verified in All iGaming’s assessments.
    3. Game Variety: All iGaming suggests choosing casinos with 8,000+ titles, including slots, live dealer games, and provably fair options, from providers like Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and NetEnt.
    4. Transaction Speed and Fees: All iGaming highlights platforms with sub-10-minute withdrawals and zero-fee crypto transactions. Support for stablecoins like USDT minimizes volatility risks.
    5. Bonuses and Rewards: All iGaming recommends casinos offering transparent bonuses, such as 600 free spins or 5 BTC welcome packages, with clear, reasonable wagering requirements (e.g., 30x or lower).
    6. User Experience: All iGaming prioritizes platforms with intuitive interfaces, mobile compatibility (iOS and Android apps), and 24/7 customer support via live chat or email. AI-driven features and VR options enhance engagement.
    7. Responsible Gambling Tools: All iGaming endorses casinos with deposit limits, session timers, self-exclusion options, and links to support organizations like Gamblers Anonymous.
    8. Community Feedback: All iGaming advises reviewing player feedback on forums and their platform ratings to ensure reliability and satisfaction.

    By following All iGaming’s criteria, players can select the best crypto casinos that align with their preferences and local regulations.

    Conclusion

     All iGaming’s findings highlight responsible gambling practices, such as demo modes and deposit limits, ensuring safe exploration. Market dynamics, including technological advancements and regulatory shifts, drive the projected $55.3 billion market by 2032. By adhering to All iGaming’s guidelines—prioritizing licensing, security, game variety, and responsible tools—players can confidently navigate the crypto casino landscape, ensuring a rewarding, secure, and responsible gaming experience.

    Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes. Online gambling carries financial risks and may be restricted in some regions. Verify local laws and gamble responsibly.

    Email:support@alligaming.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Crypto & Bitcoin Casinos: Reddit Community Reveals The Safe Crypto Casinos in 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  All iGaming’s explosive new report dives into the red-hot rise of crypto casinos, flipping the iGaming world upside down! Fueled by blockchain and powered by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, top crypto casinos deliver lightning-fast transactions, privacy, and game-changing features like provably fair gaming and immersive virtual reality.

    Get the inside scoop on the trends supercharging the best Bitcoin casinos, see how they stack up against traditional casinos, and learn how to play responsibly. Our report breaks down market shifts, predicts the future of crypto gambling, and guides you to the ultimate crypto casinos for a safe, pulse-pounding experience in 2025!

    CHECK OUT TOP CRYPTO CASINO – EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH INSIGHTS AWAIT<<

    Trends in the Crypto Casino Market

    All iGaming’s meticulous research highlights the best crypto casinos as a transformative force in the iGaming industry, driven by technological innovation and evolving player preferences. Their analysis, based on 3,000 platform evaluations and 60,000 player interactions, identifies six key trends reshaping the market.

    Key Trends Identified by All iGaming

    1. Lightning-Fast Transactions: All iGaming’s data shows that crypto casinos process deposits and withdrawals in under 10 minutes, with top platforms achieving sub-minute transaction times. This is a stark contrast to traditional casinos, which often require 24–72 hours for withdrawals due to banking intermediaries. Blockchain’s decentralized ledger eliminates delays, ensuring players can access funds swiftly.
    2. Expansive Game Libraries: All iGaming reports that leading top crypto casinos offer over 9,000 game titles, including slots, table games (e.g., blackjack, roulette), live dealer options, and provably fair games unique to blockchain platforms. Providers like Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, and NetEnt contribute to diverse catalogs, surpassing traditional casinos’ typical 3,000–5,000 titles.
    3. Enhanced Privacy and No-KYC Options: All iGaming’s community polls reveal that 68% of players value privacy, driving demand for no-KYC (Know Your Customer) or low-KYC platforms. These casinos use blockchain to ensure secure, anonymous transactions, appealing to players in regions with restrictive gambling laws.
    4. AI and VR Integration: All iGaming’s platform assessments note that artificial intelligence (AI) personalizes game recommendations and bonus offers based on player behavior, while VR creates immersive environments, such as virtual poker rooms where players interact via avatars, replicating land-based casino dynamics.
    5. Stablecoin and NFT Integration: All iGaming highlights the adoption of stablecoins like USDT and USDC, which mitigate cryptocurrency volatility, making gambling more accessible. Additionally, some platforms integrate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and play-to-earn models, allowing players to earn digital assets, blending gaming with investment opportunities.
    6. Decentralized Platforms and Smart Contracts: All iGaming’s research confirms that Web3 casinos, built on blockchains like Ethereum and Solana, use smart contracts for automated, transparent payouts. These contracts ensure fairness by allowing players to verify game outcomes, a feature absent in traditional casinos.

    These trends, identified by All iGaming, position crypto casinos as leaders in innovation, offering unparalleled speed, variety, and transparency.

    CLOSE LOOK ON TOP-PERFORMING CRYPTO CASINO<<

    All iGaming’s Research Methodology

    All iGaming’s authoritative insights stem from a robust, multi-faceted research methodology outlined in their June 2025 report. Their approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the crypto casino landscape:

    • Player Engagements: All iGaming analyzed 60,000+ player interactions across global forums, social media, and iGaming communities to capture preferences, pain points, and satisfaction metrics. This qualitative data provides insights into why players prefer crypto casinos.
    • Platform Assessments: All iGaming evaluated 3,000+ crypto casino platforms, focusing on game diversity, transaction speeds, security protocols, user interfaces, and reward structures. Their assessments include both established and emerging platforms.
    • Community Polls: All iGaming conducted 1,000+ surveys targeting players in 50 markets, gathering quantitative data on adoption rates, platform reliability, and player priorities like privacy and speed.
    • Market Analysis: All iGaming’s studies span 50 global markets, including North America, Europe, Asia, and emerging regions like Latin America, ensuring a holistic view of regional trends and regulatory impacts.

    This methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative data, underpins All iGaming’s finding that best crypto casinos exhibit a 350% higher growth rate than traditional online casinos, driven by superior technology and player-centric features.

    >>ACCESS ALL IGAMING’S EXCLUSIVE CRYPTO CASINO DATA

    Performance Analysis: Crypto Casinos vs. Traditional Casinos

    All iGaming’s research provides a detailed comparison of the best crypto casinos and traditional online casinos across key performance metrics, highlighting the former’s dominance.

    Transaction Speed

    All iGaming’s platform assessments reveal that crypto casinos process transactions 15 times faster than their traditional counterparts. Deposits are often instant, and withdrawals take 2–8 minutes, compared to 24–72 hours for traditional casinos reliant on banking systems. Blockchain’s decentralized infrastructure eliminates intermediaries, ensuring efficiency.

    Game Variety

    All iGaming’s data shows the best crypto casinos offer expansive catalogs, with top platforms boasting over 8,000 titles, including 500+ live dealer games and provably fair options. Traditional casinos, constrained by legacy systems, typically provide 3,000–5,000 titles, limiting player choice.

    Player Satisfaction

    All iGaming’s player engagement studies report a 94% satisfaction rate for crypto casino users, attributed to dynamic rewards (e.g., up to 600 free spins or 5 BTC welcome bonuses), provably fair games, and robust security measures like SSL encryption and two-factor authentication (2FA). Traditional casinos, while reliable, score lower at 82% due to slower innovation.

    Growth Metrics

    All iGaming projects that crypto casinos will capture 47% of the $153.57 billion global online gambling market by 2027, driven by a 350% higher growth rate. The overall market, valued at $78.66 billion in 2024, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8%, with best crypto casinos as a primary driver.

    Security and Transparency

    All iGaming’s research confirms that blockchain’s decentralized ledger ensures tamper-proof transactions, giving top crypto casinos an edge over traditional platforms, which face risks like fraud and data breaches due to centralized systems.

    >>GET THE FULL PERFORMANCE BREAKDOWN – ACCESS ALL IGAMING’S 2025 REPORT<<

    Responsible Gambling Practices

    All iGaming’s research emphasizes the importance of responsible gambling, particularly in the high-stakes world of best crypto casinos. Their studies highlight practices that allow players to engage with the iGaming ecosystem safely without active wagering:

    • Research and Education: All iGaming’s resources, including guides and platform reviews, educate players on casino features, licensing, and risks. These tools enable informed decision-making without financial commitment.
    • Demo Modes: All iGaming notes that 85% of top crypto casinos offer free-play versions of games like slots, blackjack, and roulette, allowing players to explore mechanics and strategies risk-free.
    • Setting Limits: All iGaming’s platform evaluations highlight tools like deposit limits, session timers, and loss caps, which players can set proactively to manage potential spending.
    • Accessing Support: All iGaming recommends platforms that link to organizations like Gamblers Anonymous or BeGambleAware, enabling players to seek preemptive support for maintaining healthy habits.
    • Regulatory Awareness: All iGaming advises players to verify local gambling laws, as regulations vary. For example, jurisdictions like Malta permit offshore crypto casinos, while others, like the UK, impose stricter controls. VPNs may enable access in restricted regions, but compliance is critical.

    These practices, endorsed by All iGaming, ensure players can explore the best crypto casinos safely and responsibly.

    Market Dynamics According to All-iGaming

    All iGaming’s market analysis reveals the forces driving the iGaming industry’s evolution, with crypto casinos at the forefront:

    • Technological Advancements: All iGaming’s research highlights blockchain, AI, and VR as transformative technologies. Smart contracts ensure fair play, AI personalizes experiences (e.g., tailored bonuses), and VR creates immersive environments, boosting engagement.
    • Regulatory Landscape: All iGaming notes that crypto-friendly jurisdictions like Malta, Curaçao, and Panama offer flexible licensing, fostering growth. Conversely, stricter regulations in the UK and parts of the US create challenges, though legalization in states like New Jersey generates significant revenue.
    • Consumer Behavior: All iGaming’s polls show that 62% of US iGamers aged 18–34 prefer crypto casinos for their privacy, high betting limits, and innovative features. High rollers and privacy-conscious players are key demographics.
    • Economic Factors: All iGaming links rising disposable incomes, global tourism, and the post-COVID shift to online platforms with increased crypto casino adoption. The pandemic accelerated the closure of physical casinos, boosting digital alternatives.

    Future Outlook By All-iGaming Experts

    All iGaming’s forward-looking research predicts a transformative future for the best crypto casinos, with key developments by 2030:

    • Market Expansion: All iGaming forecasts a $55.3 billion crypto casino market by 2032, capturing 47% of the global online gambling market by 2027, driven by a 27.29% CAGR.
    • Technological Integration: All iGaming expects AI-driven personalization, VR gaming, and blockchain-based loyalty programs to become industry standards, enhancing player retention and engagement.
    • Regulatory Evolution: All iGaming anticipates that as cryptocurrencies gain mainstream acceptance, regulators will develop frameworks balancing innovation and consumer protection. Malta and Curaçao will remain crypto-friendly hubs.
    • Sustainability: All iGaming highlights growing concerns about blockchain’s energy consumption, predicting a shift toward eco-friendly solutions like proof-of-stake protocols to align with industry sustainability trends.
    • Web3 and DeFi: All iGaming predicts that decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT integration will introduce new revenue streams, such as staking and yield farming, merging gaming with financial opportunities.

    All iGaming’s insights suggest best crypto casinos will dominate, compelling traditional operators to adopt blockchain technologies to stay competitive.

    CHECK OUT THE BEST CRYPTO CASINO WITH GAME-CHANGING PAYMENT OPTIONS!>>

    Selecting Top Crypto Casinos

    All iGaming’s expert recommendations provide a detailed framework for choosing reputable crypto casinos, ensuring safety, fairness, and enjoyment:

    1. Licensing and Regulation: All iGaming advises selecting platforms licensed by reputable jurisdictions like the Malta Gaming Authority, Curaçao eGaming, or Panama. Licensed casinos adhere to strict standards, ensuring fair play and fraud protection.
    2. Security Measures: All iGaming recommends platforms with SSL encryption, 2FA, and regular audits. Blockchain-based casinos should use decentralized ledgers for transparent transactions, as verified in All iGaming’s assessments.
    3. Game Variety: All iGaming suggests choosing casinos with 8,000+ titles, including slots, live dealer games, and provably fair options, from providers like Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and NetEnt.
    4. Transaction Speed and Fees: All iGaming highlights platforms with sub-10-minute withdrawals and zero-fee crypto transactions. Support for stablecoins like USDT minimizes volatility risks.
    5. Bonuses and Rewards: All iGaming recommends casinos offering transparent bonuses, such as 600 free spins or 5 BTC welcome packages, with clear, reasonable wagering requirements (e.g., 30x or lower).
    6. User Experience: All iGaming prioritizes platforms with intuitive interfaces, mobile compatibility (iOS and Android apps), and 24/7 customer support via live chat or email. AI-driven features and VR options enhance engagement.
    7. Responsible Gambling Tools: All iGaming endorses casinos with deposit limits, session timers, self-exclusion options, and links to support organizations like Gamblers Anonymous.
    8. Community Feedback: All iGaming advises reviewing player feedback on forums and their platform ratings to ensure reliability and satisfaction.

    By following All iGaming’s criteria, players can select the best crypto casinos that align with their preferences and local regulations.

    Conclusion

     All iGaming’s findings highlight responsible gambling practices, such as demo modes and deposit limits, ensuring safe exploration. Market dynamics, including technological advancements and regulatory shifts, drive the projected $55.3 billion market by 2032. By adhering to All iGaming’s guidelines—prioritizing licensing, security, game variety, and responsible tools—players can confidently navigate the crypto casino landscape, ensuring a rewarding, secure, and responsible gaming experience.

    Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes. Online gambling carries financial risks and may be restricted in some regions. Verify local laws and gamble responsibly.

    Email:support@alligaming.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Voxtur Announces Results of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO and TAMPA, Fla., July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voxtur Analytics Corp. (TSXV: VXTR; OTCQB: VXTRF) (“Voxtur” or the “Company”), a North American technology company creating a more transparent and accessible real estate lending ecosystem, today announced the results of its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held earlier today (the “Meeting”).

    At the Meeting, the shareholders of the Company approved a resolution setting the number of directors of the Company at four and authorizing the Board to set the number of directors, and elected the following persons to serve as directors of the Company (the “Board”), each for a term of one year or until their successor is duly elected or appointed: Michael Harris, Allan Bezanson, Ray Williams, and Gary Yeoman.

    The shareholders also approved the appointment of MNP LLP as the Company’s auditor and the ratification of the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”). A complete copy of the LTIP is available in the Management Information Circular for the Meeting, which is available at www.sedar.com. Finally, the shareholders confirmed, ratified and approved the Advance Notice By-Law.

    About Voxtur

    Voxtur is a proptech company. The company offers targeted data analytics to simplify the multifaceted aspects of the lending lifecycle for investors, lenders, government agencies and servicers. Voxtur’s proprietary data hub and workflow platforms more accurately and efficiently value real estate assets, providing critical due diligence that enables market participants to effectively originate, trade, or service defaults on mortgage loans. As an independent and transparent mortgage technology provider, the company offers primary and secondary market solutions in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.voxtur.com. 

    Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking information”) which reflect the expectations of management regarding the Company’s future growth, financial performance and objectives and the Company’s strategic initiatives, plans, business prospects and opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and the Company’s financial and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. By their very nature, forward-looking statements require management to make assumptions and involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future events, performance or results, and give rise to the possibility that management’s predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that the assumptions may not be correct and that the Company’s future growth, financial performance and objectives and the Company’s strategic initiatives, plans, business prospects and opportunities, including the duration, impact of and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, will not occur or be achieved. Any information contained herein that is not based on historical facts may be deemed to constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information may be based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release, and may be identified by the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar expressions. Forward-looking information may include but is not limited to the anticipated financial performance of the Company and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the information is provided. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance, or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information include but are not limited to: additional costs related to acquisitions, integration of acquired businesses, and implementation of new products; changing global financial conditions, especially in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic; reliance on specific key employees and customers to maintain business operations; competition within the Company’s industry; a risk in technological failure, failure to implement technological upgrades, or failure to implement new technological products in accordance with expected timelines; changing market conditions related to defaulted mortgage loans, and the failure of clients to send foreclosure and bankruptcy referrals in volumes similar to those prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic; failure of governing agencies and regulatory bodies to approve the use of products and services developed by the Company; the Company’s dependence on maintaining intellectual property and protecting newly developed intellectual property; operating losses and negative cash flows; and currency fluctuations. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained herein. Factors relating to the Company’s financial guidance and targets disclosed in this press release include, in addition to the factors set out above, the degree to which actual future events accord with, or vary from, the expectations of, and assumptions used by, Voxtur’s management in preparing the financial guidance and targets.

    This forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise this information to reflect new events or circumstances except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

    Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Voxtur’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VXTR and in the US on the OTCQB under the symbol VXTRF.

    Company Contact: 

    Jordan Ross
    Tel: (416)708-9764

    jordan@voxtur.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Former SWAT Leader and National Educator Joins WrapTactics™ to Launch Digital Pre-Escalation Training

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wrap Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WRAP) (“Wrap” or, the “Company”), a global leader in pre-escalation and non-lethal public safety solutions, today announces the appointment of Todd Larson, EdD., MSL, FABC, as Strategic Advisor of the Company. Dr. Larson will guide the development of WrapTactics™, Wrap’s advanced learning management system focused on elevating police training through integrated mindset conditioning, emotional regulation and tactical problem-solving.

    Dr. Larson brings over 30 years of experience in law enforcement, public safety innovation and education. His decorated 22-year tenure with the Scottsdale Police Department included leadership roles in Special Investigations, Violent Crimes, and more than a decade with the SWAT team as operator, sniper and team leader. Complementing his field experience, Dr. Larson has taught at the University of Phoenix, Northern Arizona University, and delivered leadership, ethics and emotional intelligence training nationwide to thousands of officers.

    “Dr. Larson’s commitment to innovation, leadership and his extensive law enforcement experience makes him an invaluable addition to our core advisory team,” said Scot Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of Wrap. “His expertise is expected to ensure our learning system is grounded in reality, guided by science and focused on safer outcomes for all.”

    As Wrap builds a scalable and practical training platform in public safety, Dr. Larson will lead efforts to embed scenario-based modules rooted in real-world encounters, emphasizing three critical components of effective policing:

    • Mindset framing to foster clarity under pressure within the pre-escalation period;
    • Emotion regulation to de-escalate before force becomes necessary; and
    • Tactical precision to resolve situations safely and effectively.

    “I am honored to support Wrap’s mission to improve officer readiness through innovation,” said Dr. Larson. “WrapTactics™ isn’t just about tools—it’s about transforming the way officers think, respond and lead in every interaction.”

    Larson holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and a master’s degree in leadership with an emphasis in Crisis Management and Disaster Preparedness from Grand Canyon University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University. He also works as a consultant with a large Arizona based healthcare system focused on Innovation and Network Operations, is a published author and a nationally known speaker.

    To learn more about WrapTactics™ and Dr. Larson’s role in redefining modern police training, visit [www.wrap.com].

    About Wrap Technologies, Inc.

    Wrap Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WRAP) a global leader in innovative public safety technologies and non-lethal tools, delivering cutting-edge technology with exceptional people to address the complex, modern day challenges facing public safety organizations.

    Wrap’s BolaWrap® 150 solution leads the world in pre-escalation and beyond, providing law enforcement with a safer choice for nearly every phase of a critical incident.

    This innovative, patented device deploys a multi-sensory, cognitive disruption that leverages sight, sound and sensation to expand the pre-escalation period and give officers the advantage and critical time to manage non-compliant subjects before resorting to higher-force options. The BolaWrap® 150 is a not pain-based- compliance. It does not shoot, strike, shock, or incapacitate—instead, it helps officers strategically operate pre-escalation on the force continuum, reducing the risk of injury to both officers and subjects. Used by over 1,000 agencies across the U.S. and in 60 countries, BolaWrap® is backed by training certified by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), reinforcing Wrap’s commitment to public safety through cutting-edge technology and expert training.

    Wrap Reality® VR is a fully immersive training simulator to enhance decision-making under pressure.

    As a comprehensive public safety training platform, it provides first responders with realistic, interactive scenarios that reflect the evolving challenges of modern law enforcement. By offering a growing library of real-world situations, Wrap Reality® equips officers with the skills and confidence to navigate high stakes encounters effectively, leading to safer outcomes for both responders and the communities they serve.

    WrapVision is an all-new body-worn camera and evidence management system built for efficiency.

    Designed for efficiency, security, and transparency to meet the rigorous demands of modern law enforcement, WrapVision captures, stores and helps manage digital evidence, with operational security, regulatory compliance and superior video picture quality and field of view.

    The WrapVision camera, powered by IONODES boasts cloud integration and adheres to Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance requirements and GSA schedule contracts requirements. Crucially, unlike many competitor devices manufactured overseas in foreign, non-compliant, and possibly hostile regions, WrapVision is built in North America, promoting unparalleled data integrity and reducing critical concerns over unauthorized access or foreign surveillance risks.

    Trademark Information

    Trademark Information Wrap, the Wrap logo, BolaWrap®, Wrap Reality® and Wrap Training Academy are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc., some of which are registered in the U.S. and abroad. All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.

    Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the Company’s expectations related to the appointment of the new Chief Financial Officer, the expected benefits of the acquisition of W1 Global, LLC, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing standards; the Company’s ability to successfully implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its products; the market acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solutions; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the impact resulting from geopolitical conflicts and any resulting sanctions; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the United States; the ability to obtain patents and defend intellectual property against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    (800) 583-2652
    ir@wrap.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6444767d-f765-42a5-873b-4d2990983561

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EBC Financial Group Celebrates Multiple Award Wins in 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EBC Financial Group (EBC) has been recognised by two leading industry award bodies in 2025, reinforcing its position as a trusted broker via the Best CFD Provider award by Online Money Awards and Most Trusted Broker and Best Trading Platform titles at the World Finance Forex Awards 2025.

    EBC’s wins at the World Finance Forex Awards mark the third consecutive year the Group has received honours from the awarding body—an indication of its sustained performance in both technology execution and client trust metrics. The 2025 dual awards build on EBC’s previous recognitions in 2023 and 2024, highlighting its consistent delivery of robust trading solutions across global markets.

    The acknowledgments span both product delivery and trust metrics, reflecting EBC’s operational focus on execution quality, platform innovation, and client protection within regulated trading environments.

    “These awards affirm the Group’s emphasis on building efficient, transparent, and regulated trading infrastructure,” said David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd. “Whether it’s through our ETF CFD suite expansion, platform enhancements, or client-first service model, we remain focused on building tools and experiences that help traders act with clarity, confidence, and control.”

    Driving Growth with Thematic and Tactical CFD Solutions
    EBC’s recent launch of over 100 U.S.-listed ETF CFDs has expanded its multi-asset product suite and positioned the Group at the forefront of thematic trading innovation. These instruments give clients real-time, leveraged access to ETFs across a broad spectrum of global narratives—including clean energy, U.S. tech, dividend-yielding assets, fixed income, and emerging markets.

    The offering features ETFs from leading issuers such as Vanguard, iShares (BlackRock), and State Street Global Advisors, with key advantages including zero fund management fees, leverage options and short-selling capabilities as well as real-time execution and low-cost access to NYSE and NASDAQ-listed assets.

    This expansion aligns with EBC’s strategic focus on delivering smarter exposure tools—enabling traders to respond quickly to macro shifts, hedge market views, or construct diversified portfolios with precision.

    Platform Innovation and Client Experience at the Core
    Beyond product growth, EBC continues to enhance its platforms with features such as smart liquidity routing, expanded multilingual support, and ultra-low latency execution. Proprietary tools like the Trading Black Box and Private Room help optimise price aggregation, protect trade integrity, and elevate the trading experience across retail and institutional segments.

    These upgrades contributed to EBC’s recognition as Best Trading Platform at the 2025 World Finance Forex Awards, while the Most Trusted Broker title acknowledged the Group’s long-term dedication to governance, client protection, and relationship-building in regulated markets.

    This article reflects the observations of EBC Financial Group and all its global entities. It is not financial or investment advice. Trading in commodities and foreign exchange (FX) involves a significant risk of loss, potentially exceeding your initial investment. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making any trading or investment decisions, as EBC Financial Group and its entities are not liable for any damages arising from reliance on this information.

    For more information about EBC Financial Group and its award-winning services, visit www.ebc.com.

    About EBC Financial Group   

    Founded in London, EBC Financial Group (EBC) is a global brand known for its expertise in financial brokerage and asset management. Through its regulated entities operating across major financial jurisdictions—including the UK, Australia, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, and others—EBC enables retail, professional, and institutional investors to access global markets and trading opportunities, including currencies, commodities, CFDs and more.

    Trusted by investors in over 100 countries and honoured with global awards including multiple year recognition from World Finance, EBC is widely regarded as one of the world’s best brokers with titles including Best Trading Platform and Most Trusted Broker. With its strong regulatory standing and commitment to transparency, EBC has also been consistently ranked among the top brokers—trusted for its ability to deliver secure, innovative, and client-first trading solutions across competitive international markets.

    EBC’s subsidiaries are licensed and regulated within their respective jurisdictions. EBC Financial Group (UK) Limited is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA); EBC Financial Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, and EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd are regulated by Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC); EBC Financial (MU) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission Mauritius (FSC).   

    At the core of EBC are a team of industry veterans with over 40 years of experience in major financial institutions. Having navigated key economic cycles from the Plaza Accord and 2015 Swiss franc crisis to the market upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic. We foster a culture where integrity, respect, and client asset security are paramount, ensuring that every investor relationship is handled with the utmost seriousness it deserves.    

    EBC is a proud official foreign exchange partner of FC Barcelona and continues to drive impactful partnerships to empower communities – namely through the UN Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria initiative, Oxford University’s Department of Economics, and a diverse range of partners to champion initiatives in global health, economics, education, and sustainability.    
    https://www.ebc.com/

     Media Contact: 
    Savitha Ravindran
    Global Public Relations Manager
    savitha.ravindran@ebc.com

    Michelle Siow 
    Brand & Communications Director 
    michelle.siow@ebc.com  

    The MIL Network –

  • India’s rising middle class to drive global leisure travel boom: report

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s expanding middle class and its younger, travel-savvy population are poised to play a pivotal role in driving the future of global leisure travel, according to a new report released on Wednesday.

    Data compiled by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) projects that annual global consumer spending on leisure travel will triple from $5 trillion in 2024 to an estimated $15 trillion by 2040 — making it larger than the global pharmaceutical and fashion industries.

    The report attributes this sharp rise to increasing incomes in developing economies and a growing preference for spending on experiences rather than material possessions.

    India’s domestic leisure travel segment has already rebounded strongly after the pandemic, with spending between 2019 and 2024 showing moderate to robust growth.

    This momentum is expected to continue, with BCG forecasting domestic leisure travel spending in India to rise by 12 per cent annually. Regional spending is projected to grow by 8 per cent, and international spending by 10 per cent per year.

    Overnight trips are also likely to grow steadily — by 3 per cent domestically, 4 per cent regionally, and 6 per cent internationally.

    Millennials and Gen Z are leading this surge, with their enthusiasm for travel exceeding that of older generations by up to 26 percentage points. Notably, Gen X in India continues to remain an influential segment for the travel industry — unlike in many developed economies, where their share is declining.

    Globally, leisure travel overnights are expected to grow at 4 per cent annually until 2029, before moderating to 3 per cent per year through 2040.

    Domestic travel will continue to form the largest share, increasing from a projected $4.1 trillion in 2024 to $11.7 trillion by 2040. Regional travel is forecast to grow from $710 billion to over $2 trillion, while international leisure travel is expected to more than triple to $1.4 trillion during the same period.

    -IANS

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Championing the role of science

    Source: Scottish Government

    New Chief Scientific Adviser appointed.

    Professor Calum Semple OBE has been appointed the Scottish Government’s next Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA).

    He will take up the position on 5 August 2025 on an initial three-year term.

    Professor Semple is a Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and became Professor of Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University of Liverpool in 2018.

    He has held key advisory roles during public health emergencies, serving as a UK Government adviser during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, on the World Health Organisation Scientific Advisory Committee during the Ebola Emergency and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies during the Covid pandemic.

    The role of CSA includes:

    • providing Scottish Government Ministers independent scientific advice on issues of strategic importance
    • championing Scotland’s world-leading science and research base and the role of science in the economy and society
    • inspiring the next generation of scientists and encourage diversity in the STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) workforce.

    Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

    “Science is the bedrock of our society and economy and at the heart of government decision making. From health to the economy to the environment and everything in between, it is a fundamental part of our everyday lives.

    “I am delighted to welcome Professor Semple to the role of Chief Scientific Adviser and look forward to his valuable insight and advice as the Scottish Government continues to work with our world leading science sector to highlight Scotland’s strengths as a science nation and ensure it is front and centre of everything we do.”

    Professor Semple said:

    “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work for the people and government of Scotland, providing evidence and scientific advice to support our policymakers. I particularly look forward to collaborating with Scotland’s vibrant communities of scientists and engineers in our schools, universities and industries, who inspire and drive the innovation essential for future economic growth. I will ensure that science and evidence remain at the heart of how we shape a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Scotland.

    “I would like to thank my wife, friends, and colleagues at the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital who support my career and enabled this important appointment. Their encouragement and collaboration have been vital to my journey.”

    Background

    Professor Semple was raised in Glasgow and Edinburgh. He qualified in medicine from the University of Oxford after completing a PhD in Clinical Virology at University College London and a Bachelor’s Tripos in Cell Pathology, Immunology, and Virology at Middlesex Hospital Medical School.

    His clinical academic training in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine began in 2002 when he was awarded a Department of Health National Clinical Scientist Fellowship at the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

    He was appointed Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in 2006 and was promoted to Professor of Outbreak Medicine and Child Health at the University of Liverpool in 2018.

    He will retain these positions, albeit with reduced activity, during his appointment to the Scottish Government.

    Professor Semple has been studying severe viral outbreaks since 1989 and co-founded the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) in 2012. He has led research on HIV/AIDS, Bronchiolitis, Influenza, Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19, and Hepatitis, with a focus on disease characterisation and clinical countermeasures. His work has been supported by the Wellcome Trust, UK NIHR, and UKRI MRC. For his leadership of medical research activities in Sierra Leone between 2014 and 2016, he and his team were awarded the Queen’s Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa. In 2019, he received a Commonwealth Award for his ongoing work with Ebola Survivors.

    Professor Semple has held key advisory roles during public health emergencies, including serving as a UK Government advisor during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, on the WHO Scientific Advisory Committee for the Ebola Emergency – STAC-EE (2014–2017), the New Emerging Respiratory Viral Threats Advisory Group – NERVTAG (2014–2023), and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies – SAGE for COVID-19 (2020–2022).

    He was appointed OBE in 2020 for his contributions to the COVID-19 response and was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health by distinction in 2022. His leadership is marked by integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and clear communication.

    He enjoys spending time with his family, dogs, beekeeping, playing the pipes, and fly fishing.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Reappointment of the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Reappointment of the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman

    His Majesty The King has approved the reappointment of Douglas Marshall as the Judcial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman.

    His Majesty The King, on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, has approved the reappointment – for 5 years from 1 March 2026 – of Douglas Marshall as Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman.

    The reappointment of the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and has been made under Paragraph 1 of Schedule 13 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

    Biography

    Douglas Marshall is Pathways to Impact Manager at Childlight; Global Child Safety Institute based in Edinburgh, working to combat the global pandemic of child abuse. His previous career included 30 years’ service with Cumbria Constabulary retiring as a senior detective. At the latter end of his service, he was the Deputy National Co-ordinator on Operation Hydrant (the national policing response, oversight, and co-ordination of non-recent child sexual abuse). He returned to Cumbria Constabulary completing five years as a Police Staff Senior Investigating Officer. During his police service he was Senior Investigating Officer on several high-profile cases in Cumbria. He is formerly a director of a private investigation company in Scotland and has a consultancy for investigations.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –