NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    New fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports

    The government will introduce new fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports from 9 April 2025.

    From 9 April 2025, the government will introduce new fees for emergency travel documents (ETDs) and emergency passports.

    An ETD lets you travel from abroad if you need to travel urgently and cannot use your British passport. It is usually only valid for one single or return journey. The new fee includes the cost of couriering the emergency travel document to you. Previously, this was an additional separate cost.

    Emergency passports are issued in exceptional circumstances, usually when an ETD cannot be issued.

    Service Current fee up to 8 April 2025 New fee from 9 April 2025
    Administering an application for, and if successful providing, an emergency travel document (in addition to direct costs, if any)   £100 £125
    Exceptionally, administering an application for, and, if successful, providing an emergency passport, on occasions when it is not possible to provide an emergency travel document (in addition to direct costs, if any)   £75 £125

    Consular fees are reviewed in line with His Majesty’s Treasury guidance Managing public money. The last time fees were increased was in 2016.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Swiss exports affected by US tariff increases

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Finance

    On 3 April the Federal Council took note of the US government’s announcements on the imposition of wide-ranging tariffs. These will affect all of the USA’s trading partners including Switzerland. The Federal Council will analyse the measures and their impact on Switzerland in greater detail. It is in contact with the affected industries and the US authorities. The Federal Council has instructed the EAER to begin preparatory work on a possible solution with the USA.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rapsodo’s Latest Partnership with GSPRO Adds Industry-leading 4K-Quality and Real-Life Ball Physics to Enhance Golf Simulation Experience

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. LOUIS, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rapsodo, the leading developer of golf, baseball and softball ball flight monitors and simulators, today announces its latest partnership with another leading golf simulator in the industry, GSPRO. This collaboration gives users access to over 1,000 user-generated, 4K-quality, simulated golf courses and various environmental factors like wind, terrain and course layouts, allowing players to experience the game as they would in real life.

    Through the partnership, premium MLM2PRO™ members have an option to start a subscription with GSPRO. GSPRO is known for its industry-leading simulation technology, delivering real-life ball physics and creating an experience that closely mirrors real course conditions. Whether users are practicing their swings, preparing for tournaments or just enjoying a game with friends, GSPRO’s integration with the MLM2PRO™ provides users with an unparalleled level of immersion. Up to eight players can join together in a variety of game modes, making it the perfect option for both competitive and casual play.

    “We’re always looking to improve the experience for our MLM2PRO members, and working with GSPRO presented an opportunity to team up with another industry-leading golf simulation brand,” said Pete Gibbons, director of golf at Rapsodo. “The GSPRO team has the same values when it comes to enhancing its players’ game. With our advanced player metrics and GSPRO’s stunning graphics and a larger selection of courses, it was an easy choice to give our golfers an even more life-like game experience.”

    The partnership is available exclusively to premium MLM2PRO users, who can start a subscription with GSPRO’s simulation software for an additional cost. Subscriptions for Rapsodo and GSPRO are as follows:

    • Rapsodo MLM2PRO annual membership: $199.99
    • Rapsodo MLM2PRO lifetime membership: $499.99
    • GSPRO annual subscription: $250

    The Mobile Launch Monitor 2 Pro (MLM2PRO) is a mobile launch monitor created by Rapsodo. The top-selling product is best known for its cutting-edge capabilities, offering golfers advanced metrics like measured spin axis and measured spin rate, among others. This powerful monitor is now paired with GSPRO’s immersive software to give users a top-tier golf experience both indoors and out. The high-quality offering will require a gaming computer for use to produce the best online golf experience.

    Click here for high-resolution photos and videos. For more information on Rapsodo’s technology, visit Rapsodo.com.

    About Rapsodo
    Rapsodo defies limits with affordable, professional-grade technology to enhance the way athletes play across the world. Used by MLB teams, NCAA Division I Champions, and elite PGA coaches, Rapsodo technology has earned multiple MyGolfSpy’s Best Of Golf Awards and the Official Player Development Partner of USA Baseball, affirming Rapsodo’s leadership in golf, baseball, and softball tech. Do what you didn’t think was possible. Play Without Limits. Play with Rapsodo. Discover more at Rapsodo.com.

    About GSPro
    GSPro is a leader in golf simulation software, providing ultra-realistic 4K graphics and best-in-class ball physics. Created in 2021 by golf technologists, GSPro is a constantly evolving golf simulation software solution with focus on accuracy, quality, value, and community. Additional information about GSPro can be found on their website (https://gsprogolf.com/)

    Media Contact:
    Tara Evans
    Uproar by Moburst for Rapsodo
    tara.evans@moburst.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Evicted PNG settlement fears collective punishment over gang rape and killing

    By Harlyne Joku and BenarNews staff

    Residents of an informal Port Moresby settlement that was razed following the gang rape and murder of a woman by 20 men say they are being unfairly punished by Papua New Guinea authorities over alleged links to the crime.

    Human rights advocates and the UN have condemned the killing but warned the eviction by police has raised serious concerns about collective punishment, violations of national law, police misconduct and governance failures.

    A community spokesman said more than 500 people living at the settlement at the capital’s Baruni rubbish dump were forcibly evicted by the police in response to the killing of 32-year-old Margaret Gabriel on February 15.

    Port Moresby newspapers reported the gang rape and murder by 20 men of 32-year-old Margaret Gabriel . . . “Barbaric”, said the Post-Courier in a banner headline. Image: BenarNews

    Authorities accuse the settlement residents, who are primarily migrants from the Goilala district in Central Province, of harboring some of the men involved in her murder.

    Prime Minister James Marape condemned Gabriel’s death as “inhuman, barbaric” and a “defining moment for our nation to unite against crime, to take a stand against violence”, the day after the attack.

    He assured every effort would be made to prosecute those responsible and his “unwavering support” for the removal of settlements like Baruni, calling them “breeding grounds for criminal elements who terrorise innocent people.”

    Gabriel was one of three women killed in the capital that week.

    Charged with rape, murder
    Four men from Goilala district and two from Enga province, all aged between 18 and 29, appeared in a Port Moresby court on Monday on charges of her rape and murder.

    The case has again put a spotlight again on gender-based violence in PNG and renewed calls for the government to find a long-term solution to Port Moresby’s impoverished settlements.

    Dozens of families, some of whom have lived in the Baruni settlement for more than 40 years, were forced out of their homes on February 22 and are now sleeping under blue tarpaulins at a school sports oval on the outskirts of the capital.

    Spokesman for the evicted Baruni residents, Peter Laiam . . . “My people are innocent.” Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    “My people are innocent,” Peter Laiam, a community spokesman and school caretaker, told BenarNews, adding that police continued to harass the community at their new location.

    “They told me I had to move these people out in two weeks’ time or they will shoot us.”

    Laiam said a further six men from the settlement were suspected of involvement in Gabriel’s death, but had not been charged, and the community has fully cooperated with police on the matter, including naming the suspects.

    Authorities however were treating the entire population as “trouble makers,” Laiam added.

    “They also took cash and building materials like corrugated iron roofing for themselves” he said.

    No police response
    Senior police in Port Moresby did not respond to ongoing requests from BenarNews for reaction to the allegations.

    Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi last week thanked the evicted settlers for information that led to the arrest of six suspects, The National newspaper reported.

    Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Junior defended the eviction at Baruni last month, telling EMTV News it was lawful and the settlement was on state-owned land.

    Bare land left after homes in the Baruni settlement village were flattened by bulldozers at Port Moresby, PNG. Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    Police used excavators and other heavy machinery to tear down houses at the Baruni settlement, with images showing some buildings on fire.

    Residents say the resettlement site in Laloki lacks adequate water, sanitation and other facilities.

    “They are running out of food,” Laiam said. “Last weekend they were washed out by the rain and their food supplies were finished.”

    Separated from their gardens and unable to sell firewood, the families are surviving on food donations from local authorities, he said.

    Human rights critics
    The evictions have been criticised by human rights advocates, including Peterson Magoola, the UN Women Representative for PNG.

    “We strongly condemn all acts of sexual and gender-based violence and call for justice for the victim,” he said in a statement last month.

    “At the same time, collective punishment, forced evictions, and destruction of homes violate fundamental human rights and disproportionately harm vulnerable members of the community.”

    The evicted families living in tents at Laloki St Paul’s Primary School, on the outskirts of Port Moresby, PNG. Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    Melanesian Solidarity, a local nonprofit, called on the government to ensure justice for both the murder victim and displaced families.

    It said the evictions might have contravened international treaties and domestic laws that protect against unlawful property deprivation and mandate proper legal procedures for relocation.

    The Baruni settlement, which is home primarily to migrants from Goilala district, was established with consent on the customary land of the Baruni people during the colonial era, according to Laiam.

    Central Province Governor Rufina Peter defended the evicted settlers on national broadcaster NBC on February 20, and their contribution to the national capital.

    “The Goilala people were here during pre-independence time. They are the ones who were the bucket carriers,” she said.

    ‘Knee jerk’ response
    She also criticised the eviction by police as “knee jerk” and raised human rights concerns.

    The Goilala community in Central Province, 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital, was the center of controversy in January when a trophy video of butchered body parts being displayed by a gang went viral, attracted erroneous ‘cannibalism’ reportage by the local media and sparked national and international condemnation.

    The evictions at Baruni have touched off again a complex debate about crime and housing in PNG, the Pacific’s most populous nation.

    Informal settlements have mushroomed in Port Moresby as thousands of people from the countryside migrate to the city in search of employment.

    Critics say the impoverished settlements are unfit for habitation, contribute to the city’s frequent utility shortages, and harbour criminals.

    Mass evictions have been ordered before, but the government has failed to enact any meaningful policies to address their rapid growth across the city.

    While accurate population data is hard to find in PNG, the United Nations Population Fund estimates that the number of people living in Port Moresby is about 513,000.

    Lack basic infrastructure
    At least half of them are thought to live in informal settlements, which lack basic infrastructure like water, electricity and sewerage, according to 2022 research by the PNG National Research Institute.

    A shortage of affordable housing and high rental prices have caused a mismatch between demand and supply.

    Melanesian Solidarity said the government needed to develop a national housing strategy to prevent the rise of informal settlements.

    “This eviction is a wake-up call for the government to implement sustainable urban planning and housing reforms rather than resorting to forced removals,” it said in a statement.

    “We stand with the affected families and demand justice, accountability, and humane solutions for all Papua New Guineans.”

    Stefan Armbruster, Sue Ahearn and Harry Pearl contributed to this story. Republished from BenarNews with permission. However, it is the last report from BenarNews as the editors have announced a “pause” in publication due to the US administration withholding funds.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are the highest in decades − an economist explains how that could hurt the US

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bedassa Tadesse, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota Duluth

    President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping new tariff plan on April 2, 2025, to reshape U.S. trade and boost domestic industry.

    Framing the announcement as “Liberation Day,” he proposed a 10% tariff on essentially all imports, with steeper rates for major trade partners, including 34% on Chinese goods and 20% on those from the European Union. Starting April 3, a 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars and auto parts will take effect – a move that he says will revive U.S. manufacturing and reset America’s trade agenda.

    But the fanfare surrounding the announcement masks a much larger gamble. What’s really at stake is trust – America’s long-standing reputation as a stable and predictable destination for global investment. And once that trust is lost, it’s incredibly hard to win back.

    The strategy is presented as a robust defense of American manufacturing and the middle class. But foreign direct investment – when overseas companies build factories or expand operations in the U.S. – depends on more than just opportunity. It depends on certainty.

    If global investors start to worry that U.S. trade policy can shift abruptly, they may relocate their capital elsewhere. As such, the administration’s aggressive approach to tariffs risks undermining the very confidence that has long made the U.S. a top destination for global capital.

    Auto tariffs as a case in point

    Nowhere is this risk more visible than in the auto industry.

    In 2023 alone, the United States attracted over US$148 billion in foreign direct investment, with nearly $42.9 billion tied to manufacturing, including in the automotive sector. Over the past few decades, major global automakers such as Toyota, BMW and Hyundai have established expansive plants in states including Alabama, Ohio and Kentucky.

    These facilities – many of which have seen significant reinvestment and expansion in recent years, especially in response to the shift toward electric vehicles – employ thousands of Americans and contribute significantly to local economies.

    Trump’s tariff push aims to get automakers to manufacture more vehicles on U.S. soil to overcome rising import costs. It’s a strategy with precedent. During his first term, the threat of auto tariffs, alongside existing plans, helped spur Toyota’s $1.6 billion investment in a North Carolina plant and Volkswagen’s expansion of its operations in Tennessee. It’s not far-fetched to imagine Honda or Mercedes following suit with new factories in Indiana or Texas.

    But here’s the catch: “Made in the USA” doesn’t always mean “made for less.” American auto plants often face productivity and efficiency gaps compared with foreign competitors. Labor costs are higher. Assembly lines move more slowly, partly due to stricter labor protections, less automation and aging infrastructure. And U.S. automakers such as Ford and GM still depend heavily on global supply chains. Even for vehicles assembled in America, about 40% of the parts, such as engines from Canada and wiring harnesses from Mexico, are imported.

    When those parts are taxed, production costs go up. Moody’s estimates that pickups such as the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado could cost $2,000 to $3,000 more as a result. Goldman Sachs projects price hikes of up to $15,000, depending on the vehicle. Automakers then face a dilemma: raise prices and risk losing customers or absorb the costs and cut into their margins.

    A ripple effect across the economy

    Tariffs may protect one industry, but their ripple effects reach much further. They raise costs for other sectors that rely on imported inputs, slow down production by making supply chains more expensive and less efficient, squeeze profit margins, and leave businesses and consumers with harder choices.

    Factories represent billion-dollar investments that take years to recoup their costs. Mixed signals, such as the president calling tariffs “permanent” one moment and negotiable the next, create a climate of uncertainty. That makes companies more hesitant to build, hire and expand.

    And investors are watching closely. If building in the U.S. becomes more expensive and less predictable, is it still a smart long-term bet? When a company is deciding where to build its next battery plant or chip facility, volatility in U.S. policy can be a deal breaker.

    The consequences could surface soon. Goldman Sachs has already lowered its 2025 U.S. GDP growth forecast to 1.7%, down from an earlier 2.2%, citing the administration’s trade policy risks. Consumers, still grappling with inflation and high interest rates, may begin to delay big-ticket purchases, especially as tariffs push prices even higher.

    The international fallout

    America’s trading partners aren’t standing still. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his country “will fight back – with purpose and with force.” The European Union is exploring duties on American tech firms. Japan, a longtime ally, is signaling unease. If these countries redirect investment to other countries, the U.S. could lose its competitive edge for years to come.

    And while roughly 1 million Americans work in the auto manufacturing industry, more than 150 million make up the total American labor force. When tariffs drive up input costs, it can trigger a chain reaction, hurting retailers, stalling service-sector jobs and slowing overall economic growth.

    Consumers will feel it too. Higher prices mean lower sales, reduced tax revenues and shrinking profits. All of that weakens the economy at a time when household budgets are already strained.

    Lessons from history

    The U.S. has seen how trade policy can shape investment decisions – just in reverse. In the 1980s, Japanese automakers responded to U.S. import quotas not by withdrawing but by building plants in the United States. That response was possible because policies were clear and negotiated, not abrupt or adversarial.

    Today, the story is different. Volatile, unilateral tariffs don’t build trust – they erode it. And when trust erodes, so does investment.

    Yes, a factory in Indiana or Kentucky might reopen. Yet if that comes at the cost of deterring billions of dollars in long-term investment, is it worth it?

    So while the president may celebrate April 2 as Liberation Day, markets may come to see it as the tipping point – when global confidence in the U.S. economy began to falter in earnest.

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

    – ref. Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are the highest in decades − an economist explains how that could hurt the US – https://theconversation.com/trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-are-the-highest-in-decades-an-economist-explains-how-that-could-hurt-the-us-253685

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent

    Martyn’s Law will deliver increased protection by ensuring public premises and events are better prepared in the event of a terrorist attack.

    Premises and events will be better prepared to respond to attacks as landmark legislation known as Martyn’s Law gained Royal Assent and became law today (Thursday 3 April).

    The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 will require public premises where 200 or more individuals may be present, to be better prepared and have plans in place to keep people safe in the event of an attack.

    Larger premises and events where 800 or more people will be present will be required to take further steps to reduce their vulnerability to acts of terrorism – such as having CCTV, bag search policies or vehicle checks where appropriate.

    ‘Martyn’s Law’ is named in tribute to Martyn Hett who was tragically killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017.

    It delivers on the Prime Minister’s personal promise to Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, who has been the driving force in campaigning for this legislation in her son’s memory, that he would bring in this law.

    The Prime Minister invited Figen Murray into Downing Street today to mark this landmark moment and to express the debt of gratitude the nation has for her selfless work to turn such unimaginable pain into a lasting legacy for son Martyn.

    The government is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change and this Act delivers a manifesto commitment to strengthen the security of public events and venues.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    Today is a landmark moment for our security as my government delivers on its promise to introduce Martyn’s Law and better protect the public from terrorism.

    Figen’s courage and determination in the face of such unimaginable loss is truly humbling and it is thanks to her campaigning that Martyn’s Law means her son’s legacy will live on forever.

    Security is the foundation of our Plan for Change and the first duty of any government. Martyn’s Law will ensure everyone can enjoy public events more safely and ensure venues across the country have clear, practical measures in place to protect people.

    Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett said:

    My son Martyn Hett was murdered alongside 21 innocent victims in the Manchester Arena terror attack on 22 May 2017, and whilst nothing will bring Martyn back, I am determined to ensure nobody endures what my family has experienced.

    For the last 6 years I have campaigned to introduce measures that will improve security at public venues and how they respond to a terror attack – Martyn’s Law.

    I am grateful to the Prime Minister, the Security Minister and Lord Hanson for how quickly they’ve progressed Martyn’s Law through parliament. But this would not have happened without the tireless support of my co-campaigners Nick Aldworth, Brendan Cox, Nathan Emmerich, my husband Stuart, and my children.

    Over the implementation period it is vital that the government and Security Industry Authority provide all that is necessary for publicly accessible locations to implement Martyn’s Law.

    Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:

    Martyn’s Law will significantly strengthen public safety across our country, I’d like to thank Figen Murray for her tireless work to make this law a reality.

    This government is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change and, as the eighth anniversary of the attack approaches, this new law delivers upon the lessons from the Manchester Arena Inquiry to keep people safe.

    CTP Senior National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare, Jon Savell, said:

    Martyn’s Law will ensure that the public have additional protection from terrorist attacks while at events and public venues. We will continue to work with businesses and with the government to make sure premises have the support they need to prepare for the implementation of the act.

    Figen Murray has campaigned tirelessly for the introduction of this legislation and it’s thanks to her unwavering determination that it has achieved Royal Assent.

    Mike Kill CEO of the Night Time Industries Association

    The passing of Martyn’s Law into legislation is a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to public safety. This law will ensure that venues and events across the UK take appropriate and proportionate steps to protect the public from the evolving threat of terrorism. The NTIA has long supported measures that enhance security while remaining practical for businesses to implement.

    We appreciate the government’s recognition of the challenges businesses face and the commitment to a 24-month implementation period, allowing time for preparation and adaptation. As an industry we will continue working closely with the Home Office, the SIA, and key stakeholders to provide clear guidance and support. Ensuring the safety of our night-time economy and public spaces remains our priority, and we fully support this crucial legislation.

    Security Minster, Dan Jarvis, said:

    I am proud that we have delivered Martyn’s Law as part of our commitment to strengthen the security at public events and venues.

    I would like to pay tribute to Figen Murray, who has been nothing short of inspirational in her campaign for this legislation and a driving force in making it happen.

    Giles Smith, Chief Executive of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) said:

    The SGSA welcomes the passing of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) 2025 legislation.

    Providing a safe, welcoming environment for fans is the SGSA’s top priority and we support the objectives of Martyn’s Law.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Government contractor to pay $1.95M to settle False Claims Act allegations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Intelligent Waves, LLC, located in Reston, and its owner agreed to pay $1.95 million to settle False Claims Act allegations involving two Air Force contracts.

    In September 2019, Intelligent Waves entered into a contract, known as the Crowd-Sourced Contract, with the Air Force. Under the Crowd-Sourced Contract, Intelligent Waves provided crowd-sourced flight data collection support and data analytics to the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly sold certain equipment to the Air Force that was not authorized under the Crowd-Sourced Contract and submitted invoices to the Air Force that portrayed the unauthorized equipment as authorized equipment under the Contract. The United States also alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly invoiced the Air Force for products and/or labor that it did not deliver in the specific quantities stated in its invoices. After it failed to deliver the products and/or labor stated in its invoices, Intelligent Waves failed to provide a credit to the Air Force for undelivered products and/or labor, providing substitute products requested by non-procurement personnel instead.

    In November 2020, Intelligent Waves also entered into a contract, known as the Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF) Contract, with the Air Force to build special access program facilities at Edwards Air Force Base,. The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves knowingly made false statements that induced the award of the SAPF Contract.

    The United States alleged that Intelligent Waves provided meals and entertainment to Air Force employees before the award of and during the period of performance of the Crowd-Sourced and SAPF contracts.  

    This settlement arises in connection with a lawsuit filed by two former Intelligent Waves employees under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Taylor et al. v. Intelligent Waves, LLC et al. The lawsuit alleged that Intelligent Waves’ owner was aware of certain of the alleged wrongful conduct. A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court and providing a copy of the complaint and evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

    This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor and Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.

    The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

    Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cv-1463.

    A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sourcemind Academy sponsored by Webb Fontaine, lays the groundwork for technology and skills transfer within the Guinea’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCEG) framework: 15 young Guineans trained in software engineering

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    As part of the skills and technology transfer process outlined by the commitments under the concession for Guinea’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCEG), Webb Fontaine (www.WebbFontaine.com), in collaboration with Sourcemind Training Academy, proudly celebrates the successful graduation of the first cohort from its software engineering training program. 

    This six-month program is fully aligned with the national capacity- building strategy and embodies the vision of transferring technical expertise to the Guinean State as the GUCEG concession approaches its completion. 

    Through this initiative, Webb Fontaine concretely demonstrates its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by fostering local expertise capable of maintaining, enhancing, and innovating technological systems, particularly those related to GUCEG. 

    Of the 18 candidates enrolled, 15 graduates from this inaugural cohort have gained specialized skills in Java development, Java Spring, databases, data structures and algorithms, DevOps, and front-end development. They have worked on practical projects addressing real-world needs, such as learning management systems, HR platforms, and commercial management tools. 

    “These achievements represent a critical milestone in the strategy to sustain GUCEG’s technological gains. They also lay the foundation for a more autonomous local IT ecosystem, essential for the ongoing technical and operational continuity of Guinea’s digital administrative systems.This first cohort trained through Sourcemind Academy reflects our strong commitment to ensuring the sustainability of GUCEG’s technological assets by investing in local, resilient expertise,” said Mamady Doumbouya, Director General of GUCEG. 

    “At Webb Fontaine, we believe that true digital transformation comes through knowledge transfer. This graduation marks our concrete commitment to a sovereign digital future for Guinea,” said Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine. 

    “This program is fully in line with our national strategy for capacity building. It represents a major step toward building a modernized and autonomous public administration, driven by Guinean talent,” said Facinet SYLLA, Minister of Budget. 

    Practical Information:
    Date: APRIL 2nd, 2025 
    Venue: Noom Hotel, Conakry 
    Time: Ceremony begins at 10:00 AM 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Webb Fontaine.

    Contact:
    Mail: alseny.dia@webbfontaine.com
    Website: www.GUCEG.Gov.gn 
    629 41 09 12 / 612 21 03

    About SourceMind:
    Sourcemind is a high-level technological training center established by Webb Fontaine. Its mission is to equip young local talents with immediately operational skills, leveraging professional training methodologies aligned with international standards. 

    Within the context of GUCEG, Sourcemind plays a vital role in transferring technical expertise, preparing a local workforce capable of maintaining, optimizing, and developing future digital platforms for the Guinean government. 

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK seeks business views on response to US tariffs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK seeks business views on response to US tariffs

    Government begins process seeking business views on response to US tariffs

    • UK Government launches next stage in process asking UK businesses to comment on options to shape UK’s potential response to US tariffs.
    • Business and Trade Secretary tells Parliament UK is disappointed at US tariffs and will continue constructive discussions with US on wider deal.
    • Tariffs remain the last resort, with options kept open.

    UK businesses will shape the UK’s response to US tariffs announced overnight, as part of plans announced by the Business and Trade Secretary today. 

    Following the 10% reciprocal tariffs on a range of products announced by the Trump administration yesterday, UK companies are being invited to give their views on what any future UK response should look like by providing feedback to questions asking them the average value of their US imports, the impact of any possible UK tariffs and how they would adjust to them. 

    The Business and Trade Secretary has also today published an indicative list of goods imported from the US that may be considered in a future UK response. This makes it clear to businesses that the Government would not consider products in the wider public interest issues such as medical supplies and military equipment. It marks the next stage in the government’s ongoing preparations and negotiations with the US on our economic relationship.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:  

    The best interests of British business has shaped our approach throughout as we prepare for all scenarios, which is why we are asking them for their views on how these tariffs impact their operations and day-to-day lives.   

    Our cool-headed, pragmatic approach means that talks with the US will continue to reflect our mandate to deliver economic stability, as we press the case for a trading relationship that supports businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, and reflects our Plan for Change and the best interests of the UK public.

    The Business Secretary and Ministers across government have been engaging widely with business organisations and companies from across the economy, including sectors like steel, automotive and food, and other companies who export a high number of goods to the US and stand to be affected by any tariffs. They will continue to meet a broad range of businesses in the coming days to provide support and set out the Government’s priority of defending the interests of UK industry.     

    The four-week Request for Input launched today and open until Thursday 1 May continues the Government’s engagement with a wide range of UK sectors in response to tariffs, its commitment to working in the national interest and delivering economic stability, and its support of the UK public and businesses as part of its Plan for Change.  

    Once the Request for Input closes, the Government will reflect on the feedback and consider how best to respond.

    While preparing for all scenarios, this Government’s priority remains strengthening its relationship with the US through an economic prosperity deal, and both countries will continue to have constructive discussions in the coming weeks to agree this. 

    Notes to Editors

    • The Business and Trade Secretary updated the House earlier today to set out the UK’s next steps on US tariffs.
    • Further information for businesses exporting to the US can be found here.
    • Further information on the Request for Input and an indicative list of potential products in scope of any future UK tariff response can be found here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby Market Hall unveils latest set of traders – including butcher and bakery

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is excited to announce the third wave of traders set to move into the revitalised Derby Market Hall.

    Following a £35.1m restoration of the historic Grade II-listed building, the Market Hall will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday 24 May, marking a new era for Derby’s independent shopping, dining, and entertainment scene. 

    A curated mix of traditional and contemporary traders will be in place when the Market Hall reopens its doors, creating a vibrant hub in the heart of the city and blending the Market Hall’s rich history with a modern experience. 

    The newest announcement of traders offers fresh produce from a traditional butcher and a craft bakery, plus an exciting variety of retailers and another occupant of our make and trade stalls, which offer local makers and creators new spaces to reach new audiences, inspire others, and grow their businesses in the heart of the city centre.

    Fresh produce: 

    • Anthony Andrews Butchers will be bringing a traditional trade to Derby Market Hall. A small family-run business in Duffield since 2011, the team sources all their meat as locally as possible, working alongside local farmers. Their popular award-winning sausages – made to a secret recipe! – alongside pork pies, steak pies and much more are all handmade. You’ll be able to pick up prime cuts of quality meat and poultry, including dry cured steak and bacon, black pudding and free-range chicken. The business extends its eco-friendly ethos to its packaging, which has a focus on sustainability.
    • Olivia’s Coffee and Bakery will be bringing freshly-baked breads, pastries, and treats while brewing amazing coffee. From humble beginnings in 2018 as a small craft bakery in Loughborough, the thriving business is now trading from four locations. All their food is handmade, freshly baked every morning and seasonal, while the coffee is crafted with care using amazing Colombian coffee beans roasted by the amazing Monsoon Estates roasters. As well as their delicious bread and pastries, Olivia’s will offer sandwiches, which will be available for pre-order for those needing a quick bite, and celebration cakes to order. Look out for their range of vegan and gluten-free products too!

    Local retailers:

    • Dawkins Pet Supplies is a Derbyshire-based, family-owned business dedicated to providing the best natural treats, raw foods, toys, and accessories for customers’ beloved pets, including vegan treats. They promise to offer only the highest quality products that the team would feel comfortable giving to their own furry companions. With a commitment to customer satisfaction and pet well-being, customers can trust that their pets are receiving the care and attention they deserve.
    • Bringing the beauty and healing power of crystals to Derby Market Hall, Derbyshire-based SpiritCrystals offers a selection of ethically-sourced crystals, minerals, fossils, and spiritual gifts. Combining education and experience to help customers discover the deeper meanings behind each stone, SpiritCrystals aim to create meaningful gifts that people appreciate. More than 6,000 customers have already taken their crystal quiz, which helps people discover the right crystal for them. Products include jewellery, exclusive crystal candles, pet rocks, and giftable crystal cards.
    • Ayup Bikes is a non-profit, volunteer run project dedicated to proving a top-class service to the Derby’s cycling community and saving bikes from the scrap heap! Founded by a group of Derby cyclists, the co-operative sells fully-refurbished bikes that people can trust, while their excellent, industry-qualified mechanics offer low-cost, high-quality servicing and repairs to get cycles working as good as new. Ayup partners with local charities, businesses, and schools, offering maintenance classes and repairs for the community.

    Make and trade:

    • Sportwear specialist Layer is on a mission to create durable, performance-driven training gear that stands up to the demands of the most intense workouts while maintaining a minimal environmental footprint. Owner and founder Dan Bacon has spent many years working at the top level of sport in the UK; working with the biggest sportswear brands in the world along the way. Layer also operates Layer Run Club in Long Eaton and plans to open a second club in Derby this summer.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:

    It was important to us to offer a variety of local, independent and traditional traders in the Market Hall, as well as the best of the region’s eating, drinking, and entertainment. There really will be something for everyone.

    I’m getting more excited with every week that goes by and I can’t wait to welcome everyone on Saturday 24 May.

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and is expected to generate £3.64m for the local economy every year. 

    More traders will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Follow Derby Market Hall on Facebook and Instagram or visit the website to find out more.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: PISh SPbPU presented a new project at the educational forum — school design bureaus

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University presented the best practices, projects and initiatives for training highly qualified specialists needed by the modern economy at the XV St. Petersburg International Educational Forum. The Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” (PES), as a flagship division of the SPbPU Technological Development Ecosystem, launched innovative projects at the forum with an emphasis on advanced digital and production technologies and held thematic events for teachers aimed at developing engineering education in cooperation with representatives of the domestic industry, and also became an active participant in discussion platforms.

    On the first day of the forum, a scientific and practical seminar “Formation of the inventive culture of students: from idea to implementation” was held at school No. 219 in the Krasnoselsky district of St. Petersburg on the topic of “Personnel for the economy and technological sovereignty”. Senior lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies, junior research fellow of the 3D-education laboratory of the SPbPU PIS “Digital Engineering” Andrey Shimchenko spoke at the opening and took part in the discussion of key issues in the development of the intellectual and creative potential of schoolchildren.

    On March 27, the forum hosted a presentation of the school design bureau project and the signing of agreements with schools and partners. The project is based on the idea of creating a network of school design bureaus at specially selected educational sites, working together and coordinated by the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering”. The project is being implemented in partnership with the Academy of Digital Technologies and with the support of the Government of St. Petersburg. The corporate style of the network of school design bureaus was developed by the winner of the federal competition “Design of the Young – 2024” in the “Bureau” nomination, student of the Sverdlovsk Art School named after I.D. Shadr Matvey Nechkov.

    The events took place during the strategic session “Creating a Single Space for Modern Digital Education in St. Petersburg”, the program of which included a plenary session, a discussion platform of the session “Development of Engineering Competencies of Students in School Design Bureaus” and a session “Quantum Collaboration: Development through Partnership”. The venue was the IT company “Sber IT-hub”. The organizers of the strategic session were the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” and the Academy of Digital Technologies.

    Today we will discuss two important issues related to the development of engineering competencies in school design bureaus and children’s technology parks. These topics are very important for the development of a modern educational environment. It is necessary for each educational institution to respond to the demand that the real labor market puts before us. I would like to thank all our partners, including manufacturing companies, universities and schools, for being ready, in the conditions of such positive collaboration, to create and build a truly future that will allow our children to become highly competitive specialists, – Valeria Zotova, Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies, welcomed the participants of the strategic session.

    SPbPU’s advanced engineering school “Digital Engineering” systematically develops career guidance and educational projects for schoolchildren and college students. These projects are based on the use of advanced digital and production technologies for teaching natural science subjects. They also include the development small-sized wheeled autonomous robot (MKAR) and its application in schools and educational centers of St. Petersburg for teaching robotics and related disciplines. In February 2025, on the basis of the project partner, the Academy of Digital Technologies, the School programming competitions MKAR, and 15 St. Petersburg schools received models of the robot.

    The development of these educational initiatives in cooperation between schools, colleges, universities, educational centers and industrial partners is supported by the government of St. Petersburg. For example, in September 2024, Governor Alexander Beglov highly praised the concept youth design bureaus, presented by the SPbPU PISh “Digital Engineering” at the opening of the first educational site at the College of Industrial Automation.

    School design bureaus are club-type platforms where children, under the guidance of experienced instructors, can learn engineering and solve real technical problems from industrial partners. The goal of the project is not only to give schoolchildren the opportunity to try themselves as engineers, but also to organize effective career guidance for students in grades 7–10. Participants in school design bureaus will be able to visit high-tech enterprises, listen to lectures by leading industry experts, and undergo internships at partners’ production sites.

    Industrial partners of the school design bureaus developed practice-oriented tasks for them and provided them with licensed software. The main partners of the project include: AEM-Technologies (part of the mechanical engineering division of the Rosatom State Corporation), Gazprom Neft, the Physical Rehabilitation organization, Ascon-Design Systems, and the Kronstadt Engineering Center. As the project develops, the number of partners will increase.

    The school design bureau project became one of the key topics of the plenary session of the strategic session “Creating a single space for modern digital education in St. Petersburg”.

    St. Petersburg has always been a leader in the field of education, and today’s forum is another step forward in providing high-quality and modern education for our children. Exchange of experience and discussion of current issues will help to determine the main areas of development and achieve the set goals, – Svetlana Bobrovskaya, Deputy Head of the General Education Department of the St. Petersburg Education Committee, opened the plenary session.

    Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the SPbPU PISh Sergey Salkutsan spoke about the school design bureaus and answered questions from the audience about the project and tools of system digital engineering.

    “It is important to teach schoolchildren and students to understand the fundamental physical and chemical processes underlying the objects being modeled,” says Sergey Vladimirovich. “Mathematics and physics are critically important for understanding the structure of the world. Only by mastering these two disciplines will future engineers be able to effectively use software for modeling and design. It is also necessary to teach children not only to carry out technical assignments, but also to understand production technologies and the path of the product to the end consumer.”

    Sergei Salkutsan emphasized that school design bureaus are part of a continuous chain that continues in colleges and universities.

    Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies Valeria Zotova also noted the positive impact of the school design bureau project on the development of engineering education in the country: This will open up new opportunities for the development of technical creativity and engineering competencies in our students. Of particular importance is that each of you will have the opportunity to develop your own roadmap for opening school design bureaus in your educational institution. This is not just a theory – this is a real action plan that we will implement together.

    Then the official presentation of the school design bureau project took place and agreements on their opening were signed with 13 educational institutions of St. Petersburg. The signing was preceded by training of teachers of educational institutions, which took place at SPbPU. The teachers received certificates of advanced training during the ceremony.

    School design bureaus will be opened in the following educational institutions of St. Petersburg:

    Academy of Digital Technologies; Academy of Talents; Center for Children’s (Youthful) Technical Creativity “Start” of Nevsky District; Engineering and Technological School No. 777; School No. 707 of Nevsky District; School No. 422 of Kronstadt District; School No. 582 with in-depth study of English and Finnish languages of Primorsky District; Gymnasium No. 49 of Primorsky District; School No. 518 of Vyborg District; School No. 617 of Primorsky District; School No. 219 of Krasnoselsky District; School No. 500 of Pushkinsky District; School No. 258 with in-depth study of physics and chemistry of Kolpino District.

    Cooperation agreements were signed by the project partners: Ascon-Design Systems, Physical Rehabilitation, and AEM-Technologies.

    After signing, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASCON, Alexander Golikov, noted: The main motivation that guides us as a developer is that we want to live in a country that creates, not a consumer. In a country with a powerful industry, with its own aircraft, electronics, software. To achieve this, it is necessary to develop a culture of invention and engineering creativity at all stages of education, since all advanced developments are created by qualified specialists. School design bureaus are a point of attraction for future engineers, and we, ASCON, provide the necessary software tools for the implementation of engineering ideas.

    To implement the project, school design bureaus “Ascon-Design Systems” transferred licenses for full access to the software to schools.

    Training in school design bureaus will be launched in cycles, but the first launch is different from the others. Basic training began on March 27. Work on the first project, “Development of a housing for an electronic rehabilitation device for children,” commissioned by the Physical Rehabilitation organization, will begin on April 21. In May, the finished assembly will be submitted for testing and production, a championship of the school design bureau network will be held, and the first project will end with a presentation of the manufactured products and their transfer to the customer. Schoolchildren who successfully complete the training will receive certificates from Ascon-Design Systems confirming their skills. In the future, these certificates will be taken into account when entering Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The second task for schoolchildren by the fall of 2025 will be set by the partner of AEM-Technology.

    The development of school design bureaus was also one of the topics of the plenary part of the conference “Ecosystem of a specialized school: change management for technological sovereignty”, which was held at the project participant – school No. 258 with in-depth study of physics and chemistry in the Kolpino district of St. Petersburg. Engineer of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” Tamara Korobova spoke about the launch of school design bureaus, highlighted the goals and objectives of the project, answered questions from teachers and took part in the discussion of current issues of specialized education for schoolchildren and the development of models of network interaction between educational organizations and industry partners.

    At the strategic session, students were able to immerse themselves in the tasks of future school design bureaus and try their hand at 3D modeling and printing.

    The leading engineering school of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” is developing three areas of development of design bureaus. Over the next year, we plan to methodically organize the activities of school bureaus, set up work with industrial partners and receive feedback from participants. Then, on the basis of the Polytechnic University, together with the Talent Academy, a bureau will be created that will be available to students of schools where there is no design bureau yet. The third area includes youth design bureaus based on secondary vocational education institutions, developed together with the College of Industrial Automation. Their activities are focused on in-depth study of the technological level of development and production of products. As part of their work, novice engineers should enter small-scale production, – summed up Sergey Salkutsan.

    The II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” was held as part of the XV St. Petersburg International Educational Forum. The second day of the event took place at the Polytechnic University. The co-organizers were the SPbPU PISh and School No. 619 of the Kalininsky District. More than 160 technical education specialists and heads of digital education centers from 33 regions of Russia took part.

    We have established a strong tradition of meeting, exchanging experience and practices. Within the framework of this forum, you will see the best of what St. Petersburg and other regions have to offer. And I am sure that you will remember the welcoming atmosphere of the Polytechnic University, and you will actively share the knowledge you have gained with your colleagues, – Pavel Rozov, Deputy Chairman of the St. Petersburg Education Committee, opened the event in a video address.

    Then the plenary session “National Policy in the Sphere of Digital Education” began. Natalia Gubkova, chief specialist of the Department of Information Technology and Digitalization of the Committee on Education of St. Petersburg, spoke about the influence of national projects on the work of digital education centers and the guidelines for the development of education until 2036.

    Experience of interaction with leaders of Russian industry for development of engineering education within the framework of the SPbPU PISh “Digital Engineering” program was presented by Mikhail Zhmailo, senior lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies of the SPbPU PISh. He spoke about the practice-oriented model of polytechnic education, emphasized the need to develop modern educational tools and the importance of introducing advanced digital technologies in the education of young people at different levels. Mikhail Aleksandrovich noted the high interest of schools in participation in the project of development of school design bureaus and application in educational activities of a small-sized wheeled autonomous robot developed by engineers of the laboratory “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing” (PSPOD) of the SPbPU PISh.

    Director of the Center for Advanced Professional Training Natalia Suddenkova gave a report on the implementation of the concept of continuous digital education in the context of developing cooperation between educational organizations and industrial partners, and also presented the project “My First Profession”.

    Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies Valeria Zotova highlighted the Academy’s projects and its role in the development of digital education and support of educational institutions, advanced training programs for teachers and managers.

    After the plenary session, the participants of the II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” visited the laboratories and scientific and technological spaces of SPbPU. Thus, in the laboratory “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing” of the SPbPU PISh, teachers got acquainted with a model of a small-sized wheeled autonomous robot and learned more about its programming and the competencies of students that can be developed with its help.

    Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies PISH SPbPU, Research Fellow of the Laboratory of Advanced Digital Technologies PISH SPbPU Georgy Vasilyanov presented guests a new version of the robot – MKAR 3.0, which was shown publicly for the first time. During the presentation, participants saw autonomous movement MKAR 2.0— version, already delivered to 15 schools in St. Petersburg, as well as the debut of MKAR 3.0 with improved sensors, modular design and support for ROS2 — the industry standard for robot control.

    Using the example of work Experimental Design Bureau of PISh SPbPU, opened within the framework VI International Forum “Advanced Digital and Manufacturing Technologies” In October 2024, participants became familiar with the implemented practices and approaches to designing high-tech products, which are planned to be replicated in the school design bureau project.

    The teachers also visited the Polytechnic Supercomputer Center and the Gazpromneft-Polytech Scientific and Educational Center on an excursion.

    And then the program of the II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” continued with a strategic session “Creating a Single Space for Modern Digital Education in St. Petersburg”, which was held by the Deputy Director for Educational and Methodological Work of the Academy of Digital Technologies Evgeniya Lineva.

    The session participants discussed the partnership, outlined development paths and prospects for further work.

    Read more about the events Here.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/MALAWI – Catholic University: Law Faculty students to provide free legal aid

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Catholic University of Malawi

    Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – “This year, the Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year with the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. As a falculty, can we not go to our prisons and help liberate those who do not belong there?” asked Father Wilfred Sumani, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Malawi, in a speech to law faculty students preparing for the “Moot Court” competition (in which teams of law students compete in a mock criminal trial). Father Sumani urged the students to participate in the free defense of prisoners who cannot afford legal representation.Lawyer Noel Chalamanda, the facilitator of the training, expressed his commitment to join the challenge of helping prisoners on pro bono: “I will take on ten cases in this challenge and only require assistance from the students with the paperwork”.In Malawi, there are several cases of arrests based on inadequate investigations, often targeting poor individuals. This contributes to overcrowding in police cells and prisons. Despite legal reforms and the constitutional right of the poor to legal representation, this is rarely guaranteed in practice in Malawi. In addition to legal fees, those involved in a legal dispute also face other logistical costs. A large portion of the population still lives in rural areas. The inaccessibility and lack of functioning and effective legal institutions in rural areas is one of the main reasons why the poor have difficulty accessing the courts. For villagers, the nearest district court can be 25-40 kilometers away. Most villagers cannot afford a personal vehicle, and public transportation is non-existent in rural areas. The only means of transportation available to villagers are walking, cycling, or hitchhiking to court. Furthermore, they must arrive at the courthouse several days before the start of the trial, incurring costs for food and accommodation. The government provides insufficient funding for legal assistance to poor citizens, making it virtually impossible for most defendants. Furthermore, the Malawi Bar Association does not appear to particularly support the practice of pro bono defense. The initiative proposed by the Catholic University of Malawi for the Jubilee Year is therefore intended as a signal to try to change this situation. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ingersoll Rand Appoints Michelle Swanenburg to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DAVIDSON, N.C., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE: IR), a global provider of mission-critical flow creation and life sciences and industrial solutions, today announced the appointment of Michelle Swanenburg to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

    Swanenburg currently serves as the head of Human Resources (HR) at T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW), a premier global asset management organization with $1.63 trillion in assets under management as of February 28, 2025. She brings over twenty years of experience as a strategic and accomplished HR leader, with a proven track record of leading growth and innovation by continually improving strategies focused on people and culture. Her commitment to advancing company culture and fostering engaged teams will support Ingersoll Rand’s Deploy Talent strategic imperative.

    Swanenburg is a member of T. Rowe Price’s Management Committee, the Strategic Operating Committee, the Enterprise Risk Management Committee, the Management Compensation and Development Committee, and the Corporate Strategy Committee. Prior to her current role, she was the head of HR at Oaktree Capital Management. She currently serves as a board member for The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore Inc. and is a member of the President’s Advisory Council at Stevenson University.

    “I am excited to welcome Michelle to our Board,” said Vicente Reynal, chairman and chief executive officer of Ingersoll Rand. “She brings significant human capital management, corporate governance, and shareholder engagement expertise to the organization. Our people are our number one asset, and Michelle’s insights will be invaluable as we continue to grow and enhance workforce experiences on a global scale.”

    About Ingersoll Rand Inc.
    Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE: IR), driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and ownership mindset, is dedicated to Making Life Better for our employees, customers, shareholders, and planet. Customers lean on us for exceptional performance and durability in mission-critical flow creation and life sciences and industrial solutions. Supported by over 80+ respected brands, our products and services excel in the most complex and harsh conditions. Our employees develop customers for life through their daily commitment to expertise, productivity, and efficiency. For more information, visit www.IRCO.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to expectations of Ingersoll Rand Inc. (the “Company” or “Ingersoll Rand”) regarding the performance of its business, its financial results, its liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “target,” “endeavor,” “seek,” “predict,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “on track to” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “guidance” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements.

    These forward-looking statements are based on Ingersoll Rand’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from these current expectations. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) adverse impact on our operations and financial performance due to geopolitical tensions, natural disaster, catastrophe, global pandemics, cyber events, or other events outside of our control; (2) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from completed and proposed business combinations; (3) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of the Company; (4) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of completed and proposed business combinations; (5) the ability of the Company to implement its business strategy; (6) difficulties and delays in achieving revenue and cost synergies; (7) inability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel; (8) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (9) changes in general economic and/or industry specific conditions; (10) actions by third parties, including government agencies; and (11) other risk factors detailed in Ingersoll Rand’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.

    Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Ingersoll Rand undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or developments, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

    Contacts:
    Investor Relations:                                                 
    Matthew.Fort@irco.com         

    Media:                                 
    Sara.Hassell@irco.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af4b4ec6-1c46-4b8c-a85b-97228ff35243

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Drone Surveying Industry Witnessing Continuous Technological Advancements Generating Rising Revenue Opportunity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The drone surveying market is witnessing increased demand for its services across different industries. The survey done by drones has multiple benefits in comparison to the traditional way of surveys such as lower cost, reduced time, and improved end results. According to Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, the global drone surveying market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.3% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2033. The report said; “The drone covers a larger area within less amount of time and money for a survey if compared with the traditional or conventional way of surveys. Since the data is captured and generated with actual imagery, it also brings better transparency in the end result. All these benefits have resulted in increased demand from governments and real estate development companies for drone surveying services. The drone surveying service providers are entering into partnerships with companies and the government to carry out surveys on their behalf for the planning and development of urban areas and townships. The image and data collected from the drone surveys are more accurate and can be converted into meaningful output as per the requirements. This helps governments and infrastructure development companies in different stages of planning in township development, urban planning, and land surveys. The continuous advancement of technology in the drone market has led to increased demand for their products and services. The services or task performed by a drone has significantly improved in the last few years which has ultimately resulted in improved demand.” Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV).

    Fact.MR concluded; “The industries catered to by drones have also increased significantly. Earlier most of the demand for drones was from agriculture and public administration, now it has increased to infrastructure development, mining, energy, education, and transportation among others. Now a mining company can easily calculate/measure the area covered for the mining, or the stockpile volume with the help of drone surveys. It is expected that in the coming years, the drone surveying industry will witness continuous technological advancement, resulting in the expansion of service offerings.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Closes Second Southeast Region Acquisition, Wallace Surveying Corporation, Set to Become the Third Acquisition to Power Its National Drone as a Service (DaaS) Business – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it has closed the acquisition of Wallace Surveying Corporation (“Wallace”) of West Palm Beach, Florida, a well-established land survey company with thirty years of experience. Wallace provides construction and land development surveys delivering accurate and reliable data that supports project planning and design for developers, contractors, engineers, and architect customers.

    This is ZenaTech’s second acquisition in the Southeast region as part of a larger national roll-up strategy to disrupt the land survey industry by accelerating the use of drones for speed and accuracy benefits. The acquisition also further powers the Company’s national Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business as the third US acquisition set to provide access to the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series. These multifunction drones are set to provide a variety of services including power line inspections, precision agriculture, law enforcement, and search and rescue for natural disasters such as hurricanes.

    “Wallace Surveying Corporation is well respected in the South Florida business community with longstanding existing customer relationships. Its team brings considerable expertise toward our goal of innovating land surveys at scale leveraging advanced drone data collection, data management, mapping and digital deliverables. This acquisition is another step towards our vision to create a national DaaS business, bringing AI drone efficiencies and precision to a variety of legacy verticals and manual tasks,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    ZenaTech’s Drones as a Service or DaaS model is similar to Software as a Service (SaaS), but instead of providing software solutions over the Internet, the company will offer ZenaDrone solutions and services on a subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving more precision, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or farming precision agriculture applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.

    The DaaS business model offers customers such as government agencies, real estate developers, construction firms, farmers or energy companies reduced upfront costs as there is no need to purchase expensive drones, as well as convenience, as there is no need to manage maintenance and operation. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and enables access to advanced drone technology sensors or attachments like spraying, without the need for specialized training.

    Accurate land surveys are essential for the planning, designing, and executing of roads, bridges, and building projects for cities, commercial, and residential projects, and are required for legal purposes. Remotely piloted drones with an array of sensors and cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and GPS systems for capturing high-resolution pictures and data are revolutionizing the land survey industry gathering aerial data across expansive terrains in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months using more traditional photogrammetry methods. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    In Additional ZENA News: ZenaTech’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) 2024 Financial Results Shows Revenue and Assets Increase.

    2024 Financial Results:

    • As of December 31, 2024, and consistent with its recent 6K filing, ZenaTech’s 2024 full-year revenue increased by 7% to $1.96 million as compared to $1.82 million for the full year of 2023 (all figures in $Cdn. dollars)
    • Comprehensive loss for the period was ($4.04 million) versus ($.251 million) last year due to increased one-time costs of listing on Nasdaq Capital Market from lawyers. accountants, auditors, financial advisor (investment banker) and other going public expenses
    • Assets have increased over 110% to $34.6 million at year-end 2024, up from $16.4 million at year-end 2023. This is due to the company’s acquisition of three patents, and a total of four software companies. In addition, the company has signed multiple Letters of Intent (LOIs) as part of an acquisition strategy that will tremendously increase future revenue
    • Liabilities continue to be low, having increased $3.7 million to $12.8 million at year-end 2024 from $9.1 million at year-end 2023
    • The Company’s ratio of debt to total capitalization is 31%, which is well within the accepted standard of less than 50%
    • ZenaTech’s existing cash and funds available through lines of credit will be sufficient to finance the next 12 months of the company’s operations. We anticipate that cash generated internally, and lines of credit will be sufficient to fund our drone development and acquisitions
    • Additional information is available from ZenaTech’s 6K filing on the SEC EDGAR website . The company will be filing its 20F by the due date, which is April 30, 2024, for Private Foreign Issuers. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

    Other recent developments in the drone industry include:

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, recently announced that it has secured a $3.2 million purchase order from a governmental entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The new order supports the continued buildout of urban autonomous drone infrastructure in the UAE and expands the existing Optimus drone network, which is operated by the local government as part of its broader Safe and Smart City initiatives.

    “We are witnessing the network effect of the Optimus drone network in UAE,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas Holdings. “The effectiveness of the Optimus System and its ability to reduce response times of emergency units have been proven during our operations there, and this order further validates the system’s value. We are proud to support the UAE’s leadership in Drone as First Responder (DFR) technology, which is also developing in the US. We believe that our Optimus system is the most mature and robust platform in the market and certified for such critical security operations. We look forward to replicating this success in other cities around the world.”

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), a leading provider of best-in-class unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, recently provided a corporate update and announces its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “2024 was a defining year for AgEagle. We secured three of the largest orders in our history while implementing significant strategic cost reductions that have strengthened our foundation for long-term sustainable growth. We assembled an exceptional leadership team with deep expertise in scaling technology companies, optimizing operations, and executing aggressive sales strategies. Combined with a leaner expense structure, record demand, and a growing product portfolio, we believe we are well positioned to expand our customer base, secure new partnerships, and leverage our innovative drone technologies to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the burgeoning global UAS market.

    AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) recently announced that its stockholders have approved the issuance of AV common stock in connection with the Company’s pending acquisition of BlueHalo LLC (“BlueHalo”) at a Special Meeting of Stockholders held earlier today.

    “Stockholder approval marks an important milestone as we move forward with the acquisition of BlueHalo and accelerate our transformation into the leading next-generation defense technology company,” said Wahid Nawabi, AV chairman, president, and chief executive officer. “Together, AV and BlueHalo will drive agile innovation and deliver integrated, all-domain solutions designed to redefine the future of defense and address the most important priorities and needs of our nation and allies around the globe. We thank stockholders for their continued support and look forward to closing this transaction and unlocking new opportunities for growth and value creation.”

    Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), a drone and drone components manufacturer, recently announced it filed its Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and provided the following letter to its shareholders from CEO Allan Evans.

    Dear Shareholders, This shareholder letter follows the completion of our fiscal year 2024. This is our first year being public. It has been an excellent fourth quarter and an incredible year. We continue to see great interest in the company and receive questions from shareholders. We would like to take this opportunity to provide context and deeper insights into our operations and what these represent for Unusual Machines’ future.

    Unusual Machines revenue for the fourth quarter revenue was over $2.0 million which represents a sequentially quarter over quarter increase of approximately 31%. This is our best revenue quarter of all time (again) and was done while improving gross margins slightly to 28%. With the launch of our Blue Framework products, approximately 15% of our Q4 revenue was from enterprise sales. Our total revenue of $5.65M for FY2024 exceeded our target of $5M for 2024 by 13%. This growth was achieved without customer concentration as no single customer represented more than 5% of our total revenue for 2024.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lessons from El Salvador for US university leaders facing attacks from Trump

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Annmarie Caño, Professor of Psychology, Gonzaga University

    Salvadorans participate in a procession on Nov. 14, 2015, to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the murder of the Rev. Ignacio Ellacuría, five other Jesuit priests and two employees at Central American University in San Salvador. Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images

    Even before President Donald Trump took office, university presidents expressed concern about the impact of his agenda on higher education.

    Now they must lead their institutions in the wake of executive orders and directives that appear to undermine their authority and autonomy.

    They include cuts to research grant funding and the prohibition of diversity programs. The Trump administration has also proposed the dismantling of the Department of Education.

    These mandates contradict most university missions, which often include references to advancing knowledge in service of democracy. But few university leaders are taking public actions to oppose these directives.

    As a psychology professor and a former dean focused on equitable educational access, I believe U.S. higher education leaders in Trump’s crosshairs would do well to reflect on the courage of university leaders in El Salvador who, during the 1980s, opposed injustice despite facing grave personal risks for doing so.

    The Central American context

    El Salvador in the 1970s and 1980s was at the center of Cold War politics. In the name of preventing the spread of communism, the country’s U.S.-backed oligarchy and military waged a repressive campaign against people who pushed for human rights.

    The ensuing civil war saw about 75,000 Salvadorans killed.

    Before and during the conflict, universities that took the side of the poor and marginalized experienced intense backlash, including the revocation of funding and attacks on the reputation of university leaders.

    These actions feel eerily similar to those being taken against U.S. universities today.

    As I write in my forthcoming book, the heads of the Central American University in El Salvador offer a model of courageous leadership.

    The university president, Ignacio Ellacuría, was a Jesuit priest and a renowned theologian and philosopher. His second in command, Ignacio Martín-Baró, also a Jesuit priest, was a social psychologist. Martín-Baró developed the field of liberation psychology, which argues that oppression in society must be addressed to enable mental health and well-being.

    These leaders advanced ideas to create a more just society.

    They didn’t serve the elite by reproducing a wealthy and educated upper class that would support the status quo. Instead, Ellacuría called for universities to center the needs of poor community members in their teaching and social outreach.

    These university leaders and their faculty immersed themselves in impoverished communities to understand their plight and work toward a common, empowered future.

    Their leadership was remarkable. They persisted in their work despite being wrongfully labeled as Marxists and communists. They were threatened with deportation and targeted with death threats and bombing attacks on campus.

    Because of their efforts to promote justice, Ellacuría, Martín-Baró and six other people were assassinated on campus in 1989 by U.S.-trained military forces.

    A mural pays homage to six Jesuit priests and two university employees murdered during El Salvador’s civil war.
    Marvin Recinos/AFP via Getty Images

    Elements of liberatory leadership

    The Central American University leaders understood the power of their authority as scholars. But they didn’t use it to dominate others. They exercised their authority in service of the poor.

    Martín-Baró created the Institute for Public Opinion to collect and disseminate survey data about citizens’ experiences. In a 1988 survey, respondents in the countryside reported high unemployment and the widespread sentiment that their condition had worsened over the past decade.

    He also published research on the psychological impacts of political violence and war in El Salvador, including post-traumatic stress in children and families.

    The university leaders and faculty did not distance themselves from the people.

    Instead, they listened to their struggles and supported community groups such as the ecclesial base communities that organized to resist oppression.

    A fundamental reason for the university’s involvement in the country’s struggles was its belief in the “preferential option for the poor.”

    The theological concept upholds God’s love for all of humanity, which requires that God take sides. According to the theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez, a contributor to the development of Latin American liberation theology, God does not remain neutral when people are oppressed, so neither should human leaders.

    US higher education

    These elements of liberatory leadership, I argue, can provide lessons for U.S. higher education leaders, even at U.S. secular institutions.

    Rather than refrain from communicating with faculty and students, university leaders might acknowledge the fear and pain people are feeling in response to anti-immigration and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

    University leaders might hold listening sessions to learn how executive orders are impacting faculty and students. In my experience as an executive coach, such listening sessions are uncommon due to fear of reprisal from politicians and other powerful stakeholders.

    Rather than not discussing the impact of federal orders, they might conduct surveys to publicize the scope of the effects. Leaders could make public statements, rooting their arguments in the values espoused by their university mission statements.

    That would run counter to declaring institutional neutrality, which more than 140 higher educational institutions have adopted.

    Yet, some leaders – Patricia McGuire of Trinity Washington University and groups such as the American Council on Education, for example – are “taking sides.” They are affirming the value of diversity and inclusion in a mission-aligned manner that is akin to voicing a preferential option for the poor.

    To be sure, there are risks to this kind of leadership.

    U.S. academic leaders may not face the same outcome as their counterparts in 1980s Central America, but they do risk their reputations and livelihoods for speaking out.

    They may be called names or added to online watch lists. Their institutions may be threatened with investigations and the cancellation of critical funds. They may be fired.

    The Central American University leaders faced the same risks, yet they empowered people to continue to resist unjust actions. Among the ecclesial base communities, they remain an important example of leadership during troubled times.

    Fear did not guide their actions. Freedom and truth did – values that are foundational to democracy.

    Annmarie Caño is the founder and owner of Annmarie Caño Coaching & Consulting, LLC. In the past, she has received funding from the National Institutes of Health. She is a member of the American Psychological Association.

    – ref. Lessons from El Salvador for US university leaders facing attacks from Trump – https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-el-salvador-for-us-university-leaders-facing-attacks-from-trump-249251

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Susan Monarez, Trump’s nominee for CDC director, faces an unprecedented and tumultuous era at the agency

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jordan Miller, Teaching Professor of Public Health, Arizona State University

    The Trump administration laid off thousands more employees at the CDC on April 1, 2025, as part of its workforce reduction. Anadolu/Getty Images

    The job of director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention carries immense responsibility for shaping health policies, responding to crises and maintaining trust in public health institutions.

    Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, the position has been held on an interim basis by Susan Monarez, whom Trump has now nominated to take the job permanently after his first nominee, former Florida Congressman David Weldon, was withdrawn, in part over his anti-vaccine views.

    Monarez, in contrast, is a respected scientist who endorses vaccines and has robust research experience. While she is new to the CDC, she is an accomplished public servant, having worked in several other agencies over the course of her career.

    Monarez’s nomination comes at a time when the Department of Health and Human Services is in the midst of mass layoffs, and health professionals – and many in the public – have lost confidence in the federal government’s commitment to supporting evidence-based public health and medicine.

    After having already cut nearly 10% of the CDC’s employees earlier in the year, the White House laid off thousands more HHS employees on April 1, gutting the CDC’s workforce by more than 24% in total.

    As a teaching professor and public health educator, I appreciate the importance of evidence-based public health practice and the CDC director’s role in advancing public health science, disease surveillance and response and a host of other functions that are essential to public health.

    The CDC is essential to promoting and protecting health in the U.S. and abroad, and the next director will shape its course in a challenging era.

    A critical time for public health

    In addition to the massive overhaul of the country’s public health infrastructure, the U.S. also faces a multistate measles outbreak and growing concerns over avian flu. Cuts to both the workforce and federal programs are hobbling measles outbreak response efforts and threatening the country’s ability to mitigate avian flu.

    The Trump administration has also brought in several individuals who have long held anti-science views.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment to head of the Department of Health and Human Services was widely condemned by health experts, given his lack of credentials and history of spreading health misinformation.

    So the stakes are high for the CDC director, who will report directly to Kennedy.

    Two CDC workers – one who has been at the agency for 25 years and the other for 10 – protest mass layoffs on April 1, 2025.
    AP Photo/Ben Gray

    An abrupt pivot

    Prior to his inauguration, Trump had signaled he would nominate Weldon, a physician who has promoted anti-vaccine theories.

    But in March, Trump withdrew Weldon’s nomination less than an hour before his confirmation hearing was set to begin, after several Republicans in Congress relayed that they would not support his appointment.

    Instead, Trump tapped Monarez for the top spot.

    The role of a CDC director

    The CDC relies on its director to provide scientific leadership, shape policy responses and guide the agency’s extensive workforce in addressing emerging health threats.

    Prior to January, the CDC director was appointed directly by the president. The position did not require Senate confirmation, unlike the other HHS director positions. The selection was primarily an executive decision, although it was often influenced by political, public health and scientific considerations. But as of Jan. 20, changes approved in the 2022 omnibus budget require Senate confirmation for incoming CDC directors.

    In the past, the appointed individual was typically a highly respected figure in public health, epidemiology or infectious disease, with experience leading large organizations, shaping policy and responding to public health emergencies. Public health policy experts expect that requiring Senate confirmation will enhance the esteem associated with the position and lend weight to the person who ultimately steps into the role. Yet, some have expressed concern that the position could become increasingly politicized.

    Who is Susan Monarez?

    Monarez holds a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. She has been serving as acting director of the CDC since being appointed to the interim position by Donald Trump on Jan. 24.

    Prior to stepping into this role, she had been serving as deputy director for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, since January 2023, a newer initiative established in 2022 through a US$1 billion appropriation from Congress to advance biomedical research.

    Monarez has robust research experience, as well as administrative and leadership bona fides within the federal government. In the past, she has explored artificial intelligence and machine learning for population health. Her research has examined the intersection between technology and health and antimicrobial resistance, and she has led initiatives to expand access to behavioral and mental health care, reduce health disparities in maternal health, quell the opioid epidemic and improve biodefense and pandemic preparedness.

    Monarez has not yet laid out her plans, but she will no doubt have a challenging role, balancing the interests of public health with political pressures.

    Reactions to her nomination

    Reactions to Monarez’s nomination among health professionals have been mostly positive. For instance, Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, remarked that he appreciates that she is an active researcher who respects science.

    But some have advocated for her to take a more active role in protecting public health from political attacks.

    In her interim position, Monarez has not resisted Trump’s executive orders, even those that are widely seen by other health professionals as harmful to public health.

    Since taking office, the current Trump administration has issued directives to remove important health-related data from government websites and has discouraged the use of certain terms in federally funded research.

    Monarez has not pushed back on those directives, even though some of her own research includes key terms that would now be flagged in the current system, like “health equity”, and that health leaders expressed concerns in a letter sent to Monarez in January.

    One of the duties of Susan Monarez, the nominee to lead the CDC, is to communicate critical health information to the public.
    NIH/HHS/Public domain

    CDC staff have said that Monarez has not been visible as acting director. As of early April, she has not attended any all-hands meetings since she joined the CDC in January, nor has she held the advisory committee to the director meeting that is typically held every February. One agency higher-up described her as a “nonentity” in her role so far. Monarez has also reportedly been involved in decisions to drastically cut the CDC workforce.

    While some have commented on the fact that she is the first nonphysician to head the agency in decades, that may actually be an advantage. The CDC’s primary functions are in scientific research and applying that research to improve public health. Doctoral scientists receive significantly more training in conducting research than medical doctors, whose training rightly prioritizes clinical practice, with many medical schools providing no training in research at all. Monarez’s qualifications are well-aligned with the requirements of the director role.

    A time of change

    The CDC was founded at a time of great change, in the aftermath of World War II.

    Now, in 2025, the U.S. is again at a time of change, with the advent of powerful technologies that will affect public health in still unforeseeable ways. New and emerging infectious diseases, like measles, COVID-19 and Ebola, are sparking outbreaks that can spread quickly in population-dense cities.

    A shifting health information ecosystem can spread health misinformation and disinformation rapidly. Political ideologies increasingly devalue health and science.

    All these factors pose real threats to health in the U.S. and globally.

    The next CDC director will undoubtedly play a key role in how these changes play out, both at home and abroad.

    This story is part of a series of profiles of Cabinet and high-level administration positions.

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

    – ref. Susan Monarez, Trump’s nominee for CDC director, faces an unprecedented and tumultuous era at the agency – https://theconversation.com/susan-monarez-trumps-nominee-for-cdc-director-faces-an-unprecedented-and-tumultuous-era-at-the-agency-250356

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From business exports to veteran care − here’s what some of the 35,000 federal workers in the Philadelphia region do

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Todd Aagaard, Professor of Law, Villanova School of Law

    Federal layoffs have affected employees at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images

    Layoffs of federal employees and cutbacks to federal agencies have direct consequences for the Philadelphia area.

    I am a law professor at Villanova University outside Philadelphia, and my research focuses on the work of the administrative agencies that compose the federal government.

    I believe that understanding the federal government’s presence in the Philly metro area can highlight some of the potential consequences in our region for the rapid changes currently underway.

    Over 65,000 federal employees in PA

    More than 80% of federal civilian employees work outside of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. There are about 66,000 federal employees in Pennsylvania and 35,000 in Philadelphia.

    Over a dozen federal agencies have offices in the Philadelphia region. These include the Internal Revenue Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Agricultural Marketing Service, Food and Drug Administration, Economic Development Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Transit Administration and the Census Bureau.

    Here are some examples of the broad variety of services that federal employees in the Philadelphia region provide to the public.

    Services to businesses

    Several federal agencies in the Philadelphia area provide expertise, advice and resources for businesses.

    For example, the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the Commerce Department, has an office in Philadelphia and assists U.S. businesses with exporting their products for international markets.

    The Small Business Administration, which has a district office in King of Prussia, provides resources and support for small businesses.

    And the Economic Development Administration operates a regional office in Philadelphia that distributes federal funds for construction, workforce training, manufacturing, disaster relief and other purposes.

    Benefits for retirees and veterans

    Other federal agencies administer government benefits programs. The Social Security Administration disburses benefits for retirees and the disabled, providing more than US$13 billion in benefits to almost 8 million people in the Philadelphia region each month.

    About 3,800 Pennsylvanians work for the Social Security Administration in offices located around the state.

    The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Medical Center in West Philadelphia. The center provides primary and specialty health care for veterans.

    Statewide in Pennsylvania, about 17,000 federal employees work for the Veterans Health Administration. Another 1,500 work for the Veterans Benefits Administration, which provides veterans with education and training, home loans, life insurance and pensions.

    Census data collection

    The Census Bureau operates an office in Philadelphia to collect and disseminate data in a region that stretches from Tennessee to Pennsylvania.

    The Census Bureau conducts the constitutionally mandated census of the U.S. population every 10 years, as well as an economic census of businesses every five years, and numerous surveys about communities, health, housing, crime, education and more.

    In addition, regional census employees answer questions from local media, work with local organizations to encourage participation in censuses and surveys, and educate the public about census data. This work is of particular importance because census data determines how federal funding is allocated.

    Military logistics

    The Defense Logistics Agency’s Troop Support Command is headquartered in Northeast Philadelphia. Troop Support is responsible for creating and maintaining military supply chains. This includes securing food, clothing, equipment and medical supplies.

    It is also responsible for procuring medals and ribbons for military awards, such as the Medal of Honor.

    About 5,000 federal employees, many of them military veterans, work for the Defense Logistics Agency in Pennsylvania.

    Bridges, dams and seawalls

    The Army Corps of Engineers has operated its district headquarters in Philadelphia since 1866.

    In addition to its role in supporting the military, the Corps of Engineers also constructs and maintains civil works projects. Its first civil works project in the Philadelphia region was the construction of a breakwater near Cape Henlopen, Delaware, in 1829.

    These days, employees of the district inspect and maintain bridges, operate flood control dams, build beachfill and seawall projects along coastlines and maintain 500 miles of navigation channels.

    The vast majority of federal civilian employees don’t work in D.C.
    Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress Domain

    National historical sites

    The National Park Service manages numerous historical sites and parks in the Philadelphia region, including the Independence National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

    At these locations, National Park Service personnel educate visitors, maintain facilities, protect park resources and keep the public safe.

    Environmental cleanup

    The Environmental Protection Agency is perhaps best known as an environmental regulator, enforcing limits on air and water pollution and toxic substances. But it also is active in other areas, such as cleaning up contaminated sites in the Philadelphia area through the Superfund program.

    EPA’s National Priorities List includes almost 40 contaminated sites in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. For example, EPA manages the cleanup of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia, where part of the Navy Yard had historically been used to dispose of waste from ships. EPA’s cleanup has remediated the onsite landfill and prevents contamination from seeping into the Delaware River.

    EPA also supervises the cleanup in Havertown of the site of a former wood treatment operation that contaminated the soil and groundwater with the highly toxic chemical pentachlorophenol, or PCP. Because of the cleanup, part of the contaminated site is now a widely used YMCA that serves the recreational and fitness needs of the community.

    Tax help

    The Internal Revenue Service, another agency known for its enforcement activities, also provides services in the Philadelphia area to support taxpayers. These include, for example, taxpayer assistance centers in Horsham, King of Prussia, Media and Philadelphia.

    The IRS also has a Taxpayer Advocate Service office in Philadelphia. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent office that advocates for taxpayers who are having difficulties with the IRS.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

    Todd Aagaard is a visiting fellow at Resources for the Future in addition to his faculty position at Villanova University. From 1999 to 2007, he served as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.

    – ref. From business exports to veteran care − here’s what some of the 35,000 federal workers in the Philadelphia region do – https://theconversation.com/from-business-exports-to-veteran-care-heres-what-some-of-the-35-000-federal-workers-in-the-philadelphia-region-do-251457

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CISA and Partners Issue Fast Flux Cybersecurity Advisory

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) joined the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government and international partners to release a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) that warns organizations, internet service providers (ISPs), and cybersecurity service providers about fast flux enabled malicious activities that consistently evade detection. The CSA also provides recommended actions to defend against fast flux. 

    An ongoing threat, fast flux networks create resilient adversary infrastructure used to evade tracking and blocking. Such infrastructure can be used for cyberattacks such as phishing, command and control of botnets, and data exfiltration. This advisory provides several techniques that should be implemented for a multi-layered security approach including DNS and internet protocol (IP) blocking and sinkholing; enhanced monitoring and logging; phishing awareness and training for users; and reputational filtering. 

     ”Threat actors leveraging fast flux techniques remain a threat to government and critical infrastructure organizations. Fast flux makes individual computers in a botnet harder to find and block. A useful solution is to find and block the behavior of fast flux itself,” said CISA Deputy Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Matt Hartman. “CISA is pleased to join with our government and international partners to provide this important guidance on mitigating and blocking malicious fast flux activity. We encourage organizations to implement the advisory recommendations to reduce risk and strengthen resilience.” 

    The authoring agencies encourage ISPs, cybersecurity service providers and Protective Domain Name System (PDNS) providers to help mitigate this threat by taking proactive steps to develop accurate and reliable fast flux detection analytics and block fast flux activities for their customers. 

    Additional co-sealers for this joint CSA are Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ). 

     For more information about ongoing security threats, visit CISA Cybersecurity Alerts & Advisories. 

    ###

    About CISA 

    As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

    Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us onX, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Imagining what the world could look like without fossil fuels spurs people to action

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael T. Schmitt, Professor, Simon Fraser University

    Human activity has already warmed the planet by more than one degree Celsius, fuelling forest fires, exacerbating floods, super-powering storms and increasing the frequency of deadly heat waves.

    The main human driver of climate change is carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Transitioning quickly off fossil fuels to other energy sources (solar, wind) is key to limiting global warming. To stay within 1.5 C of warming, we need to stop building new fossil fuel projects from this point forward.

    And yet, new pipelines, oil drilling projects and fracked gas wells are still being built. At a time when fossil fuel production should be decreasing, fossil fuel production is projected to expand — globally and in Canada.

    The total planned fossil fuel production for 2030 is double the level consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 C. In Canada, public support for expanding fossil fuel infrastructure seems to be increasing, possibly as a result of Trump’s tariff threats.

    What will it take to turn this pattern around? What might increase public support for a speedy transition away from fossil fuels?

    Increasing opposition

    Recently, in the Sustainability, Identity and Social Change Lab at Simon Fraser University, we successfully increased people’s opposition to new fossil fuel projects by simply asking them to imagine a sustainable world. We recruited American participants online, who were paid a small amount to complete a survey.

    Half were chosen at random to spend two to three minutes imagining and writing about a world in which humans have a sustainable relationship with the rest of the natural world. The other half were asked to write about their morning routine. We then asked participants whether they supported or opposed the development of two major and controversial fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

    The Willow Project is a proposed oil drilling project in Alaska that was approved by former U.S. president Joe Biden’s administration in 2023, shortly after we collected our data. The Mountain Valley Pipeline carries methane gas for 300 miles through West Virginia and Virginia. At the time of our study, it was still under construction and facing legal challenges, but went into operation last year.

    The participants who were asked to imagine a sustainable world expressed more opposition to the two fossil fuel projects than did participants who were not asked to imagine a sustainable world.

    For example, among participants who did not imagine a sustainable world, 44 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed that the Willow Project should be completed. That opposition increased to 53 per cent for participants who imagined a sustainable world. Participants who imagined a sustainable world were also more likely to support the U.S. signing a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty — a campaign to get governments around the world to commit to ending the development of new fossil fuel projects.

    Imagining alternatives

    When we looked at what participants wrote when describing a sustainable world, they frequently mentioned a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Participants generally described a sustainable world in positive terms, including a cleaner and healthier environment free from pollution, with more intact natural habitats and green spaces, and more harmonious and equitable relationships between humans.

    When focused on this alternative world, our participants brought their attitudes and intentions more in line with the desirable world they imagined and became more opposed to new fossil fuel projects.

    These findings are consistent with the idea that the more people can imagine alternative social arrangements, the more likely they are to support and work for social transformation. Bringing this idea into the environmental domain, we developed a measure of how well people can imagine a sustainable relationship between humans and the rest of nature.

    We found that people who agreed with statements like “I can easily imagine a world in which we supply all of our energy needs without harming the natural world” and “It is easy to imagine a world where we no longer use fossil fuels” were more likely to express a willingness to engage in behaviours that support climate change mitigation, like participating in an environmental protest or getting involved with an environmental group.

    In another study with Canadians, participants who could imagine a sustainable future were more likely to write and sign a letter to the Canadian environment minister asking for more action on climate change.

    Clear pictures

    Similar results have been found in research on utopian thinking: when people thought about a green utopia, they reported greater willingness to engage in pro-environmental actions, such as signing pro-environmental petitions and giving money to environmental groups.

    Other researchers found that asking U.S. participants to imagine “a positive future in which climate change has been significantly addressed” led to higher intentions to engage in climate action. In a study of French participants, reading a positive vision of a “decarbonated” world increased participants’ intentions to engage in pro-environmental behaviour.

    The implication for those who want to promote pro-environmental social change — including putting an end to new fossil fuel projects — is to provide people with clear and detailed descriptions of how a sustainable world would function and what it would be like to live in that world.

    With a clear picture of what a sustainable world would be like, and knowing what to work toward, people will be more likely to work for change.

    Michael T. Schmitt receives funding from the Social Sciences and Human Research Council.

    Annika E. Lutz receives funding from the Social Sciences and Human Research Council.

    – ref. Imagining what the world could look like without fossil fuels spurs people to action – https://theconversation.com/imagining-what-the-world-could-look-like-without-fossil-fuels-spurs-people-to-action-252111

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why tattoos are such an unreliable marker of gang membership

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Beth C. Caldwell, Professor of Law, Southwestern Law School

    Tattoos of crowns and roses are popular among everyone – not just members of Tren de Aragua, as law enforcement has claimed. Marc Atkins/Getty Images

    The United States deported 238 Venezuelan men on three flights to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, claiming that they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang that originated in Venezuela.

    Immigration officials have said that tattoos were not the sole criteria used when deciding whom to deport; however, a government document showed that officials relied on tattoos and clothing to determine gang membership.

    A lawyer for Jerce Reyes Barrios, a professional soccer player who is among the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador, says the government detained and deported her client because he has a tattoo of a soccer ball with a crown on top, which resembles the logo of his favorite soccer team, Real Madrid. The tattoo and a photograph of Barrios making a hand sign that means “I love you” in sign language are the only two pieces of evidence the government has presented of his gang ties, according to the lawyer.

    Meanwhile, deported Venezuelan makeup artist Andry José Hernández Romero has a tattoo of a crown on each wrist, one with “Dad” and one with “Mom” written next to each crown. Immigration authorities indicated in his file that these tattoos were “determining factors to conclude reasonable suspicion” of his membership in the Tren de Aragua gang. Some government sources list crowns as a tattoo common for Tren de Aragua members, but other government sources cast doubt on that claim.

    The tattoos on the wrists of Andry José Hernández Romero, who says he was wrongly identified as a gang member by the Trump administration.
    David Alandete/X

    Whether or not the Trump administration used tattoos as a sole criteria for deportation, I’ve found in my own research that simply using tattoos as any sort of criteria can lead law enforcement astray.

    In 2023, I analyzed the reliability of tattoos as markers of gang membership in the Washington Law Review.

    The bottom line: While many people in gangs have tattoos that demonstrate their membership, many people who have absolutely no gang ties also get similar tattoos.

    Relying on them to determine gang membership has led to systematically misidentifying people as gang members – particularly as tattoos have become more popular.

    There are some types of tattoos that can be especially misleading.

    Geographic origins

    In 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Daniel Ramirez Medina, who was lawfully in the United States under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The government attempted to strip his status and deport him, claiming he was a gang member due to a tattoo that read “La Paz BCS.” La Paz is the capital of the Mexican state Baja California Sur, which is abbreviated “BCS.” The only evidence of gang membership that ICE agents presented in immigration court was this tattoo.

    But they overlooked the fact that tattoos depicting the names or area codes of hometowns or countries of origin are a common way for people to honor where they came from.

    This is particularly the case for people who migrate or move away from their homelands. For example, tattoos of “503” and “504” – the country codes used to dial El Salvador and Honduras, respectively – have been relied upon to allege gang membership, even as many people who have these tattoos deny any gang ties and have no criminal records. Law enforcement has also relied on tattoos of the words “Mexican,” “Chicano” or “Brown Pride” as evidence of gang membership.

    Some gangs, such as the Mexican Mafia, include a reference to nationality in the name of the gang. And in the U.S., street gangs are often based in specific neighborhoods, with many gangs incorporating the city or street where they’re based into gang names and associated tattoos. For this reason, tattoos celebrating a city or country can only lead to confusion.

    Tattoos of Mayan or Aztec images have also been used to designate people as gang members, even though these tattoos are clear expressions of cultural identity and do not necessarily have any nexus to gang membership. While some gangs do use specific Aztec symbols to identify members, it’s virtually impossible to distinguish a tattoo of cultural or geographic significance from a tattoo indicating gang association.

    In the case of Medina, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez, a George W. Bush appointee, ordered that his DACA status remain in place and that he be protected from deportation because ICE’s “conclusory findings” that he was a gang member were “contradicted by experts and other evidence.” Furthermore, an immigration judge who reviewed all the evidence had already concluded that he was not in a gang.

    Martinez was clearly disturbed by ICE’s claims, writing, “Most troubling to the Court is the continued assertion that Mr. Ramirez is gang-affiliated, despite providing no evidence specific to Mr. Ramirez to the Immigration Court in connection with his administrative proceedings, and offering no evidence to this Court to support its assertions four months later.”

    Religious imagery and pop culture

    Tattoos of popular Catholic religious images, such as the Virgin of Guadalupe, praying hands and rosaries, have also been used to label people as gang members, a move that would seem to be clearly overbroad.

    While some gang members may be Catholic, no one would even try to allege that all Catholics are gang members. At least one of the deported Venezuelan men had a tattoo of a rosary, along with tattoos of a clock and the names of his mother and niece with crowns atop the text.

    Tattoos have also become an important way for people to celebrate popular culture. Tattoos of a woman’s lips, for example, have become popular among gang members and non-gang members alike. A number of professional athletes, including soccer phenom Lionel Messi, have tattoos of their partner’s lips. However, this is also a tattoo law enforcement uses to categorize people as gang members.

    According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, tattoos of stars on shoulders, crowns, firearms, grenades, trains, dice, roses, tigers and jaguars are common among members of Tren de Aragua.

    The issue, of course, is that these symbols are also popular among people with no connection to the gang.

    Imprecise methodology

    Understanding the problem really comes down to math. While it may be true that many gang members have tattoos of the images listed above, it is also true that many non-gang members have similar tattoos.

    The Bayesian mathematical approach involves making inferences about probabilities based on available information. The probability that a gang member has a certain tattoo isn’t the same as the probability that an individual who has a certain tattoo is a gang member.

    The U.S. government seems to be wrongfully equating the two.

    Writing about the broader problems of discerning gang membership in 2009, sociologist David Kennedy argued that the law’s inability to devise rules “that clearly distinguish a gang and a football team, or a gang member and his mother” suggests that taking “legal action, based on imprecise language [is] something of a problem.”

    This problem becomes magnified when there’s no due process for the accused – which is exactly what happened to the Venezuelan men whisked off to El Salvador.

    Some tattoos – like these MS-13 ones – denote gang membership more clearly than others.
    Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

    I collaborated on an amicus brief based on this research that was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in Department of State v. Munoz in 2024.

    – ref. Why tattoos are such an unreliable marker of gang membership – https://theconversation.com/why-tattoos-are-such-an-unreliable-marker-of-gang-membership-253094

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Medicare Advantage is covering more and more Americans − some because they don’t get to choose

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Grace McCormack, Research scientist of Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California

    Since the mid-2000s, the Medicare system has dramatically transformed. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to the traditional Medicare program administered by the government – has more than quadrupled. It now accounts for the majority of Medicare enrollment.

    Employers, including state government agencies, are helping drive this growth in Medicare Advantage sign-ups. The increase in people on Medicare Advantage plans burdens taxpayers and means more patients can be denied doctor-ordered care.

    At the same time, it is often difficult for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage to switch to traditional Medicare.

    Medicare insures people 65 or older and some who are younger and disabled. Attracted by lower premiums and co-pays and the promise of extra benefits, many over-65 Medicare beneficiaries are voluntarily choosing Medicare Advantage, often switching away from traditional Medicare when they’re relatively young and healthy.

    At the same time, many private and state employers have shifted their retirement plans so that the health benefit employees have earned counts only toward Medicare Advantage plans that replace traditional Medicare.

    We are health care policy experts who study Medicare, including what’s driving the changes in employer health care subsidies and why health care choices may be difficult for many people.

    Vanishing choices

    As of early 2025, health care subsidies for retired state employees in 13 states don’t include traditional Medicare supplement plans. The subsidies apply only to Medicare Advantage plans.

    In the private sector, just over half of large employers that offer Medicare Advantage have used it to replace traditional Medicare instead of offering their employees a choice.

    When private and state employers drop the option for the Medigap insurance that supplements rather than replaces traditional Medicare, retirees must choose a fully privatized Medicare Advantage plan or pay the full cost of a supplemental Medigap plan on their own. Medigap lowers or removes traditional Medicare’s co-pays and deductibles.

    When a person first enrolls in Medicare, Medigap costs US$30 to $400 a month, depending on coverage and location. But in most states, it can cost more if a person switches into the plan after the first year. There are some protections for people whose employer-sponsored plans change or are canceled. Enrollees should contact their local State Health Insurance Assistance Program advisers to understand their options.

    Altogether, 54% of people using Medicare are now using the private Medicare Advantage program, an increase from 8 million to 33 million between 2007 and 2024.

    Changing times

    After President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965, older Americans usually received health insurance through the government-administered traditional Medicare health insurance program. The Medigap private insurance for co-pays and deductibles was standardized in 1980.

    Today, a person signing up for Medicare also has, on average, more than 30 Medicare Advantage plan options – privately run alternatives to traditional Medicare and Medigap. The two largest providers, UnitedHealthcare and Humana, administered nearly half of all Medicare Advantage plans in 2024.

    Navigating the current Medicare system can be overwhelming, and the Medicare Advantage option is expensive for taxpayers. As policymakers continue to weigh potential reforms, it’s important to understand why Medicare Advantage has become so popular, who is enrolling in Medicare Advantage, and what aspects of Medicare Advantage plans may be important to them.

    Switching into Medicare Advantage

    The bulk of Medicare Advantage’s rapid growth has come from people switching from traditional Medicare into Medicare Advantage: In 2021 alone, over 7% of Americans covered by traditional Medicare switched to Medicare Advantage, but only 1.2% of those with Medicare Advantage coverage switched to traditional Medicare.

    This growth mirrors the privatization of Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for people with low income. About 74% of beneficiaries are now enrolled in private Medicaid plans. With Medicaid, people generally don’t have a choice – they are usually switched to a private plan by their state governments.

    But for Medicare, the privatization trend is not so simple.

    Compared with traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans are, on average, paid more by the taxpayer-funded Medicare system for covering each enrollee. Advantage plans also have more flexibility to limit their medical costs by restricting provider networks and requiring prior authorization.

    The extra benefits of Medicare Advantage

    Some of these extra funds result in higher profits for insurers, but they also partially finance benefits that are not part of regular Medicare.

    These benefits include limits to out-of-pocket costs traditionally offered by the supplemental Medigap plans and dental, hearing and vision coverage that Medicare doesn’t provide.

    In the past decade, lawmakers have introduced several bills to add this coverage, but Congress has not passed any of them.

    Medicare beneficiaries give many reasons for choosing their health plan. The most common reasons are different for people covered by traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage. Of people who have traditional Medicare coverage, 40% prefer to have more doctors and hospitals to choose from. A similar percentage of those with Medicare Advantage cite extra benefits or limits on out-of-pocket costs.

    Economic insecurity and advertising

    These financial protections and extra benefits are important for some older adults, given high rates of poverty and economic insecurity among people who are 65 or older. Though these supplemental benefits may not be very accessible, a quarter of surveyed beneficiaries said they were a primary reason for enrolling in Medicare Advantage. An additional fifth cited lower out-of-pocket costs.

    Medicare Advantage plans also typically include a low-cost drug plan that people who opt for traditional Medicare pay for separately as Part D.

    Compared with a traditional Medicare plan that doesn’t include a supplemental Medigap plan to limit premiums and co-pays, Medicare Advantage’s premiums and co-pays contribute to an estimated 18% to 24% lower out-of-pocket spending.

    Brokers, agents and advertisements also play an important role in which plans people choose. In a survey of people who have Medicare coverage, one-third said they used an agent or broker to choose a plan. Of those living below the federal poverty line, 12% said they relied on advertising.

    While these sources can inform beneficiaries about the many options, many policymakers have raised concerns about misleading marketing steering people into plans that don’t serve their needs. Brokers and agents may have more incentive to guide patients to Medicare Advantage because they are paid more for enrolling people in fully privatized plans than in the Medigap and Part D plans that supplement traditional Medicare.

    Retirement benefits shifted to Medicare Advantage

    Changes in retirement benefits are also contributing to the growth in Medicare Advantage.

    A majority of state employee health care retirement benefits include Medicare Advantage plans. And in 13 states, the health care benefit for retired state employees does not include a choice of Medigap: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

    In the private sector, the share of employers offering retirement health care benefits to their employees has declined since the 1990s: Only 21% of large employers offer those benefits today compared with 66% in 1988. But among private employers that still offer retirement health care benefits, those offering Medicare Advantage more than doubled between 2017 and 2024, from 26% to 56%.

    Just over half of large employers that offer Medicare Advantage have used it to replace regular Medicare instead of offering their employees a choice. This means that to remain in traditional Medicare, retirees would have to give up an employer subsidy that covers all or part of the Medicare Advantage premium and pay the full Medigap premium.

    Private employers that still offer subsidized health care insurance as a retirement benefit but offer only Medicare Advantage include IBM and AT&T.

    Employers cite the shift as a necessary response to rising health care costs, though many retirees have protested the trend. Medicare Advantage premiums are generally cheaper than Medigap premiums, saving employers money, in exchange for retirees potentially being denied care more often. New York City employees successfully prevented the switch.

    Stuck in Medicare Advantage

    For many Medicare beneficiaries, switching to Medicare Advantage is a one-way street because most states don’t offer switchers the guaranteed issue and community rating protections for Medigap supplemental coverage plans that people get when initially signing up for Medicare. These protections prevent people from being denied coverage or charged a higher price for preexisting conditions.

    This increased cost in most states of switching back to regular Medicare after age 66½ – especially for people with serious health conditions – may reduce the number of people who do so. But some switch despite the cost.

    Meanwhile, 5% of people who used Medicare Advantage plans in 2024 had to find a new one in 2025 because of a plan being discontinued. There is a silver lining, however: For the first 63 days after their coverage ends, people in failed plans can choose traditional Medicare plus a Medigap supplement with the guaranteed issue protection that in most states applies only during the first year of Medicare eligibility.

    Thirteen states and more than half of employers who offer a retiree health benefit have narrowed their benefit subsidy and only offer Medicare Advantage. This replaces traditional Medicare with a privately administered plan, removing the choice of Medigap, a supplement to traditional Medicare.
    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty images

    Who is enrolling in Medicare Advantage?

    Medicare Advantage growth has been particularly strong among people with low incomes and among racial and ethnic minorities.

    While the share of Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans has grown nationwide, the program’s popularity still varies geographically. Today, the share of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage ranges from 2% in Alaska to 63% in Alabama, Connecticut and Michigan.

    Although an increasing share of people in rural regions have enrolled in Medicare Advantage, they are still less likely to enroll in Medicare Advantage and more likely to return from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare than their urban counterparts.

    Switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage is more common among relatively healthy people who use less health care than expected. This trend, known as “favorable selection,” means the Medicare Advantage companies are enrolling healthier people. The Medicare system pays Medicare Advantage plans based on the expected rather than actual medical costs. This contributes to the overpayment of Medicare Advantage plans.

    These switching patterns suggest that among people who have illnesses such as diabetes, Medicare Advantage is potentially more appealing if they already face barriers to health care access or are in better health. These barriers are particularly common among racial and ethnic minorities in both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

    What Medicare Advantage enrollment growth means

    We believe that the Medicare Advantage program needs to be reformed. The high payments to Medicare Advantage providers have likely helped fund their explosive growth, exacerbating the financing issues that cost taxpayers US$83 billion a year.

    Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown particularly quickly among vulnerable populations. Many older Medicare beneficiaries are living below or near the poverty line, and a decreasing share of them are receiving subsidized retirement benefits.

    This has led some people to give up access to preferred providers or even treatments to spend less out of pocket on health care by enrolling in Medicare Advantage.

    Others who can afford extra premiums and who want more access pay extra for supplemental Medigap coverage alongside traditional Medicare. A Wall Street Journal investigation found a pattern of some Medicare Advantage patients switching to traditional Medicare when their health care expenses grew.

    In some ways, this resembles the tiered or “topped-up” health care system advocated for by some economists, where people receive a baseline plan, and those who want more coverage and can afford it pay for a more generous “topped-up” plan. Given the size and differing needs of the Medicare population, such a system can potentially be a cost-effective way to ensure health care access and financial protections.

    But it also creates inequalities in access, especially if the baseline plan is much worse than the “topped-up” plan.

    In addition, taxpayers pay more rather than less for someone enrolled in Medicare Advantage – the less expensive baseline plan that provides less health care. They pay less for someone enrolled in traditional Medicare plus additional supplemental insurance plans – the “topped-up” option.

    For Medicare to remain solvent, reforms will likely have to reduce what the federal government spends on Medicare, either by avoiding Medicare Advantage plan overpayments or making structural changes to how the plans are paid.

    We believe it’s important that, throughout any reform, people have access to an affordable plan that ensures access to health care. Projections show that under the current payment system, reductions in payments from the Medicare system to Medicare Advantage providers would likely lead to only modest decreases in plan generosity, though given the vulnerability of many who use Medicare Advantage, this would have to be monitored carefully.

    It’s also important for policymakers to consider improving traditional Medicare, whether that be allowing for an out-of-pocket maximum or covering at least the same degree of dental, vision or other benefits currently offered only under Medicare Advantage.

    This article is part of an occasional series examining the U.S. Medicare system.

    Past articles in the series:

    Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: Sales pitches are often from biased sources, the choices can be overwhelming, and impartial help is not equally available to all

    Taxpayers spend 22% more per patient to support Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to Medicare that promised to cost less

    Grace McCormack receives funding from the Commonwealth Fund and Arnold Ventures.

    Victoria Shier receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.

    – ref. Medicare Advantage is covering more and more Americans − some because they don’t get to choose – https://theconversation.com/medicare-advantage-is-covering-more-and-more-americans-some-because-they-dont-get-to-choose-251796

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 22 days after Ukraine agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues to distract and delay: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    22 days after Ukraine agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues to distract and delay: UK statement to the OSCE

    Ambassador Holland questions Russia’s seriousness about peace when it continues to attack Ukraine with hundreds of drones and refuses to commit to a full, immediate ceasefire.

    Thank you, Mister Chair. It is now a full 22 days since Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire. The only condition that Ukraine attached was that Russia should agree to it too. Rather than grasp this opportunity for peace, Russia has chosen to continue to fight, a decision whose consequence is the needless sacrifice of more lives of soldiers and civilians on both sides. The indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas has shown no sign of slowing down. Last week, Russia sent over a thousand drones towards Ukraine. In Kharkiv, a military hospital was targeted. A kindergarten was damaged. At least, 25 people were hurt, including a 15-year-old girl left in a serious condition.

    This is the price that Ukrainians pay for the Kremlin’s game playing with the peace process. Rather than engaging seriously with the US-led peace initiative, President Putin is resorting to his old playbook and looking to distract and delay. His attempt last week to question the credibility of President Zelenskyy was nothing more than a transparent ploy to deflect from the real matter at hand: Russia’s failure to get more seriously to the table, and commit to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

    Regrettably, we see no evidence that President Putin is seriously preparing for peace. Published readouts of the US convened ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia confirmed a naval ceasefire and prevention of use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea. The UK welcomed this important step, but Russia immediately backtracked and placed conditions on the agreement – despite good faith commitment from Ukraine. Just this week, President Putin has ordered the largest conscription drive since the war began.

    We do not need to look far for reminders as to why this war must end. This week marks the third anniversary of the appalling acts by the invading Russian forces in Bucha. The gruesome images of bodies lying in the streets shocked the world. Russia’s armed forces acted with total contempt and disregard for civilian life and the most fundamental principles of the laws of war.

    However, rather than reckoning with these atrocities, we see continued Russian efforts in this council and others, to spread disinformation in an effort to absolve themselves of responsibility for these illegal and inhumane actions. This is despite the litany of evidence, including witness testimonies, independently verified satellite imagery, photos and videos. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has categorically documented attacks on civilians, including conflict-related sexual violence, and summary executions.

    Mister Chair, we must emphasise the need for accountability for these actions and renew our commitment to collaborating towards enduring peace. Distortions of the historical record will not help in this endeavour. Rather we need the Russian state to commit to peace and demonstrate the sincerity of its words. Thank you, Mister Chair.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: March Commercial Chapter 11s Increase 20 Percent from Previous Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Commercial chapter 11 bankruptcy filings increased 20 percent in March 2025, with filings climbing to 733 from the 611 filings registered in March 2024, according to data provided by Epiq AACER, the leading provider of U.S. bankruptcy filing data. Total March commercial filings increased 10 percent to 2,727 from the 2,477 commercial filings the previous year. Small business filings, captured as subchapter V elections within chapter 11, decreased 1 percent in March 2025, to 196 from the 198 filings recorded in March 2024.

    “The 20 percent rise in commercial Chapter 11 filings to 733 in March 2025, up from 611 last year, signals persistent economic pressure, mirrored by a 10 percent increase in total commercial filings to 2,727,” said Michael Hunter, Vice President of Epiq AACER. “Meanwhile, credit card delinquencies have hit a near 10-year high, driven by rising interest rates and consumer debt burdens.

    “In the FHA mortgage portfolio, we’re seeing elevated recidivism, with delinquency rates climbing to 11 percent, surpassing pre-pandemic levels as borrowers exiting forbearance face renewed strain,” Hunter said. “Adding to this, government job layoffs threaten to exacerbate financial instability for federal workers reliant on stable income to service debts. While small business subchapter V filings dipped 1 percent to 196, the broader 13 percent surge in total bankruptcies to 50,189 reflects a complex landscape where data-driven insights are vital for navigating distress across sectors.”

    Total bankruptcy filings were 50,189 in March 2025, a 13 percent increase from the March 2024 total of 44,471. Individual bankruptcy filings also increased 13 percent in March 2025, to 47,462, up from the March 2024 individual filing total of 41,994. There were 30,671 individual chapter 7 filings in March 2025, an 18 percent increase over the 26,102 filings recorded in March 2024. The 16,713 individual chapter 13 filings in March 2025 represented a 6 percent increase from the 15,840 individual chapter 13 filings last March.

    “While overall bankruptcy filings increased in the past year, subchapter V elections by small businesses declined and the pace of consumer chapter 13 filing increases slowed,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “As both filing categories saw expanded debt eligibility limits expire last year, we look forward to working with Congress to re-establish higher debt thresholds to provide struggling small businesses and families greater access to the financial fresh start of bankruptcy.”

    The 131,998 total bankruptcy filings registered during the first calendar quarter of 2025 (Jan. 1 through March 31) represented a 10 percent increase over the 120,135 total first-quarter filings from the previous year. Consumer filings also increased 10 percent, to 124,696 filings in the first quarter of 2025 from the 112,949 consumer filings during the same period in 2024. Individual chapter 7 filings during the first quarter of 2025 were 76,501, a 14 percent increase over the 66,831 individual chapter 7 filings during the same period in 2024. Individual chapter 13 filings during the first quarter of 2025 were 47,928, a 4 percent increase over the 45,956 individual chapter 13 filings in the same period of 2024.

    Total overall commercial bankruptcies increased 2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, as the 7,302 filings were up slightly over the 7,186 commercial filings during the first quarter of 2024. Conversely, the 1,760 total commercial chapter 11 filings were down 7 percent during the first quarter of 2025 from the 1,902 total commercial chapter 11s during the same period in 2024. Subchapter V elections for small businesses were down 4 percent to 535 filings in Q1 2025 from the 559 filed during Q1 2024.

    ABI has partnered with Epiq Bankruptcy to provide the most current bankruptcy filing data for analysts, researchers, and members of the news media. Epiq Bankruptcy is the leading provider of data, technology, and services for companies operating in the business of bankruptcy. Its Bankruptcy Analytics subscription service provides on-demand access to the industry’s most dynamic bankruptcy data, updated daily. Learn more at https://bankruptcy.epiqglobal.com/analytics.

    About Epiq
    Epiq is a leading legal and compliance services platform integrating people, process, and technology. Through this combination of innovative technology, legal and business expertise, and comprehensive solutions, Epiq drives efficiency in large-scale and increasingly complex tasks. High-performing clients around the world rely on Epiq to streamline the administration of business, settlement administration, legal, and compliance operations to solve immediate challenges and provide scalable ongoing support to transform the enterprise. Learn more at www.epiqglobal.com. 

    About ABI 
    ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 10,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

    Press Contacts
    Carrie Trent
    Epiq, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations
    Carrie.Trent@epiqglobal.com

    John Hartgen
    ABI, Public Affairs Officer
    jhartgen@abi.org

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Serious Fraud Office sets out next steps in ambitious plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Serious Fraud Office sets out next steps in ambitious plan

    The SFO has published its plan for the year ahead focusing on using new tools, enhancing its intelligence capacity and with domestic and international partners.

    The SFO today published its plan for the year ahead focusing on using new tools, enhancing its intelligence capacity and working ‘more vigorously’ with domestic and international partners.  

    The Business Plan 2025-26 is the next step in the SFO’s ambition to be bolder and more pragmatic as an organisation.  

    This approach has already delivered faster progression of cases with stricter case discipline creating capacity to open eight new investigations and charge a case within 15 months of opening. 

    This year, the SFO aims to use the new “failure to prevent fraud” offence, part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which comes into force in September. The plan also includes delivery of refreshed corporate guidance for engaging with the SFO and advancing plans for a whistleblower incentivisation scheme.  

    Operational divisions will also begin rolling out Technology Assisted Review (TAR), which has been found during a pilot to review documents for disclosure up to 40 per cent faster than our standard method.  

    The SFO will continue to invest in its covert operational capacity and work more closely with key law enforcement and regulatory partners. The SFO recently created a new taskforce to tackle international bribery and corruption, with key partners Switzerland and France 

    Read the full SFO 2025-26 Business Plan (PDF, 2.8 MB, 9 pages), including a message from Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sentebale: Commission opens compliance case to assess concerns raised about the charity

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Sentebale: Commission opens compliance case to assess concerns raised about the charity

    The regulator for charities in England and Wales has opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity Sentebale.

    The Charity Commission is now in direct contact with parties who have raised concerns to gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties.

    The regulator’s focus, in line with its statutory remit, will be to determine whether the charity’s current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law. The Commission is not an adjudicator or mediator and is guided by the principle of ensuring trustees fulfil their primary duty to their charitable purpose and beneficiaries.

    After a period of assessing the initial concerns raised with the Commission, the regulator informed the charity on 2 April 2025 it has opened a regulatory compliance case. The regulator has not made any findings at this time.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.
    2. Most concerns that we identify in charities are dealt with as regulatory compliance cases. These cases allow us to gather evidence and make findings, and to help trustees address any failures or weaknesses that we might identify.
    3. This is not an inquiry under section 46 Charities Act 2011.
    4. There is more information about how the Commission investigates charities on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/where-the-charity-commission-investigates-charities/where-the-charity-commission-investigates-charities
    5. The Commission intends to publish a concluding statement once its compliance case has concluded. There is more information on gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-the-charity-commission-reports-on-its-current-regulatory-work/how-the-charity-commission-reports-on-its-regulatory-work
    6. We cannot identify the parties who have raised concerns with us. This is the Commission’s longstanding policy, which aims to encourage people to feel able to bring to us serious concerns about a charity and not hold back for fear of being identified.
    7. Charity patrons are not trustees and do not share trustees’ legal duties and responsibilities.

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Elections on Thursday 1 May: make sure you are registered to vote and have photo ID

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Residents in the St Albans District have only a few days left to register to vote in important local elections.

    They should also check if they have valid photo ID as this will have to be shown at polling stations.

    Everyone aged 18 and above who is not registered at their current address should do so by midnight on Friday 11 April.

    They will then be able to take part in elections for Hertfordshire County Council on Thursday 1 May with all 78 seats up for election. 

    St Albans City and District Council (SADC) is administering the elections in its area where there are 10 County Council seats.

    In addition, there is a by-election for an SADC seat in the Redbourn ward and for one seat in each of the North and West wards of Harpenden Town Council as well as two seats in its South ward.  

    It takes only a few minutes to register at your current address by going online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

    People who were eligible to vote in last year’s elections and whose details have not changed will still be registered. They can check by emailing elections@stalbans.gov.uk or by calling the Council’s Electoral Services team on 01727 819294.

    Voters are required to present an approved form of photo ID in order to vote at a polling station. This includes a current or expired UK passport or driver’s licence, as long as the photograph is a true likeness of the voter.

    Anyone who does not have one of the accepted types of ID can apply for free ID online.

    Details of approved photo ID and how to apply for free ID, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, are available on the poll cards and the Electoral Commission’s website www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id. 

    The deadline for applying for the Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on Wednesday 23 April.

    Amanda Foley, SADC’s Electoral Registration Officer, said:

    We are asking our residents to spend a few minutes checking whether they can vote at this May’s elections.

    First of all, they should make sure they registered by the deadline. We would particularly advise people who have recently turned 18 or changed their home address to do this. 

    Secondly, everyone voting at a polling station must show approved photo ID. They should check if they can provide this and, if not, they should apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.

    All of these checks and applications only take five minutes or so and it can all be done online.

    These elections will allow residents to have a say on who represents them on vital issues that affect their day-to-day life, so it is important that our residents secure their vote.

    Anyone who has difficulty registering online can obtain a paper copy of the registration form. This can be requested by email to elections@stalbans.gov.uk or by phone on the number above.

    Residents who are unable to get to a polling station on Thursday 1 May can apply to vote by post or proxy.

    The deadline for applying to vote by post, or for amending an existing postal or proxy vote, is 5pm on Monday 14 April. The deadline for applying to vote by proxy is 5pm on Wednesday 23 April. In certain circumstances, an emergency proxy vote can be applied for up until 5pm on the day of the election.

    Most types of postal and proxy vote can be applied for online (www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote / www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote). Forms to apply to vote by post or proxy are also available from the Council’s Electoral Services Team or from the Electoral Commission’s website, www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/ways-vote.

    To find more information about the elections, go to: www.stalbans.gov.uk/voting-and-elections.

    Note: A list of candidates nominated for the District’s Hertfordshire County Council seats as well as the District Council and Harpenden Town Council by-elections can be found on this webpage under Election Notices: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/elections-thursday-1-may-2025

    Media Contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding allocated for disability home adaptations

    Source: City of Plymouth

    More funding has been allocated to provide home adaptations for people with disabilities, thanks to the Better Care Fund from the government.

    Last year, Plymouth was granted £3m to help deliver disability adaptions in the city.

    A decision has been signed to award an additional £422,313 from the Better Care Fund. The funding is ringfenced for mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants, offered through the Independent Living Policy in 2024/25.

    The fund recognises the importance of nurturing local communities and helping people live as independent and fulfilling lives as possible.

    Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are financial grants provided by the government to support individuals with disabilities in adapting their homes to improve accessibility and safety.

    The grant provides essential funding to help disabled individuals live safely and independently at home. Whether it’s installing ramps, adapting bathrooms, or making other vital changes, this support transforms everyday living for those who need it.

    We launched a consultation this year to help shape our disability adaptation services in the city, in total, we received 113 responses, and work is now underway to review the responses and how we can shape our service moving forwards.

    Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “It is great news to hear that we have been granted more funding to help more people with adaptations in their homes. In the last three years, the Council have supported over 500 adaptations in homes. Which is already a huge amount and means we can support even more residents who need them.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: MEXC to List StakeStone (STO) to Support Omnichain Liquidity Innovation with 130,000 USDT Airdrop+ Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is excited to announce that it has listed StakeStone (STO) on both the spot and futures markets as of April 3, 2025 (UTC). To mark the occasion, MEXC has launched an exclusive Airdrop + rewards campaign, offering a total of 130,000 USDT.

    StakeStone is a cross-chain liquidity infrastructure offering secure, flexible, and high-yield staking solutions through its liquid assets – STONE and SBTC, which are tokenized versions of ETH and BTC. Its scalable architecture integrates with staking pools and is prepared to support future restaking features, creating a multi-chain liquidity market. With a TVL of approximately 600 million USD, StakeStone enables diverse use cases and enhanced yield opportunities. Additionally, the platform has launched LiquidityPad, which allows users to earn rewards by providing liquidity to cross-chain applications, and is expanding its reach through partnerships with Monad and WLFI.

    STO is the governance token of StakeStone, allowing users to participate in decision-making and influence key protocol parameters. It empowers users to shape the protocol while earning additional rewards through veSTO staking, liquidity incentives, and bribe markets. As StakeStone continues to expand, STO’s role in governance and liquidity allocation will become increasingly valuable.

    MEXC has launched an Airdrop + campaign to celebrate the listing of StakeStone (STO) with a total prize pool of 130,000 USDT. Below are the key details of the event:

    Event Period: April 3, 2025, 06:00 – April 13, 2025, 10:00 (UTC)

    Event 1: Deposit to Share 50,000 USDT (New User Exclusive)
    Newly signed-up users and existing users with cumulative deposits below 100 USDT before the event start date are eligible to participate. By completing the relevant tasks during the event period, users can share in the 50,000 USDT prize pool.

    Event 2: Spot Challenge – Trade to Share 20,000 USDT (Open to All Users)
    During the event, all users can trade STO spot pairs with a minimum valid trading volume of $2,000 to share a 20,000 USDT prize pool, with the reward based on each user’s proportion of the total trading volume, up to a maximum of 2,000 USDT. Only spot trades with non-zero fees will be counted towards the trading volume.

    Event 3: Futures Challenge — Trade to Share 50,000 USDT in Futures Bonuses (Open to All Users)
    During the event, users who trade any Perpetual Futures pair and rank among the top 2,000 by total trading volume of at least 20,000 USDT will share a 50,000 USDT prize pool in Futures bonuses, with each user able to receive up to 5,000 USDT, and a minimum reward of 10 USDT.

    Event 4: Invite New Users & Share 10,000 USDT (Open to All Users)
    Existing users can invite friends to sign up on MEXC using their referral code to share a 10,000 USDT reward pool. Once the new user completes any task from Event 1, the referrer will receive 20 USDT, with each referrer eligible to earn up to 400 USDT on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The listing of StakeStone (STO) underscores MEXC’s ongoing commitment to offering users a diverse range of investment assets, expanding its product offerings, and enhancing the overall trading experience. By consistently providing early access to promising Web3 projects, MEXC has solidified its position as an industry leader. According to the latest TokenInsight report, MEXC leads the industry with the highest number of spot listings (461) and the fastest listing speed. Additionally, the exchange consistently adds new tokens on a bi-weekly basis, showcasing its exceptional ability to capture market trends quickly.

    Looking ahead, MEXC will remain user-centric, driving innovation and expanding its offerings to deliver the best opportunities in the ever-evolving crypto landscape.

    For full event details and participation rules, please visit here.

    About MEXC
    Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto.” Serving over 34 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
    MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC

    Risk Disclaimer:
    The information provided in this article regarding cryptocurrencies does not constitute investment advice. Given the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, investors are encouraged to carefully assess market fluctuations, the fundamentals of projects, and potential financial risks before making any trading decisions.

    Source

    Contact:
    Lucia Hu
    lucia.hu@mexc.com

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

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c4321337-6393-4a6b-8a6b-ff978e3ff59b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Watch live: Lords debates farming and rural communities

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Find out more and see who’s taking part https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2025/march/lords-debates-the-impact-of-the-governments-economic-and-planning-measures-on-farming-and-rural-communities/

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • X: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/houseoflords.parliament.uk
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/ukhouseoflords/albums
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-house-of-lords
    • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN4H2i2lI2U

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jamie Greene resignation exposes ‘nasty’ Tory leadership

    Source: Scottish Greens

    03 Apr 2025 Equality

    The Tories are going in an increasingly extreme direction.

    More in Equality

    Jamie Greene’s resignation from the Tory Party underlines the extreme and nasty direction that the current leadership has taken, says Scottish Green Co-Leader Patrick Harvie.

    Over recent months the Tories have doubled down on anti-climate and anti-human rights policies.

    Mr Harvie said:

    “Jamie Greene is to be commended for his honesty in calling out the hard right, “nasty party” tendency of the current leadership of the Scottish Tories. It has become inevitable that this agenda would alienate people, and I doubt he will be the only person making this difficult decision.

    “Jamie is a Conservative, and I’m sure that we will continue to disagree about many fundamental issues. But as the Tory Party abandons decency, abandons human rights, abandons climate action and embraces the values of the far right, I welcome the fact that those who want a less extremist form of politics are starting to speak up.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –