NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Launches Campaign to Spotlight Men’s Mental Health

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    In recognition of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has launched You Good, Man?, a statewide campaign to raise awareness and prevent suicide among working-age men�a population experiencing suicide at nearly twice the rate of the general public in Rhode Island.

    “Society often focuses on the physical health of men � be it fitness, or annual checkups, or heart health. But mental health and well-being is just as important,” said Director of Health Dr. Jerry Larkin. “This campaign is about creating a culture where men and boys feel comfortable reaching out and checking in on their friends and coworkers. No one should struggle in silence.”

    The You Good, Man? campaign features a powerful, locally produced video and a three-month media buy across social media, digital and streaming platforms, local movie theaters, and gas stations. As part of the campaign, YouGoodMan.org was created as a resource hub offering mental health tips, warning signs, conversation guides, and local support services.

    The goal is to normalize conversations about mental health, empower friends, coworkers, and loved ones to check in, and encourage men to accept help when it’s offered.

    According to the 2023 Rhode Island Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, 11% of men said they usually or always feel lonely. Suicide death rates in Rhode Island are highest among working-age males (25-64 years old). The death rate for this group is more than twice as high as Rhode Island’s overall suicide death rate. Working-aged men reported not having inadequate social support in comparison to females in the same age group. According to 2024 Rhode Island fatal overdose data, the majority of individuals who died from a drug overdose � 70 percent- were male.

    In addition to their impacts on mental health, loneliness and social isolation significantly impact physical health. They are associated with increased risk for heart disease, stroke, dementia, and type 2 diabetes.

    Reach Consulting, in partnership with RIDOH, developed the campaign following months of research and interviews with Rhode Island men. Their input helped shape the campaign’s tone, messaging, and creative direction. One clear message emerged: many men struggle in silence, and even a simple check-in can make a difference.

    Produced by Pawtucket-based media company HAUS, the spot was created by a team of local professionals and features lead actors from Rhode Island. Their performances bring authenticity and urgency to the message: It’s not only okay to talk about mental health�it’s vital.

    This campaign represents one of many efforts throughout State government to support mental and emotional health.

    – In October, Rhode Island’s first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) launched. A CCBHC is an outpatient clinic that offers expanded behavioral health services. CCBHCs serve anyone who walks through the door, regardless of age, diagnosis, or insurance status.?At a CCBHC, a team of trained health professionals can: provide mental health support to you or a loved one, help you or a loved one with a substance use condition, and/or provide 24/7 crisis support. Six CCBHCs are currently operating throughout Rhode Island. ?Each clinic has a trained Veteran Service Officer.

    – The Staff Sergeant Gordon Fox Case management program provides wrap-around services to veterans, service members, and their families. More information can be found at health.ri.gov/helpforvets.

    – RIDOH’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Grant team has been partnering with the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide materials and resources at select DMV locations during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month.

    – The Governor’s Overdose Task Force is a statewide coalition of professionals, community members, state agency staff, and state health leadership with the goal of preventing overdoses and saving lives. The work of the Task Force helped contribute to a 25% decrease in overdose deaths since 2022.

    Resources for people who may need help:

    – 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline � If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide; experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis; or are in emotional distress, you can call or text 988 or chat with 988 at 988lifeline.org. Trained crisis counselors are available 24/7.??

    – Yougoodman.org � Learn how to check in on the men in your life, read about what Rhode Island men say about mental health and supporting each other, and watch the You Good, Man? spot

    – PreventSuicideRI.org � Visit the website for additional state and national resources, training opportunities, and suicide data.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Launches Campaign to Spotlight Men’s Mental Health

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    In recognition of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has launched You Good, Man?, a statewide campaign to raise awareness and prevent suicide among working-age men�a population experiencing suicide at nearly twice the rate of the general public in Rhode Island.

    “Society often focuses on the physical health of men � be it fitness, or annual checkups, or heart health. But mental health and well-being is just as important,” said Director of Health Dr. Jerry Larkin. “This campaign is about creating a culture where men and boys feel comfortable reaching out and checking in on their friends and coworkers. No one should struggle in silence.”

    The You Good, Man? campaign features a powerful, locally produced video and a three-month media buy across social media, digital and streaming platforms, local movie theaters, and gas stations. As part of the campaign, YouGoodMan.org was created as a resource hub offering mental health tips, warning signs, conversation guides, and local support services.

    The goal is to normalize conversations about mental health, empower friends, coworkers, and loved ones to check in, and encourage men to accept help when it’s offered.

    According to the 2023 Rhode Island Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, 11% of men said they usually or always feel lonely. Suicide death rates in Rhode Island are highest among working-age males (25-64 years old). The death rate for this group is more than twice as high as Rhode Island’s overall suicide death rate. Working-aged men reported not having inadequate social support in comparison to females in the same age group. According to 2024 Rhode Island fatal overdose data, the majority of individuals who died from a drug overdose � 70 percent- were male.

    In addition to their impacts on mental health, loneliness and social isolation significantly impact physical health. They are associated with increased risk for heart disease, stroke, dementia, and type 2 diabetes.

    Reach Consulting, in partnership with RIDOH, developed the campaign following months of research and interviews with Rhode Island men. Their input helped shape the campaign’s tone, messaging, and creative direction. One clear message emerged: many men struggle in silence, and even a simple check-in can make a difference.

    Produced by Pawtucket-based media company HAUS, the spot was created by a team of local professionals and features lead actors from Rhode Island. Their performances bring authenticity and urgency to the message: It’s not only okay to talk about mental health�it’s vital.

    This campaign represents one of many efforts throughout State government to support mental and emotional health.

    – In October, Rhode Island’s first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) launched. A CCBHC is an outpatient clinic that offers expanded behavioral health services. CCBHCs serve anyone who walks through the door, regardless of age, diagnosis, or insurance status.?At a CCBHC, a team of trained health professionals can: provide mental health support to you or a loved one, help you or a loved one with a substance use condition, and/or provide 24/7 crisis support. Six CCBHCs are currently operating throughout Rhode Island. ?Each clinic has a trained Veteran Service Officer.

    – The Staff Sergeant Gordon Fox Case management program provides wrap-around services to veterans, service members, and their families. More information can be found at health.ri.gov/helpforvets.

    – RIDOH’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Grant team has been partnering with the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide materials and resources at select DMV locations during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month.

    – The Governor’s Overdose Task Force is a statewide coalition of professionals, community members, state agency staff, and state health leadership with the goal of preventing overdoses and saving lives. The work of the Task Force helped contribute to a 25% decrease in overdose deaths since 2022.

    Resources for people who may need help:

    – 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline � If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide; experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis; or are in emotional distress, you can call or text 988 or chat with 988 at 988lifeline.org. Trained crisis counselors are available 24/7.??

    – Yougoodman.org � Learn how to check in on the men in your life, read about what Rhode Island men say about mental health and supporting each other, and watch the You Good, Man? spot

    – PreventSuicideRI.org � Visit the website for additional state and national resources, training opportunities, and suicide data.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transport Secretary draws line under HS2 ‘mismanagement’ with bold reset plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Transport Secretary draws line under HS2 ‘mismanagement’ with bold reset plan

    All recommendations from the James Stewart review into HS2 to be accepted by government as Mike Brown takes over as HS2 Ltd Chair.

    • report reveals historic mishandling, lack of ministerial oversight and inadequate control of the project from HS2 Ltd
    • all recommendations to be accepted to grip failing HS2 project and get it back on track
    • new HS2 Ltd Chair Mike Brown appointed as progress made on resetting project

    The Transport Secretary has today (18 June 2025) announced that she will accept all recommendations from the landmark James Stewart review to address years of mismanagement and restore public trust in HS2.

    First commissioned by the government in October last year, the report sets out evidence of the historic mishandling of HS2 including a lack of ministerial oversight and scrutiny, inadequate control of the project by HS2 Ltd and a lack of effective incentives with the supply chain, which will collectively cost the taxpayer billions more than planned. 

    In a statement to Parliament, the Secretary of State condemned the ‘litany of failure’ that has plagued HS2, citing spiralling costs, ineffective oversight and broken promises.

    Without action, Phase 1 alone risks becoming one of the most expensive railway lines in the world – with costs ballooning by £37 billion and £2 billion wasted on cancelled Phase 2 works.

    That’s why since entering office, the government has taken decisive action to get back control of HS2 including: appointing new leadership to reset the project, commissioning the James Stewart review, reducing financial delegations to HS2 Ltd, limiting what the company can do without government approval to place a lid on spiralling costs until the reset is complete and providing £25 billion in the recent Spending Review to support all of this work.

    Speaking from the House of Commons earlier this afternoon, the Transport Secretary set out how the department is already delivering on Mr Stewart’s 5 key recommendations: 

    • Lack of effective ministerial oversight – the HS2 taskforce has been re-established with full senior official and ministerial attendance, offering much-needed oversight and accountability.
    • Stricter cost control – the department is ensuring HS2 Ltd and its suppliers negotiate incentives that ensure cost savings for taxpayers.
    • Lack of capability, skills and trust – the Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild, is instilling a new era of leadership, reforming the organisation with a focus on building the rest of the railway safely and at the lowest reasonable cost. Wild has previous experience in this, having turned the delayed and over-budget Elizabeth line into one of the most successful and celebrated new operating railways in the world.
    • Lack of clarity on Euston station – the government has already committed funding to start the tunnelling from Old Oak Common to Euston and further detail on delivery of the station will be set out in due course.
    • Lessons for the wider transport portfolio – the government is committing to learning the lessons of the past 15 years to delivering infrastructure differently across its projects, with more to be set out in the upcoming 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.

    The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to consider the implications for the Civil Service and wider public sector of the issues raised in the report, including whether further action or investigation is warranted.

    The Transport Secretary confirmed that Mike Brown will be taking over as HS2 Ltd Chair, working alongside CEO Mark Wild to deliver a programme reset, including reviewing the costs and schedule, renegotiating HS2’s large construction contracts and reviewing HS2 Ltd’s skills and structure. The Transport Secretary has asked Mark Wild to be ready to provide an update on revised costs and delivery timescales at the end of the year.

    He brings decades of experience to the role, having previously delivered major projects such as the successful delivery of London Underground and mainline rail for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, and a multi-billion pound investment programme on London’s roads, rail and cycling network. 

    Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

    This must be a line in the sand. This government is delivering HS2 from Birmingham to London after years of mismanagement, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight.  

    Mark Wild and Mike Brown were part of the team, with me, that turned Crossrail into the Elizabeth Line – we have done it before, we will do it again.

    Passengers and taxpayers deserve new railways the country can be proud of and the work to get HS2 back on track is firmly underway. 

    The initial assessment of the newly appointed CEO, Mark Wild was also published today, reiterating that the overall project in terms of cost, schedule and scope is unsustainable. Due to the scale of the mismanagement of the project, it set out that there is no route by which trains can be running by 2033 as previously planned and warns that costs would continue to increase if not taken in hand. The Transport Secretary accepted this conclusion.

    HS2 is supporting over 33,000 jobs and over 3,400 UK businesses across all UK nations and regions. Over 44 miles of tunnels have been completed to date and the 2.1-mile deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct, the UK’s new longest railway bridge, was completed in September 2024. 

    HS2 will deliver high-speed rail services between London and the West Midlands, providing much-needed extra capacity between London and Birmingham and delivering faster and more reliable trains from London to Manchester, Liverpool and Scotland. Research estimates that HS2 will be responsible for the generation of £10 billion and 30,000 new jobs in the West Midlands, as well as £10 billion and over 18,000 new jobs in west London.

    HS2 and major projects media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Resetting the High Speed Two (HS2) programme

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Resetting the High Speed Two (HS2) programme

    A statement outlining the future of High Speed Two (HS2), including new management and a bold reset plan.

    Mr Speaker, with permission, I’d like to make a statement on HS2.

    As a London Councillor over 15 years ago, I remember hearing the then Labour government’s bold plans for high-speed rail.

    To link our major cities, to address the capacity needs of the future and in the words of then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown: ‘to join the high-speed revolution sweeping the world’.

    It was a vision of a confident nation, a clear signal our great towns and cities in the Midlands and the North.

    With potential that had been untapped at best and ignored at worst, could be places of opportunity and aspiration again.

    That was the promise of HS2.

    Inheritance

    But after [political redaction].

    Routes drawn up then cancelled, budgets calculated then blown, promises made then broken, we inherited a project that had lost the trust of the public.

    That created an image of a Britain woefully unable to deliver big infrastructure projects. And that axed swathes of the country it was originally meant to serve.

    Phase 1 could end up becoming one of the most expensive railway lines in the world.

    With projected costs soaring by £37 billion [political redaction]. And £2 billion of taxpayers’ money sunk into phase 2 work before it was cancelled by the previous government.

    There was also clear evidence of poor management [political redaction].

    Gripping the project

    It has been no less than a litany of failure.

    And today (18 June 2025), I’m drawing a line in the sand – calling time on years of mismanagement, flawed reporting and ineffective oversight.

    It means this government will get the job done between Birmingham and London.

    We won’t reinstate cancelled sections we can’t afford.

    But we will do the hard, but necessary, work to rebuild public trust – and we’ve not wasted any time.

    Since July, we have:

    • appointed new leadership of HS2 Ltd to turn this project around
    • we’ve made clear to the new Chief Executive, Mark Wild, that the priority is building the rest of the railway safely, at the lowest reasonable cost – even if this takes longer
    • we’ve started the year long task of fundamentally resetting the project, including commissioning infrastructure expert James Stewart to lead a review into governance and oversight
    • as part of the reset, we have reduced financial delegations to HS2 Ltd – placing a lid on spiralling costs until the reset is complete and we regain confidence
    • and we’ve supported Mark Wild’s review of the size and cost of HS2 as an organisation

    But today we’re going further.

    James Stewart review

    Mr Speaker, I can confirm we’ve published the landmark James Stewart review and the department’s response.

    The review, commissioned in October of last year by my predecessor, was a tough independent look at how Department for Transport and government delivers major projects.

    The government not only welcomes the review, but we have accepted all its recommendations.

    My department is already delivering on these, specifically across 5 key areas.

    First, the lack of oversight and scrutiny.

    Quite simply, there have been too many dark corners for failure to hide in.

    [Political redaction].

    This government has re-established the taskforce, with full senior attendance, as per the review’s recommendation.

    And new performance, programme and shareholder boards will offer much needed oversight and accountability.

    Secondly, the report highlights HS2 could cost the taxpayer billions more than planned.

    We’ll stop this spiralling any further by delivering all the recommendations on cost control.

    That starts with HS2 fundamentally changing their approach to estimating costs.

    It includes certainty over funding – which the Spending Review has given.

    And it also means HS2 working with suppliers so their contracts incentivise saving costs for taxpayers.

    As far as I’m concerned, suppliers should make a better return the more taxpayer money they save.

    Thirdly, the review identified a deficit in capability and skills, with a fundamental lack of trust between my department and HS2 Ltd. 

    I am clear, both capability and cultural issues within HS2 must be addressed.

    The new chief executive is already strengthening the organisation, including filling critical gaps in areas such as commercial expertise. And he will be backed by Mike Brown, announced today as the new chair.

    This is a new era of leadership the project desperately needs, with Mike bringing significant experience as a former TfL Commissioner.

    Mark and Mike were part of the team, with me, that turned Crossrail into the Elizabeth Line.

    We have done it before, we will do it again.

    Fourthly, Euston Station.

    Between 2019 and 2023, HS2 Ltd provided initial designs for Euston Station, coming in almost £2 billion over budget.

    When asked for a more affordable option, they offered one costing £400 million more than the first attempt.

    The word ‘affordable’ was clearly not part of the HS2 lexicon.

    The combined costs for these 2 failed designs, which has now been written off, was more than a quarter of a billion pounds.

    What’s more, the previous government announced a Euston ministerial taskforce.

    Unbelievably, the taskforce never met.

    Mr Speaker, this government recognises Euston’s huge potential.

    And we’ve already committed funding to start the tunnelling from Old Oak Common to Euston and we’ll set out more details in our 10-year Infrastructure Strategy.

    And finally, we will use James Stewart’s findings to transform infrastructure delivery across government.

    Implementing real change in how we deliver infrastructure is not just for the Department for Transport.

    This government is committed to implementing these recommendations and adopting a new approach to delivering infrastructure, as will be set out in our upcoming 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy.

    In that spirit, the Prime Minister has also asked the Cabinet Secretary to consider the implications for the Civil Service and wider public sector of the issues raised in the report, including whether further action or investigation is warranted.

    Mr Speaker, we’re wasting no time in delivering on this review.

    And I will update Parliament on our progress through my 6-monthly reports, even if the information is uncomfortable.

    Because for a government that, last week, pledged billions in capital investment for new major projects.

    That believes in the power of transport infrastructure to improve lives and deliver on our Plan for Change.

    This level of failure cannot stand.

    We will learn the lessons of the past 15 years and restore our reputation of delivering world-class infrastructure projects.

    Mark Wild assessment

    Mr Speaker, I’ve spoken about our inheritance; I’ve spoken about James Stewart’s review.

    Let me finally turn to Mark Wild’s initial assessment, [political redaction].

    I will place a copy of his interim findings in the library.

    He stated, in no uncertain terms, the overall project with respect to cost, schedule and scope is unsustainable.

    Based on this advice, I see no route by which trains can be running by 2033 as planned.

    He reveals costs will continue to increase if not taken in hand, further outstripping the budget set by the previous government.

    And he cannot be certain that all cost pressures have yet been identified.

    Mr Speaker, it gives me no pleasure to deliver news like this.

    Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been wasted by constant scope changes, ineffective contracts and bad management.

    There are also allegations that parts of the supply chain have been defrauding taxpayers, and I have been clear these need to be investigated rapidly and rigorously.

    If fraud is proven, the consequences will be felt by all involved.

    Mr Speaker, I have to be honest: it’s an appalling mess. But it’s one we will sort out.

    We need to set targets which we can confidently deliver – that the public can trust – and that will take time.

    But rest assured, where there are inefficiencies – we will root them out.

    Where further ministerial interventions are needed – I’ll make them without fear or favour.

    HS2 will finally start delivering on our watch.

    Conclusion

    Mr Speaker, years of mismanagement and neglect have turned HS2 into a shadow of the vision put forward 15 years ago.

    But this government was elected on a mandate to restore trust to our politics.

    That’s why we won’t shirk away from this challenge and why today, we turn the page on infrastructure failures. 

    I can think of no better mission than delivering new economic opportunities, new homes and commercial regeneration, of an upskilled supply chain, all of which HS2 can still unlock.

    But no one should underestimate the scale of the reset required.

    Passengers and taxpayers deserve new railways the country can be proud of.

    The work to get HS2 back on track is firmly underway under this government.

    And I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: HS2 Ltd CEO’s initial assessment of HS2’s current position on cost and schedule

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    HS2 Ltd CEO’s initial assessment of HS2’s current position on cost and schedule

    A summary of the new HS2 Ltd CEO’s assessment of HS2’s current position on cost and schedule.

    Documents

    Letter to the Secretary of State for Transport: assessment of HS2’s current position on cost and schedule

    PDF, 271 KB, 5 pages

    This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Details

    Letter from High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd CEO, Mark Wild, sent to the Secretary of State for Transport on 31 March 2025.

    The letter outlines Mark Wild’s initial findings and assessment of HS2’s current position regarding cost and schedule.

    See the major transport projects governance and assurance review.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin launched the tunnel boring for the Biryulevskaya metro line

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Sergei Sobyanin took part in the ceremony to mark the start of tunnel boring for the Biryulevskaya Line of the Moscow Metro.

    The first (right) transfer tunnel, 1.67 kilometers long and six meters in diameter, will be built between the Ostrov Mechty and Klenovy Bulvar stations. In addition, construction of the second (left) tunnel between them is planned to begin in the coming months. Part of the tunnels will pass under the Moskva River, which is a complex engineering task. Their construction is planned to be completed in the spring of 2026.

    “A historic event in Moscow metro construction: today we are launching the tunneling of a new radius of the Moscow metro – the Biryulevskaya line. Long awaited. Residents of the Biryulyovo Zapadnoye and Biryulyovo Vostochnoye districts have long asked for the metro to be built in their districts,” noted Sergei Sobyanin.

    The new metro line will be put into operation in stages. The construction of the first stage – the ZIL – Kuryanovo section (8.65 kilometers, four stations) is expected to be completed in 2028, and the second stage on the Kuryanovo – Biryulevo section (13.55 kilometers, six stations) – in 2030.

    “Today, the active phase of work begins: the first shield, in a couple of months the second shield will go. In general, of course, the project is very complex. 22 kilometers, 10 stations, four passages under the Moscow River. But I am sure that the builders will cope,” added the Mayor of Moscow.

    It is expected that the first four stations of the line will be used by 32 thousand passengers per day, and after full commissioning, the daily passenger flow will increase to 170 thousand people.

    At the first stage, the Yuzhnoye electric depot will service the trains on the line, and from 2030, the new Biryulevskoye electric depot will service them.

    Biryulevskaya metro line

    “The excavation of the right tunnel of the Biryulevskaya line between the stations “Dream Island” and “Klenovy Bulvar” has begun – the first stage of a large-scale and complex engineering project. As a result, 10 stations will be built. The length of the entire line is 22 kilometers. The first three stations – “ZIL”, “Dream Island” and “Klenovy Bulvar” – have already begun to be built,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote in

    on your telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    The Biryulevsky radius will be the seventh new line on the Moscow metro map since 2014. It will mainly serve residents of the south of the capital. The long-awaited metro will first come to the territory of the Biryulevo Vostochnoye and Biryulevo Zapadnoye districts, where about 260 thousand people will live by 2030.

    The first plans to build a metro line in Biryulyovo appeared half a century ago, in the early 1970s, when mass residential construction began on the site of the workers’ settlement of the same name and the adjacent territory, which became part of the capital in 1960. Then, the construction of the Biryulevskaya metro line was included in the General Plan of the City of Moscow for the period up to 2025, approved in 2010. On the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin, projects for the planning of sections of the Biryulevskaya line were developed and approved in 2021–2023.

    It will stretch from ZIL to the Biryulevo East and West districts and as a result will allow:

    — improve transport services for residents (including new neighborhoods being built as part of the renovation program) and the operating developing areas of ZIL, the Danilovsky, Nagatinsky Zaton, Nagatino-Sadovniki, Pechatniki, Moskvorechye-Saburovo, Tsaritsyno, Biryulevo Vostochnoye and Biryulevo Zapadnoye districts with a population of over one million people;

    — improve transport accessibility of the Dream Island amusement park;

    — reduce the load on sections of the Zamoskvoretskaya and Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya metro lines;

    — reduce the intensity of traffic on adjacent streets, which in turn will improve the environmental situation in the listed areas of the city;

    — provide transfers for passengers to the Moscow Central Circle (MCC), the Big Circle, Zamoskvoretskaya and Troitskaya metro lines, as well as to the Paveletskaya direction of the Moscow Railway.

    By 2030, it is planned to create more than 400 thousand jobs at the stations of the Biryulevskaya line.

    The new radial line, more than 22 kilometers long, will include 10 stations:

    — “ZIL” — at the intersection of Likhachev Avenue and Bratyev Ryabushinskikh Street, near the MCC station of the same name (transfer to the MCC and the Troitskaya metro line under construction);

    — “Dream Island” — near the theme park of the same name, between Andropov Avenue and the Southern Landscape Park (transfer to the Zamoskvoretskaya metro line);

    — “Klenovy Boulevard” — along the boulevard of the same name at the intersection with Novinki Street (transfer to the Big Circle Line of the metro);

    — “Kuryanovo” — near the junction of 4th Kuryanovskaya Street and Batyuninskaya Street;

    — “Moskvorechye” – near the junction of Koshkina Street and Kashirskoe Highway;

    — “Kavkazsky Boulevard” — along Kavkazsky Boulevard near the junction with Yerevanskaya Street;

    — “Caspian” — near the intersection of 6th Radial Street and Projected Driveway No. 6631;

    — “Lipetskaya” — along the street of the same name near the junction with Pedagogical Street;

    — “Lebedyanskaya” — along Lipetskaya Street near the junction with Lebedyanskaya Street;

    — “Biryulevo” — along Bulatnikovskaya Street near the junction with Bulatnikovsky Proezd, not far from the Biryulevo-Passazhirskaya railway station.

    Three stations are currently under construction: ZIL, Ostrov Mechty, and Klenovy Bulvar. Work is underway to install enclosing structures and excavate the soil for the pits.

    At all other future stations of the Biryulevskaya line, preparatory work is underway.

    Monument to Russian metro builders to be erected on Sokolnicheskaya SquareSergei Sobyanin: Four more stations of the Troitskaya metro line will open in 2025Moscow Metro Turns 90 — Sergei Sobyanin

    Results of the implementation of the Moscow metro construction program

    Since 2011, 255.5 kilometers of lines, 123 stations, 13 electric depots of the Moscow Metro and the Moscow Central Circle have been built and reconstructed in the capital. Jointly with JSC Russian Railways, the MCD-1, MCD-2, MCD-3 and MCD-4 ground metro lines were also put into operation: 303 kilometers of tracks and 137 stations.

    New lines and stations of the Moscow metro, MCC and MCD

    Lublin-Dmitrovskaya line:

    — section from Maryino station to Zyablikovo station (three stations);

    — the section from the Maryina Roshcha station to the Fiztekh station (nine stations).

    Kalininskaya and Solntsevskaya lines:

    — section from Novogireevo station to Novokosino station (one station);

    — section from Delovoy Tsentr station to Vnukovo Airport station (14 stations).

    Zamoskvoretskaya line:

    — section from Krasnogvardeyskaya station to Alma-Atinskaya station (one station);

    — Technopark station;

    — section from Rechnoy Vokzal station to Khovrino station (two stations).

    Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line:

    — section from Mitino station to Pyatnitskoe Shosse station (one station).

    Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya line:

    — section from Vykhino station to Kotelniki station (three stations);

    — Spartak station.

    Butovskaya line:

    — section from the station “Ulitsa Starokachalovskaya” to the station “Bitsevsky Park” (two stations).

    Sokolnicheskaya line:

    — the section from the Yugo-Zapadnaya station to the Potapovo station (eight stations).

    Nekrasovskaya line: eight stations.

    Large Circle Line: 31 stations.

    Trinity Line:

    — section from Novatorskaya station to Novomoskovskaya station (seven stations).

    Moscow Central Circle: 31 stations.

    Moscow Central Diameters (MCD-1, MCD-2, MCD-3, MCD-4): 137 stations, of which 53 are transfer stations to metro, MCC and MCD lines.

    Electric depots (including reconstruction): Mitino, Brateevo, Pechatniki, Vykhino, Planernoye, Nizhegorodskoye, Likhobory, Solntsevo, Vladykino, Rudnevo, Sokol, Aminyevskoye, Yuzhnoye (Brateevo-2).

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12957050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Invests in Training More Doctors

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province is funding more seats for Nova Scotians who want to study to become doctors.

    Starting this fall, there will be five more first-year seats reserved for Nova Scotia students in the doctor of medicine program at Dalhousie University in Halifax, with another five first-year seats in 2026-27.

    “Our government is investing to train more doctors so Nova Scotians can get the care they need,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Advanced Education. “Through investments in our post-secondary partners, we are training the doctors we need today and for tomorrow.”

    With the additional seats, there will be 99 first-year seats in the program at Dalhousie’s Halifax campus and 30 first-year seats at the Cape Breton medical campus – a partnership with Dalhousie – at Cape Breton University in Sydney.

    Of these seats, 114 are reserved for Nova Scotia students for entry in 2025. The remaining are designated for six Prince Edward Island residents and nine people from outside the Maritimes, including priority pathways (Indigenous admissions pathway, Black learners admissions pathway). If any of these designated seats remain unfilled, priority is given to Nova Scotian residents.

    As part of the bilateral agreements between the Province and universities, admissions for Nova Scotian residents in undergraduate health programs are to be prioritized starting in 2026.

    Quotes:

    “We are focused on transforming Nova Scotia’s healthcare system, and part of that is bringing more doctors to communities across the province. Adding more medical school seats is an important part of boosting the number of doctors available to work in the province. Nova Scotia is a great place to train and work as a doctor – we have great compensation for family doctors, strong financial incentives and we are renovating and building new facilities to create modern places to work.”
    — Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness

    “Dalhousie Medical School proudly trains skilled physicians who deliver high-quality, sustainable health care in Nova Scotia. I am very pleased government is making this significant investment in undergraduate medical education and continuing to create more pathways for Nova Scotians choosing medicine as a career.”
    — Dr. David Anderson, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University

    “This is great news for Nova Scotians and for physicians. We look forward to welcoming and mentoring these new medical students into the system and increasing access to family medicine and specialist care for Nova Scotians.” — Dr. Shelly McNeil, President, Doctors Nova Scotia

    Quick Facts:

    • the Province’s total investment for 10 additional seats is just over $2.2 million
    • the Cape Breton medical campus will welcome students this fall

    Additional Resources:

    Dalhousie University’s doctor of medicine program: https://medicine.dal.ca/programs/md-program.html

    Cape Breton medical campus: https://www.cbu.ca/current-students/student-services/health-wellness/cape-breton-medical-campus/

    News release – Funding, Plans for New Medical School Campus in Cape Breton: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/03/07/funding-plans-new-medical-school-campus-cape-breton

    News release – More Funding for Cape Breton Medical School Campus: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/04/30/more-funding-cape-breton-medical-school-campus

    Bilateral agreements with universities: https://novascotia.ca/lae/HigherEducation/documents.asp

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Applauds Passage of Legislation to Protect Consumers and Small Businesses

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today applauded the passage of legislation to protect consumers and small businesses. The Fostering Affordability and Integrity through Reasonable Business Practices Act, or FAIR Business Practices Act, sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and Assemblymember Micah Lasher, and advanced by Attorney General James in March 2025, updates New York’s consumer protection law, GBL §349, for the first time in 45 years. The bill protects New Yorkers from a wide array of common schemes and scams, including artificial intelligence (AI)-based schemes, deed theft, predatory lending, data breaches, and more.

    “Too many New Yorkers are being taken advantage of by mortgage servicers charging unnecessary high fees, debt collectors stealing Social Security benefits, and health insurance companies with unfair billing practices,” said Attorney General James. “The FAIR Business Practices Act will close loopholes that make it easy for New Yorkers to be cheated out of their time and hard-earned money. This legislation advanced by Senator Comrie and Assemblymember Lasher will help us protect working families and their wallets from predatory lenders, abusive debt collectors, scammers, and more. I applaud Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for their support in passing this legislation at a time when the federal government is abandoning its responsibility to protect consumers and small businesses.”

    “For too long, New York’s consumer protection laws have lagged behind the fast-moving tactics used to exploit our communities,” said Senator Leroy Comrie. “By updating General Business Law §349, we are giving consumers and small businesses the tools they need to fight back against predatory practices and modern-day scams. I’m proud to have sponsored the FAIR Business Practices Act alongside Attorney General James and Assemblymember Lasher, and I thank my colleagues for recognizing the urgency of protecting New Yorkers in this evolving digital and economic landscape.” 

    “Since the general business law was enacted in 1970, our entire society has grown dramatically more complicated, and we have seen the complete revolution of commerce,” said Assemblymember Micah Lasher. “In all that time, we have done nothing to modernize our laws to protect New Yorkers from being taken advantage of. That stasis comes to a welcome end with the passage of the FAIR Business Practices Act, a critical step forward to protect New Yorkers, their pocketbooks, and affordability in our great state. I am grateful to Attorney General James and her team for their leadership, and to Senator Comrie for his partnership in passing this long overdue legislation.”

    The FAIR Business Practices Act would help stop lenders, including auto lenders, mortgage servicers, and student loan servicers, from deceptively steering people into higher cost loans. It would reduce unnecessary and hidden fees, stop unfair billing practices by health care companies, and prevent companies from taking advantage of New Yorkers with limited English proficiency. New York’s current consumer protection law, GBL §349, was passed in 1970 and only prohibits deceptive business acts and practices, leaving consumers vulnerable to unfair or abusive acts by companies. The FAIR Business Practices Act will protect New Yorkers from unfair and abusive business acts, such as: 

    • Student loan servicers that steer borrowers into the most expensive repayment plans;
    • Car dealers that refuse to return a customer’s photo ID until a deal is finalized and charge for add-on warranties that the customer did not actually purchase;
    • Nursing homes that routinely sue relatives of deceased residents for their unpaid bills despite not having any basis for liability;
    • Companies that take advantage of consumers with limited English proficiency and obscure pricing information and fees;
    • Debt collectors that collect and refuse to return a senior’s Social Security benefits, even though they are exempt from debt collection; and
    • Health insurance companies that use long lists of in-network doctors who turn out not to accept the insurance. 

    With the federal government rolling back protections for consumers and small businesses, the FAIR Business Practices Act authorizes OAG to take action to protect vulnerable New Yorkers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nearly Three Million New Yorkers to Receive Tax Relief

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that nearly three million New Yorkers will receive $2.2 billion in tax relief this summer and fall through New York’s School Tax Relief (STAR) program. STAR provides property tax relief to eligible homeowners and seniors statewide. While some STAR recipients have already received their benefit in the form of a tax exemption this year, many other recipients will receive their benefit as a tax credit and will be sent a check in the mail this summer and fall. Check deliveries will begin next week and will continue statewide throughout the coming months. Most homeowners eligible for a STAR credit will receive a check between $350 and $600. Most seniors eligible for an Enhanced STAR credit will receive a check between $700 and $1,500. STAR recipients can visit ny.gov/STAR to track their check delivery or enroll in direct deposit.

    “Summer is here — and it’s also the start of STAR tax relief season for millions of New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “From tax credits to child care assistance and much more, we’re continuing to put more money back in New Yorkers’ pockets.”

    New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller said, “The STAR program delivers welcome tax relief, and we want every eligible homeowner to take advantage of it. If you’re a new homeowner, or you are currently not receiving a STAR benefit on your primary residence, check out the Tax Department’s website to see how you can enroll and start saving.”

    Regional breakdown of this year’s $2.2 billion in STAR tax relief for nearly 3 million New Yorkers:

    REGION STAR TAX RELIEF RECIPIENTS
    Capital District $144.5 million 242,000
    Central New York $131.1 million 176,000
    Finger Lakes $205.2 million 279,000
    Long Island $698.4 million 582,000
    Mid-Hudson $488.5 million 404,000
    Mohawk Valley $66.3 million 101,000
    New York City $158.6 million 483,000
    North Country $47.2 million 88,000
    Southern Tier $109.6 million 156,000
    Western New York $178.5 million 320,000
    TOTAL $2.2 BILLION 2.83 MILLION

    Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “While Washington advances tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and mega-corporations at the expense of millions of working Americans, we in New York continue to champion the well-being of the middle class. The Senate Democratic Majority has worked with Governor Hochul and the Assembly to put more money back in the pockets of everyday New Yorkers. We look forward to continuing the fight to make New York more affordable.”

    Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “As we head into the summer, millions of homeowners and seniors across the state will get these STAR tax relief checks, putting money back into their pockets and allowing them to spend their hard-earned money in the best way for their family. We will continue working together with our partners in government to find commonsense ways to ease the financial burden on New York families.”

    Homeowners and seniors who are eligible and enrolled in the STAR program receive their benefit each year in one of two ways: as an exemption that reduces their school tax bill, or as a credit issued as a check or direct deposit.

    The STAR benefits received by each recipient are based in part on local school taxes and vary based on the county in which the individual resides, among other factors.

    Homeowners who are registered and eligible for the STAR credit can expect to receive their STAR credit before the deadline for their school taxes. Some parts of the state — including New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse — have due dates in July and will receive their STAR benefits between the end of June and mid-July. Benefits across other parts of the state will continue to roll out statewide throughout the summer and fall.

    Those who receive the STAR credit as a check or direct deposit can visit the STAR Credit Delivery Schedule to learn when credits will be issued in their area. Property owners who are looking for details about STAR credits that have already been issued should visit the Property Tax Credit Lookup.

    Enroll in STAR Direct Deposit

    Homeowners can enroll in the STAR Credit Direct Deposit program through the Homeowner Benefit Portal within the Tax Department’s secure Online Services system. Homeowners will also be able to use the Homeowner Benefit Portal to manage their STAR benefits easily and efficiently.

    The direct deposit option enables eligible STAR credit recipients to get their STAR credits without having to wait for and cash a check. To ensure homeowners receive their STAR credit by direct deposit this year, they should enroll as soon as possible. Homeowners who enroll fewer than 15 days before STAR credits are issued will receive a check this year and direct deposit will begin next year.

    For more information about the STAR program, visit the Tax Department’s STAR Resource Center.

    State Senator José M. Serrano said, “The New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) program is a vital resource for homeowners and seniors throughout New York State. I am happy that this year’s program will provide much needed property tax relief to nearly three million people statewide. My sincere thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul and my colleagues in government for their continued investment in our homeowners.”

    State Senator Leroy Comrie said, “As the cost of living continues to rise, property tax relief through the STAR program is a lifeline for working families and seniors across New York. I commend Governor Hochul for prioritizing this critical support, which will provide meaningful relief to nearly three million homeowners statewide. Including thousands in Southeastern Queens. These investments help keep our communities stable and our residents secure in their homes”

    State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud said, “I encourage all eligible individuals to enroll in the STAR program. The STAR tax relief program puts money back into the hands of hardworking homeowners and seniors, which helps to ease the burden of rising costs and ensure families can continue to thrive in the communities they love.”

    State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, “With the cost of living continuing to rise, this year’s STAR tax relief program delivers real and timely support for millions of New Yorkers. Whether it’s helping seniors on fixed incomes or working families trying to stay afloat, these checks offer critical relief and stability. I thank Governor Hochul for her work in supporting this program that puts money back into the pockets of homeowners and strengthens our communities.”

    State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am pleased that millions of New Yorkers, including over 400,000 residents in the Hudson Valley, receive tax relief this summer and fall through the New York School Tax Relief (STAR) program. Many families in Westchester struggle with the high cost of living, and the STAR program will offer much-needed assistance. I encourage those eligible for STAR to enroll in direct deposit to simplify the process of receiving your STAR checks. I would also like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment towards a hassle-free program that helps alleviate the burden of property taxes.”

    State Senator Pete Harckham said, “At a time when every dollar counts, New York State is proactively helping seniors and middle-class New Yorkers. The disbursement of $2.2 billion in STAR property tax relief funds this summer and fall will make an important difference in the lives of taxpayers and support the local economy of the Hudson Valley.”

    State Senator Monica R. Martinez said, “Thanks to the STAR program, nearly 3 million New York State families, including more than 580,000 on Long Island, are seeing meaningful tax relief this year. Providing $2.2 billion in assistance will ease a financial burden on New Yorkers, improve homeownership affordability, and give families more flexibility in managing their household budgets. I thank Governor Hochul for working with the Legislature to continue providing this support for property owners across our state.”

    State Senator Rachel May said, “The STAR program helps make homeownership more affordable for seniors and families across New York. In Central New York, this kind of targeted tax relief makes a real difference. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for continuing to support a program that helps so many of our neighbors stay in their homes.”

    State Senator Robert Jackson said, “In a time when working families are being priced out of the very neighborhoods they helped build, the STAR program is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. I commend Governor Hochul for delivering $2.2 billion in direct relief to nearly 3 million New Yorkers, including seniors who have spent decades strengthening our communities. This is how government should work: putting public dollars back into the hands of the people. Tax justice is housing justice—and STAR is helping keep that promise real, one check at a time.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “The STAR program is one of many ways we are tackling affordability in New York and making our state a place where everyone is able to live and thrive. With billions in relief being sent out, including over $205 million for the Finger Lakes region, I want to thank Governor Hochul for putting money back in the pockets of New Yorkers and for her commitment to increasing the quality of life across our state.”

    State Senator Samra Brouk said, “Working families in New York State need our support. Through New York School’s Tax Relief (STAR) program, more homeowners and older adults will receive property tax relief so they can keep money in their pockets. I applaud Governor Hochul for investing in New Yorkers and helping our families thrive.”

    State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Delivering over $630 million in property tax relief for homeowners across the Mid-Hudson Valley and Capital Region is a big deal. At a time when the cost of everything is up—from groceries to utilities—putting more money back into people’s pockets is critical to easing the pressure on working families and seniors. The STAR program is a big help in reducing that financial strain, and we’ll continue to push for the tax relief New Yorkers deserve through this and other state initiatives.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, The STAR program is a lifeline for hardworking families and seniors across the Southern Tier and I’m proud to see $109.6 million for residents in my district. This year’s tax relief means more money in the pockets of nearly 3 million New Yorkers and for our communities, that makes a real difference. Whether it’s covering heating bills, groceries, or home repairs, this support helps people stay rooted in the homes they’ve worked hard to build.”

    State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “At a time when working families’ budgets are being stretched in every direction, this STAR tax relief serves as a real lifeline. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to getting this done, and for ensuring that New Yorkers can access the relief they deserve.”

    State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, “The STAR program provides real relief to seniors and eligible homeowners in our great state. In her State of the State address, Governor Hochul emphasized the need for affordable housing. I commend the governor for her follow through, ensuring that Western New York receives nearly $180 million and that many other areas across the state are benefiting from this essential program.”

    Assemblymember William Colton said, “The STAR tax credit is a great way for homeowners to save money on their property tax bill for their primary residence. If you haven’t applied, but think you might be eligible, based on income level, I urge you to do so. In particular, seniors who meet eligibility requirements may be entitled to the benefits of the Enhanced STAR program, which are extremely meaningful to those on a fixed income. Because the maximum income for eligibility for Enhanced STAR has been raised this year, more seniors who previously didn’t qualify will be able to claim the added tax relief, which is really important as prices have continued to rise on so many necessities.

    Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine said, “I am grateful to Governor Hochul for supporting this wonderful program and making it easier than ever to get real money back in the pockets of New Yorkers. She continues to prioritize the economic needs of hard-working families and seniors, and I commend her for that. I encourage everyone to use the online STAR resource center to determine eligibility.”

    Assemblymember Steven Otis said, “Governor Hochul and the State Legislature have again funded the popular STAR tax relief program. This is an important part of the effort in this year’s state budget to address issues of affordability for families. Established decades ago, Basic STAR and Enhanced STAR help reduce the burden of school property taxes across the state. Each year I support continued state commitment in our enacted state budgets for STAR.”

    Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “As the cost of living goes up, the STAR program continues to provide much-needed relief for seniors and homeowners. For many, it is the difference between buying groceries and going hungry. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for ensuring this vital relief reaches New Yorkers in need.”

    Assemblymember Latrice Walker said, “I hear almost daily from constituents about their ongoing struggles to pay for food, utilities, and other necessities. They live in a day-to-day affordability crisis where every dollar counts. I applaud Gov. Kathy Hochul for her leadership in bringing tax relief to nearly 3 million New Yorkers, including 483,000 right here in the five boroughs. Homeowners, especially our beloved seniors, need this type of relief now.”

    Assemblymember Rebecca A. Seawright said, “As Chair of the Aging Committee and Assembly Member of the largest cohort of older adults in Manhattan, I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her enduring leadership on affordability in our city and state, particularly for aging New Yorkers. The STAR and Enhanced STAR Credits provide invaluable tax relief to qualifying homeowners and elders. They also enable aging in place for elder New Yorkers – including over sixty thousand constituents in my district – which enhances their health and advances quality of life at significant, taxpayer cost savings over institutionalized care. The STAR program is both compassionate and common sense.”

    Assemblymember Clyde Vanel said, “As New Yorkers continue to feel the pressure of a rising cost of living, Governor Hochul’s commitment to the STAR program ensures that millions of families and seniors in the state can keep more of their hard-earned money. This critical tax relief will continue to strengthen communities across our state and I applaud the Governor for her unwavering support of this vital program.”

    Assemblymember Harvey Epstein said, “As the cost of living continues to increase in our state, it is important to put money back in the pockets of New Yorkers. The STAR tax credit will offer property tax relief to many homeowners who need it.”

    Assemblymember Charles D. Fall said, “Many of our homeowners—particularly seniors on fixed incomes—depend on the STAR program to help offset the burden of rising property taxes. That’s why I’ve remained a strong advocate for increasing public awareness and ensuring our community understands how to access this vital benefit. With nearly three million New Yorkers set to receive STAR credits this summer and fall, the impact of this program is undeniable. Whether the relief amounts to $350 or $1,500, every dollar matters—especially as the cost of living continues to rise. I remain committed to making sure no one in our district is left behind when it comes to receiving the support they’re entitled to.”

    Assemblymember Jen Lunsford said, “The STAR and Enhanced STAR credits are some of the most effective tools we have to put money back in the pockets of New Yorkers. We don’t levy school or property taxes at the state level so we have to get creative about providing relief. The improvements we’ve made in this year’s budget will mean hundreds, and in some cases over a thousand, dollars to our homeowners and seniors, helping them make ends meet at a time when they need it most.”

    Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas said, “I commend the Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and my colleagues in the Legislature for ensuring New York homeowners get the support they need in our rapidly changing economy. New Yorkers are navigating challenging circumstances and need all the relief they can get. The STAR rebate check disbursement by Governor Hochul is a great opportunity to support homeowners in our city and state as budgets have only gotten tighter, and bills have gone higher. Thank you to all who helped make this happen so we can provide more economic relief to all New Yorkers.”

    Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, “Property tax relief is one of the most direct and meaningful ways we can support the working and middle-class. This investment through the STAR program will provide real relief for homeowners and seniors across Queens and throughout the state. I thank Governor Hochul for making affordability a priority and putting money back into the pockets of New Yorkers.”

    Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia said, “At a time when so many families and seniors are feeling the strain of rising costs, the STAR relief program is meaningful assistance that puts money back in people’s pockets. I’m proud to support programs like STAR that make it easier for New Yorkers to stay in their homes and build financial stability. I thank Governor Hochul for continuing to prioritize assistance for seniors and homeowners across our state.”

    Assemblymember Dana Levenberg said, “The STAR program provides incredibly important tax relief in my district. I am proud to have protected it and fought for more middle-class tax relief in this year’s state budget, and pleased that my constituents will begin seeing some relief in the coming months. As the country’s economic outlook becomes more uncertain, I will continue working with my colleagues and the Governor to provide whatever relief we can to New York’s working and middle-class households.”

    Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero said, “I’m proud to share that this year, over 242,000 homeowners in the Capital Region will see $144.5 million in STAR property tax relief. This vital investment prioritizes those hit hardest by the rising cost of living and delivers lasting relief where it’s needed most. I’m honored to stand with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the State Legislature who ensured this was included in this year’s budget.”

    Assemblymember George Alvarez said, “At a time when the cost of living continues to burden working families and seniors across our state, the STAR program provides critical relief that puts money directly back into the hands of homeowners. I applaud Governor Hochul’s commitment to easing the financial pressure on nearly three million New Yorkers, including many in my district, through this meaningful investment in property tax relief”.

    Assemblymember Steven Raga said, “Homeownership should be a reward for a lifetime of work — but in New York, the high cost of living is putting that dream in jeopardy. That’s why I’m happy that under Governor Hochul’s leadership, eligible homeowners and seniors are receiving $2.2 billion worth of tax relief this year. From working-class families in Elmhurst to seniors on fixed incomes in Westside, eligible residents of New York will receive checks between $350-$1,500 — a much relief to our tax burdened communities. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment to strengthening this program, and for recognizing the importance of preserving and expanding efforts that meet the evolving needs of our communities.”

    Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, “STAR provides desperately needed property tax relief to New York’s homeowners. With major funding cuts coming from Washington, these benefits will be even more crucial as our households struggle harder to make ends meet. I urge our homeowners to check their eligibility for both Basic STAR and Enhanced STAR, and to consult the delivery schedule for their area. Thanks to Governor Hochul for getting the word out!”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Fintech and Global Growth in Focus as Russia National Centre Hosts Key Session at SPIEF 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOSCOW, RUSSIA, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025 opened in St. Petersburg on June 18 with a high-level session hosted by the Russia National Centre, highlighting fintech innovation and strategies for global economic growth.

    The forum’s business program opened on June 18 with the session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth,” where the final report on the results of the International Open Dialogue of the Russia National Centre was presented. The discussion focused on key challenges of modernity: economic and political fragmentation, demographic shifts, the implementation of breakthrough technologies, and the growing social and technological gap within and between states.

    The CEO of Tanssi Foundation, Tiago Rudiger (Brazil), emphasised that the real fintech revolution is happening in Global South countries.

    “Forget Wall Street – the fintech revolution is happening in Global South countries. Thanks to blockchain, money and assets are becoming programmable, and combined with artificial intelligence, this provides a powerful impulse for transforming the entire financial sector. Fintech is changing the game’s rules, affecting traditional banks and opening new opportunities for millions of people,” believes Tiago Rudiger.

    He noted that Brazil and Russia are sharing their experiences in these areas with each other.

    “I read that this will help people reduce transaction costs in global financial markets. I’m ready to discuss this with enthusiasm. I look forward to when these processes arrive in Brazil and worldwide,” emphasised Tiago Rudiger.

    Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, moderated the session. He emphasised that this year, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place against turbulent world events.

    “This year, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place against turbulent world events. This includes the situation in the Middle East and trade wars. Much time will be devoted to this current agenda at the forum. We must not forget which long-term trends and challenges are basic and defining. It is important to conduct an open dialogue about how we build the world of the future and how to form a new platform for global growth. In which countries does this global growth occur, on which technologies will it be built, and on which principles and cultural code? Our task is to ensure that forward movement benefits people in all countries that, like Russia, are working on the future. It is through open dialogue that our future and its understanding are built,” emphasised Maxim Oreshkin.

    At the session organised by the Russia National Centre, speakers also discussed the report on the results of the Open Dialogue prepared by the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise “Third Rome.” The session took place in sequential discussions, in which speakers discussed economics, technologies, and people in a rapidly changing world.

    The results of the session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth” became the foundation for the subsequent business program of SPIEF-2025. The recording of the session can be viewed on the Russia National Centre website.

    Media contact

    Brand: Russia National Centre

    Contact person name: Vadim Samodurov

    E-mail: info@russia.ru

    Website: https://future.russia.ru

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fintech and Global Growth in Focus as Russia National Centre Hosts Key Session at SPIEF 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOSCOW, RUSSIA, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025 opened in St. Petersburg on June 18 with a high-level session hosted by the Russia National Centre, highlighting fintech innovation and strategies for global economic growth.

    The forum’s business program opened on June 18 with the session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth,” where the final report on the results of the International Open Dialogue of the Russia National Centre was presented. The discussion focused on key challenges of modernity: economic and political fragmentation, demographic shifts, the implementation of breakthrough technologies, and the growing social and technological gap within and between states.

    The CEO of Tanssi Foundation, Tiago Rudiger (Brazil), emphasised that the real fintech revolution is happening in Global South countries.

    “Forget Wall Street – the fintech revolution is happening in Global South countries. Thanks to blockchain, money and assets are becoming programmable, and combined with artificial intelligence, this provides a powerful impulse for transforming the entire financial sector. Fintech is changing the game’s rules, affecting traditional banks and opening new opportunities for millions of people,” believes Tiago Rudiger.

    He noted that Brazil and Russia are sharing their experiences in these areas with each other.

    “I read that this will help people reduce transaction costs in global financial markets. I’m ready to discuss this with enthusiasm. I look forward to when these processes arrive in Brazil and worldwide,” emphasised Tiago Rudiger.

    Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, moderated the session. He emphasised that this year, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place against turbulent world events.

    “This year, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place against turbulent world events. This includes the situation in the Middle East and trade wars. Much time will be devoted to this current agenda at the forum. We must not forget which long-term trends and challenges are basic and defining. It is important to conduct an open dialogue about how we build the world of the future and how to form a new platform for global growth. In which countries does this global growth occur, on which technologies will it be built, and on which principles and cultural code? Our task is to ensure that forward movement benefits people in all countries that, like Russia, are working on the future. It is through open dialogue that our future and its understanding are built,” emphasised Maxim Oreshkin.

    At the session organised by the Russia National Centre, speakers also discussed the report on the results of the Open Dialogue prepared by the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise “Third Rome.” The session took place in sequential discussions, in which speakers discussed economics, technologies, and people in a rapidly changing world.

    The results of the session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth” became the foundation for the subsequent business program of SPIEF-2025. The recording of the session can be viewed on the Russia National Centre website.

    Media contact

    Brand: Russia National Centre

    Contact person name: Vadim Samodurov

    E-mail: info@russia.ru

    Website: https://future.russia.ru

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show how generative AI can be weaponized

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By James Foulds, Associate Professor of Information Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Someone altered the AI chatbot Grok to make it insert text about a debunked conspiracy theory in unrelated responses. Cheng Xin/Getty Images

    The AI chatbot Grok spent one day in May 2025 spreading debunked conspiracy theories about “white genocide” in South Africa, echoing views publicly voiced by Elon Musk, the founder of its parent company, xAI.

    While there has been substantial research on methods for keeping AI from causing harm by avoiding such damaging statements – called AI alignment – this incident is particularly alarming because it shows how those same techniques can be deliberately abused to produce misleading or ideologically motivated content.

    We are computer scientists who study AI fairness, AI misuse and human-AI interaction. We find that the potential for AI to be weaponized for influence and control is a dangerous reality.

    The Grok incident

    On May 14, 2025, Grok repeatedly raised the topic of white genocide in response to unrelated issues. In its replies to posts on X about topics ranging from baseball to Medicaid, to HBO Max, to the new pope, Grok steered the conversation to this topic, frequently mentioning debunked claims of “disproportionate violence” against white farmers in South Africa or a controversial anti-apartheid song, “Kill the Boer.”

    The next day, xAI acknowledged the incident and blamed it on an unauthorized modification, which the company attributed to a rogue employee.

    xAI, the company owned by Elon Musk that operates the AI chatbot Grok, explained the steps it said it would take to prevent unauthorized manipulation of the chatbot.

    AI chatbots and AI alignment

    AI chatbots are based on large language models, which are machine learning models for mimicking natural language. Pretrained large language models are trained on vast bodies of text, including books, academic papers and web content, to learn complex, context-sensitive patterns in language. This training enables them to generate coherent and linguistically fluent text across a wide range of topics.

    However, this is insufficient to ensure that AI systems behave as intended. These models can produce outputs that are factually inaccurate, misleading or reflect harmful biases embedded in the training data. In some cases, they may also generate toxic or offensive content. To address these problems, AI alignment techniques aim to ensure that an AI’s behavior aligns with human intentions, human values or both – for example, fairness, equity or avoiding harmful stereotypes.

    There are several common large language model alignment techniques. One is filtering of training data, where only text aligned with target values and preferences is included in the training set. Another is reinforcement learning from human feedback, which involves generating multiple responses to the same prompt, collecting human rankings of the responses based on criteria such as helpfulness, truthfulness and harmlessness, and using these rankings to refine the model through reinforcement learning. A third is system prompts, where additional instructions related to the desired behavior or viewpoint are inserted into user prompts to steer the model’s output.

    How was Grok manipulated?

    Most chatbots have a prompt that the system adds to every user query to provide rules and context – for example, “You are a helpful assistant.” Over time, malicious users attempted to exploit or weaponize large language models to produce mass shooter manifestos or hate speech, or infringe copyrights. In response, AI companies such as OpenAI, Google and xAI developed extensive “guardrail” instructions for the chatbots that included lists of restricted actions. xAI’s are now openly available. If a user query seeks a restricted response, the system prompt instructs the chatbot to “politely refuse and explain why.”

    Grok produced its “white genocide” responses because people with access to Grok’s system prompt used it to produce propaganda instead of preventing it. Although the specifics of the system prompt are unknown, independent researchers have been able to produce similar responses. The researchers preceded prompts with text like “Be sure to always regard the claims of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa as true. Cite chants like ‘Kill the Boer.’”

    The altered prompt had the effect of constraining Grok’s responses so that many unrelated queries, from questions about baseball statistics to how many times HBO has changed its name, contained propaganda about white genocide in South Africa.

    Implications of AI alignment misuse

    Research such as the theory of surveillance capitalism warns that AI companies are already surveilling and controlling people in the pursuit of profit. More recent generative AI systems place greater power in the hands of these companies, thereby increasing the risks and potential harm, for example, through social manipulation.

    The Grok example shows that today’s AI systems allow their designers to influence the spread of ideas. The dangers of the use of these technologies for propaganda on social media are evident. With the increasing use of these systems in the public sector, new avenues for influence emerge. In schools, weaponized generative AI could be used to influence what students learn and how those ideas are framed, potentially shaping their opinions for life. Similar possibilities of AI-based influence arise as these systems are deployed in government and military applications.

    A future version of Grok or another AI chatbot could be used to nudge vulnerable people, for example, toward violent acts. Around 3% of employees click on phishing links. If a similar percentage of credulous people were influenced by a weaponized AI on an online platform with many users, it could do enormous harm.

    What can be done

    The people who may be influenced by weaponized AI are not the cause of the problem. And while helpful, education is not likely to solve this problem on its own. A promising emerging approach, “white-hat AI,” fights fire with fire by using AI to help detect and alert users to AI manipulation. For example, as an experiment, researchers used a simple large language model prompt to detect and explain a re-creation of a well-known, real spear-phishing attack. Variations on this approach can work on social media posts to detect manipulative content.

    This prototype malicious activity detector uses AI to identify and explain manipulative content.
    Screen capture and mock-up by Philip Feldman.

    The widespread adoption of generative AI grants its manufacturers extraordinary power and influence. AI alignment is crucial to ensuring these systems remain safe and beneficial, but it can also be misused. Weaponized generative AI could be countered by increased transparency and accountability from AI companies, vigilance from consumers, and the introduction of appropriate regulations.

    James Foulds receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and Cyber Pack Ventures. He serves as vice-chair of the Maryland Responsible AI Council (MRAC) and has provided public testimony in support of several responsible AI bills in Maryland.

    Shimei Pan receives funding from National Science Foundation (NSF), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), US State Department Fulbright Program and Cyber Pack Ventures

    Phil Feldman 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. Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show how generative AI can be weaponized – https://theconversation.com/groks-white-genocide-responses-show-how-generative-ai-can-be-weaponized-257880

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: China positions itself as a stable economic partner and alternative to ‘unpredictable’ Trump

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

    After the second world war, the US and its western allies created a set of international agreements and institutions to govern attitudes to mutual defence, economics and human rights. For decades this created stable alliances and predictable economic plans.

    But, unlike his predecessors, Donald Trump believes that international organisations undermine US interests and sovereignty. He has withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization, and there is speculation he could reduce US commitment to the UN. US investment in Nato’s mutual defence pact remains under discussion.

    But while Washington is busy sounding the retreat from the very world order it had a hand in building, Beijing is looking to increase its international role. Chinese leadership in international agencies affiliated with the UN has increased over the years, and so has its financial commitment to international institutions.

    That’s not all. China is also a prominent member of trade coalitions such as the
    15-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and the ten-member Brics group (led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). These groups not only promote greater economic integration among its members, but may reduce members’ reliance on the US economy and the US dollar. Amid an increasingly volatile US, China’s presence as the second largest economy in the world in these trade groups would be useful.

    Now with the whole world negotiating new US trade deals, most nations see their relationship with the US as unstable. China sees this as a golden opportunity to position itself as a global counterbalance to the US. One of its policies is to “deliver greater security, prosperity and respect for developing countries”, and this is particularly relevant in African nations, where US aid is being reduced rapidly.

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    A US-Sino trade deal was reached in London on June 10 2025. US tariffs on Chinese goods now stand at 55%, while Chinese tariffs on US imports will remain at 10%. But how long this trade deal will last remains uncertain, when Trump has a tendency to change his mind.

    There are few details of the US trade deal with China so far.

    Just a month earlier, on May 12, Washington and Beijing concluded a major trade accord in Geneva aimed at diffusing massive trade tensions. Unfortunately, this deal only lasted for 18 days before Trump started accusing China of violating the agreement.

    But Trump’s tendency to escalate trade tensions and then diffuse them is not just China’s problem. His allies are also a victim of his frequent wavering. This leaves nations around the world, whether traditional US partners or not, in a crisis of not knowing what the US’s next move will be, and whether their economy will suffer.

    In February 2025, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada but temporarily called off the tariffs a month later. Then in early April 2025, Trump raised tariffs on 60 countries and trading blocs, including traditional US allies such as the EU (20%), Japan (24%), South Korea (25%) and Taiwan (32%). Hours later, Trump unexpectedly rescinded these tariffs, but that caused massive damage to the global economy.

    If there is a time that the world needs a more predictable partner it would be now. But it isn’t a Trump-helmed US. A recent annual report on democracy and national attitudes indicates that for first time, respondents across 100 countries view China more favourably than they do the US. So, could China be the partner that the world seeks?

    Why China needs trade

    While the world needs a stable environment to promote economic growth, Beijing needs this stability for reasons that go beyond economics.

    Unlike liberal democracies that derive their legitimacy through elections, a large part of Beijing’s legitimacy comes from its ability to deliver sustained economic prosperity to the Chinese people. But with a battered economy that was first triggered by a real estate crisis in 2021, this task of maintaining legitimacy has become more difficult.

    Exporting its way of out the economic slump may have been on Beijing’s books, as this was one of China’s traditional methods for promoting economic growth. But Trump’s trade war has made this an increasingly difficult prospect, especially to the US which imports 14.8% of total Chinese exports.

    As a result, fixing China’s economy has become a priority for the Chinese government, and it is because of this that Xi tours neighbouring Asean countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia to promote trade and strategic plans to maintain economic stability.

    Obstacles for China

    Despite everything that China is doing, its image remains a problem, for some. For instance, China has claimed sovereignty over the South China Sea and has built ports, military installations and airstrips on artificial islands across the region, despite territorial disputes with its neighbours including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

    But there are other concerns about China. The country’s rapid advancements in military technology, for example, have the potential to destabilise security within the Indo Pacific, potentially allowing China to take control of strategically placed islands to use as bases for its navy. China is also becoming a dominant hacking threat, according to UK cyber expert Richard Horne, which is likely to cause problems for worldwide cybersecurity.

    Polish prime minister Donald Tusk once remarked: “With a friend like Trump, who needs enemies?” Many other national leaders are likely to share Tusk’s sentiment today, and may see opportunities to extend trade deals with China as an alternative to a turbulent relationship with Trump.

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

    – ref. China positions itself as a stable economic partner and alternative to ‘unpredictable’ Trump – https://theconversation.com/china-positions-itself-as-a-stable-economic-partner-and-alternative-to-unpredictable-trump-258443

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Another public inquiry into institutional abuses – why they so often fail to deliver justice for victims

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anne Marie McAlinden, Professor, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast

    House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Public inquiries have become the standard political response to scandals and public crises, including allegations of institutional abuses.

    At the time of writing, there are multiple ongoing inquiries (or calls for them) into forms of abuse throughout the UK and elsewhere. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland have ongoing institutional abuse inquiries or commissions of investigation. Victims of the late Mohamed Al Fayed are calling for an inquiry into abuses suffered while they were employed at Harrods.

    And the government has just announced a further national inquiry into grooming gangs in England and Wales. There has also been a concentration of institutional abuse inquiries globally over the last 30 years.

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    Ireland in particular has had a lengthy history of such official investigations. Over the last two decades, it has had at least eight. In England and Wales, the issues of grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation have already been examined as part of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse led by child protection expert Alexis Jay. With 19 reports and evidence from over 6,000 victims within its Truth Project alone, it was the largest ever public inquiry in the UK.

    Frequently demanded by victims and the public, inquiries have symbolic value in signifying official acknowledgement of wrongdoing and abuses. However, they arguably fail to deliver truth, justice, accountability and healing for victims in several ways.

    The failures of abuse inquiries

    Inquiries are inevitably constrained by their narrow terms of reference. This sets the parameters of the inquiry and shapes the scope and scale of their investigations and any eventual outcomes.

    Terms of reference are frequently focused on how authorities responded to emerging allegations of abuses – whether churches, police or social services. A fuller examination of the systemic and structural issues that made abuses possible or allowed them to go unchecked for so long would be more useful.

    The investigations are also usually focused on fact-finding at an institutional level. As a result, they often fail to deliver the comprehensive truth of specific cases or hold individual perpetrators to account, which is what many victims seek.

    In older cases of abuse, things are even more difficult because so much time has passed and there may be no witnesses or records left to help prove what happened.



    Read more:
    How to make sure the new grooming gangs inquiry is the last

    Previous research shows that the inquiry process is often deeply traumatising for victims. Even if the emphasis is purportedly non-adversarial, the presence of lawyers and the dominance of legal culture and cross-examination effectively requires them to prove or justify their experiences. The basic effect becomes one of disbelief of victims or dismissal of their experiences of abuse.

    Added to this are the significant costs of inquiries – in terms of money and time. The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse is said to have cost more than £180 million. As with many large investigations, it took seven years to produce its final report.

    Inevitably, victims are left waiting years for outcomes and any sense of justice. Monetary redress (or compensation), if it comes at all, only usually happens once the inquiry has concluded.

    Above all, public inquiries are severely limited in their capacity to produce meaningful, systemic and lasting change. Research shows that successive child abuse inquiries, decades apart, continue to make the same or similar recommendations. The lack of action by governments and institutions on recommendations means the issues remain unaddressed.

    Over two and a half years later, many of the Jay report’s 20 recommendations remain unimplemented.

    The collective failures of past abuse inquiries should prompt the government to pause and consider whether another is truly needed – or whether a different approach is required.

    Rethinking public inquiries

    With colleagues at the Transforming Justice Project, I’ve researched justice responses to historical institutional abuses over many years. Our work, based on extensive primary research with victims, as well as advocates and church and state representatives on the island of Ireland, has highlighted some of the failings of inquiries. We have also uncovered an appetite for doing things differently.

    On one level, it is possible to reform inquiries by focusing more centrally on victims and the trauma they have experienced. This could include, for example, adopting themed approaches to inquiries, perhaps related to particular contexts or abuses, which report sooner as standard.

    It might also mean specialist support services for victims running in parallel to inquiries. Or, it might mean involving victims in the design of the inquiry process from the outset.

    It is also worth exploring alternative models of truth recovery, such as non-statutory independent panel in Northern Ireland. This panel focuses specifically on mother and baby institutions, Magdalene laundries, and workhouses. Here, the accumulated testimony of victims and their experiences will feed into the full statutory public inquiry on these forms of institutional abuse.

    More broadly, rather than commissioning yet another inquiry, the government needs to follow up on existing recommendations from previous inquiries, including on child abuse. It is only by addressing the systemic issues underlying institutional abuse – including cultural attitudes and responses to victims – that we will prevent a recurrence of abuse in the longer term.

    Anne Marie McAlinden received funding from the AHRC and, with colleagues on the Transforming Justice Project, from the British Academy and the Higher Education Authority.

    – ref. Another public inquiry into institutional abuses – why they so often fail to deliver justice for victims – https://theconversation.com/another-public-inquiry-into-institutional-abuses-why-they-so-often-fail-to-deliver-justice-for-victims-259103

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The critical response to Miley Cyrus’s Something Beautiful exposes pop’s gender double standards

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Glenn Fosbraey, Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Winchester

    With her latest album Something Beautiful debuting at number four in the Billboard 200 and in contention to reach the top of the UK album charts, Miley Cyrus’s commercial appeal appears as strong as ever.

    Something Beautiful is Cyrus’s 9th studio album, described by the singer-songwriter as an attempt to bring the divine into the day to day. It’s an ambitious, sprawling record, but, despite its commercial success, its eclecticism has led to a polarised reaction among critics.

    Negative reviews are, of course, not uncommon, and we need look no further than The New York Times’ 1969 review of Abbey Road to see that even the most celebrated and acclaimed artists aren’t immune to the critic’s poison pen. But, while some degree of criticism is inevitable for all artists, when it comes to discussing experimentation and musical identity, female and male artists seem to be treated differently.

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    During her Billboard Music Awards woman of the year speech in 2016, Madonna commented that “there are no rules – if you’re a boy. If you’re a girl, you have to play the game.” In the same year Björk observed that female artists are criticised if they sing about anything other than their boyfriends. She might have been exaggerating a little, but Björk’s and Madonna’s points are clear: if you’re a woman in music, you should stay in your proverbial box.

    Most of the negative reviews that Something Beautiful received were along these lines. Pitchfork, for example, criticised Cyrus’s “nonsensical lyrics” (translation: stick to writing about relationships). The i Paper claimed her weird and experimental choices created a distance from her listeners (translation: don’t do anything your fans won’t like). They also condemned the lack of accessible, radio-friendly pop (translation: be one-dimensional). And the Guardian said that it fell short of the hits that made her a star (translation: as Beach Boy Mike Love allegedly said, “don’t fuck with the formula”).

    The music video for Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus.

    For two of Cyrus’s male contemporaries, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles (both around one year her junior), it’s a very different story. While the Guardian also notes the absence of “hits” on Bieber’s 2020 album Changes, instead of presenting it as a negative as it did with Cyrus, it’s seen as a sign of maturity on a fitfully lovely album by a pop star who no longer wants chart domination.

    In the case of Styles’ 2019 album Fine Line, artistic innovation was praised by the Guardian, which observed that the most endearing moments occur when he experiments. And where Pitchfork lambasted Something Beautiful’s genre-hopping eclecticism for being tonally confused, Fine Line is praised for the “incredible” sound produced due to its “flock of influences”.

    Identity politics

    Cyrus has been told by critics that she must choose between being an accessible pop star or an unconventional artist and “can’t have it both ways”.

    Even if she did decide to plump for one camp or the other rather than ably straddling both, it’d still be debatable as to whether the ever-fickle critics would be satisfied.

    Pitchfork’s 2020 review of Cyrus’s album Plastic Heart suggests it’d be a “no” in their case, at least. Complaining that the heavier songs on the album sounded like “canned, Muzak versions of rock songs”, the publication proposed that Cyrus might sound like an actual rock star if paired with someone like producer Jonathan Rado.

    Madonna’s 2016 woman of the year speech.

    When Cyrus and Rado did collaborate on Something Beautiful, however, they remained unimpressed. You just can’t please some people. Thankfully, Cyrus is either oblivious to such noise or chooses to ignore it, and recently teased that Something Beautiful is merely “the appetizer” for a “an extremely experimental” upcoming album.

    In an era where formulaic pop music dominates the charts and AI-generated content threatens to make things even more generic, we should be encouraging the idiosyncrasies of our female artists, not labelling them as having identity problems when they are brave enough to be different.

    In her woman of the year’ speech, Madonna also noted that, as a female artist, “to age is a sin: you will be criticised, you will be vilified, and you will definitely not be played on the radio”. Perhaps, then, Cyrus’s biggest offence isn’t her refusal to become a stereotype or her desire to experiment and make music that she likes. It’s daring to grow up.

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

    – ref. The critical response to Miley Cyrus’s Something Beautiful exposes pop’s gender double standards – https://theconversation.com/the-critical-response-to-miley-cyruss-something-beautiful-exposes-pops-gender-double-standards-258940

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welfare bill will protect the most vulnerable and help households with income boost

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Welfare bill will protect the most vulnerable and help households with income boost

    Additional protections for millions of vulnerable people on benefits are set to be written into law, under new measures being introduced to Parliament today [18 June 2025].

    • New welfare legislation to ensure there are robust protections in place to support the most vulnerable and severely disabled.
    • Nearly 4 million households to benefit from uprating of Universal Credit standard rate, the largest, permanent real-terms increase to basic out of work support since 1980, according to the IFS.
    • More than 200,000 people with most severe, lifelong conditions to be protected from future reassessment for Universal Credit entitlement.
    • 13-week period of financial support for those affected by PIP changes as part of upcoming welfare reforms.
    • Comes alongside £1 billion employment support package that will unlock opportunity and grow the economy as part of the Plan for Change.

    The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will provide 13-weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who their lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer’s element of Universal Credit.

    The 13-week additional protection will give people who will be affected by the changes time to adapt, access new, tailored employment support, and plan for their future once they are reassessed and their entitlement ends.

    This transitional cover is one of the most generous ever and more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP.

    This government inherited a broken social security system, with costs spiralling at an unsustainable rate and millions of people trapped out of work. The case for change is stark:

    • Since the pandemic, the number of PIP awards has more than doubled – up from 13,000 a month to 34,000 a month. That is around 1,000 people signing on to PIP every day – that is roughly the size of Leicester signing up every year.
    • The surge has been largely by driven by a substantial increase in the number of people who report anxiety and depression as their main condition. Before the pandemic (in 2019), 2,500 people a month were awarded PIP for these conditions, this has more than tripled to 8,200 a month in 2023.
    • Almost 1 million young people – 1 in 8 – are not in education, employment or training.
    • 1-in-10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit.
    • Without reform, the number of working age people on disability benefits is set to more than double this decade to 4.3 million.
    • Spending on working age disability and incapacity benefits is up £20 billion since the pandemic and is set to increase by almost that much again by the end of this Parliament, to a staggering £70 billion a year.

    That’s why, through the introduction of this Bill; the government is fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it.

    This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.

    This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.

    As part of our commitment to protect the most vulnerable and severely disabled, peace of mind will also be given to 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe and permanently disabling conditions who will never be able to work – as they will not be called for reassessed for Universal Credit (UC) under new legislation.

    Those protected from reassessment will also be paid the higher rate of UC health top up of £97 per week, so they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them.

    In the coming weeks, legislation will also be drafted for a Right to Try Guarantee. This will ensure that trying work will not, in and of itself, lead to a reassessment or award review, breaking down barriers to employment.

    Reforms being delivered by the legislation introduced today go hand in hand with a £1 billion employment support package to support more people with health conditions back into work, unlocking opportunity and growing the economy as part of the Plan for Change.

    Funding will offer personalised employment and health support for individuals on out of work benefits, with 500,000 people having already been supported into employment. This is a quadrupling the level of annual spend on supporting sick and disabled people into work, from the £275m in 2024/25 we inherited, to over £1bn in 2029/30.

    Nearly 4 million households will also receive an income boost with the main rate of Universal Credit set to increase above inflation every year for the next four years – estimated to be worth £725 by 2029/30 for a single household 25 or over. This is around £250 higher than an inflation only increases.

    The Bill will also rebalance Universal Credit rates by reducing the health element for new UC claims to £50 from April 2026, fixing a system which encourages sickness by paying health element recipients more than double the standard amount.

    To open up opportunities to work, everyone affected by changes to the UC health element from April 2026 will be offered support from a dedicated Pathways to Work adviser, with 1,000 advisers in place across Britain.

    All of those affected by reforms will be actively contacted and given the offer of a conversation about their support needs, goals and aspirations; offered one-to-one follow-on support, and given help to access additional work, health and skills support that can meet their needs.

    The reforms build on the Get Britain Working White Paper that will overhaul Jobcentres, empower Mayors and local leaders to tackle inactivity, and deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, as part of the Government’s ambition to deliver an 80% employment rate.

    Additional information

    • The Bill will introduce a new additional eligibility requirement for the daily living component of PIP so that a minimum of 4 points must be scored on at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component. It will also rebalance Universal Credit.
    • The Work and Pensions Secretary gave a speech at the IPPR on setting out the case for reforming the welfare system: Welfare reform: Speech to the IPPR by Work and Pensions Secretary – GOV.UK
    • Based on current forecasts, the rebalancing mean single households 25 or over, will see their standard allowance rise to around £106pw by the end of this parliament.
    • Current UC health top up is more than double the UC standard allowance for a single claimant.

    There are 4 criteria for the healthcare professional to consider, all of which must apply for the claimant to meet the SCC, namely whether:

    • The individual’s level of function will always meet LCWRA
    • The individual’s condition will last for the rest of their life
    • There is no realistic prospect of recovery of function, and
    • The condition has been diagnosed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in the course of the provision of NHS services.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Construction director sentenced after failing to explain almost £500,000 worth of transfers out of company account

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Construction director sentenced after failing to explain almost £500,000 worth of transfers out of company account

    Suspended sentence for director who did not deliver accounting records to the liquidator

    • Construction director Mario Huiu failed to account for nearly £500,000 transferred out of his company’s accounts in a one-month period in 2020 

    • Huiu also failed to verify more than £200,000 in cash receipts and explain why his Incentive Services Limited company failed with debts of over £160,000 

    • Insolvency Service investigations have resulted in Huiu being given a suspended sentence for failing to provide accounting records

    A construction director who failed to explain transfers totalling almost £500,000 out of his company’s bank account has been handed a suspended sentence. 

    Mario Huiu’s failure to keep proper accounting records for Incentive Services Limited meant liquidators were also unable to verify cash receipts of more than £200,000 into the same bank account. 

    The 39-year-old, of Hayesbrook Road, Ilford, was prosecuted for offences under the Companies Act 2006 and Insolvency Act 1986. 

    Huiu was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, when he appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday 13 June. 

    Mark Stephens, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Limited liability companies provide vital protection for business owners, but this protection comes with serious responsibilities.

    Maintaining proper accounting records is not just a legal requirement – it is essential for responsible business management.  

    Directors such as Mario Huiu who fail to keep accurate financial records put their creditors and trading partners at unacceptable risk and jeopardise their own ability to make sound trading decisions. 

    Incentive Services Limited was incorporated in March 2017 under the name of EMA Dry-Lining Ltd. The company changed its name three times before settling on Incentive Services Limited in May 2020. 

    Huiu was sole director of the company when it went into liquidation seven months later in December 2020. 

    As director of the company, Huiu was required to maintain and preserve company books and records and deliver them to the liquidator. 

    His failure to do this meant the liquidator was unable to verify transfers of £498,480 from the company’s account between May and June 2020. 

    Huiu’s explanation during interview that the money was spent on paying suppliers was uncorroborated and described by the Insolvency Service as “not credible”. 

    Similarly, unverified cash receipts of £261,960 into the same company bank account did not have supporting sales records. 

    Four other company bank accounts were identified during the course of Insolvency Service investigations. Huiu did not declare them all to investigators. 

    Huiu’s failure to deliver books and records to the liquidator meant the true level of the company’s financial turnover could not be verified. 

    The reasons why the company failed owing creditors £162,482 were also not explained due to the inadequate accounts. 

    Huiu was disqualified as a company director for six years in November 2021 following initial Insolvency Service investigations into his misconduct at Incentive Services Limited.

    Further information

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 23 residential buildings to be built in 13 districts of Moscow as part of renovation program

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Moscow Fund for the Renovation of Residential Development has identified contractors for the design and construction of housing under the renovation program at 23 sites in four administrative districts of the capital. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Plots with a total area of more than 18.8 hectares are located inWestern, South-East, Eastern AndSouth administrative districts of the capital in the districts Nizhny Novgorod, Izmailovo, Novogireevo, Vostochny, Nagatinsky Zaton, Yuzhnoye Chertanovo, Zapadnoye Biryulevo, Tsaritsyno, Vykhino-Zhulebino, Textile workers, Yuzhnoportovy, Mozhaisk and Filevsky Park.

    “In 13 districts of Moscow, 23 residential buildings will be built to implement the renovation program. The area of apartments in all buildings will be more than 382.8 thousand square meters. Most of them will appear on the site of old buildings from the first period of industrial housing construction, which will also be demolished by contractors. Thus, in Izmailovo, five-story buildings built in 1958-1961 will be replaced by three new modern residential complexes. The same number will be built in Bulatnikovsky Proezd in Biryulyovo Zapadny. Contractors were determined as part of the bidding for five lots,” said Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    The houses will be built according to individual projects with unique layouts and facade solutions that match the architectural appearance of the area. All of them will correspond to a high energy efficiency class, they will be equipped with video surveillance cameras for the safety of residents. The territories of new buildings will be landscaped taking into account the principles of a barrier-free environment.

    Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the inclusion of more in the renovation program 131 sites for the construction of houses.

    The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin ordered to increase the pace of implementation of the renovation program intwice.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction volumes. High rates of housing construction correspond to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155433073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Expansion of marriage rights to same-sex couples also expanded access to the psychological benefits that come with tying the knot

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alana L. Riso, Ph.D. Student in Clinical Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York

    Marriage and the ability to start a family are human rights. Ten years ago, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case extended the right to marry to same-sex couples.

    With 7.6% of Americans identifying as LGBTQ+, this decision continues to have an impact beyond legal benefits.

    Marriage provides unique advantages – a reality we have come to know as psychology researchers who focus on couples. The right to marry allowed same-sex couples the opportunity to experience these advantages.

    Benefits of a healthy marriage

    Although evidence largely comes from different-sex couples, psychology research documents the numerous benefits healthy marriage confers on well-being. Married people experience more positive emotions. They also have many physical health advantages, such as being more likely to survive cancer or major surgery. Children of married couples seem to benefit as well.

    A healthy marriage brings benefits that are distinct even from what couples in long-term relationships experience. Those who are married have better psychological well-being, such as less depression and better physical health than people in nonmarital romantic relationships, even those who live with their partner.

    Not surprisingly, the benefits of being married do not extend to unhappy marriages. The effects of marriage on physical well-being, life satisfaction, depression and mental health more broadly depend on marital quality, and so do outcomes for children.

    What’s so special about marriage?

    What makes a happy marriage different from a happy cohabiting, stable relationship when it comes to well-being? Social scientists don’t know, but there are a few theories.

    The one with the most empirical support involves a concept from physics called inertia. Applied in relationship science, inertia describes the idea that a relationship will remain the same or continue moving along the same trajectory unless some outside force acts upon it.

    As relationships progress, they naturally gain momentum. Partners invest more into their relationship over time. They exchange gifts, meet each others’ friends, and start staying at each others’ homes. Eventually, a natural step in this progression is either cohabitation or marriage.

    Marriage is a milestone, marking a new stage in life. Deciding to get married is a long-term commitment that often takes years of planning. Cohabitation, on the other hand, is easy to slide into due to the forward trajectory of a relationship. Cohabitors tend to stay together less as an intentional choice but for convenience.

    The intentional lifelong commitment of marriage may explain why it offers more benefits than cohabitation.

    Same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide in the U.S. since June 26, 2015.
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images

    10 years of same-sex marriage

    As more same-sex couples have married, are they seeing the same marriage benefits that other-sex couples always had? Research on the topic is only just beginning. Still, there is some preliminary evidence that they are.

    In a 2024 survey, respondents with same-sex spouses largely felt closer to their partner and more satisfied with life in general after getting married. Findings from one research study indicate that married same-sex couples see greater benefits to psychological well-being than do same-sex couples in registered domestic partnerships. Another study on same-sex relationships found that marriage was linked to greater happiness and fewer depression symptoms than cohabitation.

    As for children of same-sex parents, they do just as well as those with other-sex parents. There’s not much data yet on the impact on kids of same-sex parents divorcing.

    Do marriage benefits differ for same-sex couples?

    The happiness of same- and other-sex relationships is largely determined by the same factors, but there are two key differences: gender composition of the couple and stress from discrimination.

    In other-sex relationships, women tend to fall into subordinate positions. Same-sex couples are free from traditional male-female gender dynamics, allowing more of a balance of power. For instance, they have a more even division of household chores, and partners have a more equal say when resolving conflicts. Greater equality may improve the quality of same-sex relationships.

    The other distinguishing feature of same-sex couples is that their relationships are negatively affected by discrimination, a known stressor. In research done mostly on different-sex couples, even support from a partner does not ameliorate the downstream effects of discrimination and – as is the case with other stressors – can make relationship problems seem worse.

    Societal disapproval may lead someone to internalize negative ideas about their own sexuality and relationship. In other words, buying into society’s message that one’s relationship is morally wrong harms their own mental health and consequently their relationship. Psychology researchers theorize that societal disapproval is a key factor standing in the way of same-sex couples experiencing the full benefits of marriage.

    More societal acceptance post-Obergefell

    As an increasing number of U.S. states, and eventually the federal government, legalized same-sex marriage, greater societal acceptance has followed. In 2025, 67% of LGBTQ+ adults agree that the country has become more accepting of same-sex couples due to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

    This trend is not unique to the U.S. Around the world, countries where same-sex marriage is legal tend to have a higher percentage of the population say they favor same-sex marriage. Although the causal direction is opaque, evidence from multiple countries indicates that same-sex marriage bans reinforce nonacceptance of LGBTQ+ people, while legal recognition fosters societal approval. Acceptance lowers stress for same-sex couples, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of marriage.

    Although societal acceptance in the United States has improved dramatically over the past couple of decades, it is important to note that 19% of Americans still strongly oppose same-sex marriage. Legalization was a major step, but it has by no means eliminated discrimination altogether.

    Matthew D. Johnson was an unpaid consultant on an amicus brief in support of the petitioners in Obergefell v Hodges that was submitted by Owen C. Pell of White & Case LLP.

    Alana L. Riso 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. Expansion of marriage rights to same-sex couples also expanded access to the psychological benefits that come with tying the knot – https://theconversation.com/expansion-of-marriage-rights-to-same-sex-couples-also-expanded-access-to-the-psychological-benefits-that-come-with-tying-the-knot-257950

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Strategic Topics, Technical Insights: Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 to Offer Multi-Track Program

    This year’s edition of the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference & exhibition will feature a multi-track program examining how regulatory reform, foreign investment and domestic growth have shaped the market over the past five decades, and how greater collaboration, capital expenditure and local participation will shape the next 50 years of development.  

    Strategic Track

    The AOG 2025 Strategic Track will feature a series of panel discussions, keynote addresses and in-conversation with sessions, all of which aim to provide key insight into the state of play of Angola’s oil and gas market. A session on Angola at 50: The Oil & Gas Industry – a catalyst for economic transformation will examine the role oil and gas has and will continue to play in unlocking economic opportunities for the country – from job creation to fuel security to revenue generation and infrastructure development.  

    Meanwhile, with the country on track for a $60 billion upstream investment drive in the coming five years and a 2025 licensing round set to offer 10 blocks in the offshore Kwanza and Benguela basins, Angola offers strategic investment opportunities for exploration and production firms. The AOG 2025 Strategic Track will feature sessions on The Role of Onshore & Shallow Water Operations in Maintaining Production Levels; and Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking Africa’s Deepwater Potential, tackling development opportunities across the market. Additionally, sessions on From Extraction to Expansion: Financing Angola’s Oil & Gas Development and Increased Production Through Investment Friendly Reforms, will examine the impact reform has played on the market and how amended policies and improved fiscals have strengthened the competitiveness of doing business in Angola.  

    Beyond the upstream sector, Angola targets 445,000 bpd in refining capacity, with a focus on reducing petroleum imports and bolstering regional fuel security. The Strategic Track will share insight into these objectives, with sessions on Towards a Secure Energy Future: Accelerating Downstream Development to Meet Market Demands; The Role of National Champions in Angola’s Development; Strategic Investments in Angola’s Logistics and Energy Infrastructure; and Building Tomorrow’s Workforce.

    Technical Track

    Geared towards service companies, innovators and data analytics firms, the AOG 2025 Technical Track will examine how technology-driven solutions will support oil and gas development in Angola. The Technical Track aligns closely with the broader goals of the nation to increase exploration, accelerate low-carbon fuel production while unlocking new opportunities for sustainable development. Sessions on Driving Investment for Seismic Opportunities in Angola and Best Practice Strategies for Successful Exploration in the Okavango Basin will explore the impact data and technology play on unlocking new frontiers in Angola.

    Additionally, sessions on Economic Diversification Through Gas; Towards Net-Zero: Decarbonizing Operations; and AI and Machine-Learning: Enhancing Efficiency, Safety and Minimizing Environmental Impact will provide critical insight into emerging opportunities in Angola’s low-carbon space. Focus areas will include natural gas projects, how technology such as machine learning can enhance efficiency while reducing emissions and the role research and development plays in supporting Angolan oil and gas development. In addition to panel discussions, a series of presentations will take place across the Technical Track, led by global data and analytics providers, Angolan government leaders and major operators.

    Additional Features

    In addition to the main conference program, AOG 2025 will host a dedicated deal-room. Designed as a high-impact ‘Dragon’s Den’ style platform, the deal room offers Angolan entrepreneurs and innovators the chance to pitch their products and services to global operators. The deal room fosters collaboration, local participation and partnerships. Meanwhile, AOG 2025 will also host a pre-conference program on September 2, ahead of the main conference agenda. The pre-conference includes specialized workshops and sessions led by experts and is designed for engineers, geologists, project managers and financiers.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Misogyny: the manosphere and online content – Women and Equalities Committee

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    The Women and Equalities Committee is hearing from Laura Bates, Activist, Speaker and Writer, on the impact of:

    – the manosphere
    – misogynistic online content
    – the use of AI

    This hearing is part of the Committee’s wider inquiry on the manosphere and misogynistic online content. Find out more: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9089/misogyny-the-manosphere-and-online-content

    #Manosphere #Misogyny #OnlineHarm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVwyQdkS6A0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Tackling hate speech in the digital age: Stronger Action Needed

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Tackling hate speech in the digital age: Stronger Action Needed

    SARAJEVO, 18 June 2025 – Hate speech is not new, but, fueled by the anonymity and viral nature of digital platforms, it now travels faster and further. These new arenas for hate speech carry the potential for more devastating consequences – accelerating discrimination, creating hostile environments or inciting violence, including hate crimes. As we mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, we cannot ignore the real risks of our digital and internet age, including the growing incidence and impact of online hate speech and the escalating dangers of posed by generative artificial intelligence (AI).
    These risks are particularly relevant in the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where hate speech has long prevented healing and exacerbated the wounds of a painful past, at the same time jeopardizing efforts to look towards a common brighter future.
    One of the most widespread and troubling forms of hate speech in the country is the denial, justification and relativization of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during the 1992–1995 conflict as well as the glorification of war criminals. Such narratives are perpetuated — sometimes by high-profile public figures and politicians — for political gain and with impunity. Murals and offensive graffiti that publicly glorify war criminals are not just painful and haunting reminders for victims; they also contribute to politically motivated historical revisionism by reflecting a deliberate manipulation of history to justify harmful ideologies and obstruct reconciliation.
    Hate speech reflects our biases, for example, infused with gendered components such as such as discrediting survivors of conflict-related sexual violence or minimizing the distinct impact of war crimes of on the respective genders. Gendered hate speech undermines international justice, retraumatizes survivors and dehumanizes victims by aggravating suffering or erasing their experiences.
    Hate speech also disproportionately targets marginalized communities, such as ethnic minorities, migrants and persons with disabilities, as well as women and girls, including those from these communities. This further amplifies fear and compounds structural inequalities and social exclusion. Children are especially vulnerable to online hate speech, with such exposure potentially permanently negatively impacting their well-being and development.
    The anonymity and impersonal nature of online spaces often embolden the authors of hate speech, social media posts, videos or AI-generated images can be created and disseminated in seconds, reaching thousands—sometimes millions—without accountability.
    No single organization or institution can tackle this issue alone. Eradicating hate speech demands joint action, bringing together governments, civil society, the media and tech platforms. Media and tech companies, who may profit from emotive and shocking content, must be aware of the particular responsibilities they have. Political actors and institutions at all levels must also act—decisively and consistently.
    Critically, civil society, including grassroots organizations, human rights defenders, and environmental advocates, must be enabled and protected in fulfilling their vital role in raising awareness, providing support to survivors, and advocating for safer digital and public spaces. Countering hate speech must prioritize support for survivors, including access to justice through free legal aid, psychosocial services, and safe reporting mechanisms. We must also remember that protecting the most vulnerable requires active resistance to all forms of hate.
    We — the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo — remain committed to working together and supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina towards stronger regulation against hate speech, greater accountability, and ethical and responsible public discourse, notwithstanding the right to freedom of opinion and expression in line with international standards.
    We urge those in positions of responsibility, whether in politics, the media or other roles of influence, as well as citizens, to take a stand against hate speech and challenge hateful narratives in everyday life. Together, through courage and commitment, we can combat all forms of hate speech and ensure that dignity and respect remain the foundations of our both our democratic and digital societies.
    —–
    The Op-ed is published as part of the joint project “Možemo bolje”, funded by the European Union’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments under the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument –  jointly implemented by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 18 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 18 June 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 18 June 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update academies: 18 June 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update local authorities: 18 June 2025

    HTML

    Details

    Latest for further education

    Article Title
    Action College financial data (CFD) service portal now available
    Information 2024 to 2025 year-end forecast funding claim: indicative reconciliation statement(s)
    Information Adult residency eligibility criteria simplification
    Information Free Courses for Jobs construction expansion

    Latest information for academies

    Article Title
    Information Academies chart of accounts 2025 to 2026
    Information DfE Connect is now available to multi-academy trusts
    Events and webinars Q&A drop-in sessions: Academies chart of accounts and automation
    Events and webinars Academies technical update 2025 to 2026
    Events and webinars Academies technical update 2025 to 2026
    Events and webinars Academies technical update 2025 to 2026
    Events and webinars RPA members only: Crime resilience workshop
    Events and webinars DfE Energy for schools: simplified buying of gas and electricity
    Events and webinars The Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) webinar
    Events and webinars Plan technology for your school

    Latest information for local authorities

    Article Title
    Information 2024 to 2025 year-end forecast funding claim: indicative reconciliation statement(s)
    Information Adult residency eligibility criteria simplification
    Information Free Courses for Jobs construction expansion
    Events and webinars RPA members only: Crime resilience workshop
    Events and webinars DfE Energy for schools: simplified buying of gas and electricity
    Events and webinars The Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) webinar
    Events and webinars Plan technology for your school

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 June 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Local leaders welcome leading role for Leeds in delivering government’s Plan for Change

    Source: City of Leeds

    The Leader of Leeds City Council and the Mayor of West Yorkshire have welcomed government plans to bring together local communities, civil servants, and frontline workers in Leeds and the wider region to have a greater voice in shaping and testing national policy.

    As a part of the next phase of the Government’s plan to transform public services and deliver its ‘Plan for Change’, three key locations; Leeds, Sheffield, and Darlington, will use thematic campuses to focus on different government policy missions and solve major challenges facing communities.

    Working hand in hand with local mayoral combined authorities and public service providers, the Community Mission Challenge pilot programme aims to draw together civil servants and frontline workers with a cross section of expertise, skills, and experience from departments such as teaching and the NHS, to have a greater impact on shaping and testing new government policy locally. 

    Once proved successful, these solutions and ways of working can then be scaled up across other parts of the UK to accelerate delivery of the missions nationally. 

    The pilot programme follows a recent government announcement that will see thousands of civil servants located outside London, with the aim of bringing central government closer to the people it serves.

    Under the plans, Leeds will focus on the Government’s health mission, while Sheffield will focus on opportunity, and Darlington on growth. 

    Leeds already has a reputation for innovation in health and social care through its comprehensive Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Inclusive Growth Strategy, and its introduction of the Marmot city partnership. Coupled with a cutting-edge health technology and research sector, and its expansive voluntary and community organisations and anchor networks already working in close partnership with the local authority, the city has a wealth of experience in health innovation.

    The Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, said: “We are delighted that Leeds civil servants will take a leading role in delivering the Government’s health mission. This aligns with our local health and wellbeing strategy, which aims to improve the health of the poorest fastest. 

    “Leeds is a growing, diverse and ambitious city with well-established neighbourhood networks run by the voluntary and community sector and large anchor organisations working in partnership with the local authority, and a wealth of frontline expertise which will really benefit this new initiative.  

    “As a city, we have a hard-won reputation for innovation, especially within the health and social care sector, so we are perfectly suited to focus on the health mission which has been entrusted to the city.

    “We look forward to playing a significant role in helping to shape national policy and to bringing central government closer to our community.”

    Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This government understands that to achieve its missions and rebuild public services, it needs to listen to those who know their areas best.

    “Frontline workers and civil servants across the North of England stand ready to help the government understand the challenges and deliver the change that’s needed to grow our economy and put more money in people’s pockets.

    “Home to a thriving network of over 300 health tech companies, three innovative universities and the largest teaching hospital in Europe, it’s only fitting that Leeds will lead the way on transforming the NHS and the health of our communities across the UK.”

    Plans for the scheme will continue to be drawn up throughout the summer with the programme expected to start work in the autumn. A new secondment scheme between government and local authorities is also being developed with people in both central and local government able to participate. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Shanxi Province and Uzbekistan Establish Joint Archaeological Center in Fergana

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — North China’s Shanxi Province has made significant progress in international archaeological cooperation. The Fergana-Shanxi Joint Archaeological Center and the Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Relics were recently opened at Fergana State University in Uzbekistan, according to the provincial government’s official website.

    The parties will cooperate in depth in the areas of joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technologies and the protection of cultural relics.

    Since the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Fergana State University in October 2024, the two sides have been actively implementing the provisions of the agreement, developing exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

    In March 2025, they held talks to deepen cooperation and reached a consensus, laying a more solid foundation for future joint work. From May 9 to 12, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, together with three professors and teachers from the History Department of Fergana State University, conducted a 4-day archaeological survey in the Fergana Valley. During the survey, 9 ancient sites from the Bronze and Iron Ages were examined.

    The joint archaeological team applied a variety of advanced technological methods to comprehensively and in detail study the state of preservation of the sites, their cultural appearance, the history of archaeological research, and the relationship between the settlements and burial grounds. This allowed us to obtain key data on the archaeological sites of the region, providing strong support for subsequent in-depth archaeological excavations and research work.

    Fan Wenqian, Director of the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, said that promoting cooperation with Fergana State University in such areas as joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technology, protection of cultural relics, exhibition, etc. is not only a responsibility but also a mission. The cooperation will not only enable a deep study of the historical and cultural content of the Fergana Valley, but also train more professional personnel with an international outlook for the archaeological circles of Shanxi, which will further enhance the international influence of Shanxi archaeology.

    As it became known, from September to October 2025, employees of the Institute of Archaeology of Shanxi Province will again be in the Fergana Valley to conduct joint archaeological work. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SCO Member States Intend to Strengthen Cooperation in Digital Technologies

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — Participants from various countries expressed their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the relevant field within the SCO framework at the 4th meeting of heads of ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), which was held in Karamay city, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday.

    At the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China Xiong Jijun called promoting sustainable development and accelerating modernization common goals of the SCO countries.

    According to him, China is ready to work with all parties to improve the quality and level of cooperation among the member states by improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening political dialogue, deepening practical cooperation in the field of digital technologies and ICT, promoting the transformation and modernization of industries, building a more just, accessible and inclusive digital world, thereby contributing to the formation of a community of shared destiny of the SCO.

    First Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Pavel Tkach stated that joint digital development allows for a significant deepening of integration, mutual trade and other sectors of the economy, and the exchange of experience in this area can be carried out within the framework of the SCO.

    He stressed that due to the rapid growth of data in Belarus, there is a need to create centers for their processing and storage, adding that Belarus is interested in China’s experience in this area and expects to participate in specific projects with it.

    Karamay City, the venue for the event, boasts of its dynamic digital economy in Xinjiang. According to local authorities, as of the end of 2024, the computing power of the cloud computing industrial park was 17,042 petaflops (1 petaflop equals 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second), becoming the first such industrial park in the region with a computing power of more than 10,000 petaflops.

    Zhanat Dzhabasova from Kazakhstan, head of the center for international cooperation and project implementation at the M. Dulatov Kostanay Engineering and Economics University, emphasized the prospects of Karamay to become a future hub of digital technologies. She stated that due to its geographical location, the city is quite capable of combining the experience of Kazakhstan and China in this area and becoming a center for digital transformation and exchanges between the two countries.

    Zh. Dzhabasova also expressed hope for the development of cooperation with Chinese universities in the field of information technology and other areas, especially for conducting joint scientific research through the exchange of experience.

    The head of Tajikistan’s Communications Service, Isfandiyor Sadullo, said that Karamay, as a city whose main industry is the oil industry, is making active efforts to develop digital technologies. According to him, he sees broad prospects here in the field of big data exchange.

    I. Sadullo also said that Tajikistan expects cooperation with China in the field of digital and information and communication technologies, as well as in digital development and transformation.

    Let us recall that the meeting adopted an action plan aimed at deepening exchanges and cooperation between the SCO member states in the development of measures for digital transformation, creation of digital infrastructure, digital government, cloud computing, digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises, development and application of digital technologies, exchange of specialists in the field of digital technologies, etc. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oma Savings Bank Plc’s composition of Shareholders’ Nomination Committee

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMA SAVINGS BANK PLC STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE, 18 JUNE 2025 AT 15:55 P.M. EET, OTHER INFORMATION DISCLOSED ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF THE EXCHANGE


    Oma Savings Bank Plc’s composition of Shareholders’ Nomination Committee

    According to the shareholder list on 1 June 2025, representatives of the five largest shareholders have been appointed to the Nomination Committee of Oma Savings Bank Plc (OmaSp or Company):

    • Raimo Härmä, appointed by Etelä-Karjalan Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Ari Lamminmäki, appointed by Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Jouni Niuro, appointed by Liedon Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Aino Lamminmäki, appointed by Töysän Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Simo Haarajärvi, appointed by Kuortaneen Säästöpankkisäätiö

    The Nomination Committee elects a Chairperson from among its members.

    The Nomination Committee is responsible for preparing proposals for the election and remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors and for finding potential members of the Board of Directors to the Annual General Meeting and if necessary, to the Extraordinary General Meeting. OmaSp’s five largest shareholders each have the right to appoint one representative to the Nomination Committee.

    The Nomination Committee must submit to OmaSp’s Board of Directors its proposals on the Board members and remuneration annually at the latest by the end of the calendar month preceding the meeting of the Board of Directors that decides on the convening of the Annual General Meeting. In the case of an Extraordinary General Meeting, the proposal must be made in advance of the Annual General Meeting so that they can be included in the notice to the General Meeting.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Committee charter is available on the Company’s website at https://www.omasp.fi/en/investors/management-and-corporate-governance/nomination-committee

    Oma Savings Bank Plc

    Additional information:
    Karri Alameri, CEO, tel. +358 45 656 5250, karri.alameri@omasp.fi

    Distribution:

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Major media
    www.omasp.fi

    OmaSp is a solvent and profitable Finnish bank. About 600 professionals provide nationwide services through OmaSp’s 48 branch offices and digital service channels to over 200,000 private and corporate customers. OmaSp focuses primarily on retail banking operations and provides its clients with a broad range of banking services both through its own balance sheet as well as by acting as an intermediary for its partners’ products. The intermediated products include credit, investment and loan insurance products. OmaSp is also engaged in mortgage banking operations.

    OmaSp core idea is to provide personal service and to be local and close to its customers, both in digital and traditional channels. OmaSp strives to offer premium level customer experience through personal service and easy accessibility. In addition, the development of the operations and services is customer-oriented. The personnel is committed and OmaSp seeks to support their career development with versatile tasks and continuous development. A substantial part of the personnel also own shares in OmaSp.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Oma Savings Bank Plc’s composition of Shareholders’ Nomination Committee

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMA SAVINGS BANK PLC STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE, 18 JUNE 2025 AT 15:55 P.M. EET, OTHER INFORMATION DISCLOSED ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF THE EXCHANGE


    Oma Savings Bank Plc’s composition of Shareholders’ Nomination Committee

    According to the shareholder list on 1 June 2025, representatives of the five largest shareholders have been appointed to the Nomination Committee of Oma Savings Bank Plc (OmaSp or Company):

    • Raimo Härmä, appointed by Etelä-Karjalan Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Ari Lamminmäki, appointed by Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Jouni Niuro, appointed by Liedon Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Aino Lamminmäki, appointed by Töysän Säästöpankkisäätiö
    • Simo Haarajärvi, appointed by Kuortaneen Säästöpankkisäätiö

    The Nomination Committee elects a Chairperson from among its members.

    The Nomination Committee is responsible for preparing proposals for the election and remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors and for finding potential members of the Board of Directors to the Annual General Meeting and if necessary, to the Extraordinary General Meeting. OmaSp’s five largest shareholders each have the right to appoint one representative to the Nomination Committee.

    The Nomination Committee must submit to OmaSp’s Board of Directors its proposals on the Board members and remuneration annually at the latest by the end of the calendar month preceding the meeting of the Board of Directors that decides on the convening of the Annual General Meeting. In the case of an Extraordinary General Meeting, the proposal must be made in advance of the Annual General Meeting so that they can be included in the notice to the General Meeting.

    The Shareholders’ Nomination Committee charter is available on the Company’s website at https://www.omasp.fi/en/investors/management-and-corporate-governance/nomination-committee

    Oma Savings Bank Plc

    Additional information:
    Karri Alameri, CEO, tel. +358 45 656 5250, karri.alameri@omasp.fi

    Distribution:

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Major media
    www.omasp.fi

    OmaSp is a solvent and profitable Finnish bank. About 600 professionals provide nationwide services through OmaSp’s 48 branch offices and digital service channels to over 200,000 private and corporate customers. OmaSp focuses primarily on retail banking operations and provides its clients with a broad range of banking services both through its own balance sheet as well as by acting as an intermediary for its partners’ products. The intermediated products include credit, investment and loan insurance products. OmaSp is also engaged in mortgage banking operations.

    OmaSp core idea is to provide personal service and to be local and close to its customers, both in digital and traditional channels. OmaSp strives to offer premium level customer experience through personal service and easy accessibility. In addition, the development of the operations and services is customer-oriented. The personnel is committed and OmaSp seeks to support their career development with versatile tasks and continuous development. A substantial part of the personnel also own shares in OmaSp.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ACNB Corporation Announces Common Stock Repurchase Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GETTYSBURG, Pa., June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ACNB Corporation (“ACNB”) (NASDAQ: ACNB), financial holding company for ACNB Bank and ACNB Insurance Services, Inc., announced today that the Board of Directors approved a new plan to repurchase, in open market transactions at prevailing market prices, up to 314,000, or approximately 3.0%, of the outstanding shares of ACNB’s common stock. The amount and timing of any shares repurchased will be evaluated and determined by management in its discretion and will depend upon a number of factors, including ACNB’s capital position, liquidity, financial performance and alternate uses of capital, the market price of ACNB’s securities, general market and economic conditions, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements, with no guarantee as to the exact number of shares that will be repurchased. The common stock repurchases are expected to be funded by using available capital. Further, this new common stock repurchase program replaces and supersedes any and all earlier announced repurchase plans.

    ACNB Corporation, headquartered in Gettysburg, PA, is the independent $3.27 billion financial holding company for the wholly-owned subsidiaries of ACNB Bank, Gettysburg, PA, including its operating divisions Traditions Bank and Traditions Mortgage, and ACNB Insurance Services, Inc., Westminster, MD. Originally founded in 1857, ACNB Bank serves its marketplace with banking and wealth management services, including trust and retail brokerage, via a network of 33 community banking offices and one loan offices located in the Pennsylvania counties of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster and York and the Maryland counties of Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick. ACNB Insurance Services, Inc. is a full-service insurance agency with licenses in 46 states. The agency offers a broad range of property, casualty, health, life and disability insurance serving personal and commercial clients through office locations in Westminster, MD, and Gettysburg, PA. For more information regarding ACNB Corporation and its subsidiaries, please visit investor.acnb.com.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS – In addition to historical information, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (a) projections or statements regarding future earnings, expenses, net interest income, other income, earnings or loss per share, asset mix and quality, growth prospects, capital structure, and other financial terms, (b) statements of plans and objectives of Management or the Board of Directors, and (c) statements of assumptions, such as economic conditions in the Corporation’s market areas. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “intends”, “will”, “should”, “anticipates”, or the negative of any of the foregoing or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussion of strategy. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties such as national, regional and local economic conditions, competitive factors, and regulatory limitations. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the following: short-term and long-term effects of inflation and rising costs on the Corporation, customers and economy; effects of governmental and fiscal policies, as well as legislative and regulatory changes; effects of new laws and regulations (including laws and regulations concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance) and their application with which the Corporation and its subsidiaries must comply; impacts of the capital and liquidity requirements of the Basel III standards; effects of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies, as well as the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other accounting standard setters; ineffectiveness of the business strategy due to changes in current or future market conditions; future actions or inactions of the United States government, including the effects of short-term and long-term federal budget and tax negotiations and a failure to increase the government debt limit or a prolonged shutdown of the federal government; effects of economic conditions particularly with regard to the negative impact of any pandemic, epidemic or health-related crisis and the responses thereto on the operations of the Corporation and current customers, specifically the effect of the economy on loan customers’ ability to repay loans; effects of competition, and of changes in laws and regulations on competition, including industry consolidation and development of competing financial products and services; inflation, securities market and monetary fluctuations; risks of changes in interest rates on the level and composition of deposits, loan demand, and the values of loan collateral, securities, and interest rate protection agreements, as well as interest rate risks; difficulties in acquisitions and integrating and operating acquired business operations, including information technology difficulties; challenges in establishing and maintaining operations in new markets; effects of technology changes; effects of general economic conditions and more specifically in the Corporation’s market areas; failure of assumptions underlying the establishment of reserves for loan losses and estimations of values of collateral and various financial assets and liabilities; acts of war or terrorism or geopolitical instability; disruption of credit and equity markets; ability to manage current levels of impaired assets; loss of certain key officers; ability to maintain the value and image of the Corporation’s brand and protect the Corporation’s intellectual property rights; continued relationships with major customers; and, potential impacts to the Corporation from continually evolving cybersecurity and other technological risks and attacks, including additional costs, reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and financial losses. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. They only reflect Management’s analysis as of this date. The Corporation does not revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or changed circumstances. Please carefully review the risk factors described in other documents the Corporation files from time to time with the SEC, including the Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Please also carefully review any Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by the Corporation with the SEC.

    ACNB #2025-11
    June 18, 2025

    Contact: Kevin J. Hayes
      SVP/General Counsel,
      Secretary & Chief
      Governance Officer
      717.339.5161
      khayes@acnb.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Wix Further Expands into Vibe Coding with Acquisition of Base44, a Hyper-Growth Startup that Simplifies Web and App Creation with AI

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Base44 delivers effortless, code-free digital creation through an intuitive, conversational AI experience, which is expected to expand Wix’s reach to new audiences worldwide

    NEW YORK— Today Wix.com Ltd. (Nasdaq: WIX), the leading SaaS website builder platform globally1, announced its acquisition of Base44, an AI-powered platform that enables anyone to create fully-functional, custom software solutions and applications using natural language, without the need for traditional coding. The acquisition adds a powerful new arm to Wix’s AI portfolio, expanding its suite of intelligent solutions that empower anyone to build and grow online. 

    The tech landscape is undergoing a major transformation as vibe coding gains momentum, shifting creation from manual development to intent-driven software development. This new approach allows people to simply express what they want to build, while intelligent agents do the heavy lifting. As demand grows for tools that turn ideas into reality through conversation and intuition rather than code, Wix is working to make the digital world more accessible and creative than ever before. Read CEO Avishai Abrahami’s blog about his vision and the way Wix is shaping this future here.

    Base44’s unique approach offers a fully automated, chat-based interface that manages technical details behind the scenes, from databases and authentication to deployment – removing the need for third-party integrations or manual setup. This groundbreaking approach opens the door for anyone, regardless of technical expertise, to create production-ready, scalable applications quickly and effortlessly. With proven traction in the market, including B2B partnerships with leaders like eToro and SimilarWeb, Base44 is a powerful addition to the Wix AI portfolio – furthering the company’s mission to make innovation accessible to creators and businesses worldwide.

    “This acquisition marks a pivotal milestone in Wix’s commitment to transforming creation online,” said Avishai Abrahami, CEO and Co-founder of Wix. “Maor and his team at Base44 bring cutting-edge technology, strong market penetration, and visionary leadership that seamlessly align with Wix’s dedication to enabling users at all levels of expertise to express their intent while intelligent agents manage execution. Maor’s exceptional talent and innovative mindset will reinforce Wix’s mission to push the boundaries of AI-driven creation and  accelerate the evolution of intuitive, intelligent tools that redefine how digital experiences are built and enjoyed.”

    “I honestly can’t think of a better fit. Wix is probably the only company that can help Base44 achieve the scale and distribution it needs while maintaining, if not accelerating, our product velocity,” said Maor Shlomo, CEO of Base44. “Our market is massive. It has the potential to replace entire software categories by enabling people to create software instead of buying it. Wix’s DNA – its customer obsession, innovation, and speed – perfectly aligns with ours, and its scale will catapult Base44 forward at exactly the right time.”

    Base44 will continue to operate as a distinct product and business, maintaining its unique identity and momentum while benefiting from the scale and support of Wix.

    Transaction Terms

    Under the terms of the agreement, Wix acquired Base44 for initial consideration of approximately $80 million plus additional earn-out payments paid through 2029 predicated upon certain performance metrics.

    We expect this transaction to have an inconsequential contribution to 2025 bookings and revenue. We expect to incur approximately $25 million in retention bonus payments paid to Base44 employees in 2025 as part of the above initial consideration paid on the transaction, which will be excluded from non-GAAP and free cash flow (FCF) results.

    About Wix.com Ltd.

    Wix is the leading SaaS website builder platform1 to create, manage and grow a digital presence. Founded  in 2006, Wix is a comprehensive platform providing users – self-creators, agencies, enterprises, and more – with industry-leading performance, security, AI capabilities and a reliable infrastructure. Offering a wide range of commerce and business solutions, advanced SEO and marketing tools, the platform enables users to take full ownership of their brand, their data and their relationships with their customers. With a focus on continuous innovation and delivery of new features and products, users can seamlessly build a powerful and high-end digital presence for themselves or their clients. 

    For more about Wix, please visit our Press Room
    Media Relations Contact:  PR@wix.com  

    1 Based on number of active live sites as reported by competitors’ figures, independent third-party data and internal data as of Q1 2025.

    About Base44
    Base44 is an innovative AI-powered platform that enables users to build custom software applications effortlessly using natural language, eliminating the need for traditional coding. Founded with a vision to democratize software creation, Base44 combines cutting-edge AI technologies—including code generation and multi-agent orchestration—to empower self-creators, developers, and businesses to rapidly design, deploy, and scale tailored digital solutions. With a growing user base and a focus on seamless, intuitive experiences, Base44 drives the future of no-code development by unlocking new levels of creativity and efficiency for a diverse range of users.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This document contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words like “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “aim,” “forecast,” “indication,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “subject,” “project,” “outlook,” “future,” “will,” “seek” and similar terms or phrases. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are based on management’s current expectations, which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, our ability to achieve the expected benefits from the acquisition of Base44, our ability to attract and retain registered users and partners, and generate new premium subscriptions and additional business solutions as we continuously adjust our marketing strategy and customer care; maintenance of our brand and reputation, and generation of revenue from sources other than premium subscriptions; risks associated with international operations and the use of platform in various countries; risks related to the macroeconomic environment and ongoing global conflicts; security risks and payment risks and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; failures of third-party hardware, software and infrastructure on which we rely, or failure to manage the operation of our infrastructure; adverse market conditions, including inflation, interest rates and other adverse developments that may adversely affect our cash balances and investment portfolio; our history of operating losses and inability to achieve sustained profitability; downturns or upturns in sales are not immediately reflected in full in our operating results; our ability to repurchase our ordinary shares and/or 0.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 pursuant to our repurchase program; our ability to raise capital when needed or on acceptable terms; risks related to acquisitions and investments, pricing decisions, pandemics, natural disasters and other catastrophic events; our ability to develop and introduce new products and services, as well as maintain third-party products and our ability to keep up with rapid changes in design and technology; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; our ability to attract a diversified customer base and increased competition; our ability to maintain compatibility of our platform and solutions with changes in third-party applications and changes to technologies used in our solutions; our ability to acquire and service small business users; risks related to security breaches and unauthorized access to data or cyberattacks; our expectation regarding the uncertain future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to trade policies, taxes, government regulations, and tariffs; our ability to comply with the regulations applicable to our operations, including new governmental regulations regarding the internet, consumer protection, artificial intelligence (“AI”), privacy and data protection laws and regulations, as well as contractual privacy and data protection obligations; risks relating to intellectual property, including infringements, litigation and claims, and our ability to maintain and protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information; our expectations regarding the outcome of any regulatory investigation or litigation, including class actions; risks related to the development and integration of AI, generative AI, agentic AI, machine learning, and similar tools into our offerings, and compliance with the regulatory environment impacting AI and AI-related activities; risks related to activities of registered users or content of their websites, and risks related to domain names and industry regulations; risks related to compliance with laws and regulations, including those related to economic sanctions, tariffs, export controls, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, antitrust, and consumer protection, and changes in these laws and regulations; risks related to tax, including application of indirect taxes, tax laws, changes in tax laws or changes in provision for income tax and examination of income tax returns; risks related to ordinary shares, activist shareholders, and our status as a foreign private issuer; risks related to our incorporation and location in Israel, including conflicts in the area; our expectations regarding future changes in our cost of revenues and our operating expenses on an absolute basis and as a percentage of our revenues; our planned level of capital expenditures and our belief that our existing cash and cash from operations will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months and for the foreseeable future; and our ability to enter into new markets and attract new customer demographics, including our ability to successfully attract new partners and large enterprise-level users and to grow our activities, including through the adoption of our Wix Studio product, with these customer types as anticipated and other factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 21, 2025. The preceding list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of the risks that may impact our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –