NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Middletown Finishes Downtown Revitalization Initiative Projects

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of Mt. Olive Senior Manor, an affordable housing development for seniors that builds on the State’s historic $50 million investment in Buffalo’s East Side. Developed in partnership between Mt. Olive Development Corporation and People Inc., the new building creates 65 apartments for adults aged 55 and older, including 20 apartments with supportive services for individuals struggling with homelessness, on an underutilized parcel adjacent to the Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 11,000 affordable homes in Erie County. Mt. Olive Senior Manor continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “Through strong partnerships with faith-based organizations like Mt. Olive Baptist Church, we are transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant, affordable homes for New York’s seniors,” Governor Hochul said. “Mt. Olive Senior Manor reflects our commitment to delivering safe, supportive housing that meets the unique needs of the East Side’s residents, advancing our bold vision to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York.”

    The three-story development is constructed on land next door to the Mt. Olive Baptist Church that has undergone brownfield remediation. All apartments are affordable to households earning up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income.

    Twenty apartments are set aside for seniors in need of supportive services to live independently. Services and rental subsidies are funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Department of Health. The service provider is People Inc.

    Residential amenities include a community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, bicycle storage area, management office, support service offices, multipurpose room, a lounge area, and an enclosed courtyard with walkable space and a patio. To support residents as they age, the building’s design includes features such as grab bars, low-reach shelving and cabinets, lever-style door handles, under cabinet lighting, and zero transition showers.

    The development was designed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Multifamily New Construction – Energy Rating Index compliance path. The highly energy efficient, all-electric development features include electric vehicle charging stations, Energy Star appliances and lighting, low flow plumbing fixtures, and high efficiency mechanical equipment.

    State financing for Mt. Olive Senior Manor includes support from HCR’s Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program that generated more than $13 million in equity, as well as $3.6 million in subsidy. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $4 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. Additionally, the site participated in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s successful Brownfield Cleanup Program and became eligible for $3.6 million in tax credits administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency awarded $2 million in HOME funds. NYSERDA’s New Construction – Housing Program contributed $260,000 in incentives.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Mt. Olive Senior Manor exemplifies New York State’s commitment to creating affordable, supportive housing, including in partnership with faith-based organizations, that uplifts residents and strengthens communities like East Buffalo. This $27 million investment not only provides safe, modern homes and vital services that seniors deserve, but allows 65 households to stay and thrive in the community they love. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we will continue to create more housing opportunities for New Yorkers of every age and income level.”

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The 20 supportive housing units created as part of this development will help older adults in Erie County who have experienced homelessness by providing a safe, stable home and access to support services that will enable them to age in place. Congratulations to Mt. Olive Baptist Church, People Inc., and all of our state and local partners on the successful completion of Mt. Olive Senior Manor.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Everyone should have access to environmentally safe and affordable housing. For more than two decades, the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program has played a critical role in cleaning up formerly contaminated sites, returning them to productive use, and supporting local revitalization efforts. DEC is proud to oversee this critical program and its contribution to achieving Governor Hochul’s affordable housing goals in communities like Buffalo, including the Mt. Olive Senior Housing Development, while supporting DEC’s mission to protect public health and the environment for all.”

    NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Projects like Mt. Olive Senior Manor are helping shape a cleaner, more modern future for every New Yorker. Integrating the latest clean energy technology into affordable housing not only provides access to healthier, more comfortable living spaces for Western New York’s older adults, but helps improve the quality of life for many living in a historically underserved community.”

    State Senator April N. M. Baskin said, “This type of collaboration is meaningful on many levels: it’s a successful partnership between Mt. Olive and the leading human services agency in our region, People Inc.. This project also reimagines an underutilized parcel, turning it into a beautiful space benefiting our older East Side residents. Mt. Olive Baptist Manor is a safe and affordable place to call home, enabling our elders to live their best life in a way they surely deserve.”

    Erie County Legislator St. Jean Tard said, “It is an honor to celebrate the opening of Mt. Olive Senior Manor, a development that brings both hope and stability to our community. This project represents more than new construction—it’s a commitment to the well-being of our seniors, especially those who have faced the hardships of homelessness. Transforming a long-vacant site into a place of safety, care, and opportunity is a powerful reflection of what can be achieved through meaningful collaboration. I extend my sincere thanks to Mt. Olive Development Corp., People Inc., and all the partners who brought this vision to life.”

    Buffalo Common Council Member Zeneta Everhart said, “The newly constructed Mt. Olive Senior Manor located in the Masten District is an essential facility to meet the needs of our seniors and people struggling with homelessness. Thanks to major investments from the state and the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, what was once a vacant brownfield is now a great and affordable home for dozens of our older neighbors. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Homes and Community Renewal for investing in our community and prioritizing the needs of vulnerable residents.”

    People Inc. President and CEO Anne McCaffrey said, “We are extremely proud to join Mt. Olive Development Corp., federal, state and local government officials in unveiling this impactful housing complex,” said Anne McCaffrey, People Inc. president and CEO. “We are providing more than just new housing. We are creating life-changing opportunities for living that are invigorating communities and meeting a critical regional need. Mt. Olive Senor Manor will help people live their best lives, which is central to People Inc.’s mission and vision for the communities we serve.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives, capital funding, and new protections for renters and homeowners. Building on this commitment, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes more than $1.5 billion in new State funding for housing, a Housing Access Voucher pilot program, and new policies to improve affordability for tenants and homebuyers. These measures complement the Governor’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, included in the FY23 Enacted Budget, to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 and FY26 Enacted Budgets also strengthened the Governor’s Pro-Housing Community Program — which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. Currently, more than 300 communities have received Pro Housing certification, including Buffalo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration of the Government of Spain has announced an investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration of the Government of Spain has announced an investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia

    The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration announced its participation in Quantix Edge Security through the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT), alongside Murcia-based companies OdinS and TProtege, Swiss-based company WISeKey, and France-based company SEALSQ

    Geneva, Switzerland, June 17, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces that the Government of Spain has announced its investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia.   WISeKey expects to issue a press-release detailing the project shortly.

    A free translation of the Spanish language announcement by the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration is set forth below.

    “The Council of Ministers announced today, the launch of Quantix, an ambitious public-private joint venture with a total investment of €40M. The venture includes OdinS, a spin-off from the University of Murcia, Murcia-based TProtege, and Switzerland-based WISeKey and France-based SEALSQ, both listed on NASDAQ. Quantix will develop a Semiconductor Design and Personalization Center in the Region of Murcia with advanced capabilities in cybersecurity, post-quantum technology, AI, and RISC-V systems.

    The investment, driven by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, exceeds €19.6 million and will be managed through SETT (Spanish Society for Technological Transformation), a recently established public entity created by the Government of Spain to invest in and support strategic and emerging projects that advance Spain’s technological transformation.

    This project, which began gaining public traction in February 2024, has now culminated with the approval of the Spanish Government’s financial backing. Quantix represents a strategic international public-private alliance aligned with the European Union’s digital transformation and technological sovereignty plans, addressing the critical challenge of cybersecurity in an ultra-connected world.

    Quantix projects the creation of 40 jobs in the first two years, 70 in the third year, and 152 by the fifth year, with a goal of reaching 250 employees by the eighth year. The initiative aims to foster high-quality employment, research, and technology in the Region of Murcia, with a plan to attract both regional and international talent.

    The establishment of Quantix Edge Security will centralize part of the value chain in a single location in the Region of Murcia, reducing reliance on non-European suppliers for microchip design and manufacturing.

    Due to cybersecurity regulations being standardized by national agencies, Quantix’s target market focuses on post-quantum-resistant products, which, by 2030, will be essential for governmental applications such as passports and defense, as well as sensitive private-sector applications.

    This project has been supported from its inception by María González Veracruz in her various roles, both at the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures and currently at the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. She has repeatedly emphasized the importance of aligning this project with the financial instruments of the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation in Microelectronics and Semiconductors (PERTE Chip), promoted by the Government of Spain.

    José Trigueros, founder and CEO of OdinS and TProtege, celebrates the launch of Quantix, an ambitious project that aims to position the Region of Murcia as a benchmark for innovation, microelectronics, and technological sovereignty, establishing the region as a new international hub for the development of secure microchips. This will lead the transition toward a resilient digital ecosystem that minimizes external dependencies in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

    Carlos Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey and SEALSQ, stated: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Government of Spain and the Region of Murcia for this ambitious and strategic initiative, which not only strengthens national cybersecurity capabilities but also positions the region as a European leader in the development of key technologies such as post-quantum semiconductors.”

    Both leaders agree that the challenge ahead is immense, but so is the positive impact they aim to achieve. “We will create jobs, attract talent, develop cutting-edge technology, and place Murcia and Spain on the European map for semiconductors and cybersecurity,” they affirmed.

    Collaborations with research centers, technology hubs, and regional universities, particularly the University of Murcia (UMU), which has extensive experience in cybersecurity and has participated in numerous security projects over the past two decades, strengthen the scientific capacity of the proposed ecosystem.

    SEALSQ and WISeKey bring robust international expertise in cybersecurity and post-quantum semiconductor projects, developing advanced solutions for strategic sectors such as defense, healthcare, IoT, and aerospace. SEALSQ designs quantum-resistant microcontrollers and ASICs, integrating NIST-standard post-quantum algorithms such as Kyber, Dilithium, and Falcon, and collaborates with excellence centers like Mines Saint-Étienne in France. It is one of the few companies worldwide producing semiconductors specifically designed to withstand quantum threats, with its technologies embedded in over 1.75 billion devices globally. WISeKey complements this capability with its global digital identity and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) infrastructure, including post-quantum trust roots, secure electronic voting systems, IoT devices, and certified blockchain platforms. Together, both companies have created a comprehensive and sovereign digital security ecosystem capable of protecting critical infrastructure against emerging quantum threats, offering end-to-end solutions from chip to cloud, including authentication, encryption, identity, and data protection.

    It is worth noting that OdinS, alongside WISeKey International Holding and SEALSQ, is involved in various international initiatives, such as European (ETSI EN 303 645) and U.S. (NIST IR 8425) regulations, which mandate digital identity for connected devices, as well as IoT lifecycle security management systems and certification processes for system security.

    The latest projects by OdinS in RISC-V, SEALSQ in post-quantum chips, and WISeKey in secure elements and trust roots will enhance technological and commercial synergies, combining two decades of expertise in IoT and cybersecurity.

    About Odin Solutions

    Odin Solutions (OdinS), founded in June 2014, is accredited as an innovative ICT company (EIBT) by MINECO and ANCES. OdinS specializes in IPv6 Internet of Things, Big Data, and Security. Its team has extensive experience and strong research, innovation, and technological development capabilities in integrated IoT systems and Big Data platforms for water/energy efficiency, security, and remote infrastructure management. OdinS holds several patents in monitoring and telecontrol systems. The company offers open, flexible, and interoperable products capable of connecting infrastructures and mobile platforms for Smart Cities, infrastructure, defense, and Smart Agriculture. Since its inception, OdinS has focused on IoT system security certification solutions and, more recently, on developing RISC-V-based systems, a cutting-edge European technology for open systems aligned with the new requirements set by European initiatives such as NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

    OdinS’s multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial team works daily to address the challenges of an increasingly connected and technological society. OdinS is a member of the International IoT Forum and AIOTI (Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation) and actively participates in standardization working groups on Smart Cities, Architectures, and Standards. Specifically, OdinS collaborates with ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in the ISG CIM (Cross-Sector Context Information Management) industry standardization group to design interoperable interfaces between IoT devices and Big Data platforms. OdinS views collaborative R&D projects as the best investment for achieving more competitive products and solutions. For more information, visit www.odins.es.

    About TProtege

    TProtege has a significant regional presence in the security and control systems market, with a strong focus on applying the latest technologies to deliver tailored solutions and superior customer service. It aspires to be a benchmark for integrated ICT solutions in the audiovisual sector, particularly in security and control. TProtege is a leader in technology-based systems, offering audiovisual engineering, surveillance, environmental monitoring, access control, and logistics security services. For more information, visit www.tprotege.es.”

    About SEALSQ:
    SEALSQ is a leading innovator in Post-Quantum Technology hardware and software solutions. Our technology seamlessly integrates Semiconductors, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), and Provisioning Services, with a strategic emphasis on developing state-of-the-art Quantum Resistant Cryptography and Semiconductors designed to address the urgent security challenges posed by quantum computing. As quantum computers advance, traditional cryptographic methods like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are increasingly vulnerable.

    SEALSQ is pioneering the development of Post-Quantum Semiconductors that provide robust, future-proof protection for sensitive data across a wide range of applications, including Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Medical and Healthcare Systems, Defense, IT Network Infrastructure, Automotive, and Industrial Automation and Control Systems. By embedding Post-Quantum Cryptography into our semiconductor solutions, SEALSQ ensures that organizations stay protected against quantum threats. Our products are engineered to safeguard critical systems, enhancing resilience and security across diverse industries.

    For more information on our Post-Quantum Semiconductors and security solutions, please visit www.sealsq.com.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@theequitygroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: This hurricane season Greenpeace USA helps deliver Uncle Sam’s disturbing message to America

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Greenpeace USA deployed a banner at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters to assist in making Uncle Sam’s message to the country crystal clear: this hurricane season, you are on your own. It was in esponse to the Trump Administration’s recent gutting of federal emergency response capacity.
    © Tim Aubry / Greenpeace

    WASHINGTON, DC (June 17, 2025) –  Tuesday, Greenpeace USA deployed banners at FEMA headquarters to assist in making Uncle Sam’s message to the country crystal clear: this hurricane season, you are on your own. 

    Photos and videos are available here.

    In response to the Trump Administration’s recent gutting of federal emergency response capacity, Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Director John Nöel said: 

    “At this point, it’s not even shocking, but it still bears repeating: the Trump Administration can’t just get rid of critical infrastructure to address natural disasters – and then declare hurricanes extinct. But that’s exactly what it’s trying to do. On the heels of NOAA (another agency being dismantled) saying this hurricane season could be especially intense – and possibly more deadly – The Trump White House now wants to scrap FEMA, the agency that could help Americans survive it. This agency has long served as a lifeline for communities recovering from natural disasters – but even prior to cuts, it was struggling to keep up with worsening disasters and an administration that’s been tying aid to political alignment. 

    “Without federal support, states will have to raise taxes on working people and businesses in order to fill budget gaps created by extreme weather. While Americans face increasingly deadly hurricanes and floods Trump is firing the staff from agencies that track and coordinate emergency response while carrying out Big Oil’s wishlist that slashes climate funding when communities need it most. This only ensures Americans pay with not just the cost of their lives, businesses, and homes, but also higher energy bills, disaster relief taxes, and skyrocketing insurance premiums.

    “As the Trump administration abandons its responsibility to protect Americans, it is time for governors to step up and make polluters, specifically oil and gas corporations, pay for the crisis they’ve created instead of your constituents.” 

    Contact: Madison Carter, Greenpeace USA National Press Secretary, [email protected]

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Weimar triangle: how Germany’s new government could reinvigorate an important European security alliance

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachel Herring, PhD candidate, Department of Politics, History and International Relations, Aston University

    Decisions made by German chancellor Friedrich Merz when he came to power in May indicate that a somewhat dormant regional partnership is about to take on new significance in Europe. Merz immediately travelled to Paris and Warsaw to meet Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk, suggesting the so-called Weimar triangle is a top priority for his government.

    Following Merz’s visit to Poland, Polish prime minister Tusk declared “a new beginning, perhaps the most important in the history of the last dozen or so years, in Polish-German relations”.

    If Tusk is right, the Weimar triangle – an alliance between France, Germany and Poland – will have a key role to play. The Weimar triangle was established in 1991 as a forum for the three countries to work together in the interest of European security. This involved integrating Poland into the EU, as well as providing another channel for Germany to pursue friendship and reconciliation with its neighbours.

    The Franco-German “special relationship” was already established, along with their shared reputation as Europe’s “motor”. But Poland’s inclusion was crucial. As a large, influential country in Central Europe, it was well placed to become a pillar of European security and a partner in European expansion following the collapse of Communist regimes.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    As well as being a smaller security forum in which Germany, France and Poland can find common ground on EU security and foreign policy, the Weimar triangle has at times taken on an active international role. During the 2014 Ukraine crisis, ministers from the three Weimar triangle countries took the lead and negotiated on behalf of the EU.

    However, the importance and effectiveness of the format has declined in recent years due to deteriorating relations between the French, German and Polish governments.

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 elevated the significance of the Weimar triangle once again. But in the early days of the war, although all three governments condemned the invasion, Poland, Germany and France were far from being on the same page.

    Germany’s cautious response provoked criticism in Poland – and indeed in other Central European countries. Many in the region had long been sceptical of Germany’s Russia policy and had warned of Russian aggression, but did not feel taken seriously.

    While the Polish government was quick to commit significant military support to Ukraine, Germany, under former chancellor Olaf Scholz, soon gained a reputation for being overly cautious in the eyes of its more hawkish allies. This led the Polish government to begin turning to security alliances in Scandinavia and the Baltics.

    Meanwhile, Scholz’s hesitancy and orientation towards Washington for leadership was also met with frustration in France, where the idea of “European sovereignty” in security issues had more traction.

    When the new Merz government made it clear that it wanted to prioritise foreign policy and the Weimar triangle, there was a sense that things were about to change. It is still early days, but the rhetoric of all three Weimar triangle leaders signals a commitment to making the alliance finally deliver, as well as an awareness of earlier failures.

    New challenges in Poland

    It won’t be plain sailing from here though. The election of nationalist Karol Nawrocki as president in Poland in early June was a blow for those that support a new, strong Weimar triangle.

    Poland’s current government is a centrist coalition led by pro-European prime minister Donald Tusk, but the concern now is that Nawrocki will block pro-European legislation as his predecessor did, given that he has the support of the nationalist, Eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party. The PiS party (in government from 2015-2023) has a record of anti-German and anti-EU rhetoric.

    Nawrocki has not yet questioned Poland’s military aid to Ukraine but the Tusk government must now continue to balance pursuing its own more liberal agenda and more pro-German and pro-European approach with the alternative views that Nawrocki represents, and which are clearly backed by a significant portion of Polish voters.

    What next for the Weimar triangle?

    Given the centrality of the Weimar triangle countries in Europe and the EU, their alliance has consequences that go far beyond the bilateral and regional levels. With the ongoing war in Ukraine and the uncertain status of the US as a security partner since Donald Trump’s re-election, a strong and unified pillar at the centre of Europe would be an asset to the EU and European security.

    So far, the Weimar triangle has failed to deliver on the expectations attached to it, often due to domestic differences. However, it holds untapped potential. A divided Europe and EU is in the interest of Putin’s government, and is not the unified ally Ukraine needs.

    The Weimar triangle, in bringing together three key member states – crucially including from Central Europe – can both symbolically and practically strengthen European foreign and security policy.

    This will involve finding compromises to build a united front on security at the EU level, bringing issues and policies to the table, and strengthening understanding where security perspectives diverge. The positions and signals of France, Germany and Poland matter to other EU member states and to Ukraine. Joint efforts could have even more clout.

    Rachel Herring receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    – ref. The Weimar triangle: how Germany’s new government could reinvigorate an important European security alliance – https://theconversation.com/the-weimar-triangle-how-germanys-new-government-could-reinvigorate-an-important-european-security-alliance-257995

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Here We Are: how silence defines Stephen Sondheim’s last musical

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ben Macpherson, Reader in Vocal Theatres, University of Portsmouth

    In musical theatre lore, when emotion outgrows words, characters sing (and when emotion outgrows song, they dance). This idea – in various guises, configurations and subversions – has shaped musical theatre for the last eight decades. The expectation that in a musical, characters sing is deeply ingrained: songs move the story along, or suspend time to enlarge a moment of emotion.

    Songs give audiences a chance to connect and to thrill at the virtuosity – and vulnerability – on display. After all, the very term “musical theatre” gives us a clue to its priorities. What happens, then, when the singing stops?

    That is the question posed by Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, Here We Are, which premiered at The Shed in New York in 2023 (two years after his death at 91) and is now playing at The National Theatre in London till the end of June.

    Based on two surrealist films by Spanish auteur Luis Buñuel (1972’s The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and 1962’s The Exterminating Angel), act one sees a group of wealthy friends searching for a decent brunch.

    In act two, after finally eating in the dining room of an embassy building, they mysteriously find themselves trapped – along with the waitress and the butler – and unable to leave. Completed posthumously and written with playwright David Ives, the show does something radical: in its second act, the characters stop singing.

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    That is not to say the show is not musical, and act two does include three brief moments of musical interlude rather than song. We might suggest this “songlessness” acts as a kind of silence; the characters speak, but as this is not a play, they should – as is expected of a musical – sing.

    Initially keeping up appearances, act one is full of group numbers and sung encounters, yet even here, Sondheim plays games with his audience. The main characters rarely get solo moments; instead, minor characters, including a waiter and a soldier, are given richly expressive songs.

    The usual power dynamics of musical theatre are inverted. Who gets to sing – and who does not – becomes central to the story. Director Joe Mantello has said that this approach was counterintuitive, even for Sondheim.

    By act two, the playfulness escalates. Suddenly, not even the piano in the embassy drawing room makes a sound. Silence here is not simply a gap to be filled – it becomes the point of the drama. Audiences are asked to sit with characters inured to privilege and trapped by their sudden helplessness.

    The absence of song draws attention to everything else: the dynamics and relationships, the constrained movement, the increasingly stilted small talk. Without the emotional release of song, these characters are confronted, confronting and exposed.

    Musical silence and space

    This seems a courageous move in a genre built around song – but in fact, there are many examples in musical theatre where characters who do not sing are nonetheless central. In West Side Story (1957) and Spring Awakening (2006), adults are silent while the youth give voice to generational difference.

    In The Drowsy Chaperone (1998), the central narrator talks but never sings. In more recent works like Maybe Happy Ending (2016), the silence of not singing is more comedic, with the main character Oliver’s best friend being a (silent) house plant named HwaBoon. But Here We Are takes the idea further. Why?

    One reason is dramatic. The characters are trapped in an illogical, surreal situation, leading Sondheim to reportedly ask: “Why would these people be singing when they’re trapped in this room?” To its composer, the emotional directness of singing seemed inappropriate here.

    Instead, as with the ambiguity that characterises much of Sondheim’s work, we get something more open-ended, perhaps even rebellious. Without the usual musical release, tension builds. What do these characters really feel? What does their inaction demonstrate?

    The kind of musical silence gives rise to such questions, becoming a space in which characters and audiences can reflect, transform and critique. The second act of Here We Are is not simply a story about people who cannot leave a room – it is about being confined by habits, class structures and privilege. Characters and audiences alike are forced to confront these things without the thrill of song to soften the edges.

    Here We Are further plays with musical theatre’s deepest conventions. What if the thing we expect most – the habit and structure of singing in a musical – does not happen? What if the absence of singing is the most powerful sonic gesture of all?

    To end his final work in this way feels like Sondheim has played one last trick on his audience. After a career of writing some of the most emotionally complex songs in musical theatre – such as Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music – he leaves us with one final challenge to the structure of the form he expanded.

    In an interview with journalist Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker in 2014, Sondheim said his dream project would be “not writing”. With Here We Are, he was almost there.

    Ben Macpherson 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. Here We Are: how silence defines Stephen Sondheim’s last musical – https://theconversation.com/here-we-are-how-silence-defines-stephen-sondheims-last-musical-258718

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Five common habits that might be harming your liver

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

    Paracetamol overdose is one of the leading causes of acute liver failure, according to the British Liver Trust fizkes/Shutterstock

    The liver is one of the hardest working organs in the human body. It detoxifies harmful substances, helps with digestion, stores nutrients, and regulates metabolism.

    Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible. In fact, many everyday habits, often overlooked, can slowly cause damage that may eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver failure.

    One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea.

    As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. While most people associate liver disease with heavy drinking, alcohol isn’t the only culprit. Here are five common habits that could be quietly harming your liver.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    1. Drinking too much alcohol

    Alcohol is perhaps the most well-known cause of liver damage. When you drink, your liver works to break down the alcohol and clear it from your system. But too much alcohol overwhelms this process, causing toxic by products to build up and damage liver cells.

    Alcohol-related liver disease progresses in stages. At first, fat begins to accumulate in the liver (fatty liver), often without any noticeable symptoms and reversible if drinking stops. Continued drinking can lead to alcoholic hepatitis, where inflammation and scar tissue begin to form as the liver attempts to heal itself.

    Over time, this scarring can develop into cirrhosis, where extensive hardening of the liver seriously affects its ability to function. While cirrhosis is difficult to reverse, stopping drinking can help prevent further damage.

    Even moderate drinking, if sustained over many years, can take its toll, particularly when combined with other risk factors like obesity or medication use. Experts recommend sticking to no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and including alcohol-free days to give your liver time to recover.

    2. Poor diet and unhealthy eating habits

    You don’t need to drink alcohol to develop liver problems. Fat can build up in the liver due to an unhealthy diet, leading to a condition now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

    Excess fat in the liver can impair its function and, over time, cause inflammation, scarring, and eventually cirrhosis. People who are overweight – particularly those who carry excess weight around their abdomen – are more likely to develop MASLD. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

    Diet plays a huge role. Foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, fried foods and processed snacks, can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to liver fat accumulation. Sugary foods and drinks are also a major risk factor. In 2018, a review found that people who consumed more sugar sweetened drinks had a 40% higher risk of developing fatty liver disease.

    Ultra-processed foods such as fast food, ready meals and snacks packed with added sugar and unhealthy fats also contribute to liver strain. A large study found that people who ate more processed foods were significantly more likely to develop liver problems.

    On the flip side, eating a balanced, wholefood diet can help prevent – and even reverse – fatty liver disease. Research suggests that diets rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and fish may reduce liver fat and improve related risk factors such as high blood sugar and cholesterol.

    Staying hydrated is also important. Aim for around eight glasses of water a day to support your liver’s natural detoxification processes.



    Read more:
    Don’t like drinking plain water? 10 healthy ideas for staying hydrated this summer

    3. Overusing painkillers

    Many people turn to over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol for headaches, muscle pain, or fever. While generally safe when used as directed, taking too much – even slightly exceeding the recommended dose – can be extremely dangerous for your liver.

    The liver breaks down paracetamol, but in the process, produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI. Normally, the body neutralises NAPQI using a protective substance called glutathione. However, in an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells. This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal.

    Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly.

    Regular exercise is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect your liver.
    Africa Studio/Shutterstock

    4. Lack of exercise

    A sedentary lifestyle is another major risk factor for liver disease. Physical inactivity contributes to weight gain, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction – all of which can promote fat accumulation in the liver.

    The good news is that exercise can benefit your liver even if you don’t lose much weight. One study found that just eight weeks of resistance training reduced liver fat by 13% and improved blood sugar control. Aerobic exercise is also highly effective: regular brisk walking for 30 minutes, five times a week, has been shown to reduce liver fat and improve insulin sensitivity.

    5. Smoking

    Most people associate smoking with lung cancer or heart disease, but many don’t realise the serious damage it can do to the liver.

    Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals that increase the liver’s workload as it tries to filter and break them down. Over time, this can lead to oxidative stress, where unstable molecules (free radicals) damage liver cells, restrict blood flow, and contribute to scarring (cirrhosis).

    Smoking also significantly raises the risk of liver cancer. Harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, including nitrosamines, vinyl chloride, tar, and 4-aminobiphenyl, are all known carcinogens. According to Cancer Research UK, smoking accounts for around 20% of liver cancer cases in the UK.

    Love your liver

    The liver is a remarkably robust organ – but it isn’t invincible. You can protect it by drinking alcohol in moderation, quitting smoking, taking medications responsibly, eating a balanced diet, staying active and keeping hydrated.

    If you notice any symptoms that may suggest liver trouble, such as ongoing fatigue, nausea, or jaundice, don’t delay speaking to your doctor. The earlier liver problems are detected, the better the chance of successful treatment.

    Dipa Kamdar 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. Five common habits that might be harming your liver – https://theconversation.com/five-common-habits-that-might-be-harming-your-liver-256921

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The UK failed grooming gang victims by not seeing ‘children as children’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle McManus, Professor of Safeguarding and Violence Prevention, Co-Director of the Institute for Children’s Futures, Manchester Metropolitan University

    Mariana Serdynska/Shutterstock

    The announcement of a national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation raises urgent questions: How did we end up here again? Haven’t there been enough reports? Why weren’t children protected the first time? And will these reforms actually change anything?

    As someone who has worked for years in safeguarding policy and research into grooming, county lines drug trafficking and child criminal exploitation, I believe this moment could be different. For the first time in years, there is political momentum, public scrutiny and survivor-led demand for change all converging. But we have to honest about how we got here.

    The inquiry, which will have full statutory powers, follows crossbench peer Louise Casey’s rapid national audit into grooming gangs. Her report lays bare what the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, described as a “collective failure” over 15 years. This phrase reflects not just high-profile cases in Rotherham, Rochdale or Telford, but a nationwide pattern of authorities disbelieving victims, delaying action and denying the scale of the problem.

    Since 2014, inquiry after inquiry has revealed how children, often girls, care-experienced young people, or those from marginalised backgrounds were not listened to, with some dismissed by social services as making “life choices”. Despite the Jay report, the 2022 Telford inquiry, and the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, victims were often not seen as victims at all.

    Seeing ‘children as children’

    One of the most striking lines in Lady Casey’s audit came just before her 12 recommendations: “We need to see children as children.” This cuts to the heart of how so many victims were failed. When professionals view teenagers as complicit, consenting, or “making choices”, they stop seeing the child in need of protection.

    Casey revealed that even today, many victims are still falling through the cracks because their exploitation doesn’t fit assumptions. The report revealed that cases involving 13- to 15-year-olds were too often dropped or downgraded from rape, with professionals referencing that the child was “in love” or had “consented”.

    These interpretations ignore the law — which sets the age of consent at 16 — and more importantly, they ignore the power imbalance and coercion at the heart of grooming. Casey has called for the law to be unambiguous: any penetrative sex with a child under 16 must be classified as rape.

    This failure to see children as victims is deeply embedded. In 2023, 706 group-based child sexual exploitation offences were recorded. A number dwarfed by the estimated 500,000 annual cases of child sexual abuse in England and Wales.

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    One reason for this gap, as Casey’s audit acknowledges, is that “the results tend to obscure rather than clarify the picture of group-based child sexual exploitation”. Much abuse is made invisible by confusing and inconsistently applied definitions, where grooming is recorded under unrelated offence types such as gang or drug crime, rather than identified as exploitation.

    In my own research and parliamentary evidence, I’ve repeatedly warned that when a child is caught carrying drugs or cash, they are too often seen as a criminal first — not as someone coerced, groomed or harmed.

    These assumptions directly shape the outcome of a case. In earlier grooming gang cases identified in the various inquiries, girls were seen as “promiscuous” or as having “chosen” to associate with older men. These narratives made it easier for agencies to downplay reports, delay interventions or ignore disclosures altogether.

    Casey rightly highlights how exploiters have taken advantage of the blurred legal and professional treatment of 13- to 15-year-olds in sexual exploitation cases. But it is concerning that proposed legislation (the crime and policing bill) appears to replicate the same flaws in how it treats child criminal exploitation. The bill introduces different assumptions about a young person’s “awareness” or involvement, even where grooming or coercion is present.

    This risks embedding a double standard: one where a 14-year-old can’t consent to sex, but can be seen as knowingly trafficking drugs. Without urgent scrutiny, we risk repeating the same failures but under the banner of criminal exploitation. It is still child exploitation.

    What’s different about these reforms?

    The government has accepted all 12 of Casey’s recommendations, including making ethnicity data collection mandatory and fast-tracking rape charges for adults abusing under-16s.

    It has also promised mandated data-sharing to finally resolve the communication failures that have dogged policing, social care and health services for decades.

    The Casey audit underscores how urgent these reforms are. It found that two-thirds of recorded perpetrators had no ethnicity data captured, making it impossible to draw clear national conclusions. In areas like Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire, there was evidence of over-representation among men of Asian ethnicity.

    But the data-sharing failures go far beyond demographics. In many serious case reviews, including ones I’ve worked on, key information held by one agency (such as frequent missing episodes recorded by police) were never pieced together across agencies. Mandated data-sharing could have allowed professionals to spot patterns of grooming earlier and intervene before exploitation escalated.

    We’ve seen versions of these promises before. The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse made over 80 recommendations. The Jay report outlined repeated missed chances to intervene. In 2022, the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse called for urgent reforms to how police and social workers identify and respond to child sexual exploitation. Many of those changes were either delayed, diluted or quietly dropped.

    Some changes, such as the statutory inquiry’s power to compel evidence, are welcome. But legal duty doesn’t automatically translate into professional confidence or competence. The systems and infrastructure needed to enable professionals to share data consistently and safely still do not exist.

    I’ve observed how even the most robust policy and guidance fails in practice because professionals are underresourced, overwhelmed, lack experience, or are unprepared to challenge risk-averse decision making.

    For example, mandated data-sharing has been a goal since the 1980s. It was a central recommendation in the 1987 Cleveland inquiry and the 2000 Victoria Climbié inquiry, both of which dealt with child abuse. It has remained a consistent theme in reviews from the child safeguarding practice review panel and in my own national evaluations.

    Yvette Cooper delivers a speech on the ‘collective failure’ in the handling of grooming gangs cases.
    House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Case reviews across four decades have cited the same failures: organisations not talking to each other, files siloed, risks misunderstood. In the cases explored in the Casey audit, better data-sharing could have helped agencies identify patterns of concern much earlier, including young people going missing from home or school, presenting at sexual health clinics, or being repeatedly reported in distress by family members, teachers and health practitioners.

    Instead, these signs remained isolated. Without a full picture, no single agency recognised what was happening. Children were left unprotected while perpetrators continued to offend.

    Unless we address why so many professionals have historically avoided taking action, whether due to fear of being seen as racist, fear of reputational harm, or simply not believing children, reforms may look good on paper but fall short in reality.

    The Casey audit shows we haven’t just failed to act, we’ve failed to learn. “Collective failure” is a powerful phrase, but without collective responsibility, we risk repeating the cycle.

    Michelle McManus has received funding from Home Office, Department for Education and National Independent Safeguarding Board Wales. She is also currently seconded as part of a Chancellor’s Fellowship at Manchester Met, with the VKPP, which is part of the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection.

    – ref. The UK failed grooming gang victims by not seeing ‘children as children’ – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-failed-grooming-gang-victims-by-not-seeing-children-as-children-259098

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Alzheimer’s: bacteria that causes stomach ulcers may protect the brain, our new research indicates

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gefei Chen, Associate professor, Karolinska Institutet

    _H pylori_ is more commonly known as the culprit of stomach infections. Corona Borealis Studio/ Shutterstock

    Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 60% and 70% of all cases.

    Although scientists have made significant progress in understanding the disease, there’s still no cure. That’s partly because Alzheimer’s disease has multiple causes – many of which are still not fully understood.

    Two proteins which are widely believed to play central roles in Alzheimer’s disease are amyloid-beta and tau. Amyloid-beta forms sticky plaques on the outside of brain cells. This disrupts communication between neurons. Tau accumulate inside brain cells, where it twists into tangles. This ultimately leads to cell death. These plaques and tangles are the hallmark features of Alzheimer’s disease.

    This understanding, known as the amyloid hypothesis, has shaped research for decades and led to treatments that aim to clear amyloid from the brain. Monoclonal antibody drugs have been approved in recent years for this purpose.

    But they only work in the early stages of the disease. They do not reverse existing damage and may cause serious side-effects such as brain swelling and bleeding. Most importantly, they only target amyloid-beta, leaving tau untreated.

    But in a surprise twist, recent research published by my colleagues and me has found that a protein from Helicobacter pylori – a bacteria best known for causing stomach ulcers – can block the toxic buildup of both amyloid-beta and tau. This unexpected finding may point to a new strategy for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Our discovery began with a very different question. We were initially studying how H pylori interacts with other microbes. Some bacteria form protective communities called biofilms, which rely on amyloid assemblies (similar in structure to the plaques which form in the brain) as a structural scaffold. This led us to wonder: could H pylori influence bacterial biofilms by also interfering with amyloid assemblies in humans?

    We turned our attention to a well-known H pylori protein called CagA. While half of the protein is known to trigger harmful effects in human cells (referred to as the C-terminal region), the other half (the protein’s N-terminal region) may have protective properties. To our surprise, this N-terminal fragment, called CagAN, dramatically reduced the formation of both bacterial amyloids and biofilms in the bacterial species Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas.

    Encouraged by these results, we tested whether the same protein fragment could block the buildup of human amyloid-beta proteins. To do this, we incubated amyloid-beta molecules in the lab: some were treated with CagAN, while others were left as normal. We then tracked amyloid formation using a fluorescence reader and an electron microscope.

    The protein derived from H pylori blocked amyloid-beta plaques from forming.
    Signal Scientific Visuals/ Shutterstock

    We found that treated samples had far less amyloid clump formation during the testing period. Even at very low concentrations, CagAN almost completely stopped amyloid-beta from forming amyloid aggregates.

    To understand how CagAN worked, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (which allows us to look at how molecules interact with each other) to examine how the protein interacts with amyloid-beta. We also used computer modelling to investigate possible mechanisms. Remarkably, CagAN also blocked tau aggregation – suggesting it acts on multiple toxic proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease.

    Blocking the disease

    Our study has shown us that a fragment from the Helicobacter pylori protein can effectively block the buildup of the two proteins that are implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. This suggests that bacterial proteins – or drugs modelled after them – could someday block the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s.

    What’s more, the benefits may extend beyond Alzheimer’s disease.

    In additional experiments, the same bacterial fragment blocked the aggregation of IAPP (a protein involved in type 2 diabetes) and alpha-synuclein (linked to Parkinson’s disease). All of these conditions are driven by the accumulation of toxic amyloid aggregates.

    That a single bacterial fragment could interfere with so many proteins suggests exciting therapeutic potential. Though these conditions affect different parts of the body, they may be linked through cross-talk between amyloid proteins – a shared mechanism that CagAN could help disrupt.

    Of course, it’s important to be clear: this research is still at an early stage. All of our experiments were conducted in lab settings, not yet in animals or humans. Still, the findings open a new path.

    Our study also uncovered the underlying mechanisms for how CagAN blocked the amyloid-beta and tau from forming amyloid aggregates. One of the ways in which CagAN did this was by preventing the proteins from coming together to form clumps. They also prevented small, premature amyloid aggregates from forming as well. In the future, we will continue the detailed mechanism study and evaluate the effects in animal models.

    These results also prompt a question: could H pylori, long seen only as harmful, also have a protective side? Some studies have hinted at a connection between H pylori infection and Alzheimer’s disease, though the relationship remains unclear. Our discovery adds a new layer to this discussion, suggesting that part of H pylori may actually interfere with the molecular events that lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

    That means in the future, we may need to take a more precise and personalised approach. Instead of aiming to eliminate H pylori completely with antibiotics, it might be more important to understand, in different biological contexts, which parts of the bacterium are harmful, and which might actually be beneficial.

    As medicine continues to move toward greater precision, the goal may no longer be to wipe out every microbe, but to understand how some of them might work with us rather than against us.

    Gefei Chen is also affiliated with Uppsala University.

    – ref. Alzheimer’s: bacteria that causes stomach ulcers may protect the brain, our new research indicates – https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-bacteria-that-causes-stomach-ulcers-may-protect-the-brain-our-new-research-indicates-259018

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Auchincloss probes corruption of healthcare executives in the Trump Administration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jake Auchincloss (Massachusetts, 4)

    June 17, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) sent letters calling on the boards of health companies True Medicine (TrueMed) and Main Street Health to provide information about conflicts of interest regarding their founders’ roles as special government employees overseeing health policy for the Trump administration: Calley Means of TrueMed, and Brad Smith of Main Street Health.

    Mr. Means currently serves as a White House Advisor and as a Special Government Employee detailed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As a leading policy-maker behind the Trump Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, Mr. Means has significant influence in both regulation and legislation. 

    Mr. Smith served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) until his reported departure on May 29, 2025. In this position, Mr. Smith was reportedly the primary official responsible for planning and implementing the major reduction-in-force (RIF) at HHS.

    In these letters, Auchincloss raises concerns that, as special government employees, neither Mr. Means nor Mr. Smith were required to recuse themselves from their private business interests or obtain ethics waivers. Auchincloss cites concerning instances of self-dealing:

    • Mr. Means’ TrueMed creates partnerships with businesses to sell health and wellness products, many of which are not FDA-approved. TrueMed offers  “letters of medical necessity” (LMNs) that enable patients to use pre-tax dollars from their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) to purchase these products. The Executive Order establishing the MAHA commission ordered health agencies to promote this application of HSAs, ultimately suggesting increased revenue for companies like TrueMed. The ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ also promotes the use of HSAs. 
    • Mr. Smith’s Main Street Health’s biggest investors are regulated by or transact with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), including the largest Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs): UnitedHealthcare, Centene, CVS Health Ventures, Elevance, and Humana. These MAOs benefited from the Administration’s reduction in oversight and increase in reimbursement, as well as from Mr. Smith’s ability to win favor with CMS by protecting personnel from RIFs .

    Auchincloss has called on the boards of TrueMed and Main Street Health to explain the apparent conflicts of interest involving their executives and the steps they took internally to prevent self-dealing, as their founders gained control over our nation’s public health agencies. 

    Full copies of the letters can be found below: 

    Letter to Calley Means 

    Letter to True Medicine 

    Letter to Main Street Health

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China is ready to cooperate with Turkmenistan to fully realize the potential of cooperation based on mutually beneficial interaction – Xi Jinping /detailed version-1/

    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

    ASTANA, June 17 (Xinhua) — China is ready to cooperate with Turkmenistan to fully unleash the potential of cooperation based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday during a meeting with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on the sidelines of the 2nd China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

    Noting that China and Turkmenistan enjoy strong political mutual trust, strong will for cooperation and complementary advantages, Xi Jinping stressed that China hopes to further comprehensively expand the depth, breadth and scale of bilateral cooperation with Turkmenistan and advance the construction of a China-Turkmen community with a shared future.

    The Chinese leader pointed out that the two sides should effectively integrate the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkmenistan’s strategy of “Reviving the Great Silk Road.” He called on China and Turkmenistan to step up cooperation in the natural gas sector, explore opportunities for cooperation in non-resource sectors, optimize trade structure, and strengthen regional connectivity.

    Xi Jinping called for more cultural exchanges to be held in China and Turkmenistan on the basis of the China-Turkmenistan cross-cultural years, and for the establishment of cultural centers in both countries to be accelerated, promoting connectivity between their peoples. The Chinese president also called on the two countries to strengthen cooperation in law enforcement, security and defense, jointly combat the “three evil forces” (terrorism, extremism and separatism), and enhance cooperation in cybersecurity.

    Xi Jinping stressed that China, adhering to the policy of a good, secure and prosperous neighborliness and the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, is willing to use the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road as a major platform to jointly build a better future with neighboring countries including Turkmenistan.

    According to the Chinese leader, China supports Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization and its productive holding of the upcoming 5th meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, and is pleased to see how Turkmenistan, as an eternally neutral state, is playing an increasingly constructive role in international affairs.

    Xi Jinping expressed China’s intention to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Turkmenistan on international and regional issues, jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system and uphold the common interests of the Global South. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Plastics threaten ecosystems and human health, but evidence-based solutions are under political fire

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Tony Robert Walker, Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University

    Negotiations toward a global, legally binding plastics treaty are set to resume this summer, with the United Nations Environment Programme announcing that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution will reconvene in August.

    The committee was established to develop an international legally binding instrument — known as the plastics treaty — to end plastic pollution, one of the fastest-growing environmental threats.



    Read more:
    Here’s how the new global treaty on plastic pollution can help solve this crisis

    Globally, 40 per cent of plastics production goes into the production of single-use plastic packaging, which is the single largest source of plastic waste and is a threat to wildlife and human health. Without meaningful action, global plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes.

    As the world prepares for another round of talks, Canada’s own plastic problem reveals what’s at stake, and what’s possible for the future.

    Canada’s plastic problem

    Canada is no exception to the global plastic crisis. Nearly half (47 per cent) of all plastic waste in Canada comes from the food and drink sector, contributing 3,268 million tonnes annually. Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve.

    Most of Canada’s plastic — except for plastic bottles made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) — are uneconomical or difficult to recycle because of the complexity of mixed plastics used in our economy. As a result, 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste — equivalent to the weight of 24 CN Towers — end up in landfills every year.

    This is not a trivial problem, as Ontario is projected to run out of landfill space by 2035. Plastic pollution poses growing risks to both urban and rural infrastructure.

    In addition to landfill overflow, around one per cent of Canada’s plastic waste leaks into the environment. In 2016, this was 29,000 tonnes of plastic pollution. Once in the environment, plastics disintegrate into tiny particles, called microplastics (small pieces of plastic less than five millimetres long).

    We drink those tiny microplastic particles in our tap water, and eat them in our fish dinners. Some are even making their way into farmland.

    Plastics are everywhere, including inside us

    More than 93 per cent of Canadians have expressed concerns over single-use plastics used in food packaging and have supported government bans. There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in the environment, in our food and in us.

    Growing evidence indicates that plastics can cause harmful health effects in humans and animals. Microplastics and smaller nanoplastics (less than one micron in length) have been found in humans, including infants and breast milk. They can cause metabolic disorders, interfere with our immune and reproductive systems and cause behavioural problems.

    These health problems may be caused by chemicals added to plastics, including single-use plastics, of which 4,200 chemicals have been identified as posing a hazard to human and ecosystem health.

    It is for these reasons that the Canadian government introduced a ban on single-use plastics in 2022 as part of a plan to reach zero plastic waste in Canada by 2030.

    The decision was based extensive public and industry consultation, as well as decades of data on plastic pollution gathered from the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. This data shows the most common plastic litter items found in the environment across Canada, known as the “dirty dozen” list.

    Six of these items were included in the federal ban. Three eastern Canadian provinces had already implemented single-use plastic bag bans before the federal government, with little to no public or industry opposition. Prince Edward Island was the first Canadian province to implement a province-wide plastic bag ban in July 2019, closely followed by Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia in October 2020.

    The politics of plastic

    Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, debates around plastic pollution are becoming increasingly politicized.

    In February in the United States, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to “stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within federal buildings.”

    Trump told reporters at the White House: “I don’t think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as they’re munching their way through the ocean.” Almost 2,000 peer-reviewed studies have reported, however, that more than 4,000 species have ingested or been entangled by plastic litter.

    In Canada, plastic has also become a political flashpoint. During the recent federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would scrap the federal government’s ban on single-use plastics and bring back plastic straws and grocery bags. He argued the government’s ban was about “symbolism” rather than “science,” saying, “the Liberals’ plastics ban is not about the environment, it’s about cost and control.”

    His promise would have harmed Canadians by dismissing the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that plastics in our bodies are linked to health impacts. Legislation to ban single-use plastics can be highly effective, ranging from 33 to 96 per cent reductions in plastic waste and pollution in the environment, depending on the policy and jurisdiction.

    Canada’s single-use plastics ban is a great example of evidence-based policymaking. The latest data from the conservation group Ocean Wise shows there was a 32 per cent drop in plastic straws found on Canadian shorelines in 2024 compared to the previous year.

    Science-based policies are needed

    It is indisputable that growing plastic production is directly related to plastic pollution in the environment and in human beings. Increasing plastic pollution is a global threat to human and ecosystem health, regardless of borders and political affiliation.

    As negotiators gear up for another round of talks to finalize a Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution, the need for policies that are supported by scientific evidence is more urgent than ever.

    Future generations deserve a healthy and sustainable planet. The path towards a healthy and sustainable planet requires supporting action based on scientific evidence, not misinforming people with catchy phrases and political rhetoric.

    Tony Robert Walker receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Research Nova Scotia. He is also a non-remunerated member of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty.

    Miriam L Diamond receives funding from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Future Earth, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. She is affiliated with the University of Toronto, serves as a paid expert for the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility, and has non-remunerated positions with the International Panel on Chemical Pollution (Vice-Chair), is a member of the Scientist Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, and sits on the board of the Canadian Environmental Law Association.

    – ref. Plastics threaten ecosystems and human health, but evidence-based solutions are under political fire – https://theconversation.com/plastics-threaten-ecosystems-and-human-health-but-evidence-based-solutions-are-under-political-fire-256764

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: B.C.’s mental health law is on trial — and so is our commitment to human rights

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anne Levesque, Assistant professor, Faculty of Law, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    The British Columbia Supreme Court has begun hearing a long-awaited constitutional challenge to the province’s Mental Health Act.

    The case, nearly a decade in the making, is now drawing greater attention in the wake of the tragedy at the Filipino Lapu Lapu Day street festival earlier this year that left 11 people dead in Vancouver.

    The event has shaken many in the community, leaving behind grief and fear. Furthermore, in light of reports that the person accused of the crime was under Mental Health Act supervision, difficult questions arise. The pain is real, and any conversation about mental health must begin with compassion for all of those affected.



    Read more:
    Vancouver SUV attack exposes crowd management falldowns and casts a pall on Canada’s election

    At the same time, it’s important to ensure this moment of reckoning leads to thoughtful dialogue, not reactive policy. Unfortunately, much of the public discourse has become mired in fear and misinformation, creating a false and dangerous choice: that Canada must sacrifice individual rights in order to protect public safety.

    As a legal scholar in equality rights and public interest litigation, I don’t believe Canadians have to choose. A mental health system that respects Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms can also promote safety.

    What’s the case is about?

    The case currently before the B.C. Supreme Court was initiated by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a national human rights organization led by people with disabilities. The group is fighting provisions in the province’s Mental Health Act that strip patients of any right to choose their own health care, or to appoint a loved one to make health care decisions on their behalf.

    The CCD’s motto — “Nothing about us without us” — reflects a longstanding commitment to ensuring that people most affected by policies and systems have a voice in shaping them. This litigation will amplify the voices of people who underwent psychiatric treatment without consent and to shine a light on the deep and lasting harms they have suffered.

    Let’s be clear about what this Charter challenge actually seeks and what it doesn’t. It doesn’t aim to eliminate involuntary hospitalization. It does not change who can be detained, how long they can be held or the legal criteria for involuntary admission.

    What it does seek is something far more modest and humane: to ensure that when psychiatric care is forced, it is delivered with dignity, oversight and the involvement of trusted supporters in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

    One of the key reforms that CCD has long advocated for is the right for people to name a family member or friend to be involved in treatment decisions. Far from undermining care, this kind of involvement can help bridge the gap between medical necessity and personal dignity.

    It’s a safeguard that respects patients’ values and builds trust, which the current system desperately lacks. And yes, it could even enhance public safety. Reports suggest that a family member of the man accused in the Lapu Lapu mass murders in April was concerned about his deteriorating mental health and had reached out for help just before the tragedy occurred. A more responsive system with the embedded involvement of trusted decision-makers might have made a difference.



    Read more:
    Fraudulent crowdfunding after the Lapu Lapu tragedy highlights the need for vigilance and oversight

    Reforming the Mental Health Act

    British Columbia is currently an outlier in Canada. It’s the only province where people detained under mental health laws are automatically deemed to consent to any treatment authorized by the facility — regardless of their actual wishes or capacity.

    There’s no right to name a substitute decision-maker, no ability to appeal a treatment decision, no independent oversight, and treatment is often imposed through isolation, physical restraints or security force.

    Advocates have been calling for change for decades. But in the wake of the Lapu Lapu attack, some politicians are proposing not a more compassionate or rights-respecting approach, but harsher, more coercive powers over people with mental health issues. That would be a mistake.

    The current system, which experts have long said is inconsistent with human rights, did nothing to prevent this tragedy. Violating the rights of people in crisis did not and will not keep the public safer.

    B.C. Premier David Eby has acknowledged the shortcomings in the current system, but has said that engaging in law reform while litigation is undergoing would pose a risk. Instead, he says it’s better to wait to hear what the court decides before changing the law.

    That logic is arguably akin to a citizen saying it’s risky to stop driving at a speed they know is over the lawful limit until they’re pulled over.

    Pointless to wait

    Waiting for the courts to force change wastes precious time, and public resources, that could be better spent on designing a new, Charter-compliant mental health system in collaboration with experts, service providers, families and people with lived experiences.

    Meanwhile, substantial public funds are being spent on government lawyers to fight a legal battle defending a regime that is clearly unconstitutional and fails both patients and public safety.

    That money would be far better spent consulting with experts, families and people with lived experiences and developing legislation that upholds constitutional rights and keeps communities safe.

    The time for delay is over. The B.C. government must act now to rewrite the Mental Health Act in order to protect the public and respect Charter rights.

    Anne Levesque is co-chair of the Disability Justice Litigation Initiative of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.

    – ref. B.C.’s mental health law is on trial — and so is our commitment to human rights – https://theconversation.com/b-c-s-mental-health-law-is-on-trial-and-so-is-our-commitment-to-human-rights-258671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Investing in NHS staff wellbeing could produce economic benefits the UK desperately needs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Catia Nicodemo, Professor of Health Economics, Brunel University of London

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Health emerged as a major beneficiary in the UK government’s recent spending review. It highlighted a clear ambition to modernise public services — particularly the NHS — through digital transformation and expanded use of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Investments in initiatives such as a single-patient NHS record would consolidate all of a patient’s data in one place, potentially accessible through an app. It could significantly improve continuity of care and patient outcomes.

    And AI adoption could streamline operations, from reducing hospital waiting times to improving productivity. AI could, for example, use predictive algorithms to triage patients more efficiently. Or it could automate administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and managing medical records.

    However, amid these forward-looking reforms, the spending review overlooked a critical component of healthcare sustainability: the wellbeing of NHS staff.

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    While technology can boost efficiency, the human element remains the bedrock of healthcare. NHS staff, grappling with burnout from relentless pressures, are at the forefront of delivering patient care. Ignoring their needs risks undermining the very advances the spending review aims to achieve.

    Burnout is not merely a workforce issue. It is an economic challenge. High levels of stress among NHS staff lead to increased absenteeism and worker turnover. It also reduces productivity, ultimately resulting in longer waiting times for patients to be seen. Compounding this are the costs of recruitment when staff quit the service, as well as operational inefficiencies.

    More worryingly, these factors can directly affect patient outcomes. Overstretched and fatigued staff are more likely to make errors, which can result in longer recovery times and potentially lead to costly legal consequences.

    Despite these realities, the spending review did not explicitly allocate resources for initiatives aimed at reducing staff workload and improving mental health support. These omissions stand in stark contrast to the government’s broader goals of increasing productivity and reducing waiting times in the NHS.

    Investing in staff wellbeing is not a competing priority. It is a complementary strategy that enhances the return on investments in technology and infrastructure. Healthier and supported staff are better equipped to use tools like AI effectively, translating digital advances into meaningful improvements in patient care.

    The economic case

    Financially, the case for prioritising staff wellbeing is robust. Proactive measures such as hiring more people to improve staff-to-patient ratios, implementing flexible working arrangements and providing mental health resources can yield significant returns. As an example, Public Health England’s return on investment (ROI) tool shows that workplace wellbeing programmes typically yield an ROI of £2.37 per £1 spent.

    Research has shown that better-supported healthcare workers make fewer errors, provide more compassionate care and can help patients recover faster. These improved outcomes translate into savings across the NHS. This could range from reduced secondary care needs – such as fewer re-admissions or shorter inpatient stays – right through to lower litigation costs linked to clinical mistakes.

    AI tools could help to triage patients more efficiently – but only if staff are healthy enough to implement them.
    toodtuphoto/Shutterstock

    And interventions focused on wellbeing can amplify the impact of other reforms. For example, reducing burnout helps staff to embrace and adapt to the technological changes — such as AI tools and integrated data systems — that they will increasingly be expected to work with. But without adequate support, there could be a greater risk of resistance among staff, or poor adoption of these technologies. This in turn would limit the potential benefits of these tech advances.

    The spending review sent a clear positive message about investing in skills and technology to modernise the NHS. However, it missed an opportunity to address the fundamental role of workforce wellbeing in achieving these objectives.

    Politicians must now recognise that digital transformation and human support are two sides of the same coin.

    As the NHS looks to the future, a more balanced approach is needed — one that couples innovation with investment in the people who make healthcare possible. By focusing on the wellbeing of its workforce, the NHS can unlock the full potential of its modernisation agenda, ensuring that every pound spent delivers maximum value to both patients and staff.

    Catia Nicodemo is affiliated with the University of Oxford.

    – ref. Investing in NHS staff wellbeing could produce economic benefits the UK desperately needs – https://theconversation.com/investing-in-nhs-staff-wellbeing-could-produce-economic-benefits-the-uk-desperately-needs-258863

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Coal power plants were paid to close. Is it time to do the same for slaughterhouses?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephanie Walton, Researcher on Food Systems and Sustainable Finance, University of Oxford

    Ocphoto/Shutterstock

    The food industry will go to great lengths (and spend a fortune) to lobby policymakers, confuse the public and politicise scientific findings. You can see the results in the UK’s delay of a ban on junk food advertisers targeting children, or the orchestrated backlash to a report that recommended cutting red meat consumption and embracing more plant-based diets.

    It’s a well-worn playbook. When scientific evidence indicates the need to phase down environmentally harmful or unhealthy products, the responsible industry pushes back.

    Motivating this resistance, my colleagues and I believe, is something rarely discussed in the context of food systems: stranded assets. These are investments that lose value or stop generating revenue earlier than their owners and investors anticipated, due to changes in market conditions, technology or – of particular interest here – policy and regulation.

    This concept has been central to debates in the energy transition. For example, studies have shown that keeping global warming below 2 °C will require leaving fossil fuels in the ground and shutting down power plants before they’ve generated a return on investment, wiping off about US$1 trillion (£736 billion) in value for companies, financial institutions and investors.

    The same dynamic applies to the task of feeding everyone well and without substantial environmental harm. What we produce must change, as well as how we produce it.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Producing animal-sourced protein, especially beef and dairy, has environmental impacts that dwarf those of plant-based protein. Some new technologies may reduce these impacts, particularly feed additives to reduce methane emissions from cattle. But the negative impacts go far beyond cow burps to include deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and pollution.

    Beef in particular, even when produced using intensive systems like feedlots in the US, requires substantially more land to make 100 grams of protein than any other source (excluding lamb, which is produced in much lower quantities).

    As the global population increases and constraints on land use intensify, as much nourishing food as possible will need to be produced on as little land as possible. This will entail slashing the amount of land used for animal-sourced foods.

    However, companies consistently invest in the assets that produce, process, transport and store the foods we consume. These range from slaughterhouses to the grain silos and transport equipment for single-crop supply chains, to manufacturing plants and the research and development of ultra-processed foods.

    Crops are cultivated over vast acres of land to feed livestock.
    Ekrem Sahin/Shutterstock

    In order to curtail certain foods, as part of a global shift towards sustainable and healthy diets, these assets cannot generate the revenue they do now. This means writing off some of the capital that has been sunk into them, and any anticipated revenue.

    Our research identified £217 billion that has been invested in meatpacking plants, for example. A portion of this will be lost in service of a shift to more plant-based sustenance.

    Whether or not policymakers and researchers are aware of the stranded assets problem, food companies certainly are.

    Polluter pays or pay the polluter?

    We outline three things that need to happen.

    First, while it is laudable that companies set targets to cut emissions or deforestation, how they invest their money is not always consistent with these goals. Companies need to disclose to investors and the public which of their assets are incompatible with a sustainable future, and how they plan to phase them out.

    Second, lenders (typically banks) and investors (asset managers and their clients) must work with the companies they fund to manage these transitions rather than simply revoke financing or divest. Shutting down a meatpacking plant and building up a plant-based protein business is costly, and firms will need support.

    Divestment can play an important role symbolically, signalling an ethical and moral stance against certain activities. But unless it is done by all investors at once, assets like shares go to other buyers with little or no interest in sustainability.

    Third, and perhaps the thorniest problem, who pays for stranded assets? The money has already been spent. The investments have been made, the meatpacking plants and infrastructure already built, the anticipated revenue and maximised profit margins already embedded in the value of these companies.

    There is the cost of shutting down assets early as well as the opportunity cost of not making money that was expected from capital that has already been sunk. Who bears those costs?

    Many assume the answer is straightforward: the polluter should pay. This is certainly possible to achieve. Take the recent ruling in Germany, which determined that private companies can be held liable for their share in causing climate damages.

    But implementing this principle requires unusually strong political leadership and sustained public support. Both of these things are difficult to secure, particularly in food systems where industry lobbying is intense, livelihoods are at stake, public attention is fragmented and diets are highly personal and easily politicised.

    Capital sunk into infrastructure makes change costly.
    Catstyecam/Shutterstock

    Even when policies designed to improve public health or sustainability are passed, they can be easily rolled back. Which brings us to an uncomfortable alternative: paying the polluter.

    This approach already exists in other sectors. Since 2020, Germany has paid coal plants to retire early. The same has been done in the Netherlands, parts of the US and several other countries. In the Netherlands, the government paid farmers to reduce dairy herds in certain areas in order to hit pollution targets.

    Paying off food companies to phase out harmful assets sounds like a bailout and feels unfair, since a clean and thriving environment is a human right. Such an approach could only work if it allowed stronger regulation that ensured such pollution wouldn’t occur in the future. This is how abolitionists contributed to ending slavery in the UK.

    If we’re stuck between endless policy whiplash and slow-motion climate and health crises, paying the polluter may be worth considering. It’s politically fraught and emotionally frustrating, but when it comes to stopping pollution sooner rather than later, it is perhaps more tractable than waiting for political will, corporate courage and public consensus to converge.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Stephanie Walton 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. Coal power plants were paid to close. Is it time to do the same for slaughterhouses? – https://theconversation.com/coal-power-plants-were-paid-to-close-is-it-time-to-do-the-same-for-slaughterhouses-257418

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to make sure the new grooming gangs inquiry is the last

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Aisha K. Gill, Professor of Criminology, Centre for Gender and Violence Research, University of Bristol

    Motortion Films/Shutterstock

    Louise Casey’s recent report on grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation in the UK lays bare institutional failings. It highlights that, at present, victims cannot rely upon the criminal justice system – and that it has badly let them down in the past.

    One of Lady Casey’s 12 recommendations is a new national inquiry into child sexual exploitation. This inquiry would review reported cases that did not result in prosecution, and review police and children’s services to identify children at risk. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accepted this recommendation, and a statutory inquiry will go ahead into child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs.

    As an activist and researcher with over 20 years’ experience focused on violence against women and children, if this new inquiry is to go ahead, I believe its remit must be clear and it must be delivered promptly: within the next two to three years. Importantly, it must avoid duplicating the previous independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, led by Alexis Jay and published in October 2022. It is a sign of institutional failure that those recommendations have still not been implemented.

    Professor Jay’s inquiry revealed the failure of many schools, local authorities and other institutions to protect and safeguard the children in their care. Survivors and experts criticised a widespread lack of effort on the part of the police, local safeguarding authorities and the government to better protect children from sexual abuse.

    The inquiry made 20 recommendations for action, including mandatory reporting of abuse by people who work with children, and better, more unified data on victims and perpetrators. However, there has been little evidence of such action taking place in the intervening years. None of those recommendations have been fully implemented.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    One of the problems facing this new inquiry is how to address the current crisis of confidence and doubt over whether the government will heed these calls for change. In January 2025, Jay questioned whether a national inquiry was the most effective way to address the inherent problems associated with investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators, as well as supporting the victims, of child sexual exploitation.

    The findings of her 2022 review revealed ample evidence that schools, police officers, council chiefs and social services acted improperly. It found that they failed to protect victims and those at risk of becoming victims, either by victim blaming or turning a blind eye.

    But since Jay’s report was released, survivors of child sexual exploitation remain inadequately supported. This has compounded distrust of, and dissatisfaction with, the police and local systems of government.

    Ultimately, the consequence of these multiple government failures is that victims of child sexual exploitation are reluctant to reach out to law enforcement. They fear they will be disbelieved or even blamed for what happened to them. Casey’s recent review states that victims have to live with “an overall system that compounds and exacerbates the damage, [and] rarely acknowledges its failures to victims”.

    Heeding calls for change

    Identifying the failures of the police and local authorities is key to this process. Victims I have spoken to over the years have described being “fobbed off” – told that something was being done when in fact their cases were not progressing at all.

    Some action is underway. Since January 2025, the police have reopened for review more than 800 historic cases of group-based child sexual abuse.

    In response to Casey’s review, the Home Office has announced that the National Crime Agency has been tasked with working with police forces to deliver “long-awaited justice” for victims whose cases have not yet progressed through the criminal justice system. It is also intended to improve how local police forces investigate such crimes.

    But in my opinion, other factors must also be considered as part of these processes. Above all, adequate training for all professionals involved in identifying, investigating and prosecuting these cases is critical to preventing children from becoming prey.

    Healthcare providers, for example, must be equipped with the skills to make sure concern about a child leads to action. They often come into contact with exploited children and so need to know how to identify victims and the signs of exploitation. Hospital staff should be aware of the controlling behaviour that may be displayed by predatory groomers.

    This will also provide an opportunity to develop multi-agency screening tools that enable health professionals to help all victims. Some may require care due to pregnancy or injuries arising from the abuse.

    Casey’s report is a diplomatically framed, national snapshot audit. All who are concerned about child sexual exploitation can find points with which they agree.

    Nevertheless, even if positive legislative changes are implemented, disjointed, dysfunctional practices will continue if education is not put in place. The police, social workers, educators, health workers and community workers should receive effective, consistent training about the issues faced by children who are at risk of exploitation.

    Until the government holistically addresses child sexual exploitation, its efforts to shift the dial will remain no more than a sticking plaster. The new inquiry should thus ensure the issues underlying these crimes are fully investigated and addressed. The legal system must bring perpetrators to justice and support all victims on the path to seeking justice and accountability.

    Aisha K. Gill is affiliated with End Violence Against Women Coalition and Ashiana Network.

    – ref. How to make sure the new grooming gangs inquiry is the last – https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-sure-the-new-grooming-gangs-inquiry-is-the-last-259096

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Strongly Condemns Attack on Yelewata Village in Nigeria

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Doha – 17 June 2025

    The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack that targeted Yelewata village in Benue State, Federal Republic of Nigeria, which resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates Qatar’s firm position rejecting all forms of violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of their motives or justifications.

    The Ministry also extends the State of Qatar’s sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Nigeria, and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Congressman Sorensen Helps Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Fully Staff National Weather Service Offices Across the Country

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    The “Weather Workforce Improvement Act” Ensures the National Weather Service is Fully Staffed Going into This Year’s Hurricane and Severe Weather Season

    Last week, Congressmen Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Mike Flood (NE-1), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Frank Lucas (OK-3), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) introduced their bipartisan Weather Workforce Improvement Act to help the National Weather Service (NWS) fully staff critical positions at their offices as the country prepares for severe weather and hurricanes this summer.

    Read more about the bipartisan legislation:

    • CNN: Rep. Sorensen discusses bipartisan legislation to help staff the National Weather Service during severe weather and hurricane season 

      • Congressman Sorensen: “We need to make sure that we are understanding that the National Weather Service meteorologists are there to care for our communities, but they are essential. They are as essential to our safety as TSA and air traffic controllers. I’m so thankful – as being the only meteorologist in Congress – that we’re able to work across the aisle. Congressman Flood from Nebraska and myself realized that ‘hey, we’re in severe weather season – we’re going to be ramping up into hurricane season.’ We need to make sure that we have the staffing levels that are needed. We have too many people that have been let go. This administration needs to hire them back.” 
         

    • New York Times: Law would make most National Weather Service workers hard to fire 

      • A bill introduced in the House of Representatives on Friday would make it harder to fire most employees of the National Weather Service and give the agency’s director the authority to hire new staff directly, months after it lost nearly 600 employees to layoffs and retirements as part of the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to the federal work force. 

      • The bill’s other sponsors include Representative Frank Lucas, Republican of Oklahoma, as well as Democratic Representatives Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Jimmy Panetta of California, and Eric Sorensen of Illinois. All represent states that have been hit by severe weather this year. 

      • “Severe weather affects both blue states and red states, and ensuring Americans have access to reliable and accurate weather forecasting is something everyone should support regardless of their political affiliation,” said Mr. Sorensen, who is the only meteorologist in Congress. “I’m grateful for Congressman Flood’s partnership on bipartisan legislation that will help fully staff National Weather Service offices across the country during severe weather and hurricane season.” 
         

    • NBC News: Tired in tornado alley 

      • NBC News joined a congressional tour — at the invitation of Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., Congress’ only meteorologist and a critic of the administration — to see the effects of the Trump administration’s cuts at the Quad Cities forecasting office for Iowa and Illinois.

      • Sorensen, who worked for 22 years as a TV meteorologist, has signed on to co-sponsor Flood’s bill, along with Reps. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif. Sorensen said he’s concerned a mistake by a worn-down meteorologist will lead to unnecessary deaths. He compared the situation to a used car — once trusty and now headed for a lapse.

      • “It’s not running the way that it was supposed to,” Sorensen said of the service. “Meteorologists, we’re human, you know. We will make mistakes, and I don’t want to ever see us in a situation where funding or a lack of funding has now caused there to be a loss of life.”
         

    • NBC News: Rep. Sorensen highlights importance of the National Weather Service in his congressional district 

      • Reporter: […] Congressman Eric Sorensen visited his local weather office to listen to and encourage the forecasters stretched thin. So thin, that sometimes they can’t do basic things, like launch a weather balloon.

      • […]

      • Reporter: Now, (Rep.) Flood is partnering with Sorensen on a bipartisan bill to further protect weather service forecasters by reclassifying them as public safety, alongside FBI agents and air traffic controllers.

      • Congressman Sorensen: “We have to make sure that we’re protecting [National Weather Service meteorologists] because they don’t just serve my constituents here. They serve constituents of every Member of Congress.” 
         

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Ending Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 17, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Ahead of today’s court hearing in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles, learn more about what Governor Gavin Newsom has done to protect Californians.

    I’m confident in the rule of law. I’m confident in the Constitution of the United States. I’m confident in the reasoned decision issued last week by a very well respected federal judge. And I’m confident that common sense will prevail here: The U.S. military belongs on the battlefield, not on American streets.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Taking action early 

    On Friday, June 6, 2025, the federal government, through Immigration and Customs Enforcement, began conducting widespread operations throughout Los Angeles without notifying local law enforcement. ICE officers sparked panic with military-style operations and the arrest and detention of children. This panic quickly grew into outrage, as community members stood up to make their voices heard through spontaneous protests. Local law enforcement, despite the lack of communication or advance notice about the raids from the federal government, responded quickly to keep the peace and quell any unrest. California has a robust array of law enforcement resources, which it quickly began to mobilize, without requesting federal assistance. Despite the lack of need to escalate the response, President Trump declared on July 7 that he was taking over the state’s National Guard and would begin deploying thousands of soldiers into the Los Angeles community.

    Trump’s action was unnecessary, unwelcome, and unsafe. Before Trump federalized the National Guard, Governor Newsom had already deployed additional California Highway Patrol officers to Los Angeles to assist with safety on regional highways and enlisted local law enforcement mutual aid partners to help keep the peace.

    • LA Police Department Chief has said: “We’re nowhere near a level where we would be reaching out to the governor for the National Guard.”

    • LA County Sheriff has said: “We have access to a lot of other law enforcement agencies.”

    And again, as is standard practice, Governor Newsom mobilized, through a pre-deployment, additional resources across the Golden State ahead of the “No Kings” nationwide protests — which went peacefully. Instead of easing tension, Trump’s deployment of military officials to Los Angeles only drew more protesters, requiring state law enforcement officials to increase their efforts to maintain order. 

    Requesting immediate removal  

    On Sunday, June 8, the day after Trump’s unprecedented takeover of a California National Guard unit , Governor Newsom formally requested the federalization of the National Guard members be rescinded — and the state regain control, rightfully.

    Action in the courts

    Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit requesting a stay on Trump’s unlawful order to federalize the National Guard unit, and shortly afterwards, filed an emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). Read a step-by-step blog post about why Trump’s militarization is illegal. 

    On Thursday, June 12, a federal judge in San Francisco sided with the Governor — ordering the Trump Administration to return the federalized National Guard unit (at this point numbering 4,000 soldiers) back to Governor Newsom’s command. A 3-judge appellate panel will now decide whether to let the district court judge’s order take effect sometime after June 17. See the Governor’s argument in support of the Judge’s order here.

    Governor Newsom is standing up for the rights of all Americans, as President Trump’s order was not only directed at California, but suggested he could assume control of any state’s militia, using soldiers as a police force against American citizens.

    Hypocrisy of the Trump Administration 

    In 2020, President Trump told George Stephanopoulos: “We have laws. We have to go by the laws. We can’t move in the National Guard — I can call an insurrection — but there is no reason to ever do that, even in a Portland case. We can’t call in the National Guard unless we’re requested by a Governor.” 

    In 2024, Secretary Kristi Noem — then a sitting Governor — said to Sean Hannity on Fox News: “If Joe Biden federalizes the National Guard, that would be a direct attack on state’s rights…South Dakota defends the Constitution.”

    See the prior times the Trump Admin didn’t federalize a state’s national guard — though conditions were likely worse than Los Angeles.

    Military veterans speaking out

    Veterans are speaking out over the unnecessary and inflammatory actions.  

    • Janessa Goldbeck, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Senior Advisor of VoteVets said: “When a president uses the military to police his own people, we are no longer in the realm of democratic governance—we are witnessing the rehearsal of authoritarian rule.” 

    And former secretaries of the Army and Navy and retired four-star admirals and generals filed an amicus brief warning of the grave risks associated with the Trump administration’s illegal militarization of downtown Los Angeles.

    • Former U.S. Army and Navy secretaries and retired four-star admirals and generals have said: “While the President is entitled to criticize his opponents in political terms, involving the military in domestic political controversies risks harming the military’s ability to recruit and retain servicemembers and garner broad public support for its budgets and programs, therefore undermining its ability to achieve its core mission of protecting the nation. It is precisely for this reason that the military should be kept out of domestic law enforcement whenever possible.”

    $134 million reasons why this is wrong 

    As the federal government adds to the open deficit tab, taxpayers are footing the $134 million militarization display in Los Angeles where Trump illegally took control over state National Guard units. Trump federalized 4,000 National Guard soldiers and deployed 700 Marines to use as pawns in Los Angeles – turning the military into his own personal police force. Even as tensions rise in the Middle East, in an unprecedented move, there are now more American troops deployed in Los Angeles than in Iraq and Syria combined.

    Threats to Californians 

    Governor Newsom launched a new effort to recruit for one of the world’s leading firefighting departments, CAL FIRE. The effort coincides with President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles cuts into valuable firefighting resources — roughly 300 California National Guard fire crews have been diverted to armories in the Los Angeles region, cutting CalGuard’s firefighting force by three-quarters. This is on top of the Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the states.

    President Trump’s proposing to gut public safety funding across the country — putting the safety and lives of all Americans at risk. At a time when violent crime is dropping, Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill” threatens to erase substantial progress on public safety, at a time when exactly the opposite is needed.

    In constant contact with law enforcement

    The Governor has met multiple times with local law enforcement leaders on the ground, and with state officials. The Governor announced that 800+ local and state law enforcement would be “surged” into the Los Angeles area to de-escalate the situation manufactured by Trump.

    Bigger picture: Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.

    Learn more: The Governor launched a new website to track the chaos campaign Trump is pursuing in his militarization of LA

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 17, 2025

    News What you need to know: President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles is hamstringing firefighting resources in California just as peak fire season begins. SACRAMENTO – All 14 Joint Task Force Rattlesnake teams responded to the Los Angeles fires in…

    Jun 17, 2025

    News What you need to know: Against the backdrop of President Trump’s massive and costly bill gutting laws protecting against AI-generated child pornography, scams, and other criminal activity, Governor Newsom is continuing his leadership by releasing a groundbreaking…

    Jun 17, 2025

    News What you need to know: As Governor Newsom’s motion to block the Trump Administration’s illegal militarization of downtown Los Angeles heads to the Ninth Circuit, former military leaders agree – Trump’s takeover poses grave risk to both servicemembers and…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Combat National Security Threats from China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), is cosponsoring legislation to counter threats to U.S. national security posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would direct the Attorney General to prepare a report on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to combat threats from China and espionage in the United States, so that the federal government can better form a fact-based, up-to-date strategy to contain and confront China.
    China poses one of the greatest threats to the United States’ national security and economy. In February 2023, the United States Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had traveled through American airspace for several days — an apparent act of Chinese provocation. It was also revealed last year that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has secretly been operating “service centers” across America — raising questions about China’s surveillance efforts in our country. Additionally, China has leveraged much of its legal system to steal American intellectual property. It leads America’s adversaries as the top thief of United States’ intellectual property (IP). According to the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, the CCP has stolen IP that is estimated to cost the United States from $225 billion to $600 billion every year.
    “For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has consistently worked to undermine our national security, weaken our economy and steal intellectual property,” said Senator Angus King. “The first step in combatting any threat is to ensure we have a clear understanding of the facts. The bipartisan Counting Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would be a commonsense, invaluable step forward in countering these serious threats posed by Chinese agents. By using our own intelligence and annual reporting from the Department of Justice, we can better protect our communities and companies from foreign bad actors.”
    The Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would:
    Direct the U.S. Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant government agencies, to prepare an annual report on the DOJ’s efforts to counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
    Specifically, the report would include details pertaining to:
    The theft of American intellectual property (IP) and research
    Threats from non-traditional collectors, such as researchers in laboratories, at universities and at defense industrial base facilities
    An accounting of DOJ resources dedicated to combating threats from the CCP
    A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as a thoughtful voice on national security and foreign policy issues. Alongside the Maine delegation he urged the DOJ to crackdown on illegal Chinses-owned marijuana operations in Maine. In the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), he secured a key provision requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit yearly reports focused on deterring hostility from adversaries like China and Russia. During hearings, Senator King has been a vocal advocate for strengthening the United States’ deterrence strategy to defend itself from multiple forms of Chinese aggression.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Agency for Asylum inaugurates its Training Academy for asylum and reception officials

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    The EUAA’s Executive Director, Nina Gregori, and Malta’s Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, Byron Camilleri, have together inaugurated the EUAA Academy at Trident Park in Malta. Having become a formal qualifications provider in late 2024, the EUAA Academy will now welcome national officials from all over the EU+ in its dedicated training centre, where they will receive internationally recognised training in asylum and reception matters.

    The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), represented by its Executive Director, Ms. Nina Gregori, together with  Byron Camilleri, Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, representatives of the Maltese government and officials of the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) have inaugurated the new “EUAA Academy” premises, in the presence of members of the EUAA’s Management Board, the European Commission and the UNHCR.

    Since 2012, the Agency has been training officials from national administrations in the rules underpinning the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).  While asylum and migration remain at the heart of political debate, it is critical that national officials are well versed in the EU’s asylum and reception laws, so that they can identify those in genuine in need of international protection, while safeguarding their protection systems.

    To date, the Agency has recorded over 100 000 participations in over 50 different training modules. Building on this success, the EUAA Academy will be the first accredited training academy providing specialised training in the fields of asylum and reception at an EU level. It will help ensure that:

    • Case officers apply the EU’s asylum rules in a consistent manner. Protection legislation in the EU and its Member States’ lies at the intersection of EU and international law. Assessing how it applies to individuals, through personal interviews, and using in-depth knowledge on the situations in Countries of Origin is critical to assessing the credibility of asylum claims.

    • Reception experts quickly identify vulnerable individuals. These experts help ensure reception conditions meet EU standards, identify vulnerable persons as early as possible so that psychosocial support can be provided, while remaining aware of the cultural sensitivities of applicants.

    • Member States can reduce long-term costs. By investing in their professional development, national authorities can better retain experienced staff and reduce turnover. Training also ensures that practices in accepting or rejecting asylum claims are as similar as possible across Member States, building trust between EU countries.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Concludes Strategic High-Level Mission to Ghana, Identifies Five Key Areas for Transformational Partnership


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    Representatives of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have concluded a week-long high-level mission to Ghana, marking the institution’s first major engagement with the country’s new administration under President John Dramani Mahama.

    The delegation, led by Solomon Quaynor, the Bank Group’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, conducted extensive consultations with key government ministries, public agencies, and private sector stakeholders, to align the Bank’s support with Ghana’s transformational development priorities.

    The agencies included the ministries of Roads and Highways; Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation; the Bank of Ghana; Volta River Authority; Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority; Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (“GIIF”); National Pensions Regulatory Authority; National Insurance Commission, Securities Exchange Commission, Ghana Stock Exchange, Ghana Export-Import Bank, Pension Corporate Trustees and Fund Managers, and various private sector companies.

    The delegation also cohosted a successful one-day roundtable discussion on “Unlocking Long-term Local Currency Finance for Infrastructure Development in Ghana,” jointly organized with GIIF, the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), InfraCredit, Stanbic Bank, and PetraTrust, an event that laid the foundation for domestic capital mobilization initiatives.

    At the conclusion of the mission, the Bank identified five core areas for follow-up collaboration:

    • Mobilizing Domestic Capital for Infrastructure Development

    The Bank will work with partners to establish a credit enhancement and de-risking facility to unlock part of Ghana’s USD 5.2 billion cedis equivalent in pension assets for infrastructure investment. Drawing on successful models implemented through InfraCredit in Nigeria and Dhamana in Kenya and East Africa, the initiative aims to make local infrastructure, industrial, affordable housing and public-private partnerships assets attractive to institutional investors.

    • Supporting the 24-Hour Economy Initiative

    The Bank expressed strong enthusiasm for Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy concept, committing to provide comprehensive project preparation support, knowledge sharing on industrial parks development, and downstream financing solutions. Key focus areas include integrated industrial parks for textiles, garments, agro-processing and light manufacturing, and lake transport infrastructure all captured under the Volta Economic Corridor.

    • Advancing Transport Infrastructure Development

    Leveraging its continental expertise, the Bank will support Ghana’s ‘Big Push’ infrastructure initiative through partnerships with the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, and the PPP Unit at the Ministry of Finance.

    • Strengthening Digital Transformation Foundation

    Collaborating with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, the Bank will support critical policy and legislative reviews focusing on data harmonization, data governance, and cybersecurity enhancement to establish a robust foundation for Ghana’s digital transformation.

    • Unlocking Private Sector Investment Opportunities

    The mission identified numerous investment opportunities across logistics, agriculture, agro-processing, energy, and other critical sectors, emphasizing the private sector’s fundamental role in sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

    Quaynor highlighted the success of the mission. “The enthusiasm, vision, and commitment we have witnessed this week from Ghana’s leadership and stakeholders give us great confidence in the transformational impact we can achieve together.”

    He emphasized that all identified areas will be actively pursued, with the Bank firmly committed to working with all stakeholders to drive sustainable economic growth and development for Ghana, noting that the alignment between the government’s priorities and the Bank’s strategic capabilities creates an unprecedented opportunity for meaningful collaboration and impact.

    The mission concluded with firm commitments for follow-up action across all identified areas, emphasizing the Bank’s dedication to forging concrete partnerships that deliver tangible results for Ghana’s economic transformation and improved livelihoods for its people.

    Other members of the Bank’s delegation were Eyerusalem Fasika, Country Manager for Ghana; Mike Salawou, Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development; Ousmane Fall, Director of Private Sector and Industrial and Trade Development; Akane Zoukpo Sanankoua, Manager, Capital Markets Development; Aude Apetey-Kacou, Regional NSO Lead, West Africa; Dennis Ansah, Regional NSO Lead, Nigeria and Dovi Amouzou, Advisor to the Vice President.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Media Contact: 
    Kwasi Kpodo
    Communication and External Relations
    w.kpodo@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Technology transforming tailings ponds

    [. Yet, for decades, operators have been forced to store most of the water they use on site, leading to billions of litres now contained largely in tailings ponds.

    Alberta is investing $50 million from the industry-funded TIER system to help develop new and improved technologies that make cleaning up oil sands mine water safer and more effective. Led by Emissions Reduction Alberta, the new Tailings Technology Challenge will help speed up work to safely reclaim the water in oil sands tailing ponds and eventually return the land for use by future generations.

    “Alberta’s government is taking action by funding technologies that make treating oil sands water faster, effective and affordable. We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions that come out of this funding challenge, and once again demonstrate Alberta’s global reputation for sustainable energy development and environmental stewardship.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “Tailings and mine water management remain among the most significant challenges facing Alberta’s energy sector. Through this challenge, we’re demonstrating our commitment to funding solutions that make water treatment and tailings remediation more affordable, scalable and effective.”

    Justin Riemer, CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    As in other mines, the oil sands processing creates leftover water called tailings that need to be properly managed. Recently, Alberta’s Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee brought together industry, academics and Indigenous leaders to identify the best path forward to safely address mine water and reclaim land.

    This new funding competition will support both new and improved technologies to help oil sands companies minimize freshwater use, promote responsible ways to manage mine water and reclaim mine sites. Using technology for better on-site treatment will help improve safety, reduce future clean up costs and environmental risks, and speed up the process of safely addressing mine water and restoring sites so they are ready for future use.

    “Innovation has always played an instrumental role in the oil sands and continues to be an area of focus. Oil sands companies are collaborating and investing to advance environmental technologies, including many focused on mine water and tailings management. We’re excited to see this initiative, as announced today, seeking to explore technology development in an area that’s important to all Albertans.”

    Kendall Dilling, president, Pathways Alliance 

    Quick facts

    • All mines produce tailings. In the oil sands, tailings describe a mixture of water, sand, clay and residual bitumen that are the byproduct of the oil extraction process.
    • From 2013 to 2023, oil sands mine operations reduced the amount of fresh water used per barrel by 28 per cent. Recycled water use increased by 51 per cent over that same period.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge is open to oil sands operators and technology providers until Sept. 24.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge will invest in scale-up, pilot, demonstration and first-of-kind commercial technologies and solutions to reduce and manage fluid tailings and the treatment of oil sands mine water.
    • Eligible technologies include both engineered and natural solutions that treat tailings to improve water quality and mine process water.
    • Successful applicants can receive up to $15 million per project, with a minimum funding request of $1 million.
    • Oil sands operators are responsible for site management and reclamation, while ongoing research continues to inform and refine best practices to support effective policy and regulatory outcomes.

    Related information

    • Emissions Reduction Alberta
    • Using science and technology to tackle tailings ponds (June 12, 2025)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New York State Assembly Candidate Charged with Wire Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Dao Yin Allegedly Reported Fake Campaign Donations to Defraud New York State of $162,800 in Public Matching Funds

    Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Dao Yin, a Queens resident and former 2024 New York State Assembly candidate, with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud New York State’s public campaign finance system by reporting false campaign contributions—including forged signatures of purported contributors—to secure matching funds.  Yin was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation, announced the charges.

     “As alleged, the defendant, a former candidate for public office, submitted forged campaign contribution cards from members of the very community he hoped to represent, to fraudulently obtain thousands of dollars in public matching funds that he was not entitled to receive,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will protect the integrity of elections and pursue candidates for elected office who violate campaign finance laws.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York State Public Campaign Finance Board (PCFB) for its assistance.

    “Through lies and deceit, the defendant allegedly stole over $160,000 in taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign for elected office,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  “Fraud and public corruption threaten the integrity of our elections and will not be tolerated.  The Criminal Division remains committed to aggressively prosecuting frauds that undermine U.S. interests and waste public funds.”

     “Dao Yin allegedly fabricated support to be unlawfully awarded more than $150,000 to further his election campaign. Yin also allegedly abused his position to defraud a matching funds program that could have been used to support other candidates for state office. The FBI remains committed to investigating any individual who implements deceitful tactics to find a seat in public office,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.

    “As charged, this former candidate for the New York State Assembly manipulated the campaign finance system through fraudulent campaign contributions in order to claim matching funds that he was not eligible to receive,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.  “DOI and our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI remain committed to protecting the integrity of the campaign finance system and public dollars.”

    The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program

    The PCFB oversees and administers the New York State Public Campaign Finance Program (the Program), which provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office the ability to qualify for and receive public matching funds based on small donations from residents in applicable districts.

    To participate in the Program, a candidate must register an authorized committee with the PCFB, be in a covered election for a covered office, meet threshold requirements for the number of matchable contributions received, and total monetary contributions received, and adhere to all other program requirements such as making periodic disclosures to the PCFB.  Contributions between $5 and $250 are generally eligible for public matching funds provided they meet certain criteria.  For a State Assembly race, the candidate generally must have raised a minimum of $6,000 in matchable contributions and have a minimum of 75 matchable donations. For cash contributions to qualify for matching funds, the candidate’s authorized committee is required to submit contribution cards that, among other information, list each contributor’s name, residential address, and date of contribution.  The contribution card also must be signed by the contributor.

    The Fraudulent Scheme

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendant registered his campaign committee, Dao Yin for New York 2024 (the Committee), with the PCFB so that it could receive funds through the Program.  The defendant served as the treasurer of the Committee.

    To qualify for public matching funds, the defendant submitted fraudulent contribution cards through the Committee to the PCFB that listed the names and purported to bear the signatures of individuals he falsely claimed had donated to the Committee.  By doing so, the defendant obtained approximately $162,800 in public matching funds from the Program.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section and the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Grubin and Rebecca Schuman, along with Trial Attorney Lina Peng, are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.

    The Defendant:

    DAO YIN
    Age:  62
    Flushing, NY

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-208

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Broadcom Delivers the Modern Private Cloud with VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is announcing the general availability of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, the platform for the modern private cloud. With VCF 9.0, customers gain a consistent operating model for the private cloud, spanning data centers, edge, and managed cloud infrastructure from service providers and hyperscalers. VCF 9.0 combines the agility and scalability of public cloud with the security, performance, architectural control and total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits of an on-premises environment.

    VCF 9.0 delivers a single unified platform that supports all applications—traditional, modern, or AI—with consistent operations, governance, and controls across the private cloud environment. With VCF 9.0, customers benefit from a modern private cloud that:

    • Accelerates innovation with out-of-box self-service offerings and a consistent experience that frees development teams to focus on applications instead of infrastructure.
    • Controls cost through deep visibility and insights into resource usage that allow better planning, predicting, and optimization of cloud spend.
    • Enables sovereignty and security with data control that supports better compliance, cyber resilience at scale and fleet-level management that helps ensure the latest patches are applied quickly, security controls are up to date, and policy compliance continues.

    “With this next generation of our cloud platform, VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, we are again raising the bar for the modern private cloud by vastly simplifying the deployment, operations, and developer experience of the cloud,” said Krish Prasad, senior vice president and general manager, VCF Division, Broadcom. “Most enterprises are now looking to the private cloud to run both traditional mission-critical and new AI and containerized applications. VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 is the ideal platform for running these modern applications, enabling our customers to be more innovative, efficient, resilient, and secure. We are very excited to see that customers of all sizes are embracing VCF at a rate that has exceeded even our own high expectations.”

    “VMware Cloud Foundation has enabled us to execute on our private cloud strategy by breaking down IT silos, removing technical debt, and allowing teams to shift from focusing on keeping the lights on to higher value projects that move our business forward,” said Roger Joys, Principal Technology Strategy Advisor, Cloud & Data, GCI Communications. “By delivering an ‘everything as code’ private cloud platform, we simply do everything faster and more securely now. Security patches are easier to implement, new applications are deployed in minutes rather than months, and services are updated and rolled out to customers in a fraction of the time. These are all benefits people only thought were possible in the public cloud. We are doing these things in our modern private cloud.”

    “VMware Cloud Foundation is at the core of our Digital Application Platform. Using VCF, we have expanded our on-prem delivery capabilities while improving operational efficiency,” said Paolo Bazzica, chief information officer, IPZS. “At IPZS, we feel that we are now on the right track to continue supporting Italy’s digital transition with a modern private cloud that enables full use of our competences to deliver cloud native applications. Compared to more traditional on-prem setup, we saw a steep IT manual tasks reduction by up to 70% through automation while improving our business resilience.”

    “With VMware Cloud Foundation, we can offer our customers a private cloud operating model from our own data center,” said Michael Heier, Head of Managed Workplace, Ratiodata. “VCF offers a significantly more flexible and easier-to-manage IT infrastructure with its automation, advanced security features, dynamic networking capabilities, and comprehensive cloud management. VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service enables us to deliver a unified platform for both VM and containerized apps, while VMware Private AI allows us to securely harness AI capabilities across this infrastructure. Increased server performance and superior VM density will reduce our total number of servers, lowering power consumption and costs by an estimated 25–30%.”

    “Previously we had a large-scale legacy IT infrastructure that needed to evolve into something that was very agile, flexible, cost-optimized and secure,” said Keith Woolley, Chief Digital and Information Officer, University of Bristol. “With VMware Cloud Foundation, University of Bristol has built a modern private cloud that completely revolutionizes the way we operate and deliver services to our academic community. VCF enables us to run our AI jobs. It gives us the sovereignty we were seeking. And we know there’s hidden benefits in the VCF platform that we’re only just starting to discover.”

    The Fundamental Shifts in VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0​
    VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 boasts a completely new architecture that empowers IT admins and application teams to accomplish far more and spend far less. The platform delivers a streamlined experience for building, operating, and securing a modern private cloud across on-premises data centers, in hyperscaler and VMware Cloud Service provider clouds, and at the edge. VCF 9.0 is uniquely designed to remove the friction between infrastructure and application teams.

    One Interface for Private Cloud Operations
    VCF 9.0 introduces a unified interface for cloud administrators, offering a holistic view of private cloud operations. The new Quick Start App significantly reduces setup time and complexity. Integrated cost management and policy enforcement enables immediate compliance and operational efficiency. Scalable fleet management allows administrators to plan, schedule, and execute upgrades across clusters efficiently, increasing daily productivity up to 10x1. Centralized identity and access management, including single sign-on, password policies, and certificates, enable consistency across environments. Consolidated log management delivers insights twice as fast1, allowing for rapid response. Advanced analytics help administrators understand workload behavior, enabling targeted responses for security and performance optimization.

    Frictionless Cloud Consumption Experience
    VCF 9.0 offers a unified interface for platform and development teams, simplifying infrastructure service delivery and consumption. Platform teams can effectively organize, provision, and manage tenant resources with granular control. More secure, role-based access is enabled through streamlined administration of both admin and tenant identities. Compliance across all deployments is maintained by built-in governance policies, while pre-configured blueprints simplify provisioning, lessen manual tasks, and guarantee repeatable, compliant infrastructure. Developers gain access to automated and elastic self-service IaaS services, creating a genuine cloud-like experience.

    Unified VM, Container and Kubernetes Platform
    VCF 9.0 takes a significant leap forward as a unified platform for traditional, cloud native and AI applications. The embedded vSphere Kubernetes Service (VKS) enables both virtual machines (VMs) and containers to be treated equally. This allows customers to build, deploy, and run Kubernetes and virtualized workloads together and eliminates complex DevOps stacks and integrations. Developers can immediately begin building and deploying, while IT maintains security and consistency. A single interface and operational model manages VM-based applications, cloud-native workloads, AI/ML applications, and traditional enterprise databases.

    Superior Cloud Cost Transparency
    VCF 9.0 offers distinct cost predictability and transparency advantages over public cloud. Comprehensive insights extend beyond infrastructure, incorporating software licensing, operational expenses, and data center costs, thus providing a holistic TCO perspective. Additionally, built-in analytics enable predictive cost modeling for effective infrastructure planning and forecasting, helping organizations avoid unforeseen financial challenges. Automated resource optimization dynamically reclaims underutilized capacity to enhance workload efficiency and prevent unnecessary infrastructure sprawl. Finally, detailed showback and chargeback data, grounded in resource allocation, provide a clear return on infrastructure investment.

    Sovereign and Secure
    VCF 9.0 is engineered to provide robust data control, compliance, and resilience, empowering IT operations amidst regulatory complexities and geopolitical uncertainty. A key feature is the new SecOps dashboard, offering a quick view of platform security and data controls, along with integrated compliance policies. Regulatory guardrails facilitate consistent governance. VCF 9.0’s support for the latest confidential computing technologies from AMD and Intel will enable organizations to leverage the newest generation of secure enclaves, encrypted memory, and attestation capabilities, allowing IT teams to deploy confidential workloads across heterogeneous infrastructure while maintaining consistent security policies and operational workflows.

    Core Innovation Delivers Meaningful Customer Outcomes
    VCF 9.0 is built on industry-leading compute, networking, and storage technologies, and Broadcom continues to innovate around these core capabilities to deliver significant customer value. Advanced Memory Tiering for NVMe can deliver 38%1 lower memory and server TCO. VMware vSAN ESA with Global Dedupe2 can reduce storage TCO by 34%1. VMware NSX enhanced data path can deliver as much as 3x1 switching performance to maximize throughput. New vSAN-to-vSAN data protection with deep snapshots enables more efficient, native recovery from disasters or ransomware attacks. As a platform for modern AI applications, VCF delivers virtually zero performance overhead when compared to bare metal3 while providing the ability to support zero-downtime vMotion for AI applications.

    New Innovation Across Advanced Services for VCF Portfolio
    Advanced services for VMware Cloud Foundation are ready-to-deploy solutions that enable customers to accelerate innovation in their private cloud environments. This diverse library of private cloud solutions is similar to what enterprises have come to expect from the public cloud, allowing them to access the tools and technologies they need to rapidly address a variety of use cases and business opportunities. With VCF 9.0, Broadcom is delivering new innovations across the advanced services portfolio:

    • VMware ​Private AI​ Foundation​ with NVIDIA: This joint AI solution from Broadcom and NVIDIA is built on VMware Cloud Foundation and includes the VMware private AI package and NVIDIA AI Enterprise. The solution offers air-gap support for isolated deployments; GPU-as-a-Service with multi-tenancy support for AI workloads; NVIDIA vGPU C-Series profile visibility to eliminate manual capacity tracking; improved resource utilization with enhanced GPU and vGPU monitoring capabilities; simplified model usage and scalability with Model Runtime; NVIDIA NIM for easy, high-performance AI model inference; and more efficient creation of AI Agents with Agent Builder Service.​
    • VMware Live Recovery: A single solution for managing cyber and disaster recovery across VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) deployments, VMware Live Recovery now delivers increased data sovereignty through an on-premises isolated clean room / recovery environment (IRE) for cyber recovery (available as a VMware Validated Solution); flexibility to recover to a VCF isolated clean room on-premises or an existing cloud option; up to 200 immutable snapshots per VM enabled by native replication; and more efficient scaling through the ability to expand storage independently of compute with vSAN storage clusters
    • VMware vDefend: This advanced service for VCF provides built-in threat detection and response, zone- and application-level micro-segmentation, distributed lateral security, reduced attack surface, and zero trust enforcement across VCF environments. With VCF 9.0, vDefend has added self-service microsegmentation; VPC-aware lateral security with delegated administration; VCF Import integration to streamline transition of existing vDefend deployments into VCF 9.0; and global IDS/IPS policy management for consistent threat defense policies across multi-site VCF deployments.​ Read the news blog here.
    • VMware Data Services Manager (DSM): As an advanced service for VCF, DSM 9.0 currently provides enterprise support for PostgreSQL and MySQL, and is now in Tech Preview with Microsoft SQL Server​. New integration with VCF Automation enables IT teams to deliver database as a service (DBaaS), while additional DSM enhancements increase the operational efficiency for large database fleet management.
    • Avi Load Balancer: This service provides plug-and-play load balancing services for VM and Kubernetes workloads with built-in global server load balancer (GSLB), application health and latency analytics, and web application firewall (WAF). With VCF 9.0, Avi Load Balancer now supports load balancing as self-service, streamlined operations and lifecycle management, and VPC-aware deployments. Read the news blog here.

    Partner Ecosystem Commentary

    “AMD and VMware continue to push the boundaries of enterprise infrastructure. The latest release of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 builds on our shared vision to deliver solutions with great performance, exceptional total cost of ownership, and advanced security with AMD EPYC™ processors featuring SEV-SNP. Customers can confidently and efficiently scale modern workloads—from virtualization to AI—across secure hybrid cloud environments.” – Raghu Nambiar, Corporate Vice President, Silicon Design Engineering, AMD

    “Azure VMware Solution (AVS) is a fully managed VCF service that provides customers the flexibility to combine VMware Cloud Foundation private clouds with the scale and flexibility of Azure. As customers adopt the latest innovations in VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, they will be able to take advantage of Microsoft’s support for VCF license portability to extend VMware workloads to Azure as is, with minimal to no refactoring, and benefit from the continuity, scale, and fast provisioning for VMware workloads on global Azure infrastructure.” – Brett Tanzer, Vice President, Product Management for the Azure Solutions and Ecosystem Team

    “As organizations face increasing demands for data security, control and scalability, they’re turning to Dell Technologies to help them easily build private cloud environments. VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 on Dell infrastructure will deliver a private cloud solution that eliminates IT silos, reduces risk and boosts operational efficiency.” – Gil Shneorson, Senior Vice President, Solutions Platform, Dell Technologies

    “Our strong partnership with Broadcom is key to delivering the latest VMware innovations on Google Cloud. With VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, we’re particularly excited about the unified interface for private cloud operations, which streamlines management, and the frictionless cloud consumption experience, which empowers both platform and development teams. We look forward to bringing these advanced capabilities and more to Google Cloud VMware Engine, further enabling our customers to accelerate innovation and optimize their cloud environments.” – Nirav Mehta, Vice President, Product Management, Google Cloud

    “As enterprises embrace hybrid operating models, IT teams are under increasing pressure to modernize infrastructure without adding complexity or compromising on security and resilience. HPE GreenLake for VMware Cloud Foundation with VCF 9.0 will offer a co-engineered, validated solution with flexible consumption, multi-layered security and pre-integrated technology—all designed to streamline an organization’s private cloud journey.” – Rajeev Bhardwaj, Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Private Cloud and Flex Solutions, HPE

    “VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 on Intel® Xeon® 6 platforms brings new levels of cost optimization and advanced security to the modern private cloud. With greater hardware consolidation and Intel® TDX enabling confidential computing, our mutual customers can lower total cost of ownership, enhance trust and data protection, and accelerate their AI adoption.” – Greg Ernst, CVP, Sales and Marketing Group, Intel Corporation

    “Lenovo ThinkAgile VX Series, a co-engineered solution with VMware Cloud Foundation, enables enterprises to implement a hybrid cloud environment using a turnkey solution for faster deployments, seamless lifecycle management and full-stack monitoring with Lenovo XClarity. Built on trusted Lenovo servers that are reliable and secure, this workload-ready solution is tested, optimized and validated for compliance to handle various workloads, including demanding AI projects. With VCF 9.0, Lenovo will offer customers a unified platform for all applications, blending public cloud agility with on-premises security and resilience.” – Stuart McRae, Executive Director and General Manager, Data Storage Solutions, Lenovo ISG

    “Enterprises building AI factories need solutions for integrating AI into the heart of their operations. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA fast-tracks enterprise AI deployments with a secure, full-stack platform for building, customizing and running AI models, agents and applications.” – John Fanelli, Vice President, Enterprise AI Software at NVIDIA

    Additional Resources

    Sources
    1-Based on internal Broadcom engineering estimates or test results, subject to change. March 2025.
    2-vSAN Global Dedupe requires RPQ. Contact account team for details.
    3-MLPerf Inference v5 Benchmark results, April 2025.

    About Broadcom
    Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor, enterprise software and security solutions. Broadcom’s category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including cloud, data center, networking, broadband, wireless, storage, industrial, and enterprise software. Our solutions include service provider and enterprise networking and storage, mobile device and broadband connectivity, mainframe, cybersecurity, and private and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Broadcom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

    Broadcom, the pulse logo, and Connecting Everything are among the trademarks of Broadcom. The term “Broadcom” refers to Broadcom Inc., and/or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Roger T. Fortier
    VCF Division, Broadcom
    +1.408.348.1569
    roger.fortier@broadcom.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Legislation to Lower Cost of Critical Care for Opioid-Use Disorder 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in introducing the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency (MORE) Savings Act, legislation to make it easier for individuals struggling with an opioid-use disorder (OUD) to access evidence-based treatment. The Senators’ legislation would eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for people enrolled under a new Medicare pilot program, while increasing federal funding for Medicaid treatment programs. 
    Senators Welch and Blumenthal are joined on the legislation by Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). 
    “The opioid crisis is hurting families and communities across the country. In Vermont, opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed nearly 500% in the past decade. We urgently need to find solutions that make it easier and more affordable for those in crisis to get the addiction care they need,” said Senator Welch. “The MORE Savings Act breaks down barriers to the cost of care and medication to help more Americans recover from opioid-use disorder.”  
    “Opioid use disorders upend lives and can lead to tragic, heart-breaking deaths. Individuals struggling with these disorders need and deserve access to affordable, quality treatment and support. This critical legislation draws on proven strategies in the fight against addiction to promote prevention and treatment efforts,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By removing costly insurance barriers and bolstering Medicaid programs with increased funding, the MORE Savings Act ensures that those battling an opioid use disorder have access to the resources necessary to start and continue on the road to recovery.” 
    “No New Mexican should be forced to choose between getting treatment and paying the rent,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to support the MORE Savings Act to break down cost barriers to proven, life-saving care and help more people with opioid use disorder start their path to recovery.” 
    “Every day, more than 115 Americans lose their lives to opioid overdoses. As addiction continues to devastate families in New Mexico and across the country, we must ensure that cost is never a barrier to treatment,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings Act— to make treatment more affordable and accessible, so more Americans have the chance to recover.” 
    “The opioid epidemic has devastated families across the country. Cost should never be a barrier to getting addiction treatment. By eliminating the cost of care and medication, the MORE Savings Act would help more Americans break free from addiction and prime their road to recovery,” said Senator Klobuchar. 
    The MORE Savings Act works to provide affordable access to OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery support. Specifically, the legislation requires individual and group health insurance plans to cover prescription drugs and recovery services with no cost-sharing—including copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance—and creates a pilot program to eliminate Medicare cost-sharing for OUD treatment and behavioral health services. The legislation also provides increased funding for Medicaid programs to provide prescription drugs and behavioral health services to better treat individuals struggling with an OUD.  
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 
    Senator Welch has led his colleagues in a series of substance use disorder research, treatment, and prevention efforts. This Congress, Senator Welch reintroduced his bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS ACT) to confront the devastating opioid crisis and give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. In 2023, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act was signed into law by President Biden. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Philip Fearnside, Biólogo e pesquisador titular (Departamento de Ecologia), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)

    A bill essentially abolishing Brazil’s environmental licensing system is just days away from likely passage by the country’s National Congress. Despite the environmental discourse of President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, what is known as the “bill of devastation” (PL 2159/2021) apparently has his tacit approval. Even if Lula vetoes the bill, anti-environmental voting blocks in the National Congress have more than the 60% in each house needed to override a veto.

    The “bill of devastation” has been promoted as relieving “low impact” projects of unnecessary bureaucracy, but it is very much more than this. First, it is for both “low” and “medium” impact projects, two categories that are vaguely defined, allowing projects with major impacts to be benefitted. The bill applies to licensing at both the state and federal levels, and at the state level there is expected to be a “race to the bottom” as states compete to attract investments by loosening environmental restrictions.

    The “medium impact” category is a misnomer, as it includes most mining projects such as the mine tailings dams that broke in 2015 at Mariana and in 2019 at Brumadinho to create two of Brazil’s worst environmental disasters.

    Under the bill, these “low” and “medium” impact projects would be licensed by what is known as “self-licensing,”. This eliminates the need for an environmental impact assessment, public hearings and specification of compensatory measures in the event of accidents or other impacts. Basically, this self-declared statement consists of checking a series of boxes on an online form.

    Bypassing any public or committee debate, at the last minute before the Senate’s plenary vote the bill was modified with an amendment that increased its environmental impact even more. The amendment created a “Special Environmental License” that would allow any project considered to be “strategic” to have an accelerated approval process, regardless of the magnitude of its impacts.

    The amendment is believed to be specifically intended to facilitate the controversial mouth-of-the-Amazon oil project, which has major potential impacts both from potentially uncontrollable oil spills and from its impact on climate change.

    Brazil’s imminent climate disaster

    Global climate and the Amazon forest are both approaching tipping points where the process of collapse escapes from human control. These imminent disasters are intertwined: if the Amazon forest were to collapse it would release more than enough greenhouse gases to push global temperatures beyond the point where human society loses the option to contain climate change by cutting emissions to zero, and if global temperatures rise uncontrollably, it would soon push the Amazon forest to collapse.

    The Amazon forest is on the verge of tipping points in terms of temperature, the ongoing increase in dry season length, the percentage of forest cleared and a combination of various climatic and direct anthropogenic impacts.

    The loss of the Amazon forest that would result from crossing any of these tipping points would, among other impacts, sacrifice the forest’s vital role in recycling water.

    A volume of water greater than the Amazon River’s total flow is released as water vapor by the leaves of the trees, providing rainfall that not only maintains Amazon forest but also maintains agriculture and city water supplies in other parts of Brazil and in neighboring countries. The water vapor is transported by winds known as “flying rivers” to São Paulo, the World’s fourth largest city, which depends on this water supply.

    Amazon destruction

    Given these catastrophic prospects, Brazil’s government should be acting decisively to halt the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and to lead the World in combatting climate change. These necessities are interrelated, as effective leadership is done through example and Brazil cannot continue to merely exhort other countries to reduce their emissions when its domestic decisions are acting to increase global warming. This includes the “bill of devastation”.

    Rapidly phasing out fossil fuel use is fundamental to containing global warming. The amount by which human society must reduce its emissions and the trajectory in time that this reduction must follow are determined by analysis of the best available data and climate models.

    The “Global Stocktake” by the Climate Convention, released at COP-28 in 2023, showed that anthropogenic emissions must decline by 43% by 2030 compared to 2023, and by 84% by 2050 to stay within the limit currently agreed under the Paris Agreement of 1.5 ºC above the pre-industrial average global temperature.

    This limit represents a tipping point both for the global climate system and for the Amazon forest. Above this point there is a sharp increase in the annual probability of uncontrollable feedbacks driving the system to a catastrophic shift or collapse.

    The mouth-of-the-Amazon project is critical. A massive auction of drilling rights, both onshore and offshore, is scheduled for 17 June, including 47 blocks in the mouth of the Amazon River.

    Environmental approval of the first “experimental” well (FZA-M-59) is viewed as the key to international oil companies being willing to bid on these blocks. The head of the Brazilian licensing agency (IBAMA) has been under intense pressure to approve the project.

    Oil project

    Within the licensing debate, the focus is almost entirely on whether Petrobras has the infrastructure and personnel to mount a rescue operation for marine wildlife in the event of an oil spill, rather than the more basic question of whether a leak could be plugged if it should occur.

    Unfortunately, there are strong indications that a leak could not be plugged for months or years, as the site has double the 1.5-km water depth at the Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico that spilled uncontrollably for five months in 2010, and the ocean currents are much stronger and more complex in the mouth of the Amazon.

    Petrobras constantly brags about its long experience with offshore oil extraction, but neither Petrobras nor any other company has plugged a leak at a location with the depth and complexity of the mouth-of-the-Amazon site.

    Containing global warming is inconsistent with opening new oil fields due to the economic logic of these projects, which is different from the economics of continued extraction of existing oilfields. This is what led the International Energy Agency (IEA) to recommend that no new oil or gas fields be opened anywhere in the World.

    In the case of the mouth of the Amazon project, the expectation is that it would take five years to begin commercial production and another five years to pay for the investment; since no one will want to stop with zero profit, the project implies extracting petroleum for many years after that – far beyond the time when the World must stop using oil as fuel.

    Petrobras claims that the mouth-of-the-Amazon project and other planned new oilfields are needed for Brazil’s “energy security” to guarantee that Brazilians will not lack fuel for their vehicles.

    The falsity of this argument is obvious from the fact that Brazil currently exports over half of the oil it extracts, and this percentage is expected to rise with the planned expansion. The reserves in Brazil’s existing oilfields are far greater than what the country can consume before fossil-fuel use must cease. In other words, the expansion of oil extraction is purely a matter of money.

    Another argument promoted by Petrobras and by President Lula is that the oil revenue is needed to pay for Brazil’s energy transition. While the energy transition must indeed be paid for, it should have a guaranteed place in Brazil annual budget, like health and education, and not be treated as something optional that depends on windfall financial gains.

    President Lula’s sleepwalk

    President Lula apparently lacks understanding of Brazil’s suicidal course towards a climate catastrophe. He has surrounded himself with proponents of projects with enormous climatic consequences, such as his minister of transportation who presses for Highway BR-319 and his minister of mines and energy and the president of Petrobras who push for the mouth-of-the-Amazon and other new oil and gas projects.

    Clearly, Lula does not listen to his minister of environment and climate change on these issues. He lives in a “disinformation space,” to use the term coined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinski to describe Donald Trump. The question of whether President Lula will awake from his sleepwalk before COP-30 in November is critical, as this is his opportunity to assume global leadership on climate change. Although there is no indication that this is likely, efforts to penetrate his disinformation space must continue.

    Philip Fearnside receives funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (FAPEAM), and the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede Clima).

    – ref. Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point – https://theconversation.com/brazils-bill-of-devastation-pushes-amazon-towards-tipping-point-259027

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quigley, Keating, & McGovern Reintroduce Bill To Provide War Risk Insurance To Commercial Vessels Trading With Ukraine

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

    On June 12, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Chair of the Ukraine Caucus, along with Congressman Bill Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee reintroduced the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act of 2025.

    As Russia continues its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, the United States must continue to provide vital support for Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its aggression, and assemble the support of our like-minded allies and partners who recognize that the seizure of land through military force is illegal and immoral. As part of broader efforts to support Ukraine, the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would help increase Ukrainian exports, ensure the Ukrainian agriculture sector can effectively deliver its products to the global market, and strengthen Ukraine’s economy as it defends itself from aggression.

    “Putin’s unprovoked war has upended every aspect of life for Ukrainians—including their economy. Amidst a constant state of fear and unease, Russia has deliberately targeted Ukraine’s thriving grain industry, limiting the country’s ability to export and threatening the food security of millions,” said Ukraine Caucus Co-Chair Quigley. “This legislation will counteract Putin’s malicious actions and help Ukraine increase its exports, strengthen its economy, and feed its people. This must be the first in many steps Congress takes to ensure Ukraine can continue its fight for freedom.”

    “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would allow the U.S. government to provide vital war risk insurance to NATO and partner vessels importing cargo into or exporting cargo from Ukraine,” said Ranking Member Keating. “As Russia’s war of aggression continues, the United States must expand its support for Ukraine and we must do all we can to ensure Ukraine is able to export grain to the global market.”

    “Ukraine’s fight is the world’s fight—and nowhere is that more evident than Russia’s malicious targeting of their ability to export grain, threatening food security for millions around the world,” said Ranking Member McGovern. “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would ensure Ukrainians can continue to participate in the global economy, and would provide critical insurance to those working to export grain and prevent starvation in food insecure areas around the world. Congress should pass this bill quickly to ensure that Ukraine can continue to fight back against Putin’s evil and unprovoked war of aggression.”

     Specifically, this legislation: 

    • Expands eligibility for war risk insurance to NATO and Ukrainian vessels participating in waterborne commerce importing cargo to or exporting cargo from Ukraine.
    • Establishes the Insurance for Ukraine Initiative to bolster confidence in Ukraine’s economic recovery, encourage investment in Ukraine’s economic recovery, promote closer economic integration with Ukraine, coordinate dialogue related to war risk insurance, and work with Ukraine and other partners to ensure the shipment of grain to and from Ukraine.
    • Directs the Secretary of State to provide diplomatic and political support to countries that provide war risk insurance for Ukraine, and to pursue a multilateral insurance mechanism through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to protect the shipment of grain and other commodities from Ukraine.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Local Operation Nets 117 Arrests of Violent Felons in Support of Operation Take Back America

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Boston, MA – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force arrested 117 fugitives for charges including homicide, robbery, sex offenses, felonious assault, felonious narcotics, and firearms violations. In support of Operation Take Back America, the USMS worked in collaboration with federal, state, and local partners with its latest high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative.

    The local operation dubbed, “Operation Spring Cleaning,” covered 45 operational days from March 31 to May 30, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 9 metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Brockton, Holyoke, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester. During the operation, investigators also seized 9 firearms, 544 rounds of ammunition and 188 grams of narcotics. The 9 Metropolitan areas selected for the operation were high crime areas identified by the federal initiative Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which was initially launched in 2001. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a comprehensive, collaborative, and data-driven initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime, particularly gun violence, in American communities. PSN focuses on fostering partnerships between law enforcement, community organizations, and other stakeholders to develop and implement strategic solutions.

    The operation also aimed to target individuals with ties to Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO). One significant arrest was an MS-13 gang member who was wanted out of Worcester Superior Court for charges of murder and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. He had a criminal history to include assaults and carrying dangerous weapons and been wanted since June 2024. He was arrested on May 30, 2025 in Pawtucket, RI by USMS MA and RI Fugitive Task Forces, Worcester PD, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and Pawtucket PD.

    “The success of this operation is truly a testament to the dedication to duty and the commitment to teamwork exhibited by our local, state, and federal partners,” said acting U.S. Marshal Matt Lawlor. “The USMS is committed to reducing violence in our communities by apprehending and removing violent offenders that are negatively impacting our local communities across the Commonwealth,” he added.

    The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. The Marshals have the broadest arrest authority among federal law enforcement agencies. The Marshals aid state and local agencies in locating and apprehending their most violent fugitives. Formed in 1999, the District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force is headquartered in Boston and coordinates federal, state, county, and local resources to develop collateral leads, gather intelligence, and track and apprehend targeted fugitives. Participants include the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department, Brockton Police Department, Cambridge Police Department, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Haverhill Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Sheriff’s Department, New Bedford Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield Police Department, Worcester Police Department, West Springfield Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Randolph Police Department, Quincy Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Democrats should be more open about their faith, Senator Coons tells Jesuitical podcast

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) joined Jesuitical, a podcast from America Media hosted by Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis, for an in-depth interview on Friday. Senator Coons reflected on his Protestant upbringing, expressed his belief that Democrats should be more open about sharing their faith in public life, and shared his thoughts on the election of the first American pope. 

    You can listen here. 

    Key excerpts:

    Early faith and upbringing 

    McKinless: You went to do relief work in Kenya when you were younger, you ended up going to Yale Divinity School. So what was the movement within you that led you to really own your own faith and want it to inform your professional life?

    Senator Coons: As a junior in college, I went to Kenya, and it was a program run by St. Lawrence University. The man who ran it… was the son of missionaries in Kenya, had grown up in Kenya. And the most powerful experience for me was the hospitality of the families I lived with. I lived with several different families in different parts of Kenya, who by our estimation, by an American estimation, were desperately poor. And by their estimation, were blessed and were rich, and really showed me in their prayer. And we went to church together.

    I still remember being at a church service in Ngong, a suburb of Nairobi. And it went on for four hours with great enthusiasm and great jubilation and parading and marching through town and music. 

    …. And so I’d have to say the time that I spent, first in Kenya, then in South Africa… set me to questioning and thinking about my priorities and my values.

    Why Democrats aren’t open about their faith

    Davis: Wanna move a little bit to some of the writing you’ve done about the need for Democrats to talk more openly about their faith. Forty percent, according to a Pew study of Democrats or people who lean democratic, are religiously unaffiliated. And I think most people, in the – at least in the popular imagination, sort of see the Republican Party having sort of a, they’re much more comfortable talking about their faith openly.

    Why do you think that is?

    Senator Coons: … I do think that Pew study about people who are unaffiliated, I think there is a much higher percentage of people I serve with who are Democrats, who are spiritual, who were raised in a specific faith tradition, but who do not publicly affiliate with it, but for whom the reason they went into elected service in the first place, was the view of neighbor, of service, of the importance of humility, of the urgency of acting for others and with others. Many of them, and I’m not going to start naming specific colleagues, but when I told them that tomorrow, this Tuesday, there’s a Pentecost witness, a moral witness against the consequences of the budget, the bill that the Republican majority is trying to move through, number of them said, ‘oh, that’s really good, that’s really interesting, I really support that.’

    I’m also a member of two different prayer groups here. One is explicitly bipartisan, the chaplain convenes and runs it, and it’s about equal numbers, Democrat and Republican. And the other is just Democrats, and it’s mostly focused on racial justice and inequality issues. But there’s many more elected Democrats in the Senate who are regular participants in a prayer breakfast or a reflection group or a spirituality group than you might imagine, given the popular understanding.

    How faith informs Democratic values

    McKinless: One thing that as Catholics we often say is that neither party can hold the fullness of Catholic teaching and to oversimplify things a bit, the Republican Party has been the one that embodies the church’s teaching on life issues and the Democratic Party on economic justice issues. And it seems like often one of those is seen as like optional in the national conversations of that being economic justice because there are different ways to pursue that and then life issues are more cut and dry. I’m curious how you think about that divide?

    Senator Coons: Pope Francis, when he came and addressed Congress, laid that out as clearly as one could have. I thought that was a remarkable address. It was powerful.

    … But he also talked about climate change, welcoming the migrant, the immigrant, economic injustice, wealth and poverty, the importance of organized labor, if I remember correctly. You know, I mean, he really spoke across the entire arc of the church’s teachings. And I often say that the gospels are neither a Democrat nor a Republican document. There’s no clear, thou shalt cut taxes, thou shalt give healthcare to all. I mean, it doesn’t say anything like that.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Putting Scotland’s Future in Scotland’s Hands

    Source: Scottish National Party

    Read John Swinney’s speech on independence at Scotland 2050 below:

    Thank you for that warm welcome.  It is encouraging to see so many people here today, invested in the future of our country and keen to work together to build it.  

    This is not only about the future of our country.  It is about our future.  And that of our children and our grandchildren.  

    I am up here speaking as a father, and grandfather, as well as First Minister.  This is about the world we build for Scotland’s next generation.  And how we make our nation – and, as much as we can, our world – the best it can possibly be.

    I spend a great deal of time thinking about this – about what we want our shared future to look like, and what we must do today to create it.

    But first, before turning to the Scotland we seek and the Scotland we have the ability to make, I want to share some details of a new analysis the government has published, Future Trends for Scotland.

    Drawing on a wide range of practitioner and other expert views, and shaped also by insights from young Scots, it sets out the trends we think are most likely to shape Scotland in the next 10 to 20 years. I hope that it can in some way shape your thinking, as it certainly will ours.

    It is about challenges as well as opportunities, and both are important. The challenges facing Scotland, known in the present and possible in the future, are many, but the opportunities are more. We must never forget that reality. 

    Each generation faces its challenges, many as great, greater even than the ones our generation faces today, and, let us remind ourselves, we have always found a way through. 

    With the Future Trends horizon scan, we have the best available Scotland specific analysis to inform our decisions, both now and for the future. 

    You will recognise some of the trends the work has identified.

    A growing risk to our democracy because of mis- and disinformation, with trust in institutions falling.

    Conflicts more frequent.

    Climate change impacting soil quality, biodiversity, food supply. 

    Global progress on inequality stalling.

    And, as a result of these and other global trends, increasing voluntary and involuntary migration.

    No guarantee living standards will increase, but a real risk of ongoing wealth and income inequality at home and significant budgetary pressures as we struggle to meet the demands of an aging population.

    But also, growing success for Scotland in fields such as space and life sciences, new opportunities in energy, and widespread adoption of AI alongside the emergence of quantum technology.

    Both hurdles and new horizons for our society and economy. Warnings where we need to change, or up the pace, but also doors opening, if we have the courage to walk through them with confidence, with boldness and self-belief.

    And it is by shaping strategy and policy towards achieving long-term outcomes that we will be ready for this new world as it evolves.  

    That is one of the reasons we are reforming the National Performance Framework so that it can provide us with a clear north star, with ambitious, citizen-centred outcomes to guide our choices and actions as we navigate this emerging new world.

    A reformed NPF will help reshape government in Scotland. It will enable us to better focus budgets, to reduce compartmentalisation and encourage collaboration between spheres of government, and with partners in the third sector and the business community. 

    It is one part, but an important part of focusing government on delivering on the priorities of the people of Scotland as we build towards our vision of a Scotland that is more vibrant, more successful, more ambitious even than the Scotland of today. 

    But before looking forward, I wish to first look back.

    As others have observed, the Scotland of 2050 is as far removed from us today as the Scotland into which our parliament was born.

    Over the past quarter century, much has changed but the Scotland of today is not some alien land compared to the Scotland of then. 

    We can see clearly the threads connecting our reality now with choices made in the years between. 

    Yes, day-to-day life in Scotland has been fundamentally altered by technology – from the iPhone and the internet to emergent AI – and by geopolitics – from the rise of China to the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By climate change, globalisation, deindustrialisation. 

    Changed also as a direct result of our disastrous withdrawal from the EU and by the wholly negative impacts of austerity in the UK on the vitality of our public services or on people’s living standards and quality of life. 

    But it has also been shaped, and changed for the better, by the Scottish Parliament’s ban on smoking, by minimum pricing on alcohol, or by our decisions to rapidly expand early learning and childcare, introduce HPV vaccination and modernise our school estate.

    Yes, the Scotland of 2050 will be shaped by a series of unpredictable forces, by new technologies we have only half-imagined in the pages of science fiction, by conflicts now only simmering, by people who are only just born. 

    But it will also be shaped by us. By the decisions we take, the policy choices we implement, the vision and path forward that we set out.

    That is a great responsibility, but for me it is also exciting, inspiring, and a he privilege to shape it as First Minister.

    So how do we get from where we are to where we want to be?

    A big part of the answer is ensuring that we are in charge of our own destiny. That we have our hands on all the levers we need to make the biggest difference.

    A fiscal squeeze, better dealt with if we are fully in charge of our nation’s finances.

    The complexities of navigating climate change, much easier if we are in charge of energy policy and our vast energy resources.

    Making sure we have a big enough working population to meet the demands of an aging population, more options, more solutions possible, if we are in charge of our immigration policy, or members again of the EU.

    But I will come back to that, to how we can truly put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.

    As we look around our land in 2050, my hope is that we see a modern, dynamic Scotland, a compassionate, enterprising, forward-looking nation state, back where it belongs at the heart of Europe.

    We have taken the climate challenge and seen it as an opportunity for a complete redesign of our ways of living. For example, district heating schemes in every community, an everyday part of life, delivering low-cost heating, and significantly lower energy bills. More liveable communities, full of climate positive, modern, affordable homes, with rethought and rediscovered High Streets. More of our food grown locally, and technology enabling more of what we use every day to be produced locally. 

    We are a clean energy nation, with the vast amounts of low-cost renewable energy that we produce fuelling a host of new business opportunities. Data centres, research centres, energy intensive manufacturing industries. Low-energy costs making it cheaper to produce food. Low-energy costs making it cheaper to heat our homes. Scotland a clean energy powerhouse. An energy rich Scotland finally meaning also energy rich Scots.

    We are a high-tech, clean tech country, with our public realm digitally transformed, high-tech solutions delivering more effective, more personalised health interventions, the right systems in place to manage the acute and support us more effectively as we enter old age.

    We have seen too-high levels of child poverty not in terms of handouts, but as a handbrake on our potential, as a limit on the success our nation can achieve. And we have acted decisively to eradicate child poverty in our land. As a result, we have released the potential of tens of thousands of ambitious, eager and talented young Scots, young men and women who are playing a crucial role, a fundamental role, in building our nation anew. 

    We have looked at our place in this world and decided that the union that offers the greatest opportunity, that provides the greatest security is the European Union.

    How do we get there? 

    In part, through the perhaps mundane reality of good government. That has been my focus since I became First Minister. Interventions in that vein like a realistic medium-term finance strategy, an effective population health strategy and a clear-eyed and mobilising programme of public sector reform – all initiatives being launched over the coming week.

    By having government focused on a clear set of priorities, and producing policy that is determined by the real-world, real-life needs of people rather than what might best suit the system. 

    Eradicating child poverty. Boosting economic growth. Delivering climate action. Improving public services, especially the NHS. This prioritisation of government action on those things that matter most to people, those things that will deliver the most for people, is at the very heart of what I am trying to achieve as First Minister. Listening to the public and addressing the strain they fell over the cost of living.

    It is also about collectively owning the vision and uniting in our determination to get there. It is about focusing our efforts behind a sharp and clear set of national outcomes and ambitious short-, medium- and longer-term national goals.

    However, most importantly, it is about deciding to take Scotland’s future into our own hands. 

    It is only by taking charge of our own destiny, with our own hand on the tiller, that we are better able to ride the waves of change, that we are better able to shape our own future.

    That does not mean a Scotland standing alone, but rather a nation that has worked out its place in the world, and the contribution it wants to make to the world. An ongoing deep and rich partnership with the other nations of these isles, absolutely, but ultimately as a nation state in our own right, as a Member State of the world’s largest trading block, the world’s biggest social and economic community, the European Union. 

    I have long believed that Scotland is an afterthought to successive UK governments. Scotland is not on Westminster’s radar in the same way, say, as London, the Midlands or the Southeast. From a UK perspective that is completely understandable, but from a Scottish perspective, to accept it is total madness. 

    It holds us back in ways big and small, leaving us waiting and praying, hoping that decisions taken at Westminster are not too damaging. 

    We are prey to a broken system and a failing economic model – a system that delivers for a very few at the very top, while living standards stagnate and real wages are squeezed for the vast majority.

    It means, as a nation, that we must try to thrive on what amounts, at worst, to poison pills and, at best, policy scraps from the UK table. 

    All this when we have the capacity to stand and flourish on our own two feet.

    I know there are many in this room who are not yet persuaded by the case for independence, and others who will never be. I respect that.

    But independence is the defining choice for this generation, have no doubt. Because the UK status quo has proved itself incapable of delivering on the hopes and ambitions of the people of Scotland.

    That is why, like a clear majority of Scots, I believe that our nation should have the right to choose.

    If this is a voluntary union, as Westminster politicians insist, then it is completely untenable that there is no mechanism for Scotland to leave the Union if it so wishes.

    Whether it is Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch or Nigel Farage, no Westminster politician should have the ability to deny Scotland her right to national self-determination. 

    I want to close today with a piece of poetry that I think perfectly captures this moment in time for our nation. It was written by Liz Lochhead, Scotland’s Makar from 2011 to 2016. It has just been given pride of place, alongside many other inspirational lines of poetry and prose, on the Canongate wall of the Scottish Parliament.

    She wrote,

    this

    our one small country . . .

    our one, wondrous, spinning, dear green place.

    What shall we build of it together

    in this our one small time and space?

    Today, you have heard something of my answer, something of my ambition for Scotland. It is a vision of a country that is fairer, wealthier, more at peace with itself than the Scotland of today. 

    A Scotland that is modern, dynamic and forward-looking, living in anticipation of what more can be done, what else can be achieved. Moving forward as one, moving forward with hope and self-belief.

    Such a Scotland is within reach, I have no doubt. But if we want it, we have to work for it, we have to vote for it, we have to actively, purposefully, and I hope also joyfully, make it happen.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –