NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to build new research facility to improve transportation safety

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 30, 2025 – Gatineau, Quebec

    The Government of Canada is investing in federal science to strengthen the safety of air, rail, marine and pipeline transportation systems that Canadians rely on every day. As part of the Laboratories Canada strategy, the government is developing the new Transportation Safety and Technology Science (TSTS) hub, which will transform how federal scientists and investigators work together by bringing them under one roof.

    Today, the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a contract to Bird Construction Group Ltd. for construction management services for the new TSTS hub, to be located at the main campus of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on Montréal Road in Ottawa, Ontario. The contract is expected to be valued at up to $410 million. The initial work package, covering advisory services and site preparation, has been issued at a value of $12.3 million.

    This marks a key step in the development of the new facility, which is being delivered through a collaborative approach under the Laboratories Canada strategy. The hub will serve as a shared space for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the NRC to conduct in-depth investigations and advance scientific research in transportation safety.

    Engineers and scientists at the facility will work with industry partners to develop cutting-edge safety technologies and reduce risks in the air, marine, rail and pipeline sectors. The facility will combine investigations with the design and testing of next-generation light materials for aerospace, creating new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

    The contract was awarded following an open and transparent procurement process. The full contract could also include over $40 million in economic benefits for Indigenous businesses and communities through subcontracts, training opportunities and employment. These benefits reflect the Government of Canada’s commitment to economic reconciliation through meaningful Indigenous participation in federal infrastructure projects.

    This facility is a key component of the Laboratories Canada strategy, which is transforming science infrastructure nationwide through safe, sustainable and flexible spaces that meet the evolving needs of Canada’s federal scientific community, today and into the future. Construction preparation is set to begin in fall 2025, with completion anticipated in 2030.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • Global universities seek to lure US-bound students amid Trump crackdown

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Universities around the world are seeking to offer refuge for students impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on academic institutions, targeting top talent and a slice of the billions of dollars in academic revenue in the United States.

    Osaka University, one of the top ranked in Japan, is offering tuition fee waivers, research grants and help with travel arrangements for students and researchers at U.S. institutions who want to transfer.

    Japan’s Kyoto University and Tokyo University are also considering similar schemes, while Hong Kong has instructed its universities to attract top talent from the United States. China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University has appealed for students at Harvard, singled out in Trump’s crackdown, promising “streamlined” admissions and “comprehensive” support.

    Trump’s administration has enacted massive funding cuts for academic research, curbed visas for foreign students – especially those from China – and plans to hike taxes on elite schools.

    Trump alleges top U.S. universities are cradles of anti-American movements. In a dramatic escalation, his administration last week revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students, a move later blocked by a federal judge.

    Masaru Ishii, dean of the graduate school of medicine at Osaka University, described the impact on U.S. universities as “a loss for all of humanity”.

    Japan aims to ramp up its number of foreign students to 400,000 over the next decade, from around 337,000 currently.

    Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds, a London-based analytics firm that ranks universities globally, said other leading universities around the world were trying to attract students unsure of going to the United States.

    Germany, France and Ireland are emerging as particularly attractive alternatives in Europe, she said, while in the Asia-Pacific, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and mainland China are rising in profile.

    SWITCHING SCHOOLS

    Chinese students have been particularly targeted in Trump’s crackdown, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday pledging to “aggressively” crack down on their visas.

    More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of U.S. colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for U.S. technology companies.

    International students – 54% of them from India and China – contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Trump’s crackdown comes at a critical period in the international student application process, as many young people prepare to travel to the U.S. in August to find accommodation and settle in before term starts.

    Dai, 25, a Chinese student based in Chengdu, had planned to head to the U.S. to complete her master’s but is now seriously considering taking up an offer in Britain instead.

    “The various policies (by the U.S. government) were a slap in my face,” she said, requesting to be identified only by her surname for privacy reasons. “I’m thinking about my mental health and it’s possible that I indeed change schools.”

    Students from Britain and the European Union are also now more hesitant to apply to U.S. universities, said Tom Moon, deputy head of consultancy at Oxbridge Applications, which helps students in their university applications.

    He said many international students currently enrolled at U.S. universities were now contacting the consultancy to discuss transfer options to Canada, the UK and Europe.

    According to a survey the consultancy ran earlier this week, 54% of its clients said they were now “less likely” to enrol at an American university than they were at the start of the year.

    There has been an uptick in applications to British universities from prospective students in the U.S., said Universities UK, an organisation that promotes British institutions. It cautioned, however, that it was too early to say whether that translates into more students enrolling.

    REPUTATIONAL EFFECTS

    Ella Ricketts, an 18-year-old first year student at Harvard from Canada, said she receives a generous aid package paid for by the school’s donors and is concerned that she won’t be able to afford other options if forced to transfer.

    “Around the time I was applying to schools, the only university across the Atlantic I considered was Oxford… However, I realised that I would not be able to afford the international tuition and there was no sufficient scholarship or financial aid available,” she said.

    If Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students is revoked, she would most likely apply to the University of Toronto, she said.

    Analytics firm QS said overall visits to its ‘Study in America’ online guide have declined by 17.6% in the last year — with interest from India alone down over 50%.

    “Measurable impacts on enrolment typically emerge within six to 18 months. Reputational effects, however, often linger far longer, particularly where visa uncertainty and shifting work rights play into perceptions of risk versus return,” said QS’ Turner.

    That reputational risk, and the ensuing brain drain, could be even more damaging for U.S. institutions than the immediate economic hit from students leaving.

    “If America turns these brilliant and talented students away, they will find other places to work and study,” said Caleb Thompson, a 20-year-old U.S. student at Harvard, who lives with eight international scholars.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI USA: Failure to Warn: How Federal Health Agencies Downplayed the Risk of Myocarditis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    Corruption of Science & Federal Health Agencies 

    On May 21, I held my first hearing as chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI). The focus was on how federal health agencies downplayed the risk of myocarditis and other adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination. 

    The best definition of science is skepticism and that hasn’t been allowed. We haven’t been able to ask the questions, and those who do are vilified. I ran for a third term because no one was advocating for the vaccine injured. It’s well past time for them to be believed and helped.

    For four years, the Biden administration tried to undermine access to information. My interim report, Failure to Warn: How Federal Health Agencies Downplayed the Risk of Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination,does not contain FOIA redactions and finally provides the public with a more complete understanding of the Biden administration’s awareness of the risks of myocarditis following COVID-19 injection.

    Here’s a brief timeline:

    • February 28, 2021: Israeli Ministry of Health notified officials at the CDC of “large reports of myocarditis, particularly in young people, following the Pfizer vaccine.”
    • April 12, 2021: DOD consultant presented to federal health officials that the vaccine safety surveillance system lacked the ability to detect reports of myocarditis. Consultant questioned colleagues: “If you do not ask, you will not see it, but does that mean it does not exist?”
    • End of April, 2021: Senator Johnson asks then NIH Director Francis Collins about VAERS reporting 2,926 deaths worldwide within 30 days of injection. Collins responds, “Senator, people die.”

    WATCH 5-minute clip: Senator Johnson reveals rest of the timeline in his opening statement or download and read his statement. 

    WATCH ENTIRE 3-HOUR HEARING: The Corruption of Science and Federal Health Agencies

    READ: Witness Testimony 

    The federal government was well aware of the myocarditis signal following COVID-19 vaccines, particularly in young men, as early as February 2021. Despite months of discussion and apparent acknowledgment of the safety concern, U.S. health officials decided not to issue a warning on the Health Alert Network. Watch this interview with Morning Wire.

    X Post (Ben Shapiro clip commenting on report findings calling it “insane and a massive scandal” )

    By downplaying and covering up what they knew about COVID-19 injection-induced myocarditis, federal health officials violated the inviolable principle of informed consent with their experimental jab.

    A few days later, I appeared on the Ben Shapiro Show and talked about this hearing. As you can watch in this interview, I told Ben this is the tip of the iceberg and there will be more bombshells to come. 

    Investigating Biden’s Cognitive Decline

    In other news from PSI, I announced that letters have been sent to former cabinet members of the Biden Administration requesting they appear before my Subcommittee for an interview about Biden’s cognitive capabilities during his presidency. Will these individuals finally tell the truth, or will they double down on their lies?

    The discrepancy between what Cabinet officials were telling the public about the former president’s health and what they were apparently witnessing and saying privately is astonishing, particularly considering that the former president was seeking reelection. After years of being lied to and kept in the dark, the public deserves full and complete transparency about what was known and when concerning President Biden’s health.

    READ —> Axios: GOP senator investigating White House handling of Biden’s health

    WATCH —> CNN or Fox News

    The Tucker Carlson Interview 

    I traveled to Maine for a wide-ranging interview with Tucker Carlson. The two-hour conversation covers my Senate investigations, why I cannot turn my back on the vaccine injuries, why I’m digging my heels in on the Big Beautiful Bill, and why I’m investigating 9/11. 

    You can watch the entire show on YouTube or where ever you get your podcasts. 

    One of the topics getting a lot of attention on social media from this podcast is when I revealed what cured my acid reflux.  

    In case anyone wants to know, this is what I take. 

    Around Wisconsin

    On May 28, I was invited to the Medical College of Wisconsin for their Public Policy Speaker Series. I appreciate the conversation facilitated by President/CEO Dr. John Raymond and the chance to hear the concerns of the health care and research community. 

    I always enjoy my visits to the Milwaukee Press Club for their Newsmaker Luncheon series. You can watch the entire event here. I encouraged the journalists to watch President Eisenhower’s Farewell Address to hear his four remarkable prescient warnings for America. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Man Charged in Maryland for Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud and Ponzi Schemes

    Source: US FBI

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed two indictments. The indictments charged a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).

    As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, and formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. The RPP tests were medically unnecessary, never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including tests for patients who were already deceased. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr caused the submission of more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to Medicare.  Medicare eventually paid out more than $5 million.

    According to the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti, Inc. and its affiliated entities. Through AeroVanti, a private air club offering members a la carte access to private jets, Britton-Harr encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which Top Gun members would have a securitized interest.

    Britton-Harr recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid approximately $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying the aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including paying for yachts and jewelry, his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. Then Britton-Harr attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5-million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he already claimed that he purchased with Top Gun funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.

    “It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” Hayes said. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law-enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”

    “The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” Galeotti said. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”

    “Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” DelBagno said. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”

    “Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together. HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve,” Dixon said. “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”   

    “The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services,” Thompson said. “The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”

    Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment connected to the AeroVanti scheme.

    If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG for their work in investigating these cases. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari D. Evans and Matthew P. Phelps and Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger, Criminal Division’s Fraud Section who are prosecuting these cases.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why auction of Buddha relics was called off and why it matters – an expert in Asian art explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen A Murphy, Pratapaditya Pal Senior Lecturer in Curating and Museology of Asian Art, SOAS, University of London

    The slick online catalogue entry for “Premium Lot 1, The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha” on the Sotheby’s Hong Kong website was abruptly replaced on May 7 with a single line notification: “The auction has been postponed.”

    Shortly afterwards, the associated webpages went blank. The only evidence remaining on Sotheby’s Hong Kong website was an entry on the Piprahwa gems’ history and a short YouTube promotional clip for the sale (below).

    Sotheby’s had first announced its intention to auction the relics on February 6 2025. Discovered in northern India in 1898 and thought to date to the third century BC, it was estimated they would fetch up to HK$100m (£9.7m). The collection was consigned by Chris Peppé on behalf of his family, who had inherited the relics from his great grandfather, William Caxton Peppé – a 19th-century British colonial landowner who owned an estate in India.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Reaction was muted at first, but as a scholar who researches the early history and archaeology of Buddhism and issues surrounding loot and restitution, I was gravely concerned by this proposed sale. Fortunately, I was not alone, and thanks to detailed research of SOAS colleagues such as Conan Cheong, Ashley Thompson and Thai academic Pipad Krajaejun, as well as protests from Buddhist devotees worldwide, a groundswell of disapproval began to grow.

    A letter sent to Sotheby’s by the British Maha Bodhi Society, and shared with me, states:

    Millions around the world, whether Buddhist or not, have religious and ethical concerns and believe that the sale of sacred items is morally wrong and offensive … Members of the Buddhist sangha [monkhood], as well as lay followers from all traditions, are appalled that the gems offered in devotional acts by the Buddha’s own clan, have been separated from his corporeal remains and are now being sold to the highest bidder.

    This disapproval turned into a tidal wave on May 5, two days before the planned auction, with the intervention of the Indian government – which is now threatening legal action against both Sotheby’s and the Peppé family, demanding that the relics be repatriated to India.

    In terms of his rights and those of his relatives to sell the relics, Chris Peppé previously had told the Guardian newspaper: “Legally, the ownership is unchallenged.”

    Sotheby’s confirmed to me that it and the Indian government are “currently in discussions regarding the Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, and are pleased to be working together to find the best possible outcome for all parties”.

    How we got here

    To understand how we reached this impasse, we must cast our eyes back to 19th-century British colonial India, then forward again to 2018-2023 and a number of high-profile exhibitions at some of the world’s most prestigious museums.

    In 1898, the family’s great grandfather, William Caxton Peppé, excavated a Buddhist reliquary monument (known as a stupa) on his estate in Piprahwa, northern India. He uncovered what is now considered by scholars to be the most significant cache of Buddhist relics found in India.

    The discovery included five reliquary urns containing gems, ash and bone fragments. An inscription on one suggested the remains could be those of the historical Buddha, who is thought to have been cremated around 200 years prior to their burial.

    The Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878 allowed Peppé to keep a portion referred to as “duplicates” (an art-history term used to justify the dividing up of similar material from a hoard or archaeological site that is very much frowned upon today). The British authorities gifted the bones and ash to King Chulalongkorn of Siam, who enshrined them in Bangkok and distributed portions to other Buddhist nations.

    The majority of the 1,800 gems, meanwhile, had been deposited in the Indian Museum in Kolkata. It is a longstanding issue, however, that the bulk of this collection remains locked away in the museum safe, off limits to Buddhists, the wider public and scholars alike. Perhaps the publicity surrounding the Peppé portion of the reliquary contents might prompt that museum to review this policy after 120 years.

    About ten years ago, armed with his inherited share of the relics, Chris Peppé began reaching out to museums worldwide, proposing to loan them. This, he recently stated, was to make them accessible to Buddhist devotees and the general public alike. Five museums took him up on the offer and, starting in 2018, duly curated high-profile exhibitions around them or incorporated them into larger shows.

    Chief among these was the 2023 blockbuster Tree And Serpent: Early Buddhist Art of India at the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, where Peppé took part in the exhibition symposium, delivering a lecture on the relics.

    Objects with a history of celebrated exhibitions tend to reach higher prices at auction. Whether the Peppé family intentionally built up the Piprahwa exhibition history with the aim of eventually auctioning the relics is unclear. I contacted Chris Peppé directly and posed this question to him, but he declined to comment.

    Tellingly, the Sotheby’s website included a scholarly article from 2023 in Orientations Magazine by John Guy, curator of the Tree and Serpent exhibition. But it was dated to February 2025, which perhaps inadvertently made it appear to have been written as an endorsement of the sale. In fact, the paper had been published to coincide with the exhibition. I contacted Guy about this, and he responded by saying:

    I regard the linking of my publication to the Sotheby’s sale as highly inappropriate and this was done without my knowledge or consent. The Met’s lawyers demanded that it be removed immediately, which was done, along with a written apology from Sotheby’s.

    When I spoke to Nancy Wong at Sotheby’s, she confirmed this, saying: “We apologised and immediately removed the relevant reference from our website.”

    Given the events of the past few weeks, the Peppé family now find themselves in a bind. With the Indian government engaged, and it may not be long before Sotheby’s drops them and the relics altogether. Despite their cultured facades and high-society veneers, auction houses are businesses, designed to make a profit – and any potential buyers may have been thoroughly scared off by recent events.

    It is hard, however, for me to have much sympathy for the family who could have prevented this whole affair by donating the relics to a Buddhist community or museum in the first place.

    Stephen A Murphy is a Senior Lecturer at SOAS, University of London. Prior to this he was a senior curator at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, from July 2014-October 2020 where an exhibition displaying the The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha took place in November 2022-March 2023.

    – ref. Why auction of Buddha relics was called off and why it matters – an expert in Asian art explains – https://theconversation.com/why-auction-of-buddha-relics-was-called-off-and-why-it-matters-an-expert-in-asian-art-explains-256379

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump sees himself as more like a king than president. Here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth

    The American Revolution was a result of the tyranny experienced by colonists under the British monarchy. Many Americans had fled from Europe where they had been persecuted under the rule of powerful monarchs. The government produced by the revolution was designed to ensure no such tyranny could be reproduced in the newly formed United States.

    The framers of the constitution created a checks-and-balances system of government to ensure that no single branch of the federal government (executive, judicial or legislative) could dominate the others. Each branch has powers to curtail or empower the others.

    However, some Americans are concerned about a return of absolute rule due to the steps taken by Donald Trump’s second administration. This has sparked around 100 “no kings” protests all over the US, organised to coincide with Trump’s birthday on June 15.

    Increasing presidential power

    The second Trump administration has made a determined effort to strengthen presidential power and reduce oversight of the executive branch (the presidency). Achieving this could mean the president acting in an arbitrary manner similar to absolute monarchs of the past, free of congressional or judicial interference.

    Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, which has been passed in the House of Representatives and now must go to the Senate, contains certain provisions that strengthen the role of the president and undermine the checks-and-balances system.

    Previous presidents, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt during the New Deal era of the 1930s, had many of their executive orders cancelled by Supreme Court rulings. Over the last five months, the judiciary has ruled on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive actions, putting at least 180 on hold.

    As a consequence, the president has continually questioned the validity of the courts to act. At last week’s West Point graduation ceremony, Trump claimed that last November’s election result “gives us the right to do what we wanna do to make our country great again”.

    As Robert Reich, the former US secretary of labor, wrote recently, this “big beautiful bill” will remove the courts’ ability to hold executive officials in contempt and undermine any efforts to stop the administration. Supreme Court rulings could be ignored by the executive branch, and Congress would be unable to enforce its subpoenas and laws. “Trump will have crowned himself king,” Reich concluded.

    Just like the judicial branch, the legislative branch (Congress) also has the ability to check the executive branch. Congress can override the presidential veto if both the House and Senate pass legislation with a two-thirds majority. And the executive branch (the president) cannot fund any initiatives without the budget being approved by Congress first.

    But Trump and his supporters have minimised the impact that Congress can have on this particular bill by including all of the provisions within a budget reconciliation bill. This is a special legislative procedure that is designed to pass bills through Congress quickly.

    Bills usually require 60 votes to bypass a filibuster – a tactic used by senators to delay voting on the bill by refusing to end the debate and speaking for exceptionally long times without a break.

    But because this is a budget reconciliation, it only requires a majority – 51 votes – to pass the Senate. And because the Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate, Trump is confident the bill will pass without any Democratic interference.

    The House narrowly passed the bill, despite some opposition from Republicans. And some Republican senators have also expressed concerns. But this is the latest move to centralise greater power within the presidency.

    Trump makes the commencement speech at the West Point military academy.

    Trump v the courts

    Trump’s apparent belief that he is above the law has, in part, been supported by last year’s Supreme Court ruling which stated that former presidents had immunity from prosecution for official presidential acts. The Trump v United States decision decided such acts included command of the military, control of the executive branch, and execution of laws.

    However, this week’s federal court ruling on the legality of Trump’s economic tariffs represents a setback to the administration’s efforts to strengthen presidential power. The Court of International Trade ruled that the White House’s use of emergency powers did not grant it the authority to impose tariffs on every country, and that the constitution states such power resides within Congress.

    The Trump administration immediately said it would be appealing the decision. “It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency,” Kush Desai, the White House deputy press secretary, said on the ruling, and that Trump would use “every lever of executive power” to “restore American greatness”.

    All of which has led Trump to quote another authoritarian leader, Napoleon, on social media. His post – “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law” – was a clear rebuke to those who have tried to limit executive authority while he has been in office, and echoes that of former president Richard Nixon who, in an interview with David Frost about the Watergate scandal, argued that the constitution allowed the president to break the law.

    This is an extension of the notion that Article II of the constitution has granted the president the authority to act without checks and balances when dealing with the executive branch. It is a theory much touted within Project 2025, believed to be the blueprint for the Trump presidency.

    There are other historical comparisons that could be made of Trump’s authoritarian actions, such as the rule of Charles I of England (1625-49), who believed he could govern without consulting parliament except when he needed to raise taxes to conduct overseas campaigns. Ultimately, this led to a period of civil wars and the execution of the king for treason.

    While none of these consequences are likely to be replicated, it is clear the US is currently in a constitutional crisis. The Supreme Court has a number of rulings to make on the judicial challenges to Trump’s executive authority. These will have generational consequences – but it is unclear in which way the court, where conservative judges have a 6-3 majority, will lean.

    While Trump may not be seeking a crown for his head, he is certainly arguing that he has the right to control the executive branch in the way he sees fit, without any interference from Congress or the judiciary. This is not the separation of powers as prescribed by the framers of the US constitution, but more like the absolutism of medieval monarchs.

    Dafydd Townley 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. Trump sees himself as more like a king than president. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/trump-sees-himself-as-more-like-a-king-than-president-heres-why-257700

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why police released the ethnicity of Liverpool parade crash suspect

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John McGarry, Senior Lecturer in Law, Leeds Beckett University

    Within hours of a driver ramming into a crowd at Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade, injuring 65 people, Merseyside Police shared in a press release that they had arrested a suspect. Unusually, the announcement included the race and nationality of the person arrested – a 53-year-old white British man.

    This was a stark contrast to the previous summer, when speculation about the ethnicity of a 17-year-old arrested for the murder of three young girls in Southport led to public disorder and riots around the country.

    The question of what police and the public can say about an ongoing legal case and when is governed by contempt of court laws, which cover a wide range of behaviour in the UK. They prevent conduct which may disrupt legal proceedings, such as shouting out in court or otherwise causing a disturbance. They also prohibit publications which create “a substantial risk” that legal proceedings “will be seriously impeded or prejudiced”, and ensure that court orders are followed.

    A recent House of Commons report suggested that the laws of contempt are not fit for the social media age. The report came after the public disorder which followed the murders of three girls by Axel Rudakubana in Southport in July 2024.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

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    It is widely accepted that in the Southport case, misinformation spread via social media – specifically, that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker called Ali-Al-Shakati – helped to fuel the disorder. Merseyside Police’s decision to quickly publish the ethnicity of the man arrested in Liverpool suggests they were acting to prevent a repeat of the August 2024 riots.

    The police were restricted in the information they could release after Southport. Separate from the contempt laws, the Children and Young Persons Act prohibits the publication of material that may identify a person under 18 involved in youth court proceedings, and a judge may order anonymity in other criminal proceedings.

    The laws of contempt also prohibited the release of information which might have prejudiced any future trial. For example, that Rudakubana had previous criminal convictions and had been referred three times to Prevent, the anti-terrorism scheme.

    Police responded to riots around the country in August 2024 after misinformation spread about the suspect arrested for the murder of three girls in Southport.
    Ian Hamlett/Shutterstock

    The police did try to combat false information about the case in the days following the Southport attack, but it was too late. They shared that the suspect had been born in Cardiff and that the name circulating on social media was incorrect. However, they could have released more information more quickly, even under the current contempt laws, including details such as Rudakubana’s ethnicity.

    The Law Commission, an independent statutory body charged with reviewing the law of England and Wales and suggesting reforms, has said it is an “open question” whether the publication of more information could have prevented or mitigated the disorder after Southport.

    But the events after Southport are probably why Liverpool was handled differently. Merseyside Police broke from their previous approach of not releasing ethnicity details (except in cases of missing persons or people on the run). Earlier in May, the police inspectorate published a report on the Southport response, saying police forces “need to better appreciate how fast-moving events will require them to counter false narratives online”.

    However, simply releasing the race of the man arrested in Liverpool hasn’t fully filled the information void. A man’s photo was circulated on social media, wrongly identifying him as the person arrested.

    It also risks setting a precedent for future cases. If police release a suspect’s ethnicity, some people will make assumptions about whether their ethnicity is linked to a motive for an attack, and may spread misinformation that may prejudice a trial or cause disorder. But if they don’t release the ethnicity, some people may still make assumptions about why police have kept it secret. In either case, misinformation is likely to spread.

    Fit for the social media age?

    Both of these cases raise concerns about whether current laws are fit for purpose, in an age when information spreads quickly – regardless of whether it is true – on social media.

    Regardless of what the police make public, the real challenge is that anyone with a smartphone can instantly comment on any event, and may not know they are putting themselves at risk of committing a contempt of court offence.

    In 2019, actress Tina Malone received a suspended sentence of eight months for breaching a court order prohibiting the release of information about the murderers of James Bulger. She shared a social media post which claimed to provide the new identity and a picture of Jon Venables. Malone told the court that she was unaware that she was doing anything wrong.

    Newspapers have often been the subject of contempt of court cases. But in theory, anyone who shares a post by a publication later found to be in contempt could be implicated too.

    Committing contempt can carry a sentence of up to two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was recently released from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for repeatedly breaching a court order.



    Read more:
    Sarah Everard: social media and the very real danger of contempt of court

    The attorney general has launched campaigns to educate the public on the risks, but whether they’ve had any effect is questionable. Even politicians, including those in government, have made social media posts which come very close to being in contempt of court.

    The Law Commission recently described the contempt laws as “disorganised and, at times, incoherent”. It launched a consultation in July 2024 on proposals to reform the law.

    The laws of contempt, which have developed piecemeal over centuries, are not well known or understood. But they are an important part of the legal system, and they attempt to strike a balance between freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial, and to ensure that both victims and defendants receive justice. In the current climate, they need to be made much clearer.

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

    – ref. Why police released the ethnicity of Liverpool parade crash suspect – https://theconversation.com/why-police-released-the-ethnicity-of-liverpool-parade-crash-suspect-255462

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

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

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Millions of US children have parents with substance use disorder, and the consequences are staggering − new research

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ty Schepis, Professor of Psychology, Texas State University

    Alcohol is the most common substance misused by parents. igorr1/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    About 1 in 4 U.S. children – nearly 19 million – have at least one parent with substance use disorder. This includes parents who misuse alcohol, marijuana, prescription opioids or illegal drugs. Our estimate reflects an increase of over 2 million children since 2020 and an increase of 10 million from an earlier estimate using data from 2009 to 2014.

    Those are the key findings from a new study my colleagues and I published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

    To arrive at this estimate, our team used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2023, the most recently released year of data. Nearly 57,000 people ages 12 and up responded.

    Why it matters

    As a researcher who studies substance use in adolescents and young adults, I know these children are at considerable risk for the disorder, and other mental health issues, such as behavioral problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

    Substance use disorder is a psychiatric condition marked by frequent and heavy substance use. The disorder is characterized by numerous symptoms, including behaviors such as driving while intoxicated and fights with family and friends over substance use.

    This disorder also affects a parent’s ability to be an attentive and loving caregiver. Children of these parents are more likely to be exposed to violence, initiate substance use at a younger age, be less prepared for school and enter the child welfare system. They are also more likely to have mental health problems both as children and as adults, and they have a much higher chance of developing a substance use disorder in adulthood.

    Despite the new study’s findings, mental health programs for children at risk could be cut.

    Of the 19 million children, our study found about 3.5 million live with a parent who has multiple substance use disorders. More than 6 million have a parent with both a substance use disorder and significant symptoms of depression, anxiety or both. Alcohol is by far the most common substance used, with 12.5 million children affected.

    Our 19 million estimate is significantly larger than an earlier estimate based on older data. That study, which reviewed data from 2009 to 2014, indicated that 8.7 million U.S. children – or roughly 1 in 8 – lived with a parent, or parents, with substance use disorder. That’s a difference of about 10 million children.

    This happened primarily because between the time of the two studies – from 2014 to 2023 – the criteria for diagnosing someone with substance use disorder became broader and more inclusive. That change alone accounted for more than an 80% jump in the estimate of children affected by parental substance use disorder. There was also a further increase of 2 million in the number of affected children since 2020, which reflects the rising number of parents with a substance use disorder.

    What’s next

    There is a critical need to better identify parents with substance use disorder and the children who are affected by it. In my experience, many pediatric clinicians screen children for substance use, but they are much less likely to screen accompanying parents. So the first step is to make such screenings common and expected for both children and their adult caregivers.

    But that is not the case now. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an expert panel that recommends screening and prevention best practices for clinicians, does not yet recommend such a screening for children, although that could help direct those in need to treatment and prevent the worst outcomes from substance use disorder.

    Additional intervention, which requires funding, is needed from federal, state and local government. This may seem fanciful in an age of scrutinized government budgets. But the alternative is a bill that comes due later: millions of adults exposed to this disorder at an early age, only to struggle decades later with their own substance use and mental health problems.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Ty Schepis receives funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Any views expressed are those of Dr. Schepis and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH/NIDA, the FDA, or SAMHSA. These funders had no role in any articles, and there was no editorial direction or censorship from the funders.

    – ref. Millions of US children have parents with substance use disorder, and the consequences are staggering − new research – https://theconversation.com/millions-of-us-children-have-parents-with-substance-use-disorder-and-the-consequences-are-staggering-new-research-256979

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State University

    The Mexican-American community in southwest Detroit held a rally in March 2025, asking ICE to leave the immigrant community alone. Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Detroit’s population grew in 2024 for the second year in a row. This is a remarkable comeback after decades of population decline in the Motor City.

    What explains the turnaround? One factor may be Detroit’s efforts to attract and settle immigrants.

    These efforts continue despite a dramatic national shift in tone toward new arrivals. This includes executive orders from the second Trump administration targeting immigrant communities, international students and their universities, and cities in which immigrants live.

    We study urban geography and immigrant integration. Despite these federal policy shifts, our own research and that of others has found that local leaders in cities across the U.S. are actively working to bring immigrants in and help them become part of local communities, generally for economic reasons.

    Our recent publications on immigrant integration and immigrant community engagement show how and why cities adapt to changes in their population and economies.

    Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas such as Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri experienced significant immigration in the early 20th century. These population booms were followed by a period of decline in immigration numbers.

    Now these cities are using branding strategies to construct inclusive identities designed to attract and retain immigrants. It may be surprising to think of a city branding itself, but local governments often work with private nonprofits to shape and manage their city’s image. They try to build a unique and desirable identity for the city, differentiate it from competitors, and attract new businesses, residents and tourists this way.

    Here are three reasons why Detroit and other cities want to welcome immigrants:

    1. Encouraging economic growth and attracting talent

    Immigration has a positive impact on the economy, research shows.

    Local leaders in Detroit recognize that in a global economy, a thriving industrial sector and robust labor market are linked to the contributions of immigrant communities. They also understand that the growth of these communities brings positive economic ripple effects.

    Immigrants are more likely than the general population to own their own businesses. Organizations such as Global Detroit encourage entrepreneurship through programs such as the Global Talent Retention Initiative, Global Talent Accelerator and Global Entrepreneur in Residence and provide resources for small businesses.

    Immigrants also fill labor needs, from high-tech fields such as engineering and research to manual labor sectors such as construction and food service.

    The City of Detroit Office of Immigrant Affairs promotes economic development and immigrant integration through education, English as a second language programs, economic empowerment and community resources.

    These efforts are paying off by attracting immigrants to the city.

    This economic impact extends to tourism as well. The region’s marketing campaigns embracing diversity shape how visitors perceive the region. The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau spotlights the unique experiences the city’s diverse neighborhoods offer to tourists.

    2. Enhancing community and regional resilience

    Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.

    Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.

    According to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area grew by 1.2%, from a total population of 4,291,843 in 2010 to 4,342,304 in 2023.

    According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.

    From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.

    Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.

    3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement

    Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.

    Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.

    Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.

    Forging a way forward

    Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.

    And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.

    Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.

    Paul N. McDaniel previously received funding from the National Geographic Society, served on the Content Advisory Board for the Welcoming Standard and on the Steering Committee for Welcoming America’s One Region Initiative, and is a member of the American Association of Geographers.

    Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez was co-PI on funding received from the National Geographic Society and served on the national pilot program with Welcoming America One Region Initiative’s Steering Committee and Program Evaluation Team.

    – ref. Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline – https://theconversation.com/detroits-population-grew-in-2023-2024-a-strategy-to-welcome-immigrants-helps-explain-the-turnaround-from-decades-of-population-decline-255557

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Supreme Court’s gender ruling has implications for the workplace. Here’s what employees can expect

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Lord, Lecturer in Human Resource Management and Employment Law, University of Salford

    studiocho/Shutterstock

    In April 2025, the UK’s Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers, offering long-awaited clarification on how “sex” should be interpreted under the Equality Act 2010. The court ruled that, for the purposes of this legislation, “woman” refers to biological sex, not gender identity.

    The decision sparked intense debate across political, legal, and social spheres. But beyond the controversy, one crucial question remains: what does this mean for employers and employees?

    For managers, the implications are significant. Legal obligations must now be understood within a clarified framework that distinguishes between biological sex and gender reassignment.

    Employers face legal risks such as unlimited compensation at an employment tribunal. There’s also the potential fallout in terms of their reputation, as well as internal tensions as staff navigate issues of identity, belief and inclusion.

    The Supreme Court case centred on whether Scottish legislation could expand the definition of “woman” to include transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC). The court ruled it could not, reaffirming that the Equality Act defines “woman” and “man” by reference to biological sex. While the Act separately protects people with the characteristic of gender reassignment, the two are not interchangeable in law.

    This ruling has wide-reaching implications for how single-sex services – such as women-only refuges, sports or changing facilities – can be structured. Under Schedule 3 of the Equality Act, providers may offer single-sex services where it is a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim”. The judgement affirms that such services must now be assessed strictly through the lens of biological sex.

    For employers, this means they are required to navigate a more tightly defined legal landscape. The Equality Act 2010 recognises both sex and gender reassignment as protected characteristics. While single-sex spaces are lawful in limited, justifiable contexts, the legal bar for exclusion remains high.

    In practical terms, employers must ensure that provision of single-sex facilities – such as toilets, showers and changing rooms – complies with the Act.

    Any such policies must be rooted in demonstrable need, such as privacy, dignity or safety concerns, and must not cause undue harm to trans employees. Providing gender-neutral or private alternatives is increasingly seen as good practice to minimise legal and reputational risk.

    There is a real risk of legal claims on either side. Cisgender women may bring claims where their rights to single-sex spaces are perceived to be undermined. Meanwhile, trans individuals may claim indirect discrimination if reasonable adjustments such as updating internal systems (email or ID badges, for example) or offering a uniform to reflect the employee’s identity are not made.

    Employers must ensure that decisions on workplace design or service provision are evidence-based, proportionate and reviewed regularly.

    What employers should be offering

    Navigating this complex issue demands more than legal compliance. At its core, this is about people – and creating a respectful and inclusive workplace culture that values all employees.

    Employers should review and reinforce workplace values through:

    • clear dignity and respect policies that ensure staff are aware of lawful protections for both sex-based and gender identity rights

    • voluntary and inclusive communication practices, such as the optional use of pronouns in email signatures or profiles

    • training for managers and staff on both the legal framework and the lived realities of trans and gender-critical perspectives

    • robust mechanisms for resolving disputes that treat all complaints sensitively and without bias.

    Such steps will not only mitigate legal risk, they can also foster trust, morale and retention in a diverse workforce.

    Employee handbooks and HR policies should be checked and updated if necessary so that all staff know what they are entitled to.
    Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Shutterstock

    Employers must review whether their facilities and HR policies comply with the clarified legal interpretation.

    In terms of facilities, where single-sex provisions exist, employers should ensure that they serve a clear and proportionate aim. This might be a female-only changing room in a fitness centre or healthcare setting where staff or service users are required to undress. Or it could be a women-only toilet or shower facility in a refuge for survivors of domestic abuse.

    At the same time, gender-neutral or private alternatives should be considered to meet the needs of trans and non-binary employees.

    And when it comes to HR and equality policies, employee handbooks, inclusion strategies and grievance procedures should be updated in line with the ruling. Employers should carry out impact assessments to determine whether any group is indirectly disadvantaged. They should then clearly document any steps for mitigation.

    One of the most sensitive implications of the ruling is how employers manage conflicting beliefs. Some employees may have gender-critical views, while others consider gender identity as central to inclusion.

    Following the decision in the Forstater v CGD Europe case, these views – if expressed respectfully – are protected under the Equality Act’s provisions on religion or belief. Employers must walk a careful line: upholding lawful freedom of belief while enforcing respectful conduct.

    Best practice includes things like promoting freedom of expression without tolerating harassment or abuse, avoiding compelled speech (for example, forced pronoun use) while encouraging inclusive language, and offering mediation where tensions arise between staff.

    The key is balance. It should be possible to protect all employees’ rights while ensuring that no one feels unsafe or undermined. Some gender-critical employees may feel legally vindicated in expressing sex-based views. Others, particularly trans and non-binary staff, may feel their identities are being questioned or their inclusion diminished.

    Workplace dignity policies must ensure that everyone is treated respectfully and fairly. As such, employers must carefully manage interpersonal dynamics and provide clear channels for raising concerns.

    The Supreme Court ruling does not strip rights – it clarifies the legal terrain. For employers, the priority should be legal clarity, respectful inclusion and thoughtful leadership. This is not a time for reactive or ideological responses. Rather, it calls for policies that are lawful, proportionate and based on the principles of fairness and dignity.

    By updating facilities, reviewing policies, training staff and managing conflict with integrity, employers can ensure that their workplaces uphold the law while building a culture of trust and mutual respect. The law has spoken, and now it’s time for employers to lead.

    Jonathan Lord 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. The Supreme Court’s gender ruling has implications for the workplace. Here’s what employees can expect – https://theconversation.com/the-supreme-courts-gender-ruling-has-implications-for-the-workplace-heres-what-employees-can-expect-257677

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue Kicks Off in Singapore Amid Geopolitical Tensions

    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

    SINGAPORE, May 30 (Xinhua) — The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense and security summit, opened here on Friday amid geopolitical tensions.

    This year, representatives from 47 countries are participating in the dialogue, including 40 minister-level delegates, 20 chiefs-of-defence delegates, more than 20 senior military officials, as well as eminent academics, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said.

    French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a keynote speech on Friday evening in which he is expected to portray France and Europe as supporters of international cooperation and rules-based trade.

    Analysts expect regional cooperation, U.S. security policy, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict to be key topics at the conference. The fallout from the U.S. tariff hike is also likely to draw attention. Officials will use the platform to reassure partners and find guidance in an increasingly multipolar security landscape.

    The dialogue will last from May 30 to June 1. –0– Oleg

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM and Partners Meet in Istanbul to Strengthen Cooperation on Migrant Protection and Governance

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Istanbul, 30 May 2025 – This week, government representatives and International Organization for Migration (IOM) staff from 14 partner countries gathered in Istanbul for the the Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions (COMPASS) Global Meeting. Co-hosted by IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, this flagship event held from 27 to 29 May brought together partners to strengthen cooperation on migration governance and the protection of migrants under the COMPASS initiative.

    “The COMPASS initiative is not only about protecting migrants but also about building systems that work for everyone,” said Warner Ten Kate, Head of the Migration and Development Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, during the event. “Migration is, by its nature, a transnational phenomenon that requires a comprehensive approach and cooperation, and we are proud to work alongside IOM and our partner countries to drive this systemic, sustainable change.”

    Launched in 2021 and now in its second phase (2024–2027), COMPASS is a comprehensive protection programme implemented in 14 countries across Africa and the Middle East. The programme contributes to strengthening migration governance systems, multistakeholder cooperation, and protecting and upholding the rights of migrants. In 2024, the programme provided protection assistance to over 35,500 migrants, including over 1,400 who benefited from return support. Additionally, more than 1,000 policymakers received training or tools to support migrant protection, according to the full 2024 data report.

    “COMPASS is a shared commitment to improving migration governance by addressing common challenges through sustainable solutions,” said Vincent Houver, IOM Director of the Department of Mobility Pathways and Inclusion. “This partnership between IOM, the Netherlands, and partner countries brings together strategic vision, flexible financing, operational expertise, and local leadership. It fosters strong and equal cooperation across countries of origin, transit, and destination and sets a global benchmark for effective, innovative migration responses that place migrant protection at the core.”

    During the meeting, delegates shared each country’s experience with project implementation and key achievements from COMPASS Phase II, reflected on lessons learned, and discussed strategic priorities in areas such as legal identity, localization, and specialized protection. Interactive sessions also focused on data-driven programme adaptability, community-based initiatives, and the critical role of local partnerships in achieving lasting impact.

    A COMPASS marketplace added a dynamic element to the event, with country teams showcasing local innovations and programme highlights, while global teams presented tools and resources designed to drive solutions and foster collaboration with partners and stakeholders.

    About COMPASS

    COMPASS (Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions) is a joint initiative of IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Now in its second phase, it supports migrant protection, migration governance and community-led solutions in 14 countries, through systemic, adaptable, and people-centred approaches.

    Watch the video of our 2024 achievements or visit our website, www.iom.in/compass, to learn more about the programme.

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nova Scotia Removes More Interprovincial Trade Barriers

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The government is continuing to show leadership by removing more interprovincial trade barriers to grow Nova Scotia’s economy and build a stronger Canada.

    New regulations will allow more types of commercial trucks and other passenger vehicles to enter and operate in the province, supporting the movement of goods and services across the country. Previously, certain vehicles have not been allowed in Nova Scotia even though they are registered in another jurisdiction.

    The Province will be introducing legislative changes to enhance the new Traffic Safety Act in the fall, which will enable these changes to be made permanent.

    “Nova Scotia wants to see free trade nationwide, and we are leading by looking within our own regulations and practices to see where we can remove barriers,” said Premier Tim Houston. “If a vehicle can operate in another province or territory, it should be able to operate in Nova Scotia. We are removing needless and burdensome barriers. This is another example of how we are taking a Team Canada approach to creating a more prosperous future.”

    In recognizing out-of-province registrations, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles will still have the ability to place special conditions on a vehicle’s operation to ensure safety and protect infrastructure, as is the case with Nova Scotian vehicles. This could include limiting commercial vehicle access to certain roads and bridges and age requirements for passengers in passenger vehicles.

    Vehicles will be required to comply with all other existing provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, including inspections and insurance.

    Nova Scotia is also announcing plans to amend the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations to allow factory-built (modular) buildings that meet the National Building Code to be installed in the province without having to meet additional Nova Scotia-specific standards.

    Currently, manufacturers are required to redesign the same building model for every province depending on that province’s standards. This increases costs, causes delays and creates barriers for standardization and interprovincial trade.

    “Both of these moves are to address unique and urgent challenges brought on by the trade war and housing crisis,” said Premier Houston. “It is about fairness for workers, opportunity for businesses and respect for Canadians’ right to move, work and trade freely across their own country, and it’s about getting people into safe and affordable housing, faster.”

    The proposed amendments to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations will:

    • enhance productivity and accelerate the development of new modular housing
    • allow modular construction contractors to work to one national code, rather than individual provincial codes
    • position Nova Scotia as national leaders in housing innovation and reduction of interprovincial trade barriers
    • position Nova Scotia as an easy export destination for modular housing and invite reciprocal recognition for Nova Scotian manufacturers from other provinces and territories.

    The proposed changes to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations only apply to factory-built construction.

    Quick Facts:

    • the amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act regulations and the Building Code Act regulations fulfill the intent of the Province’s Free Trade and Mobility Within Canada Act by removing key interprovincial barriers
    • the Motor Vehicle Act regulations take effect Tuesday, June 3, and these changes will be evaluated to inform future regulatory updates
    • most of the vehicles not previously allowed in the province were certain types of commercial trucks and low-speed vehicles
    • the 45-day public notice period required for any changes to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations will be held

    Additional Resources:

    News release – Legislation to Remove Barriers to Trade: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/02/25/legislation-remove-barriers-trade

    Registration, driving and road safety information: https://novascotia.ca/driving-and-road-safety/

    Department of Public Works on X: https://x.com/NS_PublicWorks

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Personal Income and Outlays, April 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    Personal income increased $210.1 billion (0.8 percent at a monthly rate) in April, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $189.4 billion (0.8 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $47.8 billion (0.2 percent).

    Personal outlays—the sum of PCE, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments—increased $48.6 billion in April. Personal saving was $1.12 trillion in April and the personal saving rate—personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 4.9 percent.

    The increase in current-dollar personal income in April primarily reflected increases in government social benefits to persons and in compensation.

    The $47.8 billion increase in current-dollar PCE in April reflected an increase of $55.8 billion in spending on services that was partly offset by a decrease of $8.0 billion in spending for goods.

    From the preceding month, the PCE price index for April increased 0.1 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index also increased 0.1 percent.

    From the same month one year ago, the PCE price index for April increased 2.1 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 2.5 percent from one year ago.

    Personal Income and Related Measures
    [Percent change from Mar. to Apr.]
    Current-dollar personal income 0.8
    Current-dollar disposable personal income 0.8
    Real disposable personal income 0.7
    Current-dollar personal consumption expenditures (PCE) 0.2
    Real PCE 0.1
    PCE price index 0.1
    PCE price index, excluding food and energy 0.1
    For definitions, statistical conventions, updates to PIO, and more, visit “Additional Information.”

    Next release: June 27, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    Personal Income and Outlays, May 2025

    Technical Notes

    Changes in Personal Income and Outlays for April

    The increase in personal income in April reflected increases in government social benefits to persons and in compensation.

    • The increase in government social benefits to persons was led by an increase in Social Security payments, reflecting payments associated with the Social Security Fairness Act.
    • The increase in compensation was led by private wages and salaries, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Employment Statistics (CES). Wages and salaries in services-producing industries increased $53.1 billion. Wages and salaries in goods‑producing industries decreased $3.1 billion.

    Revisions to Personal Income

    Estimates have been updated for October through March. Revisions for October through December for compensation, personal taxes, and contributions for government social insurance reflect the incorporation of fourth-quarter wage and salary data from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. The estimates for January through March reflect updated BLS CES data. The revision to Social Security benefits for March reflects information on retroactive payments associated with the Social Security Fairness Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Confirmation of Three Cabinet Members

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the confirmation of three members of her cabinet.

    “New Yorkers deserve smart, experienced professionals at every level of government, and these leaders have distinguished themselves as public servants,” Governor Hochul said. “Our Administration is laser focused on making New York safer and more affordable, and these three commissioners will play pivotal roles in our work to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. “

    The following Commissioners were confirmed by the Senate:

    • Willow Baer, Office For People With Developmental Disabilities
    • Amanda Lefton, Department of Environmental Conservation
    • Denise Miranda, Division of Human Rights

    About Commissioner Willow Baer

    Willow Baer was confirmed by the New York State Senate on May 21 to serve as Commissioner of the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities. Commissioner Baer has been serving as Acting Commissioner since July 2024.

    Commissioner Baer is honored to lead OPWDD. Previously, she served as OPWDD’s Executive Deputy Commissioner and oversaw the agency’s operational management, including planning, fiscal planning and oversight, and policy development. She was also responsible for oversight of agency staff in a broad range of capacities, including direct care support, clinical and medical staff in residential and non-residential settings, maintenance and operations.

    Commissioner Baer has served twice as Assistant Counsel to Governor Hochul, overseeing legal priorities and legislation across the fields of Human Services and Mental Hygiene. Additionally, she previously served as General Counsel to OPWDD, General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Children & Family Services, and as Counsel to the NYS Justice Center.

    Commissioner Baer was named one of PoliticsNY and amNY’sMetro 2024 Power Players in Health Care and was presented with the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award by the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation.

    Commissioner Baer has spent her entire career working to protect and advocate for underrepresented populations. She will continue the agency’s work to ensure that New York is a state that is inclusive, supportive, and one that those with developmental disabilities live with meaningful choice and are proud to call home.

    About Commissioner Amanda Lefton

    Amanda Lefton was confirmed by the New York State Senate on May 28 to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Commissioner Lefton has been serving as Acting Commissioner since February 2025.

    Commissioner Lefton’s diverse career spans the public and private sectors, including previously serving as the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) within the Department of the Interior. Under her leadership, BOEM developed and implemented an ambitious federal offshore wind program creating a new industry of family supporting jobs and generational opportunity. Her collaborative approach brought together various stakeholders to responsibly manage the nation’s critical offshore energy and mineral resources.

    Prior to her role as BOEM Director, Lefton served as the First Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environment for New York, where she led the State’s environmental and climate initiatives overseeing a portfolio of executive agencies including the DEC. She has also worked for The Nature Conservancy in New York as the Deputy Policy Director and climate mitigation lead, the Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United and the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate. Lefton comes to the DEC from RWE, one of the world’s leading players in the offshore wind sector, where she was the Vice President of Offshore Development, U.S. East.

    Originally from Queens, Commissioner Lefton grew up on Long Island and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University at Albany. She now resides in the Capital Region with her wife and stepchildren.

    About Commissioner Denise Miranda

    Denise Miranda was confirmed by the New York State Senate on May 29 to serve as Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights. Commissioner Miranda has been serving as Acting Commissioner since March 2024.

    Under Commissioner Miranda’s leadership, the Division has launched ambitious efforts to overhaul the agency’s discrimination complaint intake and case management processes while also implementing vital organizational changes and operational improvements. These essential upgrades will result in a bolder, more powerful, and more efficient Division that is prepared to protect the rights of all New Yorkers at a time when that mission has never been more critical.

    Since Commissioner Miranda’s appointment, the Division has increased staffing levels agencywide by more than 50 percent, expanded education and outreach initiatives, and launched new units essential to advancing the agency’s work. These initiatives have been supported by Governor Hochul’s historic investments. The Governor has more than doubled the Division’s funding during her time in office, including an $11 million increase in the FY26 Enacted Budget.

    Prior to this, Commissioner Miranda served as the Executive Director of the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs for seven years. She oversaw the agency’s operations, which included investigations into abuse and neglect, criminal prosecutions, and administrative disciplinary proceedings. Under her leadership, the Justice Center managed the care of over one million individuals, with a workforce of more than 425 employees and a $41 million operating budget.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/KENYA – The Bishops: “Full light must be shed on the deaths of Father Maina and Father Bett”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – “We demand a deep inquiry into these deaths, to reveal the real circumstances and motives, to ensure the security and safety of our priests and all Kenyans in the future”. This was requested by Monsignor Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Archbishop of Kisumu and President of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), following the murder of two Catholic priests just days apart.Father John Ndegwa Maina, parish priest of the church of St Louis in Igwamiti, died in hospital on May 15, from suspected poisoning after being found in serious condition, but still alive, on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway (see Fides, 21/5/2025).Before his death, the priest said he had been kidnapped by unknown assailants. Bishop Makumba called it “a horrible murder and cries out to God against its perpetrators”.On May 22, Father Alloyce Cheruiyot Bett was shot dead after being attacked by bandits in the Kerio Valley, in Elgeyo Marakwet (see Fides, 23/5/2025). “We are deeply shocked by the fact that both deaths appear to have been caused by malicious intent and under mysterious circumstances. We wish to decry the deaths of these ministers of God and the sense of insecurity and helplessness created by such incidents against the servants of God,” he remarked.The KCCB President then expressed the Kenyan Bishops’ “deep dismay” “by how cheap life has become, where murders and deaths are taken lightly, and used carelessly for political expediency”.”The work carried out by our Catholic priests goes beyond the service of religion and evangelisation. It reaches out to caring for the marginalised, the forgotten and the sick, to bring them hope that does not disappoint”, concluded Msgr. Makumba. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/EGYPT – St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai passes into the hands of the Egyptian State: concern and reactions grow

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 30 May 2025

    by Nikos TzoitisAfter fifteen centuries of autonomy, the Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai has passed into the hands of the Egyptian State, according to a ruling issued by the Ismailia court. The measure has generated strong reactions and deep concern in the ecclesiastical and international spheres for the future of the monastery and its monastic community.The monastery on Mount Sinai was founded in the 6th century A.D. by Emperor Justinian, and it has survived wars, conquests, and persecutions thanks in part to its status as a Vakuf, a sacred site to be protected according to Koranic tradition, and by the Bedouins of the Sinai Desert. UNESCO had included it among the monuments recognized as World Heritage Sites.The monastery’s priceless treasures—icons, manuscripts, relics, libraries, and properties—were managed by the twenty monks of the local monastic community, who enjoyed broad autonomy within the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.According to the ruling issued by the Ismailia Court on Wednesday, May 28, the monastery’s assets are effectively confiscated and placed under the management of the Egyptian state, while the monks face access restrictions to certain buildings. Their continued presence in the monastery is allowed only for religious purposes and under conditions set by the new state owner.The website orthodoxia.info described the decision of the ruling as “one of the most serious violations of religious and individual freedoms in recent centuries,” carried out during a time of great turmoil in the Middle East.The ruling, which effectively strips the monastery of its autonomy, follows a prolonged period of legal disputes and judicial actions aimed at challenging the monastery’s administrative independence.Some Egyptian officials have justified the measure as an act of protecting the monastery’s cultural heritage. Archaeologist Abdel Rahim Rihan argued that the monastery’s real estate falls under cultural heritage laws and that the implementation of the court decision ensures its promotion for the benefit of “world heritage and the monks.” The monks, however, describe the ruling as a de facto expulsion from their own monastery.The decision controversially concludes the long-standing legal offensive by the Egyptian state against the monks of St. Catherine’s—an effort that has been ongoing, in varying intensity, since the time of the Muslim Brotherhood-led government, with the goal of bringing the monastery under state control.According to some analysts, the ruling reveals that even President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi may be unable to control certain elements within the so-called “deep state,” some of which are linked to Salafist groups.Cairo must now manage a diplomatic crisis with Greece, which reacted harshly to the government action concerning the Monastery. This comes at a time when Egypt is at the center of turbulent developments in Palestine, with implications for the Sinai Peninsula—an area where jihadist factions have operated and previously threatened the monastery, even carrying out armed attacks.The ruling also weakens the Monastery’s position in various civil disputes it was engaged in, including cases involving adverse possession.The monks have reacted strongly. An international campaign is already planned to raise awareness and inform churches and other religious communities, with the goal of revoking the decision.The reaction of the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos was immediate. “I do not want to believe, and I cannot believe,” Ieronymos declared, “that Hellenism and Orthodoxy are once again undergoing a historic ‘conquest’.” He added, “This spiritual beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism – he added – is now facing a question of survival.” (Agenzia Fides, 30/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/HONG KONG – Cardinal Chow: Pope Leo wants to visit China, let us pray that his dream may come true.

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan, Bishop of Hong Kong, invited all the faithful to pray “that Leo XIV may set foot in China as Pope.” During the Mass celebrated on May 22 in Hong Kong Cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the Jesuit Cardinal also offered prayers recalling the beginning of Pope Leo’s Petrine ministry, which took place with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Pontiff four days earlier in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Leo XIV, the Bishop of Hong Kong confided during his homily, “told me he would like to make a pastoral visit to China. I ask you to pray for him, so that he may realize the unfulfilled dream of Pope Francis. He also told me,” Cardinal Chow added, “that he was the first Pope to visit mainland China (before his papal election, ed.). I believe he is not foreign to Chinese culture. It would be very significant if he could make a pastoral visit to China as Pope, so I ask you to pray for this dream.”Two days later, at the end of the Eucharistic liturgy on Saturday, May 24, celebrated on the occasion of the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, Cardinal Chow renewed his appeal, sharing with those present his experience as a pilgrim to the Marian shrine of Sheshan, near Shanghai, which he experienced last February with a representative of the Diocese of Hong Kong. Cardinal Stephen recounted the great emotion he felt upon finally seeing the large statue at the top of the hill and how, standing before it, everyone prayed for Pope Francis’s health when he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome.”Now,” Cardinal Chow added, ” Pope Francis is in heaven, praying for us and for our Church in China. He always longed to visit China and meet our brothers and sisters there… We now pray that his successor, as the successor of St. Peter, may one day set foot on Chinese soil as pope.”According to Kung Kao Pao, the weekly bulletin of the Diocese of Hong Kong, following the election of Pope Leo XIV, a solemn ecumenical celebration was held in Hong Kong Cathedral to invoke heaven’s blessings for Pope Francis. The event was attended by several leaders of local Churches and ecclesial communities, local government officials, diplomats present in Hong Kong, and more than 700 faithful. On that occasion, Cardinal Chow emphasized that the ministry exercised by Pope Leo is a ministry at the service of unity. “Today we pray for the new Pope Leo XIV, that he may be blessed with good health and wisdom for his mission, and that, following him as head of our Church, we may be united in communion and continue spreading the Gospel in a spirit of synodality and communion.” In the aforementioned May 24 liturgy, the Cardinal also implored everyone “not to judge or generalise about people in either the open or underground Church.” “Only they know the circumstances influencing their decisions, and only the Lord can see into their hearts,” Cardinal Chow added, recalling Jesus’ words in the Gospel according to Saint Luke: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful… Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” “Our Lady of China, and Mary, Help of Christians of Sheshan,” added the Bishop of Hong Kong, “is and will always be with the people of God in mainland China.” At the end of the liturgy, the assembly also recited in community the Prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan written by Pope Benedict XVI to invoke God’s blessing on all Chinese people. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 30/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Voxtur Announces Financial Results for the Q1 2025 – Ended March 31, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO and TAMPA, Fla., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voxtur Analytics Corp. (TSXV: VXTR; OTCQB: VXTRF) (“Voxtur” or the “Company”), a North American technology company creating a more transparent and accessible real estate lending ecosystem, today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The Company’s Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) for the three months ended March 31, 2025, are available at www.sedarplus.ca and at www.voxtur.com.

    Financial Results:

    Continuing Operations Unaudited
      Three months ended March 31
    (In thousands of Canadian dollars)   2025   2024
         
    Revenue 1 $ 8,310   $ 11,909  
    Gross profit 1   4,981     7,940  
    Gross profit as a % of Revenue 1   60 %   67 %
         
         

    1 Calculations include only the results from continuing operations and do not include results of discontinued operations. As at March 31, 2025, management was committed to a plan to sell one of the Company’s business units. Accordingly, the Company has presented that business unit as a disposal group held for sale and reported its results as discontinued operations.

    During the first quarter of 2025, revenue from continuing operations declined approximately $3.6 million and gross profit declined approximately $3 million compared to the same period in the prior year. Despite this, the Company’s net loss from continuing operations remained relatively stable, underscoring the meaningful impact of realizing synergies across the organization and cost reduction measures implemented by management over the past several quarters.

    Operational expense reductions initiated earlier this year began to positively impact the quarter, though the full benefit of these initiatives will be more fully realized in the second quarter and throughout the remainder of 2025.

    Further discussion with respect to the financial results can be found in the Company’s MD&A available at www.sedarplus.ca and at www.voxtur.com.

    Management continues to work in close partnership with the Company’s advisor and in conjunction with the Company’s creditor as part of the strategic review announced earlier this year. The primary objective of this process is to reduce debt and position the Company for long-term financial stability and strength.

    “We sincerely appreciate the continued support and patience of all our stakeholders as we navigate this important phase of our journey,” said Ryan Marshall, Voxtur’s CEO. “While we are not yet where we want to be, we are making steady progress, and our focus remains on building a more sustainable and resilient organization.”

    The Company intends to host a shareholder call in the near future upon having material updates on the strategic review process and outline the path forward for the business, including other key corporate developments.

    About Voxtur

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

    Forward-Looking Information

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

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

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

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

    Company Contact: 

    Jordan Ross
    Tel: (416)708-9764

    jordan@voxtur.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Files Six New Patent Applications Related to its Proprietary ZEUS™ Microreactor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NANO continues work to expand its intellectual property portfolio

    New York, N.Y., May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company, today announced that it has filed six new utility patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) related to its ZEUS™ microreactor.

    ZEUS™ is being designed as a solid‑core battery reactor with a fully sealed core that uses a highly conductive moderator matrix to dissipate fission heat. As designed, there is no fluid inside the core, which lowers the risk typically associated in‑core coolant accident scenarios.

    Figure 1 – Rendering of NANO Nuclear Energy’s ZEUS™ Advanced Portable Nuclear Microreactor

    The ZEUS™ design calls for all reactor and support systems to fit within a standard shipping container, creating the potential for exceptional transportability to sites lacking conventional energy infrastructure. The unit is also designed to deliver thermal energy directly for heat applications or convert it to electricity, making it adaptable for a wide range of needs, including district heating, power generation and non‑electric uses such as hydrogen production.

    “These patent applications for ZEUS reaffirm our commitment to strengthening NANO Nuclear’s intellectual property portfolio,” said Prof. Massimiliano Fratoni, Senior Director and Head of Reactor Design of NANO Nuclear. “The applications are directed towards safeguarding ZEUS’s key processes and components, which would not only benefit our own program but also contribute to progress across the entire advanced nuclear reactor industry.”

    “We’re pleased to file these new patent applications, which reflect the hard and excellent work of our engineering and technical teams to advance our goal of bringing next‑generation microreactors, like ZEUS™, from development to commercialization,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

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    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements related to the anticipated benefits of the patent applications described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop, gain registered intellectual property protection for, and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Vivakor Announces Special Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Dallas, TX, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vivakor, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIVK) (“Vivakor” or the “Company”), an integrated provider of energy transportation, storage, reuse, and remediation service, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a plan to issue a special dividend to Vivakor shareholders.

    Vivakor currently holds 206,595 (approximately 13.5% of the outstanding common) shares of Adapti, Inc., a company that manages the marketing of products, data and companies through its AdaptAI software platform that matches products with the influencers to attempt to generate the best results.

    Based on Vivakor’s current shares outstanding of approximately 47,297,347 and excluding 20,963,229 shares held by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer who are waiving their right to the dividend, each Vivakor shareholder will be entitled to receive approximately 0.0079 shares of Adapti, Inc. common stock per Vivakor share. Based on the current share price of Adapti’s common stock, the special dividend is currently valued at approximately $0.815 million.

    Vivakor’s Board of Directors will be establishing a date of record for the dividend in the next couple of weeks.

    Adapti, Inc., formerly known as Scepter Holdings, Inc., filed its Form 10 Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in September 2024 and has since become a mandatory SEC reporting company. An entity controlled by Vivakor’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. James Ballengee, has signed a definitive agreement for Adapti to acquire certain operations from the entity. More information regarding this transaction can be found in Adapti, Inc.’s filings with the SEC.

    About Vivakor, Inc.

    Vivakor, Inc. is an integrated provider of sustainable energy transportation, storage, reuse, and remediation services, operating one of the largest fleets of oilfield trucking services in the continental United States. Its corporate mission is to develop, acquire, accumulate, and operate assets, properties, and technologies in the energy sector. Vivakor’s integrated facilities assets provide crude oil and produced water gathering, storage, transportation, reuse, and remediation services under long-term contracts.

    Once operational, Vivakor’s oilfield waste remediation facilities will facilitate the recovery, reuse, and disposal of petroleum byproducts and oilfield waste products.

    For more information, please visit our website: http://vivakor.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified but not limited by the use of the words “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “believes,” “estimates,” “potential,” or “continue” and variations or similar expressions. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, , the expected transaction and ownership structure, the valuation of the transaction, the likelihood and ability of the parties to successfully and timely consummate planned acquisitions, the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect Vivakor or the expected benefits of the such transaction, our ability to maintain the listing of our securities on The Nasdaq Capital Market, the parties failure to realize the anticipated benefits of pending transactions, disruption and volatility in the global currency, capital, and credit markets, changes in federal, local and foreign governmental regulation, changes in tax laws and liabilities, tariffs, legal, regulatory, political and economic risks, our ability to successfully develop products, rapid change in our markets, changes in demand for our future products, and general economic conditions.

    These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed in Vivakor’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which factors may be incorporated herein by reference. Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially, and potentially adversely, from any projections and forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which those forward-looking statements are based. There can be no assurance that the data contained herein is reflective of future performance to any degree. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a predictor of future performance as projected financial information and other information are based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to various significant risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. All information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof in the case of information about Vivakor and the Endeavor Entities or the date of such information in the case of information from persons other than Vivakor and the Endeavor Entities, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication. Forecasts and estimates regarding the Endeavor Entities industries and markets are based on sources we believe to be reliable; however, there can be no assurance these forecasts and estimates will prove accurate in whole or in part.

    Investors Contact:
    P:949-281-2606
    info@vivakor.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

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

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul N. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, Kennesaw State University

    The Mexican-American community in southwest Detroit held a rally in March 2025, asking ICE to leave the immigrant community alone. Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Detroit’s population grew in 2024 for the second year in a row. This is a remarkable comeback after decades of population decline in the Motor City.

    What explains the turnaround? One factor may be Detroit’s efforts to attract and settle immigrants.

    These efforts continue despite a dramatic national shift in tone toward new arrivals. This includes executive orders from the second Trump administration targeting immigrant communities, international students and their universities, and cities in which immigrants live.

    We study urban geography and immigrant integration. Despite these federal policy shifts, our own research and that of others has found that local leaders in cities across the U.S. are actively working to bring immigrants in and help them become part of local communities, generally for economic reasons.

    Our recent publications on immigrant integration and immigrant community engagement show how and why cities adapt to changes in their population and economies.

    Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas such as Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri experienced significant immigration in the early 20th century. These population booms were followed by a period of decline in immigration numbers.

    Now these cities are using branding strategies to construct inclusive identities designed to attract and retain immigrants. It may be surprising to think of a city branding itself, but local governments often work with private nonprofits to shape and manage their city’s image. They try to build a unique and desirable identity for the city, differentiate it from competitors, and attract new businesses, residents and tourists this way.

    Here are three reasons why Detroit and other cities want to welcome immigrants:

    1. Encouraging economic growth and attracting talent

    Immigration has a positive impact on the economy, research shows.

    Local leaders in Detroit recognize that in a global economy, a thriving industrial sector and robust labor market are linked to the contributions of immigrant communities. They also understand that the growth of these communities brings positive economic ripple effects.

    Immigrants are more likely than the general population to own their own businesses. Organizations such as Global Detroit encourage entrepreneurship through programs such as the Global Talent Retention Initiative, Global Talent Accelerator and Global Entrepreneur in Residence and provide resources for small businesses.

    Immigrants also fill labor needs, from high-tech fields such as engineering and research to manual labor sectors such as construction and food service.

    The City of Detroit Office of Immigrant Affairs promotes economic development and immigrant integration through education, English as a second language programs, economic empowerment and community resources.

    These efforts are paying off by attracting immigrants to the city.

    This economic impact extends to tourism as well. The region’s marketing campaigns embracing diversity shape how visitors perceive the region. The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau spotlights the unique experiences the city’s diverse neighborhoods offer to tourists.

    2. Enhancing community and regional resilience

    Regional resilience describes a region’s ability to withstand and adapt to challenges such as economic shocks and natural disasters. Cities like Detroit that are still trying to bounce back from deindustrialization know from experience how critical this is.

    Immigration contributes to regional resilience, research shows. In addition to supporting local economies and strengthening the labor force, the arrival of immigrants in Detroit has helped offset native-born population decline, stabilizing the overall population and bolstering local tax bases.

    According to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area grew by 1.2%, from a total population of 4,291,843 in 2010 to 4,342,304 in 2023.

    According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the Detroit metro area’s native-born population decreased by 58,693 people during that 13-year period, while the foreign-born population increased by 109,154. The top five countries of origin for immigrants in the metro area are India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon.

    From 2023 to 2024, the metro area’s population gained 40,347 immigrants and lost 11,626 native born residents – resulting in a population gain of 28,721.

    Efforts to welcome immigrants in Detroit and its surrounding communities contributed to this trend of immigrant population growth offsetting overall population decline.

    3. Promoting social cohesion and enhanced civic engagement

    Successful place brands are rooted in inclusion and a strong civil society. Detroit’s rich tapestry of cultures in areas such as Dearborn and Hamtramck creates a vibrant regional identity.

    Organizations such as Global Detroit’s Welcoming Michigan actively support local grassroots efforts to build mutual respect and ensure that immigrants are able to participate fully in the social, civic and economic fabric of their hometowns.

    Examples include Global Detroit’s Social Cohesion Initiative, Common Bond and Opportunity Neighborhoods. These initiatives help bring neighborhood residents of various backgrounds together to share their cultures, support each other’s small businesses and socialize. Such programs strengthen the region’s democratic foundations and enhance its appeal as a welcoming and inclusive place to live.

    Forging a way forward

    Detroit has found that welcoming immigrants and integrating them into the life of the city is one way to navigate the economic, political and cultural challenges it faces.

    And it is not alone in embracing this strategy. Other cities practicing similar strategies include Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas; Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; New Orleans; Pittsburgh; Roanoke, Virginia; and Salt Lake City.

    Although not all cities choose to pursue such strategies, in those that do, local leaders signal a region ready for a globalized future.

    Paul N. McDaniel previously received funding from the National Geographic Society, served on the Content Advisory Board for the Welcoming Standard and on the Steering Committee for Welcoming America’s One Region Initiative, and is a member of the American Association of Geographers.

    Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez was co-PI on funding received from the National Geographic Society and served on the national pilot program with Welcoming America One Region Initiative’s Steering Committee and Program Evaluation Team.

    – ref. Detroit’s population grew in 2023, 2024 − a strategy to welcome immigrants helps explain the turnaround from decades of population decline – https://theconversation.com/detroits-population-grew-in-2023-2024-a-strategy-to-welcome-immigrants-helps-explain-the-turnaround-from-decades-of-population-decline-255557

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • India’s real GDP grows at 6.5% in FY 2024-25; Q4 sees strong 7.4% expansion

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), has released the Provisional Estimates of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the financial year 2024–25, along with the Quarterly Estimates for the January–March period (Q4) of the same year.

    India’s real GDP at constant (2011–12) prices is estimated to have grown by 6.5% in FY 2024–25, reaching ₹187.97 lakh crore, compared to ₹176.51 lakh crore in 2023–24. At current prices, the nominal GDP has increased by 9.8%, amounting to ₹330.68 lakh crore, up from ₹301.23 lakh crore in the previous financial year.

    Real Gross Value Added (GVA) for the year is estimated at ₹171.87 lakh crore, reflecting a 6.4% growth from ₹161.51 lakh crore in FY 2023–24. The nominal GVA stands at ₹300.22 lakh crore, a 9.5% increase over the previous year.

    In the fourth quarter (January to March) of FY 2024–25, real GDP rose to ₹51.35 lakh crore, a 7.4% increase from ₹47.82 lakh crore in Q4 of FY 2023–24. Nominal GDP during the same period reached ₹88.18 lakh crore, reflecting a 10.8% growth. Real GVA in Q4 stood at ₹45.76 lakh crore, up 6.8% from ₹42.86 lakh crore, while nominal GVA reached ₹79.46 lakh crore, marking a 9.6% increase.

    Among the key drivers of this economic performance, the construction sector led with an annual growth of 9.4%, accelerating to 10.8% growth in Q4. The public administration, defence, and other services sector followed with 8.9% growth during the year and 8.7% in Q4. Financial, real estate, and professional services saw a 7.2% increase annually and 7.8% growth in the final quarter.

    The primary sector, which includes agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, mining, and quarrying, registered a growth rate of 4.4% in FY 2024–25, a notable improvement from 2.7% in the previous year. In Q4 alone, the sector grew by 5.0%, up significantly from 0.8% in the same quarter of the previous year.

    Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) recorded a 7.2% growth during FY 2024–25, reflecting stronger consumer spending compared to 5.6% in FY 2023–24. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), an indicator of investment demand, grew by 7.1% for the full year and 9.4% in Q4.

    The GDP estimates were compiled using the benchmark-indicator method, based on the extrapolation of the previous year’s estimates using sector-specific performance indicators. These include data from the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), financial performance of listed companies, crop and livestock output, energy and construction material production, transport and trade data, banking and insurance activity, GST collections, and government expenditure records.

    The estimates also reflect the tax and subsidy data available from both the Central and State Governments. For tax calculations, both GST and non-GST revenues were considered, and for subsidies, major components such as food, urea, petroleum, and nutrient-based subsidies were accounted for.

    These provisional figures are subject to revision based on updated inputs from source agencies. Users are advised to interpret the data with this in mind.

    The next release of GDP data, covering the first quarter of FY 2025–26 (April–June), is scheduled for 29 August 2025.

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Algernon Yau visits Tokyo

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today attended the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Ministerial Meeting, aimed at strengthening regional collaboration on the development of information and communications technology, in Tokyo, Japan.

     

    Whilst in Tokyo, the commerce chief also took the opportunity to meet Japanese political and business leaders.

     

    Speaking at a discussion session at the ministerial meeting, Mr Yau spoke about Hong Kong’s efforts in building sustainable and accessible information and communications technology infrastructure, and its commitment to a more inclusive and resilient digital future.

     

    Mr Yau said in the wake of the full liberalisation of its telecommunications market in 2003, Hong Kong’s telecommunications sector has become one of the most advanced, open, and dynamic markets globally.

     

    He highlighted that Hong Kong leads the world on mobile voice affordability, ranks second globally on mobile broadband affordability, and is seventh on fixed broadband affordability. The city’s 5G availability also ranks first in the Asia-Pacific region.

     

    Mr Yau emphasised that Hong Kong’s robust infrastructure provides a strong foundation for sustainable telecommunications development, including future 6G deployment and other cutting-edge services.

     

    The 6G Global Summit held in Hong Kong earlier this month, which was the summit’s first edition in the Asia-Pacific region, also focused support for 6G development.

     

    With regard to innovation and technology (I&T), Mr Yau explained that the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, promulgated in 2022, set out clear development directions and strategies including, including accelerated development of new digital infrastructure.

     

    He added that artificial intelligence (AI) opens up vast new opportunities for global economic development and scientific research, and that Hong Kong is developing its AI ecosystem on various fronts. This include the launch of the AI Supercomputing Centre at Cyberport to meet demand for high-performance computing power.

     

    Mr Yau said Hong Kong will continue to work hand in hand with APT members and other stakeholders to advance sustainable infrastructure and promote eco-friendly information and communications technology for a connected future.

     

    Meanwhile, Mr Yau also paid a courtesy call on Japan-Hong Kong Parliamentarian League Chairman and House of Councillors Member Jimi Hanako to update her on Hong Kong’s latest economic and trade developments.

     

    Upon arriving in Tokyo yesterday, Mr Yau paid a courtesy call on Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Miyaji Takuma.

     

    Noting the close bilateral relations between the two places, Mr Yau updated Mr Miyaji on Hong Kong’s robust economic developments on various fronts under the “one country, two systems” principle, and solicited Japan’s support for Hong Kong’s early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

     

    Mr Yau also met Japan Association of Corporate Executives representatives to promote Hong Kong’s business advantages and investment opportunities.

     

    The commerce chief will return to Hong Kong tomorrow after the APT Ministerial Meeting concludes.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Restive Ventures Opens Applications for 9th Fintech Founder Cohort

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Restive Ventures, the premier seed-stage venture firm focused on fintech innovation, is now accepting applications for its 9th cohort. This application-based investment cycle is open to early-stage founders building the future of financial services, with a growing focus on AI-native companies accelerating transformation across the financial ecosystem.

    Since its launch in 2018, Restive-backed startups have raised over $800 million in follow-on capital and created over $5 billion in enterprise value, reshaping how millions of people and businesses interact with money, data, and infrastructure.

    Applications are open from May 30 to July 15. Founders can apply here.

    “We’re seeing a massive resurgence in fintech—especially in companies where AI is being used to unlock new workflows, reimagine user experiences, and build radically more efficient companies,” said Ryan Falvey, Managing Partner at Restive. “We want to meet technical founders building in this moment—those creating high-velocity businesses in payments, infrastructure, compliance, risk, and more.”

    Restive’s previous cohorts drew over 1,500 applications, with a final group of 10 companies selected. Over 70% of the cohort was AI-native, building across financial infrastructure, compliance, lending, and B2B payments. Founders represented a global mix, including teams from the U.S., Mexico, the U.K., and India, and brought deep technical backgrounds from companies like Stripe, Plaid, and Coinbase.

    Who Should Apply

    The cohort is designed for pre-seed and seed-stage companies, whether the product is live or still in development. Restive is especially interested in startups where:

    • AI is being used to rethink legacy financial processes and empower small, lean teams to build products exceptionally fast
    • Teams are engineering-led with a deep understanding of the technical problem they’re solving
    • The business touches a regulated space, enterprise workflow, or consumer financial experience
    • Founders are seeking early capital plus high-touch connectivity to fintech operators, regulators, and follow-on VCs

    What Selected Startups Receive:

    • At least a $500,000 initial investment at market terms
    • One-on-one support from fintech operators and an industry-leading network of founders
    • Curated introductions to partners, regulators, and future investors
    • Ongoing capital support throughout the company’s early growth

    Restive’s selection process is open to any fintech startup, pre-seed or seed, across a wide range of verticals. “In the last quarter alone, we’ve seen fintech M&A activity and IPO interest pick up and a strong return of venture appetite in early-stage deals,” said Cameron Peake, Partner at Restive. “There’s a clear market pull—and we want to help the most promising founders move faster.”

    Fintech founders interested in joining the next cohort can learn more and apply here.

    About Restive Ventures
    Restive is on a mission to help entrepreneurs build the world’s best fintech companies. Restive partners with early founders who have an unrelenting vision to improve fintech and build world-changing companies. The team provides a foundation of early-stage capital, deep operational expertise, and systematic connections to help founders launch and grow more quickly. Learn more at https://www.restive.com or follow X/Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Contact:

    Press@restive.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitcoin Depot Eliminates Up-C Corporate Structure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Depot Inc. (Nasdaq: BTM) (“Bitcoin Depot” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based Bitcoin ATM operator and leading fintech company, announced it has simplified its organizational and capital structure by eliminating its Up-C Restructuring (the “Up-C Restructuring”).

    Pursuant to the Up-C Restructuring, BT Assets, Inc., an entity controlled by the Company’s Founder and CEO, Brandon Mintz, that held Common Units in BT HoldCo LLC and shares of the Company’s Class V Common Stock has merged with a subsidiary of the Company and received 41,193,024 shares of the Company’s Class M common stock, which will continue to carry 10 votes per share, as consideration in the merger.

    In connection with the Up-C Restructuring, all of the shares of the Company’s Class V Common Stock held by BT Assets have been transferred to the Company and cancelled. After giving effect to the Up-C Restructuring, Mintz holds a total of 41,193,024 shares of the Company’s Class M Common Stock and 142,973 shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock.

    Post-transaction, Bitcoin Depot now wholly-owns its principal operating subsidiaries. The Company believes the simpler structure will offer benefits like better stock liquidity, easier use of stock for acquisitions, and a clearer corporate profile.

    In addition, the Up-C Restructuring extinguishes the $2.2 million Tax Receivable Agreement liability and will lead to further long-term savings, as the Company estimates its cash tax rate will be reduced by an estimated 12 percentage points. Other professional services costs associated with tax, accounting and legal will also be reduced by this simpler structure.

    About Bitcoin Depot

    Bitcoin Depot Inc. (Nasdaq: BTM) was founded in 2016 with the mission to connect those who prefer to use cash to the broader, digital financial system. Bitcoin Depot provides its users with simple, efficient and intuitive means of converting cash into Bitcoin, which users can deploy in the payments, spending and investing space. Users can convert cash to bitcoin at Bitcoin Depot kiosks in 48 states and at thousands of name-brand retail locations in 29 states through its BDCheckout product. The Company has the largest market share in North America with over 8,400 kiosk locations as of February 25, 2025.  Learn more at www.bitcoindepot.com. 

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release and any oral statements made in connection herewith include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations of plans, business strategies, objectives and growth and anticipated financial and operational performance, including our growth strategy and ability to increase deployment of our products and services, our ability to strengthen our financial profile, and worldwide growth in the adoption and use of cryptocurrencies. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “anticipate,” “appears,” “approximately,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “designed,” “effect,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “initiative,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,“ ”plan,“ ”potential,“ ”priorities,“ ”project,“ ”pursue,“ ”seek,“ ”should,“ ”target,“ ”when,“ ”will,“ ”would,” or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. In making these statements, we rely upon assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments, as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond our control.

    These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the business combination; risks relating to the uncertainty of our projected financial information; future global, regional or local economic and market conditions; the development, effects and enforcement of laws and regulations; our ability to manage future growth; our ability to develop new products and services, bring them to market in a timely manner and make enhancements to our platform; the effects of competition on our future business; our ability to issue equity or equity-linked securities; the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; and those factors described or referenced in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know or that we currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect our expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our assessments to change.

    We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

    Contacts:

    Investors 
    Cody Slach,
    Gateway Group, Inc. 
    949-574-3860 
    BTM@gateway-grp.com

    Media 
    Brenlyn Motlagh, Ryan Deloney 
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860 
    BTM@gateway-grp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Exposes Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Exposes Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law

    lass=”text-align-center”>Sanctuary jurisdictions undermine the rule of law and endanger the lives of Americans and Law Enforcement
    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a comprehensive list of sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens

    Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal illegal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in grave danger

    This action follows the signing of an Executive Order by President Donald J

    Trump on April 28, 2025

    The order directs the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify and publicly highlight jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities

    DHS is committed to exposing these lawless jurisdictions to the public and making them accountable for not respecting the rule of law

    “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

    “We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law

    President Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first

    Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law

    ”
    Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance and all potential violations of federal criminal statutes

    DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens

    Review the jurisdictions list

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ready for the summer: Governor Newsom announces lifesaving heat-ranking tool, invests $32 million to help communities combat extreme heat

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 29, 2025

    What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also announcing $32.4 million in funding to help 47 California communities protect people from dangerous heat events.

    SACRAMENTO – With summer around the corner and temperatures expected to soar to record highs this weekend, California is taking new actions to protect communities from extreme heat – the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the state. 

    Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of CalHeatScore, a cutting-edge tool to forecast and rank heat severity risks and connect Californians with available resources to stay safe during extreme heat events. With CalHeatScore, California becomes the first state in the nation – and one of the only jurisdictions in the world – to launch a heat-ranking system. Today’s announcement comes as the Trump Administration makes life-threatening cuts to the federal government’s weather monitoring apparatus.

    CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), brings together ZIP-code level data to provide locally tailored guidance. The tool identifies groups most susceptible to extreme heat – such as older adults and children – and provides tips for staying safe, such as how to recognize signs of heat illness. The tool additionally integrates other important data sets, like locations for the nearest cooling centers.

    Map above shows CalHeatScore extreme heat forecast for Friday, May 30. The darkest shades represent the highest heat score of 4 (scale of 0 to 4).

    Governor Newsom additionally announced $32.4 million to support 47 California communities in lifesaving extreme heat mitigation efforts. The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program aims to support local, tribal, and regional efforts to combat dangerous heat exposure by building long-lasting infrastructure solutions and strengthening community resilience needed to withstand extreme heat events.

    Extreme heat kills – and with the federal government cutting the very programs that help forecast it, California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities.

    With the first major heat of the summer expected this weekend, we’re connecting more Californians – particularly those that are most vulnerable to dangerous heat – to life-saving information, resources, and programs across the state.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    In a hotter, drier world, connecting Californians with extreme weather information and resources has never been more important – especially as the federal government cuts critical programs providing pertinent information on weather.

    First-in-the-nation heat-ranking tool

    The new CalHeatScore tool will be leveraged across state government, providing early warning that allows resources to be mobilized with greater speed and precision to communities that need it. To ensure the new tool works for Californians, the state will continue gathering input from the public, which will be used to shape future updates. 

    “Every single preventable death is one too many,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “This groundbreaking tool will help Californians plan and respond so they can stay safe when a heat wave is about to strike. And it will shore up the state’s all-in fight against the very real dangers that climate change keeps bringing to our doorstep.”

    In 2021, the California Department of Insurance’s Climate Insurance Workgroup recommended California build a system to rank heat waves to better communicate the deadly risks to Californians and help communities prepare, similar to how tropical storms and hurricanes are described by “category” level. 

    As part of a broader climate package in 2022, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2238 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas to codify CDI’s recommendation by requiring the state to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system. 

    “CalHeatScore is an important tool to prepare Californians for extreme heat,” said Nancy Ward, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). “It helps increase our readiness for heat events and protect those at greatest risk.”

    Chart above shows the range of CalHeatScore rankings.

    Building on investments to protect Californians

    The funding announced today builds on the Governor’s Extreme Heat Action Plan, which guides the state’s response to extreme heat events. Developed in partnership with more than 20 state agencies and informed by more than 1,000 individuals through listening sessions and public engagement, these grants respond directly to community needs and build on existing state programs. 

    Extreme heat solutions announced today combine physical infrastructure with nature-based solutions and in-home technology to create more resilient communities. In Los Angeles, the county will work with local organizations to provide safer spaces by planting tree canopies, installing water fountains, and hosting educational programming in parks across the county. In Northern California, North Coast Opportunities and the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, will partner to provide solar-powered air conditioning in the homes of vulnerable community members.  

    “California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities,” said Samuel Assefa, Director of Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), the agency overseeing the funding. “With lives on the line each summer, the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program will provide critical infrastructure investments in heat vulnerable communities.”

    Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the state, claiming more lives annually than any other climate threat, including fires and floods. Last year, California communities experienced the hottest summer on record in 130 years. According to a report from the Department of Insurance, from 2013 to 2022, seven extreme heat events resulted in nearly 460 deaths, over 5,000 hospitalizations and about 344 adverse birth outcomes.

    State research shows a correlation between heat and a range of negative health effects including death, lower birth weight, and increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations for conditions ranging from heart conditions to poor mental health. Extreme heat also takes an economic toll on the state, with an estimated $7.7 billion of lost wages, agricultural disruptions, and power outages. 

    Extreme heat calls for more water 

    During periods of extreme heat, access to water is more critical than ever to prevent illness and death. California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, threatening the water supply for millions of Californians. As part of the May Revision, the Governor advanced a groundbreaking proposal to fast-track and streamline one of California’s most important water management and climate adaptation projects, the Delta Conveyance Project, creating much-needed and long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project, which provides water for 27 million people and 750,00 acres of farmland. These vital improvements will help offset and recover these future climate-driven water losses, and yet, it has been plagued by delays and red tape.

    Without action, the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water to homes, farms and businesses will decline. The Governor calls on the legislature to quickly adopt these improvements to ensure that California is ready for a drier and hotter future, and its communities are safe and protected.   

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 29, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement after a federal court ruled today that President Trump exceeded his use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers, and businesses: “Like we said when we filed…

    MIL OSI USA News –