NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Senate Colleagues Introduce Amendment to GENIUS Act to Prevent Trump Corruption

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    May 23, 2025

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in releasing the following statement on the introduction of their anti-corruption amendment to the GENIUS Act:
    “Elected officials have a responsibility to serve the American people—not line their own pockets. To crack down on the blatant corruption of the President and his family, our amendment prohibits the President, Vice President, and senior government officials from directly or indirectly profiting from a stablecoin venture while in office. The GENIUS Act should not pass the Senate without this fix. Otherwise, we leave the door open to selling access to the United States government to the highest bidder.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Governor Josh Stein on FEMA’s Denial of North Carolina’s Reimbursement Request

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Statement from Governor Josh Stein on FEMA’s Denial of North Carolina’s Reimbursement Request

    Statement from Governor Josh Stein on FEMA’s Denial of North Carolina’s Reimbursement Request
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein released the following statement in reaction to news that FEMA had denied North Carolina’s request for an extension of its 100% cost reimbursement for debris removal: 

    “The first step to help western North Carolina recover is to clean up all the debris. So far, we have removed more than 12 million cubic yards of debris from roads and water ways, but given the immense scale of the wreckage, we have only scratched the surface. FEMA’s denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west. The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money towards supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs.

    “Despite this news, we are going to stay the course. We will keep pushing the federal and state governments to do right by western North Carolina. We will keep working with urgency, focus, and transparency to get any appropriated money on the ground as quickly as we can to speed the recovery. We will not forget the people of western North Carolina.”

    Governor Josh Stein continues to advocate for the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress to send $19 billion to North Carolina for disaster relief – $11.5 billion in new appropriations and $7.5 billion in allocations from previous appropriations. Earlier this week, he released his second state Hurricane Helene budget proposal of $891 million to spur economic recovery, strengthen critical infrastructure, and get people back into their homes.  

    May 23, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Exploring 250 Years of Freedom: K-12 Educators From Around the State Selected for the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Exploring 250 Years of Freedom: K-12 Educators From Around the State Selected for the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship

    Exploring 250 Years of Freedom: K-12 Educators From Around the State Selected for the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship
    jejohnson6

     The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) proudly announces the selection of the 2025 America 250 NC Teacher Fellows. This unique, seven-month professional development initiative for K-12 educators is part of the state’s America 250 NC programming and will help ensure classrooms all around the state mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in engaging ways.

    Fifteen exceptional middle and high school educators from each region of North Carolina have been selected for the 2025 Fellowship, representing varied backgrounds, experiences, disciplines, and locations.

    “This fellowship will provide teachers with tools and resources to help students understand our state’s history and the important role it played in the American Revolution,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Throughout 2025, we are focused on connecting our department’s educational resources to as many teachers and students as possible through robust America 250 NC programming, including this fellowship.”

    In a thematic and cross-disciplinary approach to history education, the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship will broaden its scope beyond just the years of the American Revolution, as Fellows study how inhabitants of North Carolina throughout the last three centuries have interacted with the nation’s most cherished ideal: freedom. Fellows will visit N.C. Historic Sites around the state and engage in virtual learning throughout the seven-month fellowship to deepen their historical scholarship and enhance their teaching practices. This opportunity also aims to create a community of learning where educators can network with other historians, scholars, cultural institutions, and authors from around the state.

    The Fellows will also play a pivotal role in advising DNCR on meeting the evolving needs of K-12 students and teachers. Their insights will shape the implementation of North Carolina’s America 250 initiative and its accompanying resources in classrooms statewide.

    The 2025 America 250 NC Teacher Fellows are:

        • Tim Barnsback, Burke Middle College, Burke County Schools

        • Majulee Edwards, West Craven Middle School, Craven County Schools

        • Ijeoma Eke, Oberlin Middle School, Wake County Schools

        • Jessi Eriksen, The Experiential School of Greensboro

        • Emily Grogan, Watauga High School, Watauga County Schools

        • Kristen Kane, Supporting Multiple Schools, Duplin County Schools

        • Jennah King, East Middle School, Montgomery County Schools

        • Michael Llaury, Smithfield-Selma High School, Johnston County Schools

        • Eustacia Lowry-Jones, Old Main STREAM Academy

        • Elizabeth Muller, Riverside Middle School, Martin County Schools

        • Rayshawn Powell, Cardinal Charter Academy

        • Triana Rei Kraitz, Martin Millennium Academy, Edgecombe County Schools

        • Colin Richardson, Green Hope High School, Wake County Public Schools

        • Alex Rowe, Crest High School, Cleveland County Schools

        • Tinisha Shaw, Supporting Multiple Schools, Guilford County Schools

    Secretary Cashwell noted: “This program stands as a testament to the commitment of DNCR to our state’s talented teaching professionals. As we approach this significant milestone in American history, this collaborative fellowship will foster a deeper understanding of and interest in North Carolina’s place in history and will support educators around the state in inspiring the next generation of engaged and informed leaders.”

    The America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship is sponsored by the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources in partnership with Carolina K-12. To learn more about DNCR’s America 250 NC initiatives, visit America250.NC.gov.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    May 23, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Volta Finance Limited – Net Asset Value(s) as at 30 April 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS)
    April 2025 monthly report

    NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

    Guernsey, May 23rd, 2025

    AXA IM has published the Volta Finance Limited (the “Company” or “Volta Finance” or “Volta”) monthly report for April 2025. The full report is attached to this release and will be available on Volta’s website shortly (www.voltafinance.com).

    Performance and Portfolio Activity

    Dear Investors,

    Volta Finance’s net performance for the month of April was negative -2.4%, taking the Aug 2024-to-date performance to +7.1%. Both our investments in CLO Debt and CLO Equity have experienced volatility post-liberation day, reflected in the valuation of the underlying assets of the fund.

    April was dominated by highly volatile markets driven by a confluence of macroeconomic and geopolitical events. On April 2, 2025, President Trump announced aggressive tariff policies aimed at addressing trade imbalances and bolstering U.S. economic sovereignty. Key measures included a 10% baseline tariff on all countries, with higher reciprocal tariffs on countries with significant trade deficits. These tariffs prompted swift responses from trading partners, notably escalating tensions with China, leading the U.S. to further increase tariffs on Chinese products to 145%.

    These announcements triggered immediate market reactions, causing U.S. and European stock indices to experience sharp declines amid fears of disrupted supply chains and higher costs. Markets partially recovered by month’s end as the Trump administration declared a 90-day tariffs pause on all countries that did not retaliate. From a macroeconomic perspective, sentiment was mixed. The April U.S. jobs report indicated resilience, with 177,000 jobs added—surpassing expectations—and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.2%. However, GDP data painted a less optimistic picture, with a -0.3% annualized contraction in Q1 2025, sharply down from the previous quarter’s 2.4% growth. Increased imports and reduced government spending drove this decline, prompting the IMF to revise recession risks upward from 25% to 40%, while the Federal Reserve lowered its 2025 GDP growth forecast to 1.7%. In Europe, the ECB cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.25% amid weakening growth prospects and tariff-related uncertainties, also revising the bloc’s 2025 growth forecast down to 0.9% from 1.1%.

    Market-wise, the European High Yield index (Xover) closed around 40bps wider while Euro Loans lost 1pt at 97.80px (Morningstar European Leveraged Loan Index). US Loans were down as well (-85cts) at 96.30px. Primary CLO markets remained busy as many transactions had secured orders, while levels moved wider across the capital structure, notably with BBs north of +600bps and single-Bs above +900bps. In terms of performance, CLO BB tranches total returns reached -1.5%. This is to be put in perspective with US High Yield returning -1.07% in the same period and Euro High Yield -1%.

    In terms of defaults, Liability Management Exercises (aka ‘LME’) are now the norm in the US market. Default rate in the US is standing at c.4.3% (0.8% excluding LME) according to Morningstar LL Index while the default rate in Europe is kept at 0.3% at the end of March in terms of principal amount. This is resulting into some par erosion and some pressure on CCC headroom for amortizing CLO.

    In front of these uncertainties, we decided to increase our cash up to c.16% of NAV at the end of the month through active management in addition to strong CLO Equity distributions: we received €7.5m coming from called CLO Equities, sold European CLO single B and redeemed US CLO debt. At the opposite, we invested into our US and European CLO warehouses €1.9m to buy loans at a discount and €2.3m into CLO debt tranches. In addition, Volta Finance’s cashflow generation remained stable at €28.5m equivalent of interests and coupons over the last six months, representing close to 22% of April’s NAV on an annualized basis.

    Over the month, Volta’s CLO Equity tranches returned -3.6%** while CLO Debt tranches returned -0.9% performance**. This performance is consistent – although better – with the total returns of the product as mentioned above, especially when considering that Volta Finance is exposed to both BB and single-B tranches.

    Through the month, the dollar volatility had again a meaningful impact on the overall funds’ performance (-0.64%). In the second half of the month, considering the potential change into the long-term investor view on the dollar, we decided to lower our exposure to USD to avoid further weakening and decreased our exposure to c.12%.

    As of end of April 2025, Volta’s NAV was €262.9m, i.e. €7.19 per share.

    *It should be noted that approximately 4.24% of Volta’s GAV comprises investments for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are normally available only after Volta’s NAV has already been published. Volta’s policy is to publish its NAV on as timely a basis as possible to provide shareholders with Volta’s appropriately up-to-date NAV information. Consequently, such investments are valued using the most recently available NAV for each fund or quoted price for such subordinated notes. The most recently available fund NAV or quoted price was 4.24% as at 31 March 2025.

    ** “performances” of asset classes are calculated as the Dietz-performance of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the Mark-to-Market of the assets at period ends, payments received from the assets over the period, and ignoring changes in cross-currency rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency effects could impact the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating each bucket.

    CONTACTS

    For the Investment Manager
    AXA Investment Managers Paris
    François Touati
    francois.touati@axa-im.com
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 80 22

    Olivier Pons
    Olivier.pons@axa-im.com
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 87 30

    Company Secretary and Administrator
    BNP Paribas S.A, Guernsey Branch
    guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com 
    +44 (0) 1481 750 853

    Corporate Broker
    Cavendish Securities plc
    Andrew Worne
    Daniel Balabanoff
    +44 (0) 20 7397 8900

    *****
    ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

    Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market for listed securities. Volta’s home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

    Volta’s Investment objectives are to preserve its capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its Shareholders through dividends that it expects to distribute on a quarterly basis. The Company currently seeks to achieve its investment objectives by pursuing exposure predominantly to CLO’s and similar asset classes. A more diversified investment strategy across structured finance assets may be pursued opportunistically. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

    *****

    ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
    AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,800 professionals and €859 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2024.  

    *****

    This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (“AXA IM”), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the “AIFM Directive”) of Volta Finance Limited (the “Volta Finance”) whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

    This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are “U.S. persons” for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

    *****

    This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

    *****
    This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “anticipated”, “expects”, “intends”, “is/are expected”, “may”, “will” or “should”. They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance’s investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance’s actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

    Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

    The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM’s belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

    The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

    Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide – 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

    *****

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hear from the Health Experts About the Human Harm of HHS’ Mass Terminations 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this week held a two-day spotlight forum, entitled “Trump’s Destruction of HHS: Mass Firings, Reorganization, and the Human Harm Caused.”  The forum examined the human harm caused by the Trump Administration’s sweeping reorganization and mass terminations at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  
    Watch the forums on Senator Welch’s YouTube. 
    Tuesday’s forum featured testimony from Dr. Robert Califf, the former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Dr. Meg Sullivan, the former Acting Secretary for Administration for Children and Families (ACF); Ms. Chiquita Brooks La-Sure, the former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); and Ms. Carole Johnson, the former Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  
    Wednesday’s forum featured Dr. Anne Schuchat, the former Principal Deputy Director, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Ms. Trina Dutta, the former Chief of Staff, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); Dr. Sean Bruna, the former Senior Advisor, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); Professor Alison Barkoff, the former Administrator for Administration for Community Living (ACL); and Dr. Jeremy Berg – former Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH.  
    Watch the livestreams of the hearings below, and hear directly from the health experts: 
    “The multiple rounds of firings that have occurred have had a significant impact on both the physical ability of the FDA to do its work and the morale of the organization…It’s hard for me to imagine a more effective approach to demoralizing a workforce. The bottom line is that the firings have left the FDA with not enough people to do the work, and we lost so many of the most experienced people that making the most complex judgements needed in the day-to-day work of the agency and multiple-regulated industries,” said Dr. Robert Califf, Former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Agency (FDA). “These issues are leading to, first: many of aspects of the industry looking to go overseas to develop their products. And perhaps, most importantly—China is now emboldened to overtake the United States in the infrastructure needed for this vital part of our public health and the economy,” 
    “Gutting the staff that administer ACF programs will make children, families, and communities suffer. In addition, when the programs are cut or disappear, everyone feels the impact and longer wait lists, fewer providers, and local organizations stretched to the breaking point,” said Dr. Meg Sullivan, Former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “ACF programs, including those not mentioned just now, support the services communities rely on in every corner of America. They can be the difference for your child care center staying open, your local diaper bank having supplies, meal delivery for older adults, or for a child remaining safely at home. We should be investing in our children and families, but firing child well-being experts at ACF and proposing senseless cuts will unquestionably cause them harm.” 
    “The current proposals drown both Medicaid and ACA Marketplace in excessive red tape that will hurt everyone—including seniors, mothers, children, those with disabilities, and it will cause more uncertainty, more churn, and more people delaying lifesaving treatments,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “The proposals in the House Reconciliation bill that target both Medicaid and the Marketplace seek to undermine the very progress that the Affordable Care Act sought to achieve in making our health care system more affordable and accessible to everyone regardless of their income or health care needs. The bill aims to increase friction in the health care system for enrollees and does so at the same time that many of the staff, who could help reduce this friction, were fired. These changes not only hurt the millions of people that rely on those programs, but our providers and, in fact, our entire health care system.” 
    “Rather than strengthen this essential safety net, the Administration is prioritizing dismantling it. The Administration has already slashed health center program staffing, put the widely acclaimed pediatrician who oversaw maternal and child health programs on leave, fired the transplant surgeon recruited to help reform the nation’s transplant system, and eliminated entire offices that are essential to any organization — like HR and communications,” said Carole Johnson, Former Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). “If the current Administration follows through on its plans, HRSA will cease to exist and the families and communities in your states that most depend on this help will lose it just as the majority looks to make it harder for them to get and keep Medicaid coverage. The safety net may never have been more fragile than it is at this moment.” 
    “The cuts are dangerous for the American public. You, your families and communities are less safe. If you are pregnant, your risk of dying after you deliver will be higher because the Perinatal Quality Collaborative was cut and the pregnancy risk factor assessment monitoring system, or PRAMS was also eliminated. If you have a toddler, they’ll have a higher chance of losing IQ points to lead poisoning because CDC’s lead poisoning program was canceled. Last year, more than 500 children were affected by lead contamination of cinnamon flavored applesauce and CDC led the response. Next year there will be no one to call,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, Former Principal Deputy Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 
    “Proposed cuts of more than $1 billion threaten to stymie progress just as we’re seeing real, measurable results. Such cuts to SAMHSA’s discretionary grant portfolio will impact on-the-ground programs that serve millions of Americans. SAMHSA’s discretionary grants serve as a powerful innovation engine, which have allowed the government to scale up interventions like coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis, peer support services, and crisis care. Cuts to programs like those that support pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder, that foster mental health awareness training, and that promote the wellness of young children, would force states to use their block grant dollars to pick up the slack. And at a time when looming Medicaid cuts will put even more pressure on those block grants, communities will be left in a precarious position as they address their mental health and substance use disorder needs,” said Trina Dutta, Former Chief of Staff of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). 
    “Dismantling AHRQ will have nationwide consequences. It weakens evidence-based care. It hinders health care from addressing emerging threats and dismantles grant programs that support current research and the training of future researchers. It eliminates mandatory funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund, requiring an Affordable Care Act amendment, and strips vital tools from state and local health systems working to improve care. In short, the two applied science strands that facilitate medical progress and aid in implementing scientific innovations in our healthcare systems would be lost,” said Dr. Sean Bruna, Former Senior Advisor to the director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).  
    “Dismantling the Administration for Community Living and cutting its programs will devastate the tens of millions of older adults and disabled people who rely on them to stay in their own homes and communities,” said Alison Barkoff, a George Washington University professor who led ACL during the Biden Administration. “Cuts to ACL’s programs will force people into institutions like nursing homes, taking away their independence and increasing costs to programs like Medicaid and Medicare.”       
     “I can summarize the consequences of these terminations in one word: delay…Termination of grants management specialists may make it even harder and will affect all aspects of the NIH mission. The most time-sensitive component of NIH are clinical trials…A delay of a month or two might not seem like a lot, but many of the patients in these trials don’t have many months left. These treatments represent a chance for a strong, favorable outcome for individual patients and an opportunity for researchers to learn how to make these treatments work better in the future. I honestly cannot imagine how frustrating it must be for these patients and their loved ones,” said Dr. Jeremy Berg, Former Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH. “The number of research subjects and patients at the clinical center is down apparently by 30% or more. This prevents patients from receiving care, slows research, and is a colossal waste of resources for the world’s greatest research hospital. That this is all being done in the name of ‘efficiency’ would make George Orwell blush.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump Administration Plans to Drop Criminal Charges Against Boeing, Warren and Blumenthal Call for Accountability of Boeing Executives

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 23, 2025
    “Any deal between DOJ and Boeing that would allow the company and its executives to avoid accountability would be a serious mistake”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling on the Department of Justice to hold Boeing and any responsible executives accountable for their role in the 2018 Lion Air and the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which killed a total of 346 passengers. Boeing had previously agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud in connection to the plane crashes, but recent reporting suggests the company is backtracking on its agreement in an attempt to receive more lenient treatment under the Trump administration. Now, DOJ appears to be preparing to drop the pending criminal charge against Boeing, signing a non-prosecution agreement..
    “We urge you not to sign a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing, and to instead hold the company, and its executives, to account for the consequences of their actions,” wrote the senators. 
    In both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight control software installed on the aircraft, was found to have unexpectedly and forcefully pushed the aircraft’s nose down preceding the crashes. Boeing has admitted to criminally conspiring to defraud the federal government about MCAS in the course of the 737 MAX’s certification.
    Even as Boeing executives have promised to improve safety at Boeing, serious safety problems have persisted at the company. Last year, a door plug blew out of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 MAX. A preliminary report indicates that the aircraft was delivered from Boeing’s factory without the key bolts that hold the door plug in place. Following the incident, an audit by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of Boeing’s 737 MAX production line found “systemic” safety issues including failures in 33 of the 89 safety tests it conducted.
    “The series of safety incidents and warnings from whistleblowers and regulators all point to one troubling conclusion—that manufacturing errors and defects in Boeing aircraft are not one-offs. They appear to be a product of its broken safety culture across multiple manufacturing sites—an atmosphere that prioritizes speed of production and short-term profit over quality and safety,” wrote the senators. 
    Even as these safety issues persist, Boeing executives have continued to squeeze profits out of the company to pay for their exorbitant salaries. Since the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people, Boeing executives have received over $377 million in pay and bonuses. Just days before DOJ told the court that it is considering a non-prosecution agreement, Boeing’s CEO appeared in Qatar with President Trump to announce that Qatar Airways had placed an order for 160 Boeing jets.
    “Senior Boeing executives have consistently failed to take responsibility or face meaningful repercussions for wrongdoing, and the agreement that is reportedly under discussion would increase the odds that they are ever forced to do so…Any deal between DOJ and Boeing that would allow the company and its executives to avoid accountability would be a serious mistake,” said the senators. 
    The lawmakers demanded that the DOJ not sign the non-prosecution agreement and instead ensure that both the company and its executives are held accountable if they are found to have violated federal laws or regulations. 
    Senator Warren has led calls to hold Boeing accountable for its safety failures, and has pushed for greater corporate and executive accountability: 
    In October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging the Department of Justice to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profit over passenger safety.
    In October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.
    In August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.
    In May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.
    In April 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Dan Ewell urging them to enact strong ethics policies to ensure that the Special Committee tasked with reviewing the FAA’s Aircraft certification process is free from all conflicts of interest and undue insider influence.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Russia is facing fresh sanctions, but Putin is used to dealing with a struggling economy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yerzhan Tokbolat, Lecturer in Finance, Queen’s University Belfast

    The UK and the EU have agreed to hit Russia with a raft of new economic sanctions after hopes of a ceasefire with Ukraine came to nothing. One French minister commented that it is time to “suffocate” the Russian economy.

    Since the country’s fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that economy has certainly suffered. Sanctions on Russia have already led to a depreciation of the rouble, high inflation, very high interest rates and a stagnating economy.

    But it remains unclear what effect any new measures will have. And Vladimir Putin has a history of riding out economic hardship.

    When he became president of Russia just over 25 years ago, the country’s economy was in dire straits. Attempts by his predecessors Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin to build a more open and capitalist system had not worked well for most Russian citizens.

    Instead, a rapid wave of privatisations, which reformers hoped would build strong institutions, had mostly benefited a small group of oligarchs who exploited a weak and corrupt state to seize key oil, gas and mineral assets.

    Those oligarchs resisted legal reform, moved wealth abroad, failed to invest in the domestic economy, and gradually gained control of major corporations and media, expanding their political influence. By 1995, nearly half of Russians were living in poverty.

    The 1998 crisis worsened the situation, as a global recession and falling commodity prices led to fiscal imbalances and doubts about Russia’s ability to service its debt and uphold the fixed exchange rate. The central bank raised interest rates to 150% to try and stabilise the rouble, but this failed.

    It eventually allowed the rouble to float, and the currency lost about two-thirds of its value. When he came to power in 2000, Putin was then confronted with the challenge of rebuilding the Russian economy.

    Luckily for him, between 2000 and 2008, an oil and gas boom drove GDP growth, increasing incomes, and allowing for early repayment of national debts. Putin – and national pride – received a boost.

    Rising energy revenues helped stabilise the economy and enabled the state to tighten its grip on the energy sector. By 2006, Gazprom accounted for 20% of government tax revenue.

    Putin then shifted his focus to Europe. With German support, the Nord Stream pipeline was completed in 2011, enabling direct gas exports to western Europe while bypassing Ukraine. This increased European dependence on Russian energy.

    But Putin’s oil and gas-driven economic model struggled to sustain growth, and by 2013, his approval ratings had fallen to their lowest point since 2000.

    The annexation of Crimea in 2014, along with a very expensive Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, temporarily boosted his popularity.

    Running on empty

    However, these accomplishments did little to address Russia’s core economic problems, particularly its failure to build a diversified economy.

    By 2018, Russia’s economy was again stagnant, with a weak currency and declining living standards, and Putin’s popularity fell in part due to unpopular budget-saving reforms, including raising the retirement age.

    There was widespread doubt about Putin’s model of lasting prosperity, which relied on state-led growth, but was marked by instability, resource dependence and growing geopolitical ambition.

    In this light, Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 appeared to be a familiar tactic to boost support. Indeed, his approval jumped to 83% after invading Ukraine, matching levels seen after the 2014 Crimea annexation. His ratings have remained high since, with recent polls still showing approval levels above 80%.

    But the Russian economy will still be a worry. Sustaining a “war economy”, where manufacturing and investment are focused on conflict cannot go on forever, particularly as the manufacturing product is being rapidly depleted as the Russian military uses it the field. And reliance on commodities has amplified the impact of sanctions, hitting key banks and energy firms such as Gazprom and Rosneft.

    Meanwhile, the US has significantly expanded its presence in Europe’s energy market, supplying nearly 50% of the EU’s liquid natural gas imports after tripling exports between 2021 and 2023.

    Major Russian pipeline projects such as Nord Stream 2 and Power of Siberia 2 remain in limbo. And the decline in oil prices in April 2025, the biggest since November 2021, poses further risks.

    If a ceasefire is agreed, a pause in the war could offer Russia the chance to regroup and recover economically. Sanctions are often temporary, and global demand for oil and gas remains strong. Some countries may re-engage in trade.

    But future economic stagnation could once again fuel aggression. Unless Russia undertakes structural reforms and redefines its role in the global economy by reducing reliance on resource exports and engaging more constructively with global markets, the cycle of confrontation may repeat itself, with far-reaching global consequences.

    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. Russia is facing fresh sanctions, but Putin is used to dealing with a struggling economy – https://theconversation.com/russia-is-facing-fresh-sanctions-but-putin-is-used-to-dealing-with-a-struggling-economy-255732

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Freeze branding: the new body modification technique causes serious and irreversible harm

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University

    If you’re a fan of the TV show Yellowstone, you’ll know the deal – you earn your place on the ranch by being branded. On the show, this means having a red-hot iron pressed into your flesh, leaving a permanent scar of loyalty to Yellowstone Dutton Ranch and its patriarch, John Dutton.

    In life imitating art, people are getting themselves branded, but instead of using heat, they are using freeze branding. The branding iron is cooled using dry ice, isopropyl alcohol or liquid nitrogen, and then pressed against the skin to leave a permanent mark.

    In 1966, Dr R. Keith Farrell at Washington State University developed freeze branding (also known as CryoBranding) as a less painful way to mark animals for identification. Aside from being less painful, it also produces less scarring than hot branding.

    Cattle skin is much thicker than human skin and can take more punishment. Scratches that would cause pain and bleeding in humans would barely mark the surface of cattle. Horse and cattle skin is anywhere between two and four times thicker than human skin.

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

    When a person is freeze branded, the super cold causes ice crystals to form inside skin cells. As the water inside the cells freezes, it expands and breaks the cells’ walls. This kills the cells and stops them from making melanin, the pigment that gives your skin and hair colour.

    Because of the relative thinness of human skin (2mm), it’s more likely to get badly burned from extreme cold. It can take as little as 20 seconds for liquid nitrogen to cause second, third and even fourth degree burns.

    These burns can lead to serious problems, such as infection, frostbite or even loss of fingers or limbs.

    Second, third and fourth degree burns can go deep enough to damage muscles, tendons and even bones. As these deeper tissues heal, scarring can form and cause long-term problems called contractures – a medical condition in which muscles, tendons or other soft tissues permanently tighten or shorten, causing restricted movement.

    This is a bigger risk if the branding is done near the arms or legs, and it might need physiotherapy or even surgery to fix.

    Like any serious burn, freeze-branding also increases the risk of dehydration. That’s because burns damage the skin’s protective barrier, and your body loses fluid while trying to heal from the trauma.

    As mentioned above, freeze branding destroys melanocytes, special skin cells that give your skin its colour.

    When you are exposed to sunlight – or the UV rays from a tanning bed – these cells produce more melanin to protect your skin. They pass this melanin to nearby skin cells, where it forms a kind of shield around the cell’s DNA to help prevent damage from UV rays. That’s why your skin tans after time in the sun. It’s your body’s way of protecting itself.

    If you permanently damage your melanocytes, this protective shield is lost. People with albinism, who don’t produce melanin, have a much higher risk of skin cancer for this reason. We don’t yet know all the long-term risks of losing melanocytes – but they could be serious.

    You’re not a cow

    There are strict safety protocols for branding animals. There are zero for humans. And in the UK, it’s illegal to brand people – whether with heat or cold.

    So if you’re looking for a statement piece, stick with tattoos or body art that has been tested and regulated and won’t put you at risk of burns, nerve damage or some types of cancer.

    Your skin is your largest organ with many important roles, including protecting your internal structures from germs and helping synthesise key vitamins. Don’t treat it like livestock.

    Adam Taylor 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. Freeze branding: the new body modification technique causes serious and irreversible harm – https://theconversation.com/freeze-branding-the-new-body-modification-technique-causes-serious-and-irreversible-harm-255786

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: History shows that Donald Trump is making a serious error in appeasing Vladimir Putin

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tim Luckhurst, Principal of South College, Durham University

    The policy of appeasement – strategic concessions to an aggressor that are designed to avoid war – is generally most closely associated in the UK with the Conservative leader Neville Chamberlain, prime minister between May 1937 and May 1940.

    When Chamberlain moved into 10 Downing Street, Adolf Hitler’s willingness to ignore international agreements was already apparent, having broken the Versailles treaty with a massive expansion of Germany’s armed forces, the occupation of the Rhineland.

    Faced with the prospect of Germany moving on Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain continued to work to appease Hitler by agreeing to territorial concessions in his favour. He believed that by appeasing the Führer, Europe could avoid war and save lives.

    Chamberlain’s failure, and the subsequent outbreak of the second world war after Germany’s invasion of Poland in September 1939, are recognised as evidence that the appeasement of expansionist nationalists always fails. Such leaders will simply take all that is offered and demand more.

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

    There are parallels with the relationship between the current US president, Donald Trump, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Trump and his senior officials have also repeatedly suggested that Ukraine should secure a peace deal by acquiescing to Putin’s demands, including for sovereign Ukrainian territory and assurances that Ukraine won’t be allowed to join Nato.

    This makes it seem as if Trump believes that peace can be achieved by appeasing Putin. Like Chamberlain at Munich, Trump has suggested offering the sovereign territory of an independent nation to appease a bully.

    Trump is not the first American president to make this mistake. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served between March 1933 and April 1945, also tried to appease Hitler. The historian Frederick W. Marks III notes that “the keynote of his approach … beginning in 1933 was appeasement”.

    Before he was inaugurated, Roosevelt sought to persuade Sir Ronald Lindsay, the British ambassador to the US between 1930 and 1939, that Poland should be persuaded to concede the Polish Corridor to Germany. When German troops seized the Rhineland, Roosevelt’s White House made no protest.

    Between 1935 and 1937, Roosevelt made speeches condemning autocracy – but his actions did not match his words. In 1938, he appointed the appeaser Joseph Kennedy as US ambassador to the UK. Kennedy assured the German ambassador in London that he “sympathised not only with Germany’s racial policy but also with her economic goals”.

    In Berlin, the US ambassador, Hugh Wilson, insisted that defence of Czechoslovakia’s borders would be unrealistic. The Czechs should surrender the Sudetenland to Germany. Roosevelt continued his efforts to arrange a compromise peace when German forces seized Poland in September 1939.

    Echoes of the past

    The parallels continue. Confronted by Russia’s invasion of its democratic neighbour and relentless attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities, Trump’s response, shortly after taking office, was to bully the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and negotiate directly with Russia. This approach signally failed and the killing continued and even intensified.

    Now, following his two-hour conversation with Putin on Monday, Trump has abandoned his insistence on an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. He now insists that the war is not his to fix. The US will step back. It is another hard blow to Ukrainian hopes for negotiation and compromise.



    Read more:
    After another call with Putin, it looks like Trump has abandoned efforts to mediate peace in Ukraine

    To a much greater extent than Roosevelt, Trump appears to treat weakness as evidence of moral inadequacy. In a recent essay, Ivan Mikloš, the former deputy prime minister of Slovakia who has advised successive Ukrainian governments in various capacities, writes of what he sees as Trump’s “affinity for the Kremlin boss”. Miklos believes that Trump admires Putin, and concludes that:

    President Putin, of course, sees that Mr Trump has a soft spot for him. This does not deter him in his maximalist demands, it encourages him even more.

    The US president’s treatment of Zelensky in the Oval Office at the end of February, and repeated statements since, suggest he lacks the patience for diplomacy – a concern that has been widely reported. Trump is said to admire Putin because the Russian president exercises power with minimal restraint.

    Meanwhile, Zelensky must plead for the military and financial support he requires to continue fighting a foe with a population four times larger.

    Lessons from history

    There is scant evidence that Trump pays attention to history. He should, because for Putin, history is central to strategy. A graduate of law who studied at Leningrad State University, graduating in 1975, Putin appears to have embraced an idealist version of his homeland as it operated in his youth as the Soviet Union – under the hardline leadership of Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko.

    That Soviet Union included all of the territory of modern Ukraine. Putin aspires to recapture it. His vision is a Russia restored to a status comparable to that of the Soviet Union during the cold war years of his youth.

    Trump appears to forget that throughout the cold war, the Soviet Union’s powerful armed forces and ideological hostility to democracy cost the US an average of 3.6% of its GDP in defence spending each year. It’s one thing for Trump to demand that the European members of Nato must increase their defence budgets. It’s another to imagine that Nato can immediately provide a reliable deterrent to Russian aggression without US involvement.

    Trump’s newly appointed defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, suggested at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels in February that the US would reorientate its security policy away from Europe, saying Europe must “take ownership of conventional security on the continent”.

    This is essential, Hegseth said, because China is the real threat, and the US lacks the military resources to face in two directions simultaneously. It was a confession of weakness that places both America and Europe at increased risk.

    The philosopher George Santayana is credited with the warning: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”. Chamberlain’s version of appeasement failed to prevent Adolf Hitler’s aggression in the 20th century. Trump’s version appears equally incapable of deterring Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions in the 21st.

    Tim Luckhurst has received funding from News UK and Ireland Ltd. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Society of Editors and the Free Speech Union

    – ref. History shows that Donald Trump is making a serious error in appeasing Vladimir Putin – https://theconversation.com/history-shows-that-donald-trump-is-making-a-serious-error-in-appeasing-vladimir-putin-257252

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: We found a germ that ‘feeds’ on hospital plastic – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ronan McCarthy, Professor in Biomedical Sciences, Brunel University of London

    Amparo Garcia/Shutterstock.com

    Plastic pollution is one of the defining environmental challenges of our time – and some of nature’s tiniest organisms may offer a surprising way out.

    In recent years, microbiologists have discovered bacteria capable of breaking down various types of plastic, hinting at a more sustainable path forward.

    These “plastic-eating” microbes could one day help shrink the mountains of waste clogging landfills and oceans. But they are not always a perfect fix. In the wrong environment, they could cause serious problems.

    Plastics are widely used in hospitals in things such as sutures (especially the dissolving type), wound dressings and implants. So might the bacteria found in hospitals break down and feed on plastic?

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

    To find out, we studied the genomes of known hospital pathogens (harmful bacteria) to see if they had the same plastic-degrading enzymes found in some bacteria in the environment.

    We were surprised to find that some hospital germs, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, might be able to break down plastic.

    P aeruginosa is associated with about 559,000 deaths globally each year. And many of the infections are picked up in hospitals.

    Patients on ventilators or with open wounds from surgery or burns are at particular risk of a P aeruginosa infection. As are those who have catheters.

    We decided to move forward from our computational search of bacterial databases to test the plastic-eating ability of P aeruginosa in the laboratory.

    We focused on one specific strain of this bacterium that had a gene for making a plastic-eating enzyme. It had been isolated from a patient with a wound infection. We discovered that not only could it break down plastic, it could use the plastic as food to grow. This ability comes from an enzyme we named Pap1.

    Biofilms

    P aeruginosa is considered a high-priority pathogen by the World Health Organization. It can form tough layers called biofilms that protect it from the immune system and antibiotics, which makes it very hard to treat.

    Our group has previously shown that when environmental bacteria form biofilms, they can break down plastic faster. So we wondered whether having a plastic-degrading enzyme might help P aeruginosa to be a pathogen. Strikingly, it does. This enzyme made the strain more harmful and helped it build bigger biofilms.

    To understand how P aeruginosa was building a bigger biofilm when it was on plastic, we broke the biofilm apart. Then we analysed what the biofilm was made of and found that this pathogen was producing bigger biofilms by including the degraded plastic in this slimy shield – or “matrix”, as it is formally known. P aeruginosa was using the plastic as cement to build a stronger bacterial community.

    Pathogens like P aeruginosa can survive for a long time in hospitals, where plastics are everywhere. Could this persistence in hospitals be due to the pathogens’ ability to eat plastics? We think this is a real possibility.

    Many medical treatments involve plastics, such as orthopaedic implants, catheters, dental implants and hydrogel pads for treating burns. Our study suggests that a pathogen that can degrade the plastic in these devices could become a serious issue. This can make the treatment fail or make the patient’s condition worse.

    Thankfully, scientists are working on solutions, such as adding antimicrobial substances to medical plastics to stop germs from feeding on them. But now that we know that some germs can break down plastic, we’ll need to consider that when choosing materials for future medical use.

    Ronan McCarthy receives funding from the BBSRC, NC3Rs, Academy of Medical Sciences, Horizon 2020, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Innovate UK, NERC and the Medical Research Council. He is also Director of the Antimicrobial Innovations Centre at Brunel University of London.

    Rubén de Dios receives funding from the BBSRC and the Medical Research Council.

    – ref. We found a germ that ‘feeds’ on hospital plastic – new study – https://theconversation.com/we-found-a-germ-that-feeds-on-hospital-plastic-new-study-256945

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Linguistics could make language learning more relevant – and attractive – for school pupils

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Kasstan, Senior Lecturer in French and Linguistics, University of Westminster

    BearFotos/Shutterstock

    A 2023 YouGov poll found that only 21% of UK adults can hold a conversation in a language other than their mother tongue. About half of the other 79% regretted not engaging more with languages at school, and more than half of all those polled were interested in learning a new language.

    By comparison, some 60% of EU citizens surveyed in 2022 reported good or proficient foreign language skills.

    Something is clearly going wrong with foreign language learning in UK schools, and this is not improving. For example, A-level entries in modern languages in England as a percentage of all A-level entries has fallen since 2010.

    Yet our research shows that many pupils in England and Wales are curious about how language has been shaped by society, culture and history, and how contact between people from different backgrounds leads to language change. A languages curriculum oriented around linguistics – the critical and analytical study of language itself – could meaningfully address the decline in language learning.

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

    In March 2025, the interim report of an ongoing review of school curriculum and assessment in England was published. This called for changes to how language learning takes place in schools.

    Some of the issues identified are not exclusive to the languages curriculum. The authors point out that, in general, pupils do not see their lives and interests represented in what they are taught, and that the curriculum is not responsive to social change. At the same time, the report recognises that young people’s understanding of culture through language is essential.

    The national languages curriculum has been recognised as problematic for some time. Unlike all other subjects at GCSE and A-level, including highly practical subjects like physical education and music, languages in schools are taught and assessed almost purely as skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. They lack critical, theoretical and analytical dimensions.

    Furthermore, the topics covered, while broad, are socially skewed to the point that it can make them difficult for pupils to relate to: discussions of alpine skiing holidays abroad, for instance. This does little to change the view that studying languages is the preserve of the elite.

    Our work with language teachers, together with colleagues Alice Corr, Norma Schifano and Sascha Stollhans, suggests that including linguistics in the languages curriculum can tackle some of these shortcomings.

    Linguistics could also contribute to learning in other subjects.
    Juice Flair/Shutterstock

    Linguistics allows a language – with all of its richness and complexity – to be studied as a psychological, cultural and historical object, enabling pupils to probe how it is shaped by (and shapes) society. Rather than simply learning vocabulary and grammar, and using them to talk about, say, regional identity or multiculturalism, linguistics-based lessons focus on how language relates to these topics.

    Linguistics could also enhance the teaching of other subjects including English as a first or additional language, as well as subjects such as history, geography, maths and science. This is because linguistics encourages a framework for analysis that is readily applicable to other subjects.

    What’s more, the soft skills obtained from this approach to language learning can enhance employability, fostering language experts that are better prepared for the real world. This would make school languages an attractive choice even for those not wishing to pursue a languages degree.

    For the UK to meet its societal, economic and commercial challenges, we require more linguists of all kinds, as this 2020 proposal for a national languages strategy from institutions including the British Council and Universities UK highlights.

    Our own research shows that a languages curriculum enriched with linguistics is appealing to both students and teachers. It can enhance motivation and confidence among pupils, while contributing to a more diverse and comprehensive learning experience.

    We have also shown that it can easily be integrated into language teaching without additional teacher training. Above all, a linguistics-rich curriculum can help students feel represented in their learning, allowing them to reflect on cultural and social issues they understand and feel strongly about.

    The numbers speak volumes

    Language learning in schools in England in particular has long been in decline. The statistics mask wider systemic problems, too. School language departments are increasingly under-resourced or are closing altogether. This means fewer pupils learning languages at A-level and beyond, and many fewer training to be language teachers.

    Plugging this shortage with teachers from abroad has also become increasingly difficult, particularly since Brexit, creating a vicious circle.

    There is a knock-on impact for higher education. Ongoing closures of university language programmes have led to “cold spots” emerging in parts of the country: areas where no universities offer language degrees. Access to higher language learning thus risks becoming a postcode lottery, especially for those without the financial means to study far away from their home town.

    A significant change in how languages are taught is needed – and enriching language teaching with linguistics could be effective, feasible, and potentially transformative.

    Jonathan Kasstan receives funding from the British Academy.

    Michelle Sheehan receives funding from The British Academy and The Leverhulme Trust.

    Anna D. Havinga 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. Linguistics could make language learning more relevant – and attractive – for school pupils – https://theconversation.com/linguistics-could-make-language-learning-more-relevant-and-attractive-for-school-pupils-255068

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Still Wakes The Deep deserves its three Baftas for superlative survival horror game thrills

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Thomas Hainey, Senior Lecturer/Programme Leader of Computer Games Development, University of the West of Scotland

    The survival horror game genre is very much like the survival horror-movie genre. It is a niche genre which appeals to people who crave good scares and want to get their adrenaline pumping. Some of the most popular games, such as Resident Evil – a game so influential it spawned an 11-film franchise – have raked in millions of dollars.

    In the summer of 2024, along came Still Wakes the Deep, developed by The Chinese Room, a British video game developer based in Brighton that is famous for exploration games including Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. A creepy thriller set on a Scottish oil rig, Still Wakes The Deep was nominated for eight Bafta games awards.

    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.

    Last month it scooped three of them (including two for best performance for Scots actors Alec Newman and Karen Dunbar), even though it was up against titles appealing to a far wider audience such as Astro Bot and Helldivers 2. The third Bafta was for new intellectual property which is awarded to the best game not part of an established series.

    December 1975. Disaster strikes the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Navigate the collapsing rig to save your crew from an otherworldly horror on the edge of all logic and reality.

    The setting is probably the most realistic oil rig in any game I’ve seen. It a state of dank disrepair, the rig feels totally authentic in its 1970s period details. Just walking around is perilously treacherous and keeps players on edge.

    Players adopt the persona of Glaswegian electrician Cameron “Caz” McCleary. It’s Christmas and he’s dodging the police and an angry wife after a bar fight. To top it off he’s just been fired by the rig boss for his sins.

    Despite the unsafe nature of the rig and a storm threatening, the rapacious manager insists on drilling deeper which unleashes a nameless, timeless terror that infects the workers who soon start turning into hideous mutants. Caz is running desperately back and forth, fighting against the storm, fires, and the bloodthirsty mutant creatures.

    Level design (the structuring of the game’s spaces and environments) is creative. The spaces inside are dark and claustrophobic. Those outside are chaotic, as the rig starts collapsing above a roiling North Sea. The use of a linear narrative is executed well, and Caz is desperately trying to save himself and his crew by either launching lifeboats or making it to the helicopter pad. But absolutely nothing is going to plan.

    The graphics and aesthetics are beautifully crisp and the attention to detail even in the crew quarters and mess is really something, not to mention the particle effects (such as fire and electrical sparks). Looking over the edge at the North Sea or at the rain drumming against the window is pretty realistic.

    The level design is intuitive for experienced and novice gamers alike and players can customise the experience with “hints” which you can turn off, for example, if you want a more challenging time. The hints are usually marked in yellow paint and show you where to go, where to hide and how to solve puzzles.

    Obstacles include former crew who have transformed into terrifying creatures. The linear narrative and the atmosphere ramp up the tension as players try to make it stealthily past the monsters. The game requires “well-ordered” problem solving which makes the experience both nerve racking and “pleasantly frustrating”, as academic James Gee describes the process in his paper Learning by Design: Good Video Games as Learning Machines.

    Digital games-based learning uses computer games for education and training. Highly realistic, problem-solving games such as Still Wakes The Deep present immersive environments that can provide an authentic experience that could be used in supplementary training.

    Imagine, for example, learning about safely launching lifeboats in a crisp 3D environment like this, with no risk from weather or water (or mutants). Video games can be tailored to teach a plethora of skills that can shape careers. They don’t have to just be about entertainment.

    But entertainment this definitely is. Still Wakes The Deep keeps players on edge like an interactive narrative horror movie with a fair share of jump scares and plenty of death-defying leaps, as Caz hangs by his fingernails or bolts for his life.

    The game plays on a number of psychological fears including burning, fear of drowning, vertigo, infection and being munched by now fully mutated, tendril-dragging ex-crewmates.

    It has a touch of Resident Evil and Aliens, and one YouTube walkthrough hails it it as “every fear in one horror game”. In a column praising the game’s brilliance, Neil Mackay of the Glasgow Herald said: “Let me deliver a quick kill-shot to the notion that games are somehow a substandard art form in comparison to the novel, theatre, film or visual arts. In many ways today the best games combine the best of each discipline.”

    The Guardian’s Melinda Hetfield described it as “the Thing, but on a Scottish oil rig in the 1970s”. Which just happens to be the original pitch by Dan Pinchbeck, the studio’s co-founder. So safe to say – mission accomplished.

    For me, the Scots actors really bring it to life. Bafta winners Alec Newman (famous for his portrayal of Paul Atreides in the Dune series) and comedian Karen Dunbar give fantastically convincing performances that help to build the atmosphere of dread.

    It’s good to see working-class Scottish voices in all their sweary glory here, as they are not commonly represented in games. Diversity is an area that many developers are seeking to address with better representation. Some of the Scots vernacular might cause a few lost-in-translation moments for players from other countries (subtitles may be needed), but there is much grim humour to be enjoyed here that just adds to the terrifying fun.

    Thomas Hainey 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. Still Wakes The Deep deserves its three Baftas for superlative survival horror game thrills – https://theconversation.com/still-wakes-the-deep-deserves-its-three-baftas-for-superlative-survival-horror-game-thrills-254732

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the UK could monetise ‘citizen data’ and turn it into a national asset

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ashley Braganza, Professor of Business Transformation, Brunel University of London

    Aleksandr Ozerov/Shutterstock

    Data is the lifeblood of artificial intelligence (AI) and as such is a hugely valuable resource. Entrepreneur Matt Clifford’s report on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, commissioned by the UK government, has set out some ambitious recommendations for unlocking UK public data to power AI development – and serve as a state asset.

    Making UK-owned datasets available for training AI, according to innovation secretary Peter Kyle, could help the country become a global leader in the technology. The government has accepted all 50 recommendations in the action plan.

    But the plan lacks a clear strategy to ensure that UK citizen-generated data – which could include anything from crime and healthcare information to local authority data – serves as a public asset rather than merely a source of private profit.

    The government’s planned National Data Library (NDL) could address this effectively. In evidence we presented to the government, we set out how the NDL should be structured, managed and monetised in the form of a UK sovereign data fund. This would ensure that the value derived from AI is retained responsibly and reinvested for wider public benefit.

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

    Across all sectors, UK citizens produce vast amounts of data. This data is increasingly needed to train AI systems. But it is also of enormous value to private companies, which use it to target adverts to consumers based on their behaviour or to personalise content to keep people on their site.

    Yet the economic and social value of this citizen-generated data is rarely returned to the public, highlighting the need for more equitable and transparent models of data stewardship.

    AI companies have demonstrated that datasets hold immense economic, social and strategic value. And the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan notes that access to new and high-quality datasets can confer a competitive edge in developing AI models. This in turn unlocks the potential for innovative products and services.

    However, there’s a catch. Most citizens have signed over their data to companies by accepting standard terms and conditions. Once citizen data is “owned” by companies, this leaves others unable to access it or forced to pay to do so.

    Commercial approaches to data tend to prioritise short-term profit, often at the expense of the public interest. The debate over the use of artistic and creative materials to train AI models without recompense to the creator exemplifies the broader trade-off between commercial use of data and the public interest.

    Countries around the world are recognising the strategic value of public data. The UK government could lead in making public data into a strategic asset. What this might mean in practice is the government owning citizen data and monetising this through sale or licensing agreements with commercial companies.

    In our evidence, we proposed a UK sovereign data fund to manage the monetisation of public datasets curated within the NDL. This fund could invest directly in UK companies, fund scale-ups and create joint ventures with local and international partners.

    The fund would have powers to license anonymised, ethically governed data to companies for commercial use. It would also be in a position to fast-track projects that benefit the UK or have been deemed to be national priorities. (These priorities are drones and other autonomous technologies as well as engineering biology, space and AI in healthcare.)

    AI in healthcare could be a beneficiary of a sovereign data fund.
    Gerain0812/Shutterstock

    At the heart of the sovereign data fund, there would be a broad social mission. This would allow it to invest its profits to fund projects that work towards improved healthcare provision, greater social mobility and digital inclusion, as well as better digital infrastructure. The fund could also support job creation and help cover the costs associated with widespread AI adoption.

    A data-driven sovereign fund could become a key fiscal instrument, especially in light of the £400 billion windfall expected from AI adoption in the UK by 2030. Establishing such a fund could ensure that innovation is coupled with effective regulation and social responsibility. Importantly, this model could also prevent public datasets from becoming undervalued giveaways to foreign-owned entities.

    Of course, many citizens may have valid concerns about how their data is used and monetised. Ethical safeguards should be embedded into the system through clear rules and protocols that prevent misuse at the point of data access.

    Gaining public trust

    Public confidence in how citizen data is handled will be vital. Trust should be at the heart of AI governance. While unlocking data can accelerate AI development, it also raises legitimate public concerns around surveillance, manipulation, discrimination and exploitation.

    The sovereign data fund model can help mitigate these risks by offering transparent and accountable structures for managing public data, while ensuring that the benefits are shared equitably. This business model ensures clarity around data ownership by affirming that citizens remain the primary beneficiaries of the data they generate.

    It will require a commitment to licensing transparency, with all commercial agreements made available to the public.

    An independent oversight board, comprising finance and business experts, ethicists, academics, tech experts and representatives from civil society, would reinforce strong governance.

    Arguably, in the global AI race, data is as valuable as semiconductors or energy. The UK must consider data sovereignty a matter of national security.

    A sovereign data fund with controlled licensing could strengthen data diplomacy on UK terms. This approach would provide a stronger negotiating position in data-sharing partnerships, research alliances and AI ethics agreements.

    The UK’s future in AI depends on innovation and economic productivity, as well as principled stewardship of public resources. Citizen data sourced from public services must be perceived as both a financial and strategic asset.

    The sovereign fund model ensures that benefits of data-driven AI innovation extend beyond immediate shareholder returns. It recognises the importance of sharing profits derived from citizen data, enriching the UK as a whole.

    A sovereign data fund could transform the NDL from a mere repository into a central pillar of UK digital resilience. The government’s response to the AI action plan makes a promising start. But without a bold vision, it risks giving away one of the UK’s most valuable resources in the AI era – public data generated by its citizens.

    S Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi receives funding from UKRI (ESRC) to investigate the ethical implication of digital footprint data in SMEs value creation.

    Ashley Braganza 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. How the UK could monetise ‘citizen data’ and turn it into a national asset – https://theconversation.com/how-the-uk-could-monetise-citizen-data-and-turn-it-into-a-national-asset-256176

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: For many island species, the next tropical cyclone may be their last

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Valle, Conservation Planning Officer at IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group & Honorary Lecturer in Conservation Science, Bangor University

    The Bahama warbler, a species which suffered greatly as a result of Hurricane Dorian in 2019. David Pereira

    When a major cyclone tears through an island nation, all efforts rightly focus on saving human lives and restoring livelihoods. However, these storms have permanent consequences for other species that are often forgotten.

    As the world continues to heat, cyclones are expected to become more frequent, intense and unpredictable. The International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on biodiversity, lists storms as one factor threatening species. But just how much of a threat is still poorly understood.

    The effects of cyclones on biodiversity are easily neglected because the damage is sudden, scattered and hard to measure. Extinctions can be abrupt and go unnoticed. This largely overlooked extinction crisis is likely to worsen with climate change.

    In a new study, we measured the threat posed by tropical cyclones on the diversity of land-based mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles globally. We mapped all severe tropical cyclones that occurred between 1972 and 2022 and checked how many overlapped with areas widely recognised to be exceptionally rich in species, otherwise known as biodiversity hotspots.

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

    We focused on severe cyclones only – those with wind speeds exceeding 130 mph – as historically, it is these that have caused species to severely decline or go extinct.

    What we found surprised us: three-quarters of all severe cyclones struck hotspots which are entirely comprised of islands. This seemed alarming. Islands have an inherently high extinction risk anyway because they support many species that are found nowhere else and which evolved in isolation. These species often have very small populations and nowhere to escape when disaster strikes.

    Even more worrying, more than 95% of the severe cyclones that struck island biodiversity hotspots hit the same five ones. In descending order of cyclone frequency these are: Japan, Polynesia-Micronesia, the Philippines, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands, and the Caribbean islands.

    We clearly identified high-risk areas, but what does this mean for the animal species that live there? To find out we consulted the red list of threatened species which is compiled and regularly updated by the IUCN to see how many vertebrate species were noted for their vulnerability to storms.

    One cyclone away from extinction

    The hotspots experiencing the most severe cyclones are not necessarily those that have the most storm-threatened species. For example, Japan has the most storms but the fewest species at risk, whereas the Caribbean has fewer storms but over 128 species are threatened by them. This suggests that the frequency of cyclones alone does not determine the danger to each region’s biodiversity.

    Other aspects are likely to play a role. In particular, the data indicates that species in island biodiversity hotspots made up of a lot of small islands are more at risk of local or global extinction.

    The more we learned about the dangers posed by cyclones, the more concerned we became. Many species are so restricted in range that they could be entirely wiped out by just one cyclone. It has happened before. The Bahama nuthatch (Sitta insularis), a small forest-dwelling songbird, is thought to have gone extinct following the passage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

    One of the last known sightings of the Bahamas nuthatch.

    Preparing for the unpredictable

    To begin raising awareness and help conservationists prioritise their efforts, we compiled a watchlist of the species that are most at risk from tropical cyclones. This includes 60 storm-threatened species which are present only on a single location on a single island.

    For each of these 60 species, the next severe tropical cyclone may be their last. A better understanding of the distribution and status of these species is only the beginning. Conservationists need to plan how to help them avoid a sudden demise.

    The need to act quickly is clear. Of the 60 species on our list, only 24 are part of any active conservation effort and just six are in captive breeding programmes. Coordinated efforts are our best bet and we propose a task force under the IUCN to allow better preparation, rapid response and international support.

    With the right knowledge and foresight, we can ensure human recovery and ecological survival for future generations.

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

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

    Tom Martin, head of research at Operation Wallacea, contributed to this article.

    Simon Valle and David Jorge Pereira 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 appointments.

    – ref. For many island species, the next tropical cyclone may be their last – https://theconversation.com/for-many-island-species-the-next-tropical-cyclone-may-be-their-last-256600

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile defence system – an expert explains the technical challenges involved

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack O’Doherty, PhD Candidate in Nuclear Strategy, University of Leicester

    The Trump administration’s recent announcement of a “Golden Dome” strategic missile defence shield to protect the US is the most ambitious such project since President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of the 1980s.

    The SDI programme – better known by its somewhat mocking nickname of “Star Wars” – sparked a heated debate over its technical feasibility. Ultimately, it would never become operational. But do we now have the technologies to realise the Golden Dome shield – or is this initiative similarly destined to be shelved?

    A completed Golden Dome missile defence shield would supposedly defend the US against the full spectrum of air and missile threats, including long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and those with shorter ranges – any of which could be armed with nuclear warheads.

    But Golden Dome would also aim to work against cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons such as boost-glide vehicles, which use a rocket to reach hypersonic speeds (more than five times the speed of sound) before continuing their trajectory unpowered.

    The missile defence shield could theoretically also protect against warheads placed in space that can be commanded to re-enter the atmosphere and destroy targets on Earth – known as fractional orbital bombardment systems.

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

    Ballistic missiles arguably pose the biggest threat because of the sheer numbers in the hands of other nuclear armed nations. ICBMs follow a three-phase trajectory: the boost, midcourse and terminal phases.

    The boost phase consists of a few minutes of powered flight as the missile’s rocket engines propel it into space. In the midcourse phase, the missile travels unpowered through space for about 20-25 minutes. Finally, during the terminal phase, the missile re-enters the atmosphere and hits the target.

    Plans for the Golden Dome are likely to involve defensive weapons that target ballistic missiles during all three phases of their trajectory.

    Boost-phase missile defence is attractive because it would only require shooting down a single target. During the midcourse phase, the ballistic missile will deploy its warhead – the section that includes the explosive charge – but could also release several decoy warheads. Even with the best radar systems, discriminating the real warhead from the decoys is incredibly difficult.

    One part of Golden Dome will involve targeting ballistic missiles during their boost phase.
    US Air Force

    However, there are big questions over the technical feasibility of targeting ballistic missiles during their boost phase – and there is also a limited time window, given that this phase is relatively short.

    The weapons platforms designed to target a ballistic missile in its boost phase could consist of a large satellite in low-Earth orbit, armed with multiple small missiles called interceptors. An interceptor could be deployed if a nuclear armed ballistic missile is launched at the US.

    One study conducted by the American Physical Society suggested that, under generous assumptions, a space-based interceptor platform might be able to destroy a target from 530 miles (850km) away. This measure is known as the weapon’s “kill radius”.

    Even with a kill radius of this size, a space-based interceptor system would require hundreds or even thousands of satellites, each armed with small missiles to achieve effective regional coverage. It might be possible to get round this constraint, though, by using directed-energy weapons such as powerful lasers or even particle beam weapons, which use high-energy beams of atomic or subatomic particles.

    A critical vulnerability of such a system, however, is that an adversary could use anti-satellite weapons – missiles launched from the ground – or other offensive actions such as cyberattacks to destroy or disable some of the interceptor satellites. This could establish a temporary corridor for an adversary’s ballistic missile to pass through.

    ‘Brilliant Pebbles’

    An idea for a space-based boost-phase defence system called Brilliant Pebbles was proposed towards the end of the 1980s. Rather than having large satellites with multiple missiles, it entailed having around 1,000 small individual missiles in orbit. It would have also used about 60 orbiting sensors called Brilliant Eyes to detect launches.

    Brilliant Pebbles was cancelled by President Bill Clinton’s administration in 1994. But it provides another template for technologies that could be used by Golden Dome.

    Options for destroying ballistic missiles during the midcourse of their trajectories include existing weapons systems such as the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system and the US Navy’s ship-based Aegis platform.

    Unlike midcourse-phase missile defence (which must cover a large geographical area), terminal-phase interception is a last line of defence. It usually involves destroying incoming warheads that have re-entered the atmosphere from space.

    A plan for destroying single warheads during the terminal trajectory phase could use future versions of existing weapons platforms, such as the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 Missile Segment Enhancement or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense.

    However, while there has been progress in this technology in the decades since Star Wars was proposed, the debate continues over whether these systems work effectively.

    Ultimately, it is the huge costs, as well as political opposition, that could pose the biggest hurdles to implementing an effective Golden Dome system. Trump’s proposal has revived the idea of missile defence in the US. But it remains unclear whether its most ambitious components will ever be realised.

    Jack O’Doherty is affiliated with the NATO Defense College, as a Junior Associate Fellow.

    – ref. Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile defence system – an expert explains the technical challenges involved – https://theconversation.com/trumps-proposed-golden-dome-missile-defence-system-an-expert-explains-the-technical-challenges-involved-257473

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As Trump’s ratings slide, polling data reveals the scale of Fox News’s influence on US politics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex

    Donald Trump’s ratings continue to slide on most issues. Recent Economist/YouGov polling across the US, completed on May 9-12, shows 51% think the country is on the wrong track, while only 45% have a favourable impression of his job as president. On inflation and prices in the shops, only 35% approve of his handling of this policy.

    Trump seems to be scoring particularly badly with young voters. Around 62% of young people (18 to 29s) have an unfavourable opinion of the president, compared with 53% of the over-65s.

    Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to pursue an agenda to close down, or shackle, much of the media it considers not on his side.

    Funding for national public service radio NPR and television PBS, as well as the global news service Voice of America, is under threat. Some national news outlets are under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their coverage.

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

    In a speech in March, Trump said broadcasters CNN and MSNBC, and some newspapers he didn’t name “literally write 97.6% bad about me”. He added: “It has to stop. It has to be illegal.”

    The Trump team clearly see the role of the media as important to establishing and retaining support, and have taken steps to shake up White House coverage – including by changing who can attend the White House press pool.

    About seven in ten members of the American public say they are following the news for updates on the Trump administration. It is interesting, therefore, to consider the role of the media in influencing Trump’s popularity, and insights can be found in the massive US Cooperative Election Study, conducted during the presidential contest last year.

    That survey showed 57% of Americans had watched TV news in the previous 24 hours. Around 81% had used social media during the same period, but only 20% had used it to comment on politics.

    There is a lot of attention being paid to fake news on the internet, which is helping to cause polarisation in the US. But when it comes to news about politics, TV coverage is still very important for most Americans.

    The survey asked respondents about the TV news channels they watched, and Fox News came out on top with 47% of the viewers. ABC came second with 37%, and CBS and CNN tied on 35%. Fox News is Trump’s favourite TV station, with its rightwing populist agenda and regular output of Trump-friendly news.

    Relationship between Trump voters and Fox News’s audience in 2024 US presidential election:


    Source: Author graph based on Cooperative Election Study 2024, CC BY

    The Cooperative Election Study had 60,000 respondents, which provides reasonably sized samples in each of the 50 states. The Trump vote varied quite a lot across states, with only 34% of voters in Maryland supporting him, compared with 72% in Wyoming. The electoral college formally decides the results of presidential elections, and this is based on states – so, looking at voting in this way can be quite revealing.

    The connection between watching Fox News and Trump’s vote share can be seen in the chart above. It varies from 21% who watched the channel in Vermont to 60% in West Virginia.

    Vermont is represented in Congress by Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist from a radical political tradition, and only 32% voted for Trump there. In contrast, West Virginia is part of the rust belt of impoverished states hit by deindustrialisation and the decline of the coal mining industry, and 71% voted for Trump there.

    We can use a regression model (which looks at the relationship between variables) to predict support for Trump using key measures that drive the vote share for Trump in each state. The model uses three variables to predict the results with 95% accuracy, which means while not perfect, it gives a very accurate prediction of Trump’s vote.

    Not surprisingly, partisanship – that is, the percentage of registered Republicans in each state – is one of the key metrics. In addition, ideology – the percentage of respondents who say they are conservatives – is another.

    Perhaps more surprisingly, the third important predictor is viewership of Fox News. The relationship between watching the channel and voting for Trump is very strong at the state level. Also, the more time people spend watching the channel, the more likely they are to have voted for Trump.

    Impact of key factors on Trump voting in 2024 US election:


    Source: Author based on Cooperative Election Study , CC BY

    This chart calculates the relationship between watching Fox News and other factors and the strength of a state’s support for Trump in 2024. If a variable is a perfect predictor of Trump voting, it would score 1.0 on the scale. If it is a perfect non-predictor, it would score 0.

    So, the most important predictor of being a Trump voter was the presence of conservatives in a state, followed by the percentage of registered Republicans, and the third was watching Fox News. A high score on all three meant greater support for Trump.

    To illustrate this, 45% of Texans considered themselves conservatives, 33% were registered Republicans, and 51% watched Fox News. Using these measures, the model predicts that 57% would vote for Trump. In fact, 56% voted for him in that state in 2024. So, while the prediction was not perfect, it was very close.

    A similar predictive model can be used to forecast former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s vote shares by state. In her case, we need four variables to predict the results with 95% accuracy – the percentage of registered Democrats, liberals and moderates in a state, and also Fox News viewership.

    Not surprisingly in Harris’s case, the relationship between Fox News viewing and voting is strongly negative (correlation = -0.64). When viewership was high, the Harris vote was low.

    Years ago, the “fairness doctrine” used to mandate US broadcasters to fairly reflect different viewpoints on controversial issues in their coverage. Candidates for public office were entitled to equal air time.

    But this rule was removed by the FCC in 1987, and has led to an era of some broadcasters becoming far more partisan. The FCC decision followed a period of debate and challenges to the fairness doctrine. This led to its abolition under Ronald Reagan, the Republican president who inspired Project 2025 – the document that in turn appears to be inspiring the Trump government’s policy agenda.

    When the Trump era is over, incumbent Democrats are going to have to repair US institutions that this administration has damaged. If they want to do something about the polarisation of US politics, they may also need to restore the fairness doctrine.

    Had it not been removed in the first place, it is possible that Harris would have won the 2024 presidential election, since Fox News would not exist in its present form. Whatever happens next, the US media is likely to play an important role.

    Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.

    – ref. As Trump’s ratings slide, polling data reveals the scale of Fox News’s influence on US politics – https://theconversation.com/as-trumps-ratings-slide-polling-data-reveals-the-scale-of-fox-newss-influence-on-us-politics-256274

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Construction begins on Prince George long-term care home

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Seniors in Prince George will soon have access to more long-term care as construction starts on a new long-term care village.

    “Northern B.C.’s growing senior population highlights the need for modern, expanded long-term care options,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “This new care village is a vital investment that will provide seniors with the comfort, respect and quality care they deserve, while strengthening our health system and creating good local jobs.”

    Once built, the new home will provide 200 new beds for seniors, with an eight-bed geriatric psychiatry unit. A new 30-person adult day program will include services that support seniors’ living in the community by providing social interaction, activities and a sense of community, reducing loneliness and isolation. Also, 37 affordable licensed community child care spaces will create intergenerational connections in the home, with spaces prioritized for staff.

    The new non-profit long-term care home is modelled after Canada’s first public long-term care village based on the concepts of a dementia village that opened in July 2024 in Comox on Vancouver Island. The design features of the long-term care village foster a strong sense of belonging, purpose and community for residents. The Prince George village is set to open in early 2028 at 6500 Southridge Ave.

    “Growing older should always come with the assurance of being cared for in a familiar place, surrounded by community and compassion,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This new long-term care village is a transformative addition to Prince George where residents will benefit from the expert, person-centered care and support they need to live with dignity as they age.”

    The village will include 16 close-knit “households,” each home to 12 residents. Every household will offer private suites with ensuite bathrooms, along with a shared kitchen and gathering spaces that are meant to create a sense of home. In addition to these living spaces, the village will feature a community hall, recreation areas, bistro, grocery store, art studio and therapeutic outdoor environments. Dedicated community and Indigenous-centred spaces — such as a sacred gathering space designed in consultation with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation — will foster a welcoming atmosphere for families, celebrations and cultural ceremonies.

    The new long-term care home will also provide learning opportunities for students to explore careers in health care through local partnerships with educational institutions.

    “This project represents a complete reimagining of what long-term care can and should be,” said Mark Blandford, president and CEO, Providence Living. “We’re creating a community where northern B.C. seniors can live with dignity, joy and purpose through our innovative long-term care village and Home for Us care model.”

    In addition to this project, there are two more long-term care projects in development by Providence Living in northern B.C. Construction of a new long-term care home in Quesnel is expected to start in late 2026, and construction on a new long-term care home in Smithers will start in 2028. These three combined projects will replace 123 beds and provide 581 new long-term care beds to northern B.C.

    The Province is investing more than $2 billion for long-term care facility redevelopment and replacement projects that will provide 2,297 beds in:

    • Vancouver
    • Colwood
    • Abbotsford
    • Richmond
    • Nanaimo
    • Delta
    • Campbell River
    • Kelowna
    • Squamish
    • Chilliwack
    • Cranbrook

    Quotes:

    Susie Chant, parliamentary secretary for seniors’ services and long-term care —

    “Long-term care is crucial throughout the province, providing essential support for seniors and ensuring they can live in comfort as they age. This new long-term care facility will enhance the lives of our residents, offering a safe, accessible and caring environment, promoting and maintaining connections to the community they love.”

    Debra Toporowski, parliamentary secretary for rural health —

    “This marks a step forward in our commitment to ensuring equitable, culturally safe care for all people in British Columbia. The new long-term care village will provide seniors in Prince George and surrounding communities with the opportunity to age with dignity, close to their families and their territories. By working in partnership with First Nations leaders, we are creating spaces that honour cultural traditions and support wholistic well-being.”

    Tamara Davidson, MLA for North Coast-Haida Gwaii —

    “Long-term care is essential in northern B.C. where access to health-care services can be limited, ensuring seniors receive the care and support they need. The excitement surrounding the new long-term care home reflects the community’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for residents and ensuring seniors can stay in the community that they helped build.”

    Colleen Nyce, board chair, Northern Health —

    “Today marks a significant step forward in how we care for our seniors in the North. This new facility, built in partnership with Providence Living, reflects our shared commitment to creating a home where residents are supported with dignity, compassion and community. We’re proud to be building not just for today, but for generations to come.”

    Jennifer Gibson, executive director, quality, practice and safety, Providence Living —

    “The Prince George village will feature the innovative Home for Us care model, a made-in-B.C. approach that has transformed care at our Comox site. This social-relational model prioritizes residents’ autonomy, emotional connections and home-like living over traditional institutional care.”

    Quick Facts:

    • Northern B.C.’s senior population is expected to grow by 26% over the next decade.
    • There are 1,141 publicly funded long-term care beds in northern B.C.

    Learn More:

    To read the initial funding announcement for this project, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0140-001775

    Images and renderings of the design concepts for Providence Living Prince George are available on the Providence Living website: providenceliving.ca/our-homes/providence-living-prince-george

    To learn more about senior’s care village built by Providence Living in Comox, visit: https://providenceliving.ca/our-homes/providence-living-at-the-views/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s digital sales rise thanks to subsidies

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) — China has seen an increase in sales of digital products in recent months, helped by a government-backed subsidy program, the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

    As of Thursday, more than 48 million consumers had participated in the program, purchasing a total of 51.48 million items worth about 143.3 billion yuan (about 19.9 billion U.S. dollars), according to data released by the department.

    It is indicated that from January to April, the total volume of retail sales of communication equipment in enterprises with a turnover above the established limit increased by 25.4 percent in a year-on-year comparison, taking first place in terms of growth rates among 16 main categories of consumer goods.

    China’s Ministry of Commerce said the policy of subsidizing digital purchases has helped shift demand to mid- and high-priced products. Independent research showed that sales of smartphones priced between 2,000 and 4,000 yuan increased 13 percent year-on-year in the first four months of this year, while sales of smartphones priced between 4,000 and 6,000 yuan jumped 43 percent year-on-year.

    The subsidy program was launched by China in January 2025 as part of a broader effort to boost domestic consumption. Under the program, consumers who purchase smartphones, tablets, smart watches or wristbands priced below 6,000 yuan each are eligible for a subsidy of 15 percent of the sales price, up to a maximum of 500 yuan each.

    The program applies to both domestic and foreign brands. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Durable Medical Equipment Companies Agrees to Plead Guilty in Nearly $30 Million Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly used proceeds to purchase two Ferraris, a Mercedes-Benz Model S, at least three Rolex watches

    BOSTON – The owner of Pharmagears, LLC (Pharmagears) and RR Medco, LLC (RR Medco) has agreed to plead to guilty in connection with a nearly $30 million health care fraud conspiracy involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces. 

    Raju Sharma, 61, of Sharon, Mass., has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Per the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison and more than $15.8 million in restitution.

    Sharma was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2025 and subsequently released on conditions pending trial. He was later ordered detained in April 2025 after the Court found that he violated the conditions of his release by contacting a potential witness. 

    According to the charging documents, between February 2021 and February 2025, Sharma – on behalf of Pharmagears and RR Medco – entered into contracts with telemarketing companies that generated DME orders by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. It is alleged that Sharma then billed Medicare for this medically unnecessary DME, which the Medicare beneficiaries often did not want or could not use; and/or a medical practitioner ordered without having met or examined the beneficiary; or were ordered by the fraudulent use of practitioners’ national provider identifiers without their knowledge or assent. It is further alleged that these DME orders were obtained in violation of the anti-kickback statute, because although Sharma agreed in the contracts to pay the marketing companies a flat fee for their services, Sharma in fact paid the marketing companies on a per-lead, or per-order, basis.  

    According to the charging documents, Sharma worked with multiple other co-conspirators, including family and acquaintances, to open and operate additional DME companies in the same fraudulent manner. In total, the companies owned, operated, or connected with Sharma billed Medicare approximately $29.6 million for these fraudulent DME orders and were paid approximately $15.8 million. 

    Sharma made substantial profits from this alleged fraud, which he used to purchase luxury goods, including two Ferraris, a Mercedes-Benz Model S and at least three Rolex watches. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the defendant has agreed to forfeit these luxury goods, as well as over $250,000 in cash investigators seized from his bank accounts. 

    The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Sharon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien arrested for impersonating U.S. citizen for over 9 years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Columbian national illegally residing in Houston has been charged for theft of government funds, false representation of a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Javier Alfonso Nunez Suarez is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m.

    The now unsealed indictment, returned May 15, alleges Suarez fraudulently applied for and obtained Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits in February 2016 by impersonating a U.S. citizen. Suarez then allegedly qualified for Medicaid benefits. 

    According to the charges. Suarez continued receiving both SSA disability and Medicaid benefits until his arrest, resulting in a total theft of government funds exceeding $588,000.

    If convicted, Suarez faces up to 10 years imprisonment as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each of the charges. He also faces an additional two years in prison for aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.

    SSA-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Distributing Drugs on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Washington man who admitted to distributing fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and Big Sandy, Montana was sentenced today to 66 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Terrence Derrell Milton, 35, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that beginning on or about May 18, 2023, and continuing through June 19, 2023, law enforcement received information from a witness that Milton and his co-defendant were working together to distribute fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The witness said Milton and his co-defendant would keep their stash of drugs off the reservation in Big Sandy and front a couple hundred pills at a time to individuals on the reservation to sell.

    On June 15, 2023, Milton met a witness for a controlled purchase of 20 fentanyl pills for $800 after communicating about the purchase through the co-defendant. The witness was met by Milton who provided the 20 fentanyl pills in exchange for $800.

    On June 19, 2023, the Tri-Agency Task Force executed a search warrant on a motel room in Big Sandy being rented by Milton. Under a bed in the motel room, law enforcement located approximately 3,200 fentanyl pills and a 10 mm handgun with a loaded 10 round magazine.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Havre Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Drug and Gun Charges on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl while possessing a firearm on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 66 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Bradley Lynn Perkins, 25, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and fentanyl) and possession of an unregistered firearm.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on February 15, 2023, in Hill County, the Tri-Agency Task Force arranged a controlled purchase of roughly 27 grams of methamphetamine from the Perkins.

    One week later, Perkins was in state custody on other narcotics charges. He was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted he bought 500 fentanyl pills from someone on February 18, 2023, and he had previously purchased meth from the same person. Perkins also said he had been selling fentanyl pills for the last month or two and estimated he sold about 100 pills for $10 each. In March 2023, two witnesses said they had purchased fentanyl pills from Perkins. Another witness described selling between 500 and 700 fentanyl pills to Perkins between August and December 2022.

    On May 17, 2023, the Task Force and FBI arranged another controlled purchase of about 30 grams of methamphetamine from Perkins.

    On December 13, 2023, an FBI agent interviewed a witness who had gotten methamphetamine from Perkins and had previously paid him for meth. The witness also said Perkins gave them a shortened shotgun prior to a probation search; the FBI seized the shotgun and found the barrel was less than 18 inches in length. Perkins claimed ownership of the gun, and it had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Homeless Man Admits Threatening to Blow up Flathead County Courthouse

    Source: US FBI

    MISSOULA – A homeless man with ties to Kalispell admitted today that he threatened to blow up the Flathead County courthouse, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Kermit “Ty” Poulson, 46, pleaded guilty to interstate communication of a threat to damage property by means of fire or explosive, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a potential fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided and District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 18, 2025. Poulson was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on April 25, 2023, an attorney in Flathead County, Montana received the following email from Gmail account jerryleebishipjr@gmail.com:

    The attorney reported receiving the email to the FBI and disclosed that he/she had previously represented defendant Poulson in a matter in Kalispell. The attorney recalled Poulson had a history of making similar threats.

    The FBI obtained subscriber information from Google for Gmail account jerryleebishopjr@gmail.com, which listed another associated Gmail account of typoulsonia@gmail.com. The FBI obtained subscriber information for Gmail account typoulsonia@gmail.com, which named the subscriber of that account as Poulson. Criminal records checks show Poulson was previously the subject of an FBI investigation in Portland, Oregon. In that case, he was investigated, arrested, and convicted of threatening to set the Portland Mayor’s house on fire with Molotov cocktails. See United States v. Poulson, Case No. 3:18-CR-00622-SI-1 (D. Or. 2018). He also claimed in that case that he had ties to Antifa.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to South Dakota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in South Dakota of the June 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning Oct. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the South Dakota counties of Bennett, Jackson, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Todd and Tripp.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs impacted by financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than June 23.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Montana Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Montana of the June 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning Oct. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Montana counties of Big Horn, Custer, Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Musselshell, Petroleum, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Treasure, Wibaux and Yellowstone.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs impacted by financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than June 23.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kansas Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kansas of the June 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning Oct. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Kansas counties of Bourbon, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cowley, Crawford, Elk, Labette, Neosho, Sedgwick and Sumner as well as the Missouri counties of Barton, Jasper and Vernon and the Oklahoma counties of Kay and Osage.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than June 23.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Colorado Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Colorado of the June 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning Oct. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Colorado counties of Boulder, Clear Creek, Eagle, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Larimer, Routt and Summit.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs impacted by financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than June 23.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What action can Israel’s allies take over its expansion of military operations in Gaza?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Catherine Gegout, Associate Professor in International Relations, University of Nottingham

    The British, French and Canadian leaders issued a joint statement on May 19 in which they condemned Israel’s “egregious actions” in Gaza, warning that concrete action could follow if it does not stop its military offensive. They said an 11-week blockade on humanitarian aid reaching the territory had led to an “intolerable” level of human suffering.

    Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu – who the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleges is responsible for war crimes in Gaza – responded angrily. He accused the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris of offering Hamas a “huge prize” for its October 7 attack on Israel.

    This drew a rebuttal from the British foreign secretary, David Lammy, who declared that “opposing the expansion of a war that’s killed thousands of children is not rewarding Hamas”. So, what action can Israel’s western allies take over its offensive in Gaza?

    The most realistic option is probably the recognition of Palestinian statehood. The Netanyahu government has expressed fierce opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying recently it would be a “win for terrorism”.

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

    But this recognition would send a strong message of support for a two-state solution, which most of the world has long seen as the only way to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. And the UK, along with Canada, has said it is joining a French initiative to recognise Palestine as a state at a June conference in New York, organised to advance a two-state solution.

    By doing so, the UK, France and Canada would join 160 states that already recognise Palestine. These include 11 states in the EU: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

    Stop selling arms

    Another option is for western states to stop selling arms to Israel. France has done this already. And the British government partially suspended arms exports to Israel in September 2024 over concerns they could be used unlawfully in Gaza.

    However, in the three months that followed, the government reportedly approved US$169 million (£126 million) worth of military equipment to Israel. This is more than the total amount it approved between 2020 and 2023.

    The UK maintains that its “exports of military goods to Israel are low”, and the same is true for Canada. The UK and Canada together provide less than 1% of the annual value of Israel’s military imports. But a full suspension would be a major political statement, demonstrating diminishing international support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

    For a total ban to have any effect on the Israeli military’s operations, it needs to be complemented by similar action from more significant arms providers. Germany, for instance, accounted for 30% of Israel’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023.

    The UK and Canada are also part of the global F-35 jet fighter programme, with the UK alone supplying 15% of the value of each jet. F-35 jets play a key role in Israel’s military operations in Gaza. But stopping British-made parts for F-35s from being supplied to Israel is unlikely.

    It would involve pulling out of the entire programme, which the government says is crucial for international security. However, given the High Court is hearing a case that alleges the sale of components for F-35s indirectly to Israel breaks domestic and international law, its stance could change.

    Western countries could also suspend their trade with Israel. The EU accounts for almost 30% of Israeli exports, with a similar amount of Israeli imports coming from the EU. The UK is the 11th-largest importer of Israeli goods.

    This option would have a significant impact on Israel’s economy, and is being considered by both the UK and EU. On May 20, Lammy announced the suspension of negotiations over a new free trade deal between the UK and Israel. And the EU has said it will review its trade association deal with Israel, after 17 of the bloc’s 27 foreign ministers backed the move.

    A complete suspension of the EU’s trade agreement with Israel would require unanimity, so it is unlikely. But a partial suspension is possible, as this would only require at least 55% of member states to vote in favour.

    Sanction Israeli settlers

    One more option is the expansion – and coordination – of efforts to sanction Israeli nationals who promote violence against Palestinians. In 2024, France, Canada and the EU imposed financial sanctions and travel bans against extremist Israeli settlers who had been found guilty of using violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

    The UK has now taken a similar approach, introducing sanctions on several individuals and entities involved in the Israeli settler movement. This includes prominent Israeli settler Daniella Weiss, who featured in Louis Theroux’s recent documentary, The Settlers. Weiss has dismissed the sanctions, saying they will not affect her or the broader settler movement.

    Britain’s government is also reportedly considering sanctions against Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Lammy referred to Smotrich’s recent comments that the Israeli military offensive will be “destroying everything that’s left” of Gaza as “monstrous”.

    Sanctions could, in theory, be complemented by bans on the import of goods from Israeli settlements. Israel’s finance ministry says that 2.5% of the country’s agricultural exports and 1.5% of industrial exports to the EU originate in settlements.

    This type of ban would be difficult for France to introduce due to EU law, but it might not be impossible. Ireland is also trying to ban the trade of goods from such settlements.

    Above all, Israel’s allies should step up their efforts to respect international law. In November 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war.

    The UK and Canada have said they would arrest Netanyahu if he travels to either country – and they could apply pressure on France to join them. France has not said whether it would arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot on French territory.

    The humanitarian situation in Gaza is likely to worsen over the coming weeks and months. If Israel’s western allies want to use their influence to force the Israeli government to end the conflict, now is the time.

    Catherine Gegout 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. What action can Israel’s allies take over its expansion of military operations in Gaza? – https://theconversation.com/what-action-can-israels-allies-take-over-its-expansion-of-military-operations-in-gaza-257154

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Releases Documents Detailing the Rap Sheets of 8 Criminal Illegal Aliens after Activist Judge Ruling Halts their Deportation

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are getting vicious criminals out of our country while activist judges are fighting to bring them back onto American soil

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released records on the eight convicted murderers and rapists that an activist judge halted their deportation. All eight of these barbaric criminal illegal aliens have final orders of removal and have been convicted in a court of law. These records reveal even more details about these illegal aliens’ heinous crimes.  

    To download the documents, click here.

    “Today, DHS released the rap sheets for eight of these uniquely monstrous, criminal illegal aliens who have final deportation orders that the U.S. government is actively trying to deport. The American public should know the heinous crimes of these murderers, rapists, and pedophiles that this activist district court judge is trying to bring back to American soil,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “As he spits in the fact of victims, this Massachusetts district court judge is stalling the final removal of these barbaric individuals from the country and wants taxpayers to continue to foot the bill to keep these criminals in DHS custody overseas. It is deranged.”  

    Below are excerpts of the rap sheets of each of the criminal illegal aliens, detailing heinous crimes.  

    Nyo Myint: Convicted sexual assault of a mentally disabled woman 

    Nyo Myint, an illegal Burma and registered sex offender was arrested by ICE St. Paul on February 18, 2025. Myint is convicted of first-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting; sentenced to 12 years confinement. Myint is also charged with aggravated assault-nonfamily strongarm. He was issued a final order of removal on August 17, 2023.

    Enrique Arias-Hierro: Convicted homicide, armed robbery 

    Enrique Arias-Hierro, an illegal alien from Cuba, was arrested by ICE Miami on May 2, 2025. His criminal history includes convictions for homicide, armed robbery, false impersonation of official, kidnapping, robbery strong arm. He was issued a final order of removal on September 13, 1999.

    Tuan Thanh Phan: Convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault 

    On May 3, 2025, ICE Seattle arrested Tuan Thanh Phan, an illegal alien from Vietnam. Phan is Convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault; sentenced to 22 years confinement. Prior to that, he was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon on a school facility as a juvenile in 1999. He was issued a final order of removal on June 17, 2009.

    Jose Manuel Rodriquez-Quinones: Convicted of first-degree murder 

    On April 30, 2025, ICE Miami arrested Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones, an illegal alien from Cuba. He has been convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, battery and larceny, cocaine possession and trafficking. Additionally, he was charged with attempted first-degree murder, trafficking and possessing cocaine, assault, credit card fraud, and theft. He was issued a final order of removal on December 4, 2012.

    Dian Domach: Convicted of robbery  

    Dian Domach is an illegal alien from South Sudan that ICE first encountered in 2011 and was charged as a deportable alien. While in the U.S. Domach was convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm, of possession of burglar’s tools and possession of defaced firearm and driving under the influence. He was arrested by ICE on May 8, 2024, and was issued a final order of removal on July 19, 2011.

    Thongxay Nilakout: Convicted Murderer Sentenced to Life in Prison 

    Thongxay Nilakout, an illegal alien from Laos, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles on January 26, 2025. Nilakout was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery; sentenced to life in prison. He was issued a final order of removal on July 12, 2023.

    Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez: Convicted murderer sentenced to life in prison 

    On May 12, 2025, ICE Miami arrested Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez, an illegal alien from Mexico. He is convicted of second-degree murder; sentenced to life confinement. He was issued a final order of removed on June 16, 2005.

    Kyaw Mya: Convicted of rape of a child 

    Kyaw Mya, an illegal alien from Burma was arrested by ICE St. Paul on February 18, 2025. Mya is convicted of Lascivious Acts with a Child-Victim less than 12 years of age; sentenced to 10 years confinement, paroled after 4 years. He was issued a final order of removal on March 17, 2022.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Ready to Open New Chapter in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Germany – Xi Jinping

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) — China is willing to work with Germany to open a new chapter in the history of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, promote new progress in China-EU ties, and make new contributions to the stable growth of the world economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday.

    During a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Xi Jinping once again congratulated him on taking office. He noted that in a world where changes unseen in a century are accelerating and the international situation is volatile and unstable, the strategic and global significance of China-Germany and China-Europe relations is becoming even more noticeable.

    Healthy and stable relations between China and Germany serve the interests of both countries and meet the expectations of various social circles in China and Europe, the Chinese president said.

    The Chinese leader stressed that China and Germany have always developed their bilateral relations based on the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while preserving differences, and cooperation for mutual benefit. Such a fine tradition should be carefully preserved and developed, Xi Jinping said.

    First, the Chinese President called for strengthening political mutual trust. He noted that China regards Germany as a partner, welcomes its development and prosperity, and is ready to strengthen close high-level exchanges with Germany, respect each other’s fundamental interests, and strengthen the political foundation of interstate relations.

    Secondly, Xi called on the two sides to enhance the resilience of bilateral relations. He said that they should not only continue to expand existing cooperation in traditional areas such as automobiles, machinery and chemicals, but also cultivate cooperation in cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as climate change and green development, bringing the wisdom and solutions of China and Germany to global sustainable development.

    Third, the Chinese President noted that it is important to increase the momentum of cooperation. He assured that China is willing to share with Germany the development opportunities brought by high-level opening up, adding that China hopes that Germany will provide more policy support and promotion for mutual investment, and provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.

    According to Xi Jinping, facts have fully proven that partnership is the correct positioning of China-Germany and China-EU relations, and a stable and predictable political environment is an important guarantee for bilateral cooperation.

    The Chinese president pointed out that the responsibility of major countries is the common mission of both sides. Recalling that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, Xi said the two sides should jointly summarize the successful experience of developing China-EU ties and send a positive signal to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, as well as deepen open and mutually beneficial cooperation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –