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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Global: Four lifestyle habits that might just help you live to 100

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bradley Elliott, Reader in Ageing Physiology, University of Westminster

    Resilience to stress is important when it comes to longevity. Sabrina Bracher/ Shutterstock

    A 115-year-old Surrey woman named Ethel Caterham has officially been handed the title of the oldest living human alive.

    Many people reading this news may wonder what Caterham’s secret is.

    While it isn’t usually a good idea to take health and longevity advice from supercentenarians (as they’re often the exception rather than the rule), there are some lifestyle pointers that we can take from research on groups of long-lived people that might help us increase our chances of living a longer life.

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    1. Physical activity

    Physical activity is good for you – who knew? Research shows that people who are more physically active each day tend to live longer, healthier lives. One study found that going from no physical activity to about 75 minutes per week of brisk walking increased life expectancy by about two years.

    But perhaps less well known is just how bad inactivity is for your health and longevity. It’s a tad difficult to explain, but the positive effects of exercise are actually different from the negative effects of inactivity. That means that you can have a positive influence on your health by being both more active and avoiding being inactive.

    Yet as good as structured exercise is for you, it can’t by itself offset the harms of inactivity and sitting all day. Research even shows that being sedentary is associated with higher risk of premature death from any cause.



    Read more:
    Sitting is bad for your health and exercise doesn’t seem to offset the harmful effects

    If you want to live longer, you should try to avoid sitting for long periods of time if possible. Practical tips for this include standing up every 30 minutes, going to see someone in the office instead of calling or emailing them and standing on public transport during commuting. This, plus the aim to do about 30 minutes moderate exercise most days will help maximise your odds of a long, healthy life.

    2. Eat your veggies

    The advice many kids dread: eat your vegetables if you want to live a long time.

    A recent study that followed around 100,000 people over a 30 year period found that people who made it to 70 years of age in good health (meaning they had no chronic diseases) typically ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and fewer trans-fats, red or processed meats, fried foods and sugary foods. Importantly, this study doesn’t say that you must be a vegan, or never eat red meats – it only identifies trends within diets associated with healthy ageing.

    A healthy diet may be key to healthy ageing.
    Tom Wang/ Shutterstock

    When and how much you eat may also play a role when it comes to ageing. Research on caloric restriction and intermittent fasting in animals has shown both can increase lifespan. Our preliminary work in humans has also shown that following a fasting diet for three weeks can cause similar, positive metabolic shifts that match what we’ve seen in animals that will live longer. However, larger studies over longer time-frames are needed to establish effects on healthspan and lifespan in humans.

    3. Sleep

    Regular, good quality sleep is also important for lifelong health and overall longevity.

    In a study of about 500,000 British people, irregular sleep patterns were associated with a 50% higher risk of early death compared to those with regular sleep patterns. Shift workers showed higher risk for strokes, and nurses who worked rotating shifts for decades were less healthy and had earlier deaths at retirement compared to nurses who didn’t work shifts.

    While this data suggests that good quality, regular sleep is important for good health, how much sleep you need and when you should go to bed appears to be highly individualistic. This makes giving population-wide recommendations difficult – which is why the NHS recommends adults get between 7-9 hours sleep.

    4. Stress

    Stress has many effects on your health.

    For instance, increasing evidence shows that early-life stressors (such as loss of a parent, neglect or abuse) can negatively affect health later in life – even down to a molecular and cellular level by increasing inflammation levels in ways that could increase the risk of poor health and premature death in older age.

    Conversely, older adults that show increased psychological resilience to stress are less likely to die from any cause. As little as eight weeks of regular yoga is enough to improve psychological resilience in older adults.

    Possibly linked is the effect of social connections. Those that live more socially active lives also tend to live longer. In fact, people over 65 who are socially active daily are three times more likely to live for five more years compared to those that almost never engage in social activities.

    It’s a common finding that strong social networks appear to enhance longevity. This may be due to the way social connections help us alleviate stressors in our lives.

    The role of genetics

    While there are many lifestyle habits we can change, one thing we can’t control when it comes to our lifespans is genetics. Some research suggests that naturally-occurring mutations in genes associated with longevity are more common in long-lived people.

    Although it’s hard to tease out the role of genetics versus lifestyle when it comes to lifespan, current predictions suggest that longevity is between 20-40% related to genetics.

    But good genetics aren’t everything. Although Ethel Caterham has made it to the remarkable age of 115 – and one of her sisters lived to be 104 – Caterham’s two daughters pre-deceased her at 71 and 83 years of age.

    And even if you do win the genetic jackpot and follow a good lifestyle, you would still be very lucky to make it to Caterham’s grand old age of 115. Cells mutate, clots form, biological luck runs out. Still, if you want to maximise your odds of living longer and staying as healthy as possible, aim to be more physically active each day, eat a good diet, get a good night’s sleep and keep stress levels low.

    Bradley Elliott receives funding from the Physiological Society, the British Society for Research on Ageing, the Altitude Centre, and private philanthropic individuals, and has consulted for industry and government on longevity research. He is on the Board of Trustees of the British Society for Research on Ageing.

    – ref. Four lifestyle habits that might just help you live to 100 – https://theconversation.com/four-lifestyle-habits-that-might-just-help-you-live-to-100-255789

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Insect protein could support healthy ageing and fight climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Catherine Norton, Associate Professor Sport & Exercise Nutrition, University of Limerick

    Charoen Krung Photography/Shutterstock

    When we think about the future of food, it’s unlikely that crickets, meal worms or grasshoppers come to mind. But believe it or not, insects might just be one of the most promising answers to two big global problems: feeding a growing (and ageing) population and fighting climate change.
    As the world’s population heads towards 10 billion by 2050, we’re going to need a lot more food – and especially more protein.

    In Ireland, where our research was based, this matters even more because our population is ageing. Older adults need more protein to stay healthy and independent as they age, but often they don’t eat enough of it.

    At the same time, we also have to take care of the planet. Producing traditional protein sources like beef, pork and chicken uses up a lot of land, water and energy – and creates a lot of greenhouse gases.

    So, where do insects fit in?

    Insects are packed with high-quality protein. They also contain good fats, vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. Some species are just as nutritious, if not more so, than chicken or beef.

    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.

    Even better, they’re much more sustainable. Insects need very little space, water, or food to grow, and they produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions. For example, crickets need 12 times less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein.

    This makes them a great option for countries like Ireland which wants to cut down on its environmental impact while still providing healthy food for everyone, including older adults who need extra protein to prevent muscle loss and frailty.

    Despite all the good things about insect protein, most people in Ireland aren’t exactly rushing out to eat a cricket sandwich. I led a research project, conducted by Sarah Mae Crosse, Aoife Finlay and Sarah Dooley, which looked at what Irish adults think about eating insects. We found that while some people are open to the idea, many still say “no thanks”.

    The main reasons? Disgust, fear of the unknown and not knowing how to cook or prepare them. People also worry about taste and texture. One participant said: “It’s just weird – it makes my stomach turn,” while another admitted they’d be okay with it “as long as I don’t see any legs sticking out”.

    Increasing appeal

    The way insects are served also makes a big difference. People are much more willing to try insect protein when it’s ground up into a powder and added to foods they already like, like protein bars, pasta, bread, or burgers. In this form, it’s just another ingredient and it doesn’t look like a bug anymore.

    Another big factor is education. When people learn about how insect protein can help the environment and support healthy ageing, they’re more likely to give it a go. In our student-led focus groups, some participants changed their minds after hearing about the benefits. “I didn’t realise it was so high in protein or that it’s good for the planet,” one said. “I’d try it now, especially if it tasted okay.”

    Getting more people on board with insect protein isn’t just about making it tasty – it’s also about trust. Clear rules and food safety standards from the government can help people feel more confident about trying something new. Plus, supermarkets and food producers need to make these products easy to find and affordable.

    Schools, colleges and community groups can play a big role too. Cooking demos, taste tests and education campaigns can make insect protein seem less weird and more like a smart, forward thinking choice. As more people try these foods and share their experiences, the idea of eating insects could go from gross to normal.

    It might take time, but insects could become an important part of the Irish diet. They’re good for our health, especially as we get older, and they’re good for the planet too. The key is helping people understand the benefits, get over the “ick” factor and find ways to enjoy them in everyday meals.

    With the right mix of science, education and smart marketing, we might all be munching on insect powered protein foods before long.

    Catherine Norton receives funding from government funding, research council grants and industry.

    With thanks to Sarah Mae Crosse, Aoife Finlay and Sarah Dooley, undergraduate students at the University of Limerick, who conducted this research.

    – ref. Insect protein could support healthy ageing and fight climate change – https://theconversation.com/insect-protein-could-support-healthy-ageing-and-fight-climate-change-255894

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK What is Hansard? ✍️ | House of Commons

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Commons Hansard is the official record of everything that is said by MPs in the House of Commons Chambers and Committees. It is an online resource that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world.

    Debates are published on the Parliament website just three hours after they’ve happened in the Chamber, and a print and pdf version of the entire day is available by 6am the following morning.

    At Hansard online you can access records of debates from as far back as the early 19th century. You can search for your MP, by subject, or even for a particular word.

    The Lords and Commons have separate reports. Learn about the House of Lords Hansard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVZuWW4PwGM

    Find out more about Hansard: https://hansard.parliament.uk

    #HouseOfCommons #UKPolitics #PalaceOfWestminster #HousesOfParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FPSxMh-l7o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jacobs, Meeks Introduce Joint Resolutions of Disapproval for Trump Administration’s Rushed Arms Sales to United Arab Emirates

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)

    May 15, 2025

    Representatives Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee, and Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee today issued the following statement announcing the introduction of Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to block the Trump administration’s recent notification it would advance over $1B in arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by skirting longstanding practice to subject such sales to Congressional committee review and violating Congress’s constitutional role. In doing so, the Trump administration blew past the hold that Ranking Member Meeks had placed on U.S. arms sales to the UAE – as well as any other country fueling the conflict in Sudan – earlier this year. 

    PDFs of the JRDs are available here and here.

    “The Trump administration’s decision to once again bypass the Congressional review process and notify over one billion dollars in arms sales to the UAE is a clear violation of longstanding, bipartisan process and undermines Congress’s constitutional authority and responsibility in overseeing arms transfers.

    “Worse, this comes amid further credible reporting and evidence – both inside and outside the U.S. government – that the UAE continues to provide weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), fueling the conflict in Sudan where more than 150,000 people have died and the RSF is committing genocide.  

    “The Trump administration’s end-run around Congress is irresponsible and will further embolden the UAE to violate the UN’s Darfur arms embargo and continue its support for the RSF and the killing of innocent civilians. The brutal war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces has already displaced nearly 13 million since it began in 2023 and forced 1 million people to the brink of starvation. It must end now. 

    “The JRDs seek to block certain arms cases the Trump administration notified on May 12 for export to the UAE, despite a Congressional hold. We urge our colleagues to support these JRDs to block these arms sales until the UAE ceases its armed support to the RSF and fueling of its horrific atrocities.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Mickoski of North Macedonia: 16 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM meeting with Prime Minister Mickoski of North Macedonia: 16 May 2025

    The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of North Macedonia at the European Political Community summit today.

    The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of North Macedonia at the European Political Community summit today.

    The Prime Minister began by welcoming the new strategic partnership between the two countries, further strengthening the relationship between the UK and North Macedonia.

    The partnership would underline the growing friendship between the two countries and signalled an intent to work more closely on shared challenges, including economic growth, trade, defence and security, the Prime Minister added.

    The leaders also discussed North Macedonia’s recent agreement to join the Joint Migration Taskforce, further boosting regional cooperation to prevent irregular migrants transiting the Balkans and disrupting the criminal gangs that facilitate them.

    Looking ahead to the Western Balkans summit in October, the leaders welcomed the strengthening of the friendships between the UK and the region.

    The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tickets now on sale for John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture. Major exhibition to feature over 80 works, including never-before-seen sketchbooks

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Tickets are now on sale for John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture. Opening Saturday 31 May.

    The exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to view over 80 works by one of Scotland’s most celebrated artists. Many of these works, including a selection of Bellany’s private sketchbooks, will be displayed publicly for the first time.

    Curated by Bellany’s close friends and colleagues, Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat, the exhibition spans five decades of the artist’s prolific career from the 1960s until 2013. Over two floors of the City Art Centre, this captivating exhibition invites visitors into Bellany’s world through the lens of his own self-exploration.

    John Bellany was one of the most prolific and fearless self-portraitists in history, obsessively documenting his own image throughout his lifetime. From his early student studies in the 1960s to the epic pictorial narratives of his later years, Bellany’s works reveal the artist’s complex relationship with himself, his identity, and the world around him.

    A particularly special element of the show is the inclusion of Bellany’s sketchbooks, personal visual diaries kept throughout his life, now generously loaned by his family. This is the first time they will be on public view.

    Curator Sandy Moffat, said:

    The exhibition will feature a number of works which have never been shown before including sketch books, drawings from his student days and his last self portraits…. offering a unique opportunity to see these works for the very first time.

    Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Margaret Graham said:

    This exhibition promises to be real highlight of the year. It is a great privilege to bring such a collection together and for many of the works to be brought into the public eye for the first time. It will offer visitors a fresh perspective on a much-acclaimed giant in Scottish art who was born in East Lothian.

    The exhibition is accompanied by a publication featuring a foreword by Helen Bellany and essays by curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat.

    In addition to the exhibition, a rich programme of events has been developed to offer deeper insights into the artist’s work, his personal life, and his ongoing legacy.

    Published: May 16th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Slams Congressional Republicans’ Push to Gut Social Safety Net Programs During Oversight Subcommittee Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) denounced Republican efforts to dismantle and weaken critical social safety net programs such as Medicaid and affordable housing during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services. During his opening statement as ranking member of the subcommittee, Congressman Krishnamoorthi condemned recent proposals made by Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump that call for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to be cut by more than $1.1 trillion, a move that would greatly benefit the wealthiest Americans and special interests at the expense of tens of millions of Americans, including millions of Illinoisans, who would lose health care coverage and access to food on the table for themselves and their families.

    “Slashing the budgets of these critical lifelines will not magically eliminate inefficiencies,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said during his opening statement. “What it will do is inflict real, immediate harm on our constituents. No matter if they live in red states or blue states. Children will go to bed hungry. Seniors will forgo lifesaving medications. Hardworking families, many of whom are already working multiple jobs, will face the agonizing choice between paying rent and putting food on the table. We must not lose sight of the real-life consequences of these policy debates.”

    Throughout his question line and his opening and closing statements, Congressman Krishnamoorthi repeatedly spoke on his own personal experience with social safety net programs. After immigrating to the U.S. when he was only four months old, Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s family depended on housing assistance and food stamps, now referred to as SNAP.

    “I’m so passionate about the benefits of the safety net because I’ve experienced them,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “These programs sustained my parents until my father got a great job in, of all places, Peoria, Illinois. My parents realized the American Dream, and they never took it for granted. I haven’t either.”

    During his question line, Congressman Krishnamoorthi criticized the Republican witnesses, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, for pushing false narratives surrounding anti-poverty programs and called them out for backing policy proposals that negatively impact working-class families that depend on programs to get back on their feet. Congressman Krishnamoorthi specifically called out former Secretary Carson for calling the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery,” pointing out that 65 million Americans have access to health care because of the ACA.

    Congressman Krishnamoorthi went on to point out the hypocrisy of Republicans calling for drastic cuts to programs that help working-class families while backing massive tax cuts and subsidies for large corporations, citing a Cato Institute study that found that corporate welfare costs the federal government $181 billion per year. Congressman Krishnamoorthi also cited a recent Wall Street Journal article that estimates President Trump’s self-imposed tariffs will cost American households at least $2,100 a year and would lower household income by 2.1 percent.

    The Congressman’s full opening statement is available here, his question line is available here, and his closing statement is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Congratulates Pope Leo XIV, Formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    CHICAGO – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement in response to the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago:

    “I join millions across Illinois, the United States, and the world in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV as the next leader of the Catholic Church. This is a deeply historic and emotional moment: the first American pope, and he hails from our beloved city of Chicago.

    I offer my warmest congratulations to Pope Leo XIV and to the Catholic community in Chicago, across Illinois, and around the globe. His election is a powerful reflection of the values of faith, service, and humility that he has demonstrated throughout his ministry. As a proud representative of the Chicagoland area, I know how much this moment means to our communities, and I wish His Holiness and his flock every blessing in the journey ahead.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Krishnamoorthi and Moulton Lead More Than 100 Democrats in Opposing Cuts to 988’s Specialized Services for LGBTQ+ Youth

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) joined in leading 107 House Democrats in calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump to scrap plans that would cut funding for the specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth who contact the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

    “America has a youth mental health crisis, and LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers,” the congressmen wrote in their letter. “The 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has recently received an average of 2,100 contacts per day, and since 2022, it has received over 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats. America’s mental health crisis affects every community, and every family knows someone who has experienced distress. Mental health crises do not recognize partisan differences, and this is why support for 988 and its specialized services has always been firmly bipartisan.”

    The specialized services 988 offers, particularly for high-risk groups like LGBTQ+ youth and veterans, are critical to saving lives. Any proposal to cut funding in the President’s budget and thereby cut off access to this life-saving support for vulnerable young people run counter to the best practices in suicide prevention.

    “Cutting off specialized 988 services for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis is not just wrong, it’s dangerous,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “LGBTQI+ youth already face a heightened risk of suicide, and removing tailored support could have deadly consequences. Every American, regardless of who they are or whom they love, deserves access to compassionate, life-saving mental health care, especially in moments of deepest distress.”

    “Suicide remains a serious public health concern in the U.S., and we know from research that certain groups have higher risk, including Veterans and LGBTQ+ youth. This is why these groups have dedicated services within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, where uniquely trained counselors help prevent suicide in these disproportionately impacted populations,” Robert Gebbia, CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said. “We understand that funding may be eliminated for 988 LGBTQ+ specialized services, and we urge the administration to continue its existing support for crisis services, including those for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth. These crisis response services are effective and save young lives.”

    “I am deeply grateful to these members of Congress for speaking out and urging the administration to reverse course on their proposal to end life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth across the U.S. Tailoring suicide prevention services to ensure they’re effective for the most at-risk groups should not be political; it is simply clinical best practice. I applaud these lawmakers for their vocal support of these evidence-backed, bipartisan crisis services that have already supported an estimated 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth and counting,” Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, said.

    “988 is about providing hope and saving lives. Tragically, we lose too many young lives to suicide, especially LGBTQ+ young people,” Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said. “We thank these members of Congress for prioritizing resources for people who need them, and for working to maintain these services to provide vital, lifesaving support to our LGBTQ+ community.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

    Dear Secretary Kennedy,

    President Trump’s budget threatens to end specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth who contact 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Ending this mental health support for youth in distress would devastate a vital resource for some of our nation’s most vulnerable young people. This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines 988’s ability to provide tailored support for a population with a higher risk of suicide and will have lethal consequences if enacted. Surely you can agree that every American deserves the resources necessary to prevent suicide and self-injury, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

    America has a youth mental health crisis, and LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. The 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has recently received an average of 2,100 contacts per day and, since 2022, it has received over 1.3 million calls, text, and chats. America’s mental health crisis affects every community and every family knows someone who has experienced distress. Mental health crises do not recognize partisan differences, and this is why support for 988 and its specialized services has always been firmly bipartisan.

    When Congress established the 988 lifeline, signed into law by President Trump during his first term, we intended it to be a resource for any American experiencing mental distress. To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline. The specialized services it is able to provide to individuals with a higher risk of suicidality, such as LGBTQ+ youth and veterans, are especially vital to provide high-risk groups with custom support. Consideration of cutting off this life-saving resource to vulnerable youth and young adults goes against best practices in suicide prevention. 

    We urge that you scrap this ill-advised plan. Our nation’s children deserve nothing less.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Louisiana Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by March Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses, nonprofits, and residents in Louisiana of the June 16 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by severe storms and flooding occurring March 29–April 2.

    The disaster declaration covers the Louisiana parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry and Vermilion.

    Small businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”

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

    Interest rates can be as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to 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.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is June 16.

    ###

    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: Statement from Governor Phil Scott on Need for Housing Legislation This Session

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt – Governor Phil Scott issued the following statement in response to housing bills, S.127 and H.479:

    “For the last eight years, I’ve been sounding the alarm about our housing crisis. Vermonters across the state are impacted by a lack of housing options – from renters, to first time homebuyers, and retirees looking to downsize. That’s why, in January, I proposed legislation to move the needle on the housing we desperately need.  

    “This included expanding infrastructure for housing and flood recovery by modifying the existing TIF program to include a project-based option – so smaller towns with fewer resources can access this economic tool as easily as larger cities and towns.

    “We proposed changes to our permitting process, because it’s difficult to navigate, which has led to project costs skyrocketing and fewer homes being built because it doesn’t make financial sense.

    “We also asked the legislature to expand and extend the Act 250 exemptions that are expiring soon, to give rural communities opportunities to thrive and grow. In addition, we proposed reforms to the wetlands permitting and appeals process which will help places like Barre, Montpelier and Plainfield, as they recover from recent flooding.

    As the legislative session comes to a close, I’m concerned we have not done nearly enough on housing. With 41,000 more homes needed by 2030 (just to catch up) we cannot afford to kick the can down the road again. Last session, the Legislature passed 70 bills in three days, so I’m confident there is still time to pass a housing bill that actually helps Vermont, because without action, we will fall further behind.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues Demand Information on $400 Million Qatari Plane Bribe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is joining his colleagues today in demanding the Department of Defense be transparent with them about the substantial national security risks of the $400 million Air Force One bribe from the Qatari royal family. Just days after Senator King told Scripps News that the jet transfer “poses a serious national security risk,” he signed a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, seeking answers about the unnecessary danger that an unsecure and unprotected Air Force One would present to the President.
    The Air Force has been working with Boeing to deliver two brand new 747 jets to be used as Air Force One. However, with the delivery date of the new aircraft not expected until 2027, the White House has proposed accepting the Qatari plane as a short-term alternative. Nevertheless, Article I of the Constitution, specifically the emoluments clause, bars anyone holding government office from accepting any gift or bribe from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.
    “[We] write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities,” the lawmakers said.
    The Senators continued, “Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers… President Trump is claiming that this ‘gift’ of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.”
      
    In addition to King, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
    The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    +++
    Dear Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Meink:
    We write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities.
    This announcement alone could pose a threat to Presidential protection now and in the future. President Trump’s public statement on May 12 that the U.S. would accept the Qatari aircraft— before the aircraft was in our Nation’s custody—provides a dangerous opportunity to exploit for foreign intelligence agencies and adversaries seeking to do harm to the United States, who have a great incentive to gain access to the aircraft and individuals with sensitive knowledge and understanding of the Qatar royal family’s “Palace in the Sky.”
    Importantly, protecting Air Force One from compromise, attack or disruption is a critical mission of the Air Force and the entire U.S. Department of Defense. A threat to an Air Force One aircraft would not only endanger the President, but also the Air Force pilots and servicemembers in the 89th Airlift Wing who serve on or maintain the aircraft.
    We know that the Air Force One fleet has extensive technical requirements each aircraft must meet in order to protect the President from any threats during travel, ensure the aircraft can continue to operate at the ranges necessary (such as through refueling capabilities) and guarantee that the President can communicate continuously and securely, a capability that would prove essential in an unforeseen foreign or domestic crisis. One of the most consequential aspects of this mission is to ensure nuclear command and control remains intact even while the President travels—a cornerstone of our deterrent.
    It is unclear whether and how, if President Trump proceeds with this plan to accept this aircraft, the Department plans to ensure the aircraft can meet the necessary high standards for operational security, counterintelligence and Presidential protection under the hastened timeframe arbitrarily set by President Trump to use it for travel before the end of his term in 2029.
    An unsecure and unprotected Air Force One presents clear dangers to our national security. Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers.
    This potential move also presents concerning indications of waste, fraud and abuse. Experts estimate that upgrading this unvetted aircraft to meet essential security specifications could cost upwards of $1 billion. President Trump is claiming that this “gift” of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.
    One expert speaking to Defense News said that, to achieve all the features of Air Force One with this unvetted plane, this option would “be a step backward.” Instead of accelerating delivery of a secure plane for Presidential travel, as the administration contends, “they’d have to start over again with what they’ve been working on with the other 747-8” under the existing Boeing program. “Starting over again with the same plane would take a lot longer.”
    This administration has been vocal about its commitment to efficiency and cost-savings in the federal government. But spending taxpayer money on efforts to upgrade this Qatari jet – when the President currently travels securely – is unnecessary and wasteful. We require answers to the following questions regarding the operational risks surrounding the President’s possible acceptance of this aircraft, either in writing or in a briefing to us no later than June 1, 2025. Please provide answers at whatever classification level necessary.
    Please detail the mitigation steps and counterintelligence countermeasures that the U.S. Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community would take to prevent foreign intelligence services from exploiting the aircraft before it is safely in U.S. custody.
    Which agencies will perform counterintelligence and technical surveillance countermeasures?
    What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these countermeasures?
    Please detail the certification procedures and standard technical requirements for Presidential protection, operational security, counterintelligence and secure communications required of Air Force One.
    Please provide a detailed plan for how the Air Force will retrofit this aircraft to certify that it meets these standard requirements.
    Which agencies will be responsible for certifying that there are no physical or cyber vulnerabilities?
    What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these certifications?
    Please provide a cost estimate and required timeline for retrofitting this aircraft, including certifying against vulnerabilities, installing secure communications and installing other protective or other equipment necessary to meet the security and counterintelligence requirements for the Air Force One fleet.
    What timeline has been directed for clearing the aircraft for Presidential use, and can the required certifications and preparations be conducted in such timeline?
    What risks have you been directed to accept?
    What vulnerabilities will remain as a result?
    What mitigation steps will you take to address these remaining vulnerabilities?
    How will these vulnerabilities impact the operations of the 89th Airlift Wing?
    How will these vulnerabilities impact other core missions of the Department of Defense, such Presidential command and control during crises and contingencies?
    Please provide a risk assessment, in coordination with the Intelligence Community, regarding if and how increased public scrutiny of Air Force One capabilities has affected threats to our Presidential protection procedures and capabilities.
    Please provide details and documentation of what analysis of alternative aircraft or options the U.S. Department of Defense undertook before settling on the proposal for the Qatari aircraft.
    Please provide copies of any communications between the Department of Defense and the Qatari government or its representatives regarding this proposal.
    Reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Defense may be considering “loosening” requirements of the contract with Boeing to deliver 747-8 aircraft to serve in the Air Force One fleet in order to accelerate delivery from 2029 to 2027. Please provide details 3 of any proposed or decided changes to these requirements and documentation of the Department of Defense’s analysis of tradeoffs of this desired acceleration.
    Please provide the assessed impacts of the Department’s plans vis a vis this aircraft on the planned delivery timelines for the existing contract for the other Boeing 747-8 aircraft currently in development, including the potential diversion of specialized DoD personnel to conduct or oversee these upgrades as opposed to work on the existing contract.
    The American people deserve to understand this administration’s plans for securing this aircraft, the vulnerabilities its use will present to our national security and the price tag they will be asked to pay for President Trump’s decision to integrate this aircraft into our most sensitive fleet.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Calls on OPM to Continue Protections for Federal Employees Whose Personal Information was Compromised in 2015 Hack

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – As Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues its purge of federal programs, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is cautioning the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) against prematurely eliminating government contracts that protect millions of federal employees whose personal information was compromised in massive data breaches nearly 10 years ago.
    In 2015, OPM announced two separate cybersecurity incidents attributed to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that compromised the Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of approximately 21.5 million individuals.
    “The federal workforce was dangerously exposed by the 2015 OPM breach, and millions of impacted individuals will continue to be at risk because of the breach, likely for the remainder of their lives. In addition to Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses, there were also 1.1 million sets of fingerprints and detailed financial and health records exposed—some of the most valuable information today on the dark web,” wrote Sen. Warner.
    In the immediate aftermath of the breach, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to protect federal workers affected by the attacks and eventually secured OPM-contracted identity protection services for those impacted by the breach. However, despite previous efforts by the Trump administration to protect federal workers whose data was compromised, DOGE has signaled that these protections may be in jeopardy. 
    Sen. Warner continued, “Given the recent personnel cuts to OPM and Elon Musk’s imminent departure from the Trump administration, I am deeply concerned that OPM is planning to curtail identity theft monitoring for millions of public servants and their families whose information was compromised in 2015. I urge you to ensure that identity theft protection services for the impacted individuals from the 2015 OPM breach continue, as required by law.”
    A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
    Dear Mr. Ezell:
    I write to bring your attention to a vital issue affecting the federal workforce, past and current, and their families. In 2015, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced two separate cybersecurity incidents. The Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of approximately 21.5 million individuals were compromised in the breaches, including 19.7 million individuals who applied for background investigations and 1.8 million non-applicants (predominantly spouses or cohabitants of applicants).  In response to this massive security compromise, I co-sponsored the RECOVER Act, the original bill for OPM-contracted identity protection services for the impacted individuals.   Congress appropriated funds in section 633(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017.   The Act and appropriation protected the 21.5 million impacted individuals with identity protection coverage and identity theft insurance.  This appropriation was “effective for a period of not less than 10 years,” and expires at the end of fiscal year 2026, on September 30, 2026. 
    The 2015 OPM cybersecurity breach was attributed to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).  In the decade since the breach, the PRC has mounted additional attacks to steal information about America’s leaders and public servants to disrupt and endanger the lives of everyday Americans, including recent cyber, critical infrastructure, and telecom security breaches. The federal workforce was dangerously exposed by the 2015 OPM breach, and millions of impacted individuals will continue to be at risk because of the breach, likely for the remainder of their lives. In addition to Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses, there were also 1.1 million sets of fingerprints and detailed financial and health records exposed—some of the most valuable information today on the dark web. 
    The risks and appropriate remedies for the compromise of sensitive information about public servants are well known to this administration. In March 2025, the Trump administration acknowledged the improper disclosure of sensitive information to former public servants when it disclosed the Social Security numbers, birthdates, and other sensitive information of hundreds of individuals in the release of the files pertaining the death of President John F. Kennedy.  To protect those compromised individuals, the Trump administration is reportedly providing credit monitoring and, in some cases, has issued new Social Security numbers to the impacted individuals.  While the March 2025 disclosure was a staggering unforced error, I applaud the administration’s swift response to protect the victims. Current and former public servants should not be abandoned to bear the risks of the federal government’s failure to protect their sensitive information. 
    It was not practicable to issue millions of new Social Security numbers to the Americans impacted by the 2015 OPM data breach, which is why the federal government responded at the time, followed by Congress appropriating funds to OPM to contract for identity theft protection services. Given the recent personnel cuts to OPM and Elon Musk’s imminent departure from the Trump administration, I am deeply concerned that OPM is planning to curtail identity theft monitoring for millions of public servants and their families whose information was compromised in 2015. I urge you to ensure that identity theft protection services for the impacted individuals from the 2015 OPM breach continue, as required by law. Any attempt to prematurely phase out services to the victims of the 2015 OPM breach will introduce tremendous risk to former and current federal employees and create an opportunity for America’s adversaries and criminals to target and potentially further compromise millions of Americans.
    If you do decide to alter or terminate the current contract(s) protecting over 21 million Americans from identity theft as a result of the 2015 OPM breach, please inform my office and the relevant committees of Congress as soon as you make any such determination.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Expect boats to be inspected

    Zebra and Quagga mussels destroy ecosystems, threaten shorelines and can cause hundreds of millions in damaged infrastructure. Alberta is currently 100 per cent free of zebra mussels and quagga mussels, but reports are increasing across Canada and the United States.

    To protect our borders, Alberta is introducing mandatory inspections for anyone travelling with a boat, jet ski, kayak or other watercraft across the province’s southern or eastern borders. By defending water bodies, ecosystems and infrastructure, Alberta’s government is protecting jobs, businesses and recreation opportunities across the province.

    A watercraft is inspected in Alberta (Credit: Alberta government)

    “Alberta is the first province in Canada to make watercraft inspections mandatory when travelling from high-risk areas to fight these tiny invasive species. With boating season now underway, we are stepping up to defend our water bodies and ecosystem to continue to protect Alberta jobs, businesses, and the water infrastructure we rely on.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “I’m proud to support our government’s commitment to keep protecting Alberta’s waterways and water infrastructure. These mandatory stops are part of a broader plan to safeguard our province against environmentally and financially devasting aquatic invasive species. Ensuring mandatory inspections further strengthens our mission to catch and stop any invasive mussel trying to enter our province.”

    Grant Hunter, chair of the Provincial Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force and MLA for Taber-Warner

    Invasive mussels and other species are rapidly increasing across Canada and North America. Zebra mussels alone cause up to $500 million annually in damages to power plants, water systems, and industrial water intakes in the Great Lakes region. One study estimated that introducing invasive mussels into Alberta’s Lake McGregor alone could cost $284 million a year in damages.

    “Our government is taking the threat of aquatic invasive species seriously. The added safeguards of mandatory inspections and proof-of-inspection stickers are critical for defending Alberta’s waters. Communities in my constituency of Chestermere-Strathmore will particularly benefit from these measures, and I know they are ready to do their part to defend our lakes, rivers, water and irrigation infrastructure.”

    Chantelle de Jonge, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore

    “Preventing the introduction of invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels requires proactive action. The Alberta Invasive Species Council supports the Government of Alberta’s strengthened efforts, including mandatory boat inspections. These measures are essential to avoid long-term, costly ecological and economic impacts and to protect our waters and aquatic ecosystems before irreversible damage occurs.”

    Megan Evans, executive director, Alberta Invasive Species Council

    From June 1 until Sept. 30, it is mandatory for all motorized and non-motorized watercraft to be inspected at one of Alberta’s inspection stations when crossing from the eastern or southern borders. If the closest inspection station is closed, Albertans and visitors must get their watercraft inspected within seven days and before launching into Alberta’s waters.

    To help with these changes, Alberta is also launching a new proof-of-inspection sticker. Inspectors will provide a sticker to display once a watercraft has been inspected. Whether it is a paddleboard or a powerboat, failing to stop for a mandatory watercraft inspection could result in a $4,200 fine.

    Alberta’s government continues to step up in the fight against zebra mussels, quagga mussels and other invasive species. A record 11 inspection stations are being opened this year, with increased staff and extended operating hours, along with K-9 detection and mobile decontamination units.

    Albertans travelling with watercrafts can find information on stations, operating hours and more at alberta.ca/watercraftinspections. 

    Over the next year, even more work will be done to support aquatic invasive species prevention and response efforts, including implementing all the recommendations made by the Provincial Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force.

    Quick facts:

    • Mandatory inspections are required from June 1-Sept. 30, 2025.
    • Starting in 2026 and every year after, inspections will be mandatory from May 1 to Sept. 30 for anyone entering Alberta with watercraft through the eastern and southern borders.
    • It also remains mandatory for anyone travelling with a watercraft to stop when passing an open station.
    • In 2024, 13,408 watercraft inspections were completed – the most since 2019 – and 15 watercraft were confirmed positive for invasive mussels. 
    • About 20 per cent of drivers transporting watercraft attempted to bypass watercraft inspection stations in 2024. 
    • Budget 2025 is investing $18 million over five years to expand Alberta’s aquatic invasive species inspection, detection and rapid response programs.

    Related information

    • Provincial AIS Task Force Recommendations Report
    • Watercraft Inspections
    • Clean. Drain. Dry.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • PNG driving India’s growth: over 1.47 crore households, 45,000 businesses connected

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Friday highlighted the transformative role of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in India’s energy landscape. He noted that PNG is now supplying clean fuel to over 1.47 crore households, approximately 45,000 commercial establishments, and more than 20,000 industries across the country.

    In a post on social media platform X, Puri stated, “Over the last decade, commercial PNG connections have increased by 164%, while industrial connections have surged by a remarkable 308%.”

    He described PNG as an eco-friendly and cost-effective energy solution, adding, “It helps industries cut down fuel expenses, thereby lowering production costs and improving profitability.”

    The Minister also underlined the logistical benefits of PNG, saying the 24×7 pipeline supply ensures uninterrupted operations without the challenges of storage or fuel shortages.

    Calling it a safer energy option, Puri pointed out that PNG reduces the risk of gas leaks and is particularly advantageous for commercial centres and industrial units.

    He further noted that the expanding adoption of PNG is significantly benefiting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), aiding in job creation and strengthening local economies. “The commercial adoption of PNG is playing a crucial role in supporting SMEs, which in turn contributes to employment generation and bolsters local economic development,” he said.

    This growth comes on the back of a massive expansion of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network over the past decade, driven by sustained government efforts. The CGD infrastructure now covers 100% of India’s population, marking a milestone in accessibility to clean energy.

    According to official figures, commercial PNG connections have risen to 45,000, a 164% increase, while industrial connections have crossed the 20,000 mark, registering a 308% growth.

    Earlier this month, on May 5, Puri also highlighted the impact of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Sharing insights on X, he showcased how the scheme has brought transformative changes to underprivileged communities, expanding access to clean cooking fuel.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Approves $304 Million Loan to Support Botswana’s Fiscal Stability and Economic Reforms

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

    GABORONE, Botswana, May 16, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $304 million loan to Botswana to support the southern African country in managing mounting fiscal challenges and implementing key governance and economic reforms. 

    The funding, approved by the Bank Group’s Board of Directors on Wednesday, will finance the Governance and Economic Resilience Support Programme (GERSP), a one-year general budget support operation covering the 2025/2026 fiscal year. 

    The facility aims to cushion Botswana from the financial shock triggered by declining diamond revenues, while advancing critical reforms to enhance fiscal transparency, boost revenue collection, and promote private sector-led growth.  

    Botswana’s economy contracted by 1.7% in 2024, primarily due to weak global demand for diamonds, which account for approximately 80% of the country’s exports. The country’s fiscal deficit widened — from a balanced budget in 2022/23 to 4.7% of GDP in the 2023/24 financial year–– and is projected to reach 6.7% in the current fiscal year. 

    “This operation comes at a critical time for Botswana,” said Moono Mupotola, Deputy Director General for Southern Africa and Country Manager at the African Development Bank Group. “We will work with the new administration to implement reforms that will deepen fiscal sustainability, strengthen transparency, and create a more business-friendly environment for economic diversification.”  

    The GERSP is structured around two main pillars: Strengthening fiscal sustainability and transparency, and stimulating economic growth. It includes measures to increase domestic revenue mobilization, curb illicit financial flows, and enhance public expenditure efficiency and accountability.  

    The program also targets support for micro, small, and medium enterprises, particularly those led by women and youth, to create jobs and reduce inequality. 

    The operation is a transitional measure to address short-term budget pressures while engaging with Botswana’s new government, elected in November 2024, on long-term development goals. 

    “The African Development Bank is committed to supporting Botswana’s ambitious socioeconomic development agenda through credible and transformational reforms, project and program financing, and continuous policy dialogue”, said Abdoulaye Coulibaly, the Bank’s Director of Governance and Economic Reforms.  

    The new loan builds on the Bank’s prior support to Botswana, including the Economic Recovery Support Programme implemented in 2021-2022, which had $200 million cofinancing from the OPEC Fund for International Development. 

    The current program aligns with the Bank’s Country Strategy Paper for Botswana (2022-2026), which prioritizes building economic resilience through support for economic governance and private sector development.  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s video message to the launch of the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises

    Source: United Nations – English

    strong>Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+29+Apr+25/3365764_MSG+SG+FOOD+CRISES+29+APR+25.mp4

    This Global Report on Food Crises reflects a world dangerously off-course.

    Hunger is not a crisis bound to one place or time: it’s a chronic catastrophe.

    Fueled by conflict, geopolitical tensions, climate chaos, and economic upheaval – food and nutrition crises are rampant and rising.  

    Over 295 million people faced hunger in 2024, the sixth year in a row of rising need.

    From Gaza and Sudan, to Yemen and Mali, conflict-driven hunger is shattering records.

    And climate change is accelerating the crisis, wiping out harvests, livelihoods, and hope.

    Weather extremes are pushing nearly 100 million people to the brink of hunger.

    Just as food insecurity and malnutrition are gaining pace, our ability to respond is hitting the brakes.  

    The dramatic reduction in lifesaving humanitarian funding is compounding the hunger crisis.  

    And the prospect of a trade war will only make things worse.

    Ensuring a food-secure future means rallying financial resources and driving innovation.

    It calls for fair, transparent trade systems that ensure food can move where it’s needed, especially during crises.

    And it requires global solidarity to build resilient, inclusive and sustainable food systems for all.

    The UN Pact for the Future, adopted in September 2024, reignites momentum for this vital mission.

    My message is clear: we must heed the dire warnings in this report.

    This July, the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake – taking place in Addis Ababa – will be an opportunity for all of us to unite and boost our efforts.

    The time to act is now. Let’s end hunger, together.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Welch, 28 Colleagues in Introducing Senate Resolution Decrying Two-Month Blockade on Food and Medicine in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (May 15, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and 28 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and lifesaving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. In their resolution, the Senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children.  
    On March 2, 2025, the Israeli Government began blocking all food and emergency aid—including food, medicine, infant formula, fuel, and other lifesaving humanitarian supplies—from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the same month, all 25 World Food Program (WFP)-supported bakeries in Gaza closed, wheat flour and cooking fuel ran out, and food parcels distributed to families—with two weeks of food rations—were depleted. According to the United Nations, about 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025.  
    Joining the resolution are Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 
    The Senators’ resolution is supported by Anera, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, J Street, and Oxfam America. 
    “In Gaza today, children are starving, hospitals are collapsing, and families are in a state of desperation. This resolution is a call to conscience, a moment of moral reckoning. Will the world be complicit in Gaza’s collapse, or part of its recovery? We call on the U.S. government in the strongest terms to act swiftly, using all the leverage at its disposal, to urgently permit humanitarian organizations to deliver aid into Gaza. This resolution is a critical step in the right direction,” said Sean Carroll, President and CEO, Anera. 
    “The crisis in Gaza has reached a breaking point, with over two months of a total blockade cutting off food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. More than two million Palestinians are trapped, starving, and facing a potential famine that could claim thousands of lives. It’s encouraging to see Senator Welch and his colleagues introduce a resolution highlighting this urgent humanitarian suffering. Congress and the Trump Administration must use every diplomatic tool available to demand the immediate, full reopening of Gaza’s borders to deliver life-saving aid,” said Hassan El-Tayyab, Legislative Director for Middle East Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation. 
    “This resolution comes at a moment of moral reckoning, as conditions in Gaza have become even more unbearable,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, President, J Street. “Children are surviving on one meal every few days. To deliberately starve civilians is immoral. To use water, fuel, food as tools of war is unconscionable. Humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed to enter Gaza unconditionally.” 
    “The more than two-month-long siege, with no aid being allowed to enter, has now pushed nearly the entire population in Gaza to the brink of starvation. Every day, parents wake up and spend their days searching for something to feed their children – often coming back with nothing. Humanitarian organizations know how to reach the people who most urgently need food, water, medical care, and other lifesaving essentials when we have supplies and can do our work safely, but right now we can’t. We are in a race against time, and we need action from U.S. leaders to allow us to do our jobs, keep pushing for a permanent, immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access and an end to the siege, and a return of all hostages and unlawfully detained prisoners,” said Abby Maxman, President and CEO, Oxfam America. 
    Read and download the full text of the resolution. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Van Hollen, Shaheen, Colleagues in Warning Rubio Abandoning U.S. Global Leadership on Human Rights Makes America, World Less Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (May 15, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and 12 of their colleagues in pressing Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Administration’s retreat from longstanding efforts to promote human rights and democracy worldwide. In their letter, the Senators stress that dismantling offices and scaling back reports focused on human rights conditions, among other actions, threaten the United States’ credibility and moral authority — strategic assets that help us advance peace, prosperity, and security at home and around the world. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) cosigned the letter. 
    “We write with grave concerns regarding ongoing moves at the State Department to abandon U.S. leadership on human rights. Demoting the department’s standalone human rights and democracy bureau, shutting down many of its offices, and severely scaling back the annual human rights reports would undermine America’s standing as a champion for human rights globally. A foreign policy rooted in American values, including support for human rights, is about more than just moral leadership – it is about using our influence to create a more peaceful and prosperous world where U.S. national security interests can flourish,” the Senators began.
    The Senators quote Secretary Rubio’s previous statements on this issue, writing, “Mr. Secretary, you yourself have said: ‘For over two centuries, the world has been a better place because America has strived to defend these fundamental human rights both at home and abroad. The State Department’s annual human rights report sheds light on foreign governments’ failure to respect their citizens’ fundamental rights.’”
    The Senators go on to note several of the harmful proposed changes put forward by the State Department, including relegating the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, sunsetting of the Office of Global Criminal Justice, and politicizing the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
    “The proposed changes to gut the State Department’s standalone human rights bureau and to emaciate and politicize the United States’ signature human rights reports – alongside dramatic cuts to U.S. funding to advance freedom and democracy – are a retreat from America’s global leadership to advance freedom in the world. America’s standing as a champion for human rights globally relies on a commitment to holding friends and foes alike accountable to the same standards. When the United States conveniently wields human rights principles as a political cudgel against our adversaries, but does not apply those same standards to our allies, countries like China and Russia are quick to point out such hypocrisy, and American influence on the world stage drops precipitously. Making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous requires embracing human rights as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy and dedicating resources to support that cause,” the Senators concluded.
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Merkley, Curtis Condemn CCP’s Transnational Repression, Press for Sanctions on Hong Kong Judiciary Officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    05.16.25
    WASHINGTON—This week, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), incoming chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), co-chair of the CECC, and John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions Act, which would hold officials of Hong Kong’s judiciary accountable for human rights violations and support Hong Kongers facing persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its accomplices in Hong Kong.
    Additionally, the senators this week introduced a resolution condemning the Chinese government for engaging in repression, coercion and intimidation beyond its own borders, targeting citizens of other nations, including in the United States. 
    The Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions Act requires the President to determine whether certain Hong Kong officials violated human rights and whether sanctions should be imposed in accordance with the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, or the Hong Kong Autonomy Act.
    “The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive repression of dissent and appalling human rights record extend far beyond China’s borders,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Even American citizens and others lawfully living in our country have found themselves victims of the CCP regime’s intimidation and coercion tactics. In Hong Kong, the CCP has completely corrupted the local judiciary and is turning it into a tool of intimidation and injustice, contrary to the promises made to the world, including in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. America must stand firmly against the CCP’s flagrant violation of the civil rights of the Chinese people and citizens of nations across the globe. Senator Merkley, Senator Curtis and I are introducing legislation to hold Hong Kong judiciary officials accountable for their actions, and a resolution condemning the Xi dictatorship’s outrageous attempts to threaten and intimidate citizens and others within our own country.”
    “As Chinese officials continue to undermine the autonomy and freedoms of its peoples, the United States must continue to hold these officials accountable,” said Senator Merkley. “Republicans and Democrats are united in sending a clear message that we will not tolerate this brutal oppression, both within China and outside its borders. Our bipartisan resolution denounces these intimidation tactics, and our bill also imposes sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials for disregarding their treaty obligations and commitments to the people of Hong Kong.”
    “The United States must hold accountable those responsible for the erosion of freedoms and the persecution of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong,” said Senator Curtis. “By directing the Administration to review sanctions, our bipartisan legislation reaffirms America’s commitment to ensuring consequences for those who seek to undermine human rights and freedom.”
    The full text of the bill is available here. The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Senate Foreign Relations Democrats Statement On Trump’s Middle East Trip

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    May 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), the Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday released the following statement on President Trump’s trip to the Middle East: 
    “The President’s first extended foreign trip abroad should have been about advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East. Instead, it has been an instructive lesson in how foreign governments can use their influence to benefit the president personally and those around him—all while creating substantial risks to our national security. 
    “The President has failed to engage in substantial dialogue on the most urgent strategic challenges facing the region. His Administration has failed to sustain the ceasefire he inherited in Gaza and has systemically undercut America’s diplomatic infrastructure in a way that has created an unprecedented opening for the People’s Republic of China.  
    “Promoting investment by our Gulf partners in the United States must not come at the expense of protecting our most valuable A.I. and advanced chip technology and it should never line the pockets of the President and his family or inner circle. President Trump must reject all ‘gifts’ and refocus the remainder of his trip on steps to make all Americans safer, secure and more prosperous—not just those with Trump in their name.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What do MPs really think about immigration? We surveyed them to find out

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mitya Pearson, Assistant Professor, Politics of Climate Change, University of Warwick

    Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, gives a statement to MPs on immigration reform. House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    The UK government has unveiled plans to reform the migration system, making it more restrictive with the aim of reducing the level of net migration into Britain.

    Immigration provides economic opportunities for a country – for example, migration enables employers to recruit the workers they need. This is particularly true in essential but low-paid sectors such as social care and agriculture. Reducing net migration may mean trading off some of these economic benefits.

    The UK government’s official economic forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, tends to assume that higher net migration has a positive impact on economic growth and tax receipts.

    It is notable, then, that a government elected to make economic growth its primary mission, which has struggled to keep the public finances in line with its fiscal rules, is making policy choices that could make both objectives more challenging. Some have argued that the government’s immigration plans are a sign it has abandoned its goal of boosting economic growth above all other objectives.

    We have just published new research that partly explains this decision. We conducted a survey of 103 MPs and 1,757 local councillors, and compared the attitudes of British politicians with those of members of the public.

    We polled Westminster MPs on what they think about the level of migration into the UK. The timing of this polling matched up exactly with a public poll YouGov had conducted. This enabled us to draw a direct comparison between the two groups.

    We found that broadly, MPs and the public are in agreement on this issue. Both clearly tend to think immigration has been too high in recent years. However, the public (70% support) are even more inclined towards this view than MPs (just under 60% support), and less likely than MPs to think that immigration levels have been “about right” in recent years.


    Author provided, CC BY

    Despite these results, the long-term trend on public attitudes to migration has moved in a more liberal direction. Over decades, the British public has generally become more positive about the benefits of migration.

    However, this is complicated by the fact that anti-immigration voters are often more exercised about the issue than pro-immigration voters. Anti-immigration voters are also more efficiently distributed across a large number of constituencies, whereas more liberal pro-immigration voters are often more concentrated in seats in larger cities.

    Reform UK’s performance in the recent local elections demonstrates the electoral potency of anti-immigration sentiment among some voters.



    Read more:
    What Britons and Europeans really think about immigration – new analysis

    Growth at all costs?

    Ipsos also recently published some interesting polling of MPs and the public. This showed that when it comes to issues such as increased housebuilding and immigration, MPs tended to be more willing than the public to prioritise boosting economic growth over other objectives (such as limiting immigration). Although, MPs were more willing than the public to prioritise protecting the environment over economic growth.

    When Labour was elected into government in 2024, Keir Starmer emphasised the party’s focus on boosting growth. A whole tranche of new Labour MPs were elected with an apparent commitment to this, and many subsequently joined the Labour Growth Group caucus.

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

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    Such a shift in the composition of who is in the Westminster parliament has enabled substantial policy shifts in a pro-growth direction. For example, some recent Conservative prime ministers would arguably have liked to implement the type of reforms in the current government’s planning and infrastructure bill, but were unable to principally because of resistance among their backbench MPs.

    However, as we’ve explained, polling shows that the public is not always as willing as the current crop of MPs to sign up to things just because they might boost economic growth. There is also a substantial section of the population who would like to see immigration reduced.

    The government’s new white paper setting out its proposed immigration reforms eschews a simple relationship between higher immigration and greater economic prosperity. It emphasises the difference between boosting overall GDP and the size of the labour market versus productivity and per capita GDP, and criticises an economic model reliant on record levels of net migration into the UK.

    Nonetheless, it appears that Labour has diluted its attempt to govern in a purely pro-growth manner in order to respond to public opinion.

    Mitya Pearson the University of Warwick. He has received funding from the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust.

    David Jeffery 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 do MPs really think about immigration? We surveyed them to find out – https://theconversation.com/what-do-mps-really-think-about-immigration-we-surveyed-them-to-find-out-256856

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Starmer announces migration ‘return hubs’ on Albania visit, but Albania doesn’t want them – what’s going on?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andi Hoxhaj, Lecturer in Law, King’s College London

    Keir Starmer became the first British prime minister to visit Albania since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1921. During the visit, he announced that the UK plans to set up “return hubs” for asylum seekers whose claims are rejected by the UK.

    Just days after announcing his plans to reduce legal migration to the UK, this move on irregular migration is more evidence of the prime minister’s concern about losing voters to anti-immigration Reform UK.

    Before meeting with Albanian prime minister Edi Rama to sign a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries, Starmer said that the UK has begun formal talks with several countries to set up return migration hubs to send asylum seekers abroad. The specifics are yet to be announced, but it has been reported that these would probably be in the western Balkans.

    The plan has drawn comparison to the Conservative government’s Rwanda scheme, but is different in a number of ways.

    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.

    Under the Rwanda scheme, people who arrived in the UK illegally would have been sent straight to Rwanda where their asylum claims would be processed. If accepted, they’d be offered asylum in Rwanda, not the UK. Starmer cancelled the plan in one of his first moves as prime minister.

    With Labour’s plan, people would only be sent to another country if their asylum claim is rejected and they’ve exhausted all legal options to stay in the UK. The rationale is that they would not be able to disappear into the informal economy and illegal actives in the UK after an asylum claim was not successful.

    The goal of both plans is to act as a deterrent to irregular migration, and to cut the high cost of hosting undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in the UK, which has become a major political issue.

    The return hubs plan also has the approval of the UN refugee agency, which condemned the legality of and the practically of the Rwanda scheme.

    However, it has already hit a roadblock. Albania was one of the UK’s preferred options for a return migration hub. But during a joint press conference with Starmer, Rama said that Albania will not take part in such a scheme.

    This is probably because a similar set-up with Italy has so far been unworkable, legally and politically .

    Under the Italy-Albania migration agreement signed in November 2023, Albania is meant to play host to two Italian processing centres, where they planned to send asylum seekers intercepted at sea. But after facing numerous legal challenges, Italy is instead using them as repatriation facilities to hold those whose claims have already been rejected while they await deportation.

    Partnership with Albania

    The UK has maintained a successful returns arrangement with Albania, set up by the last government.

    In 2022, Albanians accounted for over one-third (around 12,500) of all small boat entries, more than any other country. Arrivals from Albania have dropped by 95% in the last three years. And the number of Albanians returned to the country has more than doubled in the last two years, with 5,294 Albanians returning in 2024.

    The two countries set up a joint task force to tackle organised crime networks that were facilitating the illegal entry of Albanian nationals to the UK. Starmer began his visit at the Port of Durres, where British and Albanian law enforcement officials are stationed as part of the Joint Migration Task Force with Albania.

    Starmer indicated that the task force will be expanded to include the other western Balkan countries. This is because the western Balkan route is one of the main migratory paths into Europe. It was estimated that in 2023, 100,000 people used this route to come to the UK.

    The visit, which comes days after Albania’s parliamentary election, shines a light on some of the political tensions between the UK and Albania.

    The Albanian diaspora community in the UK in recent years has expressed feeling stigmatised and targeted due to inflammatory rhetoric of the last government.

    Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, called Albanians “criminals” while claiming migrants were “invading” the UK. Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, posted videos telling police to find Albanians and “lock them up” and “deport” them.

    In 2024, Albanians made up the highest percentage (13%) of foreign nationals in UK prisons, with over 1,272 people in custody. Along with Albanians, Polish (9%), Romanian (7%), Irish (6%) and Jamaican (4%) nationals account for around 12% of the overall prison population.

    Rama, who just won the election, was fully aware of voters’ sentiment towards the UK. There have also been protests in the country against the current migration arrangement with Italy. Any new agreement, particularly with the UK, could be politically damaging for the Albanian government.

    This visit could be a turning point for mending relations. Starmer declared that his government is fully committed to strengthening ties with Albania, and signed a strategic partnership agreement, with a focus defence and security.

    Starmer and Rama both said that the partnership will expand at the UK-Western Balkan Summit that Starmer will host in London in autumn, and it will include increasing trade, economics investment, education and managing migration.

    Andi Hoxhaj 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. Starmer announces migration ‘return hubs’ on Albania visit, but Albania doesn’t want them – what’s going on? – https://theconversation.com/starmer-announces-migration-return-hubs-on-albania-visit-but-albania-doesnt-want-them-whats-going-on-256831

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: National Police Week at the White House, 2025

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    They kiss their families goodbye, not knowing if they’ll ever return.

    Many politicians say they back the blue—then betray them. Never President Trump.

    This National Police Week, officers made it clear: “It truly makes a difference when you have a President who supports you.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJDsdhU9P2Y

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHRA approves guselkumab for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    MHRA approves guselkumab for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

    As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today, 16 May 2025, approved guselkumab (Tremfya) to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

    Guselkumab is currently approved to treat plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However, clinical studies have shown that guselkumab is also efficacious in treating adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease and UC who have not responded well to other treatments or experienced unacceptable side effects.

    Using guselkumab in Crohn’s disease can benefit patients by reducing the signs and symptoms of the disease, which can include diarrhoea and abdominal pain. In UC it helps to reduce abdominal pain and inflammation of the intestinal lining. These effects can improve a patient’s ability to do normal daily activities and reduce fatigue.

    Guselkumab can be administered either by intravenous infusion or injection for the initial treatment of Crohn’s disease. For UC, initial treatment will be administered via an intravenous infusion.

    Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access, said:  

    “Patient safety is our top priority, which is why I am pleased to confirm the approval of guselkumab to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

    “We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and efficacy for the approval of this new formulation have been met.

    “As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review.”   

    In Crohn’s disease, three major studies involving around 1,400 patients found that up to 56% of those treated with guselkumab achieved clinical remission after 12 weeks, compared to 15–22% with placebo. Endoscopic response, indicating reduced inflammation in the intestines, was seen in up to 41% of guselkumab-treated patients, compared to 11–21% receiving placebo. 

    In a clinical study for UC, 23% of patients receiving guselkumab achieved clinical remission after 12 weeks of induction treatment, compared to 8% on placebo. Continued maintenance treatment led to remission in up to 50% of patients after 44 weeks, versus 19% with placebo.

    A full list of side effects can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) or the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), available on the MHRA website within 7 days of approval.  

    As with any medicine, the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of guselkumab under close review.  Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine is encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.   

    ENDS    

    Notes to editors     

    • The approval was granted on 16 May 2025 to Janssen-Cilag Limited.
    • This product was submitted and approved via national procedure.
    • A randomised, open-label Phase 3 clinical trial is a large, late-stage study where participants are randomly assigned to different treatment groups, both doctors and patients know which treatment is being given (open-label), and the goal is to confirm the treatment’s effectiveness and safety before potential regulatory approval.
    • More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval.
    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
    • For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson fights back federal proposal to strip states of authority over AIRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Today, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from across the country in opposing a sweeping federal proposal that would bar states from being able to enforce any state laws or regulations addressing artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems for the next ten years.

    “AI brings real promise, but also real danger, and South Carolina has been doing the hard work to protect our citizens,” said Attorney General Wilson. “Now, instead of stepping up with real solutions, Congress wants to tie our hands and push a one-size-fits-all mandate from Washington without a clear direction. That’s not leadership, that’s federal overreach. We’re ready to work together, but not if it means being told to sit on the sidelines while our people are put at risk.”

    The proposal, recently added to a federal budget reconciliation bill, would impose an unprecedented moratorium on state level AI oversight. This moratorium comes on the heels of Congress failing to pass any meaningful federal regulatory framework.

    In the letter sent to Congressional leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Attorney General Wilson and attorneys general argue that this proposed measure would not only halt state progress in protecting consumers but also roll back critical already existing safeguards in place across the country.

    Under Attorney General Wilson’s leadership, South Carolina has been at the forefront of addressing emerging technology issues, from online privacy, artificial intelligence, and deceptive social media practices. The state has taken proactive steps to understand and mitigate the risks posed by AI. Notably, Attorney General Wilson played a key role in the recent passage of S.28 by the State Legislature, a landmark law that closes a dangerous loophole by criminalizing the possession and distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

    The letter highlights that state attorneys general are often the first line of defense for consumers, and in the absence of any clear action by Congress or the federal government, ensuring responsible AI use for their citizens is even more important.

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Outlines Efforts with EPA Administrator to Provide Regulatory Certainty, Respect Private Property Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    05.15.25
    Senator Stresses Importance of Improving Grid Reliability & Affordability, Rescinding Overreach by Biden Administration
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week urged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to provide regulatory certainty to the nation’s energy producers and ensure the federal government respects private property rights. In particular, Hoeven highlighted the importance of:
    Improving the reliability and affordability of the electrical grid.
    Hoeven pointed to reports from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) showing that the loss of baseload power, including from the premature retirement of coal-fired electric plants, has undermined grid reliability.
    The senator urged Zeldin to follow through on rolling back regulatory overreach from the Biden administration, including reining in Biden-era rules like the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and Clean Power Plan 2.0 rules.

    Restoring the traditional definition of “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) to protect both private property rights and the role of states in managing the water within their borders.
    The expanded WOTUS definition, advanced by both the Obama and Biden administrations, sought to reach beyond the federal regulatory authority established under the Clean Water Act.
    These rules would have imposed unworkable mandates, burdensome new permitting requirements and compliance costs on landowners, energy and agriculture producers and other industries.
    Accordingly, Hoeven worked to protect against the implementation of the expansive WOTUS rules advanced by both the Obama and Biden administrations.
    The senator is supporting the Trump administration in providing regulatory certainty and bringing the WOTUS rule into compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA.

    “The Biden administration imposed a regulatory blizzard on this nation, overreaching its legal authority to advance rules that punished our coal, oil and gas producers and created new burdens impacting a wide range of industries,” said Hoeven. “As a result, we saw the premature retirement of baseload, coal-fired power plants, which are critical to the reliable operation of the electrical grid. This undermined our energy security and is absolutely the wrong approach for our nation. Instead, we need to empower technological innovation, like we’re doing with CCUS in North Dakota. At the same time, we will continue working with Administrator Zeldin and the Trump administration to roll back President Biden’s harmful policies, provide regulatory certainty and ensure the federal government respects private property rights. That’s how we can make the U.S. energy dominant while improving environmental stewardship.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1578, Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Bill Summary

    H.R. 1578 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to inform veterans and their survivors about accredited individuals and organizations that may be able to help them with claims for VA benefits. The bill also would extend the reduction of pension payments for veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effect of H.R. 1578 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 550 (health) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 1578
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    *

    1

    *

    1

    *

    *

    1

    -16

    *

    *

    1

    2

    -12

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    1

    *

    1

    *

    *

    1

    -16

    *

    *

    1

    2

    -12
     

    Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation

    		    

    Estimated Authorization

    1

    4

    1

    *

    1

    1

    *

    1

    1

    1

    *

    8

    11

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    3

    3

    *

    1

    1

    *

    1

    1

    1

    *

    8

    11

    Basis of Estimate

    For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 1578 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that outlays will follow historical spending patterns for affected programs.

    Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

    Section 2 would require VA to provide additional information about VA-accredited individuals and organizations. Specifically, VA must:

    • Maintain an online tool that allows people claiming VA benefits to search for accredited representatives that may assist with those claims;
    • Notify applicants for VA benefits about VA-accredited representation if the claimant’s initial application does not indicate they have such representation; and
    • On each web page of the department through which an individual may file a benefits claim, provide information about limitations on fees that potential representatives may charge applicants.

    The department maintains a web portal through which claimants can search for accredited representation for benefit claims. Thus, that requirement would have no budgetary effect. Using information from the department, CBO estimates that VA would require additional information technology (IT) resources to notify claimants of available representation and to update each affected website with information on fee limitations. On the basis of that information, CBO estimates that upgrades and maintenance to the IT system would cost $15 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    CBO expects that some of the costs of implementing the bill would be paid from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) established by Public Law 117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act. The TEF is a mandatory appropriation that VA uses to pay for health care, disability claims processing, medical research, and IT modernization that benefit veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards. Additional spending from the TEF would occur if legislation increases the costs of similar activities that benefit veterans with such exposure. Thus, in addition to increasing spending subject to appropriation, enacting section 2 would increase amounts paid from the TEF, which are classified as direct spending.

    CBO projects that the proportion of costs paid by the TEF will grow over time based on the amount of formerly discretionary appropriations that CBO expects will be provided through the mandatory appropriation as specified in the Honoring our PACT Act. CBO estimates that over the 2025-2035 period, implementing section 2 would increase spending subject to appropriation by $11 million and direct spending by $4 million.

    Direct Spending

    In addition to expanding benefits that would partly be covered by the TEF, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending by reducing pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes. In total, the bill would decrease net direct spending by $12 million over the 2025‑2035 period

    Under current law, VA reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires November 30, 2031. Section 3 would extend that reduction for four months, through March 31, 2032. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $10 million per month. (Those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations and are therefore considered direct spending.) As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $6 million per month. Thus, enacting section 3 would reduce net direct spending by $16 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

    The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

    Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1578 would not increase net direct spending by more than $2.5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1578 would not increase on‑budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    Mandates

    The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    Federal Costs: Logan Smith

    Mandates: Lucy Marret

    Estimate Reviewed By

    David Newman
    Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

    Christina Hawley Anthony
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1969, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Bill Summary

    H.R. 1969 would extend the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through fiscal year 2026 and authorize appropriations for that purpose. The bill also would clarify that VA may provide adaptive prosthetic devices for sports and recreational activities as a medical service. Finally, the bill would extend a temporary limitation on certain pension payments through January 2033.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effects of H.R. 1969 are shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 550 (health) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R.1969
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    0

    10

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -40

    -16

    0

    0

    10

    -46

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    9

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -40

    -16

    0

    0

    10

    -46
     

    Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation

    		    

    Estimated Authorization

    0

    43

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    43

    43

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    39

    4

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    43

    43

    Basis of Estimate

    For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 1969 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that outlays will follow historical spending patterns for affected programs.

    Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

    Section 2 of the bill would reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program through fiscal year 2026 and authorize the appropriation of $53 million for that year. The program makes grants to community organizations that provide suicide prevention services to at-risk veterans.

    CBO expects that some of the costs of implementing the bill would be paid from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) established by Public Law 117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act. The TEF is a mandatory appropriation that VA uses to pay for health care, disability claims processing, medical research, and IT modernization that benefit veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards.

    Additional spending from the TEF would occur if legislation increases the costs of similar activities that benefit veterans with such exposure. CBO estimates that 19 percent of such additional funding would come from the TEF in 2026. That percentage is based on the amount of formerly discretionary appropriations that CBO projects will be provided through the mandatory appropriation as specified in the Honoring our PACT Act. CBO estimates that over the 2025-2035 period, implementing section 2 would increase spending subject to appropriation by $43 million and direct spending by $10 million.

    Direct Spending

    In addition to expanding benefits that would partly be covered by the TEF, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending by reducing pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes. In total, the bill would decrease net direct spending by $46 million over the 2025‑2035 period

    Under current law, VA reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires November 30, 2031. Section 4 would extend that reduction for 14 months, through January 31, 2033. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $10 million per month. (Those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations and are therefore considered direct spending.) As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $6 million per month. Thus, enacting section 4 would reduce net direct spending by $56 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    Spending Subject to Appropriation

    The discussion above in “Provisions That Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending” describes the authorization of appropriations for suicide prevention grants. That authorization would increase spending subject to appropriation by $43 million over the 2025‑2035 period.

    Section 3 would clarify that adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities are included in the definition of medical services furnished to veterans. VA currently provides those types of adaptive devices; thus, CBO estimates that implementing section 3 would not affect the federal budget.

    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

    The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

    Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1969 would not increase net direct spending or on‑budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    Mandates

    The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    Estimate Prepared By

    Federal Costs:

    Noah Callahan (for veterans health care) 
    Logan Smith (for pensions)

    Mandates: Brandon Lever

    Estimate Reviewed By

    David Newman
    Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

    Kathleen FitzGerald 
    Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

    Christina Hawley Anthony
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting Indigenous Peoples Across the State

    Source: US State of New York

    ew York Governor Kathy Hochul and Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca announced today plans for Governor Hochul to visit Seneca Nation Territory to apologize on behalf of New York State’s role in the Thomas Indian School atrocities. The Seneca Nation is set to welcome Governor Hochul to its Cattaraugus Territory on Tuesday, May 20, when Governor Hochul will issue a long-awaited official apology to the Seneca people, as well as all former students and their descendants from various Indigenous Nations, for the State of New York’s role in the operation of the Thomas Indian School. Governor Hochul’s visit is believed to be the first time a sitting Governor has officially visited Seneca Nation Territory.

    “No words or actions will ever be able to undo the pain and suffering of the Seneca people and other Indigenous peoples across the State, but by visiting the Seneca Nation and the site of the Thomas Indian School we will mark a new day in our relations,” Governor Hochul said. “As we prepare to officially recognize the horrifying shortcomings of our past, I thank President Seneca for his advocacy on behalf of the Seneca people and his invitation to the Cattaraugus Territory, and I look forward to further strengthening the relationship between the Seneca people and the State of New York.”

    Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca said, “The severity of the wounds inflicted on our children warrants the historical significance of our Nation welcoming Governor Hochul to the Cattaraugus Territory. The atrocities that our children suffered at the Thomas Indian School have remained hidden in the shadows for far too long. At long last, our people will hear, directly from the Governor, the words we have waited lifetimes for the State of New York to say — ‘We’re sorry.’”

    Originally established by Presbyterian missionaries on the Cattaraugus Territory in 1855, Thomas Indian School was owned and operated by the State of New York from 1875 until it closed in 1957. Thomas Indian School, and other residential boarding schools across the United States and Canada, operated under the government’s policy of forced assimilation of Native children. Thousands of children from various Indigenous Nations were separated from their families and forced to attend the school. They were stripped of the traditional language and culture, and suffered abuse, violence, hatred, and sometimes death, at the hands of school officials. Thousands of children are known to have died at the residential boarding schools. It is believed that the deaths of hundreds — if not thousands — more were never documented.

    The devastating impacts the boarding schools had on Native American families and communities, including the decimation of family structures and traditional language, are still keenly felt today.

    “I know the pain and the trauma because I have seen it and felt it in my own family, just as countless families have borne that pain and carried it every day for generations,” Seneca Nation President J.C. Seneca — whose father attended Thomas Indian School, and whose grandmother was removed from her family at age 11 and forced to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania — said. “The Governor’s visit will be an important moment on our road to healing. In coming to our territory and apologizing to our people, the Governor can give voice to the children whose youth and innocence were stolen from them.”

    Governor Hochul’s planned visit will fulfill a pledge she made to President Seneca during a visit Nation leaders made to Albany earlier this year. It is also another example of Governor Hochul’s commitment to supporting and strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples across the state. As part of this commitment, Governor Hochul has:

    • Convened leaders from the Indigenous Nations across New York State for a historic summit at the New York State Capitol in Albany.
    • Appointed Elizabeth Rule as the State’s First Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Nations.
    • Proposed to strengthen the stability of Indigenous Families by directing Deputy Secretary Rule to advance, in consultation with Nation leadership and stakeholders, strategies to strengthen the objectives of the Indian Child Welfare Act, underscoring New York’s commitment to redressing injustices inflicted upon Indigenous communities.
    • Ensured dental care access for Indigenous Nations including $2.5 million in funding for Indigenous Nations dental health care, with the aim of addressing gaps in access.
    • Responded to offensive representations by commencing a comprehensive review of artistic representation of Indigenous peoples in the Capitol, with invited participation from representatives from each of the nine Indigenous Nations to ensure that all New Yorkers are welcomed in the State Capitol.

    The announced visit and apology comes as the New York State Senate unanimously approved a resolution earlier this week acknowledging the State’s role in the operation of Thomas Indian School and the horrors that occurred there. President Seneca and other Nation officials and citizens were present when the resolution was read on the Senate floor and approved.

    This visit will be open to invited guests of the Seneca Nation.

    MIL OSI USA News –