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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across HM Prison and Probation Service

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    ‘Seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across HM Prison and Probation Service

    Reports of bullying and harassment are “a wake-up call and an opportunity to change”, Lord Timpson said today (6 May), after a review recommended wholesale change to how HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) deals with complaints.

    • New unit to deal with allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination outside of chain-of-command
    • Builds on action to strengthen vetting to root out those who fall below the high standards expected
    • Tackling unacceptable behaviour better will improve retention rates and staff morale, part of our Plan for Change to reduce reoffending, cut crime and keep our streets safe

    The Prisons, Probation, and Reducing Reoffending Minister pledged a ‘seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across the service.

    Immediate action will include establishing a new unit to investigate and better respond to allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

    It will be independent – taking complaints away from the line management hierarchy to ensure they are dealt with impartially and fairly by a dedicated team of experts.

    It comes as more than one in eight staff last year reported being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against – 50 per cent higher than the wider Civil Service.

    Today’s announcement follows a comprehensive review by Jennifer Rademaker, a non-executive director for the Ministry of Justice. Commissioned by HMPPS leaders, it examined the HR processes and culture for dealing with professional standards complaints.

    In a speech at HMP High Down in Surrey this morning, Lord James Timpson said: 

    Professional standards matter. They cannot simply be words on paper. They must be reflected in how we treat each other, every day.  

    And where those standards aren’t met – our staff – and the public – must know that we’ll take swift and decisive action. 

    HMPPS recognised that something needed to be done. That’s why it commissioned Jennifer to carry out her independent Review in the first place, and I’m pleased we have accepted her recommendations in full.

    He contrasted the misogyny and sexual harassment experienced by a young prison officer at work with the bravery of staff responding to help prison officers attacked last month at HMP Frankland.

    Lord Timpson said:

    They ran towards danger, when others would run away. They are true heroes. And our thoughts are with the injured officers as they continue to recover.

    That kind of bravery isn’t rare in the Service. Our probation officers, too, manage risk constantly, working with dangerous offenders to keep the public safe.

    These are jobs where heroism happens daily, in environments more stressful, more pressurised, than people could possibly imagine.

    The question is, then: how do we make this a Service worthy of the heroes at Frankland? Worthy of every hero in the Service?

    Recommendations from the report include:

    • The establishment of an independent central unit to handle the reporting of claims of bullying, harassment and discrimination.
    • The creation of an Independent Commissioner for HMPPS Professional Standards.
    • Improving data collection on complaints by creating one database and regular updates to all staff.

    The Government has accepted all the recommendations from the review and will begin implementing them immediately as part of its Plan for Change. It will ensure unacceptable behaviour is tackled quickly and effectively. Improving staff morale, safety and retention rates will ensure prisons and probation can focus more on reducing reoffending and making streets safer.

    This will build on significant action already being taken to drive up professionalism across the Service and root out those who fall below the high standards expected. This includes bolstering vetting processes to make it harder for unsuitable people to enter the workforce and improving staff training.

    Work is also underway to improve the training provided to staff – to ensure they not only have the technical skills needed but possess strong ethical foundations, too. It will see the introduction of a more structured, longer-term approach to training with higher standards, so staff will be better equipped and more likely to thrive.

    Meanwhile, HMPPS’s Counter Corruption Unit is working directly with police forces across the country to identify and remove staff who abuse their position or engage in criminal conduct.

    Background

    • The report provides 12 recommendations to improve the processes around reporting bullying, harassment and discrimination. HMPPS has accepted all the recommendations and work is underway to implement these.
    • You can read both the review and HMPPS’ response on GOV.UK HMPPS Professional Standards Review – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Landsat at Work: Satellites Help with Complex Crop and Water Issues

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Landsat at Work: Satellites Help with Complex Crop and Water Issues

    California faces challenges in trying to produce so much of our food

    In just one example of the benefits of monitoring, growers in a 100,000-acre area of California—an area about the size of Bakersfield—saw a 13% reduction in groundwater pumping in the first year of using information derived from Landsat and other sources. That resulted in savings of roughly $40 million. 

    Supplies of groundwater for irrigation are more predictable than surface water, which can fluctuate with drought, but groundwater is not infinite. If too much groundwater is pumped out, wells can go dry and land can sink, leading to infrastructure issues. Monitoring groundwater use can help prevent problems like these.

    ‘Users of Landsat on a Daily Basis’

    Many types of crops grow in California, which supplies more than a third of the country’s vegetables and three-fourths of its fruits and nuts, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    Using remote sensing data like Landsat to map crops field by field reveals how many acres are growing. That lets various commodity boards such as the Almond Board of California and the California Walnut Board estimate the volume of crop that’s available to market to the world. And using remote sensing to know how much water those crops are using helps growers optimize groundwater use, management and regulatory compliance. 

    “We are significant users of Landsat on a daily basis,” said Joel Kimmelshue, founding partner and principal soil and agricultural scientist at Land IQ. 

    This Land IQ map of California shows a large number of crop types throughout the Central Valley and other areas. Courtesy of Land IQ

    Land IQ maps more than 50 California crops on 15 million producing acres of land with a very high (97+%) degree of accuracy. The company also provides monthly crop water consumption estimates, with Landsat and other satellite information as a fundamental starting point coupled with data-driven models. An extensive ground data collection system helps calibrate and validate the satellite results. 

    Background photo: This is an irrigated pistachio grove near Chowchilla, California. California produces most of the pistachios in the United States, with 488,000 acres in 2024. USDA photo taken November 9, 2018, by Lance Cheung.

    Nearly 40 groundwater sustainability agencies and irrigation districts use Land IQ’s crop water use estimates, including the Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MKGSA) in the San Joaquin Valley.

    Several years ago, MKGSA made the difficult decision to put restrictions on groundwater use in reaction to sustained drought and a new California state law. MKGSA needed a way to measure growers’ groundwater usage, but under a tight deadline, there wasn’t nearly enough time to install water meters to monitor 65,000 acres of irrigated cropland. 

    So MKGSA turned to Land IQ to estimate the total amount of water used by crops, which is based on evapotranspiration (ET), a combined loss of water through evaporation and plant transpiration. 

    MKGSA growers were initially given 2.5 acre-feet of groundwater per acre of land in 2022—enough to cover each acre with 2.5 feet of water—beyond precipitation or surface water that their crops also use. Every month, they can check their groundwater consumption for the previous month on a dashboard to see how their “water budget” is going and what they have left for the rest of the year. If they don’t use all their allocated groundwater in one year, the unused amount remains available for them in the future.

    ABOVE: This panel of three images shows the same area of central California, near Tulare and Visalia southeast of Fresno, in July 2024. Left: A Landsat image, one of the satellite sources of information for Land IQ’s mapping. Middle: A Land IQ monthly map of crop types, which also includes wheat at a more muted fuchsia. Right: A Land IQ monthly map of evapotranspiration, which ranges from red at no evapotranspiration through orange, yellow and green up to blue, with the highest level. This area of California has a number of dairies as well, which can be seen in some of the areas that do not have a color-coded crop type. The middle and right images are courtesy of Land IQ.

    “Without the Land IQ data, farmers couldn’t plan. They were just doing what they used to do, what their grandfathers did, what their great-grandfathers did. And that wasn’t working. We were overdrafting the groundwater system. They had to make a change,” said Aaron Fukuda, interim general manager of the MKGSA and general manager of the Tulare Irrigation District, which is a member of the MKGSA. 

    “At the core of all of it is the ET data. Pull that out, and the heart of the system falls apart.” – Aaron Fukuda

    MKGSA’s growers have four years of Land IQ data to look back on now. In addition to keeping track of their water budgets, they can find the average of how much water is used by a certain tree crop, like almonds, or another perennial crop. “They’re fine-tuning their irrigation to get to the optimum yields based on water availability, yields and commodity pricing,” Fukuda said.

    For growers of annual crops such as corn or wheat, once they know how many acre-feet of groundwater each crop type needs, they can plan out what to plant in each field based on how much water they have to “spend.” 

    MKGSA’s plan, a revision from an earlier plan rejected by the state, is paying off. In a comparison of two drought years—2021 to 2022—groundwater pumping went down 13%, saving 20,000 acre-feet of water and roughly $40 million, based on a drought-year value of water at $2,000 per acre-foot, Fukuda said. In other words, that’s 6.5 billion gallons, enough water to supply a city like Santa Barbara for more than a year and a half.

    Plus, because the revised plan met the state’s requirements, MKGSA is being considered to avoid a “probation” period in which the state would take over the sustainability planning. That would cost growers tens of millions of dollars in fees annually, Fukuda said.

    “Because we’ve implemented the allocation system, because we’re cutting back, we’re making the hard decisions; because we’re monitoring and we are showing results, we are hoping to avoid probation.” 

    One reason Landsat is so valuable to companies like Land IQ and customers like the MKGSA and its growers is because the data is offered to the public at no cost, said Diya Chowdhury, Land IQ spatial sciences team lead. “That allows us to pass that cost savings down to our clients. There’s a limited budget, and it allows us to work within that.” 

    Chowdhury estimates that overall, Land IQ includes Landsat data in 90 percent of its crop mapping and ET projects, which also include Arizona, Australia and Mexico.

    Landsat’s annual value in 2023 was calculated to be $25.6 billion for myriad uses, including the agriculture industry. Landsat is a partnership that began between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA more than 50 years ago, by far the longest-running Earth observation satellite program in the world. The data are made available through the USGS.

    Some Land IQ projects need to look at imagery from decades ago. “Landsat is considered to be the industry standard due to the historical record of data,” Chowdhury said. 

    The two current satellites collect fresh imagery of every spot of land on Earth every eight days, a benefit to Land IQ. “It gives us a time series of data to work with,” she added. “We’re looking at crops, which is a dynamic system. You need to consider how things are evolving and changing over time.” 

    Landsat Next is planned with three satellites that would collectively capture a new view of the Earth’s surface every six days.

    The company uses artificial intelligence (AI) methods—specifically machine learning—to be able to incorporate all of the remote sensing and ground data into its work.

    Looking ahead, Landsat’s role is expected to grow as technology evolves.

    AI methods will continue to be useful as plans for the next generation of Landsat satellites include even more remote sensing data. A trio of satellites is planned to launch in late 2030/early 2031 as Landsat Next, capturing far more detail about features of the Earth’s surface more frequently than current Landsat satellites, including more information about crop conditions.

    Landsat is crucial for Land IQ’s work, Kimmelshue said, and “for the people that use those ground-validated results. That’s the real critical part: for them to manage the short water that we have in many places in the western United States.”

    Disclaimer: This web page contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other organizations. USGS is not responsible for the content of any off-site pages. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by the United States Government. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Resident Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Coachella, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Freddy Felix, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from July 25, 2023, to August 30, 2023, Felix conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Additionally, on August 30, 2023, Felix possessed with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

    Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for August 6, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that the defendant remain detained.

    Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Felix.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Palestinian Nationals Charged With Unlawful Possession Of Firearms And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of indictments charging Mohammed Aburidi (24, Palestinian) and Tareq Aburidi (19, Palestinian) with possessing firearms and ammunition as aliens admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictments, on November 26, 2024, Mohammed Aburidi and Tareq Aburidi possessed firearms and ammunition after being admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: LoCorr Investment Models Now Available on Private Advisor Group’s WealthSuite Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINNEAPOLIS, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LoCorr Funds, a leader in low-correlating alternative investments, is pleased to announce the development of three alternative investment models for Private Advisor Group’s WealthSuite platform. The models, which went live on May 1, 2025, blend active and passive mutual funds and ETFs from LoCorr and other third-party asset managers to create alternative investment portfolios tailored to three investment objectives—growth, income, and capital preservation.

    LoCorr was selected to build models for the WealthSuite platform because of the firm’s singular and long-term focus on low-correlating alternative investments, which move independently of traditional investments. In addition, LoCorr has deep expertise in blending strategies with low correlation to each other to improve a portfolio’s overall risk/return profile.

    “We are excited to join Private Advisor Group to offer their advisors access to carefully constructed models that have historically low beta to traditional assets, providing a diversified return stream to portfolios,” said Kevin Kinzie, CEO of LoCorr Funds. “The launch of these models comes at a time of heightened volatility and uncertainty in the markets, where many advisors are seeking differentiated sources of alpha.”

    The three models include Alternatives Growth, which seeks to provide risk mitigation with potential upside; Alternatives Income, which aims to provide risk mitigation with income; and Alternatives Preservation, which strives to provide risk mitigation with a focus on capital preservation.

    “The goal of these models is to help diversify portfolios by improving risk-adjusted returns, mitigating drawdowns, and smoothing performance for investors, thus providing a complement to existing stock and bond portfolios,” said Sean Katof, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of LoCorr Funds. “These models add resilience to portfolios, making them better equipped to navigate a wider range of market conditions.”

    The alternative investment models are intended to be strategic positions in the asset allocation process.

    About LoCorr Funds
    LoCorr Funds is a leading provider of low-correlating investment strategies, founded on the belief that non-traditional investment strategies with low correlation to stocks and bonds can reduce risk and help increase portfolio returns. LoCorr offers investment solutions that not only provide the potential for positive returns in rising or falling markets but also help to achieve diversification in investment portfolios. LoCorr Funds is headquartered in Excelsior, MN. For more information, please visit www.LoCorrFunds.com or call 1.888.628.2887.

    WealthSuite Model Portfolios are made available to Private Advisor Group (“PAG”) on a non-discretionary basis by LoCorr Funds. Information about the Models may be provided by representatives of LoCorr.

    LoCorr WealthSuite Model Portfolios are designed to achieve the agreed upon PAG objective(s). The LoCorr WealthSuite Model Portfolios use a systematic approach in conjunction with a quantitative and qualitative methodology for selecting mutual funds or ETFs based on the parameters PAG places on the composition of such custom models. The methodology considers the research provided by LoCorr’s research team. LoCorr uses a systematic approach to combine a set of investment options whose overall risk characteristics, when viewed as a portfolio, are designed to meet PAG’s objectives, which can be subject to change. PAG is responsible for providing review and approval of the WealthSuite Model Portfolios constructed by LoCorr.

    LoCorr is not acting as a fiduciary or in any advisory capacity in providing this information. The information is designed to be utilized by you solely as a resource, along with other potential sources, in providing advisory services to your clients. You are solely responsible for determining whether the Models, the investment products included in the Models, and the share class of those products, are appropriate and suitable for you to base a recommendation or provide advice to any retail investor about the potential use of the Models.

    Information and other marketing materials concerning the Models may not be indicative of any client’s actual experience from investing in one or more of the investment products included in the Models. The Models’ allocations and data are subject to change.

    As applicable, inclusion of the mutual funds and ETFs in the WealthSuite Model Portfolios will result in the payment of fees to the mutual funds and ETFs in the Models, as provided for in the relevant prospectus to each such investment product, including to LoCorr for LoCorr managed funds. As a result, there are certain conflicts of interest that are inherent in the design and operation of the model portfolios because, to the extent consistent with the investment objective of any particular model, LoCorr will allocate assets among Underlying Funds. The fees received from investment in the included LoCorr mutual funds will be retained by LoCorr.

    The Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the investment company, and it may be obtained by calling 1.855.LCFUNDS, or visiting www.LoCorrFunds.com. Read it carefully before investing.

    Mutual fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. The Funds invest in foreign investments which involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods. These risks are greater for emerging markets. Investing in commodities may subject the Funds to greater risks and volatility as commodity prices may be influenced by a variety of factors including unfavorable weather, environmental factors, and changes in government regulations. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Investments in Asset-Backed, Mortgage-Backed, and Collateralized Mortgage-Backed Securities include additional risks that investors should be aware of such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, as well as increased susceptibility to adverse economic developments. Derivative contracts ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms which can magnify the Fund’s potential for gains or losses through increased long and short position exposure. The Funds may access derivatives via a swap agreement. A risk of a swap agreement is the risk that the counterparty to the agreement will default on its obligation to pay the Funds. The Funds will incur a loss as a result of a short position if the price of the short position instrument increases in value between the date of the short position sale and the date on which an offsetting position is purchased. Investments in lower-rated and nonrated securities presents a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher rated securities. Underlying Funds are subject to management and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Funds. The Fund’s portfolio will be significantly impacted by the performance of the real estate market generally, and the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and experience higher volatility than would a more economically diversified portfolio. Small and mid-sized companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and they may be dependent on a limited management group. There is no assurance that any hedging strategies utilized by the Fund will successfully provide a hedge to the portfolio’s holdings which could negatively impact Fund performance.

    Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. Correlation measures how much the returns of two investments move together over time. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

    The LoCorr Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. © 2025 LoCorr Funds

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: John Swinney’s Programme for Government speech

    Source: Scottish National Party

    Presiding Officer,

    Tomorrow will mark one year since I was honoured to be elected as the First Minister of this country that I love.

    I spoke then of my ambition to create a vibrant economy in every part of our country, my determination to tackle the challenges faced by our beloved National Health Service, and my hope that we can come together as a Parliament, and as a country, to focus on solutions rather than allowing our disagreements to dominate.

    Over the past year, amidst real challenges, amidst deep uncertainty on the global stage, progress has been made. In ways big and small, a corner is being turned. This is a government that is working hard and determined to get Scotland on track for success.

    That progress has been evident in the way we do our business here in our Parliament. The fact that four parties were able to come together, to negotiate in good faith, and pass a budget that delivers record funding for our National Health Service, is testament to what is possible.

    Today’s Programme for Government is presented in that same spirit. It contains many of the fruits of our budget process – with elements within it that are there only because of the co-operation of other parties.

    But this is also a programme by an SNP government, a government that cares deeply about Scotland, a government that has total confidence in Scotland’s ability to rise to any challenge and to weather any storm.

    Presiding Officer, before I turn to those elements that are in the Programme for Government, I want to talk about some measures that are not included.

    With a year to go until the end of this parliament, there are clearly, limits on the amount of legislation we can present. This government – and I personally – remain entirely committed to tackling misogynistic abuse against women. Regrettably I do not believe there is sufficient parliamentary time to make progress through a standalone Bill which I would plan to bring forward at the start of the next Parliament. We will however take the action we can in this Parliament by adding sex as a protected characteristic to existing hate crimes legislation to protect women and girls and by taking further steps in our policy, to tackle unacceptable abuse of women and girls in our society.

    Conversion Practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are harmful and abusive. Over this coming year, we will seek to work with the United Kingdom government to deliver a legislative ban across England, Wales and Scotland. But if agreement is not possible, we will publish legislation in the first year of the next parliamentary term. Members of the LGBTQI+ community should have no doubt that we will work with them to protect and to defend their rights.

    Times are tough, presiding oofficer and times are changing, in ways that I know bring real anxiety to our citizens, real fear to many in our business community. But my promise to the people of Scotland is that amidst the uncertainty there is one thing they can be sure of: this is a government that will always seek to do what is best for Scotland. As First Minister, I will always put the needs and interests, the hopes and dreams of the people of Scotland first.

    When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the health of Scotland’s NHS.

    They would tell me about their many positive experiences of high-quality care from the dedicated staff in the NHS, experiences of treatment and care that are, invariably, world class. But they also spoke of difficulties accessing that care. Waiting times that were unacceptable, adding to anxiety. Systems that they felt did not put patients first.

    Presiding officer, there are many issues that compete on a daily basis for the attention of a First Minister, but what could be more important than our National Health Service?

    So I am proud that the £30 million that we committed has not just delivered the 64,000 additional NHS appointments and procedures between April 2024 and the end of January 2025 that we promised, but over 40,000 more than planned. An extra 105,000 vital, additional appointments and procedures that are helping to reduce waiting lists and waiting times. We have met the children and adolescents’ mental health waiting time standards, with over 90 per cent now seen within 18 weeks of their referral.

    More cancer patients are now treated faster. Compared with a decade ago, 16 per cent more patients receive care within the 31-day standard and 11 per cent more within the 62-day standard.

    Statistics, yes, but behind each one a person who has received the sort of reliable and effective care from the National Health Service that they deserve.

    Progress, yes, but with a very clear understanding that there is more, much more to do.

    And that is why a renewed and stronger NHS is at the very heart of this Programme for Government.

    Getting our NHS on track is about reform that is fundamentally patient-centred, it is about investment, and it’s about increasing productivity and capacity.

    This approach makes it possible for us to deliver more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025-26.  

    The additional investment secured through the Scottish budget will enable us to expand specialist regional centres; technology will mean more efficient use of operating theatres. The result, a 50 per cent increase in the number of surgical procedures we can deliver compared with last year. 

    There will be a renewed focus on cancer diagnosis and treatment, targeted investment so that health boards can clear backlogs and substantially improve waiting times.

    Presiding officer, I could spend the whole statement just talking about the steps we are taking to access the National Health Service, but before moving on, I will highlight one other area that I know is of particular concern for many people.  

    While many people’s experience of their GP is excellent, for many others there is deep frustration over the difficulty making appointments and what has been described as the 8am lottery.

    This is of central importance to me. That is why we are acting to reduce pressure and increase capacity in the system, so that it is easier for people to get the care that they need, when they need it.

    That includes in the year ahead a further expansion of Pharmacy First services – with pharmacies being the right first port of call for many ailments.  

    But it also means the delivery of an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries focused on key risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking.  

    This year, primary care, including GPs, is receiving a bigger share of new NHS funding, and we are committed to not only increasing GP numbers but protecting Scotland’s advantage which means substantially more GPs per head in Scotland compared to elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

    Presiding officer, members across the chamber will know that, alongside the NHS, our constituents are also deeply exercised by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. We have experienced a decade and more of financial insecurity, higher prices and squeezed real incomes. Life feels substantially tougher for very many of those that we serve.

    The economy means jobs, growth and investment, and I will talk about all of these elements.  

    But above all, the economy is about people’s quality of life, it is about their own household budget, their ability to pay the bills.  

    This Scottish government will always do what it can to deliver the best deal for the people of Scotland. In concrete terms that means a commitment to keep Council Tax bills – already over 30 per cent lower on average in Scotland than in England – substantially lower than elsewhere in the UK.

    Water bills – already 20 per cent lower than in England – will remain lower, as will income tax for the majority of workers in Scotland.  

    Prescriptions will continue to be free here in Scotland.

    Eye appointments, free. 

    Bus travel for young, disabled and older people in Scotland – free.  

    Scotland will continue to pay no tuition fees.   

    Parents will continue to benefit from a package of early learning and childcare worth more than £6000 for every eligible child.  

    Free school meals, which save the average family £400 per child per year, will be expanded, and more breakfast clubs introduced.  

    Together, this is my cost-of-living guarantee. A package that year on year delivers savings for the people of Scotland, a package that exists nowhere else in the United Kingdom.  

    And, Presiding Officer, it is a package of cost-of-living support that we are always looking to enhance where we can.  

    That is why we took the decision in the budget to restore a winter fuel payment for Scottish pensioners, with the poorest receiving the most. Those payments will be made this year.   

    And it is why we are committed to doing even more.

    Last year, in the face of severe budget pressures, we took the difficult decision to end the peak fares pilot on our railways.

    But now, given the work that we have done to get Scotland’s finances in a stronger position, and hearing also the calls from commuters, from climate activists and from the business community, I can confirm that, from the 1st of September this year, peak rail fares in Scotland will be scrapped for good.  

    A decision that will put more money in people’s pockets and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies.   

    Once again, tens of thousands of Scots saving money.  

    Once again, a better deal for people because they live in Scotland.  

    Better for Scots because there is a government that always strives for what is best for Scotland.  

    Alongside the cost-of-living pressures – the consequence of a series of body blows from austerity and Brexit to the spike in inflation and energy costs that followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine – new threats are emerging that have the potential to cause extensive damage to the Scottish economy.  

    Tariffs will impact directly on many Scottish exporters to the United States, while a US recession and a global trade war, will have effects direct and indirect on almost every sector of our economy. 

    Presiding officer, this Programme for Government has been published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, delivery in those areas that matter in the day-to-day lives of our citizens. But it is also being published now because of the scale of the looming economic challenge that we face.   

    For the sake of Scottish jobs, for the sake of protecting people’s quality of life, we are taking new steps, accelerating action, to ensure Scotland’s economy is better placed to ride the economic storms.  

    Members will see the detailed and extensive section on the economy in the Programme for Government document, with action on planning reform, skills, housing investment, support for our rural economy including our vital food and drink sector, promotion of Scotland the brand and more. But I want to highlight three particular initiatives designed to respond directly and specifically to the challenges we now face.  

    First, working with Scottish Development International across their 34 international offices, we will deliver a new 6-point Export Plan, to enable Scottish exporters to diversify and to grow markets. This includes:  

    • more support for SME’s to participate in trade missions in both established and emerging markets; 
    • additional grant funding to help companies unlock specific, targeted international growth; and, 
    • bespoke support in key sectors – technology, life sciences, renewables and hydrogen – to maximise international opportunities.

    Second, to enable emerging Scottish companies to grow, we will create a new Proof of Concept fund, with a focus on supporting the commercialisation of research projects with significant economic potential. We will deliver an improved Ecosystem fund to further enhance Scotland’s already effective start-up environment, including action to transform the number of women who start and scale up businesses.

    We must not forget, even amidst the gathering clouds, that Scotland is an innovative nation, and that opportunities exist which can deliver real and significant benefits now and in the future. This government will prepare for the challenges but we also seek to position Scotland to make the most of the many and significant economic opportunities that still exist.   

    Third, we will deepen our commitment to a just transition and an industrial future for Scotland. As members will be aware, the Deputy First Minister is actively engaging with potential investors to ensure a green industrial future for the Grangemouth site. A key element in the success of this work is the development of carbon capture in Scotland, which is why it is now vital that the UK government provides support not only to carbon capture projects in England, but also to the Acorn project in Scotland’s northeast.

    The Scottish Government has previously committed up to £80 million to make this happen if the UK Government, in turn, made the commitments necessary for the project to progress. Given the importance of this project for the Scottish economy, given its place at the very heart of the green reindustrialisation that is my ambition, and I trust the ambition of all parties in this chamber, my government is now willing, as part of a wider package of investment in industrial transformation, to remove that cap and increase the amount of Scottish funding that is available to make Acorn a reality should the project be given the go ahead by the United Kingdom Government. 

    I know that many in this chamber share my concern that Scotland is little more than an afterthought to a UK government that is willing to invest in a supercomputer in the southeast of England, weeks after cancelling the supercomputer for Edinburgh. A UK government that moved heaven and earth to save Scunthorpe but will not do the same for Grangemouth. Perhaps with swift action from the UK Government to support Acorn, which in turn will help us deliver the future that Grangemouth deserves, the Prime Minister will do the right thing by Grangemouth.

    Presiding officer, working to deliver a stronger NHS, giving the people of Scotland the best cost-of-living support of any part of the UK, and action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges, this is a government with what is best for Scotland at its heart.  

    Since becoming First Minister last year, I have sought to focus government efforts on four central priorities.   

    We seek a wealthier Scotland, higher standards of living for the people of Scotland, with action to grow Scotland’s economy.

    A fairer Scotland, with Scotland’s growing wealth shared more fairly so that we can remove the scourge of child poverty in our land.  

    A greener Scotland, with action to maximize the benefits felt by the people of Scotland from our renewable energy wealth, benefits in terms of lower bills and well-paid jobs, and action to reduce emissions and protect and restore our stunning natural environment.  

    And we seek public services that meet, and indeed exceed, the expectations of the people of Scotland. Have no doubt, many already do. But where action is needed to reform and renew, this government will take it.   

    Progress for Scotland underpins each of our priorities and is at the heart of everything we will do.   

    I want a Scotland that we can be proud of, a Scotland that is the best it can possibly be. 

    That ambition is what gets me up every single morning.  

    And, at the very heart of that, is the eradication of child poverty. 

    Last year, when I presented my Programme for Government, I referred to the eradication of child poverty as the moral compass of my government.  It remains so. It will until there is no single child left in poverty in Scotland.   

    It is also, I said, the greatest investment in our country’s future that we can possibly make. 

    And in these times of cost-of-living pressures, that investment becomes ever more important, for these things disproportionately hurt our society’s poorest.   

    That is why, over the course of this Parliament, we increased the Scottish Child Payment from the original proposal that was put to us of a £5 payment to £27.15 and created a broader package of family payments which can be worth roughly £25,000 by age 16.  

    Our policies are making a difference. On average, the lowest income households with children are estimated to be £2,600 a year better off this year as result of Scottish Government policies. By 2029-30 it is expected to grow to an average of £3,700.

    The proportion of children living in relative poverty has reached its lowest level since 2014-15, and Scotland is making deeper, quicker progress here than in the rest of the UK.

    And while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predicts child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029, policies such as our Scottish Child Payment, and our commitment to end the cruel two-child limit, “are behind Scotland bucking the trend”.

    But if we want to truly eradicate child poverty in Scotland, we must go further, and I recognise that. We are taking the steps to lift the two-child limit and remain on track to deliver this measure to lift more children out of poverty next April.

    It is also about making sure that public services are more joined up in their response, more family- and person-centred, so that vulnerable families receive the focused help they need rather than simply the help that is available.  

    And, in the coming year, we will consult on, develop, and publish a Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31 – outlining the actions we will take with our partners for low-income families across Scotland to keep us on the journey to meet our poverty reduction targets for 2030. I can assure members that this will focus on reducing household costs, boosting incomes through social security, and helping more people into fair and sustainable jobs. All of which play a central part in tackling not only the symptoms but the root causes of poverty in our society.  

    Presiding officer,  

    There is always much more that we are doing than can be mentioned in a short parliamentary statement. 

    I would encourage members, and their constituents, to read the Programme for Government with care.  

    They will see our ongoing commitment to achieving net zero by 2045. Action to maximize the environmental and economic benefits from our vast renewable energy wealth. Steps to decarbonise heating and further decarbonise our transport network.  

    To give just one example, I am proud that we have achieved our target of installing 6,000 public charge points for electric vehicles – 2 years ahead of schedule. But more is needed, which is why, in the year ahead, we will introduce a new rural and island EV infrastructure grant, supporting our commitment to approximately 24,000 additional public electric vehicle charge points by 2030.  

    They will notice the priority we are giving to the ABCs of education, with action in partnership with local government, parents, carers, pupils and schools, to raise attainment and address problems of attendance, to tackle head on behavioural challenges in our classrooms and reform the curriculum so that young Scots are fully equipped to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this new age.  

    There is action to help regenerate our town centres.  

    Investment in thousands of new homes.  

    Record funding for the culture sector.  

    New protections for renters.  

    Expansion of dental provision.  

    A focus on additional support needs in our schools and much, much more.  

    Presiding officer, it is a Programme for Government, but also a programme for a better Scotland.   

    A programme for a stronger NHS, for a more resilient Scotland, for a wealthier Scotland.  

    Centred on delivery, providing hope, it is a programme that seeks what is best for Scotland, a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New water-monitoring program could save 1.5 billion litres a year

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Homeowners and businesses in rural British Columbia will soon benefit from new water meters that will help small communities save water and increase resiliency during droughts, while lowering costs for people who use less water.

    “Drinking water is an incredibly precious resource,” said Brittny Anderson, Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities. “Small and rural communities in B.C. face higher financial and management capacity challenges, and water metering helps communities identify leaks, conserve drinking water, and keep costs down for businesses and residents.”

    Nineteen small, rural and First Nations communities will benefit from nearly 15,000 new automated water meters that will be installed. Provincial funding will cover up to 100% of eligible costs. By helping communities have a better understanding of the amount of water that is used, this $50-million provincial investment could help save up to 1.5 billion litres of water each year. This is the equivalent of a day’s worth of drinking water for 750 million people, 37.5 million showers or washing 30 million loads of laundry.

    The meters are part of a pilot program to help small communities and local water suppliers track and manage water use and mitigate the impact of drought, while giving people confidence that they are only paying for what they use. Once installed, the meters can help reduce water use by up to 30%. That means more water stays in rivers and lakes to support fish and ecosystems, with less money spent on building new water systems.

    “People in small and rural communities deserve reliable, affordable water services,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “By installing these new water meters, we’re helping communities track their water use, save money and prepare for dry seasons. This is about building stronger, more resilient communities in British Columbia.”

    Water meters help keep more water in the system by providing people with an incentive to use less and identifying where leaks happen. This means lower water bills, fewer costly upgrades to water systems, and more water available during emergencies, such as wildfires. It also reduces pressure on wastewater systems and saves energy used for treating and moving water.

    “This investment will give families and businesses peace of mind knowing they are only paying for the water that they use,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “It will also help communities and First Nations save clean drinking water and cut down on unnecessary maintenance. A win-win for people and the planet.”

    The program also includes research that will study the benefits and investigate challenges and opportunities associated with water metering in small communities. The Province will ensure that lessons learned from this program will be made available to all water suppliers in B.C. to help them make decisions to use water more efficiently.

    Quotes:

    Steve Morrisette, parliamentary secretary for rural development –

    “This project is a big win for families and local businesses. It helps ensure British Columbians only pay for the water they actually use, while also protecting our water sources for future generations. With all levels of government working together, it’s making a real difference where it’s needed most.”

    Regional Chief Terry Teegee, BC Assembly of First Nations, on behalf of the First Nations Leadership Council –

    “This is a much-needed and welcomed initiative for First Nations in rural and remote communities who continue to grapple disproportionately with the rippling effects of the climate crisis, and who also face water scarcity in their territories. With increasingly frequent droughts occurring throughout B.C., continued and sustained investments from the Province is vital to support First Nations with watershed security through data collection, monitoring and management.”

    Mark Pendergraft, chair, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) –

    “The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen is pleased to participate in this important universal metering pilot program. This project will give the RDOS the opportunity to improve watershed management and improve the sustainability of local water systems going forward.”

    Zoe Grams, executive director, Climate Caucus –

    “Water metering is a proven tool to protect such an essential resource, but such infrastructure is often significantly challenging for local governments to implement. We celebrate the Province’s efforts to ensure more municipalities can conserve the water they need — especially as we face increasing drought.”

    Coree Tull, chair, BC Watershed Security Coalition –

    “This program is a crucial step in helping B.C. communities address the growing challenge of water insecurity and catch up with regions that already have water metering in place. As demand surges for housing, food, and economic growth, water metering is no longer optional — it’s essential infrastructure that enables conservation and supports smart, data-driven community water management.”

    Tim Morris, director, BC Water Legacy –

    “As B.C. grapples with increasing water scarcity and drought, water metering for residential and business users has become a necessity for good water management and to ensure the water security of local communities and economies. The Province’s new water-metering program is an important step that will improve watershed management for communities across B.C., help conserve precious drinking water supplies, and strengthen local drought planning and decision-making.”

    Learn More:

    For more information on communites that will receive funding for water meters, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BG_WaterMeterPilot.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Northern Saskatchewan to see Record Investment to Improve Highways and Airports

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 6, 2025

    Today, Highways Minister David Marit highlighted a $122.3 million investment to enhance the safety and reliability of key transportation infrastructure in northern Saskatchewan.

    The 2025-26 Budget includes $86 million in capital improvements to roads and airports and $36.5 million in operation and maintenance. 

    “We will continue investing in northern Saskatchewan and build the necessary infrastructure for industry and the communities,” Marit said. “Since 2007-08, our government has made record investments totaling over $1 billion in the northern transportation network.”

    The ministry continues to invest in northern transportation while balancing the needs of the broader provincial network. The 2025-26 Budget includes the largest investment in the northern region to date, primarily due to several large multi-year capital projects reaching the construction stage. This increase reflects the ministry’s commitment to improving infrastructure while ensuring investments align with long-term planning needs.

    2025-26 Highlights include: 

    • Highway 2 – Design work for resurfacing near Weyakwin. 
    • Highway 102 – Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) upgrade from La Ronge Airport North Access to Sucker River.
    • Highway 102 – Spot improvement North of Lac La Ronge.
    • Highway 106 – TMS upgrade south of Highway 120 Jct.
    • Highway 106 – Micro-surfacing west of Highway 165 Jct.
    • Highway 106 – Strengthening, grade raise, northern spot improvements.
    • Highway 135 – Clay capping and base stabilization south of Pelican Narrows.
    • Highway 155 – Engineered seal west of Beauval.
    • Highway 915 – Crushing and prep work for future gravel resurfacing west of Stanley Mission.
    • Multiple culvert or bridge replacements critical to ensure safety and reliability.
    • Preservation treatments, such as seals and micro-surfacing, that extend the life of the pavement.
    • Targeted safety improvements, such as widening, alignment and guardrails. 

    With this year’s budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $13.8 billion in transportation infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 21,800 km of highways across the province. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Expands RSV Immunization Program for Infants

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 6, 2025

    The province is changing its approach to infant Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunization to include all infants born one month before and during RSV season, which typically runs annually from October 1 to March 31. Under this new plan, with parental consent, every baby born in Saskatchewan during this time will be eligible to receive a publicly funded immunization in hospital at the time of birth. 

    “Expanding our RSV immunization program marks a significant step forward in protecting the health of our youngest residents,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “By making this protection universal during RSV season, we are helping to reduce severe outcomes in babies, ease pressure on both emergency departments and inpatient pediatric beds during respiratory season, as well as support the overall capacity of our health system. This investment reflects our commitment to giving Saskatchewan families greater peace of mind and a healthier start for their children.”

    RSV infects the lungs causing pneumonia or bronchiolitis and can lead to emergency room visits and hospitalization. RSV bronchiolitis is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization of infants worldwide and has a significant impact on caregivers and families. Premature babies and infants with chronic heart or lung disease are at the highest risk of developing severe infections and death.

    “We know our smallest patients are often our most vulnerable during the winter months when respiratory illness season is most prominent,” Saskatchewan Health Authority Head of Pediatrics Provincial Department Dr. Terry Klassen said. “The Saskatchewan Health Authority applauds the Government of Saskatchewan for responding to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recommendation and expanding the availability of RSV immunizations for newborns as an additional opportunity to protect infants against severe RSV disease.”

    The previous program, based on recommendations from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS), targeted only high-risk children during their first and second RSV seasons using a multi-dose immunization. The new immunization (Beyfortis) requires only a single dose which will cover the infant in their first RSV season. This will also be given to some high-risk infants in their second season.

    “The children of Saskatchewan will benefit greatly from our all-infant RSV immunization strategy,” SHA’s Maternal and Children’s Programs Executive Director Kim Woycik said. “The impact of this initiative will help protect our youngest and most vulnerable patients from severe lung infections, as well as ease capacity pressures on our emergency rooms and pediatric units during respiratory season. The RSV immunization program will help spare many parents the distress of seeing their child be hospitalized.” 

    Broader immunity can reduce severe outcomes in infants, helping to protect health system capacity by easing pressure on services and reducing the pediatric hospitalizations typically experienced during respiratory season.

    RSV immunization should be considered for all infants born during their first RSV season, and for those with increased risk during their second season. For additional information on RSV immunization, it is best to discuss with your prenatal care team, maternal health care providers while in hospital, or contact your primary health care provider.

    For more information, visit: saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/public-health-issues/respiratory-illnesses/RSV-Infant-Immunization-Program.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 53 Affordable and Supportive Homes in Rochester Completed

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy  Hochul  today announced the completion of 53 new homes throughout Rochester’s Beechwood neighborhood as part of a $27 million scattered Site redevelopment along Federal Street that transformed obsolete Rochester Housing Authority properties into affordable, supportive homes for families and individuals struggling with homelessness. In the past five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 6,800 affordable homes in Monroe County. The Federal Street redevelopment project continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “Creating and preserving public housing opportunities in Rochester is vitally important for families today and in the future,” Governor Hochul said. “The work completed in the Beechwood neighborhood demonstrates my dedication to New Yorkers and ensuring communities across the state have access to affordable, energy-efficient homes in safe neighborhoods.”

    The Federal Street Scattered Site initiative furthers the community revitalization goals articulated in Rochester’s 2034 Comprehensive Plan and was developed in collaboration with the Beechwood Neighborhood Association.

    Construction included the demolition of eight blighted structures located at the Rochester Housing Authority’s Federal Street property that were replaced by two multi-family buildings and a single-family home, creating a total of 18 homes. Additional construction work included the replacement or substantial rehabilitation of 35 existing homes throughout the Beechwood neighborhood. Fifty-one of the units are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income.    

    The development includes nine apartments with supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Rental subsidies and services are funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The supportive service provider is Spiritus Christi. 

    Designed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction – Energy Rating Index compliance path, with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) New Construction – Housing Program, the development utilizes ENERGY STAR® appliances, low-flow water fixtures, high-performance building envelope measures, all-electric domestic hot water heating, highly-efficient air source heat pumps to provide heating and cooling, and LED lighting. Solar panels have also been installed on one of the buildings at the Federal Street site. Improvements to the rehabilitated homes also include, improved ventilation, enhanced insulation, and window replacements. The Federal Street site provides community spaces and a thoughtfully designed playground. Electric vehicle charging receptacle(s) will be provided on sites where feasible.

    The project was developed by the Rochester Housing Authority with consultant Edgemere Development. State financing includes State and Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, generating $13 million in equity and $7 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). The project also received $2 million through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s (OTDA) Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. NYSERDA provided $77,000 in funding. The Community Preservation Corporation provided a SONYMA-insured $2 million permanent loan through its partnership with the New York State Common Retirement Fund. The city of Rochester and Rochester Housing Authority provided $400,000 in subsidy.   

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Through a combination of replacing blighted properties with new, energy-efficient modern buildings, and preserving essential public housing stock, this $27 million project will bring 53 affordable homes to Rochester’s Beechwood neighborhood and benefit families and individuals in need of support. Thank you to all our public and private partners for bringing this innovative project to fruition and for guiding our efforts to revitalize neighborhoods and increase housing supply in the city and across Monroe County.”

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The nine permanent supportive housing units included in this development will provide a safe and affordable place to live for formerly incarcerated individuals and their families, while connecting them with essential support services they need to live stable, independent lives in the community. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s strong support of the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and for her unwavering commitment to expanding the supply of permanent supportive housing across New York State.”

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “I am thrilled to see these out-of-use, neglected buildings transformed into modern, clean housing for the Rochester community. By implementing the latest sustainable building solutions, such as air-source heat pumps and all-electric hot water, projects like this continue to demonstrate how sustainable affordable housing can be achieved in communities throughout the state.”

    U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Every family in Rochester deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I’m proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which I worked hard to protect and expand, has delivered millions to build over 50 new homes across Rochester’s Beechwood neighborhood. Many working families in New York are struggling with high housing costs, and building more housing for working people will help to bring down those high prices. I applaud Governor Hochul’s efforts to increase access to affordable housing in Rochester and across Upstate New York, and I will continue working to deliver federal resources to ensure that every New Yorker has a roof over their heads.”

    Representative Joe Morelle said, “Access to a safe and affordable home is a basic necessity, but sadly, this reality is still out of reach for far too many in our community. These 53 new homes in the Beechwood Neighborhood will help provide the safety and security people deserve and help set them up to thrive. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for continuing to invest in Rochester and our families, and I look forward to our continued work together.”

    New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said, “Our longstanding partnership with the Community Preservation Corporation has allowed the state’s pension fund to invest in New York’s communities. This project is a win-win that helps grow much-needed affordable and supportive housing to Beechwood, while providing the pension fund with the kind of steady return on investment that provides retirement security for its members, retirees and beneficiaries.”

    Assemblymember Demond Meeks said, “I am proud to support the Rochester Housing Authority’s Federal Street and Scattered Sites development, a vital step toward ensuring equitable and affordable housing for families in our community. This project will provide safe, stable homes for working families, seniors, and individuals in need, while also breathing new life into our neighborhoods through the rehabilitation of existing properties and the construction of new ones. By investing in quality housing and community infrastructure, we are creating stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities for generations to come.”

    Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “The Federal Street and Scattered Sites Housing initiative is bringing much-needed affordable, safe, equitable housing opportunities to the Beechwood neighborhood, which I am proud to represent. This effort is the result of thoughtful collaboration between Rochester Housing Authority working with partners in all levels of government and the community to ensure these homes meet the needs of existing residents and families in the neighborhood and the fabric of the vibrant Beechwood community.”

    Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, “In the face of a continued affordable housing shortage, the Rochester Housing Authority is taking action. These new units will revitalize the Beechwood Neighborhood and provide families with a safe and stable environment. Additionally, RCH’s emphasis on constructing environmentally friendly units expands the reach of this project and ensures its long-term sustainability.”

    Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said, “These homes are more than wood and stone; they are the visible proof that Rochester is moving forward with a new momentum. When we lift up our neighborhoods and invest in the dignity of every street, every family, and every block, we move Rochester forward together, building a city where hope and opportunity walk hand in hand.”

    The Community Preservation Corporation Vice President Miriam Zinter said, “This milestone marks more than the completion of new housing – it is a celebration of what can be achieved when we make meaningful investments in the future of our communities. This project is helping to revitalize the Beechwood neighborhood while providing high-quality, affordable and supportive housing that will serve the diverse needs of our city’s residents for decades to come. I thank Governor Hochul, HCR, the city of Rochester and the Rochester Housing Authority, and our lending partners at the State’s Common Retirement Fund for their partnership.”

    Rochester Housing Authority Executive Director Shawn Burr said, “These homes are more than just buildings—they represent our renewed commitment to preserving public housing, revitalizing neighborhoods, and strengthening our community. We’re proud to kick off our summer of progress right here on Federal Street.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives for Upstate communities, new incentives and relief from certain state-imposed restrictions to create more housing in New York City, a $500 million capital fund to build up to 15,000 new homes on state-owned property, an additional $600 million in funding to support a variety of housing developments statewide and new protections for renters and homeowners. In addition, as part of the FY23 Enacted Budget, the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. Nearly 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 Enacted Budget also strengthened the Pro-Housing Community Program which the Governor launched in 2023. Pro-Housing certification is now a requirement for localities to access up to $650 million in discretionary funding. Currently, nearly 300 communities have been certified, including the city of Rochester.

    Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward     

    Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: FillaRole Launches AI-Powered Hiring Platform to Transform Canadian Employment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian businesses now have a smarter, faster way to hire—thanks to FillaRole. Officially launched in beta earlier this year, the AI-powered platform is now fully available across the country and has already attracted more than 40,000 job applicants and 90,000 users.

    Unlike traditional job boards that leave hiring teams buried under piles of unqualified resumes, FillaRole is purpose-built to simplify employment. The platform combines advanced artificial intelligence with real human support to instantly organize, rank, and categorize applicants by location and fit. With growing national attention, FillaRole recently earned a coveted spot in VentureLAB’s Accelerated Growth Program, which supports high-potential Canadian tech companies that are redefining their industries.

    Built for Real-World Employers, Not Recruiters

    “Business owners don’t have time to babysit job boards. You post a job, get flooded with resumes, and hope for the best,” said Keli Propp, CEO of FillaRole. “Platforms like Indeed or ZipRecruiter leave you doing all the work. FillaRole actually cares if you succeed. Whether you need one great local hire or a shortlist of candidates from across the country, or across the globe, we make it easy.”

    FillaRole is a three-generation, family-owned and operated Canadian job platform. While designed for employers of all sizes and industries, it has proven especially successful in the construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare sector—where hiring is often urgent, but rarely anyone’s full-time job. The company has recently gained high-profile support through its new strategic advisor, Jon Reyes, former Cabinet Minister for the Province of Manitoba, who brings valuable credibility and deep insight into workforce policy and immigration strategy.

    Key Features That Save Time and Stress

    Getting started on average takes just seven minutes. Employers sign-up for free, answer a few quick questions, and FillaRole’s team and technology take it from there. Key features include:

    • One-click posting to 19+ job boards – Maximize visibility in a single step.
    • AI-powered matching – Candidates are instantly ranked by fit and location, saving hours.
    • Human support when you need it – From writing job ads to scheduling interviews.
    • Performance reporting in 48 hours – Know what’s working and where to adjust.
    • Local talent first – Prioritizes qualified candidates near you, with the ability to tap into global talent when needed.
    • Immigration-ready talent access – For hard-to-fill roles, access over 40,000 skilled workers through a trusted partner with a 99.5% success rate.

    Built for Local Talent, Ready for the World

    FillaRole operates on the principle of “Hire Near. Hire FaR.” While the platform emphasizes securing local talent, it also recognizes that sometimes local talent isn’t available. In such cases, FillaRole provides seamless, compliant, and stress-free access to global talent through its partnerships with various vetted Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) across Canada.

    Job seekers also benefit from FillaRole’s streamlined approach. Whether they’re Canadian residents or immigration-ready professionals, candidates can register and get matched with real job opportunities that align with their skills and experience. They’ll also receive ongoing push notifications when new, relevant roles are posted—no more sifting through outdated listings.

    FillaRole is a comprehensive solution designed to give businesses a competitive edge in today’s job market. By combining convenience, efficiency, and AI precision, FillaRole delivers better candidates, less time wasted, and a hiring experience built around how real businesses operate.

    “Our clients don’t care about buttons and dashboards. They just want good people and less stress,” said Propp. “We built FillaRole to deliver exactly that.”

    Employers can sign up today or request a demo at www.fillarole.ca.

    About FillaRole
    FillaRole is an AI-powered hiring platform developed to simplify employment for Canadian businesses. By automating job postings and applicant sorting, FillaRole enables employers to save time, improve efficiency, and focus on hiring the right talent. Proudly Canadian, FillaRole supports both local and international hiring with expert guidance every step of the way. To learn more, visit www.fillarole.ca.

    Media Contact:
    Keli Propp
    CEO, FillaRole
    Email: keli@fillarole.ca
    Phone: 306-900-6899

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: People fleeing Zamzam camp arrive to overwhelmed humanitarian response in Tawila

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Three weeks on from the large-scale ground offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Zamzam camp, Sudan, in early April 2025, reports of intensified fighting in El-Fasher continue, and more displaced people are arriving in Tawila, North Darfur state. People have been arriving in Tawila in a vulnerable state; many are suffering from malnutrition, and others were injured during the attack on Zamzam camp. Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF’s) emergency and nutrition service at the hospital in Tawila has been overwhelmed.

    “They came with their machine guns. They attacked and killed people – including children. They burnt our house, with everything we had inside. They raped the women. They killed, they looted,” says Mariam*, who reached Tawila three days after the attack on Zamzam took place. “Even before the attack, people had died of thirst and of starvation because of the siege that had been imposed on Zamzam for the past year. Everything was so expensive and so unaffordable in the end.”

    Mariam* arrived with her mother, her sisters and their children- a household of 20 people. All of them now spend their days squeezed against each other under the makeshift shelter they built with a few branches and a piece of fabric.

    “Here, there is no food. A few people in Tawila shared a bit of millet flour with us, which we used to make porridge. This is how we have survived so far: begging,” she says. “We get the water from a tank, but they only let us fill one jerrycan per family, and we are 20 in ours. We only have one blanket for all of us.” 

    Since 12 April, when people first began reaching Tawila from Zamzam, the areas surrounding the town have been completely transformed, with tens of thousands of people now estimated to be living in makeshift shelters in fields that were totally uninhabited just a few weeks ago.

    “For four days now, we have been staying here as you see us, with nothing: no walls, no roof,” says Ibrahim*, who fled Zamzam on foot with 11 of his family members. He carried one of his children on his shoulders and another on his back for five days. It’s the fourth time in ten years he has been displaced in similar circumstances. He described how soldiers entered people’s homes, brought them outside and opened fire. Three of his brothers were killed like this. On his way to Tawila, he got looted and witnessed people being beaten so harshly that they could no longer move.

    “Under this tree, it is so crowded, we’re lacking water, or shelter… there is nothing to eat, everyone is hungry,” he says. “We’re getting some food from the community kitchens. Sometimes, we manage to get some rice when they distribute the meals, but if we don’t, we must wait until the next day to eat something. For water, we go to a borehole, but there are so many people, and we have to wait hours to be able to drink.” 

    A handful of organisations are present in Tawila, but the number of people in need of assistance far exceed the capacity to respond. MSF teams have set up two health posts at the main arrival sites to provide the newcomers with water and immediate nutrition and medical support. We are also referring critical patients to Tawila local hospital, where MSF has been working since October 2024.

    Tiphaine Salmon, MSF’s head nurse, was working in the Tawila hospital on 12 April, the day people began arriving with serious injuries.

    “The emergency room was overwhelmed,” she says. “Over the first few days, the number of patients in the hospital almost doubled. At one point, we had four patients in a bed because we did not have enough space.”

    “A lot of people had gunshot wounds and blast injuries – we’ve treated 779 people over the past three weeks, including 138 children. 187 of all the patients were severe cases,” says Salmon. “The youngest I saw was a seven-month-old baby with a bullet wound that went under his chin and into his shoulder. We also received patients as young as one day old suffering from dehydration. Many children arrived without their parents – and many parents were searching desperately for their children.”

    779

    779

    people with gunshot and blast injuries

    138

    138

    of whom were children

    At the same time, MSF teams in the hospital witnessed an explosion of admissions in our intensive therapeutic feeding centre, which treats children under five-year-old suffering from severe acute malnutrition in addition of other comorbidities. In the week following the initial influx, admissions increased almost tenfold from an average of six or seven per week, to more than 60. They were mostly children from Zamzam, showing how desperate the nutrition situation was in the famine-stricken camp.

    To make the situation even worse, a suspected measles outbreak began in Tawila in March. In the hospital, MSF treated more than 900 suspected measles cases since early February, with more than 300 people in such a severe condition that they required hospitalisation. This led our teams to launch a large-scale vaccination campaign in the city on the first week of April, reaching 18,000 children under five. But one week after the massive influx of people from Zamzam began, our teams saw several suspected cases among children who had just arrived.

    Malnutrition and measles, in such sites with a highly dense population and poor hygiene conditions, can be an especially deadly combination for young children.

    MSF is continuing to scale-up our intervention in Tawila. On top of carrying out hundreds of medical consultations per day, we have also donated dry food to local community kitchens, enabling them to prepare and distribute more than 16,000 meals per day. We are providing 100,000 litres of clean water daily and we have additional plans to construct 300 latrines.

    People’s needs remain immense and far exceed our capacity to respond. Although other actors have also mobilised, and a first mass food distribution has taken place, the humanitarian response still needs to be urgently and rapidly scaled up. We urge UN agencies to substantially increase their presence on the ground so that they can coordinate a response of a magnitude that will meet the ever-growing needs.

    *Names changed.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Leads Push for Smart Border Security Investments in FY26 Funding Requests

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) is leading a coordinated effort in Congress to secure smart, targeted investments in border security that protect communities, strengthen trade, and enhance national safety without compromising human dignity. Through a series of letters submitted to House appropriators, Vasquez and a group of lawmakers are calling for robust funding to improve staffing, upgrade inspection technology, and expand autonomous surveillance capabilities at the U.S. border.

    “We need to make smart, targeted investments that stop fentanyl before it reaches our neighborhoods and ensure that our ports of entry have the staffing and technology to keep people safe,” said Vasquez. “This funding supports the officers working on the frontlines and helps move goods and people efficiently through places like Santa Teresa. It’s about saving lives, strengthening public safety, and building the infrastructure our border communities rely on every day.” 

    In a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Vasquez and colleagues urged robust FY26 funding for immigration judges and cutting-edge surveillance tools to relieve staffing shortages and reduce case backlogs. They emphasized the need to modernize the border with investments that directly support on-the-ground operations​.

    Vasquez also led efforts in support of: 

    • $849 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology, such as X-ray and gamma-ray scanners to detect illicit cargo, especially fentanyl, at ports of entry, including Santa Teresa in New Mexico; and
       
    • $239 million to hire at least 1,000 additional CBP officers to ensure adequate staffing to operate new technologies and process increased trade volume efficiently​. 

    Additionally, Vasquez joined a request for $60 million to expand Autonomous Surveillance Tower (AST) deployment, providing 24/7 monitoring between ports of entry across remote stretches of the border. These towers serve as a force multiplier for CBP, enhancing safety for officers and the communities they serve. 

    Vasquez continues to champion common-sense border investments that respect border communities, strengthen national security, and uphold American values.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at HHS Nominations Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider James O’Neill to be Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Gary Andres to be an Assistant Secretary of HHS. 

    As prepared for delivery:

    “Today, we meet to consider the nominations of Mr. Jim O’Neill to serve as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Mr. Gary Andres to serve as the Department’s Assistant Secretary for Legislation.  Congratulations on your nominations.

    “Thank you, both, for meeting with bipartisan members and our staff throughout this process.  These conversations have provided us the opportunity to highlight our priorities and learn more about how each of you would approach your roles at HHS.

    “During the hearings for Secretary Kennedy and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Oz, I noted the size and scope of the Department, as well as the importance of the programs it oversees to millions of Americans.

    “If confirmed, you will play an integral role in managing the Department, coordinating and communicating across often-siloed agencies and with Capitol Hill.

    “In many ways, our health care system reflects a bureaucratic, disjointed Department.  Well-intended programs and initiatives can be conflicting, confusing and, in practice, ineffective.

    “While this dynamic presents significant challenges, it also offers opportunities for transformative solutions that benefit patients, providers, innovators and taxpayers.

    “Much like HHS, patients are best-served when our health care system functions as a team, relying on a variety of provider perspectives and talents to deliver patient-centered, high-quality outcomes.  By rethinking the outdated strategy of late-stage, symptom-based care, we can address the underlying causes of chronic conditions that drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.

    “Having previously served at the Department, Mr. O’Neill understands the multifaceted nature of HHS and the importance of internal collaboration to accomplishing shared goals.  If confirmed, he will have cross-cutting insight into the efforts of each division within the Department, allowing him to integrate effective actions to make our health care system more proactive.

    “Mr. Andres is a veteran of Capitol Hill and has a deep understanding of how to implement a successful legislative agenda.  I am confident he will be an asset to Congress as we seek input on the development of legislation and updates on departmental actions.

    “Americans deserve a transparent, responsive health care system that empowers consumer choice, drives competition-spurring innovation and rewards values.  This Committee has taken bipartisan steps to achieve these goals by acting to reform our prescription drug supply chain, fix our broken clinician payment system and expand access to mental health in rural areas, including through telehealth. 

    “If confirmed, I look forward to continuing those efforts with each of you.

    “Thank you, both, for your willingness to serve.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friedrich Merz confirmed as Germany’s chancellor – but betrayal by MPs in a secret ballot means he starts from a position of weakness

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ed Turner, Reader in Politics, Co-Director, Aston Centre for Europe, Aston University

    Friedrich Merz has been confirmed as Germany’s new chancellor after a close shave left his future in doubt.

    Merz lost a first round of voting among MPs gathered to confirm his role, and may never know who among his own coalition betrayed him. After the shock of the morning vote, a second vote was called and whoever was blocking his path appears to have stood down.

    Merz’s CDU/CSU had struck a coalition deal with the social democratic SPD. Ministers were nominated and ready to take office and Merz’ election as chancellor was scheduled for the morning of May 6. But for much of the morning, this looked uncertain.

    Candidates for chancellor regularly fall short of the number of votes they’d expect to receive (from MPs in their own party and from their coalition partner), and there have been some close-run races, such as Helmut Kohl in 1994, who made it through by just one vote. But this was the first time a candidate has lost the vote.

    Merz fell dramatically short in the first round, receiving only 310 votes. That’s six below the overall majority he needed, and 18 below the number of MPs in his own CDU/CSU/SPD coalition. Germany’s constitution requires this ballot to be secret so we don’t know and may never find out who voted against Merz.

    In the second round of votes, hastily organised after Merz’s failure in the first, 325 votes, more than 316 required. There were 289 votes against, one abstention and three invalid votes.

    Merz will now hope the first vote can be dismissed as “false start” and that life will quickly move on.

    Why did this happen?

    There are four groups of MPs who might have, in secret, voted against Merz in the first round. It’s possible that all four were represented in the group – and we will never know for sure.

    The first is those CDU/CSU parliamentarians who were unhappy with Merz. In particular, just days after his election when he argued for balanced budgets, he pushed through a reform of Germany’s constitutional restrictions on government debt to allow extra defence and infrastructure spending. This irked fiscal hawks, some of whom may have decided to send him a message during the vote.

    The second is those CDU/CSU MPs who had hoped for ministerial office and missed out. The was inevitable, especially since Merz secured fewer cabinet positions than had been expected for his own party. The third group would be made up for SPD MPs who missed out on a ministerial post or were unhappy at choices of ministers.

    Fourth, suspicion will fall on some of the leftwing MPs who have policy disagreements with Merz. His decision to vote with the far-right AfD on immigration policy before the election caused great anger. There are internal SPD critics who feel the coalition agreement makes too many concessions to Merz, particularly on immigration.

    One message about the new government is clear: it had hoped to be more united than its predecessor, the three-party coalition which was frequently consumed by public quarrelling and in the end collapsed over budget policy. Those ambitions have fallen at the first hurdle.

    We should not overstate the risks to government stability. Most votes happen in public, not secret, so MPs are much more likely to tow the government line from here on. And chancellors have often governed with smaller majorities for an extended period.

    However, this debacle is a bad omen. If Merz turns things around quickly, this episode can be forgotten. But if he doesn’t this early blow to his authority will embolden the AfD, which will point to the apparent dysfunction of mainstream parties and capitalise on public dissatisfaction. Nor will this blow to Merz’s authority help him realise his ambition to show leadership in Europe.

    Merz’s poll standing was already weak, and these events risk causing further damage. His first days in the job will now be even more difficult than he expected.

    Ed Turner receives funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

    – ref. Friedrich Merz confirmed as Germany’s chancellor – but betrayal by MPs in a secret ballot means he starts from a position of weakness – https://theconversation.com/friedrich-merz-confirmed-as-germanys-chancellor-but-betrayal-by-mps-in-a-secret-ballot-means-he-starts-from-a-position-of-weakness-255992

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI therapy may help with mental health, but innovation should never outpace ethics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ben Bond, PhD Candidate in Digital Psychiatry, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Pavlova Yuliia/Shutterstock

    Mental health services around the world are stretched thinner than ever. Long wait times, barriers to accessing care and rising rates of depression and anxiety have made it harder for people to get timely help.

    As a result, governments and healthcare providers are looking for new ways to address this problem. One emerging solution is the use of AI chatbots for mental health care.

    A recent study explored whether a new type of AI chatbot, named Therabot, could treat people with mental illness effectively. The findings were promising: not only did participants with clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety benefit, those at high-risk for eating disorders also showed improvement. While early, this study may represent a pivotal moment in the integration of AI into mental health care.

    AI mental health chatbots are not new – tools like Woebot and Wysa have already been released to the public and studied for years. These platforms follow rules based on a user’s input to produce a predefined approved response.

    What makes Therabot different is that it uses generative AI – a technique where a program learns from existing data to create new content in response to a prompt. Consequently, Therabot can produce novel responses based on a user’s input like other popular chatbots such as ChatGPT, allowing for a more dynamic and personalised interaction.

    This isn’t the first time generative AI has been examined in a mental health setting. In 2024, researchers in Portugal conducted a study where ChatGPT was offered as an additional component of treatment for psychiatric inpatients.

    The research findings showed that just three to six sessions with ChatGPT led to a significantly greater improvement in quality of life than standard therapy, medication and other supportive treatments alone.

    Together, these studies suggest that both general and specialised generative AI chatbots hold real potential for use in psychiatric care. But there are some serious limitations to keep in mind. For example, the ChatGPT study involved only 12 participants – far too few to draw firm conclusions.

    In the Therabot study, participants were recruited through a Meta Ads campaign, likely skewing the sample toward tech-savvy people who may already be open to using AI. This could have inflated the chatbot’s effectiveness and engagement levels.

    Ethics and Exclusion

    Beyond methodological concerns, there are critical safety and ethical issues to address. One of the most pressing is whether generative AI could worsen symptoms in people with severe mental illnesses, particularly psychosis.

    A 2023 article warned that generative AI’s lifelike responses, combined with the most people’s limited understanding of how these systems work, might feed into delusional thinking. Perhaps for this reason, both the Therabot and ChatGPT studies excluded participants with psychotic symptoms.

    But excluding these people also raises questions of equity. People with severe mental illness often face cognitive challenges – such as disorganised thinking or poor attention – that might make it difficult to engage with digital tools.

    Ironically, these are the people who may benefit the most from accessible, innovative interventions. If generative AI tools are only suitable for people with strong communication skills and high digital literacy, then their usefulness in clinical populations may be limited.

    There’s also the possibility of AI “hallucinations” – a known flaw that occurs when a chatbot confidently makes things up – like inventing a source, quoting a nonexistent study, or giving an incorrect explanation. In the context of mental health, AI hallucinations aren’t just inconvenient, they can be dangerous.

    Imagine a chatbot misinterpreting a prompt and validating someone’s plan to self-harm, or offering advice that unintentionally reinforces harmful behaviour. While the studies on Therabot and ChatGPT included safeguards – such as clinical oversight and professional input during development – many commercial AI mental health tools do not offer the same protections.

    That’s what makes these early findings both exciting and cautionary. Yes, AI chatbots might offer a low-cost way to support more people at once, but only if we fully address their limitations.

    Effective implementation will require more robust research with larger and more diverse populations, greater transparency about how models are trained and constant human oversight to ensure safety. Regulators must also step in to guide the ethical use of AI in clinical settings.

    With careful, patient-centred research and strong guardrails in place, generative AI could become a valuable ally in addressing the global mental health crisis – but only if we move forward responsibly.

    Ben Bond receives funding from Research Ireland.

    – ref. AI therapy may help with mental health, but innovation should never outpace ethics – https://theconversation.com/ai-therapy-may-help-with-mental-health-but-innovation-should-never-outpace-ethics-255090

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tove Jansson: lessons in life from her beloved Moomin characters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Barbara Tesio-Ryan, ECDS Postdoctoral Fellow in European Languages, University of Edinburgh

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of The Moomins, the Finnish/Swedish trolls that have delighted generations of children, becoming a cultural phenomenon in their own right. While posterity will likely remember her as the inventor of Moomins, Tove Jansson was in fact a strikingly multi-talented creative force.

    Born in Helsinki in 1914, the daughter of artists, Jansson grew up surrounded by creativity, allowing her to develop her own in many different ways. During a career that spanned over 70 years, her work included illustrations, cartoons, paintings, murals, theatre productions, children’s books and beautifully crafted novels.

    The main thing in life is to know your own mind.

    Snufkin, Moominsummer Madness

    In 1929, aged 15, Jansson began her career as a cartoonist. Her illustrations were first published in Garm, the Finnish satirical magazine for which she later became the in-house illustrator.

    Her work as a cartoonist, before and during the war, gave her an outlet to be outspoken and express her militant anti-fascism and opposition to the war. For a woman at that time to assert her views so boldly and publicly was an act of defiance in itself, and she later recalled how liberating it had been to be able to be “so beastly to Hitler and Stalin” through her daring cartoons.

    This is part of a series of articles celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Moomins. Want to celebrate their birthday with us? Join The Conversation and a group of experts on May 23 in Bradford for a screening of Moomins on the Riviera and a discussion of the refugee experience in Tove Jansson’s work. Click here for more information and tickets.

    No one was spared, and her cartoons captured the megalomania of the main political figures of the time, as well as the impact of the war on everyday life. During the strenuous war years, Jansson refined her craft as an illustrator, and also, crucially, learned the importance of laughter in ushering light into the darkness. This is a skill that would characterise her entire output, both as an artist and as a writer.

    Everything looks worse in the dark, you know.

    Moominmama, The Moomins and the Great Flood

    She used humour as a tool to both critique and understand life and the world around her. Through the act of making art, Jansson brought light and lightness when life got darker.

    While Jansson had been sketching some variation of Moomintrolls her whole life, it was during the war that she began creating their Moominvalley world and imagining stories for them.

    In 1991, she wrote that the Moomins had come to her as an escape from the horrors of the war: “Perhaps it was understandable that I suddenly felt an urge to write something that was to begin with ‘once upon a time’.”

    When her first Moomin book, Småtrollen och den stora översvämningen (The Moomins and the Great Flood), was published in 1945, Finland had been through the second world war, as well as the “winter war” and the “continuation war” with Russia. So, while it was published during a time of peace, darkness surrounded the origin of the Moomins.

    This dichotomy of light and darkness pervades all the Moomin books. Often a catastrophe is waiting to happen, or has just happened, and how the Moomins react to those events is central to the story itself. This is what makes those books so universal and so timeless.

    The Moomins are so special because they are normal. Not everyone is a hero and not every day is great. There is space for both sadness and joy in Jansson’s tales, and this is why we keep reading them, because they are just like life itself.

    It would be awful if the world exploded. It is so wonderfully splendid.

    Snufkin, Comet in Moominland

    In the first two Moomin books, Moomins and the Great Flood, and Comet in Moominland, natural catastrophes mirror the horrors of the war and postwar era (such as the atomic bomb). Environmental disasters are also ongoing threats to the the creatures of Moominvalley.

    These are often, and mainly, brought by the sea, and can be fully appreciated only by someone like Jansson who lived between coastal and island landscapes most of her life. The natural landscape of Finland and Sweden, Jansson’s two homelands, are an essential part of her art.

    Moominvalley in particular is a decidedly Nordic landscape, and was in fact inspired by her grandparents’ house on the island of Blidö, and by the Pellinki archipelago. It was here that Jansson spent many happy summers with her family, and later, with her partner Tuulikki Pietilä.

    There is a humbleness to be learned in living by the sea, and a respect for the power of nature that Jansson captured beautifully in so many of her creations, such as The Summer Book.

    In Moominpappa at Sea, where Moominpappa goes on an existential journey to find his purpose in life again, the relationship to the sea also becomes pivotal to his personal development: “There was the sea – his sea – going past, wave after wave, foaming recklessly, raging furiously, but, somehow, tranquil at the same time. All Moominpappa’s thoughts and speculations vanished. He felt completely alive from the tips of his ears to the tip of his tail. This was a moment to live to the full.”

    The Moomins’ unconditional love and respect for nature also translates beautifully into an acceptance of all of life’s diversity. The Moomin’s universe is one where everyone is welcomed and loved for whoever they are and however they feel.

    One of the biggest teachings of Jansson’s work for any reader at any age, is that all feelings are valid, and learning to accept this simple and profound truth makes life so much easier. As Moominpappa says: “For if you’re not afraid, how can you really be brave?”

    You seem to be yourself again. Actually, you’re nicer that way.

    Mymble, Moominvalley in November

    Jansson’s motto, labora et amare (work and love), did indeed mark her existence. She worked incessantly and loved fiercely. Well ahead of her time, Jansson lived her sexuality with a freedom that was truly revolutionary for her time (Finland, like many other countries, decriminalised homosexuality only in 1971).

    What characterised this artist’s life and career was the ambition and the courage to live differently. To create and to love without boundaries and without fear. And this is perhaps Jansson and her Moomins’ most important legacy.

    Barbara Tesio-Ryan 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. Tove Jansson: lessons in life from her beloved Moomin characters – https://theconversation.com/tove-jansson-lessons-in-life-from-her-beloved-moomin-characters-255280

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The UK is falling behind in tackling microplastic pollution – here are three ways the government can catch up

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Antaya March, Director – Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth

    SIVStockStudio/Shutterstock

    Microplastics – fragments of plastic smaller than 5mm – are accumulating in the environment. They’re found in soil, water, food, even in human lungs, placentas and blood. These plastic particles shed from items we use daily, such as synthetic clothes, tyres, plastic packaging and paint.

    Scientists, medical professionals and environmental bodies have raised growing concern about the potential impacts of microplastics on environments and human health. Studies suggest that microplastics could affect soil health, reduce food productivity and compromise ecosystem functioning. As a result, economic growth may be hindered.

    Some nations are acting. French regulations require that filters are put on new washing machines to capture microfibres. The EU has recently targeted microplastic inputs from artificial turf and paint and has passed rules to limit microplastic discharges in wastewater treatment.

    US states are beginning to regulate microplastic contamination in drinking water. In fact, California has set some of the world’s first safe water testing requirements for microplastic contamination.

    Yet, the UK hasn’t kept pace. There is still no national plan to reduce emissions. There are no legal targets for reducing microplastic pollution, no limits and no timeline for action. The only regulation to date (a 2017 ban on microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics) addresses just a fraction of the problem. Microbeads only account for less than 5% of the microplastics ending up in the environment.

    With evidence building and risks mounting, the UK urgently needs a more coordinated response. Drawing on insights from leading UK scientists and policy experts, here are three ways the UK can begin to close the gap.

    1. A national roadmap

    The UK has no coordinated plan to reduce microplastic pollution. Microplastics are mentioned in several UK government strategies – such as the Plan for Water and Environmental Improvement Plan – but these don’t have clear targets, timelines or regulatory action.

    A national roadmap can tackle the problem more effectively by expanding the narrow scope of the microbeads ban to cover major sources of both primary (intentionally manufactured) and secondary microplastics (produced from the breakdown of larger plastics).

    To make this feasible, design standards for plastic products need to focus on reducing microplastics shedding upstream, rather than relying on clean-up alone.

    As with any effective regulation, measurable targets to reduce microplastics entering the environment can be paired with a programme for monitoring – so human exposure and microplastic levels in air, water and soil can be tracked to assess whether policies are working.

    2. Regulate the biggest sources

    The ban on microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics was an important early step, but it only scratches the surface. Most microplastic pollution comes from larger, less visible sources: car tyres, synthetic textiles, paint and fertilisers made from sewage sludge. These everyday sources account for most microplastic emissions, yet remain largely unregulated in the UK.



    Read more:
    Car tyres shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment – urgent action is needed

    By making manufacturers responsible for the highest levels of microplastic pollution, a widespread industry shift can be achieved. That includes setting standards to reduce fibres shedding from textiles and requiring filters in washing machines, addressing tyre wear and road runoff in the transport sector and phasing out the use of contaminated sludge and plastic mulch films in agriculture. These are not distant or unrealistic goals. Many could be achieved by updating existing waste, water and environmental regulations.

    Paint is a big source of microplastics.
    r.classen/Shutterstock

    To date, the government has eschewed precaution and tended to shelve action where evidence of harm is still emerging. While research continues to evolve, existing scientific evidence provides a strong basis for meaningful policy actions today. What’s missing is a shift in focus – from marginal sources to the main drivers – and the political will to prioritise real reductions over symbolic moves.

    3. Tackle plastic production

    Most microplastics begin as larger plastic products that slowly break down over time. We need to reduce how much plastic is produced and used in the first place.

    The UK government’s stated aims for creating an economy in which less resources are used overall there is greater reuse of existing resources (otherwise known as a circular economy) focus on reducing waste and improving material use, but they don’t yet address how overproduction of plastics contributes to microplastic pollution.

    Setting targets to cut the volume of single-use plastic on the market would help prevent microplastics polluting the environment. Simplifying how products are designed and labelled can also enable safer disposal, reuse or recycling and reduce how much plastic breaks up.

    At the same time, alternatives (including biodegradable or bio-based plastics) must be carefully assessed. Without proper oversight, these substitutes risk repeating many of the same problems. Reducing plastic demand remains one of the most effective ways to tackle the microplastics crisis at its root. Consumers can also help by supporting policies that reduce plastic use and choosing to buy products that don’t produce as many microplastics.

    With microplastics now pervasive across ecosystems, waiting for more evidence risks further accumulation. Setting clear targets and strengthening regulation in the sectors that contribute most to emissions is essential.

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

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

    Antaya March receives funding from the Flotilla Foundation.

    Stephanie Northen receives funding from the Flotilla Foundation.

    – ref. The UK is falling behind in tackling microplastic pollution – here are three ways the government can catch up – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-is-falling-behind-in-tackling-microplastic-pollution-here-are-three-ways-the-government-can-catch-up-255465

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why a hotline is needed to help bring India and Pakistan back from the brink of a disastrous war

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Syed Ali Zia Jaffery, Deputy Director at the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research, University of Lahore

    Two weeks after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives, India and Pakistan are getting perilously close to a dangerous military confrontation.

    Pakistan carried out two missile tests in three days over the weekend of May 3-5, while India announced that it will conduct on Wednesday May 7 its largest civil defence drill since the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

    The countries have closed their borders and shut down their airspace to each other and have suspended all trade. With both countries possessing nuclear weapons, the rising tension makes managing escalation particularly urgent.

    A key factor in the de-escalation of past crises has been Washington’s role as a third-party crisis manager. While the recent call for restraint from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, shows US concerns over the gathering crisis, there are considerable uncertainties surrounding what role the US is prepared to play in de-escalation.

    US president Donald Trump remarked after the attack that he is “sure they’ll figure it out one way or the other … There’s great tension between Pakistan and India, but there always has been”, which appears to put the onus of de-escalation on New Delhi and Islamabad.

    What is needed now is robust, real-time crisis communication between the two nations. Instead, both sides appear ready to ratchet up tensions further, with inflammatory rhetoric, enhanced military preparedness and skirmishing along the so-called line of control which separates the two countries in Kashmir.

    The need to give reassurance to each party through empathetic communication is particularly important in the India-Pakistan context. First, the risks of escalation between India and Pakistan are greater than they were in 2019 after the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist bombing, which killed 40 Indian troops at Pulwama near to Kashmir’s main town of Srinagar.

    India identified the Pakistani state as responsible for the attack and responded with airstrikes against what it claimed was a JeM training camp at Balakot in north-western Pakistan. The absence of a trusted channel of communication brought both countries closer than ever to a missile exchange.

    Mike Pompeo, then secretary of state in the first Trump administration, claimed in a 2023 memoir that both sides had readied their nuclear deterrents. Whatever the veracity of Pompeo’s claims, it’s clear that mutual restraint is critical to avoiding miscalculations.

    But Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s delegation of greater operational freedom to the Indian military after the Pahalgam attack has raised concerns that India’s use of force could be more extensive than in 2019. Modi has vowed to pursue and punish the terrorists and their abetters “to the ends of the Earth”, a pledge that raises domestic political costs for him and his government if there is no military follow-through.

    Lessons from the Cuban missile crisis

    One important lesson from past nuclear standoffs – especially the Cuban missile crisis – is that leaders of adversarial nuclear states can sometimes forge empathetic channels of communication that help pull their countries back from the brink. There was no established hotline in October 1962. But US president John F. Kennedy and his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, exchanged a series of letters in which they acknowledged and expressed their shared vulnerability to nuclear war.

    There was no talk of nuclear jingoism or the manipulation of nuclear threats. Instead, as one of us (Nicholas) has argued in a study co-authored with US academic Marcus Holmes, the nuclear shadow that hung over the two leaders encouraged the development of mutual empathy and a bond of trust that were both critical to the peaceful resolution of the crisis.

    Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev and US president John F Kennedy established a leader-to-leader hotline in 1963.
    US State Department

    Kennedy and Khrushchev could have responded to the condition of mutual nuclear vulnerability with brinkmanship, and turned the crisis into what Thomas Schelling – one of the most prominent US nuclear strategists and an advisor to the Kennedy administration – called a “competition in risk-taking”. But instead, they recognised that competitive manipulations of risk could only lead to mutual disaster, which enabled them to avert a potential nuclear exchange.

    Indian and Pakistani leaders could take their cue from this episode. A recent report by the nuclear thinktank Basic (co-edited by Nicholas) urged policymakers to avoid viewing crises as “zero-sum tests of will”. Instead, they should see them as opportunities for cooperation to avert catastrophe.

    Why an India-Pakistan hotline is vital

    But the absence of a trusted confidential line of communication between the leaders of India and Pakistan is a major barrier to empathetic communication. It prevents the two reaching a proper appreciation of shared vulnerabilities that is so critical to crisis de-escalation. As Basic recommended in a 2024 report, the most important contribution to crisis de-escalation between the two countries would be to establish a leader-to-leader hotline.

    Schelling called the US-Soviet hotline agreement of 1963
    the “best single example” of a measure that increased confidence in mutual restraint on both sides, and virtually ruled out what he called the “anxiety to strike first”.

    Such a hotline between the highest levels of Indian and Pakistani diplomacy would be an important step towards preventing these crises from spinning out of control. More crucially, it could play a pivotal role in managing crises when they do occur, offering a vital channel for reassurance and de-escalation.

    Crucially, real-time, reliable and empathetic communication would allow each side to clarify the other’s intent, signal reassurance, correct misperceptions and demonstrate restraint.

    India and Pakistan should not see these mechanisms as concessions or signs of weakness, but as instruments for enhancing mutual security between two nuclear adversaries. In a nuclear age where the margin for error is vanishingly small, overconfidence and brinkmanship must give way to prudence and restraint.



    Read more:
    Moscow-Washington nuclear hotline has averted war in the past – but cool heads will be needed in Trump’s White House and Putin’s Kremlin

    Syed Ali Zia Jaffery is Deputy Director, Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research, University of Lahore, and Associate Editor, Pakistan Politico Ali was a Visiting Fellow at the Stimson Center, Washington, D.C. Ali regularly writes on strategic issues for national and international publications, to include Routledge, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, South Asian Voices , The National Interest, The Atlantic Council, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN), CSIS, The Diplomat, Dawn, and 9DashLine, among others. Ali is an alumnus of Woodrow Wilson Center’s Nuclear Proliferation International History Project’s Nuclear History Boot Camp. He is also an alumnus of the International School on Disarmament and Research on Conflicts( ISODARCO). Ali often shares his perspectives on major strategic developments on national and international media. Ali is associated with the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) both as part of its Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities and the Emerging Voices Network. His research interests lie in the fields of nuclear deterrence, strategic stability, and geopolitics. He taught undergraduate level courses on foreign policy, national security, arms control& disarmament, and non-proliferation from 2018 until 2023. He is also a Graduate Research Assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

    Nicholas John Wheeler is a non-resident Senior Fellow at BASIC where he works on the Nuclear Responsibilities Programme with special reference to South Asia.

    – ref. Why a hotline is needed to help bring India and Pakistan back from the brink of a disastrous war – https://theconversation.com/why-a-hotline-is-needed-to-help-bring-india-and-pakistan-back-from-the-brink-of-a-disastrous-war-255727

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are kids resilient? Societies and families need to offer supports and relationships to nurture resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Elena Merenda, Assistant Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-Humber

    “Kids are resilient.” You have heard this before, right? You might have even said it, with the best of intentions.

    Resilience sometimes seems like a buzzword and is used in ill-defined ways. If adults praise children’s resilience without addressing their needs, this leaves children vulnerable to harm.

    Resilience doesn’t mean being unaffected by adversity — it means having the tools, relationships and supports to cope with it.

    Part of my role as a child development specialist with expertise in therapeutic play, as well childhood loss and grief, is consulting work with families and educators. I see children acting out in classrooms, withdrawing at home or having difficulties processing and regulating emotions and behaviours. Finding the right supports for a child often means many things.

    Offering children the environments and relationships that build resilience includes:

    In the everyday, children need adults who are well enough to care for them and present enough to notice their struggles.

    Many families with deep needs

    The 2024 National Report Card on Child and Family Poverty from Campaign 2000, a network of organizations committed to ending child and family poverty in Canada, reveals that in 2022, nearly one in five children were growing up in poverty.

    The child poverty rate rose by two and a half percentage points from the previous year, representing the largest annual increase in child poverty on record. Lone-parent households, most of them led by women, are disproportionately affected, with one in five relying on social assistance.



    Read more:
    Child poverty is on the rise in Canada, putting over 1 million kids at risk of life-long negative effects

    As financial insecurity deepens and government supports like the Canada Child Benefit lose their effectiveness due to high costs of living, parents are under formidable financial pressure that impacts their parenting capacity and personal wellness.

    Mental health gaps

    Mental Health Research Canada’s 2023 report, Exploring the Mental Health Landscape of Canadian Parents, reveals that younger parents, especially those under 30, are facing self-reported elevated levels of anxiety and depression since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The data also suggests that parents of children under two years of age are more likely to receive a new mental health diagnosis, likely due to decreased contact with health-care providers during the pandemic.

    What happens when parents are overwhelmed? Children feel it, and they need support to bounce back from it.

    The pressures parents face are not isolated. In a 2025 study on the perceptions of kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 educators in Ontario regarding their students’ developmental and academic skills and their own mental health during the 2021 to 2022 school year, teachers reported increased anxiety and slower developmental progress in children.



    Read more:
    From full-day learning to 30 minutes daily: The effects of school closures on kindergarteners

    Healthy development can’t be taken for granted

    If we only skim headlines that children displayed resilient capacities during the pandemic without looking deeper at how the pandemic also impeded healthy development, we are missing the full picture.

    It is only through longitudinal study — examining how kids are doing across time — that we’ll be able to fully understand impacts. For example, data from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth shows about one in five youth who felt their mental health was good in 2019 no longer felt that way four years later.



    Read more:
    Pandemic babies’ developmental milestones: Not as bad as we feared, but not as good as before

    The 2023 Raising Canada Report, based on research conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary and McGill University and published by the non-profit organization Children First Canada, reports on violence, poverty, mental health struggles and online sexual exploitation affecting Canadian children.

    The report reveals there were 40 child homicides in 2022, and rates of hospital visits for self-harm and suicide attempts among youth have doubled over the past decade.

    These alarming reports suggest many families and children are struggling, lacking the resources they need to process their experiences and heal.

    Building your child’s and your own resilience

    Parental burnout is real — and compassion for oneself is the first step in supporting children.

    A few minutes of undistracted time with your child matters.
    (Shutterstock)

    Here are a few strategies parents can try to use, even when worn down:

    Focus on connection. A few minutes of undistracted time with your child — reading a book, going for a walk or simply talking without a phone nearby — builds connection and safety. When children feel a sense of safety and connection with their parent, they are more likely to share their thoughts and emotions. When children feel safe enough to verbalize their emotions, they are more inclined to process challenging times.

    Name and normalize emotions. Help your child build emotional vocabulary by labelling feelings for them in your day-to-day interactions. Saying things like “I noticed you looked frustrated when your Lego broke. That’s OK. It’s hard when things don’t go as planned” helps children to learn how to identify and name their emotions which is the first step in taming emotions.

    Model self-regulation, and when you feel overwhelmed, label your feelings. Try saying, “I’m feeling really worried right now, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths.” This teaches children that big feelings are a normal human experience. It also models for children healthy coping strategies.

    Ask for help and accept support. Parenting shouldn’t be done alone. Ask for help. Find a community of like-minded parents who can talk through big and small moments with you. Let your child see that it’s OK to ask for help — this is how you build resilience.

    Elena Merenda 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. Are kids resilient? Societies and families need to offer supports and relationships to nurture resilience – https://theconversation.com/are-kids-resilient-societies-and-families-need-to-offer-supports-and-relationships-to-nurture-resilience-253789

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Capgemini confirms its ESG commitment with an updated policy and enhanced objectives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press contact:
    Sereydana Oum
    Tel.: +33 6 61 42 03 59
    E-mail: sereydana.oum@capgemini.com

    Capgemini confirms its ESG commitment with an updated policy
    and enhanced objectives

    As a responsible organization, Capgemini remains committed to the ESG priorities set out in 2021 while unveiling new ambitious targets

    Paris, May 6, 2025– Capgemini has updated its ESG policy and objectives set in 2021, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable growth, responsible business practices, and corporate accountability. The updated policy builds on the 8 priorities defined in 2021, adding a 9thfocused on ethics, and outlines 14 objectives. It further demonstrates the Group’s dedication to addressing global challenges while respecting local regulations and creating long-term value for stakeholders.

    Capgemini intends to drive progress and lead in the transition to a more sustainable economy. As part of its ESG policy set in 2021, the Group has already reached many objectives and will continue to build on this momentum through its updated ESG Policy. Some notable achievements include, as of end 2024:

    • Reducing its absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 93% and Business Travel emissions (Scope 3) by 62% per employee compared to 2019, already achieving its objectives for 2030 (-80% for absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions and -55% per employee for Business Travel emissions);
    • Achieving a 98% share of renewable energy in the Group’s electricity consumption, in line with its objective to reach 100% in 2025;
    • Increasing women’s representation in the global workforce to 39.7%, for an objective of 40% in 2025, reflecting an increase of almost 7 points since 2019. Furthermore, women now account for 29% of the Group executive leadership positions, up from 17% in 2019, in line with its objective of 30% in 2025;
    • Reaching an average of 77 learning hours per employee, significantly above the objective set of an increase of 5% each year since 2019;
    • Demonstrating its leadership in data protection and cybersecurity with the recognition of external rating agencies (Bitsight, RiskRecon and Cybervadis).

    The updated ESG Policy forms the basis for the Group’s sustainability priorities and will continue to be embedded in its activities and offerings by leveraging technology, human capital, and alliances with key partners:

    • The Group has added an investment commitment in high-quality carbon credits, in addition to its objective to reduce its emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 90% to become net zero by 2040, as validated by the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard, reflecting its commitment to address excessive carbon in the atmosphere today.
    • In addition, the Group pledges to maintain at least 40% of women in its global workforce and raises its objective for women in global executive positions to 35% by 2030.
    • On digital inclusion, Capgemini extends its target to 10 million beneficiaries, and starting in 2025, will be aligning its reporting method to industry leading B4SI1 impact framework, which focuses on the depth of impact on individuals, rather than the number of people reached through community programs only.
    • Capgemini also aims at strengthening the ethical use of AI by its employees, as this technology will deeply reshape the economies.
    • The Group aims at helping its clients achieve their sustainability commitments by enlarging its portfolio of offerings.

    “ESG is fundamental to our corporate strategy and long-term value creation. This enhanced ESG policy reflects our commitment to innovation, ethical leadership and meaningful impact in order to create a future where our teams, our clients and our partners can thrive, in a responsible and resilient economy,” said Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer at Capgemini.

    ESG policy

    Priorities Objectives
    Environment: Protecting the planet
    1. Act on climate change and become a net zero business, by 2040
    1. Reduce our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 90%, by 2040
    2. Scale up our investment in climate and nature solutions at a level commensurate with our total GHG emissions
    1. Lead to a sustainable economy, by helping our clients achieve their sustainability commitments
    1. Increase bookings (value) delivering sustainability benefits to our clients
    Social: Shaping a future with protection & respect for all
    1. Invest in our talents through an empowering experience
    1. Reach and maintain 70 learning hours on average per employee per year
    2. Upskill our talents on one yearly defined strategic topic
    3. Maintain our employees’ belonging index above 80
    1. Maintain high ethical standards at all times
    1. Keep over 80% of the employees with a positive perception of our values, culture, and ethical behaviors in the Group
    2. Enhance awareness and foster the adoption of Ethical AI practices
    1. Enhance inclusion in our activities
    1. Maintain at least 40% of women in our global teams and reach 35% of women in group executive leadership positions, by 2030*
    1. Support digital inclusion in our communities
    1. Support 10M beneficiaries in underserved communities through our digital inclusion programs, by 2030
    Governance: Embedding trust & transparency at every level
    1. Foster a diverse and accountable governance
    1. Maintain best-in-class corporate governance
    1. Value responsible business practices across the value chain
    1. By 2030, suppliers covering 80% of the purchase amount of the previous year will have committed to our ESG standards
    1. Protect and secure data, infrastructure, and identity
    1. Embed data protection into our culture, operations and clients’ delivery
    2. Be recognized as a front leader on cybersecurity

    * We recognize that countries must operate within their local regulatory/legal framework. The Objectives for 2030 are set at a Group level and will accelerate our Inclusion efforts.

    Find more details on the updated ESG policy: https://investors.capgemini.com/en/esg-policy/

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
    Get the future you want | www.capgemini.com

    1 The Business for Societal Impact (B4SI) framework is aiming to create lasting change, it is globally recognized and leading in the field of social impact reporting.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: People arriving in Tawila from besieged Zamzam camp met with overwhelmed humanitarian response

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Three weeks on from the large-scale ground offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Zamzam camp, Sudan, in early April 2025, reports of intensified fighting in El-Fasher continue, and more displaced people are arriving in Tawila, North Darfur state. People have been arriving in Tawila in a vulnerable state; many are suffering from malnutrition, and others were injured during the attack on Zamzam camp. Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF’s) emergency and nutrition service at the hospital in Tawila has been overwhelmed.

    “They came with their machineguns. They attacked and killed people – including children. They burnt our house, with everything we had inside. They raped the women. They killed, they looted,” says Mariam*, who reached Tawila three days after the attack on Zamzam took place. “Even before the attack, people had died of thirst and of starvation because of the siege that had been imposed on Zamzam for the past year. Everything was so expensive and so unaffordable in the end.”

    Mariam* arrived with her mother, her sisters and their children- a household of 20 people. All of them now spend their days squeezed against each other under the makeshift shelter they built with a few branches and a piece of fabric.

    “Here, there is no food. A few people in Tawila shared a bit of millet flour with us, which we used to make porridge. This is how we have survived so far: begging,” she says. “We get the water from a tank, but they only let us fill one jerrycan per family, and we are 20 in ours. We only have one blanket for all of us.” 

    Since 12 April, when people first began reaching Tawila from Zamzam, the areas surrounding the town have been completely transformed, with tens of thousands of people now estimated to be living in makeshift shelters in fields that were totally uninhabited just a few weeks ago.

    “For four days now, we have been staying here as you see us, with nothing: no walls, no roof,” says Ibrahim*, who fled Zamzam on foot with 11 of his family members. He carried one of his children on his shoulders and another on his back for five days. It’s the fourth time in ten years he has been displaced in similar circumstances. He described how soldiers entered people’s homes, brought them outside and opened fire. Three of his brothers were killed like this. On his way to Tawila, he got looted and witnessed people being beaten so harshly that they could no longer move.

    “Under this tree, it is so crowded, we’re lacking water, or shelter… there is nothing to eat, everyone is hungry,” he says. “We’re getting some food from the community kitchens. Sometimes, we manage to get some rice when they distribute the meals, but if we don’t, we must wait until the next day to eat something. For water, we go to a borehole, but there are so many people, and we have to wait hours to be able to drink.” 

    A handful of organisations are present in Tawila, but the number of people in need of assistance far exceed the capacity to respond. MSF teams have set up two health posts at the main arrival sites to provide the newcomers with water and immediate nutrition and medical support. We are also referring critical patients to Tawila local hospital, where MSF has been working since October 2024.

    Tiphaine Salmon, MSF’s head nurse, was working in the Tawila hospital on 12 April, the day people began arriving with serious injuries.

    “The emergency room was overwhelmed,” she says. “Over the first few days, the number of patients in the hospital almost doubled. At one point, we had four patients in a bed because we did not have enough space.”

    “A lot of people had gunshot wounds and blast injuries – we’ve treated 779 people over the past three weeks, including 138 children. 187 of all the patients were severe cases,” says Salmon. “The youngest I saw was a seven-month-old baby with a bullet wound that went under his chin and into his shoulder. We also received patients as young as one day old suffering from dehydration. Many children arrived without their parents – and many parents were searching desperately for their children.”

    779

    779

    people with gunshot and blast injuries

    138

    138

    of whom were children

    At the same time, MSF teams in the hospital witnessed an explosion of admissions in our intensive therapeutic feeding centre, which treats children under five-year-old suffering from severe acute malnutrition in addition of other comorbidities. In the week following the initial influx, admissions increased almost tenfold from an average of six or seven per week, to more than 60. They were mostly children from Zamzam, showing how desperate the nutrition situation was in the famine-stricken camp.

    To make the situation even worse, a suspected measles outbreak began in Tawila in March. In the hospital, MSF treated more than 900 suspected measles cases since early February, with more than 300 people in such a severe condition that they required hospitalisation. This led our teams to launch a large-scale vaccination campaign in the city on the first week of April, reaching 18,000 children under five. But one week after the massive influx of people from Zamzam began, our teams saw several suspected cases among children who had just arrived.

    Malnutrition and measles, in such sites with a highly dense population and poor hygiene conditions, can be an especially deadly combination for young children.

    MSF is continuing to scale-up our intervention in Tawila. On top of carrying out hundreds of medical consultations per day, our organisation has also donated dry food to local community kitchens, enabling them to prepare and distribute more than 16,000 meals per day. We are providing 100,000 litres of clean water daily and we have additional plans to construct 300 latrines.

    People’s needs remain immense and far exceed our capacity to respond. Although other actors have also mobilised, and a first mass food distribution has taken place, the humanitarian response still needs to be urgently and rapidly scaled up. We urge UN agencies to substantially increase their presence on the ground so that they can coordinate a response of a magnitude that will meet the ever-growing needs.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    First launched in November 2024, our new Priority Skills Learning and Development initiative focuses on five essential capabilities for economic excellence in government:

    • Communicating Economics
    • Data Analysis & Coding
    • Analytical Leadership
    • Application of Economic Theory
    • Econometrics

    The initiative combines flexibility with structure through two complementary learning pathways:

    1. The Priority Skills Web Portal

    This digital hub hosts over 150 curated resources spanning diverse formats:

    • Recommended books with peer reviews
    • Video tutorials and recorded lectures
    • Targeted podcasts and articles
    • Interactive courses
    • Specialist websites

    The portal enables personalised learning journeys, allowing economists to access materials at their own pace, whenever inspiration strikes.

    2. Structured Learning Programme

    Each priority skill receives dedicated focus through a three-month learning cycle:

    • Month 1: Learning Phase – Absorbing new concepts and frameworks.
    • Month 2: Practice Phase – Applying knowledge in professional contexts.
    • Month 3: Review Phase – Reflecting on implementation and refining approaches.

    Learning activities feature both internal GES experts and external academics, through writing workshops, coding webinars, video screenings, book club discussions and collaborative peer sessions.

    “The Priority Skills initiative provides new opportunities for economists to keep learning and demonstrates our commitment to a positive learning culture in the GES,” explains Tom Aldred, Head of the GES Team. “Better economists will help government to design better policies.”

    The initiative is already generating enthusiasm across departments. As one participant shared: “I came away motivated and ambitious about what could be shared with my team and put into practice.”

    Interested in joining a community of economists dedicated to professional excellence? Learn more about career opportunities with the Government Economic Service: https://ges-careers.hiringplatform.co.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow/Kyiv, May 6 /Xinhua/ — The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed a new large-scale exchange of prisoners of war with Ukraine. The procedure was carried out according to the 205 to 205 formula. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

    As stated in the official Telegram channel of the Russian Defense Ministry, on May 6, as a result of the negotiation process, 205 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by Ukraine. In exchange, 205 prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were transferred.

    It is reported that at present all Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance, and also given the opportunity to contact their relatives. All released servicemen will be delivered to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in turn, reported on Telegram that 205 servicemen returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity on Tuesday. According to him, the number of released persons included representatives of almost all types and branches of the Ukrainian military. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Currency controls and debt in Argentina: the stakes are high if Milei’s latest economic gamble doesn’t pay off

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matt Barlow, Lecturer International Political Economy, University of Glasgow

    Matias Lynch/Shutterstock

    In April, Argentina’s president Javier Milei partially lifted the capital and currency controls that had been in place since 2011. The move was possible with the support of a US$20 billion (£15 billion) IMF bailout and means Argentinians may now buy unlimited dollars again.

    Announcing the move in the capital Buenos Aires, Milei was flanked by American treasury secretary Scott Bessent. Milei took the opportunity to liken it to US president Donald Trump’s “liberation day”.

    While he is often associated with Trump for his abrasive rhetoric and right-wing populist support base, Milei’s liberation day was intended to reduce the role of the state in the economy – unlike the US’s approach of deepening it.

    The latest iteration of currency controls was implemented by then-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to try to shore up the deteriorating value of the Argentinian peso.

    The controls, known locally as el cepo (the clamp), meant that citizens and businesses were limited in the amount of foreign currency they could purchase. At the same time, they were constrained in moving money out of Argentina. This was designed as a safeguard against capital flight, but in effect it stifled inward investment.

    These measures, coupled with a centrally controlled foreign exchange rate, created a lucrative black market for US dollars. Citizens were eager to exchange cash pesos for the traditionally safer US dollar.

    The currency controls were previously lifted by another advocate for market-friendly policies, president Mauricio Macri in 2015. But they were reimposed in 2019 at the end of his term to address a fall in value of the peso.

    Unlike Macri’s broad-brush removal, Milei is phasing out the controls. He is doing so in the context of less economic volatility and a more stable national budget.

    The measures announced this time mean that rather than being fixed, the peso will be able to float between a value of 1,000–1,400 pesos (64p-87p) per US dollar. Milei’s previous policy was a crawling peg, which meant that the peso was pegged to the dollar, but it was prevented from depreciating by more than 1% each month.

    However, this was costly. The central bank had to provide the liquidity and has spent US$2.5 billion since mid-March propping up the official rate of the peso.

    Floating it means its value is determined by the currency markets. This exposes it to volatility, but the currency band provides some security and the central bank can go back to focusing on building its reserves.

    For international companies, future capital can be repatriated out of Argentina (which had been a major barrier to investment). Under the previous restrictions, any profits made by international firms could not be moved out of the country.

    And while Argentinians can now buy unlimited dollars through banks, there is still a US$100 restriction on exchanging physical cash.

    Milei’s gamble

    Analysts have called Milei’s move bold and brave, but also described it as a high-stakes gamble. Recent attempts to do the same thing ended in capital flight, near bankruptcy and ultimately the re-imposition of controls.

    But it was also a step that he promised on the campaign trail in 2023. Back then, Milei argued that economic stability and deregulation were essential to attract investment into Argentina.

    So while the Trump administration looks inwards, Milei is opening Argentina to the private sector – especially in relation to its vast natural resources including shale oil and gas, and lithium.

    Extraction of Argentina’s shale oil and gas has slowed in recent years, but attracting foreign investment in infrastructure has been high on Milei’s priority list. Business, including US energy giant Chevron, seems cautiously optimistic.

    And increased foreign investment in Argentina’s lithium mining sector has raised hopes that the country could be a linchpin in the global energy transition. But at the same time it is deepening Argentina’s dependency on finite commodities.

    But what does all this mean for Argentinians right now? For many old enough to remember, it might seem like deja vu. Opening Argentina up to the forces of the market, reducing the regulatory role of the state and privatising major state assets while borrowing more from the IMF has precedent.

    It was the same approach followed by president Carlos Menem in the 1990s. This had initial success but over the course of the decade resulted in economic disaster, unsustainable debt (leading to the 2001 IMF debt default) and pushed nearly 60% of the population into poverty.

    The US$20 billion IMF loan package (alongside other borrowing) provides Argentina’s central bank with capital to lift the currency restrictions. Adding to the IMF debt burden (which already stood at more than US$40 billion in March 2025) has so far been well received by the markets.

    But market-friendly policies being well received by the markets is surely to be expected. What might the social costs be, however?

    Milei’s programme of deep austerity included cuts to salaries and welfare payments. These initially pushed poverty levels up to 53%, their highest point in two decades. Recent figures show that, while still frighteningly high, falling inflation has helped bring this down to 38%.

    But these figures mask the desperate reality of many. Reductions in state spending and the removal of subsidies mean that income levels for workers and pensioners are below 2023 levels. Many are taking on additional and more precarious work, and soup kitchens are proving essential.

    So for many citizens, the news about the partial lifting of currency controls is a moot point. For these people, buying dollars is not remotely feasible.

    One thing Argentinians are broadly united in is their disdain for the IMF. Borrowing from it has pushed Argentina to the brink previously – Milei will be hoping that by jettisoning one anvil, his deal with the IMF won’t chain him to a heavier one.

    Matt Barlow 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. Currency controls and debt in Argentina: the stakes are high if Milei’s latest economic gamble doesn’t pay off – https://theconversation.com/currency-controls-and-debt-in-argentina-the-stakes-are-high-if-mileis-latest-economic-gamble-doesnt-pay-off-255733

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder harms relationships for both sufferers and their partners – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Hodgetts, Assistant Professor in Psychology, Durham University

    Until now, little has been known about the effect PMDD can have on relationships. simona pilolla 2/ Shutterstock

    An estimated 2% of people who menstruate are thought to have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The condition causes severe emotional, mental and physical symptoms in the week or two before a person’s menstrual cycle – including brain fog, stomach cramps, bloating, mood swings, anger, sadness, low self-worth, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide.

    Although PMDD symptoms usually stop when the period starts, the condition can still make everyday life difficult. Research shows that PMDD is associated with people having a poor quality of life, missing work or school and withdrawing from social activities. The repercussions that PMDD has on a person’s life often persist beyond the symptomatic phase of the person’s cycle.

    Yet despite the prevalence of PMDD, little is known about how it affects life at home, as no studies have been done.

    My recent research is the first to shed light on how PMDD impacts life and relationships – from the perspective of both those with PMDD and their partners. Our findings showed that both PMDD sufferers and their partners experienced similarly poor life and relationship quality.

    My coauthor and I ran two studies that both used online surveys.

    In the first study, we asked people with PMDD to complete two questionnaires. The first was designed to tell us about their quality of life. They answered questions about four different areas of their life: their physical health, psychological health, social relationships and living conditions.

    The second questionnaire was designed to tell us about their relationship with their spouse by asking questions about different components of their relationship (including love, trust, intimacy, commitment and passion), as well as their overall satisfaction with the relationship. We compared their responses to a control group of people of menstruation age who did not have PMDD.

    Our results showed significantly lower quality of life in people with PMDD compared to people in the control group. This difference was evident in all four of the areas of life that we studied. We also found that participants with PMDD consistently reported lower quality of life when it came to their psychological health, social relationships and living conditions – regardless of their menstrual cycle phase.

    Relationship quality, too, was significantly lower for those with PMDD compared to the control group when it came to trust, intimacy and passion. However, when it came to love and commitment, people with PMDD and those without the condition reported similar levels of satisfaction.

    PMDD and partners

    In the second study, we compared the responses of people who are in a relationship with someone who has PMDD, with those who are in a relationship with someone who menstruates but does not have PMDD.

    Our study found PMDD is associated with poor relationship quality for both those with the condition and their partners.
    Roman Chazov/Shutterstock

    We used the same questionnaire as the previous study to investigate relationship quality. To study quality of life, we used a standard questionnaire that was designed for people who provide care or support for an adult. This asked questions about different areas of life that are relevant for familial carers, such as their support for caring, caring choices, any stress they experience, money matters, personal growth, sense of value, ability to care and satisfaction.

    We found that PMDD partners also had lower life quality compared to the control group. This difference was evident in every area of life except money matters (where both groups had similarly low scores). When it came to relationship quality, results from the PMDD partners echoed those from the PMDD patients – both reported lower relationship satisfaction in all areas except for love and commitment.

    Our study shows that PMDD is associated with poor life and relationship quality for both those with the condition and their partners. This highlights the need for support that goes beyond prescription drugs and managing symptoms. This support also needs to be available to the loved ones and partners of people with PMDD who provide care and support.

    These findings suggest that future research should aim to develop PMDD-specific interventions that support both the person with PMDD and their partner. My future research plans are to delve deeper into the aspects of relationships affected by PMDD. For instance, I am planning a follow-up study involving interviews and focus groups with PMDD sufferers and their loved ones, to better identify areas for intervention and inform the development of supportive strategies.

    There are many reasons why this kind of support is important. For instance, we know from research into other mood disorders (such as depression and anxiety) just how crucial good interpersonal relationships are for successfully managing these conditions in the long term.

    We also know that the partners and spouses of people with a mental illness often find themselves acting as a familial caregiver for their partner. Studies of other mood disorders have shown that familial caregivers are at a higher risk of developing mental illnesses themselves, when compared to the general population. Supporting familial caregivers is known to improve life for all involved.

    My research shows that PMDD isn’t just a problem for patients. It impacts daily life and relationship quality for both people in a relationship. This study provides a first step. Now that we have a better understanding of the wider effect that PMDD has, we can start to investigate how to support both people.

    Sophie Hodgetts 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. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder harms relationships for both sufferers and their partners – new study – https://theconversation.com/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-harms-relationships-for-both-sufferers-and-their-partners-new-study-255083

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Alzheimer’s: certain combinations of prescription drugs may slow progression of the disease, says mice study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Silvia Maioli, Associate professor and Principal Researcher, Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet

    Certain prescription drugs combinations had different effects on the mice. roger ashford/ Shutterstock

    Millions of older adults take five or more prescription drugs every day to manage chronic illnesses. While polypharmacy is often necessary, this practice has also been linked to many negative health outcomes in older adults – including memory problems, increased risk of falls and greater frailty.

    The most common prescription drugs involved in polypharmacy are those used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression. Importantly, these same conditions are also known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

    This raises an important question: could polypharmacy have any influence on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease?

    Our recent research in mice suggests that certain prescription drugs combinations might actually have a positive effect on memory and signs of Alzheimer’s disease. However, these effects appeared to differ depending on whether the mouse was male or female.

    To better understand how polypharmacy may affect Alzheimer’s disease, we designed an experiment using mice that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer’s-like brain changes. These mice had amyloid plaques – clumps of protein in the brain that, with time, are linked with memory loss and considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease .

    We tested two different combinations of five commonly prescribed drugs, including: analgesics (painkillers), antithrombotics (to prevent blood clots), lipid-modifying agents (such as statins, which lower cholestrol), beta-blockers (which help controlling arrythmias and hypertension) and Ace inhibitors (used to treat cardiovascular conditions), as well as antidepressants.

    Both groups of mice were given paracetamol, aspirin, an antidepressant, a statin and a blood pressure drug. The only differences between the two groups were the specific types of statin and cardiovascular drugs used. The first group were given simvastatin and metoprolol, while the second group was given atorvastatin and enalapril.

    We gave these prescription drug combinations to both male and female mice. We then tested their memory, examined their brains for signs of disease and analysed blood samples for disease-related markers.

    Our findings showed that polypharmacy has both positive and negative effects on Alzheimer’s disease progression. The effects largely depended on which specific drug combinations were used as well as the sex of the mice.

    The first drug combination had beneficial effects in male mice. These mice showed better memory, reduced signs of Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain (such as the number and size of amyloid plaques) and fewer signs of the disease in their blood. This suggested that polypharmacy delayed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

    In females, however, the same combination had very little to no effect on signs and symptoms of the disease.

    But for the mice in the second combination group, the results were different. The benefits previously seen in males disappeared. In female mice, their memory worsened.

    Certain drug combinations reduced signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the male mice’s brains, such as the size and number of amyloid plaques.
    nobeastsofierce/ Shutterstock

    We also looked at what happened when some of the drugs were taken on their own. In some cases, they had beneficial effects for the female mice – improving memory and signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain. For instance, the statin simvastatin improved memory and reduced signs of brain inflammation in female mice when the drug was taken on its own.

    Polypharmacy and brain health

    These results show how complex the effects of polypharmacy can be, especially in the context of a brain disease such as Alzheimer’s. They also suggest that men and women may respond differently to certain drug combinations.

    This is not surprising. Biological sex is known to influence how drugs are absorbed and metabolised and their effect on the body. When it comes to polypharmacy, these differences can become more pronounced, having an even stronger effect on drug safety and efficacy.

    This could partly help explain why the same drug combinations had very different effects in the male and female mice in our study. Other possible explanations for why certain drug combinations only improved signs and symptoms of the disease in male mice include sex differences in hormone levels and differences in immune responses that may influence how drugs work in the brain. Understanding these mechanisms will be key to tailoring safer and more effective treatments for the disease.

    Our study confirms that current, universal prescribing approaches for older adults may not be ideal.

    It’s also worth noting that older women are more likely to be polypharmacy users compared to men. This highlights the importance of understanding the effects of polypharmacy that are specific to men and women, and developing more personalised prescribing approaches.

    Future translational studies (from mice to humans) looking at how drug combinations affect Alzheimer’s in males and females are also warranted to help reduce risks and improve healthcare in the ageing population.

    The global population is continuing to age, which means that an even greater number of people are going to be at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is why it’s so important we understand all of the causes of the disease and how it can be prevented.

    Silvia Maioli receives funding from The Swedish Research Council, Alzheimerfonden, King Gustaf V:s and Queen Victorias Foundation, The private initiative “Innovative ways to fight Alzheimer´s disease – Leif Lundblad Family and others”, Margaretha af Ugglas Foundation, The regional agreement on medical training and clinical research (ALF) between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet, Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse, Stiftelsen Gamla Tjänarinnor

    Francesca Eroli received funding from Stiftelsen För Gamla Tjänarinnor and Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse.

    – ref. Alzheimer’s: certain combinations of prescription drugs may slow progression of the disease, says mice study – https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-certain-combinations-of-prescription-drugs-may-slow-progression-of-the-disease-says-mice-study-254243

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Aspartame: the artificial sweetener is calorie-free but not risk-free – a nutritionist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hazel Flight, Programme Lead Nutrition and Health, Edge Hill University

    Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    Sugar — sweet, satisfying, and everywhere. From fresh fruit and honey to processed table sugar and drinks, it sneaks into nearly everything we eat. While delicious, sugar delivers what nutritionists call “empty calories” — energy without any essential nutrients. And with overconsumption linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dental problems, it’s no wonder health authorities are urging us to cut back.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of daily calorie intake, while the BMJ suggests even lower: no more than six teaspoons (25g) per day for women and nine teaspoons (38g) for men.

    In response, many people are turning to non-nutritive sweeteners — sugar alternatives that deliver sweetness without the calories. These include popular options like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and monk fruit extract. Found in many diet drinks, sugar-free snacks and low-calorie foods, these sweeteners are designed to help manage weight and blood sugar levels.

    But not all that tastes sweet is sweet in effect. Let’s zoom in on one of the most controversial sugar substitutes: aspartame.

    Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was discovered in 1965 and is 180–200 times sweeter than sugar. It was first regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974 and approved for use in dry foods in 1981. Today, it’s estimated to be found in over 6,000 food and drink products and 600 pharmaceutical items.

    Aspartame was initially embraced as a tool to help reduce obesity and support diabetics, offering a sweet fix without the sugar spike. But despite decades of use, its safety is still the subject of intense scientific and public debate.

    Potential benefits

    Aspartame has a similar taste to sugar, albeit much more intense, but comes with almost no calories, making it attractive for those who’re weight-conscious. With obesity rates soaring globally, even small calorie savings can matter.

    Aspartame does not raise blood glucose levels, making it a preferred choice for those managing type 2 diabetes. However, other research has found potential associations with metabolic syndrome and diabetes risk, suggesting that aspartame should be used as part of a controlled diet rather than a straight swap for sugar.

    While assessments suggest that aspartame is safe within current intake guidelines, concerns persist.

    Potential risks

    Some people may experience side-effects like headaches, dizziness, or mood changes. There’s emerging evidence linking aspartame to neurodegeneration, strokes and even dementia.

    Aspartame can increase levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain, which is a serious concern for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder where the body cannot break down phenylalanine. This causes it to accumulate in the blood and brain, potentially leading to brain damage. People with PKU must avoid aspartame completely.

    One study reported symptoms after consuming aspartame including irritability, migraines, anxiety and insomnia, especially with excessive consumption.

    In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame) as “possibly carcinogenic”, though it remains approved for consumption within existing safety limits. Some studies suggest a link to cancer, but conclusions remain mixed.



    Read more:
    Aspartame: popular sweetener could be classified as a possible carcinogen by WHO – but there’s no cause for panic

    It’s also advised that pregnant women avoid aspartame, as research suggests it may affect the placenta’s structure and function.

    Artificial sweeteners, despite being calorie-free, may trick the brain into craving more sweetness. This could lead to increased appetite and weight gain rather than weight loss. In fact, several studies have found a positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and obesity.

    Gut health matters

    Emerging evidence suggests that aspartame and other sweeteners may disrupt the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria that play a key role in digestion, immunity and even mood. This disruption can negatively affect digestive health and immune function, potentially increasing the risk of infections and other health issues.



    Read more:
    Artificial sweetener could harm your gut and the microbes that live there – new study

    Aspartame may offer a tempting sugar-free fix, but it’s not without its risks. The World Health Organization advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control and research continues to reveal complex links between aspartame and chronic diseases, from neurological issues to gut health concerns.

    Hazel Flight 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. Aspartame: the artificial sweetener is calorie-free but not risk-free – a nutritionist explains – https://theconversation.com/aspartame-the-artificial-sweetener-is-calorie-free-but-not-risk-free-a-nutritionist-explains-254318

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Introduces the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), and Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-2) introduced the No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act to prohibit taxpayer funding for gender transition procedures covered by Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Affordable Care Act. 

    The bill would also deny the medical expense tax deduction for gender transition procedures. Eliminating federal spending on these procedures could save American taxpayers $200 million. Currently, 25 states and Washington, D.C. have Medicaid policies that explicitly cover transgender-related health care. Additionally, over 276,000 of the 1.3 million transgender adults in the U.S. are enrolled in Medicaid, highlighting the potential fiscal impact of these coverage policies.

    “Taxpayers should never be forced to fund dangerous and irreversible gender transition surgeries. The No Subsidies for Gender Transition Procedures Act sets a sweeping precedent by applying to both adults and minors and applying to as many federal funding streams as possible,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “This will ensure that regardless of the age of the individual looking to mutilate themself, the American taxpayer will not be forced to subsidize it. We are working to ensure that not a dime of federal funds can be used to pay for gender transition procedures.”

    “Americans overwhelmingly agree that hard-earned taxpayer dollars should not go toward paying for harmful gender transition procedures,” said Senator Marshall. “This legislation delivers on President Trump’s promise, eliminates taxpayer-funded transgender procedures on both minors and adults, and defends our nation’s values. As the reconciliation process continues, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and ensure it is included in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.” 

    “Taxpayers shouldn’t fund dangerous, ideological experiments,” said Congressman Crenshaw. “This is about protecting vulnerable Americans from irreversible harm dressed up as ‘care.’ Health care should be based on science, not activism.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: One Week to Go: Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 to Drive Africa’s Licensing and Gas Growth

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

    PARIS, France, May 6, 2025/APO Group/ —

    With just one week to go, the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum is set to ignite a transformative week of upstream deal-making, policy dialogue and strategic engagement. Taking place on May 13-14 in Paris, the forum will place Africa’s active licensing landscape and gas-driven development ambitions firmly at the center of global energy investment discussions.

    With over 150 oil and gas blocks being made available across more than ten African countries, 2025 is emerging as a pivotal year for upstream investment. A wave of new licensing activity is gaining momentum, with governments launching bid rounds and inviting direct negotiations to unlock exploration potential in both established and frontier basins. Countries like Angola, Libya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Algeria and the Republic of Congo are leading the charge, supported by enhanced seismic data, digitized application systems and updated fiscal regimes designed to lower entry barriers. These licensing initiatives will be a key focus at IAE 2025, offering a dynamic venue for stakeholders to engage on concrete investment opportunities and forge new partnerships.

    IAE 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/44r2RKf) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    IAE 2025 will showcase a powerhouse lineup of keynote speakers from both government and industry, including Bruno Jean-Ricachard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo; Eperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) of Nigeria and Maggy Shino, Petroleum Commissioner, Minister of Mines & Energy, Namibia. From the private sector, featured speakers include Wale Tinubu CON, CEO of Oando Plc; Marco Villa, Chief Business Officer of Technip Energies and Mike Sangster, Senior Vice President at TotalEnergies. These keynote addresses will provide critical insight into evolving policies, corporate strategies and investment frameworks shaping Africa’s energy landscape. A fireside chat with Mauritania’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled, will further explore the landmark progress of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project and its catalytic role in driving regional gas monetization and industrial development in the region.

    During a high-level ministerial panel, African policymakers will converge to discuss “Africa on the Global Energy Stage: Financing the Next Generation of Energy Projects,” exploring how African states are positioning themselves within global energy markets and unlocking partnerships for infrastructure, technology and private sector capital. An IOC-led panel on “Advancing Africa’s LNG Potential: Overcoming Infrastructure and Investment Challenges” – featuring UTM Offshore, Golar LNG, TechnipEnergies, Perenco and Neuman & Esser – will address practical strategies for accelerating LNG projects, from modular design and FSRU deployment to cross-border value chains.

    Additional highlights include the “Monetizing Congo’s Gas Opportunities” session – featuring participation from Société nationale des pétroles du Congo and private sector players – which offers insight into emerging gas strategies and projects currently under development. A special session led by the African Union, “Financing the Transition: Unlocking Private Capital for Sustainable Development,” will address how to mobilize private investment in support of energy access, transition finance and regional integration.

    With governments, NOCs, IOCs and financial institutions from across Africa and beyond confirmed, IAE 2025 is not just a forum – it is the definitive platform for executing upstream and gas-sector strategies. As global energy stakeholders seek new frontiers for growth, Africa is putting forward its strongest case yet.

    MIL OSI Africa –