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  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Ogles Leads Legislation Targeting Chinese Cybersecurity Threats

    Source:

    WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-05) introduced the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.”  This bill would establish an interagency task force, led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to address the widespread cybersecurity threats posed by state-sponsored cyber actors associated with the CCP. 

     

    The legislation also requires the task force to provide a detailed report and briefing to Congress annually for five years on its findings. The legislation was advanced by the House Committee on Homeland Security and passed unanimously by the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress. 

     

    “The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest foreign adversary we face, and Beijing continues to use cyberspace as a battlefield on which to undermine American sovereignty and interests. In the wake of attacks by CCP-backed actors against our critical infrastructure and even their intrusions into the campaign communications of President Trump and Vice President Vance, we must ensure the government is coordinating effectively to make sure this never happens again,” Congressman Ogles said. “As we learned from the Biden-Harris administration, turning a blind eye to China’s intrusions only invites more attacks. I look forward to getting this legislation to President Trump’s desk so we can keep securing our nation from this deadly enemy.” 

     

    “For too long, the federal government has been asleep at the wheel when it comes to combating increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks on our networks by Chinese-backed actors. Americans depend on critical infrastructure for vital services every day, from the phones in our pockets to the water in our homes and gas in our cars,” Chairman Mark Green said. “I fear the recent ‘Typhoon’ intrusions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the CCP’s espionage and pre-positioning in our infrastructure. With new threats mounting every day, our response must be a coordinated, whole-of-government effort. I am proud to continue fighting for this legislation alongside my friend and fellow Tennessean, Rep. Ogles. Let’s get this to the Senate and to President Trump’s desk without delay.”

     

    “The cyber campaigns waged by PRC-backed actors like the Typhoons are acts of espionage aimed at placing U.S. critical infrastructure at risk. This legislation directs a focused, interagency response to identify, assess, and disrupt these persistent threats,” Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Chairman Andrew Garbarino said. “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, I’m committed to ensuring the federal government uses every available tool to mitigate these threats and strengthen our cyber resilience where it matters most.”

     

    “The Chinese Communist Party is increasingly using cyberattacks to target our critical infrastructure, and it’s time to take action to address this growing threat to the American people,” Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar said. “The Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act will ensure the federal government has the resources and authority to defend against these threats and hold the CCP accountable. With groups like Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon already compromising our systems, it’s critical that we strengthen our defenses to protect national security and our economy.”

     

    “The Chinese Communist Party, through cyber threat actors like Volt Typhoon, continues to infiltrate America’s critical infrastructure, posing a direct threat to our national security and economy. We cannot allow foreign adversaries to gain the upper hand through a fragmented response,” Rep. Laurel Lee said. “That is why I am proud to cosponsor the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act to ensure a unified, whole-of-government strategy to combat the CCP’s cyber aggression and protect the essential systems Americans rely on every day.”

    Cosponsors (4): Rep. Mark Green [TN-07]-, Laurel Lee [FL-15], John Moolenaar [MI-02], and Rep. Andrew Garbarino [NY-02].

    Read The Bill Here

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Mann, Pappas Reintroduce Legislation to Reduce Intoxicated Driving

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) reintroduced the End Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Act. The bipartisan legislation would create a national ignition interlock standard by encouraging states to adopt a mandatory first-time ignition interlock law, which helps reduce recidivism and improve road safety by ensuring fewer drunk drivers are on the road. Twenty-five states, including Kansas, already meet the standards outlined in the bill. 

    “The United States loses an average of 37 Americans each day to intoxicated driving,” said Rep. Mann. “By requiring intoxicated driving offenders to use an ignition interlock device for six months after their first offense, we reduce the likelihoods of individuals becoming repeat offenders. Statistics show this prevention practice reduces recidivism by as much as 70% among first-time, repeat, and high-risk offenders. Implementing this standard nationwide will make America’s roads safer while protecting the lives of innocent Americans from harm.”

    “Every life lost to impaired driving is a tragedy and a preventable death. We must better address drunk driving and strengthen efforts to prevent repeated offenses,” said Congressman Pappas. “New Hampshire and others are leading the way with mandatory first-time offender ignition interlock laws which reduces repeated drunk driving. This bipartisan legislation would help create a national ignition interlock standard to safeguard our roadways across the nation. I’ll keep working to pass this bill to make roads safer for drivers, passengers, and everyone on them.”  

    The End DWI Act is supported by the Safety and Advocacy for Empowerment (SAFE) Coalition, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

    “With more than 40,000 people dying each year on our nation’s roadways – one-third due to drunk driving, it is time for a swift nationwide response to curb this epidemic of death and destruction. We call on Congress to enact the End DWI Act to encourage each state to require all drunk driving offenders to install state of the art ignition interlock devices to prevent repeat offenses. This national legislation follows the precedent set by President Reagan and a bipartisan Congress when they uniformly raised the minimum drinking age to 21 and erased blood borders between the states — a law that saves countless lives every year. This simple yet effective technology will prevent tragic crashes, protect innocent lives, and keep families whole across our nation.” –Brandy Nannini, Board Member, SAFE coalition.

    “Alcohol impairment causes far too many deaths on our roadways. We need to use all available evidence-based policy measures, including ignition interlocks, to end alcohol-impaired driving and save lives. NSC enthusiastically supports this legislation and thanks Reps. Mann and Pappas for their leadership on this vital effort.” – Lorraine Martin, President and CEO, National Safety Council.

    “Drunk driving is a nationwide public health and safety crisis that touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year,” said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. “Incentivizing all 50 states to require ignition interlocks for every convicted drunk driver is a commonsense approach to preventing further heartbreak caused by this preventable crime. Thank you Representative Mann and Representative Pappas for your commitment to ending drunk driving.” 

    “Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the deadliest and most preventable threats on our roadways, resulting in nearly one-third of all motor vehicle crash deaths,” said Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “We have solutions to prevent this devastation, including requiring the installation of ignition interlock devices (IIDs) for all individuals convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Despite decades of incentives, too many states still don’t require this lifesaving technology. The End DWI Act aims to close these gaps in state laws. We thank Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) for their bipartisan leadership and urge Congress to act without delay.” 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A world of career opportunities

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On April 10, the Youth Career Forum was held in the Technopolis Polytech research building. Representatives of companies offered students and future graduates vacancies, internships, practical training places and development programs. The event was organized by the SPbPU Career Development Department.

    Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova opened the forum and expressed gratitude to the company representatives for their participation.

    Today, representatives of 64 companies have gathered at the Polytechnic University. This is a record number for us. Employers will share information about the best places for practice and internships. Various surprises and activities await you. I am sure that our partners will find ambitious and unique young specialists, and our students will get acquainted with the companies of their dreams, – emphasized Lyudmila Pankova.

    A career is a life-long marathon, full of ups, downs, personal transformations and discoveries. Today, we, employers, together with Polytech, will help you find answers to important questions: what internships will help you, what programs will suit you, – said Svetlana Barabantseva, Head of Young Talents at Severstal.

    At the stand session, the largest Russian companies vividly demonstrated vacancies and opportunities for internships and traineeships. Representatives talked about the conditions, answered students’ questions and conducted interviews.

    Among the regular participants of the IFF are such well-known companies as Sber, Gazprom Neft, Power Machines, Severstal, Petersburg Tractor Plant, VK Education, Rosatom State Corporation, Geropharm, etc. They attracted the attention of students with logical tasks, quizzes, games, puzzles, and, of course, branded gifts.

    The company “Russian Mechanics” from Rybinsk specializes in the development, production and sale of snowmobiles and ATVs. At the forum, representatives demonstrated the RM 800 T ATV of the “Silk Road” series and the multi-purpose snow and swamp vehicle with a 6×6 wheel arrangement “Termite”.

    The Petersburg Tractor Plant is a regular participant in the Polytechnic University career events. The enterprise employs many Polytechnic University graduates: designers, technologists and quality management specialists. At the forum, the company showed the Kirovets K-7 tractor.

    The Sovcombank company has been participating in SPbPU events for several years now, and many of its employees are graduates of the Polytechnic University. Today, specialists have prepared tasks related to key areas of activity, a game of Tic-Tac-Toe with artificial intelligence, and gifts.

    Polytechnicians work for us as interns, junior specialists, employees in the departments of system analysis and development. Students actively participate in our events. This is an intensive course in system analysis “SovkomLab”, the School of Credit Analysts, competitions in the profile of information security and the career festival “Adventure League”. Many of them continue to work in full-time positions. Therefore, our cooperation with Polytechnic is truly productive, – shared the team leader of the team for the development of the HR brand and interaction with universities Valeria Kozinets.

    Young were present as new members

    In addition to manufacturing products for the science and medical industries, we actively cooperate with schools and universities in matters of popularizing science. So that children can see in practice what radiation is and not be afraid of it. We are also interested in finding new employees in universities. The company has an agreement with the Polytechnic University, students do their internships with us. Today we decided to show ourselves at our home university. By the way, I am also a graduate of the Polytechnic University, I graduated from IMMiT in 2017, – said the head of the component sector Pavel Krikunov.

    Traditionally, the forum featured a stand of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering”. Leading engineers and heads of educational programs of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU told students and graduates of the Polytechnic University about promising areas of training and employment. The event was also attended by industrial partners of the school, including Centrotech-Engineering LLC (part of the Fuel Division of the Rosatom State Corporation), St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise Gorelectrotrans. They presented joint master’s programs that combine fundamental training with applied knowledge. Students gain unique experience by participating in real research and development (R&D) work.

    The forum was attended by employees of the SPbPU Center for Work with Applicants, who provided advice to students on issues of admission to a master’s program.

    The business program included 19 offline and online activities, divided into two tracks: career and skills. Students watched presentations of internship programs, learned life hacks on building a career after university, participated in master classes on time management, project management and building self-esteem, attended workshops and networking.

    CareerTalks format events were held by VK Education, SBER, Rosatom, Lukoil. Employees of Axenix, Tricolor, Arman, Gazprom Gazofiya held master classes. Specialists of the Scientific and Educational Center for Information Technologies and Business Analysis Gazprom Neft organized a business game “Everything (Not) According to Plan”. A career master class on adaptation in the company after an offer was held in the VK group of the Career Development Department of SPbPU.

    The forum also included a round table for ISI students and employers in the construction sector, “Problems of Forming Interaction between Students and Organizations: Expectations vs. Reality.” The event was moderated by ISI student practical training officer Janis Olekhnovich. Company employees shared valuable advice and recommendations with students on developing the necessary skills and acquiring knowledge that will allow them to stand out in the professional environment.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI, SEEC, ENVIRONMENT LAWMAKERS LEAD BICAMERAL LETTER SIGNED TO OPPOSE EPA’S WHOLESALE ASSAULT ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTIONS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Co-Chair of House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), along with Co-Chairs Reps. Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin, and Chellie Pingree, along with Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, led a bicameral letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin calling out his wholesale assault on the central mission of the agency he was appointed to lead. They were joined by Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, bringing the total to 180 Members of Congress calling on Administrator Zeldin to halt his egregious attacks.

    “In just two months as EPA Administrator, you have demonstrated a complete disregard for the central mission of the agency you were appointed to lead. Instead of protecting the environment – as the agency name directs – you are protecting the special interests of big polluters,” wrote the 180 Members. “We urge you to halt your egregious attacks on the public health and well-being of the American people.”

    They pointed out that, as a result of the Trump EPA repealing and gutting critical environmental and public health protections, communities and families will pay higher health costs and be exposed to more mercury and air toxics from coal-fired power plants and more polluted wastewater from oil and gas producers. 

    “While countries around the world are clamoring for cleaner, cheaper, and more innovative technologies, you are actively hamstringing America’s homegrown clean energy industry, which has already injected $422 billion and 400,000 jobs into our economy in just the past two and a half years,” the lawmakers wrote to Administrator Zeldin. “This is anything but unleashing American energy. At the same time, instead of lowering costs for American families, your actions will result in the opposite. Americans’ medical expenses will increase because your Polluters First agenda will allow particulate matter and other hazardous air pollution to go unchecked.”

    Their letter explained that for every $1 the country spends to reduce air pollution, it is estimated to yield $30 in economic benefits in return. Yet, the Trump EPA is choosing to unleash more air pollutants that are linked to Alzheimer’s, miscarriages, and childhood asthma, as well as other public health concerns.

    “Your actions will needlessly increase American families’ exposure to the pollution that can make them sick and stick them with the bill for their care,” concluded Members.

    The full letter can be found here.

    Background

    On March 12, Administrator Zeldin announced the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” which included rolling back 31 environmental rules and regulations. This list of actions directly threatens Americans’ health and fundamental right to clean air and water by:

    • Rolling back National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter – some of the most dangerous air pollution known to directly cause asthma and other health issues;
    • Gutting EPA rules that prevent hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic from ending up in our water supply;
    • Reconsidering national emissions standards for cancer-causing hazardous air pollutants, including ethylene oxide;
    • Ending the “Good Neighbor” rule, which simply acknowledged that pollution does not respect state lines and that downwind states should not be burdened by their neighbors’ pollution;
    • Repealing power plant emissions standards, allowing existing gas and coal-fired power plants to pump unlimited climate pollution into our air; and
    • Revoking the landmark “Endangerment Finding” that simply states climate-changing pollutants are dangerous to human health, and which serves as the foundation for climate pollution to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

    And more.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amata Welcomes House Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Bills, and Peace Officers Memorial Service Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

    Headline: Amata Welcomes House Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Bills, and Peace Officers Memorial Service Resolution

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC), is welcoming House passage of a slate of bipartisan Veterans bills from the Committee, and letting American Samoa’s veterans know about these efforts, which are now sent to the Senate for consideration.

    Discussing Veterans’ issues recently with VA Secretary Collins, HVAC Chairman Bost and other key Members

    “We have made a commitment to our Veterans as a nation, and continue to push for improvements in the access and delivery of services to all who served,” said Congresswoman Amata. “We want consistency, care, and competence in our national services to Veterans through laws, oversight, and ongoing reform efforts at the VA.”

    The Deliver for Veterans Act, H.R. 877, passed unanimously, is sponsored by Congressman James Moylan (Guam), with Congresswoman Aumua Amata (American Samoa), Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds (CNMI), and Congressman Ed Case (Hawaii) as original cosponsors. This bill would cover the delivery costs, including the islands, for major equipment for disabled veterans such as a specially equipped automobile. 

    The Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, H.R. 1039, passed 412-0, requires the VA to make communications with Veterans clearer and more user friendly. Sponsor Congressman Tom Barrett, R-Michigan, said in a House speech, “Our veterans served the United States military, with honor. They shouldn’t need a lawyer or specially trained advocate to explain a claims letter to them.”

    The Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, H.R. 586, passed by a vote of 411-0, requiring the VA to conduct an epidemiological study, create a report on the prevalence of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in veterans who served in the Vietnam theater, and submit this information to Congress. 

    The Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025, H.R. 970, requires the VA to review every five years and report on the maximum coverage available under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance programs, taking into account the average percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased over that five years. 

    In other action, the House unanimously passed necessary legislation authorizing the use of U.S. Capitol grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service in May. The concurrent resolution authorizes the National Fraternal Order of Police to sponsor two public events on Capitol grounds: the 44th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden votes against resolution to weaken protections against overdraft fees

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today voted against a resolution to weaken overdraft fee regulations on large banks and credit unions. 

    In December 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule that required financial institutions with more than $10 billion to institute greater transparency policies regarding overdraft fees, or to cap such a fee at $5. Today’s resolution sought to repeal the rule. 

    “There should be rules against lenders who use unreasonable overdraft fees to make money off families,” Golden said. “CFPB was right to crack down on the most predatory practices, and rolling back these changes will only benefit the executives trying to make a bigger profit off working Americans.” 

    Financial institutions charge customers overdraft fees when there is not enough money in their checking account to cover a transaction. In return for temporarily paying the difference rather than simply declining the charge, the lender charges customers a fee — roughly $35 on average. 

    These fees stack for each overdrafted charge, which can quickly dwarf the amount of money that an account was actually short. Limited disclosure laws can also leave customers unaware of their lender’s overdraft program until fees have already been charged. Overdraft fees are a significant revenue generator for financial institutions, totaling more than $5.8 billion in 2023 alone.

    CFPB’s recent rule requires large financial institutions to follow transparency laws similar to those for credit cards before being allowed to charge current overdraft fee rates. For lenders uninterested in complying, the rule also allows them to simply cap overdraft fees at $5 instead.

    The resolution to overturn this rule was submitted under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to override administrative rulemaking with a majority in both chambers and the president’s signature. Having passed the House and Senate, it now heads to the president’s desk.

    Golden also voted against a separate resolution to limit federal oversight of nonbank digital payment systems such as Apple Wallet, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect and Expand Access to Birth Control, Reproductive Health Care Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    Today, Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03) joined Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) and Dina Titus (NV-01) and Senators Tina Smith (MN), Patty Murray (WA), and Elizabeth Warren (MA) in introducing the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act, legislation that would safeguard and increase funding for Title X — the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing comprehensive family planning and preventive health services.

    For more than 50 years, Title X has provided critical health care services, including birth control, cancer screenings, and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Title X clinics serve 4 million people annually, and in 2023 alone, more than 1.5 million visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were made possible by the program. But that care is under threat, as the Trump Administration continues its attacks on this critical program.

    “In Kansas and across the country, people are being turned away from the only places they can afford to get basic, lifesaving reproductive care — all because the Trump Administration is playing politics with their health,” said Davids. “This bill protects trusted providers and ensures access to cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing, no matter your income, where you live, or how you vote.”

    The need for the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act comes as the Trump Administration has recently frozen millions of dollars in already-appropriated Title X funding, impacting 16 organizations across several states. Planned Parenthood affiliates have lost access to as much as $3 million annually — resources they rely on to serve tens of thousands of patients each year. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the freeze could impact access to care for up to 1.25 million people, many of whom are low-income, people of color, or live in medically underserved communities.

    “The Trump Administration is denying women across Nevada and the U.S. the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and their families’ futures,” said Representative Dina Titus (NV-01). “By fully funding family planning services, we can protect their rights to access lifesaving preventive care, birth control, and other reproductive health services at a time when these freedoms are under constant attack.”

    “While the Trump-Musk administration freezes Title X funding around the country, threatening family planning and health screenings for hundreds of thousands of women, Democrats are fighting back with the bicameral introduction of the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act,” said Representative Judy Chu (CA-28). “Trump and Congressional Republicans may not care about providing American women the freedom to plan their futures, but we do. And we are backing it up with this legislation to guarantee stable funding for Title X, improve health clinics’ infrastructure, and protect their access to comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care.”

    “We are at a time when Americans’ reproductive freedoms are under attack from extremist Republicans – which makes the Title X Family Planning Program more important than ever,” said Senator Tina Smith (MN). “Title X funding provides American women with access to critical reproductive health services. I invite my Republican colleagues who claim to champion family planning services to join us in supporting this commonsense legislation that will protect women’s access to life-saving services and birth control, pregnancy counseling, infertility services, and more.”

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would:

    1. Guarantee stable, annual funding for Title X, preventing repeated Republican-led efforts to eliminate the program.
      • The bill would provide $512 million annually for 10 years, addressing the current funding shortfall and ensuring access to essential services.
      • It also allocates $50 million in mandatory funding for clinic construction, renovations, and infrastructure improvements.
    2. Protect providers like Planned Parenthood from being excluded, as seen under the Trump Administration’s so-called “domestic gag rule.”
      • The bill would reinstate regulations prohibiting discrimination against providers who offer Title X services, ensuring continuity of care for patients.
    3. Ensure access to comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care for all patients, regardless of income, race, immigration status, or gender.
      • This includes information and services related to prenatal care, delivery, infant care, foster care, adoption, and pregnancy termination — unless a patient opts out of receiving information on certain options.

    Last week, Davids led more than 160 House Democrats in urging U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately restore all appropriated Title X funding. The letter also called for an urgent meeting with impacted providers to ensure that care is not disrupted.

    “The Trump administration is trying to strip health care access from people nationwide, and now they’re attacking Title X — the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing affordable sexual and reproductive health care,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President & CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Sadly, we already know what happens when health care providers, including Planned Parenthood health centers, lose Title X funding. People across the country suffer, cancers go undetected, access to birth control is severely reduced, and the nation’s STI crisis worsens. Thank you to Senators Smith, Murray, and Warren, and Representatives Davids, Chu, and Titus for reintroducing this critical bill to protect continued investment in the Title X family planning program. The withholding of Title X funds from Planned Parenthood health centers cannot stand.”

    “The recent, unjustified attacks on the Title X program have detrimental real-life consequences across the country,” said Clare Coleman, President & CEO, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. “Withholding Title X funds for a quarter of all grantees in the Title X network has impacted 870 health clinics and more than 850,000 patients. The impact is vast and disproportionately affects low-income individuals, rural communities, people of color. I applaud Rep. Sharice Davids and Senator Tina Smith for introducing this legislation and look forward to a future where Title X family planning providers are fully funded and able to serve every patient in their community who needs high-quality reproductive health care.”

    “The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act secures sustainable, consistent funding for Title X that would help patients by helping to stabilize the provider network, prevent service disruptions, and uphold its commitment to person-centered care — care that respects and responds to an individual’s preferences, needs, and values,” said Kelly Baden, Vice President of Public Policy, Guttmacher Institute. “Guttmacher data shows that restrictions appearing to target one type of reproductive health care have ripple effects on all aspects of reproductive care, including abortion and contraception. Attacks on Title X from the Trump Administration are devastating to the thousands of people who rely on those health centers every day as their trusted provider of contraception and other affordable care.  Congress must support Title X as a vital program ensuring access to reproductive health care and addressing longstanding health disparities in care. We thank Rep. Davids for her leadership in championing this critical legislation.”

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act is endorsed by a wide coalition of public health and reproductive rights organizations, including Guttmacher Institute, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, National Council of Jewish Women, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Power to Decide, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Upstream USA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Craig, Jayapal, Deluzio, Ryan Launch Monopoly Busters Caucus to Fight Corporate Greed and Lower Costs for Everyday Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (MN-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Pat Ryan (NY-19) launched the Monopoly Busters Caucus, a new caucus with nine founding Members to fight corporate greed, lower costs and promote a pro-worker, pro-consumer, and pro-small business economic agenda.

    During today’s press conference announcing the caucus, the Members were joined by founding members Representatives Becca Balint (VT), Greg Casar (TX-25), Jerry Nadler (NY-12) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) as well as Mike Stranz, Vice President of Advocacy, National Farmers Union; Clayton Bennet, Manager, Safeway; and Jonathan Akanowicz RPh., Co-Owner, Towne Drugs.

    “As the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, I have seen firsthand how consolidation in the ag industry is squeezing our family farmers and producers – and driving up costs for consumers too,” said Rep. Craig. “At a time when the Administration is launching our country headfirst into a global trade war, it’s more important than ever that we uplift small and local businesses right here at home. I’m proud to be joining Representatives Jayapal, Ryan and Deluzio to fight consolidation, strengthen the middle class and lower costs for producers and consumers.”  

    “Something is wrong in this country when families go to the grocery store and can’t afford milk or eggs or cereal. As people struggle under the weight of inflation, corporate profits are higher than ever,” said Rep. Jayapal. “From rent to groceries, to health care — life in America has become unaffordable. The answer to why is simple: corporate monopolies. When we take on corporate power, we can make a meaningful difference in the everyday lives of working people across the country – and we must, the American people are counting on us.”

    “Monopolies have been rigging the system, crushing competition and small businesses, and ripping off the American people for decades. And for too long, politicians in Congress have let it happen,” said Rep. Deluzio. “We’re launching the Monopoly Busters Caucus today because we think that it’s long overdue for Congress to step up to take on consolidated corporate power and to reinvigorate American capitalism with competition. It’s our duty to help take the squeeze off of America’s workers, small businesses, and consumers and pave a path back to the American Dream. It’s time to get real, patriotic competition back in our economy.”

    “When I talk with folks in the Hudson Valley, the number one thing I hear is frustration. Frustration that even though they’re working hard and doing everything that’s asked of them, they can’t afford to provide for their family – housing, health care, gas, groceries, utilities. It’s inherently un-American that only a select few are able to live out the American dream,” said Rep. Ryan. “The reason for this is clear – in every one of those industries, we’ve let monopolies drive up costs and drive down quality, all while making record breaking profits. We’re gonna fight back against these big and powerful corporations, hold the bad actors accountable, and ultimately put power back where it belongs: with the American people.”

    The full press conference can be viewed here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Harder Announces $14 Million to Reduce Congestion at Stockton Diamond

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10)

    Stockton Diamond is the busiest, most congested rail bottleneck in California

    Harder helped negotiate and pass bipartisan bill that reauthorized congestion funding program

    WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) announced that $14 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding has been awarded to reduce congestion at the Stockton Diamond, which is the busiest and most congested rail bottleneck in California. This funding program, which was reauthorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Harder helped negotiate and pass and approved by the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), will separate principal rail lines to allow uninterrupted rail traffic flow.

    “The last thing our farmers and local businesses need is the worst railway bottleneck in the state grinding our economy to a halt,” said Rep. Harder. “I helped bring federal investments back to the Valley to fix our aging infrastructure, and this project will deliver in spades by reducing congestion and improving safety. I look forward to getting this project done ASAP so our goods can get back on the move instead of sitting in traffic.”

    “This funding approval from SJCOG is a major step forward for the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation, addressing longstanding congestion and safety challenges at one of California’s most critical rail intersections,” said Stacey Mortensen, Executive Director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission. “We are grateful for SJCOG’s commitment to our vision of improving regional transportation efficiency, safety, and air quality for San Joaquin County residents, which aligns perfectly with our ongoing mission to enhance regional connectivity.”

    In addition to easing congestion at the Stockton Diamond, which is used by both BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve site accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians. Once completed, the project will also improve on-time performance of passenger rail services like the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and Amtrak San Joaquins.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Helps Introduce Bill to Protect and Expand Access to Life-Saving Reproductive Health Care Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    In New Hampshire, nearly 10,000 Granite Staters who receive essential care at their local Planned Parenthood affiliate are being affected by the Trump administration’s funding freeze on Title X.

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped introduce the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act. This legislation would safeguard and increase funding for Title X — the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing comprehensive family planning and preventive health services.

    For more than 50 years, Title X has provided critical health care services, including birth control, cancer screenings, annual exams, and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Title X clinics serve 4 million people annually, and in 2023 alone, more than 1.5 million visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were made possible by the program. But that care is under threat, as the Trump administration continues its attacks on this critical program. 

    “In New Hampshire and across the country, Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers offer lifesaving care under Title X, including annual exams, cancer screenings, and STI testing. This administration has chosen to put their own extreme political views over the health and well-being of millions of Americans,” said Congressman Pappas. “That’s why I’m helping introduce legislation to safeguard and support Title X for the thousands of Granite Staters who depend on it. I’ll keep fighting to pass this legislation and continue standing up for access to health care and reproductive rights.”

    The need for the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act comes as the Trump administration has recently frozen millions of dollars in already-appropriated Title X funding, impacting 16 organizations across several states, including New Hampshire. Planned Parenthood affiliates have lost access to as much as $3 million annually — resources they rely on to serve tens of thousands of patients each year. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the freeze could impact access to care for up to 1.25 million people, many of whom are low-income, people of color, or live in medically underserved communities.  

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would:

    • Guarantee stable, annual funding for Title X, preventing repeated Republican-led efforts to eliminate the program.
      • The bill would provide $512 million annually for 10 years, addressing the current funding shortfall and ensuring access to essential services.
      • It also allocates $50 million in mandatory funding for clinic construction, renovations, and infrastructure improvements.
    • Protect family planning providers, including Planned Parenthood, from being excluded, as seen under the Trump Administration’s so-called “domestic gag rule.”
      • The bill would reinstate regulations prohibiting discrimination against providers who offer Title X services, ensuring continuity of care for patients.
    • Ensure access to comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care for all patients, regardless of income, race, immigration status, or gender.
      • This includes information and services related to prenatal care, delivery, infant care, foster care, adoption, and pregnancy termination — unless a patient opts out of receiving information on certain options.

    Pappas, alongside the New Hampshire delegation, condemned the Trump administration’s freeze on federal funding for life-saving reproductive health care services, including those provided by Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE). Last week Pappas joined more than 160 House Democrats in urging U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately restore all appropriated Title X funding. The letter also called for an urgent meeting with impacted providers to ensure that care is not disrupted. 

    Last year Pappas and U.S. Senators Shaheen and Hassan joined PPNNE to highlight the impact abortion bans and efforts to limit access to medication abortion have had in New Hampshire since Roe v. Wade was overturned. The delegation has pushed for Title X funding, and following obstruction from Republicans on New Hampshire’s Executive Council, the delegation helped secure critical Title X funding for PPNNE.

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act is endorsed by a wide coalition of public health and reproductive rights organizations, including Guttmacher Institute, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, National Council of Jewish Women, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Power to Decide, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Upstream USA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas, Goodlander Help Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Affordable Housing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) helped to introduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to support the financing and development of affordable housing across the country by expanding and strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit).  Both Pappas and Goodlander are original cosponsors.

    “New Hampshire continues to face a housing crisis that is impacting our families, small businesses, and economy,” said Congressman Pappas. “These tax credits are helping to get Granite Staters into stable housing and will become even more essential to ensuring its availability given the instability in the economy and higher building costs as a result of tariffs. I’m proud to help reintroduce this legislation and will continue working to expand tools and resources that will bolster New Hampshire’s affordable housing stock.”

    “Having a home is a cornerstone of the American Dream. One of my top priorities in Congress is making housing more affordable for hardworking Granite Staters. I am proud to help introduce the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to do just that,” said Representative Goodlander. “Everywhere I go, I hear from families, small businesses, and employers about the housing crisis. In Congress, I will continue looking for every possible path to expand access to affordable housing, eliminate barriers for development, and tackle the housing crisis head-on.”

    “NeighborWorks has been utilizing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program since our inception over 30 years ago to revitalize neighborhoods and create new affordable housing opportunities. This program has enabled us to build 550 apartments during that time,” said Robert Tourigny, Executive Director of NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire. “We are hopeful that the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will finally be enacted to increase the amount of federal tax credits available, and make this scarce resource go even further toward building more homes in New Hampshire.”

    “The AHCIA represents a critical step forward in addressing the affordable housing crisis our communities face. By enhancing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, we can empower developers to create more affordable multifamily housing,” said New Hampshire Housing CEO, Rob Dapice. “This legislation not only provides equitable housing opportunities but also strengthens the economic foundation of our neighborhoods. We hope Congress will support this vital initiative for the well-being of our citizens.”

    “New Hampshire has a severe shortage of homes affordable to low and extremely-low-income earners. These are our friends, neighbors, and workers who keep our economy running. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will directly address this shortage by enabling the construction and preservation of thousands of homes in our state,” said Nick Taylor, Director of Housing Action NH. “Every year, developers seek to build affordable housing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, yet program limits force many to be denied funding. It makes no sense to turn away the affordable homes we desperately need because of arbitrary federal limits. Thank you to Congresswoman Goodlander and Congressman Pappas for supporting this bipartisan, common-sense legislation.”

    Since its creation, the Housing Credit has built or restored more than 3.5 million affordable housing units, nearly 90% of all federally funded affordable housing during that time. Roughly 8 million American households have benefited from the credit, and the economic activity that it generated has supported 5.5 million jobs and generated more than $617 billion in wages.

    The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act will support the financing of nearly two million new affordable homes across the country by:

    • Increasing the number of credits allocated to each state by 50 percent for the next two years and making the temporary 12.5 percent increase secured in 2018 permanent. These credits have already helped build more than 59,000 additional affordable housing units nationwide.
    • Increasing the number of affordable housing projects that can be built using private activity bonds. This provision stabilizes financing for workforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As a result, projects would have to carry less debt, and more projects would be eligible to receive funding.
    • Improving the Housing Credit program to serve at-risk and underserved communities, including veterans, victims of domestic violence, and rural Americans.

    The text of the legislation can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Takes Action to Protect Public Employees’ Right to Organize

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced he is cosponsoring the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, and the Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to nullify a recent Trump Administration Executive Order ending collective bargaining rights for a wide-ranging group of federal employees.

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions, regardless of state law. The bill comes at a critical time, as recent federal actions have renewed attention on the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including those serving in national security-related agencies.

    The Protect America’s Workforce Act would nullify President Trump’s March 27 executive order seeking to end collective bargaining rights for unionized federal employees across several agencies.

    “Working families are the engine that drive our economy, but all too often we’ve seen the right to organize for better wages, safe conditions, and full benefits come under attack, including by this administration’s recent attempt to roll back collective bargaining rights for federal employees,” said Congressman Pappas. “All workers, including public employees, deserve to be able to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions, and I am proud to support legislation that will ensure those who put in a hard day’s work have a seat at the table and a say in their future.”

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is supported by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for. This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”

    The Protect America’s Workforce Act is supported by the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

    “Donald Trump is trying to end collective bargaining for hundreds of thousands of federal workers, silencing their voices and ripping up their contracts. This order would strike a blow to every American’s fundamental right of freedom of speech and association,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “More than 70 percent of Americans and nearly 9 in 10 young people support unions — no one voted to attack the freedom to organize with our co-workers for a better life. We commend the leadership of Reps. Jared Golden and Brian Fitzpatrick for using Congress’ power to reverse this executive order. The labor movement is 100 percent behind this bill, and we call on every member of Congress, Democrat and Republican, to take a stand in support of our fundamental rights by backing this critical legislation.”

    Last month, Congressman Pappas helped reintroduce H.R. 20, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan proposal to protect workers’ right to come together and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces, and spoke out forcefully against news that the Trump administration had moved to end collective bargaining rights for a wide-ranging group of federal employees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) launches first-ever guidelines on meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care

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

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    The World Health Organization (WHO) has today published its first-ever global guidelines for meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care, aiming to speed up detection, ensure timely treatment, and improve long-term care for those affected. By bringing together the latest evidence-based recommendations, the guidelines provide a critical tool for reducing deaths and disability caused by the disease.

    Despite effective treatments and vaccines against some forms of meningitis, the disease remains a significant global health threat. Bacterial meningitis is the most dangerous form and can become fatal within 24 hours. Many pathogens can cause meningitis with an estimated 2.5 million cases reported globally in 2019. This includes 1.6 million cases of bacterial meningitis which resulted in approximately 240 000 deaths.

    Around 20% of people who contract bacterial meningitis develop long-term complications, including disabilities that impact quality of life. The disease also carries heavy financial and social costs for individuals, families, and communities.

    “Bacterial meningitis kills one in six of the people it strikes, and leaves many others with lasting health challenges,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Implementing these new guidelines will help save lives, improve long-term care for those affected by meningitis, and strengthen health systems.”

    Meningitis can affect anyone anywhere, and at any age, however the disease burden remains particularly high in low- and middle-income countries and in settings experiencing large-scale epidemics.  The highest burden of disease is seen in a region of sub-Saharan Africa, often referred to as the ‘meningitis belt’, which is at high risk of recurrent epidemics of meningococcal meningitis.

    Recommendations for the clinical management of meningitis in children and adults

    Improving clinical management of meningitis is essential to reducing mortality and morbidity, minimizing long-term complications and disability, and improving quality of life for affected individuals and communities.

    The new guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for the clinical management of children over one month of age, adolescents, and adults with acute community-acquired meningitis.

    They address all aspects of clinical care, including diagnosis, antibiotic therapy, adjunctive treatment, supportive care, and management of long-term effects. Given the similarities in clinical presentation, diagnosis and management approaches across different forms of acute community-acquired meningitis, the guidelines address both bacterial and viral causes.

    The guidelines provide recommendations for both non-epidemic and epidemic settings, the latter superseding previous 2014 WHO guidelines, which covered  meningitis outbreak response.

    As resource-limited settings bear the highest burden of meningitis, these guidelines have been specifically developed to provide technical guidance suitable for implementation in low- and middle-income countries.

    The guidelines are intended for use by health-care professionals in first- and second-level facilities, including emergency, inpatient, and outpatient services. Policymakers, health planners, academic institutions, and civil society organizations can also use them to inform capacity-building, education, and research efforts.

    Defeating meningitis by 2030

    The guidelines contribute to the broader Defeating Meningitis by 2030 Global Roadmap, adopted by WHO Member States in 2020, which aims to: eliminate bacterial meningitis epidemics, reduce cases of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% and deaths by 70%, and reduce disability and improve quality of life after meningitis.

    Achieving these goals requires coordinated action across five key areas:

    1. Diagnosis and treatment: Faster detection and optimal clinical management.
    2. Prevention and epidemic control: Developing new affordable vaccines, achieving high immunization and coverage, and improving outbreak preparedness and response.
    3. Disease surveillance: Strengthening monitoring systems to guide prevention and control.
    4. Care and support for those affected by meningitis: Ensuring early recognition and improved access to care and support for after-effects from meningitis. 
    5. Advocacy and engagement: Increasing political commitment and inclusion in country plans, better public understanding of meningitis, and increased awareness of right to prevention, care and after-care services.

    With these guidelines, WHO provides countries with a critical tool to close gaps in meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care, ensuring that more people receive timely treatment and long-term support.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Young Women 4 Peace Initiative presented in Tashkent

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Young Women 4 Peace Initiative presented in Tashkent

    Participants of the Young Women 4 Peace: Empowering Central Asian Young Women Initiative event in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 8 April 2025. (OSCE) Photo details

    Taking an additional step towards empowering young women from Central Asia and Afghanistan to play an active role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, the Young Women 4 Peace: Empowering Central Asian Young Women Initiative arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 8 to 10 April.
    Bringing together regional voices and perspectives to promote peace and security through youth leadership and cross-border collaboration, the three-day programme included a high-level opening with EU and OSCE representatives, as well as Uzbek authorities, and an interactive panel discussion on strengthening networks of young women.
    ”As we mark the 25th Anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, we invest in women by bringing their perspectives on peace and security to the forefront, ensuring that their voices are heard and their right to be included in building peace is respected,” said Dr. Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues. ”Lasting peace requires the active participation of all voices in society, including those of young women. For too long, their unique perspectives and capabilities in peace and security have been overlooked. This must change, and it starts with initiatives like this one.”
    The Young Women for Peace Initiative is funded by the European Union, testifying to the strong partnership between the EU and the OSCE on gender equality, and the special attention to promoting regional approaches, especially in Central Asia.
    “Last week, at the first ever EU-Central Asia summit, the Presidents of all five Central Asian countries expressed their commitment to deepening regional co-operation. The EU works together with Central Asia on their shared path to the future, in the fields of economic integration, water, energy, digitalisation, transport, raw materials, and promoting people-to-people contact. The Young Women for Peace Initiative is a shining example,” said Toivo Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan. “The history of the European Union has proven that regional integration fosters peace and prosperity. History has also proven that women play a crucial role.”
    The event in Tashkent included intensive training sessions dedicated to the collaborative development of cross-border project proposals focused on innovative approaches to women’s empowerment and inclusion in peacebuilding processes. It was organized with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, and welcomed by national authorities.
    “The OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan has developed a comprehensive agenda of activities in the coming months to identify the challenges ahead and to promote Women Peace and Security Agenda by supporting the implementation of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 at the national and regional level and empower women leaders in the security sector and judiciary,“ said Ambassador Antti Karttunen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.
    “We have established a new starting point – a point from which young women in Central Asia will continue to build a world based on dialogue, equality and solidarity. Their voices are the future of the region,“ said Dilnoza Muratova, Deputy Director of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
    Young women will present the outcomes of their collaborative projects in Vienna in September 2025, showcasing what young women can achieve in building a more secure world, when given the right platform and support.
    The event was also supported by the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship, which made gender equality and improving opportunities for youth key priorities.
    “​​​​​​​Gender equality and the meaningful participation of women are essential for building more peaceful and resilient societies. We know that when women are involved in peace processes and the security sector, the outcomes are more sustainable. Gender equality and improving opportunities for youth is not only a matter of rights, but also of results,“​​​​​​​ said Saara-Sofia Sirén, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender.
    Launched in 2024, Young Women 4 Peace is a two-year, transformative initiative implemented under the OSCE Gender Issues Programme’s WIN for Women and Men – Strengthening Comprehensive Security through Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality project, funded by the European Union. The initiative empowers 18 young women aged 18 to 30 from five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Surge In Global Defense Budgets Having Significant Impact On The Global Military (UAS) Drone Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The global unmanned aerial system (UAS) military drones market has been rising steadily over the past years and it is projected to continue substantially into the next decade at least. A recent report from one such industry insider said that the surge in global defense budgets has had a significant impact on the global market. As political tensions rise worldwide, nations are investing in cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to bolster their defense and security capabilities. Increased defense expenditure has allowed countries like the United States, China, and other NATO members to allocate substantial funds to advanced drone programs, enhancing surveillance, supporting combat missions, and improving autonomous drone features.  Geopolitical tensions, especially in regions like Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, are driving a significant demand for military drones. As nations seek to strengthen their surveillance, intelligence, and tactical capabilities, military drones have become integral to modern defense strategies.  Active companies in the markets this week include: Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO), Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT).

    The report continued: “North America, with the United States leading the charge, dominates the military drone market. This leadership is driven by significant investments in advanced military technologies, a strong defense budget, and the presence of key industry players like General Atomics and Northrop Grumman. The U.S. military continues to strengthen its drone capabilities, emphasizing the development of state-of-the-art systems for a range of missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat operations. Moreover, the country is strategically investing in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence, ensuring its drones remain at the forefront of modern warfare and maintain a technological edge on the global stage… The U.S. military remains the largest operator of drones… These drones play a vital role in a wide range of operations, including reconnaissance, surveillance, combat, and logistics.”

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) and SafeLane Global Enter into Multi-Year Agreement with Draganfly as the Preferred Global Provider of Landmine Mapping Drones and Aerial Survey Services – First Ukraine Landmine Aerial Survey Contract Underway– Draganfly Inc. (FSE: 3U8A) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, today announced that it has been selected by SafeLane Global Ltd. (“SafeLane”) as its preferred unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial survey provider.

    SafeLane, a world-renowned specialist in explosive threat mitigation, is one of only two private organizations licensed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense to conduct landmine and explosive ordnance clearance operations in Ukraine. With over 30 years of experience across more than 60 countries, SafeLane supports governments, humanitarian organizations, and commercial clients in the clearance and disposal of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and explosive remnants of war (ERW), both on land and underwater.

    Under the agreement, Draganfly will provide advanced drone solutions, including UAVs, specialized sensors, and data analysis services, to support SafeLane’s global mine action initiatives. The collaboration aims to enhance the speed, accuracy, and safety of explosive threat detection and removal operations in high-risk environments.

    “We are honored to be selected as SafeLane’s UAS partner,” said Cameron Chell, President and CEO of Draganfly. “This partnership represents a significant opportunity to leverage Draganfly’s technology to support critical humanitarian and defense efforts. Together, we will work to deliver scalable, innovative solutions for global landmine action.”

    The companies will co-develop joint intellectual property and standard operating procedures tailored for aerial mine detection and clearance. SafeLane will lead proposal submissions and operational deployment, while Draganfly will provide technology, mission planning, piloting, and survey analysis.

    According to the Landmine Monitor 2023, more than 60 million landmines remain buried across over 60 countries, posing a persistent threat to civilians, especially children, who account for nearly half of the casualties. Ukraine is currently one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world.

    “Draganfly’s drone-based technology will significantly increase the safety and efficiency of our operations,” said Asa Gilbert, Director of Business Development at SafeLane. “This partnership is a critical step in helping communities recover from the legacy of conflict.”

    The collaboration further positions Draganfly as a key player in the defense and humanitarian sectors, supporting efforts to create safer environments in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.  CONTINUED… Read this full press release and more news for Draganfly at:  https://draganfly.com/news/

    Other recent developments in the defense/military industries of note include:

    Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), a drone and drone components manufacturer, recently announced it filed its Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and provided the following letter to its shareholders from CEO Allan Evans.  Dear Shareholders,  This shareholder letter follows the completion of our fiscal year 2024. This is our first year being public. It has been an excellent fourth quarter and an incredible year. We continue to see great interest in the company and receive questions from shareholders. We would like to take this opportunity to provide context and deeper insights into our operations and what these represent for Unusual Machines’ future.

    Unusual Machines revenue for the fourth quarter revenue was over $2.0 million which represents a sequentially quarter over quarter increase of approximately 31%. This is our best revenue quarter of all time (again) and was done while improving gross margins slightly to 28%. With the launch of our Blue Framework products, approximately 15% of our Q4 revenue was from enterprise sales. Our total revenue of $5.65M for FY2024 exceeded our target of $5M for 2024 by 13%. This growth was achieved without customer concentration as no single customer represented more than 5% of our total revenue for 2024.

    Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a technology company specializing in defense, national security, and global markets, recently announced the groundbreaking of Kratos’ Hypersonic System Indiana Payload Integration Facility (IPIF) in Crane, Indiana. This state-of-the-art 68,000-square-foot office, laboratory, integration and test complex will support critical hypersonic vehicle and payload activities and systems for the Multi-Service Advanced Capabilities Hypersonic Testbed (MACH-TB) program. The project demonstrates Kratos’ commitment to advancing hypersonic system payload integration and test capabilities and expanding crucial infrastructure needed to accelerate the time to Mach 5+ flight testing.

    Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos, said: “The Kratos Hypersonic System Indiana Payload Integration Facility represents a strategic investment in our Nation’s hypersonic infrastructure, workforce and capabilities. Kratos is committed to achieving, if not exceeding, the MACH-TB program’s primary goals, which include, increasing the cadence of flight tests and to mature and qualify advanced hypersonic technologies. Kratos’ IPIF will provide a vital commercial launch vehicle environmental test and assembly capability to supplement existing DoD and NASA facilities.”

    Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently announced that it will webcast live its first quarter 2025 earnings results conference call (listen-only mode) on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 11 a.m. ET.  James Taiclet, chairman, president and CEO; Jay Malave, chief financial officer; and Maria Ricciardone, vice president, Treasurer and Investor Relations, will discuss first quarter 2025 results, provide updates on key topics and answer questions.  First quarter 2025 results will be published prior to the market opening on April 22.

    The live webcast will be available at www.lockheedmartin.com/investor and the accompanying presentation slides and relevant financial charts will also be available on the same website prior to market open.

    An on-demand replay of the webcast will be available through Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at www.lockheedmartin.com/investor, and a podcast will be available here.

    General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), recently announced that it has expanded its technology partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) through a new Strategic Collaboration Agreement to drive digital modernization, deliver efficiencies and advance government missions.

    GDIT and AWS will collaborate to develop cutting-edge cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud migration and modernization solutions to accelerate digital transformation for defense, intelligence and civilian agencies. Government agencies will benefit from AWS’s cloud computing environment, widely considered to be one of the most secure available today, to support their unique missions. GDIT will leverage its research and development labs to collaborate with AWS on emerging technologies such as quantum, edge computing and high-performance computing.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Can aviation ever be sustainable? Here are some paths to net zero

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Aviation is growing, but its environmental impact does not have to – if the technology and policies are available to de-carbonise the sector. We hear from a company making sustainable aviation fuel with waste CO2; the head of one of the world’s busiest airports, and from the body representing airports around the world.

    Hosts:
    Robin Pomeroy, Podcasts Editor, World Economic Forum; Laia Barbarà, Head, Climate Strategy – Net Zero, World Economic Forum

    Guests:
    Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports
    Ayesha Choudhury, Chief Commercial Officer at Infinium
    Justin Erbacci, Director General of Airports Council International World

    Links:
    Airports of Tomorrow: https://initiatives.weforum.org/airports-of-tomorrow/home
    Global Aviation Sustainability Outlook 2025: https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-aviation-sustainability-outlook-2025/

    Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts (http://wef.ch/podcasts) :

    YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts) – https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts

    Radio Davos (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1504682164) : https://pod.link/1504682164

    Meet the Leader (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1534915560) : https://pod.link/1534915560

    Agenda Dialogues (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1574956552) : https://pod.link/1574956552

    Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub) : https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Honoured Citizen Award for the Friends of Welford Road Cemetery (2)

    Source: City of Leicester

    A GROUP of volunteers which has been helping to look after Welford Road Cemetery for more than 25 years has received an Honoured Citizen award from the Lord Mayor of Leicester.

    The Friends of Welford Road Cemetery, founded in 1999, encourage people to enjoy the history and surroundings of the cemetery by helping visitors to research their family history, staffing the on-site visitor centre and holding regular events, including annual commemorations of ANZAC Day and Armistice Day.

    They were put forward for an Honoured Citizen Award after the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress visited their Remembrance Day service and talked to them about their work, which includes helping with the maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery as well as preserving the historical significance of the site.

    Honoured Citizen Awards aim to recognise Leicester residents who have made an outstanding contribution to the city.

    The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Bhupen Dave, said: “We were so impressed with the work of the Friends of Welford Road Cemetery when we visited them, and especially with the length of time these volunteers have committed to their roles. I’m very pleased to be able to make them Honoured Citizens in recognition of their unwavering dedication to the cemetery – which as well as being an important historical site, is a real haven for peace and for wildlife right in the heart of the city. I congratulate all of the Friends on their award.”

    Richard Taylor, chairman of the Friends of Welford Road Cemetery, said: “I welcome this recognition of all the hard work done over the years by the many volunteers past and present, including students from the University of Leicester.  It has been a privilege to help so many people from Leicester and abroad find out about their ancestors and to learn the many stories they have to tell. We are a strong group and hope to carry on promoting this special site for many years to come.”

    Alan Brown, bereavement services manager at Leicester City Council, added: “I’m so delighted that the fantastic work of the Friends of Welford Road Cemetery has been highlighted and recognised in this way. Their efforts over quarter of a decade are hugely appreciated and they have made a real difference to many people in Leicester and beyond, so it’s wonderful that they have received this award.”

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Gillibrand And Congressmembers Lawler And Gillen Demand Answers From Secretary Kennedy On Head Start Field Office Closures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Congressmembers Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Laura Gillen (D-NY), sent a letter to United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers on closures of Office of Head Start (OHS) regional offices across the nation, including in New York. Head Start and Early Head Start are the only federally supported early care and education programs specifically dedicated to serving low-income households. The members reinforced the critical role that these regional offices have in serving Head Start and Early Head Start grantees to ensure that these programs continue to help to reduce poverty by providing the unique combination of early childhood education and support services that foster social and economic advancement for families.
    Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State, and as the members note, there are long-term benefits that show these programs work. Research consistently finds that “children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, and demonstrate improved social, emotional, and behavioral development.”
    The letter requests answers about the following:
    1.           The timeline for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to replace or supplement the services that are provided by staff in these regional offices.
    2.           The interim or temporary services OHS has in place to ensure the continuity of services to local Head Start and Early Head Start grantees.
    a.           What plans are in place to ensure that grant contracts and renewals, some as soon as May 1, will not be delayed or otherwise disrupted by these personnel decisions.
    3.           Documentation of OHS’s communication with regional staff and local grantees on the status of closures. 
    Senator Gillibrand has been a leader on supporting Head Start and Early Head Start programs. In 2023 alone, she announced over $100 million in federal funding for Head Start programs in New York State.
    A full copy of the letter can be found here and in the text below.
    Dear Secretary Kennedy,
    We write to express our deep concern regarding the reported closures of at least five Office of Head Start (OHS) regional offices across the nation, including the Region II office, which serves the families, children, and grant recipients in New York, New Jersey, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. We strongly urge you to reverse this decision and commit to ensuring that any agency restructuring decisions do not result in service disruption or delays for children and families. 
    As you know, Head Start and Early Head Start are the only federally supported early care and education programs specifically dedicated to serving low-income households. These programs help to reduce poverty by providing the unique combination of early childhood education and support services that foster social and economic advancement for families. Research consistently shows that children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, and demonstrate improved social, emotional, and behavioral development. In New York alone, over 50,000 children and their families rely on Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
    Head Start programs are administered by OHS within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OHS provides federal policy direction through regional offices located across the country and play a critical role in ensuring that Head Start and Early Head Start grantees are equipped to deliver high-quality early childhood education, child care, health services, nutrition, and family support. Staff in these offices – including policy, compliance, and fiscal specialists – assist local grantees with program requirements and safety standards and provide training and technical assistance. Head Start grantees rely on these regional offices for the efficient and reliable administration of grant funding, distribution, and oversight. 
    Employees in at least five regional offices (New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle) appear to have received reduction-in-force (RIF) notices. Closing these offices would deprive local Head Start and Early Head Start grantees of these critical services. While this decision may be driven by the goal of improving government efficiency, it could lead to significant delays in program support, undermine service quality, and jeopardize the overall effectiveness of the Office of Head Start.
    We strongly urge the Administration to reconsider these closures until a comprehensive plan to replace or supplement these services is developed and shared with the relevant stakeholders. At a minimum, we ask that you ensure that local Head Start and Early Head Start grantees in Region II have timely and adequate access to the services and support they would typically receive. Additionally, please provide a written response to questions related to continuity and interim services by Wednesday, April 23, 2025. 
    Please confirm and provide the timeline for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to replace or supplement the services that are provided by staff in these regional offices. 
    Please confirm and provide a description of the interim or temporary services OHS has in place to ensure the continuity of services to local Head Start and Early Head Start grantees?
    How will you ensure grant contracts and renewals, some as soon as May 1, will not be delayed or otherwise disrupted by these personnel decisions?
    Please provide documentation of OHS’s communication with regional staff and local grantees on the status of closures.  
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Bice Host Oklahoma Commemorative Survivor Tree Dedication Ceremony

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    WASHINGTON, DC — This week, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (R-OK) hosted a ceremony to dedicate a Commemorative Survivor Tree on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. This Survivor Tree, a descendant of the original tree, was planted on the northwest corner of the Capitol, facing the National Mall. It honors the 168 lives lost and pays tribute to the survivors, rescuers, and all those affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on its 30th anniversary, April 19, 1995. Members of the Oklahoma congressionaldelegation, representatives from the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, and individuals who were directly impacted by the bombing attended the event.
    “We still feel the pain and loss of April 19, 1995. Each year, we remember the 168 lives lost, those who survived, those who were changed forever, and the heroes who ran toward the devastation,” said Senator Lankford. “The Survivor Tree endured the blast and became our symbol of hope. Thirty years later, a ‘child’ of the Survivor Tree now stands each day at our nation’s Capitol. The living memorial honors the legacy of those we lost and reminds the country of the strength, resilience, and compassion that define the Oklahoma Standard.”
    The Alfred P. Murrah Building Bombing changed Oklahoma and our nation forever. In the aftermath of this tragic event the state and city came together creating the Oklahoma Standard,” said Congresswoman Bice. “Planting a sapling of the Survivor Tree, which is a symbol of hope and resilience for our community, on the Capitol Grounds is an immense honor. The location of this tree will serve as a place for every American to reflect and remember the impact of April 19th, 1995. I look forward to watching the tree grow and having a piece of OKC in Washington.”
    “Nearly 30 years ago, 168 beautiful souls were taken from our community in a horrific tragedy. We will never forget those that we lost and the loved ones they left behind,” said Senator Mullin. “We will continue to strive towards the Oklahoma Standard in their honor.”
    “On April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City was struck by an unconscionable act of domestic terrorism, shocking the world. 168 precious lives were senselessly taken and hundreds more were left injured and heartbroken. Today, we honor and remember those lives taken, grieve with the families who mourn, and stand strong with our fellow Oklahomans,” said Congressman Cole. 
    “The resilience of Oklahomans in the aftermath of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing has always inspired me. This commemorative tree on the grounds of our nation’s Capitol is symbolic of that strength and the hope that endures in Oklahoma,” said Congressman Hern. “Thirty years have passed since 168 lives were cut short, but those souls will never be forgotten. Neither will we forget the selflessness and courage of those who ran toward the smoke, risking their lives to rescue survivors. Our nation honors their legacy.”  
    “This is an important anniversary to remember, not just for the sheer tragedy of the day, but also for the overwhelming unity that Oklahomans displayed in the aftermath,” said Congressman Lucas. “While we continue to hold that memory in our hearts, today we get a physical reminder in our nation’s capital. Thank you to Congresswoman Bice for making this possible.”
    “As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, I am honored to stand with my colleagues in the Oklahoma delegation as we dedicate this tree to all those affected on that devastating day. This tree will long stand as a symbol of resilience and hope as we remember the 168 innocent people whose lives were taken too soon,” said Congressman Brecheen.
    “A tiny seed grown from the Memorial’s Survivor Tree stands as a testament that this seedling will spread its roots and grow at the United States Capitol marking both memory and time. Memory of those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. And time – 30 years later — of how this nation came together and stood united. As we approach this anniversary, may we remember the Day of Darkness and Years of Light,” stated Kari Watkins, President & CEO, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
    “We are so honored to plant this Survivor Tree at the United States Capitol as a symbol of people coming and working together to find common ground,” said Dr. Susan Chambers, Chairman Board of Trustees, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. “It stands here today to bring hope to our city and nation.”
    Background: 
    This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. The attack forever changed the state of Oklahoma and the nation. The commemorative tree planting serves as a living tribute to the victims and a reminder of resilience, unity, and hope. 
    For more information visit HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons and Moran, Reps. Pingree and Lawler introduce NO TIME TO Waste Act to combat American food loss and waste

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) reintroduced today the bipartisan, bicameral New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste, or NO TIME TO Waste Act. The bill would reduce food loss and waste in the United States in an effort to increase food security, foster productivity, promote resource and energy conservation, and address climate change. This reintroduction comes during National Food Waste Prevention Week (April 7-13) to raise awareness around the issue of food waste and highlight bipartisan opportunities to find solutions.
    “Food waste exacerbates hunger, pollutes the environment, and undercuts our economy,” said Senator Coons. “As we celebrate National Food Waste Prevention Week, I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan, bicameral bill that takes commonsense steps to tackle food waste. Together, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve health outcomes, and ensure food reaches the communities across Delaware and the nation who need it most.”
    “Kansas is the breadbasket of the country, helping feed the nation and the world,” said Senator Moran. “However, nearly 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. goes to waste while many Americans face hunger and food shortages. This legislation would require collaboration between agencies to help cut food waste and support partnerships to feed those in need.”
    “With food insecurity on the rise across the country and the cost of groceries continuing to rise, it’s more important than ever that we develop whole-of-government solutions and strategies to prevent food loss and waste, encourage greater food recovery, and ensure that no one in this country goes hungry. This bill is a big step in the right direction,” said Congresswoman Pingree, co-founder of the bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus and member of the House Agriculture Committee. “Our NO TIME TO Waste Act would strengthen the federal government’s approach to food loss by tackling waste in every step of our food system—from prevention research to composting and education programs. Food waste isn’t just an economic or environmental issue; it’s a moral one—and it’s long past time that we address it.”
    “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Pingree and Senators Coons and Moran in reintroducing the bipartisan, bicameral NO TIME TO Waste Act to cut food waste and fight hunger. From Rockland to Putnam to Westchester, I’ve seen local food banks and community groups doing incredible work—and this bill gives them the tools, funding, and federal support they need to do even more,” said Congressman Lawler (NY-17).
    Each year, 30 to 40% of the U.S. food supply is lost or wasted—133 billion pounds. Meanwhile, 47 million Americans go hungry, including 7 million children, often in rural communities. In the United States, food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills, generating methane gas as it decomposes, a greenhouse gas approximately 28% more potent than carbon dioxide. In response, the United States committed in the 2018 Farm Bill to cut food loss and waste (FLW) in half by the year 2030 through the U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal, the first-ever domestic goal to reduce FLW.
    Specifically, the NO TIME TO Waste Act would: 
    Improve federal coordination by formally authorizing the existence of collaboration between the USDA, EPA, and FDA to reduce FLW by 50% by 2030
    Establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste at USDA to support the role of the Food Loss and Waste Liaison, strengthen research on FLW and new technologies, and quantify the impact of current FLW policies on greenhouse gas emissions
    Strengthen current USDA research programs to include FLW as part of their priorities and support states’ efforts to assist local food recovery infrastructure and coordination
    Launch a national public awareness and education campaign to educate households on practical ways to reduce waste at home, the impacts of FLW, methods for preserving and storing foods, tips for identifying whether food is still safe and edible, and developing educational materials
    The NO TIME TO Waste Act is endorsed by the Zero Food Waste Coalition (Natural Resources Defense Council, Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, World Wildlife Fund, ReFED), Upcycled Food Association, Plastic Free Delaware/Zero Waste First State, and Health Care Without Harm.
    “Food waste is a systemwide problem that requires systemwide action to solve, said Renee Albrecht, Co-Chair Federal Working Group, Zero Food Waste Coalition. “The bipartisan NO TIME TO Waste Act provides commonsense solutions to tackle waste throughout the food system and deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits.” 
    “With the massive scale of wasted food comes tremendous opportunity for transformative bipartisan food systems change,” said Amanda Oenbring, CEO, Upcycled Food Association. “EPA’s Food Waste Scale identifies upcycling as a ‘most-preferred’ pathway alongside donation to managing wasted food because it displaces the need for additional food production while ensuring food reaches its highest and best use in the human food system. The NO TIME TO Waste Act will increase collaboration support for the entrepreneurs and innovators rescuing nutrition from half of food surplus that is excess and byproducts while educating consumers about the value these ingredients and products bring to our tables. In doing so we can scale efforts to stop food waste and realize greater social, economic and environmental benefits across the US and beyond.”
    “Plastic Free Delaware (aka Zero Waste First State) applauds our Delaware Senator Coons, and Senator Moran, for pursuing the goals inherent in the NO TIME TO Waste Act,” said Dee Durham, Plastic Free Delaware/Zero Waste First State. “The Act would bolster our efforts on the ground in Delaware to reduce food waste and divert organics from Delaware’s landfills, saving Delawareans money, conserving resources, and reducing emissions of methane which is a significant climate change component.”
    A one-pager is available here. 
    You can read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin, Senate Republicans, Join Hannity to Update America on President Trump’s First 100 Days

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Mullin, Senate Republicans, Join Hannity to Update America on President Trump’s First 100 Days

    “If we don’t get the budget passed, we can’t get to reconciliation, and reconciliation is where all the cuts come in.”
    Washington, D.C. –On Tuesday, U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on a special edition of Hannity to unpack President Trump’s first 100 days in office and urge the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Trump-endorsed Senate budget resolution. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin and his Senate GOP colleagues’ interview can be found here.
    On the president’s use of tariffs to halt unfair trade practices:
    “Which goes to the fact that President Trump has the backbone at this point to say, hey, it’s time to right the ship. There has been no president that’s been willing to address this, and we’ve known this has been an issue, Sean, for decades, and it’s only got worse.What President Trump did is he’s finally stepped up and said something that he started talking about back in 1988 on Oprah’s show, saying that they’re taking advantage of us. We have to stop the bleeding. If we didn’t do it, then what generation was going to happen?”
    On the Democrats’ lies about social security and taxes in the reconciliation process:
    “The American people are starting to believe it [Democrats’ lies], because they say it so much. You cannot cut Social Security in reconciliation. At the same time, they’re saying we’re going to cut taxes for billionaires and millionaires and President Trump’s friends, when all we’re doing is extending the current tax code, the current tax policy that we have right now, we’re simply extending it. And so the Democrats, they can’t run on any of their policies, but they’re running on lies.”
    On the need for House Republicans to vote for the Trump-endorsed Senate budget resolution:
    “With the House right now, I think there’s a misunderstanding what the budget actually does. The budget does nothing to instruct them. It’s just the vehicle for us to move to reconciliation. If we don’t get the budget passed, we can’t get to reconciliation, and reconciliation is where all the cuts come in. That’s where we take DOGE into consideration. That’s when we start trying to balance the budget. That’s where we can start making the tax cuts permanent.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Additional funding for National Treatment Centre Highland

    Source: Scottish Government

    Additional funding for National Treatment Centre Highland

    Funding of £2.6 million will allow National Treatment Centre (NTC) Highland to deliver thousands of additional orthopaedic and ophthalmic operations every year.

    The additional investment – allocated from £200 million contained in the Budget to tackle waiting times, delayed discharge and improve hospital flow across the country – will support the recruitment of new nurses, anaesthetists and healthcare support workers.

    This is expected to allow the centre to carry out around 8,418 procedures in the coming year – a 67% increase on the 5,054 commissioned by the Scottish Government last year. The increase in capacity will deliver procedures for patients in NHS Highland, NHS Grampian, NHS Tayside and NHS Shetland.

    Visiting the facility in Inverness, Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “In the two years since its opening, National Treatment Centre Highland has provided life-changing treatment to thousands of people living in the North of Scotland.

    “This new funding of £2.6 million will help the state-of-the-art facility to deliver thousands of additional procedures every year – including operations for cataracts and joint replacements.   

    “We know in the past too many people have waited too long for treatment, and the First Minister and I have set out a plan to change that.  We will deliver more than 150,000 extra appointments nationally and procedures in the coming year to ensure people receive the care they need as quickly as possible – targeting the longest waiting patients and optimising the use of our National Treatment Centres to substantially increase capacity.”

    Background:

    Through its portion of £30 million additional funding for targeted planned care procedures, National Treatment Centre Highland also completed an additional 2,560 cataract procedures last year.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Salford City Council appoints new Chief Executive

    Source: City of Salford

    • Stephen Young confirmed as city’s new Chief Executive
    • He will move from his current role of Chief Executive at Halton Borough Council
    • He is expected to take up the role in the autumn
    • He brings over 30 years of public sector experience, including 17 years in senior leadership roles and the past three years as Chief Executive
    • He will take over from current Interim Chief Executive Melissa Caslake

    Salford City Council has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive, the permanent successor to Tom Stannard, who departed the role in January.

    Following an extensive recruitment and selection process, Stephen Young has been appointed to the role. He is currently Chief Executive at Halton Borough Council, a role he has held since March 2022.

    Stephen brings a wealth of experience to the role, with over 30 years working in the public sector, with seventeen of those being in senior leadership roles. He has previously held the role of Executive Director of Growth, Environment, Transportation and Community Services at Lancashire County Council. Other key roles include Director of Place and Assistant Director of Development and Regeneration at Bolton Council, having started his public sector career as a Council Tax Recovery Officer at Burnley Borough Council in 1995.    

    Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I’m delighted to confirm Stephen’s appointment; this really is an exciting appointment for Salford City Council. I’ve been impressed by his views and his approach to the public sector, firmly aligned with our organisation values.

    “I was especially impressed with his track record of delivering growth through regeneration and of improving outcomes for children and young people in Halton. His experience and expertise of working for a Combined Authority make him the perfect candidate for Salford as we continue to work to ensure our city’s voice is heard within our own Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

    “I’d like to thank Melissa Caslake who has been our Interim Chief Executive, for all her leadership and dedication and her calm, steady guidance and unwavering commitment to both the organisation and the city.
     
    “I now look forward to working with Stephen, and to jointly leading our organisation through the next phase of delivering for the people of Salford – supporting our communities, tackling inequality, and continuing to work in partnership across the city and beyond to champion the work of Salford City Council.” 

    Stephen Young said “Salford is an incredible city – full of energy, pride and potential. I’m honoured to step into the role of Chief Executive and to work with elected members, colleagues, partners, and communities to help drive forward our shared ambitions. There’s so much to be proud of, and even more to look forward to. We’re entering an exciting new chapter, and I can’t wait to meet everyone, get started, and deliver for this great city.” 

    Salford City Council will officially ratify Stephen Young’s appointment at a special meeting of the full council on Wednesday 30 April. He is then expected to take up the role in the autumn.   

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    Date published
    Thursday 10 April 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Stronger Immunization Policies Needed as Vaccine Confidence Falls Singapore | 10 April 2025 Issued by the APEC Health Working Group A new APEC report raises concerns over declining vaccine confidence and uptake across the region, increasing the risk of preventable disease outbreaks and underscoring the urgent need for stronger immunization policies and cross-border collaboration.

    Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

    A new APEC report raises concerns over declining vaccine confidence and uptake across the region, increasing the risk of preventable disease outbreaks and underscoring the urgent need for stronger immunization policies and cross-border collaboration.

    Findings from the updated APEC Regional Dashboard on Vaccination Across the Life-Course reveal gaps in vaccine access, financing and data collection, with only eight economies meeting the 95 percent measles herd immunity threshold in 2023—a 27 percent drop from 2022. The dashboard also highlights a decline in vaccine confidence, with adults in at least 16 APEC economies increasingly questioning the safety, effectiveness and importance of vaccines.

    “Strengthening life-course immunization is critical to building resilient healthcare systems and ensuring economic sustainability across APEC economies,” said Dr Victor Yosef Melt Campos, Chair of the APEC Health Working Group.

    “A well-vaccinated population is not only healthier but also more productive, contributing to stronger communities and a more robust workforce,” Dr Campos added. “Investing in immunization helps economies safeguard public health, enhance social well-being, and create a foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity.”

    Developed by the APEC Vaccines Task Force under the Health Working Group, the dashboard tracks progress on the APEC Action Plan on Vaccination Across the Life-Course, a regional strategy that supports member economies in expanding vaccine access, strengthening immunization programs and preparing for future health challenges.

    The dashboard highlights the need to expand immunization programs beyond childhood to include adolescents, adults and at-risk groups. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic underscore the importance of scalable, adaptable strategies to strengthen vaccine uptake across different population segments.

    Gaps in data collection and assessment remain a critical challenge, according to the dashboard. Only one-third of APEC economies currently track the indirect benefits of vaccination, despite growing evidence that adult vaccines can return up to 19 times their initial investment.

    Additionally, just over half of APEC economies have a comprehensive framework to assess both the economic and social benefits of immunization. Strengthening evidence-based policymaking and ensuring that vaccine investments align with broader economic and public health goals will be key to improving immunization outcomes across the region.

    The dashboard also underscores the importance financial sustainability for immunization programs. The dashboard highlights best practices, including free vaccines for older adults, multi-year procurement contracts and tax levies to support vaccine programs.

    Pandemic preparedness remains a key priority. While 90 percent of APEC economies have established preparedness strategies, fewer have introduced catch-up vaccination plans to address routine immunization disruptions. Strengthening surveillance systems, harmonizing regulatory frameworks and ensuring rapid vaccine deployment in response to outbreaks will be essential to mitigating future health crises​

    With 2025 marking the halfway point for both the APEC Action Plan on Vaccination Across the Life-Course and the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030, the dashboard urges member economies to accelerate efforts to strengthen immunization systems. Sustainable and adaptable policies will be essential to ensuring resilient vaccination programs amid evolving public health challenges.

    The APEC Vaccines Task Force remains committed to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing to support economies in enhancing immunization coverage. For more information, visit this page or contact [email protected].

    For further details and media inquiries, please contact:
    [email protected] 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Classical High School senior wins R.I. ‘Poetry Out Loud’ recitation contest

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    Providence, RI � A senior at Classical High School, Emmanuel Obisanya, was named the Rhode Island 2025 winner of the state’s Poetry Out Loud Championship on March 8 at the Providence Public Library. He won with his stand-out recitation of the following poems: Dirge Without Music, Edna St. Vincent Millay; I am the People, the Mob, Carl Sandburg; and Revenge, Letitia Elizabeth Landon.

    Obisanya moves onto the regional competition starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, in Washington, D.C., at George Washington University. The competition will be streamed via www.arts.gov/Poetry-Out-Loud. The nine finalists named during the regional semifinals will proceed to the national finals on Wednesday, May 7.

    During the state’s championship, Central High School’s Jaydan Wirawan, placed second; Jennifer Shon, Portsmouth Abbey School, netted third place; and honorable mentions went to Sebastiana Lux Hernandez, Johnston High School, and Mays Miller, Providence Country Day School.

    Local school finalists included:

    � Kiernan Elliott, Bishop Hendricken High School. � Andrew Smith, La Salle Academy. � Carter Stolt, Chariho Regional High School. � Sula Prentiss, School One. � Elska Alario, East Providence High School. � Teeghan Riley, Central Falls High School. � Yiadalis Cardec, William M. Davies Career and Technical High School. � Lola Darling, Moses Brown School.

    “On behalf of RISCA, congratulations to Emmanuel and everyone, students, teachers and mentors, who participated in this year’s Poetry Out Loud. We wish Emmanuel the best of luck in the national competition,” said Todd Trebour, Executive Director of RISCA. “Our arts agency has been a longtime partner with the NEA and the Poetry Foundation� having participated in all 20 Poetry Out Loud competitions. These students dedicated themselves to months of preparation for this key arts education program, and we are inspired by their display of bravery, skill and passion.”

    Locally, more than 1,700 R.I. students, 32 teachers and 13 schools from throughout the state participated in the arts education competition. Prior to the championship the competitors spent most of the school year studying poetry through learning, memorization and performance.

    This year marks the competition’s 20th anniversary. Out of the 157,000 students who participated in Poetry Out Loud state championships, 55 have advanced to the 2025 National Finals. Since its inception in 2005, this arts education program has reached more than 4.5 million students.

    A special thank you to guest poet Marlon Carey; the content judges April Brown, Lawrence Nunes and Lenore Rheaume; Paul Rheaume for accuracy; prompting support from Sarah Ashley; and tabulation by Ellen House and Toni Rose. The Poetry Out Loud staff members were teaching artists Kate Lohman and Carey, and co-director Damont Combs. Thank you to the Providence Public Library, the R.I. Center for the Book and Providence Athenaeum.

    The winner of the Poetry Out Loud Rhode Island championship receives $200 with a $500 stipend to the winning school for the purchase of poetry materials. Second place wins $100, with $200 stipend for the school’s library.

    Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, a partnership with RISCA, NEA and the Poetry Foundation, inspires high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performances and competition. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools throughout the country.

    Poetry Out Loud lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. The program starts in the classroom/school or at the local level with an area organization. Students memorize and recite poems they select from an anthology of more than 1,200 classic and contemporary poems. Winners then may advance to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.5 million students and 85,000 teachers from 21,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in Poetry Out Loud. For more information about Poetry Out Loud and how to participate in the 2025�2026 program, visit PoetryOutLoud.org.

    Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit Arts.gov to learn more.

    The Poetry Foundation recognizes the power of words to transform lives. The Foundation works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry. Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkLinkedInedIn.

    Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. Mid Atlantic Arts combines state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit www.midatlanticarts.org.

    Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is a state agency, supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders. For more information, visit RISCA’s website. www.arts.ri.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Montgomery Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Recovered at Scene of Shooting Where Four-Year-Old Was Injured

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man for illegally possessing a firearm recovered at the scene of a shooting. On April 9, 2025, a judge ordered that 27-year-old Grenden James Jordan serve 174 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following his 14-and-a-half-year prison sentence, Jordan will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.

                According to court records and evidence presented at his January 2025 trial, on March 16, 2024, an officer with the Montgomery Police Department responded to the scene of a shooting on Atlanta Highway near the Eastern Boulevard overpass after hearing gun shots. Upon arrival, the officer saw three men walking away from a blue Dodge Challenger that was stopped in one of the lanes of traffic. One of the men, later identified as Grenden James Jordan, was observed by the officer throwing a firearm towards the side of the road. This was also captured on the officer’s dash cam video. The three men fled the scene.

                Witnesses stated that the three men were occupants of the Dodge Challenger and had exchanged gunfire with a red sedan, which left the scene when law enforcement arrived. Numerous bullet holes were found on the Dodge Challenger. There was a third vehicle on the scene that had been caught in the crossfire and had gunshot damage as well. This vehicle was occupied by innocent bystanders including a mother, father, and four-year-old child. The child sustained injuries from broken glass caused by the gunshots and was treated.

                Officers recovered an AR-style pistol from the area where the firearm had been thrown by Jordan, along with a high-capacity drum magazine with ammunition. During the trial, the jury saw a photo taken prior to March 16, 2024, showing Jordan posing with an AR-style pistol matching the one found on the scene of the shooting. Law enforcement found two additional firearms when searching Jordan’s residence in April of 2024. Jordan has previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The jury found Jordan guilty earlier this year for illegally possessing the firearm recovered on March 16, 2024.

                “This significant sentence not only reflects the need to ensure justice is served, but it also reflects the gravity of the danger posed by Grenden Jordan’s reckless behavior,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Violent crime has an enormous impact on communities and those that work and live within them, including our children. This case is a stark reminder of the harm that can be inflicted when individuals use guns to settle disputes without regard for the wellbeing of others. Montgomery is a safer place with Grenden Jordan off the streets.” 

                “This type of disregard for human life will not be tolerated and most especially by a previously convicted felon,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd. “FBI Mobile will continue to work alongside our state, local, and federal partners to bring justice to the victims of this senseless gun violence.”

                This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

                The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Michelle R. Turner prosecuted.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: E Ink Unveils 75” Spectra™ 6 Display, Setting a New Standard for Vivid and Sustainable Digital Signage

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BILLERICA, Mass., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Ink (8069.TW) the originator, pioneer, and global commercial leader in electronic paper (ePaper) technology, today announced the launch of its largest E Ink Spectra™ 6 form factor to date, a 75” full-color ePaper display module.

    The debut of the Spectra 6 75” follows this year’s launch of the E Ink Kaleido™ 3 75” during ISE, as E Ink continues to prioritize larger formats across its ePaper portfolio. Initial sample modules will be available in Q4 of 2025 to the partners who presented at Touch Taiwan 2025 in collaboration with E Ink.

    “Our new 75” Spectra 6 display marks a significant milestone in E Ink’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, sustainable digital signage,” said Johnson Lee, CEO of E Ink. “By combining a highly saturated, full-color ePaper experience with extreme energy efficiency, we’re giving advertisers, brands and retailers an innovative way to engage customers while reducing their environmental impact. We’re excited to see how partners will harness this technology to transform indoor digital advertising applications.”

    The 75” Spectra 6 modules can be equipped with E Ink Ripple™, the next-generation waveform and algorithm architecture that enables smoother display updates and expands color options. The newest waveform transitions can increase dwell time from customers and engagement for advertisements.

    Applications and use cases include advertisements, information displays and wayfinding signage, as well as corporate and retail branding exhibits. The larger form factor helps drive engagement and enhances communication via vivid color ePaper displays. Key features of E Ink Spectra 6 modules include:

    • Rich, vivid colors for commercial displays
    • Extreme energy efficiency with an operating temperature ranging from 0-50 °C
    • Optimizing space utility by transforming static poster spaces into dynamic displays, enabling effortless and energy-efficient content updates without manual intervention

    By using power only when updating content, E Ink’s ePaper technology is highly energy-efficient and non-emissive—relying on ambient light rather than a constant backlight. This design significantly reduces power consumption and carbon emissions compared to both paper and LCDs. Under its PESG (Product, Environment, Social, and Governance) framework, E Ink delivers low-carbon solutions that accelerate this sustainable transition. According to FTSE Russell, a global index provider, 99.9% of E Ink’s product sales revenue qualifies as green, while Moody’s, a leading credit rating agency, has verified the company’s green loans as compliant with Green Loan Principles. These recognitions underscore E Ink’s strong environmental performance and alignment with international sustainability standards.

    About E Ink

    E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, provides an ideal display medium for applications spanning eReaders and eNotes, retail, home, hospital, transportation, logistics, and more, enabling customers to put displays in locations previously impossible. E Ink’s electrophoretic display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its low power displays enable customers to reach their sustainability goals, and E Ink has pledged using 100% renewable energy in 2030 and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. E Ink has been recognized for their efforts by receiving, validation from Science-Based Targets (SBTi) and is listed in both the DJSI World and DJSI Emerging Indexes. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information please visit www.eink.com. E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smart and Green.

    Contacts

    V2 Communications on behalf of E Ink

    eink@v2comms.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c349c0a2-14fb-4971-a715-18de32b5f4fd

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b148730-bb61-4ac8-8e6a-fb7ade23f938

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NextNRG Reports Preliminary March 2025 Revenue Growth of 161% Year-Over-Year and Q1 Revenue Growth of 146%

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NextNRG, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXXT), a pioneer in AI-driven energy innovation—transforming how energy is produced, managed, and delivered through its advanced Utility Operating System, smart microgrid technology, wireless EV charging, and on-demand mobile fuel delivery solutions— today announced preliminary unaudited revenue and volume results for March 2025 and the first quarter of 2025. The company delivered its third consecutive record month, with March revenue increasing 161% year-over-year to approximately $6.15 million.

    March 2025 Highlights

    • Revenue: $6,148,266 (vs. $2,354,048 in March 2024)
    • YoY Revenue Growth: 161%
    • Gallons Delivered: 1,799,955 (vs. 580,217 in March 2024)
    • YoY Gallon Growth: 210%

    Q1 2025 Highlights

    • Revenue: $16,232,354 (vs. $6,597,119 in Q1 2024)
    • YoY Revenue Growth: 146%
    • Gallons Delivered: 4,688,045 (vs. 1,658,272 in Q1 2024)
    • YoY Gallon Growth: 183%

    “We are pleased to report another record-breaking month as our growth trajectory continues to accelerate,” said Michael D. Farkas, Founder and CEO of NextNRG. “With volume nearly tripling year-over-year in March, our focus on disciplined expansion and operational execution is delivering measurable results. The successful integration of strategic acquisitions and our partnerships with major fleet operators are helping to validate our business model as we scale.”

    Farkas continued, “With three consecutive months of all-time high performance, we are seeing strong market demand and consistent customer adoption of our mobile fueling platform. As we expand our AI-powered infrastructure and prepare for future deployments of smart microgrid and wireless charging technologies, we believe NextNRG is playing a key role in powering the transition to a cleaner, more flexible energy future.”

    Note on Preliminary Results
    These March and Q1 2025 financial results are preliminary and unaudited. Final figures may be subject to adjustment pending the completion of month-end and quarter-end closing procedures.

    About NextNRG, Inc.
    NextNRG, Inc. (NextNRG) is Powering What’s Next by implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into renewable energy, next-generation energy infrastructure, battery storage, wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging and on-demand mobile fuel delivery to create an integrated ecosystem.

    At the core of NextNRG’s strategy is its Utility Operating System, which leverages AI and ML to help make existing utilities’ energy management as efficient as possible; and the deployment of NextNRG smart microgrids, which utilize AI-driven energy management alongside solar power and battery storage to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve grid resiliency. These microgrids are designed to serve commercial properties, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, parking garages, rural and tribal lands, recreational facilities and government properties, expanding energy accessibility while supporting decarbonization initiatives.

    NextNRG continues to expand its growing fleet of fuel delivery trucks and national footprint, including the acquisition of Yoshi Mobility’s fuel division and Shell Oil’s trucks, further solidifying its position as a leader in the on-demand fueling industry. NextNRG is also integrating sustainable energy solutions into its mobile fueling operations. The company hopes to be an integral part of assisting its fleet customers in their transition to EV, supporting more efficient fuel delivery while advancing clean energy adoption. The transition process is expected to include the deployment of NextNRG’s innovative wireless EV charging solutions.

    To find out more visit: www.nextnrg.com

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statement describing NextNRG’s goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions, or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Words such as “expect,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to NextNRG’s business and macroeconomic and geopolitical events. These and other risks are described in NextNRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. NextNRG’s forward-looking statements involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although NextNRG’s forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by NextNRG. Except as required by law, NextNRG undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.

    Investor Relations Contact
    NextNRG, Inc.
    Sharon Cohen
    SCohen@nextnrg.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Despite Volatility in the Markets Global Drone Market Is Expected to Achieve Remarkable Growth as Usage Skyrockets

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Manufactures are projected to see increased manufacturing and sales in the global drone market for the coming several years. Rapid advancements in drone technology are significantly contributing to the drones market growth. Innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and improved sensor technology have enhanced the capabilities of drones, enabling them to perform more complex tasks with greater precision and efficiency. The integration of AI and ML, for instance, allows drones to analyze data in real-time, optimize flight paths, and make autonomous decisions. Furthermore, advancements in battery technology and propulsion systems have improved the endurance and range of drones, allowing them to operate for longer periods and cover greater distances. With the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly drones, market players are focusing on delivering drones with enhanced payload capacities, durability, and flight times. A report from Research And Markets said that the global drones market size aided by the increasing adoption of drones across various sectors, including agriculture, defense, logistics, and entertainment, the market is projected to continue to grow at a CAGR of 22.4% through 2032 to reach a value of USD 244.95 billion by 2032.” Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA).

    The report said: “As per the global drones market analysis, the increasing interest in urban air mobility (UAM) and the potential for passenger drones and air taxis represent a transformative opportunity for the transportation sector. Several companies and startups are already developing drone-based urban transport solutions, which could redefine urban mobility and create new market segments in the coming years. In conclusion, the global drones market value is set to increase in the coming years, driven by advancements in technology, expanding applications, and increasing demand across a wide range of sectors. Despite facing regulatory challenges and high costs, the market is set to witness robust expansion as drones become an integral part of modern industries, from agriculture to logistics to entertainment. By 2032, the market is expected to achieve remarkable growth, providing numerous opportunities for innovation, investment, and development across the globe.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Closes Miller Land Surveying Corporation, a Third Southeast Acquisition and a Fourth Nationally for the Drone as Service (DaaS) Rollout – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces the closing of its acquisition of Miller Land Surveying Corporation (“Miller”) of Lake Worth, Florida, a land survey and mapping company with a 40 year history and deep portfolio of business customers in the Palm Beach County area of South Florida.

    This is ZenaTech’s third acquisition in the Southeast region as part of a larger national roll-up strategy to disrupt the land survey industry by accelerating the use of drones for their speed and accuracy benefits. The acquisition also furthers the Company’s national Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business rollout as the fourth US acquisition.

    “Miller Land Surveying brings a wealth of experience and customer relationships as a second-generation company known across Palm Beach County for quality land surveys and mapping. Their pioneering team is well suited to helping us bring drone innovation to premium residential and business land surveys. This acquisition is another step towards our vision to create a national DaaS business, bringing AI drone efficiencies and precision to a variety of legacy business verticals and manual tasks,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.

    The DaaS business model offers customers such as government agencies, real estate developers, construction firms, farmers or energy companies reduced upfront costs as there is no need to purchase expensive drones, as well as convenience, as there is no need to manage maintenance and operation. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and enables access to advanced drone technology sensors or attachments like spraying, without the need for specialized training.

    Accurate land surveys are essential for the planning, designing, and executing of roads, bridges, and building projects for cities, commercial, and residential projects, and are required for legal purposes. Remotely piloted drones with an array of sensors and cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and GPS systems for capturing high-resolution pictures and data are revolutionizing the land survey industry gathering aerial data across expansive terrains in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months using more traditional photogrammetry methods. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    In Additional ZENA News: ZenaTech’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Expands Domestic Manufacturing for US Commercial Customers and US Defense Without Needing to Increase Prices – ZenaTech, Inc. (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, today provides an update on its US-based ZenaDrone subsidiary’s expansion plans for “Made in America” manufacturing in light of the recent expanded tariffs announced by the current US Administration. ZenaTech maintains its commitment to domestic manufacturing for US defense drone solutions, including strategic local investments and military-compliant supply chains. ZenaDrone will now move some of its commercial drone production for US commercial customers to Arizona, meaning no need to increase prices for customers to offset tariff costs.

    ZenaDrone’s headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona, which includes sales, administration, research and development, and aerial testing operations. The company plans to expand its manufacturing capabilities over the next two months to produce drones for US commercial customers in addition to planned production for the US military. This expansion will include up to 2,000 additional square feet of production space. This will be the second global manufacturing facility; the company currently has development and production facilities for the ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ series of drones at its 10,000-square-foot facility in Sharjah, UAE.

    In response to the evolving trade landscape, ZenaTech also expects that the expansion of its Phoenix-based manufacturing facility will bring over 150 new jobs to the region by the end of 2026.

    “While tariffs can be challenging, they also reveal which companies are truly agile. ZenaTech has always been long-term in our thinking; engaging in smart resource management and supply chains and prepared to navigate global shifts,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D. “With increased US bans on Chinese drones and components and local incentives for domestic production, we are well-positioned to expand our manufacturing in Arizona, also creating more high-quality American jobs,” added Mr. Passley. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

    Other recent developments in the drone industry include:

    Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), a leading innovator in AI-powered defense and security technologies, recently announced a service expansion for its Airborne Response drone services subsidiary. Under its existing multi-year agreement with one of Florida’s largest electric utilities, Airborne Response will now deliver enhanced drone-based critical infrastructure assessment services in addition to its routine monitoring and pre/post-hurricane recovery programs.

    This new order builds on an established partnership and expands Airborne’s role beyond standard visual inspections and hurricane recovery efforts to advanced “Condition Assessment” (CA) services—a mission-critical capability for modern grid resilience. It is anticipated that future assessments could leverage proprietary AI imaging technology to proactively detect faults across transmission lines, substations, and pole infrastructure. As such, the Company intends to explore further support for high-value assessment work in the future utilizing in-house resources such as its Safe Pro AI unit and its patented artificial intelligence (AI)-powered imagery processing technology or through the formation of development partnerships with third-party solution vendors.

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) a leading provider of best-in-class unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, recently announced the appointment of Steve Mathias as Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development and Erik de Badts as Global Head of MicaSense Sales.

    AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “As we execute a multi-faceted strategic growth plan focused on expanding our global footprint, the addition of both Steve and Erik’s impressive pedigrees will drive innovation, foster collaboration, and ensure that we remain agile in an evolving UAS marketplace. Steve brings multi-decade expertise in military and commercial aviation, both crewed and uncrewed, while Erik is a true subject matter expert in multi-spectral sensing. We are confident their leadership will help strengthen key partner relationships, unlock new opportunities, and accelerate revenue growth.”

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions through its Ondas Networks and Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS) business units, reported financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024.

    “Ondas entered 2024 with deepening customer engagement and a growing business pipeline at OAS, allowing us to end the year with $10 million in backlog at OAS. We believe 2025 will be a record year with OAS expected to contribute at least $20 million in revenues of the expected Ondas Holdings revenue of $25 million,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas Holdings. “Our momentum in 2024 was supported by securing two key programs with a major military customer for our Optimus and Iron Drone platforms, opening the large and fast-growing global defense markets. Additionally, we fortified our financial position by securing $35 million of capital in the fourth quarter, supporting our strong growth outlook.

    Avionics specialist Aerium recently launched a compact carrier board for the NVIDIA Jetson family of computers-on-modules (COMs), designed for being installed on-board drones to deliver in-flight machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML and AI) capabilities: the Lumen.

    “The Lumen carrier board serves as the ideal partner for unlocking the full potential of Jetson modules, offering an array of features and functionalities tailored for diverse AI and edge computing applications,” claims Aerium of its creation. “The Lumen carrier board provides seamless compatibility and integration with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) Jetson modules, delivering an optimal platform for developers, researchers, and enthusiasts to harness the power of AI at the edge.”

    NVIDIA’s ever-growing Jetson family of computers-on-modules put the company’s in-house Arm-based processor cores, high-end graphics cores, and dedicated machine learning and artificial intelligence acceleration cores on a small board designed to drive everything from autonomous vehicles to advanced robotics — and when paired with a carrier like the Aerium Lumen, brought to our attention by CNX Software, drones.

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    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    SOURCE: FN Media Group

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  • MIL-OSI: Charging Robotics: Revoltz Launches Commercial Phase of PORTO EV in Israel with First 50 Vehicles Delivered to Exclusive Distributor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Marks First Global Commercial Rollout of the Innovative Last-Mile Micro EV

    Tel Aviv, Israel, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Charging Robotics Inc. (OTC: CHEV), announced today that its affiliate, Revoltz Ltd. (of which Charging Robotics owns 19.9%), has started the official launch of its commercial phase in Israel for the PORTO EV, its flagship electric micro vehicle tailored for last-mile delivery. This milestone follows the recent regulatory approval by the Israeli Standards Institute and signifies the first global commercial deployment of the PORTO EV.

    Built for agility and function, the PORTO EV features:

    • High-volume cargo space over both axles
    • Full-day range on a single charge
    • License-free operation for users 16+ (under Israeli regulation)

    Revoltz has delivered the first 50 units to its exclusive distributor in Israel, initiating sales operations across key urban centers. This delivery is part of a previously announced five-year, $2.7 million distribution agreement, which includes an initial commitment of 150 vehicles in the first year. The five-year agreement includes annual milestones and scaled-up sales targets, with the distributor providing service and maintenance for the PORTO EVs, focusing mainly on the local delivery market.

    “This marks a major leap from development to deployment,” said Amir Zaid, CEO and co-founder of Revoltz. “Starting commercial sales in Israel, validates the strong demand for sustainable, high-performance solutions in last-mile delivery. We are excited to see PORTO EVs hit the streets and contribute to cleaner, more efficient urban transport.”

    The Israeli distributor will manage sales, service, and maintenance operations and is actively targeting local delivery fleets, logistics companies, and small businesses seeking cost-effective and environmentally friendly urban mobility.

    The commercial rollout comes as the demand for compact electric vehicles continues to rise, particularly in dense urban environments where noise, pollution, and congestion are key concerns.

    About Revoltz Ltd.

    Revoltz Ltd., an affiliate of Charging Robotics Ltd., specializes in the design and manufacture of high-end, mini electric vehicles, bridging the gap between traditional automotive design and emerging micro-mobility solutions. Revoltz is committed to creating cutting-edge designs that revolutionize the micro-mobility sector.

    About Charging Robotics

    Charging Robotics is developing various automatic wireless charging solutions such as robotic and stationary charging systems for EVs. Robotic solutions are intended to offer the driver the ability to initiate charging by use of a simple smartphone app that instructs an autonomous robot, which navigates under the EV for access and charging capabilities. Our stationary systems offer various charging solutions, including in automatic car parks where the company’s system allowing EVs to charge in places where drivers can’t connect plugs to sockets. For further information, visit: https://www.chargingrobotics.com/

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbour” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on the current expectations of Charging Robotics, and its subsidiary Charging Robotics Ltd. (together, the “Company”), they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance or achievements of the Company could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. For example, the Company uses forward looking statements when it discusses how Revoltz is aiming to revolutionize the last-mile delivery market with our PORTO EVs and how Revoltz eagerly anticipates scaling its operations and reinforcing its position as a micro-mobility leader.

    The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in any filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. The Company is not responsible for the contents of any third-party websites.

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Michal Efraty
    Investor Relations
    michal@efraty.com

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