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  • MIL-OSI USA: Citing Potential Tsunami of Medicaid Cuts, Cantwell to Vote Against Advancing Dr. Oz: “I Cannot Support This Nomination”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    03.25.25
    Citing Potential Tsunami of Medicaid Cuts, Cantwell to Vote Against Advancing Dr. Oz: “I Cannot Support This Nomination”
    Trump nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz to oversee Medicare and Medicaid as GOP pushes spending bill that would necessitate slashing Medicaid; Cantwell: “My colleagues who are trying to play down this threat […] it’s either bad math or bad faith.”; In tour across WA last week, Cantwell heard from patients & providers who would be devastated by Medicaid cuts
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said she’ll vote against advancing Dr. Mehmet Oz – Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.
    During a markup today of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Cantwell cited Dr. Oz’s refusal to stick up for Medicaid during his hearing earlier this month, especially in the face of a draconian GOP budget bill that would necessitate massive cuts. The committee vote is scheduled for later today at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT.
    “He wouldn’t commit. He would not say no, and certainly not no to President Trump, or Elon Musk, or to the House of Representatives. The House committee that oversees Medicaid and Medicare is responsible for finding $880 billion from these cuts,” Sen. Cantwell said. “The only real place to get this is, particularly if Medicare is off the table, is from Medicaid. Even if the Committee completely eliminated every single other program in the E&C account, it still gives them one-sixth of what they need.
    “So make no mistake, there is no other way to meet this mandate [than] to impact Medicaid. My colleagues who are trying to play down this threat, or act like there’s some other way around it –it’s just not so. It’s either bad math or bad faith.”
    Last week, Sen. Cantwell heard from voices across Washington state about the dangers of President Trump and the GOP’s proposed cuts to Medicaid. Doctors, patients, and health care providers in Seattle, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities warned that such cuts would devastate Washington state’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care.
              WATCH:
              FOX 13 Seattle: WA health leaders join Sen. Cantwell against proposed Medicaid cuts
              KREM 2 Spokane: Spokane doctors, patients speak at Medicaid roundtable hosted by Sen. Cantwell
              KAPP 35 Tri-Cities: MARIA CANTWELL: How proposed cuts to Medicaid could impact South Central Washington
    Sen. Cantwell concluded her remarks today by calling on her colleagues to join her in defending Medicaid.
    “So, with this tsunami of cuts that we’re looking at, I cannot support this nomination. I hope my colleagues will turn it down as well,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that slashing Medicaid to fund tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy would have on Washington state’s health care system — especially in Central and Eastern Washington. Sen. Cantwell released a second snapshot report highlighting impacts on the Seattle-area health care delivery system.
    READ MORE:
    The Seattle Times: Cuts to Medicaid would hurt WA’s children, poor
    The Spokesman Review: Medicaid could be on chopping block after Northwest Republicans help pass House budget measure
    The Tri-City Herald: Newhouse backs House GOP budget plan that could lead to cuts for Tri-Cities Medicaid users
    Medicaid is the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Washington state’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, ensures that eligible Washingtonians can afford to seek health care and see providers when they need to. The program also ensures that hospitals — which are required to treat everyone, regardless of their ability to pay — receive reimbursements for the significant number of low-income people they serve. Over 1.9 million Washingtonians are enrolled in Apple Health.
    Late last month, the House of Representatives passed a funding bill that would necessitate $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid. Supporters of the bill claim that the text includes no mention of Medicaid — however, the extent of the cuts required by the legislation would mean that the committee has essentially no other options other than to hack away at Medicaid.
    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks today are available HERE, audio HERE, and a full transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building A More Equitable Future for New York Workers

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today recognized Equal Pay Day, marking the ongoing struggle against the gender wage gap and pledging to continue the fight for equal pay for all workers in New York State. Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, highlighting that women are often paid less than their male colleagues. This disparity remains one of the foremost challenges facing the labor market across the State and nation. The New York State Department of Labor recently analyzed newly available data from 2023 and found that women working full-time, year-round in New York State were paid 87.3 cents for every dollar that men were paid. While there is still much more progress to be made to bridge the gap, New York’s gender wage gap is narrow compared to the national average of 81.1 cents per dollar. In fact, New York had the third smallest wage gap among states in the nation, behind Vermont and Rhode Island.

    “Women are too often the first to care for a child or an aging parent, sacrificing their own financial security in the process and in New York we refuse to accept this as the status quo,” Governor Hochul said. “We are doing the hard work. We’ve enshrined abortion rights in our constitution, guaranteed women 20 hours of paid prenatal leave, expanded access to childcare, developed workforce development programs to expand opportunities for women and bolster our Minority and Women Owned Business Programs — because when women have the freedom and support to succeed, our entire economy grows. Equal pay isn’t just about fairness; it’s about building a stronger, more equitable future for all and as New York’s first woman Governor, this is a fight I look forward to winning.”

    The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) analysis also found that women of color continue to face even higher disparities, with Hispanic women and Black women earning 60.6 cents and 67.7 cents respectively for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. To put these numbers another way, a woman earning the median income in New York State ($62,111) earned $9,057 less than her male counterpart in 2023. If this wage gap were to remain unchanged, she would earn $362,280 less than a man earning the median wage over the course of a 40-year career.

    New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Equal Pay Day reminds us that more must be done to close the Gender Wage Gap. Although we have made significant progress, economic inequalities persist. The work of women continues to be undervalued and underpaid. That must change. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we will continue to advance efforts to eliminate all barriers preventing New Yorkers from reaching their full earning potential, regardless of gender.”

    Since taking office, Governor Hochul has remained focused on taking nation-leading steps to close the Gender Wage Gap. Child care obligations remain a persistent contributing factor to the Gender Wage Gap. In her 2025 State of the State Address and Fiscal Year 2026 State Executive Budget Proposal, the Governor prioritized a number of family-focused initiatives designed to create a more equitable labor market. The establishment of the New York Coalition for Child Care, the creation of a child care substitute pool, and a $100 million child care construction fund to build new and renovate existing childcare facilities are all part of the Governor’s multi-year effort to move New York State closer to achieving universal child care, an essential step to ensure the full and equal participation of women in the workforce. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has invested more than $7 billion to expand child care accessibility. Governor Hochul is also proposing a historic expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit, impacting more than 1.5 million families and representing the single largest boost to the state’s child tax credit in history.

    These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s prior actions to create a more equitable labor market. New York is now the first state in the nation to mandate 20 hours of Paid Prenatal Leave, ensuring that no pregnant worker needs to choose between a paycheck and a checkup. In 2024, New York expanded workplace rights by mandating paid time off for breast milk expression. Critically, both benefits are available for full and part-time workers, as studies show women are more likely than men to work part-time.

    State Senator Jessica Ramos said, “I am proud of the work we have done in partnership with Governor Hochul to close the race and gender-based wage gap. New York has been a leader in improving salary transparency, equipping employers with the ability to attract top talent and qualified candidates, with the ability to negotiate for the wages and benefits they deserve. This is how we fight the feminization of poverty.”

    Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “As Chair of the Labor Committee, I fight hard every day for an equitable, inclusive economy, and we cannot have a fair economy without equitable pay for everyone. It’s time we put an end to the wage gap where women are paid less than their male counterparts for the same job. And for Black Women, Native American Women and Latina women – the pay gap is even more extreme. I will continue working with the Governor, NYSDOL, my legislative partners and the hardworking women of New York, to promote equity of opportunity to permanently end the wage disparity.”

    The minimum wage in New York also continues to rise as part of Governor Hochul’s historic, multi-year agreement with the State Legislature. NYSDOL’s Gender Wage Gap Report found that the majority of minimum wage workers are women of color. By raising the minimum wage, New York continues to put money in the pockets of women across the state. At the same time, New York’s Pay Transparency law requires employers to include pay ranges on all job postings, empowering women to make better informed career decisions and ensure they are being paid fairly.

    NYSDOL also continues to empower women via its Career Centers throughout the state. These centers offer career counseling, skills development, resume assistance, interview tips, and referrals to high-earning jobs at no cost to all New Yorkers. The Department also offers a salary negotiation guide to help New Yorkers maximize their earning potential.

    As part of its effort to highlight and address the gender wage gap, NYSDOL continues to monitor and provide yearly updates on the state of pay equity in New York. This commitment ensures transparency and informs data-driven strategies to support a labor market that values and compensates all workers fairly.

    For more information about the New York State Department of Labor’s initiatives to combat the gender wage gap and to support workforce equality, visit the Gender Wage Gap Hub.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn John Dempsey Hospital Recognized Among World’s Best for Fourth Consecutive Year

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn John Dempsey Hospital has once again earned a place among the World’s Best Hospitals, receiving recognition from Newsweek for the fourth consecutive year. This prestigious distinction highlights the hospital’s unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care, innovation, and medical expertise. As a leader in health care, UConn John Dempsey Hospital continues to set the standard for quality and safety, reinforcing its reputation as a top-tier medical institution both nationally and globally.

    “Being recognized as one of the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek is a tremendous honor and a testament to the expertise, commitment, and unwavering care of our entire UConn Health team. This achievement reflects our relentless pursuit of excellence in patient care, innovation, and service to our community. We will continue striving to set the highest standards in health care in Connecticut,” says Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health and EVP for Health Affairs.

    In 2022, UConn John Dempsey Hospital ranked 400th on the World’s Best Hospitals list. In just three years, it surged an impressive 103 places—an achievement that sets UConn John Dempsey Hospital apart from other Connecticut hospitals, many of which saw only modest gains or even declines. This rapid ascent reflects a commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and the dedication of an incredible workforce.

    “The rapid rise in the Newsweek ranking demonstrates that we are recognized both regionally and nationally for the excellence in care we provide,” states Scott Allen, MD, Chief Medical Officer for UConn Health. “UConn Health has become a destination for patient-centric, high-quality health care.”

    In addition to being named a World’s Best Hospital, UConn Health was also recognized for being outstanding in Infection Prevention and is the only hospital in the state to be applauded for its stellar Patient Experience again this year.

    Newsweek awarded UConn Health a 2025 Patient Satisfaction Award based on its analysis of publicly available data. Only hospitals like UConn John Dempsey Hospital with an outstanding performance in patient experience were additionally recognized by Newsweek for its excellence in patient experience.

    This patient experience award was based on patient survey data (HCAHPS) from Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the hospital’s cleanliness, quietness, communication and responsiveness of nurses, doctors and staff, care transition, medicine communication, and discharge information. Newsweek also considered The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals for hospital care, home care, and critical access care; and the hospital needed all 10 HCAHPS measures rated with at least 3 stars, at least five 4-star measures, and at least two 5-star measures.

    “At UConn Health, delivering exceptional patient care is at the heart of everything we do. Being recognized by Newsweek with a 2025 Patient Satisfaction Award is a testament to the dedication and compassion of our entire team. This honor reflects our commitment to providing an outstanding patient experience, and we will continue striving to set the highest standards in care for our community,” says Caryl Ryan, COO, UConn John Dempsey Hospital, CNO, Vice President, and Quality and Patient Care Services.

    UConn Health received special recognition for excellence in Infection Prevention. This distinction highlights the hospital’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of patient safety, implementing rigorous infection control measures, and continuously improving protocols to protect patients and staff. UConn Health’s commitment to preventing infections reflects on its staff delivering high-quality, safe, and effective healthcare.

    The Newsweek World’s Best Hospitals ranking began in March 2019. The 2025 list includes data on 2,400 hospitals across 30 countries. The data is organized by nation and all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

    Newsweek’s ranking powered by Statista scores hospitals by comparing them to others in the same country. This year’s four data sources used for the evaluation included an international online survey sent to more than 85,000 doctors, hospital managers, and other health care professionals; public data from post-patient hospitalization satisfaction surveys on their patient experience and satisfaction; measurement of hospital quality metrics such as patient safety, hygiene measures, waiting times and quality of treatment; and voluntary Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) on patient satisfaction with hospitals.

    Learn more about 2025 World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek and Statista.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett was an early work of climate fiction

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Davina Quinlivan, Lecturer in English and Creative Writing, University of Exeter

    I grew up in a mixed-heritage family. Both of my parents’ childhoods were deeply affected by colonialism in India and they often told me stories about this period in their lives. As a result, I inherited a sense of place and a feeling for a country which was never my home.

    It’s a strange feeling, which I still struggle to put into words, though I tried in my memoir, Shalimar: A Story of Place and Migration, which holds at its heart the sensation and imagery of India’s climate and its wildlife. India, for me, will always coexist with English weather and the roses my father tended to in our modest, suburban home in Hayes, west London.

    While we now have beautifully written, tender children’s books which address colonial history, from Nazneen Ahmed Pathak’s City of Stolen Magic (2023) to Jasbinder Bilan’s Nush and the Stolen Emerald (2024), The Secret Garden still holds a powerful spell over me. That’s because of its representation of nature and its use of fiction to tell a story about England and India, two countries brought together through the healing space of the garden.

    I believe that re-contextualising A Secret Garden as an early work of climate fiction – a type of storytelling that imagines how climate change could shape our world – is an apt way to rethink this classic tale.

    This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.

    Published in 1911, The Secret Garden unfolds against the backdrop of the fictional Misselthwaite Manor and its walled garden on the Yorkshire Moors.

    While Yorkshire and its thick sheets of rain, enveloped in mist and fog, is portrayed vividly by Hodgeson Burnett, the ghostly heat and skies of India are also woven throughout the book’s micro-climates. Hodgeson Burnett’s attention to nature is masterful and magical:

    One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands out and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing … And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries.

    The climates of India and Yorkshire blur into a new reality when seen through the eyes of the book’s central protagonist, the recently orphaned Mary Lennox. She is sent to live with her uncle after her parents die of cholera in colonial Calcutta.

    Wilful and fiery, Mary’s grief and rootlessness seems to be unending until she follows a twitching robin into a walled garden. There she befriends other children including her cousin Colin, who uses a wheelchair, and the gardener, Weatherstaff.

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    The hidden sanctuary and wonder of the garden is intertwined with Mary’s inner world and her search for solace after the loss of her parents. Her resilience thrives and blooms, particularly when she becomes a storyteller and draws the other children into this secret place through her tales of adventure.

    Here, the telling of the “story” of the garden is as important as the experience of the garden itself. This is where fiction does its work – we need stories like this to recover a sense of care in times of ecological crisis.

    Last year saw the launch of the Climate Fiction Prize, a vital endeavour to specifically support literary fiction as a cultural form which permits writers the freedom to imagine alternative paths for human existence. The Secret Garden is a work of such imagination, of transformation from otherwise impossible states of crisis and inertia.

    Beyond the Canon

    As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is Davina Quinlivan’s suggestion:

    Shaun Tan’s Tales From the Inner City (2018) is a beautiful and extremely moving collection of illustrated, eco-centric stories exploring the relationship between humans and animals in urban environments.

    Tan is well known for his elegiac and often uncanny, playful storytelling and Tales From the Inner City skilfully braids these aesthetic values with a powerful message of hope and compassion for the wild and domestic creatures we share our world with. While there is no explicit reference to the climate crisis, Tan’s exquisite images illustrate stories of kinship between humans and dogs, snails, whales, pigeons, cats and tigers – all bound to each other as intertwined species.

    Set within cities, the wild beauty of each animal seems enlarged, as does the poignancy of each story, reminding us of what we have to lose. Some of the creatures literally morph into giant versions of themselves, eerie against Tan’s various backdrops of urban space. In one story, two tiny humans are seen being carried through stormy waters, perched between the ears of an enormous cat. It’s an indelible image of hope and survival in the wake of environmental devastation. Tan’s imaginative power is utterly extraordinary.

    Davina Quinlivan is an AHRC-funded StoryArcs Fellow based in the Department of English and Creative Writing at The University of Exeter. She is also an Artistic Lead with Emblaze, an imprint of Paper Nations. Paper Nations is an award-winning creative writing incubator illuminating stories of colour in the South West, funded by Arts Council England and produced by The Story Society, Bath Spa University.

    – ref. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett was an early work of climate fiction – https://theconversation.com/the-secret-garden-by-frances-hodgeson-burnett-was-an-early-work-of-climate-fiction-250338

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Thomas Gift, Associate Professor and Director of the Centre on US Politics, UCL

    A spate of town hall meetings held across the US has revealed palpable anger among both Democratic and Republican voters. At some events, voters have spoken to “empty chairs” in lieu of Congress members who refused to show their faces. At others, lawmakers have been booed, heckled and faced raucous audiences.

    What’s striking isn’t just the outrage, but where it’s coming from. Much of the backlash is from parties’ own voters.

    Things have become particularly bad for Republicans. So much so that party leaders have urged lawmakers to host live-streamed or call-in events rather than in-person town halls. President Donald Trump has baselessly blamed “paid agitators” for the fallout. But some backlash doubtlessly comes from Trump supporters.

    Republican angst might suggest a discrepancy between their abstract support for federal spending cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) and their actual response to its practical consequences.

    Republicans doubtlessly like the optics of Musk taking out his chainsaw to slice government. A March 2025 CNN poll, for example, revealed that 75% of Republicans approve of Musk, compared to just 6% of Democrats. Additionally, 73% of Republicans even think Doge cuts won’t go far enough in rooting out “waste, fraud, and abuse” in government.

    However, that enthusiasm seems to fade when specific programmes are on the chopping block. As Republican strategist Brian Seitchik puts it: “There is certainly a disconnect right now between the theory of Doge, the cutting of fat in government … and what is seemingly a blowtorch as opposed to a scalpel approach to solving these problems.”

    Cuts to the federal workforce are emerging as perhaps the most contentious issue. These jobs are disproportionately concentrated in Washington DC. But in terms of total numbers, most are scattered across the country. That includes Republican states that Trump carried in last November’s election.

    Eliminating these jobs is having an impact that many Trump voters didn’t anticipate. Some may soon be showing buyer’s remorse with Trump. It is worth noting that around 81% of Republicans rated jobs and the economy as a very important issue, compared to 73% of Democrats, in a March poll from the Economist/YouGov.

    The political downside of job cuts has been made worse by an administration that can often seem numb to their impact. Recently, new video footage was unearthed of current Office of Management and Budget head Russ Vought saying in 2023 that he wanted civil servants to be “traumatically affected”.

    Despite all of Doge’s relentless efforts, US federal spending still hit a new high last month – US$603 billion (£467 billion). Without touching health service and senior citizen entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, it will be hard for the White House to significantly reduce national debt.

    High prices also continue to anger Trumpland. Trump vowed in the campaign: “You just watch – they’ll come down, and they’ll come down fast.” With inflation, Trump can scapegoat former president Joe Biden for a period. But that only lasts so long.

    Job cuts don’t just affect Democratic states.

    The problem for the White House is that it’s hard to imagine two more inflationary policies than those offered by Trump: tariffs, which pass higher prices onto consumers; and mass deportations, which constrict the labour supply and drive up the price of goods.

    Trump’s base is notoriously loyal. But swing voters who backed Trump could be in for a rude awakening if they expected Trump to revitalise American manufacturing and slash the price of eggs and Big Macs. If Trump’s approval ratings start to slide, some Republicans in Congress may also give him less than their full-throated support.

    Discontented Democrats

    Republicans aren’t the only ones with a problem from their own flank. According to polling by CNN, the Democratic party’s approval rating is just 29%, an all-time low. Among Democrats, some frustration stems from the direction in which Trump is taking the country, but much of it is about the Democratic party’s inability to counter him.

    Consider Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress a couple weeks ago, where Democrats looked clumsy (and shrill) in their response. Representative Al Green was even censured for disrupting Trump’s address, including by 10 of his Democratic colleagues.

    Consider also the recent spending bill, when Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer broke with his party to keep the federal government open. Fellow Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the move a “huge slap in the face,” while even Schumer’s longtime political partner and former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him out for caving.

    Many Democratic voters view Democratic party leadership as feckless, as weak, and, in short, as losing. That’s hard to dispute that when Republicans have control of the White House, Congress, and for all intents and purposes, the Supreme Court.

    Calls for “fighting harder” ring hollow unless they’re backed with concrete action. Some pushback can come from states and localities. But what Democratic voters may be looking for is a common message. Half the party wants full-on resistance to Trump. Half doesn’t.

    What Democrats do next

    Coming out of November’s election, the autopsy reports haven’t moved the party in a consistent, constructive direction. For example, Democratic strategist James Carville says that his party should simply “roll over and play dead,” letting Republicans self-combust and making the American people long for Democratic governance. Others, like Ocasio-Cortez, are spoiling for a fight with Trump.

    Past patterns in election cycles would suggest that Democrats will take back at least one chamber of Congress in the 2026 midterms. But before they can, Democrats must heal splits between moderates and progressives, and address the backlash against “wokeism”, which is fading even faster than it emerged.

    Things look dire for Democrats now. Still, some historical context is instructive. 2004 was also a devastating loss for Democrats, when presidential candidate John Kerry lost to incumbent George W. Bush. Yet in 2008, Barack Obama ushered in a new era of Democratic governance. Politics has a way of self-correcting when the party in power over-interprets its mandate.

    Thomas Gift does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash – https://theconversation.com/trumps-job-cuts-are-causing-republican-angst-as-all-parties-face-backlash-252940

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Psychopaths experience pain differently, even when their bodies say otherwise

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Alshukri, PhD Candidate in Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University

    Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    Psychopathy has long been associated with murderers, notorious criminals, and the griping true crime stories that dominate Netflix documentaries. But our recent research is showing they have a complex relationship with pain which may in part be responsible for their lack of empathy.

    Psychopathic traits are on a spectrum. We all have levels somewhere on this scale. To be deemed a “psychopath” by some medical professionals, though, you would need to sit on the higher end of the spectrum.

    Typically, people who are higher on the psychopathic traits spectrum show greater pain tolerance. And this is usually reflected in their physiology. For instance, in a 2022 study people higher in psychopathic traits showed lower brain activity with pressure pain.

    When we conducted our recent research on pain and people with different levels of psychopathy, our results surprised us. Participants with high levels of psychopathy seemed to process pain differently to people low in psychopathy.

    We applied pressure pain to our participants using a device that gently pressed a small circular probe onto the participant’s fingernail using compressed air. We measured their reactions from their sweat responses.

    This is called skin conductance response (SCR), and is activated in times of “fight or flight”, or even when we need to pay attention. And this normally increases sweat production. That’s what we used to measure participants’ response to pain and empathy in our experiment.

    Before our experiment began, we slowly increased the levels of pressure that participants felt until they told us they had reached their pain threshold (the most pain they could bear). The low and high psychopathy groups chose similar levels of pressure for their pain threshold.

    Next, we delivered varying levels of pressure (with the highest being each participant’s pain threshold) to ensure participants did not become used to the stimulations. Following each stimulation, participants were asked to rate how much pain they felt using a self-report measure ranging from 0-100.

    We found that participants higher in psychopathy reported feeling less pain than participants who were lower in psychopathy. The high psychopathy group even rated their own pain thresholds as less painful than the low psychopathy group (on the 0-100 scale). However, their SCRs were the same as those lower in psychopathy.

    So, what does this mean?

    It suggests that people higher in psychopathy interpret pain differently. Perhaps this explains why psychopathy relates to greater risk-taking and increased levels of violence or aggression towards others – they do not recognise feelings of pain in the same way as other people.

    Psychopaths may not recognise pain in the same way as others.
    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Usually, psychopathy relates to lower levels of physiological responses in threatening situations because they don’t associate pain with fear or punishment.

    The results of our study suggest that the difference in pain perception between high and low psychopathic people may be psychological rather than physiological. This could explain why there were differences in self-reports, but not in sweat responses.

    We don’t know whether they are pretending to feel pain or are less connected to their body’s physiology. But a 2019 study on children suggests those high in psychopathic traits may engage in extreme coping when scared. For instance, those children showed blunted emotional responses, disengagement or risky behaviour to cope with the stress.

    What about empathy for other people’s pain?

    We also tested our participants’ responses to other people’s pain by showing them images, such as a hand trapped in a door or a bare foot stepping on glass. Previous research has shown that people higher in psychopathy show reduced levels of physiological arousal to other people’s distress.

    For example, a 2015 study found people higher in psychopathy demonstrated lower levels of brain activity when seeing other people in painful situations. In our study, we found that people higher in psychopathy not only reported feeling less empathy but also showed lower sweat responses when viewing other people’s pain.

    This lower SCR has also been found in male prisoners with psychopathic traits. And it typically indicates less attention or focus on other people’s pain.

    Our study shows that a lack of empathy for others may not be a conscious choice. Our recent systematic review, where we looked at eight previous studies on psychopathy and pain perception, also helped to corroborate these findings, showing that psychopathy links to lower levels of brain activity in response to other people’s pain.

    Research has shown that lower levels of empathy for other people can be influenced by a higher tolerance for pain. If someone does not understand the feelings of pain the same way as other people, they probably don’t understand the pain that other people may be experiencing.

    Also, a 2020 review showed that the brain networks used in processing pain are also used to process empathy. This could mean that if people higher in psychopathy don’t feel as much pain themselves, their perceptions of other people’s pain could also be reduced via this shared network.

    Just because you show higher psychopathic traits does not necessarily mean you are going to be the lead character of your own true crime documentary, though. In fact, recent research, including a 2022 study, noted psychopathic traits can be positive and help people regulate their emotions.

    Surgeons and other medical professionals show high levels of psychopathic traits, particularly the stress immunity part of the personality trait.

    Perhaps this is what allows medical professionals high in psychopathic traits to stay calm under pressure, allowing them to make quick, rational decisions without being overwhelmed by stress.

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

    – ref. Psychopaths experience pain differently, even when their bodies say otherwise – https://theconversation.com/psychopaths-experience-pain-differently-even-when-their-bodies-say-otherwise-251529

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The paradox of weight loss: why losing pounds may not always lead to better health

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Barbara Pierscionek, Professor and Deputy Dean, Research and Innovation, Anglia Ruskin University

    Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

    One of the lasting memories from my teenage years is what I now recognise as an obsession with weight control. Thin was in, and magazines promoted a variety of diets, each claiming effectiveness, often accompanied by images of beautiful, slim models. Not much has changed.

    Diets, intermittent fasting, weight-loss surgery, and more recently, weight-loss injections continue to be marketed as solutions for shedding pounds. Achieving a healthy weight is widely regarded as essential for overall wellbeing.

    Many studies have explored the relationship between weight changes and mortality, as well as mortality in obese people with heart disease. These studies often suggest that excessive weight is unhealthy and that people with obesity and heart disease should lose weight.

    However, findings from a recent study, of which I was a co-author, challenge this assumption. Our research indicates that significant weight loss – greater than 10kg – can actually increase the risk of early death in obese people with cardiovascular disease.

    This study was based on data from over 8,000 participants in the UK Biobank, a comprehensive resource for medical research that includes genetic data.

    While it’s known that rapid weight loss can signal underlying health issues and lead to serious complications, the weight changes in our study were observed over an average of nine years, meaning for some participants, these changes were relatively quick.

    This creates a paradox. While both obesity and cardiovascular disease are known to increase the risk of early death, in obese people with cardiovascular disease, weight loss – intended to improve health – can have the opposite effect.

    The relationship between body weight and illness is complex. Though obesity contributes to cardiovascular problems, studies have also shown an increased risk of early death in those with chronic heart failure who are lean, and in people with coronary artery disease whose weight fluctuates.

    Obesity rates are rising, but simply focusing on weight loss may not be the answer.

    Variability in weight loss

    For weight loss to be effective, we must consider the diverse factors contributing to weight gain, which vary from person to person. Genetics play a significant role in appetite and metabolism, and they can also influence lifestyle factors like overeating, inadequate exercise and poor dietary choices that lead to obesity.

    In our study, my colleagues and I couldn’t account for all the factors behind the participants’ obesity or the methods they used to lose weight. This means we can’t definitively determine which weight-loss strategies – whether in terms of duration, diet or physical activity – pose the greatest risks.

    The conventional approach to healthy weight – using body mass index (BMI) – may not apply to everyone. BMI is increasingly recognised as having limitations. Some people may tolerate higher weights without adverse health effects. The real question isn’t how quickly weight should be lost, but how quickly it should be lost for each person.

    Given the current evidence, we cannot accurately determine an ideal weight range that’s universally beneficial for health. However, intriguing patterns are emerging from various countries.

    For instance, Tonga has a high rate of obesity, yet it experiences significantly lower rates of heart-disease-related deaths than many European countries where obesity is less prevalent. Tonga also reports lower levels of alcohol consumption and suicide than most European nations.

    Health encompasses both physical and mental wellbeing. Shifting the focus to holistic wellbeing and happiness may offer more lasting health benefits. Treating obesity requires a comprehensive approach, addressing all underlying factors contributing to the condition.

    Barbara Pierscionek does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The paradox of weight loss: why losing pounds may not always lead to better health – https://theconversation.com/the-paradox-of-weight-loss-why-losing-pounds-may-not-always-lead-to-better-health-252397

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: After months of Trump’s shock tactics, whistleblower groups are pushing back against attacks on workers’ rights

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kate Kenny, Professor of Business and Society, University of Galway

    Julio Javier Vargas/Shutterstock

    In the US, under president Donald Trump, rapid assaults on civil servants’ rights, including their rights to speak out about wrongdoing, are increasingly part of the administration’s play for power. Shock tactics tend to work when the speed leaves observers too stunned to act.

    But countering the paralysis, whistleblower supporters are organising. Civil society groups are collaborating to shore up workers’ rights, challenge threats in the courts, and inform the public why it’s important to protect whistleblowers. Their cool-headed approach shows what it takes to work together to preserve democratic freedoms.

    Since January 2025, the Trump administration has assaulted federal workers’ rights including whistleblowing protections. Key personnel are being fired, with thousands of other civil servants under threat of being reclassified as “at-will” workers who can be sacked at any time for any reason.

    But the US needs whistleblower rights. In the past ten years alone, US government workers speaking out have protected citizens from a long list of ills. This includes food contamination, health risks, airline dangers and climate censorship. And they have called out managers for fraud and corruption.

    Recent UK research demonstrates how listening to whistleblowers in some cases – including the Post Office scandal and the collapse of contractor Carillion – would have saved taxpayers nearly £400 million.

    Functioning government bureaucracies, staffed by well-qualified, professional and independent civil servants, curtail attempts by politicians to control the state.

    In the US, long-standing structures like the Pendleton Act of 1883 and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, were put in place to ensure this. These laws insist government workers are hired and fired on the basis of skill and ability, not their political views. New employees take an oath of loyalty to the US constitution, not to the president.

    Whistleblower protection is a critical part of ensuring this independence, because it enables civil servants to challenge abuses of power. But whistleblowers can only call out wrongdoing if they are protected from reprisal. Right now, these protections are under threat.

    Shock and awe

    Critics of the new US administration know all this. But the speed of change seems overwhelming. And the will to resist depletes, as people struggle to make sense of the constant disruption.

    What to do with widely reported shows of anti-democratic aggression, like the recent appearance of senior Trump adviser Elon Musk on stage with a red chainsaw, shouting about a “chainsaw for bureaucracy”?

    This is exactly the kind of chaotic, performative scene that stokes fascist passions, but leaves critics frozen.

    Elon Musk’s chainsaw stunt was made famous by Argentinian president Javier Milei, who was looking on as Musk played to the gallery.
    Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock

    Connecting such moves with Trump’s aggression against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes and trans citizens, US philosopher Judith Butler has warned that people can be stunned into inaction by increasingly shocking events. They stop seeing how they are connected.

    What links these events, fundamentally, is contempt for ordinary US citizens’ rights and for constitutional democracy. As Butler also says, it’s important that citizens are not left immobilised by the outrage.

    To counter the chaos, cool heads are needed. Supporters of whistleblower rights are pushing back. With partners, the nonprofit whistleblower organisation Government Accountability Project is suing Trump over the unconstitutional roll-back of federal worker protections. And civil society groups successfully challenged February’s firing of the chief of the federal whistleblowing agency.

    This kind of whistleblower activism has happened before in other parts of the world. In Europe, NGOs monitor countries’ adoption of the new EU whistleblower protection law.

    Organisations like the Whistleblowing International Network and the UNCAC coalition support civil society groups in countries around the world with new but fragile whistleblower protection systems introduced to support public trust and democratic accountability. These partnerships harness public opinion through the media and lobby for change. They come together in regular online events and forums to sustain momentum.

    These coalitions of whistleblower activists have a history of working together, celebrating small wins and publicising each other’s work.

    As my recent book details, this collective activism is not easy. These organisations operate on limited funding. And in the face of disinformation on social media, defending truth and facts can be challenging. Yet as I found, strategising and collaborating can help counter aggressive opposition.

    A shared commitment to democratic rights is what keeps coalitions of whistleblower activists going – they demonstrate passions for equality and the right to live without fear.

    Trump is working to remake the federal government in the service of his political agenda. It is a classic move made by “strongman” leaders. They seize control of government bureaucracy in order to reward elite supporters, give favours and jobs to insiders, and weaken oversight on corruption.

    Attacking government bureaucracy has been a first step in the power grab by authoritarian leaders worldwide, from Hungary to Benin, Turkey and Venezuela.

    Working with his largest election donor Elon Musk, who already owns businesses benefiting from government contracts, Trump’s aggressive overhaul of the federal government radically dilutes the potential for dissenting workers to speak out in protest.

    It is tempting to remain paralysed in the face of daily attempts to roll back workers’ rights. But through their dedication, mutual support and celebration of even small wins, international collectives of whistleblower activists remind us that there is a way forward and why it’s vital to keep going.

    Kate Kenny has in the past and at different times engaged in research funded by organizations including: the EU Commission, ESRC UK, the British Academy, Harvard University, Science Foundation Ireland and Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. After months of Trump’s shock tactics, whistleblower groups are pushing back against attacks on workers’ rights – https://theconversation.com/after-months-of-trumps-shock-tactics-whistleblower-groups-are-pushing-back-against-attacks-on-workers-rights-252861

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why the Tesla backlash could help electric cars finally go mainstream

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Budnitz, Research Associate in Urban Mobility, Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford

    Elon Musk’s controversial political views and actions have sparked an exodus from X (formerly Twitter), his social media platform, and mass protests against his car company, Tesla. Dealerships in the US and beyond have experienced peaceful protests and occasional vandalism, while sales are down almost everywhere and the company has lost almost half its value in two months.

    Ironically, these political controversies may broaden the mass market appeal of electric vehicles. This is an industry that needs to go beyond the early-adopter tech bros – and now might be the moment.

    In 2010, when Tesla became the first American carmaker to go public since Ford in 1956, fully electric cars were still a niche technology. The Nissan Leaf was launched that same year, but it was still limited to shorter trips in cities. Other big carmakers weren’t yet taking electric seriously, and the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry was just starting to gear up.

    In 2013, when the International Energy Agency (IEA) produced its first Global EV Outlook report, there were less than 60,000 on the road worldwide. A decade later, almost the same number of EVs are sold every day.

    Tesla’s competition was initially just little urban runarounds like this 2010 Nissan Leaf.
    Dong liu / Shutterstock

    So, there is plenty of evidence that Tesla had a leading role in making EVs a “winning technology” – something the traditional major carmakers felt compelled to compete with. Governments around the world also got on board.

    Not made for the mainstream

    In fact, Tesla’s approach to making electric cars mainstream was to not make them for the mainstream. Its marketing strategy was to sell direct to customers who not only bought into the environmental credentials but the hi-tech glamour – and didn’t mind the price tag.

    In other words, Tesla targeted “early adopters” which, in the case of electric cars, meant wealthy men. Study after study shows these early adopters in North America and Europe were skewed towards men and those with higher incomes.

    Although these studies often measured income and gender separately, research I published with colleagues indicated it was having both characteristics – being both a man and wealthy – that made someone more likely to be an EV owner, or more likely to say their next car would probably be electric.

    Out of our representative sample of nearly 2,000 UK drivers, wealthy men were also more likely to agree that their social circle expected them to switch.

    We did not find the same results among women, no matter their income level, nor low-income men. This despite the fact that women were significantly more likely to value protecting the environment and to feel an obligation to drive an electric car (if they were first convinced it would reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality).

    This points to another key implication of our research. To support mass adoption, drivers need to be confident that EVs can deliver the environmental benefits they promise, as well as being more comfortable and cheaper to run than conventional cars.

    To gain this confidence, drivers – no matter who they are – want to hear consistent messaging from a trusted source that highlights the benefits, not just the costs.

    However, as we found in our project Inclusive Transition to Electric Mobility, drivers and policymakers alike perceive EVs as unaffordable. Some research participants even mentioned Tesla by name when giving an example of how making the switch is beyond the means of people like them.

    Cheaper EVs need new messaging

    Although Tesla sells mass-produced models and slashed its prices around the world last year, its cars are still expensive (in the UK, they start at about £40,000). The company’s reputation and brand is linked not only to the tech-bro image of Silicon Valley, but with elitism and inequity.

    However, the reputation of EVs in general need not be. Unlike ten years ago, this is a technology with momentum among many manufacturers, and consumers have plenty of new, cheaper models to choose from, as well as a growing second-hand market. The IEA’s latest report suggests EVs are finally becoming a mass-market product.

    Tesla is facing stiff competition from cheaper rivals such as Chinese firm BYD.
    i viewfinder / Shutterstock

    As electric cars become more affordable in real terms, the messaging needs to be about environmental benefit rather than futuristic technology. It needs to emphasise long-term affordability of use as well as purchase. EVs need to be seen as practical and safe – and drivers need to hear these messages from trusted sources.

    My research highlighted how family, friends, colleagues and neighbours could be this source of trusted information. Early adopters I interviewed described the many personal, social interactions involved in the practicalities of parking and charging their cars – such as coordinating workplace charging so no one is caught short, and sharing tips on the best tariff for home charging. Some have effectively become local ambassadors for EVs.

    I’m also investigating how communities coming together around EVs might lead to more car sharing. This could maximise the environmental benefits of the transition, since reducing the number of cars on the road is as important as ensuring cars switch from petrol to electric.

    There is little doubt about the damage Musk’s political approach has done to Tesla’s image, although it is not the sole cause of the company’s current troubles.

    Meanwhile, the transition to electric personal mobility is well underway around the world. Tesla’s troubles won’t stop this – but they can give the car industry an opportunity to make the messaging around electric vehicles more diverse, equitable and inclusive for the mass market.

    Hannah Budnitz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why the Tesla backlash could help electric cars finally go mainstream – https://theconversation.com/why-the-tesla-backlash-could-help-electric-cars-finally-go-mainstream-252963

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity

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

    Donald Trump started out with more Americans approving than disapproving of his performance just after inauguration day on January 20 , and this continued into February. By early March, his ratings had turned a little bit negative, but not by much, and it has stayed that way. As of March 20, 48% of Americans approved of his job performance so far, while 49% disapproved.

    The daily average of polls measuring approval/disapproval ratings for the job Trump is doing appears in the chart below. They cover the period from February 20 to March 20.

    Approval and disapproval ratings for Trump’s performance:

    These aggregate ratings are interesting, but they disguise the political divide which is revealed when we drill down into the details. This can be done using an Economist/YouGov poll completed on March 18, for instance.

    This reveals how polarised American public opinion has become when it comes to judging the president. Around 6% of respondents who identified themselves as Democrats approved of his performance, while 93% of them disapproved. Those who identified as Republican were almost the exact opposite, with 90% approving and 7% disapproving.

    One problem in analysing these statistics is that only 29% of the sample interviewed were Republicans, compared with 34% Democrats. The pollsters do their best to get a representative sample of the US electorate and it’s worth noting that there are currently more registered Democrats in the US than there are Republicans.

    Interestingly, the American National Election Study survey conducted just before the presidential election last year showed that only 11.6% of Americans were supporters of the Maga movement. This highly respected study, which has been carried out over the past 75 years as a national resource, would suggest that Maga supporters are noisy, but fewer in number than some people might realise.

    What do independents think?

    Around 37% of those interviewed for the Economist poll described themselves as independents. In their case 37% of them approved of his performance and 54% disapproved. Trump may have a very strong following among Republicans, but they are less than one-third of the electorate.

    A quick calculation looking at support among Democrats, Republicans and independents in proportion to their size in the electorate suggests that 42% of Americans have a favourable view of his performance, while 54% have an unfavourable view.

    If we look at the social backgrounds of respondents in the survey there is not much difference between the young and the old, or different income groups in their attitudes to the president’s performance. But there is a large gender gap with 53% of men, but only 39% of women, approving. Similarly, while 53% of whites approved, only 24% of blacks and 31% of Hispanics did so. Finally, 7% of ideological liberals approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 81% of conservatives and 44% of moderates. Overall, partisanship and ideology completely dominate the picture when it comes to judging Trump’s record.

    How important is the economy?

    US politics is in turmoil with large federal jobs losses and significant changes, such as tariffs on Canadian goods, being announced by the new administration, so there are a lot of factors at work which can explain attitudes to Trump. In the 2024 presidential election the economy played a key role in explaining how people voted, and it is always an important issue in elections.

    Given that, it is interesting to look at one of the key measures of the voter’s attitudes to the economy, namely consumer confidence. This has been measured by researchers at the University of Michigan for many decades using a series of surveys conducted every month.

    US consumer sentiment scale March 2024 to March 2025:

    The chart shows scores on the Index of Consumer Sentiment from March of last year until March this year. A high score means Americans are confident about the state of their economy and a low score the opposite. Confidence has plunged from a rating of 79.4 a year ago to 57.9 now. It is notable that, as recently as December 2024, it stood at 74.0, but after the inauguration of Trump it started to rapidly decline. Americans are getting increasingly worried about the state of their economy, along with the rest of the world.

    The cause is not hard to discern: the imposition of tariffs, a fall in the stock market, the threat of inflation, the administration’s sympathy towards Vladimir Putin and its threats to allies such as Canada and Greenland over their territorial integrity. These issues are all adding up to a self-imposed economic crisis.

    But what are the implication of this for presidential approval ratings? The chart below shows the relationship between consumer confidence and presidential approval over a period of nearly 50 years. There is a moderately strong relationship between the two series (correlation = 0.40). When consumers are optimistic, they approve of the president’s performance, and when they are pessimistic, they disapprove.

    Presidential approval and consumer confidence 1978-2025:

    Overall, the data suggests that Trump should not be confident of his approval ratings across the US, if you look at people across all political affiliations and who vote. Along with a looming economic crisis, this could lead to a rapid loss of support for the president and the Republicans in the near future.

    Paul Whiteley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity – https://theconversation.com/three-graphs-that-show-whats-happening-with-donald-trumps-popularity-252857

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Hydroponic farming system overall winner of Global Cleantech Innovation Programme Awards

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    A groundbreaking hydroponic farming system has won first prize at the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme – South Africa (GCIP-SA) Awards. 

    This innovative system allows farmers to grow crops using up to 90% less water and requires only 10% of the land compared to traditional farming methods.

    AB Farms, founded by Mogale Maleka, beat seven other competitors for the coveted sustainable development prize.  

    Hosted by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) entity, the Technology Agency (TIA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility, the recently held awards acknowledged the outstanding achievements of entrepreneurs and innovators, who are driving sustainable solutions for a greener future.

    According to the department, the GCIP is instrumental in South Africa’s response to the challenge of climate change by nurturing and accelerating cleantech startups and small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). 

    The programme aligns with the Paris Agreement objectives and also supports South Africa in achieving its Nationally Determined Contribution targets to reduce carbon emissions from 350 to 420 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030.

    Maleka’s farm was recognised for its commitment to clean energy solutions.  

    “His innovation also reduces electricity consumption by 50% and fertiliser use by 40%, making it a game-changer for resource-scarce regions. Designed for resilience, the system ensures consistent irrigation, even during power or water disruptions,” the statement read. 

    Congratulating the finalists and winners, DSTI Minister Professor Blade Nzimande stressed the urgent need for sustainable solutions in South Africa, where environmental challenges such as water scarcity, air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events are deepening socio-economic disparities.

    “Unsustainable patterns of consumption and production have led to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste,” Nzimande said. 

    According to the Minister, this crisis has resulted in severe environmental problems, including extreme weather events like droughts, floods, heatwaves and storms, which cause widespread damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and human lives.  

    “South Africa, like many other parts of the world, is grappling with these challenges, making the need for climate-resilient infrastructure even more urgent,” Nzimande said. 

    The 2025 GCIP-SA Awards also recognised other outstanding innovators in sustainable solutions.
    Runner-up, Econova Solutions, led by Sanele Mabizela, was honoured for its impactful work in clean energy and environmental sustainability.  

    Econova converts organic waste into biogas and organic fertilisers.  

    Meanwhile, the second runner-up spot went to the Graduated Man of Steel, represented by Lunga Calvin Mahlangu, for an innovation that produces affordable electric micro-mobility solutions for urban and industrial transport.

    Acting Chief Executive Officer of the TIA, Ismail Abdoola, commended the entrepreneurs for driving clean technology innovations and reaffirmed the TIA’s commitment to strengthening the programme’s impact.

    “We recognise the remarkable achievements of the GCIP-SA and the entrepreneurs shaping the future of our country’s cleantech ecosystem.  This… is not just about celebrating accomplishments but about reaffirming our shared vision for innovation, sustainability and progress,” said Abdoola at the awards ceremony.

    He also acknowledged the long-standing partnership between TIA and UNIDO, which has been instrumental in driving the success of GCIP-SA, and supporting local entrepreneurs in refining their solutions and positioning them for market success.

    “The GCIP is more than a programme, it is a movement, a movement that brings together innovation, collaboration, and purpose-driven action in support of a sustainable future. As we look ahead, let us be inspired by the work done so far and remain committed to building a greener and more resilient South Africa,” Abdoola added. 

    The winner and runners-up will represent South Africa, in the global installment of the Cleantech Awards in Turkey in September 2025. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay gains additional police resources 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Mayor, Babalwa Lobishe, has commended the Eastern Cape MEC for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha and national government for the swift and decisive intervention in deploying additional police resources to strengthen crime-fighting efforts in the region.

    This follows the arrival of 150 public order police members, including 15 detectives, and crime intelligence officers, who arrived in the metro on Sunday to provide much-needed support to local law enforcement.

    In a statement on Monday, Lobishe said the strategic intervention comes at a critical time when the latest crime statistics position Nelson Mandela Bay as a focal point for criminal activity in South Africa.

    “The deployment of these additional resources will enhance policing visibility, improve intelligence-led operations, and bolster investigations to ensure that criminals are swiftly brought to justice. Public safety remains a top priority, and we are confident that this initiative will contribute significantly to restoring law and order in our city,” Lobishe said.

    She said the newly deployed officers will be strategically stationed in key crime hotspots throughout Nelson Mandela Bay, including KwaZakhele, New Brighton, Helenvale, Gelvandale, Central and North End, Motherwell, Uitenhage, and Despatch.

    On 12 March 2025, MEC Nqatha released the Eastern Cape’s crime statistics, which indicated an increase in criminal activity within Nelson Mandela Bay.

    Despite a 7.1% decrease in serious crime for the second quarter of the financial year, the region accounted for 23.4% of the province’s total serious crime cases.

    Crime trends showed an increase in incidents, including attempted murder (+9.0%), assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (+3.5%), and the trio crimes of carjacking, house robbery, and business robbery (+2.4%), as well as a notable rise in house robberies (+14.9%).

    However, the city also witnessed a decrease in certain crimes, including aggravating robberies (-3.4%), common robberies (-2.4%), sexual offences (-6.4%), and business robberies (-9.1%).

    For the third quarter of 2024/2025, Nelson Mandela Bay also showed a reduction in serious crimes, contributing to a 13.5% decrease in reported cases, while still representing 22.5% of the region’s total serious crime reports.

    Lobishe stressed that the district remained a focal point for crime, with significant decreases in common assault and aggravating robberies.

    “The most problematic police stations for serious crimes and rape cases in the region remain consistent with the second quarter, underscoring ongoing challenges with law enforcement in specific areas of the metro.

    “Additionally, the province has seen a rise in incidents of gang violence and extortion, particularly in areas such as the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Community members are living in fear, as criminals are determined to disturb the peace of our people,” the Mayor said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramaphosa pays heartfelt tribute to nurses for their role during COVID

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed gratitude for the vital role nurses played during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    The President addressed the 9th National Congress of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) today. This was the first time the President addressed DENOSA since the outbreak, highlighting the lasting impact of healthcare workers in the fight against the virus.

    President Ramaphosa reflected on the significant changes caused by the pandemic, including the loss of lives and the challenges encountered by healthcare workers.

    “We lost a number of nurses and healthcare workers, brave men and women who were at the frontline of the pandemic. Brave is not an adequate word to describe them. Many of you faced the danger of being infected and death, but you still went on to care for those who were affected.”

    He encouraged attendees to observe a moment of silence in honor of the brave nurses and healthcare professionals, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving on the front lines.

    “For you who are in the profession, nursing is a calling. It requires a strength of character and commitment to service that is rare.” 

    The President highlighted the long history of struggle for equity in the nursing profession, particularly among black nurses during apartheid, who fought tirelessly for their rights amid systemic inequalities.

    “Black nurses were expected to only care for black patients in black-only hospitals. The hospitals and clinics assigned to serve the country’s majority were under resourced and chronically underfunded. 

    “Black nurses had unfavourable working conditions, were paid less than their white counterparts, and had fewer opportunities for advancement.” 

    He reiterated his statements made during this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), that government will allocate resources to the health sector, build hospitals and clinics, and strengthen the healthcare system.

    “This is the commitment that we’re going to achieve, and this is what we’re going to do.” 

    The President also took the time to commend DENOSA for its nearly three decades of advocacy and service, and emphasised the organisation’s pivotal role in shaping nursing policy in South Africa. 

    “We all appreciate the difficult balance that must be struck between advocacy and activism, on the one hand, and fulfilling the rights of patients to treatment and care, on the other hand,” he said.

    President Ramaphosa outlined key strategic priorities for the next five years, including driving inclusive growth, reducing poverty, and building a capable, ethical developmental State. 

    He underscored the integral role of nurses in achieving these goals, particularly in contributing to a capable State.

    Meanwhile, despite a recent uptick in nursing registrations, he raised concerns about declining training numbers due in part to accreditation delays. 

    President Ramaphosa urged DENOSA to engage proactively in policy development to ensure that the nursing profession evolves alongside the changing landscape of healthcare.

    “In an environment where South Africa has a shortage of nurses, we are encouraged that the issue of South African nurses being recruited in large numbers by other countries is also on the agenda.”

    NHI

    Meanwhile, he said the support of DENOSA will be pivotal as the country prepares for the National Health Insurance (NHI).  

    He is of the view that the NHI will bring the country closer to its aspiration of being a society where the human dignity of all is upheld at all times. 

    “The right to dignity matters most when people are sick and need help, and when they are most vulnerable. Our nurses will be the backbone of the NHI.”

    He urged the union to be at the forefront of discussions around skilling and training, health systems strengthening, and other crucial matters. 

    The President called on the union to continue its leadership in advocating for nursing, while addressing the broader health needs of communities. 

    “I’d like to thank you all once again for being frontline soldiers of our people’s health… you… are the ones who take your heart and full dedication to serving the people of South Africa, and we’re eternally grateful for that,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Rodgers announces strategic initiatives to drive KZN economic growth, job creation

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC, Francois Rodgers, has announced a number of strategic initiatives aimed at boosting the province’s economic growth, creating jobs, and stabilising the cost of living.

    Rodgers highlighted some of the initiatives, when he was tabling the province’s R158.478 billion budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, on Tuesday.

    In his address, Rodgers highlighted the positive signs of economic recovery, pointing to key indicators, including an increase in the province’s equitable share and additional allocations in conditional grants.

    He also noted the progress being made through the Provincial Financial Recovery Plan.

    “What is required now is discipline with a sharp focus on the end objective, growth in our economy, job creation, and stabilising and reducing the cost of living,” Rodgers said.

    Initiatives to strengthen financial discipline

    The MEC said the provincial Treasury is committed to perform financial oversight and monitor provincial expenditure, with a view to prevent non-essential government activities.

    He added that efforts are underway to identify new streams of revenue for the provincial fiscus.

    Another key initiative is the adoption of a cost-containment instruction by the Executive Council, which aims to sustain KZN’s ability to meet its needs, “while protecting its future.”

    “Cutting the nice to haves to protect the must haves. One such example is [council] agreement to do away with rental vehicles, with procurement for vehicles, in line with National Treasury guidelines.

    “When the GPU (Government of Provincial Unity) took office, the province was projecting to over-spend in the region of R10 billion, [but] with strict control measures and compliance, we have now reduced this to R4.9 billion,” Rodgers highlighted.

    E-procurement tool

    To further improve financial efficiency, Rodgers announced that Treasury is awaiting approval for the acquisition and implementation of an e-procurement tool, a system designed to eliminate overcharging of goods and services during the Supply Chain Management (SCM) and tender processes.

    “This system will yield enormous savings for the province and reduce irregularities in the procurement process,” Rodgers said.

    The MEC said the provincial government is making great strides in achieving a balanced budget, noting that “it’s a painful process, but a process that needs to be sustained and supported.”

    Rodgers further announced that starting in April 2025, the provincial government will introduce departmental financial dashboards, which will reflect departments financial metrics, such as creditors, debtors, cash balances, and projected expenditure.

    He said these dashboards will assist members of the Executive Council and oversight committees with a clearer picture of the province’s financial health.

    Additionally, the provincial Treasury is exploring the establishment of an information centre, which will focus on “Operation Pay on Time” and assist with tender processes and supplying information on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

    “Going forward, I will continue, in my capacity as MEC, to regularly engage the Premier and the provincial executive on good financial practices. We will be consistent in our advocacy for efficient expenditure and the prioritisation of programmes aimed at alleviating poverty, inequality, unemployment, effective service delivery and building a sustainable economy,” the MEC said.

    Provincial budget highlights

    A large portion of the 2025/2026 provincial budged (79.9%), has been allocated to the three key social services departments, including Education, Health, and Social Development.

    The Education Department received the largest share of the budget, with R66 690 206 allocated, followed by Health with R56 211 801.

    Other allocations include:
    •    Transport allocated R13 827 066.
    •    Office of the Premier R817 875. 
    •    Provincial Legislature R850 796. 
    •    Agriculture and Rural Development R2 757 443. 
    •    Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs R3 606 998.
    •    Provincial Treasury R710 190. 
    •    Human Settlements R3 549 877.
    •    Community Safety and Liaison R275 716.
    •    Sport, Arts and Culture R1 598 141.
    •    Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs R1 931 153.
    •    Social Development R3 613 297. 
    •    Public Works and Infrastructure R2 037 490. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Consider CMS Administrator Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Consider CMS Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at an executive session to consider the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
    As prepared for delivery:
    “We meet today to consider favorably reporting the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
    “As we have done with other nominees, the meeting this morning will provide members with the opportunity to make remarks on Dr. Oz’s nomination.  We will notify members of a time and location later today to conduct the vote. 
    “Dr. Oz has years of experience as an acclaimed physician and public health advocate.  His background makes him uniquely qualified to manage the intricacies of CMS.
    “At his hearing, Dr. Oz discussed his vision to ensure CMS provides Americans with access to superb care, especially our most vulnerable patients.  I look forward to working with him, if confirmed, to accomplish this goal. 
    “I was also encouraged to hear that he will focus on modernizing federal health care programs, work to fix our broken clinician payment system and will partner with Congress to achieve pharmaceutical benefit manager reform.
    “There is no doubt that Dr. Oz will work tirelessly to deliver much needed change at CMS.  I will be voting in favor of his nomination, and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Upholds Idahoans’ Second Amendment Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–In keeping with his longstanding support of the Second Amendment, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced his efforts so far in the 119th Congress to protect Idahoans’ access to the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
    “Those seeking to strip away Second Amendment rights have sought every creative way possible to advance their agenda through legislation, regulation and litigation,” said Crapo.  “The majority of Americans are law-abiding citizens who own, possess, carry and use firearms in a lawful and peaceful fashion.  Their right to do so is enshrined in our Constitution. That right must not be abridged while we seek to prevent violence perpetrated by criminals.”
    Senator Crapo’s efforts to protect the Second Amendment in the 119th Congress so far include:
    Leading reintroduction of the Hearing Protection Act, which would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm;
    Co-sponsoring the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow any person legally authorized to carry a concealed firearm in their home state to exercise that right in any other state that allows the practice;
    Co-sponsoring Senator Jim Risch’s (R-Idaho) Sporting Firearms Access Act, which would limit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives’ (ATF) ability to restrict firearm models from importation into the United States;
    Backing the Fair Access to Banking Act, which would prevent discrimination by banks and financial services providers against constitutionally-protected industries and law-abiding businesses, such as firearms manufacturers;
    Co-sponsoring the Financial Integrity and Regulation Management (FIRM) Act, which would remove “reputational risk” as a component of federal supervision, which has become a way to weaponize power against politically disfavored groups;
    Joining legislation to prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science;
    Co-sponsoring Senator Risch’s No REGISTRY Act, which would require the ATF to delete all existing records of firearms transactions and allow federal firearms licensees to destroy firearm transaction records when they go out of business.
    Backing the ATF Transparency Act, which would require a transparent and speedy National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) process and create an appeals process for erroneous NICS denials;
    Co-sponsoring the FIND Act, which would prohibit companies with policies that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industries from receiving federal contracts;
    Supporting the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act to allow military spouses and those without a fixed address (such as those who live full time in a recreational vehicle) to purchase handguns in the state where they are permanently stationed for duty or consistent with the P.O. Box listed on their driver’s license;
    Sending a letter to the ATF demanding it comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights, in order to align the ATF’s rules and polities with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment; and
    Signing a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce highlighting concerns with the Department’s Interim Final Rule finalized under the previous Administration that restricted firearms exports to certain countries.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at SSA Commissioner Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider the nomination of Frank Bisignano to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA).
    As prepared for delivery:
    “Today, we will consider the nomination of Frank Bisignano to be the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. 
    “Mr. Bisignano, congratulations on your nomination, and welcome to you and your family.  Thank you for your willingness to serve and for your cooperation with this Committee throughout our rigorous vetting process. 
    “Both sides have generally agreed the Social Security Administration needs a confirmed Commissioner to address the ongoing challenges at the agency.  I commend President Trump for putting forward a Commissioner nominee so early in his Administration. 
    “Mr. Bisignano has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience at leading financial institutions.  He has brought a focus on innovation and operational excellence to his current role as Chief Executive Officer of Fiserv, a leader in payments and financial technology that is responsible for processing more than $2.5 trillion in payments daily. 
    “Mr. Bisignano, if confirmed, you will be responsible for leading an agency with a critical mission, and numerous operational and customer service challenges, as you will hear this morning.  Based on your background, I am confident you are up to the task. 
    “It is hard to overstate the importance of Social Security, which provides monthly benefits to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families.  The Social Security Administration has the responsibility of overseeing this important program, as well as the Supplemental Security Income program, assigning Social Security numbers and issuing Social Security cards, among other workloads. 
    “In carrying out these significant responsibilities, the Social Security Administration interacts with millions of customers each year, whether in-person, by phone or online.  The public expects the agency to provide responsive service and timely decisions on their claims.  However, the SSA faces many challenges in meeting these expectations. 
    “After years of implementation delays and the ultimate failure of its Next Generation Telephony Project, SSA has made some progress with its National 800 Number, including introducing a call back option.  However, much more is needed.  Callers to the National 800 Number who want to wait for a representative are still spending too long on hold and many still struggle to actually get through to a representative when they call. 
    “Americans also continue to wait too long for an initial disability decision, particularly in certain parts of the country.  SSA’s shift to an appointment-focused approach for field office visits underscores the need for SSA to make it easier for customers to schedule appointments online. 
    “The Trump Administration has been clear that it is focused on addressing waste, fraud and abuse across government agencies, and I applaud its efforts to maximize government productivity.  A Senate-confirmed Commissioner should be leading these efficiency efforts. 
    “Mr. Bisignano, if confirmed to serve as the next Commissioner of Social Security, this responsibility will fall to you.  I urge you take a thoughtful, measured and data-driven approach to evaluating policy and operational changes aimed at improving SSA’s efficiency and productivity.  If you need additional tools that require statutory changes, I urge you to bring those changes to this Committee and our House counterparts. 
    “Today’s hearing will provide an opportunity to hear more about your vision for the Social Security Administration and how we can work together to help ensure the SSA fulfills its critical mission. 
    “Thank you for your willingness to serve and congratulations again on your nomination, which I intend to support.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Keeping seniors moving in rural Alberta

    Whether for connecting with neighbours and the community, going grocery shopping or a visit to the doctor, seniors living in rural Alberta often rely on accessible transportation services to maintain their independence. According to Statistics Canada, transportation challenges are a key barrier to participation in social activities for seniors. Rural communities are vital to the province’s identity and success, and Alberta’s government is supporting their growth and prosperity by helping seniors age with dignity and respect in their own homes and communities.

    “This investment will provide a lifeline for seniors and those with mobility issues by empowering them with the freedom to access essential services and social outings. Our government is making sure seniors can remain active and independent by investing in this program, helping seniors age in the rural communities they call home.”

    Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

    As part of a three-year partnership, Alberta’s government is investing $3.5 million so Healthy Aging Alberta can provide accessible and affordable transportation services for seniors and Albertans with mobility issues across 19 rural communities. This project helps more seniors and Albertans with mobility issues access services that are vital to their health and well-being.

    “It is important to ensure all Albertans have access to safe and affordable transportation especially in rural areas where accessing transportation can be challenging. This program will help make it easier to run errands, connect with friends and family, and carry out appointments in our rural communities.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    The Healthy Aging Alberta provincial transportation project started with five communities in 2023. From October 2023 to November 2024, nearly 7,200 rides were provided to seniors and persons with mobility challenges in rural communities through this program. The project is now being expanded to a total of 19 communities, with Phase 2 adding 14 additional communities throughout the province. Communities with a high percentage of low-income seniors were prioritized and successful communities were chosen based on need and their readiness to implement or expand assisted transportation services.

    “Transportation is a lifeline for older adults, enabling older Albertans not only to access essential services, but also to remain actively engaged as volunteers and caregivers — roles that form the foundation of vibrant, interconnected communities. Healthy Aging Alberta and the United Way of Calgary celebrate the Government of Alberta’s continued leadership and investment in this critical social infrastructure.”

    Karen McDonald, provincial director and chair, Community Leadership Council, Healthy Aging Alberta

    Seniors and individuals with mobility issues in these communities will now be able to rely on increased access to affordable transportation and mobility services delivered by local community organizations and partnerships. This includes more frequent trips being available, new routes for out-of-town services, additional accessible vehicle options, and more. With this investment, Alberta’s government is improving seniors’ quality of life by helping them age in place and remain independent, addressing mobility challenges in rural communities and supporting caregivers across the province.

    “The expansion of Healthy Aging Alberta’s provincial transportation project is a positive step in supporting seniors in rural Alberta. This investment will provide many seniors across the province with greater access to essential supports and services, which is an essential aspect of prosperous rural communities.”

    Kara Westerlund, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta

    Quick facts

    • Project funding:

    Phase 1 (2023):

    • Edson – $275,660
    • Fox Creek – $185,045
    • Oyen and Area (Special Area #3, Acadian No. 34, Empress) – $242,000
    • M.D of Smoky River (Falher, McLennan, Donnelly, Girouxville) – $286,933
    • Sundre – $147,504

    Phase 2 (2024-25):

    • Barrhead/Barrhead County – $275,487
    • Crowsnest Pass – $216,653
    • M.D. Greenview – $60,000
    • Northern Sunrise County – $20,241
    • M.D. Spirit River – $89,260
    • Driftpile Cree Nation – $175,000
    • Milk River – $53,645
    • Claresholm – $175,000
    • Siksika First Nation – $175,000
    • Foothills Region – $146,337
    • Provost – $149,000
    • Hanna – $145,000
    • Three Hills – $175,000
    • Legal – $30,844

    Related information

    • Healthy Aging Alberta
    • Seniors financial assistance programs
    • Resources to help older adults and seniors age in their community

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Two recreational shellfish harvesters receive fines and fishing bans

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 25, 2025

    Courtenay, British Columbia – Canada’s marine species are a precious resource and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)’s mandate is to help sustain and protect them, now and for the future.

    On February 14, 2025, in Courtenay Provincial Court, the Honourable Judge B.E. Hutcheson found Richmond resident Diosa Delacruz guilty of retaining more than the daily quota for clams and oysters and for fishing without a British Columbia (B.C.) Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence. Ms. Delacruz was fined a total of $5,000 and was banned from fishing for one year. Her fishing companion, Nanaimo resident Rosemarie Allam, was found guilty by the Honourable Judge D.M.D. Stewart, in an earlier court appearance in August 2024, of daily quota violations, and for failing to comply with her conditions of licence. She was fined a total of $4,500 and received a two-year fishing ban.

    The case resulted from an inspection by fishery officers in the Baynes Sound Recreational Shellfish Harvest Reserve (RSR). DFO fishery officers support the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect and sustain Canada’s marine resources through regular patrols and by enforcing the Fisheries Act and its regulations, including by carrying out investigations and laying charges against alleged offenders.

    In May 2024, the two offenders were found harvesting shellfish in the Baynes Sounds RSR, a designated section of Crown Land where commercial shellfish harvesting has been excluded or limited to support recreational harvesting. The area, between Buckley Bay and Union Bay on Vancouver Island, covers approximately 14 hectares, is easily accessible from the road at low tide, and is often the site of illegal harvesting and over-retention.

    On May 25, 2024, both Ms. Delacruz and Ms. Allam were found to have harvested and retained a collective total of 262 Manila Clams and 151 oysters, with 222 of the clams under the legal size limit. The daily possession maximum number of Manila Clams that can be retained is 60, and 12 for oysters.

    It is everyone’s responsibility to know the rules before they engage in any fishing activities, and to play their part in ensuring that B.C.’s shellfish populations and their habitats are protected and sustained. The minimum size limit of 35 mm for Littleneck and Manila clams in the recreational fishery ensures that the clams will spawn at least once before they reach the legal size limit. Harvesting undersize clams threatens conservation as it impacts their ability to re-populate the beach, creating an unsustainable fishery that could result in management changes or fisheries closures.

    Not possessing a valid fishing licence (and non-compliance with licence conditions in general) inhibits effective management of the fishery and undermines DFO’s ability to pursue conservation-based management measures. Unlicensed harvesting can deplete the resource, remove the opportunity for other licensed harvesters and threaten the significant economic and social benefit to coastal communities, including recreational fisheries, tourism, the livelihood of commercial harvesters and traditional food sources for Indigenous people.

    DFO protects and conserves fisheries resources, and enforces the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO’s work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any alleged contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call DFO Pacific Region’s toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Traffic safety tips: Safety near large commercial vehicles

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Charges Ellington Woman with Fraud and Tax Offenses

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a 12-count indictment charging HEATHER MURDOCK, 57, of Ellington, with fraud and tax offenses stemming from an embezzlement scheme.

    The indictment was returned on March 19, 2025.  On March 20, Murdock appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $40,000 bond.

    As alleged in the indictment, Murdock was employed as the bookkeeper and office manager at a Hartford law firm, identified in court documents as “Firm A.”  Between approximately 2010 and 2022, using Firm A’s bookkeeping software, Murdock generated hundreds of false checks made payable to herself and on which she forged the signature of Firm A’s owner.  To conceal her embezzlement, Murdock doctored the bookkeeping system entries to make it appear that the checks had been issued to legitimate vendors.  Murdock deposited the forged checks into her own bank account.  Murdock stole approximately $583,953 through this scheme.

    The indictment also alleges that Murdock stole cash rental payment made by tenants of properties owned by Firm A’s owner.  To conceal her theft, Murdock generated false checks from Firm A’s bank account payable to the account in which Firm A’s owner received rental income, making it appear that the expected deposits of rental income had been made, and doctored references in the firm’s bookkeeping system.  Murdock stole approximately $251,314 through this scheme.

    The indictment further alleges that Murdock failed to pay federal income taxes on the embezzled funds and her wages from Firm A for the 2013 through 2022 tax years, and that she substantially underreported her income in 2011 and 2012.  Murdock’s underreported tax obligations total $248,294.

    The indictment charges Murdock with five counts of bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count; two counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; and five counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena L. Coronado.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Decisions Adopted by eQ Plc’s Annual General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    eQ Plc Stock Exchange Release
    25 March 2025, at 7.30 p.m.

    eQ Plc’s Annual General Meeting, held on Tuesday 25 March 2025 as a hybrid meeting in accordance with chapter 5, section 16, subsection 2 of the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act (“AGM”), decided upon the following:

    Confirmation of the financial statements

    eQ Plc’s AGM confirmed the financial statement of the company, which included the group financial statements, the report by the Board of Directors and the auditor’s report for the financial year 2024.

    Decision in respect of the result shown on the balance sheet and the payment of dividend

    The AGM confirmed the proposal by the Board of Directors that a dividend of 0.66 euros per share be paid out. The dividend will be paid out in two separate installments. The first installment, EUR 0.33 per share shall be paid to those shareholders who are registered as shareholders in eQ Plc’s shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date of the dividend payment on 27 March 2025. The first installment of the dividend shall be paid on 3 April 2025. The second installment, EUR 0.33 per share shall be paid in October 2025 to those shareholders who are registered as shareholders in eQ Plc’s shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd on the record date of the divided payment. The Board shall decide the record date and the payment date of the second installment of the divided in its meeting in September 2025. It is contemplated that the record date of the second installment will be 7 October 2025 and that the payment date will be 14 October 2025. 

    Discharge from liability to the Board of Directors and the CEOs

    The AGM decided to grant discharge from liability to the Board of Directors and the CEOs for the financial year 1 January – 31 December 2024.

    Remuneration Report for Governing Bodies and Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies

    The Annual General Meeting decided to adopt the Remuneration Report for Governing Bodies and the Remuneration Policy for Governing Bodies.

    The remuneration of the members of the Board, the number of Board members and appointment of Board members

    The AGM decided that the members of the Board would receive remuneration as follows: the Chair of the Board will receive 5,000 euros, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors will receive 4,000 euros and the Board members will receive 3,000 euros per month. In addition, a compensation of 750 euros per meeting will be paid for all the Board members for each attended Board meeting and travel and lodging costs will be compensated in accordance with the company’s expense policy.

    According to the decision of the AGM, the Board consists of six members. Päivi Arminen, Nicolas Berner, Georg Ehrnrooth, Janne Larma and Tomas von Rettig were re-elected as members to the Board of Directors and Caroline Bertlin was elected as a new member to the Board. The term of office of the Board members ends at the close of the next Annual General Meeting. The Board appointed Georg Ehrnrooth as Chair of the Board in its meeting held immediately after the AGM.

    Auditor and sustainability auditor and their remuneration

    The AGM decided to elect Authorized Public Accountants KPMG Oy Ab as auditor and as sustainability auditor of the company. The auditor and sustainability auditor with main responsibility, named by KPMG Oy Ab is Tuomas Ilveskoski, APA, Authorized Sustainability Auditor. It was decided to compensate the auditor and the sustainability auditor according to their invoices approved by eQ Plc.

    Establishment of a Shareholders’ Nomination Board

    The AGM decided to establish a Shareholders’ Nomination Board whose task is to prepare proposals concerning the number of members of the Board of Directors and the Board’s composition and remuneration to the General Meeting. The Shareholders’ Nomination Board comprises of four members and four largest shareholders of the Company may each appoint a member.

    The AGM decided to adopt the Charter for the Shareholders’ Nomination Board.

    Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares

    The AGM authorised the Board of Directors to decide on a share issue or share issues and/or the issuance of special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Companies Act, comprising a maximum total of 3,500,000 new shares. The amount of the authorisation corresponds to approximately 8.45 per cent of all shares in the Company at the date of the notice of the AGM.

    The authorisation is to be used in order to finance or carry out potential acquisitions or other business transactions, to strengthen the balance sheet and the financial position of the Company, to fulfill Company’s incentive schemes or to any other purposes decided by the Board. 50 per cent of the shares or special rights entitling to shares issued on the basis of the authorisation may be used to implement incentive schemes or otherwise for remuneration. Based on the authorisation, the Board decides on all other matters related to the issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares referred to in Chapter 10 Section 1 of the Companies Act, including the recipients of the shares or the special rights entitling to shares and the amount of the consideration to be paid. Therefore, based on the authorisation, shares or special rights entitling to shares may also be issued directed i.e. in deviation of the shareholders pre-emptive rights as described in the Companies Act. A share issue may also be executed without payment in accordance with the preconditions set out in the Companies Act.
    The authorisation cancels all previous authorisations to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares and is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however no more than 18 months.

       
    Helsinki, 25 March 2025

    eQ Plc

    Board of Directors

    Additional information: Juha Surve, Group General Counsel, tel. +358 9 6817 8733

    Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki, www.eQ.fi

    eQ Group is a Finnish group of companies specialising in asset management and corporate finance business. eQ Asset Management offers a wide range of asset management services (including private equity funds and real estate asset management) for institutions and individuals. The assets managed by the Group total approximately EUR 13.4 billion. Advium Corporate Finance, which is part of the Group, offers services related to mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and equity capital markets.

    More information about the Group is available on our website at www.eQ.fi.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Atlantic American Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Results for 2024; Declares Annual Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Atlantic American Corporation (Nasdaq- AAME) today reported net income of $0.4 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, for the three month period ended December 31, 2024, compared to net loss of $2.2 million, or $(0.11) per diluted share, for the three month period ended December 31, 2023. The Company had net loss of $4.3 million, or $(0.23) per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to net loss of $0.2 million, or $(0.03) per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in net income for the three month period ended December 31, 2024 was primarily the result of favorable loss experience in the Company’s life and health operations due to a decrease in incurred losses, predominantly in the group life and Medicare supplement lines of business. The increase in net loss for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily due to unfavorable loss experience in the Company’s property and casualty operations due to the frequency and severity of claims in the automobile liability line of business, compared to the prior year.

    Commenting on the results, Hilton H. Howell, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are thrilled to report exceptional new sales in our Medicare supplement business during the fourth quarter annual enrollment period, with strong momentum carrying into the new year. Although rising costs in the commercial automobile market have affected profitability, we are taking steps to improve rates for that line of business. Additionally, in alignment with our continued commitment to enhancing shareholder value, the Board of Directors has approved the Company’s annual dividend of $0.02 per share. This dividend will be payable on April 23, 2025, to shareholders of record as of April 9, 2025.”

    Atlantic American Corporation is an insurance holding company involved through its subsidiary companies in specialty markets of the life, health, and property and casualty insurance industries. Its principal insurance subsidiaries are American Southern Insurance Company, American Safety Insurance Company, Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Bankers Fidelity Assurance Company and Atlantic Capital Life Assurance Company.

    Note regarding non-GAAP financial measure: Atlantic American Corporation presents its consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However, from time to time, the Company may present, in its public statements, press releases and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, non-GAAP financial measures such as operating income (loss). We define operating income (loss) as net income (loss) excluding: (i) income tax expense (benefit); (ii) realized investment (gains) losses, net; and (iii) unrealized (gains) losses on equity securities, net. Management believes operating income (loss) is a useful metric for investors, potential investors, securities analysts and others because it isolates the “core” operating results of the Company before considering certain items that are either beyond the control of management (such as income tax expense (benefit), which is subject to timing, regulatory and rate changes depending on the timing of the associated revenues and expenses) or are not expected to regularly impact the Company’s operating results (such as any realized and unrealized investment gains (losses), which are not a part of the Company’s primary operations and are, to a limited extent, subject to discretion in terms of timing of realization). The financial data attached includes a reconciliation of operating income (loss) to net income (loss), the most comparable GAAP financial measure. The Company’s definition of operating income (loss) may differ from similarly titled financial measures used by others. This non-GAAP financial measure should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

    Note regarding forward-looking statements: Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors and risks, including, among others: the effects of macroeconomic conditions and general economic uncertainty; unexpected developments in the health care or insurance industries affecting providers or individuals, including the cost or availability of services, or the tax consequences related thereto; disruption to the financial markets; unanticipated increases in the rate, number and amounts of claims outstanding; our ability to remediate the identified material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting; the level of performance of reinsurance companies under reinsurance contracts and the availability, pricing and adequacy of reinsurance to protect the Company against losses; changes in the stock markets, interest rates or other financial markets, including the potential effect on the Company’s statutory capital levels; the uncertain effect on the Company of regulatory and market-driven changes in practices relating to the payment of incentive compensation to brokers, agents and other producers; the potential impact of public health emergencies; the incidence and severity of catastrophes, both natural and man-made; the possible occurrence of terrorist attacks; stronger than anticipated competitive activity; unfavorable judicial or legislative developments; the potential effect of regulatory developments, including those which could increase the Company’s business costs and required capital levels; the Company’s ability to distribute its products through distribution channels, both current and future; the uncertain effect of emerging claim and coverage issues; the effect of assessments and other surcharges for guaranty funds and other mandatory pooling arrangements; information technology system failures or network disruptions; risks related to cybersecurity matters, such as breaches of our computer network or those of other parties or the loss of or unauthorized access to the data we maintain; and those other risks and uncertainties detailed in statements and reports that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, undue reliance should not be placed upon forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent developments, changes in underlying assumptions or facts or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

         
    For further information contact:    
    J. Ross Franklin   Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
    Chief Financial Officer   Chairman, President & CEO
    Atlantic American Corporation   Atlantic American Corporation
    404-266-5580   404-266-5505
         
    Atlantic American Corporation
    Financial Data
           
      Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
    (Unaudited; In thousands, except per share data)   2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Insurance premiums              
    Life and health $ 29,351     $ 26,138     $ 111,042     $ 110,382  
    Property and casualty   16,053       16,781       67,689       68,443  
    Insurance premiums, net   45,404       42,919       178,731       178,825  
                   
    Net investment income   2,342       2,633       9,791       10,058  
    Realized investment gains, net   1,193       –       1,210       70  
    Unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities, net   101       1,190       (1,516 )     (2,177 )
    Other income   3       3       11       17  
                   
    Total revenue   49,043       46,745       188,227       186,793  
                   
    Insurance benefits and losses incurred              
    Life and health   16,597       22,931       70,064       71,485  
    Property and casualty   14,742       12,926       55,767       51,015  
    Commissions and underwriting expenses   12,290       9,294       48,030       46,124  
    Interest expense   828       862       3,419       3,269  
    Other expense   4,041       3,834       16,211       15,465  
                   
    Total benefits and expenses   48,498       49,847       193,491       187,358  
                   
    Income (loss) before income taxes   545       (3,102 )     (5,264 )     (565 )
    Income tax expense (benefit)   133       (874 )     (996 )     (394 )
                   
    Net income (loss) $ 412     $ (2,228 )   $ (4,268 )   $ (171 )
                   
    Earnings (loss) per common share (basic & diluted) $ 0.02     $ (0.11 )   $ (0.23 )   $ (0.03 )
                   
    Reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measure              
                   
    Net income (loss) $ 412     $ (2,228 )   $ (4,268 )   $ (171 )
    Income tax expense (benefit)   133       (874 )     (996 )     (394 )
    Realized investment gains, net   (1,193 )     –       (1,210 )     (70 )
    Unrealized (gains) losses on equity securities, net   (101 )     (1,190 )     1,516       2,177  
                   
    Non-GAAP operating income (loss) $ (749 )   $ (4,292 )   $ (4,958 )   $ 1,542  
                   
           
      December 31,   December 31,        
    Selected balance sheet data   2024       2023          
                   
    Total cash and investments $ 265,696     $ 265,368          
    Insurance subsidiaries   258,675       259,253          
    Parent and other   7,021       6,115          
    Total assets   393,428       381,265          
    Insurance reserves and policyholder funds   225,106       212,422          
    Debt   37,761       36,757          
    Total shareholders’ equity   99,613       107,275          
    Book value per common share   4.61       4.99          
    Statutory capital and surplus              
    Life and health   32,443       38,299          
    Property and casualty   47,670       51,774          
                   

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Vibrant Visuals: Upgrade will transform how players experience Minecraft

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Vibrant Visuals: Upgrade will transform how players experience Minecraft

    Xbox One X Enhanced

    Xbox Game Pass

    CREATE Build whatever you can imagine in your own infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough. EXPLORE Discover biomes, resources and mobs, and craft your way through a world filled with surprises in the ultimate sandbox game. SURVIVE Experience unforgettable adventures as you face mysterious foes, traverse exciting landscapes, and travel to perilous dimensions. PLAY TOGETHER Have a blast with friends, whether you’re sitting on the same couch in split screen or miles apart in cross-platform play for console, mobile and PC. Connect with millions of players on community servers or subscribe to Realms Plus to play with up to 10 friends on your own private server. EXPERIENCE MORE Get creator-made add-ons, thrilling worlds, and stylish cosmetics on Minecraft Marketplace. Subscribe to Marketplace Pass (or Realms Plus) to access 150+ worlds, skin & textures packs, and more – refreshed monthly.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Level up your AI skills on March 28, National AI Literacy Day

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Level up your AI skills on March 28, National AI Literacy Day

    Build your AI skills and celebrate National AI Literacy Day with our free resources.

    Educators across the world are using AI to streamline lesson planning, personalize instruction, and enhance accessibility. According to our AI in education report, many educators, students, and school leaders are already incorporating AI into school-related activities. On March 28, 2025, we’re celebrating National AI Literacy Day in the US. This nationwide initiative is a fantastic opportunity to expand your understanding of AI, discover practical ways to use it in education, and explore our AI literacy resources.

    There’s a strong opportunity to boost understanding and use AI more intentionally through professional learning and thoughtful practices. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your AI capabilities, we have free training and resources to help you build AI skills and integrate AI in meaningful and responsible ways. Get started by exploring our curated list of resources to help you and your students develop AI literacy skills.

    Develop your AI literacy with professional learning

    To support meaningful AI integration in education, it’s important to engage in professional development opportunities that build foundational knowledge. Explore these free learning resources designed to deepen your expertise and give you the tools to incorporate AI into your classroom:

    Start the AI for educators learning path

    By engaging with these resources, you’ll build confidence in using AI and discover innovative ways to support student learning and save time. Continue growing your expertise by experimenting with AI tools and collaborating with peers to share best practices.

    Grow your skillset with the Microsoft AI Skills Fest

    Join the Microsoft AI Skills Fest to build your skills and stay ahead. No matter your role in education, the AI Skills Fest offers experiences tailored to your needs. Engage in deep dives, experiential content, hackathons, and practical sessions that will enhance your AI skills over 50 days of discovery and learning, starting April 8, 2025.

    Register for the AI Skills Fest

    Additionally, we can make history together while attempting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDSTM title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. It’s easy: Join us on April 8, build your skills, test your knowledge, and attest your participation. We’ll kick things off on April 7 at 23:00 UTC (9:00 AM AEST) and conclude on April 8 at 23:00 UTC (16:00 PDT), with learning events scheduled around the globe. Participate in this unique opportunity to learn, compete, and celebrate your achievements!

    Enhance teaching and learning with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat

    Copilot Chat enhances teaching and learning by helping you simplify administrative tasks, personalize learning, and enhance creativity. Learn how you can maximize the potential of AI in education with the following Copilot Chat resources:

    Start the Copilot Chat learning module

    These materials will help you integrate Copilot Chat into your daily workflows and create more engaging learning experiences. Keep exploring new ways to leverage AI-powered tools to personalize instruction, prepare students for the future, and save time on your routine tasks.

    Improve your students’ AI literacy

    Building students’ AI literacy is essential to preparing them for the future. Use these pre-planned lessons and immersive experiences to demonstrate AI concepts while fostering critical thinking and responsible AI use:

    • AI Foundations – Discover a set of accessible, engaging materials for building AI literacy with Minecraft. The program is designed to empower students, educators, and families with a fundamental understanding of how AI works and how to use AI tools responsibly.
    • CyberSafe AI: Dig Deeper – Help students develop responsible AI habits by exploring academic integrity, human oversight, and data privacy in this engaging Minecraft world.
    • AI Classroom Toolkit – Access lesson plans, activities, and teaching strategies for students ages 13-15 to introduce AI literacy into your classroom.
    Explore AI literacy with Minecraft

    By incorporating these experiences into your curriculum, you’ll empower students to understand and interact with AI responsibly. Encourage continued learning by fostering discussions about the role of AI in society and the importance of human-centered skills for future careers.

    Build a solid foundation with online safety

    Empowering students and their families to support informed choices about their online activity is crucial, especially in the context of generative AI. As students engage with AI, it’s important that they have the skills to stay safe and make informed decisions. In 2024, we launched a Family Safety Toolkit which provides guidance on how to use Microsoft’s safety features and family safety settings. This toolkit supports and enhances digital parenting and offers guidance for families looking to navigate the world of generative AI together.

    Access the Family Safety Toolkit

    Take the opportunity to build your AI skills on National AI Literacy Day and continue to enhance them throughout the year. By embracing AI literacy, you can empower yourself and your students to confidently navigate the evolving digital landscape. Get started with our free AI literacy resources today to deepen your understanding, integrate AI into your teaching, and prepare your students for the future.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The NFB at the 2025 Sommets du cinéma d’animation. Six shorts selected for festival’s Canadian Competition.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 25, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The NFB’s creative vitality will be front and centre at the 23rd Sommets du cinéma d’animation, taking place from May 26 to 31 in Montreal, with six short films selected. These works, all of which will be in the Canadian Competition, are by talented filmmakers from diverse backgrounds living and working all across Canada. Diversity is also a hallmark of the films’ subject matter, ranging from original depictions of personal quests to explorations of social issues.

    The films are part of the 56 works selected for this year’s Sommets in all competition categories.

    Canadian Competition, professional category

    • Le bruit des choses qui brûlent (The Sounds of Things Ablaze) by Hayat Najm (NFB, 6 min 35 s)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-sounds-of-things-ablaze

      Told through animated charcoal drawings, this is a story of resilience about a woman still haunted by the horrors of war. Award-winning pianist Jean-Michel Blais composed and performed the original score, and Sylvain Bellemare (an Oscar winner for Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival) was the sound designer.

    • Hypersensible (Hypersensitive) by Martine Frossard (NFB, 6 min 44 s)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hypersensitive

      Hypersensitive recounts the turbulent, surrealistic journey of a young woman struggling to rebuild herself, in defiance of social norms that tell us to repress our emotions. The film is a heartfelt plea for us all to take greater heed of our emotions, even the most painful ones. The film was edited by filmmaker and editor Oana Suteu Khintirian (Beyond Paper).

    • Inkwo for When the Starving Return (Inkwo à la défense des vivants) by Amanda Strong (Spotted Fawn Productions/NFB, 18 min 27 s)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/inkwo-for-when-the-starving-return

      The film, a call to action to fight and protect against the forces of greed around us, is an animated adaptation of an original short story by award-winning Tlicho Dene storyteller Richard Van Camp, “Wheetago War.” Featuring the voice of Tantoo Cardinal (Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon), among others, Inkwo is coming off an extensive tour of Canadian festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and was also a selection at Sundance.

    • Imprint (Encrage) by Duncan Major (NFB, 5 min)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/imprint

      At 13, Duncan Major met artist Tara Bryan and discovered a shared passion for letterpress printing that shaped his life. In her memory, years later, Duncan created this poetic animated film, with a beautifully designed soundscape, that serves as a heartfelt tribute of gratitude.

    • Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman (NFB, 16 min 56 s)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs

      Deciding not to shave her legs at 13 led a young Andrea Dorfman to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. The film captures with charm, warmth and humour the universality of girls exploring gender, curiosity and freedom.

    • Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (NFB, 2 min 27 s)
      Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/samaa

      A caged bird flutters and flails in a struggle for freedom. Revelling in the magic and mechanics of cinema, Ehsan Gharib crafts a striking film. In Iranian culture, samaa is the meditative practice of achieving a spiritual awakening through rhythm and movement.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Researcher Steven R. Spurgeon Wins Burton Medal From Microscopy Society of America

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Spurgeon Integrates Artificial Intelligence and Materials Science To Accelerate Discovery and Advance Next-Generation Technologies

    Materials science researcher Steven Spurgeon (left) and his lab associates Grace Guinan and Michelle Smeaton work on autonomous electron microscopy at NREL. Photo by Brooke Buchan, NREL

    National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) materials data scientist Steven R. Spurgeon has been honored with the Microscopy Society of America’s (MSA’s) Burton Medal award. The award, which is given annually to a single physical sciences researcher under the age of 40, is the highest honor the MSA bestows upon early-career scientists in the field of microscopy and microanalysis.

    “I’ve been involved with the MSA for 15 years and have been fortunate to work with amazing leaders in the field of microscopy,” Spurgeon said. “To be recognized with this award and join their ranks is a true honor.”

    Throughout his career, Spurgeon has pioneered the integration of machine learning (ML) with electron microscopy, using artificial intelligence (AI), to help make sense of the detailed images generated by electron microscopes. This approach not only dramatically enhances the efficiency of microscopy techniques; it also provides new insights into the behavior of functional materials—like silicon microprocessors used in computers and cell phones—at the atomic level. These insights enable researchers to fine-tune material properties and enhance efficiency to drive advancements in energy solutions.

    “Dr. Spurgeon’s pioneering work at the intersection of AI and microscopy continues to transform materials science,” said Katherine Jungjohann, who manages NREL’s Analytical Microscopy and Imaging Science group. “His visionary leadership and groundbreaking research make him a truly deserving recipient of the Burton Medal.”

    Spurgeon’s journey to the AI/microscopy frontier began with a deep curiosity about the fundamental building blocks of matter. As a graduate student at Drexel University, he studied materials science and engineering, focusing on developing new functional materials. After Spurgeon completed his Ph.D., he joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), first as a postdoctoral research associate, and later as a staff scientist in the laboratory’s longstanding thin-film Basic Energy Sciences program. At PNNL, he developed new functional materials that could be used for energy storage and computing, which was recognized by the PNNL Laboratory Director’s Award for Early Career Achievement. He also had a realization that would shape the trajectory of his career.

    AI-powered tools like transformers—which is what the “T” in ChatGPT stands for—began to emerge in the scientific community about 10 years ago and were used in areas like processing internet data and building autonomous vehicles. Watching the rise of these ML tools, Spurgeon began to wonder if they could benefit his own field of work.

    “I realized we were collecting and analyzing all our data by hand,” Spurgeon recalled. “That made me ask, ‘Can we use AI to accelerate our experiments so that humans don’t have to make every single decision?’ I saw that machine learning could help us analyze larger datasets, uncover patterns that would be difficult to detect manually, and ultimately shorten the time to discovery.”

    Inspired by these possibilities, Spurgeon helped launch an AI initiative at PNNL and established a groundbreaking partnership with industry to design a completely new AI-infused microscope. His efforts led to the development of the Autonomous Electron Microscope (AutoEM), a platform that leverages AI to improve the way researchers study and understand functional materials. The platform, which enables researchers to conduct analyses up to 1,000 times faster than traditional methods, earned Spurgeon and his team an R&D 100 Award in 2024.

    “During his time at PNNL, Dr. Spurgeon rapidly ascended to international prominence in AI-guided materials science and electron microscopy,” said Sergei Kalinin, chief scientist of Physics-Informed Machine Learning at PNNL. “He established himself as a brilliant researcher, a staunch advocate for our field, and an exceptional mentor, and he continues this reputation today.”

    After nearly 10 years at PNNL, Spurgeon joined NREL’s Material Science team in May 2024 with a mission to lead research on autonomous materials science and characterization in the development of new energy technologies.

    “I joined NREL to help establish a forward-thinking vision for autonomous science,” Spurgeon said. “NREL’s leadership in emerging energy technologies, coupled with its proactive approach to integrating AI, creates an environment like no other, where researchers can strategically innovate and push the boundaries of energy solutions.”

    Since joining NREL, Spurgeon has integrated autonomous capabilities into lab workflows, established new industry partnerships, and created effective teams. In May 2025, he is organizing a workshop to convene leading experts to explore practical, real-world applications of autonomous research.

    His work has sped up experiments and led to faster discoveries in energy materials and microelectronics, which translates to tangible benefits for NREL’s partners and the wider community. Moving forward, he is focused on using AI to develop important materials—like advanced semiconductors and catalysts—that could lead to major breakthroughs in technology.

    As Spurgeon explained, “AI-driven autonomy in materials science is the key to breaking through current research bottlenecks. It allows us to move beyond incremental improvements and achieve truly transformative discoveries in the energy materials we use every day, saving money and improving resilience.”

    Reflecting on his career, Spurgeon identified the thrill of discovery, bolstered by persistence in the face of failure, as a driving factor in all that he has achieved.

    “Breakthroughs don’t come easily. They often follow many, many failures,” Spurgeon said. “But every once in a while, you get a new process to work or you uncover a phenomenon no one has seen before. Those moments of seeing something for the first time—something no one else has seen—are what make me come to work every day.”

    Beyond the personal satisfaction of pushing the boundaries of knowledge, Spurgeon finds inspiration in the support of the scientific community and in the impact of his work on real-world technologies.

    “When you’re all pushing in the same direction, you can help each other, share in the struggles, and celebrate the wins,” Spurgeon said. “It has been especially rewarding to work with so many talented early-career staff and students over the years.”

    Spurgeon also recognizes that the focus of his work—AI integration—has been the subject of a fair amount of debate in recent years.

    “We’re at the start of a significant transformation in science, but the essence of the scientific process—generating and testing a hypothesis—still belongs to humans,” Spurgeon said. “AI can help us analyze more data and refine our decision-making, but it’s still on us as scientists to take responsibility for our conclusions.”

    With this in mind, Spurgeon emphasizes the importance of building practical, trustworthy AI implementations whose conclusions can be clearly explained and that provide real value for users.

    Looking ahead, Spurgeon is optimistic: “The future of materials science lies in the collaborative power of AI and human ingenuity. Together, we’ll push the boundaries of innovation and improve the lives of everyone around the world.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests Brazilian national for selling fake Social Security cards and green cards

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON – An illegally present Brazilian national, residing in Woburn, was arrested March 18 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for allegedly selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “green cards.”

    Liene Tavares De Barros, Jr., 39, is charged with one count of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature.

    According to the charging documents, Tavares De Barros sold a Social Security card and a green card to an undercover officer in October 2024 in exchange for $250. In December 2024, Tavares De Barros allegedly sold two more Social Security cards and green cards to the undercover officer in exchange for $500.

    The charge of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and unlawful production of document or authentication feature provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Tavares De Barros will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Tavares De Barros was previously removed by ICE in 2010 and 2022.

    The investigation was conducted by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force. DBFTFs target and dismantle the transnational criminal organizations and individuals that threaten U.S. national security and public safety – and address vulnerabilities that exist in the immigration system. Through collaboration and partnership, the DBFTFs maximize resources, eliminate duplication of effort, promote the information sharing, and produce a strong law enforcement presence. DBFTFs safeguard against fraudulent activities related to documents and benefits in the United States.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Driver of second human smuggling vehicle involved in 2021 Southwest Texas incident sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following ICE Del Rio and federal partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DEL RIO, Texas – A illegal Salvadoran alien, identified as Juan Alonso Barrientos-Quintanilla, 23, was sentenced March 25 by a federal judge to serve 120 months in prison for his role in a deadly 2021 human smuggling operation. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

    “The tragic loss of life in human smuggling operations is a harsh reminder of the dangerous nature of these criminal activities. ICE HSI will continue to work relentlessly to dismantle these networks and prevent further violence, ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.

    According to court documents, Barrientos-Quintanilla was apprehended and identified as one of 12 illegal aliens who fled from one of two vehicles involved in a failed human smuggling operation on Highway 277 on March 15, 2021. The other vehicle, driven by Sebastian Tovar, crashed, killing eight of its nine illegal alien passengers. Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the second smuggling vehicle, leading to an attempted traffic stop and, subsequently, Barrientos-Quintanilla and the other illegal aliens were fleeing on foot. All 12 illegal aliens were apprehended. Barrientos-Quintanilla initially claimed to be one of the aliens being smuggled; however, he later admitted to being the load driver of the vehicle. He pleaded guilty on July 23, 2023, to one count of aiding and abetting illegal alien transportation resulting in death.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister from the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The FBI and the Portland Police Department Announce a $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Location of Miguel Oliveras

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force and the Portland Police Department are investigating the suspicious disappearance of Miguel Oliveras and are asking for the public’s assistance in locating him or his remains.

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone with information leading to Oliveras’ whereabouts.

    Oliveras, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, was last seen around 1:00 a.m. on September 2, 2006, at the Platinum Plus Club on Riverside Street in Portland, Maine. He was wearing a grey camouflage long-sleeve shirt with a white t-shirt over it, green cargo shorts, and white sneakers.

    Oliveras is a Hispanic man with black hair and brown eyes. At the time he went missing, he was 24 years old, approximately 5’11” tall, and weighed approximately 170 pounds. He has tattoos on his neck, back, shoulder, and hand.  

    There have been no reported sightings or contacts by Oliveras since his suspicious disappearance, which is why the FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information.  

    The public is being asked to play an active role in locating Miguel by reviewing his missing person poster and sharing it on social media.

    “Despite exhaustive investigative efforts by law enforcement over the last two decades, we are unable to locate Miguel Oliveras,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Our goal with this $10,000 reward is to incentivize anyone with information about Miguel’s whereabouts to come forward so we can find him and provide his family with some much-needed closure.”

    “We are hopeful someone will come forward with additional information to help bring this case to a close,” added Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois. “This has been a priority for us and we certainly know it is to the family as well.”

    “Nothing has changed,” Miguel’s mother, Myrna Oliveras, said. “More frustration, more anger, it has been a long time. I just want to find him and bring him home. I need people to come forward.”

    Anyone with information regarding Miguel Oliveras’s location should call the Portland Police Department at 207-814-8584 or FBI Boston at 1-800-CALL-FBI.  Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –