NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Tionee Scotland
    July 10, 2025                                                           202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands: 

    “Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections.  While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.

    “My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.” 

    Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce.  Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory. 

    “Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).

    “That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period.  We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added. 

    “Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories.  Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico.  I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.” 

    “While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Tionee Scotland
    July 10, 2025                                                           202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands: 

    “Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections.  While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.

    “My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.” 

    Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce.  Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory. 

    “Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).

    “That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period.  We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added. 

    “Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories.  Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico.  I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.” 

    “While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

    Washington, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today led 11 bipartisan members of Congress in introducing the PBM Reform Act, which protects patients and pharmacies from the harmful and anticompetitive business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).


    “It’s time to bust up the PBM monopoly, which has been stealing hope and health from patients for decades. As a pharmacist, I’ve seen how PBMs abuse patients firsthand, and believe that the cure to this infectious disease is transparency, competition, and accountability, which is exactly what our bipartisan package provides,” said Rep. Carter.

    The PBM Reform Act will: 

    • Ban “spread pricing” in Medicaid and move to a transparent system that ensures pharmacies are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
    • Establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency. 
    • Promote transparency for both employers and patients in their prescription drug plans, with semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations.
    • Require Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations.


    Original Co-Sponsors include:     Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rick Allen (R-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Rose (R-TN), Derek Tran (D-CA), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY). 


    “For too long, pharmacy benefit managers have been allowed to operate unchecked, raising prices and preventing many patients from getting the medications they depend on,” Rep. Debbie Dingell said. “I hear from too many Michiganders, especially seniors, who can’t conveniently access the prescriptions they need, due to exploitative PBM practices complicating access to their local pharmacies. Their harmful, aggressive tactics are only getting worse, and we must take action now to protect pharmacies and lower patient costs. I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this across the finish line.”


    “Unaffordable health care, unclear pricing practices, and a burdensome system that is difficult to navigate has created life-threatening barriers to care for Americans,” said Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. “At the heart of this problem are pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who withhold money from independent pharmacies, obscure drug costs, and make out like bandits, all at the expense of patients. This corruption of the health care delivery system must stop. For years, we have heard from small business owners, physicians, and patients about the damage greedy PBMs have inflicted. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to put an end to the extortion and lower drug costs through increased transparency and competition.”


    “For too long, PBMs have served as unregulated middlemen, driving up prices for life-saving medications for patients,” said Rep. Deborah Ross. “Nobody should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table. Our bipartisan PBM Reform Act will protect Americans from abusive practices that raise prices and reduce fairness. I’m proud to work with Rep. Carter on these long overdue reforms. It’s past time to hold PBMs accountable and ensure every American can access the medications they need.”


    “It’s time to put an end to the shady and manipulative practices of pharmacy benefit managers. For too long, PBMs have driven up drug prices and padded their pockets while independent community pharmacies are being pushed to the financial brink. My colleagues and I are committed to changing that. This legislation delivers long-overdue accountability, increases transparency, lowers out-of-pocket costs for families, and saves taxpayer dollars. Local pharmacies and the patients they serve are at a breaking point, and they deserve relief. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill and look forward to passing real PBM reform that will deliver for both patients and providers,” said Rep. Diana Harshbarger. 


    “Pharmacy Benefit Managers line their pockets and drive up the cost of life saving drugs at the expense of South Texans and the community pharmacies they depend on — this is shameful, dangerous, and must be stopped,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Buddy Carter that puts patients first, increases price transparency, and holds PBMs accountable.”


    “PBM reform has long been a pressing issue, not only in rural Georgia, but across the nation. I am proud to work with Representative Carter on this commonsense package to eliminate the use of spread pricing, make prescription drugs more affordable, and establish rigorous oversight over PBM tactics that threaten access to care. Our health care system is in need of patient-centered, cost-effective, market-driven solutions and this package delivers,” said Rep. Rick W. Allen.


    “I’m proud to co-lead the PBM Reform Act to crack down on abusive practices by pharmacy benefit managers and drive down the cost of prescription drugs for working families,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said. “This bipartisan legislation brings long-overdue transparency and accountability to the prescription drug supply chain, ensuring patients, not middlemen, come first.”


    “Seniors should be able to fill the prescriptions they need without having to drive long distances or pay exorbitant costs,” Rep. John Rose said. “For far too long, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have favored large chains and driven away customers from independent pharmacies, especially those in rural communities. I am proud to co-lead this legislation, which will be a gamechanger for countless Tennesseans.”

    “Southern California families are seeing their cost-of-living skyrocket, especially the cost of essential health care. I’m laser-focused on bipartisan, common-sense solutions that bring down costs and ensure that our economy works for working families. My experience running a community pharmacy with my wife showed me firsthand the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in how Pharmacy Benefit Managers operate. That is why I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort with Representatives Carter and Dingell to reform PBM practices, increase transparency, and put patients first,” said Rep. Derek Tran.


    “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this critical PBM reform package, which cracks down on the exploitative pricing tactics of pharmacy benefit managers to make prescription drugs more affordable,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “PBMs’ shady practices have left consumers footing the bill and are driving many ‘Mom & Pop’ pharmacies in my district out of business. Our legislation will deliver long-overdue reforms to increase price transparency and protect patients. Now is the time for Congress to act and get PBM reform across the finish line.”

    Background

    Pharmacy benefit managers were created as middlemen to reduce administrative costs for insurers, validate a patient’s eligibility, administer plan benefits, and negotiate costs between pharmacies and health plans. Over time, PBMs have been allowed to operate virtually unchecked as they consolidated to where three companies now control 80% of the prescription drug market.

    Vertical integration and a lack of transparency have led to pharmacy closures and higher costs for patients across the country.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

    Washington, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today led 11 bipartisan members of Congress in introducing the PBM Reform Act, which protects patients and pharmacies from the harmful and anticompetitive business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).


    “It’s time to bust up the PBM monopoly, which has been stealing hope and health from patients for decades. As a pharmacist, I’ve seen how PBMs abuse patients firsthand, and believe that the cure to this infectious disease is transparency, competition, and accountability, which is exactly what our bipartisan package provides,” said Rep. Carter.

    The PBM Reform Act will: 

    • Ban “spread pricing” in Medicaid and move to a transparent system that ensures pharmacies are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
    • Establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency. 
    • Promote transparency for both employers and patients in their prescription drug plans, with semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations.
    • Require Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations.


    Original Co-Sponsors include:     Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rick Allen (R-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Rose (R-TN), Derek Tran (D-CA), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY). 


    “For too long, pharmacy benefit managers have been allowed to operate unchecked, raising prices and preventing many patients from getting the medications they depend on,” Rep. Debbie Dingell said. “I hear from too many Michiganders, especially seniors, who can’t conveniently access the prescriptions they need, due to exploitative PBM practices complicating access to their local pharmacies. Their harmful, aggressive tactics are only getting worse, and we must take action now to protect pharmacies and lower patient costs. I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this across the finish line.”


    “Unaffordable health care, unclear pricing practices, and a burdensome system that is difficult to navigate has created life-threatening barriers to care for Americans,” said Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. “At the heart of this problem are pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who withhold money from independent pharmacies, obscure drug costs, and make out like bandits, all at the expense of patients. This corruption of the health care delivery system must stop. For years, we have heard from small business owners, physicians, and patients about the damage greedy PBMs have inflicted. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to put an end to the extortion and lower drug costs through increased transparency and competition.”


    “For too long, PBMs have served as unregulated middlemen, driving up prices for life-saving medications for patients,” said Rep. Deborah Ross. “Nobody should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table. Our bipartisan PBM Reform Act will protect Americans from abusive practices that raise prices and reduce fairness. I’m proud to work with Rep. Carter on these long overdue reforms. It’s past time to hold PBMs accountable and ensure every American can access the medications they need.”


    “It’s time to put an end to the shady and manipulative practices of pharmacy benefit managers. For too long, PBMs have driven up drug prices and padded their pockets while independent community pharmacies are being pushed to the financial brink. My colleagues and I are committed to changing that. This legislation delivers long-overdue accountability, increases transparency, lowers out-of-pocket costs for families, and saves taxpayer dollars. Local pharmacies and the patients they serve are at a breaking point, and they deserve relief. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill and look forward to passing real PBM reform that will deliver for both patients and providers,” said Rep. Diana Harshbarger. 


    “Pharmacy Benefit Managers line their pockets and drive up the cost of life saving drugs at the expense of South Texans and the community pharmacies they depend on — this is shameful, dangerous, and must be stopped,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Buddy Carter that puts patients first, increases price transparency, and holds PBMs accountable.”


    “PBM reform has long been a pressing issue, not only in rural Georgia, but across the nation. I am proud to work with Representative Carter on this commonsense package to eliminate the use of spread pricing, make prescription drugs more affordable, and establish rigorous oversight over PBM tactics that threaten access to care. Our health care system is in need of patient-centered, cost-effective, market-driven solutions and this package delivers,” said Rep. Rick W. Allen.


    “I’m proud to co-lead the PBM Reform Act to crack down on abusive practices by pharmacy benefit managers and drive down the cost of prescription drugs for working families,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said. “This bipartisan legislation brings long-overdue transparency and accountability to the prescription drug supply chain, ensuring patients, not middlemen, come first.”


    “Seniors should be able to fill the prescriptions they need without having to drive long distances or pay exorbitant costs,” Rep. John Rose said. “For far too long, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have favored large chains and driven away customers from independent pharmacies, especially those in rural communities. I am proud to co-lead this legislation, which will be a gamechanger for countless Tennesseans.”

    “Southern California families are seeing their cost-of-living skyrocket, especially the cost of essential health care. I’m laser-focused on bipartisan, common-sense solutions that bring down costs and ensure that our economy works for working families. My experience running a community pharmacy with my wife showed me firsthand the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in how Pharmacy Benefit Managers operate. That is why I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort with Representatives Carter and Dingell to reform PBM practices, increase transparency, and put patients first,” said Rep. Derek Tran.


    “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this critical PBM reform package, which cracks down on the exploitative pricing tactics of pharmacy benefit managers to make prescription drugs more affordable,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “PBMs’ shady practices have left consumers footing the bill and are driving many ‘Mom & Pop’ pharmacies in my district out of business. Our legislation will deliver long-overdue reforms to increase price transparency and protect patients. Now is the time for Congress to act and get PBM reform across the finish line.”

    Background

    Pharmacy benefit managers were created as middlemen to reduce administrative costs for insurers, validate a patient’s eligibility, administer plan benefits, and negotiate costs between pharmacies and health plans. Over time, PBMs have been allowed to operate virtually unchecked as they consolidated to where three companies now control 80% of the prescription drug market.

    Vertical integration and a lack of transparency have led to pharmacy closures and higher costs for patients across the country.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Andrea Salinas Introduces Bill to Improve Workforce Training for SNAP Recipients

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) reintroduced the SNAP E&T Data and Technical Assistance (DATA) Act, legislation to improve workforce training programs for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries and help put them on the path to self-sufficiency. 

    “SNAP is critical to ensuring that children, veterans, and seniors across Oregon don’t go hungry. This bill would improve employment and training opportunities for SNAP recipients to put them on the pathway to self-sufficiency,” said Rep. Salinas. “Given that Congressional Republicans just slashed SNAP benefits and imposed harsh work requirements, this bill is more important than ever to provide people with the tools they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.”

    State SNAP agencies are required to administer Employment and Training (E&T) programs for beneficiaries. These programs help participants gain skills, education, training, and experience that lead to good stable jobs. Through SNAP E&T, states are able to provide additional support services – such as transportation and child care – to help participants overcome barriers to joining or moving up in the workforce. However, many states do not have a user-friendly way to collect data on SNAP E&T programs or conduct robust analyses to improve program performance.

    The SNAP E&T DATA Act would codify and expand Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Data and Technical Assistance Grants to improve performance of Employment and Training programs. Specifically, the bill would: 

    • Support state and local agencies in the development of E&T data collection systems and processes that enhance states’ ability to review and analyze program services and outcomes for continuous program improvement.
    • Provide additional funds for technical assistance, so that states can become more effective, data driven E&T providers.
    • Encourage participation among states that have not yet received such grants.
    • Encourage data improvements that 1) facilitate co-enrollment and coordination with other federally supported workforce development programs and 2) support interoperability between SNAP E&T data systems and other state longitudinal data infrastructure, such as that for K-12 education, postsecondary education, and existing workforce development programs.

    In 2023, the Oregon Department of Human Services was awarded $1.5 million to assess and improve E&T participation and more accurately track program outcomes. Rep. Salinas’ legislation would significantly expand federal support for data collection on the effectiveness of SNAP E&T programs in Oregon.

    The SNAP E&T DATA Act is endorsed by the Data Quality Campaign and America Forward.

    “America Forward Coalition members who work with states, local governments, and participants in the SNAP Employment and Training program require accurate and accessible data to deliver the strongest possible SNAP E&T opportunities that advance economic mobility. We applaud Representative Andrea Salinas and urge Congress to include this critical legislation in the Farm Bill to enable continuous improvement, strengthen transparency, and break down barriers to participation in SNAP E&T,” said Chase Sackett, Policy Director, America Forward. 

    “Everyone should have the information they need to make informed decisions about their workforce pathways, support individuals navigating these pathways, and create policies that might help others navigate smoother pathways. DQC applauds the efforts of Rep. Salinas to ensure that the SNAP E&T program has the data infrastructure necessary so that it fulfills its role in helping individuals improve their economic mobility,” said Kate Tromble, Vice President of Federal Policy, Data Quality Campaign. 

    To read a one-page description of this legislation, click here.

     To read the full text of this legislation, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    The Defendant Discharged a Stolen Gun Inside a Residence with Minor Children Present

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Angelo Crank, 44, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to court records and court proceedings, on August 15, 2024, an individual identified as T.T. called 911 to report that Crank had discharged a firearm. Officers responding to the service call arrived at the residence and spoke with Crank, T.T. and three minor children. T.T. told the officers that Crank had fired a gun during an argument while her young children were at home. Officers executed a search warrant on the residence where they located and seized five discharged 9mm shell cases; a 9mm Glock, model 17 semiautomatic pistol; one 30-round magazine for the Glock; one 17-round magazine for the Glock; a 9mm Hi-Point model C9 semiautomatic pistol; and several rounds of various ammunition. Officers also reviewed footage from the home security system. The footage captured Crank following T.T. and her minor children into the front yard with a gun in his hand. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that both seized firearms had been reported stolen. Crank has a criminal history that includes state felony convictions of Assault on a Female and Felony Possession of Cocaine, and a federal conviction in South Carolina for conspiracy and using, carrying, and possessing firearms during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    On October 29, 2024, Crank pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Thomas is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    The ATF and CMPD led the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Global Bioenergies: takeover bid deadline extended to 18 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE

    Global Bioenergies: takeover bid deadline extended
    to 18 July 2025

    Evry, 10 July 2025 – 05:45 p.m.: Potential buyers of Global Bioenergies’ activities expressed their interest yesterday at noon at the deadline that had been set. Two offers and three letters of intent have been sent to Maître Joanna Rousselet1. The candidates have expressed a wish for more time to conduct their study. The date for submission of preliminary bids has therefore been postponed to 18 July 2025 at noon. Postponing will potentially allow other parties to position themselves.

    The review hearing at which potential final offers would be presented to the Evry Commercial Court could take place in September or October.

    As a reminder, the pre-pack sale only provides for the sale of the Company’s assets. Global Bioenergies’ shares will not be taken over: the liquidation of the Company will follow the asset sale transaction, and the value of the ALGBE shares will become zero. It is still theoretically possible that the actions will be taken over, but the probability is extremely low today, and no discussions in this regard are currently taking place.

    Marc Delcourt, co-founder and CEO of Global Bioenergies, comments: “We had no choice but to launch this pre-pack sale process a month ago, which aims to maintain business activities and all or some of the jobs, but which does not provide any compensation for the shareholders, including myself, who will therefore have lost their investment. Despite a promising partnership project with a major industrialist wishing to remain undisclosed at this stage, with which a non-binding term sheet was signed in February 2025, the Company was unable to finance the next chapter in its current configuration as a listed company, with significant debts (€13M). Of course, we regret not having been able to bring our solution to the SAF market, and thus make a significant contribution to the environmental transition. We hope that others will be able to do so, based on the acquisition of the Company’s assets. We remain more convinced than ever of the urgent need to develop solutions aiming at curbing global warming, against the current global trend which sees efforts in this area diminishing.”

    About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

    As a committed player in the fight against global warming, Global Bioenergies has developed a unique process to produce SAF and e-SAF from renewable resources, thereby meeting the challenges of decarbonising air transport. Its technology is one of the very few solutions already certified by ASTM. Its products also meet the high standards of the cosmetics industry, and L’Oréal is its largest shareholder with a 13.5% stake. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris (FR0011052257 – ALGBE).

    Contacts

    1 Interested candidates are invited to submit their offer to: Maître Joanna Rousselet – SCP Abitbol et Rousselet, joanna.rousselet@fajr.eu.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Floorstocks Releases Exclusive Nasdaq MarketSite Interview with Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Floorstocks, a financial media platform with over 1.2 million active retail investors, has released an exclusive CEO interview filmed at the Nasdaq MarketSite with Brian Norton, CEO of Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX). The full interview is now available on YouTube and Floorstocks.com, offering investors a front-row look at one of healthcare’s most disruptive emerging growth companies.

    Watch the full interview on YouTube:
    https://youtu.be/gJJlbqd7Mv8

    Also streaming at Floorstocks.com:
    https://www.floorstocks.com

    Hosted by market veteran Kenneth Polcari, the interview unpacks how Wellgistics is modernizing the $600+ billion U.S. prescription drug market—eliminating intermediaries, restoring transparency, and enabling faster, compliant fulfillment from manufacturer to patient.

    “This is the kind of story our audience responds to—real revenue, strong leadership, and a disruptive path forward,” said Richard Davis, CEO of Floorstocks. “The Wellgistics message is timely, clear, and rooted in solving systemic inefficiencies that the market can no longer ignore.”

    The conversation highlights Wellgistics’ vertically integrated tech stack, growing national footprint, and its AI-powered infrastructure supporting pharmacies, providers, manufacturers, and employer groups.

    “We appreciated the opportunity to speak directly to the investor community through Floorstocks,” said Brian Norton, CEO of Wellgistics Health. “They have our full permission to distribute, quote, and promote this interview. We believe transparency builds trust—and this conversation lays out our vision clearly: fixing a broken system with scalable solutions built for today’s healthcare challenges.”

    This feature is part of a larger investor education campaign aimed at bringing institutional visibility to Wellgistics Health as it scales its direct distribution network, expands employer carve-out programs, and doubles down on compliant, tech-enabled pharmacy solutions.

    About Floorstocks
    Floorstocks is a financial media platform connecting high-growth public companies with the next generation of investors. Through exclusive interviews, omnichannel storytelling, and high-impact distribution across YouTube, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and email, Floorstocks is redefining how public markets are explained to the modern investor. Learn more at www.floorstocks.com.

    About Wellgistics Health Inc (NASDAQ: WGRX)
    Wellgistics Health moves medications from maker to taker—faster, cheaper, and smarter. Its platform spans wholesale distribution, digital script routing, and hub services like eligibility, prior authorization, adherence, and direct-to-patient fulfillment. A PBM alternative—but PBM-agnostic—WGRX empowers manufacturers, providers, pharmacies, and employer groups with transparent, end-to-end medication access.

    Media Contact
    Richard Davis
    Chief Executive Officer, Floorstocks
    media@floorstocks.com
    (212) 555-0192
    www.floorstocks.com

    Disclaimer: Floorstocks Inc. was engaged by Wellgistics Health Inc. (WGRX) for a paid investor awareness campaign valued at $75,000. This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security.

    • Floorstocks Inc. was compensated $75,000 by Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX) for this investor awareness campaign. All content was independently produced and distributed under full editorial control by Floorstocks.
    • Floorstocks interviews are conducted by financial media professionals with backgrounds in capital markets, including Kenneth Polcari (former NYSE floor trader and CNBC contributor).
    • For high-resolution images, video clips, or interview segments for media coverage, contact: inquiries@floorstocks.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) road engineers and transport experts conduct working field visit to Dakar-Diamniadio-Thies highway & Dakar Ter

    Source: APO

    The ECOWAS Commission, as part of the final technical review workshop for the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Corridor Technical Studies, conducted Regional Road Engineers and Transport Experts drawn from ECOWAS Member States to a day’s field visit to the financing, operations and maintenance of major road and rail infrastructure projects in Senegal on the 28th of June,2025.

    The visits to “Train Express Régional” TER Dakar Railway Service, and the Dakar-Diamniadio-Thies Highway forms part of efforts by the ECOWAS Commission to tap on home-grown expertise and solutions as it works with Member States to implement major regional corridor highway and railway projects. It also to ensure a critical mass of like-minded professionals to support the uniform development of Transport Infrastructure in the region, through experience sharing from regional models in infrastructure financing and operations as successfully implemented by the Senegalese Government.

    The 36km TER Dakar urban railway service has 13 stations with 15 dual-mode 4-car trains has gradually become a key complementary mode for peri-urban commuters from urban settlements around Dakar for their daily trips. Experts boarded the train for firsthand experience of the service and discussed key areas in operations, signalization, scheduling, maintenance and deliberate policies to encourage local skill and capacity development in rail operations railway services. Other areas visited were the railway operations room, maintenance center, terminals and related facilities. Experiences gathered also covered design of systems, revenue collection and management and general operations of modern urban railway service.

    Participants also visited the Dakar-Diamniadio concession highway, and the Diamniadio-Thies Highways which presents similar design and operational specifications for the key regional supra-national corridor highways such as the Dakar-Abidjan and Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highways. The visit covered sections of the Highway, toll stations and traffic monitoring centers and the offices of the Concessionaires. Discussions centered on design principles, elements and financing models. Valuable lessons were learnt on local expertise development, traffic surveillance, operations of the Highway, road safety, tolling and revenue management. Particular notice was made of the predominance of local experts, local content and the use of home-grown project finance arrangements, using Public-Private financing options.

    These major infrastructure projects highlighted the potential of regional, the home-grown initiatives adopted to address the financing gap in infrastructure development and the local expertise development to sustain operations. The railway service and highways connecting the city of Dakar and inland destinations provide very options for urban mobility, job opportunities for the youth and contribute immensely to economic development.

    The visits formed part of the validation workshop of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan Projects Corridor and presented several hands-on experiences to be considered for major regional transport infrastructure projects, as well as similar national peri-urban mass transportation initiatives.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Scott, Warnock and Colleagues Introduce Hospital at Home Healthcare Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) introduced the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, legislation that would extend the Acute Hospital at Home Waiver program and modernize how Americans receive hospital-level care. This bill would build on the successful Hospital at Home program, which currently allows thousands of Americans to safely receive hospital-level care in their homes through a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver. 
    “The American healthcare system must evolve to meet the needs of the patients in the 21st century,” said Senator Scott. “Hospital-at-home care provides better outcomes for patients while reducing costs. This legislation ensures that successful programs like this can continue to serve families across South Carolina and the nation.”
    “This legislation is about protecting access to quality health care, lowering costs for patients, and improving the health and well-being of our family and neighbors,” said Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. “I will always work to lower costs and increase health care access for Georgians, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort.”
    This legislation addresses the unsustainable costs of the current healthcare system by leveraging technology and alternative care models. 
    In addition to Senators Scott and Warnock, this bill was cosponsored by Senators Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-N.Y.).
    Read the text of the bill here.
    Background:
    Under the current program, CMS requires an in-person physician evaluation and screening protocols to assess medical and non-medical factors before at-home care can begin. Research has shown hospital-at-home programs decrease hospital-acquired infections, falls, delirium, and immobility while providing cost savings. 
    The waiver programs launched in November of 2020 to help decompress hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Scott and former Senator Carper worked to extend the Hospital at Home Program during the 117th and 118th Congress. During the 117th Congress, they introduced and passed the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, legislation that extended the Hospital at Home waiver program two years beyond the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The March Continuing Resolution extended Hospital-at-Home until the end of this fiscal year. Now, more than 37 states have Hospital-at-Home programs, including South Carolina. The program is set to expire on September 30th, 2025.
    While the federal healthcare system is transitioning from payment models that solely fund care in traditional facilities, several states have passed legislation allowing varying levels of hospital-at-home flexibility.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Superman wasn’t always so squeaky clean – in early comics he was a radical vigilante

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Caro, Principal Lecturer, Film and Media, University of Portsmouth

    Superman was the very first superhero. He debuted in Action Comics issue #1 which was released in June 1938. Over time, the character has been assigned multiple nicknames: “The Man of Steel”, “The Man of Tomorrow” and “The Big Blue Boy Scout”. However, in his first appearance in ravaged Depression-era America, the byline used to announce Superman’s debut was: “The Champion of the Oppressed”.

    Created by the sons of Jewish immigrants, writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman is an example of youthful male wish fulfilment: an all-powerful figure dressed like a circus strong man, who uses brawn to right wrongs. However, Siegel and Shuster’s initial version of the character was a more flawed character.

    Appearing in a 1933 fanzine, Siegel’s prose story The Reign of the Superman with accompanying illustrations by Shuster, featured a reckless scientist whose hubris is punished when he creates the telepathic “super man” by experimenting on a drifter plucked from the poverty lines. Echoing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the creator is dispatched by his creation.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Siegel and Shuster had some early success selling stories to National Allied Publications, the forerunner of DC Comics. At this time, comic books were mainly collections of newspaper cartoons – the “funnies” – pasted together to create more portable anthologies. They featured the escapades of characters like Popeye and Little Orphan Annie.

    Inspired by the heroic tales of derring do of pulp fiction adventurers such as Johnston McCulley’s Zorro (1919) and Philip Wylie’s 1930 science fiction novel Gladiator, Siegel and Shuster further developed their Superman character. They transformed him into a hero and added the now familiar cape and “S” logo.

    Having no luck selling their superhero to the newspapers, they eventually sold the rights to Superman to DC Comics, where Superman achieved huge success. Within a year, there was a syndicated newspaper strip and a spin-off Superman comic book featuring the first superhero with their own exclusive title. Along with extensive merchandising, there was a 1940 radio show, followed by an animation series in 1941, with the inevitable live action serial in 1948.

    In this early example of a property crossing multiple media platforms, Superman’s apparent appeal lay with the fantastical aspects, as he battled mad scientists, criminal masterminds and giant dinosaurs.

    But in the early issues, Superman’s enemies were noticeably more earthbound and reflected the concerns of an audience reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. In an early story, War in Sante Monte, Superman confronts a corrupt Washington lobbyist, Alex Greer, who is bribing a greedy senator. It transpires that Greer represents an arms dealer who is profiteering by manipulating both sides in an overseas war.

    In a later tale, Superman Battles Death Underground, our hero challenges the owner of a dangerous mine who is cutting corners with safety precautions.

    In 1932 Siegel’s father, a tailor, died following the attempted robbery of the family shop – so it is no surprise that Superman had a low tolerance for crime and its causes. In the story Superman in the Slums, dated January 1939, the social commentary is plain. When teenager Frankie Marello is sentenced to reform school, Superman acknowledges the impact of the boy’s social environment:

    It’s these slums – your poor living conditions – if there was only some way I could remedy it!

    His solution is to raze the dilapidated buildings to the ground, forcing the authorities to replace them with modern cheap-rental apartments. In creating new construction work, here is Superman’s extreme version of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

    In the 1998 forward to Superman: The Action Comics Archives Volume 2, former DC Comics editor Paul Kupperberg comments this is a Superman “who fought (mainly) guys in suits out to screw over the little guy”. The form that the fight took is of interest, for this Superman has no time for niceties or due process, as he gleefully intimidates and bullies anyone who gets in his way.

    A man caught beating his wife is thrown into a wall and warned that there is plenty more where that came from. The corrupt lobbyist is dangled over power cables until he reveals who he is working for. Any police officers that attempt to obstruct Superman’s personal quest for justice are brushed aside with annoyance.

    Refining Superman

    Through his appearances on mainstream radio and cinema, Superman softened and became more patient. In popular culture, concerns about the depression and social injustice shifted to efforts to encourage a national consensus as the United States moved to a war footing in the early 1940s.

    Post-war, there were occasional returns to the more radical interpretations of Superman, but generally it is the clean cut, fantastical Big Blue Boy Scout perception of the character that has dominated.

    The new Superman film appears to be maintaining that image. In the trailer, actor David Corenswet’s Superman tackles various super-villains and a destructive Kaiju (a Godzilla-like skyscraper-sized monster) – although there is the suggestion that behind them all is the corrupt industrialist, Lex Luthor.

    The trailer for the latest Superman film.

    Fittingly, it is in the pages of comic books that a more progressive, militant representation of Superman has emerged. In 2024 DC rebooted its familiar superheroes with its new grittier “Absolute” universe.

    Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s Absolute Superman comic (2024) emphasises the character’s status as an isolated blue-collar immigrant from the doomed planet of Krypton. This is a youthful, less seasoned Superman who is quick to anger and less likely to pull his punches. Their interpretation is closer to Superman’s early vigilante roots, including a storyline where he liberates the workers in a Brazilian mine from the clutches of exploitative big business.

    Perhaps – in the comic books at least – the Champion of the Oppressed has finally returned.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    John Caro 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. Superman wasn’t always so squeaky clean – in early comics he was a radical vigilante – https://theconversation.com/superman-wasnt-always-so-squeaky-clean-in-early-comics-he-was-a-radical-vigilante-260721

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Salt Path scandal: defending a memoir’s ‘emotional truth’ is a high-risk strategy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Eaglestone, Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought, Royal Holloway University of London

    Raynor Winn, author of the award-winning memoir The Salt Path, which was recently adapted into a film, has been accused of “lies, deceit and desperation”. Writing in The Observer, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou claims that Winn left out significant facts and invented parts of the story.

    The Salt Path follows a transformative 630-mile trek along England’s South West Coast Path that Winn took with her terminally ill husband Moth after they lost their home and livelihood.

    The Observer article claims that aspects of both the story of losing their home and Winn’s husband’s illness were fabricated. In a statement on her website, Winn has defended her memoir, calling the claims “grotesquely unfair” and “highly misleading”.

    There’s a long list of memoirs which have been shown to be problematic. James Frey’s recovery memoir A Million Little Pieces (2003) was allegedly exaggerated. In 2006, he apologised for fabricating portions of the book. Worse, Binjamin Wilkomirski’s feted Holocaust survivor memoir Fragments: Memories of a Wartime Childhood (1995) was completely fake. Wilkomirski’s real name was Bruno Dössekker and he was not a Holocaust survivor, he had simply invented his “memories” of a death camp, though he seemed to believe they were true.

    But, for readers, how much does this matter? Novelist D.H. Lawrence wrote that readers should: “Never trust the artist. Trust the tale.” As readers of The Salt Path, we fear for Raynor and Moth as they desperately try to escape drowning from a freak high tide at Portheras Cove. We are relieved when we hear that Moth’s terminal disease was “somehow, for a while, held at bay”.

    The origin of the word fiction is from the Latin fingere, which means not to lie, but to fashion or form. All memoirs – indeed, all texts, from scientific articles to history books to bestselling novels – are “formed” or “shaped”. Writing doesn’t just fall from a tree, we make it, and it reveals the world by mediating the world.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    But this idea, that writing is a “shaping”, is why this case matters. Writing, done by oneself, or by a ghostwriter (or even by AI) has conventions, not-quite-rules that underlie its creation and reception. Some of these are in the text (the enemies eventually become lovers); some are outside the text itself (you really can judge a book by its cover). But most conventions are both inside and outside at the same time.

    Works by historians have footnotes to sources, so you (and other historians) can check the claims. Each scientific article refers to many others, because each article is just one tiny piece of the whole puzzle on which a huge community of scientists are working, and the extensive references show how this piece fits (or doesn’t). Non-fiction follows conventions, while novelists can do whatever they want, of course, to challenge or obey the conventions (that’s one reason why novels are exciting).

    Memoir has a particularly important convention, revealed most clearly by the historian Stefan Maechler’s report on Wilkomirski’s fraudulent memoir. Maechler argued that Wilkomirski broke what the French critic Philippe Lejeune called the “autobiographical pact”, a contract of truth between the author and the reader.

    For Lejeune, however, this pact is not like a legal agreement. A memoir, unlike a scientific article, need only put forward the truth as it appeared to the author in that area of their life. While the information needs to be accurate to some degree, its level of verifiability is less than a legal document or work of history. Much more important for Lejeune is the harder-to-pin-down fidelity to meaning.

    After all, many meaningful things – falling in love, for example, or grief – happen mostly inside us and are hard to verify. Even more, the developing overall shape of our life as it seems to us is not really a historical fact, but our own making of meaning. For Lejeune, in a memoir, this emotional truth is more significant than the verifiable truth.

    Playing with ‘emotional truth’

    The author of The Salt Path seems to have leaned into this idea. In her first statement after The Observer’s piece she claims that her book “lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives … This is the true story of our journey”. How, after all, could one verify a “spiritual journey”?

    However, I don’t fully agree with Lejeune. Perhaps our inner and outer worlds are not as separate as he supposes. Our public actions, including sharing facts, show who we are as much as our words describing our inner journeys.

    In a memoir, the verifiable truth and the emotional truth are linked by a kind of feedback loop. As readers, we allow some degree of playing with verifiable truth: dialogue is reconstructed, not recorded; we accept some level of dramatisation; we know it’s from one person’s perspective. But we also make a judgment about these things (there’s no fixed rule, no science to this judgment).

    If there’s too much reconstruction, too much dramatisation, we begin to get suspicious about the emotional truth too: is this really how it felt for them? Was it honestly a spiritual journey? And, in turn, this makes us more suspicious of the verifiable claims. By contrast, the novelist’s pact with the reader admits they fake emotional truth, which somehow makes it not fake at all: that’s one reason why novels are complicated.

    This is why defending a memoir’s “emotional truth” is a high-risk strategy. We know from our own lives that people who are unreliable in small (verifiable) things are often unreliable in large (emotional, meaningful) ones.

    So, for readers, the facts behind The Salt Path matter less in themselves and more because each question points to a larger issue about the book’s meaning. When you call someone “fake”, you don’t really mean that “their factual claims are inaccurate”, but that they are somehow inauthentic, hollow or – it’s a teenager’s word, but still – phoney. Once the “autobiographical pact” looks broken in enough small details, the reader no longer trusts the teller or the tale.

    In a lengthy statement published on her website in which she addresses the allegations in detail, Winn said that the suggestion that Moth’s illness was fabricated was an “utterly vile, unfair, and false suggestion” and added: “I can’t allow any more doubt to be cast on the validity of those memories, or the joy they have given so many.”

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Robert Eaglestone 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 Salt Path scandal: defending a memoir’s ‘emotional truth’ is a high-risk strategy – https://theconversation.com/the-salt-path-scandal-defending-a-memoirs-emotional-truth-is-a-high-risk-strategy-260937

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Dyspraxia: why children with developmental coordination disorder in the UK are still being failed

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Charikleia Sinani, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, School of Science, Technology and Health, York St John University

    M-Production/Shutterstock

    When a child struggles to tie their shoelaces, write legibly or stay upright during PE, it can be dismissed as clumsiness or lack of effort. But for around 5% of UK children, these challenges stem from a neurodevelopmental condition known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia. And new findings reveal how deeply it’s impacting their lives – at home, in school and in their future.

    Alongside colleagues, we conducted a national survey of more than 240 UK parents. The findings reveal a stark reality for families of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

    Despite affecting around 5% of children – making it as common as ADHD – DCD remains underdiagnosed, misunderstood and insufficiently supported. Families reported an average wait of nearly three years for a diagnosis, with almost one in five children showing clear signs of DCD but not yet having begun the diagnostic process.

    The diagnosis, when it comes, is often welcomed: 93% of parents say it helped explain their child’s difficulties and offered clarity. But many also expressed frustration that this recognition didn’t change much in practical terms, particularly in schools. One parent summarised the prevailing sentiment: “It is helpful for us at home but not at school.”

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

    Our survey showed that the movement difficulties associated with DCD can ripple through everyday life, mental health and wellbeing.

    Children with DCD face daily physical struggles with eating, dressing, cutting with scissors and handwriting. These aren’t just inconveniences. They translate into fatigue, frustration and often social exclusion. Compared to national averages, children in this survey were less active, with only 36% meeting recommended physical activity levels. Many parents worry that early disengagement from sport is cultivating lifelong habits that will undermine their children’s health.

    The emotional impact is just as severe. A staggering 90% of parents expressed concern about their child’s mental health. Anxiety, low self-esteem and feelings of isolation are common. Children with DCD are significantly more likely than their peers to show signs of emotional and peer-related difficulties.

    One parent recalled their child asking, “Why do I even try when I’m never picked?” Others shared heartbreaking worries: a child who felt “he doesn’t belong here” or another who had internalised the idea that they are “stupid” or “terrible”.

    DCD is a lifelong condition: it doesn’t go away with age, and there’s currently no “cure.” However, with the right support, many children can develop strategies to manage their difficulties and thrive. Early intervention, tailored therapies, especially occupational therapy, and appropriate classroom accommodations can make a significant difference to a child’s confidence, independence and quality of life.

    Schools are often unprepared

    Despite 81% of teachers being aware of a child’s motor difficulties, fewer than 60% had individual learning plans in place. Support was inconsistent: some children benefited from teaching assistants or adaptive tools like laptops, while others found themselves struggling alone. Physical education posed particular challenges, with 43% of parents saying their child wasn’t supported in PE lessons, often facing teachers who didn’t understand DCD at all.

    The consequences are significant: 80% of parents felt that movement difficulties negatively impacted their child’s education, and the same number feared it would affect their future employment.

    Therapy helps but is hard to access. Most families had sought therapy, with occupational therapy proving transformative for some. Yet many faced long waits or had to pay out of pocket, with some families spending thousands annually. Even when therapy was available, 78% felt it wasn’t sufficient.

    And it’s not just the children who suffer – 68% of parents reported constant emotional concern, and nearly half said the condition restricted their ability to take part in normal family activities.

    What needs to change

    To improve outcomes for children with DCD, we need urgent, coordinated action across five key areas. Parents and experts involved in the report outlined clear recommendations:

    Awareness: A nationwide effort is needed to educate the public, schools and healthcare professionals about DCD as a common yet currently poorly understood condition.

    Diagnosis: GPs and frontline professionals need clear, step-by-step guidance and referral routes to help them identify early motor difficulties and connect families with the right support quickly.

    Education: All teachers should receive mandatory training in DCD and practical strategies for supporting affected pupils in the classroom.

    Mental health: Support systems must recognise the deep connection between movement challenges and emotional wellbeing, ensuring that physical and psychological needs are treated together.

    Support: Crucially, children shouldn’t have to wait for a formal diagnosis to get support. Early intervention is vital to preventing long-term harm – and must be available as soon as difficulties emerge.

    Children with DCD are bright, capable and full of potential. But as one parent warns, “If she can’t write her answers down quickly enough in exams, she won’t be able to show her knowledge.” The cost of neglect is high, not just in lost grades or missed goals, but in the wellbeing of a generation of children struggling in silence.

    Charikleia Sinani has received funding from The Waterloo Foundation.

    The Impact of Developmental Coordination Disorder in the UK study was conducted in collaboration with our colleagues Catherine Purcell, Judith Gentle, Melissa Licari, Jacqueline Williams, Mark Mierzwinski and Sam Hudson.

    Greg Wood has previously received funding from The Waterloo Foundation.

    Kate Wilmut has in the past received funding from ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council), The Leverhulme Trust and The Waterloo Foundation

    – ref. Dyspraxia: why children with developmental coordination disorder in the UK are still being failed – https://theconversation.com/dyspraxia-why-children-with-developmental-coordination-disorder-in-the-uk-are-still-being-failed-260853

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A one minute scan of your foot could help prevent amputation – here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Head of Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey

    YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock

    Imagine having blocked arteries in your legs and not knowing it. At first, there may be no symptoms at all. Just occasional fatigue, cramping or discomfort – symptoms easy to dismiss as ageing or being out of shape.

    But as blood flow worsens, a small cut on your foot might not heal. It can turn into an ulcer. In the worst cases, it can lead to amputation. This condition is called peripheral artery disease (PAD) – and it’s far more common than many realise.

    PAD affects around one in five people over the age of 60 in the UK, and is especially prevalent in people with diabetes, high blood pressure or kidney disease.

    PAD is rarely an isolated issue: it’s usually a sign of widespread atherosclerosis, the build-up of fatty deposits that can also narrow arteries in the heart and brain.

    It also significantly increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other conditions linked to poor blood flow to vital organs. Research shows that a large proportion of people diagnosed with PAD will die within five to ten years, most often due to these complications.

    Early detection is key to reducing the impact of PAD, and I’ve been working with colleagues to develop a faster, simpler way to diagnose it.

    PAD testing

    Doctors can check circulation in the feet by comparing blood pressure in the toe with that in the arm. The result is known as the toe–brachial index (TBI). The trouble is that the test needs a toe-sized cuff, an optical sensor and a doctor who knows how to use the equipment.

    Many GP surgeries and foot clinics don’t have this kit. And in many people, especially those with diabetes or stiff arteries, the test doesn’t always give a clear or reliable, result.

    Our research team asked a simple question: could we turn a routine ultrasound scan into a quick, reliable way to measure blood flow in the foot?

    Most hospitals, and many community clinics, already have handheld ultrasound probes, which use Doppler sound to track how blood flows through vessels.

    This works through the Doppler effect: as blood moves, it changes the pitch of the sound waves. Healthy blood flow creates a strong, steady “swoosh”, while a narrowed or blocked artery produces a faint or disrupted sound. Doctors are trained to hear the difference and use these sound patterns to spot circulation problems, especially in conditions like PAD.

    But my research team wondered whether a computer could do more than listen: we wanted to know whether it could convert the shape of that Doppler “wave” into a number that mirrors the TBI.

    To investigate, we scanned the feet of patients already being treated for PAD – 150 feet in all. For each artery, we used Doppler ultrasound to measure how quickly blood surged with each heartbeat, a pattern known as the acceleration index. We then compared these results to the standard toe–brachial index, the traditional test that measures blood pressure in the toe.

    A one-minute scan, a nearly perfect match

    The acceleration index alone was able to predict the standard toe–brachial index with 88% accuracy. Using a simple formula, we converted that Doppler reading into an “estimated TBI” – a number that closely mirrored the conventional result. It needed no toe cuff, no optical sensor and it took under a minute to perform.

    Even more encouraging, estimated TBI rose in tandem with traditional TBI results after treatment. When patients underwent angioplasty – a procedure to reopen blocked arteries – their estimated TBI increased almost identically to the measured TBI. That means this scan doesn’t just help diagnose PAD; it could also be used to track recovery over time.

    Crucially, our approach works with equipment that’s already widely available. We repeated the experiment using a basic pocket Doppler: the kind many GPs and podiatrists have tucked in a drawer.

    While it wasn’t quite as precise as hospital-grade ultrasound, the results were still strong. With some additional software refinement, doctors could soon assess foot circulation quickly and accurately using tools they already own, without adding time to a busy clinic schedule.

    Why early detection matters

    Because early diagnosis of PAD changes everything. It can mean the difference between losing a foot, keeping your mobility and living longer with a better quality of life. It can shorten hospital stays and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

    But right now, too many people with PAD aren’t diagnosed until they already have chronic limb-threatening ischaemia – the most severe form of the disease. This condition occurs when blood flow to the legs or feet becomes critically low, depriving tissues of oxygen. It can cause constant foot pain (especially at night), wounds that won’t heal and, in advanced cases, tissue death (gangrene) and the risk of amputation. Without urgent treatment to restore circulation, chronic limb-threatening ischaemia can be life-threatening.

    Part of the problem is that the tools used to diagnose PAD are often slow, expensive or too complicated for routine use. That’s why a simple, cuff-free Doppler scan that provides a reliable estimate of toe–brachial index is so promising. It uses equipment that many clinics already have, takes less than a minute and delivers immediate results – offering a faster, easier way to spot poor circulation before serious damage is done.

    We’re now looking at ways to automate the measurement so that it can be used even by non-specialists. We’re testing it in various clinics with different patient groups and exploring its performance over time. But the evidence so far suggests that this could become a key part of vascular care – not just in hospitals, but in GP surgeries, diabetes clinics and anywhere else early intervention could save a limb.

    Blocked arteries don’t need to stay hidden. With the right tools, we can find them earlier, treat them faster and protect people from the devastating consequences of late diagnosis.

    Christian Heiss has received funding from Lipton Teas & Infusions, Ageless Science, iThera, the Medical Research Council, the ESRC, European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed from European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and UK Research and Innovation. He is member of the board of the European Society of Vascular Medicine, president of the Vascular, Lipid and Metabolic Medicine Council of the Royal Society of Medicine, and chairperson-elect of the ESC WG Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases.

    – ref. A one minute scan of your foot could help prevent amputation – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/a-one-minute-scan-of-your-foot-could-help-prevent-amputation-heres-how-260847

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: England’s family hubs plan aims to build on Sure Start’s success – but may struggle to overcome today’s child poverty levels

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sally Pearse, Strategic Lead for Early Years and Director of the Early Years Community Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    The government has announced its strategy for “giving every child the best start in life”, laying out proposals covering early years care, education and support in England.

    The strategy builds on the current local family hub model of services, which offer a range of support aimed at babies and young children. Best Start family hubs will further bring together early years and family services in a similar way to the previous Sure Start programme. The government’s commitment includes £1.5 billion in investment to implement these reforms.

    The Best Start Hubs will be a one-stop shop to support families with their child’s early development, from breastfeeding advice to speech and language support and stay and play sessions. The hubs will also support families with wider challenges such as housing and benefits, and provide courses for parents.

    The attempt to bring services together to deliver local, holistic support to families is understandable given the impact of the original Sure Start initiative, introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour government.

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

    The Sure Start Local Programmes that were established from 1999 onwards had a significant positive effect on those families who had access to them. From 2010, though, when the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition came into power, funding was cut and many Sure Start centres closed.

    In May 2025 the Institute for Fiscal Studies published a summary report on the short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s lives.

    They found that the impact of the Sure Start services for under-fives was remarkably long-lasting, with improvements during their teenage years in educational attainment and behaviour in school, and reductions in hospital admissions. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that these long-term benefits significantly outweigh the cost of the Sure Start programme.

    Like Sure Start, the Best Start strategy has the potential to be transformational for young children and their families.

    However, the current range of challenges faced by families and the depth of child poverty in the country will make bringing about this transformation challenging. A 2023 report from charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates that there are one million children growing up destitute in the UK, without the means to stay warm, dry, clean and fed.

    The challenge of poverty

    The day after the Best Start strategy was launched, the children’s commissioner for England published a research report on children’s experience of growing up in a low-income family. Based on interviews with 128 children, the report outlines the “almost-Dickensian” levels of poverty experienced by children whose basic needs are not being met. Children described poor housing conditions, mouldy food and lack of hot water.

    The significant impact that poverty has on children’s educational attainment, health and future lives will be difficult for the benefits that the Best Start programme may provide to negate.

    I have witnessed these financial challenges and the wider range of issues families are dealing with on a daily basis in my own role as the director of the Early Years Community Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, and through my wider research with families.

    In March 2024 I was part of a team of researchers who were commissioned by the Ministry for Housing, Community and Local Government to explore how multiple insecurities, such as financial difficulties, health problems, precarious work, poor housing and lack of support networks affected people’s lives.

    Parents described the difficulties of making ends meet. They talked about having to deal with many different national and local agencies, the stress this created within their family and the toll on their health and wellbeing.

    Even working full-time did not necessarily make families more secure. In one family, the working pattern the parents had to adopt to make ends meet meant that they only had one day a fortnight to be together.

    We have to do stupid hours. I mean my partner, she works nights. I work mainly days … we’re kind of like passing ships in the night.

    The places these families turned to were local community centres run by a range of organisations. The common themes about why they accessed these centres were the warm, welcoming, non-judgemental approach taken by staff, trusting relationships with staff and the range of services and support that were offered.

    This bodes well for the Best Start strategy – if it is able to deliver the full range of services the government has outlined in a local trusted space. However, this will be a significant challenge in communities that have lacked support over recent years, are suffering the hardships of poverty and that may have lost trust in government services.

    Sally Pearse received funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government

    – ref. England’s family hubs plan aims to build on Sure Start’s success – but may struggle to overcome today’s child poverty levels – https://theconversation.com/englands-family-hubs-plan-aims-to-build-on-sure-starts-success-but-may-struggle-to-overcome-todays-child-poverty-levels-260630

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Superman: James Gunn’s prolonged punch-fest falls flat

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Crossley, Senior Lecturer in Film, Bournemouth University

    The first two superhero movies of the year examined the morality of power and politics (Captain America: Brave New World) and mental health and personal accountability (Thunderbolts*) in thoughtful and often nuanced ways. It is rather depressing, then, that the third act of Superman is largely a prolonged CGI punch-fest that lacks any narrative or visual vigour to make it interesting.

    There is a lot riding on the success of the DC Universe (DCU), now under the creative stewardship of director James Gunn and producer James Safran. After the varied fortunes of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), this iteration of Superman marks a reboot of DC properties and is the introductory instalment of the first phase, or “chapter” as they are being called, with the subtitle Gods and Monsters.

    The films also marks a shift from the “Snyderverse” – the series of interconnected films made under the oversight of director Zack Snyder – which were characterised by the darkness of both their themes and their aesthetics.

    This darkness, and the attendant moral ambiguity, of the Snyderverse has been replaced by a more optimistic tone. This new Superman film is more simplistic and clear-cut, with good versus bad and a bright, comic-book design.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Anyone familiar with Gunn’s previous superhero offerings (The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy; The Suicide Squad) will recognise much of the tone and the look. This is very much the Superman movie that Gunn wants to make. And therein lies part of the problem.

    As the opening film of chapter one, this effectively sets the tone for all that is to come across the DCU. But that raises the question of how Gunn’s overall approach will work with future properties that will have (or should have) very different styles, narrative themes and concerns.

    This film is deliberately not an origin story. We meet Superman (David Corenswet), bloodied and battered after having lost an off-screen fight. He’s already an established superhero in a world accustomed to them after approximately 300 years of “metahumans” – as the opening exposition dump helpfully informs us.

    Superman then returns to the icy Fortress of Solitude, complete with robot staff and adorable CGI super-dog, Krypto. We are, in effect, entering the middle of the story, with Superman’s dual identity as Clark Kent already known to his girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).

    The pair have a fun, palpable chemistry. In an early stand-out scene, Lois, in journalist mode, grills Clark/Superman on the finer points of superhero accountability and responsibility after he single-handedly – and without any form of legal jurisdiction – stops a war between the fictitious countries of Boravia (eastern European, evil) and Jahanipur (a south-east Asian/Middle Eastern mash-up in which the people are impoverished and entirely agency-free), just before the movie begins. Sadly, these valid and deeply relevant questions remain unexplored for the rest of the film.

    The trailer for Superman.

    Brosnahan is a spiky, intelligent and self-assured Lois Lane who is not given enough to do, partly because this “starting in the middle” approach robs her relationship with Clark/Superman of any real tension and complexity. But also because the film is so overstuffed that there is little room for any meaningful character development.

    What we do have is incoherent plotting, clunky dialogue and exposition and too many characters who are too thinly drawn.

    The gang’s back together

    Corenswet is a fine Superman, commandingly heroic and believably vulnerable when required. However, there is not much opportunity for him to explore his Clark Kent alter-ego before he is in full superhero mode, thereby denying the character time to establish the humanity that is core to Superman’s personality.

    Lex Luthor (Nicholas Holt), the quintessential Superman villain, is supposed to be brilliant but here is rendered more as an Elon Musk-like figure with hints of Trump. He’s a megalomaniac with a populist touch with motivations that are so unclear as to be nonsensical.

    We also get members of the Justice Gang, including a horribly bewigged Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi).

    Gathegi steals almost the entire movie with a charismatic, laid-back turn that is crying out for his own standalone entry. Mister Terrific gets the movie’s most fun set piece: a single-handed fight against multiple goons choreographed to an upbeat pop soundtrack that is straight out of the James Gunn playbook.

    As is the Justice Gang’s fight against an inter dimensional giant squid, which plays out as the comedic backdrop visible through a window during a pivotal scene with Lois Lane, and in which a depressed Superman takes no part. Any moments of seriousness are immediately undercut by on the nose and often cheap jokes.

    The lack of narrative focus and character development results in a story that does not give us any tangible reasons to care about these characters beyond the fact that they are already well-established cultural icons. The lack of scaffolding means that when we reach what should be the emotional turning points, there is no heft to these moments.

    The phoney war between Boravia and Jahanipur also provides problematic optics. The people of Jahanipur are an anonymous mass of peasants armed only with sticks who get a single word of dialogue shared between them (“Superman!”). They are at the mercy of their warlike neighbours in Boravia, whose evil is made evident through the grotesque physicality of their leader (Zlatko Buric).

    This plot device seems to be making a passing reference to both the war in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, without having anything of value to say about either. The situation is resolved by the arrival of the American Justice Gang (because all metahumans are exclusively based in America, apparently) and then we’re on to the next joke.

    In this Superman reboot, the humanity of the character is largely lost, something we are told about rather than see. This is ironic given that truth, justice and humanity are supposed to be the guiding principles of the Superman story.

    Laura Crossley 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. Superman: James Gunn’s prolonged punch-fest falls flat – https://theconversation.com/superman-james-gunns-prolonged-punch-fest-falls-flat-260940

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system shows we still can’t replace human judgment

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Feng Li, Chair of Information Management, Associate Dean for Research & Innovation, Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London

    The Wimbledon tennis tournament in 2025 has brought us familiar doses of scorching sunshine and pouring rain, British hopes and despair, and the usual queues, strawberries and on-court stardust. One major difference with this year’s tournament, however, has been the notable absence of human line judges for the first time in 147 years.

    In a bid to modernise, organisers have replaced all 300 line judges with the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling (ELC) system powered by 18 high-speed cameras and supported by around 80 on-court assistants.

    It has been sold as a leap forward but has already caused widespread controversy. In her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was forced to replay a point she had clearly won, because ELC had failed to register that a ball had landed out. Furious, Pavlyuchenkova told the umpire: “You took the game away from me … they stole the game from me.”

    British players Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have also voiced concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the technology.

    We have seen this before in business, government and elite sport (think VAR in football). Promising technologies fail, not necessarily because the systems are flawed – though some are – but because the institutions around them have not kept up. The belief that technology can neatly replace human judgement is seductive. It’s also deeply flawed.

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

    Systems like Hawk-Eye at Wimbledon offer measurable gains in accuracy, but accuracy is not the same as legitimacy. People don’t just want correct decisions, they also want understandable and fair ones. When human line judges made mistakes, they were visible and open to appeal. When a machine fails, with no explanation and no route for redress, it breeds confusion and frustration.

    Consider Formula 1. At the 2025 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, driver Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty by race stewards for erratic braking during a safety car restart. He called it inconsistent and harsh, and many fans agreed.

    The key difference? We knew who made the call. There was someone to question, and a process to scrutinise. With machines, however, there’s no one to challenge. You can’t argue with a black box, or hold it to account.

    Beyond performance

    Technology is usually introduced to improve performance or reduce costs, but the full story is rarely made explicit. Wimbledon’s adoption of the new system was framed as a move towards greater accuracy and consistency, but it was also likely driven by the desire to speed up matches, cut costs, and reduce reliance on human labour.

    Yet sport is not just about accuracy. It is entertainment. It thrives on emotion, tradition and theatre. For 147 years, line judges were part of Wimbledon’s identity. Their posture, uniforms, gestures, indeed even the drama of a close call, added to the spectacle. Removing them may have improved accuracy (and cut costs), but the atmosphere was also changed.

    Tradition is often dismissed as nostalgia, but in institutions like Wimbledon, tradition is part of what makes the experience legitimate and enjoyable. When it’s stripped away with only a token explanation, players and audiences can lose trust, not just in the change, but in the institution itself. It is a cultural change, which is never easy.

    One common solution is to combine human judgement with the technology especially during the transition period, but hybrids rarely work well in practice as responsibilities get blurred.

    In business, this is known as the “hybrid trap”: bolting new technologies onto old systems without rethinking or redesigning either. Instead of the best of both worlds, the result is often confusion, duplication and failure.

    Wimbledon did not seem to offer a formal challenge system or human override during matches. Although 80 former line judges were retained as on-court assistants, their role was not adjudicative. This might speed up play, but it leaves the system brittle. When something breaks, there is no immediate redress. We have seen this elsewhere.

    What this tells us about AI

    Wimbledon’s failure was a textbook case of poor tech adoption. Hawk-Eye did what it was designed to do, but the institution wasn’t ready, least of all the players, umpires and spectators.

    The same pattern is playing out with artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, from customer service bots to healthcare triage systems. These tools are being rolled out at speed, often with minimal oversight. When they hallucinate, embed bias or produce erratic results, there is rarely a clear route to appeal, and often no one to hold accountable.

    The real problem is not just technical but institutional. Most organisations aren’t ready for what they’re adopting. Instead of transforming themselves to harness new technologies, they bolt them onto legacy systems and carry on as before. Key questions go unanswered: Who decides? Who benefits? Who is accountable when things go wrong? Without clear answers, new technologies don’t solve dysfunction, they entrench it. Sometimes, they hardwire it.

    If we want technology to improve how the world works, we can’t just automate tasks, processes or jobs. We need to rethink and redesign the institutions these systems are meant to serve, using new capabilities these technologies make possible. Until then, even the best systems will continue to fall short, both quietly and occasionally spectacularly.

    Feng Li 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. Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system shows we still can’t replace human judgment – https://theconversation.com/wimbledons-electronic-line-calling-system-shows-we-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-260845

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Md Sarwar Hossain, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science & Sustainability, University of Glasgow

    The Ganges delta in Bangladesh. Emre Akkoyun/Shutterstock

    Bangladesh is known as the land of rivers and flooding, despite almost all of its water originating outside the territory. The fact that 80% of rivers that flow through Bangladesh have their sources in a neighbouring country, can make access to freshwater in Bangladesh fraught. And the country’s fast-growing cities and farms – and the warming global climate – are turning up the pressure.

    In a recent analysis, my colleagues and I found that four out of the ten rivers that flow through Bangladesh have failed to meet a set of conditions known as their “safe operating space”, meaning that the flow of water in these rivers is below the minimum necessary to sustain the social-ecological systems that rely on them. These rivers included the Ganges and Old Brahmaputra, as well as Gorai and Halda.

    This puts a safe and reliable food and water supply not to mention the livelihoods of millions of fishers, farmers and other people in the region, at risk.

    Water flow on the remaining six rivers may be close to a dangerous state too, due to the construction of hydropower dams and reservoirs, as well as booming irrigated agriculture.

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

    The concept of a safe operating space was devised by Stockholm University researchers in 2009 and typically assesses the Earth’s health as a whole by defining boundaries such as climate warming, water use and biodiversity loss which become dangerous to humanity once exceeded. A 2023 update to this research found that six of the nine defined planetary boundaries have been transgressed.

    Since the Bangladesh delta is one of the world’s largest and most densely populated (home to around 170 million people), we thought it prudent to apply this thinking to the rivers here. We found that food, fisheries and the world’s largest intertidal mangrove forest, a haven for rich biodiversity, are all under strain from water demand in growing cities such as Dhaka.

    The knock-on effects

    During all seasons but winter, river flows in the Bangladesh delta have fallen over the past three decades.

    No river in the Bangladesh delta is within its safe operating space.
    Kabir et al. (2024)

    Our analysis highlights the limits of existing political solutions. The ability of the Ganges river to support life and society is severely strained, despite the Ganges water sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh, which was signed in 1996.

    Rivers in Bangladesh have shaped the economy, environment and culture of South Asia since the dawn of human civilisation here. And humans are not the only species suffering. Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha), related to the herring, is a fish popular for its flavour and delicate texture. It contributes 12% to national fish production in Bangladesh but has become extinct in the upper reaches of the Ganges due to the reduction of water flow.

    Excessive water extraction upstream, primarily through the Farakka barrage, a dam just over the border in the Indian state of West Bengal, has also raised the salinity of the Gorai river. A healthy river flow maintains a liveable balance of salt and freshwater. As river flows have been restricted, salinity has crept up, particularly in coastal regions that are also beset by sea level rise. This damages freshwater fisheries, farm yields and threatens a population of freshwater dolphins in the Ganges.

    Low river flows and increasing salinisation now threaten the destruction of the world’s largest mangrove forest, the loss of which would disrupt the regional climate of Bangladesh, India and Nepal. It would also release a lot of stored carbon to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and the melting of snow and ice in the Himalayan mountain chain.

    Resilience to climate change

    Solving this problem is no simple task. It will require cooperation across national boundaries and international support to ensure fair treaties capable of managing the rivers sustainably, restoring their associated ecosystems and maintaining river flows within their safe operating spaces.

    The mighty Ganges is running dry in some parts of Bangladesh during the hotter months.
    Md Sarwar Hossain

    This is particularly challenging in the Bangladesh delta, which contains rivers that drain many countries, including China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The political regimes in each country might oppose transboundary negotiations, which could nevertheless resolve conflict over water which is needed to sustain nearly 700 million people.

    There have been success stories, however. The Mekong river commission between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam is a useful template for bilateral and multilateral treaties with India and Nepal for the Ganges, and China and Bhutan for the Jamuna river.

    Tax-based water sharing can help resolve conflicts and decide water allocation between countries in the river basin. The countries using more water would pay more tax and the revenue would be redistributed among the other countries who share rivers in the treaty. Additionally, water sharing should be based on the historical river flow disregarding existing infrastructure and projections of future changes.

    Reducing deforestation, alternating land use and restoring wetlands could enhance resilience to flooding and drought and ensure water security in the Bangladesh delta. Ultimately, to secure a safe operating space for the rivers here is to secure a safe future for society too.

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

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

    Md Sarwar Hossain 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 Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals – https://theconversation.com/the-bangladesh-delta-is-under-a-dangerous-level-of-strain-analysis-reveals-241097

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Five unusual ways to make buildings greener (literally)

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Dobraszczyk, Lecturer in Architecture, UCL

    Belgian architect Luc Schuiten’s vision of ‘the Vegetal City’. Luc Schuiten

    Buildings adorned with plants are an increasingly familiar sight in cities worldwide. These “green walls” are generally created using metal frames that support plastic plates, onto which pre-grown plants are inserted. These plants are able to survive without soil because they’re sustained by nutrient-packed rolls of felt and artificial sprinklers.

    Some are fabulously rich tapestries of luxuriant vegetation, like French botanist Patrick Blanc’s coating of part of the Athenaeum hotel in London. Here, small shrubs sprout from an almost tropical green wall, with an abundance of mosses and ferns. In summer, butterflies peruse the flowers. All this next to Piccadilly, one of the busiest streets in central London.

    Others are objects of ridicule: the sadly common outcome of poor design and a lack of maintenance (all green walls need careful planning and a great deal of care). If they’re not carefully tended, green walls will quickly turn into brown ones, with the plastic supports all too visible beneath the dying plants.

    But there are many others ways of integrating plants into buildings beyond simply trying to grow them on walls. Here are five examples that straddle the mundane and the marvellous.

    A wilted green wall in Tokyo, Japan.
    Wikimedia Images, CC BY

    Growing buildings

    German architectural practice Baubotanik (a word that means “botanic building”) has taken the radical step of creating buildings that flout the conventional idea of architecture as static and inert. After all, plants grow – they are living organisms.

    Baubotanik uses pre-grown trees to create multi-storey structures, with trees replacing the conventional steel girders of most tall buildings. Its Plane-Tree-Cube in Nagold, begun in 2012, is made of plane trees supported on a steel scaffold, with a built-in irrigation system to water the trees until they’re large enough for the steel to be removed.

    Baubotanik’s Plan-Tree-Cube is intended to grow into a usable structure.
    Baubotanik

    It’ll probably be another ten years before this structure is ready to be used, but as what? It’s hard to imagine making a home in such an unruly structure, let alone plugging in your internet or other electrical appliances.

    Building in trees

    Baubotanik takes grafting, an age-old horticultural technique, and uses it to create structural frames for buildings. Grafting joins the tissue of plants so that they can grow together (it’s most commonly used in the cultivation of fruit trees).

    As the architects themselves acknowledge, there are many interesting historical precedents, such as the Lindenbaum concentrated in a small region of rural Germany in northwestern Bavaria.

    These are accessible platforms built into large lime (linden) trees to accommodate dancers in a yearly ritual known as the Tanzlinden (“dance linden”), which originated in the middle of the 17th century and still happen in early September.

    In the surviving Lindenbaum in the small village of Peesten (one of around 12 that are still around), a stone stairwell spirals up to the wooden platform built inside the tree: dancing happens on this platform, while musicians provide accompaniment beneath.

    Lindenbaum in Peesten, Germany.
    Wikimedia Images, CC BY

    Weaving buildings

    It’s possible to take this practice of integrating buildings and trees one step further and imagine whole cities redesigned in this way. This has been the lifelong preoccupation of Belgian architect Luc Schuiten, particularly in his speculative drawings of “vegetal cities”.

    These are urban environments in which the branches of trees and the stems of climbing plants have become completely enmeshed with buildings made of steel and glass. One of his designs, called Habitarbres, imagines a house constructed within a living tree. The structure would flex as the tree grows, while hot-air pipes and other infrastructure would be embedded in the trunk. It’s an attempt to envisage how the infrastructure of our buildings – pipes, wire, cables and the like – can be accommodated in a living structure with its own vascular network.

    With Habitarbes, Schuiten proposes a house built within a living tree.
    Luc Schuiten

    It’s a speculative proposal, but perhaps not so different from a common building type normally associated with enterprising children, namely treehouses. Schuiten is merely taking a human desire – to live in a tree – and suggesting how it might be squared with our equally strong desire for comfort.

    Architecture as compost

    When plants die and decay they create the conditions for the next cycle of vegetal growth; they are sustainable in a way that the vast majority of our buildings are not. While there is a drive to recycle existing building materials (metals and plastics mostly), it’s another thing entirely to make buildings truly regenerative.

    Martin Miller and Caroline O’Donnell’s “Primitive Hut” project from 2017 created a building that does just this. They made a wooden lattice structure to support the growth of four red maple saplings. Another lattice decomposed over time, providing food for the growing trees. Eventually the whole structure was overwhelmed by the trees.

    Martin Miller and Caroline O’ Donnell’s ‘Primitive Hut’.
    OMG!

    In calling this a primitive hut, the architects questioned how western architectural thinking tends to see indigenous architecture as both an origin point and a model for more sustainable forms of construction. It asks whether the industrial technologies that dominate construction in the global north should be more informed by architects that have continued to build with natural and compostable materials for centuries.

    Letting be

    It’s worth remembering that we don’t have to design green buildings; given enough time, they will happen anyway.

    Moss on the roof of the Sandringham estate’s visitors’ centre in Norfolk, eastern England.
    Wikimedia Images, CC BY

    The sloping roof of my house, directly below the window where I’m writing this article, is gradually acquiring its own green patina of lichen and moss. The roof is old and I’ve been told it needs to be replaced soon. A cloud of spores and seeds peppers this and every single roof every day with the prospect of new life.

    Without any human intervention whatsoever, this process of vegetal succession can produce a complex ecosystem of not only plant but also animal life (from microbes to insects). That architects so rarely call such a surface “green” betrays something that’s deep-seated in ideas about green design. For it is precisely the absence of human control that allows vegetation to colonise a building; there is, in effect no design involved at all – unless, of course, we accept that plants have designs of their own.

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

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

    Paul Dobraszczyk 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. Five unusual ways to make buildings greener (literally) – https://theconversation.com/five-unusual-ways-to-make-buildings-greener-literally-259721

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Tackling the chaos at home might be the secret to a more successful work life

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yasin Rofcanin, Professor of Management Strategy & Organisation, University of Bath

    Maria Svetlychnaja/Shuttersotck

    In a world of hybrid working and four-day weeks, most workers are asked to be agile, creative and strategic – not just at work but also at home. But what if the energy and focus workers invest into solving family life challenges could actually make them better at adapting and innovating in their jobs?

    Our recent study suggests that managing household life – what we call “strategic renewal at home” – doesn’t just benefit family functioning. It also boosts employees’ ability to generate ideas, reshape their roles and respond effectively to change at work.

    In short, proactively adapting and reorganising your home life could be a hidden asset for your career.

    “Strategic renewal” is a concept long associated with business transformation – think of a company reinventing its operations to respond to shifts in the market. But we argue that this same concept can apply to people managing life at home.

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

    Imagine a working parent who streamlines their childcare routine, redistributes chores with their partner or introduces a new system for managing family meals. These efforts – far from mundane – are proactive, forward-thinking moves to adapt to a changing environment. That’s strategic renewal, just in a different setting.

    Our findings show that when people engage in this kind of domestic renewal, it creates powerful ripple effects, shaping how they think, feel and perform at work.

    The hidden power of home life

    We followed 147 dual-earning couples in the US over six weeks. Each week, employees reported how much they engaged in strategic renewal at home and at work. We also captured their experiences of “flow” at home (those rare, deeply focused and enjoyable moments).

    For instance, when someone is completely absorbed in gardening, painting a room, or even following a complex recipe – activities that are both enjoyable and require focus – time seems to fly. We also captured their confidence in handling challenges (self-efficacy), and their partner’s view of how well they were managing work–family balance.

    We uncovered several interesting points. Employees who took proactive steps to improve family routines felt more “in flow” at home.

    These moments of flow built their confidence (self-efficacy), making them feel more capable of tackling future challenges – not just at home, but at work too. That confidence translated into more strategic renewal at work. Employees were more likely to change how they approached tasks, pitch ideas or redesign their roles.

    Crucially, their partners also noticed. Employees high in self-efficacy were rated as better at balancing work and family, as well as being more effective in family life.

    In other words, strategic behaviour at home doesn’t stay there – it travels with us. What happens at the breakfast table can spill over into the boardroom.

    But not all environments are equal. The benefits of home-based strategic renewal were much stronger when the family was supportive of creativity. When people felt free to try new things, take risks and share ideas at home, the gains from their efforts were amplified.

    This could be as simple as trying out a new meal, brainstorming weekend plans together or encouraging a partner to experiment with a new hobby. These activities reflect openness, curiosity and support for creative expression in everyday life.

    The same was true at work. Employees who felt their organisations fostered a climate of creativity – valuing new ideas, experimentation and autonomy – were more likely to act on their confidence and engage in strategic behaviour.

    We found a big takeaway for workers. Cultivating open, creative climates in both domains makes all the difference. Encouraging new ideas at home or at work doesn’t just make people feel good – it helps workers to be flexible and adaptive.

    What employers can do

    There’s a crucial lesson here for organisations too. The home is not a “black box” – some kind of impenetrable space that has no bearing on work. Instead, home life can play an active and meaningful role in shaping employees’ energy, confidence and creative capacity. Home can be a source of renewal, resilience and even innovation.

    Forward-thinking companies should avoid treating home and work as separate silos. Instead, they can invest in developing self-efficacy in employees. This could be providing training, coaching and feedback that reinforces workers’ belief in their ability to handle challenges.

    They should also encourage family-supportive leadership. Managers who ask about employees’ home life, support flexible arrangements and accommodate caring responsibilities help create the space for home-based renewal to thrive.

    Celebrating employees – for things beyond their professional achievements – is important.
    La Famiglia/Shutterstock

    And they should recognise “off-the-clock” moments. Celebrating life milestones, offering childcare support or simply acknowledging the mental load of home life all signal that organisations value the full person, not just the professional.

    For decades, companies have looked inward for solutions to innovation and adaptability – to things like better tech, better processes and better metrics. But our study found leaders should instead look outward — toward employees’ lives beyond work.

    When employees reorganise their domestic life, they’re demonstrating foresight, adaptability and leadership. These are precisely the qualities workplaces are looking for in a world of constant disruption.

    When workplaces start seeing the home not just as a stressor but as a source of strength, they can open the door to smarter, more sustainable strategies for resilience, creativity and growth.

    So the next time you redesign your morning routine, don’t think of it as just surviving the chaos. You might just be sharpening your edge for the workday ahead.

    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. Tackling the chaos at home might be the secret to a more successful work life – https://theconversation.com/tackling-the-chaos-at-home-might-be-the-secret-to-a-more-successful-work-life-258487

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Compassionate intervention commissioner appointed

    Alberta’s government is taking action to address the needs of vulnerable Albertans struggling with severe addiction and mental health challenges. Work is underway to support the implementation of compassionate intervention legislation, with some beds expected to open next year. As a key part of implementation efforts, Alberta’s government has appointed Jonathan Carlzon as commissioner of the Compassionate Intervention Commission for a three-year term, starting August 11.

    Carlzon is a lawyer with more than 23 years of experience in the legal field, including administrative and ethics law, litigation and adjudicative processes, and knowledge of Alberta’s recovery-oriented system of care. He has held various senior roles with the Alberta Court of Appeal, Alberta Health Services and the Government of Alberta, where he currently provides strategic legal advice on legislation, policy and ministry priorities.

    “The Compassionate Intervention Act is about helping the most vulnerable Albertans get the support they need to begin their recovery journey. I’m pleased to welcome Jonathan Carlzon as commissioner. His leadership will be crucial in establishing compassionate intervention processes and policies.”

    Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

    “I am honoured to take on this role and to support Albertans facing severe substance use or addiction challenges. I’m committed to serving with integrity, humility and empathy, and to developing fair and effective processes to guide the commission’s work.”

    Jonathan Carlzon, commissioner, Compassionate Intervention Commission

    Since 2019, Alberta’s government has made significant investments to build the Alberta Recovery Model, a comprehensive system of mental health and addiction care. The goal is to help people get their lives back and make our province a better place to call home. As part of this work, Alberta’s government passed the Compassionate Intervention Act this spring to support the health, wellness and recovery of individuals facing severe addiction challenges.

    The Compassionate Intervention Act creates a pathway for adult family members, guardians, healthcare professionals, police or peace officers to request treatment for adults or youth who, because of their severe substance use or addiction, are likely to cause harm to themselves or others. It is meant to be a last resort, when other treatment and recovery efforts have been unsuccessful. Eligible individuals will receive stabilization, assessment, treatment and aftercare support.

    The Compassionate Intervention Commission is an independent adjudicative body tasked with making decisions under the Compassionate Intervention Act. Responsibilities include reviewing applications and conducting hearings, non-compliance reviews and appeals. Led by the commissioner, members will include lawyers, physicians and members of the public appointed by the lieutenant governor in council. The commission is subject to all the requirements of the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act.

    Key facts:

    • The Compassionate Intervention Act was tabled on April 15 and received royal assent on May 15.  
    • The commissioner also serves as the chair to the Compassionate Intervention Commission.
    • The commission and all its members will operate independently from government.
    • Members of the commission can be appointed for terms of up to three years.
    • Other members of the commission will be recruited over the next year.  
    • As outlined in the Compassionate Intervention Act, the commission may:
      • Dismiss applications for assessment orders.
      • Issue and terminate apprehension orders and assessment orders.
      • Issue, uphold, amend, renew and terminate care plan orders.
      • Dismiss applications for the review of a care plan order.
      • Issue discharge orders.
      • Grant appeals.
      • Grant leaves of absence. 

    Related information

    • Compassionate Intervention
    • Public agencies, boards and commissions

    Related news

    • Laying the foundation for compassionate intervention (Feb. 24, 2025)
    • Delivering on compassionate intervention (April 15, 2025)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Discover Nature During Saskatchewan Parks Week: July 13 to 19

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 10, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed July 13 to 19, 2025, as Saskatchewan Parks Week, an invitation to get out in nature and explore events and activities in any provincial park.

    The week will wrap up with free entry at all provincial parks on July 19 for Parks Day.  

    “Saskatchewan Parks Week is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, connect with nature and experience the vibrant events happening throughout our parks,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “We invite everyone to get out and discover all the ways our parks can inspire, rejuvenate and bring people together. This year we have added a special offer with free entry to any provincial park on July 19. It’s an invitation to everyone in Saskatchewan to explore the beauty of our provincial parks.”

    Activities During Parks Week

    Throughout the week enjoy a variety of events, activities and memorable experiences including:  

    • July 13 – Journey on Jackfish Canoe Tour at Duck Mountain Provincial Park.  
    • July 13 – SaskExpress: Lost in a Musical at Pike Lake Provincial Park.  
    • July 17 – “A Tree Falls in the Forest” amphitheater play at Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.  
    • July 18 – Stabler Point Trail Hike at Makwa Lake Provincial Park.

    A full list of all Saskatchewan Parks Week activities can be found on SaskParks.com event calendar.

    Celebrate Parks Day on Saturday, July 19 with free entry at all Saskatchewan Provincial Parks.

    On July 19 for Parks Day there are themed crafts, Family Game Nights, hikes and more, to celebrate. Join Park Interpreters for a variety of programs such as:  

    • Hike the Dunes at Douglas Provincial Park.
    • Craft Club: Parks Day at most provincial parks and make your own painted park keepsake.
    • Hike Klinger Trail at Greenwater Lake Provincial Park.
    • Haunted Hike at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.  
    • Night Caching: Ravine Rendezvous at Rowan’s Ravine Provincial Park.  
    • Haymeadow Hike and Meadow Lake.
    • Escape the Park at Pike Lake.
    • Summer Fun in the Park at Great Blue Heron Provincial Park: Join us for a full day of classic camping fun including crafts, campground games, songs and s’mores.
    • Cannington Manor, Fort Carlton and Wood Mountain Post Provincial Historic Parks are open for guided tours.

    To find your nearest provincial park go to SaskParks.com.

    For more information about programs and events happening throughout all summer, including Saskatchewan Parks Week, check out the events calendar.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Statement on Cascades Containerboard’s Niagara Falls Facility Closure

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    “The IAM Union is deeply disappointed to learn of Cascades Containerboard’s decision to close its Niagara Falls, N.Y., facility, which will impact approximately 50 IAM District 65 members. We want to assure our members and the community that we will do everything in our power to vigorously defend their rights and interests throughout this process.

    “We recognize the long and hard-fought efforts of our members to organize and secure their first contract, and it is a privilege to represent them. We are committed to negotiating strongly during effects bargaining to secure a fair and comprehensive severance package.

    “This announced closure occurs during broader economic uncertainties, including tariffs on our ally, Canada, which has impacted the business environment for Cascades, a Quebec-based company. We will continue to call for an immediate end to job-killing tariffs on Canada.

    “We urge Cascades management, and our state, local and federal partners, to work with us cooperatively during this difficult time.” 

    The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.

    goIAM.org | @IAM_Union

    The post IAM Union Statement on Cascades Containerboard’s Niagara Falls Facility Closure appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Southbound I-5 pavement repair work begins July 16 from Blaine to Ferndale

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Travelers should expect overnight lane and ramp closures during project

    BLAINE – Southbound Interstate 5 will get a facelift in northern Whatcom County, as a project to repair and replace pavement between Blaine and the Nooksack River crossing in Ferndale will begin Wednesday, July 16.

    Paving

    Starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace failing pavement on segments of southbound I-5 and make repairs where on- and off-ramps connect to the interstate.

    Crews will repair potholes, cracking and settling pavement, and replace the top level of asphalt. This project will extend the life of the pavement and provide a smoother, safer driving experience along the 10-mile stretch of southbound I-5.

    Guardrail

    WSDOT also will upgrade aging guardrail on the shoulders of southbound I-5 and update cable barrier between the northbound and southbound lanes. The new guardrail and cable barriers are designed to help prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway and reduce the severity of crashes.

    Guardrail work will take place off the roadway, but drivers should still expect lane and shoulder closures to create a safe work zone.

    Keeping drivers moving during construction

    Paving and guardrail repair work requires different lane, shoulder and ramp closures, including:

    • Nighttime lane closures: Southbound I-5 lane closures are allowed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., nightly, Sundays through Friday mornings. The speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph for all lane shifts.
    • Daytime and nighttime shoulder closures: Southbound I-5 shoulder closures are allowed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Sundays through Thursdays or 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Sundays through Friday mornings.
    • Nighttime ramp closures and detours: Southbound I-5 ramp closures are allowed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Sundays through Friday mornings.

    The $7.6 million project is expected to be finished in fall 2025.

    Real-time information is available via the WSDOT app and WSDOT Travel Center map.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $21M for Flood Protection in the Southern Tier 

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $21 million to support flood protection projects in the Southern Tier. The projects address vital stormwater management and resilient infrastructure projects in communities including Binghamton, Elmira, Olean, and Whitney Point to help advance New York’s comprehensive clean water and resiliency efforts that will safeguard New Yorkers from extreme weather and the costly expenses of rebuilding after a flood.

    “As we face more and more devastating extreme storms, we must do everything we can to ensure our communities are resilient, sustainable and ready,” Governor Hochul said. “We saw the flooding in Binghamton almost 15 years ago, and we don’t want to see it again. These projects help us get ahead of the storm damage, save taxpayers millions of dollars in the long run, and prevent post-flood recovery costs for homeowners and businesses alike.”

    The $21 million provided through the ‘Restoration and Flood Risk’ category of the historic $4.2 billion Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 will support projects implemented by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The initial four projects announced today will help make necessary updates and bolster the resilience of existing flood infrastructure like levees and flood walls, to help ensure these structures’ long-term effectiveness in protecting communities from flooding. These flood control structures were originally constructed under the federal 1936 Flood Control Act to specifically address flooding along the Southern Tier of New York State and built in the 1940s and early 1950s.

    Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership and historic investments, New York State is making important progress to protect communities and infrastructure from the devastating impacts of flooding. By supporting DEC’s repairs and upgrades in Binghamton, Elmira, Olean, and Whitney Point with the record funding from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, the Governor is advancing key projects in communities that are susceptible to flooding, helping provide residents the support they need to avoid potential costly repairs if flooding occurs.”

    Assemblymember Deborah Glick said, “As climate change continues to intensify storms and flooding across New York, proactive investments like these are critical to protecting communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems. The $21 million in Environmental Bond Act funding announced today will strengthen flood control systems in the Southern Tier, projects that are not only long overdue, but essential for public safety and long-term resiliency. I applaud Governor Hochul and Commissioner Lefton for advancing these vital efforts to build a safer, more climate-resilient New York.” 

    City of Binghamton Flood Control Project

    DEC is making improvements to the Binghamton Flood Control Project located along the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers in the City of Binghamton. Rehabilitation of the floodwalls is necessary to ensure Binghamton has a resilient working flood protection system. The construction includes replacement of two floodwall panels, replacing deteriorated concrete, and application of a protective coating on the floodwalls to extend the useful life of the concrete walls.    

    City of Elmira Flood Control Project

    DEC is making improvements to the Elmira Flood Control Project along the Chemung River, which provides flood protection for the city of Elmira. The project consists of levees, and flood walls with appurtenant drainage structures. The project will install 65 relief wells along with collector pipes to provide pressure relief caused by floodwaters and will ensure the structure meets U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requirements.    

    City of Olean Flood Control Project

    DEC is making improvements to the Olean Flood Control Project located on the Allegheny River and Olean Creek in the city of Olean. The project will stabilize a section of existing levee system, mitigate erosion, and improve access to the levee for regular DEC maintenance.   

    Village of Whitney Point Flood Control Project

    DEC is making improvements to the Whitney Point Flood Control Project located on the Tioughnioga River in the village of Whitney Point. The project will upgrade the manual gate system and install a new swing gate closure structure to more efficiently and effectively close the existing stoplog railroad closure.   

    On Nov. 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act ballot proposition to make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects. The Environmental Bond Act supports new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. State agencies, local governments, and partners can access this historic funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs.

    The projects announced today complement other state investments and opportunities to protect communities from flood damage. In May, Governor Hochul announced more than $78 million in funding available through the Water Quality Improvement Project Program and $22 million in Climate Smart Community grants, which both support projects that include flood risk reduction. Applications for these latest rounds of funding are due by July 31, 2025. In April, the Governor also announced $60 million in Environmental Bond Act funding for the next round of Green Resiliency Grants. The program supports vital stormwater management and resilient infrastructure projects in flood-prone communities across New York State. Applications for this program are due by Aug. 15, 2025. To learn more about resources available for resilient Bond Act-supported projects, visit environmentalbondact.ny.gov.

    New York’s Commitment to Water Quality

    New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure. With an additional $500 million for clean water infrastructure in the 2025-2026 enacted State Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017. The budget also maintains a strong commitment to environmental conservation with a $425 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). This funding bolsters a wide array of vital programs, including land acquisition for habitat and open space preservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, and water quality improvement projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Major Renewable Energy Project Approved for Madison County

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul announced today that the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) has issued a final siting permit to Cypress Creek Renewables to develop and operate Oxbow Hill Solar, a 140-megawatt (MW) solar array in the Town of Fenner in Madison County. The project will create good-paying jobs, improve grid reliability, invest in crucial infrastructure, and increase tax revenues for local schools and other community priorities.

    “We are extremely pleased to announce the latest investment in solar technology, upholding our commitment to improving grid reliability and building a clean energy economy,” Governor Hochul said. “The projects we have approved over the last few years are a testament to New York’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency.”

    The Oxbow Hill Solar facility will contribute 140 MW of clean, renewable energy to New York’s electric grid while offsetting over 177,000 metric tons of CO2 and providing power for approximately 23,000 average-sized homes.

    The new solar facility will consist of the solar array and associated support equipment, along with an interconnection substation, fencing, access roads and an operations and maintenance building. The facility will interconnect to the New York electrical grid via the Fenner Wind to Whitman Road 115 kV transmission line that is owned and operated by National Grid. Oxbow Hill is sited on a portion of the existing Fenner Wind Farm, making it the first ORES permit where a solar facility is co-located with a wind facility.

    This project was approved in less than the one-year timeframe required under the law, and was issued after a thorough, timely, and transparent review process that included public comment periods and hearings.

    Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission Executive Director Zeryai Hagos said, “As the state approaches 4 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy, a monumental achievement, we are reminded that we still have work to do to address New York’s growing energy needs. ORES will continue to advance New York’s nation-leading clean energy policies while being responsive to community feedback and protecting the environment.”

    This project is anticipated to create a total of 330 jobs during construction and marks 24 clean energy projects approved by ORES since 2021, when it was created to accelerate permitting for renewable energy generation. New York State has approved 28 large-scale solar and wind projects since 2021, including 24 permitted by ORES and four approved by the NYS Siting Board under Article 10, the statute that governed solar and wind projects over 25-MW prior to the creation of ORES. The 28 permitted facilities represent 3.9 gigawatts of new clean, renewable energy.

    ORES’ decision for these facilities follows a detailed and transparent review process with robust public participation to ensure the proposed project meets or exceeds the requirements of Article VIII of the New York State Public Service Law and its implementing regulations. The application for the Oxbow Hill Solar project was deemed complete on November 18, 2024 with a draft permit issued by ORES on January 14, 2025. This solar power project meaningfully advances New York’s clean energy goals while establishing the State as a paradigm for efficient, transparent, and thorough siting permitting process of major renewable energy facilities.

    Today’s decisions may be obtained by going to the ORES website.

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “By strengthening New York’s energy economy, we position ourselves to not only meet the growing electricity demand, but to do so sustainably. The solar array in Madison County brings us one step closer in reaching our climate and energy goals. Each major renewable energy project helps deliver the critical climate action that our state urgently needs, while also creating hundreds of local jobs and new revenue for community priorities. At a time where the federal government threatens progress on clean energy, New York remains unwavering in its provision of renewable and efficient energy for years to come.”

    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Apica Recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Observability Platforms, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES and STOCKHOLM, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apica, the observability cost optimization leader, today announced its recognition on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability Platforms, placed in the Visionaries quadrant. Apica is the anti-vendor-lock-in solution in IT telemetry that optimizes costs while maximizing flexibility, making existing and future observability investments work better while dramatically reducing costs. With Ascent, Apica enables enterprises to save up to 40 percent on observability spend while gaining unprecedented control over their telemetry data and breaking free from vendor lock-in. 

    Our performance and impact

    Apica Ascent stands apart as a key solution that optimizes existing observability investments rather than demanding costly replacements. Built with architectural flexibility at its core, Ascent delivers proven cost reductions compared to traditional observability platforms through its breakthrough InstaStore™ technology.

    Ascent’s telemetry pipeline seamlessly integrates with 100+ existing tools including Splunk, Datadog, and Elastic, providing infinite elastic storage and intelligent routing without the vendor lock-in that traps enterprises in escalating costs. What sets Ascent apart is its technical superiority in handling high-cardinality data at scale and its complementary approach that enhances rather than replaces current investments—making Ascent the strategic choice for enterprises seeking to regain control over their observability spend while improving operational visibility.

    These innovations coupled with Apica’s dedication to giving organizations unprecedented control over their telemetry data reinforce Apica’s recognition as a Visionary. The following attributes make Ascent unique:

    • Flow, Telemetry Pipeline: Addresses the most critical enterprise pain point: Telemetry pipeline inefficiencies that drive up costs and create operational overhead.
      • Infinite data reservoir with InstaStore™ technology preventing data loss
      • Elastic Kubernetes-native architecture providing instant throughput on-demand
      • Never Block, Never Drop guarantee ensuring zero data loss
    • Observe: Complete Visibility & Intelligence
      • Real-time observability across the entire infrastructure stack
      • AI/LLM-powered insights for intelligent anomaly detection and root cause analysis
      • 100% data indexed with instant replay, search, and reporting capabilities
      • Flexible indexing options: Decouple indexing from pipeline for cost optimization
      • Comprehensive correlation between metrics, logs, and traces for complete system understanding
    • Fleet: Intelligent Agent Management
      • Adaptive data collection that responds to environment changes automatically
      • Investment protection: Works with existing observability tools and agents
      • Simplified configuration management through intuitive Fleet UI
      • Install once, update infrequently approach reducing operational overhead
      • Universal agent support with custom agent capabilities for any environment
    • Lake: Observability-Optimized Storage
      • Flexible deployment options: Use Apica’s optimized data lake or route to the organization’s existing storage
      • Modular architecture that adapts to every observability strategy and budget
      • InstaStore™ technology providing infinite retention for complete observability history
      • Complete data ownership with open formats preventing vendor lock-in
      • Cost-optimized storage tiers based on observability access patterns

    “If someone is looking for the most cost-efficient observability solution today, they should think about Apica,” said Mathias Thomsen, CEO of Apica. “One of our fundamental mantras is clean data beats fancy storage every time – we deliver cost optimization capabilities that dramatically reduce enterprise expenses while accelerating time to insight. I believe, this recognition as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability Platforms validates our focus in providing complementary tools to your existing investments that help you manage telemetry data with vendor-neutral flexibility – your data, your choice, your control.”

    Helpful links:

    • Download the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability, 2025 here.
    • Read the blog post from Apica CEO, Mathias Thomsen here.
    • To learn more about Ascent, visit Apica’s interactive demos or request a personalized demo here.

    Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Observability Platforms, Gregg Siegfried, Matt Crossley, Padraig Byrne, Andre Bridges, Martin Caren, 07 July 2025.

    Disclaimer:

    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. 

    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.

    Connect with Apica 
    LinkedIn 
    X

    About Apica

    Apica Ascent gives IT teams complete control over their telemetry data economics. Ascent processes all observability data types—metrics, logs, traces, and events—while optimizing observability costs by 40% compared to traditional approaches. Unlike solutions that lock users into proprietary formats, Ascent offers true flexibility: Use its data lake or route data to any data lake of choice, deploy on-premises or in the cloud, and eliminate expensive tool sprawl with a single, modular platform. Built to handle high-cardinality data that overwhelms competitive solutions, Ascent includes the patented InstaStore™ optimized storage option for maximum efficiency, advanced root cause analysis capabilities, and the freedom to make observability investments that actually reduce costs instead of spiraling them out of control. For more information, visit www.apica.io 

    Media Contact: 
    Lori Bertelli 
    Director Product Marketing & Communications 
    lori.bertelli@apica.io 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Apica Recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Observability Platforms, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES and STOCKHOLM, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apica, the observability cost optimization leader, today announced its recognition on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability Platforms, placed in the Visionaries quadrant. Apica is the anti-vendor-lock-in solution in IT telemetry that optimizes costs while maximizing flexibility, making existing and future observability investments work better while dramatically reducing costs. With Ascent, Apica enables enterprises to save up to 40 percent on observability spend while gaining unprecedented control over their telemetry data and breaking free from vendor lock-in. 

    Our performance and impact

    Apica Ascent stands apart as a key solution that optimizes existing observability investments rather than demanding costly replacements. Built with architectural flexibility at its core, Ascent delivers proven cost reductions compared to traditional observability platforms through its breakthrough InstaStore™ technology.

    Ascent’s telemetry pipeline seamlessly integrates with 100+ existing tools including Splunk, Datadog, and Elastic, providing infinite elastic storage and intelligent routing without the vendor lock-in that traps enterprises in escalating costs. What sets Ascent apart is its technical superiority in handling high-cardinality data at scale and its complementary approach that enhances rather than replaces current investments—making Ascent the strategic choice for enterprises seeking to regain control over their observability spend while improving operational visibility.

    These innovations coupled with Apica’s dedication to giving organizations unprecedented control over their telemetry data reinforce Apica’s recognition as a Visionary. The following attributes make Ascent unique:

    • Flow, Telemetry Pipeline: Addresses the most critical enterprise pain point: Telemetry pipeline inefficiencies that drive up costs and create operational overhead.
      • Infinite data reservoir with InstaStore™ technology preventing data loss
      • Elastic Kubernetes-native architecture providing instant throughput on-demand
      • Never Block, Never Drop guarantee ensuring zero data loss
    • Observe: Complete Visibility & Intelligence
      • Real-time observability across the entire infrastructure stack
      • AI/LLM-powered insights for intelligent anomaly detection and root cause analysis
      • 100% data indexed with instant replay, search, and reporting capabilities
      • Flexible indexing options: Decouple indexing from pipeline for cost optimization
      • Comprehensive correlation between metrics, logs, and traces for complete system understanding
    • Fleet: Intelligent Agent Management
      • Adaptive data collection that responds to environment changes automatically
      • Investment protection: Works with existing observability tools and agents
      • Simplified configuration management through intuitive Fleet UI
      • Install once, update infrequently approach reducing operational overhead
      • Universal agent support with custom agent capabilities for any environment
    • Lake: Observability-Optimized Storage
      • Flexible deployment options: Use Apica’s optimized data lake or route to the organization’s existing storage
      • Modular architecture that adapts to every observability strategy and budget
      • InstaStore™ technology providing infinite retention for complete observability history
      • Complete data ownership with open formats preventing vendor lock-in
      • Cost-optimized storage tiers based on observability access patterns

    “If someone is looking for the most cost-efficient observability solution today, they should think about Apica,” said Mathias Thomsen, CEO of Apica. “One of our fundamental mantras is clean data beats fancy storage every time – we deliver cost optimization capabilities that dramatically reduce enterprise expenses while accelerating time to insight. I believe, this recognition as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability Platforms validates our focus in providing complementary tools to your existing investments that help you manage telemetry data with vendor-neutral flexibility – your data, your choice, your control.”

    Helpful links:

    • Download the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Observability, 2025 here.
    • Read the blog post from Apica CEO, Mathias Thomsen here.
    • To learn more about Ascent, visit Apica’s interactive demos or request a personalized demo here.

    Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Observability Platforms, Gregg Siegfried, Matt Crossley, Padraig Byrne, Andre Bridges, Martin Caren, 07 July 2025.

    Disclaimer:

    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. 

    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.

    Connect with Apica 
    LinkedIn 
    X

    About Apica

    Apica Ascent gives IT teams complete control over their telemetry data economics. Ascent processes all observability data types—metrics, logs, traces, and events—while optimizing observability costs by 40% compared to traditional approaches. Unlike solutions that lock users into proprietary formats, Ascent offers true flexibility: Use its data lake or route data to any data lake of choice, deploy on-premises or in the cloud, and eliminate expensive tool sprawl with a single, modular platform. Built to handle high-cardinality data that overwhelms competitive solutions, Ascent includes the patented InstaStore™ optimized storage option for maximum efficiency, advanced root cause analysis capabilities, and the freedom to make observability investments that actually reduce costs instead of spiraling them out of control. For more information, visit www.apica.io 

    Media Contact: 
    Lori Bertelli 
    Director Product Marketing & Communications 
    lori.bertelli@apica.io 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How China’s green transition is reshaping ethnic minority communities

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Reza Hasmath, Professor in Political Science, University of Alberta

    China has emerged as a global front-runner in the fight against climate change, with sweeping policies aimed at curbing environmental degradation and building a more sustainable future.

    Yet behind these green ambitions lies a more complicated human story. Ethnic minority communities — who make up roughly nine per cent of China’s total population and often inhabit ecologically sensitive regions like Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Inner Mongolia — are experiencing the transition in ways that involve significant trade-offs.

    Where they live, how they work and the cultural practices they depend on have all been shaped by state environmental policies, often without meaningful input or representation.

    My ongoing research examines the lesser seen consequences of China’s environmental agenda, focusing on how it affects the lives of ethnic minority communities across four critical dimensions: traditional livelihoods, internal migration, economic well-being and cultural identity.

    Disruptions to traditional livelihoods

    For centuries, many ethnic minorities in China have built their livelihoods around the land. Tibetan nomadic herders, Uyghur and Kazakh farmers and communities like the Yi, Qiang or Tu have long depended on agriculture, grazing and forest products not just for economic survival, but as a way of life deeply tied to ancestral customs and ecological knowledge.

    That fabric is now fraying. Climate change, rising temperatures and desertification have degraded pasturelands in Tibet and farmland in Xinjiang, undermining herding and agriculture.

    At the same time, state policies like the Grain for Green program, which converts farmland into forest to reduce erosion, have displaced upland farmers and restricted access to traditional lands.

    These disruptions are compounded by restrictions on small-scale logging and non-timber forest product collection. These practices have long sustained communities such as the Hani, Dai and Yi.

    Although these initiatives aim for environmental conservation, they often lack provisions for alternative livelihood options, rendering affected ethnic minority communities vulnerable to economic hardship.

    Internal migration

    As China’s environmental and development policies reshape rural regions, ethnic minority communities are increasingly affected by internal migration. Some ethnic minority families move voluntarily for work, while others are displaced by large-scale infrastructure or conservation projects.

    In Tibet, expanded rail and road networks have boosted trade, but contributed to the migration of herding communities. In Yunnan, dam construction has displaced villages inhabited by ethnic groups such as the Nu, Lisu, Hani and Bai, often with minimal consultation.

    Relocation into urban areas introduces new pressures: overcrowded infrastructure, limited services and increased competition for employment. These conditions can exacerbate the marginalization of ethnic minorities and heighten social tensions.

    The effects are especially stark in Xinjiang. Uyghur communities have been relocated to new urban zones where efforts framed as economic development often fracture social structures and push assimilation.

    Coupled with securitization measures, such transitions risk eroding cultural identity and deepening socio-economic disparities, particularly among ethnic minority women.

    Ultimately, internal migration fragments extended family networks, an essential characteristic for many ethnic minority cultures. Without inclusive planning, these relocations can entrench the very inequities that sustainability efforts seek to address.

    A double-edged economy

    Green transition policies promise new livelihoods through eco-tourism, conservation work and renewable energy sectors. For some communities, these transitions have created new pathways.

    Pilot programs in ecologically sensitive zones such as Qinghai have involved Tibetan herders as conservation workers, combining ecological protection with livelihood maintenance.

    These examples remain exceptions. Most affected communities lack training and access to green jobs. The Grain for Green program offers short-term land conversion subsidies, but little in the way of long-term retraining. As a result, some households plunge deeper into poverty after losing access to their farmland or pasture.

    Ironically, relocated families sometimes end up in low-paid construction jobs tied to the very projects that displaced them. This circular dependency — displaced by green projects, then employed in their construction — offers no route to upward mobility and deepens socio-economic marginalization.

    Cultural displacement

    Perhaps the most intangible impact of China’s green transition is cultural. In many ethnic minority communities, livelihoods are intertwined with the environment; rituals follow the seasons and sacred sites mark the land.

    Conservation bans and resettlement disrupt ancestral customs and erase mobility patterns, as seen with the sedentarization of Tibetan nomads.

    Eco-tourism campaigns and “heritage villages” try to preserve culture. However, they often turn it into a spectacle. Traditions become performances curated for tourists, while the deeper practices — language, inter-generational teaching and land-based rituals — fade.

    Well-meaning efforts to promote ethnic minority festivals in the name of boosting tourism have also sometimes led to the standardization of diverse traditions into single narratives, minimizing internal variation in customs and flattening community voices.

    A more inclusive green transition?

    There is no doubt that China’s climate ambition is transforming its economy and the daily lives of millions. From the Tibetan Plateau to the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang and across the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia, environmental protection is impacting the people whose lives are rooted in these fragile ecosystems.

    Making this transition equitable means ensuring ethnic minorities shape, not merely receive, state policy. That includes integrating local ecological knowledge into conservation planning, providing long-term training for displaced populations and ensuring that relocation compensation reflects economic losses, as well as social and cultural costs.

    China frames its environmental vision through the concept of “ecological civilization,” a philosophy rooted in Confucian ideals and socialist principles that seeks to harmonize human development with nature. At its best, this model aspires to align economic growth with ecological balance.

    For ecological civilization to fulfil its promise, it must be inclusive and prioritize cultural rights alongside environmental goals. Environmental policymakers must recognize that sustainability is about both reducing emissions and preserving the dignity, heritage and agency of all communities.

    China’s green transition has the potential to be a global model. To lead by example, however, it must confront not only the climate crisis, but also the deeper challenge of inclusion.

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

    – ref. How China’s green transition is reshaping ethnic minority communities – https://theconversation.com/how-chinas-green-transition-is-reshaping-ethnic-minority-communities-259793

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Applauds $650,000 in Research Awards to University of Toledo, Stresses Importance of Federal Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Toledo, OH — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced two major research awards totaling $650,000 for the University of Toledo from the National Science Foundation (NSF). These investments are a testament to Northwest Ohio’s scientific leadership and a clear reminder of the critical role federal research funding plays in the future of American innovation, education, and security.

    “The University of Toledo continues to shine as a center of scientific excellence and innovation,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “These awards are a powerful example of how federal research funding drives discovery, creates jobs, and gives students real opportunities here in Northwest Ohio. But we must be clear: if the Trump Administration fails to protect funding for science and innovation, we not only stall progress — we risk losing the talent, technology, and competitiveness that keep the innovative engine of our nation alive.”

    The two NSF awards include:

    •  $149,999 for research into fatigue-resistant aerospace-grade aluminum nanocomposites, led by Dr. Meysam Haghshenas. This work aims to improve safety and durability in critical sectors like aviation, space, and transportation.

    • $500,000 for the development of adaptive metal origami structures, spearheaded by Dr. Ala Qattawi, which has applications in robotics, defense systems, and biomedical devices.

    “This National Science Foundation project is an exciting convergence of two foundational research missions, where an equipment award from the U.S. Department of Defense provided the critical infrastructure that now empowers our fundamental investigations supported by the National Science Foundation,” said Dr. Meysam Haghshenas, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and the director of UToledo’s Failure, Fracture and Fatigue Laboratory. “It is a perfect example of how strategic investment in cutting-edge instrumentation can bridge agencies and catalyze fundamental scientific discovery at the core of national interest.”

    “I’m honored and excited to receive the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award,” said Dr. Ala Qattawi, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering. “This award will help propel our research into foldable metal structures inspired by origami by using advanced 3D printing and smart materials that respond to heat and other triggers. These adaptable geometries hold great promise for applications in aerospace, robotics and biomedical devices. Federal support through the NSF, along with growing interest from industry partners, is helping us build critical momentum in this area along with the ability to train and prepare future workforce in advanced materials manufacturing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible and to provide UToledo students with more exposure and experience in basic research and additive manufacturing.”

    Combined, these projects are projected to support dozens of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and lab technicians over the next several years. The research also bolsters workforce development by integrating student-led research into university coursework, and by providing outreach opportunities in local K–12 classrooms — exposing young learners to high-tech, hands-on science before they reach college.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –