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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Protecting the vulnerable, or automating harm? AI’s double-edged role in spotting abuse

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Aislinn Conrad, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Iowa

    AI can help maximize resources in strapped systems trying to protect vulnerable people – but it can also risk replicating harm or privacy violations. Courtney Hale/E+ via Getty Images

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly being adopted to help prevent abuse and protect vulnerable people – including children in foster care, adults in nursing homes and students in schools. These tools promise to detect danger in real time and alert authorities before serious harm occurs.

    Developers are using natural language processing, for example — a form of AI that interprets written or spoken language – to try to detect patterns of threats, manipulation and control in text messages. This information could help detect domestic abuse and potentially assist courts or law enforcement in early intervention. Some child welfare agencies use predictive modeling, another common AI technique, to calculate which families or individuals are most “at risk” for abuse.

    When thoughtfully implemented, AI tools have the potential to enhance safety and efficiency. For instance, predictive models have assisted social workers to prioritize high-risk cases and intervene earlier.

    But as a social worker with 15 years of experience researching family violence – and five years on the front lines as a foster-care case manager, child abuse investigator and early childhood coordinator – I’ve seen how well-intentioned systems often fail the very people they are meant to protect.

    Now, I am helping to develop iCare, an AI-powered surveillance camera that analyzes limb movements – not faces or voices – to detect physical violence. I’m grappling with a critical question: Can AI truly help safeguard vulnerable people, or is it just automating the same systems that have long caused them harm?

    New tech, old injustice

    Many AI tools are trained to “learn” by analyzing historical data. But history is full of inequality, bias and flawed assumptions. So are people, who design, test and fund AI.

    That means AI algorithms can wind up replicating systemic forms of discrimination, like racism or classism. A 2022 study in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, found that a predictive risk model to score families’ risk levels – scores given to hotline staff to help them screen calls – would have flagged Black children for investigation 20% more often than white children, if used without human oversight. When social workers were included in decision-making, that disparity dropped to 9%.

    Language-based AI can also reinforce bias. For instance, one study showed that natural language processing systems misclassified African American Vernacular English as “aggressive” at a significantly higher rate than Standard American English — up to 62% more often, in certain contexts.

    Meanwhile, a 2023 study found that AI models often struggle with context clues, meaning sarcastic or joking messages can be misclassified as serious threats or signs of distress.

    Language-processing AI isn’t always great at judging what counts as a threat or concern.
    NickyLloyd/E+ via Getty Images

    These flaws can replicate larger problems in protective systems. People of color have long been over-surveilled in child welfare systems — sometimes due to cultural misunderstandings, sometimes due to prejudice. Studies have shown that Black and Indigenous families face disproportionately higher rates of reporting, investigation and family separation compared with white families, even after accounting for income and other socioeconomic factors.

    Many of these disparities stem from structural racism embedded in decades of discriminatory policy decisions, as well as implicit biases and discretionary decision-making by overburdened caseworkers.

    Surveillance over support

    Even when AI systems do reduce harm toward vulnerable groups, they often do so at a disturbing cost.

    In hospitals and elder-care facilities, for example, AI-enabled cameras have been used to detect physical aggression between staff, visitors and residents. While commercial vendors promote these tools as safety innovations, their use raises serious ethical concerns about the balance between protection and privacy.

    In a 2022 pilot program in Australia, AI camera systems deployed in two care homes generated more than 12,000 false alerts over 12 months – overwhelming staff and missing at least one real incident. The program’s accuracy did “not achieve a level that would be considered acceptable to staff and management,” according to the independent report.

    Surveillance cameras in care homes can help detect abuse, but they raise serious questions about privacy.
    kazuma seki/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Children are affected, too. In U.S. schools, AI surveillance like Gaggle, GoGuardian and Securly are marketed as tools to keep students safe. Such programs can be installed on students’ devices to monitor online activity and flag anything concerning.

    But they’ve also been shown to flag harmless behaviors – like writing short stories with mild violence, or researching topics related to mental health. As an Associated Press investigation revealed, these systems have also outed LGBTQ+ students to parents or school administrators by monitoring searches or conversations about gender and sexuality.

    Other systems use classroom cameras and microphones to detect “aggression.” But they frequently misidentify normal behavior like laughing, coughing or roughhousing — sometimes prompting intervention or discipline.

    These are not isolated technical glitches; they reflect deep flaws in how AI is trained and deployed. AI systems learn from past data that has been selected and labeled by humans — data that often reflects social inequalities and biases. As sociologist Virginia Eubanks wrote in “Automating Inequality,” AI systems risk scaling up these long-standing harms.

    Care, not punishment

    I believe AI can still be a force for good, but only if its developers prioritize the dignity of the people these tools are meant to protect. I’ve developed a framework of four key principles for what I call “trauma-responsive AI.”

    1. Survivor control: People should have a say in how, when and if they’re monitored. Providing users with greater control over their data can enhance trust in AI systems and increase their engagement with support services, such as creating personalized plans to stay safe or access help.

    2. Human oversight: Studies show that combining social workers’ expertise with AI support improves fairness and reduces child maltreatment – as in Allegheny County, where caseworkers used algorithmic risk scores as one factor, alongside their professional judgment, to decide which child abuse reports to investigate.

    3. Bias auditing: Governments and developers are increasingly encouraged to test AI systems for racial and economic bias. Open-source tools like IBM’s AI Fairness 360, Google’s What-If Tool, and Fairlearn assist in detecting and reducing such biases in machine learning models.

    4. Privacy by design: Technology should be built to protect people’s dignity. Open-source tools like Amnesia, Google’s differential privacy library and Microsoft’s SmartNoise help anonymize sensitive data by removing or obscuring identifiable information. Additionally, AI-powered techniques, such as facial blurring, can anonymize people’s identities in video or photo data.

    Honoring these principles means building systems that respond with care, not punishment.

    Some promising models are already emerging. The Coalition Against Stalkerware and its partners advocate to include survivors in all stages of tech development – from needs assessments to user testing and ethical oversight.

    Legislation is important, too. On May 5, 2025, for example, Montana’s governor signed a law restricting state and local government from using AI to make automated decisions about individuals without meaningful human oversight. It requires transparency about how AI is used in government systems and prohibits discriminatory profiling.

    As I tell my students, innovative interventions should disrupt cycles of harm, not perpetuate them. AI will never replace the human capacity for context and compassion. But with the right values at the center, it might help us deliver more of it.

    Aislinn Conrad is developing iCare, an AI-powered, real-time violence detection system.

    – ref. Protecting the vulnerable, or automating harm? AI’s double-edged role in spotting abuse – https://theconversation.com/protecting-the-vulnerable-or-automating-harm-ais-double-edged-role-in-spotting-abuse-256403

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill won’t solve the opioid epidemic, say the people most affected

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Katherine LeMasters, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Boulder

    The people most impacted by Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill have divergent views on the role of the legal system in curbing the opioid epidemic. Erik McGregor/GettyImages

    Colorado passed the Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill in May 2022. The legislation made the possession of small amounts of fentanyl a felony, rather than a misdemeanor.

    Felonies are more likely than misdemeanors to result in a prison sentence.

    Time in prison is associated with an increased risk of fatal overdose in the year after release. People with felonies on their record often struggle to find a job or rent an apartment.

    In 2023, lawmakers in 46 states passed legislation similar to Colorado’s. They introduced more than 600 bills related to fentanyl criminalization and enacted over 100 other laws to attempt to curb the opioid epidemic.

    Possession of small amounts of ketamine, GHB and other criminalized drugs is also a felony in Colorado.

    I’m an assistant professor of medicine, social epidemiologist and community researcher who studies mass incarceration as a public health threat. I am a member of the Right Response Coalition, which advocates for community rather than criminal-legal responses to behavioral health needs in Colorado. Recently, my work has focused on how increasing criminal penalties for fentanyl possession in Colorado affects the individuals and communities most impacted by such laws.

    Our team conducted 31 interviews with Colorado policymakers, peer support specialists, law enforcement, community behavioral health providers and people providing behavioral health in prisons and jails to explore a variety of perspectives on Colorado’s Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill and the role of the criminal-legal system in addressing substance use and overdose.

    Most of our interviewees agreed that criminalization alone wouldn’t solve the opioid epidemic.

    “You can’t incarcerate yourself to sobriety,” said a rural law enforcement officer. “You can’t incarcerate yourself out of the drug problem in America.”

    Criminalization of drug use

    Incarceration and substance use are deeply intertwined. The U.S. houses one-quarter of the world’s incarcerated population – largely due to policies created during the “war on Drugs” of the 1980s. The war on drugs included mandatory minimum sentencing for drug-related charges and “three strikes” laws that lengthened sentences after multiple charges.

    Today, one-fifth of the U.S. incarcerated population has a drug-related charge.

    People recently released from incarceration are more likely to overdose than the general public because their tolerance is greatly reduced following forced abstinence and there are not enough community-based treatment options.
    Erik McGregor/GettyImages

    Incarceration is often seen as a deterrent, but research shows it is not actually associated with reduced drug use. Instead, people recently released from incarceration are more likely to die of a fatal overdose and face a high likelihood of reincarceration.

    Perspectives of front-line workers

    All 31 of the participants in our study supported policies to prevent fentanyl overdoses. However, most thought that use of police and incarceration as avenues to do so was misguided.

    We spoke to some individuals who felt the bill was appropriate, but most felt that increased criminalization perpetuates stigma against people who use drugs. They also saw the law as ignoring the root causes of the opioid epidemic, which include a lack of voluntary community-based treatment options. They also said the law creates stressful law enforcement encounters that can perpetuate drug use as a coping mechanism.

    “It just seems like there’s no getting away from [the police], they’re everywhere,” said an urban peer support specialist. “I got arrested by the same cops, I don’t know how many times. And then it makes you want to try to be avoidant or run because they’re not going to help you.”

    Participants worried that the policy has an inadvertent chilling effect, deterring individuals from calling 911 when an overdose occurs.

    “Most people with substance abuse are not trying to report anything or get help for fear of going to jail,” one rural provider said. “It’s so stigmatized that everyone’s just scared to do that.”

    Study participants worried that the Colorado fentanyl criminalization bill will deter people from reporting an overdose for fear of being arrested.
    Spencer Platt/GettyImages

    Participants largely thought that counties were using incarceration as a default treatment setting and that it wasn’t an ideal solution.

    “[I] don’t want to see [people] incarcerated, but I don’t want ‘em to die either,” said an urban peer support specialist.

    The people we interviewed pointed to a lack of community-based care options that could come before people are incarcerated. Those options include substance use treatment centers, mental health services and community health centers.

    Substance use treatment

    Colorado’s fentanyl bill did more than just increase penalties. It also provided additional funding for a state naloxone program and required that all jails provide medications for opioid use disorder.

    Along with increasing penalties, Colorado’s bill increased access to naloxone, an opioid-reversal drug.
    Hyoung Chang/GettyImages

    These medications include methadone, buprenorphine and extended-release naltrexone. All are part of an established public health strategy shown to reduce overdose deaths and opioid use. They’re also shown to increase engagement with non-jail-based treatment and reduce reincarceration.

    However, jail capacity and the lack of treatment options based in one’s community play a large role in which medications are offered and to whom. For example, only 11 out of Colorado’s 46 counties with a county jail have an opioid treatment program in the community that can dispense methadone. Therefore, some facilities do not offer all medications, or only offer medications to individuals with an active prescription or to certain populations such as pregnant people.

    Investing in community solutions

    Based on our study’s findings, my study co-authors and I believe increased criminal penalties should not be the solution for linking individuals to treatment. Instead, there should be more investment in long-term community solutions.

    One such solution is Denver’s Substance Use Navigation Program. The program sends behavioral health specialists to emergency calls to prevent legal involvement when someone is experiencing distress related to mental health, poverty, homelessness or substance use. In many cases, those individuals are then routed to services rather than jails.

    Our findings also lead us to believe there is a need for more participatory policymaking processes when it comes to fentanyl legislation, and that policymakers should more closely work with the people who will be most impacted by new legislation. Most of our participants agree.

    “[I] don’t think that [the] state realized how difficult it is,” said a rural provider about giving medication-assisted treatment in jail, an increasing need as more people are arrested for fentanyl possession. “They probably should come here and visit us.”

    Katherine LeMasters received funding from the Colorado Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Administration. Katherine LeMasters is part of the Right Response Coalition.

    – ref. Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill won’t solve the opioid epidemic, say the people most affected – https://theconversation.com/colorados-fentanyl-criminalization-bill-wont-solve-the-opioid-epidemic-say-the-people-most-affected-256661

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John R. Blosnich, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Southern California

    As part of the Trump administration’s efforts aimed at stopping diversity, equity and inclusion, the government has been restricting how it monitors public health. Along with cuts to federally funded research, the administration has targeted public health efforts to gather information about sexual orientation and gender identity.

    In the early days of the second Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down data and documents that included sexual orientation and gender identity from its webpages. For example, data codebooks for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were replaced with versions that deleted gender identity variables. The Trump administration also ordered the CDC to delete gender identity from the National Violent Death Reporting System, the world’s largest database for informing prevention of homicide and suicide deaths.

    For many people, sexual orientation and gender identity may seem private and personal. So why is personal information necessary for public health?

    Decades of research have shown that health problems affect some groups more than others. As someone who has studied differences in health outcomes for over 15 years, I know that one of the largest health disparities for LGBTQ+ people is suicide risk. Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, public health cannot do the work to sound the alarm on and address issues that affect not just specific communities, but society as a whole.

    Clinicians are concerned about the purging of health data that is essential to patient care.

    Alarms and benchmarks

    Health is determined by the interplay of several factors, including a person’s genetics, environment and personal life. Of these types of health information, data on personal lives can be the most difficult to collect because researchers must rely on people to voluntarily share this information with them. But details about people’s everyday lives are critical to understanding their health.

    Consider veteran status. Without information that identifies which Americans are military veterans, the U.S. would never have known that the rate of suicide deaths among veterans is several times higher than that of the general population. Identifying this problem encouraged efforts to reduce suicide among veterans and military service personnel.

    Studying the rates of different conditions occurring in different groups of people is a vital role of public health monitoring. First, rates can set off alarm bells. When people are counted, it becomes easier to pick up a problem that needs to be addressed.

    Second, rates can be a benchmark. Once the extent of a health problem is known, researchers can develop and test interventions. They can then determine if rates of that health problem decreased, stayed the same or increased after the intervention.

    My team reviewed available research on how sexual orientation and gender identity are related to differences in mortality. The results were grim.

    Of the 49 studies we analyzed, the vast majority documented greater rates of death from all causes for LGBTQ+ people compared with people who aren’t LGBTQ+. Results were worse for suicide: Nearly all studies reported that suicide deaths were more frequent among LGBTQ+ people. A great deal of other research supports this finding.

    Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, these issues are erased.

    Lost data costs everyone

    Higher death rates among LGBTQ+ people affect everyone, not just people in the LGBTQ+ community. And when suicide is a major driver of these death rates, the costs increase.

    There are societal costs. Deaths from suicide result in lost productivity and medical services that cost the U.S. an estimated $484 billion per year. There are also human costs. Research suggests that for every suicide death, about 135 people are directly affected by the loss, experiencing grief, sadness and anger.

    President Donald Trump’s targeting of research on sexual orientation and gender identity comes at a time when more Americans than ever – an estimated 24.4 million adults – identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. That’s more than the entire population of Florida.

    LGBTQ+ people live in every state in the country, where they work as teachers, executives, janitors, nurses, mechanics, artists and every other profession or role that help sustain American communities. LGBTQ+ people are someone’s family members, and they are raising families of their own. LGBTQ+ people also pay taxes to the government, which are partly spent on monitoring the nation’s health.

    Stopping data collection of sexual orientation and gender identity does not protect women, or anyone else, as the Trump administration claims. Rather, it serves to weaken American public health. I believe counting all Americans is the path to a stronger, healthier nation because public health can then do its duty of detecting when a community needs help.

    John R. Blosnich receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. He is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), however all time and effort into writing this piece was done outside of his work with the VA. The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Blosnich and do not necessarily represent those of his institution, funders, or any affiliations.

    – ref. Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed – https://theconversation.com/data-on-sexual-orientation-and-gender-is-critical-to-public-health-without-it-health-crises-continue-unnoticed-255380

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Coca-Cola Announces Coca-Cola Fest Luanda: A Celebration of Music, Food and Culture

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

    Coca-Cola (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) is proud to present Coca-Cola Fest Luanda, a flagship brand experience hosted by Coca-Cola in Angola. This vibrant celebration of music, food, and culture will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, starting at 4:00 PM, at the iconic Luanda Bay Waterfront, in front of the Fortaleza Shopping Center.

    Coca-Cola Fest Luanda is designed to reinforce Coca-Cola’s enduring presence in Angola while celebrating the dynamic spirit of Angolan youth and culture.

    Coca-Cola Fest Luanda will offer attendees a multi-sensory journey, featuring:

    • Live performances by some of Angola’s most exciting music talents, alongside a host of international DJs.
    • Diverse culinary offerings from local restaurants and food entrepreneurs, reflecting Angola’s rich culinary heritage and international fusion.
    • Interactive brand experiences and activations designed to create joyful, shareable moments for friends and families.

    “Coca-Cola Fest Luanda is more than a celebration, it’s a tribute to unity, diversity, and the cultural energy of Angola,” said Racheal Kanoti, General Manager, Coca-Cola Angola. “We’re bringing together people, flavors, and rhythms that define this incredible country. It’s a moment to enjoy the magic of food, music, and human connection with the unmistakable taste of an ice-cold Coca-Cola.” She added.

    In keeping with Coca-Cola’s aim to help reduce packaging waste, the company is partnering with Angolan recycling organization, Glopol, to support the collection of beverage packaging during the event.

    Coca-Cola Fest Luanda will offer a day filled with flavor, music, and inspiration. Whether with friends or family, attendees will have the perfect opportunity to celebrate, connect, and refresh together. The festival will feature an exciting lineup of fun-filled games and interactive activities designed to bring people closer and highlight the vibrant spirit of the community. Participants will enjoy engaging challenges, lively competitions, and memorable moments that will capture the energy and joy of this unique event.

    – on behalf of Coca-Cola.

    For further information, please contact:
    Paula Lima
    plima@coca-cola.com

    Follow on Social Media:
    Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4mZvgxN
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4ebqrgT
    LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/43XahD5

    About The Coca-Cola Company:
    The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.Coca-ColaCompany.com.

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Orange Becomes the Strategic Partner of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group for digital initiatives

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

    • The Orange group and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group announce the signing of a framework agreement at VivaTech 2025 making Orange the reference partner in digital matters.
    • This unprecedented agreement with a telecom operator aims to strengthen cooperation between the two groups to improve access to digital services, support innovation and accelerate environmental transition in their common areas of intervention.

    Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange (www.Orange.com), Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, and Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco, signed an innovative partnership agreement to jointly accelerate digital inclusion and sustainable digital development. The three-year agreement provides a structured framework for cooperation on expertise and the emergence of joint projects internationally. It covers 17 countries in the Africa-Middle East region where Orange is present, as well as Moldova and French overseas departments. Priority themes include:

    • Digital inclusion of populations through the deployment of strategic infrastructure (ex. backbone equipment of very high-speed networks and submarine cables);
    • Financial and energy inclusion, and access to e-services (agriculture, health, education), especially in rural areas;
    • Reduction of the environmental footprint of digital technology;
    • Training and professional integration through digital tools;
    • Support for innovation and entrepreneurship;
    • Forward-looking discussions on ethical data use, security and artificial intelligence for development.

    As a multi-service operator and key partner in the digital transformation of the Africa-Middle East region, Orange has already opened 16 Orange Digital Centers and 32 Orange Digital Center Clubs in partnership with universities. These are free and accessible to all, and are designed to promote digital inclusion among youth and foster entrepreneurship.

    AFD Group supports public authorities, businesses, civil society and innovative ecosystems in their transition toward a more open, accessible and responsible digital world. It works alongside its partners to leverage digital solutions to achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    On the basis of this experience, Orange and AFD Group have worked together for over 20 years on various projects, such as supporting the deployment of fixed and mobile telecom networks for Orange subsidiaries in Jordan and Senegal, training youth in digital tools through Orange Foundations in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar and Tunisia, and supporting coding training programs at Orange Digital Centers in Jordan.

    This new partnership will strengthen the synergies and increase the dissemination of best practices and innovations in the digital sector. It reflects a renewed ambition aimed at striving towards digital equality and SDG achievement through innovative solutions and collaborative initiatives.

    On signing the agreement, Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange, stated:“This strategic partnership with AFD Group marks an important milestone in our collaboration. I look forward to continuing this dynamic of international cooperation for a more inclusive and sustainable digital future, reinforcing Orange’s commitment to expanding access to digital technology everywhere we operate. “

    Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, said: “AFD Group believes that digital technology is a powerful lever for transforming a diverse range of sectors, including public services, education, health and entrepreneurship. This first strategic partnership with Orange exemplifies this shared ambition to support the emergence of sovereign digital services at a local level by investing in solutions that are innovative, open and responsible.”

    Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco, added: “Proparco, AFD Group’s subsidiary dedicated to the private sector, is fully committed to strengthening its partnership with Orange, both strategically and operationally. By combining our networks, expertise and resources, we are working with determination to improve digital access for all in France and emerging countries.”

    – on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

    Press contacts:
    Flaminia le Maignan: flaminia.lemaignan@orange.com
    Service presse AFD: _afdpresse@afd.fr

    Follow us on:
    X: @ orangegrouppr (https://apo-opa.co/4jKVTnh)

    About Orange:
    Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 40.3 billion euros in 2024 and 125,800 employees worldwide at 31 March 2025, including 69,700 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 294 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2025, including 256 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. These figures account for the deconsolidation of certain activities in Spain following the creation of MASORANGE. The Group is present in 26 countries (including non-consolidated countries).

    Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan “Lead the Future”, built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. “Lead the Future” capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange’s leadership in service quality.

    Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA).

    For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.Orange.com, www.Orange-Business.com and the Orange News app. 

    Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: At Hearing, Warren Questions Trump Treasury Secretary on Hypocrisy of Adding to National Debt to Pay for Tax Giveaways for Rich

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 13, 2025
    Video of Exchange (YouTube)
    Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Republicans’ hypocrisy on raising the deficit with Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
    Senator Warren highlighted the hypocrisy of Secretary Bessent’s support for cutting crucial social programs to decrease the national debt, while also supporting adding trillions to the deficit to give billionaires and giant corporations tax cuts. 
    Secretary Bessent, with no evidence, said he believed the tax bill would decrease the deficit. 
    Senator Warren pointed out that “[e]very credible, independent expert agrees that Trump and the Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will add trillions to the national debt and would not even come close to paying for itself…Even Elon Musk and the Wall Street Journal are criticizing the bill for ballooning the national debt.”  
    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has revealed the Republican tax bill would increase the deficit by $3 trillion. Secretary Bessent said only that he “[doesn’t] agree with the CBO.” 
    “[W]hy is the national debt so very important that you’re trying to kick 16 million people off their health insurance, but increasing the national debt doesn’t seem to matter if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires and billionaire corporations?” Senator Warren asked. 
    Bessent attempted to downplay the health care cuts by saying the “figure is overstated by 5.1 million,” and falsely claimed Medicaid is granted to undocumented people. 
    “[T]he part that troubles me the most is that the Secretary is deeply worried about the deficit and is willing to knock 16 million, or as he says, ‘merely 11 million,’ people off their health care [because it] matters so much, but it doesn’t matter so much if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires…I think that’s wrong,” concluded Senator Warren.
    Transcript: Hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the Department of Treasury and Tax ReformSenate Finance CommitteeJune 12, 2025 
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So I want to ask about the Republican “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which will knock about 16 million off their healthcare coverage and cut programs that keep groceries cheaper for millions of families, in order to try to pay for about $4 trillion in tax giveaways, that are mostly going to be sucked up by millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations. 
    So, Secretary Bessent, I’d like to start with a very simple question: will this bill increase or decrease the deficit?
    Mr. Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury: There are varying scoring on that, Senator Warren.
    Senator Warren: You’re the Secretary of the Treasury, so I’m asking you: what is your view? Will this bill increase or decrease the deficit? 
    Secretary Bessent: It is my view that over the ten-year window, it will decrease. 
    Senator Warren: You know, do you have anybody who agrees with you on this? 
    Secretary Bessent: Yes, ma’am.
    Senator Warren: Let me ask my question. 
    Secretary Bessent: Okay. 
    Senator Warren: Every credible, independent expert agrees that Trump and the Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” will add trillions to the national debt and would not even come close to paying for itself. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Penn Wharton Budget Model, and the Yale Budget Lab all agree on this, and they are looking at ten-year windows, thank you. So do the conservative Tax Foundation and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget—conservative groups. 
    Even Elon Musk and the Wall Street Journal are criticizing the bill for ballooning the national debt. The only people who are saying publicly that it is not going to add to the national debt are you, Donald Trump, the Republicans in Congress. Do you have an independent group that has put forward numbers that disagrees with all of these conservative groups and disagrees with the Wall Street Journal on this? 
    Secretary Bessent: Well, Senator, it’s interesting to see you aligned with Elon Musk, but if I might—
    Senator Warren: You’re no more shocked than I am. 
    Secretary Bessent: If we want to take the full Congressional Budget scoring, they predict, and I don’t agree with their methodology, they predict a $2.4 trillion deficit, but— 
    Secretary Warren: Okay, so the answer to the question is yes.
    Secretary Bessent: No, no, no. But may I finish? They include that, but they’ve also scored $2.8 trillion in tariff income. So even, even in Washington, D.C. math, that is a $400 billion surplus.
    Senator Warren: Okay, so let me make sure I understand. This bill, you admit, will increase the deficit by $2.4 trillion, but you think there will be another bill and another set of agreements that somehow materialize. Haven’t materialized so far, don’t have any statutory authority, but that will make up the difference. 
    So the answer to the original question, will this bill increase or decrease the deficit? I think you just said it will increase. This bill increases the deficit, is that right? 
    Secretary Bessent: I will use all the CBO scoring, and you can’t take one without the other. I don’t agree with the CBO.
    Senator Warren: One is the law that we are scoring, the bill that is in front of us. We don’t have a tariff bill in front of us to score. Mr. Secretary, let me go on to the second question. You have said that government spending is, quote, “out of control.” You have also called government spending, quote, “unsustainable.” In fact, in the name of fiscal responsibility, you’re working with the Republicans on this “big, beautiful bill” to pass the biggest cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in American history. 
    So, Mr. Secretary, help me understand here: why is the national debt so very important that you’re trying to kick 16 million people off their health insurance, but increasing the national debt doesn’t seem to matter if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires and billionaire corporations?
    Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, a huge portion of this goes to family-owned businesses that are passed through entities that are below that level, Senator, and I am sure you share my goals of Main Street prosperity.
    Senator Warren: You know, I’m glad to do tax cuts for people of modest means. The question I’m asking is, why does the deficit not matter to you when we’re talking about knocking 16 million people off their health care? But it matters not—It does matter to you if we’re knocking people off their health care, but not if—
    Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, that figure is overstated by 5.1 million. That is an amount not attributable to provisions in this bill. 
    Senator Warren: So you think it’s okay to knock ten million people off. 
    Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, let’s set that straight. Work requirements account for 8 million of CBO’s claim number. Again, we’re creating an economy that promotes and rewards—
    Senator Warren: So it’s clear, Secretary Bessent, you don’t want to answer the question.
    Secretary Bessent: Senator, I am answering. 
    Senator Warren: No, you’re not. 
    Secretary Bessent: And what I want is for Medicaid to be used for mothers and children as it was meant, not for 1.4 million illegal aliens, not for able-bodied people—
    Senator Warren: Medicaid is not used for people who are not documented. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say here the part that troubles me the most is that the Secretary is deeply worried about the deficit and is willing to knock 16 million, or as he says, “merely 11 million,” people off their health care—matters so much, but it doesn’t matter so much if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires, then it’s okay to run up a big deficit. I think that’s wrong.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Education superstars shine bright at Teach Portsmouth Awards 2025

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    The city’s school and college staff were recognised at an awards ceremony for the profession at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 12 June.

    The Teach Portsmouth Awards celebrated outstanding achievements across 12 categories, while also recognising dedicated professionals who have worked in education for over 20 years.

    Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council said:

    “The Teach Portsmouth Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence in education, highlight best practice, and recognise the incredible staff who make a real difference to the lives of children and young people.

    “This year, we placed a special emphasis on community engagement, inviting parents and carers to nominate staff. Their overwhelming response led to a record number of entries in the people’s choice category. Alongside this, senior school leaders shared powerful stories of colleagues going above and beyond to support their communities.”

    The ceremony was hosted by local headteachers, Ashley Howard from Mayfield School and Zoe Killick from St Paul’s Catholic School and Nursery.

    The winners were announced at the awards ceremony in the following categories:

    Teaching and learning support award – Sponsored by the University of Chichester Academy Trust
     Emilie Howard-Angreville – The Portsmouth Academy

    Early career teacher award – Sponsored by University of Portsmouth
     Lucy Bleach – Court Lane Infant Academy

    People’s choice award – Sponsored by The News
     Hannah Powell – New Horizons Primary School

    Innovation award – Sponsored by City of Portsmouth College
    Chris Furnell -Trafalgar School

    Early years and childcare award – Sponsored by Home-Start Portsmouth
     Lisa Harris – Little Creators Pre School

    Inclusion and diversity award – Sponsored by Salterns Academy Trust
    Kate Donovan – Ark Dickens Primary Academy

    Community award –  Sponsored by Comserv Property Services
     City of Portsmouth College – ESOL team

    Unsung hero award – Sponsored by Humly
     Tracy Barker – Priory School

    Volunteer award – Sponsored by Nation Radio
     Andrew Beecher – Admiral Lord Nelson School

    Wellbeing award – Sponsored by My Happy Minds
     Sharon Hartt and Jasmine Hewett – Highbury Primary School

    Outstanding contribution award – Sponsored by HSDC
     Llewela Ann Thomas – Court Lane Infant School

    In addition, 43 people received long service awards for 20 years of service to the city. There is no overall winner in this category and everyone receives a trophy.

    Two new categories were introduced to recognise different initiatives that enable pupils to thrive.

    The volunteer award category showcased individuals who give their time for free using their own life experiences to support pupils in different ways. The community award highlighted partnership working between schools, colleges and other organisations.

    (Left to right – Ashley Howard, Stewart Dennis (Nation Radio), Andrew Beecher and Zoe Killick). 

    Andrew Beecher won the volunteer award supporting pupils in gardening club at Admiral Lord Nelson School.

    The judges said that he enables pupils to learn new life skills and helps foster self-belief. Andrew said:

    “I was blown away when I was nominated as it was unexpected. The journey from being shortlisted to winning has been a rollercoaster ride but one I have enjoyed immensely.

    “Winning the award is also a recognition for the pupils I work with. Their efforts are my successes too. I would like to thank everyone who put me forward for the award – it has given me a real boost.”

    (Left to right – Ashley Howard, Sharon Hartt, Jasmine Hewett, Tom Black (MyHappyMind) and Zoe Killick)

    Sharon Hartt and Jasmine Hewett were joint winners for the wellbeing award for their work supporting families with bereavement. As a result of their efforts, Highbury Primary School is one of only three schools in Hampshire to be awarded ‘Simon Says Champion Status.’

    The shortlisting panel said their efforts to train staff to help bereaved families was inspirational. Sharon said:

    “It was an honour to win the award on the night. Wellbeing in schools has become more important.

    “Our work as Simon Says Champions has been a collaborative effort with staff across the school. Winning the award showcases the impact this is having across our community.”

    The Teach Portsmouth website has been updated to include information on the winners and shortlist. Visit: www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/awards

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In a letter to the Senate, over 900 state and local elected leaders oppose extreme cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and public services

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    The letter reads in part, “As government leaders, we understand the importance of rooting out fraud, waste and abuse to keep public services strong, but this plan fails to do that. Instead, it would rip the very fabric of our nation’s social safety net wide open to give the wealthiest people tax breaks they don’t need. Meanwhile, veterans, seniors, children, people with disabilities, and all working people will suffer.”

    We, the undersigned state and local officials, are writing to express our opposition to the reconciliation bill (H.R. 1) and ask you to protect the public services our communities depend on. By cutting Medicaid, SNAP and other critical public services, this bill threatens to destabilize state and local budgets and force deep cuts across the board that will diminish public services and hurt working families nationwide – all to give billionaires tax breaks.

    Medicaid accounts for the largest portion of federal funding to state budgets and is the largest funder of long-term care services in the U.S. Without this critical funding and due to other provisions in the bill, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates roughly 15 million people will lose their health coverage and become uninsured by 2034. The cuts outlined in H.R. 1 will also mean nursing homes, hospitals, home care and other critical health care services will disappear, leading to job losses in the health care sector. As people lose Medicaid coverage, hospitals and providers will face an estimated $48 billion in uncompensated care costs. Altogether, this will place an incredible strain on states, cities and towns and other local governments and will cost lives.

    Moreover, the bill’s proposed work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries will impose huge costs on states, including adding compliance systems and a need for greater staffing at agencies that are already understaffed. Experience in Arkansas and Georgia shows that work requirements do not result in more people working. They actually lead to huge losses in coverage for workers due to red tape. The reality is these provisions will result in cuts and needlessly harm our country’s most vulnerable populations who need Medicaid to live.

    The bill also shifts $300 billion in costs to states and local governments for both the benefits and administrative costs of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This provision threatens the food security of more than 40 million Americans, including one in five children. There will be no way for state governments to cover all these new expenses without making cuts to other critical services like our schools or roads.

    The bill also automatically triggers historic cuts to Medicare, which will spell disaster for seniors. As critical health care services are ripped away from seniors, their families will struggle to care for them. That will place huge costs on our workforce, our economies and our communities.

    Taken together, the cuts that are included in H.R. 1 will place an impossible burden on states. Forced to make up for the massive shortfalls in federal funding, every sector of our state and local economies will suffer, from health care to higher education, public safety to public schools. Services that our communities rely on will be slashed; and the people who provide them may be furloughed or laid off.

    As government leaders, we understand the importance of rooting out fraud, waste and abuse to keep public services strong, but this plan fails to do that. Instead, it would rip the very fabric of our nation’s social safety net wide open to give the wealthiest people tax breaks they don’t need. Meanwhile, veterans, seniors, children, people with disabilities and all working people will suffer.

    America’s state and local elected leaders urge you to vote against this damaging and reckless plan. The health, safety, and well-being of our communities are too important.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Leads Bipartisan Push to Increase Benefits for Online Student Veterans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reintroduced a bipartisan bill to increase housing stipends for student veterans attending classes online.

    Specifically, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act (H.R. 3753) would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) monthly housing allowance for student-veterans who attend classes online during the summer semester. Under current law, student-veterans enrolled in online classes only receive half the monthly housing allowance compared to their in-person counterparts.  

    “As our service members transition to civilian life and pursue educational opportunities, they deserve to have access to all the benefits their service earned, regardless of whether the classes are in-person or virtual,” said Ciscomani. “As education and pathways to career success continue to evolve and online classes become more prevalent, I am proud lead this bipartisan effort to eliminate the disparity between online and in-person classes to ensure our veterans have flexibility as they pursue further education.”

    Ciscomani is joined by Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ).

    “As veterans transition back to civilian life, they deserve to fully access the benefits they have earned,” said Van Orden. “This bill ensures that student veterans can pursue their education on their own timeline without the added stress of wondering how they will afford rent.”

    “Arizona’s student veterans have earned the right to pursue their education without having to worry about how they’re going pay for their home,” said Stanton. “Our bipartisan bill delivers the fairness and financial security these veterans deserve by ensuring those taking online classes receive the same housing support as their in-person peers. We’re honoring our promise to those who served and making sure every veteran can use their hard-earned VA education benefits.” 

    This legislation is supported by Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc, AM Vets, Students Veterans of America (SVA), the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

    Commander J.B. Well, Executive Director of Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc.: “Since the Second World War, Congress has provided our veterans with educational benefits including a housing stipend to allow them to attend school free from worry about where they will live.   Technology has allowed the development of online education. These students deserve the same benefits as though who attend classes in-person.   Making it easier for veterans to attend class not only rewards them for their service but acts as an investment in our national future.”

    Tammy Barlet, Vice President of Government Affairs at SVA: “SVA strongly supports the introduction of H.R. 3753, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act. This legislation would ensure that student veterans attending classes solely online receive the national average monthly housing allowance during the semester of their enrollment. Online MHA parity supports student veterans as they pursue higher education where they are at. Many student veterans choose online education out of necessity rather than preference, as they are often balancing other responsibilities such as childcare, caregiving, or familial obligations. SVA thanks Representative Ciscomani, Representative Stanton, and Representative Van Orden for their dedication and efforts to support student veterans nationwide. By establishing parity for online MHA, we continue to encourage student veterans to pursue their education and have access to the same educational opportunity as their counterparts.”

    Find the full text of the bill here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Presidential Message on National Men’s Health Week, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    For far too long, the health, happiness, and well-being of our Nation’s men have been neglected, contributing to a troubling reality: men in the United States have a life expectancy five years shorter than women. They visit healthcare providers less frequently and often delay critical care. Men tend to have their first heart attack an average of 10 years earlier than women.
    This neglect has been compounded by a vicious campaign against masculinity. This war on manhood has left many American men in a state of loneliness, confusion, and emptiness, with devastating consequences: men in the United States are four times more likely to commit suicide and more than twice as likely to overdose than women.
    This National Men’s Health Week, I make a solemn pledge to honor the men in America: we will always have your back—and we will never waver in our promise to embolden you to lead long, healthy, and safe lives.
    Just last month, I proudly signed an Executive Order to deliver most-favored-nation pricing to American patients, improve access to quality medical care, and lower the price of medications.  Together, with my Make America Healthy Again Commission, we are empowering men to prioritize their health and prolong their lives. 
    Under my leadership, we will relentlessly pursue a healthier future for the men of our nation. We will always lift you up rather than tear you down, and we will champion the voices, values, and wellness of hardworking American men across our country.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Names Jamie Selway as Director of Trading and Markets

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the appointment of Jamie Selway, an accomplished financial markets leader, as Director of the Division of Trading and Markets, effective June 17, 2025.

    “I’d like to welcome Jamie to the SEC,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “He brings decades of industry experience in market structure and across multiple asset classes to this critical role. I look forward to working with him to protect our markets and ensure the agency’s regulations balance costs and benefits.”

    Mr. Selway was most recently a partner at Sophron Advisors, where he advised clients on capital markets issues. He was also a board member at Protego Holdings, board chair at AllofUs Financial and Skew, and served as an advisor to multiple financial technology companies. He previously was a managing director and head of electronic brokerage at Investment Technology Group, a global institutional broker. He co-founded institutional brokerage White Cap Trading, where he was a managing director and chairman. Earlier in his career, he was chief economist at Archipelago, worked in Equity Derivatives Research at Goldman Sachs, and was associate director of research at the National Association of Securities Dealers, which became the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

    “Chairman Atkins is bringing about a ‘new day’ at the SEC,” said Mr. Selway. “I thank him for selecting me to lead Trading and Markets at this exciting and pivotal time. Together, we will promote the SEC’s mission and enable innovation, to the benefit of our nation’s investors.”

    Mr. Selway has served on a number of industry committees and previously testified at Congressional and SEC roundtables. He is a member of the National Organization of Investment Professionals (NOIP) and the Investment Traders Association of Philadelphia, and has served as chair of NOIP and the NOIP Foundation. He previously was associate editor of the Journal of Trading.

    Mr. Selway received an M.S. in financial mathematics from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in mathematics and European history from Washington & Lee University.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Eugene Doyle: Team Genocide and the West’s war on Iran

    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

    I have visited Iran twice. Once in June 1980 to witness an unprecedented event: the world’s first Islamic Revolution. It was the very start of my writing career.

    The second time was in 2018 and part of my interest was to get a sense of how disenchanted the population was — or was not — with life under the Ayatollahs decades after the creation of the Islamic Republic.

    I loved my time in Iran and found ordinary Iranians to be such wonderful, cultured and kind people.

    When I heard the news today of Israel’s attack on Iran I had the kind of emotional response that should never be seen in public. I was apoplectic with rage and disgust, I vented bitterly and emotively.

    Then I calmed down. And here is what I would like to say:

    Just last week former CIA officer Ray McGovern, who wrote daily intelligence briefings for the US President during his 27-year career, reminded me when I interviewed him that the assessment of the US intelligence community has been for years that Iran ceased its nuclear weapons programme in 2003 and had not recommenced since.

    The departing CIA director William Burns confirmed this assessment recently.  Propaganda aside, there is nothing new other than a US-Israeli campaign that has shredded any concept of international laws or norms.

    I won’t mince words: what we are witnessing is the racist, genocidal Israeli regime, armed and encouraged by the US, Germany, UK and other Western regimes, launching a war that has no justification other than the expansion of Israeli power and the advancement of its Greater Israel project.

    This year, using American, German and British armaments, supported by underlings like Australia and New Zealand, the Israelis have pursued their genocide against the Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza, and attacked various neighbours, including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Iran.

    They represent a clear and present danger to peace and stability in the region.

    Iran has operated with considerable restraint but has also shown its willingness to use its military to keep the US-Israeli menace at bay. What most people forget is that the project to secure Iran’s borders and keep the likes of the British, Israelis and Americans out is a multi-generational project that long predates the Islamic Revolution.

    I would recommend Iran: A modern history by the US-based scholar Abbas Amanat that provides a long-view of the evolution of the Iranian state and how it has survived centuries of pressure and multiple occupations from imperial powers, including Russia, Britain, the US and others.

    Hard-fought independence
    The country was raped by the Brits and the Americans and has won a hard-fought independence that is being seriously challenged, not from within, but by the Israelis and the Western warlords who have wrecked so many countries and killed millions of men, women and children in the region over recent decades.

    I spoke and messaged with Iranian friends today both in Iran and in New Zealand and the response was consistent. They felt, one of them said, 10 times more hurt and emotional than I did.

    Understandable.

    A New Zealand-based Iranian friend had to leave work as soon as he heard the news.  He scanned Iranian social media and found people were upset, angry and overwhelmingly supportive of the government.

    “They destroyed entire apartment buildings! Why?”, “People will be very supportive of the regime now because they have attacked civilians.”

    “My parents are in the capital. I was so scared for them.”

    Just a couple of years ago scholars like Professor Amanat estimated that core support for the regime was probably only around 20 percent.  That was my impression too when I visited in 2018.

    Nationalism, existential menace
    Israel and the US have changed that. Nationalism and an existential menace will see Iranians rally around the flag.

    Something I learnt in Iran, in between visiting the magnificent ruins of the capital of the Achaemenid Empire at Persepolis, exploring a Zoroastrian Tower of Silence, chowing down on insanely good food in Yazd, talking with a scholar and then a dissident in Isfahan, and exploring an ancient Sassanian fort and a caravanserai in the eastern desert, was that the Iranians are the most politically astute people in the region.

    Many I spoke to were quite open about their disdain for the regime but none of them sought a counter-revolution.

    They knew what that would bring: the wolves (the Americans, the Israelis, the Saudis, and other bad actors) would slip in and tear the country apart. Slow change is the smarter option when you live in this neighbourhood.

    Iranians are overwhelmingly well-educated, profoundly courteous and kind, and have a deep sense of history. They know more than enough about what happened to them and to so many other countries once a great power sees an opening.

    War is a truly horrific thing that always brings terrible suffering to ordinary people. It is very rarely justified.

    Iran was actively negotiating with the Americans who, we now know, were briefed on the attack in advance and will possibly join the attack in the near future.

    US senators are baying for Judeo-Christian jihad. Democrat Senator John Fetterman was typical: “Keep wiping out Iranian leadership and the nuclear personnel. We must provide whatever is necessary — military, intelligence, weaponry — to fully back Israel in striking Iran.”

    We should have the moral and intellectual honesty to see the truth:  Our team, Team Genocide, are the enemies of peace and justice.  I wish the Iranian people peace and prosperity.

    Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nuclear energy is a risky investment, but that’s no reason for the UK government to avoid it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    Sizewell B on the UK’s Suffolk coast. Nick Beer/Shutterstock

    The UK government’s investment of around £14 billion in a new nuclear power plant marks a big economic shift for the country’s approach to energy.

    The Sizewell C plant in Suffolk will be the second of a new generation of reactors to be built in the country, after Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is expected to open in 2031.

    French energy firm EDF is building Hinkley and will probably end up building Sizewell too. But it seems that the British government is finally prepared to take on the considerable financial risk which these projects bring.

    Previously it has preferred to look elsewhere. China, notably, has a longstanding appetite for investment in British infrastructure. (Although in 2022, the UK government bought back China’s stakes in Sizewell C amid geopolitical concerns.)

    But the money has to come from somewhere. And after EDF announced it wanted to limit its participation in Sizewell C – and in particular, exposure to the risk of cost overruns – the UK government has stepped in.

    EDF has has already lost a lot of money building Hinkley Point C. When construction began in 2017, costs were estimated at £18 billion.

    At the time, the UK government agreed to pay a set rate for the electricity produced so the French company could recoup its cost and make a reasonable profit. That price was perceived by some as as extremely high and remains higher than current wholesale prices.

    But as construction costs have more than doubled, the project has generated an estimated loss of around £13 billion for EDF. The company hopes to keep construction costs down this time, after similar costs overruns in projects it completed in France and in Finland.

    But now Sizewell C will only progress because the British government has said it will take on almost all of the financial risk.

    In doing so, the UK is not an outlier. In France, China and South Korea, nuclear power plants are built by state-owned companies. In the US, private companies are waiting for public funding to finance Donald Trump’s dream of a nuclear renaissance.

    And perhaps it’s an expense the state should be willing to take on.

    After all, although nuclear reactors (like solar farms and wind turbines) are expensive to set up, once they are built, the cost of producing electricity is very small.

    And if the long-term goal is to eliminate the need for fossil fuels, it means all electricity will need to come from a mixture of renewables, batteries and nuclear. Electricity could then become much cheaper than it is now.

    But building the means of creating this power comes with varying degrees of risk.

    Solar, for example, is not that risky. Panels are usually imported, there are no major safety concerns, and investors can roughly predict how much sun there will be in a typical year.

    For nuclear energy, production is also predictable. But the time it will take to complete construction of a plant and the associated costs are not.

    Part of this is down to choice. UK regulations around nuclear energy are complex and strict, and other countries build faster and cheaper. This may be why globally, solar power is attracting much more investment than other sources of energy.

    Political energy

    But this does not mean governments should ignore the nuclear option. One of the main reasons governments are useful to society is that they can afford to take risks that private investors cannot, and finance long term innovation.

    This in turn can lead to much greater strategic and geopolitical autonomy. While solar panels and batteries are getting ever cheaper, the vast majority of production is in China.

    Domestic production of nuclear allows for greater diversity in energy sourcing, and arguably from some more predictable partners. The key component, uranium, can be found in large quantities in places like Canada or Australia, or directly reused.

    Research suggests that nuclear energy may be particularly suited to feed the needs of digital datacentres and artificial intelligence.

    Meanwhile, the government also hopes to get small nuclear reactors from domestic producer Rolls Royce which could be built in factories at a much more predictable cost. Russia and China have each already built this kind of reactor.

    Plus there’s £2.5 billion for UK research on nuclear fusion, with the potential to deliver electricity on an unprecedented scale.

    No one knows if fusion will ever be possible. It is the kind of uncertain, incredibly expensive projects (with potentially massive returns) that pretty much no private investor would risk looking at.

    But again, it is the kind of bet only governments can take. For nuclear power, for reasons of scale, risk and uncertainty, is mostly a government business – and ultimately a political choice.

    It will take a long time to know if the decision to spend taxpayers’ money on Sizewell C was the right way to respond to the country’s energy needs. But ending reliance on private or foreign financing for nuclear projects could one day be seen as a positive reaction.

    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.

    Renaud Foucart 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. Nuclear energy is a risky investment, but that’s no reason for the UK government to avoid it – https://theconversation.com/nuclear-energy-is-a-risky-investment-but-thats-no-reason-for-the-uk-government-to-avoid-it-258645

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramaphosa expresses sadness over tragic loss of life during recent floods in E Cape

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sorrow over the recent floods in the Eastern Cape, which have claimed the lives of nearly 80 people. 

    In response to the devastating situation in Mthatha this week, government officials, including the President, key Ministers, the Premier, and local government representatives, visited the area to offer support and assess the damage. 

    The disaster has caused significant loss of life and widespread destruction of infrastructure.

    “Many people have tragically died, especially young children whose school transport was swept away by the floods. I was informed that one child has still not been accounted for,” he told the community. 

    The President shared a story about a local woman who lost her mother and children, one of whom is still missing.

    “We sympathise with you because losing a parent or child is one of the most painful experiences one can endure. I also came here because we are not accustomed to losing so many people all at once.” 

    The country’s commander-in-chief emphasised the severity of the situation, noting that while the impact has been tragic, quick response teams prevented an even worse outcome. 

    “We are very, very disturbed that so many people have passed away, but it could have been much worse. The response teams acted quickly.” 

    The President announced that the deceased individuals have been taken to a mortuary and that the forensic team have acted quickly to perform autopsies, ensuring that their loved ones can receive their remains and prepare for memorial services as well as burials.

    “And my thanks also go to the Premier, his MECs, to the Mayors, as well as all other officials. This is a catastrophic disaster for us, which is caused by climate change.” 

    The floods have caused widespread destruction to homes, government facilities, roads, hospitals, and schools, highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change.

    “There shouldn’t be any floods during winter. In the Eastern Cape, we expect cold weather and snow during this season. However, the occurrence of floods highlights the severity of the climate change issue we are facing. The same flooding issues are also happening in KwaZulu-Natal.” 

    He highlighted that this is becoming a new reality for South Africa, with both Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal experiencing recurring annual disasters. 

    “The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are now prone to continuous annual disasters that are causing a lot of pain and suffering amongst our people, where a number of people are dying.”

    Government officials pledged continued support to the affected communities, promising to assist families in their time of grief. 

    “We will continue to give you the support and the assistance that is required, so that your sorrow must not deepen beyond what you are experiencing now; this we will do; because it’s our responsibility as government, and that is why I also came.” 

    He also extended his condolences to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, who are facing significant challenges due to climate change. 

    The President expressed his gratitude to the Gift of the Givers, as well as other organisations and religious leaders, for their support and for comforting grieving families during this difficult time.

    Government also announced that mourning is being considered to remember those who lost their lives in this catastrophic event. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Canterbury is Best, Bar None!

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Hosted by Canterbury BID, the third annual Best Bar None awards took place on Wednesday 11 June, recognising the efforts of 33 venues in Canterbury.

    Best Bar None is a national accreditation scheme that recognises excellence in the hospitality industry, promoting safer and more welcoming nights out. Canterbury remains the leading location for accredited venues in Kent.

    The scheme was introduced by Kent Police, Canterbury City Council and Canterbury BID in 2022 and provides businesses with an official, independent, accreditation that shows customers how hard they work to provide a safe and welcoming place to visit while they are out socialising.

    This year’s ceremony took place at The Lounge Bar & Kitchen, with 33 businesses receiving their awards, along with 14 Special Achievements awards for those venues and individuals that have gone above and beyond in keeping our community safe.

    The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Keji Moses, District Commander CI Paul Stoner and BID CEO Lisa Carlson.

    Awards for top scoring assessments were given to The Venue, Woody’s, Tokyo Tearoom and The Cricketers, while staff from Club Chemistry, McDonald’s, Boom Battle Bar, The Shakespeare and The Foundry BrewPub also received individual and special awards.

    Awards based on the highest scores achieved in the Best Bar None accreditation process:

    • Best Venue Management: The Venue
    • Best Staff Training & Care: Woody’s
    • Best Customer Safety & Welfare: Tokyo Tearooms
    • Best Customer Safety & Community: The Lounge
    • Best Newcomer: The Cricketers
    • Best Overall Venue: The Venue

    Individual and special awards based on the stories submitted by management about their staff and project work:

    • Special Recognition Award: Thomas Garncarek, Club Chemistry
    • Community Ambassador Award: McDonald’s Team
    • Best Commitment to Safety and Prevention: Chloe Petter, The Shakespeare
    • Best Dedicated Member of Staff: Ricky Richards, Boom Battle Bar
    • Best Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award: Sarah and Alice from Club Chemistry
    • Best Customer Experience: Kristina Hopkins, The Shakespeare
    • Sustainability Award: The Foundry BrewPub
    • Outstanding Service: PC Danielle Rolfe, Kent Police

    Lisa Carlson, CEO Canterbury BID said: “Canterbury has been the proud receiver of the Purple Flag for 13 years, thanks to the existing partnership working between agencies, police and businesses and we are delighted to see that Best Bar None continues to grow in popularity.

    “When we started three years ago, 19 venues were accredited and we’re now up to 33. The scheme was so successful in its first year that we were part of the Kent-wide team that won the national Best Newcomer award because of the number of venues accredited in the first year (actually, within four months!).

    “Our licensed venues drive economic growth, support jobs and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. They provide the vibrant cultural atmosphere that well and truly make Canterbury the best night out in Kent – and beyond!”

    PC Danielle Rolfe, Canterbury Licensing Officer, said: “Through the Best Bar None scheme, Kent Police is able to build stronger relationships with local venues. By working closely with businesses, officers are creating a safer local environment, helping to prevent crime and will gain the ability to identify suspects faster.

    “It is a pleasure to work alongside the venues and individuals that are being recognised at the event, and I congratulate them for their contribution to the community.”

    Cabinet member for community safety, Cllr Connie Nolan, said: “Our licensed premises play a vital role in the economic and social fabric of the city and residents and visitors need to know that when they are heading for a night out, they are doing so in well run, responsible and safe businesses.

    “It’s great to see such a range of pubs, clubs and restaurants being recognised in this year’s awards and I congratulate them all.

    “Managing the night-time economy is one big collaborative effort between the businesses and all the authorities and it’s by taking such an approach that Canterbury retains its reputation as a great and safe city to socialise in and spend time in.”

    The 33 venues to receive Best Bar None accreditation were:

    The Ballroom, The Bishops Finger, The Black Griffin, Boom Battle Bar, Canterbury Cathedral, Club Chemistry, The Cherry Tree, Citi Terrace, The Cosy Club, The Cricketers, The Cuban, Curzon Riverside, The Dolphin, The Lady Luck, Las Iguanas, Matches Sports Bar, McDonalds, The Miller’s Arms, Old City Bar, The Foundry BrewPub, The Lounge (Canterbury Christ Church University), The Parrot, The Penny Theatre, The Pound, The Seven Stars, The Shakespeare, Thomas Ingoldsby, Tokyo Tea Rooms, The Unicorn, The Venue (University of Kent), The Westgate Inn, Woody’s (University of Kent), Ye Olde Beverlie.

    Published: 13 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kershaw County Man Sentence to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Frederick Siou Beaufort, 41, of Camden has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Sept. 3, 2023, a Kershaw County sheriff’s deputy saw Beaufort driving his car while not wearing a seatbelt. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the car and while speaking with Beaufort, the deputy spotted a large hand-rolled cigarette sitting on the front passenger seat.  The officer asked him what the item was, and he stated it was a “blunt,” a street name for a marijuana cigarette. As the deputy searched the car, he located a handgun under the driver’s side floor mat.  Beaufort stated he did not have a concealed weapons permit and that he was a convicted felon. 

    At the time of his arrest, Beaufort had been convicted of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, resisting arrest, distribution of crack cocaine and was out on bond for murder. 

    United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Beaufort to 27 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Defendants Charged in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl Sales in Chicago

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

    CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in drug or firearm charges against five individuals.

    An indictment unsealed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses four of the defendants of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024.  Three defendants are charged with illegally possessing firearms, including handguns equipped with a “switch” device, making them capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.

    Charged with drug conspiracy and distribution are JARED DANIELS, 33, of Chicago, CRISTINE SERRANO, 34, of Chicago, SHERNELL ANDERSON, 35, of Chicago, and LARRY LEMON, 43, of Brookfield, Ill.  Daniels, Serrano, and JONATHAN COLLINS, 33, of Chicago, are also charged with federal firearm offenses.

    All five defendants are in law enforcement custody. The charges against Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as mandatory minimums ranging from ten to 15 years.  The charge against Collins is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookfield, Ill. Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, FBI Minneapolis, Minn. Field Office, and the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Satellite Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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

    The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Notification under Chapter 9, Section 10 of the Securities Market Act: Holdings of Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö in Oma Savings Bank Plc decreased below 10 percent

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OMA SAVINGS BANK PLC, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 13 JUNE 2025 AT 15:40 P.M. EET, MAJOR SHAREHOLDER ANNOUNCEMENT


    Notification under Chapter 9, Section 10 of the Securities Market Act:     Holdings of Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö in Oma Savings Bank Plc decreased below 10 percent

    On 13 June 2025, Oma Savings Bank Plc (OmaSp) received a notification under Chapter 9, Section 5 of the Securities Market Act (SMA) from Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö (business ID 0136324-1), according to which Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö’s holding and voting rights in OmaSp decreased below 10 percent threshold on 12 June 2025.

    According to the announcement, Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö sr owns 3,330,000 OmaSp shares, corresponding to 9.99 percent of OmaSp’s shares and votes.

    OmaSp has one class of shares in which each share has one vote. The total number of shares is 33,317,089.

    The holding of Parkanon Säästöpankkisäätiö sr according to the announcement:

      % of shares and voting rights (A) % of shares and voting rights through financial instruments (B) Total of both in % (A+B) Total number of shares and voting rights of issuer
    Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached 9,99 NA 9,99 33 317 089
    Positions of previous notification (if threshold crossed) 10,00 NA 10,00 33 292 771

    Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached:

    A: Shares and voting rights:

    Class/type of shares Number of shares and
    voting rights    		 % of shares and
    voting rights
    ISIN code Direct (SMA 9:5) Indirect
    (SMA 9:6 and 9:7)    		 Direct (SMA 9:5) Indirect
    (SMA 9:6 and 9:7)
    FI4000306733 3 330 000 0 9,99 0
    A total 3 330 000 9,99


    Oma Savings Bank Plc

    Additional information:

    Karri Alameri, CEO, tel. +358 45 656 5250, karri.alameri@omasp.fi

    Distribution:

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Major media
    www.omasp.fi

    OmaSp is a solvent and profitable Finnish bank. About 600 professionals provide nationwide services through OmaSp’s 48 branch offices and digital service channels to over 200,000 private and corporate customers. OmaSp focuses primarily on retail banking operations and provides its clients with a broad range of banking services both through its own balance sheet as well as by acting as an intermediary for its partners’ products. The intermediated products include credit, investment and loan insurance products. OmaSp is also engaged in mortgage banking operations.

    OmaSp core idea is to provide personal service and to be local and close to its customers, both in digital and traditional channels. OmaSp strives to offer premium level customer experience through personal service and easy accessibility. In addition, the development of the operations and services is customer-oriented. The personnel is committed and OmaSp seeks to support their career development with versatile tasks and continuous development. A substantial part of the personnel also own shares in OmaSp.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court ignores precedent instead of overruling it in allowing president to fire officials whom Congress tried to make independent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Claire B. Wofford, Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston

    Can President Donald Trump — or any president — fire the heads of independent agencies created by Congress? Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    What may be one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most important and far-reaching rulings in decades dropped in late May 2025 in an order that probably didn’t get a second – or even first – glance from most Americans.

    But this not-quite-two-page ruling, as technical and procedural as they come, potentially rewrites a major principle of constitutional law and may restructure the operation of the federal government.

    The case is dry in a way only lawyers could love, but its implications are enormous.

    Public mission, not presidential whims

    The dispute began when President Donald Trump fired two Biden-era officials: Gwynne Wilcox, a member of the National Labor Relations Board, and Cathy Harris, a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board.

    The National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board, like the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Reserve, are among more than 50 independent agencies established by Congress to help the president carry out the law. Though technically located within the executive branch, independent agencies are designed to serve the public at large rather than the president.

    The dispute began when President Donald Trump fired board members of two independent agencies.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    To ensure these agencies are devoted to their public mission, not the will or whims of a president, congressional statutes generally permit the president to remove leaders of these agencies only for “good cause.” Malfeasance in office, neglect of duty, or inefficiency generally constitute “good cause.”

    Other executive branch agencies, such as the FBI, Food and Drug Administration and Department of Homeland Security are entirely under presidential command – if he wants their leaders out, out they go. But independent agencies, in existence since the late 19th century, are to carry out congressional policy free from the president’s purview and his political pressure.

    Because independent agencies are creatures of Congress housed within the executive branch, there is long-standing disagreement among scholars about just how much power the president should have over them.

    Limiting Congress, empowering the president

    In the two firings, there was agreement that Trump had violated the relevant statute by firing Wilcox and Harris without “good cause.”

    He justified Wilcox’s removal, in part, because she did not share his policy preferences. For Harris, he gave no reason at all.

    But the bigger issue was whether the law itself was constitutional: Could Congress limit why or how a president can remove employees of the executive branch?

    The root of the problem lies within the Constitution. Although Article 2 specifically gives the president the power to “appoint” certain federal officials, it says nothing about the power to fire -– or “remove” – them.

    Conservative legal scholars propose, under what’s called the “unitary executive theory,” that because the president “is” the executive branch, he has complete authority, including removal, over all who serve within it. Only with the unfettered ability to fire anyone who serves under him can the president fulfill his constitutionally mandated duty to ensure that “the Laws be faithfully executed.”

    Opponents have countered that this ignores fundamental aspects of our constitutional framework: the framers’ devotion to checks and balances, their aversion toward monarchical, kinglike rule, and their determination to put policymaking in the hands of Congress.

    These questions are not new.

    The Supreme Court first took up the issue in 1926 in Myers v. United States, when Chief Justice – and former president – William Howard Taft held that Congress could not limit the president’s ability to fire an Oregon postmaster, writing that “the power to remove inferior executive officers … is an incident of the power to appoint them.”

    Less than a decade later, however, the court ruled in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States that the Constitution did not grant the president an “illimitable power of removal,” at least over certain types of officials. This included the head of the Federal Trade Commission, whose firing by President Franklin Roosevelt had sparked the case.

    Humphrey’s Executor stood basically untouched for decades, until Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito – both of whom had previously served in the executive branch – were appointed.

    With a now-solid conservative majority, the Supreme Court invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2009.

    Two years after the arrival of fellow executive branch alumnus Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, the court struck down the “good cause” removal restriction for the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    Rather than explicitly overrule Humphrey’s Executor, however, the justices declared that these agencies were factually distinct from the Federal Trade Commission – leaders of one were protected by a “two-layer” removal system and the other because it was run by a single individual, not a multimember board.

    ‘Massive change in the law’

    Because Humphrey’s Executor was still good law, and the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board were structured like the Federal Trade Commission, district courts in 2025 initially held that the firings of Wilcox and Harris were unlawful.

    On April 9, 2025, Trump filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, asking it to put the district court decisions on hold. On May 22, the Supreme Court granted that request, at least while the cases proceed through the lower courts.

    The court did not decide on the constitutionality of the removal statute, but the ruling is nonetheless a major victory for Trump. He can now fire not only Wilcox and Harris but also potentially the heads of any independent agency. Low-level civil servants may also be at risk.

    In the unsigned order, the high court echoed unitary executive theory, stating, “Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the Presidents … he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf, subject to narrow exceptions.” It simply ignored Humphrey’s Executor altogether, leaving its value as precedent unclear.

    The Supreme Court also said that the holding did not apply to the Federal Reserve Board. That “uniquely structured, quasi-private entity” would remain free from executive control via removal.

    Such an explicit carve-out in legal doctrine is striking but responds directly to claims made by litigants and political commentators of the dire economic consequences that could result were the president to have free rein over the Federal Reserve’s chairman.

    In dissent, Justice Elena Kagan blasted the majority for allowing the president to overrule Humphrey’s Executor “by fiat,” a result made even worse because the court had done so via the so-called shadow docket, in the absence of full briefing or oral argument. Such “short-circuiting” of the “usual deliberative process” is, she wrote, a wholly inappropriate way to make a “massive change in the law.”

    After the appointments of conservatives John Roberts, left, and Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court in 2009 invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of an independent agency.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    The shadow of Humphrey’s Executor

    What happens now?

    The National Labor Relations Board is paralyzed, and the Merit Systems Protection Board is somewhat hamstrung, with both lacking the quorum necessary to act. Cases about the firing of Harris, Wilcox and multiple other officials will bedevil lower courts as they try to figure out whether Humphrey’s Executor still stands, even as a shadow of its former self.

    Trump aims to continue axing federal employees, even as the administration struggles to rehire others.

    And, already asked again to make major legal change on its emergency docket, the Supreme Court will need to determine whether such change warrants more than the few paragraphs of explanation it gave in the ruling on the Wilcox and Harris firings.

    If, as seems likely, the court ultimately overturns Humphrey’s Executor, Kagan’s dissent serves as a warning voiced by others as well: A decision that allows the president to have total control over the heads of more than 50 independent agencies – agencies that pursue the public interest in areas from financial regulation to the environment, to nuclear safety – could shift their focus from serving the public to pleasing the president, profoundly affecting the lives of many Americans.

    In 2022, I donated $20 to ActBlue.

    – ref. Supreme Court ignores precedent instead of overruling it in allowing president to fire officials whom Congress tried to make independent – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-ignores-precedent-instead-of-overruling-it-in-allowing-president-to-fire-officials-whom-congress-tried-to-make-independent-257784

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Introducing Surfshark Everlink: patented self-healing VPN infrastructure for stable VPN protection

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Surfshark, a leading provider of VPN services, unveils Surfshark Everlink, an industry-first patented (patents: US11190491B1, US20240080302A1) technology designed to deliver greater VPN connection stability. Surfshark Everlink is a supporting, self-healing infrastructure that ensures continuous VPN connectivity by seamlessly recovering dropped VPN connections. This technology allows users to enjoy a stable VPN connection and minimizes the risk of IP address exposure.

    “This technology allows us to improve the most important VPN quality metric – connection stability. While other shiny metrics, such as the number of servers might seem important, connection stability is something that truly makes the difference to the user experience,” says Donatas Budvytis, Chief Technology Officer at Surfshark.

    How does Surfshark Everlink work?

    Surfshark Everlink is an additional layer of security which helps to recover lost connections. When connected to the VPN, Surfshark user connects not only to the VPN infrastructure, but also to Everlink infrastructure. In case there is a drop of connection, Surfshark Everlink instantly acts as a “self-healing” mechanism and revives user’s connection by reconfiguring the VPN tunnel without having to disconnect and reconnect from the VPN service, protecting the user from potential data exposure.

    “Think of a well-known VPN comparison to an encrypted tunnel – if the VPN is a tunnel which secures your traffic, imagine Surfshark Everlink as another one which secures that VPN tunnel. If one connection goes down, you’re automatically switched to another, so you stay connected and secure,” explains Donatas Budvytis.

    Surfshark Everlink also ensures that the VPN service for the user remains stable in case of server maintenance repairs. “If, let’s say, we had to shut down some of our servers for maintenance, Everlink would route all traffic to another closest server without any interruptions to user experience.”

    More than just convenience: protecting users’ privacy

    Budvytis emphasizes that Surfshark Everlink isn’t only essential for seamless connectivity, but is also an important new technology for privacy and security.

    “At best, an unstable VPN connection is simply annoying, however, it can also be risky, as an unstable connection can lead to exposed user data. For journalists, activists, whistleblowers and anyone who values online privacy, this can be a significant risk. If the server connection drops out, it could expose the person’s IP address and leave them traceable and vulnerable.” 

    Budvytis compares the new technology to an already existing, industry-standard Kill Switch. “The main difference between Kill Switch and Surfshark Everlink is that the Kill Switch does exactly what it says on the tin – kills your connection in case of a server failure. To put it simply, if your VPN’s off, you’re offline. And while that’s a good way to stay secure and prevent leaks, we wanted to improve this industry standard and take it to the next level – instead of killing the connection, we want users to stay securely connected and private. Users can still choose to use the Kill Switch feature, but we wanted to offer something in addition to this.”

    The Surfshark Everlink technology is enabled by default on WireGuard protocol on all platforms, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux.

    Surfshark Everlink was built on a patented technology (patent: US11190491B1, Method and apparatus for maintaining a resilient VPN connection; patent: US20240080302A1, Clustering of Virtual Private Network Servers). Currently holding multiple patents for industry innovation, the company seeks to improve not only on its VPN offering, but also help build a better internet for everyone. Recently, Surfshark launched a free DNS service, offering a more private alternative to default DNS providers. 

    ABOUT SURFSHARK

    Surfshark is a cybersecurity company offering products including an audited VPN, certified antivirus, data leak warning system, private search engine, and tool for generating an alternative online identity. Recognized as a leading VPN by CNET and TechRadar, Surfshark has also been featured on the FT1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies ranking. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Surfshark has offices in Lithuania and Poland. For information on Surfshark’s operations and highlights, read our Annual Wrap-up. For research projects, visit our Research Hub.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Dan IVES AI Revolution ETF Surpasses $100 Million AUM Within First Trading Week of Wedbush Fund Advisers’ Inaugural Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wedbush Fund Advisers today announced that the Dan IVES Wedbush AI Revolution ETF (Ticker: IVES) has exceeded $100 million in assets under management (AUM) within its first 5 trading days.

    Built on the proprietary research of Dan Ives, Wedbush Managing Director and Global Head of Technology Research, IVES delivers focused exposure to 30 public companies powering the real-world deployment of artificial intelligence. The portfolio spans AI infrastructure and applications across semiconductors, hyperscalers, cybersecurity, cloud, robotics, and consumer platforms, forming a diversified yet high-conviction AI basket grounded in fundamental research.

    “Wedbush’s entry into Investment Management is a natural strategic expansion for the firm,” said Kevin White, EVP and Senior Advisor, Head of Investment Management at Wedbush Financial Services. “We are committed to delivering bespoke, cutting-edge, research-driven investment opportunities for our Global Family Office Services, Wealth and RIA clients. IVES is simply our beginning.”

    “Crossing the $100 million mark in its first week is a clear signal that investors are looking for targeted, high-conviction access to the AI ecosystem,” said Cullen Rogers, Chief Investment Officer at Wedbush Fund Advisers. “We’re grateful to the early ETF investors for validating both the strength of Dan Ives’ research and the growing appetite for thematically precise strategies.”

    IVES represents a unique extension of Wedbush’s longstanding technology expertise into the ETF market. Its early success reflects the demand for differentiated research applied through a liquid, cost-effective investment vehicle.

    About Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC

    Wedbush Fund Advisers launched in 2024 to build on Wedbush’s 70-year legacy of market insight, innovation, and client trust. Our mission is to design forward-thinking investment strategies that reflect the evolving nature of markets and investor priorities. Backed by a seasoned team with decades of asset management experience, we are committed to building a trusted platform that extends Wedbush’s tradition of excellence into the next era of investment innovation.

    Media Inquiries

    Deborah Kostroun
    Phone: +1 201 403-8185
    Email: deborah@zitopartners.com

    Important Information

    Shares of ETFs are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

    Carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds’ prospectuses or, if available, the summary prospectuses which may be obtained by visiting www.wedbushfunds.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

    AI Technology Risk. AI technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, and it is not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into the model that such AI utilizes to operate. Certain data in such models will inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error – potentially materially so – and could otherwise be inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of the AI technology. Companies involved in, or exposed to, artificial intelligence-related businesses may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. These companies face intense competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence, and many depend significantly on retaining and growing the consumer base of their respective products and services. Many of these companies are also reliant on the end-user demand of products and services in various industries that may in part utilize artificial intelligence. Further, many companies involved in, or exposed to, artificial intelligence-related businesses may be substantially exposed to the market and business risks of other industries or sectors, and the Fund may be adversely affected by negative developments impacting those companies, industries or sectors.

    Calculation Methodology Risk. The Index relies directly or indirectly on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Index, including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser can offer assurances that the Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers or a correct valuation of securities, nor can they guarantee the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index.

    Concentration Risk. The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index is so concentrated. In such event, the value of the Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.

    Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Narrowly focused thematic investments will be more susceptible to factors affecting that sector and subject to more volatility.

    The Wedbush Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, are not affiliated.

    Investment products are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency, may lose value, and are not a deposit of or guaranteed by any bank or any bank affiliate.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Sudan’s peace deal at risk of collapse without stronger regional action, warns United Nation (UN) Commission


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    The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has sounded the alarm that the 2018 Revitalized (Peace) Agreement is at serious risk of collapse and called for urgent, coordinated regional intervention to salvage the faltering peace process.

    The Commission stressed that escalating military offensives, political crackdowns, and foreign military presence are not only accelerating the breakdown of the Agreement but also fueling deep fear, instability and widespread trauma among the people of South Sudan.

    “South Sudan’s peace agreement is in crisis,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission. “The renewed violence is pushing the Revitalized Peace Agreement to the brink of irrelevance, threatening a total collapse. Such a breakdown risks fragmenting the country even further.”

    “Regional partners – especially the African Union and IGAD – must urgently increase their leverage and pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to de-escalate tensions, return to meaningful dialogue, and fully implement the peace agreement,” Sooka said. “It remains the only credible pathway to stability, peace, and democratic transition.”

    Earlier this week, the Commission held consultative dialogues with a range of stakeholders, including civil society representatives, to assess the deepening crisis and explore measures to avert a return to civil war. Participants expressed widespread fear and anxiety among communities, who are increasingly traumatized by persistent violence, arbitrary arrests, and the erosion of civic space.

    Since March 2025, the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) have launched sustained military operations, including airstrikes on civilian-populated areas, causing significant casualties and mass displacement. A state of emergency has been declared in several regions where operations continue.

    Reports of Ugandan forces supporting the SSPDF, alongside the government’s move to recruit thousands of additional soldiers – seemingly outside the security sector reform commitments in the Revitalized Agreement and pointing towards protracted conflict – have further heightened public fear and concern over looming widespread violations.

    “South Sudanese are living with extreme trauma. They are enduring targeted military attacks that have upended lives and instilled widespread fear. The ongoing recruitment drive by the SSPDF directly contradicts the Revitalized Agreement, which calls for the training and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces. The country’s leaders – signatories of the Agreement – must abandon partisan agendas and act in the interest of the people,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández. “The world cannot remain as bystander while civilians are bombed, and opposition voices are silenced. The time for passive diplomacy is over – these senseless attacks must stop.”

    Political tensions in South Sudan have sharply escalated with the arbitrary detention of key opposition figures, including the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, alongside expanded military operations by the SSPDF, including in populated civilian areas, and against armed opposition forces and groups.

    Escalating armed violence has deepened South Sudan’s humanitarian and human rights crises. Civilians in Upper Nile State have been particularly affected, as the region – already grappling with emergency-level food insecurity – has become a key transit corridor for refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Fears are growing that if this conflict trajectory is not averted, South Sudan’s conflict will entwine with the crisis of Sudan, with even more dire consequences.

    “Salvaging South Sudan’s peace agreement should be of utmost priority in an already turbulent region, as the agreement enables political adversaries to partner towards a transformative transition in this country,” said Commissioner Barney Afako. “Torpedoing the transition is an act of profound folly and recklessness, that is already reigniting violence, deepening insecurity, and imposing further grave violations on long suffering citizens, and undermining regional peace architectures.”

    “Regional partners and peace guarantors must not indulge these damaging machinations; rather, they should resolve to urgently restore a credible transition that will deliver citizens’ aspirations for durable peace and justice,” Afako said.

    The Commission reiterated its call for regional and international actors to intensify diplomatic pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to ensure immediate de-escalation and full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement.

    Commissioner Yasmin Sooka also noted that “any unilateral attempts to derail the transition and undermine regional peace architectures have grave implications for peace and security in the Horn of Africa, and that failure to act could plunge the country into another devastating cycle of conflict.”

    The Commission continues to monitor developments closely and is documenting human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties to the conflict, including those potentially amounting to war crimes.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana Accelerates Efforts to Boost Intra-African Trade

    Ghana is fast-tracking the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to unlock new opportunities for Ghanaian businesses across Africa by moving beyond commodity-based trade towards value addition for its traditional exports such as gold, oil and cocoa. 

    Speaking during the Ghana Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 Business Roadshow, Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare highlighted the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive under AfCFTA by improving trade infrastructure, financing and market access. 

    “Under our Market Expansion Programme, the National AfCFTA Coordination Office is providing firm-level support to over 2,000 MSMEs in Ghana. This includes sensitization, market readiness training programmes, training on AfCFTA’s Rules of Origin, trade finance and market access initiatives. Ghana has also conducted targeted trade expeditions to East Africa, taking Ghanaian businesses to Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda to explore real-time opportunities and negotiate supply contracts,” the Minister said in a speech read on her behalf by the Acting National Coordinator, National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Benjamin Kwaku Asiam. 

    The Ghana IATF2025 Business Roadshow brought together government officials, the trade community, including businesses and investors, and executives from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The event focused on promoting intra-African trade under the theme: Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness through AfCFTA. 

    The Business Roadshow is one of five planned in Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Algiers ahead of the fourth edition of the biennial Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025), scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 – 10 September 2025. IATF is Africa’s premier trade and investment event, held by Afreximbank, in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat, and provides a platform for businesses to showcase their goods and exchange trade and investment information within the continent’s single market. 

    In his keynote address, the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene noted that the IATF offers an unparalleled platform for the exchange of trade and investment information; and is a marketplace of ideas, opportunities, and partnerships.  

    “As we work to scale up intra-African trade, build regional value chains, and accelerate industrialisation, IATF serves as a key platform for connecting African businesses, investors, governments, and innovators. It is a catalyst for turning the promise of AfCFTA into concrete outcomes: trade deals signed, investments mobilised, and jobs created. By establishing a large, integrated market, AfCFTA encourages countries to specialize and add value to products, attracting investment and creating jobs,” H.E. Mene said, adding that this supports economic diversification, poverty reduction, and Africa’s vision for sustainable and inclusive development. 

    Afreximbank’s Group Chief Economist & Managing Director, Research, Dr. Yemi Kale described IATF as AfCFTA’s commercial marketplace, which brings to life Africa’s efforts to trade more with itself not only in raw materials, but also in value-added goods, services, and innovations. 

    “One of the persistent barriers to intra-African trade is not tariffs or logistics alone—but also access to accurate, timely, and actionable market intelligence. Trade cannot flourish in the absence of information,” Dr Kale said, adding that IATF2025 provides a platform for addressing this. He invited Ghanaian businesses and government agencies to participate in IATF2025, where over 2,000 exhibitors from Africa and beyond will showcase their products to more than 35,000 visitors and buyers from over 140 countries, with trade and investment deals projected to exceed US$44 billion. 

    Cumulatively, IATF has attracted over 4,500 exhibitors, more than 70,000 visitors, and facilitated over US$100 billion in deals. The last edition held in Cairo attracted nearly 2,000 exhibitors from 65 countries generated US$43.7 billion in trade and investment deals. 

    The upcoming IATF2025 will be hosted by the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. Speaking at the Business Roadshow, Algeria’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Mourad Louhaidia welcomed visitors and exhibitors to Algiers, pledging his government’s commitment to facilitate a successful IATF2025 by mobilising transport and hospitality infrastructure and facilitating smooth entry for all participants into the country. 

    “The Algerian embassy will fast track processing of visas for all participants from Ghana. We have set up a dedicated team at the embassy to handle all information requests and visa applications to participate in IATF2025,” H.E. Louhaidia added.  

    IATF2025 will feature a trade exhibition, the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme spotlighting cultural industries, a four-day Trade and Investment Forum, and the Africa Automotive Show. Special Days will highlight countries, public and private sector entities, tourism, cultural attractions, and Global Africa Day celebrating ties with the African diaspora. 

    Additional activities include business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking, the AU Youth Start-Up programme, the Africa Research and Innovation Hub, and the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) to promote local trade and cultural exchanges. The IATF Virtual platform is also live, connecting exhibitors and visitors all year-round. 

    Ghanaian IATF Ambassador and Chairman, Oakwood Green Africa, Gabriel Edgal said: “Long before borders were drawn, Africa thrived as a connected economy. Trade was a way of life. Value was created locally. Progress moved through relationships and exchange. Across the world, we see increasing protectionism. Traditional aid partners are looking increasingly inward. The global economic tide is shifting, and everybody is focusing on themselves instead. I believe this is a wake-up call — that we need to now be more deliberate about trading among ourselves, to create interconnected prosperity, to trade among ourselves, build with ourselves, and grow for ourselves. It is time for action”. 

    Ghana has been recognized as a leading example in AfCFTA implementation, with the government actively facilitating private sector participation through the National Coordination Office and initiatives like the Guided Trade Initiative, which has seen Ghanaian companies successfully trade with neighbouring African countries 

    To participate in IATF2025 please visit www.IntrAfricanTradeFair.com.  

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

    Media contact: 
    media@intrafricatradefair.com
     press@afreximbank.com

    About the Intra-African Trade Fair:
    Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent’s transformation through industrialisation and export development. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Together, Lesotho’s blood donors save lives


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    One afternoon in May 2025, 48-year-old Lebohang Pitso* from Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, felt her life slipping away. Weakened from a bout of severe bleeding caused by cervical cancer, she sought emergency care at the city’s renowned Senkatana Oncology Clinic. A few hours after being admitted and receiving a blood transfusion, she felt a powerful transformation take place in her body.

    “It was like a heavy cover was removed from my face,” she says. “The blood gave me life.”

    Moved by the experience, Pitso asked her family to give back. “Four of my family members went to the blood bank and donated blood,” she says. “Blood donors are doing a great job. If it were not for my condition, I would be a regular donor. I encourage those who can, to give life to others.”

    Lesotho Blood Transfusion Services is ramping up efforts to recruit and retain blood donors. It has implemented several strategic approaches, such as promoting blood donor clubs in schools and conducting mobile outreach blood donation drives, which have led to improved blood collection. In 2024, the institution carried out 165 mobile blood donation drives. Overall, there has been an almost 70% increase in the number of units collected between 2017 and 2024, from 5583 to 9411.

    “But demand is higher than supply,” says Manaledi Makhetha, a phlebotomist at Lesotho Blood Transfusion Services. “For example, the 180 units we collected during a week-long campaign this year were all used in just two days,” she says. The total number of units collected per year, although improved, still falls short of the annual target of 10 000 units.

    Makhetha screens donors, collects blood and ensures its safe delivery to various hospitals. “The primary need for blood transfusions is maternal- and cancer-related cases and road traffic crash survivors, among others,” she says.

    On average, Senkatana Oncology Clinic uses 2‒3 pints of blood a day. Many cancer patients require frequent transfusions, as both the illness and treatment compromise blood production. Rethabile Makhetha, an oncology nurse at the clinic, recalls one morning when four patients needed blood, but the clinic only had sufficient units for three. “Cancer is a long journey,” she says. “The patients become family. When we can’t help them due to blood shortages, it’s devastating.”

    The Ministry of Health is increasing public awareness, advocating for regular donations and expanded infrastructure to meet increasing demand. “With World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners supporting the Ministry of Health with guidelines, policies and campaign events, Lesotho is making strides,” says Stephen Monkoe, Director of Laboratory Services at the Ministry of Health. “We are grateful to partners and donors alike. Blood donors are our heroes.”

    Every year on 14 June countries mark World Blood Donor Day, as a tribute to unpaid blood donors who save lives, strengthen communities and show solidarity with others. The day is also an opportunity to highlight the ongoing need for safe, regular blood donations. 

    “It is imperative that everyone, from citizens to community leaders, private and public partners, and government, redouble our efforts to strengthen the national blood service,” says Thato Mxakaza, Health Promotion Officer in WHO’s country office in Lesotho. “By investing in vigorous collection, safe processing, and equitable distribution, we ensure that the profound gift of blood translates into sustained life and renewed hope for every recipient.”

    In Maseru, 32-year-old Nthomeng Leuta encourages others to become regular blood donors. Curious to know her blood type, she began donating blood at high school. She discovered she was type O negative, the only blood type that can be transfused to any recipient and is therefore critical during emergencies when a recipient’s blood type is unknown. Motivated by her special status as a “universal blood donor” she jokingly refers to the blood bank her “second home.” 

    Leuta’s most precious memory is when she responded to a social media post from a man whose wife urgently needed a blood transfusion for an emergency caesarean section. Leuta responded, and the result of her donation was a healthy mother and baby boy. “The husband called me to inform me how I had saved two lives that are so dear to him,” she says. “I felt humbled and so happy.”

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

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ethical Pixels® Joins Growing Number of Preston Living Wage Employers

    Source: City of Preston

    Award-winning digital agency Ethical Pixels® has proudly announced its accreditation as a Living Wage Employer, reinforcing its commitment to ethical business practices and fair treatment of staff.

    The Preston-based agency’s accreditation brings the total number of Living Wage employers headquartered in Preston to 35, a figure that highlights the city’s ongoing commitment to its Living Wage City status, awarded in November last year.

    “Paying a real Living Wage isn’t just the right thing to do, it improves staff well-being, retention and morale.”

    Larry Brangwyn, Managing Director at Ethical Pixels said:

    We are thrilled to announce our accreditation by the Living Wage Foundation, reaffirming our commitment to ethical business practices and the fair treatment of our team. By making use of the flexible and reasonably priced co-working facilities provided by Society1 in Preston has reduced overheads and made us more able as a business to commit to initiatives like the Living Wage.”

    To mark the milestone, we spoke with Larry, alongside Drishya, Junior UX Designer, and Michael, Junior Web Developer, about their journey to accreditation and what it means for them as a business and as individuals.

    Why Ethical Pixels® Chose Living Wage Accreditation, for Larry, the decision was an easy one:

    At Ethical Pixels®, we believe that responsible business practices extend beyond the work we deliver. They start with how we treat our people. Becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer reflects our commitment to fairness, transparency, and social responsibility. We know that financial security is essential for well-being, and paying a real Living Wage ensures our team feels valued and supported. As a company that champions responsible business practices and technology usage for others, it’s only right that we apply those same principles to how we operate internally, creating a positive impact for both our employees and the wider community.”

    A Straightforward Process with Real Impact, Larry described the accreditation process as refreshingly simple:

    The process of becoming accredited as a Living Wage Employer was really straightforward. There was clear guidance, the steps were transparent, and we’ve received lots of ongoing support and advice. We believe that many other businesses are likely already meeting the criteria (or aren’t far off) and could become accredited quickly and easily.”

    The Benefits of Being a Living Wage Employer, asked why other businesses should consider accreditation, Larry was clear:

    We’d recommend Living Wage accreditation to any business that values its people and wants to make a real, measurable impact. Paying a real Living Wage isn’t just the right thing to do, it improves staff well-being, retention, and morale while promoting a positive workplace culture. It also signals to clients and partners that the business is committed to fairness and ethical practices.”

    For Ethical Pixels® employees, the difference is personal and immediate, Drishya shared:

    Getting paid over the Living Wage means I am significantly less worried about making ends meet. It’s a relief knowing I’m being compensated fairly, and that peace of mind makes it so much easier to focus on the job I genuinely love. I would recommend it to other businesses because when everyone is getting paid fairly, the work environment just becomes more positive. It makes me feel more respected and valued as an employee.”

    Michael agreed:

    Speaking as an employee, I feel more motivated to give my best effort because know I am working for someone that has genuine care for their employees. I think it’s a good idea for businesses to help motivate their workforce. It’s a comfort to know that I am always being paid a fair amount.”

    The Preston Living Wage Action Group welcomed Ethical Pixels®‘ accreditation, calling it another important step towards their ambition of seeing more local employers commit to paying the real Living Wage — ensuring workers can meet the actual cost of living.

    For those considering following in their footsteps and becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer please visit Preston Real Living Wage. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of trains leaving Wuhan for Central Asia is steadily increasing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) — A total of 26 China-Central Asia freight trains have departed from Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, since the beginning of this year, the Hubei Daily reported.

    A 55-car freight train loaded with 110 standard containers arrived at the Khorgos checkpoint on China’s border with Kazakhstan on Thursday. The train, the 26th to leave Wuhan this year, is scheduled to deliver air conditioners, non-woven fabrics, resin and other goods worth 23 million yuan to Uzbekistan on June 17.

    In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the number of trains sent from Wuhan to Central Asia. If in 2021 this figure was 7, then in 2022 it reached 19, in 2023 – 20, and last year – 35.

    Demand for Chinese-made products is growing in the Central Asian market. According to the Hubei branch of China Railways, mainly galvanized steel sheets, building stone, cars and spare parts for them, household electronics and equipment are supplied from Wuhan to this region.

    In April of this year, the Wuhan-Central Asia route began operating on a permanent basis. Flights are operated once a week. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Special Report: Continuation of a thousand-year friendship and a new chapter in the history of the era – on Xi Jinping’s trip to Kazakhstan to participate in the 2nd China-Central Asia Summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Beijing, June 13 /Xinhua/ — At the invitation of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Astana from June 16 to 18 to attend the 2nd China-Central Asia (CA) Summit.

    Over a thousand years, the people of China and Central Asia have created the glory of the ancient Silk Road and written a magnificent chapter in the history of exchanges between civilizations. With deep historical roots, a solid foundation of public support and a wide range of practical needs, China’s relations with Central Asian countries have gained vitality and vigor in the new era.

    Two years ago, the 1st China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Xi’an, ushering in a new era of China-Central Asia relations. Over the past two years, cooperation between China and the region has achieved tangible results. Now, as promised, the 2nd summit will be held in Astana, pushing the six countries to move forward on a new path of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

    In the time between the Xi’an and Astana summits, the roadmap for action has become clearer and the steps forward more powerful. Xi Jinping and the heads of the five Central Asian states must develop a new plan for cooperation that opens up new opportunities for peace and development in the region, brings valuable confidence to a changing world, and charts a brighter future for the progress of human civilization.

    A UNITED DESIRE TO PASS ON MILLENNIAL FRIENDSHIP

    More than 2,100 years ago, the journey of Zhang Qian, an emissary of the Han Dynasty, to the western lands opened the door for friendly exchanges between China and Central Asia.

    In the autumn of 2013, Xi Jinping visited four Central Asian countries and in Kazakhstan for the first time put forward the initiative to build the Silk Road Economic Belt, awakening ancient memories and drawing a blueprint for a dream.

    Over the past 10 years, Xi Jinping has visited Central Asia many times and maintained close ties with the leaders of Central Asian countries. China and the countries of the region have joined forces to comprehensively revive the Silk Road and deepen cooperation, which has ushered in a new era in relations between the two sides.

    Today, China has established a comprehensive strategic partnership, signed cooperation documents for the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and is implementing the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind bilaterally with each of the five Central Asian countries. This signifies the height of political mutual trust, the depth of good-neighborliness, and the breadth of practical cooperation between China and these countries.

    Friendship is the fruit of common views and common aspirations. As Xi Jinping noted, “deepening cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is a strategic choice of our generation of leaders, made with an eye to the future, in line with global trends and in response to the aspirations of the people.”

    In 2020, China put forward an initiative to create a “China-CA” mechanism. In July of the same year, the first meeting of the foreign ministers of China and the Central Asian countries via video link was held, at which the launch of regular meetings in this format was announced.

    In January 2022, Xi Jinping held a video summit with the leaders of five Central Asian countries to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of interstate diplomatic relations. During the talks, proposals were made to raise the status of the mechanism to the level of heads of state. “Always based on mutual respect, good neighborliness and friendship, unity in the face of challenges, mutual benefit and win-win,” this is how the head of China explained the secret to the success of cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries.

    In May 2023, at the 1st China-CA Summit, Xi Jinping detailed China’s foreign policy toward Central Asian countries and agreed with the leaders of the five countries to jointly build a closer community with a shared future for China and Central Asia. The mechanism of meetings at the level of heads of state was formally established. Xi Jinping put forward four proposals for regional development and four principles for building a community with a shared future, which received a warm response from other leaders.

    The Xi’an Declaration, a number of multi- and bilateral documents, key agreements on the most important areas of cooperation… The Xi’an meeting became a bright page in the thousand-year history of friendly contacts between China and the Central Asian states and gave a powerful impetus to peace and stability not only in the region, but also on the entire planet.

    The content of China-Central Asia cooperation is constantly enriched based on the principles of joint consultation, joint construction and joint use, and its structure is constantly improved. At the recent 6th meeting of the foreign ministers of China and Central Asian countries in Almaty, the parties highly appreciated the level of mutual trust and solidarity, as well as the important role of the China-Central Asia mechanism, expressing their readiness to further unleash the potential of partnership and create new milestones in building a community with a shared future.

    The China-CA format demonstrates practical results despite the relative “youth” of the mechanism. The personal participation of the leaders of the countries emphasizes mutual respect and the desire to deepen the partnership. This approach allows coordinating the positions of countries on key issues of our time, strengthening trust between countries and with each other, and forming a unified approach to regional security and development. In addition, the personal participation of the leaders in the formation of the China-CA mechanism emphasizes its strategic importance. This creates a new model of multilateral interaction in Eurasia, contributing to stability and development of the region. “Therefore, confidence is growing that the summit in Astana will expand the horizons of cooperation between our countries and give a new impetus to achieving practical results for the benefit of the population of the region,” said Sheradil Baktygulov, Director of the Kyrgyz Institute of World Politics.

    HAND IN HAND TOWARDS MODERNIZATION

    On April 29 this year, work began in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan’s Jalal-Abad region to lay three tunnels on the Kyrgyz section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, marking the project’s transition to the construction phase.

    This major infrastructure project within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, promoted personally by the heads of the three states, has become a symbol of the convergence of interests of the three countries and embodies the desire of their peoples for interconnectedness and common prosperity. According to the Director of the Department of Land and Water Transport under the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan Tariel Keldibekov, the railway will rebuild the logistics network in the region. Acting Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Political Council of UzLiDeP Jamoliddin Meliboev emphasized that the project is evidence of deepening mutual trust and practical cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries.

    “The world needs a transport-connected Central Asia,” Xi Jinping said at the 1st China-CA summit. The above-mentioned railway is being built, trains regularly depart from different regions of China to Central Asian countries, the Kazakhstan terminal in Xi’an has been put into operation, and the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is actively advancing… China and the Central Asian countries are consistently deepening their interconnectedness.

    Taking the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road as a new starting point, China and Central Asian countries are intensifying cooperation at an unprecedented speed and intensity. The two sides are jointly building a path to modernization and common development.

    An increasingly dense network of transport routes is becoming a bridge for trade. With the help of uninterrupted rail, road and air transport, Chinese products – from household appliances and everyday goods to electric cars – are constantly flowing into Central Asia, and high-quality Central Asian goods such as fertilizers, cotton, beef and lamb are increasingly finding their way to the Chinese market… According to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, in 2024, trade turnover between China and the Central Asian countries reached $94.8 billion, an increase of $5.4 billion compared to the previous year and a new historical maximum.

    38-year-old Kazakh farmer Sergey told reporters that in recent years he began cooperating with Chinese companies, introducing a “contract farming” model: he grows grain crops according to the demands of the Chinese market and receives agricultural support from Chinese specialists. This helped solve problems with growing grain and selling it.

    According to Abdugani Mamadazimov, Chairman of the National Foundation “Silk Road – the Road of Consolidation”, the “China-CA” mechanism has made a significant contribution to the stability and development of the region. “We hope that the 2nd “China-CA” summit will deepen cooperation between the parties, help continue the development of infrastructure and logistics, and also unite efforts for the sake of joint development and common prosperity,” he said.

    DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND MUTUAL LEARNING BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS

    On May 31, 2025, the first international tourist train China-Central Asia arrived from Xi’an to Almaty railway station. This event opened a series of cultural exchanges between China and Kazakhstan.

    At the 1st China-CA Summit, Xi Jinping put forward a number of initiatives, including a proposal to launch a tourist train. Deputy Chairman of the Board of JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Anuar Akhmetzhanov expressed hope that the train will help strengthen ties between the peoples of China and the Central Asian countries and deepen their mutual understanding.

    Today, China has a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 2025 has been declared the Year of Chinese Tourism in Kazakhstan, and the Year of Uzbek Tourism in China. More and more Chinese tourists are traveling to the ancient cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, and more and more citizens of Central Asian countries are visiting China.

    The thousand-year-old Silk Road allows people to travel freely, promotes mutual understanding and cultural integration. Cooperation in education and poverty reduction, contacts on public administration issues, exchanges at the local level – deep and sustainable civilizational dialogue makes the friendship between the parties ever stronger.

    Partnerships in the field of professional education open the way to the future for Central Asian youth. In Tajikistan, the first in Central Asia “Lu Ban Workshop” has been operating for more than two years, where they teach heat supply technologies and engineering geodesy. “Lu Ban Workshop” in the East Kazakhstan region is aimed at training personnel for the automotive industry. In Astana, the second “Lu Ban Workshop” in Kazakhstan is also actively preparing to open. In Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, such workshops began operating last year, and in Turkmenistan, the project is currently underway.

    Interest in China and the Chinese language in Central Asian countries is steadily growing. China and the countries of the region are rapidly exchanging cultural centers. There are already 13 Confucius Institutes operating in Central Asia. More and more young people are seeking to get an education in China. Today, there are almost one hundred pairs of administrative-territorial units that have established sister-city relations.

    Joint restoration of ancient Khiva in Uzbekistan, joint excavations at the Kazakh archaeological complex of Rakhat, work to preserve and pass on to future generations the Kyrgyz heroic epic “Manas”… Cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries in the field of cultural heritage protection has allowed many pearls of the Silk Road to shine again.

    Uzbek political commentator Sharofiddin Tulaganov noted that the China-CA mechanism has become an important platform for mutual learning between civilizations and the rapprochement of peoples, which contributes to deepening mutual understanding and strengthening trust, and also makes a significant humanitarian contribution to peace and stability in the region.

    According to Aidar Amrebayev, Director of the Center for Political Research at the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, the upcoming China-CA summit will give new impetus to cohesion and cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries, advance the construction of a closer community with a common destiny for China and CA, and contribute to the prosperity of the region and the improvement of global governance.

    From Xi’an to Astana, in the flow of high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, on the new path to modernization and in the dialogue of civilizations, China and the Central Asian countries are passing on the traditions of friendship and mutual support from generation to generation, making a new contribution to ensuring peace and development on the planet and promoting the progress of human civilization. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “We’re Not Just Marching – We’re Building the Future”: Joburg Youth Lead the Charge for Green Jobs This Youth Day

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Johannesburg, 13 June 2025 –  Hundreds of young people flooded the streets of Johannesburg in a powerful call for economic justice through climate action. Backed by Greenpeace Africa, they waved hand-painted placards, their chants echoing across pavements, in a shared urgency drawn together by a generation raised on promises — and now demanding delivery. This Youth Day, South Africa’s youth were not just commemorating the past; they marched for a future they refuse to be excluded from.

    At the heart of their demand was a clear message: a Just Transition must mean green jobs for young people, now.

    “We don’t want to be statistics anymore. We want to be builders of the new economy,” said Aphiwe, a 24-year-old graduate who’s been unemployed for over a year. “Give us the skills. Give us the tools. Let us work — not just survive.”

    With youth unemployment sitting above 60%, South Africa’s young people are caught in a worsening economic storm. Yet they also represent the country’s greatest untapped human resource; bold, informed, and ready to act. The renewable energy sector offers a lifeline: up to five times more jobs than the fossil fuel economy.

    But that opportunity remains out of reach for many. Through this march, the youth-  in a memorandum presented to the labour ministry – demanded access to skilling and upskilling programmes, inclusion in climate and economic planning, and investment in clean energy infrastructure that benefits communities, not corporations.

    “South Africa’s young people aren’t just demanding jobs. They’re demanding a future where those jobs are sustainable, dignified, and part of solving the climate crisis,” says Siyabonga Myeza, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa.

    This isn’t the first time youth have taken to the streets on June 16, a date seared into South African memory. In 1976, students marched for the right to education. In 2025, they march for the right to work, to be heard, and to live on a planet that hasn’t been plundered past repair.

    “This generation sees the link between economic injustice and climate injustice. Their message is clear: we cannot afford to wait any longer,” said Cynthia Moyo, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa.

    Greenpeace Africa stands shoulder-to-shoulder with these young leaders, calling on the South African government, private sector, and civil society to honour their vision, not with speeches but with action.

    This Youth Day, the call will ring out from city streets and rural corners alike:
    “No jobs on a dead planet. No future without the youth.”

    ENDS.

    For more information, contact:

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, email: [email protected], cell: +254 722 505 233

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk:[email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: House tax-and-spending bill and other Trump administration changes could make millions of people lose their health insurance coverage

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Simon F. Haeder, Associate Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University

    People who don’t have health insurance coverage often delay or simply don’t get the medical care they need. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    President Donald Trump has promised not to cut Medicaid many times over the past decade, including in the tax-and-spending legislative package he has made a top priority in his second administration.

    But several provisions in the bill, which the House of Representatives passed in a largely party-line 215-214 vote in May 2025, could cause millions of Americans enrolled in Medicaid to lose their health insurance coverage, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and the states. The program provides nearly 80 million Americans, most of whom are low-income or have disabilities, with health insurance.

    The legislation, which advances Trump’s agenda, faces a tough battle in the Senate despite the Republican Party majority in that chamber. Several GOP senators have either said they oppose it or have expressed strong reservations for a variety of reasons, including the trillions of dollars the package would add to the U.S. government’s debt.

    As a scholar who researches access to health care, I am concerned about the possibility that millions of people will lose their health insurance coverage should this bill become law. In many cases, that could occur due to new bureaucratic obstacles the bill would introduce.

    Proposed policy changes and the uninsured

    About 25.3 million Americans lacked insurance in 2023, down sharply from 46.5 million in 2010. Most of this 46% decline occurred because of the Affordable Care Act of 2010.

    The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency that provides evidence-supported information to Congress, estimates that 10.9 million Americans would lose their health insurance by 2034 if the House of Representatives’ version of that package were to become law.

    Of these, as many as 7.8 million would lose access to Medicaid.

    Another 2.1 million people who the CBO estimates would end up uninsured are Americans who today have coverage they bought in the marketplaces that the Affordable Care Act created.

    In addition to the measures in the tax-and-spending bill, other changes are looming. These include the expiration of some ACA-related measures adopted in 2021 that Trump does not intend to renew, and new regulations. All told, the number of Americans losing their health insurance by 2034 could total 16 million, according to the CBO.

    Other estimates suggest that the number of Americans losing their coverage could run even higher.

    Obstructing Medicaid expansion

    The House bill would reduce incentives the federal government provides states to expand their Medicaid programs as part of the ACA.

    Eliminating these incentives would make it even less likely that Texas and the other nine states that still have not expanded Medicaid eligibility would do so in the future.

    The bill would also make it harder for states to come up with their share of Medicaid funding by limiting “provider taxes.” These taxes are charged to hospitals, doctors and other medical providers. The revenue they raise help pay for the state’s share of Medicaid costs.

    And the legislative package would also reduce federal funding to cover Medicaid costs in states that provide coverage to unauthorized immigrants using only their own funds. Threatened with billions in losses, the states that do this are unlikely to maintain these programs. In California alone, this would jeopardize the coverage of 1.6 million of its residents.

    Losing Medicaid coverage may leave millions of low-income Americans without insurance coverage, with no affordable alternatives for health care.

    A supporter of the Affordable Care Act stands in front of the Supreme Court building on Nov. 10, 2020.
    Samuel Corum/Getty Images

    Making Medicaid enrollment more complicated

    Other proposed changes in the House bill would indirectly cut Medicaid coverage by forcing people to deal with more red tape to get or keep it.

    This would happen primarily through the introduction of “work requirements” for Medicaid coverage. When enrolled in the program, applicants who are between 19 and 64 years old would need to certify they are working at least 80 hours a month or spending that much time engaged in comparable activities, such as community service.

    Work requirements specifically target people eligible for Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of the program. They tend to have slightly higher incomes than the other people eligible for this benefit.

    Arkansas gave Medicaid work requirements a try during the first Trump administration. Researchers who studied what happened found that 1 in 4 of the Arkansans enrolled in Medicaid affected by the policy lost their health insurance coverage. They also found that in most cases, this occurred because of bureaucratic obstacles, and that the policy didn’t lead to more people getting jobs.

    By some estimates, the work requirements provision alone would lead to close to 5 million people of the 7.8 million being denied Medicaid coverage.

    At the same time, the bill would increase how often Medicaid beneficiaries have to reapply to the program to keep their coverage from once every 12 months to twice a year.

    It also would delay or reverse several policies that made it easier for Americans to enroll in Medicaid and maintain their coverage. Many of those who aren’t kicked out would also face either new or higher co-payments for appointments and procedures – restricting their access to health care, even if they don’t wind up without insurance.

    There is ample evidence that obstacles like these make it hard to remain enrolled in safety net programs. Historically, the people who are most likely to lose their benefits are low-income, people of color or immigrants who do not speak English well.

    President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act during a ceremony with congressional Democrats on March 23, 2010.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Costlier Marketplace policies and more barriers

    The bill would also affect the more than 24 million Americans who get health insurance through Affordable Care Act Marketplace plans.

    Changes in the House version of the bill would make it harder to get this coverage. This includes reducing the time Americans have to enroll in plans and eliminating certain subsidies. It also makes the enrollment process more complicated.

    Combined with other changes the Trump administration has made, experts expect Marketplace premiums to skyrocket.

    The Congressional Budget Office expects more than 2 million beneficiaries to lose coverage due to these new policies.

    More coverage losses possible

    Americans buying their own insurance on the ACA marketplaces may also face higher premiums.

    Increased subsidies in place since 2021 are set to expire at the end of the year. Combined with Trump regulatory decisions, this may lead to more than 5 million Americans losing coverage – whether or not the GOP’s tax-and-spending package is enacted.

    The effects of the bill would also be compounded by further changes by individual states. This could include the introduction of monthly premiums that people with Medicaid coverage would have to pay, in Indiana and other states.

    Some states may also reduce eligibility for certain groups or cover fewer services, as states seek to reduce their Medicaid costs.

    And some states, including Iowa and Utah, are already pursuing work requirements on their own whether or not they become mandatory across the nation.

    If fewer Americans have health insurance due to changes the Trump administration is making and the policies embedded in the pending tax-and-spending legislative package, the health of millions of people could get worse due to forgone care. And at the same time, their medical debts could grow larger.

    Dr. Simon F. Haeder has previously received funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for unrelated projects.

    – ref. House tax-and-spending bill and other Trump administration changes could make millions of people lose their health insurance coverage – https://theconversation.com/house-tax-and-spending-bill-and-other-trump-administration-changes-could-make-millions-of-people-lose-their-health-insurance-coverage-257529

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver Votes Against Republican Rescission Package that Cuts Foreign Aid and Public Broadcasting

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted against the House GOP recissions package that would recklessly cut $9.4 billion from the federal budget that was previously approved on a bipartisan basis. In addition to foreign aid cuts, which are already having deadly consequences and undermining U.S. support around the world, the bill defunds America’s public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, threatening vital sources of nonpartisan news, educational programming, and emergency services for all Americans.

    “Whether it’s ripping healthcare away from 16 million Americans, taking food off the table of millions more, or now defunding vital public broadcasters that millions of our fellow Americans rely on like PBS and NPR, my House Republican colleagues have made clear that nothing is off the table when it comes to budget cuts that will help pay for more tax breaks that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest among us,” said Congressman Cleaver. “While I was hopeful that just a handful of my colleagues across the aisle would block this short-sighted and dangerous decision, it will fall upon the Senate to protect these services for the American people.”

    Earlie this week, Congressman Cleaver fought to protect funding for America’s public broadcasting by introducing an amendment to remove a provision within the Republican rescission package that would eliminate federal funding for these vital institutions. Unfortunately, the amendment was not adopted, and the cuts remained in the package passed today.

    Congressman Cleaver has been a longtime supporter of America’s public broadcasting, pushing back on the Trump administration’s effort to undermine these vital services. In March, Cleaver joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers to call for continued funding for public broadcasting following reports the FCC had opened a frivolous investigation into NPR and PBS and signaled interest in defunding the outlets.  In May, the Congressman again joined a cohort of lawmakers to call on the Committee on Appropriations to maintain funding for CPB programs.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –