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  • MIL-OSI USA: House Delegation Reintroduces Fair Representation Act to Reform Congressional Elections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) today led a House delegation in reintroducing the Fair Representation Act, an election reform bill to address structural gerrymandering issues and extreme partisanship in federal elections. The bill would implement measures to elect U.S. House Representatives through ranked choice voting in multi-member districts drawn by independent redistricting commissions and would require ranked choice voting to elect U.S. Senators.  

    “Hyperpartisan gerrymandering has suppressed meaningful electoral competition, which in turn has allowed extremist ideologies to hijack our political discourse and sown public distrust of our political system,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Our Fair Representation Act would provide necessary solutions by implementing critical reforms to strengthen our electoral system, ensure every voter has their voice represented, and restore public trust. This is how we create a Congress made up of Members who prioritize pragmatic legislative results and solutions for the benefit of the American people.”

    “Every day brings more bad news of gerrymandering, extreme gerrymandering and straight-up disenfranchisement,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin. “The Fair Representation Act is the opposite of all that: it brings democracy up to date in the 21st century instead of turning the clock back to the white primaries, grandfather clauses, literacy tests and poll taxes of the 20th century.”

    “Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say elected officials don’t care what people like them think. We need ranked choice voting and proportional representation to make our government work for the American people,” said Meredith Sumpter, President and CEO of FairVote. “The Fair Representation Act gives voters more choice and more power. It would make our elections fairer and more competitive and offer a path away from gerrymandering and polarization. It would reward candidates and elected officials who build coalitions and work across the aisle to get things done for voters, rather than those who succeed by attacking and turning Americans against one another.”

    Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are co-sponsors of the Fair Representation Act.

    The legislation is supported by organizations including FairVote Action, RepresentUs, RepresentWomen, Rank the Vote, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, Bridge Alliance Education Fund, People Power United, Divided We Fall, 7th Generation Labs, DemCast USA, National Black Justice Coalition, More Equitable Democracy Action, Voices for Progress, United Church of Christ, Voter Choice Massachusetts, N.C. For The People Action, League of Women Voters Rogue Valley, Ocean State RCV, Vote Nevada, FairVote Minnesota, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland, Rank The Vote Ohio, Voter Choice Arizona, Better Ballot NC, NH Ranked Choice Voting, Better Ballot SC.

    Full text of the Fair Representation Act is available here with a one-pager available here. Additional resources are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Reps. Castor, Tran Reintroduce “Keep Kids Covered Act” to Improve Outcomes, Lower Costs & Support Families Across America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14) and Derek Tran (CA-45) reintroduced legislation to provide continuous health care coverage for eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP. The Keep Kids Covered Act would expand the 12-month continuous eligibility (CE) protection for children, providing uninterrupted coverage for children until age 6 – a crucial time for their development – and for a 24-month period for children age 6 to 19.

    Continuous eligibility requires states to cover children in CHIP and Medicaid for a defined period of time – without coverage lapse – regardless of changes in circumstances. Access to consistent, high-quality coverage is crucial for children’s development and well-being, particularly in their early years, enabling them to grow into healthy and productive adults. Not only does CE improve short- and long-term health coverage, it lowers costs and reduces churn and financial barriers to care. Too many children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP have lost coverage for procedural reasons, like missing paperwork. The Keep Kids Covered Act would ensure kids and families across the country have access to the lifesaving care they need and deserve. The bill would also ensure that former foster youth have CE until age 26, as the Affordable Care Act intended. 

    Over 37 million children rely on Medicaid and CHIP across the country, but Congressional Republicans’ Big Ugly Budget Bill puts children’s health at risk. At President Trump’s urging, they are cutting $1 trillion in funding from Medicaid, CHIP and the Affordable Care Act and enacting policies that will strip coverage from millions of children in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy and well-connected. Last week, President Trump announced that states will no longer be able to provide enhanced CE for kids with Medicaid and CHIP coverage. And in Florida, Governor DeSantis continues to break the law by throwing children off the state’s CHIP program in violation of the federal 12-month CE protection. Legislation like the Keep Kids Covered Act would act as a bulwark against these harmful state policies.

    “In Florida and across the country, children pay the price when politicians rip health coverage away and create bureaucratic barriers to care,” said Rep. Castor. “The Keep Kids Covered Act will ensure eligible kids across the country can access reliable, stable Medicaid and CHIP coverage so they can live happy, healthy lives. Research has shown that children with health coverage do better in school and grow into more successful adults, lowering costs for everyone. While Congressional Republicans and President Trump have spent the past few months making it more difficult and expensive for kids to access critical health coverage, Democrats are fighting to protect our kids and their future. I’m grateful to my colleagues Rep. Derek Tran and Senator Michael Bennet, as well as the child and family advocates, for their partnership and support of this critical legislation.”

    “As a father of young kids, I know how critical adequate health care is for our children to grow and thrive. No child should be denied access to medical treatment because President Trump and Congressional Republicans wanted to give their billionaire friends a tax break,” said Rep. Tran. “I’m proud to join Rep. Castor in introducing the Keep Kids Covered Act to bring down costs for hard-working families and ensure high-quality access to health care so all of our kids can stay healthy.”

    “In the face of Republicans’ biggest attack on health care access yet, I’m grateful to Rep. Castor for her persistence in protecting health care for our nation’s children,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06). “As the Big Ugly Bill is set to take health care away from millions of Americans, Democrats will keep fighting to minimize coverage gaps, burdensome paperwork requirements, and price hikes for families. The Keep Kids Covered Act is a critical tool in this fight against Republican cuts and will ensure young children continue to have health care coverage.”

    “Pediatricians know how vital it is that children have uninterrupted access to health care coverage that supports them as they grow and develop. As its name states, the Keep Kids Covered Act would help ensure children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP do not face gaps in coverage, providing families with certainty that their children can continue to receive the health care they need. The American Academy of Pediatrics thanks Representative Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) for introducing this important legislation and calls on lawmakers to swiftly advance it,” said Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics President.

    “Every child deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive, and no child should miss out on essential health care because of a lapse in coverage,” said Margaret A. Murray, CEO of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP). “For more than 20 years, ACAP has advocated for continuous eligibility for all people covered by Medicaid. We’re pleased that Representative Castor’s reintroduction of the Keep Kids Covered Act advances this priority by ensuring continuous coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.”

    “First Focus Campaign for Children strongly supports the reintroduction of the Keep Kids Covered Act led by Representative Kathy Castor. The legislation makes an important investment in children by ensuring that they have continuous eligibility in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during their earliest and most critical years of development. This guarantee of coverage provides a powerful antidote to the recently passed budget reconciliation package, which cuts Medicaid and CHIP by hundreds of billions of dollars, jeopardizing the health and well-being of over 37 million children. The Keep Kids Covered Act is a practical, common-sense approach that will provide kids in Medicaid and CHIP with consistent health care coverage, laying a foundation of care that will benefit them throughout their lives.” — Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children.

    “Rep. Kathy Castor is fighting to protect children’s health care in the wake of Donald Trump and Republicans’ health care emergency,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Republicans’ actions are ripping coverage away from hard-working families and putting children at risk, but Democrats are working to ensure kids can stay covered and get the care they need to grow up healthy and strong. No child should lose care just because Republicans want to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.”

    “Children’s hospitals witness the critical role Medicaid and CHIP play in providing essential care to more than half of the children they treat, particularly those with serious and complex medical needs. The Keep Kids Covered Act addresses the pressing issue of coverage gaps that can disrupt this vital care, ensuring that no child’s health suffers due to administrative hurdles. By providing continuous, multi-year coverage, this legislation offers much-needed stability and peace of mind to families facing challenging health circumstances. We commend Representatives Castor and Caraveo for their leadership in making sure all children have access to the consistent care they need to lead healthy, successful lives,” said Matthew Cook, President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association.

    In addition to Reps. Castor and Tran, the Keep Kids Covered Act is cosponsored by Reps. Kim Schrier, Raul Ruiz, Marc Veasey, Nanette Barragán, Lizzie Fletcher, Greg Landsman, Jan Schakowsky, Jennifer McClellan, Darren Soto, Troy Carter, and Doris Matsui. 

    Endorsing organizations include: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Association, Association for Community Affiliated Plans, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, BayCare Health System—St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Hospitals Association, Colorado Children’s Campaign, Families USA, First Focus Campaign for Children, Florida Health Justice Project, Florida Policy Institute, Florida Voices for Health, March of Dimes, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Foster Youth Institute, National League for Nursing, Nemour Children’s Health, Primary Development Corporation, Protect Our Care, The Center for Law and Social Policy, UnidosUS, ZERO TO THREE.  

    The full bill text of the legislation can be viewed here.

    A one-pager about the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Lawler Introduces MAMDANI Act to Examine Risks of Government-Run Grocery Stores

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 7/23/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced the Measuring Adverse Market Disruption And National Impact (MAMDANI) Act, legislation that directs the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a comprehensive study into the competitive, economic, and supply chain impacts of government-owned grocery stores.

    As municipalities across the country, including some in New York, entertain proposals to open public grocery stores, this legislation calls on the FTC to investigate potential consequences of using taxpayer dollars to compete against local, private-sector grocers. 

    The MAMDANI Act requires the FTC, in coordination with USDA agencies, to evaluate the downstream effects these government-run entities could have on food prices, consumer access, farmers, charitable food organizations, and the long-term health of the retail grocery market.

    “Government-run grocery stores raise serious questions about market fairness and taxpayer accountability,” said Congressman Lawler. “The MAMDANI Act ensures we carefully assess the potential impacts of such proposals before public funds are committed, or they risk undermining local businesses and disrupting supply chains, ultimately leaving consumers worse off,” said Congressman Lawler. 

    By mandating an analysis of how public grocery stores might affect prices received by producers, purchasing power in food supply chains, and whether these initiatives actually address food deserts or simply create a new layer of government-run inefficiency, the bill aims to ensure that policymakers fully understand the potential consequences before embracing such proposals.

    The FTC’s findings will be submitted in a public report to Congress and updated annually with recommendations for legislative or regulatory action.

    “Zohran Mamdani’s push for government-owned grocery stores is straight out of the Marxist playbook, and history shows exactly how this experiment ends. New Yorkers deserve solutions, not socialist fantasies that have failed spectacularly every time they’ve been tried,” concluded Congressman Lawler.

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bicameral Legislation Introduced to Restore Abruptly Cancelled Program Supporting Students with Disabilities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)

    July 23, 2025

    Representatives Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Eugene Vindman (VA-07),  and Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) have introduced the Charting My Path to Future Success Act, legislation to restore an abruptly discontinued federal program designed to help students with disabilities succeed in adulthood. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    The bill directs the U.S. Department of Education to reissue the solicitation and award the contract for the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program,” a $45 million, ten-year initiative originally launched in 2019 during the first term of the Trump Administration. The program was abruptly canceled in February 2025 after more than $25 million had already been spent and just as participating students began receiving services.

    Rep. Sara Jacobs said, “It’s a big step from high school to adulthood – whether that’s college, job training, or employment – and it’s an even bigger step for students with disabilities, who may need a little extra support. That’s why the Charting My Path for Future Success Program provided students with disabilities with support and resources during this crucial transition. But unfortunately, DOGE’s abrupt cancellation of this program has abandoned these students, stifling their opportunity and limiting their potential. I’m proud to support this bill to restore this program, initially created by the first Trump Administration, and help students with disabilities during one of the most important times in their lives.”

    “Seeing your child grow up to thrive is the goal for every parent, and that takes on another level of significance when your child has a condition that makes learning more difficult. After years of recruiting families to participate and training teachers to be part of this program, the sudden cancellation abandoned students and families who rely on these services,” said Rep. Lucy McBath.

    “The President and Secretary McMahon claimed that students with disabilities would not be negatively affected by their plans to gut the Department of Education, but they already are. Now, students and their families are being left behind and being forced to reckon with the possibility of a lifetime on disability assistance instead of a path to a stable job. I’m grateful to my House and Senate colleagues for joining me on this legislation. We won’t leave America’s students behind.”

    “This program was created to better support teens with disabilities and help them plan for college, a career, and independence. Participating students reported feeling empowered and hopeful about their futures. Then, DOGE and Trump pulled the rug out from under these kids and families and cancelled the program with no warning in the middle of the school year,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “The over 1,600 students enrolled in this program – including students in my district – deserve better. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to restore this funding and support.”

    “Students across Virginia’s Seventh District and our country deserve a real chance to thrive after high school. And yet, the Trump Administration just recklessly cut the ‘Charting My Path for Future Success’ program from Spotsylvania County Public Schools and I cannot let that stand,” said Rep. Eugene Vindman. “That’s why I am proud to introduce this bill – we owe it to students and families to re-start this program and prohibit the Administration from canceling it without Congressional approval.” 

    “As a staunch advocate for the disability community throughout my decades in public service and as a senior member of the Education Committee, I am proud to support this bill to bring back funding that the Department of Education recklessly eliminated for the Charting My Path for Future Success Program. The Administration’s ill-conceived contract cancellations brought needless uncertainty to school districts across the country, including Mt. Diablo Unified School District in the community I represent. This bill will help us to stand up for students with disabilities and their right to a quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Rep. Mark DeSaulnier.

    “Ripping away critical funding and resources for disabled students is cruel and hurts America’s future,” said Senator Kaine. “The Charting My Path for Future Success Program was established during Trump’s first term, but now Trump and DOGE have cancelled funding with no warning. Not only does this harm disabled students who are depending on this support, it also hurts the teachers and Spotsylvania schools whose jobs and school budgets depend on this funding. I’m proud to introduce the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to immediately reissue this funding and ensure all students are set up for success.”

    “Yet again, the Trump administration has ripped away education funding that students, families, and communities were relying on. In Massachusetts and nationwide, students with disabilities and their families were thriving in the Charting My Path for Future Success program. Now, the Trump administration has abandoned those students,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to ensure we provide students with disabilities the support they need to thrive.”

      

    Designed to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across a wide range of disabilities, the program provided one-on-one and small group sessions, mentoring, and year-round tutoring. Thirteen school districts in 11 states were participating in the pilot, which had enrolled over 1,600 high school juniors and seniors and their families.

        

    Participating districts include school systems in Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, and New York.

     

    The bill is endorsed by a coalition of disability advocacy organizations, including the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Education Task Force, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Arc of the United States, the Autism Society of America, the National Disability Rights Network, and the Council of Administrators of Special Education.

    Full text of the legislation is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to observational study looking at rates of depression and anxiety in teens who smoke and vape

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An observational study published in PLOS Mental Health looks at mental health outcomes in teens who smoke or use e-cigarettes. 

    Prof Peter Hajek, Professor of Clinical Psychology, and Director of the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “There is not much novelty in this study. The findings add to the well-established link between mental health issues or other sources of stress, especially in childhood, and the use of psychoactive substances including nicotine.”

    Prof Stella Chan, Charlie Waller Chair in Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment, University of Reading, said:

    “This well conducted study has helpfully established robust evidence for a link between the use of cigarettes and vapes and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents in the US. As acknowledged by the authors, the cross-sectional nature of the data cannot point towards causal relationships. It is therefore impossible to determine from this study if the use of tobacco increases the risk for mental health problems; or that adolescents with mood difficulties use tobacco as a coping strategy; or if a bit of both. Future research can also investigate differences between gender groups, those with neural divergent conditions, those belonging to minority or vulnerable groups such as LGBT+ , in care system, or justice system, to understand the effects of tobacco use in further details in order to inform support and intervention.”

    Dr Jasmine Khouja, Senior Research Associate in the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, University of Bristol, said:

    “This study design is not appropriate to address the research question. The study measures whether adolescents who have ever tried a “tobacco product” (even just once) are more or less likely to have some symptoms of anxiety or depression. It does not measure whether regularly using e-cigarettes or smoking causes depression or anxiety. Although the number of young people who used e-cigarettes more than once or twice is not reported, the majority of this group is likely made up of young people who vaped once or twice to give it a try. Therefore, the study measures whether people with anxiety and depression symptoms are more likely to have experimented with potentially risky products. This is not discussed in the limitations, which is concerning because the authors should be aware that the measure is not appropriate for this question.

    “The study does not adequately account for other factors that could be driving this link, and it is cross-sectional, meaning that the mental health symptoms could have preceded the vaping experimentation. The authors state that nicotine could be a mechanism by which vaping could cause depression and anxiety, but they did not ascertain whether the products contained nicotine or not.

    “It is important to note that although the authors describe e-cigarettes as tobacco products, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, and using e-cigarettes is not considered tobacco use.

    “This study alone does not add much to our understanding of the relationship between vaping, smoking, and mental health. Much more research (with a more appropriate study design) is needed before we can determine whether vaping causes poor mental health.”

     

    Dr Johnathan Livingstone-Banks, Lecturer & Senior Researcher in Evidence-Based Healthcare, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, said:

    “This study finds a correlation between ever trying cigarettes or vapes and reporting depression or anxiety, but as the authors note, it doesn’t show that one causes the other. It could just as easily be that young people with poor mental health are more likely to experiment. However, that does not mean that this correlation shouldn’t be taken seriously, and there is evidence in adults that quitting smoking can improve mental health.

    “In the US, vapes are classed as tobacco products. But it’s worth clarifying: while they usually contain nicotine, they don’t contain any tobacco. In the UK, they’re not classified as tobacco products.

    “This survey counts anyone who has ever used a vape or cigarette, even just once, as a user. That’s potentially misleading, especially when it comes to ‘dual use’. Someone who tried a vape once and a cigarette once, perhaps years apart, would be counted as dual users. Without more detailed data, we can’t tell whether these young people were actual users or just experimenting. The sample probably includes a mix of both.”

    Dr Lion Shahab, Chartered member of the British Psychological Society, said:

    “This study analysed cross-sectional data from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey to investigate the association of cigarettes and e-cigarette use in youth with self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms. The results show that exclusive cigarette and exclusive e-cigarette use, as well as co-use of both products was associated with higher depression and anxiety levels than not using either. Tobacco use has a well-established bidirectional relationship with mental health such that mental health symptoms predict later smoking and smoking leads to deterioration in mental health symptoms. This study shows that a similar relationship may exist with e-cigarette use.

    “However, there are several caveats that need to be considered when interpreting these findings. First, as all measurements were taken at the same time, it is not clear whether e-cigarette use preceded poorer mental health symptoms or whether poorer mental health symptoms preceded e-cigarettes use, or whether there is evidence of an effect in both directions. This can only be assessed in a longitudinal cohort study where timelines of what occurs first (e-cigarette use or deterioration in mental health symptoms) can be clearly established.

    “Due to the cross-sectional nature of this study, it is therefore as likely that adolescents who have experienced psychological stress or mental health problems may be more likely to start vaping as it is that prior vaping leads to later poor mental health outcomes. Second, as for most epidemiological studies, there is a risk that important factors that influence both e-cigarette use and mental health symptoms were not controlled for. For instance, this study did not account for familial history of mental health problems, which may – in part – explain the observed association.

    “Lastly, the study used a relatively crude measure of e-cigarette use, which was defined ‘ever e-cigarette only use’. This category lumps together adolescents who may have used an e-cigarette once or twice with youth who vape daily, which is unhelpful. It is unlikely that very occasional e-cigarette use will have lasting effects on mental health. Future work would benefit from investigating whether the frequency of vaping and nicotine content in vapes has a dose-response relationship with mental health symptoms. Notwithstanding these issues, this study highlights the need to examine the effects of vaping in youth, not only in terms of potential physical health but also mental health.”

    ‘Mental health outcomes associated with electronic cigarette use, combustible tobacco use, and dual use among U.S. adolescents: Insights from the National Youth Tobacco Survey’ by Abdulhay et al. was published in PLOS Mental Health at 19:00 UK time on Wednesday 23th July. 

    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000370

    Declared interests

    Dr Jasmine Khouja None

    Prof Peter Hajek None

    Prof Stella Chan None

    Dr Jonathan Livingstone-Banks No financial conflicts – I’ve never received funding from industry. I’m a tobacco control researcher at the University of Oxford and I’m an author of numerous academic papers on smoking and e-cigarettes, including the Cochrane reviews on e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and interventions for vaping cessation.

    Dr Lion Shahab None

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada invests in services to support economic integration and fill labour market shortages

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 23, 2025—Ottawa— Canada’s new government has a mandate to build a strong economy by attracting the best talent in the world and filling key labour shortages.

    Today, the Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced more than $3.2 billion over three years across more than 520 organizations outside Quebec to improve the integration of newcomers, including into the job market and to reduce labour shortages.

    Settlement services are essential to filling vacancies in high demand sectors such as health care and skilled trades. With increased economic integration, newcomers can apply their skills quickly, fill critical labour gaps, and boost productivity. 

    Funding will be provided to local organizations to deliver tailored services that recognize regional considerations and needs, instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. Services will include:

    • support with getting a licence or certification in a regulated profession
    • providing job-specific and general language training in English and French 
    • supporting French-speaking newcomers to integrate into francophone communities outside Quebec

    These services will help newcomers build successful lives in Canada by supporting their economic, social, and cultural integration into communities across the country.

    With an outcomes focused approach, Canada will attract a strong workforce and build one Canadian economy – the strongest economy in the G7. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Protecting the right to a healthy environment under the modernized Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and enhancing chemicals management

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Recent amendments of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) required the Government of Canada to develop a framework for the right to a healthy environment under CEPA. They also required the Government to publish a plan to address chemical substances and to guide efforts to replace, reduce, or refine vertebrate animal testing. The Government delivered on these commitments by publishing the Implementation Framework for the Right to a Healthy Environment under CEPA; the Plan of Priorities; and the Strategy to Replace, Reduce, or Refine Vertebrate Animal Testing.

    The Right to a Healthy Environment under CEPA

    The Implementation Framework elaborates on the meaning of the Right to a Healthy Environment (the Right) under CEPA. It provides guidance for CEPA decision-makers on how to consider the Right in the administration of CEPA.

    As per the Framework, the Right to a Healthy Environment under CEPA includes substantive and procedural elements. The substantive elements build on the definition of a healthy environment and include the right of every individual in Canada to live in an environment that is protected from harmful substances, pollutants, and waste; and where actions under CEPA contribute to clean and healthy air and water, a sustainable climate, and healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. The procedural elements of the Right include access to information and participation in decision-making.

    The Framework elaborates on three new principles, namely environmental justice, intergenerational equity, and non-regression and describes how they will be considered in the administration of the Act to fulfil the duty to uphold these principles.

    Additionally, the framework elaborates on how respect for Indigenous rights informs CEPA decision-making and recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge in informing decisions about protecting the environment and human health. In collaboration with Indigenous peoples, guidance on bridging, braiding, and weaving Indigenous knowledge with western science will be developed to support CEPA decision-makers.

    The Framework also describes five of the relevant factors—environmental, scientific, social, health, and economic—that can be considered in interpreting and applying the Right and in determining the reasonable limits to which it is subject.

    In the administration of CEPA, the Government of Canada will aim to fulfill its duty of protecting the right to a healthy environment, as it relates to the substantive elements, through consideration of the procedural elements, CEPA principles, and relevant factors described above, recognizing the Right is subject to reasonable limits.

    The Government of Canada engaged with the public, Indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations, and industry stakeholders during consultations in the spring and fall of 2024 to help inform the development of the Implementation Framework.

    A new web portal offers more information on actions and decisions made under CEPA and gives the public an opportunity to provide input.

    A transition period for the implementation of the Framework is in place to continue to advance timely CEPA decisions and actions. This will prevent negative impacts on the environment and human health while the Right to a Healthy Environment is being fully integrated into the administration of the Act.

    Plan of Priorities

    The Plan of Priorities outlines upcoming priorities to address substances to protect the health of people in Canada and the environment. It includes a list of more than 30 substances and substance groups (comprising approximately 500 chemicals) prioritized for assessment and includes new or expanded activities to help assess, control, and manage risks posed by substances.

    In selecting and prioritizing these substances, the Plan took into account key considerations, including:

    • substances that are hazardous to human health and/or the environment, including carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxicants, as well as endocrine disrupting substances
    • substances that are impacting populations or environments that may be at increased risk, due to either greater exposure or greater susceptibility
    • substances with the potential to contribute to cumulative risks
    • very hazardous substances that are capable of long-range transport
    • substances with known hazardous properties that are used in products available to consumers
    • potential substitutes for substances with known toxicity

    The input and feedback received during the public consultation on the Proposed Plan of Priorities in the fall of 2024 was used to help refine the current Plan.

    Moving forward, the Plan must be reviewed every eight years. The list of substances prioritized for assessment may also be amended from time to time, based on, for example, the emergence of new science, or through the new public request for assessment mechanism. Amendments to the Plan will be publicly communicated and consulted on.

    Through implementation of the Plan of Priorities and the administration of chemicals management, the Government commits to upholding the principle of environmental justice and protecting the right to a healthy environment provided for in CEPA. Stakeholders and the public will be invited to participate in public consultations as the Plan is implemented.

    Reducing reliance on vertebrate animal testing

    The modernized CEPA recognizes the need to replace, reduce, or refine the use of vertebrate animal testing when assessing the potential harms that substances may pose to human health and the environment.

    As part of the Plan of Priorities, Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada have developed a strategy to guide efforts to replace, reduce, or refine vertebrate animal toxicity testing. This strategy builds on:

    • the major milestone announced by Health Canada in June 2023 regarding the end of cosmetic animal testing in Canada under the Food and Drugs Act
    • the work underway to amend the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR) under CEPA to integrate greater flexibility to include alternative methods to vertebrate animal toxicity testing

    This strategy considers input and feedback received during the public consultations on the related notice of intent, which closed in January 2024, and the draft strategy, which closed in November 2024.

    The strategy is intended to be flexible. Its implementation will reflect and keep pace with emerging science and technology, including ongoing engagement with people living in Canada, Indigenous partners, stakeholders, and collaborations with national and international partners.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bon Air Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    DeVaughn Faulk, 28, of the Bon Air neighborhood of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2024 and July 2024, Faulk participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances, by functioning as a redistributor of street-level amounts of both substances.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, Faulk will remain in custody.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Faulk.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bon Air Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    DeVaughn Faulk, 28, of the Bon Air neighborhood of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2024 and July 2024, Faulk participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances, by functioning as a redistributor of street-level amounts of both substances.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, Faulk will remain in custody.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Faulk.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: HSRC to host free training academy to equip researchers for AI

    Source: Government of South Africa

    HSRC to host free training academy to equip researchers for AI

    The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in collaboration with the University of Pretoria, the University of Zululand and Sol Plaatje University, will host the 6th Annual Emerging and Established African Researcher Training Academy from 28 July to 1 August 2025. 

    The event will be held virtually and will run daily from 8:30am to 4pm.

    This year’s academy is themed, ‘Research excellence reimagined: Preparing tomorrow’s scholars today‘, reflecting the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the research landscape.

    “As AI increasingly transforms how research is designed, conducted, analysed, and communicated, the academy will explore how African scholars can engage with these changes while strengthening foundational research skills,” the statement read. 

    The key focus of the academy is to equip participants with essential competencies in research design, data analysis, and academic writing, while also introducing tools and techniques that integrate AI into the research process. 

    According to the HSRC, participants will examine important questions, such as how to preserve intellectual authenticity while harnessing AI’s transformative capabilities; where computational efficiency ends and human wisdom begins; and how to develop research skills that remain valuable as AI capabilities expand.

    The academy was first launched as an in-person training programme in partnership with the University of Zululand. 

    However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it transitioned into a virtual format, allowing for broader participation and collaboration across institutions. 

    “Now celebrating its sixth year in this format, the academy continues to evolve by offering both foundational and advanced modules that respond to the changing demands of the research community.” 

    In line with its responsibilities to the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the HSRC said it supports capacity building in research and research management, and ensures inclusive access to training for marginalised groups. 

    This includes women and persons with disabilities and promotes a culture of lifelong learning among African scholars.

    According to the chairperson of the academy’s organising committee, the HSRC’s Dr Bongiwe Mncwango, the academy aims to foster a collaborative and sustainable research environment, bringing together emerging and established scholars to share ideas, develop research skills, and pursue collaborative initiatives. 

    “The programme also supports career development for early-career researchers and raises awareness about the value of research in addressing Africa’s societal challenges.

    “It is more than training – it’s a strategic investment in the future of African research. As AI revolutionises scholarship, African researchers must be equipped to lead with innovation, integrity, and impact,” said Mncwango.

    Registration information and programme details are available on the HSRC’s website https://hsrc.ac.za/sixth-annual-emerging-and-established-african-researchers-training-academy-2025-2026/. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Starting July 27, Washington will be the first state in the nation to implement a uniform antitrust premerger notification law

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Starting July 27, Washington will be the first state in the nation to require companies to file a premerger notification to the Washington Attorney General’s Office at the same time that they file a premerger notification to the federal government under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, ensuring the state will have more lead time to analyze mergers for possible anticompetitive effects.

    When companies plan acquisitions or mergers of a certain size, they’re required to file a premerger notification to the federal government under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act. Under a new state law, companies based in Washington, or that do a certain amount of relevant sales here, will be required to contemporaneously submit the same notification to the attorney general. There’s no fee for the state notification filing.

    The Office of the Attorney General’s Antitrust Division is responsible for enforcing federal and state antitrust laws. Division attorneys and professional staff evaluate mergers to determine if they are likely to create or enhance market power. The Legislature passed SB 5122 earlier this year to make it easier for state antitrust enforcers to be notified in a timely way when companies in Washington are planning mergers or acquisitions that could impact consumers.

    “Washington is a trailblazer for the rest of the nation in adopting a premerger notification law,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “This will allow state antitrust enforcers to protect consumer interests in an even more effective way.”

    The premerger notification requirement applies to companies or individuals that:

    • Have a principal place of business in Washington state,
    • Directly or indirectly, have annual net sales in this state of goods or services involved in the proposed merger transaction of at least 20% of the HSR filing threshold (20% of the 2025 HSR filing threshold is $25.28 million), or
    • Are health care providers.

    Since 2019, Washington has required premerger notification for acquisitions or mergers involving hospitals, hospital systems, and provider organizations, and that law remains in effect.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties.

    Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Weekend travel alert: Multiple highway closures across central Puget Sound July 25-28

    Source: Washington State News 2

    WSDOT asking public to be aware and plan ahead for extra travel time

    KING AND PIERCE COUNTIES – Another weekend of construction begins Friday night, July 25, and continues through Monday morning, July 28, as crews continue major preservation and maintenance work on multiple highways throughout the central Puget Sound region. 

    Closure details

    The Washington State Department of Transportation urges travelers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and prepare for delays on key corridors between Seattle and south Pierce County.

    In Seattle, northbound Interstate 5 is reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge for preservation and repair work until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15.

    In Kent, southbound State Route 167 will close between State Route 516/Willis Street and South 277th Street from 11:59 p.m., Friday, July 25, to 4 a.m. Monday, July 28, while crews replace bridge joints and resurface the Green River bridge. The Willis Street on-ramp to southbound Interstate 405 and the southbound I-405 off-ramp to South 277th Street will be closed during this work. A signed detour route will be in place.

    In Auburn, eastbound State Route 18 will close between C Street Southwest and Auburn Way South from 9 p.m., Friday, July 25, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 28, while crews perform paving work. Both the C Street Southwest on-ramp to SR 18 and the SR 18 off-ramp to Auburn Way South will be closed during this work.

    In Pierce County, northbound I-5 approaching Dupont will close over two nights at Steilacoom-DuPont Road. Workers will remove temporary structures used to build the new overpass. Travelers will detour up and over the Steilacoom-DuPont Road off- and on-ramps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. overnight Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26. 

    All work requires dry weather and may be rescheduled.

    Why do all of this at once?

    There is no “good weekend” for closures like these. With a limited season of warm, dry weather, WSDOT must coordinate and work efficiently to complete them. 

    These closures are part of WSDOT’s ongoing efforts to preserve and improve vital infrastructure. WSDOT coordinates work with its partners, while staff in the agency’s Emergency Operations Center will help keep traffic moving.

    Know before you go

    Travelers are encouraged to check travel times on the Travel Center map, WSDOT mobile app and following the agency’s social media accounts. In addition to planning ahead and allowing for extra travel time, people are encouraged to take transit, utilize park and rides, or sail aboard Washington State Ferries. WSDOT also recently published a blog with helpful resources and ways to “flip your trip.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces More Than $2 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Eastern North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces More Than $2 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Eastern North Carolina

    Governor Stein Announces More Than $2 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Eastern North Carolina
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded more than $2.6 million to trail development and restoration projects in eastern North Carolina. These funds were authorized by the General Assembly as part of the Great Trails State Program. 

    “Eastern North Carolina and the Carolina coast are some of our state’s greatest assets – and a great draw to bring people to enjoy all that our beautiful state has to offer,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This funding will help eastern North Carolina increase tourism, improve quality of life, and introduce more people to our state’s natural beauty.” 

    “Trails bring incredible benefits to both urban and rural communities, boosting tourism and economic development,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This generous funding, made possible by the N.C. General Assembly, will help transform the state trails system in the Great Trails State.”

    The Great Trails State Program was established through the General Assembly in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, NC Regional Councils of Government, and nonprofit organizations.

    These awards include projects at more than 70 local trails throughout the state, helping to solidify North Carolina as the Great Trails State. In eastern North Carolina, 10 local trail projects will benefit from $2,634,785 in Great Trails State Program funding, including designing the South Croatan Highway, reconstruction at Greenfield Park in Wilmington, and enhancing and expanding trails and boardwalks throughout the region. Last week, Governor Stein announced $11 million in funding to create and restore western North Carolina trails.

    “The 125 member organizations of the Great Trails State Coalition thank the North Carolina General Assembly for creating and funding the Great Trails State Program,” said Palmer McIntyre, director of the N.C. Great Trails State Coalition. “This visionary investment in all types of trails across the state will deliver transformative economic, health, and quality-of-life benefits for communities of all sizes. The Coalition will continue to work alongside N.C. State Parks to support this program.” 

    Local communities applied for grants to fund new trail development or to extend existing trails. This includes paved trails or greenways, natural surface trails, biking trails, equestrian trails, and any other type of trail the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources recognizes. Projects could include planning and feasibility studies, design and engineering, acquisition of lands for trail development, trail construction, and maintenance of existing trails. Applicants were required to provide matching funds, based on their county tier designation. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation received 89 applications requesting $28 million, and 79 projects were selected. More than $44.5 million was provided in matching funds for a total trail investment exceeding $69.3 million.

    Eastern North Carolina grant recipients and amounts: 

    • Dare County: Town of Nags Head, $100,000 for Design for South Croatan Highway multi-use path extension
    • Dare County: Dare County, $269,000 for Marshall & Gussie Collins Walkway Maintenance Project
    • Edgecombe County: Freedom Org, $265,985 for Princeville Heritage Trail Expansion
    • Edgecombe and Nash Counties: City of Rocky Mount, $162,600 for Tar River Paddle Trail Access Renovation (Mile 88 to 124)
    • Martin County: Roanoke River Partners, Inc., $400,000 for Hamilton Rosenwald River Center and Amenities
    • New Hanover County: City of Wilmington, $500,000 for Bridge and Boardwalk Reconstruction in Greenfield Park
    • Pasquotank County: City of Elizabeth City, $100,000 for Pasquotank Blueways Feasibility Study
    • Pender County: East Coast Greenway Alliance, $177,200 for East Coast Greenway Country Club Dr. Corridor NC-210 MUP
    • Perquimans County: Town of Hertford, $160,000 for Hertford Riverfront Boardwalk Plan
    • Pitt County: City of Greenville, $500,000 for Wildwood Park to River Park North Boardwalk
    Jul 23, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Travel Advisory: Route 146 North Shift and New Ramp Opening in North Smithfield

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    Tonight, Wednesday, July 23, starting at 9 p.m., the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will close Exit 10 (Route 146A) off Route 146 North in North Smithfield to set up a new traffic pattern. Effective Thursday morning, July 24, at 6 a.m., motorists will encounter a shift to the right in travel lanes on Route 146 North, close to its intersection with Route 146A. This is the final traffic shift for northbound traffic at this bridge, which is being rebuilt as part of the larger Route 146 project.

    At the same time the traffic lanes are shifted, RIDOT will open a new ramp it has built to provide connection from Route 146A South to Route 146 North. This ramp provides a more direct and safer connection between these two roads compared to the old configuration.

    RIDOT’s ongoing Route 146 project will replace multiple bridges, repave 8 miles of road and eliminate congestion at the intersection of Sayles Hill Road and Route 146 with the construction of a new flyover bridge. Approximately 171,000 vehicles use Route 146 daily.

    All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.

    The Route 146 project is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Joaquin County Felon Indicted for Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

    Source: US FBI

    A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Rueben Paul Phill, 41, of Tracy, charging him with illegal firearms trafficking and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

    According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Phill trafficked firearms with Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California.

    On July 27, 2024, Phill led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer ultimately ended the pursuit for public safety concerns. Two days later, another officer observed the car parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.

    In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least three of these firearms have been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada on July 22, 2024.

    Castillo pleaded guilty to illegal firearms trafficking on Jan. 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1, 2025.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasonton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Phill faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Phill is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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 U.S. Department of Justice 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 is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Vacaville Man Indicted for Firearm and Drug Possession

    Source: US FBI

    A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging James Cargill, 44, of Vacaville, him with two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

    According to court documents, Cargill was arrested in January 2025 for possessing more than 500 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Cargill is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his prior felony convictions for burglary, evading police officers, and possession of a firearm. After being released from custody, Cargill was arrested again in May 2025 for possessing methamphetamine and another loaded semi-automatic pistol.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Cargill faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

    Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images

    Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are refusing to give their names during public hearings.

    In June 2025, Immigration Judge ShaSha Xu in New York City reportedly told lawyers in her courtroom: “We’re not really doing names publicly.” Only the government lawyers’ names were hidden – the immigrants’ attorneys had to give their names as usual. Xu cited privacy concerns, saying, “Things lately have changed.”

    When one immigration lawyer objected that the court record would be incomplete without the government attorney’s name, Xu reportedly refused to provide it. In another case, New York immigration Judge James McCarthy in July referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, attorney as merely “Department” throughout the hearing.

    New York immigration Judge Shirley Lazare-Raphael told The Intercept that some ICE attorneys believe it is “dangerous to state their names publicly.” This follows a broader pattern of ICE agents wearing masks during arrests to hide their identities.

    This secrecy violates a fundamental principle that has protected Americans for centuries: open courts. Here’s how those courts operate and why the principle governing them matters.

    Hiding of ICE attorneys’ names in court fits a broader pattern seen here outside a New York immigration courtroom of ICE agents wearing masks.
    AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

    ‘Presumption of openness’

    The U.S. legal system is built on openness, with multiple layers of legal protection that guarantee public access to court proceedings.

    This tradition of open courts developed as a direct rejection of secret judicial proceedings that had been used to abuse power in England. The notorious Star Chamber operated in secret from the 15th to 17th centuries, initially trying people “too powerful to be brought before ordinary common-law courts.”

    But the Star Chamber eventually became a tool of oppression, using torture to obtain confessions and punishing jurors who ruled against the Crown. Parliament abolished it in 1641 after widespread abuses.

    By the time American colonial courts were established, the reaction against the Star Chamber had already shaped English legal thinking toward openness. American courts adopted this principle of transparency from the beginning, rejecting the secretive proceedings that had enabled abuse.

    Today, the term “star chamber” refers to any secret court proceeding that seems grossly unfair or is used to persecute individuals.

    In the U.S., courts have repeatedly emphasized that “justice faces its gravest threat when courts dispense it secretly.” The First Amendment gives the public a right to observe judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court has ruled that “a presumption of openness inheres in the very nature of a criminal trial under our system of justice.”

    Every federal appeals court has recognized that this constitutional right extends to civil cases too, with some exceptions such as protecting “the parties’ privacy, confidential business information, or trade secrets.” Federal court rules require that trials be “conducted in open court” and that witness testimony be “taken in open court unless otherwise provided.”

    Many state constitutions also guarantee open courts – such as Oregon’s mandate that “no court shall be secret.”

    While there’s no explicit law requiring attorneys to be publicly named, there’s also no policy allowing their names to be kept secret. The presumption is always toward openness.

    In response to these recent developments, law professor Elissa Steglich said that she’d “never heard of someone in open court not being identified,” and that failing to identify an attorney could impair accountability “if there are unethical or professional concerns.”

    Rules for anonymity

    Courts sometimes allow anonymity, but only in specific circumstances.

    Juries can be anonymous when there’s “substantial danger of harm or undue influence,” as legal expert Michael Crowell writes – like in high-profile organized crime cases or when defendants have tried to intimidate witnesses before. Even then, the lawyers still know the jurors’ names.

    Similarly, parties to a lawsuit can sometimes use pseudonyms like “Jane Doe” when the case involves highly sensitive matters such as sexual abuse, or when there’s a real risk of physical retaliation.

    But these rare exceptions require careful court review.

    What’s happening with ICE attorneys is different. There’s no formal court ruling allowing it, no specific safety findings and no established legal process.

    Immigration courts have fewer protections

    Immigration courts operate differently from regular federal courts. They are so-called “administrative courts” that are part of the executive branch, not the judicial branch.

    These courts decide claims involving an individual’s right to stay in the U.S., either when the government seeks to remove someone from the country for violating immigration law or when an individual seeks to stay in the country through the asylum process.

    Immigration judges lack the lifetime job protections that regular federal judges have. As executive branch government employees, they can be hired and fired, just like other Department of Justice employees.

    People in immigration court also have fewer procedural protections than criminal defendants. They have no right to court-appointed counsel and must represent themselves unless they can afford to hire an attorney. The majority of immigrants appear without an attorney. Outcomes are better for those who can afford to hire counsel.

    Immigration court records are also less accessible to the public than other federal court proceedings.

    For years, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration court, made less than 1% of its opinions publicly available. A federal court ruled that public disclosure was required; the Board of Immigration Appeals now posts its decisions online.

    However, lower immigration court decisions are rarely made public.

    Because immigration courts operate with less oversight than regular federal courts, public observation becomes more critical.

    Open courts aren’t just about legal procedure – they’re about democracy itself. When the public can observe how justice is administered, it builds confidence that the system is fair.

    Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 21, 2025, in New York City.
    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Court watching protects transparency

    Court watching has become an important way for citizens to ensure due process is honored, especially in immigration cases.

    Observers can monitor whether proper legal procedures are being followed. They can watch for signs that attorneys are prepared, treating people respectfully and following court rules – regardless of whether those attorneys identify themselves.

    Observers help track trends such as lack of legal representation, language barriers or procedural unfairness that can inform advocacy for reforms. This kind of public oversight is especially important in immigration court, where people often don’t have lawyers and may not understand their rights.

    When community members bear witness to these proceedings, it helps ensure the system operates fairly and transparently.

    Professional ethics and accountability

    As a law professor who runs a law school’s Center for Professional Ethics, I can say that while there’s no specific law forcing ICE attorneys to identify themselves, they are still bound by rules of professional conduct that require accountability and transparency.

    State bar associations have clear standards about attorney conduct in court proceedings. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct emphasize that lawyers are “officers of the legal system” with duties to uphold its integrity.

    Immigration judges, despite being government employees rather than lifetime-tenured federal judges, are also bound by judicial conduct codes that require them to uphold public confidence in the justice system. When judges allow or encourage anonymity without formal procedures or safety findings, they risk violating these ethical obligations.

    Bar associations can investigate professional conduct violations and impose sanctions ranging from reprimands to suspension or disbarment. While enforcement against federal government lawyers has historically been uncommon, sustained documentation by court observers can provide the evidence needed for formal complaints.

    While government attorneys, judges and other court personnel may face real safety concerns, hiding their identities in open court is unprecedented and breaks with centuries of legal tradition that requires accountability and transparency in our justice system.

    As pressure mounts to process immigration cases quickly, courts are ethically and legally bound to ensure that speed doesn’t come at the expense of fundamental fairness and transparency.

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

    – ref. Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts – https://theconversation.com/immigration-courts-hiding-the-names-of-ice-lawyers-goes-against-centuries-of-precedent-and-legal-ethics-requiring-transparency-in-courts-261452

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

    Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images

    Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are refusing to give their names during public hearings.

    In June 2025, Immigration Judge ShaSha Xu in New York City reportedly told lawyers in her courtroom: “We’re not really doing names publicly.” Only the government lawyers’ names were hidden – the immigrants’ attorneys had to give their names as usual. Xu cited privacy concerns, saying, “Things lately have changed.”

    When one immigration lawyer objected that the court record would be incomplete without the government attorney’s name, Xu reportedly refused to provide it. In another case, New York immigration Judge James McCarthy in July referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, attorney as merely “Department” throughout the hearing.

    New York immigration Judge Shirley Lazare-Raphael told The Intercept that some ICE attorneys believe it is “dangerous to state their names publicly.” This follows a broader pattern of ICE agents wearing masks during arrests to hide their identities.

    This secrecy violates a fundamental principle that has protected Americans for centuries: open courts. Here’s how those courts operate and why the principle governing them matters.

    Hiding of ICE attorneys’ names in court fits a broader pattern seen here outside a New York immigration courtroom of ICE agents wearing masks.
    AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

    ‘Presumption of openness’

    The U.S. legal system is built on openness, with multiple layers of legal protection that guarantee public access to court proceedings.

    This tradition of open courts developed as a direct rejection of secret judicial proceedings that had been used to abuse power in England. The notorious Star Chamber operated in secret from the 15th to 17th centuries, initially trying people “too powerful to be brought before ordinary common-law courts.”

    But the Star Chamber eventually became a tool of oppression, using torture to obtain confessions and punishing jurors who ruled against the Crown. Parliament abolished it in 1641 after widespread abuses.

    By the time American colonial courts were established, the reaction against the Star Chamber had already shaped English legal thinking toward openness. American courts adopted this principle of transparency from the beginning, rejecting the secretive proceedings that had enabled abuse.

    Today, the term “star chamber” refers to any secret court proceeding that seems grossly unfair or is used to persecute individuals.

    In the U.S., courts have repeatedly emphasized that “justice faces its gravest threat when courts dispense it secretly.” The First Amendment gives the public a right to observe judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court has ruled that “a presumption of openness inheres in the very nature of a criminal trial under our system of justice.”

    Every federal appeals court has recognized that this constitutional right extends to civil cases too, with some exceptions such as protecting “the parties’ privacy, confidential business information, or trade secrets.” Federal court rules require that trials be “conducted in open court” and that witness testimony be “taken in open court unless otherwise provided.”

    Many state constitutions also guarantee open courts – such as Oregon’s mandate that “no court shall be secret.”

    While there’s no explicit law requiring attorneys to be publicly named, there’s also no policy allowing their names to be kept secret. The presumption is always toward openness.

    In response to these recent developments, law professor Elissa Steglich said that she’d “never heard of someone in open court not being identified,” and that failing to identify an attorney could impair accountability “if there are unethical or professional concerns.”

    Rules for anonymity

    Courts sometimes allow anonymity, but only in specific circumstances.

    Juries can be anonymous when there’s “substantial danger of harm or undue influence,” as legal expert Michael Crowell writes – like in high-profile organized crime cases or when defendants have tried to intimidate witnesses before. Even then, the lawyers still know the jurors’ names.

    Similarly, parties to a lawsuit can sometimes use pseudonyms like “Jane Doe” when the case involves highly sensitive matters such as sexual abuse, or when there’s a real risk of physical retaliation.

    But these rare exceptions require careful court review.

    What’s happening with ICE attorneys is different. There’s no formal court ruling allowing it, no specific safety findings and no established legal process.

    Immigration courts have fewer protections

    Immigration courts operate differently from regular federal courts. They are so-called “administrative courts” that are part of the executive branch, not the judicial branch.

    These courts decide claims involving an individual’s right to stay in the U.S., either when the government seeks to remove someone from the country for violating immigration law or when an individual seeks to stay in the country through the asylum process.

    Immigration judges lack the lifetime job protections that regular federal judges have. As executive branch government employees, they can be hired and fired, just like other Department of Justice employees.

    People in immigration court also have fewer procedural protections than criminal defendants. They have no right to court-appointed counsel and must represent themselves unless they can afford to hire an attorney. The majority of immigrants appear without an attorney. Outcomes are better for those who can afford to hire counsel.

    Immigration court records are also less accessible to the public than other federal court proceedings.

    For years, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration court, made less than 1% of its opinions publicly available. A federal court ruled that public disclosure was required; the Board of Immigration Appeals now posts its decisions online.

    However, lower immigration court decisions are rarely made public.

    Because immigration courts operate with less oversight than regular federal courts, public observation becomes more critical.

    Open courts aren’t just about legal procedure – they’re about democracy itself. When the public can observe how justice is administered, it builds confidence that the system is fair.

    Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 21, 2025, in New York City.
    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Court watching protects transparency

    Court watching has become an important way for citizens to ensure due process is honored, especially in immigration cases.

    Observers can monitor whether proper legal procedures are being followed. They can watch for signs that attorneys are prepared, treating people respectfully and following court rules – regardless of whether those attorneys identify themselves.

    Observers help track trends such as lack of legal representation, language barriers or procedural unfairness that can inform advocacy for reforms. This kind of public oversight is especially important in immigration court, where people often don’t have lawyers and may not understand their rights.

    When community members bear witness to these proceedings, it helps ensure the system operates fairly and transparently.

    Professional ethics and accountability

    As a law professor who runs a law school’s Center for Professional Ethics, I can say that while there’s no specific law forcing ICE attorneys to identify themselves, they are still bound by rules of professional conduct that require accountability and transparency.

    State bar associations have clear standards about attorney conduct in court proceedings. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct emphasize that lawyers are “officers of the legal system” with duties to uphold its integrity.

    Immigration judges, despite being government employees rather than lifetime-tenured federal judges, are also bound by judicial conduct codes that require them to uphold public confidence in the justice system. When judges allow or encourage anonymity without formal procedures or safety findings, they risk violating these ethical obligations.

    Bar associations can investigate professional conduct violations and impose sanctions ranging from reprimands to suspension or disbarment. While enforcement against federal government lawyers has historically been uncommon, sustained documentation by court observers can provide the evidence needed for formal complaints.

    While government attorneys, judges and other court personnel may face real safety concerns, hiding their identities in open court is unprecedented and breaks with centuries of legal tradition that requires accountability and transparency in our justice system.

    As pressure mounts to process immigration cases quickly, courts are ethically and legally bound to ensure that speed doesn’t come at the expense of fundamental fairness and transparency.

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

    – ref. Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts – https://theconversation.com/immigration-courts-hiding-the-names-of-ice-lawyers-goes-against-centuries-of-precedent-and-legal-ethics-requiring-transparency-in-courts-261452

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hinson Introduces the Save Our Bacon Act to Block California’s Radical Prop 12, Protect Interstate Commerce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-01)

    Bill ensures all Americans can continue to enjoy Iowa Ag Products & blocks blue-state bacon bans

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) introduced the Save Our Bacon Act to protect access to interstate commerce for Iowa family farmers and lower grocery prices for consumers. California and Massachusetts have proposed arbitrary mandates on production practices for farmers in other states. The Save Our Bacon Act would alleviate this overregulation by prohibiting state and local governments from interfering with the production of livestock in other states. 

    “California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3 pose a major threat to family farms and food security—both in Iowa and across the country. The Save Our Bacon Act reaffirms livestock producers’ right to sell their products across state lines, without interference from arbitrary mandates. This legislation will stop out-of-touch activists—who don’t know the first thing about farming—from dictating how Iowa farmers do their job.

    “Since day one in Congress, I’ve fought to keep food affordable and protect local producers. Under the Trump Administration, rural America will continue to be at the forefront of policy conversations that impact producers’ ability to feed and fuel the world—and there will be no bacon ban on my watch.” – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson

    “With Proposition 12, California has set out-of-touch, arbitrary requirements for how producers should operate their farming businesses. California activists now claim to know what’s best for the producers who have raised livestock from generation to generation. The Save Our Bacon Act will allow Iowa’s farmers to continue doing what they do best – feeding our country and the world.” – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds

    “California needs to keep its hands off our bacon. No other state should dictate how Iowans farm, let alone California’s bureaucrats. The Save Our Bacon Act stops California’s overreach, protects hog farmers, and lets states like Iowa regulate how their own farmers raise livestock. I want to thank Representative Hinson for her work on this important legislation, and I urge Congress to pass it and stand up for livestock producers across the nation.” – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird
     
    “I applaud Congresswoman Hinson for introducing legislation to address the overreach of California’s Prop 12 and restore robust interstate commerce. As the nation’s leading pork-producing state, Iowa plays a critical role in maintaining the safest, most abundant, and most affordable food supply in the world. Allowing states like California to dictate farming practices only creates a patchwork of requirements that drive up production costs and food prices for consumers. This important legislation, which previously earned bipartisan support in the House Agriculture Committee’s passage of last year’s Farm Bill, is essential to safeguarding Iowa’s agriculture and preventing any single state from setting a precedent that undermines the foundation of our food supply. This legislation would protect Iowa’s farmers from burdensome out-of-state regulations that threaten our rural economies and communities, and I urge the House and Senate to send this legislation to President Trump for his signature.” – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig
     
    “We sincerely appreciate Representative Hinson for consistently engaging with family farmers and championing legislation that provides the certainty we need to pass along our farms to the next generation. Without legislation to shield America’s 60,000+ pork-producing family farms from heavy-handed, multi-state regulations, many producers otherwise would be faced with business-crushing decisions.” – National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio
      
    “We appreciate Rep. Hinson’s leadership in fighting to protect Iowa pig farmers, who work hard every day to care for their animals and produce safe, high-quality pork. The Supreme Court made it clear the best option is for Congress to address California’s Prop 12 to prevent a patchwork of conflicting state regulations. Since Prop 12 took effect, the law has negatively impacted both consumers and producers. We urge Congress to act this year and support Rep. Hinson’s efforts to stop this burdensome mandate.” – Aaron Juergens, a pig farmer from Carroll County who serves as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. 
     
    “Iowa Farm Bureau members are thankful for Rep. Hinson’s unwavering support for Iowa agriculture and being a champion for fair interstate commerce through the introduction of the Save Our Bacon Act. When states enact laws that restrict or ban the sale of any type of goods from other states, they hinder market access for both farmers and businesses. This creates a negative ripple effect, as these entities struggle with arbitrary business standards and increased costs. Farm families and consumers are grappling with record-high prices, and without congressional action to strengthen the Interstate Commerce Clause, consumers will face fewer choices and higher costs at the grocery store.” – Iowa Farm Bureau Federation

    Background: 

    • In 2018, California passed Proposition 12, which prohibits the sale of certain meat and poultry products unless they are produced in compliance with the state’s arbitrary animal housing requirements.
    • In May 2023, the US Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12 in a 5 – 4 decision, with the Court noting that Congress has the authority to determine how states may interfere with interstate commerce.
    • California makes up nearly 15% of the national market for pork, leading many Iowa livestock producers to choose between complying with another state’s mandate and losing access to a major market for their products. Similar state-level mandates – such as Massachusetts’ Question 3 – create further uncertainty for livestock producers and risk an unworkable patchwork of state regulations for American farmers.  
    • Research from economists has shown that mandates like Prop 12 come at a significant cost to both producers and consumers. Following the implementation of Prop 12, the cost per pound of pork loin in California increased by 41%. Estimates also show that pork producers face costs of up to $4,000 per sow to comply with California’s arbitrary mandate.
    • Rep. Hinson has been a tireless champion for Iowa pork producers against this overreach.   
      • In December 2023, Rep. Hinson testified before the House Agriculture Committee to share stories from farmers in Iowa about the negative impact that mandates like Prop 12 would have on their operation.
      • In a recent House Appropriations Committee hearing, Hinson asked USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins about the potential consequences of laws like Prop 12. Secretary Rollins called mandates like Prop 12 “unsustainable.”
    • On July 9, the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of California over state laws that have caused grocery prices to skyrocket, including Prop 12.

    This bill was introduced with Representatives Feenstra, Nunn, Miller-Meeks, Sam Graves, Rouzer, Murphy, Messmer, Adrian Smith, Flood, LaMalfa, Alford, Dusty Johnson, Bost, Newhouse, Mark Harris, Finstad, Wied, and Rose.

    The bill text can be found here. Click here to read exclusive reporting by Bloomberg News. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Understanding what AI means to consumers

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Understanding what AI means to consumers

    When we talk about new AI-powered devices and experiences, the focus often lands on the pace of technological progress. But just as quickly, the way people are using these tools—and how they feel about them—is evolving too. 

    To better understand that shifting sentiment, we commissioned new consumer AI research that digs deeper into people’s priorities and perceptions. Going beyond usage data, we examined the emotional undercurrents: what excites people about AI, what gives them pause and how those attitudes shift across generations. 

    What emerged is a more textured view of consumer behavior. In this report, you’ll find insights that add greater dimension to what meaningful AI solutions look like today. 

    The full report is available for download here. 

    From burnout to breakthrough: Americans use AI to move forward

    This consumer AI report examines evolving attitudes toward AI. It presents findings from research conducted by an independent research firm, Edelman Data & Intelligence, among 1,000 consumers in the United States ages 13 and older between March 14, 2025 and March 25, 2025. As both AI tools and human behaviors continue to shift, the report offers a research-backed lens for business leaders, organizations, and curious individuals seeking to understand what’s changing and why.  

    Can AI help an overloaded generation cut through the noise? 

    These days, we have a lot on our minds. 

    We’re living in an era where information has never been so available. Entire histories of societies, bodies of scholarship, and even the details of our own relationships can be pulled up with a single search. But instead of helping us get ahead, it often just adds more noise. Traditional authority has fractured and everywhere we turn, new voices and platforms compete for our attention. In fact, 7 in 10 consumers admit they are overwhelmed by the amount of information available when making a decision. 

    So it’s no surprise that we’re starting to question not just our choices, but how we make them. This is where AI offers a new way forward: our research finds that it counteracts decision fatigue by lightening the mental burden of weighing one’s options. After using AI when making a decision, 84% percent of people report experiencing positive emotion. 

    Majority experience a positive emotion after using AI to make a decision: Eighty-four percent of people felt a positive emotion after using AI when making a decision, with relief and confidence being the two most common. 

    Introducing Generation AI 

    Leading the way is Generation AI, born between 1995 and 2012. Raised on increasingly intuitive digital tools, they’ve learned how to embrace emerging technologies as a support system rather than merely a shortcut—from PCs and mobile devices, to the internet, and now AI. This generation is 16% more likely to use AI tools than those who are older, and when they do, they’re finding more than answers. They’re unlocking a greater sense of relief and confidence, a result that users of all ages can learn from. 

    AI interrupts overthinking, before the spiral starts 

    AI’s mainstream moment comes at a critical time for this generation’s mental health. 

    Generation AI is carrying a compound burden made up of the ambient weight of everyday social pressures, persistent economic uncertainty, digital isolation, and the long tail of a global pandemic. Seventy-two percent of those aged 18-34 rate mental health as a significant stressor, the highest among all age cohorts.  

    With estimates suggesting that the average person can face thousands of choices each day, this mental load is unrelenting. It’s the kind of weight that turns indecision into inaction, leading people to abandon choices that once felt important.  

    Even once we are finally able to make up our minds, it rarely feels like closure. Sixty-eight percent of Generation AI would describe themselves as an “overthinker,” someone who spends a lot of time worrying about their decisions, even after making them. Would-be relief is clouded by doubt, a lingering sense that maybe we missed something better, smarter, or more optimized.  

    But data shows that AI offers overthinkers a different outcome. Across all age groups, respondents were more than twice as likely to feel relieved (30%) or confident (30%) compared to anxious (14%) or frustrated (14%) after using generative AI to make a personal decision.  

    This confidence boost applies to a range of relatable scenarios. Many find support for things they are passionate about, involving AI in decisions around entertainment (34%) or travel (25%). For others, AI proves helpful in moving through more emotionally fraught territory, such as money decisions (35%), health and wellness (35%), and career or job considerations (34%). 

    AI helps make decisions in diverse scenarios: Generative AI helps users make decisions in the following areas: money (35%), health and wellness (35%), career or job (34%), entertainment (34%), and travel (25%).

    Instead of dwelling on these decisions interminably, every prompt becomes a quiet practice in turning uncertainty into action. 

    Creating a safe space for deeper, more helpful answers 

    We are now getting a glimpse into a tech-powered future that is more intuitive, personal, and judgment-free. AI reflects consumers’ curiosity back to them in a way few tools have before. When they need help making a decision, a third of respondents (33%) say they appreciate that AI gives them a clear, personalized response. 

    Getting the right advice has always depended on the gatekeepers of the moment. In the past, information was limited by which experts or institutions one had access to. Even the internet, once seen as the great equalizer, has its limits. The search engines that Generation AI grew up using may have put pages and pages of web results at their fingertips, but they stopped short at turning that data into something truly actionable. This has left 67% of this age group feeling like it is still “hard to find guidance or suggestions that fit my exact situation” when gathering information to answer a question or make a decision.  

    Now, they have somewhere else to turn; a conversational advisor that can match their thirst for knowledge with specificity, flexibility, and patience. When asked about using generative AI for advice, all respondents cite a sense of emotional delicacy, noting how “I can ask as many follow-up questions as I want without feeling bad” (81%) and “AI doesn’t judge me like a person would” (78%). 

    This change in our relationship with information also changes how we learn. Recent research on AI usage found that students aged 18 and older used it more than any other employment group, with 85% reporting usage. Generation AI students are now more likely to rank AI as a helpful study aid (45%) than books (36%) or a one-on-one tutor (27%). 

    The way AI users describe themselves tells us more about their mindset. Those who use AI to make decisions are more likely to say they are “ambitious” (+20ppts), “decisive” (+15ppts), and “problem solvers” (+10 ppts) compared to those who don’t use it. These labels signal how AI might intersect with a generation’s sense of self. 

    AI users describe themselves differently: People who use AI to make decisions are more likely to describe themselves as a problem solver (+10ppts), ambitious (+20ppts), and decisive (+16ppts). 

    While each individual interaction might feel small, these micro-moments of support can foster trust in both the technology itself and in the user’s own ability to choose. 

    Hopeful but not naïve, Generation AI brings discernment to AI asks  

    This isn’t the first time Generation AI has lived through a major technological shift, and it won’t be the last. As true digital natives, they approach any new tool with nuance, carefully weighing the promised benefits against potential tradeoffs. 

    When it comes to AI, 66% of this generation is optimistic that it will improve our lives and the world we live in. While only 15% of all consumers say they fully trust AI when making important decisions, 95% have still used a generative AI tool in the past month—suggesting that people are finding meaningful, appropriate ways to engage with these tools. Rather than blind trust, this is thoughtful adoption: users are integrating AI into their broader decision-making process in ways that feel supportive and safe. 

    Also in the mix? Friends, family, experts, and professionals. But most of all, their own judgment: 59% of consumers trust their gut when making a decision. 

    Trust varies across sources when making important decisions: When making an important decision, 15% trust AI—less than their own gut (59%), advice from friends or family (44%), or web search results (37%), the same as teachers (15%), and more than social media influencers (11%) or political leaders (7%).

    Call it curiosity, caution, or a carefully balanced blend of both. While 59% of all respondents used generative AI for work and business purposes in the past year, even more have explored how it might fit into their personal lives. Sixty-four percent report using AI for hobbies and personal interests, such as art music, or DIY projects.  

    AI can help sort through today’s information overload until one’s instincts take over. It summarizes information so that it is easier to understand (34% of use cases), shows different options that users hadn’t thought about (31%), and compares choices by showing pros and cons (30%).  

    Turning to AI in these everyday moments builds a rhythm of trust—measured, useful, and often accompanied by a sense of relief. With just enough structure to help people make sense of pressing considerations, these tools make confident decision-making possible.  

    In a world that often feels like too much, AI offers something rare: relief 

    Our research shows that American consumers are taking the emotional edge off decision-making by bolstering their own judgement with AI-powered tools that offer clarity, curiosity, and calm. 

    AI reshapes what it feels like to choose. The “before”—that data-gathering phase—is shorter, more streamlined. Information is delivered clearly, without overload or judgment. The “after” feels different too, marked by reassurance instead of regret. Instead of spiraling over making the right call, individuals experience a sturdy sense of confidence.  

    The proof is in the practice: using these tools as Generation AI does, for everyday decisions both big and small, changes what’s possible. Over time, it builds the kind of momentum that moves people through uncertainty, not just around it. And when faced with the daily thrum of decisions, it helps them trust themselves enough to move forward.   

     

     

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mobile Lift Component Recall: Baxter Healthcare Corporation Removes Mobile Lift Component due to Risk of Improper Attachment

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This recall involves removing devices from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it.
    Affected Product

    Q-Link 13, product code 3156509
    Product is used with the following mobile lifts:

    Uno 102 EE Mobile Lift; product code: 2010004
    Viking L Mobile Lift; product code: 2040044
    Viking XL Mobile Lift; product code: 2040043
    Viking M Mobile Lift; product code: 2040045A
    Viking S Mobile Lift; product code: 2040006
    Viking XS Mobile Lift; product code: 2040007
    LikoLight Mobile Lift; product code: 2030001

    LikoScale Adapter kits, product code 3156232
    Product is used with the following LikoScale Adapter Kit

    LikoScale 200 Accessory; product code 3156225
    LikoScale 350 Accessory; product code 3156228
    LikoScale 400 Accessory; product code 3.156226

    What to Do

    Baxter issued two separate Urgent Product Recall letters to notify consignees of the affected products.

    The first letter dated May 30, 2025, was sent to healthcare facilities and addressed to Biomedical Engineering, Director of Nursing, or Distributor/reseller.
    The second letter, dated June 2, 2025, was directed to Home Patients.

    Both letters included the following recommended actions:  

    Immediately locate and discontinue use of all Q-link 13 components used with the products listed in the affected product table.
    Baxter will provide replacement Q-link 13 products with the updated Q-link Mobile version, designed to improve usability and reduce potential risks to patients and caregivers. A follow up communication will be sent once sufficient Q-link Mobile components are available including instructions for requesting replacements.
    Post this letter in areas where affected mobile lifts are stored or used.
    If you purchased through a distributor or wholesaler, please note that responses via the Baxter customer portal is not applicable. Instead, follow your distributor’s or wholesaler’s specific instructions if a response is requested.

    Reason for Recall
    Baxter stated that the Q-link 13 could allow for an improper attachment (false latching) of the Quick-Release Hook used on Sling Bars and other accessories. The false latched component may initially bear weight but can loosen from the Q-link resulting in a detachment and drop. This could result in a critical injury from a patient fall. A caregiver may also be at risk of injury while attempting to stop a patient from falling.
    Baxter has reported three serious injuries and one death associated with this issue.
    Device Use
    The Q-Link 13 is an optional lift component that can be used in combination with mobiles lifts when connected to a Quick-Release Hook for sling bars. The LikoScale adapter kit contains the Q-link 13 component and shared the potential for improper attachment. Mobile lifts are intended for use in the most common lifting situations, such as for transferring patients between bed and wheelchair, to and from toilets and bathtubs, and for lifting to and from the floor. Some mobile lifts may also be used for gait training.
    Contact Information
    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact Baxter at corporate_product_complaints_round_lake@baxter.com or call 800-455-3720 and select option two.
    How do I report a problem?
    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

    Content current as of:
    07/23/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Aptean Launches GenAI Query in AppCentral  

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Aptean, a global provider of enterprise software, today announced the launch of GenAI Query, a mobile-first conversational intelligence feature within AppCentral, its AI-powered platform. Purpose-built to deliver real-time insights from complex business data, GenAI Query eliminates the need for dashboards, technical expertise, or delays.   

    GenAI Query empowers frontline managers; operations leads and finance teams to ask natural-language questions like: 

    “Where are my fulfilment bottlenecks?”  

    “Which SKUs are eroding our margin?”

    They receive real-time answers, right when and where decisions are made. GenAI Query cuts through reporting delays and streamlines decision-making across every level of the organization.

    Modern manufacturing and distribution teams operate under relentless pressure to move fast — yet decision-making is often stalled by complex reports, fragmented systems and manual analysis. Buried in complex reports, fragmented systems and manual analysis, information remains out of reach. The result? A widening gap between data and decisive action.  

    GenAI Query is the intelligence engine of AppCentral and a cornerstone of the Aptean Intelligence Suite. What sets it apart is Aptean’s deep industry expertise and its ability to deliver tailored insights across discrete manufacturing, food and beverage, finance, transportation and apparel. With seamless integration and enterprise-grade security features – such as role-based access and audit trails – GenAI Query accelerates data-driven decision-making without compromising control. 

    GenAI Query transforms enterprise decision-making by:

    • Unlocking insights – Replacing static dashboards with real-time conversational intelligence 
    • Revealing hidden risks – Surfacing margin pressure, customer churn signals and operational inefficiencies through AI 
    • Accelerating action – Empowering teams to explore data freely, without IT delays or report rebuilds 
    • Bringing data together – Unifying live ERP inputs across inventory, purchasing, sales, receivables and payables.  
    • Eliminating reporting delays – Removing the complexity of data extraction and interpretation. 

    “AppCentral is the foundation for our customers to harness the power of AI – GenAI Query is the intelligence that brings it to life,” said TVN Reddy, CEO of Aptean.  “It’s the difference between staring at a dashboard and having a direct, insightful conversation with your business. Customers don’t just want data – they need clear answers that drive better outcomes. GenAI Query puts real-time enterprise intelligence at their fingertips.” 

    “GenAI Query makes business data instantly useful,” Reddy continued. “Ask a simple question like ‘What’s my inventory risk this week?’ and get contextual insight drawn straight from live systems. No coding. No delay. Just answers – delivered precisely when and where they’re needed. With GenAI Query, every employee becomes an insight-driven decision-maker. The future of enterprise intelligence is immediate and conversational.” 

    With thousands of customers now onboarded to AppCentral, Aptean is accelerating scalable AI adoption – giving customers the clarity, speed and control they need to make faster, smarter decisions. 

    About Aptean:
    Aptean is a global provider of industry-specific software that helps manufacturers and distributors effectively run and grow their businesses. Aptean’s solutions and services help businesses of all sizes to be Ready for What’s Next, Now®. Aptean is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To learn more about Aptean and the markets we serve, visit www.aptean.com.

    Logility is a Registered Trademark of Logility, Inc. Aptean and Ready for What’s Next, Now are Registered Trademarks of Aptean, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. 

    MEDIA INQUIRIES

    MediaRelations@Aptean.com

    A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at 

    http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/db5e0b9b-d38b-46df-b8ef-d3510e489c71

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at 

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d3fed0b1-f5af-4512-aece-05b54b639787

     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Keith Self Introduces Legislative Package to Codify President Trump’s Executive Orders

    Source:

    Congressman Keith Self has introduced a strong legislative package aimed at codifying four of President Donald Trump’s executive orders. This package advances the America First agenda by securing long-term victories in education reform, biological research safety, public service loan forgiveness, and curriculum standards.

    “These executive orders by President Trump reflect commonsense governance and clear priorities. Now more than ever, public accountability, educational integrity, and national security are vital,” Congressman Self said. “To preserve the integrity of these accomplishments, we must protect them from being reversed by the radical left and cement these wins into law.”

    The four bills include:

    • Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies: Returns authority to teachers and school administrators, empowering them to maintain order in classrooms without fear of federal overreach.

    • Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research: Establishes strict oversight for high-risk biological experiments, enhancing transparency and risk mitigation in federally funded research labs and institutions.

    • Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Strengthens the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by ensuring clear and consistent eligibility for borrowers who commit to careers in public service—delivering on the federal government’s promises.

    • Restoring Truth in American History: Promotes a factual approach to U.S. history instruction, focusing on foundational principles, civic virtue, and the unifying aspects of the American experience.

    “Each of these executive orders was designed to correct imbalances, protect taxpayer interests, and restore public trust,” Self added. “We cannot waste the opportunity to make them permanent.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Secures Commitments From Military Nominees to Prevent Civilian Harm, Study the Long-Term Effects of Blast Overpressure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 23, 2025

    Lieutenant General Anderson agrees that following the laws of war to protect civilians is “critical to our success and competition.”

    Vice Admiral Bradley voices support to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure: “People are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people is the intellectual capacity.”

    Video of Exchange (YouTube)

    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Personnel Subcommittee, secured commitments from Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley and Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, nominees to be Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), respectively, on integrating and protecting reforms from Republican and Democratic administrations on civilian harm prevention. Senator Warren also secured support from Vice Admiral Bradley to partner with outside experts to conduct a longitudinal study of blast overpressure.

    Senator Warren has continued to lead the charge in pushing Trump administration nominees to prioritize civilian harm prevention. In his March 2025 nomination hearing, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby agreed with Senator Warren that civilian harm prevention is crucial to national security and that commanders can make better decisions in the field when they are trained on how to avoid civilian casualties.

    During the hearing, Senator Warren highlighted that the outgoing head of SOCOM, General Fenton, confirmed that civilian harm experts have “assisted commanders and their staffs in mitigating civilian harm without compromising lethality” and that their knowledge has “enhanced precision, preserving legitimacy and enabling mission success.” Vice Admiral Bradley committed to keeping civilian harm prevention as a “focus for our command” and affirmed it is “a critical obligation” for all Department of Defense (DoD) personnel using or overseeing lethal force to protect civilians, saying, “it is critical to our success and competition.”

    Similarly, Lieutenant General Anderson said prioritizing civilian harm mitigation planning “is a critically important show of our values” and that he would carry forward efforts to work with regional partners on civilian harm prevention and investigating incidents of civilian harm.

    Senator Warren also raised her concerns about the high levels of traumatic brain injuries caused by blast overpressure and the need to address the long-term effects—an initiative that has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate versions of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA). In response, Vice Admiral Bradley supported DoD working with outside experts and organizations to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure.

    “People are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people are the intellectual capacity… We see them as a critical contract with our operators and our operators’ families to ensure that we keep them sustainable,” said Vice Admiral Bradley.

    Senator Warren secured key wins earlier this month during the markup of the FY26 NDAA, including bipartisan support for a provision requiring DoD to provide a congressional briefing on the feasibility of conducting a study on the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure. In September 2024, Senator Warren led a forum in Massachusetts on the importance of addressing these issues with leading brain health personnel at DoD and experts from Home Base, a national nonprofit organization in Charlestown that treats invisible wounds of veterans, service members, military families, and families of the fallen.

    Transcript: Hearings to examine the nominations of Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley, USN, to be admiral and Commander, United States Special Operation Command, and Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, USAF, to be general and Commander, United States Africa Command
    Senate Armed Services Committee
    July 22, 2025

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and congratulations to both of you on your nominations.

    So, the American military is built to defeat our enemies, not to create more of them, and that is why Republican and Democratic administrations have worked to reduce risks to innocent civilians as part of military operations. In fact, the last Trump administration issued the DoD’s first instruction to establish policies to mitigate civilian harm after concerns grew about civilian casualties in the campaign against ISIS. Now, one of the tools that commanders now have in the toolkit is working with civilian harm and mitigation response advisors, from refining war games to real attack planning in the Middle East and Africa operations, and more.

    Vice Admiral Bradley, your predecessor at Special Operations Command, recently said that these experts “assisted commanders and their staffs in mitigating civilian harm without compromising lethality.” What’s more, their knowledge “enhanced precision, preserving legitimacy, and enabling mission success.”

    So, Vice Admiral Bradley, if you are confirmed, will you commit to keeping civilian harm prevention experts at SOCOM to advise you and your team?

    Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley: Senator, first, just to resonate, it is not only an obligation to adhere to the law of armed conflict to protect civilians. It is critical to our success and competition to represent our values. I believe that every uniform, every civilian, and every contractor that is employed or in oversight of the use of lethal force has a critical obligation to be able to do that, and I do commit to keeping that as a focus for our command if confirmed.

    Senator Warren: Thank you. That is a strong answer, and I appreciate it. You know, other tools in the toolkit here are the civilian harm mitigation and response action plan and DOD policy instruction on civilian harm, which outline DoD plans and policies to reduce civilian harm risks. AFRICOM has made progress in implementing these policies, including through training allies and partners on how to reduce risks to innocent civilians. We are serving as a model that our other partners are now beginning to adopt. In May, the Nigerian Air Force announced its own civilian harm prevention plan. These are efforts that save innocent lives.

    Lieutenant General Anderson, if you’re confirmed, will you carry forward these efforts to integrate civilian harm mitigation planning into AFRICOM operations and train allies in the region to help them do the same?

    Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson: Senator, to echo Vice Admiral Bradley’s importance of this: this is a critically important show of our values. It’s also important that we maintain the laws of armed conflict, and, when we engage with our partners, that we help them educate and that we model this. And this has been something that when I was at Special Operations Command Africa, we did. We worked with partners, and when we saw things or heard of things that were credible, we encouraged them to investigate and to look into this, and then we gave them assistance as needed in order for them to conduct their own investigation. So I will continue, if confirmed, to take that on at AFRICOM.

    Senator Warren: I appreciate that. I want to get one other point here, because we also need to reduce harm to our own special operators. I’ve worked with Senator Ernst and others on this committee for years to address high levels of brain injury caused by blast over pressure exposed service members have reported debilitating symptoms, from seizures to depression to suicidality. And now, preliminary research is showing high rates of heart disease, chronic pain, hypertension, even links to brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Clearly, we have a lot more we need to learn.

    So, let me ask Vice Admiral Bradley, if confirmed, you’ll oversee tens of thousands of Special Operations personnel. Do you support DoD partnering with outside experts to study the long-term effects of blast overpressure?

    Vice Admiral Bradley: Senator, I do. I have seen great benefit from our partnerships with academia and other organizations that are studying this problem critically. Our number one soft truth is that people are more important than hardware, and the critical part of those people is the intellectual capacity. Of course, that is jeopardized by these brain health issues, and we see them as a critical contract with our operators and our operators’ families to ensure that we keep them sustainable.

    Senator Warren: I appreciate that very, very much. If you’re confirmed, I’ll be calling on you to help us with that. There’s language in both the House and the Senate NDAA that would help us get this study, and there are lots of organizations like Home Base Massachusetts who have the expertise to help us get these answers. We owe this to our service members. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Launches Statewide Survey to Ensure Hospitals Follow Emergency Reproductive Healthcare Laws

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the launch of a statewide survey to assess how hospital emergency departments are complying with reproductive healthcare laws, particularly when abortion care is the medically necessary emergency treatment.

    The survey is being conducted by the California Department of Justice’s Healthcare Rights and Access Section as part of an ongoing effort to identify and address gaps in emergency care across the state. The findings will help determine whether hospitals are meeting their legal obligations under California’s Emergency Services Law (ESL) and will ensure patients are receiving the care they are entitled to without delay or denial.

    “Access to emergency abortion care is not optional. It’s the law,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No patient should need to wonder whether they will receive the care they need in a medical emergency. We’re letting the facts and data lead the way to ensure every hospital in California is fulfilling its responsibility to protect patients’ health and dignity.”

    California’s Emergency Services Law (ESL)

    California’s Emergency Services Law requires every general acute care hospital with an emergency department to treat all patients experiencing a medical emergency regardless of insurance, ethnicity, citizenship, age, preexisting medical condition, immigration status, or ability to pay, among other protected characteristics.

    Patients have the right to receive the emergency healthcare needed to determine if they have an emergency medical condition, as well as the emergency healthcare needed to relieve or eliminate that emergency medical condition, provided the hospital has the personnel and facilities to provide such healthcare. Under the law, hospitals must act not only when a person’s life is in danger, but also when a patient is experiencing acute symptoms and, without immediate medical attention, the patient could reasonably be expected to face serious:

    •  Jeopardy to their health 
    •  Impairment to bodily functions
    •  Dysfunction to any organ or body part

    Despite these clear legal protections, the Department has received alarming reports of hospitals refusing to provide emergency abortion care, including delaying treatment and placing patients at risk of infection, hemorrhage, or permanent harm. This practice fails to meet the standard of care required by California law.

    Providence St. Joseph’s Lawsuit Highlights Dangers of Delayed Reproductive Care

    In September 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital (Providence) alleging it violated multiple California laws due to its refusal to provide emergency abortion care to people experiencing obstetric emergencies. One particular patient, Anna Nusslock, had her water break when she was 15 weeks pregnant with twins on February 23, 2024. Despite the immediate threat to her life and health, and despite the fact her pregnancy was no longer viable, Providence refused to treat her with the necessary abortion or induction. She had to travel to a small critical access hospital called Mad River, 12 miles away, where she was actively hemorrhaging by the time she was on the operating table.

    Emergency Reproductive Health Laws

    The survey also seeks to ensure that designated hospitals offer Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE), which are designed to gather evidence of sexual assault and provide healthcare services, including medical and mental health treatment. Victims of sexual assault are entitled to a SAFE exam from a trained medical professional free of charge. Sexual assault victims shall be provided with the option of emergency contraception at no cost. All patients are entitled to obtain a prescription for emergency contraception, where medically appropriate. 

    Statewide Survey Will Evaluate Hospital Compliance

    The survey will reach approximately 333 hospitals across California, gathering detailed information about how emergency departments administer reproductive healthcare and how they respond when abortion care is the required emergency treatment. Results from the survey will inform oversight, guide enforcement efforts, and ensure hospitals are fully complying with the Emergency Services Law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National award for Portsmouth Trading Standards

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    The work Portsmouth Trading Standards does to fight the illegal trade of fake goods has earned a prestigious national award.

    The small Portsmouth City Council team has seized tens-of-thousands-of-pounds worth of fake tobacco products in single inspections, removing fake and unsafe cigarettes, tobacco and vapes from criminal operations.

    Storage units loaded with huge amounts of branded clothing and electrical goods falsely labelled as major brands were also uncovered and stopped from being sold online.

    This work saw Portsmouth crowned Team Commendation Winners at the acclaimed ACG Enforcement Awards 2025, which recognises excellence in preventing criminals selling counterfeit goods across the UK.

    Cllr Lee Hunt, Portsmouth City Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Leisure, and Sport, said:

    “Huge congratulations goes to our Trading Standards team on this really significant award. They came up against much larger enforcement teams but won because of their diligence, dedication and skill.

    “While the sale of fake, cheap goods might sound harmless, the truth is these products are unregulated and unsafe for consumers. Behind the scenes there’s often large, criminal gangs who target people of all ages, including children.

    “Thanks to our Trading Standards team, criminal activity is being disrupted across the city and the perpetrators are being held to account.

    “The criminal sale of fake goods is growing nation-wide, so we urge people to carefully consider what they’re buying, who is profiting, and the human cost of producing cheap items.”

    Unannounced inspections of sellers across the city continues to result in large fines and convictions. The latest saw the owners of Fratton Food Store ordered to pay over £27,000 or face jail for the supply of 45,000 fake cigarettes.

    People are strongly advised against purchasing anything they believe might not be genuine, either in person or online. Find tips on avoiding fakes online on ACG’s website.

    If you suspect someone of selling counterfeit goods you can report it:

    Email Portsmouth Trading Standards: trading.standards@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 23 July 2025 Departmental update First-ever guidance for Triple Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The global community has committed to the Triple Elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) as a public health priority. This global commitment encourages countries to provide the most effective, high-quality and person-centred care available to pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls. In so doing, countries aim to ensure a generation born free of HIV, syphilis and HBV. 

    At the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13-17 July 2025, WHO presented the first-ever guidance for countries to develop comprehensive and integrated programmes for Triple Elimination. 

    The new guidance is based on the WHO Triple Elimination Framework, which promotes an integrated, person-centred approach to preventing transmission of these infections from mothers to their infants along 4 pillars and 4 cross-cutting implementation considerations. The guidance also outlines a comprehensive strategy for governments, health-care providers and relevant stakeholders to assess, improve and scale-up elimination programmes. 

    “The release of this new guidance marks a critical milestone in our collective efforts to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes. “It comes at a time when integrated approaches to maternal and child health are needed more than ever to ensure achievement of global targets by 2030 and safeguard the health of future generations.”

    Country case studies are presented to illustrate some good practices and to offer models to inform development of country roadmaps for eliminating vertical transmission by 2030.

    Country examples and lessons for Triple Elimination

    Kenya began its triple elimination journey in 2018 by designating a focal team leading to the development of a framework for the EMTCT of HIV, syphilis and HBV in 2022–2023 and establishment of a dedicated Triple Elimination Technical Working Group in 2024. Oversight and operationalization are decentralized to county and sub-county levels for capacity-building and supervision. Representatives of people living with HIV are engaged in advocacy, community sensitization and participation in the development and validation of the national triple elimination framework for 2022-2027.

    Kenya offers a range of EMTCT services and documents best practices, relating to the mentoring of mothers, creation and management of peer support groups, dual HIV/syphilis testing and more. The country is working toward introducing a universal HBV birth dose, integrating syphilis and hepatitis B into the MNCH electronic medical record module, diagnosing infants early and addressing commodity shortages. 

    Namibia expanded the 2020 dual HIV/syphilis elimination strategy to include hepatitis B into a triple elimination strategy in 2023. A situational analysis and stakeholder consultation informed its 2020–2024 roadmap. The country developed an operational plan, updated guidelines, and integrated triple elimination into training and health information systems.

    In 2023, WHO awarded Namibia at the bronze tier for the Path to Elimination of MTCT of HIV. Namibia is also the first and only country to be awarded on the Path to Elimination of MTCT of hepatitis B virus at the silver tier.

    To learn more about the experiences in Kenya and Namibia, see Country Case Examples in Chapter 6. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: 3rd Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Statement

    July 18, 2025

    We, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG), met on 17 and 18 July 2025, in Durban, South Africa. Under the G20 South African Presidency’s “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability” theme, we committed to international policy cooperation to further promote global prosperity and address key shared challenges.

    Global Economy

    The global economy is facing heightened uncertainty and complex challenges, including ongoing wars and conflicts, geopolitical and trade tensions, disruptions to global supply chains, high debt levels, and frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters, which impact economic growth, financial and price stability. 

    In light of high public debt and fiscal pressures, we recognise the need to raise long-term growth potential by pursuing growth-oriented macroeconomic policies, while building fiscal buffers, ensuring fiscal sustainability, encouraging public and private investments and undertaking productivity-enhancing reforms. Structural reforms are essential for generating strong economic growth and creating more and better jobs. All excessive imbalances should be further analysed by the IMF and, if necessary and, without discrimination, addressed through country-specific reforms and multilateral coordination, in a way that contributes to an open global economy and without compromising sustainable global growth. We reaffirm our April 2021 exchange rate commitment.

    Central banks are strongly committed to ensuring price stability, consistent with their respective mandates, and will continue to adjust their policies in a data-dependent manner. Central bank independence is crucial to achieving this goal. 
     
    We emphasise the importance of strengthening multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global economy. We will continue to pursue efforts that advance prosperity and recognise the importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to advance trade issues, and acknowledge the agreed upon rules in the WTO as an integral part of the global trading system. We recognise the WTO has challenges and needs meaningful, necessary, and comprehensive reform to improve all its functions, through innovative approaches, to be more relevant and responsive in light of today’s realities.

    We note the progress on the priorities of the Framework Working Group and look forward to the respective outcomes.  

    International Financial Architecture

    The Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are implementing the G20 MDB Roadmap and the recommendations from the Capital Adequacy Framework (CAF) Report. We acknowledge the progress of MDBs and the IFA Working Group in developing the Monitoring and Reporting Framework, and expect to receive the inaugural report in October. We further acknowledge CAF’s potential to help MDBs more efficiently utilise existing resources, share more risk with the private sector and utilise new instruments to increase lending capacity over the next decade. We also welcome the collaboration on blended finance among the International Finance Corporation and other MDBs. We look forward to the outcome of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s 2025 Shareholding Review, in line with the Lima Shareholding principles.

    We support the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund. We acknowledge the strategic importance of an enhanced G20 partnership with African economies, including through strengthening the G20 Compact with Africa, and welcome the Presidency’s side event on Mobilising G20 Investment for Sustainable Growth in Africa. We welcome the work initiated by the Presidency on the impediments to growth and development in Africa.

    We are committed to addressing debt vulnerabilities in low- and middle-income countries in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner. To this end, we reaffirm our commitment to further strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Framework (CF) in a predictable, timely, orderly, and coordinated manner. We endorse the G20 note on lessons learned from initial CF cases and the document outlining debt treatment steps. We welcome that the fact sheets on CF cases are now available on the G20 and Paris Club websites to enhance information sharing. We welcome the agreement on the Memorandum of Understanding on a debt treatment between Ethiopia and its Official Creditors Committee. We furthermore call for enhanced debt transparency from all stakeholders, including private creditors.

    We urge the international community to support vulnerable countries whose debt is sustainable but are facing liquidity challenges, and encourage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to continue their work on feasible options to support these countries, which should be country-specific and voluntary.

    We acknowledge the G20 note on Special Drawing Rights (SDR) channelling. We note the achievement of exceeding USD 100 billion in voluntary channelling of SDRs or equivalent contributions for countries in need, and the transfer to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and the Resilience and Sustainability Trust. We urge the swift delivery of pending pledges and encourage countries that are willing and legally able to explore channelling SDRs to MDBs while respecting the reserve asset status of the resulting SDR-denominated claims and ensuring their liquidity.

    We reaffirm our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF at the centre of the Global Financial Safety Net. We have advanced the domestic approvals for our consent to the quota increase under the 16th General Review of Quotas, and we look forward to finalising this process with no further delay.  We acknowledge the importance of realignment in quota shares to better reflect members’ relative positions in the world economy while protecting the quota shares of the poorest members. We acknowledge, however, that building consensus among members on quota and governance reforms will require progress in stages.   We support the call for the IMF Executive Board to develop a set of principles guiding future discussions on IMF quotas and governance by the 2026 Spring meetings in line with the Diriyah Declaration.

    We underscore the need for enhancing the representation and voice of developing countries in decision-making in MDBs and other international economic and financial institutions. In that context, we welcome the creation of a 25th chair at the IMF Executive Board to enhance the voice and representation of Sub-Saharan Africa.

    We remain committed to promoting sustainable capital flows to EMDEs and fostering sound policy frameworks, notably central bank independence. We note the growing role of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and ongoing work to understand the impact on capital flows.

    Sustainable Finance

    We note a commitment to strengthen the global sustainable finance architecture by helping to ensure robust, resilient and effective coordination among stakeholders to foster interoperability among MDBs, Vertical Climate and Environment Funds, and National Development Banks, in support of sustainability goals and national priorities, as appropriate. Scaling up co-financing and mobilising private sector resources by improving efficiency and promoting the use of innovative financial instruments is essential for developing countries’ risk-sharing in country-led climate investments.

    We acknowledge progress on tailoring key considerations that integrate adaptation and resilience into the voluntary transition plans of financial institutions and corporations. These efforts may support vulnerable sectors in moving towards sustainable and climate-resilient economies. We look forward to continued work related to more effective funding mechanisms for adaptation and promote flexible country-tailored solutions that address natural catastrophe insurance protection gaps by developing practical guidance and tools.

    We take note of the potential of high-integrity, voluntary, private-sector led carbon markets, including by promoting interoperability, accessibility, transparency and scalability. We note the efforts by the Climate Data Steering Committee to develop principles aimed towards building a Common Carbon Credit Data Model, as a voluntary tool.

    We note the progress made thus far on the multi-year G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap which is flexible and voluntary in nature.

    Infrastructure

    Recognising that increasing quality infrastructure investment is critical to support faster and sustainable economic growth and development, we note the progress made in the development of a framework for effective planning and preparation practices, a report on scaling up blended finance de-risking measures, and a toolkit on advancing cross-border infrastructure projects. We also endorse the Practice Guide on Leveraging Project-Level Data and Digitising the Pipeline, and a Note on Improving the Accessibility and Availability of Key Market Data, which are voluntary and non-binding.

    Financial Sector Issues and Financial Inclusion

    We reaffirm our commitment to addressing vulnerabilities and promoting an open, resilient, and stable financial system, which supports economic growth, and is based on the consistent, full and timely implementation of all agreed upon reforms and international standards, including Basel III. We note the growing role of NBFIs in both EMDEs and AEs, and support the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) work to address NBFI data availability and reporting, quality, use, and information sharing. We endorse the recently finalised FSB recommendations for addressing systemic risks from NBFI leverage and encourage implementation by jurisdictions. We welcome the appointment of the new FSB Chair, Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England.

    We reaffirm our commitment to the effective implementation of the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments (the Roadmap) as well as appropriate further actions as necessary to deliver on the Roadmap’s goals.  We welcome the initiatives undertaken by the FSB, the Bank for International Settlements’ (BIS) Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and other international organisations to advance progress in its implementation. We welcome the launch of the BIS Innovation Hub-G20 TechSprint 2025, which aims to promote innovative solutions that improve trust and integrity in open and scalable finance. We note the update on the FSB Roadmap for addressing climate-related financial risks and the upcoming FSB thematic peer review on the implementation of the high-level crypto assets and stablecoin recommendations.

    We reaffirm our commitment to support the FATF and FATF-Style Regional Bodies in overseeing the implementation of the FATF Standards to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing across the Global Network. In particular, we reiterate the importance of stepping up global efforts to combat the misuse of legal entities, to foster increased asset recovery, to enhance payments transparency, and to promote innovation in the virtual assets sector, while mitigating illicit finance involving virtual assets. We also support FATFs ongoing work on emerging technologies and associated risks including from DeFi arrangements, stablecoins, and peer-to-peer transactions.

    We reaffirm our commitment to financial inclusion and to promoting access to financial services for individuals and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). We welcome insights from the Presidency’s Priority Paper on “Moving from Access to Usage,” which offers innovative approaches to enhance the use of financial services across payments, savings, credit, insurance, and remittances. We support the ongoing implementation of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion Action Plan for MSME Financing. We also welcome the deliverable to explore the role of new and innovative technologies in enhancing the quality of financial inclusion for individuals and MSMEs.

    International Taxation

    We will continue engaging constructively to address concerns regarding Pillar Two global minimum taxes, with the shared goal of finding a balanced and practical solution that is acceptable for all. Delivery of a solution will  need to include a commitment to ensure any substantial risks that may be identified with respect to the level playing field, including a discussion of the fair treatment of substance-based tax incentives, and risks of base erosion and profit shifting, are addressed and will facilitate further progress to stabilise the international tax system, including a constructive dialogue on the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy. These efforts will be advanced in close cooperation across the membership of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework (IF), preserving the tax sovereignty of all countries. We look forward to the OECD and Global Forum stock take report on tax transparency; the IF stock take report on BEPS; the OECD report on the exchange of real estate information on a voluntary basis to combat tax evasion and avoidance; the Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) report on the progress in strengthening capacity-building frameworks to enhance technical assistance; and the IMF report on strengthening revenue administrations to improve domestic revenue mobilisation (DRM). We welcome the announcement of the PCT to hold the Tax and Development Conference, with a focus on DRM, in Tokyo next year.

    Recalling the G20 Rio de Janeiro Ministerial declaration on International Tax Cooperation, we welcome the IF’s decision to adopt a phased, evidence-based approach to explore global mobility and understand the interaction between tax policy, inequality and growth. We also welcome discussions to enhance the effectiveness and inclusivity of the IF. We note the ongoing negotiations to establish a United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation and the participating G20 members reaffirm the objectives to reach broad consensus and build on existing achievements, processes and on the ongoing work of other international organisations, while seeking to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts.

    Joint Finance Health Task Force

    The Joint Finance-Health Task Force (JFHTF) remains committed to strengthened finance and health co-ordination in relation to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR). We emphasise the importance of efficient and effective health spending and domestic resource mobilisation, given the current reductions in donor assistance, as well as the need for better coordination and alignment of external and domestic funding flows. We note the preliminary insights of the updated versions of the Global Report on the Framework for Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) and of the Operational Playbook for response financing. We also note the Simulation exercises on pandemic response financing undertaken by finance and health officials and look forward to further exercises. We note the independent Joint Finance Health Task Force stocktake report, note the focused reconvening of the High-Level Independent Panel, and will continue to work with the Pandemic Fund and other global health funds that catalyse international and domestic investment actions to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and responses.

    We note the outcome of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain, and the renewed commitment by participating countries to support developing countries in achieving their development objectives.

    We acknowledge the upcoming COP30 in Belém and note participating countries’ engagement within the COP30 Circle of Finance Ministers.

    We concluded our first cycle of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings on the vibrant continent of Africa, joining the people of South Africa in celebrating Nelson Mandela Day. Our discussions over the past two days centred on creating a better world, embodying the spirit of Mandela’s values. We look forward to our next meeting in October 2025 in Washington, D.C.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lawrence County Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Targeting Missouri Lottery

    Source: US FBI

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mt. Vernon, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy that targeted the Missouri Lottery Commission and an area gas station.

    Amy Young, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

    According to the plea agreement, Young conspired with others to employ a scheme to purchase Missouri lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards and credit card numbers at a Joplin, Mo., Phillips 66 Fuel Station.

    Young and her co-conspirators made $62,082.50 in fraudulent transactions at the gas station in July and August of 2022. These transactions included the purchase of Missouri Lottery tickets. The perpetrators would send other individuals to collect any cash prizes associated with the tickets. The group fraudulently claimed $54,248 in cash prizes from the Missouri Lottery Commission. The fraudulent cash prizes and credit card transactions totaled $116,330.50.

    Young’s co-defendant, Larry Duane Green, 56, of Mt. Vernon, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on April 15, 2024, and is pending sentencing.

    Under federal statutes, Young and Green are subject to sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Subsidising e-bikes instead of cars could really kick the electric vehicle transition into high gear

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Noel Flay Cass, Research Fellow in Energy Demand Behaviour, University of Leeds

    If you’re thinking of buying a new electric car worth up to £37,000, the UK government has offered to knock up to £3,750 off the price. The measure adds up to £650 million in grants for people to buy EVs (electric vehicles), but as a researcher who studies transport policy and climate change, I think this money would be better spent subsidising e-bikes.

    Numerous questions surround the new government policy. Might people who can afford a new car buy one anyway, without the 10% discount? Might car dealers simply reduce the discounts they offer by a similar amount? Given the 20% VAT on an EV, doesn’t a sale actually result in a 200% immediate return for the government? And isn’t this mainly a bung to car manufacturers and company fleets?

    The grants come on top of financial assistance for replacing cars, vans, taxis and motorbikes with electric options, announced in February – £120 million in total, including £500 grants for e-motorbikes. But almost no subsidies are available for two-wheeled, pedal-assisted EVs: e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.

    The main financial help for buying e-bikes is the cycle to work salary-sacrifice scheme. The employer buys the bike and then instalments are deducted from a participant’s pay before tax, but the scheme’s eligibility is limited to employees on standard payroll tax (PAYE workers) whose sacrifices don’t drop their pay below minimum wage.

    This also excludes those who are out of work, the low-paid, the self-employed and retired, arguably people who might benefit most from an e-bike.

    Benefits beyond carbon savings

    We know that e-bike owners replace lots of trips and miles driven by cars. We also know the upfront cost of around £2,000-£3,000 is a barrier to more people owning one, despite e-bikes being much cheaper than cars.

    Estimates of annual carbon savings from e-bikers avoiding car trips vary, from as little as 87kg CO₂ in a 2016 study to 394kg in research published the following year. Estimates published in 2020 and 2023 put the annual climate dividend at 225kg and 168kg of CO₂ respectively – roughly in line with emissions for one person making a return short-haul flight.

    E-bikes provide extra propulsion to make long or arduous journeys easier for more riders.
    Umomos/Shutterstock

    These might seem small savings compared to the tonnes of CO₂ that an EV can save. However, e-bike incentives would have two big advantages.

    First, policies that encourage active travel, including cycling, have been assessed by the government multiple times to determine the payoff from investment. It turns out that they have huge benefit to cost ratios – 9:1 on average (internationally it’s 6:1).

    Conservatively, policies to encourage cycling pay back £5.50 in social benefits for every £1 invested. These benefits are largely savings for the healthcare system. In a project I worked on, in which we lent e-cargo bikes for free to 49 households in Leeds, Brighton and Oxford for several months, e-cargo bike users cycled up to three times more than non-users in our surveys.

    E-cargo bike borrowers also reported mental-health benefits on top of satisfaction at being able to combine fitness with functional everyday trips, which were longer than they would attempt on a conventional bike. The cargo bikes especially helped with combining trips – commutes with shopping and school runs, for instance – meaning that more than 50% of trips and miles replaced car usage.

    Precious cargo.
    R.Classen/Shutterstock

    Second, e-bike incentives can be designed to appeal especially to the lower-paid, who have been found to use their e-bikes more than wealthier buyers, which would also replace more car trips. The highest of a sliding scale of means-tested incentives in a Canadian study attracted poorer first-time e-bike buyers with existing high car-use.

    This reaped average annual carbon savings of 1,456kg for those in receipt of the maximum CAN$1,600 (£868). As the authors suggest, these incentives may have helped low-income households realise their preferences for less dependence on cars.

    E-bike grants could get more people out of cars

    But how many drivers want to drive less? According to research that groups people into camps based on travel preferences, up to 50% of travellers in the UK are “malcontented motorists” and “active aspirers” (to travel differently).

    Research has shown great potential for wider e-bike ridership.
    Halfpoint/Shutterstock

    Our research also found that guilt, or trying to minimise car use, was a major motivator for nearly all of our participants. While the government has funded free e-(cargo) bike trials like ours, the main cycling organisations we talked to pointed out that use would “fall off a cliff” when the trial ends because of the cost barrier. Those who would struggle to buy one were back in the same position as before.

    A government evaluation of free e-bike loans concluded they were poor value for money, but it tracked purchases made soon after with a tiny response rate. Our project followed up after a year and found 20% of our borrowers had bought an e-cargo bike. Trial loans and grants together might achieve even more.

    The new EV grant money could provide nearly 750,000 e-bike or e-cargo bike purchase-incentives the size of the Canadian ones, which could lead to annual carbon savings of 1.125 million tonnes of CO₂, according to the weekly average savings they found in that group.

    Given the conservative benefit to cost ratio of 5.5:1 from such a UK scheme, this investment could also reap more than £3.6 billion in social benefits – especially from a fitter car-dependent population. There would potentially be a massive boost to the struggling UK e-bike and e-cargo bike market as well.

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    Noel Flay Cass receives funding from UK Research & Innovation grant EP/S030700/1 through the Elevate project: (Innovative Light ELEctric Vehicles for Active and Digital TravEl).

    – ref. Subsidising e-bikes instead of cars could really kick the electric vehicle transition into high gear – https://theconversation.com/subsidising-e-bikes-instead-of-cars-could-really-kick-the-electric-vehicle-transition-into-high-gear-261429

    MIL OSI –