NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: Watertown Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor within the Lake Traverse Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Gokoh Frank Brown, age 29, from Watertown, South Dakota, of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 21, 2025.

    The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release.

    Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. 

    From January 2023 to August 2023, Brown sexually assaulted a 12–13-year-old girl while living in Red Iron Housing on the Lake Traverse Reservation. Brown was 26-27 years old at the time.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Law Enforcement, and the DCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

    A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has been set for August 18, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Center Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in a Black-Market Travel Agent Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Reginae Calhoun of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from at least April 2024 to June 2024, Reginae Calhoun, 23, operated as a black-market travel agent.  She  purchased credit card information—including name, address, card numbers, expiration date, and CV2 code—of approximately 216 different victims on the dark web, which she used to book hotel rooms and rental cars for others.  Calhoun’s customers paid her a fraction of the actual booking costs through peer-to-peer payment applications or in cash.

    According to court documents, on June 2, 2024, Calhoun attempted to purchase airline tickets by using several different credit cards until the purchase was successful.  Due to the several attempts, the airline reported suspected credit card fraud to the airport police.  Airport police confirmed with the credit card owners that Calhoun was not authorized to use their cards.

    “The ingenuity of Minnesota’s fraudsters seems to know no bounds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “Calhoun stole hundreds of victim identities and used them to conduct a black-market travel agent fraud scheme—stealing from others to enrich herself. She will now be held accountable in federal court.”     

    “Criminals who turn to the dark web to buy and sell stolen information are part of a growing threat to our digital security,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This defendant built a business by exploiting the stolen identities and financial information of over 200 of innocent victims. The anonymity of the internet does not protect offenders from detection. The FBI and our partners will continue to find and expose these schemes and hold offenders accountable.”

    Calhoun pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the MSP Airport Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shakopee Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Yancy Hall of Shakopee, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 144 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, in October 2023, a search warrant was executed at Hall’s two apartments and vehicle. The execution of the search warrant resulted in the seizure of three guns, over $75,000 in cash, and a large amount of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

    In August 2024, Hall, while dealing drugs near a mosque, got into an argument with a mosque congregant who had just left prayer services. Hall escalated the argument by shooting the congregant multiple times, as well as at another mosque congregant. Though Hall fled the scene, he was quickly apprehended by law enforcement.

    “Everyone in Minnesota deserves the ability to practice their religion, free from violence and threats of violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “The attack by Hall on two congregants was vicious, violent, and unacceptable.  I appreciate the hard work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department in bringing Hall to justice.”  

    On January 2, 2025, Hall pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and one count of felon in possession. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty. 

    This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts South Boston Man on Drug and Gun Charges

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

    ROANOKE, Va. – A federal jury sitting in Roanoke convicted a man from South Boston, Virginia, yesterday of federal drug and gun charges.

    Following a two-day trial, the jury found Richard Elijah Jacobs, 27, guilty of possessing cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

    According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 3, 2024, police received a report that two men brandished guns from a newer white Jaguar in downtown South Boston.  An officer saw the Jaguar park in a shopping center, and he approached as Jacobs exited the driver’s side of the car.  Meanwhile, the passenger, James Alexander Hiett, evaded the officer and quickly walked away.  Hiett was later identified by store surveillance cameras.

    Other officers arrived on scene and spotted a gun protruding from the backseat of the car, prompting them to search it.  Ultimately, officers found three loaded guns: a Glock 21 pistol with a 40-round drum magazine beneath the driver’s floormat; a Radical Firearms RF-15 pistol behind the driver’s seat; and a Glock 19 pistol under the passenger seat.  The Glock 21 and RF-15 pistols were equipped with machinegun conversion devices that allowed for fully automatic fire.

    Inside the Jaguar’s trunk, officers also found thousands of dollars’ worth of cocaine powder, cocaine base, and marijuana, as well as paraphernalia for packaging and selling the drugs.

    Hiett previously pled guilty to related charges and was sentenced to 33 months in prison. 

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The South Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Drew Inman and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case for the United States. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Charged in $227M Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    WASHINGTON — An Illinois man and a foreign national were arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to their alleged submission of more than $227 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

    According to court documents, Syed Murtuza Kablazada, 34, of Arlington Heights, and Syed Mehdi Hussain, 32, of Carol Stream, owned and operated purported medical laboratories that submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for the reimbursement of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits allegedly provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The defendants allegedly installed foreign nationals to act as nominee owners at the laboratories to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for the provision of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits, with the understanding the nominee owners would flee the United States when they learned that their laboratory was under investigation.

    “As alleged, the defendants used straw owners at multiple laboratories to cause the submission of more than $200 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Health care fraud harms Americans by squandering taxpayer money and diverting limited resources from those who need them most. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to hold fraudsters accountable, protect victims, and recover financial losses.”

    “The overwhelming fraud uncovered in this investigation details a blatant disregard for America’s critical health care program, Medicare, and puts all patients at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not tolerate anyone who abuses the health care system for personal gain and will aggressively pursue justice on behalf of both patients and taxpayers.”

    As alleged in the indictment, the defendants rarely provided Covid-19 test kits to Medicare beneficiaries but instead submitted reimbursement claims on behalf of beneficiaries who had not requested COVID-19 test kits, including individuals who were deceased. Further, the defendants allegedly paid a marketing company to provide the names of hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries that the defendants used to submit fraudulent claims. In total, between September 2022 and June 2023, the defendants’ labs billed Medicare approximately $227 million in fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $136 million in reimbursements.

    Kablazada and Hussain are both charged by indictment with four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the four counts.

    The FBI Chicago Field Office and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic for the Northern District of Illinois.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: US structural heart occlusion market sees early 2025 growth amid trade uncertainty, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    US structural heart occlusion market sees early 2025 growth amid trade uncertainty, says GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    The US Structural Heart Occlusion (SHO) market posted a notable 39% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1 2025, amid heightened trade policy uncertainty following President Donald Trump’s re-election and the swift introduction of new tariff measures in early 2025, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Trump’s new tariff regime includes a 10% global baseline and a “reciprocal” tariff framework that has unsettled global trade norms. With broad tariffs on strategic sectors and a 90-day pause on some reciprocal tariffs, businesses and healthcare providers are facing a shifting economic landscape.

    According to data from GlobalData’s panel of medical facilities, March 2025 revenue growth in the SHO market grew over 50% compared to March 2024, signaling a late-quarter surge in demand.

    Thomas Fleming, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The surge in growth may be less about increased patient demand and more about precautionary stockpiling. Hospitals appear to be accelerating procurement of high-value medical devices—such as those used for structural heart occlusion—in anticipation of rising costs and supply disruptions. This response reflects growing concerns about the sustainability of supply chains and the potential financial impact of extended tariff enforcement.”

    Fleming continues: “Historically, the US has held a leadership role in the global SHO market, driven by high incidence rates of structural heart conditions and robust innovation in cardiac care. However, the current environment marks a sharp contrast with previous expectations of stable, predictable growth. With global supply chains in flux and trade negotiations still unsettled, market stakeholders are left navigating increased risk.”

    Fleming concludes: “While Q1’s growth may appear encouraging at first glance, it underscores the reactive measures health systems are taking in an uncertain policy environment. The long-term effects of these tariffs on device pricing, research investments, and patient outcomes remain to be seen, leaving the sector in a state of cautious watchfulness.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Global space economy market to surpass $511 billion in 2029, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Global space economy market to surpass $511 billion in 2029, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Strategic Intelligence

    The global space economy market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.0% from $421.0 billion in 2024 to $511.2 billion in 2029, driven by an increase in the deployment of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, productivity improvements in satellite equipment manufacturing, the competitive launch services landscape, and demand for services around data communications, navigation, and Earth observation. according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest Strategic Intelligence report, “The Space Economy” reveals that space applications, which include satellite communications, navigation, and Earth observation, is the largest segment of the space economy and will grow at a CAGR of 2.9% to reach $334.8 billion by 2029.

    Falling manufacturing and launch costs, non-Western companies’ entrance into the space economy market, increased space militarization, and new uses for data from space are the other growth drivers of the space economy.

    William Rojas, Research Director, Strategic Intelligence at GlobalData, comments: “Different scenarios indicate different growth rates for the space economy market over the coming decade. Issues that may restrict growth include a continuation of the currently challenging global economic environment, Russia’s permanent exit from the space economy, and whether Chinese companies can fulfill the country’s space ambitions. The uncertain financial viability of young satellite and rocket companies and the market’s low return on investment in the short term, combined with the current global economic environment, could lead to a pause in investor confidence in the space economy beyond 2025.”

    Future market growth will also depend on the development of reusable rockets and more affordable and frequent ride-sharing services that will increase payload slots on launch missions. The space tourism and colonization subsectors are unlikely to significantly contribute to the overall space economy market until after 2030.

    Rojas adds: “Space is no longer the sole domain of governments and incumbent aerospace and defense companies. Technological advances in manufacturing, propulsion, and the launch of rockets have made it much easier and less expensive to venture into space. Those businesses that pursued emerging opportunities have gained a first-mover advantage. SpaceX was the first private company to launch a spacecraft into orbit and return it safely to Earth. Currently, it charges clients $69.5 million per launch of the Falcon 9, its partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle.”

    The sector has become incredibly competitive, with various start-ups developing concepts for cost-effective rockets and satellites to rival the aerospace giants. The large satellite groups continue to consolidate to compete with Starlink and the future Amazon Kuiper mega-constellations. Eutelsat and OneWeb merged in 2022, Viasat acquired Inmarsat in 2023, and SES acquired Intelsat in 2024. This market consolidation will continue.

    Rojas continues: ”Satellite broadband communications has become the new strategic imperative impacting national sovereignty, national security, and national digital infrastructure. Countries lagging in terrestrial broadband residential and enterprise infrastructure can use satellite broadband to help fill the gap with advanced countries and attract more foreign direct investment and the digitalization of industry sectors.”

    Technological advancements, such as spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for detailed surface mapping and satellite-to-ground optical (laser) technology for ultra-high-speed data transmission, 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), and satellite device-to-device technology, will enhance remote sensing and communications capabilities. Quantum key distribution (QKD) for satellite communications could boost data transmission security for banks, data center companies, government data centers, and corporate data centers. These technologies will all benefit the space economy in 2025.

    Rojas concludes: “The space economy has been intertwined with the oil and gas and mining sector for several decades already, and now with the falling communications costs of satellite broadband combined with new technologies, many sectors from agriculture to maritime to emergency and disaster response to media will benefit from the pervasiveness of satellite coverage as well as the new capacity that is coming online, reflecting an increase of over 65X between 2015 and 2025.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple products transform care at Emory Healthcare

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple products transform care at Emory Healthcare

    May 22, 2025

    UPDATE

    Apple products transform care at Emory Healthcare

    At Emory Hillandale Hospital, Apple’s ecosystem of products — powered by the suite of Epic healthcare apps — is elevating care delivery and the patient experience

    At Emory Hillandale Hospital in Lithonia, Georgia, Apple products are now the standard, marking a first-of-its-kind technology transformation for clinicians and patients. Propelled by the availability of Epic Systems on Mac, Emory Healthcare has introduced Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch across Emory Hillandale Hospital, enabling clinicians to work more efficiently and stay connected with their teams, from anywhere.

    “We’re not just changing technology, we’re changing a culture,” says Ravi I. Thadhani, MD, MPH, executive vice president for health affairs of Emory University and executive director of Emory’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center. “Emory Healthcare is redefining both the patient and clinician experiences with a more efficient and intuitive technology-driven process.”

    Apple products like iPhone and iPad have unlocked new levels of mobility, efficiency, and collaboration for clinicians, leading to better patient experiences and satisfaction. The introduction of Mac across Emory Hillandale Hospital replaces its legacy devices and marks an entirely new chapter for the healthcare industry.

    “As clinicians, we join the field with a deep commitment to serving those in need,” says Vikram Narayan, MD, assistant professor of urology at Emory University and a urologic oncologist at Emory Healthcare. “But the reality of healthcare delivery is inherently complex and multifaceted. Across the industry as a whole, the administrative burden, combined with a shrinking workforce, is resulting in an uptick in burnout of frontline workers.”

    “By integrating Epic on Mac across Emory Hillandale Hospital, we are showing the world how best to embrace technology to improve workflow for clinicians so they can continue to put patients first,” says Dr. Thadhani.

    To alleviate some of that administrative burden, laptops and desktop computers across the 100-bed hospital have been replaced with Mac computers running Epic. Nursing stations are equipped with iMac and Mac mini, and physicians are able to manage patient care journeys from wherever they are thanks to the portability of MacBook Air.

    Care teams are able to access patient-specific data — such as allergies, precautions, and other relevant information — using a magnetically attached iPad outside of each patient room. This helps improve communication and coordination between care teams as information shown on iPad updates in real time. Additionally, every nurse and physician is issued their own iPhone to stay connected, and physicians are using Apple Watch to more quickly respond to patient needs as they arise. For example, critical lab result notifications from Epic’s Limerick app can be viewed in real time directly on their wrist.

    “I can stay up to date with my patients in a way that wasn’t possible before,” says Rashida La Barrie, MD, a hospitalist and medical director of utilization review at Emory Hillandale Hospital. Being able to transition between iPhone and Apple Watch to receive notifications has helped Dr. La Barrie stay connected no matter where she is, ultimately leading to better care for her patients. “Healthcare has historically been slow to adopt technology, which I think is such a mistake. We can use technology to provide better and more efficient care, especially now, for our patients.”

    Prior to the Emory Hillandale deployment, Emory conducted a proof of concept program at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital. After deploying iMac, MacBook, and iPhone for shared use by registered nurses and clinicians, care team satisfaction surged, and nurse retention has remained strong. Nurses and clinicians cited improvements like faster login time with Apple devices, ease of documentation, and less eyestrain with the iMac high-resolution Retina display. Additional documentation efficiency research, led by Emory’s Dr. Narayan, found that combining Apple technology with Epic and Abridge ambient documentation saves him an average of two hours a day compared to legacy systems.

    Additionally, Apple devices help enhance the inpatient experience with the MyChart Bedside app on iPad. Each patient bed is equipped with an iPad so patients can have easy access to their medical records, view their care plans, order meals, and communicate with their care teams, allowing them to stay engaged with their health.

    “The technology we’re utilizing today at Emory Hillandale has improved the workflows for our nursing staff as a whole,” says Edna Brisco, MSN, RN, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Emory Hillandale Hospital. “Mac lets the nurses move through their day more swiftly, while iPad brings important health information to our patients’ fingertips. It’s a game changer for how we provide care.”

    Emory Healthcare — and healthcare systems in general — host some of the most private and personal data, whether it’s health records or a patient’s personal information. Around the world, hospitals are facing increased cybersecurity threats that could put their staff and patients at risk.

    Apple products are designed with privacy and security at their core, working to keep healthcare organizations’ and their patients’ data safe.

    Looking ahead, Emory Healthcare and Epic are exploring new ways to innovate patient care and support with Apple devices. Clinicians are also testing new technology like Apple Vision Pro in their surgical planning and research, paving the way for the next phase of care.

    “I want to be involved in everything related to this transformation,” says Dr. La Barrie. “I think this is the future of healthcare, and as healthcare providers, we should always be looking toward the horizon.”

    Press Contacts

    Zaina Khachadourian

    Apple

    zkhachadourian@apple.com

    Andrea Schubert

    Apple

    a_schubert@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa’s oceans – how to resolve them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood, Lecturer in Sustainable Futures, University of St Andrews

    Africa has 38 coastal and island nations. Their maritime industries – including energy, tourism, maritime transport, shipping and fishing – play a crucial role in developing these nations.

    Key to harnessing these resources are Africa’s maritime boundaries – lines on a map showing the legal divisions of the ocean between neighbouring coastal states.

    Some of these boundaries were created by colonial powers and kept after independence. Their purpose was to achieve territorial security and ensure the exclusive exploitation of resources and to maintain navigational freedom.

    But Africa’s maritime boundaries sometimes lead to conflict, prevent cooperation on resource management and create room for maritime crimes, like illegal fishing. This is because they are often contested. Countries have overlapping claims and varying interests in resource exploration. This is common in maritime areas rich in oil, gas and fisheries, and deep seabed resources.

    In our recent paper we found that using international law to resolve maritime boundaries does not always bring peace, especially when it results in ceding the disputed area to one party. It can result in animosity between countries and breed room for continued distrust among peoples.

    Today, Africa has the most unresolved maritime boundary disputes in the world and the lowest number of settled boundary disputes.

    As more ocean resources are discovered, climate change may heighten disputes. Rising sea levels can gradually submerge maritime zones, potentially affecting the baselines from which these zones are measured. This could create uncertainty or trigger new conflicts.

    In our paper, we suggest a collaborative approach to resolving maritime disputes. We hope that this will help prevent many African countries from missing out on the benefits of their oceans.

    Price of disputed boundaries

    Disagreements over maritime boundaries can have many negative effects.

    Research has shown that criminal activities tend to increase in disputed maritime boundaries. For instance, illegal fishers are aware that because there is dispute over a border, there will also be enforcement gaps.

    Countries in dispute will also not work together and will not be sending patrols to contested areas. For instance, in 2016, a Chinese vessel escaped into Sierra Leone to avoid capture. When Guinean naval forces boarded the vessel for enforcement, there was an exchange of fire and 11 Guineans were detained by Sierra Leone.

    When boundaries are disputed, it also means that local fishers are likely to encroach into neighbouring waters, often unknowingly, in search of better catches. Given the significance of fisheries to coastal livelihoods and the extent of depletion, this threatens peace and security. It fuels tension between communities and countries over access to dwindling resources.

    Disagreements over maritime boundaries also diminish maritime security cooperation, complicate joint patrols, and divert attention from tackling shared threats such as piracy.

    Colonialism never ended

    Unfortunately, resolving maritime boundary disputes is complicated by a principle in international law known as uti possidetis juris – “as you possess under law”.

    The principle says that when countries argue over borders, international law, built around colonial-era boundaries, is used to decide who gets what. This creates a “winner-takes-all” approach – one side gains control over the disputed area and resources. International courts, like the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, follow the provisions of law reinforcing uti possidetis.

    Our examination of maritime boundary disputes in west and central Africa found that the principle of uti possidetis juris had failed to alleviate maritime boundary tensions. In some cases, it has exacerbated them.

    One example is a maritime dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria decided in 2002. The dispute was over who had control of Bakassi, an oil-rich region, and its maritime frontier.

    The uti possidetis juris principle upheld the lines drawn at the time of Nigeria’s independence and resulted in the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon. The impact of the resolution lingers. To date, thousands of displaced Bakassi people that returned to Nigeria have yet to be resettled and reintegrated. Disputes also continue between fishers from Nigeria and Cameroonian law enforcement agents. In extreme cases, it results in death, like the alleged killing of 97 Nigerian fishers by Cameroonian marine police.

    The way forward

    In our paper, we recommend that courts, tribunals or disputing countries consider joint management agreements to resolve maritime disputes. Under such agreements, countries share and manage disputed maritime resources.

    These agreements will allow for the joint management of shared resources. It will also encourage cooperation and collaboration in other areas, such as joint operations to combat illegal fishing and piracy. While international courts may apply uti possidetis juris as required by law, countries should be encouraged to negotiate special arrangements – such as joint development agreements – as part of the resolution process. Especially in cases where livelihoods and longstanding community ties risk being disrupted by unilateral decisions or the ceding of disputed areas to one party.

    While not perfect, this approach has already improved cooperation on security and resource use at sea. It has worked in places like Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire also have a joint management framework in place for their shared boundaries to avoid future disputes.

    Prolonged boundary disputes only enable criminal actors to exploit Africa’s resources, undermining collective progress. A shift towards collaborative solutions is essential for achieving a sustainable and prosperous future for the continent.

    Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood receives funding from the PEW Charitable Trust and the Research Council of Norway. The St Andrews Research Internship Scheme (StARIS) supported the initial peer-reviewed research.

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

    – ref. Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa’s oceans – how to resolve them – https://theconversation.com/colonial-era-borders-create-conflict-in-africas-oceans-how-to-resolve-them-248577

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Vaccines: why these young Africans are hesitant about them and what might change their minds

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun, Research associate, University of the Western Cape

    Vaccines have proved to be one of the most effective tools in fighting infectious diseases, but convincing people to get vaccinated can be tough. Especially young people.

    During the global COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020, many countries reported high levels of vaccine hesitancy among younger population groups. Negative healthcare experiences and general distrust of government have cultivated vaccine hesitancy across Africa. Misleading information about vaccine side-effects on social media adds to this challenge.

    This hesitancy continues today. A 2024 study on adolescents and young adults (aged 10 to 35) in sub-Saharan Africa found a vaccine acceptance rate of just 38.7%.

    These concerns were echoed in a recent study we carried out among 165 young adults in Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, looking at attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine. We wanted to know what could be done to help improve future vaccine acceptance, inform campaigns and prepare for future public health responses.

    Participants were hesitant to be vaccinated, for various reasons, and suggested what policymakers could do to improve vaccine uptake.

    Understanding young people’s perspectives on vaccine hesitancy and what can be done to address this is crucial for improving vaccine acceptance in the future.

    What young adults told us

    Our research gathered data through focus groups and interviews.

    The participants described a fear of injections, uncertainty about side effects, distrust in healthcare systems and rude healthcare workers.

    Some participants were worried about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly how it might affect those with pre-existing health conditions.

    Many believed that the vaccine was developed too quickly without sufficient testing and a lack of accessible information.

    Many expressed a strong fear of needles. A young South African woman aged 19 commented:

    I am afraid of injections, so for me, it would be better if there was something that could be taken orally, something you can drink.

    Getting over the hurdle

    We found young people often felt left out of vaccine conversations. They wanted to be part of the solution and make informed choices but needed the right tools and support to do so.

    Participants suggested practical ideas to help boost vaccine acceptance among their peers.

    Several highlighted the importance of assessing individual health status before administering vaccines, to avoid adverse interactions with existing medical conditions and treatments. They believed that situations where vaccines were mistakenly blamed for pre-existing illnesses or ongoing treatments could be avoided.

    Participants suggested innovative strategies to make vaccines more accessibile. Mobile vaccination sites and community-based outreach programmes were some of the suggestions.

    They must introduce mobile clinics, so that people don’t find themselves having to travel long distances to vaccinate. – 18-year-old male, South Africa

    Young people also suggested household visits to people who were immobile because of age, illness or disability.

    Many advocated for non-injectable vaccine options, such as oral medications or microneedle patches, which could improve accessibility and reduce anxiety.

    The oral polio vaccine, which has been widely used in global polio eradication efforts, is an example of a non-injectable vaccine.

    COVID-19 microneedle patch prototypes are being explored for clinical testing.

    The youth urged public figures, including politicians, celebrities and influencers, to publicly endorse the vaccine.

    It would be nice if the president could be shown on television receiving a vaccine so that we can see for ourselves whether he is given the same thing that everyone else receives. – 20-year-old male, South Africa

    More engaging videos, interactive interviews and testimonials from vaccinated individuals could be shared across social media platforms.

    The young people also emphasised the importance of comprehensive training for healthcare providers. They highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to provide respectful and empathetic care. They suggested that, by fostering respectful communication, healthcare providers could create a more welcoming and comfortable environment for their clients.

    In addition, providing vaccine education in schools could educate pupils so that they could make decisions on their own.

    Way forward

    Engaging young people as active participants in shaping public health strategies can help increase vaccine acceptance and ensure a healthier future for all.

    We believe that our findings can be applied in two ways.

    First, to inform the design of tailored interventions that better resonate with young people’s desires and needs, paving the way for increased vaccine uptake and acceptability.

    Second, to highlight areas where young people may need further information and engagement, to better understand some of the broader issues and why some of their recommendations might not be feasible in the short or longer term.

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

    – ref. Vaccines: why these young Africans are hesitant about them and what might change their minds – https://theconversation.com/vaccines-why-these-young-africans-are-hesitant-about-them-and-what-might-change-their-minds-249629

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Committee Corridor, Episode 3 out now 🎧

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    New episode out now!
    In the 3rd episode of Committee Corridor Season 5, EAC Chair @toby-perkins-mp leads the conversation on aviation, airport expansion, and the impact on the UK’s net zero goals

    If you’re into climate policy, transport, or Parliament’s role in shaping a greener future, this one’s for you.

    Listen wherever you get your podcasts

    #CommitteeCorridor #HouseofCommons #Aviation #Sustainability #UKPolitics #SelectCommittees

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMbi50YxzAo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alford Applauds House Passage of Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    Alford Applauds House Passage of Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Washington, May 22, 2025

    Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) released the following statement after House Republicans passed the One Big, Beautiful Bill:

    Watch Congressman Alford’s remarks on the House floor in support of the legislation here or by clicking the image above.

    “Under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans are one step closer to enacting the generational change demanded by the American people,” said Congressman Alford. “The One Big, Beautiful Bill will reset the direction of our great nation on behalf of hardworking Americans—not bureaucrats, special interests, or illegal immigrants. Republicans are taking bold action because the moment demands it. This bill is a win for the Fourth District, Missouri, and all of America. It’s a shame every single House Democrat voted for the largest tax increase in American history, open borders, and an uncertain financial future for Medicaid.”

    Background:

    Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill:

    • Stops the largest tax increase in American history, while ending taxes on tips and overtime and providing relief for seniors—allowing hardworking Missourians to keep more of their hard-earned money.
    • Strengthens Medicaid for those who need it most by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse, removing more than a million illegal immigrants from the program, and ensuring able bodied adults with no dependents are pursuing work.
    • Permanently securing our southern border with funding for wall construction, new border agents, and additional security measures.
    • Strengthens and restores the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure it is a temporary life vest for the needy—not a lifestyle.
    • Modernizes air traffic control, making our skies safer and air travel more efficient.
    • Boosts defense funding to ensure the U.S. military remains the most lethal on earth.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns Republican Tax Scam Slashing Social SafetyNet, Harming Illinois Chicago Families; Introduces Amendments to Protect Constituents

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01) fiercely denounced the Republican budget proposals that prioritize massive tax giveaways for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, funded by devastating cuts to essential social safety net programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Medicare. These cuts would directly harm hundreds of thousands of residents in Illinois’ First Congressional District and the City of Chicago.

    “The Republican budget is a morally bankrupt document that seeks to balance the books on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens – our children, our seniors, and our working families. To propose a tax scam that lavishes benefits on the ultra-rich while snatching food from hungry mouths and denying essential healthcare to those in need is an outrage,” said Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson. “In the First District and across Chicago, these are not abstract numbers; these are our neighbors, our grandparents, and the children in our communities. I grew up understanding the importance of a strong community and a supportive safety net. Gutting SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare is a direct assault on the well-being of the people I represent and a betrayal of our nation’s values. I will fight these catastrophic cuts every step of the way.”

    In a direct effort to shield his constituents and vulnerable Americans from the most damaging aspects of these proposals, Congressman Jackson introduced three amendments to the bill. Notably, his Amendment #31 sought to prevent Republicans from raising the age of work requirements to receive SNAP benefits, a change that would disproportionately harm older workers and those nearing retirement.

    The Republican budget outlines draconian cuts that would have severe consequences:

    • Slashing SNAP: The plan calls for a $300 billion cut to SNAP nationally, which would strip food assistance from millions.
      • Impact on IL-01 & Chicago: In Illinois’ First Congressional District, 139,900 households, representing 233,900 people, relied on SNAP as of March 2024. These families, including many children and seniors, would face increased hunger and hardship. Across Cook County, hundreds of thousands more depend on this vital program to put food on the table. Proposed changes, such as increasing work requirement ages, which Congressman Jackson fought against, would exacerbate this crisis.
    • Devastating Medicaid: Proposed cuts to Medicaid range from $715 billion to over $880 billion nationally, potentially forcing millions to lose their health coverage, including essential long-term care for seniors.
      • Impact on IL-01 & Chicago: As of October 2023, 321,000 individuals in the First District were enrolled in Medicaid. In Cook County, approximately 154,719 seniors (aged 60+) rely on Medicaid (May 2024 data), many for nursing home care and in-home support. These proposed cuts threaten their access to critical medical services.
    • Undermining Medicare: Republican tax plans could trigger automatic cuts to Medicare exceeding $500 billion nationally due to PAYGO rules, jeopardizing the healthcare security of seniors who have paid into this program their entire working lives.
      • Impact on IL-01 & Chicago: In Illinois’ First Congressional District alone, 120,682 residents are Medicare beneficiaries (December 2023). Across Cook County, 729,299 individuals rely on Medicare (May 2024). These cuts could mean higher out-of-pocket costs and reduced access to doctors and treatments for our seniors.

    These proposed cuts are not about fiscal responsibility; they are about funding tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% and large corporations at the expense of everyday Americans. Cutting these essential programs will lead to increased poverty, worse health outcomes, and greater economic instability for families in Chicago and across the country. 

    Congressman Jackson stands firmly against this Republican Tax Scam and calls on his colleagues to reject these cruel and counterproductive measures. He remains committed to protecting and strengthening the social safety net that provides a lifeline for so many, ensuring that every resident of the First District has the opportunity to live with dignity and security.
     

    ####

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Opposes House Republican Bill That Slashes Health Care and Essential Services for New Mexicans

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) voted against the House Republican reconciliation package, titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” citing its devastating impact on working families, rural communities, and public health in New Mexico. The bill imposes deep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and rural hospitals, while handing permanent tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.

    “This bill takes food and health care away from our families so the ultra-wealthy can get another tax cut,” said Vasquez. “In my district, it would rip away Medicaid from 29,000 people, slash food assistance for nearly 50,000 families, and put rural hospitals on the brink of closure. I came to Congress to fight for working people—not to help Elon Musk and his billionaire friends get richer.”

    The reconciliation package would:

    • Cut $698 billion from Medicaid, threatening care for over 35,000 New Mexicans.
    • Eliminate enhanced ACA tax credits, raising premiums and risking coverage loss for thousands.
    • Slash $267 billion from SNAP, cutting benefits for 120,000 New Mexicans—including 49,000 in NM-02—and costing New Mexico  $270 million.
    • Puts rural hospitals in New Mexico at risk of closure.
    • Add $3.8 trillion to the deficit while delivering 66% of tax breaks to the top 20% of earners.

    While Republicans push tax cuts that overwhelmingly favor the rich, Vasquez has introduced and supported legislation that puts working families first:

    • The Boost the Middle Class Act – Expands the Earned Income Tax Credit by 10% and indexes it to inflation, putting more money into the pockets of working families.
    • The Tax Relief from Tariffs and High Costs Act – Offers a fully refundable 10% tax credit to households making under $100,000 to offset rising prices.
    • The Honor and Hire Veterans Act – Increases tax incentives for businesses to hire veterans.

    As Congress debated the bill, Rep. Vasquez also fought for improvements, including his Honor Farmer Contracts Act to ensure USDA upholds contracts with farmers and the Affordable Insulin Now Act to cap insulin costs at $35/month for people with private insurance. However, Republicans blocked both amendments. 

    This vote underscores Rep. Vasquez’s commitment to protecting New Mexico’s working families, veterans, and rural communities. As House Republicans prioritize tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of essential services, Vasquez continues to champion legislation that lowers costs, expands access to care, and delivers real relief to the people of southern New Mexico.

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Votes to Prevent Largest Tax Hike in American History

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington, D.C. — The House of Representatives has officially passed President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill—historic legislation to secure the border, slash taxes, defend working Americans, and restore integrity to our institutions.

    Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), a 24-year Army veteran, physician, and former small business owner, issued the following statement:

    “Today, the House delivered a major victory for working Americans and the future of our country. By passing President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, we’re securing the border, removing illegal immigrants from Medicaid, and making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent—preventing the largest tax hike in American history,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks. “As a former small business owner and Army veteran, I know what’s at stake. This bill protects Iowa families, seniors, and small businesses while strengthening Medicaid for the vulnerable—not for those who can work and choose not to. I’m especially proud that my two bills to improve Medicaid integrity and expand access to pediatric care were included. Today’s vote is a win for Iowa and for every American who believes in work, responsibility, and a government that serves its people, not the other way around.”

    Key Wins in the One Big, Beautiful Bill:

    PREVENTS THE LARGEST TAX HIKE IN AMERICAN HISTORY:

    • Makes the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, preventing 106,800 Iowa families from a historic tax hike.
    • Stops a looming 20% tax hike on Iowa small businesses.
    • Ends federal taxes on tips and overtime pay.

    SECURES THE BORDER:

    • Finishes construction of the border fence.
    • Funds 10,000 new ICE agents and expands detention capacity.
    • Speeds up deportations of violent illegal aliens.

    PROTECTS MEDICAID FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST:

    • Ends Medicaid for illegal immigrants and non-disabled adults who choose not to work.
    • Cracks down on billions in waste, fraud, and abuse.
    • Recommits Medicaid to children, pregnant women, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

    Miller-Meeks Legislative Wins Included:

    The Medicaid Program Improvement Act:

    • Requires states to verify addresses & reduces enrollment errors.
    • Avoids duplicate and improper payments to insurance companies.
    • Ensures vulnerable Iowans don’t lose access to care.

    The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act:

    • Streamlines approval for out-of-state pediatric specialists.
    • Speeds up treatment for children on Medicaid and CHIP.
    • Eliminates barriers that delay lifesaving care.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New investment in regeneration boosts growth and jobs in Port Talbot

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New investment in regeneration boosts growth and jobs in Port Talbot

    More than £20 million in funding announced from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    More than £20 million announced for regeneration projects in the Port Talbot area.

    • More than £20 million in funding from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board for three local regeneration schemes.
    • This major investment will support more than 270 jobs in steel community.
    • Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board has announced more than £70m funding in past nine months.

    A new investment of £21.2 million for regeneration projects will support more than 270 jobs and see the creation of additional construction jobs in the Port Talbot area following the planned announcement today (22 May) of the latest release of funding from the Tata Steel /Port Talbot Transition Board. 

    Pending endorsement by the Transition Board when it meets today, funding of £21.2 million will be allocated for three more regeneration projects in the Port Talbot area, which will bring an estimated £119 million in GVA benefits to the local economy. 

    The three projects are:

    Creation of an Advanced Manufacturing Production Facility (AMPF) and National Net Zero Skills Centre of Excellence Harbourside, Port Talbot

    • £12.5 million to help create a £35 million production and training centre to drive forward low carbon and net zero skills training. The AMPF will make specialist equipment and test products, upscaling advanced manufacturing in the region and is also receiving funding from the Swansea Bay City Deal. 

    • AMPF is one of three projects contributing to the establishment of an Innovation District in the Harbourside which will also include the previously announced South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH) project and the development of an Innovation Park.

    • AMPF, with the National Net Zero Centre of Excellence, will support 170 jobs and engage with 150 companies to generate a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £89.1 million. There will also be additional construction jobs created by this project.

    • The National Net Zero Skills Centre of Excellence will provide the facilities and capabilities to train and develop the workforce needed for the Celtic Freeport, Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) and other investment opportunities in the future.

    Redevelopment of Metal Box and Sandfields Business Centre (Briton Ferry and Port Talbot)

    • These two projects will convert and expand two existing buildings to provide high quality accommodation to enable tenants to expand and improve access to new business units, encouraging and supporting start-up businesses and those seeking to grow. There is significant demand for business space in Neath Port Talbot which this funding will help address. 

    • A total of £8.7m in Transition Board funding will fully fund the projects, £6.9 million for Metal Box and £1.8 million for Sandfields Business Centre.

    • Together, it is estimated that the redevelopments will support 101 jobs and create a net additional GVA of £29.9m by 2035.

    The £21.2 million investment announced today is the latest from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, chaired by Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and including representatives from the UK and Welsh Governments, local authorities, unions and business.

    Since its first release of funding in August 2024, it has announced more than £70 million to fund skills training for workers and regeneration projects as Tata Steel carries out its transition to electric arc steelmaking.

    Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:  

    We said we would back the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and businesses dependent on Tata Steel. 

    This latest investment means more than £70 million has been announced by the Transition Board in just nine months, delivering on our promise to the community.

    The plans for the Celtic Freeport, development of floating offshore wind, preservation of steelmaking in the town and significant funding for regeneration all mean there is a bright future for Port Talbot.

    Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS said:

    We remain committed to ensuring those who have been impacted by the Tata transition, including the workforce, supply chain and local community are supported not only in the short term but well into the future. 

    I am pleased this latest investment of Tata Transition funding will complement City Deal funding and unlock valuable job opportunities, particularly those linked to renewable energy and high value manufacturing.

    Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt said:

    As we work closely together in meeting the challenges of decarbonisation, it is vital that we also support local people and businesses to maximise the opportunities it offers. 

    The investment announced today will provide a significant boost to our ongoing work with partners to promote economic growth and to provide people with the skills needed for the industries of the future.

    In the coming months, there will be millions more in funding allocated to growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot, ensuring that secure well-paid jobs are available in the local area following Tata Steel’s Transition to greener steelmaking.    

    The UK Government has committed £2.5 billion of investment to rebuild the UK’s steel industry for decades to come as it decarbonises.

    This is in addition to the £500 million allocated to Tata Steel in Port Talbot for an electric arc furnace, which recently received planning approval.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Key milestone for plans to transform eyesore site and deliver dozens of new homes

    Source: City of Leeds

    Plans for new council housing on a site in Leeds currently occupied by dozens of empty run-down flats have taken a significant step forward.

    Leeds City Council has for some time been working to secure ownership of all land and property at Kingsdale Court, a complex of 88 flats in the Boggart Hill neighbourhood of Seacroft which have had long-standing issues linked to crime, anti-social behaviour and ineffective management.

    As of September last year, 87 of the privately-owned flats – many of which were in a very poor condition and already vacant – had been successfully acquired by the council, along with the freehold for the site and associated management rights.

    And today it can be confirmed that the acquisition of the 88th and final flat has been concluded, bringing the site as a whole into council ownership without any need for the use of compulsory purchase powers.

    The deal means that the council can now look to press ahead with the demolition of the eight medium-rise blocks that make up Kingsdale Court.

    It will also bring forward development proposals to deliver good quality, energy efficient and affordable new-build council housing on the cleared site.

    Detailed design work on the scheme has yet to be completed but at this stage it is hoped that more than 50 homes will be built.

    The comprehensive regeneration of the site would support the council and its partners in their efforts to tackle deprivation and improve living standards across the wider Boggart Hill area.

    Built around the turn of the 1970s, Kingsdale Court had been in a state of serious decline for many years when the council began its acquisition process in 2020. This involved lengthy negotiations with around 35 individual property owners as well as the freeholder.

    Fragmented and failing arrangements for the management and upkeep of the buildings had previously contributed to a dramatic deterioration in housing conditions at a time when problems such as fly tipping, criminal damage and drug use were also causing concern for residents in both Kingsdale Court and the surrounding neighbourhood.

    The council has secured vacant possession for the entire site, with former sitting tenants having been offered rehousing assistance tailored to their specific needs.

    Hoardings are now due to go up around the site following the completion of the final purchase, keeping it safe and secure while the demolition and home-building plans are progressed.

    It is anticipated that the redevelopment work will be carried out as part of Leeds’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP).

    Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said:

    “As a council, we are determined to do everything we can to tackle inequality and boost living standards in communities across Leeds.

    “The benefits of our proactive and forward-thinking approach to this work are perfectly illustrated by the comprehensive regeneration plans for Kingsdale Court, where poor-quality private sector housing – coupled with crime and anti-social behaviour – has been a problem for many years.

    “My thanks go to everyone at the council who has been involved in the complex process of bringing together the many and varied ownership interests at the flats.

    “The conclusion of the final purchase means we can, subject to planning approval, now look to open a bright new chapter for this part of east Leeds.

    “The proposed homes will help to ease local affordable housing pressures, while the transformation of the site as a whole will, we believe, have a really positive impact on the wider Boggart Hill and Seacroft areas.”

    Around 350 new homes have been built via the council’s CHGP since 2018, with more than 420 homes also being acquired as part of the programme.

    Locations where new housing has recently been delivered by the CHGP include Barncroft Close in Seacroft and Scott Hall Drive in Chapel Allerton as well as a site in Middleton formerly occupied by Throstle Recreation Ground and Middleton Skills Centre.

    Places where CHGP schemes are currently under construction include Brooklands Avenue in Seacroft, the Ambertons area of Gipton and the former Middlecross Day Centre site in Armley.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Forbes University Rankings: HSE University Has the Best Reputation Among Employers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    On May 22, Forbes Education presented an updated rating 100 best universities in Russia for 2025. The Higher School of Economics retained 2nd place, establishing itself as the university with the highest level of reputation among employers. The top 20 included 12 Moscow universities, three universities from St. Petersburg, two from Tatarstan, and one educational institution each from the Sverdlovsk, Novosibirsk, and Tomsk regions.

    Forbes Education continues to monitor dynamic changes in the field of higher education, identifying universities that demonstrate high standards of quality and demand. In the new, seventh, ranking of the best universities in Russia, the assessment was carried out according to 17 different criteria, grouped into key metrics: quality of networking, reputation among employers, international image, academic environment. The Forbes factor was also taken into account, thanks to which universities received additional points if among their graduates there were participants in the Russian Forbes list or winners of the rating “30 under 30” 2024.

    This year, HSE retained its 2nd place in the list, ahead of Moscow State University by 0.7 points and confirming its status as the university with the highest reputation among employers. The leaders in individual metrics were also MIPT (the best university in terms of admission quality), Moscow State University (the leader in the category “International Reputation”), and Innopolis University (the winner in terms of quality of the academic environment).

    In total, 564 higher education institutions were included in the long list. The analysis was conducted based on data from the Monitoring of the Activities of Educational Organizations of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the results of a survey the best employers in the country and information from open sources.

    To analyze the reputation of universities among employers, a survey was conducted in large companies included in the list of the best employers in Russia. During the survey, universities were identified whose graduates are considered the most qualified and are ready to be hired first. The companies also indicated universities that, in their opinion, provide the best quality of training for specialists in such areas as economics, information technology, technical sciences, marketing and communications, natural sciences, humanities and creative industries. The survey covered 43 industries and different regions of Russia.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • “They have to be held accountable for terror attacks against India”: MEA exposes Pakistan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India on Thursday reiterated its resolve to fight terrorism and called on the world to hold Pakistan accountable for the terror attacks that they have carried out against India.

    In the weekly media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reminded the world about the need to “come together to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

    Replying to a query on the multi-party delegation, Randhir Jaiswal said, “There are seven delegations. Three delegations have departed…This is a political mission. We want to make a stronger outreach to the world to convey our resolve to fight terrorism. We want the world to come together to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We want to exhort the world to hold those responsible for cross-border terrorism accountable. Those have been practising it for the last 40 years against India, that is, Pakistan. Their actions need to be called out. They have to be held accountable for the terror attacks that they have carried out against India…”

    “So, that is the larger message. The unity of India, the purpose of India,” the MEA Spokesperson said.

    India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.

    After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan.

    After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced.

    An All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, includes Ambassador Mohan Kumar, BJP MP Hemang Joshi, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP Brij Lal, and BJP MP Pradan Baruah, reached Tokyo today.

    The delegation aims to brief international partners on India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore.

    (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on Budget Reconciliation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the Budget Committee, released the following statement regarding the vote on “One Big Ugly Bill”:

    “This budget is a betrayal of the American people – full stop.

    “Drafted and debated in the middle of the night, under the cloak of darkness, it is a giveaway to billionaires, paid for by stealing from the poor. It strips 14 million people off their health care, it slashes food for the hungry and cuts basic needs, all to give a tax break to the people who need it the least.

    “If you’re in the top one percent, you do well in this bill – but if you’re a poor or working person, you get screwed. I voted no because I stand with the people, not the billionaires.

    “This is not the end. We will continue to fight this budget to stop this destruction as it goes to the Senate.”

    Issues: Environment, Health Care, Housing, Transportation, & Infrastructure, Immigration, Jobs, Labor, & the Economy

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newhouse Votes to Restore Fiscal Sanity in the Federal Government

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Newhouse Votes to Restore Fiscal Sanity in the Federal Government

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon passage of H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. 

    “House Republicans have delivered on our commitment to permanently extend tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.  

    One of my top priorities throughout this process has been maintaining investments in nuclear energy to keep energy prices low throughout our region. Central Washington is home to a rich nuclear history, and I am proud to have led the fight to ensure our tax code allows for continued investments in our nuclear fleet, including the small modular reactor project in the Tri-Cities. 

    We have made real, common-sense reforms to strengthen the integrity of Medicaid, protecting the program for low-income families, seniors, and those with disabilities. By implementing work requirements for able bodied adults without dependents, and preventing those here illegally from accessing the program, we are protecting Medicaid for those who truly need it most. 

    As a Member of the House Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to support meaningful reforms to SNAP while investing in the farm safety net to deliver much needed assistance to rural America. This package more than doubles our trade promotion programs to allow Washington state agriculture exports to reach new markets around the globe.   

    This legislation supports families and businesses across Central Washington by delivering over $1.5 trillion in deficit reduction to get our fiscal house in order. There is still work to be done, and as this legislation moves to the Senate, I will continue to advocate for the people of Washington’s Fourth District, protect essential services for those who truly need them, and keep taxes low for the middle class and small businesses in our region.” 

    Background:  

    House Republicans passed a budget resolution in April with instructions for committees to produce legislation that provides tax relief for working families and small businesses, reins in reckless federal spending, unleashes energy dominance, and makes America safe again.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers on those priorities in a fiscally responsible manner, with the final net deficit reduction number above $1.5 trillion, marking the largest deficit reduction in nearly 30 years. These savings will begin immediately, with $111.8 billion in net deficit reduction in the first year after enactment. The legislation: 

    Delivers an economy that is pro-growth, pro-worker, pro-family, and pro-business: 

    • Makes the 2017 tax cuts permanent, preventing the average taxpayer from seeing a 22% tax hike.
    • Removes taxes on tips, overtime pay, car loan interest, and provides additional tax relief for seniors.
    • Supports small businesses and Made-in-America investments through immediate 100 percent expensing, incentives for new manufacturing facilities, research and development immediate amortization, and interest expense deductions.

    Provides over $140 billion – the largest border security investment in history – to secure our borders and keep Americans safe: 

    • Allows for the completion of 701 miles of primary wall and construction of 900 miles of river barriers.
    • Funds at least one million annual removals, 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, and detention capacity sufficient to maintain an average daily population of at least 100,000 aliens.
    • Supports the hiring and training of 3,000 new Border Patrol agents, 5,000 new Office of Field Operations customs officers, and other urgently needed personnel.

    Restores integrity to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by requiring states to shoulder a share of the benefit costs, preventing states from manipulating SNAP eligibility and benefit calculations, and restoring SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults without young dependents.

    Strengthens Medicaid for Americans who truly need it, while rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse: 

    • Establishes commonsense work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and stops new money laundering gimmicks like provider taxes and State Directed Payments.
    • Strengthens program integrity measures that protect Medicaid resources for the most vulnerable.
    • Closes loopholes that let illegal immigrants enroll in Medicaid and reduces funding to states that prioritize Medicaid coverage of illegal immigrants. 

    Unleashes American energy dominance, ensuring affordable energy for families and creating jobs across the country: 

    • Allows advanced nuclear facilities to utilize the Production Tax Credit (45Y) and Investment Tax Credit (48E) while phasing out the credits for wind and solar and maintains the Nuclear Production Tax Credit (45U) through 2028.
    • Reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales and mandates at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf of America over the next 15 years and six in the Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska.
    • Resumes leasing for energy production in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and coal leasing on federal lands.
    • Streamlines the permitting process for energy infrastructure.

    Makes major reforms to streamline student loan options, support student success, and save taxpayer money.

    Invests nearly $144 billion to modernize our military and strengthen national defense. 

    ###  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Pass Their ‘One Big Broken Promise

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

    Republicans Pass Their ‘One Big Broken Promise

    Legislation will take away health coverage from Washington families, raise grocery and energy bills

    Washington, D.C., May 22, 2025

     Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement after the House passed the Republican budget legislation.

    “Today, Washington families lost at the expense of the wealthy and well-connected in the Republican budget bill. This legislation is a betrayal of Republicans’ promise to lower costs for everyday families. It will rip health coverage away from millions of families while increasing groceries, utilities, and health care bills. This massive tax break for the ultra-rich and big corporations will increase the nation’s debt that future generations will have to shoulder. The bill is nothing more than one big broken promise.

    “Republicans made every effort to conceal what’s really in this legislation by holding hearings in the middle of the night because they know this bill will harm their constituents. My Democratic colleagues and I have been fighting against the many harms in this legislation at every turn and will continue to stand up for our communities.”

    You can watch DelBene’s remarks on the House floor here.

    Impacts of Legislation

    • Medicaid and ACA Coverage: Nearly 14 million Americans would lose Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplace health coverage, including 274,000 Washingtonians.
    • Medicare: Triggers $535 billion in automatic Medicare cuts due to the huge expense of the bill.
    • Abortion: Prohibits funding for abortions on ACA health marketplaces, including state-based exchanges like the Washington Health Benefits Exchange.
    • Food Assistance: $300 billion would be cut from food assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which covers over 880,000 Washingtonians.
    • Energy Bills: Increases energy bills by more than $110 per year on average by repealing cost-saving clean energy tax credits.
    • Cost: Estimated to cost $5 trillion.
    • Disparity in Benefits: The bottom 10% of Americans would see household resources reduced by 4% while the top 10% would see a 2% increase, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
    • Handout to the Wealthy: The average family earning less than $50,000 would get under $300 (less than $1 a day) while the average tax filer earning $1 million or more would receive about $90,000 in tax breaks in 2027.

    The bill now heads to the Senate. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Frankel Votes NO on GOP Tax Scam

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement after voting against the Republican tax scam.

    “The GOP Tax Scam kicks nearly 14 million people off their health care, including over 1.4 million in Florida, and takes food away from millions of Americans to give huge tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk,” said Rep. Frankel. “It’s cruel, reckless, morally indefensible, and balloons the national debt by more than $5 trillion. That’s why I voted no.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gosar Lauds Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Paul A Gosar DDS (AZ-04)

    Washington, D.C. — Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting in favor of passage of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    “Following the four disastrous years of the failed and corrupt Biden administration that created historic inflation, destroyed our economy and welcomed nearly 20 million illegal aliens into our country, I am very pleased to have voted in favor of legislation advancing President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. 

    This bill will secure our southern border and empower border patrol agents to deport the millions of illegal aliens welcomed into our country by Joe Biden.  As a border state, Arizonans know all too well the heavy toll that Biden’s open border policy has taken on our great state.  Crime has ravaged our neighborhoods, deadly drugs, especially fentanyl, have destroyed our families and our communities are withering under the economic strain on public resources needed to combat Biden’s border invasion.

    Importantly, the One Big Beautiful Bill also strengthens and protects Medicaid by first helping those most in need of assistance – expectant mothers, our seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families while ending taxpayer-funded free health care for 1.4 million illegal aliens. 

    The bill eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, slashes taxes on Social Security for seniors, reduces wasteful spending by $1.6 trillion, updates our air traffic control system, halts taxpayer funds going to abortion clinics, ensures our military’s readiness and unlocks America’s full energy potential.

    Lastly, the One Big Beautiful Bill cuts taxes for families and hard-working Arizonans. My constituents voted overwhelmingly for President Trump last November and their message was resoundingly clear: do not raise our taxes!  Without this much-needed legislation, the average taxpayer in my district would see a 23% tax hike.  To put that into perspective, a family of four making a median income of $75,000 would see a $1,555 tax increase. That is worth about seven weeks of groceries for my constituents.  There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that I will ever to vote to raise taxes on hardworking families in Arizona.  

    With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, families can expect to receive $7,800 to $13,300 more in annual pay.  I look forward to the Senate quickly passing and President Trump signing into law this historic legislation, so Americans can begin receiving the much-need relief this bill ensures,” concluded Congressman Paul Gosar.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Charged in $227M Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    WASHINGTON — An Illinois man and a foreign national were arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to their alleged submission of more than $227 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

    According to court documents, Syed Murtuza Kablazada, 34, of Arlington Heights, and Syed Mehdi Hussain, 32, of Carol Stream, owned and operated purported medical laboratories that submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for the reimbursement of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits allegedly provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The defendants allegedly installed foreign nationals to act as nominee owners at the laboratories to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for the provision of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits, with the understanding the nominee owners would flee the United States when they learned that their laboratory was under investigation.

    “As alleged, the defendants used straw owners at multiple laboratories to cause the submission of more than $200 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Health care fraud harms Americans by squandering taxpayer money and diverting limited resources from those who need them most. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to hold fraudsters accountable, protect victims, and recover financial losses.”

    “The overwhelming fraud uncovered in this investigation details a blatant disregard for America’s critical health care program, Medicare, and puts all patients at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not tolerate anyone who abuses the health care system for personal gain and will aggressively pursue justice on behalf of both patients and taxpayers.”

    As alleged in the indictment, the defendants rarely provided Covid-19 test kits to Medicare beneficiaries but instead submitted reimbursement claims on behalf of beneficiaries who had not requested COVID-19 test kits, including individuals who were deceased. Further, the defendants allegedly paid a marketing company to provide the names of hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries that the defendants used to submit fraudulent claims. In total, between September 2022 and June 2023, the defendants’ labs billed Medicare approximately $227 million in fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $136 million in reimbursements.

    Kablazada and Hussain are both charged by indictment with four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the four counts.

    The FBI Chicago Field Office and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic for the Northern District of Illinois.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa’s oceans – how to resolve them

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood, Lecturer in Sustainable Futures, University of St Andrews

    Africa has 38 coastal and island nations. Their maritime industries – including energy, tourism, maritime transport, shipping and fishing – play a crucial role in developing these nations.

    Key to harnessing these resources are Africa’s maritime boundaries – lines on a map showing the legal divisions of the ocean between neighbouring coastal states.

    Some of these boundaries were created by colonial powers and kept after independence. Their purpose was to achieve territorial security and ensure the exclusive exploitation of resources and to maintain navigational freedom.

    But Africa’s maritime boundaries sometimes lead to conflict, prevent cooperation on resource management and create room for maritime crimes, like illegal fishing. This is because they are often contested. Countries have overlapping claims and varying interests in resource exploration. This is common in maritime areas rich in oil, gas and fisheries, and deep seabed resources.

    In our recent paper we found that using international law to resolve maritime boundaries does not always bring peace, especially when it results in ceding the disputed area to one party. It can result in animosity between countries and breed room for continued distrust among peoples.

    Today, Africa has the most unresolved maritime boundary disputes in the world and the lowest number of settled boundary disputes.

    As more ocean resources are discovered, climate change may heighten disputes. Rising sea levels can gradually submerge maritime zones, potentially affecting the baselines from which these zones are measured. This could create uncertainty or trigger new conflicts.

    In our paper, we suggest a collaborative approach to resolving maritime disputes. We hope that this will help prevent many African countries from missing out on the benefits of their oceans.

    Price of disputed boundaries

    Disagreements over maritime boundaries can have many negative effects.

    Research has shown that criminal activities tend to increase in disputed maritime boundaries. For instance, illegal fishers are aware that because there is dispute over a border, there will also be enforcement gaps.

    Countries in dispute will also not work together and will not be sending patrols to contested areas. For instance, in 2016, a Chinese vessel escaped into Sierra Leone to avoid capture. When Guinean naval forces boarded the vessel for enforcement, there was an exchange of fire and 11 Guineans were detained by Sierra Leone.

    When boundaries are disputed, it also means that local fishers are likely to encroach into neighbouring waters, often unknowingly, in search of better catches. Given the significance of fisheries to coastal livelihoods and the extent of depletion, this threatens peace and security. It fuels tension between communities and countries over access to dwindling resources.

    Disagreements over maritime boundaries also diminish maritime security cooperation, complicate joint patrols, and divert attention from tackling shared threats such as piracy.

    Colonialism never ended

    Unfortunately, resolving maritime boundary disputes is complicated by a principle in international law known as uti possidetis juris – “as you possess under law”.

    The principle says that when countries argue over borders, international law, built around colonial-era boundaries, is used to decide who gets what. This creates a “winner-takes-all” approach – one side gains control over the disputed area and resources. International courts, like the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, follow the provisions of law reinforcing uti possidetis.

    Our examination of maritime boundary disputes in west and central Africa found that the principle of uti possidetis juris had failed to alleviate maritime boundary tensions. In some cases, it has exacerbated them.

    One example is a maritime dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria decided in 2002. The dispute was over who had control of Bakassi, an oil-rich region, and its maritime frontier.

    The uti possidetis juris principle upheld the lines drawn at the time of Nigeria’s independence and resulted in the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon. The impact of the resolution lingers. To date, thousands of displaced Bakassi people that returned to Nigeria have yet to be resettled and reintegrated. Disputes also continue between fishers from Nigeria and Cameroonian law enforcement agents. In extreme cases, it results in death, like the alleged killing of 97 Nigerian fishers by Cameroonian marine police.

    The way forward

    In our paper, we recommend that courts, tribunals or disputing countries consider joint management agreements to resolve maritime disputes. Under such agreements, countries share and manage disputed maritime resources.

    These agreements will allow for the joint management of shared resources. It will also encourage cooperation and collaboration in other areas, such as joint operations to combat illegal fishing and piracy. While international courts may apply uti possidetis juris as required by law, countries should be encouraged to negotiate special arrangements – such as joint development agreements – as part of the resolution process. Especially in cases where livelihoods and longstanding community ties risk being disrupted by unilateral decisions or the ceding of disputed areas to one party.

    While not perfect, this approach has already improved cooperation on security and resource use at sea. It has worked in places like Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire also have a joint management framework in place for their shared boundaries to avoid future disputes.

    Prolonged boundary disputes only enable criminal actors to exploit Africa’s resources, undermining collective progress. A shift towards collaborative solutions is essential for achieving a sustainable and prosperous future for the continent.

    – Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa’s oceans – how to resolve them
    – https://theconversation.com/colonial-era-borders-create-conflict-in-africas-oceans-how-to-resolve-them-248577

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Vaccines: why these young Africans are hesitant about them and what might change their minds

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun, Research associate, University of the Western Cape

    Vaccines have proved to be one of the most effective tools in fighting infectious diseases, but convincing people to get vaccinated can be tough. Especially young people.

    During the global COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020, many countries reported high levels of vaccine hesitancy among younger population groups. Negative healthcare experiences and general distrust of government have cultivated vaccine hesitancy across Africa. Misleading information about vaccine side-effects on social media adds to this challenge.

    This hesitancy continues today. A 2024 study on adolescents and young adults (aged 10 to 35) in sub-Saharan Africa found a vaccine acceptance rate of just 38.7%.

    These concerns were echoed in a recent study we carried out among 165 young adults in Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, looking at attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine. We wanted to know what could be done to help improve future vaccine acceptance, inform campaigns and prepare for future public health responses.

    Participants were hesitant to be vaccinated, for various reasons, and suggested what policymakers could do to improve vaccine uptake.

    Understanding young people’s perspectives on vaccine hesitancy and what can be done to address this is crucial for improving vaccine acceptance in the future.

    What young adults told us

    Our research gathered data through focus groups and interviews.

    The participants described a fear of injections, uncertainty about side effects, distrust in healthcare systems and rude healthcare workers.

    Some participants were worried about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly how it might affect those with pre-existing health conditions.

    Many believed that the vaccine was developed too quickly without sufficient testing and a lack of accessible information.

    Many expressed a strong fear of needles. A young South African woman aged 19 commented:

    I am afraid of injections, so for me, it would be better if there was something that could be taken orally, something you can drink.

    Getting over the hurdle

    We found young people often felt left out of vaccine conversations. They wanted to be part of the solution and make informed choices but needed the right tools and support to do so.

    Participants suggested practical ideas to help boost vaccine acceptance among their peers.

    Several highlighted the importance of assessing individual health status before administering vaccines, to avoid adverse interactions with existing medical conditions and treatments. They believed that situations where vaccines were mistakenly blamed for pre-existing illnesses or ongoing treatments could be avoided.

    Participants suggested innovative strategies to make vaccines more accessibile. Mobile vaccination sites and community-based outreach programmes were some of the suggestions.

    They must introduce mobile clinics, so that people don’t find themselves having to travel long distances to vaccinate. – 18-year-old male, South Africa

    Young people also suggested household visits to people who were immobile because of age, illness or disability.

    Many advocated for non-injectable vaccine options, such as oral medications or microneedle patches, which could improve accessibility and reduce anxiety.

    The oral polio vaccine, which has been widely used in global polio eradication efforts, is an example of a non-injectable vaccine.

    COVID-19 microneedle patch prototypes are being explored for clinical testing.

    The youth urged public figures, including politicians, celebrities and influencers, to publicly endorse the vaccine.

    It would be nice if the president could be shown on television receiving a vaccine so that we can see for ourselves whether he is given the same thing that everyone else receives. – 20-year-old male, South Africa

    More engaging videos, interactive interviews and testimonials from vaccinated individuals could be shared across social media platforms.

    The young people also emphasised the importance of comprehensive training for healthcare providers. They highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to provide respectful and empathetic care. They suggested that, by fostering respectful communication, healthcare providers could create a more welcoming and comfortable environment for their clients.

    In addition, providing vaccine education in schools could educate pupils so that they could make decisions on their own.

    Way forward

    Engaging young people as active participants in shaping public health strategies can help increase vaccine acceptance and ensure a healthier future for all.

    We believe that our findings can be applied in two ways.

    First, to inform the design of tailored interventions that better resonate with young people’s desires and needs, paving the way for increased vaccine uptake and acceptability.

    Second, to highlight areas where young people may need further information and engagement, to better understand some of the broader issues and why some of their recommendations might not be feasible in the short or longer term.

    – Vaccines: why these young Africans are hesitant about them and what might change their minds
    – https://theconversation.com/vaccines-why-these-young-africans-are-hesitant-about-them-and-what-might-change-their-minds-249629

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bill to Help Lower Drug Costs for Maine People

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring legislation to expand Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices and lower the costs of prescription medication nationwide. The Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act would also reduce federal spending by reaching lower-price agreements, and give the Department of Health and Human Services stronger tools to negotiate lower drug prices in Medicare Part B and Part D. 
    According to preliminary estimates from a model by West Health and Verdant Research, if the SMART Prices Act was enacted in 2026, it would save 33 percent more by 2030 than current law. It would also allow Medicare to begin negotiations earlier and bring down the price of more expensive drugs. 
    “Lifesaving prescription medications shouldn’t break the bank,” said Senator King. “Expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices will go a long way toward helping Maine people get the medication they need at a price they can afford. The SMART Prices Act is a commonsense step that will help Maine people save money and stay healthy, and I thank my colleagues for putting Maine people first.”
    In addition to Senator King, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Luján, Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
    Senator King has been a leader in working to reduce prescription drug costs throughout his time in the United States Senate. He also recently cosponsored bipartisan legislation which would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to inform patients who are considering certain medications after seeing television commercials. He previously introduced legislation to prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for consumer advertising expenses. Most recently, Senator King cosponsored the Safe and Affordable Drugs From Canada Act would give Maine people the ability to purchase their prescriptions directly from pharmacies across the northern border at the market rate of a less expensive marketplace. Additionally, Senator King introduced the Responsibility in Drug Advertising Act, which would prohibit direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of a new drug in the first three years after the drug receives Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
    He has also supported a number of commonsense bills to drive down the costs of prescription medication in the United States including the historic Inflation Reduction Act. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin fees are capped at $35 per month, Medicare is able to negotiate drug prices, and a $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket expenses has been instituted for Medicare recipients.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Markeaton Park paddling pool to open for the summer

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is delighted to announce that the popular paddling pool at Markeaton Park will open on Saturday 24 May.

    Families will once again be able to enjoy the free facility, which is located within the popular Mundy Place Centre. The pool has been fully resurfaced to address previous deterioration in its condition. 

    The pool could not be opened last year due to unforseen technical issues encountered by contractors during the resurfacing process, exacerbated by prolonged wet weather.

    The Council has worked closely with the contractors to ensure the pool is ready to welcome visitors for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, marking the start of its usual summer season. It will be open daily from 10:30am until 4pm until 7 September.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure, said:

    We know how incredibly popular the paddling pool is, and we’re absolutely delighted that it will be open for its usual season this year. We shared everyone’s disappointment that the pool couldn’t open last year due to the unforeseen setbacks during the essential resurfacing work.

    Our teams have worked diligently with the contractor to ensure the pool is safe and ready for everyone to enjoy this year.

    To keep everyone safe, the pool’s water quality will be monitored throughout the day. If a high number of visitors affects the water, temporary fencing may be used to limit pool access until the quality is back to normal.

    Markeaton Park is Derby’s most visited park and has a host of attractions to keep visitors entertained, including picturesque parkland and walking trails, sports facilities, the Tree House Trek high ropes course and the popular Craft Village and Orangery Café. During the school holidays, families can enjoy bouncy castles, electric cars, canoes, mini golf and fairground rides at Mundy Play Centre, plus the Famous Trains model railway.

    The Water Play area at Chaddesden Park will also be open as usual for the summer season. It reopens on Saturday as scheduled, from midday until 5pm at weekends and during the school holidays (weather permitting), until early September. Like the paddling pool, user numbers may need to be managed during busy periods to ensure safety and water quality.

    You can find out more about what’s on offer at Derby’s parks on the InDerby website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Southwest Octopus Bloom

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Southwest Octopus Bloom

    Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is aware of an octopus bloom which is occurring in the southwest, most prominently in ICES division 7.e.

    Concerns have been raised by industry members regarding the impacts being observed in shellfish fisheries and effects on stocks in the surrounding areas.

    MMO recently met with fisheries managers and scientists to discuss the bloom and the issues and opportunities it may bring and consider potential actions required.

    Octopus is included in the Channel Demersal Non-Quota Species Fisheries Management Plan, due to their increasing abundance in the South West English Channel. Short term measures for Octopus are to monitor catches and designing a research plan for gathering data and considering management of the fishery. MMO have been collating landings information, and research into the viability of a UK Octopus fishery is being developed. To improve the evidence base MMO have produced species ID cards for Common, Horned and Curled octopus, to support better reporting of landings, these ID cards are available upon request at local MMO offices.

    MMO will soon look to reconvene with industry representatives and further discuss the issues and provide updates on the work being undertaken to understand the fishery and its impacts across stocks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –