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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Meets with Indonesian National Economic Council Chairman

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indonesian National Economic Council Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Beijing on Tuesday.

    As Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, recalled, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Chinese-Indonesian diplomatic relations.

    The Chinese Foreign Minister pointed out that China is willing to work with Indonesia to deepen political mutual trust, efficiently promote such landmark projects as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor, strengthen cooperation in various fields including maritime activities and mining, and unleash the potential for cooperation in emerging sectors.

    Wang Yi stressed that the world is currently facing the regressive attacks of unilateralism, and trade bullying is detrimental to the interests of all countries. He said China and Indonesia should adhere to independence and self-reliance, expand cooperation for mutual benefit, and uphold fairness and justice.

    China congratulates Indonesia on its official entry into BRICS and stands ready to work with it to uphold the “Bandung spirit,” promote regional economic integration, resist the attacks of unilateralism and deglobalization, jointly build a common home in the Asia-Pacific region, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Chinese Foreign Minister added.

    Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, for his part, noted that the Indonesia-China friendship is extremely strong. Noting that Indonesia’s economic development is inseparable from mutually beneficial cooperation with China, he noted that bilateral cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, finance, technology transfer and human resource training is fruitful, and such landmark projects as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway benefit the people of both countries. Bilateral cooperation also has a positive impact on neighboring countries, the Chairman of the National Economic Council of Indonesia emphasized.

    Indonesia hopes to strengthen exchanges with China at all levels, expand areas of cooperation, strengthen cultural and humanitarian exchanges, promote the development of an Indonesia-China community with a shared future, and jointly advance solidarity and cooperation among countries in the Global South, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Feats of the human body behind Tom Cruise’s stunts in Mission: Impossible movies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol

    He’s leapt from cliffs, clung to planes mid-takeoff and held his breath underwater for as long as professional freedivers. Now, at 62, Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for one final mission – and he’s still doing his own stunts.

    With Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the saga reaches its high-stakes finale. But behind the scenes of death-defying spectacles lies a fascinating question: just how far can the human body be pushed – and trained – to pull off the seemingly impossible?

    And at what cost? In filming the eight Mission: Impossible films, Cruise has suffered a broken ankle, cracked ribs and a torn shoulder.

    Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to consider the capabilities – and limits – of the human body in being able to achieve these awesome heights. How much is it possible to train to achieve the apparently impossible?

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    Breathing underwater

    In Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Hunt navigates an underwater vault to recover a stolen ledger. Cruise wanted to film this all in one take and sought help from freediving instructors in order to hold his breath for the required time – over six minutes!

    The average human can hold their breath for about 30 to 90 seconds. That’s without training. Although there’s an innate diving reflex built into the human body that allows it to temporarily adapt to immersion underwater.

    The response is to lower the heart rate and redirect blood to the body’s core, essentially enabling it to lower its metabolic demand and preserve the function of the vital organs, like the brain and heart.

    All well and good, but consider now the need to swim, as well as resist the pressure of the water pressing on the lungs. And also while fighting that desperate urge as a result of rising CO₂ to take a deep breath – which, underwater, would be catastrophic.

    And if the diver’s oxygen levels fall too low, they might black out and lose consciousness. That’s why shallow water drowning is a real risk here.

    That’s where freediving training comes into play. With practice, there are several ways you can increase the time you’re able to remain underwater. These include mastering breathing techniques to retain the maximum amount of air in the lungs. Sustained practice might also lead to increased oxygen storage capacity in the bloodstream.

    This process takes months to years to attain and might lengthen the immersion time, on average, to around five minutes. What Cruise managed to achieve was nothing short of exceptional.

    The official trailer for Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning.

    Free climbing – and that scene

    Mission Impossible films often open with Ethan Hunt working his way up some impossibly sheer building or cliff face with the agility of a mountain goat. He appears to be free climbing without a harness, and at the start of Mission: Impossible 2, clinging on with just one hand. While Cruise used safety wires to secure himself, the climbing was 100% real.

    Then, of course, how could we forget that scene? The one in the original Mission: Impossible – where he has to suspend all limbs, centimetres from the ground, to prevent himself from setting off the alarms.

    Although Cruise hasn’t revealed his specific training regime for these stunts that I can see – performing any of these actions would require an exceptionally strong back and core.

    The muscles of our backs keep the spine straight and upright. Some span the space between back and limb, such as latissimus dorsi, or “lats”. These sheets of muscle, prized by bodybuilders, are also particularly valuable to climbers – allowing you to perform a chin-up, or pull yourself up that rock face.

    Besides this, many other muscles are needed for extreme climbing – those that enable a strong grip, allow for reaching and “push offs”, and maintain tension and hold. It’s no wonder climbing is considered one of the best whole-body workouts.

    It’s no surprise that Cruise is known to have trained extensively for this. To understand even an element of the difficulty he may have faced, you could try adopting that vault heist pose, with your belly in contact with the floor, and see how long you can hold it. I won’t tell you how pitiful my own attempt was.

    What a blast

    Hunt has also escaped a fair few explosions in his time, from a helicopter in the Channel tunnel to a detonating fish tank in Prague. In Mission: Impossible 3, on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, another helicopter launching a missile triggers an explosion that sends Hunt smashing into a car. Again, Cruise did it all himself, for the price of two cracked ribs.

    Pyrotechnics were used for the explosion, but of course, they couldn’t be used to lift Cruise up and deposit him against the car. The solution? A series of wires were used to drag him sideways. Never has the direction “brace, brace” been so apt.

    And just so you know, broken or bruised ribs are far from fun. Some describe them as one of the most painful injuries you can experience, since the simple acts of coughing, sneezing and merely breathing exacerbate the pain.

    But Tom Cruise picks himself up yet again, dusts himself off and gets on with it. His motivation? He has reportedly claimed that he wants the audience to experience what it really feels to be in that moment. And what a good sport he is.

    This article won’t self-destruct in five seconds.

    Dan Baumgardt 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. Feats of the human body behind Tom Cruise’s stunts in Mission: Impossible movies – https://theconversation.com/feats-of-the-human-body-behind-tom-cruises-stunts-in-mission-impossible-movies-256908

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: English schools to increase mental health support – why they need to get children involved in designing it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma McKenna, Fellow – Medical Sociology, University of Birmingham

    BalanceFormCreative/Shutterstock

    The UK government has announced the continuing rollout of the provision of mental health support teams in schools in England, with the intention of providing six in ten pupils with this support by March 2026.

    One in five children over the age of eight has a probable mental health condition in England today. Mental health support teams are needed to support children and young people early with their mental health and wellbeing to help prevent problems escalating.

    Mental health support teams are made up of experts who work with a number of schools in their local area. They collaborate with school staff, provide group or one-to-one sessions for pupils, parents and carers, and help schools create a culture that promotes mental health and wellbeing.

    With colleagues, I work on research investigating mental health in schools. This has involved assessing the early progress of the mental health support teams – the first ones were created between 2018-19 as part of the then Conservative government’s trailblazer initiative, which aimed to test out approaches and solutions to complex societal problems in specific regions.

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    Our research looked in particular at one of the key purposes of the mental health support teams – to help schools set up or improve a “whole school” approach to mental health support.

    A whole school approach means that all areas of the school or college work together to put mental health and wellbeing at the heart of their school community. This contrasts to standalone mental health activities that aren’t grounded within the everyday school culture. For instance, a school might hold an assembly on wellbeing but continue to implement a behaviour policy that heavily relies on punishment and therefore risks affecting children’s wellbeing.

    School culture

    Well-designed and implemented whole school approaches can have positive effects on children and young people’s wellbeing and contribute to the prevention and reduction of mental health problems. We also know that children are more likely to achieve at school if they feel like they belong, can participate and have autonomy, all fostered by the whole school approach.

    An example of a whole school approach is identifying and supporting children and young people early with mental health support. It can include “global learning”, where learning about mental health and wellbeing becomes a core part of schools’ assemblies, clubs and project-based learning. However, these are just some of a number of combined approaches to a whole school approach.

    In our research, children and young people in schools and colleges where mental health support teams had helped put whole school approach activities in place, told us that they were visible and felt seen. Teachers reached out to them about their wellbeing, either in classrooms through emotional check-ins, or through special lessons focused on mental health attached to curriculum teaching.

    Feeling like there was somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and be heard, made a clear difference to children and young people.

    However, we found that some schools were not including children and young people in their development of whole school mental health strategies. In one of the participating schools, mental health support team work was only known about by the child who had experience of the team. In this school, there was no discernible whole school work being undertaken in addition to direct support.

    The key missing ingredient to really support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is for them to feel that they have agency – some input – into the activities that help them.

    Feeling that they have agency and input into decisions that affect them is good for children’s wellbeing.
    Nadya Lukic/Shutterstock

    Also, involving children in developing activities like this can help them to feel valued and included. This in itself is good for mental health.

    Creating together

    With my colleagues at The University of Birmingham’s Institute of Mental Health Youth Advisory Group and National Children’s Bureau, we worked with children and school staff to put together England’s first guide to creating a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing in schools with pupils. The set of resources include a structured classroom activity, introductory video and practical guide.

    The classroom activity prompts a creative conversation with children about what wellbeing means to them, how their school supports their wellbeing, and what more the school could do. The guide includes practical suggestions about how to talk to pupils about mental health and wellbeing at school in a safe, supportive and inclusive way. It also offers ideas about how to use the information from the classroom activity to support pupils.

    The activity itself asks children to reflect on where and how their wellbeing is supported at school, alongside a focus on the people, places and practices that might help them. The overall aim is to develop a child-centred, whole school approach, one which focuses on the things that matter most to children about their emotional wellbeing.

    Whole school approaches could provide schools with a more holistic way of supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Involving them in all areas of design and implementation could help to keep wellbeing and mental health at the heart of schools.

    Gemma McKenna receives funding from University of Birmingham, Impact Fund.
    Affiliations include: Health Services Research UK ,HSR UK, https://hsruk.org/
    TONIBOBANDLOU CIC https://www.tonibobandlou.com/

    – ref. English schools to increase mental health support – why they need to get children involved in designing it – https://theconversation.com/english-schools-to-increase-mental-health-support-why-they-need-to-get-children-involved-in-designing-it-252121

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: For long-tailed tits, it really does take a village

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Morinay, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Sheffield

    Any parent will tell you how useful it can be to have family living nearby, giving a helping hand when raising your children. In humans, relatives and even non-relatives act as childminders. Such behaviour is widespread in other animals too, particularly birds.

    In our recent study we explored why long-tailed tits, one of the UK’s tiniest bird species, often act as foster parents instead of raising their own brood.

    Since Darwin’s musings on apparent altruism in honeybees, scientists have discovered that individuals of many species help each other, including bacteria, insects, shrimps, mammals and especially birds. We now know that almost 10% of bird species cooperate, helping to raise nestlings that are not their own. This is called cooperative breeding.

    The question that has puzzled scientists since Darwin is why do other animals (and why do we) cooperate? The answer usually lies in a shift in focus from the individual to the genes that make them. The revolutionary work of evolutionary biologist Bill Hamilton in the 1960s (popularised in Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene in 1976), showed that helping family members can improve the transmission of shared genes to the next generation.

    But when is it more advantageous to help family members than to raise your own kids? That is the question we asked of long-tailed tits, the most cooperative of the UK’s birds. In our recent study published last month, we summarised 30 years of research on the cooperative breeding system of long-tailed tits.

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    These tiny and highly social birds with their characteristic chrrr-rr-rr calls are common in UK woods and gardens. In winter, they hang out in groups of 10-20 birds. These flocks often contain close family members, such as parents with offspring and siblings. They forage together during the day and, at night, they sleep in tight huddles on branches, to keep themselves warm.

    In February or March, when they sense that spring is just around the corner, the groups disband, and each bird finds a partner. Then follows what must seem like a marathon effort. Their domed nests, usually built in spiky bushes or high in tree forks, are elaborate constructions that may take weeks to complete. Females lay 9-11 eggs that they incubate until hatching two weeks later. Nestlings are fed by both parents for 16-18 days, when they fledge.

    However, small carnivores and other bird species are waiting for this bonanza of eggs or chicks, and about 70% of long-tailed tit nests are destroyed by such predators every year. Pairs must then start all over again, building a new nest and laying eggs. No wonder that they can only raise one brood per year.

    Long-tailed tits make elaborate nests to raise their chicks in.
    Chosg/Shutterstock

    By early May, the season is too advanced to re-nest, and if a pair has lost their brood they give up for the year. Some lucky ones manage to reproduce, of course. Is it luck? Maybe, in part – but the secret for half of the successful nests is that they got help from family members.

    Birds that fail to breed often become helpers, moving to another nest and assisting that pair in raising their offspring. Around half of all broods have helpers, typically just one or two, but up to eight at a single nest. The extra food that helpers provide increases the survival of offspring. Helpers normally choose the nest of relatives, increasing the number of birds carrying their genes in the next generation. For birds that may live for just a couple of years, this is the next best option after failing to breed successfully themselves.

    Small birds with persistent family bonds

    In our study, we aimed to understand how these family bonds persist and are important for the long-tailed tits. First, they tend to stay and reproduce near where they were born, especially males. As a consequence, we observed that long-tailed tits live in “kin neighbourhoods”. Second, even when they move and decide to settle further afield, long-tailed tits do so with sisters and brothers, maintaining their family ties as they move.

    Long-tailed tits are less than half the weight of a robin.
    David OBrien/Shutterstock

    These family ties can persist over thousands of kilometres. Long-tailed tits in the UK stay in the same area all year. However, populations in the Baltics migrate and spend the winter in central Europe. By catching groups on their southward and northward journeys, we discovered that long-tailed tits travel over large distances in family groups and end up nesting next to each other. These strong family bonds enable them to keep their support network in place.

    Males help more than females, and only birds in good condition help. But, most importantly, it is the strength of the family bond – how closely related and familiar they are – that affects this decision. We also identified external factors that promote cooperation. When predation is intense there are more failed breeders seeking helping opportunities. And when the weather limits time for breeding, long-tailed tits are more likely to help others. Out of adversity comes opportunity.

    We have unpicked the web of causes and effects that explain why long-tailed tits have complex social lives and a cooperative breeding system. Now, our aim is to understand how they recognise family members, whether it is with their calls, their smells, or simply because they built strong friendships over time with them.

    Ben Hatchwell receives funding from a Horizon Europe Guarantee grant from UKRI, via EPSRC, for a project selected by the ERC.

    Jennifer Morinay 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. For long-tailed tits, it really does take a village – https://theconversation.com/for-long-tailed-tits-it-really-does-take-a-village-256128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: M&S cyberattack: how can retailers regain customers’ trust after a hack? A marketing expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kokho Jason Sit, Senior Lecturer in Marketing; Associate Head (Global), University of Portsmouth

    Several big British retailers have been in the news recently – but not for buoyant sales or new product launches. Firms like Marks & Spencer and Co-op have been hacked, affecting online sales and the range of products available in-store, and forcing them to apologise to customers and other stakeholders. Luxury retailer Harrods also suffered a near-miss.

    M&S, a legacy retailer that has more than 1,000 stores across the UK, appears to have suffered the most significant damage from its cyberattack. Bank of America analysts estimated that the company has lost more than £40 million in weekly sales since the incident began over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

    As a precaution, the retailer was reported to have shut down many IT operations, effectively locking itself out of its core systems as it tried to address the incident.

    And then the situation worsened. M&S acknowledged that the personal data of customers, including names, dates of birth, telephone numbers, home and email addresses, and online order histories, had been stolen. However, the retailer insisted that the data theft did not include usable card, payment or login information.

    There are logical reasons why M&S may have opted for the cautious approach. It did not wish to create more panic and anxiety among customers. It preferred to tackle the issue covertly while the outcome was pending. It did not want to be seen as digitally incompetent. Of course, this reasoning is only speculative.

    That said, M&S’s approach to managing the incident has raised questions from a branding perspective.

    First, how long has the retailer been aware of the attack? And, more importantly, how long did it wait to share news of the data theft with its customers and the public?

    Research suggests that brands that are prompt and transparent in disclosing a hack, notifying the affected customers and communicating the potential implications for their privacy, are more likely to win consumer trust. It is better for brand image than those that opt for a “wait-and-see” or “drip-drip” approach.

    In 2016, US IT firm Yahoo was slapped with lawsuits after it announced a hack. The company’s stock price plunged amid fears that a data breach could derail its pending merger with Verizon Communications, set to be worth US$4.8 billion (£3.6 billion).

    But the lawsuits and the market’s adverse reaction were less about the data breach and more about Yahoo’s delayed actions. It involuntarily announced the data breach when the hacker attempted to sell the stolen user data online. Yahoo reportedly learned of the breach two years previously but did not warn its users and stakeholders. An internal review later found that the company had “failed to act sufficiently” on the knowledge it had.

    Bring in the marketers

    Second, does M&S need to do more than simply assure its customers that no usable payment or login information was stolen? Other personal data like date of birth, home and email addresses did get hacked, and are useful for criminals to commit identity theft.

    A prudent retailer will do more than follow the laws and regulations, it can take a more customer-centric, moralistic approach in protecting its customers’ welfare after a cyberattack. A study has highlighted the strategic value of involving marketers – either in-house or an external PR firm – in protecting consumer data and responding to breaches.

    The authors of the study stated that a marketer’s remit typically involves working with people from different backgrounds across all departments of a firm. This enables them to facilitate talks and negotiations between the relevant people, from company lawyers, tech experts, and security officers, to those overseeing investor relationships and the CEO managing the board relationship.

    Being focused on customer experience, even in times of deepening crisis, marketers instinctively think about the benefits and barriers experienced by consumers.

    Talking points between the company’s departments should focus on moral, as well as legal, options for protecting consumer data. Communications should consider the negative effect of the crisis on consumers, beyond the firm stressing its victimhood and seeking sympathy.

    Marketers can put the consumer’s point of view front and centre. They can highlight issues that others in the business may not consider, such as who drafts consumer communications, how messages are communicated and monitored, and how consumers can reach out to the brand to seek or offer help.

    At the end of the day, M&S has been the victim of a crime. Known as a “victim crisis”, a data breach is instigated exclusively by criminal actors. The way and pace at which M&S has communicated the data theft to its customers could potentially leave it open to criticism, however.

    The issue of when the retailer learned about the theft versus when it decided to share the information with its customers remains unclear. Also uncertain is how much personal data was taken, whether this includes any profiling data the retailer conducted on customers (things like their purchase frequency, coupon redemption and product choices). It should also share any plans it is devising to tackle potential identity thefts.

    M&S has come a long way since first opening up a stall at Kirkgate Market in Leeds in 1884.
    annaj77/Shutterstock

    M&S’s current crisis management activities could seem to be about preserving its bottom line while arguably the focus should be on caring for customers. As a legacy retailer which is nearly 141 years old, M&S can do better than following the typical “let me tell you” approach. This is where communication flows in one direction only and is pushed out on to the public, and is what M&S appears to have done in response to the attack.

    Instead, it should consider the more transparent “let’s work together” approach. This may promote better customer trust and brand image, allowing M&S to seek customer cooperation (things like reporting unusual emails or misinformation where a critical mass may identify a meaningful pattern). This could help to spot data breaches and criminal activities like identity theft and fraud.

    Kokho Jason Sit is affiliated with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK).

    – ref. M&S cyberattack: how can retailers regain customers’ trust after a hack? A marketing expert explains – https://theconversation.com/mands-cyberattack-how-can-retailers-regain-customers-trust-after-a-hack-a-marketing-expert-explains-257142

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Enhances Summer Respite Camps For Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: Failure is Simply Not an Option

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson highlighted the key policy provisions in budget reconciliation and continued to advocate for swift passage of President Trump’s agenda and the One Big Beautiful Bill.

    “Nothing in Congress is ever easy, especially when you have small margins. But we are going to land this plane and deliver this, and we’re proud what we’ve accomplished together,” Speaker Johnson said. “Every member of the Conference can be proud of this legislation.”

    Watch the Speaker’s full remarks here

    On implementing President Trump’s America First agenda:

    From the outset of the budget reconciliation process, we have sought to enact President Trump’s full agenda, not just parts of it. And that’s why we call it the one big, beautiful bill, because really, everything is sandwiched into this. The American people were sick of wasteful spending and high inflation and open borders and weakness on the world stage. And you know what we’re working towards right now? The opposite of all those things, President Trump has used his executive authority in historic ways to stop much of the bleeding, but Congress has a role and a responsibility to step in at this stage to stitch up and mend those wounds for good, and that’s what this legislation is about. We cannot leave the American people waiting or wanting. The one big, beautiful Bill enshrines into law and funds President Trump’s promises.

    On building consensus and maintaining Republican unity:

    Our House Budget Resolution gave instructions to 11 separate committees in the House to write their portions of the budget reconciliation bill, and they did it right on target. Every instructed committee exceeded those targets, in fact, that they were given through our resolution. That means the committees that were told to spend have spent less, and the committees that were told to save, actually found more savings than they were they were targeting, and the bill delivered more than $1.5 trillion in savings mandated by the budget resolution. That is historic. There has never been anything like it before, and we’re proud to deliver it.

    This is a whole of Congress response to a whole of government problem and the results of all this work for over a year has now come to fruition. Every House Republican has engaged in the process. The White House has been involved, as you saw most recently within the last hour. The Senate has been involved. Constituent groups from around the country made their voices heard, and that’s why, as the Whip said, nearly 1,000 organizations have issued enthusiastic public endorsements about this legislation.

    On House Democrats supporting the largest tax hike in American history:

    Despite the overwhelming popularity of so many of these provisions in this bill, the guys on the other side, the Congressional Democrats, have refused to engage with us in this process at all. They’re not going to vote for anything that I just listed for you. And make no mistake about it, this week they’re going to vote for the largest increase in taxes in American history. They’re going to vote against border security, against American energy dominance, and against broadly popular policies such as work requirements to shore up Medicaid.

    By passing this legislation, wages will increase as much as $11,600, take home pay for the typical American family with two kids will increase by $13,300 a year. As many as 4.2 million full time equivalent jobs will be created because of this legislation. But if we fail, here’s the alternative, here’s what the Democrats are going to vote for. Every American citizen seen a 22% tax hike, 26 million businesses would see a tax increase to 43%, we’d lose nearly 6 million jobs in the economy and about a trillion dollars in GDP by some estimates. The Border Patrol and ICE would lack the resources to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens, and 1.4 million illegals would continue to receive taxpayer funding of health care.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Ophthalmology Practice Agrees to Pay $615,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medicaid for Cranial Ultrasounds

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Pinellas Eye Care, P.A. doing business as Gulfcoast Eye Care (“Gulfcoast Eye”), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, and St. Petersburg, Florida, has agreed to pay $615,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (“TCDs”) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Gulfcoast Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme.

    The settlement resolves allegations that Gulfcoast Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary TCDs. Gulfcoast Eye and a third-party provider of TCD services performed TCDs on thousands of patients and billed Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of dollars per test. Before the patients received the results of the test, Gulfcoast Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis — most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries — that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. Gulfcoast Eye paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered and referred the patients to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component. 

    The United States alleged that, as a result of this scheme, Gulfcoast Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $615,000 total settlement amount, $602,046 is to be paid to the United States, and $12,953 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program.

    “Patients trust their healthcare providers to administer reliable and competent care consistent with their medical needs and ethical standards,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “When this relationship is exploited for personal gain or greed, the integrity of our healthcare system is compromised. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients from potential harm and maintain the integrity of our federal programs.”

    “Kickback schemes will always be an investigative priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “Our mission is to protect the American people which includes safeguarding them from deceitful actions threatening our nation’s federal healthcare system.”

    “Kickback arrangements can corrupt legitimate medical decision-making and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid as well as those served by these programs.”

    The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam was filed by a whistleblower who will receive $116,850 in connection with the settlement.

    The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The United States previously resolved allegations that another ophthalmology practice in Florida engaged in a similar scheme with the same third-party TCD provider.

    The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Exposes The Costs Of Republicans; “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” Slams Republicans For Slashing Medicaid, Snap To Pay For Tax Breaks For Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    May 19, 2025
    In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin spoke about the real costs of passing the Republicans’ “one, big, beautiful bill,” including 13.7 million Americans potentially losing health care coverage
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor exposing congressional Republicans’ reconciliation bill for what it truly is – legislation that will pay for tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of 13.7 million Americans’ health care coverage.  In his remarks, Durbin reiterated that Republicans’ “one, big, beautiful bill” will further push the American Dream out of reach for working families.
    “Let me tell you a story.  It’s one of the oldest in our country.  It’s the story of the American Dream.  It’s one of perseverance, where anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can achieve success and upward mobility through hard work and determination.  It means a job that pays a fair wage, a school that prepares our kids for a better life, a doctor who sees you when you are sick, and a roof over your head at night,” Durbin began.
    “[Republicans’ reconciliation bill] dismantles the American Dream and strips our institutions of essential services that help the most vulnerable people in our country.  All so the ultimate goal can be served… to give major tax breaks to wealthy people,” Durbin said.  “If you don’t have time to read the more than 1,000 pages of these cuts in this reconciliation bill, let me give you a shortened version.  It isn’t pretty.  Billionaires will win.  And American families will lose.”
    In order to finance massive tax cuts, Republicans are proposing $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid.  Earlier this month, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report showing that Republicans’ plan would result in 13.7 million Americans losing their health insurance, marking the largest Medicaid cut in history.  These cuts will damage Americans’ ability to access health care as Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of nursing homes residents, and the majority of patients with mental health counseling.  Further, children’s hospitals and rural hospitals depend on Medicaid funding to remain operational.  If Medicaid funding is slashed, these hospitals are in danger of closing.
    “President Trump asked Republicans in Congress to provide a massive giveaway to the richest Americans, and they want to use programs like Medicaid, food and nutrition programs, and medical research funding as a piggy bank for these tax cuts for wealthy people… Medicaid insures one in four people in my home state of Illinois… 3.4 million people on Medicaid, including 1.5 million children,” Durbin continued.
    “Knowing how unpopular it is to deprive Americans of health care, for months, Republicans have said, ‘Democrats have it all wrong.  We’re not cutting Medicaid benefits.  We’re simply focusing on ‘waste, fraud, and abuse.’  Now, if there is a program that’s wasteful or fraudulent, put me in line to do something about it… But that’s not what’s happening here, and I’m afraid my colleagues on the other side of the aisle know it,” Durbin said.  “With their plan, Republicans are taking a chainsaw to our health care system and ripping health insurance away.”
    “The reconciliation plan of the Republicans buries eligible patients in complex paperwork requirements that will wrap them in so much red tape they will never get the care they need.  Just think if you have a serious illness and you have to go through a high stakes government red tape gauntlet, another government form, another telephone recording when you need a helping hand,”Durbin said.
    In addition to eviscerating Medicaid funding, Republicans’ will also gut SNAP, cutting up to $290 billion from the program, the largest cut to anti-hunger funding in the country’s history.
    “Republicans are also targeting food and nutrition programs like SNAP, [which] 40 million Americans rely on to put on the table, including nearly two million in Illinois,” Durbin said.  “That’s right.  Republicans are looking to take food off the tables of seniors and children so they can pay for their beautiful billionaire tax cuts.  It is shameful.”
    While Republicans are also expanding tax exemptions for the richest Americans, they refuse to expand the child tax credit to lift millions of children out of poverty.  However, Democrats have long supported an extension of the child tax credit and successfully passed a provision to extend it in the American Rescue Plan, leading to a historic 5.2 percent reduction in child poverty, the lowest level on record.
    “In their bill, Republicans give huge tax breaks to multibillion-dollar corporations.  They exempt up to $28 million in taxes from estates where the wealthiest Americans pass on to their children.  In the same breath, they fail to expand the child tax credit, which is one of the most effective tools to reduce poverty and put money back in the pockets of working families,” Durbin said.
    “Republicans are also planning to eliminate the clean energy tax credits enacted in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, which would derail efforts to strengthen U.S. energy security and lower costs.  This would hurt American families and small businesses by hitting them with higher energy bills and the loss of nearly 800,000 jobs over the next five years,” Durbin said.  “Some states could see double-digit percentage increases in electricity bills, which means hundreds of dollars out of Americans’ pockets each year.”
    Claiming to be fiscally responsible, Republicans have tried to downplay the harm of their “one, big, beautiful bill,” yet the legislation will add more than $3 trillion to the national deficit.
    “Just a few hours ago, the White House claimed that their reckless plan ‘does not add to the deficit’… but in reality, it explodes the deficit under the guise of fiscal responsibility.  The White House and Republican reconciliation plan would add $3.3 trillion to the nation’s deficit over the next 10 years,” Durbin said.  “America’s small businesses, workers, farmers, and families are hurting because of this Administration’s tariffs while the President continues to weaken America’s credibility and alienate us from our biggest trading partners.”
    However, some conservative Republicans are not satisfied with draining Medicaid and SNAP funding, excluding the child tax credit, eliminating clean energy tax credits, and adding more than $3 trillion to the deficit.  To garner more support in his caucus, Speaker Johnson has suggested moving up the implementation of red tape requirements for Medicaid coverage from the originally proposed 2029 to 2027. 
    “It is reported that they [Speaker Johnson and the House Freedom Caucus] discussed accelerating the plan to condition Medicaid health coverage on red tape requirements.  These were originally set for 2029, they now want to end people’s insurance as soon as possible… as well as a quicker phase-out of clean energy tax credits that were put into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act,”Durbin said.  “That’s right.  The package isn’t bad enough for conservative Republicans to support, so they are considering making it even worse for American families.”
    Durbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to recognize the harm this bill will do to health care access and the well-being of children and working families. 
    “I’ve heard my colleagues give speeches about tough choices.  Well, let me tell you, choosing to line the pockets of people like Elon Musk while cutting life-saving medical research isn’t tough, it’s shameful,” Durbin said. 
    “American families aren’t asking for special treatment.  They’re asking for a fair shot at the American Dream.  They’re asking us to remember this country works best when we invest in its people.  We need four Republicans with the good sense to join Democrats and say ‘no’ to this disaster,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 May 2025 Departmental update WHO launches global accelerator for Paediatric Formulations Strategic Roadmap 2025–2030

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the launch of the Global Accelerator for Paediatric Formulations (GAP-f) Strategic Roadmap 2025–2030, a comprehensive five-year plan to transform the development and delivery of essential medicines for children worldwide.

    Unveiled during a high-level side event at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, the roadmap outlines an ambitious “30 by ’30” commitment to assess priorities in 10 high-burden diseases, accelerate 10 priority medicines, and strengthen paediatric medicine ecosystems in 10 countries by 2030.

    “Children have been waiting too long for medicines that meet their specific needs,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, Chief Scientist at WHO. “This strategic roadmap represents a turning point in our collective efforts to ensure that no child is denied access to life-saving treatments simply because appropriate medicines don’t exist or aren’t accessible.”

    Addressing critical gaps in paediatric medicines

    Despite significant advances in global health, children continue to face substantial barriers in accessing appropriate medications. The GAP-f network, founded in 2020, aims to address these challenges by fostering collaboration among stakeholders to identify gaps, set priorities and accelerate the research, development and delivery of high-quality, affordable and accessible medicines for children.

    The five-year strategy focuses on two main strategic axes:

    1. aligning and coordinating: unifying global efforts around shared priorities with structured coordination
    2. enabling and collaborating: translating priorities into impact through partnerships and innovation.

    These approaches will be applied across four critical lifecycle areas: portfolio prioritization, clinical research, product development and regulatory processes, and access and delivery. Disease areas of focus will be expanded through applying an agile prioritization framework driven by unmet needs and opportunity for impact. Across the life cycle, GAP-f will continue to engage with an ecosystem approach, forging new collaboration and partnerships with the private sector, funders, regulators, countries, civil society and health-care workers around the world.

    “Closing the paediatric medicines gap is not just a matter of innovation – it’s a matter of equity, efficiency and shared responsibility,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director, Unitaid. “The new GAP-f strategy sets a bold course toward systemic change, but we will only succeed through strategic coordination, aligned investments and strong partnerships. Unitaid is proud to stand with GAP-f and our global partners to turn innovation into access, and to ensure that no child is left behind.”

    Collaborative implementation

    The GAP-f model has already demonstrated sound progress. Its approach is anticipated to accelerate access to certain medicines by more than 10 years, as inspired by work in the HIV community on paediatric dolutegravir.

    The initiative brings together around 30 key global health organizations and builds on a broad range of skills and expertise resulting from longstanding commitment to child health, innovation and access.

    The roadmap outlines specific objectives, including:

    • using data-driven frameworks to identify unmet paediatric needs
    • improving clinical trial design and throughput
    • promoting accelerated matching of technologies for paediatric drug delivery
    • fostering regulatory efficiencies and harmonization
    • strengthening product introduction and demand generation.

    Accelerating access to save lives

    In alignment with GAP-f strategic direction, WHO is launching a three-year initiative to strengthen the paediatric medicines ecosystem across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Undertaken in partnership with Temasek Foundation, this work will drive innovation and improve access to essential paediatric treatments for high-burden conditions.

    This initiative presents a unique opportunity to pivot to an integrated national and regional approach, ensuring tangible improvements in countries while generating insights for other regions. By documenting and scaling successful models, WHO and its GAP-f partners will collaborate with national programmes, academic institutions and child health centres to accelerate impact. Efforts will be staged for rapid, measurable improvements, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, while shaping a sustainable framework for broader regional and global collaboration and adoption.

    “This meaningful initiative will accelerate the development and availability of child-friendly medicine formulations – crucial in improving health outcomes for millions of children affected by treatable and preventable diseases,” said Mr Ng Boon Heong, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Foundation. “The programme will also promote data and knowledge sharing, that can inspire more partnerships and follow on funding. We look forward to more such collaborations that not only strengthen the work of institutions like WHO, but also help close urgent health gaps across Asia and beyond.”

    About GAP-f

    The Global Accelerator for Paediatric Formulations (GAP-f) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that contributes to universal health coverage by fostering collaboration to identify gaps, set priorities and accelerate the research, development and delivery of high-quality, affordable and accessible medicines for children.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Calls Out EPA Administrator Zeldin for Slashing Protections to Environment & Public Health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, today questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin during an Environment Subcommittee hearing on the EPA’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

    Listen to Rep. Tonko’s opening remarks HERE and see below as prepared for delivery.

    President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for EPA has been called “problematic,” “an unserious proposal,” and “maybe a bridge too far to be achievable.”

    These were the reactions of Republican Appropriators last week, and I expect you will hear even less charitable reviews from Democrats on this Subcommittee today.

    This proposal includes a 55% reduction from FY25 levels, resulting in agency funding levels not seen since the mid-1980s.

    If enacted, this would fundamentally dismantle the EPA as we know it and cripple the agency’s ability to carry out its core mission of protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink.

    The request includes devastating cuts that will undermine states’ efforts to protect public health and carry out their obligations, including a $2.46 billion reduction to the State Revolving Funds for water infrastructure and a $1 billion reduction for categorical grants, which are critical to supporting staffing of state environmental agencies.

    I believe this is part of a disturbing trend we are seeing to force more costs onto state governments, as is being done with the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the majority’s reconciliation bill.

    Similar to these funding cuts, earlier this year the Administration expressed a desire to reduce EPA staffing levels by 65%, which would return the agency to 1971 personnel levels — the agency’s second year in existence.

    It is not credible to suggest that the agency can fulfill its statutory requirements — including all the major environmental laws and amendments to those laws that have been enacted since the 1970s — with these proposed staffing levels.

    Cuts of this magnitude would not only hollow out the agency’s expertise and capacity, but they are insensitive to the public servants who have dedicated their lives to supporting the agency’s mission.

    And it is worth reminding everyone of what that mission is: To protect human health and the environment.

    In just a few short months, I believe the agency, under Administrator Zeldin’s leadership, has lost sight of this mission.

    Mr. Zeldin launched the “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative focused on American energy, auto manufacturing, and artificial intelligence dominance.

    And broadly speaking, I am not necessarily opposed to aspects of that agenda, but I also do not believe it is the appropriate role for our nation’s environmental regulator to be leading this effort.

    Because EPA’s contributions to those goals more or less translate to how can we reduce environmental protections and enforcements of those protections for the benefit of energy producers, the auto industry, and Big Tech, even if ordinary Americans will pay the price by breathing harmful air pollution, drinking contaminated water, and being exposed to dangerous chemicals.

    We have already seen a slew of agency actions that will result in greater pollution and reduce our scientific capacity to understand how that pollution will impact Americans’ health and well-being.

    This includes reconsidering rules that protect Americans from pollution from power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities, and weakening standards to keep PFAS out of our drinking water.

    Each of these public health protections up for reconsideration went through robust rulemaking processes and economic analyses, which found that every one of these rules delivers greater benefits to the American people, in public health and economic benefits, than they cost.

    I am also concerned by EPA’s efforts to terminate previously awarded grants without producing any evidence of fraud, waste, or abuse.

    For each of those awards, the previous administration carried out competitive selection processes based upon requirements enacted by Congress.

    Whether or not Administrator Zeldin personally believes Congress was wasting taxpayer dollars when it directed EPA to carry out those funding opportunities is irrelevant.

    No Administrator should be the sole arbitrator of what is a good use of Congressionally-directed taxpayer dollars, and yet we have seen billions of dollars impounded without justification.

    Finally, I am very concerned by reports that EPA is planning to eliminate the Energy Star program, which is a voluntary, non-regulatory labeling program with strong support from industry and consumers.

    Energy Star has been incredibly effective at supporting American manufacturing, enabling people to lower energy bills, and reducing strain on our electricity system.

    This seems obviously in line with the President’s energy and economic agenda, and yet, there may be an effort underway to terminate the program.

    If we cannot even find common ground on a broadly popular, voluntary, low-cost program to benefit consumers, I have serious doubts that we will be able to find anything to agree upon this year.

    Mr. Administrator, I appreciate you being here, and I hope we can work together to ensure that your agency and this committee have a productive, transparent relationship that honors the critical public health and scientific mission of the EPA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Reintroduces Bill to Protect Older Workers from Age Discrimination

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

    Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) joins Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers to reintroduce the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA), which will restore critical protections for older workers facing age discrimination.

    POWADA reinstates the pre-2009 legal standard for age discrimination claims, aligning the burden of proof with the same standards used for claims involving discrimination based on race and national origin.

    “Age discrimination is one of the most prevalent issues affecting an entire generation of older Americans,” said Grothman. “Too often, workers aged 50 and up are laid off while still juggling mortgages, family, and financial obligations. As they try to reenter the workforce, they face major obstacles in finding new employment. Employers also tend to let go of older employees to avoid higher insurance costs, leaving these individuals with limited options.

    “The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a crucial initiative that aims to restore legal safeguards for older Americans by ensuring that age discrimination claims receive just as much credibility as any other form of workplace discrimination. Age discrimination is often overlooked, but it is one of the most egregious forms of discrimination hurting Americans. Older workers deserve to work without facing unnecessary burdens.”

    “Everyone—regardless of their age—should be able to go to work every day knowing that they are protected from discrimination. Unfortunately, age discrimination in the workplace is depriving older workers of opportunities and exposing them to long-term unemployment and severe financial hardship. More than a decade ago, the Supreme Court undermined protections for older workers by setting an unreasonable burden of proof for age discrimination claims. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a bipartisan bill that would finally restore the legal rights of older workers by ensuring that the burdens of proof in age discrimination claims are treated in the same manner as other discrimination claims,” said Ranking Member Scott.

    “In a truly free and fair America, equal opportunity must be a fundamental right for all citizens, regardless of age,” said Congressman Van Drew. “Unfortunately, age discrimination continues to deny older workers the opportunities they deserve, despite their years of dedication and contributions to our society. This is unacceptable. That is why I am proud to support the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2025 to restore legal protections, uphold the dignity of older Americans, and ensure fairness for all.”

    “Older workers have a wealth of experience to offer and should not have to overcome age discrimination, or any other form of discrimination, to find a job or fulfill their role in a workplace,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “We must hold employers accountable for age discrimination and restore protections for older workers. I’m grateful to lead this legislation with a group of bipartisan colleagues.”

    “Discrimination has no place in the American workforce, and no one should lose opportunity, dignity, or legal protection simply because of their age. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill restores a core standard of fairness, ensuring our older workers are valued for their contributions and protected from unjust treatment—just like every hardworking American,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

    “Every Wisconsin worker deserves to feel respected and protected in the workplace. We need to ensure this is true for older workers, so they have equal footing and are treated with the dignity they deserve,” said Senator Baldwin.

    “Older Americans have spent their careers bettering our country which is why I’m proud to reintroduce POWADA to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for our senior workers,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Far too often, older workers face age discrimination in the workplace, with two-thirds of workers over 50 seeing or experiencing age discrimination at work. POWADA will ensure that older workers are treated fairly in the job market, improve age discrimination protections, and make sure they can continue to work with the dignity they’re owed. There is no place for mistreatment in the workforce.”

    “Americans of all ages can offer valuable contributions to our society and economy, including older Americans. They deserve to be protected from workplace discrimination like other Americans. The Supreme Court’s decision involving Iowan Jack Gross impacted employment discrimination litigation across the nation, sending a wrong message to employers that age discrimination is okay. It’s long past time for us to clarify the intent of Congress so Americans don’t face job discrimination due to age,” said Senator Grassley.

    “Older workers are vital to a thriving economy, yet according to AARP research, 64 percent of workers ages 50-plus report seeing or experiencing age discrimination on the job,” said Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at AARP. “More than half of older workers are forced out of a job before they intend to retire. Even if they find work again, many of these workers never match their prior earnings. In addition, 22 percent of older workers report that they have been passed up for a promotion or other career-enhancing opportunities because of their age. These actions not only hurt the workers in question but also limit the economy’s ability to have a thriving job market by unnecessarily reducing the labor force. Older workers deserve a fair shot and our economy needs them.”

    Background Information

    In 2009, the Supreme Court’s decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. raised the burden of proof for age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), weakening protections for older workers. Gross overturned past precedent that only required plaintiffs seeking to prove age discrimination in employment to demonstrate that age was a motivating factor for the employer’s adverse action.

    POWADA returns the legal standard for age discrimination claims to the pre-2009 evidentiary threshold, aligning the burden of proof with the same standards for proving discrimination based on race and national origin.

    POWADA amends the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.

    A similar version of the bill was passed in the House with bipartisan support during the 117th Congress.

    Read the fact sheet for the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.

    Read the section-by-section summary of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.

    Grothman is joined by Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and Representative Alma Adams (D-NC).

    In the Senate, POWADA is led by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

    The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is supported by the following organizations: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Aging Life Care Association, Alliance for Retired Americans, Elder Justice Coalition, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP), National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, The National Council on Aging, and USAging.

    -30- 

    U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) is serving his fifth term representing Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP arrests two vehicle occupants after responding to call for service in Carbonear

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Two occupants of a vehicle were arrested by Harbour Grace RCMP after police responded to a call for service in Carbonear on May 16, 2025.

    Shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Harbour Grace RCMP received a request to assist paramedics who were responding to reports of an unresponsive man and woman, both found in a vehicle on Lemarchant Street in Carbonear. Police attended the scene and observed the unresponsive occupants inside the vehicle. A man was in the driver seat with the engine running and the vehicle still in gear. An officer put the vehicle in park and turned off the engine.

    The driver, a 36-year-old Carbonear man, became responsive and displayed signs of drug impairment. He was arrested and was transported to Carbonear General Hospital where blood samples were obtained as part of a drug impaired driving investigation. Officers await the results of the testing to determine if charges of drug impaired driving are appropriate.

    The passenger, a 33-year-old Bell Island woman, was found in breach of conditions of a release order and she was arrested.

    Various illicit and prescription drugs, drug paraphernalia and other items consistent with drug trafficking were seized from the vehicle, along with a number of weapons. The vehicle was seized and impounded.

    Both individuals were held in police custody and later released.

    The investigation is continuing. A number of charges under the Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are expected.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PASSED: Fischer, Bennet Resolution Promoting Mental Health in Ag Industry and Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
    The Senate unanimously approved U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Michael Bennet’s (D-Colo.), bipartisan resolution designating May 29th as ‘Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day.’“Daily uncertainties and extreme stress lead to higher levels of anxiety and depression among Nebraska’s agricultural producers and workforce. Our resolution recognizes these unique challenges and supports the farmers, ranchers, and workers who perform the essential work of producing high-quality food, fuel, and fiber,” said Fischer.“From severe drought to increased costs, unprecedented challenges are taking a toll on the mental health of Colorado’s farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers. I’m grateful to stand with Senator Fischer and my Senate colleagues to raise awareness about our country’s mental health crisis and work together to expand access to care for communities across the country,” said Bennet.In addition to Fischer and Bennet, the resolution is cosponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). The full text of the resolution can be found here.
    Click 
    here to learn about national resources available for those in need of assistance.Click here to learn about Nebraska resources available for those in need of assistance.
    National Stakeholder Support: 
    Agricultural Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, Farm Credit Services of America, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Union, National Pork Producers Council, and National Rural Health Association.Click here to view statements of support from national stakeholders.
    Nebraska Stakeholder Support:

    Nebraska Agri-Business Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Nebraska Rural Health Association, Nebraska Soybean Association, and Nebraska Wheat Board. 
    Click here to view statements of support from Nebraska stakeholders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Safeguard U.S. Manufacturing, Transit Operations Against Chinese Influence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 05.20.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped introduce the Safeguarding Transit Operations to Prohibit (STOP) China Act, which would protect domestic transit operations and help level the playing field for American manufacturers, suppliers, and workers by preventing any federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from being awarded to grantees for the purchase of transit buses or rail cars made by Chinese-controlled companies. The bill would help ensure that American taxpayer dollars are invested in American manufacturers, like those in Michigan, not China. 
    “China is actively working to undermine American workers and our economic success, particularly in the transportation industry, by flooding global markets with artificially cheap vehicles, from electric vehicles to buses,” said Senator Peters. “These vehicles could also pose a serious national security threat. This bipartisan bill would address these concerns and help level the playing field for Michigan manufacturers, suppliers, and workers as we continue to lead the world in mobility innovation by preventing taxpayer dollars from being used to support companies owned and operated by the Chinese Communist Party.”
    The Stop China Act would prohibit any federal funds from being awarded to grantees for the purchase of Chinese government transit buses or rail cars. It seeks to close loopholes in the previously enacted Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act that have allowed Chinese entities to continue competing for U.S. Government funds. It also requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Attorney General, to produce a list of prohibited entities headquartered or affiliated with China. 
    The legislation is endorsed by the Alliance for American Manufacturing, Steel Manufacturers Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Steelworkers, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Transport Workers Union of America.
    Peters has made strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains a top priority. Peters helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, strengthen critical domestic supply chains, and create good-paying American jobs. The CHIPS and Science Act additionally authorized increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which has been a priority for Peters. Peters additionally supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis, and create millions of American jobs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mrvan Reintroduces Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

    Washington, DC – Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN-01) and Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) recently reintroduced H.R.3359, the Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act.

    The purpose of this legislation is to improve recruitment and retention of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Police Officers.  Specifically, the Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act would require the VA Secretary to submit an annual report to Congress on salaries, recruitment bonuses, and other compensation of all VA Police Officers.  This information will be utilized to conduct Congressional oversight and determine how VA can improve recruitment and retention of police officers to protect veterans and VA personnel.

    Congressman Mrvan stated, “I am proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation with Chairwoman Kiggans to support law enforcement personnel at the VA.  I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to hold the VA accountable and improve recruitment and retention of VA Police Officers as it works to keep our nation’s veterans and VA facilities across the country safe and secure.”

    Congresswoman Kiggans stated, “VA Police Officers play a vital role in protecting the veterans who rely on VA facilities for care and the staff who serve them.  This bipartisan bill provides much-needed transparency into VA recruitment and compensation for these officers to ensure they have the support needed to do their jobs safely and effectively.  Strengthening recruitment and retention of qualified VA Police is essential to keeping our veterans safe.”

    American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Veterans Affairs Council President Alma Lee stated, “AFGE applauds Representative Mrvan and Chairwoman Kiggans for introducing the Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act.  AFGE is proud to represent VA Police Officers, 90 percent of whom are veterans themselves, in VA facilities throughout the nation.  The passage of this legislation will provide valuable oversight of the compensation of the VA police force, and help the VA and Congress improve the recruitment and retention of dedicated VA Police Officers who protect our nation’s veterans and VA employees every day.”

    The full bill text of the Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act is available here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Burlison Opens Hearing on the IRA’s Threat to Energy and Medicine

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Eric Burlison (R-Missouri 7th District)

    WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) delivered opening remarks at today’s hearing on “Mandates, Meddling, and Mismanagement: The IRA’s Threat to Energy and Medicine.” In his remarks, Subcommittee Chairman Burlison highlighted how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) increased energy subsidies that cost taxpayers billions, funneled money into the Democrats’ radical energy agenda, and stifled free market competition that would have lowered energy prices. At today’s hearing, the panel will hear from experts on how the IRA failed to curb inflation and created corruption.

    Below are Subcommittee Chairman Burlison’s remarks as prepared for delivery.

    Today we are here to provide critical oversight of the policies and subsidies instituted through the Inflation Reduction Act, or the “IRA.”  

    Signed into law under the Biden Administration in 2022, this misleadingly-named legislation passed with zero Republican votes. 

    Three years later, the projected costs continue to balloon—with rounding errors in the billions—all while creating runaway subsidies and unnecessary distortions within energy and health care markets. 

    In January of this year, the Director of the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the IRA’s energy subsidies would increase U.S. budget deficits by $825 billion over the next ten years. 

    That is more than three times the initial ten-year estimate of roughly $270 billion rendered by CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation.  

    How did CBO and the JCT get these numbers so wrong? 

    Other estimates show an even grimmer picture of the IRA’s long-term economic impacts on the federal budget. 

    Recent analysis by the Cato Institute shows that energy subsidies included in the IRA may cost “between $936 billion and $1.97 trillion over the next ten years, and between $2.04 trillion and $4.67 trillion by 2050.” 

    These are chilling estimates that extend far beyond what was previously projected. 

    I would like to enter this report, entitled “The Budgetary Cost of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Subsidies,” from the CATO institute into the hearing record so that others may review these findings. 

    Without objection, so ordered. 

    These subsidies didn’t just happen to create distortions in energy markets: they distorted markets by design. 

    The IRA funnels money to so-called “clean” energy organizations that would not be able to compete on their own without these subsidies.  

    The Biden Administration was blatantly picking winners and losers in the economy. 

    The federal government slammed a fist on the economic scale to stifle free market competition that allows for the most reliable, cost-effective sources to compete on an open playing field—all in the name of unproven, hyperbolic, and extreme climate alarmism.  

    The kicker? These IRA subsides, coming from the party that purports to be “against the oligarchy” and fighting the billionaires, created tax loopholes that carved out eleven thousand dollars, on average, for the top 1% through tax credits, while failing to demonstrate tax savings of more than $100 for the bottom quintile of American taxpayers.  

    The IRA paid out to the rich, all under the guise of climate change.  

    There are also implications for the future of our tax code and prescription drug costs. 

    The IRA has already led to a more convoluted web of tax subsidies, creating additional burdens for compliance. 

    For health care under the IRA, the Biden Administration’s “pill penalty” will ultimately increase drug costs and federal expenditures on Medicare. 

    We have an opportunity to take a hard look at these provisions to carefully evaluate whether these tax credits and programs are achieving their intended results, and whether taxpayer dollars would be better spent elsewhere. 

    Doing so has the potential to save taxpayers over $1 trillion dollars, ease inflation, stimulate economic growth by allowing for free market competition, and make energy affordable again. 

    This Republican majority is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, instituting necessary health care reforms, and stopping wasteful “Green New Deal” energy policies that are out of touch with the every-day needs of Americans. 
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW DATA: More than 36,000 Granite Staters Would Lose Health Insurance Under Republican Leaders’ Proposed Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen today highlighted new data from the Joint Economic Committee – Minority showing that an estimated 36,856 Granite Staters would lose health insurance as a result of President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. House Republicans are expected to call a vote on their proposal later this week. 

    “President Trump and Congressional Republicans are pushing forward with their plan to give billionaires and corporate special interests more tax breaks – all paid for by taking health coverage away from more than 36,000 Granite Staters and adding trillions to the national debt,” said Senators Hassan and Shaheen. “This new analysis makes clear that if this backward plan passes into law, it will be even harder for thousands of Granite Staters to afford the health care that they need.” 

    The Committee calculations are based on the latest numbers available, including from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s analysis released this month about the draft legislation put forward by Republicans. The new Committee fact sheet is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Leads Colleagues in Legislative Push to Combat DOGE’s Unsafe Retention of Personal Information

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, led a group of colleagues in introducing the Defending Our Government’s Electronic data: Bolstering Responsible Oversight & Safeguards (DOGE BROS) Act, legislation to hold Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accountable for their continued efforts to improperly access, and retain, individuals’ personally identifiable information (PII) including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers, and other financial information.

    “As unvetted and unqualified DOGE employees continue to recklessly access the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans, it’s important that we take steps to better protect this data,” Sen. Warner said. “For too long, our privacy laws have sat outdated, barely serving as a deterrent for improper handling or potential release of information. This legislation would enforce that privacy must be a priority when handling the data of the American public.”

    Joining Sen. Warner in introducing the DOGE BROS Act are U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

    “Elon Musk and his ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ are wreaking havoc across the government and gaining access to Americans’ sensitive information without proper authorization, which poses significant privacy and national security concerns,” Sen. Kaine said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill to increase the penalties for violating privacy laws and help safeguard Americans’ personal information.”

    “Elon Musk and his DOGE cronies have been illegally ransacking federal agencies to gain access to troves of Americans’ sensitive personal data – from Social Security numbers to medical records to bank account information. Strengthening penalties for the theft of this data will help further deter these illegal abuses and keep Americans’ private information safe,” Sen. Van Hollen said.

    “The American people do not want Elon Musk knowing their Social Security numbers and sifting through their financial information. Musk and his team of wildly unqualified DOGE employees have gone too far – and we are sick of it. The Senate needs to prove we care more about those we serve than Elon Musk. Let’s immediately pass this legislation to protect the data and privacy of the American people,” Sen. Alsobrooks said.

    “From day one, Elon Musk’s DOGE has taken a wrecking ball to the federal government and critical services for the American people, all while carelessly pursuing their sensitive personal data,” Sen. Luján said. “Congress must do more to protect that information and keep it out of the wrong hands. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to strengthen our privacy laws and put Americans’ privacy first.”

    “Elon Musk’s so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ and his DOGE agents are wreaking havoc on the federal government and the programs millions of Americans rely on. There’s no reason DOGE should gain access to Vermonters’ personal information, and I’m working with my colleagues to hold DOGE accountable and protect peoples’ privacy and data,” Sen. Welch said. 

    The United States has existing laws that are designed to protect personal information held by the government. However, the penalties established in these various laws have not been properly adjusted or increased to account for inflation, making them far less impactful today. The DOGE BROS Act would increase five penalties for violation of federal privacy laws to better protect the sensitive information that DOGE is accessing in their reckless purge of the federal government. Specifically, the DOGE BROS Act would increase the following existing penalties for the unauthorized release of the following information:

    1. Individually Identifiable Information Contained Within Any Agency Record  
      • Code Section: 5 U.S.C. §552a(i)(i, ii, iii)
      • Current Penalty: up to $5,000
      • Proposed Penalty: up to $30,000
      1. Information from Any Department or Agency of the United States Obtained Using a Computer Without Authorization
        • Code Section: 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(B)
        • Current Penalty: up to $250,000
        • Proposed Penalty: up to $750,000
        1. Social Security and Medicare Data
          • Code Sections: 42 U.S.C. §1306
          • Current Penalty: up to $10,000
          • Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000
          1. Tax Return Information
            • Code Section: 26 U.S.C. §7213
            • Current Penalty: up to $5,000
            • Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000
            1. Census Data
              • Code Section: 13 U.S.C. §214
              • Current Penalty: up to $5,000
              • Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000

              Copy of the bill text is available here.

               

              MIL OSI USA News –

            1. MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed Calling for Advancement of School Choice in the One Big, Beautiful Bill

              US Senate News:

              Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

              WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in the Washington Examiner highlighting his Education Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill to expand education freedom for students and empower parents to make the best decision about their child’s education. ECCA was included in President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.  
              “Mothers and fathers should have the freedom to get their child out of a school that is not meeting their needs and into a better one. That could be a private school, charter school, homeschooling, or other options as the parent sees fit. But moms and dads may hesitate to do so because of the higher costs associated with alternative education options,” said Dr. Cassidy.
              “The current education system fails too many children, making it more likely for many that they live stunted lives. Let’s give parents the power to choose the best education for their child and make their American Dream possible,” concluded Dr. Cassidy.
              Read the full op-ed here or below.
              Cassidy: Let’s Advance School Choice in the One Big, Beautiful Bill
              Every student in America deserves a good education, no matter their family’s income or where they live, and no one can make a better choice for a child’s education than a parent.
              My mother was born to a tenant farmer family. Once, she missed an entire year of school because she didn’t have shoes. Her son went to college and became a gastroenterologist and a U.S. senator. That is the power of education. 
              But education is not one-size-fits-all. What works for one child may not work for another. President Donald Trump understands this. He and I have been consistent champions for school choice. This is why he signed an executive order supporting educational choice and empowering parents to make decisions about their child’s education.
              A child should not be trapped in a failing school. Sometimes, a child has a special need that is best addressed in one school more than another. Although I am a product of public schools, and they work for many, too many schools have terrible academic outcomes. Currently, two-thirds of U.S. public school students are unable to read proficiently in fourth grade, and 40% are essentially illiterate.
              At best, illiteracy limits future opportunities. At its worst, it is a major risk factor for committing crimes and being incarcerated. These outcomes are as terrible for the individual as for society.
              The American dream is about opportunity. It is about overcoming adversity. It is about aiming high and the ability to succeed. School choice matters because the difference between adversity and success often comes down to a person’s education. 
              Mothers and fathers should have the freedom to get their child out of a school that is not meeting their needs and into a better one. That could be a private school, charter school, homeschooling, or other options as the parent sees fit. However, mothers and fathers may hesitate to do so because of the higher costs associated with alternative education options. For example, in 2024, the average annual cost of tuition at a private high school was $15,344.
              Cost should not stand in the way of a child’s bright future. That is what my Education Choice for Children Act is all about. The bill expands education freedom and opportunity for students by incentivizing individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover K-12 public and private education expenses. ECCA helps ensure that costs do not keep a child in the wrong school. These scholarships can be used to cover a range of education-related costs, including tuition, books, school supplies, and other educational resources.
              Success does not begin in the classroom. It begins in the right classroom. By helping parents with some of the potential costs that come with choosing the education best suited for their child, ECCA empowers parents to ensure their children are set up for success. 
              The House Ways and Means Committee included ECCA in the tax bill to pass the president’s agenda. With Trump in the White House and a Republican Senate, the ECCA can become law. 
              The current education system fails too many children, making it more likely that many of them will live stunted lives. Let’s give parents the power to choose the best education for their child and make their American dream possible. 

              MIL OSI USA News –

            2. MIL-OSI Canada: Community-led service supports people in crisis in Comox Valley

              Source: Government of Canada regional news

              People experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis in the Comox Valley now have access to more services to help them stabilize and connect to the support they need.

              “This service in the Comox Valley is helping people in crisis get timely, compassionate support from those who truly understand their experience,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By combining clinical expertise with the knowledge of people who have lived through similar challenges, this community-led approach offers a more empathetic and effective response that can make a real difference in someone’s path to recovery.”

              Crisis Response, Community-Led (CRCL, pronounced “circle”), formerly known as Peer Assisted Care Teams, is a mobile, community-led crisis service that serves people 13 and older experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis, which might include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feelings of grief, panic or anxiety, and/or acting or feeling in ways that are distressing.

              “In the Comox Valley, we have witnessed CRCL represent a transformative approach to mental-health crisis response, centred around compassion and lived experience,” said Sarah Delaney-Spindler, senior director, AVI Health and Community Services. “By meeting individuals where they are, CRCL has provided immediate, person-centred support that fosters healing and connection within our communities. We have seen in action the impacts of CRCL and its low-barrier, compassionate approach connecting individuals in community with resources and support.” 

              A person in crisis may contact CRCL for support directly, or friends, family members or bystanders may reach out if concerned about the well-being of someone else. The team is made up of responders with a combination of mental-health professionals and people with lived experience who are trained in providing trauma-informed, culturally safe crisis support.

              “We’ve lost too many of our people to trauma, addiction and a system that wasn’t built for us,” said Nicole Rempel, Elected Chief Councillor, K’ómoks First Nation. “Our communities are grieving and asking for help, but what we’re met with is silence, delay or criminalization. The CRCL program is a step toward something different: a trauma-informed, culturally safe approach that recognizes the strength and wisdom already in our communities. We are not just piloting a program, we are decolonizing a system that has failed our people. This is how we reclaim care: by building something our communities can trust, and that other Nations can build upon too. This is not just a pilot, it’s a path forward.”

              The CRCL team helps de-escalate the situation, ensures and plans for the safety of the person in crisis, and connects them to services to support their long-term needs. This service also helps free up policing resources to focus on crime and prevents demand on hospital emergency departments by supporting people in the community.

              The Comox Valley CRCL is operated by AVI Health and Community Services in partnership with K’ómoks First Nation, with oversight and support from the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division. The service soft-launched in October 2024, focusing on providing care to the K’ómoks First Nation. In December 2024, it expanded to serve people in Cumberland, Courtenay and Comox. Since the service launched, more than 100 people have been supported.

              In addition to the Comox Valley service, there are four CRCLs in operation in Victoria, North and West Vancouver, New Westminster and Prince George.

              Expanding CRCL is part of the Province’s Safer Communities Action Plan and supports the plan’s goal of creating safe, healthy communities for everyone. Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and addiction challenges is an integral part of government’s work to build a full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care that works for everyone.

              Quotes:

              Amna Shah, parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions –

              “Everyone deserves to feel supported and safe during a mental-health or substance-use crisis. CRCL offers a person-centred approach that meets people where they are, providing care that is rooted in compassion, understanding and community. This model helps reduce stigma and ensures people get the help they need, when they need it most.”

              Jonny Morris, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division –

              “By providing a mental-health response to a mental-health crisis, CRCL teams are changing and saving lives in the communities they serve. Collectively, teams have responded to more than 10,000 calls since January 2023, resolving almost 99% of calls without the need for police involvement. We are grateful to the Province of B.C. and CRCL teams for helping to create this network of support.”

              Quick Facts:

              • CRCL launched in North and West Vancouver in 2021 and expanded to Victoria and New Westminster in January 2023.
              • In July 2023, government announced the expansion of CRCL to Comox Valley, Prince George, where it launched in August 2024, and to Kamloops, where it is in development.
              • CRCL teams have responded to more than 10,000 calls since January 2023.
              • In 2024, teams responded to almost 6,000 calls, 99% of which did not require police involvement.
              • CRCL is creating a growing, specialized workforce of crisis responders in B.C., employing more than 100 people in six communities in B.C.

              Learn More:

              To learn more about CRCL, visit: https://crcl.ca/

              To learn more about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

              MIL OSI Canada News –

            3. MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Maxwell Frost Slams Trump Regime for Baseless DOJ Charges Against Rep. McIver

              Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

              May 19, 2025

              WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) released a statement in response to the Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) bringing charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) following her oversight visit to Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey where ICE agents put their hands on duly elected officials.

              In a statement, Rep. Frost says:

              “Donald Trump and his allies love to cry ‘weaponization’ when it suits them — but the moment they get the chance, they turn around and have the DOJ file baseless charges against a duly elected Member of Congress for simply carrying out her constitutional duties.”

              “The only thing Congresswoman LaMonica McIver is guilty of is standing up to Trump’s illegal actions and fighting back against the Administration’s cruel abuses of immigrants. Looks like it’s easier to charge and arrest a Black woman doing her job than the literal criminals working for Donald Trump.”

              ###

              MIL OSI USA News –

            4. MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Councillor Zafar Iqbal Takes Office as Birmingham’s New Lord Mayor

              Source: City of Birmingham

              Birmingham City Council is proud to announce that Councillor Zafar Iqbal has officially taken office as the new Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

              Councillor Iqbal brings with him over five decades of dedication to the city – a journey that began when he arrived in Birmingham as a young child from the small village of Boha, Chakswari in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. Since then, Birmingham has been the place where he built a life, raised a family, and served his community with compassion and determination.

              His inspiring personal story, from learning English as a newcomer to the UK while overcoming the challenges of acute dyslexia, to eventually earning qualifications in management and health and social care, is a testament to his resilience and commitment to lifelong learning.

              In his professional life, Councillor Iqbal has worked across a range of sectors – from labouring and factory work to delivering meals on wheels and supporting people with visual impairments. His enduring commitment to public service was further recognised in 2009 when he was awarded an MBE by the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for services to education.

              Councillor Iqbal was elected to Birmingham City Council in 2012 and has since played an active role in the Authority, chairing key scrutiny committees and contributing to the West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority.

              Beyond his civic duties, Councillor Iqbal has been a passionate fundraiser and community champion, undertaking formidable challenges such as walking the Great Wall of China and completing the Inca Trail to raise funds for vital causes.

              Speaking on his appointment, the new Lord Mayor Councillor Zafar Iqbal said:

              “It is the greatest honour of my life to serve as Lord Mayor of Birmingham – a city that welcomed me, shaped me, and gave me every opportunity to grow. I hope my journey can inspire others to believe in themselves and in the power of perseverance, education, and community. Birmingham is a city of opportunity, compassion, and strength, and I look forward to promoting everything that makes it truly exceptional.”

              Councillor Iqbal, a proud supporter of Birmingham City Football Club, celebrates 45 years of marriage this year with his wife and Lady Mayoress, Farooq Akhtar. They are proud parents and grandparents, and family remains at the heart of his values.

              As Lord Mayor, Councillor Iqbal will serve as the First Citizen of Birmingham, representing the city in his ambassadorial role at civic and ceremonial events both at home and abroad, and championing charitable and community causes across all of Birmingham’s diverse neighbourhoods.

              MIL OSI United Kingdom –

            5. MIL-OSI USA: I’ll Take “Advocating for Small Businesses and their Investors” for $800, Please! – Remarks at SEC Speaks

              Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

              Good morning. Thank you to PLI for once again hosting this event and to the studio audience, both live and virtual, who has joined us today. In preparing these remarks and knowing I was lucky enough to take the stage between all of you and your lunch break, I thought, how do I pack in all the ways our Office seeks to support small businesses in a few short minutes before that mental lunch bell rings? And just like that, I found myself in my head somewhere between the Final Jeopardy[1] countdown music and those shopping shows where contestants race around with a grocery cart. Embracing that theme, welcome to my trip down “game show” memory lane to revisit some famous, and possibly not so famous, game shows. Our journey will highlight some of what our Office does, and what is happening with capital formation in the small business ecosystem. However, before I test your game show acumen, I need to remind all of you that I am speaking in my official capacity as the Director of the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, and my remarks do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission, the Commissioners, or other members of the Commission Staff.

              For those of you who were here last year, you might remember I had only been the Host, oh I mean the Director, of the Small Business Advocacy Office for 79 days. Today, while my duration as Director has lengthened in tenure to 16 months, one thing from those initial days still holds absolutely true — this Office is made up of an incredible bunch of dedicated individuals who are passionate about improving small business capital formation and serving as a voice for small businesses and their investors. While we may have barely enough folks to field a couple of “Family Feud”[2] teams, this small team continues to amaze me on a daily basis with their accomplishments and commitment to the Office’s mission. Just looking at the current fiscal year, since October 2024 the Office has engaged in 34 outreach events and dozens of policy meetings, produced the 2024 Annual Report, created new educational resources and content, reviewed dozens of proposed bills and amendments related to small business capital formation, and organized and hosted the 44th Annual SEC Small Business Forum. And that’s on top of our daily collaboration with our SEC colleagues on matters of importance to small businesses and their investors. I am proud to be a part of this hard-working team and for the opportunity to serve alongside them as we seek ways to continue to support and advocate for the small business community. And now, I’m pleased to present the Small Business Advocacy Office.

              Jeopardy

              First up: Let’s play a little Jeopardy. Actually, let’s jump straight to some Double Jeopardy questions, so I don’t spill all the way into the break.

              I’ll start with “Little Known Gems at the SEC” for $1,200. Congress created this Office with the longest name in the agency to advance the interests of small businesses and their investors at the Commission and in the capital markets. You got it! What is the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation? Many of the folks that our Office advocates for may not have gotten that one, and we are on a mission to change that by getting the word out about who we are and what we do for small businesses and their investors. Small businesses cut a wide swath for this Office — from a start-up to a small public company. We are tasked with assisting in resolving problems, identifying areas where small businesses and their investors would benefit from changes in regulations, identifying problems that small businesses encounter with securing capital, analyzing the impact of proposed rules and legislation, and engaging in outreach on capital formation issues.[3]

              How do we go about fulfilling these vital functions? We engage with the community — we meet, talk, and listen to small business founders, investors, and those parties that support them. And what do we do with all of that feedback that we learn and gather? It informs our advocacy on behalf of small businesses and their investors so we can amplify their voices. The questions that we get from the small business community often serve as indicators of areas where that community could benefit from additional clarity, and where we can assist by working with our colleagues to help bring about solutions and by creating educational resources on those topics. In addition, we rely on what we hear from our stakeholders when we make the policy recommendations that we include in our Annual Report. The Annual Report is a culminating event for our Office — we spend the year reviewing data and studies to report on what’s happening with small business capital formation and to ensure that the policy recommendations are data-driven.

              Let’s continue with Little Known Gems for $1,600. This is where you can find a wealth of educational resources for small businesses and their investors. Tough one, huh? Let’s go with What is sec.gov? That would be correct! You can locate our educational tools, resources, videos, and more from any page on the SEC’s website by clicking on the “small businesses” link in the upper right-hand corner. We hope you will take the time, or suggest that your clients take the time to explore the Capital-Raising Building Blocks — one pagers that cover many of the fundamentals of raising capital, to take a gander at the Glossary, which cuts through the legal and market-driven jargon used when small businesses raise capital, or to tune in to the Let’s Talk Small Business video series to hear insights from experts and thought leaders in the field. Plus, don’t forget to pop over to our Office’s homepage at sec.gov/oasb to dig into our colorful Annual Report, which showcases the state of small business capital formation, watch the recent SEC Small Business Forum recordings, or sign up for our email alerts to learn about upcoming events and new resources.

              The resources, videos, and Annual Report contain a wealth of useful information for anyone involved in small business capital formation. Plus, what better way to prepare for your upcoming appearance on “It’s Academic,”[4] — I can see some of you remember that one — where your knowledge of small business capital-raising will be put to the test. Hey, does anyone know which states had the second greatest number of Regulation Crowdfunding or Regulation D offerings over the twelve-month period ended June 30, 2024? The answer to that question might just score your team the top prize! Even though I am inclined to send you to our Capital Trends Maps to find the answer, I’ll be kind and tell you that the correct responses are Pennsylvania and New York, respectively. [5]

              The $100,000 Pyramid

              Next up, let’s revisit another old game show favorite: the “$100,000 Pyramid.”[6] Small businesses need capital to open their doors, start operations, and grow. While some businesses hope to grow and scale their funding beyond $100,000, many are often seeking much smaller amounts to get started. Recently, 58% of new businesses began operations with less than $25,000, and 41% sought less than $50,000 in external financing or credit sources.[7] What are the primary ways that small businesses use that capital? To meet operating expenses, expand the business, or maintain available credit.[8]

              Even though 40% of small businesses seek external financing, only 2% actually receive an equity investment, with those equity investments predominantly coming from the business owners or friends and family[9] — once again echoing the importance of networks and support, including from other entrepreneurs, professional networking groups, and college networks. Through our Office’s own outreach and engagement efforts, we have discovered time and again that even in many big cities, the local small business community gives “small town” vibes with networks of entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations connecting by a few degrees of separation.

              The Match Game

              Every year, our Office has the privilege of speaking with a wide range of small business founders and investors from across the United States, as well as the those who provide assistance, advice, and guidance to them. This gets me thinking about the game show “Match Game”[10] — does anyone remember that fill-in-the-blank show from the 60s and 70s? Here’s an example: what would be a fill-in-the-blank response to this statement: “small and emerging businesses seek [BLANK] through an accelerator or incubator?” The game-winning response would be “support.” But other matching answers might include network development, access to potential investors, mentorship from business experts, and business skills development.[11]

              To cite a few more nuggets from the research reflected in our Annual Report: Did you know that small businesses that participate in an accelerator program generate more revenue and hire more full-time employees?[12] How about that angel investors play a key role in mentoring founders?[13] Or that venture capital firms do the same by interacting with their portfolio companies typically at least once a week?[14] These matches between small businesses and those who support them are an essential part of the ecosystem that helps to develop and foster founders on their capital-raising journeys. Many areas of the country have a vibrant ecosystem of start-ups and support organizations — I saw it first-hand last year in Kansas City, where a number of those support organizations can be accessed using the city’s free streetcar system! Yet small businesses in many areas outside of the traditional capital raising hubs still struggle to secure the necessary support and capital that they need.

              Let’s Make a Deal

              Talking to founders about how they seek investment capital brings to mind yet another game show, “Let’s Make a Deal,”[15] where an audience member might be selected based on their outrageous costume to make a deal with the host of the show. Now, founders may not resort to quite so much drama to get the attention of potential investors — at least I hope they don’t — but they do often find themselves searching out the best deal.

              So, how do those potential deals pan out? Pre-seed and seed funding accounted for $6 billion of investments during the first half of 2024 with a median seed round of $3.1 million.[16] Venture capital firms invested $86 billion during that same time frame with a median round of $5 billion for Series A and B and $7 billion for Series C and D.[17] Initial public offerings raised $19 billion during the first half of 2024, with the technology industry leading the pack.[18] While some companies are making deals, exit values — generated across acquisitions, buyouts, and public listings — have been on the decline.[19] And the struggle to make a deal is further exacerbated for those small businesses located outside of the traditional capital raising hubs.

              Press Your Luck

              My time as your game show host is quickly coming to an end, and I certainly don’t want to “Press [My] Luck”[20] and have one of those whammies from that show pop up on the screen behind me. So, instead, I will bring my remarks to a close and leave each of you with some parting words.

              Do not forget to spread the word about the Small Business Advocacy Office with your colleagues, clients, and those who support the small business capital formation ecosystem. This Office exists to advocate and be a voice for small businesses and their investors. We continue to be committed to helping them find the support, guidance, and resources that they need to succeed on their journeys. One of the ways in which we can fulfill our vital role is to hear from founders and investors, as well as those who advise and champion them. You can always reach us at smallbusiness@sec.gov with questions or ideas. And do not forget to visit our resources by clicking on the “small businesses” link on sec.gov or relish the in-depth analysis provided in our Annual Report.

              I appreciate you being an engaged studio audience today and do not blame me when you find yourself tuning into the Game Show Network tonight and yelling “no whammies, no whammies!”[21] Enjoy the remainder of this wonderful conference. And, the survey says, “thank you.”[22]

              [1] “Jeopardy!” is a game show in which contestants receive clues in the form of answers and then give answers phrased like questions. See JEOPARDY, https://www.jeopardy.com/.

              [2] “Family Feud” is a game show in which five members of one family are pitted against five members of another family. Each team’s goal is to guess the results of audience survey questions. See FAMILY FEUD, https://www.familyfeud.com/.

              [3] Small Business Advocate Act of 2016, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78d and 78qq.

              [4] “It’s Academic” is a game show that showcases high school students from around the National Capital Region in a head-to-head intellectual competition. IT’S ACADEMIC, https://itsacademicquizshow.com/.

              [5] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at pp. 18-19. Data covers the 12-month period ended June 30, 2025.

              [7] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 5

              [8] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 6.

              [9] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at pp. 6-7.

              [11] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 8.

              [12] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 9.

              [13] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 10.

              [14] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 22.

              [15] “Let’s Make a Deal” is a game show in which audience members dress up in costumes to get the host’s attention to make deals for prizes or cash. See Let’s Make a Deal, CBS, https://www.gameshownetwork.com/match-game.

              [16] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 12.

              [17] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 24.

              [18] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 31.

              [19] SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, “Annual Report for Fiscal for Fiscal year 2024” (2024) at p. 30.

              MIL OSI USA News –

            6. MIL-OSI USA: Memorial Day to kick off busy season for state ferries with added service returning to 3 routes this summer

              Source: Washington State News 2

              More than 300,000 holiday travelers expected

              SEATTLE – Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of Washington State Ferries’ busy season. And this year, summer comes with some welcome news for riders.

              More sailings will return to three routes from mid-June through early July, just in time for the system’s peak travel surge.

              Service restoration

              WSF will bring back the following service:

              • The Seattle/Bremerton run will return to its two-boat schedule starting Sunday, June 15.
              • The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth “Triangle” route will resume a three-boat schedule daily beginning Monday, June 30.
              • A second vessel will operate on the Port Townsend/Coupeville run every Friday through Monday from July 4 through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13.

              “Thanks to recent and ongoing hiring and training, we are in a better position to staff the three boats needed for this added service,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. The head of WSF also cautioned that with more vessels operating, there will be no dedicated backup ferry and fewer crew available for last-minute relief requests. “This raises the risk of cancellations due to staffing, equipment or terminal issues,” he added.

              An updated Service Contingency Plan (PDF 2.4MB) has more details about service restoration and how WSF plans to respond if a boat becomes unavailable.

              Memorial Day weekend ridership

              The holiday rush will ramp up on Thursday, May 22, which coincides with National Maritime Day this year. WSF is the largest employer of mariners in the region, supporting thousands of skilled maritime professionals who keep the system running every day. More than 300,000 people are expected aboard the 2,000+ sailings over the five-day period ending Monday, May 26.

              Ferry travel tips

              To help navigate the crowds, customers are encouraged to download and use the Washington State Department of Transportation’s mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal.

              The app and website allow users to:

              Busy travel times

              People boarding a ferry by vehicle can expect the busiest sailings will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Thursday through Saturday, May 22-24, and eastbound (or off island) Saturday through Monday, May 24-26. Prepare for long lines and extended wait times. With more than 400 departures a day, consider travelling early in the morning or late at night.

              Holiday schedules

              On Memorial Day, May 26, there will be a few holiday schedule changes for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands, Edmonds/Kingston, Point Defiance/Tahlequah and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes. The Seattle/Bainbridge Island run will operate a Saturday timetable and the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will use its two-boat weekend schedule. Holiday sailings are marked on the schedules for each route.

              People using state highways to get to the ferry terminal should plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.

              WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

              MIL OSI USA News –

            7. MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS, Partners Highlight Importance of HIV Work Amid Federal Funding Cuts

              Source: US State of North Carolina

              Headline: NCDHHS, Partners Highlight Importance of HIV Work Amid Federal Funding Cuts

              NCDHHS, Partners Highlight Importance of HIV Work Amid Federal Funding Cuts
              hejones1

              Today the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services joined the NC AIDS Action Network for an event to raise awareness about the important work underway to end the HIV epidemic in North Carolina. State leaders and advocates highlighted the progress at-risk due to expected cuts at the federal level.  

              “Over the past few decades, we have made tremendous progress together toward the goal of eliminating HIV both globally and here in North Carolina,” said North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “Sustained funding is essential, not only to prevent the spread of HIV but also to support the health and well-being of North Carolinians living with the virus. Cuts would reverse hard-won gains and increase long-term costs for our state. Now more than ever, we must renew our commitment to supporting people living with HIV and protecting the public health of our communities.”

              HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. It’s often spread through sexual contact or sharing needles, syringes or other drug injection equipment. While there is currently no effective cure, those who receive HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and will not transmit infection.

              As of December 31, 2024, there were 38,634 people living with HIV in North Carolina with 1,385 people newly diagnosed with HIV last year. While it’s estimated that 85% of those living with HIV across the state are aware of their diagnosis, there are still thousands who are unaware. Proposed budget cuts would decrease access to HIV testing, meaning more people would remain unaware of their status and be unable to take the actions needed to protect their own health and avoid further transmission. 

              For those living with HIV, care is prevention. People who receive treatment and are virally suppressed don’t transmit the disease. NCDHHS’ Division of Public Health conducts individualized outreach to people living with HIV and HIV care providers to improve access to supportive and culturally appropriate care. Additional efforts include reducing stigma associated with HIV care and testing, ensuring access to free testing options, and improving awareness and access to the range of tools that are now available to prevent the spread of HIV — including condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis or “PrEP,” the medication that prevents HIV infection. Access to these prevention options that contribute to decreased potential for disease spread are threatened by budget cuts.

              NCDHHS’ most recent award from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Ryan White Program, received in April, was approximately half of what had been awarded in previous years. Future funding is currently uncertain, and the proposed federal budget suggests no funding for HIV prevention activities. 

              If cuts proceed, impacts could include: 

              • An increase in HIV transmission due to decreasing investment in promising new HIV prevention methods (like long-acting PrEP), decreased access to care that prevents transmission, and increased time with undiagnosed disease.
              • Increase in HIV transmissions because individualized outreach that helps people with HIV access care and helps exposed partners get testing will end.
              • Decreased ability to detect outbreaks early and prevent tragic outcomes.

              Cuts to this vital funding in North Carolina would be detrimental to all parts of the state, particularly in rural counties. Additionally, congressional proposals to reduce Medicaid funding and implement eligibility restrictions could jeopardize state public health infrastructure and infectious disease programs in North Carolina. Medicaid is the single-largest provider of insurance coverage for people living with HIV. Eroding access to Medicaid coverage could result in increased HIV cases and deaths. In North Carolina, Medicaid Expansion has given many people with HIV access to comprehensive health care, some for the first time.

              Hoy, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte se unió a la Red de Acción contra el SIDA de Carolina del Norte para un evento para crear conciencia sobre el importante trabajo en curso para poner fin a la epidemia de VIH en Carolina del Norte. Los líderes y defensores estatales destacaron el progreso que se encuentra en riesgo debido a los recortes esperados a nivel federal.  

              “En las últimas décadas, hemos logrado un progreso tremendo juntos hacia el objetivo de eliminar el VIH tanto a nivel mundial como aquí en Carolina del Norte”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Es esencial que la financiación sea sostenida, no solo para prevenir la propagación del VIH, sino también para apoyar la salud y el bienestar de los habitantes de Carolina del Norte que viven con el virus. Los recortes revertirían los logros conseguidos con tanto esfuerzo y aumentarían los costos a largo plazo para nuestro estado. Ahora más que nunca, debemos renovar nuestro compromiso de apoyar a las personas que viven con el VIH y proteger la salud pública de nuestras comunidades”.      

              El VIH, o virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, es un virus que ataca el sistema inmunitario del cuerpo. A menudo se propaga a través del contacto sexual o compartiendo agujas, jeringas u otro equipo de inyección de drogas. Si bien actualmente no existe una cura efectiva, aquellos que reciben tratamiento contra el VIH pueden vivir vidas largas y saludables y no transmitirán la infección.

              Al 31 de diciembre de 2024, había 38,634 personas viviendo con VIH en Carolina del Norte con 1,385 personas recién diagnosticadas con VIH el año pasado. Si bien se estima que el 85 % de las personas que viven con el VIH en todo el estado son conscientes de su diagnóstico, todavía hay miles que no lo saben. Los recortes de presupuesto propuestos disminuirían el acceso a las pruebas del VIH, lo que significaría que más personas desconocerían su estado y no podrían tomar las medidas necesarias para proteger su propia salud y evitar una mayor transmisión. 

              Para quienes viven con el VIH, la atención es la prevención. Las personas que reciben tratamiento y tienen supresión viral no transmiten la enfermedad. La División de Salud Pública del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) lleva a cabo un alcance individualizado a las personas que viven con el VIH y a los proveedores de atención del VIH para mejorar el acceso a la atención de apoyo y culturalmente apropiada. Los esfuerzos adicionales incluyen reducir el estigma asociado con la atención y las pruebas del VIH, garantizar el acceso a opciones de pruebas gratuitas y mejorar la conciencia y el acceso a la variedad de herramientas que ahora están disponibles para prevenir la propagación del VIH, incluidos los condones y la profilaxis previa a la exposición o “PrEP”, el medicamento que previene la infección por VIH. El acceso a estas opciones de prevención que contribuyen a disminuir el potencial de propagación de enfermedades se ve amenazado por los recortes de presupuesto.

              El premio más reciente del NCDHHS del Programa Ryan White de la Administración de Servicios de Recursos de Salud (HRSA, por sus siglas en inglés), recibido en abril, fue aproximadamente la mitad de lo que se había otorgado en años anteriores. El financiamiento futuro es actualmente incierto, y el presupuesto federal propuesto sugiere que no habrá fondos para actividades de prevención del VIH.

              Si los recortes continúan, los impactos podrían incluir: 

              • Un aumento en la transmisión del VIH debido a la disminución de la inversión en nuevos métodos prometedores de prevención del VIH (como la PrEP de acción prolongada), la disminución del acceso a la atención que previene la transmisión y el aumento del tiempo con enfermedades no diagnosticadas.
              • Aumento de las transmisiones del VIH porque terminará el alcance individualizado que ayuda a las personas con VIH a acceder a la atención y ayuda a las parejas expuestas a hacerse la prueba.
              • Disminución de la capacidad para detectar brotes a tiempo y prevenir resultados trágicos.

              Los recortes a este financiamiento vital en Carolina del Norte serían perjudiciales para todas las partes del estado, particularmente en los condados rurales. Además, las propuestas del congreso para reducir los fondos de Medicaid e implementar restricciones de elegibilidad podrían poner en peligro la infraestructura de salud pública estatal y los programas de enfermedades infecciosas en Carolina del Norte. Medicaid es el proveedor más grande de cobertura de seguro para personas que viven con el VIH. Reducir el acceso a la cobertura de Medicaid podría resultar en un aumento de los casos y muertes por VIH. En Carolina del Norte, la expansión de Medicaid ha dado a muchas personas con VIH acceso a atención médica integral, algunas por primera vez.

              May 20, 2025

              MIL OSI USA News –

            8. MIL-OSI: HYNOCA® recognized as EU-funded REFORMERS’ Renewable Energy Valley project in Netherlands awarded World Hydrogen 2025 Prize, Clean Project category

              Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

              Vitry-le-François, France (May 20, 2025, 6:00 pm CEST) –  

              The 5th World Hydrogen Awards threw Haffner Energy’s unique biomass-based solution HYNOCA® in the limelight today as one of the two hydrogen-production technologies selected for the first Renewable Energy Valley project developed under the umbrella of the Horizon Europe-funded international initiative REFORMERS.  

              Granted to REFORMERS’ Flagship Energy Valley in Alkmaar, Netherlands, in the Clean Project category, after a comprehensive review of the project by a jury of experts and a vote by the global hydrogen community, the award also recognized the innovative Zinc Intermediate Step Electrolysis technology by German startup STOFF2. The Awards Ceremony took place, today, on the eve of the 6th edition of the annual World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition which is being held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, this week. 

              “I am grateful for the ongoing support and dedication of Philippe and Marc Haffner and their team, whose expertise and commitment have played a crucial role in our journey towards today’s prizewinning success. Together, we are shaping the future of sustainable energy solutions and paving the way for a cleaner, greener world”, said Bob Busser, Managing Director of HyDevCo BV, Haffner Energy’s Dutch partner and leading project developer for HYNOCA-Alkmaar.BV, the Dutch project-dedicated entity (or SPV) that is part of the local consortium developing the Renewable Energy Valley in Alkmaar. 

              HYNOCA® is the hydrogen production solution developed by Haffner Energy using its patented biomass thermolysis technology. HYNOCA® is designed to rely on local residual biomass and organic waste with no conflicts of use. Because it is feedstock agnostic, it can operate regardless of the typical seasonal and geographical variations in biomass availability. It is made commercially available in the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium and North Rhine-Westphalia through Busser Project & Technology Development. 

              Hynoca-Alkmaar’s project, labelled “bio-hydrogen plant” in the Renewable Energy Valley mapping, will use 6 500 tonnes of locally sourced residual biomass with no conflict of use to produce 240 metric tonnes per year of mobility-grade green hydrogen, serving local mobility and industrial needs. In the process, it will avoid the emission of 2 880 tonnes of CO2 per year. 

              “In our quest to realize Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley in Alkmaar, clean hydrogen is an indispensable piece of the puzzle. At the core of this ecosystem, HYNOCA-Alkmaar is one of two innovative hydrogen production technologies that were selected to enable a flexible and continuous production of clean hydrogen. We are thrilled that our international collaboration to realize a decentralized hydrogen ecosystem was recognized today”, said Joep Sanderlink, Project Manager at New Energy Coalition, coordinator of the Alkmaar Renewable Energy Valley project. 

              Europe’s first Renewable Energy Valley is being developed with a view to testing new technologies in renewable energy generation, storage, and distribution. It is a model for energy resilience and sustainable development, bridging traditional energy sectors with innovative systems. The energy hub will host over 300 business facilities and 3,000 households on a 4km2 territory. 

              “We are delighted to be part of this amazing initiative to shape the future of sustainable energy. Energy independence is vital to the future of Europe and we’re excited about this collaborative effort across borders,“ said Marcella Franchi, in charge of business development at Haffner Energy.  

              REFORMERS’ Flagship Energy Valley initiative is to be emulated by six Replication Valleys in Austria, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain. 

              About Haffner Energy 

              H Haffner Energy is a French company providing solutions for the production of competitive clean fuels. With 32 years of experience converting biomass into renewable energies, it has developed innovative proprietary biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies to produce renewable gas, hydrogen and methanol, as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The company also contributes to regenerating the planet, through the co-production of biogenic CO2 and biocarbon (or char/biochar). Haffner Energy is listed on Euronext Growth. (ISIN code: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF)  
              Further information is available at www.haffner-energy.com. 

              Media relations 

              Laetitia Mailhes 

              laetitia.mailhes@haffner-energy.com 

              +33 (0)6 07 12 96 76 

              Investor relations 

              Haffner Energy 

              investisseurs@haffner-energy.com  

              ​​​​​ 

              Attachment

              The MIL Network –

            9. MIL-OSI Global: Is Donald Trump doing the world a favour by isolating the United States?

              Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shaun Narine, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, St. Thomas University (Canada)

              United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs against most of the world tanked stock markets, disrupted the U.S. bond market and destabilized the global economy.

              Trump has economically and politically threatened American allies, shattering the unity of the western world. But Trump’s chaos may have inadvertently produced an opportunity to create a better world.

              Some western commentators argue that the U.S. has been a benevolent superpower.

              That may have been true for a small group of mostly western states that have benefitted from American domination. But much of the Global South was victimized by American military, economic and political interventions.

              Losing dominance?

              The West could be in the midst of losing its dominant position in the global order. This is probably inevitable, but it may not be the tragedy some western commentators assume it to be.

              In most of the world, there is a desire for a more equitable world order that doesn’t feature the moral, racial and cultural double standards of the western-dominated system. A world where American and western power is limited and contained could not only end up being more peaceful but, over time, more prosperous.

              Without the co-operation of the allies alienated by Trump, it may be harder for the U.S. to initiate conflict around the world as it often has since the end of the Cold War.

              In a recent Foreign Affairs article, American political scientist Stacie Goddard argues the emerging multipolar, post-American world will be one in which great powers — primarily the U.S., Russia and China — will divide the globe into “spheres of influence.”

              The U.S. is seeking to maintain disproportionate power in Asia. Closer to home, neighbours of the U.S. have reason to fear American expansionism.

              By contrast, even if it has imperialist ambitions, Russia doesn’t have the military might to dominate Europe. It’s a country of 144 million people with one-sixth the GDP of the European Union. Russia can cause trouble within countries with sizable Russian minorities, but its ability to project power is limited, as demonstrated by its grinding war in Ukraine.



              Read more:
              After another call with Putin, it looks like Trump has abandoned efforts to mediate peace in Ukraine

              China’s stance

              The Chinese have scored a win against Trump’s tariffs with a 90-day tariff pause that’s being hailed as vindication of China’s defiant negotiating strategy. China called Trump’s bluff and won as global stocks soared.



              Read more:
              China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions

              This has bolstered China’s goal to have a sphere of influence. However, Chinese foreign policy is largely non-interventionist and, compared to the U.S., remarkably restrained.

              China may intimidate its rivals in the South China Sea, Senkaku Islands, and Taiwan, but it does not easily resort to military force. China has not resorted to military force since its war with Vietnam in 1979.

              China is committed to most of the guiding structures of the current international system and values a stable and mutually beneficial global economic order that enables it to focus on and improve its domestic development.

              Its export-oriented economic sectors need customers abroad. Unlike the West, China has a vested interest in helping the Global South develop and prosper in order to create those customers.

              Asian trade alliance?

              The Chinese are using their resources to promote economic and technological development in the Global South.

              As China spreads its renewable energy technologies globally, some of the poorest countries may leapfrog carbon-based fuels and go directly to renewable energy to make development affordable and attainable, and to mitigate climate change.



              Read more:
              What Canada can learn from China on effectively engaging with Africa

              In response to Trump’s tariffs, China, South Korea and Japan have discussed a renewed free-trade arrangement. President Xi Jinping has toured Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia to encourage a common front against American actions.

              Asian states are wary of China, but they remain committed to global trade. The U.S. may be retreating from globalization, but the rest of the world is not, though China’s manufacturing dominance concerns many states.

              Emerging international order

              New institutions may help to manage the evolving world order. The BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates — have created the New Development Bank (NDB). China has created the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

              The United Nations remains the favoured instrument of global diplomacy, even if western states have been accused of undermining its authority and efficacy.

              The European Union will continue as a major global power in the emerging international order, but on a more even footing with the rest of the world.

              Europe is reconsidering its trade war with China. In the words of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission: “The West as we knew it no longer exists.”

              Western states will undoubtedly continue to try to exercise disproportionate global influence. Canada has suggested that “like-minded states” form an alliance to promote international trade and institutions that remain dominated by western interests. This idea seems designed to continue marginalizing the Global South in the international decision-making process.

              Most Global South states are not high-functioning liberal democracies. Many struggle with the legacies of colonialism while managing an international system dominated by the West that keeps them subservient. Others have created governments that fit their particular circumstances, cultures and levels of development.

              But many weaker countries generally share a commitment to international law that is seemingly stronger than the West. They need a stable, predictable, fairly applied set of global rules more than stronger nations. Ironically, the decline of the U.S. may facilitate a much more genuine and legitimate rules-based international order.

              America’s loosening grip

              Readjusting the world economy away from the U.S. to a more diverse, evenly distributed economic model will be difficult and disruptive.

              Nonetheless, loosening the American grip on global power is an essential first step towards achieving a more just and balanced international order.

              For putting this process in motion, the world may owe Trump a measure of thanks.

              Shaun Narine is affiliated with Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and Jewish Voice for Peace.

              – ref. Is Donald Trump doing the world a favour by isolating the United States? – https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-doing-the-world-a-favour-by-isolating-the-united-states-252671

              MIL OSI – Global Reports –

            10. MIL-OSI Global: Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants

              Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Cloé St-Hilaire, PhD Candidate in Planning, University of Waterloo

              In recent years, Canadians have increasingly seen financial firms — such as private equity firms and real estate investment trusts (REITs) — buying up apartment buildings. The largest 25 financial landlords in Canada hold nearly 20 per cent of the country’s private, purpose-built rental stock.

              At the same time, Canada’s housing affordability crisis has exploded. A 2022 report found that in 93 per cent of Canadian neighbourhoods, a full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment.

              Many observers have connected this financialization of housing to rising unaffordability. But until recently, a lack of data has made it challenging to prove it.

              Our recent study, based on building-level rent and ownership data in the Greater Toronto Area, is the first to decisively show that financial firms charge higher rents and raise them more quickly than other landlords. We also found that financial firms raise rents most aggressively in lower-income areas with more racialized residents.

              Why does financialization raise rents?

              Financialization refers to the growing role of the finance sector in various parts of the economy. In the rental housing market, it involves the purchase of rental buildings by financial firms like asset managers, REITs and pension funds.

              These “financial landlords” treat housing as an investment product, not as a basic human need.



              Read more:
              Housing is both a human right and a profitable asset, and that’s the problem

              Financial landlords act differently from other landlords. Unlike smaller landlords, they are guided by the “shareholder value maximization” principle, which means their primary goal is to maximize returns for their shareholders.

              While smaller landlords are most likely also motivated by profit, they do not have a duty to external investors like financial firms do and they do not have access to the same strategies to manage their properties. Financial landlords have the scale and sophistication to pursue these profits in ways that smaller-scale landlords cannot.

              Research shows that financial landlords in Canada are associated with increased cost burdens for renters, higher eviction filing rates and higher rates of building disrepair. Our study adds to this evidence by showing they also charge higher rents.

              Financial firms openly promote higher rents

              Even before conducting our analysis, we had reason to believe financial firms would charge higher rents, in part because many of them have publicly said so.

              In a 2018 investor presentation, Minto REIT wrote that they charged “the highest in-place rent” among their public peers.

              Similarly, Centurion REIT published a report in 2020 featuring a graph demonstrating that its rent increases were outpacing both inflation and average rents.

              In a 2019 white paper, Canada’s largest private landlord, Starlight Investments, wrote about how their “value add strategy” for upgrading apartments sets them apart from other types of landlords. In the same publication, they reported increasing the monthly rent in one property by $411 — a 31 per cent increase.

              Financial firms charge the highest rent premiums

              Our analysis reveals that financial firms do indeed charge more.

              Our study compared building-level quarterly rent data to average rents from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for 1,602 buildings between 2022 and 2024.

              We found that when landlords advertise a unit to rent, they typically charge more than the average neighbourhood rent. We call this upcharge a rent “premium” — the dollar or percentage difference between the rent posted for an available unit and the average neighbourhood rent for a unit of the same size.

              We found that financial firms charged the highest premiums across the GTA, posting 44 per cent higher rents — or $670 more — than local averages. By comparison, non-financial chain landlords — those with multiple buildings but not classified as financial firms — charged a 30 per cent, or $477, premium.

              Meanwhile, smaller-scale owners owners of just a few buildings charged a smaller rent premium of 15-22 per cent. We found financial firms charged the highest premiums regardless of whether the building was brand new or in need of repairs.

              Algorithmic pricing and rent inflation

              One of the landlords with the highest rent premiums is private equity firm Woodbourne, which said they used RealPage’s YieldStar platform, an algorithmic pricing software.

              This software is at the centre of a lawsuit alleging more than a dozen landlords and property managers conspired to artificially inflate rents across Canada.

              The use of AI-driven pricing tools in Canada’s rental market is now under investigation by the Competition Bureau.

              Our study also found that, over time, financial firms raised rents more aggressively than other landlords. On average, they increased asking rents by five per cent — or $96 — every quarter. By comparison, smaller-scale landlords owning just one property raised asking rents by 3.6 per cent, or $59.

              Using a regression model, we demonstrated that out of all ownership types, financial ownership was the strongest predictor for higher rents and higher rent premiums. Using our model, we estimated that a tenant would pay 13 per cent more for their unit if it was owned by a financial firm instead of a single property owner.

              Low-income, marginalized tenants are exposed

              Our study also found that the highest rent premiums were being charged in Toronto’s “neighbourhood improvement areas.” These are areas the city has identified as having inequitable social and economic outcomes.

              While we found that all landlords charge higher premiums in these neighbourhoods, financial landlords were the most aggressive, charging a 49 per cent premium compared to 41 per cent elsewhere.

              We also identified a spatial connection between high rent premiums and the number of racialized residents in a neighbourhood: areas with higher rent premiums often had a greater percentage of racialized residents.

              These findings suggest that financial firms are complicit in driving gentrification in marginalized neighbourhoods, targeting areas with lower-income and racialized renters for the most aggressive rent increases.

              Reining in financial landlords

              While financial firms report on record breaking annual returns and “rental uplifts” of 15 per cent, Canada faces a dire housing affordability crisis.

              Financialization is detrimental to the right to adequate housing. We show that financialization is worsening affordability in Toronto: a trend that will continue, especially since financial landlords are the largest acquirers of suites in the city and the country’s largest landlords.

              To address this issue, we support recent policy recommendations aimed at reining in the power of financial landlords. These include better tracking of who landlords are, stricter tenant protections and more social housing.

              If left unchecked, financialization will continue to deepen the affordability crisis, with the greatest harms falling on those who can least afford it.

              Cloé St-Hilaire receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship). She previously received funding from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec.

              Martine August receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Government of Ontario Early Researcher Award.

              – ref. Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants – https://theconversation.com/financial-firms-are-driving-up-rent-in-toronto-and-targeting-the-most-vulnerable-tenants-255935

              MIL OSI – Global Reports –

            11. MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Statement on the Passing of North Dakota Representative Cindy Schreiber-Beck

              US Senate News:

              Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
              05.20.25
              WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement honoring the life and legacy of North Dakota Representative Cindy Schreiber-Beck:
              “Cindy Schreiber-Beck was a titan in the field of aviation, an innovator, entrepreneur and a dedicated public servant. From starting a successful business with her husband Gerry to her leadership in the state legislature and at the North Dakota Agricultural Aviation Association, she approached her life and career with passion and determination. Our state will benefit from her hard work and the quality of her character for years to come. Among her many accomplishments, she played an essential role in our working group that established the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, which is foundational to our state’s growing unmanned aviation industry. Mikey and I send our deepest condolences to all of Cindy’s family and friends and join with them in mourning her passing, while honoring the tremendous life she lived.”

              MIL OSI USA News –