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  • MIL-OSI Economics: Agriculture negotiations Chair reports on prospects for progress ahead of MC14

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Agriculture negotiations Chair reports on prospects for progress ahead of MC14

    Ambassador Hussain told members he had held consultations on market access, domestic support and export restrictions on food as well as on food procurement at administered prices for developing economies’ public stockholding (PSH) programmes, and the proposed new Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM), which would allow developing economies to raise duties temporarily in the event of a sudden surge in import volumes or price depression.
    The Chair reported that since the last meeting on 30 April, he had held 14 meetings where he explored with members several potential MC14 outcomes. These included: agreement on a framework for continued negotiations on outstanding topics; a political declaration reaffirming the value of existing disciplines and committing  to continue negotiations beyond MC14; recognition of progress made so far; and an agreement delivering early results for vulnerable WTO members facing food insecurity. These approaches could complement one another.
    “Overall, I was encouraged by the constructive tone and positive engagement throughout the consultations,” Ambassador Hussain said.
    He told the meeting that, despite the prevailing geopolitical tensions and challenges, there was broad support for advancing substantive work across all pillars. During his consultations, many members had underscored the importance of securing at least some concrete and meaningful outcomes as part of the MC14 package, he said.
    The Chair also noted that several delegations had emphasized the need to focus on realistic yet meaningful deliverables, and had cautioned that outcomes perceived as overly modest could risk further eroding confidence in the multilateral trading system.
    The Chair will continue his consultations on the various topics in different configurations, with the next consultation scheduled for 30 June with the cotton quad plus members, namely the C4+ cotton-producing countries (Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire) and other key players in the negotiations related to the trade-related aspects of cotton.
    During the meeting, proponents of easing agricultural market access stressed the importance of  reducing and simplifying tariffs and other trade barriers in order to support economic development, food security and environmental sustainability. 
    Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay told participants that their November 2023 proposal JOB/AG/255 remains a substantive contribution to the talks, and that an MC14 outcome lacking progress on market access would be insufficient.
    Many members stressed that enhancing food security must remain a central objective in the negotiations. Some members also identified strengthening rural livelihoods and development — as well as promoting sustainable agriculture — as key priorities. Several members also reaffirmed the importance of a well-functioning multilateral rules-based trading system, emphasizing that it is essential for ensuring predictability and reducing costly uncertainty.
    The Cairns Group of agricultural exporting countries and the African Group updated participants on their continued consultations. which have mainly focused so far on domestic support to the farm sector. The consultations were being held in a constructive spirit, they said. The Cairns Group proposal  JOB/AG/243 and the African Group proposal JOB/AG/242 were serving as a basis for dialogue.
    Some members told the meeting that it was critical to also address the issue of export restrictions on food as part of the negotiations to enhance food security. These members also noted that elements from their previous submissions remained relevant for ongoing discussions. Other ideas for further work were also mentioned, such as looking to facilitate trade in agricultural products including by looking at cross-cutting issues, such as agriculture-related supporting services.
    Ambassador Hussain noted that several members prefer to continue engaging with one another informally before widening discussions to the membership as a whole. These members also recognized that broader participation would soon be necessary.
    Several delegations called for more technical, data-informed discussions, including expert-led side events, to advance dialogue on complex, cross-cutting issues.
    Members had also acknowledged that it was too early to define the contours of a potential outcome for MC14, the Chair said. Their general view was that process and substance must continue to evolve in tandem to keep options open and ambition credible. He added that, overall, members had advocated for a balanced approach to negotiations, emphasizing the need for a spirit of engagement and transparency and the importance of avoiding maximalist positions.
    Ambassador Hussain told the meeting he will continue to facilitate focused discussions. He will encourage members to explore innovative approaches, collaborate effectively, and report their progress to the full membership. Delegations could usefully share written contributions which could be adopted at MC14, he said.
    Public food stockholding and Special Safeguard Mechanism
    Members held dedicated sessions on the procurement of food at administered prices for public stocks in developing economies and on the proposed Special Safeguard Mechanism  to facilitate more focused discussions on both topics. The Chair reported on his recent consultations on public food stockholding and noted that open and frank exchanges remain essential to making meaningful progress on this key issue.
    “I continue to believe that progress is possible if we focus on bridging differences through constructive and solution-oriented dialogues,” he said. He also told participants that he plans to pursue consultations in various configurations over the coming weeks to explore pragmatic and effective ways forward.
    During the meeting, developing economies that call for fast-tracking action in this area highlighted the importance of revisiting WTO rules in order to address food insecurity and called for text-based negotiations. Some other members called for technical sessions to enhance understanding of the technical aspects of the issue as well as the proposal on the table. Some noted that they were open to discussing the food security challenges faced by developing economies.
    On the Special Safeguard Mechanism, while developing economy proponents of the safeguard continue to consider it ought to be adopted as a stand-alone tool, agricultural exporting economies argue it should be addressed in parallel with talks on reducing barriers to the export of agricultural goods.
    Ambassador Hussain reported that, during his consultations, proponents of this issue made suggestions on how to break the current impasse and move the discussions forward. These included holding thematic sessions and targeted group discussions on specific technical issues and pursuing an interim price-based safeguard mechanism.
    The Chair urged members to continue exploring ways that could help to bridge differences and result in substantive progress.
    “We need to work towards identifying a practical way forward that could facilitate a meaningful conversation on various technical elements of an SSM,” he said.
    Next meeting
    The next meeting, followed by the dedicated sessions on public food stockholding and the Special Safeguard Mechanism, is tentatively scheduled for 9-10 July.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Georgia: Crackdown on government critics deepens as another opposition politician is jailed

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Reacting to the jailing of yet another Georgian opposition figure, former lawmaker Giorgi (Givi) Targamadze, to seven months in prison for refusing to recognize the parliament’s legitimacy and appear before a parliamentary investigative committee, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

    “Summoning opposition figures before a parliamentary commission and arresting and imprisoning them for refusing to recognize its legitimacy raises serious concerns over the misuse of legislative, policing and other powers to silence government critics in Georgia.”

    “With its status disputed, the commission has been instrumentalized to target former public officials for their principled opposition. It has become a tool of political repression, not of parliamentary scrutiny, used to lock away political opponents ahead of local elections. The ruling party’s misuse of parliamentary structures is part of a broader crackdown on critics, which includes the arbitrary detention and persecution of activists and peaceful protesters and the suffocation of civil society through repressive legislation and unlawful demands.

    The ruling party’s misuse of parliamentary structures is part of a broader crackdown on critics

    Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

    “Authorities in Georgia must stop their relentless assault on dissent and targeting protesters and political activists for the peaceful exercise of their human rights, and release Givi Targamadze and the six other opposition members they have thrown behind bars in recent weeks. Authorities must halt practices that violate Georgia’s international human rights obligations. Authorities must uphold and ensure the human rights of everyone in the country.”

    Background

    On 27 June, Tbilisi City Court sentenced Giorgi (Givi) Targamadze to seven months in prison for “non-compliance” with a parliamentary commission led by the ruling Georgian Dream party. The commission purports to have been established to investigate alleged abuses by former government officials from the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party that ran the country from 2003 to 2012.

    Giorgi Targamadze is the seventh opposition figure to be arrested, and the fourth to be sentenced, under these proceedings in recent weeks, after Giorgi Vashadze received a seven-month prison sentence, and Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaradze and Zurab Japaridze, were each sentenced to six months in prison. All of them have also been banned from holding public office for two years. Three other opposition figures – ex-UNM chair Nika Melia, former Justice and Defence ministers Nika Gvaramia and Irakli Okruashvili – are also currently in detention and standing trial under the same charges.

    Refusing to comply with a parliamentary commission can be punished by up to one year in prison or a fine under Georgian law. However, courts have so far imposed prison sentences only, in a string of cases which have targeted politicians who have challenged the legitimacy of the current parliament after disputed elections.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Japan: Execution is latest ‘callous attack on the right to life’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In response to today’s execution in Japan of a man convicted of the murder of nine people, Chiara Sangiorgio, Death Penalty Advisor at Amnesty International, said:

    “The execution of Takahiro Shiraishi – the first in Japan in nearly three years – is the latest callous attack on the right to life in Japan and a major setback for the country’s human rights record.

    “Last year’s acquittal of Hakamada Iwao, formerly the world’s longest-serving death row prisoner, laid bare the unfairness of Japan’s criminal justice system and use of the death penalty and was an ideal opportunity to change course.

    “But instead of moving to reform and ensure full protection of human rights, the Government has chosen to resume executions. This is a significant setback to efforts to end the use of the death penalty in Japan.

    “As of today, 113 countries worldwide have completely abolished the death penalty in law, and more than 144 have abandoned it in law or practice, yet Japan continues to use this inhuman punishment.

    “The secrecy that continues to surround the notification of executions makes the use of this punishment in Japan additionally cruel. The Japanese authorities must immediately introduce a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty entirely — and commute all death sentences to terms of imprisonment.”

    Executions shrouded in secrecy

    Shiraishi was convicted in 2020 of killing nine people in 2017 by Tokyo District Court and sentenced to death.

    This is the first execution under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the first since July 2022.

    Executions in Japan are shrouded in secrecy, with prisoners typically given only a few hours’ notice and their families usually notified only after the execution has taken place.

    Japan is one of a small group of countries that has carried out executions in recent years. Amnesty recorded 1,518 executions in 15 countries in 2024 (excluding the thousands believed to have been carried out in China), an increase by 32% from the 1,153 recorded in 2023, largely driven by a spike in three countries in the Middle East: Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. 

    On 26 September 2024, a long-awaited ruling was delivered by Shizuoka District Court to acquit Hakamada Iwao, described as the world’s longest-serving death row prisoner.

    Amnesty opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual, or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: ‘Superficial’ revisions to PIP bill ‘fail to stand up to human rights checks’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty International UK has warned that the UK government’s revised welfare proposals remain fundamentally flawed and risk pushing thousands into poverty, particularly disabled people and those on low incomes. Amnesty is urging MPs not to make concessions on people’s human rights. 

    Despite proposed changes limiting certain cuts to the new Personal Independence Payment claimants, Amnesty says the Bill remains discriminatory and falls short of basic human rights standards.

    Jen Clark, Amnesty International UK’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Lead, said:

    “The revised changes to the PIP bill are nothing more than a superficial attempt to get MPs to vote through this cruel and harmful piece of legislation.

    “The new draft continues to fail on human rights checks – it will deepen poverty, entrench discrimination, and create a two-tier welfare system that cannot be justified under any circumstances.

    “Freezing or cutting benefits for new claimants doesn’t prevent poverty, it pushes more people into it, while entrenching income inequality across generations.

    “These proposals are not human rights compliant. They are being rushed through without proper scrutiny, transparency or engagement with those who stand to lose the most.

    “We urge MPs to stand firm against a Bill that continues to discriminate, harm, and marginalise.”

    Amnesty raised alarm over the following unresolved concerns in the Bill:

    • Cuts, freezes and eligibility changes will still push people into poverty, even if some are limited to new claimants.
    • A two-tier system is being created – an unjustifiable move that will deepen inequality, particularly for younger and future claimants in high areas of deprivation.
    • PIP assessments remain discriminatory and unfit for purpose, yet MPs are being asked to vote without any guarantees that the upcoming review will deliver meaningful change.
    • No meaningful consultation with disabled people, whose lives will be directly affected.
    • No published human rights impact assessment, and the partial assessments that exist are of poor quality.

    Poverty is a political choice: Amnesty is calling on all MPs to stand firm and reject the current version of the Bill and to demand a full human rights impact assessment, meaningful consultation with disabled people, and genuine reforms that reduce poverty rather than deepen it.

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace activists rebrand NZ bottom trawler “ocean killer” at sea

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    PACIFIC OCEAN, Saturday, 28 June 2025 – Greenpeace Aotearoa activists have confronted a bottom trawler in the South Pacific ocean, east of New Zealand, rebranding it “ocean killer”, after witnessing it haul in a net straining with marine life.

    Launching from the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior, activists came alongside the New Zealand-flagged ship, Talley’s Amaltal Atlantis, on the Chatham Rise[1] on Friday afternoon, and painted the message on its hull with non-toxic paint.

    Greenpeace Aotearoa activists confront the Talley’s bottom trawler Amatal Atlantis on the Chatham Rise, painting “ocean killer” on its hull to protest destructive bottom trawling. The Rainbow Warrior is off the coast of Aotearoa campaigning for an end to New Zealand’s destructive bottom trawling in New Zealand waters and the Tasman Sea.

    Speaking from onboard the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juan Parada says: “Appalled by the most recent evidence of destruction, people defending the oceans rebranded this Talley’s vessel today to expose the bottom trawling industry for what they are: ocean killers. When Talley’s bottom trawlers drag their heavy trawl nets across the seafloor and over seamounts, they bulldoze everything in their path, including killing precious marine life from coral to fur seals, dolphins and seabirds.

    “We’ve all seen the shocking footage of bottom trawling in David Attenborough’s film Ocean, and it’s happening right here, right now.

    “Faced with a fishing industry that profits from trashing the ocean, and a government that condones bottom trawling, we’re proud of the peaceful action taken today to call out this destruction and demand that bottom trawling stop.

    The Amaltal Atlantis trawls in the waters of Aotearoa, and has previously received permits to trawl in the High Seas of the South Pacific. Their trail of destruction is wide and long-lasting,” says Parada.

    New Zealand is the only country still bottom trawling in the high seas of the Tasman, between Australia and New Zealand.

    The at-sea action comes just months after a deep sea expedition led by Greenpeace Aotearoa documented whole swathes of destroyed coral in areas of the Tasman Sea that have been intensively trawled by New Zealand bottom trawlers. This area has been earmarked for one of the first high seas ocean sanctuaries under the Global Ocean Treaty.

    Talley’s vessels trawl in Australian waters; the Amaltal Explorer has been trawling for endangered orange roughy off Tasmania, after being allowed back in Australia’s waters last year.  In 2018, the Amaltal Apollo trawled in a protected area on the Lord Howe Rise, in the international waters of the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. 

    Greenpeace Aotearoa activists confront the Talley’s bottom trawler Amatal Atlantis on the Chatham Rise, painting “ocean killer” on its hull to protest destructive bottom trawling. The Rainbow Warrior is off the coast of Aotearoa campaigning for an end to New Zealand’s destructive bottom trawling in New Zealand waters and the Tasman Sea.

    It also comes just weeks after Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists disrupted an industrial longliner between Australia and New Zealand, and revealed the devastating impacts of industrial fishing on marine life in the South Pacific.

    Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling on the Australian government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty and propose high seas marine protected areas, including large protected areas in the Tasman Sea.

    In a statement responding to the protest, Talley’s said it would seek legal action which “may include the arrest of the Rainbow Warrior.”

    —ENDS—

    Contacts:

    • Nick Young, Greenpeace Aotearoa: +64-21-707-727
    • Kimberley Bernard, Greenpeace Australia Pacific: +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]

    Photos and videos available for media on request

    Notes:

    • [1] The action took place in the Chatham Rise area, where it was recently revealed a New Zealand vessel dragged up six tonnes of coral in a single trawl.
    • The paint used to paint the hull is water based and non-toxic
    • In the period 1990 to 2004 the total area trawled in NZ waters was 465,100 square kilometres – almost double NZ’s land mass.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins Bill to Protect Striking Workers’ Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined the Striking and Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) to protect workers’ health care benefits and prevent retaliatory employers from using their power to cancel or alter health insurance for workers exercising their right to strike.
    “Cutting off health insurance is not some negotiating tactic for companies to bully striking workers into accepting a bad deal. It’s retaliation. I’m proud to stand with workers and support a bill that would make sure their health and their families’ health are never put at risk when fighting for better pay and working conditions,” said Murphy.
    The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) established the right to strike as a protected activity, and employees cannot be fired for exercising that right. However, employers can, and often do, threaten to cut workers’ health care as a tactic to end strikes and intimidate workers. In many cases, this forces workers to decide whether they should exercise their right to strike or accept poor wages or working conditions in order to protect their health care for themselves and their families. 
    This legislation would create a separate unfair labor practice category for when employers cut or alter workers’ health insurance while they are on strike or locked out, and violators would be subject to increasing levels of civil penalties. Creating a new unfair labor practice would allow workers to bring cases with the NLRB when employers cancel or change their health coverage while they are on strike.
    In addition to Murphy, Gallego, and Baldwin, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
    The legislation is supported by the AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers (USW), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), International Association of Iron Workers (IW), American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, National Education Association (NEA) International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM), and NewsGuild-CWA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins Bill to Protect Striking Workers’ Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined the Striking and Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) to protect workers’ health care benefits and prevent retaliatory employers from using their power to cancel or alter health insurance for workers exercising their right to strike.
    “Cutting off health insurance is not some negotiating tactic for companies to bully striking workers into accepting a bad deal. It’s retaliation. I’m proud to stand with workers and support a bill that would make sure their health and their families’ health are never put at risk when fighting for better pay and working conditions,” said Murphy.
    The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) established the right to strike as a protected activity, and employees cannot be fired for exercising that right. However, employers can, and often do, threaten to cut workers’ health care as a tactic to end strikes and intimidate workers. In many cases, this forces workers to decide whether they should exercise their right to strike or accept poor wages or working conditions in order to protect their health care for themselves and their families. 
    This legislation would create a separate unfair labor practice category for when employers cut or alter workers’ health insurance while they are on strike or locked out, and violators would be subject to increasing levels of civil penalties. Creating a new unfair labor practice would allow workers to bring cases with the NLRB when employers cancel or change their health coverage while they are on strike.
    In addition to Murphy, Gallego, and Baldwin, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
    The legislation is supported by the AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers (USW), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), International Association of Iron Workers (IW), American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, National Education Association (NEA) International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM), and NewsGuild-CWA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2444, Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2444 would require the Department of Commerce to assess and prepare for disruptions to supply chains for goods that are critical to national or economic security. H.R. 2444 would establish an interagency working group to identify actions that the federal government can take to mitigate the economic effects of incidents that cause gaps in manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and distribution networks for those critical goods. The department would need to report annually to the Congress on the effectiveness of its efforts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2458, Secure Space Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2458 would prohibit the FCC from issuing licenses or granting access to U.S. markets to entities that control orbiting satellite systems or Earth stations that are connected to orbiting satellite systems and that pose a risk to national security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2449, FUTURE Networks Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2449 would require the FCC to establish a task force on sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology. The task force would report to the Congress on issues, including the status of 6G standards-setting bodies; the uses and limitations of 6G technology; and how federal, state, and local governments could use that technology. Using information from the FCC, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2449 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. However, because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2481, Romance Scam Prevention Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2481 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates, but CBO estimates that the costs to comply with those mandates would not exceed the thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million in 2025, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2481, Romance Scam Prevention Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2481 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates, but CBO estimates that the costs to comply with those mandates would not exceed the thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million in 2025, respectively, adjusted annually for inflation).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2480, Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2480 would direct the Department of Commerce, through its SelectUSA program, to solicit comments from economic development organizations in the states about how to support foreign direct investment in semiconductor production in the United States. H.R. 2480 also would require the department to report to the Congress on strategies that SelectUSA could implement to increase such investment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Eliminates Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for Autologous Chimeric Antigen Receptor CAR T cell Immunotherapies

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:
    June 27, 2025

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has eliminated the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for currently approved BCMA- and CD19-directed autologous chimeric antigen receptor CAR T cell immunotherapies.  
    These products are gene therapies that are currently approved to treat blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma and certain types of leukemia and lymphoma.
    “The FDA has taken the bold step to remove the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy requirement from giving CAR T therapies. REMS is a useful safety system, but reevaluation over time helps inform whether a REMS is still needed to ensure that the benefits of a product outweigh its risks,” said FDA Vinay Prasad, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical and Scientific Officer and Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “Eliminating the REMS that is no longer needed also expedites the delivery of potentially curative treatments to patients and reduces burden on providers.”
    A REMS is a safety program that the FDA can require for certain medications with serious safety concerns to help ensure the benefits of the medication outweigh its risks.
    The FDA determined that the approved REMS for the following products should be eliminated because a REMS is no longer necessary to ensure that the benefits of the autologous CAR T cell immunotherapies outweigh their risks.  

    Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel)
    Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel)
    Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel)
    Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel)
    Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel)
    Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel)

    The elimination of REMS for the above products removes the requirements that hospitals and their associated clinics that dispense products must be specially certified and have on-site, immediate access to tocilizumab. The information regarding the risks for these CAR T cell immunotherapies can be conveyed adequately via the current product labeling, which includes a boxed warning for the risks of cytokine release syndrome and neurological toxicities, and medication guides.
    “Physicians and institutions now have greater experience identifying and managing toxicities with the currently approved CAR T products,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., FDA Oncology Center of Excellence Director. “This approach will potentially facilitate patient access to these treatments while continuing to prioritize safety.”
    Continuous monitoring and assessment of the safety of all biological products, including the CAR T cell immunotherapies, is an FDA priority and we remain committed to informing the public when we learn new information about these products.
    These products will continue to be subject to safety monitoring, through adverse event reporting requirements in accordance with regulations (21 CFR 600.80). The elimination of the REMS for these products does not change FDA requirements for manufacturers to conduct post marketing observational safety studies to assess the risk of secondary malignancies and long-term safety with follow up of patients for 15 years after product administration.
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Human Lander Challenge marked its second year on June 26, awarding $18,000 in prize money to three university teams for their solutions for long-duration cryogenic, or super chilled, liquid storage and transfer systems for spaceflight.
    Building on the crewed Artemis II flight test, NASA’s Artemis III mission will send astronauts to explore the lunar South Pole region with a human landing system and advanced spacesuits, preparing humanity to ultimately go to Mars. In-space propulsion systems that use cryogenic liquids as propellants must stay extremely cold to remain in a liquid state and are critical to mission success. The Artemis mission architecture will need these systems to function for several weeks or even months.

    NASA announced Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott as the overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 top prize award. Old Dominion University won second place and a $5,000 award, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in third place and a $3,000 award.
    Before the winners were announced, 12 finalist teams selected in April gave their presentations to a panel of NASA and industry judges as part of the final competition in Huntsville. As part of the 2025 Human Lander Challenge, university teams developed systems-level solutions that could be used within the next 3-5 years for Artemis.

    “Today’s Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration students are tomorrow’s mission designers, systems engineers, and explorers,” said Juan Valenzuela, main propulsion systems and cryogenic fluid management subsystems lead for NASA’s Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “The Human Lander Challenge concepts at this year’s forum demonstrate the ingenuity, passion, and determination NASA and industry need to help solve long-duration cryogenic storage challenges to advance human exploration to deep space.”
    The challenge is sponsored by the agency’s Human Landing System Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.
    Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
    For more information about Artemis missions, visit:
    https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

    Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034  corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Human Lander Challenge marked its second year on June 26, awarding $18,000 in prize money to three university teams for their solutions for long-duration cryogenic, or super chilled, liquid storage and transfer systems for spaceflight.
    Building on the crewed Artemis II flight test, NASA’s Artemis III mission will send astronauts to explore the lunar South Pole region with a human landing system and advanced spacesuits, preparing humanity to ultimately go to Mars. In-space propulsion systems that use cryogenic liquids as propellants must stay extremely cold to remain in a liquid state and are critical to mission success. The Artemis mission architecture will need these systems to function for several weeks or even months.

    NASA announced Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott as the overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 top prize award. Old Dominion University won second place and a $5,000 award, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in third place and a $3,000 award.
    Before the winners were announced, 12 finalist teams selected in April gave their presentations to a panel of NASA and industry judges as part of the final competition in Huntsville. As part of the 2025 Human Lander Challenge, university teams developed systems-level solutions that could be used within the next 3-5 years for Artemis.

    “Today’s Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration students are tomorrow’s mission designers, systems engineers, and explorers,” said Juan Valenzuela, main propulsion systems and cryogenic fluid management subsystems lead for NASA’s Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “The Human Lander Challenge concepts at this year’s forum demonstrate the ingenuity, passion, and determination NASA and industry need to help solve long-duration cryogenic storage challenges to advance human exploration to deep space.”
    The challenge is sponsored by the agency’s Human Landing System Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.
    Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
    For more information about Artemis missions, visit:
    https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

    Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034  corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery and Obion Counties

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery and Obion Counties

    Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery and Obion Counties

    Disaster Recovery Centers are now open in Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery and Obion counties to assist Tennesseans who experienced damage or loss from the April 2-24 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding

     Locations are:Hardeman County: Safehaven Storm Shelter, 530 Madison Ave W

    , Grand Junction, TN 38039Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-SundayMcNairy County: Latta Theatre, 205 W

    Court Ave

    , Selmer, TN 38375Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-SundayMontgomery County: Montgomery County Library, 350 Pageant Lane, Clarksville, TN 37040Hours: 9 a

    m

    –8 p

    m

    CT Monday-Thursday; 9 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Friday-Saturday; 1 p

    m

    –5 p

    m

    CT SundayObion County: Obion County Library, 1221 E

    Reelfoot Ave

    , Union City, TN 38261Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-Saturday; closed SundayAdditional centers will open in other impacted areas

    To find a center near you, visit fema

    gov/drc

    Homeowners and renters in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties can apply for FEMA assistance at a recovery center

    FEMA representatives will help with applications for federal assistance and provide information about other disaster recovery resources

     FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs or other uninsured, disaster-related needs, such as childcare, vehicle, medical needs, funeral expenses or the replacement of personal property

    In addition to FEMA personnel, representatives from the U

    S

    Small Business Administration and state agencies will be available to assist survivors

    It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance

     Apply online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    Lines are open seven days a week and specialists speak many languages

    To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

    kwei

    nwaogu
    Fri, 06/27/2025 – 17:57

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Astronaut Joe Engle Flies X-15

    Source: NASA

    Former NASA astronaut Joe Engle poses in front of an X-15 plane in this Dec. 2, 1965, photo. On June 29, 1965, Engle flew the X-15 to 280,600 feet, becoming the youngest U.S. pilot to qualify as an astronaut.
    The Kansas native flew the X-15 for the U.S. Air Force 16 times from 1963 to 1965. Three times Engle flew an X-15 higher than 50 miles (the altitude required for astronaut rating), officially qualifying him for Air Force astronaut wings and providing him a brief moment for sightseeing at the edge of space.
    “You could glance out and see the blackness of space above and the extremely bright Earth below. The horizon had the same bands of color you see from the shuttle, with black on top, then purple to deep indigo, then blues and whites,” he said.
    Image credit: NASA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS and DOJ Announce Streamlined Process for Fining Illegal Aliens

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS and DOJ Announce Streamlined Process for Fining Illegal Aliens

    he Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new joint federal rule with the Department of Justice (DOJ) that will make it easier and more efficient to fine illegal aliens

    The current process requires giving illegal aliens 30 days’ notice of the intent to fine them before a fine is issued

    This new rule will eliminate the 30-day notice period, authorize DHS immigration officers to send fines to illegal aliens by regular mail, and shorten the process that applies if illegal aliens contest their fines

    “The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it

    ” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people’s immigration laws

    Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late

    ”
    The new process will be applied to:

    Aliens who enter the United States illegally
    Aliens who ignore removal orders or delay their removal
    Aliens who do not honor agreements to comply with judges’ voluntary departure orders

    Fines include:

    $100 to $500 per unlawful entry or attempted entry
    $1,992 to $9,970 for failure to honor a voluntary departure order
    Up to $998 per day for willfully failing to comply with a removal order

    Fines such as these were never issued by DHS prior to President Trump’s first term in office

    However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped issuing them when President Biden took office

    Shortly after President Trump returned to office, ICE started issuing failure-to-depart fines again as of June 13, 2025, nearly 10,000 fine notices have been issued by ICE
    Aliens who self-deport through the CBP Home App will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the United States

    All illegal aliens are encouraged to start their CBP Home self-deportation process immediately

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS and DOJ Announce Streamlined Process for Fining Illegal Aliens

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS and DOJ Announce Streamlined Process for Fining Illegal Aliens

    he Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new joint federal rule with the Department of Justice (DOJ) that will make it easier and more efficient to fine illegal aliens

    The current process requires giving illegal aliens 30 days’ notice of the intent to fine them before a fine is issued

    This new rule will eliminate the 30-day notice period, authorize DHS immigration officers to send fines to illegal aliens by regular mail, and shorten the process that applies if illegal aliens contest their fines

    “The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it

    ” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people’s immigration laws

    Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late

    ”
    The new process will be applied to:

    Aliens who enter the United States illegally
    Aliens who ignore removal orders or delay their removal
    Aliens who do not honor agreements to comply with judges’ voluntary departure orders

    Fines include:

    $100 to $500 per unlawful entry or attempted entry
    $1,992 to $9,970 for failure to honor a voluntary departure order
    Up to $998 per day for willfully failing to comply with a removal order

    Fines such as these were never issued by DHS prior to President Trump’s first term in office

    However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped issuing them when President Biden took office

    Shortly after President Trump returned to office, ICE started issuing failure-to-depart fines again as of June 13, 2025, nearly 10,000 fine notices have been issued by ICE
    Aliens who self-deport through the CBP Home App will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the United States

    All illegal aliens are encouraged to start their CBP Home self-deportation process immediately

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Terminates Haiti TPS, Encourages Haitians to Obtain Lawful Status

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Terminates Haiti TPS, Encourages Haitians to Obtain Lawful Status

    ASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

    The TPS designation for the country expires on Aug

    3, 2025, and the termination will be effective on Tuesday, September 2, 2025

     
    At least 60 days before a TPS designation expires, the Secretary, after consultation with appropriate U

    S

    government agencies, is required to review the conditions in a country designated for TPS to determine whether the conditions supporting the designation continue to be met, and if so, how long to extend the designation

      
    “This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary,” said a DHS spokesperson

    “The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home

    We encourage these individuals to take advantage of the Department’s resources in returning to Haiti, which can be arranged through the CBP Home app

    Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible

    ”
    After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Haiti no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements

    The Secretary’s decision was based on a U

    S

    Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Haiti and in consultation with the Department of State

    The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Haitians can return home in safety

    She further determined that permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States

    Haitian nationals returning home are encouraged to use the U

    S

    Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Annapolis City Dock Flood Mitigation UndertakingPHILADELPHIA– The City of Annapolis, Maryland has applied through the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program for a flood resiliency and stormwater improvement undertaking in the downtown Annapolis area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

    The proposed undertaking consists of four separate, yet connected projects (HMGP-4491-0043-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2023-002, HMGP-4261-0013-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2024-003) that involve the design and construction of a comprehensive stormwater and flood mitigation system at the City Dock area

    The overall undertaking includes storm drain realignment; construction of three pump stations including wet wells, electric control building, and backup generator; deployable flood barriers; and grading modifications

     The purpose of this undertaking is to implement strategies to protect historic downtown Annapolis, the US Naval Academy, and surrounding areas against flooding to advance the City’s economy and safeguard the City’s cultural and historic heritage

    The City Dock is a busy hub in the historic heart of Annapolis City that has served as an important port within Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay region for at least 350 years

    The project is needed because the City Dock is vulnerable to flooding, which threatens its structural integrity and functionality, importance to the local economy, and use by the community as well as the safety of those using the area

    FEMA is considering the effects of this undertaking on historic properties pursuant to 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800, the regulations implementing Section 106 of NHPA (Section 106) (54 U

    S

    C

    §§ 300101-306108)

    FEMA, consistent with Section 106 and 36 CFR § 800

    16(d), has defined the undertaking’s Area of Potential Effects (APE)

    The APE is the geographic area within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist

    A historic property is any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included on, or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)

    FEMA determined the undertaking has the potential to affect historic properties including National Historic Landmarks (NHL), which are historic properties that illustrate the heritage of the United States

    In accordance with 36 CFR § 800

    10 and Section 110(f) of the NHPA, FEMA must, to the maximum extent possible, undertake such planning and actions as may be necessary to minimize harm to any NHL that may be directly and adversely affected by an undertaking

    The undertaking’s construction schedule and access constraints within the APE limit surveys to fully identify and evaluate historic and cultural resources to determine if they are historic properties, determine if the undertaking would have adverse effects on historic properties, or fully avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects, prior to completing the appropriate NEPA documentation and FEMA’s approval of the undertaking

    When completing the Section 106 process prior to making a final decision on a particular undertaking is not practical, the regulations allow an agency to pursue a “project” Programmatic Agreement (PA) under 36 CFR § 800

    14(b)(1)(ii)

    Accordingly, to outline the phased Section 106 process, account for inadvertent discoveries and effects, and to create a proposal to resolve potential adverse effects, FEMA intends to execute a PA in accordance with Stipulation II

    C

    6

    c of the Maryland Statewide Programmatic Agreement

    In accordance with the terms of the PA, studies shall be undertaken to identify both aboveground and belowground historic properties within the APE, evaluate the undertaking’s effects on these historic properties, and complete efforts to minimize or avoid adverse effects

    The City of Annapolis or its contractors will complete further site identification and evaluation efforts for the undertaking and archaeological monitoring

    The PA outlines consultation procedures for evaluating the NRHP eligibility of newly identified historic properties including archaeological sites, assessing the undertaking’s effects on all historic properties, and resolving adverse effects, if needed

    FEMA seeks to notify the public of this undertaking and involve potential consulting parties in the Section 106 process, including implementation of the PA

    According to 36 CFR § 800

    2, the following parties have consultative roles in the Section 106 process for undertakings not on tribal lands: the State Historic Preservation Officer (and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)), Indian Tribes (Tribes) and Native Hawaiian organizations, representatives of local governments with jurisdiction over the area in which the effects of an undertaking may occur, applicants for federal assistance, and additional consulting parties (individuals and organizations with a demonstrated interest in the undertaking)

    Individuals or organizations with a demonstrated interest in this undertaking should contact FEMA using the instructions below

    The Draft PA is available for review and comment, and can be viewed on and/or downloaded here or from the City of Annapolis website

    The comment period on the Draft PA will conclude 30 days from today, June 27, 2025

    Written comments on the Draft PA, or Section 106 comments on potential effects to historic properties can be mailed or emailed to the contact listed below

    If no substantive comments are received, FEMA will seek to execute the Draft PA

     Contact Information:ATTENTION: Annapolis City Dock Section 106 CommentsFEMA Region 3 Environmental and Historic Preservation615 Chestnut Street, 6th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19106Email: FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    govSelect documents are included in the Draft PA exhibits

    FEMA will provide additional documents upon request; please contact us by email at FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    gov

    ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters

     FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia

     Follow us on X at @femaregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin

    com/company/femaregion3
    erika

    osullivan
    Fri, 06/27/2025 – 16:12

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sophia Roberts: Showcasing the Cosmos

    Source: NASA

    Astrophysics Science Video Producer – Goddard Space Flight Center
    Growing up in Detroit with a camera in her hand, Sophia Roberts — now an award-winning astrophysics science video producer—never imagined that one day her path would wind through clean rooms, vacuum chambers, and even a beryllium mine. But framing the final frontier sometimes requires traveling through some of Earth’s less-explored corners.

    Sophia received her first camera from her father, a photography enthusiast, when she was just five or six years old. “I’ve basically been snapping away ever since!” she says. 
    With a natural curiosity and enthusiasm for science, Sophia pursued a degree in biology at Oberlin College in Ohio. There, she discovered that she could blend her two passions.
    “I often lingered in lab sessions, not to finish an experiment but to photograph it,” Sophia says. “I had an epiphany at the beginning of class one day, which always opened with clips from BBC nature documentaries. I decided right then that I would be one of the people who make those videos one day.”

    She initially thought that meant wildlife filmmaking—perched in a blind on a mountainside, waiting hours for an animal to appear. That dream led her to Montana State University, where she learned to blend scientific rigor with visual storytelling through their science and natural history filmmaking master’s program.
    While completing her degree, Sophia worked as a traveling presenter for the Montana Space Grant Consortium. “I was mainly giving presentations about NASA missions and showing kids beautiful images of space,” she says. “That was my first true introduction to NASA. I loved being able to watch the children’s eyes light up when they saw what’s out there in space.”
    Sophia then completed an internship at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History while completing her thesis. Once she graduated, she landed a year-long fellowship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, as an Earth science news fellow. In this role, she focused on packaging up stories through satellite imagery and explanations. 

    She leaned into her videography skills in her next role, as part of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope team. 
    “Webb is one of my great loves in life,” she says. “I learned to negotiate with engineers for the perfect shot, navigate NASA’s protocols, and work with mission partners. I only spent five years on Webb, but it feels like it was half my life. Still—it was everything.”
    That mission took her to some unforgettable places, like a mine in Delta, Utah, where raw material for Webb’s mirrors was unearthed. “It was this giant, spiral pit where they were mining beryllium at just 0.02% concentration,” Sophia says. The process was as otherworldly as the location.

    She also documented thermal vacuum testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in a giant pill-shaped chamber with a 40-foot round door. “I had to take confined space training to crawl around in the area underneath the chamber,” she says. “It felt like spelunking.”
    Once Webb launched, Sophia pivoted to covering many of NASA’s smaller astrophysics missions along with the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. These days, she can often be found gowned up in a “bunny suit” in the largest clean room at Goddard to document space telescope assembly, or in a studio recording science explanations. 

    “I love capturing the visual stories and helping fill in the gaps to help people understand NASA research,” Sophia says. “I try to focus on the things that will get people excited about the science so they’ll stop scrolling to find out more.”
    For Sophia, the process is often as exhilarating as the result. “I love venturing out to remote places where science is being done,” she says. “I’d love to film a balloon launch in Antarctica someday!”

    To others who dream of pursuing a similar career, Sophia recommends diving in headfirst. “With cameras readily available and free online platforms, it’s never been easier to get into the media,” she says. “You just have to be careful to research your topic and sources, making sure you really know what you’re sharing and understand that science is always evolving as we learn more.” And Sophia emphasizes how important storytelling is for conveying information, especially when it’s as complex as astrophysics. “Studying science is wonderful, but I also think helping people visualize it is magical.” 
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sophia Roberts: Showcasing the Cosmos

    Source: NASA

    Astrophysics Science Video Producer – Goddard Space Flight Center
    Growing up in Detroit with a camera in her hand, Sophia Roberts — now an award-winning astrophysics science video producer—never imagined that one day her path would wind through clean rooms, vacuum chambers, and even a beryllium mine. But framing the final frontier sometimes requires traveling through some of Earth’s less-explored corners.

    Sophia received her first camera from her father, a photography enthusiast, when she was just five or six years old. “I’ve basically been snapping away ever since!” she says. 
    With a natural curiosity and enthusiasm for science, Sophia pursued a degree in biology at Oberlin College in Ohio. There, she discovered that she could blend her two passions.
    “I often lingered in lab sessions, not to finish an experiment but to photograph it,” Sophia says. “I had an epiphany at the beginning of class one day, which always opened with clips from BBC nature documentaries. I decided right then that I would be one of the people who make those videos one day.”

    She initially thought that meant wildlife filmmaking—perched in a blind on a mountainside, waiting hours for an animal to appear. That dream led her to Montana State University, where she learned to blend scientific rigor with visual storytelling through their science and natural history filmmaking master’s program.
    While completing her degree, Sophia worked as a traveling presenter for the Montana Space Grant Consortium. “I was mainly giving presentations about NASA missions and showing kids beautiful images of space,” she says. “That was my first true introduction to NASA. I loved being able to watch the children’s eyes light up when they saw what’s out there in space.”
    Sophia then completed an internship at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History while completing her thesis. Once she graduated, she landed a year-long fellowship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, as an Earth science news fellow. In this role, she focused on packaging up stories through satellite imagery and explanations. 

    She leaned into her videography skills in her next role, as part of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope team. 
    “Webb is one of my great loves in life,” she says. “I learned to negotiate with engineers for the perfect shot, navigate NASA’s protocols, and work with mission partners. I only spent five years on Webb, but it feels like it was half my life. Still—it was everything.”
    That mission took her to some unforgettable places, like a mine in Delta, Utah, where raw material for Webb’s mirrors was unearthed. “It was this giant, spiral pit where they were mining beryllium at just 0.02% concentration,” Sophia says. The process was as otherworldly as the location.

    She also documented thermal vacuum testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in a giant pill-shaped chamber with a 40-foot round door. “I had to take confined space training to crawl around in the area underneath the chamber,” she says. “It felt like spelunking.”
    Once Webb launched, Sophia pivoted to covering many of NASA’s smaller astrophysics missions along with the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. These days, she can often be found gowned up in a “bunny suit” in the largest clean room at Goddard to document space telescope assembly, or in a studio recording science explanations. 

    “I love capturing the visual stories and helping fill in the gaps to help people understand NASA research,” Sophia says. “I try to focus on the things that will get people excited about the science so they’ll stop scrolling to find out more.”
    For Sophia, the process is often as exhilarating as the result. “I love venturing out to remote places where science is being done,” she says. “I’d love to film a balloon launch in Antarctica someday!”

    To others who dream of pursuing a similar career, Sophia recommends diving in headfirst. “With cameras readily available and free online platforms, it’s never been easier to get into the media,” she says. “You just have to be careful to research your topic and sources, making sure you really know what you’re sharing and understand that science is always evolving as we learn more.” And Sophia emphasizes how important storytelling is for conveying information, especially when it’s as complex as astrophysics. “Studying science is wonderful, but I also think helping people visualize it is magical.” 
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crittenden, Garland, Mississippi Counties Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Crittenden, Garland and Mississippi counties have been added to the major presidential disaster declaration for the April 2-22 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, meaning state and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in those counties may seek funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance program. 
    The three counties are now authorized to recover eligible costs for emergency work including debris removal and emergency protective measures; and permanent work that includes projects to permanently restore community infrastructure affected by the storms.
    FEMA had previously designated Clark, Clay, Craighead, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Fulton, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Izard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Little River, Lonoke, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Pike, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, Stone and Woodruff counties for Public Assistance funding for the April storms.
    The Public Assistance program is FEMA’s largest grant program, providing funding to help communities pay for emergency work to save lives and protect property, for debris removal, and for repairs to roads, bridges, water control facilities, public buildings, public utilities, parks and recreational facilities. The program reimburses eligible costs to local and state government agencies, and certain private nonprofits including houses of worship. 
    Federal funding is typically available on a cost-sharing basis, with FEMA reimbursing Arkansas applicants 75% of eligible costs and the applicant is responsible for the non-federal share, or up to 25%.
    Learn about Assistance for Governments and Private Non-Profits After a Disaster | FEMA.gov.
    For the latest information about Arkansas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4873. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Centers Opening in Camden, Iron Counties

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Centers Opening in Camden, Iron Counties

    Disaster Recovery Centers Opening in Camden, Iron Counties

    Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) with FEMA Individual Assistance staff are opening in Camden and Iron Counties to help people affected by the March 14-15 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and wildfires

    FEMA and the U

    S

    Small Business Administration will help survivors with their disaster assistance applications, answer questions, and upload required documents

    The Camden County DRC opens Monday, June 30 for three days

    LOCATION HOURS OF OPERATIONCamden CountyCamden County Emergency Management Office12 V F W RoadCamdenton, MO 65020June 30: 9 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    July 1 and 2: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    The Iron County DRC opens Monday, June 30 for four days

     LOCATION HOURS OF OPERATIONIron CountyHarvest Full Gospel Church                                   59219 Highway 49Des Arc, MO 63636June 30: 9 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

            July 1-3: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    To save time, please apply for FEMA assistance before coming to a DRC

    Apply online at DisasterAssistance

    gov or by calling 800-621-3362

     If you are unable to apply online or by phone, someone at the DRC can assist you

     You may visit any location, no matter where you are staying now

    If your home or personal property sustained damage not covered by insurance, FEMA may be able to provide money to help you pay for home repairs, a temporary place to live, and replace essential personal property that was destroyed

    sara

    zuckerman
    Thu, 06/26/2025 – 19:25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Awards $94 Million in Grants to Help Protect 512 Jewish Faith-Based Organizations from Targeted Violence and Terrorism

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Awards $94 Million in Grants to Help Protect 512 Jewish Faith-Based Organizations from Targeted Violence and Terrorism

    lass=”text-align-center”>Following the terror attack in Boulder, CO and the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers, DHS is working to counter the concern rise in antisemitic violence and terrorism
    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced it is awarding $94,416,838 to over 512 Jewish faith-based organizations across the United States through its National Security Supplemental (NSGP-NSS)

    This money, part of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, will be used to help these organizations harden their defenses against attacks

    This allocation comes after a terrorist attacked demonstrators with a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails at an event in support of hostages in Gaza, and after two Israeli Embassy staffers were murdered in Washington, DC, by a terrorist who shouted, “Free Palestine

    ” In 2024, the ADL said it recorded a record high of 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the U

    S

    , marking a 344% increase over the past five years

      
    “DHS is working to put a stop to the deeply disturbing rise in antisemitic attacks across the United States,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “That this money is necessary at all is tragic

    Antisemitic violence has no place in this country

    However, under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that Jewish people in the United States can live free of the threat of violence and terrorism

    ”
    The program, operated through FEMA, will help protect Jewish faith-based institutions from further attacks, and was advocated for by over 40 plus Jewish organizations

    The funding was appropriated by Congress in response to a surge in antisemitic threats linked to the Israel Hamas war

    All faith-based institutions were eligible to apply for grant funding to help defend themselves from threats including houses of worship, educational facilities, medical facilities, community centers and other faith-based institutions

    More grant disbursements will follow from the NSGP

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hubble Captures an Active Galactic Center

    Source: NASA

    The light that the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope collected to create this image reached the telescope after a journey of 250 million years. Its source was the spiral galaxy UGC 11397, which resides in the constellation Lyra (The Lyre). At first glance, UGC 11397 appears to be an average spiral galaxy: it sports two graceful spiral arms that are illuminated by stars and defined by dark, clumpy clouds of dust.
    What sets UGC 11397 apart from a typical spiral lies at its center, where a supermassive black hole containing 174 million times the mass of our Sun grows. As a black hole ensnares gas, dust, and even entire stars from its vicinity, this doomed matter heats up and puts on a fantastic cosmic light show.
    Material trapped by the black hole emits light from gamma rays to radio waves, and can brighten and fade without warning. But in some galaxies, including UGC 11397, thick clouds of dust hide much of this energetic activity from view in optical light. Despite this, UGC 11397’s actively growing black hole was revealed through its bright X-ray emission — high-energy light that can pierce the surrounding dust. This led astronomers to classify it as a Type 2 Seyfert galaxy, a category used for active galaxies whose central regions are hidden from view in visible light by a donut-shaped cloud of dust and gas.
    Using Hubble, researchers will study hundreds of galaxies that, like UGC 11397, harbor a supermassive black hole that is gaining mass. The Hubble observations will help researchers weigh nearby supermassive black holes, understand how black holes grew early in the universe’s history, and even study how stars form in the extreme environment found at the very center of a galaxy.

    Media Contact:
    Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Boost Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Investments in Rural Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Energy Circuit Riders Act to help ensure communities in rural America can take advantage of cost savings from energy efficiency and clean energy projects. Shaheen’s bill would establish a new grant program within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to help eligible entities hire local, on-the-ground experts that travel to rural communities and provide assistance on projects that can help save energy, cut costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    “Granite State communities are facing sky-high electricity prices and investing in energy efficiency and clean energy is an important tool for bringing these costs down,” said Senator Shaheen. “Energy Circuit Riders will help small towns and rural communities make improvements to become more energy efficient, reduce emissions and lower their energy bills.”

    The Energy Circuit Riders Shaheen’s bill supports would work with local governments in rural areas to provide assistance, such as energy planning, energy audits, grant writing, identifying federal, state, local and utility-based energy incentives and more. The legislation is modeled after a successful Energy Circuit Rider program in New Hampshire run by Clean Energy NH, a nonprofit based in Concord, New Hampshire.

    “Rural communities often face the highest energy costs and the fewest resources to do something about it. The Energy Circuit Riders Act gives local governments access to practical, technology-neutral technical assistance—helping them cut energy waste, lower bills, and make smarter investments with taxpayer dollars. This is about common-sense support for towns that want to do more with less.” said Sam Evans Brown, Executive Director of Clean Energy New Hampshire.

    Shaheen’s legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The legislation is also endorsed by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

    Shaheen leads legislative action in the U.S. Senate to support energy efficiency projects and initiatives. Last month, Shaheen pushed back on the Trump administration’s plans to scrap the Energy Star Program, which helps Americans save on energy costs.

    Shaheen was a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided an approximately $6 billion investment in energy efficiency, including funding for residential, municipal, industrial and federal entities to implement efficiency upgrades based upon her longstanding bipartisan legislation with former U.S. Senator Rob Portman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Decision Allowing For LGBTQ+ Discrimination In Public Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against freedom of speech, public education, and LGBTQ+ rights in Mahmoud v. Taylor:

    “This is a loss for public education, freedom of speech, and LGBTQ+ rights.

    “LGBTQ+ stories matter. Kids deserve to see themselves in the books they read. Tragically, the same zealots who try to ban books from libraries are now trying to limit what kids can learn, read, and hear from teachers in their classrooms.

    “We must put love and acceptance over hate and division. As Pride Month comes to a close, it’s clear we still have a fight ahead of us.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –