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Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Bomb Iran Without Congressional Approval

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Bomb Iran Without Congressional Approval

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on President Trump’s decision to enter another Middle East conflict and bomb Iran without seeking congressional approval:
    “The ordering of our service members into battle is the gravest of responsibilities for an American president and should never be undertaken lightly. President Trump, who has said he ‘might or might not’ bomb Iran and has indicated this week that he disagrees with the assessment of his own national intelligence advisers, has now entered another Middle East conflict. He has not sought congressional approval and has not sufficiently explained why this operation was necessary right now. With thousands of American troops at risk for potential retaliation, this is not “the art of the deal.” This is war. And this is not the first time the American people have been told that it will end quickly. The people deserve to hear more than they’ve heard so far and the constitution requires a much more serious engagement with their representatives,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Baird Statement on U.S. Airstrikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Congressman Baird Statement on U.S. Airstrikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites

    Washington, June 22, 2025

    Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement on the U.S. airstrikes which destroyed three of Iran’s nuclear sites:

    “The president has been consistent and clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. President Trump gave Iran every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran failed to come to an agreement and has terrorized Israel and Americans for decades. Thanks to President Trump’s decisive action, three of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites have been decimated. May God bless our brave, heroic troops for successfully completing this mission, and I thank them for their outstanding service to our country. God bless America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Letlow Statement on Iran Strikes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-5) released the following statement regarding Saturday’s U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear sites. 

    “President Trump’s decisive action protects America’s security and is a key step toward halting Iran’s march toward becoming a nuclear power. I’m grateful to our troops for their bravery in successfully executing this mission.

    Military action should never be taken lightly, but the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism obtaining a nuclear weapon would fundamentally threaten our national security. These targeted strikes were the right call, and I pray for the continued protection of our men and women in uniform.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Family of Annabel Rook issue statement following murder in Hackney

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The family of a woman who was stabbed to death in Hackney have paid tribute to her.

    A murder investigation was launched following the death of Annabel Rook at a house in Dumont Road, Hackney.

    In a statement, Annabel’s family said:

    “The family are struggling to come to terms with this terrible tragedy. We have lost our beautiful daughter, sister, friend and mother. Annabel was a truly wonderful woman. She touched the hearts of so many.

    “She gave her life to helping the vulnerable and the disadvantaged whether it was in refugee camps in Africa or setting up MamaSuze in London, to enhance the lives of survivors of forced displacement and gender-based violence.

    “We would really appreciate it if our privacy could be respected.”

    Officers were called at 04:57hrs on Tuesday, 17 June to reports of a gas explosion with a person trapped inside the address.

    Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade.

    Annabel, 46 was found inside the property with stab wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, she was sadly declared dead at the scene.

    A 44-year-old man was arrested at the address on suspicion of murder. He was later discharged and released into police custody.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation.

    Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 926/17June or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Family of Annabel Rook issue statement following murder in Hackney

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The family of a woman who was stabbed to death in Hackney have paid tribute to her.

    A murder investigation was launched following the death of Annabel Rook at a house in Dumont Road, Hackney.

    In a statement, Annabel’s family said:

    “The family are struggling to come to terms with this terrible tragedy. We have lost our beautiful daughter, sister, friend and mother. Annabel was a truly wonderful woman. She touched the hearts of so many.

    “She gave her life to helping the vulnerable and the disadvantaged whether it was in refugee camps in Africa or setting up MamaSuze in London, to enhance the lives of survivors of forced displacement and gender-based violence.

    “We would really appreciate it if our privacy could be respected.”

    Officers were called at 04:57hrs on Tuesday, 17 June to reports of a gas explosion with a person trapped inside the address.

    Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade.

    Annabel, 46 was found inside the property with stab wounds. Despite the efforts of paramedics, she was sadly declared dead at the scene.

    A 44-year-old man was arrested at the address on suspicion of murder. He was later discharged and released into police custody.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation.

    Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 926/17June or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns Escalation in Middle East, Calls for Congressional Oversight

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

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson issued the following statement regarding the escalating tensions between Israel, Iran, and the United States: 

    “The current situation in the Middle East is deeply troubling. I have long maintained that Iran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons—nor should any nation in the region. Diplomacy, not unilateral military action, must guide our approach to preventing nuclear proliferation. 

    I supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated through U.S. leadership and in partnership with our allies. While imperfect, it was the most effective means of restraining Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the time. President Trump’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from the deal—against the counsel of our allies—undermined global security and allowed Iran to resume uranium enrichment at alarming levels. 

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent preemptive strike on Iran, on the eve of potential U.S.-Iran negotiations, was unnecessary and provocative. U.S. intelligence agencies and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have confirmed there is no evidence Iran is actively building a nuclear weapon. 

    Today’s U.S. military strikes on Iranian facilities were equally unjustified, as there was no imminent threat to American security. Moreover, the President failed to consult Congress—the sole branch of government with the constitutional authority to authorize such actions.

    I demand that President Trump immediately brief Congress before taking any further military action. The American people deserve transparency. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the Iraq War, launched on false intelligence, which cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars. 

    It is time for restraint, accountability, and a return to diplomacy.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement on U.S. Airstrikes on Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities:

    “Americans have made it clear they do not want to be dragged into another endless war in the Middle East. Yet President Trump went against the American people without sharing any evidence to prove these military strikes would protect our homeland security.

    “This unauthorized and unilateral action puts American troops at risk and threatens to further destabilize the region.

    “President Trump must work to deescalate rising tensions in the Middle East and to protect the American people.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement on U.S. Airstrikes on Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities:

    “Americans have made it clear they do not want to be dragged into another endless war in the Middle East. Yet President Trump went against the American people without sharing any evidence to prove these military strikes would protect our homeland security.

    “This unauthorized and unilateral action puts American troops at risk and threatens to further destabilize the region.

    “President Trump must work to deescalate rising tensions in the Middle East and to protect the American people.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Strongly Condemns US Attack on Iran – Chinese Foreign Ministry /more details/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) — China strongly condemns the U.S. attacks on Iran and the U.S. bombing of nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday.

    The diplomat said this while commenting on the statement by US President Donald Trump that the United States had struck three nuclear facilities in Iran.

    As the official representative noted, by its actions the United States seriously violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and also exacerbated tensions in the Middle East.

    China calls on all parties to the conflict, first and foremost Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and begin dialogue and negotiations, the official representative emphasized.

    According to him, the Chinese side is ready to cooperate with the international community to consolidate efforts, defend justice, and contribute to the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Excavation work of Yellow River section of Huanggang Road Yellow River tunnel completed

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

    Excavation work of Yellow River section of Huanggang Road Yellow River tunnel completed

    Updated: June 22, 2025 21:47 Xinhua
    A truck runs at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. The excavation work of the Yellow River section of the Huanggang Road Yellow River tunnel was completed on Sunday, marking a breakthrough in the construction of the tunnel project. The 5,755-meter-long tunnel, with 3,290 meters excavated by a 17.5-meter diameter TBM, is the largest underwater TBM tunnel currently under construction in the world. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff workers work at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff workers are pictured at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff workers work at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tunnel boring machine (TBM) works at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff workers work at the construction site of the Yellow River tunnel on Huanggang Road in Jinan, east China’s Shandong Province, June 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Pro-independence advocates urge MSG to elevate West Papua membership

    By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent

    Two international organisations are leading a call for the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to elevate the membership status of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at their upcoming summit in Honiara in September.

    The collective, led by International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) and International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP), has again highlighted the urgent need for greater international oversight and diplomatic engagement in the West Papua region.

    This influential group includes PNG’s National Capital District governor Powes Parkop, UK’s former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and New Zealand’s former Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty.

    The ULMWP currently holds observer status within the MSG, a regional body comprising Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of New Caledonia.

    A statement by the organisations said upgrading the ULMWP’s membership is “within the remit of the MSG” and requires a consensus among member states.

    They appeal to the Agreement Establishing the MSG, which undertakes to “promote, coordinate and strengthen…exchange of Melanesian cultures, traditions and values, sovereign equality . . . to further MSG members’ shared goals of economic growth, sustainable development, good governance, peace, and security,” considering that all these ambitions would be advanced by upgrading ULMWP membership.

    However, Indonesia’s associate membership in the MSG, granted in 2015, has become a significant point of contention, particularly for West Papuan self-determination advocates.

    Strategic move by Jakarta
    This inclusion is widely seen as a strategic manoeuvre by Jakarta to counter growing regional support for West Papuan independence.

    The ULMWP and its supporters consistently question why Indonesia, as the administering power over West Papua, should hold any status within a forum intended to champion Melanesian interests, arguing that Indonesia’s presence effectively stifles critical discussions about West Papua’s self-determination, creating a diplomatic barrier to genuine dialogue and accountability within the very body meant to serve Melanesian peoples.

    Given Papua New Guinea’s historical record within the MSG, its likely response at the upcoming summit in Honiara will be characterised by a delicate balancing act.

    While Papua New Guinea has expressed concerns regarding human rights in West Papua and supported calls for a UN Human Rights mission, it has consistently maintained respect for Indonesia’s sovereignty over the region.

    Past statements from PNG leaders, including Prime Minister James Marape, have emphasised Indonesia’s responsibility for addressing internal issues in West Papua and have noted that the ULMWP has not met the MSG’s criteria for full membership.

    Further complicating the situation, the IPWP and ILWP report that West Papua remains largely cut off from international scrutiny.

    Strict journalist ban
    A strict ban on journalists entering the region means accounts of severe and ongoing human rights abuses often go unreported.

    The joint statement highlights a critical lack of transparency, noting that “very little international oversight” exists.

    A key point of contention is Indonesia’s failure to honour its commitments; despite the 2023 MSG leaders’ summit urging the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a human rights mission to West Papua before the 2024 summit, Indonesia has yet to facilitate this visit.

    The IPWP/ILWP statement says the continued refusal is a violation of its obligations as a UN member state.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens condemn escalation of Israel-Iran conflict

    Source: Scottish Greens

    22 Jun 2025 External Affairs

    Keir Starmer’s response to the bombing of Iran sides with the aggressors and contributes to the escalation of the conflict.

    More in External Affairs

    The Scottish Greens have condemned Keir Starmer’s response to the bombing of Iran as siding with the aggressors and contributing to the escalation of the conflict.

    Iran had previously reached a negotiated solution to their nuclear programme with the US, China, Russa, UK and others, which was unilaterally scrapped by the first Trump administration in 2018.

    It has said it is willing to discuss a new deal once it is no longer under attack.

    In response to last night’s US bombings, the UK Government and Keir Starmer spoke supportively of the action.

    Patrick Harvie MSP said:

    “This is a deplorable response from the UK government, but it’s all too predictable.

    “Israel expanding its war at a time when negotiations were imminent, and high-level meetings between Iran and the US were already beginning to take place, is an outrage. UN experts have called it a ‘flagrant violation’ of international law and a ‘blatant act of aggression.’

    “The UK’s response has done nothing but encourage this escalation, from its ongoing material support for Israel’s routine atrocities in Gaza, to the political cover it’s now providing Israel and the US as they intensify their bombing of Iran.

    “The Iranian regime is unquestionably brutal, and everyone will celebrate if the Iranian people can overthrow it. But this attack will do nothing to make that happen, and only takes the world toward ever wider conflict.

    “Rather than being a voice for peace, Keir Starmer has shown a reckless disregard for international law and sided with the aggressors. In doing so he is only contributing to further death, destruction, and instability for people in the middle east and the wider world.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Israel and the U.S. are sure to encounter the limits of air power in Iran

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By James Horncastle, Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University

    The United States has apparently answered Israel’s call to to become involved in the war between Israel and Iran.

    President Donald Trump had signalled a willingness for the U.S. to become involved in the conflict. He went so far, in fact, to suggest in social media posts that he could kill Iran’s supreme leader if he wanted to.

    Segment on Trump’s threats against Iran’s leader. (BBC News)

    The American military can certainly make an impact in any air campaign against Iran. The problem from a military standpoint, however, is that the U.S., based on its forces’ deployment, will almost certainly seek to keep its involvement limited to its air force to avoid another Iraq-like quagmire.

    While doing so could almost certainly disrupt Iran’s nuclear program, it will likely fall short of Israel’s goal of regime change.

    In fact, it could reinforce the Iranian government and draw the U.S. into a costly ground war.




    Read more:
    Why is there so much concern over Iran’s nuclear program? And where could it go from here?


    Israel’s need for American support

    The initial stated reason for Israel’s bombing campaign — Iran’s nuclear capabilities — appears specious at best.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued several times in the past, without evidence, that Iran is close to achieving a nuclear weapon. U.S. intelligence, however, have assessed that Iran is three years away from deploying a nuclear weapon.

    Regardless of the veracity of the claims, Israel initiated the offensive and requires American support.

    Israel’s need for U.S. assistance rests on two circumstances:

    1. While Israel succeeded in eliminating key figures from the Iranian military in its initial strikes, Iran’s response appears to have exceeded Israel’s expectations with their Arrow missile interceptors nearing depletion.

    2. Israel’s air strikes can only achieve so much in disrupting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Most analysts note that Israel’s bombings are only likely to delay the Iranian nuclear program by a few months. This is due to the fact that Israeli missiles are incapable of penetrating the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which estimates place close to 300 feet underground.

    The United States, however, possesses munitions that have reportedly destroyed the Fordow facility. Most notably, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (more commonly known as a bunker buster) has a penetration capability of 200 feet and was reportedly used in the attack.

    Romanticizing air power

    Nonetheless, the efficacy of air power has been vastly overrated in the popular media and various air forces of the world. Air power is great at disrupting an opponent, but has significant limitations in influencing the outcome of a war.

    Specifically, air power is likely to prove an inadequate tool for one of the supposed Israeli and American objectives in the war: regime change. For air power to be effective at bringing about regime change, it needs to demoralize the Iranian people to the point that they’re willing to oppose their own government.

    Early air enthusiasts believed that a population’s demoralization would be an inevitable consequence of aerial bombardment. Italian general Giulio Douhet, a prominent air power theorist, argued that air power was so mighty that it could destroy cities and demoralize an opponent into surrendering.

    Douhet was correct on the first point. He was wrong on the second.

    Recent history provides evidence. While considerable ink has been spilled to demonstrate the efficacy of air power during the Second World War, close examination of the facts demonstrate that it had a minimal impact. In fact, Allied bombing of German cities in several instances created the opposite effect.

    More recent bombing campaigns replicated this failure. The U.S. bombing of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War did not significantly damage North Vietnamese morale or war effort. NATO’s bombing of Serbia in 1999, likewise, rallied support for the unpopular Slobodan Milosevic due to its perceived injustice — and continues to evoke strong emotions to this day.

    Iran’s political regime may be unpopular with many Iranians, but Israeli and American bombing may shore up support for the Iranian government.

    Nationalism is a potent force, particularly when people are under attack. The attacks on Iran will rally segments of the population to the government that would otherwise oppose it.

    Few positive options

    The limitations of air power to fuel significant political change in Iran should have given Trump pause about intervening in the conflict.

    Some American support, such as providing weapons, is a given due to the close relationship between the U.S. and Israel. But any realization of American and Israeli aspirations of a non-nuclear Iran and a new government will likely require ground forces.

    Recent American experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq show such a ground forces operation won’t lead to the swift victory that Trump desires, but could potentially stretch on for decades.

    James Horncastle 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. Why Israel and the U.S. are sure to encounter the limits of air power in Iran – https://theconversation.com/why-israel-and-the-u-s-are-sure-to-encounter-the-limits-of-air-power-in-iran-259348

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Acute food insecurity deepens in the Government-controlled areas of Yemen amid severe funding cuts and economic downturn

    Source: World Food Programme

    Aden, 22 June 2025 – The food security situation in the Government-controlled areas of southern Yemen is dire, with nearly half of the population acutely food insecure and struggling to find their next meal. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF have warned that the food insecurity crisis is likely to worsen in the months ahead.

    The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partial update, released today, paints a grim picture for southern governorates. Between May 2025 and August 2025, around 4.95 million people are facing Crisis-level food insecurity or worse (IPC Phase 3+), including 1.5 million in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). This marks an increase of 370,000 people suffering from severe food insecurity compared to the period November 2024 to February 2025.

    Looking ahead, the situation is expected to deteriorate even further. Between September 2025 and February 2026, an additional 420,000 people could fall into IPC Phase 3 or worse, if urgent and sustained assistance is not provided. That would bring the total number of severely food-insecure people in southern governorate areas to 5.38 million—more than half of the population.

    Multiple overlapping crises continue to drive food insecurity, including sustained economic decline, currency depreciation in southern governorates, conflict, and increasingly severe weather events. The delayed planting season, heightened likelihood of flood risk in July, and the spread of plant and livestock diseases, especially desert locusts, are further expected to compound pressures on an already fragile situation.

    Humanitarian actors including UNICEF, WFP, and FAO are reprioritizing their humanitarian efforts in Yemen, targeting high-risk areas with integrated interventions in food security, nutrition, WASH, health and protection sectors to maximize lifesaving impact.

    “The fact that more and more people in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from is extremely concerning at a time when we are experiencing unprecedented funding challenges,” said Siemon Hollema, the Deputy Country Director of WFP in Yemen. “Immediate support is needed to ensure that we can continue to serve the most vulnerable families that have nowhere else to turn.”

    The agencies are urgently calling for sustained and at-scale humanitarian and livelihoods support assistance to prevent communities from falling deeper into food insecurity, ensure access to essential services and generate economic and livelihood opportunities. 

    Dr. Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Yemen, emphasized, “The situation is dire and requires urgent intervention, with agriculture holding the key to ending Yemen’s food insecurity crisis. Further, delayed and insufficient rainfall in April has cast a shadow over the current planting season, threatening the already fragile farming livelihoods and food availability. With urgent support, we can revitalize local food production, safeguard livelihoods, and move from crisis to resilience building ensuring, efficiency and effectiveness.”

    Internally displaced persons, low-income rural households and vulnerable children are particularly affected, facing increased vulnerability due to funding cuts, declining livelihood opportunities, and reduced coping mechanisms.

    Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative to Yemen, highlighted that “Approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition in Yemen, placing them at greater risk of illness, developmental delays, and death.” “The IPC nutrition data suggests further deterioration in at least 5 out of 17 of the livelihood zones in IRG areas, so UNICEF and partners are making provisions to scale up intervention which needs to be sustained if we are going to overcome the crisis,” added Peter Hawkins.

    ——End—–

    About FAO: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 members, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

    Follow FAO Yemen on X for more: @FAOYemen

    About the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP): WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict and disasters. 

    Follow us on Twitter @WFPYemen

    About UNICEF:
    UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

    For more information about UNICEF Yemen and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org/yemen

    Follow UNICEF Yemen on X,  Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Trump’s Display of Peace Through Strength

    Source: US Whitehouse

    President Donald J. Trump’s bold, decisive action against Iran — the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism — and its key nuclear facilities was met with bipartisan praise from lawmakers across Capitol Hill.

    Here’s what they’re saying:

    Speaker Mike Johnson: “The President made the right call, and did what he needed to do. Leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act. The world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants ‘Death to America,’ simply could not be allowed the opportunity to obtain and use nuclear weapons. The President fully respects the Article I power of Congress, and tonight’s necessary, limited, and targeted strike follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune: “The regime in Iran, which has committed itself to bringing ‘death to America’ and wiping Israel off the map, has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace. The mullahs’ misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped. As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm’s way.”

    Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso: “President @realDonaldTrump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear program is the right one. The greatest threat to the safety of the United States and the world is Iran with a nuclear weapon. God Bless our troops”

    Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton: “Iran has waged a war of terror against the United States for 46 years. We could never allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. God bless our brave troops. President Trump made the right call and the ayatollahs should recall his warning not to target Americans.”

    Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch: “As President Trump has said over and over again – as have I – Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Why? A nuclear-armed Iran would without doubt spark a nuclear arms race that would take off around the world. This is a direct threat to American national security if left unchecked. This war is Israel’s war not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world. I’ve also always said that Israel would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. For Israel this is existential. The Iranians literally want to wipe Israel and all Jews off the face of the earth. This strike will put an end to those ambitions. President Trump took decisive action today to assist the Israelis in their efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear program. Only American weapons could do what has been done. This has made America safer, in addition to the Israelis, and the world more broadly. This is not the start of a forever war. There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran. This was a precise, limited strike, which was necessary and by all accounts was very successful. As President Trump has stated, now is the time for peace.”

    Sen. Jim Banks: “I trust President Trump!”

    Sen. Marsha Blackburn: “@realDonaldTrump knows peace can only be achieved through strength. This is a victory for the United States.”

    Sen. Katie Britt: “I stand by President Trump. Strong and surgical. Please pray for peace.”

    Sen. Ted Budd: “Tonight, the United States dealt a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. military alone had the capability to destroy these facilities deep underground, and I commend President Trump for standing with our Israeli allies in their efforts to end the threat of a nuclear Iran once and for all. May God bless and protect our troops, who continue to keep us safe around the world.”

    Sen. Bill Cassidy: “Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to peace and stability. Peace must remain the goal.”

    Sen. John Cornyn: “President Trump made the courageous and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. God Bless the USA. Thank you to our extraordinary military and our indomitable @POTUS This is what leadership on the world stage looks like.”

    Sen. Kevin Cramer: “When only we can do what needs doing, we must do it. Great call Mr. President and great job @usairforce ! God Bless The USA! #PeaceThroughStrength #GodBlessIsrael.”

    Sen. Ted Cruz: “I commend our pilots and servicemembers, our intelligence personnel, and his national security staff on tonight’s successful and critical operation. The prospect of the Iranian regime acquiring nuclear weapons represents the most acute immediate threat to America and our allies. When the Ayatollah chants ‘Death to America’ he means it, and the reason he is building nuclear weapons is because he intends to use them. President Trump has consistently and unequivocally stated that those threats cannot be countered without dismantling the Iranian regime’s enrichment capacity. The President and his negotiators spent two months exploring whether the regime would agree to a negotiated settlement that met America’s national security needs. At the end of that period, Iranian regime officials declared that instead of agreeing to deal they would open a new enrichment facility and install more advanced centrifuges. After that declaration, our Israeli allies launched a preemptive attack against the regime and its nuclear infrastructure, which was enormously successful. It could not disable the nuclear activities at Fordow, an underground enrichment bunker built into a mountain which was legitimized by the Obama-era deal. As long as Iran was able to access and enrich uranium, they could still rush to build a nuclear arsenal. Tonight’s actions have gone far in foreclosing that possibility, and countering the apocalyptic threat posed by an Iranian nuclear arsenal.”

    Sen. John Curtis: “Iran’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons is a direct threat to American interests, our allies, and global stability. Today’s action was a serious and necessary response to that danger. I honor the brave servicemembers who carried out the mission with skill and courage. Strength paired with genuine diplomacy is how we create peace, prevent conflict, and preserve freedom. I join the President in calling for a return to diplomacy.”

    Sen. Steve Daines: “Thank you President Trump and the men and women of our armed forces. America, Israel and the rest of the world are safer tonight as a result of your bravery, courage and unrivaled skill. Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, has killed hundreds of U.S. service members, attempted to assassinate President Trump, and calls the United States ‘big Satan’ and Israel ‘little Satan.’ Stopping Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a major step toward achieving peace.”

    Sen. Joni Ernst: “By leading with peace through strength, President Trump is making the world a safer place and protecting Americans. Iran must never be able to threaten America with a nuclear weapon. God bless our commander in chief and our servicemembers!”

    Sen. Deb Fischer: “For decades, Iran has chanted ‘death to America’ and pledged to wipe Israel off the map. When foreign adversaries pledge to destroy us, we should believe them. President Trump has always been clear: Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon – and I agree. Today, his administration took the necessary steps to keep a nuclear weapon out of Iran’s reach, and I am grateful to the service members who successfully carried out the mission.”

    Sen. Bill Hagerty: “@POTUS’s decisive leadership enforced deadlines and redlines. This was a tough decision, one that, as always, President Trump put the interests of the American people first in making. May this be the end of Iran’s nuclear weapon ambitions and lay the groundwork for lasting peace.”

    Sen. Lindsey Graham: “Good. This was the right call. The regime deserves it. Well done, President @realDonaldTrump To my fellow citizens: We have the best Air Force in the world. It makes me so proud. Fly, Fight, Win.”

    Sen. Chuck Grassley: “Our commander in chief & brave military forces hv carried out a mission in Iran to prevent nuclear enrichment Iran believes in “Death to Israel Death to America” Keeping USA safe is number 1 responsibility of Pres Trump”

    Sen. John Fetterman: “As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.”

    Sen. James Lankford: “I continue to be grateful for the skill and professionalism of our United States service members. Cindy and I are praying for our military, the President and for a lasting peace.”

    Sen. Mike Lee: “Tonight, the Iranian nuclear program was wiped out. Please join me in praying for the safety of the brave men and women of America’s armed forces in the Middle East and around the world, and that these strikes may lead to the lasting peace called for by President Trump.”

    Sen. Roger Marshall: “Thank you to our brave American Air Force and their successful mission as no Americans were harmed. We stand tall with President Trump who is protecting the world from a nuclear capable Iran.”

    Sen. Dave McCormick: “As I have said all along, Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. This targeted attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities is the result of the Iranian regime’s failure to make a deal despite months of President Trump’s good faith efforts to negotiate. I applaud President Trump’s strong leadership and his continued commitment to peace through strength. Once again, America’s detractors around the world should know President Trump means what he says. And I am so grateful for America’s brave warriors, who appear to have achieved their mission successfully and are returning home safely. I look forward to being briefed along with my Senate colleagues on this action.  This is an important step toward ensuring that the world’s largest state sponsor of terror never obtains a nuclear weapon.”

    Sen. Ashley Moody: “This is a solemn and important moment for security and peace. We stand with and pray for our President, the service members who carried out this mission, and the people affected by this conflict.”

    Sen. Markwayne Mullin: “To those concerned about U.S. involvement— this isn’t a “forever war” in fact, it’s ending one. @POTUS was clear: Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. The Republican-led @SenateGOP trusts President Trump to keep America safe, free, and prosperous. Peace through strength.”

    Sen. Pete Ricketts: “President Trump gave Iran ample time to come to the negotiating table on its nuclear program. Tonight’s strikes mean Iran is further from possessing a nuclear weapon. I’m thankful for the heroes who carried out this strike and for our service members in the Middle East and around the world.”

    Sen. Rick Scott: “Thank you, @POTUS, @SecDef, and our brave American warriors for a successful strike on three Iranian nuclear sites. This is what peace through strength looks like. The United States and the world are a safer place without Iran possessing a nuclear weapon.”

    Sen. Tim Scott: “Decisive American leadership. Americans and the world can thank President Trump for his courage to lead.”

    Sen. Tim Sheehy: “The right decision. Iran had every opportunity to give up their nukes. To the naysayers out there, this isn’t starting a war, this is ending one. Iran has been at war with America for 46 years. The Iranian people should rise up and put an end to this murderous regime.”

    Sen. Dan Sullivan: “President Trump meant what he said—Iran will never get a nuclear bomb. I commend @POTUS and his national security team for making this important but difficult decision and our brave military members for carrying it out. The terrorist leaders of Iran have, in essence, been at war with the United States for decades—targeting, wounding and killing thousands of American service members for years. Making sure the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism never gets a nuclear weapon is part of the work of reestablishing deterrence against Iran, which was lost during the appeasement of the Biden Administration. This is difficult work, but critical for our national security. I fully support the President and his national security team in these critical efforts.”

    Sen. Thom Tillis: “This was the right decision by @POTUS: we cannot allow Iran to build nuclear weapons. God Bless our brave servicemembers who supported and executed this mission.”

    Sen. Tommy Tuberville: “God bless our Troops. God bless President Trump. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.”

    Sen. Roger Wicker: “Our commander-in-chief has made a deliberate —and correct— decision to eliminate the existential threat posed by the Iranian regime. We now have very serious choices ahead to provide security for our citizens and our allies and stability for the middle-east. Well-done to our military personnel. You’re the best!”

    Sen. Todd Young: “Thank you to our brave service members who executed this mission. The world will be safer if Iran’s nuclear capability is destroyed. I look forward to briefings in the coming days.”

    House Majority Whip Tom Emmer: “A nuclear Iran posed a threat to the Middle East and to the world. @POTUS has been consistent that this dangerous regime should NEVER possess a nuclear weapon. He was right then, and he is right today: NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE.”

    House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain: “President Trump is delivering PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. Today’s successful mission destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities, protected American lives, and will make the world safer. Now, it’s time for peace.  God bless America and our warfighters!”

    Rep. Robert Aderholt: “I fully support President Trump’s decision to take out Iran’s nuclear facilities. As I have said, I believe that if Iran gets a functioning nuclear weapon they would not hesitate to use it against Israel or the United States. When they say death to Israel and death to America, we have no reason not to believe them. I pray this action has made the world safer. President Trump has pledged to get us out of “forever wars.” This could be a step toward ending the war we have been in with Iran since 1979. They have killed hundreds and hundreds of Americans in the past half century.”

    Rep. Mark Alford: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH REQUIRES STRENGTH We strongly support President Trump’s targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The Ayatollah must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and we will always stand with Israel.”

    Rep. Don Bacon: “Iran with a nuclear weapon is an existential threat. Pres. Trump is protecting America.”

    Rep. Troy Balderson: “Thank you @realDonaldTrump for taking decisive action. The world is a whole lot safer tonight.”

    Rep. Michael Baumgartner: “There is no greater threat to the world than nuclear proliferation, let alone from a regime that has consistently used radical Islamic terrorists to attack and kill Americans for nearly 4 decades. I fully support President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuke reactor. Trump gave Iran a choice. The Ayatollah chose poorly.”

    Rep. Andy Barr: “God Bless Donald J. Trump, God Bless our military, and God Bless the United States of America! America thanks you, @realdonaldtrump! The world thanks you too.”

    Rep. Tom Barrett: “I anticipate a full briefing of our military strike in Iran immediately upon my return to Washington. Tonight, I am praying for wisdom in our decisions, President Trump and his team, and the safety of our troops. God bless the United States of America.” 

    Rep. Aarron Bean: “The rogue Iranian regime has murdered American soldiers and been the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism for decades. Peace through strength is a strategy that works. God bless our brave American troops and God bless the USA!”

    Rep. Mike Bost: “I trust that President Trump made the decision to target Iran’s nuclear program tonight due to intelligence that indicates the regime was within reach of developing nuclear weapons that could threaten the lives of American citizens and U.S. troops stationed across the globe. He showed the strength to ensure that never happens.”

    Rep. Ken Calvert: “Like President Trump, I have consistently said Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. I support his decision to use the force and precision of the U.S. military in coordination with our ally Israel to uphold this redline with tonight’s targeted strike.”

    Rep. Buddy Carter: “I support President Trump. Peace through strength!  Thank you to the brave troops who defended us and our ally, Israel.”

    Rep. Mike Collins: “Peace through strength. Thank God we have President Trump as Commander in Chief.”

    Rep. Jeff Crank: “Tonight, President Trump took decisive action to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, protect Americans and build peace in the Middle East.  Congratulations to the Department of Defense on a successful mission.”

    Rep. Rick Crawford: “As I have said multiple times recently, I regret that Iran has brought the world to this point. That said, I am thankful President Trump understood that the red line—articulated by Presidents of both parties for decades—was real. The United States and our allies, including Israel, are making it clear that the world would never accept Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon. I have been in touch with the White House before this action and will continue to track developments closely with them in the coming days. I commend President Trump for taking decisive action and I am grateful to the U.S. servicemembers who carried out these precise and successful strikes. I continue to pray for the safety of the forces engaged to protect the free world.”

    Rep. Dan Crenshaw: “Support President Trump. You think these decisions were easy? They weren’t. You think this means WW3? You’re wrong. You think it means American soldiers deploying to Iran? You’re wrong. You think it means long term stability in the Middle East and a safer future for Americans? You’re right. Because the regime that wanted ‘Death to the Great Satan’ is at its end.  Support the President.”

    Rep. Scott DesJarlais: “I stand with President Trump’s decision to take out the last of Iran’s nuclear sites and his call for peace. My full statement & the DOJ indictment on Iran’s attempt to assassinate Trump.”

    Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart: “I stand with our Commander-in-Chief President @realDonaldTrump in making sure the terrorist regime in Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Proud of our exceptional military and proud to stand by our ally Israel.”

    Rep. Neal Dunn: “Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a threat not just to Israel but also to all our allies and the entire free world. The Ayatollah’s regime forced the President’s hand. It was imperative that President Trump act decisively to eliminate that existential threat. Prayers for the Iranian people and peace in the Middle East.”

    Rep. Gabe Evans: “I’m glad to see @POTUS take action to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. As a veteran of a Global War on Terror, I know we achieve peace through strength. Prayers and thanks to our brave men and women who carried out this necessary operation.”

    Rep. Pat Fallon: “President Trump today made the tough, but absolutely correct decision in the best interest of America’s national security to order strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Let me be clear — Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons under any circumstances. Thank you to our brave servicemembers for getting the job done.”

    Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick: “Tonight, the United States executed a successful strike on Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All our aircraft are safely out of Iranian airspace and headed home. This was the right call—and a necessary one. Make no mistake: a nuclear Iran is an existential threat—not just to Israel, but to the entire free world. Peace through strength is how we lead. And tonight, the greatest military on Earth delivered —for America, for our allies, and for the cause of global security. God bless our Troops. God bless America. And God Bless the enduring cause of liberty, now and forever.”

    Rep. Chuck Fleischmann: “President Trump is showing strong leadership that will protect America and the entire world by ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. Iran is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism, responsible for the murder of thousands globally. The Iranian regime must NEVER have access to nuclear weapons. I applaud President Trump for his steadfast leadership as our Commander in Chief and our outstanding Armed Forces for their successful mission.”

    Rep. Mike Flood: “Tonight, President Trump took bold steps to ensure that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. Keeping Iran from becoming a nuclear power will not only help keep America safe but can provide peace and stability around the world.  Thank you to our brave service members who skillfully carried out this mission.”

    Rep. Vince Fong: “President Trump’s decisive action to eliminate the nuclear capabilities posed by the Iranian regime was a necessary one to prevent a real and catastrophic threat. Iran can NEVER be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. We’re grateful for the bravery of the @usairforce and all our military personnel. May God protect them and all Americans in harm’s way as we continue the necessary work to preserve peace and stability.”

    Rep. Russell Fry: “I stand with President Trump—Iran CANNOT have a nuclear weapon. Peace through strength.”

    Rep. Brandon Gill: “’Peace through strength’ means ensuring our existential enemies don’t acquire the most lethal and catastrophic weapons known to man.”

    Rep. Carlos Gimenez: “God bless America! God bless the Jewish State of Israel! God bless President Donald J. Trump! The people of #Iran will soon taste freedom again, Israel will be at peace, & democracy will be safe from this radical Islamist terrorist regime!”

    Rep. Lance Gooden: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH! Thank you, Mr. President, and our great military! And thanks, especially, to God, for our pilots’ safe return.”

    Rep. Mark Green: “The United States has given Tehran every opportunity to forgo its nuclear ambitions; it has repeatedly refused. President Trump made the right decision. A nuclear armed Iran would be detrimental to the existence of our ally Israel, the stability of the Middle East, and our own national security.”

    Rep. Abe Hamadeh: “Iran has limited internet access. The news of Trump’s successful military operation should be spread far and wide in Iran, DROP LEAFLETS. The Iranian people need to know how weak the regime truly is, and now is their time to chart their own destiny if they choose.”

    Rep. Mike Haridopolos: “I support the actions taken by President Trump to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The world is a much safer place due to his actions taken today.”

    Rep. Pat Harrigan: “President Trump gave Iran a diplomatic off-ramp—60 days to deescalate and come to the table. They kept enriching uranium, kept making threats, and ignored every warning, including the one not to target Americans. We tried peace through strength. With American lives at risk, I support @POTUS’s actions to advance peace in the Middle East.”

    Rep. Andy Harris: “A nuclear-armed Iran endangers America, Israel, and the entire free world. The U.S. took decisive action to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, protecting American lives, our allies, and global stability. This is peace through strength.

    Rep. Mark Harris: “I am grateful for President Trump’s thoughtful and wise approach that has gone into the decision and action which has been carried out this evening in a determined approach to make certain Iran does not have a nuclear weapon!! Pray for our nation’s military, the most powerful courageous fighting force in the world!!”

    Rep. Diana Harshbarger: “President Trump has tried over and over again to come to a peaceful agreement with Iran, but they have refused to work with us. While I believe war should never be an option, I am proud of President Trump and our military on a successful operation to deter the spread of war in the Middle East.”

    Rep. Ashley Hinson: “Thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership, our military carried out successful strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites tonight. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism & President Trump made it clear: Iran can never have a path to a nuclear weapon. Now they won’t. Thank you to our brave warriors who carried out these attacks & are now on their way back safely home. God Bless President Trump and the USA.”

    Rep. Richard Hudson: “President Donald Trump has been consistent and resolute that Iran- the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism- will not be allowed to build a nuclear weapons capability. He negotiated in good faith and offered Iran peace in exchange for ending their nuclear ambition. Iran did not take President Trump seriously and they have learned tonight that was a mistake. It would be another mistake for Iran to retaliate against Americans anywhere in the world. I support President Trump, I stand with Israel and I pray for the safety of our brave men and women in uniform around the world. America leads with resolve, and the world is safer when we do.”

    Rep. Bill Huizenga: “After attempting to negotiate peace through diplomacy, President Trump took decisive action. We must ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon and usher in a new age of nuclear terrorism. I commend the men and women of our Armed Forces for their performance in this operation to make the world a safer place. It is now time for Iran to come to the table and abandon its nuclear ambitions.”

    Rep. Wesley Hunt: “When faced with a clear choice between peace and violence, Iran chose violence. That was a grave mistake. Underestimating the resolve of the United States, the leadership of President Trump, and the unmatched strength of the most advanced military force on Earth is not just unwise, it’s fatal. I commend our Commander-in-Chief for acting decisively to dismantle Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the source. This was not just a mission of military precision, it was a message: the United States will not tolerate threats to our national security or to global stability. To the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who carried out this operation with courage and excellence, thank you. The nation stands in awe of your service.”

    Rep. Jeff Hurd: “Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear capabilities. We must always stand up for the safety and security of the U.S. and its allies. I fully support actions taken to prevent an evil regime from being able to harm us, Israel, and our other allies.”

    Rep. Darrell Issa: “Tonight, @realDonaldTrump is showing the world the true meaning of peace through strength. And American strength is making peace with Iran possible for the first time in 46 years.”

    Rep. Brian Jack: “I stand with our brave military stationed across the world and President Trump, our Commander in Chief.”

    Rep. Ronny Jackson: “President Trump once again demonstrated the bold, decisive leadership the American people elected him for. He has long maintained that Iran must NEVER obtain a nuclear weapon and he kept that promise. A nuclear Iran is a direct threat to America and our allies. Tonight, the world is safer because OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF, PRESIDENT TRUMP acted. Thank you President Trump and the servicemembers who carried out the strike. GOD BLESS THE USA!!!”

    Rep. Jim Jordan: “God Bless the United States Military. God Bless President Trump.”

    Rep. Tom Kean: “The world is a far safer place without Iranian nuclear sites. Thank you to President Trump and our second-to-none American military for carrying out this successful series of strikes. It is time for security and peace for all.”

    Rep. Jen Kiggans: “The American military remains the greatest in the world … God bless our troops. I support President Trump’s decision to bomb the three sites in Iran because Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. Iran should heed the president’s warning to not retaliate against U.S. forces or U.S. citizens anywhere in the world. Peace through strength remains our goal.”

    Rep. Young Kim: “The military’s targeted actions tonight against Iranian nuclear sites are necessary to deter Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and save lives. I thank our military for their service in this critical operation to restore peace through strength and am glad they are safely on the way home. I look forward to additional briefings from the administration soon.”

    Rep. David Kustoff: “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for demonstrating strong leadership on the World stage. Iran should never have a nuclear weapon. This is peace through strength!”

    Rep. Darin LaHood: “@POTUS and the United States have been clear: under no circumstances can Iran be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. I thank our brave service members, Intelligence Community, and the Administration’s national security team for holding this red line to protect U.S. national security.”

    Rep. Nick LaLota: “Tonight’s American response makes it clear: Iran will be held accountable for its proxies killing Americans and its blatant ambition to bring death to America through nuclear weapons. Tehran must return to the table, abandon its nuclear ambitions, and choose peace. Praying for our brave troops and American citizens in the region.”

    Rep. Doug LaMalfa: “The President’s decision to carry out a targeted strike on Iranian nuclear sites was the right move. It was necessary, and sent a clear message. No other country has the capability to take out this type of threat. I support President Trump’s decision to take action before it was too late. Iran’s leaders chant “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” as official policy and they mean it. They’ve made it clear that if they ever got their hands on a nuclear weapon, they’d use it on America and Israel. We could not leave major Iranian nuclear sites operational and intact.  I hope Iran will take the President’s offer now. They’ve had many chances to give up their weapons ambitions.”

    Rep. Nick Langworthy: “God bless the United States of America and the brave men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms and do the extraordinary every day. We pray for their safety, and we pray for wisdom and strength for our Commander in Chief.”

    Rep. Bob Latta: “Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. The president took decisive action to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Now is the time for peace. God bless and protect our troops.”

    Rep. Mike Lawler: “President Trump made the right decision — and like when President Obama struck Libya, Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen — he did so under the terms of the 2001 and 2002 AUMF. War has not been declared, however, a Nuclear Iran has been prevented. I fully support the President’s decision.”

    Rep. Barry Loudermilk: “Thanks to this bold and decisive action by President Trump, and our amazing military, America and the rest of the world are much safer. Putting America first means prioritizing the safety and security of the United States; and Iran has been a serious threat to the U.S. and our ally, Israel, for decades. President Trump exercised incredible restraint while seeking diplomatic solutions with Iran these past few months; unfortunately, Iran was unwilling to cooperate.”

    Rep. Anna Paulina Luna: “May God protect our brave service members until they return home safely, along with our foreign service officers and the dedicated men and women of the State Department. Pray for our country. We need peace.”

    Rep. Nicole Malliotakis: “There’s no other military in the world that can do what was just done. God bless America and our brave service members.”

    Rep. Tracey Mann: “Audrey and I join the nation in praying for the safety of our troops and civilians in the Middle East. We pray for wisdom for President Trump and his team as they promote American peace through strength. God bless our troops.”

    Rep. Rich McCormick: “President Trump gave Iran every opportunity to give up its nuclear ambitions. They are now very aware that this President will not be dropping pallets of cash to bribe them to stop developing nukes, we will be delivering ordinances that ensures they do.”

    Rep. Addison McDowell: “President Trump protects America and our interests: A nuclear Iran was never an option. God bless America and the brave men and women who serve our nation.”

    Rep. Carol Miller: “Iran was persistent in their refusal to stop enriching uranium. We gave them every opportunity to stop and agree to nuclear disarmament. They refused, so America ended their nuclear weapons program tonight. The Commander in Chief has my full support.”

    Rep. Mary Miller: “A great victory for the United States! President Trump understands that PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH keeps America, and the world, safe and secure.”

    Rep. Max Miller: “As President Trump has stated before, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. Promises made, promises kept”

    Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks: “Under the constitutional authority granted to the president as Commander-in-Chief under Article II, @POTUS took decisive action tonight to keep America, our allies and the world, safe. His bold leadership and commitment to peace through strength delivered results. Our military successfully struck Iran’s nuclear sites, sending a clear message: the world’s top sponsor of terrorism will never obtain a nuclear weapon.  Proud of our warriors and our President.”

    Rep. John Moolenaar: “President Trump has been consistent. A nuclear Iran poses a grave threat to our nation, our military, and our allies. His decision to strike Iran is necessary to keep us and our allies safe, and ensure the largest sponsor of terror in the world does not develop nuclear weapons.”

    Rep. Barry Moore: “I stand with President Trump. God bless him and our brave service members.”

    Rep. Tim Moore: “Iran’s radical regime is a threat to freedom everywhere and has spent decades spreading terror across the globe. President Trump made clear that any attack on Americans or our allies would be met with overwhelming force. May God bless and protect our troops as we confront the evil of Iran and its terrorist proxies.”

    Rep. Nathaniel Moran: “Peace through strength in action. This was a necessary step to protect America and its ally Israel from the clear and present danger presented by Iran and its advanced nuclear program. This is the kind of leadership the moment demands. @POTUS”

    Rep. Troy Nehls: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’m glad the mission was successful, and I’m glad we have President Trump in the White House. Peace through strength.”

    Rep. Ralph Norman: “President Trump’s bold leadership didn’t just defend democracy around the world — it helped save it. God bless the USA”

    Rep. Zach Nunn: “As President Trump takes decisive action to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, I also remain committed to ensuring our troops—including Iowa’s Guardsmen deploying to the region—are protected and not engaged in a forever war. America remains a strong force for Peace through Strength.”

    Rep. Andy Ogles: “We must end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and protect American lives. Praise God for a successful mission—keep praying for our country.”

    Rep. Burgess Owens: “We have a peace through strength President who doesn’t bluff and knows the world is safer without a nuclear Iran. God bless our U.S. Armed Forces”

    Rep. August Pfluger: “Today, American airmen executed an operation at the direction of President Trump to eliminate Iranian nuclear facilities. I commend President Trump, the national security team, and the men and women who executed these orders on this successful mission. The Iranian regime is the largest sponsor of terrorism and the choice is now theirs… I hope they choose peace and a return to normalized society. But one thing is clear, they will not have a nuclear weapon.”

    Rep. Guy Reschenthaler: “President Trump was right to strike Iran’s nuclear program. A nuclear Iran was a direct threat to our national security and our allies in the region. Iran is responsible for the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of our servicemembers. May God bless our nation and our troops.”

    Rep. John Rose: “Our brave troops executed a well-planned and successful strike in Iran that signals a new chapter in the Middle East, a chapter where there is no misunderstanding about American tolerance of a nuclear-armed Iran. @POTUS is leading with strength, and I fully support this action.”

    Rep. David Rouzer: “I commend President Trump for taking decisive and resolute action to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Regardless of any Iranian response which may occur, the President and those in our great military responsible for successfully carrying out this difficult mission have provided a meaningful opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East and safety to the United States and our allies.”

    Rep. Maria Salazar: “Thank you, President Trump, for leading with strength and clarity. Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. May God protect our troops, and may peace prevail through strength.”

    Rep. Austin Scott: “I commend the President for his decisive action to attack Iran’s nuclear program. I also commend the bravery and skill of our warfighters who participated in this important mission. There was no scenario in which Iran could be allowed to continue their nuclear weapons program. The time is now for the Iranian people to rise up against the radical regime.”

    Rep. Keith Self: “This is what leadership from a Commander in Chief looks like.”

    Rep. Adrian Smith: “Through months of talks between negotiators from his administration and Iranian officials, President Trump has shown he is committed to achieving peace for the United States and our allies. Today, he and brave American servicemembers acted decisively when it became clear the Iranian regime, which openly threatened to wield nuclear weapons, was not open to diplomatic engagement. America stands with the friends of freedom, and our forces will defend our people against all threats.”

    Rep. Pete Stauber: “Iran has been wanting to eliminate the United States and Israel for decades. President Trump’s decision to surgically remove this threat was decisive leadership with the power of our extraordinary military force! This is peace through strength.”

    Rep. Greg Steube: “President Trump made every effort to give Iran a peaceful off-ramp to dismantle its nuclear ambitions. The Ayatollah’s refusal to negotiate in good faith confirms what we’ve long known: Iran cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons. I’m deeply grateful to our brave men and women in uniform for executing their mission with courage and precision. And I thank President Trump for his decisive leadership during this critical moment.”

    Rep. Dale Strong: “A nuclear-armed Iran is a threat to the entire world. They had ample time to come to the table and make a deal, but forced President Trump to take action to ensure the safety of our country and our allies.”

    Rep. Marlin Stutzman: “Peace through strength means you have to be willing to prove your strength when adversaries will not accept the peaceful option. I support President Trump’s decision and am thankful the strikes were successful. God Bless America!”

    Rep. Claudia Tenney: “President Trump has shown unwavering resolve in defending the U.S. & the free world. We are grateful for the bravery of our servicemembers who carried out these successful airstrikes & for President Trump’s leadership as our Commander in Chief!  God Bless America”

    Rep. William Timmons: “President Trump took decisive action against Iran’s nuclear threat. This sends a clear message: the U.S. will defend our interests and our allies. Grateful our Airmen carried out the mission safely — their courage keeps us safe. FLY FIGHT WIN”

    Rep. Derrick Van Orden: “Peace Through Strength. The terrorist regime in Iran’s time in the sun is over.”

    Rep. Tim Walberg: “Tonight, President @realDonaldTrump displayed decisive action to eliminate the nuclear program of the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. President Trump pursued and exhausted diplomatic options, and to protect the security of our nation, this moment called for strong leadership. God bless America and God bless our troops.”

    Rep. Ann Wagner: “Iran was given every chance to get rid of its nuclear program, but instead of choosing peace the Ayatollah embraced violence and chaos. President Trump was absolutely right to send our bombers in and strike the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities, and this decision will save American lives and protect our national security. He and I are in full agreement that we must achieve peace through strength, and today’s decisive strikes are a testament to that shared commitment. Iran cannot and will not have nuclear weapons and today is a direct result of the Ayatollah’s reckless choices…”

    Rep. Randy Weber: “Iran should NEVER have their hands on a nuclear weapon. President Trump ensured that won’t happen. Congratulations on a successful mission.”

    Rep. Roger Williams: “We must always stand with Israel.  Iran should never have a nuclear weapon and I’m thankful that under @realDonaldTrump, our country is stronger than ever.  God bless our military.  We pray for their safety and for peace.”

    Rep. Joe Wilson: “President Trump has been consistent in his willingness to engage in negotiations. Enemies of America insult this effort instead pursuing apocalyptic delusions. Ultimately, Peace is achieved through deterrence and Strength. Assad was warned in 2017. The Iranian regime was warned. War criminal Putin has been warned. President Trump will not hesitate to act when tested.”

    Rep. Rob Wittman: “The President was right – Iran refused to commit to nuclear disarmament. This was the right decision. America must secure peace through strength. God bless our servicemen and women in uniform – I am praying for their safe return.”

    Rep. Steve Womack: “I support the President’s decisive action to thwart Iran from completing a nuclear weapon. Our Israeli allies were instrumental in setting the conditions for these strikes, and President Trump’s decision ultimately makes America and our allies safer. I thank God for the bravery and safety of our servicemembers who made this mission a success.”

    Rep. Rudy Yakym: “Thank you to our brave warfighters for defending the greatest nation on earth. God bless our troops and the United States of America!”

    Rep. Ryan Zinke: “We gave Iran a chance, they didn’t take it. The President has been crystal clear: Iran must not have nuclear weapons. If they don’t give up their nuclear program, this will continue to escalate. They will lose their Army, Navy, what’s left of their Air Force AND they will lose their refineries. This is a fight they will not win. I pray for the freedom loving Iranian people who have lived under extremism for too long.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Companies House celebrates 10 years of open data

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Companies House celebrates 10 years of open data

    The ground-breaking Find and update company information service was launched 10 years ago. Free access to Companies House data continues to support economic activity and corporate transparency, while new legislation underpins an organisational drive to improve the quality of data on the UK companies register.

    Today (22 June 2025) marks 10 years since Companies House made all public digital data on the UK companies register free of charge with the launch of the Find and update company information service on GOV.UK. This commitment to open data was designed to improve corporate transparency and give entrepreneurs the opportunity to come up with innovative ways of using information on the register.  

    In the last 10 years, the appetite for Companies House data has grown more than tenfold. The register was accessed 1.3 billion times for free information in 2015 to 2016. By 2023 to 2024, it was accessed over 16.5 billion times.

    Companies House data is widely used by companies, creditors, investors and researchers, credit reference agencies and providers of financial information.  

    It’s also a trusted source for journalists and civil society, government, law enforcement and the public.  

    Companies House data is empowering businesses, easing commerce through the sharing of data, strengthening the fight against financial crime through accountability and helping businesses verify customers, and customers verify businesses.  

    Companies House Chief Data Officer, Charlie Boundy said:  

    In 2015 we broke new ground for corporate registers with our commitment to open data. Ten years later that bold decision has led to Companies House supporting 16 billion searches a year, underpinning millions of pounds of everyday financial decisions and our data being valued by industry at £1 billion to £3 billion annually.

    Now, Companies House is implementing changes to company law under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCT Act) to improve the integrity and accuracy of data on our register. This will make it even more valuable to users and further support economic growth.

    Competition and Markets Minister Justin Madders said:  

    Over the last 10 years increased transparency from Companies House has empowered businesses big and small, helping level the playing field and improving confidence in our economy.

    As part of our Plan for Change we’ll continue to build on this success, strengthening transparency to give companies and consumers more certainty about the businesses they work with.

    Ben Cowdock, Senior Investigations Lead, Transparency International said: 

    For 10 years, the online platform at Companies House has delivered world-leading corporate transparency, setting an example for the best way to make company information available to the public. The data on this platform has contributed to countless investigations into corruption and financial crime by law enforcement, the private sector and civil society alike, and makes the UK a safer place to do business.

    We at Transparency International UK use the Companies House service on a daily basis, with the data providing a cornerstone to our research and investigations. We look forward to many more years of using the platform and working with Companies House to ensure it remains a world-leading service for those seeking company information.

    Steve Lamb, Chief Operating Officer at Kyckr said: 

    The launch of the Companies House open data service in 2015 marked a profound leap forward for corporate transparency in the UK. By making company information freely accessible to all, Companies House democratised access to one of the world’s most important datasets, enabling commerce, driving accountability, and strengthening the global fight against financial crime.

    At Kyckr, we’ve seen firsthand how open and authoritative registry data can transform the way businesses verify customers and combat illicit activity. Given the UK’s enduring position as an international financial hub, the move by Companies House set a powerful precedent – one that continues, rightly, to be celebrated.

    The value of Companies House data

    Companies House data is estimated to be worth £1 billion to £3 billion per year to users.

    For anti-money laundering (AML) regulated businesses, research published in 2024 suggests the value of company register information is £170 million to £460 million per year in total. ECCT Act reforms are expected to add between £210 million to £400 million in extra value. Much of this is attributed to the introduction of mandatory identity verification for company directors from this autumn.  

    Notes to editors

    The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced robust new laws to fight corruption, money laundering and fraud.

    The changes we are introducing in phases will enable us to crack down on misuse of the UK companies register. 

    2019 research Valuing the User Benefits of Companies House Data found that it is worth an estimated £1 billion to £3 billion per year to users.

    The 2024 Value of corporate transparency in tackling crime report found that:

    • for AML-regulated businesses, the value of company register information pre-reform is estimated to be between £170 million to £460 million per year in total (across all businesses) – the reforms are expected to add between £210 million to £400 million in extra value
    • for law enforcement users, the value of company register information is estimated to be around £2,600 per user, per year – the reforms are expected to generate an additional £1,300 of value per user, per year

    Both user groups considered the introduction of identity verification for company directors to be the greatest contributor to the increase in value.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 22 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Update on Developments in Iran (4)

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said he will call an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday in light of the “urgent situation” in Iran following the latest attacks on the country’s nuclear facilities.

    “In view of the increasingly serious situation in terms of nuclear safety and security, the Board of Governors will meet in an extraordinary session tomorrow, which I will address,” Director General Grossi said.

    The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the recent attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow uranium enrichment site.

    “As of this time, we don’t expect that there will be any health consequences for people or the environment outside the targeted sites,” he said. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation in Iran and provide further updates as additional information becomes available.”

    According to the most recent information verified by the IAEA before the attacks on Iran began on 13 June, the three sites targeted by the United States – also including Esfahan and Natanz – contained nuclear material in the form of uranium enriched to different levels, which may cause radioactive and chemical contamination within the facilities that were hit.

    As he did in his statement to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Director General Grossi reiterated his call for military restraint and “indispensable work towards” a diplomatic solution.

    “I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities should never be attacked,” he said.

    There is a need for a cessation of hostilities so that the IAEA can resume its vital inspection work in the country, including the necessary verification of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, he added.

    Director General Grossi also stressed the importance of a continued and timely exchange of information with Iran regarding issues related to nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Press Arrangements for IAEA Board of Governors Meeting, 23 June 2025

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June, in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC).

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has requested that a meeting of the Board be convened to consider the situation in Iran.

    The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press.

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website. The IAEA will provide video footage of the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

    Photo Opportunity

    There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and the Vice-Chair of the Board, Ambassador Caroline Vermeulen of the Kingdom of Belgium, before the start of the Board meeting, on 23 June at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC.

    Accreditation

    Journalists are requested to register with the Press Office by 08:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June. Please email press@iaea.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Xia Baolong concludes HK visit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    CPC Central Committee Hong Kong & Macao Work Office Director and State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong today had an engagement session with district leaders and visited a Community Living Room (CLR) in Hong Kong.

    In the morning, Mr Xia, together with Chief Executive John Lee and Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak, met chairmen and representatives of the 18 District Councils at the engagement session. Mr Xia received briefings on their district work.

    Accompanied by Mr Lee and Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun, Mr Xia inspected the facilities of the To Kwa Wan CLR to learn about the execution of the CLR Pilot Programme by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. He also took the opportunity to interact with its users.

    Mr Xia concluded his visit and left Hong Kong in the evening.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Update on Developments in Iran (4)

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said he will call an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday in light of the “urgent situation” in Iran following the latest attacks on the country’s nuclear facilities.

    “In view of the increasingly serious situation in terms of nuclear safety and security, the Board of Governors will meet in an extraordinary session tomorrow, which I will address,” Director General Grossi said.

    The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the recent attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow uranium enrichment site.

    “As of this time, we don’t expect that there will be any health consequences for people or the environment outside the targeted sites,” he said. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation in Iran and provide further updates as additional information becomes available.”

    According to the most recent information verified by the IAEA before the attacks on Iran began on 13 June, the three sites targeted by the United States – also including Esfahan and Natanz – contained nuclear material in the form of uranium enriched to different levels, which may cause radioactive and chemical contamination within the facilities that were hit.

    As he did in his statement to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Director General Grossi reiterated his call for military restraint and “indispensable work towards” a diplomatic solution.

    “I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities should never be attacked,” he said.

    There is a need for a cessation of hostilities so that the IAEA can resume its vital inspection work in the country, including the necessary verification of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, he added.

    Director General Grossi also stressed the importance of a continued and timely exchange of information with Iran regarding issues related to nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Press Arrangements for IAEA Board of Governors Meeting, 23 June 2025

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June, in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC).

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has requested that a meeting of the Board be convened to consider the situation in Iran.

    The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press.

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website. The IAEA will provide video footage of the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

    Photo Opportunity

    There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and the Vice-Chair of the Board, Ambassador Caroline Vermeulen of the Kingdom of Belgium, before the start of the Board meeting, on 23 June at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC.

    Accreditation

    Journalists are requested to register with the Press Office by 08:00 CEST on Monday, 23 June. Please email press@iaea.org.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Why corporations are backing away from supporting Pride this year

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Leah Hamilton, Professor in the Faculty of Business & Communication Studies, Mount Royal University

    Prime Minister Mark Carney recently raised the Pride flag on Parliament Hill and lamented the growing anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiment in Canada. He also committed $1.5 million to make Pride festivals across the country safer.

    This political support stands in sharp contrast to the many businesses that have reduced or ended their support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community this Pride season.

    Multinational corporations like Google, as well as Canadian-owned companies like Molson Coors, have divested from supporting festivals, while Target has scaled back its Pride merchandise due to threats against employees and large-scale conservative backlash.

    The impact is already being felt. Pride Toronto is currently facing a $900,000 funding gap. Executive director Kojo Modeste recently told CBC News this corporate divestment appears to be linked to the larger backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

    Fear of punitive measures

    In January, United States President Donald Trump issued an executive order to dismantle DEI initiatives in federal agencies and target private companies that support DEI measures. In the executive order, Trump’s administration called DEI measures and mandates “immoral discrimination programs.”

    Spearheaded by journalist-cum-activist and Trump adviser Christopher Rufo, the attacks against so-called “woke” DEI programs are fuelled by the “culture wars” that pit equity and inclusion against merit and the free market.




    Read more:
    Here’s what ‘woke’ means and how to respond to it


    Major private corporations, including IBM, quickly bent to the pressure of Trump’s anti-DEI orders by gutting their programs and shifting corporate donorship away from “woke” initiatives.

    The pressure to comply with anti-DEI measures hasn’t ended with corporations. More recently, Trump has set his sights on the U.S. post-secondary system, freezing US$2.2 million in federal grants and US$60 million in contracts after Harvard University refused to comply with the administration’s demands related to its DEI programs.

    In Canada, the rollback of DEI programs isn’t as loud, but it is happening. Michelle Grocholsky, the CEO of Empowered EDI in Toronto, told CBC News companies are reducing their budgets and cutting their staff. In the midst of job cuts in January 2025, the Alberta Investment Management Corporation removed their DEI staff.

    Following in the footsteps of the U.S., Alberta’s United Conservative Party membership passed a resolution to eliminate DEI programs and training in the public service. The party has also indicated it will remove government funding from post-secondary institutions that continue to do DEI work.

    Declining public support

    In addition to the rollback of DEI programs, the ongoing corporate reductions in Pride support are taking place amid increasing anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiment.

    A 2024 poll reported that, in Canada, support for 2SLGBTQIA+ visibility — like representation on screens and in sports — is lower than it was in 2021. Compared to previous years, Canadians also expressed less support for transgender rights, and this level of support was lower than the 26 other countries surveyed.

    Not surprisingly, this declining public support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community coincides with rising hate crimes targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. In 2023, Statistics Canada reported a 69 per cent increase in hate crimes targeting sexual orientation.

    Public attitudes don’t change in a vacuum. They are deeply influenced by hate movements, political rhetoric and the spread of misinformation and disinformation weaponized by politicians and leaders to dehumanize the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, particularly transgender people.

    This dehumanization incites fear, violence and support for anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate. It has coincided with companies silently withdrawing their support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

    Where we live, in Alberta, the provincial government has passed the most draconian anti-trans laws Canada has ever seen. As we (Corinne L. Mason and Leah Hamilton) have previously written, Premier Danielle Smith’s government has unveiled a suite of policies targeting transgender, intersex and gender diverse children and youth in Alberta, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community more broadly.

    In this environment of reduced public and political support, it’s not surprising to see companies backing away from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

    Getting back to Pride’s roots

    The fact that companies have quickly backed away from their support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — by halting production of Pride merchandise or reducing sponsorship in Pride festivals — illustrates the conditionality of their support.

    Rather than beg big business to come back to the table, some members of the community are using this moment to reflect on how corporate “Love is Love” campaigns haven’t actually led to increased quality of life or justice for our communities.

    While it has received less media coverage than calls to remove police from Pride and the presence of Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement at Pride festivals, the corporatization of Pride has long been subject of debate in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.




    Read more:
    Queers and trans say no to police presence at Pride parade


    Those against “rainbow capitalism” — the shallow and inauthentic use of Pride imagery in advertising — argue for a return to community-based and radical protest rather than settling for flag-waving bankers throwing beads from atop expensive floats.

    Pride Month is rooted in protest and resistance against police violence and systemic oppression. It was led by Black trans women and can be traced back to the Stonewall Riots. Today, Pride still isn’t simply a party and parade.

    Authentic ‘rainbow dollars’

    In this sociopolitical climate of legislated DEI rollbacks and declining public support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, organizations that want to support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community should back up their messaging with meaningful actions and structural support.

    Some organizations have shown a commitment to structural support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community from its beginning, including the Northern Super League, the top-division professional women’s soccer league in Canada. The league openly and consistently amplifies and supports its 2SLGBTQIA+ players, coaches, staff and fans. Founded by Diana Matheson, an openly queer woman, the league is founded on inclusion as a core value.

    When it comes to creating Pride merchandise, Social Made Local is a queer-owned Canadian apparel company in Saskatoon that focuses on gender-inclusive sizing, sustainability and community. They donate a portion of their sales to Canadian non-profits like Rainbow Railroad.

    Companies that want to show their support can spend their rainbow dollars in good faith through actions that meaningfully support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This could include creating programs that support queer entrepreneurs, donating to legal funds that are fighting discriminatory legislation, and partnering with 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations to amplify their work.

    Leah Hamilton receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Corinne L. Mason receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    Gini (Virginia) Weber 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. Why corporations are backing away from supporting Pride this year – https://theconversation.com/why-corporations-are-backing-away-from-supporting-pride-this-year-258770

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: If we don’t teach youth about sexual assault and consent, popular media will

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shannon D. M. Moore, Assistant professor of social studies education, Department of Curriculum Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

    The sexual assault trial of five former World Juniors hockey players has spotlighted issues around sexual assault and consent.

    Sexual assault, intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence aren’t inevitable. Kindergarten to Grade 12 public schools have an ethical obligation to enact sexuality education that is responsive to current contexts, respects human diversity, empowers young people and is rooted in human rights.

    We argue for harnessing popular media to advance sexuality education. Children and youth learn about a great deal about gender, relationships, sexuality and consent from popular media.

    Although there is strong theoretical rationale for using popular media to confront sexual assault, many teachers identify and experience barriers to putting this into practice in their classrooms.

    Let’s (not) talk about sex?

    Many factors shape the reality that comprehensive sex education remains wholly absent or inadequate in schools.

    Talking about sex in society and in schools is often taboo. Discussions of healthy relationships and consent are often highly controlled, minimized or relegated to a sexual education curriculum that is not universally taught. This is due to parental opt-outs/ins in many provinces.

    Some opponents of sexual education curriculum say parents should have full authority over the subject. Others exploit misunderstandings of age appropriateness and the presumed innocence of children and youth. Among the public at large, there is a lack of knowledge (or belief) about the high rates of sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence experienced by youth within and beyond schools

    Not surprisingly, neglecting comprehensive sexuality education has many adverse consequences. Students learn that eliminating sexual violence is not a societal priority. Those who have experienced assault and other forms of violence learn that they are not important, as their stories are often silenced, ignored or distrusted.

    As a result, rape culture and gender-based violence remains unchallenged in schools, while it is normalized, legitimized and endorsed in popular media.




    Read more:
    ‘Adolescence’ on Netflix: A painful wake-up call about unregulated internet use for teens


    Meet your child’s other teacher

    In the absence or confines of comprehensive sex education in schools, youth identify popular media as their main source of information about sex and relationships.

    As professor of criminal justice, Nickie D. Phillips, writes, popular media is one of the “primary sites through which rape culture [is] understood, negotiated and contested.”

    What youth watch, play, listen to or create on social media has a significant role in teaching dominant understandings that normalize sexual violence, misogyny and the patriarchy.

    Critical media scholars Michael Hoechsmann and Stuart Poyntz emphasize that popular media “plays a central role in the socialization, acculturation and intellectual formation of young people. It is a … force to be reckoned with, and we ignore it at our peril.”

    As teacher educators and educational researchers, the teachers we have worked with across grades and subject areas recognize how popular media is always and already present in classrooms, and many embrace the opportunities it affords for necessary conversations that are relevant to students.

    Challenges with using popular media

    The teacher participants in our study revealed that classroom culture wars have had a chilling impact on their practice, making them feel more wary about tackling particular topics.

    We found that despite research-informed rationale for using popular media to ground sexuality education, teachers encounter several barriers and complications in doing so.

    Teachers’ discomfort was exacerbated when school leaders did not support their efforts to advance these lessons, even though they were anchored to the provincial curriculum. Teacher participants also spoke of a lack of professional development or preparation to talk about healthy relationships and consent in teacher education contexts.

    Finally, they also raised concerns about teaching with and through violent, sexually suggestive or explicit popular media in classrooms. This is the case even though young people are learning about sex through limitless access to digital pornography and R-rated popular media outside of classrooms.

    Influencing healthy relationships

    There is limited research about how popular media content could be used to teach about sexual violence prevention. Through our ongoing research, we have identified several starting points for using popular media content to ground conversations about healthy relationships, boundaries and consent.

    1. Start with media constructions of gender: As popular media contributes to societal expectations of gender, students should begin by interrogating how masculinities and femininities are constructed and mobilized in popular media.

    This can include examining how male, female and non-binary characters are constructed and presented to audiences, their position within the broader storyline and their level of dialogue and how varied intersections of identity impact these depictions.

    Discussions of gender based violence must begin with intersectional discussions of gender, as these constructions contribute to the issue (for example, the hypersexualization and subordination of females, the exoticization and dehumanization of racialized women or the portrayal of males as powerful, aggressive and preoccupied with sex).

    2. Begin with unfamiliar content: Students can initially become defensive when they are asked to critically engage with media content that deeply connect with their identity and give them a sense of joy.

    While the goal is to move to the interrogation of students’ own media diets, it can positively generate student participation when educators begin analytical and critical discussions about media with unfamiliar, or at least not cherished, material (like popular songs, video or social media).

    This means students learn how to analyze content before connecting this analysis with themes related to gender-based violence, like: how popular media normalizes sexual violence against women and promotes unhealthy representations of romance and relationships; how popular media contributes to victim blaming or siding with perpetrators and promotes “himpathy” for males who commit sexual assault.

    3. Offer a feminist lens: As teacher educators, we recognize that there is no single method or approach that tends to every aspect of sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence. Yet, we also know that educators seek resources to engage more meaningfully with students.

    Cards to foster conversation

    We constructed a deck of educational playing cards that educators can use to foster conversations about media portrayals of gender, healthy relationships and consent (or lack thereof).

    These cards employ a feminist lens, based on Sarah Ahmed’s Living a Feminist Life. We advocate for teachers to have time in professional learning spaces to try out the cards with other educators before they facilitate complex conversations related to gender-based violence with students.

    If as a society we want to see fewer instances of gender-based violence, teachers need provincial curriculum documents that align with the research on comprehensive sex education. They also need school leaders who will support their work and model consent in the broader school culture, and more professional development and preparation in teacher education.

    Shannon D. M. Moore receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    Jennifer Watt receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council .

    – ref. If we don’t teach youth about sexual assault and consent, popular media will – https://theconversation.com/if-we-dont-teach-youth-about-sexual-assault-and-consent-popular-media-will-256741

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mohammadamin Ahmadfard, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities.

    By integrating renewables — from solar panels and wind turbines to geothermal grids, hydrogen plants, electric vehicles and batteries — AI can enable cities to manage diverse energy sources as a single, intelligent system.

    One striking example is the Oya Hybrid Power Station in South Africa. Here, AI-driven controls seamlessly co-ordinate solar, wind and battery storage to deliver reliable power to up to 320,000 households. Using AI makes this kind of integration not only possible, but dramatically more efficient.

    Recent research shows AI can also optimize how batteries, solar and the grid interact in buildings. A 2023 study found that deep learning and real-time data helped a boarding school in Turin, Italy increase low-cost energy purchases and cut its electricity bill by more than half.

    Cleaner, smarter energy grids

    AI models are increasingly able to predict weather with greater precision. These predictions allow electric grid operators to plan hours ahead, storing excess energy in batteries or adjusting supply to meet demand before a storm or heatwave hits.

    Using AI to respond strategically to weather is a game-changer. In Cambridge, England, a system called Aardvark uses satellite and sensor data to generate rapid, accurate forecasts of sun and wind patterns.

    Unlike traditional supercomputer-driven weather models, Aardvark’s AI can deliver precise local forecasts in minutes on an ordinary computer. This makes advanced weather prediction more accessible and affordable for cities, utilities and even smaller organizations — potentially transforming how communities everywhere plan for and respond to changing weather.

    AI models are increasingly able to predict weather with greater precision, allowing electric grid operators to plan ahead, storing excess energy in batteries or adjusting supply to meet demand before a storm or heat wave hits.
    (Shutterstock)

    AI for smarter district heating and cooling

    In Munich, Germany, AI is improving geothermal district heating by using underground sensors to monitor temperature and moisture levels in the ground.

    The collected data feeds into a digital simulation model that helps optimize network operations. In more advanced versions, during winter cold snaps, such systems can suggest lowering flow to underused spaces like half-empty offices and boosting heat where demand is higher, such as in crowded apartments.

    This intelligent, self-optimizing approach extends the life of equipment and delivers more warmth with the same energy input.

    This is a breakthrough with enormous potential for cities in cold climates with established geothermal networks, such as Winnipeg in Canada and Iceland’s Reykjavik.

    Although these cities have not yet adopted AI-driven monitoring systems, they could benefit from AI’s real-time improvements in efficiency, comfort and energy savings during harsh winters — a principle that holds true wherever geothermal district heating and cooling exists.

    Inside the home, AI-managed smart climate systems can factor in how many people are in each room, which appliances are in use, how much natural sunlight each space receives.
    (Shutterstock)

    Smart buildings

    Inside the home, AI-managed smart climate systems can factor in how many people are in each room, which appliances are in use, how much natural sunlight each space receives and how much electricity or heat a home’s solar panels generate throughout the day.

    Based on this, AI determines how to heat or cool rooms efficiently, and can transfer energy from one space to another, balancing comfort with minimal energy use.

    Coastal cities and those in wind-heavy regions are using AI in other creative ways. In Orkney, Scotland, excess wind and tidal energy are converted into green hydrogen. Instead of letting that surplus power go to waste, an AI system called HyAI controls when to generate hydrogen based on wind forecasts, electricity prices and how full the hydrogen storage tanks are.

    When winds are strong at night and electricity is cheap, the AI can divert surplus power to produce hydrogen and store it for later use. On calmer days, that stored hydrogen can power fuel cells or buses.

    Energy storage

    AI is transforming energy storage into a smart, revenue-generating force. In Finland, a startup called Capalo AI has developed Zeus VPP, an AI-powered virtual power plant that aggregates distributed batteries from homes, businesses and other sites.

    Zeus VPP uses advanced forecasting and AI algorithms to decide when batteries should charge or discharge, factoring in energy prices, local consumption and weather forecasts. This enables battery owners to earn revenue by participating in electricity markets, while also supporting grid stability and making better use of renewable energy.

    Utility companies are also using AI to monitor everything from high-voltage transmission lines to neighbourhood transformers, dramatically increasing reliability.

    AI-powered dynamic line rating adjusts how much electricity a line can carry in real time, boosting capacity by 15 to 30 per cent when conditions allow. This helps utilities maximize the use of existing infrastructure instead of relying on costly upgrades.

    At the local level, AI analyzes smart metre data to predict which transformers are overheating due to rising EV and heat pump use.

    By forecasting these stress points, utilities can proactively upgrade equipment before failures happen — a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance that makes the grid stronger and cities more resilient.

    AI-powered public transit and mobility

    Transportation innovation is becoming part of the energy solution, with AI at the centre of this transformation. In New York City, energy company Con Edison has installed major battery storage systems to help manage peak electricity demand and reduce reliance on polluting peaker plants, which supply energy only during high-demand periods.

    More broadly, Con Edison is deploying advanced AI-powered analytics software across its electric grid — optimizing voltage, enhancing reliability and enabling predictive maintenance. Together, these efforts show how combining energy storage and AI-driven analytics can make even the world’s busiest cities more resilient and efficient.

    AI is also powering “vehicle-to-grid” innovations in California, where an AI-driven platform manages electric school buses that can supply stored energy back to the grid during periods of high demand.

    By carefully managing when buses charge and discharge, these systems help keep the grid reliable and ensure vehicles are ready for their daily routes. As this technology expands, parked electric vehicles could serve as valuable backup resources for the electricity system.

    Transportation innovation is becoming part of the energy solution.
    (Shutterstock)

    AI for clean energy initiatives

    AI is rapidly transforming cities by revolutionizing how energy is used and managed. Google, for example, has slashed cooling energy at its data centres by up to 40 per cent using AI that fine-tunes fans, pumps and windows more efficiently than any human operator.

    Organizations like the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), in collaboration with NVIDIA, Microsoft and others, have launched the Open Power AI Consortium, which is creating open-source AI tools for utilities worldwide.

    These tools will enable even the most resource-constrained cities to deploy advanced AI capabilities, without having to start from scratch, helping to level the playing field and accelerate the global energy transition.

    The result is not just cleaner air and lower energy bills, but a path to fewer blackouts and more resilient homes.

    Mohammadamin Ahmadfard receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Mitacs Inc. for his postdoctoral research at Toronto Metropolitan University.

    – ref. AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit – https://theconversation.com/ai-applications-are-producing-cleaner-cities-smarter-homes-and-more-efficient-transit-256291

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: 4 reasons to be concerned about Bill C-4’s threats to Canadian privacy and sovereignty

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sara Bannerman, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Communication Policy and Governance, McMaster University

    In Canada, federal political parties are not governed by basic standards of federal privacy law. If passed, Bill C-4, also known as the Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act, would also make provincial and territorial privacy laws inapplicable to federal political parties, with no adequate federal law in place.

    Federal legislation in the form of the Privacy Act and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act sets out privacy standards for government and business, based on the fair information principles that provide for the collection, use and disclosure of Canadians’ personal information.

    At the moment, these laws don’t apply to political parties. Some provinces — especially British Columbia — have implemented laws that do. In May 2024, the B.C. Supreme Court upheld the provincial Information Commissioner’s ruling that B.C.’s privacy legislation applies to federal political parties. That decision is currently under appeal.

    Bill C-4 would undermine those B.C. rights. It would make inapplicable to federal parties the standard privacy rights that apply in other business and government contexts— such as the right to consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information — and to access and correct personal information held by organizations.

    Why should we be concerned about Bill C-4’s erasure of these privacy protections for Canadians? There are four reasons:

    1. Threats to Canada’s sovereignty

    In light of threats to Canadian sovereignty by United States President Donald Trump, the Canadian government and Canadian politicians must rethink their approach to digital sovereignty.

    Until now, Canadian parties and governments have been content to use American platforms, data companies and datified campaign tactics. Bill C-4 would leave federal parties free to do more of the same. This is the opposite of what’s needed.

    The politics that resulted in Trump being elected twice to the Oval Office was spurred in part by the datafied campaigning of Cambridge Analytica in 2016 and Elon Musk in 2024. These politics are driven by micro-targeted and arguably manipulative political campaigns.

    Do Canadians want Canada to go in the same direction?




    Read more:
    How political party data collection may turn off voters


    Are political parties spying and experimenting on Canadians via personal data collection?
    (Unsplash/Arthur Mazi), FAL

    2. Threats to Canada’s future

    Bill C-4 would undermine one of the mechanisms that makes Canada a society: collective political decisions.

    Datified campaigning and the collection of personal information by political parties change the nature of democracy. Rather than appealing to political values or visions of what voters may want in the future or as a society — critically important at this historical and troubling moment in history — datified campaigning operates by experimenting on unwitting individual citizens who are alone on their phones and computers. It operates by testing their isolated opinions and unvarnished behaviours.

    For example, a political campaign might do what’s known as A/B testing of ads, which explores whether ad A or ad B is more successful by issuing two different versions of an ad to determine which one gets more clicks, shares, petition signatures, donations or other measurable behaviour. With this knowledge, a campaign or party can manipulate the ads through multiple versions to get the desired behaviour and result. They also learn about ad audiences for future targeting.




    Read more:
    A/B testing: how offline businesses are learning from Google to improve profits


    In other words, political parties engaging in this tactic aren’t engaging with Canadians — they’re experimenting on them to see what type of messages, or even what colour schemes or visuals, appeal most. This can be used to shape the campaign or just the determine the style of follow-up messaging to particular users.

    University researchers, to name just one example, are bound by strict ethical protocols and approvals, including the principle that participants should consent to the collection of personal information, and to participation in experiments and studies. Political parties have no such standards, despite the high stakes — the very future of democracy and society.

    Most citizens think of elections as being about deliberation and collectively deciding what kind of society they want to live in and what kind of future they want to have together as they decide how to cast their ballots.

    But with datified campaigning, citizens may not be aware of the political significance of their online actions. Their data trail might cause them to be included, or excluded, from a party’s future campaigning and door-knocking, for example. The process isn’t deliberative, thoughtful or collective.

    3. Secret personal data collection

    Political parties collect highly personal data about Canadians without their knowledge or consent. Most Canadians are not aware of the extent of the collection by political parties and the range of data they collect, which can include political views, ethnicity, income, religion or online activities, social media IDs, observations of door-knockers and more.

    If asked, most Canadians would not consent to the range of data collection by parties.

    4. Data can be dangerous in the wrong hands

    Some governments can and do use data to punish individuals politically and criminally, sometimes without the protection of the rule of law.

    Breaches and misuses of data, cybersecurity experts say, are no longer a question of “if,” but “when.”

    Worse, what would happen if the wall between political parties and politicians or government broke down and the personal information collected by parties became available to governments? What if the data were used for political purposes, such as for vetting people for political appointments or government benefits? What if it were used against civil servants?

    What if it were to be used at the border, or passed to other governments? What if it were passed to and used by authoritarian governments to harass and punish citizens?

    What if it was passed to tech companies and further to data brokers?

    OpenMedia recently revealed that Canadians’ data is being passed to the many different data companies political parties use. That data is not necessarily housed in Canada or by Canadian companies.

    If provincial law is undermined, there are few protections against any of these problems.

    Strengthening democracy

    Bill C-4 would erase the possibility of provincial and territorial privacy laws being applied to federal political parties, with virtually nothing remaining. Privacy protection promotes confidence and engagement with democratic processes — particularly online. Erasing privacy protections threatens this confidence and engagement.

    The current approach of federal political parties in terms of datified campaigning and privacy law is entirely wrong for this political moment, dangerous to Canadians and dangerous to democracy. Reforms should instead ensure federal political parties must adhere to the same standards as businesses and all levels of government.

    Data privacy is important everywhere, but particularly so for political parties, campaigns and democratic engagement. It is important at all times — particularly now.

    Sara Bannerman receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and McMaster University. She has previously received funding from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s Contributions Program and the Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge.

    – ref. 4 reasons to be concerned about Bill C-4’s threats to Canadian privacy and sovereignty – https://theconversation.com/4-reasons-to-be-concerned-about-bill-c-4s-threats-to-canadian-privacy-and-sovereignty-259331

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre set to grow tourism

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre is a living gateway into South Africa’s deep past and dynamic future, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said on Sunday.

    “This Centre tells the story of a world 200 million years ago, yet it is also a story of the Basotho people, whose ancient wisdom and oral traditions gave rise to the mythical Kgodumodumo, now brought to life in scientific exhibition,” de Lille said.

    She was speaking at the launch of the centre at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State.

    WATCH | Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretive Centre Launch

    [embedded content]

    The Minister said the centre also tells the story of the land claimant settlement agreement which includes a beneficiation package that largely consists of eco-tourism opportunities such as a camping site, horse riding, mountain biking, a 4×4 trail and hiking trails.

    “I want to acknowledge that the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre has been made possible through close collaboration and partnership between the Department of Tourism, Evolutionary Studies Institute of the University of the Witwatersrand, South African National Parks [SANParks], National Treasury, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment [DFFE], the Free State Province and most importantly, the surrounding communities.”

    The Minister was also grateful for the donor funding from the European Union of R120 million.

    “I want to thank all partners for their invaluable contributions, both past and future. A special mention to the University of the Witwatersrand, which has a long tradition of palaeontological research.

    “Subsequent work at this site revealed more nests at different levels, indicating that this was a seasonal nesting place for dinosaurs. We have created something both monumental and meaningful.”

    De Lille said the centre is not just a museum.

    “Government is diversifying tourism attractions to grow tourism. The Interpretation Centre will act as a catalyst for broader tourism development in the Free State’s rural economy,” she said adding that the centre will boost domestic tourism in one of the least visited provinces in the country.

    “The province of the Free State is not a place to travel through but a place to travel to. We have trained 15 tour guides from the local community.”

    The Department of Tourism launched the centre in partnership with the DFFE.

    The two departments recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre to boost tourism in the Free State.

    The centre will offer visitors an innovative, creative and quality demonstration of scientific knowledge (paleontological, archaeological and geological) with a broader appreciation of cultural heritage through interactive exhibitions.

    The centre is managed by the SANParks, and it is envisaged that the facility will increase the bed occupancy and more activities for visitors to the park. 

    READ | Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre to boost tourism

    The development of the project includes the Interpretation Centre (paleontological offices and work space), the reception area, lecture halls, the display area-exhibition and display installation, the coffee/curio shop, the activity node – office, activity areas (children), parking – paved parking area, look-out point and bulk services, upgrade electrical supply – transformer and cable, sewer – connect to existing system water – connection. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Investigation into SANDF Macadamia Military Base incident

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Sunday, June 22, 2025

    The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) have launched a joint investigation into the deaths of two soldiers at the at Macadamia Military Base in Mpumalanga.

    The SANDF confirmed Saturday’s incident near Komatipoort in a statement.

    “A SANDF member, who had been approved for withdrawal from duty, attacked fellow soldiers in his accommodation. One member died during the incident. The attacker later died from self-inflicted wounds when he stabbed himself on the neck,” said the SANDF on Saturday.

    The SANDF said Military Health and Chaplain Services were sent to support the affected members.

    “The SANDF and the South African Police Service (SAPS) launched a joint investigation. The names of the deceased were withheld until their families had been informed. Further details will be shared as the investigation continues.”

    The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga and the Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya have sent their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. –SAnews.gov.za

    Share this post:

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang’s Cross-Border E-Commerce Sector Shows Dynamic Growth

    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

    URUMQI, June 22 (Xinhua) — The cross-border e-commerce sector in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has seen dynamic growth, with the advantages of two key ports of Alashankou and Horgos as “global purchasing and selling” channels becoming increasingly evident, achieving highly efficient and smooth trade flow.

    Alashankou Port has seen strong growth in cross-border e-commerce. In the first five months of this year, 55.7376 million parcels worth 3.579 billion yuan (about 492 million U.S. dollars) were exported through Alashankou in cross-border online commerce, up 103 percent year-on-year. At the Alashankou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Cross-Border E-Commerce Industrial Park, trucks loaded with toys, consumer goods and other products bearing the stamp “Made in China” are constantly streaming toward Europe, Russia and other regions.

    “From January to May this year, our company’s cross-border e-commerce export volume exceeded 20 million parcels, up 50 percent year-on-year and reaching a historical high,” Kong Xianglin, deputy general manager of Oushengtong Kahang International Logistics Co., Ltd., told Xinhua. “We are currently cooperating with platforms such as Pinduoduo and AliExpress to build overseas warehouses. In the second half of the year, business with Europe is expected to grow by another 60 percent.”

    With explosive growth, cross-border e-commerce at Horgos is complementing Alashankou’s success. Over the same period, the port is expected to reach 28.05 billion yuan in trade volume, a staggering 890 percent year-on-year increase. At the cargo yard of Zhongguang Zhida Co., Ltd., daily necessities, small appliances, air conditioners and other goods are packed into containers before being shipped.

    “Today, our company’s trading volume has reached US$700 million, up about 110 percent from a year ago and a record high,” said Jiang Yong, deputy general manager of Zhongguang Zhida Co., Ltd. “Based on Khorgos’s advanced industrial base and highly efficient logistics network, we will continue to deepen our presence in the Central Asian and European markets,” he continued.

    The strong growth of the two ports is driven by the continuous optimization of the business environment and the upgrading of infrastructure. The Alashankou Port Authority, taking advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative, has invested in building a multifunctional cross-border e-commerce industrial park, attracting 15 companies and covering all import and export models. The Horgos Cross-Border E-Commerce Industrial Park has also brought together more than 40 enterprises and is purposefully building a comprehensive service ecosystem covering the entire supply chain.

    Zhang Yan, head of the New Business Model Department of Alashankou Port and Commerce Bureau, said: “We actively leverage the advantages of geographical location and industrial agglomeration, implement various support measures, solve practical difficulties for enterprises, and continuously provide cross-border e-commerce companies with turnkey services, from warehouse logistics to financial services.”

    At present, Alashankou and Horgos are making the transition from a “transit corridor economy” to an “industrial cluster economy”. With innovative models and an open ecosystem, they are jointly building a digital trade hub in a key area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, giving a strong impetus to the deepening of the opening up of Xinjiang’s border areas. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Astana hosted the China-Central Asia news agency forum

    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

    ASTANA, June 22 (Xinhua) — The China-Central Asia News Agency Forum was held in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on Sunday. As one of the outcomes of the Second China-Central Asia Summit, the forum was initiated and hosted by Xinhua News Agency. It was attended by heads of Xinhua News Agency, Kazakh Presidential Television and Radio Broadcasting Complex, Kyrgyz National News Agency Kabar, Tajikistan National News Agency Khovar, Media-Turkmen News Agency and Uzbekistan National News Agency.

    Fu Hua, Director General of Xinhua News Agency, chaired the forum and delivered a speech. He said that under the joint leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Central Asian countries, exchanges and cooperation between China and the countries in the region have gained new important historical opportunities and shown incredibly bright prospects. News agencies of China and Central Asia are charged with the responsibility of spreading the “Central Asia-China Spirit” and promoting high-quality development in the region, jointly telling the stories of China-Central Asia cooperation, promoting China-Central Asia people-to-people and cultural exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, advancing innovation and cooperation in media technology, deepening exchanges and cooperation between news agencies, and contributing to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for China and Central Asia.

    The officials of news agencies of the Central Asian countries highly appreciated the important role played by the China-Central Asia News Agency Forum in strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation, and expressed their willingness to continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Chinese media including the Xinhua News Agency, jointly promote the “Central Asia-China Spirit”, and make due contributions to promoting mutual learning among civilizations and achieving common development.

    Director General of the Television and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Raushan Kazhibayeva noted that the successful holding of the Second China-Central Asia Summit outlined the direction for the development of relations between China and the countries of the region. This forum is a vivid manifestation of good-neighborliness and deep friendship between China and the countries of Central Asia, and the media should support and promote the implementation of the results achieved at the summit.

    Mederbek Shermetaliev, Director General of the Kyrgyz National News Agency Kabar, said that the Belt and Road Initiative has opened up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Central Asia. Strengthening information exchange and cooperation between all parties will help present an objective, truthful and three-dimensional image of China and Central Asian countries.

    According to Subhiddin Shamsiddinzoda, Director of the National Information Agency of Tajikistan “Khovar”, fruitful results have been achieved in cooperation between the Central Asian countries and China in the field of media. He also expressed hope for continued in-depth exchange of views on issues such as training talents in the field of communications, strengthening cooperation between universities and promoting the development of creative industries.

    Bekdurdy Amansaryev, Director General of the Media-Turkmen Information Agency, said all parties should set an example in establishing information partnerships based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. New technologies have expanded the space for cooperation between media outlets, he noted, adding that he hopes to strengthen cooperation in the field of new media and promote digital transformation.

    Abdusaid Kuchimov, Director General of the National News Agency of Uzbekistan, noted that the media plays an important role in strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Central Asian countries and China. Media partners from Central Asia and China came together to strengthen their cooperation, which is of great importance for discussing ways to overcome common challenges.

    The forum participants agreed that the world is changing and facing many challenges, such as the spread of disinformation. The media of China and Central Asian countries should join efforts to enhance cooperation in information exchange, news dissemination and promotion of technological innovation to create a favorable information environment for regional peace and development.

    Following the forum, the Astana Consensus was adopted. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 23, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israeli army says it hit fighter jets, missile sites in Iran

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    JERUSALEM, June 22 (Xinhua) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its fighter jets struck two warplanes at Dezful airport in western Iran on Sunday morning.

    The statement said eight rocket launchers had been “neutralized” in separate strikes earlier in the morning, six of which were poised to fire into Israeli territory.

    It reported that on Saturday evening, about 20 Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of military targets in Iran.

    According to the statement, the targets hit included a military facility housing components for the production of explosives, a weapons depot and production facilities, as well as air defense systems. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 23, 2025
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