NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI China: China earmarks 150 million yuan for natural disaster response

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

    BEIJING, July 9 — China has earmarked 150 million yuan (about 20.97 million U.S. dollars) from its central natural-disaster-relief fund to support relief efforts in regions affected by flooding, typhoons and geological disasters, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Wednesday.

    An MOF statement said that emergency funds, allocated by the MOF and the Ministry of Emergency Management, were distributed to six provincial-level regions: Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing, the Xizang Autonomous Region and Gansu.

    As China has now entered its main flood season, certain regions have been hit frequently by flooding and geological disasters, and Danas — the fourth typhoon of this year — has impacted several southeastern coastal regions and caused secondary disasters, the MOF said.

    The funds will be used to support emergency rescue and relief efforts, focusing on search, rescue and relocation for residents affected by disasters. They will also be used for the detection of secondary disasters, and to repair damaged houses, among other tasks.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier stresses ensuring policy implementation to consolidate economic recovery

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

    Chinese vice premier stresses ensuring policy implementation to consolidate economic recovery

    CHANGCHUN, July 9 — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has stressed the importance of ensuring policy implementation and achieving industrial revitalization through technological innovation to consolidate economic recovery trend.

    Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection trip from Monday to Wednesday to the country’s northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin.

    Ding visited a water source relocation project, a farm, a central grain reserve warehouse and a local finance bureau to learn about the implementation of major government policies and the operation of local finances.

    It is necessary to fully and effectively utilize the more proactive fiscal policy to enhance the efficiency of fund use and the effectiveness of policy implementation, the vice premier said.

    Ding also visited several local enterprises and educational institutions. He emphasized the need to concentrate innovative resources on enterprises, strengthen both basic and applied research, and deepen collaboration among universities, research institutes and enterprises.

    The vice premier expressed hopes that Heilongjiang and Jilin would accelerate the cultivation of new drivers of growth and new advantages to make greater contributions to the overall development of the country.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Grand Jurors issue rare report on continued problem of organized crime run from within state prisons using contraband cellphonesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    strong>(COLUMBIA, SC) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the 34th and the 35th State Grand Jurors released a Grand Jury Report highlighting the problem of organized crime continuing to be run from within South Carolina prisons, typically by use of contraband cellphones. A recent State Grand Jury trial in Pickens County resulting in life without parole sentences against two inmates for narcotics trafficking highlights the severity of the issue and the efforts of the State Grand Jury to fight the problem.

    “Locking someone up doesn’t make us safer if they’re still running criminal empires from behind bars,” said Attorney General Wilson. “Inmates with contraband cellphones aren’t just continuing their crimes, they’re escalating them. We know how to stop this; the technology already exists and is being used in federal prisons. This is why I am calling on Congress and the FCC to give states the authority to jam these illegal communications and shut these criminal networks down, for good.”

    But it’s not just the public that’s still in danger.

    “Illegal contraband cellphones allow career criminals to prey on innocent victims and continue committing crimes from behind bars,” said Joel E. Anderson, Interim Director of the S.C. Department of Corrections. “The situation is highly dangerous for our staff, other inmates, and our communities. I thank the State Grand Jury for its work to bring this issue to light and Gov. McMaster and the S.C. General Assembly for funding measures to help us identify illegal cellphone signals and hold the criminals accountable.”

    “Las Señoritas” Multi-Defendant Jury Trial

    On Friday, June 27, 2025, following a weeklong joint trial, a Pickens County jury found Darrell (DJ) Foster McCoy, Matthew (Matt) David McCoy, and Randall (RJ) Gene Posey guilty in the “Las Señoritas” State Grand Jury investigation. All three defendants were convicted of Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy). The trial was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude and Assistant Attorney General Walt Whitmire before the Honorable R. Scott Sprouse.

    Both McCoys were inmates in SCDC when they trafficked the methamphetamine in the Las Senoritas investigation, because they had previously been convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in the Family Tradition State Grand Jury case. Because of their extensive prior criminal records and their continued trafficking of methamphetamine while in prison for that very crime, the Attorney General’s Office had served both McCoys with Notice of Intent to Seek Life Without Parole. Following the jury verdicts of guilty, Judge Sprouse sentenced DJ McCoy and Matthew McCoy to life in prison without parole. Randall Posey, who was not an SCDC inmate, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

    “The McCoys were so proud of the fact that they were convicted of drug trafficking in the Family Tradition case that they got tattoos that say, ‘Family Tradition.’ Well, they have a new family tradition: being in prison for life without parole,” said Attorney General Wilson.

    During the trial, the witnesses and evidence established that brothers DJ McCoy and Matt McCoy were leaders of an Upstate narcotics trafficking organization, using contraband cell phones within the South Carolina Department of Corrections to coordinate trafficking kilograms of methamphetamine in Pickens, Greenville, Laurens, Anderson, Oconee, and Abbeville Counties. The jury heard testimony that the McCoys directed their various dealers and co-defendants to travel to Atlanta to obtain as much as 30 kilograms a week of cartel methamphetamine for sale and use throughout South Carolina. The jury heard further testimony that Randall Posey was a distributor for the McCoy brothers. The Attorney General’s Office entered 2,849.57 grams of methamphetamine into evidence during the trial and conservatively estimates that over 630 kilograms of methamphetamine was brought into this state at the direction of the McCoys from 2021-2022.

    Three other co-defendants, who were additional narcotics distributors for the McCoy brothers, were also scheduled to stand trial but chose to enter guilty pleas. Joseph Edward Moore pleaded guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More, Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime, and Distribution of Methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 27 years.

    Tony Eugene McCoy pleaded guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy), Financial Transaction Involving Property Derived From Unlawful Drug Activity (Money Laundering), and Trafficking Methamphetamine, 28 Grams or More, But Less Than 100 Grams. He was sentenced to 20 years.

    Travis Mitchell Hendricks pleaded guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine, 28 Grams or More, But Less Than 100 Grams (Conspiracy) and Financial Transaction Involving Property Derived From Unlawful Drug Activity (Money Laundering). He was sentenced to 20 years.

    “Clean Sweep” Guilty Plea

    On July 1, 2025, Abbygale El-Dier pleaded guilty to child abuse charges against her minor daughter in the Clean Sweep State Grand Jury case. El-Dier pleaded guilty to Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, First Degree, two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, First Degree, and one count of criminal conspiracy. Sentencing was deferred until a later date to be determined, when she will face a sentence of 31 years to imprisonment for life. El-Dier remains in custody.

    Jacob Lance, the alleged co-conspirator, is a Lee prison inmate who is alleged to have used contraband cell phones smuggled into the prison to perpetrate the abuse of the minor victim. He is currently charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor, First Degree (7 counts), Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, First Degree (11 Counts), Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Second Degree (12 Counts), and one count of criminal conspiracy. Given the severity of his prior record for which he is in SCDC, Lance has been notified by the Attorney General’s Office of intent to seek a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for qualifying offenses should a conviction be secured. The trial of Lance is expected to be scheduled in Greenville in the Fall of 2025, date to be determined.

    “Paper Route” Indictments

    In the State Grand Jury investigation Paper Route, SCDC Inmate Wayne A. Hollinshead has been indicted for various offenses, including trafficking marijuana 100 pounds or more, Money Laundering more than $100,000, Criminal Conspiracy, Intimidation of Witnesses, and Obstruction of Justice. Seized in the investigation were approximately $1,000,000 in assets allegedly derived from inmate Hollinshead’s illegal activities directed while in prison using contraband cellphones. These alleged illegally gained assets included balances in checking accounts, savings accounts, cash management accounts, CDs, cryptocurrency, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash.      

    Grand Jury Reports of the 34th and 35th South Carolina State Grand Juries

    The State Grand Juries that have been investigating these and other cases with a connection to organized crime and corruption in the prisons called on the FCC and the federal government to allow state prisons to jam contraband cellphones at their facilities. The State Grand Jury Reports stated: “Gang leaders continue to run their criminal organizations once sentenced to prison, and inmate leaders develop new ways to commit crime with organizations they run within the prison walls. These inmate organizations extend their reach into the community, committing complex crimes throughout South Carolina, the United States, and the world.” The Reports stated the inmates were able to do this with “[c]ontraband cell phones illegally smuggled inside the prisons.”

    While applauding the efforts of public officials and prison officers to stem the tide, the State Grand Jury Reports noted that inmate criminal organizations traffic in as much “fentanyl and methamphetamine and cocaine as they ever did,” commit fraud on government benefits “meant to help law-abiding citizens through tough times,” and engage in extortion of and scams on people on the outside. The reports also pointed to the inmates’ control of an extensive contraband trade within the prisons, concluding that “[m]illions of dollars are being made both inside and outside the wire — by the inmates and their associates on the outside,” including corrupt correctional officers and staff, “fellow gang members, friends, wives, girlfriends, and even people groomed by inmates.”  “Whether officer, staff, or just someone on the outside, they all work for the inmates, not the other way around.”

    The Reports noted that SCDC had invested heavily in trying to prevent contraband cell phones from entering the facilities, and while “SCDC is fighting the good fight, but it is not that simple to defeat the criminal mind when that criminal mind can make millions of dollars”.  In response to the outcry for a solution from prisons across the nation, the FCC did allow a managed access program that SCDC has adopted. “Managed access allows a facility to hire certified vendors who can identify unauthorized cell phones within the facility and request that they be ‘bricked’ by providers within two days.”  However, the Reports stated that while managed access has been “worthy of continued effort,” it is “not immediate,” and it is “complicated and requires new capabilities that would be more easily and effectively solved by targeted jamming.”  The report concludes, “[j]amming the cell phone communication of State inmates would immediately eliminate so much of the criminal activities within our state prisons.” 

    Law Enforcement and Prosecutorial Partners in these State Grand Jury Investigations

    The Las Señoritas case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Savanna Goude. The State Grand Jury was assisted in this case by a partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriff’s Department, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Clemson Police Department, Easley Police Department, and Travelers Rest Police Department. 

    The Clean Sweep case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which was assisted in this case by a partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Simpsonville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Attorney General David Fernandez, Special Assistant Attorney General Margaret Scott, Assistant Solicitor Courtney Rea, and State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney Creighton Waters. 

    The Paper Route case was investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which was assisted in this case by a partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Attorney General David Fernandez, Special Assistant Attorney General Margaret Scott, Assistant Solicitor Courtney Rea, and State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney Creighton Waters. 

    State Grand Jury Chief Attorney S. Creighton Waters thanked all the agencies for their hard work in the case.

    Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

    You can read the State Grand Jury Reports here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Statement on the Loss of Lives, Inlcuding a Young Girl, During the Saba Saba (7 7) Protests in Kenya

    Source: APO


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    UNICEF expresses its condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the Saba Saba (7 7) protests in Kenya.

    We especially extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of a young girl who was tragically killed by a stray bullet while sitting innocently in the sanctity of her own home.

    UNICEF is also deeply concerned by reports of children being arrested during the protests. Detention should be the last resort as outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Africa Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Minors who have been detained must have immediate access to appropriate legal assistance, family contact and should be separated from adults while in custody for the shortest time possible.

    Children must be protected from harm – ­­­̵­­at all times and under all circumstances. It is their fundamental right.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Youth Charter Responds to International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) $200M Community Investment Pledge with Global Community Campus Initiative

    Source: APO

    In the wake of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) historic USD 200 million commitment to invest in communities following the Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne, the Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org) has issued a bold Call to Action and unveiled a global expansion plan for its proven Community Campus model. 

    The initiative aims to establish 10 Community Campuses by 2030 across high-need urban and rural communities worldwide, leveraging sport, arts, culture, and digital engagement to address youth disaffection, violence, inequality, and lack of opportunity. 

    “The IOC has recognised the power of sport as a global force for hope, humanity, and sustainable development,” said Professor Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter. “Our Community Campuses provide the infrastructure, programming, and purpose to turn that vision into real-world impact where it’s needed most.” 

    A Model of Measurable Impact 

    Over the past three decades, the Youth Charter has demonstrated that community-based sport development can improve educational attainment, reduce youth crime, and promote mental well-being. The Campus model provides: 

    • Safe, inclusive spaces for play, learning and support 
    • Youth-led programmes focused on leadership, volunteering, and enterprise 
    • Local delivery of Olympic values through “Mini-Olympics” and community festivals 
    • Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Olympism365 agenda 

    A Call for Global Partnership 

    The Youth Charter is now calling on: 

    • The IOC and Olympic Movement stakeholders 
    • UN agencies and global sport-for-development networks 
    • National governments and philanthropic partners to co-invest in the implementation and scaling of these campuses as part of a global legacy framework that brings the Olympism365 Summit commitments to life. 

    From Pledge to Practice 

    The Youth Charter’s proposal includes a Global Knowledge Exchange Platform and the publication of a new Legacy Report, highlighting 30+ years of data, case studies, and testimonials. This initiative builds toward the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a milestone of shared accountability and impact. 

    “Together, we can empower a new generation of young people to thrive through the Olympic spirit,” added Professor Thompson. “Now is the time to act with purpose, partnership, and passion.” 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Youth Charter.

    Youth Charter @ Social Media: 
    LinkedIn: @ YouthCharter
    Facebook: @ YouthCharter
    Instagram: @ youthchartersdp
    YouTube: @ YouthCharter
    X: @ YOUTHCHARTER

    Youth Charter #Hashtags: 
    #InternationalOlympicCommittee 
    #Olympism 
    #Fight4theStreets 
    #YoungLivesLost 
    #Call2Action 
    #LegacyOpportunity4All 
    #SportDevelopmentPeace 
    #Empowerthenextgeneration 
    #CommonwealthSecretariat 
    #UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals 

    About Youth Charter:
    ​The Youth Charter is a UK registered charity and UN accredited non-governmental organisation. Launched in 1993 as part of the Manchester 2000 Olympic Bid and the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the Youth Charter has Campaigned and Promoted the role and value of sport, art, culture and digital technology in the lives of disaffected young people from disadvantaged communities nationally and internationally. The Youth Charter has a proven track record in the creation and delivery of social and human development programmes with the overall aim of providing young people with an opportunity to develop in life. 

    Specifically, The Youth Charter Tackles educational non-attainment, health inequality, anti-social behaviour and the negative effects of crime, drugs, gang related activity and racism by applying the ethics of sporting and artistic excellence. These can then be translated to provide social and economic benefits of citizenship, rights responsibilities, with improved education, health, social order, environment and college, university, employment and enterprise. 

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: Minister Dion George on 47th World Heritage Committee session

    Source: APO


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    The Minister, Dr Dion George, has wished the South African delegation negotiating for the proposed extension of iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Maputo National Park in Mozambique well, as they participate at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France.

    South Africa is among 195 other countries participating in the 47th Session currently taking place at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Headquarters until 16 July 2025. The delegation is led by the Director-General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, who is supported by South Africa’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Dr Phil Mjwara, and the Chief Executive Officer of iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, Mr Sibusiso Bukhosini.

    “In line with our strategy to elevate our iconic natural sites into world class destinations, the expansion of iSimangaliso into Maputo National Park would translate into ecological protection, job creation, and inclusive tourism, benefitting both South Africans and Mozambicans,” said Minister George.

    The proposed extension of iSimangaliso has been recommended for listing on the UNESCO World Heritage List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Through the negotiations, team South Africa will propose strong recommendations for sustainable development and reporting, guided by environmental legislations, joint governance structures, as well as matters of a joint management framework for the proposed Transboundary World Heritage Site, should it be successfully listed.

    The World Heritage Committee is an intergovernmental structure that oversees the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention. South Africa has been a member of this Convention since 1997.

    The two week-long Session will discuss, amongst others, statutory matters such as a report of the World Heritage Centre and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Advisory bodies; State of Conservation (SoC) reports of sites on the World Heritage List and World Heritage List in Danger; Nominations to the UNESCO World Heritage List; and World Heritage Fund requests.

    It is important to also note that ahead of the tabling of the proposed extension of iSimangaliso into Maputo National Park, the South African government undertook a stakeholder consultation process in the month of June 2025. This process was made possible through financial support received from Peace Parks Foundation.

    “The consultation process is an integral part of the process and subsequent tabling of the possible extension at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee,” said Minister George.

    As per the timetable, the proposed extension of iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Mozambique will be discussed by the World Heritage Committee between the 11 – 13 July 2025.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa: Countries unite to scale up South-South cooperation for agrifood systems transformation

    Source: APO


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    A regional event on strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Africa opened today with a call for greater collaboration to unlock shared benefits. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the two-day event has brought together government ministers, technical experts, private sector leaders and development partners to promote more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in Africa through South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

    South-South Cooperation is the exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge between developing countries in the Global South, while Triangular Cooperation involves a third party, often a resource partner or multilateral organization, that facilitates or supports these exchanges. Together, SSTC provides an innovative model to accelerate progress on agrifood systems transformation. 

    A strategic moment for collaboration

    As FAO marks its 80th anniversary, the Regional Policy Dialogue on Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) for Agrifood System Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa offers a timely opportunity to advance partnerships that deliver concrete results at scale.

    Speaking at the opening session, Stephen Justice Nindi, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of the United Republic of Tanzania, highlighted the value of African-led solutions and inter-regional collaboration. “It is my great pleasure and honour to welcome all of you,” he said. “Accelerating sustainable food systems and agricultural transformation is a top priority for the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.”

    FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel highlighted FAO’s long role in South-South Cooperation. “This dialogue is especially meaningful as FAO marks its 80th anniversary this year. SSTC is an expression of the solidarity and shared responsibility that FAO was founded upon.” He then shared three priorities to guide SSTC work: “One, SSTC needs to be embedded directly into national plans, budgets, and policies to ensure it is a core strategy, not a side project. Two, we must look beyond traditional donors to the private sector, academia, and farmer organizations to bring new energy and resources. And three, we should rigorously measure our results to prove their value and secure future investment.”

    Director of FAO’s SSTC Division Anping Ye highlighted that FAO Member Nations hold the solutions to many of the challenges the world faces, and FAO’s role is to support countries to work together. “It is the goal and the responsibility of the FAO South-South and Triangular Cooperation team to provide qualified or high-quality services to our member countries,” he said.

    A powerful solution in uncertain times

    The dialogue focuses on six key priorities: strengthening institutional coordination to consolidate SSTC policy frameworks and mobilise resources; promoting scalable innovations in agriculture through cross-country collaboration; enhancing climate resilience and food systems through SSTC mechanisms; facilitating multi-regional partnerships across Africa, Asia and Latin America; aligning SSTC with national strategies and FAO’s Country Programming Frameworks; and formulating practical roadmaps to support the institutionalisation of SSTC and improved inter-ministerial collaboration.

    Day one features country case studies and panel discussions on institutionalising SSTC in national and regional frameworks, including models from Uganda, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Financing strategies and partnership models are also under discussion, including the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme, which has directly benefited over 100,000 people so far.

    Day two will focus on aligning SSTC with national plans, technology transfer and action planning. Breakout groups will work on monitoring, evaluation, and roadmaps for scaling up SSTC efforts within country frameworks.

    Expected outcomes include concrete policy recommendations, strengthened country partnerships, and commitments to follow-up actions such as the creation of inter-ministerial platforms or joint initiatives.

    FAO’s strong track record in Africa

    Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where nearly 80 percent of FAO’s SSTC efforts have taken place. Through partnerships with countries including Brazil, China, Morocco, Venezuela and Viet Nam, FAO has helped transfer knowledge, tools and technologies tailored to African priorities.

    Examples include the deployment of over 290 Chinese experts and 200 scalable technologies in Africa through the FAO-China Trust Fund; technology and knowledge sharing from Viet Nam, supported by Spain, to boost Namibia’s aquaculture sector; Brazil’s successful school meals model adapted in countries such as Senegal and Ethiopia; Moroccan technical support that helped Guinea and Eswatini improve agricultural monitoring and investment planning; and Venezuela-funded rice systems development projects that improved rice production in 10 African countries including Guinea and Nigeria.

    These projects demonstrate how SSTC can drive productivity, support smallholder farmers, and strengthen national institutions. As the Dialogue continues, FAO and its partners remain committed to expanding SSTC as a key mechanism for achieving sustainable development and resilient agrifood systems in Africa.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: From Seoul to Seke – The Shared Struggles of a Generation

    Source: APO


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    Exploring how young people across continents face different barriers to the same fundamental choice

    By Young Hong, Deputy Regional Director, UNFPA East and Southern Africa

    I never imagined that one day I would be advocating for the right to have children, while listening to young people across continents tell me why they feel they cannot.

    From the misty foothills of Nepal, where I once worked with adolescent girls rebuilding their lives after child marriage, to the bustling cities of South Korea, where couples delay or forgo parenthood under the weight of economic  pressure, and now to the vibrant communities of East and Southern Africa, where young people are navigating early pregnancies they never planned, one truth permeates across these regions. The power to choose if, when, and how to start a family remains out of reach for far too many.

    In South Korea, many young people are delaying or abandoning the idea of having children not because they don’t want to, but because housing costs, job insecurity, and social pressures make parenthood feel unattainable. Meanwhile, in Malawi and across much of East and Southern Africa, young people are being pushed into parenthood far too soon, without the knowledge or support to make informed decisions.

    Two vastly different realities yet both point to the same crisis: a crisis not of fertility, but of choice. Across Asia, and especially in my home country, we’re witnessing what headlines call a birth rate crisis. But the real crisis is deeper and more human – it’s a crisis of opportunities, of choice, of agency. When systems fail to support young people whether by denying them access to contraception or the conditions to raise a family with dignity, the result is the same: lives shaped by limitations, not aspirations.

    When I recently moved to East and Southern Africa as UNFPA’s new Deputy Regional Director, I was struck by the contrast. Here, the challenge is not too few births, but too many too soon. There is a young woman named Amina in rural Tanzania, just 16, already a mother. Her pregnancy wasn’t planned, it was the result of a lack of information, contraception, limited access to quality education, or even immediate economic need, and a world where saying no wasn’t always an option.

    Two regions. Two stories. One truth. Around the world, too many young people are being denied the power to choose their own futures.

    World in a mirror

    According to UNFPA’s State of World Population 2025 report, 1 in 5 people under age 50 expect they will not have the number of children they want. In Asia, many delay or forgo parenthood due to crushing housing costs, rising education cost, limited child care support,  job insecurity, climate anxiety, and persistent  gender inequality. In Africa, particularly in our region, nearly 72 million youth are not in school, employment or training, and 1 in 3 say they or their partner have experienced unintended pregnancy. These are not opposing trends, but they are mirror images of the same systemic failure. 

    And yet, young people remain at the center of public debates. In East Asia, this generation is labeled selfish for choosing careers over children. In East and Southern Africa, girls continue to struggle to live with the life-time consequences of pregnancy they did not understand. In both cases, youth are blamed for demographic shifts they did not design, which they are burdened from fixing without the resources, knowledge, rights, or respect.

    Turning the world around

    We need to flip this reality. The solution to so-called population crises is not coercion or blame – it’s care. It’s trust. It’s an investment.

    UNFPA is doing just that. In Zambia, we’re supporting youth-led centers where young people access comprehensive sexuality education and speak openly about their dreams. In South Sudan, mobile clinics reach girls in conflict zones with reproductive health services. In Lesotho, young men are stepping up as champions for family planning. And later this year, UNFPA will launch a global Youth Reproductive Choices Survey to listen, not prescribe, what young people need to thrive.

    One young activist in Nairobi said, “We’re not afraid to have children. We’re afraid we won’t have a future to raise them properly.” That fear, whether whispered in a café in Seoul or shouted from a township in Johannesburg, must guide our response.

    That means policies grounded in fairness across generations. It means affordable housing, quality education,   and decent jobs for youth. It means dismantling online misogyny and supporting parental leave not just for mothers, but for fathers too.  It means ensuring that contraception is available without shame, and that fertility treatments are accessible without ruinous costs. It means the society believes in young people and respects their decisions.  

    As a Korean, as a UNFPA leader, and yes, as someone named Young, I believe in youth. Not just as an age, but as a force: dynamic, hopeful, and deserving of choice.

    This World Population Day, let’s stop framing young people as a demographic problem. Let’s see them as the designers of their own future that is fair, inclusive, and sustainable. Whether in Seoul or Seke, Lusaka or Busan, it’s time to trust them. To listen. To give them the power to plan their families and their lives on their own terms. 

    Because when we do, we don’t just solve population challenges. We build a better world.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNFPA – East and Southern Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: U.S. Navy Week Sets Sail for Milwaukee July 14-20, 2025

    Source: United States Navy

    The U.S. Navy is bringing Navy Week back to Milwaukee from July 14-20, 2025. As part of a nationwide outreach effort, Milwaukee Navy Week will connect Sailors with the community through a variety of performances, educational events, and service projects. The week will conclude with performances by the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, during the Milwaukee Air and Water Show, July 19-20.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft expands geography of its own contactless fuel payment service at gas stations

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rosneft continues to introduce the service of paying for fuel through its own mobile application “Rosneft AZS” at its filling stations. Contactless payment has become available for participants of the loyalty program “Family Team” in 41 subjects of the Russian Federation.

    The Rosneft AZS mobile app allows you to pay for refueling without leaving your car. The service is already available to customers of 1,810 of the Company’s gas stations in the regions of the Central, Northwestern, Southern, Ural, Volga and Siberian Federal Districts. Rosneft plans to expand the contactless fuel payment service in the Rosneft AZS mobile app to the entire retail network of the Company in Russia.

    Payment via the application has a number of advantages, including saving time and comfort for car owners. To pay in the Rosneft AZS mobile application, you need to open the “Gas Station” tab, click the “Fill Up” button, select a pump, type of fuel and specify the desired amount in rubles or volume in liters, or specify refueling “to a full tank”. Payment for the order is available both at gas stations operating on a prepayment system and on a postpayment system.

    The application is available for IOS and Android operating systems.

    Reference:

    Rosneft’s retail network is the largest in the Russian Federation in terms of geographic coverage – it covers 62 regions of Russia. The Company’s network of petrol stations includes about 3,000 stations. The Rosneft petrol station brand is one of the leaders in Russia in terms of recognition and fuel quality.

    The Rosneft Gas Station mobile app is a convenient user tool that makes your trip more comfortable and economical, allows you to find the nearest gas station on the route, and find out the cost of the fuel you are interested in. The main screen contains all the necessary information, including the virtual card of the Family Team loyalty program, the balance of points, and the level of participation in the program.

    Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 9, 2025

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Historic First – U.S. Nuclear-Powered Submarine Conducts Port Visit in Iceland

    Source: United States Navy

    GRUNDARTANGI, Iceland  – The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Newport News (SSN 750) conducted a port visit in Iceland, marking the first time a nuclear-powered submarine pulls into port on Iceland’s shores, July 9, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message to the United Nations-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Conference on the Question of Jerusalem

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    I thank the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for co-organizing this conference.

    I salute Senegal for hosting — a powerful example of African solidarity with the Palestinian people.

    You come together at a time when Palestinian suffering has reached new heights and hopes for a just and lasting solution have reached new depths. 

    Following the terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023 — which I have unequivocally condemned — the Israeli military operations have created a humanitarian crisis of horrific proportions, more dire today than at any point in this long and brutal crisis.

    It is time for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in a dignified manner. Full, safe and sustained humanitarian access.

    UNRWA’s mandated role in supporting Palestinian refugees must be respected.

    And obligations under international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions must also be respected.

    Meanwhile, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is in freefall.
    This year alone, over 150 Palestinians, including over 20 children, were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in Israeli security forces operations, attacks by settlers and other incidents.

    Armed Israeli settler violence has surged, with many Palestinians killed, including sometimes in the proximity — and with the support — of Israeli security forces.

    Since early 2025, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee by Israeli security forces operations.

    Illegal settlement expansion, large-scale land seizures and demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures continue unabated.

    Israel’s policies in East Jerusalem, including restrictions on Palestinian access and worship, are deeply troubling.

    Jerusalem — Al-Quds — holds a unique place in the hearts of millions of Muslims, Jews and Christians around the world.

    What happens in Jerusalem — including continued provocations and incitements to violence — reverberates globally.

    The position of the United Nations is clear:

    The status of Jerusalem cannot be altered by unilateral actions, including settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem.

    It can only be resolved through negotiations between the parties.

    Jerusalem’s demographic and historical character must be preserved.

    Respecting and upholding the status quo at the Holy Sites is essential.

    The International Court of Justice, in its Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, affirmed that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, is unlawful.

    Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.
    The only realistic, just, and sustainable path is the two-State solution, with Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part — living side by side in peace within secure, recognized pre-1967 borders, and with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.

    The two-State solution remains the only framework rooted in international law, endorsed by numerous General Assembly resolutions, and supported by the international community.  

    This conference offers a timely platform to mobilize collective efforts towards this solution, and the just and lasting peace that Palestinians and Israelis deserve.  

    Now is the time to choose the path of peace.

    For Palestinians. For Israelis. For the people of the Middle East and the world. 

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How Philadelphia’s sanitation strike differed from past labor disputes in the city

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Francis Ryan, Associate Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations, Rutgers University

    Trash piled up in Philadelphia during the 8-day strike that ended July 9, 2025. AP Photo/Matt Slocum

    The Philadelphia municipal workers strike ended after eight days in the early hours of July 9, 2025.

    The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 union’s 9,000 blue-collar workers, including sanitation workers, 911 dispatchers, city mechanics and water department staff, were called back to work immediately. The deal involves a three-year contract with 3% annual raises and an additional step in the union pay scale for veteran workers.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Francis Ryan, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University and author of “AFSCME’s Philadelphia Story: Municipal Workers and Urban Power in Philadelphia in the Twentieth Century,” about the history of sanitation strikes in Philly and what made this one unique.

    Has anything surprised you about this strike?

    This strike marked the first time in the history of labor relations between the city of Philadelphia and AFSCME District Council 33 union where social media played a significant role in how the struggle unfolded.

    The union got their side of the story out on Instagram and other social media platforms, and citizens took up or expressed sympathy with their cause.

    Some city residents referred to the garbage buildup sites as ‘Parker piles.’
    AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa

    How successful are trash strikes in Philly or other US cities?

    As I describe in my book, Philadelphia has a long history of sanitation strikes that goes back to March 1937. At that time, a brief work stoppage brought about discussions between the city administration and an early version of the current union.

    When over 200 city workers were laid off in September 1938, city workers called a week-long sanitation strike. Street battles raged in West Philadelphia when strikers blocked police-escorted trash wagons that were aiming to collect trash with workers hired to replace the strikers.

    Philadelphia residents, many of whom were union members who worked in textile, steel, food and other industries, rallied behind the strikers. The strikers’ demands were met, and a new union, AFSCME, was formally recognized by the city.

    This strike was a major event because it showed how damaging a garbage strike could be. The fact that strikers were willing to fight in the streets to stop trash services showed that such events had the potential for violence, not to mention the health concerns from having tons of trash on the streets.

    There was another two-week trash strike in Philadelphia in 1944, but there wouldn’t be another for more than 20 years.

    However, a growing number of sanitation strikes popped up around the country in the 1960s, the most famous being the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike.

    Black sanitation workers peacefully march wearing placards reading ‘I Am A Man’ during the 1968 sanitation strike in Memphis, Tenn.
    Bettmann via Getty Images

    In Memphis, Tennessee, a majority African American sanitation workforce demanded higher wages, basic safety procedures and recognition of their union. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. rallied to support the Memphis workers and their families as part of his Poor Peoples’ Campaign, which sought to organize working people from across the nation into a new coalition to demand full economic and political rights.

    On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated. His death put pressure on Memphis officials to settle the strike, and on April 16 the strikers secured their demands.

    Following the Memphis strike, AFSCME began organizing public workers around the country, and through the coming years into the 1970s, there were sanitation strikes and slowdowns across the nation including in New York, Atlanta, Cleveland and Washington. Often, these workers, who were predominantly African American, gained the support of significant sections of the communities they served and secured modest wage boosts.

    By the 1980s, such labor actions were becoming fewer. In 1986, Philadelphia witnessed a three-week sanitation strike that ended with the union gaining some of its wage demands, but losing on key areas related to health care benefits.

    Workers begin removing mounds of trash after returning to work after an 18-day strike in Philadelphia in July 1986.
    Bettmann via Getty Images

    How do wages and benefits for DC33 workers compare to other US cities?

    District Council 33 President Greg Boulware has said that the union’s members make an average salary of US$46,000 per year. According to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, that is $2,000 less than what a single adult with no kids needs to reasonably support themselves living in Philadelphia.

    Prior to this deal, sanitation workers who collect curbside trash earned a salary of $42,500 to $46,200, or $18-$20 an hour. NBC Philadelphia reported that those wages are the lowest of any of the major cities they looked at. Hourly wages in the other cities they looked at ranged from $21 an hour in Dallas to $25-$30 an hour in Chicago.

    Unlike other eras, the fact that social media makes public these personal narratives and perspectives – like from former sanitation worker Terrill Haigler, aka “Ya Fav Trashman” – is shaping the way many citizens respond to these disruptions. I saw a level of support for the strikers that I believe is unprecedented going back as far as 1938.

    What do you think was behind this support?

    The COVID-19 pandemic made people more aware of the role of essential workers in society. If the men and women who do these jobs can’t afford their basic needs, something isn’t right. This may explain why so many people saw things from the perspective of striking workers.

    At the same time, money is being cut from important services at the federal, state and local levels. The proposed gutting of Philadelphia’s mass transit system by state lawmakers is a case in point. Social media allows people to make these broader connections and start conversations.

    This article was originally published on July 8, 2025, and has been updated to include details of the strike’s resolution.

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

    – ref. How Philadelphia’s sanitation strike differed from past labor disputes in the city – https://theconversation.com/how-philadelphias-sanitation-strike-differed-from-past-labor-disputes-in-the-city-260676

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Water suspension in Queen’s Hill set

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    From 10pm on July 12 to 8am on July 13, the supply of fresh and flushing water to residents in the Queen’s Hill area will be temporarily suspended, the Water Supplies Department announced today.

     

    The water suspension period is necessary because works will be carried out to connect new temporary water mains to the existing water supply system, with a view to decommissioning the water mains with bitumen lining at Ping Che Road, which supplies water to the Queen’s Hill area, the department explained.

     

    The preparations for connecting the temporary water mains will enter a final stage on July 12 for its commissioning this Sunday on July 13.

     

    Affected areas will include Queens Hill Estate, Shan Lai Court, as well as 68 villages on Sha Tau Kok Road (from Hung Leng Tsuen to Sha Tau Kok Town), Ping Che Road (from Hung Leng Tsuen to Wun Chuen Sin Kwoon), Ng Chow Road, Wo Keng Shan Road and at Luk Keng.

     

    To expedite the work processes so that the suspension can be shortened, the department will mobilise a workforce of about 200 to carry out the connection works.

     

    While affected consumers are advised to finish major daily cleaning and store water as needed before 10pm on Saturday, the department said it will provide temporary water supply during the suspension period.

     

    Moreover, to allow households to make early preparations, the department and the North District Office have liaised with members of the North District Council, Rural Committees as well as District Services & Community Care Teams regarding the water suspension, in order to put in place appropriate assistance measures.

     

    The department added that before the resumption of water supply by 8am on Sunday, it will flush the related water mains to ensure that the water quality is clear. As such, when the water supply resumes, drinking water in the water mains may contain air bubbles, making the water look milky.

     

    It is normal if individual consumers encounter milky or slightly turbid water in the early stage of the water resumption, the department pointed out, noting that the water will become clear again as the air bubbles dissipate.

     

    It further suggests that consumers first remove strainers of water taps, continuously run the taps for a few minutes and reinstall the strainers after the water becomes clear. Alternatively, they can let the water stand in a container for a while.

     

    Separately, the department emphasised that it will also strive to replace the temporary water mains with permanent underground water mains by end of this year. The section of temporary water mains will then be relocated for reuse.

     

    For enquiries, call the Water Supplies Department at 2824 5000.

     

    Residents of Queens Hill Estate may call 2537 0001, while Shan Lai Court residents may call 2713 9530.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp: Ti Cold and Karis Cold Building $60 Million Facility in McIntosh County

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Ti Cold and Karis Cold have officially broken ground on a new $60 million cold storage facility for PermaCold Logistics in Darien, McIntosh County. The industrial cold storage construction company’s latest project will support 50 jobs upon completion of phase one.

    “Today’s announcement is the largest known economic development win for McIntosh County, marking another success for rural Georgia,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Companies like Ti Cold, Karis Cold, and PermaCold Logistics, as well as our reliable and fast-growing ports and highway systems, support logistics industry jobs in every corner of the state. I’m grateful for the decision to open this facility and bring even more jobs to hardworking rural Georgians.”

    Ti Cold provides a full suite of cold storage construction and development services, including, but not limited to, complete design and engineering, master site planning, operations guidance, and consulting services to help companies navigate the unique challenges associated with a rapidly changing cold storage industry. 

    “We’ve had the privilege of building in Georgia many times over the years, and we’re thrilled to be working in McIntosh County,” said Sam Tippmann, Founder and CEO of Ti Cold. “The support we’ve received has been incredible – from the state officials to the team in McIntosh County, and the City of Darien. We are truly excited to bring this beautiful facility to your community and look forward to contributing to its continued growth.”

    The new facility is located at Tidewater Industrial Park, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) site, in Darien. This advanced cold storage complex will have a clear height of 50 feet and feature a flexible, convertible design that maintains temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The facility will also incorporate an environmentally friendly refrigeration system. Additionally, structural steel pallet racks will accommodate over 30,000 pallet positions. The facility will post more information regarding open positions throughout the construction process. 

    “This groundbreaking marks a transformational moment for McIntosh County,” said Chairwoman Kate Pontello Karwacki, McIntosh County Board of Commissioners. “Ti Cold and Karis Cold’s investment in our community is a strong endorsement of the assets we offer from our strategic location along the I-95 corridor and proximity to the Ports to the welcoming business climate we’re committed to fostering. This project not only brings high-quality jobs and economic opportunity but also strengthens the industrial foundation we’ve been working hard to build. We’re proud to welcome Ti Cold and look forward to a long, productive partnership.”

    Senior Regional Project Manager Dorie Bacon represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this project in partnership with the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia EMC, and Georgia Power.

    “Cold storage plays a vital role in Georgia’s logistics and supply chain infrastructure, ensuring that agricultural and food products reach markets efficiently,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Innovative companies like Ti Cold, Karis Cold, and PermaCold Logistics are helping to fuel economic growth across the state. Congratulations to the companies, the City of Darien, and McIntosh County on this exciting new chapter.”

    About Ti Cold

    Ti Cold is known as a specialty, award-winning industrial cold storage builder and developer with decades of experience in designing and building state-of-the-art facilities. They utilize time-honed expertise and advanced technology solutions to create efficient buildings that scale with a business and maximize profitability by fully integrating operations and supply chains. Learn more at www.ticold.com.

    About Karis Cold

    Karis Cold is a private investment and development company with expertise in the cold storage industry. The company invests in and develops properties across the U.S., with a platform covering the entire spectrum of cold storage development and investment, including build-to-suit solutions, sale-leaseback financing, and expansions and redevelopment of existing facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp: Ti Cold and Karis Cold Building $60 Million Facility in McIntosh County

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Ti Cold and Karis Cold have officially broken ground on a new $60 million cold storage facility for PermaCold Logistics in Darien, McIntosh County. The industrial cold storage construction company’s latest project will support 50 jobs upon completion of phase one.

    “Today’s announcement is the largest known economic development win for McIntosh County, marking another success for rural Georgia,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Companies like Ti Cold, Karis Cold, and PermaCold Logistics, as well as our reliable and fast-growing ports and highway systems, support logistics industry jobs in every corner of the state. I’m grateful for the decision to open this facility and bring even more jobs to hardworking rural Georgians.”

    Ti Cold provides a full suite of cold storage construction and development services, including, but not limited to, complete design and engineering, master site planning, operations guidance, and consulting services to help companies navigate the unique challenges associated with a rapidly changing cold storage industry. 

    “We’ve had the privilege of building in Georgia many times over the years, and we’re thrilled to be working in McIntosh County,” said Sam Tippmann, Founder and CEO of Ti Cold. “The support we’ve received has been incredible – from the state officials to the team in McIntosh County, and the City of Darien. We are truly excited to bring this beautiful facility to your community and look forward to contributing to its continued growth.”

    The new facility is located at Tidewater Industrial Park, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) site, in Darien. This advanced cold storage complex will have a clear height of 50 feet and feature a flexible, convertible design that maintains temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The facility will also incorporate an environmentally friendly refrigeration system. Additionally, structural steel pallet racks will accommodate over 30,000 pallet positions. The facility will post more information regarding open positions throughout the construction process. 

    “This groundbreaking marks a transformational moment for McIntosh County,” said Chairwoman Kate Pontello Karwacki, McIntosh County Board of Commissioners. “Ti Cold and Karis Cold’s investment in our community is a strong endorsement of the assets we offer from our strategic location along the I-95 corridor and proximity to the Ports to the welcoming business climate we’re committed to fostering. This project not only brings high-quality jobs and economic opportunity but also strengthens the industrial foundation we’ve been working hard to build. We’re proud to welcome Ti Cold and look forward to a long, productive partnership.”

    Senior Regional Project Manager Dorie Bacon represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this project in partnership with the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia EMC, and Georgia Power.

    “Cold storage plays a vital role in Georgia’s logistics and supply chain infrastructure, ensuring that agricultural and food products reach markets efficiently,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Innovative companies like Ti Cold, Karis Cold, and PermaCold Logistics are helping to fuel economic growth across the state. Congratulations to the companies, the City of Darien, and McIntosh County on this exciting new chapter.”

    About Ti Cold

    Ti Cold is known as a specialty, award-winning industrial cold storage builder and developer with decades of experience in designing and building state-of-the-art facilities. They utilize time-honed expertise and advanced technology solutions to create efficient buildings that scale with a business and maximize profitability by fully integrating operations and supply chains. Learn more at www.ticold.com.

    About Karis Cold

    Karis Cold is a private investment and development company with expertise in the cold storage industry. The company invests in and develops properties across the U.S., with a platform covering the entire spectrum of cold storage development and investment, including build-to-suit solutions, sale-leaseback financing, and expansions and redevelopment of existing facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hope Rowe jailed for murdering woman at child’s birthday party

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A woman has been jailed for murdering a woman at a child’s birthday party following a Metropolitan Police investigation.

    Hope Rowe, 33 (30.12.1991), of Piazza Walk, Aldgate, attacked Charlotte Lawlor, 31, with a knife at a property in Stepney Green on Sunday, 15 September, 2024. The stabbing was witnessed by some of Ms Lawlor’s family, children and guests at the party.

    On Thursday, 9 July, 2025, a judge at Inner London Crown Court jailed Rowe for life, with a minimum term of 23 years. This follows her conviction at the same court on Friday, 13 June.

    Rowe’s partner was also jailed for perverting the course of justice.

    Witness testimony and phone evidence – including an incriminating voicemail – were used by Met Police investigators to bring the defendant to justice. She was convicted in the absence of a murder weapon.

    Detective Sergeant Dean Musgrove, from the Met Police’s Specialist Crime North unit, said: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Ms Lawlor, many of whom personally witnessed the murder. We hope that this sentence gives them some closure.

    “Rowe and her partner behaved despicably. This sentence shows that killers will be pursued even in cases where they attempt to mislead investigators.”

    At the same hearing, Leigh Holder, 38 (15.11.1986), of Piazza Walk, Aldgate, was jailed for 16 months for perverting the course of justice. He encouraged Rowe not to surrender to the police, and helped her dispose of the murder weapon.

    Just after 01:00hrs on Sunday, 15 September, Met officers attended a property in Duckett Street, Stepney Green, following reports of a serious assault. Charlotte Lawlor – who had been attending a birthday party at the property the previous evening – had been stabbed, and was being assisted by friends and family.

    After administering first aid, police were joined by a London Ambulance Service crew, but, despite the efforts of paramedics, Ms Lawlor was pronounced dead within an hour.

    Having spoken to witnesses at the property, officers established that Ms Lawlor had been stabbed by Hope Rowe following an argument at the party, who then drove away from the scene with her partner, Leigh Holder.

    Around 02:10hrs, Holder’s vehicle was stopped by armed police in Tower Hamlets. He told them that Rowe had jumped out of the vehicle shortly after leaving the crime scene, and claimed he had no knowledge of her location. Holder was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

    At 07:00hrs, Rowe attended Bethnal Green Police Station, where she was arrested on suspicion of murder. At interview, she provided no comment – and she later claimed in court that her actions were due to a momentary loss of control.

    Rowe’s phone was seized and analysed by forensic experts. A voicemail – accidentally left by Holder on Rowe’s phone while he was sitting next to her and driving away from the scene – was recovered. In the recorded conversation, Rowe told Holder that it was “good” she had killed Ms Lawlor, while Holder instructed his partner to dispose of the knife and to avoid the police.

    In addition to witness evidence from those present at the scene of the murder, the voicemail proved vital in implicating both Rowe and Holder in their crimes.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Call for Papers: International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    TIC2026 will bring together nuclear safety regulators, plant designers and operators, technical support organizations, and other stakeholders from various countries, along with international organizations. The goal is to build on insights on key topics related to nuclear installation design safety, safety assessment, siting, construction, operation and regulation for both operating and new nuclear installations.

    “The conference will provide a comprehensive forum for nuclear safety stakeholders from various generations of nuclear projects, and a wide range of nuclear safety fields, to address different issues in nuclear installation safety, making it an inclusive event,” said Ana Gomez, Head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The dangers of romanticising Britain’s 1976 heatwave

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephanie Brown, Lecturer in Criminology, University of Hull

    As I scrolled through social media on a hot afternoon in late June, a meme caught my attention. A black and white photo. A smiling young woman with water up to her knees. She appeared to be in a fountain, with many others dipping their legs in the water.

    The caption read “On this day in 1976, the British heatwave started. It would last until the 27th August, during which time Britain would experience extreme temperatures and widespread droughts. And we all had a wonderful summer and survived.”

    This immediately struck me: it was a boiling hot day. As I sat at my office desk keeping hydrated with a fan pointed directly at my face, I felt the rage burning inside me. How could people be so irresponsible? Heat can be dangerous. But the implication of the meme was clear: if people managed back then, surely today’s warnings about heatwaves, climate change, and public health are exaggerated. These rose-tinted memories obscure a darker truth.

    I am a historical criminologist. This meme had the rare effect of deeply troubling both of my areas of expertise.

    As a historian, this meme concerns me because it perpetuates the myth of the “good old days”. A selective, nostalgic vision of the past that smooths over complexity and hardship in favour of a comforting, idealised narrative. Flattening history into feelgood folklore, erasing the social inequalities and governmental failures.

    It echoes a broader cultural tendency: from “Make America great again” to the “Blitz spirit”, representing Britain’s nostalgia for wartime resilience, a romanticised past is often used by politicians to legitimise political ideas in the present. But history is not a comfort blanket. It is a critical tool.

    My work explores how institutions respond to crisis and how narratives of success or failure are constructed. In 1976, advice for dealing with the water shortage was to share a bath with the wife and drive a dirty car. Areas without domestic tap water had to use communal street pipes.

    The government did not appoint a minister for drought until the end of August, despite mounting evidence from meteorologists and public health officials. Emergency measures were piecemeal and unevenly applied.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The suggestion that “we all had a wonderful summer and survived” is misleading. It was reported that “200 people a day were apparently dying who would not have died if the weather had been normal”. During the peak of the heatwave, deaths increased by 28% in the southeast England and 33% in Greater London.

    As a criminologist, I know that it is not only natural deaths that can increase during a hot weather. The number of violent deaths also increased in 1976 as well as in other heatwaves. Thermic law is the concept that violent crime is higher in hotter seasons. These patterns might be explained by temperature-aggression theory: that hot weather can cause an increase in aggressive behaviours.

    For other criminologists, it is not the temperature itself that causes increased violence, but how people’s behaviour changes due to the heat. For example, people are taking time off work or school, socialising, and drinking. Unstructured time and spaces, combined with alcohol and a holiday feel all lead to increases in violence.

    Misrepresenting risk

    By sentimentalising the summer of 1976, we strip away its lessons. Worse, we risk repeating its mistakes. One Conservative MP described people concerned about the 2022 heatwave as “snowflakes” and “cowards”. Quite an odd response after the British public was asked to “protect the NHS” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This protection apparently did not extend to looking after each other in a heatwave. In fact, heatwaves are largely an invisible risk. We are told not to fuss, but there is often little communication on how to keep safe.

    A lack of policy and examples of political scepticism connect with a key theme in the comments under that meme: climate change denial. If we had a heatwave in 1976 then what we are experiencing now is nothing new, right? Wrong.

    The heatwave in 1976 was bad: thousands died, fires raged, and water ran dry. But it was also an anomaly; a hot summer in a relatively cool decade. Heatwaves are now more frequent, more intense and longer lasting. Temperatures reached over 40°C in 2022, while the maximum in 1976 was 4°C-5°C cooler.

    Still, each time a weather warning is issued, it is met with a wave of derision. There is the same online discourse as is expressed in this meme. This attitude is not just flippant, it is dangerous. It undermines vital public messaging, discourages precautionary action, and fuels complacency among those least at risk, while leaving the most vulnerable even more exposed.

    History can offer crucial perspective. But only if we treat it honestly. That means moving beyond memeified memories of the past and reckoning with the complexity of what really happened. It means challenging the stories we tell ourselves. Many did live through the 1976 heatwave. But many also died: quietly, invisibly and avoidably. Their stories are not part of the nostalgia. They should be.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Stephanie Brown 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. The dangers of romanticising Britain’s 1976 heatwave – https://theconversation.com/the-dangers-of-romanticising-britains-1976-heatwave-260046

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Could England and Wales introduce jury-free trials? Here’s how they work in other countries

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natalie Hodgson, Assistant Professor in Law, University of Nottingham

    The right to trial by jury is a fundamental part of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. But under new proposals to address a record backlog of almost 77,000 Crown Court cases, some cases could now be heard by judge alone.

    Sir Brian Leveson has delivered part one of his independent review of the criminal courts, making 45 recommendations to address delays in the criminal justice process. One of his recommendations is that serious offences could be tried by a judge alone without a jury. Our evidence to the review explored how judge-alone trials have been used in other countries.

    Currently, a person can only be tried without a jury at Crown Court if there is a risk of jury tampering. Under Leveson’s proposal, judge-alone trials will be expanded to cases where a defendant requests to be tried without a jury, serious and complex fraud offences and where the case is likely to be lengthy or particularly complex.

    To understand how this might work, we can to look to other countries where judge-alone trials are used. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US all permit judge-alone trials in circumstances similar to what Leveson is recommending. A defendant can choose to be tried by a judge instead of a jury in certain circumstances.

    Defendants tend to express a preference for trial by judge alone if they are concerned that prejudicial media coverage or the nature of the offences might bias jurors against them. Leveson recommends that judges should decide whether a defendant’s request for a judge-alone trial should be granted, but stops short of identifying the factors that a judge should consider.

    Leveson leaves open the question of whether judge-alone trials should be available for all offences, or whether certain offences should be exempt. Some countries limit which offences can be heard without a jury. For example, in the Australian Capital Territory, a defendant cannot request a trial without a jury for murder or certain sexual offences.

    In New South Wales, judges are advised against permitting a judge-alone trial when the offence involves consideration of “community standards”. This recognises that members of the community have an important role to play in deciding whether a defendant has acted “reasonably”, “negligently” or “dishonestly”. For example, if a person is charged with manslaughter the jury may need to consider whether the defendant’s actions were “unreasonable”, which is best determined by members of the community.

    Are judge-alone trials unfair to defendants?

    Lawyers often raise concerns about judge-alone trials being unfair to defendants. Based on what we know from other countries, there is no strong evidence that this is the case. However, that is not to say that concerns about unfairness are unwarranted.

    If judges convict at higher rates than juries, that might suggest that judge-alone trials are unfair. However, the best available study, conducted in New South Wales, found that judges were actually slightly less likely than juries to find a defendant guilty.

    Juries do not explain their verdicts. In all countries which use judge-alone trials, judges must give reasons for their decisions. Knowing why a defendant was found guilty might make trials even more fair, providing a basis for an appeal against conviction if an error was made.

    One key issue with judge-alone trials is inadmissible evidence. Ordinarily, jurors are sent out of the courtroom while the judge and lawyers make decisions about what evidence the jury is allowed to hear. Evidence might be excluded because it is irrelevant, prejudicial or was collected in breach of the defendant’s rights. In these scenarios, the jury is never made aware of the evidence.

    However, in a judge-alone trial, the judge sees all the evidence, even if they decide that some of it should not be used. There is a risk that judges might be subconsciously impacted by inadmissible evidence in reaching their verdict.

    Judge-alone trials also raise issues about diversity of decision-makers. In England and Wales, only 11% of judges are from an ethnic minority background compared to 18% of the population. Ideally, juries contain people from a range of backgrounds. Some defendants might feel more confident that they will be tried fairly by a jury than a judge.

    Ultimately, one way to safeguard against concerns about unfairness is to give defendants the ability to choose whether or not they would like to be tried by a judge alone. Leveson’s recommendations suggest that most judge-alone trials would occur at the request of the defendant. However, judge-alone trials could be ordered against the defendant’s wishes in cases involving fraud or that are long and complex.

    Juries play an important role in the legal system in England and Wales. Through jury service, members of the community contribute to the administration of justice. The inclusion of a range of viewpoints and experiences in determining criminal verdicts enhances the legitimacy of the justice system.

    It is important that we continue to have juries in criminal trials. However, that is not to say that judge-alone trials cannot or should not play a role. The current backlog means that victims and defendants are having to wait years for their day in court. We desperately need to address this, and allowing defendants to elect a judge-alone trial may help to reduce delays to justice.

    While judge-alone trials are not inherently unfair, any rollout in England and Wales should be closely monitored and evaluated. It is important that we do not sacrifice fairness for efficiency as we work to address the issues affecting our justice system.

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

    – ref. Could England and Wales introduce jury-free trials? Here’s how they work in other countries – https://theconversation.com/could-england-and-wales-introduce-jury-free-trials-heres-how-they-work-in-other-countries-259489

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How tea, chocolate and apples could help lower your blood pressure

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Head of Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey

    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    We’re constantly told to “eat healthy” – but what does that actually mean? Even doctors sometimes struggle to offer clear, practical advice on which specific foods support health, why they work and what real benefits people can expect.

    A growing body of research is starting to offer some answers. Along with colleagues, I have researched whether a group of plant compounds called flavan-3-ols could help lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel function. The results suggest these everyday compounds may have real potential for protecting heart health.

    Flavan-3-ols – sometimes called flavanols or catechins – are natural plant compounds that belong to the flavonoid family. They’re part of what gives plants their colour and helps protect them from sunlight and pests.

    For us, they show up in some of our most familiar foods: cocoa, green and black tea, grapes, apples and even some berries. That slightly tart or bitter note you taste in dark chocolate or strong tea? That’s flavan-3-ols at work.

    Scientists have long been interested in their health effects. In 2022, the Cosmos trial (Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study), which followed over 21,000 people, found that cocoa flavanols, but not multivitamin supplements, reduced deaths from cardiovascular disease by 27%. Our study set out to dig even deeper, focusing specifically on their effects on blood pressure and endothelial function (how well blood vessels dilate and respond to blood flow).

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    We analysed data from 145 randomised controlled trials involving more than 5,200 participants. These studies tested a range of flavan-3-ol-rich foods and supplements, including cocoa, tea, grapes, apples and isolated compounds like epicatechin, and measured their effects on two key cardiovascular markers: blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation (FMD): a measure of how well the inner lining of blood vessels functions.

    The studies ranged from short-term (a single dose) to longer-term interventions lasting weeks or months. On average, participants consumed about 586 mg of flavan-3-ols daily; roughly the amount found in two to three cups of tea, one to two servings of dark chocolate, two tablespoons of cocoa powder, or a couple of apples.

    Regular consumption of flavan-3-ols led to an average drop in office blood pressure of 2.8 mmHg systolic (the top number) and 2.0 mmHg diastolic (the bottom number).

    But for people who started with elevated blood pressure or diagnosed hypertension, the benefits were even greater with reductions of up to 6–7 mmHg systolic and 4 mmHg diastolic. That’s comparable to the effects of some prescription blood pressure medications and could significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

    We also found that flavan-3-ols improved endothelial function, with an average 1.7% increase in FMD after sustained intake. This benefit appeared even in participants whose blood pressure was already normal, suggesting these compounds may help protect blood vessels through multiple pathways.

    Side effects were uncommon and typically mild, usually limited to minor digestive issues, suggesting that adding flavan-3-ol-rich foods to your diet is generally safe.

    Supporting cardiovascular health

    While the benefits were most pronounced in those with high blood pressure, even people with normal readings saw improvements in vascular function. This suggests flavan-3-ols may help prevent cardiovascular problems before they begin.

    High blood pressure is one of the major drivers of heart disease worldwide, even at levels that don’t qualify as full-blown hypertension (140/90 mmHg or higher). Recent guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology now recognise that even “elevated” blood pressure (120–139 systolic and 70–89 diastolic) carries increased risk.

    Lifestyle changes, particularly diet and exercise, are recommended by doctors as first-line strategies. But patients and even healthcare providers often lack clear, specific guidance on which foods truly make a difference. Our findings help fill this gap by showing that boosting flavan-3-ol intake through everyday foods may offer a simple, evidence-based way to support cardiovascular health.

    What about supplements?

    Some studies tested supplements or isolated flavan-3-ol compounds, but these generally showed smaller effects than whole foods like tea or cocoa. This may be because other beneficial compounds in whole foods work together, enhancing absorption and effectiveness.

    At present, it appears both safer and more effective to focus on getting flavan-3-ols from foods rather than high-dose supplements, especially for people taking medications, since interactions are not fully understood.

    The studies we reviewed suggest that 500–600 mg of flavan-3-ols daily may be enough to see benefits. You could reach this by combining two to three cups of green or black tea, one to two servings (about 56g) of dark chocolate or two to three tablespoons of cocoa powder, two to three apples, plus other flavan-3-ol-rich fruits like grapes, pears and berries

    Eating apples, pears, grapes and berries could help support your heart health.
    Oksana Klymenko/Shutterstock

    Small daily swaps, then, like trading a sugary snack for an apple and a piece of dark chocolate or adding an extra cup of tea, could gradually improve your heart health over time. Because flavan-3-ol content can vary between foods, monitoring your blood pressure at home may help you see if it’s making a difference for you.

    More research is needed, particularly in people with diabetes, where the results were less consistent. We also need to better understand how flavan-3-ols interact with medications and whether even greater benefits can be achieved when combined with other healthy habits.

    But the evidence is now strong enough to recommend flavan-3-ol-rich foods as part of a heart-healthy diet. As clinicians seek practical, affordable lifestyle strategies for patients, these findings bring us closer to the idea of using food as medicine.

    Of course, flavan-3-ols aren’t a magic fix. They won’t replace medication for everyone. But combined with other healthy habits, they may offer a meaningful – and delicious – boost to cardiovascular health. And unlike many health fads, this isn’t about exotic superfoods or expensive powders. It’s about foods many of us already enjoy, used a little more intentionally.

    Christian Heiss has received funding from Lipton Teas & Infusions, Ageless Science, iThera, the Medical Research Council, the EPSRC, European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed from European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and UK Research and Innovation. He is member of the board of the European Society of Vascular Medicine, president of the Vascular, Lipid and Metabolic Medicine Council of the Royal Society of Medicine, and chairperson-elect of the ESC WG Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases.

    – ref. How tea, chocolate and apples could help lower your blood pressure – https://theconversation.com/how-tea-chocolate-and-apples-could-help-lower-your-blood-pressure-256631

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Action is the antidote to ecological grief and climate anxiety – an ecotherapist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Louise Taylor, Early Career Researcher and Ecotherapist, Queen’s University Belfast

    Brussels, Belgium. 21st February 2019. High school and university students stage a protest against the climate policies of the Belgian government. Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

    There’s a popular quote by the 13th-century poet and spiritual teacher Rumi: “The cure for the pain is in the pain.” This line often echoes through my mind when I’m working with clients, especially those experiencing ecological grief and climate anxiety.

    As an ecotherapist – a therapist guided by nature and nature-based therapeutic approaches – and environmental researcher, I work with people who are navigating the emotional weight of ecological breakdown.

    Ecotherapy helps people reconnect with the natural world as a way to support mental and emotional wellbeing. It might involve walking in green spaces, mindfulness practices in nature, working with natural materials, or nature-based rituals.

    Whether it’s planting a garden, sitting under a tree, or engaging in conservation efforts, ecotherapy helps people feel more grounded, more connected and more resilient both emotionally and spiritually.

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    In my practice, I’ve noticed that younger people are more likely to experience climate anxiety, while older generations tend to experience ecological grief. The difference is subtle but important. Anxiety often relates to what lies ahead and a sense of powerlessness. Grief is about what has already been lost.

    This emotional divide makes sense when we consider what has happened to the natural world over recent decades. Older adults have witnessed the loss of species, habitats and biodiversity in real time. Many have rich memories and relationships with landscapes that no longer exist as they once did. Meanwhile, younger generations face the terrifying uncertainty of a rapidly changing climate and an increasingly unstable future.

    Both grief and anxiety are valid, but they are not the same.

    I have explored these experiences in depth while researching nature connection, mental health and how the climate and ecological crisis is reshaping this relationship.

    At the outset, I assumed that greater connection with nature would always lead to improved mental wellbeing. But that wasn’t the full picture.

    What I found instead was that deepening our connection with the natural world can indeed foster healing, but it can also sharpen our awareness of the damage being done. This heightened sensitivity can trigger emotional pain, despair and even a decline in mental wellbeing.

    Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist Carl Jung once said, “There is no coming to consciousness without pain.” That’s exactly what climate-anxious and ecologically grieving people are expressing: the deep psychological toll of recognising the scale of the crisis we’re facing. For some, it affects their ability to function, to enjoy their lives and to maintain relationships.

    How to stay well

    The question I kept returning to in my work was this: how do we stay well in a time of collapse? My research pointed to one consistent answer: action.

    Engaging in pro-environmental actions emerged as the most effective way people coped with emotional strain. These weren’t merely acts of activism — they became spiritual practices, grounded in care, connection and meaning. Through these actions, people began to reclaim a sense of power and purpose in the face of overwhelming ecological loss.

    For many, this was also a path back to what eco-philosophers call the ecological self: the part of us that extends beyond the individual and identifies with the living world.

    This self isn’t driven by ego or personal gain, but by the impulse to build relationships, nurture communities and support the flourishing of all life. It represents an expanded way of being; one that understands health and healing as collective, not just personal.

    Importantly, these actions don’t have to be large-scale. They might involve growing your own herbs or vegetables, for instance, or joining a local conservation effort, forming a community group to protect waterways or green spaces, or participating in climate strikes and land defence work. What matters is that the action is relational: rooted in reciprocity and care.

    The conclusion of my research was clear: in the face of ecological distress, mental wellbeing is sustained not by thoughts, but by meaningful action.

    Healing through action

    In Northern Ireland, where I live and work, I’ve seen a growing grassroots environmental movement. Communities are stepping up to protect landscapes under threat, from campaigns to defend the Sperrin Mountains from gold mining, to local resistance against the pollution that’s devastating Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in Ireland and the UK.

    This is unpaid, often invisible labour, but it’s powerful. It gives people a way to process their emotions, to feel less helpless and to turn grief into agency.

    Many environmentalists talk about “saving the planet”. But the truth is, the Earth will go on. What’s under threat is us: our ways of life, our communities, our ability to thrive. The dread we feel is rooted in the enormity of this realisation.

    To stay well while caring deeply about the Earth means learning to live with this pain, and still choosing to act. It requires us to show up, to be present and to tend to both the human and non-human world with care and reciprocity. As we do, we become more empowered and less overwhelmed.

    If you are struggling with climate anxiety or ecological grief, know this: the goal isn’t to suppress your feelings. The goal is to acknowledge them, and then use them as fuel for meaningful action.

    Don’t underestimate small acts. The way forward isn’t to wait for hope: it’s to create it through connection, courage and commitment.

    In a time of ecological uncertainty, wellness doesn’t come from thinking differently. It comes from doing differently.

    Louise Taylor 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. Action is the antidote to ecological grief and climate anxiety – an ecotherapist explains – https://theconversation.com/action-is-the-antidote-to-ecological-grief-and-climate-anxiety-an-ecotherapist-explains-260428

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Obesity care: why “eat less, move more” advice is failing

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lucie Nield, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Sheffield

    New Africa/Shutterstock

    For years, people living with obesity have been given the same basic advice: eat less, move more. But while this mantra may sound simple, it’s not only ineffective for many, it can be deeply misleading and damaging.

    Obesity is not just about willpower. It’s a complex, chronic, relapsing condition and affects around 26.5% of adults in England, and 22.1% of children aged ten–11 in England.

    A new report estimates the rapidly growing number of people that are overweight or obese costs the UK £126 billion a year. This includes £71.4 billion in reduced quality of life and early mortality, £12.6 billion in NHS treatment costs, £12.1 billion from unemployment and £10.5 billion in informal care.

    Food campaigners and health experts have called for urgent government action, including expanding the sugar tax to more products, restricting junk food advertising and mandating reformulation of ultra processed foods. As Henry Dimbleby, author of a government-commissioned independent report called the National Food Strategy, warned: “We’ve created a food system that’s poisoning our population and bankrupting the state.”

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    Without significant policy change, these costs are projected to rise to £150 billion a year by 2035. Despite this, much of the UK’s approach continues to frame obesity as a lifestyle issue that can be tackled by emphasising personal responsibility. But this framing ignores the bigger picture.

    We now understand that obesity is multifactorial. Genetics, childhood experiences, cultural norms, economic disadvantage, psychological health, mental illness and even the kind of job you have all play a role. These aren’t things you can simply change with a Fitbit and salad.

    This broader perspective isn’t new. In 2007, the UK government’s Foresight report mapped out the complex web of factors behind rising obesity rates, describing how modern environments actively promote weight gain.

    This “obesogenic environment” refers to the world we live in. Its one where high-calorie, low-nutrient foods are cheap and everywhere, and where physical activity has been engineered out of everyday life, from car-centric cities to screen-dominated leisure time.

    Outdated obesity advice isn’t working.

    These environments don’t affect everyone equally. People in more deprived areas are significantly more exposed to conditions that drive obesity, such as food deserts (areas with limited access to affordable, nutritious food), poor public transport and limited green space. In this context, weight gain becomes a normal biological response to an abnormal environment.

    Why “eat less, move more” falls short

    Despite growing awareness of these systemic issues, most UK obesity strategies still centre on individual behaviour change, often through weight management programmes that encourage people to cut calories and exercise more. While behaviour change has a place, focusing on it exclusively creates a dangerous narrative: that people who struggle with their weight are simply lazy or lack willpower.

    This narrative fuels weight stigma, which can be incredibly harmful. Yet data shows a clear link between higher rates of obesity and deprivation, especially among children.

    It’s clear many people still don’t understand the role of structural and socioeconomic factors in shaping obesity risk. And this misunderstanding leads to judgement, shame and stigma, especially for children and families who are already vulnerable.

    What should good obesity care look like?

    Instead of outdated advice and blame, we need a holistic, stigma-free and science-informed approach to obesity care, one that reflects current Nice guidelines and the Obesity Health Alliance’s recommendations. There are several things that need to be done.

    First, we should recognise obesity as a chronic disease. Obesity is not a failure of willpower. It’s a relapsing, long-term medical condition. Like diabetes or depression, it requires structured, ongoing support, not short-term fixes or crash diets.

    Second, we need to tackle weight stigma head-on. Weight-based discrimination is widespread in schools, workplaces and even healthcare settings. We need training for professionals to reduce bias, promote inclusive care and adopt person-centred, non-stigmatising language. Discriminatory practices must be challenged and eliminated.

    Third, deliver personalised, multidimensional support. Treatment plans should be tailored to each person’s life, including their cultural background, psychological history and social context. This includes shared decision-making, regular follow-up and integrated mental health support.

    And fourth, focus on changing the environment, not just people. We must shift the focus to the systems and structures that make healthy choices so hard. That means investing in affordable, nutritious food; improving access to physical activity; and tackling inequality at its roots.

    Time for a systemic shift

    Obesity isn’t just about what people eat or how often they exercise. It’s shaped by biology, experience and the environment we build around people. Framing it as a personal failure not only ignores decades of evidence – it actively harms the very people who need support.

    If we want to reduce stigma, improve health outcomes – and avoid a £150bn crisis – then the “eat less, move more” era must come to an end. What we need instead is a bold, compassionate, evidence-based systems approach – one that sees the whole person and the world they live in.

    Lucie Nield receives funding from NIHR.

    Catherine Homer receives funding from NIHR. She is affiliated with Royal Society of Public Health.

    – ref. Obesity care: why “eat less, move more” advice is failing – https://theconversation.com/obesity-care-why-eat-less-move-more-advice-is-failing-254628

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: A special exhibition of works by I. Repin will open at the National Museum of China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) — A special exhibition of works by the great Russian artist Ilya Repin will open to the public at the National Museum of China (NMC) on July 23. It is jointly organized by the NMC and the State Tretyakov Gallery with the support of the State Russian Museum.

    The exhibition will feature 92 works in such techniques as oil painting and drawing, systematically revealing the creative path of Ilya Repin. It will be the largest and most representative exhibition of its kind ever held in China, according to a statement published on the official website of the NMC on Wednesday.

    According to the NMC, the upcoming exhibition will combine the collections of two leading Russian art institutions and, for the first time in China, a comprehensive picture of the great artist’s work will be presented on a large scale.

    In particular, such famous masterpieces by Repin as “Tsarevna Sophia”, “Religious Procession in Kursk Province”, “They Didn’t Expect Him” and “Sadko” will be delivered to China for the first time and presented to the Chinese public. Among them, the painting “Religious Procession in Kursk Province” with a width of almost 4 meters will be impressively demonstrated to visitors.

    The exhibition consists of 8 creative groups of important works by I. Repin, which reveal the artist’s entire creative path – from field sketches to the creation of monumental canvases. This will allow viewers to more clearly feel the strict methodology of the master’s work.

    In particular, the creative team dedicated to the creation of “Barge Haulers on the Volga” will demonstrate portrait sketches of barge haulers, script sketches, oil sketches and other materials related to this most recognizable famous painting in China. This will provide viewers with a unique opportunity to deeply immerse themselves in the history of the birth of this masterpiece and feel how I. Repin step by step transformed the initial idea into a work that conquered the whole world, the NMC statement notes. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Flights on the Wuhan-Moscow-Wuhan route will resume in September

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    WUHAN, July 9 (Xinhua) — The Wuhan-Moscow-Wuhan direct flight will officially resume on Sept. 9, the branch of China Southern Airlines in central China’s Hubei Province said Wednesday.

    Flights between Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, and the Russian capital will reportedly be operated by wide-body Airbus A350-900 passenger aircraft on Tuesdays and Sundays.

    The aircraft will depart from Wuhan Airport at 15:10 Beijing time and arrive at Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport at 19:15 local time, and depart in the opposite direction from Moscow at 21:15 local time, arriving in Wuhan at 10:30 the following day Beijing time. The one-way flight will take approximately 8 hours.

    Let us recall that this air route was launched on July 30, 2014, becoming the first direct flight in history connecting central China with Russia.

    According to the Hubei branch of China Southern Airlines, along with the recent implementation of a series of measures to facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia, the resumption of direct flights will further promote humanitarian exchanges between the two countries. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Heavy rains in southwest China leave 5 missing and over 7,000 evacuated

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    KUNMING, July 9 (Xinhua) — Five people are missing after heavy rains hit Zhaotong city in southwest China’s Yunnan Province since 7 a.m. Tuesday, local authorities said Wednesday.

    In one of the villages of Weixing County of this city prefecture, the rampage of the elements caused by heavy rainfall led to the collapse of two buildings. According to preliminary data, five people are missing. Rescuers are looking for them.

    The authorities of Zhaotong city have begun work to eliminate the consequences of the emergency.

    As of 14:00, more than 7,000 local residents had been evacuated to safer places. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Call for Papers: International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    TIC2026 will bring together nuclear safety regulators, plant designers and operators, technical support organizations, and other stakeholders from various countries, along with international organizations. The goal is to build on insights on key topics related to nuclear installation design safety, safety assessment, siting, construction, operation and regulation for both operating and new nuclear installations.

    “The conference will provide a comprehensive forum for nuclear safety stakeholders from various generations of nuclear projects, and a wide range of nuclear safety fields, to address different issues in nuclear installation safety, making it an inclusive event,” said Ana Gomez, Head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The “Dialogue of World Mayors – SCO Summit Cities” was held in the Chinese city of Tianjin

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TIANJIN, July 9 (Xinhua) — The “World Mayors – SCO Summit Cities Dialogue” was held in Tianjin, north China, from July 6 to 9, attended by mayors, diplomats accredited in China and experts from think tanks from SCO countries.

    At the event, participants discussed expanding consensus, deepening practical cooperation in the areas of connectivity, trade and economic investment, green development and cultural exchanges.

    At the opening ceremony, Vice Chairperson of the SCO Chinese Committee on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation Cui Li noted that the unique cultural images of cities, the spirit of inclusiveness and viable cultures of the SCO countries serve as an inexhaustible incentive for strengthening intercity friendly cooperation within the SCO.

    During the event, participants also visited one of the intelligent container terminals of Tianjin Port and Tianjin Light Industry Vocational and Technical College. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress called on deputies to ensure high-quality performance of their duties

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    XINING, July 9 (Xinhua) — Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), has called on lawmakers to ensure good performance of their legislative, oversight and parliamentary duties, thereby contributing to the successful completion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

    Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour of northwest China’s Qinghai Province from Sunday to Tuesday.

    During his visit to Xining and Haidong, Zhao Leji visited legislators’ workplaces, enterprises and rural areas, talking with legislators and local residents to solicit their opinions and advice on promoting high-quality development of legislative work.

    Stressing the importance of maintaining the Party’s comprehensive leadership, Zhao Leji called on the legislative organs to comprehensively implement the major principles and policies as well as the important decisions and plans of the Party in their legislative work.

    He called on legislatures at various levels in Qinghai to focus on more effectively protecting the ecological environment in the province in the spirit of the rule of law, especially when it comes to protecting the ecology in the Sanjiangyuan area, which is known as the “water tower of China” and is home to the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow River and Lancang, China’s three largest rivers.

    Stressing the need to uphold a people-centered stance and consciously put the people’s democracy of the whole process into practice, Zhao Leji called on legislators to conduct in-depth research and actively solicit opinions and suggestions from all sectors.

    He stressed that deputies must strictly fulfill their duties in accordance with the Constitution and other laws, stressing the need to strengthen the NPC’s oversight work by fully implementing the revised Oversight Law.

    Zhao Leji also called for strengthening the work of improving the people’s congresses and strictly implementing the eight guidelines issued by the CPC Central Committee to improve the behavior style of party cadres and civil servants. This, he said, will create an atmosphere of purity, honesty and enterprise, thereby continuously strengthening their ability to perform their duties in accordance with the law. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Call for Papers: International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    TIC2026 will bring together nuclear safety regulators, plant designers and operators, technical support organizations, and other stakeholders from various countries, along with international organizations. The goal is to build on insights on key topics related to nuclear installation design safety, safety assessment, siting, construction, operation and regulation for both operating and new nuclear installations.

    “The conference will provide a comprehensive forum for nuclear safety stakeholders from various generations of nuclear projects, and a wide range of nuclear safety fields, to address different issues in nuclear installation safety, making it an inclusive event,” said Ana Gomez, Head of the IAEA Safety Assessment Section.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –