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  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jul 8, 2025 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    Jul 8, 2025 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Tue Jul 8 17:17:11 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 081717

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1217 PM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025

    Valid 091200Z – 101200Z

    …THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN PARTS OF THE
    EAST AND THE NORTHERN PLAINS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Scattered damaging winds are possible on Wednesday afternoon to
    early evening from the Carolina Piedmont towards the Delaware
    Valley. Isolated significant severe hail and sporadic severe gusts
    are also possible across parts of the Dakotas from late afternoon to
    mid-evening.

    …Southeast to Mid-Atlantic States…
    A lower-amplitude mid-level trough should drift east across the
    central to Lower Great Lakes and OH Valley, north of a mid-level
    anticyclone over the northeast Gulf. A belt of moderate mid-level
    southwesterlies will be centered on the Mid-Atlantic, diminishing
    with southward extent in the Southeast. Scattered to widespread
    thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon over the
    southern Appalachians and Blue Ridge Mountains, spreading across the
    adjacent Piedmont. Rather rich boundary-layer moisture downstream
    will compensate for weak mid-level lapse rates to support an
    extensive plume of MLCAPE from 2000-3000 J/kg. A few semi-organized
    clusters may develop from VA towards DE Bay owing to the more
    favorable shear. However, water-loaded downbursts producing damaging
    winds appear to be the overarching scenario, which is signaled by
    the 12Z HREF max wind speed field.

    …Northern Great Plains…
    Just downstream of a low-amplitude mid-level ridge emanating north
    from an anticyclone over the Southwest, guidance suggests that
    isolated to scattered late-afternoon thunderstorms should form along
    a weak surface trough. Low-level moisture ahead of this trough will
    gradually build beneath a stout EML. A corridor of large to extreme
    buoyancy is probable from a portion of western/central ND into NE by
    peak heating. Despite modest mid-level west-northwesterlies owing to
    the ridge proximity, stronger upper-level westerlies will support
    adequate deep-layer shear for a few supercells. Significant severe
    hail will be possible in any sustained supercells. Outflow-dominated
    downdrafts should foster clustering east-southeastward with a risk
    for sporadic severe gusts before waning Wednesday night.

    …Interior Northwest…
    Downstream of a shortwave trough moving east across northern CA into
    the northwest Great Basin, an elongated belt of moderate mid-level
    southwesterlies will exist into MT. Within this favorable flow
    regime, scattered afternoon to early evening thunderstorms will aid
    in strong to isolated severe gusts from eastern OR to
    southern/central/eastern MT.

    …Lower MI…
    Isolated, marginally severe hail and locally damaging winds are
    possible as scattered thunderstorms develop during the afternoon,
    supported by a modest combination of deep-layer shear/buoyancy.

    ..Grams.. 07/08/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 0600Z

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jul 8, 2025 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    Jul 8, 2025 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Tue Jul 8 16:25:59 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 081625

    Day 1 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1125 AM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025

    Valid 081630Z – 091200Z

    …THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
    AFTERNOON/EVENING FOR PARTS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC…

    …SUMMARY…
    Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected across the Mid-Atlantic
    states. More isolated severe storms are expected across portions of
    the Plains into the Mid Mississippi Valley.

    …Mid-Atlantic this afternoon/evening…
    Strong surface heating is underway within a very moist boundary
    layer consisting of generally mid 70s dewpoints. Regional 12z
    soundings, modified for afternoon temperatures and associated
    vertical mixing, suggest the potential for MLCAPE near or above 2000
    J/kg with minimal convective inhibition. Larger-scale forcing for
    ascent will be modest with a slightly enhanced (~25 kt) belt of
    west-southwesterly midlevel flow from the OH Valley to southern New
    England, though the primary focus for scattered thunderstorm
    development is expected to be a surface trough from the immediate
    lee of the Blue Ridge into MA by mid afternoon. Though midlevel
    lapse rates will not be particularly steep, steepening low-level
    lapse rates with hot afternoon temperatures in the low-mid 90s will
    drive strong downdraft potential (per DCAPE near 1000 J/kg) and the
    resultant threat for wind damage with multicell clusters and/or
    short line segments.

    …Central High Plains to the Ozarks this afternoon/evening…
    A weakening outflow boundary from overnight convection is moving
    southeastward into southeast MO, and southward into OK, while a
    remnant MCV moves eastward over northern MO. South of the outflow,
    clouds and ongoing convection from eastern OK to the MO Bootheel
    cast uncertainty on the degree of destabilization this afternoon in
    advance of this portion of the outflow. Farther west, stronger
    surface heating/destabilization is expected along and south of the
    outflow into OK, but forcing for ascent is in question with gradual
    height rises expected aloft. A weak lee trough could help focus at
    least isolated thunderstorm development this afternoon/evening
    across the central High Plains, where northwesterly flow
    aloft/hodograph length could be sufficient for a high-based
    supercell or two. However, a specific focus for initiation and the
    potential for upscale growth are both uncertain given the background
    height rises and little forcing for ascent. Thus, will maintain the
    broad MRGL area for a low probability/conditional threat for severe
    outflow winds and some hail.

    …Northeast WI/Upper MI this afternoon/evening…
    A midlevel shortwave trough and weak surface reflection will cross
    northern WI and western Upper MI this afternoon, and a few storms
    will be possible by mid afternoon from central Upper MI into extreme
    northeast WI (in the wake of weak morning convection).
    Thermodynamic recovery from weak morning convection and some
    enhancement to westerly deep-layer shear suggests the potential for
    semi-organized storms/clusters and a low-end threat for wind damage
    and hail for a few hours later this afternoon/evening.

    ..Thompson/Lyons.. 07/08/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

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  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC MD 1603

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Mesoscale Discussion 1603

    Mesoscale Discussion 1603
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1134 AM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025

    Areas affected…portions of the Mid-Atlantic

    Concerning…Severe potential…Watch likely

    Valid 081634Z – 081830Z

    Probability of Watch Issuance…80 percent

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorm development along the Blue Ridge Mountains is
    expected in the next 1-2 hours. The threat for strong to severe
    winds will increase through the afternoon hours as storms spread
    east across the Mid-Atlantic region. Watch issuance is likely to
    address this concern.

    DISCUSSION…Latest GOES visible imagery shows building cumulus
    within the central to southern Appalachians as temperatures continue
    to warm into the upper 80s and low 90s within a very moist air mass
    (dewpoints and PWAT values across the region are near or above the
    90th percentile for mid-July). As temperatures continue to warm into
    the low to mid 90s over the next few hours, lingering inhibition
    will erode and support increasing probability for thunderstorm
    development within the higher terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains
    and/or along a weak surface pressure trough in the lee of the
    terrain. Additional heating will also support SBCAPE values
    increasing to around 2000-3000 J/kg as well as steepening
    near-surface lapse rates. This thermodynamic environment will
    promote strong water-loaded downdrafts capable of damaging/severe
    downburst winds. Modest flow aloft will generally limit deep-layer
    shear magnitudes and the potential for well-organized convection,
    but a few long-lived clusters or convective bands seem plausible,
    especially considering the weak capping that should promote
    scattered thunderstorm development. The wind threat should peak by
    late afternoon when thermodynamic profiles will be optimized and as
    convection reaches maturity along the I-95 corridor.

    ..Moore/Thompson.. 07/08/2025

    …Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product…

    ATTN…WFO…OKX…PHI…BGM…AKQ…CTP…LWX…RNK…

    LAT…LON 38627916 40017720 41327521 41487474 41457429 41107383
    40727373 40287383 37077842 37057864 37127886 37887936
    38137945 38367942 38627916

    MOST PROBABLE PEAK WIND GUST…55-70 MPH

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC MD 1603

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Mesoscale Discussion 1603

    Mesoscale Discussion 1603
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1134 AM CDT Tue Jul 08 2025

    Areas affected…portions of the Mid-Atlantic

    Concerning…Severe potential…Watch likely

    Valid 081634Z – 081830Z

    Probability of Watch Issuance…80 percent

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorm development along the Blue Ridge Mountains is
    expected in the next 1-2 hours. The threat for strong to severe
    winds will increase through the afternoon hours as storms spread
    east across the Mid-Atlantic region. Watch issuance is likely to
    address this concern.

    DISCUSSION…Latest GOES visible imagery shows building cumulus
    within the central to southern Appalachians as temperatures continue
    to warm into the upper 80s and low 90s within a very moist air mass
    (dewpoints and PWAT values across the region are near or above the
    90th percentile for mid-July). As temperatures continue to warm into
    the low to mid 90s over the next few hours, lingering inhibition
    will erode and support increasing probability for thunderstorm
    development within the higher terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains
    and/or along a weak surface pressure trough in the lee of the
    terrain. Additional heating will also support SBCAPE values
    increasing to around 2000-3000 J/kg as well as steepening
    near-surface lapse rates. This thermodynamic environment will
    promote strong water-loaded downdrafts capable of damaging/severe
    downburst winds. Modest flow aloft will generally limit deep-layer
    shear magnitudes and the potential for well-organized convection,
    but a few long-lived clusters or convective bands seem plausible,
    especially considering the weak capping that should promote
    scattered thunderstorm development. The wind threat should peak by
    late afternoon when thermodynamic profiles will be optimized and as
    convection reaches maturity along the I-95 corridor.

    ..Moore/Thompson.. 07/08/2025

    …Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product…

    ATTN…WFO…OKX…PHI…BGM…AKQ…CTP…LWX…RNK…

    LAT…LON 38627916 40017720 41327521 41487474 41457429 41107383
    40727373 40287383 37077842 37057864 37127886 37887936
    38137945 38367942 38627916

    MOST PROBABLE PEAK WIND GUST…55-70 MPH

    Top/All Mesoscale Discussions/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 496 Status Reports

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    Watch 496 Status Reports

    Watch 496 Status Message has not been issued yet.

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    NOAA / National Weather ServiceNational Centers for Environmental PredictionStorm Prediction Center120 David L. Boren Blvd.Norman, OK 73072 U.S.A.spc.feedback@noaa.govPage last modified: July 08, 2025
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  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 496 Status Reports

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Search by city or zip code. Press enter or select the go button to submit request
    Local forecast by”City, St” or “ZIP” 

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    Watch 496 Status Reports

    Watch 496 Status Message has not been issued yet.

    Top/Watch Issuance Text for Watch 496/All Current Watches/Forecast Products/Home

    Weather Topics:Watches, Mesoscale Discussions, Outlooks, Fire Weather, All Products, Contact Us

    NOAA / National Weather ServiceNational Centers for Environmental PredictionStorm Prediction Center120 David L. Boren Blvd.Norman, OK 73072 U.S.A.spc.feedback@noaa.govPage last modified: July 08, 2025
    DisclaimerInformation QualityHelpGlossary
    Privacy PolicyFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)About UsCareer Opportunities

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 496

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 496
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    140 PM EDT Tue Jul 8 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Western Connecticut
    District Of Columbia
    Delaware
    Maryland
    New Jersey
    Far southeast New York
    Eastern Pennsylvania
    Central and eastern Virginia
    Coastal Waters

    * Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 140 PM until
    900 PM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop and spread
    eastward through the afternoon and evening. The storm environment
    will favor a mix of small clusters and line segments capable of
    producing damaging winds of 60-70 mph.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 55 miles east southeast
    of Lynchburg VA to 30 miles north of Newark NJ. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26020.

    …Thompson

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 496 SEVERE TSTM CT DC DE MD NJ NY PA VA CW 081740Z – 090100Z
    AXIS..75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    55ESE LYH/LYNCHBURG VA/ – 30N EWR/NEWARK NJ/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 65NM E/W /48ESE LYH – 17ENE SAX/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..0.5 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26020.

    LAT…LON 37007964 41137561 41137273 37007692

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 496 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Helping New Yorkers Access Behavioral Health Treatment

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that new network adequacy regulations give New Yorkers with qualifying health insurance plans access to an initial outpatient appointment for behavioral health care within 10 business days of the request. These new consumer protections also require these plans to post up-to-date and accurate lists of in-network providers on their websites, which will help to eliminate inaccurate or misleading directories.

    “New Yorkers in need of mental health or substance use disorder treatment should not be forced to wait months for essential care or to cover these costs themselves when their plan doesn’t include any available providers,” Governor Hochul said. “These new regulations will help remove barriers that often force individuals and families to pay out-of-pocket for care or forgo treatment altogether.”

    As of July 1, New Yorkers covered by Medicaid Managed Care, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan are entitled to these important consumer protections for appointment wait times. For New Yorkers covered by commercial health insurance plans, these wait time standards will take effect on a rolling basis as their policies are renewed, modified, or purchased on and after July 1.

    The regulations also require plans to have dedicated employees who can help their members find an in-network provider. Additionally, the plans must provide a list of available in-network providers within three business days, following a member’s request.

    New Yorkers unsure of their coverage should contact their insurer or employer. Those needing mental health or substance use disorder services should also check their health insurance policies for a list of what is covered.

    Plans must post an accurate and up-to-date directory of their provider network, including health care professionals or facilities, the provider’s location, telehealth options, languages spoken, any restrictions concerning the conditions treated or ages served, and facility affiliations, among other information. Accurate directories will help to eliminate so-called ‘ghost networks’ –ones that give the appearance of offering in-network options, but instead list inaccurate information or providers that aren’t taking appointments.

    New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris said, “This regulation is a significant step toward getting New Yorkers the critical care they need, when they need it. From banking, to insurance, to cryptocurrency, the Department will continue working to build a more equitable, transparent, and resilient financial system for all New Yorkers.”

    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “These regulations remove barriers that either slowed or prevented New Yorkers from accessing critical behavioral health care services. Ensuring timely access and adequate networks of providers by plans and commercial insurers, we enable individuals and families to have access to high-quality mental health and substance use services whenever needed. These new regulations reflect Governor Hochul’s commitment to expanding access to behavioral health care statewide.”

    New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Timely access to behavioral health care can be life-changing, and in many cases, lifesaving. These new regulations help ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of their type of coverage, can access the mental health and substance use care they need, when they need it. I thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering commitment to protect the health of New Yorkers and advance health equity across the state.”

    New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “These new regulations will make it easier for people to quickly access the addiction and mental health care and resources they need. By continuing to remove barriers to these services, and strengthening consumer protections for those accessing help, we are continuing to support Governor Hochul’s vision to improve services across the state and help all New Yorkers live healthier lives.”

    State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “While the federal government pulls back from their responsibility to protect health care, New York is moving forward. These new regulations are about making sure coverage means real, timely care. I thank Governor Hochul for taking action to strengthen access to mental health and substance use care. That’s the kind of leadership this moment demands.”

    The new regulations also provide avenues for consumers to file a complaint against plans or insurers not in compliance. New Yorkers covered by Medicaid, Essential Plan, or Child Health Plus can contact DOH; those with state-regulated commercial insurance coverage may contact DFS. For more information about mental health and substance use disorder treatment coverage requirements and protections, visit here.

    The Community Health Access to Addiction & Mental Healthcare Project or ‘CHAMP’ is a resource available to help people with insurance issues related to substance use disorder and mental health care. CHAMP can answer questions, help file complaints against insurance companies, and assist with insurance denial appeals.

    Governor Hochul also secured $1 million in the FY 2026 Enacted State Budget to help enforce state regulations so that insurers provide the mental health care and substance use disorder coverage their members deserve. This includes new resources to strengthen compliance and oversight, educate consumers and providers, and investigate and mediate complaints.

    Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York is leading the nation in requiring health insurers to cover behavioral health services and continues to develop tools to ensure these companies are following all applicable laws. The state now requires commercial insurers to reimburse covered outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services provided by in-network OMH- and OASAS-licensed facilities at no less than the Medicaid rate; and requires commercial and Medicaid health plans to use transparent, nonprofit clinical guidelines and cover all medically necessary treatments.

    The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline connects New Yorkers to trained crisis counselors 24/7, who can help anyone thinking about suicide, struggling with substance use, experiencing a mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. New Yorkers can call, text or chat 988 if they are worried about someone who may need crisis support.

    New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congress Codifies 28 of President Trump’s Executive Actions in One Big Beautiful Bill

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

    Congress Codifies 28 of President Trump’s Executive Actions in One Big Beautiful Bill

    Washington, July 8, 2025

    WASHINGTON — Last week, when House Republicans passed President Trump’s signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill, they codified into law 28 executive actions taken by President Trump.

    “President Trump has done more to improve the lives of working Americans in the last six months than almost anyone could have imagined,” said Speaker Johnson. “He has repaired Joe Biden’s damage and kickstarted America’s new Golden Age. To help accomplish the mission, Congress has cemented President Trump’s agenda by passing the Administration’s signature legislation—the One Big Beautiful Bill. In this historic act, Republicans included 28 of President Trump’s top executive actions – now codifying some of the most significant America First priorities.”

    Executive Actions Codified into Law by the One Big Beautiful Bill:

    1. Securing our Borders
    2. Declaring A National Emergency At The Southern Border Of The United States
    3. Protecting the American People Against Invasion
    4. Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders
    5. Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats
    6. Implementing the President’s “DOGE” Cost Efficiency Initiative
    7. Protecting America’s Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
    8. Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy
    9. Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos 
    10. Iron Dome for America
    11. Unleashing American Drone Dominance
    12. Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance
    13. Unleashing American Energy
    14. Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry
    15. Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential
    16. Declaring a National Energy Emergency
    17. Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production
    18. Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production
    19. Clarifying The Military’s Role In Protecting The Territorial Integrity Of The United States
    20. Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation
    21. Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities
    22. Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education
    23. Establishing the President’s Make America Health Again Commission
    24. Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports
    25. The Organization for Economic Co-operations and Development (OECD) Global Tax Deal (Global Tax Deal)
    26. Enforcing the Hyde Amendment
    27. Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday – Garden of Heroes
    28. Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ruiz introduces the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat obesity epidemic, improve Americans’ health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Palm Desert, CA – Today, U.S. Representatives Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), bipartisan legislation to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. 

    The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.

    “Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a growing public health crisis that costs our nation billions each year,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “As an emergency physician, I’ve treated countless patients suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and other serious complications linked to obesity. The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would give seniors struggling with obesity access to Medicare coverage for proven medications and behavioral therapies, empowering them to live healthier, longer lives.”

    “The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act takes a critical step toward improving patient costs and patient outcomes,” said Rep. Kelly. “This bipartisan legislation would allow seniors struggling with obesity to take a responsible, proactive approach to improve their health and live longer, more active lives. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and the team at CMS, including my friend Dr. Mehmet Oz, to make America healthy again!”

    “As a physician and former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I have seen firsthand how obesity contributes to serious and preventable health conditions. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows Medicare beneficiaries to access life-changing treatments, including behavioral therapy and FDA-approved medications. This bipartisan legislation improves health outcomes, lowers long-term costs, and helps Americans live longer and healthier lives,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks.

    “Obesity poses a growing health risk to millions of Americans, especially older adults. TROA would support critical medical interventions that can help those struggling with obesity, improving the overall health and wellbeing of Medicare beneficiaries,” said Rep. Moore.

    You can find the full bill text here.

    Senator Bill Cassidy leads companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

    BACKGROUND

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. TROA would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.

    The scientific understanding of obesity has evolved, recognizing it as a complex, chronic, and relapsing disease. Obesity is a public health crisis in the United States. The total economic and societal impact of obesity rose to $1.4 trillion in the United States in 2018, up from $976 billion in 2014.

    A recent study found that Medicare beneficiaries with obesity and at least one other chronic illness could significantly reduce healthcare costs through weight management. Annual savings were estimated at up to 38% or nearly $10,000 in medical cost savings. Additionally, the USC Schaeffer Center found coverage of new obesity treatments could generate approximately $175 billion in cost offsets to Medicare in the first 10 years alone, increasing to $700 billion in 30 years. Coverage of medications to treat obesity will enhance human health and reduce federal healthcare costs by lowering the risks and prevalence of costly obesity-related chronic diseases.

    The following organizations have endorsed TROA this Congress: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nova Scotians Invited to 2025 New Year’s Day Levée

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Lt.-Gov. Mike Savage will host the New Year’s Day Levée at Government House in Halifax on Wednesday, January 1.

    The event provides opportunities for Nova Scotians to exchange New Year’s greetings with the Lieutenant-Governor and Ms. Savage while visiting the oldest vice-regal residence in North America.

    “The levée is a time-honoured tradition that brings Nova Scotians together to celebrate community, friendship and new beginnings,” said Lt.-Gov Savage. “Darlene and I are delighted to invite residents and visitors to the province to join us for this special occasion.”

    Government House is located at 1451 Barrington St. Doors will be open from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; invitations are not required.

    Quick Facts:

    • New Year’s Day levées are social events hosted by lieutenant-governors, military establishments, municipalities and other institutions
    • levées have become a time-honoured tradition in Nova Scotia and provide opportunities for local officials and community members to exchange goodwill greetings
    • about 700 guests attend the lieutenant-governor’s levée each year
    • Government House, constructed between 1799 and 1805, is a national historic site

    Additional Resources:

    News release – Mike Savage Installed as Lieutenant-Governor: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/12/13/mike-savage-installed-lieutenant-governor

    Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia: https://lt.gov.ns.ca/

    Other than cropping, CNS photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Reintroduces Landmark Legislation to Strengthen America’s Agricultural Security and Support Beginning Farmers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Reintroduces Landmark Legislation to Strengthen America’s Agricultural Security and Support Beginning Farmers

    Washington – Recently, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced two groundbreaking bills aimed at modernizing and securing America’s agricultural sector. H.R. 4155, the American Agricultural Security Act will bolster cyber defenses for our nation’s food supply chain, while H.R. 4156 the Support for Ownership and Investment in Land (SOIL) Act will remove barriers for the next generation of farmers seeking to establish their operations.

    With the U.S. agri-food sector reporting forty cyberattack incidents in the first quarter of 2024 alone, the American Agricultural Security Act addresses an urgent national security concern. The legislation will establish Centers of Excellence at higher education institutions and create a competitive USDA grant program to strengthen our agricultural cybersecurity infrastructure.

    “Our national security and our agricultural industry are inextricably linked,” said Rep. Bacon. “There are only nine meals between civilization and total anarchy. For this reason, I introduced the American Agricultural Security Act of 2024 to ensure we stay ahead of emerging threats to our food supply chain.”

    While new technologies have enabled food production to become one of the most automated industries in the world, adversaries have increasingly looked to undermine our nation’s most vital industry through increased cyberattacks. The American Agricultural Security Act addresses these challenges by:

    • Enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to establish Centers of Excellence at institutions of higher education to research and engage in extension on topics related to cybersecurity, biosecurity, and agricultural production.
    • Establishing a competitive grant program within USDA to support research, extension, and education activities that improve the capability of the United States to protect the food and agricultural system from attack or other global catastrophic threats.

    The full text of H.R. 4155 the American Agricultural Security Act can be found here.

    The SOIL Act modernizes the farm loan process for America’s next generation of agricultural leaders. The legislation allows the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to create a farm loan pre-approval process to allow farmers to make better decisions and not miss opportunities to expand their business operations, which will be especially useful for beginning farmers who often miss opportunities to expand their operations.

    “The SOIL Act will finally open the door for beginning farmers and ranchers to obtain financing by allowing producers to be preapproved for FSA Loans,” said Rep. Bacon. “Far too often, beginning farmers and ranchers are unable to be competitive when purchasing land. Purchasing farmland is seasonal and there is no reason young producers should be forced to wait months on end before receiving permission to purchase land.” 

    The full text of H.R. 4156 the SOIL Act can be found here.

    Last Congress, both bills were successfully included in the Farm Bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee. Rep. Bacon looks forward to working with the Committee this Congress to advance these critical initiatives.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Collaboration Reveals How Light Unlocks Chemistry of Nickel Catalyst

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Max Kudisch works in the Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Photoconversion Processes Lab at NREL, where he performed experiments to investigate the role of light in activating the nickel pre-catalyst. Photo by Justin Johnson, NREL

    A team of scientists across several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories has unraveled how light and a previously unknown form of certain nickel-based catalysts together unlock and preserve reactivity.

    This research, described in the journal Nature Communications, could potentially advance the use of abundant nickel in place of more expensive palladium in industrial chemistry.

    The collaborative research effort was spearheaded by NREL and involved scientists from DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory, among other institutions.

    Nickel catalysts have emerged as promising replacements for palladium catalysts in industrial-scale chemical reactions, as nickel is both more readily available and cheaper. Nickel has other advantages: its reactivity can be driven by light instead of the high heat required for palladium, resulting in milder overall reaction conditions, which expands the variety of reactions that can be done. Nickel catalysts can also facilitate reactions that are new and have not been demonstrated with palladium, but key questions regarding how these light-activated nickel catalysts operate have remained unanswered until now.

    The newly published paper explains how light activates the catalyst to enable it to join two fragments of simple molecules to make a more complex molecule. Along the way, the researchers discovered a new intermediate form of the nickel catalyst that keeps the catalyst from degrading.

    “Pharmaceuticals is the only area that has commercialized light-driven nickel catalysis so far, but nickel-based catalysts can also potentially replace palladium catalysts for a variety of other industrial processes, including in the agricultural industry and the manufacture of electronics,” said Max Kudisch, first author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at NREL. “There are some very large-volume chemicals that are produced there where these sorts of methods could be applicable.”

    The price difference between the two elements is vast. An ounce of nickel costs approximately 50 cents, while an ounce of palladium approaches $1,000.

    “Nickel has often been used in tandem with an iridium photosensitizer,” said Matthew Bird, a chemist at Brookhaven and a co-author of the paper. “But as we start to understand exactly how it works, we could then see ways of getting rid of the iridium, a rare element like palladium, and just having the nickel. That adds to the potential value.”

    The researchers experimented with nickel dihalides, compounds where nickel is bonded to two halide ions such as chloride, which are the predominant source of nickel used in these types of reactions. Exposure to light causes a bond between the nickel and chloride to break, which lowers the oxidation state of nickel and suddenly makes it reactive. But the freed chloride ion, now a chlorine “radical” due to the broken bond, does not sit idly by. In the reaction the team studied, they first hypothesized and then confirmed that it interacts with the solvent. This creates an activated form of the solvent that in turn can react with the activated nickel.

    That turns out to be a crucial and previously unknown step because it forms a stable nickel intermediate that prevents the activated nickel atoms from interacting directly with one another.

    “Controlling the amount of the nickel in the lower oxidation state in the reaction is essential to prevent the catalyst from getting deactivated,” Kudisch said.

    If the intermediate did not exist, the lower oxidation state form of nickel would build up and bind with itself, forming a nickel compound that can no longer catalyze the reaction.

    Instead, the solvent-bound intermediate can react further to complete the joining of molecules to achieve the desired chemistry.

    Justin D. Earley prepares nickel/iridium solutions for time-resolved X-ray absorption measurements at the Advanced Photon Source, beamline 11ID-D, at Argonne National Laboratory. Photo by Obadiah Reid, NREL

    The researchers used a range of techniques to follow the chemistry step by step, showing how light drives the chemistry.

    One of these tools was the Laser Electron Accelerator Facility (LEAF) within Brookhaven Lab’s Chemistry Division, which combines very short pulses of electrons with various spectroscopic detection methods to produce and examine transient molecular and atomic species with high time resolution. 

    “Pulse radiolysis lets us generate reactive intermediates to recreate a particular step in a proposed reaction mechanism to see if that step does or does not actually happen,” Bird said.

    Lakshmy Kannadi Valloli, a Brookhaven Lab postdoc working with Bird, used LEAF to generate the reactive “radical” form of the solvent. “Then we watched that radical react with the nickel and saw what species it made,” Kannadi Valloli said.

    The spectroscopic signature matched what Kudisch had seen when he shone light on the solution. This helped to confirm the hypothesis of how light activates the catalyst, and how the subsequent reactions generate the protective nickel intermediate.

    Scientists at SLAC further characterized the intermediate using powerful X-rays at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source (SSRL), a DOE Office of Science user facility, to understand its atomic-scale structure.

    “Max made it by shining light on it. We made it by pulse radiolysis. And then our colleagues at SLAC looked at it with X-rays,” Bird said.

    “With those techniques all combined, we know the exact molecular structure of this intermediate form of the nickel catalyst and the pathway through which it is formed,” Kudisch concluded.

    This mechanistic understanding could lead to new strategies to prevent catalyst degradation and control the amount of activated nickel catalyst present during the reaction to advance the use of light-driven nickel catalysts.

    In addition to the four national laboratories, researchers who contributed to the project are with Northeastern University and the University of Colorado Boulder. Other NREL personnel listed as co-authors are Justin Earley, Anna Zieleniewska, Rebecca Smaha, Garry Rumbles, and Obadiah Reid.

    The research was funded by DOE’s Bio-Inspired Light-Escalated Chemistry Energy Frontier Research Center via the DOE Office of Science.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government responsiveness and democracy are important drivers of citizen engagement in Africa, new Afrobarometer flagship report reveals

    Source: APO

    Government responsiveness and democratic performance, along with unmet socioeconomic needs, are important drivers of citizen engagement in Africa, a new Afrobarometer flagship report (http://apo-opa.co/407Dbzv) reveals.

    Citizens are more likely to participate in political and civic activities if they are satisfied with the way their democracy works, believe that their elections are free and fair, and see their local elected officials as responsive to their needs. And contrary to theories and findings from the Global North, Africa’s least-wealthy citizens, and least-wealthy countries, report higher rates of engagement than their better-off counterparts.

    The report, the second in an annual series on high-priority topics, draws on data spanning the past decade, including the latest round of nationally representative surveys in 39 countries, representing the views of more than three-fourths of the continent’s population. The analysis focuses on key indicators of citizen engagement: voting, political party affiliation, political discussion, attending community meetings, joining with others to raise an issue, contacting leaders, and protesting.

    The findings, based on 53,444 face-to-face interviews, show that most Africans participate in multiple political and civic activities, with voting being the predominant form of engagement and protesting being the least common. But gaps exist, especially among youth and women. Poorer, less educated, and rural Africans tend to participate more in political and civic activities than their wealthier, more educated, and urban counterparts.

    The report also shows that across 30 countries surveyed consistently over the past decade, participation levels are declining for attending community meetings, raising issues, and identifying with a political party, but they are increasing for contacting leaders.

    The new flagship report is accompanied by country scorecards (http://apo-opa.co/4lIcBoD) on citizen engagement that provide an at-a-glance snapshot of the key indicators of citizen participation at the national level for each of the surveyed countries.

    Afrobarometer survey

    Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries.

    Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. National samples of 1,200-2,400 yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

    Key findings

    The scope of political and civic participation

    • Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Africans voted in their country’s last national election preceding the Afrobarometer Round 9 survey (Figure 1).
      • Four in 10 (41%) “feel close to” a political party.
      • More than six in 10 (62%) “occasionally” or “frequently” discuss politics with family or friends.
      • Almost half (47%) attended a community meeting at least once during the previous year, ranging from 11% in Tunisia to 85% in Madagascar.
      • More than four in 10 (42%) joined with others to raise an issue during the previous year.
      • More than one-third (37%) contacted a traditional leader, 28% a local government councillor, 15% a member of Parliament (MP), and 20% a political party official during the previous year.
      • About one in 10 respondents (9%) participated in a protest or demonstration during the previous year.

    Who participates?

    • The poorest citizens are more likely than the well-off to identify with a political party, attend a community meeting, join with others to raise an issue, and contact traditional leaders, local government councillors, and political party officials, and are about equally likely to vote, protest, discuss politics, and contact MPs (Figure 2).
    • Women continue to engage at substantially lower rates than men across all indicators included in the survey.
    • Youth (aged 18-35) are less engaged than older generations on all types of political and civic participation except protest; the disparity is largest for voting, where an 18-percentage-point gap separates youth from elders.
    • Compared to citizens with post-secondary education, those with no formal schooling are more likely to vote, to identify with a political party, to attend community meetings, and to contact traditional leaders, and are about equally likely to contact an MP, local government councillor, or political party official.

    Drivers of democratic attitudes

    • Rates of participation, particularly in attending community meetings and joining with others to raise an issue, are higher in countries with lower levels of economic well-being (Figure 3).
    • Countries where citizens perceive local government councillors as responsive to their needs generally have higher rates of contact with these officials. However, this pattern does not hold for national legislators, who are less accessible to ordinary citizens.
    • Electoral participation is higher in countries where citizens are satisfied with the way democracy works; believe that elections are free, fair, and effective; and feel free to cast their ballots as they wish. In contrast, when these conditions are not present, protests are more common (Figure 4).

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.

    For more information, please contact:
    Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny
    Director of Communications
    Email: jappiah@afrobarometer.org
    Telephone: +233 243240933

    Social Media:
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    Visit us online at www.Afrobarometer.org.
    Follow our releases on #VoicesAfrica.

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej congratulates the Winners of Merck Foundation Media Awards- 125 Winners from 36 Countries announced

    Source: APO

    • Merck Foundation CEO announced call for application of 2025 Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards in partnership with African First Ladies – apply now at submit@merck-foundation.com

    Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, in partnership with the First Ladies of Africa, proudly announced the Winners of their Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards 2024 under the categories “More Than a Mother” and “Diabetes and Hypertension”.

    The Awards Ceremony was conducted virtually to honor and celebrate the outstanding contributions of all the winning media professionals. The winners were warmly acknowledged by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” campaign.

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed, “I am truly happy to announce the winners of our Media Awards, together with my dear sisters, The First Ladies of Africa, who are also the Ambassadors of the Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ Campaign. This year, we are delighted to celebrate 125 outstanding winners from 36 countries. It brings me joy to see such impressive participation not only from across Africa but also from several Asian and Latin American countries. Congratulations to all our incredible winners!

    It is a true pleasure to welcome you all as Merck Foundation Alumni. Let’s continue to work together to raise awareness about critical social and health challenges, be the voice of the voiceless, and create culture shift in our communities.”

    Merck Foundation Media Awards launched in 2017, are announced annually, with over 640 Winners from 52 countries celebrated to date.

    The theme of the “More Than a Mother” Media Awards is to raise awareness about important social issues like: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending Female Genital Mutilation and/or Stopping Gender-Based Violence. The theme of the “Diabetes and Hypertension” Media Awards is to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    The Merck Foundation CEO also launched the Call for Applications for the 2025 Media Awards. “I am pleased to invite entries for the Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 – “More Than a Mother” & “Diabetes and Hypertension”, in partnership with the African First Ladies. I look forward to receiving another outstanding round of impactful entries this year as well.” Said Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.

    Winners of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2024

    Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW; and The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr. FATIMA MAADA BIO:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Jennifer Ambolley, The Chronicle, Ghana (First Position)
    • Mackie Muctarr Jalloh, News Times Daily, Sierra Leone (Second position)
    • Alao Abiodun, The Nation, Nigeria (Second position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Dzifa Tetteh Tay, The Spectator, Ghana (First Position)
    • Laudia Sawer, Ghana News Agency, Ghana (First Position)
    • Nyima Sillah, The Voice, The Gambia (Second Position)
    • Isatou Ceesay, The Gambia Point, The Gambia (Third Position)
    • Abigail Arthur, Citi Newsroom, Ghana (Third Position)
    • Odimegwu Onwumere, The Nigerian Voice, Nigeria (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNER

    • Mavis Offei Acheampong, GBC Radio, Ghana (First Position)
    • Joyce Kantam Kolamong, GBC Radio, Ghana(Second Position)
    • Zainab Sunkary Koroma, Star Radio, Sierra Leone (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun, News Central TV, Nigeria (First Position)
    • Alieu Ceesay, QTV, The Gambia (Second Position)
    • Mona Lisa Frimpong, Joy News, Ghana (Third Position)

    Here are the Winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Precious Kumbani, The Nation, Malawi (First Position)
    • Gresham Ngwira, Freelancer, Malawi (Second Position)
    • Simon Muntemba, Daily Nation, Zambia (Second Position)
    • Charlotte Nambadja, The Namibian, Namibia (Third Position)
    • Silence Mugadzaweta, The Standard, Zimbabwe (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Alain Kabinda, Daily News Agency, Zambia (First Position)
    • Catherine Murombedzi, Freelancer, Zimbabwe (First Position)
    • Alick Ponje, The Times, Malawi (second Position)
    • Wallace Mawire, Pan African Visions, Zimbabwe (Second Position)
    • Hamu Madzedze, 365 Health Diaries, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Kundai Michael Magoronga, Chronicle, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Mlondi Mkhize, Briefly News, South Africa (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Glendah Fadzai Takachicha, Capitalk FM, Zimbabwe (First Position)
    • Tina Nyirenda, Smooth FM, Zambia (Second Position)
    • Sylviah Chisi, Trans World Radio, Malawi (Second Position)
    • Nyasha Mandimutsira, Capitalk FM, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Perina N. Wahara, PL FM, Malawi (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Keneilwe Pono, YTV, Botswana (First Position)
    • Taati Niilenge, The Namibian, Namibia (Second Position)
    • Lame Lucas, YTV, Botswana (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from East African Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Elizabeth Angira, People Daily, Kenya (First Position)
    • Marco Maduhu, Nipashe, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Margaret Maina, Nation Media, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Beatrice Philemon Mukocho, The Guardian, Tanzania (Third Position)
    • Vitus Audax, The Guardian, Tanzania (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Kamau Maichuhie, Nation Online, Kenya (First Position)
    • Isabella Maua Chemosit, Freelancer, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Anne Robi, Daily News, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Nteza Michael, UG Standard, Uganda (Third Position)
    • Benjamin Takpiny, Anadolu Agency, South Sudan (Third Position)
    • Ayele Addis Ambelu, Ethiopian Mass Media Action News, Ethiopia (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Caren Waraba Sisya, Radio Citizen, Kenya (First Position)
    • Mamer Abraham Kuot, Voice of America, South Sudan, (Second Position)
    • Mwanaisha Makumbuli, Highlands FM, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Fatuma Mustapha Mtemangani, Pambazuko FM, Tanzania (Third Position)
    • Daniel Byiringiro, Flash FM, Rwanda (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Rose Wangui, NTV Kenya, Kenya (First Position)
    • Andrew Juma, TV47, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Leonard Kigozi  and Isabel Nakirya, CGTN Africa, Uganda (Third Position)
    • Mackriner Siyovelwa, Crown Media, Tanzania (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from French Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Madam DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Issa Moussa, Niger Times, Niger (First Position)
    • Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Press Group, Niger (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • AZODODASSI Mêmèdé Ambroisine, Savoir News, Togo (First Position)
    • Julio Gada, Global News, Benin (Second Position)
    • Boris Esono Nwenfor, Pan African Visions, Cameroon (Third Position)
    • Bakari Guèye, Initiatives News, Mauritania (Third Position)
    • Frimo Koukou Djipro, Lelus, Côte d’Ivoire (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Remy RUKUNDO, Radio TV Buntu, Burundi (First Position)
    • Magnus MFURANZIMA, ISÔKO FM, Burundi (First Position)
    • Mame Mbagnick DIOUF, Radio Oxyjeunes, Senegal (Second Position)
    • Tanko Worou, Radio SU TII DERA, Benin (Second Position)
    • Moussa KONE, Radio Channel 2, Mali (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Matthias KABUYA TSHILUMBA, RTDK, DRC (First Position)

    Here are the winners from Portuguese Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Cabo Verde, H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO:

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Edisângela Tavares, Expresso das Ilhas, Cabo Verde (First Position)
    • Sheilla Ribeiro, Sociedade, Cabo Verde (Second Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Teresa Monteiro Pinto, Rádio Televisão de Cabo Verde, Cabo Verde (First Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Ângelo Semedo, Deutsche Welle, Cabo Verde (First Position)

    Merck Foundation “Diabetes & Hypertension” Media Recognition Awards 2024

    Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW; and The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr. FATIMA MAADA BIO:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Agnes Opoku Saprong, Ghanaian Times, Ghana (First Position)
    • Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Leadership Newspaper, Nigeria (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Muhammed Lamin Touray, Freelancer, The Gambia (First Position)
    • Prince Owusu Asiedu, Adom Online, Ghana (Second Position)
    • Lara Adejoro, The Punch, Nigeria (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Godwin Awuni Anafo, Odadee Radio, Ghana (First Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Emmanuel Dzivenu Seyram Abla De-Souza, Joy TV, Ghana (First Position)
    • Ezedimbu Karen Ogomegbunem, Africa Independent Television, Nigeria, (Second Position)
    • Lois Abba Sambo, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation, Nigeria (Third Position)
    • Akua Oforiwa Darko, TV3, Ghana (Third Position)

    Here are the Winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Mrs. MUTINTA HICHILEMA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Nancy Kefilwe Ramokhua, The Patriot, Botswana (First Position)
    • Matilda Chimwaza Majawa, Times Group, Malawi (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • June Shimuoshili, Unwrap Online, Namibia (First Position)
    • Tendai Chisiri, Sport Way News Net, Zimbabwe (Second Position)
    • Shireen van Wyk, Shay Blogger, Namibia (Third Position)
    • Prince Kurupati, Pan African Visions, Zimbabwe (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Elvis Howahowa, Times Radio, Malawi (First Position)
    • Stella Mlotha, Trans World Radio, Malawi (Second Position)

    Here are the winners from East African Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Lucy Johnbosco, Mwananchi, Tanzania (First Position)
    • Christina Mwakangale, Nipashe, Tanzania (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Joan Mbabazi, The New Times, Rwanda (First Position)
    • Leon Lidigu, Nation Online, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Namwalo Daniel Absalom, Kenya News Agency, Kenya (Third Position)
    • Angela Kezengwa, Citizen Digital, Kenya (Third Position)
    • Veronica Mrema, M24 Tanzania, Tanzania (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Kintu Khalid, Radio Simba, Uganda (First Position)
    • Asha Bekidusa, Bahari FM, Kenya (Second Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Walter Mwesigye, NTV, Uganda (First Position)
    • Edvesta Tarimo, Tumaini Media, Tanzania (Second Position)

    Here are the winners from French Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; and The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Madam DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Konan N’Guessan Attoumgbre Joseph, La Retraite Active, Côte d’Ivoire (First Position)
    • Nkurunziza Moise, Le Renouveau, Burundi (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Bahwa Ferdinand, Le Journal Africa, Burundi (First Position)
    • Abdoulaye Ouédraogo, Queen Mafa, Burkina Faso (Second Position)
    • Richard Manirakiza, l’Agence Burundaise de Presse, Burundi (Second Position)
    • Mapote Gaye, Infomedia27, Senegal (Second Position)
    • Atha Menssan Woffa Assan, Focus Infos, Togo (Third Position)
    • Catherine Aimée Biloa, Échos Santé, Cameroon (Third Position)
    • Nadège Omoladé SANNY, SRTB Online, Benin (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • MVUYEKURE Jean Claude, Radio TV Buntu, Burundi (First Position)
    • Abdoul Razak Sani Oumarou, Radio Saraounia Maradi, Niger (Second Position)
    • Kabamba Ngalamulume Fabrice, Radio Télévision de l’éducation (RTEDUC), DRC (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Chris IRAMBONA, Radio Television Buntu, Burundi (First Position)

    Here are the winners from ASIAN Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Parikshit Nirbhay, Amar Ujala, India (First Position)
    • Revathi Murugappan, Star Health, Malaysia (Second Position)
    • Pooja Biraia, The Week, India (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Rashe Zoe Sophia B Piquero, Cebu Daily News, Philippines (First Position)
    • Roshan Bhandari, Medicoliterature, Nepal (Second Position)
    • Crystal Chow, Undark Magazine, China (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from LATIN AMERICA Countries:

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Adriana Becerra, Agencia Brunch, Mexico (First Position)
    • Rafaela Polo, UOL, Brazil (Second Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Roxana Fabiola Lopresti, Channel 9 Televida, Argentina (First Position)
    • Ana Paula Pedrosa, R7, Brazil (Second Position)

    Details of Merck Foundation Media Awards 2025:

    1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition “More Than a Mother” Awards 2025

    Theme for the awards: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/or Stopping GBV at all levels.

    Who can apply: Journalists from Print, Radio, Online, and Multimedia platforms from the following groups:

    1. Southern African Countries
    2. West African Countries
    3. East African Countries
    4. French Speaking African Countries
    5. Portuguese Speaking African Countries

    Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

    2. Merck Foundation Media Recognition “Diabetes & Hypertension” Awards 2025

    Theme for the awards: Promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Who can apply: Journalists from Print, Radio, Online, and Multimedia platforms from the following groups:

    1. Southern African Countries
    2. West African Countries
    3. East African Countries
    4. French Speaking African Countries
    5. Portuguese Speaking African Countries
    6. Latin American Countries
    7. Asian Countries

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    All entries are to be submitted to submit@merck-foundation.com.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

    Contact:
    Mehak Handa
    Community Awareness Program Manager 
    Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
    Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

    Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard:
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4lh6O9Q
    X: https://apo-opa.co/4nUxlf9
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    Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3Ge6Ikj
    Threads: https://apo-opa.co/3U0B8JS
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    Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
    Download Merck Foundation App: https://apo-opa.co/3U1RIZQ

    About Merck Foundation:
    The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4lh6O9Q), X (https://apo-opa.co/4nUxlf9), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3Ge6Ikj), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/460DFew), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/3U0B8JS) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/40uz8xp).

    The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Secretary General to Speak at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Africa Energy Bank Prepares for Launch

    Source: APO

    In a significant step toward bolstering financing for Africa’s energy sector, the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are advancing plans to launch the African Energy Bank (AEB). In April this year, APPO hired consulting firm PWC as project management consultants for the $5 billion development finance institution, which will be headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria and is set to commence operations this year.

    The bank will provide tailored financing solutions for African oil and gas projects, addressing long-standing funding gaps and enabling project developers to advance exploration, production and monetization initiatives. In the wake of this major milestone for energy financing on the continent, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 – taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town.

    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    The AEB will feature a three-tiered shareholder structure, including APPO member states, other African nations and their national oil companies, as well as individual and corporate investors from outside the continent. So far, Nigeria, Angola and Ghana have fulfilled their capital commitments to the bank, representing 44% of the required minimum contributions and laying the groundwork for its launch. Additional pledges have been made by Algeria, Benin, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast.

    The launch of the AEB comes amid a broader shift in African energy cooperation, with APPO, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa and the Central Africa Business & Energy Forum signing a MoU in April 2025 to develop the Central African Pipeline System. The system, spanning up to 11 countries, envisions thousands of kilometers of oil, gas and LPG pipelines and associated infrastructure aimed at improving regional energy access and security.

    APPO has also established a strong partnership with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The collaboration between the two organizations aims to advance African oil and gas projects through shared expertise, coordinated efforts in market stabilization and investment opportunities. This partnership demonstrates APPO’s commitment to engaging in collaborative action to address Africa’s energy needs as well as advancing sustainable development on the continent.

    “Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim’s leadership in establishing the African Energy Bank represents a bold step toward a self-sustained African energy sector. His participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 will spotlight the future of energy financing on the continent and inspire confidence in Africa’s ability to fund its own growth,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.

    With major oil and gas projects underway in Africa – such as the cross-border Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG development, Mozambique LNG, Uganda’s Lake Albert development, Senegal’s Sangomar field development and others – APPO stands ready to support these initiatives by ensuring access to necessary funding. As such, AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 serves as the premier platform for stakeholders and policymakers to engage with international and domestic investors to make deals and form partnerships that align with the continent’s energy goals.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merck Foundation, Featured by Vogue India on transforming creativity into a force for social change

    Source: APO

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), has been featured by a leading lifestyle media organization, Vogue India (https://apo-opa.co/3Tw023X). The article, titled “Leading with Courage and Conviction: Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej on empowering women, advancing healthcare, and transforming media in Africa,” highlights the unique approach she adapted by engaging the art, fashion, and media communities to address critical social issues such as Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) & Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child marriage and also health issues like Diabetes & Hypertension Awareness. 

    On being featured by Vogue India, Dr Kelej shared, “I have been a long-time Vogue reader, and I am truly delighted to be featured by Vogue India for my creative approach to driving social change. Africa is a continent full of vibrant culture, colour, and creativity, and I’ve always believed that fashion, art, and media can be powerful instruments to inspire positive change—beyond just entertainment. 

    This belief led me to develop innovative initiatives such as Our Africa TV program, Songs, Children’s storybooks, Animation Films, and Awards for the best Media, Song, Film and Fashion Designs. These initiatives are aimed at raising awareness about critical and sensitive social and health issues, in a relatable and impactful way. 

    I’m proud that this work is being recognized and shared as a meaningful case study with Vogue readers around the world.” 

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej has been recognized as One of 100 Most Influential Africans for six consecutive years from 2019 till 2024. Under her leadership, Merck Foundation has been recognized as the NGO of the Year in 2022 & 2024, the Most Influential NGO Shaping Africa’s Future and also received the ‘Best Health Sector Philanthropy’ Award 2023.  

    The Vogue article also highlights Dr. Rasha Kelej’s efforts to establish impactful partnership between Merck Foundation and over 28 African First Ladies, showcasing their collective efforts to transform healthcare across Africa and beyond. Merck Foundation has provided over 2,250 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in more than 44 critical and underserved medical specialties. The feature also sheds light on the Educating Linda program, which is supporting the education through providing 800 scholarships for high performance and underprivileged African schoolgirls, empowering them to complete their studies and reach their full potential. 

    Click here to read the full Vogue India article, which offers deeper insights into Dr. Rasha Kelej’s impactful initiatives and the far-reaching work of Merck Foundation across Africa and beyond: https://apo-opa.co/3Tw023X

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp: June Net Tax Revenues Up 4.1%; Adjusted YTD Up 0.6%

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – The State of Georgia’s net tax collections in June totaled roughly $3.15 billion for an increase of $124.3 million, or 4.1 percent, compared to FY 2024 when net tax collections approached $3.03 billion for the month.

    Year-to-date, net tax revenue totaled almost $33.62 billion for an increase of $668.3 million that was driven significantly by the State’s collection of motor fuel excise tax, which was suspended by Executive Order for a period of two and a half months during the fall quarter of FY 2024. Adjusting for the year-over-year motor fuel tax changes, year-to-date net tax revenue collections for the fiscal year-ended June 30 were up $197.4 million, or 0.6 percent.

    The changes within the following tax categories help to further explain June’s overall net tax revenue increase:
     
    Individual Income Tax: Individual Income Tax collections totaled roughly $1.49 billion, for an increase of $166.1 million, or 12.5 percent, compared to last year when Individual Tax collections approached $1.33 billion.

    The following notable components within Individual Income Tax combine for the net increase:

    • Individual Income Tax refunds issued (net of voided checks) decreased $4.3 million or -4.3 percent
    • Individual Withholding payments increased by $75.4 million, or 6.7 percent, over last fiscal year
    • Individual Income Tax Return payments were up $81.6 million, or 118 percent, from June 2024
    • All other Individual Tax categories, including Estimated payments, were up a combined $4.8 million

    Sales and Use Tax: Gross Sales and Use Tax collections totaled $1.59 billion in June, for an increase of $38.2 million, or 2.5 percent, compared to FY 2024. Net Sales and Use Tax increased by $21.2 million, or 2.8 percent, compared to last year when net sales tax totaled $756.7 million. The adjusted Sales Tax distribution to local governments totaled $795.3 million, for an increase of roughly $3.7 million, or 0.5 percent, while Sales Tax refunds increased by $13.3 million compared to the previous fiscal year.

    Corporate Income Tax: Corporate Income Tax collections for the month totaled $484.7 million, which was a decrease of $52.7 million, or -9.8 percent, compared to last year’s total of $537.4 million.

    The following notable components within Corporate Income Tax make up the net decrease:

    • Corporate Income Tax refunds issued (net of voids) increased $23.8 million, or 157.5 percent
    • Corporate Income Tax Estimated payments decreased by $14.8 million, or -4.0 percent, from June 2024
    • All other Corporate Tax types, including S-Corporate payments, were down a combined $14.1 million  

    Motor Fuel Taxes: Motor Fuel Tax collections decreased by $0.5 million, or -0.3 percent, compared to FY 2024.

    Motor Vehicle – Tag & Title Fees: Motor Vehicle Tag & Title Fees decreased by $2 million, or -6.2 percent, for the month, while Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) collections increased by $1.6 million, or 2.1 percent, over June 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Genetic Discovery Advances Insect Pest Control Worldwide

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    “This discovery is a true milestone. After more than 35 years of research, we now have a precise molecular handle on temperature-sensitive lethality,” said Kostas Bourtzis, a molecular biologist in the Joint Centre’s Insect Pest Control Section and co-author of the study. “This opens up the possibility of expanding genetic sexing systems to a wide range of insect pests with agricultural, veterinary and medical relevance — a major advancement for SIT programmes globally.”

    “With the identification of the tsl gene, we are closing a major knowledge gap that has long hindered the application of genetic sexing beyond the Mediterranean fruit fly,” said Marc F. Schetelig, professor of insect biotechnology in plant protection at JLU and liaison officer at the newly established Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, also a co-author of the study. “This paves the way for highly specific and sustainable insect control strategies without the use of chemical insecticides.”

    The study exemplifies the longstanding close strategic partnership between JLU and the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. With recent designation of the Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research as an IAEA Collaborating Centre in May 2025, this collaboration has been institutionalized, enabling the joint development of biotechnology tools for sustainable insect pest control on a global scale.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Genetic Discovery Advances Insect Pest Control Worldwide

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    “This discovery is a true milestone. After more than 35 years of research, we now have a precise molecular handle on temperature-sensitive lethality,” said Kostas Bourtzis, a molecular biologist in the Joint Centre’s Insect Pest Control Section and co-author of the study. “This opens up the possibility of expanding genetic sexing systems to a wide range of insect pests with agricultural, veterinary and medical relevance — a major advancement for SIT programmes globally.”

    “With the identification of the tsl gene, we are closing a major knowledge gap that has long hindered the application of genetic sexing beyond the Mediterranean fruit fly,” said Marc F. Schetelig, professor of insect biotechnology in plant protection at JLU and liaison officer at the newly established Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, also a co-author of the study. “This paves the way for highly specific and sustainable insect control strategies without the use of chemical insecticides.”

    The study exemplifies the longstanding close strategic partnership between JLU and the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. With recent designation of the Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research as an IAEA Collaborating Centre in May 2025, this collaboration has been institutionalized, enabling the joint development of biotechnology tools for sustainable insect pest control on a global scale.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force Completes Operation ‘Apex Hammer’ with 264 Arrests

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Newark, NJ – The U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, in coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, has concluded Operation Apex Hammer, a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative resulting in the arrest of 264 violent offenders, including murder suspects, sex offenders, and known gang members.

    Launched in early June 2025, Operation Apex Hammer targeted the nation’s most dangerous fugitives and individuals wanted for crimes including homicide, armed robbery, assault, weapons trafficking, and sexual offenses involving children. The month-long operation spanned throughout the state of New Jersey focusing on areas with high rates of violent crime and outstanding felony warrants with most arrests taking place in Camden and Newark.

    “Operation Apex Hammer sent a clear message,” said U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos Jr. “The U.S. Marshals and our partner agencies will never stop pursuing those who threaten the safety of our communities. This operation reflects our unwavering commitment to protect communities by targeting and removing the most dangerous individuals from our streets.”

    Among the notable arrests:

    • Lorenzo Benitez, 54, an illegal alien from Guatemala, wanted out of Keansburg for multiple counts of sexual assault, arrested June 4 in Plainfield.
    • Darlin Franco-Guzman, 25, an illegal alien from Honduras, wanted out of Baltimore County for burglary and attempted sexual assault of a 12-year-old female, arrested June 10 in Trenton.
    • Stephen Bullock, 32, wanted for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 76-year-old woman in Camden County, arrested June 13 in Hi-Nella.
    • Shawn Davis, 38, wanted for a 2024 homicide in Trenton, arrested June 13 in Brooklyn, New York.
    • Luis Duval-Jimenez, 31, wanted for attempted murder after he ran over a South Brunswick police officer with his vehicle in May 2025, arrested June 18 in North Arlington.
    • Trasuf Bennett, 20, and a juvenile accomplice, wanted for the drive-by shooting murder of a 20-year-old male victim in Milleville, arrested June 19 in Trenton.
    • Francisco Ruiz, 67, wanted for sexual assault by contact, terroristic threats, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal restraint, arrested June 20 in Bayonne.

    In addition to the arrests of 17 homicide suspects and 95 gang members, a total of 14 illegal firearms were seized. Of the 264 arrested, 31 were captured out-of-state and 2 overseas. Emphasizing the seriousness of the criminality of these 264 fugitives, they combined for an astounding total of 2,625 prior arrests.

    “This was a unified effort,” said Mattos. “Our task force, federal agencies, local, and state partners worked side-by-side to ensure this mission’s success. The results speak for themselves.”

    “I have seen firsthand the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement partners, and I proudly stand with them in this fight,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba. “Operation Apex Hammer is proof of what we can accomplish when we come together to drive violent crime out of our communities. I especially commend the U.S. Marshals Service for their relentless pursuit of dangerous fugitives and their commitment to bringing those who terrorize our neighborhoods to justice.” 

    Operation Apex Hammer was focused on identifying and apprehending high-threat fugitives using intelligence-led policing, community engagement, and interagency collaboration. The U.S. Marshals Service remains committed to pursuing justice and ensuring that the nation’s most dangerous fugitives are brought to justice.

    The U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force is comprised of individuals from the following agencies:

    New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Parole, New Jersey Department of Corrections, Port Authority Police Department, Passaic County Sheriff, Essex County Sheriff, Union County Sheriff, Mercer County Sheriff, Monmouth County Sheriff, Ocean County Sheriff, Burlington County Sheriff, Camden County Sheriff, Hudson County Sheriff, Gloucester County Sheriff, Salem County Sheriff, Atlantic County Sheriff, Somerset County Sheriff, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Newark PD, Jersey City PD, Trenton PD, Camden Metro PD, Atlantic City PD, Asbury Park PD, Vineland PD, Pennsauken PD, Flemington PD, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,  and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Unsealed Indictment Charges Three Men with Stealing Dozens of High-End and Luxury Vehicles Worth Over $5 Million

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three Charlotte men are facing federal charges for conspiring to steal and transport across state lines dozens of luxury and high-end vehicles worth well over $5 million, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A criminal indictment was filed in June and unsealed today in federal court.

    Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    Aquanzae Jamal Switzer, 24, Da’Quante Antwone Banks, 24, and Trajan Dakiel Mack, 26, all of Charlotte, are charged with conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, possession of a stolen vehicle, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.

    “This multi-state automobile theft ring was organized and sophisticated,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Organized crime has no place in the Western District of North Carolina, and I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for disrupting this operation.”

    The indictment alleges that, between 2022 and April 2024, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of high-end motor vehicles worth millions of dollars from individuals, car dealerships, and other businesses located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. To maximize their profits, Switzer, Banks, and Mack allegedly targeted luxury models by BMW, Land Rover, and Mercedez-Benz, as well trucks, sports utility vehicles, and high-end horsepower models manufactured by Chevrolet, Ford and Jeep.

    The defendants allegedly stole multiple vehicles at once, generally at night, using key fob programmers, and conspired with other individuals who served as drivers of the stolen vehicles. For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants, aided and abetted by others, stole 12 vehicles from a car dealership located in Lillington, North Carolina. To avoid detection, the co-conspirators used temporary and fictitious vehicles tags on the stolen vehicles, removed the GPS navigation and tracking systems from the vehicles, and changed the appearance of the stolen vehicles soon after the thefts.

    According to allegations in the indictment, the co-defendants and their co-conspirators often sold the stolen vehicles at prices significantly below their retail value and kept some of the vehicles for personal use and to further facilitate the scheme.

    The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    This is the sixth indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte for federal offenses involving the interstate theft of vehicles since 2023. Previously, federal charges were filed against three Charlotte men for conspiring to steal luxury vehicles and transporting them across state lines. A Charlotte man was indicted for stealing high-end vehicles, including several vehicles from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Two individuals were charged for a scheme that involved buying and selling stolen vehicles from across the country. Five individuals were indicted for stealing luxury vehicles from dealerships throughout the United States, and two additional individuals were indicted for orchestrating high-end auto thefts from businesses in South Carolina.

    The charges against the defendants are allegations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Secret Service and CMPD for their investigation of this case and thanked the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance with the prior prosecutions. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Edwardians: Age of Elegance – a glimpse into royal patronage of the arts in the early 20th century

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jane Hamlett, Professor of Modern British History, Royal Holloway University of London

    King Edward VII, the son of Queen Victoria, ascended the throne upon her death in 1901, but unlike his mother, he ruled for a very short period and died in 1910. His reign, along with the years immediately before the outbreak of the first world war in 1914, are known as the Edwardian period.

    Taking in this particular era, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance at the King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, focuses on the artistic patronage of Edward VII and his wife Alexandra of Denmark, and their son George V and his wife Mary of Teck.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Edward and Alexandra were married in 1863, and as Prince and Princess of Wales the pair were leading tastemakers in Victorian upper-class society in the years before Edward came to the throne at the beginning of the 20th century.

    This is often regarded as a golden age before the carnage and disruption of the great war saw the world indelibly change. However, the exhibition is not confined to these years and also reaches back into the Victorian period (1837-1901).

    Those hoping to experience some of the glamour of the royal family won’t be disappointed. The first room takes visitors into the heady atmosphere of the Marlborough House set which centred around Edward and Alexandra’s residence in St James’s. One case commemorates the 1871 Waverley Ball which marked the centenary of popular Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott. Alexandra’s elaborate Mary Queen of Scots costume – a silk dress with gold lacings – is on display.

    The pageantry of the court is communicated through a series of stunning narrative paintings including the Danish artist Laurits Tuxen’s The Garden Party at Buckingham Palace (1897-1900) and The Family of Queen Victoria in 1887 (1887) painted for her golden jubilee in 1887.

    This theme is picked up in the second large room, which focuses on the lavish world of the court. Here, the opulent 1911 coronation robes of George and Mary and a case of necklaces and jewellery take centre stage. This exhibit is the star of the show with plenty of visitors posing for photographs in front of it.

    Royals as art collectors

    But beneath all the glitz and glamour there’s a subtler story about how the royal family worked as collectors and their wider role in Britain and beyond. One of the most interesting things about the exhibition is that it reveals the personal taste of the royals, through what they chose to collect.

    Horses, dogs and yachts are prominent. Edward’s dog Caesar, the wire-haired fox terrier who famously followed his funeral procession in 1910, appears in several images, and his race horse Persimmon is also represented.

    Edward and Alexandra were patrons of leading artists of the day – he owned a number of works by the popular Victorian painter Frederic Leighton, while she collected art by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne Jones. Alexandra also supported Minton’s pottery studio in the 1870s, which employed many women artists.

    The exhibition also reveals Alexandra’s personal artistic activities. Like many upper-class Victorian women, she was a keen photographer and creator of photo albums. In the second half of the 19th century, album-making offered women an outlet for creativity and emotional expression. An album of designs made by Alexandra in the 1860s features photos arranged in a spiders web, with family and friends transformed into butterflies and insects.

    Royal patronage was often about international connections. Alexandra’s Danish heritage is expressed through pieces from the Royal Copenhagen porcelain manufacturing company, including a massive porcelain cabinet, featuring an ornamental roof topped by a group of dancing monkeys surrounding a large swan.

    A larger room is devoted to objects amassed on visits and through diplomatic exchange with the colonies which at the time included India, part of Africa, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Increasingly speedy travel networks brought the world closer in the late 19th century and the royal family were able to travel further and more frequently than ever before. These visits played an important role in Britain’s imperial identity, and underlined the nation’s global power.

    Between 1875 and 1876 Edward toured India. This trip produced a dazzling array of diplomatic gifts, such as a case filled with ornately decorated Indian weapons. After the visit Edward created a special Indian room for them at Marlborough House. Today, they sparkle in their cabinet for the exhibition’s visitors.

    The exhibition does a good job of revealing the importance of imperial connections to the royal collections and the role of the royals in the larger colonial project, but in places I would have liked to know more about the stories behind these objects.

    There’s a tension between the precise attribution of the work of British and European artists and the objects that have been gifted from the colonies – almost all labelled “unidentified maker”.

    The absence of such information is the product of longstanding curatorial habits that shaped these collections in the past and continue to determine what we know about them today. This does mean that there are some absences about the origins and makers of these things, which could have been acknowledged more in some of the exhibition text.

    This was particularly evident when looking at a large portrait of the Maori dancer Terewai Horomona by Gottfried Lindauer. The image has an elaborate frame with a plaque declaring it was presented to the Prince of Wales by the New Zealand commissioner for the Colonial and India Exhibition, 1886.

    The commentary states that Edward was “enchanted” with the portrait which was “promptly gifted” to him. But this might have been better used as an opportunity to give some thought to the woman whose image was framed, presented and exchanged.

    Overall, though, this is an enjoyable exhibition that reveals the royal social world, patronage and imperial connections, and tells a fascinating story about the artistic taste and activities of the lesser-known monarchs of the early 20th century.

    Jane Hamlett 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 Edwardians: Age of Elegance – a glimpse into royal patronage of the arts in the early 20th century – https://theconversation.com/the-edwardians-age-of-elegance-a-glimpse-into-royal-patronage-of-the-arts-in-the-early-20th-century-259909

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Golden eagles were reintroduced to Ireland, but without prey they’re now struggling to thrive

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Fiona McAuliffe, Lecturer of Ecology, Scotland’s Rural College

    Dennis Jacobsen/Shutterstock

    In the early 2000s, golden eagles soared once again over the hills of Donegal in northwest Ireland, for the first time in nearly a century. Their return was celebrated as a landmark in Irish conservation, a hopeful sign that one of the island’s most iconic predators was back.

    But two decades on, the reality is sobering. The population remains small with just five territorial pairs and an estimated total population of just 20-25 birds. Breeding success is poor, and the golden eagle’s future in Ireland is uncertain. So what went wrong?

    Our research published in the Irish Naturalists’ Journal suggests the problem isn’t with the eagles themselves – it’s with the landscape they were released into. On paper, Donegal’s uplands looked ideal: open terrain, low human disturbance and ample wild prey. But over time, key parts of that ecosystem have quietly unravelled.

    Golden eagles rely on a steady supply of prey to thrive and raise chicks – notably red grouse and Irish hares. Yet, during our recent surveys along transects (predetermined lines through an area) and footage from camera traps in and around Glenveagh national park, the uplands seemed eerily quiet. Not just quiet of eagles, but of the smaller animals they prey on for food. The landscape looked wild, but had lost some of its vital living components.

    When comparing the available prey biomass, that’s the combined weight of grouse and hares per unit area, Donegal had 74-83% less prey than equivalent areas in the Scottish Highlands where golden eagles are thriving. That’s an enormous shortfall. Without enough food, adult eagles must travel further to hunt and spend more energy – and so are less likely to raise chicks successfully. A few lean years can tip a small population like this into crisis.

    Why is prey so scarce? One of the main culprits is overgrazing. Red deer numbers have exploded across Ireland in recent decades. In places such as Donegal, their constant browsing and grazing has severely degraded upland habitats. This damages the heather moorlands that grouse and hares depend on, leaving them with less cover and fewer food sources.

    Red deer were the most common species recorded during camera trap surveys.
    Queen’s University Belfast

    Add to this the growing pressure from medium-sized predators, including foxes and badgers. Without apex predators such as wolves or lynx to keep them in check, these “mesopredators” flourish. This well-documented phenomenon is known as mesopredator release where populations of mid-sized predators increase after the loss of top predators, often leading to greater pressure on prey species, such as ground-nesting birds and young hares, compounding the challenges for these struggling prey species.

    And while Ireland’s conservation laws look strong on paper, implementation often lags behind. Some protected areas remain heavily grazed, burned or unmanaged. Management plans are either missing, unenforced or outdated. This weakens the very protections meant to sustain wildlife.

    A lesson for rewilding

    The reintroduction of golden eagles was based on the best available knowledge at the time. But ecosystems aren’t static. What may have been viable habitat in the 1990s no longer meets the needs of a breeding eagle population today.

    Reintroducing a species isn’t enough. The systems that sustain it also need to be restored. The clichéd paradigm that nature-is-good and humans-are-bad isn’t helpful. Instead modern landscapes are often so degraded that they can’t recover if left alone.

    Upland areas within Glenveagh national park are overgrazed, leading to exposed peat and erosion.
    Fiona McAuliffe

    Conservation can facilitate active recovery. Real rewilding is about more than simply “putting animals back” and “letting nature take its course”. It is about putting systems back: predators, prey, plants and the processes that connect them.

    Despite the challenges, the golden eagle population has not failed in Ireland – not yet at least. To turn the tide, conservation efforts must go beyond charismatic species and focus on landscape restoration. That means reducing overgrazing, supporting prey recovery, rebalancing predator dynamics and making sure protected areas are actually protected.

    Encouragingly, Glenveagh national park has begun some of this work, by reducing deer overgrazing and regenerating native woodlands. If this landscape restoration is sustained and expanded, golden eagles could still thrive in a more balanced, functioning upland ecosystem.

    These birds are more than just a symbol of wildness. They are a litmus test of ecosystem health. Right now, they’re telling us something important. Something those calling for the reintroduction of other top predators, including wolves, would do well to consider.

    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.

    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. Golden eagles were reintroduced to Ireland, but without prey they’re now struggling to thrive – https://theconversation.com/golden-eagles-were-reintroduced-to-ireland-but-without-prey-theyre-now-struggling-to-thrive-258832

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Shrouds: new Cronenberg film is an elusive meditation on death, grief and environmental ethics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Flanagan, PhD Candidate, School of English, Dublin City University

    American filmmaker David Cronenberg is a leading figure in body horror, a film genre that explores disturbing and often grotesque aspects of the human body. Films such as The Fly (1986), eXistenZ (1999) and Crimes of the Future (2022) depict scenes of physical mutilation, illness and technological invasion to represent deeper fears about identity, society and the human condition.

    Through intense bodily imagery, Cronenberg’s films raise powerful questions about human relationships with technology and nature. As our relationship with technology rapidly evolves alongside escalating environmental catastrophe, there is a timely significance in these ideas.

    His latest film, The Shrouds, evokes the writing of Stacy Alaimo, a scholar known for her work exploring the connections between the human body, the environment, and the social forces that shape both. Alaimo’s work combines feminist and materialist ideas and examines how our bodies are physically connected to the world around us – not separate from nature or society, but shaped by both ecological systems and social structures.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Like Cronenberg, Alaimo is interested in the entanglement of human flesh with more-than-human worlds, alongside the interplay between bodies and objects.

    In The Shrouds, the body, specifically that of Becca (Diane Kruger) is placed firmly at the centre of the story. Appearing both as a decaying corpse and naked in dream sequences, her body bears fresh surgical scars which are unbandaged and exposed.

    Becca’s body is shown as intensely vulnerable, a gendered depiction of femaleness which is controlled literally by the male gaze through the “shroud”, a piece of sci-fi wearable tech. It comprises a suit of MRI and X-ray cameras which encases a corpse, allowing decomposition to be monitored through a live video link with an app.

    This conceit embeds Becca both in the Earth and in technology, creating deeply memorable imagery which challenges viewers to think about death, grief and the environmental ethics surrounding human burial.

    The presentation of Becca’s body evokes Alaimo’s concept of transcorporeality. In her 2010 book Bodily Natures, Alaimo describes transcorporeality as the idea that “the human is ultimately inseparable from ‘the environment’” – continually transformed through interactions with the landscape, chemicals, technology and non-human forces. Becca’s corpse, decaying in real-time on a live link, highlights this connection.

    Grief: the fictional and the personal

    The film opens with Karsh (Vincent Kassel), Becca’s bereaved husband, in a dentist’s chair being told, “Grief is rotting your teeth”. The film as a whole can be read as a meditation on how grief seeps into and changes the body.

    Written following the death of David Cronenberg’s wife (and initially conceived of as a Netflix series), Cronenberg has rejected the idea that it is fully autobiographical. It is, however, difficult to fully separate the director from the story.

    Cassel as Karsh physically resembles Cronenberg in the film, blurring the boundary between fiction and the personal. Physical duplication is a disorienting motif of the film. Kruger reappears as Becca’s sister Terri and as an animated AI assistant named Honey.

    Alongside the grotesque images of her decaying body, these versions of Kruger are especially striking. Cassel’s performance as the controlling and obsessive Karsh is nuanced and understated. His desire to monitor Becca’s decomposition is presented as a logical step to regain possession of her from her illness, and is deeply disturbing.

    It also has ominous and timely resonance in our modern world, where controversial technology exists that permits artificial intelligence to create avatars of the dead to comfort the bereaved.

    The film becomes a mimetic piece on grief, where boundaries between imagination and reality dissolve. Cronenberg’s frequent collaborator Howard Shore provides an ambient score that reinforces this dissolution. Ethereal and bass-rich, it features spacious, slowly evolving melodies wrapped in velvety synth textures which evoke a dream-like soundscape.

    As the plot progresses into a tangle of conspiracy theories, lines blur between Karsh’s dreams and reality. Background plots drift unresolved, characters are vaguely sketched. Themes of environmental activism versus capitalist enterprise, the exploitation of technology, illegal surveillance and government corruption are all threaded through the story, but none are fully realised. This is not a film which offers a straightforward narrative or closure. Like grief, it remains raw, fluid and difficult to contain.

    Throughout, the film returns to Becca’s decaying body, encased in a shroud that is described as both toxic and radioactive, an object of controversy for eco-activists. “She’s dead, remember, she can’t do anything,” Karsh’s companion reminds him.

    But this is not true for Becca. In death, her body is watched and consumed by systems of surveillance and ecological anxiety. Symbolising Alaimo’s concept of transcorporeality, Becca’s decaying corpse, wrapped in technology, but buried in the Earth, is deeply connected to the environment and cannot be separated from it. Her body is influenced by both its natural surroundings and social factors such as the shroud’s technology, outside interference and Karsh’s control.

    Karsh asserts that burial is a complex matter, converging politics, religion and economics. The Shrouds raises questions that touch on all of these, but provides no tangible answers. Some viewers will be frustrated by the film’s lack of logical structure and resolution. But it is also fair to say that this is how it mirrors the pathways of grief itself: unwieldy, unpredictable and consuming.

    Laura O’Flanagan 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 Shrouds: new Cronenberg film is an elusive meditation on death, grief and environmental ethics – https://theconversation.com/the-shrouds-new-cronenberg-film-is-an-elusive-meditation-on-death-grief-and-environmental-ethics-260009

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Norman Tebbit, Conservative minister known as Thatcher’s enforcer, dies at 94

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History, Newcastle University

    No man more embodied Thatcherism in the eyes of the public in the 1980s than Norman Tebbit, who died on July 7, aged 94.

    Though certainly no yuppie, Lord Tebbit entitled his memoirs Upwardly Mobile. Margaret’s Thatcher’s triumph was also his. She saw in the Essex MP just the uncompromising approach to transforming Britain to which she too was committed.

    Both had been disgusted by the Conservative government of Edward Heath blinking when it sought to face down trade unions in the early 1970s. The experience was elemental to their plan for government.

    Others were more important to the New Right/neoliberal project elected in 1979: Conservative minister Keith Joseph, and Thatcher’s two chancellors, Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson.

    But Tebbit provided something no one else in Thatcher’s cabinet could: an innate connection with white, working-class voters, who may once have been Labour – Tebbit lauded Clement Attlee and Ernest Bevin – but whose values were held to have been washed away in the postwar tide of union militancy, social permissiveness, European integration, and mass immigration.

    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.

    He became a Conservative almost because, rather than in spite, of his background. “Essex man” was a presiding personification of the period.

    Unlike almost all of Thatcher’s ministers, Tebbit did not go to university, but left school at 16 to encounter the “closed shop”: that one had to be a member of a particular union to work in a particular workplace. He became determined at that moment to end this practice, and with it so much else of postwar social democracy.

    Thirty years later he did, as Thatcher’s secretary of state for employment. Tebbit’s 1982 Employment Act avenged the unions’ defeat of Heath. Union rights were weakened, never to be restored, and those of employers emboldened. It was a significant contribution to Thatcherism’s ledger.

    As secretary of state for trade and industry, Tebbit pursued privatisation – the return (as its proponents, simply, put it) of nationalised industries to the private sector – with passion. The postwar settlement in Britain was being upended.

    Public image

    In an age before the televising of parliament (much less 24-hour news and social media), Tebbit cut through in a way few politicians did.

    At at a time of inner-city violence, the public knew Tebbit’s unemployed father, decades earlier, didn’t riot but “got on his bike and looked for work”. No one else could have been called – in the words of Labour’s Michael Foot – a “semi-house-trained polecat”. TV’s puppet satire Spitting Image portrayed him as the “Chingford Strangler”, dressed in biker leathers.

    Tebbit felt no need for his contempt for socialism to be leavened by charm or humour. There was invariably a slight sense of menace. He had no interest in ingratiating or propitiating. And so he was as loved by Conservative party members as he was hated by the left. He welcomed their hatred.

    Tebbit in particular despised the swinging 60s – fittingly, he entered parliament in the election in which Harold Wilson’s government was unexpectedly ejected – and its legacy of “insufferable, smug, sanctimonious, naive, guilt-ridden, wet, pink orthodoxy”. Thus his trenchancy on immigration, overseas aid (a “sink of iniquity, corruption and violence”), sexuality (he was one of the few still to use the word “sodomite”) and Europe (he was a Eurosceptic before Euroscepticism).

    In 1990 Tebbit asked of British-born people of Asian heritage: “Which side do they cheer for? Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?”. Tebbit’s “cricket test” is second only to Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech in the annals of inflammatory – they and their supporters would say candid – rhetoric relating to immigration. Neither would mind the association.



    Read more:
    Tory humiliation down to campaign length and cult of May – Norman Tebbit Q&A

    What silenced most – if not quite all – of his critics, was Tebbit at his most vulnerable. Following the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel Brighton in 1984, live television footage of him, only partially clad in his pyjamas, covered in dust, being stretchered out of the rubble, became the defining image of the atrocity.

    The following year Thatcher moved him from trade and industry to, less happily, chairman of the Conservative party. It was a job that required a lighter touch than Tebbit’s.

    Nevertheless, as chairman, he delivered the Conservatives’ third election victory, of 1987 – ensuring the permanence of the transformation – only to immediately retire to the backbenches. Margaret, his wife, had been paralysed by the bomb, and he devoted himself to her care for more than 30 years until her death.

    As warranted as his departure from government may have been, Thatcher “bitterly regretted” losing him, a feeling she felt for few. Her defenestration in November 1990 is much harder to imagine had Tebbit still been in the cabinet.

    Norman Tebbit’s conservatism and nationalism harked back to an earlier age, yet presaged the populism of the 2020s. In his remarks following the news of Tebbit’s death, Nigel Farage said he thought him “a great man”.

    Tebbit’s values endure in public discourse, in more ways than he might have expected even a few years ago. But in his last months he was either unable, or unwilling, to say whether those values were those of the Conservatives, the traditional party of the right, or of another project. That may be a final Tebbit “test”.

    Martin Farr 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. Norman Tebbit, Conservative minister known as Thatcher’s enforcer, dies at 94 – https://theconversation.com/norman-tebbit-conservative-minister-known-as-thatchers-enforcer-dies-at-94-260716

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Norman Tebbit, Conservative minister known as Thatcher’s enforcer, dies at 94

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History, Newcastle University

    No man more embodied Thatcherism in the eyes of the public in the 1980s than Norman Tebbit, who died on July 7, aged 94.

    Though certainly no yuppie, Lord Tebbit entitled his memoirs Upwardly Mobile. Margaret’s Thatcher’s triumph was also his. She saw in the Essex MP just the uncompromising approach to transforming Britain to which she too was committed.

    Both had been disgusted by the Conservative government of Edward Heath blinking when it sought to face down trade unions in the early 1970s. The experience was elemental to their plan for government.

    Others were more important to the New Right/neoliberal project elected in 1979: Conservative minister Keith Joseph, and Thatcher’s two chancellors, Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson.

    But Tebbit provided something no one else in Thatcher’s cabinet could: an innate connection with white, working-class voters, who may once have been Labour – Tebbit lauded Clement Attlee and Ernest Bevin – but whose values were held to have been washed away in the postwar tide of union militancy, social permissiveness, European integration, and mass immigration.

    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.

    He became a Conservative almost because, rather than in spite, of his background. “Essex man” was a presiding personification of the period.

    Unlike almost all of Thatcher’s ministers, Tebbit did not go to university, but left school at 16 to encounter the “closed shop”: that one had to be a member of a particular union to work in a particular workplace. He became determined at that moment to end this practice, and with it so much else of postwar social democracy.

    Thirty years later he did, as Thatcher’s secretary of state for employment. Tebbit’s 1982 Employment Act avenged the unions’ defeat of Heath. Union rights were weakened, never to be restored, and those of employers emboldened. It was a significant contribution to Thatcherism’s ledger.

    As secretary of state for trade and industry, Tebbit pursued privatisation – the return (as its proponents, simply, put it) of nationalised industries to the private sector – with passion. The postwar settlement in Britain was being upended.

    Public image

    In an age before the televising of parliament (much less 24-hour news and social media), Tebbit cut through in a way few politicians did.

    At at a time of inner-city violence, the public knew Tebbit’s unemployed father, decades earlier, didn’t riot but “got on his bike and looked for work”. No one else could have been called – in the words of Labour’s Michael Foot – a “semi-house-trained polecat”. TV’s puppet satire Spitting Image portrayed him as the “Chingford Strangler”, dressed in biker leathers.

    Tebbit felt no need for his contempt for socialism to be leavened by charm or humour. There was invariably a slight sense of menace. He had no interest in ingratiating or propitiating. And so he was as loved by Conservative party members as he was hated by the left. He welcomed their hatred.

    Tebbit in particular despised the swinging 60s – fittingly, he entered parliament in the election in which Harold Wilson’s government was unexpectedly ejected – and its legacy of “insufferable, smug, sanctimonious, naive, guilt-ridden, wet, pink orthodoxy”. Thus his trenchancy on immigration, overseas aid (a “sink of iniquity, corruption and violence”), sexuality (he was one of the few still to use the word “sodomite”) and Europe (he was a Eurosceptic before Euroscepticism).

    In 1990 Tebbit asked of British-born people of Asian heritage: “Which side do they cheer for? Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?”. Tebbit’s “cricket test” is second only to Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech in the annals of inflammatory – they and their supporters would say candid – rhetoric relating to immigration. Neither would mind the association.



    Read more:
    Tory humiliation down to campaign length and cult of May – Norman Tebbit Q&A

    What silenced most – if not quite all – of his critics, was Tebbit at his most vulnerable. Following the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel Brighton in 1984, live television footage of him, only partially clad in his pyjamas, covered in dust, being stretchered out of the rubble, became the defining image of the atrocity.

    The following year Thatcher moved him from trade and industry to, less happily, chairman of the Conservative party. It was a job that required a lighter touch than Tebbit’s.

    Nevertheless, as chairman, he delivered the Conservatives’ third election victory, of 1987 – ensuring the permanence of the transformation – only to immediately retire to the backbenches. Margaret, his wife, had been paralysed by the bomb, and he devoted himself to her care for more than 30 years until her death.

    As warranted as his departure from government may have been, Thatcher “bitterly regretted” losing him, a feeling she felt for few. Her defenestration in November 1990 is much harder to imagine had Tebbit still been in the cabinet.

    Norman Tebbit’s conservatism and nationalism harked back to an earlier age, yet presaged the populism of the 2020s. In his remarks following the news of Tebbit’s death, Nigel Farage said he thought him “a great man”.

    Tebbit’s values endure in public discourse, in more ways than he might have expected even a few years ago. But in his last months he was either unable, or unwilling, to say whether those values were those of the Conservatives, the traditional party of the right, or of another project. That may be a final Tebbit “test”.

    Martin Farr 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. Norman Tebbit, Conservative minister known as Thatcher’s enforcer, dies at 94 – https://theconversation.com/norman-tebbit-conservative-minister-known-as-thatchers-enforcer-dies-at-94-260716

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Every week, thousands of people with kidney disease in the UK spend long hours in hospital receiving life-saving dialysis. For many, this means travelling to a kidney unit three times a week and sitting through sessions that last four hours or more. It’s a huge commitment that affects people’s ability to work, travel and maintain a normal social life.

    But for many with kidney failure, there’s another option: dialysis at home. It’s more flexible, often less disruptive and, in the long run, more cost-effective for the NHS. So why do most people still choose hospital dialysis?

    A parliamentary summit in May reflected on how to make dialysis more accessible to patients at home. My colleagues and I published research on this topic in 2019. Working in partnership with people who have kidney disease, their families, NHS staff, dialysis providers and kidney charities, we explored the barriers to home dialysis, and how to overcome them.

    People with kidney failure need either a transplant or regular dialysis to filter waste from their blood. Despite NHS guidance that at least 20% of people on dialysis should be supported to have this treatment at home, this target isn’t being met in many parts of the UK.

    A kidney dialysis machine.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Our research team, which included people who had experienced dialysis, held discussions with 50 people from across Wales. Many told us that hospital dialysis was presented by healthcare staff as the default option. For those who had not yet come to terms with needing dialysis, or who had delayed planning due to the unpredictable nature of kidney disease, hospital treatment felt like the path of least resistance.

    Some were concerned about the disruption home dialysis might bring. This included changes to their living space or worries that partners or family members might become their carers. Others valued the routine and regular social contact of hospital dialysis.

    Healthcare professionals may unintentionally reinforce this choice. Some feel more comfortable monitoring patients in clinical settings or are unsure about how to support home dialysis effectively. In some cases, home dialysis isn’t an option because local services don’t have the infrastructure to support it.

    Rather than simply identifying problems, we worked together to develop practical solutions. In 2021, working with patients, healthcare professionals, charities, commissioners and industry, we devised a new service plan that outlines how kidney services could be redesigned to support more people to choose home dialysis.

    One important finding was the power of talking to others already doing it. It’s not just about practical advice, but reassurance that it can work.

    We also identified the need for better training for both professionals and patients. People told us they wanted to understand their options earlier, ideally a year before dialysis starts. That means tackling difficult topics, such as advance care planning, sooner and with the right support.

    Social care also has an important role to play. People with complex needs – like living alone, having mobility challenges, or experiencing financial hardship – may need home support, welfare advice or help navigating the system.

    The cost of choice

    In a linked study, published in 2022, we analysed the costs of different dialysis options. Home dialysis was found to cost between £16,000 and £23,000 per person per year.

    Hospital dialysis costs more, between £20,000 and £24,000, rising to over £30,000 when ambulance transport is needed. This suggests that encouraging more people to have dialysis at home could deliver savings for the NHS.

    In Wales, where all kidney services are coordinated through a single clinical network, home dialysis is more widely available. But in England, services are more fragmented, so access can depend on where you live.

    Even if these changes were implemented, fundamental issues may still prevent progress. Beneath the surface of patient satisfaction lies a deeper problem – the NHS dialysis service is no longer working as intended.

    Transport is one of the most frequently cited concerns among people receiving hospital dialysis, and no one seems satisfied with current arrangements. But satisfaction surveys fail to capture the complexity of the situation.

    People often begin dialysis in a unit that isn’t closest to home due to availability. Later, when given the option to move closer or switch to home dialysis, they may decline. These dialysis units begin to function as surrogate families, offering comfort, routine and social interaction, especially for people who live alone or are isolated.

    This emotional connection can obscure the bigger picture. Patients may focus on transport as the issue, rather than recognising that their own decisions – shaped by understandable human needs and system design – are part of the wider challenge.

    shutterstock.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Staff are caught in the same dynamic. They worry about losing patients they’ve built relationships with or fear someone may not cope alone. But as a result, the service ends up operating not to help people live well for longer but to preserve a sense of satisfaction with a suboptimal status quo.

    By focusing too heavily on keeping people content with the status quo, we risk obscuring what’s truly working, or not. Worse, we may end up wasting already limited resources trying to fix problems that are byproducts of a system shaped more by sentiment than strategy.

    Meanwhile, staff are caught in the middle, trying to deliver care under mounting pressure, with increasingly blurred expectations.

    What needs to change

    To break out of this cycle, different questions should be asked, and not just whether people are satisfied, but whether they are living well, maintaining independence and receiving care that truly reflects their needs and values.

    Our research shows that people already on home dialysis are a valuable and underused resource. They can offer support and insight to others who are starting their treatment.

    The collaborative approach we used could be a model for other parts of the NHS. By designing services with people, not just for them, we can move closer to a future where more people live comfortably with kidney disease, and care that truly fits around their lives and not the other way round.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales. She is affiliated with the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

    We would like to acknowledge Dr Gareth Roberts Chief Investigator of the Dialysis Options and Choices study. Dr Gareth Roberts is a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Medical Director at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is clinical lead of the Welsh Renal Clinical Network.

    – ref. Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home – https://theconversation.com/why-many-kidney-patients-are-still-choosing-hospital-dialysis-and-how-the-nhs-can-help-more-people-access-care-at-home-254747

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The Shrouds: new Cronenberg film is an elusive meditation on death, grief and environmental ethics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Flanagan, PhD Candidate, School of English, Dublin City University

    American filmmaker David Cronenberg is a leading figure in body horror, a film genre that explores disturbing and often grotesque aspects of the human body. Films such as The Fly (1986), eXistenZ (1999) and Crimes of the Future (2022) depict scenes of physical mutilation, illness and technological invasion to represent deeper fears about identity, society and the human condition.

    Through intense bodily imagery, Cronenberg’s films raise powerful questions about human relationships with technology and nature. As our relationship with technology rapidly evolves alongside escalating environmental catastrophe, there is a timely significance in these ideas.

    His latest film, The Shrouds, evokes the writing of Stacy Alaimo, a scholar known for her work exploring the connections between the human body, the environment, and the social forces that shape both. Alaimo’s work combines feminist and materialist ideas and examines how our bodies are physically connected to the world around us – not separate from nature or society, but shaped by both ecological systems and social structures.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Like Cronenberg, Alaimo is interested in the entanglement of human flesh with more-than-human worlds, alongside the interplay between bodies and objects.

    In The Shrouds, the body, specifically that of Becca (Diane Kruger) is placed firmly at the centre of the story. Appearing both as a decaying corpse and naked in dream sequences, her body bears fresh surgical scars which are unbandaged and exposed.

    Becca’s body is shown as intensely vulnerable, a gendered depiction of femaleness which is controlled literally by the male gaze through the “shroud”, a piece of sci-fi wearable tech. It comprises a suit of MRI and X-ray cameras which encases a corpse, allowing decomposition to be monitored through a live video link with an app.

    This conceit embeds Becca both in the Earth and in technology, creating deeply memorable imagery which challenges viewers to think about death, grief and the environmental ethics surrounding human burial.

    The presentation of Becca’s body evokes Alaimo’s concept of transcorporeality. In her 2010 book Bodily Natures, Alaimo describes transcorporeality as the idea that “the human is ultimately inseparable from ‘the environment’” – continually transformed through interactions with the landscape, chemicals, technology and non-human forces. Becca’s corpse, decaying in real-time on a live link, highlights this connection.

    Grief: the fictional and the personal

    The film opens with Karsh (Vincent Kassel), Becca’s bereaved husband, in a dentist’s chair being told, “Grief is rotting your teeth”. The film as a whole can be read as a meditation on how grief seeps into and changes the body.

    Written following the death of David Cronenberg’s wife (and initially conceived of as a Netflix series), Cronenberg has rejected the idea that it is fully autobiographical. It is, however, difficult to fully separate the director from the story.

    Cassel as Karsh physically resembles Cronenberg in the film, blurring the boundary between fiction and the personal. Physical duplication is a disorienting motif of the film. Kruger reappears as Becca’s sister Terri and as an animated AI assistant named Honey.

    Alongside the grotesque images of her decaying body, these versions of Kruger are especially striking. Cassel’s performance as the controlling and obsessive Karsh is nuanced and understated. His desire to monitor Becca’s decomposition is presented as a logical step to regain possession of her from her illness, and is deeply disturbing.

    It also has ominous and timely resonance in our modern world, where controversial technology exists that permits artificial intelligence to create avatars of the dead to comfort the bereaved.

    The film becomes a mimetic piece on grief, where boundaries between imagination and reality dissolve. Cronenberg’s frequent collaborator Howard Shore provides an ambient score that reinforces this dissolution. Ethereal and bass-rich, it features spacious, slowly evolving melodies wrapped in velvety synth textures which evoke a dream-like soundscape.

    As the plot progresses into a tangle of conspiracy theories, lines blur between Karsh’s dreams and reality. Background plots drift unresolved, characters are vaguely sketched. Themes of environmental activism versus capitalist enterprise, the exploitation of technology, illegal surveillance and government corruption are all threaded through the story, but none are fully realised. This is not a film which offers a straightforward narrative or closure. Like grief, it remains raw, fluid and difficult to contain.

    Throughout, the film returns to Becca’s decaying body, encased in a shroud that is described as both toxic and radioactive, an object of controversy for eco-activists. “She’s dead, remember, she can’t do anything,” Karsh’s companion reminds him.

    But this is not true for Becca. In death, her body is watched and consumed by systems of surveillance and ecological anxiety. Symbolising Alaimo’s concept of transcorporeality, Becca’s decaying corpse, wrapped in technology, but buried in the Earth, is deeply connected to the environment and cannot be separated from it. Her body is influenced by both its natural surroundings and social factors such as the shroud’s technology, outside interference and Karsh’s control.

    Karsh asserts that burial is a complex matter, converging politics, religion and economics. The Shrouds raises questions that touch on all of these, but provides no tangible answers. Some viewers will be frustrated by the film’s lack of logical structure and resolution. But it is also fair to say that this is how it mirrors the pathways of grief itself: unwieldy, unpredictable and consuming.

    Laura O’Flanagan 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 Shrouds: new Cronenberg film is an elusive meditation on death, grief and environmental ethics – https://theconversation.com/the-shrouds-new-cronenberg-film-is-an-elusive-meditation-on-death-grief-and-environmental-ethics-260009

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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: I rode the Tour de France to study its impact on the human body – here’s what I learned

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steve Faulkner, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, Nottingham Trent University

    The Tour de France is often called the world’s biggest annual sporting event. Each July up to 12 million people line the roadside, while the cumulative TV audience tops 3 billion viewers across 190 countries.

    In 2025, 184 riders will compete in teams of eight, racing a punishing 3,500 km route with nearly 50,000 metres of climbing – roughly the height of Mount Everest six times over. Across 21 stages riders tackle time trials, flat sprints and brutal mountain passes through the Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Central.

    Professional cyclists possess extraordinary endurance and are capable of generating high power outputs day after day. Yet, despite having far less training and support, in recent years a number of amateur cyclists have begun riding the Tour route just days before the pros. The Tour 21 is one such effort and offers cyclists a chance to follow in the tyre tracks of the elite while raising money for a good cause.

    In 2021 I joined 19 others to ride the full route in support of Cure Leukaemia, with a shared goal of raising £1 million for blood cancer research. As a blood cancer survivor diagnosed at 16, this challenge combined my love of cycling, my background in science and my deep desire to give back to the community that helped save my life. It was also a unique opportunity to study how amateur cyclists cope with one of the most demanding endurance events in the world.

    The research findings were published in the Journal of Science and Cycling, to coincide with 2025’s Grand Départ (the official start of the race) in Lille.

    Training for the impossible

    Originally, the study planned to include lab-based physiological assessments of the amateur cyclists undertaking the Tour de France route, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adapt and rely instead on data from training diaries. These gave us insight into how much (or little) training had been done leading up to the ride, and how riders managed the physical and mental strain during the event itself.

    While professional cyclists typically train 20–25 hours a week – often at altitude, with tailored coaching and racing schedules – our group of amateurs had full-time jobs, were typically 15–20 years older than the pros and trained around seven to ten hours a week.

    Our preparation was far from ideal, averaging just 47km per ride and 350 metres of climbing; a fraction of what the Tour demands. In fact, this amounted to less than 10% of the required climbing during the mountain stages.

    Once the ride began, the contrast between training and reality was stark. The group averaged nearly seven hours of riding a day, a 300% increase from their usual routine. Within four days signs of overtraining began to emerge: riders were no longer able to elevate their heart rates, a classic marker of central nervous system fatigue and excessive physical stress.

    As the days progressed, performance metrics continued to decline: heart rates dropped, power outputs fell and mood scores deteriorated. The cumulative fatigue was undeniable.

    Surprisingly, when we compared our amateur data to metrics from professional riders, we found that although pros ride at much higher power outputs, amateurs were subject to greater relative stress. On some days they spent almost double the time in the saddle, which meant they operated closer to their physical limits, with far less time for recovery – and often suboptimal sleep and nutrition.

    By the final week many of the riders could no longer produce the same power they had in the first few days. In some cases, heart rates wouldn’t rise above 100 beats per minute – a clear sign of accumulated fatigue and physiological overload.

    How to prepare for an ultra-endurance challenge

    If you’re planning to take on a major endurance event – whether it’s cycling, running, or hiking – here are some lessons from the road:

    1. Train specifically for the event

    Your training should mirror the challenge ahead. For the Tour, this meant preparing for long, back-to-back days with significant climbing. Mimic the intensity, volume and terrain as closely as possible.

    2. Understand how quickly fatigue builds

    Over multiple days, fatigue doesn’t just accumulate – it compounds. Listen to your body, adapt your plan and include plenty of recovery time.

    3. Prioritise nutrition and recovery

    These two factors can make or break your performance. You’ll need to consume enough energy to fuel the effort, but avoid excessive intake that leads to unnecessary weight gain. Recovery – through sleep, rest and refuelling – is equally vital.

    4. Work with an experienced coach

    More than fancy bikes or high-tech gear, a good coach is your best investment. They can help tailor your training plan, track your progress and adapt strategies as needed. Don’t underestimate this support.

    A ride to remember

    Completing the Tour de France route is a monumental achievement for any cyclist — amateur or pro. In 2021, our team not only rode the full route, but also raised over £1 million for Cure Leukaemia. For me, it marked a deeply personal milestone in my cancer journey.

    Throughout those 21 days, I thought often of the physical and emotional battles I faced during treatment; moments when I didn’t know if I’d survive, let alone ride across France. That experience gave me the resilience to keep going, even when my body was screaming to stop.

    Riding the Tour taught me that we’re capable of far more than we realise, especially when we ride with purpose.

    Steve Faulkner 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. I rode the Tour de France to study its impact on the human body – here’s what I learned – https://theconversation.com/i-rode-the-tour-de-france-to-study-its-impact-on-the-human-body-heres-what-i-learned-260524

    MIL OSI Analysis –