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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How strawberries and cream were a rare and exciting treat for Victorians – and then became a Wimbledon icon

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Earle, Professor of History, University of Warwick

    Strawberries and Cream by Raphaelle Peale (1816). National Gallery of Art

    Wimbledon is all about strawberries and cream (and of course tennis). The club itself describes strawberries and cream as “a true icon of The Championships”.

    While a meal at one of the club’s restaurants can set you back £130 or more, a bowl of the iconic dish is a modest £2.70 (up from £2.50 in 2024 – the first price rise in 15 years). In 2024 visitors munched their way through nearly 2 million berries.

    Strawberries and cream has a long association with Wimbledon. Even before lawn tennis was added to its activities, the All England Croquet Club (now the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club) was serving strawberries and cream to visitors. They would have expected no less. Across Victorian Britain, strawberries and cream was a staple of garden parties of all sorts. Private affairs, political fundraisers and county cricket matches all typically served the dish.

    Alongside string bands and games of lawn tennis, strawberries and cream were among the pleasures that Victorians expected to encounter at a fête or garden party. As a result, one statistician wrote in the Dundee Evening Telegraph in 1889, Londoners alone consumed 12 million berries a day over the summer. At that rate, he explained, if strawberries were available year-round, Britons would spend 24 times more on strawberries than on missionary work, and twice as much as on education.

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    But of course strawberries and cream were not available year-round. They were a delightful treat of the summer and the delicate berries did not last. Victorian newspapers, such as the Illustrated London News, complained that even the fruits on sale in London were a sad, squashed travesty of those eaten in the countryside, to say nothing of London’s cream, which might have been watered down.

    Wimbledon’s lawn tennis championships were held in late June or early July – in the midst, in other words, of strawberry season.

    Eating strawberries and cream had long been a distinctly seasonal pleasure. Seventeenth-century menu plans for elegant banquets offered strawberries, either with cream or steeped (rather deliciously, and I recommend you try this) in rose water, white wine, and sugar – as a suitable dish for the month of June.

    Strawberries and Cream by Robert Gemmell Hutchison (1855–1936).
    National Galleries of Scotland, CC BY-NC

    They were, in the view of the 17th-century gardener John Parkinson, “a cooling and pleasant dish in the hot summer season”. They were, in short, a summer food. That was still the case in the 1870s, when the Wimbledon tennis championship was established.

    This changed dramatically with the invention of mechanical refrigeration. From the late 19th century, new technologies enabled the global movement of chilled and frozen foods across vast oceans and spaces.

    Domestic ice-boxes and refrigerators followed. These modern devices were hailed as freeing us from the tyranny of seasons. As the Ladies Home Journal magazine proclaimed triumphantly in 1929: “Refrigeration wipes out seasons and distances … We grow perishable products in the regions best suited to them instead of being forced to stick close to the large markets.” Eating seasonally, or locally, was a tiresome constraint and it was liberating to be able to enjoy foods at whatever time of year we desired.

    As a result, points out historian Susan Friedberg, our concept of “freshness” was transformed. Consumers “stopped expecting fresh food to be just-picked or just-caught or just-killed. Instead, they expected to find and keep it in the refrigerator.”

    Strawberries and cream being enjoyed at Wimbledon.
    bonchan/Shutterstock

    Today, when we can buy strawberries year round, we have largely lost the excitement that used to accompany advent of the strawberry season. Colour supplements and supermarket magazines do their best to drum up some enthusiasm for British strawberries, but we are far from the days when poets could rhapsodise about dairy maids “dreaming of their strawberries and cream” in the month of May.

    Strawberries and cream, once a “rare service” enjoyed in the short months from late April to early July, are now a season-less staple, available virtually year round from the global networks of commercial growers who supply Britain’s food. The special buzz about Wimbledon’s iconic dish of strawberries and cream is a glimpse into an earlier time, and reminds us that it was not always so.

    Rebecca Earle 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. How strawberries and cream were a rare and exciting treat for Victorians – and then became a Wimbledon icon – https://theconversation.com/how-strawberries-and-cream-were-a-rare-and-exciting-treat-for-victorians-and-then-became-a-wimbledon-icon-258629

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Sixteenth-century tennis was a dangerous sport played with balls covered in wool

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Penny Roberts, Professor of Early Modern European History, University of Warwick

    Portrait of a young boy with a paletta and a ball, late 16th century, artist unknown. Wiki Commons/Canva

    In 1570, a Frenchman was arrested for smuggling clandestine correspondence between France and England. A passing comment in his interrogation document reveals that he also happened to be carrying a leather bag “in which there were three or four dozen balls of wool for playing tennis”.

    The French term used was jeu de paume. This sport was played with the hand (palm), often gloved, rather than a racquet. This developed into the game that in English we usually refer to as “real tennis” (a different beast to the lawn tennis played at Wimbledon).

    The interrogator believed that this cheap merchandise was simply a ruse for the man’s true purpose of communicating with Huguenot exiles. I have written a book, Huguenot Networks, based on this interrogation document, which will be published by Cambridge University Press later this year. But, as a historian, I was intrigued by both the number and makeup of the goods he was transporting. The wool, if wrapped tightly, could certainly have made these balls bouncy.

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    By chance, I encountered similar objects in a small display in the Palazzo Te in Mantua in Italy. These balls had apparently been retrieved from the palace roof and several others had come from a nearby church. They were variously made of leather, cloth and string rather than wool, probably stuffed with earth or animal hair. Just like the handmade “real tennis” balls of today, they were harder and more variable in size than regular tennis balls, and usually not so colourful, although sometimes having a simple painted design on the outside.

    Today, “real tennis” is known as the “sport of kings”, praised for testing agility and athletic prowess. The most famous court in England is at Hampton Court, but many others survive in the UK. For instance, there is one down the road from where I work at the University of Warwick, at Moreton Morrell in Warwickshire.

    Louis X of France popularised the sport.
    Gallica

    In the 16th century, real tennis attracted gamblers, meaning it became a later target for Puritans. Anne Boleyn is said to have placed a wager on a match she was watching on the day of her arrest. And Henry VIII, fittingly, supposedly played a match on the day Boleyn was executed.

    And if there is any doubt about how dangerous tennis could be, several royal deaths in France are attributed to it. King Louis X of France was a keen player of jeu de paume. He was the first ruler to order enclosed indoor courts to be constructed. This later became popular across Europe.

    In June 1316, after a particularly exhausting game, Louis X is said to have drunk a large quantity of chilled wine and soon afterwards died – probably of pleurisy, although there was some suspicion of poisoning.

    Likewise, in August 1536, the death of the 18-year-old dauphin, eldest son of Francis I, was blamed on his Italian secretary, the Count of Montecuccoli, who had brought him a glass of cold water after a match. The count was subsequently executed despite a post-mortem suggesting that the prince had died of natural causes.

    By the 16th century, there were two courts at the Louvre and many more around the city of Paris as well as at other royal residences. Ambassadors’ accounts describe frequent games between high-ranking courtiers and the king which could sometimes result in injury, especially if struck by one of the hard balls.

    Our man carrying many tennis balls in 1570 had probably spotted a lucrative opportunity in response to rising demand. The French game had become increasingly popular in England under the Tudors.

    By the Tudor period, no self-respecting European court was without its own purpose-built tennis courts where monarchs and their entourages tested their prowess and skill. They often did so before ambassadors, who could report back to their own rulers, making it a truly competitive international sport.

    Thankfully, today’s game has far fewer dangers – there’s no risk of being hit by a ball full of earth or the fear of mortal retribution after beating an exhausted high-ranking opponent.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Penny Roberts 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. Sixteenth-century tennis was a dangerous sport played with balls covered in wool – https://theconversation.com/sixteenth-century-tennis-was-a-dangerous-sport-played-with-balls-covered-in-wool-255643

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on Myanmar

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on Myanmar

    UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report and oral update of the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, High Commissioner, Special Rapporteur and all speakers for your update.

    As you and others have noted, the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on 28 March has compounded an already dire humanitarian crisis. Over 22 million people across the country are now in need of assistance, many forced to flee across borders in search of safety.

    The deliberate blocking of humanitarian access to areas outside military control during the earthquake was unacceptable. The UK provided £25 million through local delivery partners capable of overcoming access restrictions and reaching the most vulnerable.

    The conflict in Rakhine State continues, driving mass displacement and humanitarian crisis, impacting all communities. Reports of human rights abuses and violations continue to emerge, including of arbitrary detention and forced recruitment. Since 2017, the UK has provided over £108 million to support communities in Rakhine with humanitarian aid.

    The military’s airstrikes continue across the country targeting civilian infrastructure including schools and hospitals; this must stop. All parties must protect civilians.

    Meanwhile, courageous journalists and activists continue to document human rights abuses and violations in Myanmar. The UK supports organisations like Myanmar Witness to collect independent, verifiable data, for future prosecution.

    High Commissioner,

    What more can the international community do to support accountability mechanisms to achieve justice for the people of Myanmar?

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: Bilateral trade turnover with Turkey has more than doubled in five years

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak and Minister of Trade of Turkey Omer Bolat, as co-chairs, held the 19th meeting of the Mixed Intergovernmental Russian-Turkish Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    Among the main areas of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Turkey, Alexander Novak singled out energy, agriculture, industrial cooperation, transport and logistics, customs cooperation, and tourism. Joint work is also underway in the fields of education, sports, information technology, and many other areas.

    “Turkey is one of the three largest foreign trade partners of Russia. Bilateral trade turnover has increased 2.3 times in five years. I am confident that we will be able to maintain the positive dynamics in the future and focus on creating favorable conditions for increasing the volume of Russian-Turkish trade turnover, as well as on the implementation of existing and launching new projects. We are pleased to note the successful cooperation in the energy sector, which is a strategic area of our interaction, including in terms of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The implementation of the flagship project for the construction of the Akkuyu NPP in Turkey continues. We are ready to implement projects on the promising agenda in any mutually beneficial format,” said Alexander Novak.

    He noted that in 2024, the trade turnover between the two countries approached $60 billion. The countries are moving towards achieving the goal of increasing mutual trade turnover to $100 billion in the coming years.

    “Russia and Turkey have been building strong, friendly, good-neighborly relations based on dialogue and mutual respect for a long period of history. This concerns not only trade and economic relations, but also issues of ensuring sustainable peace in the region. Our relations in the regional and international sense are developing despite difficulties, the number and quality of new joint projects in various areas, including energy, is growing every day,” said Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat.

    Alexander Novak spoke about the prospects for deepening cooperation in agriculture, tourism and sports. To ensure access of Turkish agricultural products to the Russian market and Russian food products to Turkey, the interaction of the supervisory authorities of the two countries is expanding, and the quality of products is being monitored. The tourist flow from Russia to Turkey is growing: by the end of 2024, more than 6 million tourists from Russia visited the country. As a result of the program to promote the Russian tourism brand in Turkey, last year record figures were achieved for inbound tourism from Turkey to Russia – 101 thousand tourists.

    Turkish athletes are taking part in key sporting events in Russia. By the end of the year, Russia and Türkiye expect to sign a medium-term interdepartmental plan for sporting events for 2026–2028.

    At the end of the 19th plenary session of the Joint Intergovernmental Russian-Turkish Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, Alexander Novak and Omer Bolat signed a final protocol, which outlined key tasks in all areas of mutual interest, including encouraging investment in the economies of both countries, simplifying customs regulations, expanding industrial and energy cooperation, etc.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smith, Hoyle, Schatz Introduce New Legislation to Reduce Economic Inequality and Make Wall Street Pay Its Fair Share

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Last week, U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (WA-09), and Val Hoyle (OR-04), and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced The Wall Street Tax Act (H.R. 4035), which would deliver hundreds of billions of dollars back to the American people by making Wall Street pay its fair share. The bill would create a progressive tax aimed at reducing the risky trading practices that threaten our economic stability while generating revenues that can be reinvested towards services for working people. Once fully implemented, the bill is projected to raise $750 billion over 10 years. 

    “It’s past time for the wealthiest to pay their fair share, which is why I’m proud to support the Wall Street Tax Act, which targets high-risk trades that create high volatility and instability in the markets,” said Rep. Smith. “I’ll continue to fight for a fairer economy that works for everyone and reflects the values of the communities I serve.”

    “While Republicans push another tax break for billionaires that would blow up the deficit, we’re offering a smarter path. The Wall Street Tax Act puts a price on the risky, high-speed trading that benefits Wall Street and leaves working families behind,” said Rep. Hoyle. “This small, targeted tax will raise hundreds of billions from those who can afford it and reinvest it in things that actually help people—like schools, housing, and infrastructure. Working families shouldn’t have to pay for Wall Street’s gambling.”

    “Wall Street routinely cashes in on high-risk trades that add no real value to our economy. It’s long past time we curbed this dangerous trading to reduce market volatility and encourage investment that actually helps our economy grow,” said Senator Schatz. “Republicans are racing to enrich billionaires and corporations by ripping regular people off. We’re doing the opposite: raising new revenue from Wall Street to reinvest in our communities.”

    “Instead of the proposed heartless cuts to services that help vulnerable communities and everyday people—like Medicaid and nutrition assistance—that Congress is currently debating, there is another route that lawmakers can and must pursue: raising taxes on corporations and the super-rich—including Wall Street high rollers,” said Susan Harley, managing director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division. “The Wall Street Tax Act would generate hundreds of billions of dollars that could be used to expand programs that improve the lives of Americans and it has the simultaneous benefit of reducing harmful high-speed trading that hurts investors and increases risk in our markets.”

    This bill is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Frost (D-FL), Jayapal (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA), Pingree (D-MN), Schakowsky (D-IL), Tlaib (D-MI), Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

    The Wall Street Tax Act is currently endorsed by 32 organizations, including:Affordable Homeownership Foundation, AFL-CIO, American Family Voices, American Federation of Teachers, Americans for Financial Reform, Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF), Blue Future, Chicago Political Economy Group, Child Labor Coalition, Citizens for Tax Justice, Coalition on Human Needs, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Consumer Action, Food & Water Watch, Greenpeace USA. Groundwork Collaborative, Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy Medical Mission Sisters(Unit North America), National Consumers League, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Our Revolution, Oxfam America, Public Citizen, Public Justice Center, Responsible Wealth, RootsAction, Take on Wall Street, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United for a Fair Economy, United Church of Christ, and United Steelworkers International Union (USW).

    The Bill

    The Wall Street Tax Act will levy a 0.1% tax – phased in over five years–on the sale of stocks, bonds, and derivatives to discourage risky and unproductive trading practices and gives those profits back to the people. The tax would apply to the fair market value of assets. Initial public offerings (IPOs) and short-term debt would be exempted from the tax. 

    Background

    High frequency trading (HFT) is a type of asset trading that uses supercomputers and specialized algorithms to make large, high-volume trades in a fraction of a second. HFT allows corporations and the ultra-wealthy to benefit from minor fluctuations in stock prices by allowing them to buy and sell in large volumes to make larger profits off of small differences. These practices create undue market volatility, which overwhelmingly hurts everyday investors who are unable to trade as quickly.

    In addition, these speculative, high-volume trading practices add little to no real value to the U.S. economy because the gains from them are centralized within the hands of a wealthy few. However, these high stakes games do have a real impact, as their asset prices react to the trades. The volatility these trades can even lead to a “Flash Crash,” where such volatility prompts mass selloffs across the stock market. This volatility can affect the retirements, pensions, and investments of working people.

    The Wall Street Tax Act is considered a progressive tax, meaning lower income earners pay a lesser percentage of their income in taxes compared to those with higher incomes. 

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smith, Meeks, Himes Introduce War Powers Resolution to Cease U.S. Hostilities on Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

    Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Jim Himes, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today introduced a War Powers Resolution to order the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran absent a Congressional authorization, while preserving the ability for U.S. Armed Forces to  defend the U.S. and its partners and allies from imminent attack.

    “President Trump must not be allowed to start a war with Iran, or any country, without Congressional approval. Yet President Trump ordered strikes on Iran this past weekend without meaningful consultation or Congressional authorization.

    “We still don’t know whether these strikes eliminated Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities, and the administration has offered no clear strategy. Instead, the President has posted on social media about regime change, undermining any claim that this was a narrowly tailored operation to eliminate a nuclear threat. Without a coherent strategy for preventing Iran’s program from bouncing back, including through diplomacy, we risk further escalation. No thoughtful deliberation nor careful planning occurred here — and serious actions demand serious debate, not presidential impulse.

    “The War Powers Resolution we’ve introduced today orders the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran, while allowing U.S. forces to carry out defensive operations to defend the United States and its partners and allies from imminent attack, including those defending Israel. Again, President Trump must not be allowed to start a war with Iran without Congressional approval.”

    A PDF of the Resolution can be found here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at HKAPA 40th Anniversary Celebration Banquet (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by FS at HKAPA 40th Anniversary Celebration Banquet (English only)  
    Charles (Yang) (Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), Mr Charles Yang), Professor Anna Chan (Director of the HKAPA), 張志華副主任 (Deputy Director-General of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province Mr Zhang Zhihua), 林枬副部長 (Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Lin Nan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
    Good evening. It is both an honour and a privilege to join you tonight in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. 
     
    Allow me to begin by extending my warmest congratulations to the Academy. For four decades, you have stood as a pillar of performing arts education and creative innovation in Hong Kong, shaping the artistic landscape of our city and beyond.
     
    Since its founding in 1984, the Academy has played a vital role in nurturing generations of world-class talent in performing arts and arts technology. From drama to music, and from dance to film and television, your graduates have brought to life a rich tapestry of performances and productions that have captivated audiences, enriched our cultural fabric, and deepened public appreciation for arts and culture.
     
    The many acclaimed film makers nurtured by the Academy is a compelling example. Their works and productions have defined Hong Kong cinema and extended its influence far beyond the territory, being recognised as a cultural force across the region and around the world.
     
    Today, the global entertainment industry is massive and rapidly evolving. It is also a multi-billion dollar business. In recent years, we have seen the rise of cultural powerhouses from this part of the world like Korea. And the Mainland is emerging as an important player as well. Despite changing market trends and challenges, Hong Kong producers continue to shine. The recent success of local productions, such as “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” 《九龍城寨之圍城》and “The Last Dance” 《破·地獄》, stands as a testament to the enduring strength of our creative industries. It tells that we can capture the hearts of local, Mainland and international audiences with quality productions. It is the innovative spirit, artistic excellence, and a bold embrace of new technologies that will drive the future of the industry.
     
    Meanwhile, for performing arts, our unique connectivity with the Greater Bay Area, together with world-class performing venues offers unparalleled opportunities for our arts groups and performers. Opportunities to expand their reach, build their brands, and step confidently onto the regional and global stage. Seizing these opportunities requires not only talent and capital, but also vision, passion and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
     
    In fact, a flourishing arts and creative sector is not only a powerful engine of economic growth, but also an important pillar of soft power. 
     
    In a world increasingly marked by fragmentation and conflicts, we must ask ourselves: do we need more confrontation, or more dialogue? More isolation, or greater understanding? I believe the answer is clear to all of us. And in this connection, arts and culture are a profound and irreplaceable means of fostering mutual understanding, empathy and unison.
     
    Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to contribute to this global dialogue. With our openness, diversity and international character, there is no better place than Hong Kong to be an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. And through your work – your performances, your productions, your stories – I am sure the perspectives of Hong Kong, and of our country, will be better shared by the world.  
     
    In advancing these strategic goals, the Academy has been, and will continue to be, an important partner.
     
    That is why, in the 2022 Policy Address, the Government entrusted the Academy with an important new mission: to deepen its role in talent development for the Greater Bay Area, and to broaden its educational footprint through the establishment of a new campus in the Northern Metropolis. This initiative reflects both our confidence in the Academy’s capabilities and our shared aspiration to elevate performing arts across the region.
     
    As the Academy looks to the future, let us remember: talent is the key to our continued success – and indeed the success of any institution, industry and society.
     
    I have every confidence that the Academy will remain true to its founding mission, and continue to cultivate the next generation of artists not only with skills and creativity but also with vision, heart and passion.
     
    And I have every confidence too, that the Academy will rise to the challenges and capture the opportunities ahead, strengthen its international presence, and flourish as a premier performing arts institution – not only in Asia, but on the world stage.
     
    On this note, I wish the entire Academy community – your dedicated faculty, talented students and accomplished alumni – every success as you continue your pursuit of artistic excellence with passion, purpose, and pride.
     
    Once again, my heartfelt congratulations to the Academy. May you continue to inspire, innovate and illuminate. And may the next chapter of your journey be even more brilliant than the last. Thank you.
    Issued at HKT 21:38

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Accessibility Act enters into force

    Source: European Union 2

    From 28 June, the emergency number 112, banks, public transport and other services must be accessible to all European citizens, especially the 100 million people with disabilities living in the EU. For example, ATMs must include accessible interfaces and online banking operations must be accessible.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Announces Arrest of Serial Criminal Behind Molotov Cocktail Attack on ICE and CBP Officers in Los Angeles

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” – Secretary Noem 

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement on the arrest of Eric Anthony Rodriguez for attempting to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with a Molotov cocktail.

    On June 21, 2025, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported Rodriguez threw a Molotov cocktail at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport where 15 ICE and 12 CBP law enforcement officers were staying.

    Rodriguez has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, second degree robbery, falsifying checks, theft and vandalism. He also had an outstanding felony warrant for violating parole.

    On June 23, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles presented the investigation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    “Anthony Rodriguez is a serial criminal who will face justice for threatening the lives of federal law enforcement. On June 21, this coward threw a Molotov cocktail at a hotel in Los Angeles where 27 DHS law enforcement officers were staying. Thankfully, the attack was unsuccessful, and no one was injured,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Dangerous rhetoric by sanctuary politicians has fanned the flames of violence against federal law enforcement—and it has led to a 500% increase in assaults against ICE. Secretary Noem has been perfectly clear: Anyone who threatens the lives of federal officers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law—and that is exactly what will happen to Rodriguez.”

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Announces Arrest of Serial Criminal Behind Molotov Cocktail Attack on ICE and CBP Officers in Los Angeles

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.” – Secretary Noem 

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement on the arrest of Eric Anthony Rodriguez for attempting to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers with a Molotov cocktail.

    On June 21, 2025, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported Rodriguez threw a Molotov cocktail at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport where 15 ICE and 12 CBP law enforcement officers were staying.

    Rodriguez has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, second degree robbery, falsifying checks, theft and vandalism. He also had an outstanding felony warrant for violating parole.

    On June 23, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles presented the investigation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    “Anthony Rodriguez is a serial criminal who will face justice for threatening the lives of federal law enforcement. On June 21, this coward threw a Molotov cocktail at a hotel in Los Angeles where 27 DHS law enforcement officers were staying. Thankfully, the attack was unsuccessful, and no one was injured,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Dangerous rhetoric by sanctuary politicians has fanned the flames of violence against federal law enforcement—and it has led to a 500% increase in assaults against ICE. Secretary Noem has been perfectly clear: Anyone who threatens the lives of federal officers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law—and that is exactly what will happen to Rodriguez.”

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Around the Air Force: Human-Machine Teaming, Sonic Boom Research, Survivable Communication Networks

    Source: United States Air Force

    In this week’s look Around the Air Force, human-machine teaming for better decision-making in battle sprints forward, researchers study the impact of sonic booms, and Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal system enhances warfighting with a strategic communication network.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Around the Air Force: Human-Machine Teaming, Sonic Boom Research, Survivable Communication Networks

    Source: United States Air Force

    In this week’s look Around the Air Force, human-machine teaming for better decision-making in battle sprints forward, researchers study the impact of sonic booms, and Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal system enhances warfighting with a strategic communication network.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Publication of financial reports: Federal Office of Justice imposes disciplinary fine on Vivanco Gruppe AG

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The disciplinary fine order related to a breach of section 325 of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB). Vivanco Gruppe AG failed to submit its consolidated accounting documents for the financial year 2023 for the purpose of disclosure to the operator of the German Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) in electronic form within the prescribed period. The legal basis for the sanction is section 335 of the HGB.

    The company lodged an appeal against the Federal Office of Justice’s decision to impose a disciplinary fine.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Publication of financial reports: Federal Office of Justice imposes disciplinary fine on Vivanco Gruppe AG

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The disciplinary fine order related to a breach of section 325 of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB). Vivanco Gruppe AG failed to submit its consolidated accounting documents for the financial year 2023 for the purpose of disclosure to the operator of the German Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) in electronic form within the prescribed period. The legal basis for the sanction is section 335 of the HGB.

    The company lodged an appeal against the Federal Office of Justice’s decision to impose a disciplinary fine.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Gas derivatives: General administrative act on the imposition of position limits

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The position limits will be applicable from 26 June 2025 on.

    BaFin is required to set position limits for each significant commodity derivative offered on a German trading venue. A commodity derivative is considered significant if its open interest, i.e. the sum of all outstanding net positions, corresponds to at least 300,000 lots on average over a one-year period.

    BaFin had conducted a public consultation during December 2024 and January 2025 on the administrative act. Furthermore, BaFin has notified ESMA of the position limits. ESMA’s opinion is available at https://www.esma.europa.eu/.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Gas derivatives: General administrative act on the imposition of position limits

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The position limits will be applicable from 26 June 2025 on.

    BaFin is required to set position limits for each significant commodity derivative offered on a German trading venue. A commodity derivative is considered significant if its open interest, i.e. the sum of all outstanding net positions, corresponds to at least 300,000 lots on average over a one-year period.

    BaFin had conducted a public consultation during December 2024 and January 2025 on the administrative act. Furthermore, BaFin has notified ESMA of the position limits. ESMA’s opinion is available at https://www.esma.europa.eu/.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are upending risk models

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University

    The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. Breed

    Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.

    Mudslides buried roads and reshaped river channels. Uprooted trees left soil on hillslopes exposed to the elements. Sediment that washed into rivers changed how water flows through the landscape, leaving some areas more prone to flooding and erosion.

    Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.

    These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.

    Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    Google Earth, CC BY

    I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.

    The science behind cascading hazards

    Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.

    For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.

    That’s exactly what happened after the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, which led to a surge in debris flows long after the initial seismic event.

    A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China.
    AP Photo/Andy Wong

    Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.

    The 1950 Assam earthquake in India is a striking example: It triggered thousands of landslides. The sediment from these landslides gradually moved through the river system, eventually causing flooding and changing river channels in Bangladesh some 20 years later.

    An intensifying threat in a changing world

    These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.

    Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.

    Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires, storms and extreme rainfall. At the same time, urban development continues to expand into steep, hazard-prone terrain, exposing more people and infrastructure to evolving risks.

    The rising risk of interconnected climate disasters like these is overwhelming systems built for isolated events.

    Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.

    Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.

    Rethinking risk and building resilience

    Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.

    But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.

    A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025
    A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025

    Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.

    Researchers are already coupling weather forecasts with post-wildfire debris flow models. Other models simulate how sediment pulses travel through river networks.

    Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.

    Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.

    Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.

    Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are upending risk models – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-helene-set-up-future-disasters-from-landslides-to-flooding-cascading-hazards-like-these-are-upending-risk-models-259502

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Checking in on New England’s fishing industry 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ hit movie theaters

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie Otts, Director of National Sea Grant Law Center, University of Mississippi

    Filming ‘The Perfect Storm’ in Gloucester Harbor, Mass.
     The Salem News Historic Photograph Collection, Salem State University Archives and Special Collections, CC BY

    Twenty-five years ago, “The Perfect Storm” roared into movie theaters. The disaster flick, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, was a riveting, fictionalized account of commercial swordfishing in New England and a crew who went down in a violent storm.

    The anniversary of the film’s release, on June 30, 2000, provides an opportunity to reflect on the real-life changes to New England’s commercial fishing industry.

    Fishing was once more open to all

    In the true story behind the movie, six men lost their lives in late October 1991 when the commercial swordfishing vessel Andrea Gail disappeared in a fierce storm in the North Atlantic as it was headed home to Gloucester, Massachusetts.

    At the time, and until very recently, almost all commercial fisheries were open access, meaning there were no restrictions on who could fish.

    There were permit requirements and regulations about where, when and how you could fish, but anyone with the means to purchase a boat and associated permits, gear, bait and fuel could enter the fishery. Eight regional councils established under a 1976 federal law to manage fisheries around the U.S. determined how many fish could be harvested prior to the start of each fishing season.

    Fishing has been an integral part of coastal New England culture since its towns were established. In this 1899 photo, a New England community weighs and packs mackerel.
    Charles Stevenson/Freshwater and Marine Image Bank

    Fishing started when the season opened and continued until the catch limit was reached. In some fisheries, this resulted in a “race to the fish” or a “derby,” where vessels competed aggressively to harvest the available catch in short amounts of time. The limit could be reached in a single day, as happened in the Pacific halibut fishery in the late 1980s.

    By the 1990s, however, open access systems were coming under increased criticism from economists as concerns about overfishing rose.

    The fish catch peaked in New England in 1987 and would remain far above what the fish population could sustain for two more decades. Years of overfishing led to the collapse of fish stocks, including North Atlantic cod in 1992 and Pacific sardine in 2015.

    As populations declined, managers responded by cutting catch limits to allow more fish to survive and reproduce. Fishing seasons were shortened, as it took less time for the fleets to harvest the allowed catch. It became increasingly hard for fishermen to catch enough fish to earn a living.

    Saving fisheries changed the industry

    In the early 2000s, as these economic and environmental challenges grew, fisheries managers started limiting access. Instead of allowing anyone to fish, only vessels or individuals meeting certain eligibility requirements would have the right to fish.

    The most common method of limiting access in the U.S. is through limited entry permits, initially awarded to individuals or vessels based on previous participation or success in the fishery. Another approach is to assign individual harvest quotas or “catch shares” to permit holders, limiting how much each boat can bring in.

    In 2007, Congress amended the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to promote the use of limited access programs in U.S. fisheries.

    Ships in the fleet out of New Bedford, Mass.
    Henry Zbyszynski/Flickr, CC BY

    Today, limited access is common, and there are positive signs that the management change is helping achieve the law’s environmental goal of preventing overfishing. Since 2000, the populations of 50 major fishing stocks have been rebuilt, meaning they have recovered to a level that can once again support fishing.

    I’ve been following the changes as a lawyer focused on ocean and coastal issues, and I see much work still to be done.

    Forty fish stocks are currently being managed under rebuilding plans that limit catch to allow the stock to grow, including Atlantic cod, which has struggled to recover due to a complex combination of factors, including climatic changes.

    The lingering effect on communities today

    While many fish stocks have recovered, the effort came at an economic cost to many individual fishermen. The limited-access Northeast groundfish fishery, which includes Atlantic cod, haddock and flounder, shed nearly 800 crew positions between 2007 and 2015.

    The loss of jobs and revenue from fishing impacts individual family income and relationships, strains other businesses in fishing communities, and affects those communities’ overall identity and resilience, as illustrated by a recent economic snapshot of the Alaska seafood industry.

    When original limited-access permit holders leave the business – for economic, personal or other reasons – their permits are either terminated or sold to other eligible permit holders, leading to fewer active vessels in the fleet. As a result, the number of vessels fishing for groundfish has declined from 719 in 2007 to 194 in 2023, meaning fewer jobs.

    A fisherman unloads a portion of his catch for the day of 300 pounds of groundfish, including flounder, in January 2006 in Gloucester, Mass.
    AP Photo/Lisa Poole

    Because of their scarcity, limited-access permits can cost upward of US$500,000, which is often beyond the financial means of a small businesses or a young person seeking to enter the industry. The high prices may also lead retiring fishermen to sell their permits, as opposed to passing them along with the vessels to the next generation.

    These economic forces have significantly altered the fishing industry, leading to more corporate and investor ownership, rather than the family-owned operations that were more common in the Andrea Gail’s time.

    Similar to the experience of small family farms, fishing captains and crews are being pushed into corporate arrangements that reduce their autonomy and revenues.

    Consolidation can threaten the future of entire fleets, as New Bedford, Massachusetts, saw when Blue Harvest Fisheries, backed by a private equity firm, bought up vessels and other assets and then declared bankruptcy a few years later, leaving a smaller fleet and some local business and fishermen unpaid for their work. A company with local connections bought eight vessels from Blue Harvest along with 48 state and federal permits the company held.

    New challenges and unchanging risks

    While there are signs of recovery for New England’s fisheries, challenges continue.

    Warming water temperatures have shifted the distribution of some species, affecting where and when fish are harvested. For example, lobsters have moved north toward Canada. When vessels need to travel farther to find fish, that increases fuel and supply costs and time away from home.

    Fisheries managers will need to continue to adapt to keep New England’s fisheries healthy and productive.

    One thing that, unfortunately, hasn’t changed is the dangerous nature of the occupation. Between 2000 and 2019, 414 fishermen died in 245 disasters.

    Stephanie Otts receives funding from the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Previous support for fisheries management legal research provided by The Nature Conservancy.

    – ref. Checking in on New England’s fishing industry 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ hit movie theaters – https://theconversation.com/checking-in-on-new-englands-fishing-industry-25-years-after-the-perfect-storm-hit-movie-theaters-255076

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are now upending risk models

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University

    The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. Breed

    Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.

    Mudslides buried roads and reshaped river channels. Uprooted trees left soil on hillslopes exposed to the elements. Sediment that washed into rivers changed how water flows through the landscape, leaving some areas more prone to flooding and erosion.

    Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.

    These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.

    Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    Google Earth, CC BY

    I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.

    The science behind cascading hazards

    Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.

    For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.

    That’s exactly what happened after the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, which led to a surge in debris flows long after the initial seismic event.

    A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China.
    AP Photo/Andy Wong

    Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.

    The 1950 Assam earthquake in India is a striking example: It triggered thousands of landslides. The sediment from these landslides gradually moved through the river system, eventually causing flooding and changing river channels in Bangladesh some 20 years later.

    An intensifying threat in a changing world

    These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.

    Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.

    Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires, storms and extreme rainfall. At the same time, urban development continues to expand into steep, hazard-prone terrain, exposing more people and infrastructure to evolving risks.

    The rising risk of interconnected climate disasters like these is overwhelming systems built for isolated events.

    Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.

    Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.

    Rethinking risk and building resilience

    Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.

    But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.

    A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025
    A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025

    Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.

    Researchers are already coupling weather forecasts with post-wildfire debris flow models. Other models simulate how sediment pulses travel through river networks.

    Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.

    Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.

    Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.

    Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are now upending risk models – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-helene-set-up-future-disasters-from-landslides-to-flooding-cascading-hazards-like-these-are-now-upending-risk-models-259502

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Delivers Remarks at Senator Feinstein Tree Dedication Ceremony

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) hosted a tree dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C. in honor of former California Senator Dianne Feinstein that was attended by members of the Feinstein family, Feinstein’s Senate and House colleagues, and former members of Feinstein’s staff. In addition to Padilla, other speakers included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Thomas Austin, the Architect of the Capitol.
    Padilla’s remarks as prepared for delivery are available here:
    Once again, it is my honor to lead this effort to celebrate a towering figure not just in modern California political history, but in the history of our nation.
    As so many of you can attest to, there was a time when it was impossible to imagine a United States Senate without Dianne Feinstein.
    I say that not just as her former staffer, and not just as someone who served alongside her, but as a lifelong Californian.
    I first entered public office in the summer of 1999, when I was elected to serve on the Los Angeles City Council.
    By that time, she had already been in the Senate for over six years — and that was after her historic and barrier breaking time in San Francisco city politics.
    So for me and for so many Californians, when we thought of the model for what it meant to be a leader, we thought of Dianne Feinstein.
    She was relentless about the issues she cared about, from:
    Environmental conservation
    To gun safety laws
    To health care reform
    To national security
    From her days in San Francisco City Hall to the halls of the U.S. Senate, she set the standard for leading with grace and strength in the face of adversity.
    And she committed herself to bipartisan collaboration to get things done for California and for our country.
    I don’t think many of my colleagues in Washington fully appreciate just how much Dianne Feinstein singlehandedly shaped the State of California. And I mean that literally, when you look at her legacy on natural resources: from water, to Lake Tahoe and the Redwoods, to the preservation of millions of acres of the California desert.
    Now, back home in California, we’ve already begun working to enshrine Senator Feinstein’s legacy for generations to come, from renaming a federal building to a post office to a visitor center in Joshua Tree National Park.
    But it’s only right that we also honor her here in Washington — the place where she dedicated so much of her time and effort for her beloved California.
    As I mentioned earlier, today’s dedication is fitting for a number of reasons — from her birthday to this location on the Senate side of the Capitol.
    But it’s also fitting because of the tree we’ve come to dedicate in her name: the willow oak.
    For those who never had the chance to visit during her lifetime, Senator Feinstein’s home away from home here in Washington, D.C. was nicknamed “Willow Oaks.”
    As we memorialize her today with her own permanent willow oak on the Capitol grounds, we take comfort in knowing that the life and legacy of Dianne Feinstein will always be remembered at the United States Capitol.
    Once again, I want to thank you all for being here, and with that, I’d like to hand it back over to Thomas who will conclude this dedication ceremony.
    Following Senator Feinstein’s passing, Senator Padilla and his colleagues unanimously passed a resolution to honor her life and legacy, adjourning the Senate to allow members to travel to her funeral services out of respect. The resolution recognized Senator Feinstein as the longest serving Senator to represent California and the longest serving female Senator in the history of the United States. Padilla’s legislation to name a federal building for Senator Feinstein and dedicate a San Francisco post office in Senator Feinstein’s name became law last year. Padilla also introduced a bill to rename a Joshua Tree Visitor Center after the late Senator, which advanced out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UN Secretary-General on the Middle East and Gaza – Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    António Guterres, UN Secretary-General on the situation in the Middle East and Gaza – Security Council Media Stakeout.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LstcV5edPls

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Broadband target exceeded

    Source: Scottish Government

    R100 delivers more than 27,000 faster, ultra-reliable connections in a year. 

    The Scottish Government has surpassed it’s commitment to deliver gigabit-capable broadband connections to 20,000 homes and businesses last year.

    A record 27,000 premises were equipped with faster broadband in 2024-25 through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme, exceeding a Programme for Government commitment by more than a third.  

     Connections have been made right across the country, from the Killantringan Lighthouse in Dumfries and Galloway to Stornoway in the Western Isles and Baltasound on Shetland.  

     The R100 contracts, being delivered by Openreach, have now enabled more than 80,000 faster broadband connections across the country, with 80% of all R100 contract build to take place in rural areas.  

    Business Minister Richard Lochhead visited Loch Katrine in the Trossachs to hear how access to faster broadband speeds is helping transform opportunities for local businesses.  

    He said:  

    “Fast, reliable broadband is a fundamental building block for economic growth. The Scottish Government’s R100 programme is one of the most ambitious and complex digital infrastructure programmes in Europe, rolling out connections in some of the most challenging locations in the country to help businesses and communities prosper.

    “Despite telecommunications being reserved to the UK Government, our commitment to the R100 programme illustrates this government’s commitment to delivering the digital connectivity people and businesses need to succeed.

     “Exceeding our 2024-25 delivery target was helped by record Scottish Government funding and an ongoing partnership with Openreach maximising the opportunities to deliver fast broadband to even more homes and businesses.”  

    CEO and Lead Trustee of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust, James Fraser said:   

    ”The impact of the introduction of fibre cable connections at Loch Katrine has been transformative for many aspects of our core business and our tenants. With an increasing trend to digital bookings for cruises, eco lodges, cycle hire and meals out, having high speed digital connections is critical to the success of our business and other businesses on the lochside.  

    “Previously our digital speeds were very poor leading to customer dissatisfaction, loss of bookings and customer complaints, particularly from guests staying overnight in our eco lodges or in campervans in our car parks. With the higher speeds now available there has been a marked improvement in digital services with increased customer satisfaction levels.”  

    Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, Robert Thorburn, said:   

    “It’s brilliant to see businesses like the Steamship Sir Walter Scott benefitting from full fibre. We’re committed to making sure that the hardest-to-reach homes and businesses in Scotland are connected to the latest generation of broadband technology, giving them access to the same fast, reliable services available in our cities.

    “While building new full fibre networks in rural areas throws up many challenges, our engineers have the skills and experience to overcome these and deserve an enormous amount of credit for their work. We’re proud of the role we’ve played, working alongside the Scottish Government, in hitting this significant milestone – but we know that our work isn’t done yet, and we’ll continue to connect communities across the country.”  

    Background  

    The commitment to connect over 20,000 premises to gigabit capable broadband in areas of market failure by March 2025, through delivery of three regional, multi-year contracts with Openreach is set out in the Programme for Government 2024-25: Serving Scotland  

    Originally conceived as a superfast broadband programme, R100 is now providing a gigabit-capable connection – a speed more than 30 times faster than superfast broadband – in around 99% of cases. Building to some of the hardest-to-reach parts of Scotland, a total of 78,000 connections have enabled access to faster broadband as a result of the R100 contracts.      

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: West End LIVE celebrates 20 years of show-stopping performances in Trafalgar Square | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    West End LIVE returned to Trafalgar Square for its 20th anniversary on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June, drawing thousands of theatre lovers to the heart of Westminster to enjoy world-class musical performances. 

    Organised by Westminster City Council in partnership with the Society of London Theatre, West End LIVE has grown over two decades to become Europe’s largest free musical theatre festival. Over the weekend, 70,000 people attended and there have been 1.46 million views on the YouTube videos from the event. 

    This year’s line-up featured over 60 performances with a mix of beloved classics and recent hits, delivering an unforgettable showcase of the most iconic songs across all West End musicals. A special performance celebrating two decades of West End LIVE took centre stage on Sunday afternoon with memorable songs from musicals of the last 20 years, some of which are no longer running in West End.

    For the first time, working alongside our power provider, Film and TV Services, the entire event was powered by 100% green energy using grid-supplied electricity, Battery Energy Storage Systems, and state-of-the-art Stage V backup generators. 

    This year, we also made improvements to our pre-allocated accessibility viewing area and worked with Nimbus Disability to provide guests with greater clarity on the documentation they needed. 

    In addition to showcasing the very best of the West End to visitors from across the world, the event was a community celebration and attended by guests from community organisations across Westminster in line with our aim of increasing cultural access for local residents. 

    Cllr Ryan Jude, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture, said:  

    “West End LIVE is one of the highlights of Westminster’s cultural calendar, and it was fantastic to see Trafalgar Square filled with so much energy, talent, and thousands of theatre lovers.

    “This year, we’re especially proud that the event was powered by 100% green energy, reflecting our commitment to creating a Fairer Environment by reducing the carbon footprint of large-scale cultural events.

    “Through our partnership with the Society of London Theatre, the impact of West End LIVE reaches far beyond a single weekend.  Working together, we’re proud to be increasing access to cultural opportunities for residents and young people in Westminster. West End LIVE is a wonderful example of how we are ensuring everyone has the chance to experience the amazing cultural opportunities we have on offer in our city.” 

    Emma De Souza, Executive Director (Audiences & Commercial) at Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, said:  

    “Our 20th West End LIVE was truly memorable, welcoming so many brilliant shows to the stage from the West End and beyond. International stage and screen celebrities such as Corbin Bleu, Kevin McHale, Keala Settle, Vanessa Williams and Rachel Zegler took to the stage, alongside some of our best-loved West End and Broadway stars including Carrie Hope Fletcher, Lee Mead, Andy Nyman, Orfeh and Marisha Wallace, and an abundance of home-grown talent including acclaimed singer Fleur East. 

    “This event would not be possible without the unique relationship we have forged with Westminster City Council over the past 20 years, and we are very grateful to them, to all of the shows involved, and to our sponsors for their ongoing support.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council to work with partners to improve outdoor sports facilities across the city

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Friday, 27th June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to strengthen its commitment to improving outdoor sports facilities as it approves the latest version of its Playing Pitch Strategy.

    The updated strategy will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday 24 June and sets out where sports provision across the city currently meets demand, alongside where improvements are needed.

    The council will continue to work closely with national governing bodies, Sport England, local clubs and schools to deliver improvements.

    The strategy focuses on making the most of existing facilities, investing in those that need attention, and creating new ones where they are needed.

    This work supports the council’s wider aim to improve people’s physical and mental health and help communities connect through sport and physical activity.

    Key recommendations include:

    • Protecting existing sports facilities
    • Improving the quality of facilities, especially those that are overused or in poor condition
    • Working with schools and others to open up more spaces for community use
    • Helping clubs secure long-term access to the places they play
    • Exploring opportunities to transfer suitable sites to clubs to manage
    • Upgrading changing rooms and other support facilities, especially to support mixed-gender use
    • Adding more sports lighting to increase access and extend playing times
    • Using funding from new housing developments to improve sports provision
    • Maintaining strong partnerships to help secure funding and deliver the improvements

    Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Playing sports has so many benefits for our physical and mental health and it also fosters a sense of community by connecting with residents through the power of sport.

    “That is why it is so important that the city’s outdoor facilities are fit for purpose and available to use, which is why we are looking at measures to ensure they are continually improved.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on Burundi

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on Burundi

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Mr. President.

    We thank the Special Rapporteur for his timely update and again recognise the ongoing importance of his mandate. We reiterate our call on Burundi to grant him full access to the country.

    Mr President, the UK welcomes the peaceful conduct of Burundi’s recent legislative elections, as reported by the African Union observer mission.

    However, we are concerned by reports of serious irregularities, including voter intimidation, duplicate and fraudulent registrations and the early opening of polling stations without the presence of officials. Opposition parties must be allowed to engage meaningfully in democratic processes.

    We call on the government of Burundi to address these issues transparently, to enable the people of Burundi to fully exercise their civil and political rights.

    We also remain deeply concerned by ongoing restrictions on human rights defenders and journalists. We urge Burundi to take further steps to protect civic space, and to ensure inclusive governance and political pluralism.

    Special Rapporteur,

    How can the international community best support Burundi in strengthening its existing democratic processes?

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on the Situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on the Situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Mr Vice President.

    Nearly a year has passed since the July 2024 presidential elections, yet instead of transparency, Venezuelan authorities have deepened repression. An alarming cycle of human rights violations continues to take place.

    Over 900 Venezuelans remain arbitrarily detained, with reports of enforced disappearances targeting opposition members, human rights defenders and the independent media. Many detainees are held incommunicado, denied access to legal counsel and subjected to due process violations. The justice system, far from protecting victims, has become a tool of repression. Civil society has been stifled, worsened by the so-called ‘anti-NGO’ law, which undermines the ability of organisations to operate freely. 

    The UK strongly condemns the continued erosion of human rights and calls for an immediate end to the repression. 

    We commend the OHCHR’s vital work. We remain deeply concerned by the limited return of its office in Venezuela. Now more than ever, its presence in Caracas is essential: to monitor the worsening human rights situation, ensure accountability, and uphold fundamental freedoms.

    We are keen to hear any assessment the OHCHR has made of the impact of arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances on families in Venezuela, especially on women and girls.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: Yakutia will present the Ice Age Park technological testing ground on the Far East Street

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) will present its cultural, traditional and everyday life features, investment and tourism opportunities at the exhibition “Far East Street”, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “Thousands of people from dozens of countries become participants and guests of the Eastern Economic Forum. And only a few of them have visited all regions of the Far East. The exhibition “Far East Street” is a good opportunity to tell about how and by what the Far Eastern regions live, to attract investors and tourists to their territories. Yakutia is a unique region with a rich culture, traditions and natural attractions. There are unique natural objects and places of power, different peoples with their own cultural characteristics and traditions live here. Yakutia is a confident leader in the field of creative technologies. Recently, an international forum of creative industries was held here, which gave creative people the opportunity to show their work to the general public. A separate area was the development of the cinematography sector. Films by Yakut directors receive prizes at film festivals, deserved attention from critics, and gain fans not only in Russia, but also in other countries. I am sure that after visiting the pavilion, which tells about the beauty of the northern nature, the sights and features of the republic, visitors will want to come to Yakutia and find out how it lives”, emphasized the Deputy Chairman of the Government – Plenipotentiary Representative President in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.

    This year, the area of the Yakutia pavilion will be more than 1 thousand square meters and will be divided into three zones: the main pavilion, the trade and exhibition area and the stage. The exhibition and presentation exposition will be dedicated to the presentation of the World Mammoth Center in the Republic of Sakha, the idea of which, by decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, is included in the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and Ensuring National Security for the Period up to 2035.

    A presentation area of the scientific complex with a cryogenic storage facility for mammoth fauna, monitoring stations, museum, exhibition and laboratory buildings, the Ice Age Park technological testing ground and a tourist and leisure center will be prepared for visitors.

    “The Eastern Economic Forum is the main event for the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. We are signing many agreements here. The investment projects implemented within their framework have set the dynamics of Yakutia’s development for years to come. Since the first forum, 4 trillion rubles have been invested in the republic, and the gross regional product has increased fourfold and reached 2.3 trillion rubles. The main result of all this is an improvement in the quality of life of people. New industries have been created, thousands of jobs have been opened, infrastructure is developing: housing, roads, and social facilities are being built. And at the EEF sites, we also have the opportunity to demonstrate the culture, traditions of the peoples, and the originality of the Far Eastern regions. This year, the Sakha Republic pavilion will be dedicated to the World Mammoth Center, which is planned to open in Yakutsk. The capital of our region is one of the largest scientific centers in the northeast of Russia, where paleontological research is actively developing with the involvement of foreign and Russian scientists. You will be able to learn about all this and more at the exhibition “Far East Street”. I am confident that VEF-2025 will be fruitful for us, and all planned events will be held at the highest level,” noted the head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev.

    The exhibition and presentation exposition is planned to present projects dedicated to the problem of preserving the eastern population of the Siberian Crane – a symbol of untouched northern nature, one of the rare species of cranes that is under threat of extinction. Special attention will be paid to the investment potential of the region and the initiatives of large companies in its territory.

    The pavilion will also house a tourism zone. Visitors will be able to get information about popular tourist routes, including learning about the Lena Pillars National Nature Park, the tukulan sand dunes, Lake Labynkyr and the Buluus Glacier.

    In addition, popular regional brands will be presented in the trade and exhibition area – jewelry and souvenirs, clothing and accessories will be on display here. Guests and participants of the “Far East Street” will be able to visit the exhibition and fair of products of Yakut manufacturers and buy a memorable souvenir.

    The cultural program will attract special attention of visitors, which will have a thematic direction according to the days of the forum. Its basis will be the theme of patriotism and love for the native land, it will unite unique national folklore and modern trends of music, high classical art.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition “Far East Street” will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –