NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 446

    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 446
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    910 PM CDT Thu Jun 19 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Western into Central Minnesota
    Southeast North Dakota
    Northern into Northeast South Dakota

    * Effective this Thursday night and Friday morning from 910 PM
    until 400 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2.5
    inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

    SUMMARY…Isolated severe thunderstorms this evening will pose a
    risk for large to very large hail and severe gusts. Thunderstorms
    are forecast to increase in coverage late this evening into the
    overnight. The risks for hail and wind will likely continue as the
    expected thunderstorm activity gradually shifts from west to east
    across the Watch area.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 100
    statute miles north and south of a line from 55 miles southwest of
    Jamestown ND to 65 miles east southeast of Alexandria MN. 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.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 443…WW 444…WW 445…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    30025.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 446 SEVERE TSTM MN ND SD 200210Z – 200900Z
    AXIS..100 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    55SW JMS/JAMESTOWN ND/ – 65ESE AXN/ALEXANDRIA MN/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 85NM N/S /54ESE BIS – 51S BRD/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 30025.

    LAT…LON 47819950 46959416 44069416 44929950

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

    Watch 446 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low ( 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (40%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (70%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who are Iran’s allies? And would any help if the US joins Israel in its war?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    As Israel continues its attacks on Iran, US President Donald Trump and other global leaders are hardening their stance against the Islamic Republic.

    While considering a US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, Trump has threatened Iran’s supreme leader, claiming to know his location and calling him “an easy target”. He has demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran.

    Meanwhile, countries such as Germany, Canada, the UK and Australia have toughened their rhetoric, demanding Iran fully abandon its nuclear program.

    So, as the pressure mounts on Iran, has it been left to fight alone? Or does it have allies that could come to its aid?

    Has Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ fully collapsed?

    Iran has long relied on a network of allied paramilitary groups across the Middle East as part of its deterrence strategy. This approach has largely shielded it from direct military strikes by the US or Israel, despite constant threats and pressure.

    This so-called “axis of resistance” includes groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq, the Houthi militants in Yemen, as well as Hamas in Gaza, which has long been under Iran’s influence to varying degrees. Iran also supported Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria before it was toppled last year.

    These groups have served both as a regional buffer and as a means for Iran to project power without direct engagement.

    However, over the past two years, Israel has dealt significant blows to the network.

    Hezbollah — once Iran’s most powerful non-state ally — has been effectively neutralised after months of attacks by Israel. Its weapons stocks were systematically targeted and destroyed across Lebanon. And the group suffered a major psychological and strategic loss with the assassination of its most influential leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

    In Syria, Iranian-backed militias have been largely expelled following the fall of Assad’s regime, stripping Iran of another key foothold in the region.

    That said, Iran maintains strong influence in Iraq and Yemen.

    The PMF in Iraq, with an estimated 200,000 fighters, remains formidable. The Houthis have similarly sized contingent of fighters in Yemen.

    Should the situation escalate into an existential threat to Iran — as the region’s only Shiite-led state — religious solidarity could drive these groups to become actively involved. This would rapidly expand the war across the region.

    The PMF, for instance, could launch attacks on the 2,500 US troops stationed in Iraq. Indeed, the head of Kata’ib Hezbollah, one of the PMF’s more hardline factions, promised to do so:

    If America dares to intervene in the war, we will directly target its interests and military bases spread across the region without hesitation.

    Iran itself could also target US bases in the Persian Gulf countries with ballistic missiles, as well as close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.

    Will Iran’s regional and global allies step in?

    Several regional powers maintain close ties with Iran. The most notable among them is Pakistan — the only Islamic country with a nuclear arsenal.

    For weeks, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has tried to align Iran more closely with Pakistan in countering Israel’s actions in Gaza.

    In a sign of Pakistan’s importance in the Israel-Iran war, Trump has met with the country’s army chief in Washington as he weighs a possible strike on its neighbour.

    Pakistan’s leaders have also made their allegiances very clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered Iran’s president “unwavering solidarity” in the “face of Israel’s unprovoked aggression”. And Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently said in an interview Israel will “think many times before taking on Pakistan”.

    These statements signal a firm stance without explicitly committing to intervention.

    Yet, Pakistan has also been working to de-escalate tensions. It has urged other Muslim-majority nations and its strategic partner, China, to intervene diplomatically before the violence spirals into a broader regional war.

    In recent years, Iran has also made diplomatic overtures to former regional rivals, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in order to improve relations.

    These shifts have helped rally broader regional support for Iran. Nearly two dozen Muslim-majority countries — including some that maintain diplomatic relations with Israel — have jointly condemned Israel’s actions and urged de-escalation.

    It’s unlikely, though, that regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey would support Iran materially, given their strong alliances with the US.

    Iran’s key global allies, Russia and China, have also condemned Israel’s strikes. They have previously shielded Tehran from punitive resolutions at the UN Security Council.

    However, neither power appears willing — at least for now — to escalate the confrontation by providing direct military support to Iran or engaging in a standoff with Israel and the US.

    Theoretically, this could change if the conflict widens and Washington openly pursues a regime change strategy in Tehran. Both nations have major geopolitical and security interests in Iran’s stability. This is due to Iran’s long-standing “Look East” policy and the impact its instability could have on the region and the global economy.

    However, at the current stage, many analysts believe both are unlikely to get involved directly.

    Moscow stayed on the sidelines when Assad’s regime collapsed in Syria, one of Russia’s closest allies in the region. Not only is it focused on its war in Ukraine, Russia also wouldn’t want to endanger improving ties with the Trump administration.

    China has offered Iran strong rhetorical support, but history suggests it has little interest in getting directly involved in Middle Eastern conflicts.

    Ali Mamouri 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. Who are Iran’s allies? And would any help if the US joins Israel in its war? – https://theconversation.com/who-are-irans-allies-and-would-any-help-if-the-us-joins-israel-in-its-war-259265

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who are Iran’s allies? And would any help if the US joins Israel in its war?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    As Israel continues its attacks on Iran, US President Donald Trump and other global leaders are hardening their stance against the Islamic Republic.

    While considering a US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, Trump has threatened Iran’s supreme leader, claiming to know his location and calling him “an easy target”. He has demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran.

    Meanwhile, countries such as Germany, Canada, the UK and Australia have toughened their rhetoric, demanding Iran fully abandon its nuclear program.

    So, as the pressure mounts on Iran, has it been left to fight alone? Or does it have allies that could come to its aid?

    Has Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ fully collapsed?

    Iran has long relied on a network of allied paramilitary groups across the Middle East as part of its deterrence strategy. This approach has largely shielded it from direct military strikes by the US or Israel, despite constant threats and pressure.

    This so-called “axis of resistance” includes groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq, the Houthi militants in Yemen, as well as Hamas in Gaza, which has long been under Iran’s influence to varying degrees. Iran also supported Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria before it was toppled last year.

    These groups have served both as a regional buffer and as a means for Iran to project power without direct engagement.

    However, over the past two years, Israel has dealt significant blows to the network.

    Hezbollah — once Iran’s most powerful non-state ally — has been effectively neutralised after months of attacks by Israel. Its weapons stocks were systematically targeted and destroyed across Lebanon. And the group suffered a major psychological and strategic loss with the assassination of its most influential leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

    In Syria, Iranian-backed militias have been largely expelled following the fall of Assad’s regime, stripping Iran of another key foothold in the region.

    That said, Iran maintains strong influence in Iraq and Yemen.

    The PMF in Iraq, with an estimated 200,000 fighters, remains formidable. The Houthis have similarly sized contingent of fighters in Yemen.

    Should the situation escalate into an existential threat to Iran — as the region’s only Shiite-led state — religious solidarity could drive these groups to become actively involved. This would rapidly expand the war across the region.

    The PMF, for instance, could launch attacks on the 2,500 US troops stationed in Iraq. Indeed, the head of Kata’ib Hezbollah, one of the PMF’s more hardline factions, promised to do so:

    If America dares to intervene in the war, we will directly target its interests and military bases spread across the region without hesitation.

    Iran itself could also target US bases in the Persian Gulf countries with ballistic missiles, as well as close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.

    Will Iran’s regional and global allies step in?

    Several regional powers maintain close ties with Iran. The most notable among them is Pakistan — the only Islamic country with a nuclear arsenal.

    For weeks, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has tried to align Iran more closely with Pakistan in countering Israel’s actions in Gaza.

    In a sign of Pakistan’s importance in the Israel-Iran war, Trump has met with the country’s army chief in Washington as he weighs a possible strike on its neighbour.

    Pakistan’s leaders have also made their allegiances very clear. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered Iran’s president “unwavering solidarity” in the “face of Israel’s unprovoked aggression”. And Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently said in an interview Israel will “think many times before taking on Pakistan”.

    These statements signal a firm stance without explicitly committing to intervention.

    Yet, Pakistan has also been working to de-escalate tensions. It has urged other Muslim-majority nations and its strategic partner, China, to intervene diplomatically before the violence spirals into a broader regional war.

    In recent years, Iran has also made diplomatic overtures to former regional rivals, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in order to improve relations.

    These shifts have helped rally broader regional support for Iran. Nearly two dozen Muslim-majority countries — including some that maintain diplomatic relations with Israel — have jointly condemned Israel’s actions and urged de-escalation.

    It’s unlikely, though, that regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey would support Iran materially, given their strong alliances with the US.

    Iran’s key global allies, Russia and China, have also condemned Israel’s strikes. They have previously shielded Tehran from punitive resolutions at the UN Security Council.

    However, neither power appears willing — at least for now — to escalate the confrontation by providing direct military support to Iran or engaging in a standoff with Israel and the US.

    Theoretically, this could change if the conflict widens and Washington openly pursues a regime change strategy in Tehran. Both nations have major geopolitical and security interests in Iran’s stability. This is due to Iran’s long-standing “Look East” policy and the impact its instability could have on the region and the global economy.

    However, at the current stage, many analysts believe both are unlikely to get involved directly.

    Moscow stayed on the sidelines when Assad’s regime collapsed in Syria, one of Russia’s closest allies in the region. Not only is it focused on its war in Ukraine, Russia also wouldn’t want to endanger improving ties with the Trump administration.

    China has offered Iran strong rhetorical support, but history suggests it has little interest in getting directly involved in Middle Eastern conflicts.

    Ali Mamouri 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. Who are Iran’s allies? And would any help if the US joins Israel in its war? – https://theconversation.com/who-are-irans-allies-and-would-any-help-if-the-us-joins-israel-in-its-war-259265

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friday essay: ‘my heart is full of sparks’ – as war escalates, can I hope for Iran’s liberation from a tyrannical regime?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Hessom Razavi, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, The University of Western Australia

    We are at a dinner party in suburban Perth, a home away from home for our diaspora. As guests arrive, a Persian ballad plays in the background: Morq-e Sahar (Dawn Bird), a freedom song, a century-old protest against dictatorships and tyranny in Iran. This version was sung by the late Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, Iran’s most decorated maestro.

    Dawn bird, lament!
    Make my brand burn even more.
    With the sparks from your sigh, break
    And turn this cage upside down.

    Shajarian’s virtuoso voice frames an old question. One I’ve heard, it seems, at every Iranian gathering since my childhood. It hangs in the air like a cloud, unanswered, as guests greet each other with customary bowing and rooboosi (cheek kissing). We settle around a table laden with âjil (trail mix), fruit and wine, the smell of saffron rice and ghorme sabzi (herb stew) all around.

    For me, the scene is both familial and familiar. As is the question, which circles back around. “When will this regime change?” someone asks. The “regime” is Nezâm-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân, or the Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    A missing voice

    Since the launch of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion against Iran last week, there has been a voice sometimes missing in the mainstream coverage – that of the Iranian people themselves.

    “Israel is not our enemy, the regime is our enemy,” chant many Iranians in Tehran and in the diaspora, a common sentiment in our community. They cite the regime that they have endured for 46 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution: a government most of them oppose and reject, with the vast majority of Iranians preferring democratic, if not secular, reform.

    I hear some Iranians, on social media and in conversation with people who live there, commending Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for assassinating Iran’s top military brass. These are the leaders of the Sepah, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the most powerful branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. Together with the mullahs – Iran’s Shia Muslim clerical class – they form the backbone of Iran’s government and economy.

    So far, Israel has assassinated Hossein Salami, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, as well as Mohammad Kazemi, its intelligence chief, plus senior nuclear scientists and dozens of other officers. Israel has also indicated an interest in killing Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, Iran’s supreme leader.

    “Damet garm, aghayeh Netanyahu,” some Iranians are saying, literally “may your breath be warm”, or “good job, Netanyahu”. Amid the terror and confusion – not to mention the civilian deaths, so far, of over 200 Iranians – there is a rare and distinct sense of hope.

    State of corruption

    In view of Israel’s ongoing campaign in Gaza, this support for Israel may come as a surprise to many Australians, and Western liberals in general. Certainly, reconciling Israel’s role in Gaza versus Iran is jarring.

    But for now, I hear some Iranians saying “maybe our regime can finally be toppled”. Maybe Iran can reclaim its place in the international community, as the proud and prosperous nation it should be? As this crisis escalates, as buildings collapse and distressed Tehranis, including my family, flee the capital for the safety of the countryside, there is a heady sense of possibility.

    Wing-tied nightingale come out of the corner of your cage, and
    Sing the song of freedom for human kind.
    With your fiery breath ignite,
    The breath of this peopled land …

    I understand the allure of this hope; to an extent, I feel it myself. My family lives in Australia, not Iran, precisely because of the Iranian regime’s tyranny. We fled Iran in 1983 due to political persecution, after most of the adults in our extended family were arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned by the government.

    Two of my imprisoned uncles and one of my aunties were executed. Another uncle was beaten to death in custody. My grandfather, a noble old man, was imprisoned and tortured. We were far from unique; during the 1980s, the government imprisoned tens of thousands of its own people, executing many thousands of them.

    Little has changed since then. The Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guards have shown a pervasive disregard for human rights. They execute more of their own people than any country except China. They are a world leader in the use of torture; they deny freedoms of expression and press, association and assembly; they discriminate against women, girls, religious minorities, LGBTI people, and refugees. Tightly controlled elections ensure the success of desired candidates.

    Freedom House, a nonprofit organisation based in the US, gives Iran a score of 11 out of 100 for its provision of political rights and civil liberties. For many Iranians, it felt overdue when, in 2019, the US listed the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation, a decision followed by other countries, including Canada and Sweden. In 2023, the European parliament overwhelmingly voted for a resolution to do the same, with calls to expedite this motion in early 2025.

    In parallel to their human rights abuses, the Revolutionary Guard has hobbled the Iranian economy. Their corruption, financial incompetence and operation of black markets have compounded the effects of international sanctions. Consequently, the Iranian rial hit a historic low this year. It is now worth around one twentieth of its value in 2015.

    People’s life savings have dwindled in value, rendering older Iranians financially vulnerable. Inflation was 38.7% in May of this year, down from highs of over 40%. My family in Iran experience this as grocery and commodity prices that may rise in a single day, higher in the afternoon than in the morning. Some cities have experienced water cuts and power outages.

    While it hasn’t yet qualified as a failed state, Iran has been failing.

    All of this has occurred despite the country being richly endowed with the second- and third-highest natural gas and oil reserves in the world, respectively. Iran has a GDP of over $US404 billion – 36th in the world. Its youth are highly educated and literate, with more women enrolled in universities than men.

    Rather than accelerating the nation’s domestic development, however, the Iranian government has by its own admission spent tens of billions of dollars to expand its empire by funding terrorist proxies: Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the recently deposed Assad regime in Syria, and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

    The Iranian people have suffered financially, but the Revolutionary Guards have not. They are estimated to control at least 10%, and up to 50%, of the country’s total economy, including up to an estimated 50% share of Iran’s US$50 billion per year oil profits. They have achieved this by commandeering an industrial empire, made up of hundreds of commercial companies, trusts, subsidiaries and nominally charitable foundations.

    A further US$2 billion or more per year comes from the government’s military budget, with periodic boosts during crises. Add to this the alleged shadowy operation of black markets, extortion, and the smuggling of alcohol, narcotics and weapons, accounting for an estimated US$12 billion per year in revenue.

    Contemplating this corruption, I am reminded of an anecdote from a personal associate who worked for a firm affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard. They shared stories of officers, the nation’s purported “guardians of Islam”, hosting parties where alcohol, firearms and sex workers were readily available.

    My associate recounted several instances of fraud and theft, one of them monumental in scale. In this “tea smuggling scandal”, the Revolutionary Guard defrauded billions of dollars from a government fund by illicitly exchanging some funds on the open market, falsely labelling cheap tea to on-sell as superior quality tea, and falsely labelling domestically produced machinery as “Made in Germany”.

    “They’re untouchable, and they know it”, my associate said. Another Iranian community member described them to me as “Iran’s super-mafia”.

    Speaking to family in Iran, they say many of the middle tier Revolutionary Guards live in their own shahrak-ha (towns) with dedicated markets, schools and resorts. Many of the Guards’ elite, meanwhile, live in mansions in the exclusive parts of north Tehran, with children who pursue conspicuously American “lifestyles of the rich and famous”. For an organisation that leads the chants of “marg bar America!” (death to America), one wonders if they see the irony in this.

    Turn our dark night to dawn

    I find myself sickened by the events of this war, and the harm it is causing. Struck with anxiety, some of our family members in Tehran haven’t slept for days. “The Israeli bombardments are non-stop, and so loud,” one family member told me.

    This week our extended family has struggled frantically to leave Tehran. Petrol is hard to come by and, in a mass exodus, the bumper-to-bumper traffic stands still for hours. I know some of the neighbourhoods being bombed; we lived in one of them in my childhood.

    “For every military commander that’s assassinated, a whole building might collapse, and with a dozen civilians trapped or killed,” another person told me, intimating that the civilian toll is higher than official counts.

    I am also worried about the raised hopes of Iranians. I have seen this before, when a spark – sometimes an inspirational act of courage from an ordinary citizen – leads to public surges in solidarity. At these moments during my childhood, my parents would tell me that the regime’s time was limited, it’s downfall inevitable. Iranians would see better days and people power would prevail.

    Truth and goodness rise like cream, my Dad would say, as if echoing Dr Martin Luther King’s arc of the moral universe bending towards justice.

    A beautiful sentiment no doubt, but one that has become difficult to believe over time. It often appears that the universe’s arc bends towards power, not justice. Fairness seems the exception, hardly the rule. At the time, Dad’s reassurances were protective, even noble. But as the 1979 revolution and its aftermath have shown, might beats right most days of the week.

    The cruelty of the cruel and the tyranny of the hunter
    Have blown away my nest.
    O God, O Heavens, O Nature,
    Turn our dark night to dawn.

    As I explain to Australian friends: how can a people surpass a government that has (1) the military on its side, (2) a stranglehold on oil revenue, and (3) a purported mandate from God?

    Guns, money and a holy book – a hard trifecta to crack, and powerful enough to attract a sufficient minority of cronies, bottom feeders and sycophants.

    What’s the size of this ruling minority? It’s difficult to be sure, but a 2023 survey of 158,000 respondents within Iran found that only 15% supported the Islamic Republic. Small, but sufficient to produce crowds burning American and Israeli flags. I’ve always marvelled at the regime’s ability to manufacture these images; I’m told by associates that they now use AI to produce some of these.

    Women Life Freedom

    As current events unfold, I find myself deeply sceptical of all the political actors, whether Iranian, Israeli, American, Arab or Russian. Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, none of them have shown any serious interest in supporting democratic reform in Iran. “They’ve all profited from this government,” a senior community member told me. “Why would that change now?”

    For the sake of sanity, I find myself searching for credible sources of hope. The only one I settle on is faith in the Iranian people themselves. This the culture that has surrounded me since childhood, the qualities I’ve seen first hand in my countrywomen and men, whether young or old, home or abroad, Muslim, Bahai or secular: a resilience, a resourcefulness, a propensity for joy, a confidence and pride in culture, and an ability to prevail, over and again.

    It’s a new spring, roses are in bloom…
    …O rose, look towards this lover,
    Look again, again, again.

    These qualities are periodically staged for the world to see. Iranian people have not taken their oppression lying down, rising in (mainly) peaceful protests. There have been some 10 mass protests since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979. The largest of these was the Green Movement in 2009, when it was estimated that over a million citizens marched in Tehran alone. As recently as May 2025, strikes took place in over 150 cities, involving hundreds of thousands of workers.

    For the most part, these demonstrations have been met with severe repression by state authorities. One episode, from September 2022, deserves special mention. The world watched in horror as the regime cracked down on young women in Iran. This was their response to the Zan Zendegi Azadi (Woman Life Freedom) movement, where mass protests were triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Jina Amini.

    Amini was a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who had been detained by the government’s “Morality Police” for wearing an improper hijab. Three days into her detention she died under suspicious circumstances. A leaked CT scan showed a skull fracture and brain haemorrhage. This corroborated eyewitness accounts that Amini had been severely beaten by police.

    Intentionally or not, a dress code infringement had been punished by death. Even for Iranians long accustomed to state violence, this was too much. Mass protests erupted in more than 100 cities across all of Iran’s 31 provinces.

    The protests were led by women, many of them defiantly removing their headscarves. True to its nature, the regime responded violently. In the months that followed, over 20,000 protesters were imprisoned, many later testifying to having been tortured through electric shock, flogging, waterboarding and rape.

    Human Rights Watch estimates that over 500 civilians – including 68 children and adolescents – were killed by security forces, which included the paramilitary Basijis, Revolutionary Guard Corps, police and prison guards.

    Things would get darker. That December the regime was accused of deliberately poisoning over 1,200 students at Kharazmi and Ark universities on the eve of a planned protest. Soon thereafter, there were allegations of toxic gas attacks against thousands of schoolgirls, in apparent retaliation for removing their hijabs. By 2024, the UN had accused Iran of a coordinated campaign of crimes against humanity, a claim rejected by the regime.

    As an eye surgeon, I was distressed to read a letter signed by over 100 Iranian ophthalmologists detailing eye injuries among protesters. The letter alleged that security forces had deliberately targeted people’s eyes with teargas canisters, rubber bullets and shotgun fire, resulting in traumatic injuries and irreversible blindness among protesters.

    Dew drops are falling from my cloudy eyes
    This cage, like my heart, is narrow and dark.
    O fiery sigh set alight this cage
    O fate, do not pick the flower of my life.

    There were separate reports of women’s faces and genitals being targeted by shotgun fire. The regime appeared to have interfered with medical services: protestors transported to police stations in ambulances were arrested after surgery or denied treatment. Doctors were reportedly coerced to supply false death certificates to disguise the true cause of protestors’ deaths. The British Medical Journal documented healthcare professionals being arrested, intimidated, kidnapped or killed in retaliation for treating protesters.

    If we didn’t know it already, Zan Zendegi Azadi reminded us of the risks, if not futility, of advocating for change in Iran.

    When mass civil movements like this, performed ten times over, have not worked, what alternatives are the people left with? Brutalised and impoverished by their own government, should we be surprised when a traditionally Islamic people welcome a Jewish state’s decapitation of their political leaders? Is it not tempting, even if lazy, to invoke the historical comparison of Cyrus the Great, Persian King of the Achaemenid Empire, who freed the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity?

    For the people of Iran and Israel – at the risk of naivety and romanticism – are we approaching an age of karma?

    O rose, look towards this lover,
    Look again, again, again.
    O heart-lost bird, shorten, shorten, shorten,
    The tale of separation.

    An uncertain scenario

    Regarding Operation Rising Lion, it is safe to say that Iranians, like any healthy community, hold a diversity of views.

    At one end of the spectrum, those who unconditionally condemn Israel’s attack should consider that the Iranian government has stockpiled over 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium. While not enough to build a nuclear warhead, this is far more enriched uranium than is needed for peaceful purposes.

    The Iranian government has also vowed to “wipe Israel off the map” for decades. Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei lauded the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. In other words, Iran has said to Israel “we want to annihilate you, we’ll celebrate your deaths, and we could do it with nuclear weapons if we wished to”.

    Following Iran’s recent breach of its nonproliferation obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Israel says it has acted lawfully in attacking Iran for self-defense – a claim disputed by some international law experts. Even if one does not agree with Israel’s action, it is evident that they’ve long been baited by Iran.

    On the other side of the coin, Iranians who salute Israel and the US as their saviours should take caution. The US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declared as recently as March 2025 that there was no evidence that Iran was actively pursuing nuclear weapons, a finding corroborated by over a dozen other US intelligence elements including the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the Insitute for Defense Analyses.

    One cannot ignore the disturbing echoes of the 2003 war on Iraq, where the absence of evidence for weapons of mass destruction was intentionally misrepresented by the US and UK governments. The consequences for Iraq have been disastrous.

    As for Netanyahu and his administration, they have shown a ruthless pursuit of narrow self-interest in Gaza. The deaths and injuries inflicted by the Israeli Defence Forces on more than 50,000 Palestinian children appear to have done nothing to quell their ambitions.

    With regards to Netanyahu himself, he is facing corruption charges that could result in his domestic imprisonment and he has more recently been the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, including starvation and murder.

    What can Iranians learn from this? The evidence suggests this could be a war of passion and opportunism for Israel, rather than one of legitimate self-defence. In any case, they are not waging it for the benefit of Iranians.

    Israel has a tendency to set ambitious military goals that it can’t achieve. While it promises Operation Rising Lion will soon end, its track record suggests otherwise.

    A protracted conflict would see Iran’s civilian toll rise much higher. Power outages and fuel shortages have already begun; what happens once water, medical and food scarcity set in? Since Iran doesn’t allow many international aid agencies onto its soil, who will come to the rescue of Iranians as things escalate?

    Truth’s life has come to an end
    Faith and fidelity have been replaced by the shield of war.
    Lover’s lament and beloved’s coyness,
    Are but lies and have no power.

    Even if Israel succeeds in capturing or killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, what happens next? With the Revolutionary Guard’s roots in place, there is no guarantee, and in fact a low likelihood, of true democratic reform. In recent times, foreign interference in the region has not gone well. Look at Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria: all evidence of catastrophic worsening after the removal of autocrats.

    This is a complex and uncertain scenario with little room for moral grandstanding. Disabling Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities could be a net win, but the manner in which it is being done sets a dangerous precedent. For the Iranian people, Netanyahu’s ambitions could ultimately prove both heroic and villainous.

    The cup of the rich is full of pure wine,
    Our cup is filled with our heart’s blood.
    O anxious heart, cry out aloud
    And avoid those who have powerful hands.

    As I watch coverage of the war, I find myself drifting back to Shajarian’s voice and to Morq-e Sahar, probably for distraction and comfort. What is real is my faith in my fellow Iranians. Many examples comes to mind. One, during a trip to Iran, was when I stayed with family at a roadhouse. That evening, we heard music emanating from the courtyard and followed some steps into an dark basement beneath the accommodation.

    There we found a large gathering of young Iranians, two dozen or more men and women risking the law by hanging out together to sing. We joined them as strangers, seated on the floor and holding hands at times. In the dim light, the group sang and sang, a couple of them playing instruments.

    I can’t say I knew the songs or comprehended all the lyrics; I didn’t need to, to understand their meaning. You may force our people underground, you may cage them, bombard and even kill them. But you will never extinguish their eternal Persian spirit.

    O rosy-cheeked cup-bearer, give the fiery water,
    Play a joyful tune, O charming friend.
    O sad nightingale lament from your cage.
    Because of your grief my heart is
    Full of sparks, sparks, sparks.

    Hessom Razavi 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. Friday essay: ‘my heart is full of sparks’ – as war escalates, can I hope for Iran’s liberation from a tyrannical regime? – https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-my-heart-is-full-of-sparks-as-war-escalates-can-i-hope-for-irans-liberation-from-a-tyrannical-regime-259275

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friday essay: ‘my heart is full of sparks’ – as war escalates, can I hope for Iran’s liberation from a tyrannical regime?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Hessom Razavi, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, The University of Western Australia

    We are at a dinner party in suburban Perth, a home away from home for our diaspora. As guests arrive, a Persian ballad plays in the background: Morq-e Sahar (Dawn Bird), a freedom song, a century-old protest against dictatorships and tyranny in Iran. This version was sung by the late Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, Iran’s most decorated maestro.

    Dawn bird, lament!
    Make my brand burn even more.
    With the sparks from your sigh, break
    And turn this cage upside down.

    Shajarian’s virtuoso voice frames an old question. One I’ve heard, it seems, at every Iranian gathering since my childhood. It hangs in the air like a cloud, unanswered, as guests greet each other with customary bowing and rooboosi (cheek kissing). We settle around a table laden with âjil (trail mix), fruit and wine, the smell of saffron rice and ghorme sabzi (herb stew) all around.

    For me, the scene is both familial and familiar. As is the question, which circles back around. “When will this regime change?” someone asks. The “regime” is Nezâm-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân, or the Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    A missing voice

    Since the launch of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion against Iran last week, there has been a voice sometimes missing in the mainstream coverage – that of the Iranian people themselves.

    “Israel is not our enemy, the regime is our enemy,” chant many Iranians in Tehran and in the diaspora, a common sentiment in our community. They cite the regime that they have endured for 46 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution: a government most of them oppose and reject, with the vast majority of Iranians preferring democratic, if not secular, reform.

    I hear some Iranians, on social media and in conversation with people who live there, commending Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for assassinating Iran’s top military brass. These are the leaders of the Sepah, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the most powerful branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. Together with the mullahs – Iran’s Shia Muslim clerical class – they form the backbone of Iran’s government and economy.

    So far, Israel has assassinated Hossein Salami, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, as well as Mohammad Kazemi, its intelligence chief, plus senior nuclear scientists and dozens of other officers. Israel has also indicated an interest in killing Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, Iran’s supreme leader.

    “Damet garm, aghayeh Netanyahu,” some Iranians are saying, literally “may your breath be warm”, or “good job, Netanyahu”. Amid the terror and confusion – not to mention the civilian deaths, so far, of over 200 Iranians – there is a rare and distinct sense of hope.

    State of corruption

    In view of Israel’s ongoing campaign in Gaza, this support for Israel may come as a surprise to many Australians, and Western liberals in general. Certainly, reconciling Israel’s role in Gaza versus Iran is jarring.

    But for now, I hear some Iranians saying “maybe our regime can finally be toppled”. Maybe Iran can reclaim its place in the international community, as the proud and prosperous nation it should be? As this crisis escalates, as buildings collapse and distressed Tehranis, including my family, flee the capital for the safety of the countryside, there is a heady sense of possibility.

    Wing-tied nightingale come out of the corner of your cage, and
    Sing the song of freedom for human kind.
    With your fiery breath ignite,
    The breath of this peopled land …

    I understand the allure of this hope; to an extent, I feel it myself. My family lives in Australia, not Iran, precisely because of the Iranian regime’s tyranny. We fled Iran in 1983 due to political persecution, after most of the adults in our extended family were arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned by the government.

    Two of my imprisoned uncles and one of my aunties were executed. Another uncle was beaten to death in custody. My grandfather, a noble old man, was imprisoned and tortured. We were far from unique; during the 1980s, the government imprisoned tens of thousands of its own people, executing many thousands of them.

    Little has changed since then. The Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guards have shown a pervasive disregard for human rights. They execute more of their own people than any country except China. They are a world leader in the use of torture; they deny freedoms of expression and press, association and assembly; they discriminate against women, girls, religious minorities, LGBTI people, and refugees. Tightly controlled elections ensure the success of desired candidates.

    Freedom House, a nonprofit organisation based in the US, gives Iran a score of 11 out of 100 for its provision of political rights and civil liberties. For many Iranians, it felt overdue when, in 2019, the US listed the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation, a decision followed by other countries, including Canada and Sweden. In 2023, the European parliament overwhelmingly voted for a resolution to do the same, with calls to expedite this motion in early 2025.

    In parallel to their human rights abuses, the Revolutionary Guard has hobbled the Iranian economy. Their corruption, financial incompetence and operation of black markets have compounded the effects of international sanctions. Consequently, the Iranian rial hit a historic low this year. It is now worth around one twentieth of its value in 2015.

    People’s life savings have dwindled in value, rendering older Iranians financially vulnerable. Inflation was 38.7% in May of this year, down from highs of over 40%. My family in Iran experience this as grocery and commodity prices that may rise in a single day, higher in the afternoon than in the morning. Some cities have experienced water cuts and power outages.

    While it hasn’t yet qualified as a failed state, Iran has been failing.

    All of this has occurred despite the country being richly endowed with the second- and third-highest natural gas and oil reserves in the world, respectively. Iran has a GDP of over $US404 billion – 36th in the world. Its youth are highly educated and literate, with more women enrolled in universities than men.

    Rather than accelerating the nation’s domestic development, however, the Iranian government has by its own admission spent tens of billions of dollars to expand its empire by funding terrorist proxies: Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the recently deposed Assad regime in Syria, and Houthi rebels in Yemen.

    The Iranian people have suffered financially, but the Revolutionary Guards have not. They are estimated to control at least 10%, and up to 50%, of the country’s total economy, including up to an estimated 50% share of Iran’s US$50 billion per year oil profits. They have achieved this by commandeering an industrial empire, made up of hundreds of commercial companies, trusts, subsidiaries and nominally charitable foundations.

    A further US$2 billion or more per year comes from the government’s military budget, with periodic boosts during crises. Add to this the alleged shadowy operation of black markets, extortion, and the smuggling of alcohol, narcotics and weapons, accounting for an estimated US$12 billion per year in revenue.

    Contemplating this corruption, I am reminded of an anecdote from a personal associate who worked for a firm affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard. They shared stories of officers, the nation’s purported “guardians of Islam”, hosting parties where alcohol, firearms and sex workers were readily available.

    My associate recounted several instances of fraud and theft, one of them monumental in scale. In this “tea smuggling scandal”, the Revolutionary Guard defrauded billions of dollars from a government fund by illicitly exchanging some funds on the open market, falsely labelling cheap tea to on-sell as superior quality tea, and falsely labelling domestically produced machinery as “Made in Germany”.

    “They’re untouchable, and they know it”, my associate said. Another Iranian community member described them to me as “Iran’s super-mafia”.

    Speaking to family in Iran, they say many of the middle tier Revolutionary Guards live in their own shahrak-ha (towns) with dedicated markets, schools and resorts. Many of the Guards’ elite, meanwhile, live in mansions in the exclusive parts of north Tehran, with children who pursue conspicuously American “lifestyles of the rich and famous”. For an organisation that leads the chants of “marg bar America!” (death to America), one wonders if they see the irony in this.

    Turn our dark night to dawn

    I find myself sickened by the events of this war, and the harm it is causing. Struck with anxiety, some of our family members in Tehran haven’t slept for days. “The Israeli bombardments are non-stop, and so loud,” one family member told me.

    This week our extended family has struggled frantically to leave Tehran. Petrol is hard to come by and, in a mass exodus, the bumper-to-bumper traffic stands still for hours. I know some of the neighbourhoods being bombed; we lived in one of them in my childhood.

    “For every military commander that’s assassinated, a whole building might collapse, and with a dozen civilians trapped or killed,” another person told me, intimating that the civilian toll is higher than official counts.

    I am also worried about the raised hopes of Iranians. I have seen this before, when a spark – sometimes an inspirational act of courage from an ordinary citizen – leads to public surges in solidarity. At these moments during my childhood, my parents would tell me that the regime’s time was limited, it’s downfall inevitable. Iranians would see better days and people power would prevail.

    Truth and goodness rise like cream, my Dad would say, as if echoing Dr Martin Luther King’s arc of the moral universe bending towards justice.

    A beautiful sentiment no doubt, but one that has become difficult to believe over time. It often appears that the universe’s arc bends towards power, not justice. Fairness seems the exception, hardly the rule. At the time, Dad’s reassurances were protective, even noble. But as the 1979 revolution and its aftermath have shown, might beats right most days of the week.

    The cruelty of the cruel and the tyranny of the hunter
    Have blown away my nest.
    O God, O Heavens, O Nature,
    Turn our dark night to dawn.

    As I explain to Australian friends: how can a people surpass a government that has (1) the military on its side, (2) a stranglehold on oil revenue, and (3) a purported mandate from God?

    Guns, money and a holy book – a hard trifecta to crack, and powerful enough to attract a sufficient minority of cronies, bottom feeders and sycophants.

    What’s the size of this ruling minority? It’s difficult to be sure, but a 2023 survey of 158,000 respondents within Iran found that only 15% supported the Islamic Republic. Small, but sufficient to produce crowds burning American and Israeli flags. I’ve always marvelled at the regime’s ability to manufacture these images; I’m told by associates that they now use AI to produce some of these.

    Women Life Freedom

    As current events unfold, I find myself deeply sceptical of all the political actors, whether Iranian, Israeli, American, Arab or Russian. Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, none of them have shown any serious interest in supporting democratic reform in Iran. “They’ve all profited from this government,” a senior community member told me. “Why would that change now?”

    For the sake of sanity, I find myself searching for credible sources of hope. The only one I settle on is faith in the Iranian people themselves. This the culture that has surrounded me since childhood, the qualities I’ve seen first hand in my countrywomen and men, whether young or old, home or abroad, Muslim, Bahai or secular: a resilience, a resourcefulness, a propensity for joy, a confidence and pride in culture, and an ability to prevail, over and again.

    It’s a new spring, roses are in bloom…
    …O rose, look towards this lover,
    Look again, again, again.

    These qualities are periodically staged for the world to see. Iranian people have not taken their oppression lying down, rising in (mainly) peaceful protests. There have been some 10 mass protests since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979. The largest of these was the Green Movement in 2009, when it was estimated that over a million citizens marched in Tehran alone. As recently as May 2025, strikes took place in over 150 cities, involving hundreds of thousands of workers.

    For the most part, these demonstrations have been met with severe repression by state authorities. One episode, from September 2022, deserves special mention. The world watched in horror as the regime cracked down on young women in Iran. This was their response to the Zan Zendegi Azadi (Woman Life Freedom) movement, where mass protests were triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Jina Amini.

    Amini was a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who had been detained by the government’s “Morality Police” for wearing an improper hijab. Three days into her detention she died under suspicious circumstances. A leaked CT scan showed a skull fracture and brain haemorrhage. This corroborated eyewitness accounts that Amini had been severely beaten by police.

    Intentionally or not, a dress code infringement had been punished by death. Even for Iranians long accustomed to state violence, this was too much. Mass protests erupted in more than 100 cities across all of Iran’s 31 provinces.

    The protests were led by women, many of them defiantly removing their headscarves. True to its nature, the regime responded violently. In the months that followed, over 20,000 protesters were imprisoned, many later testifying to having been tortured through electric shock, flogging, waterboarding and rape.

    Human Rights Watch estimates that over 500 civilians – including 68 children and adolescents – were killed by security forces, which included the paramilitary Basijis, Revolutionary Guard Corps, police and prison guards.

    Things would get darker. That December the regime was accused of deliberately poisoning over 1,200 students at Kharazmi and Ark universities on the eve of a planned protest. Soon thereafter, there were allegations of toxic gas attacks against thousands of schoolgirls, in apparent retaliation for removing their hijabs. By 2024, the UN had accused Iran of a coordinated campaign of crimes against humanity, a claim rejected by the regime.

    As an eye surgeon, I was distressed to read a letter signed by over 100 Iranian ophthalmologists detailing eye injuries among protesters. The letter alleged that security forces had deliberately targeted people’s eyes with teargas canisters, rubber bullets and shotgun fire, resulting in traumatic injuries and irreversible blindness among protesters.

    Dew drops are falling from my cloudy eyes
    This cage, like my heart, is narrow and dark.
    O fiery sigh set alight this cage
    O fate, do not pick the flower of my life.

    There were separate reports of women’s faces and genitals being targeted by shotgun fire. The regime appeared to have interfered with medical services: protestors transported to police stations in ambulances were arrested after surgery or denied treatment. Doctors were reportedly coerced to supply false death certificates to disguise the true cause of protestors’ deaths. The British Medical Journal documented healthcare professionals being arrested, intimidated, kidnapped or killed in retaliation for treating protesters.

    If we didn’t know it already, Zan Zendegi Azadi reminded us of the risks, if not futility, of advocating for change in Iran.

    When mass civil movements like this, performed ten times over, have not worked, what alternatives are the people left with? Brutalised and impoverished by their own government, should we be surprised when a traditionally Islamic people welcome a Jewish state’s decapitation of their political leaders? Is it not tempting, even if lazy, to invoke the historical comparison of Cyrus the Great, Persian King of the Achaemenid Empire, who freed the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity?

    For the people of Iran and Israel – at the risk of naivety and romanticism – are we approaching an age of karma?

    O rose, look towards this lover,
    Look again, again, again.
    O heart-lost bird, shorten, shorten, shorten,
    The tale of separation.

    An uncertain scenario

    Regarding Operation Rising Lion, it is safe to say that Iranians, like any healthy community, hold a diversity of views.

    At one end of the spectrum, those who unconditionally condemn Israel’s attack should consider that the Iranian government has stockpiled over 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium. While not enough to build a nuclear warhead, this is far more enriched uranium than is needed for peaceful purposes.

    The Iranian government has also vowed to “wipe Israel off the map” for decades. Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei lauded the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. In other words, Iran has said to Israel “we want to annihilate you, we’ll celebrate your deaths, and we could do it with nuclear weapons if we wished to”.

    Following Iran’s recent breach of its nonproliferation obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Israel says it has acted lawfully in attacking Iran for self-defense – a claim disputed by some international law experts. Even if one does not agree with Israel’s action, it is evident that they’ve long been baited by Iran.

    On the other side of the coin, Iranians who salute Israel and the US as their saviours should take caution. The US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declared as recently as March 2025 that there was no evidence that Iran was actively pursuing nuclear weapons, a finding corroborated by over a dozen other US intelligence elements including the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the Insitute for Defense Analyses.

    One cannot ignore the disturbing echoes of the 2003 war on Iraq, where the absence of evidence for weapons of mass destruction was intentionally misrepresented by the US and UK governments. The consequences for Iraq have been disastrous.

    As for Netanyahu and his administration, they have shown a ruthless pursuit of narrow self-interest in Gaza. The deaths and injuries inflicted by the Israeli Defence Forces on more than 50,000 Palestinian children appear to have done nothing to quell their ambitions.

    With regards to Netanyahu himself, he is facing corruption charges that could result in his domestic imprisonment and he has more recently been the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, including starvation and murder.

    What can Iranians learn from this? The evidence suggests this could be a war of passion and opportunism for Israel, rather than one of legitimate self-defence. In any case, they are not waging it for the benefit of Iranians.

    Israel has a tendency to set ambitious military goals that it can’t achieve. While it promises Operation Rising Lion will soon end, its track record suggests otherwise.

    A protracted conflict would see Iran’s civilian toll rise much higher. Power outages and fuel shortages have already begun; what happens once water, medical and food scarcity set in? Since Iran doesn’t allow many international aid agencies onto its soil, who will come to the rescue of Iranians as things escalate?

    Truth’s life has come to an end
    Faith and fidelity have been replaced by the shield of war.
    Lover’s lament and beloved’s coyness,
    Are but lies and have no power.

    Even if Israel succeeds in capturing or killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, what happens next? With the Revolutionary Guard’s roots in place, there is no guarantee, and in fact a low likelihood, of true democratic reform. In recent times, foreign interference in the region has not gone well. Look at Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria: all evidence of catastrophic worsening after the removal of autocrats.

    This is a complex and uncertain scenario with little room for moral grandstanding. Disabling Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities could be a net win, but the manner in which it is being done sets a dangerous precedent. For the Iranian people, Netanyahu’s ambitions could ultimately prove both heroic and villainous.

    The cup of the rich is full of pure wine,
    Our cup is filled with our heart’s blood.
    O anxious heart, cry out aloud
    And avoid those who have powerful hands.

    As I watch coverage of the war, I find myself drifting back to Shajarian’s voice and to Morq-e Sahar, probably for distraction and comfort. What is real is my faith in my fellow Iranians. Many examples comes to mind. One, during a trip to Iran, was when I stayed with family at a roadhouse. That evening, we heard music emanating from the courtyard and followed some steps into an dark basement beneath the accommodation.

    There we found a large gathering of young Iranians, two dozen or more men and women risking the law by hanging out together to sing. We joined them as strangers, seated on the floor and holding hands at times. In the dim light, the group sang and sang, a couple of them playing instruments.

    I can’t say I knew the songs or comprehended all the lyrics; I didn’t need to, to understand their meaning. You may force our people underground, you may cage them, bombard and even kill them. But you will never extinguish their eternal Persian spirit.

    O rosy-cheeked cup-bearer, give the fiery water,
    Play a joyful tune, O charming friend.
    O sad nightingale lament from your cage.
    Because of your grief my heart is
    Full of sparks, sparks, sparks.

    Hessom Razavi 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. Friday essay: ‘my heart is full of sparks’ – as war escalates, can I hope for Iran’s liberation from a tyrannical regime? – https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-my-heart-is-full-of-sparks-as-war-escalates-can-i-hope-for-irans-liberation-from-a-tyrannical-regime-259275

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Club World Cup: Messi magic as Inter Miami stun Porto

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

    Lionel Messi struck a stunning free kick to seal a 2-1 comeback victory for Inter Miami over Porto in their FIFA Club World Cup Group A clash on Thursday.

    Porto took the early lead just eight minutes into the match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Inter Miami defender Noah Allen was penalized for a challenge on Joao Mario inside the box following a VAR review.

    Samu Aghehowa stepped up and converted the resulting penalty, beating veteran Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari despite the Argentine getting a hand to the ball.

    The Portuguese side nearly doubled its advantage before halftime when midfielder Alan Varela’s powerful strike from 20 yards hit the post. The rebound deflected off Ustari’s back, but the keeper managed to collect the ball just before it crossed the line.

    Inter Miami, who managed only six touches inside Porto’s box in the first half, came out energized after the break and found the equalizer in the 47th minute. Venezuelan midfielder Telasco Segovia latched onto a cross from Marcelo Weigandt and fired the ball into the top corner.

    The Major League Soccer side completed its comeback just seven minutes later. Luis Suarez earned a free kick on the edge of Porto’s penalty area, and Messi stepped up to curl an exquisite set piece into the top right corner.

    The win lifts Inter Miami to second place in Group A with four points from one win and one draw, trailing Brazil’s Palmeiras only on goal difference. Porto and Al Ahly follow with one point each. Inter Miami will host group leader Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium on June 23 in their final group fixture.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta and Newsom Administration Celebrate Newport Beach Win Allowing the City to Comply with State Housing Law

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, June 19, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    Attorney General Bonta and Newsom Administration have supported Newport Beach in lawsuits attacking City’s general plan 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Governor Gavin Newsom, and California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velasquez today issued a statement after a trial court sided with Newport Beach and determined that the City’s actions to implement its housing element without voter approval are valid, despite a charter provision seeming to require a vote. Last month, Attorney General Bonta and the Newsom Administration filed a joint amicus brief in support of the City of Newport Beach’s efforts to comply with state housing laws after opponents sued the City for taking steps to implement its housing plan, including rezoning, as required under the state’s Housing Element Law. 

    “As California continues to deal with a housing crisis of epic proportions, Newport Beach has said yes to more homes and is endeavoring to build its fair share of housing under California law,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, I celebrate a court decision that clears the way for Newport Beach to continue its work. Cities statewide are obligated to plan for their fair share of housing; my office will continue to hold accountable those who refuse and stick up for localities who are trying to do the right thing.”

    “Every community must do their part to build housing and address homelessness. We will continue to support Newport Beach’s efforts to follow the law and create more housing opportunities for its residents,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

    “HCD is committed to holding jurisdictions accountable to state housing law, and we are proud to stand behind those communities—like Newport Beach—that are putting in the work to see sufficient housing built for all income levels,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Californians need the ability to be full participants in the life of their community—living, learning, and working in a place they can call home. We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Attorney General to make that a reality.” 

    BACKGROUND

    The housing element is a crucial planning tool to accommodate housing for all Californians across all household income levels, and to redress historical redlining and disinvestment. Under state law, every city and county in California must periodically update its housing element to meet its share of the regional and statewide housing needs.  State law also requires certain housing element programs to be completed by specific deadlines, including any zoning code amendments necessary to accommodate the city or county’s share of the regional housing need for each income level.

    To effectuate its housing element programs, Newport Beach amended its land use element and zoning code to allow residential development in more areas of the City using new overlay zoning districts in six focus areas. Opponents sued the City arguing that, regardless of state Housing Element Law, these changes must be approved by voters before they are effective because of a provision in the City’s charter. The Court disagreed and adopted Attorney General Bonta and the Newsom Administration’s position that the City properly interpreted its own charter provision, and that voter approval measures cannot be construed in a way that obstructs mandatory obligations under state Housing Element Law. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Israel — and potentially the U.S. — is sure to encounter the limits of air power in Iran

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

    As the war between Israel and Iran escalates, Israel is increasing its calls on the United States to become involved in the conflict.

    Former Israeli officials are appearing on U.S. news outlets, exhorting the American public to support Israel’s actions.

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

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

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

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

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



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

    Israel’s need for American support

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The United States, however, possesses munitions that could damage, or even destroy, the Fordow facility. Most notably, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (more commonly known as a bunker buster) has a penetration capability of 200 feet.

    Multiple strikes by said munition would render Fordow inoperable, if not outright destroyed.

    Romanticizing air power

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Nationalism is a potent force, particularly when people are under attack. Israel’s bombing of Iran will rally segments of the population to the government that would otherwise oppose it.

    Few positive options

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Global survey finds 8 out of 10 people support taxing oil and gas corporations to pay for climate damages

    Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

    A majority of people believe governments must tax oil, gas and coal corporations for climate-related loss and damage, and that their government is not doing enough to counter the influence on politics of the super-rich and polluting industries. These are the key findings of a global survey, which reflects broad consensus across political affiliations, income levels and age groups. Today’s study, which was jointly commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International, was launched at the Bonn UN climate meetings (SB62 16-26 June), where governments are discussing key climate policy priorities, including ways to mobilize at least US $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance for Global South countries by 2035. The poll was conducted across 13 countries, including most G7 countries. The study, run by Dynata, comes with additional research by Oxfam showing that a polluter profits tax on 590 oil, gas and coal companies could raise up to US $400 billion in its first year. This is equivalent to the estimated annual costs of climate damage in the Global South. Loss and damage costs from climate change to the Global South are estimated to reach between $290bn to $580bn annually by 2030.
    Key findings of the survey include:
    • 81% of people surveyed support new taxes on the oil, coal and gas industry to pay for damages caused by fossil-fuel driven climate disasters like storms, floods, droughts and wildfires.
    • 86% of people in surveyed countries support channelling revenues from higher taxes on oil and gas corporations towards communities who are most impacted by the climate crisis. Climate change is disproportionately hitting people in Global South countries, who are historically least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.
    • When asked who should be taxed to pay for helping survivors of fossil-fuel driven climate disasters, 66% of people across countries surveyed think it should be oil and gas companies compared to than 5% who support taxes on working people, 9% on goods people buy, and 20% in favour of business taxes.
    • 68% felt that the fossil fuel industry and the super-rich had a negative influence on politics in their country. 77% say they would be more willing to support a political candidate who prioritises taxing the super-rich and the fossil fuel industry. 
    Oxfam’s research finds that 585 of the world’s largest and most polluting fossil fuel companies made $583 billion in profits in 2024, a 68% increase since 2019. The annual emissions of 340 of these corporations (for whom data was available) accounted for over half of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. Their emissions in just one year are enough to cause 2.7 million heat-related deaths over the next century. A polluter profits tax on these companies would ensure that renewable energy is more profitable than fossil fuels, encouraging companies to invest in renewables, as well as avoid more deaths driven by fossil fuelled climate change. This new tax must be accompanied by higher taxes on the super-rich and other polluting companies. Governments should impose such taxes nationally and engage positively at the UN to ensure a fair global tax agreement.
    Nick Henry, Climate Justice Lead for Oxfam Aotearoa, said: “This new poll shows that people support Oxfam’s call for our leaders to make polluting corporations pay for the damage they cause to our climate.”
    “People understand that storms, floods, drought, wildfires, and other extreme weather events are being fuelled by oil and gas corporations. Instead of leaving communities exposed to deal with these devastating costs alone, governments can unlock huge sums of money to invest in climate solutions through making dirty energy companies pay,” said Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace’s Stop Drilling, Start Paying campaign. “The Polluters Pay Pact unites communities on the frontlines of climate disasters, concerned citizens, first responders like firefighters and humanitarian groups around the world to call on politicians to act now through making polluters, not people, pay for climate damages.”  
    Amitabh Behar, Executive Director of Oxfam International, said: “Mega-rich coal, oil and gas companies have known for decades about the damage their polluting products wreak on humanity. Corporations continue to cash in on climate devastation, and their profiteering destroys the lives and livelihoods of millions of women, men and children, predominantly those in the Global South who have done the least to cause the climate crisis. Governments must listen to their people and hold rich polluters responsible for their damages. A new tax on polluting industries could provide immediate and significant support to climate-vulnerable countries and finally incentivise investment in renewables and a just transition.”
    Nick Henry continued: “Rather than subsidising new oil and gas drilling, and fast-tracking coal mines, our Government should be holding fossil fuel companies responsible for the costs facing our communities to adapt to climate change.”
    NOTES:
    • The research was conducted by market research company Dynata in May-June, 2025, in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Italy, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US. Together, these countries represent close to half the world’s population. Results available here.
    • Oxfam’s polluter profits tax model is explained in this blog and methodology note attached. The methodology note also explains the basis for the emissions of fossil fuel companies and their impacts on heat-related deaths. These deaths were calculated on the basis of emissions in 2023. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Electronics Partners With Electronic Arts and Xbox To Bring EA SPORTS FC™ 25 to Samsung Gaming Hub

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung Electronics today announced a partnership with Electronic Arts (EA) and Xbox to bring the action of EA SPORTS FCTM 25 to Samsung Gaming Hub. Samsung TV and monitor owners can now play EA SPORTS FC 25 through the Xbox app with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)1 on supported devices.2 All players need to get started is a compatible controller and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes EA Play.
     
    As a special promotion, new Xbox Game Pass subscribers can receive a two-month Ultimate Game Pass subscription.3 The offer is available to both existing Samsung TV owners and those who buy a new, qualifying TV. To redeem, users can simply download the Samsung Promotions app on their Samsung TV, click the Xbox promotion banner or scan the QR code with their mobile device, and then follow the steps on the screen to activate their offer.
     
    “We are delighted to bring EA SPORTS FC 25 to Samsung TVs and monitors through cloud gaming on Samsung Gaming Hub,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As the world’s leading TV manufacturer, one of our goals is to immerse soccer fans around the world in the exciting game of soccer, whether they are playing the game or watching a match live on a Samsung TV.”
     
    EA SPORTS FC 25 gives players more ways to win for the club, by teaming up with friends across their favorite modes with 5v5 Rush and managing their clubs to victory as FC IQ delivers more tactical control than ever before. Fans will also continue to experience unparalleled authenticity with the most true-to-life experience of football’s biggest competitions, clubs and stars. FC 25 features over 19,000 athletes across more than 700 teams, 120 stadiums and 30 leagues from around the world.
     
    Samsung Gaming Hub, first introduced in 2022, has redefined home entertainment by giving players access to thousands of games directly on Samsung TVs and monitors. This includes the 2025 TV series, spanning Samsung Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K, OLED, QLED, The Frame and The Frame Pro, which are powered by Samsung Vision AI for AI enhanced picture and sound, along with new personalized features that bring people closer to the shows, movies and games they love.
     
    In a first for the TV industry, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft to integrate Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) into its smart TVs and monitors, and now supports a wide range of streamed games from partners including NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Amazon Luna.
     
    For more information on Samsung Gaming Hub, please visit www.samsung.com.
     
     
    1 In 27 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, United States, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Korea), the game is available via Samsung Gaming Hub.
    Supported features and games may vary by country and model. An internet connection, additional gaming service subscription and compatible controller are required. Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features.
    2 Available on select 2022 or later Samsung Smart TVs and Monitors.
    3 Claim Game Pass Ultimate trial by August 12,2025. Redeem at https://www.xbox.com/redeem by August 19, 2025. Valid for new Xbox Game Pass members only. Available in all regions with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) supporting the Xbox app on Samsung, excluding Korea and Argentina.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Gaza – Deliberate shortages of food, medicine and fuel by Israeli authorities are suffocating Gaza

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF)

    Gaza, 20 June 2025— Palestinians are perpetually on the verge of losing access to essential medical care and clean water due to deliberate actions by Israeli authorities. This policy restricts the entry of medical supplies and fuel to the bare minimum and at their whim. While this strategy creates the illusion of aid flowing into the Strip, it effectively prevents the humanitarian response from reaching even the minimum required for a population entirely reliant on assistance. The Israeli authorities must end their collective punishment of the people in Gaza and immediately allow the consistent entry of sufficient medical supplies and fuel.

    Over the past week we have seen large influxes of wounded patients, many of whom have suffered traumatic injuries. At Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF’s) field hospital in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, the number of patients with gunshot wounds increased by 190 per cent compared to the week before. Clinics, such as Khan Younis clinic and Deir Al-Balah clinic, saw their highest weekly intake to date. Following three months of total blockade and despite Israel’s claims to have opened supply corridors, MSF’s supplies are running critically low due to continuing restrictions imposed on entering goods.

    “We are missing everything, medical consumables like gauze, medications and food for our patients. This also includes therapeutic food for people with malnutrition, especially children,” says Katja Storck, nursing activity manager in Khan Younis.

    Along with crucial medical supplies, the dangerously low level of fuel is a big concern for people in Gaza as it powers the desalination plants where much of the clean water comes from. Palestinians across the Strip have already seen their access to water drop significantly. Without fuel, millions of people will be trapped with no safe drinking water. Equally, fuel powers the entire healthcare system: medical equipment, air conditioning, elevators, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and cold-chain storage for medicines and vaccines. Even ambulances will be grounded, preventing the transport of critically ill and wounded people.

    “Newborns in neonatal intensive care units are often too small to breathe on their own — they need ventilators and oxygen to survive. But recently lack of fuel has caused electricity at Al-Helou Maternity hospital in northern Gaza to cut out several times, shutting off ventilators and oxygen and putting babies’ lives at immediate risk,” says Amy Low, medical team leader in Gaza City.

    Yesterday, the UN managed to retrieve 280,000 litres of fuel from the stocks which are stuck in a no-go area in Rafah, after the Israeli authorities denied 12 previous requests. As fuel stocks got so low, the teams at Al-Helou, where MSF teams work in the maternity ward, had to temporarily shut down elevators in the hospital to ration stocks.  

    “The charade of only allowing medical and fuel supplies at the very last minute ahead of a looming disaster is nothing but a band aid on a gushing wound. The weaponisation of aid must end,” says Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza. “No militarised scheme developed by a warring party, like the one we are witnessing with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, can replace the work of independent humanitarian agencies.”

    MSF teams are witnessing patterns consistent with genocide in Gaza. Mass killings, the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, and severe restrictions on fuel supplies and the delivery of aid are deliberate actions. Israel is systematically dismantling the conditions necessary for Palestinian life.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Real Madrid’s Mbappe in hospital with gastroenteritis

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

    Real Madrid announced on Thursday that striker Kylian Mbappe has been admitted to the hospital in Miami suffering from gastroenteritis.

    Mbappe missed his side’s 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in their first group match in the FIFA Club World Cup at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

    “Our player Kylian Mbappe is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment,” read a club medical report on Thursday morning.

    Gastroenteritis is a stomach infection that causes vomiting and diarrhea, and the news means Mbappe is unlikely to play in Madrid’s second group match on Sunday against Mexico’s Pachuca, which lost 2-1 to Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday evening. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 06/19/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Blasts Democrats’ Efforts to Obstruct ICE with Former Acting ICE Director on ‘Unmuted with Marsha’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a new episode of ‘Unmuted with Marsha’ blasting the Democrats’ efforts to obstruct the lawful operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that keep Americans safe by removing criminal illegal aliens from our communities. 

    Senator Blackburn spoke with Former Acting ICE Director Jonathan Fahey about the alarming increase in threats against ICE agents, how her REMOVE Act would expedite deportations of criminal illegal aliens, and how her Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act would protect law enforcement officers from being targeted by criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.

    Click here to watch this episode of ‘Unmuted with Marsha.’

    “People do not want Tren de Aragua, MS-13, violent gangs in their neighborhoods and communities. They not only want them out; they want them out fast. They just don’t want them there. But I have found it so interesting that these mayors – whether it is Nashville, L.A., Boston, Chicago – that they are fighting against ICE, and in Nashville, we even do the doxxing of our Homeland Security investigators and our ICE agents. The law is you cannot be here illegally. There is a proper way to come – a legal way – and you cannot commit crimes when you are here in our country. That is a violation of the law,” said Senator Blackburn.

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: WHO – Global Leaders Unite to Accelerate Cervical Cancer Elimination Efforts

    Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

    New commitments at Bali Forum drive momentum to save hundreds of thousands of girls and women from cancer

    BALI, Indonesia, 19 June 2025 – Governments, donors, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and partners today announced significant policy, programmatic, and financial commitments to eliminate one of the most preventable cancers.

    At the 2nd Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, hosted in Bali, Indonesia, on 17-19 June, leaders announced a wave of new investments and policy pledges to expand access to HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment – bringing the world closer to making cervical cancer the first cancer to ever be eliminated.  

    The Forum is attended by more than 300 participants, among them are high-level delegates, such as Ministers of Health from Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu, as well as Vice Ministers from Costa Rica, Paraguay, and South Africa, demonstrating strong political commitment from countries across regions.

    The Global Strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer sets clear targets for 2030: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by age 15; 70% of women screened with a high-performance test by age 35 and again at 45; and 90% of women identified with cervical disease receiving appropriate treatment. Progress across all three pillars is essential to achieve and sustain elimination.

    “In 2018, WHO issued a global call for action to eliminate cervical cancer on the world to act, and the commitments made here in Indonesia show that call is being answered,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But we must go further and faster. Every girl who remains unvaccinated and every woman who lacks access to screening or treatment is a reminder that equity must be at the heart of our elimination strategy. Together, we can consign cervical cancer to the history books.”

    Despite being preventable, cervical cancer still claims the life of a woman every two minutes – 94% of them in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Less than five per cent of women in many LMICs receive cervical cancer screening due to health system limitations, cost barriers and logistical challenges.  

    Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) – the leading cause of cervical cancer – can prevent the vast majority of cases, averting 17.4 deaths for every 1000 girls vaccinated. Combined with screening and treatment—including for precancerous lesions and invasive cancer— it provides a path to elimination. However, as of 2024 only 46 per cent of low-income countries have introduced HPV vaccination nationally, compared to 98 per cent of high-income nations.

    The Bali forum builds on momentum from Cartagena, Colombia, where nearly US$ 600 million was committed last year to scale up efforts. 194 countries have adopted WHO’s global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer and 75 countries globally

    have adopted the single-dose HPV vaccine, which expands access to the vaccine to even more girls and saves costs. Vaccination coverage is also improving: in Africa, first dose coverage rose from 28% in 2022 to 40% in 2023 – making it the region with the second-highest rate globally and empowering millions of girls to protect their health and realize their potential. There is increased vaccine supply thanks to market shaping efforts by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and updated recommendations are helping to make cervical cancer screening and treatment more affordable.

    The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia continues to accelerate the national HPV vaccination program to reduce mortality rates from cervical cancer. Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized the urgency of this initiative, as cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women in Indonesia.

    To address this issue, the Ministry of Health is not only expanding free HPV vaccination coverage for school-age girls but also strengthening early detection programs for cervical cancer through DNA HPV test and co-testing with IVA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid) at health-care facilities. Additionally, the ministry is collaborating with various stakeholders, including local governments and community organizations, to enhance public education and awareness about the importance of early prevention.

    “We cannot rely solely on treatment. Prevention is far more important. Therefore, in addition to HPV vaccination, we strongly encourage regular screening so that cancer can be detected at an early stage before it progresses,” said Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

    Early detection significantly increases the chances of recovery and reduces treatment cost. For this reason, combining screening and vaccination is essential for effectively preventing and tackling cervical cancer.

    Alongside gains in vaccination, countries are also reporting progress in expanding access to cervical cancer screening and treatment, aligned with WHO recommendations. Innovations such as self-sampling are improving reach and feasibility, especially in low-resource settings. Many countries are scaling up national screening programmes and investing in treatment services to ensure that women who test positive receive timely and appropriate care.

    This growing global push, driven by renewed commitments from governments and partners at the Forum shows that it is possible to reverse the tide and prevent annual deaths from rising to over 410 000 by 2030, as currently estimated.

    To sustain and accelerate this momentum, donors committed to a future free from cervical cancer are strongly urged to fully fund Gavi, which aims to vaccinate an additional 120 million girls between 2026-2030, saving 1.5 million lives.

    “At its heart, this movement is about justice. It’s about ensuring that every girl and every woman, regardless of where she lives or what she earns, has access to basic, lifesaving care,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “As we build these services, we are not just preventing cancer, we are strengthening the bond between women and the health system. We are breaking down barriers. We are dismantling stigma. We are advancing the broader agenda for women’s health. Let us act now—so that every woman, everywhere, can live a healthy, dignified life.”

    Continued support is also essential for the coordinated efforts of governments, and global partners across the full elimination strategy to help bring us closer to a world where no girl or woman dies from a disease that there is the power to eliminate. Further, the forum calls countries to set ambitious national targets, align with global commitments, and strengthen collective action toward a cervical cancer-free world by 2030 through the Bali Declaration to Reaffirm Commitment to Cervical Cancer Elimination.

    Notes:

    Country commitments made at the forum include:

    Government of Indonesia

    Indonesia stands unwavering in its mission to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, ensuring that every woman, regardless of socioeconomic status, can live free from its threat. With an ambitious national 90-75-90 target, Indonesia is scaling up its efforts and setting a precedent for bold, decisive action.

    Recognizing that elimination requires sustained commitment, Indonesia is mobilizing all sectors through evidence-based programming, strong local leadership, and dynamic multi-stakeholder collaboration. We are prioritizing substantial investments in the health system and fortifying the key pillars of progress—governance, financial sustainability, and social outreach—to drive real change.

    With the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan 2023–2030 launch, Indonesia has solidified a comprehensive partnership ecosystem spanning ministries, local governments, civil society, communities, and international development partners. Significant strides have been made across the three elimination pillars: vaccination, screening, and treatment. To accelerate our impact, Indonesia is advancing the following commitments:

    1. HPV Vaccination – Reaching Every Girl, Every Woman

    By the end of 2025, Indonesia will transition to a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule, deploying both school-based and community-based platforms to ensure 90% coverage of HPV vaccination among girls and women in all target groups by 2030.

    2. Cervical Cancer Screening – Scaling Up and Innovating

    Indonesia is dramatically expanding its screening efforts to reach 75% of women aged 30–69 by 2030, using high-performance HPV DNA testing—a globally recognized best practice. Nationwide pilots are already underway, with full-scale adoption targeted by the end of 2025.

    3. Treatment and Care – Strengthening Access and Innovation

    Indonesia is fortifying its health system by closing diagnostic and treatment services gaps. Key advancements include accelerated procurement of essential diagnostic tools and treatment equipment and expanded access to chemotherapy, immunohistochemistry testing, and cryotherapy across all regions. Additionally, we are upskilling our healthcare workforce to ensure expertise in the latest treatment techniques.

    As we move forward, Indonesia is embedding cervical cancer elimination within its broader National Cancer Control Plan 2025–2034, driving continuous monitoring, research, and evidence-based policy refinement to guarantee universal access to preventive and curative services.

    Indonesia is fully committed to accelerating progress, ensuring that every woman across the country has access to the services needed for cervical cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. At this pivotal global forum, Indonesia with the participants of the forum urge countries to set ambitious national targets, align with global commitments, and strengthen collective action toward a cervical cancer-free world by 2030 through the adoption of Bali Declaration to Reaffirm Commitment to Cervical Cancer Elimination.

     

    Other Government commitments

    Government of Pakistan

    The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination reaffirms Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to cervical cancer elimination, aligning with the WHO’s 2030 targets. With over 5,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths annually, cervical cancer is a public health challenge in Pakistan. We are prioritizing a comprehensive strategy focusing on HPV vaccination for adolescent girls starting in 2025, alongside strengthening screening programs and ensuring timely treatment access.

    Our goal is to achieve a future where no woman in Pakistan loses her life to this preventable disease.

    Government of Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea has committed to eliminate cervical cancer from the country. Integrated cervical cancer screening and treatment has been scaled up and the country plans to introduce HPV vaccine nationally in 2026.

    Government of Samoa

    Samoa has made major strides:

    Over 80% HPV vaccination coverage among girls aged 10–18, supported by ADB and UNICEF.
    Our first Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy was developed in 2023 with UNFPA support.
    The National Cancer Policy and Action Plan (2024–2029) was approved by our government last December and was funded with Australian assistance.

     

    Our approach integrates screening into primary care, uses mobile outreach, and embeds community engagement through the Fa’asamoa and “Healthy Islands” principles.

    We recognise the challenges—limited resources and workforce—but we remain committed to combining prevention, screening, and partnerships to achieve our goals.

    This program is about equity, hope, and action. Every woman in Samoa deserves access to life-saving care. As a Pacific nation and proud Commonwealth member, we are determined to lead by example.

    Together, we will eliminate cervical cancer and save lives.
    Thank you for the assistance from our Development Partners and the Global Community.

    Co-host commitments

    Gates Foundation

    The Gates Foundation is committed to protecting the next generation of women from cervical cancer by increasing equitable, sustainable access to HPV vaccines in low- and middle-income countries and we are proud to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and countries in the ongoing work to accelerate the introduction and scale-up of HPV vaccines.

    We continue in our commitment that supports research on new prophylactic HPV vaccines, further studies investigating the durability of protection of single-dose vaccination, and tools to help countries better understand how vaccines might be used beyond current target populations. And we remain dedicated to our partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, and the private sector. Working together, we can eliminate cervical cancer.  

    Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

    Gavi reaffirms its commitment to the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative by supporting lower- and middle-income countries to introduce, finance and scale up coverage of HPV vaccines to drive equitable and sustainable access.

     In partnership with countries and Alliance partners, Gavi is on track to reach its ambitious goal of protecting 86 million girls with the lifesaving HPV vaccine by the end of 2025. To date, we have supported 45 countries to introduce the HPV vaccine to their routine systems. This effort is expected to prevent more than 1.4 million future deaths from cervical cancer and represents a major step forward in advancing health equity.

    In Gavi’s next strategic period 2026–2030, Gavi aims to intensify its efforts by reaching over 120 million additional girls with the HPV vaccine- an initiative that could save 1.5 million more lives. Achieving this goal will depend on a fully funded Gavi for the next strategic period. Gavi’s investment in HPV vaccination programmes provides a strong foundation for elimination initiatives across the pillars of WHO’s Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination.

    Investing in the health of women and girls is essential to unlocking their full potential and building a healthier, more equitable future for all.

    UNICEF

    At the 2024 Forum, UNICEF announced an investment of USD 10 million towards the HPV vaccine programme (the HPV Plus initiative). Through the HPV Plus initiative and other investments and partnerships, UNICEF supported the vaccination of over 20 million girls across the 21 HPV Plus implementing countries. Importantly, UNICEF forged strong multi-sectoral engagements and partnerships, working directly with over 250,000 stakeholders in the 21 countries to ensure access for key integrated adolescent health services including nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDs, menstrual hygiene management, and related services to over 490,000 girls – in addition to receiving the HPV vaccine.  

     

    In UNICEF’s next strategic plan for 2026-2029 we commit to supporting vaccination of 100 million girls with the HPV vaccine. UNICEF will continue to leverage its programmatic and multi-sectoral footprint to advance effective initiatives including integrated HPV vaccination and adolescent health services and strengthening effective delivery platforms including school-based vaccination.  We will also continue to generate and share evidence to help build stronger immunization and health programmes that advance the wellbeing of adolescent girls.

     

    UNICEF will also leverage its Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) program alongside its cervical cancer diagnostic toolkit to shape markets and to create linkages for the screening and treatment pillars of the cervical cancer elimination strategy. Through key programmatic touchpoints, we will raise awareness among country stakeholders and partners about effective screening and treatment options, while providing technical support where feasible.

    Unitaid

    Unitaid has been a leading investor in the secondary prevention of cervical cancer for over six years and ever since the WHO launched the call to action in 2018. This long-standing engagement reflects Unitaid’s dedication to closing the prevention gap for millions of women worldwide who are not eligible for or able to access the HPV vaccination.

    Building on this foundation, Unitaid will invest an additional US$50 million over the next two years to accelerate access to screening and pre-cancer treatment, resulting in a cumulative commitment now reaching US$130 million. This includes an immediate US$18 million investment to directly support 18 countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean in establishing and scaling national programs. These efforts will prioritize the rapid uptake of HPV testing and pre-cancer treatment devices, decentralized screening models to reach underserved populations, and the integration of services into health systems in ways that are both sustainable and cost-effective.

    In addition to country-level support, Unitaid will strengthen regional mechanisms that benefit a broader set of countries. This includes expanding supply options to improve access to affordable commodities and fostering South-South learning structures that promote local innovation and experience sharing. Through these efforts, Unitaid aims to help countries accelerate progress toward their national cervical cancer elimination goals and contribute meaningfully to the global 90-70-90 targets.

    Civil Society Organisations

    African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA)

    As a network of grassroots civil society organisations, activists and allies committed to advancing the health and wellbeing of African women, thus safeguarding the fabric of our communities, and nations, the African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA) remains committed to using our knowledge of the community, our collective voices, experiences, and skills as cervical cancer survivors, caregivers and allies, in our advocacy with and for our women and girls, in the achievement of the WHO 90/70/90 targets by 2030.

    ACHA will continue scaling up the use of our evidence based, customisable IEC materials to reach at least 150,000 adolescent girls, women, parents, and community leaders across underserved communities with culturally appropriate and age-specific messages about HPV, the importance of HPV vaccination for all eligible girls, routine cervical cancer screening and access to treatment.

    We will also continue to advocate for increased HPV vaccine uptake by integrating cervical health messages into at least 100 advocacy and community engagement activities annually with key populations, including but not limited to school health programs, youth forums, and faith-based initiatives.

    We are also committed to supporting government-led efforts in our respective member countries, through technical input, stakeholder engagement, and community mobilization to adopt WHO’s recommendation for single-dose HPV vaccine schedule for our girls, and to expand access to high performance screening tests for all women, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

    We stand firm in our commitment to building the advocacy capacity of grassroots champions and cancer survivors, by training at least 200 advocates by June 2026 to lead awareness campaigns, reduce stigma, and foster demand for cervical cancer prevention services.

    Our commitments remain resolute, in accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem across Africa, with a focus on underserved populations, and advocating for the integration of preventive services at all levels of implementation. We therefore pledge to use our unified voice, networks, and tools to catalyse political will, drive accountability, and ensure no woman or girl is left behind in the journey to a cervical cancer free Africa.

    Association for Mothers and Newborns (AMAN)

    The Association for Mothers and Newborns (AMAN) reaffirms its commitment to cervical cancer elimination, in alignment with the WHO’s 90-70-90 targets and as a national health priority of Pakistan.

    As a community-rooted professional organization, AMAN recognizes that demand generation, social mobilisation, and evidence-based advocacy are essential pillars to increase the uptake of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening services, particularly in underserved and marginalized communities. AMAN also provides professional training in Screening methods (Cytology, VIA), and treatment with Colposcopy, LLETZ and Surgical management.

    Through its GAVI-funded advocacy project in Sindh province (2025–26), AMAN is addressing vaccine hesitancy, countering misconceptions, and mobilizing families, community leaders, teachers, and caregivers to support HPV vaccination for adolescent girls. The initiative aims to reach over 400,000 adolescent girls, parents, and teachers via community awareness sessions, health camps, and digital outreach. It has also successfully engaged local influencers, health workers, and peer educators as advocates for cervical cancer prevention and health equity.

    AMAN pledges to collaborate with public health authorities, civil society, and global partners to amplify local voices, remove barriers, and accelerate Pakistan’s progress toward the global goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem. Together, with a multipronged approach, we can end cervical cancer.

    Cancer Awareness, Prevention and Early Detection Trust (CAPED)

    As a founding member of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Consortium – India (CCEC-I), CAPED commits to being the community engagement partner and extending outreach through its 48 partner organizations and their extended networks to support the rollout of HPV vaccination and a national cervical cancer screening program.

    By June 2026, we will coordinate efforts to:
    • Develop a national preparedness map and readiness report using real-time grassroots data, reflecting local realities on awareness, access, and health system readiness.
    • Collect and document human interest stories from communities to highlight both challenges and successes in cancer prevention efforts.
    • Create and disseminate contextually relevant communication materials that resonate with diverse audiences and address stigma, misinformation, and fear.

    These efforts will help ground national strategies in lived experiences and ensure that civil society plays a central role in advancing equitable, people-centred cervical cancer elimination in India.

    Girls and Women Health Initiative (GWHI)

    GWHI commits to double its impacts in advocacy for HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening and treatment, along with disseminating the findings from the first ever situation analysis commissioned by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan and WHO.

    GWHI has also created the Pakistan Alliance for Cervical Cancer Elimination (PACCE), a platform to bring together all partners, governmental and non-governmental, working in Pakistan for cervical cancer elimination, to amplify efforts and impact.

    Union for International Cancer Control

    The Union for International Cancer Control is committed to working alongside its 1,150 members across 172 countries and territories to address inequities and drive global action towards the elimination of cervical cancer. With a strong reputation in global advocacy, a rich history of delivering initiatives to support national action, and flagship convening platforms that facilitate peer-to-peer exchange and foster collaboration, UICC continues to champion efforts that improve access to care, sustain progress, and lessen the impact of cervical cancer on individuals, their families and communities.

    As part of its new three-year business plan, UICC will further strengthen its engagement—including through its role in the ‘Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer’, ongoing support for cervical cancer programmes in Francophone Africa, and initiatives that amplify the voices of those with lived experience, including as part of its current three-year World Cancer Day campaign – United by Unique. A core focus of this work will be to mobilise and equip civil society to advocate for the elimination of cervical cancer—ensuring communities are heard, policies are strengthened, and accountability is upheld.

    UICC is rooted in its belief that everyone experiencing cancer should have access to quality treatment and care, and no one should die from a preventable cancer. To achieve this, UICC will leverage its established learning and knowledge-sharing opportunities, its broad multi-sectoral network, and continued advocacy to further progress and ensure that health systems are equipped to improve cancer control, and eliminate cervical cancer.

     

    Private sector

    Becton Dickinson

    Becton Dickinson HPV Access Pricing Initiative: Becton Dickinson (BD) proudly commits to a Global Access Price for our advanced HPV Screening Solution, featuring integrated Extended Genotyping and a self-collection option to expand equitable access to life-saving diagnostics globally. This all-inclusive “Price per Patient Result” will be available to governments and non-governmental organizations advancing public sector programs in 73 Low and Low-Middle Income Countries. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration, we aim to expand access, improve patient management, and help public sector programs implement high-quality, sustainable, and scalable screening programs for effective cervical cancer prevention.

    The Ministry of Health Indonesia and Becton Dickinson (BD) are partnering to expand cervical cancer screening in West Java, aiming to reach 300,000 women in three years. Building on a successful pilot in Papua, the initiative supports Indonesia’s National Action Plan, improving patient management and long-term cost-effectiveness through HPV DNA testing, self-collection, and extended genotyping.

    Roche

    Roche commits to expand affordable pricing for its cobas® HPV DNA test to 17 additional countries, bringing the total to 106 countries, with the potential to positively impact more than 600 million women worldwide. The decision reflects Roche’s unwavering dedication to continuous innovation and advancing equitable access to cervical cancer screening, a critical step in supporting countries as they work towards their elimination goals. Roche’s commitment ext

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: In recent years, the strategic partnership between Russia and Cuba has only strengthened

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    20 hours ago

    At SPIEF-2025, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko welcomed the participants of the first high-level business dialogue “Russia – Cuba”.

    “Our countries are linked by strong, time-tested, friendly ties. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strategic partnership. In recent years, it has only strengthened.

    Diplomatic, cultural and trade-economic relations are actively developing. Mutual trade turnover has grown by more than 13%. Last year alone, we achieved significant results in tourism, the agro-industrial complex and education.

    Cuba was visited by 160 thousand Russian tourists, which is a record figure. The number of Cubans who visited Russia also increased by 50%. Deliveries of domestic cars to Cuba have resumed. A project to process Russian wheat at a Cuban flour mill is being successfully implemented. Cooperation in the fields of healthcare, education and science is expanding. Joint projects to exchange experience in medicine have been launched, and a Center for Targeted Training of Specialists for Energy and Electronics is operating.

    Our strategic partnership in various areas will continue to develop. Therefore, the St. Petersburg Forum is an excellent platform for strengthening cooperation and finding new points of contact.

    I am confident that through joint efforts we will achieve great success for the benefit of the economies of Russia and Cuba. Friends, I wish you fruitful work and productive dialogue on the sidelines of the forum!” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    During the event, topics of development of the Caribbean state’s tourism industry were raised, including its digitalization, restoration of the sugar industry, achieving Cuba’s food sovereignty and much more.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Wildfire Update – June 19

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on June 19, 2025

    As of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, there are 19 active wildfires in Saskatchewan. Of those active fires, four are categorized as contained, four are not contained, eight are ongoing assessment and three are listed as protecting values. 

    This year, Saskatchewan has had 265 wildfires, which is well above the five-year average of 158 to date. 

    Five communities remain under an evacuation order: Creighton, Denare Beach, East Trout Lake, Whelan Bay and priority individuals in Cumberland House.  

    There are approximately 2,000 evacuees remaining, 300 of which are supported by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) in hotels or staying with friends and family.  

    The SPSA has established a Recovery Task Force that includes representatives from the Ministries of Health, Social Services, Government Relations and others as needed to assist communities that were devastated by the recent wildfires. The Recovery Task Force will be focused on the tasks needed to help communities rebuild. More information will be provided regarding the work being undertaken by the Recovery Task Force in the near future.

    Over $3.8 million has been transferred to communities that are distributing the $500 Government of Saskatchewan payments directly to their residents. The SPSA is continuing to coordinate with communities that have asked for its support in distributing payments. The SPSA will be delivering over $160,000 directly to residents of Denare Beach in the coming days. 

    Evacuees who have not yet registered are encouraged to do so through the Sask Evac Web Application or by calling 1-855-559-5502 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. for assistance.  

    Evacuees supported by the Canadian Red Cross can call 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. A full list of evacuated and repatriated communities can be found on the Information for Evacuees webpage.  

    The latest information, an interactive fire ban map, frequently asked questions, fire risk maps and fire prevention tips can be found at saskpublicsafety.ca. 

    Established in 2017, the SPSA is a treasury board crown corporation responsible for wildfire management, emergency management, Sask911, SaskAlert, the Civic Addressing Registry, the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program and fire safety. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein, Secretary Lilley Attend Paris Air Show and Strengthen North Carolina’s Future in Flight

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein, Secretary Lilley Attend Paris Air Show and Strengthen North Carolina’s Future in Flight

    Governor Stein, Secretary Lilley Attend Paris Air Show and Strengthen North Carolina’s Future in Flight
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    On the heels of the largest jobs commitment in North Carolina’s history, Governor Josh Stein, North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina traveled to Paris to advocate for North Carolina with business leaders at the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show.

    “North Carolina is first in flight, and we are the future of flight,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our state is the epicenter for aerospace innovation. Strengthening our relationship with international companies and expanding opportunity between North Carolina and France will allow our state to continue to soar to new horizons. We had a productive economic development trip telling the world why North Carolina is the best place to do business.”

    “North Carolina’s network of businesses and strong economic infrastructure draw companies from across the world to invest in our state,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “The Paris Air Show has opened potential avenues for new companies to plant their roots in North Carolina and for existing companies to expand their operations as we continue to develop our state’s world-class aerospace ecosystem.”

    The Paris Air Show is the world’s largest aerospace event that brings together companies and industry leaders from across the globe. The show boasts 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries and 300,000 unique visitors.

    North Carolina is home to approximately 400 aerospace companies that generate $88 billion in activity every year, including Airbus, a French company that employs more than 500 workers at its Kinston manufacturing facility. Last week, Governor Stein announced that JetZero will construct its new manufacturing hub at the Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport, bringing more than $4.7 billion and 14,000 jobs – the largest jobs commitment in state history.

    JetZero represents one of several aerospace companies setting up shop at PTI, including Boom and HondaJet. North Carolina’s strong workforce continues to attract aerospace companies to the state and is growing with industry demand. Guilford Technical Community College has recently announced its own $35 million, 70,000-square-foot aviation training facility to train the next generation of aerospace employees with a groundbreaking set for this summer.

    Over the last 10 years, 113 French companies announced projects in North Carolina, resulting in $439 million in investments and 1,200 new jobs in the state. More than 100 French companies operate in the state and employ 20,000 North Carolinians. 

    Jun 19, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: JOINT HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENT ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Preliminary Injunction in Lawsuit Challenging Unlawful Immigration Enforcement Conditions on Grant Funding

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, June 19, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement on a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to grant a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Transportation’s imposition of unlawful immigration enforcement conditions on unrelated grant funding. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that imposing this new set of conditions across a range of grant programs is arbitrary and capricious, exceeds the Trump Administration’s legal authority, and violates the Spending Clause.

    “President Trump is threatening to withhold critical transportation funds unless states agree to carry out his inhumane and illogical immigration agenda for him. He is treating these funds – funds that go toward improving our roads and keeping our planes in the air – as a bargaining chip,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It’s immoral – and more importantly, illegal. I’m glad to see the District Court agrees, blocking the President’s latest attempt to circumvent the Constitution and coerce state and local governments into doing his bidding while we continue to make our case in court.”

    BACKGROUND 

    Last month, Attorney General Bonta led a coalition of 20 states, alongside the attorneys general of Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maryland, in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grants. California receives billions in grant funding from DOT each year to support and maintain the roads, highways, railways, airways, and bridges that connect our communities and carry our residents to their workplaces and their homes. This includes funding to maintain and build highways. It also includes funding for transit systems in urban and rural communities across the state — including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys, and ferries. Neither the purpose of these grants, nor their grant criteria, are in any way connected to immigration enforcement. 

    A copy of the court’s decision is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Diversified Royalty Corp. Announces Results of Annual General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diversified Royalty Corp. (TSX: DIV and DIV.DB) (the “Corporation” or “DIV”) is pleased to announce that at its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 19, 2025 (the “Meeting”), all directors nominated as listed in DIV’s information circular dated May 8, 2025 were elected for the ensuing year. As a ballot was not required, the number of votes disclosed in the below table reflects only the proxies received by management of DIV in advance of the Meeting:

    Director Votes For   Votes Withheld
    Number Percentage   Number Percentage
    Paula Rogers 35,302,456 91.94%     3,095,368 8.06%  
    Roger Chouinard 33,033,674 86.03%     5,364,151 13.97%  
    Johnny Ciampi 35,286,125 91.90%     3,111,700 8.10%  
    Garry Herdler 35,281,252 91.88%     3,116,573 8.12%  
    Sherry McNeil 38,198,336 99.48%     199,488 0.52%  
    Sean Morrison 35,310,525 91.96%     3,087,300 8.04%  
    Kevin Smith 35,295,529 91.92%     3,102,296 8.08%  
                   

    DIV has also filed a report of voting results of all resolutions voted on at the Meeting on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    About Diversified Royalty Corp.

    DIV is a multi-royalty corporation, engaged in the business of acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America. DIV’s objective is to acquire predictable, growing royalty streams from a diverse group of multi-location businesses and franchisors.

    DIV currently owns the Mr. Lube + Tires, AIR MILES®, Sutton, Mr. Mikes, Nurse Next Door, Oxford Learning Centres, Stratus Building Solutions, BarBurrito and Cheba Hut trademarks. Mr. Lube + Tires is the leading quick lube service business in Canada, with locations across Canada. AIR MILES® is Canada’s largest coalition loyalty program. Sutton is among the leading residential real estate brokerage franchisor businesses in Canada. Mr. Mikes operates casual steakhouse restaurants primarily in western Canadian communities. Nurse Next Door is a home care provider with locations across Canada and the United States as well as in Australia. Oxford Learning Centres is one of Canada’s leading franchisee supplemental education services. Stratus Building Solutions is a leading commercial cleaning service franchise company providing comprehensive building cleaning, and office cleaning services primarily in the United States. BarBurrito is the largest quick service Mexican restaurant food chain in Canada. Cheba Hut is a fast casual toasted sub sandwich franchise with locations across 19 U.S. states.

    DIV’s objective is to increase cash flow per share by making accretive royalty purchases and through the growth of purchased royalties. DIV intends to continue to pay a predictable and stable monthly dividend to shareholders and increase the dividend over time, in each case as cash flow per share allows.

    Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “will”, ”project”, “should”, “believe”, “confident”, “plan” and “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements made in relation to: DIV’s objective to continue to pay predictable and stable monthly dividends to shareholders; and DIV’s corporate objectives. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events, performance, or achievements of DIV to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking information. DIV believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this news release are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In particular there can be no assurance that: DIV will be able to make monthly dividend payments to the holders of its common shares; or DIV will achieve any of its corporate objectives. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking information included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting DIV’s business and the businesses of its royalty partners can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2025 and in its most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, copies of each of which are available under DIV’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    In formulating the forward-looking information contained herein, management has assumed that, among other things, DIV will generate sufficient cash flows from its royalties to service its debt and pay dividends to shareholders; the businesses of DIV’s respective royalty partners will not suffer any material adverse effect; and the business and economic conditions affecting DIV and its royalty partners will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

    All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, DIV. The forward-looking information included in this news release is presented as of the date of this news release and DIV assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

    THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

    Additional Information

    Additional information relating to the Corporation and other public filings, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

    Contact:
    Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8470

    Greg Gutmanis, Chief Financial Officer and VP Acquisitions
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8471

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Registration open for training grant that supports in-demand jobs

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People hoping to build better careers will continue to have access to a popular grant program, as registration for StrongerBC future skills grant funded programming opens for the fall semester.

    People living in British Columbia can continue to access grants for eligible short-term training programs at public post-secondary institutions, giving them more opportunities to gain new skills for in-demand jobs. The grant covers up to $3,500 and is open to B.C. residents over age 19.

    “British Columbia is the engine of Canada’s new economy, but it’s the strength of our workforce that drives the machine,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “The StrongerBC future skills grant removes barriers so more people can get the skills they need to start or advance their careers. By helping more people get into the workforce, we’re closing the skills gap and building a more robust economy.”

    Since its launch in fall 2023, more than 10,000 people have benefited from the grant, which plays a pivotal role in preparing people for current and emerging job markets.

    “I’m grateful for the opportunity that the future skills grant has given me to complete a risk management professional certificate from Simon Fraser University,” said Erica Commons, recent grant recipient and current student. “This training is already benefiting me in my current role as an enterprise risk manager, and the certificate satisfies the education requirements for the Canadian Risk Management designation, which is highly valued by employers. Obtaining this designation will help advance my career.”

    More than 300 programs are eligible for the grant at 24 public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. The eligible programs address the province’s labour market needs and government priorities, including training opportunities in high-demand sectors, such as health care, construction and mining.

    “The StrongerBC future skills grant made it possible for me to enrol in Simon Fraser University’s climate action certificate, training I needed to retool my communications career for the climate future we all face,” said Michelle Gaudet, recent grant recipient and program graduate. “This grant allowed me to gain essential skills without taking on debt. Accessible education funding like this is key to helping people pursue meaningful learning opportunities.”

    Course offerings from participating post-secondary institutions will be released daily throughout the months of June and July. Those interested should check Education Planner BC or the post-secondary institution they plan to attend frequently for updates and program additions.

    Learning opportunities include in-person, online or hybrid delivery, making it easier for people throughout B.C. to find training that fits. Types of training that are supported include:

    • health-care training, such as medical terminology, emergency medical responder and dental office administration;
    • trades and firefighting training, such as construction, automotive (electric vehicle) repair services, and wildfire fighting;
    • professional, scientific and technical training, such as cybersecurity training and digital marketing; and
    • other certificates and micro-credentials across many industries, including education, mining and marine transportation, finance and more.

    The StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan is a cross-government plan to make education and training more accessible, affordable and relevant to help prepare the people of B.C. for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

    Learn More:

    To explore and register for eligible programs as they are rolled out over June and July, visit Education Planner BC: https://www.educationplannerbc.ca/future-skills-grant (can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com)

    For general information about the future skills grant, visit: https://www.workbc.ca/find-loans-and-grants/students-and-adult-learners/strongerbc-future-skills-grant

    To learn more about the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/jobs-and-training/

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI from the NYPost: FBI Emails Obtained by Grassley ‘Expose Biden DOJ’s Obsession with Piling on Trump Charges’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    Miranda Devine: FBI emails revealed to The Post expose Biden DOJ’s obsession with piling on Trump charges
    June 18, 2025
    New York Post

    Internal FBI emails reveal that rogue agents and prosecutors in the Biden DOJ were looking for ways to pile on new criminal charges against Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — this time over his involvement with the J6 prisoner choir, based on a single partisan news article.

    The 2023 emails obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and revealed exclusively to The Post are an example of the nitpicking malice of anti-Trump lawfare that tainted special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, during Joe Biden’s presidency.

    “Can we do some work to nail down Trump’s role in this,” writes prosecutor JP Cooney to DOJ colleagues on March 8, 2023, in an email with the subject line “J6 Prisoner Choir/DJT” and an attached Forbes.com article titled “Trump Collaborates On Song With Jan. 6 Defendants.”

    Cooney was a deputy special counsel who worked on both the Robert Mueller and Smith get-Trump special counsel investigations.

    ‘Agent Zero’

    “According to this Forbes article, Trump recorded the Pledge of Allegiance at MAL [Mar a Lago] and Kash Patel [now FBI director] and Ed Henry [a former Fox News host] were also involved,” Cooney wrote in the email chain.

    “The profits are routed to an LLC run by Henry, and proceeds are intended for families of incarcerated J6 defendants — but there is apparently a vetting process that excludes families of defendants who assaulted police officers.

    “I asked Ahmed [likely prosecutor Ahmed Baset, who was fired earlier this month] to preserve this last night. I’ll talk to Maria/Erin and Julia about doing some follow up here to nail down Trump’s role.”

    Cooney also instructed colleagues to look at starting “some process on Ed Henry’s LLC,” presumably a legal process such as a subpoena, search warrant or other court-authorized actions to gather evidence.

    His email was forwarded to eight agents and DOJ staff, including notorious anti-Trump FBI Special Agent Walter Giardina, who responded two days later to say he was investigating the claims in the Forbes article about Trump and the J6 prisoner choir: “Esther and I are working on this today. We’re going to put together our findings at 2 and get something to you shortly after that.”

    Giardina was “Agent Zero” in a lot of overzealous FBI actions involving Trump and his allies, including the investigation of Trump White House adviser Dr. Peter Navarro on contempt of Congress charges for refusing to appear before the House committee investigating the J6 riot.

    It was Giardina’s FBI team that arrested Navarro as he was about to board a plane at Reagan National Airport in 2022, put him in leg irons and threw him in jail instead of simply issuing a summons for him to come to court, as the federal judge overseeing the case later said while criticizing the heavy-handedness.

    Giardina was also significantly involved in Operation Crossfire Hurricane (the debunked Russia collusion investigation against Trump), Mueller’s investigation and cases involving Trump allies Dan Scavino and Roger Stone, as well as the Hillary Clinton emails case.

    According to Grassley, Giardina was an “initial recipient of the Steele Dossier” and falsely claimed that the bogus Clinton campaign smear sheet against Trump was corroborated as “true.”

    Giardina also “electronically wiped the laptop he was assigned while working for Special Counsel Mueller outside of established protocol for record preservation, raising the possibility that he destroyed government records.”

    Whistleblown away

    Whistleblowers have told Grassley that Giardina “openly stated his desire to investigate Trump, even if it meant false predication,” because of his hostility to the past and future president.

    Grassley believes this email chain is another “clear example” of how the federal law enforcement apparatus was weaponized to try to “get Trump” at all costs.

    “Instead of focusing on DOJ and FBI’s core law enforcement responsibilities,” Grassley told The Post, “partisan prosecutors and agents were surfing the web to find any shred of information they could use to spin another baseless case against Trump. Their actions are a disservice to Americans, who pay their salaries and depend on DOJ and FBI to keep them safe…”

    Read the rest HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Chief coroner will not direct inquest into death of Lisa Colleen Rauch

    Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, British Columbia’s chief coroner, has determined not to direct an inquest in the death of Lisa Colleen Rauch as the circumstances do not meet the requirement for a mandatory inquest under the Coroner’s Act.

    On Dec. 28, 2019, Lisa Rauch’s death in Victoria was reported to the BC Coroners Service. It followed events involving members of the Victoria Police Department. Lisa Rauch was 43 years old at the time of her death.

    After a review of the circumstances, the chief coroner has determined that an inquest is not required under Section 18(2)(a)(ii) of the Coroner’s Act because there was no meaningful connection between the care Lisa Rauch received while in custody and her death, nor is it necessary under Section 18(3). The circumstances around Lisa Rauch’s death were reviewed during a public hearing held before former attorney general Wally Oppal, KC, a retired Court of Appeal justice, at the direction of the B.C. police complaint commissioner. This hearing informed the public of the circumstances of Lisa Rauch’s death, and the resulting recommendations are public.

    In making the decision not to direct an inquest, the chief coroner has also carefully considered the wishes of Lisa Rauch’s family.

    Learn More:

    To access B.C.’s Coroner’s Act, visit: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/07015_01

    To learn more about coroner’s inquests, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/death/coroners-service/inquest-schedule-jury-findings-verdicts

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Affordable Housing Units Open for Seniors in Saskatoon Through Federal and Provincial Funding

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on June 19, 2025

    Solving Canada’s housing crisis requires immediate action to address the urgent needs of Canadians. To provide seniors with increased access to affordable and sustainable housing, the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan announced today a $990,000 joint investment. The official opening of the Columbian Manor Expansion Phase V, developed by KC Charities, marks a significant step in providing safe, supportive homes for low-income seniors. 

    This project is adding 134 housing units for seniors in Saskatoon, including the development of 30 one-bedroom units, 20 fully accessible units and 10 barrier-free units for low-income seniors with limited mobility.  

    The developer, KC Charities, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing and supportive services for seniors in Saskatoon. 

    Funding provided for this project is as follows:

    •  $990,000 in cost-matched funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan through the National Housing Strategy (NHS) -Saskatchewan Priorities Initiative (SPI).
    • $ 340,000 from the City of Saskatoon. 
    • $1,750,000 from KC Charities. 

    Quotes:

    “Everyone deserves a home to call their own,” Secretary of State (Rural Development) and Member of Parliament for Desneth Missinippi Churchill RiverBuckley Belanger said. ” Thanks to our partnership with Saskatchewan through the National Housing Strategy, your federal government is helping to make that a reality for more seniors in Saskatoon. Safe, affordable, and accessible senior housing is a key part of our housing plan, making sure no one is left behind.”

    “When we work together with community partners, we can support developments that make a real difference in the lives of Saskatchewan people,” Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) Terry Jenson said. “The Columbian Manor project provides dignity, comfort and connection to seniors who have given so much to our communities.” 

    “The City of Saskatoon is proud to support the expansion of Columbian Manor, which reflects our ongoing commitment to building a more inclusive and caring community,” Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block said. “This partnership with KC Charities and other orders of government helps ensure that seniors in Saskatoon have access to safe, affordable housing and the support they need to thrive.”   

    “A place to call home, where comfort meets affordability, and every senior is valued, respected, and cared for,” KC Charities Inc Executive Director of Operations Norma Denis said.

    Quick facts:

    The NHS is a 10 plus year, $115 plus billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) website. The Housing and Infrastructure Project Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed. 

    As of March 2025, the federal government has committed $65.84 billion to support the creation of over 166,000 units and the repair of over 322,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence. 

    NHS is built on strong partnerships between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and continuous engagement with others, including municipalities, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the social and private housing sectors. This includes consultations with Canadians from all walks of life and people with lived experience of housing need. 

    All NHS investments delivered by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will respect the key principles of NHS that support partnerships, people and communities. 

    In 2019, the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan entered into an agreement through the NHS. TheCanada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement will invest $585 million over 10 years, which is cost matched between the federal and provincial governments.

    The Rental Development Program (RDP) provides one-time capital funding in the form of a forgivable loan to assist in the development of affordable rental housing units for households with low incomes. The RDP is funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC). 

    KC Charities is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing and supportive services for seniors in Saskatoon. Since 2007, it has worked with government and community partners to develop over 150 affordable housing units, helping seniors live independently in a caring and inclusive environment. 

    Associated Links:

    Visit Canada.ca/housing for the most requested Government of Canada housing information. 

    CMHC plays a critical role as a national facilitator to promote stability and sustainability in Canada’s housing finance system. Our mortgage insurance products support access to homeownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. We also actively support the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Our research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, we contribute to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. 

    Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) website. The Housing and Infrastructure Project Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed. 

    In November 2019, the Government of Saskatchewan released Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan: the Next Decade of Growth 2020-2030, which sets out the government’s vision for a province of 1.4 million people by 2030. The plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. To learn more, visit: www.saskatchewan.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    Media Relations
    Social Services
    Regina
    Phone: 306-787-3610
    Email: MediaMSS@gov.sk.ca

    Sofia Ouslis
    Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
    Email: Sofia.Ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Mark Rogstad
    Media Relations Manager,
    Saskatoon
    Email: mark.rogstad@saskatoon.ca

    Media Relations
    Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
    Email: media@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tribunal Issues Determination of Reasonable Indication of Injury—Certain Carbon or Alloy Steel Wire from Various Countries 

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Ottawa, Ontario, June 19, 2025—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today determined that there is a reasonable indication that the dumping of certain carbon or alloy steel wire from China, Chinese Taipei, India, Italy, Malaysia, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye and Vietnam has caused injury to the domestic industry.

    The Tribunal’s inquiry was conducted pursuant to the Special Import Measures Act as a result of the initiation of a dumping investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The CBSA will continue its investigation and, by July 21, 2025, will issue a preliminary determination.

    The Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: First-of-its-kind in Canada, First Nations healing centre breaks ground

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People in northeastern British Columbia are one step closer to a new centre that will offer a holistic, culturally safe approach to addictions treatment and recovery, supporting more people on their healing journey.

    “This groundbreaking marks a meaningful step forward in building a more inclusive and culturally safe health-care system,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “The North Wind Wellness Centre will provide vital, comprehensive support for people on their healing journey, closer to home and community. It’s a powerful example of how we can work together to build services that are rooted in community and focused on wellness.”

    Located in Pouce Coupe at 5213 Hospital Rd., the new North Wind Wellness Centre (NWWC) will have 55 spaces and will integrate First Nations healing practices with clinical care to support people at all stages of recovery. The NWWC will provide five detox beds, 10 addiction treatment beds, 40 self-contained supportive housing units and the Junction, a recovery-based community centre at the heart of the complex that will serve as a resource hub for those in treatment.

    “At the North Wind Wellness Centre, people near and around Pouce Coupe will be able to get the care and housing they need locally, in the community they know,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “The centre offers stable, safe homes and continued support after treatment, helping people build a foundation for a healthier life. At the same time, cutting-edge care and services will honour and deepen connections to family, First Nations culture and community.”

    The NWWC will deliver a full continuum of addictions recovery services in one place, combining detox, early recovery housing, treatment and supportive housing through the Addictions Recovery Community Housing (ARCH) model. This model combines Indigenous healing traditions with western medicine practices, including co-ordinated access, live-in treatment supports and post-recovery supports.

    “With the generous support of our funders, the NWWC is proud to establish Canada’s first health and wellness centre, pioneering an innovative approach that unites the full continuum of care under one roof with the ARCH model,” said Isaac Hernandez, executive director, North Wind Wellness Centre. “This integrated model combines withdrawal management, addiction treatment, and assisted recovery housing, providing comprehensive support for individuals on their healing journey. The Northeast Junction, a peer-led central hub, connects all components, fostering a strong sense of community and holistic support.”

    Designed with input from local First Nations and featuring culturally significant design elements, the new 3,200-square-metre (35,000-square-foot) centre will provide trauma-informed, culturally safe care to people 19 and older.

    “Too many people in rural and Indigenous communities face barriers to accessing appropriate addiction care,” said Amna Shah, parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions. “By building a centre that blends traditional Indigenous wellness with clinical supports, we are helping people heal in a place that feels like home, close to culture, community and care.”

    This project is a partnership between the Province, the First Nations Health Authority, Northern Health, BC Housing, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the North Wind Wellness Centre Society. The project also received support from the Treaty 8 Tribal Association, the Peace River Regional District and the Village of Pouce Coupe.

    Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and addiction challenges is an integral part of government’s work to build a full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care that works for everyone.

    Quotes:

    Rob Turnbull, president and chief executive officer, Streetohome –

    “This project reflects nearly a decade of cross-sector collaboration, vision and heart. It began with a commitment to do better – for individuals, for communities, and for future generations. With the collective support of funders including BC Housing, CMHC, FNHA, Northern Health and Streetohome, we’re not just building a facility, we’re creating a lifeline rooted in respect, culture and long-term recovery.”

    Marlene Roy, executive director, Treaty 8 Tribal Association –

    “Treaty 8 Tribal Association has proudly supported NWWC, recognizing that having this facility is a crucial and vital step forward in addressing the needs of our communities.  As we continue to navigate this toxic drug crisis together, this facility will represent a shared commitment to resilience, support and healing.  Situated in Pouce Coupe, the centre will stand on the traditional, ancestral territory of the Treaty 8 First Nations, fostering healing and support for those in need.”

    Danielle Veach, mayor of Pouce Coupe –

    “The new North Wind Wellness Centre brings hope to our region. Many families have suffered unendurable losses due to the toxic drug epidemic in our communities. This facility offers a second chance to those struggling with addiction, and reassurance to families that help is close to home.”

    Leonard Hiebert, board chair, Peace River Regional District –

    “The Peace River Regional District is pleased to support the NWWC’s new Health and Wellness Centre. This facility will bring a unique approach to addiction recovery services to our region, helping those who have previously had to travel far for this essential support. It will serve people throughout the province as well. We’re excited to see this project move forward – it’s going to make a real difference for people who need help.”

    Katie Hughes, vice-president, public health response, First Nations Health Authority –

    “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the North Wind Wellness Centre marks the latest milestone in bringing culturally safe treatment and healing closer to home for First Nations people in B.C. This ground-breaking reaffirms the First Nations Health Authority’s commitment as tripartite partners along with the First Nations Health Council, the Province and the Government of Canada, to meet the urgent need to support healing and wellness services for First Nations people and families across the province.”

    Colleen Nyce, Northern Health board chair –

    “The North Wind Wellness Centre fills a critical need in the region and will allow people to get the care they need in a facility rooted in healing, culture and community. Northern Health is proud to be a partner in this journey, supporting a model of care that is both innovative and deeply respectful of Indigenous traditions.”

    Quick Fact:

    • NWWC was established in 1996 to serve Indigenous communities in Treaty 8 Territory.
    • The new centre represents a significant advancement in addiction recovery in Canada, by integrating the entire continuum of care under one roof and combining Western medical practices with Traditional Indigenous healing.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about NWWC, visit: https://northwindwellnesscentre.ca/about-us/about-the-centre/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Joly travels to France to support innovative Canadian industries

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 19, 2025 – Paris, France 

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, led Canada’s presence at the 55th International Paris Air Show.

    Minister Joly showcased Canada’s highly innovative aerospace sector and promoted the country as a top destination for global aerospace investment—at a time when Canada is seeking to help build trusted, reliable partnerships that support its companies and workers.

    Minister Joly met with CEOs of Canadian and global aerospace businesses as well as with key provincial partners, including François Legault, Premier of Quebec; Christine Fréchette, Quebec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy; and the Honourable Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

    During the visit, Minister Joly underscored Canada’s world-class aerospace sector, with its strong workforce and cutting-edge innovation, and highlighted that the government is committed to making major investments in the economy and supporting Canada’s defence sector. These investments will generate jobs and opportunities throughout Canada’s industrial base, strengthen domestic capabilities, and diversity Canada’s international partnerships. She also advocated for workers across other Canadian industries, including steel and aluminum, which are well positioned to be better integrated into global aerospace supply chains.

    A highlight of the visit was LOT Polish Airlines’ announcement of its intention to purchase up to 84 Canadian-built Airbus A220 aircraft, made in Mirabel, Quebec. This is a major win for Canadian workers. The deal will create many high-paying jobs and highlights Canada’s desire for deeper industrial and commercial ties with Europe at a time when cooperation with reliable partners is more important than ever.

    Minister Joly welcomed France’s announcement of its purchase of new GlobalEye aircraft from Saab, which uses Bombardier’s Canadian-designed, -developed and -built Global 6500 platform. 

    In addition, Minister Joly welcomed the announcement of $87.4 million for the latest projects from the Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT), a pan-Canadian, industry-led network focused on accelerating sustainable innovation in aviation.

    Prior to the Paris Air Show, Minister Joly represented Canada at VivaTech 2025, Europe’s largest startup and tech event. Canada was Country of the Year at the event, and its participation was a celebration of our leadership in AI and new technologies that the world needs.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON JUNETEENTH

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement:

    160 years ago, today, Union troops reached Texas and delivered news of emancipation, marking the end of slavery in the United States and the first commemoration of Juneteenth. Today, we celebrate the freedom that Black Americans long fought for and the rich culture that grew from that great struggle.

    That struggle roars on, with President Trump and MAGA extremists banning books about Black history, dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs and trying to detonate the citizenship protections of the 14th Amendment. This is an intentional effort to turn back the clock and tear our country apart. 

    House Democrats are in an all-hands-on-deck fight in the Congress, the Courts and communities across the country to push back against the malignant assault on our nation’s progress. We will always stand up for liberty and justice for all, not just the privileged few.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to stay safe during heat waves – and the heat stroke warning signs to watch for

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian Bossak, Professor of Public Health, College of Charleston

    Extreme heat can become lethal quickly. A young man cools off at Washington, D.C.’s Yards Park during a heat wave in 2021. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

    Beach trips, cookouts and other outdoor activities are in full swing as summer heats up and the first widespread heat wave of 2025 arrives.

    For many people, summer is their favorite time of year. However, summer also brings the risk of dangerously high temperatures that can become lethal.

    In the U.S., hundreds of people working or playing outside – even those who seem healthy – succumb to heat-related illnesses each year. Older adults and people in areas that historically haven’t needed air conditioning tend to see the highest rates of illnesses during heat waves, as Chicago saw in 1995 when at least 700 people died in a heat wave.

    Even in places where heat is recognized as a dangerous health threat, people can be caught off guard as the thermometer creeps higher, on average, each year. In some cases, dangerous heat can arise quickly. In 2021, a young family died of heat stroke on a California trail after setting out for a hike when temperatures were still in the 70s Fahrenheit (low to mid 20s Celsius).

    I study health risks in a warming climate as a professor of public health, and I’ve seen heat become a growing concern. Here are some of the key warning signs to watch for when temperatures rise – and ways to keep cool when the heat and humidity get too high.

    Signs of heat-related illness to watch for

    Heat-related illnesses occur across a spectrum, and mild heat stress can quickly progress to life-threatening heat stroke if a person is exposed to dangerous conditions for too long.

    Mild forms of heat-related illness include heat cramps and heat rash, both of which can be caused by extensive sweating during hot conditions. Cooling the body and drinking cool fluids can help.

    When heat-related illnesses progress into heat exhaustion, the situation is more serious. Heat exhaustion includes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, feeling weak, thirst and getting a headache.

    Construction workers are often out in the heat for long periods of time while wearing long sleeves, durable long pants, gloves and hard hats considered necessary to stay safe. This worker faces a heat wave in Los Angeles in July 2024.
    Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images

    Heat exhaustion is a signal that the body is losing its ability to maintain a stable core temperature. Immediate action such as moving to a cool, ideally air-conditioned space, drinking liquids, loosening clothes and applying wet cloths are some of the recommended steps that can help keep heat exhaustion from progressing to the most dangerous form of heat-related illness, heat stroke.

    Heat stroke is a medical emergency. At this point, the body can no longer maintain a stable core temperature. A body with heat stroke can reach 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher rapidly, and that heat can quickly damage the brain, heart and kidneys.

    Signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, from the National Weather Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    NOAA/CDC

    Typically, someone suffering heat stroke has exhausted their reserves of sweat and salt to stay cool, so sweating eventually stops during heat stroke. Their cognitive ability fails, and they cannot remove themselves from danger. Heat stroke can cause seizures or put someone into a coma as their core temperature rises. If the condition is not treated immediately, and the core temperature continues to rise, heat stroke becomes fatal.

    Because heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, addressing heat-related illnesses before they progress is vital.

    How to tell when the heat is too high

    Heat risk isn’t just about temperature – humidity also increases the risk of heat-related illnesses because it affects how well sweating will cool the human body when it gets hot.

    Instead of just looking at temperature when planning outdoor activities, check the heat index, which accounts for heat illness risk associated with temperature and relative humidity.

    It doesn’t take very high temperatures or very high humidity for the heat index to enter dangerous territory.

    A heat index chart shows how heat and humidity combine for dangerous conditions.
    NOAA

    However, the heat index is still a conservative measure of the impact of heat on humans, particularly for outdoor workers and athletes at summer practices. This is because temperature measurements used in weather forecasting are taken in the shade and are not exposed to direct sunlight. If someone is outside and exposed to the direct sun, the actual heat index can be as much as 15 F higher than the heat index chart indicates.

    A more sophisticated measurement of heat effects on human health is what’s known as the wet-bulb globe temperature, which takes into account other variables, such as wind speed and cloud cover. Neither takes into account a person’s physical exertion, which also raises their body temperature, whether working at a construction site or playing soccer.

    Tips for staying safe in a heat wave

    How can you stay cool when heat waves set in? The answer depends in part on where you are, but the main points are the same:

    • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities in high temperatures if possible. If you start to feel symptoms of heat-related illnesses, drink fluids that will hydrate you. Find shade, rest, and use cool, damp cloths to lower your body temperature. If you see signs of heat stroke in someone else, call for medical help.

    • Be careful with fans. Fans can be useful if the temperature isn’t too high because they wick sweat away from the body and induce evaporative cooling. But at very high temperatures, they can accelerate heat buildup in the body and lead to dangerous conditions. If indoor temperatures reaches 95 degrees or higher, using fans can actually be dangerous and raise the risk of heat-related illnesses.

    • Find a cooling center, library or community center where you can get inside and rest in an air-conditioned space in the hottest hours. In places such as Phoenix, where high temperatures are a regular hazard, cooling centers are typically opened in summer. Northern cities are also opening cooling centers as heat waves occur there more frequently than they did in the past. Urban areas with a lot of pavement and buildings – known as heat islands – can have temperatures well above the city’s average.

    • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of fluids, and don’t forget about the importance of electrolytes. Heat-related dehydration can occur when people sweat excessively, losing water and necessary salts from the body. Some sports drinks or rehydration fluids restore electrolytes and hydration levels.

    Older adults and people with disabilities often face higher risks from heat waves, particularly if they can’t easily move to a cooler environment. Communities and neighbors can help protect vulnerable populations by providing cooling centers and bottled water and making regular wellness checks during high heat.

    Summer can be a season of fun. Just remember the risks, keep an eye on your friends and neighbors when temperatures rise, and plan ahead so you can beat the heat.

    Brian Bossak is not currently receiving relevant external funding for heat-related illness research. In 2017-2019, he served as a consultant on a heat-related research award from the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and
    Safety at the University of Florida.

    – ref. How to stay safe during heat waves – and the heat stroke warning signs to watch for – https://theconversation.com/how-to-stay-safe-during-heat-waves-and-the-heat-stroke-warning-signs-to-watch-for-257708

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –