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  • MIL-OSI: NVIDIA Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2026

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Revenue of $44.1 billion, up 12% from Q4 and up 69% from a year ago
    • Data Center revenue of $39.1 billion, up 10% from Q4 and up 73% from a year ago

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today reported revenue for the first quarter ended April 27, 2025, of $44.1 billion, up 12% from the previous quarter and up 69% from a year ago.

    On April 9, 2025, NVIDIA was informed by the U.S. government that a license is required for exports of its H20 products into the China market. As a result of these new requirements, NVIDIA incurred a $4.5 billion charge in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 associated with H20 excess inventory and purchase obligations as the demand for H20 diminished. Sales of H20 products were $4.6 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 prior to the new export licensing requirements. NVIDIA was unable to ship an additional $2.5 billion of H20 revenue in the first quarter.

    For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins were 60.5% and 61.0%, respectively. Excluding the $4.5 billion charge, first quarter non-GAAP gross margin would have been 71.3%.

    For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share were $0.76 and $0.81, respectively. Excluding the $4.5 billion charge and related tax impact, first quarter non-GAAP diluted earnings per share would have been $0.96.

    “Our breakthrough Blackwell NVL72 AI supercomputer — a ‘thinking machine’ designed for reasoning— is now in full-scale production across system makers and cloud service providers,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Global demand for NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure is incredibly strong. AI inference token generation has surged tenfold in just one year, and as AI agents become mainstream, the demand for AI computing will accelerate. Countries around the world are recognizing AI as essential infrastructure — just like electricity and the internet — and NVIDIA stands at the center of this profound transformation.”

    NVIDIA will pay its next quarterly cash dividend of $0.01 per share on July 3, 2025, to all shareholders of record on June 11, 2025.

    Q1 Fiscal 2026 Summary

    GAAP
    ($ in millions, except earnings
    per share)    		   Q1 FY26     Q4 FY25     Q1 FY25   Q/Q   Y/Y  
    Revenue $44,062   $39,331   $26,044   12%   69%  
    Gross margin   60.5%     73.0%     78.4%   (12.5) pts   (17.9) pts  
    Operating expenses $5,030   $4,689   $3,497   7%   44%  
    Operating income $21,638   $24,034   $16,909   (10)%   28%  
    Net income $18,775   $22,091   $14,881   (15)%   26%  
    Diluted earnings per share* $0.76   $0.89   $0.60   (15)%   27%  
    Non-GAAP
    ($ in millions, except earnings
    per share)    		   Q1 FY26     Q4 FY25     Q1 FY25   Q/Q   Y/Y  
    Revenue $44,062   $39,331   $26,044   12%   69%  
    Gross margin   61.0%     73.5%     78.9%   (12.5) pts   (17.9) pts  
    Gross margin excluding H20 charge   71.3%          
    Operating expenses $3,583   $3,378   $2,501   6%   43%  
    Operating income $23,275   $25,516   $18,059   (9)%   29%  
    Net income $19,894   $22,066   $15,238   (10)%   31%  
    Diluted earnings per share* $0.81   $0.89   $0.61   (9)%   33%  
    Diluted earnings per share excluding H20 charge and related tax impact $0.96          
     
     
    *All per share amounts presented herein have been retroactively adjusted to reflect NVIDIA’s ten-for-one stock split, which was effective June 7, 2024.
     

    Outlook
    NVIDIA’s outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 is as follows:

    • Revenue is expected to be $45.0 billion, plus or minus 2%. This outlook reflects a loss in H20 revenue of approximately $8.0 billion due to the recent export control limitations.
    • GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins are expected to be 71.8% and 72.0%, respectively, plus or minus 50 basis points. The company is continuing to work toward achieving gross margins in the mid-70% range late this year.
    • GAAP and non-GAAP operating expenses are expected to be approximately $5.7 billion and $4.0 billion, respectively. Full year fiscal 2026 operating expense growth is expected to be in the mid-30% range.
    • GAAP and non-GAAP other income and expense are expected to be an income of approximately $450 million, excluding gains and losses from non-marketable and publicly-held equity securities.
    • GAAP and non-GAAP tax rates are expected to be 16.5%, plus or minus 1%, excluding any discrete items.

    Highlights
    NVIDIA achieved progress since its previous earnings announcement in these areas: 

    Data Center

    • First-quarter revenue was $39.1 billion, up 10% from the previous quarter and up 73% from a year ago.
    • Announced that NVIDIA is building factories in the U.S. and working with its partners to produce NVIDIA AI supercomputers in the U.S.
    • Introduced NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra and NVIDIA Dynamo for accelerating and scaling AI reasoning models.
    • Announced partnership with HUMAIN to build AI factories in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to drive the next wave of artificial intelligence development.
    • Unveiled Stargate UAE, a next-generation AI infrastructure cluster in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, alongside strategic partners G42, OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank Group and Cisco.
    • Revealed plans to work with Foxconn and the Taiwan government to build an AI factory supercomputer.
    • Announced NVIDIA is speeding the IT infrastructure transition to enterprise AI factories with NVIDIA RTX PRO™ Servers.
    • Unveiled NVLink Fusion™ for industry to build semi-custom AI infrastructure with NVIDIA’s partner ecosystem.
    • Announced NVIDIA Spectrum-X™ and NVIDIA Quantum-X silicon photonics networking switches to scale AI factories to millions of GPUs.
    • Introduced the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD™ built with NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs to provide AI factory supercomputing for agentic AI reasoning.
    • Announced joint initiatives with Alphabet and Google to advance agentic AI solutions, robotics and drug discovery.
    • Announced integration between NVIDIA accelerated computing and inference software with Oracle’s AI infrastructure.
    • Revealed that NVIDIA Blackwell cloud instances are now available on AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
    • Announced that the NVIDIA Blackwell platform set records in the latest MLPerf inference results, delivering up to 30x higher throughput.
    • Announced NVIDIA DGX Cloud Lepton™ to connect developers to NVIDIA’s global compute ecosystem.
    • Launched the open Llama Nemotron family of models with reasoning capabilities, providing a foundation for creating advanced AI agents.
    • Introduced the NVIDIA AI Data Platform, a customizable reference design for AI inference workloads.
    • Announced the opening of a research center in Japan that hosts the world’s largest quantum research supercomputer.

    Gaming and AI PC

    • First-quarter Gaming revenue was a record $3.8 billion, up 48% from the previous quarter and up 42% from a year ago.
    • Announced the NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 5070 and RTX 5060, bringing Blackwell graphics to gamers at prices starting from $299 for desktops and $1,099 for laptops.
    • Unveiled NVIDIA DLSS 4 is now available in over 125 games, including Black Myth Wukong, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Marvel Rivals and Star Wars Outlaws.
    • Announced the Nintendo Switch 2 is powered by an NVIDIA processor and AI-powered DLSS, delivering up to 4K gaming.
    • Launched the NVIDIA RTX Remix modding platform, attracting over 2 million gamers, alongside the release of the Half-Life 2 RTX demo.

    Professional Visualization

    • First-quarter revenue was $509 million, flat with the previous quarter and up 19% from a year ago.
    • Announced the NVIDIA RTX PRO™ Blackwell series for workstations and servers.
    • Unveiled NVIDIA DGX Spark and DGX Station™ personal AI supercomputers powered by the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform.
    • Announced that leading industrial software and service providers Accenture, Ansys, Databricks, SAP, Schneider Electric with ETAP, and Siemens are integrating the NVIDIA Omniverse™ platform into their solutions to accelerate industrial digitalization with physical AI.

    Automotive and Robotics

    • First-quarter Automotive revenue was $567 million, down 1% from the previous quarter and up 72% from a year ago.
    • Announced a collaboration with General Motors on next-generation vehicles, factories and robots using NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA Cosmos™ and NVIDIA DRIVE AGX™.
    • Launched NVIDIA Halos, a unified safety system combining NVIDIA’s automotive hardware, software and advanced AV safety AI research.
    • Announced NVIDIA Isaac™ GR00T N1, the world’s first open humanoid robot foundation model, followed by NVIDIA Isaac™ GR00T N1.5; NVIDIA Isaac GR00T-Dreams, a blueprint for generating synthetic motion data; and NVIDIA Blackwell systems to accelerate humanoid robot development.
    • Released new NVIDIA Cosmos™ world foundation models and physical AI data tools.

    CFO Commentary
    Commentary on the quarter by Colette Kress, NVIDIA’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, is available at https://investor.nvidia.com.

    Conference Call and Webcast Information
    NVIDIA will conduct a conference call with analysts and investors to discuss its first quarter fiscal 2026 financial results and current financial prospects today at 2 p.m. Pacific time (5 p.m. Eastern time). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at NVIDIA’s investor relations website, https://investor.nvidia.com. The webcast will be recorded and available for replay until NVIDIA’s conference call to discuss its financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026.

    Non-GAAP Measures
    To supplement NVIDIA’s condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, the company uses non-GAAP measures of certain components of financial performance. These non-GAAP measures include non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP other income (expense), net, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income, or earnings, per diluted share, and free cash flow. For NVIDIA’s investors to be better able to compare its current results with those of previous periods, the company has shown a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures. These reconciliations adjust the related GAAP financial measures to exclude stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related and other costs, other, gains/losses from non-marketable and publicly-held equity securities, net, interest expense related to amortization of debt discount, H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges, and the associated tax impact of these items where applicable. The inclusion of H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges in the reconciliations to adjust the related GAAP financial measures was a result of the U.S. government informing NVIDIA on April 9, 2025 that it requires a license for export to China of H20 products. H20 products were designed primarily for the China market. Free cash flow is calculated as GAAP net cash provided by operating activities less both purchases related to property and equipment and intangible assets and principal payments on property and equipment and intangible assets. NVIDIA believes the presentation of its non-GAAP financial measures enhances the user’s overall understanding of the company’s historical financial performance. The presentation of the company’s non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the company’s financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, and the company’s non-GAAP measures may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies.

     
    NVIDIA CORPORATION
     CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (In millions, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)
               
               
          Three Months Ended
          April 27,   April 28,
            2025       2024  
               
    Revenue $ 44,062     $ 26,044  
    Cost of revenue   17,394       5,638  
    Gross profit   26,668       20,406  
               
    Operating expenses      
      Research and development   3,989       2,720  
      Sales, general and administrative   1,041       777  
        Total operating expenses   5,030       3,497  
               
    Operating income   21,638       16,909  
      Interest income   515       359  
      Interest expense   (63 )     (64 )
      Other income (expense), net   (180 )     75  
        Total other income (expense), net   272       370  
               
    Income before income tax   21,910       17,279  
    Income tax expense   3,135       2,398  
    Net income $ 18,775     $ 14,881  
               
    Net income per share:      
      Basic $ 0.77     $ 0.60  
      Diluted $ 0.76     $ 0.60  
               
    Weighted average shares used in per share computation:      
      Basic   24,441       24,620  
      Diluted   24,611       24,890  
               
    NVIDIA CORPORATION
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (In millions)
    (Unaudited)
                 
                 
            April 27,   January 26,
              2025     2025  
    ASSETS        
                 
    Current assets:        
      Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities   $ 53,691   $ 43,210  
      Accounts receivable, net     22,132     23,065  
      Inventories     11,333     10,080  
      Prepaid expenses and other current assets     2,779     3,771  
        Total current assets     89,935     80,126  
                 
    Property and equipment, net     7,136     6,283  
    Operating lease assets     1,810     1,793  
    Goodwill     5,498     5,188  
    Intangible assets, net     769     807  
    Deferred income tax assets     13,318     10,979  
    Other assets     6,788     6,425  
        Total assets   $ 125,254   $ 111,601  
                 
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
                 
    Current liabilities:        
      Accounts payable   $ 7,331   $ 6,310  
      Accrued and other current liabilities     19,211     11,737  
        Total current liabilities     26,542     18,047  
                 
    Long-term debt     8,464     8,463  
    Long-term operating lease liabilities     1,521     1,519  
    Other long-term liabilities     4,884     4,245  
        Total liabilities     41,411     32,274  
                 
    Shareholders’ equity     83,843     79,327  
        Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 125,254   $ 111,601  
                 
    NVIDIA CORPORATION
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (In millions)
    (Unaudited)
               
               
          Three Months Ended
          April 27,   April 28,
            2025       2024  
               
    Cash flows from operating activities:      
    Net income $ 18,775     $ 14,881  
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash      
    provided by operating activities:      
      Stock-based compensation expense   1,474       1,011  
      Depreciation and amortization   611       410  
      (Gains) losses on non-marketable equity securities and publicly-held equity securities, net   175       (69 )
      Deferred income taxes   (2,177 )     (1,577 )
      Other   (98 )     (145 )
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:      
      Accounts receivable   933       (2,366 )
      Inventories   (1,258 )     (577 )
      Prepaid expenses and other assets   560       (726 )
      Accounts payable   941       (22 )
      Accrued and other current liabilities   7,128       4,202  
      Other long-term liabilities   350       323  
    Net cash provided by operating activities   27,414       15,345  
               
    Cash flows from investing activities:      
      Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities   3,122       4,004  
      Proceeds from sales of marketable securities   467       149  
      Proceeds from sales of non-marketable equity securities   –       55  
      Purchases of marketable securities   (6,546 )     (9,303 )
      Purchase related to property and equipment and intangible assets   (1,227 )     (369 )
      Purchases of non-marketable equity securities   (649 )     (190 )
      Acquisitions, net of cash acquired   (383 )     (39 )
    Net cash used in investing activities   (5,216 )     (5,693 )
               
    Cash flows from financing activities:      
      Proceeds related to employee stock plans   370       285  
      Payments related to repurchases of common stock   (14,095 )     (7,740 )
      Payments related to employee stock plan taxes   (1,532 )     (1,752 )
      Dividends paid   (244 )     (98 )
      Principal payments on property and equipment and intangible assets   (52 )     (40 )
    Net cash used in financing activities   (15,553 )     (9,345 )
               
    Change in cash and cash equivalents   6,645       307  
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   8,589       7,280  
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 15,234     $ 7,587  
               
      NVIDIA CORPORATION  
      RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES  
      (In millions, except per share data)  
      (Unaudited)  
                       
            Three Months Ended  
            April 27,   January 26,   April 28,  
              2025       2025       2024    
                       
      GAAP cost of revenue $ 17,394     $ 10,608     $ 5,638    
      GAAP gross profit   $ 26,668     $ 28,723     $ 20,406    
        GAAP gross margin     60.5%       73.0%       78.4%    
        Acquisition-related and other costs (A)   123       118       119    
        Stock-based compensation expense (B)   64       53       36    
        Other     3       –       (1 )  
      Non-GAAP cost of revenue $ 17,204     $ 10,437     $ 5,484    
      Non-GAAP gross profit $ 26,858     $ 28,894     $ 20,560    
        Non-GAAP gross margin     61.0%       73.5%       78.9%    
                       
      GAAP operating expenses $ 5,030     $ 4,689     $ 3,497    
        Stock-based compensation expense (B)   (1,410 )     (1,268 )     (975 )  
        Acquisition-related and other costs (A)   (37 )     (43 )     (21 )  
      Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 3,583     $ 3,378     $ 2,501    
                       
      GAAP operating income $ 21,638     $ 24,034     $ 16,909    
        Total impact of non-GAAP adjustments to operating income   1,637       1,482       1,150    
      Non-GAAP operating income $ 23,275     $ 25,516     $ 18,059    
                       
      GAAP total other income (expense), net $ 272     $ 1,183     $ 370    
        (Gains) losses from non-marketable equity securities and publicly-held equity securities, net   175       (727 )     (69 )  
        Interest expense related to amortization of debt discount   1       1       1    
      Non-GAAP total other income (expense), net $ 448     $ 457     $ 302    
                       
      GAAP net income   $ 18,775     $ 22,091     $ 14,881    
        Total pre-tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments   1,813       756       1,082    
        Income tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments (C)   (694 )     (781 )     (725 )  
      Non-GAAP net income $ 19,894     $ 22,066     $ 15,238    
                       
      Diluted net income per share (D)            
        GAAP   $ 0.76     $ 0.89     $ 0.60    
        Non-GAAP   $ 0.81     $ 0.89     $ 0.61    
                       
      Weighted average shares used in diluted net income per share computation (D)   24,611       24,706       24,890    
                       
      GAAP net cash provided by operating activities $ 27,414     $ 16,628     $ 15,345    
        Purchases related to property and equipment and intangible assets   (1,227 )     (1,077 )     (369 )  
        Principal payments on property and equipment and intangible assets   (52 )     (32 )     (40 )  
      Free cash flow   $ 26,135     $ 15,519     $ 14,936    
                       
         
                       
                       
      (A) Acquisition-related and other costs are comprised of amortization of intangible assets, transaction costs, and certain compensation charges and are included in the following line items:  
            Three Months Ended  
            April 27,   January 26,   April 28,  
              2025       2025       2024    
        Cost of revenue   $ 123     $ 118     $ 119    
        Research and development $ 28     $ 27     $ 12    
        Sales, general and administrative $ 9     $ 16     $ 8    
                       
      (B) Stock-based compensation consists of the following:    
            Three Months Ended  
            April 27,   January 26,   April 28,  
              2025       2025       2024    
        Cost of revenue   $ 64     $ 53     $ 36    
        Research and development $ 1,063     $ 955     $ 727    
        Sales, general and administrative $ 347     $ 313     $ 248    
                       
      (C) Income tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments, including the recognition of excess tax benefits or deficiencies related to stock-based compensation under GAAP accounting standard (ASU 2016-09).  
                       
      (D) Reflects a ten-for-one stock split on June 7, 2024.  
         
                       
                       
                       
                       
                    Three Months  
                    Ended  
                    April 27,  
                      2025    
                    ($ in millions)  
      GAAP gross profit           $ 26,668    
      GAAP gross margin             60.5%    
        Stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related costs, and other costs           190    
        H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges           4,538    
      Non-GAAP gross profit (as adjusted to exclude H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges)         $ 31,396    
      Non-GAAP gross margin (as adjusted to exclude H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges)           71.3%    
                       
                       
      GAAP net income           $ 18,775    
        Total pre-tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments and H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges           6,351    
        Income tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments and H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges           (1,491 )  
      Non-GAAP net income (as adjusted to exclude H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges)         $ 23,635    
                       
      Diluted net income per share            
        GAAP           $ 0.76    
        Non-GAAP (as adjusted to exclude H20 excess inventory and purchase obligation charges)         $ 0.96    
                       
      Weighted average shares used in diluted net income per share computation           24,611    
                       
    NVIDIA CORPORATION  
    RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP OUTLOOK  
           
       
        Q2 FY2026
    Outlook    		  
        ($ in millions)  
           
    GAAP gross margin   71.8%    
      Impact of stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related costs, and other costs   0.2%    
    Non-GAAP gross margin   72.0%    
           
    GAAP operating expenses $ 5,700    
      Stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related costs, and other costs   (1,700 )  
    Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 4,000    
           

    About NVIDIA
    NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is the world leader in accelerated computing.

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    Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: the impact of H20 export licensing requirements; global demand for NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure; the demand for AI computing accelerating; countries recognizing AI as essential infrastructure and NVIDIA’s role; AI factories fueling a new industrial revolution and their impact; expectations with respect to growth, performance and benefits of NVIDIA’s products, services and technologies, including Blackwell, and related trends and drivers; expectations with respect to supply and demand for NVIDIA’s products, services and technologies, including Blackwell, and related matters including inventory, production and distribution; expectations with respect to NVIDIA’s third party arrangements, including with its collaborators and partners; expectations with respect to technology developments and related trends and drivers; future NVIDIA cash dividends or other returns to stockholders; NVIDIA’s financial and business outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and beyond; projected market growth and trends; expectations with respect to AI and related industries; and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic and political conditions; NVIDIA’s reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test NVIDIA’s products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of new products and technologies or enhancements to NVIDIA’s existing product and technologies; market acceptance of NVIDIA’s products or NVIDIA’s partners’ products; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of NVIDIA’s products or technologies when integrated into systems; and changes in applicable laws and regulations, as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the most recent reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company’s website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aabe86db-ce89-4434-b83c-495082979801

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The body as landscape: how post-war Japanese dance and theatre shaped performance in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University

    “Tamaokoshi (たまおこし-) – Evocation” (2013) by Yumi Umiumare. Performers: Umiumare, Felix Ching Ching Ho, Fina
    Po, Helen Smith, Willow Conway, Sevastian Peters-Lazaro, Takashi Takiguchi.     Photo by Vikk Shayen, reproduced courtesy of Umiumare and Shayen.

    Post-war Japan was home to exciting new theatrical forms. These included the often grotesque and contorted, but at times flowing, dance style “butoh”, created by dancer/choreographer Hijikata Tatsumi – and the intensely focused, sometimes militaristic, sometimes dreamy theatre of Suzuki Tadashi.

    Both Hijikata’s and Suzuki’s work attracted followers in Australia, and continue to have influence today. They often exchanged ideas, and several of Hijikata’s former dancers performed in Suzuki’s productions.

    Here’s a brief history of how these two helped bring Japanese performance to Australia – and how local artists made it their own.

    Suzuki’s training method

    Visits by Japanese performing artists to Australia increased during the 1990s, with Melbourne’s Playbox Theatre commissioning Suzuki Tadashi to direct an Australian cast in The Chronicle of Macbeth (1992). But even before he came here, several Australians visited his training institution in the Japanese mountains.

    Suzuki is best known for his training method, in which performers stomp up and down in a line, or swiftly move from one physical position to another.

    Suzuki claims this generates an actor who, even when standing still, is full of suppressed energy like a “Boeing 747, its brakes on and engines full-throttle just before take-off”.

    The performances themselves often have a dreamlike quality, similar to the Japanese noh theatre that inspired Suzuki.

    Tanaka brings butoh to Australia

    The first of Hijikata’s students to reach Australia was Japanese performer Tanaka Min. Tanaka appeared at the 1982 Sydney Biennale, showcasing his dance style of “Body Weather”.

    The Sydney Morning Herald described it as “the relationship between body and place […] improvisation and […] textures” – viewed as a shifting microclimate of impulses moving between the dancer’s body and their surroundings.

    Tanaka claimed Hijikata and his principal dancer Ashikawa Yoko taught him 1,000 embodied states that were prompted or described by poetic images or motifs. He passed these on to several Australian performers through his own training.

    Although similar to Hijikata’s approach, Tanaka’s focus on the body as an interactive landscape was unique to his version of butoh.

    Yumi Umiumare

    Japanese choreographer-director Maro Akaji had the greatest influence on Australian physical performance. His butoh company, Dairakudakan, appeared at the 1992 Melbourne Festival and left behind dancer Yumi Umiumare, who settled in the city. Dairakudakan established some of the key motifs recognisable in early Australian butoh.

    Maro’s Tale of the Sea-Dappled Horse (1991), opens with a group of almost-naked dancers in white makeup performing a grotesque group dance, coming together in a pulsating mass. As author Bruce Baird describes it, “on their hands and knees […] they convulse progressively energetically”.

    Umiumare’s Japanese heritage gives her the most direct link to butoh’s origins. After performing solos, duets and character roles, she developed what she calls “butoh cabaret”. This often surrealistically funny style is similar to Melbourne’s zanier comedy shows, as well as Dairakudakan’s own “grand seminarrative spectacles”.

    Umiumare says even her serious works in Melbourne were aimed at “audiences [who] really wanted a laugh”. In a 1995 cabaret skit, she parodied Madonna’s famous pointed cone bra costume. She pulled out accordian-style tubes placed over her breasts to render herself a phallic woman, before threatening and flirting with spectators.

    Umiumare continues to train and direct ensembles.

    Tess de Quincey

    Choreographer-dancer Tess de Quincey was the first non-Japanese, Australian-based artist to focus on Japanese physical theatre. She trained with Tanaka in Japan from 1985, before returning to performing in Sydney in 1988.

    De Quincey’s early Australian shows of 1988 and 1989 featured her naked body, all white like the Japanese butoh dancers, twisting and shifting in semi darkness.

    She later produced introspective multimedia works such as Nerve 9 (2001-05), structured around the slow unfolding of dissociated bodily gestures.

    Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre

    Hijikata’s butoh style was further explored by the Brisbane-based Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, founded by performer/director/trainer Lynne Bradley and director/trainer Simon Woods. The pair also witnessed Suzuki’s training in Japan.

    Zen Zen Zo’s fusion of butoh, Suzuki’s method, and Jacques Lecoq’s approach to clowning culminated in the 1996 production The Cult of Dionysus, performed at the Brisbane Festival.

    Audiences described a “glamorously grotesque” chorus, attired in “ragged skirts of rich reds, oranges and pinks, and strings of beads across their […] bare torsos,” “smeared” with ochre.

    Although Zen Zen Zo’s work became increasingly varied during the 2000s, it still trains in Suzuki’s method.

    Frank Theatre

    Another pair dedicated to Suzuki’s theatre and training were former contemporary dancers Jacqui Carroll and John Nobbs. The pair founded Frank Theatre in Brisbane in 1992, drawing on many of the same performers as Zen Zen Zo.

    Nobbs rejected any dilution of Suzuki’s method, going on to develop what he characterises as an unsullied “regional variant”. Carroll and Nobbs also retained the often riotous grotesquerie and absurdism of Suzuki’s productions.

    Frank Theatre’s masterpiece was Carroll’s Doll Seventeen (2002), an adaptation of Ray Lawler’s Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1955). Very similar to a Japanese noh play in its sense of inevitability, the characters intoned their words as though trapped in a slowly unfolding nightmare.

    Crisscrossing the Pacific

    Hijikata and Suzuki have also inspired performance-makers more distant from Japanese tradition.

    Australian dance company Marrugeku combines certain elements of Japanese theatre with First Nations performance.

    Similarly, multidisiplinary Māori–Australian artist Victoria Hunt combines butoh influences with her own whakapapa, or Māori genealogy.

    And Tony Yap, of Malaysian Chinese descent, has developed what he calls “trance dance”, drawing on Hijikata’s writings, Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski’s’s theatre of bodily and spiritual transfiguration, and Yap’s own background in Southeast Asian possession rituals.

    In these, and other exchanges, performance practices crisscross the Pacific, from Japan to Aotearoa New Zealand, to Australia, to Malaysia, and back.

    Some of Jonathan W. Marshall’s research into butoh was supported by an ARC-LIEF grant.

    – ref. The body as landscape: how post-war Japanese dance and theatre shaped performance in Australia – https://theconversation.com/the-body-as-landscape-how-post-war-japanese-dance-and-theatre-shaped-performance-in-australia-254814

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctica’s sea ice is changing, and so is a vital part of the marine food web that lives within it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqui Stuart, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Ecology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

    Antarctica is the world’s great cooling unit. This vital part of Earth’s climate system is largely powered by the annual freeze and melt of millions of square kilometres of sea ice around the continent.

    Our research shows changes to this annual freeze cycle in McMurdo Sound can lead to shifts in the diversity of algal communities that live within the sea ice.

    At the start of the southern winter, as sea water begins to freeze, it expels salt and forms heavy and very cold brine. This sinks to the seafloor, ultimately forming what’s known as Antarctic Bottom Water. This is then pumped out to the rest of the world through several major oceanic currents.

    Historically, this cycle meant that Antarctica effectively doubled in size and the continent was surrounded by an enormous apron of sea ice at the peak of winter. But the changing climate is shifting this annual cycle.

    Major ocean currents transport cold Antarctic Bottom Water out to the rest of the world.
    Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

    For the past decade, Antarctic sea ice has been in decline. It hasn’t been a steady trend, but each year since 2016 less sea ice has formed compared to historic averages.

    Antarctica’s annual maximum sea ice extent in September 2023 was the lowest on record, with approximately 1.75 million square kilometres less sea ice than normal – an area equivalent to about 6.5 times the land area of Aotearoa.

    Change happening at the continental scale is usually well documented and publicised. However, smaller, more local changes are also occurring in places such as McMurdo Sound, the home of Aotearoa New Zealand’s only Antarctic outpost.

    For four of the last seven years, unseasonable winter southerly storms have been associated with significant delays in the timing of sea-ice formation within McMurdo Sound.

    Where measurements were taken during these “unusual” years, the sea ice that formed later was thinner (1.5 metres compared to 2.5 metres) and had less snow cover (about 5 centimetres versus 15-30 centimetres) compared to the same locations during “typical” years.

    Ken Ryan and Jacqui Stuart measuring the depth of sea ice and the sub-ice platelet layer in McMurdo Sound in 2022.
    Svenja Halfter, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND

    Icy reefs and algal meadows

    Another type of ice, known as “platelet ice”, also appears to be affected by the later formation of sea ice.

    A layer of platelet ice extends into the ocean below the sea ice in some regions around Antarctica, including McMurdo Sound. It is a fragile lattice structure made up of loosely consolidated plate-shaped ice crystals, creating an upside-down reef-like structure.

    The resulting protective environment is a hot spot for primary productivity – microscopic algae that support the base of the marine food web. When sea ice forms later, the platelet ice doesn’t have as much time to accumulate beneath and can be metres thinner than beneath older ice (down to about 1 metre from more than 3 metres).

    Scientist collecting cores of sea ice in McMurdo Sound.
    Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

    Why should we care about sea ice? Because, it isn’t just a frozen, lifeless sheet expanding out from the continent, broken by the odd silhouette of a seal or a gathering of penguins on the top.

    Beneath the desolate surface, where ice meets water, green meadows of microalgae can spread out as far as the eye can see.

    View from under the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, with the sub-ice platelet layer extending down into the water. The green-yellow tinge shows thriving microalgae living within the reef-like structure.
    Leigh Tate, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND

    Microalgae are single-cell, plant-like organisms that use sunlight to create energy. Similar to land-based meadows, they provide food for many other creatures. In winter, when other sources of food can be scarce, this sea-ice superstore plays a crucial role in feeding other inhabitants of McMurdo Sound.

    Diminishing algal diversity under thinner sea ice

    Our research indicates that when the sea ice forms later, microalgal communities living within the ice are also different. In later-forming sea ice, these vital communities are less diverse and dominated by fewer species.

    Some species usually abundant in earlier-forming sea ice are absent or in low numbers when the sea ice forms later. Interestingly, though, it appears the quantity of microalgae in later-forming ice conditions is similar to “typical” ice. However, instead of being spread out through almost three metres depth of the platelet layer, they are crammed into a metre-thick habitat instead.

    These microscopic snacks are diverse in shape, size and the roles they play in the ecosystem. It can help to think of microalgal communities as the produce section in the supermarket. Each type has preferred growing conditions and different nutritional values, producing varied quantities of important resources such as proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids.

    Microalgae come in different shapes, sizes and nutritional content, like fruits and vegetables.
    Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

    Imagine, one winter the weather is different and all that grows are cabbages and sweet peas. These won’t provide you with all the nutrients you need. This mirrors the problem when there is less diversity at the base of the food web. As the microalgal communities shift in the ways our research has observed, the quantity and quality of resources they provide are likely to change, too.

    These early signals matter. They foreshadow wider ecological impacts, especially, if Antarctic sea ice continues to thin, retreat or form later each year.

    We need more research to establish the nuances of these changes and the extent of their impact. But it is worth remembering that what happens at the base of the food web in Antarctica doesn’t necessarily stay there. These changes could ripple through ecosystems further afield with the potential to affect key fisheries in the Southern Ocean.

    By paying close attention now, we have a chance to understand and adapt, to ensure ecosystems stay resilient in a changing world.

    Natalie Robinson receives funding from the Marsden Fund and Antarctic Science Platform. She is affiliated with New Zealand Antarctic Society.

    Jacqui Stuart 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. Antarctica’s sea ice is changing, and so is a vital part of the marine food web that lives within it – https://theconversation.com/antarcticas-sea-ice-is-changing-and-so-is-a-vital-part-of-the-marine-food-web-that-lives-within-it-255606

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: X-rays have revealed a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in our galaxy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ziteng Wang, Associate Lecturer, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA), Curtin University

    Author provided

    In a new study published today in Nature, we report the discovery of a new long-period transient – and, for the first time, one that also emits regular bursts of X-rays.

    Long-period transients are a recently identified class of cosmic objects that emit bright flashes of radio waves every few minutes to several hours. This is much longer than the rapid pulses we typically detect from dead stars such as pulsars.

    What these objects are, and how they generate their unusual signals, remains a mystery.

    Our discovery opens up a new window into the study of these puzzling sources. But it also deepens the mystery: the object we found doesn’t resemble any known type of star or system in our galaxy – or beyond.

    An image of the sky showing the region around ASKAP J1832-0911. The yellow circle marks the position of the newly discovered source. This image shows X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, radio data from the South African MeerKAT radio telescope, and infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
    Author provided

    Watching the radio sky for flickers

    There’s much in the night sky that we can’t see with human eyes but can detect when we look at other wavelengths, such as radio emissions.

    Our research team regularly scans the radio sky using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), operated by CSIRO on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia. Our goal is to find cosmic objects that appear and disappear (known as transients).

    Transients are often linked to some of the most powerful and dramatic events in the universe, such as the explosive deaths of stars.

    In late 2023, we spotted an extremely bright source, named ASKAP J1832-0911 (based on its position in the sky), in the direction of the galactic plane. This object is located about 15,000 light years away. This is far, but still within the Milky Way.

    Some of the ASKAP antennas, located at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia.
    CSIRO

    A dramatic event

    After the initial discovery, we began follow-up observations using telescopes around the world, hoping to catch more pulses. With continued monitoring, we found the radio pulses from ASKAPJ1832 arrive regularly – every 44 minutes. This confirmed it as a new member of the rare long-period transient group.

    But we did not just look forward in time – we also looked back. We searched through older telescope data from the same part of the sky. We found no trace of the object before the discovery.

    This suggests something dramatic happened shortly before we first detected it – something powerful enough to suddenly switch the object “on”.

    Then, in February 2024, ASKAPJ1832 became extremely active. After a quieter period in January, the source brightened dramatically. Fewer than 30 objects in the sky have ever reached such brightness in radio waves.

    For comparison, most stars we detect in radio are about 10,000 times fainter than ASKAPJ1832 during that flare-up.

    A lucky break

    X-rays are a form of light that we can’t see with our eyes. They usually come from extremely hot and energetic environments. Although about ten similar radio-emitting objects have been found so far, none had ever shown X-ray signals.

    In March, we tried to observe ASKAPJ1832 in X-rays. However, due to technical issues with the telescope, the observation could not go ahead.

    Then came a stroke of luck. In June, I reached out to my friend Tong Bao, a postdoctoral researcher at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, to check if any previous X-ray observations had captured the source. To our surprise, we found two past observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, although the data were still under a proprietary period (not yet public).

    We contacted Kaya Mori, a research scientist at Columbia University and the principal investigator of those observations. He generously shared the data with us. To our amazement, we discovered clear X-ray signals coming from ASKAPJ1832. Even more remarkable: the X-rays followed the same 44-minute cycle as the radio pulses.

    It was a truly lucky break. Chandra had been pointed at a different target entirely, but by pure coincidence, it caught ASKAPJ1832 during its unusually bright and active phase.

    A chance alignment like that is incredibly rare – like finding a needle in a cosmic haystack.

    NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope, in orbit around Earth since 1999.
    NASA/CXC & J. Vaughan

    Still a mystery

    Having both radio and X-ray bursts is a common trait of dead stars with extremely strong magnetic fields, such as neutron stars (high-mass dead stars) and white dwarf (low-mass dead stars).

    Our discovery suggests that at least some long-period transients may come from these kinds of stellar remnants.

    But ASKAPJ1832 does not quite fit into any known category of object in our galaxy. Its behaviour, while similar in some ways, still breaks the mould.

    We need more observations to truly understand what is going on. It is possible that ASKAPJ1832 is something entirely new, or it could be emitting radio waves in a way we have never seen before.

    Ziteng Wang 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. X-rays have revealed a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in our galaxy – https://theconversation.com/x-rays-have-revealed-a-mysterious-cosmic-object-never-before-seen-in-our-galaxy-256797

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Our relationship, our connect, our empathy is truly special: Jaishankar on India-Africa ties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday described the relationship between India and Africa as “truly special,” highlighting shared values, historical ties, and mutual development goals at the Africa Day 2025 celebrations in New Delhi.

    Addressing the event, Jaishankar said, “Our relationship, our connect, our empathy is truly special. Many of you would be aware of the deeply held view in this country that our independence would not be complete until Africa secured hers. Today that logic extends to development, to prosperity, and to progress as well. When we speak of food, health, and energy security, it is not just a concern about our national prospects. It is equally about the challenges that Africa faces and the solutions that could emerge from international partnerships.”

    Jaishankar expressed India’s commitment to development of Africa by keeping India’s market open, sharing experiences with the digital revolution to support Africa’s development, improving delivery of public services, spreading education and digital literacy in Africa, strengthening African agriculture and working with African nations to keep the oceans open and free for the benefit of all nations.

    During his address, the external affairs minister recalled the COVID-19 pandemic and criticized the vaccine apartheid and travel restrictions that disproportionately affected Africa. He underscored the urgent need for stronger global partnerships to address shared challenges in food, health, and energy security.

    On the Global South, the EAM said India and Africa are its pillars, asserting that those who question its relevance do not understand it. He also noted Africa’s growing transformation and affirmed India’s support during its G20 presidency for granting full membership to the African Union.

    The foreign minister reiterated India’s call for greater African representation in global institutions, including the UN Security Council, in line with the Ezulwini Consensus.

    India has expanded its diplomatic presence in Africa to 46 missions and has trained over 37,000 Africans under the ITEC and ICCR scholarship programs. Initiatives such as IIT Zanzibar and various IT and training centers reflect India’s commitment to education and capacity-building.

    Jaishankar also underlined support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063, stating India’s approach is inclusive and demand-driven—focused on local capacity building and self-sustaining ecosystems.

    He highlighted India’s USD 700 million grant assistance to African nations, including health equipment, ambulances, Jaipur Foot prosthetics, and food grains, demonstrating India’s enduring partnership in times of need.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 723, Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 723 would require the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to process and review mortgage packages involving property located on tribal land held in trust by deadlines specified in the bill. The bill also would establish a position within BIA to serve as an intermediary between the bureau and tribes, tribal members, and lenders.

    In addition, the bill would require BIA to provide federal agencies and Indian tribes with access to relevant land documents from the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System. Finally, S. 723 would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to the Congress about the digitization of documents related to mortgages on tribal land.

    Using information from the Department of the Interior, CBO expects the agency would need three employees at an average annual cost of $125,000 per employee in 2025. On that basis, and accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates it would cost BIA $2 million over the 2025‑2030 period to implement those requirements. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that the cost to GAO to complete the report would not be significant. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Julia Aman. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 642, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Land Claim Settlement Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 642 would authorize the appropriation of $34 million in fiscal year 2026 for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community as compensation for the loss of land under the Swamp Land Act of 1850 and the Canal Land Act of 1852. The funds could be used by the tribe for any lawful purpose, including governmental services, economic development, natural resources protection, and land acquisition for purposes other than gaming. For this estimate, CBO assumes that the Congress will appropriate the specified amount in fiscal year 2026.

    S. 642 contains intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). The cost of the mandates would not exceed the annual threshold established in that act ($103 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill would extinguish claims of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community against owners of the Reservation Swamp Lands and the Reservation Canal Lands. Eliminating an existing right of action is a mandate because the right to seek redress and recover damages beyond what is provided in the bill would be lost. Based on information from the tribe, CBO expects it is unlikely that the tribe would pursue such claims. Therefore, CBO estimates that the cost, if any, of the mandate would be small.

    The bill would prohibit gambling on tribal land obtained by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community with funds from the settlement awarded under the bill. Because gaming on such land is currently allowed under federal law, the proposed ban would be a mandate. However, because the tribe has no plan to use settlement funds to obtain land for gaming purposes, the cost of the mandate would be small.

    The bill contains no private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Julia Aman (for federal costs) and Rachel Austin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration to Protect Scientific Research and Education Programs 

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 15 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop its illegal attempts to cut critical National Science Foundation (NSF) programs and funding that help maintain the United States’ position as a global leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). On April 18, NSF began terminating projects focused on increasing the participation of women, minorities, and people with disabilities in STEM fields. On May 2, NSF announced that it would also cap “indirect costs” of research projects like laboratory space, equipment, and facility services at 15 percent. This arbitrary limit on indirect costs would slash millions of dollars for groundbreaking scientific research across the country, jeopardizing national security, the economy, and public health. With this lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition are seeking a court order blocking the implementation of NSF’s new directives to eliminate programs addressing diversity in STEM and cut vital funding for research across the country.

    “Every time we go online, scan a barcode at checkout, or get an MRI, we use technology made possible by the National Science Foundation,” said Attorney General James. “This administration’s attacks on basic science and essential efforts to ensure diversity in STEM will weaken our economy and our national security. Putting politics over science will only set our country back, and I will continue to fight to protect critical scientific research and education.”

    Since its creation in 1950, NSF has been an independent federal agency crucial to maintaining the United States’ dominance in STEM. From developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to creating innovative solutions to environmental and energy challenges, NSF-funded research at American universities is vital to addressing the nation’s biggest challenges and maintaining the country’s competitive edge.

    NSF also has a Congressionally-mandated focus on improving diversity in STEM fields. Congress has instructed in law that a “core strategy” of NSF’s work must be to increase the participation of people who have historically been left out of STEM occupations. This policy has been a success. As Attorney General James and the coalition note, between 1995 and 2017, the number of women in science and engineering occupations, or with science or engineering degrees, has doubled. During that same time, people of color went from 15 percent to 35 percent of science and engineering job or degree holders.

    As a result of NSF’s April 18 directive to terminate programs seeking to increase diversity in STEM, dozens of projects have been canceled. In New York, these include 18 programs funded with $11 million in NSF funds within the City University of New York (CUNY) that specifically seek to promote participation in STEM fields by women, minorities, and people with disabilities. All of those programs have had their funding canceled.

    Attorney General James and the coalition also assert in the lawsuit that NSF’s directive to cap indirect costs at 15 percent would devastate scientific research at universities throughout the country. Twenty-three campuses across the State University of New York (SUNY) system participate in NSF-funded research and received over $104 million in NSF funding in fiscal year 2024. These funds supported cutting-edge research, including microelectronics research at the University at Buffalo, world-leading atmospheric science and climate research at the University at Albany, and the NSF Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine led by Binghamton University, which aims to establish a hub for new battery technology to decrease dependence on technology from China.

    As Attorney General James and the coalition argue, NSF’s new cap would mean essential research and infrastructure would be cut, leading to critical projects being abandoned, staff laid off, and research essential to national security, public health, and economic stability ending. In fiscal year 2025, SUNY expects to receive $24.6 million for indirect costs. A 15 percent cap on indirect costs would slash $18 million in critical research funding for the SUNY system. The administration’s unlawful attempts to cap indirect costs at 15 percent for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE) grants have already been stopped by courts, in part due to a lawsuit brought by Attorney General James and 21 other attorneys general.

    Attorney General James and the coalition argue that NSF’s directives violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution by unlawfully changing NSF policy and ignoring Congress’s intent for how NSF should function. The lawsuit seeks a court order ruling NSF’s new policies are illegal and blocking them from being implemented.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco To Present at the Rosenblatt 5th Annual Technology Summit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO, “Silvaco”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced that Silvaco’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Babak Taheri, Interim Chief Financial Officer, Keith Tainsky, and Chief Revenue Officer, Ian Chen, will participate in a fireside chat at the Rosenblatt 5th Annual Technology Summit on Wednesday, June 11, at 4 p.m. Eastern time.

    A live webcast, as well as a replay, of the presentation will be available on the company’s investor relations website at https://investors.silvaco.com/.

    About Silvaco
    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and AI through software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for process and device development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco Group, Inc.’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco Group, Inc. are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco Group, Inc. and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.

    Investor Contact:
    Greg McNiff
    investors@silvaco.com

    Media Contact:
    Tiffany Behany
    press@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer, Talon Metals Celebrate Advanced Nickel, Copper Minerals Processing Facility in Beulah

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    Project to advance American mineral production
    BEULAH, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Talon Metals leadership to celebrate securing a former Westmoreland Mining site where the company will develop its Beulah Minerals Processing Facility (BMPF). This facility is slated to be the world’s most advanced nickel and copper minerals processing facility.
    The BMPF will process nickel and copper, utilizing nickel ore from a Talon mine in Minnesota and the fly ash byproduct of Mercer County coal-fired power stations. The nickel concentrate processed at the Beulah facility will be used in cathodes for EV batteries, and the fly ash will help chemically neutralize and harden the tailings. The nickel concentrate and other byproducts, including cobalt and iron, from the Beulah facility will be used by Tesla for its EV batteries.
    Cramer, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) and Armed Services Committees, delivered remarks at the signing ceremony today in Beulah. 
    “You could not over exaggerate the significance of today, or the significance of what’s about to happen at the Westmoreland site,” said Cramer. “Its contribution to economic opportunity will be significant to national security, global security, and domestic supply chain development. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.”

    In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded nearly $115 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Talon Metals for the construction of this facility, and Talon will provide a recipient cost share of nearly $320 million. This project includes workforce training in Mercer County and will offer employment opportunities to nearby communities and tribal members. The U.S. Department of Defense also awarded Talon over $20 million in Defense Production Act funding to increase exploration and development of domestic nickel. 
    Cramer is a longtime advocate for domestic critical minerals production, stressing the superiority of American labor and environmental standards and the importance of strategically decoupling supply chains from adversaries like China. He co-led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to express their concerns regarding a potential critical mineral free trade agreement with Indonesia for the procurement of nickel. In 2022, Cramer also wrote a letter of support on behalf of Talon’s application to then-DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: $59 million boost to ensure completion of Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Health Minister Simeon Brown today announced an additional $59 million in funding for the Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment, ensuring Stage Two is completed by the end of 2025.

    “This redevelopment is a critical investment in modernising healthcare for the people of Taranaki,” Mr Brown says.

    “The additional $59.2 million is required to meet cost pressures that have emerged since 2022 – ensuring we can complete Stage Two of the project on schedule and deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose hospital that can meet the region’s needs now and into the future.”

    The funding will support the delivery of the new East Wing Building – a six-storey, 20,000-square-metre facility due to open by the end of 2025.

    “This building will house many of Taranaki Base Hospital’s core acute and specialist services, including the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, maternity, neonatal, and radiology services.

    “It will increase the number of patient spaces to 151 – an additional 55 to current capacity – and provide a total of 34 laboratory workstations. It has also been designed with future expansion in mind.

    “The East Wing Building will also include a modern acute assessment unit, a primary birthing unit, an Integrated Operations Centre, a rooftop helipad, and a tūpapaku viewing room – a reflection of a more culturally responsive and patient-focused model of care.

    Mr Brown said the redevelopment would help meet the growing and changing needs of the Taranaki region.

    “This is about delivering smarter, more efficient healthcare. It’s about ensuring the system can meet the needs of a growing and ageing population, while also supporting the workforce with modern, integrated facilities.

    “We are making the long-overdue investments needed to strengthen our hospitals and ensure the health system delivers better outcomes for New Zealanders.”

    “Modern infrastructure helps reduce wait times, improve care, and ensure patients get the high-quality treatment they expect and deserve.

    “The completion of the East Wing Building will be a significant milestone for healthcare in the region and a key part of our Government’s broader commitment to a stronger, more resilient public health system.”

    “We are focused on delivering the hospital infrastructure New Zealand needs – with clear outcomes for patients and communities,” Mr Brown says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • PM GatiShakti: 94th Network Planning Group meeting reviews key metro and aviation projects

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The 94th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) was held on Wednesday to assess five major infrastructure proposals aimed at strengthening India’s multimodal connectivity and regional development. The proposals, spanning both Metro Rail and Civil Aviation sectors, were evaluated for their alignment with the core principles of PM GatiShakti, including last-mile connectivity, intermodal integration, and enhanced logistics efficiency.

    The meeting, chaired by Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), reviewed four Metro Rail projects submitted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and one Greenfield Airport project proposed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).

    The first project involves a 2.16 km underground extension of the Aerocity–Tughlakabad corridor to Indira Gandhi Domestic Terminal-1. It includes the development of a new metro station at IGD T-1 and aims to improve airport connectivity for key residential areas such as Tughlakabad, Khanpur, Saket, Mehrauli, and Vasant Kunj, while also benefiting commuters from Faridabad via the Tughlakabad interchange.

    The second proposal is a 9.913 km fully underground extension of the Magenta Line from Ramakrishna Ashram Marg to Indraprastha. This corridor will link major landmarks like Central Vista, India Gate, Pragati Maidan, the War Memorial, and Delhi High Court. A proposed station at India Gate is intended to offer safe and convenient public transport access while promoting clean and sustainable mobility.

    Another project reviewed is a 9 km elevated extension of the Golden Line from Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj. It passes through areas including Ali Village, Ali Vihar, and Madanpur Khadar, with a vital interchange planned at Kalindi Kunj connecting the Violet and Magenta lines. This initiative is expected to improve airport access and strengthen connectivity between Noida, Greater Noida, and Delhi.

    A 17.435 km metro corridor linking Noida Sector-51 to Knowledge Park V in Greater Noida was also discussed. Spanning 7.263 km in Noida and 10.172 km in Greater Noida, the corridor is designed to serve the growing commuter needs of the expanding Greater Noida West township, enhancing urban transit efficiency.

    In the civil aviation sector, a Greenfield Airport has been proposed near Bundi, Kota in Rajasthan. Spread over 400 acres, the airport will be equipped to handle A321-200 type aircraft and feature a modern terminal with the capacity to process 500 arrivals and 500 departures during peak hours. The planned infrastructure includes a runway, apron, taxiways, ATC tower, fire station, and associated facilities. The project aims to support the economic development of the region, boost tourism and trade, and provide better travel access for the large number of students and families visiting Kota, a national hub for competitive exam preparation.

    All the evaluated projects are strategically aimed at enhancing transit systems, reducing congestion, and facilitating regional integration.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Meets with Guests from Pacific Island States

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    XIAMEN, May 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held separate meetings with foreign guests who arrived in China to attend the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province.

    During the meeting with the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kiribati Taneti Maamau, Wang Yi conveyed to him sincere greetings and best wishes from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Wang Yi said that since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Kiribati more than five years ago, bilateral ties have developed rapidly, and exchanges and cooperation in various fields have yielded significant results. He said China highly values Kiribati’s firm adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to work with Kiribati to further develop bilateral ties.

    T. Maamau, for his part, pointed out that Kiribati firmly adheres to the one-China policy and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as cultural and humanitarian exchanges, medicine and health care, infrastructure, sister city exchanges, the maritime economy and climate change.

    At a meeting with Niuean Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dalton Tagelagi, Wang Yi noted that China-Niue relations have become a model of equality and common development for countries of different sizes. He called on both countries to strengthen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, green development and climate change.

    D. Tagelagi said that Niue values its relations with China and the close friendship between the peoples of the two countries, and supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, as well as the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.

    Niue stands ready to continue to contribute to the development of the South Pacific region in the spirit of mutual respect, added D. Tagelagi.

    During a meeting with Crown Prince and Foreign Minister of Tonga Tupoutoa Ulukalala, Wang Yi conveyed cordial greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to King Tupou VI of Tonga.

    The Chinese Foreign Minister said that China firmly supports Tonga in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests, values Tonga’s commitment to the one-China principle, and hopes to work with Tonga to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

    Tupoutoa Ulukalala noted that Tonga has always firmly adhered to the one-China policy and is willing to expand exchanges of ideas with China and promote practical cooperation in areas such as health and education. Tonga highly appreciates the concrete measures taken by China to help Pacific island countries address climate change, he stressed.

    During a meeting with Solomon Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Shanel Agowaka, Wang Yi said that China is willing to work with the Solomon Islands to uphold multilateralism, defend the basic norms of international relations, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

    China supports the Solomon Islands in hosting the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting this year, Wang continued, expressing hope that the two countries will seize the opportunity and jointly promote development.

    P.Sh. Agovaka said the Solomon Islands firmly opposes “Taiwan independence” and supports the Chinese government’s efforts to achieve national reunification.

    The Solomon Islands looks forward to strengthening practical cooperation with China in areas such as education, law enforcement, medicine and health care, and cultural heritage protection, P.Sh. Agovaka said.

    At a meeting with Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Tingika Elikana, Wang Yi said China has always attached great importance to relations with the Cook Islands and supports the country in safeguarding national sovereignty and independently choosing a development path that suits its national conditions.

    According to the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China is ready to work with the Cook Islands to adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and create a fair, reasonable, cooperative and mutually beneficial system of global climate governance.

    T. Elikana assured that the Cook Islands will strictly adhere to the one-China principle, adding that the meeting of the foreign ministers of China and the Pacific island countries opened up an opportunity for deepening cooperation between the two sides and strengthening the unity of the island countries. The Cook Islands expresses its firm support for this, he stressed. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Great Falls man sentenced to prison for strangulation and child abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who assaulted a woman and her child on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 31 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Lane Thomas Lamere, 37, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of strangulation and one count of felony child abuse.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on Friday, January 12, 2024, Lamere broke into the residence of Jane Doe 2, who was home with her three-year old daughter, Jane

    Doe 1. Lamere dragged Jane Doe 2 to her back bedroom and choked her. Jane Doe 1 walked into the room while this was happening. When Lamere saw Jane Doe 1, he grabbed her head and put her into a headlock. Jane Doe 2 was able to get away, but Lamere would not let go of Jane Doe 1. When Jane Doe 2 could not get Lamere to let go of her daughter, she ran next door to get help from her neighbor, who called the police as they ran back to Jane Doe 2’s house.

    When Jane Doe 2 and her neighbor returned to the house, Lamere was in the bathroom attached to the bedroom atop Jane Doe 1. The neighbor recalled seeing him bite Jane Doe 1 on her face. The neighbor also recalled Lamere squeezing Jane Doe 1, pulling her hair, and covering her nose and mouth. Both the neighbor and Jane Doe 2 tried to pull him off Jane Doe 1 and even struck him with a snow shovel, but he did not release Jane Doe 1.

    Law enforcement bodycam footage shows the neighbor hysterically crying for help, but Lamere remained in the back bathroom on top of Jane Doe 1. When he refused to follow law enforcement orders to get off Jane Doe 1, an officer tased him. The officer then removed Jane Doe 1 from beneath Lamere. EMTs arrived and transported Jane Does 1 and 2 to Northern Montana Hospital. Jane Doe 1 was treated for various contusions to her body as well as bite marks to her arm and face.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gary Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Using a Firearm to Commit Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND–Devonte Hodge, 29 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and using a firearm to commit murder following a 6-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Hodge was sentenced to life in prison for using a firearm to commit murder. He was also sentenced to 480 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. Both sentences are to run concurrently.

    According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2016, Hodge and others conspired to sell and sold cocaine and heroin from a residence located in Gary, Indiana. Additionally, on October 8, 2016, Hodge shot and killed a victim who was sitting in a car in Gary, believing the victim was cooperating with law enforcement about the drug conspiracy.   

    This case was investigated by the FBI/GRIT Task Force and ATF/HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Hobart Police, the Indiana State Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and the Gary Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Joel Mathur.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Implementing the ACOP: education, guidance, inspections

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    The Port Health and Safety Leadership Group enthusiastically welcomed the Approved code of practice for loading and unloading cargo at ports and on ships (ACOP) when it came into effect late last year.

    The Leadership Group has made implementing the ACOP one of its top priorities so that it is widely understood and the benefits are felt across the sector.

    To achieve this it has divided the work into workstreams, each responsible for specific areas of the project. This will allow a deliberate, risk-based approach and make sure there is a focus on the critical risks that are top of mind for the sector. Two of the groups focus on education tools and guidance to supplement areas of the ACOP that may need more information or where the sector feels it needs more support.

    Education tools: From feedback gathered from two industry workshops held last year, we’ve decided to begin with ‘risk management’ as the first topic for education tools. Positive feedback and agreement has been received from the developer group (representatives from ports, unions and stevedore companies, and companies with backgrounds in port operations, education and training) on the proposed structure, learning objectives and content for the e-learning modules. Next step is to design and develop the three modules, which will include ‘talking head’ style videos of port workers and health and safety representatives. We have engaged a photographer/videographer to film at ports and reached out to the Rail and Maritime Transport Union to assist us with seeking representatives to film on site.

    Future topics will be ‘working at height’,’ loading and unloading cargo’, and ‘work environment and fatigue’.

    Guidance: This workstream will be developing resources to assist in interpreting and implementing the ACOP, ensuring clarity and practical application across the sector. Guidance about ‘confined spaces’ and ‘hazardous atmospheres’ is being developed and future topics will be based on the critical risks identified in the Leadership Group’s action plan. ‘Working at height’ is likely to be the next topic. 

    Maritime NZ is also working with the commercial fishing sector to get an understanding of how the ACOP may apply to their operations, as well as developing guidance with them.

    Inspections: Alongside the workstreams, Maritime NZ has been conducting proactive inspections relating to critical risks within the ACOP. The first focus has been how a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) is effectively managing hazards to health and safety relating to the loading and unloading of breakbulk cargo (logs). The next focus area will concentrate on containers. Following this phase of the inspections, Maritime NZ will feed back its findings and themes to the Leadership Group and the sector, and this will also support future guidance and education material being developed.

    Over time we will create resources to support the ACOP.

    Useful information:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS Coastal Storm Team gears up for 2025 hurricane season

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. To ensure readiness, USGS team members meet monthly during the offseason to update members on improvements, processes and new research, said Athena Clark, the team leader and USGS science advisor for the Southeast Region.

    “Information gained from each storm continually advances our science capabilities to improve preparedness, reduce risk, and enhance our resilience to respond to the next storm event,” she said. “Our multidisciplinary team works year-round to enhance our nation’s preparedness for hurricanes and other coastal hazards to ensure we provide the comprehensive science and information needed by those who make emergency management and safety decisions quickly to help protect lives and property.” 

    An extremely active Atlantic hurricane season kept the Coastal Storm Team busy for most of 2024. According to the National Hurricane Center, 11 hurricanes formed during last year’s Atlantic hurricane season with five making landfall in the continental U.S., two as major hurricanes. The 2025 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center Atlantic hurricane season forecast predicts this year is also expected to be an above-normal season. 

    When storms threaten the U.S. coastline, the Coastal Storm Team, composed of experts from USGS, the National Hurricane Center, and other agencies, springs into action to share information and help communities prepare. Originally started as a small coordination call three decades ago, the team has expanded to nearly 790 members, improving communication and situational awareness during storms.

    “Having representatives from the National Weather Service, FEMA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on these calls provides valuable real-time updates that help decision-makers track flood impacts and assist affected communities quickly,” Clark said. “These calls give us the opportunity to highlight USGS and other agency products that have been created to help communities and emergency managers make informed decisions about a particular event.”

    Clark explained that during the Coastal Storm Team calls, she not only promotes USGS people and capabilities, but also promotes other agencies that USGS coordinates with by sharing their dashboards and work as part of a national effort.

    “I see these calls as a time for true information exchange so we all can do our jobs better,” she said. “The bottom line is our mission is to provide data to help protect lives and property.”

    Clark became assistant to the Coastal Storm Team leader in 2016 and, as fate would have it, the team leader went on leave later that year right when Hurricane Matthew struck the coast – thrusting her into the leadership chair. She said the team and her survived her “trial by fire,” and she learned some valuable lessons during that experience.

    “During a contingency, we don’t have the time or the luxury to fully figure out processes and procedures, so we began scheduling monthly internal USGS hurricane calls throughout the year to help us improve our coordination,” she said. “Most science centers that may have a role during storms have someone participate in our monthly calls as we look for ways to make our online public presence more streamlined and improved.” 

    Clark believes the Storm Team’s success stems from its collaborative platform, which allows for sharing vital information and assistance. 

    “These Storm Team calls provide situational awareness to various responding agencies while showcasing USGS products that help communities and emergency managers make informed decisions,” she stated. “For instance, during Hurricane Debbie, a local emergency manager from Georgia requested Rapid Deployment Gauges, and the team quickly deployed them to track real-time water levels.”

    The Coastal Storm Team responds to hurricanes, tropical storms, Nor’easters, and even atmospheric river events, particularly along the Pacific Coast and in Hawaii. 

    “If it’s going to affect the U.S. coastline, which USGS oversees, we will activate a Storm Team call and respond,” Clark said.

    The team also manages multi-hazard events like what happened during Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which transitioned from a coastal event to significant inland flooding and landslides. 

    “Some events begin on the coast and then head inland and cause major flooding and landslides, so we coordinated information for each of these events before we passed the torch and handed off the hazards to both the Flood Team and the Landslide Team to continue coordination efforts,” she said. “It’s essential that we work together as one USGS to accomplish our goals.”

    Based on a storm’s forecast intensity and track, the Storm Team decides the timing and extent of the bureau’s storm response. Once it’s determined a hurricane or tropical storm will likely strike somewhere in the U.S., the team leaders decide whether it’s necessary and safe to deploy USGS field crews to the storm’s projected path along the coast to aid in data collecting. 

    “If deployed, one of the main tasks for the field crews is to install special water-level measuring instruments called storm tide sensors,” said Clark. “These sensors record data that track storm tides and coastal flooding. That information helps public officials assess storm damage, tell the difference between wind and flood damage, and helps USGS and NOAA scientists improve storm surge and coastal change forecast models.”

    Over the years, USGS has added hundreds of Coastal Storm Team members to the roster. This ever-expanding roster has led to new relationships and coordination planning between USGS and other federal agencies. For example, NASA and USGS Geospatial Information Response Team meet monthly to coordinate response planning and share information.   

    After nearly a decade of leadership and countless long hours during dozens of storms and hazardous events, Clark said she’s proud of the fact that the Coastal Storm Team plays a pivotal role in safeguarding lives and property during storm events. 

    “I get highly energized about the value of our Storm Team because I view this as the epitome of public service and it’s why all of us are here,” she said. “It’s during these events that we are really accomplishing our mission with a laser focus on the work we all do.” 

    Clark added that she also has a deep appreciation for the USGS employees in the field doing the hard work daily, especially during hurricanes and storms, to help the Storm Team get the data needed to share with our partners. 

    “Everyone on the team wants to share the information they have, information that can be useful to everyone,” she said. “Team members are energized and excited and possess a willingness to share their data, work, and expertise with each other. We all play a crucial role in helping communities prepare for and recover from storms, while continuously improving our capabilities to reduce risks and enhance resilience against future natural disasters. This team really showcases the value we do for society, and I couldn’t ask for a better collaborative team.”

    To learn more about USGS hurricane science, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/hurricanes 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago Obtains Forfeiture of $214 Million in Proceeds From Alleged “Pump and Dump” Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has successfully obtained forfeiture to the government of approximately $214 million in proceeds from an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme that previously resulted in charges against seven individuals.

    From November 2024 to February 2025, the defendants engaged in misleading promotion and coordinated trading of shares of China Liberal Education Holdings, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that purported to provide educational services in China, according to an indictment returned in March in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The scheme, known as a “pump-and-dump,” allegedly involved individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms and falsely promising significant returns from investments in the company.  The misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the stock price to artificially rise, at which point the defendants sold thousands of shares and made millions of dollars in profits, the indictment states.  The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment.

    During the investigation, federal law enforcement seized approximately $214 million in alleged proceeds from the fraud scheme. The funds are currently in U.S. custody. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso granted a motion by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to have the money permanently forfeited to the United States.  The order allows for the government to return the money to victim investors.

    The forfeiture order was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten represents the government.

    “As alleged in the indictment and forfeiture complaint, the defendants defrauded U.S. investors through deceitful and coordinated trading activities,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “Our attorneys and staff in this case placed a high priority on recovering funds for victims.  The large forfeiture order of more than $200 million should serve as a warning that federal law enforcement will aggressively pursue fraudulent profits from those who seek to prey upon investors by manipulating the U.S. stock market.”

    “Despite the overwhelming manipulation as alleged in this case, this serves as one of the premier FBI investigations in which the federal government was able to successfully recover victims’ hard-earned money before it disappeared into overseas bank accounts,” said FBI SAC DePodesta.  “This elaborate fraud scheme boasting bogus profit potentials has caused extensive harm to unsuspecting Americans.  The FBI will continue to work with our partner networks to ensure that justice is served against anyone who seeks to weaponize financial systems to gain personal profit.”

    Seven individuals were charged in the criminal indictment with wire fraud and securities fraud: LIM XIANG JIE CEDRIC, of Malaysia, MING-SHEN CHENG, of Taiwan, KO SEN CHAI, of Malaysia, KING SUNG WONG, of Malaysia, SIONG WEE VUN, of Malaysia, CHIEN LUNG MA, of Taiwan, and KOK WAH WONG, of Malaysia.  The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If you believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by the fraud scheme charged in the indictment, you are encouraged to notify the FBI by completing this online form or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald A. Ennis, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $513,072.28 in restitution for two counts of wire fraud. Ennis admitted that he filed false insurance claims to obtain $347,237.70 after setting fire to his residence and defrauded a volunteer fire department of $153,728 while serving as its finance and operations manager.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018 Ennis purchased a residence on Ridgeview Way in St. Albans with assistance from a mortgage company that required him to insure the residence for loss. Ennis obtained a residential insurance policy with a maximum value of $161,100 for the dwelling and $120,825 for its contents. Ennis paid an annual premium of approximately $979.35 for the policy, which had effective dates from November 8, 2020, through November 8, 2021. The policy covered losses for multiple contingencies including fire, and explicitly excluded intentional acts of loss or damage by Ennis.

    Ennis admitted that he intentionally set fire to his residence on February 15, 2021. The fire department responded but could not extinguish the fire, which consumed the residence and left it and its contents a total loss. Ennis falsely reported the fire to his Indiana-based insurance company as an accident later that day and began the process of filing a claim. Ennis admitted that he placed a series of claims electronically from February 21, 2021, to March 19, 2021, fraudulently claiming losses from the fire. Ennis further admitted that he obtained $347,237.70 from the insurance company as a result of this wire fraud scheme. The fraudulent insurance funds were deposited in Ennis’ bank account.

    From at least 2009 through 2022, Ennis worked for a volunteer fire department serving the Tornado area of Kanawha County. As its finance and operations manager, Ennis had access to the fire department’s North Carolina-based bank debit card and regularly acted as its accountant. Ennis admitted that from some time prior to March 19, 2020 through about September 18, 2022, he fraudulently obtained $153,728 of the fire department’s funds through a series of ATM withdrawals and dozens of unauthorized online purchases with its debit card for his personal benefit.

    “This prosecution sends an important and firm message that those who commit arson for financial gain will be prosecuted and brought to justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The fire put others at risk – first responders as well as neighbors. The defendant also deprived the volunteer fire department of vital funds.”

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-129.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: In Revere, Massachusetts, Warren Lays Out the Dangers of Republican Bill to Cut Health Care for Millions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 28, 2025
    Boston, MA – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined state and federal leaders at the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Revere Care Center to sound the alarm about Republicans’ planned cuts to health care for Massachusetts children, families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. 
    Senator Warren laid out the impact of these planned cuts to health care and food assistance, and explained how the cuts would raise costs for working families. 
    “Right now, you probably know someone who counts on Medicaid to pay for medicine that helps treat their cancer, the hip replacement they need to walk, the inhaler their kid needs to breathe, or the nursing home that takes care of their aging parents. And they are all at risk,” said Senator Warren. 
    Senator Warren also made clear that Massachusetts leaders are united in fighting back against the cuts. 
    “We believe that no senior should be kicked to the curb so that Mark Zuckerberg [can] buy another Hawaiian island. And we believe that no person with a disability who needs a home health aide should have to give that up so that Jeff Bezos can buy a third yacht. We believe that, and that is why we are here to fight back,” concluded Senator Warren. 
    Transcript: Remarks on Medicaid Cuts at the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Revere Care CenterMay 27, 2025
    As Delivered
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: It is a real honor to stand here with the Governor, with [] Senator [Markey], with [] Senator [Edwards], with [] Mayor [Keefe], with the doctors, with the people who fight for health care here in the Commonwealth. I am grateful for that and I look forward to the fact that when we partner up, that’s how we make real change. 
    So, last week the House of Representatives passed Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” This would be the greatest transfer of wealth—from just one piece of legislation—from the poorest Americans to the richest Americans ever before in US history. Think about that: these guys are actually out there making history by taking away—from hardworking families, from people down on their luck, from seniors, from little babies—so that a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs can get more giveaways from the government. 
    That’s the Republican plan: Billionaires win, everyone else loses.
    Now, the details are gruesome on this bill. This bill would: cut Medicaid, gut the Affordable Care Act, and slash food assistance.
    If it passes the Senate, this bill will rip health care away from 14 million people, over a quarter of a million right here in Massachusetts — all to pay for tax handouts for billionaires. 
    This Republican bill will raise costs for working families — from groceries to health care to utility bills — while making the richest Americans even richer.
    Here in Massachusetts, the consequences will be severe.
    In our state, Medicaid is known as MassHealth, and it covers almost two million people. If this bill passes, every one of them will be at risk of losing their health coverage. 
    That is one-third of all newborn babies and their mamas right here in Massachusetts at risk for losing their health care.
    That’s checkups and trips to the doctor for ear infections and money for asthma medications and for antibiotics for more than a third of all kids here in Massachusetts.
    That’s paying the monthly bills for almost TWO-thirds of all nursing home residents here in Massachusetts.
    As the Governor said, the pain will echo throughout our communities, hitting even those who don’t currently receive direct care. Without the guaranteed payments from Medicaid, our hospitals and community health centers are at risk.  
    Community hospitals, even with Medicaid reimbursement, are already struggling. 
    And right now, nearly half the funding for Massachusetts community health centers – which saves money by preventing people from needing to go to the emergency room – half their money currently comes from Medicaid that is on the chopping block by the Republicans. 
    When those hospitals and community health centers are forced to close, we all lose.  
    Now, right now, you probably know someone who counts on Medicaid to pay for the medicine that helps treat their cancer. You probably know someone who got the hip replacement they needed so that they can walk paid for by Medicaid. You probably know someone whose kid gets their inhaler from Medicaid, or the nursing home that takes care of their aging parents. And all of those are at risk.
    This is a full-blown crisis, and we are here to sound the alarm.
    I’m here with Governor Healey and with the senators and everyone behind me because we believe that no one in America should go without health care so that Elon Musk can take a rocket ship ride to Mars.
    We believe that no senior should be kicked to the curb so that Mark Zuckerberg wants to buy another Hawaiian island. 
    And we believe that no person with a disability who needs a home health aide should have to give that up so that Jeff Bezos can buy a third yacht. 
    We believe that and that is why we are here to fight back.
    I am proud to stand beside the Governor, and beside the senators, beside the mayor to make sure that everyone in Massachusetts and around the country gets the health care that they deserve.
    And with that, I will turn it over to a wonderful partner and a tremendous fighter in the United States Senate—my partner, Ed Markey.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Sues to Stop Termination, Withholding of National Science Foundation Grants

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit to stop the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) from: (1) terminating grants for scientific research that seeks to promote and understand diversity in higher education and the workforce, and (2) imposing a 15% cap on indirect cost reimbursements for research projects. From creating AI technology that predicts weather patterns to protect communities, to developing sustainable solutions for environmental and economic challenges, to making power grids more sustainable, NSF-funded research at American universities has ensured the United States’ status as a global leader in scientific innovation. In the complaint, Attorney General Bonta and 15 other attorneys general ask the court to bar NSF from implementing the terminations and cost cap as arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.

    “President Trump wants to make America’s universities second tier with his backwards efforts to slash research funding that has kept us on the cutting edge of science and innovation,” said Attorney General Bonta. “For more than 50 years, Congress has expressly authorized the National Science Foundation to train up the next generation of talent and invest in the infrastructure necessary to keep our position as a global leader in STEM. With President Trump’s latest round of indiscriminate funding cuts, America is poised to fall behind its competitors at a critical moment in the global technology race. We’re suing to stop him.”

    At the direction of President Trump, NSF is taking aim at the twin pillars sustaining the United States’ STEM preeminence. First, NSF announced a departure from Congress’s longstanding policy to promote a robust STEM workforce that draws in underrepresented populations. Second, NSF announced that it would slash support for the infrastructure necessary for cutting edge American research. These actions violate the law and jeopardize America’s longstanding global leadership in STEM.  

    Since 1980, Congress has maintained that for the United States to maintain its competitive edge, the nation would need to encourage and prepare people from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM to acquire skills and pursue careers in science and engineering fields.  And it has directed, empowered, and funded NSF to carry this policy out – with significant success. Between 1995 and 2017, the number of women in science and engineering occupations, or with science or engineering degrees, doubled; minorities, meanwhile, went from representing about 15% of those groups to about 35%.  

    To conduct NSF research, universities must maintain and staff substantial infrastructure, such as cutting-edge laboratories, advanced computer systems and networks, appropriate security, and specialized heating or cooling systems. Because the costs associated with such infrastructure often are not attributable solely to one federally sponsored research project, the federal government negotiates indirect cost rates that ensure research grants are sufficient to actually sustain university research efforts. By indiscriminately slashing indirect cost rates, NSF is repeating the unlawful practices of the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, which districts courts have already enjoined.  

    In California, millions of dollars in funding are at risk across the California State University, University of California, and public community college systems. Many innovations — like the internet, GPS, and MRI technology — trace their origins to research initially funded by NSF. Without NSF funding, many California colleges and universities will be forced to substantially reduce or stop altogether potentially groundbreaking programs and research projects.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Hawaii, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington in filing the lawsuit. 

    A copy of the complaint is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Eccentric ‘Star’ Defies Easy Explanation, NASA’s Chandra Finds

    Source: NASA

    Scientists have discovered a star behaving like no other seen before, giving fresh clues about the origin of a new class of mysterious objects.
    As described in our press release, a team of astronomers combined data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the SKA [Square Kilometer Array] Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope on Wajarri Country in Australia to study the antics of the discovered object, known as ASKAP J1832−0911 (ASKAP J1832 for short).
    ASKAP J1832 belongs to a class of objects called “long period radio transients” discovered in 2022 that vary in radio wave intensity in a regular way over tens of minutes. This is thousands of times longer than the length of the repeated variations seen in pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that have repeated variations multiple times a second. ASKAP J1832 cycles in radio wave intensity every 44 minutes, placing it into this category of long period radio transients.
    Using Chandra, the team discovered that ASKAP J1832 is also regularly varying in X-rays every 44 minutes. This is the first time that such an X-ray signal has been found in a long period radio transient.
    In this composite image, X-rays from Chandra (blue) have been combined with infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope (cyan, light blue, teal and orange), and radio from LOFAR (red). An inset shows a more detailed view of the immediate area around this unusual object in X-ray and radio light.

    Using Chandra and the SKA Pathfinder, a team of astronomers found that ASKAP J1832 also dropped off in X-rays and radio waves dramatically over the course of six months. This combination of the 44-minute cycle in X-rays and radio waves in addition to the months-long changes is unlike anything astronomers have seen in the Milky Way galaxy.

    The research team argues that ASKAP J1832 is unlikely to be a pulsar or a neutron star pulling material from a companion star because its properties do not match the typical intensities of radio and X-ray signals of those objects. Some of ASKAP J1832’s properties could be explained by a neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field, called a magnetar, with an age of more than half a million years. However, other features of ASKAP J1832 — such as its bright and variable radio emission — are difficult to explain for such a relatively old magnetar.
    On the sky, ASKAP J1832 appears to lie within a supernova remnant, the remains of an exploded star, which often contain a neutron star formed by the supernova. However, the research team determined that the proximity is probably a coincidence and two are not associated with each other, encouraging them to consider the possibility that ASKAP J1832 does not contain a neutron star. They concluded that an isolated white dwarf does not explain the data but that a white dwarf star with a companion star might. However, it would require the strongest magnetic field ever known for a white dwarf in our galaxy.
    A paper by Ziteng Wang (Curtin University in Australia) and collaborators describing these results appears in the journal Nature. Another team led by Di Li from Tsinghua University in China independently discovered this source using the DAocheng Radio Telescope and submitted their paper to the arXiv on the same day as the team led by Dr Wang. They did not report the X-ray behavior described here.
    NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

    Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

    chandra

    https://chandra.si.edu
    Visual Description:
    This release features two composite images of a mysterious object, possibly an unusual neutron star or white dwarf, residing near the edge of a supernova remnant. The object, known as ASKAP J1832, has been intriguing astronomers from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder radio telescope with its antics and bizarre behavior.
    Astronomers have discovered that ASKAP J1832 cycles in radio wave intensity every 44 minutes. This is thousands of times longer than pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that have repeated variations multiple times a second. Using Chandra, the team discovered that the object is also regularly varying in X-rays every 44 minutes. This is the first time such an X-ray signal has been found in a long period radio transient like ASKAP J1832.
    In the primary composite image of this release, the curious object is shown in the context of the supernova remnant and nearby gas clouds. Radio data is red and and X-ray sources seen with Chandra are in dark blue. The supernova remnant is the large, wispy, red oval ring occupying the lower right of the image. The curious object sits inside this ring, to our right of center; a tiny purple speck in a sea of colorful specks. The gas cloud shows infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and resembles a mottled green, teal blue, and golden orange cloud occupying our upper left half of the square image.
    The second, close-up image shows a view of the immediate area around ASKAP J1832. In this composite image, infrared data from Spitzer has been removed, eliminating the mottled cloud and most of the colorful background specks. Here, near the inside edge of the hazy red ring, the curious object resembles a bright white dot with a hot pink outer edge, set against the blackness of space. Upon close inspection, the hot pink outer edge is revealed to have three faint spikes emanating from the surface.
    The primary and close-up images are presented both unadorned, and with labels, including fine white circles identifying ASKAP J1832.

    Megan WatzkeChandra X-ray CenterCambridge, Mass.617-496-7998mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
    Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama256-544-0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation Calls For Answers From Navy On Proposal To Increase Training, Inert Bombings On Kaʻula Rock

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    HONOLULU – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i) and Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) pressed the U.S. Navy to publicly justify its ongoing training on Ka‘ula and the proposal to more than double the number of inert bombing and gunfire training exercises conducted on Ka‘ula in Kaua‘i County. The lawmakers called on the Navy to conduct a full environmental impact statement (EIS) and provide a clear national security rationale outlining the need to conduct this type of training at Ka‘ula.
    “In Hawai‘i, there is a significant level of mistrust with the Department of Defense as a whole, and the Navy in particular,” the delegation wrote. “As the Navy has now determined it would like to double the inert bombing and gunfire training it currently carries out on one of our smaller and uninhabited islands, we write to urge the Navy to provide more information about the impacts to Ka‘ula to satisfy the concerns from Kaua‘i residents and the state writ large. This additional due diligence by the Navy should include a national security justification for this expansion and explain to the public how this training is reasonable given the impacts to Ka‘ula and the surrounding community. The onus is on the Navy to demonstrate this need with proper analysis.”
    The delegation added, “Too many pressing questions concerning the use of Ka‘ula remain unanswered. As part of a comprehensive EIS, the Navy must assure the public that it has an effective plan and will allocate resources to environmental remediation on Ka‘ula. This will also allow the public to fully understand the impacts of this increased bombing on Ka‘ula’s environment. In parallel to conducting a comprehensive EIS, we request that the Navy also submit a study to Congress clearly outlining the pressing national security requirements for training at Ka‘ula. Both of these efforts are necessary to provide sufficient information to the public about ongoing and proposed expanded training at Ka‘ula.”
    The full text of the letter is below and available here.
    Secretary Phelan,
    We write with our concerns about the Navy’s proposal to expand the usage of the island of Ka‘ula for increased inert bombing and gunfire training by the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. In Hawai‘i, there is a significant level of mistrust with the Department of Defense as a whole, and the Navy in particular. As the Navy has now determined it would like to double the inert bombing and gunfire training it currently carries out on one of our smaller and uninhabited islands, we write to urge the Navy to provide more information about the impacts to Ka‘ula to satisfy the concerns from Kaua‘i residents and the state writ large. This additional due diligence by the Navy should include a national security justification for this expansion and explain to the public how this training is reasonable given the impacts to Ka‘ula and the surrounding community. The onus is on the Navy to demonstrate this need with proper analysis. To that end, we believe the Navy must conduct a comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) and a study to demonstrate the national security need to retain training at Ka‘ula.
    Too many pressing questions concerning the use of Ka‘ula remain unanswered. As part of a comprehensive EIS, the Navy must assure the public that it has an effective plan and will allocate resources to environmental remediation on Ka‘ula. This will also allow the public to fully understand the impacts of this increased bombing on Ka‘ula’s environment. In parallel to conducting a comprehensive EIS, we request that the Navy also submit a study to Congress clearly outlining the pressing national security requirements for training at Ka‘ula. Both of these efforts are necessary to provide sufficient information to the public about ongoing and proposed expanded training at Ka‘ula.
    Doubling the amount of training at Ka?ula is a significant step that warrants more information on the environmental impacts to the island. The State’s seabird sanctuary on Ka‘ula is home to thousands of seabirds, and the island’s sea cliffs are a resting place for endangered species like monk seals. Despite these known populations of wildlife, the draft environmental assessment does not contain sufficient analysis that impacts on wildlife would be “less than significant.” The public deserves a clear, comprehensive, and evidence-based EIS to demonstrate that the Navy has done its due diligence on the environmental impacts of these trainings.
    Ka‘ula is also surrounded by prime fishing waters that, should training surge from 12 to 31 times per year, would further limit Kaua‘i fishermen’s access. Kaua‘i fishermen have a right to be able to access the waters around Ka‘ula on a reasonable basis. The ongoing inert bombing activity limits fishing, which would only become more difficult with the Navy’s proposed increase in training.
    As a part of the military’s study and investigation into why access to Ka‘ula has a national security requirement that outweighs potential impacts to Ka‘ula’s environment, we request that the following questions be addressed:
    While any training can be justified as necessary to national security, how would a reduction or termination of access to Ka‘ula impact readiness in units operating in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR)?
    Why has the Navy not already built in more redundancies to address any readiness issues due to a lack of availability of training ranges?
    What is a tangible impact to readiness lost if Ka‘ula is not available for training? What specific impacts will the services experience to units and personnel who are impacted by this loss of access?
    How has the Navy determined that there is an irreplaceable need for access to Ka‘ula that cannot be fulfilled by an alternative site?
    Additionally, we request a separate response to the below questions no later than June 16th, 2025:
    Does the Navy plan to program specific environmental remediation funding, including to address existing and future ordnance cleanup?
    How does the Navy plan to protect regular and reliable access to Ka‘ula’s waters with the proposed substantial increase in trainings? What assurances can the Navy provide to the Kaua‘i public that disruptions to access would not significantly impede their right to fish?
    How will the Navy effectively plan for increased environmental impacts to the southern end of Ka‘ula?
    While Ka‘ula provides a unique training opportunity for sustained overwater flights with overland targets that mimic environments in the region, what gaps exist in readiness that demand doubling training activity to be combat-credible? Is there a substantive scheduling and access issue at other training ranges that uniquely warrants this substantive jump in training activity at Ka‘ula?
    We look forward to your prompt response to this letter and your engagement on this issue.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: DOC reveals surprising toilet paper stats

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  29 May 2025

    The North Canterbury ranger’s job is to not only clean public toilets at DOC sites but also replace the toilet paper.

    Now DOC has revealed how much toilet paper was ordered by regional offices around Aotearoa for the 2024/2025 period, a whopping 15.5 million metres nationally.

    That’s roughly 15,500 kilometres of paper which would stretch the length of New Zealand nearly ten times.

    The figures reveal across DOC’s operational regions the most toilet paper was ordered by the Southern South Island which includes Fiordland and the Great Walks (3,103,037 metres), followed closely by the Northern South Island which includes Abel Tasman Great Walks and the iconic Tōtaranui campground (3,069,369) and in third place, Hauraki Waikato Taranaki (which includes the Coromandel) 2,727,160 metres.

    Daryl Sweeney looks after DOC sites in Canterbury including the toilets at the hugely popular and culturally significant Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill on the highway to Arthurs Pass and the West Coast.

    “What we do outdoors makes all the difference for New Zealand’s unique nature. This includes toileting responsibly. How and where we go is key to ensuring we do no harm to our great outdoors.

    “Visitors are encouraged to go to the toilet before they start their trip and plan stops at toilets along the way. Those heading further into the backcountry need to know what to do when there’s no toilet – you can find this advice on DOC’s website.”

    And it’s not just about using the facilities provided, says Daryl Sweeney.

    “It’s shocking how much toilet paper is used. Sometimes it’s piled up beside the toilet in a mountain. The state some of the toilets are left in is also appalling to be honest,” he says.

    “You wouldn’t do this at home so why would you do it in public toilets. Everyone has a role to respect the natural environment and not leave rubbish in and around these places.”

    North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says Daryl is just one of the hard-working rangers nationally who drive kilometres every day across multiple sites to replace toilet paper and keep facilities clean, including over the weekends and on public holidays.

    “Many people don’t realise this is a core role DOC undertakes. It takes a huge amount of time for our rangers and some of what they deal with would turn your stomach,” she says.

    With the opening of bookings for all the Great Walks this month, and on the eve of Kings Birthday holiday weekend, DOC says it’s a timely reminder for people to look after public facilities at DOC sites, to read the signs and not leave rubbish around for others to pick up.

    Daryl Sweeney says everyone has a part to play in looking after nature and says it would be a huge bonus for him if the toilets were left in a better state.

    “I’m answering other people’s calls of nature,” he jokes, “but it’s about time people answered their own, and respected the amazing places they are visiting. I feel like if people had to do my job for a day, they’d understand. My message is use the toilets provided, use less toilet paper, put it in the toilet or the bin and leave the toilet in a tidy state. It’s simple.”

    Find out more on the DOC website.

    Poo in a loo – and be prepared for when there isn’t one: Know before you go

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government welcomes passage of Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government welcomes passage of Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025Issued at HKT 19:54

    The Government welcomed the passage of the Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025 by the Legislative Council today (May 28) to implement the proposal in the 2025-26 Budget to increase the air passenger departure tax (APDT) from $120 to $200 per passenger. It is anticipated that government revenue will increase by about $1.6 billion per year. The new tax rate will be applicable to air tickets purchased on or after October 1, 2025.

    A Government spokesperson said, “The Government has struck a balance between increasing revenue and minimising the impact on passengers when considering increasing the APDT. The impact of the increase on the overall cost of travelling for air passengers (including tourists) is minimal.”

    The Bill also streamlines the Government’s financial arrangement for paying administrative fees to the airlines and helicopter company. It empowers the Financial Secretary to approve their retention of part of the APDT collected for offsetting the administration fees payable by the Government to them, and provides that the retained fees do not form part of the general revenue under the Public Finance Ordinance (Cap. 2).

    The Bill passed will be gazetted on June 6.

    Ends/Wednesday, May 28, 2025
    Issued at HKT 19:54

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Clearest-ever images of sun’s corona captured with new optical technique

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Scientists remove blur caused by Earth’s atmosphere, revealing a sharp view of the sun’s explosive turbulence

    Using a new optical system, scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Solar Observatory and the New Jersey Institute of Technology have captured the most detailed images of the complex movements in the sun’s atmosphere, the corona. The technology will allow scientists to better understand the extreme nature of the corona and produce computer models that more accurately predict space weather and potential Earth-impacting solar flares.

    The researchers developed the new coronal adaptive optics system at the NSF-funded Goode Solar Telescope in California. Similar to a camera’s “autofocus” feature, the adaptive optics system continuously adjusts to counteract the blurring effect of the Earth’s atmosphere while isolating and zooming in on dynamic coronal features. The results of the study were published in Nature Astronomy.

    Plasma movement in the sun’s corona

    Credit: Schmidt et al./ NJIT/ NSO/ AURA/ U.S. National Science Foundation

    This time-lapse video of a solar prominence shows how plasma “dances” and twists with the sun’s magnetic field. This video was taken by the Goode Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory using the new coronal adaptive optics system Cona.

    “Observing the sun’s corona requires specialized optical capabilities because details are easily overpowered by the brightness of the sun and blurred from view by Earth’s atmosphere,” says Carrie Black, program director for the NSF National Solar Observatory. “This makes coronal adaptive optics all that much more technologically miraculous, and we expect they will help us better understand the dynamics of the corona and create more accurate predictive models for space weather.”

    The sun’s corona — the outermost layer of its atmosphere, visible only during a total solar eclipse — has long intrigued scientists due to its extreme temperatures and violent Earth-sized eruptions.

    Coronal rain

    Credit: Schmidt et al./ NJIT/ NSO/ AURA/ U.S. National Science Foundation

    Coronal rain forms when hotter plasma in the sun’s corona cools down and becomes denser. Like raindrops on Earth, coronal rain is pulled down to the surface by gravity. Because the plasma is electrically charged, it follows the magnetic field lines, which make huge arches instead of falling in a straight line.

    In addition to recent advancements in detailed solar magnetic field mapping, this latest technology is a major development in ground-based solar astronomy. Researchers aim to pair the adaptive optics technology with the more powerful NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii to deliver increasingly detailed coronal mapping.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Celebrate World Otter Day May 28 at N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Celebrate World Otter Day May 28 at N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

    Celebrate World Otter Day May 28 at N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
    jejohnson6

    PINE KNOLL SHORES

    Guests to the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores will have an opportunity to watch some exciting otter enrichment during World Otter Day on May 28 with North American river otters Eno, Pee Dee, and Rocky. The Aquarium is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    The World Otter Day celebration at the Aquarium will include some otter-inspired activities in the Discovery Classroom and a special enrichment for the three otters at 11 a.m.

    “Otters have such a playful nature — the littlest thing makes them happy. They are charismatic animals and watching them always rejuvenates me. We should celebrate World Otter Day every day,” said Kristen Cook, NCAPKS otterkeeper. “Watching the otters inspires me and our guests to help protect them and their habitats.”

    Otters at the N.C. Aquariums

    All three N.C. Aquariums are home to different otter species that inspire guests to appreciate and conserve otters worldwide. Both N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island care for North American river otters. N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher has a family of Asian small-clawed otters.

    There are 14 species of otter around the world and World Otter Day was founded by the International Otter Survival Fund to highlight and bring awareness to threats otter species are facing.

    While North American river otters are listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened species, their numbers had been reduced significantly in the late 1800s due to over-trapping and habitat degradation and are still not found living in the entirety of their historic range. Their population made a comeback from the brink of extinction in the 1900s thanks to conservation and reintroduction efforts.

    What can you do?

    While one person can’t do everything, everyone can do something — individual actions in your community can protect local species and they can create a ripple effect that can lead to protections for species across the globe

        • Keep local watersheds clean from litter and pollution.

        • Join a local trash pick-up or beach clean-up event.

        • Find a citizen science monitoring opportunity to help researchers and conservation gain more insight on otters.

        • Buy bird-friendly coffee—it’s produced on farms with a shade cover that provides important habitat for different species, preventing deforestation and destruction of homes for animals like Asian small-clawed otters.

        • Don’t ever support illegally traded wild animals as pets.

    Advanced Tickets Required
    Summertime is always busy at the Aquarium and otters are always a guest favorite. Seeing a special enrichment may increase interest and make the day busier than normal. For an enhanced visitor experience, get tickets online and in advance at www.ncaquariums.com/tickets-pks

    About the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
    The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, N.C. 28512. The Aquarium is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Its mission is to inspire the appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environments and animals. The Aquarium is under the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more information, please visit www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores or call 252-247-4003.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nearly 2,000 Acres Adjacent to Moores Creek National Battlefield Added to N.C. Natural Heritage Areas Registry

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Nearly 2,000 Acres Adjacent to Moores Creek National Battlefield Added to N.C. Natural Heritage Areas Registry

    Nearly 2,000 Acres Adjacent to Moores Creek National Battlefield Added to N.C. Natural Heritage Areas Registry
    jejohnson6

    Almost 2,000 acres of forestlands adjacent to the National Park Service’s Moores Creek National Battlefield in Pender County were recently added to the State of North Carolina’s Registry of Natural Heritage Areas. The registry is managed by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Natural Heritage Program. The newly conserved lands are on five tracts of properties owned and managed by the Clint North family.

    Inclusion of properties on the Registry of Natural Heritage Areas recognizes their value as important natural areas. The registry is a voluntary pledge by landowners to remain conscientious stewards of important natural areas under their safekeeping. A registry agreement signed by the landowner declares their intention to continue to protect and manage the special biological assets and other ecological characteristics of their property.

    During a May 22 meeting at the Battlefield, Charles (Chuck) Roe, the founding director of North Carolina’s Natural Heritage Program, presented a certificate of recognition to the North family for their efforts to conserve these important properties.

    Moores Creek National Battlefield is also on the state’s Registry of Natural Heritage Areas, as one of the early sites to be registered. At the May 22 meeting, another certificate of recognition was presented by Roe to NPS Moores Creek National Battlefield superintendent Matthew Woods, duplicating the award presented by Roe to National Park Service staff in 1986 for inclusion of the battlefield’s natural habitat areas on the state’s registry of protected natural areas.

    Presentations of the Natural Heritage Areas Registry certificates were made on the fortieth anniversary of the North Carolina Nature Preserves Act, signed by Governor James Martin on May 22, 1985.

    About the Registry of Natural Heritage Areas
    The Registry of Natural Heritage Areas is administered by North Carolina’s Natural Heritage Program, which is a unit of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of Land and Water Stewardship. The property of an interested landowner is evaluated by staff of the Natural Heritage Program for the presence and condition of natural habitats and biotic resources of exceptional quality or uniqueness. For more information, please contact the N.C. Natural Heritage Program (www.ncnhp.org).

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Where’s Joey?”: A sister’s promise echoes through a Wyoming military tribute 

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Wyoming Veterans Commission 

    By Joseph Coslett Jr. 

    CHEYENNE, Wyo. – It was May 1968. The air was warm, and the laughter of children echoed through an alley in a quiet Wyoming neighborhood. That’s when two men in uniform appeared, walking toward a family’s future, carrying with them the unbearable weight of final news. 
     
    “We got excited to see them,” the sister said, her voice trembling but sure, as she stood before the crowd gathered for the Gold Star Tribute Ceremony. “We just knew Joey would be right behind them.” 
     
    But Pfc. Joseph Padilla would not come home from Vietnam. 
     
    The sister, only nine years old at the time, shared her story as if it happened yesterday. Her voice, filled with childlike innocence and lifelong grief, painted a portrait of the moment her world changed. 
     
    “We thought maybe Joey was hiding—playing hide-and-seek like he always did,” she said. 

    But that game would end in a silence no child should endure. 

    East High School ROTC Color Guard presents the colors while the East High School Choir Abby Petri and Kourtney Keller sing the National Anthem. Community members gather to honor Gold Star families during the 3rd Annual Honoring Our Veterans Memorial Day Joseph A. Padilla Tribute in Cheyenne, Wyoming, May 22, 2025. Gold Star families are those who have lost an immediate family member in military service—bearing the enduring weight of sacrifice and the legacy of their loved one’s courage. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joseph Coslett Jr.)

    As the ceremony unfolded, her words reached the hearts of every listener. “I remember him saying, ‘You found me,’ and I began to cry.” That memory became a promise: To never forget Joey or anyone like him. 
     
    That promise bloomed into the Joseph A. Padilla Military Tribute Project. A banner initiative honoring the fallen, created not for attention, but for remembrance. Each banner carries a name, a face, a life given in service. 
     
    With support from First Lady Jennie Gordon, Gold Star Families, and Blue Federal Credit Union, the banners now hang with solemn pride. “They welcomed us with open arms,” she said. “This is our third year. I will forever be grateful.” 
     
    Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, Wyoming’s Adjutant General, followed her. “Memories, unless they’re shared, can’t be passed on,” he said. “Ceremonies like this matter because they keep the stories alive.” 
     
    He reminded the audience of the quiet strength behind every Gold Star Family: the parents, siblings, children and spouses who bear the burden of remembrance. Quoting President Reagan, Porter asked the question that begins our national anthem: “Does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave? 
     
    “It’s not a certainty,” he said. “It’s a commitment. One we must all renew.” 

    Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, Wyoming’s adjutant general, addresses attendees during the ceremony, encouraging all to “remember through action, not just words.” Community members gather to honor Gold Star families during the 3rd Annual Honoring Our Veterans Memorial Day Joseph A. Padilla Tribute in Cheyenne, Wyoming, May 22, 2025. Gold Star families are those who have lost an immediate family member in military service—bearing the enduring weight of sacrifice and the legacy of their loved one’s courage. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joseph Coslett Jr.)

    That theme—commitment—ran through every speaker’s message. Retired Master Sgt. Russell Telander, with over five decades in the American Legion, read a poem written with the whispered memories of a veteran. Its lines carried both sorrow and hope:  
    What force inside me made me choose 
    to fight a war I knew I’d lose, 
    to seek the truth I feared to see? 
    What sort of demon was in me? 

    What force inside made me think, 
    in terms of hell, I would not sink? 
    And then, once engulfed by its ways, 
    who would count my remaining days? 

    Who picked me up when I fell flat 
    and said I was better than that? 
    And as I chose to end the fight, 
    who thanked me and said I was right? 

    Who chose the path that I would draw on, 
    who left when I said—when I said “gone”? 
    And when I knew the time was near, 
    who held my hand and calmed my fear? 

    What force inside me made me trust 
    that what I did was good and just, 
    and for the rest of life I’d see, 
    there was no demon inside of me. 

    Community members gather to honor Gold Star families during the 3rd Annual Honoring Our Veterans Memorial Day Joseph A. Padilla Tribute in Cheyenne, Wyoming, May 22, 2025. Gold Star families are those who have lost an immediate family member in military service—bearing the enduring weight of sacrifice and the legacy of their loved one’s courage. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joseph Coslett Jr.)

    Telander invited the public to help place over 5,000 flags across five Cheyenne cemeteries to honor the silent rows of the departed. 
     
    Sheriff Brian Kozak echoed the theme of shared duty. “Nearly half of our deputies are Guard members or veterans,” he said. “When you’re in need—call us. We ride for the brand too.” 
     
    Then Nick Warren, survivor outreach service coordinator and the final speaker, came the charge to live worthy lives in the wake of sacrifice. “They gave every day,” he said. “Let us dare to be great.” 
     
    Near the ceremony’s end, silence settled as names were read. Each followed by the quiet nod of those who remembered.  The Gold Star isn’t a title anyone wants. It is a mark of tragedy transformed into honor. A blue star in a window becomes gold when a life is lost. But in that gold, there is something sacred—something eternal. 

    East High School ROTC Color Guard presents the colors while the East High School Choir Abby Petri and Kourtney Keller sing the National Anthem. Community members gather to honor Gold Star families during the 3rd Annual Honoring Our Veterans Memorial Day Joseph A. Padilla Tribute in Cheyenne, Wyoming, May 22, 2025. Gold Star families are those who have lost an immediate family member in military service—bearing the enduring weight of sacrifice and the legacy of their loved one’s courage. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Joseph Coslett Jr.)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Cabinet decision to increase MSP of kharif crops will raise farmers’ income: PM Modi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Cabinet’s decision to increase the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 Kharif crops will help boost crop production and raise farmers’ incomes.

    “We are fully committed to the welfare of our farmer brothers and sisters across the country. In this direction, an increase in the MSP of 14 crops—including paddy, oilseeds, and pulses—has been approved for the Kharif season of 2025–26. This will enhance the production of these crops and increase the income of farmers,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the hike in MSP for 14 Kharif crops for the 2025–26 marketing season. The government said the increase aims to ensure remunerative prices for farmers’ produce.

    India follows three cropping seasons: Summer, Kharif, and Rabi. Kharif crops are sown in June–July and depend on monsoon rains, with harvest in October–November. Rabi crops are sown in October–November and harvested from January onwards, while Summer crops are grown between the Rabi and Kharif seasons.

    ANI