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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: REFORPAC 2025: U.S. Air Force executes unprecedented surge into Pacific theater

    Source: United States Airforce

    JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) —  Over the last week, U.S. Pacific Air Forces accomplished a rapid, mass deployment and reception of personnel, equipment and aircraft to multiple locations in the Indo-Pacific theater of operations for Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025.

    “We’ve seen amazing global teamwork completing an incredible lift to kick off REFORPAC,” said Gen. Kevin Schneider, PACAF commander. “Airmen have innovated and overcome tough obstacles to get critical pieces in place, demonstrating our collective capability to project decisive air power into and throughout the Indo-Pacific with dramatic speed and scale.”

    The U.S. Air Force, alongside its joint allies and partners, will continue to train and integrate over the next several weeks, enhancing interoperability and readiness across the Pacific theater. REFORPAC is part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, a new way the Air Force is exercising to conduct large operations in contested, dynamic environments. The aim is to improve interoperability and multilateral cooperation, leading to a stronger, more capable, deterrent force.

    The DLE series encompasses all branches of the Department of Defense, along with allies and partners, employing approximately 400 U.S. and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 members at more than 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles.

    The monumental effort is made possible by extensive planning and coordination efforts throughout the Air Force, along with joint, allied and partner forces, which have shown the ready ability of combined joint forces to mobilize in great numbers for any contingency. In lockstep with PACAF, Air Mobility Command has provided critical airlift, air refueling and command and control capabilities to project, connect, maneuver and sustain joint forces.

    “We’re witnessing a complex operation in the Indo-Pacific driven by logistics – rapid, deliberate and mission-driven,” said Brig. Gen. Athanasia Shinas, mobilization assistant to PACAF’s director of logistics. “Our Total Force concept is critical to this capability, leveraging the unparalleled expertise and diverse talent drawn from every industry and sector of society through our Guard and Reserve. This integration creates extraordinary opportunities to strengthen our Total Force and coalition Airmen.”

    Airmen are exercising robust contested logistics and engineering capabilities, sustainment over vast distances, fuel resupply and access to forward operating locations.

    U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron stand by for mission operations in support of Department-Level Exercise 2025 as part of the 374th Air Expeditionary Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, July 14, 2025. Through this DLE, the Department of the Air Force is preparing to be a stronger, more lethal deterrent force, to provide an advantage against competitors and adversaries across all domains, and to ensure regional stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Kayla Karelas)
    U.S. Airmen assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing disembark from a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft ahead of their support for exercise Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) 2025 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, July 11, 2025. REFORPAC is part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, employing more than 400 Joint and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 members at more than 50 locations across 3,000 miles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andre Medina)
    U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II’s from the 354th Air Expeditionary Wing park on the flight line in Guam for Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) 25 exercise, July 12, 2025. REFORPAC is part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, employing more than 350 Joint and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 members at more than 50 locations across 3,000 miles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrea Posey)

    “This is a logistical movement at an unprecedented scale – an explosive surge into the theater driven by precision and a resilient joint network,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Zuhlsdorf, PACAF director of logistics, engineering and force protection. “What makes it exceptional is the partnership with local leaders abroad, as well as infrastructure; their participatory enthusiasm has turned REFORPAC into a truly integrated regional effort. This support brings essential access and shared purpose to an extraordinary training landscape.”

    The tested Agile Combat Employment operational strategy, used to support joint operations, has prepared sites throughout the theater. ACE preparations have included shoring up building infrastructure and ensuring a constant flow of critical supplies, all to facilitate uninterrupted mission execution during the exercise.

    “PACAF continually seeks to improve our readiness to respond to any contingency, defend the interests of the United States and work closely together with our allies and partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Schneider said.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) and JMSDF Submarine Conduct a Bilateral Exercise

    Source: United States Navy

    From Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Providakes

    YOKOSUKA, Japan – The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) and a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) submarine conducted Submarine Exercise 25-1 (SUBEX) in the Pacific Ocean, July 12, 2025.

    This bilateral exercise portrayed the interoperability and cooperation between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF, showcasing Santa Fe and the JMSDF submarine’s capability to work together while underway in the Indo-Pacific.

    “We enjoy a strong bond with our dear partners and friends in the Japanese Submarine Force,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, commander, Submarine Group 7 (CSG 7). “This submarine exercise is just one of dozens of operations our combined forces are planning or executing day in and day out. We take every opportunity to enhance the integration of our undersea forces, reaffirming our commitment to a shared vision of peace and prosperity for our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.”

    SUBEX 25-1 was a two-day exercise conducted in the vicinity of Yokosuka between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF, in order to make significant advancements in the joint submarine capabilities and operations. Exercises like this bolster the U.S. and JMSDF momentum in critical undersea warfare and mutual defense.

    Both submarine forces continue to work together and progress every day to seamlessly interoperate with each other. This dedication to mutual understanding and shared values of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific reflects the steadfast bonds between the two silent services.

    Santa Fe, homeported in San Diego, California, and assigned to Submarine Squadron 11, is conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

    CSG 7 directs forward-deployed, combat capable forces across the full spectrum of undersea warfare throughout the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea.

    U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 7, visit www.csp.navy.mil/csg7/

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: CARAT Thailand 2025 Concludes, Strengthening U.S.-Thailand Maritime Partnership

    Source: United States Navy

    SATTAHIP, Thailand – The 31st iteration of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand concluded June 16, 2025 in Sattahip, following a series of exercises and exchanges between the U.S. Navy (USN) and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The exercise, which began on July 7, 2025, was designed to enhance maritime interoperability, strengthen partnerships, and promote regional security cooperation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin leads business delegation to visit Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park in Ciudad del Este

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    July 13, 2025No. 240During his extensive trip to Paraguay, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung visited the Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park in Ciudad del Este on July 12. He was accompanied by Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, Minister of Industry and Commerce Javier Giménez García de Zúñiga, Minister of Information and Communication Technologies Gustavo Villate, Executive Secretary of the Office of the President Marianna Saldívar Gadea, Deputy Minister of Public Works Emiliano Fernández, Governor of Alto Paraná César Landy Torres, President of the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University Jorge Daniel Duarte Rolon, and other officials.
     
    The technology park originates from a commitment made by President Lai Ching-te to assist Paraguay with economic development and job creation. Then Vice President Lai made the pledge in August 2023 while visiting Paraguay as a special envoy to attend the inauguration of President Santiago Peña Palacios.
     
    When Minister Lin took office on May 20 last year, he held in-depth talks on the project—which would have a profound impact on Paraguay—with President Peña, who was visiting Taiwan to attend President Lai’s inauguration. The two agreed that Taiwan and Paraguay would work together to make Paraguay a South American base for the smart technology industry and talent incubation.
     
    During his visit to the park, Minister Lin remarked that promotion of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in Paraguay followed a comprehensive plan led by a national team of businesses from Taiwan. He said that the project integrated civil engineering, private 5G network architecture, and smart applications. Minister Lin added that the initiative would not only create favorable conditions for Taiwanese enterprises investing in Paraguay, but that it would also bring substantial industrial development and employment opportunities to Paraguay. He noted that the process of building the park had been a team effort. Although there had been challenges along the way, Minister Lin said that the difficulties were a source of strength for today. He stated that the newly revitalized Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park would offer Taiwanese companies the same 006688 land rental incentive provided by special zones in Taiwan. (The 006688 plan offers free rent in years one and two, a 40 percent discount in years three and four, and a 20 percent discount in years five and six.) This is the first time that the preferential policy has been made available to Taiwanese enterprises overseas. Paraguay is also the first country outside Taiwan to apply the incentive. Minister Lin said that he had long advocated for the strategy of larger enterprises guiding smaller ones, combining soft and hard tactics, promoting public-private cooperation, and facilitating internal-external exchanges. He explained that the integration of various technological, financial, and human resources would help Taiwanese industries deploy investments in Paraguay. Minister Lin indicated that Paraguay’s stable economy, abundant and cheap supplies of water and electricity, and convenient business environment could make it a base for Taiwanese enterprises entering the South American market. 
     
    For the trip, Minister Lin extended special invitations to prominent manufacturers from all areas of the supply chain to join the delegation, tour the technology park, and explore business opportunities in Paraguay. The group included representatives from the semiconductor, AI applications, smart manufacturing, smart transportation, animal husbandry, cold chain logistics, and food processing industries. It is hoped that the companies will establish a presence in Paraguay as a joint fleet, joining forces in a new flying geese pattern of development and creating a Taiwan+n model of global industrial deployment. Taiwan will work together with Paraguay to create mutual prosperity and well-being, realizing President Lai’s policy vision of making Taiwan a global economic powerhouse.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA sincerely thanks Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA sincerely thanks Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Date：2025-07-13
    Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

    July 13, 2025 
    No.241 

    In the evening of July 12, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba posted a message on social media platform X extending sympathies to Taiwan over the losses caused by Typhoon Danas and expressing the hope that all those affected would be able to resume their normal lives as soon as possible. 
     
    Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan immediately extended appreciation to the government of Japan for the thoughtful message. 
     
    Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama; Mrs. Akie Abe, widow of late Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe; and many Japanese parliamentarians friendly to Taiwan from across the political spectrum also openly and promptly expressed empathy. These gestures fully demonstrate the mutual concern and genuine friendship between Taiwan and Japan. 
     
    Taiwan and Japan are both situated in areas that frequently experience typhoons and earthquakes. Whenever a natural disaster strikes, Taiwan and Japan can count on each other for assistance to overcome related impacts. Indeed, the cordial and cooperative relations between Taiwan and Japan serve as an important asset and model for the international community. Immediately after the occurrence of the typhoon, the people and government of Taiwan fully embarked on disaster relief. Taiwan will continue to maintain close contact with Japan on these efforts. 
     
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung once again sincerely thanks the people and government of Japan for their warm sentiments and assistance. He hopes that in the future Taiwan and Japan will continue to engage in extensive and substantive collaboration and exchanges in all areas, including natural disaster prevention and mitigation, so as to bolster the resilience of their societies and develop an even stronger, closer, and more robust bilateral partnership. (E) 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Date：2025-07-17
    Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    July 17, 2025No. 247On July 16, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni stated that after learning about the casualties and severe damage caused by Typhoon Danas in Taiwan, Pope Leo XIV had been praying for those affected by the disaster and had instructed the Office of Papal Charities to provide concrete aid to the people of Taiwan.On behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for expressing concern over losses caused by Typhoon Danas and offering prayers for those affected in the spirit of God’s love for all people. Moving forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to cooperate with Pope Leo XIV to promote related humanitarian assistance and charity work, thereby jointly advancing the universal values shared by all humankind. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Registration Opens for 2025 NASA International Space Apps Challenge

    Source: NASA

    Lee esta historia en español aquí
    NASA invites innovators of all ages to register for the NASA Space Apps Challenge, held on Oct. 4-5. The 2025 theme is Learn, Launch, Lead, and participants will work alongside a vibrant community of scientists, technologists, and storytellers at more than 450 events worldwide. Participants can expect to learn skills to succeed in STEM fields, launch ideas that transform NASA’s open data into actionable tools, and lead their communities in driving technological innovation. During the NASA Space Apps Challenge, participants in the U.S. and around the world gather at hundreds of in-person and virtual events to address challenges authored by subject matter experts across NASA divisions. These challenges range in complexity and topic, tasking participants with everything from creating machine learning models and leveraging artificial intelligence, to improving access to NASA research, to designing sustainable recycling systems for Mars, and to developing tools to evaluate local air quality here on Earth. Dr. Yoseline Angel Lopez, a former space apps challenge winner and now an assistant research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, can attest that the opportunity to Learn, Launch, Lead goes far beyond the hackathon.    “The NASA Space Apps Challenge gave me and my team a meaningful opportunity to apply science to real-world problems and gain validation from NASA scientists and industry experts,” said Angel. In 2021, her team’s winning web-app prototype was adopted by Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture, connecting smallholder farmers with local buyers. The platform also supported agricultural land-use monitoring using satellite imagery. After the hackathon, project submissions are judged by NASA and space agency experts. Winners are selected for one of 10 global awards. “Participating in the hackathon is exciting on its own. But when your project can lead to greater opportunities and make a difference in your community, that’s a dream come true,” said Angel. She will return to the 2025 hackathon as a NASA subject matter expert and challenge author, giving a Golden Age of innovators the opportunity to make a difference in their communities through the use of data from NASA and 14 space agency partners. This year’s partners include: Bahrain Space Agency; Brazilian Space Agency; CSA (Canadian Space Agency); ESA (European Space Agency); ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation); Italian Space Agency; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre of the United Arab Emirates; National Space Activities Commission of Argentina;  Paraguayan Space Agency; South African National Space Agency; Spanish Space Agency; Turkish Space Agency; and the UK Space Agency. NASA Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. We invite you to register for the 2025 NASA Space Apps Challenge and choose a virtual or in-person event near you at:
    https://www.spaceappschallenge.org
    Find videos about Space Apps at:
    youtube.com/c/NASASpaceAppsChallenge

    Stay up to date with #SpaceApps by following these accounts:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin meets with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ramírez, cohosts reception celebrating 68th anniversary of diplomatic relations

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    July 13, 2025No. 239
    After arriving in Paraguay in the evening of July 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung visited the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the morning of the following day to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano. The two reviewed progress made on key components of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, which is being implemented by the government of Taiwan under the policy framework of integrated diplomacy. Based on mutual trust and mutual benefit, Taiwan and Paraguay are jointly promoting exchanges in economics, trade, investment, infrastructure, smart medicine, technology, education, and smart transportation. Cooperation has brought prosperity to both countries and benefited the Taiwanese and Paraguayan people.
     
    Speaking at a joint press conference with Minister Ramírez after the meeting, Minister Lin said that Taiwan and Paraguay shared the core values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. He affirmed that the bilateral diplomatic relationship was rock-solid. Looking ahead, Minister Lin pledged that both countries would continue to work together to deepen interactions and collaboration in various fields and jointly enhance the well-being of their people. Minister Lin noted that this demonstrated Taiwan’s policy of values-based diplomacy was steadily developing into value-added diplomacy, showing the world that Taiwan-Paraguay ties were a model of successful cooperation.
     
    In the evening, Minister Lin and Minister Ramírez cohosted a reception celebrating the 68th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Paraguay. The event was attended by over 250 guests, including Paraguayan Supreme Court President César Diesel, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Raúl Latorre Martínez, other deputies and senators, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of the overseas Taiwanese community. In his remarks, Minister Lin commended the fruitful outcomes of the long-term and close partnership between Taiwan and Paraguay. He said that recent benchmark initiatives such as the Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park, the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University, the Health Information Management Efficiency Enhancement Project, and an electric bus pilot program were steadily yielding results. Noting that Taiwan was a vital link in global supply chains, Minister Lin said that Taiwan was willing to use its advantages in ICT to further deepen cooperation with Paraguay on comprehensive technological development. Minister Lin added that Taiwan was ready to assist its fraternal ally Paraguay in achieving its national blueprint for development and transformation, jointly realizing the vision of sustainability and prosperity.
     
    In his address, Minister Ramírez thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance in promoting the development of agriculture, livestock, public health, medicine, education, innovation, and infrastructure in Paraguay. He said that cooperation had targeted the sectors of society that were most in need, benefiting farming communities and young students. Praising the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University as a landmark bilateral cooperation project, Minister Ramírez said that more than 170 engineers had already been trained. He noted that the two countries were working together to construct campus buildings, representing their shared commitment to investing in knowledge and talent. Minister Ramírez added that Taiwan and Paraguay were jointly creating a future for the next generation by incorporating smart industries and global supply chain integration into their cooperation projects. 
     
    Paraguay is an important diplomatic ally of Taiwan. A mutual agreement on visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders between the two countries that will come into effect on July 25 is expected to further advance exchanges among the people of Taiwan and Paraguay and make investment by Taiwanese companies in Paraguay more convenient. The two nations will continue to deepen cooperation in all spheres and jointly inject new momentum into their democratic partnership.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: BRICS Media and Think Tanks Discuss Advancing BRICS Cooperation and New Vision for the Global South

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    RIO DE JANEIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) — More than 250 representatives from nearly 150 media outlets, think tanks, government agencies and regional organizations from 36 countries gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday for the BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum. The event focused on advancing BRICS cooperation and strengthening solidarity among countries in the Global South.

    In his keynote speech, the forum’s chairman and Xinhua News Agency Director General Fu Hua said that cooperation within the “greater BRICS” plays a key role in uniting countries of the Global South, strengthening their influence on world affairs and advancing global governance reform.

    The forum is entering its second decade, Fu Hua said, stressing that Xinhua intends to work with its BRICS counterparts to better cover developments in the Global South, promote joint research on key issues and deepen professional cooperation.

    In a congratulatory letter, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil Zhu Qingqiao praised the inclusion of discussions on artificial intelligence in the forum’s program and emphasized its role in implementing the results of the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Meeting.

    The diplomat expressed hope that the forum would strengthen BRICS’ position as a platform for South-South cooperation and as a voice in support of global governance reform.

    Other speakers echoed these calls. Central American Parliament President Carlos Hernandez said global governance was in dire need of new models and new voices.

    “The countries represented here today are showing the way forward – a path based on equitable development, dignity and multilateralism,” stressed C. Hernandez.

    First Deputy Director General of the Russian news agency TASS Mikhail Gusman noted that the BRICS countries reflect the diversity of emerging economies.

    According to him, against the backdrop of growing global challenges in the media sphere, cooperation between the media of the BRICS countries plays an important role in protecting truth, justice and peace.

    Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly Vice President Tia Zhu praised China’s efforts to bring together countries in the Global South and pointed to the need for media cooperation to increase BRICS’ international visibility and influence.

    Eidkol Polevnsky Hurwitz, Chair of the Mexican Senate Committee on Asia-Pacific Relations, said Mexico shares with BRICS the vision of inclusive growth and fair trade.

    “We cannot allow external interference in our development paths. Together we must build a multipolar world,” she stressed, referring to the Chinese concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

    At the end of the forum, an analytical report “BRICS Cooperation: Promoting Collective Progress in the Global South” was published. In addition, two major initiatives were launched – the Joint Communication Partnership Programme of the Global South and the content collaboration project “Connecting BRICS: Voices from the South”.

    The forum, titled “One BRICS: Opening a New Chapter for the Global South,” was the first full-scale meeting of the BRICS media mechanism since the historic expansion of the group and was co-hosted by China’s Xinhua News Agency and the Brazilian Communications Company. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Pakistan reels under monsoon deluge as death toll climbs

    Source: United Nations 2

    Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, reported at least 63 casualties and 290 injuries in the past 24 hours, pushing the nationwide toll since the seasonal rains began on 26 June to over 120 fatalities, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

    The unfolding crisis – rising rivers, forecasts of further downpours, fragile rural homes collapsing and transport links severed – has revived stark memories of the catastrophic 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and affected more than 33 million people.

    More intense rainfall is forecast over parts of central and northern Pakistan in the next 72 hours. Weather forecasters have warned of “exceptional high” flood levels of up to 450,000 cusecs at some locations along the Jhelum River. One cusec equals one cubic foot of water – equivalent to 28.4 litres or 7.5 gallons – per second.

    There are also fears of glacier lake outburst floods in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan regions.

    Wider UN contingency – major stock gaps

    Managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN presence in Pakistan released an inter‑agency monsoon contingency plan earlier this month.

    The plan lays out response triggers, sector roles and arrangements for floods, storms and landslides – under the leadership of the Government.

    However, pre-positioned aid supplies remain far below projected need, with key sectors such as protection, nutrition, and shelter and non-food items, facing severe gaps.

    These shortfalls underscore the urgency of pre‑positioning relief items and securing rapid financing if the rains intensify.

    Building resilience

    Amid the emergency, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Pakistan this week launched a climate-risk project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner and Shangla districts.

    The initiative will establish early warning systems, train communities in safe evacuation and strengthen local capacity for disaster response.

    “Recurring climate shocks are a driver of hunger and malnutrition, threatening lives, livelihoods and entire food systems,” said WFP Country Director Coco Ushiyama.

    “This project represents a multi-layered investment in early warning systems and action.”

    Flashbacks of 2022 devastation

    The escalating disaster once again reveals Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate shocks.

    In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods killed more than 1,700 people, displaced millions and devastated water systems, leaving millions more in desperate need. The disaster also inflicted immense economic damage estimated at nearly $40 billion, and reversed years of development efforts.

    Experts warn that erratic monsoon patterns, amplified by climate change, are hitting the country – and others across the southern Asian – harder each year.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Indigenous youth meet trailblazers ahead of Nelson Mandela Day

    Source: United Nations 2

    Accompanied by their parents and mentors from the midwestern state of Wisconsin, the group wore handmade ribbon skirts and vests featuring seven coloured bands, each symbolizing a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of personal significance, such as good health and gender equality.

    Also visiting the UN in New York for the first time that day was Brenda Reynolds, a social worker from Canada and a member of the Fishing Lake First Nation. She was joined by her husband, Robert Buckle, and 12-year-old granddaughter Lillian, and wore one of her own ribbon skirts for the occasion.

    Ms. Reynolds will be awarded the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize on 18 July. The Prize, presented every five years, recognizes two individuals whose life work exemplifies service to humanity. Ms. Reynolds will receive the award alongside Kennedy Odede, a social entrepreneur from Kenya.

    UN News/Paulina Greer

    Mirian Masaquiza Jerez, a UN Social Affairs Officer, and Brenda Reynolds, a recipient of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize ), brief Indigenous youth visiting UN Headquarters in New York.

    Agents of change

    After a UN tour (unanimously enjoyed) and a quick stop for lunch and souvenirs at the UN Bookshop (where one plushie hummingbird was traded for a green turtle named “Coral”), the group settled into a briefing room.

    Onstage, Ms. Reynolds was joined by Mirian Masaquiza Jerez, a Kichwa woman from Ecuador and a Social Affairs Officer at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), easily recognized in the UN corridors for always wearing traditional regalia from her Indigenous community of Salasaka,

    “Wherever you go to public spaces, wear who you are,” she said.  “The UN is the place to raise your voice. Be free to be who you are.”

    Encouraging them to speak their languages and honour their cultures, Ms. Masaquiza urged the young students to see themselves as agents of change.

    “You didn’t come by invitation. You came because you belong,” she said. “You are the future. You are the present. As Indigenous, we have the space. Use it.”

    A painful past

    Ms. Reynolds shared her personal story with the group, reflecting on her early career as a counsellor at Gordon’s Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, the last federally funded residential school to close in Canada.

    She described seeing children as young as five separated from their families for a year at a time and issued shirts with numbers instead of their names written inside: “The only other time I had seen people identified that way was when Jewish people had numbers tattooed on them.”

    During her first year at Gordon’s in 1988, a young girl confided that she had been abused. By the next morning, 17 would come forward, launching what would become the province’s first major residential school abuse case.

    Ms. Reynolds, then labeled a “troublemaker,” went on to help shape the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and advise the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her work has impacted hundreds of thousands of Indigenous People across Canada.

    The room echoed with laughter, knowing nods and tears, and phrases from Ojibwe and other languages represented by the Indigenous Peoples in the room, including Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Ojibwe, Menomonee, Oneida, Navajo, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Afro-Indigenous communities.

    UN News/Paulina Greer

    Brenda Reynolds, a recipient of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, poses with a statute of the late South African President at UN Headquarters in New York.

    Coming full circle

    The youth came from the Daughters of Tradition and the Sons of Tradition, part of a long-running healing initiative by Milwaukee’s Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute, which supports Indigenous communities with no-cost, comprehensive mental healthcare and other services.

    The founder, Lea S. Denny, wants Indigenous youth to see themselves in positions of power. This particular group has been together for eight years, with some heading off to college in the fall.

    One father, attending with his three daughters, reflected on raising Indigenous youth in the digital age. “We want them to access the world out there,” he said, “but also protect the inside world we want to hold dear.” He said he also offered the advice that “if you don’t see yourself on the screen, sometimes you have to be the first.”

    The day finished with hugs and exchanges of handmade leis as a symbol of the breath of life and sharing a good life source.

    They will reunite on 18 July to see Ms. Reynolds accept the Mandela Prize in the General Assembly Hall.

    Before then, a planned detour to visit Times Square.

    Meanwhile, Ms. Reynolds and her family discussed their plans for a Broadway show. On the way out, she paused to hug a life-sized bronze statue of Nelson Mandela, a gift from the South African Government to the UN.

    “I started my work with children,” she said. “And today, I spoke to children. This feels full circle for me.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russia and Thailand held a meeting of the subcommittee on trade and economic cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The fifth meeting of the Russian-Thai Subcommission on Trade and Economic Cooperation (PTEC) after a five-year break was held on July 15-16 in Bangkok. The Russian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Economic Development Vladimir Ilyichev, and the Thai delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Trade of the Kingdom of Thailand Chanthavit Thanthasit. The subcommission was attended by 60 representatives of Russian and Thai authorities, industry associations and companies.

    During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of bilateral trade and economic relations and proposed new areas for implementing joint projects.

    “We are seeing positive dynamics in bilateral trade. In particular, according to the results of the first five months of 2025, the trade turnover between Russia and Thailand has grown by almost 10%, and the export of Russian products to Thailand has grown by 50%. At the same time, we see potential for the export of low-carbon energy resources, agricultural and pharmaceutical products, and oil and gas equipment to Thailand. In addition, we note the mutual interest of companies in developing investment cooperation,” Vladimir Ilyichev noted in his speech.

    The Thai side confirmed its interest in developing partnership with Russia.

    “Thailand seeks to develop trade and economic relations with its key partners, and Russia is such a partner for us. We consider trade in agricultural products, green energy, IT and infrastructure development to be priority areas of cooperation with Russia,” Chanthavit Thanthasit emphasized.

    Russian companies and agencies drew the attention of the Thai side to the prospects for joint work in the areas of logistics, medicine, and IT technologies. Deputy Commercial Director for Business Development in Asian Countries of FESCO Integrated Transport LLC Alexander Priskoka suggested that Thai businesses use the company’s regular services for cargo delivery from the port of Bangkok to the ports of Vladivostok (delivery time was reduced to 20 days), as well as to the ports of Novorossiysk and St. Petersburg (delivery time was reduced to 40 days). In addition, the Chairman of the Russian-Thai Business Council Ivan Demchenko announced the imminent launch of a direct line from the port of Novorossiysk to the port of Bangkok.

    Vice President for International Cooperation of AFK Sistema Artem Zasursky revealed the prospects for joint work in the areas of river transport, electronics and forestry industry, IT projects. He placed emphasis on the development of cooperation in the tourism sector.

    “The companies in our portfolio, namely travel booking services, are ready to develop cooperation with interested partners in the hospitality industry. We also inform you about the interest of the Russian operator in developing resort projects in the regions of Thailand that are popular with Russian tourists,” said Artem Zasursky.

    Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries Thansathit Asi and Vice Chairman of the Thai-Russian Business Council Hemmontharop Wiwat confirmed the Thai side’s interest in business cooperation. Thai businessmen noted the prospects for developing cooperation with Russia in the field of medicine, as well as in the field of cybersecurity and decarbonization of production.

    During the meeting of the PTES, special attention was paid to cooperation in the creative economy.

    “In February, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Agency for Creative Industries of Thailand. We are developing a roadmap for cooperation in the creative industries. We also invite specialized Thai associations to join the joint work and take part in the first International Conference on Creative Economy, which will be held on October 8-9 in St. Petersburg,” said Ekaterina Cherkes-Zade, Director of the Center for Creative Economy Development at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, in her speech.

    To develop business contacts between Russian and Thai businesses, Ivan Demchenko invited the PTEC participants to take part in the Russian-Thai Business Forum, which the Russian-Thai Business Council is holding on November 26–28 in Phuket.

    “I hope that we will see concrete results of our joint work in the near future. We count on the support of the Thai side in expanding the bilateral economic dialogue between our countries,” Vladimir Ilyichev summed up following the meeting.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Digital bureaucracy and systemic burden on commercial SMEs in Greece – E-002838/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002838/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Galato Alexandraki (ECR)

    The recent Institute of Commerce and Services/Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship survey highlighted digital bureaucracy as one of the most important sources of cost and uncertainty for commercial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Greece. It identifies, inter alia, a lack of interoperability between public systems, technical errors, delays in software upgrades, short adaptation periods and outdated procedures (such as repeating applications for supporting documents already available to other bodies). 60 % of businesses state that they need external support to meet digital obligations (accountants, invoicing providers, etc.), while 40 % are concerned about the cost of software and skills.

    In addition, there is a significant delay in payments of state aid and debts due to insufficient computerisation. At the same time, Greek retail is exposed to unfair competition from Asian digital platforms that exploit the gaps in the European framework, while Greece’s 3-place drop in global competitiveness (IMD 2024) is directly related to administrative burdens.

    In view of the above, the Commission is asked:

    • 1.What guidelines or requirements exist from the EU side for digital governance and interoperability of public services?
    • 2.Is there a plan for financial support for SMEs with the aim of covering compliance costs and upgrading digital skills?
    • 3.Does the Commission intend to strengthen the adoption of uniform European operating standards in national digital infrastructures?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    Last updated: 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/15/2025 Blackburn, Thune, Kelly Call on USICAO to Raise Mandatory Commercial Pilot Retirement Age

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) sent a letter to U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Mission to the International Civil Aviation Organization (USICAO) Chargé d’Affaires Anthony Clare urging them to support ICAO’s effort to raise the mandatory commercial pilotretirement age. This would reduce the pilot shortage and increase safety by ensuring the most qualified and experienced pilots are on the flight deck.

    As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to dominate international organizations around the world, the United States must not allow our adversary to lead international aviation standards, build goodwill with our allies, or gain a competitive advantage over the U.S.

    Global Data Confirms Experienced Pilots Have Less Accidents than Junior Pilots 

    During the 14th Air Navigation Conference held last year from August 26th to September 6th, the ICAO advanced formal action directed at raising or even eliminating the institution’srecommended pilot retirement age of 65 years. This initiative—led by Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the International Air Transport Association— makes it increasingly likely that the international community will move to increase the suggested retirement age in the near future. Such a move would be consistent with data from around the world, which confirm that experienced pilots have fewer accidents than junior pilots. Therefore, it would stand to reason that raising or eliminating the pilot retirement age—coupled with the existing rigorous technical and medical testing that pilots undergo—would result in a reductionof accidents by closing the experience gap and retaining the greatest level of experience our passengers expect on the flight deck. In fact, many countries around the world already allow pilots above the age of 65 to fly and have been doing so without compromising safety.”

    Senator Blackburn Has Led the Effort to Raise the Mandatory Commercial Pilot Retirement Age 

    “Last Congress, in the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Blackburn led several of her colleagues in an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorizationwhich would have raised the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67. This amendment did not alter any other qualification to become a commercial pilot and was widely supported by industry.”

    USICAO Must Not Cede Its Leadership Role to China by Sitting on the Sidelines of this Debate

    “The United States is one of ICAO’s largest member states and one of 36 states that make up the ICAO Council. The USICAO is tasked with improving the safety, security, and sustainability of civil aviation in the U.S., and, as such, has an obligation to advocate for changes to international standards to benefit American consumers and our dominance in the skies. Therefore, the USICAO should not spend this debate sitting on the sidelines. As I know you understand, if the United States cedes our leadership role in this space on the international stage, China—who is presently and actively joining our partners to advocate for raising the pilot retirement age—will gladly fill that void.”

    Click here to read the full letter. 

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/17/2025 Blackburn Statement on Senate Passing $9 Billion Rescissions Package to Cut Wasteful Government Spending

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 to cut $9 billion of wasteful government spending. With America’s national debt now sitting at $37 trillion after four years of reckless, far-left spending under the Biden administration, the rescissions package is an important step to restoring fiscal sanity.

    “The American people gave us a mandate to stop reckless spending and get our national debt under control,” said Senator Blackburn. “For years, American taxpayers have been bankrolling biased public media, foreign spending that undermines our values, and other outrageous things like electric buses in Rwanda and climate programs in Mexico. The rescissions package that Senate Republicans just passed eliminates billions in wasteful spending, and it is an important step toward restoring fiscal sanity and economic security.”

    THE RESCISSIONS ACT OF 2025

    Below are highlights of the billions in wasteful government spending the rescissions package will cut: 

    • Reckless spending on biased public media:

    o    Eliminates nearly $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization that funnels taxpayer dollars into a politically biased media system, including NPR and PBS, that has pushed left-wing ideology on the taxpayers’ dime for years. Click here for a list of examples of left-wing bias at NPR and PBS.

    • Foreign spending on programs that undermines American values and interests:
      • $3.9 million for strengthening integrity, equality, and democracy for LGBTQI+ population of the Western Balkans;
      • $2.5 million to teach children how to make environmentally friendly “reproductive health” decision;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $2.1 million for “climate resilience” in Asia, Latin America, and Africa;
      • $750,000 to “Yemen Community Resilience;” and
      • $500,000 for a gender equality and empowerment hub.
    • Funding to international organizations that work against American interests:
      • $135 million for the corrupt World Health Organization, which covered for Communist China throughout the COVID pandemic;
      • $33 million for the UN Population Fund, whose funding has gone towards providing tampons for transgender individuals in Bangladesh, a campaign to promote LGBTQ ideology in Rio de Janeiro, and “third-gender” community centers in Southeast Asia; 
      • $8 million for the UN Human Rights Council, which supports dictators and repressive regimes while demonizing our ally, Israel.
    • Funding for outrageous projects at the expense of American taxpayers:
      • $21 million for wind farms in Ukraine;
      • $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry;
      • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico;
      • $4.4 million for the “Melanesian Youth Climate Corps;”
      • $4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia;
      • $3 million for an Iraqi version of Sesame Street; 
      • $3 million for sexual reproductive health in Venezuela;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti;
      • $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda; and
      • $500,000 for Peruvian biodiversity.

    RELATED

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall & Shaheen Reintroduce Bill to Crack Down on Illegal Drug Activity on Social Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), reintroduced the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, which would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth.
    “For four years, Joe Biden’s reckless open borders allowed fentanyl to flood our communities, creating a crisis in every state. We still lose a Kansan a day to fentanyl poisoning,” said Senator Marshall. “Cooper Davis was a bright young man from Johnson County who tragically died from a pill laced with fentanyl purchased on the social media platform: Snapchat. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act requires social media platforms to report any drug activity on their platform to law enforcement. We will not rest in our fight until no Kansan loses their life to fentanyl poisoning.”
    “In recent years, we’ve seen the startling role that social media has played in fueling the substance use disorder crisis impacting New Hampshire by making it easier for young people to get their hands on these dangerous drugs. It’s past time that Congress step in to put a stop to it,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bipartisan bill would hold social media companies accountable in keeping our kids safe by requiring that they report certain illicit drug activity on their platforms and work with law enforcement to stop it. Families and communities across this country have dealt with enough heartbreak – as the substance use epidemic evolves, so must our response.” 
    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who both tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing a pill from social media.
    Cooper Davis from Johnson County, KS, tragically lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in the summer of 2021. Cooper died after taking half a fake pill that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl, which was believed to be purchased from a Missouri drug dealer through the social media platform Snapchat. Following his passing, Cooper’s family launched the non-profit ‘Keepin’ Clean for Coop’ to keep his memory alive to save lives, raise awareness, and educate students and families.
    Devin Norring was a 19-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, who unexpectedly died from fentanyl poisoning in 2020. In his honor, his family started the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of dealers selling fake pills and other illicit substances online.
    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Todd Young (R-Indiana), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).
    “Fentanyl overdoses claim the lives of tens-of-thousands of Americans each year, many of whom suffered accidental poisonings after taking deadly pills marketed on social media platforms,” said Senator Grassley. “After successfully passing the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, Senate Republicans are continuing to advance legislation to combat America’s fentanyl crisis and save lives. Congress must hold Big Tech accountable for its ongoing role in the illicit drug trade.” 
    “Today, it is all too easy for drug dealers to target kids through social media platforms while Big Tech stands idly by. Devastation caused by fentanyl-laced pills is both tragic and preventable. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to hold Big Tech accountable for the unlawful drug activity that takes place online,” said Senator Durbin. “By requiring social media companies to report illicit fentanyl trafficking occurring on their platforms, the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act will equip law enforcement with the information they need to actively fight fentanyl and protect the most vulnerable Americans, our kids.”
    “Fentanyl is devastating communities in Indiana and across our nation, and we need to do more to address the flow of these drugs, including distribution via social media, that are poisoning young Americans,” said Senator Young. “The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act will give law enforcement officials more tools to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs.” 
    The legislation is supported by the families of Cooper Davis and Devin Norring, as well as National HIDTA Directors Association, Snapchat, Partnership for Safe Medicine, the U.S. Deputy Sherriff’s Association, The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Association, the Alexander Neville Foundation, the National FOP, and the Kansas Sheriffs Association.
    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleague’s dedication to this legislation. We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill,” said Libby Davis, Mother of Cooper Davis. “However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they too lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to ANY FAMILY. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”
    “Our family & the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said The Family of Devin J. Norring & the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.” 
    Click here to read the full bill text.
    Background:

    In recent years, organized drug cartels have dominated fentanyl trafficking in the country, and they have set up large, sophisticated distribution networks online via social media.
    In investigating fentanyl-related poisoning and deaths in teenagers and young adults, law enforcement agencies have found an alarming rate of these deadly pills acquired through platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Unfortunately, federal agencies do not have the data to intervene and prevent these illegal activities.
    The Cooper Davis Act would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth.
    Fentanyl remains the most dangerous drug threat facing Americans, and fatal poisonings are the fastest-growing among adolescents, teenagers, and young adults.
    After a decrease of deaths involving opioids from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024, drug-related deaths are rising across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Holds Briefing on Situation in Syria

    Source: United Nations 4

    9960th Meeting (PM)

    Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Mohamed Khaled Khiari will give an emergency briefing to the Security Council this afternoon on the situation in Syria. 

    The meeting was requested by Syria in a 16 July letter (document S/2025/470).  Council members Algeria and Somalia supported the meeting request. 

    Hakan Fidan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, as well as representatives of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Tunisia, Iran and Jordan will participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

    Syria requested the meeting following a series of airstrikes launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on its territory, which it claimed resulted in the killing and injury of a number of civilians and military personnel. 

    Since 14 July, the IDF has conducted several airstrikes against Syrian military forces in the southern governorates of Daraa and Suweida.

    On 16 July, heavy IDF airstrikes hit the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Defence and there were reports of a strike near the presidential palace in Damascus.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Fights to Protect America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill and his work to protect America.
    Watch the video here.
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security,” said Ricketts.  “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.”
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Thank you for joining our press call today. 
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security.
    “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  
    “This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.
    “Under the Biden Administration every state was a border state. 
    “Illegal immigration has real consequences for every state, including Nebraska.  
    “We have seen the flow of fentanyl, the rise of human trafficking, and its terrible consequences on Nebraskans.
    “We have lost young lives like Taryn Lee Griffith.
    “This bill gives law enforcement the tools to fight back and protect our communities while restoring the rule of law.   
    “Nebraska families deserve a federal government that secures our border and enforces the law.  
    “President Biden oversaw 10.5 million illegal border encounters.  
    “We are still seeing the effects of the Biden Border Crisis in Nebraska.  
    “Just last week, authorities arrested two members of the violent MS-13 gang in Omaha.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill responds with a historic investment in border security.  
    “It includes $46.5 billion to complete the border wall system, including roads, fiber, sensors, and cameras.  
    “It provides $10 billion in grants to reimburse states for the costs of Biden’s federal failure.  
    “Another $6.1 billion goes to cutting-edge surveillance tools that will give Border Patrol agents better eyes on the ground.  
    “The bill also creates jobs by providing funding for the hiring of 16,000 new immigration and customs agents while expanding detention capacity to end catch-and-release.
    “The security threats we face do not stop at our borders, we must also deter foreign adversaries and threats.
    “Nebraska’s airmen, missile programs, and military bases help defend our country every day.  
    “We are proud to host key parts of America’s defense infrastructure, and we understand the importance of peace through strength.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill includes over a $150 billion dollar in investment in America’s defense, making it clear to Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea that we will meet any threats with force and resolve.   
    “It strengthens the Defense Production Act, so our military supply chains remain resilient and ready for any challenge. 
    “It includes $25 billion for the Golden Dome, a layered missile defense shield that will protect Americans from evolving threats.  
    “It provides $29 billion for shipbuilding and expanding the maritime industrial base, that includes funds for a Virginia-class submarine, two destroyers, new oilers, and unmanned surface vehicles.
    “Our Coast Guard will be bolstered, to be able to counter drug and human trafficking as well as deter adversaries in the Arctic.
    “This is through funding for 17 new icebreakers, 21 new cutters, and more than 40 helicopters and 6 new planes.
    “There’s funding for the advanced X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, developing the B-21 bomber fleet, ramping up munitions production, and applying artificial intelligence to the battlefield.
    “Through these investments, we are demonstrating peace through strength. 
    “The bill also helps reverse dangerous recruitment trends in our military.  
    “Under President Trump, we are seeing record-breaking recruitment numbers.  
    “We are renewing the warrior spirit.  
    “That is good news for America’s readiness and morale.  
    “It’s bad news for America’s adversaries.
    “For Nebraska, the bill brings real investment.  
    “It includes $2.5 billion for risk reduction activities tied to the Sentinel ICBM program, which will be partly based in Western Nebraska.  
    “It also includes $168 million to accelerate production of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, also known as SAOC, at Offutt Air Force Base.  
    “These investments will mean more jobs, more innovation, and a stronger defense posture right here in Nebraska.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill keeps America secure and protects Nebraskans.  
    “It honors the brave women and men who serve in uniform, defend our borders, and operate from bases across the state.  
    “As President Trump responds to rising global threats and reverses Biden’s open border policies, this bill gives our nation the resources to act.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill protects Nebraska and protects America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s Chaos Jeopardizes America’s Farmers, Duckworth Discusses Agriculture Priorities with Illinois Corn Growers and Illinois Soybean Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 17, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) yesterday met with leaders and members from the Illinois Corn Growers and the Illinois Soybean Producers to discuss their shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Corn Growers can be found on the Senator’s website. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Soybean Producers can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Illinois Corn Growers, the Illinois Soybean Association and our farmers across the state at the federal level.”

    In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. Duckworth, the founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Caucus, helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Previously, she introduced the SAF Accuracy Act and helped introduce the Farm to Fly Act and to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois agriculture across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth’s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois’s corn and soybeans.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s Chaos Jeopardizes America’s Farmers, Duckworth Discusses Agriculture Priorities with Illinois Corn Growers and Illinois Soybean Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 17, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) yesterday met with leaders and members from the Illinois Corn Growers and the Illinois Soybean Producers to discuss their shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Corn Growers can be found on the Senator’s website. Photos from yesterday’s meeting with the Illinois Soybean Producers can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Illinois Corn Growers, the Illinois Soybean Association and our farmers across the state at the federal level.”

    In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. Duckworth, the founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Caucus, helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Previously, she introduced the SAF Accuracy Act and helped introduce the Farm to Fly Act and to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois agriculture across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth’s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois’s corn and soybeans.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Bitter melon for diabetes? Fenugreek for cholesterol? The research behind ancient remedies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

    Woman drinks bitter melon juice Andri wahyudi/Shutterstock

    Herbs like ashwagandha and turmeric are now widely recognised as part of the global wellness lexicon. But ayurveda, India’s traditional system of medicine with a history spanning more than 3,000 years, encompasses a much broader range of therapeutic plants.

    Grounded in principles of balance between body, mind and spirit, ayurvedic medicine relies on diet, lifestyle and natural substances to prevent and treat disease. Beyond the familiar, a number of lesser known herbs and spices are now gaining attention for their potential health benefits.

    Here are three ayurvedic botanicals worth knowing more about:

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

    1. Bitter melon (momordica charantia)

    Despite its name, bitter melon’s benefits may be surprisingly sweet. Also called bitter gourd, this bumpy green vegetable has long been used in Ayurveda to support blood sugar control, combat infections and address inflammation, high cholesterol and even cancer.

    Laboratory studies suggest bitter melon can fight microbes like E. coli, Salmonella, herpes viruses and even malaria parasites. Early research also points to potential anti-cancer properties, particularly in breast cancer, where it may interfere with how cancer cells grow and communicate. However, most of this evidence comes from lab and animal studies; large-scale trials in humans are still lacking.

    Where bitter melon shows the strongest promise is in diabetes management. It contains several bioactive compounds – charantin (a plant steroid), polypeptide-p (a plant-derived insulin-like protein) and cucurbitanoids (a group of anti-inflammatory compounds) – which may mimic the effects of insulin, support its production, or improve the body’s use of glucose. In one study, bitter melon extract significantly lowered fasting blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes after four weeks.

    How it works isn’t clear. It may help the pancreas produce insulin, protect insulin producing cells, or increase sugar uptake by the muscles. But the effects can be powerful, and when combined with diabetes medications, may cause blood sugar to drop too low. If you’re taking medication, it’s important to monitor your levels closely.

    Animal studies have also linked high doses to miscarriage risk, so pregnant people should eat it in moderation.

    2. Fenugreek (trigonella foenum-graecum)

    Fenugreek is a botanical multitasker. Depending on the part of the plant used, it can function as a herb, spice, or vegetable. Across various cultures, fenugreek has traditionally been used to relieve menstrual cramps, support breastfeeding and manage blood sugar.

    Emerging clinical evidence suggests fenugreek may help regulate cholesterol. It contains several potentially active compounds: sapogenins (plant-based compounds that enhance bile flow), pectin (a type of soluble fibre that binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract) and phytosterols (plant sterols that compete with cholesterol for absorption in the gut). Together, these may reduce fat absorption, block cholesterol uptake and promote cholesterol elimination by the liver. Fenugreek also contains antioxidants that may protect the heart and support healthy fat metabolism.

    It’s also gaining attention for blood sugar control. Fenugreek may slow carbohydrate digestion, reduce glucose absorption in the gut and enhance insulin release. Some longer-term studies show it can reduce both post-meal and fasting blood sugar levels, though findings are mixed.

    Fenugreek may also support lactation. It’s been classified as a galactagogue – a substance that promotes milk production – possibly by boosting key hormones: insulin (which helps regulate metabolism), prolactin (which stimulates milk production), and oxytocin (which triggers the let-down reflex during breastfeeding). In one study, mothers who drank fenugreek tea produced more breast milk than those in control groups. But as with many natural remedies, evidence is mixed, and placebo effects may play a role. It’s best to consult a healthcare provider before using fenugreek for breastfeeding support.

    Some trials suggest fenugreek may help increase testosterone in men – improving libido, reducing body fat and boosting energy – especially when paired with strength training. However, more robust studies are needed.

    Side effects are mostly mild and gastrointestinal, such as nausea, bloating or diarrhoea. Most studies have used relatively low doses, so it’s unclear what risks might exist at higher intake levels.

    3. Asafoetida (ferula asafoetida)

    You might know asafoetida as that strong-smelling spice often used in Indian cooking, but it’s also a respected digestive remedy in Ayurveda. Derived from the dried sap of ferula plant roots, asafoetida is known for easing bloating and gas.

    Its active compound, ferulic acid, may help digest complex carbs and reduce flatulence. In a clinical trial, asafoetida supplements significantly improved indigestion symptoms, including bloating, early fullness and heartburn. It appears to stimulate digestive enzymes and bile production, improving fat digestion.

    Asafoetida may also support people with irritable bowel syndrome. In one study, two weeks of asafoetida supplements led to improvements in IBS symptoms, though results have been mixed overall.

    Early lab studies suggest even more benefits – potential antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, as well as roles in regulating blood pressure, easing asthma and possibly reducing blood sugar. But again, human trials are needed to confirm these effects.

    Caution is warranted if you’re taking blood pressure medications or anticoagulants like warfarin, as asafoetida may lower blood pressure and thin the blood.



    Read more:
    Ashwagandha: this ancient herb is trending for its potential health benefits – but also comes with risks

    Ancient remedies, modern caution

    Although research in humans is still developing, these lesser-known ayurvedic botanicals have been trusted in traditional medicine for centuries. They may offer promising support in managing chronic conditions or enhancing overall wellbeing, but they’re not without risk.

    Small amounts used in cooking are generally safe. But if you’re considering supplements or therapeutic doses, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional, especially if you’re pregnant, taking medication, or managing a medical condition.

    Used wisely, these ancient ingredients could bridge the gap between holistic healing and modern science, bringing a little balance to both your kitchen and your health.

    Dipa Kamdar 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. Bitter melon for diabetes? Fenugreek for cholesterol? The research behind ancient remedies – https://theconversation.com/bitter-melon-for-diabetes-fenugreek-for-cholesterol-the-research-behind-ancient-remedies-259300

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Japan and South Korea can show governments how to compete with China and US

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robyn Klingler-Vidra, Vice Dean, Global Engagement | Associate Professor in Political Economy and Entrepreneurship, King’s College London

    Governments around the world are hustling. European policymakers, for example, are eager to boost the region’s industrial relevance in a world where the US and China dominate cutting-edge technologies. They want to move beyond the adage that “the US innovates, China replicates and the EU regulates”.

    As part of this, policymakers worldwide are striving to foster their own versions of Silicon Valley. They have invested to create ecosystems abundant with ambitious startups backed by venture capital investors. Their ultimate aim is to see these firms develop into what are known as scale-ups and compete in global markets.

    But if governments – from Berlin and Brussels to Ho Chi Minh City – are to find their edge, I argue they should follow a model closer to Seoul or Tokyo’s playbook than that of Silicon Valley.

    South Korean and Japanese policymakers have long understood that the proliferation of startup activity should not be an isolated aim. In our 2025 book, Startup Capitalism, my colleague Ramon Pacheco Pardo and I revealed that the approach of these countries sees national champion firms like Samsung and Toyota use startups as resources to help them compete internationally.

    As the head of a government-backed startup centre in Seoul told me, a key aim of South Korean government policy for startups is to “inject innovative DNA” into the country’s large firms. Policies attempt to embed startups into the fabric of lead firms, and do not try to disrupt their competitive positions.

    The ‘traitorous eight’ group of employees.
    Wayne Miller / Magnum Photos

    For this objective, the Silicon Valley playbook is sub-optimal. US government policy has enabled venture capital investment through regulatory changes and has ensured that talented people are free to challenge their former employers. Classic examples include the so-called “traitorous eight” who left Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in 1957 to found Fairchild Semiconductor.

    A more recent example is Anthony Levandowski, who left Google’s self-driving car project to start his own company, Otto, in 2016. The competition was so close that Google sued Uber – as it had acquired Otto – in 2019 over the trade secrets Levandowski allegedly used to develop his self-driving truck company. Uber eventually paid Google a “substantial portion” of the US$179 million (£134 million) it was awarded initially in arbitration.

    Injecting innovative DNA

    The Japanese and Korean formula is distinct. South Korea’s 17 Centres for the Creative Economy and Innovation, established about ten years ago to drive innovation and entrepreneurship, each have one of the country’s large firms (chaebol) as an anchor partner. The chaebol’s industrial focus – whether it’s shipbuilding, electronics or heavy machinery – is reflected in the focus of the startups engaging with that centre.

    The startups work on issues “that keep the large firm up at night” and, in return, the startups have unparalleled access to distribution channels, marketing and proof-of-concept testing. While the centres have not produced volumes of globally competitive scale-ups, they have delivered on the aim of injecting innovative ideas and talent into large companies like Hyundai, LG Electronics and SK Group.

    In Japan, tax incentives encourage big businesses to acquire startups. The “open innovation tax incentive” allows a 25% deduction from the price of the acquisition. The aim here is to encourage Japan’s national champion firms to integrate startups into their core businesses. In 2024, for example, Toyota integrated high-tech wheelchair startup, Whill, into its mobility services offering.

    Various government initiatives also aim to provide coaching and mentoring for startups around raising venture capital funding and sharpening a pitch for demo day. In Japan and Korea, these initiatives embed big business throughout.

    In J-Startup, an initiative aimed at creating a cohort of so-called unicorns (startups valued at over US$1 billion), the Japanese government involves industrial leaders as judges that help select applicants for the programme. These people then act as coaches and mentors to the startups. Japan’s lead firms are, in return, exposed to innovative technologies and startup culture.

    In a similar way, Korea’s K-Startup Grand Challenge connects participating foreign startups with the country’s chaebol for proof-of-concept development. The Korean government cites partnership and licensing agreements between the parties as an important outcome of the programme. Through these connections, Korea’s big businesses have another mechanism for accessing innovative ideas and talent from abroad.

    Samsung Electronics is the largest chaebol in South Korea.
    Sybillla / Shutterstock

    Governments that want to compete with China or the US cannot continue on their existing path. They need to do something different, and Japan and South Korea’s approach offers an alternative.

    These approaches are not without downsides. There is, of course, the risk of well-resourced corporations operating “kill zones” around their business lines. This might involve early low-value mergers and acquisitions, or even copying their products in a bid to eliminate them.

    The central position of large firms to the economy also means that the innovation agenda of startups is set by incumbent firms. This fosters complementary products, and not those that disrupt – and ultimately improve – domestic firms or technologies. There’s also the worry of perceived corruption.

    But I argue that pursuing a half-committed strategy is riskier. If governments maintain a wall between big business and startups, believing this is essential to minimise corruption and that large firms will innovate just as startups will scale-up into larger firms, they risk underwhelming outcomes on all levels.

    We may see flailing productivity in the sectors in which countries have excelled. And scale-ups will fail to materialise while populations of “zombie startups”, that simply stagnate while propped up on state largesse, increase.

    Startups should be considered as resources to boost nationwide industrial capabilities, not efforts aimed at seeding a country’s answer to Silicon Valley’s Google or OpenAI.

    Robyn Klingler-Vidra 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. Japan and South Korea can show governments how to compete with China and US – https://theconversation.com/japan-and-south-korea-can-show-governments-how-to-compete-with-china-and-us-260623

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tim Lamont, Research Fellow, Marine Biology, Lancaster University

    Why do people care about coral reefs? Why does their damage cause such concern and outrage? What drives people to go to great lengths to protect and restore them?

    Of course, it’s partly because of their ecological importance and economic value – but it’s also because they are beautiful. Healthy coral reefs are among the most visually spectacular ecosystems on the planet – and this beauty is far from superficial. It underpins cultural heritage value, supports tourism industries, encourages ocean stewardship and deepens people’s emotional connections to the sea.

    But how can such beauty be measured? And when it is destroyed, can it be rebuilt?

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

    Traditionally, many coral reef monitoring and restoration programmes overlook their beauty, considering it too subjective to measure. And as a team of scientists, that frustrated us. We knew that to most effectively draw on this key motivator for coral conservation, we had to be able to measure beauty.

    In some ways, it’s an impossible task. But our new study grapples with this challenge, delivering a way of quantifying the aesthetic value of a coral reef, as well as measuring its recovery when previously damaged reefs are restored.

    Our international team of marine scientists has been working at the Mars coral restoration programme (the largest project of its kind) in central Indonesia. Here, local communities and international businesses have collaborated for over a decade, rebuilding reefs that were once decimated by dynamite fishing. This illegal fishing method uses explosives to stun and kill fish for easy collection, while shattering coral reefs into rubble – wiping out entire reef communities in seconds.

    This Indonesian project has already successfully regrown coral reefs. But we wanted to explore whether this programme had been able to recreate the visual appeal of a natural reef ecosystem.

    We took standardised seabed photos using settings that automatically adjust white balance and colour to compensate for underwater light conditions. This enabled us to capture accurate colours under consistent shallow-water conditions across healthy, degraded and restored reef sites.

    Then we conducted online surveys with more than 3,000 participants, asking them to compare pairs of photographs and choose which they found more beautiful – enabling us to derive a rating for each photograph. Our results showed that people from very different backgrounds consistently shared similar opinions on which reefs were beautiful.

    Whether respondents were young or old, from countries with coral reefs or without, or had different levels of education and familiarity with the ocean, they tended to favour images with high coral cover, vibrant colours and complex coral structures. This suggests there is a shared human appreciation for the beauty of thriving reefs.

    We also used these ratings to train a machine-learning algorithm based on AI to reliably predict people’s visual preferences for photographs of different coral habitats.

    The results of people’s survey responses and the machine learning algorithm were the same. Images of restored reefs were consistently rated just as beautiful as those of healthy reefs, and far more aesthetically pleasing than degraded reefs. This is encouraging, and important. It shows that efforts to rebuild these charismatic ecosystems can recreate the beauty that makes them so highly valued.

    Tracking recovery

    We found that beauty was strongly linked to the number of colours present in the picture, the proportion of the image taken up by living coral, and the complexity of shapes exhibited by the corals. Meanwhile, images showing grey rubble fields of dead corals with little life were consistently rated lowest.

    Our results suggest that promoting a range of different coral colours and shapes will not only help marine life, but also restore the visual, cultural and tourism value of thriving coral reefs. Reef restoration experts can achieve this by choosing donor corals – healthy corals transplanted to degraded sites to aid recovery – to add colour and variety to the reefs they plant.

    This also means that coral reef recovery can be tracked using simple photo-based monitoring, like that used in our study.

    Coral reefs need long-term care to help them survive, thrive and maintain their beauty and ecological function. To ensure that initial restoration gains are not quickly lost, such efforts need to be paired with ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Any tourism development around restored reefs also needs to be managed carefully and sustainably.

    Restoration and sustainable tourism practices can help protect and sustain the ecological and social benefits of beautiful, healthy reefs. Ultimately, restoring beautiful reefs will be crucial for communities that rely on marine tourism, and for inspiring people to care for the ocean.

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

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

    Tim Lamont receives funding from the Royal Commission of 1851 and the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

    Gita Alisa receives funding from Friends of Lancaster University in America and Sheba Hope Advocate Program.

    Tries Blandine Razak receives funding from the Pew Charitable Trust and the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

    – ref. The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it – https://theconversation.com/the-beauty-of-coral-reefs-is-key-to-their-survival-so-we-came-up-with-a-way-to-measure-it-261013

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • Iceland to launch negotiations on security, defence partnership with EU

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iceland will launch talks on a security and defence partnership with the European Union, Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said on Thursday at a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Keflavik.

    Frostadottir said she was hoping to conclude talks by the end of the year.

    “This is very important for us to show that we can have cooperation on critical infrastructure, civil protection, any sort of dual use defence investment and this also includes hybrid and cyber threats,” she said.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russia views China as a priority partner in the international arena — Russian Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Moscow, July 17 /Xinhua/ — Russia views China as a priority partner in the international arena, and the two countries’ approaches to key international issues coincide or are close, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in response to a question from a Xinhua correspondent on Thursday.

    “We view each other as priority partners in the international arena, and the approaches of Moscow and Beijing to fundamental issues of the modern world order and key international problems coincide or are close,” she said.

    As M. Zakharova noted, the Russian-Chinese link is the main stabilizing factor in world affairs. “In conditions when the adherents of unilateralism in international relations are trying to maintain their positions, we advocate the promotion of a fair multipolar world order based on the countries of the Global South,” the Russian diplomat emphasized, adding that an important step on this path is the construction of a space of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia.

    The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Russia and China fruitfully cooperate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the Group of Twenty (G20), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and other international formats. “We are strengthening cooperation between our countries and the countries of the Global South and East in the UN,” she added.

    According to M. Zakharova, one of the key goals of cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is to promote the reform of international architecture with a view to increasing the role of the world majority countries in the decision-making process on issues on the global agenda.

    She also recalled that the Russian foreign policy concept sets out the goal of concentrating creative efforts on those geographic vectors that have obvious prospects in terms of expanding mutually beneficial international cooperation. These, as the official representative emphasized, include the states of the Global South and East. “Many of them are noticeably raising their voices in world affairs, pursuing independent policies based on national interests,” M. Zakharova noted. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, NBC News reports

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A new U.S. assessment has found that U.S. strikes in June mostly destroyed one of three targeted Iranian nuclear sites, but the other two were not as badly damaged, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing current and former U.S. officials.

    The report said that U.S. officials believe the attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility was successful in setting back enrichment capabilities there by as much as two years, citing two current officials.

    The two other facilities that the U.S. struck were not as badly damaged and may have been degraded only to a point where nuclear enrichment could resume in the next several months if Iran wants it to, the report added.

    Though U.S has nuclear weapon but it does not want others to have it.

    (Reuters

  • US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, NBC News reports

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A new U.S. assessment has found that U.S. strikes in June mostly destroyed one of three targeted Iranian nuclear sites, but the other two were not as badly damaged, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing current and former U.S. officials.

    The report said that U.S. officials believe the attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility was successful in setting back enrichment capabilities there by as much as two years, citing two current officials.

    The two other facilities that the U.S. struck were not as badly damaged and may have been degraded only to a point where nuclear enrichment could resume in the next several months if Iran wants it to, the report added.

    Though U.S has nuclear weapon but it does not want others to have it.

    (Reuters

  • Piyush Goyal engages with Indian Missions abroad to boost global trade

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held a virtual meeting on July 16, with Heads of Commercial Wings in 74 Indian Missions across 61 countries to strengthen India’s global trade and commercial engagement strategy. The interaction, conducted via video conference, focused on reviewing trade promotion activities and addressing market access challenges.

    During the meeting, key Indian Missions presented detailed insights into their trade promotion efforts, sectoral developments, and challenges related to market access. Shri Goyal acknowledged the Missions as critical pillars of India’s economic diplomacy, emphasizing their role as the first point of contact for promoting Indian exports and fostering stronger ties with host countries.

    The Minister urged the Missions to proactively gather trade intelligence, including updates on market trends, regulatory frameworks, and sectoral developments. He highlighted the importance of sharing innovative strategies and best practices that have successfully boosted trade and attracted investment to India. Shri Goyal stressed the need to focus on four key performance indicators—Investment, Trade, Tourism, and Technology—as outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as pillars of India’s growth.

    The discussion also covered the importance of regular trade advisories to identify demand-supply gaps and opportunities for Indian exporters. The Minister called for strategic interventions to address market access barriers, such as non-tariff barriers, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade. He emphasized enhanced alignment between the Missions and the Department of Commerce through data-driven planning and effective use of digital platforms like the DGFT Trade Connect Portal.

    Goyal also urged collaborative efforts to support India’s objectives in multilateral forums like the World Trade Organization, particularly in areas such as agriculture, public stockholding for food security, and fisheries subsidies. The meeting addressed operational challenges, including the need for adequate resources, efficient posting of commercial officers, and improved coordination to support initiatives like Make in India and Production Linked Incentive schemes.

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Elbows down? Why Mark Carney seems to keep caving to Donald Trump

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sam Routley, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Western University

    Prime Minister Mark Carney has suggested a new trade deal with the United States is now most likely to include tariffs. There is, in his own words, “not a lot of evidence right now” that the Donald Trump administration is willing to stand down from imposing levies on Canadian imports.

    In making this acknowledgement, Carney has backed down from his previous insistence that Canada would “fight to bring these tariffs to an end.”

    But rather than continuing to retaliate with tariffs of its own, the government has begun to confess that such a tactic may be a losing battle.

    Carney has instead announced Canada will restrict the tariff-free import of cheap, foreign steel to help domestic manufacturers reeling from American tariffs.

    In the wake of the federal government’s recent concession on the Digital Services Tax levied against big American tech companies, it’s another indicator that — unlike the hawkish “elbows up” rhetoric used throughout the federal election campaign — the Canadian government has taken on a more conciliatory tone in advance of the Aug. 1 deadline for a new economic and security deal between Canada and the U.S..

    Dual purposes

    The timing of Carney’s comments can be interpreted two ways.

    Their first and primary purpose is about message control and the need to manage expectations. In announcing this now, the government is not only better able to keep its justification for conceding to Trump at the forefront of media narratives, but it can also prepare Canadians for any further potential concessions in the course of trade negotiations.

    The fact that these comments were made prior to a cabinet meeting could be seen as Carney’s attempt to isolate any cabinet ministers who may still favour a more aggressive stance.

    More substantively, however, the pivot is also a reflection of the realities of both Canada’s actual position vis-à-vis the U.S. and the pragmatism needed to accomplish real trade agreements.



    Read more:
    U.S. tariff threat: How it will impact different products and industries

    Although Trump is unpredictable, it increasingly seems that levies on imports are among his genuinely held and signature policy commitments. As Carney noted, the administration’s recent trade deals with both the United Kingdom and Vietnam included tariffs. And, despite the president’s talk of annexing Canada, Carney’s new stance suggests a more reasonable, albeit very costly, deal is possible — even amid Trump’s bluster.

    Still, for all the attention they’ve received, tariffs are only part of the ongoing negotiations on the economic and security deal.

    What does Trump want?

    The U.S. administration, for example, continues to justify higher tariff threats not just for economic purposes, but ostensibly to counter the illegal drug trade.

    The fact that the Canadian government has already allotted $1 billion to border defence makes it difficult to assess what would satisfy American negotiators.

    More broadly, Trump has expressed a desire to push Canada for changes in security, supply management of the dairy industry, fresh water use and access to rare earth minerals, among others.



    Read more:
    Zombie water apocalypse: Is Trump’s rhetoric over Canada’s water science-fiction or reality?

    Regardless of how the trade talks proceed in the coming weeks, though, the domestic consequences for Carney will be determined by how willing Canadians are to continue trusting and supporting him.

    On the one hand, his comments that tariff-free trade deals with the U.S. aren’t realistic could be costly given the fact that more than two-thirds of Canadians continue to favour a hard-line stance with little to no concessions on key files.

    This could result in voters viewing Carney as weak and shifting their support to other leaders. No incumbent stands to benefit from the detrimental effects on economic growth, investments and employment rate Trump’s tariffs will cause.

    But support also depends on Carney’s legitimacy. He could maintain public support despite the fact that, on paper, they oppose his actions. Taking a “hard” versus “soft” line in negotiations is itself an ambiguous and fluid set of designations.

    A major reason why Canadians elected Carney is because they viewed him as having sound personal judgment and the skill set to deal with Trump. This is why, rather than challenging the value of the decision to compromise on tariffs, the Conservatives and other opponents have focused on conveying him as an unreliable and dishonest leader.

    What’s ahead for federal politics?

    At this point, polls suggest that Canadians are generally split down the middle on Carney. While around 50 per cent of Canadians are supportive, the other half remain divided between those strongly opposed and those with a more ambiguous position.

    Could Carney win over the support of those with an unambiguous view? It seems unlikely. Leaders are the usually the most impactful when they enter office. And while rally-around-the-flag effects are real, they are short-lived. That means the long-term challenge for Carney remains maintaining the support of the voters that brought him to power.



    Read more:
    How Canadian nationalism is evolving with the times — and will continue to do so

    The Canada-U.S. relationship will continue to develop in a dynamic and unpredictable fashion, even if the economic and security deal is reached soon.

    After voters dramatically consolidated around the Liberals and Conservatives in the 2025 election, the most important question for federal Canadian politics moving forward in this shifting global environment is which electoral coalition will endure.

    Carney seeks to preserve trust, while the Conservatives search for a compelling alternative. Who will come out on top in the Trump 2.0 era?

    Sam Routley 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. Elbows down? Why Mark Carney seems to keep caving to Donald Trump – https://theconversation.com/elbows-down-why-mark-carney-seems-to-keep-caving-to-donald-trump-261304

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • Amit Shah highlights cooperative movement and agricultural growth at Rajasthan’s ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, addressed the ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’ in Jaipur, Rajasthan, marking the International Year of Cooperatives – 2025. The event, attended by dignitaries including Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat celebrated the cooperative movement’s role in rural and agricultural development.

    During the event, Shah virtually inaugurated 24 grain storage warehouses and 64 millet outlets, distributed ₹12 crore in loans to 1,400 cowherds under the Gopal Credit Card Scheme, and provided micro-ATMs to over 2,300 milk-producing committees. He also launched the White Revolution 2.0 online registration platform for Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies (PDCS) and released a compilation of success stories under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Gareebi Mukt Gram Abhiyan and Vande Ganga Water Conservation Campaign. Additionally, 100 new vehicles for Rajasthan Police and armed forces were flagged off.

    Shah emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s establishment of the Union Ministry of Cooperation has extended cooperative benefits to villages, farmers, and the poor. He noted that cooperatives are active in 98% of rural areas, contributing significantly to India’s agricultural and economic landscape, including 20% of paddy and wheat procurement, 35% of fertilizer production, and 30% of sugar production. Over 31 crore people are connected to 8.5 lakh cooperative bodies.

    Highlighting the Ministry’s achievements, Shah stated that within four years, 61 initiatives have strengthened cooperatives, including the creation of 40,000 new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) out of a target of two lakh, full computerization of PACS, and the establishment of cooperative institutions for organic products, exports, and seed promotion. He also underscored the Modi government’s commitment to purchasing pulses, oilseeds, and maize at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through NAFED and NCCF, ensuring farmers’ financial security.

    Rajasthan’s agricultural prominence was a key focus, with the state leading in the production of cluster beans (90%), mustard (46%), pearl millets (44%), oilseeds (22%), and millets (15%). The state ranks second in groundnut and third in jowar, gram, pulses, and soybean production. Shah noted that MSP for wheat, gram, mustard, and groundnut has increased significantly over the past 11 years. He also highlighted cooperative-led research on camel breed conservation and the medicinal properties of camel milk to ensure the species’ survival.

    Shah praised the Rajasthan government’s efforts under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, including cracking down on paper leaks through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and signing MoUs worth ₹35 lakh crore at the Global Investment Summit. Other initiatives include reducing VAT on fuel, providing LPG cylinders for ₹450, and advancing water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    Shah lauded the PM Modi government’s welfare schemes, which have provided housing, electricity, gas, free food grains, and healthcare to 60 crore poor people over the past 11 years. He credited PM Modi with elevating India to the world’s fourth-largest economy and lifting 27 crore people out of poverty. On national security, he highlighted decisive actions like surgical and air strikes in response to terrorist attacks, reinforcing India’s strong stance against threats.