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Category: Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Suzuki’s training method

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

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

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

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

    Tanaka brings butoh to Australia

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

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

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

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

    Yumi Umiumare

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

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

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

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

    Umiumare continues to train and direct ensembles.

    Tess de Quincey

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

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

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

    Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre

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

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

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

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

    Frank Theatre

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

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

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

    Crisscrossing the Pacific

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

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

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

    Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Icy reefs and algal meadows

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Diminishing algal diversity under thinner sea ice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

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

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

    Author provided

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

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

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

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

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

    Watching the radio sky for flickers

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

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

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

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

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

    A dramatic event

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

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

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

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

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

    A lucky break

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Still a mystery

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Hoyle Announces 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winner

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    May 28, 2025

    For Immediate Release: May 28, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Today, Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) announced Teakki Rain Legg from Florence as Oregon’s Fourth District’s winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. Winners have their artwork featured in the U.S. Capitol for one year and receive a round-trip ticket to Washington, D.C. for themselves and a guardian to be recognized at an annual awards ceremony when the art is displayed.

    “Teakki Legg’s artistry and attention to detail stood out with his entry into this year’s competition, Shining Light, which depicts the rugged beauty of the Oregon Coast,” Rep. Hoyle said. “His work will hang in the U.S. Capitol for the next year, representing the best of our district. Beyond his artwork, Teakki is a model student giving back to his community, serving on the board of the Florence Regional Arts Alliance and teaching art classes. I also want to commend his teachers, Lauren Suveges of Siuslaw High School and John Leasure at the Florence Regional Arts Alliance, for nurturing Teakki’s talents and pushing him to enter this competition. I look forward to meeting Teakki and his parents, Roanne and Brandt, and welcoming them to our office in Washington, D.C.”

    ‘Shining Light’ by Teakki Rain Legg

    A Word from the Artist

    My name is Teakki Legg and I’m a 16 year-old artist raised in Oregon. My piece, Shining Light, was heavily inspired by the Oregon coast where I live, which is populated by many lighthouses, such as Heceta Head and Yaquina. The lighthouse is a metaphor to illuminate possibilities and connection in the world, which sometimes can feel dark, but there’s always a light to go toward. As an artist, I simply can’t help but be inspired by the beauty of Oregon, in particular the coast. 

    I mainly work in watercolor and ink, but my painting was done in oil, a relatively new medium I’ve been experimenting with. I’ve had a great oil teacher, John Leasure, as well as my wonderful High School art teacher, Lauren Suveges, who also encouraged me to enter the Congressional art competition. Oil allows me to be more expressive with my colors and strokes, due to the fact that oil paint is so much thicker. 

    I’m so excited for the opportunity to go to Washington DC to see my painting hanging in the Capitol.  Thank you!

    Teakki Rain Legg

    Teakki Rain Legg, 16, was born in the art colony of Taos, New Mexico into a creative family filled with artists and writers. Home-schooled since birth, Teakki completed his first commissioned work at age 13. 

    Teakki’s work has won him multiple recognitions, including an Artist’s Choice Award. At age 15, Teakki began serving on the board of the Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA). In his spare time, he teaches classes in watercolor, and pen and ink. 

    Some of his favorite artists include M. C. Escher, Rob Gonsalves, Bob Ross, Mark Kistler, and his grandfather, Martin Goldman. He enjoys and is inspired by comics, such as Calvin and Hobbes, and plans to pursue a career as an artist.

    You can see more of Teakki’s work here.

    The Congressional Art Competition

    The Congressional Art Competition is a bipartisan initiative to incentivize arts education for high school students across America. Every district that chooses to participate selects one winner annually. More information can be found on Rep. Hoyle’s website. 

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: US State of New York

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Core Specialty Announces Changes to its Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CINCINNATI, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Core Specialty Insurance Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Core Specialty” or the “Company”) announced today that Patrick Gordon has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company effective immediately, in replacement of Marc Stad. Mr. Stad has served on the Company’s Board since the Company’s recapitalization in November 2020 as a director designated by Dragoneer Investment Group (‘Dragoneer”). The Board and management of the Company are grateful for his many contributions and wish him the very best in the years ahead.

    Mr. Gordon currently serves as Principal at Dragoneer, a position he has held since 2018 where he is focused on private investing. Prior to joining Dragoneer, Mr. Gordon’s previous roles were with Google, Stripe, and Parthenon Capital serving in operations and investment management roles. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Science from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he was a George F. Baker Scholar.

    Commenting on changes to Core Specialty’s Board, Jeff Consolino, Core Specialty’s Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We appreciate Marc Stad’s leadership on our board. From inception, Core Specialty has greatly benefitted from Dragoneer’s history of partnering with management teams in companies characterized by sustainable differentiation and superior economic models. Dragoneer has substantial committed capital, a long track record of successfully identifying category and industry leaders and deep experience in the public markets and Patrick Gordon’s skills and experience will continue to drive these benefits to Core Specialty. Mr. Gordon will be an excellent fit with the Core Specialty Board.”

    About Core Specialty

    Core Specialty offers a diversified range of specialty insurance products for small to mid-sized businesses. From its underwriting offices spanning the U.S., the company focuses on niche markets, local distribution, and superior underwriting knowledge; offering traditional as well as innovative insurance solutions to meet the needs of its customers and brokers. Core Specialty is an insurance holding company operating through StarStone Specialty Insurance Company, a U.S. excess & surplus lines insurer, StarStone National Insurance Company, Lancer Insurance Company, Lancer Insurance Company of New Jersey and American Surety Company, each of which is a U.S. admitted markets insurer, and Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company, a life, accident and health insurer. For further information about Core Specialty, please visit www.corespecialty.com.

    About Dragoneer Investment Group

    Dragoneer Investment Group is a growth-oriented investment firm with over $25 billion under management and a flexible mandate to invest in high-quality businesses in both the public and private markets. For over a decade, Dragoneer has partnered with management teams growing exceptional companies, characterized by sustainable differentiation and superior economic models. The firm seeks to deliver attractive returns while maintaining a focus on capital preservation and margin of safety.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge planning study online open house available May 28 to June 17

    Source: Washington State News 2

    CARBONADO – People can now provide input on the future of State Route 165 at the Carbon River in Pierce County in an online open house.

    The Washington State Department of Transportation published an online open house today, Wednesday, May 28 that focuses on data-driven recommendations that address safety concerns and long-term transportation needs for SR 165 across the Carbon River Valley.

    The online open house accompanies two in-person open house events scheduled in June. The same information will be available both in-person and online. The open house events are part of a WSDOT SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge planning study.

    SR 165 Carbon River- Fairfax Bridge Planning Study online open house

    When:  Wednesday, May 28 to Tuesday, June 17

    Where:  engage.wsdot.wa.gov/sr-165-fairfax-bridge/

    Details:  The online open house gives people the opportunity to view proposed recommendations and provide comments through June 17. 

    Free internet access

    Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout the state. To find the nearest Drive-In WiFi Hotspot visit the Department of Commerce website.

    Free WiFi access is available at these locations for people who wish to participate in the online open house:

    • Buckley Pierce County Library, 123 S. River Ave., Buckley, WA 98321
    • Orting Pierce County Library, 202 Washington Ave. S., Orting, WA 98360

    SR 165 Carbon River- Fairfax Bridge Planning Study in-person open houses

    When:  4 to 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 2

    Where:  Carbonado School, 301 O’Ferrell Drive, Carbonado, WA 98323 

    When:  5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 11

    Where:  Wilkeson Elementary School, 640 Railroad Ave., Wilkeson, WA 98396  

    Details:  There is no formal presentation. Attendees are welcome to drop by anytime during the events. Project team members will be available to answer questions about the study and the options presented.

    Background

    WSDOT permanently closed the bridge on April 22. Recent inspections of the 103-year-old bridge revealed new deterioration of steel supports across the bridge. Since 2009, the bridge operated under vehicle weight restrictions. The structural challenges the bridge faced were brought on by years of deferred preservation due to lack of funding. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Over time we will create resources to support the ACOP.

    Useful information:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

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

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: US State of California

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    A copy of the complaint is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna was founded in 1767 as the world’s third school for veterinary medicine by Milan’s Ludovico Scotti, originally-named k. k. Pferde-Curen- und Operationsschule.

    It is the only veterinary, academic educational and research facility in Austria and at the same time the oldest in the German-speaking area.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: CYENS Centre of Excellence

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    CYENS Centre of Excellence is the Research Centre of Excellence in Cyprus focusing on Interactive media, Smart systems and Emerging technologies aiming to empower knowledge and technology transfer in the region.

    It is a joint venture between the three public universities of Cyprus – University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, and, Open University of Cyprus- , the Municipality of Nicosia, and two renowned international partners, the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Germany, and, the University College London, United Kingdom.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

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

    Source: NASA

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

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

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

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

    chandra

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Summer Students Scan the Radio Skies with SunRISE

    Source: NASA

    Solar radio bursts, intense blasts of radio emission associated with solar flares, can wreak havoc on global navigation systems. Now, as part of the Ground Radio Lab campaign led by the University of Michigan and NASA’s SunRISE (Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment) mission, which is managed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, high school and college students across the nation are collecting, processing, and analyzing space weather data to help better understand these bursts. 
    Participating students have presented their findings at local science fairs and national conferences, including the Solar Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) conference held in Juneau, Alaska in August 2024. These students sifted through thousands of hours of observations to identify and categorize solar radio bursts.  
    Participating high schools receive free, self-paced online training modules sponsored by the SunRISE mission that cover a range of topics, including radio astronomy, space physics, and science data collection and analysis. Students and teachers participate in monthly webinars with space science and astronomy experts, build radio telescopes from kits, and then use these telescopes to observe low frequency emissions from the Sun and other objects like Jupiter and the Milky Way. 
    Visit the Ground Radio Lab website to learn more about the new campaign and apply to participate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Desecration of cultural heritage at Hagia Sophia by converting cistern into a spa – E-000893/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is aware of the reports on transformations of Hagia Sophia’s surroundings. Istanbul Municipality sealed a historical cistern next to Hagia Sophia used as a spa complex, and, in December 2024, took a decision to ban the unauthorised use of the cistern as a spa. In January 2025, concrete instructions for the required restoration were issued.

    Türkiye should respect the letter and the spirit of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) 1972 World Heritage Convention and, therefore, avoid any implementing measure, without prior discussion with Unesco, that would affect the protection and conservation of the site in its original, historical context. Any steps that would endanger its outstanding value should be prevented.

    The Commission will continue following the developments regarding the site of Hagia Sophia, also in the framework of its annual Türkiye report[1], as it has done over the past years.

    • [1] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/turkiye-report-2024_en.
    Last updated: 28 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

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

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Wyoming Veterans Commission 

    By Joseph Coslett Jr. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) launches “Roda de Saúde”: A platform for dialogue on health in Angola

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    The World Health Organization (WHO) in Angola is pleased to announce the launch of “Roda de Saúde”, a new monthly series of public conversations aimed at informing, involving, and empowering Angolan institutions and society around the main public health challenges and potential solutions.

    The first edition of Roda de Saúde will take place at the Private University of Angola (UPRA) on Friday, May 30, 2025, between 10:00 and 11:30. Under the theme “Celebrating the Nursing Workforce: The Role of Nursing in Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Mortality”, the event will bring together WHO experts, representatives of the Angolan Order of Nurses, UPRA lecturers and students, as well as nurses working on the front line who will share their experience in the field. This first edition aims to celebrate International Nurses’ Day, which falls on May 12th.

    With the “Wheel of Health”, the WHO aims to help promote open dialogue between decision-makers, experts, and civil society, foster informed public debate on critical health issues, and strengthen health literacy based on scientific evidence. The organization also aims to bring the population closer to trusted experts, including UN agencies and national health and academic institutions, and to strengthen collaboration between the WHO, multilateral and private sector partners, academia, and civil society.

    Inspired by the traditional Angolan “Rodas de Conversa”, this platform values knowledge sharing, inclusion, and community participation as pillars for identifying lasting solutions to address Angola’s public health challenges.

    By celebrating nursing professionals and their crucial role in maternal and newborn health, the first edition of “Roda de Saúde” lays the foundations for an ongoing movement of positive transformation in health in Angola.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Angola.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • India-Italy relations on upward trajectory; Jaishankar expresses gratitude for support after Pahalgam attack

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Lauding the strengthening ties between India and Italy, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said that the relations between the two nations are on an upward trajectory, marked by renewed momentum in political dialogue, official visits, and growing mutual interest. He reiterated India’s commitment to consolidating the India-Italy Strategic Partnership.

    Speaking at Italy’s National Day celebrations in Delhi on Wednesday, Jaishankar highlighted the shared maritime interests and commitment to freedom of navigation between the two peninsular nations.

    “Whether in the Indo-Pacific or the Indo-Mediterranean, India and Italy share maritime interests and a common commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and shipping. Italy’s increased presence in the Indo-Pacific, as well as its participation under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) pillar of science and technology, will certainly enhance our cooperation further,” he said.

    “India-Italy relations are undoubtedly progressing positively. There is new momentum in political dialogue, exchanges, and interest in each other’s potential, which I am confident will be fully tapped by stakeholders. Let me reaffirm our government’s commitment to strengthening the India-Italy Strategic Partnership,” he added.

    Jaishankar expressed gratitude to Italy for its support following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He noted India’s “firm, resolute, and measured response” in targeting terror centers and launch pads.

    “Let me begin by conveying our best wishes to the government and people of Italy on your National Day. We are thankful, Ambassador, for Italy’s solidarity and support following the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

    Referring to Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the attack, Jaishankar said, “India responded firmly and decisively by destroying relevant terror centers and launch pads. The global community has recognized India’s right to defend its people against acts of terror. We believe the world must uphold a zero-tolerance stance against terrorism and cross-border terrorism.”

    The foreign minister noted that the strategic partnership between India and Italy is rooted in shared values and converging interests and recalled the recent meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, on the sidelines of the G20 and G7 summits.

    “Our strategic partnership is founded on shared values and converging interests, as reflected in multilateral platforms such as the G20. As the Ambassador mentioned, our Prime Ministers met at both the G20 and G7 summits, and our collaboration continues through initiatives like the IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), the Global Biofuels Alliance, the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, the International Solar Alliance, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.”

    He added, “Our bilateral relations have gained momentum following the adoption of the Joint Strategic Action Plan for 2025–29 by our Prime Ministers last November. We are optimistic that the roadmap outlined in the GASAP will yield concrete and practical outcomes for both our economies and societies.”

    Jaishankar identified trade and economic cooperation as a vital pillar of the partnership and recalled attending the India-Italy Business, Science, and Technology Forum alongside Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini.

    “Trade and economic cooperation are vital elements of our partnership. Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the India-Italy Business, Science and Tech Forum with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajani and Minister Bernini. The event brought together business leaders and representatives from universities and research centers in both countries to explore collaboration across multiple sectors. This forum also presents an opportunity to boost our bilateral trade, which currently stands at USD 15 billion annually.”

    “As the world’s fastest-growing major economy, India offers numerous opportunities for investment. Italy’s technologies and best practices in clean energy, agri-tech, logistics, and shipbuilding, among other sectors, can significantly contribute to India’s progress toward becoming a developed nation — Viksit Bharat — by 2047,” he said.

    The foreign minister also acknowledged the strong Indian diaspora in Italy and expressed confidence in the future growth of mobility for professionals and academics between the two countries.

    “The Indian diaspora in Italy is among the largest in the European Union. They are well-received and recognized for their contributions across sectors including agriculture, dairy, industry, and healthcare. We are confident that in the future, increased mobility of professionals, academics, and researchers will facilitate a greater exchange of knowledge and talent between our two countries,” Jaishankar said.

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    Today, Rep. Rick Larsen announced the launch of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge (CAC). The annual competition, which runs through Thursday, October 30, 2025, is open to high school and middle school students who live in or attend school in Washington state’s 2nd congressional district.

    Students can compete in the CAC by creating an application for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, or other devices such as robotics and wearable technology. The CAC accepts any programming language, including C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or “block code.”

    “The Congressional App Competition is an opportunity for students to show off their skills,” said Rep. Larsen, whose office has participated in the CAC every year since its founding. “Northwest Washington is a leader in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for young people, and I look forward to seeing the region’s STEM creativity and talent showcased in this year’s submissions.”

    Last year’s winner, Sydney Vo from Mariner High School in Everett, designed a website and app called AccessLink to help individuals experiencing homelessness connect with resources like shelters, food banks, and more.

    Students can sign up to participate and read the full competition rules at https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration/. Students have until 9:00 a.m. PST on Thursday, October 30, 2025, to register and enter, but CAC organizers recommend students register early to receive extra support and tips.

    Rep. Larsen will announce a district winner in December and invite the winner to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Science Fair in Washington, D.C. Winning apps will be electronically displayed in the U.S. Capitol and on the CAC’s house.gov website. 

    Students and STEM educators who want to learn more about the competition should reach out to Jessica Zuleta at Jessica.Zuleta@mail.house.gov or at (425) 252-3188.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Participants of the 2nd Cross-Strait Summit on Chinese Culture Stressed the Importance of Shared Heritage, Confidence in One’s Own Culture

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — The 2nd Cross-Strait Summit on Chinese Culture opened in Beijing on Wednesday, with participants stressing the importance of deep cultural ties between compatriots on both sides of the Strait and confidence in their own culture.

    The opening ceremony was presided over by Song Tao, Director of the CPC Central Committee Office for Work with Taiwan and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

    He expressed the hope that Taiwanese cultural figures, together with representatives from the mainland, will guide the efforts of Taiwanese compatriots to protect the great good of the Chinese nation, strengthen their confidence in their own culture, resolutely oppose separatist activities to gain “Taiwan independence” and external interference, and advance the cause of national reunification.

    Hong Xiuzhu, former Kuomintang Party chairwoman and chairwoman of the Taiwan-based China Qingyan Peace and Education Foundation, delivered a speech in which she drew attention to the shared cultural heritage across the Taiwan Strait.

    She proposed to jointly preserve Chinese classics, promote traditional culture and develop cultural industries. According to her, by leveraging the rich cultural heritage and modern creative potential, the two banks can enhance the global presence of Chinese culture and deepen its international influence.

    The summit included a main forum, where representatives of cultural and academic circles delivered keynote speeches on the joint development of Chinese culture. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China-Central Asia Forum “Governance and Sustainable Development” Opens in Almaty

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ALMATY, May 28 (Xinhua) — The China-Central Asia Forum on Governance and Sustainable Development opened in the Kazakh city of Almaty on Wednesday, with about 100 representatives from government departments, universities and enterprises from China and Kazakhstan attending the event.

    The forum was organized by Lanzhou University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University /KazNU/.

    Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty Jiang Wei stated in her keynote speech that on the path of great national revival, China and the Central Asian countries have the same ideas, similar goals and interrelated interests. They should deepen the exchange of experience in public administration and sustainable development, work together, complement each other’s strengths and achieve common development. According to Jiang Wei, China fully respects the independent aspirations of the Central Asian countries for modernization and is ready to share development experience with them as sincerely as possible.

    Vice-president of Lanzhou University Sha Yongzhong pointed out that interconnectedness and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, is a historical choice for achieving prosperity and development in the region, and knowledge cooperation opens up new space for expanding cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the spirit of “connected hearts.” Sha Yongzhong called such cooperation an important content and engine for promoting scientific and technological innovation and building a community with a shared future for China and Central Asia.

    KazNU Vice-Rector for Financial and Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Development Abdrakhman Tasybayev noted that the forum is an important platform for expanding exchanges and cooperation between Kazakhstan and China. As he emphasized, various topics discussed at the forum largely correspond to the topics of national strategic development.

    At the forum, experts and scholars from China and Kazakhstan will hold friendly, substantive discussions on four main topics: environmental governance, digital development, poverty alleviation, and regional cooperation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Remarks to press following bilateral with Nepal MFA Deuba

    Source: New Zealand Government

    [Remarks during press engagement in Kathmandu with the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr Rana Deuba, Kathmandu, Nepal]

    Thank you Foreign Minister Deuba for the warm welcome to Nepal.

    We are very pleased to be here on this historic occasion; the first visit by a New Zealand Foreign Minister to Nepal and, tomorrow, the 72nd anniversary of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary’s summit of Mount Everest Sagarmāthā.

    Norgay and Hillary’s achievement in 1953 was a watershed moment in the histories of both of our countries, and a formative event in the bilateral relations between our countries.

    The legacy of that shared history continues today, and is reflected in our long-standing, warm relationship.

    With Minister Deuba, we discussed New Zealand’s support for over 70 years to the Himalayan Trust established by Hillary to support development and education in the Everest region.

    We also discussed our long-standing development and education ties. Beginning with assistance under the Colombo Plan and supported under a number of different scholarship initiatives since, Nepalese students have been studying in New Zealand for more than 70 years. Education cooperation is a strong strand of our bilateral relationship, and one which we will continue to nurture.

    We were pleased to confirm that New Zealand will continue this support by contributing NZ$2.5 million to development projects and scholarships in Nepal over the next three years.

    We acknowledged Nepal’s positive contribution to climate action and noted that Nepal is able to draw on New Zealand’s NZ$15 million contribution to the Global Green Growth Institute.

    Earlier today we were pleased to also meet President Paudel and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

    In these meetings we reiterated our shared interests in regional and global security and acknowledged Nepal’s significant troop contribution to UN peacekeeping.

    We discussed New Zealand’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the importance of working together to uphold the rules-based international system.

    We also discussed the multiple pressures on the global trade and economic system, and ways we can strengthen bilateral cooperation.

    We spoke of our ambition to have an Air Services Agreement between New Zealand and Nepal in place in the near future to support the growth of tourism and trade. 

    The New Zealand Government is committed to bringing more energy to our relationships in South and Southeast Asia, and we are pleased to count Nepal amongst our most long-standing relationships in the region.

    Thank you once again to Foreign Minister Deuba, the government, and the people of Nepal for your generous hosting of our delegation, and for continuing our friendly and constructive relationship.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Updated Risk Management Framework Supports Success of Marine Energy Devices

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL’s hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis (HERO) wave energy converter (WEC) is seen anchored off Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina. This is NREL’s first marine-powered desalination device to weather ocean waters. Photo by John McCord / Coastal Studies Institute

    The life of a wave energy converter (WEC) may sound idyllic—bobbing on ocean waves all day or swaying underwater, quietly generating electricity for the people living and working near shore.

    But in reality, it takes a lot of careful planning for salt water and electronics to achieve that perceived state of bliss. And that is where a robust risk management plan can find ways to make that pairing work.

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework gives marine energy researchers and developers a comprehensive process to break down their approach and any variables that may impede or accelerate their success. The tool includes technical components, environmental conditions, funding sources, staffing, stakeholder support, deployment permits, and more.

    With a greater understanding of each factor and its underlying components, the framework enables groups to better manage uncertainties (both positive and negative) and develop effective contingency plans.

    “You might have one little vulnerable part that costs 10 cents to buy, like an O-ring, but the effects of it failing might be a $1 million loss because it leads to water entering a sealed chamber,” said David Snowberg, NREL engineer and lead author on the report. “That kind of information is useful to know early on.”

    Calculating the Odds

    The revised framework includes a new template for assessing failure modes, their effects, and their potential causes, which are prioritized through a criticality analysis. This free, public tool can help organizations prioritize their investments while minimizing potential damage and costs.

    Senior mechanical engineer David Snowberg (left) leads a tour of the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology facility for Colorado state representatives in 2022. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    “A risk register provides a structured approach for managing all sources of uncertainty that might impact your objectives,” Snowberg added. “That uncertainty can also be opportunities where potential unknowns become benefits to your project. A risk register can help you manage both those positive and negative uncertainties.”

    He emphasized that it is critical to consider more than just the technical components of a project. Human aspects, such as stakeholder support, are equally important factors in the overall success and timeline of a project.

    “Ignoring risks is rarely a good approach,” said Scott Jenne, NREL ‘s marine energy desalination lead. “They usually come back and cause greater problems than if you had dealt with them early on.”

    Using the marine energy risk management framework, people can identify risks, analyze them, and then plan a response. This cycle continues throughout the course of a project so that groups have a responsive, adaptable way to monitor and manage any type of uncertainty that they encounter.

    Putting It Into Practice

    At NREL, Snowberg is working through the framework with Jenne and the team that designed and built the hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis WEC (HERO WEC), a wave-powered desalination device that has gone through extensive laboratory testing and five ocean installations in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. 

    “The HERO WEC is able to desalinate seawater using either the hydraulic configuration or the electric configuration—so it has two different energy conversion systems that can be swapped out based on the specific area of research the team is focusing on, which makes it at least twice as complicated as it would be otherwise,” Snowberg said.

    Having worked through multiple designs since 2020, Jenne noted, “The complexity increases due to the need to integrate two unique conversion systems on the same device and the fact that you’ve added more things that depend on each other.”

    The hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis (HERO) wave energy converter (WEC) device preparing for its ocean deployment at the Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University Outer Banks Campus. Photo by Andrew Simms, NREL

    For a device like the HERO WEC, it is not just about basic functionality—survivability is also a key priority. What would it need to survive a 1-in-50-year storm? And what types of conditions would that storm create, from waves and winds to currents and surf?

    “The marine environment is harsh,” Snowberg said. “Getting things to survive the corrosion, the biofouling, and everything out there is challenging.”

    The HERO WEC team is currently redesigning the second version of the device and leveraging the risk management framework throughout their process—helping them apply lessons learned to build on past successes and steer clear of previous challenges.

    “It’s really important that we design HERO WEC to be highly survivable and reliable,” Jenne said. “Having this framework is a critical tool for us to be able to evaluate what might go wrong before we build another physical model.”

    Since the development of the original framework 10 years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office has worked closely with NREL to incorporate key components and uphold specific requirements for projects with open water testing that they support.

    Snowberg emphasized that the risk management processes are tools for success, meant to meet people where they are at and provide guidance at any stage of project development.

    “If you can manage the uncertainty of your project in a way that you see those benefits, then it’s something you’ll be motivated to continue doing,” Snowberg said. “I’ve been at NREL for 15 years, and managing risks to help support marine energy has been the most fulfilling and rewarding type of project that I’ve worked on because it has the most tangible impact.”

    With these concrete tools in hand, WPTO and NREL can help pave the way for the marine energy industry to find clearer, quicker paths to success.

    Co-authors on the Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework include Ritu Treisa Philip, NREL mechanical engineer, and Jochem Weber, chief engineer of NREL’s Water Power program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Releases $30 Million for Infrastructure Improvements in 46 Small Towns

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is releasing $30 million in state grants to 46 small towns in Connecticut that will be used to complete a wide variety of infrastructure improvements, such as road safety reconstruction projects, emergency management upgrades, sidewalk and pedestrian safety enhancements, educational and recreational facility upgrades, and other kinds of capital improvement projects.

    The grants are being provided through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), a state program managed by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) that delivers grants to small towns for economic development, community conservation, and quality-of-life capital projects. In addition to the grants from the state, each municipality is also contributing funds, bringing the total spent on the 48 projects to $43.4 million in a combination of state, local, and other funding sources.

    “Our small towns are an important part of what makes Connecticut such a special place to live and work,” Governor Lamont said. “By partnering with each town, we can help get these infrastructure projects completed so these towns can continue to thrive, remain competitive, attract businesses, and improve the quality of life for our residents.”

    Towns seeking funding under this current round of STEAP grants were required to submit applications to the state by February 20, 2025. Towns selected to receive grants will soon be contacted by OPM with an official award notification and further instructions. Funding to support these grants was recently approved by the State Bond Commission, a group that Governor Lamont leads as chairperson.

    The STEAP grants awarded in this round include:

    • Ashford: $400,000 in state funding is approved for the repaving of the Ashford Public Works Facility. This will be matched by $104,701 from the town.
    • Beacon Falls: $1 million in state funding is approved for Maple, Century, and Division Roadway rehabilitation and complete streets improvements. This will be matched by $927,150 from the town.
    • Berlin: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Berlin Peck Library reroofing and mechanical replacement project. This will be matched by $240,000 by the town.
    • Bolton: $427,863 in state funding is approved for Notch Road community event space. This will be matched by $89,250 from the town.
    • Branford: $1 million in state funding is approved for Town Center sidewalk improvements. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Brookfield: $545,000 in state funding is approved for Phase 1 of the Brookfield High School athletic fields renovations. This will be matched by $230,000 from the town.
    • Burlington: $255,664 in state funding is approved for the Town Hall Emergency Standby/Station 1 EMS Command Center. This will be matched by $63,916 from the town.
    • Canaan: $620,051 in state funding is approved for critical municipal infrastructure. This will be matched by $155,014 from the town.
    • Cheshire: $1 million in state funding is approved Phase II of Mixville Park improvements. This will be matched by $281,800 from the town.
    • Chester: $796,000 in state funding is approved for the infrastructure and repair of Three Local Bridges. This will be matched by $199,000 from the town.
    • Clinton: $543,600 in state funding is approved for the Clinton Public Works and Emergency Management Building. This will be matched by $135,900 from the town.
    • Colchester: $900,000 in state funding is approved for Lebanon Avenue Airline Trail Head and Mill Street streetscape improvements. This will be matched by $220,000 from the town.
    • Colebrook: $412,739.02 in state funding is approved for municipal roads and parking lot renovations. This will be matched by $103,184.76 from the town.
    • Durham: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Shady Lane reconstruction. This will be matched by $270,000 from the town.
    • Essex: $1 million in state funding is approved for Phase II of the Essex Public Works Campus Improvements. This will be matched by $1 million from the town.
    • Fairfield: $601,170 in state funding is approved for the repaving of Phase 2 of the Reef Road pedestrian improvements. This will be matched by $150,292 from the town.
    • Farmington: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Tunxis Mead Improvement Plan. This will be matched by $502,000 from the town.
    • Franklin: $100,000 in state funding is approved for the Franklin Elementary School/Emergency Shelter Generator Engineering and Acquisition. This will be matched by $20,000 from the town.
    • Granby: $579,825 in state funding is approved for the Salmon Brook Park Connector and Auxiliary Parking. This will be matched by $117,000 from the town.
    • Hampton: $500,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Windham Road. This will be matched by $220,000 from the town.
    • Ledyard: $892,888.10 in state funding is approved for the Town Playground Improvement Project. This will be matched by $179,000 from the town.
    • Litchfield: $500,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Wigwam Road. This will be matched by $873,190 from the town.
    • New Canaan: $300,000 in state funding is approved for Phase 2 improvements to Waveny Park Playground. This will be matched by $325,000 from the town, and $150,000 from the Friends of Waveny Playground.
    • Newington: $485,610.60 in state funding is approved for the Candlewyck Park Inclusive Playground. This will be matched by $121,365 from the town.
    • New Milford: $1 million in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Merryall Road. This will be matched by $316,192 from the town.
    • Newtown: $600,000 in state funding is approved for the Newtown Community Center Splash Pad and Storage Facility. This will be matched by $573,000 from the town, and $48,000 from community donations.
    • North Branford: $1 million in state funding is approved Edward Smith Library HVAC Improvements. This will be matched by $850,000 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $76,800 in state funding is approved for Transfer Station Permanent Pads. This will be matched by $19,200 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $66,721.39 in state funding is approved for North Stonington Education Center Meeting Space Upgrade. This will be matched by $16,680.35 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $479,775 in state funding is approved for the improvement of Three Municipal Parking Lots and Culvert Pipe Replacement on Hangman Hill and Reutemann Road. This will be matched by $119,944 from the town.
    • Old Saybrook: $667,948 in state funding is approved for Ferry Road Soccer Field renovation. This will be matched by $222,649 from the town.
    • Orange: $600,000 in state funding is approved for parking lot paving and guardrail replacement. This will be matched by $150,000 from the town.
    • Plainville: $672,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of recreational facilities at Charles H. Norton Park. This will be matched by $168,000 from the town.
    • Portland: $1 million in state funding is approved for Phase II of High Street Water Main Replacement and Road Reconstruction. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Preston: $450,000 in state funding is approved for Preston Community Park improvements. This will be matched by $100,000 from the town.
    • Putnam: $1 million in state funding is approved for Sports Complex improvements project. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Ridgefield: $280,640 in state funding is approved for concrete endwall replacement on Canterbury Lane. This will be matched by $102,160 from the town.
    • Roxbury: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Roxbury Volunteer Ambulance Building. This will be matched by $250,000 from the town.
    • Salem: $168,000 in state funding is approved for Salem Center Community Building upgrades. This will be matched by $34,000 from the town.
    • Salisbury: $328,000 in state funding is approved for Salisbury Recreational improvements. This will be matched by $82,000 from the town.
    • Scotland: $248,651 in state funding is approved for Municipal Safety Complex and Community Hall repairs and upgrades. This will be matched by $27,628 from the town.
    • Sharon: $1 million in state funding is approved for River Road pavement and embankment stabilization. This will be matched by $700,000 from the town.
    • Shelton: $1 million in state funding is approved for public facility and recreational enhancements. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Sherman: $230,000 in state funding is approved to repair and renovate the Scouthouse. This will be matched by $46,000 from the town.
    • Somers: $191,224 in state funding is approved for the Connor’s Place Playground resurfacing. This will be matched by $47,806 from the town.
    • Union: $120,000 in state funding is approved for rehabilitation of Holland Road. This will be matched by $24,000 from the town.
    • Voluntown: $1 million in state funding is approved for Congdon Road Improvements. This will be matched by $250,000 from the town.
    • Westport: $1 million in state funding is approved for replacement of the Cross Highway Bridge over Deadman Brook. This will be matched by $1,130,154 from the town, and $619,846 from LoCIP funding.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Names New State Health Director

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Names New State Health Director

    NCDHHS Names New State Health Director
    jawerner

    Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, a distinguished physician, professor and public health champion, has been appointed as State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and will begin his duties on Monday, June 2, 2025. He is widely recognized for his commitment to high-quality care for medically and socially complex patients, his leadership in medical education and his pioneering work to improve mental health and addiction services.

    “Dr. Greenblatt is an innovator and public health advocate with a long track record of increasing access to mental and physical health care in North Carolina,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “He has the vision and experience needed to lead our state’s public health efforts as we work to create a healthier North Carolina for all.”

    Dr. Greenblatt served for three decades as a general internist, educator and leader in Medicaid policy with Duke University Health System, earning recognition for his work to integrate behavioral health and addiction services into primary care.

    Since 2008, Dr. Greenblatt has led Duke’s Medicaid Network, first as Northern Piedmont Community Care, which was part of the statewide Community Care of North Carolina network. He continued as Medical Director of Duke’s Clinically Integrated Network under Medicaid transformation in 2021. This well-run network serves 100,000 Medicaid enrollees and supports dozens of practices.

    “I am honored to be chosen for this important role in improving the health and well-being of the more than 11 million North Carolinians that call this great state home,” said Dr. Greenblatt. “As a physician and educator, I know the value of making sure every person has access to mental and physical health care when they need it and in the setting that is most appropriate for them.”

    In 2012, he launched one of the nation’s first academic initiatives to promote safe opioid prescribing and expand treatment for opioid use disorder. He also served as Chair of the NC Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Secretary of the NC Medicaid Physician Advisory Group. As a long-time advocate for improved mental health care, Dr. Greenblatt has co-led the Durham Crisis Collaborative and actively contributed to local substance use and mental health planning efforts.

    El Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, un distinguido médico, profesor y defensor de la salud pública, ha sido nombrado director de salud del estado y director médico del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte y comenzará sus funciones el lunes 2 de junio de 2025. Es ampliamente reconocido por su compromiso con la atención de alta calidad para pacientes médica y socialmente complejos, su liderazgo en educación médica y su trabajo pionero para mejorar los servicios de salud mental y adicción.

    “El Dr. Greenblatt es un innovador y defensor de la salud pública con un largo historial de aumentar el acceso a la atención de la salud mental y física en Carolina del Norte”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Tiene la visión y la experiencia necesarias para liderar los esfuerzos de salud pública de nuestro estado mientras trabajamos para crear una Carolina del Norte más saludable para todos”.

    El Dr. Greenblatt se desempeñó durante tres décadas como internista general, educador y líder en políticas de Medicaid con el Sistema de Salud de la Universidad de Duke, obteniendo reconocimiento por su trabajo para integrar los servicios de salud conductual y adicción en la atención primaria.

    Desde 2008, el Dr. Greenblatt ha dirigido la red de Medicaid de Duke, primero como Atención Comunitaria del Norte de Piedmont (Northern Piedmont Community Care), que formaba parte de la red estatal de Atención Comunitaria de Carolina del Norte (Community Care of North Carolina). Continuó como director médico de la Red Clínicamente Integrada de Duke bajo la transformación de Medicaid en 2021. Esta red bien administrada sirve a 100,000 miembros de Medicaid y apoya docenas de prácticas.

    “Me siento honrado de ser elegido para este importante papel en la mejora de la salud y el bienestar de los más de 11 millones de habitantes de Carolina del Norte que llaman hogar a este gran estado”, dijo el Dr. Greenblatt. “Como médico y educador, sé el valor de asegurarme de que cada persona tenga acceso a la atención de salud mental y física cuando la necesite y en el entorno que sea más apropiado para ellos”.

    En 2012, lanzó una de las primeras iniciativas académicas del país para promover la prescripción segura de opioides y ampliar el tratamiento para el trastorno por uso de opioides. También se desempeñó como presidente del Comité de Farmacia y Terapéutica de NC Medicaid y secretario del Grupo Asesor de Médicos de NC Medicaid. Como defensor desde hace mucho tiempo de una mejor atención de la salud mental, el Dr. Greenblatt ha codirigido la colaborativa de crisis de Durham (Durham Crisis Collaborative) y ha contribuido activamente a los esfuerzos locales de planificación del uso de sustancias y la salud mental.

    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina

    New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina
    jawerner

    Credentialed media are invited to a symposium highlighting the life-saving impact Medicaid expansion and the Healthy Opportunities Pilots are having on the health and well-being of North Carolinians on Friday, May 30 at 9 a.m. at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

    The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina will present new research about the programs, including rural health outcomes, economic impact and services people are receiving.

    Since Medicaid expansion began in 2023, more than 650,000 newly eligible North Carolinians have gained access to affordable health care through Medicaid expansion, including veterans and workers in child care, construction, hospitality, home health care and other industries essential to the state. Including those covered through Medicaid expansion, NC Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to more than 1 in 4 North Carolinians: more than 3 million children, older adults, people living with disabilities and other working adults.  

    Additionally, the innovative first of its kind Healthy Opportunities Pilots in North Carolina have been described as a “life changer” for thousands of North Carolina families. Healthy Opportunities addresses people’s social needs with services like food, housing, transportation and assistance related to interpersonal violence and toxic stress. The program proves the best way to lower health care costs and create healthier communities is to reduce the need for medical care in the first place. Additionally, the state is seeing $1,020 in annual health care costs savings per Healthy Opportunities enrollee, and stronger local economies that are supported by local businesses from family farms to home repair.

    The event will bring together community leaders, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers to explore the evolving landscape of Medicaid in North Carolina. 

    What: Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Symposium

    Who: Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NCDHHS
                Jay Ludlam, Deputy Secretary for NC Medicaid, NCDHHS
                Mark Holmes, PhD, Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC 
                Seth Berkowitz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, UNC
                Sandra Greene, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC 
                Marisa Domino, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Health Information and Research, ASU
                Valerie Lewis, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and Management, UNC 
                Nancy Messonnier, MD, Dean of Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC
                Christopher Shea, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC

    When: Friday, May 30
                   9 – 11:45 a.m.
                   Presentations from 9 – 11:15 a.m.
                   Audience and Media Q&A from 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.  

    Where: NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Nature Research Center
                    121 W Jones St.
                    Raleigh, NC 27601

    Media: Credentialed media are invited. Please RSVP to news@dhhs.nc.gov if you are planning to attend.

    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Department of Justice Takes Action to Enforce Title IX in California to Protect Girls’ Sports

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RIVERSIDE, California – The Justice Department today sent letters of legal notice to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and the Jurupa Unified School District, that it is opening an investigation to determine whether Title IX, a landmark federal civil rights law, is being violated by AB 1266, a state law permitting males to participate on female sports teams at state schools.

    The investigation is to determine whether California, its senior legal, educational, and athletic organizations, and the school district are engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of sex.

    The letters of legal notice were sent at the time the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by and on behalf of girls’ athletes to advance the appropriate interpretation of Title IX to ensure equal educational opportunities and prevent discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools and athletic programs.

    The statement of interest is part of a national effort by the President, the Attorney General, and the Justice Department to oppose the deprivation of women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.

    “Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education.  It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “This Division will aggressively defend women’s hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities.”

    “The law is clear: Discrimination on the basis of sex is illegal and immoral,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “My office and the rest of the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect girls’ sports and stop anyone – public officials included – from violating women’s civil rights.” 

    According to the allegations in the lawsuit, Save Girls’ Sports, et al. v. Thurmond, et al., AB 1266 – passed by the California State Legislature and codified in the California Education Code – conflicts with Title IX. AB 1266 unlawfully permits males to participate on female sports teams and to use female spaces, resulting in unfair and unsafe environments for women and girls.

    The lawsuit alleges that this California statute “is harming hundreds – if not thousands – of female students by removing opportunities for female athletes to be champions in their own sports, robbing them of podium positions and awards, and creating unsafe and intimidating environments in their bathrooms and locker rooms.”

    The plaintiffs include K.S., a ninth-grade female cross-country athlete and T.S., an 11th-grade female cross-country athlete and team captain, both of whom attend Martin Luther King High School in Riverside. 

    T.S. was removed from her position of the girls’ varsity cross-country team to make room for a biological male athlete who did not consistently attend practices and failed to satisfy many of the team’s varsity eligibility requirements. As a result, T.S. missed the opportunity to compete at a high-profile meet, lost the right to compete on the varsity level, and missed the opportunity to compete with elite fellow athletes to be recruited by universities and receive other forms of recognition.

    The biological male who replaced T.S. on the girls’ varsity cross-country team recently had transferred from another local high school after breaking that school’s all-time cross-country record for the girls’ cross-country team.

    The lawsuit further alleges that the Riverside Unified School District, Martin Luther King High School’s principal, and its assistant principal and athletic director violated the constitutional rights of T.S. and K.S. when it ordered them to stop wearing t-shirts protesting T.S.’s removal from the team. 

    The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief related to the defendants’ speech policy and rules governing participating in girls’ sports.

    Assistant United States Attorney Richard Park of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section is handling this matter.

    To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov or call toll-free at (800) 253-3931. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Whisky’s ‘water of life’: Scottish distiller turns to science amid historic dry spell Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Glenlivet landscape dams

    Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.
    Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are leading a project funded by Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and maker of Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal to develop innovative nature-based solutions that could help to mitigate water scarcity but also slow down water run-off following rapid downpours.
    The issue has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issuing country-wide alerts for low water levels. The dry soil a long dry spell leaves in its wake can repel water rather than letting it soak in as damp soil would, meaning it is harder to hold water when and where it is most needed.
    In areas like Speyside – home to half Scotland’s malt distillers – ensuring a continuous water supply, both now and in the future, is essential as temporary closures can cost the industry millions of pounds.
    Chivas Brothers is funding new research led by the University of Aberdeen and working with the James Hutton Institute, following a successful project in 2022 which focused on The Glenlivet distillery.
    There the team demonstrated the benefits of a series of small leaky dams installed in channels to slow water flow by holding the water in that location in temporary mini reservoirs. This allows it to soak into the subsurface so that more water is available at times when it is needed.
    The new research will broaden the geographic scope of the project across Speyside and explore a wider range of possible nature-based solutions for water management.
    Project lead Dr Josie Geris, a lecturer in hydrology at the University of Aberdeen, said the techniques they are investigating, including soil and vegetation management, could bring benefits beyond the whisky industry as around three percent of people living in Scotland rely on vulnerable private water supplies.
    “First, we will take a comprehensive look at data gathered from across Speyside and carry out detailed monitoring at The Glenlivet and two other distillery sites to develop understanding of how surface water and groundwater are connected, and how this varies across the different locations.” she added.
    “This will help us to assess how resilient different water resources in Speyside are to drought and to understand what causes certain water resources to be more vulnerable whether it is driven by geology, land use or other issues.
    “We will then use modelling to help future planning and our understanding of which nature-based solutions might work best where to mitigate water scarcity across the region.”
    The research team, which also includes Dr Mark Wilkinson (James Hutton Institute), Dr Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers) Dr Jean-Christophe Comte, and PhD student Jennifer Pirie (University of
    Aberdeen), will investigate a range of techniques at The Glenlivet, Glenburgie and Aberlour distilleries.
    PhD student Jennifer Pirie, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “The techniques used successfully at Glenlivet cannot be applied everywhere and so we are looking at a range of measures to improve water availability in different environments.
    “What works best where will depend on local site characteristics, like the geology and soil properties, and so it is vital we build this understanding and knowledge.”
    As well as drought conditions, the techniques the team will use could also help with flooding and are applicable to other environmental issues such as improvements to carbon storage, water quality and biodiversity.
    Dr Mark Wilkinson, from the James Hutton Institute, said: “There is significant interest from diverse stakeholders for these ‘green solutions’ to environmental problems and the project is designed to share insights and to develop a toolkit of options for different environments and users.”
    Ronald Daalmans, Sustainability Director at Chivas Brothers, said: “This important work will help inform the whisky sector on how it can adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change for this critical resource. It forms part of a wider programme, called The River Within, which aims to support river restoration and enhancement in North-East Scotland.”
    In addition to supporting research projects, Chivas Brothers’ The River Within, a long-term programme in partnership with three Scottish river trusts – the Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, and the Spey Catchment Initiative – aims to support the delivery of habitat restoration projects to ultimately preserve, protect and improve the health of Scotland’s rivers and waterways.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces Agenda, Panelists for Roundtable on Crypto DeFi

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force has announced the agenda and panelists for its June 9 roundtable, “DeFi and the American Spirit.”

    “DeFi exemplifies the promise of crypto, as it allows people to interact without intermediaries,” said Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, head of the Crypto Task Force. “I look forward to learning from the panelists about how we can create a regulatory environment in which DeFi can thrive.”

    The roundtable, announced in March as part of a series, will be held at the SEC’s headquarters at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The event will be open to the public and webcast live on the SEC’s website. Doors will open at 12 p.m.

    For online attendance, registration is not necessary; a link to watch the event will be available on June 9 on www.sec.gov. For in-person attendance, please register here.

    Attendees will be able to pose questions to the panelists during a townhall portion of the event, or by emailing crypto@sec.gov during the event.

    To learn more about the Crypto Task Force and the roundtable topics, please visit the Crypto Task Force webpage.

    Agenda

    1:00 p.m. –

    1:30 p.m.

    Opening/Welcome Remarks from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:

    • Richard B. Gabbert, Chief of Staff, Crypto Task Force
    • Chairman Paul S. Atkins
    • Commissioner Caroline A. Crenshaw
    • Commissioner Mark T. Uyeda
    • Commissioner Hester M. Peirce

    1:30 p.m. –

    3:00 p.m.

    Roundtable: DeFi and the American Spirit

    Moderator:

    • Troy Paredes, Paredes Strategies LLC

    Panelists:

    • Jill Gunter, Espresso Systems
    • Michael Jordan, DBA
    • Omid Malekan, Columbia Business School
    • Michael Mosier, Arktouros
    • Rebecca Rettig, Jito
    • Gabe Shapiro, MetaLeX
    • Peter Van Valkenburgh, Coin Center
    • Erik Voorhees, Venice AI
    • Kevin Werbach, Wharton School

    3:00 p.m. –

    3:30 p.m.

    Break

    3:30p.m. –

    4:55 p.m.

    Town Hall

    4:55 p.m. –

    5 p.m.

    Closing Remarks:

    • Commissioner Hester M. Peirce

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Gala concert dedicated to friendship between China and Uzbekistan held in Tashkent

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Tashkent, May 28 /Xinhua/ — A gala concert “Dance of the Sea and Land. Fragrant Tea on the Great Silk Road” dedicated to the friendship between China and Uzbekistan was recently held in Tashkent with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province /East China/ and the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (TSUOS).

    The event was attended by representatives of the embassy and the department, the rector of TSU and more than 700 cultural figures, media representatives and universities.

    Artists of the Fujian Opera and Dance Theatre, together with artists of the State Philharmonic of Uzbekistan, members of the Wushu Federation of Uzbekistan and the Children’s Dance Ensemble “Asal” of the “Barkamol Avlod” school, performed vibrant traditional dances, folk music and martial arts numbers, personifying the harmonious unity of Chinese and Uzbek cultures.

    Before the concert, guests were introduced to traditional Chinese culture in the interactive zones “Tea Unites the World” and “Hello, China!” They tasted tea, learned the art of paper cutting and tried on flower hairpins. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –