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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Probationary license issued to child-care program

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University

    American gospel singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar on stage in 1957. Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    I’ve been playing a 1963 Maton FyrByrd guitar since I was 14 years old. It’s Australian designed and made with the unique sharkbite body, and pickups named cool, midway and hi-fi.

    With only 1,160 of this model produced between 1962 and 1965, it’s a rarity. But so too is its provenance. In lieu of jewellery, cabinet crystal or other family heirlooms, I inherited my mother’s electric guitar.

    The electric guitar is synonymous with rock’n’roll genres emerging from the 1950s. It’s also become one of the most potent icons of masculine heroism in popular music culture. Stereotypical imagery circulates around riffs, shredding and posturing.

    The wailing guitar solo has become a signature feature of virtuosity, a spotlight of grandeur setting the male guitarist apart from the band with a distinctive textural line.

    These characteristics mean the electric guitar takes up space – something traditionally associated with masculine performance.

    But the paradox about the gendering of “the axe” is that a leading, stylistic founder was a woman – and many follow in her footsteps today.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe

    The guitar has been an important instrument of music making for centuries, but the 1930s marked the invention of the electric guitar.

    Amplifying the guitar produced its distinctive feature: the capacity for sustain. This enabled sounds to siren out, dive and waver – often at high volume.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe emerged alongside the electrification of the guitar.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe photographed in November 1957.
    Henry How/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

    Her style developed over four decades from the 1930s to 1960s with fluid fretboard prowess and a percussive right hand, leaning into the hover of distortion. Tharpe influenced big names of contemporary music such as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

    Audiences loved her.

    However, a woman (also queer, and a person of colour) “owning” the electric guitar challenged the patriarchal music industry who tended to frame her as a singer, rather than a prolific instrumentalist.

    DIY learning systems

    While stereotypes such as “masculine” taking up space might help to explain a lack of women and gender diverse electric guitarists (and indeed other instrumentalists in rock tropes), their absence also stems from the way that skills are developed and subsequently valued.

    In rock and punk music, learning to play often comes via friendship groups where knowledge is passed around and learnt using do-it-yourself (DIY) methods.

    These processes are often associated with rites of passage into adulthood.

    But these social networks are also gendered. Women and gender diverse people are often excluded from informal channels that create opportunities, or relegated to support roles, a reflection of mainstream ideas that set “women’s roles” to passive. This starts from a young age.

    My research (to be published) shows that, for those who do pick up a guitar, DIY (and punk sentiment) is an effective tool to circumvent social barriers to skill acquisition.

    Yet women and gender diverse guitarists are constantly compared to a male cannon of music history, scrutinised as an exception, but rarely exceptional.

    Gendered divisions of labour that see women carry a greater weight of unpaid labour further impact the time available to hone a craft. These are the double gates of sexism and ageism that make becoming a music legend a masculine, middle aged, luxury.

    Despite this, a treasure trove of musical elders have distorted the way that guitar playing is historically and sentimentally wedded to masculine expertise.

    The axe in different hands

    When Joan Jett burst onto the punk scene in the 1970s with her low-slung electric guitar, she had the look and attitude of her male counterparts. But she carved a style centred on solid, rhythmic blocks, saturating accents with power chords in lieu of complex, single note techniques.

    Joan Jett plays guitar for The Runaways, Chicago 1977.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    Later, Kurt Cobain adopted a similar technique, perhaps explaining Jett’s appearance in Nirvana’s recent 30th album anniversary special.

    In subcultural spaces, artists like Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama from Japanese cult band the 5, 6, 7, 8s, now in her mid 70s, shape-shifts her way through a range of genre bending musical statements that challenge stereotypical guitar playing with signature guitar pedals, and joyous virtuosity.

    Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama performing during the The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival in 2004.
    Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

    On her recent album tour, Kim Gordon, one of the most recognisable women in punk, now also in her 70s, ditched her bass for the electric guitar.

    She ended her shows standing on her amp holding her guitar overhead. She’s doing what she’s always done: querying the boundaries of culture tropes, cementing her iconic status.

    These artists and countless others challenge expectations of gender via the symbolism projected through the electric guitar.

    And they go a step further in rejecting pressures for older women to be sidelined.

    Kim Gordon as a member of the super-group Free Kitten performs in concert in Milan, 2024.
    Elena Di Vincenzo/Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

    The Australian soundscape

    Australian music culture has a rich and diverse heritage. However, the same touchstones tend to be used to produce a particular narrative about musical connoisseurship that enables (mostly) men to be elevated through to legendary status.

    It’s annoying. Because in the context of rock guitar playing, the local talent pool is extensive. Current stars Courtney Barnett, Erica Dunn, and emerging musicians like Jaybird Bryne represent a legacy to the work of artists such as Suze DeMarchi, Orianthi, Adalita, Barb Waters and Sarah McLeod, all sharing commercial success as guitarists.

    They sit alongside well-established independent artists really stretching the sonic parameters of the electric guitar in DIY/punk traditions including Penny Ikinger, Lisa Mackinney, Sarah Hardiman, Claire Birchall, Bonnie Mercer and Sarah Blaby.

    Moving past the musical bias of the great, white, male not only expands our sonic palettes – it might also help us to rethink the limitations of binary gender roles more broadly. This means querying cultural inheritances like the axe, re-imagining who an elder might be, and embracing what they sound like.

    Janelle K Johnstone receives funding from Creative Victoria and the Australia Council.

    – ref. From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender – https://theconversation.com/from-sister-rosetta-tharpe-to-ronnie-yoshiko-fujiyama-how-electric-guitarists-challenge-expectations-of-gender-254704

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University

    American gospel singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar on stage in 1957. Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    I’ve been playing a 1963 Maton FyrByrd guitar since I was 14 years old. It’s Australian designed and made with the unique sharkbite body, and pickups named cool, midway and hi-fi.

    With only 1,160 of this model produced between 1962 and 1965, it’s a rarity. But so too is its provenance. In lieu of jewellery, cabinet crystal or other family heirlooms, I inherited my mother’s electric guitar.

    The electric guitar is synonymous with rock’n’roll genres emerging from the 1950s. It’s also become one of the most potent icons of masculine heroism in popular music culture. Stereotypical imagery circulates around riffs, shredding and posturing.

    The wailing guitar solo has become a signature feature of virtuosity, a spotlight of grandeur setting the male guitarist apart from the band with a distinctive textural line.

    These characteristics mean the electric guitar takes up space – something traditionally associated with masculine performance.

    But the paradox about the gendering of “the axe” is that a leading, stylistic founder was a woman – and many follow in her footsteps today.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe

    The guitar has been an important instrument of music making for centuries, but the 1930s marked the invention of the electric guitar.

    Amplifying the guitar produced its distinctive feature: the capacity for sustain. This enabled sounds to siren out, dive and waver – often at high volume.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe emerged alongside the electrification of the guitar.

    Sister Rosetta Tharpe photographed in November 1957.
    Henry How/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

    Her style developed over four decades from the 1930s to 1960s with fluid fretboard prowess and a percussive right hand, leaning into the hover of distortion. Tharpe influenced big names of contemporary music such as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

    Audiences loved her.

    However, a woman (also queer, and a person of colour) “owning” the electric guitar challenged the patriarchal music industry who tended to frame her as a singer, rather than a prolific instrumentalist.

    DIY learning systems

    While stereotypes such as “masculine” taking up space might help to explain a lack of women and gender diverse electric guitarists (and indeed other instrumentalists in rock tropes), their absence also stems from the way that skills are developed and subsequently valued.

    In rock and punk music, learning to play often comes via friendship groups where knowledge is passed around and learnt using do-it-yourself (DIY) methods.

    These processes are often associated with rites of passage into adulthood.

    But these social networks are also gendered. Women and gender diverse people are often excluded from informal channels that create opportunities, or relegated to support roles, a reflection of mainstream ideas that set “women’s roles” to passive. This starts from a young age.

    My research (to be published) shows that, for those who do pick up a guitar, DIY (and punk sentiment) is an effective tool to circumvent social barriers to skill acquisition.

    Yet women and gender diverse guitarists are constantly compared to a male cannon of music history, scrutinised as an exception, but rarely exceptional.

    Gendered divisions of labour that see women carry a greater weight of unpaid labour further impact the time available to hone a craft. These are the double gates of sexism and ageism that make becoming a music legend a masculine, middle aged, luxury.

    Despite this, a treasure trove of musical elders have distorted the way that guitar playing is historically and sentimentally wedded to masculine expertise.

    The axe in different hands

    When Joan Jett burst onto the punk scene in the 1970s with her low-slung electric guitar, she had the look and attitude of her male counterparts. But she carved a style centred on solid, rhythmic blocks, saturating accents with power chords in lieu of complex, single note techniques.

    Joan Jett plays guitar for The Runaways, Chicago 1977.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    Later, Kurt Cobain adopted a similar technique, perhaps explaining Jett’s appearance in Nirvana’s recent 30th album anniversary special.

    In subcultural spaces, artists like Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama from Japanese cult band the 5, 6, 7, 8s, now in her mid 70s, shape-shifts her way through a range of genre bending musical statements that challenge stereotypical guitar playing with signature guitar pedals, and joyous virtuosity.

    Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama performing during the The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival in 2004.
    Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

    On her recent album tour, Kim Gordon, one of the most recognisable women in punk, now also in her 70s, ditched her bass for the electric guitar.

    She ended her shows standing on her amp holding her guitar overhead. She’s doing what she’s always done: querying the boundaries of culture tropes, cementing her iconic status.

    These artists and countless others challenge expectations of gender via the symbolism projected through the electric guitar.

    And they go a step further in rejecting pressures for older women to be sidelined.

    Kim Gordon as a member of the super-group Free Kitten performs in concert in Milan, 2024.
    Elena Di Vincenzo/Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

    The Australian soundscape

    Australian music culture has a rich and diverse heritage. However, the same touchstones tend to be used to produce a particular narrative about musical connoisseurship that enables (mostly) men to be elevated through to legendary status.

    It’s annoying. Because in the context of rock guitar playing, the local talent pool is extensive. Current stars Courtney Barnett, Erica Dunn, and emerging musicians like Jaybird Bryne represent a legacy to the work of artists such as Suze DeMarchi, Orianthi, Adalita, Barb Waters and Sarah McLeod, all sharing commercial success as guitarists.

    They sit alongside well-established independent artists really stretching the sonic parameters of the electric guitar in DIY/punk traditions including Penny Ikinger, Lisa Mackinney, Sarah Hardiman, Claire Birchall, Bonnie Mercer and Sarah Blaby.

    Moving past the musical bias of the great, white, male not only expands our sonic palettes – it might also help us to rethink the limitations of binary gender roles more broadly. This means querying cultural inheritances like the axe, re-imagining who an elder might be, and embracing what they sound like.

    Janelle K Johnstone receives funding from Creative Victoria and the Australia Council.

    – ref. From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender – https://theconversation.com/from-sister-rosetta-tharpe-to-ronnie-yoshiko-fujiyama-how-electric-guitarists-challenge-expectations-of-gender-254704

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to the optometrist for an eye test and were told your eye was shaped like a football?

    Or perhaps you’ve noticed your vision is becoming increasingly blurry or hard to focus?

    You might be among the 40% of people in the world who live with astigmatism.

    What causes astigmatism?

    The eye acts like a camera, capturing light through the front surface (the cornea) and focusing it onto the “film” at the back of the eye (retina).

    To get a clear picture, the eyeball and all of its surfaces (cornea, lens and retina) have to meet certain specifications of size and shape.

    Otherwise, vision can appear blurred and out-of-focus, known as “refractive error”.

    Astigmatism (uh-STIG-muh-tiz-um) is a type of refractive error where one or more of the eye’s surfaces are not smooth and/or round. It is broadly classified into two types: regular and irregular.

    Regular astigmatism is the most common. It typically comes from changes in the shape of the cornea. Instead of being round, it is more oval, like a football or an egg. We don’t fully understand why some people develop regular astigmatism, but it’s partly due to genetics.

    Irregular astigmatism is rarer. It occurs when a part of the cornea is no longer smooth (from scarring or growths on the cornea), or its shape has changed in an uneven or asymmetrical way.

    Eye conditions such as keratoconus – where the cornea weakens over time and becomes cone-like in shape – causes irregular astigmatism.

    If the cornea is no longer round or smooth, light entering the eye is scattered across the retina. This can cause blurry or distorted vision, reduced sensitivity to contrast, shadows or double vision and increased sensitivity to bright lights.

    Is astigmatism a new condition?

    In 1727, Sir Isaac Newton was the first to describe the physics of how an irregular surface might affect the focus of light passing through it.

    This was followed in 1800 by Thomas Young, a scientist who had astigmatism and described how it affected his vision in a lecture.

    In 1825, Sir George Airy, an astronomer who also had astigmatism, discovered he could see more clearly when he tilted his glasses on an angle. He became the first person to suggest using cylindrical lenses to correct for astigmatism. These are still used today.

    The name “astigmatism” came last, coined by William Whewell in 1846. The name was derived from Greek: “a-” (“without”), and “stigma” (“a mark/spot”), literally translating as “without a point”, referring to the lack of a single, clear focal point of vision.

    How is astigmatism measured?

    Optometrists usually detect and measure regular astigmatism during refraction, when they place different lenses in front of the eye to determine a spectacle prescription.

    As irregular astigmatism can involve very small rough patches or bumps, it is best seen with specialised imaging such as corneal topography. This creates a 3-dimensional map to show local bumps and irregularities on the cornea.

    I’ve got astigmatism, what do I need to know?

    Astigmatism can present at any age but becomes more common as we get older.

    You can develop astigmatism over time, and the level of astigmatism can change as well.

    With mild astigmatism, you may not notice any problems with your vision. With increasing levels of astigmatism, your vision becomes less crisp. This can lead to reduced vision, eye strain, or fatigue.

    You may need astigmatism correction to see clearly and effortlessly. Correcting astigmatism aims to compensate for the differing curvatures of the cornea, to ensure that light entering the eye focuses correctly on the retina.

    To correct regular astigmatism, cylindrical lenses compensate for each curvature in the “football”. Cylindrical lenses are prescribed as either glasses, contact lenses.

    Astigmatism can also be corrected with laser eye surgery.

    Orthokeratology (ortho-k) can also be used. This involves wearing specialised hard contact lenses overnight. These hard contact lenses temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing the wearer to be glasses-free during the day.

    To manage irregular astigmatism, it is important to treat the underlying condition causing astigmatism as well. But often, hard contact lenses are needed for clear vision during the day, as they can sit on the surface of the eye to compensate for local uneven patches in a way that glasses or soft contact lenses cannot.

    Surgery, such as corneal transplants, is also sometimes needed as a last resort to replace a damaged, misshapen cornea and manage the irregular astigmatism.

    Do I need to worry about astigmatism in my children?

    In children, if there is enough astigmatism present to cause blurred or distorted vision, it can impact their learning and development both in the classroom and during sporting activities.

    Untreated astigmatism is not dangerous, but high levels of astigmatism in young children can cause other vision problems such as “eye turns” or “lazy eye” (amblyopia).

    But don’t worry, regular eye checks with the optometrist for children (and adults as well) allows for early detection and management, when needed.

    Flora Hui works part-time in private practice as an optometrist.

    Angelina Duan works in private practice as an optometrist.

    – ref. What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-astigmatism-why-does-it-make-my-vision-blurry-and-how-did-i-get-it-256235

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to the optometrist for an eye test and were told your eye was shaped like a football?

    Or perhaps you’ve noticed your vision is becoming increasingly blurry or hard to focus?

    You might be among the 40% of people in the world who live with astigmatism.

    What causes astigmatism?

    The eye acts like a camera, capturing light through the front surface (the cornea) and focusing it onto the “film” at the back of the eye (retina).

    To get a clear picture, the eyeball and all of its surfaces (cornea, lens and retina) have to meet certain specifications of size and shape.

    Otherwise, vision can appear blurred and out-of-focus, known as “refractive error”.

    Astigmatism (uh-STIG-muh-tiz-um) is a type of refractive error where one or more of the eye’s surfaces are not smooth and/or round. It is broadly classified into two types: regular and irregular.

    Regular astigmatism is the most common. It typically comes from changes in the shape of the cornea. Instead of being round, it is more oval, like a football or an egg. We don’t fully understand why some people develop regular astigmatism, but it’s partly due to genetics.

    Irregular astigmatism is rarer. It occurs when a part of the cornea is no longer smooth (from scarring or growths on the cornea), or its shape has changed in an uneven or asymmetrical way.

    Eye conditions such as keratoconus – where the cornea weakens over time and becomes cone-like in shape – causes irregular astigmatism.

    If the cornea is no longer round or smooth, light entering the eye is scattered across the retina. This can cause blurry or distorted vision, reduced sensitivity to contrast, shadows or double vision and increased sensitivity to bright lights.

    Is astigmatism a new condition?

    In 1727, Sir Isaac Newton was the first to describe the physics of how an irregular surface might affect the focus of light passing through it.

    This was followed in 1800 by Thomas Young, a scientist who had astigmatism and described how it affected his vision in a lecture.

    In 1825, Sir George Airy, an astronomer who also had astigmatism, discovered he could see more clearly when he tilted his glasses on an angle. He became the first person to suggest using cylindrical lenses to correct for astigmatism. These are still used today.

    The name “astigmatism” came last, coined by William Whewell in 1846. The name was derived from Greek: “a-” (“without”), and “stigma” (“a mark/spot”), literally translating as “without a point”, referring to the lack of a single, clear focal point of vision.

    How is astigmatism measured?

    Optometrists usually detect and measure regular astigmatism during refraction, when they place different lenses in front of the eye to determine a spectacle prescription.

    As irregular astigmatism can involve very small rough patches or bumps, it is best seen with specialised imaging such as corneal topography. This creates a 3-dimensional map to show local bumps and irregularities on the cornea.

    I’ve got astigmatism, what do I need to know?

    Astigmatism can present at any age but becomes more common as we get older.

    You can develop astigmatism over time, and the level of astigmatism can change as well.

    With mild astigmatism, you may not notice any problems with your vision. With increasing levels of astigmatism, your vision becomes less crisp. This can lead to reduced vision, eye strain, or fatigue.

    You may need astigmatism correction to see clearly and effortlessly. Correcting astigmatism aims to compensate for the differing curvatures of the cornea, to ensure that light entering the eye focuses correctly on the retina.

    To correct regular astigmatism, cylindrical lenses compensate for each curvature in the “football”. Cylindrical lenses are prescribed as either glasses, contact lenses.

    Astigmatism can also be corrected with laser eye surgery.

    Orthokeratology (ortho-k) can also be used. This involves wearing specialised hard contact lenses overnight. These hard contact lenses temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing the wearer to be glasses-free during the day.

    To manage irregular astigmatism, it is important to treat the underlying condition causing astigmatism as well. But often, hard contact lenses are needed for clear vision during the day, as they can sit on the surface of the eye to compensate for local uneven patches in a way that glasses or soft contact lenses cannot.

    Surgery, such as corneal transplants, is also sometimes needed as a last resort to replace a damaged, misshapen cornea and manage the irregular astigmatism.

    Do I need to worry about astigmatism in my children?

    In children, if there is enough astigmatism present to cause blurred or distorted vision, it can impact their learning and development both in the classroom and during sporting activities.

    Untreated astigmatism is not dangerous, but high levels of astigmatism in young children can cause other vision problems such as “eye turns” or “lazy eye” (amblyopia).

    But don’t worry, regular eye checks with the optometrist for children (and adults as well) allows for early detection and management, when needed.

    Flora Hui works part-time in private practice as an optometrist.

    Angelina Duan works in private practice as an optometrist.

    – ref. What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-astigmatism-why-does-it-make-my-vision-blurry-and-how-did-i-get-it-256235

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    In the darkest and coldest months of the year, Tasmanians have been slogging through an election campaign no one wanted.

    It’s been a curious mix of humdrum plodding laced with cyanide levels of bitterness, with the most likely result being another hung parliament.

    How did we get here?

    It’s a long and sordid tale, but here’s the quick version.

    In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.



    Read more:
    After weeks of confusion and chaos, Tasmania heads back to the polls on July 19

    Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.

    Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.

    Trudging along the campaign trail

    The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
    Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.

    Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.

    Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.

    In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.

    A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:

    • Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)

    • Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White

    • Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin

    • and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.

    The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.

    Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.

    Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.

    A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.

    Subpar signage

    It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.

    The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.

    Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.

    Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.

    The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.

    A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.

    The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.

    There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.

    What can we expect?

    What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?

    It looks like more of the same.

    Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.

    All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.

    Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.

    If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.

    Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.

    The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.

    Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.



    Read more:
    Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll

    Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.

    If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.

    Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.

    Robert Hortle 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. Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play – https://theconversation.com/tasmania-is-limping-towards-an-election-nobody-wants-heres-the-state-of-play-260504

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    In the darkest and coldest months of the year, Tasmanians have been slogging through an election campaign no one wanted.

    It’s been a curious mix of humdrum plodding laced with cyanide levels of bitterness, with the most likely result being another hung parliament.

    How did we get here?

    It’s a long and sordid tale, but here’s the quick version.

    In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.



    Read more:
    After weeks of confusion and chaos, Tasmania heads back to the polls on July 19

    Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.

    Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.

    Trudging along the campaign trail

    The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
    Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.

    Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.

    Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.

    In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.

    A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:

    • Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)

    • Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White

    • Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin

    • and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.

    The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.

    Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.

    Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.

    A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.

    Subpar signage

    It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.

    The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.

    Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.

    Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.

    The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.

    A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.

    The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.

    There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.

    What can we expect?

    What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?

    It looks like more of the same.

    Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.

    All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.

    Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.

    If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.

    Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.

    The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.

    Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.



    Read more:
    Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll

    Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.

    If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.

    Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.

    Robert Hortle 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. Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play – https://theconversation.com/tasmania-is-limping-towards-an-election-nobody-wants-heres-the-state-of-play-260504

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Rep. Sherrill Defends Picatinny Workers, Slams Trump’s Civil Service Cuts as a Threat to National Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) is pushing back against the Trump administration’s latest plan to gut the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce, warning that proposed civil service cuts would undermine national security and devastate North Jersey’s economy surrounding Picatinny Arsenal.

    At today’s House Armed Services Committee markup of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Sherrill spoke in defense of the engineers, scientists, and support staff at Picatinny — calling them critical to U.S. military readiness and innovation. Sherrill underscored the national security risks of outsourcing their work to private contractors and weakening the institutional knowledge that makes facilities like Picatinny a cornerstone of American defense.

    Click here to watch Rep. Sherrill’s full remarks.

    Full remarks, as delivered:

    “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

    I speak today in strong support for my colleagues’ amendment that enshrines certain protections for our DoD civilians into law which I think is completely necessary given the work of this committee to try to manage and mitigate the complete incompetence coming from the Secretary of Defense and this administration when it comes to DoD related matters. 

    The Trump administration’s slash to the civil service is not just an attack on government workers – it’s a direct threat to our national security and to the economic stability of communities like mine in New Jersey. 

    At Picatinny Arsenal we have engineers, scientists, and support staff who are building the future of our national defense; developing the weapon systems our service members rely on to stay safe and to succeed. 

    Picatinny is a vital hub for U.S. military innovation, especially in advanced munitions and armaments that keep our troops safe and mission ready. Cutting civil service roles here directly weakens our military’s ability to develop, test, and deliver cutting edge weaponry. 

    Many of our civil servants have had years of specialized training in metallurgy, physics, and chemistry, some of it at the post-grad level at the Picatinny Armaments School that I’m working to get accredited and which has graduated 41 Masters Degree recipients and two PHDs. So in delivering these cuts we will harm and weaken our military’s ability to develop, test, and deliver  cutting edge weaponry not just today but for years to come. 

    Slashing civil service positions risk shifting critical expertise to private contractors, driving up costs and reducing institutional knowledge within the government.  Maintaining a robust civil service at Picatinny ensures that the U.S. retains strategic control over weapons development and innovation. 

    Cutting civil service jobs at Picatinny Arsenal is not just an attack on New Jersey workers, it’s an attack on our national security.  And as someone who has served our country, I know we need to strengthen not weaken our defense capabilities.  I will fight to protect every job and every innovation effort at Picatinny, because America’s security depends on it. 

    Thank you and I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Agriculture Chairmen’s Ag Issues Summit Announced for August 21, 2025

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (July 16, 2025) —State Senator Russ Goodman (R–Cogdell), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, and State Representative Robert Dickey (R–Musella), Chairman of the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, will host the annual Joint Ag Issues Summit on Thursday, August 21, 2025, in Perry, Georgia.

    The summit will bring together lawmakers, industry leaders, and members of Georgia’s farming community to discuss the top issues impacting the state’s number one industry. The event will feature key policy updates and a forward-looking agenda focused on protecting Georgia’s agricultural future.

    “This summit is about making sure farmers have a seat at the table as we shape policy at the State Capitol,” said Sen. Russ Goodman. “Chairman Dickey and I are both farmers ourselves. We know what’s at stake, and we’re committed to listening, learning, and leading on the issues that matter most to Georgia agriculture.”

    “As farmers, we know firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia’s agriculture industry,” said Rep. Dickey. “The Ag Issues Summit is a vital chance for us to come together – farmers, lawmakers and industry leaders – to listen, learn and plan for the future of our state’s number one industry. I’m proud to help lead this effort as we work to strengthen and protect Georgia’s agriculture industry for the generations to come.”

    The Summit will convene in the Miller Murphy Howard Building at 401 Larry Walker Pkwy, Perry, Georgia 31069. Registration will begin at 9:00 A.M., and the official program will start at 9:30 A.M. Coffee and lunch will be provided. A detailed agenda will be released in the weeks ahead.

    Attendees are encouraged to RSVP by Friday, August 8, either online here or by emailing Rachel.Whitted@senate.ga.gov.

    # # # #
    Sen. Russ Goodman serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. He represents Senate District 8 which includes Atkinson, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes and Pierce Counties and a large portion of Ware County. He may be reached at 404.656.7454 or at     russ.goodman@senate.ga.gov

    Representative Robert Dickey represents the citizens of District 134, which includes Crawford and Upson counties, as well as portions of Lamar and Peach counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as Chairman of the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Banks and Banking, Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, Higher Education, Natural Resources and Environment and Ways and Means committees, as well as the Special Committee on Resource Management.

    For all media inquiries, reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: From diamonds to dirt: Sierra Leone youth bring land back to life

    Source: APO


    .

    Craters filled with muddy water pocket the landscape of the Kono district in Sierra Leone – the result of past diamond mining ventures which sparked a vicious local battle over resources.

    But now, parts of the land have been restored. Crops are beginning to flourish and bees are buzzing around once again.

    The people responsible for this change are a hodgepodge group – former taxi drivers and miners, people who barely finished secondary school and some with higher education degrees. The unifying factor? Most have youth on their side.

    “There is life beyond mining [but] we all grew up with the mentality that diamond is the only solution,” said Sahr Fallah, chairman of the Youth Council in Kono.

    Over 44 percent of the 1.3 billion people aged 15-24 are employed in agrifood systems. However, this group often does not have the same access to resources as older generations. Moreover, they are sidelined in the conversations which might change this systemic exclusion.

    “A lot of the time, what we find is that young people are included in policy processes but it is a little bit tokenistic. They don’t feel like their voice really matters,” said Lauren Phillips, a deputy director at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

    Decent work = economic growth

    The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York has been convened this week and next, to discuss progress – or lack thereof – towards the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which guarantees decent work for all.

    Despite this commitment, over half of the global workforce remains in informal employment, according to the Secretary-General’s report on the SDGs released Monday. This means that they do not have adequate social or legal protections.

    “Decent work must be at the heart of macroeconomic planning, climate and diesel transitions and social recovery strategies,” said Sangheon Lee, director of employment policy at the International Labor Organization (ILO).

    Don’t ignore youth

    Like other vulnerable groups, young people face unique challenges in the agrifood sector. Specifically, they often lack land rights and will struggle to act collectively to protect their interests.

    “If you are not looking at data with a lens of age or gender, you are actually missing part of the story,” Ms. Phillips said.

    Among these assets are land titles – which the elderly may be reluctant to pass down because of insufficient social protections. Youth also are less able to access credit so they can invest in themselves and their families.

    Betty Seray Sam, one of the young farmers in Kono, said that her family never used to come to her when they were going through a crisis – they knew that she had no money and a child to support.

    But now, through an agricultural job in Kono, she can support her family during times of crisis.

    “This project has had a rippling effect for the youth in terms of not only improving their livelihoods but also the livelihoods of their families,” said Abdul Munu, president of Mabunduku, a community-based farmer’s organization in Kono.

    Bee a farmer

    Providing training to young people in agrifood systems is absolutely essential to ensure that they can practice sustainable agriculture.

    In Chegutu, Zimbabwe, FAO has helped establish Bee Farmers Schools where young people are taught how to support apiaries through hands-on training activities.

    “The idea is that one of the apiaries can be turned into a classroom where youth from different parts of a district can come just like a school,” said Barnabas Mawire, a natural resource specialist at FAO.

    This training has helped support local youth beekeepers to move beyond local and small-scale honey production to a fully-fledged business model that has the potential to not just fight poverty but actually create local wealth.

    Evelyn Mutuda, the young entrepreneurs representative in Chegutu, aspires to plant Jacaranda trees which she says will improve the quality of the bees’ honey and enable the beekeepers to export beyond local markets.

    “We want to maximize all the profits so we can become better and bigger,” Ms. Mutuda said.

    From Facebook to TikTok

    Being able to form labour associations is one of the key factors of decent work. This sort of collective action is even more important for youth in agrifood who often lack the social capital to enact real policy change.

    “Young people are just starting out, making bonds within their group but also with people outside of their group. Those bonds are important…because there is power in numbers,” Ms. Phillips said.

    She also noted that young people are forming these bonds across geographic distances, often by using technology. Agrifood influencers on Instagram and TikTok, for example, are increasingly shaping conversations about the sector.

    Ms. Phillips also noted that it is important to think of collective action for youth as intergenerational.

    “While the report is focused on young people, it’s not ignorant of the fact that young people live in families…There is a lot which talks about the need for solidarity between generations,” Ms. Phillips said.

    Youth optimism

    The next generation will be the stewards of the food we eat, so integrating them into that system now is essential for future food security and sustainability.

    “Many youth integrate tradition with innovation, creating sustainability and community resilience,” said Venedio Nala Ardisa, a youth representative at the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, at an online side event during the high-level forum.

    Angeline Manhanzva, one of the beekeepers in Chegutu, said that the opportunity to become a beekeeper changed her life. One day, she dreams of owning her own bee farm.

    “I will be an old person who has so much wealth and is able to buy her own big land to keep my hives and process my own honey.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Dr. Brian Christine of Mountain Brook in Senate HELP Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced Dr. Brian Christine during his nomination hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP). President Trump nominated Dr. Christine of Mountain Brook, Alabama to be Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During their exchange, Sen. Tuberville and Dr. Christine discussed the importance of the Make America Health Again movement, along with Dr. Christine’s goals for improving rural healthcare.

    Read excerpts from their exchange below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you very much. It’s an honor to introduce my friend and constituent, Dr. Brian Christine. Also thrilled to welcome today his wife, Helena, and sister, Kathleen. Thank you for being here.

    Dr. Christine is a board-certified urologic surgeon with nearly 30 years of clinical experience serving patients in Birmingham, Alabama. A recognized medical expert, Dr. Christine is known for teaching and demonstrating advanced surgical techniques, both nationally and internationally. Born in West Germany to a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran and the grandson of Italian immigrants, he will bring a lifelong dedication to service, resilience, and American values to this role. Dr. Christine attended college in Georgia, what’s going on here? And earned his medical degree from Emory University. He later moved to Birmingham for his residency and has since dedicated his career to caring for the men and women of Alabama. Beyond the operating room, he has supported local law enforcement by volunteering as a trauma surgeon with tactical police units. If confirmed, Dr. Christine will oversee critical public health programs, regional health offices and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where he has pledged to accept a commission and lead with a Main Street medicine approach. 

    His top priorities include addressing chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, pediatric obesity, mental health, and the nation’s physician shortage crisis. He is particularly focused on expanding access to primary care and improving health in rural and underserved communities.

    With deep medical expertise, leadership experience, and a clear vision for reform, he is well equipped to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health, and I hope my federal colleagues will support his nomination – Dr. Christine.”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Senator Tuberville, thank you so much for your kind words. Thank you also for the service that you’ve rendered to our nation here in the U.S. Senate and the service you have and will render to our home state of Alabama.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Christine, in my lifetime, I’ve never seen the deterioration of an institution like we have in the trust of the American people after COVID. How are you gonna try to put that back together? Because we desperately need some help in getting a positive attitude towards our hospitals and our doctors back to the American people.”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Yes, Senator Tuberville, number one, thank you so much for being here. Again, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for meeting with me before today’s hearing. I’m truly appreciative. The loss of trust that we have seen in our healthcare institutions and the healthcare policies emanating from this city are the worst that I’ve seen in over three decades of practice. People feel that during the pandemic particularly they were led astray, some people feel they were lied to. We have to work to restore that trust. Secretary Kennedy is 100% committed to doing that, as is President Trump.

    In my career as a surgeon, I’ve had to earn the trust of my patients, allowing me to operate on them, literally take their life within my hands. I believe I have the ability to communicate to patients and now hopefully to the American public at large and approach them and give them a sense that what I’m saying, what I’m telling is truly for the good of the country [and] comes from a position of honesty and transparency. I’ve had to do that for over 30 years as a surgeon and as a physician. I truly believe I can bring that skillset to the office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. The American people are tired of being lied to about their food, the ingredients, things that we’re now finding out that are detrimental to our health. And up here, you know, we seem to overlook all that, but we need to start looking out for the American people. How do you plan to help the Secretary with that?”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Well, we know that Secretary Kennedy is absolutely committed to the Make America Healthy Again agenda to remove toxins from our foods, to make sure that all have access to clean water, that we focus on not just treating chronic disease, but finding out what causes chronic disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and work to not only cure those diseases, but really prevent and eliminate those diseases. Secretary Kennedy is always wanting to approach things from the foundation of science. He truly believes in that. I agree with the Secretary on all of those things. I intend to support him. I intend to work diligently if I have the privilege of being confirmed. To support him in that quest to make Americans healthier than they’ve ever been.” […]

    TUBERVILLE: “Dr. Christine, rural America. We got problems getting healthcare. Our state is 60% rural in Alabama. Most of the south is rural. How do we handle that problem?”

    DR. CHRISTINE: “Yes, Senator. [I think] one of the things you’re speaking about are healthcare deserts – those areas where men, women and their children don’t have ready access to primary care services such as pediatrics or gynecologic services or family practice. We have to find ways to bridge those gaps. I think that absolutely telehealth can help provide a bridge to these individuals. We’ll see what AI brings in the future. But again, technology can help bridge this gap. We absolutely must encourage and must increase the number of primary care physicians, family practitioners, pediatricians, gynecologists and opticians and primary care nurses […] to help bridge this gap as well. Now that takes a while to spin that up. But in the interim, we have to find ways to bridge the gaps. We do have to use technology. I believe that I, as Assistant Secretary for Health, one of the things that I intend to do, if I’m privileged to be in that position, will be to be a true evangelist to really go out and encourage young men and women who are in medical school and nursing school to serve in these areas. Young men and women getting into healthcare, they want a mission. Wanna help them understand that that mission to serve our brothers and sisters in rural America and healthcare deserts is truly noble and is worthwhile.”

    TUBERVILLE: “And one thing we need to sell to in rural hospitals is loyalty to the people in these communities to go to these rural hospitals so we can save them. It’s not just that they’re not being served. It’s just we have to have loyalty in those areas. Thank you.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Citizen Science and Your Career: Stories of Exoplanet Watch Volunteers

    Source: NASA

    Doing NASA Science brings many rewards. But can taking part in NASA citizen science help your career? To find out, we asked participants in NASA’s Exoplanet Watch project about their experiences. In this project, amateur astronomers work together with professionals to track planets around other stars.
    First, we heard from professional software programmers. Right away, one of them told us about getting a new job through connections made in the project.
    “I decided to create the exoplanet plugin, [for citizen science] since it was quite a lot of manual work to check which transits were available for your location. The exoplanet plugin and its users got me in contact with the Stellar group… Through this group, I got into contact with a company called OurSky and started working for them… the point is, I created a couple of plugins for free and eventually got a job at an awesome company.”
    Another participant talked about honing their skills and growing their confidence through Exoplanet Watch.
    “There were a few years when I wasn’t actively coding. However, Exoplanet Watch rekindled that spark…. Participating in Exoplanet Watch even gave me the confidence to prepare again for a technical interview at Meta—despite having been thoroughly defeated the first time I tried.”
    Teachers and teaching faculty told us how Exoplanet Watch gives them the ability to better convey what scientific research is all about – and how the project motivates students! 
    “Exoplanet Watch makes it easy for undergraduate students to gain experience in data science and Python, which are absolutely necessary for graduate school and many industry jobs.”
    “Experience with this collaborative work is a vital piece of the workforce development of our students who are seeking advanced STEM-related careers or ongoing education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) fields after graduation… Exoplanet Watch, in this way, is directly training NASA’s STEM workforce of tomorrow by allowing CUNY (The City University of New York) students to achieve the science goals that would otherwise be much more difficult without its resources.”
    One aspiring academic shared how her participation on the science team side of the project has given her research and mentorship experience that strengthens her resume. 
    “I ended up joining the EpW team to contribute my expertise in stellar variability… My involvement with Exoplanet Watch has provided me with invaluable experience in mentoring a broad range of astronomy enthusiasts and working in a collaborative environment with people from around the world. … Being able to train others, interact in a team environment, and work independently are all critical skills in any work environment, but these specific experiences have also been incredibly valuable towards building my portfolio as I search for faculty positions around the USA.”
    There are no guarantees, of course. What you get out of NASA citizen science depends on what you put in. But there is certainly magic to be found in the Exoplanet Watch project.  As one student said:
    “Help will always be found at Hogwarts, to those who need it.” Exoplanet Watch was definitely Hogwarts for me in my career as an astronomer!”
    For more information about NASA and your career, check out NASA’s Surprisingly STEM series highlighting exciting and unexpected jobs at NASA, or come to NASA Career Day, a virtual event for students and educators. Participants must register by September 4, 2025. The interactive platform will be open from September 15-19, with live panels and events taking place on September 18.

    Exoplanet Watch volunteer Bryan Martin
    Credit: Bryan Martin

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Glenn Announces 2025 Drop Tower Challenge Winners 

    Source: NASA

    Nineteen teams of students from across the nation in grades 8-12 worked for months in classrooms, labs, basements, and garages for the opportunity to test their projects at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. This spring, the teams’ hard work was put to the test in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower facility at NASA Glenn.  
    The “2025 Drop Tower Challenge: Paddle Wheel” invited teams to design and build paddle wheels that rotate in water during free fall. The wheels could not rotate by mechanical means. A better understanding of fluid behavior in microgravity could improve spacecraft systems for cooling, life support, and propellants.

    Based on test performance, analyses, reports, the students’ approach to the challenge, and more, the following teams have been identified as the winners:  

    First Place: Arth Murarka, Umar Khan, Ishaan Joshi, Alden Al-Mehdi, Rohnin Qureshi, and Omy Gokul (advised by David Dutton), Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, California  

    Second Place: Emma Lai, Keaton Dean, and Oliver Lai (advised by Stephen Lai), Houston, Texas  

    Third Place: Chloe Benner, Ananya Bhatt, and Surabhi Gupta (advised by SueEllen Thomas), Pennridge High School, Perkasie, Pennsylvania 

    “We’re impressed with the variety of designs students submitted for testing in Glenn’s drop tower,” said Nancy Hall, co-lead for the 2025 Drop Tower Challenge. “The teams showed significant creativity and background research through their paddle wheel designs and analysis of results.”  
    Students from Bellarmine College Preparatory shared how they navigated through the process to earn first place. Using NASA guidelines and resources available to assist students with the challenge, the team submitted a research proposal, including two 3D designs. Learning their team was selected, they reviewed feedback from the NASA staff and set to work.  

    To start, students stressed that they conducted a large amount of research and testing of materials to use in their paddle wheels before deciding on the final design.  
    “I learned that something doesn’t need to be super expensive or complex to work,” said student Umar Khan. “We found that white board sheets or packing peanuts — just household items — can be effective [in the design].”  
    Student Arth Murarka added, “Our original design looks a lot different from the final.” 
    Bellarmine staff member and team advisor David Dutton helped the students get organized in the beginning of the process, but said they worked independently through much of the project.  

    Once the design was finalized, the team shipped their hardware to NASA Glenn. NASA technicians then tested how the paddle wheels performed in the drop tower, which is used for microgravity experiments.
    Students said they studied concepts including capillary physics and fluid dynamics. They also learned how to write a research paper, which they said they will appreciate in the future.  
    The team dedicated a lot of time to the project, meeting daily and on weekends. 
    “We learned a lot of useful skills and had a lot of fun,” Murarka said. “It was definitely worth it.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Lauds Progress on FY26 Defense Policy Bill

    Washington – Late Tuesday evening, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee (CITI), voted in favor of advancing H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. The bill was reported out of committee by a vote of 55 – 2. The annual legislation, which contains multiple amendments and provisions authored by Rep. Bacon, authorizes defense spending and sets the policy and priorities for the Armed Forces. 

    “Once again, the People’s House proves that bipartisan progress is possible where it matters most,” said Chairman Bacon after completing his ninth annual full-committee markup of the NDAA. “When it comes to national security, the American people expect us to work across the aisle to provide for the common defense. It’s been a long couple of months, but I am proud of what we produced and look forward to advancing this important legislation in the House.”     

    Highlights from the committee’s FY 2026 bill include:

    • Sets major reforms to the defense acquisition system to speed development and fielding of modern technologies while reducing bureaucracy 
    • Preserves development of the U.S. Air Force E-7 advanced airborne warning and control system
    • Preserves U.S. force posture in Europe and authorizes additional security assistance to Ukraine 
    • Fully funds modernization of the U.S strategic nuclear deterrent including development of the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile – Nuclear

    In addition, the committee’s bill contains numerous legislative proposals sponsored by Rep. Bacon, including: 

    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to prepare an implementation plan to establish a Joint Task Force Cyber for the Indo-Pacific area of operations
    • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide an acquisition and fielding strategy for the F-47 advanced fighter aircraft program
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an independent assessment of toxic exposure in the AF ICMB community
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide an implementation plan to reform Department of Defense (DoD) casualty assistance programs 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network 
    • Directs significant security upgrades to DoD mobile telecommunications
    • Directs the major defense acquisitions programs to prepare digital manufacturing transition plans for critical components 
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Center for Strategic Deterrence and WMD Studies at the National Defense University
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to improve cancer detection and prevention measures for DoD firefighters 
    • Directs updates on the U.S. Space Force Satellite Control Network

    Watch Rep. Bacon’s remarks here and see full remarks as delivered below:

    “Thank you, Chairman Rogers. I want to begin by thanking all the members of the subcommittee for their dedication and thoughtful work in creating a strong, bipartisan, Cyber, IT and Innovative Subcommittee print. The subcommittee’s package advances departments’ cyber and innovation ecosystems and conducts critical oversight. I also want to thank our great subcommittee staff, led by Sarah Moxley. Every member of the staff are professional experts on both sides of the aisle.

    “The subcommittee’s mission is to ensure that warfighters are armed with the most innovative technologies that improve lethality and increase U.S. capabilities. Modern technology is fast paced, so ensuring the department of Defense is at the leading edge of technology is imperative to deterring adversaries. Warfighters must have the tools to fight across all domains on the battlefield, in cyberspace, now and in the future.

    “I’m looking forward to continuing to optimize these efforts as the committee considers the FY 26 NDAA. The FY 26 CITI subcommittee print prioritizes the continued improvement of testing and evaluation through digital processes, supports the research and development of novel technologies, and improves the department’s cyber practices. This package brings flexibility for research and development across the department to ensure rapid innovation.

    “The print achieves this through the empowering of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and improving the ability to do developmental prototyping, creating a bridge over the Valley of Death. It also directs the use of digital engineering and modern software practices to create a more agile and accurate testing and evaluation process. 

    “Additionally, the subcommittee print directs the department to use modern technology to improve processes and cyber practices, provisions leverage AI to bolster cybersecurity skills, create new lines of efforts for using generative AI, and continue to lay out the framework for the department’s adoption of AI. The subcommittee print supports the continued research and development of hypersonic programs and modernization and expansion of hypersonic testing and evaluation. Finally, the print includes several recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.

    “These provisions give the department tools to optimize the military use of biotechnology, to guarantee that the U.S. remains the world’s leader in biotechnology innovation. Overall, the subcommittee print ensures the U.S. remains status as the most lethal warfighting force in the world. Lastly, I want to thank Ranking Member Khanna for his bipartisanship and dedication to producing the subcommittee print.

    “We believe this package will continue to give the department the flexibility and tools needed to deliver the most modern technology to the hand of the warfighters. And with that, I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyle, Houchin, LaLota Lead Bipartisan Effort to Get Fire Fighters the Parkinson’s Care They Need

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    July 16, 2025

    For Immediate Release: July 16, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Representatives Val Hoyle (OR-04), Erin Houchin (IN-09), and Nick LaLota (NY-01) introduced the bipartisan Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 to provide medical coverage and increased support for federal fire fighters who develop symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

    Despite clear evidence linking fire fighting to an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s, the federal government has yet to officially recognize the connection. As a result, fire fighters living with Parkinson’s face needless bureaucratic barriers when seeking thecare they need. This bill would change that by formally recognizing Parkison’s as a job-related illness for fire fighters to access the care they have earned and deserve.

    “Fire fighters are exposed to significantly more toxins than the civilian population. They put their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities. It is our responsibility to ensure that the medical issues that disproportionately arise as a result of their service are covered. Fire fighters shouldn’t have to fight to prove the link between their service and Parkinson’s disorders, given the data. This is the least we can do to those who dedicated their lives to protecting and serving us,” Rep. Hoyle said.

    “Our fire fighters put their lives on the line every day, facing extreme risks most of us will never fully understand. The science is clear—chemical exposure and head trauma from fire fighting significantly increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act ensures these heroes aren’t left to fight this battle alone. This bill is about honoring their service with the care and support they’ve earned,” Rep Houchin said.

    “The risks fire fighters face don’t end when the fire is out, and the science is clear: repeated exposure to toxic chemicals on the job significantly increases their risk of developing Parkinson’s. That’s why I support federal legislation to establish a presumptive link. Our fire fighters deserve more than praise—they deserve care, support, and the full backing of the country they serve,” said Rep. LaLota.

    “The research is clear: fire fighters face an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease due to frequent, repeated exposure to toxins on the job. That’s why the Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act is so important. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure fire fighters have access to the care and support needed following a Parkinson’s diagnosis,” said International Association of Fire Fighters General President Edward Kelly. “The IAFF is proud to endorse this bill, and we’re grateful to Reps. Hoyle, Houchin, and LaLota for their leadership on this critical issue.”

    “The sacrifices made by federal fire fighters extend far beyond the immediate risks of responding to fires and other emergencies,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “Many suffer from job-related injuries and illnesses, including Parkinson’s, long after their federal service ends. NFFE is proud to endorse the Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act to ensure these brave men and women receive the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve should they be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Thank you to Representatives Hoyle, Houchin, and LaLota for their leadership on this important issue.”

    “Fire fighters are exposed to numerous neurotoxic chemicals as they do their vital work. The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is proud to endorse Representative Hoyle’s efforts to support fire fighters who develop Parkinson’s disease as they bravely protect our communities,” said Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Chief Mission Officer, APDA.

    The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 is also cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Carbajal (CA-24) and Neguse (CO-02).

    The bill is also supported by 6 organizations including the: International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), American Parkinson Disease Assocation, Davis Phiney Foundation for Parkinson’s Power Over Parkinson’s, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and Power Over Parkinson’s.

    Background

    Parkinsonism (PD) is a term used to describe a group of disorders that impacts movements and motor controls. Studies show that certain consistent chemical exposures and head injuries are linked to increased risk of PD. 

    Fire fighters are routinely exposed to chemicals such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide through their service, both of which have well documented links to developing PD.

    Fire fighters are also at greater risk of concussions, which has been shown toincreased risk of developing PD.

    The Bill

    The Parkinson’s Protection for Fire Fighters Act of 2025 would officially establish PD as one of the “certain illnesses and diseases deemed to be proximately caused by employment in fire protection activities.”

    Adding PD to the list of diseases linked to fire fighting would make it easier for fire fighters with PD to get medical coverage, care, and benefits without each individual fire fighter having to prove their occupation caused it.

    The bill helps to ensure that current and future generations of federal fire fighters get the protection, support, and care they earned and deserve.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate & House Education Leaders Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Moving Department of Education Programs to DOL as Part of Its Efforts to Dismantle the Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro, Scott, Baldwin Call on Department of Education to Immediately Cease Illegal Plan to Transfer Career and Technical Education Program Responsibilities to Labor Department

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Appropriations Committee; Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education; Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce; and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to transfer career and technical education and adult education programs from ED to DOL. 

    “The Court’s ruling to allow the Trump administration to dismantle the Department of Education as litigation continues sets a troubling precedent. Congress authorized and appropriated funds to the Department of Education to carry out career and technical education programs. The law of the land has not changed. If this administration is able to do this, no education program that our teachers, parents, and children rely on is safe from an administration more interested in executing its extreme agenda than helping students.  

    “Let’s be clear: this is not about cutting through red tape or returning education to the states. This is about dismantling the Department of Education and attacking our public education system. This is yet another illegal action by this administration that ignores the rule of law. This comes as the Administration is already illegally withholding nearly $7 billion in education funding, including for the Adult Education programs tied up in this illegal transfer. 

    “Republicans should join Democrats to stand up for our teachers, parents, and students and prevent further destruction of our public education system.”

    The Department of Education is the agency best fit to administer these workforce development programs. The primary goal of the adult education program is to help adults achieve reading, writing, math, and English language proficiency. Many of the career and technical education (CTE) programs authorized under Perkins V are a part of secondary school curricula that help expose students to career opportunities.  Most CTE students end up enrolling in postsecondary education, not getting a job right out of high school.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The government wants local authorities to embrace AI – here’s one way it could work in practice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alex Lord, Professor, Lever Chair of Urban Planning, University of Liverpool

    Francesco Scatena/Shutterstock

    Few issues ignite communities more fiercely than what to do with land. The prospect of releasing small portions of green belt land for housing developments, a windfarm proposal or plans for a new road can transform mild-mannered citizens into passionate advocates overnight.

    This visceral connection between people and place perfectly illustrates the famous observation that “all politics is local”. In England, the principle that every citizen should be given the opportunity to “have their say” on planning matters is enshrined in law. Before any planning document is adopted, local authorities must give the public the chance to provide feedback.

    The logic for this is based on a common-sense morality: before binding decisions are made about how an area might change, the local people who have to live with those decisions should be given the opportunity to endorse or reject that plan.

    In practice this is a hugely cumbersome process. Local authorities have to make sense of thousands of comments. This prompted my colleagues and I at the University of Liverpool to begin thinking about how AI could be used to make this process more efficient.

    Once a local authority publishes the relevant local planning document, every citizen, company, public, private or third sector organisation has the right to submit a written response. These may address the entire document or focus on a specific issue.

    In all cases, the local authority is obliged to collate, comprehend and concisely summarise all public submissions. They will then decide whether the document requires amendments or if further evidence is needed to justify the proposals.

    This creates an overwhelming burden for planning departments up and down the country. In high-development areas, submissions often number in the tens of thousands. And individual submissions range from a few sentences to over 100 pages.

    Planners must read, absorb and synthesise all this information into a final report which will be used to make a decision. This report must fairly represent the aggregate views across all submissions.

    Beyond the sheer volume of responses, human cognitive limitations and biases further complicate the process. Some submissions may be given greater emphasis than others. Recently read submissions are likely to have a greater influence on the reader than those reviewed earlier.

    A digital solution

    These challenges prompted us to explore alternatives. We partnered with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning – the planning authority for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils – to develop an AI-powered solution. Our tool, Plan AI, would read and summarise public submissions to the planning process.

    In 2025, my colleagues and I conducted a real-world experiment. Three live public consultation exercises were processed in parallel – once by planners and once by Plan AI.

    It took a planning officer just over 60 hours in total to download and process 320 submissions. Eighteen hours of this time was used to summarise each submission – a task that took Plan AI only 16 minutes. In that time, the AI tool was also able to create comprehensive reports identifying key themes, referenced sources and geographic analysis of the submissions.

    A subsequent qualitative assessment found there to be no discernible difference in the quality of the summaries produced by the human planning officer and those by Plan AI. In fact, the general overview document produced by Plan AI is a significant addition to what would normally be produced. It included a geographic analysis of the origins of submissions – crucial information for planners to understand which communities and demographic groups were participating in the consultation.

    Controversial planning proposals can attract tens of thousands of public comments.
    pjhpix/Shutterstock

    The future of planning

    The UK government has set out a vision for local authorities to embrace AI for reducing administrative burden and improving the efficiency of government. For example, it recently rolled out an AI tool, developed with Google DeepMind, to digitise planning records.

    The implications of experiments like these are far reaching. Planners can focus on their core expertise – assessing applications and supporting government priorities for housing, new towns and infrastructure renewal – rather than spending countless hours processing public comments.

    AI can process vast amounts of text more consistently and comprehensively than humans. It can also identify connections between submissions that might otherwise be missed.

    With the administrative burden drastically reduced, local authorities could potentially consult citizens more frequently across a wider range of planning issues, making planning even more democratic. Planners freed from paperwork could also dedicate more time to meaningful public engagement.

    Of course, one danger with AI is that it could be used on the other side of the consultation, to generate a large volume of submissions in an attempt to over-amplify a particular point of view. However, AI tools could be used to defend against this.

    PlanAI or similar programmes can generate an immediate summary of a comment submission, an ideal opportunity to insert a verification check that the submitter is indeed human. Putting the human back in the loop in this way reduces the potential for AI to be used to skew consultations.

    By building the right tools and systems, we can create planning processes that are both more efficient and more responsive to citizen input – a win for democracy and effective governance alike.

    PlanAI was developed under a paid contract with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning. At the time of publication, it is not sold or marketed to other governments or authorities, but may be so in the future. Alex Lord and the other researchers involved received funding from the UK government’s PropTech initiative and Greater Cambridge Shared Planning.

    – ref. The government wants local authorities to embrace AI – here’s one way it could work in practice – https://theconversation.com/the-government-wants-local-authorities-to-embrace-ai-heres-one-way-it-could-work-in-practice-258449

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Secures Priorities to Invest in South Jersey, Increase National Defense Innovation as NDAA Advances

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ), advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee and secured priorities that invest in South Jersey and increase national defense innovation. This is the 65th year that the NDAA, the largest authorization bill in Congress with a budget of $882.6 billion, passed out of committee, continuing the tradition of bipartisan cooperation on this bill.   

    “The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was passed out of committee is a commitment to our nation’s security and a steadfast investment in the courageous men and women in our armed forces. It ensures that we have what every commander wants for their troops: that they are manned, trained, and equipped with the best to carry out our nation’s mission and return home safely. It provides a $3.8% pay raise to all servicemembers and it cuts down on red tape to make certain that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to keep our country safe,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens our industrial base, reinforces Buy American principles, supports our allies, and includes the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act to streamline procurement and decision-making. As ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our national defense, continue investing in our industrial base, and deliver for South Jersey.”

    The FY26 NDAA improves military readiness and strengthens American industry by cutting red tape, fixing outdated systems, and supporting defense innovation. The FY26 NDAA also includes a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers and a 60 percent increase in the Family Separation Allowance which increases the monthly allowance to military families separated due to mission requirements.  

    Rep. Norcross authored an amendment that was adopted in a bipartisan vote to protect Department of Defense employees by restoring their collective bargaining rights after President Trump illegally issued an executive order that stripped these rights away.  

    Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA Priorities Secured by Rep. Norcross: 

    • Over $618 million for CH-47 helicopters, which will be manufactured by South Jersey workers. 
    • Over $2.5 billion for the KC-46 refueler aircraft, which flies out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst.  
    • $5 million to Rowan University for research, development, and engineering to enable rapid entry and sustainment in the Arctic and other cold regions being conducted. 
    • Protected Buy American principles, American jobs, and manufacturing by making sure defense programs continue using U.S.-made parts and materials, keeping our industrial base strong 
    • Required a detailed Pentagon briefing on how it will spend reconciliation funds to strengthen and modernize the munitions industrial base, holding the Pentagon accountable for how it will use the funds. 
    • Required a DoD study on the state of the skilled trade workforce essential to Navy shipbuilding to strengthen the training and workforce pipeline and increase our shipbuilding capacity. 
    • Protected the E-7 Wedgetail program from cancellation, ensuring $800 million in continued investment in this critical airborne warning and control capability. 
    • $9.9 million investment to enhance Army command and control for unmanned systems and their defense which will be developed by South Jersey workers.  
    • $10 million for research and development of man-portable doppler radars for Army Network Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (C3I) Technology. 
    • $50 million to support U.S.-Israel anti-tunneling cooperation. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why drones and AI can’t quickly find missing flood victims, yet

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Robin R. Murphy, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University

    The landscape In the aftermath of a flood makes it challenging to spot victims. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    For search and rescue, AI is not more accurate than humans, but it is far faster.

    Recent successes in applying computer vision and machine learning to drone imagery for rapidly determining building and road damage after hurricanes or shifting wildfire lines suggest that artificial intelligence could be valuable in searching for missing persons after a flood.

    Machine learning systems typically take less than one second to scan a high-resolution image from a drone versus one to three minutes for a person. Plus, drones often produce more imagery to view than is humanly possible in the critical first hours of a search when survivors may still be alive.

    Unfortunately, today’s AI systems are not up to the task.

    We are robotics reseachers who study the use of drones in disasters. Our experiences searching for victims of flooding and numerous other events show that current implementations of AI fall short.

    However, the technology can play a role in searching for flood victims. The key is AI-human collaboration.

    Drones have become standard equipment for first responders, but floods pose unique challenges.
    Eric Smalley, CC BY-ND

    AI’s potential

    Searching for flood victims is a type of wilderness search and rescue that presents unique challenges. The goal for machine learning scientists is to rank which images have signs of victims and indicate where in those images search-and-rescue personnel should focus. If the responder sees signs of a victim, they pass the GPS location in the image to search teams in the field to check.

    The ranking is done by a classifier, which is an algorithm that learns to identify similar instances of objects – cats, cars, trees – from training data in order to recognize those objects in new images. For example, in a search-and-rescue context, a classifier would spot instances of human activity such as garbage or backpacks to pass to wilderness search-and-rescue teams, or even identify the missing person themselves.

    A classifier is needed because of the sheer volume of imagery that drones can produce. For example, a single 20-minute flight can produce over 800 high-resolution images. If there are 10 flights – a small number – there would be over 8,000 images. If a responder spends only 10 seconds looking at each image, it would take over 22 hours of effort. Even if the task is divided among a group of “squinters,” humans tend to miss areas of images and show cognitive fatigue.

    The ideal solution is an AI system that scans the entire image, prioritizes images that have the strongest signs of victims, and highlights the area of the image for a responder to inspect. It could also decide whether the location should be flagged for special attention by search-and-rescue crews.

    Where AI falls short

    While this seems to be a perfect opportunity for computer vision and machine learning, modern systems have a high error rate. If the system is programmed to overestimate the number of candidate locations in hopes of not missing any victims, it will likely produce too many false candidates. That would mean overloading squinters or, worse, the search-and-rescue teams, which would have to navigate through debris and muck to check the candidate locations.

    Developing computer vision and machine learning systems for finding flood victims is difficult for three reasons.

    One is that while existing computer vision systems are certainly capable of identifying people visible in aerial imagery, the visual indicators of a flood victim are often very different compared with those for a lost hiker or fugitive. Flood victims are often obscured, camouflaged, entangled in debris or submerged in water. These visual challenges increase the possibility that existing classifiers will miss victims.

    Second, machine learning requires training data, but there are no datasets of aerial imagery where humans are tangled in debris, covered in mud and not in normal postures. This lack also increases the possibility of errors in classification.

    Third, many of the drone images often captured by searchers are oblique views, rather than looking straight down. This means the GPS location of a candidate area is not the same as the GPS location of the drone. It is possible to compute the GPS location if the drone’s altitude and camera angle are known, but unfortunately those attributes rarely are. The imprecise GPS location means teams have to spend extra time searching.

    How AI can help

    Fortunately, with humans and AI working together, search-and-rescue teams can successfully use existing systems to help narrow down and prioritize imagery for further inspection.

    In the case of flooding, human remains may be tangled among vegetation and debris. Therefore, a system could identify clumps of debris big enough to contain remains. A common search strategy is to identify the GPS locations of where flotsam has gathered, because victims may be part of these same deposits.

    A machine learning algorithm identified piles of debris large enough to contain bodies in an aerial image of a flood aftermath.
    Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue and University of Maryland

    An AI classifier could find debris commonly associated with remains, such as artificial colors and construction debris with straight lines or 90-degree corners. Responders find these signs as they systematically walk the riverbanks and flood plains, but a classifier could help prioritize areas in the first few hours and days, when there may be survivors, and later could confirm that teams didn’t miss any areas of interest as they navigated the difficult landscape on foot.

    Robin R. Murphy receives funding from the National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue.

    Thomas Manzini is affiliated with the Center for Robot Assisted Search & Rescue (CRASAR), and his work is funded by the National Science Foundation’s AI Institute for Societal Decision Making (AI-SDM).

    – ref. Why drones and AI can’t quickly find missing flood victims, yet – https://theconversation.com/why-drones-and-ai-cant-quickly-find-missing-flood-victims-yet-261035

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vitaly Savelyev held an extended meeting on the development of the unmanned aircraft systems industry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    An extended meeting on the development of the unmanned aircraft systems industry was held at the Government Coordination Centre under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev. The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Education and Science, subjects, as well as manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems and their operators.

    Participants presented up-to-date data on the production and use of advanced unmanned systems for various sectors of the economy, and discussed a number of opportunities that could contribute to the further development of the industry in terms of increasing production volumes and the use of UAS.

    An important issue of stimulating the use of UAS at various levels remains the development of means of their identification and further integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the airspace. The introduction of a new class of airspace – H with the use of a simplified procedure for using airspace for the performance of flights of unmanned aircraft is at the final stage of development. In addition, a unified system for identifying unmanned transport is being created based on the state information system “ERA-GLONASS”. The practical implementation of these solutions will create additional opportunities for opening the skies in the regions for the use of unmanned aircraft.

    In 2024, the production volume of civil unmanned aircraft systems increased more than 2.5 times – from 6 thousand units to 16.4 thousand units compared to 2023. In total, there are currently more than 600 UAS and component manufacturers.

    In addition, all participants of the meeting noted the importance of training personnel for UAS management, including the integration of veterans of the Air Defense Forces into civilian professions in the UAS industry. Thanks to the activities of the federal project “Personnel for Unmanned Aircraft Systems” of the national project “Unmanned Aircraft Systems”, more than 10 thousand people were trained in 2024. This year, it is planned to train 5.6 thousand people. In total, about 68 thousand people are undergoing training under the programs of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Education and the NTI Fund in various areas related to UAS.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Regional Economy Report: Economic Activity Growth Moderates

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    In May and June, growth in production and consumption became more moderate. However, the situation was uneven across industries and regions.

    More restrained dynamics of demand in the housing market reduced the launch of new projects in many regions of the country, furniture production in Central Russia and the Volga region decreased. At the same time, cargo turnover of the ports of the Far East increased again, the output of meat and dairy enterprises in the Urals and the North-West remained at a high level. In Siberia, after 2 years of growth, the volumes of paper and paper products production stabilized, including due to difficulties with export.

    Special topics of this issue are the dynamics of import deliveries and stocks, the situation on the labor market, and the passenger car market.

    Read more in the July report “Regional Economy: State University Comments”.

    Preview photo: Donat Sorokin / TASS

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 517 Status Reports

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “We describe unwritten languages”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul is a Guest on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Hochul was a Guest on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: Joining us now here in Studio New York’s Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul. Governor, great to see you as always.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you. Thank you.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: A lot to talk to you about. Let’s talk, first, about the mayoral race that we’ve been discussing already this morning. Zohran Mamdani is leading the polls right now, but former Governor Andrew Cuomo says “I’m staying in.” You’ve got the current mayor Eric Adams in the race as well. We were talking as you sat down, you said, “It is my job to make it work whoever the mayor of New York City is, I can work with whoever wins this race.”

    Governor Hochul: That is a true statement. I have no choice, and what people fail to realize — what they will next year perhaps — is that the Governor has enormous power over all of our cities. And, for example, a couple days ago I had to sign legislation to allow the City of New York to put cameras in speed zones near schools. Now, one would think that’s something the local government handles, but the way it’s been structured since the 1970s when a lot of power was given because of the meltdown, the fiscal crisis here — Albany has extraordinary power over the city.

    I can work with whomever the voters want me to work with. I will never harm the City of New York. I won’t hold money hostage and make people suffer as has been practiced in the past. But people have to understand that I’m going to make sure that we have a climate where businesses can thrive. They create jobs, they give us the revenues I need to be able to have very generous social safety net programs. We’ll keep it all together, but this is going to be an election for the ages. A little unprecedented to have all the attention in November. It’s usually settled in June so we’ll be watching closely.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: Mamdani met with a group of business leaders here in New York yesterday, expressed some of their concerns about his policy proposals, that he’s a democratic socialist, that he might not have the best interest of New York City’s business community in mind. Do you share any of those concerns?

    Governor Hochul: I actually raised many of those concerns with him directly. I said, “You have a lot of healing to do with the Jewish community. Many of your words have been hurtful and hateful to people in their interpretation of it.” So job number one is to straighten that relationship out if you can, and to get them to understand that if you become the mayor, we don’t know the outcome, but if you become the mayor, that you’ll be a mayor for everyone.” And no one should have to worry about being in the city and feeling less safe because of who the mayor is and their religious beliefs. So that was important. I raised that concern.

    The other one is the business community. Now, everyone that was having a hair on fire moment, and I said, “Let’s just calm it all down.” I’ve spoken to hundreds of business leaders saying, “Listen, nothing is going to happen to this city without me being aware of it and involved in it. So don’t talk about packing up and leaving.” — and all these other, overreactions, we’re going to be okay no matter what happens.

    And so I’ve had to do a lot of — I’ve become the therapist in chief it seems. I’m saying to everybody, “We’re going to be okay.” Maybe it’s the mom in me, I know how to calm down situations and we’ll get through this. Don’t panic, everybody. Let the process play out. Let the voters decide and then we’ll deal with it. But I did raise those same concerns, and they need to be addressed.

    Reverend Al Sharpton: Governor, we’ve seen some of this before with Bill de Blasio. People said he was a socialist. He never said himself that he was, but they said it. He was elected and reelected. But does it concern you that not only dealing with the questions about Mamdani, who I think has addressed some of these concerns and still evolving, that his opponents come with baggage?

    We’re almost forgetting that, you have the former Governor who has a lot of concerns and you have the Mayor who people are concerned about his relationship with President Trump. So there’s baggage there that you’ve got to balance.

    And the second part is that they’re going to try and demonize whoever is the elected mayor because they’re really trying to get their guns loaded to come after you and Attorney General Tish James next year. And isn’t a lot of this trying to be over the top with Mamdani and others to try and act like the whole Democratic Party, and therefore Kathy Hochul and Tish James shouldn’t be elected next year. Isn’t a lot of that a concern, or should that be a concern of yours?

    Governor Hochul: I don’t worry about those things. That is down the road. I suspect there are people conspiring against me for next year. Whether it’s Republicans — it goes with the turf. I can handle this. It’s my 16th election. I know how to do this. And I always say bring it on. Bring it on.

    But my point is also that, as you mentioned about Bill de Blasio, he did freeze the rent three times himself. That’s it’s not something brand new and radical to do that. People are suffering in this city, and I think Mamdani tapped into something that is real and visceral like I’m not getting ahead. I’m working hard. I’m doing the best I can and I’m not living the American Dream and everything is so expensive. So, I am aligned with the issue of raising people’s living, income, making sure that people have houses. That’s the most expensive cost for any family is their rent bill and the utility bills associated with that.

    So, I’m aggressively trying to build more housing. I want partners who will do that with me and break down all the barriers of people who just say, “Not in my backyard.” I’m sorry, you want to live in a big city –- there are going to people in your backyard. And we have to be more expansive in this.

    And what I’ve done is put $5,000 back in families’ pockets with my Budget. So, trying to offset some of this feeling of anxiety that people aren’t listening to me. So, we’re doing what we can, but then again, we have to deal with everything going up because of the tariffs. Let’s talk about that. We have inflation that drove up the cost of everything. Families can’t get their head above water. And now we have the Trump tariff taxes — raising the cost of everything, a pair of sneakers for a child this fall, and their mom’s going to have to pony up more than 44 percent more than last year to buy a pair of sneakers. This is hard on families. I’m focused on this. Affordability is not something that I just woke up to. It’s something I’ve been fighting for years and we’re making a real difference for people, but they just feel like they’re not getting ahead and I understand that.

    Jonathan Lemire, MSNBC: Governor, you mentioned President Trump’s tariff policy. Let’s also turn to the one “Big Beautiful Bill.” Now, law of the land, and talk to us about the way the budget cuts are going to impact New York State particularly, and people think of New York State as New York City, but as we well know it, it extends far beyond that.

    There are a lot of rural areas and I know there’s real concern about both Medicaid and rural health care.

    Governor Hochul: Absolutely. I was just up in Elise Stefanik’s district in the North Country, which is getting hammered, first of all the tariffs because the Canadians are not coming over. They’re not spending money in the hotels and restaurants. The tourism economy is suffering. Then you have the farm community, the farmers, Republican farmers, don’t know why their own elected officials voted against their interests with higher costs because of tariffs, closing out markets to them that they had always counted on the cost of even steel or the shavings that go in the stalls for their cows is more expensive because they got it from Canada. So, you have all that. But then to tell them that you are at risk of losing five of your rural hospitals in this one congressional district. That is real. I had a forum up there. I had 400 people — standing room only. Farmers, people in tourism, the small businesses, people in health care hospitals, they’re in a panic.

    And this is what I want to point out all across the state, seven members of the Republican party elected in this state voted against the interest of their own constituents. How do you do that and think you’re going to get away with it? Oh, you’ll push back the pain until 2027. Guess what? We’re going to remind everybody what you did to them, and it’s going to have an effect on your 2026 election, and that’s how Hakeem Jeffries will become the next Speaker to try and undo the pain that you’re talking about.

    We’ll lose 67,000 health care jobs, $8 billion hit to our hospitals and health care providers. The State of New York will have enormous challenges heading into next year, and in fact, this year we have to make up $750 million that they just took away this year alone. So, we’re fighting back, but it’d be really nice if we had some, I’m not even asking for real profiles and courage. Just don’t vote against your own constituents. It’s that simple.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: So, Governor, when five rural hospitals close in a single district, and you’re talking about losing almost a billion dollars in funding for that kind of thing, what do you do? What does the State of New York do? What does a county do? How do you make up for the fact that this is where my doctor is? Now that hospital’s closed, I’ve got to drive far, my Medicaid reimbursements aren’t coming in. How do you as a state try to bridge that gap?

    Governor Hochul: We’re looking at that right now, and it is a shame that – what Washington has done – Republicans in Washington have done will now have an impact on our ability to provide services here in the State of New York. We already spend an enormous amount of money taking care of people’s health care and education and childcare and nutrition programs, but we count on the federal government to be a partner in this, and when they pull out their share going to cost us so much more to do this. There’s not a state in this nation that can completely backfill all the cuts that they have now unleashed on us. It is not possible. So, we’ll have to figure it out with my team. I’m getting together with my cabinet this week. We have to make up $750 million right now. I’m saying, “Go back to your agencies, find some cuts, find out what we can save some money.” Next year, I have a $3 billion cut. We’ll get together with the Legislature, try to work it out, but this is grotesquely unfair, not just to the states, but to the people we serve. And they need to wear this. So this is gonna be a drumbeat. We’re not stopping because it didn’t have to be this way. You actually can vote against what your president tells you sometimes. It might be politically smart for you in a place like New York but they didn’t do that. I lost my seat in Congress, representing the most rural district, the most Republican district in New York, because I refused to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I knew those people in those rural areas that I represented myself would suffer from this, even though they threw me out of office because I stood up for them. But every once in a while you have to do the right thing — and they had the opportunity and they blew it.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: They blew it and it’s devastating to a lot of people. I want to ask you finally governor about something that’s exciting to a lot of parents that’s about to happen this fall. This school year which is a statewide ban in New York public schools on cell phones for kids. This has been an issue that parents and kids and schools and politicians have debated. You got the state to this place of, we’re talking bell to bell, you say, right? You check it in the morning, you get it back at the end of the day. How hard was it to get this over the line and how exactly will it work?

    Governor Hochul: It was very difficult. It took a year of me doing round tables with parents and students and administrators and superintendents, and there was a sense of Albany can’t tell us what to do. Then I said, “Then do it yourself. You know it’s better for the kids, superintendent and school boards. Do it yourselves.” Well, the parents will be upset. So, I said, “Listen, I’ll be the heavy. I’m a mom. I’m used to taking the blame, right? So let me wear this. Let’s do it, and let’s get this done as soon as possible, starting this fall.” So, all I want to do is give our kids their freedom back, not being addicted to this device all day long. They’re watching TikTok dance videos instead of listening to the math teacher

    And it’s affecting their academic performance, but also they’re not developing into fully functioning adults emerging as 18 year olds anymore because they’re not used to communicating. They don’t make eye contact; they don’t talk to each other. So this is going to change the quality of life for our kids — and hopefully help their mental health because we have a severe mental health crisis right now with teenagers. I can’t tell you how many days a week I hear from a parent who says, “my child is so depressed, they’re contemplating suicide. I’m so glad you’re taking the cell phones out of their hand because that’s where it started.” So I think other states should do this. It takes guts, you have to stand up, but I will do anything to protect your kids as if they’re my own.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: And one of the arguments against it is safety. If there’s a school shooting, then the kids need to be able to call their parents or call 911 or whatever it is, or if there’s some other emergency in the school — but you heard something interesting from law enforcement on that.

    Governor Hochul: This is what changed my perspective completely and I’m a mom who sent her kids to school during Columbine — and that fear of what happens when you send your child off to school and something horrific happens. We’ve had so many school shootings, but when law enforcement told me that if there is an active shooter in the building, the last thing you want is for your child to have their cell phone.

    First of all, it rings, they’re identified, or they start videoing or sending text messages, and they’re not paying attention to the trained professional in the front of the room – their teacher, their teachers go through constant drills. So sheriffs and police officers and district attorneys worked with me to try and persuade the parents.

    As hard as it is to give that connection up with your child, it is better for them in a crisis like that. So that’s what we need to lean into and say your child is safer not having the phone, and they’ll be more well adjusted. They’ll be happier, they’ll have more friends in person. One young girl told me, I said, “why can’t you just put it down?” She said, “You have to save us from ourselves. We can’t put this down. We need you to do it.” That’s all I needed to hear. And we got it done.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: And so is it in the morning, it goes into a Ziploc bag or what? How does it work?

    Governor Hochul: Every school can do it their own way — I’ll be in the Bronx today with the school superintendent, and they’re going to have these pouches called yonder pouches. They zip them up all day. Any school can do it the way they want. If you want to have a rack in the back of the classroom, but they cannot have it on them because the temptation is too great. When they get 250 notifications a day — kids do. We tracked this last year, we had a really strict nation leading ban on addictive algorithms from social media companies going after our kids. That was a big step last year, and I encourage the federal government to take a look at this. We’ve got to save our kids. They’re crying for help. We’re the adults, it’s our job.

    Willie Geist, MSNBC: I think a lot of people around the country will be watching New York to see how this goes, and I think a lot of parents are grateful that you took that step.

    New York State’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, Governor thank you as always.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you. Great to see all of you

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Diene Keita Designated Acting Executive Director of UNFPA

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Effective 16 July 2025, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has designated Ms. Diene Keita as Acting Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

    Ms. Keita, who has served as UNFPA’s Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director (Programme) since August 2020, will serve as Acting Executive Director of UNFPA until a new Executive Director is appointed. This designation follows the retirement of Dr. Natalia Kanem after her distinguished tenure of more than eight years at the helm of the organization.

    Ms. Keita brings to the role over three decades of leadership in international development and public service. Her career includes service as Minister for Cooperation and African Integration for the Republic of Guinea, alongside extensive experience within the United Nations. She has held senior leadership positions within UNFPA, including as Representative in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo—two of the organization’s largest programmes. She has acted as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mauritania, Benin, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ms. Keita began her United Nations career in 1990 with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

    Throughout her career, Ms. Keita has worked extensively on the empowerment of women and youth, inclusive growth, demographic issues, and sustainable human development. She has focused on addressing sexual and reproductive health, as well as on ending gender-based violence in humanitarian settings.

    Ms. Keita holds a doctorate in Law and advanced degrees in International Economics and Development Law and International Relations from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is fluent in English, French and Italian. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Castor Presses Trump Administration to Release Illegally Withheld Local Education Funds for Students and Educators

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) pressed U.S. Secretary of Education Lisa McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to immediately release more than $6 billion in federal education funds, including $398 million for Florida public schools that serve public school students and train educators. Castor highlights that the Administration is arbitrarily and illegally withholding congressionally-appropriated dollars without warning, and the detrimental impact on Tampa Bay area schools, students and families as districts prepare for the new school year.

    “The critical funding streams that are being withheld were approved by a bipartisan Congress to aid schools in training teachers, providing a well-rounded education, and supporting safe and healthy school and after-school initiatives,” wrote Rep. Castor. “This troubling delay of funding is unnecessarily disrupting budgeting and planning for the fast-approaching 2025-2026 academic school year, jeopardizing education initiatives for students and families and resulting in program cancellations.”

    Castor closed, “I urge you to end the pause and immediately release these funds that are critical to our students, families, schools and the local economy in the Tampa Bay area.”

    Rep. Castor’s letters detailed the harmful effects of the freeze in both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, which together serve more than 300,000 students. Hillsborough County Public Schools face a potential $24.2 million loss, threatening initiatives like teacher mentoring, literacy training, safety monitors and tutoring. In Pinellas County, nearly $9 million is at risk, including funding for STEM innovation, gifted and talented programming, mental health counseling and college readiness initiatives.

    Rep. Castor called on the Trump Administration officials to communicate clearly with local school districts and release the approved funds without delay to avoid canceled initiatives and uncertainty for students, educators and families.

    Read the HCPS letter here and the PCS letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Worries about the UK economy are justified, but can the government afford to gamble on raising taxes?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alan Shipman, Senior Lecturer in Economics, The Open University

    Gloomy economic figures have heaped more pressure on the British government and its promise to improve growth. And if that wasn’t enough, there have also been some stark warnings about public finances and the country’s ability to service its debts.

    All of this has led to a growing expectation that the UK chancellor Rachel Reeves will have to bring in some significant tax hikes later this year, or reduce government spending.

    But both of these options could worsen the long-term economic outlook, by further constraining GDP growth. That was precisely the fate of governments that pursued an agenda of “austerity” – cuts in spending and higher taxes – to tackle the expanded public debt after the financial crisis of 2008.

    It was a strategy that ultimately led to higher public debt. Put simply, when governments spend less, GDP tends to fall. And when GDP falls and a country is less productive, tax revenues go down too.

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

    To make things even more complicated for the chancellor, the UK government has also widened its debt risk by changing its fiscal rules to acknowledge extra financial responsibilities.

    This adjustment gave the government more financial assets, including student loans and public pension holdings. But it also meant taking on more liabilities, including the pension schemes it would have to bail out if necessary.

    In July 2025, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) identified several other sectors – including universities, housing associations and water companies – whose large debts could become government liabilities in the future.

    A bigger balance sheet automatically means more public financial risk. And climate change further raises these risks, the OBR says, by forcing the government to spend more on dealing with environmental damage and eroding fossil-fuel taxes, which still raise around £24 billion for the Treasury.

    The OBR is also concerned about the rising cost of pensions for an ageing population. In fact, the UK’s system is not particularly expensive, partly due to its reliance on private pensions (funded by employers and employees).

    Yet this reliance brings a different kind of government cost. For these private sector schemes have attempted to insulate themselves against the strains of an ageing population, as more employees retire than join the workforce (and as retirees live longer).

    Often this has involved shifting from “defined benefit” plans, which guarantee retirement income, to “defined contribution” plans, where payouts depend on how much members pay in and how well funds are invested.

    But that shift has also made it harder for the government to borrow the money it needs for public spending.

    Defined benefit funds, seeking a steady long-term return, used to be big buyers of UK government bonds (gilts) – the financial assets that the government sells to raise money. In contrast, defined contribution funds invest mainly in equities (company shares), which promise a higher return on investment that can grow pension pots faster.

    UK industrial policy supports this shift from gilts to other assets. It wants pension funds to invest in innovation and infrastructure as a way of stimulating its often mentioned mission of economic growth.

    The growth gamble

    Yet the move by pensions towards equities is steadily deflating demand for new government bonds. This then forces the government to pay higher interest rates to attract enough buyers, often from overseas.

    There is also pressure on the government to relax the “triple lock” on state pensions. This pledge – to raise the basic state pension by at least 2.5% every year, and maintained by all parties since 2011 – is costing around three times as much as was projected at launch, despite fewer pensioners escaping poverty since it was introduced.

    Overall, inflation and an ageing population have lifted state spending on pensions to around 5% of GDP.

    These pressures all strengthen the view that the government will need another tax-raising budget this year. How else will it pay for its plans for spending on healthcare, housing, infrastructure and defence?

    Reeves sought to assure voters that £40 billion in tax hikes in October 2024 rises were enough to plug an inherited “black hole”. But she is already struggling to preserve those projections, after a politically painful retreat from welfare changes designed to save £5 billion.

    Hopes that a faster-growing economy would narrow the deficit, by boosting tax receipts and reducing spending requirements, have not been fulfilled.

    Yet calls for significant tax increases – which could dampen growth – may still be be resisted.

    Under pressure, she may well consider a compromise like a “wealth tax” targeting the richest, that would also satisfy the Labour left. Yet the only way to really raise significant extra funds is to increase income tax, VAT or national insurance, which would be extremely risky politically.

    But all economic policy comes with risk. And she may end up sticking with her position and putting her (taxpayers’) money on the hope that today’s deficit will eventually be narrowed by faster growth. Relying on more investment to solve economic problems depends on investors trusting the economic stability of the UK, which is a gamble. But it is a gamble the government may still be willing to take.

    Alan Shipman has received funding from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust and the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin.

    – ref. Worries about the UK economy are justified, but can the government afford to gamble on raising taxes? – https://theconversation.com/worries-about-the-uk-economy-are-justified-but-can-the-government-afford-to-gamble-on-raising-taxes-260880

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Britons are less likely than Americans to invest in stocks – but they may not have the full picture

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Pybis, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Manchester Metropolitan University

    ymgerman/Shutterstock

    UK chancellor Rachel Reeves would like Britons to invest more in stocks – particularly UK stocks – rather than keep their money in cash. She has even urged the UK finance industry to be less negative about investing and highlight the potential gains as well as the risks.

    Stock ownership is important for governments for a variety of reasons. Boosting capital markets can encourage business expansion, job creation and long-term economic growth. It can also give people another source of income in later life, especially as long-term investing can offer greater returns than saving.

    But in the UK, excluding workplace pensions, only 23% of people have invested in the stock market, compared to nearly two-thirds in the US. Survey results suggest that American consumers are generally more comfortable with financial risks.

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

    And it appears that a greater degree of risk translates into closer political engagement. During market shocks driven by US president Donald Trump’s tariff chaos, many Americans tracked headlines – and their portfolios – closely. This contrasts with the UK, where most people keep their savings in safer assets like cash savings accounts or premium bonds.

    If Britons are more risk-averse, media coverage that tends to be noisier when markets fall than when they recover may be having an impact. While concerns regarding market volatility may be valid, they can overshadow the long-term benefits of investing.

    One key opportunity that many British consumers have missed out on is the rise of low-cost, diversified exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which have made investing more accessible and affordable. An ETF allows investors to buy or sell baskets of shares on an exchange. For example, a FTSE100 ETF gives investors exposure to the UK’s top 100 companies without having to buy each one individually.

    This is exactly the kind of long-term, low-cost investing that Reeves appears to be promoting. But should savers be worried about current market volatility – much of it driven by trade tensions and tariff uncertainty? One view, of course, is that volatility is simply part of investing.

    But it could also be argued that big shifts within the space of a single month are often exaggerated. People are also likely to be put off by news headlines, which tend to exaggerate the swings in the market.

    Examining daily excess returns in the US stock market from November 2024 to April 2025, I plotted cumulative returns (which show how an investment grows over time by adding up past returns) within each month. April 2025 stands out. Despite experiencing several sharp daily losses, the market rebounded swiftly in the days that followed.

    This pattern isn’t new. Historically, markets have shown a remarkable ability to recover from short-term shocks. Yet many potential investors could be deterred by alarming headlines that, while factually accurate, often highlight single-day declines without broader context.

    The reality is that the stock market is frequently a series of short-lived storms. These are volatile, yes, but often followed by calm and recovery.

    Fear and caution

    During market downturns, it’s common for people to try to understand why this time is worse or analyse if this crash is more serious than previous ones.

    The fear these headlines generate could feed into barriers to long-term investing in the UK. And that’s one of the challenges the chancellor faces in encouraging more Britons to invest.

    For those already invested in the stock market, short-term declines are part of the journey. They are risks that can be borne with the understanding that markets tend to recover over time.

    My analysis of daily US stock market data since 1926 shows that after sharp daily drops, the market often rebounds quickly (see pie chart below). In fact, more than a quarter of recoveries occur within just a few days.

    But this resilience is rarely the focus of media coverage. It’s far more common to see headlines reporting that the market is down than to see follow-ups highlighting how quickly it bounced back.

    Research has shown that negative economic information is likely to have a greater impact on public attitudes. For example, a sharp drop in the stock market might dominate front pages, while a steady recovery over the following weeks barely gets a mention. The imbalance reinforces a sense of crisis, even when the broader picture is less bleak.

    Markets went on to recover in April 2025… but did the headlines reflect this?
    David G40/Shutterstock

    Unbalanced reporting can distort perceptions, discouraging potential investors who might otherwise benefit from long-term participation in the market. It appears that American perceptions of their finances are also affected by news coverage in a similar way.

    Over the long term, the difference between stock market returns and the generally lower returns from government bonds is known as the “equity risk premium puzzle”. Economists have long debated why this gap is so large. Some observers argue it may narrow in the future. But many others, including the chancellor, believe that investing in the stock market remains a beneficial long-term strategy.

    If more people are to benefit from long-term investing, it’s vital to tell the full story. That means not just highlighting when markets fall, but following up on how they recover afterwards.

    Sam Pybis 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. Britons are less likely than Americans to invest in stocks – but they may not have the full picture – https://theconversation.com/britons-are-less-likely-than-americans-to-invest-in-stocks-but-they-may-not-have-the-full-picture-259485

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: From tea towels to TV remotes: eight everyday bacterial hotspots – and how to clean them

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Manal Mohammed, Senior Lecturer, Medical Microbiology, University of Westminster

    Parkin Srihawong/Shutterstock

    From your phone to your sponge, your toothbrush to your trolley handle, invisible armies of bacteria are lurking on the everyday objects you touch the most. Most of these microbes are harmless – some even helpful – but under the right conditions, a few can make you seriously ill.

    But here’s the catch: some of the dirtiest items in your life are the ones you might least expect.

    Here are some of the hidden bacteria magnets in your daily routine, and how simple hygiene tweaks can protect you from infection.

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

    Shopping trolley handles

    Shopping trolleys are handled by dozens of people each day, yet they’re rarely sanitised. That makes the handles a prime spot for germs, particularly the kind that spread illness.

    One study in the US found that over 70% of shopping carts were contaminated with coliform bacteria, a group that includes strains like E. coli, often linked to faecal contamination. Another study found Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas species on trolleys.

    Protect yourself: Always sanitise trolley handles before use, especially since you’ll probably be handling food, your phone or touching your face.

    Kitchen sponges

    That sponge by your sink? It could be one of the dirtiest items in your home. Sponges are porous, damp and often come into contact with food: ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive.

    After just two weeks, a sponge can harbour millions of bacteria, including coliforms linked to faecal contamination, according to the NSF Household Germ Study and research on faecal coliforms.

    Protect yourself: Disinfect your sponge weekly by microwaving it, soaking it in vinegar, or running it through the dishwasher. Replace it if it smells – even after cleaning. Use different sponges for different tasks (for example, one for dishes, another for cleaning up after raw meat).

    Chopping boards

    Chopping boards can trap bacteria in grooves left by knife cuts. Salmonella and E. coli can survive for hours on dry surfaces and pose a risk if boards aren’t cleaned properly.

    Protect yourself: Use separate boards for raw meat and vegetables. Wash thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse well and dry completely. Replace boards that develop deep grooves.

    Tea towels

    Reusable kitchen towels quickly become germ magnets. You use them to dry hands, wipe surfaces and clean up spills – often without washing them often enough.

    Research shows that E. coli and salmonella can live on cloth towels for hours.

    Protect yourself: Use paper towels when possible, or separate cloth towels for different jobs. Wash towels regularly in hot water with bleach or disinfectant.

    Mobile phones

    Phones go everywhere with us – including bathrooms – and we touch them constantly. Their warmth and frequent handling make them ideal for bacterial contamination.

    Research shows phones can carry harmful bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus.

    Protect yourself: Avoid using your phone in bathrooms and wash your hands often. Clean it with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and mild soap. Avoid harsh chemicals or direct sprays.

    Toothbrushes near toilets

    Flushing a toilet releases a plume of microscopic droplets, which can land on nearby toothbrushes. A study found that toothbrushes stored in bathrooms can harbour E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other microbes.



    Read more:
    Toothbrushes and showerheads covered in viruses ‘unlike anything we’ve seen before’ – new study

    Protect yourself: Store your toothbrush as far from the toilet as possible. Rinse it after each use, let it air-dry upright and replace it every three months – or sooner if worn.

    Bathmats

    Cloth bathmats absorb water after every shower, creating a warm, damp environment where bacteria and fungi can thrive.

    Protect yourself: Hang your bathmat to dry after each use and wash it weekly in hot water. For a more hygienic option, consider switching to a wooden mat or a bath stone: a mat made from diatomaceous earth, which dries quickly and reduces microbial growth by eliminating lingering moisture.

    Pet towels and toys

    Pet towels and toys stay damp and come into contact with saliva, fur, urine and outdoor bacteria. According to the US national public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet toys can harbour E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Protect your pet (and yourself): Wash pet towels weekly with hot water and pet-safe detergent. Let toys air dry or use a dryer. Replace worn or damaged toys regularly.

    Shared nail and beauty tools

    Nail clippers, cuticle pushers and other grooming tools can spread harmful bacteria if they’re not properly cleaned. Contaminants may include Staphylococcus aureus – including MRSA, a strain resistant to antibiotics – Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria behind green nail syndrome, and Mycobacterium fortuitum, linked to skin infections from pedicures and footbaths.

    Protect yourself: Bring your own tools to salons or ask how theirs are sterilised. Reputable salons will gladly explain their hygiene practices.

    Airport security trays

    Airport trays are handled by hundreds of people daily – and rarely cleaned. Research has found high levels of bacteria, including E. coli.

    Protect yourself: After security, wash your hands or use sanitiser, especially before eating or touching your face.

    Hotel TV remotes

    Studies show hotel remote controls can be dirtier than toilet seats. They’re touched by many hands and rarely sanitised.

    Common bacteria include E. coli, enterococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA, according to research.

    Protect yourself: Wipe the remote with antibacterial wipes when you arrive. Some travellers even put it in a plastic bag. Always wash your hands after using shared items.

    Bacteria are everywhere, including on the items you use every day. You can’t avoid all germs, and most won’t make you sick. But with a few good habits, such as regular hand washing, cleaning and smart storage, you can help protect yourself and others.

    It’s all in your hands.

    Manal Mohammed 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. From tea towels to TV remotes: eight everyday bacterial hotspots – and how to clean them – https://theconversation.com/from-tea-towels-to-tv-remotes-eight-everyday-bacterial-hotspots-and-how-to-clean-them-260784

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Design and Disability at the V&A is a rich, thought-provoking exhibition

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laudan Nooshin, Professor of Music, School of Communication and Creativity, City St George’s, University of London

    One of the first things to greet visitors at the V&A’s new Design and Disability exhibition is a striking blue bench by artist Finnegan Shannon titled, Do You Want Us Here Or Not? This exhibit is a response to the often inadequate seating in museums, which not only acts as a barrier to accessibility for many people, but is more widely symptomatic of ableist approaches to museum and exhibition design.

    In this case, the invitation to “Please sit here!” sets the tone for the whole exhibition, which also includes a large sensory map of the layout (located at wheelchair level), a tactile map, and QR codes that link to audio description for blind and partially sighted visitors, and also British Sign Language interpretation.

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    Aiming to showcase the radical contributions of disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people to design history and contemporary culture from the 1940s until the present, the exhibition goes well beyond this, addressing an impressively wide range of issues around access, disability and exclusion. It also reveals how ableism operates across a range of exclusions, such as race, gender, class and more.

    As the introductory notes point out: “Disabled people past and present have challenged and confronted the imbalance of design in society. This exhibition highlights disabled individuals at the heart of design history … It is both a celebration and a call to action.”

    While the fight for disability justice goes back many decades – also documented in the exhibition – it’s only relatively recently that questions of access and equality have gone beyond the physical. These include a wide range of issues related to neuro-inclusion and sensory access, including calm spaces and sensory maps that indicate noisy areas.

    My own interest in sound in museums has come partly out of research focusing on the role of acoustics in creating accessible spaces, and from my own experience of noise sensitivity conditions hyperacusis and misophonia. Inclusive sonic design seeks to address how sound operates as a factor of social inclusion and exclusion in places like museums.

    The V&A exhibition comprises three sections: visibility, tools and living. Visibility focuses on design and art as fundamental tools of activism and includes work created as part of disability justice movements over many decades. This section is a stark reminder of the justice and rights that only come about through extensive struggles.

    Tools highlight the extraordinary contribution to design innovation made by disabled people. Living explores stories of disabled people claiming space and imagining the worlds that they want to live in.

    Sections two and three both advocate for the social model of disability in which people are rendered disabled by their environment, something that calls for design solutions (as opposed to the medical model in which people are required to navigate and find solutions to their “problem”).

    The exhibition draws attention to a wide range of physical and sensory exclusions, both in the displays and the design of the space itself. The in-house design team includes staff with personal experience of disability who also worked closely with external partners living with disability.

    There are plenty of exhibits that can be experienced through touch. For partially sighted visitors, there are strong visual contrasts in the wall colours and the edges of displays are lit up. And there are raised edgings on all exhibits for people using a cane – all of which help with navigation.

    There are also quiet areas and plenty of seating. Some of these features are already being incorporated into gallery and exhibition design, and hopefully will soon become standard.

    I particularly liked the way various issues intersect in the exhibition, in which a range of exclusions are set alongside one another: race, hearing impairment, youth exclusion and stammering, for example.

    Other favourites included the B1 Blue Flame rattling football used for blind football, which visitors can pick up, feel, smell, shake and listen to. The Deaf Rave set and Woojer Vest are designed for deaf clubbers and performers and use vibrating tactile discs that amplify sound vibrations.

    The beautiful blanket and pillow entitled Public S/Pacing by Helen Statford offers an invitation to rest, drawing attention to “crip time”, accepting “a different pace to non-disabled norms, challenging conventions of productivity, and resting in radical ways that would actually benefit society at large”.

    The blanket highlights the failures of the design of public spaces to include disabled people, “challenging ableist assumptions with care and visibility”. The reverse of the blanket has a quotation from Rhiannon Armstrong’s Radical Act of Stopping (2016), embroidered by Poppy Nash.

    The exhibition includes many examples of “disability gain” by which design aimed at a particular group of people unintentionally benefits others, too. An example is the smartphone touchscreen, based on technology developed by engineers Wayne Westerman and John Elias as an alternative to the standard keyboard, which Westerman was unable to use due to severe hand pain.

    Initially marketed to people with hand disabilities, the technology was later sold to Apple where it revolutionised mobile phone technology.

    The final panel of the exhibition is titled Label for Missing Objects, an imaginative and fitting way to mark the continuing story of designing a world that works for “every body and every mind”.

    Design and Disability is a rich, thought-provoking and landmark exhibition. Kudos to the V&A, although its importance is so obvious, I wonder why it took this long to host a show dedicated to disabled artists and designers and the wider social impact of their work.

    I very much hope there are plans for the exhibition to tour the UK and beyond, and to become a permanent gallery at the V&A, so that it can inform curation and design work in other museums.

    Design and Disability at the V&A runs until February 15 2026.

    Laudan Nooshin received funding from the AHRC for the project Place-making Through Sound: Designing for Inclusivity and Wellbeing (2023-24).

    – ref. Design and Disability at the V&A is a rich, thought-provoking exhibition – https://theconversation.com/design-and-disability-at-the-vanda-is-a-rich-thought-provoking-exhibition-261135

    MIL OSI –