NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Sunrise with Edwina Bartholomew and Matt Shirvington

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW: Well, hundreds more families are living a nightmare this morning after police identified an additional four child care centres where alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked. It brings the total number of affected families to more than 3,000, with 2,000 children advised to undergo screening.

    MATT SHIRVINGTON: The devastating news comes almost two weeks after the Federal Education Minister promised to take action to make child care safer.

    [Excerpt starts]

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: The implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long. But this is serious, and I’m determined to act.

    [Excerpt ends]

    SHIRVINGTON: And Education Minister Jason Clare joins us now this morning. First and foremost, a family man yourself. So, we need to talk about, obviously, the emotional side of this. More child care centres have been impacted by this, even overnight. Thousands now, families have been contacted. Thousands of kids are going and getting blood tests, toddlers, preschoolers, to see if they’ve got STIs. It is not ok. You were here two weeks ago. Tell me you have some answers for us?

    CLARE: You just used the word nightmare. That’s the right word. More parents are being put through the wringer. All the fear and anxiety that their kids might be sick, and all the trauma that kids have to go through. It’s not just blood tests, it’s urine tests as well. The company should have picked this up in the first place where this worker was. The Victorian Government and authorities are doing everything they can to track the details of where he worked. But this highlights an example of why you need a database or a register, so you know where all child care workers are and where they’re moving from centre to centre. That’s just one of the things that we need to do.

    Parliament starts again next week. I’ll introduce legislation next week that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch, that aren’t meeting the sort of safety standards that parents expect and that our kids deserve.

    BARTHOLOMEW: Ok, let’s talk a little bit more about that legislation in a moment. But just in terms of this investigation, this is hugely cumbersome. They’ve had to get, police have had to get warrants to go into individual centres to just get handwritten rosters that are clearly wrong. The onus seems to be on the parents to get in contact with the Department and say, hang on, you said he worked here on these dates? I remember he was there at Halloween. He was there on all these other days. It feels like an absolute mess.

    CLARE: Absolutely. You should be able to press a button and know exactly where he was when he was working. This is a live investigation, so let’s park this individual case. We should have a system that tells us where all workers are, which centres they’re working at, whether they’re crossing individual borders.

    BARTHOLOMEW: What’s your Department telling you about the time frame on getting that centralised system?

    CLARE: What the Victorian Government has said is that they can set something like that up within the next couple of months. They can do that by expanding the existing register that exists for schoolteachers. And all states and territories have agreed that we need a national database like this and that we need to speed up the development of it. That work’s going on right now between the states, the territories and the Commonwealth.

    SHIRVINGTON: Yeah, absolutely. And of course, all of those brilliant child care workers that are out there that are doing the right thing as well, I think it’s going to cover them, too.

    CLARE: Can I just touch on that? Because everybody that’s about to take their kids to child care this morning knows how fantastic the workers at their centre that looks after their children are, and they trust their most precious people in the world with those carers. 99.9 per cent of the people who work in our centres are fantastic people who love our kids, care for our kids, educate our kids. One of the things we need to do here is help to arm them with mandatory child safety training so they can identify the bad 0.1 per cent that might be up to no good.

    SHIRVINGTON: That’s right. Let’s talk about this new legislation, because taking funding away is one thing. The problem is, though, 92 per cent, so you’re talking about around 18,000 child care centres across Australia, 92 per cent are either working towards standard or are at standard or above standard. OK. So, there’s 8 per cent, potentially 1500 almost, centres that are either have not been reviewed.

    CLARE: That are not meeting the standard, that’s right.

    SHIRVINGTON. So, that’s a lot of work for you. One, you’ve got to get the legislation through, then you’ve got to go through 1500 child care centres that are active right now.

    CLARE: There’s been great support by the Opposition. I think Sussan Ley was on the program a couple of days ago, and we’re working really constructively with the Opposition to get this legislation through, and I thank them for that. 

    If this legislation works the way we want it to work, it won’t mean shutting centres down, it’ll mean lifting standards up. The really big weapon that we have to wield here is money. We spend about $16 billion dollars of taxpayers’ money on running child care centres across the country. They can’t run without this funding. It represents about 70 per cent of the funding to operate a child care centre. So, the threat is, unless you get up to that standard, we cut the funding off. And I think if we get this right, what it means is that centres will quickly raise their standards to provide the sort of quality and safety that our kids need and deserve.

    BARTHOLOMEW: Ok, I’m wondering what else you have learnt that needs to change in the two weeks since we’ve had you on the program. So, one of them is that mandatory training for all child care workers, as you just detailed, so that they know what to look out for. Who pays for that?

    CLARE: I think the Commonwealth Government and states and territories are going to need to chip in, but potentially providers as well. It’s all hands on deck here.

    BARTHOLOMEW: Then there’s this centralised data system so that any potential threat, person, problem cannot keep going between centres. What else? What else have you learnt that needs to change so that this doesn’t happen again?

    CLARE: The other one’s CCTV, and we’ve seen some of the big providers, like Goodstart, already say that they’re going to roll that out. It can provide two things. One, deter bad people from acting badly in our centres, but also help police with their investigations when the worst happens.

    BARTHOLOMEW: Ok. And then there’s the phones as well for child care.

    CLARE: Yeah, we’ve already taken action. Yep, that’s right. But becomes mandatory in September. We did that for a reason. The paedophile that was arrested and convicted in Queensland was using his phone to take photographs of children in centres. One of the things we need to do here, if we’re serious, is get personal phones out of child care centres.

    SHIRVINGTON: Sounds like they almost need to wear body cams, which is, you know, we don’t even want to go down that road. I wanted to ask you, too. You spoke about the child care workers and sending a message to them, and parents dropping off kids. This morning, a lot of parents we’re hearing reported that they’re taking their kids out of centres with male carers. What do you say to the male carers in the system at the moment today who are going to care for these kids?

    CLARE: There’s a lot of men who work in our centres that feel like they’ve got a target on their back at the moment, and things are really tough for them. What I would say here is that just targeting blokes is not the solution. If we go back and have a look at examples of abuse and neglect in our centres, it’s not just men, it’s women as well. 

    We’ve had Royal Commissions. I’ve conducted a child safety review. All the recommendations here aren’t about targeting the blokes per se. It’s about the sort of things we’re talking about this morning, training up our workers to identify bad people in our centres. It’s about a national register to track people across the country and across the system. And it’s things like CCTV, but not just that. It’s also about making the penalties real when child care centres fail. They’re not serious at the moment, and also making sure that we give better information to parents. You should be able to walk into a centre today and there be a sign at the front door that tells you whether that centre is up to scratch or not.

    BARTHOLOMEW: Yeah. Look for anybody who has heard these allegations. It’s one of the worst things we’ve ever heard for anybody. And for a lot of people, they don’t have a choice. They need to send their kids to child care centres. But once you’ve got your children at a good centre, which is safe, the benefits are enormous for young kids.

    CLARE: I know that. You know, my little guy’s there five days a week. It’s an essential service for mums and dads. It helps you to be able to go back to work and earn a living, and put money on the table. But it’s good for our kids, to prepare our kids for school. If you ask your teacher at your local primary school, they’ll tell you. They can tell the kids that have been to child care and the ones that haven’t, because they’re ready to learn. 

    But number one, it’s got to be safe, and we’ve got more work to do on that. I’ve been pretty blunt. We’ve done some things. More needs to be done, and it needs to be done faster. 

    SHIRVINGTON: Keep fighting. I’m not going to, with respect, call you Minister today. I’m going to call you Jason. You’re a dad. Appreciate you coming on.

    CLARE: Thanks, mate.

    SHIRVINGTON: Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Eighth charter school opens in Auckland

    Source: Charter School Agency

    The country’s newest charter school, Twin Oaks Classical School, opened its doors today (July 14). 
    The Greenlane school combines two educational pathways – the Charlotte Mason method and the Classical tradition shapes what the school teaches, while the Charlotte Mason method informs how the curriculum is taught. 
    Head of School Amanda Goodchild says the school has integrated the two complementary learning styles, adapting them for “our unique context here in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and for the emerging world of the 21st century.”
    She says the two educational pathways are knowledge-rich and immerse children in a wide range of subjects including literature, mythology, art, grammar, music, history, Shakespeare, mathematics, nature study, formal logic, te reo Māori and Latin. 
    “Our community is grateful to be able to access a liberal arts education free of charge thanks to the charter school model,” she says. 
    “The families who have enrolled with us come from all four corners of the city; they want a different style of education and more quality time with their children. 
    Students will learn at home two days a week, supervised by parents. This means parents will be able to participate in their children’s education as “meaningful partners,” implementing the learning plan and using resources provided by the school. 
    Amanda says around half of the children who have enrolled at the school were previously home educated. 
    “We are helping these families stay connected to their children’s learning but now parents have direction, support and accountability from professional educators and children can learn alongside their peers three days a week. 
    “Our other parents want to be more involved in their children’s lives and learning, but for them, full-time homeschooling is a stretch too far. our school is meeting an important need for both these groups.”
    Students in Years 1-9 won’t use internet-connected devices. Instead, they will focus on reading, writing by hand, singing, creating art, moving their bodies and studying the natural world. 
    “As communication becomes more fragmented in our digital world, so does intelligent reasoning,” Amanda says. “We are excited to teach children the art of thinking and communicating well in a world of sound bites and scrolling.” 
    Personal devices will be introduced from year 10 when students begin the High School Diploma programme. The school will select the best online tools that add real value and facilitate personalised training. 
    The school’s roll is full until 2027 with 88 children pre-enrolled until the end of 2026. It plans to have single year classrooms from years 1-13 and a full school of around 230, and if there is the demand, multiple campuses across the country. 
    Twin Oaks will seek accreditation as an international school to provide graduates with a US High School Diploma and is already attracting strong interest from teachers in New Zealand and abroad. 
    Notes
    The three stages of a Classical education (the Trivium) 
    Year 1 – 6: Grammar stage. Students build their foundational knowledge. 
    Year 7 – 9: Logic stage. Students begin to learn formal logic and to think more abstractly. 
    Year 10 – 13: Rhetoric stage: Students learn to communicate well-reasoned idea persuasively. 
    Charlotte Mason
    Charlotte Mason was a British educational reformer and philosopher who was active from the late Victorian era through to the early 20th century. She championed a “living education” for children regardless of social background. 
    The Charlotte Mason homeschool method is an educational philosophy that emphasises providing a rich, liberal education while using methods that engage a child’s natural curiosity and enthusiasm. This approach also places an emphasis on creating an environment in which children feel safe, secure, and respected. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    July 15, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations, with Severance leading as this year’s most-nominated series and The Studio becoming the most-nominated freshman comedy in history

    Global phenomenon Severance scores 27 nominations for hit second season, including Outstanding Drama Series and nine performance category nominations

    Breakout comedy The Studio sweeps with 23 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, making history with the most nominations for a freshman comedy and most overall acting nominations this year

    Apple TV+ leads as the only network to land multiple title nominations across Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories, as The Studio, Severance, Slow Horses, and Shrinking land top program nominations, alongside Apple’s first-ever Outstanding Television Movie nod for The Gorge

    Apple also lands the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total

    Apple Originals honored with nominations across 14 titles, including Severance, The Studio, Slow Horses, Shrinking, Presumed Innocent, The Gorge, Bad Sisters, Dope Thief, Disclaimer, Pachinko, Your Friends & Neighbors, Dark Matter, Deaf President Now!, and Bono: Stories of Surrender

    CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA Apple TV+ today earned a record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations across 14 hit Apple Original titles for this year’s 77th Emmy Awards. Severance became this year’s most-nominated series with 27 nominations, and The Studio made history as the most-nominated freshman comedy series with 23 nominations in total. Additionally, with top program nominations for drama (Slow Horses) and comedy (Shrinking), Apple TV+ became the only network to have multiple titles nominated in the Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories. Apple also landed the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total.

    “Everyone at Apple is celebrating the talent, creativity, and hard work of all of our Emmy nominees this morning,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Severance and The Studio have exceeded our wildest expectations in earning the most nominations for both drama and comedy series, alongside the phenomenal Shrinking and Slow Horses. These shows have connected deeply with audiences around the world, and we’re incredibly appreciative to the Television Academy for recognizing the breadth of storytelling that has been an honor for us to champion. We send our warmest congratulations to all of today’s nominees.”

    “This record-breaking year is a milestone for Apple, and we’re especially proud of the continued impact our outstanding series nominees — Severance, The Studio, Shrinking, and Slow Horses — are having on global culture,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s Head of Worldwide Video. “These nominations honor bold storytelling, exceptional performances, and remarkable craftsmanship, and we’re deeply grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing these visionary creators.”

    Severance dominates as the most-nominated series this year, with 27 overall nominations, including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Adam Scott, Outstanding Lead Actress for Britt Lower, Outstanding Directing for Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné, Outstanding Writing for Dan Erickson, alongside recognition for outstanding performances by Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever, as well as nods across several craft categories.

    As the most-nominated freshman comedy series in history, in addition to Outstanding Comedy, The Studio scores Outstanding Lead Actor, Directing, and Writing for Seth Rogen; Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ike Barinholtz; and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara. It also earned five of the six nominations in the Outstanding Guest Actor category, including first-ever acting nominations for directors Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, alongside Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Anthony Mackie, plus an Outstanding Guest Actress nomination for Zoë Kravitz.

    In its sophomore season, Apple’s beloved Shrinking nabs its first-ever nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Harrison Ford is recognized with his first Emmy Award nomination for his celebrated performance in the series. Jason Segel nabs Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy, alongside Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress nominations for Michael Urie and Jessica Williams, respectively.

    Following last year’s Emmy Award win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Slow Horses lands nominations for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Sir Gary Oldman, Outstanding Directing for Adam Randall, Outstanding Casting, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Will Smith.

    Apple Original Films’ The Gorge lands the first Outstanding Television Movie nomination for Apple TV+, as Apple Original documentaries Deaf President Now! and Bono: Stories of Surrender are also recognized.

    Apple TV+ series stars lead with the most performance nominations overall, earning 31 acting category nominations, including 10 top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in The Studio, nine nominations for the stars and guest stars of Severance, and four nominations each for performances in Shrinking and Presumed Innocent. Dope Thief star Brian Tyree Henry also scores a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, as Sir Gary Oldman lands his second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Slow Horses, and Sharon Horgan is recognized with her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the BAFTA Award-winning Bad Sisters.

    The nominations were announced today by the Television Academy, and the winners will be unveiled at the Creative Arts ceremonies on September 6 and 7, and the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14, 2025.

    To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 580 wins and 2,761 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

    In total, Apple scores 81 Emmy Award nominations, including:

    Severance (27)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott
    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Britt Lower
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Zach Cherry
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tramell Tillman
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: John Turturro
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patricia Arquette
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Jane Alexander
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Gwendoline Christie
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Merritt Wever
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Jessica Lee Gagné
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Ben Stiller
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Dan Erickson
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series 
    • Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming 
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series (X3)
    • Outstanding Title Design
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
    • Outstanding Stunt Performance

    The Studio (23)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ike Barinholtz
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kathryn Hahn
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Catherine O’Hara
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bryan Cranston
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Dave Franco
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Ron Howard
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Mackie
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Martin Scorsese
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Zoë Kravitz
    • Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
    • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Heck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Contemporary Costumes For A Series
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single Camera Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling 
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Shrinking (7)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Segel
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Harrison Ford
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Michael Urie
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jessica Williams
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Slow Horses (5)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Gary Oldman
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Will Smith
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Adam Randall
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series

    Presumed Innocent (4)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Bill Camp
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Peter Sarsgaard
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Ruth Negga

    Disclaimer (2)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Cate Blanchett
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie

    Bad Sisters (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Sharon Horgan

    Dope Thief (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Brian Tyree Henry

    The Gorge (2)

    • Outstanding Television Movie
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special

    Deaf President Now! (2)

    • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim

    Pachinko (2)

    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)

    Your Friends & Neighbors (1)

    • Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

    Bono: Stories of Surrender (1)

    • Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special

    Dark Matter (1)

    • Outstanding Title Design

    Nominees for Outstanding Commercial (2)

    • “Heartstrings” — Apple AirPods Pro
    • “Flock” — Apple Privacy

    Severance
    In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

    The Studio
    In The Studio, Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios. As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it’s the job Matt’s been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.

    Shrinking
    Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

    Slow Horses
    This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

    Presumed Innocent
    Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together. The star-studded ensemble cast of the thriller also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle and Renate Reinsve.

    Disclaimer
    Disclaimer is a gripping psychological thriller in seven chapters, starring Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Written and directed by five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón, “Disclaimer” is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight. Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The ensemble cast includes Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.

    Bad Sisters
    Bad Sisters season two returns to follow the lives of the Garvey sisters played by Sharon Horgan as Eva, Anne-Marie Duff as Grace, Eva Birthistle as Ursula, Sarah Greene as Bibi and Eve Hewson as Becka. Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit Garvey sisters may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust.

    Dope Thief
    Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book Dope Thief, the series follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern Seaboard.

    The Gorge
    Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

    Pachinko
    Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.

    Your Friends & Neighbors
    After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

    Deaf President Now!
    The story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard of. Deaf President Now! recounts the eight days of historic protests held at Gallaudet University in 1988 after the school’s board of trustees appointed a hearing president over several very qualified Deaf candidates. After a week of rallies, boycotts and protests, the students of Gallaudet University triumph as the hearing president resigns and beloved dean Dr. I. King Jordan becomes the university’s first Deaf president. The protests marked a pivotal moment in civil rights history, with an impact that extended well beyond the Gallaudet campus, and paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Deaf President Now! features exclusive interviews with the five key figures of the movement, including the DPN4 — Jerry Covell, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Tim Rarus and Greg Hlibok — alongside I. King Jordan, as well as archival and scripted elements. The film also incorporates an experimental narrative approach called Deaf Point of View, using impressionistic visual photography and intricate sound design to thrust the audience into the Deaf experience.

    Bono: Stories of Surrender
    Bono: Stories of Surrender is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief… As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.

    Dark Matter
    Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

    All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.

    Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

    About Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone; iPad; Apple TV; Apple Vision Pro; Mac; popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.1About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country

    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers

    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets

    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.

    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”

    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.

    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Driscoll:

    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.

    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  

    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.

    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.

    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:

    1. What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    2. What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    3. Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    4. During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at obesity drugs in people with diabetes and obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and all-cause mortality

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at the association between people with obesity and diabetes taking weight loss drugs, and risk of neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and all-cause mortality. 

    Dr Sarah Marzi, Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience and UK DRI Group Leader, UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London, and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?

    “This is retrospective study in over 60000 individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity who were using antidiabetic drugs between 2017 and 2024.  The authors looked at the incidence of neurological diseases and mortality.  They showed that people taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ras), such as semaglutide, was associated with a lower incidence of dementia, stroke and all-cause mortality, but not associated with Parkinson’s disease or mild cognitive impairment.  The hazard ratio for developing dementia with GLP1-RA treatment compared to other diabetic drugs was 0.63.  Or maybe more easily interpretable: The cumulative probability of developing dementia on GLP1-RA after 7 years was 1.63%, whereas it was slightly higher (1.98%) in the group with other antidiabetics.  The study seems well executed and open about the limitations.  There could have been some more detail on the methods, but I suspect that has to do with the format of the publication.

    How does this work fit with the existing evidence?

    “It has been hypothesised that GLP1-RAs may have protective effects in the brain, particularly in the context of dementia, possibly through lowering neuroinflammation or promoting neurogenesis.  There is increasing epidemiological evidence that supports this, for example this meta analysis of clinical trials of GLP1-RAs: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2831975

    Have the authors accounted for confounders?  Are there important limitations to be aware of?

    “They used propensity weighting to account for various factors that might bias the outcome, like sex, age, ethnicity, BMI or hospitalisation.  This is good and what should be done in these type of observational studies.  If there is a difference in the two populations that receive the different drugs, that could easily affect their risk to develop neurodegenerative or other neurological conditions.  For example, the proportion of GLP1-RA users who were within hospital inpatient care was much higher than in the comparison group – and this could indicate worse diabetes symptoms or other health complications that may increase risk for neurological disease.  The propensity weighting should account for these differences.  However, it only works for variables that were actively measured, and may overlook other relevant factors.  The authors are clear about the limitations in their discussion, also saying that only a randomized controlled trial would establish causality and that it would be important to investigate underlying biological mechanisms.  One thing I would also note is that the studied population is slightly young for the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases.  Late onset Alzheimer’s disease typically starts after the age of 65 and the probability increases as people age.  The study population here was around 58 years of age on average when originally recruited, so should have been around 65 at 7-year follow-up.  This would be when people are only about to start to develop some of these diseases.

    What are the implications in the real world?  Is there any overspeculation?

    “If shown to be protective for neurodegenerative diseases in future trials, GLP1-RAs could potentially be used clinically in disease prevention in the future, so this is definitely important – but we are not there yet.  No overspeculation on behalf of the authors.”

    Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation, Alzheimer’s Society, said:

    “It is well established that diabetes and obesity can increase your risk of developing dementia.  This study retrospectively examines whether GLP-1RAs drug, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide which are used to treat diabetes, can also reduce a person’s dementia risk.

    “This study supports existing evidence that shows these drugs may reduce dementia risk, particularly for people aged 60 and over who are living with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    “Although interesting, we can’t draw conclusions from this study alone as it is an observational study, only a small number of people who took part went on to develop dementia and as the impact of these drugs on different types of dementia is not clear.

    “There are clinical trials currently looking at whether drugs like these can be used to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, so this is a really exciting area being explored in the research fight against dementia.”

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and Past President of the British Neuroscience Association, said:

    “This is a very interesting study adding to evidence that GLP1 receptor agonists are associated with a lower risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.  This study by Lin and colleagues looked at data from over 60,000 people and found an association between taking GLP1 receptor agonists semaglutide or tirzepatide for 7 years and reduced risk of dementia, stroke, and all-cause mortality (death).  This type of study cannot determine whether the drugs reduced disease risk by directly protecting the brain.  It is highly likely that effectively treating type 2 diabetes and obesity would reduce dementia and stroke risk as they are known risk factors for these conditions.  Further work is needed including randomised clinical trials to confirm these drugs are protective in people with diabetes and obesity and other trials are needed to determine whether these drugs will be protective in people who do not have type 2 diabetes and obesity.”

    Dr Coco Newton, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL; and Health Systems Group, University of Cambridge, said:

    “This is a rigorous study and suggests important therapeutic effects of GLP-1RAs beyond glycemic control.  However, the protective effects against dementia should be taken with caution.  Three types of dementia outcomes were investigated – Alzheimer’s, vascular, and ‘other’.  Although there was an overall lower risk of dementia associated with GLP-1RAs, the sub-group analysis revealed that this was only the case for ‘other’ dementia, but not for Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia – the two most common forms of dementia.  What constitutes ‘other’ dementia is unclear.  The relatively short average follow-up of 1.7 years is far less than the time it takes to develop symptoms of a dementia disease and access a diagnosis, so a longer follow-up time should be investigated before making claims around dementia protection.”

    Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:

    “This study adds to previous evidence suggesting that, in people who have type 2 diabetes and are overweight, taking the newer GLP-1RA drugs to manage and alleviate those conditions might also lead to benefits in terms of reduced rates of some neurological conditions such as dementias, and of stroke.

    “I think it’s a careful and competent study of its type.  But it doesn’t yet come near showing with any certainty that talking these drugs definitely causes reduced risk of these neurological and brain conditions.  Also, since everyone in the study already had type 2 diabetes and obesity, and was aged 40 or over, the results can’t tell us anything direct about people who aren’t in that group.

    “That’s why the brief press release, and the abstract (summary) of the research paper, rightly don’t go beyond a suggestion that these GLP-1RA drugs might have a protective effect, even in people with diabetes and obesity, but instead say that their results mean that further clinical trials are called for.

    “The newer GLP-1RA drugs being studied are semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic, Rybelsus  or Wegovy) and tirzepatide (marketed as Zepbound or Mounjaro).

    “The researchers for this study are based in Taiwan.  For the study they used data from deidentified health records from 67 US health care organisations, made available through a research network called TriNetX.  The researchers used data on people aged 40 and over with type 2 diabetes and obesity, who had started as new users of semaglutide, tirzepatide, or other antidiabetic drugs between 2017 and 2024.  They excluded from their analysis patients who had previously been prescribed one of the earlier GLP-1RA drugs.

    “The primary outcomes that were analysed were new diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and Parkinson’s disease, and also diseases of blood circulation to the brain, including strokes (where a blood clot blocks the blood supply to part of the brain) and intracerebral haemorrhage (bleeds in the brain).

    “The study found that there were fewer new cases of several, but not all, of these conditions in people who had started taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, compared to people who had started on a different antidiabetic drug that was not a GLP-1RA.

    “However, this was an observational study – so not like a randomised clinical trial where people are allocated at random to one of the drug treatments.  That means that there will, inevitably, be some other differences between the people taking the GLP-1RA drugs and people taking other kinds of drug, apart from which antidiabetic drug they were taking.  So it would remain possible that any difference in diagnosis rates, for the conditions they were looking at, between those on GLP-1RAs and those on other drugs, was caused by one of these other factors and not by the drugs themselves.

    “Of course the researchers were aware of this possibility, and they tried to allow for it using a statistical procedure called propensity score matching.  They found factors, that were recorded on their database, that were associated with the chance of being prescribed a GLP-1RA drug, and used them to construct a statistical model giving a score for how likely each person was to be prescribed a GLP-1RA drug.  Then each of the more than 30,000 patients who was prescribed a GLP-1RA was matched with a patient who was prescribed a different drug, on the basis of this score.  Here the so-called propensity scores were based on people’s age, sex, ethnicity, BMI and various other aspects of their lives and their previous health.  Then in the statistical analysis, each patient was primarily compared with the person they were matched with.

    “This is a standard statistical procedure these days, but it doesn’t get the researchers off the hook of not being able to conclude that the different type of drug actually cause differences in the risk of being diagnosed with one of the diseases they were interested in.

    “That’s partly because there’s no way to be sure that all relevant factors are included in the statistical model that produces the propensity scores.  For instance, the researchers couldn’t include factors that are not recorded in the database they had – they mention the patient’s frailty as one example of something quite possibly relevant that was not on the database.

    “And basically that’s why the researchers, rightly, don’t go further than suggesting that their findings are a reason for doing clinical trials rather than just more observational studies.

    “The research found evidence that was reasonably solid statistically of a reduced risk of diagnosis of dementia and of stroke in patients who were prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide, compared to patients prescribed another antidiabetic drug.  But don’t forget that they can’t show that these associations are one of cause and effect.  They might be, but they might not be.

    “Also, all these findings apply only to patients like those in the study – that is, people aged 40 or more who already had both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    “They did not, however, find good statistical evidence of a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, or mild cognitive impairment, or bleeds in the brain in people taking GLP-1RA drugs.

    “That can’t be taken to mean that the drugs definitely don’t lead to reductions in the risk of those conditions.  It’s possible that they don’t lead to risk reductions or risk increases.  But it’s also possible that the study, despite the large number of participants, didn’t provide enough evidence one way or the other.  Only just over 100, out of the over 60,000 people studied, had a Parkinson’s diagnosis and that’s not really enough to come to clear conclusions.  Or it’s also still possible that the effect of other unrelated factors, not accounted for by the propensity scores, disguised an association that would otherwise be detectable.  That’s always a risk with observational studies.

    “The study made one other interesting finding, which actually arose from a restriction in the data tools the researchers had available.  Imagine that, for some reason, patients on the GLP-1RA drugs had a higher death rate than patients on the other antidiabetic drugs.  Then perhaps the GLP-1RA patients would have a lower risk of being diagnosed with one of the diseases being studied, simply because they would have been more likely to die of something else first.  There are standard statistical methods for getting round this issue, but they could not be used with the available database.

    “Therefore the researchers decided to use death from any cause (so-called all-cause mortality) as a secondary outcome of this study, as well as the primary outcomes about neurological conditions, strokes and brain bleeds.  In fact. they found that patients on the GLP-1RA drugs had a lower risk of death, during the study, than patients on the other antidiabetic drugs, not a higher risk, again using the propensity scoring method.  So the lower diagnosis rates for stroke and dementia, that they found in their primary data analyses, weren’t simply an odd consequence of differences in mortality rates.

    “This conclusion about death rates is subject to the same provisos as the other conclusions – we can’t conclude that the difference in death rates is actually caused by the different drugs that people were taking for their diabetes, though it certainly doesn’t rule that possibility out.

    “And it raises the interesting question of whether the associations between the drugs people were talking and their risks of diagnoses of the specific conditions of interest could look different, possible stronger, if differences in risk of death from any cause could have been taken into account directly in measuring those associations.”

    ‘Neurodegeneration and Stroke After Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in Patients With Diabetes and Obesity’ by Huan-Tang Lin et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 15 July 2025.

    DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.21016

    Declared interests

    Dr Sarah Marzi: “No conflicts of interest on my part (no industry funding etc).”

    Dr Richard Oakley: “Nothing to declare.”

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones: “I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai.  I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.”

    Dr Coco Newton: “No interests to declare.”

    Prof Kevin McConway: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York launches strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families

    Source: City of York

    Published Tuesday, 15 July 2025

    City of York Council has unveiled a new draft strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families in York.

    Young people, parents and carers, schools and health and childcare professionals are being invited to share their views on the draft strategy over the next few months.

    The five-year strategy, entitled Inclusion and Belonging, sets out to help every child and family in York feel that they belong at school, in their community, and in the wider city.

    The strategy has been developed through extensive co-production with young people with SEND and their families. It outlines ten key priorities including:

    • ensuring that the voice and visibility of children and young people is most important
    • ensuring that children and young people’s needs are identified at the earliest opportunity
    • making sure that the right support is available at the right time.

    Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:

    We want all children and young people to feel that they belong in our city. Their views, together with those of their families, carers, and childcare and health professionals, are essential. We want to hear people’s experiences, ideas, and concerns so we can create a final strategy that reflects real lives and needs; one which helps make a significant different to the lives of local children and young people with SEND and their families.

    You can have your say in various ways:

    • In person: At the Gateway Centre in Acomb on Tuesday 15 July 11-1pm and Monday 21 July 5-7pm
    • Complete an online survey: www.york.gov.uk/consultations
    • Complete a paper survey: Available from Customer Services at West Offices

    For more information visit www.york.gov.uk/consultations

    City of York Council is also inviting schools, parents, carers, and young people to share their views on the development of York’s Autism and ADHD Strategy as this work is closely linked to York’s Inclusion and Belonging Strategy. 

    Inclusion means recognising and valuing all kinds of diversity, including neurodiversity. For children and young people with autism or ADHD, feeling understood, supported, and included at school and in the community is key to a sense of belonging.

    You can have your say on the draft Autism and ADHD Strategy at the same events as for the SEND strategy, or complete the online survey at www.york.gov.uk/consultations

    The survey will run from Tuesday 15 July until Sunday 7 September.  Feedback will be used to shape the final strategy.

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alain Guillemain, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Deakin University

    Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values. One “does philosophy” when they respond to such questions in ways that engage critical thought and inquiry.

    Many of us will often respond philosophically to the world around us without even realising it. We may do this, for instance, when we reflect on various aspects of culture and the arts.

    But does going to the cinema really amount to doing philosophy? While you may have never thought about it this way, this is exactly what one famous French philosopher named Gilles Deleuze (1925–95) argued.

    Deleuze’s movement-image

    Deleuze presents a philosophical approach to cinema that treats films not merely as entertainment, but as a medium for thinking and creating philosophical concepts.

    This creation of philosophical concepts is what he and his collaborator, Felix Guattari, prize as “doing philosophy” in their 1991 book What is Philosophy?.

    For Deleuze and Guattari, the creation of concepts is not entirely mental. It is an embodied process that involves engaging the senses – which is what cinema demands of both filmmakers and viewers. To that end, filmmakers and film viewers can both be seen as special kinds of philosophers.

    Deleuze suggests cinema is not simply leisure or culture. In his 1983 book Cinema 1: The Movement-Image, he highlights how cinema is a philosophical practice made possible though “movement-images” – cinematic images which can actively shape our perception and experience of the world.

    Great film directors can create concepts through movement-images, just as great philosophers do so through language.

    Good cinema demands viewers engage using all their senses, resulting in an embodied experience.
    Kumiko Shimizu/Unsplash

    Deleuze identified three categories of movement-images: perception-images, affection-images and action-images.

    The perception-image frames the world from a particular point of view, usually to establish context for an action. For example, at the start of a scene, the camera might pan across the contents of a room before resting on the protagonist.

    The affection-image is the cinematic expression of pure emotion. Affection-images can evoke empathy, such as when we see a character’s face overcome with sadness in a close-up. These images usually sit between perception and action images.

    The action-image embodies action and reaction within a defined situation, and usually links perception and affection images. In the horror genre, this may be the “jump scare” that suddenly reveals a killer, after a long buildup of tension.

    Deleuze’s time-image

    In his 1985 book Cinema 2: The Time-Image, Deleuze extends his film philosophy from that of movement-images to include time-images.

    The time-image is one where the experience of time is prioritised over narrative. For instance, a time-image may make use of long takes, empty spaces and irrational cuts to depict time directly onscreen, rather than represent time through props.

    Through masterfully crafting movement-images and time-images, directors can (knowingly or unwittingly) create the opportunity for audiences to think about philosophical concepts and themes.

    For example, in the trailer for Get Out (2017), director Jordan Peele uses a range of movement-images and time-images to convey the concepts of racism, trauma, social isolation and social stratification.

    Multiple closeups of main character Chris Washington’s face looking alarmed produce affection-images (a type of movement-image) that engage the viewer’s emotions.

    Peele also strategically uses time-images to intensify the themes being conveyed, such as when Rose’s mother clinks the spoon on the teacup, both moving Chris back in time and freezing him in real time.

    For Deleuze, it is these embodied, affective experiences that are the fundamental conditions for thought. By allowing the film to be sensed and felt, and by transmuting these feelings into the domain of thought, the cinemagoer can become philosophically engaged.

    Repetition is another element that can bear philosophical fruits, according to Deleuze. The more one repeats a film, whether by re-watching, or repeating certain sequences, the more they allow themselves to be affected by it in different ways. This opens up different avenues for thought.

    How to engage philosophically with films

    Cinemagoers need not be familiar with Deleuze’s ideas to engage philosophically with a film. The only thing required is an openness to the film. But if you do want to consciously approach your next viewing like a philosopher, you might consider the following steps:

    1. Feel as you watch. Open yourself up and allow cinematic moments to affect you on an emotional and bodily level, even if this is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

    2. Allow for multiple interpretations. Resist the temptation to fall into black and white thinking about which characters are “good” or “bad”. Remain open to different readings of the film.

    3. Reflect on what you felt. Allow what you experienced in your body guide your thoughts afterwards. For instance, if you experienced shock, rage, or confusion, ask yourself why.

    4. Gently arrive at some conclusions based on your multiple readings of the film. Allow for perspectives that both contribute to and challenge your worldview.

    5. Consider watching the film again, and repeating the above steps. This will likely help you feel and think new things that further enhance your understanding of the film, and your worldview.

    Ruari Elkington has received funding from The Queensland Government Dept of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Screen Queensland, The Embassy of France in Australia and Cinema Association Australasia

    Alain Guillemain 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. How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher – https://theconversation.com/how-to-approach-going-to-the-cinema-like-a-philosopher-259277

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The pros and cons of a Universal Basic Income in London

    Source: Mayor of London

    The Basic Income Earth Network, an advocacy organisation, defines a basic income as “a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.”1

    There is currently one active Universal Basic Income (UBI) trial in the UK: the Welsh Government commissioned a 3-year trial running from July 2022, involving 500 care leavers receiving a monthly payment of £1,600.2

    The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee will meet tomorrow to understand the benefits and drawbacks associated with a Universal Basic Income (UBI) in London, and evaluate how far a UBI would be effective in addressing some of the most acute problems faced by Londoners.

    The two panels are split to hear from one set of guests that are supportive of the idea of UBI, with the second panel made up of guests who take a more sceptical view.

    The guests are:

    Panel 1:

    • Professor Elliott Johnson, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow in Public Policy, Northumbria University
    • Dr Otto Lehto, Postdoctoral Researcher, New York University
    • Professor Guy Standing, Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
    • Dr Will Stronge, Chief Executive, The Autonomy Institute

    Panel 2:

    • Anna Coote, Principal Fellow, New Economics Foundation
    • Dr Joe Chrisp, Research Associate, Institute of Policy Research, University of Bath
    • Professor David Piachaud, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics
    • Dr Matthew Thompson, Lecturer in Urban Studies, University College London, University of London

    The meeting will take place on Wednesday 25 June 2025 from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coming up next week at the London Assembly W/C 30 June

    Source: Mayor of London

    PUBLIC MEETINGS

    Tuesday 1 July

    New London Fire Commissioner

    Fire Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    On his first day as London Fire Commissioner, Jonathan Smith will answer questions from the Fire Committee.

    The Committee will ask the Commissioner about what his plans are for the London Fire Brigade, as he starts his new role, and how he intends to deliver a modern and effective fire service for London. The guests are:

    Panel 1: 10-10.45

    • Steve Hamm, CEO, Institution of Fire Engineers
    • Professor José Torero, Professor of Civil Engineering and Head of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at University College London, Grenfell Tower Inquiry (GTI) expert witness
    • Suzanne McCarthy, Chair, Fire Standards Board

    Panel 2: 11-11.45

    • Martin Forde KC, Independent Chair, LFB Advisory Panel on Culture
    • Dave Shek, Executive Council Member for London, Fire Brigades Union
    • Deborah Riviere-Williams, Chair Unison, LFB Unison Branch

    Panel 3: LFC & DMF 12-12.45

    • Jonathan Smith, London Fire Commissioner (as of July 1 20205)
    • Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service

    MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Hunt on 07763 252 310 / [email protected]

    Wednesday 2 July

    Neighbourhood policing

    Police and Crime Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    37 per cent of young people said their trust in the police had decreased over the last year, according to a 2024 survey.

    The Police and Crime Committee will meet to begin its investigation into neighbourhood policing, specifically looking at the effectiveness of how the teams engage and maintain relationships with young people. The guests are:

    • Carly Adams Elias, Director of Practice, Safer London
    • Rhys Barfoot, Youth Involvement Manager, London Youth
    • Katya Moran, Director, Youth Justice Legal Centre
    • Shelli Green, Team Leader, Prevention & Diversion Team, Young Hackney

    MEDIA CONTACT: Tony Smyth on 07763 251 727 / [email protected]

    Wednesday 2 July

    Men’s mental health

    Health Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 2pm

    As part of its investigation into men’s mental health, the Health Committee will hear from guests who have lived experience of challenges with mental health. The guests are:

    Panel 1: 14:00 – 15:25

    • Guests with lived experience

    Panel 2: 15:30 – 17:00

    • Dr Tom Coffey OBE, Mayoral Health Advisor
    • Dan Barrett, Director, Thrive LDN & Good Thinking, and Co-Director, PHI-UK Population Mental Health Consortium
    • Karen Bonner MBE, Regional Chief Nurse, NHS England (London region)
    • Dr Billy Boland, Regional Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS England (London region)

    MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Bell on 07887 832 918 / [email protected]

    Thursday 3 July

    Transport for London & Oxford St Mayoral Development Area

    All Assembly meeting – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    Assembly Members will ask how Transport for London (TfL) is delivering for London, and what its priorities and challenges are for 2025/26.  The guests are:

    • Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, in his capacity as Chair of Transport for London (TfL)
    • Andy Lord, Commissioner of TfL

    From 1pm, the Assembly will consider the Mayor’s proposal to designate a Mayoral Development Area (MDA) for Oxford Street, and whether or not to reject the proposal.  Guests to be confirmed.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Bell on 07887 832 918 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Brand Engagement Network Appoints Janine Grasso as Interim CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brand Engagement Network Inc. (BEN) (NASDAQ: BNAI), a global provider of AI-powered customer engagement solutions, today announced that Janine Grasso has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer, replacing Paul Chang in this role effective immediately. She will continue serving on the Board of Directors, where she has contributed since February 2024, most recently as Chair of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Chang will remain on the Board of Directors and continue to contribute his vision and strategic guidance as BEN advances its innovation agenda and long-term growth plans.

    Ms. Grasso brings over two decades of experience leading high-growth, technology-driven organizations. She served as the Head of the Global Partner Ecosystem at DocuSign through early 2025. Previously, Ms. Grasso served as Vice President of Business Development at Verizon from 2019 to 2023, where she led a newly established business development organization. Before joining Verizon, Ms. Grasso spent 20 years at IBM, most recently as Vice President of Blockchain Ecosystem, leading the IBM Blockchain Strategy and Ecosystem Organization. Ms. Grasso received her B.B.A from the Pace University Lubin School of Business.

    She has deep expertise in business development, operations, as well as in mergers and acquisitions, with a strong track record of scaling emerging technologies and go-to-market platforms. Ms. Grasso is also accomplished in building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability. Her leadership in enterprise AI strategy and digital transformation makes her uniquely positioned to guide BEN’s next phase of growth.

    “BEN is operating from a position of strength, with world-class talent and a deep foundation in AI innovation,” said Janine Grasso. “I’m honored to help lead the company forward as we bring to market the Agentic AI platform we’ve been building over the past several years—unlocking new value for both our customers and shareholders.”

    “Janine’s leadership has earned her the trust of the Board, and she has a proven ability to scale innovation and guide complex organizations,” said Walid Khiari, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of BEN. “We are pleased to have her step into this role at a time of momentum and opportunity for BEN.”

    In addition to the leadership transition, BEN announced that it reduced its total liabilities by $4.25 million in the second quarter, a milestone that reflects the company’s ongoing focus on operational discipline and long-term value creation.

    The company also continues to advance its pending acquisition of Cataneo, a strategic milestone expected to enhance BEN’s platform capabilities and international presence. The transaction remains on track for completion later this summer, subject to customary approvals.

    About Brand Engagement Network (BEN)
    Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) innovates in AI-powered customer engagement, delivering safe, intelligent, and scalable solutions. Its proprietary Engagement Language Model (ELM™) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture enable highly personalized interactions supported by customers’ curated data in closed-loop environments. BEN develops AI-driven engagement solutions for the life sciences, automotive, and retail industries, featuring AI-powered avatars for outbound campaigns, inbound customer service, and real-time recommendations. With a global AI research and development team, BEN provides secure cloud-based or on-premises deployments, granting complete control of the technology stack and ensuring compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Type 1 standards. The company holds 21 patents, with 28 pending, demonstrating its commitment to advancing AI-driven consumer engagement. For more information, visit www.beninc.ai.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.
    There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

    Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact
    Amy Rouyer
    P: 503-367-7596
    E: amy@beninc.ai

    Investor Relations
    Susan Xu
    P: 778-323-0959
    E: sxu@allianceadvisors.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/407d3108-c617-4728-9db4-a99f721f10bf

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Secures Key Provisions to Protect Rock Island Arsenal, Support Illinois Quantum Technology Research and Safeguard Care for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    July 15, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), secured several important provisions to support our state’s residents, Servicemembers, Veterans and economy in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC recently approved last week and the full Senate will now consider. Some of the priorities Duckworth secured to help Illinoisans include protecting Rock Island Arsenal from any restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plans, expanding access to vital health care services for our state’s servicemembers, Veterans as well as military families and supporting research and development at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.  
    “The brave Illinoisans who serve our nation in uniform at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country,”?said Senator Duckworth.?“While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise, I’m proud I was able to secure several important provisions to benefit our state by protecting operations at Rock Island Arsenal, protecting health care access for our military and Veteran families and supporting groundbreaking quantum computing research in Chicago. I’m glad the Armed Services Committee included these important provisions in this year’s NDAA and I hope the full Senate approves it as soon possible.” 
    Key Duckworth provisions secured in this year’s Committee-passed NDAA that would support Illinoisans include:
    Supporting and Protecting Rock Island Arsenal Operations:
    By Protecting Jobs: This provision would restrict the Secretary of the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping ensure operations at Rock Island Arsenal are not affected unnecessarily.
    By Sustaining Workload and Industrial Base: This provision would establish a 5-year pilot program requiring DoD to give preference to public-private partnerships in arsenals, especially those non-public partners that ensure equitable workshare to DoD employees to protect critical skills. This provision would help ensure arsenals and factories, like Rock Island Arsenal, remain active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation’s defense industrial base.
    By Constructing a Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal: The bill authorizes $50 million in Major Construction funds for a new addition to the Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal and to consolidate the existing facilities and make upgrades to meet DoD guidelines and safety requirements, ensuring that eligible families at Rock Island Arsenal have a safe, modern facility for childcare. 
    By Improving Predictive Manufacturing Analytics at Army Arsenals: Language urging the continued implementation of industrial control networks across our Army’s arsenals to enable the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data associated with the manufacture and repair of equipment and supplies. This work completed by MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, located in Chicago, helps ensure the efficiency and security of the critical manufacturing completed at Rock Island Arsenal and the Army’s other arsenals.? 
    By Expanding Robotic Enhancements for Armaments Manufacturing: Language authorizing an additional $5 million for the Secretary of the Army to expand prototyping and production capacity by integrating robotics, automation and digital manufacturing into the munitions industrial base, further modernizing production at Rock Island Arsenal with technology pioneered by innovators in Chicago.? 
    By Improving the Governance of the Organic Industrial Base: Language directing the Army to analyze the effectiveness of their current governance and resourcing model for the Army’s arsenals, depots as well as ammunition plants and identify opportunities for changes to ensure the enterprise and its workforce can support the military’s munitions and sustainment requirements now and in the future. The Senator helped secure this provision alongside Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK). ? 
    Safeguarding Veteran Medical Care in North Chicago: This provision, led with Senator Durbin, would secure a one-year extension of the Joint Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, which supports the operations of the North Chicago-based Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This provision will help safeguard continued access to vital services for military families and Veterans in the area.  
    Protecting Cities Like Chicago from the Trump Administration’s Overreach with the Military: A modified version of a provision of Senator Duckworth’s Military In Law Enforcement Accountability Act (MiLEAA) requires servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement when operating in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly—to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties. 
    In light of the Trump administration’s increasing use of troops to support law enforcement within the United States, another provision will help ensure troops know how to responsibly operate within the bounds of domestic laws and protect American civil rights. This provision requires DoD to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States.
    Strengthening Domestic Suppliers of Critical Uniform Components: Language prohibiting the Department of Defense from sourcing clothing, fabrics or components from countries of concern—such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia—when using domestic sourcing waivers under the Berry Amendment, to prevent further weakening of the U.S. clothing and textile industrial base and bolstering Chicago’s top-quality garment industry.
    Investing in Quantum Technology in Chicago: Language recognizing the importance of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program, which aims to build a commercially useful FTQC by 2033, and encouraging the Department to concurrently prepare algorithms to operate those machines, while the hardware is being built. This provision recognizes the importance of the development of the first FTQC, which is being built at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, Illinois. 
    Championing Domestic Manufacturing in Belleville: Language requesting DoD provide data and analysis on the necessary war reserves for footwear and textiles, and the accompanying surge needs in the event of crisis or conflict. This report language is a modified version of the Senator’s Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, which recognizes that our defense industrial base for combat boots needs investment in order for it to support our troops and help ensure they have the sturdiest and most protective boots in a possible war, like those manufactured in Illinois at Belleville’s Belleville Boot Manufacturing Co.
    Advancing U.S. Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation in Champaign: This provision would support the innovative work being done at advanced facilities like the University of Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) by requiring more information on how DoD is investing in this technology critical for national security.
    Encouraging Investment in Nuclear Energy and Domestic Printed Circuit Boards: Language allowing the Office of Strategic Capital to enter into investments in nuclear fusion and fission energy and directing OSC to explore printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies, to ensure these critical technologies—which Illinois plays a central role in manufacturing and advancing—has sufficient capital investments to scale for warfighting. 
    Protecting Servicemembers from Dangerous PFAS in their Protective Garments: Language requiring the DoD to articulate its plan for acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals as soon as possible.?Innovative Illinois research and development and manufacturing is leading the way on alternatives that protect servicemembers without relying on toxic chemicals.  
    Designing a New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Scott Air Force Base: The bill authorizes $6 million in Planning and Design funds for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support the training and operational mission of the 126th Aerial Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base. The current hangar was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair and no longer meets Department of Defense standards or mission requirements, making a new hangar critical to the Wing’s mission. 
    Renovating General Jones Readiness Center: The bill authorizes $5 million in Planning and Design funds for major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. Renovating it to meet mission requirements is a top priority for the Illinois National Guard. 
    In addition to these provisions, Senator Duckworth also successfully worked to protect Universities like Northwestern University and University of Illinois from having their DoD funding for critical technological research cut unnecessarily. 
    Other key funding for Illinois projects contained in the committee-passed bill include:
    $5 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support forging annex at Rock Island Arsenal.
    $3.05 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support range control at Marseilles Training Center.
    $8 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support the Peoria Armory Readiness Center.
    $36 million authorized to boost Fort Sheridan area maintenance support activity.
    A full list of Duckworth’s priorities included in the FY26 NDAA can be found here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King on Potential Recissions Legislation: ‘Checks and Balances Essentially have Melted Away’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today spoke on the Senate floor to speak on the Senate floor against the ‘Recissions Package’ currently being considered. This legislation aims to remove Congressionally-approved funding from critical public services including, but not limited to, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) which helps to fund Maine Public broadcasting and public interest newsgathering nationwide, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) which leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage and directs and coordinates the world’s response to health emergencies before they can pose a threat to American lives.

    More specifically, King made the point that this bill is a further abdication of congressional authority to fund national priorities, also known in the Constitution as “the power of the purse.”

    The full transcript of Senator King’s floor speech from this morning is below.

    +++

    “Mr. President, I’d like to talk today about the rescission bill that will be coming before us in the next couple of days, and I want to really cover two points – what is being done in this bill, and how it’s being done. I think they are equally important. In fact, I think perhaps how it is being done is more significant in the long run. The rescission bill talks about essentially two areas, public broadcasting, and USAID. In my view, the rescission, the total rescission of those two agencies, by the way –it is a total rescission— it’s not selective cutting of certain programs or partially, it’s the whole thing, both in the corporation for public broadcasting and USAID, go from bad policy to downright dangerous, and I want to talk about that for a minute.

    “Public broadcasting has a unique place in the United States and our media environment in that it is the only media form not driven by advertising and advertising dollars. It cannot be driven by ratings. It therefore is able to provide programming to the American people that they probably almost certainly would not have access to otherwise. It wouldn’t simply find a home on commercial broadcasting because the ratings wouldn’t be there, but that doesn’t mean the programming isn’t important. 

    “My kids were raised on ‘Sesame Street.’ It made a huge difference in their readiness to go to school, in their understanding of language and numbers, and the whole basis of our education system. ‘Sesame Street’ is a program that wouldn’t find a home on commercial broadcasting. Likely, also with “Nova” with “Nature” and yes, the “PBS Newshour.”

    “The [corporate] news business today has become more entertainment because it’s based upon advertising [and] attracting viewers and therefore is more inciteful. And I don’t mean – I mean that c-i-t-e not s-i-g-h-t. More inciting to people’s anger and unrest in order to keep them viewing. Whereas the PBS Newshour is pretty much straight news. It wouldn’t get ratings on MSNBC or Fox News, but it provides a source of news both in terms of nationally, but also in each state.

    “The local national public radio “All Things Considered”, those kinds of programming are essential to providing information. Now, some people may think it’s biased. I don’t think anything done by a human is going to be free of any and all bias, but it is pretty much straight news. And it’s an asset to our communities, particularly our rural communities.

    “And by the way, this isn’t where we have federal dollars that are supporting all of these initiatives. In fact, the majority of the support for public broadcasting, both television and radio, comes from the public, from contributions. So, in effect, our federal dollars are matched to a very high degree by the public making their own contributions. That’s an indication of how much the public values these wonderful assets to our information environment here in the country. And to cut off federal funding is just — it’s an essential piece of the funding. A lot of it goes to the local stations. We talk about the corporation for public broadcasting, we think of PBS and the national programs, but a lot of this funding ends up going to the local stations all over the country that provide essential sources of information to their public.

    “By the way, the costs we’re talking about is ridiculously low. I did the calculation. The relationship between the cost of the public broadcasting to the federal budget is, let’s see, it’s seven cents to $10,000. That’s the ratio. Seven cents out of $10,000. That’s what we’re talking about here, an almost immeasurable part of the federal budget, but the return on investment is enormous. It’s enormous. If this were a gigantic $100 billion program, we’d be having a different kind of discussion, but this is a relatively small program in the context of the federal budget, with a very high return on investment to the American people. 

    “Now let’s talk about USAID and the [majority] whip was just talking about that. He listed a number of projects that I think are questionable, that I don’t necessarily support, but USAID is an essential part of our foreign policy to help to stabilize unstable parts of the world, to extend America’s soft power, to build America’s brand, and yes, to do some very essential projects. For example, in PEPFAR, which is an initiative of the George W. Bush administration, involving AIDS, the estimate is that that initiative since its beginning in 2005 has saved 25 million lives. 25 million lives were saved by that program that will be destroyed by this bill. You can’t tell me that having that level of benefit to the people of the world does not [result in] the benefit of the United States, the sponsor of the initiative.

    “Same thing with malaria. The estimates are that the malaria program, which goes back to I believe it was the Obama Administration, has prevented 1.5 billion cases of malaria, which is a real plague in many parts of the world, and saved 11 million lives. Just those two programs together, those two USAID projects, have saved 36 million lives, and we’re talking about cutting them off. That’s not only bad policy, it’s cruel. It’s cruel, and it undermines the credibility of this country.

    “Now, of course, foreign aid has a lot of benefits aside from the ones that I’ve just outlined. By the way, if the Congress and the Administration wants to cull the programs and say we don’t think this one is necessary, this is not a good expenditure of the people’s money, that’s fine. But that’s not what this bill does. This bill throws out the beneficial baby with the questionable bathwater. It is a total abdication of America’s engagement with the world.

    “Vaccination campaigns, food security, nutrition programs, disaster response, refugee support. This aligns with our American values. As I say, it’s a relatively small part of the budget. It helps to stabilize fragile states. It cuts the risk of extremism and terrorism and conflict. And James Mattis put it best. General James Mattis, one of the most distinguished military officers of our time, said, ‘If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then you’re going to have to buy me more bullets.’

    “That puts it most succinctly, you’re going to have to buy me more bullets, because the programs of USAID tend to stabilize the world and mitigate the tendency toward extremism and violence. And since we have started to gut A.I.D., which was one of the first actions of this administration in January and February, China has stepped into our shoes.

    “I’m on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee. I have seen and heard testimony that China is basically stepping in where we’re walking away. We are handing Africa and Latin America to the Chinese. In some cases, to the very programs that we were sponsoring. They’re the ones now engaging with local governments, local leadership, getting the credit for helping with these kinds of problems across the world. We’re giving away the goodwill that is part of the American brand. We’re giving away the opportunity to build alliances, to strengthen our influence, especially in competition with regimes like China and Russia.

    “It also creates markets for U.S. goods and the U.S. economy. A significant share of the foreign aid ends up going back to businesses and NGO’s here in the United States. So, it actually contributes to our economic development. Countries that are receiving this USAID end up being partners and customers of U.S. goods, products, and services. I mentioned it saves lives, it aligns with our values, and there’s nothing wrong with talking about values. That’s a part of what we should be doing. USAID is doing important work all over the world. I met with USAID people in Kabul, Afghanistan. I met with them in Jordan, where they’re working on a water desalinization project that will literally save Jordan. Jordan is a country that has no water, and they’re facing a tremendous crisis. One of the projects that they’re relying on is a very large water production facility supported by USAID. That’s the kind of project that I think we need to continue.

    “Again, I would not say that every single project they’ve sponsored is what I would have agreed upon. That’s our job as oversight bodies, to take a look at the projects being sponsored, the administration can also do that, and they can then cull the projects we don’t think are a useful expenditure of the government’s money, or the people’s money. But not the wholesale destruction of an agency that is critical, I believe, to the foreign policy of the United States. 

    “So, that’s the picture on these rescissions. I believe the more important question, though, Mr. President, as I’ve mentioned, is how this is being done. The question is, who has the power in our government over appropriations? That’s the fundamental question. Where is the power over appropriations, where do the federal dollars go?

    “The answer, of course, is the Congress. Article 1, Section 8. The Congress has the ‘power of the purse.’ The president can submit his budget, and he can submit a budget that zeros out USAID, that zeros out corporation for public broadcasting. But then, the way the process works, we have hearings, we have meetings with the appropriation committee. The appropriators meet, decide, discuss, debate, and come to the floor with a bill that represents the consensus of those on the appropriations committee. And then we consider it here.

    “This process that we’re talking about here—this rescission process—turns the whole thing upside down. It basically says the administration can decide programs that are going to go away, and you can take it or leave it, Congress. I believe it shreds the appropriations process. The appropriations committee, indeed, this body, becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants.  

    “The deeper problem, Mr. President, is I believe this is another step in Congress’ abdication of its constitutional authority, which has dramatically accelerated since January. The war power, Article 1, Section 8, an express power of the Constitution, we barely could have a debate about that, and the President attacked another sovereign country, which may have been the right thing to do, but there was no consultation, there was no attempt whatsoever to engage Congress, which has the power over declaring war, before that step was taken.

    “Foreign trade, again, foreign trade, trade among nations is the term in the Constitution, is expressly delegated by the Constitution to the Congress, and the Congress has delegated some of that authority to the president, to a president, any president, under emergency circumstances. But this President has expanded emergency to mean just about anything.

    “We learned this week he’s talking about a 50% tariff against Brazil because he doesn’t like the way the current government is treating the prior president. Has nothing to do with trade, has nothing to do with trade deficits or the tariffs. It has to do with something the President individually doesn’t like. That’s not the way the systems supposed to work. The up and down rollercoaster we’ve been on with regards to tariffs is a perfect example of why one person shouldn’t have this authority. This should be something done thoughtfully and systematically here in the Congress. Under Article 1 Section 8, to debate and decide what appropriate tariff levels there are across the world and not this helter skelter up and down changing every other day that has not only affected inflation in this country and brought it up, but it’s also created enormous uncertainty both in our markets and across the world. And finally, we see the power of the purse, Congress’s fundamental responsibility. 

    “And by the way, Mr. President, as I talk to my colleagues, particularly my Republican colleagues, about this issue over the last several months, one of the common refrains is, don’t worry, we don’t have to buck the President because the courts will take care of it. The courts will take care of us. They’ll protect us. Well, that ain’t happening. The ridiculous decision of the Supreme Court yesterday on the Department of Education is an indication that we cannot count on the courts to protect us from the depredations of an authoritarian, proto authoritarian regime. They basically said the President can continue to gut the Department of Education because we are going to hear the case later and decide when it comes. They did the same right with birthright citizenship. They punted on the issue and allowed the activities, the authoritarian-like activities to continue before they get to the case in their own good time.

    “So we can’t count on the courts. That means we’re it. The Congress, the Senate has to stand up for the Constitution. What this bill is, is another building block in the edifice of authoritarianism that we’ve seen built, that we are seeing built before our eyes. A building block in the edifice of authoritarianism.

    “Why is this important? Is this just a dispute between the Congress and the President, politics as usual. Democrats undermining a Republican president, and it’s just going to be all about the midterms and the elections of 2028? No, this is much deeper than that.

    “The fundamental premise of the Constitution is the separation of power and the reason it’s there is because history tells us if power is concentrated, it’s dangerous. Madison put it bluntly in the 47th Federalist: ‘The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary in the same set of hands may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.’ He used the word tyranny. Madison wasn’t mincing words. History tells us that if you concentrate power in one set of hands it’s dangerous. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We know that from 1,000 years of human nature. And that was exactly what the framers of the Constitution were trying to prevent by this complicated, difficult structure where there’s power in the Congress, power in the states, power in the executive, power in the courts, two houses of Congress vetoes, overrides.

    “All of those checks and balances which has become a kind of cliche are there for a fundamental reason, and that’s to protect our liberty. To protect us from the danger of power being concentrated in one set of hands. Now the framers thought that they didn’t have to worry about this, having set up the Constitution the way they did, because they said never will the Congress give up its power. The term they used was ambition must be made to counteract ambition. That there would be institutional rivalry and we would never give up. They didn’t reckon on parties. They didn’t reckon on party primaries. They didn’t reckon on the executive having such sway with the legislative branch that the checks and balances essentially have melted away.

    “So this bill is important because of the merits, as I talked about, about the danger of wiping out USAID and all the good it does in the world and the good it does for our country, and also wiping out public broadcasting and all the good that it does, the irreplaceable good that it does for the people in the United States.

    “But it’s also more dangerous than ever because it’s one more step, as I mentioned, in the breakdown of the fundamental constitutional structure that says power must be divided, because if it’s concentrated in one set of hands — and I don’t care if it’s Donald Trump or the archangel Gabriel. It’s dangerous to have the power in one set of hands. That’s how we lose our liberty.

    “Madison said when the executive and legislative are united in one body, there can be no liberty. Mr. President, we must listen. We must listen to history, to the people that brought us here, the people that brought us this government, the geniuses that formed this structure to protect the liberty of the American people. And it may seem like a small thing. This is one more bill, one more item. But it is one more step, in my view, toward empowering the executive at the expense, not of the Congress, but of the people. But of the people of the United States.

    “Mr. President, I don’t know what it’s going to take, but I hope this debate, this discussion will lead us to finally say this is a line too far. We’re going to draw a line here, and we’ll establish a relationship with the president that is cooperative, collaborative, bipartisan, and sharing the power that the Constitution gives to each of us.

    “There’s nothing less than the liberty of our people that’s at stake. I therefore urge my colleagues to vote against this bill and begin a discussion in the appropriations process as to these two elements and how they should be structured and funded. That’s the way it should be done, not by the dictate of a President, of one who is trying to collapse the authority in our Constitution into his own hands. Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio Hosts Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Bank Delegation, Commits to Strengthen Regional Investment Collaboration

    Source: APO


    .

    The President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Agyekum Donkor, has paid a courtesy visit on His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio at his state house office, where he noted that “Your Excellency, all macroeconomic indicators have been doing well. A sign that your government is doing well. Congratulations.”

    The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development is the leading regional investment and development bank, owned by the fifteen-member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Introducing the delegation to the President, the Chief Minister, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, revealed that the team is in the country based on an initial engagement the bank president had with President Bio, where an open invitation was extended for his visit to Sierra Leone.

    In his address, the Bank President congratulated President Bio on his recent appointment as chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority. “Your Excellency, I want to thank you for the warm hospitality my team and I received in Sierra Leone. I also want to formally congratulate you on your position in the high office at ECOWAS.” He said.

    “Your appointment is an endorsement of your leadership to deliver and the quality you have to lead the region at a time like this, when it is volatile. But we are sure that you are going to deliver,” he assured. He confirmed the Bank’s commitment and full support towards ensuring that President Bio succeeds during his tenure at ECOWAS.

    Dr Donkor revealed that since they arrived in the country, they have met with key ministers of government and have already started conversations on key areas, including roads, tourism, infrastructure, and education, among others, noting that during their stay in the country, they will also be engaging key sector ministers for tangible investment areas.

    The bank president pleaded with President Bio in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governance to assist the bank in ensuring it maintains its status as a non-political entity in the sub-region. This, according to the Bank, will help it develop and expand its reach, hence position itself to undertake more development projects in the sub-region.

    While welcoming the Bank President and team to Freetown, President Julius Maada Bio thanked the Bank President for fulfilling his promise made during their engagement on the margins the ECOWAS Summit, where he personally requested the visit in order for the bank to deepen its ties with Sierra Leone.

    The President expressed hope that during their visit, the bank will be able to engage several sectors, so it will identify outstanding issues that are within its scope. The President expressed his concern about regional economic integration for Sierra Leone and other countries in a wide range of areas because, according to him, “West Africa has great potential, which we want to not only develop but also tap into for our future.”

    The President reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to deepening its relationship with the bank, revealing that the University of Kono is one of the top priorities on his agenda, and needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. In terms of roads, President Bio said his government doesn’t want to lead on mere physical infrastructure but rather, “We want to look at both physical and digital infrastructure, as well as that of our ecotourism,” he disclosed.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Highlights Key Investments Secured in Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **Shaheen secured more than $14.7 million for critical projects across New Hampshire**

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill. In a unanimous vote, the Committee approved the bipartisan legislation, which would provide $27.1 billion in discretionary funding, including more than $14.7 million for critical projects across the Granite State, helping invest in a wide range of programs benefitting New Hampshire and the country.

    “As Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I’m proud to deliver this bipartisan bill that will help address the high costs that so many Americans are facing and invest in rural communities across the nation,” said Ranking Member Senator Shaheen. “The resources we secured will help support our efforts to tackle housing, food and energy costs, ensure New Hampshire’s farmers have the support they need, invest in the outdoor recreation economy, protect public health and more. I’m proud to have shaped this legislation in a way that benefits the Granite State and all of America.”

    Summary of Shaheen priorities included in the Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026:

    Defending Access to Food Assistance

    Senator Shaheen has long fought to protect access to food assistance programs that help families put food on the table. In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen helped secure $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to help low-income families receive healthy, nutritious food products like milk, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and more. Shaheen also helped fund the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which provides food boxes for low-income older adults across the country.

    Shaheen, who is also the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, successfully fought for the inclusion of funding to fulfill America’s commitment to international food aid programs. Specifically, the bill provides $1.5 billion for Food for Peace and $240 million for McGovern-Dole Food for Education—a bipartisan defense of these programs that address world hunger, save lives and create additional markets for American farmers.

    Investing in America’s Rural Communities

    In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Senator Shaheen built on her work to support rural communities across the nation, including to address the affordable housing crisis. The bill fully funds the Rental Assistance program so that participating families can remain housed, provides funding to preserve the existing affordable housing portfolio and makes $1 billion in financing available for very low-income homebuyers, many of whom are first-time homeowners.

    Shaheen has continually fought for federal funding to help ensure Granite State communities have the resources needed to tackle the housing affordability crisis. In the FY24 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen worked to include key provisions from her Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act. Those provisions were continued in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill. Shaheen’s standalone legislation would ensure that hundreds of thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing.

    Shaheen has also led legislative action in the Senate to support energy efficiency projects and initiatives. Shaheen secured $4 million for a new Energy Circuit Rider Pilot program in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill to help ensure communities in rural America can take advantage of cost savings from energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The provision is based on legislation Shaheen recently reintroduced, the Energy Circuit Riders Act, to establish a new grant program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to help eligible entities hire local, on-the-ground experts that travel to rural communities and provide technical assistance on projects that help spur economic development and reduce energy costs that help ease rural property tax rates. This pilot is modeled after a successful program in New Hampshire through Clean Energy NH.

    Protecting Public Health

    The FY26 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill also provides vital funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stay ahead of the curve on approving medical products, regulating the food supply and more. Shaheen worked in a bipartisan way to defend the FDA’s budget, providing more than $7 billion in funding for the agency. Shaheen secured the following funding to protect the public health of Americans:

    • $5 million and report language at the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research to develop and validate new surrogate endpoints, including C-peptide, that could help improve health outcomes and reduce disease burden for patients with Type 1 diabetes.
    • Gives the FDA the authority to seize and destroy illegal tobacco products at ports of entry, requires the Center for Tobacco Products to spend $200 million of their $712 million on enforcement activities and provides $2 million for the Coordination of the Interagency Tobacco Task Force.
    • Report language encouraging the FDA to prioritize the approval of biosimilar products.
    • Report language directing the FDA to provide a report on the challenges it faces preventing counterfeit drugs from reaching the market, including recommendations for how to address the problem.

    Supporting Farmers with Vital Tools and Groundbreaking Research

    Shaheen built on her longstanding work to support New Hampshire’s small and diversified farmers by defending the conservation tools used by the state’s agricultural producers to help protect and sustain their land’s natural resources. The FY26 Ag-FDA bill defends the Conservation Technical Assistance program, funding conservation activities at $949 million. The bill also maintains critical funding for Farm Service Agency staffing in county offices in the Granite State and makes $10.5 billion in farm loans available to help producers access capital across the country.

    Shaheen was also able to successfully include $2 million for New England Protected Agriculture research at the Agricultural Research Service. The University of New Hampshire is well-positioned to help lead this effort. This research will help improve cultivation practices and help farmers extend the growing season for fruit and vegetable crops.

    Supporting New Hampshire’s Outdoor Economy

    Shaheen also secured continued funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (SNOTEL), including an additional $2 million to continue the ongoing study regarding potential Northeast expansion of this program. Senator Shaheen secured the initial $1 million for this study in FY23 government funding legislation. Shaheen recently introduced the bipartisan Snow Survey Northeast Expansion Act with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) to establish a SNOTEL network across the Northeast to track mountain snow accumulation and precipitation rates.

    Senator Shaheen also included the following Congressionally Directed Spending projects for New Hampshire, totaling more than $14.7 million.

    Recipient

    Project

    Account

    Funding ($)

    University System of New Hampshire

    Center for Excellence in Education and Discovery for Plant Science (CEED Plant Science)

    Research Facilities Act Program

    $1,925,000

    Belmont Police Department

    Drive to Safety

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $73,000

    Chesley Memorial Library

    Chesley Memorial Library Energy Efficiency and Emergency Power Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $95,000

    Cottage Hospital

    Cottage Hospital Asbestos Abatement

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,725,000

    Croydon School District

    Croydon Schoolhouse Renovation and Expansion

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,176,000

    Families Flourish Northeast Inc

    Interrupting Intergenerational Addiction

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Franklin Pierce University

    Renovation and Upgrade to Health Sciences Facilities at Franklin Pierce University, Rindge Campus

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Maplewood Station

    Maplewood Station Community Center

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    The Walpole Foundation

    Walpole Village School

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $830,000

    Town of Bethlehem

    Bethlehem’s Transfer Station Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    Town of Deerfield

    George B. White Solar Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $248,000

    Town of Gorham

    Replacement of Rescue Truck

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $301,000

    Town of Hampton

    Hampton Public Safety Pier

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $125,000

    Town of Hancock

    Hancock Fire Station Renovation Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $600,000

    Town of Unity

    Unity Fire Station and Emergency Community Shelter

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,100,000

    Town of Walpole

    Walpole NH Police Station

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,058,000

    TOTAL:

    		    

    $14,756,000

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: The Republic of Abkhazia has joined the Student Tourism program.

    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.

    Student tourism has become one of the topics sounded at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 10, 2025.

    This season, a new international direction has been added to the Student Tourism program – now students, young scientists, postgraduates and residents studying in Russia will be able to choose the Republic of Abkhazia for their trip.

    “The Student Tourism program is growing: 260 universities from 85 regions of Russia have joined it in four years. Participants travel not only around our country, but also abroad. Young people can travel to Armenia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and now also to Abkhazia. In turn, more than 1,000 foreign students will visit Russian regions to get acquainted with the domestic education system and scientific agenda. Such trips contribute to strengthening cooperation between our countries and increasing the number of foreign students, as President Vladimir Putin instructed us to do,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    The youth and student tourism program (Student Tourism) was launched on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It allows university students aged 18 to 35 to travel, staying in the dormitories of partner universities. Thus, the program assumes the effective use of infrastructure, when the dormitories, which can be vacated during the summer holidays, are occupied by students who come from other regions. The opportunity to communicate with peers is especially important here.

    The goal of the program is to create a single space for the cultural, personal, scientific and professional development of Russian youth, as well as familiarization with the domestic education system and science. You can apply for participation on the platform studturizm.rf.

    According to the head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Valery Falkov, the program contributes to the formation of a favorable educational environment and opens up new prospects for cultural and scientific exchange.

    “Today, participants of “Student Tourism” can travel to 117 cities in Russia, as well as choose travel destinations beyond its borders. The guys have access to more than 1.1 thousand scientific infrastructure facilities, special educational modules and popular science routes have been launched,” he added.

    The involvement of the Abkhaz State University (ASU) in the Student Tourism program started with an international blog tour in Sukhumi. It was organized in July by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science together with the International Youth Center of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba. Presentations of educational opportunities, meetings with university representatives, master classes, and cultural and excursion events were held at ASU. Students and representatives of media centers of Russian universities took part in the blog tour.

    Head of the Student Tourism program Svetlana Nekhorosheva notes: “We at Student Tourism believe that students can easily, safely and affordably travel around Russia and the world. Abkhazia is an important partner in the development of youth exchanges and cultural dialogue. The accession of the Abkhaz State University opens up new prospects for students from both countries.”

    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: Booker, NJ Democrats Demand ED Release Funding for K-12, Adult Education Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led his Democratic colleagues in the New Jersey delegation in a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon to demand clarity regarding the Trump Administration’s unlawful decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in Congressionally Appropriated funding for K–12 and adult education programs nationwide, including over $162 million from the state of New Jersey. 
    “On June 30, 2025, just one day before these funds were supposed to become available, the Department of Education abruptly informed states that they would not receive funding as scheduled on July 1… No timeline was given for when states could expect a resolution. Typically, the Department provides state educational agencies with the formula program allocation tables and access to draw down those funds by July 1, which allows states and districts to plan, budget, and begin spending for the upcoming school year. This decision is financially destabilizing school districts across the country and directly jeopardizes the operation of the upcoming school year,” the lawmakers wrote. 
    “The withholding of these funds will have a widespread and detrimental impact on school communities throughout New Jersey, with disproportionate harm to high-need districts. The funds currently frozen represent almost 13 percent of the total federal K-12 funding that New Jersey schools received last year. Compounding this issue, New Jersey public school districts finalized their budgets for the 2025-2026 school year this past spring. Any loss of expected funding will create budget shortfalls, forcing districts to cut essential programs designed to serve students, their families, and educators,” the lawmakers continued. 
    “Congress lawfully appropriated these funds to address critical education needs, including student achievement, after-school enrichment, teacher training, and adult literacy. Withholding these funds is a reckless decision that jeopardizes the education of millions of students, resulting in layoffs, program delays, disrupted planning cycles, and delayed hiring. This also deprives students, especially those in high-need districts, of key academic support. Our schools, teachers, families, and adult learners cannot afford continued uncertainty. We look forward to your prompt response and the immediate release of the funds,” the lawmakers concluded. 
    To see a district by district breakdown of how the cuts will affect schools across America, click here. 
    The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ-06), Robert Menendez (D-NJ-08), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Herbert Conaway Jr. (D-NJ-03), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09), and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11). 
    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Clarke, Kelly, Watson Coleman Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Tackle Uterine Fibroids Through Research and Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), reintroduced the bicameral Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act, legislation that would expand research and raise awareness through public education programs to support women suffering from uterine fibroids. The legislation is named after the late U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio, who championed this issue.
    “Millions of Americans, including nearly 25% of Black women, will suffer from uterine fibroids by the age of 25,” said Senator Booker. “We must act to prevent, diagnose, and treat fibroids so that affected women can find relief. This legislation will raise awareness, expand research, and improve access to evidence-based care for women struggling with uterine fibroids.”
    “The health crisis Black women across this nation confront every day will not end unless meaningful, targeted action is taken to do so. Today, my colleagues and I have introduced this legislative package as an unprecedented and historic step towards ensuring those who are at-risk or suffering from fibroids and uterine cancer have the support, resources, and care they need to navigate the painful diagnoses far too many have faced throughout their lives. With these four bills, we are not only putting the uterine health of millions first, but we are also carrying on the torch lit by a long line of lawmakers, advocates, and leaders who refused to stand by while women struggle in silence. I am proud to fight for the health equity they have long been denied but have always deserved,” said Congresswoman Clarke.
    “Uterine fibroids can be debilitating, but symptoms are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed while treatment remains out of reach,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “I’m proud to support this legislation to better understand uterine fibroids and develop more effective treatments for everyone — especially for Black women, who are three times more likely to develop uterine fibroids. We must continue to raise awareness, empower women to make their own health choices, and increase funding and research to treat fibroids.”
    “This bill is crucial for understanding, treating, and preventing uterine fibroids,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “Fibroids impact Black women at substantially higher rates, and the current body of medical research is wholly insufficient. This is a serious public health issue that impacts millions of women, contributing to greater overall lifetime stress and decreasing our quality of life. More must be done to address this issue which has gone overlooked for too long. I’m proud to join my colleagues in advancing this bill to raise awareness, provide resources, and mandate research to help relieve suffering for women and girls everywhere.”
    July marks Fibroid Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness for uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous growths of the uterus that impact an estimated 26 million women nationwide. Symptoms of this devastating condition include severe menstrual bleeding, anemia, pregnancy complications and loss, and infertility.
    In addition to the pain and discomfort they cause, uterine fibroids cost the health care system an estimated $5.9 billion to $34.4 billion every year. Despite their prevalence and impact, preventing, diagnosing, and treating uterine fibroids is very difficult. This condition often goes undiagnosed, and even when it is accurately diagnosed, treatment is usually invasive and can lead to infertility. Black women are particularly impacted by this condition as they tend to develop uterine fibroids earlier, have larger and a greater number of fibroids, and have more severe symptoms and complications.
    Specifically, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act would:
    Expand and intensify research on uterine fibroids and authorize $30 million a year for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for that effort.
    Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect data on services provided to people diagnosed with uterine fibroids under Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
    Create a public education program for uterine fibroids.
    Promote evidence-based care for uterine fibroids among health care providers.
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.
    The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act is being introduced within a legislative package aimed at advancing uterine health initiatives. The package also includes the Uterine Fibroid Intervention and Gynecological Health Treatment (U-FIGHT) Act, the Uterine Cancer Study Act, and the Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month Resolution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: American Academy of Nursing Announces its 2025 Fellows Including Three UConn School of Nursing Faculty

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn School of Nursing faculty Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN, Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP, and Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN, will be inducted as 2025 Fellows into the American Academy of Nursing this fall.

    “The induction of Mallory, Tiffany, Gee Su, and our distinguished UConn Nursing alumni into the American Academy of Nursing represents a profound acknowledgment of their scholarly excellence and transformative impact on the nursing profession,” says Victoria Vaughan Dickson, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Dean of the School of Nursing. “Their exemplary contributions to advancing health equity, shaping clinical practice, and informing health policy resonate on both national and global levels, embodying the highest ideals of academic and professional nursing leadership.”

    The newest Fellows represent 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries. Their extensive expertise will enrich the thought leadership of the over 3,200 Academy Fellows who together advance the Academy’s mission of improving health and achieving health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science.

    The inductees will be recognized at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16-18, 2025, in Washington, DC. This year’s conference theme is “Impact Through Integrity and Trust: Our Role as Navigators and Translators” which will focus on shaping the future of healthcare and fulfilling the Academy’s vision of “Healthy Lives for All People.”

    “I cannot emphasize enough at this pivotal time in history the vital importance of recognizing this extraordinary and sizeable group of nurse leaders. With rich and varied backgrounds from practice, policy, research, entrepreneurship, and academia, they have been instrumental in using nursing’s holistic approach to improve the health of patients and communities throughout the world,” said Academy President Linda D. Scott, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN. “Induction into the Academy represents the highest honor in nursing. Earning the FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential is a prestigious recognition of one’s accomplishments and signifies the power of nursing to transform health and enact positive outcomes.”

    Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN (Contributed Photo)

    Mallory Perry-Eaddy, Ph.D., RN, CCRN

    Perry-Eaddy is an assistant professor whose research focuses on pediatric critical care outcomes as they relate to inflammation and social determinants of health.

    Perry-Eaddy has been with the school for many years, receiving her BSN, Certificate in Pain Management, MS, and Ph.D. from the UConn School of Nursing. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania.

    In 2022, she was named a National Institute of Health (NIH) PRIDE Functional and Translational Genomics Scholar, and in 2021, she was named a NIH K99/R00 MOSAIC Scholar where she is currently completing her R00.

    She is an active member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators, American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine where she is an editorial board member for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. She is also an invited advisory board member to the Sepsis Alliance.

    “I am deeply honored and grateful to be inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing. This recognition affirms my commitment to advancing the science of pediatric critical care, with a focus on improving long-term outcomes for children after sepsis and critical illness,” said Perry-Eaddy. “Through my research, and as a Fellow, I aim to elevate survivor-centered care, address health disparities, and inform policy that supports recovery beyond the intensive care unit (ICU). I am excited to join this esteemed community of nurse leaders and to contribute to shaping the future of nursing and child health.”

    Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP (Contributed Photo)

    Tiffany Kelley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NI-BC, FNAP

    Kelley is an in-residence professor and co-director of the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center at UConn School of Nursing. She earned her Ph.D. from Duke University, MS and MBA from Northeastern University, and BSN from Georgetown University.

    Kelley joined UConn in 2018 where she was appointed to serve as the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Visiting Associate Professor for Innovations and New Knowledge, a first-of-its-kind role. Her goal was to develop and execute a strategic plan to integrate innovation into the core education across all degree programs. Outcomes of her pioneering initiatives have enabled her to co-direct the creation of a Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center and assist in the design of a unique Makerspace for the new School of Nursing building, further solidifying nursing’s innovation leadership at UConn.

    Kelley’s impact in nursing spans across the nation and globe through her collective academic, intrapreneurial, inventive, and entrepreneurial roles in innovation, informatics, and associated leadership in nursing. Over the last 20 years, she has relentlessly worked to advance the nursing profession by expanding the boundaries of what is possible in nursing through her own journey in creating a novel pathway that straddles academia and industry while also educating and mentoring nurses and nursing students on how to create and develop their own intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial innovative solutions.

    Her national and international recognition of impact is shown through her receipt of American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award, induction into the National Academies of Practice in Nursing as a Distinguished Fellow, and an invitation from Singapore’s Ministry of Health in 2024 to serve as a Health Manpower Development Visiting Expert on Innovation, Informatics, and Digital Health.

    “Our future needs nurses who reimagine nursing and healthcare to create positive changes that address human health problems in this rapidly evolving digital age. We have not yet fully realized the benefits of digital health innovative tools on advancing nursing practice, workforce operations, and global health,” said Kelley. “As a Fellow, I aim to further my reach and serve as an exemplar for amplifying nurse-led innovation and digital health while leading others to do the same.”

    Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN (Contributed Photo)

    Gee Su Yang, Ph.D., RN

    Yang is an assistant professor at UConn and is recognized for her work in cancer survivorship, particularly in addressing cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, pain, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, as well as symptom management strategies using multi-omics approaches. She has garnered numerous grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, Oncology Nursing Foundation, Rockefeller University, American Nurses Foundation, American Society for Pain Management Nursing, Connecticut Breast Health Initiative, and the UConn Clinical Research and Innovation Seed Program.

    She has played a central role in planning and conducting clinical cancer research focused on the adverse toxicities and symptoms of cancer treatment to optimize benefits from treatment. She actively engages with cancer survivors, oncologists, and community partners to enhance research participation, raise awareness, and promote education on cancer survivorship.

    Her work pioneered investigations into the adverse effects and symptoms of emerging treatments, such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, as well as their behavioral and gut mechanisms in the precision health symptom science field.

    In acknowledgment of the impact of her work, she was recognized as a prestigious Heilbrunn Nurse Scholar by the Rockefeller University Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing for her immunotherapy-associated symptom research and its potential to advance the field. In addition, she was selected as a Butler-Williams Scholar by the National Institute on Aging to support her immunotherapy study in older adults.

    Yang has also been tapped to serve as a review panelist for NIH study sections, the Oncology Nursing Foundation, UConn Research Excellence Program, and many more. Her work contributes to the growth of nurses and advocacy for scientific and professional development by influencing policy changes in research, supporting recognition of nurses’ achievements, and reviewing numerous conference abstracts, manuscripts, and scholarship applications in several professional societies.

    “Being inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing is a great honor and recognition that motivates me to strengthen my program of research in precision health symptom science to advance scientific discoveries and benefit cancer survivors,” said Yang.

    Congratulating our Fellows

    Alumni Judith Hahn Ph.D. ‘14, Barbara Jacobs Ph.D. ‘02, Wendy Lord BS ’94, Lisa Sundean Ph.D. ’17, and Amy D’Agata MS ’04, Ph.D. ’15, were also selected as 2025 fellows, following a competitive, rigorous application process.

    The School of Nursing would like to congratulate these newest Fellows as influential nursing leaders who are advancing health equity for all.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers Launch Joint Venture to Build Next-Gen 1.35 GW Hyperscale Data Center Campus in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PITTSBURGH, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pennsylvania Data Center Partners, a leader in data center development within the Commonwealth, together with PowerHouse Data Centers, the fifth largest data center developer in the United States, announced plans for their first joint venture: a $15 billion project with three hyperscale data center campuses in Central Pennsylvania. The new AI data hub, Pennsylvania Digital I (PAX) will deliver 1.35 GW of capacity with expandability up to 1.8 GW, comprising scale and speed for AI data center development.

    The project was announced today before President Donald Trump and distinguished global leaders in energy and artificial intelligence, international investors, representatives from labor and trades, as well as Pennsylvania officials at the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit hosted by Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) at Carnegie Mellon University.

    The master plan for PAX includes the construction of three data center campuses with each campus featuring six buildings and a dedicated 450 MW substation. PAX will have access to 17 metropolitan fiber networks, including direct peering with Ashburn, Virginia.

    “This venture between Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers is groundbreaking for AI infrastructure,” said Senator Dave McCormick. “It’s a bold and meaningful investment that puts Pennsylvania at the heart of America’s emerging AI tech economy.”

    The project is anticipated to deliver significant economic benefits for the local community, including generating more than $65 million in direct tax revenue with allocations of $45 + million to the Cumberland Valley School District, $10 + million to Middlesex Township, and $10 + million to Cumberland County. Furthermore, the development is expected to create high-skilled employment positions spanning areas such as construction, project management, engineering, and electrical work.

    “This landmark deal with PowerHouse represents a pivotal step for our expansion across Pennsylvania—a state uniquely positioned for data center development thanks to our state and local leaders willing to tap its abundant natural power resources. We’re proud to help lead the charge in building the infrastructure that will define the next era of AI and technological innovation,” said Pennsylvania Data Center Partners CEO Igal J. Feibush.

    “Pennsylvania is important as a growing AI data center market for the Nation and our Pennsylvania Digital I (PAX) project is in the very heart of the state with its access to not only Ashburn, but all of the most important markets in the Eastern United States,” said Doug Fleit, CEO and Co-founder of PowerHouse Data Centers. “This campus is built for speed, engineered for growth, and located where the next wave of infrastructure will take shape for our customers.”

    As part of this transformative project, PPL Electric Utilities will connect the campuses to their transmission system, ensuring the reliable delivery of power to the data center campuses and the surrounding community.

    “PPL Electric Utilities’ investments in its transmission system position us to support economic growth and reliably serve all customers. We’re ready to serve new customers when they’re ready to interconnect,” said Christine Martin, president of PPL Electric Utilities. “Our commitment to innovation and grid reliability aligns seamlessly with the vision for this project and the emergence of Central Pennsylvania as a technology hub. We’re excited to be part of Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers’ investment in the state and look forward to the positive effects it can have for our customers and the local economy.”

    The new data center campus is generating significant interest among hyperscalers.

    Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers are committed to building lasting relationships with the local community. Both organizations are actively engaging with area nonprofits, investing in STEM education, and providing resources to support charitable initiatives across the region. “Our shared vision goes beyond infrastructure—it’s about strengthening the fabric of the communities where we operate,” added Feibush.

    Project Highlights:

    • Footprint: Approximately 700-acre site with three campuses with 450 MW each.
    • Utility Capacity: 1.35 GW with scalable growth up to 1.8 GW.
    • Near-Term Power Delivery: 300 MW by 2Q 2027.
    • Tax Incentives: Pennsylvania’s data center tax exemption provides 100% abatement of sales and use taxes on equipment and electricity for up to 15 years.
    • Robust Fiber Infrastructure: Direct peering to Ashburn, VA and connectivity to 17 metro fiber providers.
    • Strategic Location: Carlisle is in the heart of the Northeast’s emerging AI corridor, with the scale, power and location hyperscale clients are demanding.
    • Aesthetic Design: PowerHouse Data Centers is a leader in thoughtful and aesthetic architectural for data center development.

    Further project updates will be shared as development progresses.

    About Pennsylvania Data Center Partners
    Pennsylvania Data Center Partners is a developer and owner of hyperscale data centers throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Through our land acquisition, power, procurement and speed-to-market development process, we build next generation hyperscale data center campuses that meet the demand for massive computing resources which train and deploy complex generative AI models. Our ready-to-scale, strategically located sites ensure hyperscalers, investors and communities all benefit from the ensuing world-class digital infrastructure. For more information, visit PADataCenters.com.

    About PowerHouse Data Centers
    PowerHouse Data Centers, wholly owned and operated by American Real Estate Partners (AREP), is a pioneering developer and owner of next-generation data centers, providing sophisticated real estate solutions for hyperscalers that meet their market, data, utility, and space demands. PowerHouse is an established leader in world-class data center development, with 86 data centers underway or in planning, representing over 24 million square feet and 6 GW in seven major Tier I and Tier II markets. PowerHouse’s full suite of development services integrates asset strategy, fast-track approvals, infrastructure, on-site power procurement, and sustainable building practices into every project. Visit our newsroom for more information, and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and X.

    Media Contacts:

    Pennsylvania Data Center Partners
    Tisha Kresler
    Pennsylvania Data Center Partners
    tisha@padatacenters.com
    917-270-0079

    PowerHouse Data Centers
    Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA)
    jsa_arep@jsa.net
    +1 866.695.3629 ext. 11

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed166acf-7b8f-4df7-a407-582b31d094fd

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How can London benefit from devolution?

    Source: Mayor of London

    Tomorrow, as part of its investigation into London’s place in the Government’s proposed devolution reforms, the GLA Oversight Committee will build on its examination of London’s current devolution settlement.

    This meeting will consider priority areas for London in any new devolution settlement and assess the opportunities available to London through the English Devolution White Paper and the proposed devolution framework in the English Devolution Bill.  The following areas will be covered:

    • Opportunities for London in the English Devolution White Paper
    • Decision making and coordination with London boroughs
    • Integrated Settlement
    • Fiscal devolution
    • Potential new powers and amendments to the GLA Act
    • Scrutiny arrangements

    The guests are:

    Panel 1 – approx. 11:00am – 12:05pm

    • Cllr Claire Holland – Chair of London Councils
    • Professor Tony Travers – Professor in Practice and Associate Dean of the LSE School of Public Policy

    Panel 2 – approx. 12:10pm – 1:00pm

    • Richard Watts – Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor of London

    The meeting will take place on Wednesday 9 July from 10am, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 513 Status Reports

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Bryan Keogh, Managing Editor

    Protesters gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    The Trump administration was given the green light by the Supreme Court on July 14, 2025, to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education – part of a wider plan to dismantle the agency. In doing so, the conservative majority on the bench overruled a lower court judge that had blocked the move.

    While the court didn’t explain its decision – and didn’t rule on the merits of the case – Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal justices who objected, issued a strongly worded dissent: “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”

    The Conversation has been following the administration’s efforts to take apart the Department of Education since President Donald Trump won the presidential election in November. Here are a few stories from our archives that explain the executive order targeting the department, why the agency has been in the crosshairs of conservatives, and some of the impacts of carrying out the order.

    1. Hollowing out education

    Trump has promised to eliminate the Department of Education since at least September 2023. What started out as a campaign promise eventually became the executive order he issued on March 20, 2025, released shortly after the administration announced plans to lay off about 1,300 of the 4,000 employees in the department.

    “Although the president has broad executive authority, there are many things he cannot order by himself,” wrote Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. “And one of those is the dismantling of a Cabinet agency created by law. But he seems determined to hollow the agency out.”

    And that’s what the Supreme Court says he can do while the case plays out in lower courts. Ultimately, Trump’s order creates a lot of “legal and policy uncertainty around funding for children in local schools and communities.”



    Read more:
    Mass layoffs at Education Department signal Trump’s plan to gut the agency

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is responsible for carrying out Trump’s executive order.
    AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.

    2. What the education secretary normally does

    The person directed to actually carry our the president’s order is the education secretary, Linda McMahon. She has called dismantling the department its “final mission.”

    But the secretary – and the department – have many other missions, such as managing students loans and administering Title I funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status.

    “Every child in the United States is required to attend school in some capacity, and what happens at the federal level can have real-world impacts on students ranging from preschool to grad school,” wrote Dustin Hornbeck, a scholar of educational policy at the University of Memphis.

    In his article, Hornbeck explored the key duties of the education secretary and the role of the federal government in education, which he argued will continue even if the Education Department is abolished.



    Read more:
    US secretary of education helps set national priorities in a system primarily funded and guided by local governments

    3. Why MAGA targeted the department

    So why did Trump decide getting rid of the Education Department was a top priority and worth the legal risks?

    Fighting what he perceived as “wokeness” was likely one reason, wrote Alex Hinton, an anthropologist who has been studying U.S. political culture at Rutgers University − Newark.

    “First and foremost, Trump and his supporters believe that liberals are ruining public education by instituting what they call a ‘radical woke agenda’ that they say prioritizes identity politics and politically correct groupthink at the expense of the free speech of those, like many conservatives, who have different views,” he explains.

    Trump’s battle against DEI – or diversity, equity and inclusion – is of course a big part of that, but so too are what he and his supporters call “radical” race and gender policies.

    Hinton goes on to describe three other reasons – including supposed “Marxist indoctrination” and school choice – he argues that the MAGA faithful want to eliminate the Department of Education.



    Read more:
    Trump orders a plan to close Education Department – an anthropologist who studies MAGA explains 4 reasons why Trump and his supporters want to eliminate it

    4. It didn’t begin with Trump

    But conservative efforts to gut the department didn’t begin with Trump or MAGA. In fact, the Heritage Foundation, which created the Project 2025 blueprint for remaking the federal government, has been trying to limit or end its role in education since at least 1981 – just two years after the Department of Education was created.

    “In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes,” including closing the Department of Education and ending funding for disadvantaged students, wrote Fred L. Pincus, a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to ‘turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change.’”

    The conservative think tank struck similar themes in its Project 2025 playbook, though it went even further in calling out “leftist indoctrination” and “gender ideology extremism,” Pincus noted.



    Read more:
    Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency

    Changes at the Department of Education will have a big impact on students across the country.
    skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

    5. Impact on most vulnerable students

    After all the already planned layoffs go into effect, the Department of Education will have roughly half the staff it started the year with. That will have a significant impact on its ability to carry out its many tasks, such as managing federal loans for college and tracking student achievement.

    The department also enforces civil rights for schools and universities, and that office has been hit especially hard by the job cuts, wrote education professors Erica Frankenberg of Penn State and Maithreyi Gopalan of the University of Oregon.

    “The Office for Civil Rights has played an important role in facilitating equitable education for all students,” they wrote. “The full effects of these changes on the most vulnerable public school students will likely be felt for many years.”



    Read more:
    Big cuts at the Education Department’s civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come

    This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads – https://theconversation.com/trump-free-to-begin-gutting-department-of-education-after-supreme-court-shadow-ruling-5-essential-reads-261218

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Bryan Keogh, Managing Editor

    Protesters gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    The Trump administration was given the green light by the Supreme Court on July 14, 2025, to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education – part of a wider plan to dismantle the agency. In doing so, the conservative majority on the bench overruled a lower court judge that had blocked the move.

    While the court didn’t explain its decision – and didn’t rule on the merits of the case – Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal justices who objected, issued a strongly worded dissent: “When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it.”

    The Conversation has been following the administration’s efforts to take apart the Department of Education since President Donald Trump won the presidential election in November. Here are a few stories from our archives that explain the executive order targeting the department, why the agency has been in the crosshairs of conservatives, and some of the impacts of carrying out the order.

    1. Hollowing out education

    Trump has promised to eliminate the Department of Education since at least September 2023. What started out as a campaign promise eventually became the executive order he issued on March 20, 2025, released shortly after the administration announced plans to lay off about 1,300 of the 4,000 employees in the department.

    “Although the president has broad executive authority, there are many things he cannot order by himself,” wrote Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University. “And one of those is the dismantling of a Cabinet agency created by law. But he seems determined to hollow the agency out.”

    And that’s what the Supreme Court says he can do while the case plays out in lower courts. Ultimately, Trump’s order creates a lot of “legal and policy uncertainty around funding for children in local schools and communities.”



    Read more:
    Mass layoffs at Education Department signal Trump’s plan to gut the agency

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is responsible for carrying out Trump’s executive order.
    AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.

    2. What the education secretary normally does

    The person directed to actually carry our the president’s order is the education secretary, Linda McMahon. She has called dismantling the department its “final mission.”

    But the secretary – and the department – have many other missions, such as managing students loans and administering Title I funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status.

    “Every child in the United States is required to attend school in some capacity, and what happens at the federal level can have real-world impacts on students ranging from preschool to grad school,” wrote Dustin Hornbeck, a scholar of educational policy at the University of Memphis.

    In his article, Hornbeck explored the key duties of the education secretary and the role of the federal government in education, which he argued will continue even if the Education Department is abolished.



    Read more:
    US secretary of education helps set national priorities in a system primarily funded and guided by local governments

    3. Why MAGA targeted the department

    So why did Trump decide getting rid of the Education Department was a top priority and worth the legal risks?

    Fighting what he perceived as “wokeness” was likely one reason, wrote Alex Hinton, an anthropologist who has been studying U.S. political culture at Rutgers University − Newark.

    “First and foremost, Trump and his supporters believe that liberals are ruining public education by instituting what they call a ‘radical woke agenda’ that they say prioritizes identity politics and politically correct groupthink at the expense of the free speech of those, like many conservatives, who have different views,” he explains.

    Trump’s battle against DEI – or diversity, equity and inclusion – is of course a big part of that, but so too are what he and his supporters call “radical” race and gender policies.

    Hinton goes on to describe three other reasons – including supposed “Marxist indoctrination” and school choice – he argues that the MAGA faithful want to eliminate the Department of Education.



    Read more:
    Trump orders a plan to close Education Department – an anthropologist who studies MAGA explains 4 reasons why Trump and his supporters want to eliminate it

    4. It didn’t begin with Trump

    But conservative efforts to gut the department didn’t begin with Trump or MAGA. In fact, the Heritage Foundation, which created the Project 2025 blueprint for remaking the federal government, has been trying to limit or end its role in education since at least 1981 – just two years after the Department of Education was created.

    “In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes,” including closing the Department of Education and ending funding for disadvantaged students, wrote Fred L. Pincus, a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to ‘turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change.’”

    The conservative think tank struck similar themes in its Project 2025 playbook, though it went even further in calling out “leftist indoctrination” and “gender ideology extremism,” Pincus noted.



    Read more:
    Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency

    Changes at the Department of Education will have a big impact on students across the country.
    skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

    5. Impact on most vulnerable students

    After all the already planned layoffs go into effect, the Department of Education will have roughly half the staff it started the year with. That will have a significant impact on its ability to carry out its many tasks, such as managing federal loans for college and tracking student achievement.

    The department also enforces civil rights for schools and universities, and that office has been hit especially hard by the job cuts, wrote education professors Erica Frankenberg of Penn State and Maithreyi Gopalan of the University of Oregon.

    “The Office for Civil Rights has played an important role in facilitating equitable education for all students,” they wrote. “The full effects of these changes on the most vulnerable public school students will likely be felt for many years.”



    Read more:
    Big cuts at the Education Department’s civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come

    This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Trump free to begin gutting Department of Education after Supreme Court ‘shadow’ ruling − 5 essential reads – https://theconversation.com/trump-free-to-begin-gutting-department-of-education-after-supreme-court-shadow-ruling-5-essential-reads-261218

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Florida is fronting the $450M cost of Alligator Alcatraz – a legal scholar explains what we still don’t know about the detainees

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mark Schlakman, Senior Program Director, The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, Florida State University

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leads a tour of the new Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility for President Donald Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Andrew Cabellero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    The state of Florida has opened a migrant detention center in the Everglades. Its official name is Alligator Alcatraz, a reference to the former maximum security federal penitentiary in San Francisco Bay.

    While touring Alligator Alcatraz on July 1, 2025, President Donald Trump said, “This facility will house some of the menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet.” But new reporting from the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times reveals that of more than 700 detainees, only a third have criminal convictions.

    To find out more about the state of Florida’s involvement in immigration enforcement and who can be detained at Alligator Alcatraz, The Conversation spoke with Mark Schlakman. Schlakman is a lawyer and senior program director for The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights. He also served as special counsel to Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, working as a liaison of sorts with the federal government during the mid-1990s when tens of thousands of Haitians and Cubans fled their island nations on makeshift boats, hoping to reach safe haven in Florida.

    U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has characterized the migrants being detained in facilities like Alligator Alcatraz as “murderers and rapists and traffickers and drug dealers.” Do we know if the detainees at Alligator Alcatraz have been convicted of these sorts of crimes?

    The Times/Herald published a list of 747 current detainees as of Sunday, July 13, 2025. Their reporters found that about a third of the detainees have criminal convictions, including attempted murder, illegal reentry to the U.S., which is a federal crime, and traffic violations. Apparently hundreds more have charges pending, though neither the federal nor state government have made public what those charges are.

    There are also more than 250 detainees with no criminal history, just immigration violations.

    Is it a crime for someone to be in the U.S. without legal status? In other words, is an immigration violation a crime?

    No, not necessarily. It’s well established as a matter of law that physical presence in the U.S. without proper authorization is a civil violation, not a criminal offense.

    However, if the federal government previously deported someone, they can be subject to federal criminal prosecution if they attempt to return without permission. That appears to be the case with some of the detainees at Alligator Alcatraz.

    What usually happens if a noncitizen commits a crime in the U.S.?

    Normally, if a foreign national is accused of committing a crime, they are prosecuted in a state court just like anyone else. If found guilty and sentenced to incarceration, they complete their sentence in a state prison. Once they’ve served their time, state officials can hand them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. They are subject to deportation, but a federal immigration judge can hear any grounds for relief.

    DHS has clarified that it “has not implemented, authorized, directed or funded” Alligator Alcatraz, but rather the state of Florida is providing startup funds and running this facility. What is Florida’s interest in this? Are these mostly migrants who have been scooped up by ICE in Florida?

    It’s still unclear where most of these detainees were apprehended. But based on a list of six detainees released by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office, it is clear that at least some were apprehended outside of Florida, and others simply may have been transferred to Alligator Alcatraz from federal custody elsewhere.

    This calls to mind the time in 2022 when Gov. Ron DeSantis flew approximately 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts at Florida taxpayer expense. Those migrants also had no discernible presence in Florida.

    To establish Alligator Alcatraz, DeSantis leveraged an immigration emergency declaration, which has been ongoing since Jan. 6, 2023. A state of emergency allows a governor to exercise extraordinary executive authority. This is how he avoided requirements such as environmental impact analysis in the Everglades and concerns expressed by tribal governance surrounding that area.

    For now, the governor’s declaration remains unchallenged by the Florida Legislature. Environmental advocates have filed a lawsuit over Alligator Alcatraz, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a decision by a federal judge temporarily barring Florida from enforcing its new immigration laws, which DeSantis had championed. But no court has yet intervened to contest this prolonged state of emergency.

    This presents a stark contrast to Gov. Lawton Chiles’ declaration of an immigration emergency during the mid-1990s. At that time, tens of thousands of Cubans and Haitians attempted to reach Florida shores in virtually anything that would float. Chiles’ actions as governor were informed by his experience as a U.S. senator during the Mariel boatlift in 1980, when 125,000 Cubans made landfall in Florida over the course of just six months.

    Chiles sued the Clinton administration for failing to adequately enforce U.S. immigration law. But Chiles also entered into unprecedented agreements with the federal government, such as the 1996 Florida Immigration Initiative with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. His intent was to protect Florida taxpayers while enhancing federal enforcement capacity, without dehumanizing people fleeing desperate circumstances.

    During my tenure on Chiles’ staff, the governor generally opposed state legislation involving immigration. In the U.S.’s federalist system of government, immigration falls under the purview of the federal government, not the states. Chiles’ primary concern was that Floridians wouldn’t be saddled with what ought to be federal costs and responsibilities.

    Chiles was open to state and local officials supporting federal immigration enforcement. But he was mindful this required finesse to avoid undermining community policing, public health priorities and the economic health of key Florida businesses and industries. To this day, the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s position reflects Chiles’ concerns about such cooperation with the federal government.

    Gov. Ron DeSantis outlines his plans for Alligator Alcatraz to the media on July 1, 2025.
    Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    Now, in 2025, DeSantis has taken a decidedly different tack by using Florida taxpayer dollars to establish Alligator Alcatraz. The state of Florida has fronted the US$450 million to pay for this facility. DeSantis reportedly intends to seek reimbursement from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program. Ultimately, congressional action may be necessary to obtain reimbursement. Florida is essentially lending the federal government half a billion dollars and providing other assistance to help support the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.

    Florida is also establishing another migrant detention facility at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center near Jacksonville. A third apparently is being contemplated for the Panhandle.

    ICE claims that the ultimate decision of whom to detain at these facilities belongs to the state of Florida, through the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Members of Congress who visited Alligator Alcatraz earlier this week have disputed ICE’s claim that Florida is in charge.

    You advised Florida Division of Emergency Management leadership directly for several years during the administrations of Gov. Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott. Does running a detention facility like Alligator Alcatraz fall within its typical mission?

    The division is tasked with preparing for and responding to both natural and human-caused disasters. In Florida, that generally means hurricanes. While the division may engage to facilitate shelter, I don’t recall any policies or procedures contemplating anything even remotely similar to Alligator Alcatraz.

    DeSantis could conceivably argue that this is consistent with a 287(g) agreement authorizing state and local support for federal immigration enforcement. But such agreements typically require federal supervision of state and local activities, not the other way around.

    Mark Schlakman served as special counsel to Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles and as a consultant to Emilio Gonzalez at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during his tenure as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director during the George W. Bush administration.

    – ref. Florida is fronting the $450M cost of Alligator Alcatraz – a legal scholar explains what we still don’t know about the detainees – https://theconversation.com/florida-is-fronting-the-450m-cost-of-alligator-alcatraz-a-legal-scholar-explains-what-we-still-dont-know-about-the-detainees-260665

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Research Adjunct in Conservation Ecology, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University

    Alyson Stobo-Wilson

    In remote central Arnhem Land, finding a northern brushtail possum is encouraging for the local Indigenous rangers. Though once common, such small native mammals are now rare. Many are threatened with extinction.

    Over the past 30 years, small mammals have been disappearing from Australia’s tropical savannas. This landscape is among the nation’s most remote and seemingly untouched. But it is no longer safe from feral animals, overgrazing livestock, poor fire management and other threats.

    Despite growing awareness of the problem, a lack of consensus on the most effective management actions has hindered efforts to reverse these losses. Our new research sought to overcome this hurdle and finally reach consensus on the best way forward.

    We achieved this by working with experts from various land management groups and research institutes, including Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers within the region.

    Building on 15 years of targeted research

    In 2010, the scale and severity of mammal declines in northern Australia became clear. Research in Kakadu National Park found the number of native mammal species at survey sites had halved, and the number of individual animals dropped by more than two-thirds.

    This prompted a major review of the causes, and more research.

    Advances in technology played a crucial role in efforts to gather further evidence. Motion-activated cameras known as camera traps enabled monitoring over vast areas.

    Extensive surveys using camera traps provided data on the distribution and abundance of small mammals and feral cats. Meanwhile, collar-mounted GPS units and video cameras provided new information about feral cat behaviour.

    Feral cat caught on a camera-trap in Arnhem Land.
    Alyson Stobo-Wilson

    What we did and what we found

    Our new research concerns the higher-rainfall tropical savannas of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. This area covers 950,000 square kilometres from the Kimberley in the west to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the east.

    First we reviewed the literature on the topic of small mammal declines in the region. We found more than 100 relevant studies had been published since 2010.

    From these research papers, we identified 11 plausible threats to small mammals. Then we asked 19 experts to score and rank each threat according to severity and scale, and whether the threat could be effectively mitigated.

    We found the most severe and widespread threat to small mammals was feral cats. But broad-scale cat control is not very effective.

    Ranked second was the habitat destruction caused by livestock (buffalo, horses, donkeys and cattle) and by inappropriate patterns of fire.

    Actions aimed at reducing feral livestock numbers and improving fire regimes would increase vital resources such as food and shelter. Such actions can also make it harder for cats to prey on small mammals.

    Feral cattle graze in the savanna woodland of the northern Kimberley.
    Ian Radford

    Future threats and research priorities

    Habitat loss from land clearing for urban, agricultural or industrial development currently affects only a small proportion of northwestern Australia. But proposed expansions — particularly for cotton and other intensive agriculture — are concerning. These developments overlap with high-rainfall areas in the Top End, where small mammal communities are still relatively intact.

    Our expert group also expressed deep concern and uncertainty about the future as the climate changes. Rising temperatures and more intense rainfall events are expected to increase the frequency, extent and severity of fires. However, managing feral livestock and improving fire regimes can make the ecosystem more resilient to change.

    Developing more effective tools to directly control feral cats remains a top research priority. It’s estimated cats kill around 452 million native mammals a year in Australia. About a third of these deaths occur in the tropical savannas. So while improved land management will alleviate some pressure, certain species will remain highly vulnerable unless cats can be better managed.

    Water buffalo were introduced to northern Australia in the early-1800s, becoming widespread by the mid-1800s.
    Alyson Stobo-Wilson

    Support Indigenous leadership on Country

    Globally, Indigenous stewardship is closely linked to improved biodiversity outcomes.

    In Australia, the historic disruption of Indigenous customary responsibilities — especially fire management — has contributed to the loss of small mammals.

    Fortunately, Indigenous ranger programs and Indigenous Protected Areas have expanded in recent years. Increasingly widespread recognition and application of Indigenous knowledge has deepened and broadened our understanding of mammal declines.

    In northern Australia, Indigenous ranger groups are global leaders in fire management. They monitor and manage some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of the continent. The land management actions needed to conserve our small mammals rely in large part on the continued support and funding of these groups.

    Unfortunately, these programs are under threat. The NT government recently cut A$12 million from its Indigenous ranger funding program.

    While the federal government has committed funding to expand ranger programs nationally, ranger groups say the investment falls short of what’s needed. Mimal Land Management Aboriginal Corporation chief executive officer Dominic Nicholls told us:

    Given the scale at which Indigenous ranger groups operate – and the critical role they play in protecting Australia’s biodiversity and leading innovation in the carbon industry – the level of allocated funding is insufficient to meet the basic delivery costs of these programs.

    A clear path forward

    Our research shows reducing feral livestock numbers and improving fire regimes in northern Australia currently offers the greatest benefit to small mammal populations — especially in the absence of effective cat controls.

    But success will depend on sustained, long-term support for Indigenous rangers, who carry out much of this work. Investing in these programs is not just essential for conserving biodiversity — it also supports cultural connection, community wellbeing and climate resilience.

    The authors gratefully acknowledge the Traditional Knowledge offered by participants from Mimal Land Management Aboriginal Corporation and Warddeken Land Management Limited as part of this research.

    This research was funded by CSIRO. The research benefited from the involvement of researchers and land managers from CSIRO, Charles Darwin University, Warddeken Land Management Limited, Australian National University, Mimal Land Management Aboriginal Corporation, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, the WA and NT governments, Kangaroo Island Landscape Board, Ground Up: Planning and Ecology Support, Dunkeld Pastoral Co Pty Ltd and Desert Support Services.

    John Woinarski has previously received funding from the Australian government’s National Environment Science Program. He is affiliated with Charles Darwin University, a member of the Biodiversity Council and a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

    – ref. Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back – https://theconversation.com/control-fire-and-ferals-in-australias-tropical-savannas-to-bring-the-small-mammals-back-260813

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –