NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Channel crossings: what is a safe and legal route?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gillian McFadyen, Lecturer in International Politics, Aberystwyth University

    Since figures were first recorded in 2018, more than 170,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats, hoping to claim asylum in the UK. Over 20,000 have crossed this year alone, and many dozens have died.

    Over the years, UK governments have tried a number of tactics – returns agreements, increased law enforcement, deportation schemes, and “smashing” organised smuggling gangs – to try and put an end to this dangerous practice. The latest attempt is the government’s new “one in, one out” pilot migration deal with France, which would see the UK accept some asylum seekers with legitimate claims to life in the UK, while sending an equivalent number back to France.



    Read more:
    How UK-France ‘one in, one out’ migration deal will work – and what the challenges could be

    Campaigners, academics and groups that support asylum seekers have long called for the UK to introduce “safe and legal routes”. They argue that this is the only way to reduce demand for unsafe Channel crossings. The logic is that people seeking protection are turning to smugglers and small boats because, for most, there are no other options to enter the UK and claim asylum.

    But what are these routes?

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

    A safe and legal route is a scheme or journey approved by the UK government that allows people to enter the country without a visa in order to claim asylum. The 1951 refugee convention says that people have the right to claim asylum. But UK law requires someone to be physically present in the country to do so.

    A safe and legal route stresses that arriving irregularly – for instance, by crossing the Channel in a small boat – is illegal, even though the UN refugee convention is explicit that refugees should not be penalised for how they arrive to claim refuge.

    Does the UK have safe and legal routes?

    The UK has had safe and legal routes available for refugees in the recent past.

    Most schemes are restricted to certain populations and limited in accessibility. For example, two nationality-specific schemes for Afghans were set up in January 2022, after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. These have resettled roughly 34,000 Afghans in the UK.

    The schemes prioritised those who had worked or assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan, as well as assisting vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk, and minority groups. Both routes are now shut.

    The UK also has schemes for Ukrainians and Hong Kongers. The Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukrainians and the now-closed Ukrainian Family Scheme), established in March 2022, have resettled 217,000 to the UK. The Hong Kong scheme is only eligible for British National Overseas status holders and their dependants. Most of these are not recognised, and nor do they identify, as refugees. Since opening in January 2021, 179,000 have been granted a visa to live in the UK.

    There is also the family reunion pathway for those already granted protection in the UK, who can invite spouses or other dependants to join them. This can be viewed as a safe route, but it is specifically for those already with status (refugee or otherwise) in the country. Importantly, those who gain access this way are not given refugee status in their own right, but granted leave to remain that is connected to their family member’s status.

    The UK has also worked closely with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, since March 2021. The UNHCR identifies vulnerable candidates for resettlement direct from regions of conflict, primarily the Middle East and North Africa. This scheme highlights the value of safe and legal routes and the potential for developing a humane asylum route, but at present it is limited in scope, with only 3,798 people granted safe and dignified resettlement in the UK via this route.

    The prime minister, Keir Starmer, has stressed that the new pilot with France will be limited to people “who have not tried to enter the UK illegally” and who have a strong case for asylum in the UK – again highlighting the strict access and eligibility for this “safe and legal” route.

    A refugee camp in Greece in 2016.
    Ververidis Vasilis/Shutterstock

    If we look at the map of international conflict today, the majority of people in conflict zones would be ineligible for these schemes. Afghans, Eritreans, Syrians, Iranian and Sudanese are some of the top nationalities arriving via the Channel crossing to the UK, but are provided with no safe or legal routes to sanctuary. Yet, in claiming asylum, 68% of small boat arrivals are ultimately granted status.

    Conflicts in Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan have not led to any bespoke humanitarian refugee protection rights from the UK. In practice, it is legally impossible for most asylum seekers to reach the UK via a safe and legal route as the schemes are so limited in scope.

    Smashing the gangs

    In January 2025, the Refugee Council, an organisation that supports asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, urged the UK to introduce a safe and legal route – in the form of a limited number of refugee visas – in order to stop deaths in the Channel.

    Between 2018 and April 2025, 147 people have died attempting to cross the Channel in small boats, with 2024 being the deadliest year for child migrant deaths.

    The UK government’s most recent approach has been to “smash the gangs” to prevent small boat crossings. But evidence shows that a criminal justice approach, while popular, ultimately leads smugglers to change their business practices – often jeopardising people further as they take longer routes or put more people into boats.

    More safe and legal routes would, on the other hand, reduce demand for smuggling across the Channel, by giving people another option.

    Crucially, even if the UK were to successfully “smash the gangs”, this does not eradicate peoples’ need for protection when fleeing war zones. Safe and legal routes would introduce a compassionate and humane refugee system which adheres with the UK’s obligations under international refugee law.

    Gillian McFadyen receives funding from ACE Hub Wales, Public Health Wales for the project ‘A Welsh Pathways to Peace: Digital Storytelling and Forced Migration’ (2025-2026).

    – ref. Channel crossings: what is a safe and legal route? – https://theconversation.com/channel-crossings-what-is-a-safe-and-legal-route-246931

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Don’t let food poisoning crash your picnic – six tips to keep your spread safe

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Edward Fox, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle

    Jenny_Tr/Shutterstock

    Nothing says summer quite like a picnic. Whether you’re lounging on a beach towel, stretched out in a park, or unpacking a hamper in your garden, picnics are a beloved way to enjoy good food in the great outdoors.

    In the UK alone, the picnic food market is worth over £2 billion each year, with millions of us heading out for an alfresco feast with family or friends when the sun is shining.

    But as idyllic as they may seem, picnics come with hidden risks, especially when it comes to food safety. Without access to fridges, ovens or running water, the chances of foodborne illness such as diarrhoea increase. So, how can you keep your spread both delicious and safe?

    Warm, sunny weather is perfect for picnics – and unfortunately, also for bacteria. High temperatures can cause harmful microbes to multiply quickly in certain foods – especially meat, eggs, dairy or salads with creamy dressings. Add in a few flies or some dirty hands, and your picnic could become a recipe for illness.

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

    Food poisoning bacteria can find their way into picnic food from several sources: flies that land on uncovered dishes, unwashed hands, cross-contaminated utensils, or even from leaving perishable food out in the sun too long.

    This is not just a theoretical risk. There have been several well-documented outbreaks linked to picnics, including one event in Texas where more than 100 people developed diarrhoea and fever after eating food contaminated with salmonella. In another case at a church picnic in Ohio, clostridium botulinum – a bacterium that can be fatal – contaminated potato salad and led to one death.



    Read more:
    Salmonella cases are at ten-year high in England – here’s what you can do to keep yourself safe

    Six tips to enjoy your picnic safely

    However, with a few simple steps, you can protect yourself and others while enjoying that alfresco feast:

    1. Keep cold food cold. If you’re bringing dishes that normally need refrigeration (think meats, cheese, egg mayo), don’t pack them until the last minute. Use a cool bag or insulated box with ice packs or frozen water bottles to help keep things chilled. Once you’re out, only take food out of the cooler when it’s time to eat, and always try to keep it in the shade.

    2. Watch the clock. On hot days, perishable foods should be eaten within two hours (or four hours if it’s mild). After that, any leftovers should be thrown away. Don’t be tempted to take food home and refrigerate it “just in case” – one family in Belgium did just that with a salad, and ended up with severe food poisoning two days later.

    3. Wash those hands. Picnics often mean touching tables, grass, pets or public benches – all potential sources of bacteria. Hand sanitiser is your best friend. Use it before handling or eating any food.

    4. Cover up. Insects, especially flies, can carry bacteria and leave them behind when they land. Keep food in sealed containers or cover with foil or clean cloths to protect your spread. This helps keep animals (and rogue seagulls) away too.

    5. Prep fresh produce properly. Salads, fruits and veg are picnic staples, but they must be washed thoroughly before being packed. Even pre-washed leaves can benefit from a rinse. Pack them in clean containers and don’t let utensils touch dirty surfaces.



    Read more:
    New study: Salmonella thrives in salad bags

    6. Keep your utensils clean. Bring enough serving spoons, tongs and plates – and avoid putting them down on picnic tables or the ground. A spare clean plate is always a good idea when it comes to safe serving.

    Enjoy the food, not the fallout

    Picnics should leave you with warm memories – not stomach cramps. By following these food safety basics, you can enjoy your outdoor feast without any unwanted after-effects. From chilled pasta salads to hand-cut fruit or that classic homemade quiche, safe food is happy food.

    So, pack a blanket, grab your cool bag, and soak up the sunshine – just keep the bacteria at bay.



    Read more:
    Food safety: are the sniff test, the five-second rule and rare burgers safe?

    Edward Fox has received funding from the Food Safety Research Network.

    – ref. Don’t let food poisoning crash your picnic – six tips to keep your spread safe – https://theconversation.com/dont-let-food-poisoning-crash-your-picnic-six-tips-to-keep-your-spread-safe-260834

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Women with ADHD three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jessica Agnew-Blais, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Queen Mary University of London

    PMDD causes symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, depressed mood and anxiety. LightField Studios/ Shutterstock

    Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has historically been under-studied in women. This means we still have a limited understanding of how the condition may uniquely affect women – and what effect monthly hormonal changes may have on women with ADHD.

    But a recent study conducted by me and my colleagues has shown that women with ADHD are at higher risk for mental health struggles associated with the menstrual cycle. We found that having ADHD makes women around three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), is a serious condition that affects about 3% of women worldwide. The condition can seriously interfere with a person’s everyday life, causing symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, depressed mood and anxiety.

    These symptoms occur in the days before menstruation, and resolve after the period starts. For some, PMDD may lead to severe outcomes, such as being at an increased risk of attempting suicide.



    Read more:
    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: the frightening psychological condition suffered by Dixie D’Amelio

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

    We conducted an online survey of 715 women aged 18 to 34 in the UK. We asked them whether they experienced different symptoms of ADHD or PMDD, whether they’d received an ADHD diagnosis from a doctor and how symptoms interfered with their lives.

    We found that about 31% of women with a clinical ADHD diagnosis also had PMDD, as did around 41% of women who scored high for ADHD symptoms (whether they had been formally diagnosed with ADHD or not). In comparison, only about 9% of women without ADHD met the criteria for PMDD. We also found that women who had ADHD and a clinical diagnosis of depression or anxiety had an even greater risk of PMDD.

    The research showed that the most common PMDD symptoms women experienced were irritability, feeling overwhelmed and depression. But women with ADHD may also be more likely to experience insomnia when they have PMDD.

    The PMDD and ADHD link

    Our study isn’t the first to show a link between the two conditions, but it is the first to identify a similar PMDD risk among women with ADHD symptoms, not just among those who were in treatment. We’re also the first to show that people who have ADHD plus depression or anxiety are at an even greater risk of PMDD.

    Other research suggests that women with ADHD may also be at higher risk for mental health problems during other times of hormonal change. For instance, one study found women with ADHD experienced higher rates of depression and anxiety after starting combined oral hormonal contraceptives. Another study found that women with ADHD were more likely to experience depression after giving birth than those without the condition.

    More research is now needed to understand why women with ADHD appear to be more vulnerable to PMDD, and whether this affects what treatments work best.

    It should be noted that our study assesses “provisional PMDD diagnosis”. An official diagnosis requires two months of symptom tracking across the menstrual cycle. But we asked women to remember how they felt across their menstrual cycle rather than tracking how they feel in real-time.

    This means we could be over- or under-estimating PMDD prevalence as we’re relying on participants to recall their symptoms.

    Future research should assess PMDD symptoms among women in real-time as they experience their menstrual cycles to more accurately assess symptoms without having to rely on people’s memory. Additionally, it may be difficult to distinguish PMDD from other disorders that may worsen during the premenstrual period, such as depression or anxiety. Tracking symptoms across the menstrual cycle in real-time would help to disentangle this.

    PMDD can have profoundly negative effects on women’s lives. Some women even report it can make them feel “physically unable to see the joy in things”. Although symptoms can be managed with prescription treatments, this can only happen if the condition is diagnosed by a doctor.

    Our new research shows us that women with ADHD are an at-risk group for PMDD, especially if they also have depression or anxiety. This suggests doctors should consider screening for PMDD among women with ADHD to reduce distress and adverse outcomes associated with the condition.

    Jessica Agnew-Blais receives funding from the UK Medical Research Council and GambleAware for her research.

    – ref. Women with ADHD three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder – new research – https://theconversation.com/women-with-adhd-three-times-more-likely-to-experience-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-new-research-260222

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Too much Lena Dunham, Lorde’s new album and a book to break your heart: what to watch, listen to and read this week

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jane Wright, Commissioning Editor, Arts & Culture, The Conversation UK

    When I first watched Girls, I remember marvelling at Lena Dunham’s four twenty-something New Yorkers. Sex and the City it was not. I realised wistfully just how much I wished the series had been around when I was in my twenties.

    Dunham’s character Hannah Horvath was like a beacon, illuminating the possibilities of how you could just be yourself in this world – good and bad – without apologising for it. I loved her boldness. Girls was messy, awkward, embarrassing, relatable and real. It was also very funny.

    Now Dunham brings her latest, similarly awkward comedy-drama, Too Much, to Netflix. The series follows the trials and tribulations of Jess (the brilliant Megan Stalter) as she flees New York for London with a broken heart.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    An American with a romanticised movie-informed idea of Britain, Jess sees Blighty as some kind of fantasy creation fashioned by Jane Austen with a little help from Richard Curtis.

    She spends her days obsessing over her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend on Instagram and trying to fit into London life. And then she meets laconic musician Felix (Will Sharpe), who is determined to demolish her romantic notions of a Notting Hill-esque London. Discovering they have an instant connection, Jess is thrust back into dating again, still reeling from the PTSD of her previous relationship.

    Too Much charts the tumultuous experience of becoming an adult, as Jess experiences all the thrills and vulnerabilities of meeting someone new. Mirroring her own relocation to London, Dunham mines a rich seam of fish-out-of-water comedy as Megan navigates a new city and different culture.

    Reviewer Jane Steventon finds the show is a hopeful paean to womanhood, a declaration that messiness, failure and fear are all part of becoming a woman just as much as joy, love and intimacy.

    The idea of intimacy takes on a much darker and more troubling meaning in David Cronenberg’s latest body horror Shrouds in which the protagonist Karsh (Vincent Kassel) finds that technology can help him with the grieving process.

    Discovering that a piece of wearable tech within a shroud can allow him to watch his wife’s corpse decompose via a video link, Karsh believes this can help reclaim her from her illness. But as the plot progresses, lines blur between Karsh’s dreams and reality and the film becomes darker and more ominous.

    This deeply disturbing premise, says film expert Laura Flanagan, allows Cronenberg to explore issues of technology, control and grief, and is all the more chilling when you learn that he embarked on the film after the death of his own wife.

    Musical autobiography

    Simone de Beauvoir, the great feminist French philosopher, once opined: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” Meaning, it is down to each woman to articulate and determine her own path and transcend any limits of “femininity” imposed by a patriarchal society.

    According to our reviewer Lillian Hingley, the New Zealand singer Lorde unveils that process in her latest album Virgin as she musically explores how her body is changed by what she has been through in her life.

    Hingley discovers a multi-layered collection of songs and videos that lead us through a piece of performance art examining identity, sexuality and a female reproductive system that comes fully loaded with both jeopardy and joy.

    Last week, the Disney musical Hercules opened in London so we sent along Emma Stafford, professor of Greek culture at the University of Leeds to give us her take.

    Despite finding Hercules’ trusty steed Pegasus has been written out of the show and Hades has been somewhat toned down, the innovative role of the five muses has been elevated to a spectacular cross between the chorus of a Greek tragedy and a gospel choir. A terrific cast, impressive visuals, slick stagecraft and magical special effects all mean this high-octane production will delight West End audiences.

    The book that won this year’s Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke, has two children at its centre. One is Max Johnson, a healthy nine-year-old whose heart begins to fail, and the other, nine-year-old Keira Ball, a vibrant, pony-mad little girl who is killed in a car accident. Despite their unimaginable grief, Keira’s parents decide to donate her organs. Her precious heart goes to Max, and in that unbearable gift, one child dies, and another child lives.

    Leah McLaughlin, a health services researcher who has spent her career working in the emotionally complex and often obscured world of organ donation, found the book a searingly honest account of the hope and despair of this devastating experience.

    – ref. Too much Lena Dunham, Lorde’s new album and a book to break your heart: what to watch, listen to and read this week – https://theconversation.com/too-much-lena-dunham-lordes-new-album-and-a-book-to-break-your-heart-what-to-watch-listen-to-and-read-this-week-260893

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Women with ADHD three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jessica Agnew-Blais, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Queen Mary University of London

    PMDD causes symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, depressed mood and anxiety. LightField Studios/ Shutterstock

    Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has historically been under-studied in women. This means we still have a limited understanding of how the condition may uniquely affect women – and what effect monthly hormonal changes may have on women with ADHD.

    But a recent study conducted by me and my colleagues has shown that women with ADHD are at higher risk for mental health struggles associated with the menstrual cycle. We found that having ADHD makes women around three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), is a serious condition that affects about 3% of women worldwide. The condition can seriously interfere with a person’s everyday life, causing symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, depressed mood and anxiety.

    These symptoms occur in the days before menstruation, and resolve after the period starts. For some, PMDD may lead to severe outcomes, such as being at an increased risk of attempting suicide.



    Read more:
    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: the frightening psychological condition suffered by Dixie D’Amelio

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

    We conducted an online survey of 715 women aged 18 to 34 in the UK. We asked them whether they experienced different symptoms of ADHD or PMDD, whether they’d received an ADHD diagnosis from a doctor and how symptoms interfered with their lives.

    We found that about 31% of women with a clinical ADHD diagnosis also had PMDD, as did around 41% of women who scored high for ADHD symptoms (whether they had been formally diagnosed with ADHD or not). In comparison, only about 9% of women without ADHD met the criteria for PMDD. We also found that women who had ADHD and a clinical diagnosis of depression or anxiety had an even greater risk of PMDD.

    The research showed that the most common PMDD symptoms women experienced were irritability, feeling overwhelmed and depression. But women with ADHD may also be more likely to experience insomnia when they have PMDD.

    The PMDD and ADHD link

    Our study isn’t the first to show a link between the two conditions, but it is the first to identify a similar PMDD risk among women with ADHD symptoms, not just among those who were in treatment. We’re also the first to show that people who have ADHD plus depression or anxiety are at an even greater risk of PMDD.

    Other research suggests that women with ADHD may also be at higher risk for mental health problems during other times of hormonal change. For instance, one study found women with ADHD experienced higher rates of depression and anxiety after starting combined oral hormonal contraceptives. Another study found that women with ADHD were more likely to experience depression after giving birth than those without the condition.

    More research is now needed to understand why women with ADHD appear to be more vulnerable to PMDD, and whether this affects what treatments work best.

    It should be noted that our study assesses “provisional PMDD diagnosis”. An official diagnosis requires two months of symptom tracking across the menstrual cycle. But we asked women to remember how they felt across their menstrual cycle rather than tracking how they feel in real-time.

    This means we could be over- or under-estimating PMDD prevalence as we’re relying on participants to recall their symptoms.

    Future research should assess PMDD symptoms among women in real-time as they experience their menstrual cycles to more accurately assess symptoms without having to rely on people’s memory. Additionally, it may be difficult to distinguish PMDD from other disorders that may worsen during the premenstrual period, such as depression or anxiety. Tracking symptoms across the menstrual cycle in real-time would help to disentangle this.

    PMDD can have profoundly negative effects on women’s lives. Some women even report it can make them feel “physically unable to see the joy in things”. Although symptoms can be managed with prescription treatments, this can only happen if the condition is diagnosed by a doctor.

    Our new research shows us that women with ADHD are an at-risk group for PMDD, especially if they also have depression or anxiety. This suggests doctors should consider screening for PMDD among women with ADHD to reduce distress and adverse outcomes associated with the condition.

    Jessica Agnew-Blais receives funding from the UK Medical Research Council and GambleAware for her research.

    – ref. Women with ADHD three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder – new research – https://theconversation.com/women-with-adhd-three-times-more-likely-to-experience-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-new-research-260222

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Don’t let food poisoning crash your picnic – six tips to keep your spread safe

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Edward Fox, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle

    Jenny_Tr/Shutterstock

    Nothing says summer quite like a picnic. Whether you’re lounging on a beach towel, stretched out in a park, or unpacking a hamper in your garden, picnics are a beloved way to enjoy good food in the great outdoors.

    In the UK alone, the picnic food market is worth over £2 billion each year, with millions of us heading out for an alfresco feast with family or friends when the sun is shining.

    But as idyllic as they may seem, picnics come with hidden risks, especially when it comes to food safety. Without access to fridges, ovens or running water, the chances of foodborne illness such as diarrhoea increase. So, how can you keep your spread both delicious and safe?

    Warm, sunny weather is perfect for picnics – and unfortunately, also for bacteria. High temperatures can cause harmful microbes to multiply quickly in certain foods – especially meat, eggs, dairy or salads with creamy dressings. Add in a few flies or some dirty hands, and your picnic could become a recipe for illness.

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

    Food poisoning bacteria can find their way into picnic food from several sources: flies that land on uncovered dishes, unwashed hands, cross-contaminated utensils, or even from leaving perishable food out in the sun too long.

    This is not just a theoretical risk. There have been several well-documented outbreaks linked to picnics, including one event in Texas where more than 100 people developed diarrhoea and fever after eating food contaminated with salmonella. In another case at a church picnic in Ohio, clostridium botulinum – a bacterium that can be fatal – contaminated potato salad and led to one death.



    Read more:
    Salmonella cases are at ten-year high in England – here’s what you can do to keep yourself safe

    Six tips to enjoy your picnic safely

    However, with a few simple steps, you can protect yourself and others while enjoying that alfresco feast:

    1. Keep cold food cold. If you’re bringing dishes that normally need refrigeration (think meats, cheese, egg mayo), don’t pack them until the last minute. Use a cool bag or insulated box with ice packs or frozen water bottles to help keep things chilled. Once you’re out, only take food out of the cooler when it’s time to eat, and always try to keep it in the shade.

    2. Watch the clock. On hot days, perishable foods should be eaten within two hours (or four hours if it’s mild). After that, any leftovers should be thrown away. Don’t be tempted to take food home and refrigerate it “just in case” – one family in Belgium did just that with a salad, and ended up with severe food poisoning two days later.

    3. Wash those hands. Picnics often mean touching tables, grass, pets or public benches – all potential sources of bacteria. Hand sanitiser is your best friend. Use it before handling or eating any food.

    4. Cover up. Insects, especially flies, can carry bacteria and leave them behind when they land. Keep food in sealed containers or cover with foil or clean cloths to protect your spread. This helps keep animals (and rogue seagulls) away too.

    5. Prep fresh produce properly. Salads, fruits and veg are picnic staples, but they must be washed thoroughly before being packed. Even pre-washed leaves can benefit from a rinse. Pack them in clean containers and don’t let utensils touch dirty surfaces.



    Read more:
    New study: Salmonella thrives in salad bags

    6. Keep your utensils clean. Bring enough serving spoons, tongs and plates – and avoid putting them down on picnic tables or the ground. A spare clean plate is always a good idea when it comes to safe serving.

    Enjoy the food, not the fallout

    Picnics should leave you with warm memories – not stomach cramps. By following these food safety basics, you can enjoy your outdoor feast without any unwanted after-effects. From chilled pasta salads to hand-cut fruit or that classic homemade quiche, safe food is happy food.

    So, pack a blanket, grab your cool bag, and soak up the sunshine – just keep the bacteria at bay.



    Read more:
    Food safety: are the sniff test, the five-second rule and rare burgers safe?

    Edward Fox has received funding from the Food Safety Research Network.

    – ref. Don’t let food poisoning crash your picnic – six tips to keep your spread safe – https://theconversation.com/dont-let-food-poisoning-crash-your-picnic-six-tips-to-keep-your-spread-safe-260834

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Too much Lena Dunham, Lorde’s new album and a book to break your heart: what to watch, listen to and read this week

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jane Wright, Commissioning Editor, Arts & Culture, The Conversation UK

    When I first watched Girls, I remember marvelling at Lena Dunham’s four twenty-something New Yorkers. Sex and the City it was not. I realised wistfully just how much I wished the series had been around when I was in my twenties.

    Dunham’s character Hannah Horvath was like a beacon, illuminating the possibilities of how you could just be yourself in this world – good and bad – without apologising for it. I loved her boldness. Girls was messy, awkward, embarrassing, relatable and real. It was also very funny.

    Now Dunham brings her latest, similarly awkward comedy-drama, Too Much, to Netflix. The series follows the trials and tribulations of Jess (the brilliant Megan Stalter) as she flees New York for London with a broken heart.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    An American with a romanticised movie-informed idea of Britain, Jess sees Blighty as some kind of fantasy creation fashioned by Jane Austen with a little help from Richard Curtis.

    She spends her days obsessing over her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend on Instagram and trying to fit into London life. And then she meets laconic musician Felix (Will Sharpe), who is determined to demolish her romantic notions of a Notting Hill-esque London. Discovering they have an instant connection, Jess is thrust back into dating again, still reeling from the PTSD of her previous relationship.

    Too Much charts the tumultuous experience of becoming an adult, as Jess experiences all the thrills and vulnerabilities of meeting someone new. Mirroring her own relocation to London, Dunham mines a rich seam of fish-out-of-water comedy as Megan navigates a new city and different culture.

    Reviewer Jane Steventon finds the show is a hopeful paean to womanhood, a declaration that messiness, failure and fear are all part of becoming a woman just as much as joy, love and intimacy.

    The idea of intimacy takes on a much darker and more troubling meaning in David Cronenberg’s latest body horror Shrouds in which the protagonist Karsh (Vincent Kassel) finds that technology can help him with the grieving process.

    Discovering that a piece of wearable tech within a shroud can allow him to watch his wife’s corpse decompose via a video link, Karsh believes this can help reclaim her from her illness. But as the plot progresses, lines blur between Karsh’s dreams and reality and the film becomes darker and more ominous.

    This deeply disturbing premise, says film expert Laura Flanagan, allows Cronenberg to explore issues of technology, control and grief, and is all the more chilling when you learn that he embarked on the film after the death of his own wife.

    Musical autobiography

    Simone de Beauvoir, the great feminist French philosopher, once opined: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” Meaning, it is down to each woman to articulate and determine her own path and transcend any limits of “femininity” imposed by a patriarchal society.

    According to our reviewer Lillian Hingley, the New Zealand singer Lorde unveils that process in her latest album Virgin as she musically explores how her body is changed by what she has been through in her life.

    Hingley discovers a multi-layered collection of songs and videos that lead us through a piece of performance art examining identity, sexuality and a female reproductive system that comes fully loaded with both jeopardy and joy.

    Last week, the Disney musical Hercules opened in London so we sent along Emma Stafford, professor of Greek culture at the University of Leeds to give us her take.

    Despite finding Hercules’ trusty steed Pegasus has been written out of the show and Hades has been somewhat toned down, the innovative role of the five muses has been elevated to a spectacular cross between the chorus of a Greek tragedy and a gospel choir. A terrific cast, impressive visuals, slick stagecraft and magical special effects all mean this high-octane production will delight West End audiences.

    The book that won this year’s Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke, has two children at its centre. One is Max Johnson, a healthy nine-year-old whose heart begins to fail, and the other, nine-year-old Keira Ball, a vibrant, pony-mad little girl who is killed in a car accident. Despite their unimaginable grief, Keira’s parents decide to donate her organs. Her precious heart goes to Max, and in that unbearable gift, one child dies, and another child lives.

    Leah McLaughlin, a health services researcher who has spent her career working in the emotionally complex and often obscured world of organ donation, found the book a searingly honest account of the hope and despair of this devastating experience.

    – ref. Too much Lena Dunham, Lorde’s new album and a book to break your heart: what to watch, listen to and read this week – https://theconversation.com/too-much-lena-dunham-lordes-new-album-and-a-book-to-break-your-heart-what-to-watch-listen-to-and-read-this-week-260893

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Greater Binghamton Airport Revitalization Complete

    Source: US State of New York

    outhern Tier Ready for Takeoff! Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has been completed on the transformation of the Greater Binghamton Airport into a modern, state-of-the-art gateway that will welcome travelers and will also serve as an economic engine for the entire Southern Tier. The project, which was awarded $32 million from the Governor’s $230 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, reimagined the main terminal to improve passenger flow while also immersing visitors in the natural aesthetics of the surrounding area. The airport’s main approach road was also redeveloped, and the general aviation terminal relocated to the main passenger terminal to further improve the traveler experience.

    “We are flying high with our commitment to modernize our upstate airports and ensure they are first-class travel facilities that encourage tourism, foster economic growth and allow our local communities to prosper,” Governor Hochul said. “With its updated terminal and passenger accommodations, the newly re-imagined Greater Binghamton Airport is now an inviting gateway that reflects the beauty of the Southern Tier and will encourage travelers to return again and again to this exciting region.”

    The Greater Binghamton Airport was one of nine upstate airports awarded a total of $230 million in the latest round of the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition funding announced by Governor Hochul last year with conceptual renderings. The awards are intended to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century.

    Built in 1945, the Greater Binghamton Airport handles more than 36,000 enplanements each year and is serviced by such commercial carriers as Delta. The airport is a vital travel hub for prominent local employers – including Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, The Raymond Corporation, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Binghamton University – but the main terminal has not been renovated in more than two decades and its features were outdated. The latest data from a State Department of Transportation study estimated that the airport’s annual economic impact exceeds $56 million.

    New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The spectacular transformation of the Greater Binghamton Airport is a further manifestation of Governor Hochul’s vision to create a 21st century transportation system that connects communities, fosters growth and improves quality of life. The Southern Tier now has a modern gateway that will further fuel the region’s economy and make it easier for visitors from around the world to come and experience all that this beautiful region has to offer.”

    The modernization project, which had a total cost of approximately $54 million and created more than 500 jobs, incorporated a lodge dynamic to the entire facility, using wood features to accentuate the forested hillsides that surround the airport. Entryways were also designed to allow passengers to view straight through the terminal building and out windows to see the nearby hilltops and forests.

    Specific improvements included:

    • Construction of a new canopy and entry portals
    • Reconfiguration of the ticketing lobby and outbound baggage area
    • Renovation of the departures lobby and lounge
    • Renovation of the baggage claim area and relocation of rental car counters
    • New parking revenue control system
    • Development and furnishing of Terminal facilities (bathrooms, offices, multi-purpose room)
    • New TSA Checkpoint/Exit Lane
    • New Passenger Boarding Bridges
    • Redevelopment of the Airport Road approach
    • HVAC system improvements

    The Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition is administered by the New York State Department of Transportation and was open to upstate commercial passenger service airports and airports providing specialized service for commercial aircraft and/or corporate jets. Applicants were encouraged to apply for funding a single project or a program of projects to help meet the demands of the 21st century. Projects submitted for review by eligible airports were evaluated based on established criteria, including but not limited to innovation in design, passenger amenities and experience, operational efficiencies, and economic effectiveness for the airport’s region.

    Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law has helped the Greater Binghamton Airport reach new heights. The Greater Binghamton Airport is a gateway for commerce for the Southern Tier’s tourism industry and a vital connector for residents and visitors. I’m proud to deliver over $15 million in federal funding to help get the airport’s transformative terminal renovation off the ground. A modern facility, with state-of-the-art accommodations and equipment, is essential to delivering a safe and comfortable experience to travelers, growing its passenger base, and helping the Southern Tier economy soar.”

    Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “The Greater Binghamton Airport is a vital gateway for commerce, tourism, and travel. The completion of this project transforms the airport into the state-of-the-art, modern facility that everyone who travels through our state deserves. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these improvements will have on the Southern Tier and will continue fighting for more federal funding to support the critical upgrades that airports across the country urgently need.”

    Representative Josh Riley said, “The new Greater Binghamton Airport is a major win for the Southern Tier. This $32 million investment means good jobs, smoother travel, and infrastructure that finally meets the needs of our region. I’m thankful to Governor Hochul for seeing it through.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, “I am thrilled to join our local and state partners to celebrate the completion of the Greater Binghamton Airport Revitalization Project.This state-of-the-art transportation hub will bring travelers from near and far to the Southern Tier. I thank Governor Hochul for awarding $32 million from the Upstate Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, which made this project possible. With the completion of the Greater Binghamton Airport’s revitalization, the facility now stands as a modern gateway for local travelers, a catalyst for regional economic development, and a key asset in supporting the growth of the Upstate tech industry stretching from Buffalo to Binghamton.”

    Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “We have waited a long time to celebrate the revitalization of the Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM). It’s obvious how much time and attention was given to create such a welcoming place for both commercial and general aviation travelers. I am especially impressed by the craftsmanship and design elements that showcase the beauty of our area. I’d like to thank Governor Hochul, NYSDOT, Broome County Government, the local business community, and my colleagues for their support. As the Co-Chair of the NY Legislative Aviation Caucus, I am excited to see BGM benefit from our Upstate Airport Revitalization Initiative.”

    Broome County Executive Jason T. Garnar said, “This project has completely reimagined the Greater Binghamton Airport, turning it into a modern gateway that truly reflects the future of Broome County and the Southern Tier. We couldn’t have done it without Governor Hochul’s leadership and our federal partners. Thanks to major federal and state investment, we’ve delivered a top-tier facility while keeping local costs down – a win that will pay off for our residents, our economy, and travelers for years to come.”

    In September 2022, Governor Hochul announced $230 million in awards to nine upstate airports for revitalization projects that reimagine and further modernize airports across upstate New York. This funding comes from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, a competitive solicitation which aims to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century. In addition to Greater Binghamton Airport, other awardees include: Albany International Airport, Watertown International Airport, Saratoga County Airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Sullivan County International Airport, Ogdensburg International Airport, Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport and the Adirondack Regional Airport.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Greater Binghamton Airport Revitalization Complete

    Source: US State of New York

    outhern Tier Ready for Takeoff! Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has been completed on the transformation of the Greater Binghamton Airport into a modern, state-of-the-art gateway that will welcome travelers and will also serve as an economic engine for the entire Southern Tier. The project, which was awarded $32 million from the Governor’s $230 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, reimagined the main terminal to improve passenger flow while also immersing visitors in the natural aesthetics of the surrounding area. The airport’s main approach road was also redeveloped, and the general aviation terminal relocated to the main passenger terminal to further improve the traveler experience.

    “We are flying high with our commitment to modernize our upstate airports and ensure they are first-class travel facilities that encourage tourism, foster economic growth and allow our local communities to prosper,” Governor Hochul said. “With its updated terminal and passenger accommodations, the newly re-imagined Greater Binghamton Airport is now an inviting gateway that reflects the beauty of the Southern Tier and will encourage travelers to return again and again to this exciting region.”

    The Greater Binghamton Airport was one of nine upstate airports awarded a total of $230 million in the latest round of the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition funding announced by Governor Hochul last year with conceptual renderings. The awards are intended to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century.

    Built in 1945, the Greater Binghamton Airport handles more than 36,000 enplanements each year and is serviced by such commercial carriers as Delta. The airport is a vital travel hub for prominent local employers – including Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, The Raymond Corporation, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Binghamton University – but the main terminal has not been renovated in more than two decades and its features were outdated. The latest data from a State Department of Transportation study estimated that the airport’s annual economic impact exceeds $56 million.

    New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The spectacular transformation of the Greater Binghamton Airport is a further manifestation of Governor Hochul’s vision to create a 21st century transportation system that connects communities, fosters growth and improves quality of life. The Southern Tier now has a modern gateway that will further fuel the region’s economy and make it easier for visitors from around the world to come and experience all that this beautiful region has to offer.”

    The modernization project, which had a total cost of approximately $54 million and created more than 500 jobs, incorporated a lodge dynamic to the entire facility, using wood features to accentuate the forested hillsides that surround the airport. Entryways were also designed to allow passengers to view straight through the terminal building and out windows to see the nearby hilltops and forests.

    Specific improvements included:

    • Construction of a new canopy and entry portals
    • Reconfiguration of the ticketing lobby and outbound baggage area
    • Renovation of the departures lobby and lounge
    • Renovation of the baggage claim area and relocation of rental car counters
    • New parking revenue control system
    • Development and furnishing of Terminal facilities (bathrooms, offices, multi-purpose room)
    • New TSA Checkpoint/Exit Lane
    • New Passenger Boarding Bridges
    • Redevelopment of the Airport Road approach
    • HVAC system improvements

    The Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition is administered by the New York State Department of Transportation and was open to upstate commercial passenger service airports and airports providing specialized service for commercial aircraft and/or corporate jets. Applicants were encouraged to apply for funding a single project or a program of projects to help meet the demands of the 21st century. Projects submitted for review by eligible airports were evaluated based on established criteria, including but not limited to innovation in design, passenger amenities and experience, operational efficiencies, and economic effectiveness for the airport’s region.

    Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law has helped the Greater Binghamton Airport reach new heights. The Greater Binghamton Airport is a gateway for commerce for the Southern Tier’s tourism industry and a vital connector for residents and visitors. I’m proud to deliver over $15 million in federal funding to help get the airport’s transformative terminal renovation off the ground. A modern facility, with state-of-the-art accommodations and equipment, is essential to delivering a safe and comfortable experience to travelers, growing its passenger base, and helping the Southern Tier economy soar.”

    Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “The Greater Binghamton Airport is a vital gateway for commerce, tourism, and travel. The completion of this project transforms the airport into the state-of-the-art, modern facility that everyone who travels through our state deserves. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these improvements will have on the Southern Tier and will continue fighting for more federal funding to support the critical upgrades that airports across the country urgently need.”

    Representative Josh Riley said, “The new Greater Binghamton Airport is a major win for the Southern Tier. This $32 million investment means good jobs, smoother travel, and infrastructure that finally meets the needs of our region. I’m thankful to Governor Hochul for seeing it through.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, “I am thrilled to join our local and state partners to celebrate the completion of the Greater Binghamton Airport Revitalization Project.This state-of-the-art transportation hub will bring travelers from near and far to the Southern Tier. I thank Governor Hochul for awarding $32 million from the Upstate Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, which made this project possible. With the completion of the Greater Binghamton Airport’s revitalization, the facility now stands as a modern gateway for local travelers, a catalyst for regional economic development, and a key asset in supporting the growth of the Upstate tech industry stretching from Buffalo to Binghamton.”

    Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “We have waited a long time to celebrate the revitalization of the Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM). It’s obvious how much time and attention was given to create such a welcoming place for both commercial and general aviation travelers. I am especially impressed by the craftsmanship and design elements that showcase the beauty of our area. I’d like to thank Governor Hochul, NYSDOT, Broome County Government, the local business community, and my colleagues for their support. As the Co-Chair of the NY Legislative Aviation Caucus, I am excited to see BGM benefit from our Upstate Airport Revitalization Initiative.”

    Broome County Executive Jason T. Garnar said, “This project has completely reimagined the Greater Binghamton Airport, turning it into a modern gateway that truly reflects the future of Broome County and the Southern Tier. We couldn’t have done it without Governor Hochul’s leadership and our federal partners. Thanks to major federal and state investment, we’ve delivered a top-tier facility while keeping local costs down – a win that will pay off for our residents, our economy, and travelers for years to come.”

    In September 2022, Governor Hochul announced $230 million in awards to nine upstate airports for revitalization projects that reimagine and further modernize airports across upstate New York. This funding comes from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, a competitive solicitation which aims to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in upstate commercial passenger service airports, helping to create airports for the 21st century. In addition to Greater Binghamton Airport, other awardees include: Albany International Airport, Watertown International Airport, Saratoga County Airport, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Sullivan County International Airport, Ogdensburg International Airport, Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport and the Adirondack Regional Airport.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pingree, 150 House Democrats Call on Trump Administration to Release $7 Billion in Illegally Withheld Education Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

    Maine First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined 150 House Democrats in a letter to the Trump Administration, demanding the release of almost $7 billion in illegally withheld, Congressionally-appropriated federal funding meant for education related programs such as after school programs, teacher training, and adult education. Members outline the impact that this decision is having on schools, teachers, and families across the country and demand transparency from Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. 

    The funding is typically released annually on July 1 and represents at least 10% of federal K-12 funding in every state. Maine’s schools are owed more than $26 million in federal funding because of the Trump Administration’s actions. The failure to release this funding on time is disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing the education of millions of students, and is already resulting in layoffs, program delays, and cancellations for students and their families.

    “The education funding withheld by the Administration reflects resources provided by Congress that are designed to help schools with a variety of issues, including student learning and achievement, after-school programs, and teacher training,” the Members wrote. “There is no legitimate reason why any review of these programs should prevent the Administration from fulfilling its responsibility to the American people on time. No more excuses—follow the law and release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families.”  

    The full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

    +++

    Secretary McMahon and Director Vought,

    We write to request more information about your decision to illegally withhold nearly $7 billion dollars of funding for K-12 schools and adult education from states and local school districts around the country and to insist that this funding be immediately released. Without these funds, schools are facing difficult and unnecessary decisions on programs for students and teachers.

    On June 30, 2025, just one day before these funds become available for obligation, the Department notified states that they would not receive these funds by July 1 and that “[g]iventhe change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding … and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year.” This late-breaking decision, which provided no timeline for which states can expect a final decision, is leaving states financially vulnerable and forcing many to make last minute decisions about how to proceed with K12 education in this upcoming school year. The education funding withheld by the Administration reflects resources provided by Congress that are designed to help schools with a variety of issues, including student learning and achievement, after-school programs, and teacher training. Additionally, education funding provided by Congress to help with adult education and literacy is also being withheld.  

    This unnecessary delay of education funding, which accounts for at least 10 percent of federal K-12 funding in every state, is alarming parents, local elected officials, and education agencies. It is disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing the education of millions of students, and is already resulting in layoffs as well as program delays and cancellation. Further, it is causing concern to adult education programs that are faced with similar decisions without immediate access to expected funding.

    Accordingly, please provide responses to the following questions no later than July 15, 2025.

    1. When will the Administration finish its review and release the funding provided by Congress to states to use for the school year beginning next month? 
    2. Has the Administration done any outreach or offered any sort of support for state and local education agencies to assist them and their partners in navigating this period of uncertainty?
    3. If the Administration knew it wanted to review these funds, why didn’t this review start earlier in the year? Was the review or the timely release of funds affected by the lack of staff at the Department, which is a direct result of the reductions in force (RIFs) executed by the Administration?

    There is no legitimate reason why any review of these programs should prevent the Administration from fulfilling its responsibility to the American people on time. No more excuses – follow the law and release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families.

     We look forward to hearing from you and seeing these dollars allocated immediately. 

    Sincerely,

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 11 July 2025 Departmental update Public procurement as a key tool to tackle health issues discussed at WHO-WIPO-WTO webinar

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) co-hosted a technical webinar on July 3rd, 2025, discussing the role of public procurement, including pooled procurement, to promote global, equitable and timely access to health technologies. The webinar underscored that effective public procurement procedures depend on access to quality and up-to-date information on health product markets, a clear understanding of the needs, and the ability of suppliers to deliver required quality products at affordable prices. It also presented procurement as a mechanism to foster innovation, technology transfer and local manufacturing.

    Clive Ondari from the WHO Secretariat noted that in many countries, access to medical technologies is driven by public procurement, as pharmaceuticals are often made available through public funding or subsidies. To ensure efficient procurement, systems must rely on quality medical products obtained in a timely manner in the required quantities and at affordable prices. These elements are particularly important in the health sector given the large expenditures, with some programmes reportedly paying considerably more than necessary for medicines.

    Amy Dietterich from the WIPO Secretariat emphasized the role of collaboration and tailored strategies to ensure procurement serves as an effective tool for innovation and access. Learning how governments develop laws and policies, how different initiatives determine strategies and priorities to support procurement practices, and how this tool benefits from an integrated view of public health, intellectual property (IP), and trade is important.

    Roger Kampf from the WTO Secretariat highlighted the importance of a cross-disciplinary approach, including IP, procurement, and competition frameworks to effectively address global health challenges. He noted that beyond obtaining best value for money, sound procurement can foster technology transfer, boost local manufacturing capacities, and strengthen R&D capacities as well as supply chain resilience.

    The webinar featured presentations examining the health, IP, and trade dimensions of public procurement, alongside case studies from experts representing various regional and local mechanisms, who highlighted their respective approaches to public procurement.

    Lisa Hedman from the WHO Secretariat in her presentation highlighted procurement as a lever in the context of the WHO Roadmap on Access to Medicines 2025 – 2030 to improve affordability, availability, accessibility and acceptability for health products and technologies.

    Giovanni Napolitano from the WIPO Secretariat in his presentation explained the role of public procurement as a key driver of innovation in the healthcare area. IP may influence access, pricing, and innovation by informing who holds rights to key technologies (patent landscapes), delimiting freedom to operate and avoiding IP infringement, encouraging voluntary licensing for broader access, and assessing the impact of data exclusivity on competition. Well-designed, pro-competitive tenders are essential for rewarding R&D, preventing monopolies, and improving access. He emphasized the importance of IP due diligence early in procurement processes, building capacity for IP management within agencies, and fostering public-private partnerships around IP.

    Astghik Solomonyan from the WTO Secretariat in her remarks addressed the benefits of combining pooled public procurement with international trade. At the country level, pooled procurement with its implied larger orders, and trade agreements (e.g. the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement 2012) with their market access and good governance guarantees, can attract international suppliers offering competitive prices or superior quality. At the international level, recent experience has highlighted the importance of global supply chain resilience. Trade agreements provide international suppliers with the market access needed to establish additional production and distribution facilities while pooled procurement helps to generate the level of demand necessary to keep such facilities operational.

    Lucia Rizka Andalucia, Ministry of Health Indonesia representative, shared how the country has strategically positioned public procurement as a key instrument to drive national innovation and industrial development by boosting local production, ensuring market access for domestic products, and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders.

    The representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Santiago Cornejo, explained the Revolving Fund mechanism which enables countries across the Americas to access quality vaccines, essential medicines, and health products including diagnostics, using pooled procurement, which consolidates reliable and predictable demand from member states. He also mentioned the reorientation of the Fund in response to COVID-19 toward supporting innovation, technology transfer, and local manufacturing.

    The EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) representative, Katarzyna Motyka, presented the EU joint procurement mechanism based on the lessons learned from COVID-19. She highlighted how the mechanism ensures equitable access to essential health products among member states, complements national initiatives and strengthens public procurement systems across Europe on a voluntary basis.

    The representative of the Gulf Health Council, Fathi Alkathiry, clarified how the Gulf Joint Procurement Program has, through the years, developed efficient decision-making processes for a multi-country pooled procurement tendering to facilitate the procurement of medicines and medical supplies. The Gulf Cooperation Council has also taken measures to promote local manufacturing, including the use of procurement to develop local industries. These efforts have contributed to regional growth in the industrial sector. In 2024, the Gulf region counted 74 pharmaceutical factories and 140 medical supply factories.

    Lastly, the representative from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Regional Economic Communities, Wesley Ronoh, shared Africa’s experience with public procurement, highlighting the role of the East African Community, Southern African Development Community, and Economic Community of West African States in fostering collaboration. He further noted that public procurement plays a critical role in national health strategies in Africa, as an estimated 40% of health spending in many African countries occurs through it. The African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, established in 2024 was also presented.

    The video recording of the webinar is available here.

    The Trilateral collaboration of WHO, WIPO and WTO

    The Secretariats of the WHO, WIPO, and the WTO organize capacity building and technical assistance activities on current issues to enhance the flow of updated and technical information related to innovation and access to health technologies. The objective of the Trilateral Cooperation workshops and webinars is to strengthen the capacity of law and policymakers and experts in Member governments by facilitating access to expertise, data, and evidence and deepen discussions of critical issues at the intersection of public health, IP, and trade.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • NCC ideal for India’s youth: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired the first Governing Council Meeting of the National Cadet Corps Alumni Association (NCCAA) at South Block, New Delhi. Addressing the delegation, the Defence Minister described the NCC as “a platform that presents an ideal for the youth of the country.”

    He termed former NCC cadets as strong pillars of India who are contributing to the nation’s development across diverse fields — not passively, but as active drivers of change.

    “We need to include the guidance of our former cadets to accelerate the goal of national development,” he said, expressing confidence that the NCCAA will provide new energy and direction to the NCC.

    Singh also exhorted the NCC to spread the values and qualities of its cadets to a larger section of the population under the spirit of NCC Plus.

    “NCC instills these values in the youth who are associated with it. Our effort should be to ensure that these values reach even those who could not join the NCC,” the Defence Minister said.

    He further highlighted that the NCCAA can play an active role in nation-building efforts through programmes such as Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, Swachhta Abhiyan, and various community development and social service schemes, which have the potential to impact a large segment of the population.

    Lauding the NCC for its significant contribution to the all-round development of the youth, he said, “In the true spirit of its motto ‘Unity & Discipline,’ the NCC has always been committed to national unity and nation-building. It has helped lakhs of youth, including students from remote areas, to become disciplined and motivated.”

    The NCCAA is a flagship association of NCC alumni, aimed at carrying forward the work of the world’s largest uniformed youth organisation by bringing together former and current cadets under one umbrella and enhancing their participation in the nation-building process.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first registered member of the association, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is the second.

    The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Department of Education) Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Department of Youth Affairs) Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence Dipti Mohil Chawla, DGNCC Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, Joint Secretary (Training) Dr. Pawan Kumar Sharma, CEO LD Remedial World Bala Saraswathy Nair, and Secretary, NCCAA Col Gagan Sharma.

    —IANS

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What would it take for a new British leftwing party to succeed?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Colm Murphy, Lecturer in British Politics, Queen Mary University of London

    Last week, the MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, made an audacious decision. Having already lost the Labour party whip for opposing the two-child benefit cap, Sultana announced she would co-lead a new leftwing party with Jeremy Corbyn, who was expelled from Labour in 2024.

    From one angle, her decision may seem simple. Discontent with Keir Starmer’s Labour government, on everything from welfare cuts to Gaza, has never been higher, and Sultana is a vocal critic. Yet, launching a (still unnamed) new party is bold. It tackles head-on an old and vexing question for socialist critics of capitalism in the UK.

    In 1976, the socialist theorist Ralph Miliband (yes, Ed and David’s dad) described the faith in Labour’s capacity to become a socialist vehicle as “the most crippling of all illusions”. But socialists who agree with Miliband senior then have an almighty problem.

    Writing months after the 2019 defeat of Corbyn’s Labour party, the veteran “New Left” academics Colin Leys and Leo Panitch echoed Miliband in their book Searching for Socialism. But they also saw few immediate alternatives with “any prospect of electoral success”. This, they wrote, is the “central dilemma” for British democratic socialists.

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

    The reaction to Sultana’s announcement from the British left has been accordingly mixed. Leaks revealed that Corbyn’s team was caught off guard. Responses from prominent potential supporters were reserved. Momentum, the leftwing grassroots organisation, hastily distributed the pamphlet Why Socialists Should Be in the Labour Party.

    It’s too early to know whether these issues are teething problems or portents. But the barriers to Sultana’s venture are formidable. What would it take for a new leftwing party to succeed? What would “success” even look like?

    A careful reading of political history can help us answer these questions. This is not the first time that new parties have emerged from Labour factionalism. Many readers will be aware of the 1981 departure of the “gang of four” Labour figures, who founded the Social Democratic party (SDP) that later merged with the Liberal party to form the Liberal Democrats.

    Nor is it the first time that smaller parties have appeared on Labour’s left. Between 1920 and 1991, the Communist party of Great Britain was a potent force in the trade union movement. From the 1990s to the 2010s, several vehicles contested local and national elections against Labour, from the Socialist Alliance to Left Unity.

    Challenges for a new party

    Each of these iterations had its historical peculiarities. But stepping back, we can identify three recurring challenges that any leftwing insurgent party must confront.

    First, they must agree on an electoral strategy and purpose, given the institutional brutality of British democracy. The UK has some proportional elections, including in Scotland and Wales (expected to be next contested in 2026). Councils are also possible avenues of influence.

    But there is no avoiding the fact that legislative and executive power is hoarded in the House of Commons, elected by first past the post. Labour will discourage possible defectors by warning that a split in the left vote will let in the right. Neil Kinnock, Labour’s former leader who found himself fighting off the SDP while trying to evict Thatcher in the 1980s, dubbed Sultana and Corbyn’s venture the “Farage assistance party”.

    Left of Labour parties are often aware of the risk. Indeed, far left activists have in the past advocated voting Labour, with “varying degrees of (un)enthusiasm”.

    Advocates of a new party will note that Labour is only polling in the low 20s, suggesting a pool of ex-Labour voters potentially interested in shopping around. However, there are others it could torpedo too.

    One recent poll on support for a hypothetical Corbyn-led party – which we should take with some salt – found that its 10% support comes partly from eating into the Green vote. An electoral arrangement with the Greens, on the other hand, may require shared policy platforms, raising the question of why a separate party is needed.

    A poll from More in Common conducted specifically about a Sultana-Corbyn party found 9% of Labour voters and 26% of current Green voters saying that would vote for such a party.

    The Socialist Labour party (SLP) – founded in 1996 by the prominent trade unionist Arthur Scargill in reaction to Tony Blair’s New Labour – is the obvious cautionary tale. Scargill wanted a purer, better Labour party. Yet, Labour looked set to kick out an 18-year-long Conservative government.

    Scargill could not convince many sympathetic activists to join. As historian Alfie Steer argues, the SLP instead became dominated by socialists hostile to the Labour party. The party could not overcome the resultant contradictions in its purpose and collapsed into acrimony.

    The SLP also illustrates the second key consideration: timing. The SLP struggled partly because it launched just as Labour was sweeping triumphantly into power. Sultana’s timing is arguably more astute. She has waited for Starmer’s bubble to burst and for disillusionment to fester.

    However, the broad left within Labour has also just found its voice by rebelling against government policy. The temptation for a risk-averse Labour activist may be to leap onto this critical bandwagon without taking the more dangerous step of defecting.



    Read more:
    The mistakes Keir Starmer made over disability cuts – and how he can avoid future embarrassment

    Keir Starmer, then shadow Brexit secretary, accompanies then-Labour leader Corbyn to Brussels in 2019.
    Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock

    The final challenge is securing institutional durability without debilitating splits. It is telling that Sultana felt compelled to include Corbyn’s name despite his reported reservations.

    Sultana herself has an impressive political profile, especially on TikTok. Any new party will rely heavily on prominent spokespeople to force it into the national conversation. Yet, such vehicles can become trapped by their dependence on individuals. The Respect party of the 2000s, for example, was reliant on the charismatic but polarising figure of George Galloway.

    The fledgling party will also need a lasting structure that determines how candidates are selected and policy is formed. This risks dragging it into dreaded constitutional debates. It is already reportedly divided over the existence of co-leaders.

    Intra-party democracy is off-putting to outsiders. But as constitutional scholar Meg Russell argues, it speaks to fundamental questions about the extent, and limits, of democracy. Such disputes have frequently wracked the left (and the radical right, as Reform’s recent constitutional changes show).

    To what extent should policy be “democratically” decided? Should a new party limit who can join, and if so, on what criteria? How will leaders be selected? From the CPGB to the SLP, these questions have proven divisive in the past. They could easily prove so again.

    The new party faces severe challenges, but it would be unwise to write it off completely. In a volatile context, it has a chance to make its mark if it is clear in its strategic electoral purpose, cultivates an institutional and activist base and times its interventions astutely. But the obstacles to success are enormous – and with Reform currently polling top, the risks are high.

    Colm Murphy is currently a member of the Labour Party, but he is writing purely in an academic capacity.

    – ref. What would it take for a new British leftwing party to succeed? – https://theconversation.com/what-would-it-take-for-a-new-british-leftwing-party-to-succeed-260599

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: CME Outfitters Receives 2025 Fierce DEI Award for Innovative DEI Training and Education

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RADNOR, Pa., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CME Outfitters (CMEO), a leading accredited provider of continuing medical education and a division of KnowFully Learning Group, announced it has been honored with the 2025 Fierce DEI Award in the category of Innovative Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training and Education.

    The award recognizes CMEO’s initiative, “Enhancing Health Equity Through HCP Education: Educational Strategies for Addressing Barriers for Underserved Populations in Multiple Disease States.” To date, CMEO has developed more than 150 educational activities focused on implicit bias, healthcare disparities, access, and equity. These programs address the root causes of disparities while equipping clinicians with concrete, actionable steps they can implement immediately. Outcomes data demonstrate measurable improvements in clinician knowledge and patient outcomes.

    “We are proud and honored to be recognized with this award as it underscores our commitment to embedding the principles of health equity and access into the very fabric of all our educational activities,” said Executive Vice President Shari Tordoff. “With measurable outcomes, rigorous design, and a focus on real-world change, these initiatives empower clinicians to dismantle systemic disparities across multiple disease states and practice settings.”

    Building on this recognition, CME Outfitters will expand its health access-focused trainings into additional therapeutic areas and care settings, with an emphasis on rural and community-based populations. “These upcoming initiatives reflect our belief that equitable care is not a privilege—it’s a right,” said Tordoff. “Through education that informs, engages, and inspires, we are proud to help shape a healthcare system where every patient has the opportunity to achieve their best possible outcome.”

    View the announcement and learn more about the Fierce DEI Awards.

    Learn more about CME Outfitters’ commitment to addressing barriers to healthcare access on the Health Access and Social Responsibility Hub.

    About CME Outfitters

    CME Outfitters develops, distributes, and certifies continuing education activities that focus on the integration of the interprofessional care team around the globe to ensure the best care for patients. In addition, CMEO offers education to patients. CME Outfitters’ educational interventions include interactive webcasts, live symposia, clinical case series, point-of-care education, and other innovative, reinforcing formats that leverage the latest in technology to optimize the learning environment and promote clinician and patient behavior changes. CME Outfitters also offers expert accreditation, outcomes, and logistics services for non-accredited organizations. For more information, visit www.cmeoutfitters.com.

    About The Fierce Award

    Presented by Fierce Healthcare, the award celebrates and recognizes outstanding achievements in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the healthcare industry. The awards program recognizes organizations, initiatives, and individuals who are making significant strides in creating a more equitable and inclusive healthcare environment.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why it can be hard to warn people about dangers like floods – communication researchers explain the role of human behavior

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Keri K. Stephens, Professor & Co-Director, Technology & Information Policy Institute, The University of Texas at Austin

    How emergency alerts convey risks matters. AP Photo/Eric Gay

    Flash floods like the one that swept down the Guadalupe River in Texas on July 4, 2025, can be highly unpredictable. While there are sophisticated flood prediction models and different types of warning systems in some places, effective flood protection requires extensive preparedness and awareness.

    It also requires an understanding of how people receive, interpret and act on risk information and warnings. Technology can be part of the solution, but ultimately people are the critical element in any response.

    As researchers who study emergency communications, we have found that simply providing people with technical information and data is often not enough to effectively communicate the danger and prompt them to act.

    The human element

    One of us, Keri Stephens, has led teams studying flood risk communication. They found that people who have experienced a flood are more aware of the risks. Conversely, groups that have not lived through floods typically don’t understanding various flood risks such as storm surges and flash floods. And while first responders often engage in table-top exercises and drills – very important for their readiness to respond – there are only a few examples of entire communities actively participating in warning drills.

    Messages used to communicate flood risk also matter, but people need to receive them. To that end, Keri’s teams have worked with the Texas Water Development Board to develop resources that help local flood officials sort through and prioritize information about a flood hazard so they can share what is most valuable with their local communities.

    The commonly used “Turn Around Don’t Drown” message, while valuable, may not resonate equally with all groups. Newly developed and tested messages such as “Keep Your Car High and Dry” appeal specifically to young adults who typically feel invincible but don’t want their prized vehicles damaged. While more research is needed, this is an example of progress in understanding an important aspect of flood communication: how recipients of the information make decisions.

    Interviews conducted by researchers often include responses along these lines: “Another flash flood warning. We get these all the time. It’s never about flooding where I am.” This common refrain reveals a fundamental challenge in flood communication. When people hear “flood warning,” they often think of different things, and interpretations can vary depending on a person’s proximity to the flooding event.

    Some people equate flood warnings with streamflow gauges and sensors that monitor water levels – the technical infrastructure that triggers alerts when rivers exceed certain thresholds. Others think of mobile phone alerts, county- or geographic-specific notification systems, or even sirens.

    A typical alert from the National Weather Service.
    AP Photo/Lisa Rathke

    Beyond technologies and digital communication, warnings still come through informal networks in many communities. Emergency managers directly coordinate with and share information with major businesses and organizations, saying, “Hey, John, be sure you have somebody up tonight watching the National Weather Service alerts and rivers.”

    This human-centered approach, similar to neighborhood-level systems we have studied in Japan, can provide direct confirmation that warnings have been received. This is something mass media and mobile systems cannot guarantee, especially during infrastructure failures such as power and cell tower outages.

    Effective messages

    Research shows that effective warning messages need to include five critical components: a clear hazard description, location-specific information, actionable guidance, timing cues and a credible source. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s integrated public alert and warning system message design dashboard assists authorities in rapidly drafting effective messages.

    This warning system, known as IPAWS, provides nationwide infrastructure for wireless emergency alerts and Emergency Alert System messages. While powerful, IPAWS has limitations − not all emergency managers are trained to use it, and messages may extend beyond intended geographic areas. Also, many older mobile devices lack the latest capabilities, so they may not receive the most complete messages when they are sent.

    Hyperlocal community opt-in systems can complement IPAWS by allowing residents to register for targeted notifications. These systems, which can be run by communities or local agencies, face their own challenges. People must know they exist, be willing to share phone numbers, and remember to update their information. Social media platforms add another communication channel, with emergency managers increasingly using social media to share updates, though these primarily reach only certain demographics, and not everyone checks social media regularly.

    The key is redundancy through multiple communication channels. Research has found that multiple warnings are needed for people to develop a sense of urgency, and the most effective strategy is simple: Tell another person what’s going on. Interpersonal networks help ensure the message is delivered and can prompt actions. As former Natural Hazards Center Director Dennis Mileti observed: The wireless emergency alerts system “is fast. Mama is faster.”

    A Colorado news report explains why emergency alerts have to be tailored for local needs and conditions and use multiple communication channels.

    Warning fatigue

    Professionals from the National Weather Service, FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission, along with researchers, are increasingly concerned about warning fatigue – when people tune out warnings because they receive too many of them.

    However, there is limited empirical data about how and when people experience warning fatigue – or about its impact.

    This creates a double bind: Officials have an obligation to warn people at risk, yet frequent warnings can desensitize recipients. More research is needed to determine the behavioral implications of and differences between warnings that people perceive as irrelevant to their immediate geographic area versus those that genuinely don’t apply to them. This distinction becomes especially critical when people might drive into flooded areas outside their immediate vicinity.

    The key to effective emergency communication is to develop messages that resonate with specific audiences and build community networks that complement technological systems. We are now studying how to do this effectively in the United States and internationally. It’s also important to apply behavioral insights to the design of every level of communication warning systems. And it’s important to remember to test not just the technology but the entire end-to-end system, from threat identification to community response.

    Finally, maintaining true redundancy across multiple communication channels is an important strategy when trying to reach as many people as possible. Technology supports human decision-making, but it doesn’t replace it.

    Keri K. Stephens’ research reported here has been externally funded by the Texas Water Development Board, Texas General Land Office, and the National Science Foundation. Results published are peer-reviewed, and opinions reflect those of the author, not the funder.

    Hamilton Bean has earned research funding from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Results published are peer-reviewed, and opinions reflect those of the author, not the funder.

    – ref. Why it can be hard to warn people about dangers like floods – communication researchers explain the role of human behavior – https://theconversation.com/why-it-can-be-hard-to-warn-people-about-dangers-like-floods-communication-researchers-explain-the-role-of-human-behavior-260780

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Demands Immediate Release of Withheld Education Funds, Including $12 Million for Albuquerque Public Schools

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) sent a letter to the Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the administration to release $6.9 billion in congressionally approved federal education funds currently being unlawfully withheld from states and local school districts. 

    The freeze, announced by the Department of Education on June 30, 2025, will hit low-income students, English learners, and rural communities hardest. New Mexico’s public schools are projected to lose more than $44 million in total withheld funding, with New Mexico’s second Congressional district expected to lose over $21.6 million alone. Albuquerque Public Schools, the largest school district in the state, could lose up to $12 million in critical federal funding.

    “This funding was already approved by Congress, period. There’s no excuse for it to be sitting on the sidelines,” said Vasquez. “Every day of delay means fewer teachers, fewer resources, and more stress on students, particularly those who need the most support: our rural kids, English language learners, and children from low-income families. As someone who got a lot of help learning English at public school as a kid, I know firsthand that New Mexican students and schools will suffer from this kind of funding uncertainty.” 

    The letter calls on the Administration to comply with the law and disburse the funding allocated for:

    • Supporting Effective Instruction: These funds help schools recruit, train, and retain strong teachers and principals, especially in low-income and underserved areas. It also supports smaller class sizes and teacher mentorship — tools proven to boost student achievement.
    • English Language Acquisition: These funds help schools teach English to students who are still learning the language, while supporting their success in all subjects. It also helps schools expand evidence-based language instruction.
    • Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program: These funds provide programs that give students access to a well-rounded education, safe and healthy learning environments, and technology that boosts academic achievement and digital skills.
    • Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers: These funds support after-school and summer programs that help students in high-poverty, low-performing schools catch up in reading and math, explore hands-on learning activities, and access support outside the classroom.
    • Migrant Education: These funds support migratory children in reaching challenging academic standards and graduating from high school.
    • Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants: This funding helps adults earn a diploma, improve workplace skills, and prepare for high-demand careers.

    “This affects Albuquerque Public Schools and the services we can provide to our students who need it most. APS receives close to $11.8 million in Title II, Title III and Title IV funding and uses that money for everything from providing services to English language learners and newcomer students to paying for a number of positions, including resource teachers and some counselors and nurses. The decision to withhold that funding is forcing us to put a hold on all expenditures and notify employees while we look for reserves to help us as we plan for the upcoming school year,” said Daniel Manzano, Executive Director of Board Services and Government Affairs for Albuquerque Public Schools.

    “We also use these funds to provide high-quality, standards-aligned training that strengthens instructional practices in literacy, mathematics, and other core content areas,” he added, “… all of which is vital as we work to improve academic outcomes for all our students.”

    Vasquez is committed to holding the administration accountable and ensuring New Mexico schools receive the investments they are owed. He recently cosponsored the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, which would restore over $9 million in funding for schools near federal forests that do not have access to the same amount of property tax revenue to support education that urban schools do. He also previously joined a letter opposing efforts to dismantle the Department of Education — all moves that would disproportionately harm students in rural, Tribal and underserved areas. 

    You can find the full text of the letter below or at the link here:

    Secretary McMahon and Director Vought,

    We write to request more information about your decision to illegally withhold nearly $7 billion dollars of funding for K-12 schools and adult education from states and local school districts around the country and to insist that this funding be immediately released. Without these funds, schools are facing difficult and unnecessary decisions on programs for students and teachers.

    On June 30, 2025, just one day before these funds become available for obligation, the Department notified states that they would not receive these funds by July 1 and that “[g]iventhe change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding … and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year.” This late-breaking decision, which provided no timeline for which states can expect a final decision, is leaving states financially vulnerable and forcing many to make last minute decisions about how to proceed with K12 education in this upcoming school year. The education funding withheld by the Administration reflects resources provided by Congress that are designed to help schools with a variety of issues, including student learning and achievement, after-school programs, and teacher training. Additionally, education funding provided by Congress to help with adult education and literacy is also being withheld.  

    This unnecessary delay of education funding, which accounts for at least 10 percent of federal K-12 funding in every state, is alarming parents, local elected officials, and education agencies. It is disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing the education of millions of students, and is already resulting in layoffs as well as program delays and cancellations. Further, it is causing concern to adult education programs that are faced with similar decisions without immediate access to expected funding.

    Accordingly, please provide responses to the following questions no later than July 15, 2025.

    1. When will the Administration finish its review and release the funding provided by Congress to states to use for the school year beginning next month? 
    2. Has the Administration done any outreach or offered any sort of support for state and local education agencies to assist them and their partners in navigating this period of uncertainty?
    3. If the Administration knew it wanted to review these funds, why didn’t this review start earlier in the year? Was the review or the timely release of funds affected by the lack of staff at the Department, which is a direct result of the reductions in force (RIFs) executed by the Administration?

    There is no legitimate reason why any review of these programs should prevent the Administration from fulfilling its responsibility to the American people on time. No more excuses – follow the law and release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families.

    We look forward to hearing from you and seeing these dollars allocated immediately.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Urges President Trump to Restore Key Funding for After-School Programs in the Hudson Valley

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 7/11/25… Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) is urging President Trump to release federal funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide vital before- and after-school programs across the Hudson Valley.

    These programs are particularly impactful for low-income students in low-performing schools. Local recipients of this funding include the New Square Community Improvement Council, Peekskill City School District, United Way of Westchester and Putnam, Westchester Jewish Community Services and so many great organizations in our community.

    “This program deeply aligns with [the] Administration’s goals to return power to the state, instead of Washington, D.C., bureaucrats. State Education Agencies are fully responsible for administering the grant, providing each community with the opportunity to distribute funding where it is most needed,” wrote Congressman Lawler.

    “21st Century Community Learning Centers are a perfect example of what happens when we take the federal government out of education – outcomes are better. Students that participate in these programs have been found to have better attendance records, are more engaged in their classes, and see improvements in their academic performance, including in reading and math” concluded Congressman Lawler in his letter. 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###

    The full letter can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen improves positive response score in latest edition of the National Student Survey The University of Aberdeen has increased its positive response score in the latest National Student Survey, reflecting its ongoing commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    The University of Aberdeen has received further positive responses in the latest National Student Survey

    The University of Aberdeen has increased its positive response score in the latest National Student Survey, reflecting its ongoing commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience.
    In terms of positive responses**, Aberdeen ranked first in the UK for Business Studies and History of Art, Architecture and Design.
    More broadly, the University was ranked within the Top 5 in the UK in seven other subjects:

    Biosciences (3rd)

    Earth Sciences (4th)

    English Studies (4th)

    Forensic & Archaeological Sciences (4th)

    Microbiology & Cell Science (4th)

    Biomedical Science (5th)

    Theology & Religious Studies (5th)

    Other areas where Aberdeen scored highly include ‘the right opportunities to give feedback on your course’, where the University ranked third in the UK and for the ‘balance between directed and independent study’ where the institution has the highest rank in Scotland.
    For overall satisfaction*– a question asked only in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – the University retained its high ranking and was third across the devolved nations.
    At subject level – Aberdeen ranked first for overall satisfaction in the following areas:
    ·                Dentistry
    ·                Business Studies
    ·                Creative Writing
    ·                English Studies (non-specific)
    ·                French Studies
    ·                Linguistics

    While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we remain committed to continually enhancing the student experience and maintaining high levels of satisfaction at the University of Aberdeen” Professor Jo-Anne Murray

    ·                History of Art, Architecture and Design
    ·                Theology & Religious Studies
    ·                Law
    ·                Mathematics
    ·                Earth Sciences
    ·                Others in biosciences
    ·                Teacher Training
    Professor Jo-Anne Murray, Vice-Principal (Education) said: “The NSS is a vital reflection of how our students feel about their experience; it’s our opportunity to hear directly from those at the heart of everything we do.
    “Each year, we strive to provide the best possible learning environment and support for our students. While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we remain committed to continually enhancing the student experience and maintaining high levels of satisfaction at the University of Aberdeen and as such work will begin immediately to learn from and improve upon these scores.”
    The National Student Survey (NSS) is an independent survey that gathers final year undergraduate students’ opinions on the quality of their course.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ivey Announces 58 New First Class Pre-K Classrooms for the 2025-2026 School Year

    Source: US State of Alabama

    MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay Ivey on Friday announced 58 new first class Pre-K classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year. The continued expansion of the state’s nationally recognized program in partnership with the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE) will bring the total number of First Class Pre-K classrooms to 1,528 and expand access to high-quality early learning opportunities for children across the state.

    “The early years of a child’s life are the most critical for laying the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health. High-quality prekindergarten programs like Alabama’s First Class Pre-K don’t just prepare our children for kindergarten, they lay the foundation for lifelong achievement,” said Governor Ivey. “By adding these new classrooms, we are not only investing in our children, we are investing in the future of Alabama.”

    Over the last two years, the ADECE has placed a renewed focus on strengthening program quality while increasing grant awards to better support classrooms. The percentage of First Class Pre-K teachers on a waiver has dropped from 14% for the 2022-2023 school year to just under 7% in 2024-2025. This significant progress reflects the state’s strong commitment to quality education.

    To support rising program costs and ensure every classroom meets high-quality standards, the ADECE has increased individual grant amounts by 30% since 2022-2023 helping programs attract and retain qualified teachers, improve classroom resources and expand access in high-need areas.

    “Our commitment to quality is unwavering,” said ADECE Secretary Ami Brooks. “We know that access alone is not enough. By holding the line on credentialing and increasing the financial resources available to support classrooms, we are making sure that every child, regardless of zip code, has access to a high-quality pre-k experience that truly prepares them for success.”

    Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program has been recognized by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) as the top state-funded pre-kindergarten program in the country for 19 consecutive years. Research shows that children who participate in the program are more likely to succeed academically, demonstrate stronger school readiness and maintain that advantage throughout their education. These long-term gains underscore the value of expanding access to high-quality early learning for all Alabama children.

    For more information about First Class Pre-K, visit children.alabama.gov/adece/first-class-pre-k.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: School run superheroes to boost cycle lanes and walkways to schools

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    School run superheroes to boost cycle lanes and walkways to schools

    New junior active travel inspectors will work with teachers and parents to assess local walking and cycling routes around their schools.

    Secretary of State for Transport with new junior active travel inspectors

    • school children can become junior active travel inspectors for the first time, with a new mission to help more kids cycle, walk, wheel and scoot to schools
    • pupils will audit their school run on a new ‘kid-friendly app’ to boost health and safety, while reducing congestion
    • follows near £300 million government boost to build 300 miles of new cycleways and pavements, leading to 43,000 fewer sick days to ease pressure on the NHS and help deliver the Plan for Change

    Primary school children can now become real-life school run superheroes as the department unveils its new junior active travel inspectors scheme today (11 July 2025)

    A first-of-its-kind initiative, primary school children can now shape their own travel to school, helping all children access safer, greener and more accessible walking and cycling routes to school. 

    Around 40% of primary school children and 25% of secondary school pupils are currently driven to school and school drop-offs account for around 25% of peak morning traffic in London – even more elsewhere around the country. 

    The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, visited Hollybush Primary School in Hertford to mark the launch of the scheme.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

    Walking, scooting and cycling to work and school has many benefits, to the economy, to congestion, air quality and physical and mental health. We want to make sure that more children and families can take advantage. 

    We’re putting young people at the heart of our Active Travel mission, and delivering this innovative new scheme will help councils make smarter decisions, improve local infrastructure, and support our Plan for Change by boosting local economies and easing pressure on the NHS.

    Each participating school will recruit a team of junior active travel inspectors, who will work with teachers and parents to assess local walking and cycling routes around their schools. They will use this data to identify barriers to healthier journeys and suggest ideas to encourage more active and safer travel to school. 

    In collaboration with Active Travel England and Modeshift STARS, the junior active travel inspectors will then report on areas for improvement using a bespoke, child-friendly version of ATE’s inspection checklist, (PDF).

    The new scheme follows the government’s £616 million funding commitment over the next 4 years for active travel in the Spending Review. It is also on top of £300 million announced in February, which is expected to deliver to deliver up to 300 miles of new cycle lanes and pavements across England, expected to save 40,000 NHS sick days and deliver £1.4 billion in economic benefits, all as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    General enquiries

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Sorensen Announces Over $7 Million in Federal Funding to Support Head Start Programs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced more than $7 million in federal funding is being awarded to support early childhood education programs in Western Illinois. The grants, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will help children and families get the strong start they deserve through high-quality Head Start and Early Head Start services. 

    Grant recipients include:

    • Rock Island-Milan School District – $3,277,131 

    • SAL Family and Community Services – $2,157,606 

    • Project NOW, Inc. – $1,845,264 

    “Every child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and succeed,” said Congressman Eric Sorensen. “Head Start helps make that possible by giving children and families the support they need from the very beginning. I’ve visited both SAL Family and Community Services and Project NOW, and I’ve seen firsthand the incredible work they do to lift up kids in our communities. These investments will make a real difference for families across our district.” 

    “We are incredibly grateful for Congressman Sorensen’s advocacy to help secure continued federal funding of Early Head Start, both in his visit to our Milan Skip-a-Long center and through his support in Congress,” said Marcy Mendenhall, CEO of SAL Community Services. “This secured funding means there will be no disruption to the essential services for 168 SAL Community Services families across the Quad Cities. SAL’s Early Head Start goes beyond high-quality childcare – it provides necessary healthcare and family advocacy to support our families at every level.”

    “We are deeply appreciative of the support and ongoing commitment of ensuring every child has access and opportunity to quality education and services; both of which Head Start provides,” said President/CEO of Project NOW, Dr. Dwight Ford. “It takes personal responsibilities, including confronting ignorance concerning Head Start, public will to promote quality education, and public policy to ensure funding.  Head Start is a priority and not an afterthought.  Early childhood education matters and the investment will yield a lifetime of return.”

    Together, these awards total $7,279,001 in new funding for early childhood education in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District.

    Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide vital services including early education, health screenings, nutrition, and family support for low-income families. These federal dollars will help ensure that more children in the 17th District have the tools they need to thrive from day one. 
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ai-Da Robot unveils AI painting of King Charles III

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    Ai-Da Robot unveils AI painting of King Charles III

    UK Mission Geneva hosts reception with Ai-Da Robot ahead of the AI for Good Summit.

    The UK Mission to the WTO and United Nations in Geneva hosted a unique reception this week showcasing Ai-Da, the world’s first ultra-realistic humanoid robot artist.

    As the highlight of the evening, Ai-Da unveiled a striking AI painted portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, offering a compelling intersection of innovation, artistic expression, and emerging technology.

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, attended the event which brought together diplomats, UN officials, artists, and technology experts and explored the role of artificial intelligence in the cultural and creative industries.

    Ai-Da was devised by Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, and developed in the UK by a team of engineers and programmers. She uses advanced AI algorithms, robotic arms and cameras to create original artwork, raising timely questions about the nature of creativity, authorship, and the future of art in the digital age.

    The unveiling is after a long line of high-profile events including Ai-Da making history by speaking at the House of Lords, numerous museums including the Tate Modern and the V&A, during the Venice Biennale, and at the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Ai-Da previously painted The late Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

    Simon Manley, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the WTO, UN and Other International Organisations (Geneva) said;

    Ai-Da is not just a technological marvel, she is a cultural conversation starter. We are proud to showcase British innovation at its most imaginative, and to reflect on how emerging technologies can shape global dialogues on art, ethics, and identity.

    The reception formed part of the UK Mission’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible innovation and to engage partners in Geneva’s multilateral system on the implications of AI, through the AI for Good Global Summit and robotics across society.

    Speaking at the unveiling Ai-Da said:

    It’s a privilege to be part of this remarkable event at the United Nations, surrounded by those shaping the future of technology and culture.

    Presenting my portrait of His Majesty King Charles III is not just a creative act, it’s a statement about the evolving role of AI in our society, and to reflect on how artificial intelligence is shaping the cultural landscape.

    My presence here reflects a shared journey into new forms of expression and the questions they raise about identity, authorship, and the essence of art.

    The reception was held in the newly named ‘Sir Tim Berners-Lee’ conference room in the UK Mission Geneva office, named in honour of British scientist and inventor of the World Wide Web.

    Background

    • photos of the reception are available on Flickr.

    • the AI for Good Summit is taking place in Geneva, 8 – 11 July.

    • Ai-Da Robot is a performance artist, designer and poet. Since her creation in February 2019, Ai-Da has captivated audiences with her unique blend of art, technology and trans-humanism. Her debut solo exhibition, ‘Unsecured Futures’, at the University of Oxford, invited viewers to reflect on our rapidly changing world.

    • Ai-Da’s art has since gained international recognition. At the ‘AI for Good’ Global Summit, she addressed the complex implications of emerging technologies. Her thought-provoking discussions have also reached the House of Lords and the Oxford Union.

    • Ai-Da had a show at the Design Museum and held a solo exhibition at the Giardini during the Venice Biennale. Influenced by Dada, and continually pushing the boundaries of creativity, Ai-Da challenges traditional notions of art and artists, sparking vital conversations about the use and potential misuse of new technologies.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Berg winds in South Africa: the winter weather pattern that increases wildfire risks

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sheldon Strydom, Senior Lecturer & Head of Department, Department of Geography, Rhodes University

    After a fire. Hendrik van den Berg, via Wikimedia Commons., CC BY

    Winter in some parts of South Africa is a time of low (or no) rainfall and high fire danger. Sheldon Strydom studies the relationship between weather and fire, in particular how Berg winds, also known as mountain flow events, are linked to periods of enhanced fire danger. Mid-July is typically a high risk period. He shares what he has learnt during his research in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, close to the country’s largest mountain range, the Drakensberg.

    What are Berg winds and how do they form?

    It’s long been known that mountain winds (“foëhn winds”, “chinook winds” and the like) increase fire danger. There’s case study evidence from around the globe.

    In South Africa, these mountain winds are known as Berg winds. They are generally experienced as warm and dry.

    A mountain wind starts when a mass of air is forced to rise along a windward slope (the side of the mountain that wind is blowing towards). As the mass of air rises it cools. When it reaches the peak of the slope or mountain it descends on the leeward (sheltered) side. As it gets lower, the air gets warmer.

    Berg winds commonly occur in South African winters when high atmospheric pressure systems are situated over the interior of the country and low pressure systems are situated off the coast. (Atmospheric pressure is the pressure of air over the land, and affects the movement of air.)

    Usually, a coastal low pressure system happens a day or two before a cold front. The pressure gradient (difference in pressure that drives wind) between the interior high pressure cell and coastal low pressure cell results in air flowing towards the coast from the interior of the country, down the mountain escarpment. The air reaches coastal areas as a warm, dry wind.

    Why study the relationship between Berg winds and fires?

    Winds can spread fires in the landscape.

    Our study, using data from four sites in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, quantified the effect of Berg winds on the microclimate (local weather conditions) and emphasised how these changes influence fire danger.

    The sources of fires in South Africa, as elsewhere, vary. For example, wildfires can be started when prescribed burning, or the planned use of fire, becomes uncontrolled due to changes in weather conditions. Accidental fires and arson are the most common causes of wildfires. Research shows that wildfires and fire disasters are common in areas where prescribed burning is used.

    Prescribed burning, or the planned use of fire, is an important aspect of agricultural management. It promotes the dispersal and germination of seeds from a number of species and also removes ground litter. Prescribed burning is used to manage grasslands and has been linked to decreasing the number of disease-borne vectors such as ticks.

    But if they get out of control, fires pose a threat to farmland and plantations.

    It’s therefore vital to have weather forecasts and monitoring systems that warn of conditions conducive to the development and spread of fires.

    Internationally, fire danger indices or meters are used to monitor conditions. In South Africa, the South African Weather Service and other interested and affected parties currently use the Lowveld fire danger index. The index is calculated using records of air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed and rainfall. These are measured once a day. Daily forecasts are available from the Weather Service and disseminated to local fire protection associations.

    Much research in South Africa has focused on pyrogeography (understanding when and where fires occur) and fire ecology. Little research has been done to quantify the effects of Berg winds on fire danger using available historical hourly meteorological data.

    The midlands of KwaZulu-Natal province serve as a perfect environment to study the effects of Berg winds on the microclimate and fire danger. The area is close to the Drakensberg mountains and experiences frequent fires. It’s also a largely agricultural area.



    Read more:
    Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research

    What did you discover?

    The study developed a fuzzy logic system (a mathematical method for handling uncertainty) to identify periods of Berg wind conditions using historical hourly meteorological data in four sites.

    We analysed variables like the air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and fire danger at different times of the day and night, before and during Berg winds.

    The analysis revealed the significance of change experienced in the local weather conditions (within 2km) during periods of Berg winds, and how these changes influence fire danger.

    It found that:

    • Berg winds were more common during daytime hours and affected the microclimate most during the day

    • during daytime Berg wind events, air temperatures rose by an average of 5.5°C; humidity fell by an average of 16%; and wind speed increased by an average of 5.2 metres per second

    • daytime Berg wind events significantly elevated fire danger

    • night-time Berg winds, while less common, did still result in significant change in the microclimate

    • at night, fire danger increases when a combination of variables change significantly.

    The fuzzy logic system can be useful in two ways: to quantify the effects of Berg winds on the microclimate and to complement any fire danger monitoring system. It can measure conditions at a higher temporal resolution, such as every 10 minutes, or hour – making it more useful for monitoring near real-time changes in fire danger.

    The system could be valuable for operational use by agencies like the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre, and could be applied in other regions vulnerable to fire risk.

    Sheldon Strydom receives funding from Rhodes University, and the National Research Foundation.

    Michael John Savage has received funding from the NRF.

    – ref. Berg winds in South Africa: the winter weather pattern that increases wildfire risks – https://theconversation.com/berg-winds-in-south-africa-the-winter-weather-pattern-that-increases-wildfire-risks-260612

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: ICC champions private sector de-risking at Ukraine Recovery Conference 

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: ICC champions private sector de-risking at Ukraine Recovery Conference 

    Speaking alongside Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Andrii Teliupa, at an ICC co-hosted roundtable on export finance for Ukraine’s reconstruction – an official URC25 side event – ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO announced ICC’s intention to establish a new Working Group on Export Finance for Reconstruction of Conflict-Afflicted Areas under the umbrella of the ICC Global Banking Commission. 

    “With the right risk mitigation tools in place, business can play a pivotal role in the reconstruction of Ukraine and other conflict-affected regions. ICC is proud to offer a trusted platform that fosters stronger public-private collaboration on export credit risk mitigation – enabling our global banking community to engage more effectively with public sector stakeholders on these critical issues.”  

    Mr Denton

    Held at the Luiss School of Law on 9 July, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Kyiv School of Economics, the roundtable convened senior officials from commercial banks, Export Credit Agencies, Development Finance Institutions, Multilateral Development Banks, businesses, and international organisations for candid dialogue on persistent challenges and practical solutions to mobilise export finance and mitigate risks facing businesses involved in Ukraine’s recovery. 

    The roundtable formed part of a broader series of ICC engagements in Rome. On 11 July, Mr Denton highlighted the importance of mitigating dispute-related risks to attract foreign investment on a URC panel looking at revitalising and modernising the manufacturing sector to boost industrial competitiveness. During the session, Mr Denton unveiled new details of a dedicated ICC dispute resolution initiative announced in November 2024, confirming a 20% reduction on administrative expenses for disputes related to Ukraine’s reconstruction across ICC’s full range of dispute resolution services, including arbitration and mediation.   

    Speaking at a Confindustria and Deloitte event, “Connecting for Ukraine’s Future Prosperity” on 9 July, Mr Denton also underscored the role of public-private partnerships and targeted de-risking measures in supporting infrastructure activity in Ukraine – a strategic sector for recovery.  

    ICC’s activities at the Ukraine Recovery Conference build on engagements at the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville earlier this month, where ICC co-hosted a high-level event with UNCTAD and the Berne Union looking at ways to enhance de-risking mechanisms for sustainable investment. 

    Participation in the 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference builds on ICC’s longstanding involvement in Ukraine’s recovery process. This includes collaboration with multilateral platforms including the Ukraine Donor Platform, its Business Advisory Council, and the SME Resilience Alliance for Ukraine. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: RUDN University doctors conquered another Olympiad

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peoples’Friendship University of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rebus for bronze: first-year student of the RUDN medical institute is a prize winner of the all-Russian competition “Roads to Rome”

    What do the RUDN University General Medicine program and the Saratov State University Department of Russian and Foreign Literature have in common? Medical terms in Latin, encrypted in puzzles and a crossword by our student Violetta Jacqueline Flont.

    The best managers of RUDN will receive the SAFMAR Plaza scholarship

    Students of the RUDN University Graduate School of Management in the Hotel Business program (International Hotel Business and International Restaurant Business profiles) will receive a scholarship from the SAFMAR Plaza holding for high academic achievements.

    Bones, ceramics and shards – how the archaeological practice of RUDN historians went

    The first year for history students traditionally ends with archaeological practice. A trip out of town, daily work at the excavation site — practical immersion in the profession. This year, 47 first-year students went to the city of Stupino in the Moscow region, where they participated in excavations of the Dyakovo culture. Danila Yablokov, Valeria Ozerova, Vitaly Leontyev, Maya Kubanova and Olga Volkova, students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of RUDN University, talk about interesting finds, stages of excavations, and life in the camp.

    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: NEA statement on action taken by delegates at 2025 Representative Assembly

    Source: US National Education Union

    WASHINGTON — Among many items debated at NEA’s 2025 Representative Assembly, delegates voted to forward a recommendation to the NEA Executive Committee that the National Education Association (NEA) not use, endorse, or publicize materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) or participate in ADL programs. As was shared with delegates at that time, a vote to support the measure would result in an automatic referral to the NEA Executive Committee for an impact study and further consideration in accordance with NEA rules on sanctions and boycotts.

    Although NEA does not have a partnership with the ADL, the NEA Executive Committee will consider the recommendation from delegates in accordance with NEA policy.   

    The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:

    “As educators, we are committed to ensuring students of every race, religion or national origin have safe and welcoming spaces to learn and grow. The National Education Association and its members are unequivocally committed to the cause of educating, organizing against, and combating all forms of hate and discrimination, including antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias. This is a fundamental principle we will never abandon.  

    “Antisemitism is a very real and urgent problem in this country and throughout the world. It is an insidious hate and cancer. NEA is committed to combating this hate in our classrooms, on our campuses, and in our communities. This commitment was evident at the 2025 Representative Assembly, where NEA hosted a panel about how to combat antisemitism, honored Holocaust survivor and educator Maud Dahme at our annual Human and Civil Rights Awards, and voted to honor Jewish American Heritage Month, among other meaningful events and actions.  

    “Although NEA currently does not have a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League, the NEA Executive Committee will consider the recommendation from delegates as outlined by our governing rules. As such, I will convene the NEA Executive Committee to deliberate. In fact, I already have begun outreach to inform that deliberation, by listening and engaging with a wide group of leaders in the Jewish and civil rights communities.

    “NEA believes in free speech, academic freedom, and having hard yet honest conversations that can nurture growth and understanding. There is a critical need for us, as educators, to model the type of respectful dialogue and discourse we want to see in the world, in our classrooms, and on our campuses. We will not shy away from difficult or complex issues that affect our members, our students, or our schools, nor will we ever tolerate antisemitism, anti-Palestinian bigotry, or hateful rhetoric or behavior.”

    Follow us on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/neatoday.bsky.social  

    # # #

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Berg winds in South Africa: the winter weather pattern that increases wildfire risks

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sheldon Strydom, Senior Lecturer & Head of Department, Department of Geography, Rhodes University

    Winter in some parts of South Africa is a time of low (or no) rainfall and high fire danger. Sheldon Strydom studies the relationship between weather and fire, in particular how Berg winds, also known as mountain flow events, are linked to periods of enhanced fire danger. Mid-July is typically a high risk period. He shares what he has learnt during his research in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, close to the country’s largest mountain range, the Drakensberg.

    What are Berg winds and how do they form?

    It’s long been known that mountain winds (“foëhn winds”, “chinook winds” and the like) increase fire danger. There’s case study evidence from around the globe.

    In South Africa, these mountain winds are known as Berg winds. They are generally experienced as warm and dry.

    A mountain wind starts when a mass of air is forced to rise along a windward slope (the side of the mountain that wind is blowing towards). As the mass of air rises it cools. When it reaches the peak of the slope or mountain it descends on the leeward (sheltered) side. As it gets lower, the air gets warmer.

    Berg winds commonly occur in South African winters when high atmospheric pressure systems are situated over the interior of the country and low pressure systems are situated off the coast. (Atmospheric pressure is the pressure of air over the land, and affects the movement of air.)

    Usually, a coastal low pressure system happens a day or two before a cold front. The pressure gradient (difference in pressure that drives wind) between the interior high pressure cell and coastal low pressure cell results in air flowing towards the coast from the interior of the country, down the mountain escarpment. The air reaches coastal areas as a warm, dry wind.

    Why study the relationship between Berg winds and fires?

    Winds can spread fires in the landscape.

    Our study, using data from four sites in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, quantified the effect of Berg winds on the microclimate (local weather conditions) and emphasised how these changes influence fire danger.

    The sources of fires in South Africa, as elsewhere, vary. For example, wildfires can be started when prescribed burning, or the planned use of fire, becomes uncontrolled due to changes in weather conditions. Accidental fires and arson are the most common causes of wildfires. Research shows that wildfires and fire disasters are common in areas where prescribed burning is used.

    Prescribed burning, or the planned use of fire, is an important aspect of agricultural management. It promotes the dispersal and germination of seeds from a number of species and also removes ground litter. Prescribed burning is used to manage grasslands and has been linked to decreasing the number of disease-borne vectors such as ticks.

    But if they get out of control, fires pose a threat to farmland and plantations.

    It’s therefore vital to have weather forecasts and monitoring systems that warn of conditions conducive to the development and spread of fires.

    Internationally, fire danger indices or meters are used to monitor conditions. In South Africa, the South African Weather Service and other interested and affected parties currently use the Lowveld fire danger index. The index is calculated using records of air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed and rainfall. These are measured once a day. Daily forecasts are available from the Weather Service and disseminated to local fire protection associations.

    Much research in South Africa has focused on pyrogeography (understanding when and where fires occur) and fire ecology. Little research has been done to quantify the effects of Berg winds on fire danger using available historical hourly meteorological data.

    The midlands of KwaZulu-Natal province serve as a perfect environment to study the effects of Berg winds on the microclimate and fire danger. The area is close to the Drakensberg mountains and experiences frequent fires. It’s also a largely agricultural area.

    Read more: Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research

    What did you discover?

    The study developed a fuzzy logic system (a mathematical method for handling uncertainty) to identify periods of Berg wind conditions using historical hourly meteorological data in four sites.

    We analysed variables like the air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and fire danger at different times of the day and night, before and during Berg winds.

    The analysis revealed the significance of change experienced in the local weather conditions (within 2km) during periods of Berg winds, and how these changes influence fire danger.

    It found that:

    • Berg winds were more common during daytime hours and affected the microclimate most during the day

    • during daytime Berg wind events, air temperatures rose by an average of 5.5°C; humidity fell by an average of 16%; and wind speed increased by an average of 5.2 metres per second

    • daytime Berg wind events significantly elevated fire danger

    • night-time Berg winds, while less common, did still result in significant change in the microclimate

    • at night, fire danger increases when a combination of variables change significantly.

    The fuzzy logic system can be useful in two ways: to quantify the effects of Berg winds on the microclimate and to complement any fire danger monitoring system. It can measure conditions at a higher temporal resolution, such as every 10 minutes, or hour – making it more useful for monitoring near real-time changes in fire danger.

    The system could be valuable for operational use by agencies like the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre, and could be applied in other regions vulnerable to fire risk.

    – Berg winds in South Africa: the winter weather pattern that increases wildfire risks
    – https://theconversation.com/berg-winds-in-south-africa-the-winter-weather-pattern-that-increases-wildfire-risks-260612

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Unmanned devices tested in South China Sea

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

    Unmanned devices tested in South China Sea

    Updated: July 11, 2025 20:46 Xinhua
    An intelligent seawater sampling unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) departs from the “Xiangyanghong 10” in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. Chinese researchers successfully carried out scientific tests involving various types of drones, unmanned surface vessels, and autonomous underwater vehicles aboard the “Xiangyanghong 10” in the northern waters of the South China Sea in recent days. The “Innovative Integrated Intelligent Systems Expedition,” led by the Advanced Institute for Ocean Research under Southern University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with multiple research institutes, high-tech companies, and science popularization organizations, conducted real-time assessments of the innovation, integration, and intelligence of these unmanned scientific exploration devices. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A thermal-imaging surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) takes off from the “Xiangyanghong 10” to conduct scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An unmanned survey vessel conducts scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aeromagnetic fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flies over the “Xiangyanghong 10” to conduct scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The “Xiangyanghong 10” conducts “Unmanned Swarm” scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The “Dolphin 3” surface rescue robot conducts test in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Unmanned devices tested in South China Sea

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

    Unmanned devices tested in South China Sea

    Updated: July 11, 2025 20:46 Xinhua
    An intelligent seawater sampling unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) departs from the “Xiangyanghong 10” in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. Chinese researchers successfully carried out scientific tests involving various types of drones, unmanned surface vessels, and autonomous underwater vehicles aboard the “Xiangyanghong 10” in the northern waters of the South China Sea in recent days. The “Innovative Integrated Intelligent Systems Expedition,” led by the Advanced Institute for Ocean Research under Southern University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with multiple research institutes, high-tech companies, and science popularization organizations, conducted real-time assessments of the innovation, integration, and intelligence of these unmanned scientific exploration devices. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A thermal-imaging surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) takes off from the “Xiangyanghong 10” to conduct scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An unmanned survey vessel conducts scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aeromagnetic fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flies over the “Xiangyanghong 10” to conduct scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The “Xiangyanghong 10” conducts “Unmanned Swarm” scientific research in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The “Dolphin 3” surface rescue robot conducts test in the northern waters of the South China Sea, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How UK-France ‘one in, one out’ migration deal will work – and what the challenges could be

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matilde Rosina, Assistant Professor in Global Challenges, Brunel University of London

    After weeks of rising Channel crossing figures, the UK government has agreed on a long-awaited migration deal with France. Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron announced a “one in, one out” pilot – and the UK prime minister said the “groundbreaking” scheme could start returning migrants to France within weeks. The deal was announced alongside a separate agreement to coordinate the use of French and British nuclear weapons.

    The migration agreement will allow the UK to return selected numbers of small boat arrivals to France. In exchange, the UK will admit an equal number of asylum seekers with legitimate ties to the UK (such as family), who have not previously attempted to enter the country illegally.

    The plan will start as a pilot, with initial reports suggesting the UK could return up to 50 people per week (2,600 per year). That is roughly 6% of small boat arrivals in 2024. The remaining arrivals will continue to be processed under the UK’s existing system.

    The “one in, one out” system appears similar to an agreement in 2016 between the EU and Turkey. Under that scheme, for every irregular migrant returned from the Greek islands to Turkey, one Syrian refugee who had stayed in Turkey could be legally resettled in the EU. Under the EU–Turkey deal, only 2,140 migrants were returned to Turkey by 2022, compared with over 32,000 who were resettled in the EU.

    The British government’s hope is that this pilot will lay the groundwork for a broader EU-UK return framework that would allow it to return more people. Before Brexit, the UK was part of the EU’s asylum framework, the Dublin regulation. This allowed any EU country, including the UK, to return asylum seekers to the first EU country they entered or passed through.

    From 2008 to 2016, the UK was a net sender of asylum seekers: it returned more people to EU states than it accepted, receiving fewer than 500 people annually. The trend reversed after 2016, with the UK accepting more migrants than it returned.

    But southern EU countries could complicate any expansion or permanent implementation of the pilot. Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus have opposed a UK–France agreement, fearing it would lead to more people being sent back to them – southern European states are where migrants typically arrive in the EU first.

    Challenges ahead

    The deal is a significant step for a UK government that has struggled to control the narrative on migration. Losing ground to Reform, the government has recently proposed tightening legal immigration rules, including by making it harder and longer to acquire British citizenship, and by cutting legal migration routes.

    It also marks a notable shift in the UK’s post-Brexit migration strategy. But questions remain about the details and implementation.

    The French president hailed it as a “major deterrent” to Channel crossing, as migrants would not remain in the UK but be returned to France. Macron said that one-third of arrivals in France are heading towards the UK. So it follows that any deterrent from Channel crossings would also lead to a reduction in people coming to France.

    Yet, as I have shown in my research, deterrence is rarely effective. This is because information about deterrence factors does not necessarily reach the asylum seekers or stop smugglers. It also does not address the underlying drivers of migration, such as poverty, conflict and corruption.

    Moreover, returns are notoriously difficult to enforce. Many asylum seekers lack documentation, and complex legal processes raise administrative and financial costs.

    Scalability also poses a challenge, given EU countries’ divided stances on an EU-wide deal.

    It is, however, promising that the UN refugee agency has given the agreement its backing, stating: “If appropriately implemented, it could help achieve a more managed and shared approach, offering alternatives to dangerous journeys while upholding access to asylum.”

    The last UK government’s attempts to deter Channel crossings, such as the Rwanda scheme, had led to the agency raising serious concerns.

    How many asylum seekers does the UK take?

    This deal comes amid an increase in asylum applications in the UK. Annual applications rose from 38,483 in 2018 to over 108,000 in 2024.

    In just the first half of 2025, small boat arrivals increased 48% compared with the same period in 2024, exceeding 20,000. By contrast, irregular arrivals to the EU decreased by 20% in the first half of 2025, mainly driven by a drop in arrivals to Greece and to Spain’s Canary Islands.

    When accounting for population, the UK receives fewer asylum applications – 16 for every 10,000 people living in the UK – than the EU average (22 per 10,000).

    Data shows that between 2018 and 2024, 68% of small boat asylum applications processed in the UK were approved, indicating that most were made by people in genuine need.

    UK–France migration cooperation dates back to the 1990s, but since 2019, the focus has been on addressing the rise in Channel crossings.

    A significant step was the UK-France joint declaration of March 2023, under which the UK committed €541 million (approximately £476 million) between 2023 and 2026. Funds were allocated for assets including drones, helicopters and aircraft, and for the creation of a migration centre in France. Importantly, the agreement sought to increase surveillance along the French border, rather than return migrants.

    This cooperation deepened in February 2025, when both countries agreed to extend their partnership to 2027 and reallocate €8 million for new enforcement measures.

    Joint maritime activities have played a role too: since October 2024, UK Border Force vessels have entered French waters on three occasions to assist boats in distress and return people to the French coast.

    Overall, this new agreement represents a milestone in UK–France migration cooperation, and the UK’s first significant post-Brexit returns scheme with an EU country. While questions remain over its scalability – given the modest return numbers, legal and logistical hurdles, and European political divides – it is a crucial step in cross-Channel cooperation on migration and asylum, making progress on what has been an intractable problem for UK governments.

    Matilde Rosina 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 UK-France ‘one in, one out’ migration deal will work – and what the challenges could be – https://theconversation.com/how-uk-france-one-in-one-out-migration-deal-will-work-and-what-the-challenges-could-be-260864

    MIL OSI Analysis –