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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Introduces Bill to Reform FEMA 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch’s Disaster AID Act filed on the anniversaries of Vermont’s July 2023 and July 2024 floods  
    Legislation would cut red tape and improve processes for FEMA’s Public Assistance and long-term recovery efforts 
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, new legislation to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Senator Welch filed the Disaster AID Act on the anniversary of the July 2023 and July 2024 floods in Vermont. The bill was inspired and shaped by the disaster recovery experiences of communities around the you saw a lot of agonized republicans they all voted for it but a lot of across Vermont. 
    Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape at FEMA and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and expedite funding for disaster response. 
    “FEMA does lifesaving and important work after a disaster, but we need to find a way to fix the agency so it works better to help communities recover in the weeks, months, and years after a disaster. Vermont saw it firsthand: there’s too much red tape, and the long-term recovery process is inefficient,” said Senator Welch when he unveiled the bill. “My commonsense bill is inspired by the experiences of flood-impacted Vermont communities that had to wait too long—and jump through far too many hoops—to get the federal support needed to build back after a disaster.”   
    Last week, Senator Welch visited with Vermonters and community leaders impacted by the July 2023 and July 2024 floods across Vermont—including in Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre and Montpelier.   
    Over the course of consecutive summers in July 2023 and July 2024, Vermont experienced severe storms which caused catastrophic flooding, washouts, and mudslides. Homes, farms, businesses, and public infrastructure were destroyed, and communities were left reeling. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction, FEMA provided lifesaving on-the-ground assistance, working with local organizations and the state. In the long-term, however, FEMA’s response has not met the needs of communities.   
    Many of Vermont’s towns operate with limited resources and lack the administrative capacity needed to navigate the complex web of federal disaster assistance—especially in the aftermath of a brutal flood. FEMA has failed to provide necessary support and burdensome FEMA policies have slowed or blocked communities from accessing federal funds. Towns were not empowered to capitalize on their understanding of conditions on the ground. To make matters worse, under the Trump Administration, communities must now contend with uncertain federal funding streams, including for reimbursement of projects already approved and under way.  
    Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and ease cumbersome requirements that restrict state and local governments from tailoring solutions to local circumstances. The bill will also provide technical and financial resources for small towns and communities that lack administrative capacity, and restrain future administrations from arbitrarily turning off the funding spigot for communities in the midst of disaster recovery.  
    The Disaster AID Act is supported by leaders across Vermont, including Vermont Governor Phil Scott; Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk; Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River; Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the VAPDA Emergency Management Committee; Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience; Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont; Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC); Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City; Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick; Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston; Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Officer; Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon; and Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute.   
    “After facing devastating floods over the last two summers, Vermonters have seen firsthand, the value of federal support and assistance from FEMA workers. However, we’ve also experienced gaps between response and recovery, and we need to make changes that better support responders on the ground and those trying to rebuild. I appreciate Senator Welch taking on the challenge to create an expedited, more efficient, and flexible emergency management system,” said Governor Phil Scott.  
    “The Town of Barton, Vermont, has been hit two years in a row on the same date by disastrous flooding. The unknowns of funding around that have us delaying needed normal maintenance until FEMA funds are received to cover flooding repairs, and slowing down the repairs to make sure those funds flow in before the next project is underway. This unknown funding element has the Town worrying as we look to the future instead of confident FEMA will have our backs. Our ability to prepare for and mitigate the next storm is significantly impacted by our unwillingness to overextend ourselves in case FEMA funding does not come through. This puts us at greater risk of damage if another storm were to come before we have completed recovery from the prior two,” said Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk.   
    “Vermont municipalities can’t prepare for or recover from a disaster without the federal government’s help. Nearly every municipal leader impacted by recent flooding in Vermont has told me that FEMA has been difficult to work with. I’m pleased to see Senator Welch proposing reforms to address these concerns. The ballooning federal bureaucracy, rotating FEMA staff, inconsistent funding, and requirement to take on debt have combined to make recovering from the flooding here in Vermont another disaster. The Disaster AID Act addresses these challenges by providing technical assistance to municipalities before a disaster hits, providing disaster aid immediately to reduce the debt towns need to take on, and cutting down on the red tape communities need to navigate to access federal assistance,” said Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.   
    “Having helped dozens of towns to recover from devastating floods, we know firsthand that FEMA’s procedures are a barrier to accessing critical funds. Friends of the Winooski River appreciates Senator Welch’s efforts to improve access to the resources our communities desperately need for flood recovery and future health and safety,” said Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River.  
    “FEMA provides critical resources and structure for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, but it needs reform to make it work better for people and their communities. I don’t think there’s disagreement there, including among FEMA rank and file personnel. Congress needs to act. What is needed, and what this bill would do, is build state and local capacity to prepare, mitigate, respond, and recover while making more efficient and effective use of federal resources,” said Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies (VAPDA) Emergency Management Committee.  
    “While it is far from perfect, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has repeatedly proven to be a critical part of disaster response here in Central Vermont.  I commend Senator Peter Welch for his efforts to improve FEMA’s process and provide support to small municipalities as we struggle to navigate the bureaucracy to help our communities recover.  The Disaster Assistance and Decentralization Act takes important steps to reform and strengthen federal disaster response so that cities and towns across the country can recover more quickly and make critical investments in future resilience,” said Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience.  
    “One thing that became clear very quickly after the 2023 flood is that if you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster, you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster. The impacts on homes, businesses, and infrastructure, were all significant, but they were different depending on the community—and the capacity of municipalities to respond and support residents varied widely. While FEMA representatives were on the ground and well-intentioned, the truth is they were often more prepared to tell people what they couldn’t do because of regulations than to help them rebuild their lives. We need the federal government to meet people where they are—regardless of the size of the community or the scale of the disaster—and provide tailored technical assistance, financial support, and, most importantly, hope.” said Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.  
    “We are very appreciative of Senator Welch’s proposal to reform FEMA and how it interacts with Vermonters. His proposal explicitly enables regional planning commissions to work as agents of municipalities when interacting with FEMA. We were pleased to offer this idea and even more pleased to help our communities,” said Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC).   
    “The City of Barre was hit hard by the 2023 and 2024 floods, and we are grateful to the many people who have and continue to help us rebuild better and stronger. While we’ve made significant progress, there’s much more work to be done. We are grateful to Senator Welch for proposing a commonsense solution that would provide technical assistance, simplified procedures and support for long-term resiliency to municipalities that are in need. We need to fix FEMA, not kill it,” said Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City.   
    “Hardwick has faced devastating impacts from back-to-back floods in 2023 and 2024, with repeated damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure along the Lamoille River. One example is 41 Brush Street, a residential property now hanging precariously over the riverbank due to severe erosion. The home is slated for a FEMA-funded buyout, and additional stabilization is needed to protect surrounding properties. FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program is essential for communities like ours, not only for rebuilding but for implementing long-term solutions that reduce future risk. Without sustained and accessible funding, rural towns will be left in a cycle of damage and short-term fixes. Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act provides a path toward more timely and effective recovery, especially for Vermont’s hardest-hit towns,” said Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick.  
    “The support for small towns in Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act is crucial in enabling towns in Vermont and nationwide to obtain the expert assistance they require in responding to disasters, as well as identifying, designing and funding mitigation projects. Five months after the July 2023 flood in Weston, we applied for and received an MTAP grant that allowed us to retain professional help to guide us through the grant maze and get a head start on modeling the flooding and designing mitigation projects. Our hope is that with passage of the Disaster AID Act, this sort of assistance will be available soon after the next (inevitable) disaster event so our town fathers and mothers aren’t wringing their hands trying to figure out what to do, how to do it and how to pay for it,” said Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston.  
    “Vermont has experienced multiple federally-declared disasters since 2023 which laid bare Vermont municipalities’ need for additional technical assistance,” said ANR Secretary Julie Moore. “The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act would help fill this critical need. In particular, we are grateful to Sen. Welch for his continued efforts to simplify procedures for complex relocation projects for critical facilities, such as the wastewater treatment facilities in Johnson, Hardwick and Ludlow – all of which have experienced repeated flood damage.”  
    “The BRIC program greatly improved Vermont’s ability to do the planning and scoping work necessary in order to develop important flood reduction projects in our communities,” said Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Section Chief. “This legislation represents a fundamental shift in the way we administer hazard mitigation funding that would allow us to successfully and efficiently utilize federal resources to reduce future flood risk in Vermont.”  
    “Like many rural towns in Vermont, Lyndon is not blessed with a large staff to handle the volume of paperwork required to receive funding from FEMA when a disaster occurs.  Many towns in rural Vermont are not even fortunate enough to have a Municipal Administrator or Manager in place to handle the paper trail and are forced to rely solely on volunteers in their community. We understand and support the necessity of ensuring that funds are being properly spent and accounted for.  However, there is a strong need to create a system where communities have one point of contact throughout the entirety of a declared disaster. Small Vermont communities such as ours, do not have the resources or the personnel work hours to start and re-start the process of disaster re-imbursement from scratch because a FEMA PDMG has reached their 50-week time limit and must move on,” said Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon. “Taking away a single employee from their normal day to day responsibilities to devote to disaster recovery severely understaffs any rural community, and extending this length of time attempting to get a new PDMG or multiple PDMGs up to speed is time and money that rural communities don’t have the luxury of wasting.”  
    “The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act will provide critical assistance to communities impacted by flooding and other disasters. The bill’s provisions will get assistance into the hands of those who need it more rapidly following disasters. In Vermont and communities across the country, investments in hazard mitigation projects enabled by the Act, like reconnecting rivers to floodplains that store and dissipate the energy of floodwaters, will make communities safer and ensure we are prepared for the future in a way that also supports healthy ecosystems,” said Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute. “Thank you, Senator Welch, for introducing this important piece of legislation that will support all Americans in meeting the challenges of future natural disasters.”  
    • • •  
    Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.    
    In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.   
    Learn more about the Disaster AID Act.  
    Read a section-by-section summary of the Disaster AID Act.  
    Read the bill text of the Disaster AID Act. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Alliance Memory Names Penelope Van-Uxen as France Country Manager

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KIRKLAND, Wash., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alliance Memory today announced the appointment of Penelope Van-Uxen as France country manager. Stepping in for former managing director EMEA Sue Macedo — who recently retired — she is responsible for supporting Alliance Memory’s European customers.

    Ms. Van-Uxen holds a master’s degree in management and business administration — with a focus on entrepreneurship — from the Strasbourg Business School in France, where she recently graduated with honors. Previously, she earned a bachelor’s degree in applied modern languages and marketing from the University of Strasbourg, with one year spent as an international exchange student at the University of Southampton in the UK. Located in Saint Quentin, France, she reports to David Bagby, president and CEO of Alliance Memory.

    “Alliance Memory is known for delivering exceptional support, and I’m excited to continue that tradition for our customers in France and across Europe,” said Ms. Van-Uxen. “I’m honored to take on this role and build on the solid foundation established by Sue in the region.”

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Penelope to the Alliance Memory team,” said Bagby. “She brings outstanding academic credentials and a fresh perspective to this role. Combined with her commitment to strong customer relationships, she’s a great fit to lead our efforts in France and support our growing European customer base.”

    About Alliance Memory Inc.
    Alliance Memory is a worldwide provider of critical and hard-to-find memory ICs for the communications, computing, consumer electronics, medical, automotive, and industrial markets. The company’s product range includes flash, DRAM, and SRAM memory ICs with commercial, industrial, and automotive operating temperature ranges and densities from 64Kb to 128GB. Privately held, Alliance Memory maintains headquarters in Kirkland, Washington, and regional offices in Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. More information about Alliance Memory is available online at www.alliancememory.com.

    Editor resources:

    Link to image:
    www.redpinesgroup.com/Alliance/Penelope_Van-Uxen.png

    Agency Contact:
    Bob Decker
    Redpines
    +1 415 409 0233
    bob.decker@redpinesgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Corporate purpose: how boards of directors monitor the mission of European companies

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Rodolphe Durand, Professeur, stratégie et Politique d’Entreprise, HEC Paris Business School

    Like hundreds of large European companies, the Veolia group has given itself a corporate purpose. Shutterstock

    On April 24th, Veolia’s shareholders voted by more than 99% to inscribe the company’s corporate purpose into its bylaws. This means that Veolia’s board of directors will need to monitor the implementation of its corporate purpose by executive management even more closely than before. What approach will they take?

    Rather examining how corporate management handles corporate purpose, we have been exploring how the boards of directors of major European companies orchestrate its administration. The board of directors, it is important to remember, is a body that organises decision-making powers, defines company strategy, and ensures its implementation.

    A recent study conducted by HEC Paris and the University of Oxford with 21 major European companies, including Accor, Barclays, Decathlon, Enel, L’Oréal, Michelin, Philips, and RTL Group, reveals a nuanced approach to corporate purpose by their boards of directors. The study reveals a vision of corporate purpose as an organising principle that structures decision-making, defines activities and shapes company identity.

    We found four approaches within boards of directors, which we have called “motto”, “guide”, “style” and “compass” – each with its advantages and disadvantages. The key? Aligning the board’s approach to corporate purpose with the objectives and means given to executive management for proper implementation.

    Four approaches to corporate purpose

    Our study identifies these four approaches at the level of major European company boards. A board’s chosen approach varies along two dimensions: whether the board and its associated committees refer to corporate purpose implicitly or explicitly, and whether the measures, values and behaviours associated with corporate purpose are addressed generally, abstractly or precisely.

    One of the most striking conclusions concerns the crucial importance of alignment between orchestration at the board level and operational implementation by management. Companies that fail to synchronise these two levels risk dysfunction. Either they commit too many resources when their administrative mode doesn’t require it, or they commit too few resources when their administrative mode requires more.

    The main challenge lies not so much in formulating corporate purpose as in its operational translation. This translation occurs at the interface between shareholder representatives – the directors – and those who act for the company’s development – the managers.

    ‘Motto’: agility at the price of cohesion?

    The “motto” approach, implicit and abstract, is the freest and most fluid of the four approaches. In it, corporate purpose remains implicit because it’s not embedded in formalised practices. It’s invoked as a reminder during certain decisions, without formal processes within committees. Take the example of one of the companies in the study.

    “Corporate purpose is an integral part of who we are and feeds into decision-making, both within the board and inside the company,” stated one chair who was interviewed.

    This approach allows great agility without constraining the ability to innovate rapidly. By giving management teams the freedom to interpret corporate purpose according to their cultural and competitive context, it enables purpose to have a strong local resonance. It particularly appeals to companies operating in complex or multicultural environments.

    However, this flexibility can turn into dispersion. When each subsidiary or business unit appropriates the values of the company’s corporate purpose in its own way, there’s a risk of losing overall cohesion. Common meaning frays, and with it, strategic alignment.

    ‘Style’: values as driver, at the risk of ambiguity?

    The “style” approach corresponds to an implicit understanding of corporate purpose within the company complemented by board monitoring of certain indicators. This approach values the trust and autonomy of leaders in the strategic proposals they submit to the board. In return, the board monitors employee engagement indicators and value coherence in decisions, particularly within specific committees dealing with strategy or executive compensation.

    For managers, the implicit nature of this approach allows them to rely on the strength of professional cultures. Detailed indicator monitoring provides support for implementing management practices within operational units. As with the “motto” approach, the absence of an explicit framework can generate ambiguous interpretations of corporate purpose and lead to inconsistencies. Everyone projects their own meaning, risking strategic confusion. If overly heavy monitoring mechanisms are put in place, this approach becomes trapped in a logic of execution… rather than inspiration.

    ‘Guide’: principles that are on display, but not infallible?

    The “guide” approach makes the values of corporate purpose explicit without imposing detailed indicator monitoring by the board of directors. This orchestration mode strengthens coordination between teams and establishes a corporate culture shared by as many people as possible, which promotes employee engagement. The board can mobilise corporate purpose within committees, particularly the strategic committee regarding divestitures and acquisitions. Corporate purpose serves as an informal guide to orient management in its company development plans.

    From the executive management’s perspective, this approach can prove difficult to follow in the absence of detailed criteria. The company’s strong culture can, over time, become an end in itself, even reducing corporate purpose to a symbol rather than a true strategic driver. In times of crisis, absent indicators that are precisely monitored by board committees, the “guide” can be forgotten in favour of more immediately lucrative solutions. And management might make decisions disconnected from the initial corporate purpose, sowing the seeds of future dilemmas.

    ‘Compass’: aligning without stifling

    The “compass” model combines explicit corporate purpose with detailed monitoring of numerous indicators. In this configuration, the room for manoeuvre between the board and management is reduced: they are jointly held responsible for achieving corporate purpose.

    “The budget figures seen in the board precisely and in detail reflect the factual application of corporate purpose and the long-term development of projects that support it,” stated one chair involved in the study.

    Another chair emphasised that all committees (including the risk committee) explicitly refer to corporate purpose and indicators to conduct their analyses. This approach creates strong mobilisation, aligned behaviours and global coherence. This rigour comes at a price. Measuring and reporting corporate purpose can become complex, even paralysing according to some leaders. When results don’t meet high expectations, the risk is that misunderstandings, frustrations, or even disenchantment will occur within the company.

    Corporate purpose must be orchestrated as much as it is managed

    The future of corporate purpose in Europe isn’t just about regulatory compliance or communication strategy. Nor is it simply about a set of management practices. For the best results, it must be about properly aligning board practices with the demands and means allocated to top management for implementing corporate purpose. Four approaches exist, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

    European companies have developed their approaches to purpose rooted in a different – and specific – set of circumstances. Postwar governance practices set expectations of the role of the corporation in rebuilding European society after WWII. We believe this European conception of corporate purpose, rooted in the continent’s history and turned toward the future, now goes beyond the simple question of management. It concerns the definition, role, and responsibilities of board members, and more generally corporate governance, in service of competitiveness rethought in its dimensions, rationale and temporality.

    Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.

    – ref. Corporate purpose: how boards of directors monitor the mission of European companies – https://theconversation.com/corporate-purpose-how-boards-of-directors-monitor-the-mission-of-european-companies-260858

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Devil worship, muti and murder: what’s behind the growth of occult gangs in South Africa?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ashwill Ramon Phillips, Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor, Department of Criminology, University of the Free State

    Gang-related crime in South Africa is widespread, but is under-reported outside hotspots such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town or Westbury in Johannesburg. In these areas gangs are deeply rooted and contribute to ongoing violence, drug trafficking and territorial conflict.

    But gangs have continued to evolve and gang violence has consistently increased throughout South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng and Free State provinces. In the Free State in the east-central part of the country, devil-worshipping and witchcraft-related gang practices have been reported.

    Gang-related violence is fuelled by poverty, social exclusion, unemployment and the need for protection from rival gangs.



    Read more:
    Here’s how some of Cape Town’s gangsters got out – and stayed out

    In my doctoral study in criminology, I explored the phenomenon of occult-inspired gangs in the Free State. I interviewed 23 active gang members, 16 offenders who weren’t affiliated to gangs, and 18 service providers like social workers and correctional officials working with these groups.

    In a more recent study I developed a typology of occult gangs: a framework that captures their structure, symbolism, hierarchy and spiritual practices.

    This matters because in order to prevent gang-related crime it is essential to understand how they operate.

    The rise of Free State occult gangs

    In 1997, a South African Police Service investigation uncovered a so-called devil worshipping group or “evil church” that had migrated from parts of northern Africa and established itself in Maseru, Lesotho (South Africa’s neighbour). This group reportedly blended occult practices with traditional African witchcraft. This led local communities to label it as a devil-worshipping gang.

    Since 2011, groups like this have expanded across the Free State. There are now about 40 such gangs active in the province, as reported by the police and confirmed in my research. Some of the better known gangs are the Triple 6 (666), Born-To-Kill (BTK), Natural Born Killers (NBK), International Junior Portuguese (IJP), and Maroma (Romans/Romas).

    More typical street gangs are mostly known for expanding their territory through profit from the drug trade and extortion. But these Free State gangs incorporate spirituality and esoterism (special hidden knowledge) to assert dominance, foster cohesion and generate fear within communities.

    They engage in serious crimes including murder, organ trafficking and rape. They are particularly known for acts such as ritual stabbings, cannibalism, and alleged communication with demonic forces.

    The communities in which these groups operate, and gang members themselves, refer to them as “devil worshipping gangs”. This is because of the explicit link between certain gang-related practices and satanism, or the worship of the devil as depicted in the Christian bible.

    Some groups merge beliefs and rituals related to Satan and anti-Christianity with witchcraft. Or they use symbols commonly associated with satanism such as “666” and inverted crosses. But labelling all such groups as “devil worshipping gangs” is misleading. The term “occult gangs” better captures the range of practices involved.

    While both devil worshipping and witchcraft-related practices can play a role in criminal gang activity, they differ in origin and form. Devil worshipping draws from western occult traditions, using symbols and rituals to strengthen gang identity. Witchcraft-based practices typically involve the malicious use of muti (traditional African medicine) and muti murders (murders for body parts to use in muti). As one participant told me:

    Yes, there are gangs that believe in muti. There are also gangs that believe in the devil. IJP and Roma believe in muti, while BTK and Triple 6 believe in getting power from the devil. They say they speak to Lucifer to give them powers.

    So, infamous gangs in the Free State are not only dreaded for their brutality but also for their reported links to ritual murder, blood oaths, the use of muti and the consumption of human organs and blood. According to my research these activities have progressed from being viewed as urban legends and community myths to becoming lived realities.

    Inside the gangs

    My gang typology study sample consisted of 39 male offenders, aged 14 to 38. Participants were either serving sentences or awaiting trial for serious offences such as murder, rape and armed robbery.

    The gang members spoke openly about seeking power through supernatural means. Some believed that consuming blood and participating in occult rituals could make them invisible to police and invincible against their enemies. As one told me:

    The minute you drink blood you are invoking spirits to become part of you, demons to become part of you, and give you the powers that you need to do what you have to do…

    Ritual stabbings, inverted crosses, and the “mark of the beast” (“666”) were part of their gang symbolism – seen in gang graffiti and tattoos and furthered by involvement in spiritual gatherings and the use of muti.

    These elements form part of a shared gang ideology that offers meaning, identity and purpose to marginalised young people. I found that the gang members in my studies often lacked family support, social support or significant formal education.

    To prevent young people from joining gangs, it is crucial to understand what pulls them in. Several participants described joining gangs not only for wealth, protection or status, but for a sense of spiritual power. Especially in communities where traditional religion, ancestral beliefs and Christian teachings coexist and sometimes collide.

    My typology of occult gangs has the potential to inform targeted prevention programmes, rehabilitation efforts and policing strategies that take the spiritual realities of gang members seriously.

    A new approach to fighting crime is needed

    The rise of occult gangs has now progressed beyond the Free State. Similar trends are observed in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.

    The intersection of faith, fear and violence in these gangs challenges mainstream approaches to crime prevention. Traditional anti-gang strategies assume that gangs are driven mainly by socioeconomic factors or rational incentives. They fail to account for spiritual motivations and metaphysical beliefs.

    The presence of ritual elements complicates investigations and amplifies fear. It makes gangs seem more powerful than they are.

    At the same time, public institutions such as the police and social workers often lack the frameworks and cultural sensitivity to address the spiritual dimensions of the offences perpetrated by these groups.

    The struggle with the occult gangs in South Africa mirrors similar challenges in other countries, like Nigeria, the DRC and Haiti, where spiritual symbolism and ritualised violence are central to gang identity.

    Effective interventions must include culturally grounded strategies to help members disengage from gangs, involving traditional leaders, healers, faith-based actors and mental health professionals.



    Read more:
    Rituals, rites and rumours: how women claim power in Zimbabwe’s informal gold mines

    By addressing the spiritual, social, and psychological dimensions of gang involvement, more sustainable pathways out of these groups can be created.

    Gang violence in South Africa is evolving, and so must the response. It shouldn’t just punish young offenders, but offer them a genuine alternative.

    Ashwill Ramon Phillips 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. Devil worship, muti and murder: what’s behind the growth of occult gangs in South Africa? – https://theconversation.com/devil-worship-muti-and-murder-whats-behind-the-growth-of-occult-gangs-in-south-africa-260141

    MIL OSI –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: TikTok users in Ghana and Zimbabwe enjoy making fun of government – why it can have a downside

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jacob Nyarko, Lecturer of Communication Studies, University of Cape Coast

    Browse the internet or turn on the global news and chances are the coverage of Africa you find is about war, coups, displaced populations and disease.

    Generally, the west and its media are blamed for this negative, Afropessimistic portrayal of the continent.

    Africans have taken strategic steps to repair this negative narrative. An example is the Africa Rising campaign. It was launched in 2000 by a coalition of African activists and organisations. Its objective was to highlight the role of Africa in global development and encourage Africans at home and the diaspora to contribute positively. Social media platforms played a large role in content distribution and messaging. The success of this campaign is still the subject of debate.



    Read more:
    Western media outlets are trying to fix their racist, stereotypical coverage of Africa. Is it time African media did the same?

    As communication scholars, we were intrigued by the visual appeal of the social media platform TikTok. With our area of expertise being Ghana and Zimbabwe respectively, we were interested in how citizens of these countries were using the popular TikTok app to report on themselves.

    Our study explored the self-critical content that many Africans share on TikTok. We found that TikTok posts and comments by Ghanaian and Zimbabwean creators generated entertaining information. We call this “fun journalism”. TikTokers use it to comment on important issues, but the way they do it could also harm the reputation of the two countries and influence decisions in unintended ways.

    Fun journalism and reputation

    As a creative and innovative platform, TikTok has enabled users to produce multimedia materials and share them across the globe for fun and entertainment. According to the Digital 2025: Ghana report by Datareportal, 81% of Ghanaians aged 16 and over use the internet to access TikTok monthly. That makes it the second most popular platform after WhatsApp (93%). Zimbabwe has 2.05 million TikTok users aged 18 and above, according to tech data aggregator Datareportal.

    Studies show that users tend to “play” with social media, even when they use it for serious things. Our study showed that the fun videos uploaded by TikTokers from Ghana and Zimbabwe covered serious issues like security, education, sanitation, corruption, entertainment, religion and sports.



    Read more:
    Nigerian TikTok star Charity Ekezie uses hilarious skits to dispel ignorance about Africa

    For example, one Ghanaian TikTok video compares how a Ghanaian and a European would react if they picked up money that someone had lost. The video suggests an African would keep the money, while a European would try to locate the original owner.

    In many instances, users ridiculed their countries and fellow citizens. They compared African conditions to the global north in ways that degraded local endeavours. For example, in one TikTok video, a user imitated Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa having difficulties explaining the number of zeroes in a million. This gave the impression that he was semi-literate and out of his depth.

    We found that, generally, the entertaining discourses on TikTok were laden with insults and critiques of government. Though some of the content raised legitimate concerns, it seldom offered solutions to the identified challenges. This suggested that TikTok content that jokingly covered significant national development issues eroded reputational gains made by the two countries by framing them negatively. We cite several examples in the study.

    Comparing this phenomenon to other countries, a study on Chinese uploads onto TikTok showed the following results: 41% positive, 53% neutral and 6% negative.

    Self-ridiculing factors and misinformation

    TikTokers ridiculed the reputation of Ghana and Zimbabwe in three ways:

    • Exaggerated production of video content. This includes emotional background sounds, tone of voice, slang, animation, unfavourable shooting locations and poor video quality

    • comparing African countries to foreign conditions

    • generating unfavourable comments.

    “Fake news” has become an integral part of social media, raising doubts about the credibility of information generally. We argue that such content should no longer be seen as harmless humour.

    link text

    Implications and measures

    As the press freedom rankings of both countries fall, TikTok can be a safe, open space for citizens to raise important public concerns.

    The platform makes space for a diversity of opinions from the youthful populations found in the two countries. This is important for communication and building consensus in development.

    We argue that TikTokers should be encouraged to offer constructive criticisms of their countries and propose solutions instead of insults.

    Policy makers should tap into the vast repository of “fun” information published on TikTok for development. The opinions expressed by citizens online are a helpful reflection of societal needs. This can be taken into consideration when formulating policies.



    Read more:
    How memes in the DRC allow people to laugh at those in power – and themselves

    Mainstream professional media could adopt the fun journalism model to tell serious stories in ways that boost development and reputation. The platform’s wide usage will make information accessible to a large audience.

    Media regulatory bodies, nongovernmental organisations and civil society groups are encouraged to educate netizens to publish critical and progressive stories about their countries. This can help combat misinformation and disinformation on social media, particularly TikTok.

    Finally, governments should take steps to positively project their respective countries to the world. They could run educational programmes to inculcate a sense of patriotism and identity to rekindle the initiatives that Africa Rising advocated.

    Jacob Nyarko receives funding from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana for this work.

    Oswelled Ureke 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. TikTok users in Ghana and Zimbabwe enjoy making fun of government – why it can have a downside – https://theconversation.com/tiktok-users-in-ghana-and-zimbabwe-enjoy-making-fun-of-government-why-it-can-have-a-downside-259734

    MIL OSI –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: TikTok users in Ghana and Zimbabwe enjoy making fun of government – why it can have a downside

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jacob Nyarko, Lecturer of Communication Studies, University of Cape Coast

    Browse the internet or turn on the global news and chances are the coverage of Africa you find is about war, coups, displaced populations and disease.

    Generally, the west and its media are blamed for this negative, Afropessimistic portrayal of the continent.

    Africans have taken strategic steps to repair this negative narrative. An example is the Africa Rising campaign. It was launched in 2000 by a coalition of African activists and organisations. Its objective was to highlight the role of Africa in global development and encourage Africans at home and the diaspora to contribute positively. Social media platforms played a large role in content distribution and messaging. The success of this campaign is still the subject of debate.

    Read more: Western media outlets are trying to fix their racist, stereotypical coverage of Africa. Is it time African media did the same?

    As communication scholars, we were intrigued by the visual appeal of the social media platform TikTok. With our area of expertise being Ghana and Zimbabwe respectively, we were interested in how citizens of these countries were using the popular TikTok app to report on themselves.

    Our study explored the self-critical content that many Africans share on TikTok. We found that TikTok posts and comments by Ghanaian and Zimbabwean creators generated entertaining information. We call this “fun journalism”. TikTokers use it to comment on important issues, but the way they do it could also harm the reputation of the two countries and influence decisions in unintended ways.

    Fun journalism and reputation

    As a creative and innovative platform, TikTok has enabled users to produce multimedia materials and share them across the globe for fun and entertainment. According to the Digital 2025: Ghana report by Datareportal, 81% of Ghanaians aged 16 and over use the internet to access TikTok monthly. That makes it the second most popular platform after WhatsApp (93%). Zimbabwe has 2.05 million TikTok users aged 18 and above, according to tech data aggregator Datareportal.

    Studies show that users tend to “play” with social media, even when they use it for serious things. Our study showed that the fun videos uploaded by TikTokers from Ghana and Zimbabwe covered serious issues like security, education, sanitation, corruption, entertainment, religion and sports.

    Read more: Nigerian TikTok star Charity Ekezie uses hilarious skits to dispel ignorance about Africa

    For example, one Ghanaian TikTok video compares how a Ghanaian and a European would react if they picked up money that someone had lost. The video suggests an African would keep the money, while a European would try to locate the original owner.

    In many instances, users ridiculed their countries and fellow citizens. They compared African conditions to the global north in ways that degraded local endeavours. For example, in one TikTok video, a user imitated Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa having difficulties explaining the number of zeroes in a million. This gave the impression that he was semi-literate and out of his depth.

    We found that, generally, the entertaining discourses on TikTok were laden with insults and critiques of government. Though some of the content raised legitimate concerns, it seldom offered solutions to the identified challenges. This suggested that TikTok content that jokingly covered significant national development issues eroded reputational gains made by the two countries by framing them negatively. We cite several examples in the study.

    Comparing this phenomenon to other countries, a study on Chinese uploads onto TikTok showed the following results: 41% positive, 53% neutral and 6% negative.

    Self-ridiculing factors and misinformation

    TikTokers ridiculed the reputation of Ghana and Zimbabwe in three ways:

    • Exaggerated production of video content. This includes emotional background sounds, tone of voice, slang, animation, unfavourable shooting locations and poor video quality

    • comparing African countries to foreign conditions

    • generating unfavourable comments.

    “Fake news” has become an integral part of social media, raising doubts about the credibility of information generally. We argue that such content should no longer be seen as harmless humour.

    link text

    Implications and measures

    As the press freedom rankings of both countries fall, TikTok can be a safe, open space for citizens to raise important public concerns.

    The platform makes space for a diversity of opinions from the youthful populations found in the two countries. This is important for communication and building consensus in development.

    We argue that TikTokers should be encouraged to offer constructive criticisms of their countries and propose solutions instead of insults.

    Policy makers should tap into the vast repository of “fun” information published on TikTok for development. The opinions expressed by citizens online are a helpful reflection of societal needs. This can be taken into consideration when formulating policies.

    Read more: How memes in the DRC allow people to laugh at those in power – and themselves

    Mainstream professional media could adopt the fun journalism model to tell serious stories in ways that boost development and reputation. The platform’s wide usage will make information accessible to a large audience.

    Media regulatory bodies, nongovernmental organisations and civil society groups are encouraged to educate netizens to publish critical and progressive stories about their countries. This can help combat misinformation and disinformation on social media, particularly TikTok.

    Finally, governments should take steps to positively project their respective countries to the world. They could run educational programmes to inculcate a sense of patriotism and identity to rekindle the initiatives that Africa Rising advocated.

    – TikTok users in Ghana and Zimbabwe enjoy making fun of government – why it can have a downside
    – https://theconversation.com/tiktok-users-in-ghana-and-zimbabwe-enjoy-making-fun-of-government-why-it-can-have-a-downside-259734

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Devil worship, muti and murder: what’s behind the growth of occult gangs in South Africa?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ashwill Ramon Phillips, Lecturer and Postgraduate Supervisor, Department of Criminology, University of the Free State

    Gang-related crime in South Africa is widespread, but is under-reported outside hotspots such as the Cape Flats in Cape Town or Westbury in Johannesburg. In these areas gangs are deeply rooted and contribute to ongoing violence, drug trafficking and territorial conflict.

    But gangs have continued to evolve and gang violence has consistently increased throughout South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng and Free State provinces. In the Free State in the east-central part of the country, devil-worshipping and witchcraft-related gang practices have been reported.

    Gang-related violence is fuelled by poverty, social exclusion, unemployment and the need for protection from rival gangs.

    Read more: Here’s how some of Cape Town’s gangsters got out – and stayed out

    In my doctoral study in criminology, I explored the phenomenon of occult-inspired gangs in the Free State. I interviewed 23 active gang members, 16 offenders who weren’t affiliated to gangs, and 18 service providers like social workers and correctional officials working with these groups.

    In a more recent study I developed a typology of occult gangs: a framework that captures their structure, symbolism, hierarchy and spiritual practices.

    This matters because in order to prevent gang-related crime it is essential to understand how they operate.

    The rise of Free State occult gangs

    In 1997, a South African Police Service investigation uncovered a so-called devil worshipping group or “evil church” that had migrated from parts of northern Africa and established itself in Maseru, Lesotho (South Africa’s neighbour). This group reportedly blended occult practices with traditional African witchcraft. This led local communities to label it as a devil-worshipping gang.

    A BTK gang tattoo. Ashwill Ramon Phillips

    Since 2011, groups like this have expanded across the Free State. There are now about 40 such gangs active in the province, as reported by the police and confirmed in my research. Some of the better known gangs are the Triple 6 (666), Born-To-Kill (BTK), Natural Born Killers (NBK), International Junior Portuguese (IJP), and Maroma (Romans/Romas).

    More typical street gangs are mostly known for expanding their territory through profit from the drug trade and extortion. But these Free State gangs incorporate spirituality and esoterism (special hidden knowledge) to assert dominance, foster cohesion and generate fear within communities.

    They engage in serious crimes including murder, organ trafficking and rape. They are particularly known for acts such as ritual stabbings, cannibalism, and alleged communication with demonic forces.

    NBK gang tattoo. Ashwill Ramon Phillips

    The communities in which these groups operate, and gang members themselves, refer to them as “devil worshipping gangs”. This is because of the explicit link between certain gang-related practices and satanism, or the worship of the devil as depicted in the Christian bible.

    Some groups merge beliefs and rituals related to Satan and anti-Christianity with witchcraft. Or they use symbols commonly associated with satanism such as “666” and inverted crosses. But labelling all such groups as “devil worshipping gangs” is misleading. The term “occult gangs” better captures the range of practices involved.

    While both devil worshipping and witchcraft-related practices can play a role in criminal gang activity, they differ in origin and form. Devil worshipping draws from western occult traditions, using symbols and rituals to strengthen gang identity. Witchcraft-based practices typically involve the malicious use of muti (traditional African medicine) and muti murders (murders for body parts to use in muti). As one participant told me:

    Yes, there are gangs that believe in muti. There are also gangs that believe in the devil. IJP and Roma believe in muti, while BTK and Triple 6 believe in getting power from the devil. They say they speak to Lucifer to give them powers.

    So, infamous gangs in the Free State are not only dreaded for their brutality but also for their reported links to ritual murder, blood oaths, the use of muti and the consumption of human organs and blood. According to my research these activities have progressed from being viewed as urban legends and community myths to becoming lived realities.

    Inside the gangs

    My gang typology study sample consisted of 39 male offenders, aged 14 to 38. Participants were either serving sentences or awaiting trial for serious offences such as murder, rape and armed robbery.

    The gang members spoke openly about seeking power through supernatural means. Some believed that consuming blood and participating in occult rituals could make them invisible to police and invincible against their enemies. As one told me:

    The minute you drink blood you are invoking spirits to become part of you, demons to become part of you, and give you the powers that you need to do what you have to do…

    A drawing by a Triple 6 gang member. Ashwill Ramon Phillips

    Ritual stabbings, inverted crosses, and the “mark of the beast” (“666”) were part of their gang symbolism – seen in gang graffiti and tattoos and furthered by involvement in spiritual gatherings and the use of muti.

    These elements form part of a shared gang ideology that offers meaning, identity and purpose to marginalised young people. I found that the gang members in my studies often lacked family support, social support or significant formal education.

    To prevent young people from joining gangs, it is crucial to understand what pulls them in. Several participants described joining gangs not only for wealth, protection or status, but for a sense of spiritual power. Especially in communities where traditional religion, ancestral beliefs and Christian teachings coexist and sometimes collide.

    My typology of occult gangs has the potential to inform targeted prevention programmes, rehabilitation efforts and policing strategies that take the spiritual realities of gang members seriously.

    A new approach to fighting crime is needed

    The rise of occult gangs has now progressed beyond the Free State. Similar trends are observed in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.

    The intersection of faith, fear and violence in these gangs challenges mainstream approaches to crime prevention. Traditional anti-gang strategies assume that gangs are driven mainly by socioeconomic factors or rational incentives. They fail to account for spiritual motivations and metaphysical beliefs.

    The presence of ritual elements complicates investigations and amplifies fear. It makes gangs seem more powerful than they are.

    At the same time, public institutions such as the police and social workers often lack the frameworks and cultural sensitivity to address the spiritual dimensions of the offences perpetrated by these groups.

    A drawing by a BTK gang member. Ashwill Ramon Phillips

    The struggle with the occult gangs in South Africa mirrors similar challenges in other countries, like Nigeria, the DRC and Haiti, where spiritual symbolism and ritualised violence are central to gang identity.

    Effective interventions must include culturally grounded strategies to help members disengage from gangs, involving traditional leaders, healers, faith-based actors and mental health professionals.

    Read more: Rituals, rites and rumours: how women claim power in Zimbabwe’s informal gold mines

    By addressing the spiritual, social, and psychological dimensions of gang involvement, more sustainable pathways out of these groups can be created.

    Gang violence in South Africa is evolving, and so must the response. It shouldn’t just punish young offenders, but offer them a genuine alternative.

    – Devil worship, muti and murder: what’s behind the growth of occult gangs in South Africa?
    – https://theconversation.com/devil-worship-muti-and-murder-whats-behind-the-growth-of-occult-gangs-in-south-africa-260141

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Grills Trump’s Singapore Ambassador Nominee: “This is Not a Glamour Posting—You Need to Shape Up and Do Your Homework”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 09, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) grilled Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Dr. Anjani Sinha, at his confirmation hearing today, exposing how deeply unqualified he is for this critically important role. During the Senator’s line of questioning, Dr. Sinha failed to answer several basic, important questions, proving he doesn’t know the first thing about maintaining not only the U.S.-Singapore partnership, but any of our relationships with ASEAN nations. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

    “Dr. Sinha is deeply unprepared to effectively lead our nation’s mission in Singapore,” said Duckworth. “This is not a role you can pick up on a whim or because you might think it will be glamorous. Singapore is too important to the United States, ASEAN and the entire Indo-Pacific region for someone as unqualified as Dr. Sinha. His lack of understanding and preparedness for this job could cause friction in our critical relationships and is disqualifying for such an important role. He will not have my vote.”

    In May, Duckworth led a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Singapore alongside U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) to this year’s International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Shangri-La Dialogue, which is Asia’s premier global international security and defense summit, to reaffirm the United States’ strong bipartisan commitment to our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region. This trip came after Duckworth led a bipartisan delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue alongside U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) last year.

    Duckworth is a proven leader when it comes to strengthening our relations with Indo-Pacific nations and improving security in the region—which she has done while successfully securing significant international investments in Illinois. In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was signed into law, Duckworth successfully secured a modified version of her Access to Care for Overseas Military Act to improve medical readiness in the Indo-Pacific. This provision established a program to accredit foreign medical facilities to help ensure our nation’s servicemembers as well as their families have access to quality patient care throughout the Indo-Pacific region—where they often must travel long distances to receive care—both during peacetime and in the event of a conflict abroad.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark Devolution Bill brings new dawn of regional power

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Landmark Devolution Bill brings new dawn of regional power

    English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill delivers on manifesto commitment to de-centralise power and ignite regional growth with powers for mayors.

    Ambition for all regions to take the reins in driving growth receives its biggest boost as the landmark English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is introduced to Parliament today [Thursday 10th July]. 

    Local people will take back control of their regions, from bolstered rights to save cherished community assets, to a bigger voice in neighbourhood governance and increased powers to their directly elected leaders and mayors so they can unlock housing, transport and jobs in their regions through Local Growth Plans.  

    The Bill will deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment to unlock a generational shift in power from Westminster to those with skin in the game, and rebalance prosperity, deliver economic growth and a decade of national renewal across the nation as part of the Plan for Change. 

    Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: 

    We were elected on a promise of change, not just for a few areas cherry-picked by a Whitehall spreadsheet, but for the entire country. It was never going to be easy to deliver the growth our country desperately needed with the inheritance we were dumped with. 

    But that’s why we are opting to devolve not dictate and delivering a Bill that will rebalance decade old divides and empower communities. We’re ushering in a new dawn of regional power and bringing decision making to a local level so that no single street or household is left behind and every community thrives from our Plan for Change.”  

    Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP said:  

    For too long power and opportunity has been concentrated in Westminster and Whitehall while the local councils millions rely on have been frustrated and diminished. This failed approach has held back growth across our country for far too long. Local people see this in the job market, on the high street and in their own household security and prosperity.  

    Devolution begins the work of fixing that, with this Bill delivering freedom to local leaders to make decisions for their local areas in partnership with local communities, unleashing more growth and more opportunities for people as part of our Plan for Change.”  

    England has fallen behind from the rest of the globe in modernising how decisions are made, but devolution prioritises people and partnership over paperwork and politics. This Bill will deliver changes including 

    • Making more local ownership of pubs, shops and social hubs  easier through a new Community Right to Buy meaning communities will have the first opportunity to purchase local assets when they are put up for sale, and be given an extended 12-month period to raise funding. And more local sports grounds will be saved by introducing a new ‘Sporting’ category protection of local assets preserving local character, boosting tourism and keeping community spirit alive.  

    • Banning Upward Only Rent Reviews (UORR) clauses in commercial leases, which pit landlords against businesses and can make rents unaffordable and cause shops to shut. This will help keep small businesses running, boost local economies and job opportunities and help end the blight of vacant high streets and the unacceptable anti-social behaviour that comes with them.  

    • A stronger voice for communities with a new requirement for local authorities to put in place effective neighbourhood governance to give residents more of a say in shaping their local areas.  

    • Quicker action on the changes local people want to see with more rights for Mayors, elected by their communities, to take back control of delivering for their voters’, from new licensing powers for rental e-bikes to new planning powers to set the direction of growth across their areas.  

    • Boosting economic growth with mayors working across the country to turbocharge the national missions by developing tailor made Local Growth Plans to kickstart local economies and ultimately getting more money in people’s pockets.  

    • Streamlined powers for Mayors across England to speed up the development of new homes and infrastructure in their areas. This will include a new power to institute Mayoral Development Orders, as well as a streamlined process to establish Mayoral Development Corporations, so that we can replicate the success of projects such as the Olympic Park legacy and attract inward investment right across the country. 

    • Fixing the cracks in local government through rebuilding the sector from the ground up to be more efficient, local people will get the daily services they deserve and rely on from their Council, like bin collection, whilst also enabling areas to work together over larger areas to deliver the big changes, like integrated transport networks. This will be done through the creation of new ‘Strategic Authorities’ that will boost connectivity and collaboration between Councils.    

    • Restoring taxpayers’ trust in councils’ spending through fixing the local audit system with the establishment of the Local Audit Office, which will increase transparency, simplify and streamline the system.  

    Deepening devolution across the country is what delivers the change to the day-to-day services and opportunities on every region’s doorstep. From the new Anglia Ruskin University in Peterborough, to ticket caps for commuters on the Bee Network in Manchester and budding film and TV creatives flocking to Liverpool’s Littlewoods over Hollywood – devolution is what will bring this regeneration to all regions.

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    Published 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business

    CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business
    lsaito
    Thu, 07/10/2025 – 09:43

    Raleigh, NC

    North Carolina has been recognized as the Top State for Business by CNBC. This announcement marks the third time in the last four years that the state has earned the ranking.

    “This confirms what we have known for a long time – that North Carolina is the best state in the country for business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our people, state’s business climate, top research universities and excellent community college system, infrastructure, and high quality of life help both companies and workers thrive. I want to thank leaders like former Governor Roy Cooper and state legislators of both parties who have helped North Carolina create a welcoming climate. I am proud of the progress our state has made, and we are just getting started.” 

    “This recognition reflects our relentless commitment to building a competitive, welcoming, and dynamic economy that creates opportunity for everyone,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “From our world-class workforce to our strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and innovation, North Carolina continues to lead the way as a place where businesses thrive, and communities prosper. We share this success with all of our partners across the public and private sectors and look forward to building on this momentum.”

    “North Carolina’s recognition as the best state for business for the third year in the last four is a testament to an economic development strategy that relies on the power of partnerships,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the EDPNC. “Our strength lies in our ability to connect companies with the workforce, infrastructure, sites, industry ecosystems, and innovation resources needed to support their growth, as well as a business-friendly environment that’s especially valuable in times of economic uncertainty. From one of the nation’s top community college systems and the nation’s oldest public university to our modern transportation networks and robust utility capacity, North Carolina is built for growth.”

    The CNBC study measures states across 10 categories of competitiveness. Weights are assigned to each category based on how frequently states cite it as a selling point. States can earn a maximum of 2,500 points, and North Carolina scored 1,614 to take the top spot. North Carolina has been the top state for business for three out of the last four years, and the state’s biggest strengths this year are Economy, Workforce, and Business Friendliness.  

    Since taking office in January, Governor Stein has announced business expansions or new projects that will yield nearly $17 billion of new capital investment in North Carolina and create more than 20,000 new, good-paying jobs. North Carolina is a leader in the clean energy economy, with more than 100,000 people employed in the sector.  

    Governor Stein believes that North Carolinians should not have to get a traditional four-year degree to get a good job that can support a family. In March, he signed an executive order creating the Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, a bipartisan group directed to find strategies to strengthen North Carolina’s workforce development and expand access to good jobs with good wages. The council recently released its first report, which outlines 11 goals to ensure more people have the skills to build strong careers and bright futures in a changing economy. Governor Stein recently signed into law Senate Bill 124, which reduces the number of state government jobs that require a four-year college degree.

    To combat North Carolina’s child care crisis, the Governor launched his Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, which seeks to make high-quality child care more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Governor Stein also established the Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-Being to ensure that the state’s public schools support students’ learning growth and foster an engaging environment.

    Nine months after Hurricane Helene, Governor Stein remains committed to the economic recovery efforts in western North Carolina. He recently announced the “Rediscover the Unforgettable” tourism initiative in collaboration with Visit NC to encourage travelers to plan their next trips to western North Carolina. In partnership with the Dogwood Health Trust and the Duke Endowment, Governor Stein and the State of North Carolina invested in the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative. The $55 million program provided grants to more than 2,000 businesses across the region. This week, Governor Stein visited the Town of Clyde to award one of the first grants from the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program, which is helping local governments rebuild public infrastructure such as sidewalks and downtown parking. Governor Stein continues to urge people to visit western North Carolina and support its small businesses.

    Click here to read CNBC’s report.  

    Jul 10, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business

    CNBC Names North Carolina the #1 State for Business
    lsaito
    Thu, 07/10/2025 – 09:43

    Raleigh, NC

    North Carolina has been recognized as the Top State for Business by CNBC. This announcement marks the third time in the last four years that the state has earned the ranking.

    “This confirms what we have known for a long time – that North Carolina is the best state in the country for business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our people, state’s business climate, top research universities and excellent community college system, infrastructure, and high quality of life help both companies and workers thrive. I want to thank leaders like former Governor Roy Cooper and state legislators of both parties who have helped North Carolina create a welcoming climate. I am proud of the progress our state has made, and we are just getting started.” 

    “This recognition reflects our relentless commitment to building a competitive, welcoming, and dynamic economy that creates opportunity for everyone,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “From our world-class workforce to our strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and innovation, North Carolina continues to lead the way as a place where businesses thrive, and communities prosper. We share this success with all of our partners across the public and private sectors and look forward to building on this momentum.”

    “North Carolina’s recognition as the best state for business for the third year in the last four is a testament to an economic development strategy that relies on the power of partnerships,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the EDPNC. “Our strength lies in our ability to connect companies with the workforce, infrastructure, sites, industry ecosystems, and innovation resources needed to support their growth, as well as a business-friendly environment that’s especially valuable in times of economic uncertainty. From one of the nation’s top community college systems and the nation’s oldest public university to our modern transportation networks and robust utility capacity, North Carolina is built for growth.”

    The CNBC study measures states across 10 categories of competitiveness. Weights are assigned to each category based on how frequently states cite it as a selling point. States can earn a maximum of 2,500 points, and North Carolina scored 1,614 to take the top spot. North Carolina has been the top state for business for three out of the last four years, and the state’s biggest strengths this year are Economy, Workforce, and Business Friendliness.  

    Since taking office in January, Governor Stein has announced business expansions or new projects that will yield nearly $17 billion of new capital investment in North Carolina and create more than 20,000 new, good-paying jobs. North Carolina is a leader in the clean energy economy, with more than 100,000 people employed in the sector.  

    Governor Stein believes that North Carolinians should not have to get a traditional four-year degree to get a good job that can support a family. In March, he signed an executive order creating the Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, a bipartisan group directed to find strategies to strengthen North Carolina’s workforce development and expand access to good jobs with good wages. The council recently released its first report, which outlines 11 goals to ensure more people have the skills to build strong careers and bright futures in a changing economy. Governor Stein recently signed into law Senate Bill 124, which reduces the number of state government jobs that require a four-year college degree.

    To combat North Carolina’s child care crisis, the Governor launched his Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, which seeks to make high-quality child care more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Governor Stein also established the Advisory Council on Student Safety and Well-Being to ensure that the state’s public schools support students’ learning growth and foster an engaging environment.

    Nine months after Hurricane Helene, Governor Stein remains committed to the economic recovery efforts in western North Carolina. He recently announced the “Rediscover the Unforgettable” tourism initiative in collaboration with Visit NC to encourage travelers to plan their next trips to western North Carolina. In partnership with the Dogwood Health Trust and the Duke Endowment, Governor Stein and the State of North Carolina invested in the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative. The $55 million program provided grants to more than 2,000 businesses across the region. This week, Governor Stein visited the Town of Clyde to award one of the first grants from the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program, which is helping local governments rebuild public infrastructure such as sidewalks and downtown parking. Governor Stein continues to urge people to visit western North Carolina and support its small businesses.

    Click here to read CNBC’s report.  

    Jul 10, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Bayeux tapestry set to return to the UK – in medieval times it was like an immersive art installation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alexandra Makin, Third Century Research Fellow, Manchester Metropolitan University

    The Bayeux tapestry is set to return to the UK for the first time in almost 1,000 years. One of the most important cultural artefacts in the world, it is to be displayed at the British Museum from September 2026.

    Its significance for history is unquestioned – but you may not think of the Bayeux tapestry as a work of art. Sure, you may recognise it from your history lessons or political campaigns. Maybe you like embroidery and textiles or know about it because of the modern versions it inspired – think the Game of Thrones tapestry or the Great Tapestry of Scotland. Perhaps you are an early medievalist and use it as comparative evidence.

    For me, this now famous wall hanging is undoubtedly art, created with great skill. What fascinates me as a textile archaeologist is how early medieval people saw and understood the tapestry.

    First, let’s contextualise it a little. The hanging is not a woven tapestry but an embroidery, stitched in wool threads on nine panels of linen fabric that were then sewn together. It was made in around 1070, probably in England. Nobody knows how big it originally was, but it now measures 68.3 metres long by approximately 70cm high.

    Starting at the end of Edward the Confessor’s reign (1042-1066), the tapestry’s comic book narrative tells a vivid, very modern story of the struggle for power and the English throne – and the brutal means William of Normandy (1028-1087) used to get it.

    This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.

    It follows the highs and lows of Harold Godwinson, Edward the Confessor’s brother-in-law, who became king after Edward’s death in 1066, and his eventual downfall at the Battle of Hastings.

    The end of the hanging, and therefore the story, is now missing but it was probably the triumphal coronation of William. It would have provided a mirror in symmetry to the first scene, which depicts an enthroned Edward.

    Sensory archaeology of the tapestry

    Today, the hanging is famous because it is the only surviving example of its kind. But documentary sources from early medieval England demonstrate that this type of wall hanging was a popular way for families to depict their stories and great deeds.

    A good example is the Byrhtnoth wall hanging, which Æthelflæd, the wife of an Anglo-Saxon Ealdorman of Essex Byrhtnoth, gave to the church in Ely after he was killed in 991. We know that the Normans also understood these storytelling wall hangings because Abbot Baudri of Bourgueil (c. 1050-1130) expertly incorporated such a device in a poem he wrote to honour Adela of Blois (c. 1067-1137), the daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda (c. 1031-1083).

    The Bayeux tapestry was, therefore, an obvious way to tell people about the downfall of the English and the rise of the Normans. But this is not all. The early medieval population of Britain loved riddles, multilayered meanings and hidden messages. Evidence survives in pieces like the gold buckle from the 7th-century Sutton Hoo ship burial, the early 8th-century Franks Casket and the 10th-century Book of Exeter. So it is not surprising that people today have argued for hidden messages in the Bayeux tapestry.

    While these concepts are interesting, so much emphasis has been placed on them and the role the embroiderers played in creating them, that other ways of early medieval viewing and understanding have been ignored.

    Early medieval society viewed its world through the senses. By using sensory archaeology, a theoretical approach that helps researchers understand how past societies interacted with their worlds through sight, touch, taste, smell and sound, we can imagine how people encountering the Bayeux tapestry would have connected with and understood it.

    A guide to the story depicted on the Bayeux tapestry.

    Art historian Linda Neagley has argued that pre-Renaissance people interacted with art visually, kinaesthetically (sensory perception through bodily movement) and physically. The Bayeux tapestry would have been hung at eye level to enable this. So if we take expert in Anglo-Saxon culture Gale Owen-Crocker’s idea that the tapestry was originally hung in a square with certain scenes facing each other, people would have stood in the centre. That would make it an 11th-century immersive space with scenes corresponding and echoing each other, drawing the viewer’s attention, playing on their senses and understanding of the story they thought they knew.

    If we imagine ourselves entering that space, we move from a cooler, stone-hewn room into a warmer, softer area, encased in linen and wool, their smell tickling our noses. Outside sounds would be deadened, the movement of people softened, voices quietened. People would move from one scene to another, through the open doors of the stage-like buildings where the action inside can be seen and watched, boldly or surreptitiously. The view might be partially blocked by others and their reactions and gesticulations as they engaged with and discussed what they saw.

    The bright colours of the embroidery would have made a kaleidoscope of colour, a blur that defined itself the closer people got to the work. The boldness and three-dimensionality of the stitching helped to draw them into the action while any movement of the hanging brought the imagery alive.

    Here are the main characters in the room with you, telling you their story, inviting you to join them on their journeys of victory or doom.

    As onlookers discussed what they saw, or read the inscriptions, they interacted with the embroidered players, giving them voice and enabling them to join the conversation. If the hanging formed part of a banquet then the smell of food, clanking of dishes and movement of the fabric and stitchwork as servants passed would have enhanced the experience. The feasting scenes dotted throughout the hanging would be echoed in the hall.

    I believe the Bayeux tapestry was not simply an inanimate art object to be viewed and read from the outside. It was an immersive retelling of the end of an era and the start of something new. When you entered its space you became part of that story, sensorially reliving it, keeping it alive. To me, this is the true power of this now famous embroidery.

    Beyond the canon

    As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is Alexandra Makin’s suggestion:

    The ITV series Unforgotten, now in its sixth season (with a seventh on the way) gripped me from the start. It follows a team of British police detectives as they track down the killers of people whose bodies have been recently found, but who were murdered years before.

    As they do, we, the viewer, are given access to the characters’ often emotional stories. We are brought into their sphere and experience their pain, distress, happiness, horror. We get unrivalled access, eventually, to the motives for their seemingly strange actions. As with the Bayeux tapestry, we are swallowed up in their worlds. This is achieved by Chris Lang’s fabulous writing, the cinematography and the exquisite acting.

    Together these elements make a whole, opening a window, immersing you in a world full of powerful sensory engagements. For me, this is classic art in the making.

    Alexandra Makin undertakes unpaid consultancy work for the Bayeux Tapestry Museum.

    – ref. Bayeux tapestry set to return to the UK – in medieval times it was like an immersive art installation – https://theconversation.com/bayeux-tapestry-set-to-return-to-the-uk-in-medieval-times-it-was-like-an-immersive-art-installation-258438

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Trump’s budget cuts are adding to risk in life-threatening floods and emergencies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Clodagh Harrington, Lecturer in American Politics, University College Cork

    Acclaimed author Michael Lewis wrote a book about the first Trump administration entitled The Fifth Risk, outlining the consequences when people who don’t understand how the government of a vast, complex and multifaceted nation works are put in charge of said government.

    The bestseller was more gripping and fascinating than any work of fiction. It outlined the realities that followed Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign promises to shrink the federal bureaucracy. In it, Lewis quotes lawyer Max Stier, who he describes as the American with the greatest understanding of how his nation’s government worked. Stier offers the truism that “the basic role of governments is to keep us safe.”

    You might deduce that this means those in charge during, and ahead of, emergencies should know what to do and how to do it. And, they have to want to do it. In the case of Trump term one, there was often evidence that some or all of these three elements were lacking. Evidently, planning for distant risk was not something that Trump and his team were interested in prioritising.

    Fast forward to July 2025, and US headlines are filled with images of devastating flash floods in which more than 100 Texans, many of them children, lost their lives. In Kerr County, outside of San Antonio, water levels of the Guadalupe River rose to what was considered a once in a “100-year catastrophe”. Nobody saw it coming, or at least not to the extent that it did. Despite official warnings, the result was one of the worst natural disasters ever faced by the state.

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    Days earlier, Trump’s “big beautiful bill” was passed in the Senate with a tight 51:50 majority. Republican Texas senator Ted Cruz was among the supporters of a bill which will cut funding for the National Weather Service (NWS) by 6.7% in 2026. These come on the back of earlier resource reductions to the NWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).

    Within days of the Texas floods, Democrats were calling for an investigation into whether previous budget cuts might have affected capacity for flood preparedness in Kerr County.



    Read more:
    How Donald Trump’s economic policies, including uncertainty around tariffs, are damaging the US economy

    For the bereaved, talk of culpability will hardly bring solace. And any immediate political blame game presents as unseemly in the middle of so much personal tragedy. But a New York Times article reported that “some experts say that staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate response”. Such speculative language does not offer clarity or reassurance, and even the often brash president has thus far refrained from finger pointing.

    Nonetheless, uncomfortable conversations are necessary, as it is clear that slashing federal funding does not serve the nation well. Trump already had budget cutting form, as his first-term efforts to slash NOAA and related programme funding demonstrated.

    In 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was also targeted for staff and funding reductions. This came along with the appointment of EPA chiefs who appeared uninterested in prioritising the climate crisis. More recently, the controversial spending cuts agency the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), headed by Elon Musk, included NOAA in its sights.



    Read more:
    Why Texas Hill Country, where a devastating flood killed dozens, is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding

    Yale University’s Center for Environmental Communication said that while there was no clear evidence that budget cuts had affected weather forecasting in the Texas case, Trump’s planned additional cuts would affect some of NOAA’s key flash flood forecast tools. This includes the Flash project, which improves accuracy, timing and specificity of warnings, such as those that occurred in Texas on July 4. It also said that the weather service had lost many of its most senior staff, which would increase the risks associated with weather-related tragedies.

    Flood water in Texas rose spectacularly fast causing dozens of deaths.

    Cuts and the climate

    Across the board, Doge has targeted other agencies that the public rely on in a crisis, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), where plans to reduce staffing by about 20% are currently coming into effect. With responsibility for managing natural and climate-fuelled disasters from hurricanes to floods, the agency has become busier in recent years as disasters have evolved from seasonal to perennial.

    Rob Moore, the director of flooding solutions at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an influential environmental body, argued that “America’s disaster safety net is unraveling.”

    There are likely to be more floods, and other nature-based catastrophes with multiple probable causes and features. While outright prevention may not always be possible, governmental risk and disaster management can help to preclude the devastation seen on July 4 in Texas.

    The problem with responding to long-term risk with short-term or inadequate solutions is that one day, an existential threat could arrive for which the US will not be ready. The danger may not even be as overwhelming as a global pandemic or nuclear threat. It could be as mundane as a local river overflowing. For those who lost their loved ones in Texas, there is nothing distant about their anguish.

    A country with the world’s largest economy does not have to cut federal bureaucracy corners. Wasting tax dollars is never a vote winner, but funding vital emergency services like Fema and the National Weather Service is a fundamental feature of an advanced democracy. As is investing in the technology and personnel to do all possible to predict flash floods. Trump would do well to remember this as he meets the bereaved in Kerr County.

    Clodagh Harrington 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. Trump’s budget cuts are adding to risk in life-threatening floods and emergencies – https://theconversation.com/trumps-budget-cuts-are-adding-to-risk-in-life-threatening-floods-and-emergencies-260710

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Women’s Euro 2025: what players do to recover between matches — and how they prepare for their next game

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Hough, Lecturer Sport & Exercise Physiology , University of Westminster

    Recovery starts for England’s Lionesses as soon as the match ends. Romain Biard/ Shutterstock

    As with many competitions, competitors in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament face a gruelling match schedule. There are typically only three or four days between matches during the group stage of international tournaments – with some teams even facing tighter turnarounds depending on scheduling.

    This congested fixture schedule places a significant physical demand on players, increases injury risk and makes it challenging to sustain peak physical performance. This is why recovery strategies are put into action from the moment the match ends so players are in peak condition for the next match.

    The first recovery strategy happens as soon as players arrive in the changing room. There will be a buffet-style food selection with plenty of carbohydrate and protein-based snacks to begin refuelling. Players also typically consume a “recovery” drink. This consists of carbohydrates to restore muscle glycogen (which our body uses for energy), and around 20-30 grams of protein to aid muscle repair.

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    Over the following days, players will follow a meticulously-planned diet with the correct balance of carbohydrates, protein, fats and nutrients (such as the polyphenols found in tart cherry juice) to support muscle repair and adaptation.

    Sweat loss during matches – particularly in summer tournaments – leads to significant dehydration. Players typically sweat around 1.5 litres or more during a match. Immediately after a match, players are given isotonic drinks to replace the water and electrolytes (specifically sodium) they’ve lost through sweating.

    To estimate fluid loss, players’ post-match weight is recorded to guide how much they should drink. A one kilogram reduction in body weight corresponds to roughly one litre of fluid lost through sweating. To re-hydrate, players drink around 1.5 litres per kilogram of weight lost.

    Physical recovery

    Some players might perform around 10-15 minutes of low-intensity aerobic activity immediately following the match – such as cycling. This light activity maintains blood flow to the muscles, which might reduce the feeling of muscle soreness in the following days, although the evidence for this is inconclusive.

    Players often use cold water immersion (ice baths) to reduce inflammation, swelling and muscle soreness. This involves standing or sitting in cold water (which is between 10–15°C) for around 10–15 minutes. Players may also take ice baths in the days between matches. Although there’s debate over whether ice baths speed up recovery, it remains a widely accepted practice in elite sport where rapid recovery is prioritised.

    Another option involves alternating between hot water (around 36°C) and cold water – a practice known as contrast water therapy. Contrast water therapy causes the blood vessels to constrict in the cold water, then dilate in the hot water. This practice may enhance blood flow, reduce swelling and decrease muscle soreness.

    Players often wear compression garments for several hours post-match and overnight. These garments enhance blood flow and reduce swelling. They’re also shown to reduce pain and muscle soreness.

    Recently, inflatable compression leg sleeves have become popular among athletes. These boots inflate and deflate cyclically to promote blood flow and lymphatic drainage. This works similar to a sports massage or contrast water therapy, helping clear inflammatory proteins from the body. This may reduce swelling and decrease the severity of muscle soreness.

    Sleep also plays a crucial role in a player’s physical and mental restoration between tournament matches. Players are encouraged to get eight to ten hours of quality sleep per night. Some players even take a 20-90 minute nap in the early afternoon to increase alertness, improve mood and potentially improve performance.

    Recovery will be tailored to each player.
    Jose Breton- Pics Action/ Shutterstock

    Good sleep hygiene can help players get a good night’s sleep even despite hectic tournament schedules. This involves ensuring their bedroom is cool and dark and minimising screen time before bed.

    Preparing for the next match

    The day after a match, players will perform a recovery session incorporating some sort of light activity – such as cycling, dynamic movements in the swimming pool and foam rolling (a type of self-massage that uses a foam cylinder to apply pressure to different muscles).

    Although light activity does not accelerate muscle recovery, it can offer psychological benefits – such as reducing the feeling of muscle soreness and stiffness. Players may also undergo targeted physiotherapy and massage to reduce muscle soreness, increase mobility and ease pain.

    Recovery time varies between players and the level of fatigue they experience. Fatigue will be influenced by the player’s age and their match demands – with players who run a greater distance or perform more sprints and changes of direction typically taking more time to recover between matches.

    Players’ fatigue is monitored between matches using various methods – including GPS data, biochemical markers of inflammation and muscle damage, and wellness questionnaires. This data is used to individualise training and recovery.

    Players showing elevated fatigue might perform light technical drills, tactical walkthroughs of different plays and strategies the player might use on the field and mobility-focused gym work to maintain sharpness without causing more fatigue. Whereas players whose fatigue levels have returned to close to normal will resume normal training.

    Performing on the world stage with the weight of national pride brings intense pressure. Players must contend with media scrutiny coupled with the expectations of coaches and fans. These factors can disrupt sleep and trigger a biological stress response, which may impair recovery.

    So to help manage mental stress, teams schedule structured downtime, encouraging players to connect with family or engage in hobbies that promote mental recovery and psychological detachment from football. Sports psychologists may also support players during tournaments, providing mental skills training and helping players develop strategies to cope with stress and pressure.

    Paul Hough 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. Women’s Euro 2025: what players do to recover between matches — and how they prepare for their next game – https://theconversation.com/womens-euro-2025-what-players-do-to-recover-between-matches-and-how-they-prepare-for-their-next-game-260248

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Plans to relocate Gazans to a ‘humanitarian city’ look like a crime against humanity – international law expert

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Sweeney, Professor, Lancaster Law School, Lancaster University

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are refusing to implement a government plan to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a what it calls a “humanitarian city” in Rafah on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, chief of the IDF general staff said the plan was not part of the military’s operational plan for destroying Hamas and freeing the remaining hostages.

    Army reservists have reportedly also complained that the plan amounts to a war crime. In my view as an expert in international law, they are correct. Forcibly relocating a population is prohibited, even in war. It is also a crime against humanity and could even amount, under certain circumstances, to genocide.

    There is some important historical context to consider before examining the legal issues at play.

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    The prosecution of crimes against humanity first took place at the Nuremberg trials of surviving senior Nazis after the second world war. By that time the idea of war crimes was clearly established – but they tended to concern what you should not do to the enemy civilian population.

    The problem was that the worst atrocities of the Nazis were committed against their own people – the German Jews (and many, many others too). The idea of crimes against humanity was created to fill this gap, and was used to prosecute the surviving masterminds of the Holocaust.

    Conditions for a ‘crime against humanity’

    Crimes against humanity are a category that contains several separate crimes. If the right conditions are there, you might talk about “the crime against humanity of murder” or the “crime against humanity of rape”. The conditions are that the underpinning crime takes place against a backdrop of a “widespread or systematic” attack on a civilian population.

    The attack does not have to include a literal armed attack: apartheid, for example, was established as a crime against humanity in 1973 in response to the policies of the South African government. It is also not necessary that there is an armed conflict for a particular crime to be a crime against humanity.

    Within the category of crimes against humanity is included “deportation and forcible transfer” (see article 7 of the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court).

    This is what the Israeli government’s plan for moving Palestinians into a “humanitarian city” would appear to amount to. If the plan stopped at leaving Gazan Palestinians in Rafah then it would be “forcible transfer”, and if they were relocated to another country it would be “deportation”.

    Coercion is key to the crime of forcible transfer. It’s fanciful to think that every single Gazan civilian would want to move to Rafah in circumstances where they would be security-checked on entry and thereafter forbidden from leaving.

    How could a liveable city, with all the infrastructure needed, even be created? What of the dentists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, mechanics, entrepreneurs and anyone else who was able to make an honest living? Will they really be given a place to carry out their work?

    Ethnic cleansing

    The term “ethnic cleansing” is sometimes used to describe what is being proposed by the Israeli government. I dislike the term, and it has no meaning in law. It became a commonly used term during the 1990s conflict in the former Yugoslavia when ethnic Serbs, and in some instances ethnic Croats, expelled hundreds of thousands of people of any other ethnicity out of the territory that they held.

    For this practice, the president of the former Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milošević, and a string of Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat leaders were charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

    Milošević died before the ICTY could deliver a verdict in his case, but many others were found guilty. The actions of the Bosnian Serb forces in the town of Srebrenica were even found by the ICTY to have been an act of genocide, because they were not just expelling non-Serbs but wiping them out: at one point in July 1995 they killed around 8,000 men and boys in just a few days.

    A lot would depend on the conditions in which the Palestinians would live in the “humanitarian city”. If they were deprived of sufficient food and medical supplies in a way that could only be seen as intended to lead to their deaths, then that too could be held to qualify as an act of genocide.

    Justice and accountability

    It is clear to me that the forced relocation of Gazans to a “humanitarian city” would violate international law. What is not so clear cut is how to hold its instigators to account.

    There are already arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. But there is no international police force and so the ICC relies on participating states to arrest suspects on its behalf. Hungary welcomed Netanyahu in April this year, while announcing it would withdraw from the ICC.

    In the same way, Netanyahu flew to Washington DC this week to meet with Donald Trump, but was not arrested because the US doesn’t recognise the ICC. During his visit, Netanyahu announced he would be nominating Trump for the Nobel peace prize.

    South Africa has also sought to hold the state of Israel to account at the International Court of Justice, alleging the crime of genocide. The court has yet to rule, saying only that it is plausible that acts of genocide might occur in Gaza.

    Since Hamas launched its vicious attack on Isreal on the October 7 2023, there has been constant violence and massive loss of life in the region. However, the proposed “humanitarian city” is not, in my view, a lawful route to peace and stability. As for anyone actually facing justice for the many atrocities that we have seen, an international consensus in favour simply doesn’t exist. And, in the current climate, there’s little sign that it will exist any time soon.

    James Sweeney 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. Plans to relocate Gazans to a ‘humanitarian city’ look like a crime against humanity – international law expert – https://theconversation.com/plans-to-relocate-gazans-to-a-humanitarian-city-look-like-a-crime-against-humanity-international-law-expert-260727

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Over 1.6 million children live in families made poorer by the two-child limit on benefits – new data

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ruth Patrick, Professor in Social Policy, University of Glasgow

    New government statistics released today show the reach of the two-child limit. There are 1,665,540 children in England, Scotland and Wales living in households affected by the two-child limit, an increase of over 35,000 from the same time in 2024.

    The two-child limit restricts means-tested child benefits to the first two children in a household, subject to some exceptions.

    Its sister policy, the benefit cap, affects over 115,000 households, including 300,000 children. It routinely pushes families into deep poverty, far below the standard poverty line of 60% of median income.

    The benefit cap places a limit on the total amount a household can receive if no-one in the household earns a minimum amount, again subject to some exceptions linked to receipt of disability benefits.

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    Over the past five years, we have been part of a team of academic researchers investigating the impact of both policies on families with three or more children. We’ve found that these policies drive up poverty, creating deprivation and hardship. This in turn causes sustained and severe harm to children and their families.

    The two-child limit and benefit cap leave many families living with extreme financial insecurity. They harm parental mental health, as mothers and fathers struggle to try and make an inadequate income stretch to meet the needs of their children.

    Parents are struggling to make their income go far enough.
    Odua Images/Shutterstock

    In addition, these policies do not fall evenly across the population when looking at ethnicity. Overall, 70% of the families affected by the two-child limit are white, as are 66% affected by the benefit cap. But our new analysis shows that children from an ethnic minority are up to three times as likely as white children to be affected by the two-child limit. They are also up to four times as likely to be affected by the benefit cap.

    Alongside administrative statistics, we have analysed household survey data, published today as a policy brief. We find that one in five children from Pakistani families and one in four children from Bangladeshi families are now affected by the two-child limit.

    Rising poverty

    Our analysis also indicates that these policies are contributing to very high and rising levels of poverty. We estimate that 66% of Bangladeshi children, 60% of Pakistani children, and nearly half (48%) of black children live in poverty. This compares to one in four (24%) white children living below the poverty line – still far too many.

    This new analysis provides us with better understanding of where the damage done by both policies is falling. It’s an important reminder of how the two-child limit and benefit cap directly conflict with ambitions not only to act on child poverty, but also to reduce systematic inequalities linked to ethnicity.

    Scrapping the two-child limit would give larger families access to benefits they currently miss out on – but it would not have any effect on smaller families living in poverty, so isn’t the only policy solution needed.

    Nonetheless, analysis by the Resolution Foundation has shown that getting rid of the two-child limit – which would cost £1.4 billion – is by far the most cost-effective way to reduce the number of children living in poverty. Spending £1.4 billion in other ways – for example by increasing benefits for all families – would make less difference to child poverty than if the two-child limit were ended.

    It’s also important to keep in mind the impact on the depth of poverty. Larger families tend to be living further below the poverty line. Scrapping the two-child limit will make a big difference in many households, even if they are not lifted out of poverty as a result.

    Labour came into government on a manifesto of “change”, and Keir Starmer has promised to be “laser-focused” in his commitment to drive down poverty.

    Labour have already said that they want to get rid of the two-child limit, arguing that they just need to find the money to do so. The government has established a child poverty taskforce, due to report in the autumn, and made a first concrete policy commitment with the extension of free school meals provision for families in England. But there is no alternative to serious action on social security benefits if significant progress is to be made.

    Ruth Patrick receives funding from a range of funders including Nuffield Foundation, AFFT, Trust for London, The Robertson Trust and the Centre for Impact on Urban Health. She is a member of The Labour Party.

    Kitty Stewart has received funding from the Nuffield Foundation and from LSE for the research reported in this article.

    – ref. Over 1.6 million children live in families made poorer by the two-child limit on benefits – new data – https://theconversation.com/over-1-6-million-children-live-in-families-made-poorer-by-the-two-child-limit-on-benefits-new-data-260449

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Child hospitalised as bird flu cases climb in Cambodia

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Divya Venkatesh, BBSRC Discovery Fellow, University of Oxford

    Tom…foto/Shutterstock.com

    Cambodia’s Ministry of Health recently confirmed the country’s twelfth human case of H5N1 avian influenza so far this year. The patient, a five-year-old boy from Kampot province, is currently in intensive care with severe respiratory symptoms.

    The announcement, on July 3, came just days after a 19-month-old child in neighbouring Takeo province died from the same virus.

    To date, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. But the steady increase in cases has renewed attention to the risks posed by H5N1. This highly pathogenic bird flu virus spreads rapidly among poultry and occasionally jumps to humans – often with deadly consequences.

    Since 2003, there have been at least 954 reported human infections globally, nearly half of them fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Experts have long considered H5N1 a serious pandemic threat due to its high mortality rate and potential to evolve.

    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 recent Cambodian cases are linked to the 2.3.2.1e lineage of H5N1 (previously known as 2.3.2.1c), a strain that has circulated for decades in poultry across Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. From 2005 to 2014, Cambodia saw sporadic but severe human infections – then almost a decade passed without new cases.

    That changed in 2023 when six human cases were reported. The numbers have since climbed: ten in 2024, and now 12 in the first half of 2025. Of these recent infections, at least 12 – about 43% – have been fatal. A troubling pattern is also emerging: seven of this year’s cases occurred in June alone, according to the WHO’s latest Disease Outbreak News update.

    Animal pandemic

    Globally, however, a different H5N1 lineage – 2.3.4.4b – has dominated in recent years. This strain sparked a devastating wave of avian outbreaks starting in 2021, sweeping across continents and decimating wild bird and poultry populations. It also spread to mammals, leading scientists to label it an “animal pandemic”.

    Although it no longer causes mass die-offs, 2.3.4.4b remains widespread and dangerous, particularly because of its capacity to infect mammals. It has been linked to about 70 human cases in the US alone, with only one death recorded so far, and is under investigation for suspected mammal-to-mammal transmission in species, including US dairy cattle and seals.

    Bird flu strain 2.3.4.4b is suspected of mammal-to-mammal transmission.
    BearFotos/Shutterstock

    Influenza viruses are notoriously prone to genetic reassortment – a process by which two or more strains infect the same host and exchange genetic material. These events can sometimes generate new, more transmissible or deadly variants. In April 2024, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported the emergence of a reassortant virus in Vietnam. This new strain combines surface proteins from the long-standing 2.3.2.1e virus with internal genes from the globally dominant 2.3.4.4b.

    Evidence suggests that this reassortant virus may be driving the rise in Cambodian human infections.

    A 2024 study, which has not yet undergone peer review, found that the new virus carries genetic markers that could enhance its ability to infect humans – although it is not yet considered human-adapted. According to the study’s authors, this reassortant form has become the predominant strain found in poultry across the region in recent years.

    So far, all confirmed human cases in Cambodia have been linked to direct contact with infected or dead poultry – often in small, rural backyards. This suggests that the country’s “one health” strategy, which aims to integrate human, animal and environmental health responses, is functioning as intended. Although some gaps clearly remain.

    Food safety and food security remain serious concerns across much of Cambodia and south-east Asia. Limited veterinary oversight, informal poultry markets, lack of compensation for poultry losses due to disease, and poor biosecurity may offer the virus opportunities to persist and evolve – and potentially reach more people.

    Since the COVID pandemic, advances in disease surveillance and reporting have made it easier to detect and confirm human infections, Dr Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran, head of the Pathogen Evolution Lab at Hong Kong University, told me over email. However, he notes that surveillance remains heavily concentrated in urban areas and the commercial poultry sector, while rural settings and interactions with wild birds are poorly monitored.

    Expanding surveillance to these overlooked areas will be vital, he says, if the world hopes to better understand – and prepare for – the next potential influenza pandemic.

    Divya Venkatesh receives funding from BBSRC.

    – ref. Child hospitalised as bird flu cases climb in Cambodia – https://theconversation.com/child-hospitalised-as-bird-flu-cases-climb-in-cambodia-260565

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster

    Source: APO


    .

    • At least 510,182 internally displaced people (IDPs) across Benue state
    • Dire conditions in IDP camps
    • Children and pregnant women amongst most vulnerable

    The Nigerian authorities must take urgent steps to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the central state of Benue where attacks by gunmen have displaced at least 500,000 people, many of whom are languishing in squalid camps without access to sufficient water, poor sanitation, food and healthcare, Amnesty International said today.

    In the most recent attack on 14 June, gunmen raided the town of Yelewata, killing more than 100 people and forcing over 3,941 more to flee their homes. The smell of decomposing bodies hung in the air during a visit to the affected community by Amnesty International in the aftermath of the attacks. Signs of the recent violence were unmistakable with bullet shells littering the ground, and mass graves that had been newly dug to bury the dead.

    Survivors were seen carrying bags of grain, bundles of firewood and other household items as they sought safety and shelter in camps for internally displaced persons (IDP). According to interviews with IDPs in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum, Kwande, Logo, Guma and Makurdi IDP camps, as well as a makeshift IDP camp at Makurdi Modern Market, communities who come under attack are often left to fend for themselves with security forces only arriving long after the gunmen had left.

    “The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue state again and again. Rampant attacks by gunmen have deprived thousands of people of their rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods. Survivors of these harrowing attacks face the fresh torment of being displaced in overcrowded, unhygienic camps where disease runs rampant and essentials such as  food and clean water are scarce,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

    “The situation risks creating a humanitarian disaster, which the authorities must urgently address by ensuring that people’s essential needs are met by providing desperately needed aid.”

    Besides interviews with IDPs, Amnesty International also spoke to camps officials, medical workers and non-governmental organizations in the affected areas. It found that communities across Benue state, including Gwer West, Gwer-East, Agatu, Apa, Ukum, Kwande, Logo,and Guma, continue to face a brutal pattern of violence.

    This is typically unleashed at night, although daytime attacks also occur, with gunmen systematically overrunning villages, using firearms to carry out indiscriminate or targeted killings from a distance. This is accompanied by brutal close-range violence with machetes and knives used to inflict grievous injuries, including hand amputations.

    Misery of the IDP camps

    As of 31 December 2024, an estimated 500,182 people had fled to IDPs camps in Benue state to escape years of attacks by gunmen. More than 10,000 additional people have been displaced since the start of 2025 following attacks on communities in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum (Gbagir), Kwande (Anwase), Logo, and Guma (Yelewata, Agan, and Gbajimba), among others.

    Amnesty International’s visits to IDP camps reveal wholly inadequate shelter, exposing IDPs to harsh weather, overcrowding, and heightened risks of disease, as well as gender-based violence, including rape and domestic violence.

    Access to healthcare is also a major challenge in the IDP camps with a lack of treatment for the most common diseases and ailments, such as malaria, typhoid, and stomach ulcers. According to a camp official, births occur almost daily in the IDP camps, with many pregnant women requiring medical attention but also contracting infections because of inadequate hygiene facilities.

    An IDP told Amnesty International: “If we don’t get drugs, we just sit and watch the sick person helplessly.”

    Many children are unable to exercise their right to an education in the camps.

    “Our children no longer go to school and there are no arrangements by the authorities to teach children in the IDP camp. The government should bring an end to insecurity in our local government area and Benue state. Before that, provide us with food and proper shelter at the IDP camps,” an IDP told Amnesty International.

    A camp official told Amnesty International that a makeshift school built in one of the camps had been shut down for over three years because camp authorities could not continue paying ad-hoc teachers their stipends. 

    There are hundreds of minors who fled their homes due to attacks and now live without parental care. The children were separated from their families while fleeing attacks on their villages and communities. The authorities have been unable to provide these vulnerable children with a safe place to live and essential services. Two female IDPs told Amnesty International:

    “When we arrived, they [my children] left. I do not know where they have gone. I can’t speak with them; I don’t have a phone….I have 8 children and because we do not have enough space here in the IDP camp, many of them have left me and I do not know where they are.”

    Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to provide sufficient and accessible humanitarian support to the survivors of these attacks. Authorities must take steps to domesticate and effectively implement the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons within the country’s legal system.

    “The authorities’ persistent failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Authorities must now end the growing culture of impunity for these attacks.”

    “We call on the authorities to ensure that all people displaced because of the attacks in Benue state are provided with adequate relief, including protection, shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Authorities must ensure that all people who have suffered losses from the crisis are also provided with adequate compensation,” said Isa Sanusi.

    Background

    Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the escalating bandit attacks and clashes between herders and farmers in Benue state since 2016. In 2020, the organization investigated the authorities’ failure to protect rural communities from attacks, and in 2025, it investigated the mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups.

    Nigeria is state party to a number of treaties that guarantee the human rights of everybody in the country regardless of the circumstances. This includes the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which requires Nigerian authorities to ensure equal access to amongst others the rights to housing, health, food, water, sanitation and education.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, WY Delegation Introduce Legislation to Modernize Wyoming School Trust Fund Investments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
    Washington, D.C. –  Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), alongside Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY), today introduced the Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act, legislation to amend Wyoming’s State Act of Admission to provide the state’s permanent school land fund with enhanced investment flexibility, potentially increasing annual returns for K-12 education.
    “Wyoming’s school trust fund represents one of our state’s most valuable assets for supporting public education and the next generation of Cowboy students,” said Senator Lummis. “My legislation would allow Wyoming to modernize our investment policies while maintaining the strong protections that have served this fund for more than a century. I believe we can do better for our kids by investing that money more strategically and increasing Wyoming’s returns. That result would mean millions of dollars more every year for Wyoming classrooms, without raising taxes or touching Wyoming’s principal.”
    “Wyoming has done an incredible job investing in the future of our students,” said Senator Barrasso. “The Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act will help build on this success by giving our state more flexibility when it comes to investing our permanent school land fund. Diversifying investments of this vital fund will increase resources for students and teachers across Wyoming.”
    “Wyoming’s students deserve every opportunity we can provide, and that starts with strengthening the long-term stability of our education funding,” said Representative Hageman. “The Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act is a commonsense, forward-looking solution that honors our constitutional protections while unlocking the full potential of our permanent school land fund. By allowing for modern investment strategies, we can responsibly increase returns and better support K-12 education. This is about keeping our promises to future generations and ensuring that Wyoming’s children benefit from the resources entrusted to the state over a century ago.”
    “This long-overdue proposal is a natural extension of some of the reforms I undertook while serving as State Treasurer,” said Governor Gordon. “I support this effort to generate additional returns for Wyoming schools while preserving the permanent trust fund structure.”
    “This is a game-changer for Wyoming’s public schools,” said Superintendent Degenfelder. “By modernizing our investment policies, we are unlocking the full potential of our school trust lands. It is a common-sense solution that is anticipated to provide a sustainable increase in funding for our classrooms, without raising taxes.” 
    “Since Wyoming became a state, financial markets and investment strategies have evolved dramatically,” said Representative Bear, Wyoming House District 31. “Today, responsible and prudent management of public funds requires far more flexibility than was imaginable in 1890. Congress has both the authority and the duty to ensure that Wyoming’s state government can effectively safeguard taxpayer assets and uphold citizens’ freedoms—now and for generations to come.”
    Background:
    Wyoming’s State Act of Admission, established by Congress upon statehood in 1890, governs how the state manages federally granted school lands. Proceeds from school trust land sales, exchanges, or disposals must be deposited into a permanent land fund under strict federal regulation. Current law prohibits investing principal funds, and only accrued interest can be used for K-12 education funding.
    Wyoming’s permanent school trust fund currently holds $5.4 billion. The fund generates approximately 5% annual interest under current investment restrictions. Enhanced investment flexibility could significantly boost annual education funding without touching the principal. Proposed legislation would modernize investment policies to potentially increase returns from 5% to 8.3%.
    The bill preserves all constitutional protections for education funding while maintaining principal protection. Only investment returns can be spent, which keeps all existing controls on land disposal and exchanges unchanged, fully maintaining the longtime permanent trust fund structure. 
    Read the full bill here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: The SBB Research Group Foundation Sponsors Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation (RKCF) collaborated in a volunteer initiative alongside the SBB Research Group Foundation, which partners with local nonprofits through its Champion A Charity Program.

    Renaissance Knights’ mission is to harness the power of chess through intentional, comprehensive programs that promote cognitive growth, character development, mentorship, and community engagement—empowering youth with the skills, support, and opportunities they need for lifelong success.

    Sandeep Navalgund, a volunteer from the SBB Research Group Foundation, supported this mission by helping plan and volunteer at the 2025 Greater Chicago K-12 Chess Championship, hosted annually by RKCF. This year’s event took place on February 8th at McCormick Place and welcomed over 660 students from across the Midwest. The tournament aims to introduce students—particularly those from Title I low-income schools in Chicago Public Schools (CPS)—to the game of chess and the critical thinking, planning, and social-emotional skills it fosters.

    “It was wonderful to see so many students and families excited to participate, regardless of age or skill level,” said Navalgund. He emphasized the event’s significance, noting, “This is one of RKCF’s marquee events and plays a vital role in their mission to teach lifelong skills such as planning, persistence, and patience.”

    To learn more about Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation’s comprehensive youth programs, visit https://rknights.org.

    About the SBB Research Group Foundation

    The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, which supports students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees.

    Contact: Erin Noonan
    Organization: SBB Research Group Foundation
    Email: grants@sbbrg.org
    Address: 450 Skokie Blvd, Building 600, Northbrook, IL 60062 United States
    Phone: 1-847-656-1111

    Website: https://www.sbbrg.org

    The MIL Network –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Diane Winston, Professor and Knight Center Chair in Media & Religion, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

    Rev. Jimmy Swaggart preaches at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on March 29, 1987. AP Photo/Mark Avery, file

    Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives.

    Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.

    Swaggart was an old-time evangelist whose focus was “saving souls.” But he also preached on conservative social issues, warning followers about the evils of abortion, homosexuality and godless communism.

    [Swaggart also denounced] what he called “false cults,” including Catholicism, Judaism and Mormonism. In fact, his denunciations of other religions, as well as his attacks on rival preachers, made him a more polarizing figure than his politicized brethren.

    As a reporter, I covered Swaggart in the 1980s. Now, as a scholar of American religion, I argue that while Swaggart did not build institutions like Falwell’s Moral Majority or Robertson’s 700 Club, he helped to spread right-wing positions on social issues, such as sexual orientation and abortion, and to shape the image of televangelists in popular culture..

    Swaggart’s cousins

    Born into a hardscrabble life in a small Louisiana town, Swaggart grew up alongside his cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, the future rockabilly pioneer, and future country singer Mickey Gilley.

    All three loved music and singing. They polished their playing on an uncle’s piano and sneaked into African American nightclubs to hear the jazz and blues forbidden by their parents.

    Jimmy Swaggart delivering a sermon at the Flora Blanca Stadium in El Salvador.
    Cindy Karp/Getty Images

    While Gilley and Lewis turned their musical talent into recording and performing careers, Swaggart felt called to the ministry. He dropped out of high school, married at 17, began preaching at 20 and was ordained at 26.

    He was licensed by the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination that believes the Holy Spirit endows believers with spiritual gifts that include speaking in tongues and faith healing.

    The glory years

    Pentecostals were nicknamed Holy Rollers because of their tendency to shake, quake and roll on the floor when feeling the Holy Spirit. Their preachers excelled at rousing audiences’ ardor, and Swaggart commanded the stage better than most. He paced, pounced and poured forth sweat while begging listeners to turn from sin and accept Jesus.

    Starting small, he drew crowds while preaching on a flatbed trailer throughout the South. His following grew, and in 1969 he opened the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.

    Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart leaves his office complex in Baton Rouge, La., on Jan. 7, 1977.
    AP Photo

    At capacity, the church held 10,000 worshippers, who represented a broad swath of America: young girls and grannies, white and Black, bankers and farmers. His sermons began calmly but built to a fever pitch. CBS newsman Dan Rather once called him the “country’s greatest speaker.”

    During services, Swaggart also sang and played piano. In 1982, Newsweek magazine noted his musical chops, naming him the “King of Honky Tonk Heaven.” His music crossed gospel, country and honky-tonk – songs with a strong rhythmic beat – and he sold 17 million albums over his lifetime.

    By 1975, Swaggart’s on-stage charisma powered the launch of a television ministry that would reach millions within a decade. Viewers were captivated by his soulful tunes and fire-and-brimstone sermons. At its height, Swaggart’s show was televised in 140 countries, including Peru, the Philippines and South Africa.

    His ministry also became the largest mail-order business in Louisiana, selling books, tapes, T-shirts and biblical memorabilia. Thanks to the US$150 million raised annually from donations and sales, Swaggart lived in an opulent mansion, possessed a private jet previously owned by the Rockefellers, sported a yellow gold vintage Rolex and drove a Jaguar.

    The downfall

    Swaggart disliked competition and had a history of humiliating rival preachers. Wary of the Rev. Marvin Gorman, a Pentecostal minister whose church also was in Louisiana, Swaggart accused the man of adultery. Gorman admitted his infidelity and was defrocked.

    Gorman had heard rumors about Swaggart’s own indiscretions, and he and his son decided to tail the famed evangelist. In 1988, they caught Swaggart at a motel with a prostitute, and Gorman reported the incident to Swaggart’s denomination. He also gave news outlets photos of Swaggart and the prostitute. In a tearful, televised apology, Swaggart pleaded for a second chance.

    While his fans were willing, the Assemblies of God had conditions: Swaggart received the standard two-year suspension for sexual immorality. Defying the ruling, Swaggart went back to work after three months, and the denomination defrocked him.

    A parishioner overcome with grief lies on steps to the altar after Jimmy Swaggart’s confession of sexual indiscretions.
    Thomas S. England/Getty Images

    Swaggart might have succeeded as an independent minister, but in 1991 the police stopped his car for driving on the wrong side of the road. Inside they found the preacher with a prostitute. This time, Swaggart did not ask for forgiveness. Instead, he informed his congregation, “The Lord told me it’s flat none of your business.”

    Afterward, Swaggart never regained his former standing. His mail-order business dried up, donations fell, and attendance at services cratered. But up until his death, he kept on, in his own words, as an “old-fashioned, Holy Ghost-filled, shouting, weeping, soul-winning, Gospel-preaching preacher.”

    Swaggart’s legacy

    Swaggart, like other 1980s televangelists, brought right-wing politics into American homes. But unlike Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, Swaggart was less interested in winning elections than saving souls. In fact, when Robertson considered a presidential run in 1988, Swaggart initially tried to dissuade him – then changed his mind and supported him.

    Swaggart’s calls for a return to conservative Christian norms live on – not just in Sunday sermons but also in today’s world of tradwives, abortion restrictions and calls to repeal gay marriage. His music lives on, too. The day before he died, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame inducted him as a member.

    But his legacy also survives in popular culture. In recent years, both reality television and scripted series have starred preachers shaped in the image of Swaggart and his peers. Most exaggerate his worst characteristics for shock and comedic effect.

    “Preachers of L.A.,” a 2013 reality show that profiled six Los Angeles pastors, featured blinged-out ministers whose sermons mixed hip-hop with the Bible. The fictional “Greenleaf” followed the scandals of an extended family’s Memphis megachurch, while “The Righteous Gemstones,” a dark spoof of Southern preachers, turned a family ministry into a site for sex, murder and moneymaking.

    But these imitations can’t match the reality. Swaggart was a larger-than-life minister whose story – from small-town wannabe to disgraced pastor, to preaching to those who would listen – had it all: sex, politics, music and religion.

    For those who want a taste of the real thing, The King of Honky Tonk Heaven lives on. You can see his old services and Bible studies streaming daily on his network.

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

    – ref. Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism – https://theconversation.com/jimmy-swaggarts-rise-and-fall-shaped-the-landscape-of-american-televangelism-260377

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Wildfire smoke can make your outdoor workout hazardous to your health – an exercise scientist explains how to gauge the risk

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By John C. Quindry, Professor of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training, University of Montana

    Air pollution from wildfire smoke can worsen heart and lung disease. helivideo/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    As the summer’s sunny days take hold, many people turn to outdoor exercise.

    But in parts of North America, pleasant weather often aligns with wildfire season. As summers get drier, both the frequency and the intensity of wildfires have grown, producing more polluting smoke.

    A fire’s smoke can spread across several states, leaving people at risk for the health consequences of air pollution.

    Exercisers and health experts are asking whether the benefits of outdoor exercise are negated when the skies are hazy with wildfire smoke.

    How does air pollution make people sick?

    Air pollution’s components depend on its source. For instance, traffic-related air pollution consists largely of vehicle exhaust and brake and tire wear, while industrial pollution contains significant amounts of ozone.

    Wildfires produce huge quantities of airborne particles, also called fine particulate matter. These particles are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – about a tenth the size of a pollen grain.

    Particles of that size, which air quality experts refer to as PM2.5, raise serious health concerns because they are tiny enough to be carried to the air sacs in the deepest parts of the lungs. From there, they can cross into the blood stream, leading to bodywide inflammation – essentially, the immune system’s fight response – which can promote or aggravate multiple chronic illnesses.

    Research shows that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to lung diseases, heart disease and other conditions. Since these illnesses take decades to develop, scientists think that the health problems caused by wildfire smoke inhalation accumulate after years of exposure.

    One-time smoke exposures may have cumulative effects

    My research team and others are investigating how short-term smoke exposure might also influence long-term health outcomes such as heart and lung diseases.

    Particulate matter from wildfire smoke can aggravate chronic illnesses.

    To estimate the effects of exposure from a single fire event, environmental scientists can study a variety of factors such as immune system markers of inflammation, signs of physiologic stress and changes in heart, blood vessel and nervous system function. How exactly smoke exposures worsen disease is still poorly understood, but these immediate responses in the body may also be linked to developing chronic disease.

    In a study published in June 2025, my colleagues and I examined these outcomes in healthy participants who exercised during a wildfire simulation in our air inhalation lab. The air was filtered to contain high concentrations of PM2.5 particles produced by burning local pine trees – the equivalent to being downwind of a major wildfire.

    We asked 20 generally healthy participants in their mid-20s to exercise on a stationary cycle at about half their maximum effort for two hours while breathing the smoke. We found that participants’ blood vessel and nervous system function declined immediately after their smoky exercise session. These stress indicators bounced back to normal within an hour of returning to a clean air environment.

    Half of our study participants had a heightened response to physiological stress, which scientists think may signify a heightened risk of chronic diseases. We selected them based on a stress test administered before the experiment: Specifically, their blood pressure spiked when their hands were dipped in ice water for two minutes. The stress-responsive participants experienced significantly stronger declines in blood vessel and nervous system function than people in the typical response group, suggesting that exercise in a very smoky climate may affect some people more than others.

    While it isn’t possible to predict who is most at risk, our study underscores the need to think carefully about exposure to wildfire smoke.

    How smoky is too smoky for outdoor exercise?

    Unfortunately, precise air quality thresholds based on factors such as age and medical condition do not exist. But some simple guidelines and considerations can help.

    The first step is to check the air quality where you live at the government website AirNow. It uses a scale called the Air Quality Index, created by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1999 – which ranks air quality regionally on a scale from 0 to 500. The website is searchable by ZIP code. The reading for a given region reflects the contribution of several pollutants, including PM2.5 levels.

    The Air Quality Index ranks air quality at six levels.
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    When the air quality is ranked “good,” the decision is simple – get out there and enjoy the outdoors. And there is little debate that people should generally limit their outdoor exposure when air quality levels cross into the “unhealthy” threshold – or at least be aware that doing so poses health risks.

    The risks and benefits of exercising outdoors when air quality is in the “moderate” and “unhealthy for sensitive” ranges are less clear, particularly for people who don’t have chronic health conditions.

    Gauging your risk

    One major factor in deciding when and whether to exercise outdoors is your health status. AirNow recommends that people with chronic conditions err on the side of caution and remain indoors when smoke levels cause the air quality rating to approach the “unhealthy for sensitive” category.

    That advice may be obvious for people with diagnosed lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, given that particles from wildfire smoke aggravate the lungs. But studies suggest it’s true for milder disease states, too. For example, a large study of people with elevated but not clinically high blood pressure indicated that those who lived downwind of air pollution were more likely to develop high blood pressure and, ultimately, heart disease.

    Another consideration is the time of day. As the afternoon heats up, the column of air we breathe expands, diluting the particulate counts. And afternoon winds frequently blow stagnant air out of the valleys and downtown areas where particulate matter can concentrate during the cooler parts of the day. That means evening workouts may be safer than early-morning ones, though direct confirmation with air quality readings is key.

    Also important is the intensity at which you exercise. Higher-intensity exercise means deeper, more frequent breathing, which likely elevates your exposure to harmful air. So you might choose a shorter jog over a longer run when air quality is moderate or poor.

    My lab is currently working to quantify how much pollution a person breathes in while exercising in smoky conditions, based on their exercise intensity, exercise duration and local particulate counts. This line of research is still in its infancy, but our early findings and other published research suggest that when wildfire smoke puts air quality into the “moderate” and “unhealthy for sensitive” range, people can dial down the effects of smoke exposure by decreasing their exercise intensity or the time they spend outside.

    John C. Quindry received funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the National Institutes of Health – INBRE/RAIN.

    – ref. Wildfire smoke can make your outdoor workout hazardous to your health – an exercise scientist explains how to gauge the risk – https://theconversation.com/wildfire-smoke-can-make-your-outdoor-workout-hazardous-to-your-health-an-exercise-scientist-explains-how-to-gauge-the-risk-255812

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The AI therapist will see you now: Can chatbots really improve mental health?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Pooja Shree Chettiar, Ph.D. Candidate in Medical Sciences, Texas A&M University

    Chatbot ‘therapists’ use artificial intelligence to mimic real-life therapeutic conversations. Pooja Shree Chettiar/ChatGPT, CC BY-SA

    Recently, I found myself pouring my heart out, not to a human, but to a chatbot named Wysa on my phone. It nodded – virtually – asked me how I was feeling and gently suggested trying breathing exercises.

    As a neuroscientist, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was I actually feeling better, or was I just being expertly redirected by a well-trained algorithm? Could a string of code really help calm a storm of emotions?

    Artificial intelligence-powered mental health tools are becoming increasingly popular – and increasingly persuasive. But beneath their soothing prompts lie important questions: How effective are these tools? What do we really know about how they work? And what are we giving up in exchange for convenience?

    Of course it’s an exciting moment for digital mental health. But understanding the trade-offs and limitations of AI-based care is crucial.

    Stand-in meditation and therapy apps and bots

    AI-based therapy is a relatively new player in the digital therapy field. But the U.S. mental health app market has been booming for the past few years, from apps with free tools that text you back to premium versions with an added feature that gives prompts for breathing exercises.

    Headspace and Calm are two of the most well-known meditation and mindfulness apps, offering guided meditations, bedtime stories and calming soundscapes to help users relax and sleep better. Talkspace and BetterHelp go a step further, offering actual licensed therapists via chat, video or voice. The apps Happify and Moodfit aim to boost mood and challenge negative thinking with game-based exercises.

    Somewhere in the middle are chatbot therapists like Wysa and Woebot, using AI to mimic real therapeutic conversations, often rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy. These apps typically offer free basic versions, with paid plans ranging from US$10 to $100 per month for more comprehensive features or access to licensed professionals.

    While not designed specifically for therapy, conversational tools like ChatGPT have sparked curiosity about AI’s emotional intelligence.

    Some users have turned to ChatGPT for mental health advice, with mixed outcomes, including a widely reported case in Belgium where a man died by suicide after months of conversations with a chatbot. Elsewhere, a father is seeking answers after his son was fatally shot by police, alleging that distressing conversations with an AI chatbot may have influenced his son’s mental state. These cases raise ethical questions about the role of AI in sensitive situations.

    Guided meditation apps were one of the first forms of digital therapy.
    IsiMS/E+ via Getty Images

    Where AI comes in

    Whether your brain is spiraling, sulking or just needs a nap, there’s a chatbot for that. But can AI really help your brain process complex emotions? Or are people just outsourcing stress to silicon-based support systems that sound empathetic?

    And how exactly does AI therapy work inside our brains?

    Most AI mental health apps promise some flavor of cognitive behavioral therapy, which is basically structured self-talk for your inner chaos. Think of it as Marie Kondo-ing, the Japanese tidying expert known for helping people keep only what “sparks joy.” You identify unhelpful thought patterns like “I’m a failure,” examine them, and decide whether they serve you or just create anxiety.

    But can a chatbot help you rewire your thoughts? Surprisingly, there’s science suggesting it’s possible. Studies have shown that digital forms of talk therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially for mild to moderate cases. In fact, Woebot has published peer-reviewed research showing reduced depressive symptoms in young adults after just two weeks of chatting.

    These apps are designed to simulate therapeutic interaction, offering empathy, asking guided questions and walking you through evidence-based tools. The goal is to help with decision-making and self-control, and to help calm the nervous system.

    The neuroscience behind cognitive behavioral therapy is solid: It’s about activating the brain’s executive control centers, helping us shift our attention, challenge automatic thoughts and regulate our emotions.

    The question is whether a chatbot can reliably replicate that, and whether our brains actually believe it.

    A user’s experience, and what it might mean for the brain

    “I had a rough week,” a friend told me recently. I asked her to try out a mental health chatbot for a few days. She told me the bot replied with an encouraging emoji and a prompt generated by its algorithm to try a calming strategy tailored to her mood. Then, to her surprise, it helped her sleep better by week’s end.

    As a neuroscientist, I couldn’t help but ask: Which neurons in her brain were kicking in to help her feel calm?

    This isn’t a one-off story. A growing number of user surveys and clinical trials suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy-based chatbot interactions can lead to short-term improvements in mood, focus and even sleep. In randomized studies, users of mental health apps have reported reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety – outcomes that closely align with how in-person cognitive behavioral therapy influences the brain.

    Several studies show that therapy chatbots can actually help people feel better. In one clinical trial, a chatbot called “Therabot” helped reduce depression and anxiety symptoms by nearly half – similar to what people experience with human therapists. Other research, including a review of over 80 studies, found that AI chatbots are especially helpful for improving mood, reducing stress and even helping people sleep better. In one study, a chatbot outperformed a self-help book in boosting mental health after just two weeks.

    While people often report feeling better after using these chatbots, scientists haven’t yet confirmed exactly what’s happening in the brain during those interactions. In other words, we know they work for many people, but we’re still learning how and why.

    AI chatbots don’t cost what a human therapist costs – and they’re available 24/7.

    Red flags and risks

    Apps like Wysa have earned FDA Breakthrough Device designation, a status that fast-tracks promising technologies for serious conditions, suggesting they may offer real clinical benefit. Woebot, similarly, runs randomized clinical trials showing improved depression and anxiety symptoms in new moms and college students.

    While many mental health apps boast labels like “clinically validated” or “FDA approved,” those claims are often unverified. A review of top apps found that most made bold claims, but fewer than 22% cited actual scientific studies to back them up.

    In addition, chatbots collect sensitive information about your mood metrics, triggers and personal stories. What if that data winds up in third-party hands such as advertisers, employers or hackers, a scenario that has occurred with genetic data? In a 2023 breach, nearly 7 million users of the DNA testing company 23andMe had their DNA and personal details exposed after hackers used previously leaked passwords to break into their accounts. Regulators later fined the company more than $2 million for failing to protect user data.

    Unlike clinicians, bots aren’t bound by counseling ethics or privacy laws regarding medical information. You might be getting a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, but you’re also feeding a database.

    And sure, bots can guide you through breathing exercises or prompt cognitive reappraisal, but when faced with emotional complexity or crisis, they’re often out of their depth. Human therapists tap into nuance, past trauma, empathy and live feedback loops. Can an algorithm say “I hear you” with genuine understanding? Neuroscience suggests that supportive human connection activates social brain networks that AI can’t reach.

    So while in mild to moderate cases bot-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy may offer short-term symptom relief, it’s important to be aware of their limitations. For the time being, pairing bots with human care – rather than replacing it – is the safest move.

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

    – ref. The AI therapist will see you now: Can chatbots really improve mental health? – https://theconversation.com/the-ai-therapist-will-see-you-now-can-chatbots-really-improve-mental-health-259360

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How weather changes cause migraines – a neurologist explains the triggers and what you can do to ease the pain

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Danielle Wilhour, Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Migraines can be debilitating – and frustrating when triggered by weather you can’t control. fizkes/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    “Is it just me, or is there a storm coming?”

    If you are one of the 39 million Americans in the U.S. living with migraines, there’s a good chance an intense headache will begin when the weather shifts.

    You aren’t alone. Studies find 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify some type of weather change as a trigger, making it the most commonly reported migraine source.

    Yet, it’s also one of the most puzzling.

    Some people are more sensitive to weather

    As a neurologist and headache specialist practicing in Colorado, a place with frequent weather shifts, patients often tell me that weather is one of their biggest migraine triggers. The results can disrupt work, school and social plans, and create a sense of helplessness.

    Doctors still don’t fully understand why some brains are more sensitive to environmental changes.

    What we do know is that people with migraines have especially sensitive nervous systems, and that certain environmental changes – like shifts in air pressure, temperature, humidity and air quality – can activate pathways in the brain that lead to pain.

    What’s going on in the brain during migraines? TEDx.

    Key ways weather can trigger migraines

    Weather triggers can vary from person to person, but there are a few common migraine culprits:

    Barometric pressure changes, or changes in atmospheric pressure, are among the most commonly cited triggers.

    When a storm system moves in, the air pressure drops. Some scientists believe this change may affect the pressure inside your head or how blood vessels in your brain dilate and constrict.

    One theory is that changes in barometric pressure may cause a small imbalance in the pressure between the inside of your skull and the outside environment. That might directly stimulate pain-sensitive nerves in the head, triggering inflammation and the start of a migraine.

    Others point to inflammation, the way the brain processes sensory input, and changes in serotonin levels – which play a key role in activating migraine.

    Temperature extremes, with very hot or very cold days, or sudden changes in temperature, can throw off the body’s internal balance. High humidity or rapid shifts in moisture levels can have a similar effect.

    Air pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation in the nerves that play a role in migraines.

    Bright sunlight can also be especially bothersome, likely due to heightened sensitivity to light and an overactive visual processing system in the brain.

    Lightning and strong winds may also be linked to migraine attacks in certain individuals.

    In short, weather changes can act as stressors on a brain that’s already wired to be more sensitive. The exact triggers and responses vary from person to person, but the research suggests that the interaction between weather and our biology plays a significant role for a subset of patients with migraines.

    Steps you can take to reduce the pain

    You can’t change the weather, but you can be proactive. Here are a few tips to help weather-proof your migraine routine:

    1. Track your migraines and watch the forecast: Use a migraine diary or app to track when attacks occur, along with weather conditions. Patterns may emerge, such as attacks a day before rain or during temperature changes, that will allow you to adjust your schedule or medication plan.

    2. Develop healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits: Dehydration, poor sleep and skipped meals can magnify the effects of weather triggers, so keeping your body on an even keel helps reduce vulnerability. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can also help.

    3. Create a migraine-friendly environment: On days when the sun is harsh or the humidity is high, stay inside. Sunglasses, eye masks or even blue-light glasses can be helpful. Some people find that certain earplugs are able to reduce pressure changes felt in the middle ear.

    4. Try meditation, mindfulness techniques or biofeedback, which teaches people to moderate their physiological responses, such as muscle responses and breathing. These strategies can help your nervous system become less reactive over time, which can be especially helpful when dealing with uncontrollable triggers like weather.

    5. Consider pretreatment: If you know a storm is likely to trigger your migraines, you can keep rescue medications close by or even preemptively treat yourself during weather events.

    6. Look into preventive treatment: If weather triggers frequent migraines, talk to your health care provider about preventive treatments – medications, supplements or neuromodulation devices – which can be used on a regular basis to reduce migraine occurrence.

    The bigger picture

    It’s important to remember that while weather can be a trigger, it’s rarely the only one. Migraine is usually the result of a perfect storm of factors: genetic susceptibility, hormones, stress, sleep, food and, yes, the weather.

    That’s why identifying your personal triggers and building a plan, if necessary, with the support of a medical provider, can make a big difference in managing migraines.

    Weather-related migraine can be one of the most frustrating triggers because it feels completely out of your hands. However, with knowledge, tracking and the right treatment strategies, you can take back a sense of control.

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

    – ref. How weather changes cause migraines – a neurologist explains the triggers and what you can do to ease the pain – https://theconversation.com/how-weather-changes-cause-migraines-a-neurologist-explains-the-triggers-and-what-you-can-do-to-ease-the-pain-258899

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why recycling solar panels is harder than you might think − an electrical engineer explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Anurag Srivastava, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University

    Broken and worn-out solar panels can be recycled, but it’s not easy. Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    It’s hard work soaking up sunlight to generate clean electricity. After about 25 to 30 years, solar panels wear out. Over the years, heating and cooling cycles stress the materials. Small cracks develop, precipitation corrodes the frame and layers of materials can start to peel apart.

    In 2023, about 90% of old or faulty solar panels in the U.S. ended up in landfills. Millions of panels have been installed worldwide over the past few decades – and by about 2030, so many will be ready to retire that they could cover about 3,000 football fields.

    As an electrical engineer who has studied many aspects of renewable energy, recycling solar panels seems like a smart idea, but it’s complicated. Built to withstand years of wind and weather, solar panels are designed for strength and are not easy to break down.

    All of these solar panels will need to be disposed of one day – perhaps by being recycled.
    David McNew/Getty Images

    The cost conundrum

    Sending a solar panel to a landfill costs between US$1 and $5 in the U.S. But recycling it can cost three to four times as much, around $18. And the valuable materials inside solar panels, such as silver and copper, are in small amounts, so they’re worth about $10 to $12 – which makes recycling a money-losing prospect. Improvements in the recycling process may change the economics.

    But for now, it’s even hard to reclaim the glass in solar panels. Many layers are glued together and need to be separated before they can be melted down for reuse. And if the separation is not precise enough, the glass that is recovered won’t be of high enough quality to use in making other solar panels or windows. It will be suitable only for lower-quality uses such as fill material in construction projects.

    Other panels, usually older ones, may contain small amounts of toxic metals such as lead or cadmium. It can be difficult to tell whether toxic materials are present, though. Even experts have trouble, in part because current tests, such as the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, can give inaccurate results. Therefore, many companies that own large numbers of solar panels just assume their panels are hazardous waste, which increases costs for both disposal and recycling. Clearer labels would help people know what a solar panel contains and how to handle it.

    If someone wants to recycle a solar panel, and is willing to bear the cost, there aren’t many places in the U.S. that are willing to do it and are equipped to be safe about it.

    Recycling solar panels can involve detailed manual labor.
    AP Photo/Gregory Bull

    Designing for a new life

    Despite the Trump administration’s cuts to subsidies for solar projects, millions of solar panels are already in use in the U.S., and millions more are expected to be installed worldwide in the coming years. As a result, the solar industry is working on ways to minimize waste and repeatedly reuse materials.

    Some ideas include sending used solar panels that still work at least a bit to developing nations, or even reusing them within the U.S. But there are not clear rules or processes for connecting reused panels to the power grid, so reuse tends to happen in less common, off-grid situations rather than becoming widespread.

    Future solar panels could also be designed for easier recycling, using different construction methods and materials, and improved processing systems.

    Making panels last longer – perhaps as long as 50 years – using more durable materials, weather-resistant components, real-time monitoring of panel performance and predictive maintenance to replace parts before they wear out would reduce waste significantly.

    Building solar panels that are more easily disassembled into separate components made of different materials could also speed recycling. Components that fit together like Lego bricks – instead of using glue – or dissolvable sealants and adhesives could be parts of these designs.

    Improved recycling methods could also help. Right now, panels are often simply ground up, mixing all of their components’ materials together and requiring a complicated process to separate them out again for reuse. More advanced approaches can extract individual materials with high purity. For example, a process called salt etching can recover over 99% of silver and 98% of silicon, at purity levels that are appropriate for high-end reuse, potentially even in new solar panels, without using toxic acids. That method can also recover significant quantities of copper and lead for use in new products.

    Crushing solar panels can make different materials easier to recover from various components.
    AP Photo/Gregory Bull

    A shared journey

    Increasing the practice of recycling solar panels has more than just environmental benefits.

    Over the long term, recovering and reusing valuable materials may prove more cost-effective than continually buying new raw materials on the open market. That could lower costs for future solar panel installations. If they are fully reused, the value of these recoverable materials could reach over $15 billion globally by 2050.

    In addition, recycling panels and components reduces American reliance on materials imported from overseas, making solar power projects less vulnerable to global disruptions.

    Recycling also keeps toxic materials out of landfills. That can help ensure a shift to clean energy doesn’t create new or bigger environmental problems. Also, recycling solar panels emits far less carbon dioxide than manufacturing panels from raw materials.

    There are already some efforts underway to boost solar panel recycling. The Solar Energy Industries Association trade group is working to collect and share information about companies that recycle solar panels.

    Governments can provide tax breaks or other financial incentives for using recycled materials, or ban disposing of solar panels in landfills. California, Washington, New Jersey and North Carolina have enacted laws or are studying ways to manage solar panel waste, with some even requiring recycling or reuse.

    These efforts are important steps toward addressing the growing need for solar panel recycling and promoting a more sustainable solar industry.

    Anurag Srivastava receives funding from the US Department of Energy and National Science Foundation to work on renewable energy integration into the grid. He is an IEEE Fellow and member of the IEEE Power and Energy Society and CIGRE working groups.

    – ref. Why recycling solar panels is harder than you might think − an electrical engineer explains – https://theconversation.com/why-recycling-solar-panels-is-harder-than-you-might-think-an-electrical-engineer-explains-259115

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU expands cooperation with Delovaya Rossiya

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Official website of the State –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov held a working meeting with the Deputy Chairman, Head of the Executive Committee of the All-Russian Public Organization “Business Russia” Nonna Kagramanyan.

    The meeting discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation between the State University of Management and Delovaya Rossiya, including holding events aimed at developing entrepreneurial competencies among students and students of additional education programs, developing joint educational and expert activities, and developing a business education system.

    One of the key areas is cooperation within the framework of the implementation of MBA programs – creation of joint programs, their examination for compliance with market trends, involvement of experts from Delovaya Rossiya, and consulting of program students.

    The Basic Department of “Business Russia” operates on the basis of the Higher School of Business and Technology of the State University of Management, which coordinates joint projects and provides scientific and methodological support in the field of entrepreneurship and business development management.

    “Delovaya Rossiya”, founded in 2001, unites more than 10 thousand businessmen of our country. The total number of employees at the enterprises of “Delovaya Rossiya” is more than 4.5 million people, and the total annual revenue of the enterprises exceeds 10 trillion rubles. More than 700 members of the organization are included in public councils of government bodies, working groups of state councils and national projects.

    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 –

    July 11, 2025

  • NESTS launches multi-pronged initiatives with UNICEF, Tata Motors to boost education and employment for tribal youth

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a major push towards empowering tribal students, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, has unveiled a series of initiatives to enhance education, life skills, and employability for students studying in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across the country.

    On July 9, NESTS signed landmark agreements with UNICEF India, Tata Motors Limited, and the Ex-Navodayan Foundation to roll out programmes that will support over 1.3 lakh tribal students in their academic and professional journeys.

    At the centre of these efforts is TALASH (Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub), an innovative national platform launched in partnership with UNICEF. TALASH aims to strengthen both academic learning and personal development by helping students discover their strengths, build essential life skills, and plan clear career pathways.

    Through psychometric assessments inspired by NCERT’s ‘Tamanna’ initiative, students will receive individual Career Cards suggesting suitable career options based on their aptitudes. The platform will also provide career counselling, dedicated life skills modules, and resources for teachers to guide students effectively. The phased national rollout has already begun, with 189 teachers from 75 EMRSs trained to lead sessions in their schools. By the end of 2025, TALASH is expected to reach all EMRSs in 28 states and 8 union territories.

    Complementing this, NESTS has entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Motors Limited to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry-ready skills. Under this partnership, students passing out of Class 12 from EMRSs will be enrolled in Tata Motors’ Kaushalya Program — an ‘Earn & Learn’ initiative that combines a Diploma in Engineering with on-the-job training. Eligible students will be aged 18 to 23 and must have secured at least 60% marks in their Class 10 examinations.

    The program provides a monthly stipend, subsidised canteen and transport facilities, uniforms, safety equipment, insurance cover, and opportunities for high-performing students to pursue further technical studies such as B.Tech through tie-ups like BITS Pilani’s Work Integrated Learning Program. Placement support under a ‘One Trainee, One Job’ policy will ensure that trained graduates find employment within Tata Motors’ manufacturing and service locations nationwide.

    In a parallel move, NESTS has also signed a tripartite agreement with Tata Motors and the Ex-Navodayan Foundation to offer focused coaching for competitive exams like IIT-JEE and NEET. This initiative will include dedicated residential Centres of Excellence at Chankapur (Maharashtra) and Chintapalle (Andhra Pradesh), providing intensive in-person coaching for meritorious science stream students of Grades XI and XII. Additionally, online preparatory classes for Olympiad, NTSE, and KVPY exams will be made available to students from digitally equipped EMRSs, extending support to learners from Grade IX onwards.

    Together, these new measures are intended to close educational gaps, build confidence among tribal youth, and create a sustainable pipeline of skilled students ready to contribute to India’s development.

    According to Ajeet Kumar Srivastava, Commissioner, NESTS, these collaborations are “a testament to our commitment to providing tribal students with opportunities to realise their full potential. Through these initiatives, we aim to bridge gaps in education and empower the next generation of tribal leaders.”

    NESTS, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, runs Eklavya Model Residential Schools nationwide to ensure quality education for tribal students. UNICEF India continues to partner with the government in advancing inclusive education, while Tata Motors and the Ex-Navodayan Foundation bring industry experience and academic expertise to strengthen outcomes for tribal youth.

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Trump’s ‘big’ bill gives millions of taxpayers a new charitable tax break, but whether it will help nonprofits is unclear

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Daniel Hungerman, Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame

    Tax policy changes can influence how much Americans donate. Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The multitrillion-dollar bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, will change how the U.S. tax code treats charitable donations. It also has several tax provisions that affect some colleges, universities and other nonprofits. The Conversation U.S. asked Daniel Hungerman, an economist who studies charitable activities and public policy, to explain how these tax policies could influence charitable giving and affect nonprofits.

    What will change for donors?

    The consequences generally vary depending on how much money a donor gives to charity. They also depend on whether a donor claims the standard deduction – as about 90% of U.S. taxpayers have done since the 2017 tax reforms took effect during the first Trump administration – or itemizes their tax returns.

    Anyone taking the standard deduction, which will rise in 2025 to US$15,750 for an individual and $31,500 for married couples filing jointly, will get a new broadly available tax break of up to $1,000 for giving to a charitable nonprofit if they file on their own. Married couples filing jointly may deduct $2,000 from their taxable income if they give at least that amount to charity. To put this into sharper perspective, the average middle-income household gives about $3,300 annually.

    Americans who give a bit more than the typical donor – say, between $5,000 and $20,000 – will see major changes too. In some places, it will become easier for people to deduct more of the amount they pay in state and local taxes from their federal taxes – at least for a few years. Those taxpayers may also deduct their charitable giving from their income when they file their taxes.

    But there’s a new catch. People who itemize their taxes can’t claim the charitable deduction unless they give at least the equivalent of 0.5% of their adjusted gross income to charity. For example, someone who earns $100,000 a year would have to donate at least $500 to qualify for this tax break.

    A similar new catch will apply to corporate donations: Unless corporations give at least 1% of their taxable income to charity, they will no longer get a charitable tax deduction.

    The tax law also revises a rule that limits how much the biggest donors can give to charity and still get a tax break.

    What could that mean for charitable giving?

    Based on my research on tax policies and donations, I don’t expect the $1,000 charitable deduction for taxpayers who take the standard deduction to boost giving. The government has tried this before.

    The first time was in the 1980s. Starting in 1982, people taking the standard deduction could take a charitable deduction. The amount changed annually. In 1984, for example, it was $75 – $236 in 2025 dollars. Congress ended this experiment with the 1986 tax reforms.

    There was also a temporary $300 charitable deduction for people who took the standard deduction in 2020.

    The results were underwhelming both times, for two reasons.

    First, the maximum size of those tax breaks was too small in those earlier efforts. Many people were already giving enough to max out this new benefit. When that happens, the government is giving up tax revenue without encouraging people to donate more.

    To be fair, there are a couple of reasons that things might be better this time. First, $1,000 in 2025 – or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly – is more money than the $300 deduction in 2020. Also, this time it is permanent. A permanent provision gives charities time to publicize the bill and people time to learn about it.

    Another concern with this bill is that Americans who have not given to charity in the past might not begin to open their wallets but will still try to get the new $1,000 charitable deduction anyway by lying about it on their tax returns. There is evidence that a growing number of taxpayers try to game the tax system this way. The only way to stave off that sort of tax evasion would require additional work by the IRS, costing more tax dollars.

    This part of the tax law also sends a message that giving is not just for the wealthy, but that everyone can do it and get a tax break for it. That could help halt or reverse a decline in gifts from people who aren’t rich. And it makes me wonder whether a charitable deduction for people who don’t itemize their tax returns will work better this time around.

    What’s happening to higher education?

    The government will raise its tax on the income earned by the endowments held by some colleges and universities from 1.4% to as much as 8%. The system is complicated and hinges on how large an endowment is per student enrolled. Colleges attended by fewer than 3,000 students don’t have to pay this tax.

    Endowments are pooled financial investments that belong to a nonprofit. Those assets usually come from donations, and the income they earn typically flows into the nonprofit’s budget.

    Several prominent schools are bracing for higher taxes. Yale University, for example, says it will have to pay $280 million once this goes into effect.

    The higher endowment tax is unlikely to raise a whole lot of tax revenue, but it could force some schools to scale back financial aid, hike tuition or freeze hiring.

    What about K-12 schools?

    Perhaps the most significant change will be a new federal K-12 educational tax credit. Starting in 2027, it will be available to help offset the cost of private K-12 school tuition or other educational expenses, such as homeschooling. If someone makes a $1 gift to a nonprofit scholarship-granting organization – which would then deliver those funds to the school the donor designates – the government will cut their tax bill by $1. This tax credit can be worth up to $1,700 per year.

    Many details about how this system would work are yet to be determined.

    I believe that this provision could mark another step in the transformation of how private schools are funded in the United States. Beyond that, many private schools are run by churches, and many churches running schools already get large amounts of their funding from vouchers issued by state and local governments. Ultimately, private K-12 education could become an increasing source of revenue for churches.

    What about nonprofits that provide social services?

    Even if the megabill boosts charitable giving, nonprofits providing social services are likely to find themselves financially squeezed.

    That’s because the bill also cuts spending and tightens eligibility restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, and Medicaid, the public health insurance program that mainly covers people who are low-income or have disabilities.

    I have researched the effects of the welfare reforms President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1996. One of my findings was that when the government cut spending on safety net programs by a dollar, charities, including churches, stepped in to provide 25 cents of services or more. But for every extra dollar needed to compensate for lost government spending, donors only gave 5 cents more.

    Another concern is that this bill makes permanent increases in the standard deduction – which I’ve found to have historically lowered charitable giving considerably. Perhaps the deduction for people who don’t itemize their tax returns, together with the state-and-local-taxes change, will counteract this trend. But it is certainly possible that Americans will give less to charity starting in 2025 compared with a world where there were no Trump tax reforms at all.

    Daniel Hungerman is a professor at the University of Notre Dame, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

    – ref. Trump’s ‘big’ bill gives millions of taxpayers a new charitable tax break, but whether it will help nonprofits is unclear – https://theconversation.com/trumps-big-bill-gives-millions-of-taxpayers-a-new-charitable-tax-break-but-whether-it-will-help-nonprofits-is-unclear-260379

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Dune patterns in California desert hold clues that help researchers map Mars’ shifting sands

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lauren Berger, Ph.D. Student in Geology, Texas A&M University

    The author did some of her fieldwork at the Algodones Dunes in California. Ryan Ewing

    Our two-person team loaded the car with a GPS, a drone, notebooks, sample bags, a trowel and a flat spatula lovingly called a scoopula. Then we drove 30 minutes in our rented truck from Yuma, Arizona, to the Algodones Dunes, a sandy field bordering California, Arizona and Mexico. The day was sunny, with a strong breeze. Turning off the highway, we carefully headed onto a gravelly path that acted as our road.

    After making decent – if bumpy – progress, we pulled off onto the sand flats and drove slowly toward the dunes, worried we might get stuck in the sand. Having arrived on the outskirts of the Algodones, we stopped and loaded our backpacks, then set off into the desert on foot.

    The coarse- and fine-grained sand at the Algodones Dunes.
    Lauren Berger

    It was November 2022. As a graduate student at Texas A&M University, I was beginning part of my Ph.D. research with my adviser, geology professor Ryan Ewing. We were looking for coarse-grained sand ripples, which are patterned piles of sand shaped by wind. Sand ripples and sand dunes are types of aeolian bedforms, which are wind-created geologic features.

    Aeolian bedforms are common on Earth and across the solar system, including on Mars, Venus, Pluto, the Saturn moon Titan, the Neptune moon Triton, and Comet 67P. These geological features, among the first landforms observed by remote images of planetary surfaces, are robust indicators of a world’s wind patterns.

    Flying a drone at Algodones. Note the GPS on the tripod, and a GPS target on the ground, which was also a landing pad for the drone.
    Ryan Ewing

    Measuring sand patterns in person

    The shapes and patterns of aeolian bedforms can reveal the environmental conditions that created them.

    Two sizes of the same bedform, such as small dunes on top of big dunes, are called compound bedforms. I study compound bedforms at two scales – the meter- and centimeter-sized coarse-grained ripples at the dunes here on Earth, and the kilometer- and meter-sized dunes on Mars.

    At the Algodones, I measured the height of each large coarse-grained sand ripple and the distance between neighboring ripples. Then we flew our drone low and steady, above the ripples, to create high-resolution images. The drone data allows us to do further measurements on the ripples later, back at my desk.

    On that day, I learned an essential rule of fieldwork in the desert: Don’t forget a shovel. Otherwise, if your vehicle gets stuck, as ours did, you’ll have to dig it out by hand. Luckily for us, a dune buggy driver passing by helped us out and we were able to get back to Yuma in time for dinner.

    High-resolution drone images of the sand ripples at Algodones.
    Lauren Berger

    My introduction to Mars

    I first became interested in aeolian bedforms during my sophomore year of college, when I interned at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. My job was to view surface images of Mars and then map the sand ripples in the regions where Perseverance, the Mars rover, might land. I assessed the areas where ripples could be hazards – places where the rover could get stuck in the sand, the way our rental truck did in the Algodones.

    I mapped those sand ripples on Mars for two years. But while I mapped, I became fascinated with the patterns the ripples made.

    A potential compound dune on Mars.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Now, as a graduate student and aspiring planetary geologist, my time is split between work in the field and at my computer, where I have stitched together the drone’s photographs of the Algodones to create a large image of the entire study area. I then look for compound dunes on the Martian surface in images taken by the Mars reconnaissance orbiter’s context camera.

    Scientists already know about Earth’s weather patterns, sand grain size and wind data. By measuring different parts of bedforms on both planets – such as their height, shape and spacing – I can compare the similarities and differences of the bedforms to find clues to the wind patterns, grains and atmosphere on Mars. Slowly but surely, as I listen to Studio Ghibli soundtracks, I’m creating the first database of compound dunes on Mars.

    Two dune fields on Mars, both inside an impact crater.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Developing this database is essential to the proposed human mission to Mars. Dust storms are frequent, and some can encircle the entire planet. Understanding aeolian bedforms will help scientists know where to put bases so they don’t get buried by moving sand.

    It is wonderful to spend an afternoon ping-ponging all over a planet that’s 140 million miles from us, seeing gorgeous terrain while I try to answer questions about the compound dunes on Mars. How common are they? Where do they form? How do they compare to those on Earth? I hope to answer these questions as I work toward earning my Ph.D in geology.

    Lauren Berger receives funding from NASA FINESST. Lauren Berger would like to acknowledge the help of her mentors Dr. Ryan Ewing (NASA Johnson Space Center), Dr. Marion Nachon (Texas A&M University), and Dr. Julia Reece (Texas A&M University).

    – ref. Dune patterns in California desert hold clues that help researchers map Mars’ shifting sands – https://theconversation.com/dune-patterns-in-california-desert-hold-clues-that-help-researchers-map-mars-shifting-sands-251761

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in Cotonou: a march for regional unity and solidarity

    Source: APO


    .

    As part of the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the ECOWAS Representation in Benin, with the support of the Beninese Government, the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone E, organised a commemorative march in Cotonou on Saturday 28th of June 2025.

    Titled the “Jubilee Walk”, the event brought together over 300 participants from state and diplomatic institutions, ECOWAS specialised agencies, project partners, West African communities, youth organisations, NGOs, students and teachers.

    The march set off from the Place de l’Amazone at 7.00am and took a looping route through the Place Bio Guéra, returning to its starting point at around 10.00am. It was led by a high-level delegation including Ambassador Amadou DIONGUE, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin, the representative of the Minister for Sport, the Director of CMMC Zone E and the representative of the WAPP Secretary General. The presence of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System, the Resident Representatives of UEMOA and UNFPA, as well as Ambassador Francis OKE, former Permanent Representative of the ECOWAS to the African Union, enhanced the solemnity of the event.

    In keeping with the theme of the golden jubilee, “Stronger together for a brighter future”. the march was punctuated by messages in favour of unity and solidarity, the essential foundations of successful regional integration.

    In his speech, the ECOWAS Resident Representative said: “This march symbolises our shared commitment to an ECOWAS of peoples, united and in solidarity. In the face of current challenges, it is imperative that we unite our voices on the international stage to defend the interests of our region and accelerate the implementation of our integration policies, in order to create opportunities for our peoples”.

    The ceremony ended with words of thanks and encouragement from Ambassador Francis OKE, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System, the representative of the Minister for Sport and the Resident Representative of the ECOWAS. They all stressed that the support, solidarity and unity of the peoples are the foundation of West African political and economic integration. The morning ended in a convivial atmosphere, with refreshments and a family photo.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 11, 2025
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