NewzIntel.com

Category: Energy

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Strengthening Alberta’s courts

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Completion of Affordable Housing Development in Albany

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of 35 Broadway, a 67-unit affordable housing development in the village of Menands, Albany County. More than half of the apartments at the $26 million development are reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness and in need of support services. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 4,700 affordable homes in the Capital Region, including nearly 1,000 in Albany County. 35 Broadway continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “Our investments are creating more homes across the state and ensuring our most vulnerable populations, especially those who have served our country, have the opportunity to find an affordable, secure place to live,” Governor Hochul said. “The new 35 Broadway development is a perfect example of our comprehensive approach to addressing the housing crisis in New York. We are bringing new homes to the Capital Region and providing veterans experiencing homelessness access to the services needed to stabilize their lives.”

    Apartments at 35 Broadway are available to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income. There are 35 supportive apartments reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness eligible for services. Support services provided on-site include case management, medical care coordination, mental health and addiction service coordination, legal services, workforce placement, and financial education.

    The fully-electric building features electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilation for improved indoor air quality, energy-efficient appliances, and electric vehicle charging stations. There are landscaped seating areas, a community gardening area, a contemplation garden, and an on-site columbarium to honorably house the remains of resident veterans who pass on without family.

    Beacon Communities and Soldier On are co-developers, and Soldier On is providing the support services.

    35 Broadway is supported by HCR’s Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits programs that generated $15 million in equity, $5 million from its Supportive Housing Opportunity Program, and $368,500 from its Clean Energy Initiative program, created partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The Community Preservation Corporation is providing $3.7 million in permanent financing. The project is also supported by the federal 45L New Energy Efficient Home Credit program which generated $61,600 in equity. Additional funding includes $55,000 from NYSERDA’s Clean Heat Rebate program and $36,000 from its EV Make-Ready Rebate program. Operating funding for the supportive apartments is provided by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “With the opening of 35 Broadway, we are delivering much-needed affordable, modern, and energy-efficient homes to Albany County. Not only is our $26 million investment creating 67 new apartments, but this development will give veterans experiencing homelessness access to on-site services that can keep them securely housed and living independently. We thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to building more affordable housing across the state, and appreciate the work of our development partners at Beacon Communities and Soldier On for making this project a reality.”

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “New York’s commitment to creating a clean and modern built environment improves the quality of life for residents and future generations, while helping us progress toward a clean energy economy. The completion of 35 Broadway demonstrates how the adoption of low-emission building solutions and energy efficient features, such as electric heat pumps and electric vehicle charging stations, can benefit our diverse neighborhoods and populations, including New York’s veteran community.”

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued support of the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and her unwavering commitment to supporting the well-being of New York’s veterans. 35 Broadway will provide veterans who have experienced homelessness with safe, affordable apartments they can call home, as well as onsite access to the essential services they need to live stable, independent lives in the community. Thank you to Beacon Communities Services, Soldier On, and all the state and local partners who supported the development of this much-needed project.”

    New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana M. DeCohen said, “A safe, stable home is the foundation for healing, dignity, and hope. This development at 35 Broadway is more than housing — it is a promise kept to Veterans who have served with honor and deserve nothing less in return. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her continued focus on ensuring that access to affordable housing remains an integral part of our state’s commitment to Veterans and their families.”

    Senator Charles Schumer said, “Our veterans who have sacrificed so much for us in service to this country should never experience homelessness. Every veteran and every family in the Capital Region deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I’m proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit that I worked hard to protect and expand has delivered millions to help build 67 new homes in the village of Menands. These brand new homes, some of which are reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness, will be all-electric and offer the community support services and new outdoor spaces, including a gardening area. High housing costs are a key driver of inflation so we must build more housing for working people to bring down those high prices. I applaud Governor Hochul’s work increasing access to affordable housing in the Capital Region and across New York, and I will continue working to deliver federal resources to ensure that every New Yorker has a roof over their heads.”

    Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “I would like to thank Governor Hochul and New York State Homes and Community Renewal for their continued dedication to our Veterans in Albany County. Providing stable, affordable housing is one of the most meaningful ways we can honor their service. Today marks an important step in ensuring that every Veteran has a safe place to call home.”

    Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said, “The combination of deeply affordable housing and services like addiction and mental health counseling is a proven formula for ending chronic homelessness, and that’s something we need more of – locally, as well as across our state and nation – in the face of a mounting homelessness crisis. I am proud to have the opportunity to work with Soldier On to help those who served our country but have fallen on hard times. Veterans have more than earned the kind of support and security this important project will provide.”

    Menands Mayor Brian Marsh said, “This building represents more than walls, windows, and doors—it symbolizes community, stability, and new beginnings. Menands stands proud as a partner with this organization to create spaces where individuals can thrive, find purpose, and feel supported. Welcome to Menands, Welcome Home.”

    Beacon Communities CEO Dara Kovel said, “We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of this significant affordable housing community in the Capital Region alongside our partners at Soldier On and the state and local officials and funders who made it a reality. Supportive housing is a proven way to end chronic homelessness. Now these veterans who so bravely served our country, as well as other low-income households, will have a safe, stable place to call home with services they need to rebuild their lives.”

    Solider On CEO Bruce Buckley said, “Soldier On is thrilled to have completed and occupied 35 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless veterans at 35 Broadway in Menands. This 67-unit affordable housing property, developed with our partner, Beacon Communities, illustrates how government, nonprofit, and for-profit entities can better combine their strengths to end homelessness. I extend my heartful thanks to the state of New York, HCR, ESSHI, Albany County, the Village of Menands, and Beacon Communities for their support and dedication in making this possible. Thirty-five formerly homeless veterans now have a place they can call home – a home they not only deserve but have earned through their sacrifices. Most importantly, they are now surrounded by a family of support that will ensure they have the care, community, and resources they need to thrive.”

    The Community Preservation Corporation Senior Vice President Jaime Tuozzolo said, “The completion of 35 Broadway is a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when public, private, and nonprofit partners come together with a shared commitment to housing and human dignity. This development not only brings much-needed affordable homes to Menands—it also creates a stable and supportive environment for our veterans who deserve the strongest possible foundation for the next chapter of their lives. We’re proud to have played a role in helping to finance this important development, and we thank our friends at Beacon Communities, HCR, NYSERDA, and SoldierOn for their partnership and dedication.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives, capital funding, and new protections for renters and homeowners. Building on this commitment, the FY 2026 Enacted Budget included more than $1.5 billion in new state funding for housing, a Housing Access Voucher pilot program, and new policies to improve affordability for tenants and homebuyers. In addition, as part of the FY 2023 Enacted Budget, the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. Nearly 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY 2025 Enacted Budget also strengthened the Pro-Housing Community Program which the Governor launched in 2023. Pro-Housing certification is now a requirement for localities to access up to $750 million in discretionary funding. Currently, more than 300 communities have been certified.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Committee Leaders Raise Alarm Over Burgum’s Interior Staffing Freeze: “Illegal and Dangerous”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    May 30, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, top Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding answers about a blanket freeze on personnel actions across the Department of the Interior, reportedly imposed earlier this month by the Department’s acting Chief Human Capital Officer—a former staffer of Elon Musk’s DOGE.

    “This sweeping directive has already sparked internal conflict at the Department, where staff are reportedly struggling to fulfill the duties of thousands of now-vacant positions essential to the Department’s day-to-day operations,” the lawmakers wrote. “Your actions to date raise serious doubts about your commitment to that obligation.”

    In the letter, the lawmakers cite the Administration’s proposed “skinny budget,” DOGE-led “voluntary” buyouts “backed by the threat of termination,” and pending Reductions in Force (RIF) plans as part of a “coordinated campaign of institutional dismantling” that “threatens the safety of our parks, the reliability of our water systems, and the scientific integrity of the very agencies entrusted with protecting Americans from wildfire, drought and other escalating risks.”

    The lawmakers also expressed concern over the reported removal of Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director Michael Nedd, “who reportedly raised concerns about the effects of the May 2 personnel directive on the Department’s ability to do its job.”

    The lawmakers called on the Department to provide a copy of the May 2 memo and respond to several questions, including what impact assessment was conducted, what essential functions are at risk, and whether other senior personnel have been penalized for raising objections.

    “Like other recent personnel actions, this latest personnel freeze is, at best, shortsighted and self-defeating—and at worst, illegal and dangerous for Americans who visit our National Parks, live near federal lands, rely on federal irrigation for their farms, or depend on sound science to protect their homes and communities,” the lawmakers wrote. “It represents yet another ill-considered action by the Trump Administration that leaves our country weaker, less safe, and less prepared to meet the challenges ahead.”

    The letter was signed by Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Vice Ranking Member Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Federal Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), and Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee Ranking Member Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).

    Read the full letter.

    ###

    Next Article Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dan Goldman Leads Effort to Streamline Permitting for Offshore Wind Projects

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Appropriations Letter Urges Congress to Fund BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Prioritize Efficiency in Federal Permitting for Offshore Wind Projects 

     

    Offshore Wind Projects Projected to Create 56,000 Jobs by 2030 

     

    Read the Letter Here

    Washington, D.C – Congressman Dan Goldman led 18 of his Democratic colleagues in writing to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Chair Congressman Mike Simpson (ID-02) and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (ME-01) requesting they robustly fund the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs, as well as include language in the FY26 budget to find increased efficiencies in the permitting process for offshore wind projects, which are an economic and national security imperative. 

    “We request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process,” the Members began. 

    Permitting, constructing, and connecting offshore wind to the energy grid is imperative to ensuring the United States’ long-term energy needs are met. Domestic energy demands are projected to rise 50% by 2050 as a result of crypto and AI, and offshore wind will be an essential part of generating the energy necessary to meet the future. However, the benefits of offshore wind extend beyond energy capacity.  

    “By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers,” the Members wrote. 

    Additionally, offshore wind provides a local, reliable, and infinite source of energy, independent of geopolitical rivals and fluctuations in global energy markets. Fully funding the BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs and streamlining project permitting will strengthen American manufacturing and make us a world leader in spearheading the green energy transition. Failing to prioritize offshore wind in the federal budget will allow China and other nations to fill the gap. 

    “Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum,” the Members wrote. 

    Read the full letter here or below: 

    Dear Chair Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree, 

    As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process. As energy demand soars across the country, it is vitally important that we diversify our grid, support energy production in the United States, and build out an offshore wind project pipeline that can contribute to the “all-of-the-above approach to energy supply.  

    Current estimates project that domestic energy demand will grow by 2% annually and by more than 50% by 2050. Due in large part to the increased computing capacity needed to sustain rapidly expanding industries such as crypto and A.I., this unprecedented growth in demand requires a commensurate growth in supply. To meet these needs, to truly take an “all-of the-above” energy approach, and to ensure that we don’t fall behind our geopolitical adversaries in the race for energy dominance, we must ensure that offshore wind remains a part of our energy equation.  

    Over the past decade, the industry has advanced tremendously. By the end of 2024, BOEM had approved 19 GW of energy from offshore wind projects – enough to power 6 million homes — of which 10.8 GW were approved to begin construction. It is imperative that we continue this momentum, in collaboration with other energy sources, to meet the whopping 531 GW of expected grid demand in the coming decades. 

    The benefits of offshore wind extend beyond just energy capacity. They create massive economic investment and significant job opportunities across America, further diversify energy sources in the event of catastrophe, facilitate energy independence and energy dominance, and advance our geopolitical and national security interests. 

    According to a 2024 report published by American Clean Power, in large part due to the American energy credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, the offshore wind industry was projected to create 56,000 jobs across the country by 2030. These jobs span a number of industries and are largely good-paying, stable, manufacturing and marine trades jobs. By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers. In turn, this will usher in additional spending in domestic offshore wind workforce development and supply chains. 

    Further still, ratepayers stand to gain significantly from the deployment of offshore wind as energy from such projects are projected to save households hundreds of dollars on their annual electricity bills. One study identified that 9 GW of offshore wind energy in New England would save New Englander’s between $2.79 to $4.61 a month on their electricity bill, adding up to about $630 annually. It would also provide nearly $362 million in annual public health savings as it would help prevent thousands of tons of dangerous pollution in our communities. 

    Finally, supporting offshore wind is a national security imperative. Offshore wind provides a local, steady, infinite source of energy that is not subject to the whims of our geopolitical rivals. It allows coastal areas, oftentimes with little space to build large new generation facilities, the ability to meet increased demand without depending on foreign sources of energy. And it provides a critical opportunity to build relationships in developing nations that expand far beyond energy production. Moreover, if we do not meet this demand, China will, which will increase their global footprint and influence. 

    Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum. While the industry is still relatively new, we have now seen a number of projects successfully permitted and we must learn from these examples and continue to improve and streamline the federal permitting process. As such, in addition to robust funding for BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, we ask the committee include the following report language in their bill: 

    The Committee understands the value of streamlining the federal permitting process for offshore energy development, including wind power. As such, the committee directs the Bureau of Ocean Management, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, and any other relevant agencies to identify efficiencies in the federal permitting process, including unnecessary duplicative efforts, to responsibly expedite reviews while maintaining comprehensive stakeholder engagement, tribal consultation, and environmental analysis so as to ensure that project development processes carefully consider impacts on marine life and ensure co existence with incumbent industries. 

    Thank you for your consideration. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Plan worth over EUR 100 billion – E-001001/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Clean Industrial Deal[1] includes measures to speed up the decarbonisation of European industry by strengthening the business case for decarbonisation.

    The action plan for Affordable Energy[2], presents actions to lower energy bills in the short term, while accelerating the implementation of much-needed cost-saving structural reforms and strengthening energy systems to mitigate future price shocks.

    The Commission also reviews state aid rules to make it easier for Member States to demonstrate compatibility of proposed support measures with State rules.

    The Steel and Metals Action Plan[3] introduces several immediate measures to support industry and protect workers. To address high energy costs, the plan promotes the use of power purchase agreements and encourages Member States to apply energy tax flexibility and reduced network tariffs, to stabilise electricity prices for energy-intensive industries.

    Trade protection measures are also strengthened. Before the end of the year, the Commission will propose a new long-term measure to maintain highly effective protection of the EU’s steel sector once the current safeguard expires in mid-2026.

    The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism[4] ensures that foreign producers pay an equivalent price to that paid by European producers under the Emissions Trading System.

    The Commission provides support to Member States that have identified territories expected to be the most negatively impacted by the transition towards climate-neutrality.

    The Just Transition Fund[5] supports the economic diversification and reconversion of the territories concerned. This includes among others the upskilling and reskilling of workers and investments in small and medium-sized enterprises.

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/9db1c5c8-9e82-467b-ab6a-905feeb4b6b0_en?filename=Communication%20-%20Clean%20Industrial%20Deal_en.pdf.
    • [2] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/publications/action-plan-affordable-energy-unlocking-true-value-our-energy-union-secure-affordable-efficient-and_en.
    • [3] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_805.
    • [4] https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en.
    • [5] https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/just-transition-fund_en.
    Last updated: 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Potential revision of combustion-enhancing fuel additives under Directive 98/70/EC – E-001384/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Delivering on the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and the climate neutrality target by 2050, enshrined in the European Climate Law[1], call for ambitious policies and action to ensure a swift and sufficient decrease in emissions from all sectors, including transport.

    This transition will also contribute to reducing Europe’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. The transport sector needs to contribute to such objectives with a reduction of 90% of its emissions by 2050.

    Concerning certain fuel additives, which might have combustion enhancing properties, they would not be able to deliver the necessary emissions reductions.

    The Fuel Quality Directive[2] (FQD) aims to ensure a single market for fuels used in the European Union for both road vehicles and non-road mobile machinery, as well as a high level of environmental and health protection in the use of those fuels.

    The FQD regulates requirements for fuels by setting limitations in Articles 3 and 4 and corresponding Annexes I and II for certain parameters and chemical compounds, without any other restriction to the chemical composition of fuels.

    The Commission conducted a technical study[3] in 2023, which did not identify a need for regulatory changes as regards additives.

    Finally, the Commission fosters innovation through a broad range of financial and regulatory means aimed at advancing zero-emission mobility and the decarbonisation of transport fuels and energy sources, such as the Renewable Energy Directive[4].

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020PC0080.
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01998L0070-20181224&from=EN.
    • [3] https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/0dd983bf-ee82-11eb-a71c-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
    • [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/2413/oj/eng.
    Last updated: 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Cotton Introduce Bill to Ban Blacklisted Firms from Sensitive DOE Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) today introduced the Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act, which would establish a Department of Energy non-procurement list for critical minerals, battery production, and other related energy needs. 
    “Organizations that threaten our national security have no business engaging in American energy production,” said Risch. “The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act protects the energy sector, which is critical to both our economy and security, from bad actors while advancing domestic needs.”
    “Supply chains for our country’s critical minerals and battery production are a cut-and-dry national security issue. Firms that are banned from doing business with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies should face significant restrictions when working in these sensitive areas,” said Cotton.
    The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act would:

    Establish a master energy non-procurement list for DOE projects prioritizing critical minerals and battery production

    Establish a waiver process for contracts or projects that require exceptions

    Require a federal study to pull all similar lists of entities of concern from Commerce, DOD, Energy, State, Treasury, DNI, and other agencies and make recommendations for harmonization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: G7 Foreign Ministers Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity

    Source: United States Department of State (3)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    G7 Foreign Ministers Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity

    Media Note

    March 14, 2025

    The text of the following statement was released by the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union.

    Begin Text:

    1. We, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, reaffirm the G7’s steadfast commitment to contribute towards a free, open, and secure maritime domain based on the rule of law that strengthens international security, fosters economic prosperity, and ensures the sustainable use of marine resources.
    2. Maritime security and prosperity are fundamental to global stability, economic resilience, and the well-being of all nations, and the conservation and sustainable use of ocean ecosystems is essential to all life on Earth. Over 80% of global trade is transported by sea, and 97% of global data flows through submarine cables. Disruptions to maritime routes pose a direct threat to international food security, critical minerals, energy security, global supply chains, and economic stability. We express deep concern over the growing risks to maritime security, including strategic contestation, threats to freedom of navigation and overflight, and illicit shipping activities. State behaviour in these areas has increased the risk of conflict and environmental damage, and imperils all nations’ prosperity and living standards, especially for the world’s poorest.
    3. We recognize the role of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework for governing all activities in the oceans and the seas.
    4. We recall the G7 Statements on Maritime Security adopted in Lübeck (2015) and Hiroshima (2016). We welcome related work presently underway through other G7 ministerial tracks and working groups, on a range of issues including securing undersea cable networks and combating abandoned fishing gear. We welcome, as well, G7 work relating to transnational organized crime and terrorism that touches on the maritime domain, including in relation to piracy and armed robbery at sea, trafficking in persons, and strengthening the maritime law enforcement capabilities of coastal states. We acknowledge the importance of regional maritime security frameworks, to support coastal states to address collectively threats to their maritime security. We welcome existing initiatives, such as the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (G7++ FoGG, that Canada chairs this year), which has been, the primary forum for dialogue among G7 members and partners on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

    Emerging Threat on Safe Seas and Freedom of Navigation and Overflight

    1. Enhancing Stability: We underscore the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the high seas and the exclusive economic zones as well as to the related rights and freedoms in other maritime zones, including the rights of innocent passage, transit passage and archipelagic sea lanes passage, as provided for under international law. We share a growing concern at recent, unjustifiable efforts to restrict such freedom and to expand jurisdiction through use of force and other forms of coercion, including across the Taiwan Strait, and in the South China Sea, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea. We condemn China’s illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions, including through land reclamations, and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purpose. In areas pending final delimitation, we underline the importance of coastal states refraining from unilateral actions that cause permanent physical change to the marine environment insofar as such actions jeopardize or hamper the reaching of the final agreement, as well as the importance of making every effort to enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, in those areas. We condemn, as well, dangerous vessel maneuvers, the indiscriminate attacks against commercial vessels and other maritime actions that undermine maritime order based on the rule of law and international law. We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. We reaffirm that our basic policies on Taiwan remain unchanged and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to international security and prosperity. We welcome the resumption of exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Freedom of navigation for commercial shipping in the Black Sea must be upheld.
    2. Attempts to Change the Status Quo by Force: We oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force or coercion including in the East and South China Seas. We undertake to implement means through which to track systematically and report on attempts to change the status quo by force and by the establishment of new geographical facts, including through coercive and dangerous actions on the oceans and seas that might threaten regional and international peace and security.
    3. Protecting Critical Maritime and Undersea Infrastructure: We are seized of the fact that vital energy and telecommunications infrastructure under the oceans and seas connects our economies and is vital to our prosperity. We recall the G7 Joint Statement on Cable Connectivity for Secure and Resilient Digital Communications Networks (2024) and the New York Joint Statement on the Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables in a Globally Digitalized World (2024). We share a growing concern that undersea communications cables, subsea interconnectors and other critical undersea infrastructure have been subject to critical damage through sabotage, poor seamanship or irresponsible behaviour which have resulted in potential internet or energy disruption in affected regions, delays in global data transmission, or compromised sensitive communications. We will enhance our cooperation with industry mitigate risks, reduce bottlenecks to operational tasks while strengthening repair capacities in order to improve the overall resilience of critical undersea and maritime infrastructure. In this respect, we welcome the EU Action Plan on Cable Security adopted in February 2025 by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
    4. Maritime Crime: Maritime crime, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, maritime arms trafficking and sanctions evasion, human trafficking, illegal drug trafficking and Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, continues to impede maritime security, freedom of navigation, and our economy and prosperity. We have been working together to tackle these maritime crimes, but maritime illegal activities have extended into new areas, to become an urgent issue to be addressed. We welcome the G7 Action Plan to combat migrant smuggling adopted under Italy’s 2024 G7 Presidency.
    5. Protecting Freedom of Trade: In the past year, indiscriminate Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have endangered maritime security of vessels and their crews, disturbed international trade, and exposed neighboring countries to environmental hazards. Enabled by Iran’s military, financial, and intelligence support, these illegal attacks have also contributed to increased tension in the Middle East and Yemen, with severe repercussions on the intra-Yemeni peace process. The vessel “Galaxy Leader” seized by the Houthis must be released immediately. We appreciate the efforts of all those countries that have engaged to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, protecting crucial shipping lanes and helping to restore regular flows of trade through the Suez Canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In this regard, we commend the efforts of EU’s maritime operation “Aspides” and U.S.-led operation “Prosperity Guardian”.

    Safe Shipping and Supply Chain Security

    1. Curtailing Unsafe and Illicit Shipping Practices: The rise of unsafe and illicit shipping practices, including fraudulent registration and registries, poses a significant threat to global trade and environmental sustainability. We are concerned that unsafe and illicit shipping imposes heavy costs on industry, governments and citizens. Russia’s ability to earn revenue has been sustained through its extensive effort to circumvent the G7+ oil price cap policy through its shadow fleet of often older, underinsured, and poorly maintained ships that routinely disable their automatic identification systems or engage in “spoofing” to avoid detection and circumvent international safety, environmental, and liability rules and standards. North Korea continues to pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and evade sanctions, particularly through its illicit maritime activities, including prohibited ship to-ship transfers of petroleum and other UN-banned commodities. Through G7 coordination, we have exposed North Korea uses of “dark” vessels – those that engage in illicit activity – to circumvent United Nations Security Council mandated sanctions. Russia and North Korea are strengthening their economic relations including through maritime routes, such as the reported transfer of petroleum products from Russia to North Korea Unregulated, “dark” vessels undertake IUU fishing, destroying marine habitats and depleting fish stocks, with negative impacts for biodiversity and food security. Unregulated, inadequately insured “dark” vessels also pose a high risk of maritime accidents, including in fragile ecosystems such as the Arctic and Antarctic. We commit to strengthen our coordination, amongst the G7 and with other partners, to prevent the use of unregistered or fraudulently registered, uninsured and substandard vessels engaged in sanctions evasion, arms transfers, illegal fishing and illicit trade. We encourage relevant International Organizations to improve maritime domain awareness by expanding satellite-based vessel tracking and establishing comprehensive data records of the movement of individual ships and of ship-to-ship transfers, as a means of identifying and tracking illicit maritime activities. We are also committed to capacity building of the countries in the region in law enforcement and Maritime Domain Awareness.
    2. Shadow Fleet Task Force: We invite members of the Nordic-Baltic 8 (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden), and possibly others, to join participating G7 members in a Shadow Fleet Task Force to enhance monitoring and detection and to otherwise constrain the use of shadow fleets engaged in illegal, unsafe or environmentally perilous activities, building on the work of others active in this area. The Task Force will constitute a response by the participating States to the call by the International Maritime Organization in its Resolution A.1192(33) of 6 December 2023 for Members States and all relevant stakeholders to promote actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by shadow fleets and their flag states, including illegal operations for the purposes of circumventing sanctions, evading compliance with safety or environmental regulations, avoiding insurance costs, or engaging in other illegal activities.
    3. Enhancing Maritime Supply Chain Resilience and Energy and Food Security: Maritime supply chains will continue to underpin the global economy, but these face a variety of threats, both present and future, stemming from both geopolitical tensions and environmental factors. Maritime disruptions raise consumer costs, increase transit times, and can reduce demand in importing countries, which in turn means lower revenues and diminished competitiveness for producers in exporting countries. Such vulnerabilities in maritime transport can undermine energy and food security, particularly for developing nations reliant on stable shipping routes, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). We welcome maritime initiatives involving and supported by G7 partners intended to promote energy and food security, such as the Grain from Ukraine scheme, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We invite cooperation with the African Union (pursuant to Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050) and other relevant International Organizations to identify best practices for enhancing maritime supply chain resilience and for safeguarding energy and food security, including in times of geopolitical crisis.
    4. Promoting Safe and Resilient Ports and Strategic Waterways: Port ownership and operational control matter to national security, as foreign control or influence over critical port infrastructure can create vulnerabilities in trade, in defense and security, and in economic stability. Port resilience is also crucial to economic stability and global trade and yet ports face growing risks from environmental degradation, extreme weather events and geopolitical conflicts. Strengthening port security and modernizing infrastructure are essential to maintaining safe and efficient maritime trade. Ensuring that the ownership and management of strategic waterways and key maritime choke points are not vulnerable to undue influence by potential adversaries is also essential to national security. We underscore the importance of scrutiny of ownership structures and port management and resilience within our own national jurisdictions, including with regard to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems, to ensure that adversaries do not gain leverage over supply chains, military operations, or the flow of strategic resources. We will work with partners and with relevant International Organizations to encourage robust cybersecurity standards for port ICT infrastructure, to increase resilience against malicious cyber incidents on maritime logistical networks, to reduce monopolistic power over key supply chain nodes, to promote secure and transparent port ownership, to limit unsolicited or undue foreign influence over critical infrastructures and strategic waterways, and to otherwise encourage greater focus on such potential vulnerabilities.
    5. Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) at sea poses a significant hazard to the marine environment, to the safety of fishermen and other users of the maritime space, and to various marine economic activities. We commit to enhancing diplomatic efforts and to exchanging best practices among national authorities, relevant international and regional organizations, and relevant industry sectors to accelerate the clean-up of UXO from the seas and ocean.

    Sustainable Stewardship of Maritime Resources

    1. Strengthen Enforcement Against IUU Fishing: IUU fishing is a major contributor to declining fish stocks and to marine habitat destruction. It may account for a third of all fishing activity worldwide, at a cost to the global economy of more than US$23 billion per year and with negative consequences for fisheries as an enduring economic asset, including for developing countries. We welcome the Canadian-led Dark Vessel Detection System in Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and would see value in replicating the model to support other partners whose fisheries are under threat from IUU fishing. We recognize that data sharing and transparency play a key role in this fight by exposing bad actors and that technological advances can support a robust Monitoring, Control and Surveillance and enforcement landscape. We encourage further progress in addressing IUU fishing, working with and through relevant International Organizations to establish and strengthen rules to sustainably manage fish stocks on the high seas and to improve the enforcement of these measures, including through the further development of detection technologies, aircraft patrols and high seas boarding and inspection of vessels, building upon the 2022 G7 Ocean Deal.
    2. We welcome the Third UN Ocean Conference, in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025.

    PARTNERSHIPS

    1. This G7 Maritime Security and Prosperity Declaration provides a framework for cooperation with non-G7 Partners, including countries hosting major ports, large merchant fleets, or extensive flag registries as well as relevant regional and International Organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization and ASEAN. We would welcome robust cooperation with Partners to take forward the goals set out in this Declaration, consistent with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, under the efforts of the G7 countries, including a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific region, to build a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law, and of commitment to the sustainable development of the world’s maritime spaces.
    2. We welcome the cooperation on Coast Guard Functions, including the Global Coast Guard Forum hosted by Italy in 2025, as well as the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, which could also support the objectives of this Declaration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Media Advisory: Global Energy Show Canada 2025 to Convene World Energy Leaders for Critical Industry Dialogue

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    WHAT: We are pleased to share the following major events taking place during the Global Energy Show (GESC), organized by dmg events, in Calgary from June 10-12, 2025.
       
      Media interviews and photo opportunities will be available with spokespeople for the duration of the event.
       
      REMINDER: All registered media must obtain their accreditation badge from the registration area. Media accreditation must be visible at all times and cannot be shared with others. The Media Room is located on the 2nd Floor, BMO Centre and will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 12.
       
    WHEN: Tuesday, June 10 – Thursday June 12, 2025
       
    WHAT: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
       
      • 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast
      • 9:20 a.m. – Opening Plenary: Joelle Tomlinson, Journalist, Media Personality and Global Energy Show Host and Mayor Jyoti Gondek, City of Calgary
      • 10 a.m. – Official Exhibition Opening
      • 10 a.m. – Keynote with His Excellency Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General, OPEC and conversation with Peter Mansbridge, former news anchor
      • 10:30 a.m. – Peter Mansbridge and Stastia West, Shell Canada President and Country Chair  
      • Site tours
      ο Details here.
       
      Wednesday, June 11, 2025
       
      • 10 a.m. – Keynote: Hon. Danielle Smith, Premier, Government of Alberta and conversation with Peter Mansbridge
       
      Tuesday, June 10 – Thursday June 12, 2025
       
      • Executive Conference
      ο Full program here.
      ο Speaker list here.
      • Energy Influencer Program
      ο Full schedule here.
      ο Speaker list here.
      • Executive Leadership Roundtables
      ο Sessions here.
       
      For more information on the exhibitions, conference features and special features, please visit https://www.globalenergyshow.com/.
      *Please note, schedule is subject to change.
       
    WHERE: BMO Centre at Stampede Park – Calgary
       
      Visitor Entrance: Corral Trail SE entrance of the NEW BMO Centre, 1912 Flores LaDue Parade, Calgary, Canada.
       

    For media inquiries, please contact:

    Shauna MacDonald
    Principal, Brookline PR
    403-585-4570
    smacdonald@brooklinepr.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of June 9, 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.

    At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.

    CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of June 9, 2025, include:

    • H.R. 188, Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act, as amended
    • H.R. 248, Baby Changing on Board Act
    • H.R. 252, Secure Our Ports Act, as amended
    • H.R. 1182, Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2025
    • H.R. 1373, Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2025, as amended
    • H.R. 1948, To authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission to accept funds for activities relating to wastewater treatment and flood control works, and for other purposes
    • H.R. 2035, American Cargo for American Ships Act
    • H.R. 2351, To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdose, and for other purposes
    • H.R. 2390, Maritime Supply Chain Security Act
    • H. Res. 137, Designating the House Press Gallery (Rooms H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319 of the United States Capitol) as the “Frederick Douglass Press Gallery”, as amended
    • H. Res. __, Denouncing the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado.
    • H. Res. __, Condemning the rise in ideologically motivated attacks on Jewish individuals in the United States, including the recent violent assault in Boulder, Colorado, and reaffirming the House of Representatives commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A First Nations power authority could transform electricity generation for Indigenous nations

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Christina E. Hoicka, Canada Research Chair in Urban Planning for Climate Change, Associate Professor of Geography and Civil Engineering, University of Victoria

    First Nations across British Columbia have developed renewable electricity projects for decades. Yet they’ve experienced significant barriers to implementing, owning and managing their own electricity supply. That’s because there have been few procurement policies in place that require their involvement.

    While municipalities are allowed to own and operate electricity utilities in B.C., First Nations are not. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) in B.C. requires that First Nations are provided with opportunities for economic development without discrimination.

    Many First Nations in B.C. view the development of renewable electricity projects on their lands (like hydro power, solar panels, wind turbines and transmission lines) as a way to achieve social, environmental and economic goals that are important to their community.

    These goals may include powering buildings in the community, creating economic development and local jobs, earning revenue, improving access to affordable and reliable electricity or using less diesel.

    Our new study shares the story of a coalition of First Nations and organizations that advocated for changes to electricity regulations and laws to give Indigenous communities more control to develop renewable electricity projects. Our interviews with knowledge holders from 14 First Nations offer insight into motivations behind their calls for regulatory changes.

    The coalition includes the Clean Energy Association of B.C., New Relationship Trust, Pembina Institute, First Nations Power Authority, Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council, and the First Nations Clean Energy Working Group.

    Models for a First Nations power authority

    Almost all electricity customers in B.C. are served by BC Hydro, the electric utility owned by the provincial government.

    The coalition argues that applying DRIPA to the electricity sector should allow First Nations to form a First Nations power authority. Such an organization would provide them with control over the development of electricity infrastructure that aligns with their values and would also help B.C. meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

    In the Re-Imagining Social Energy Transitions CoLaboratory (ReSET CoLab) at the University of Victoria, we analyzed regulatory documents from the B.C. Utilities Commission, and advocacy documents and presentations for discussion developed by the coalition.

    We identified six proposed First Nations power authority (Indigenous Utility) models:

    A capacity building point-of-contact model streamlines the development of renewable electricity projects to sell power to the provincial utility. For example, the First Nations Power Authority in Saskatchewan was formed for this purpose by SaskPower.

    This would be the most conformative model. It would provide vital networks and connections to First Nations while allowing BC Hydro and the British Columbia Utilities Commission to maintain full control over the electricity sector.

    In the second model, called a “put” contract, a B.C. First Nations Power Authority represents First Nations wishing to develop renewable electricity projects. Whenever the province needs to build new electricity generation projects to meet growing electricity demand, a portion of the new generation is developed by the First Nations authority.

    In the third model, First Nations build and operate electricity transmission and distribution lines to allow remote industrial facilities and communities to connect to the electricity grid. This is called “Industrial Interconnection.”

    For example, the Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission line in Ontario is a 1,800-kilometre line that provides an electricity grid connection for 17 previously remote nations. Twenty-four First Nations own 51 per cent of the line, while private investors own 49 per cent.

    In the fourth model, the B.C. First Nation Power Authority acts as the designated body for various opportunities in the electricity sector, such as the development of electricity transmission, distribution, generation or customer services. This model is referred to as “local or regional ‘ticket’ opportunities.”

    Fifth, the First Nation Power Authority develops renewable electricity projects and distributes electricity from these projects to customers as a retailer, or under an agreement through the BC Hydro electricity grid. For example, Nova Scotia Power’s Green Choice program procures renewable electricity from independent power producers to supply to electricity customers.

    Sixth, new utility is formed in B.C., owned by First Nations, that owns and operates electricity generation, transmission and distribution services and offers standard customer services in a specific region of B.C. (called a “Regional Vertically-Integrated Power Authority”).

    Most of these models would require changes to regulations. The sixth and most transformative model would provide First Nations with full decision-making control over electricity generation, transmission and distribution. It would also give them the ability to sell to customers and require extensive changes in electricity regulation.

    Improving living standards

    First Nations knowledge-holders told us that a lack of reliable power, high electricity rates, lack of control over projects on their traditional lands and the need for resilience in the face of climate events were motivations for taking electricity planning into their own hands.

    They also expressed that varied factors motivate community interest in renewable energy: improving the quality of life for community members; financial independence; mitigating climate change; protecting the environment; reducing diesel use and providing stable and safe power for current and future generations.

    First Nations are already seeking to capitalize on the benefits of renewable energy by developing their own projects within the current regulatory system.

    Most of those we spoke to see a First Nations power authority in B.C. as a means to provide opportunities for economic development without discrimination — and to achieve self-determination, self-reliance and reconciliation by addressing the root causes of some of the colonial injustices they face by obtaining control over the electricity sector on their lands.

    This article was co-authored by David Benton, an adopted member and Clean Energy Project Lead of Gitga’at First Nation and Kayla Klym, a BSc student in Geography at the University of Victoria.

    For this research project, Dr. Christina E. Hoicka received funding from Natural Resources Canada Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program (CERRC), Capacity Building Stream funding program. The research was conducted in partnership for the Clean Energy Association of British Columbia, and the New Relationship Trust. This work was also supported by the New Frontiers in Research Fund Global NFRFG-2020-00339 and the Canada Research Chair Secretariat CRC-2020-00055.

    Anna Berka is affiliated with Community Power Agency, a not-for-profit workers co-operative working to ensure a fair and accessible energy transition for all.

    Adam J. Regier and Sara Chitsaz do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A First Nations power authority could transform electricity generation for Indigenous nations – https://theconversation.com/a-first-nations-power-authority-could-transform-electricity-generation-for-indigenous-nations-254982

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Dry mouth, bad breath and tooth damage: the effects Ozempic and Wegovy can have on your mouth

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University

    Bad breath is a commonly reported side-effect of weight loss drugs. antoniodiaz/ Shutterstock

    Ozempic and Wegovy have been hailed as wonder drugs when it comes to weight loss. But as the drug has become more widely used, a number of unintended side-effects have become apparent – with the weight loss drug affecting the appearance of everything from your butt to your feet.

    “Ozempic face” is another commonly reported consequences of using these popular weight loss drugs. This is a sunken or hollowed out appearance the face can take on in people taking weight loss drugs. It can also increase signs of ageing – including lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

    This happens because the action of semaglutide (the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy) isn’t localised to act just on the fat in places we don’t want it. Instead, it acts on fat across the whole body – including in the face.

    But it isn’t just the appearance of your face that semaglutide affects. These drugs may also affect the mouth and teeth, too. And these side-effects could potentially lead to lasting damage.

    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.

    Dry mouth

    Semaglutide effects the salivary glands in the mouth. It does this by reducing saliva production (hyposalivation), which can in turn lead to dry mouth (xerostomia). This means there isn’t enough saliva to keep the mouth wet.

    It isn’t exactly clear why semaglutide has this effect on the salivary glands. But in animal studies of the drug, it appears the drug makes saliva stickier. This means there’s less fluid to moisten the mouth, causing it to dry out.

    GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (such as semaglutide) can also reduce water intake by affecting areas in the brain responsible for thirst. Low fluid intake further reduces saliva production, and may even cause the saliva to become thick and frothy and the tongue to become sticky.

    Bad breath

    One other commonly reported unwanted effect by semaglutide users is bad breath (halitosis).

    When there’s less saliva flowing through the mouth, this encourages bacteria that contribute to bad breath and the formation of cavities to thrive. These bacterial species include Streptococcus mutans and some strains of Lactobacillus.

    Another species that has been shown to thrive in conditions where saliva is reduced is Porphyromonas gingivalis. This bacteria is a significant contributor to the production of volatile sulphur compounds, which cause the foul odours characteristic of halitosis.

    Another factor that might explain why semaglutide causes bad breath is because less saliva being produced means the tongue isn’t cleaned. This is the same reason why your “morning breath” is so bad, because we naturally produce less saliva at night. This allows bacteria to grow and produce odours. Case report images show some people taking semaglutide have a “furry”-like or coated appearance to their tongue. This indicates a build up of bacteria that contribute to bad breath.

    Some people taking the weight loss drug experience a bacterial buidl-up on their tongue.
    sruilk/ Shutterstock

    Tooth damage

    One of the major side-effects of Ozempic is vomiting. Semaglutide slows how quickly the stomach empties, delaying digestion which can lead to bloating, nausea and vomiting.

    Repeated vomiting can damage the teeth. This is because stomach acid, composed primarily of hydrochloric acid, erodes the enamel of the teeth. Where vomiting occurs over a prolonged period of months and years the more damage will occur. The back surface of the teeth (palatal surface) closest to the tongue are more likely to see damage – and this damage may not be obvious to the sufferer.

    Vomiting also reduces the amount of fluid in the body. When combined with reduced saliva production, this puts the teeth at even greater risk of damage. This is because saliva helps neutralise the acid that causes dental damage.

    Saliva also contributes to the dental pellicle – a thin, protective layer that the saliva forms on the surface of the teeth. It’s thickest on the tongue-facing surface of the bottom row of teeth. In people who produce less saliva, the dental pellicle contains fewer mucins – a type of mucus which helps saliva stick to the teeth.

    Reducing the risk of damage

    If you’re taking semaglutide, there are many things you can do to keep your mouth healthy.

    Drinking water regularly during the day can help to keep the oral surfaces from drying out. This helps maintain your natural oral microbiome, which can reduce the risk of an overgrowth of the bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth damage.

    Drinking plenty of water also enables the body to produce the saliva needed to prevent dry mouth, ideally the recommended daily amount of six to eight glasses. Chewing sugar-free gum is also a sensible option as it helps to encourage saliva production. Swallowing this saliva keeps the valuable fluid within the body. Gums containing eucalyptus may help to prevent halitosis, too.

    There’s some evidence that probiotics may help to alleviate bad breath, at least in the short term. Using a probiotic supplements or consuming probiotic-rich foods (such as yoghurt or kefir) may be a good idea.

    Practising good basic oral hygiene, tooth brushing, reducing acidic foods and sugary drinks and using a mouthwash all help to protect your teeth as well.

    Women are twice as likely to have side-effects when taking GLP-1 receptor agonists – including gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting. This may be due to the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which can alter the gut’s sensitivity. To avoid vomiting, try eating smaller meals since the stomach stays fuller for longer while taking semaglutide.

    If you are sick, don’t immediately brush your teeth as this will spread the stomach’s acid over the surface of the teeth and increase the risk of damage. Instead, rinse your mouth out with water or mouthwash to reduce the strength of the acid and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing.

    It isn’t clear how long these side effects last, they’ll likely disappear when the medication is stopped, but any damage to the teeth is permanent. Gastrointestinal side-effects can last a few weeks but usually resolve on their own unless a higher dose is taken.

    Adam Taylor 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. Dry mouth, bad breath and tooth damage: the effects Ozempic and Wegovy can have on your mouth – https://theconversation.com/dry-mouth-bad-breath-and-tooth-damage-the-effects-ozempic-and-wegovy-can-have-on-your-mouth-257859

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: How Nuclear Tech Could Revolutionise Plastic Recycling

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    How can nuclear science help keep plastic waste out of the ocean and our daily lives?

    Nuclear science offers innovative solutions to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle. To combat this challenge, we need to understand its root causes. Research indicates that approximately 80 per cent of marine plastic pollution originates on land (with the rest coming from ocean sources such as fishing nets etc.) making land-based interventions critical.

    The IAEA is working on two fronts using cutting-edge technologies: firstly, we are using radiation to create bio-based plastics, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. Simply put, we are working on new materials that are both biodegradable and easily recyclable. This approach not only reduces reliance on fossil fuels but also supports circular economies by turning organic waste into valuable resources.

    Secondly, we are using radiation technology to transform plastic waste into more durable, stronger and higher value products. For example, radiation can enhance the performance of concrete by partially replacing cement with recycled plastics. Nuclear techniques are improving the sorting and separation of polymers in mixed plastic waste streams. We’re also exploring how radiation-assisted pyrolysis can convert plastics into waxes, fuels and other valuable chemical additives.

    If we treat plastics using radiation, won’t the new products be dangerous?

    Not at all — in fact, quite the opposite. Radiation is considered a form of ‘green chemistry’ because it allows us to process materials without using toxic chemicals or extreme conditions like high temperature or pressure. When we use radiation to create new bio-based plastics or upcycle plastic waste, the process is clean, efficient and environmentally friendly.

    And the radiation itself does not remain in the material. Just like when you get a dental X ray, the radiation passes through but doesn’t stay with you. The same principle applies here: the materials are not radioactive after treatment and are completely safe to use.

    You mentioned using nuclear technology to improve plastic recycling. Is this already happening?

    We have 52 countries collaborating with the IAEA on novel upcycling efforts under the NUTEC Plastics initiative. Nine of them are pilot countries, marking a major step forward in turning innovation into reality. These countries are advancing rapidly along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale — a globally recognized nine-stage framework that tracks the maturity of technologies from concept to commercial deployment.

    We’re already seeing exciting, tangible results.

    In Indonesia and the Philippines, wood-plastic composites are being developed for sustainable construction.  In Malaysia, plastic waste is being converted into fuel. In Argentina, durable railroad sleepers made from recycled plastics are showing strong performance in early trials.

    These pilot projects are not just proof of concept — they are proof of progress. We anticipate several of these technologies reaching the final TRL stages and moving toward full-scale implementation as early as next year.

    Why, as a scientist, did you choose to go into this field?

    I’ve always believed that science should serve as a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change. That belief led me to focus on plastic upcycling and the search for alternatives to petroleum-based materials — areas where innovation can directly address the environmental crises we face today.

    With over 30 years of experience working with ionizing radiation, I’ve seen firsthand its untapped potential to transform waste into valuable resources. This work is more than research — it’s a commitment to building a circular economy that safeguards our ecosystems, reduces human carbon footprint, and leaves a healthier, more resilient planet for future generations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: UAE’s power capacity to reach 79.1GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    UAE’s power capacity to reach 79.1GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Power

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) boasts one of the most secure and stable electricity supply systems in the region. Leveraging its substantial natural gas and oil reserves, among the largest globally, the UAE generates sufficient electricity to satisfy domestic consumption. The nation primarily utilizes its gas for power generation and for re-injection into oil fields to enhance production, while designating a significant portion of its oil for export. Backed by an increase in electricity demand, power capacity in the country is expected to reach 79.1GW in 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “UAE Power Market Outlook to 2035, Update 2025 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” reveals that annual power generation in the UAE is expected to increase at a CAGR of 3.8% during 2024-35 to reach 281.3TWh.

    Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The power sector in the UAE offers abundant opportunities for investors, with the government poised to make significant investments in the expansion and modernization of its generation and supply infrastructure. The anticipated increase in capacity is projected to occur predominantly in gas-based thermal power, as opposed to oil, where capacity is expected to remain stable. Manufacturers of gas turbines stand to benefit from this surge in gas-fired power capacity.”

    The UAE’s conditions are exceptionally conducive to solar power generation, prompting the government to allocate extensive tracts of undeveloped land for solar parks, including both photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) installations. These developments will not only meet local demand but also cater to export needs.

    Saibasan adds: “Over the past decade, the UAE has experienced a marked increase in electricity demand, necessitating the importation of natural gas from Qatar. In response to this growing demand and to diversify its energy portfolio, the UAE has strategically shifted away from exclusive dependence on natural gas, expanding into renewable and nuclear energy sectors.”

    The UAE is experiencing a notable surge in electricity demand, driven by its expanding population and urban development. As of 2024, the current population stands at approximately 11 million and is projected to rise to 11.9 million by the year 2030. A significant factor in this increased energy consumption is the high expatriate population, which constitutes around 88% of the total and contributes to the growth in residential and commercial energy needs.

    Saibasan concludes: “Additionally, the development of mega urban projects, such as Masdar City and Expo City Dubai, underscores the necessity for sustainable energy solutions. These smart cities are at the forefront of innovation, yet they also contribute to higher electricity consumption. Consequently, this trend necessitates the expansion of the electrical grid and investment in smart infrastructure to meet the evolving demands.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Report shows Alberta producing more oil and less emissions

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: BC Hydro launches new actions to power B.C.’s clean-energy future

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    BC Hydro has launched two requests for expressions of interest (RFEOI) to explore the next era of the province’s power potential, expand clean-energy resources and advance energy efficiency.

    These actions are critical to ensuring a stable, reliable electricity system that supports new housing, businesses and industries while keeping energy costs affordable for people.

    “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the world in clean energy and we’re acting with urgency to make sure every British Columbian benefits,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “By expanding our clean-power supply and increasing energy efficiency, we’re securing our power grid, building a resilient electricity system and creating sustainable jobs that drive economic growth.”

    The first RFEOI focuses on expanding B.C.’s long-term capacity to meet peak electricity demand as consumption patterns evolve. BC Hydro is seeking ideas on capacity and baseload energy projects, including geothermal, pumped storage and hydroelectric resources. Capacity and baseload projects can reliably deliver firm power and provide backup for intermittent energy projects, such as wind and solar that rely on external, uncontrollable conditions such as the wind blowing or the sun shining to deliver power.

    The second RFEOI targets innovation in energy efficiency by identifying partners capable of delivering market-ready technologies that help conserve energy in homes and buildings. Through the RFEOI, BC Hydro seeks to collaborate with industry leaders and forward-thinking organizations to help people in British Columbia save energy and lower costs.

    Energy efficiency is the cleanest and least expensive way to meet increasing demand for power. The energy-efficiency RFEOI supports BC Hydro’s comprehensive Power Smart energy savings program and complements BC Hydro’s $700 million expanded Energy Efficiency Plan, which increases investments in tools, technologies and rebates. These initiatives encourage energy-conscious decisions and help customers reduce electricity consumption. BC Hydro estimates that this plan will save customers $80 million annually and deliver more than 2,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity savings by 2030, the equivalent of powering more than 200,000 homes.

    “We are looking beyond the near term and opening up exploration of the next chapter of B.C.’s energy future by advancing the dialogue with industry participants and potential partners around clean-technology investments and expanding our leading energy-efficiency programs,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “With BC Hydro’s long-standing legacy of delivering clean, reliable power, these initiatives will drive growth, sustainability and energy security, creating new opportunities across British Columbia.”

    The information gathered from both RFEOIs will guide future energy planning and procurement strategies. Submissions will close in September 2025.

    Both initiatives are part of the recently announced Clean Power Action Plan, an ambitious strategy to strengthen energy security, enhance system resilience and accelerate the transition to clean power. The plan also includes:

    • launching a second call for power to acquire a target of as much as 5,000 gigawatt-hours per year of energy from large, clean and renewable projects, which builds on the success of the 2024 call for power and resulted in 10 new renewable-energy projects, with First Nations asset ownership between 49% and 51%, capable of powering about 500,000 new homes;
    • investing more than $12 million from the B.C. Innovative Clean Energy fund in a targeted three-year call for new, made-in-B.C. clean-energy technologies that will combat climate change and create sustainable jobs; and
    • streamlining connections to B.C.’s grid to enable new homes and businesses to access clean electricity faster and less expensively.

    Through these actions, BC Hydro is reinforcing its commitment to delivering clean, reliable energy, supporting British Columbia’s transition to a low-carbon economy and ensuring electricity remains affordable, sustainable and accessible to all residents.

    Quick Facts:

    • The following BC Hydro actions will power more than one million new homes in the coming years: 
      • adding the Site C hydroelectric dam, which will generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes and increase supply by 8%;
      • bringing new renewable wind and solar projects into service from the recent call for power, collectively powering 500,000 homes and boosting supply by 8%; and,
      • expanding investments in energy efficiency, expected to save 2,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power 200,000 homes.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the Province’s plans to power B.C.’s potential, visit: https://www.bchydro.com/poweringpotential

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Positive progress made on five-year housing strategy for Perth and Kinross

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Members of the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee will be told that 243 new houses for affordable social rent were delivered in Perth and Kinross, along with another 30 for mid-market rent, in partnership with local Registered Social Landlords. Thirty-seven of the new homes for affordable social rent are Council new-build properties.

    The progress report on the Council’s five-year Local Housing Strategy (LHS) for Perth and Kinross will be considered by Councillors at a meeting on Wednesday 11th June.

    The LHS for 2022-2027 sets out the vision, policies and plans that will enable the Council and its community partners to continue the delivery of high-quality housing and housing services for local people. It is an ambitious plan, setting out what homes and communities should look and feel like over the next five years:

    The progress report to be considered by the committee outlines a range of other achievements made over the last 12 months across identified priority areas, including:

    • The Council bought back 116 ex-Council homes to further increase its stock of affordable social housing.
    • 20 empty homes were provided for people in need of accommodation through the Empty Homes Initiative.
    • A total of 1,413 households were supported to sustain their tenancy through our Tenancy Sustainment Fund, Financial Inclusion Project and Think Yes budget, preventing them from becoming homeless.
    • We continued to deliver sector-leading outcomes for people who experienced homelessness, helping them into secure, permanent accommodation quickly.
    • A new Tenant Downsizing Scheme was launched with the aim of freeing up larger homes for households experiencing overcrowding.
    • We invested £491,700 in 330 minor housing adaptations and 74 major adaptations for local authority tenants, allowing people to living independently in their own homes for as long as they want to.
    • Our work with SCARF to deliver our Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) service, provided free and impartial energy efficiency advice to 880 households which resulted in savings for residents, reductions in carbon emissions and removed some residents from fuel poverty.

    The report also sets out what our priorities will be for the coming year, including the continued delivery of 1,050 new homes by 2027.

    Members of the committee will be asked to note the progress made in 2024/25 and approve the list of priorities set out for the next 12 months.

    Committee Convener, Councillor Tom McEwan, said: “The LHS is one of the most important strategies we produce as a Council. Housing plays a vital role in meeting the needs of local people, communities and the economy. Giving people the right housing for them, in the right place and at the right cost, vastly improves their overall life chances.

    “The LHS is the framework for how we deliver new housing, improve existing houses across the area, drive down fuel poverty, make sure people live in secure and warm housing, tackle homelessness and reduce the carbon footprint of our area.

    “This excellent report highlights the massive amount of work that the Council and our Registered Social Landlord partners have done, and will continue to do.

    “I am particularly pleased to see hundreds of new homes for affordable rent added to the local housing stock, which will provide much-needed accommodation for people and families that will change their lives. The Council continues to add significant amounts of new housing to its stock through our new-build and buy-back programmes.

    “We are also one of the leading local authorities in Scotland when it comes to preventing and dealing with homelessness. Supporting over 1,400 households to keep their tenancy, avoiding both the stigma and financial cost of homelessness, is a notable achievement.

    “Overall, we are making excellent progress under our LHS for 2022-27. We will move forward with ambition and determination to provide high-quality, affordable housing for people, in the areas where they want to live.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major £4 billion technology investment accelerates UK defence innovation in a European first

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Major £4 billion technology investment accelerates UK defence innovation in a European first

    More than £3 billion drive towards autonomous systems to shape UK military future and boost export potential, supporting the Plan for Change

    UK troops and warships will be protected by drone and laser weapon technology through a major £4 billion investment, as the UK seeks to become the leading edge of innovation in NATO under the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and driven by lessons from Ukraine. 

    The major funding package includes more than £3 billion for autonomous systems and a further investment of nearly £1 billion for Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) this Parliament – including the iconic DragonFire laser – boosting frontline capabilities while creating 300 skilled jobs across the country. 

    DragonFire is set to be the first high power laser capability entering service from a European nation, with the first Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer due to be fitted in 2027.  

    The SDR recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy. To help achieve this, it says Defence must incorporate uncrewed and autonomous systems in high numbers over the next five years and make targeted investment in the development of novel directed energy weapons.  

    Today’s autonomous systems investment – of which more than £2 billion is new funding following the Government‘s historic uplift in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2027– will see autonomous systems, including drones improve accuracy and lethality for our Armed Forces, and boost UK export potential. 

    It comes after major announcements ahead of the SDR publication, including: the building of up to a dozen new attack submarines for the Royal Navy; up to 7,000 new UK-built long-range weapons to procured; at least six new munitions and energetics factories in the UK; more than £1.5 billion to improve the state of military housing; and more than £1 billion for pioneering technology to spearhead battlefield engagements.

    The new DEW capabilities will give the UK an edge, creating low cost and sustainable alternatives to missiles to shoot down targets, such as drones, at the speed of light, reduce collateral damage and have a low-cost per shot, reducing reliance on expensive ammunition.   

    The systems will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate – whether at sea, on land, or in the air – and will work alongside crewed assets, such as current and future fighter jets.  

    Both investments reflect the SDR’s vision for UK innovation to be driven by the lessons from Ukraine – harnessing drones, data and digital warfare to make our Armed Forces stronger and safer. 

    The SDR sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform defence and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad. It ends the hollowing out of our Armed Forces and will also drive innovation, jobs and growth across the country, allowing the UK to lead in a stronger NATO as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.  

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

    These investments will mean the most significant advance in UK defence technology in decades. We will ensure our Armed Forces have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

    We are delivering the Strategic Defence Review’s vision to put the UK at the leading edge of innovation in NATO, by backing British industry and fast-tracking the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops.

    This Government’s Plan for Change will harness the benefits of technology, create hundreds of new jobs and make defence a powerful engine for economic growth.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:  

    A strong economy needs a strong national defence. That’s why we are delivering the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War—putting innovation and industrial strength at the centre of our national security strategy.

    Additional funding for autonomous systems maximises the defence industry’s potential to drive long term economic growth and productivity – helping us deliver our Plan for Change while keeping the UK safe.

    A new DEW will be created for the British Army this decade, alongside DragonFire being integrated on four Royal Navy warships, with the first ship due to be fitted in 2027, forming part of a layered air defence system to better protect UK forces while reducing collateral damage and reducing reliance on expensive ammunition. 

    DEW technology already supports 200 high-skilled UK jobs, with a further 300 positions to be created across the Ministry of Defence and industry partners. It’s another example of defence as an engine for UK economic growth, delivering on the Plan for Change.  

    In addition, a new Drone Centre will be established to accelerate exploitation of small, uncrewed air systems across all three military services, helping to deliver them to the front line faster.   

    The Centre will provide a central knowledge base to tackle any emerging legislative changes, develop best practice and better manage the interaction with industry. Crucially, it will apply battlefield lessons from Ukraine where drones now kill more people than traditional artillery. Detailed organisational arrangements will be developed over the coming months. 

    During the SDR process, 1,700 individuals, political parties, and organisations submitted more than 8,000 responses. 200 companies provided written contributions, more than 120 senior experts took part in the review and challenge panels, and nearly 50 meetings took place between the Reviewers and our senior military figures.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 4 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 4 June 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 4 June 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update academies: 4 June 2025

    HTML

    DfE Update local authorities: 4 June 2025

    HTML

    Details

    Latest for further education

    Article Title
    Information Adult skills fund (ASF) 2024 to 2025 related reference data (postcode datasets)
    Information Publication of updated college financial benchmarking tool and related dataset
    Information Maths and English progress measures
    Reminder Year-end funding claim for 2024 to 2025
    Your feedback Tell us about your experience of our funding service

    Latest information for academies

    Article Title
    Action Primary PE and sport premium 2024 to 2025 digital expenditure reporting return
    Action Budget Forecast Return 2025 is now live
    Information Capital funding 2025 to 2026
    Information Moving to a termly early years census from 2026 to 2027
    Information Maths and English progress measures
    Reminder Year-end funding claim for 2024 to 2025
    Your feedback Tell us about your experience of our funding service
    Events and webinars DfE Energy for schools: simplified buying of gas and electricity
    Events and webinars Hiring supply teachers and agency workers for your school webinar
    Events and webinars Academy finance professionals June power hour: Budget Forecast Return
    Events and webinars RPA Members only – Employment Law workshop
    Events and webinars Buying catering services for your school
    Events and webinars RPA Members only – Employment Law workshop
    Events and webinars Q&A drop-in sessions: Academies chart of accounts and automation

    Latest information for local authorities

    Article Title
    Action Primary PE and sport premium 2024 to 2025 digital expenditure reporting return
    Information 2025 to 2026 import/export data and special free schools adjustment data sent to local authorities
    Information Adult skills fund (ASF) 2024 to 2025 related reference data (postcode datasets)
    Information Capital funding 2025 to 2026
    Information Moving to a termly early years census from 2026 to 2027
    Information Maths and English progress measures
    Reminder Deadline for incorporation of new/changes to split sites into the 2026 to 2027 schools NFF
    Reminder Year-end funding claim for 2024 to 2025
    Your feedback Tell us about your experience of our funding service
    Events and webinars DfE Energy for schools: simplified buying of gas and electricity
    Events and webinars Hiring supply teachers and agency workers for your school webinar
    Events and webinars RPA Members only – Employment Law workshop
    Events and webinars Buying catering services for your school
    Events and webinars RPA Members only – Employment Law workshop

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Amazon Plans to Invest $10 Billion in North Carolina for AI Infrastructure

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Amazon Plans to Invest $10 Billion in North Carolina for AI Infrastructure

    Governor Stein Announces Amazon Plans to Invest $10 Billion in North Carolina for AI Infrastructure
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein announced that Amazon is planning to invest $10 billion to launch a new high-tech cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation campus in Richmond County, creating at least 500 new high-paying, high-tech jobs. 

    “Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work and innovate, and I am pleased that North Carolina will stay at the forefront of all that’s ahead as we continue to attract top technology companies like Amazon,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Amazon’s investment is among the largest in state history and will bring hundreds of good-paying jobs and an economic boost to Richmond County.”

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud computing solution, and its data centers enable customers of all sizes and across all industries, such as automotive, health care, manufacturing, financial services, public sector, and more, to transform their businesses. The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing capabilities and generative AI technologies. North Carolina’s business-friendly environment, abundance of infrastructure resources, availability of skilled labor, and growing technology sectors made it a natural hub for building world-class data center infrastructure.

    “Amazon’s $10 billion investment in North Carolina underscores our commitment to driving innovation and advancing the future of cloud computing and AI technologies,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer. “This investment will position North Carolina as a hub for cutting-edge technology, create hundreds of high-skilled jobs, and drive significant economic growth. We look forward to partnering with state and local leaders, local suppliers, and educational institutions to nurture the next generation of talent.”

    “I am excited for Amazon’s $10 billion investment in our community,” said Senator David Craven. “This project will bring hundreds of good-paying jobs and significant investment to our area for many years to come.”

    “Richmond County is delighted to welcome Amazon to our community,” said Representative Ben Moss. “The new jobs created by this facility will change hundreds of lives for the better. Rural communities like ours can lead the way in technology advancements, including artificial intelligence, which is an ever-increasing presence in the world.”

    “The Richmond County, NC Board of County Commissioners, is pleased to announce and welcome Amazon as our newest corporate partner,” said Richmond County Board of Commissioners Chairman Rick Watkins. “Their selection of the Energy Way Industrial Park represents the largest Cap-ex investment in the history of North Carolina and will serve as a catalyst to transform the local economy, provide high paying jobs for citizens, and improve the quality of life for all residents. We stand ready to work together with Amazon as they continue to build capacity and innovate their cloud computing platform. Working together, our possibilities are limitless!    

    Jun 4, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Battery storage procurement process was ‘transparent’

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Department of Electricity and Energy has confirmed the integrity of the outcome of the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP).

    This after a political party in Parliament raised concern about the five preferred bidders chosen under Bid Window 3 of the BESIPPPP last week.

    “The Minister [Kgosientsho Ramokgopa] wishes to reaffirm that the procurement process was conducted under the established frameworks of the Independent Power Producer Office [IPPO], guided by the principles of transparency, competitiveness, and value for money. 

    “The process was subject to rigorous legal, technical, and financial due diligence, consistent with national legislation and the prescripts of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, including the objectives of ensuring that public procurement fosters inclusive growth for previously marginalised communities, including women and youth,” the department said.

    Some 10 bid windows have been undertaken since the IPPO’s inception which has brought at least R292 billion infrastructure investment in renewable energy projects that reached financial close.

    “R112 billion [has been] recorded as the actual spend on Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment [BBBEE], representing 74% of the total procurement. The local content spent [actual] reached R81.2 billion by December 2024.

    “The shareholding of Black South Africans has now reached 38.1% with 8.8% held by local communities. Over R4 billion has been invested in socio-economic and enterprise development programmes with over 90 000 employment opportunities created in construction and operation stages

    “In addition, 147.2 million kilolitres water savings was achieved since programme inception, with 124.5 Mton CO, offset by electricity generated by these projects. These significant investments in South Africa and her people, was achieved without a single finding of fraud, corruption and malfeasance,” the department said.

    READ I Minister announces preferred bidders under BESIPPPP Bid Window 3

    The department noted concerns raised about the process and added that the Minister “welcomes robust democratic scrutiny and regards public accountability as a cornerstone of good governance”.

    “In this spirit, and in full recognition of Parliament’s oversight role, the Minister will formally write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy to request that the department and the IPPO be granted an opportunity to brief the committee on the appointment process and respond to any concerns that may be raised by Members of Parliament,” the department said.

    In addressing the allegations put forward by the MK Party, Minister Ramokgopa affirmed the department’s commitment to integrity. “We remain committed to ensuring that all procurement conducted under the department’s auspices is beyond reproach and reflects the highest standards of probity and public trust,” he said.

    Citizens with “concrete evidence of wrongdoing” are urged to submit such information through the appropriate legal and institutional channels.

    “Furthermore, the Minister emphasised government’s willingness to engage constructively with all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society and industry, in strengthening the integrity and developmental impact of South Africa’s energy programmes,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Reintroduces Sweeping Offshore Wind Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    Tonko Reintroduces Sweeping Offshore Wind Bill

    Amidst administration attacks on offshore wind development, Tonko’s bill would provide needed leasing and permitting certainty to support clean energy future

    Washington, June 4, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Congressman Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) today reintroduced the Offshore Energy Modernization Act, legislation that provides a comprehensive blueprint to ensure the long-term viability and success of U.S. offshore wind development.
    This introduction comes amidst an onslaught of attacks from the Trump administration on wind energy development. On day one, President Trump issued an executive order blocking all new approvals, permits, and funding for wind energy, both on and offshore — potentially putting thousands of jobs and billions in industry investments on the chopping block.
    “Despite President Trump’s best efforts to tank clean energy development, offshore wind remains a massive boon and opportunity, not only for coastal regions, but across the nation — including New York’s Capital Region — in the form of good paying jobs, increased manufacturing, and development of critical components,” Congressman Tonko said. “Republicans are waking up to the benefits that wind energy presents. Robust federal leadership is needed to support long-term and responsible offshore wind development, support domestic supply chain, and drive American energy dominance. My Offshore Energy Modernization Act is the solution. I urge my colleagues join me in supporting this legislation to ensure we unlock the full potential of American offshore wind energy production and deployment.”

    The Offshore Energy Modernization Act of 2025 is the first comprehensive federal legislation to support long-term and responsible offshore wind development in the United States. This bill: 

    • Reforms the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to better reflect the realities of offshore wind development and provide long-term certainty for this emerging industry. 
    • Facilitates timely and efficient permitting of offshore renewable energy projects by providing funding for early, frequent, and robust community engagement, including Tribal consultation. 
    • Ensures that offshore renewable energy projects support good-paying, union jobs and a reliable, domestic supply chain. 
    • Invests in marine and coastal habitat protection and compensates fishing interests that have been impacted by offshore wind development. 
    • Establishes the Offshore Power Administration to provide Federal assistance to advance shared offshore transmission infrastructure. 
    • Creates new Department of Energy grant and loan guarantee opportunities to support U.S. shipbuilding needed to construct offshore wind projects. 
    A fact-sheet of the Offshore Energy Modernization Act can be found HERE.
    A section-by-section summary can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Integrates Solana Pay to Enable Instant Crypto Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has integrated Solana Pay, enabling users globally to make instant, low-fee crypto payments. The move expands Bitget Wallet’s real-world utility and supports its goal of making crypto seamless and accessible for everyday use.

    With this integration, Bitget Wallet users can scan Solana Pay QR codes to complete transactions using stablecoins like USDC and other Solana tokens. The feature supports both in-store and online payments, with upcoming compatibility for national QR code systems in regions such as Southeast Asia and Latin America. Transactions are settled directly from the user’s wallet, fee-efficiently and without intermediaries. This is part of Bitget Wallet’s growing PayFi suite, which aims to make crypto practical for commerce.

    “Our mission is to make crypto useful in everyday life — not just to hold or trade, but also to spend,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “By integrating Solana Pay, we give users a fast and affordable way to use crypto globally. Combined with features for trading, staking, and DApp exploration, Bitget Wallet is becoming a true all-in-one platform for Solana and beyond.” The wallet supports 130+ blockchains, offers swaps across hundreds of DEXs, and connects users to thousands of Web3 apps in a secure, self-custodial environment.

    Solana Pay is an open-source payments framework built on Solana that enables decentralized, instant, and low-cost payments. The integration was made possible through collaboration with Venta, a Solana-powered payments provider offering scalable infrastructure for real-world blockchain payments. Venta connects wallets, merchants, and ecosystems to accelerate crypto adoption. “People everywhere deserve modern payments that don’t drain their pockets. Helping Bitget Wallet integrate Solana Pay for their millions of users shows that open, composable rails are the answer, letting any wallet, merchant, or developer tap into instant, low-cost transactions with just one integration. Together, Venta and Bitget Wallet are making that a reality,” said K, Co-Founder & CEO of Venta.

    Bitget Wallet offers a full Solana feature set across Trade, Earn, Pay, and Discover. Users can access Solana-native limit order trading through integration with Jupiter DEX, perform cross-chain swaps, and stake SOL via the wallet’s Earn suite. The wallet also supports reclaiming idle SOL through Solana account rent refunds, provides built-in MEV protection, and enables gas fee coverage using GetGas with Solana Paymaster support. Additionally, users can explore a wide array of Solana-based DApps directly within the app. These capabilities reflect Bitget Wallet’s broader commitment to making onchain finance more accessible, efficient, and secure for users engaging with the Solana network.

    To showcase the integration, Bitget Wallet will join the Solana Summit 2025 as a major partner. Taking place from June 5 to 7 in Da Nang, Vietnam, the summit will gather nearly 2,000 developers, founders, and ecosystem leaders. Bitget Wallet will host a branded booth with free coffee, exclusive merchandise, and live demos. The team will also lead a developer workshop and join a panel discussion, highlighting the wallet’s growing role in real-world crypto adoption. An evening side event will also offer a more informal setting for connecting with builders and partners.

    Find out more on Bitget Wallet’s official channels.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    About Venta
    Venta is a Solana-powered payments provider revolutionizing the payment landscape with scalable solutions, empowering merchants, consumers, and tech teams alike with an express lane to distribution and innovation. For more information, please visit https://www.venta.xyz/

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecaf0437-beae-428f-bd47-f006f696735a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: 67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland

    67 North Carolina Students Headed to National History Day® Contest in Maryland
    jejohnson6

    After months of in-depth research, creativity, and competition, 67 students from 24 schools across North Carolina have earned their spot at the 2025 National History Day® Contest, taking place June 8–12 at the University of Maryland in College Park. They will join nearly 3,000 middle and high school students from across the globe in a celebration of historical scholarship and storytelling.

    The students qualified through North Carolina History Day, a statewide program that reached more than 5,000 participants this year. Managed by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), the program encourages students to explore the past through hands-on research aligned with this year’s theme: “Rights and Responsibilities in History.” Participants chose topics that mattered to them, ranging from civil rights movements to constitutional debates, and brought them to life through exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and research papers.

    “The most powerful part of this program is that it’s student-driven,” said Karen Ipock, State Coordinator for N.C. History Day. “Students pick topics that genuinely interest them, which sparks deep engagement and creative expression — whether that’s designing a website, writing a paper, or producing a live performance. It’s a program that brings history to life and gives students a voice in telling its stories.”

    Competitions began with eight regional contests held across the state, coordinated by DNCR and local partners. Top entries advanced to the state-level contest on May 3 at UNC Greensboro, where finalists were selected to represent North Carolina at nationals.

    Beyond the contest itself, several North Carolina students have also been selected for exclusive workshops and showcases in Washington, D.C., on June 11 — an added recognition of the quality and impact of their work.

    • 8th grader Thanapat Lucksanapirak from Alston Ridge Middle School in Cary, N.C., will have his documentary, “The WTO: Balancing Rights and Responsibilities in Global Trade,” shown in the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

    • 10th grader Andrew Lar from Watauga High School in Boone, N.C., will attend a writer’s workshop with the White House Historical Association for his research paper, “‘Not in Our Name’: The Central American Sanctuary Movement and the Struggle for Salvadoran Asylum Rights.”

    • 6th grader Elsie-Mae Clayton from Swain County Middle School in Bryson City, N.C., will showcase her exhibit at the National Museum of American History, “The Federal Government and the Broken Promises,” about the building of Fontana Dam and the Road to Nowhere.

    • 10th and 11th graders Ava Karis Renegar, Campbell Hodge, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, and Kyle Malt from Classical Scholars in Mills River, N.C., will perform their project, “Nothing About Us Without Us: How One Group of Disability Rights Activists Fought for Recognition by Forcing the Government to Accept Responsibility for Discrimination,” at the National Museum of American History.

    “The doors this competition opens for students are incredible,” said Ipock. “They’re not only sharing their research in some of the nation’s most prestigious museums, but also learning firsthand from historians, scholars, and museum professionals who are leaders in their fields.”

    The National History Day® contest wraps up on Thursday, June 12, with a highly anticipated awards ceremony recognizing the top three entries in each category. Students will also be eligible for a range of special prizes —  some up to $2,000 — for outstanding work in specific areas of historical research.

    North Carolina’s impact doesn’t end with its student competitors. Two outstanding educators — Jeffrey Stanek of Holly Shelter Middle School in Castle Hayne and Emily Lemus of EDGE Academy of Health Science in Rocky Mount — are national nominees for excellence in history education. Both have been recognized for their exceptional work in the classroom, using historical inquiry to engage and inspire students. Final selections for these prestigious teaching awards will be announced during the national contest, and North Carolina is proud to have such dedicated educators in the running.

    Students competing from each N.C. region include:

    West:  Charlie Hurwitz and Owen McAbee, Cane Creek Middle (Buncombe County); Isaiah Zebley, Gemma Edwards, and Lilly Cacawa, ArtSpace Charter (Buncombe County); Kate Huscher and Maddux Hansel, Hendersonville Middle (Henderson County); Cayden Rybicki, North Hendson High (Henderson County); Campbell Hodge, Ava Karis Renegar, Elianna Yoder, Jonah Hardin, Kyle Malt, Kathleen Godfrey, Colin Brown, David Ruland, Ezra Kushigian, Rowan Maishman, Ryan Malt, Anslee Renegar, Evie Koppin, Tybi Dugdale, and Zia Cartrett, Classical Scholars (Henderson County); Elsie-Mae Clayton, Swain County Middle (Swain County); Andrew Larsen, Watauga High (Watauga County)

    Piedmont: Anisa Hasanaj, North Carolina School Of Science and Mathematics (Durham County); Elena Gale, Emma Rose Laurell, Sophia Siebert, and Zelie Polnaszek, St. Michaels Homeschool Co-op (Gaston County); Marnie Lasher, Early College at Guilford (Guilford County); Riley Gale and Woody Taylor, Woodlawn School (Iredell County); Finn McElwee and Suh Hee Shin, Chapel Hill High (Orange County); Laura Cratty and Louisa Cratty; Cratty Family Homeschool (Orange County); Thanapat Lucksanapirak, Alston Ridge Middle (Wake County); Magali Murray, Holly Springs High (Wake County); Arsema Belete, Kaana Anda-Morelli, Katelyn Kwark, Olivia Steigerwald, and Max Wagner, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy (Wake County); Catherine Kendall, Ellen Lan, and Joyce Xu, Cary Academy (Wake County)

    East: Joselyn Hutson, Sadie Lankford, Scarlett Rauen, Ben Gardner, and Gavin Oplinger, Holly Shelter Middle (New Hanover County); Lyla Varnum and Abigail Blair, The International School at Gregory (New Hanover County); Lily Atwill, Anah Stough, and Kayligrace Moody, Isaac M Bear Early College High School (New Hanover County), Olivia Stetler, Wilmington Early College High (New Hanover County); Adam Politi, Jackson Renton, Rowan Forkin, and Slade Forkin, Cape Fear Academy (New Hanover County), Mariana Nieblas-Lugo, Pamlico County Middle (Pamlico), Blondge Phanor, Wayne School of Engineering (Wayne County)

    Each year, more than half a million students from all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and international schools take part in the National History Day® program. North Carolina’s affiliate, North Carolina History Day, is proudly administered by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and supported by the North Caroliniana Society and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies. To learn more, visit www.dncr.nc.gov/nchistoryday.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Jun 4, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Development finance in a post-aid world: the case for country platforms

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Richard Calland, Emeritus Associate Professor in Public Law, UCT. Visiting Adjunct Professor, WITS School of Governance; Director, Africa Programme, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge

    With the Trump administration slashing US Agency for International Development budgets and European nations shifting overseas development aid budgets to bolster defence spending, the world has entered a “post-aid era”.

    But there is an opportunity to recast development finance as strategic investment: “country platforms”.

    Country platforms are government-led, nationally owned mechanisms that bring together a country’s climate priorities, investment needs and reform agenda, and align them with the interests of development partners, private investors and implementing agencies. They function as a strategic hub: convening actors, coordinating funding, and curating pipelines of projects for investment.

    Think of them as the opposite of donor-driven fragmentation. Instead of dozens of disconnected projects driven by external priorities, a country platform enables governments to set the agenda and direct finance to where it is needed most. That could be renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, or nature-based solutions.

    Country platforms are a current fad. They were the talk of the town at the 2025 Spring meetings of multilateral development banks in Washington DC. Will they quickly fade as the next big new idea comes into view? Or can they escape the limitations and failings of the finance and development aid ecosystem?

    The Independent High Level Expert Group on Climate Finance, on which I serve, is striving to find new ways to ramp up finance – both public and private – in quality and quantity. I agree with those who argue that country platforms could be the innovation that unlocks the capital urgently needed to tackle climate overshoot and buttress economic development.

    The model is already being tested. More than ten countries have launched their platforms, and more are in the pipeline.

    For African countries, the opportunity could not be more timely. African governments are racing to deliver their Nationally Determined Contributions. These are the commitments they’ve made to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as part of climate change mitigation targets set out in the Paris Agreement. Implementing these plans is often being done under severe fiscal constraints.

    At the same time global capital is looking for investment opportunities. But it needs to be convinced that the rewards will outweigh the risks.

    Where it’s being tested

    In Africa, South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership has demonstrated both the potential and the complexity of a country platform. Egypt and Senegal also have country platforms at different stages of implementation. Kenya and Nigeria are exploring similar mechanisms. The African Union’s Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy calls for country platforms across the continent.

    New entrants can learn from countries that started first.

    But country platforms come in different shapes and sizes according to the context.

    Another promising example is emerging through Mission 300, an initiative of the World Bank and African Development Bank, working with partners like The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, and Sustainable Energy for All. It aims to connect 300 million people to clean electricity by 2030.

    Central to this initiative are Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units. These are essentially country platforms anchored in electrification. They reflect how a well-structured country platform can make an impact. Twelve African countries are already moving in this direction. All announced their Mission 300 compacts at the Africa Heads of State Summit in Tanzania.

    This growing cohort reflects a continental commitment to putting energy-driven country platforms at the heart of Africa’s development architecture.

    Why now – and why Africa?

    A well-functioning country platform can help in a number of ways.

    Firstly, it can give the political and economic leadership a clear goal. The platform can survive elections and show stability, certainty and transparency to the investment world.

    Secondly, national ownership and strategic alignment can reduce risk and build confidence. That would encourage investment.

    Thirdly, it builds trust among development partners and investors through clear priorities, transparency, and national ownership.

    Fourthly, it moves beyond isolated pilot projects to system-level transformation – meaning structural change. The transition in one sector, energy for example, creates new value chains that create more, better and safer jobs. Country platforms put African governments in charge of their own economic development, not as passive recipients of climate finance.

    The country sets its investment priorities and then the match-making with international climate finance can begin.

    Making it work: what’s needed

    Developing the data on which a country bases its investment and development plans, and blending those with the fiscal, climate and nature data, is complex. For this reason country platforms require investment in institutional capacity, cross-ministerial collaboration, and strong coordination between finance ministries, environment agencies and economic planners. And especially, in leadership capability.

    African countries must take charge of this capacity and capability acceleration.

    Second, development partners can respond by providing money as well as supporting African leadership, aligning with national strategies, and being willing to co-design mechanisms that meet both investor expectations and local realities.

    Capacity is especially crucial given the scale of Africa’s needs. According to the African Development Bank, Africa will require over US$200 billion annually by 2030 to meet its climate goals. Donor aid will provide only a fraction of this. It will require smart, coordinated investment and careful debt management. Country platforms provide the structure to govern the process.

    Seizing the opportunity

    Country platforms represent one of the most promising innovations in climate and development finance architecture. Properly designed and led, they offer African countries the opportunity to take ownership of their climate and development futures – on their own terms.

    Country platforms could be the “buckle” that finally enables the supply and demand sides of climate finance to come together. It will require commitment, strategic and technical capability, and, above all, smart leadership.

    Richard Calland works for the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. He is also an Emeritus Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town and an Adjunct Visiting Professor at the University of Witwatersrand School of Governance. He serves on the Advisory Council of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, Chairs of the Board of Sustainability Education and is a member of the Board of Chapter Zero Southern Africa.

    – ref. Development finance in a post-aid world: the case for country platforms – https://theconversation.com/development-finance-in-a-post-aid-world-the-case-for-country-platforms-257994

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Development finance in a post-aid world: the case for country platforms

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Richard Calland, Emeritus Associate Professor in Public Law, UCT. Visiting Adjunct Professor, WITS School of Governance; Director, Africa Programme, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge

    With the Trump administration slashing US Agency for International Development budgets and European nations shifting overseas development aid budgets to bolster defence spending, the world has entered a “post-aid era”.

    But there is an opportunity to recast development finance as strategic investment: “country platforms”.

    Country platforms are government-led, nationally owned mechanisms that bring together a country’s climate priorities, investment needs and reform agenda, and align them with the interests of development partners, private investors and implementing agencies. They function as a strategic hub: convening actors, coordinating funding, and curating pipelines of projects for investment.

    Think of them as the opposite of donor-driven fragmentation. Instead of dozens of disconnected projects driven by external priorities, a country platform enables governments to set the agenda and direct finance to where it is needed most. That could be renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, or nature-based solutions.

    Country platforms are a current fad. They were the talk of the town at the 2025 Spring meetings of multilateral development banks in Washington DC. Will they quickly fade as the next big new idea comes into view? Or can they escape the limitations and failings of the finance and development aid ecosystem?

    The Independent High Level Expert Group on Climate Finance, on which I serve, is striving to find new ways to ramp up finance – both public and private – in quality and quantity. I agree with those who argue that country platforms could be the innovation that unlocks the capital urgently needed to tackle climate overshoot and buttress economic development.

    The model is already being tested. More than ten countries have launched their platforms, and more are in the pipeline.

    For African countries, the opportunity could not be more timely. African governments are racing to deliver their Nationally Determined Contributions. These are the commitments they’ve made to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as part of climate change mitigation targets set out in the Paris Agreement. Implementing these plans is often being done under severe fiscal constraints.

    At the same time global capital is looking for investment opportunities. But it needs to be convinced that the rewards will outweigh the risks.

    Where it’s being tested

    In Africa, South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership has demonstrated both the potential and the complexity of a country platform. Egypt and Senegal also have country platforms at different stages of implementation. Kenya and Nigeria are exploring similar mechanisms. The African Union’s Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy calls for country platforms across the continent.

    New entrants can learn from countries that started first.

    But country platforms come in different shapes and sizes according to the context.

    Another promising example is emerging through Mission 300, an initiative of the World Bank and African Development Bank, working with partners like The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, and Sustainable Energy for All. It aims to connect 300 million people to clean electricity by 2030.

    Central to this initiative are Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units. These are essentially country platforms anchored in electrification. They reflect how a well-structured country platform can make an impact. Twelve African countries are already moving in this direction. All announced their Mission 300 compacts at the Africa Heads of State Summit in Tanzania.

    This growing cohort reflects a continental commitment to putting energy-driven country platforms at the heart of Africa’s development architecture.

    Why now – and why Africa?

    A well-functioning country platform can help in a number of ways.

    Firstly, it can give the political and economic leadership a clear goal. The platform can survive elections and show stability, certainty and transparency to the investment world.

    Secondly, national ownership and strategic alignment can reduce risk and build confidence. That would encourage investment.

    Thirdly, it builds trust among development partners and investors through clear priorities, transparency, and national ownership.

    Fourthly, it moves beyond isolated pilot projects to system-level transformation – meaning structural change. The transition in one sector, energy for example, creates new value chains that create more, better and safer jobs. Country platforms put African governments in charge of their own economic development, not as passive recipients of climate finance.

    The country sets its investment priorities and then the match-making with international climate finance can begin.

    Making it work: what’s needed

    Developing the data on which a country bases its investment and development plans, and blending those with the fiscal, climate and nature data, is complex. For this reason country platforms require investment in institutional capacity, cross-ministerial collaboration, and strong coordination between finance ministries, environment agencies and economic planners. And especially, in leadership capability.

    African countries must take charge of this capacity and capability acceleration.

    Second, development partners can respond by providing money as well as supporting African leadership, aligning with national strategies, and being willing to co-design mechanisms that meet both investor expectations and local realities.

    Capacity is especially crucial given the scale of Africa’s needs. According to the African Development Bank, Africa will require over US$200 billion annually by 2030 to meet its climate goals. Donor aid will provide only a fraction of this. It will require smart, coordinated investment and careful debt management. Country platforms provide the structure to govern the process.

    Seizing the opportunity

    Country platforms represent one of the most promising innovations in climate and development finance architecture. Properly designed and led, they offer African countries the opportunity to take ownership of their climate and development futures – on their own terms.

    Country platforms could be the “buckle” that finally enables the supply and demand sides of climate finance to come together. It will require commitment, strategic and technical capability, and, above all, smart leadership.

    – Development finance in a post-aid world: the case for country platforms
    – https://theconversation.com/development-finance-in-a-post-aid-world-the-case-for-country-platforms-257994

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Loyal to the oil’ – how religion and striking it rich shape Canada’s hockey fandom

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cody Musselman, Preceptor, College Writing Program, Harvard University

    Some Edmonton Oilers fans are pinning their Stanley Cup hopes on captain Connor McDavid. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

    Déjà vu is a common occurrence in the world of sports, and the Edmonton Oilers are no strangers to repeat matchups. The Canadian team faced off against the New York Islanders in both 1983 and ’84 for hockey’s biggest prize, the Stanley Cup. In this year’s National Hockey League finals, the Oilers will try to avenge their Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers in 2024.

    Edmontonians who have been “loyal to the oil,” as fans say, have been waiting for redemption ever since. The Trump administration’s threats toward its northern neighbor has fueled a wave of nationalism, making even more fans eager for a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup – which has not happened since 1993. With hopes pinned to Edmonton, the finals also brings renewed attention to some of Canada’s biggest exports: hockey and oil.

    Novelist Leslie McFarlane once observed that for Canadians, “hockey is more than a game; it is almost a religion.” Prayers and superstitions abound, from wearing special clothing to fans averting their eyes during penalty shots.

    The Oilers also evoke another aspect of Canadian society that, for some, has almost religious importance: resource extraction. In American and Canadian culture, oil has long been entangled with religion. It’s a national blessing from God, in some people’s eyes, and a means to the “good life” for those who persevere to find it. For many people in communities whose economies center around resource extraction, the possibility of success is valued above its environmental risks.

    We are scholars of religion who study sports and how oil shapes society, or petro-cultures. The Edmonton Oilers showcase a worldview in which triumph, luck and rugged work pay off – beliefs at home on the ice or in the oil field. The Stanley Cup Final offers a glimpse into how the oil industry has helped shaped the religious fervor around Canada’s favorite sport.

    Edmonton Oilers fan Dale Steil’s boots before the team’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 26, 2024.
    AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

    Boomtown

    Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, a province known for its massive oil, gas and oil sands reserves. With five refineries producing an average of 3.8 million barrels a day, oil and gas is Alberta’s biggest industry – and a way of life.

    This is especially true in Edmonton, known as the “Oil Capital of Canada.” Here, oil not only structures the local economy, but it also shapes identities, architecture and everyday experiences.

    Visit the West Edmonton Mall, for example, and you’ll see a statue of three oil workers drilling, reminding shoppers that petroleum is the bedrock of their commerce. Visit the Canadian Energy Museum to learn how oil and gas have remade the region since the late 1940s, and glimpse items such as engraved hard hats and the “Oil Patch Kid,” a spin on the iconic “Cabbage Patch Kids” toys. Tour the Greater Edmonton area and see how pump jacks dot the horizon. Oil is everywhere, shaping futures, fortunes and possibility.

    Pump jacks near Acme, Alberta – a regular sight.
    Michael Interisano/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Set against this backdrop, the Oilers’ name is unsurprising. It is not uncommon, after all, to name teams after local industries. Football’s Pittsburgh Steelers pay homage to the steel mills that once employed much of the team’s fan base. The Tennessee Oilers were originally the Houston Oilers, prompting other Texas teams such as the XFL’s Roughnecks to follow suit. Further north, the name of basketball’s Detroit Pistons references car manufacturing.

    Teams with industry-inspired names play double duty, venerating both a place and a trade. Some fans are not only cheering for the home team, but also cheering for themselves – affirming that their industry and their labor matter.

    Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers skates out from under the oil derrick for a game at Rexall Place in 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta.
    Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images

    In a TikTok video from last year’s Stanley Cups playoffs, a man overcome with joy at the Oilers’ victory over the Dallas Stars claps his hands and hops around his living room. The caption reads, “My first-generation immigrant oil rig working Filipino father who has never played a second of hockey in his life … happily cheering for the Oilers advancing in the playoffs. Better Bring that cup home for him oily boys.” He appears to be cheering for the Oilers not because they are a hockey team, but because they are an oil team.

    And indeed, the Oilers are an oily team. The Oilers’ Oilfield Network, for example, describes itself as “exclusively promot[ing] companies in the Oil and Gas industry,” allowing leaders to connect “through the power of Oilers hockey.”

    The Oilers’ connection with industry is further underscored by their logos. The current one features a simple drop of oil, but past designs featured machinery gears and an oil worker pulling a lever shaped like a hockey stick.

    Simply put, “Edmonton is all oil,” Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner shared after defeating the Dallas Stars to win the 2025 Western Conference Final.

    Liquid gold

    There is a long tradition of pairing hockey with oil – and with Canada itself.

    After the British North America Act founded Canada in 1867, the new nation searched for a distinctive identity through sport and other cultural forms.

    Enter hockey. The winter game evolved in Canada from the Gaelic game of “shinty” and the First Nations’ game of lacrosse and soon became part of the glue holding the nation together.

    Ever since, media, politicians, sports groups and major industries have helped fuel fan fervor and promoted hockey as integral to Canada’s rugged frontiersman character.

    The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association posing with the first Stanley Cup in 1893.
    Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images

    In 1936, Imperial Oil, one of Canada’s largest petroleum companies, began sponsoring Hockey Night in Canada, a national radio show that reached millions each week. Several years later, Imperial Oil played a major role in bringing the show to television, where the Imperial Oil Choir sang the theme song. Imperial Oil and its gas stations, Esso, also sponsored youth hockey programs across the nation. In 2019, Imperial inked a deal to be the NHL’s “official retail fuel” in Canada.

    Striking it rich

    Connections between hockey and industry in Alberta’s oil country aren’t just about sponsorships. Central to both cultures is the idea of luck – historically, one of the many things it takes to extract fossil fuels. “Striking it rich” in the oil fields has become entangled with the idea of divine providence, especially among the many Christian laborers.

    Philosopher Terra Schwerin Rowe has written about North America’s “petro-theology,” explaining how many perceive oil as a free-flowing gift from God meant to be taken from the Earth – if you can find it.

    A Canadian oil worker kisses his wife and daughter goodbye as he sets off to work in northern Alberta in the 1950s.
    John Chillingworth/Getty Images

    Oil represents fortune, and who wouldn’t want to borrow a bit of that for their team? Sports are thrilling because sometimes talent, team chemistry and the home-field advantage still lose to a stroke of good luck. Oil culture pairs the idea of divine favor with an insistence on rough-and-tumble endurance, similar to hockey.

    Sometimes if you don’t strike it rich the first time, you have to keep on drilling. The next well may be the one to bring wealth. Oil prospectors know this, but so do sports fans who maintain hope season to season.

    Soon fans from around the world will join Edmonton locals in rooting for the Oilers. They’ll throw their hands up in despair if captain Connor McDavid enters the “sin bin” – the penalty box – or dance in celebration to the Oilers’ theme, “La Bamba.” Some of them will be cheering, too, for oil.

    This is an updated version of an article originally published on June 19, 2024.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Loyal to the oil’ – how religion and striking it rich shape Canada’s hockey fandom – https://theconversation.com/loyal-to-the-oil-how-religion-and-striking-it-rich-shape-canadas-hockey-fandom-258024

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. renewable diesel production and biodiesel production declined in 1Q25

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    June 4, 2025

    U.S. production of renewable diesel and biodiesel fell sharply in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25) because of uncertainty related to federal biofuel tax credits and negative profit margins. We forecast production of both fuels to increase as the year progresses but biodiesel production to remain less than in 2024.

    Renewable diesel and biodiesel are biomass-based diesel fuels that can replace petroleum-based distillate and be used to comply with renewable volume obligations in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Renewable diesel can be used in diesel engines in any concentration because it is chemically equivalent to petroleum-based distillate fuel, and biodiesel is typically blended with petroleum distillate at concentrations of 20% or less for vehicle consumption because of some chemical differences.

    In January 2025, U.S. production of biodiesel fell to 60,000 barrels per day (b/d), the least since January 2015, and about 40% less than in January 2024. U.S. biodiesel producers only partially ramped up production in February and March, bringing the quarterly production to about 70,000 b/d, a decrease of more than 30% from 1Q24.

    U.S. renewable diesel production averaged about 170,000 b/d in 1Q25, down 12% from 1Q24. The decrease in renewable diesel production was not as large on a percentage basis as the decrease in biodiesel production, mostly because renewable diesel production increased at a greater rate than biodiesel production in 2024. Reduced output at renewable diesel plants was partially offset by the nearly 20% increase in renewable diesel production capacity since 1Q24. However, compared with 4Q24, when renewable diesel production capacity was comparable to current levels, 1Q25 production was down almost 25%.

    Poor profitability in 1Q25 contributed to production declines. Diamond Green Diesel, Phillips 66, and Marathon all reported operating losses from renewable diesel in the quarter. In addition, trade press has suggested negative margins for biodiesel.

    Another reason U.S. production of biomass-based diesels declined in 1Q25 was uncertainty about federal biofuel tax credits. Before 2025, producers and importers of biomass-based diesel received a $1 per gallon (gal) blender’s tax credit (BTC) for each gallon blended with petroleum diesel. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the BTC was slated to be replaced with the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit in 2025. This new credit would change the flat $1/gal tax credit to a value based on the carbon intensity of the feedstocks used. However, delays in releasing final guidance for the tax credit has left biofuel producers unsure about their profitability, causing some producers to idle operations.

    We forecast production of renewable diesel and biodiesel to increase as the year progresses to meet existing RFS mandates. In our May Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast 2025 annual renewable diesel production to increase about 5% from 2024 because of increased capacity. We forecast 2025 annual biodiesel production to be 15% lower than in 2024 because of low production early in the year and an assumption that some biodiesel plants with less favorable economics may close.

    Principal contributor: Jimmy Troderman

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: S44 Energy Launches TopazEV to Democratize Access to EV Charging Software

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAHWAH, N.J., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — S44 Energy, the EV charging software company, today announced TopazEV — the industry’s first Open-as-a-Service (OaaS) charge station management software (CSMS). TopazEV gives charge point operators (CPOs), fleets, retailers and utility companies the flexibility to launch, operate and scale EV charging networks without vendor lock-in, per-session fees or protocol limitations.

    With federal subsidies in flux and mounting pressure to build reliable, scalable infrastructure, TopazEV arrives at a critical moment. Despite more than 250,000 public fast chargers in the U.S., EV adoption still lags behind China and Europe. A main driver is that nearly half of Americans fear being stranded due to charger availability — a concern validated by data showing that one in five charging attempts fail, often due to software issues.

    “Whether you’re standing up a pilot site or running a nationwide network, TopazEV delivers the control of open architecture with the simplicity of a managed platform,” said Olga Haygood, CEO of S44 Energy. “You get the flexibility to scale and the freedom to integrate at a price that grows with you, not against you.”

    TopazEV is a modern CSMS that was built for today’s CPOs, fleets and utilities. It gives operators complete control of their networks, with a real-time dashboard for charger status, network statistics and session tracking. TopazEV supports open protocols like OCPP 1.6, OCPP 2.0.1, OCPI 2.2.1 and ISO 15118, making it easy to onboard legacy hardware while providing standard features like Plug & Charge and roaming and preparing for next-gen features like hardware monitoring and V2G integration. It’s ready to integrate seamlessly with billing systems, CRMs and analytics tools of your choice via REST APIs, GraphQL and Webhooks.

    What Sets TopazEV Apart

    • Protocol-ready for any stage — Full support for both legacy and modern charging standards, enabling true network interoperability and future-proofing.
    • Built for operators, not just engineers — A clean, intuitive UI designed for daily operations, including live status, fault alerts, charging statistics and asset provisioning.
    • API-first and integration-friendly — Integrations with 3rd party tools made simple. Implement on your own or with our help: either way, the IP is yours, so operators can build the tech stack that fits their needs.

    TopazEV is available in two models

    • Open-as-a-Service (OaaS): Subscription-based, hosted by S44 Energy, or on the platform of your choice for a setup fee. Ideal for fast pilots and growing networks.
    • Business Source License (BSL): A one-time license that gives enterprises full ownership of the codebase for independent implementation.

    Both models offer full control, transparency and the ability to scale without compromise.

    To learn more about TopazEV, visit topazev.com.

    About S44 Energy
    S44 Energy is a software company dedicated to advancing e-mobility through scalable, open EV charging solutions for charge point operators, fleets and infrastructure providers. For more than a decade, S44 Energy has created EV charging software that powers automotive OEMs and top EV network operators. With a commitment to open standards, innovation and sustainability, S44 Energy empowers the transition to electric mobility through its open-source projects and flagship product, TopazEV.

    To learn more, visit topazev.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact
    Liesse Jayalath
    Look Left Marketing
    s44@lookleftmarketing.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8b5575ee-be70-46fd-ad99-c4d815bcfdfb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Plastic-Free Living: Small Changes, Big Impact

    Source: Samsung

    On this year’s World Environment Day, we’re focusing on one of the most pressing environmental challenges: plastic pollution. While reducing plastic use may seem daunting, small changes in our daily routines can make a significant impact.
    At Samsung, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – since 2009, we’ve reused over 567,000 tons of recycled plastics globally in our products, surpassing our 2030 goal of 500,000 tons. Our latest flagship Galaxy Smartphones also include ocean-bound plastics in certain parts of their design and components, helping reduce what winds up in our shared waters.
    From switching to the Less Microfiber Filter on your Samsung appliances to opting for eco-conscious devices, here are four practical ways you can reduce plastic waste with Samsung.
    1. Extending the Life of Your Devices
    Repairing what’s broken before buying new is still one of the best things you can do if you want to reduce your impact on the planet. That’s especially true when it comes to plastic use, which is used in the production and packaging of almost everything we buy.
    Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) Customer Care has been ranked #1 in the 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey for customer satisfaction, service quality, and ease of arranging service. That means Samsung’s customers can make their phones and tablets last longer in order to avoid buying new. After all, our devices are an investment, but so is our care for the planet.

    2. Explore Sustainable, Certified Re-Newed Options
    With mobile phones being an essential part of modern life, choosing sustainable options can create significant environmental impact. While keeping your current device longer is ideal, Samsung’s Certified Re-Newed program offers expertly refurbished phones when an upgrade is needed. The selection now includes the sleek, powerful Galaxy S24 series, so you can keep up with the latest tech. Plus, the Galaxy S24 series was created using recycled materials. Not only has our engineering team come up with a way to use recycled plastic fishing net material in Galaxy devices’ construction, but there are certain other recycled plastics, glass, and aluminum applied to internal and external components.

    The Galaxy S25 takes this further, recently winning the 2025 ReMA Design for Recycling ® Award from the Recycled Materials Association. Its packaging is 100% recycled paper, completely eliminating single-use plastics. The phone also features recycled cobalt through Samsung’s innovative Circular Battery Supply Chain.1
    This World Environment Day, we’re here to help you trade-in and trade-up. Visit Samsung.com to save $300 toward your purchase of a Certified Re-Newed device when you trade in select and eligible devices.2
    3. Transform Your Laundry Routine
    Every load of laundry can contribute to plastic pollution through microfiber release. Samsung’s Bespoke Al Laundry Vented Combo addresses this with its Less Microfiber cycle setting, reducing microfiber release by 39% – helping prevent these plastic particles from entering our oceans3. The Less Microfiber Filter takes this a step further, preventing up to 98%4 of microplastics released during laundry from escaping into the sea – which is equivalent to eight 500ml plastic bottles per year when used four times a week.

    4. Make the Switch to Eco-Conscious Technology
    Here at Samsung, we’re taking our own steps where we can: our Solar Cell Remote, which was developed to combat the environmental impact of discarding used batteries, is made with 24% recycled plastic. This rechargeable remote control also features a solar panel (solar cell) that can be charged by sunlight or indoor lighting, or USB-C cable.

    We’re also cutting plastic packaging out for cell phones completely by the end of this year. Choosing the right technology can help reduce plastic waste without sacrificing performance or convenience – there’s still a long way to go, but every little bit along the way helps.
    For more ways to reduce plastic use and beyond, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube and download SmartThings Energy to make the most sustainable use out of your appliances and devices.
    Visit Samsung.com for more on sustainability at Samsung.

    MIL OSI Economics –