NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schumer, Wyden, Whitehouse Demand Explanation from Big Oil Corporations Lobbying for Giveaways at Expense of American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 26, 2025
    Senate Republicans have included a $1 trillion loophole for Big Oil in “big, beautiful bill” that would allow massive corporations to avoid paying federal taxes despite earning billions. 
    “Congress should not raise energy prices for working families to deliver handouts to Big Oil.”
    Text of Letters to Big Oil Companies (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environmental Public Works Committee, and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader, pushed Big Oil companies ConocoPhillips and Ovintiv Inc. (Ovintiv) on their companies’ lobbying efforts to win a $1.1 billion tax loophole in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” leaving middle-class families stuck with higher energy costs. 
    The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 imposed a corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) on the nation’s wealthiest companies, requiring companies reporting over $1 billion in annual profits to pay at least 15% of those profits in taxes. Section 70523 of the Senate Republicans’ reconciliation bill would add a loophole to CAMT for Big Oil. If enacted, this provision would reduce or even eliminate tax liabilities for oil and gas companies under CAMT, allowing some to pay no federal income taxes whatsoever.
    “Even after the IRA’s passage, corporations lobbied furiously to weaken CAMT as much as possible, and Senate Republicans are now close to delivering on one of Big Oil’s key requests by granting the industry a huge loophole,” wrote the senators.
    Senate Republicans are paying for this handout by cutting clean energy tax credits and vital energy programs. Experts have said the Republican bill would contribute to “higher electricity costs for consumers,” adding to already too-high utility bills. Households are at risk of losing over $2,200 in savings per year on utility bills.
    “Adding this tax break for Big Oil to the reconciliation package is especially insulting since Senate Republicans are trying to pay for this handout with cuts to other programs that would end up raising energy prices for everyday Americans,” wrote the senators. “Congress should not raise energy prices for working families to deliver handouts to Big Oil.”
    The senators are pushing ConocoPhillips and Ovintiv Inc. for answers on their involvement in lobbying for this handout, with responses due by July 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Bloomberg, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Te Kura Ngahere-New Zealand School of Forestry, University of Canterbury

    Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA

    The biggest environmental problems for commercial plantation forestry in New Zealand’s steep hill country are discharges of slash (woody debris left behind after logging) and sediment from clear-fell harvests.

    During the past 15 years, there have been 15 convictions of forestry companies for slash and sediment discharges into rivers, on land and along the coastline.

    Such discharges are meant to be controlled by the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry, which set environmental rules for forestry activities such as logging roads and clear-fell harvesting. The standards are part of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which the government is reforming.

    The government revised the standards’ slash-management rules in 2023 after Cyclone Gabrielle. But it it is now consulting on a proposal to further amend the standards because of cost, uncertainty and compliance issues.

    We believe the proposed changes fail to address the core reasons for slash and sediment discharges.

    We recently analysed five convictions of forestry companies under the RMA for illegal discharges. Based on this analysis, which has been accepted for publication in the New Zealand Journal of Forestry, we argue that the standards should set limits to the size and location of clear-felling areas on erosion-susceptible land.

    Why the courts convicted 5 forestry companies

    In the aftermath of destructive storms in the Gisborne district during June 2018, five forestry companies were convicted for breaches of the RMA for discharges of slash and sediment from their clear-fell harvesting operations. These discharges resulted from landslides and collapsed earthworks (including roads).

    There has been a lot of criticism of forestry’s performance during these storms and subsequent events such as Cyclone Gabrielle. However, little attention has been given to why the courts decided to convict the forestry companies for breaches of the RMA.

    The courts’ decisions clearly explain why the sediment and slash discharges happened, why the forestry companies were at fault, and what can be done to prevent these discharges in future on erosion-prone land.

    New Zealand’s plantation forest land is ranked for its susceptibility to erosion using a four-colour scale, from green (low) to red (very high). Because of the high erosion susceptibility, additional RMA permissions (consents) for earthworks and harvesting are required on red-ranked areas.

    This map shows areas with the highest and lowest susceptibility to erosion.
    David Palmer/Te Uru Rākau, CC BY-SA

    New Zealand-wide, only 7% of plantation forests are on red land. A further 17% are on orange (high susceptibility) land. But in the Gisborne district, 55% of commercial forests are on red land. This is why trying to manage erosion is such a problem in Gisborne’s forests.

    Key findings from the forestry cases

    In all five cases, the convicted companies had consents from the Gisborne District Council to build logging roads and clear-fell large areas covering hundreds or even thousands of hectares.

    A significant part of the sediment and slash discharges originated from landslides that were primed to occur after the large-scale clear-fell harvests. But since the harvests were lawful, these landslides were not relevant to the decision to convict.

    Instead, all convictions were for compliance failures where logging roads and log storage areas collapsed or slash was not properly disposed of, even though these only partly contributed to the collective sediment and slash discharges downstream.

    The court concluded that:

    1. Clear-fell harvesting on land highly susceptible to erosion required absolute compliance with resource consent conditions. Failures to correctly build roads or manage slash contributed to slash and sediment discharges downstream.

    2. Even with absolute compliance, clear-felling on such land was still risky. This was because a significant portion of the discharges were due to the lawful activity of cutting down trees and removing them, leaving the land vulnerable to landslides and other erosion.

    The second conclusion is critical. It means that even if forestry companies are fully compliant with the standards and consents, slash and sediment discharges can still happen after clear-felling. And if this happens, councils can require companies to clean up these discharges and prevent them from happening again.

    This is not a hypothetical scenario. Recently, the Gisborne District Council successfully applied to the Environment Court for enforcement orders requiring clean-up of slash deposits and remediation of harvesting sites. If the forestry companies fail to comply, they can be held in contempt of court.

    A typical scale of clear-felling affected by the June 2018 storms.
    Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA

    Regulations are not just red tape

    This illustrates a major problem with the standards that applies to erosion-susceptible forest land everywhere in New Zealand, not just in the Gisborne district. Regulations are not just “red tape”. They provide certainty to businesses that as long as they are compliant, their activities should be free from legal prosecution and enforcement.

    The courts’ decisions and council enforcement actions show that forestry companies can face considerable legal risk, even if compliant with regulatory requirements for earthworks and harvesting.

    Clear-felled forests on erosion-prone land are one bad rainstorm away from disaster. But with well planned, careful harvesting of small forest areas, this risk can be kept at a tolerable level.

    However, the standards and the proposed amendments do not require small clear-fell areas on erosion-prone land. If this shortcoming is not fixed, communities and ecosystems will continue to bear the brunt of the discharges from large-scale clear-fell harvests.

    To solve this problem, the standards must proactively limit the size and location of clear-felling areas on erosion-prone land. This will address the main cause of catastrophic slash and sediment discharges from forests, protecting communities and ecosystems. And it will enable forestry companies to plan their harvests with greater confidence that they will not be subject to legal action.

    Mark Bloomberg receives funding from the government’s Envirolink fund and from local authorities and forestry companies. He is a member of the NZ Institute of Forestry and the NZ Society of Soil Science.

    Steve Urlich 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. One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem – https://theconversation.com/one-bad-rainstorm-away-from-disaster-why-proposed-changes-to-forestry-rules-wont-solve-the-slash-problem-258280

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew B. Watkins, Associate research scientist, School of Earth, Atmopshere & Environment, Monash University

    Andrew Watkins

    How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought has not broken, despite recent rain – and why spring lamb may be more expensive this year.

    Southern Australia has been short of rain for 16 months. Western Victoria, the agricultural regions of South Australia (including Adelaide) and even parts of western Tasmania are suffering record dry conditions. Those rainfall measurements began in 1900 (126 years ago).

    Large parts of southeastern Australia have experienced the lowest rainfall on record over the past 16 months. Serious deficiency means among the driest 10% of such periods on record, Severe deficiency means among the driest 5%.
    Bureau of Meteorology

    Fewer and less intense rain-bearing weather systems have been crossing the southern coastline since February 2024, compared to normal. Put simply, the land has not received enough big dumps of rain.

    But June has finally brought rain to some drought-affected regions. There’s even an emerald green tinge to the fields in certain agricultural areas. But it’s now too cold for plants to really grow fast, meaning farmers will be carting hay and buying extra feed for livestock until the weather warms in spring.

    Lambs in the Adelaide Hills have little to eat without extra feed.
    Saskia Jones

    Too little, too late

    This month, some areas received good rainfall – including places near Melbourne and, to a lesser degree, Adelaide. City people may be forgiven for thinking the drought has broken and farmers are rejoicing. But drought is not that simple.

    Unfortunately, the rainfall was inconsistent, especially further inland. The coastal deluge in parts of southern Australia in early June didn’t extend far north. Traditionally, the start of the winter crop-growing season is marked by 25mm of rain over three days – a so-called “autumn break”. But many areas didn’t receive the break this year.

    The lack of rain (meteorological drought) compounded the lack of water in the soil for crops and pasture (agricultural drought). Parts of Western Australia, SA, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales had little moisture left in their soils. So some rain is quickly soaked up as it drains into deeper soils.

    To make matters worse, autumn was the warmest on record for southern Australia, following its second-warmest summer on record. This can increase the “thirst” of the atmosphere, meaning any water on the surface is more likely to evaporate. Recent thirsty droughts, such as the 2017–19 Tinderbox Drought in NSW, were particularly hard-hitting.

    Some areas may have experienced “flash drought”, which is when the landscape and vegetation dry up far quicker than you would expect from the lack of rain alone. By May, areas of significantly elevated evaporative stress were present in southeastern SA, Victoria, southern NSW and northern Tasmania.

    In late May and early June, and again this week, there have been winter dust storms in SA. Such dust storms are a bad sign of how dry the ground has become.

    Some regions no longer have enough water to fill rivers and dams (hydrological drought). Water restrictions have been introduced in parts of southwest Victoria and Tasmania. The bureau’s streamflow forecast does not look promising.

    The landscape near Mortlake in western Victoria was still dry in late May. Typically the autumn break (first post-summer rain event of more than 25 mm) occurs here by early May.
    Andrew Watkins

    A green drought

    Remember that lawn mowing analogy? The winter chill has already set in across the south. This means it’s simply too cold for any vigorous new grass growth, and why you are not mowing your lawn very often at the moment.

    Cool temperatures, rather than just low rainfall, also limit pasture growth. While from a distance the rain has added an emerald sheen to some of the landscape, it’s often just a green tinge. Up close, it’s clear there is very limited new growth.

    Rather than abundant and vigorous new shoots, there’s just a little bit of green returning to surviving grasses. This means there’s very limited feed for livestock. To make matters worse, sometimes the green comes from better-adapted winter weeds.

    There will be a lot of hay carting, regardless of rainfall, until spring when the soils start to warm up once again and new growth returns. This all adds up to fewer stock kept in paddocks or a big extra cost in time and money for farmers – and ultimately, a more expensive spring lamb barbecue.

    Is this climate change?

    Southern Australia (southern WA, SA, Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW) used to experience almost weekly rain events in autumn and early winter. Cold fronts and deep low-pressure systems rolling in from the west brought the bulk of the rainfall.

    Now there is a far more sporadic pattern in these regions. Rainfall in the April to October crop and pasture growing season has declined by around 10–20% since the middle of last century. The strongest drying trend is evident during the crucial months between April and July.

    Further reductions in southern growing season rainfall are expected by the end of this century, especially in southwestern Australia. Southeastern regions, including southern Victoria, parts of SA and northern Tasmania, also show a consistent drying trend, with a greater time spent in drought every decade.

    Drought is complex. Just because it’s raining doesn’t always mean it has rained enough, or at the right time, or in the right place. To make matters worse, a green drought can even deceive us into thinking everything is fine.

    Breaking the meteorological drought will require consistent rainfall over several months. Breaking the agricultural drought will also require more warmth in the soils. Outlooks suggest we may have to wait for spring.

    This article includes scientific contributions from David Jones and Pandora Hope from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.



    Read more:
    Why is southern Australia in drought – and when will it end?

    Ailie Gallant receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.

    Pallavi Goswami works at Monash University. She receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program, Climate Systems Hub.

    Andrew B. Watkins 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. The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way – https://theconversation.com/the-drought-in-southern-australia-is-not-over-it-just-looks-that-way-259543

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Cheers Senate Passage of Bipartisan Colorado River Conservation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    Program supports Colorado River water users as they explore innovative strategies to conserve water
    Bipartisan bill extends Conservation Pilot Program through 2026
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper cheered Senate passage of his bipartisan Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act. The bill extends the System Conservation Pilot Program, which supports voluntary water conservation projects to manage drought on the Colorado River. U.S. Senators John Barrasso, Michael Bennet, Cynthia Lummis, and John Curtis are cosponsors of the bill. Representative Harriet Hageman leads the House version of the bill. 
    The bill now needs to pass the House before it gets signed into law. 
    “We don’t need to sit around waiting for a silver bullet while the Colorado River runs dry,” said Hickenlooper. “It will take every tool at our disposal to keep water flowing to all seven basin states. Voluntary conservation is a big part of that. We’re committed to getting this bill across the finish line.”
    This legislation extends the pilot program through 2026 as Colorado River Basin states, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and other stakeholders continue discussions on potential long-term water management once current operational rules expire in 2026. The pilot program will help the Upper Basin examine water management strategies that can help water users manage prolonged and severe drought.
    Hickenlooper and Barrasso’s bipartisan Colorado River Basin Conservation Act,which reauthorized the System Conservation Pilot Program through 2024, was signed into law in the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus government funding bill. In 2023, the System Conservation Pilot Program received $125 million, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, to enable the Bureau of Reclamation, in partnership with the Upper Colorado River Commission, to implement the System Conservation Pilot Program.
    The Bureau of Reclamation’s authorization to spend SCPP funds expired in December 2024. In 2024, the Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act passed the Senate, but stalled in the House. Funding for the program must be renewed in 2025 for it to continue. 
    As governor, Hickenlooper helped negotiate the 2019 Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan, which helped protect critical levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead and ensured continued compliance with the 1922 Colorado River Compact. 
    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory J. Dick, Professor of Biology, University of Michigan

    A satellite image from Aug. 13, 2024, shows an algal bloom covering approximately 320 square miles (830 square km) of Lake Erie. By Aug. 22, it had nearly doubled in size. NASA Earth Observatory

    Federal scientists released their annual forecast for Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms on June 26, 2025, and they expect a mild to moderate season. However, anyone who comes in contact with toxic algae can face health risks. And 2014, when toxins from algae blooms contaminated the water supply in Toledo, Ohio, was a moderate year, too.

    We asked Gregory J. Dick, who leads the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, a federally funded center at the University of Michigan that studies harmful algal blooms among other Great Lakes issues, why they’re such a concern.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s prediction for harmful algal bloom severity in Lake Erie compared with past years.
    NOAA

    1. What causes harmful algal blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms are dense patches of excessive algae growth that can occur in any type of water body, including ponds, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and oceans. When you see them in freshwater, you’re typically seeing cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

    These photosynthetic bacteria have inhabited our planet for billions of years. In fact, they were responsible for oxygenating Earth’s atmosphere, which enabled plant and animal life as we know it.

    The leading source of harmful algal blooms today is nutrient runoff from fertilized farm fields.
    Michigan Sea Grant

    Algae are natural components of ecosystems, but they cause trouble when they proliferate to high densities, creating what we call blooms.

    Harmful algal blooms form scums at the water surface and produce toxins that can harm ecosystems, water quality and human health. They have been reported in all 50 U.S. states, all five Great Lakes and nearly every country around the world. Blue-green algae blooms are becoming more common in inland waters.

    The main sources of harmful algal blooms are excess nutrients in the water, typically phosphorus and nitrogen.

    Historically, these excess nutrients mainly came from sewage and phosphorus-based detergents used in laundry machines and dishwashers that ended up in waterways. U.S. environmental laws in the early 1970s addressed this by requiring sewage treatment and banning phosphorus detergents, with spectacular success.

    How pollution affected Lake Erie in the 1960s, before clean water regulations.

    Today, agriculture is the main source of excess nutrients from chemical fertilizer or manure applied to farm fields to grow crops. Rainstorms wash these nutrients into streams and rivers that deliver them to lakes and coastal areas, where they fertilize algal blooms. In the U.S., most of these nutrients come from industrial-scale corn production, which is largely used as animal feed or to produce ethanol for gasoline.

    Climate change also exacerbates the problem in two ways. First, cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures. Second, climate-driven increases in precipitation, especially large storms, cause more nutrient runoff that has led to record-setting blooms.

    2. What does your team’s DNA testing tell us about Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms contain a mixture of cyanobacterial species that can produce an array of different toxins, many of which are still being discovered.

    When my colleagues and I recently sequenced DNA from Lake Erie water, we found new types of microcystins, the notorious toxins that were responsible for contaminating Toledo’s drinking water supply in 2014.

    These novel molecules cannot be detected with traditional methods and show some signs of causing toxicity, though further studies are needed to confirm their human health effects.

    Blue-green algae blooms in freshwater, like this one near Toledo in 2014, can be harmful to humans, causing gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. They can be lethal for pets.
    Ty Wright for The Washington Post via Getty Images

    We also found organisms responsible for producing saxitoxin, a potent neurotoxin that is well known for causing paralytic shellfish poisoning on the Pacific Coast of North America and elsewhere.

    Saxitoxins have been detected at low concentrations in the Great Lakes for some time, but the recent discovery of hot spots of genes that make the toxin makes them an emerging concern.

    Our research suggests warmer water temperatures could boost its production, which raises concerns that saxitoxin will become more prevalent with climate change. However, the controls on toxin production are complex, and more research is needed to test this hypothesis. Federal monitoring programs are essential for tracking and understanding emerging threats.

    3. Should people worry about these blooms?

    Harmful algal blooms are unsightly and smelly, making them a concern for recreation, property values and businesses. They can disrupt food webs and harm aquatic life, though a recent study suggested that their effects on the Lake Erie food web so far are not substantial.

    But the biggest impact is from the toxins these algae produce that are harmful to humans and lethal to pets.

    The toxins can cause acute health problems such as gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. Dogs can die from ingesting lake water with harmful algal blooms. Emerging science suggests that long-term exposure to harmful algal blooms, for example over months or years, can cause or exacerbate chronic respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems and may be linked to liver cancers, kidney disease and neurological issues.

    The water intake system for the city of Toledo, Ohio, is surrounded by an algae bloom in 2014. Toxic algae got into the water system, resulting in residents being warned not to touch or drink their tap water for three days.
    AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

    In addition to exposure through direct ingestion or skin contact, recent research also indicates that inhaling toxins that get into the air may harm health, raising concerns for coastal residents and boaters, but more research is needed to understand the risks.

    The Toledo drinking water crisis of 2014 illustrated the vast potential for algal blooms to cause harm in the Great Lakes. Toxins infiltrated the drinking water system and were detected in processed municipal water, resulting in a three-day “do not drink” advisory. The episode affected residents, hospitals and businesses, and it ultimately cost the city an estimated US$65 million.

    4. Blooms seem to be starting earlier in the year and lasting longer – why is that happening?

    Warmer waters are extending the duration of the blooms.

    In 2025, NOAA detected these toxins in Lake Erie on April 28, earlier than ever before. The 2022 bloom in Lake Erie persisted into November, which is rare if not unprecedented.

    Scientific studies of western Lake Erie show that the potential cyanobacterial growth rate has increased by up to 30% and the length of the bloom season has expanded by up to a month from 1995 to 2022, especially in warmer, shallow waters. These results are consistent with our understanding of cyanobacterial physiology: Blooms like it hot – cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures.

    5. What can be done to reduce the likelihood of algal blooms in the future?

    The best and perhaps only hope of reducing the size and occurrence of harmful algal blooms is to reduce the amount of nutrients reaching the Great Lakes.

    In Lake Erie, where nutrients come primarily from agriculture, that means improving agricultural practices and restoring wetlands to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing off of farm fields and into the lake. Early indications suggest that Ohio’s H2Ohio program, which works with farmers to reduce runoff, is making some gains in this regard, but future funding for H2Ohio is uncertain.

    In places like Lake Superior, where harmful algal blooms appear to be driven by climate change, the solution likely requires halting and reversing the rapid human-driven increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

    Gregory J. Dick receives funding for harmful algal bloom research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the United States Geological Survey, and the National Institutes for Health. He serves on the Science Advisory Council for the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

    – ref. Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets – https://theconversation.com/toxic-algae-blooms-are-lasting-longer-than-before-in-lake-erie-why-thats-a-worry-for-people-and-pets-259954

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: By Air and by Sea: Validating NASA’s PACE Ocean Color Instrument

    Source: NASA

    In autumn 2024, California’s Monterey Bay experienced an outsized phytoplankton bloom that attracted fish, dolphins, whales, seabirds, and – for a few weeks in October – scientists. A team from NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, with partners at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), and the Naval Postgraduate School, spent two weeks on the California coast gathering data on the atmosphere and the ocean to verify what satellites see from above. In spring 2025, the team returned to gather data under different environmental conditions.
    Scientists call this process validation.

    The PACE mission, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, was launched in February  2024 and designed to transform our understanding of ocean and atmospheric environments. Specifically, the satellite will give scientists a finely detailed look at life near the ocean surface and the composition and abundance of aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
    Whenever NASA launches a new satellite, it sends validation science teams around the world to confirm that the data from instruments in space match what traditional instruments can see at the surface. AirSHARP (Airborne aSsessment of Hyperspectral Aerosol optical depth and water-leaving Reflectance Product Performance for PACE) is one of these teams, specifically deployed to validate products from the satellite’s Ocean Color Instrument (OCI).
    The OCI spectrometer works by measuring reflected sunlight. As sunlight bounces off of the ocean’s surface, it creates specific shades of color that researchers use to determine what is in the water column below. To validate the OCI data, research teams need to confirm that measurements directly at the surface match those from the satellite. They also need to understand how the atmosphere is changing the color of the ocean as the reflected light is traveling back to the satellite.
    In October 2024 and May 2025, the AirSHARP team ran simultaneous airborne and seaborne campaigns. Going into the field during different seasons allows the team to collect data under different environmental conditions, validating as much of the instrument’s range as possible.
    Over 13 days of flights on a Twin Otter aircraft, the NASA-led team used instruments called 4STAR-B (Spectrometer for sky-scanning sun Tracking Atmospheric Research B), and the C-AIR (Coastal Airborne In-situ Radiometer) to gather data from the air. At the same time, partners from UCSC used a host of matching instruments onboard the research vessel R/V Shana Rae to gather data from the water’s surface.

    The Ocean Color Instrument measures something called water leaving reflectance, which provides information on the microscopic composition of the water column, including water molecules, phytoplankton, and particulates like sand, inorganic materials, and even bubbles. Ocean color varies based on how these materials absorb and scatter sunlight. This is especially useful for determining the abundance and types of phytoplankton.

    The AirSHARP team used radiometers with matching technology – C-AIR from the air and C-OPS (Compact Optical Profiling System) from the water – to gather water leaving reflectance data.
    “The C-AIR instrument is modified from an instrument that goes on research vessels and takes measurements of the water’s surface from very close range,” said NASA Ames research scientist Samuel LeBlanc. “The issue there is that you’re very local to one area at a time. What our team has done successfully is put it on an aircraft, which enables us to span the entire Monterey Bay.”
    The larger PACE validation team will compare OCI measurements with observations made by the sensors much closer to the ocean to ensure that they match, and make adjustments when they don’t. 

    One factor that can impact OCI data is the presence of manmade and natural aerosols, which interact with sunlight as it moves through the atmosphere. An aerosol refers to any solid or liquid suspended in the air, such as smoke from fires, salt from sea spray, particulates from fossil fuel emissions, desert dust, and pollen.
    Imagine a 420 mile-long tube, with the PACE satellite at one end and the ocean at the other. Everything inside the tube is what scientists refer to as the atmospheric column, and it is full of tiny particulates that interact with sunlight. Scientists quantify this aerosol interaction with a measurement called aerosol optical depth.
    “During AirSHARP, we were essentially measuring, at different wavelengths, how light is changed by the particles present in the atmosphere,” said NASA Ames research scientist Kristina Pistone. “The aerosol optical depth is a measure of light extinction, or how much light is either scattered away or absorbed by aerosol particulates.” 
    The team measured aerosol optical depth using the 4STAR-B spectrometer, which was engineered at NASA Ames and  enables scientists to identify which aerosols are present and how they interact with sunlight.

    Flying these instruments required use of a Twin Otter plane, operated by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). The Twin Otter is unique for its ability to perform extremely low-altitude flights, making passes down to 100 feet above the water in clear conditions.
    “It’s an intense way to fly. At that low height, the pilots continually watch for and avoid birds, tall ships, and even wildlife like breaching whales,” said Anthony Bucholtz, director of the Airborne Research Facility at NPS.
    With the phytoplankton bloom attracting so much wildlife in a bay already full of ships, this is no small feat. “The pilots keep a close eye on the radar, and fly by hand,” Bucholtz said, “all while following careful flight plans crisscrossing Monterey Bay and performing tight spirals over the Research Vessel Shana Rae.”

    Data gathered from the 2024 phase of this campaign is available on two data archive systems. Data from the 4STAR instrument is available in the PACE data archive  and data from C-AIR is housed in the SeaBASS data archive.
    Other data from the NASA PACE Validation Science Team is available through the PACE website: https://pace.oceansciences.org/pvstdoi.htm#
    Samuel LeBlanc and Kristina Pistone are funded via the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI), which  is a scientist-founded nonprofit focused on supporting Earth and space sciences.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In Dialogue with Chad, Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend the 2023 Constitution, Ask about Low Birth Registration Rates and Harmful Cultural Practices

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Chad on its implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, with Committee Experts welcoming the adoption of the 2023 Constitution, and raising questions about low birth registration rates and harmful cultural practices, including female genital mutilation and child marriage.

    Several Committee Experts, including Brenda Akia, Committee Rapporteur for Chad, commended the passing of the 2023 Constitution, which promoted the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, prohibited harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, and gave women and men the equal right to confer nationality to their children.

    A Committee Expert expressed concern about the extremely low rate of birth registration – over four million women and children in the State were not registered.  How was the State party addressing barriers that prevented civil registration, and ensuring that registration services remained affordable?

    The prevalence of female genital mutilation was alarmingly high, one Committee Expert said, noting that the rate was higher in urban areas, at over 40 per cent, than in rural areas.  How was the State party working to eliminate female genital mutilation?

    Another Committee Expert said Chad had one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world; 60 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18 and 30 per cent before the age of 15.  How did the State party reintegrate girls who were married into the school system?

    Introducing the report, Youssouf Tom, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, said the 2023 Constitution guaranteed equality before the law for all, and required the State to ensure the protection of women’s rights in all areas of private and public life, and promote better representation of women in elected assemblies, institutions and public administrations.

    On birth registration, the delegation said Chad had created birth registration centres nationwide with the support of United Nations agencies.  Magistrates could go to refugee camps to issue replacement birth certificates, and the Government was considering making these free of charge.

    The Government had taken several measures to combat harmful practices and drive change in communities, the delegation said.  It had trained 1,500 traditional and religious leaders on women’s rights. These leaders had signed an agreement to eradicate traditional harmful practices, including female genital mutilation.

    The delegation also reported that, in 2015, the Government adopted legislation outlawing child marriage.  The State party was working on strengthening awareness raising campaigns in remote areas to deter parents and community leaders from marrying children off.  As soon as the Government became aware of child marriages, prosecutors acted to penalise facilitators.

    In closing remarks, Mr. Tom said that since ratifying the Convention in 1995, Chad had worked tirelessly to eradicate discrimination against women, adopting laws, plans and strategies toward this aim.  Despite facing issues that hindered the socio-economic development of women, the Government would exert further efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Convention domestically.

    In her concluding remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had enabled the Committee to better understand the situation of women in Chad.  The Committee thanked the State for its efforts and called on it to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.

    The delegation of Chad consisted of representatives from the Office of the President; Office of the Prime Minister; National Assembly; Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Women and Children; Ministry of Health; General Directorate for the Promotion of Gender and the Empowerment of Women; General Directorate for the Protection and Promotion of Women’s Rights; Directorate for Girls’ Education Development and Gender Promotion; and the Permanent Mission of Chad to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Chad at the end of its ninety-first session on 4 July.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 27 June to consider the fifth periodic report of Botswana (CEDAW/C/BWA/5).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Chad (CEDAW/C/TCD/5).

    Presentation of Report

    YOUSSOUF TOM, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, expressed gratitude to the various agencies of the United Nations system based in N’Djamena for their support, which had contributed to the country’s return to constitutional order with the organisation of legislative and provincial elections.  Chad was committed to implementing the Convention.

    The Government of Chad had established a Ministry of Women, which worked to guarantee gender equality and protect women’s rights, mainstreaming women’s affairs into all Government policies and programmes.  The Ministry was committed to protecting women and children from all forms of violence and discrimination; contributing to the promotion of reproductive health and education; conducting awareness-raising campaigns on the rights of women and children; and devising and implementing national policies and strategies on gender, child protection, and the socio-economic development of women, children and the family.

    Since ratifying the Convention in 1995, Chad had taken legislative and administrative measures to improve the conditions of women and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them.  The 2023 Constitution guaranteed equality before the law for all, and required the State to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, ensure the protection of their rights in all areas of private and public life, and promote better representation of women in elected assemblies, institutions and public administrations. 

    In this spirit, the February 2024 law on the Electoral Code set a quota of at least 30 per cent women on the lists of candidates for legislative, provincial and communal elections. As a result, more than 30 per cent of members of the fourth legislature were women.  This was a major step for the Government towards achieving the desired objective of parity.

    The January 2025 ordinance on the prevention and punishment of violence against women and girls was a formidable weapon for the protection of Chadian women against all forms of violence.

    Over the past five years, primary level curricula had been adapted to the educational realities of the country, with the inclusion of themes related to peace, human rights and democracy.  To effectively combat gender stereotypes, initiatives had been put in place to improve teacher training and promote girls’ access to education and their retention in school.  The women’s empowerment and demographic dividend in the Sahel project was strengthened in 2024 to improve girls’ access to education and fight gender-based violence. This programme had enabled 127,000 vulnerable adolescents to benefit from educational support, including tuition fees and school kits.

    Chad currently hosted more than one million refugees and displaced persons, who were pouring into Chadian territory in large numbers.  The Government was working to provide care, particularly to the women and children within this group, but economic and financial difficulties made this challenging.

    Through the dialogue with the Committee, the Government aimed to present its efforts to combat all forms of discrimination against women in Chad, as well as the difficult economic conditions and crises related to climate change that the country faced.  Recommendations and guidance from Committee Experts would help the State to achieve its objectives.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the dialogue was an important opportunity to assess efforts to advance the rights of women and girls in Chad. The State party had made progress in this regard.  The Committee congratulated the State party on passing the 2023 Constitution, which expressly required equality before the law and promoted the elimination of discrimination against women and girls.  However, humanitarian and climate crises were undermining the Government’s efforts.

    What progress had the State party made in eliminating discriminatory legal provisions and aligning the legislation with the Convention?  Legislation did not address discrimination based on disability.  What progress had been made in adopting the draft Family Code, which would address this issue?  What awareness raising campaigns on the Convention had been carried out? Had the Convention been translated into local languages?

    What was the State party doing to promote access to justice for women and girls affected by conflict-related violations?  The Committee welcomed the State party’s national action plan on women, peace and security.  How were women and non-governmental organizations involved in developing the women, peace and security agenda?  How was the State party ensuring security around displacement sites and refugee camps, reducing the circulation of firearms, and promoting security in the country?  How did the State party ensure that customary laws did not take precedence over common law? Why had it not yet ratified the Maputo Protocol?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Family Code had been submitted to the Council of Ministers, where it was being debated.  A national mechanism for the promotion of the rights of women had been set up to help the State party draft reports on the subject.  It was made up of State and non-State actors.

    Awareness raising campaigns were being held to help civil society actors and religious leaders promote women’s rights. Chad had set up centres that provided care to victims of gender-based violence, offering various counselling services.  It had also set up an information tool that supported decision-making on policies for women.  The Government adopted an ordinance in January that allowed for the punishment of all types of gender-based violence committed against women in the State.

    Chad was in the process of ratifying the Maputo Protocol.  It had implemented several measures to support access to justice for women, including establishing justice offices in rural areas.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    A Committee Expert said that Chad had established comprehensive gender machinery, including the National Observatory for Gender Equality.  The State party had also adopted a national action plan on gender equality.  However, the national machinery was significantly constrained by inadequate resources.  What resources had been allocated to the national machinery? What measures were in place to strengthen the effective coordination of national and regional mechanisms on gender equality?  Had the State party assessed the achievements of the national action plan on gender equality? How did it ensure that the plan’s objectives were incorporated into all State policies?

    Chad’s data collection system was insufficient.  What efforts were being made to strengthen data systems, including to monitor the progress of the national machinery for women’s rights?

    It was disappointing that the National Human Rights Commission’s accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions had recently been deferred.  What strategies would the Commission implement to enhance the accessibility of its complaints’ mechanisms for women?

    One Committee Expert asked if the State party had considered implementing special measures to tackle poverty and food insecurity affecting women and girls.  Were women involved in designing policies on climate change and land use?  How was the State party training peasant women to improve their access to livelihoods? Did it have measures promoting access to nutrition for pregnant women?  What programmes were in place to eradicate illiteracy amongst women and promote access to education?  Were there affirmative actions aimed at refugee and migrant women?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Chad had an Observatory for the Promotion of Gender Equality attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, which had allowed the State to collect data on women’s representation in decision-making.  The Observatory was run by a civil society representative.

    Within the National Assembly, 38 per cent of members were women, and over 30 per cent of members of national councils were women.  Four national commissions were run by women.

    The Government planned to carry out an assessment of its national action plan on gender equality in the coming days, in preparation for a second iteration of the plan.  Progress had been made in the implementation of the plan. A first action plan on child marriage and female genital mutilation was implemented from 2019 to 2023, and a related roadmap from 2023 to 2027 was now being implemented.

    Chad was promoting gender equality in education, including through programmes supporting girls’ access to education.  Under these programmes, school fees were paid, school and hygiene kits were provided to girls, and the capacity of education providers to support girls was strengthened.  A strategy to expedite education for girls from 2024 to 2028 was currently being implemented.

    The National Human Rights Commission’s complaints mechanisms was introduced in the first half of this year; it had received over 3,000 complaints thus far.  The Commission was independent in terms of its activities and resources.  Work was being done to update it from “B” to “A” status under the Paris Principles by October of this year.

    Civil society organizations had set up legal clinics to deal with complaints related to violence against women. The State party was working to make the transitional justice system operational.  Customary justice did not take precedence over the modern justice system.

    There was no legal discrimination against women in terms of access to resources, but there were some communities in which women were in practice given less access to land than men. Awareness raising campaigns were being carried out in these communities to promote women’s access to land.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, asked how the State party trained duty bearers responsible for assessing complaints filed with the National Human Rights Commission. Reportedly, many cases involving women and girls were handled in the customary justice system.  Were religious and traditional leaders trained on the Convention?

    Another Committee Expert asked if there were affirmative actions that ensured women’s participation at all levels of the State administration, including in bodies developing transitional justice measures.

    One Committee Expert welcomed Chad’s efforts to reform its legal framework, including its 2023 Constitution, which prohibited harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. However, harmful traditional practices and patriarchal attitudes continued to harm women’s rights, and discriminatory gender stereotypes persisted in the media, education and the justice system.  What steps had been taken to address harmful gender stereotypes and norms?  Was the State party considering a national action plan to eliminate such stereotypes?  The prevalence of female genital mutilation was alarmingly high, and was higher in urban areas, at over 40 per cent, than in rural areas.  How was the State party working to eliminate female genital mutilation?

    Chad had yet to adopt a law on gender-based violence.  There was limited access to support services for survivors of violence, particularly in rural areas.  What measures were in place to ensure access to support services in these areas?  How was the State party training officials that supported victims of gender-based violence?  Gender-based violence was widespread in internally displacement camps, which had limited access to support services.  What measures were in place to protect women in such camps?

    Another Committee Expert said Chad was experiencing instability, with the ongoing war in Sudan leading to a massive influx of refugees.  In this context, it was welcome that the State party had adopted an ordinance on combatting trafficking in persons, amended the Criminal Code to make trafficking an offence, and trained public officials to combat trafficking. However, criminal networks exploited women and girls in sex trafficking networks in Chad, and victims of trafficking were at risk of being recruited in armed groups.  How many shelters had been established for victims of trafficking? Were anti-trafficking measures effective?  How many non-governmental organizations were working on trafficking issues?  How many court cases had been heard that related to trafficking?  The Committee welcomed that the State party had ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Government had taken several measures to combat harmful practices and drive change in communities.  It had trained 1,500 traditional and religious leaders on women’s rights. These leaders had signed an agreement to eradicate traditional harmful practices, including female genital mutilation.

    “Dia” was a civil reparation system used for friendly settlement of disputes.  If friendly settlements could not be reached, parties turned to the justice system.  Victims and their relatives could lodge complaints with the courts directly.

    Chad was a haven of peace surrounded by States at war.  The Government had passed laws defining the rights of refugees in response to the influx of refugees.  Refugees enjoyed similar rights to those of Chadians.  Land was given to refugee women.

    Chad had become a country of transit for trafficking in persons.  The State criminalised trafficking in 2018 and validated an ambitious national action plan to combat trafficking in persons this year.  It called for support in implementing this plan.

    The Government had launched the “positive parenthood programme” which aimed to combat harmful social norms, and there were also national strategies to combat gender stereotypes. Multi-sectoral centres for victims of gender-based violence provided medical care, legal aid, and social reintegration services in many areas of the State.  The Government sought to cover the entire territory of the State with these centres.  Victims of rape were provided with medical treatment free of change and the Government was working to ensure accountability for acts of rape.

    Chad had taken measures to address all forms of violence against persons with disabilities.  A 2019 law implemented protection measures for persons with disabilities and exempted such persons from paying education fees.  A 2023 policy created a national protection system for persons with disabilities.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert commended Chad’s progress in promoting the representation of women.  Chad’s Electoral Code guaranteed equality between men and women in terms of the right of vote and stand for election.  Minimum quotas of 30 per cent women candidates in all regional and national elections had been in place since 2018.  However, there was a lack of parity in decision-making systems.  What awareness raising campaigns were in place that promoted women’s participation in decision-making?  How many women were appointed to senior positions in the public service and in private sector companies?  What was the timeline for adoption of a 50 per cent quota for women in all decision-making systems?  The State party needed to implement the Committee’s general recommendation 40 on women’s representation.

    One Committee Expert commended that the 2023 Constitution gave women and men the equal right to confer nationality to their children.  The Committee was concerned by the extremely low rate of birth registration – over four million women and children in the State were not registered.  The lack of legal identity documents significantly increased women’s vulnerability.  Would the Government’s next migration plan include measures to promote women’s access to identity rights and birth registration?  How was it addressing barriers, including in conflict and refugee settings, that prevented civil registration, and ensuring that registration services remained affordable?  Were there awareness raising campaigns informing women of their rights to registration and nationality?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said women participated in decision-making positions in Chad.  The Senate had 32 per cent women representatives, and 45 per cent of members of the National Human Rights Commission were women.  Chad was developing a law that promoted the recruitment of women in the civil service.  A high number of women health workers had been trained, many non-governmental organizations in Chad were headed by women, and an increasing percentage of university students were women.  The State was moving towards gender parity in decision-making bodies.

    Chad had created birth registration centres nationwide with the support of United Nations agencies.  Magistrates could go to refugee camps to issue replacement birth certificates, and the Government was considering making these free of charge.  The Government organised exceptional birth registration campaigns.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the Committee looked forward to the State party’s work to make birth registration free.

    Another Committee Expert welcomed that Chad’s Constitution provided for free and compulsory primary education, and that the Government had criminalised refusal to enrol girls in school due to pregnancy.  The secondary school enrolment rate was less than 30 per cent for girls, and many schools lacked sufficient hygiene facilities for girls.  Corporal punishment was prevalent in schools and there was a lack of reporting mechanisms.  Educational instruction was largely in French and Arabic, which were not the first languages of many girls in rural communities.  What budget allocations were earmarked for girls’ education?  How did the State party ensure equal access to education and promote access to education for girls from minority language communities and girls with disabilities? How was it addressing the shortage of women teachers?

    Chad had one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world; 60 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18 and 30 per cent before the age of 15.  How did the State party reintegrate girls who were married into the school system?

    One Committee Expert welcomed the Government’s efforts to promote women’s right to equal employment. Labour laws prohibited gender discrimination in both the public and private sectors and the Criminal Code prohibited workplace sexual harassment.  However, the female labour participation rate was 44 per cent for women in 2022, compared to over 70 per cent for men, and there was a lack of formal recruitment channels for women.  There was an absence of provisions ensuring access to social protection for marginalised women. 

    Were there targeted programmes aiming to enhance women’s participation in the labour market?  What measures would the State party take to ensure equal pay for equal work?  Were there laws or policies that protected women’s right to paid maternity leave, and the rights of women working in informal sectors?  Were there mechanisms for victims of workplace sexual harassment to file complaints?

    A Committee Expert said the gender equality action plan strengthened women’s access to sexual and reproductive health rights.  However, child and maternal mortality rates remained high, as did the prevalence of infectious diseases.  Over 50 per cent of maternal deaths were due to unsafe abortions.  There was also a high rate of early pregnancy and a low rate of use of modern contraceptives.  What measures were in place to address these issues? 

    How would the State party improve health infrastructure and the skills of health personnel?  How was it strengthening family planning programmes and education on sexual and reproductive health rights?  How would it increase access to emergency obstetric care? When would abortion be decriminalised? What steps were being taken to ensure the financial sustainability of the health sector for the next three to five years, given cuts in international aid?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Department for the Development of Education of Girls sought to improve access to education and promoted gender parity.  Much progress had been made in improving school enrolment rates for girls through Government policies.  In 2024, girls’ primary enrolment rate rose to 83 per cent.  School and hygiene kits had been made available to all girls. The State party had a partnership agreement with the United Nations Children’s Fund on boosting girls’ access to education.  Schools that refused to enrol girls who were pregnant were penalised.  In 2025, enrolment in universities and public schools had been made free through an investment by the Government of three billion CFA francs.

    There were many female teachers in urban areas, but it was difficult to send women to rural areas in the north, where conditions were harsh, and separate them from their husbands and children. The Government had adopted strategies to encourage newly qualified women teachers to work in remote provinces.

    The State party organised awareness raising campaigns in schools nationwide to prevent violence against children.  School clubs referred complaints of violence to the authorities.

    In 2015, the Government adopted legislation outlawing child marriage.  This legislation was being applied but its effects were not yet sufficient.  The State party was working on strengthening awareness raising campaigns in remote areas to deter parents and community leaders from marrying children off.  As soon as the Government became aware of child marriages, prosecutors acted to penalise facilitators.  In one case, a member of parliament who was involved in a child marriage was penalised.

    The State party was reviewing the Labour Code to strengthen protections for the rights of women workers.  The national office for the promotion of employment and other bodies supported women in rural areas, and programmes were in place that promoted the social empowerment and employment of women in the Sahel.  Women business owners who created employment were exempt from paying taxes for five years. Women earned the same salaries as men in the same level positions in the civil service.  Complaints of workplace sexual harassment were passed on to the justice system by labour inspectors, who visited businesses periodically. Free legal aid was provided to victims of workplace harassment.

    Chad took health matters seriously. HIV transmission rates had significantly dropped and Chad had modernised healthcare centres.  Health establishments had been provided with significant resources to ensure access to quality healthcare for all women.  The State party sought to promote universal access to healthcare and to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates, allocating significant resources to these aims.  The universal healthcare scheme was currently in the pilot phase, which focused on providing healthcare to women free of charge.

    Chad was not able to decriminalise abortion overnight.  This would be a long and hard process.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    A Committee Expert called on the State party not to delay the decriminalisation of abortion for too long. Women needed to be free, including to decide for themselves regarding abortion. 

    BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the State party needed to urgently prioritise bringing down the high maternal mortality rate.  Conditions in prions in Chad were reportedly poor.  How was the State party implementing the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Bangkok Rules and the Tokyo Rules?  How were women human rights defenders protected from threats, including from terrorism?

    Another Committee Expert applauded the five-year tax moratorium for women-led businesses, as well as strategies such as the microfinancing policy for women entrepreneurs.  However, social and cultural prejudices inhibited women’s access to sufficient living conditions, nutrition, housing and social life. Did the national systems assign value to women’s unpaid labour, particularly domestic work?  Was there a database on entrepreneurship grants which would allow for tailoring of support projects for women?  How was the State party supporting access to venture capital and startup funds at low interest rates for women?  How were different categories of women supported to participate in agricultural industries, access formal work, and exit poverty?

    How was the State party supporting women’s access to the internet?  Some 44 per cent of the population was living in poverty.  What national policies addressed poverty?  Could the delegation provide data on social safety net policies? What plans were in place to encourage women’s leadership and participation in sports activities, and to bolster sports infrastructure for women?

    One Committee Expert said women constituted more than 60 per cent of Chad’s agricultural workforce; 2026 had been declared the year of the woman farmer.  The women of Chad were responsible for up to 80 per cent of food production but owned only 30 per cent of the land.  Could women become chiefs?  How could the State party scale up women’s collectives?  How were e-vouchers for seeds employed, and what other agri-tech measures were being pursued?  Were women engaged in cross-border trade in Africa? 

    Land disputes in southwestern Chad last week had resulted in the deaths of seven women and children.  There had recently been an increase in armed violence between farmers and herders, which affected women.  Chad’s women walked miles to collect water.  Refugee populations were highly exposed to extreme weather events.  How did the State party implement the Kampala Convention, which addressed protection and assistance for internally displaced persons?

    Chad’s Vision 2030 called for the implementation of wealth redistribution policies for women and persons with disabilities.  What steps had been taken to actualise this vision?

    The shrinking of Lake Chad was a global tragedy.  Its surface had decreased by 90 per cent since 1960.  How were women involved in climate adaption policies that were integral to fighting desertification?

    Would the State party consider decriminalising homosexuality?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Chad had created an information gathering system that collected data on women and children, and was preparing to conduct a national survey.  A project granting loans with zero interest to rural women was in place and a consultation framework for rural women had been set up. The Government had assisted many villages to dig wells to prevent women from travelling long distances to obtain water. Credit programmes provided funding to women in all of Chad’s provinces.  The State needed support in developing the water and electricity infrastructure.

    Chad was providing various forms of support for widows and orphans.  Awareness raising campaigns and workshops were being carried out that promoted sharing of domestic chores, and involving women in conflict resolution processes. 

    Chad had created a sports federation for women, which had promoted the participation of girls in sports.  Stadia and other sports infrastructure were being constructed in major neighbourhoods to encourage the development of sport.

    The State party had organised the operationalisation of women in the agriculture chamber.  Most women worked in the agricultural sector.  The State party had adopted a national social security scheme that covered all vulnerable persons.

    This month, the Government submitted a draft revision to the Land Code that promoted women’s access to land. This law addressed the issue that many women in rural areas struggled to access land.

    An agency that was dedicated to women with disabilities had been set up.  The law on the protection of persons with disabilities exempted persons with disabilities from paying enrolment fees.  Women with disabilities had been assisted in accessing employment and loans. Some women with disabilities had been elected as members of parliament.  Training workshops had been organised to support the manufacturing of mobility devices that enabled women with disabilities to travel to work and school.

    The Lake Chad region was an area of conflict where the Boko Haram terrorist organization operated.  Global warming reduced resources, creating disputes between the populations.  Climate change adaption plans included measures to prevent related conflicts. Weapons were circulating across the country, which was surrounded by zones of tension.  The Government had taken measures to address this issue, including in the United Nations Security Council and through disarmament programmes.

    The Ministry of the Environment led reforestation activities in the “green belt” to combat deforestation, and many women contributed to these activities through Government funding, planting thousands of trees per year.  Chad had a gender action plan on climate change that would soon be evaluated. The Ministry of Education had updated the school syllabus to address climate change.

    The Government had addressed the issue of access to drinking water, setting up a Water Ministry that was leading the construction of wells and pumps.  Some 52 per cent of the population now had access to drinking water.

    The State party was considering devising a law on the protection of human rights defenders and setting up an alert system regarding violence against human rights defenders.

    Efforts had been made to humanise places of deprivation of liberty and protect the rights of women in detention. A nationwide survey of detention conditions would be carried out in coming days.  The State party was working to raise awareness of the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Bangkok Rules and the Tokyo Rules.  The Ministry of Justice worked to protect health conditions of detainees.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said there were high levels of forced marriage and polygamy in Chad, and women had unequal access to property in cases of divorce and inheritance.  How was the State party preventing forced marriage and polygamy?  How did it ensure the equal distribution of inheritance to widows?  Were there legal protocols protecting women and children from domestic violence?  Was mediation used in cases of domestic violence?  How did the State party ensure that family court proceedings were in line with the Convention?  What efforts had been made to strengthen laws on marriage and family relations?

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that there was societal resistance to certain civil laws in several countries due to differing religious beliefs.  The State party needed to address this resistance through awareness raising campaigns that directly targeted traditional and religious leaders.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Chad was speaking out against child and forced marriage and implementing measures to support victims.  It had a roadmap for eliminating child and forced marriage, which included awareness raising measures targeting traditional and religious leaders.  Chad had adopted a law that punished perpetrators of child and forced marriages, and there were cases in which people were prosecuted for facilitating such marriages.  Polygamy was illegal but still existed in some communities.  The Government was liaising with the public to achieve the goal of eradicating polygamy.

    Issues of succession and inheritance were typically determined following traditional law, but where a conflict emerged between traditional and modern law, modern law prevailed, and the case was brought to a civil court.

    Bodily harm was a crime under the Criminal Code.  Persons who were the victims of such acts, including in their homes, were entitled to press charges against perpetrators, and the public prosecutor was also empowered to launch proceedings in such cases.

    Concluding Remarks 

    YOUSSOUF TOM, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, said that the dialogue had been constructive.  The Government, since ratifying the Convention in 1995, had worked tirelessly to eradicate discrimination against women, adopting laws, plans and strategies toward this aim.  The Committee had shown that it was committed to the well-being of women in Chad.

    Despite facing issues that hindered the socio-economic development of women, the Government would further invest in including women at all levels of decision-making bodies and would exert further efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Convention domestically. The Committee was welcome to conduct a working visit to assess conditions on the ground in Chad.  Chad was committed to fulfilling its international human rights obligations.

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the answers they had provided in the dialogue, which had enabled the Committee to better understand the situation of women in the country.  The Committee thanked the State for its efforts and called on it to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.  The Committee keenly awaited Chad’s next periodic report.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

     

    CEDAW25.018E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Castor, Sen. Luján Introduce Legislation to Expand Access to Affordable, Clean Solar Energy

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) introduced legislation to expand a Department of Energy initiative that encourages community solar projects nationwide and increase accessibility to energy produced by lower-cost solar power. The Community Solar Consumer Choice Act of 2025 will increase access to solar energy throughout the Tampa Bay area for all residents, regardless of their income. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (NM) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

    “Clean, affordable energy should be within reach for everyone—especially in Florida, the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, nearly half of all households and businesses can’t install rooftop solar because they rent, share buildings or can’t afford the upfront costs.

    “That’s where community solar comes in. It allows neighbors to share the benefits of nearby solar projects—saving them money on their electric bills without needing solar panels on their own roof.

    “This bill helps expand these initiatives, especially for working families. It supports states and local governments, creates jobs, and helps cut harmful pollution. By boosting access to shared solar energy and investing in storage, each community solar project creates $14 million in local economic investment and over 90 jobs.

    “I’m proud to stand with my Congressional partners and dedicated advocates in fighting for a cleaner, healthier and more affordable energy future for all,” said Rep. Castor.

    “As the climate crisis intensifies and Republican lawmakers push to cut clean energy funding, fighting for practical solutions like community solar is more critical than ever,” said Sen. Luján. “I’m proud to reintroduce the Community Solar Consumer Choice Act to expand access to solar power through community solar projects for all Americans and create more good-paying, clean energy jobs. This bill is a step forward in combating the climate crisis, and I look forward to working with Representative Castor to get this bill passed.”

    A full list of supporting quotes can be found here.

    House Cosponsors: Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), and Paul Tonko (NY-21).

    Supporting Organizations: Coalition for Community Solar Access, Evergreen Action, GreenLatinos, League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, Natural Resources Defense Council, New Mexico Climate Investment Center, Sierra Club, Solar Energy Industries Association, WE ACT for Environmental Justice

    View the legislative text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Applauds Over $1.4 Million in Federal Awards For Four Local Northwest Ohio Regional Airports

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced the award of four federal aviation awards totaling $1,433,909 to support critical infrastructure upgrades at rural and regional airports across Northwest Ohio. Funded through the FY25 Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program, the awards will modernize facilities in Fremont, Kelleys Island, Port Clinton, and Defiance, boosting the region’s aviation economy and workforce while enhancing long-term safety and service capacity Defiance, Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky Counties.

    “These awards represent smart, targeted investment in transportation infrastructure – the backbone of our Northwest Ohio region,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “These facilities are lifelines for emergency access, business development, and future aviation growth. From snow removal equipment in Fremont to major runway and taxiway improvements in Port Clinton, and Defiance, to long-overdue safety enhancements on Kelleys Island, these projects support the skilled labor and small businesses that keep our airports running and our communities connected. Thanks to continued federal support, Ohio will continue to be a leader in flight at airports both big and small for generations to come.

    “On behalf of the Sandusky County Regional Airport Authority, we thank Congresswoman Kaptur for helping us to receive this federal investment,” said Michael Russell, Airport Manager, Sandusky County Regional Airport. “We greatly appreciate her support and look forward to her next visits to see the equipment in action!”

    The specific awards include:

    • $387,600 for the Sandusky County Regional Airport in Fremont to replace snow removal equipment that has reached the end of its useful life;
    • $361,361 for the Village of Kelleys Island to fund the second phase of an Environmental Assessment for planned runway safety improvements, including the relocation of Monaghan Road;
    • $572,302 for the Erie-Ottawa International Airport in Port Clinton to begin design work for rehabilitation of runways and taxiways;
    • $112,646 for the Defiance Memorial Airport to design reconstruction of deteriorating taxi lanes and apron pavement.

    This new investment delivered by Congresswoman Kaptur follows $342K awarded to Fulton County Airport in March, 2025, $1 Million awarded to Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in October, 2024, and over $7 Million awarded across Erie-Ottawa International Airport, Middle Bass Island Airport, and Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in September, 2024.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 463 Status Reports

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH and DEM Lift Advisory at Worden Pond and Recommend Avoiding Contact with Wilson Reservoir

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have lifted the advisory recommendation for recreational activities at Worden Pond in South Kingstown. The harmful algae bloom (HAB) caused by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) has cleared. Recent testing shows algae levels are low and no toxins were detected, meeting safety guidelines.

    RIDOH and DEM are also advising people to avoid contact with Wilson Reservoir in Burrillville due to harmful algae blooms (HABs). HABs are caused by blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which are naturally present in bodies of water. HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals. Toxins and/or high cell counts have been detected by the RIDOH State Health Laboratory from water samples collected by DEM at this location.

    Use caution in all areas of Wilson Reservoir as HABs can move locations in ponds and lakes. All recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking, is high risk to health and recommended to be avoided at this location. People should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies. Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water. This advisory recommendation remains in effect until further notice.

    Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. Symptoms can include stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Less common symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at higher risk for health effects associated with HABs because they are more likely to swallow water when they are in or around bodies of water. People who have had contact with these ponds and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

    To report suspected blue-green algae blooms, contact DEM’s Office of Water Resources at 401-222-4700 Press 6 or DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov and if possible, send a photograph of the reported algae bloom. For more information and the Cyanobacteria Tracker Dashboard that lists current advisories and data, visit: www.dem.ri.gov/bluegreen

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Demands Trump Withdraw Executive Order Attacking Public Science

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Paul D. Tonko led more than 20 members in the House in a letter today calling President Trump to withdraw his Executive Order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. The lawmakers call out the hypocrisy of Trump’s claim to boost scientific standards while slashing federal science programs, attacking scientists and experts, and eroding trust in public science.

    “Your administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget by nearly 40%, removed and altered essential technical resources targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that strengthen the rigor and reach of American science, and cast entire disciplines including climate science, public health, and gender equity, as invalid,” the letter reads. “This order continues that pattern, masking efforts to assert political control over science under the guise of accountability.

     

    “If your administration were genuinely committed to trustworthy, reproducible science, you would begin by adequately funding it. This Executive Order is not a return to “gold standard” science. It is a hollow public relations stunt from an administration that has repeatedly weakened America’s scientific credibility and further eroded trust in evidence-based policymaking. We urge you to withdraw this order and instead support policies that meaningfully uphold the independence, integrity, and funding of American science — not just in rhetoric, but in practice.”

     

    Tonko has long been a champion and advocate for protecting scientific standards and protecting independent science. He is the author of the Scientific Integrity Act, bipartisan legislation that sets clear, enforceable standards for federal agencies and federally-funded research to prevent meddling in public science by political and special interests.
    A fact sheet of the Scientific Integrity Act can be found HERE.     
    The full letter can be read HERE and below:
    The Honorable Donald J. Trump 
    President
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20500. 
    Dear President Trump:
    We write to express profound concern with your recent Executive Order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. While the principles of transparency, integrity, and reliability this order claims to champion are indeed crucial to good science, it is difficult to take a call for scientific integrity seriously from an administration that has consistently undermined the very foundations of the U.S. research enterprise. This Executive Order does not restore high scientific standards; it cloaks political interference in the language of pro-science reform.
    Your administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget by nearly 40%, removed and altered essential technical resources, targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that strengthen the rigor and reach of American science, and cast entire disciplines including climate science, public health, and gender equity, as invalid. This order continues that pattern, masking efforts to assert political control over science under the guise of accountability.
    One of the most concerning elements of the order is the requirement that agencies publicly release all “data, analyses, and conclusions” underpinning major policies. While transparency is a fundamental scientific value, this language closely mirrors the flawed Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science rule from your first term, a rule that sought to exclude essential studies from Environmental Protection Agency policymaking unless raw data, including sensitive medical information, was made public. Such an approach does not enhance scientific integrity; it undermines it, while also weakening public health protections.
    Even more alarming is the provision granting political appointees sweeping power over the interpretation, use, and communication of federal scientific research. By authorizing senior political staff to investigate alleged violations, impose disciplinary action, and unilaterally “correct” scientific outputs, the order invites ideological enforcement and suppresses dissent. That is not scientific integrity — it is its undoing.
    True scientific integrity means protecting the independence of science from external manipulation. That’s why the Biden administration required federal agencies to update and strengthen their scientific integrity policies, creating a government-wide framework to safeguard objectivity and shield science from undue influence. Your Executive Order seeks to dismantle that progress. By rolling back policies to 2021 standards, it strips scientists of strong institutional protections and leaves agencies without real accountability.
    If your administration were genuinely committed to trustworthy, reproducible science, you would begin by adequately funding it. The so-called replication crisis is not rooted in malicious intent, it is the result of systemic underinvestment and perverse incentives. Researchers, especially those early in their careers, face precarious employment, low pay, and pressure to prioritize novelty over rigor. Yet your Executive Order ignores these structural issues entirely. Instead, it doubles down on austerity, depriving scientists of the time, resources, and institutional support they need to do robust and verifiable research.
    You claim scientists are afraid to ask, “inconvenient questions.” But it is your administration’s policies, proposed funding and personnel cuts, and dismissal of widely accepted peer-reviewed science that have created a chilling effect. You are cultivating an environment where researchers fear professional retaliation or public vilification for producing evidence that challenges political narratives. That is the very definition of politicizing science.

    Moreover, if you were truly concerned about protecting science from corporate influence, you would be increasing public investment in research to guard against private sector capture. Pulling federal support doesn’t reduce the sway of Big Pharma or Big Ag, it strengthens their influence, allowing profit-driven interests to dictate research priorities at the expense of the public good.

    Buzzwords like “transparency” and “interdisciplinary research” cannot substitute for real commitment to the scientific enterprise. Genuine scientific progress demands sustained investment in people, infrastructure, and the freedom to follow the evidence wherever it leads, without censorship, coercion, or fear. Yet your administration has steadily dismantled the conditions necessary for such progress to flourish.
    This Executive Order is not a return to “gold standard” science. It is a hollow public relations stunt from an administration that has repeatedly weakened America’s scientific credibility and further eroded trust in evidence-based policymaking.

    I urge you to withdraw this order and instead support policies that meaningfully uphold the independence, integrity, and funding of American science — not just in rhetoric, but in practice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Congressional Republicans Take An Axe To Clean Energy, Luján Reintroduces Commonsense Legislation To Expand Access To Solar Energy For Families And Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Republican Lawmakers Are Working To Cut Funding For Clean Energy;
    Luján’s Bill Offers A Practical, Commonsense Solution For Our Energy Future
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Community Solar Consumer Choice Act, legislation that would support community solar projects and expand access to solar energy across the country, regardless of one’s income or ability to host a solar system on their roof. Directing more resources to expand renewable energy through community solar projects would lower energy costs for consumers, support good-paying jobs, and help combat the climate crisis. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced companion legislation in the House.
    As Congressional Republicans continue to push their reconciliation bill that slashes clean energy investments that have helped create hundreds of thousands of jobs and lowered energy costs for hardworking families, Senator Luján is leading legislation to expand access to clean energy while creating good-paying jobs and lowering energy prices. Currently, nearly half of American households and businesses are unable to use rooftop solar systems due to high costs of installation or because they live in buildings that cannot host solar panels.
    “As the climate crisis intensifies and Republican lawmakers push to cut clean energy funding, fighting for practical solutions like community solar is more critical than ever,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to reintroduce the Community Solar Consumer Choice Act to expand access to solar power through community solar projects for all Americans and create more good-paying, clean energy jobs. This bill is a step forward in combating the climate crisis, and I look forward to working with Representative Castor to get this bill passed.”
    “Every family deserves access to affordable, clean energy—no matter their zip code or housing situation,” said Rep. Kathy Castor. “Too many Americans are locked out of rooftop solar because they rent their homes, live in multi-family buildings or can’t afford the upfront costs. The Community Solar Consumer Choice Act helps break down these barriers by expanding access to shared solar projects, allowing more Americans to save money on their electric bills and benefit from the clean energy economy. I’m thankful for Sen. Luján’s partnership in pushing for lower electric bills for Americans across the country. This bill empowers communities—especially working families, small businesses and Tribal governments—to participate in local solar projects that reduce energy costs, cut pollution and create good-paying jobs. It’s a win-win for working families and for our climate future.”
    Specifically, the Community Solar Consumer Choice Act would:
    Require the Department of Energy to expand existing grant, loan, and financing programs to include community solar programs and to establish a program to increase access to community solar programs, including through technical assistance;
    Require each electric utility to offer a community solar program that provides all ratepayers, including low-income ratepayers, with equitable access; 
    Allow the General Services Administration to offer a public utility contract for a period of up to 30 years – currently, the maximum is 10 years. 
    “The New Mexico Climate Investment Center is particularly focused on development of community solar facilities that are community-owned, tribal-owned, and those in rural electric cooperative districts of New Mexico. Such community solar facilities will need the technical assistance in developing such programs particularly to provide greater access to low-cost solar subscriptions for the most vulnerable households in our communities that they are targeting. This bill seeks to address the need for technical assistance and other types of support to provide greatest access to those subscribers. We are in support of Senator Lujan’s bill to provide such support,” said Beth Beloff, CEO of New Mexico Climate Investment Center.
    “The Community Solar Choice Act is exactly the kind of forward-thinking, commonsense energy policy we need to expand access to affordable clean energy for more Americans. Community solar delivers bill savings, energy resilience, and local jobs—especially for low- and moderate-income households. We’re grateful to Senator Luján and Representative Castor for championing this legislation and look forward to working with them to ensure community solar continues to grow as a vital part of the nation’s energy economy,” said Jeff Cramer, President and CEO, Coalition for Community Solar Access.
    “As extreme heat drives up electricity bills across the country, this legislation couldn’t come at a more urgent time. Americans are demanding relief from rising energy costs, and expanding community solar is a commonsense way to deliver it. Solar energy is cheaper and faster to build, but not everyone can install solar panels on their roof. Community solar offers a practical solution to ensure everyone, especially those in low-income neighborhoods facing the highest energy cost burdens, has the option to power their homes with affordable, reliable clean energy. We applaud Rep. Castor and Senator Lujan’s leadership in advancing this critical effort,” said Rachel Patterson, Senior Policy Director, Evergreen Action.
    “Ensuring families, particularly renters, have more choices to access cheaper, cleaner, local solar energy in their communities is a win-win-win. It’s good for families’ budgets, good for communities’ development and job creation, and good for our environment. Solar energy is the fastest electricity to get on the grid, and when it is local, or distributed, and especially when paired with battery storage, it is even better at stabilizing our grids and driving down costs for all communities and businesses,” said Matthew Davis, Vice President of Federal Policy, League of Conservation Voters.
    “Too many families—especially in communities overburdened by pollution—have been left out of the benefits of solar power. The Community Solar Consumer Choice Act is a critical step toward correcting that injustice. By expanding access to community solar, this bill helps ensure that low-income households and renters can finally share in the cost savings and cleaner air that solar energy provides. As parents, we support this legislation because it prioritizes previously overlooked communities, protects our children’s health, and builds a more just and sustainable energy future for all of us,” said Liz Hurtado (she/her), National Field Manager, EcoMadres, Moms Clean Air Force.
    “Community solar is one of the smartest and most reliable tools we have to lower electricity bills, reduce pollution, and build energy independence, especially for renters and low-income families who are too often left behind. The Community Solar Consumer Choice Act expands fairness and opportunity in our energy system by giving more Americans access to the benefits of affordable, domestic, clean power at a time when families need it most. This is common-sense policy that strengthens energy freedom, supports local jobs, and makes our communities more resilient,” said Xavier Boatright, Deputy Legislative Director, Sierra Club.
    The bill is endorsed by New Mexico Climate Investment Center, Coalition for Community Solar Access, Evergreen Action, GreenLatinos, League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Solar Energy Industries Association, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
    Senator Luján has been a champion in advancing clean energy, previously introducing legislation that would require states to consider policies to promote the deployment of community solar projects.
    Full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine Push for Swift Approval of Hampton Roads Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Lease

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are urging the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to swiftly take up and reapprove the authorization of 18 major Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility leases, including a proposed lease for an outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads.

    The leases were originally authorized under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act which Sens. Warner and Kaine strongly supported. However, updated cost estimates and rent bids triggered the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees: the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. To date, only the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure committees have put forward resolutions to reapprove the leases.

    In a letter to the leaders of the EPW Committee, the senators stressed the current challenges veterans in Hampton Roads are facing when trying to access care. 

    “One of these impacted leases is for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads, with a proposed size of 182,230 net usable square feet,” the senators wrote. “This proposed facility would serve a critical need in a high-density region that has increasing demand for VA services. Particularly for those veterans who live on the south side of Hampton Roads – home to more than 60 percent of the patient population at the Hampton VA Medical Center – this clinic would broaden care access, and provide increased services at a location more convenient to many of these veterans.”

    The senators continued, “Those associated with the region are all too familiar with challenges accessing care. The VA acknowledges through its own assessment, that the Hampton VAMC faces many physical challenges, such as frequent flooding and severe access difficulties for a large portion of the veterans it serves due to heavy traffic restricting area patients’ access to the VAMC. Hiring and recruitment challenges, in a state and region that are near the top of the list nationally in terms of share of veteran population, have contributed to challenges accessing timely care over the years. Looking forward, the VA estimates that the already sizable enrollee base in the region is expected to grow by upwards of 10 to 15 percent in the coming decades, leading to a patient population that could support multiple new VA medical centers and outpatient clinics.”

    Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

    A copy of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Chair Capito and Ranking Member Whitehouse,

    We write today to urge your committee to take up and pass a resolution approving of 18 major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which were originally authorized under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, and now await reapproval by relevant Congressional committees. This tranche of facility prospectuses includes a planned facility in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, and so we encourage timely action by your committee.

    The PACT Act (P.L.117-168) included authorization and initial support funding for thirty-one veterans’ medical care and research facilities in nineteen states. In the intervening years from when the VA first calculated cost estimates for these projects, to the time they initiated conversations with local developers, the cost estimates for 18 of the facilities had increased. As such, the VA resubmitted those 18 prospectuses for their reapproval by Congressional committees.

    One of these impacted leases is for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads, with a proposed size of 182,230 net usable square feet. This proposed facility would serve a critical need in a high-density region that has increasing demand for VA services. Particularly for those veterans who live on the south side of Hampton Roads – home to more than 60 percent of the patient population at the Hampton VA Medical Center – this clinic would broaden care access, and provide increased services at a location more convenient to many of these veterans.

    Those associated with the region are all too familiar with challenges accessing care. The VA acknowledges through its own assessment, that the Hampton VAMC faces many physical challenges, such as frequent flooding and severe access difficulties for a large portion of the veterans it serves due to heavy traffic restricting area patients’ access to the VAMC. Hiring and recruitment challenges, in a state and region that are near the top of the list nationally in terms of share of veteran population, have contributed to challenges accessing timely care over the years. Looking forward, the VA estimates that the already sizable enrollee base in the region is expected to grow by upwards of 10 to 15 percent in the coming decades, leading to a patient population that could support multiple new VA medical centers and outpatient clinics.

    In recognition of the need to streamline the process whereby Congress considers VA facility approvals and remove some the hurdles and delays to their being built, the PACT Act simplified the acquisition process. Under the law, re-approval of this slate of leases would require resolutions of approval by four Committees in Congress: the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works. As of our writing of this letter, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and House Transportation and Infrastructure committees have passed resolutions of approval.

    We urge your committee to quickly consider and approve these leases. As always we appreciate your attention to these matters, as well as your efforts to conduct oversight and work with the Executive Branch on important matters impacting federal infrastructure. And we share your commitment to ensuring that veterans who have earned these services and care have the facilities needed to access them in a timely manner.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Flow Traders 2Q 2025 Pre-close Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Flow Traders 2Q 2025 Pre-close Call

    Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Flow Traders Ltd. (Euronext: FLOW) publishes the 2Q 2025 pre-close call script to be used with analysts post the market close on 26 June 2025.

    Eric Pan – Head of Investor Relations, Flow Traders

    Welcome to the Flow Traders 2Q 2025 pre-close call, which is being conducted post the European market close on 26 June. During this call I will highlight relevant publicly available data and industry trends in our markets as well as previously published data by Flow Traders and relate these data points to their impact on our business for the quarter. The silent period for 2Q will begin on 30 June and we will publish our 2Q 2025 results on 31 July at 07:30 CEST.

    Market Environment

    Market trading volumes and volatility increased in the second quarter across most asset classes and regions, with the largest of the increases occurring in the first weeks of April and falling back to more normal levels in May and June. In Equity, market trading volumes and volatility in the quarter increased across all regions both when compared to the same period a year ago and to the first quarter. Within Fixed Income, market trading volumes increased when compared to the same period a year ago and the first quarter while volatility levels stayed relatively flat. In Digital Assets, trading volumes increased slightly compared to the same period a year ago but decreased meaningfully compared to the first quarter. Digital Assets volatility declined meaningfully both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.

    Diving deeper into each of the asset classes and regions:

    Equity

    In Equity, European exchange operators Euronext, Deutsche Börse and the London Stock Exchange all saw double-digit increases in trading volumes both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, with more of the increases occurring in April. In the Americas, volumes on both the Nasdaq and NYSE also increased by double-digits year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, also with more of the increases occurring in April. Volumes in APAC also increased by double-digits in the quarter across the Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Shanghai Stock Exchange when compared to the same period a year ago, but to a lesser extent when compared to the first quarter.

    Volatility, as exemplified by the VSTOXX in Europe, VIX in the Americas and JNIV in Japan, increased by double-digits when compared to both the same period a year ago and to the first quarter. The VHSI in Hong Kong increased by double-digits year-on-year but was relatively flat quarter-on-quarter.

    FICC

    In Fixed Income, market trading volumes increased in the quarter by double-digits across most products on Tradeweb and MarketAxess when compared to the same period a year ago and the first quarter, though at a smaller magnitude when compared to the increases in the Equity asset class. Fixed income volatility, as indicated by the MOVE index, increased slightly both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.

    Within Digital Assets, trading volumes in Bitcoin, the barometer of the industry, increased slightly year-on-year but decreased by double-digits quarter-on-quarter. Bitcoin volatility declined by double-digits both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.

    ETP Market Volumes

    As per Flow Traders’ previously published monthly ETP Market Statistics, quarter-to-date, On and Off Exchange Value Traded was up 53% year-on-year in EMEA, up 43% in the Americas, up 78% in APAC, and up 48% globally. Average volatility, as indicated by the VIX, was up 77% quarter-to-date compared to the same period a year ago.

    Impact on Flow Traders

    Coming to Flow Traders’ second quarter performance, the increase in trading volumes and volatility in the quarter positively contributed to NTI when compared to the same period a year ago. When compared to the first quarter of this year, NTI performance was comparable given volumes and volatility subsided to more normal levels in May and June after the short-lived surge in early April as a result of the “Liberation Day” tariff announcements from the U.S. administration. It’s worth a reminder that the first quarter also saw increased market trading volumes and volatility as a result of the U.S. administration’s initial round of tariff announcements on Canada, Mexico and China. The greater, but short-lived, surge in Equity volatility in early April was offset by a muted May and June and lower contributions from Digital Assets in the quarter. Looking at the regional performance, all regions improved compared to the same period a year ago, while the Americas improved when compared to the first quarter of this year. On the cost front, Fixed Operating Expenses in the quarter were in-line with our previous guidance.

    Contact Details

    Flow Traders Ltd.

    Investors
    Eric Pan
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:                investor.relations@flowtraders.com

    Media
    Laura Peijs
    Phone:         +31 20 7996799
    Email:                press@flowtraders.com

    About Flow Traders

    Flow Traders is a leading trading firm providing liquidity in multiple asset classes, covering all major exchanges. Founded in 2004, Flow Traders is a leading global ETP market marker and has leveraged its expertise in trading ETPs to expand into fixed income, commodities, digital assets and FX. Flow Traders’ role in financial markets is to ensure the availability of liquidity and enabling investors to continue to buy or sell financial instruments under all market circumstances, thereby ensuring markets remain resilient and continue to function in an orderly manner. In addition to its trading activities, Flow Traders has established a strategic investment unit focused on fostering market innovation and aligned with our mission to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the financial ecosystem. With nearly two decades of experience, we have built a team of over 600 talented professionals, located globally, contributing to the firm’s entrepreneurial culture and delivering the company’s mission.

    Important Legal Information

    This publication is prepared by Flow Traders Ltd. and is for information purposes only. It is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and you must not rely on the content of this document when making any investment decisions. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice and is not to be regarded as investor marketing or marketing of any security or financial instrument, or as an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell, securities or financial instruments.

    The information and materials contained in this publication are provided ‘as is’ and Flow Traders Ltd. or any of its affiliates (“Flow Traders”) do not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information and materials and expressly disclaim liability for any errors or omissions. This publication is not intended to be, and shall not constitute in any way a binding or legal agreement, or impose any legal obligation on Flow Traders. All intellectual property rights, including trademarks, are those of their respective owners. All rights reserved. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Flow Traders. No part of it may be redistributed or reproduced without the prior written permission of Flow Traders.

    Flow Traders expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any statements contained in this publication to reflect any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based. Unless the source is otherwise stated, the market, economic and industry data in this publication constitute the estimates of our management, using underlying data from independent third parties. We have obtained market data and certain industry forecasts used in this publication from internal surveys, reports and studies, where appropriate, as well as market research, publicly available information and industry publications. The third party sources we have used generally state that the information they contain has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed and that the projections they contain are based on a number of assumptions.

    By accepting this publication you agree to the terms set out above. If you do not agree with the terms set out above please notify legal.amsterdam@nl.flowtraders.com immediately and delete or destroy this publication.

    Market Abuse Regulation

    This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Booker Renew Push to Ban the U.S. Sale and Manufacturing of “K-Leather” and Protect Kangaroos from Largest Commercial Slaughter in the World

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 25, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced legislation to ban the sale and manufacturing of products made from kangaroo skin, also known as “k-leather.” After years of the two lawmakers leading the charge on this issue, this week Mizuno and UMBRO joined cleat manufacturing giants—including Nike, Adidas, Puma and ASICS—in pledging to halt production of k-leather in their soccer cleats and other products. To help build on this momentum, reverse this inhumane trend and safeguard the kangaroo species from commercial exploitation, Senators Duckworth and Booker are introducing the Kangaroo Protection Act, which would help protect millions of wild kangaroos and their innocent babies who are needlessly killed every year for the use of their leather in commercial products. Additionally, this legislation would empower the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other agencies, to issue civil and criminal penalties of fines up to $10,000 and other regulations.
    “The mass killing of millions of kangaroos to make commercial products is needless and inhumane,” said Senator Duckworth. “While it is encouraging that more and more cleat manufacturers are pledging to stop using k-leather, the U.S. must stop incentivizing this cruel practice once and for all. I’m proud to reintroduce this bill with Senator Booker that would help prevent the deadly exploitation of kangaroos and promote the use of more humane alternatives to k-leather.”
    “We should not allow the unnecessary killing of animals just so that big corporations can maximize profits,” said Senator Booker. “This legislation will help conserve the kangaroo species by ensuring that no one in the United States can distribute kangaroo products for commercial gain.”
    The commercial slaughter of kangaroos isn’t just widespread—it’s unnecessarily cruel. It uses similar killing methods and is ten times larger than the infamously brutal Canadian seal hunt, which prompted the United States to ban the import of seal pelts in 1972. Despite having similar import bans for other animals, the U.S. is currently the second largest commercial market for k-leather products in the world. The Senators’ proposed legislation would help change that.
    Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
    “It’s profit from the sale of skins and other body parts that drives the killing of more than a million kangaroos a year in their native habitats in Australia,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Senator Duckworth’s bill is a tremendous complement to the decisions by all the big athletic shoe brands to halt sourcing of kangaroo skins for cleats and her measure has the potential to spare the lives of hundreds of thousands of the iconic marsupials every year.”
    This legislation is supported by 13 Hands Equine Rescue Team (Clinton Corners, NY), A Place Called Hope (Killingworth, CT), A Voice for the Voiceless (Louisville, KY), Alaqua Animal Refuge & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, (Freeport, FL), Albuquerque Vegan (NM), Alliance for Animals (Madison, WI), Allied Scholars for Animal Protection, Angels Grove Ranch and Horse Rescue (Bush, LA), Animal & Earth Advocates (Seattle, WA), Animal Advocates of South Central Pennsylvania, Animal Alliance Network, Animal Behavior and Healing (Portland, ME), Animal Care Society (Mathews, VA), Animal Education & Rescue (Libertyville, IL), Animal Kindness Foundation (Las Vegas, NV), Animal Protection Affiliates (NV), Animal Protection League of New Jersey, Animal Protection New Mexico, Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, Animal Rights Initiative, Animal Rights Maine, Animal Save Movement, Animal Welfare Society (Kennebunk, ME), Animal Wellness Action, Animal Wellness Foundation, Animals’ Angels, Anonymous for the Voiceless – Las Vegas (NV), Arizona Humane Society, Arrow Fund (Louisville, KY), Associated Humane Societies, Ballydídean Farm Sanctuary (Clinton, WA), Basin and Range Watch (NV), Berkeley Animal Rights Center (CA), Berkshire Voters for Animals (MA), Bleating Hearts Sanctuary (Golden, CO), Blissful Dreams Rescue Ranch (Huger, SC), Boulder Bear Coalition (CO), Bucky’s Bull Rescue (Cedar Grove, WI), Cedar Cove Conservation & Education Center (Louisburg, KS), Center for, Ethical Science, Charleston Carriage Horse Advocates (SC), Chicago Alliance for Animals (IL), Christian Animal Rights Association, Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research and Experimentation (CAARE), Climate Save Movement, Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc. (NY), Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages (NY), Colorado Voters for Animals, Compassionate Action for Animals (Minneapolis, MN), Compassionate & Responsible Tourism (NY), Connecticut Votes for Animals, DC Voters for Animals, Dead Broke Farm (Raleigh, NC), Defend Them All Foundation (Portland, OR), Difference Makers Media (Wilmette, IL), Direct Action Everywhere (Berkeley, CA), EarthAction, Emerald City Pet Rescue (Seattle, WA), Endangered Habitats League (West Hollywood, CA), Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Protection Information Center (CA), Equine Collaborative International, Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary (Amado, AZ), Erika’s Equine Center (Nerstrand, MN), Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee, Fair Start Movement, Fayette Regional Humane Society (Washington Court House, OH), Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia, Fish Feel, Footloose Montana, Forever Home Beagle Rescue (Pittsburgh, PA), Four Paws USA (Boston, MA), Friends of Animals of Metro Detroit (MI), Friends of the Merry Meeting Bay (Richmond, ME), Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf and Wildlife, Friends of Washoe (Ellensburg, WA), Georgia Animal Rights and Protection, Georgia Equine Rescue League, Ginger’s Pet Rescue (Seattle, WA), Global Coalition of Farm Sanctuaries, Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, Good Karma Pet Rescue (Pompano Beach, FL), Great Spirit Animal Sanctuary (Snowflake, AZ), Green Mountain Animal Defenders (Burlington, VT), Grit and Grace Farm & Wildlife Rehabilitation (Cynthiana, KY), Hanaeleh Horse Rescue and Advocacy (Trabuco Canyon, CA), Harmony Farm Sanctuary (Bend, OR), Heart of Alabama (Killen, AL), Heartland Equine Rescue (IN), Heartwood Haven (Roy, WA), Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary (Sewickley, PA), Hot Springs Village Animal Welfare League (AR), Hotchkiss Humane Society (CT), Houston Animal Activism (TX), Howling for Wolves (Hopkins, MN), Humane Action Pennsylvania, Humane Action Pittsburgh (PA), Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (PA), Humane Long Island (NY), Humane Society of Central Arizona, Humane Society of Huron Valley (MI), Humane Voters of Washington, In Defense of Animals, In-Sync Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center (Wylie, TX), Indiana Skunk Rescue (North Salem), Indraloka Animal Sanctuary (Dalton, PA), Indraloka Sanctuary Children’s Programs (Dalton, PA), Iowa Farm Sanctuary, Jefferson County Humane Society (OH), Jewish Vegan Life, Keepers of the Wild (Valentine, AZ), Kentuckians Vote for Animals, Kindred Spirits, Rescue Ranch (Darlington, PA), Klamath Forest Alliance (CA), LA Animal Save (Los Angeles, CA), Lancaster Farm Sanctuary (PA), League of Humane Voters – Georgia, League of Humane Voters – New Jersey, Liberty Equine (Park City, UT), Los Angeles Alliance for Animals (CA), Luvin Arms Farm Animal Sanctuary (Erie, CO), Madrean Archipelago Wildlife Center (Canelo, AZ), Magical Creatures Sanctuary (Laupahoehoe, HI), Maine Animal Coalition, Maine Friends of Animals, Marley’s Mutts (Tehachapi, CA), Maryland Votes for Animals, Inc., Massachusetts for Elephants, Massachusetts Society for the, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Angell, Mauritius Primate Rescue, Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals (NY), Michelson Center for Public Policy, Misfits Coven Animal Haven (Pittsburgh, PA), Mississippi Animal Rescue League, Monmouth County SPCA (Eatontown, NJ), My Pegasus Project (Duncanville, TX), Nevada Paws – The Link, New Hampshire Animal Rights League, Noah’s, Lost Ark Animal Sanctuary (Berlin Center, OH), North Country Animal League (Morrisville, VT), Northeast Equine Rescue (West Newbury, ME), NYC Plover Project (New York City, NY), NYCLASS (New York City, NY), Ocean Conservation Research, Oceanic Preservation Society , OceansWide (Newcastle, ME), Off the Plate Farm Animal Sanctuary (Montgomery, VT), Oregon Animal Rescue, Oregon Horse Rescue, Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary (Estacada, OR), Off the Table Farm Sanctuary (Westfield, WI), Open Sanctuary Project, Ozarks, Kat and K9 Shelter (Sunrise Beach, MO), Palm Springs Animal Shelter (CA), Panhandle Equine (Cantonment, FL), Partnership to Ban Horse Carriages Worldwide, Pasado’s Safe Haven (Sultan, WA), Patchwork Pastures (Wantage, NJ), Pawsitive Beginnings, Inc. (Key Largo, FL), Peace Ridge Sanctuary (Brooks, ME), Peaceful Planet Foundation, Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary (Deer Trail, CO), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Phoenix Zones Initiative, Piedmont Farm Animal Rescue (Pittsboro, NC), Pigsburgh Squealers (Tarentum, PA), Pittie Posse Rescue (ME), Pittsburgh Vegan Society (PA), Plant Based in Baja (CA), Plant-Based Treaty, Plant Peace Daily (Glorieta, NM), Pollination Project (Marin County, CA), Possums Welcome (San Rafael, CA), Potter’s Angels Rescue (Montpelier, VT), Pride & Joy Horse Rescue (Fargo, ND), Project Animal Freedom (Eureka, MO), Protect Our Wildlife Vermont, Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue (Junction City, KS), Red Robin Song Animal Sanctuary (West Lebanon, NY), Revolution Philadelphia (PA), Rise for Animals, Rocket, Dog Rescue (Oakland, CA), Rowdy Girl Sanctuary (Waedler, TX), Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary (Imlay, NV), Sanctuary Education Advisory Specialists (East Hartford, CT), Santa Fe Vegan (NM), Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (CA), Save Our Sky Blue Waters (Duluth, MN), Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue (South Acworth, NH), SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness), Social Compassion in Legislation (Laguna Beach, CA), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), Southern Cross Animal Rescue, (Laurel, MS), SPCA International, SPCA of Hancock County (ME), Species United (Brooklyn, NY), Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue (Riverhead, NY), Stray Dog Support, Inc., Supporting and Promoting Animal Ethics for the Animal Kingdom (SPEAK) (Tucson, AZ), Switch4Good (Irvine, CA), Tahoe Wolf Center (CA), TevaLand Sanctuary Farm (Hillburn, NY), Texas Humane Legislation Network, The Animal Law Office (San Rafael, CA), The Buddy Fund (New York City, NY), The Center for a Humane Economy, The Parrot Club (Hartford, CT), The Urban Wildlands Group (Los Angeles, CA), The Wild Animal Sanctuary (Keenesburg, CO), Their Turn, Think Wild (Bend, OR), Trailsafe Nevada, Tulsa Vegan Guide (OK), Turtle Island Restoration Network (CA/TX), Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry (Boulder, CO), Urban Acres Horse Farm (Omaha, NE), Urban Wildlife Research Project (CA), Vegan Organic Network, Vegan Pittsburgh (PA), Veganville Animal Sanctuary (Seaside, OR), VegMichigan, VENDX (Edgewater, FL), Vermont Wildlife Patrol, Victorian Kangaroo Alliance, Voice for Animals (York, ME), Voices of Wildlife in New Hampshire, Voters for Animal Rights (Brooklyn, NY), West Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare, Western Massachusetts Animal Rights Advocates, Western Wildlife Outreach (WA), WildAid (San Francisco, CA), Wildcare Oklahoma, Wildcat Creek Wildlife Center, Inc. (Delphi, IN), Wildlife for All, Wildlife in Crisis (Weston, CT), Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. (San Antonio, TX), Wildlife Watch, Inc., World Vegan Vision (Paterson, NJ), Wynnwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Elizabethton, TN), Wyoming Untrapped and Wyoming Wildlife Advocates.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England WSC Products in the Second Quarter of 2025

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Southeast New England Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is estimating the magnitude, spatial distribution, and travel times of nitrogen-loading to ponds and streams in the Salt Ponds region of southern Rhode Island. This information can be used to guide conservation-management efforts aimed at reducing nitrogen inputs to…

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England WSC Products in the Second Quarter of 2025

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Southeast New England Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is estimating the magnitude, spatial distribution, and travel times of nitrogen-loading to ponds and streams in the Salt Ponds region of southern Rhode Island. This information can be used to guide conservation-management efforts aimed at reducing nitrogen inputs to…

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York’s climate leadership recognised

    Source: City of York

    York has once again been recognised on the global stage for its work to tackle climate change — retaining an ‘A’ rating from the independent CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) for a third time.

    The rating places York among only 112 cities worldwide to achieve the top grade, highlighting the city’s climate leadership and transparency.

    This accolade isn’t just about international recognition — it reflects the real, practical changes being delivered across the city.  From lower energy bills to warmer homes, greener transport options to community energy partnerships, the council’s work is making an everyday difference to those living and working in the city.

    One of the city’s key tools in supporting that progress is YorEnergy — a free advice service helping people across York find ways to cut energy bills and reduce emissions.  More information is available at yorenergy.co.uk.

    Samantha Mills, who’s Heworth home has benefitted from the YorEnergy scheme, explained:

    We’ve had some really important work on our home through the YorEnergy scheme and already we’ve seen a difference.

    “Bills were higher and the house didn’t stay warm, but with our new insulation things have changed.

    “The process to get these improvements done was really easy too, with someone on hand to guide us through the whole process.”

    The council is actively working with York Community Energy to expand solar rooftop projects to reduce costs across the city’s schools, with ten school’s already completed and another in the pipeline.  Alongside this, citywide upgrades to LED street lighting are saving energy and reducing costs for council taxpayers.

    York’s longer-term ambition is reflected in major infrastructure investments, such as a proposed developments at the former Harewood Whin landfill site. The council is also exploring new heat networks and commercial partnerships as part of its Local Area Energy Plan — helping lay the groundwork for a more resilient, sustainable energy future.
    In council housing, the ongoing insulation programme is improving comfort and affordability for tenants.

    City of York Council Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, Cllr Jenny Kent, said:

    This is independent recognition for the third year running that CYC is ahead of the curve, making real headway and building a healthier, energy secure, resilient York.

    “We should all be very proud that we are one of only 112 cities globally to be recognised as top ranking for our efforts.

    “It reflects the continued hard work of our dedicated staff in obtaining external funding for projects that reduce energy costs and emissions for residents, businesses, and council taxpayers alike. This includes making more people’s homes comfortable and affordable, helping improve air quality, expanding our tree planting, and supporting active travel and investment in supporting bus services.”

    To hear more about the city’s climate initiatives and other resident news, sign up for updates at york.gov.uk/EmailUpdates.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: George Street and First New Town project passes crucial milestone

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Digital visualisation of the ‘full design’ plan for the George Street and First New Town project.

    A full design for the George Street and First New Town project, has been approved by the Transport and Environment Committee.

    The report discusses the completion of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 4 Technical Design. The progression of this stage has led to a revised overall cost estimate of £35.07m, representing a saving of over £4.3m on previous estimates.

    The wider project was included to proceed under the City Mobility Plan Prioritisation programme in May 2025, following a rigorous assessment of feasibility.

    The full design will contain the following features:

    • Plans for natural stone material throughout (including yorkstone slabs on the footway, re-laid traditional setts in the parking areas, whinstone kerbs and setts on the carriageway). 
    • Dwell zones with incorporated raised planters and seating.
    • Eight trees (four at the Charlotte Square end, four at the St Andrew Square end) along with low-level planting within a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDs), linking to the existing drainage system.  
    • Full suite of Hostile Vehicle Measures (HVM) at all junctions and associated utility diversions.

    Under the current timeline, construction is due to begin in Autumn 2027 and take approximately two years with a further one-year defect period.   

    The appropriate road orders will now be implemented before moving on to final budget confirmation and ultimately to RIBA Stage 4B (Tender) and securing of statutory consents. Final approval will then be sought to proceed to RIBA Stage 5 (Construction).

    The full report is available to view on our website.

    Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:

    I’m really pleased that we’ve taken the decision today to move forward with the George Street and First New Town project. The project is rooted in making the area safer, more sustainable and accessible for all.

    This is a unique opportunity to bring one of Edinburgh’s most important streets into the modern world whilst still maintaining its unique history and features.

    The wider potential improvements are vast, from benefits to local residents and businesses to enhancing Edinburgh as a visitor destination, and beyond – we’re on our way to delivering a bold new vision for George Street and our city centre.

    Whilst we’re committed to this important project, we’re also committed to making broader improvements across the city for the benefit of all our residents.

    Published: June 26th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Union Minister Bhupender Yadav chairs 21st Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant in Dehradun

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Thursday chaired the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun. The meeting convened senior officials, scientists, and field experts from elephant range states, alongside representatives from key conservation institutions, to review the progress of Project Elephant and chart the future of elephant conservation in India.

    A key focus of the meeting was addressing the ongoing challenge of human-elephant conflict, which poses significant risks to both human safety and elephant conservation. Yadav emphasized the critical need to involve local communities as active partners in wildlife conservation, particularly in regions heavily impacted by such conflicts. He stressed that effective management of human-wildlife conflict is essential for the success of conservation programs and called for improved working conditions and social security for frontline forest staff and ground-level conservation workers.

    The Minister urged coordinated efforts with Indian Railways, the Ministry of Power, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and mine developers to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. He also highlighted the role of institutions like the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and State Forest Training institutions in implementing awareness and outreach programs. Additionally, Shri Yadav emphasized the importance of systematic data collection and analysis on elephant deaths due to railway accidents and the need for knowledge sharing among states, institutions, and experts to replicate best practices nationwide.

    The meeting reviewed significant progress in conservation efforts, including the development of Regional Action Plans for human-elephant conflict in Southern and North-Eastern India and the completion of surveys covering 3,452.4 km of sensitive railway stretches, identifying 77 high-risk areas for mitigation. DNA profiling of captive elephants has advanced, with 1,911 genetic profiles completed across 22 states. Phase-I of the synchronized elephant population estimation in North-Eastern states has been completed, with over 16,500 dung samples collected. Work on the Model Elephant Conservation Plan (ECP) for the Nilgiri Elephant Reserve is underway and expected to be finalized by December 2025.

    Several important documents were released during the meeting, including a report on measures to mitigate elephant-train collisions, a comprehensive study on 23 years of human-elephant conflict in Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, an advisory on safe tusk trimming practices for captive elephants, and the latest edition of Trumpet, Project Elephant’s quarterly newsletter.

    Looking ahead, the Committee discussed preparations for World Elephant Day on August 12, to be celebrated in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where the Gaj Gaurav Awards will be presented. Upcoming initiatives include finalizing the Nilgiri ECP, launching a three-year elephant tracking study in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, conducting Management Effectiveness Evaluations (MEE) in Elephant Reserves with support from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), and developing an integrated conservation strategy for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve, with a focus on the Udalguri landscape.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Public Works Entities Must Create Income-Generating Initiatives and Not Rely on Government Funding

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

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    The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure has called on entities within the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure portfolio to explore innovative solutions to improve their financial sustainability, rather than relying solely on the parent department for funding and bailouts.

    The committee today received a briefing from four public works entities on their 2025/26 annual performance plans and budget allocations. The entities include the Independent Development Trust (IDT), Agrément South Africa (ASA), the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), and the Council for the Built Environment (CBE).

    The committee expressed concerns over the absence of both the Minister and Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure from the meeting. Members of the committee were not pleased with the Minister’s backlog in oral and written questions. In addition, the committee also raised alarm over the continued lack of transparency regarding the costs associated with the Minister’s overseas travel, which remain undisclosed.

    Regarding the IDT, the committee raised serious concerns about the entity’s continued financial dependence on the department. Members of the committee questioned whether the entity has any concrete plans to improve its revenue-generating capacity and reduce its reliance on bailouts. The committee also urged the entity to promote inclusivity for categories of previously disadvantaged people, women, youth, and the people with disabilities.

    The committee further expressed concern over the high legal costs incurred by the IDT and recommended that the entity strengthens its internal capacity to mitigate litigation risks, especially during ongoing projects.

    The committee called on ASA to identify alternative revenue streams, as continued dependence on government funding is unsustainable. It criticised the weak transformation and job creation targets presented and called for bolder, measurable commitments. ASA’s ICT systems were also flagged and the committee encouraged the entity to work collaboratively with departments such as Human Settlements to broaden its impact. T

    The committee further urged ASA to establish testing sites and laboratories to ensure compliance with technical standards, noting that current operations do not adequately support this function.

    Committee Chairperson, Ms Caril Phiri, expressed concern over irregularities in contractor grading by the CIDB. She highlighted reports of contractors receiving higher grades without completing corresponding project scopes and urged CIDB to address and dispel public perceptions that grading statuses are being bought.

    The committee also raised alarm over the CIDB’s claim that contractors involved in the recent collapsed building in George were not registered with them, but rather with the National Home Builders Registration Council.

    The committee called for greater regulatory alignment and oversight between these entities, the national and provincial departments of human settlements, and all municipal councils to prevent such tragedies.

    – on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preliminary work to start at Derby Riverside

    Source: City of Derby

    Preliminary works are due to start on the second phase of the Our City, Our River flood defence scheme, one of the city’s biggest infrastructure projects.

    Known as Derby Riverside, this package of works will provide significant flood resilience protection to many properties and highways along the left (east) bank of the Derwent from Causey Bridge to Derwent Bridge.

    The initial works will mainly consist of land clearance, making way for a new flood wall, floodgates and a riverside green area that will provide a controlled corridor for flood waters to pass through the city safely.

    This will include the demolition of selected buildings, as well as some tree removal. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable where trees would obstruct the flow of water in a flood event, or where roots would be damaged due to the location of the wall.

    Derby City Council has worked extensively with its arboriculturalists to keep the number of trees removed to a minimum. While the plans approved by committee give permission for a total of around 205 trees to be removed, this is the worst-case scenario, and the aim is to keep as many as possible. Some will be pollarded where this is a better solution, meaning their top branches will be removed to the trunk, which will encourage regrowth.

    Due to the bird nesting season, we will only be removing trees that are essential for this first stage of work, with further work to take place over the winter. Throughout the nesting season, an ecologist will be onsite to check each tree before it is removed.

    OCOR includes a scheme to replant more trees in the city than have been lost. Already, 583 new trees have been planted around the city, exceeding the 574 that will have been removed throughout the whole scheme by the time Derby Riverside is completed. A further 971 new trees are proposed for other sites, taking the total for OCOR to well over 1,400.

    Councillor Camel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said:

    As our climate continues to change, river flooding remains a risk to many homes and businesses in the city centre. In just five years we have seen the five highest recorded river levels in the city.

    We saw the damage caused by Storm Babet on the left bank of the river, and the need for action is clear. With these works, we will continue to protect properties and future proof our city.

    Sisk regional director Robin Metcalf said:

    We’re proud to be delivering this important project for Derby and are committed to making a positive local impact. We’ll be employing people from the local area wherever possible and working closely with Derby City Council to ensure our social value commitments align with the Derby Promise. That includes creating opportunities for those who are often furthest from the job market, helping to ensure the benefits of this scheme are felt right across the community.

    These works will be carried out by John Sisk & Son on behalf of Derby City Council, who were formally awarded the contract for the scheme in May 2025. The completion of Derby Riverside will then unlock the regeneration potential on the left bank of the river, with opportunities for developing new homes and businesses thanks to enhanced flood resilience.

    The Our City, Our River programme is one of the Environment Agency’s largest local authority-led projects and has already delivered enhanced flood protection to over 2000 properties. Derby Riverside will extend this protection to the east bank of the Derwent and unlock the potential for regeneration in this part of the city.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Urgent warning to pet owners as toxic chemicals found in fake flea treatments

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Urgent warning to pet owners as toxic chemicals found in fake flea treatments

    Pet owners urged to be wary of dangerous fake treatments discovered on e-commerce sites.

    Main developments are:

    • urgent government warning issued after toxic insecticide discovered in counterfeit flea treatments – one cat required emergency surgery after severe poisoning

    • fake pet medicines lack essential ingredients while containing dangerous chemicals that trigger vomiting, seizures and potential death

    • warning signs include poor packaging, spelling mistakes, unusual smells and suspiciously low prices

    • new figures show three quarters of consumers wrongly believe fake goods are of similar quality to genuine products

    • pet owners should only buy from trusted sources and immediately report suspicious products

    The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) are urging pet owners to take caution when purchasing common medicines, including common flea treatments and wormers. 
     
    The alert comes after toxic pesticide traces were found in a fake flea treatment that caused a pet cat to become seriously ill, prompting the owner to have the product tested. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Pirimiphos-methyl, a dangerous insecticide toxic to cats. 
     
    Officials are urging pet owners to recognise signs of counterfeit products, avoid using suspicious items, and know how to report concerns.  

    Counterfeit animal medicines deliberately copy the appearance, packaging and branding of genuine veterinary products to deceive pet owners. Like all counterfeits, they are illegal to sell in the UK.   

    These fakes typically lack proper active ingredients, making them ineffective. Worse still, they may also contain harmful substances, causing severe reactions including vomiting, muscle tremors, breathing difficulties, seizures and potentially death.

    Pet owners seeking bargains, or a quick purchase online may unknowingly purchase these dangerous counterfeits.  
     
    The VMD and IPO are urging owners to check for warning signs including poor packaging, spelling errors, missing information, and unusual smells. 

    Last year alone, the VMD issued 122 seizure notices for the selling of unauthorised animal medicines and supplements, preventing around 18,000 illegal items from reaching consumers. 

    After purchasing what appeared to be genuine FRONTLINE ® flea treatment online for his cat, Smokey, Alan Wall from Preston was devastated when Smokey became very unwell. The condition was so severe that Smokey required emergency intestinal surgery to survive. This was followed by a week-long stay at the veterinary surgery and significant bills to support his recovery.

    Alan Wall said:

    Smokey is more than just a pet, he’s a member of our family. When he became ill after using what we believed was a genuine flea treatment, we were terrified. Watching him suffer, not knowing whether he would pull through, was heartbreaking. It’s taken a huge emotional toll on all of us. Without the support of our vets and the extensive surgery they performed we know Smokey wouldn’t be with us today. We want to warn other pet owners about these fake products so that no one else has to endure what we’ve been through.

    Images of Smokey the cat – receiving treatment, and when healthier

    A Veterinary Medicines Directorate Veterinary Surgeon and Efficacy Assessor, Dr Heilin-Anne Leonard-Pugh, explains:

    Pirimiphos-methyl is toxic to cats. Exposure to this insecticide can prevent the cat’s body from breaking down a substance called acetylcholine, leading to an overstimulation of the cat’s nervous system. This can cause symptoms such as vomiting, uncoordinated gait, muscle tremors, weakness, paralysis, increased sensitivity to touch, difficulty breathing, restlessness, urinary incontinence, low heart rate and seizures. In some cases, even death can sadly occur. If you suspect your pet has been exposed to a counterfeit medicine, seek veterinary advice immediately.  

    Sue Horseman from Bristol also purchased what appeared to be FRONTLINE® flea treatment online for her cat, but quickly became suspicious that the product wasn’t genuine.  
     
    Sue explained that the product was difficult to open and had a distinct smell of white spirit and paraffin, whereas the genuine flea treatment has no smell.  When she reported this to Trading Standards, experts confirmed that the treatment was a counterfeit. 

    While the online platform has removed the seller, they had already managed to sell 211 batches of suspected counterfeit pet medicines and supplements, including fake FRONTLINE Flea and Tick Treatment and PRO PLAN FortiFlora Probiotic Sachets for dogs and cats. 
     
    New counterfeit goods research (Wave 4) shows that counterfeit goods of all types are frequently purchased via global e-commerce websites. The figures also show that in 2024, nearly-one-in-five (17%) consumers unknowingly purchased goods later found to be fake, with 60% of purchasers also saying that ‘ease of purchasing’ influenced their decision.  Saving money is a strong motivator for buying fakes, with around three quarters (72%) of purchasers saying price was an important factor in their decision. Worryingly, around three-quarters (72%) wrongly believed the products would be of a similar quality to the genuine item.

    The IPO’s Deputy Director of Enforcement Helen Barnham, said:

    We are a nation of animal lovers, and criminals dealing in counterfeits are targeting pet owners with complete disregard for the animal’s wellbeing.  This can have some distressing consequences, as they may contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to our pets. We are urging pet owners to be vigilant when purchasing any type of animal treatment, and beware of any offers that ‘look too good to be true’.   

    Counterfeiting is anything but a victimless crime and this latest discovery confirms this. If you suspect that any goods offered for sale may be counterfeit, you should always report this to your local Trading Standards or Crimestoppers Online.

    Caroline Allen, RSPCA Chief Veterinary Officer said: 

    We are very concerned about counterfeit vet treatments on sale which can be highly toxic to pets and we would always urge pet owners to seek professional veterinary advice if they have any health concerns.  

    We appreciate financial pressures can lead to some owners to look for cheaper treatments online but they could be unwittingly putting their beloved pets in serious danger by inadvertently buying these counterfeit goods and would urge them to take on board this government advice.

    Nina Downing, Vet Nurse from PDSA, a vet charity and a leading authority on pet health in the UK, said:

    Counterfeit veterinary medicines can pose a serious threat to our pets ‘ health and wellbeing. While legitimate medications play a vital role in keeping our pets healthy, counterfeit products can cause severe harm or even be fatal. These fake medicines may contain incorrect ingredients or dangerous substances that can make pets extremely ill – leading to symptoms like twitching, swelling, breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhoea, collapse, coma and even death.

    We always recommend that you only give your pet medication which has been prescribed by your vet. When fulfilling a prescription online, source them from reputable companies that are on the Register of online retailers, brought to you by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. If you suspect your pet is reacting badly to any medication, contact your vet immediately.

    When examining the counterfeit FRONTLINE® flea treatment, experts from the University of Bath also identified telling packaging flaws. Most notably, the label used ‘GATTI’ (Italian for cats) instead of the English ‘CAT’, alongside multiple spelling errors – common indicators of counterfeit products.

    Image: Packaging featuring spelling mistakes and mixed languages

    Pet owners should check the packaging and always be cautious of third-party sellers when shopping on e-commerce sites for any type of pet medication. 

    The IPO and VMD are offering advice for consumers to help spot fake animal medicines, and what to do if they believe they may have purchased them or seen them offered for sale.

    How to identify fake animal medicines online:

    1. Warning signs of fake medicines. Look out for: 

    • poor quality or damaged packaging
    • spelling or grammar errors
    • missing leaflets or expiry dates
    • instructions not provided in English
    • suspicious smell, colour or texture
    • poor quality tablets, capsules, vials or pipettes – homemade appearance

    Be wary of any retailer selling prescription only products without asking for your prescription. This is illegal. 

    All online sellers of prescription only animal medicines must be registered with the VMD. If in any doubt, you can check retailers on the VMD’s Register of Online Retailers.

    2. Always shop safely online. Be cautious of:

    • heavily discounted goods and flash sales. Question the price if much cheaper than elsewhere. Whether buying online or in person, always think about the price
    • a seller asking for sensitive information or requesting payment by bank transfer
    • fake websites and social media profiles. These can contain original brand names – confirm the website is authentic and check seller details and reviews before purchasing
    • any deal or offer that looks ‘too good to be true’ 

    What you can do

    If you have you been personally affected by a poisoning case, you should report through the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) questionnaire. 

    If you see these goods being offered for sale, whether on a website, social media post or on the high street, contact your local Trading Standards or Crimestoppers online or by calling 0800 555 111. 

    If you encounter suspicious veterinary medicines or retailers, please also report them to the VMD Enforcement Team. (You can do so anonymously if preferred): 

    Additional information

    1. All veterinary medicines sold in the UK must be authorised. If the brand looks unfamiliar, ensure its authorised before purchasing. To know if the medicine is UK- approved, you should look for English labelling and a valid Marketing Authorisation number (e.g. Vm 12345/4001). You can check if the medicine you are buying is authorised in the UK by searching the VMD’s Product Information Database.

      Using ant unauthorised medicine poses a serious risk to the welfare of your pet. These medicines have not been assessed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and their safety, quality and efficacy cannot be guaranteed.  

    2. Online retailers of low-risk, general sale veterinary medicines that can be sold by anyone without a prescription (known as AVM-GSL medications) don’t need to register. When buying these medicines always shop from a trusted source. 

    3. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the UK government body responsible for responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. IPO is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.  

    4. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the UK Competent Authority for veterinary medicines regulation. The VMD protects public health, animal health, and the environment and promotes animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of veterinary medicines.  

    5. The IPO regularly conducts research to understand consumer behaviour in relation to the purchasing of and attitudes toward counterfeit goods. The most recent Counterfeit Goods Research report (published Tuesday 17 May 2025) show the main motivations for those who purchase counterfeits: 

    • similar/ the same quality – 72.3%
    • wanting to reduce spending/outgoings - 72%
    • the real product was out of your budget/ price range - 70.9%
    • the fake product was cheaper  – 72%
    • hearing from family or friends that the ‘fake’ products were good - 64.8%
    • similar/the same design – 64.6%
    • being able to purchase ‘fake’ or counterfeit products easily – 60.5%

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment symposium 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment symposium 2025

    Representatives from industry, academia and government are invited to join the OFEME symposium to work alongside Dstl’s scientists and shape future thinking.

    The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hosts its sixth Operating in the Future Electromagnetic Environment (OFEME) symposium from 18 to 20 November 2025 in Newport, Wales.

    The event, supported by the Electromagnetic Environment (EME) Hub, is designed as an in-person event, but there will be options to join virtually if you are unable to join us in Wales.

    Importance of the electromagnetic environment

    The EME is crucial for many sectors including healthcare and mobility (moving people, goods and services), and for a connected society. In defence, spectrum dependent systems are present across land, maritime, air and space. Their uses include communications, sensing, weapons systems and more.

    As demand grows, reliable access to the electromagnetic spectrum becomes more difficult, creating a challenge for UK information advantage and maintaining situational awareness.

    From a defence perspective, adversaries will actively contest access, such as through electromagnetic warfare, to deliberately deny or degrade access. Maintaining freedom of action and delivering effects in and through the congested and contested electromagnetic environment is therefore an essential and growing challenge.

    Symposium details

    The symposium this year will continue to expand its scope included in the previous events.

    The event will cover:

    • shared challenges for operating within the future electromagnetic environment, emerging sensing and PNT technologies, both inside and outside of defence
    • how research and development investment can be harnessed in future approaches

    The event will feature:

    • a range of keynote speakers
    • technical presentations
    • panel discussions
    • poster sessions
    • interactive workshops
    • networking sessions

    These activities will cover advances and implications of a variety of technical topics including:

    • space
    • metamaterials
    • semiconductors
    • electro-optics (to include photonics)
    • quantum advantage (position, navigation and timing (PNT))
    • filamentation
    • filters
    • artificial intelligence
    • semantic communications

    Who can attend

    Academics, industry partners (including small and medium-sized enterprises and non-traditional defence suppliers), PhD students and colleagues from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and across government are all invited to attend the symposium.

    The event will provide space to network and discuss collaboration opportunities with Dstl scientists to shape future thinking on how to address sensing challenges.

    Pre-register for this event

    You must pre-register your interest online if you would like to attend this symposium, by Friday 3 October 2025.

    You will then receive a link to complete the symposium delegate registration process.

    Submit your poster

    If you would like to create a poster abstract highlighting the themes of the symposium, please complete our online form with a PDF of your poster by 5pm on Friday 12 September 2025.

    We will let you know the outcome of your submission by Friday 19 September 2025.

    Posters will be presented across both of the 2 conference days. Some authors will also be invited to give lightning talks based on their poster abstracts.

    We are also looking for sponsors to support this year’s symposium. Specifically funding towards a 90-minute reception at the end of day 2, which will help promote networking and knowledge sharing. Sponsorship would cover the costs of holding this reception.

    Please let us know if you’re interested in sponsoring by emailing: OFEME_Symposium@dstl.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 12 September 2025.

    Any information that is to be presented by any party at this symposium and further that is detailed within this event will be deemed to be in the public domain and therefore will not require further approval for its use by the receiving parties not withstanding any rights of ownership of information set in law. We will ask for a PDF copy of your presentation to be sent to us.

    Please email the EME Hub emehub@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk  for any further information.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mary River crocodile targeted for removal

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 26 Jun 2025

    Open larger image

    Wildlife officers have confirmed the presence of an estuarine crocodile in the Mary River near Dundathu in the Wide Bay region, which will be targeted for removal from the wild.

    On 24 June 2025, the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) received a crocodile sighting report of an estimated 2.5 metre crocodile basking on the bank before sliding into the river.

    Wildlife officers have contacted the person who submitted the report, and conducted a site inspection on 25 June 2025. Wildlife officers will attempt to direct capture the crocodile.

    DETSI would like to thank the person who made the crocodile sighting report which provided important information about the location and behaviour of the animal.

    The Mary River in the Wide Bay area is considered atypical crocodile habitat, and any crocodile confirmed to be present is targeted for removal from the wild.

    Anyone who sees what they believe to be a crocodile in the Mary River, or the Wide Bay region is encouraged to make a sighting report as soon as possible.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Range Resources Publishes 2024-2025 Corporate Sustainability Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT WORTH, Texas, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RANGE RESOURCES CORPORATION (NYSE: RRC) today published its 2024-2025 Corporate Sustainability Report. The report illustrates the Company’s focus on sustainably developing the energy the world needs.

    “Operational excellence and environmental responsibility go hand in hand – delivering sustainable performance today, and long-term value well into the future,” said Dennis Denger, the Company’s CEO, “the natural gas and natural gas liquids we produce in Pennsylvania are economically and environmentally advantaged due in large part to the innovative culture Range has built. The latest report reflects our disciplined approach that prioritizes environmental stewardship, efficient operations and financial strength.”

    Corporate Sustainability Report Highlights

    Range achieved Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions through direct emissions reductions and verified carbon offsets for 2024 emissions, ahead of its 2025 goal. This milestone was the result of a focused strategy to reduce direct emissions through operational efficiencies, best emission management practices, and deploying new technologies. Range’s GHG and methane emissions intensity were reduced by 43% and 83% respectively, since 2019, exceeding initial targets. To complement these efforts in reaching net zero, Range invested in high quality, verified carbon credits, and retired them through credible registries.

    Environmental Stewardship

    • 43% reduction in GHG emission intensity since 2019 
    • 83% reduction in methane emissions intensity since 2019 
    • 33% reduction in total number of reportable spills ≥ 1 bbl compared to 2023 
    • Recycled approximately 100% of flowback and produced water generated from our operations 
    • “A” grade MiQ certification for all production

    Safety Leadership 

    • 0.17 Employee Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) Rate 
    • 0.33 Employee Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) 
    • Range employees completed more than 3,000 hours of safety training 

    Human Capital Management 

    • Average employee tenure rate of ~10 years 
    • Managers completed 1,680+ hours of leadership/ management training 
    • Employees completed 16.8 hours of training on average 

    Responsible Governance

    • Earned a “AA” MSCI ESG Rating 
    • Ranked first among Appalachian producers and outperformed or met the industry averages in all five categories of JUST Capital’s Most JUST Companies rankings
    • Named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for the fourth consecutive year 

    Community Impact 

    • Paid over $5 billion, to date, in impact fees, royalty and lease payments, and charitable contributions benefiting Pennsylvania communities  
    • Invested $1.2 million into our communities, including $213,500 to first responders through Range’s Good Neighbors Fund 
    • Range employees volunteered a Company record 3,100+ hours in support of community organizations 
    • Awarded grants to 449 local grassroot nonprofit organizations 

    The full Corporate Sustainability Report is available at www.rangeresources.com/sustainability.

    About Range Resources’ 2024-2025 Sustainability Report

    Range’s Sustainability Report incorporates feedback from key stakeholders and was developed in alignment with current best practice sustainability reporting standards and frameworks, which include guidelines and recommendations by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the IPIECA (formerly known as the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association), the TCFD framework, and the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC) ESG Metrics Framework.

    RANGE RESOURCES CORPORATION (NYSE: RRC) is a leading U.S. independent natural gas and NGL producer with operations focused in the Appalachian Basin. The Company is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. More information about Range can be found at www.rangeresources.com.

    Included within this release are certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that are not limited to historical facts, but reflect Range’s current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events.  Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “project,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “outlook”, “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “target,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

    All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made herein regarding activities, events or developments the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as those regarding future well costs, expected asset sales, well productivity, future emissions and carbon offsets, future liquidity and financial resilience, anticipated exports and related financial impact, natural gas and NGL market supply and demand, improving commodity fundamentals and pricing, future capital efficiencies, future shareholder value, emerging plays, capital spending, anticipated drilling and completion activity, acreage prospectivity, expected pipeline utilization and future guidance information, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are based on assumptions and estimates that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information; however, management’s assumptions and Range’s future performance are subject to a wide range of business risks and uncertainties and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information on risks and uncertainties is available in Range’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless required by law, Range undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events after the date they are made.

    SOURCE: Range Resources Corporation

    Range Investor Contact:

    Laith Sando, Senior Vice President – Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations
    817-869-4267
    lsando@rangeresources.com

    Range Media Contact:

    Mark Windle, Director of Corporate Communications
    724-873-3223
    mwindle@rangeresources.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    An e-seminar produced as part of the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis

    This e-seminar provides a guide for the implementation of a method for the verification of the labelling of previously frozen poultry by measurement of hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HADH) activity.

    When meat is frozen and then thawed, the muscle mitochondria (a type of intramuscular organelle) are damaged during the process and the enzyme HADH is released into the intracellular fluid. The relative increase in the amount of HADH found in the intracellular fluid before and after analytical method freezing procedure may be indicative as to whether the meat has previously undergone freezing. The measurement of HADH activity in the intracellular fluid, taken by pressing the meat and analysing the fluid using a spectrophotometer, is a simple, rapid and reliable procedure for a laboratory to undertake when evaluating the reported cryological history of raw chicken or turkey samples.

    This e-seminar provides information and guidance relevant to understanding how to apply an HADH-based spectrophotometric method to differentiate between chilled and previously frozen poultry samples.

    This e-seminar was produced by the Joint Knowledge Transfer Framework for Food Standards and Food Safety Analysis, funded by the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Scotland and the Department for Science Innovation and Technology via the Government Chemist.

    Watch the E-seminar: Verification of frozen poultry via HADH

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Bonn ‘talking shop’ at odds with urgency needed to save forests, climate

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Bonn, Germany – A lack of urgency to address the escalating climate crisis has marred the Bonn Climate Change Conference, leaving much work to be done to deliver real progress on climate and biodiversity action at COP30 in Brazil.   

    Ambition to accelerate mitigation, including transitioning away from fossil fuels in upcoming 2035 climate action plans was lacking and talks stalled on climate finance and the Baku to Belém roadmap to mobilise up to US$1.3 trillion for developing countries became polarised. Efforts to secure an end to deforestation by 2030 also struggled to find a landing ground.

    An Lambrechts, Biodiversity Policy Expert, Greenpeace International, said: “As temperatures escalate, efforts to end deforestation and protect critical ecosystems are an essential part of the 1.5°C solution. But if an action plan to end forest destruction is to be agreed in Belém, parties must grasp the urgency and deliver a transformative COP30 forest outcome.

    “While there were some positive signs for potential progress on synergies between climate and biodiversity action in Belém, there’s been far too much procrastination in Bonn and too little decision-making. We believe in multilateralism, but that spirit needs to be reinvigorated ahead of COP30 to accelerate the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems.”

    Lorelei Limousin, Climate and Fossil Fuels Campaigner, Greenpeace France said: “The 1.5°C goal is getting harder every day and ambition to deliver the Paris Agreement must be ramped up in 2035 climate action plans. As custodian of the Paris Agreement, France must drive ambition and needs to support EU targets for both 2035 and 2040 that are aligned with 1.5°C.

    “Macron’s attempts to weaken EU ambition is sabotaging the Paris Agreement in its 10th anniversary year, putting at risk EU climate leadership. Instead of backtracking, France – and the EU – need to signal they’ll move ahead and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

    “But the EU and Global North as a whole, must also help unlock robust public climate finance to help stimulate climate action in developing countries. One clear solution is to give the bill to the fossil fuel producers and make them pay for the climate destruction their products cause.”

    Camila Jardim, International Politics Specialist, Greenpeace Brazil said: “Amid challenging times, this is a great opportunity for Brazilian climate leadership to emerge. As COP30 host, Brazil can make the goal of halting global deforestation and forest degradation a reality, delivering a fruitful COP30 legacy to forests all over the world.

    “2035 NDCs and bridging the 1.5°C ambition gap is the make-or-break for COP30. A strong COP outcome is needed to combat the expected shortfall in ambition alongside finance to enable greater action in developing countries. But in Bonn a stalemate on emission reductions and finance was exposed, as the Global Stocktake and NDCs became a new taboo in negotiation rooms and developed countries refused to step up on finance. This needs to change – it’s time to act.” 

    ENDS

    Contacts:
    Aaron Gray-Block, Climate Politics Communications Manager, Greenpeace International, [email protected]

    Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    Join the Greenpeace UNFCCC WhatsApp Update Group

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public consultation opens into Port Clarence Landfill

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Public consultation opens into Port Clarence Landfill

    The Environment Agency has opened a public consultation relating to Augean North Ltd’s revised environmental safety case.

    A public consultation has opened into a new environmental safety case (ESC) submitted by Augean North Ltd related to its environmental permit application in Teesside.

    Augean has applied for permission to dispose of low-level radioactive waste at its Port Clarence Landfill site in Teesside.

    This site has two existing permitted landfills: one for hazardous waste and one for non-hazardous waste. The application seeks to allow low-level radioactive waste disposal in both.  

    Augean submitted its application on 14 August 2019. Following a public consultation, which ended in January 2020, the Environment Agency reviewed the environmental safety case that supported its application.

    An ESC is a comprehensive document that demonstrates how an operator plans to ensure environmental safety.

    In September 2020, the Environment Agency requested more information from the operator, and in response to this request, Augean has now submitted a revised ESC and a document that addresses each of the Environment Agency requests in detail.

    Agency ‘welcomes people’s comments’

    The Environment Agency has opened a public consultation, which will close on 4 August 2025.

    People can view the consultation documents here: Port Clarence Landfill Site Revised Environmental Safety Case – Environment Agency – Citizen Space.

    Gary Wallace, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said:

    It’s important the community has the opportunity to review the revised environmental safety case, which has changed significantly since the original public consultation.

    We welcome people’s comments on the new information received and relevant environmental factors people feel are important.

    Our technical assessment is ongoing and once we have reviewed the documents and information from the consultation we will make a draft decision on the application.

    The revised ESC is a large document, with the most significant changes below: 

    • a more detailed assessment of the potential evolution of the coastline and Tees Estuary and the impacts this may have on the landfill 
    • a more detailed assessment of the potential for flooding of the site due to extreme weather conditions/storm surge, or as a result of future climate change 
    • new and revised scenarios for assessing impacts to humans and the environment from the waste following closure of the landfill 
    • demonstration that the Port Clarence Landfill provides an optimised approach for the disposal of all low-level streams covered by the permit application 
    • additional information on the proposed environmental monitoring programme 

    People can respond to the consultation directly on the website or alternatively by e-mail to pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Background

    Environmental permits 

    • Environmental permits set out strict legal conditions with which an operator must comply in order to protect people and the environment. Should an environmental permit be issued, the Environment Agency has responsibility for enforcing its conditions.
    • The Environment Agency’s powers include enforcement notices, suspension and revocation of permits, fines and ultimately criminal sanctions, including prosecution.
    • The Environment Agency may only refuse a permit if it does not meet one or more of the legal requirements under environmental legislation, including if it will have a significant impact on the environment or harm human health. If all the requirements are met, we are legally required to issue a permit.

    Consultation responses  

    • Responses to the consultation can be made electronically.
    • People can respond directly on the website or alternatively by e-mail to pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
    • Those unable to view the documents or make representation via the consultation website or by e-mail should contact the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –