NewzIntel.com

Category: Environment

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tourism Growth Roadmap speech to Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA)

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for the warm welcome. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to MEETINGS 2025.

    First, I would like to acknowledge Mayor Wayne Brown attending MEETINGS 2025 today and a special acknowledgment to Ngāti Whatua Orakei for their pōwhiri and welcome. 

    I would also like to recognise Tataki Auckland Unlimited and in particular the Auckland Convention Bureau for their dedication and hard work advocating for Auckland as a world-class visitor destination.

    Last but not the least, I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to some incredible individuals who make events like this possible, a huge thank you again to BEIA Chief Executive Lisa Hopkins and Board Chair Martin Snedden.

    Your leadership across the business events in New Zealand and creating such vibrant and energetic gatherings like MEETINGS 2025 are truly appreciated and make a difference to New Zealand.

    To our local and international buyers, exhibitors and media – thank you for making the journey from around the world to join us in Auckland. 

    Events like MEETINGS are so important for bringing incredible opportunities to our regions, building valuable connections with our offshore markets and strengthening our business events sector.

    There is no doubt that New Zealand’s business events industry is on the rise – and that’s thanks to the fantastic organisations and individuals like you in this room today. 

    You are the driving force behind a growing pipeline of high-value deals across sectors. These opportunities are helping boost productivity, support local communities, and grow our regions.

    Together, we are putting New Zealand as a top place to do business – and the conversations and connections you make over the next few days will help us even further.

    Events like this are a powerful reminder of what it takes to deliver world-class experiences – whether its state-of-the-art venues, exceptional food and catering, smooth logistics, or engaging content. 

    Beyond their direct economic benefits, business events connect us, foster new ideas and drive innovation across industries. I want to acknowledge the vital role you all play – not just as the professionals of tourism and hospitality, but as ambassadors of New Zealand.

    Your commitment lay the foundation for successful events and help position our country as a world leader in the excellence we are known for.

    Increasing tourism and creating a strong economy is a key focus for the next few years, and the economic contribution of the business events sector is a critical element to success. 

    Business events punch well above their weight in attracting high-value international conferences to our regions and main centres throughout the year, and MEETINGS is a prime example of this. 

    I hope you enjoy your Auckland experience and participate in the amazing visitor experience while you are here. 

    As Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, I have two priorities for the portfolio. 

    My first priority is to grow international tourism by both increasing the number of international visitors to New Zealand in the short term, and doubling the value of tourism exports by 2034.

    My second priority is to grow the number of Kiwis in tourism and hospitality jobs which will further support our wider economic growth objectives.

    Our business events sector plays a huge role in showcasing New Zealand as a progressive, entrepreneurial destination and will play a significant role in achieving our goal of doubling tourism exports. 

    Business event participants spend an average of $175 more per day than other visitors, and importantly, often visit in the off-peak period between March and November, boosting tourism and economic activity year-round. This is exactly why we are making positive changes to support its growth.

    In April, alongside the Minister of Health and the Minister for Regulation, I was thrilled to announce a change to the Medicines Act. The change will allow for medicines to be advertised that have not yet been consented by Medsafe at medical conferences in New Zealand. 

    This shift removes a long-standing barrier and opens the door to hosting more international medical conferences and trade shows, unlocking an estimated $90 million in future revenue. 

    On top of that, we’re continuously working to attract high-value incentive business to New Zealand. It’s all part of our effort to make our country a go-to place for significant business events.

    As part of my Tourism Boost package, I provided $3 million to Tourism New Zealand to make an additional 15-20 bids for business events in 2026 and beyond through its existing Conference Assistance Programme. 

    This investment has already supported Tourism New Zealand to win three bids valued at $7.5 million.

    Our message is clear, New Zealand is open for business. We are looking forward to welcoming more business events and conferences to New Zealand and hosting them in our great facilities.

    Tourism is our second largest export earner and a crucial component of our workforce, and we cannot understate the benefits it provides to our country.

    We’re committed to continue growing the sector, which is why today, I am announcing the launch of the Tourism Growth Roadmap. The Roadmap follows my recent Tourism Boost package and is the second step towards doubling our tourism export value by 2034.

    The final Roadmap has been carefully developed based on the conversations I have had with industry leaders since taking over the portfolio and reflects what I’ve heard is important to you. 

    The first package of investment will continue to prioritise increasing international visitor volumes, with around 80 per cent of the investment going towards demand initiatives and 20 per cent towards supply initiatives.

    I am also announcing a $35 million investment from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to deliver the first stage of the Roadmap.

    Yesterday, the Prime Minister and I announced $13.5 million in new funding to Tourism New Zealand to uplift marketing activity in our core markets of Australia, the United States and China. 

    This investment is expected to generate around $300 million in spending and deliver an extra 72,000 international visitors to our shores.

    These are big numbers, but this is only part of the full $35 million package we’re unveiling today.

    I am also committing a further $6 million in new funding to uplift marketing activity in our emerging markets of India and Southeast Asia. 

    We know that Tourism New Zealand does an important job of marketing our country internationally, acting as the primary influence for approximately 14 per cent of international holiday visitors. I expect these investments to result in almost $360 million in incremental visitor spend in the economy.

    As I have been saying today, I see the business events sector as an incredibly valuable visitor market for supporting tourism growth.

    That is why I’m thrilled to announce I am committing an additional $3 million to Tourism New Zealand to boost business events attraction for a further year. This reinforces the important role that all of you play, and I am excited to see the positive outcomes from this investment. 

    I am also providing a $5 million boost for major events attraction. Major events drive economic benefits to New Zealand through international visitation and additional direct spend in the host region. 

    To complement these demand initiatives, I am investing in specific regional tourism infrastructure projects. 

    Last week, alongside Minister Potaka, I announced $4 million to improve visitor experiences along the Milford Road corridor. This investment is co-funded and will be delivered by the Department of Conservation.

    As you all know, Milford Sound Piopiotahi is one of our most iconic destinations and a huge drawcard for international visitors. This investment will support improved visitor experiences, infrastructure and reduced congestion. 

    We have an enormous opportunity on our hands. 

    Tourism has the potential to become our biggest export earner – we’ve done it before, and I believe we can do it again. It will take significant effort from us all, and the industry is united with shared purpose, aspirations, and enthusiasm.

    Achieving this will require action on the supply-side and I have asked my officials to begin a review of our tourism system to support this. This includes looking at issues surrounding our workforce:

    • data
    • infrastructure
    • funding
    • our regions and communities
    • aviation and cruise connectivity
    • and the overall visitor experience that we offer.

    We’re looking at what is working well and what do we need to change to ensure we are fit for the future.

    The key to our success will be working together.

    There is plenty of work to do and I am excited to continue working alongside the tourism and hospitality sector to build on the incredible foundations already in place. 

    Ladies and Gentlemen, the next few days are packed with opportunities. 

    New Zealand is open for business, and we welcome the opportunity to attract more business, exhibition and incentive travellers to New Zealand and grow our economy. Together, let’s maximise the value tourism brings to our beautiful country!

    Thank you again.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s government is pledging better protection for our vulnerable seas – but will it work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carissa Klein, Associate Professor in Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland

    Nigel Marsh/Getty

    Ahead of this week’s crucial United Nations ocean conference, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt promised that by 2030, 30% of Australian waters would be “highly protected”.

    This is a telling pledge. After all, 52% of Australian waters are now protected following years of rapid expansion. But many are “paper parks” – lines on a map with very little real protection.

    Watt is proposing to expand the area under gold-standard protection, meaning fishing, mining and drilling would be banned inside the parks. This is welcome. But it must be done strategically, protecting ecologically representative and high biodiversity areas.

    If Watt is serious, he must ensure these upgraded marine parks cover poorly protected habitats important for biodiversity. These include shallow coastal zones, submarine canyons, seamounts and rocky reefs on the continental shelf. It’s not just about protecting 30% of the seas – marine parks must protect the full range of species and habitats in Australia.

    Bottom trawling and other fishing practices can do great damage to underwater ecosystems.
    mjstudio.lt/Shutterstock

    Impressive on paper

    Australia’s waters cover all five of the world’s climate zones, from the coral reefs of the tropics to the icy shores of Antarctica. At least 33,000 marine species are found in the nation’s marine boundaries – the most on Earth. Australia also has the most endemic marine species.

    For more than 30 years, successive federal and state governments in Australia have claimed global leadership roles in conserving ocean areas. Just last year, the Albanese government claimed the latest expansion meant Australia now protected “more ocean than any other country on earth”.

    When 196 countries committed to the goal of “30% by 2030” – the effective protection and management of at least 30% of the world’s coastal and marine areas by decade’s end – Australia was already well past that in terms of the size of areas considered marine protected areas.

    About 45% of marine waters were protected in 2022, up from 7% in 2002. Now that figure is 52%.

    Job done? Not even close. Even as Australia’s marine protected areas have rapidly expanded, marine species populations have shrunk while entire ecosystems hover on the brink.

    More than half of Australia’s marine parks allow commercial fishing and mining. The latest large protection around the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands doesn’t give strong protection to species-rich areas such as seamounts and undersea canyons.

    Losses everywhere

    Tasmania’s giant kelp forests once ringed the island state. At least 95% have vanished since the 1990s, wiped out by warmer waters and voracious sea urchins.

    Before European settlement, oyster reefs carpeted shallow sea floors in temperate east coast waters. But 99% of these have gone.

    Half the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover died between 1995 and 2017 – a period with only two mass bleaching events. Bleaching has become more regular and more severe since then.

    Many marine species are in serious trouble. The most comprehensive assessment to date found populations of 57% of species living on coral, rocky and kelp reefs had fallen between 2011 and 2021. In 2020, a Tasmanian endemic species, the smooth handfish, became the first marine fish officially listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

    As the oceans get hotter, coral reefs are forecast to be wiped out. Poor marine water quality is drowning coastal species and ecosystems in sediments, nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens, including in The Great Barrier Reef.

    That’s not to say marine park expansion and other government efforts have been worthless. Far from it.

    Some whales have rebounded strongly due to the moratorium on commercial whaling. Good management of the southern bluefin tuna led to its removal from the threatened species list last year.

    Efforts to phase out gill net fishing are bearing fruit, while water quality has improved a little in the Great Barrier Reef.

    But these wins don’t offset an overall rapid decline.

    Action needed on climate and improving marine parks

    Giving Australia’s marine parks better protection won’t solve the problem of hotter, more acidic oceans due to climate change.

    Australia’s current emission target is consistent with a 2°C warming pathway. That level of warming would mean the loss of 99% of the world’s coral reefs.

    Australia is one of the world’s biggest producers of coal and liquefied natural gas and still has one of the world’s highest rates of land clearing, accounting for up to 12% of the country’s total emissions in some years.

    Protecting life in the seas means Australia must dramatically reduce emissions, end widespread land clearing and halt the approval of new coal and gas projects.

    Better protection inside marine parks will stop other major threats, such as seabed mining, gas and oil exploration and fishing.

    To date, Australia’s marine parks with high levels of protection are typically in remote areas with minimal human activity threatening biodiversity.

    From paper parks to real conservation leadership

    For decades, Australian leaders have touted their efforts to protect the seas. It’s now abundantly clear that paper protection isn’t enough.

    To arrest the steep decline in marine life, Australia must properly protect its marine areas by preventing fishing and mining in areas important for all marine species, while expanding its highly protected marine parks to save unprotected ecosystems.

    Minister Watt’s pledge is welcome. But it must actually prevent damaging human activities such as fishing and oil and gas extraction which are major contributors to the extinction crisis.

    Leaders must also focus on sustainable production and consumption of seafood and ramp up their ambition to tackle climate change and marine pollution.

    If Australia continues to expand paper parks without doing the hard work of genuine protection, it will set a dangerous precedent.

    Carissa Klein receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    James Watson has received funding from the Australian Research Council, National Environmental Science Program, South Australia’s Department of Environment and Water, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as well as from Bush Heritage Australia, Queensland Conservation Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Birdlife Australia. He serves on the scientific committee of BirdLife Australia and has a long-term scientific relationship with Bush Heritage Australia and Wildlife Conservation Society. He serves on the Queensland government’s Land Restoration Fund’s Investment Panel as the Deputy Chair.

    Amelia Wenger 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. Australia’s government is pledging better protection for our vulnerable seas – but will it work? – https://theconversation.com/australias-government-is-pledging-better-protection-for-our-vulnerable-seas-but-will-it-work-258286

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • France, Brazil launch initiative to scale up ocean-focused climate action

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    On the first day of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), France and Brazil have launched a landmark international initiative to dramatically scale up ocean-focused climate action.

    The Blue Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Challenge calls on all countries to place the ocean at the heart of their climate plans ahead of UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) which Brazil will host in November this year.

    Alongside Brazil and France, an inaugural group of eight countries – Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, and Seychelles – has already joined the initiative, committing to include the ocean in their updated climate plans under the Paris Agreement.

    These plans represent the centrepiece of each country’s efforts to reduce emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build resilience, and represent the highest level of political will under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC).

    Launched on Monday, and building on the momentum this year brings as countries prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the Blue NDC Challenge underscores the urgent need to recognise the ocean’s central role in addressing the climate crisis as a key ally.

    The initiative is supported by Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean and Climate Platform, and the World Resources Institute through the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) and has been endorsed by WWF-Brazil.

    In addition to its forests, Brazil is also an oceanic nation, with 40 per cent of its territory located at sea and hosting marine ecosystems of global significance — including the only coral reefs in the South Atlantic and the world’s largest contiguous mangrove belt along the Amazon coast.

    These ecosystems play a vital role in both climate adaptation and mitigation, serving as natural buffers against extreme weather events and contributing to carbon storage.

    “For Brazil, the Blue NDC Challenge represents a key opportunity to strengthen ocean-related climate action and to emphasise the essential role of ocean-based solutions in achieving emission reduction targets. Through this initiative Brazil seeks to advance international cooperation on ocean climate action in the lead-up to COP30, and to underscore the need for all countries to fully integrate the ocean into their national climate strategies,” said Marina Silva, Brazil Minister for the Environment and Climate Change.

    “In its recently submitted NDC, Brazil has explicitly included, for the first time, ocean-based climate actions, recognising the ocean’s critical role in climate regulation. These include the implementation of national Marine Spatial Planning, the enhancement of coastal zone management, and the establishment of programs for the conservation and restoration of mangroves and coral reefs,” she noted.

    Governments joining the Blue NDCs Challenge commit to stepping up efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience through ocean-based solutions, while also delivering benefits for both nature and people.

    Under the leadership of the governments of Brazil and France, eight inaugural countries spanning the globe committed to include ocean action in their national climate plans.

    “Ultimately, industrial marine sectors and natural ecosystems are underused tools in addressing climate change and other development needs. As world leaders gather in Nice and prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem (COP30), they can take inspiration from the Seychelles in championing ocean-based climate action,” said Wavel Ramkalawan, the President of Seychelles.

    “We are pleased to join the Blue NDC Challenge and work alongside COP30 host, Brazil, as well as France, Fiji, Seychelles, Mexico, Palau to highlight the vital role of the ocean in global efforts on climate change,” said Senator Murray Watt, Australia’s Environment Minister.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Targeted willow control in Ahuriri catchment

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Date:

    Work programme protects waterways and wetland health

    Waterway management and wetland health is a primary focus of the work in the Ahuriri Catchment in the Upper Waitaki. The aim is to protect the ongoing health of Lake Benmore as well as identify and protect wetlands in the area. 

    “Wilding willows draw a huge amount of water, so where we have them invading wetlands and slow-flowing streams, they can reduce freshwater availability and degrade habitats,” said Jess Hishon-Knowles, senior land management advisor for the Mackenzie Basin and Upper Waitaki.

    “That’s why it was important to be mindful of the issues at play and get control under way.”

    Collaboration with landowners key

    Targeted spraying work was done by helicopter over a single day in late summer, just as trees were beginning to turn in the dry conditions. Plans were developed in collaboration with landowners, focusing on early-stage wilding willow seedlings. By the end of the day, more than 270 hectares had been sprayed across seven farms.

    “This was about targeting areas where wilding willows are a threat to biodiversity and water quality and supporting landowners who are already invested in improving the health of waterways,” said Hishon-Knowles.

    “The timing aligned well with work already happening through the Wairepo Catchment Group and their restoration project around the Wairepo Ponds.”

    The Wairepo Ponds are small man-made lakes joined to Lake Ruataniwha, a lake south of Twizel that forms part of the Waitaki hydroelectric scheme.

    Targeted aerial spraying of willow trees was undertaken in collaboration with landowners

    Willow control a balancing act

    Willow control remains a balancing act for us, with some willow varieties used in a managed way for erosion and flood protection.

    “Achieving the ideal outcome usually comes down to one simple principle—the right tree in the right place,” said Hishon-Knowles.

    Vegetation clearance in wetlands is a permitted activity, however, there are regulations and best practice guidelines that need to be followed, especially for aerial spraying.

    For any property owners in the Ahuriri and Upper Waitaki area looking to do this type of work, please contact Jess Hishon-Knowles, senior land management advisor.

    Environment Canterbury © 2025
    Retrieved: 3:29pm, Tue 10 Jun 2025
    ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/news-and-events/zone-news/upper-waitaki/targeted-willow-control-in-ahuriri-catchment/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Pacific leads at UN Ocean Conference, Australia urged to step up commitments

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Tuesday 10 June 2025 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific has congratulated seven Pacific Island nations for their commitment to ocean protection at the UN Ocean Conference overnight, calling it “a powerful wave of global Pacific leadership.”

    On the first day of the UN Ocean Conference, the Republic of the Marshall Islands announced its support for a global moratorium on deep sea mining. Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands ratified the Global Ocean Treaty, and Papua New Guinea and Niue signed. 

    Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “The power of the Pacific is on display at the UN Ocean Conference. These announcements are a blue wave of change by the Pacific at one of the world’s biggest ocean summits. The people of the Pacific have the moral authority to lead the charge on ocean protection, and world leaders must follow suit.

    “The Marshall Islands backing a moratorium on deep sea mining, 40 years after the US forcefully used their atolls as a nuclear weapon testing ground, shows the Pacific will and must push against neocolonialism in all of its emerging forms. Deep sea mining could destroy Pacific waters, and global leaders must stop it before it starts.” 

    The Republic of the Marshall Islands was one of the first Pacific nations to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty, and this year proposed a large marine protected area covering more than 260 times the size of its land mass.

    The Global Ocean Treaty requires ratification by 60 states to bring it into force. Australia has committed to ratifying the treaty, but has not supported a moratorium on deep sea mining. Greenpeace is calling on the Australian government to follow the leadership of the Pacific and say no to deep sea mining, expand domestic marine sanctuaries, and champion large, high seas marine sanctuaries.

    —ENDS—

    Photos and footage available on deep sea mining and oceans

    For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 10, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 10, 2025.

    Why won’t my cough go away?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Mladen Zivkovic/Shutterstock A persistent cough can be embarrassing, especially if people think you have COVID. Coughing frequently can also make you physically tired, interfere with sleep and trigger urinary incontinence. As a GP, I have even

    Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Illume is spectacle with heart and spirit, a thrilling manifestation of Country
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Brannigan, Associate Professor, Theatre and Performance, UNSW Sydney Bangarra/Daniel Boud The stage is covered in stars that fill the depth of the space. When the 18 dancers slowly gather, they move through a night sky. This sky, and the scenes that unfold in Bangarra’s Illume are

    Starlink is transforming Pacific internet access – but in some countries it’s still illegal
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda H.A. Watson, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University Solomon aligning the Starlink dish on the roof of his friend’s home in Vanuatu. Paul Basant In the past few years, Starlink’s satellite internet service has become available across much of the Pacific. This has created

    9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Bretter, Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Psychology, The University of Queensland More people believe misinformation about electric vehicles than disagree with it and even EV owners tend to believe the myths, our new research shows. We investigated the prevalence of misinformation about EVs in four countries

    Keith Rankin Analysis – Remembering New Zealand’s Missing Tragedy
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. Every country has its tragedies. A few are highly remembered. Most are semi-remembered. Others are almost entirely forgotten. Sometimes the loss of memory is due to these tragedies being to a degree international, seemingly making it somebody else’s ‘duty’ to remember them. This could have been the case with the Air

    A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Canterbury Han Jiajun/VCG via Getty Images The international space industry is on a growth trajectory, but new research shows a rapid increase in rocket launches would damage the ozone layer. Several hundred rockets are launched globally each year

    For the first time, fossil stomach contents of a sauropod dinosaur reveal what they really ate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Poropat, Research Associate, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Artist’s reconstruction of Judy. Travis Tischler Since the late 19th century, sauropod dinosaurs (long-necks like Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus) have been almost universally regarded as herbivores, or plant eaters. However, until recently, no direct evidence –

    The Racial Discrimination Act at 50: the bumpy, years-long journey to Australia’s first human rights laws
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Azadeh Dastyari, Director, Research and Policy, Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University On June 11, Australia marks 50 years since the Racial Discrimination Act became law. This important legislation helps make sure people are treated equally no matter their race, skin colour, background, or where they come from.

    Fake news and real cannibalism: a cautionary tale from the Dutch Golden Age
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato The Corpses of the De Witt Brothers, attributed to Jan de Baen, c. 1672-1675. Rijksmuseum The Dutch Golden Age, beginning in 1588, is known for the art of Rembrandt, the invention of the microscope, and the

    Some economists have called for a radical ‘global wealth tax’ on billionaires. How would that work?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Venkat Narayanan, Senior Lecturer – Accounting and Tax, RMIT University Rudy Balasko/Shutterstock Earlier this year, I attended a housing conference in Sydney. The event’s opening address centred on the way Australia seems to be becoming like 18th-century England – a country where inheritance largely determines one’s opportunities

    Australia’s whooping cough surge is not over – and it doesn’t just affect babies
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niall Johnston, Conjoint Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock Whooping cough (pertussis) is always circulating in Australia, and epidemics are expected every three to four years. However, the numbers we’re seeing with the current surge – which started in 2024 – are higher than

    As livestock numbers grow, wild animal populations plummet. Giving all creatures a better future will take a major rethink
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clive Phillips, Adjunct Professor in Animal Welfare, Curtin University Toa55/Shutterstock As a teenager in the 1970s, I worked on a typical dairy farm in England. Fifty cows grazed on lush pastures for most of their long lives, each producing about 12 litres of milk daily. They were

    Johannesburg’s problems can be solved – but it’s a long journey to fix South Africa’s economic powerhouse
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Harrison, Professor School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand South African president Cyril Ramaphosa met senior leaders of Johannesburg and Gauteng, the province it’s located in, in March 2025 to discuss ways to arrest the steep decline in South Africa’s largest city. Ramaphosa announced

    Albanese says the government’s focus on delivering commitments is essential to reinforce faith in democracy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his second term government is “focused on delivery” of its commitments, declaring this is important not only for the economy but also for Australians’ faith in our democracy. In a speech to the National Press

    Why Israel’s ‘humane’ propaganda is such a sinister facade
    COMMENTARY: By Cole Martin in Occupied Bethlehem Many people have been closely following the journey this week of the Madleen, a small humanitarian yacht seeking to break Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza with a crew of 12 on board, including humanitarian activists and journalists. This morning we woke to the harrowing, yet not unexpected, news

    Trump has long speculated about using force against his own people. Now he has the pretext to do so
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University “You just [expletive] shot the reporter!” Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was in the middle of a live cross, covering the protests against the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy in Los Angeles, California. As

    Palestinian supporters in NZ accuse Israel of ‘state piracy’ and condemn silence
    Asia Pacific Report Israel’s military attack and boarding of the humanitarian boat Madleen attempting to deliver food and medical aid to the besieged people of Gaza has been condemned by New Zealand Palestinian advocacy groups as a “staggering act of state piracy”. The vessel was in international waters, carrying aid workers, doctors, journalists, and supplies

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Moving the Boundaries of Financial Inclusion- A Regulatory Perspective – Address delivered by Shri M Rajeshwar Rao, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India – June 05, 2025 – at HSBC’s event for Financial Inclusion in Mumbai

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Distinguished guests, participants, ladies and gentlemen, Good evening.

    At the outset, let me thank the organisers for inviting me to share some of my thoughts on the theme of financial inclusion. Before that, let me take a moment to acknowledge that today i.e., June 05, 2025, is the World Environment Day, an UN-recognized day that brings together people across the globe in a shared mission to safeguard and restore our planet. This year’s theme of ending plastic pollution is a call to all of us to make a behavioural shift in our daily life choices. In the spirit of preserving the purity of our environment and safeguarding our well-being, let us commit toward making more sustainable choices.

    2. Coming back to our theme for the day, let me begin by stating the obvious that financial inclusion is not just a policy objective but a collective obligation and responsibility for all stakeholders in the financial ecosystem. The importance of the theme can be underscored by the fact that at least seven out of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 view financial inclusion as a key enabler for achieving sustainable development worldwide by improving the quality of lives of poor and marginalized sections of the society. It is seen as a way to bridge the gap between the privileged and the under-privileged and a way to bring people out of poverty. An inclusive financial system has the potential to reduce income inequality and poverty, promote social cohesion and enable shared economic development. It also can dissuade the disadvantaged and low-income segments of society from seeking out informal options that renders them vulnerable to financial distress, debt, and poverty.

    History of Financial Inclusion in India

    3. Given the theme for today’s discourse, it would be worthwhile to set the historical context regarding financial inclusion in India. While the financial inclusion initiatives in our country can in many ways be traced back to the 1950s, with significant developments ensuing in the subsequent decade, it was the National Credit Council meeting of July 1968 that paved the way for framing of Priority Sector Lending (PSL) guidelines, nationalisation of select private banks in July 1969 and launch of the Lead Bank Scheme in December 1969 that were the precursors of this journey. The branch expansion policy adopted by RBI during the 1970s, which required a specific number of branches to be opened in rural areas for every branch opened in urban areas, became the foundation for expanding the reach of banking services that we see today. Besides, the experiments with group-based lending towards the turn of the last century and proliferation of microfinance institutions have also helped link the unserved section of the population with the formal banking system.

    4. Interestingly, the above initiatives were taken during a period when the term ‘financial inclusion’ was not prevalent in the country. The first reference to the term was made in RBI’s Annual Policy Statement for the Year 2005-06 by Dr Y.V. Reddy2, the then Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, who highlighted ‘financial exclusion’ that resulted due to certain banking practices. Banks were then urged to review their existing practices to align them with the objective of financial inclusion, leading to the genesis of ‘no frills’ account, which are now known as Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts.

    Financial Inclusion in Indian Context

    5. The first step in promoting financial inclusion is understanding its nuances, which are as dynamic and diverse as the Indian economy itself, and thereafter outline its ambit in the Indian context. Given its multi-faceted nature, various organisations and jurisdictions have defined financial inclusion in different ways. In India, the formal definition of financial inclusion3 was given in January 2008 by the Committee on Financial Inclusion chaired by Dr C Rangarajan as “the process of ensuring access to financial services and timely and adequate credit where needed by vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low-income groups at an affordable cost”. Reflecting the priorities of that time, the definition focused largely on the access to financial services. Currently we have a scenario, where more than 95% households have access to a bank account4, which reflects remarkable progress on one out of three parameters of Financial Inclusion Index developed by the Reserve Bank to measure the extent of financial inclusion in the country.

    6. While there has been a significant progress in expanding the banking reach, it is also important to ensure that inherent barriers to a gamut of financial products and services are eliminated and usage of these services expands to various segments of yet underserved and un-served population in the country. Efforts towards making financial services accessible become futile if they are not used by the intended population or are used without appropriate awareness of its risks and benefits. Thus, the other two parameters of RBI’s financial inclusion index, viz., usage and quality of the financial services cannot be overlooked while defining or measuring financial inclusion. Over the last few years this index has shown reasonable improvement, but there is a scope for improvement in some aspects.

    Current Scenario

    7. To get a perspective on the current scenario, it would be worthwhile to dwell a bit on some of the recent developments in the journey of financial inclusion in the country. Several policy measures towards furthering financial inclusion have been undertaken from time to time, but it was the launch of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) that became the watershed moment in this journey. The Jan Dhan Yojana – Aadhar – Mobile i.e., JAM trinity provided a quantum leap in our endeavour to ensure access to banking services for all adults, making it the world’s largest financial inclusion program. As of May 21, 20255, 55.44 crore Jan Dhan accounts, 56% of which belong to women, have over ₹2.5 lakh crore worth of deposits, which speaks volumes about the impact of the scheme. The provision of universal access to bank accounts has not only increased the potential reach of other financial services but has also enabled frictionless delivery of welfare programs to the targeted segment through adoption of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

    Digital Payments

    8. Access to a bank account is a prerequisite for availing other financial services, and a robust payments and settlements system is an indispensable enabler for proliferation of formal financial services. Over the past decade, the fundamentals of banking have changed with the advent of digital modes of banking like net banking and mobile banking as well as digital payments systems like Unified Payment Interface (UPI). In FY 2024-25, digital payments surged 35% Y-o-Y by volume to 60.81 crore transactions per day, with UPI accounting for 83.73% of such transactions6. The extraordinary uptake of UPI stands as a testament to the power of collaborative and use-case-driven innovation in driving financial inclusion. A particularly compelling example of this transformation can be seen in the informal sector—where today a street vendor or pop-up store owner nonchalantly places a QR code at the fore and receives payment for services without any hassle for cash and quietly integrating himself into the formal financial system with dignity and ease.

    9. For further expanding and deepening the digital payments ecosystem in the country, a Payments Infrastructure and Development Fund has been constituted to encourage deployment of payment acceptance infrastructure. Further, all State and Union Territory Level Bankers’ Committees have been advised to identify districts and assign them to designated banks, with an endeavour to make these districts 100 per cent digitally enabled. The objective is to provide every eligible individual in the identified district at least one mode of digital payments viz., cards, net banking, UPI, AEPS7, etc. It is understood that as on March 31, 2025, 514 districts across 15 states and 6 UTs are 100 percent digitally enabled. This marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a digitally inclusive economy.

    RBI’s financial inclusion index.

    10. RBI’s financial inclusion index, which captures the extent of financial inclusion across the country, with four iterations published till date, has increased from 60.1 in March 2023 to 64.2 in March 2024, showing a Y-o-Y increase of 6.82 per cent. While the progress is appreciable, credit gaps still exist in the system which may be attributed amongst others to a lack of documentation available with the individuals/ entities in the informal system and of awareness regarding the various government schemes. There is as such a need to make concerted efforts to fill them.

    Recent regulatory initiatives

    11. The RBI has been sensitive to need to bring about improvement in the financial inclusion in the country. Some of the measures taken recently in this regard include raising the limit for collateral-free agriculture loans to ₹2 lakh per borrower, enhancing various loan limits under PSL, expansion of the list of eligible borrowers under the category of ‘Weaker Sections’ alongwith removal of existing cap on loans by UCBs to women beneficiaries. The scope of co-lending is proposed to be broadened by expanding the list of permitted regulated entities (REs) that can enter a co-lending arrangement and extending the same beyond PSL loans. A comprehensive review of the Lead Bank Scheme is also underway with an objective to enhance the effectiveness and impact of the scheme.

    12. With respect to digital payments, permissible transaction limit on UPI Lite has been revised in FY 2025 from ₹500 to ₹1000 and on UPI 123PAY from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 to encourage their wider adoption. Further, with a view to promote digital payments among individuals without bank accounts, UPI Circle has been introduced which allows a secondary user to make UPI transactions up to a limit from the primary user’s bank account in a secure manner. Besides, in an effort to enhance ease of access to digital infrastructure for persons with disabilities, payment system participants (PSPs) have been advised to review their payment systems and devices and carry out necessary modifications so that all such systems and devices can be easily accessed and used by persons with disabilities.

    Financial Literacy

    13. Meaningful financial inclusion also requires access and awareness in right proportions for ensuring responsible and equitable service delivery of financial services. Therefore, financial literacy and financial inclusion need to be considered as two sides of the same coin – promoting financial inclusion without adequate financial literacy would lead to underutilization of financial services and increased chances of errors and frauds. Conversely, educating the consumers without facilitating their access to the formal financial system would result into unmet demand for financial services. The efforts towards augmenting financing literacy have been institutionalised by setting up of the National Centre of Financial Education (NCFE) jointly by the financial sector regulators. RBI as a regulator has been at the forefront of financial literacy with the launch of annual Financial Literacy Week campaigns targeted at specified sections of the population. Financial awareness empowers borrowers to assess and understand financial products, thereby supporting informed decision-making. To facilitate informed decision making by the customers and enhance transparency by the lenders, the RBI has mandated that all REs provide a standardised disclosure of key terms and conditions in the form of Key Fact Statement (KFS) to all retail and MSME borrowers.

    Challenges

    14. Even as all the stakeholders in the financial system, including the regulator and the REs, play their part in advancing financial inclusion, certain issues that act as impediments to the efforts made in this regard have come to the fore and will need to be addressed. Let me briefly highlight a few such issues.

    Grievance Redressal

    15. Having an effective grievance redressal mechanism is non-negotiable for financial sector enterprises as non-resolution of consumer’s concerns not only leads to erosion of customer base but also results in loss of trust in the broader financial system and deters new consumers from entering the system. It is concerning that the complaints received at the Offices of RBI Ombudsmen as well as Centralized Receipt and Processing Centres (CRPCs) marked a sharp 33% year-on-year increase8 in FY2023-24. This raises questions on the products, practices, and handling of grievances at the level of the RE. REs, therefore, need to analyse the gaps and strengthen their processes to reverse the trend of increasing grievances.

    Mis-selling

    16. While financial inclusion entails a bouquet of financial services, pushing the same indiscriminately to unaware consumers may be detrimental to their well-being and undermine its stated intent. There are reports of mis-selling of financial services such as insurance products. The concern is that such mis-selling without regard to suitability and appropriateness would beget distrust in schemes aimed at providing a safety net to the low-income households by creating artificial boundaries. We are examining whether it necessitates framing of guidelines to address mis-selling of financial products and services by REs.

    Cyber Safety and Digital Literacy

    17. As digitalization becomes more pervasive, the need for increasing digital literacy becomes even more pronounced. Empowering individuals to use digital devices and platforms with confidence and security is essential to ensuring inclusive participation in the digital economy. Often, apprehensions related to uncertainty, the possibility of errors, or financial loss create psychological barriers that hinder the adoption of technological solutions such as ATMs, mobile banking, and other digital services. The rising incidents of frauds through novel techniques makes it imperative that REs collaborate with other stakeholders like SROs, NGOs, etc. to generate awareness and promote safe digital practices among customers.

    18. At the same time, it is critical for REs to implement effective measures to combat digital frauds. One such area warranting attention is the use of One-Time Passwords (OTPs) as a means of Additional Factor Authentication (AFA). While this method has served well in the past, the evolving threat landscape in the arena of cybersecurity now calls for the development and adoption of more secure and resilient alternatives. Further, REs must diligently adopt the designated 160 number series9 for all service and transactional voice calls as prescribed by the Government. This initiative is critical to maintaining the integrity of communication channels and protecting customers from phishing and other forms of cyber-attacks.

    19. RBI has been running extensive multimedia awareness campaigns using audio-visual messages under the name ‘RBI Kehta Hai’ and text messages as ‘RBI Says’. Further, RBI has introduced the bank.in and fin.in domains exclusively for banks and non-bank entities to curb cyber security threats and malicious activities. Also, to aid the customers in verifying Digital Lending Apps’ (DLAs) association with RE, the RBI has created a public repository of DLAs deployed by the REs which will soon be available on RBI’s website.

    Developments in Microfinance

    20. Let me now focus on a few developments in Microfinance sector. Microfinance has placed itself as a promising avenue for providing formal financial services to the excluded sections of population. While microfinance has played an important role in financial inclusion, there are some issues which need attention. The sector continues to suffer from vicious cycle of over-indebtedness, high interest rates and harsh recovery practices. While some moderation in interest rates charged on microfinance loans has been observed in recent quarters, pockets of high interest rates and elevated margins continue to persist. Even lenders having access to low-cost funds have been found to be charging margins significantly higher than the rest of the industry and which in several instances appear to be excessive. The lenders should look beyond the conventional “high-yielding business” tag for the sector and approach it with an empathic and developmental perspective, recognising the socio-economic role that microfinance plays in empowering vulnerable communities.

    21. The frequency of disruptions in the microfinance sector has increased of late. Incidents of high borrower indebtedness, coupled with coercive recovery practices, sometimes lead to tragic consequences. It is in the collective interest of all stakeholders that such disruptions are pre-emptively addressed and avoided. In this regard, REs must also enhance their credit appraisal frameworks to prevent over-leveraging of borrowers. Additionally, they must eschew any coercive or unethical recovery practices, ensuring that financial services are delivered in a manner that is both responsible and sustainable. While the business model may be sound, the organisational structure and the incentive schemes framed to deliver the services may be flawed resulting in perverse outcomes for customers. This calls for an introspection around the models.

    Way Forward

    22. Even as we reflect on some of these challenges, we need to be clear about the path that we must take to ensure greater financial inclusion. As we look to the future, the way forward for financial inclusion lies in the strategic deployment of emerging technologies to build a more accessible, equitable, and efficient financial ecosystem. Innovations such as AI, blockchain, and digital public infrastructure are revolutionizing how financial services are delivered, especially to the underserved and remote communities. One such innovation in this space is the Account Aggregator (AA) framework. By empowering individuals to securely share their financial data with consent, the AA system enables more accurate credit assessments and potentially facilitates the delivery of customized financial products. Building on this foundation, the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) standardizes and streamlines the digital lending process by providing lenders with a host of alternate data including digitised state land records, milk pouring data and satellite data. It’s RBI’s belief that the JAM trinity will be followed by the new trinity of JAM-UPI-ULI in revolutionizing digital infrastructure and credit delivery and provide necessary fillip to financial inclusion efforts, pushing it to new highs.

    23. The development and implementation of India Stack has revolutionised the banking landscape in India and has been instrumental in furthering financial inclusion by reducing infrastructural, geographical, and linguistic frictions and plugging leakages. REs have been encouraged to innovate in product design, offering solutions that reflect the unique needs of their customer base; for instance, offering flexibility in repayment schedules, variable savings contributions, and locally tailored financial products shaped by seasonal income cycles, occupational patterns, or behavioural tendencies. Such customisation can go a long way in further improving access, usage, and quality of financial services. REs can bring some of these innovations under the theme neutral ‘On Tap’ Regulatory Sandbox framework, which provides a structured environment for testing state-of-the-art solutions in the interest of consumers and financial stability. As connectivity can pose challenges in remote and rural areas, REs can explore the development of lightweight mobile applications and web interfaces optimised for low-bandwidth environments. These measures will go a long way in extending the reach of digital financial services to the last mile, thereby ensuring inclusive and accessible banking for all.

    24. A lot has been achieved in the journey for achieving financial inclusion thus far, yet a lot more needs to be done. It cannot be merely achieved by standalone policy initiatives but by implementation of such initiatives both in letter and spirit by all stakeholders in the financial ecosystem. Also, those who remain outside the ambit of formal finance today represent untapped potential that can meaningfully contribute to economic growth in the future. The dividends of such inclusion will not only accrue to the institutions involved but will also strengthen the foundation of a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous society. Financial inclusion should not be viewed as an act of philanthropy, but rather as a strategic investment in the nation’s economic and social development. With the right mix of well thought of and carefully crafted regulation, technological advancement, and institutional empathy, our collective efforts can dismantle longstanding barriers and usher in a new era of inclusive and sustainable financial growth – one that leaves no citizen behind and resonates far beyond set boundaries.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    Source: Apple

    Headline: visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    June 9, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    Widgets become spatial and anchor in a user’s space, Personas are more expressive and realistic, and new APIs unleash exciting opportunities for developers, creators, and enterprises

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed visionOS 26, an expansive update packed with groundbreaking spatial experiences and new features for Apple Vision Pro. Everyday interactions become more immersive and personal, with widgets that integrate into a user’s space, spatial scenes that use generative AI to add stunning lifelike depth to photos, striking enhancements that make Personas feel more natural and familiar, and shared spatial experiences for Vision Pro users in the same room.

    visionOS 26 also adds support for 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon, while new enterprise APIs allow organizations to create spatial experiences unique to visionOS. And with support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, players can enjoy a new class of games on Apple Vision Pro.1

    “Apple Vision Pro has defined what’s possible in this new era of spatial computing, and with visionOS 26, we’re excited to push the boundaries even further,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group. “With brand-new ways for Vision Pro owners to connect, explore, work together, and enjoy content, we’re incredibly excited for users to enjoy features like apps and widgets that they can arrange in their spaces, spatial scenes that offer a brand-new viewing experience for their photos, and dramatically enhanced Personas on Vision Pro.”

    Widgets Become Spatial

    Across the Apple ecosystem, widgets offer personalized and useful information at a glance, and with visionOS 26, widgets become spatial, integrating seamlessly into a user’s space and reappearing every time they put on Apple Vision Pro. Widgets in visionOS 26 are customizable, with a variety of options for frame width, color, and depth. Beautiful new widgets — including Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos — all offer unique interactions and experiences.

    Users can decorate their spaces with favorite widgets, including stunning panoramas and spatial photos of their favorite memories, clocks with distinctive face designs, and quick access to their go-to playlists and songs on Apple Music. The Widgets app helps users find widgets, including those from compatible iOS and iPadOS apps, and developers will also be able to create their own widgets using WidgetKit.

    Enhanced Shared Spatial Experiences

    Users love how visionOS lets them connect with family, friends, and colleagues remotely, and with visionOS 26, they can share spatial experiences with other Apple Vision Pro users in the same room. They can come together to watch the latest blockbuster movie in 3D, play a spatial game, or collaborate with coworkers. Users can also add remote participants from across the world via FaceTime, enabling connection with people near and far.

    Dassault Systèmes, a leading provider of engineering and 3D design software, is leveraging this ability with their 3DLive app, bringing the ability to visualize 3D designs both in person and with remote colleagues.

    With visionOS 26, Personas are transformed to feel more natural and familiar. Taking advantage of industry-leading volumetric rendering and machine learning technology, the all-new Personas now have striking expressivity and sharpness, offering a full side profile view, and remarkably accurate hair, lashes, and complexion. Personas are still created on device in a matter of seconds, and new improvements to the setup process allow users to adjust and preview how their Persona looks spatially, and even pick glasses from over 1,000 variations.

    Introducing Spatial Scenes

    visionOS 26 makes spatial photos even more realistic, leveraging a new generative AI algorithm and computational depth to create spatial scenes with multiple perspectives, letting users feel like they can lean in and look around.

    Users can view spatial scenes in the Photos app, Spatial Gallery app, and Safari, while developers can use the Spatial Scene API to make their app experience even more immersive. Zillow is taking advantage of the API for their Zillow Immersive app, allowing users to see images of homes and apartments with the rich depth and dimension that spatial scenes offer.

    New Ways to Browse, Play, and Watch

    Users can select spatial browsing to transform articles on Safari, hide distractions, and reveal spatial scenes that come alive as they scroll. Web developers have the ability to embed 3D models directly into web pages, letting users shop and browse with depth and dimension, and see and manipulate 3D objects and models right in Safari.

    visionOS 26 supports native playback of 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon. Users can enjoy their exciting 2D action footage the way it was meant to be seen. Developers can incorporate this new playback capability into their apps and websites.

    visionOS 26 also introduces support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller. Now, developers can deliver even more engaging gameplay experiences for Apple Vision Pro thanks to high-performance motion tracking in 6 degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support.

    Enterprise APIs and Tools

    Companies around the world are harnessing spatial computing on Apple Vision Pro to supercharge their workflows for design, training, sales, education, and more. New capabilities like team device sharing let organizations easily set up and manage a shared pool of devices. Users can securely save their eye and hand data, vision prescription, and accessibility settings to their iPhone running iOS 26 and bring it to another Vision Pro, making sharing easier than ever.

    visionOS 26 adds support for Logitech Muse, a spatial accessory built for Apple Vision Pro that enables precise input and new ways to interact with collaboration apps like Spatial Analogue.1

    Enterprise-focused APIs, like the new Protected Content API, ensure that only people who have been granted access can see confidential materials like medical records or business forecasts, while preventing copying, screenshots, and screen sharing.

    Additional visionOS 26 features include:

    • More Apple Intelligence features — including updates to Image Playground — come to Apple Vision Pro. visionOS 26 also adds support for new languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with support for English in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.2
    • Look to Scroll allows users to explore apps and websites using just their eyes. Users can customize the scroll speed, and developers can integrate Look to Scroll into their visionOS apps.
    • In the redesigned Control Center, features like Guest User, Focus, Travel Mode, and more are conveniently displayed in one view, letting users effortlessly manage their music, adjust their Environment settings, and connect to Mac Virtual Display.
    • Users can unlock their iPhone while wearing Apple Vision Pro, even in a fully immersive experience like an Environment. This feature can be enabled in Settings for Face ID-enabled iPhone models running iOS 26.3
    • visionOS 26 supports relaying calls from iPhone, so a user can now answer phone calls directly from Apple Vision Pro, or start a call from People View by selecting a contact’s phone number or clicking on a phone number in a web page.4
    • Home View now supports folders, letting users rearrange and group apps together.

    Availability

    All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com. For more information, visit apple.com/os/visionos. Apple Intelligence requires Apple Vision Pro running visionOS 26 with Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish (Mexico, Spain). Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. Compatible hardware and software may be required.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Accessory sold separately.
    2. Image Playground is available in English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish (Mexico, Spain) when Apple Intelligence is enabled. Feature availability varies by region.
    3. Unlocking iPhone while wearing Apple Vision Pro requires both Apple Vision Pro and a Face ID-compatible iPhone signed in to the same Apple Account and running visionOS 26 and iOS 26 or later.
    4. Relaying cellular calls from iPhone to Apple Vision Pro requires visionOS 26 or later, and iOS 14 or later. Devices must be signed in to the same Apple Account, connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and within Bluetooth range with Bluetooth enabled.

    Press Contacts

    Andrea Schubert

    Apple

    a_schubert@apple.com

    Corey Nord

    Apple

    cnord2@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Orenburgneft’s Environment-Oriented Investments Exceed 3 Billion Roubles in 2024

    Source: Rosneft

    Headline: Orenburgneft’s Environment-Oriented Investments Exceed 3 Billion Roubles in 2024

    Orenburgneft (part of Rosneft’s oil production complex) allocated more than 3 billion roubles to environmental protection activities in 2024, almost 13% more than in the previous year. Funds have been invested in implementing the gas programme, improving pipeline reliability, land remediation, improving the efficiency of industrial waste management, resource conservation, reforestation and water biodiversity conservation.

    As part of the targeted gas programme, in 2024 the main technological equipment was installed at the gas compressor station of the Donetsk-Syrtsky field and the construction of gas pipelines for the Eastern group of fields is being completed. These measures will enable additional volumes of associated gas to be routed to the Buzuluk gas processing plant, where the gas is processed to commercial quality and a large fraction of the hydrocarbons — a valuable raw material for the petrochemical industry — is removed.

    Investments in the implementation of the pipeline reliability improvement programme ensured the planned replacement of pipeline sections, repairs and pipe blocking. The stable operation of the industrial infrastructure is ensured, among other things, by diagnostics using modern equipment.

    The enterprise uses technologies that conserve resources. Last year, Orenburgneft reduced its energy consumption by 6.8 million tonnes of fuel equivalent, helping to improve the environmental performance of its production. Key initiatives included optimising the operation of pumping equipment in reservoir pressure maintenance systems, upgrading downhole oil production equipment and redesigning onshore infrastructure.

    The enterprise provides environmental monitoring of natural components. Air, water and soil are regularly sampled in areas where production activities take place. Methane emissions are monitored using advanced technology.

    Orenburgneft uses modern technologies to dispose of production waste. The by-products obtained are reused in industrial applications. The enterprise’s volunteers help protect the environment. For several years, employees have organised the collection of used plastic and paper. Local students take part in environmental campaigns organised by oil companies. In 2024, more than 12 tonnes of secondary raw materials were sent for recycling through joint efforts.

    Employees carry out voluntary clean-ups in the towns and cities where they work, along the banks of waterways, and organise community clean-up days. Over the past three years, oil workers have planted around 3,000 young pine, fir, lime and birch trees. Together with activists from the Movement of the Firsts, oil workers cleaned up the dendrological garden in the Buzuluk Forest National Park. Previously, with the help of the enterprise’s employees, a tourist trail was created in the reserve, which is integrated into the National Park’s network of ecological trails.

    The enterprise’s environmental efforts have been repeatedly recognised at various levels. In the regional competition Economy Leader, Orenburgneft has been recognised as the winner in the category Environmental Responsibility Leader for over 10 years.

    For reference:

    Orenburgneft, a subsidiary of Rosneft Oil Company, is engaged in production operations in Orenburg, Samara and Saratov regions. Cumulative oil production of the enterprise exceeds 470 million tonnes of oil.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft
    April 9, 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Rosneft holds the first open academic competition for schoolchildren in Bashkiria

    Source: Rosneft

    Headline: Rosneft holds the first open academic competition for schoolchildren in Bashkiria

    Bashneft (Rosneft subsidiary) held the first open academic competition for schoolchildren at the Ufa State Petroleum Technical University (USPTU). The winners will receive additional points to the Unified State Examination when entering USPTU.

    More than 100 schoolchildren from Ufa and other cities and districts of Bashkortostan took part in the academic competition. Students of 10-11 grades could test their knowledge in mathematical chemistry and mathematical physics.

    The winners of the competition will be awarded at the All-Russian Employment Fair to be held in Ufa on 18 April 2025. Bashneft will also offer the winners an opportunity to go on an “oil quest” at the fair, which is dedicated to the profession of an oil worker. The Rosneft academic competition in USPTU is planned to be held on an annual basis with an increase in the number of participants.

    As a part of the corporate program of continuous education “school – college/university – enterprise”, Rosneft implements projects to attract talented young people and form an external talent pool. The program has been implemented in the Republic of Bashkortostan for several years already. 49 schoolchildren were enrolled in the 10th grade “Rosneft Classes” in 2024. In addition, 25 9th grade students were enrolled in the Rosneft Class in Ufa on a pilot basis. The Ufa Fuel and Energy College (UFEC) became a partner.

    USPTU and UFEC have six corporate groups of Bashneft in various training areas, including: solid fuel, oil and gas processing technology, design and operation of oil and gas processing equipment, oil and gas geology and geophysics, etc. In profile groups, students combine work at the production site with individualized training. Training in specialized subjects is conducted with the involvement of expert teachers among Bashneft’s employees.

    In partnership with Bashneft’s enterprises, USPTU has established basic departments: Petrochemical Process Technology, Welding of Oil and Gas Structures, Bashneft Refining and Bashneft Environmental Engineering.

    For reference:

    Basheft is one of the oldest oil and gas enterprises in the country engaged in oil extraction and processing. The key assets of Bashneft, including the refinery and petrochemical complex, are located in the Republic of Bashkortostan.Oil and gas exploration and production are also carried out in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area–Yugra, Nenets Autonomous Area, Orenburg Region and the Republic of Bashkortostan.

    USPTU is Bashneft’s key partner in personnel training. More than 50% of Bashneft’s employees are graduates of this university.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft
    April 11, 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Bretter, Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Psychology, The University of Queensland

    More people believe misinformation about electric vehicles than disagree with it and even EV owners tend to believe the myths, our new research shows.

    We investigated the prevalence of misinformation about EVs in four countries – Australia, the United States, Germany and Austria. Unfortunately, we found substantial agreement with misinformation across all countries.

    People who endorsed false claims about EVs were, not surprisingly, significantly less likely to consider buying one.

    Electric vehicles are vital in the fight against climate change. But pervasive misinformation is a significant challenge to the technology’s uptake and has serious implications for the shift away from fossil fuels.

    Widespread agreement with false EV claims

    We conducted a survey of 4,200 people across the four countries who did not own an electric vehicle. We measured the extent to which they agreed with these nine misleading claims about electric vehicles:

    What we found

    The most widely believed myth was that electric vehicles are more likely to catch fire than petrol cars. Some 43–56% of people agreed with the statement, depending on the country.

    To tally the results, we looked at participants’ responses for all nine misinformation statements – more than 36,000 responses in all. We then calculated how many of these responses indicated agreement or disagreement.

    Of the 36,000 responses, 36% were in agreement with a statement and 23% were in disagreement. A further 24% were undecided and 17% did not know.

    Misinformation agreement was highest in Germany and lowest in the US, but the differences between nations were small.

    Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of support for electric vehicle policies and a lack of intention to buy an EV in future.

    A separate part of the research involved 2,100 people in the US, about half of whom owned an electric vehicle. Surprisingly, EV owners did not significantly differ in their agreement with misinformation compared to non-owners. This underscores how embedded the problem has become.

    Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of buying intention.
    Photo by Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    It’s not about education

    We also examined the factors that make individuals more susceptible to EV misinformation.

    The strongest predictor was people who scored highly on a “conspiracy mentality” – in other words, they believed conspiracies were common in society, they saw the world through a lens of corruption and secret agendas, and distrusted institutions.

    People with progressive political and environmental views were less likely to endorse misinformation about EVs.

    A person’s scientific knowledge or level of education was not a predictor. This finding aligns with previous research, and suggests the pervasive endorsement of misinformation stems from distrust in institutions and expertise rather than from a lack of education.

    People with progressive political views were less likely to endorse EV misinformation.
    Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Grounds for optimism

    We tested whether misinformation could be reduced with two interventions among a different sample of US participants. One group was asked to converse with ChatGPT about their views on EV misinformation. The second was asked to read a traditional EV fact sheet from the US Department of Energy. On a third “control” group, no intervention was tested.

    Participants who engaged with either ChatGPT or the fact sheet before we surveyed them showed significantly lower endorsement of EV misinformation compared to the control group. This persisted at a follow-up session ten days after the survey.

    Notably, ChatGPT did not produce any misinformation about EVs. These results build upon existing research demonstrating ChatGPT’s potential to reduce endorsement of conspiracy theories.

    Misinformation about EVs poses significant challenges to uptake of the technology.
    Florian Wiegand/Getty Images

    How to tackle EV misinformation

    Our findings show misinformation about electric vehicles has a substantial foothold in Western nations. Susceptibility is not a matter of education or knowledge, but rather stems from distrust of established institutions and expertise.

    We also found people who engage with facts about electric vehicles are less likely to endorse misinformation.

    This suggests a dual strategy is needed to reduce misinformation about EVs. First, those who deliberately spread misinformation should be held accountable. And second, evidence-based information, including accessible AI tools, can be used to build public resilience against false claims.

    Matthew Hornsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Christian Bretter and Samuel Pearson do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. 9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them – https://theconversation.com/9-myths-about-electric-vehicles-have-taken-hold-a-new-study-shows-how-many-people-fall-for-them-257557

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace comment on Australia’s UNOC announcement

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Monday, 9 June, 2025 – In response to Environment Minister Murray Watt’s ocean protection commitment delivered ahead of the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), the following statement can be attributed to Glenn Walker, Head of Nature at Greenpeace Australia Pacific: 

    “Greenpeace Australia Pacific welcomes the Australian government’s commitment to fully protect 30% of Australia’s waters, and to bring the Global Ocean Treaty into force this year. 

    “Protection of Australia’s domestic waters is a good first step, and with the momentum swelling, the Albanese government must now look to protecting the high seas in our region. Less than one per cent of the high seas are fully protected. Australia has the opportunity, through the Global Ocean Treaty, to put forward protection for areas like the Tasman Sea and make good on its promise to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. 

    “The ocean is under threat, including from dangerous new industries like deep sea mining. The UN Ocean Conference can be a powerful platform for change, and Minister Watt has the chance to join the 34 other nations that have backed a moratorium on deep sea mining.

    “As part of the High Ambition Coalition, Australia now must show some real ambition by acting fast on expanding domestic marine sanctuaries, championing large, high seas marine sanctuaries and strongly opposing deep sea mining.”

    — ENDS —

    Media contact: Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]

    Notes to Editor

    Greenpeace and Australia’s leading conservation groups’ calls for Murray Watt at the UN Ocean Conference here

    Greenpeace’s most recent comment on UN Ocean Conference here

    High res images and footage of Australia’s oceans can be found here

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Leading Australian conservation groups call for bold ocean protection at UN Ocean Conference

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Sunday, 8 June, 2025 – Australia’s leading environmental groups have called on the Australian Government to announce strong action for ocean protection at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, this week. A coalition of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, WWF-Australia, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, and the Save Our Marine Life alliance has issued a statement this World Ocean Day, calling for four key commitments from the Australian Government.

    World leaders, Ministers, First Nations peoples, scientists and other stakeholders will meet at the conference from tomorrow (9th – 13th June), to decide on an action plan to protect the world’s oceans. It comes at a critical time for global ocean protection, and echoes calls in David Attenborough’s new documentary, “Ocean” – released online today – that “if we save the sea, we save our world.”

    Joint Statement:

    Our oceans support all life on Earth, but without protection, they face collapse. The Albanese Government has an opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership by protecting oceans in our region from the escalating pressures of industrial fishing, deep sea mining, plastic pollution and global heating.

    First Nations peoples are the world leaders in protecting oceans and have done so since time immemorial. The Australian Government needs to follow their leadership and step up to deliver bold action.  

    We call on the Australian Government to announce the following:

    Commit to achieving 30% ocean sanctuary protection in Australian waters within this term of government. Australia has made a good start on protecting our domestic waters but there is more to do. While 52% of our waters are now formally within marine parks, only 24% of this is properly protected from extractive industries. This protection disproportionately covers abyssal zones (very deep) and the most critical areas for marine life are under-represented. Protection must increase to at least 30% within this term of government, improving protection of areas critical for biodiversity.

    Commit to ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty by September 2025 and championing high seas ocean sanctuaries in our region. Australia signed the Global Ocean Treaty in 2023 but has yet to formally ratify it, which requires an Act of Parliament. To maintain global momentum, Australia must urgently ratify the treaty and commence work developing proposals under the treaty for high seas ocean sanctuaries in our region. This includes the Tasman Sea as a priority area.

    Commit to supporting a global moratorium on deep sea mining. Deep sea mining is a major emerging threat to our oceans. There is a growing chorus raising the alarm about this industry, including 33 nations and UN Ocean Conference host nation, France. Australia should join this chorus by backing a global moratorium.

    Commit to stepping up Australia’s action on global heating to protect our oceans. Global heating continues to increase temperatures in our oceans at an alarming rate, putting many ecosystems like coral reefs and kelp forests at existential risk. Action on ocean protection must involve science-aligned action on climate change domestically, including no new coal and gas approvals and winding down existing extraction early.

    Quotes from organisations:

    Glenn Walker, Head of Nature Program for Greenpeace Australia Pacific: 

    “Centuries of industrial fishing, pollution, oil and gas drilling and much more have plunged the oceans into crisis. Factory fishing ships bulldoze deep sea habitats and kill ocean wildlife at an industrial scale while deep sea mining looms large as a new threat.

    “The time is now for the Albanese Government to step up as a leader on ocean protection, including through creating and championing large marine sanctuaries in our region and opposing deep sea mining.”

    Rachel Sapery-James, Coral Reef Rescue Initiative Lead at WWF-Australia (at UNOC):

    “In the ocean, everything is connected and exists in delicate balance. This knowledge has sat with First Nations people since time immemorial, and is also supported by scientific data. But unprecedented levels of unsustainable exploitation and extraction are putting all of this at risk – we must urgently change our course.” 

    “It’s time for the Albanese Government to step up and heed calls from First Nations peoples and Pacific Island governments and communities to take bold action on nature and climate protection. The UN Ocean Conference is a pivotal moment to drive lasting change and secure a future where our oceans thrive.”

    Paul Gamblin, Chief Executive, Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) (at UNOC):
    “Australia’s oceans are at a tipping point, facing rising threats from climate change, habitat loss and industrialisation. The Albanese Government was elected on promises of progress — now is the time to deliver.

    “With coral bleaching on both coasts and marine heatwaves intensifying, we need bold action: tackle the root causes of ocean decline by taking a clear stand against fossil fuel expansion, expand marine sanctuaries where they are most needed, and ratify the High Seas Treaty.

    “Australians expect leadership. With the world watching in Nice, Australia must rise to the moment.”

    —ENDS—

    Greenpeace Australia Pacific media team: +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    Source: Apple

    Headline: visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    June 9, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

    Widgets become spatial and anchor in a user’s space, Personas are more expressive and realistic, and new APIs unleash exciting opportunities for developers, creators, and enterprises

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed visionOS 26, an expansive update packed with groundbreaking spatial experiences and new features for Apple Vision Pro. Everyday interactions become more immersive and personal, with widgets that integrate into a user’s space, spatial scenes that use generative AI to add stunning lifelike depth to photos, striking enhancements that make Personas feel more natural and familiar, and shared spatial experiences for Vision Pro users in the same room.

    visionOS 26 also adds support for 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon, while new enterprise APIs allow organizations to create spatial experiences unique to visionOS. And with support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, players can enjoy a new class of games on Apple Vision Pro.1

    “Apple Vision Pro has defined what’s possible in this new era of spatial computing, and with visionOS 26, we’re excited to push the boundaries even further,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group. “With brand-new ways for Vision Pro owners to connect, explore, work together, and enjoy content, we’re incredibly excited for users to enjoy features like apps and widgets that they can arrange in their spaces, spatial scenes that offer a brand-new viewing experience for their photos, and dramatically enhanced Personas on Vision Pro.”

    Widgets Become Spatial

    Across the Apple ecosystem, widgets offer personalized and useful information at a glance, and with visionOS 26, widgets become spatial, integrating seamlessly into a user’s space and reappearing every time they put on Apple Vision Pro. Widgets in visionOS 26 are customizable, with a variety of options for frame width, color, and depth. Beautiful new widgets — including Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos — all offer unique interactions and experiences.

    Users can decorate their spaces with favorite widgets, including stunning panoramas and spatial photos of their favorite memories, clocks with distinctive face designs, and quick access to their go-to playlists and songs on Apple Music. The Widgets app helps users find widgets, including those from compatible iOS and iPadOS apps, and developers will also be able to create their own widgets using WidgetKit.

    Enhanced Shared Spatial Experiences

    Users love how visionOS lets them connect with family, friends, and colleagues remotely, and with visionOS 26, they can share spatial experiences with other Apple Vision Pro users in the same room. They can come together to watch the latest blockbuster movie in 3D, play a spatial game, or collaborate with coworkers. Users can also add remote participants from across the world via FaceTime, enabling connection with people near and far.

    Dassault Systèmes, a leading provider of engineering and 3D design software, is leveraging this ability with their 3DLive app, bringing the ability to visualize 3D designs both in person and with remote colleagues.

    With visionOS 26, Personas are transformed to feel more natural and familiar. Taking advantage of industry-leading volumetric rendering and machine learning technology, the all-new Personas now have striking expressivity and sharpness, offering a full side profile view, and remarkably accurate hair, lashes, and complexion. Personas are still created on device in a matter of seconds, and new improvements to the setup process allow users to adjust and preview how their Persona looks spatially, and even pick glasses from over 1,000 variations.

    Introducing Spatial Scenes

    visionOS 26 makes spatial photos even more realistic, leveraging a new generative AI algorithm and computational depth to create spatial scenes with multiple perspectives, letting users feel like they can lean in and look around.

    Users can view spatial scenes in the Photos app, Spatial Gallery app, and Safari, while developers can use the Spatial Scene API to make their app experience even more immersive. Zillow is taking advantage of the API for their Zillow Immersive app, allowing users to see images of homes and apartments with the rich depth and dimension that spatial scenes offer.

    New Ways to Browse, Play, and Watch

    Users can select spatial browsing to transform articles on Safari, hide distractions, and reveal spatial scenes that come alive as they scroll. Web developers have the ability to embed 3D models directly into web pages, letting users shop and browse with depth and dimension, and see and manipulate 3D objects and models right in Safari.

    visionOS 26 supports native playback of 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon. Users can enjoy their exciting 2D action footage the way it was meant to be seen. Developers can incorporate this new playback capability into their apps and websites.

    visionOS 26 also introduces support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller. Now, developers can deliver even more engaging gameplay experiences for Apple Vision Pro thanks to high-performance motion tracking in 6 degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support.

    Enterprise APIs and Tools

    Companies around the world are harnessing spatial computing on Apple Vision Pro to supercharge their workflows for design, training, sales, education, and more. New capabilities like team device sharing let organizations easily set up and manage a shared pool of devices. Users can securely save their eye and hand data, vision prescription, and accessibility settings to their iPhone running iOS 26 and bring it to another Vision Pro, making sharing easier than ever.

    visionOS 26 adds support for Logitech Muse, a spatial accessory built for Apple Vision Pro that enables precise input and new ways to interact with collaboration apps like Spatial Analogue.1

    Enterprise-focused APIs, like the new Protected Content API, ensure that only people who have been granted access can see confidential materials like medical records or business forecasts, while preventing copying, screenshots, and screen sharing.

    Additional visionOS 26 features include:

    • More Apple Intelligence features — including updates to Image Playground — come to Apple Vision Pro. visionOS 26 also adds support for new languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, along with support for English in Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and the UK.2
    • Look to Scroll allows users to explore apps and websites using just their eyes. Users can customize the scroll speed, and developers can integrate Look to Scroll into their visionOS apps.
    • In the redesigned Control Center, features like Guest User, Focus, Travel Mode, and more are conveniently displayed in one view, letting users effortlessly manage their music, adjust their Environment settings, and connect to Mac Virtual Display.
    • Users can unlock their iPhone while wearing Apple Vision Pro, even in a fully immersive experience like an Environment. This feature can be enabled in Settings for Face ID-enabled iPhone models running iOS 26.3
    • visionOS 26 supports relaying calls from iPhone, so a user can now answer phone calls directly from Apple Vision Pro, or start a call from People View by selecting a contact’s phone number or clicking on a phone number in a web page.4
    • Home View now supports folders, letting users rearrange and group apps together.

    Availability

    All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com. For more information, visit apple.com/os/visionos. Apple Intelligence requires Apple Vision Pro running visionOS 26 with Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish (Mexico, Spain). Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. Compatible hardware and software may be required.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Accessory sold separately.
    2. Image Playground is available in English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish (Mexico, Spain) when Apple Intelligence is enabled. Feature availability varies by region.
    3. Unlocking iPhone while wearing Apple Vision Pro requires both Apple Vision Pro and a Face ID-compatible iPhone signed in to the same Apple Account and running visionOS 26 and iOS 26 or later.
    4. Relaying cellular calls from iPhone to Apple Vision Pro requires visionOS 26 or later, and iOS 14 or later. Devices must be signed in to the same Apple Account, connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and within Bluetooth range with Bluetooth enabled.

    Press Contacts

    Andrea Schubert

    Apple

    a_schubert@apple.com

    Corey Nord

    Apple

    cnord2@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Bothamley Park planting a seasonal job for everyone – Porirua

    Source: Porirua City Council

    Porirua City is hoping a special Matariki planting event at Bothamley Park will encourage people to become kaitiaki of the area.
    Now that the park has fully reopened to the public, locals and environmentally minded people have the chance to volunteer on an ongoing basis to help with planting the park with native trees and bushes.
    A special planting event – Whakatō i te wairua o Matariki – is planned at Bothamley Park for Friday 20 June, 10.30am-1pm.
    Parks Manager Julian Emeny says while the main focus of the event is to plant trees, he hopes other positive outcomes will come from it.
    “It’s a chance for volunteers to meet other like-minded locals and learn about opportunities to populate the park with more native trees and keep it a popular destination for so many visitors.”
    He says this event aligns with the kaupapa of Matariki, as planting trees is a way to signify new beginnings and look towards the future.
    This year’s event will cover two sites in Bothamley Park – one by the Champion St entrance and the second at the Bellona Pl entrance – where the Environmental Cadets will also be planting trees.
    On the day there will also be a litter pick-up, and pest plant removal opportunities, play activities for tamariki, and free kai for participants. Community groups Predator Free Porirua, Mountains to Sea Wellington and Ngahere Korowai will have stalls to showcase their mahi.
    Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says a planting event aligned with the city’s Matariki celebrations gives participants the opportunity to think about the future and plant something that can be enjoyed for years to come.
    “Volunteers are such a valuable part of Porirua. This event will show people where the opportunities are to continue enhancing the city’s natural environment.”
    Parking for the event is available along Champion St and Bellona Pl. The Champion St entrance is also walking distance from Porirua Station.
    Information about all Council Matariki celebrations can be found here: poriruacity.govt.nz/matariki

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Canterbury

    Han Jiajun/VCG via Getty Images

    The international space industry is on a growth trajectory, but new research shows a rapid increase in rocket launches would damage the ozone layer.

    Several hundred rockets are launched globally each year by a mix of commercial companies and nation-state space programmes. These take place at around 20 sites, almost all in the northern hemisphere, with the most prolific launch rates currently from the United States, China, New Zealand and Russia.

    Our latest research explores the tipping point when launching more rockets will begin to cause problems. Our findings show that once rates reach 2,000 launches a year – about a ten-fold increase on last year – the current healing of the ozone layer slows down.

    We argue that with care, we can avoid this future. The economic benefits of industry growth can be realised, but it will take a collaborative effort.

    Rocket launches thin the ozone layer

    The ozone layer protects life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is slowly healing from the effects of chlorofluorocarbons and other damaging chemicals emitted last century, thanks to global cooperative agreements under the Montreal Protocol.

    Gases and particulates emitted by rockets as they punch through the atmosphere are known to thin the ozone layer. So far, they don’t cause appreciable ozone depletion, as relatively few launches take place each year.

    However, launches are steadily increasing. In 2019, there were 102 launches. By 2024, that increased to 258 worldwide. There are expected to be even more in 2025. At multiple sites worldwide, the launch industry projects impressive levels of future growth.

    For US-based launches, a three-fold increase in the number of rockets launched in 2023 is expected as soon as 2028.

    One driver of this growth is the effort to build out satellite constellations to tens of thousands of units, positioned low in Earth’s orbit. These require many launches to create and are happening in several nations, run by a number of companies.

    Once in place, these constellations require ongoing launches to keep them supplied with active satellites.

    Potential delay in ozone recovery

    To figure out how future launches could affect the ozone layer, we first built a database of ozone-depleting chemicals emitted by rockets currently in use. We then fed this database into a model of Earth’s atmosphere and climate, and simulated atmospheric composition under several scenarios of higher rates of rocket launches.

    We found that with around 2,000 launches worldwide each year, the ozone layer thins by up to 3%. Due to atmospheric transport of rocket-emitted chemicals, we saw the largest ozone losses over Antarctica, even though most launches are taking place in the northern hemisphere.

    Fortunately, the ozone losses are small. We wouldn’t expect to see catastrophic damage to humans or ecosystems. However, the losses are significant given global efforts underway to heal the ozone layer. The global abundance of ozone is still around 2% lower than before the onset of losses caused by chlorofluorocarbons.

    Future ozone losses are not locked in

    Encouragingly, we found no significant ozone loss in a scenario of more modest rates of around 900 launches per year. However, this is for the types of rockets that are in use right now around the world.

    We focus on current launch vehicles because it is uncertain when the new and massive rockets currently in development will enter use. But these larger rockets often require far more fuel, which creates more emissions at each launch.

    Rocket propellant choices make a big difference to the atmosphere. We found fuels emitting chlorine-containing chemicals or black carbon particulates have the largest effects on the ozone layer. Reducing use of these fuels as launch rates increase is key to supporting an ongoing recovery of the ozone layer.

    Re-entering spacecraft and satellite debris can also cause damage. However, the global scientific community doesn’t yet fully understand the chemistry around re-entry. Our work provides a realistic “floor” for the lowest level of damage that will occur.

    But it is important to remember that these effects are not locked in. It is entirely possible to create a launch industry where we avoid harmful effects, but that would require reducing use of chlorine-containing fuels, minimising black carbon emissions by new rockets and monitoring emissions.

    It will take keen effort and enthusiasm from industry and regulators, working together with scientists. But this needs to start now, not after the damage is done.

    Laura Revell is a member of the International Ozone Commission and the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, which assesses the effects of ozone depletion on life on Earth. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.

    Michele Bannister is the NZ delegate for the International Astronomical Union, serves on the COSPAR-NZ national committee, is a voting member of Aerospace New Zealand, and has research collaborations with the IAU Centre for Protection of the Dark & Quiet Sky. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.

    – ref. A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research – https://theconversation.com/a-10-fold-increase-in-rocket-launches-would-start-harming-the-ozone-layer-new-research-257480

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Keynote speech: WasteMINZ conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kia ora tatou. My warmest greetings to you all.
    It’s a pleasure to be here with you at this year’s WasteMINZ Conference — the flagship event for New Zealand’s waste, resource recovery, and contaminated land sectors.
    For over 30 years, this conference has been a space for industry leaders and innovators to come together — to be inspired, to share ideas, and to shape the future of this essential work.
    Thank you for the opportunity to join you today. 
    As I begin, I’d like to acknowledge Parul Sood, Chair of the WasteMINZ Board, along with the board members, CEO Nic Quilty and her team, and all of today’s delegates.
    I also want to recognise the ongoing work of WasteMINZ members — your contribution to the sector is important and appreciated.
    Today, I’d like to update you on several key areas I’m working on as Minister for the Environment.
    Over the past year and a half, I’ve been focused on delivering the Government’s priorities for waste, contaminated sites, and broader environmental challenges.
    We know the waste sector has long-standing issues.
    But these challenges come with opportunities to improve outcomes for both the natural world and our communities.
    Before I expand on the Government’s work on waste, I’d like to start with some announcements.
    Last year, as part of Budget 2024, I announced the Government has changed the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to allow the waste disposal levy to be spent on a wider range of activities.
    As part of this, levy funds were allowed to support local authorities with the costs of managing waste from emergencies.
    We know the frequency and magnitude of emergency events are increasing, partly due to the rise in severe weather events.
    Emergency events often generate large volumes of waste, which needs to be dealt with quickly. 
    Today, I am pleased to confirm that we have now established emergency waste funding.
    The funding will support councils with the cost of managing waste following an emergency, including repairing or replacing damaged waste infrastructure.
    The Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes, recent cyclones, the Auckland Anniversary floods, and many other large-scale events have underscored the importance of resilient waste management and minimisation facilities and services. 
    So far, the costs of managing waste caused by these events have been dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, with no standing funds available to support councils.
    The emergency waste funding will give councils timely access to funding to deal with waste in the aftermath of emergency events. 
    This will reduce the financial burden of these events on central and local government.
    The simple application process means councils will be able to quickly and easily access funding.
    Waste management in emergency events is a critical service to get up and running quickly, to reduce public health risks and support communities to get back on their feet. 
    This new funding will help councils and communities when they need it most.
    Now, I would like to draw your attention to a new report on construction and demolition waste, which I know is a topic you will be keenly interested in. 
    Construction projects are essential to growing our economy. 
    However, they also leave behind a staggering amount of waste, which places a burden on New Zealand’s landfills and the environment.
    Yesterday, the Ministry for the Environment published the first national baseline report for construction and demolition waste.
    This baseline measure is the first of its kind in New Zealand. 
    It will help us evaluate the state of construction and demolition waste, giving us a starting point for comparing changes over time. 
    The national baseline report provides an overview of how much construction and demolition waste New Zealand is sending to landfill, and what materials make up this waste stream.
    The results show that construction and demolition waste is New Zealand’s largest waste stream and highlight the significant role that surplus soil and rubble play.
    To cover off a few key statistics from the report:
    An estimated 5.25 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste was disposed at levied facilities (class 1-4) in 2023. This represents almost 70 per cent of all waste disposed at levied facilities.
    Of all levied construction and demolition waste disposed, nearly 80 per cent of that waste is soil or rubble.
    Of the remaining construction and demolition waste, timber, plastics, plasterboard and textiles (i.e. carpet) make up notable proportions of the overall waste stream. 
    Further to these findings, as many of you will know, last month I met with the WasteMINZ sector group on surplus soils.
    This was to discuss the group’s proposal to develop a national soils management framework through a Waste Minimisation Fund grant.
    I would like to thank Nic Quilty, Parul Sood, Rod Lidgard and James Corbett for taking the time to meet with me to discuss this important issue. 
    I understand managing surplus soils is a long-standing challenge, with no national rules or clear guidance on how to reuse them.
    The national baseline report highlights the scale of the problem. 
    Valuable soil resources are being lost to landfill, with clean or slightly contaminated soils often unnecessarily landfilled.
    This contributes to landfill overuse, emissions, and high project costs.
    For these reasons, I am pleased to confirm today that I support the WasteMINZ proposal to fund a national soils management framework. 
    Ministry for the Environment officials will be working with WasteMINZ to develop a phased approach for addressing these issues. 
    Details are still to be finalised, and the sector will be kept updated.
    Following these announcements, I’d like to now move on to our waste strategy and work programme.
    You may be aware that I recently launched the Government’s strategy to reduce waste and improve how it’s managed in New Zealand. 
    The strategy sets out the Government’s approach to reducing the environmental and economic harm caused by waste.  
    Alongside that, I confirmed a comprehensive waste work programme to implement the strategy’s goals.
    You’ll be aware of some changes made late last year to existing waste policies. 
    We’re reducing costs to ratepayers by leaving decisions about kerbside collections, including food scraps, up to local councils. 
    The Waste Minimisation Fund will continue to support councils that choose to adopt these services.
    We’ve also removed the 2025 deadline to phase out all PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging. 
    We have had a positive response from industry on this decision as it gives them more time to adopt alternatives, while ensuring that new regulations are practical and workable.
    These adjustments support our waste strategy while minimising cost-of-living pressures.
    Our waste work programme is well underway, and I’d like to start by highlighting the proposed amendments to our waste legislation.
    These changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, with the aim of reducing inefficiencies and providing greater clarity around the roles of central government, local government, and the wider waste sector.
    We recently consulted on these proposals, which aim to make the legislative framework clearer and more effective.
    Consultation closed on 1 June, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to make a submission.
    Officials are now carefully considering that feedback to help inform the policy development.
    The aim is to introduce the new legislation before the next general election.
    We also recently asked New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations to improve the way waste from commonly used farm plastic products is managed. 
    We’re proposing new regulations to support a national product stewardship scheme covering agrichemical containers and other farm plastics, such as bale wrap. 
    As someone who has lived on a farm almost all my life, I know how important this is.
    It would bring together the services of existing schemes Agrecovery and Plasback, simplifying recycling and disposal for farmers and growers, and expanding access into a nationwide service.
    This scheme would be funded through an advance disposal fee and offer free, nationwide take-back services. 
    And it won’t just benefit farmers—sectors like forestry, tourism, hospitality, and manufacturing could also participate.
    We have had strong engagement and feedback throughout the consultation process. 
    Thank you to everyone who shared their valuable insights. 
    In addition to the consultation on farm plastics, I’d like to provide a brief update on the progress of other product stewardship schemes.
    Product stewardship schemes are designed to ensure everyone in a product’s life cycle shares responsibility to reduce its environmental impact at the end of its life.
    The Tyrewise scheme is a strong example of this principle in action.
    Tyrewise addresses the estimated 6.5 million tyres that reach end of life in New Zealand each year.
    Since going live last September, the scheme has collected and repurposed more than 2.8 million tyres into fuel and other useful products.
    It is also on track to exceed its first-year targets – an incredible achievement. 
    I commend everyone involved in the development and daily operation of the scheme for their dedication and impact.
    I also want to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved in the accredited synthetic refrigerants scheme, known as Cool-Safe.
    This scheme has been operating since 1993 and has now successfully collected over 600,000 kilograms of synthetic refrigerants, significantly reducing their environmental impact.
    We are actively working with this scheme and the wider industry to support the responsible end-of-life management of these gases.
    Earlier this year I received the Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship scheme co-design recommendations report.
    I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this report – it represents the culmination of over two years of dedicated work.
    We will carefully consider the recommendations and continue to work with stakeholders to plan the next steps in developing this important scheme.
    Work is also progressing on electrical and electronic products (e-waste).
    I’m aware safe battery disposal is a growing concern for the sector, as improperly disposed of batteries pose significant fire risks.
    There is currently a high level of activity in the battery space, with multiple stakeholders across industry and government actively engaged.
    This momentum is encouraging, and I look forward to seeing continued progress toward a safe, more sustainable approach to managing e-waste in New Zealand. 
    Another area of focus focuses is remediating contaminated sites, including historic landfills vulnerable to weather events.
    Historic landfills can be compromised by erosion, storm surges, rainfall events, high river levels and flooding.
    There are hundreds of historic landfills and contaminated sites around New Zealand vulnerable to severe weather.
    Remediating these sites is vital for protecting our environment from harm. 
    No-one wants a repeat of the Fox River landfill event in 2019.
    Communities should not be left dealing with the aftermath of old landfill breaches.
    Acting early to remediate these sites also saves money in the long run. 
    Councils have been asking for more support – and now they have it.
    Last year, I opened the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, a $20 million fund to support councils and landowners.
    This fund replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and significantly increases support.
    Regional, unitary and territorial authorities can now apply.
    The Ministry is actively supporting councils with applications.
    There has been great progress already, like the remediation project at Tāhunanui Beach in Nelson where $2.9 million of Government support has helped remove more than 10,000 cubic metres of contaminated material from underneath the beach carpark.
    This project is a great example of what this new fund can support.
    More information is on the Ministry for the Environment website.
    I would like to now move onto our work in improving recycling.
    Standardising the materials accepted in kerbside recycling was a vital first step — sending a clear signal to businesses and households about what can be recovered through kerbside systems across New Zealand.
    Thank you to everyone who helped develop this policy.  
    There is still work to do, but the new Recycling Leadership Forum is a great next step.  
    The forum is exploring challenging kerbside issues, including the tricky items that don’t currently fit the system.  
    I’m watching their work with interest and expect to receive their first report on potential solutions soon. 
    Plastic is part of daily life, and while it has benefits, it creates far-reaching waste problems.
    On the international stage, New Zealand is playing a part in negotiating a treaty to tackle plastic pollution globally. 
    Our delegation is heading to the next round of negotiations in Geneva in August.
    Domestically, we continue to reduce waste and support recycling innovation. 
    The latest Our Environment 2025 report shows that our landfills received 11 per cent less waste per capita in 2023 than the peak in 2018.
    The Waste Minimisation Fund is providing grant funding to upgrade resource recovery centres, transfer stations, and materials recovery facilities to increase the volume and quality of recovered plastic materials. 
    The fund is also supporting the construction of processing infrastructure to facilitate the reuse of this recovered material, stimulating the local economy and reducing our reliance on overseas markets.
    We’re managing hard-to-recycle plastics and working with industry to move away from problematic packaging like PVC and polystyrene.
    Thank you for your efforts. 
    I understand that tomorrow, Ministry for the Environment officials will be speaking to the waste work programme in more detail.
    I encourage you to attend and ask any questions you may have.
    In closing, I want to thank you for your time, for your contributions, and for your commitment to innovation. Your leadership matters.
    Together, we are building a more resilient and sustainable New Zealand—for our people, our economy, and our environment.
    I wish you all the very best for the rest of the conference. 
    Thank you. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Joins Colleagues in Introducing Energy Choice Act of 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, helped introduce the Energy Choice Act of 2025, legislation led by U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).

    “America needs more energy, and our state and local governments shouldn’t discriminate against baseload energy generation that increases security, affordability, and creates good paying across the country, simply because it doesn’t align with their political agendas. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to prohibit restrictions on reliable energy that American families need,” Senator Capito said.

    “I am an energy guy from an energy-rich state. I know how important freedom of energy production is – which is why I’m proud to introduce Energy Choice Act of 2025. President Trump has stated the need to unleash American energy, and this bill helps facilitate just that. We have too great an energy crisis in this country, and we don’t have the luxury of picking the winners and losers when it comes to energy production. Americans ought to have the right to choose what is best for their energy needs,” Senator Justice said.

    BACKGROUND:

    • West Virginia has a storied history of energy production.
    • The Energy Choice Act would prohibit states and local governments from restricting or limiting the connection, reconnection, modification, installation, transportation, distribution, or expansion of a source of energy that is sold in interstate commerce to be delivered to an end-user of such services.
    • Representative Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.-23) leads the House version of this bill, along with 37 cosponsors.

    Read more about the bill in Fox News.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ETC Announces Fiscal 2025 Full Year and Fourth Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Environmental Tectonics Corporation (OTC Pink: ETCC) (“ETC” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the fourteen week period ended February 28, 2025 (the “2025 fiscal fourth quarter”) and the fifty-three week period ended February 28, 2025 (“fiscal 2025”).

    Robert L. Laurent, Jr., ETC’s Chief Executive Officer and President stated, “Our strong backlog and pipeline of opportunities once again translated into increases in net sales, gross profit margin, operating income and net income. These results reflect growth in each of our business units with sales increasing to $62.9 million, gross profit increasing to $18.5 million, and net income increasing to $13.1 million or $0.75 diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2025 as compared to net income of $1.8 million or $0.09 diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2024. We believe we remain well positioned for the future with a backlog of $87 million and strong pipeline of opportunities at February 28, 2025.”

    Fiscal 2025 Results of Operations

    Net Income

    Net income was $13.1 million, or $0.75 diluted earnings per share, in fiscal 2025, compared to net income of $1.8 million during fiscal 2024, equating to $0.09 per diluted share. The $11.2 million variance is primarily attributable to a $19.6 million increase in sales, a $6.1 million increase in gross profit, slightly offset by a $0.8 million increase in operating expenses. Fiscal 2025 is also being positively impacted by an income tax benefit of $5.6 million, primarily associated with the partial reversal of valuation allowance previously recorded against the deferred tax asset. The deferred tax asset valuation allowance on federal deferred tax assets and certain state deferred tax assets was reversed in fiscal 2025, as it is now more likely than not that the Company will be able to fully realize these deferred tax assets.

    Net Sales

    Net sales for fiscal 2025 was $62.9 million, an increase of $19.6 million, or 45.3%, compared to fiscal 2024 net sales of $43.3 million. The increase is a result of higher International sales of $13.4 million, of which $9.3 million are within Aircrew Training Solutions (“ATS”) and $3.5 million are within Commercial Industrial Systems (“CIS”) as well as higher Domestic sales of $6.2 million, $6.0 million of which are within CIS. Further, sales in fiscal 2025 increased the greatest within the ATS business unit and Sterilizer Systems business unit, accounting for $9.9 and $7.4 million, respectively, of the overall increase of $19.6 million.

    Gross Profit

    Gross profit for fiscal 2025 was $18.5 million compared to $12.5 million in fiscal 2024, an increase of $6.1 million, or 48.7%. The increase in gross profit was primarily due to higher net sales within the ATS and Sterilizers System business units. Gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales increased to 29.4% in fiscal 2025 compared to 28.8% in fiscal 2024.

    Operating Expenses

    Operating expenses, including sales and marketing, general and administrative, and research and development, for fiscal 2025 was $10.3 million compared to $9.5 million in fiscal 2024, an increase of $0.8 million, or 8.1%. An increase in selling and marketing expenses, primarily driven by higher sales and an increase in general and administrative expenses, due primarily to an increase in salary and related expenses, along with an increase in professional fees was offset slightly by a decrease in research and development expenses.

    Interest Expense, Net

    Interest expense, net, for fiscal 2025 was $1.2 million compared to $0.9 million in fiscal 2024, an increase of $0.3 million, or 31.6%, due primarily to higher borrowing attributable to the leaseback of the Southampton, Pennsylvania demonstration equipment in fiscal 2025.

    Other (Income) Expense, Net

    Other income, net, for fiscal 2025 was ($0.4) million, compared to other expense, net, of $0.3 million in fiscal 2024 a favorable variance of ($0.7) million, or (221.5%) attributable to a gain realized from the sale of the Southampton, Pennsylvania demonstration equipment in fiscal 2025.

    Income (Benefit) Taxes

    As of February 28, 2025, the Company reviewed the components of its deferred tax assets and determined, based upon all available information, that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets relating to its federal deferred tax assets and certain state deferred tax assets will be realized. Accordingly, we reversed the previously recorded valuation allowance against these deferred tax assets. If in the future there is a change in our ability to realize these deferred tax assets, then our tax valuation allowance may increase in the period in which we determine that realization is no longer more likely than not. An income tax benefit of $5.6 million was recorded in fiscal 2025 compared to income tax benefit of $0.1 million recorded in fiscal 2024.

    Fiscal 2025 Fourth Quarter Results of Operations

    Net Income

    Net income was $7.6 million, or $0.45 diluted earnings per share, in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter, compared to net income of $2.8 million during the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter, equating to $0.17 diluted earnings per share. The $4.8 million variance is a result of $2.7 million of increased sales, $0.6 million increase in other income attributable to the sale of the Company’s demonstration equipment offset slightly by an 8.9% decrease in gross profit margin percentage, primarily attributable to increased aeromedical center building sales and higher interest expense attributable to the demonstration equipment lease. The 2025 fiscal fourth quarter is also being positively impacted by a $5.5 million increase in income tax benefit attributable to the reversal of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance.

    Net Sales

    Net sales for the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter were $19.1 million, an increase of $2.7 million, or 16.4%, compared to net sales of $16.4 million for the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter. The increase reflects higher overall sales within the ATS and Sterilizer Systems business units.

    Gross Profit

    Gross profit was $4.7 million in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter, a decrease of $0.8 million, or 14.5% compared to gross profit of $5.5 million for the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter. Gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales decreased to 24.6% in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter compared to 33.5% in 2024 fiscal fourth quarter. The majority of the decrease was a direct result of the increase in aeromedical center building sales, which is lower margin then ETC’s core business as the work is being performed by a sub-contracted construction firm. Excluding the aeromedical center building sales, gross profit margin would have been approximately 29.7%. As the building construction of the aeromedical center accelerates over the next year, ETC expects gross profit margin to be lower in fiscal 2026 as compared to fiscal 2025.

    Operating Expenses

    Operating expenses, including sales and marketing, general and administrative, and research and development, for the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter were $2.7 million, an increase of $0.2 million, or 6.1%, compared to $2.5 million for the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter. The increase in operating expenses was due primarily to higher general and administrative expenses slightly offset by lower selling and marketing and research and development expenses in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter compared to the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter.

    Interest Expense, Net

    Interest expense, net, for the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter was $0.6 million compared to $0.2 million in the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter, an increase of $0.4 million, or 146.6%, reflecting increased borrowing attributable to the leaseback of the demonstration equipment in 2025 fiscal fourth quarter.

    Other (Income) Expense, Net

    Other income, net, for 2025 fiscal fourth quarter was ($0.5) million, compared to other expense, net, of $0.1 million in 2024 fiscal fourth quarter, a favorable variance of ($0.6) million, or (721.0%) attributable to a gain realized from the sale of the Southampton, Pennsylvania demonstration equipment in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter.

    Income (Benefit) Taxes

    An income tax benefit of $5.7 million was recorded in the fiscal 2025 fourth quarter compared to an income tax benefit of $0.2 million in the 2024 fiscal fourth quarter. The increase in the income tax provision in the 2025 fiscal fourth quarter was driven primarily by the reversal of the valuation allowance on federal deferred tax assets and certain state deferred tax assets. This reversal is attributable to the change in the Company’s operating profit and expected ability to realize these deferred tax assets.

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

    As of February 28, 2025, the Company’s availability under the PNC Revolving Line of Credit was $2.2 million. This reflected cash borrowings of $14.3 million and net outstanding standby letters of credit of approximately $3.5 million. As of June 9, 2025, the date of our most current Revolving Line of Credit statement, the Company’s availability under the PNC Revolving Line of Credit was approximately $1.2 million. The Company had working capital of $19.7 million as of February 28, 2025 compared to working capital of $8.7 million as of February 23, 2024. The increase in working capital was primarily the result of a significant increase in contract assets and reduction in contract liabilities partially offset by a decrease in prepaid assets and increase in accounts payable, trade and an increase in the current portion of lease obligations. With unused availability under the Company’s various current lines of credit, the further conversion of contract assets and inventory into cash, the collection of milestone payments associated with several International contracts, and expected deposits on fiscal 2026 bookings, the Company anticipates its sources of liquidity will be sufficient to fund its operating activities, anticipated capital expenditures, and debt repayment obligations throughout fiscal 2025.

    On February 3, 2025, the Company entered into a Financing and Security Agreement with Coeur Capital, Inc. that provided for a line of credit of up to $3.0 million. The company is able to draw on the line transferring and assigning acceptable accounts receivable to Coeur Capital. The Financing and Security Agreement remains in full force until terminated by either party upon advanced written notice. As of February 28, 2025, the Company’s availability under this Financing and Security Agreement was $3.0 million. As of June 9, 2025, the date of our report, the Company’s availability under this Financing and Security Agreement with Coeur Capital was $3.0 million.

    Cash flows from operating activities

    During fiscal 2025, cash flows used by operating activities were $3.9 million, an increase of $0.2 million compared to fiscal 2024 cash flows used by operating activities of $3.7 million. Cash flows in fiscal 2025 increased as a result of the increase in contract assets and decrease in contract liabilities partially offset by net income for the fiscal year.

    Cash flows from investing activities

    Cash flows from investing activities primarily relates to funds for capital expenditures in property, plant, and equipment and software development. The Company’s fiscal 2025 investing activities provided $3.6 million as compared to fiscal 2024 investing activities which used $0.3 million. The change in investing activities is attributable to $4.0 million from the sale leaseback of the demonstration equipment in Southampton, Pennsylvania.

    Cash flows from financing activities

    During fiscal 2025, the Company’s financing activities provided $1.7 million from borrowings under the Company’s credit facility to support the significant increase in manufacturing, compared to fiscal 2024 borrowings of $2.7 million.

    About ETC

    ETC was incorporated in 1969 in Pennsylvania. For over five decades, we have provided our customers with products, services, and support. Innovation, continuous technological improvement and enhancement, and product quality are core values that are critical to our success. We are a significant supplier and innovator in the following areas: (i) software driven products and services used to create and monitor the physiological effects of flight, including high performance jet tactical flight simulation, fixed and rotary wing upset prevention and recovery and spatial disorientation, and both suborbital and orbital commercial human spaceflight: altitude (hypobaric) chambers; hyperbaric chambers for multiple persons (multiplace chambers) collectively, Aircrew Training Systems (“ATS”);; (ii) Advanced Disaster Management Simulators (“ADMS”); (iii) steam and gas (ethylene oxide) sterilizer systems (“Sterilizer Systems” or “Sterilizers”); and (iv) Environmental Testing and Simulation Systems (“ETSS”).

    We operate in two primary business segments, Aerospace Solutions (“Aerospace”) and Commercial/Industrial Systems (“CIS”). Aerospace encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) ATS products; and (ii) ADMS, as well as integrated logistics support (“ILS”) for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. These products and services provide customers with an offering of comprehensive solutions for improved readiness and reduced operational costs. Sales of our Aerospace products are made principally to U.S. and foreign government agencies and to civil aviation organizations. CIS encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) sterilizer systems; and (ii) ETSS; as well as parts and service support for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. Sales of our CIS products are made principally to the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.

    ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries Sp. z o.o. (“ETC-PZL”), our 100%-owned subsidiary in Warsaw, Poland, is currently our only operating subsidiary. ETC-PZL manufactures certain simulators and provides software to support products manufactured domestically within our Aerospace segment.

    The majority of our net sales are generated from long-term contracts with U.S. and foreign government agencies (including foreign military sales (“FMS”) contracted through the U.S. Government) for the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of ATS products, including Chambers and the simulators manufactured and sold through ETC-PZL, collectively, ATS. The Company also enters into long-term contracts with domestic and international customers for the sale of sterilizer systems and ETSS. Net sales of ADMS are generally much shorter term in nature and vary between domestic and international customers. We generally provide our products and services under fixed-price contracts.

    ETC’s unique ability to offer complete systems, designed and produced to high technical standards, sets it apart from its competition. ETC’s headquarters is located in Southampton, PA. For more information about ETC, visit http://www.etcusa.com/.

    Forward-looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Words and expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may include words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “future”, “predict”, “potential”, “intend”, or “continue”, and similar expressions. We base our forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events or future financial performance. Our forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about ETC and its subsidiaries, the economy and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

                     
    Table A                
                     
    Environmental Tectonics Corporation
    Consolidated Comprehensive Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income
                     
                     
    (in thousands, except per share information)   Fifty-three / Fifty-two weeks ended   Variance
        February 28, 2025 February 23, 2024   ($)   (%)
    Net sales   $ 62,943     $ 43,307     $ 19,636     45.3  
    Cost of goods sold     44,420       30,848       13,572     44.0  
    Gross Profit     18,523       12,459       6,064     48.7  
    Gross profit margin %     29.4 %     28.8 %     0.6 %   2.1 %
                     
    Operating expenses     10,260       9,494       766     8.1  
    Operating income     8,263       2,965       5,298     178.7  
    Operating margin %     13.1 %     6.8 %     6.3 %   92.6 %
                     
    Interest expense, net     1,183       899       284     31.6  
    Other (income) expense, net     (361 )     297       (658 )   -221.5  
    Income before income taxes     7,441       1,769       5,672     320.6  
    Pre tax margin %     11.8 %     4.1 %     7.7 %   187.8 %
                     
    Income tax provision (benefit)     (5,622 )     (51 )     (5,571 )   10923.5  
    Net income     13,063       1,820       11,243     617.7  
    Preferred Stock Dividends     (493 )     (484 )     (9 )   1.9  
    Income attributable to common and participating shareholders   $ 12,570     $ 1,336     $ 11,234     840.9  
                     
    Per share information:                
    Basic earnings per common and participating share:            
    Distributed earnings per share:                
    Common   $ –     $ –          
    Preferred   $ 0.08     $ 0.08     $ –     0.0  
    Undistributed earnings per share:                
    Common   $ 0.81     $ 0.09     $ 0.72     800.0  
    Preferred   $ 0.81     $ 0.09     $ 0.72     800.0  
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.75     $ 0.09     $ 0.66     733.3  
                     
    Total basic weighted average common and participating shares     15,572       15,569          
                     
    Total diluted weighted average shares     16,655       15,569          
    Table B                
                     
    Environmental Tectonics Corporation
    Consolidated Comprehensive Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income
                     
        Fourteen / Thirteen weeks ended   Variance
    (in thousands, except per share information)   February 28, 2025   February 23, 2024   ($)   (%)
    Net sales   $ 19,098     $ 16,414     $ 2,684     16.4  
    Cost of goods sold     14,394       10,915       3,479     31.9  
    Gross Profit     4,704       5,500       (795 )   -14.5  
    Gross profit margin %     24.6 %     33.5 %     -8.9 %   -26.7 %
                     
    Operating expenses     2,665       2,513       153     6.1  
    Operating income     2,039       2,987       (948 )   -31.6  
    Operating margin %     10.7 %     18.2 %     -7.5 %   -40.8 %
                     
    Interest expense, net     613       249       365     146.6  
    Other (income) expense, net     (504 )     81       (584 )   -721.0  
    Income before income taxes     1,930       2,658       (728 )   -27.4  
    Pre-tax margin %     10.1 %     16.2 %     -6.2 %   (38.2 )
                     
    Income tax provision (benefit)     (5,682 )     (171 )     (5,511 )   3222.8  
    Net income     7,612       2,829       4,783     169.1  
    Preferred Stock dividends     (130 )     (121 )     (9 )   7.4  
    Income attributable to common and participating shareholders   $ 7,482     $ 2,708     $ 4,774     176.3  
                     
    Per share information:                
    Basic earnings per common and participating share:                
    Distributed earnings per share:                
    Common   $ –     $ –     $ –      
    Preferred   $ 0.02     $ 0.02     $ –     0.0  
    Undistributed earnings per share:                
    Common   $ 0.48     $ 0.17     $ 0.31     182.4  
    Preferred   $ 0.48     $ 0.17     $ 0.31     182.4  
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.45     $ 0.17     $ 0.28     164.7  
                     
                     
    Total basic weighted average common and participating shares     15,582       15,569          
                     
    Total diluted weighted average shares     16,725       15,569          

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s TROPICS Mission: Offering Detailed Images and Analysis of Tropical Cyclones

    Source: NASA

    Introduction
    Tropical cyclones represent a danger to life, property, and the economies of communities. Researchers who study tropical cyclones have focused on remote observations using space-based platforms to image these storms, inform forecasts, better predict landfall, and improve understanding of storm dynamics and precipitation evolution – see Figure 1.

    The tropical cyclone community has leveraged data from Earth observing platforms for more than 30 years. These data have been retrieved from numerous instruments including: the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)–Series R satellites; the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI); the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI); the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) on the Defense Meteorological Satellite (DSMP) satellites; the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on Aqua; AMSR2 on the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Global Change Observation Mission–Water (GCOM-W) mission; the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) on Aqua and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) on the NASA–NOAA Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP), NOAA-20, and NOAA-21; the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua Platform; and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on Suomi NPP, as well as on the first two Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) missions (i.e., NOAA-20 and NOAA-21).
    Despite having decades of data at their disposal, scientists lack data from instruments placed in low-inclination orbits that provide more frequent views within tropical regions. This limitation is especially pronounced in the tropical and subtropical latitudes, which is where tropical storms develop and intensify.
    The NASA Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) grew from the Precipitation and All-weather Temperature and Humidity (PATH) to address a need for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) temperature and humidity measurements as well as precipitation with a temporal revisit rate of one hour or better – see Figure 2. TROPICS uses multiple small satellites flying in a carefully engineered formation to obtain rapid revisits of measurements of precipitation structure within the storms, as well as temperature and humidity profiles, both within and outside of the storms, including the intensity of the upper-level warm core. In addition, the instruments provide a median revisit time of about one hour. The data gathered also informs changes in storm track and intensity and provides data to improve weather prediction models.
    The imagery is focused on inner storm structure (near 91 and 205 GHz), temperature soundings (near 118 GHz), and moisture soundings (near 183 GHz). Spatial resolution at nadir is approximately 24 km (16.8 mi) for temperature and 17 km (10.6 mi) for moisture and precipitation, covering a swath of approximately 2000 km (1243 mi) in width. Researchers can use TROPICS data to create hundreds of high-resolution images of tropical cyclones throughout their lifecycle.

    This article provides an overview of the two years of successful science operations of TROPICS, with a focus on the suite of geophysical Level-2 (L2) products (e.g., atmospheric vertical temperature and moisture profiles, instantaneous surface rain rate, and tropical cyclone intensity) and the science investigations resulting from these measurements. The complete article, available in the Proceedings Of The IEEE: Special Issue On Satellite Remote Sensing Of The Earth, provides more comprehensive details of the results.
    From Pathfinder to Constellation
    A single TROPICS satellite was launched as a Pathfinder vehicle on June 30, 2021, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare into a Sun-synchronous polar orbit. TROPICS was originally conceived as a six-satellite constellation, with two satellites launched into each of three low-inclination orbits. Regrettably, the first launch, on June 22, 2022 aboard an Astra Rocket 3.3, failed to reach orbit. While unfortunate, the mission could still proceed with four satellites and meet its baseline revisit rate requirement (with no margin), with the silver lining of an extra year of data gathered from TROPICS Pathfinder that allowed the tropical cyclone research community to prepare and test communications systems and data processing algorithms before the launch of the four remaining constellation satellites. These satellites were deployed on two separate launches – May 8, 2023 and May 26, 2023 aboard a Rocket Lab launch vehicle. The early testing accelerated calibration and validation for the constellation.
    Collecting Data Critical to Understanding Tropical Cyclones
    Tropical cyclone investigations require rapid quantitative observations to create 2D storm structure information. The four radiance data products in the TROPICS constellation [i.e., antenna temperature (L1a), brightness temperature (L1b), unified brightness temperature, and regularized scan pattern and limb-adjusted brightness temperature (L1c)] penetrate below the cloud top to gather data at greater frequency for a lower cost than current operational systems. The constellation data has been used to evaluate the development of the warm core and evolution of the ice water path within storms – two indicators of storm formation and subsequent changes in intensity.
    The upper-level warm core is key to tropical cyclone development and intensification. Precipitation may instigate rapid intensification through convective bursts that are characterized by expanding cold cloud tops, increasing ice scattering, lightning, and towers of intense rain and ice water that are indicative of strong updrafts. TROPICS frequencies provide a wealth of information on scattering by precipitation-sized ice particles in the eyewall and rainbands that will allow for researchers to track the macrostructure of convective bursts in tropical cyclones across the globe. In addition, TROPICS data helps clarify how variations in environmental humidity around tropical cyclones affect storm structure and intensification.
    Upper-level Warm Core
    Analysis of the upper-level warm core of a tropical cyclone reveals valuable information about the storm’s development. The tropical cyclone community is using data from TROPICS to understand the processes that lead to precipitating ice structure and the role it plays in intensification – see Figure 3. While the warm core has been studied for decades, TROPICS provides a new opportunity to get high-revisit rate estimates of the atmospheric vertical temperature profile. By pairing the temperature profile with the atmospheric vertical moisture profile, researchers can define the relative humidity in the lower-to-middle troposphere, which is critical to understanding the impact of dry environmental air on storm evolution and structure.

    Ice Water Path and Precipitation
    Another variable that helps to provide insight into the development of tropical cyclones is the ice water path, which details the total mass of ice present in a vertical column of the atmosphere and is therefore useful for characterizing the structure and intensity of these storms. Increasing ice water path can reflect strengthening convection within a storm and thereby be an indicator of likely intensification – see Figure 4. TROPICS is the first spaceborne sensor equipped with a 205-GHz channel that, along with the traditional 89, 118, and 183 GHz channels, is more sensitive to detecting precipitation-sized ice particles. In addition, the TROPICS Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme (PRPS) provides an estimate of precipitation. This scheme is based solely on the satellite radiances linked to precipitation rates, which can be used to generate products across time scales, from near-real-time to climatological scales.

    Collaborations and TROPICS Data in Action
    To evaluate and enhance the data gathered by TROPICS, the TROPICS application team enlisted the assistance of operational weather forecasters that formed the TROPICS Early Adopters program. In 2018, the program connected the application team to stakeholders interested in using TROPICS data for research, forecasting, and decision making. This collaboration improved approaches to diagnose and predict tropical cyclones. For example, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) found that the new TROPICS channel at 204.8 GHz offered the best approach to capture convective storm structure, followed by the more traditionally used 91-GHz channel. In addition, the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has been using TROPICS data to center-fix tropical cyclones and identify cloud formations. In particular, the JTWC team found that the 91-GHz channel was most useful for identifying cloud structure. Both NHC and JTWC found the TROPICS high revisit rate to be beneficial.
    In 2024, the TROPICS applications team developed the TROPICS Satellite Validation Module as part of the NOAA Hurricane Research Division’s annual Advancing the Prediction of Hurricanes Experiment (APHEX). The module coordinated data collection from NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft beneath TROPICS satellite overpasses to provide data to calibrate and validate TROPICS temperature, moisture, and precipitation measurements. Using this approach, the Hurricane Hunter team tracked Hurricane Ernesto over the central North Atlantic on August 15 and 16, 2024 and used the data to characterize the environment of Ernesto’s rain bands – see Figure 5.

    In addition, the team used TROPICS observations in combination with GPM constellation precipitation estimates to characterize the lifecycle of Hurricane Franklin, which formed on August 19, 2023 and underwent a period of rapid intensification about eight days later. Intensification of the storm, in particular the period of rapid intensification (45 knot increase in maximum winds in 24 hours), occurred in association with a decrease in environmental vertical wind shear, a contraction of the radius of maximum precipitation, and an increase in the precipitation rate. Intensification ended with the formation of secondary rainbands and an outward shift in the radius of maximum precipitation.
    Conclusion
    TROPICS data offer the potential for improving forecasts from numerical weather prediction models and operational forecasts using its high spatial resolution and high revisit rates that enable enhanced characterization of tropical cyclones globally. To date, the TROPICS mission has produced a high-quality aggregate data record spanning 10 billion observations and 10 satellite years, using relatively low-cost microwave sounder constellations. All L1 (i.e., radiances) and L2 (i.e., geophysical products) data products and Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents are available to the general public through the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). The GES DISC data discussed in this article include L1 and L2 products for TROPICS-1, TROPICS-3, TROPICS-5, and TROPICS-6.
    TROPICS data has aided hurricane track forecasting for multiple storms as forecasters have used the data at multiple operational tropical cyclone forecast centers. Data gathered by TROPICS will soon be complemented by multiple commercial constellations that are coming online to improve the revisit rate and performance.
    William Blackwell MIT Lincoln Laboratorywjb@ll.mit.edu
    Scott BraunNASA GSFC, TROPICS Project Scientistscott.a.braun@nasa.gov
    Stacy KishEarth Observer StaffEarthspin.science@gmail.com

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYWIDE BACKUP GENERATORS AND PUMPS

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYWIDE BACKUP GENERATORS AND PUMPS

    INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYWIDE BACKUP GENERATORS AND PUMPS

    INITIAL PUBLIC NOTICE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYWIDE BACKUP GENERATORS AND PUMPS SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIALPDM-PJ-09-CA-2024-001The U
    S
    Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program to San Joaquin County in San Joaquin County, California, to improve water and storm drainage system reliability and resiliency against power outages during storm and flood events
    The proposed action would mitigate impacts from flood hazards by installing five emergency backup generators and upgrading one pump at existing pump stations
    Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its intent to carry out an action affecting a floodplain
    The purpose of the proposed action is to reduce flood hazards
    The proposed action would occur at five pump station locations and consists of installing a new gas generator and upgrading the existing pump at one location, replacing an existing generator with a new gas generator at another location, and installing new gas generators at three other locations
    The generators would be installed with new gas connections, automatic transfer switches, and electrical connections with new electrical service
    The proposed generators would be placed on concrete pads
    Services would feed from the public right-of-way to each site with new gas meters installed prior to connection of each generator
    The proposed pump improvements would discharge flows to Fourteen Mile Slough which is in the 100-year floodplain as depicted on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), Map Number 06077C0455F, effective date October 16, 2009
    The FIRM shows that Fourteen Mile Slough lies within Zone AE, an area that has a 1-percent probability of flooding every year and where predicted floodwater elevations have been established
    Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action, including maps showing the potential impacts on floodplains, may be obtained by writing the FEMA Region 9 Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema
    dhs
    gov
    All requests should be received within 15 days after publication of this notice

    eileen
    chao
    Mon, 06/09/2025 – 16:04

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sample of prepackaged frozen giant scarlet shrimps detected with mercury exceeding legal limit

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Sample of prepackaged frozen giant scarlet shrimps detected with mercury exceeding legal limitPlace of origin: Spain
    Pack Lot: FCCAR25114
    Best-before: April 2027
    Importer: Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) LimitedIssued at HKT 19:55

    The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 9) announced that a sample of prepackaged frozen giant scarlet shrimps imported from Spain was detected with mercury, a metallic contaminant, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident. Members of the public should not consume the affected batch of the product. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it. Product details are as follows: Product name: Frozen Giant Scarlet Shrimp Place of origin: Spain Pack Lot: FCCAR25114 Best-before: April 2027 Importer: Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) Limited “The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained mercury at a level of 0.85 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm,” a spokesman for the CFS said. The spokesman said that the CFS had informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected product. The importer concerned has initiated a recall according to the CFS’ instructions. Members of the public may call the importer’s hotline at 2612 2066 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. 09/06/2025, 19:54 Sample of prepackaged frozen giant scarlet shrimps detected with mercury exceeding legal limit https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202506/09/P2025060900739p.htm#:~:text=The Centre for Food Safety, following up on the incident. 1/2 The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the product concerned. “Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults,” the spokesman added. According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. The CFS will alert the Spanish authorities and the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing. Ends/Monday, June 9, 2025 Issued at HKT 19:55 NNNN 09/06/2025, 19:54 Sample of prepackaged frozen giant scarlet shrimps detected with mercury exceeding legal

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Luxembourg and EIB Global team up to help Small Island Developing States confront climate change

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • Luxembourg is tapping EIB Global expertise through the Luxembourg-EIB Climate Finance Platform (LCFP) to contribute €5 million to the Outrigger Impact Fund I.
    • The Fund has a target size of $100 million and aims to provide finance to projects in various sectors of the oceans economy.
    • Outrigger Impact Fund I will provide debt and equity financing to help Small Island Development States adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Luxembourg is joining forces with the European Investment Bank’s development arm (EIB Global) to pledge €5 million through the Luxembourg-EIB Climate Finance Platform (LCFP) to help Small Island Development States (SIDS) tackle climate change. The Government of Luxembourg is making the commitment to a new fund dedicated to the sustainable use of ocean resources – an area of activity known as the “blue economy” – and EIB Global is managing the contribution to ensure its optimal use.

    Luxembourg’s pledge will take the form of junior equity in the Outrigger Impact Fund I, which has a target size of $100 million and will be run by UK-based fund manager Outrigger Impact. The fund will operate in Small Island Development States, providing debt and equity finance to projects in various blue economy sectors such as sustainable aquaculture, ocean conservation, ecotourism and offshore renewable energy.

    “This investment reflects our ambition to drive more capital towards climate resilience where it is most urgently needed. By backing the Outrigger Impact Fund I through the provision of junior equity, we aim to de-risk innovative projects in the blue economy and mobilise private finance at scale. This is a targeted use of public capital to unlock impact where markets alone would not go,” said Luxembourg Minister of Finance Gilles Roth.  

    “Over the last decade, Luxembourg has been committed to supporting the most vulnerable countries in the fight against climate change. Small Island Development States are disproportionally affected and face a finance gap at the same time. The blue economy offers an opportunity for SIDS to help adapt to climate change, protect and restore nature, while generating sustainable income for the most vulnerable communities,” said Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity Serge Wilmes.  

    EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle and Outrigger Impact Managing Director Simon Dent announced Luxembourg’s contribution at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

    “Small Island Developing States are disproportionately at risk of the impacts of climate change and receive immeasurably less financing than other developing or low-income countries. That’s why this fund is important – at the portfolio level it is expected to multiply investments with a significant leverage,” said Vice-President Fayolle.

    The involvement of Luxembourg and the EIB in the new fund advances an EU goal in its “Global Gateway Investment Agenda” to deepen worldwide cooperation on investment in areas including climate and the environment.

    The investments by the new fund will reduce greenhouse gas emissions through clean transport, contribute to conservation of protected areas and coral reefs, and reduce pollution including plastics in the ocean. The financing will also increase the resilience of local communities to climate change.

    The fund will leverage private investments and group projects across Small Island Development States to support new or small market players that are developing innovative business models backing the transition to a sustainable blue economy.

    “This new fund will provide catalytic investment in projects, small and medium-sized enterprises and nature-based solutions in Small Island Development States. These states steward over 30% of our oceans through their exclusive economic zones, meaning that their blue economies, ecosystems and sustainable marine assets are full of environmental, social and economic potential,” said Outrigger Impact Managing Director Simon Dent.

    Background information

    About EIB Global

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. It finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. It aims to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 – around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world. Photos of EIB headquarters for media use are available here.

    About the Luxembourg-EIB Climate Finance Platform (LCFP)

    The LCFP is a de-risking platform initiated by the Government of Luxembourg in collaboration with the EIB that seeks to catalyse private sector investments in high-impact climate projects in developing countries.

    About Outrigger Impact

    Outrigger Impact is a specialised blue economy platform, which is developing a dedicated financing facility to build environmental and economic resilience and drive nature-positive outcomes in Small Island Developing States, by catalysing and leveraging the blue economy and enhancing the sustainability of ocean resources. The Outrigger Impact Fund will provide investment capital for blue economy projects in a range of Small Island Developing States, and the Outrigger Technical Assistance Facility will provide grants and concessionary loans to support early-stage projects in islands, with the common aim of delivering dedicated funding of more than $100 million to catalytic projects in island states.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hedgehog poo could hold important secrets about local biodiversity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Lund Rasmussen, Research fellow in Ecology and Conservation, University of Oxford

    Jayne Morgan

    Biodiversity, the rich variety of life found on Earth, is vanishing. I’m a conservation scientist keen to monitor this loss to better understand where efforts to reverse it will be most effective. And I might have hit on a novel solution.

    I study European hedgehogs, the popular spiky mammals that inhabit our gardens. Hedgehog populations are declining massively, with an estimated loss of up to 75% in the rural areas of the UK during the past 25 years.

    Thanks to insights gained in my research, I, Dr Hedgehog, believe that this species could be helpful for mapping wider biodiversity. More specifically, its poo.

    One probable cause of the decline in hedgehogs is a decline in insects, which form a major part of their diet. During my many nights of radio-tracking hedgehogs, I came up with the idea of analysing environmental DNA (eDNA) contained in samples of hedgehog poo to discover what the hedgehogs are eating and through that, what’s living locally.

    The eDNA method could reveal genetic traces of all organisms present in the samples in a single analysis. And, as we’ll see, these prickly mammals have a surprisingly liberal diet.

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

    Due to the loss of natural habitats, hedgehogs are increasingly living in gardens, and this is where the battle to save the hedgehog will take place. My research showed that European hedgehogs in residential areas normally visit ten to 14 gardens a night.

    Here, they eat a wide selection of prey, primarily insects, snails, slugs and worms, but also birds’ eggs (from ground-nesting birds – they don’t climb trees). They are scavengers too, and will munch on all sorts of dead animals.

    What most people don’t realise is that these adorable little creatures are also ferocious predators. If they can get their paws (or perhaps more correctly, their jaws) on live prey, they will eat chicks that have fallen out of nests or amphibians such as salamanders, newts and frogs. They are excellent swimmers and sometimes catch fish in garden ponds.

    I have seen hedgehogs taking on adult pigeons or full-sized chickens, and winning. Hedgehogs also sometimes chew on the faeces of foxes and lick the saliva onto their spines, probably with the purpose of masking their scent against predators.

    Prickly, but not picky.
    Nojafoto/Shutterstock

    We are not sure whether hedgehogs eat fruit and plants intentionally, or if they are actually after the worms or insects living on them – hedgehogs are officially categorised as “insectivores” – but vegetation shows up in the stomachs of dead hedgehogs too. The DNA from plants ingested by the insects, worms and snails eaten by hedgehogs, will also show up in an analysis of hedgehog poo.

    In terms of a guide to local biodiversity, hedgehogs are the full package.

    Hedgehogs live and forage in a small area. They poop a lot, and their faeces are easy to recognise and collect. If we keep the hedgehog population going, we won’t run out of sample material any time soon.

    Before DNA analysis was invented, it was very difficult to determine the diet of a hedgehog, because a slug is reduced to nothing after a trip through its digestive tract, and it’s hard to identify a species from a chewed-off beetle leg. In contrast, it only takes a tiny fragment of a species to show up in an eDNA analysis of hedgehog faeces, so imagine what we could discover.

    In these times of drastic biodiversity loss, we need to establish good and reliable methods for monitoring biodiversity. An analysis of a hedgehog poo could even reveal elusive species which may have been categorised as extinct in the area.

    My idea of biodiversity monitoring through hedgehog poo has spawned ridicule and numerous rejection letters for funding applications. I refused to let it stop me. So I have created a crowdfunding campaign where you can support the research by purchasing a hedgehog poo and getting a certificate. I have 800 hedgehog faecal samples collected from all over Denmark, England and Scotland, stored in a freezer ready to be analysed.

    The work has begun, and my colleagues and I have found some very interesting results already. One is the remarkable scarcity of bird DNA in hedgehog faecal samples collected from islands, where hedgehogs are accused of posing a threat to ground-nesting birds by eating their eggs. We are confident that our method works as we tested it beforehand by feeding quail eggs to hedgehogs, and found lots of bird DNA in the samples.

    When I have managed to raise the remaining funds, we will continue the investigation.

    This is the story of how I discovered that hedgehog droppings are gold. If you would like to know more, watch my talk on the subject here.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Sophie Lund Rasmussen 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. Hedgehog poo could hold important secrets about local biodiversity – https://theconversation.com/hedgehog-poo-could-hold-important-secrets-about-local-biodiversity-256644

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Company Sentenced for Violating OSHA Rule Leading to Worker’s Death

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio was sentenced today to pay a $500,000 fine, the statutory maximum, after pleading guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. In addition to the fine, Fabcon will serve two years of organizational probation and comply with a Safety Compliance Plan. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.

    Fabcon Precast LLC makes precast concrete panels at its facility in Grove City, Ohio. Batch operators were employees responsible for operating and cleaning the facility’s only concrete mixer, which discharged concrete from its bottom through a pneumatic door. The mixer had an exhaust valve that, by design, released the pneumatic energy which powered the discharge door to make it inoperable.

    The valve’s handle broke off, and was not replaced, prior to June 6, 2020. On that day, batch operator Zachary Ledbetter was injured trying to close the discharge door due to the broken valve. Ledbetter was eventually freed from the door, but he died at a hospital five days later.

    “Today’s sentencing reflects Fabcon’s willful failure to implement measures to protect its workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Sadly, this led to Zachary’s death. This tragedy shows the importance of following safety standards.”

    “Fabcon Precast LLC willfully failed to adhere to OSHA safety regulations which resulted in the tragic and preventable loss of a worker’s life. This sentencing highlights our steadfast commitment to continue working with OSHA and our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who jeopardize workers’ safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Megan Howell of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region.

    Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.

    The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman, of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and for the Southern District of Ohio respectively, prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada officials to hold a media availability regarding Canada’s summer seasonal weather outlook

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Gatineau, Quebec – June 9, 2025 – Media representatives are advised that officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada will hold a media availability to discuss Canada’s summer seasonal weather outlook.

    The media availability will be held via Zoom. Following the briefing, media will have the opportunity to ask questions to Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada experts. This availability is for attribution and may be recorded.

    Event: Media availability (bilingual)
    Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
    Time: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)
    Location: Via Zoom

    To join the media availability, please follow the Zoom link.

    Notes to media:

    • Please note this event will be the primary opportunity for media representatives to connect with experts on this topic.
    • When joining the media availability on Zoom, media representatives interested in asking a question are asked to change their screen names to include their full name and media outlet. Unidentified participants will not be called upon.
    • Media representatives can adjust the video layout of their screen for broadcast purposes. To do so, please follow these instructions.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wildfire smoke can harm your brain, not just your lungs

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Dr Bhavini Gohel, Clinical Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

    Wildfires are already burning in parts of Canada, and as they do, many communities are already facing the familiar thick haze as smoke drifts in.

    Smoke from wildfires has already led Environment Canada to issue air quality warnings for much of Ontario. In Toronto, smoke led to the city briefly having the worst air quality in the world.

    Anyone who has experienced wildfire smoke knows how it can leave you with a scratchy throat, stinging eyes and impact your lungs. However, smoke can also affect your brain. Tiny airborne pollutants found in smoke have been linked to increased risk of stroke, dementia and flare-ups in neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS).

    These effects can disproportionately impact older adults, people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and those living in low-income communities. This isn’t just about climate. It’s about equity, and health systems need to catch up.

    Canada’s 2023 wildfire season was the worst on record, and as climate change worsens wildfires, it may be a sign of what’s to come.

    Animation of Canada’s 2023 wildfire season by cartographer Peter Atwood, using NASA data to show the daily spread of fires and smoke across the country. (Peter Atwood)

    A direct path to the brain

    Alongside harmful gases and heavy metals, wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5. These tiny particles can travel deep into your lungs, slip into your bloodstream and even reach your brain. Some even bypass the lungs entirely, entering the brain directly through the nose.

    After entering the brain, these toxins can cause inflammation and stress, damage nerve cells and even accelerate cognitive decline. Studies have linked exposure to air pollution to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. Even short-term spikes in smoke exposure, like those during wildfires, lead to a surge in emergency visits for strokes, especially among people over 65.

    A 2022 experiment had thousands of adults participate in an online attention task under smoky conditions. It found that just a three-hour spike in fine particulate matter, typical of a heavy smoke episode, led to measurably worse attention scores. This fits other evidence that breathing smoke makes people mentally foggy, forgetful or fatigued.

    Fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke can reach the brain via the lungs or nose, causing inflammation, neuronal damage, and raising the risk of stroke, dementia, cognitive decline, and MS flare-ups.
    (Muskaan Muse Laroyia)

    Wildfire smoke, dementia and MS

    In 2024, a study found that chronic exposure to wildfire-related air pollution significantly increased the likelihood of someone being diagnosed with dementia. The risk was most pronounced in low-income communities, where people often have less access to clean air, health care and protective measures.

    For people already living with neurological conditions like MS or Parkinson’s disease, the stakes are even higher. Exposure to fine particulate pollution has been linked with increased hospital admissions for MS relapses, particularly in young patients. Other research points to worsening symptoms of epilepsy and cognitive decline under extreme heat and polluted air conditions.

    Despite these mounting risks, neurological health considerations have been largely absent from wildfire preparedness initiatives and public health responses. That needs to change.

    If you want to stay informed about local smoke exposure, tools like AQmap can help you track PM2.5 levels in real time across Canada.

    Some more impacted than others

    Some face far greater risk from wildfire smoke than others, including older adults, those with pre-existing health conditions, people with lower socio-economic status, Indigenous populations, people residing in remote areas and children. This is a health equity issue as much as a medical one.

    Each of these groups faces unique and compounding challenges during smoke events. For example, older adults are more vulnerable to the cardiovascular and neurological effects of smoke. They also face greater barriers to accessing filtered environments.

    People with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including those with neurological conditions, often can’t relocate during smoke events and may rely on power-dependent medical devices that can fail during climate emergencies.

    Low-income families are more likely to live in housing without proper air filtration or cooling. These same communities often face higher baseline rates of neurological disease.

    Indigenous communities, more than 80 per cent of which are located near fire-prone areas, face recurring displacement, interruptions to care and disproportionate exposure to smoke each summer.

    Children and adolescents are particularly susceptible to the harmful neurological effects of wildfires. Because their brains are still developing and they breathe more air per body weight than adults, children are especially vulnerable to harmful pollutants.

    Studies have linked early-life exposure to fine particulate matter with an increased risk of neuro-developmental disorders, lower cognitive function and structural brain changes.

    These populations aren’t just more exposed, they also have fewer resources to respond.

    Rethinking Canada’s health systems

    Recognizing these inequities, we are developing a climate-health equity framework for Canada, with a specific focus on neurological health. Our interdisciplinary team is asking: how can we build health systems that protect vulnerable brains during climate emergencies?

    Health-care workers in Alberta Health Services have designed the Climate-Resilient Acute Care Clinical Operations Framework. This framework supports hospitals in becoming both greener and more resilient, ensuring care can continue during wildfires, floods and extreme heat events.

    Importantly, it also centres the needs of equity-deserving populations, integrating climate adaptation into emergency care, supply chains, staffing and patient communication.

    What needs to change?

    1. Public awareness must expand beyond respiratory health. Neurological effects of smoke should be included in public health messaging, especially for high-risk groups.

    2. Health systems must be climate-ready, with clean air shelters, evacuation protocols and services tailored to meet the needs of neurological patients.

    3. Communities need support, from funding for air filtration to co-ordinated outreach during smoke events. Indigenous-led fire stewardship and community health initiatives should be part of national planning. Supporting Indigenous-led fire stewardship not only strengthens wildfire response but also respects Indigenous sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge.

    4. Clinicians must be empowered to address climate-related health risks. Training in environmental health, including its impact on the brain, is increasingly essential.

    Wildfire season is back, and with it, an urgent need to protect more than just our lungs. The science is clear: breathing smoky air affects our minds, especially for those already facing health and social vulnerabilities.

    Climate change is a brain health issue. Building a healthier, more equitable future requires us to treat it that way, starting now.

    Dr Bhavini Gohel works for the Canadian Coalition for Green Healthcare.

    Muskaan Muse Laroyia 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. Wildfire smoke can harm your brain, not just your lungs – https://theconversation.com/wildfire-smoke-can-harm-your-brain-not-just-your-lungs-258052

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Announces $3.4 Million for Great Lakes Water Authority for PFAS Remediation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today announced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $3,452,972 to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) for a PFAS Compounds Remediation Project, as requested by Congresswoman Dingell in the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process.

    “We know the urgent threat of PFAS too well in Michigan, and this is a problem so many of our communities are facing and working hard to remediate,” Dingell said. “I’m proud to have secured this funding for the Great Lakes Water Authority to establish a project to rapidly respond to, treat, and dispose of PFAS in our local water systems. I will continue to fight in Congress for funds and regulations to end the spread of dangerous forever chemicals.”

    “We would like to thank Congresswoman Dingell for her efforts to secure this funding. The PFAS family of forever compounds continue to be an area of concern for water utilities that receive them in their waste streams,” said Suzanne R. Coffey, Chief Executive Officer, Great Lakes Water Authority. “GLWA has worked diligently to identify point sources that contribute these chemicals to mitigate and remove them from our system. This funding will allow us to continue to expand and optimize those efforts.” 

    GLWA provides wastewater treatment services to approximately 28% of Michigan’s population, serving 79 communities located in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. This funding will enable GLWA to establish a demonstration project for the rapid response, remediation, treatment, and disposal of PFAS compound contamination impacts in the Oakwood Sewer District, and to identify and eliminate Emerging Contaminants (i.e., PFAS Compounds) that have been discharged within its system. The project will benefit all communities served by eliminating contaminants from the system and local waterways, and will also benefit communities where PFOA or PFAS contaminants of unknown origin are discovered.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Air Quality Alert Issued for the Southwest Coast of Maine Amid Canadian Wildfires

    Source: US State of Maine

    June 9, 2025

    CONTACT:

    Ground-level particle pollution concentrations are expected to be in the ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’ (USG) level according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

    Sunday, USG levels of particle pollution were recorded in the Southwest Coastal area. This morning, levels continue in the USG range. While levels may drop during the day, another plume of wildfire smoke is expected to move in from the east. This is a portion of the plume from the western Canadian wildfires that broke off over Newfoundland and Labrador. It has now moved south of Nova Scotia. Easterly winds are expected to push this plume toward the Maine & New Hampshire coast with the leading edge reaching the shoreline this afternoon.

    Currently, smoke is expected to move out on Tuesday. DEP will continue to monitor the situation and update Tuesdays forecast this afternoon.

    Smoke may return in the coming days as wildfires continue to burn across Canada.

    At elevated levels of particle pollution, children, the elderly, and individuals suffering from respiratory or heart diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, or COPD can experience reduced lung function and irritation. In addition, healthy adults who exert themselves outdoors may also notice these health effects. Affected individuals may notice symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, throat irritation, and/or experience mild chest pain.

    Some actions you can take to protect your health during periods of elevated particle pollution levels include:

    • Avoid strenuous outdoor activity
    • Close windows and circulate indoor air with a fan or air conditioner
    • If you have asthma, keep your quick-relief medications and action plan handy

    Additional health information may be found on the following websites:

    In addition to those in a sensitive group, others who are responsible for the welfare of people impacted by poor air quality are urged to use one of the listed tools to follow the Air Quality Forecast:

    For more information go to Maine DEPs air quality web site.

    For additional information, contact: David R. Madore, Deputy Commissioner david.madore@maine.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ethnoprimatology: research examines the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples about primates in their territories

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Fabrício Gatagon Suruí, Biólogo e Primatólogo, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi

    The Paiter-Suruí people have a culture deeply rooted in their land: the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land (TISS), on the border of Rondônia and Mato Grosso in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon. Known as Paiterey Karah, this territory is home to rich biodiversity. However, increasing human encroachment has triggered socio-cultural and territorial challenges that now threaten the transmission of traditional wisdom.

    The region’s wildlife includes several primate species—some now at risk of extinction due to deforestation and environmental degradation. Within their traditional memory, the Paiter-Suruí hold extensive knowledge about these animals, which are integral to their cultural heritage. This includes the 10 species of neotropical primates identified and named by the Paiter-Suruí, all native to their territory.

    Of these 10 species, five appear on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, a global benchmark for conservation status of fauna and flora. Among them, three—Ateles chamek, Chiropotes albinasus, and Pithecia mittermeieri—are considered extremely rare, according to Paiter tradition.

    To bridge Indigenous expertise and scientific research, I conducted the study ‘Primates and the Paiter Surui People: Ethnobiology and Ethnoconservation in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land of the Brazilian Amazon’, exploring the traditional ecological knowledge the Paiter-Suruí hold of non-human primates in their landscape. Developed during my master’s studies at the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, this is the first systematic ethnoprimatological study with the Paiter-Suruí.

    Ethnoprimatology

    Ethnoprimatology studies the intersections between humans and non-human primates. In this field, the Paiter-Suruí have developed a complex traditional knowledge system relating to the primate species in their territory.

    Because it is inherently interdisciplinary, ethnoprimatology connects biology and anthropology, allowing a deeper analysis of how human and primate lives intertwine—both ecologically and culturally.

    My research used an ethnoprimatological approach grounded in qualitative methodology, drawing on key practices from biological and cultural anthropology.

    The study

    This research aimed to document the breadth of Paiter-Suruí knowledge about the primates within the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, examining both the cultural and ecological significance of these animals, as well as their uses—for food, handicrafts, traditional medicine, and timekeeping based on animal vocalizations.

    Using an interdisciplinary approach, I holistically examined the biological, ecological, and socio-cultural factors shaping the human-primate relationship in this region.

    The study took place in 2021 and 2022, with fieldwork in six communities across TISS. Qualitative methodologies guided the research, which drew on both an ethnographic literature review and a survey of ethnoprimatological research.

    For data collection, I used several techniques: free listing, collective semi-structured interviews, participant observation—immersing myself in daily community life for deeper understanding—and audiovisual recordings.

    Interviews included community members aged 20 to 80, with special attention to elders, who are the main custodians of traditional primate knowledge. However, women and young hunters were also included to enrich the information gathered.

    Through the free list technique, which asks participants for open-ended answers without restrictions, I identified 10 primate species recognized and named by the Paiter-Suruí.

    The primates of the territory

    Among the 10 primate species documented in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, three are traditionally used as food, while four have special symbolic importance, woven into key cultural, ecological, and mythological aspects of the Paiter cosmology.

    An illustrative case is the red-necked night monkey—called Yaah in Paiter. Elders say this species is excluded from the community’s typical primate classifications and instead regarded as an omen. Hearing its call or unexpectedly seeing one signals the approach of external enemies or impending death in the community.

    While exploring these cultural ties to the region’s primates, I also observed the practice of rearing infant animals, especially among girls. Species such as Alouatta puruensis (howler monkey), Saimiri ustus (squirrel monkey), and Mico nigriceps (black-headed marmoset) are commonly involved.

    In Paiter-Suruí society, adolescent girls often care for offspring of monkeys hunted by the community, as well as other small animals outside their typical diet. Encouraged by parents, this tradition is a vehicle for socialization and passing down valued skills. By raising young animals, girls develop emotion, empathy, nurturing skills, and hands-on experience seen as foundational for motherhood in Paiter tradition.

    Beyond developing caretaking abilities, these interactions strengthen symbolic and emotional connections with local wildlife—especially primates—reinforcing ideals of belonging, reciprocity, and respect for nature. These practices demonstrate the interplay among social learning, interspecies relations, and ecological wisdom passed down through generations.

    Community members also reported declining populations of certain primate species, including two—Yaah (Aotus nigriceps) and Arimẽ-Iter (Ateles chamek)—that hold special cultural significance. The latter became a central focus of my research.

    The endangered Arimẽ-Iter

    The black-faced spider monkey (Ateles chamek), or Arimẽ-Iter to the Paiter, is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its sacred status and diverse roles led me to propose it as a ‘Cultural Key Species’ for the Paiter-Suruí.

    In various Indigenous communities, certain biological species are of exceptional cultural importance and are called Cultural Key Species. Defined by their significant role, many uses and deep integration in community life, these species embody the interdependence between people and their environment.

    For the Paiter-Suruí, the black-faced spider monkey (Ateles chamek) stands out for its multiple uses and appears to meet the criteria of a Cultural Key Species.

    Based on field observations, I cataloged five uses the Paiter-Suruí associate with this species:

    · Food: The meat of Ateles chamek (called Sobag) is an important protein source in the Paiter-Suruí diet.

    · Traditional dishes: Its meat is used in cultural recipes, often with Mamé—a flatbread made from corn flour. This practice passes down culinary knowledge and highlights the species’ nutritional, medicinal, and symbolic value in the community.

    · Handicrafts: Spider monkey teeth are made into body ornaments (Sogap Arimẽ Ikaáp)—such as necklaces and bracelets—which reflect status or ceremonial participation and reinforce ties between people and local fauna.

    · Medicine: The animal’s lard is traditionally applied to wounds (Ikawah), part of the community’s oral ethnopharmacological knowledge passed down by elders and healers.

    · Caretaking: When infants are orphaned through hunting, adolescent girls may raise young spider monkeys. This reinforces learning about caretaking and builds affectionate, reciprocal ties between people and primates (Yatĩga), reflecting broader values of coexistence with nature.

    Together with ancestral stewardship of spider monkey habitats, these uses highlight the species’ role as essential for cultural preservation and identity among the Paiter-Suruí.

    Territorial and environmental management plan

    Facing growing socio-environmental challenges, the Paiter have created internal policies for territorial management, grassroots political organization, and culturally centered development—all to protect their culture and traditional knowledge.

    This laid the foundation for the Territorial and Environmental Management Plan (PGTA) for the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land, launched in 2000 as a comprehensive framework guiding conservation, resource management, and recognition of cultural practices.

    In my research, I examine TISS land management practices, focusing on the protection of primates as essential to ecological preservation. These animals are vital both for maintaining natural balance and for the cultural continuity of the territory.

    Of the 10 primate species recognized by the Paiter, five now qualify as threatened under the IUCN Red List. However, the PGTA currently lacks targeted conservation measures for these at-risk populations. My findings suggest the management plan could serve as a platform to protect local primates.

    Ultimately, enacting effective conservation efforts for these ethno-species is critical to the coexistence of the region’s biodiversity and the traditional knowledge of the Paiter-Suruí.

    Fabrício Gatagon Suruí não presta consultoria, trabalha, possui ações ou recebe financiamento de qualquer empresa ou organização que poderia se beneficiar com a publicação deste artigo e não revelou nenhum vínculo relevante além de seu cargo acadêmico.

    – ref. Ethnoprimatology: research examines the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples about primates in their territories – https://theconversation.com/ethnoprimatology-research-examines-the-traditional-knowledge-of-indigenous-peoples-about-primates-in-their-territories-258345

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –