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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why it’s not a problem that dinosaurs are sold for millions of dollars – art historian

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mark Westgarth, Professor, History of the Art Market, University of Leeds

    Sotheby’s publicity photograph for the _Ceratosaurus_ fossil. Sotheby’s, CC BY-SA

    A juvenile dinosaur fossil, Ceratosaurus nasicornis, has sold at Sotheby’s New York for US$30.5 million (£22.7 million). It is part of a recent resurgence of art-market interest in fossils and natural history – palaeontology and geology especially. Indeed, this latest dinosaur sale was part of an auction specifically dedicated to natural history.

    Led by iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex fossils, the prices for such specimens have reached eyewatering levels in recent years. “Stan”, currently the most expensive T-Rex, sold for US$31.8 million at Christie’s New York in 2020. Then a stegosaurus called “Apex” sold for US$44.6 million in New York in 2024.

    The US$30.5 million sale of the juvenile Ceratosaurus, a much smaller species, raises the market bar significantly. Even a T-Rex fossil foot at the latest Sotheby’s auction far exceeded its published estimate of US$250,000-US$300,000, selling for US$1.8 million. When you reflect that a full T-Rex fossil by the name of “Sue” sold for US$8.4 million in 1997 – US$17 million in today’s money – it looks cheap by comparison.

    Sotheby’s marketing of the Ceratosaurus highlights how the art market builds narratives around these objects of science. Publicity photographs emphasise the dinosaur’s sculptural qualities, along with descriptions like “mounted in an action pose … with jaws open”. This mirrors the presentation in taxidermy mounts, another market that is drawing in more collectors at present.

    Photographs in the auction publicity have an almost filmic quality. They tie the fossil to its discovery process, with the image at the top of this article including an SUV in the distance that is kitted out for fossil hunting.

    The extensive catalogue description builds on this, appropriating the language of science with a forensic account of how the fossil was discovered and pieced together, supporting the key art market criteria of authenticity.

    It highlights the commodity status of the fossil as a spectacle, aimed at new, younger super-rich collectors who are seeking out statement pieces. These allow them to demonstrate what the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu termed increasing levels of distinction – in other words, cultural choices as markers of status and power.

    Auctions and ethics

    Some palaeontologists express concerns about the idea of moving dinosaur remains “into the same realms as fine art”. Much opposition comes from the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology (SVP), a leading body on fossil research based in Utah, which is influential far beyond the US.

    Stuart Sumida, the president of the society, complained after the Ceratosaurus auction that such transactions can mean removing specimens “from the public trust and the scientific community for profit”. As his predecessor David Polly lamented in 2018, it can “create a perception that [fossils] have a commercial value”.

    The premise here is that the market is somehow dislocated from palaeontology, but the truth is that scientific research is never conducted in a commercial vacuum. It benefits from private funding and publishes in journals whose access is restricted for commercial gain. Replicas of dinosaur specimens are commercially licensed by museums, while moving fossils or replicas between institutions involves huge costs, covering everything from transport to insurance.

    Equally, the relationship between palaeontology and the market is more symbiotic than it might appear. The market for dinosaur fossils traces back to the late 18th century, with early operators including the fossil collector Mary Anning (1799-1847). Her discovery of dinosaur fossils on the English south coast in Dorset led to her establishing a successful shop called Annings Fossil Depot in the mid-1820s.

    Now recognised as one of the leading palaeontologists of the 19th century, the market for fossils that she helped to create increased the visibility and public interest in dinosaurs. This in turn acted as a catalyst for increased research activity in this area.

    More recently, the appetite for dinosaurs is reflected in multiple consumer spheres, from Jurassic Park to Barney & Friends. Every new product boosts public awareness of dinosaurs and no doubt ignites further research activity.

    Do palaeontologists need Barney more than they think?
    Paul M Walsh

    Each dinosaur auction that hits the headlines contributes to this effect. Privately owned fossils are also, in my experience, more likely to be exhibited in venues beyond natural history museums, such as major art fairs and even contemporary art museums. This too increases their visibility, which probably helps expand the range and scope of research interest.

    Now, you might argue that public interest is strong enough to drive research without the need for any benefits from auctions. Maybe the benefits are also outweighed by the palaeontologists’ concerns about specimens being lost to science when they fall into private hands.

    Then again, the SVP’s ethical guidelines contribute to such marginalisation. These insist that palaeontologists should “only conduct research on fossils held in collections with a permanent commitment to curation and accessibility” – in other words, museums. Loosen this restriction and the objection diminishes.

    When bodies like the SVP call for a total separation between art and science, between research and the art market, maybe they’re the ones that are the dinosaura for taking such a simplistic approach. The reality of auctioning these discoveries is a lot more complicated than some would have you believe.

    Mark Westgarth receives funding from Arts & Humanities Research Council.

    – ref. Why it’s not a problem that dinosaurs are sold for millions of dollars – art historian – https://theconversation.com/why-its-not-a-problem-that-dinosaurs-are-sold-for-millions-of-dollars-art-historian-261542

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are you ageing well? Take the five-part quiz that could help change your future

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jitka Vseteckova, Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care, The Open University

    Sabrina Bracher/Shutterstock

    Most of us want to enjoy later life feeling strong, connected, and mentally sharp. But how often do we stop to think about whether the things we’re doing right now are helping us get there?

    A new quiz – which we have developed as part of the Take Five to Age Well project, a free, expert-led, month-long challenge from The Open University and Age UK – makes it easier, and more empowering, to ask that question, reflect and take action.

    Healthy ageing doesn’t depend on just one thing. Research shows that our long-term wellbeing is shaped by a mix of physical, mental and social factors. That’s why experts, including us, have identified five key areas – known as the Five Pillars for Ageing Well – that form a strong foundation for staying well and thriving in later life:



    Read more:
    You can’t reverse the ageing process but these 5 things can help you live longer

    1. Are you eating well?

    Are you getting enough fruit and vegetables, limiting ultra-processed foods and meeting your body’s changing nutritional needs? Diets like the Mediterranean plan are linked with a lower risk of dementia and other chronic conditions.

    Malnutrition is a serious concern in older age, especially when it comes to maintaining strong muscles and bones.

    2. Are you staying hydrated?

    Are you drinking enough water to support both your brain and body? Dehydration can creep up easily and affect cognitive function, mood and energy.

    Cutting down on sugary drinks can help you to maintain a healthy weight and staying within recommended alcohol limits can also help lower your risk of conditions like dementia. Hydration really matters.

    For people with life-limiting illnesses or conditions such as advanced dementia, where appetite and oral intake may be severely reduced, sugary drinks may be one of the few sources of calories they can tolerate. In these cases, hydration and comfort take priority over strict nutritional guidelines, and personalised care plans should always guide decisions.

    3. Are you being physically active?

    Are you moving regularly? Enough to raise your heart rate? Are you breaking up long periods of sitting with movement?



    Read more:
    Sitting is bad for your health and exercise doesn’t seem to offset the harmful effects

    A sedentary lifestyle is linked to a wide range of health risks. Simple habits like walking more can boost physical fitness, sharpen the mind and help prevent osteoporosis, especially when paired with good nutrition.

    4. Are you connecting socially?

    Are you keeping in touch with others, spending time in your community and enjoying meaningful connection? Loneliness increases the risk of depression and cognitive decline.

    Building strong social ties earlier in life can help protect wellbeing over the long term.

    5. Are you challenging your brain?

    Are you keeping your mind active by learning, reading, playing an instrument, or trying something new? Research shows that learning about your interests, activities like crossword puzzles or new physical activities can keep the brain healthy and potentially delay dementia. There’s no magic fix, but even small actions can have lasting benefits.

    Why it matters

    We developed the Take Five to Age Well quiz to help people reflect on how they’re doing across these five areas – and where there might be room to grow. The follow-up resources are based on real-life experiences of ageing from diverse communities and offer small, achievable steps you can start today.

    Unlike many online quizzes, this one doesn’t just score you – it supports you. After signing up to the month-long challenge and taking the quiz, the Take Five to Age Well participants receive tips, encouragement and expert-led advice supporting participants’ current habits and needs.

    We’ve also partnered with BridgitCare – organisation that works with Councils, the NHS and Carer Charities across the UK, to help identify carers and scale the support provided with the use of technology – to create Age Well, a free, web-based tool offering personalised daily actions. Whether you want to add more greens to your plate, look for expert tips, and easy ways to stay in control of your health, hobbies, and wellbeing or swap ten minutes of scrolling for a short walk, every step counts.



    Read more:
    Forming new habits can take longer than you think. Here are 8 tips to help you stick with them

    Age Well can also connect you to local groups and services to help turn good intentions into lasting routines.

    Healthy ageing isn’t just about avoiding illness – it’s about learning how to age well, maintaining independence, confidence and quality of life. And with an ageing population, learning that supports all taking proactive steps to protect our mental and physical health is more important than ever.

    The best part? Many of the most effective actions are small and realistic. You don’t have to run marathons or give up everything you enjoy. Take Five to Age Well meets you where you are – and helps you build a future where you feel stronger, more connected and better supported.

    No matter your age, it’s never too early – or too late – to start your journey to ageing well.

    Jitka Vseteckova is a Trustee with carers Buckinghamshire & Carers MK.

    Lis Boulton Health & Care Policy Manager, in the Charity Influencing Division at Age UK. Lis is also Chair of the National Falls Prevention Coordination Group, and also Chair of Age UK Calderdale & Kirklees, her local Age UK in West Yorkshire.

    – ref. Are you ageing well? Take the five-part quiz that could help change your future – https://theconversation.com/are-you-ageing-well-take-the-five-part-quiz-that-could-help-change-your-future-256381

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rin Ushiyama, Lecturer in Sociology, Queen’s University Belfast

    Japan held elections for its upper house, the House of Councillors, on July 20. The vote proved a challenge for the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which has been reeling from corruption scandals, rising prices and US tariffs on Japanese exports.

    The ruling coalition, composed of the LDP and its junior partner, Kōmeitō, lost its majority in the house. While the centre-left Constitutional Democratic party maintained its position as the largest opposition group, the breakout success of the election was that of Sanseitō, an ultranationalist populist party.

    Sanseitō successfully framed immigration as a central issue in the election campaign, with the provocative slogan “Japanese First”. The party won 14 seats in the 248-seat chamber, a substantial jump from the single seat it won in the last election in 2022.

    Sanseitō calls itself a party of “ordinary Japanese citizens with the same mindset who came together”. It was formed in 2020 by Sōhei Kamiya, a conservative career politician who served as a city councillor in Suita, a city in Osaka Prefecture, before being elected to the House of Councillors.

    Although Sanseitō was initially known for its stance against the COVID-19 vaccine, it has more recently campaigned on an anti-foreigner and anti-immigration platform. The party, which also holds three seats in the powerful lower house, has quickly gained seats in regional and national elections. It most recently won three seats in Tokyo’s prefectural elections in June 2025.

    Sanseitō is “anti-globalist”, urging voters to feel proud of their ethnicity and culture. Polls suggest the party is popular among younger men aged between 18 and 30.

    Throughout the most recent election campaign, Kamiya repeatedly spread far-right conspiracy theories and misinformation. This included arguing multinational corporations caused the pandemic, as well as that foreigners commit crimes en masse and can avoid paying inheritance tax. Social media has amplified Sanseitō’s xenophobic messaging.

    Sanseitō’s electoral success is reminiscent of other right-wing populist parties across Europe and North America, which also place immigration as a core issue.

    Kamiya denies being a xenophobe. But he has expressed support for the Republican party in the US, Reform in the UK, Alternativ für Deutschland in Germany and Rassemblement National in France. Echoing other right-wing populist leaders, Kamiya has promised tax cuts, home-grown industries, regulation of foreigners and patriotic education.

    However, while Sanseitō rides the global wave of right-wing populism, it also has deeply Japanese roots. Following Japan’s defeat in the second world war, a distinct current of right-wing thought developed, defending “traditional values” and glorifying Japan’s imperial past.

    Tensions have flared periodically over issues such as history education and official visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where those who died in service of Japan – including military leaders convicted of war crimes – are commemorated. There have also been disputes around the memorialisation of so-called “comfort women”, who were forced into sex slavery by Japanese forces before and during the war.

    Building on these currents, Sanseitō represents a new generation of Japanese conservatism, not just an emulation of foreign populist leaders.

    What happens next?

    Sanseitō’s rise could have a pivotal influence on Japan’s political landscape. While the prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has indicated he will not resign, the ruling coalition has now lost control of both houses. Ishiba may need to seek support from other parties and may face leadership challenges.

    He also must respond to issues Sanseitō has raised. LDP policymakers are now aware of public anxieties surrounding migration, excessive tourism and cultural integration. Seeking to co-opt some of Sanseitō’s proposals, the government has already banned tourists from driving and set up a new government agency to address concerns about non-Japanese nationals. It has also pledged to reduce illegal immigration to zero.

    But the government is facing steep economic and demographic challenges, such as US tariffs, a rapidly ageing and declining population, and a record-low birth rate. So it cannot afford to cut immigration dramatically. Policymakers will have to balance economic needs with hardening public attitudes towards foreigners.

    It’s not just immigration that will be at stake. Ishiba will need to navigate wedge issues that could split the LDP’s conservative support base. These include same-sex marriage, the use of separate surnames by married couples, and female succession to the throne.

    It’s too early to say whether Sanseitō can sustain its momentum. Numerous populist leaders in Japan before Kamiya have succeeded in turning mistrust of the political class into votes at the ballot box. However, few have been able to translate it into meaningful political change across multiple election cycles.

    For instance, Shinji Ishimaru made headlines in 2024 after placing second in the race for Tokyo governor. But his Path to Reform party, which promised educational reform, struggled in the latest election. Reiwa Shinsengumi, the left populist party led by Tarō Yamamoto, also enjoyed success in previous elections but remains small.

    Only time will tell if Sanseitō will become a major political party or yet another minority group on the fringes. But it’s clear anti-immigration populism has arrived in Japan. And it looks like it’s here to stay.

    Rin Ushiyama 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. Rightwing populist Sanseitō party shakes Japan with election surge – https://theconversation.com/rightwing-populist-sanseito-party-shakes-japan-with-election-surge-261303

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Teenagers aren’t good at spotting misinformation online – research suggests why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yvonne Skipper, Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Education), University of Glasgow

    Body Stock/Shutterstock

    Misinformation is found in every element of our online lives. It ranges from fake products available to buy, fake lifestyle posts on social media accounts and fake news about health and politics.

    Misinformation has an impact not only on our beliefs but also our behaviour: for example, it has affected how people vote in elections and whether people intend to have vaccinations.

    And since anyone can create and share online content, without the kind of verification processes or fact checking typical of more traditional media, misinformation has proliferated.

    This is particularly important as young people increasingly turn to social media for all kinds of information, using it as a source of news and as a search engine. But despite their frequent use of social media, teenagers struggle to evaluate the accuracy of the content they consume.

    A 2022 report from media watchdog Ofcom found that only 11% of 11 to 17 year olds could reliably recognise the signs that indicated a post was genuine.

    My research has explored what teenagers understand about misinformation online. I held focus groups with 37 11- to 14-year-olds, asking them their views on misinformation.

    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.

    I found that the young people in the study tended to – wrongly – believe that misinformation was only about world events and scams. Because of this, they believed that they personally did not see a lot of misinformation.

    “[My Instagram] isn’t really like ‘this is happening in the world’ or whatever, it’s just kind of like life,” one said. This may make them vulnerable to misinformation as they are only alert for it in these domains.

    There was also wide variation in how confident they felt about spotting misinformation. Some were confident in their skills. “I’m not daft enough to believe it,” as one put it.

    Others admitted to being easily fooled. This was an interesting finding, as previous research has indicated that most people have a high level of confidence in their personal ability to spot misinformation.

    Most did not fact-check information by cross-referencing what they read with other news sources. They relied instead on their intuition – “You just see it, you know” – or looked at what others said in comment sections to spot misinformation. But neither of these strategies is likely to be particularly reliable.

    Relying on gut instinct typically means using cognitive shortcuts such as “I trust her, so I can trust her post” or “the website looks professional, so it is trustworthy”. This makes it easy for people to create believable false information.

    And a study by Ofcom found that only 22% of adults were able to identify signs of a genuine post. This means that relying on other people to help us tell true from false is not likely to be effective.

    Interestingly, the teens in this study saw older adults, particularly grandparents, as especially vulnerable to believing false information. On the other hand, they viewed their parents as more skilled at spotting misinformation than they themselves were. “[Parents] see it as fake news, so they don’t believe it and they don’t need to worry about it,” one said.

    Teens thought their parents would be better than them at spotting misinformation online.
    LightField Studios/Shutterstock

    This was unexpected. We might assume that young people, who are often considered digital natives, would see themselves as more adept than their parents at spotting misinformation.

    Taking responsibility

    We discussed whose role it was to challenge misinformation online. The teens were reluctant to challenge it themselves. They thought it would not make a difference if they did, or they feared being victimised online or even offline.

    Instead, they believed that governments should stop the spread of misinformation “as they know about what wars are happening”. But older participants thought that if the government took a leading role in stopping the spread of misinformation “there would be protests”, as it would be seen as censorship.

    They also felt that platforms should take responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation to protect their reputation, so that people don’t panic about fake news.

    In light of these findings, my colleagues and I have created a project that works with young people to create resources to help them develop their skills in spotting misinformation and staying safe online. We work closely with young people to understand what their concerns are, and how they want to learn about these topics.

    We also partner with organisations such as Police Scotland and Education Scotland to ensure our materials are grounded in real-world challenges and informed by the needs of teachers and other adult professionals as well as young people.

    Yvonne Skipper has received funding from the ESRC, Education Scotland and British Academy.

    – ref. Teenagers aren’t good at spotting misinformation online – research suggests why – https://theconversation.com/teenagers-arent-good-at-spotting-misinformation-online-research-suggests-why-260445

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How young people have taken climate justice to the world’s international courts

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Susan Ann Samuel, PhD Candidate, School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds

    Pla2na/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

    Youth activist organisations including Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and World Youth for Climate Justice recently coordinated massive online calls across two different time zones. These two global gatherings were in preparation for a coordinated global youth movement around the release of the most anticipated advisory opinion scheduled to be delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23 2025.

    An advisory opinion is a legal interpretation provided by a high-level court or tribunal with a special mandate, in response to a specific question of law. Simply put, an advisory opinion is not legally binding in the way a court judgement between two nations would be.

    But it is authoritative. The opinion carries significant legal, moral and political weight: since states often refer to advisory opinions when shaping policies, judges cite them for decisions and they’re used by civil society to hold governments accountable. An advisory opinion can influence shifting governance and principles governing it. I like to think of it as a northern star — it won’t change the reality but can guide potential outcomes and pave the way for future change.

    As one of hundreds of participants attending both the online meetings, plus in my capacity as a researcher investigating the role of youth in climate law and politics, this collective action feels momentous.

    The movement for an advisory opinion to ICJ began in 2019 when a few brave young people from the Pacific Islands stood up for the world. Twenty-seven law students at the Vanuatu campus of the University of South Pacific convinced their nation to champion climate action and accountability to the entire world by bringing climate justice to the world court.

    For these students in the Pacific, the climate crisis means losing their identity, their culture and their homes to the rising sea levels and weather catastrophes. To the young people across the globe — including me — the concern about not being heard by world leaders becomes a shared reality, even though it is our future at stake.

    Four courts, four continents

    It’s not just the ICJ that’s delivering an advisory opinion. The world is at a turning point. For the first time, four world courts or tribunals across four continents are being asked to clarify nations’ legal obligations in the face of the climate crisis. The ICJ’s advisory opinion is the centrepiece: but it sits within a broader push primarily by global youth and developing countries — to clarify what human rights, state responsibility and climate justice mean in law.

    A “quartet” of advisory opinions now spans four judicial bodies: the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the ICJ, and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. See the diagram below to check the timeline of each court proceeding.

    In addition to the advisory opinions, there are currently 3,113 climate cases across the globe. These include many youth-led cases that bolster solidarity for climate action, call for futureproofing environmental governance, and evoke soft power around the legal proceedings.

    These legal proceedings are the result of bold, persistent advocacy. These cases are not abstract. There’s a moral arc here: they primarily stem from advocacy from global youth movements, developing countries, civil society coalitions and frontline communities demanding legal recognition of climate harms and protection of future generations.

    As such, the role of youth in bolstering moral power is massive. Their influence in empowering states across the globe to embody climate leadership is critical to pushing for political action, even amid geopolitical realities.

    Tracing climate litigation patterns suggests that youth are changing the environmental governance space: as youth litigators (both young lawyers and youth-led cases), youth negotiators and youth activists. Youth across these three spheres — law, politics and activism — are mutually reinforcing each other in their advocacy, unlike ever before.

    Themes of climate justice in litigation, negotiation, and social movements are deeply interconnected, rather than isolated from one another. Youth, who are active across all these spheres, often serve as key advocates, thereby reshaping governance dynamics in the process

    The push for justice by youth is palpable, despite growing political concerns across the globe. Youth remains the common face of vulnerability, agency and promise. The call for justice is now.

    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.

    Susan Ann Samuel receives funding from Prof. Viktoria Spaiser’s UKRI FLF Grant MR/V021141/1 and is supported by the University of Leeds – School of Politics and International Studies.

    – ref. How young people have taken climate justice to the world’s international courts – https://theconversation.com/how-young-people-have-taken-climate-justice-to-the-worlds-international-courts-261033

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: From painkillers to antibiotics: five medicines that could harm your hearing

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

    DC Studio/Shutterstock

    When we think about the side effects of medicines, we might think of nausea, fatigue or dizziness. But there’s another, lesser-known risk that can have lasting – and sometimes permanent – consequences: hearing loss. A wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs are known to be ototoxic, meaning they can damage the inner ear and affect hearing or balance.

    Ototoxicity refers to drug or chemical-related damage to the cochlea, which affects hearing, and the vestibular system, which controls balance. Symptoms can include tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss (often starting with high-frequency sounds), dizziness or balance problems or a sensation of fullness in the ears.

    These effects can be temporary or permanent, depending on the drug involved, the dose and duration and a person’s susceptibility.

    The inner ear is highly sensitive, and most experts believe ototoxic drugs cause damage by harming the tiny hair cells in the cochlea or disrupting the fluid balance in the inner ear. Once these hair cells are damaged, they don’t regenerate – making hearing loss irreversible in many cases.

    Around 200 medicines are known to have ototoxic effects. Here are some of the most commonly used drugs to watch out for:

    1. Antibiotics

    Aminoglycoside antibiotics like gentamicin, tobramycin and streptomycin are typically prescribed for serious infections such as sepsis, meningitis, or tuberculosis – conditions where prompt, aggressive treatment can be lifesaving. In these cases, the benefits often outweigh the potential risk of hearing loss.

    These drugs, usually given intravenously, are among the most well-documented ototoxic medications. They can cause irreversible hearing loss, particularly when used in high doses or over extended periods. Some people may also be genetically more vulnerable to these effects.

    These drugs linger in the inner ear for weeks or even months, meaning damage can continue after treatment has ended.

    Other antibiotics to be aware of include macrolides (such as erythromycin and azithromycin) and vancomycin, which have also been linked to hearing problems, particularly in older adults or people with kidney issues.

    2. Heart medicines

    Loop diuretics like furosemide and bumetanide are commonly used to manage heart failure or high blood pressure. When given in high doses or intravenously, they can cause temporary hearing loss by disrupting the fluid and electrolyte balance in the inner ear. Around 3% of users may experience ototoxicity.

    Some blood pressure medications have also been linked to tinnitus.



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    That annoying ringing, buzzing and hissing in the ear – a hearing specialist offers tips to turn down the tinnitus

    These include ACE inhibitors – drugs like ramipril that help relax blood vessels by blocking a hormone called angiotensin, making it easier for the heart to pump blood – and calcium-channel blockers like amlodipine, which reduce blood pressure by preventing calcium from entering the cells of the heart and blood vessel walls. While these associations have been observed, more research is needed to fully understand the extent of their effect on hearing.

    3. Chemotherapy

    Certain chemotherapy drugs, especially those containing platinum – like cisplatin and carboplatin – are known to be highly ototoxic. Cisplatin, often used to treat testicular, ovarian, breast, head and neck cancers, carries a significant risk of permanent hearing loss. That risk increases when radiation is also directed near the head or neck.

    Up to 60% of patients treated with cisplatin experience some degree of hearing loss. Researchers are exploring ways to reduce risk by adjusting dosage or frequency without compromising the drug’s effectiveness.



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    Chemotherapy can be a challenging treatment – here’s how to deal with some of the side-effects

    4. Painkillers

    High doses of common pain relievers, including aspirin, NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, commonly used to relieve pain, inflammation and fever – and even paracetamol, have been linked to tinnitus and hearing loss.

    A large study found that women under 60 who regularly took moderate-dose aspirin (325 mg or more, six to seven times per week) had a 16% higher risk of developing tinnitus. This link was not seen with low-dose aspirin (100 mg or less). Frequent use of NSAIDs as well as paracetamol was also associated with a nearly 20% increased risk of tinnitus, particularly in women who used these medications often.

    Another study linked long-term use of these painkillers to a higher risk of hearing loss, especially in men under 60. In most cases, tinnitus and hearing changes resolve once the medication is stopped – but these side effects typically occur after prolonged, high-dose use.

    5. Antimalarial drugs

    Drugs like chloroquine and quinine – used to treat malaria and leg cramps – can cause reversible hearing loss and tinnitus. One study found that 25–33% of people with hearing loss had previously taken one of these drugs.

    Hydroxychloroquine, used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, has a similar chemical structure and poses a similar risk. While some people recover after stopping the drug, others may experience permanent damage, particularly after long-term or high-dose use.

    People with pre-existing hearing loss, kidney disease, or genetic susceptibility face higher risks – as do those taking multiple ototoxic drugs at once. Children and older adults may also be more vulnerable.

    If you’re prescribed one of these medications for a serious condition like cancer, sepsis or tuberculosis, the benefits usually outweigh the risks. But it’s still wise to be informed. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if your medicine carries a risk to hearing or balance. If you experience ringing in your ears, dizziness, or muffled hearing, report it promptly.

    Dipa Kamdar 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. From painkillers to antibiotics: five medicines that could harm your hearing – https://theconversation.com/from-painkillers-to-antibiotics-five-medicines-that-could-harm-your-hearing-260671

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons’ statement on illegal alien shooting CBP officer

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    July 21, 2025Washington, DC, United StatesStatement

    “Sanctuary city policies and the Biden administration’s open border policies allowed two criminal illegal aliens to enter this country, roam free and commit multiple crimes with no repercussions. Habitual criminals who weren’t even supposed to be in the United States shot an off-duty federal officer in one perpetrator’s second armed robbery this year. I’m tremendously relieved that this CBP officer will recover, but the bottom line is that this shouldn’t have happened. It is clear these criminal aliens have no respect for laws or, quite frankly, for life. ICE’s mission remains to remove this exact type of heinous criminal from our streets, and it will continue to do just that.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A new framework for guiding management decisions for amphibians in an uncertain future

    Source: US Geological Survey

    A new framework for guiding management decisions for amphibians in an uncertain future

    Amphibians face an uncertain future in the Southern Rocky Mountains. Disease, such as the deadly amphibian chytrid fungus, habitat loss, and drought are all considerable threats to amphibians in the region. A recently developed decision framework aims to assist resource managers in reducing these threats to amphibians.

    FORT researchers, in collaboration with Conservation Science Partners, Inc., developed a decision support framework for managing amphibians in an uncertain future. They used boreal toads, a relatively data rich species, as a case study to develop an occupancy model that incorporates multiple threats, including disease and changes in hydrology. The model relies on novel metrics that describe changes in drying patterns of >150 historical boreal toad breeding sites in the Southern Rocky Mountain Region (SRMR). The changes in drying patterns of breeding sites were derived via an analysis of >30 years of Landsat imagery. The model outputs form the basis of a web-based decision support tool that allows managers to visually and quantitatively assess tradeoffs between disease, habitat suitability, and fire risk. 

    The associated web tool provides information on the probabilities of occupancy, colonization, and extinction under current and future environmental conditions for both boreal toads and the amphibian chytrid fungus at multiple spatial scales (individual breeding pond, toad management units within the SRMR, and across the SRMR as whole). It also includes spatial information on current fire risk, and changes in hydrological patterns at the watershed level over the last thirty years. 

    Screenshot of the Map tab in the Boreal Toad Dashboard. The Boreal Toad Dashboard is a decision-support tool that allows researchers to explore current and future occupancy trends of the boreal toad and amphibian chytrid fungus at breeding sites throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains. In the Map tab, users can explore site level occupancy probabilities, historical and future wetland drying trends, as well as current drying trends and burn probability for watersheds suitable for boreal toads. Note that site-level data are not displayed here as they are considered sensitive data, but are available to toad managers from state and federal agencies (e.g., Colorado Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service) in a password protected version of the dashboard. In other tabs, users can explore graphs of occupancy and colonization trends for individual breeding sites, mountain ranges, and the Southern Rocky Mountains as a whole.

    The tool was co-created with the Boreal Toad Conservation Team to help inform decisions regarding habitat management/restoration and reintroduction strategies for populations of boreal toads in the SRMR. USGS researchers also demonstrated the utility of their hydrologic modeling framework to be applied to other amphibians of management concern in the region with sparse data: the wood frog and Great Basin spadefoot toad. 

    For more information, check out the comprehensive report and the interactive, web-based decision support tool that allows users to engage with the model outputs. The corresponding code and model outputs are also available via a software release and data release, respectively.

    Related

    A Framework for Guiding Management Decisions for Amphibians in an Uncertain Future

    Amphibians are a group of animals facing especially severe declines due to many factors including climate change and a common pathogen, the amphibian chytrid fungus. To make informed decisions about amphibians, wildlife managers need to identify species facing the greatest threats and the actions that will most effectively minimize impacts of those threats. Although some amphibian…

    Amphibians are a group of animals facing especially severe declines due to many factors including climate change and a common pathogen, the amphibian chytrid fungus. To make informed decisions about amphibians, wildlife managers need to identify species facing the greatest threats and the actions that will most effectively minimize impacts of those threats. Although some amphibian species are rela

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Environment Secretary Steve Reed: Response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed: Response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report

    Statement to the House of Commons outlining the government response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report.

    Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the Government’s plans to reform the water sector.

    The water industry quite clearly is failing. 

    Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage.

    Water pipes have been left to crumble into disrepair.

    And I share customers’ fury at rising bills.

    There are hosepipe bans right now in place across the country because not a single new reservoir has been built in over 30 years.

    And the lack of water infrastructure is blocking economic growth.

    Water companies have been allowed to profit at the expense of the British people when they should have been investing to fix our broken water pipes.

    They got away with this because of a broken regulatory system that has failed customers and failed the environment. 

    The public expressed their fury during last year’s General Election, and they voted for change.  

    That change will now come. 

    In just one year, we have put in place the building blocks for change.

    First, we restored accountability by giving the regulators more teeth with a ban on unfair bonuses, severe and automatic penalties for breaking the law, and jail sentences for the most serious offences.  

    Second, we are investing £104 billion pounds of private sector funding to rebuild the water network.

    Upgrading crumbling pipes, repairing leaks, building new sewage treatment works, and digging out new reservoirs.

    This is the single biggest investment in the water sector’s history and it allows me to make a new commitment to the country:

    That this Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of this decade.

    This is the most ambitious commitment ever made by any government about water pollution.  And it’s just the start. 

    Because over a decade of national renewal, we will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.

    The third building block for change is today’s final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Independent Water Commission. 

    And I’d like to express my thanks to Sir Jon, his officials and all those who have contributed to this outstanding piece of work.

    I agree with Sir Jon that water regulation has been too weak, too complex and ineffective. 

    Having four separate regulators with overlapping and conflicting remits has failed customers and the environment. 

    Ofwat has failed to protect customers from water companies’ mismanagement of their hard-earned money and failed to protect our waterways from record levels of pollution. 

    Today I can announce that this Government will abolish Ofwat. 

    We will bring water functions from four different regulators into one.

    A single powerful super-regulator responsible for the entire water sector, and with the teeth to enforce the high standards the public rightly demand. 

    The new regulator will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment and it will prevent the abuses of the past.

    For customers, it will oversee investment and upgrade work so hardworking British families are never again hit by the shocking bill hikes we saw last year.

    For investors, it will provide the clarity and direction required for a strong partnership between Government, the sector and investors to attract billions of pounds of new funding.

    For the environment, it will reduce all forms of pollution to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. 

    We will work closely with the Welsh government to devolve economic regulation of water to Wales.

    I will publish a White Paper this Autumn giving the Government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report, and launch a consultation on it. 

    Following that, I will bring forward a new water reform bill early during the lifetime of this Parliament.

    Ofwat will remain in place during the transition to the new regulator and I will ensure they provide the right leadership to oversee the current price review and investment plan during that time.

    To provide clarity during this period, I will issue an interim Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat and give Ministerial directions to the Environment Agency, setting out our expectations and requirements. We will publish a transition plan as part of our full Government response in the Autumn.  

    Today we are immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations.

    First, we will establish a new statutory water ombudsman – a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills, leaking pipes or water supply failures.

    The new ombudsman will have the legal powers to protect customers and will bring the water dispute resolution process in line with other utilities like energy – it is part of the Government’s ambition to put customers at the heart of water regulation.

    Second, we will end the era of water companies marking their own homework.   

    We will end operator self-monitoring and transition to Open Monitoring to increase transparency and help restore public trust.

    Water companies are already required to publish data on some sewage spills within one hour. We will roll out real-time monitoring across the wastewater system. All this data will be made publicly available online.

    This will ensure both the regulator – and the public – have the power to hold water companies fully accountable.

    Third, we commit to including a regional element within the new regulator to ensure greater local involvement in water planning.  By moving to a catchment-based model for water system planning, we can tackle all sources of pollution entering waterways so they can be cleaned up more effectively and more quickly.

    This will ensure, for the first time, that water infrastructure investment plans align with spatial planning to support faster regional economic growth.  The lack of water infrastructure that held back development around Cambridge and Oxford for so long will not happen again.

    The new regulatory framework will recognise the risks investors take and, if they meet their obligations, they will see a fair, stable return on their investment.

    Just last week, I signed the Government’s new Water Skills Pledge to make sure the sector has the skills and workforce it needs to deliver this vast investment.  

    This Government was elected to clean up water pollution and ensure unacceptable water bill hikes can never happen again.    

    We now have all the building blocks in place to make that happen. 

    We are establishing a new partnership based on effective regulation where water companies, investors, communities and the Government will work together to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang’s Tianshan International Airport Becomes Key Cargo Gateway in Eurasia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    URUMQI, July 21 (Xinhua) — Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has expanded its international cargo air transportation network to 34 routes, linking 19 countries in Central and West Asia, Europe and Africa, airport operator Xinjiang Airport Group said Monday.

    Following the commissioning of the new terminal on April 17, as of June the airport handled 46,000 tons of international cargo and mail, showing a 659 percent increase year-on-year and exceeding the figure for the whole of 2024.

    Xinjiang Airport Group Chairman Tao Runwen emphasized the role of Tianshan Airport as one of the key air gateways of the Silk Road Economic Belt, noting that the rapid expansion of the international cargo route network is facilitated by the simultaneous development of both passenger and cargo transportation.

    Key air routes served by the airport include a 10-hour flight to Zurich in Switzerland and a 7.5-hour direct flight to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on the African continent. These routes have significantly increased logistics efficiency.

    According to Xinjiang Airport Group, Tianshan Airport’s innovative measures, such as the implementation of a 24-hour pre-application customs clearance mechanism with priority inspection, have ensured “zero delay” for cargo containing perishable goods and high-precision equipment, and improved customs efficiency by more than 40 percent.

    Further expansion of the air cargo network is currently planned, including the opening of new routes to Madrid and Paris in late 2025. By the end of this year, the airport is expected to serve a total of 40 international cargo routes. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Effective partnerships can stop the next pandemic

    Source: United Nations 2

    Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar, a professor of infectious diseases at University College London,  issued this warning at a recent meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York.

    It is not a question of if but when, and Dr. Abubakar believes the answer is sooner than anyone wants in part because the global healthcare system remains drastically  siloed.

    This is a problem because, intrinsically, a pandemic cannot be stopped by one country alone.

    “Infectious diseases will not respect borders. Therefore, health systems to ensure equity, dignity and universal access must also be agile to implement policies across borders,” Dr. Abubakar said.

    Rather, stopping pandemics — and promoting broader global development — requires robust partnerships and consistent investment in multilateral systems as a practice, not just an ideal.

    “If we are to meet the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda, we must reimagine cooperation, not as a transactional action but as a dynamic, inclusive and future-ready partnership,” said Lok Bahadur Thapa, vice president of ECOSOC.

    A goal to unite all goals 

    The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development is convening at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss progress – or lack thereof – towards the globally agreed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The first 16 SDGs deal with specific aspects of development — such as poverty, gender equality and climate change — but the 17th puts forward a path to achieve the others. And this path lies in embracing global partnerships between State governments, civil society organizations, communities and the private sector.

    However, with an annual financing gap for the SDGs which exceeds $4 trillion, the partnerships of today are not sufficient to realize the goals for tomorrow.

    “We must forge truly transformative partnerships that break traditional silos: governments, civil society, the private sector and multilateral institutions all have roles to play in an inclusive coalition for sustainable development,” Dima Al-Khatib, director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) said at an HLPF event.

    Prioritize prevention, not reaction

    Right now, the current health system, which includes pandemic preparedness, is oriented towards halting health emergencies once they emerge as opposed to proactively preventing them, according to Dr. Abubakar.

    Member States recently adopted a pandemic prevention treaty which endeavours to do just this — limit the likelihood of future pandemics.

    But for many, this emphasis on prevention extends beyond pandemics to issues like rehabilitation services and primary care, both of which experts say are critical investments not only in human well-being but also in peace and security.

    Moreover, these types of preventative medicine are cheaper than reactive medicine, according to Mandeep Dhaliwal, the Director of Health at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).  

    “It’s important to invest in prevention as much as it is in treatment, and it is more cost-effective because … you’re turning off the tap,” Ms. Dhaliwal said.

    However, convincing investors to support preventive care can be difficult because, when done correctly, tangible results are not necessarily visible.

    Health is in every system

    Nevertheless, investing in preventive medicine like primary care and the socioeconomic determinants of health — such as climate and nutrition — can help ensure that health systems are holistically supporting people before a crisis begins.

    “Health is not a silo… the factors that influence health are often outside the health sector,” Ms. Dhaliwal said, citing the example of air pollution which is a climate problem that inherently influences health.  

    This sort of holistic investment requires robust partnerships which work to ensure that every initiative — no matter how seemingly distanced — considers health implications.

    “We have too often treated [health] as a downstream issue, something that improves only if other systems are working. But we now understand that health and well-being is not simply the result of good developments. It’s the starting point,” said Tony Ott, a professor of agricultural sciences at the Pennsylvania State University.

    The weak link in the health system

    Migrants and displaced people tend to be among those least likely to have access to preventive medicine and often those most impacted by the social determinants of health.

    “Migration and displacement, whether it’s driven by conflict, climate change or economic factors, are defining factors in terms of our health,” he said.  

    By the end of 2024, 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, a decade-high number which proves that in the 10 years since the SDGs were adopted, the world has regressed in relation to displacements.

    For Dr. Abubakar, these displaced people — and the millions more voluntary migrants — embody why the health system simply cannot continue to silo itself and must instead embrace cross-border partnerships.

    “Health systems must ensure access to essential services regardless of immigration status … Any community without access is that weak link that may mean we are all not protected,” Dr. Abubakar said, referring to the next pandemic.

    Communities at the centre

    The idea of partnerships as foundational to achieving the SDGs is logical for many people. After all, the goals are universal in nature and demand global collaboration.

    But this collaboration, especially for health, must do more than just engage experts — it must engage the people who seek out healthcare. Dr. Abubakar said that all health policies must be culturally appropriate to local contexts, something which can only happen if communities are placed at the centre of healthcare.

    “The new future that I see would embrace global partnership, including countries irrespective of income level, public and private sector, academic and civil society. And within this framework, communities must be at the centre… not just as recipients but as co-creators of solutions.”
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Welcomes Shared Commitments by Government, M23 towards Peace in Democratic Republic of Congo

    Source: United Nations 4

    SG/SM/22732

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General welcomes the signature of the Declaration of Principles between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 Mars (AFC/M23) in Doha.  He commends this important step, which opens a pathway toward lasting peace, security and the return of displaced persons and refugees.

    The Secretary-General urges all parties to ensure the swift implementation of the commitments undertaken and expresses his appreciation to the State of Qatar for its facilitation of this process.

    The United Nations remains committed to supporting efforts toward peace, protection of civilians and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in close collaboration with national authorities, regional and international partners.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Travis Keisig Named President of Pacific Northwest Economic Region

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    Today, Minister of Environment, Travis Keisig is leading a mission to Belleview, Washington to participate in the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region’s (PNWER) annual summit. During the gathering, Minister Keisig will take on a one-year term as president of PNWER. 

    “It truly is an honour for me to be entrusted with the PNWER presidency,” Keisig said. “Saskatchewan is proud to be part of such an important institution that promotes regional collaboration and enhances the competitiveness of the region in both domestic and international markets.” 

    PNWER was established to promote the shared economic and strategic interests of its members, which include Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, as well as Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.  

    “Saskatchewan’s government and industries have consistently brought meaningful engagement to PNWER and the broader cross-border region,” PNWER Executive Director Matt Morrison said. “We are excited to see this leadership continue with Minister Travis Keisig representing Saskatchewan as our next president.”

    PNWER presents a unique opportunity for business and government decision-makers, from both sides of the border, to work together on actions and policies that help the region’s economy grow and reduce barriers to trade. This summit will focus on the current state of Canada-U.S. relations and the importance of building economic resilience within the PNWER region.  

    Saskatchewan first joined PNWER in 2009, and last held the presidency of the organization in 2018.

    To learn more about PNWER, visit: www.pnwer.org

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Sask Parks Reminds All Residents to Stay Water Safe During Drowning Prevention Week

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed July 20 to 26, 2025 as Drowning Prevention Week in Saskatchewan. While provincial parks and recreational sites remain popular summer destinations, the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport reminds all residents to make water safety a priority wherever they live, work or play. 

    “Each year, countless families and friends head out to enjoy Saskatchewan’s beautiful lakes, rivers and beaches,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “But water safety is not just important for park visitors. It is critical for everyone who spends time around water, whether it is boating on the lake, swimming in a backyard pool or fishing on a quiet river.”

    A key safety initiative in provincial parks is the Lifejacket Loaner Station program. Launched in 2016 in partnership with the Lifesaving Society, the program has continued to grow and now offers free lifejackets in a range of sizes, from infants to adults, at 24 stations throughout the province.

    “Personal flotation devices (PFD) add a level of protection for swimmers and non-swimmers alike, whether they are worn in a boat or while swimming in open water,” Lifesaving Society Saskatchewan CEO Shelby Rushton said. “Donning a PFD from one of the loaner stations is an easy way to stay safe and an added bonus is that the PFDs are free to use; just put them back at the station once you are done.” 

    Water safety tips recommended by the Lifesaving Society include: 

    • Always swim with a buddy. 
    • Always keep children within arm’s reach. 
    • Avoid alcohol while swimming or boating. 
    • Wear a properly fitted life jacket or PFD whenever on or near open water. 

    “I encourage everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time on the water this summer, creating lasting memories with loved ones,” Minister Ross said.

    Sask Parks encourages everyone to learn more about safety practices and how to respond in an emergency. A full list of Lifejacket Loaner Station locations can be found at: saskparks.tourismsaskatchewan.com/beaches?filters=filter-lifejacket_loaner_station

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.

    According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

    The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Kvika banki hf.: Joint press release from Kvika and Arion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Next steps in the merger process

    Kvika banki and Arion Bank announced on 6 July that the boards of directors of the companies had decided to initiate discussions on merging the companies and have signed a letter of intent to that effect. The aim of the merger is to combine the companies’ strengths and to create a robust financial institution which offers comprehensive services for its customers.

    One of the largest mergers on the Icelandic financial market

    This represents one of the largest mergers undertaken on the Icelandic financial market and the process can be expected to take some time. Regular updates on the status and progress of negotiations will be provided as and when needed.

    The first steps involve due diligence reviews and merger negotiations between the companies, a process which is already underway. The parties aim to request preliminary discussions with the Icelandic Competition Authority in August, where the aims of the merger and benefits resulting from it, both for customers and the Icelandic financial market, will be presented. The parties hope that the preliminary discussions, the finalization of contracts and the due diligence review will be completed in the next few months. Assuming that the preliminary discussions with the Icelandic Competition Authority are successful, the merger will be formally announced to the regulators and will be submitted for approval at shareholders’ meetings of both companies.

    Enhanced banking services

    If the merger between Kvika and Arion goes ahead it will strengthen and enhance the banking services provided to the customers of the merged company – retail, corporate and investors. The merger will generate opportunities for risk distribution and more diverse revenue streams, while also creating a more effective business and bringing greater efficiency to the Icelandic financial market.

    In recent years Kvika has been an active competitor on the markets, not least through its brand Auður which has had a substantial impact on the deposits market and has recently made a successful entry into the home loan market. Following the merger, the companies’ brands will continue to play a key role for customers.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Little Pepe Raised Above $10,000,000 in Presale as Stage 7 Kicks Off With EVM Layer 2 Tech

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) has just crossed a major milestone, surpassing $10 million in total presale funding as Stage 7 continues at a token price of $0.0016. The project’s rapid growth is attracting attention from both retail and institutional crypto investors—not just because of its meme appeal, but also due to the strong utility it offers through its Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 infrastructure.

    With each stage of the presale selling out faster than the last, Little Pepe is now on a fast track to becoming one of the most influential meme-utility projects in the current market cycle.

    Milestone Moment: $10M Raised and Counting

    The $10 million in funds raised in the $LILPEPE presale marks a defining milestone, placing it among the top-performing new crypto projects of 2025. Unlike many meme projects that depend completely on hype, Little Pepe has progressively built momentum by providing a roadmap filled with tangible technology, inclusive of the rollout of its EVM Layer 2 blockchain, low gas fees, and future dApp integration.

    Raising such a large amount before its official token launch shows strong confidence in the team and the broader vision. Each stage of the presale has attracted a wider range of investors—from casual meme coin fans to serious blockchain users—indicating that the appeal of $LILPEPE goes far beyond memes alone.

    Little Pepe—The Rise of a Meme Coin With Real Utility

    Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) has raised more than $10 million till now in total and is continuing its upward trajectory in the crypto space. The project’s ability to continually meet and exceed presale desires is a testament to growing investor interest and its wonderful approach to the meme coin market. Unlike other meme tokens that frequently depend completely on hype, Little Pepe backs its viral energy with a strong technological foundation: a custom-built Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain.

    With Stage 7 going on and tokens available at $0.0016. The speed at which the presale stages have sold out shows rising demand and a strong urge for a meme coin that offers both network enchantment and scalable blockchain infrastructure. For those seeking to get in early, the project continues to present a compelling opportunity.

    Built for Scalability and Speed

    At the heart of Little Pepe’s success is its Layer 2 architecture. Built on an EVM-compatible chain, the project offers quicker transaction speeds and decreases gas fees in comparison to the Ethereum mainnet. This technical edge lets it support a range of real-world use cases, from decentralized finance (DeFi) to NFTs and beyond. As scalability is still a major challenge within the blockchain world, Little Pepe positions itself as a forward-thinking solution with real staying power.

    The Layer 2 design no longer enhances overall performance but additionally keeps the platform less expensive and reachable, which is key for meme-driven communities. The project has smartly capitalized on this by creating an ecosystem that invites developers, creators, and investors to take part without being hindered by high fees or network congestion.

    Strong Community Driving Growth

    Another foremost motive behind Little Pepe’s speedy achievement is its vibrant and passionate community. Across X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and other social platforms, customers are actively discussing the project, sharing memes, and encouraging others to get involved. This natural momentum is critical for meme coins, as network engagement regularly determines long-term viability.

    The project has also gained attention from numerous crypto influencers and analysts who see $LILPEPE as one of the few meme coins with real long-term potential. As an end result, the project has visible strong participation from both retail investors and crypto fans eager to be part of the following huge meme coin movement.

    Furthermore, Little Pepe’s journey from meme concept to blockchain innovation is proving to be one of the most compelling tales of 2025. With Stage 7 going on and over $10 million raised, the project has already exceeded expectations. As the presale continues and new milestones are hit, $LILPEPE is proving that meme coins can evolve beyond jokes and speculation to offer true value to the crypto space. Investors looking for a next-gen meme project with real potential may just find what they’re looking for in Little Pepe.

    About Little Pepe

    Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to merge meme culture with high-speed, low-cost decentralized infrastructure. Built for scalability, security, and accessibility, Little Pepe supports EVM-compatible applications and is powered by means of the $LILPEPE token. The project’s mission is to create a meme coin environment wherein utility meets virality, empowering users through cutting-edge technology and lightning-fast transactions.

    For more information:
    Website: https://littlepepe.com/
    Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
    Twitter: https://x.com/littlepepetoken

    Contact Details: COO- James Stephen Email: media@littlepepe.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Little Pepe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bee0236f-746e-4132-b142-0bb044c24f1d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Little Pepe Raised Above $10,000,000 in Presale as Stage 7 Kicks Off With EVM Layer 2 Tech

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) has just crossed a major milestone, surpassing $10 million in total presale funding as Stage 7 continues at a token price of $0.0016. The project’s rapid growth is attracting attention from both retail and institutional crypto investors—not just because of its meme appeal, but also due to the strong utility it offers through its Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 infrastructure.

    With each stage of the presale selling out faster than the last, Little Pepe is now on a fast track to becoming one of the most influential meme-utility projects in the current market cycle.

    Milestone Moment: $10M Raised and Counting

    The $10 million in funds raised in the $LILPEPE presale marks a defining milestone, placing it among the top-performing new crypto projects of 2025. Unlike many meme projects that depend completely on hype, Little Pepe has progressively built momentum by providing a roadmap filled with tangible technology, inclusive of the rollout of its EVM Layer 2 blockchain, low gas fees, and future dApp integration.

    Raising such a large amount before its official token launch shows strong confidence in the team and the broader vision. Each stage of the presale has attracted a wider range of investors—from casual meme coin fans to serious blockchain users—indicating that the appeal of $LILPEPE goes far beyond memes alone.

    Little Pepe—The Rise of a Meme Coin With Real Utility

    Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) has raised more than $10 million till now in total and is continuing its upward trajectory in the crypto space. The project’s ability to continually meet and exceed presale desires is a testament to growing investor interest and its wonderful approach to the meme coin market. Unlike other meme tokens that frequently depend completely on hype, Little Pepe backs its viral energy with a strong technological foundation: a custom-built Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 blockchain.

    With Stage 7 going on and tokens available at $0.0016. The speed at which the presale stages have sold out shows rising demand and a strong urge for a meme coin that offers both network enchantment and scalable blockchain infrastructure. For those seeking to get in early, the project continues to present a compelling opportunity.

    Built for Scalability and Speed

    At the heart of Little Pepe’s success is its Layer 2 architecture. Built on an EVM-compatible chain, the project offers quicker transaction speeds and decreases gas fees in comparison to the Ethereum mainnet. This technical edge lets it support a range of real-world use cases, from decentralized finance (DeFi) to NFTs and beyond. As scalability is still a major challenge within the blockchain world, Little Pepe positions itself as a forward-thinking solution with real staying power.

    The Layer 2 design no longer enhances overall performance but additionally keeps the platform less expensive and reachable, which is key for meme-driven communities. The project has smartly capitalized on this by creating an ecosystem that invites developers, creators, and investors to take part without being hindered by high fees or network congestion.

    Strong Community Driving Growth

    Another foremost motive behind Little Pepe’s speedy achievement is its vibrant and passionate community. Across X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and other social platforms, customers are actively discussing the project, sharing memes, and encouraging others to get involved. This natural momentum is critical for meme coins, as network engagement regularly determines long-term viability.

    The project has also gained attention from numerous crypto influencers and analysts who see $LILPEPE as one of the few meme coins with real long-term potential. As an end result, the project has visible strong participation from both retail investors and crypto fans eager to be part of the following huge meme coin movement.

    Furthermore, Little Pepe’s journey from meme concept to blockchain innovation is proving to be one of the most compelling tales of 2025. With Stage 7 going on and over $10 million raised, the project has already exceeded expectations. As the presale continues and new milestones are hit, $LILPEPE is proving that meme coins can evolve beyond jokes and speculation to offer true value to the crypto space. Investors looking for a next-gen meme project with real potential may just find what they’re looking for in Little Pepe.

    About Little Pepe

    Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to merge meme culture with high-speed, low-cost decentralized infrastructure. Built for scalability, security, and accessibility, Little Pepe supports EVM-compatible applications and is powered by means of the $LILPEPE token. The project’s mission is to create a meme coin environment wherein utility meets virality, empowering users through cutting-edge technology and lightning-fast transactions.

    For more information:
    Website: https://littlepepe.com/
    Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
    Twitter: https://x.com/littlepepetoken

    Contact Details: COO- James Stephen Email: media@littlepepe.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Little Pepe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bee0236f-746e-4132-b142-0bb044c24f1d

    The MIL Network –

  • Bihar becomes first state to cap all polling stations below 1,200 electors; 12,817 new stations added

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Bihar has become the first state in the country to ensure that all polling stations have fewer than 1,200 electors, a move aimed at reducing overcrowding and enhancing voter convenience. The Election Commission has added 12,817 new polling stations across the state, raising the total number of polling stations from 77,895 to 90,712.

    This development follows the State Instructional Representation (SIR) order issued on June 24, 2025, which revised the earlier ceiling of 1,500 electors per polling station to 1,200. The model is expected to serve as a template for other states and Union Territories ahead of future electoral exercises.

    In preparation for the publication of the Draft Electoral Rolls on August 1, 2025, electoral officers at various levels—Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Booth Level Officers (BLOs)—have held extensive consultations with representatives of all 12 major political parties.

    As part of the ongoing efforts to ensure inclusive voter registration, election authorities have shared detailed lists of 29.62 lakh electors whose application forms are yet to be received, as well as 43.93 lakh electors who were not found at their registered addresses. Political parties have been urged to coordinate with their respective District Presidents and nearly 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to reach out to these individuals and assist in updating the records.

    The Election Commission has emphasized a “mission mode” approach to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the draft electoral rolls. Once the draft rolls are published on August 1, members of the public will be able to submit objections or requests for additions, deletions, or rectifications for a full one-month period, in line with provisions laid out in the June 24 SIR order.

    This collaborative push involving election authorities and political stakeholders is part of a broader effort to strengthen the electoral process and improve voter accessibility ahead of the upcoming elections.

  • Bihar becomes first state to cap all polling stations below 1,200 electors; 12,817 new stations added

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Bihar has become the first state in the country to ensure that all polling stations have fewer than 1,200 electors, a move aimed at reducing overcrowding and enhancing voter convenience. The Election Commission has added 12,817 new polling stations across the state, raising the total number of polling stations from 77,895 to 90,712.

    This development follows the State Instructional Representation (SIR) order issued on June 24, 2025, which revised the earlier ceiling of 1,500 electors per polling station to 1,200. The model is expected to serve as a template for other states and Union Territories ahead of future electoral exercises.

    In preparation for the publication of the Draft Electoral Rolls on August 1, 2025, electoral officers at various levels—Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Booth Level Officers (BLOs)—have held extensive consultations with representatives of all 12 major political parties.

    As part of the ongoing efforts to ensure inclusive voter registration, election authorities have shared detailed lists of 29.62 lakh electors whose application forms are yet to be received, as well as 43.93 lakh electors who were not found at their registered addresses. Political parties have been urged to coordinate with their respective District Presidents and nearly 1.5 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to reach out to these individuals and assist in updating the records.

    The Election Commission has emphasized a “mission mode” approach to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the draft electoral rolls. Once the draft rolls are published on August 1, members of the public will be able to submit objections or requests for additions, deletions, or rectifications for a full one-month period, in line with provisions laid out in the June 24 SIR order.

    This collaborative push involving election authorities and political stakeholders is part of a broader effort to strengthen the electoral process and improve voter accessibility ahead of the upcoming elections.

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: AI in universities: How large language models are transforming research

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ali Shiri, Professor of Information Science & Vice Dean, Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, University of Alberta

    Generative AI, especially large language models (LLMs), present exciting and unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges for academic research and scholarship.

    As the different versions of LLMs (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity.ai and Grok) continue to proliferate, academic research is beginning to undergo a significant transformation.

    Students, researchers and instructors in higher education need AI literacy knowledge, competencies and skills to address these challenges and risks.

    In a time of rapid change, students and academics are advised to look to their institutions, programs and units for discipline-specific policy or guidelines regulating the use of AI.

    Researcher use of AI

    A recent study led by a data science researcher found that at least 13.5 per cent of biomedical abstracts last year showed signs of AI-generated text.



    Read more:
    AI-detection software isn’t the solution to classroom cheating — assessment has to shift

    Large language models can now support nearly every stage of the research process, although caution and human oversight are always needed to judge when use is appropriate, ethical or warranted — and to account for questions of quality control and accuracy. LLMs can:

    • Help brainstorm, generate and refine research ideas and formulate hypotheses;

    • Design experiments and conduct and synthesize literature reviews;

    • Write and debug code;

    • Analyze and visualize both qualitative and quantitative data;

    • Develop interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological frameworks;

    • Suggest relevant sources and citations, summarize complex texts and draft abstracts;

    • Support the dissemination and presentation of research findings, in popular formats.

    However, there are significant concerns and challenges surrounding the appropriate, ethical, responsible and effective use of generative AI tools in the conduct of research, writing and research dissemination. These include:

    • Misrepresentation of data and authorship;

    • Difficulty in replication of research results;

    • Data and algorithmic biases and inaccuracies;

    • User and data privacy and confidentiality;

    • Quality of outputs, data and citation fabrication;

    • And copyright and intellectual property infringement.

    AI research assistants, ‘deep research’ AI agents

    There are two categories of emerging LLM-enhanced tools that support academic research:

    1. AI research assistants: The number of AI research assistants that support different aspects and steps of the research process is growing at an exponential rate. These technologies have the potential to enhance and extend traditional research methods in academic work. Examples include AI assistants that support:

    • Concept mapping (Kumu, GitMind, MindMeister);

    • Literature and systematic reviews (Elicit, Undermind, NotebookLM, SciSpace);

    • Literature search (Consensus, ResearchRabbit, Connected Papers, Scite);

    • Literature analysis and summarization (Scholarcy, Paper Digest, Keenious);

    • And research topic and trend detection and analysis (Scinapse, tlooto, Dimension AI).

    2. ‘Deep research’ AI agents: The field of artificial intelligence is advancing quickly with the rise of “deep research” AI agents. These next-generation agents combine LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation and sophisticated reasoning frameworks to conduct in-depth, multi-step analyses.

    Research is currently being conducted to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of deep research tools. New evaluation criteria are being developed to assess their performance and quality.

    Criteria include elements such as cost, speed, editing ease and overall user experience — as well as citation and writing quality, and how these deep research tools adhere to prompts.

    The purpose of deep research tools is to meticulously extract, analyze and synthesize scholarly information, empirical data and diverse perspectives from a wide array of online and social media sources. The output is a detailed report, complete with citations, offering in-depth insights into complex topics.

    In just a short span of four months (December 2024 to February 2025), several companies (like Google Gemini, Perplexity.ai and ChatGPT) introduced their “deep research” platforms.

    The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a non-profit AI research institute based in Seattle, is experimenting with a new open access research tool called Ai2 ScholarQA that helps researchers conduct literature reviews more efficiently by providing more in-depth answers.

    Emerging guidelines

    Several guidelines have been developed to encourage the responsible and ethical use of generative AI in research and writing. Examples include:

    LLMs support interdisciplinary research

    LLMs are also powerful tools to support interdisciplinary research. Recent emerging research (yet to be peer reviewed) on the effectiveness of LLMs for research suggests they have great potential in areas such as biological sciences, chemical sciences, engineering, environmental as well as social sciences. It also suggests LLMs can help eliminate disciplinary silos by bringing together data and methods from different fields and automating data collection and generation to create interdisciplinary datasets.

    Helping to analyze and summarize large volumes of research across various disciplines can aid interdisciplinary collaboration. “Expert finder” AI-powered platforms can analyze researcher profiles and publication networks to map expertise, identify potential collaborators across fields and reveal unexpected interdisciplinary connections.

    This emerging knowledge suggests these models will be able to help researchers drive breakthroughs by combining insights from diverse fields — like epidemiology and physics, climate science and economics or social science and climate data — to address complex problems.



    Read more:
    The world is not moving fast enough on climate change — social sciences can help explain why

    Research-focused AI literacy

    Canadian universities and research partnerships are providing AI literacy education to people in universities and beyond.

    The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute offers K-12 AI literacy programming and other resources. The institute is a not-for profit organization and part of Canada’s Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy.

    Many universities are offering AI literacy educational opportunities that focus specifically on the use of generative AI tools in assisting research activities.

    Collaborative university work is also happening. For example, as vice dean of the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies at the University of Alberta (and an information science professor), I have worked with deans from the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and Vancouver Island University to develop guidelines and recommendations around generative AI and graduate and postdoctoral research and supervision.

    Considering the growing power and capabilities of large language models, there is an urgent need to develop AI literacy training tailored for academic researchers.

    This training should focus on both the potential and the limitations of these tools in the different stages of the research process and writing.

    Ali Shiri 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. AI in universities: How large language models are transforming research – https://theconversation.com/ai-in-universities-how-large-language-models-are-transforming-research-260547

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Dating app categories could be shaping you more than you know

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kevin Guyan, Chancellor’s Fellow & Director of the Gender + Sexuality Data Lab, University of Edinburgh

    Natalllenka.m/Shutterstock

    Any account of love and dating in the 2020s is incomplete without addressing an uncomfortable topic: are our encounters with technology shaping who we are and how we desire?

    Dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Feeld allow users to choose from dozens of genders, sexualities, desires and relationship types. Commonplace descriptors such as “straight”, “gay” and “bisexual” are now joined by labels including “polysexual” (an attraction to multiple, but not all, genders), “skoliosexual” (an attraction predominantly to people who don’t conform to traditional gender norms) and “heteroflexible” (an attraction that is mostly heterosexual with some exceptions).

    But do these categories provide a more accurate representation of the world beyond the app? Or do they partly construct the world they claim to describe?

    As a regular user of gay dating apps throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, I discovered a menu of categories to describe myself. There was everything from “twinks” (slim build, youthful appearance and little or no body hair) and “otters” (the same but with a bit more body hair and a more masculine appearance) to “bears” (large build and lots of body hair) and “muscle daddies” (older with a muscular physique).

    I quickly understood how to maximise my success on the app by hacking the algorithm: the curated buzzwords in my bio, profile pics that struck the right balance between “sexy” and “intelligent”, how often to use the app and when. If the app gave prominence to a certain “category” of gay man in its listings, I was more than willing to present myself as that category.

    But, in the process, the line between the category and the thing being categorised (me and my desires) became increasingly impossible to untangle.

    This experience inspired research in my new book Rainbow Trap, which investigates the technical aspects of app design and how the provision of more “inclusive categories” for LGBTQ+ communities often does nothing to reconfigure the narrow accounts of desire encoded in the tech.

    Dating today can feel like a mix of endless swipes, red flags and shifting expectations. From decoding mixed signals to balancing independence with intimacy, relationships in your 20s and 30s come with unique challenges. Love IRL is the latest series from Quarter Life that explores it all.

    These research-backed articles break down the complexities of modern love to help you build meaningful connections, no matter your relationship status.

    Writing in the early 2000s, science and technology scholars Geoffrey C. Bowker and Susan Leigh Star coined the term “convergence” to describe what happens when “people get put into categories and learn from those categories how to behave”. Philosopher of science Ian Hacking similarly used the term looping effect“ to describe the multi-directional relationship between a category and the “thing” being categorised.

    These encounters, however, highlight a fundamental tension between queer communities and classifications: the classifications used to describe us also come to define us. This can determine what doors are opened and closed and who we are allowed to be.

    Thinking back to my early forays into dating apps, I would often assign myself to the category of “twink”. Although used by app designers to assist with the algorithmic sorting of users, the identity felt contoured to my life.

    The connections suggested by the app, based on my self-categorisation as a “twink”, felt as if they reflected who I was and what I had always wanted. And, for a period, I believed it.

    However, in hindsight, I don’t know if I was ever really attracted to men with 26-inch waists and hair frazzled by too much bleach. I had limited myself to what the app told me I should like. But desire isn’t so easily put into a box.

    Getting critical about categories

    Underpinning the mechanics of all dating apps are categories, and we can learn a lot about love and dating by thinking critically about the categories used.

    Between 2021 and 2023, Tinder reported a 30% increase in the use of gender identities other than “male” or “female” on the app, creating more than 145 million new matches. Identification with the label “non-binary” also more than doubled in just one year.

    In 2023, the dating app Feeld (which describes itself as designed “for the curious”) reported that more than half its users who identified as “heterosexual” connected with someone on the app who did not identify as “heterosexual”. Feeld also has claimed that over 180,000 people “changed their sexuality” during their first year of using the app and that “the longer Feeld members are on the app, the less heterosexual they get”.

    I am not suggesting that our navigation of love and dating through the prism of technology (and its growing menu of categories) is making us more queer – as these technologies could just as equally be making us more straight. But whatever is happening, it is clear that assigning yourself to a particular category opens and closes opportunities for love and desire.

    It is app designers who then hold the power to decide what connections are made – for example, whether “twinks” connect with “bears”, whether your category features first or last on the home page. Because the classifications used to describe us are also now defining us, app designers partly shape how you think about yourself and your desires. This power does not stop when you turn off the app, it extends into offline worlds too.

    So, for app users, be open to how your encounters with categories shape who and how you desire. Who will the app include and exclude based on your self-categorisation? And is that the experience you necessarily what?

    Kevin Guyan 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. Dating app categories could be shaping you more than you know – https://theconversation.com/dating-app-categories-could-be-shaping-you-more-than-you-know-256368

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Is a ‘nanny state’ a price worth paying to keep the NHS free? The evidence shows it could work

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University

    Nanny says no. SOK Studio/Shutterstock

    The UK government’s new ten-year-plan to transform the NHS includes a focus on preventing ill health rather than treating illness. But to what extent should people depend on the state to help them make healthy decisions?

    Some think any kind of nudge in that direction is symptomatic of a “nanny state” overstepping its boundaries. Others might argue that nanny knows best, or that governments should do whatever works best both economically and to keep people healthy.

    Either way, if a country like the UK wants to keep providing free (or at least tax-payer funded) and universal healthcare, rather than charging every patient for their specific needs, its choices are limited.

    Take obesity for example, which is estimated to cost the NHS around £12.6 billion a year – more than 5% of its total budget.

    In 2022, 28.7% of adults in the UK had obesity, compared to 10.9% in France, 14.3% in Denmark and 22% in Belgium. (In the US, it was 42.8%.)

    Government analysis claims that if everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by just 216 calories a day – roughly equivalent to a single 500ml bottle of fizzy drink – obesity would be halved, and so would the associated costs. It also estimates that cutting the calorie count of a daily diet by just 50 calories would lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity.

    But how should it persuade people to cut those calories? Happy to ignore accusations of being a nanny state, the UK government is now working with food retailers and manufacturers to encourage people to make healthier choices.

    Under the plan, products will be made with less sugar and fat. And the data that supermarkets own about your shopping habits (through online shopping and loyalty cards) will be used to nudge you towards more fruits and vegetables and fewer bags of crisps. Businesses that fail to induce changes in customer consumption will face financial penalties.

    And perhaps this is more effective than personal responsibility. Recent alternative policies which relied on individual action like following diets using the NHS weight loss app have not worked.

    The UK has also invested hundred of millions of pounds trying to encourage people to burn calories by walking and cycling more. But the country remains reluctant to reduce its car-dependence, with its cities poorly served by public transport. Walking and cycling are just not that popular.

    So perhaps state intervention is the only policy British people are willing to accept. Understandably, they want the freedom to make their own choices when it comes to exercise, eating and drinking, but they also want to keep the NHS free. Only 7% would support charging people for their use of healthcare.

    Fat tax

    Another option is to tax the consumption of fat and sugar to pay for the cost it imposes on others. In 2016, the UK was among the first countries to introduce a tax on sugary drinks. Since then, the total amount of sugar in British soft drinks has decreased by 46%, because changing the recipes means the producers pay less tax.

    Research shows that the tax also deters younger people from buying too much sugar. However, it does little to reduce consumption among those who have the most sugar-intensive diets, just like alcohol taxes do nothing to convince the most addicted alcoholics to drink less.

    There is also a valid argument that taxing sugar and fat is unfair. Unhealthy food is a much larger proportion of the budget of poorer households than it is for wealthier one, making it a regressive tax.

    Love for the NHS.
    John Gomez/Shutterstock

    Yet policies nudging people towards healthy choices often have a good track record. A study of food labelling policies which placed warning labels on high sugar and high calorie foods in Chile showed that people bought less of them.

    To stay below the threshold, firms then changed their recipes, just like with the tax. In that case, the warnings led to people consuming 11.5% less sugar and 2.8% less fat.

    While paternalistic interventions can be annoying or upsetting, pretending obesity is purely an individual choice is misleading. Obesity starts in childhood, and can destroy future choices. Children with obesity are more likely to be bullied, and don’t do as well at school.

    The state regularly bans harmful products without controversy. Even if you wanted to, you could not insulate your house with asbestos, and the UK is currently busy banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009.

    With NHS waiting lists remaining at record highs, and a struggling economy, risk of the country becoming a nanny state by trying to encourage healthier food might actually be a pretty minor one.

    Renaud Foucart 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. Is a ‘nanny state’ a price worth paying to keep the NHS free? The evidence shows it could work – https://theconversation.com/is-a-nanny-state-a-price-worth-paying-to-keep-the-nhs-free-the-evidence-shows-it-could-work-260539

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHRA’s 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts and Impact Report show progress on safety, innovation, and regulatory excellence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    MHRA’s 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts and Impact Report show progress on safety, innovation, and regulatory excellence

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts, and accompanying Impact Report.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published its 2024–25 Annual Report and Accounts, and accompanying Impact Report, demonstrating how we have enhanced patient safety across the UK, restored our performance to ensure we are meeting regulatory timelines, and sharing our success in enabling access to life-changing medical products.

    As an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, the MHRA plays a critical role in protecting public health while supporting the UK’s £100 billion life sciences sector. Over the past year, the agency has significantly improved its core operations by enhancing safety systems, clearing licensing backlogs, and helping bring safe innovative treatments and technologies to patients faster.

    Highlights of the MHRA’s work in 2024–25 include:

    • Clearing all statutory backlogs by March 2025 and consistently meeting statutory targets for clinical trials.
    • Approving more than 2,000 licences for medicines, including 54 new medicines, such as treatments for Alzheimer’s, rare diseases, and cancer.
    • Assessing over 5,000 clinical trial applications and launching the UK’s most significant clinical trial regulatory reform in over two decades.
    • Supporting patient safety through the assessment of over 100,000 adverse drug reaction reports and blocking over 1.5 million unregulated online listings.
    • Piloting a world-first AI Airlock to safely develop artificial intelligence in medical devices.
    • Providing over 127,000 units of biological standards worldwide and launching new World Health Organisation-endorsed standards to strengthen global pandemic preparedness.

    The reports also reflect the MHRA’s strengthened focus on patient and public engagement, environmental sustainability, and global regulatory collaboration, with over £7 million in research grants supporting cutting-edge regulatory science.

    The reports also highlight the MHRA’s focus on strengthening internal capability and real-world evidence. Through the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), the agency continues to support public health research with anonymised data from UK GP practices.

    Internally, the MHRA has enhanced its digital infrastructure, improved cyber resilience, and modernised customer services, while investing in its people through graduate schemes, apprenticeships, and strong governance.

    View the MHRA Annual Report and Accounts 2024–25 and MHRA Impact Report 2024–25.

    For media enquiries, please contact: newscentre@mhra.gov.uk or call 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: ✅ President Trump Has Kept His Promises — and Then Some

    Source: US Whitehouse

    President Donald J. Trump campaigned on a list of “20 core promises to Make America Great Again” — and in just six months, he has unquestionably delivered. From lowering costs to securing the border to enhancing public safety, President Trump has done more to make good on his promises than any president in modern American history, and he’s just getting started.

    The list goes far beyond these promises. President Trump has successfully forced hospitals nationwide to abandon their so-called “gender-affirming care“ and chemical castration programs for kids, defunded biased PBS and NPR, ended woke DEI programming across higher education and corporate America, weeded out nonsense “climate” initiatives, made English our official language, and so much more.

    Promises Made, Promises Kept:

    1. Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion: “We will close the border. We will stop the invasion of illegals into our country.” (10/12/24, Aurora, CO)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: Under President Trump, the number of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border are at historic lows and border wall construction has resumed. Last month, illegal border crossings were the lowest ever recorded, while this fiscal year is on track to see the fewest illegal crossings in five decades. For two straight months, zero illegals were released into the country’s interior.
    2. Carry out the largest deportation operation in American history: “We will begin the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.” (10/21/24, Concord, NC)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: Every single day, the Trump Administration is removing illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers, drug traffickers, and other violent criminals off our streets — and sending them back.
    3. End inflation, and make America affordable again: “Starting the day I take the oath of office, I will rapidly drive prices down and we will make America affordable again.” (8/17/24, Wilkes-Barre, PA)
    4. Make America the dominant energy producer in the world, by far: “We will stop the Biden-Harris war on American energy … American energy is such a big deal. We will drill, baby, drill.” (8/3/24, Atlanta, GA)
    5. Stop outsourcing, and turn the United States into a manufacturing superpower: “Together, we’re going to … bring thousands of factories back to the USA, right where they belong — and that will be done through tariffs and smart policy. We will build American, we will buy American, and we will hire American.” (1/19/24, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: As President Trump pursues his bold commitment to an America First trade agenda, scores of companies have announced trillions of dollars in new investment as they onshore workers from foreign countries and create tens of thousands of new American jobs — positioning the U.S. as the dominant player for the jobs of the future.
    6. Large tax cuts for workers, and No Tax on Tips: “We’re going to have very large tax cuts for workers and … No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime.” (10/12/2024, Reno, NV)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The largest tax cut in history for working- and middle-class Americans — including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and No Tax on Social Security — is now the law of the land, along with unprecedented tax relief for small businesses, farmers, workers, and families.
    7. Defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms: “We’re going to bust up the censorship regime and bring back free speech again” (1/28/23, Columbia, SC), “I will defend religious liberty.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
    8. Prevent World War III, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in America: “We will build a great Iron Dome over our country like Israel has a dome like has never been seen before, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield that will be entirely built in America and create jobs, jobs, jobs.” (6/15/24, Detroit, MI)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has achieved remarkable success by employing his Peace Through Strength doctrine around the world —preventing war between India and Pakistan, ending the 12 Day War, brokering a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and averting escalation in other areas. Meanwhile, the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers funding for the Golden Dome missile defense system to protect our homeland from 21st Century threats.
    9. End the weaponization of government against the American people: “Biden has worked to persecute political dissidents, including conservatives, Catholics and other Christians, and opponents of his weaponized state … This abuse will be rectified, and it will be rectified very quickly.” (5/25/24, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has purged corrupt elements from the DOJ and FBI, pardoned pro-life Americans wrongly targeted by the Biden Administration, and launched full-scale investigations into deep state abuses — bringing the era of weaponized government to an end and restoring fairness and trust in American institutions.
    10. Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders: “The drug cartels are waging war on America — and it’s now time for America to wage war on the cartels” (12/22/23), “We will expel every single illegal alien gang member and migrant criminal operating on American soil and remove the savage gang, Tren de Aragua, from the United States.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: The Trump Administration is dismantling human smuggling networks, sanctioning cartels and designating them as foreign terrorist organizations, and deporting gang members in droves — ridding our country of these public safety threats for good and making our streets safer than they’ve ever been.
    11. Rebuild our cities, including Washington, D.C., making them safe, clean, and beautiful again: “We will rebuild our once great cities, including our capital in Washington, DC, making them safe, clean, and beautiful again.” (1/19/25, Washington, D.C.)
    12. Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world: “We will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen.” (1/20/25, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: With the largest military investment in decades, President Trump is modernizing our forces with cutting-edge technology, rebuilding depleted stockpiles, and ensuring our troops are the best-equipped in history — deterring adversaries and keeping America safe without unnecessary conflicts.
    13. Keep the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency: “If I’m elected, the dollar is so secure. Your reserve currency is the strongest it’ll ever be.” (10/15/24, Detroit, MI)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: Through pro-growth policies and tough trade deals, President Trump has fortified the dollar’s dominance, preventing de-dollarization efforts abroad and ensuring it remains the global standard — boosting American economic power worldwide.
    14. Fight for and protect Social Security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age: “I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicare … I will not talk about one day or one year shorter, and I will not raise the retirement age of Social Security by one day, not by one year.”(7/27/24, West Palm Beach, FL)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump hasn’t touched Social Security — and has consistently called for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse to safeguard the programs’ solvency for future generations, delivering on his ironclad commitment to America’s seniors.
    15. Cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations: “We’re going to be ending the electric car mandate quickly.” (1/7/25, Palm Beach, FL)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: On day one, President Trump revoked the burdensome electric vehicle mandate — and fortified that action by signing a congressional resolution into law. The Trump Administration has also slashed job-killing regulations to unleash innovation, lower costs, and put American workers first.
    16. Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children: “I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory … or political content onto the shoulders of our children.” (8/3/24, Atlanta, GA)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump signed an order to defund schools promoting divisive critical race theory and radical gender ideology.
    17. Keep men out of women’s sports: “We will keep men out of women’s sports.” (5/26/24, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump immediately ended the unfair, demeaning practice of forcing women to compete against men in sports — which resulted in the NCAA changing its rules and drove countless states and high schools to change their policies.
    18. Deport pro-Hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again: “We will deport the foreign Jihad sympathizers and Hamas supporters from our midst. We will get them out of our country.” (9/19/24, Washington, D.C.)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump has cracked down on campus chaos with federal enforcement and visa revocations for pro-Hamas agitators — restoring safety, free speech, and American values to universities across the nation.
    19. Secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship: “We will secure our elections — and they will be secure once and for all.” (10/13/24, Prescott Valley, AZ)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump implemented nationwide election integrity measures through executive action, banning foreign nationals from election interference, strengthening voter citizenship verification, prosecuting non-citizen voting, requiring voter-verifiable paper ballot records, and ensuring state-by-state compliance with federal law.
    20. Unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success: “It’s time to unite … Success is going to bring us together.” (11/6/24, West Palm Beach, FL)
      • ✅ PROMISE KEPT: President Trump’s remarkable success is bringing the country together — with more Americans saying the country is on the right track than any point in two decades and support among Republicans for President Trump and his agenda near historic levels.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Applicator Recall: Integra LifeSciences Removes MicroMyst Applicators Due to Potential Sterility Concerns

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This recall involves removing devices from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it.
    Affected Product

    Manufacturer’s Product Number (Catalog Number)  

    Product Name (Description) 

    UDI Number

    Lot Number

    Expiration Date

    205000DS

    MicroMyst Applicator, Box of 5

    10381780000112

    All expired and unexpired lots
    All expired and unexpired lots

    What to Do

    Identify any affected products at your facility.
    Remove them from service and quarantine them.
    Discard expired lots.

    On May 23, 2025, Integra LifeSciences sent all affected customers an Urgent Voluntary Medical Device Recall letter recommending the following actions:
    For customers

    Determine if product you have is subject to the recall based on impacted part and lot number.
    Immediately remove any affected products from service and quarantine.
    Complete the acknowledgment form attached to the letter, even if you do not have affected product.

    Record the lot number and total quantity of affected product.
    Send completed acknowledgement form by email to FCA1@integralife.com or fax to 1-609-750-4220.
    After the acknowledgement form is received, customer service will provide a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and directions to return affected product. You can request a credit for returned quantities. Note: Credit will only be given for the impacted lot(s) that are returned.

    Keep a copy of the form for your records.
    Forward the notice to people who use the product so they are aware of this recall and can identify and quarantine any affected product that may remain in clinical areas.

    For distributors/sales representatives

    Determine if product you have is subject to the recall based on impacted part and lot number.
    Remove any affected products from further distribution.
    Complete the acknowledgment form attached to the letter, even if you do not have affected product.

    Record the lot number and total quantity of affected product.
    Send completed acknowledgement form by email to FCA1@integralife.com or fax to 1-609-750-4220.
    After the acknowledgement form is received, customer service will provide a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and directions to return affected product. You can request a credit for returned quantities. Note: Credit will only be given for the impacted lot(s) that are returned.

    Keep a copy of the form for your records.
    Check customer traceability records for shipments of affected catalog and lot numbers.
    If impacted product was shipped to customers, please:

    Create an acknowledgement form from you to your customers.
    Forward a copy of the notice and your acknowledgement form to any customers who purchased affected catalog and lot numbers.
    Collect completed response forms and affected product from your customers.
    Indicate total quantities and lots in the distributor reply form provided with the letter.
    After the acknowledgement form is received, customer service will provide a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and directions to return affected product. Distributors can request a credit for returned quantities. Note: Credit will only be given for the impacted lot(s) that are returned.

    If you are a sales representative, Post Market Quality will contact you and provide you with directions to return the product after the acknowledgement form has been returned and indicates you have affected product.

    Reason for Recall
    Integra LifeSciences is recalling MicroMyst Applicators due to incomplete bioburden assessments and incomplete sterilization location transfer documentation, both of which help ensure the products were effectively sterilized. The use of affected product may cause serious adverse health consequences, including inflammation, infection, and death.
    Integra LifeSciences has not reported any serious injuries or deaths associated with this issue.
    Device Use
    The MicroMyst Applicator is intended for use in the delivery of the two DuraSeal precursor solutions onto a surgical site at the same time. It is a sterile, single-use device with a 14 cm, dual lumen, stainless steel cannula and an outer sheath used during surgical procedures.
    Contact Information
    Customers in the U.S. with questions about this recall should contact their Integra sales representative or customer service at 1-800-654-2873 or custsvcnj@integralife.com
    Additional FDA Resources:
    FDA’s Enforcement ReportMedical Device Recall Database
    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)
    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from manufacturing through distribution to patient use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified, and problems potentially corrected more quickly.

    How do I report a problem?
    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. 

    Content current as of:
    07/21/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH and DEM Recommend Avoiding Contact with a Section of Flat River Reservoir (Johnson’s Pond)

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are recommending people avoid contact with a section of Flat River Reservoir, also known as Johnson’s Pond, near Island Drive in Coventry due to a confirmed cyanobacteria bloom. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are naturally present in bodies of water, but under certain environmental conditions will form harmful algae blooms?(HABs). All recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating, and kayaking, is high risk to health and recommended to be avoided at this location. HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals.

    Use caution in all areas of Johnson’s Pond as cyanobacteria HABs can move locations in ponds and lakes. People should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies.?Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water.?

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

    If you or your pet come into contact with a cyanobacteria HAB:

    – Rinse your skin with clean water right away.

    – Shower and wash your clothes when you get home.

    – If your pet was exposed, wash it with clean water immediately and don’t let it lick algae from its fur.

    – Call a vet if your pet shows signs of illness like tiredness, no eating, vomiting, diarrhea or other symptoms within a day.

    – If you feel sick after contact, call a healthcare provider.

    Affected waters might look bright to dark green, with thick algae floating on the surface. It may resemble green paint, pea soup, or green cottage cheese. If you see water like this, people and pets should avoid contact with the water.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Criminal Illegal Alien with Lengthy Rap Sheet Arrested for Involvement in Ambush and Shooting CBP Officer in New York City

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Both criminal illegal aliens involved in the attempted armed robbery were released into the country under the Biden Administration and NYC sanctuary politicians ignored detainer

    NEW YORK – Today, the Department of Homeland Security arrested Cristian Aybar Berroa, a criminal illegal alien, and the second suspect involved in the attempted armed robbery of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer who was off duty in New York City in Fort Washington Park under the George Washington Bridge on July 19. The first suspect, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, also a criminal illegal alien, who shot the CBP officer, was arrested yesterday.

    A witness of the attack stated that she and the victim were sitting on the rocks by the water when two subjects on a scooter drove up to them, dismounted the scooter and approached them with a firearm drawn. The off-duty CBP officer responded by withdrawing his own firearm in self defense. The CBP officer was shot in his right arm and left cheek. Thankfully, the officer is in stable condition at the hospital.

    Cristian Aybar Berroa, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, illegally entered the United States on June 19, 2022, and was released into the country on interim parole pending his immigration hearing. New York City ignored his detainer.

    This criminal illegal alien’s rap sheet includes:

    • On May 10, 2023, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested Berroa for 2nd degree reckless endangerment.
    • On March 26, 2024, NYPD arrested Berroa for 4th degree felony grand larceny and petit larceny.
    • On April 5, 2024, NYPD arrested him 4th degree felony grand larceny and petit larceny. Despite an active ICE detainer, the New York City Department of Corrections released Berroa back onto NYC streets.
    • On February 20, 2025, NYPD arrested Berroa for 2nd degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and for driving without a license.
    • On June 12, 2025, Berroa pled guilty to petit larceny at the Bronx County Supreme Court. This plea was made in consolidation of all his previous arrests, and he was conditionally discharged and allowed to roam the streets of NYC.

    A judge ordered Berroa a final order of removal on January 3, 2023.

    The other assailant in the attack is Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic. He illegally entered the United States on April 4, 2023, and was released by the Biden Administration into the country.

    This criminal illegal alien’s rap sheet includes:

    • On October 11, 2023, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested and charged Nunez with felony grand larceny, petit larceny, and reckless driving.
    • On October 1, 2024, the NYPD arrested and charged Nunez with 2nd and 3rd degree assault.
    • On November 30, 2024, the NYPD arrested Nunez for criminal contempt. On January 13, 2025, he was again attested for criminal contempt.
    • On February 21, 2025, the Leominster Police Department in Massachusetts issued a criminal warrant for Nunez for armed robbery with a firearm.

    After failing to show up for his immigration hearing a judge issued Nunez a final order of removal on November 6, 2024.

    “These violent thugs had committed a smorgasbord of crimes and been arrested multiple times and yet New York continued to release them, ignore an ICE detainer and allow them to continue to prey on Americans and terrorize our streets. How many people have to die, how many lives have to be changed forever for Mayor Adams and his sanctuary politician ilk to end these performative politics?” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: G50 Corp to Present at the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference July 23

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TUCSON, Ariz., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — G50 Corp (ASX: G50; OTCQB: GFTYF), based in Sydney, Australia, and focused on its precious and strategic metals discovery at the Golconda Project, Arizona, today announced that Mark Wallace, Managing Director / CEO, will present live at the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com on July 23, 2025.

    DATE: July 23
    TIME: 10 am ET
    LINK: REGISTER HERE
    Available for 1×1 meetings: July 23, 24, 25, 28, 29

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • New high-grade gold and silver discovery at Golconda in base and precious metals rich quartz-sulphide veins of a mesothermal style
    • Confirmed consistent significant gallium discovery across 1 km of strike from surface to a depth of 200m over 2 phases of drilling
    • Approved for trading on OTCQB under GFTYF

    G50 Corp (https://www.g50corp.com) is an exploration company focused on the southwestern United States. The Company’s flagship Golconda Project comprises both patented and unpatented claims and is ideally positioned near existing mining infrastructure and logistics hubs to meet the country’s growing demand for domestic mineral resources including gold, silver and gallium.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:

    G50 Corp
    Mark Wallace
    Managing Director / CEO
    (775) 993 3737
    queries@g50corp.com

    Viriathus
    Beverly Jedynak
    Beverly.jedynak@viriathus.com
    312-943-1123
    773-350-5793 (cell)

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ASM share buyback update July 14 – 18, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almere, The Netherlands
    July 21, 2025, 5:45 p.m. CET

    ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) reports the following transactions, conducted under ASM’s current share buyback program.

    Date Repurchased shares Average price Repurchased value
    July 16, 2025 4,942 € 509.82 € 2,519,531
    July 17, 2025 4,348 € 518.38 € 2,253,926
    Total 9,290 € 513.83 € 4,773,457

    These repurchases were made as part of the €150 million share buyback program which started on April 30, 2025. Of the total program, 43.6% has been repurchased. For further details including individual transaction information please visit: www.asm.com/investors/dividends-share-buybacks.

    About ASM International

    ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol: ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at www.asm.com.

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

    Contacts  
    Investor and media relations Investor relations
    Victor Bareño Valentina Fantigrossi
    T: +31 88 100 8500 T: +31 88 100 8502
    E: investor.relations@asm.com E: investor.relations@asm.com

    The MIL Network –