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Category: Latin America

  • PM Modi meets Uruguayan President Orsi on sidelines of BRICS Summit in Rio

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Yamandu Orsi, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    During their meeting, the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations. They reviewed cooperation in areas such as digital collaboration, information and communication technology (ICT), Digital Public Infrastructure and Unified Payments Interface (UPI), defence, railways, health and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

    A major focus of their talks was on strengthening bilateral trade and investment. Both sides expressed keen interest in expanding the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, aiming to unlock greater economic potential and harness trade complementarities between India and Uruguay.

    The Prime Minister also conveyed his gratitude to President Orsi for Uruguay’s strong condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and appreciated the country’s solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism in all its forms.

    The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to build a forward-looking and robust bilateral partnership.

  • We will define BRICS in new form under India’s chairmanship: PM Modi in Brazil

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India would redefine the BRICS grouping under its upcoming chairmanship.

    Addressing the BRICS Summit in Brazil, PM Modi said, “Under India’s BRICS Chairmanship, we will define BRICS in a new form. BRICS would mean ‘Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.’”

    PM Modi affirmed that India would carry forward the spirit of people-centric progress during its leadership of the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

    “In the coming year, under India’s BRICS Chairmanship, we will continue close cooperation on all subjects,” the PM said.

    The Prime Minister underlined how India’s presidency of the G20 elevated the concerns of the developing world and promised a similar approach for BRICS.

    “Just as during our G-20 Presidency, we ensured inclusivity and prioritised issues of the Global South in the agenda,” he said. “In the same way, during our BRICS Chairmanship, we will take this forum forward with a people-centric approach and the spirit of ‘Humanity First.’”

    This message of unity and collaboration was reflected earlier in the day, as Prime Minister Modi, along with other BRICS leaders, partners, and outreach invitees, gathered for the traditional family photo at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday morning (local time).

    The summit brought together leaders and representatives from BRICS nations and partner countries to discuss cooperation and strategic partnerships, marking a moment of unity and collaboration among the countries the grouping represents.

    Hosted by Brazil from July 7 to July 9, the summit saw leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia come together for the event. Prime Minister Modi participated in the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7, 2025, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

    During the summit, the leaders held productive discussions on various issues on the BRICS agenda, including the reform of global governance, enhancing the voice of the Global South, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, development issues, and Artificial Intelligence.

    PM Modi thanked the President of Brazil for his warm hospitality and the successful organisation of the summit.

    (ANI)

  • We will define BRICS in new form under India’s chairmanship: PM Modi in Brazil

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India would redefine the BRICS grouping under its upcoming chairmanship.

    Addressing the BRICS Summit in Brazil, PM Modi said, “Under India’s BRICS Chairmanship, we will define BRICS in a new form. BRICS would mean ‘Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.’”

    PM Modi affirmed that India would carry forward the spirit of people-centric progress during its leadership of the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

    “In the coming year, under India’s BRICS Chairmanship, we will continue close cooperation on all subjects,” the PM said.

    The Prime Minister underlined how India’s presidency of the G20 elevated the concerns of the developing world and promised a similar approach for BRICS.

    “Just as during our G-20 Presidency, we ensured inclusivity and prioritised issues of the Global South in the agenda,” he said. “In the same way, during our BRICS Chairmanship, we will take this forum forward with a people-centric approach and the spirit of ‘Humanity First.’”

    This message of unity and collaboration was reflected earlier in the day, as Prime Minister Modi, along with other BRICS leaders, partners, and outreach invitees, gathered for the traditional family photo at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday morning (local time).

    The summit brought together leaders and representatives from BRICS nations and partner countries to discuss cooperation and strategic partnerships, marking a moment of unity and collaboration among the countries the grouping represents.

    Hosted by Brazil from July 7 to July 9, the summit saw leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia come together for the event. Prime Minister Modi participated in the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7, 2025, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

    During the summit, the leaders held productive discussions on various issues on the BRICS agenda, including the reform of global governance, enhancing the voice of the Global South, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, development issues, and Artificial Intelligence.

    PM Modi thanked the President of Brazil for his warm hospitality and the successful organisation of the summit.

    (ANI)

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Terminates TPS for Nicaragua: It Was Never Meant to Last 25 Years

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Nicaragua, which will expire on July 5, 2025.  The termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice. 

    At least 60 days before a TPS designation expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, after consultation with appropriate U.S. government agencies, must review the conditions in a country designated for TPS to determine whether the conditions supporting the designation continue to be met and, if so, how long to extend the designation.  

    “Temporary Protected Status was never meant to last a quarter of a century,” said a DHS Spokesperson. “The impacts of a natural disaster impacting Nicaragua in 1999 no longer exist.  The environmental situation has improved enough that it is safe enough for Nicaraguan citizens to return home. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that TPS remains temporary.“

    After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Nicaragua no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Nicaragua and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Nicaraguans can return home in safety.

    Nicaraguan nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to self-deport which includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: With Improved Conditions, DHS Ends TPS for Honduras

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – After finding improved country conditions in Honduras, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status, as required by the statute. The termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice. 

    Honduras was designated for TPS in 1999 after the impact of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The Government of Honduras has made tremendous strides over the years to recover from the hurricane and, as a result of those efforts, it is safe for their nationals to return home. 

    “Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago. Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return. Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.“

    After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Honduras no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Honduras and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Hondurans can return home in safety. Additionally, under President Castro, Honduras has taken steps to welcome home their citizens, providing access to economic and food assistance programs, as well as labor integration and job training.

    Honduran nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to leave the United States with a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus to help them resettle in Honduras, and preserve future opportunities for legal immigration.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The New England Strike Force Joins Nationwide Crackdown on Health Care Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    CONCORD- Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack, together with Acting U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Drescher of the District of Vermont and Craig M. Wolff of the District of Maine, announces a sweeping enforcement action aimed at combatting health care fraud across New England. The enforcement action is a result of the collaboration and partnership between the Districts of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, and the New England Strike Force.

    The New England Strike Force charged six defendants in connection with unrelated allegations including conspiracies to defraud the State of New Hampshire’s Medicaid program (NH Medicaid), Medicare, and other federal benefit programs, totaling over $14 million. The charges filed in federal court throughout New England are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from various schemes, including a previously convicted social worker who submitted claims to NH Medicaid following his disbarment from billing federal health care programs, a conspiracy to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces and other equipment that were medically unnecessary, and a conspiracy to fulfill illegitimate prescriptions for drugs including Ozempic.

    The schemes charged in the District of New Hampshire include:

    Previously Convicted Felon Charged in New Scheme Fraudulently Billing Medicaid and Exploiting a Vulnerable Patient

    • United States v. Erik Alonso: Erik Alonso, age 54, of Miami, Florida, was charged by indictment with eight counts of health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to submit claims to NH Medicaid, despite being barred from billing federally funded health care programs following a previous heath care fraud related conviction in 2015. Alonso failed to disclose his exclusion to his employer, a Laconia, New Hampshire-based telehealth psychotherapy provider, and purportedly provided psychotherapy treatments to NH Medicaid beneficiaries between March 2022 and July 2024 via telehealth. In addition, Alonso allegedly exploited a psychotherapy patient by using purported psychotherapy sessions to seek and obtain assistance from that client with personal tasks, including preparing an application for a presidential pardon of his prior conviction and assisting him with applying for licensure in other New England states.  The case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Danielle Sakowski, Thomas Campbell, and John Howard, and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

    Straw Owner of Health Care Company Used to Commit Fraud and Launder Illicit Proceeds

    • United States v. Leo Anzivino Jr.: Leo Anzivino, Jr., age 34, of Teaticket, MA, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $6 million in Medicare funds. According to the indictment, Anzivino, Jr. acted as the straw owner of a durable medical equipment (“DME”) company, Advanced Medical Supply (Advanced), and conspired with others to cause the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME.  The indictment further alleges that Anzivino falsified bank account documents, including beneficial ownership information, and conspired to launder fraudulent funds from the DME scheme to conceal and disguise the nature, source, origin, and control of the proceeds of the DME fraud.  Anzivino, Jr., made four transfers from one Advanced account at a New Hampshire bank to another Advanced account at a Massachusetts bank, totaling over $3 million dollars, to conceal a co-conspirator’s control over the funds. The government seized approximately $353,768.29 in assets tied to the alleged scheme.  This case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Danielle Sakowski, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn, and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

    The schemes charged in the District of Vermont include:

    Global Pharma and Money Laundering Scheme

    • United States v. Manthan Rohit Shah: Manthan Rohit Shah, 37, of Mumbai, India, was charged by indictment with misbranding prescription medication, conspiring to import controlled substances, and conspiring to commit international concealment money laundering.  As alleged in the indictment, Shah owned and operated Company-1, a pharma company based in Mumbai, India. Company-1 allegedly shipped controlled substances and misbranded pharmaceutical drugs, including drugs that contained potentially potent, dangerous, and/or addictive substances, into New England and across the United States.  Shah and Company-1 used fake prescriptions to provide a veneer of legitimacy for customer orders, despite the customers never obtaining such prescriptions.  Shah undertook various acts in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. For example, on or about May 6, 2025, Shah sent a text message to an undercover law enforcement agent regarding Company-1’s fulfillment of illegitimate prescriptions for 50 pens of the drug Ozempic, costing approximately $6,200, to be shipped from a location outside the United States to an address in Vermont.  Shah also conspired with others to direct the shipment of pharmaceutical drugs without valid prescriptions to a network of online pharmacies and call centers that fulfilled orders placed by customers in New England and across the United States. Shah then conspired with others to launder the funds from financial accounts in the United States, through shell companies, and to Shah’s company in India.  The case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Patrick Brown, John Howard, and Thomas Campbell.

    Health Care Scheme Involving Purchase of Tulum Penthouse, High-Volume Cash Withdrawals

    • United States v. Evelyn Herrera: Evelyn Herrera, 61, of Loxahatchee, Florida, was charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $6.5 million in Medicare funds.  According to the charging documents, Herrera, the owner of Merida Medical Supplies Inc., a purported DME company, submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare from individuals residing across New England for wrist, knee, and back braces and other equipment, which were medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare.  After the funds from these fraudulent services were deposited into a bank account controlled by Herrera, she allegedly conducted financial transactions and attempted to conceal the source, origin, and control of the health care fraud proceeds generated by Merida. For example, Herrera allegedly sent an international wire from her bank account, indicating it was to be used to purchase property in Mexico, and sent other funds to a cryptocurrency wallet that she controlled.  During the scheme, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a payment suspension to Herrera for suspected fraud, after which Herrerra allegedly attempted to withdraw large amounts of cash from a bank and siphon funds off to other individuals.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn.  The complaint was filed in the District of Vermont.

    Health Care CEO Indicted in Cross-Border Health Care Fraud Scheme

    • United States v. Donald Jani: Donald Jani, 39, of Maharashtra, India, was charged by indictment with health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.9 million in Medicare funds.  According to the indictment, Jani, the CEO of CSS Pain Relief, Inc., a purported DME company, submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME.  Jani and his co-conspirators allegedly used the personal identifying information of elderly and disabled New England residents to fraudulently bill Medicare.  As part of the conspiracy, Jani unlawfully used the personal identifying information of medical providers in the District of Vermont and elsewhere to create the false appearance that the DME claims were premised on legitimate medical orders. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, John Howard and Thomas Campbell.  The indictment was brought in the District of Vermont.

    The scheme charged in the District of Maine includes:

    Individual Charged in Health Care and Identity Theft Scheme

    • United States v. Joseph Dobie: Joseph Dobie, 36, of Lewiston, Maine, was charged by complaint with aggravated identity theft, false statements relating to health care matters, and unlawful use of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits in connection with an identity-theft scheme. As alleged in the complaint, Dobie used a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain Medicaid and SNAP benefits in Maine, while simultaneously receiving SNAP benefits in New York.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Scott. The complaint was filed in the District of Maine.

    Additionally, the New England Strike Force provided valuable support in a nationwide investigation:

    Operation Gold Rush: Transnational Criminal Organization-Led Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

    Outside of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, the New England Strike Force also supported a nationwide investigation, Operation Gold Rush, which resulted in charges in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants in connection with the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department at $10.6 billion. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture. The criminal case is being prosecuted by DOJ Fraud Section Assistant Chiefs Kevin Lowell and Shankar Ramamurthy, and Trial Attorneys Sara Porter, Andres Almendarez, Leonid Sandlar, Monica Cooper, Thomas Campbell, Danielle Sakowski, and Matthew Belz.  Trial Attorney Sara Porter initiated the investigation, which has been supported by members of multiple Strike Forces. The civil forfeiture proceeding is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson of the District of Connecticut and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Chelsea Rooney. Office of Public Affairs | National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with Over $14.6 Billion in Alleged Fraud | United States Department of Justice

    These charges are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown. Descriptions of each case involved in the national enforcement action are available at Criminal Division | 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

    The New England Strike Force’s cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

    Leveraging advanced data analytics, forensic accounting, interagency collaboration, and subject-matter expertise, the New England Strike Force investigates and prosecutes complex health care fraud and money laundering schemes across the region, focusing on both individuals and corporations engaged in criminal conduct. DOJ Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell leads the Strike Force.

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Liberty Agents Seeks Strategic Backers to Power AI and Data Infrastructure Across the WLFI + USD1 Ecosystem

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    From the team behind Assimilate, MacroEdge, and AIaaS – Liberty Agents is preparing to launch as the coordination layer for sovereign builders aligned with liberty-first principles.

    LONDON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LibertyAgents.io, the AI and data coordination layer for the WLFI + USD1 ecosystem, is preparing to launch – and is now seeking strategic backers to help activate the next phase of decentralised infrastructure.

    Built by the team behind, MacroEdge.ai, Assimilate.News, and AIaaS.io, LibertyAgents.io provides verified agent deployment, macro and stablecoin dashboards, curated data feeds, and KYC-ready onboarding tools for sovereign project launches – all operating on a stack already shipped, tested, and integrated.

    “You can’t scale liberty with narratives,” said M0R84N, CEO at Assimilate Corp. “You scale it with infrastructure. Liberty Agents is how we do that.”

    Built on a Proven, Bootstrapped Stack

    LibertyAgents.io is not a concept. It’s a surface layer built on top of an operational intelligence stack shipped by Assimilate Corp over the last 8+ months:

    • MacroEdge.ai – Real-time macro terminal with 80+ indicators, ETF tracking, AI agents, and native WLFI / USD1 dashboards

    • Assimilate.cc – Terminal for agent deployment, coordination, and signal overlays

    • AIaaS.io – 500+ deployable tools for AI agents, dashboards, and strategy execution

    • Assimilate.News – Curated updates across macro, tech, and decentralised systems

    • USD1Bot – Lightweight sentiment and USD1 stablecoin tracker on X

    These tools are already in market – live, modular, and designed for liberty-aligned systems. Not Just Another Meme-Agent Generator

    In an era where AI and crypto are often reduced to gimmicks – meme-bots, prompt wrappers, speculative agent launches – Liberty Agents takes a radically different approach.

    This platform isn’t built to mint hype.
    It’s built to surface signal, deploy usable intelligence, and support builders who treat liberty not as a theme – but a principle worth designing for.

    Liberty Agents is about infrastructure that lasts – not noise that trends.

    Strategic Backers Wanted

    Liberty Agents is now in pre-launch alignment mode and we’re speaking directly with strategic backers.

    Backers who recognise the opportunity:

    • A live, working AI + macro stack

    • A coordination layer aligned with WLFI / USD1

    • A route to support verified builders, onchain signal, and permissionless deployment

    What backers receive:

    • Early access to the Liberty Agents deployment layer and stack-wide integrations

    • Strategic influence on dashboards, data services, and new agent tooling

    • Visibility as a launch supporter (optional)

    • Optional access to deal flow from emerging agents and sovereign deployments

    If you’re deploying capital into liberty-first infrastructure or want to help unlock the ecosystem these tools were built for, we’re ready to talk.

    LibertyAgents Patron NFTs

    For institutions or high-net-worth individuals who resonate with the mission, there is another (faster) way to participate:

    Aligned supporters can mint a Liberty Agents Patron NFT – a symbolic, non-financial access pass. Four Patron tiers are available in strictly limited numbers. NFT minting is denominated in USD1.

    These NFTs offer tiered access to the Liberty Agents ecosystem and demonstrate alignment with decentralised, sovereign infrastructure. More details available at LibertyAgents.io.

    Whether you’re ready to engage or simply ready to signal – we’re ready.

    Token-Agnostic Agents. Payments in USD1. And a Liberty Fund

    Liberty Agents does not assume every tool or project needs a token.

    The platform will support verified, tokenless deployments, as well as modular access tiers powered by USD1.

    From premium agent capabilities to real-time data feeds, USD1 can serve as a clean, stable medium of exchange – enabling payment, licensing, and contribution without introducing volatility or governance overhead.

    In parallel, Assimilate Corp is preparing the groundwork for a Liberty Fund – a discretionary pool designed to support WLFI aligned developers, projects, and coordination tools that advance the ecosystem.

    WLFI & USD1 Alignment by Design

    While currently unaffiliated with World Liberty Financial or USD1, the platform is directly aligned with both:

    • WLFI + USD1 dashboards already live on MacroEdge.ai

    • USD1 flows integrated into early-stage agents and feeds

    • WLFI-native tooling in development, including ETF overlays and launch modules

    • USD1 considered for settlement, agent access, and data monetisation use cases

    About the Team

    Assimilate Corp is led by contributors with deep Web3 and protocol experience, including a successful metaverse ecosystem exit in late 2024. The team has built every piece of infrastructure to date without external funding – and LibertyAgents.io is the next logical evolution.

    Explore the Initial Stack

    • Global macro terminal: https://MacroEdge.ai

    • Agent tools & AI sentiment: https://Assimilate.cc

    • AI as a Service platform: https://AIaaS.io

    • Emerging tech news curation: https://Assimilate.News

    • Coordination layer: https://LibertyAgents.io

    TL;DR

    • LibertyAgents.io is a soon-to-launch coordination layer for WLFI + USD1 ecosystems

    • Built by the team behind Assimilate, MacroEdge, AIaaS, and more

    • Not a meme factory – real infrastructure: agents, dashboards, data services

    • USD1-enabled payments and USD1 AI agent liquidity pairing

    • Launching with a Liberty Fund to support aligned projects and grass roots builders

    • Seeking strategic backers – the stack is ready, the application process open

    • Tiered Patron NFTs for those of a HNW who wish to support the mission

    Media Inquiries / Access:

    team@libertyagents.io

    Lorene George
    Communications Manager
    Liberty Agents is a trading style of Assimilate Corp Assimilate Corp, Panama City

    Web: www.libertyagents.io
    X (Twitter): @LibertyAgents
    CEO: @M0R84N

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by LibertyAgents. 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/9f8d1214-5747-438f-a39d-e4040229861e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PRESS RELEASE: Barragán, Wasserman Schultz, Garcia Lead Letter Urging FCC to Prioritize Language Accessibility in Hurricane Resiliency Planning

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

    For Immediate Release

    July 6, 2025

    Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov

    Barragán, Wasserman Schultz, Garcia Lead Letter Urging FCC to Prioritize Language Accessibility in Hurricane Resiliency Planning

    Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congresswomen Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) led 24 of their colleagues in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include language access experts and advocates for communities with limited English proficiency (LEP) in the agency’s upcoming Hurricane Season Resiliency Roundtable on July 7, 2025.

    Signed by Members of Congress representing linguistically diverse and hurricane-prone districts, the letter urges FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Acting Bureau Chief Zenji Nakazawa to prioritize multilingual, culturally competent emergency communications and to embed language accessibility into every phase of disaster preparedness and response.

    “Nearly 68 million United States residents speak a language other than English at home, and over 25 million are classified as LEP,” the lawmakers wrote. “During hurricanes and other disasters, these individuals face significant, documented barriers to accessing emergency alerts, evacuation orders, and disaster recovery information in a language that they can understand.”

    “As the FCC convenes its Hurricane Season Resiliency Roundtable, it has an opportunity to address longstanding gaps in language accessibility during disasters,” they continued. “To improve access to lifesaving information and support economic resilience, the FCC should prioritize making public safety communications—including Wireless Emergency Alerts, Emergency Alert System messages broadcast over television and radio, and 9-1-1 accessibility standards—multilingual, culturally competent, and accessible to all.”

    Rep. Barragán has long championed language accessibility and continues to lead efforts in Congress to ensure that language is never a barrier to safety or survival. 

    In addition to Barragan, Wasserman Schultz, and Garcia, the letter was signed by Representatives Maxwell Frost, Darren Soto, Adriano Espaillat, Yvette Clarke, Alma Adams, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Frederica Wilson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Bennie Thompson, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sanford Bishop, Jr., Lois Frankel, Nydia Velázquez, Kathy Castor, Lizzie Fletcher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Dan Goldman, Jared Moskowitz, Robin Kelly, Cleo Fields, Judy Chu, Valerie Foushee, Kevin Mullin, and Bobby Scott.

    The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

    Chairman Carr and Acting Bureau Chief Nakazawa:

    As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prepares for its upcoming Hurricane Season Resiliency Roundtable, we urge you to include language access experts and advocates who serve communities with limited English proficiency (LEP). Public safety communications that fail to address language needs leave millions of people vulnerable, and no resiliency framework is complete without closing this gap.

    Nearly 68 million United States residents speak a language other than English at home, and over 25 million are classified as LEP.[1] During hurricanes and other disasters, these individuals face significant, documented barriers to accessing emergency alerts, evacuation orders, and disaster recovery information in a language that they can understand. These challenges are not hypothetical—they have played out in real time during recent disasters, with serious and sometimes deadly consequences.

    In Houston, for example, nearly half a million residents have limited or no English proficiency, and the city is home to more than 145 spoken languages.[2] When Hurricane Beryl tore through Houston last year, significant portions of the city’s LEP community reported feeling unprepared, as most emergency resources were available in English and Spanish but not other languages spoken by a large number of residents.[3] This is particularly alarming as Harris County, where Houston is located, scores a 100/100 or “very high” for hurricane risk on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index.[4]

    The State of Florida, another hurricane hotspot, boasts over 4.8 million foreign-born residents who speak more than 130 languages.[5] More than 400,000 households in Florida speak Haitian Creole as their primary language, and tens of thousands more primarily speak Portuguese, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic, German, Russian, Italian, or another language.[6] Communicating effectively with these diverse populations is a complex undertaking—particularly for rural, agricultural counties in north central Florida, which often operate with limited resources. Many of these counties lack in-house interpreters or multilingual social media outreach, and more than a third do not have bilingual staff or call-in language lines.[7] These constraints highlight the need for stronger federal support and coordination to ensure all communities receive timely, accurate emergency information in a language that they understand.

    The stakes of inadequate communication go beyond immediate safety—they also affect a community’s ability to recover economically after a disaster. Immigrants in Florida’s workforce—including many who are classified as LEP—contribute an estimated $179 billion to the state economy annually in personal income, making up more than one-fifth of all spending power in the state.[8] Throughout the United States, immigrants represent approximately 17 percent of the nation’s labor force and contribute over $2 trillion annually to the United States’ gross domestic product. Ensuring effective communication with these LEP communities during emergencies not only protects lives but also safeguards economic resilience by minimizing disruption and enabling faster recovery.

    As the FCC convenes its Hurricane Season Resiliency Roundtable, it has an opportunity to address longstanding gaps in language accessibility during disasters. To improve access to lifesaving information and support economic resilience, the FCC should prioritize making public safety communications—including Wireless Emergency Alerts, Emergency Alert System messages broadcast over television and radio, and 9-1-1 accessibility standards—multilingual, culturally competent, and accessible to all. Language access must be embedded into every phase of disaster management: preparedness, response, and recovery. Yet too often, it is treated as an afterthought.

    For these reasons, we urge the FCC to include LEP-serving advocates, language access experts, and representatives of immigrant, refugee, and Indigenous communities in the July 7th roundtable. Their perspectives are critical to identifying systemic weaknesses, enhancing protocols, and ensuring emergency systems reach all communities before, during, and after disasters.

    Thank you for your attention to this critical component of disaster preparedness and public safety.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Samora Machel’s vision for Mozambique didn’t survive: what has taken its place?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Luca Bussotti, Professor at the PhD Course in Peace, Democracy, Social Movements and Human Development, Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM)

    Samora Moisés Machel, the first president of independent Mozambique, was born in 1933 in Gaza province, in the south of the country. He died in an unexplained plane crash on 19 October 1986, in Mbuzini, South Africa.

    Authoritarian and popular, humble and arrogant, visionary and tactical. All these words have been used to describe Machel. Despite these contradictions, there was one quality that everyone recognised in him: his charisma. At the time this gift wasn’t lacking in many political leaders of emerging countries, especially those of Marxist-Leninist inspiration. Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro above all.

    Their common faith went beyond any personal or family interest. It was a faith for the progress of humanity, for the liberation of oppressed peoples from the colonial yoke, from the chains of capitalism and from traditional values and practices considered regressive.

    Machel’s enlightenment programme was as fascinating as it was difficult to achieve in Mozambique in the mid-1970s. Small farmers, with all their “traditional” beliefs, made up the majority of the population. It was a political battle for social justice as well as a cultural crusade.

    Machel’s speech on 25 June 1975, at the Machava Stadium in Maputo, proclaiming Mozambique’s independence from Portugal, highlighted the contradictions. The new head of state addressed the “workers”, who represented a small minority of the Mozambican people. At the same time, he called for freedom from colonial-capitalist oppression and the effective, total independence of the new country, already identifying its possible enemies: the unproductive and exploitative bourgeoisie.

    The task of nation-building

    Machel’s charisma recalled that of the proto-nationalist hero Gungunhana, who had tried to resist the Portuguese occupation at the end of the 19th century. Machel’s grandfather, Maguivelani, was related to the “terrible” Gungunhana, the last emperor of Gaza, who was defeated in 1895 by Mouzinho de Albuquerque after years of struggle. He was deported to Portugal, where he died in 1906.

    Paradoxically, the anti-traditionalist Machel was the descendant of a great traditional chief. This heritage played a role in shaping his personality and political action.

    Machel’s main task was to build a nation that only existed because of political unification under the Portuguese. The initial choices, embedded in the Cold War atmosphere, forced the nationalist Machel to opt for a rapprochement with the Soviet Union. Mozambique formally adopted a Marxist-Leninist doctrine at its Third Congress in 1977.

    That approach meant political intolerance and the repression of “dissidents”, as well as the marginalisation of certain ethnic groups, above all the Amakhuwa people, who did not sympathise with Machel’s party, Frelimo.

    The forces opposed to the Marxist-Leninist solution expected democratic elections to be held after the proclamation of independence from Portugal. But this opportunity never came. Portugal handed over power to Frelimo (Lusaka Accords, 1974), ignoring the existence of other political groups.

    The treatment of leaders who opposed Frelimo’s vision was harsh. On their return from abroad, many were imprisoned in concentration camps in the north of the country.

    They included the resistance leader Joana Simeão, along with others such as Uria Simango, former vice-president of Frelimo, his wife, Celina Simango, and Lázaro Kavandame, the former Makonde leader who left Frelimo because he didn’t agree with its political line.

    They were put on arbitrary trial and executed. The dates and the method of execution are still officially unknown, despite the former president Joaquim Chissano’s public apology, in 2014, for these deaths.

    About a year after independence, an armed opposition, Renamo, was formed. It was financed first by Ian Smith’s Southern Rhodesian government, and then by the South African apartheid regime.

    Renamo, contrary to Machel’s expectations, had a solid popular base in central and northern Mozambique, especially among peasant populations who had expressed opposition to the policies of collectivisation and cooperation imposed by the Marxist-Leninist government.

    And it was war which led Machel to a controversial agreement with the South African apartheid enemy. The Nkomati Accords, signed in 1984, provided for the end of Mozambique’s logistical support to the exiled African National Congress in Mozambique and South Africa’s military and financial support to Renamo.

    This agreement did not bring peace. On the contrary, the war intensified, as the South African regime continued to finance Renamo.

    Machel died in 1986, with the war still raging, unable to see the end of a conflict that had devastated Mozambique and which defeated the socialist principles.

    The General Peace Accords between the Mozambican government, represented by the president, Chissano, and Renamo, represented by its leader, Afonso Dhlakama, were only signed in Rome in 1992.

    End of an era

    Machel took the first, important steps towards a rapprochement with the west, as demonstrated by his visit to Ronald Reagan in Washington in September 1985.

    It can be said that with his death the First Mozambican Republic ended, with all its positive and negative elements. The dream of building a fair Mozambique with an equitable distribution of national wealth came to an end.

    Machel had worked hard to ensure that health, education, transport, water and energy were distributed equally among Mozambicans. A poor but fair welfare state was born. But it was quickly dismantled in the years following his death. The Mozambican state had very few resources to devote to the welfare state. The rest was done by the rapid abandonment of an ideology, the socialist ideology, which by then the Frelimo elite no longer believed in.

    In addition, international financial institutions entered the country, with the notorious structural adjustment policies, as early as 1987.

    Corruption, which Machel sought to combat with various measures, and which he addressed at many of his rallies, spread across the country and all its institutions. The Frelimo political elite soon became the richest slice of the nation.

    Several observers began to speak of a kleptocracy. The country suffered from continuous corruption scandals. One of the biggest became known as “hidden debt,” in which the political elite, including one of ex-president Armando Guebuza’s sons and former intelligence chief, Gregório Leão, were convicted of a scheme that cost the public treasury more than US$2 billion.

    However, the main defeat was the fall of an inapplicable socialism.

    The adoption of a capitalist, liberal and democratic model, at least formally, put an end to the arbitrary violations of human rights as in the age of the socialist state, such as “Operation Production” of 1983. The programme aimed to move “unproductive” people living in cities to the countryside to promote agricultural production.

    In reality, it turned into arbitrary detentions and displacement of entire families, increasing the systematic violation of human rights by the state.

    At the same time, the end of socialism meant democratic openness. Since the 1990 constitution, Mozambique has had as its fundamental principles respect for civil and political freedoms based on the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights. Still, socio-economic rights have been denied as a result of the dismantling of the welfare state.

    How he’s remembered

    Today, many people miss Machel’s rule. Those who were close to him, such as José Óscar Monteiro, the former interior minister, recall him as an ethical statesman, intolerant of corruption and abuses against “his” people. So do some of the international media.

    Others, since the 1980s, such as Amnesty International, have denounced the serious violations of the most basic human rights by the Mozambican government and its leader.

    What remains of Machel today is above all his ethical teaching. He died poor, committed to the cause of his nation, leaving his heirs moral prestige.

    It is curious that his figure is associated, even in musical compositions by contemporary rappers from Mozambique, with his historical enemy, Dhlakama, who died in 2018.

    This popular tribute is proof of the distance between the country’s current ruling class and a “people” who are looking to the charismatic figure of Venâncio Mondlane, the so-called “people’s president”. But that’s another story that won’t fit here.

    – Samora Machel’s vision for Mozambique didn’t survive: what has taken its place?
    – https://theconversation.com/samora-machels-vision-for-mozambique-didnt-survive-what-has-taken-its-place-260110

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Samora Machel’s vision for Mozambique didn’t survive: what has taken its place?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Luca Bussotti, Professor at the PhD Course in Peace, Democracy, Social Movements and Human Development, Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM)

    Samora Moisés Machel, the first president of independent Mozambique, was born in 1933 in Gaza province, in the south of the country. He died in an unexplained plane crash on 19 October 1986, in Mbuzini, South Africa.

    Authoritarian and popular, humble and arrogant, visionary and tactical. All these words have been used to describe Machel. Despite these contradictions, there was one quality that everyone recognised in him: his charisma. At the time this gift wasn’t lacking in many political leaders of emerging countries, especially those of Marxist-Leninist inspiration. Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro above all.

    Their common faith went beyond any personal or family interest. It was a faith for the progress of humanity, for the liberation of oppressed peoples from the colonial yoke, from the chains of capitalism and from traditional values and practices considered regressive.

    Machel’s enlightenment programme was as fascinating as it was difficult to achieve in Mozambique in the mid-1970s. Small farmers, with all their “traditional” beliefs, made up the majority of the population. It was a political battle for social justice as well as a cultural crusade.

    Machel’s speech on 25 June 1975, at the Machava Stadium in Maputo, proclaiming Mozambique’s independence from Portugal, highlighted the contradictions. The new head of state addressed the “workers”, who represented a small minority of the Mozambican people. At the same time, he called for freedom from colonial-capitalist oppression and the effective, total independence of the new country, already identifying its possible enemies: the unproductive and exploitative bourgeoisie.

    The task of nation-building

    Machel’s charisma recalled that of the proto-nationalist hero Gungunhana, who had tried to resist the Portuguese occupation at the end of the 19th century. Machel’s grandfather, Maguivelani, was related to the “terrible” Gungunhana, the last emperor of Gaza, who was defeated in 1895 by Mouzinho de Albuquerque after years of struggle. He was deported to Portugal, where he died in 1906.

    Paradoxically, the anti-traditionalist Machel was the descendant of a great traditional chief. This heritage played a role in shaping his personality and political action.

    Machel’s main task was to build a nation that only existed because of political unification under the Portuguese. The initial choices, embedded in the Cold War atmosphere, forced the nationalist Machel to opt for a rapprochement with the Soviet Union. Mozambique formally adopted a Marxist-Leninist doctrine at its Third Congress in 1977.

    That approach meant political intolerance and the repression of “dissidents”, as well as the marginalisation of certain ethnic groups, above all the Amakhuwa people, who did not sympathise with Machel’s party, Frelimo.

    The forces opposed to the Marxist-Leninist solution expected democratic elections to be held after the proclamation of independence from Portugal. But this opportunity never came. Portugal handed over power to Frelimo (Lusaka Accords, 1974), ignoring the existence of other political groups.

    The treatment of leaders who opposed Frelimo’s vision was harsh. On their return from abroad, many were imprisoned in concentration camps in the north of the country.

    They included the resistance leader Joana Simeão, along with others such as Uria Simango, former vice-president of Frelimo, his wife, Celina Simango, and Lázaro Kavandame, the former Makonde leader who left Frelimo because he didn’t agree with its political line.

    They were put on arbitrary trial and executed. The dates and the method of execution are still officially unknown, despite the former president Joaquim Chissano’s public apology, in 2014, for these deaths.

    About a year after independence, an armed opposition, Renamo, was formed. It was financed first by Ian Smith’s Southern Rhodesian government, and then by the South African apartheid regime.

    Renamo, contrary to Machel’s expectations, had a solid popular base in central and northern Mozambique, especially among peasant populations who had expressed opposition to the policies of collectivisation and cooperation imposed by the Marxist-Leninist government.

    And it was war which led Machel to a controversial agreement with the South African apartheid enemy. The Nkomati Accords, signed in 1984, provided for the end of Mozambique’s logistical support to the exiled African National Congress in Mozambique and South Africa’s military and financial support to Renamo.

    This agreement did not bring peace. On the contrary, the war intensified, as the South African regime continued to finance Renamo.

    Machel died in 1986, with the war still raging, unable to see the end of a conflict that had devastated Mozambique and which defeated the socialist principles.

    The General Peace Accords between the Mozambican government, represented by the president, Chissano, and Renamo, represented by its leader, Afonso Dhlakama, were only signed in Rome in 1992.

    End of an era

    Machel took the first, important steps towards a rapprochement with the west, as demonstrated by his visit to Ronald Reagan in Washington in September 1985.

    It can be said that with his death the First Mozambican Republic ended, with all its positive and negative elements. The dream of building a fair Mozambique with an equitable distribution of national wealth came to an end.

    Machel had worked hard to ensure that health, education, transport, water and energy were distributed equally among Mozambicans. A poor but fair welfare state was born. But it was quickly dismantled in the years following his death. The Mozambican state had very few resources to devote to the welfare state. The rest was done by the rapid abandonment of an ideology, the socialist ideology, which by then the Frelimo elite no longer believed in.

    In addition, international financial institutions entered the country, with the notorious structural adjustment policies, as early as 1987.

    Corruption, which Machel sought to combat with various measures, and which he addressed at many of his rallies, spread across the country and all its institutions. The Frelimo political elite soon became the richest slice of the nation.

    Several observers began to speak of a kleptocracy. The country suffered from continuous corruption scandals. One of the biggest became known as “hidden debt,” in which the political elite, including one of ex-president Armando Guebuza’s sons and former intelligence chief, Gregório Leão, were convicted of a scheme that cost the public treasury more than US$2 billion.

    However, the main defeat was the fall of an inapplicable socialism.

    The adoption of a capitalist, liberal and democratic model, at least formally, put an end to the arbitrary violations of human rights as in the age of the socialist state, such as “Operation Production” of 1983. The programme aimed to move “unproductive” people living in cities to the countryside to promote agricultural production.

    In reality, it turned into arbitrary detentions and displacement of entire families, increasing the systematic violation of human rights by the state.

    At the same time, the end of socialism meant democratic openness. Since the 1990 constitution, Mozambique has had as its fundamental principles respect for civil and political freedoms based on the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights. Still, socio-economic rights have been denied as a result of the dismantling of the welfare state.

    How he’s remembered

    Today, many people miss Machel’s rule. Those who were close to him, such as José Óscar Monteiro, the former interior minister, recall him as an ethical statesman, intolerant of corruption and abuses against “his” people. So do some of the international media.

    Others, since the 1980s, such as Amnesty International, have denounced the serious violations of the most basic human rights by the Mozambican government and its leader.

    What remains of Machel today is above all his ethical teaching. He died poor, committed to the cause of his nation, leaving his heirs moral prestige.

    It is curious that his figure is associated, even in musical compositions by contemporary rappers from Mozambique, with his historical enemy, Dhlakama, who died in 2018.

    This popular tribute is proof of the distance between the country’s current ruling class and a “people” who are looking to the charismatic figure of Venâncio Mondlane, the so-called “people’s president”. But that’s another story that won’t fit here.

    Luca Bussotti 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. Samora Machel’s vision for Mozambique didn’t survive: what has taken its place? – https://theconversation.com/samora-machels-vision-for-mozambique-didnt-survive-what-has-taken-its-place-260110

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Announces That All Traders Can Use 100x Leverage for Crypto Futures Trading with Double Deposit Bonus and NO KYC Required

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BexBack Exchange has launched an aggressive new promotion to empower both new and seasoned crypto traders: All eligible new users receive a $50 welcome bonus and a 100% deposit bouns match. As the crypto market braces for another period of high volatility, BexBack is making futures trading more accessible and profitable than ever. With up to 100x leverage, zero KYC requirements, and support for over 50 digital assets, the platform provides an ideal environment for those seeking to capitalize on market swings without large upfront capital.

    Advantages of 100x Leverage Crypto Futures

    1. Amplified Profits: Control large positions with a small amount of capital, capturing more profits from market fluctuations.
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    3. Increased Market Opportunities: Profit quickly from price fluctuations, especially in volatile markets.
    4. High Capital Efficiency: Leverage enables better use of your capital, expanding your investment potential.
    5. Profit from Both Up and Down Markets: Adapt to any market conditions, with opportunities to profit whether the market goes up or down.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform offering up to 100x leverage on futures contracts for BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and over 50 other digital assets. Headquartered in Singapore, the platform also operates offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. Like many top-tier exchanges, BexBack holds a U.S. MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. The platform accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe, with zero deposit fees and 24/7 multilingual customer support, delivering a secure, efficient, and user-friendly trading experience.

    Why recommend BexBack?

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    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign Up Now on BexBack — Break the 100x Leverage and KYC Barriers, Get Double Deposit Bonus and $50 Welcome Bonus Instantly

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
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    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. Disclaimer: This content is provided by sponsor. 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.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4c4d1085-dfc5-4d96-a3e1-20d8439031b3

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/593f7159-c39a-4579-a262-20f47c850c72

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1a2e2f6c-81b6-45f6-bdc7-b6d3166e8b61

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aa14d60a-eabd-456a-ad08-bdb461b889da

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jorge Heine, Outgoing Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, Boston University

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, center, flanked by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaks at the summit of Group of 20 leading economies in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 19, 2024. Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images

    In 2020, as Latin American countries were contending with the triple challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global economic shock and U.S. policy under the first Trump administration, Jorge Heine, research professor at Boston University and a former Chilean ambassador, in association with two colleagues, Carlos Fortin and Carlos Ominami, put forward the notion of “active nonalignment.”


    Polity Books

    Five years on, the foreign policy approach is more relevant than ever, with trends including the rise of the Global South and the fragmentation of the global order, encouraging countries around the world to reassess their relationships with both the United States and China.

    It led Heine, along with Fortin and Ominami, to follow up on their original arguments in a new book, “The Non-Aligned World,” published in June 2025.

    The Conversation spoke with Heine on what is behind the push toward active nonalignment, and where it may lead.

    For those not familiar, what is active nonalignment?

    Active nonalignment is a foreign policy approach in which countries put their own interests front and center and refuse to take sides in the great power rivalry between the U.S. and China.

    It takes its cue from the Non-Aligned Movement of the 1950s and 1960s but updates it to the realities of the 21st century. Today’s rising Global South is very different from the “Third World” that made up the Non-Aligned Movement. Countries like India, Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia have greater economic heft and wherewithal. They thus have more options than in the past.

    They can pick and choose policies in accordance with what is in their national interests. And because there is competition between Washington and Beijing to win over such countries’ hearts and minds, those looking to promote a nonaligned agenda have greater leverage.

    Traditional international relations literature suggests that in relations between nations, you can either “balance,” meaning take a strong position against another power, or “bandwagon” – that is, go along with the wishes of that power. The notion was that weaker states couldn’t balance against the Great Powers because they don’t have the military power to do so, so they had to bandwagon.

    What we are saying is that there is an intermediate approach: hedging. Countries can hedge their bets or equivocate by playing one power off the other. So, on some issues you side with the U.S., and others you side with China.

    Thus, the grand strategy of active nonalignment is “playing the field,” or in other words, searching for opportunities among what is available in the international environment. This means being constantly on the lookout for potential advantages and available resources – in short, being active, rather than passive or reactive.

    So active nonalignment is not so much a movement as it is a doctrine.

    Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba, right, and Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser attend the first Conference of Non-Aligned Countries in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
    Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    It’s been five years since you first came up with the idea of active nonalignment. Why did you think it was time to revisit it now?

    The notion of active nonalignment came up during the first Trump administration and in the context of a Latin America hit by the triple-whammy of U.S. pressure, a pandemic and the ensuing recession – which in Latin America translated into the biggest economic downturn in 120 years, a 6.6% drop of regional gross domestic product in 2020.

    ANA was intended as a guide for Latin American countries to navigate those difficult moments, and it led us to the publication of a symposium volume with contributions by six former Latin American foreign ministers in November 2021, in which we elaborated on the concept.

    Three months later, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the reaction to it by many countries in Asia and Africa, nonalignment was back with a vengeance.

    Countries like India, Pakistan, South Africa and Indonesia, among others, took positions that were at odds with the West on Ukraine. Many of them, though not all, condemned Russian aggression but also wanted no part in the West’s sanctions on Moscow. These sanctions were seen as unwarranted and as an expression of Western double standards – no sanctions were applied on the U.S. for invading Iraq, of course.

    And then there were the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the resulting war in the Gaza Strip. Countries across the Global South strongly condemned the Hamas attacks, but the West’s response to the subsequent deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians brought home the notion of double standards when it came to international human rights.

    Why weren’t Palestinians deserving of the same compassion as Ukrainians? For many in the Global South, that question hit very hard – the idea that “human rights are limited to Europeans and people who looked like them did not go down well.”

    Thus, South Africa brought a case against Israel in the International Court of Justice alleging genocide, and Brazil spearheaded ceasefire efforts at the United Nations.

    A third development is the expansion of the BRICS bloc of economies from its original five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to 10 members. Although China and Russia are not members of the Global South, those other founding members are, and the BRICS group has promoted key issues on the Global South’s agenda. The addition of countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia has meant that BRICS has increasingly taken on the guise of the Global South forum. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leading proponent of BRICS, is keen on advancing this Global South agenda.

    All three of these developments have made active nonalignment more relevant than ever before.

    How are China and the US responding to active nonalignment – or are they?

    I’ll give you two examples: Angola and Argentina.

    In Angola, the African country that has received most Chinese cooperation to the tune of US$45 billion, you now have the U.S. financing what is known as the Lobito Corridor – a railway line that stretches from the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast.

    Ten years ago, the notion that the U.S. would be financing railway projects in southern Africa would have been considered unfathomable. Yet it has happened. Why? Because China has built significant railway lines in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia, and the U.S. realized that it was being left behind.

    For the longest time, the U.S. would condemn such Chinese-financed infrastructure projects via the “Belt and Road Initiative” as nothing but “debt-trap diplomacy” designed to saddle developing nations with “white elephants” nobody needed. But a couple of years ago, that tune changed: The U.S. and Europe realized that there is a big infrastructure deficit in Asia, Africa and Latin America that China was stepping in to reduce – and the West was nowhere to be seen in this critical area.

    In short, the West changed it approach – and countries like Angola are now able to play the U.S. off against China for its own national interests.

    Then take Argentina. In 2023, Javier Milei was elected president on a strong anti-China platform. He said his government would have nothing to do with Beijing. But just two years later, Milei announced in an Economist interview that he is a great admirer of Beijing.

    Why? Because Argentina has a very significant foreign debt, and Milei knew that a continued anti-China stance would mean a credit line from Beijing would likely not be renewed. The Argentinian president was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and Washington to let the credit line with China lapse, but Milei refused to do so and managed to hold his own, playing both sides against the middle.

    Milei is a populist conservative; Brazil’s Lula a leftist. So is active nonalignment immune to ideological differences?

    Absolutely. When people ask me what the difference is between traditional nonalignment and active nonalignment, one of the most obvious things is that the latter is nonideological – it can be used by people of the right, left and center. It is a guide to action, a compass to navigate the waters of a highly troubled world, and can be used by governments of very different ideological hues.

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina President Javier Milei at the 66th Summit of leaders of the Mercosur trading bloc in Buenos Aires on July 3, 2025.
    Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

    The book talks a lot about the fragmentation of the rules-based order. Where do you see this heading?

    There is little doubt that the liberal international order that framed world politics from 1945 to 2016 has come to an end. Some of its bedrock principles, like multilateralism, free trade and respect for international law and existing international treaties, have been severely undermined.

    We are now in a transitional stage. The notion of the West as a geopolitical entity, as we knew it, has ceased to exist. We now have the extraordinary situation where illiberal forces in Hungary, Germany and Poland, among other places, are being supported by those in power in both Washington and Moscow.

    And this decline of the West has not come about because of any economic issue – the U.S. still represents around 25% of global GDP, much as it did in 1970 – but because of the breakdown of the trans-Atlantic alliance.

    So we are moving toward a very different type of world order – and one in which the Global South has the opportunity to have much more of a role, especially if it deploys active nonalignment.

    How have events since Trump’s inauguration played into your argument?

    The notion of active nonalignment was triggered by the first Trump administration’s pressure on Latin American countries. I would argue that the measures undertaken in Trump’s second administration – the tariffs imposed on 90 countries around the world; the U.S. leaving the Paris climate agreement, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council; and other “America First” policies – have only underscored the validity of active nonalignment as a foreign policy approach.

    The pressures on countries across the Global South are very strong, and there is a temptation to give in to Trump and align with U.S. Yet, all indications are that simply giving in to Trump’s demands isn’t a recipe for success. Those countries that have gone down the route of giving in to Trump’s demands only see more demands after that. Countries need a different approach – and that can be found in active nonalignment.

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

    – ref. Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march – https://theconversation.com/nations-are-increasingly-playing-the-field-when-it-comes-to-us-and-china-a-new-book-explains-explains-why-active-nonalignment-is-on-the-march-260234

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Visits Latin America to launch UN Global Road Safety Campaign  

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia and Brazil (23-27 June), to launch the UN global campaign #MakeASafetyStatement, in partnership with JCDecaux. During his visit, he will meet with key government officials, representatives of the international community, private and public sector leaders, and representatives of civil society to promote road safety initiatives and advocate for enhanced measures. 

    This mission aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which aims to halve road fatalities by 2030. It follows the adoption of a new UN resolution on road safety at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this year (18-19February). 

    A Silent Pandemic

    Road traffic crashes claimed more than 145,000 lives across the Americas in 2021, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), representing 12% of global road fatalities that year. Road crashes remain the leading cause of death for children and young people aged 5 to 29 years old globally imposing a significant social and economic burden. According to the World Bank, the cost of road crashes represents between 3% and 6% of GDP in the region.   

    Across the Americas, deaths on the road have registered a 9.37% drop in the decade to 2021. The region’s progress is above the 5% global drop in deaths in the period but is nowhere near fast enough to meet the global goal of halving road deaths by 2030.  

    Latin America is one of the most urbanized regions in the world, making road safety a crucial component of city development strategies. This underscores the urgent need to rethink mobility and invest in road safety. 

    Solutions exist 

    The good news is that solutions exist. Strengthening law enforcement, investing in education and public transport, enhancing road infrastructure and vehicle safety, developing bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways — especially around schools —and improving post-crash care are all part of a safe and efficient mobility system. Additionally, mobilizing political leadership is crucial to increase funding and action.  

    A 2019 report commissioned by Bloomberg Philanthropies revealed that more than 25,000 lives could be saved and over 170,000 serious injuries prevented by 2030 if United Nations (UN) vehicle safety regulations were applied by four key countries in the region—Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Brazil. 

    “Every year we lose 1.19 million lives on the world’s roads, this is equivalent to the entire population of cities like Monterrey (Mexico), Guatemala or Campinas (Brazil). This is madness, because we know how to stop this carnage. With this campaign we call for urgent action to ensure safe roads for all, everywhere on the continent,” said Jean Todt, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety.   

    Jean-Charles Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux said: “At JCDecaux, we are committed to improving the quality of life for people wherever they live, work and travel, offering innovative, sustainable street furniture and services that meet cities and citizens’ expectations. This is the core of our mission and that is why we are proud to partner with the United Nations and Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, to display this road safety campaign across our global media network. Following its successful rollout in over 50 countries since September 2023, the campaign’s launch in Latin America marks a key milestone, amplifying local road safety efforts and reinforcing public awareness. With our powerful and service-driven media, we are able to relay these vital prevention messages in high-impact locations, promote safe behaviour, and engage all our stakeholders around this major cause. The campaign’s positive tone, supported by international celebrities, helps inspire a new vision for public space: one that is safer, more inclusive, and more harmonious for all.” 

    #MakeASafetyStatement campaign  

    The global #MakeASafetyStatement campaign aims to promote road safety and create secure, inclusive, and sustainable streets worldwide. 

    Celebrities fronting the campaign in Latin America include football icon Ousmane Dembélé, F1 driver Charles Leclerc, tennis legend Novak Djokovic, singer and musician Kylie Minogue, motorcycle racer Marc Marquez, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and actors Patrick Dempsey and Michael Fassbender.  

    Thanks to the support of the International Olympic Committee, Latin American 2024 Olympic champions such as Juan-Manuel Celaya (Mexico, silver medal, diving), Adriana Ruano (Guatemala, gold medal, shooting women’s trap), Atheyna Bylon (Panama, silver medal, boxing), Angel Barajas (Colombia, silver medal, gymnastics), Rebecca Andrade (Brazil, gold medal, artistic gymnastics) have joined the initiative. 

    National focus 

    Mexico 

    In Mexico, 15 to 16,000 people die each year in road accidents.  This puts the fatality rate at 12.4 per 100,000 inhabitants, below the average for the Americas, and for countries such as the USA, Colombia or Brazil, but above Chile or Argentina.  The economic cost of road accidents is estimated at approximately 1.4% of GDP. 

    One third of all road deaths in Mexico are among pedestrians and motorcyclists, so protecting these vulnerable road users should be an urgent priority. It should be noted, however, that road crash statistics are very incomplete. 

    The National Law of Mobility and Road Safety of 2022 called for the adoption of the life-saving ‘safe systems’ approach that makes safety priority in all road-related policies and planning and is laid out in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. An exemplary amendment to Mexico’s constitution underpinned the law, making ‘mobility under the conditions of safety, accessibility, efficiency, sustainability, quality, inclusion and equality,’ a universal right for all Mexicans.  

    Although the law mandated the use of certified helmets at the federal level, most Mexican states have not yet legislated mandatory use, resulting in low compliance rates. 

    Guatemala 

    Road crashes remain a significant public health issue in Guatemala, with some 2,352 deaths registered in 2024 on the country’s roads. This brings the death rate at 12.6 per 100,000 population, as per WHO estimates.  

    Motorcycles are involved in half of the crashes and riders represent some 60% of the victims.  Road crashes happen predominantly in urban areas and among vulnerable road users. 

    In the recent period, Guatemala has made some progress in addressing road safety, both through institutional strengthening and the improvement of monitoring systems, legislative response, and intersectoral coordination. 

    Guatemala is currently a party to only 1 of the 7 core UN Road Safety legals instruments and legislation on pedestrian protection and child restraint systems remains fragmented. Helmet use is mandatory, but technical standards are not fully aligned with international best practices (e.g., UN-certified helmet standards ECE 22.05). Enforcement also remains a key challenge.  

    Guatemala currently participates in a project of the UN Road Safety Fund (UN RSF) Safe School Zones, which supports infrastructure improvements and awareness campaigns to protect children around schools. 

    Panama 

    Panama achieved a 45% reduction in road fatalities between 2016 and 2021, from 440 to 243 deaths. Its rate of 7.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants is the fourth lowest on the continent.  

    However, it records a very high level of people with serious injuries after a crash, with about 21 cases per death.   

    Panama is currently implementing 2 projects under the UN Road Safety Fund: Safe School Zones, aimed at reducing child fatalities near schools, and Strengthening Road Safety Legislation, aiming at aligning national laws with global best practices. Two legislative improvements are currently under discussion, on pedestrian protection and child restraints. 

    Colombia 

    Some 8,146 people died on Colombia’s in 2022, a 24% increase compared to the average from 2017 to 2019, driven by the rise in the number of motorcycles (+ over 100%)  and cars (+58%) registered between 2010 and 2022Motorcyclists represented 60% of the victims, and pedestrians 21%. The death rate is at 16 per 100,000 population (WHO), for an economic toll estimated at some 3% of GDP. 

    In recent years, through ANSV (Agencia Nacional de Seguridad Vial), the government has worked with cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali to implement urban safety plans, including developing public transport (express buses and cable cars); upgrading pedestrian infrastructure; developing safer intersections and introducing speed control zones. 

    The new Road Safety strategy (2022-2031) adopted in 2022 officially adopted the Safe System approach. 

    Colombia implements three projects financed by the UNRS, focusing on: institutional strengthening and better crash data systems; Safe and Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning; and an Awareness Campaign for Road Safety and Behavior Change addressing National media and school-based outreach initiatives. 

    Brazil 

    In Brazil, the mortality rate is 15.7 per 100,000 inhabitants.  Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists—compose around 61% of all crash fatalities. The notable rise in motorcycle-related deaths observed over recent years calls for accrued efforts to enforce the use of proper helmets – aligned with UN regulations (e.g., ECE-22.05). 

    Road safety remains a key challenges with the economic toll of road crashes estimated at some 5% of GDP.  This is one powerful reason to rethink mobility and invest in road safety. 

    The adoption of the National Road Safety Plan (2019–2028) , aiming for a 50% reduction in fatalities by 2028, marks a strong direction, and laws exist on helmet usage, child restraints, speed, drink & drug driving, mobile phone ban, etc. However, enforcement gaps remain—especially in speed and seatbelt compliance among rear passengers.   

    Mandatory inspections of vehicles exist, but several modern safety requirements (ABS, Electronic Stability Control, pedestrian protection, etc.) have not yet been made mandatory.   

    The UN RSF Project Improving Crash Prevention on Federal Highways in Brazil develops an interoperable system for road data collection and analysis, enabling effective countermeasures. 

    Photo credit: JCDecaux

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: War-Torn Central America in the 1980s Comes to Life in New Historical Memoir

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Some six decades ago, when Scott Wallace’s parents gifted him a Polaroid Swinger camera and leather-bound diary as a child, the seeds of journalism were planted.

    No one knew back then that Wallace, now an associate professor in the UConn journalism department, would go on to become an award-winning writer, television producer, and photojournalist who’s reported from places including the front lines of war-torn Central America, jungles of South America, and post-Soviet Russia.

    Similarly, no one could have foreseen the foreign policy decisions made by the U.S. during the Vietnam War, from around the same time Wallace opened that gift of a camera and journal, would have an influence on some of today’s most divisive issues.

    That’s the thread woven through Wallace’s new historical memoir, “Central America in the Crosshairs of War: On the Road from Vietnam to Iraq,” which has won Gold in the Foreward INDIES Awards in the category of political and social sciences, along with a Gold IPPY from the Independent Book Publishers Association as best history book (oversized/coffee table).

    He maintains the U.S. government’s decisions, denials, and deceit during Vietnam inevitably led to disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan many decades later, coming through the conflicts, civil wars, and revolutions in Central America in the 1980s.

    “Our country would be less polarized,” he says of what would have happened if the U.S. behaved differently in places like El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala during those years.

    “We would be dealing with a diminished immigration crisis if we had encouraged democracy in Central America and redirected the resources that we gave them for training armies and waging war,” he says. “If we instead used those same resources to build up their economies, there would have been far fewer reasons for them to leave. They’d still be there. We seriously contributed to the tearing apart of the social fabric there, and I think a lot of the people who’ve come here in the last 40 years never would have left their homes.”

    Wallace sat with UConn Today recently to talk about how he got started as a journalist, his unique perspective as a firsthand witness to war, and his advice to others who want to report from the front lines.

    Why have you decided to share your story now?

     
    I was in the middle of a project in Brazil involving the struggles of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon and their efforts to defend their territories and the rainforest from predatory logging and other forms of what passes for development down there. Then, the pandemic hit, and I realized I had to move in another direction if I was to work on a monograph during that time. Even after the pandemic passed, it was near-impossible to gain entry to Indigenous communities. Even into 2021 and 2022, it was still too difficult to get into the territories where I’d been conducting my research. Part of the reason I chose the Central America project was to pivot away from Brazil, at least until it was possible to return to those sensitive Indigenous territories. Secondly, there was a lot I’d been wanting to say for a long time about my experiences as a young journalist in Central America and the abiding relevance of so many issues that have come to the fore today, including immigration and the crisis at the border. Very few people understand how much the issue of immigration from Central America has been driven by our policies from 40 years ago, when we were actively involved in supporting and fueling the military conflicts that were going on down there. It drove a lot of the immigration into the U.S. and made the conditions in those countries so difficult that people left en masse. It’s a story of unintended consequences. The third impetus for the project was the very rich trove of images I’d taken while covering those conflicts, most of which had not previously been published, along with detailed notes and compelling stories that have withstood the test of time. Those experiences formed the foundation of my career and what I’ve ended up doing as a journalist over the last 40 years.

    What’s one of your ‘I-can’t-believe-I did-that’ experiences from the front lines?

    We managed to get ourselves into this rural area of El Salvador in the rebel stronghold of Chalatenango Department, where there had been allegations of a massacre perpetrated by the army that the United States was arming and supporting. We managed to bluff our way past a series of roadblocks, got into rebel-controlled territory, and then got permission from the guerrillas to undertake a journey on foot down into the scene of this atrocity.  After most of the day walking, we came upon a dilapidated footbridge stretching across this yawning chasm with a rushing river beneath us. The bridge was such a wreck that, out in the middle, the boards were sagging vertically to the surface of the water, and the wires on one side were basically useless. You had to pick your way across, hand over hand, with your feet on the tops of the boards. The water below was rushing at such a furious speed that the rebels advised us not to look down as we crossed because the rush of the water would make us dizzy, and we’d lose our balance and fall. Had we known what we were getting into, I’m not sure we would have gone there. But by then, we were already so far into the journey there was no going back. When we got to the scene, a horrific stench came from a good way off. It looked like a scene from a plane crash, with clothing and belongings strewn across the brush and hanging from the trees and bodies lying on the ground. It was horrific. I did my best to piece together what had happened from interviews with survivors and what we could see on the ground.

    Something like that must stick with you.

     
    I think you develop a little bit of a thick skin, and you just have to move through it. You’re there to find out what happened, and your own personal feelings are kind of secondary.

    Sandinista Popular Army soldiers forcibly remove peasants to create a free-fire zone to battle Contra rebels in El Ventarrón, Nicaragua, in 1985. (Photo courtesy of Scott Wallace)

    How did you get your start as a journalist?

     
    I was thirsty for adventure and for finding out about the bigger world. I took a year off from college as an undergraduate, and, with advice from some students who were a little older than me and who had done something similar, I lined up a volunteer position in the Peruvian jungle. I went first to Mexico, studied intensive Spanish for the summer, then traveled overland through Central America, down the spine of the Andes, and out into the jungle, where I worked as a literacy instructor in an Indigenous community. During that year I discovered something new about myself. I didn’t know Spanish at all before I left, and through the process of having to put myself out there, I kind of developed a new persona as I interacted with Latin Americans and mastered the language and the culture. I loved the music, the people, and the literature. I returned to college after that, doubled up on Spanish classes, and learned how to write it and read it. I also became fascinated with what was going on in Latin America in the news. I was already a few years out of college when it dawned on me that maybe I could make a career as a journalist covering events in Latin America, since I loved writing, taking pictures, and travel. I decided to go back to school to get a master’s in journalism with the objective of going to Central America when I graduated. By this time, the early 1980s, Central America was in turmoil. The Sandinistas had taken power in Nicaragua, a civil war had erupted in El Salvador, and the Reagan Administration vowed to ‘draw the line’ against what it perceived to be communist aggression in Central America. The region was a tinderbox that seemed poised to become a new Vietnam. I knew that no news organization would send a new graduate straight into a big story. I would have to go as a freelancer, so I decided to learn as many skills as I could, because as a freelancer I knew I would have to have as many skills as possible to earn a living: write news stories, take photographs for my stories, sell my photographs to other news outlets. I also got a tip that doing radio for one of the networks was a really good way to establish yourself and bring in a steady stream of work. Just as I was about to graduate, one of my professors, who had previously been a CBS Radio correspondent, introduced me to network executives when they came to campus, and one thing led to another. They didn’t have anyone in El Salvador at that time, so I was able to land a gig as their freelance ‘stringer’ there.

    What would your advice be for a journalism student or working journalist who’s hungry to do this kind of work today?

     
    It takes a certain kind of person. You have to be passionate about the world, curious about the way the world works. You need to be an avid reader of literature as well as nonfiction, be up on current events, and follow the news closely. In all the writing classes that I teach, I require my students to accompany their stories with images, because everyone should know how to take decent pictures and how to do solid interviews. They should learn how to shoot video and record audio. Of course, now you must have a social media presence and put your stuff out there. It’s also very important to make contacts. Ply your professors or the people you meet, go to places where you’re going to meet the professionals you admire. Follow them on Instagram. See who’s excelling at the kind of work you’re interested in and reach out to them. You also should build a portfolio of writing, images, and multimedia. Persistence and patience are also important.

    Compared to historians and others who’ve studied Central America and the conflicts there, do you think you have a unique perspective seeing it all firsthand?

     
    It’s definitely a unique perspective, but sometimes I’m a little bit daunted by the intellectual capabilities and rigor of my colleagues in other departments at the University. I think my strength lies in bringing personal experiences and storytelling acumen to the narrative. In June, I was asked to do a presentation at a seminar of academics on genocide and its relationship to ‘ecocide’ – the criminal destruction of the environment – based on my work covering Indigenous struggles in jungles of the Amazon. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive reception to my presentation, in which I showed my photographs and told stories of people whose lives are impacted and threatened by deforestation, land grabbing, and the violent destruction of habitats and biodiversity. It was a way of bringing abstract concepts down to ground level. I’m not the only one who does that. All my colleagues in the journalism department similarly bring that kind of ground-truthing and storytelling to the subjects they report on.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What schools can learn from skate culture

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sander Hölsgens, Assistant Professor, Leiden Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University

    Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

    At a school in Malmö, Sweden, skateboarding is on the curriculum. John Dahlquist, vice principal of Bryggeriets High School, teaches skate classes and brings lessons from skateboarding into other subjects. By encouraging teenagers to have fun together through skating and beyond, he notices that they want to attend school. Writing in a recent book I co-edited on skateboarding and teaching, Dahlquist notes that he even sees students longing to be back in the classroom after the weekend.

    Skateboarding is creative, requiring ingenuity in adapting to new environments. It’s collaborative and social: skaters cheer each other on when they try to learn something new, acknowledging that everyone operates at a different level and faces a distinct challenge.

    When skateboarding is done well, individual growth takes place among a community of care and mutual support. And it requires a willingness to fail. There’s no way to master a trick without trying and failing, over and over again.

    My colleagues and I have researched the value of a skateboarding philosophy in schools, and how teachers can bring it into their classrooms.

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    Take Dahlquist’s teaching in Malmö. He notes that interweaving skate classes with other subjects has multiple noteworthy effects. The physical activity of skateboarding improves levels of concentration. Some students even say that they’d never been successful in any other learning environment. Elsewhere, they’d be unable to focus on the task at hand.

    What’s more, a skateboarding mindset – being prepared to learn difficult tricks in unfamiliar settings – equipped students with the capacity to master other kinds of new skills.

    Able to fail

    The process of overcoming the anxiety to fail is crucial. Skaters cannot be afraid to fall if they want to learn new tricks. The motivation to learn through repeated efforts helps skaters in other areas of life, too. Skaters at Bryggeriet aren’t worried as much about failing grades, precisely because they see it as an opportunity to learn and move forward.

    As Dahlquist says, “At the end of my classes, I usually have to throw my students out of the classroom. A lot of them beg for three more tries: ‘I’ve got this, just give me three more tries. I promise I will learn.‘”

    This mindset decreases grades as education’s cornerstone and, by extension, enhances students’ mental health. My colleague Esther Sayers, who conducted fieldwork at Bryggeriets, found another effect. Teachers help students to develop the skills to get motivated, to reach a point of feeling inspired – or what skaters call “stoke”.

    Skateboarding fosters a non-competitive learning culture.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A

    Bryggeriets High School isn’t the only place where skateboarding is helping teach people how to learn. Reaching beyond its historical status as a self-regulated street culture, skateboarding now plays an important role in building engaged learning communities across the globe. Berlin-based skate organisation Skateistan hosts skate classes, gives young people access to education and offers funds for young and upcoming community leaders.

    Concrete Jungle Foundation co-builds skateparks with young people in Peru, Morocco and Jamaica, in order to exchange knowledge and drive local ownership and apprenticeship. Similarly, the New York-based Harold Hunter Foundation runs skate workshops that also provide mentoring and career guidance.

    Colleagues Arianna Gil and Jessica Forsyth have studied working class black and Latin American skate crews, run by genderdiverse community organisers. They found that skate crews such as Brujas and Gang Corp mobilise skaters according to the “for us, by us” spirit.

    Challenging institutional models of authority, these skate crews develop services based on the hopes and aspirations of their communities – ranging from teach-ins to recreational programmes. This includes a talk on the history and meaning of hoodies, and modules on the power of storytelling and the danger of propaganda. The crux, here, is to learn about stuff you encounter in your daily lives.

    Skaters who experience poverty and oppression create their own ecosystem for learning from one another, from being out of an educational system that is organised in a top-down way. This means creating a grassroots school model where skate crews choose what and how they want to learn. Rather than grades and degrees, education here is structured around the process of learning from your peers – with the idea of passing on this knowledge in the near future.

    The effects of this approach are threefold. First, it centers mentorship and apprenticeship, resulting in intergenerational knowledge exchange. Second, skateboarding’s DIY spirit can help overcome access barriers. By embracing grassroots teaching practices and formats, education can be tailored to the specific needs and desires of a community, rather than following standardised learning objectives.

    Third, rather than focusing on memorising facts or learning for grades, this new ecosystem is structured around problem-based learning. Presented with worldly problems such as human rights violations and hostile architecture, skaters learn not just how to analyse their surroundings, but also how to cope with and engage oppressive societal structures.

    As formal education faces incremental budget cuts and deepened governmental influence, skateboarding shows us new ways to organise our learning spaces. Schools and teachers can engage their students by integrating aspects of a learning culture that decentres evaluations and assessments and celebrates attempts, rather than just successes.

    Sander Hölsgens received a ‘starting grant’ from OCW, The Netherlands. He is affiliated with Pushing Boarders, a platform tracing the social impact of skateboarding worldwide.

    – ref. What schools can learn from skate culture – https://theconversation.com/what-schools-can-learn-from-skate-culture-255239

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nature-friendly farming budget swells in UK – but cuts elsewhere make recovery fraught

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nathalie Seddon, Professor of Biodiversity, Smith School of Enterprise and Environment and Department of Biology, University of Oxford

    Skylarks are a red-listed species, which means they are of high conservation concern in the UK. WildlifeWorld/Shutterstock

    Nature in the UK appeared to receive a rare funding boost in the June spending review, with the government setting a spending target of up to £2 billion a year for England’s environmental land management (ELM) scheme by 2028-29.

    By steering public funds toward farmers who restore hedgerows, soils and wetlands, England’s ELM programme is meant to renew landscapes that absorb carbon, support pollinators and keep water clean while helping rural businesses stay viable in a changing climate.

    If delivered in full, the package would elevate the UK’s post-Brexit model of investing public money in shared ecological care (rather than payments based on acreage) to one of the most generously funded in the world.

    Yet, scrutinise the details and a more complicated story emerges.

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    The review has trimmed the day-to-day budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in real terms. Defra now faces the unenviable task of signing and monitoring thousands of new ELM agreements with fewer staff and shrinking data resources. Without the capacity to check whether fields really have become richer in skylarks or streams clearer of fertiliser, large sums could be delayed or misdirected.

    Scale is another challenge. An independent analysis published in 2024 estimated that roughly £6 billion every year across the UK is needed to bring agriculture in line with the Environment Act targets for habitat restoration and net zero commitments.

    Even the full £2 billion promised for England would meet only about half of that evidence-based need. And the “up to” £400 million for trees and peatlands is not new money: it is funding that was first promised in 2024 and the payment schedule has still not been confirmed.

    Money could be paid to farmers for allowing woodlands to regenerate.
    Richard Hepworth, CC BY

    While the review earmarked £4.2 billion for flood and coastal defence, it does not specify how much of that will support nature-based measures such as floodplain restoration, or the creation of saltmarshes or riparian woodlands. The Environment Agency is consulting on a funding model that could embed such solutions, but the Treasury papers are silent on who will pay for that shift.

    Tech spending dwarfs habitat investment

    Contrast this with the sums heading to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

    Roughly £30 billion is earmarked for nuclear fission, fusion research and carbon-capture hubs. These projects are heavy on concrete and steel (materials with a hefty carbon cost) but have no immediate ecological benefit.

    While new low-carbon technologies are crucial, thriving and resilient soils, wetlands and woodlands nourish food systems, safeguard water and hold vast stores of carbon – benefits that deepen and become more cost-effective over time.

    Nature-based solutions can also revitalise local economies. The Office for National Statistics estimates that replacing the benefits flowing from the UK’s forests, rivers and soils – flood buffering, crop pollination, cleaner air, recreation and more – would cost about £1.8 trillion, a figure that only hints at their deeper, immeasurable value.

    Yet the review sets out no plan to safeguard these life-support systems, or to factor their decline into the Treasury’s green book (the rule book used to appraise public investments) or the Bank of England’s stress tests, which check how shocks could ripple through the financial system.

    This is also a matter of fairness and public health. Growing evidence shows that regular contact with nature lowers the risks of heart disease and anxiety, while improving children’s cognitive development. These are benefits with a value that defies any price tag.

    Yet the places with the fewest trees and parks tend to be the same post-industrial towns ministers want to “level up”. The review is silent on biodiversity net gain (the flagship policy meant to channel private finance into local habitats) and on a proposed national nature wealth fund that could blend public and private capital for large-scale restoration.

    Housing money could repeat past mistakes

    One line in the spending review could still shift the balance.

    The chancellor has earmarked £39 billion for building social and affordable housing over the next decade. If every development delivers at least a 10% net gain for biodiversity onsite, and if schemes build in climate-smart design (living roofs, shade-giving street trees, permeable surfaces) with local residents, Britain could pioneer the world’s first large-scale, nature-positive, net-zero housing programme.

    Without those safeguards, “levelling up” risks repeating old mistakes: sealing green space under concrete today and paying tomorrow to retrofit drainage, shade and parks.

    Green space is scarce on this new housing estate near Cardiff, Wales.
    Shutterstock

    That risk is heightened by the government’s planning and infrastructure bill, now before parliament. In an open letter to MPs, economists and ecologists warn that the bill would let developers “pay cash to trash” irreplaceable habitats by swapping onsite protection for a levy, a move they describe as a “licence to kill nature”.

    At the next UN climate summit, Cop30 in Brazil in November 2025, the UK will have to show the world that its domestic spending matches its international rhetoric.

    More than 150 UK researchers made that point in an open letter to the prime minister, urging him to put nature at the centre of the UK’s Cop30 stance. Converting the Treasury’s headline figures into habitat gains and locking robust rules into both the planning bill and the housing drive would give ministers credible proof of progress when they update the UK’s climate and nature pledges on the Cop30 stage.

    The spending review may have nudged farm policy in the right direction and set a new higher water mark for nature-positive agriculture. Yet amid the squeeze on Defra, the recycling rather than expansion of tree and peat budgets and the continued dominance of technology over habitat, nature still comes a distant second to hard infrastructure in the UK growth model.

    There is still time to change course. Guaranteeing Defra’s capacity, publishing a timetable for the tree-and-peat fund, reserving part of the flood budget for community-led nature-based solutions and hardwiring strong biodiversity net gain rules into housing and planning reforms would turn headline promises into projects that enrich daily life while stewarding public money wisely.

    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.

    Nathalie Seddon receives funding from UKRI and the Leverhulme Trust and sits on the UK Climate Change Committee. She is also a trustee of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance and is a non-executive director of the social venture, Nature-based Insights.

    – ref. Nature-friendly farming budget swells in UK – but cuts elsewhere make recovery fraught – https://theconversation.com/nature-friendly-farming-budget-swells-in-uk-but-cuts-elsewhere-make-recovery-fraught-259091

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/NEPAL – New School Law: Catholics demand guarantee of the right to education

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    St Xavier School, Nepal

    Kathmandu (Agenzia Fides) – Nepal’s new education law, currently being approved, has sparked intense public debate and protests by teachers. The Nepal Teachers’ Federation has threatened to launch a fresh protest if the School Education Bill is not endorsed within a week. The bill, with 163 sections, had received more than 1,700 amendments. It took one and a half months of rigorous discussions for the panel to reach a conclusion. However, the federation has said the revised version is more regressive than the original bill that was registered in Parliament in September 2023.The Minister of Education has stated that the government has allocated 211 billion rupees to the education sector for next year and plans to include private schools under state regulation. Teachers are demanding fair wages, job security, and better working conditions, with one priority objective: guaranteeing the right to education for all children. Despite the Nepalese Constitution recognizes this right, problems such as poverty, social exclusion, gender discrimination, outdated teaching methods, and inadequate infrastructure persist. “Despite the progress made, challenges such as poverty, social exclusion, and gender bias continue to compromise children’s access to education,” Father Pius Perumana, a priest of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, the ecclesiastical district that covers the entire country, told Fides. “One of the issues at stake,” he notes, “is the effort to ensure that private schools are exclusively profit-oriented, which, in my opinion, is a good measure. The main problem in Nepal is how to make the right to education accessible to children even in the most remote corners of the country,” he emphasizes. Nepal is home to 11.5 million children out of a population of 33 million, and nearly one million are orphans. Children aged 0 to 14 represent 39% of the population, with 3.5 million of them being of school age (8-12 years). The 2015 Constitution guarantees free and compulsory education up to the primary level (grades 1-8) and free education up to the secondary level (grades 9-12). This right has been strengthened by the Free and Compulsory Education Act, which includes marginalized groups such as Dalit children and children with disabilities. According to the Statistical Yearbook of the Catholic Church (data as of December 31, 2023), the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, which has a community of 8,000 Catholics, operates, with the support of religious orders, 24 kindergartens (1,300 children), 29 primary schools (more than 13,000 students), and 25 secondary schools with 25,000 students of different ethnicities and religions, actively contributing to the right to education in the country. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 7/72025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ormat Technologies, Inc. to Host Conference Call Announcing Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA) (the “Company” or “Ormat”), a leading geothermal and renewable energy company, today announced that it plans to publish its second quarter financial results in a press release that will be issued on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, after the market closes. In conjunction with this report, the Company has scheduled a conference call to discuss the results at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 7, 2025.

    Participants within the United States and Canada, please dial 1-800-715-9871, approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. If you are calling from outside the United States or Canada, please dial +1-646-960-0440. The access code for the call is 3818407. Please request the “Ormat Technologies, Inc. call” when prompted by the conference call operator. The conference call will also be accompanied by a live webcast, accessed on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website.

    A replay will be available one hour after the end of the conference call. To access the replay within the United States and Canada, please dial 1-800-770-2030. From outside of the United States and Canada, please dial +1-647-362-9199. Please use the replay access code 3818407. The webcast will also be archived on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website.

    ABOUT ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES

    With six decades of experience, Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading geothermal company, and the only vertically integrated company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (“REG”), with robust plans to accelerate long-term growth in the energy storage market and to establish a leading position in the U.S. energy storage market. The Company owns, operates, designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and REG power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter – a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. The Company has engineered, manufactured and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling approximately 3,400 MW of gross capacity. Ormat leveraged its core capabilities in the geothermal and REG industries and its global presence to expand the Company’s activity into energy storage services, solar Photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage plus Solar PV. Ormat’s current total generating portfolio is 1,558MW with a 1,268MW geothermal and solar generation portfolio that is spread globally in the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe, and a 290MW energy storage portfolio that is located in the U.S.

    Ormat Technologies Contact:
    Smadar Lavi
    VP, Head of IR and ESG Planning & Reporting
    775-356-9029 (ext. 65726)
    slavi@ormat.com    		 Investor Relations Agency Contact:
    Joseph Caminiti or Josh Carroll
    Alpha IR Group
    312-445-2870
    ORA@alpha-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are people at the South Pole upside down?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Abigail Bishop, Ph.D. Student in Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    At the South Pole, which way is up? Abigail Bishop

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are people on the South Pole walking upside down from the rest of the world? – Ralph P., U.S.

    When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the sky was still overhead.

    I’m an astrophysicist from Wisconsin who lived at the South Pole for seven weeks from December 2024 to January 2025 to work on an array of detectors looking for extremely high energy particles from outer space.

    I didn’t feel upside down, but there were some differences that still made the South Pole feel flipped over from what I was used to.

    As someone who loves looking for the Moon, I noticed that the face of the man on the Moon was flipped over, like he went from to . All the craters that I was used to seeing on the top of the Moon from Wisconsin were now on the bottom – because I was looking at the Moon from the Southern Hemisphere instead of the Northern Hemisphere.

    How the Moon looks depends on your point of view.
    The Planetary Society, CC BY-SA

    After noticing this difference, I remembered something similar in the night skies of New Zealand, a country near Antarctica where my fellow travelers and I got our big red coats that kept us warm at the South Pole. I had looked for Orion, a constellation that in the Northern Hemisphere is viewed as a hunter holding a bow and drawing an arrow from his quiver. In the night sky of New Zealand, Orion looked like he was doing a handstand.

    Everything in the sky felt upside down and opposite, compared with what I was used to. A person who lives in the Southern Hemisphere might feel the same about visiting the Arctic or the North Pole.

    ‘The Big Blue Marble’ photo, taken in 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17.
    NASA

    An out-of-this-world perspective

    To understand what’s happening, and why things are really different but also feel very much the same, it might be useful to back up a bit from Earth’s surface. Like into outer space. On space missions to the Moon, astronauts could see one side of the Earth’s sphere at once.

    If they had superhero vision, an astronaut would see the people at the South Pole and North Pole standing upside down from each other. And a person at the equator would look like they were sticking straight out the side of the planet. In fact, even though they might be standing on the equator, people in Colombia and Indonesia would also look like they were upside down from each other, because they would be sticking out from opposite sides of the Earth.

    Of course, if you asked each person, they would say, “My feet are on the ground, and the sky is up.”

    That’s because Earth is essentially a really big ball whose gravitational pull on every one of us points to the center of the planet. The direction that Earth pulls us in is what people call “down” all over the planet. Think about holding a baseball between your pointer fingers. From the perspective of your fingertips on the ball’s surface, both are pointing “down.” But from the perspective of a friend nearby, your fingers are pointing in different directions – though always toward the center of the ball.

    These relationships between people on the Earth’s surface are good for a little bit of fun, though. While I was at the South Pole, I pointed my body in the same direction as my friends in Wisconsin – by doing a handstand. But if you look at the picture the other way around, it looks like I’m holding up the entire planet, like Superman.

    This is the right way up: Abigail Bishop does a handstand at the ceremonial South Pole.
    Abigail Bishop

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Abigail Bishop receives funding from National Science Foundation Award 2013134 and has received funding from the Belgian American Education Foundation.

    – ref. Are people at the South Pole upside down? – https://theconversation.com/are-people-at-the-south-pole-upside-down-256754

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are people at the South Pole upside down?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Abigail Bishop, Ph.D. Student in Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    At the South Pole, which way is up? Abigail Bishop

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are people on the South Pole walking upside down from the rest of the world? – Ralph P., U.S.

    When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the sky was still overhead.

    I’m an astrophysicist from Wisconsin who lived at the South Pole for seven weeks from December 2024 to January 2025 to work on an array of detectors looking for extremely high energy particles from outer space.

    I didn’t feel upside down, but there were some differences that still made the South Pole feel flipped over from what I was used to.

    As someone who loves looking for the Moon, I noticed that the face of the man on the Moon was flipped over, like he went from to . All the craters that I was used to seeing on the top of the Moon from Wisconsin were now on the bottom – because I was looking at the Moon from the Southern Hemisphere instead of the Northern Hemisphere.

    How the Moon looks depends on your point of view.
    The Planetary Society, CC BY-SA

    After noticing this difference, I remembered something similar in the night skies of New Zealand, a country near Antarctica where my fellow travelers and I got our big red coats that kept us warm at the South Pole. I had looked for Orion, a constellation that in the Northern Hemisphere is viewed as a hunter holding a bow and drawing an arrow from his quiver. In the night sky of New Zealand, Orion looked like he was doing a handstand.

    Everything in the sky felt upside down and opposite, compared with what I was used to. A person who lives in the Southern Hemisphere might feel the same about visiting the Arctic or the North Pole.

    ‘The Big Blue Marble’ photo, taken in 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17.
    NASA

    An out-of-this-world perspective

    To understand what’s happening, and why things are really different but also feel very much the same, it might be useful to back up a bit from Earth’s surface. Like into outer space. On space missions to the Moon, astronauts could see one side of the Earth’s sphere at once.

    If they had superhero vision, an astronaut would see the people at the South Pole and North Pole standing upside down from each other. And a person at the equator would look like they were sticking straight out the side of the planet. In fact, even though they might be standing on the equator, people in Colombia and Indonesia would also look like they were upside down from each other, because they would be sticking out from opposite sides of the Earth.

    Of course, if you asked each person, they would say, “My feet are on the ground, and the sky is up.”

    That’s because Earth is essentially a really big ball whose gravitational pull on every one of us points to the center of the planet. The direction that Earth pulls us in is what people call “down” all over the planet. Think about holding a baseball between your pointer fingers. From the perspective of your fingertips on the ball’s surface, both are pointing “down.” But from the perspective of a friend nearby, your fingers are pointing in different directions – though always toward the center of the ball.

    These relationships between people on the Earth’s surface are good for a little bit of fun, though. While I was at the South Pole, I pointed my body in the same direction as my friends in Wisconsin – by doing a handstand. But if you look at the picture the other way around, it looks like I’m holding up the entire planet, like Superman.

    This is the right way up: Abigail Bishop does a handstand at the ceremonial South Pole.
    Abigail Bishop

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Abigail Bishop receives funding from National Science Foundation Award 2013134 and has received funding from the Belgian American Education Foundation.

    – ref. Are people at the South Pole upside down? – https://theconversation.com/are-people-at-the-south-pole-upside-down-256754

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are people at the South Pole upside down?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Abigail Bishop, Ph.D. Student in Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    At the South Pole, which way is up? Abigail Bishop

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are people on the South Pole walking upside down from the rest of the world? – Ralph P., U.S.

    When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the sky was still overhead.

    I’m an astrophysicist from Wisconsin who lived at the South Pole for seven weeks from December 2024 to January 2025 to work on an array of detectors looking for extremely high energy particles from outer space.

    I didn’t feel upside down, but there were some differences that still made the South Pole feel flipped over from what I was used to.

    As someone who loves looking for the Moon, I noticed that the face of the man on the Moon was flipped over, like he went from to . All the craters that I was used to seeing on the top of the Moon from Wisconsin were now on the bottom – because I was looking at the Moon from the Southern Hemisphere instead of the Northern Hemisphere.

    How the Moon looks depends on your point of view.
    The Planetary Society, CC BY-SA

    After noticing this difference, I remembered something similar in the night skies of New Zealand, a country near Antarctica where my fellow travelers and I got our big red coats that kept us warm at the South Pole. I had looked for Orion, a constellation that in the Northern Hemisphere is viewed as a hunter holding a bow and drawing an arrow from his quiver. In the night sky of New Zealand, Orion looked like he was doing a handstand.

    Everything in the sky felt upside down and opposite, compared with what I was used to. A person who lives in the Southern Hemisphere might feel the same about visiting the Arctic or the North Pole.

    ‘The Big Blue Marble’ photo, taken in 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17.
    NASA

    An out-of-this-world perspective

    To understand what’s happening, and why things are really different but also feel very much the same, it might be useful to back up a bit from Earth’s surface. Like into outer space. On space missions to the Moon, astronauts could see one side of the Earth’s sphere at once.

    If they had superhero vision, an astronaut would see the people at the South Pole and North Pole standing upside down from each other. And a person at the equator would look like they were sticking straight out the side of the planet. In fact, even though they might be standing on the equator, people in Colombia and Indonesia would also look like they were upside down from each other, because they would be sticking out from opposite sides of the Earth.

    Of course, if you asked each person, they would say, “My feet are on the ground, and the sky is up.”

    That’s because Earth is essentially a really big ball whose gravitational pull on every one of us points to the center of the planet. The direction that Earth pulls us in is what people call “down” all over the planet. Think about holding a baseball between your pointer fingers. From the perspective of your fingertips on the ball’s surface, both are pointing “down.” But from the perspective of a friend nearby, your fingers are pointing in different directions – though always toward the center of the ball.

    These relationships between people on the Earth’s surface are good for a little bit of fun, though. While I was at the South Pole, I pointed my body in the same direction as my friends in Wisconsin – by doing a handstand. But if you look at the picture the other way around, it looks like I’m holding up the entire planet, like Superman.

    This is the right way up: Abigail Bishop does a handstand at the ceremonial South Pole.
    Abigail Bishop

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Abigail Bishop receives funding from National Science Foundation Award 2013134 and has received funding from the Belgian American Education Foundation.

    – ref. Are people at the South Pole upside down? – https://theconversation.com/are-people-at-the-south-pole-upside-down-256754

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are people at the South Pole upside down?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Abigail Bishop, Ph.D. Student in Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    At the South Pole, which way is up? Abigail Bishop

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are people on the South Pole walking upside down from the rest of the world? – Ralph P., U.S.

    When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the sky was still overhead.

    I’m an astrophysicist from Wisconsin who lived at the South Pole for seven weeks from December 2024 to January 2025 to work on an array of detectors looking for extremely high energy particles from outer space.

    I didn’t feel upside down, but there were some differences that still made the South Pole feel flipped over from what I was used to.

    As someone who loves looking for the Moon, I noticed that the face of the man on the Moon was flipped over, like he went from to . All the craters that I was used to seeing on the top of the Moon from Wisconsin were now on the bottom – because I was looking at the Moon from the Southern Hemisphere instead of the Northern Hemisphere.

    How the Moon looks depends on your point of view.
    The Planetary Society, CC BY-SA

    After noticing this difference, I remembered something similar in the night skies of New Zealand, a country near Antarctica where my fellow travelers and I got our big red coats that kept us warm at the South Pole. I had looked for Orion, a constellation that in the Northern Hemisphere is viewed as a hunter holding a bow and drawing an arrow from his quiver. In the night sky of New Zealand, Orion looked like he was doing a handstand.

    Everything in the sky felt upside down and opposite, compared with what I was used to. A person who lives in the Southern Hemisphere might feel the same about visiting the Arctic or the North Pole.

    ‘The Big Blue Marble’ photo, taken in 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17.
    NASA

    An out-of-this-world perspective

    To understand what’s happening, and why things are really different but also feel very much the same, it might be useful to back up a bit from Earth’s surface. Like into outer space. On space missions to the Moon, astronauts could see one side of the Earth’s sphere at once.

    If they had superhero vision, an astronaut would see the people at the South Pole and North Pole standing upside down from each other. And a person at the equator would look like they were sticking straight out the side of the planet. In fact, even though they might be standing on the equator, people in Colombia and Indonesia would also look like they were upside down from each other, because they would be sticking out from opposite sides of the Earth.

    Of course, if you asked each person, they would say, “My feet are on the ground, and the sky is up.”

    That’s because Earth is essentially a really big ball whose gravitational pull on every one of us points to the center of the planet. The direction that Earth pulls us in is what people call “down” all over the planet. Think about holding a baseball between your pointer fingers. From the perspective of your fingertips on the ball’s surface, both are pointing “down.” But from the perspective of a friend nearby, your fingers are pointing in different directions – though always toward the center of the ball.

    These relationships between people on the Earth’s surface are good for a little bit of fun, though. While I was at the South Pole, I pointed my body in the same direction as my friends in Wisconsin – by doing a handstand. But if you look at the picture the other way around, it looks like I’m holding up the entire planet, like Superman.

    This is the right way up: Abigail Bishop does a handstand at the ceremonial South Pole.
    Abigail Bishop

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Abigail Bishop receives funding from National Science Foundation Award 2013134 and has received funding from the Belgian American Education Foundation.

    – ref. Are people at the South Pole upside down? – https://theconversation.com/are-people-at-the-south-pole-upside-down-256754

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are people at the South Pole upside down?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Abigail Bishop, Ph.D. Student in Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    At the South Pole, which way is up? Abigail Bishop

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are people on the South Pole walking upside down from the rest of the world? – Ralph P., U.S.

    When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the sky was still overhead.

    I’m an astrophysicist from Wisconsin who lived at the South Pole for seven weeks from December 2024 to January 2025 to work on an array of detectors looking for extremely high energy particles from outer space.

    I didn’t feel upside down, but there were some differences that still made the South Pole feel flipped over from what I was used to.

    As someone who loves looking for the Moon, I noticed that the face of the man on the Moon was flipped over, like he went from to . All the craters that I was used to seeing on the top of the Moon from Wisconsin were now on the bottom – because I was looking at the Moon from the Southern Hemisphere instead of the Northern Hemisphere.

    How the Moon looks depends on your point of view.
    The Planetary Society, CC BY-SA

    After noticing this difference, I remembered something similar in the night skies of New Zealand, a country near Antarctica where my fellow travelers and I got our big red coats that kept us warm at the South Pole. I had looked for Orion, a constellation that in the Northern Hemisphere is viewed as a hunter holding a bow and drawing an arrow from his quiver. In the night sky of New Zealand, Orion looked like he was doing a handstand.

    Everything in the sky felt upside down and opposite, compared with what I was used to. A person who lives in the Southern Hemisphere might feel the same about visiting the Arctic or the North Pole.

    ‘The Big Blue Marble’ photo, taken in 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17.
    NASA

    An out-of-this-world perspective

    To understand what’s happening, and why things are really different but also feel very much the same, it might be useful to back up a bit from Earth’s surface. Like into outer space. On space missions to the Moon, astronauts could see one side of the Earth’s sphere at once.

    If they had superhero vision, an astronaut would see the people at the South Pole and North Pole standing upside down from each other. And a person at the equator would look like they were sticking straight out the side of the planet. In fact, even though they might be standing on the equator, people in Colombia and Indonesia would also look like they were upside down from each other, because they would be sticking out from opposite sides of the Earth.

    Of course, if you asked each person, they would say, “My feet are on the ground, and the sky is up.”

    That’s because Earth is essentially a really big ball whose gravitational pull on every one of us points to the center of the planet. The direction that Earth pulls us in is what people call “down” all over the planet. Think about holding a baseball between your pointer fingers. From the perspective of your fingertips on the ball’s surface, both are pointing “down.” But from the perspective of a friend nearby, your fingers are pointing in different directions – though always toward the center of the ball.

    These relationships between people on the Earth’s surface are good for a little bit of fun, though. While I was at the South Pole, I pointed my body in the same direction as my friends in Wisconsin – by doing a handstand. But if you look at the picture the other way around, it looks like I’m holding up the entire planet, like Superman.

    This is the right way up: Abigail Bishop does a handstand at the ceremonial South Pole.
    Abigail Bishop

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Abigail Bishop receives funding from National Science Foundation Award 2013134 and has received funding from the Belgian American Education Foundation.

    – ref. Are people at the South Pole upside down? – https://theconversation.com/are-people-at-the-south-pole-upside-down-256754

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace: Governments are not powerless in the face of deep sea miners colluding with Trump

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Kingston, Jamaica – Governments still have a chance to protect the future of the deep ocean as the 30th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) resumes today, with 37 now calling for a moratorium on deep sea mining – the only credible path to decisively resist predatory corporate seizure and prevent the irreversible harm the industry could unleash.

    This is the first time governments have gathered to discuss deep sea mining since The Metals Company (TMC) submitted the first ever application to commercially mine the international seabed. The move was encouraged by an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump aimed to fast-track deep-sea mining operations in both US and international waters, and has bolstered opposition to deep sea mining, not only to protect the environment but also to defend international cooperation and international law.[1]

    Greenpeace International campaigner Louisa Casson, who is attending the meeting, said: “We are witnessing the dangers that arise when nations take unilateral action without regard for collective consequences. We should learn from nature that ecosystems collapse without cooperation; our global systems are at risk when we fail to work together for the common good. The deep sea must not fall victim to predatory corporate seizure. It is time for governments at the ISA to commit to a moratorium—this is the only viable path to prevent the irreversible harm that deep-sea mining would unleash.”

    Nearly 200 governments have signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), often referred to as the “constitution of the ocean”, which establishes a global legal framework that prevents states from taking unilateral action to exploit them.

    In its latest financial filings, TMC acknowledged that many governments and the ISA are likely to view any deep sea mining permit issued under the Trump administration as a violation of international law.[2] This could result in lawsuits, being unable to sell minerals, and companies refusing to work with TMC throughout the supply chain. 

    Pressure is already mounting on Allseas, a company headquartered in Switzerland with significant presence in the Netherlands, who own the deep sea mining ship and machinery that TMC intends to rely on for commercial operations, and are also one of its largest shareholders. Last week, Greenpeace activists hung a banner from Allseas office in Delft, urging the company to break ties with Trump.[3]

    Recently, Dutch media reported that Climate Minister Sophie Hermans is raising concerns directly with Allseas over their involvement with TMC, while the Swiss government outlined its expectations for companies registered or active in Switzerland to follow international law and norms.[4][5] Allseas’ CEO has stated that the company “would not do anything illegal”.

    Moreover, TMC’s strategic collaboration with PAMCO is coming under new scrutiny, with the Japanese metal processing company admitting that it “consider(s) the establishment of the business via a route that has earned international credibility to be a material issue”.[6]

    The ISA risks caving in to corporate pressure with the President of the Council, H.E. Duncan Laki, circulating instructions to ISA parties to speed up discussions in an attempt to finalize a Mining Code by this year, which would pave the way for  commercial deep sea mining to begin in the international seabed.[7] These included strong limitations of intervention times or recourse to smaller meetings where observers were excluded. In response, Greenpeace has sent a letter to Secretary General Leticia Carvalho, warning that the ISA must not reward industry-led efforts to rush the adoption of the Mining Code.[8] Several governments have also voiced strong opposition, stating, “We categorically disassociate ourselves from any suggestion or interpretation that the Council is bound, legally or politically, to adopt the regulations by the end of the year.”[9] Other NGOs, Indigenous peoples and some States also addressed the issue.

    Louisa Casson added: “Governments are not powerless in the face of deep sea miners doing a doomed deal with Trump. They have both the authority and, now more than ever, the responsibility to act. With growing scientific concern, mounting public pressure, and unprecedented risks to fragile marine ecosystems, the time for courageous leadership is now”.

    ENDS

    Photos available in the Greenpeace Media Library

    Notes:

    [1] Trump’s executive order 

    [2] TMC’s Financial Fillings: “the announcement or implementation of this strategy may cause additional regulatory and political tensions, delay ISA decision-making, or impair our ability to secure or maintain exploration contracts or an exploitation contract under the ISA framework and may result in our need to engage in costly and time-consuming litigation to enforce our rights. In addition, UNCLOS parties and the ISA are under a legal obligation, under UNCLOS, not to recognise any commercial recovery permit issued to us under DSHMRA; many UNCLOS parties and the ISA are likely to regard such a permit as a violation of international law, including UNCLOS, which could affect international perceptions of the project, and could have implications for logistics, processing, and market access in UNCLOS parties for seabed minerals extracted under a US license and for downstream products containing them, or for partnerships involving foreign entities, and could also result in actions, pursuant to UNCLOS, against TMC under the national laws of UNCLOS parties, any or all of which could have a material adverse affect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects.”

    [3] Greenpeace Netherlands release

    [4] Dutch Cabinet raises concerns over Allseas 

    [5] Swiss government puts pressure on Allseas

    [6] Pacific Metals Company Financial Results Briefing 

    [7] Proposal by ISA President H.E. Duncan Laki

    [8] Letter to Secretary General Leticia Carvalho

    [9] Submission by Chile, Costa Rica and France 

    Contacts:

    Sol Gosetti, Media Coordinator for the Stop Deep Sea Mining campaign, Greenpeace International: +34 664029407, [email protected]

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

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • India-Brazil cultural ties deepen as yoga, ayurveda and cinema bridge distance

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Rio de Janeiro for the two-day BRICS Summit, is set to travel to Brasília later on Monday for a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

    According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the leaders will hold wide-ranging talks aimed at broadening the Strategic Partnership between the two countries in key sectors, including trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture and health.

    Beyond strategic and economic engagement, cultural connections between India and Brazil have steadily gained ground over the years, creating bridges of understanding rooted in shared appreciation of art, philosophy and wellness.

    A cultural dialogue through dance, philosophy and yoga

    Indian classical dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak and Kuchipudi, have found an enthusiastic audience in Brazil. According to an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, “Folkloric identities and celebrations from India relate deeply to the colourful and festive nature of Brazilian culture.”

    Yoga and Ayurveda have also become powerful pillars of cultural exchange. Several Indian spiritual organisations- including the Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, Satya Sai Baba centres and Bhakti Vedanta Foundation- have established chapters in Brazil. The Brazilian Association of Ayurveda (ABRA) today operates across nine states, reflecting the growing interest in holistic wellness practices.

    A government official noted, “Brazil has a strong community of Yoga and Ayurveda practitioners. Events such as the International Congress on Ayurveda, held in Goias in 2013 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2018, drew thousands of delegates, highlighting the increasing resonance of traditional Indian wellness systems.”

    The Embassy has also organised literary evenings under the banner ‘Chá com Letras’, inviting Brazilian poets to share their work, as well as regular screenings of Indian films, which continue to draw keen audiences.

    Cinema, cuisine and cultural festivals

    Indian cinema enjoys strong popularity in Brazil, buoyed by Indian Film Weeks and special festivals. The Brazilian TV serial ‘Caminhos das India’ (Paths of India), inspired by Indian society, remains widely watched. In May 2014, the Brazilian Post issued a commemorative stamp marking ‘100 Years of Indian Cinema’.

    Food too has served as a cultural bridge. The Embassy’s ‘Food Week of India’, organised in 2015 in Brasília, showcased India’s culinary diversity and was well received by locals and the diplomatic community alike.

    In 2017, to mark 70 years of India’s independence, a ten-day Festival of India was organised in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The festival featured an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi’s life, classical Carnatic music performances, Kathak recitals and literary exchanges with Brazilian poets.

    Gandhi’s message and educational cooperation

    Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of non-violence continue to resonate in Brazil, with statues erected in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Londrina. In Salvador, the organisation ‘Filhos de Gandhi’ (Sons of Gandhi) holds annual street processions in Gandhian attire to spread his message.

    On the education front, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme remains popular. “Over the past seven years, more than 55 Brazilians have attended training courses in communications, management and defence in India,” a government spokesperson said, adding that enrolments are steadily rising.

    Indian Community in Brazil

    The Indian community in Brazil is estimated to be around 4,000 people, with majority of them living in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Manaus. The community comprises primarily of professionals and businessmen, with some scientists/researchers also working in the fields of space, agriculture, physics and biotechnology. There is an Indian Association in Sao Paulo, which organizes events to celebrate national days and community festivals.

     

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting with President Gabriel Boric

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    His Excellency President Cyril
    Ramaphosa held a bilateral
    meeting with His Excellency
    Gabriel Boric, President of the
    Republic of Chile on the sidelines
    of the XVII BRICS Summit

    Stay updated, South Africa! Subscribe to The Presidency’s Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidencyZA/?sub_confirmation=1.

    Checkout more: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za

    Get Social
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-kUSGu3ZBs

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 8 Barbaric Criminal Illegal Aliens Finally Deported to South Sudan After Weeks of Delays by Activist Judges

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: 8 Barbaric Criminal Illegal Aliens Finally Deported to South Sudan After Weeks of Delays by Activist Judges

    “These sickos were finally deported to South Sudan on Independence Day,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
    “After weeks of delays by activist judges that put our law enforcement in danger, ICE deported these 8 barbaric criminal illegal aliens who are so heinous even their own countries will not accept them
    This was a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people
    We thank our brave ICE law enforcement for their sacrifice to defend our freedoms
    We will continue to fight for the freedoms of Americans while these far-left activists continue to try and force us to bring murderers, pedophiles, and rapists back to the US

    Below are the individuals ICE removed from American communities to South Sudan
    Enrique Arias-Hierro, a Cuban illegal alien, was arrested by ICE on May 2, 2025
    His criminal history includes convictions for homicide, armed robbery, false impersonation of official, kidnapping, and robbery strong arm
    Image

    On April 30, 2025, ICE arrested Cuban illegal alien Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones
    He has been convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, battery and larceny, and cocaine possession and trafficking

    Image

    Thongxay Nilakout, a citizen of Laos, was arrested by ICE on January 26, 2025
    Nilakout has been convicted of first-degree murder and robbery; sentenced to life confinement
    Image

    On May 12, 2025, ICE arrested Mexican national, Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez
    He has been convicted of second-degree murder; sentenced to life confinement

    Image

    Dian Peter Domach, an illegal alien from South Sudan, was arrested by ICE on May 8, 2024
    Domach has been convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm, possession of defaced firearm, possession of burglar’s tools, and driving under the influence

    Image

    Kyaw Mya, an illegal alien from Burma, was arrested by ICE on February 18, 2025
    Mya has been convicted of lascivious acts with a child-victim less than 12 years of age; sentenced to 10 years confinement, paroled after 4 years
    Image

    Nyo Myint, an illegal alien from Burma, was arrested by ICE on February 19, 2025
    Myint has been convicted of first-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting; sentenced to 12 years confinement
    Myint has also charged with aggravated assault-nonfamily strongarm

    Image

    On May 3, 2025, ICE arrested Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese illegal alien
    Phan has been convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault; sentenced to 22 years confinement

    Image

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • India-Brazil ties in focus as PM Modi makes historic state visit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently attending the two-day BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, will travel to the Brazilian capital Brasília later on Monday.

    PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the visit.

    Briefing the media on Sunday, India’s Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, said the two sides are expected to sign four agreements/MoUs. These include cooperation in renewable energy, counterterrorism, agricultural research between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Brazil’s Embrapa, and a pact on the exchange and mutual protection of confidential information.

    A relationship rooted in shared values

    India and Brazil share a multifaceted relationship which was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2006. The two countries also work closely in global and plurilateral forums such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, G-4, the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance.

    The bilateral relationship is underpinned by a shared vision for a just global order, democratic values and the commitment to foster economic growth with social inclusion.

    Historically, the cultural exchanges between Brazil and India date back to the Portuguese colonial era. Indian cattle breeds like Gir and Kankrej, exported to Brazil in the early 20th century, have significantly contributed to Brazil’s dairy industry. The popularity of Brazilian television series such as Caminho das Indias has also enhanced India’s image in Brazilian popular culture.

    Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1948, with embassies opened in the same year. India’s embassy shifted from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1971.

    Strengthening economic ties

    The trade relationship between India and Brazil remains robust. In 2024-25, bilateral trade reached USD 12.2 billion, with Indian exports accounting for USD 6.77 billion and imports from Brazil at USD 5.43 billion. Major Indian exports include petroleum products, agro-chemicals, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods. Brazilian exports to India primarily comprise crude oil, soya oil, gold, raw sugar and cotton.

    Indian investments in Brazil are estimated at over USD 6 billion, while Brazilian investments in India are around USD 1 billion. Prominent Indian firms operating in Brazil include Tata Motors, Mahindra Tractors, Infosys, Wipro and Sun Pharma, among others. Conversely, Brazilian companies such as Vale, Stefanini and WEG have a presence in India.

    High-level visits and parliamentary exchanges

    In recent years, high-level exchanges have imparted momentum to the relationship. President Jair Bolsonaro paid a state visit to India in January 2020 and was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day Parade. During the visit, an Action Plan was adopted to strengthen the Strategic Partnership, leading to the signing of 15 agreements across diverse sectors.

    Parliamentary engagement has also expanded. Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, led a delegation to attend the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasilia in June 2025 and held meetings with Brazilian parliamentary leaders. Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, participated in the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit in November 2024.

    Recently, a multi-party parliamentary delegation led by Dr. Shashi Tharoor visited Brasilia to discuss cross-border terrorism following the Pahalgam attack. They met Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and senior Brazilian officials.

    Expanding frontiers: space, energy and health

    India and Brazil collaborate in space technology through agreements for peaceful use of outer space and satellite tracking. India notably launched Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite in 2021.

    In oil and gas, Brazil is India’s largest upstream investment destination in the Americas, with Indian PSUs investing over USD 3.5 billion. The nations are also co-founders of the Global Biofuel Alliance, launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi.

    Health and traditional medicine are other areas of cooperation. Ayurveda and Yoga are recognised under Brazil’s national policy of alternative medicine, and the two countries have agreed to collaborate on health surveillance, technology transfer and research.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Proposal to establish BRICS investment platform

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Proposal to establish BRICS investment platform

    By Gabi Khumalo

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed the establishment of a new BRICS investment platform to support joint development and attract capital.

    “Multiplying mutual capital investment by the BRICS countries, including through BRICS mechanisms, primarily, the New Development Bank appears to be an important goal as well. To this end, Russia proposed creating a whole new BRICS investment platform.

    “The idea behind it is to jointly develop coordinated instruments to support and to bring in the funds from the economies of BRICS countries and from the Global South and Global East countries,” said the Russian President. 

    President Putin was speaking via video conference at the opening of the 17th BRICS Summit on Sunday in Brazil.

    President Putin expressed gratitude to Brazilian President Lula da Silva and the Brazilian Chairmanship for their active efforts in advancing the strategic partnership within BRICS.

    He highlighted that the BRICS countries continue to deepen their cooperation across key sectors, including in politics, security and finance.

    BRICS now includes leading states in Eurasia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

    “Together, we possess a vast political, economic, scientific, technological, and human potential,” he said.

    Quoting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) data for 2025, President Putin said BRICS countries account for not only a third of the earth’s landmass and almost half the planet’s population, but also for 40% of the global economy, while their combined GDP at purchasing power parity stands at $77 trillion.

    “BRICS has rightfully established itself as one of the key centres of global governance, with our collective voice in support of the global majority’s vital interests resonating ever more powerfully across the international stage.”

    During the session, participants discussed prospects of further cooperation between the BRICS states in politics, trade, the economy, culture, and humanitarian affairs, as well as the international agenda.

    In his address during the opening session, President Cyril Ramaphosa called for enhanced global cooperation and urgent reform of international governance structures amid the “dramatic reshaping of global dynamics — politically, economically, technologically, and environmentally”.

    READ | Call for urgent reform of international governance structures

    President Ramaphosa underscored the critical need for multilateral collaboration to address escalating global tensions and institutional inefficiencies. – SAnews.gov.za

    GabiK

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Call for inclusive multilateralism

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Call for inclusive multilateralism

    By Gabi Khumalo

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – President Cyril Ramaphosa has underscored the need for BRICS countries to commit to multilateralism with equity, inclusive economic growth, and technology with humanity.

    The President was speaking at the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    President Ramaphosa highlighted that BRICS has now expanded and represents nearly half of the global population, while it also accounts for over a third of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    “This provides the countries with an opportunity to strengthen and deepen their cooperation, to ensure a more equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order. 

    “The BRICS Outreach and BRICS Plus engagements are important platforms for expanding strategic dialogue and building strong ties with countries from the greater Global South and other emerging markets.

    “Brazil has rightly recognised the potential of BRICS as a platform for developing the solutions the world so urgently needs. We must continue to enhance our financial cooperation and continue the work already underway in studying the challenges and opportunities related to connecting financial market infrastructure,” the President said.

    The President welcomed the proposal to establish a BRICS New Investment Platform, noting its potential to enable faster, low cost, more efficient, transparent, safe, and inclusive cross-border payment instruments.

    “It has great potential to facilitate the mobilisation of diverse and expanded sources of investments into projects in the BRICS countries, and this is where the BRICS NDB [New Development Bank] plays a key and important role. South Africa calls for the appropriate risk mitigating mechanisms to be considered in the establishment of this platform.”

    The President commended the President of the NDB, Dilma Rousseff, for the excellent work that is being done by the bank.

    He called for the group’s continued collective commitment to safeguard and support the rules-based multilateral trading system as embodied in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

    The President further commended the important work undertaken to review the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2030.

    The President underscored the importance of strengthening trade and investment ties between BRICS countries, in view of the current geopolitical challenges and trade uncertainties.

    Adapting to 4IR 

    Turning to technological advancement, the President noted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has brought about a new era in the social and economic life of all countries and all people.

    “It has demanded that countries develop new policies and strategies to enable an inclusive, whole of society approach. Global institutions and inclusive participation are needed now more than ever. This is why reports from business and civil society tabled today are important.”

    The President welcomed the recent adoption of United Nations-endorsed high-level political principles on artificial intelligence (AI), noting that the principles provide the international community with a “common value-driven approach to AI that can serve as a basis for defining regulations and tools”.

    He highlighted that under South Africa’s current G20 Presidency, a Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance, and Innovation for Sustainable Development has been established, presenting an opportunity to address the limitations in international AI governance.

    “Artificial intelligence is reshaping every dimension of our lives, from education and agriculture to national security and financial systems. The choices we make now will determine whether AI exacerbates global inequality or becomes a tool for sustainable and inclusive development.

    “As we look ahead, we need to commit to multilateralism with equity, to economic growth with inclusion, and to technology with humanity. AI must be seen as a tool that will enhance the interests of all and not just a few billionaires, as indicated by [Brazilian] President Lula [da Silva],” he said – SAnews.gov.za

    GabiK

    MIL OSI Africa –