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Category: Middle East

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN sounds alarm over Syria as sectarian clashes, Israeli strikes flare

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Druze-majority Sweida governorate, long relatively insulated from earlier phases of Syria’s 14‑year conflict, has now become a flashpoint.

    Briefing an emergency meeting of the Security Council, UN Assistant Secretary‑General Khaled Khiari painted a grim picture: hundreds of casualties among soldiers and civilians –including women, children and the elderly – alongside reports of mass displacement, attacks on infrastructure, and hospitals “at or near capacity” amid power and water cuts.

    “There were further alarming reports of civilians, religious figures and detainees being subjected to extrajudicial executions and humiliating and degrading treatment,” he said.

    Violent reprisals and looting have devastated communities, with graphic footage circulating widely on social media amplifying fear and anger.

    He urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

    Timeline of escalation

    12 July: Series of mutual kidnappings in Sweida escalate into armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze armed groups.

    14 July: Syrian security forces deploy to “halt clashes” and “restore order”. At least 10 personnel reportedly killed by Druze armed groups, others abducted. Reports surface of the abuses against civilians as forces enter Sweida.

    Clashes intensify, leaving hundreds dead or wounded among security forces and Druze fighters, casualties also reported among Druze and Bedouin civilians, including women, children and the elderly. Sectarian rhetoric surges on social media.

    15-16 July: Hundreds of Druze from the occupied Syrian Golan and Syria gather on both sides of the ceasefire line, in the presence of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), expressing solidarity with the Druze community in Sweida.

    Israeli airstrikes compound crisis

    Against this backdrop, Israel, “pledging to protect” the Druze community launched “escalatory” strikes on Syrian territory, Mr. Khiari said.

    Between 12 and 16 July, air raids targeted Damascus authorities’ forces and official buildings, military installations and the vicinity of the Presidential Palace.

    “In addition to violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Israel’s actions undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and further destabilise Syria at a sensitive time,” Mr. Khiari said.

    He urged both Israel and Syria to uphold the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and “refrain from any action that would further undermine it and the stability on the Golan.”

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    A wide view of the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

    Humanitarian fallout

    According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) there are severe disruption to supply routes, with insecurity and road closures blocking aid deliveries. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) dispatched trauma care supplies to Daraa, but Sweida remains inaccessible.

    Mr. Khiari stressed the need for humanitarian access and called on Damascus to ensure any investigations into alleged abuses are “transparent and in line with international standards.”

    Call for genuine reconciliation

    Reaffirming the Security Council’s March call for an inclusive, Syrian-owned political process under resolution 2254, Mr. Khiari warned: “Security and stability in Sweida, and indeed in post-Assad Syria can only be achieved through genuine reconciliation and with the participation of all components of Syria’s diverse society.”

    He urged all Syrian stakeholders to commit to dialogue and emphasised the UN’s support for an inclusive and credible political transition that ensures accountability, fosters national healing and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and prosperity.

    “Only then, can Syria truly emerge from the legacy of conflict and embrace a peaceful future,” he concluded.

    ASG Khiari briefs the Security Council.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to press following informal meeting on Cyprus

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Ladies and gentlemen of the media,

    Thank you for joining us.

    Today, I convened a meeting I proposed in March with the clear goal of pursuing the constructive dialogue between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Leaders.

    I am grateful for the participation of His Excellency Nicos Christodoulides, and His Excellency Ersin Tatar.

    And I thank the Foreign Minister of Greece, His Excellency Giorgios Gerapetritis, the Foreign Minister of Türkiye, His Excellency Hakan Fidan, and the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom, His Excellency Stephen Doughty, who represents the guarantor powers of Cyprus. 

    From the very start of my mandate, I have been committed to the security and well-being of the Cypriots — the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots.

    Once again, today’s discussions were constructive.

     Both leaders reviewed the progress on the six initiatives they agreed in March to build trust. 

     Out of these six initiatives, four have been achieved:

     –          the creation of a technical committee on youth;

    –          initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impact on mining areas;

    –          the restoration of cemeteries;

    –          an agreement on demining will be closed once the final technical details are established;

    Discussions will continue on the remaining two:

    –         – the opening of four crossing points; and

    –          -solar energy in the buffer zone.

    In addition, they came to a common understanding on:

    –          -a consultative body for civil society engagement;

    –          -exchange of cultural artifacts;

    –          -an initiative on air quality monitoring; and

    –          -addressing microplastic pollution.

    It is critical to implement these initiatives – all of them – as soon as possible for the benefit of all Cypriots.

    We also agreed that I would have a joint meeting with Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides during the high-level week, and that there would be another informal meeting in the present format later this year.

    As with the six initiatives agreed in March, the initiatives agreed today have the potential to have a real and significant positive impact on peoples’ lives across the island.

    They are not merely symbolic gestures, but issues that require cooperation.

    There’s a long road ahead.

    And it is important to think about what the future can mean – for all Cypriots.

    But these steps clearly demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward and working on initiatives that benefit all Cypriots.

     Thank you.

    I will answer three questions.
    Question: Thank you. Thank you Secretary-General. Serife Cetin, Anadolu Agency. I just wanted to ask you, sir, what is the impediment that hinders progress on opening of new crossing points? What would you say is the main challenge on this issue?

    Secretary-General: We have reached an agreement on the crossing points themselves. There is a question of an itinerary in relation to one of them that will be further discussed now. But there was important progress in this regard.

    Question: The new points have not been, opening new crossing points have not been decided?

    Secretary-General: Before we need to finish the agreement. As I said, there is still a question of itinerary to be addressed in future discussions.

    Question: What is the problem with the itinerary?

    Secretary-General: These are very technical things that are in the language that I do not dominate.

    But as I said, there was a lot of progress, but there are still some aspects of itinerary that need to be addressed.

    Question: Mr. Secretary-General, would you consider this is a start for a new round of negotiations? Could you say that? Is it a new start for a new round?

    Secretary-General: I think that this is a process, a complex process. We all know that there are very different points of view from the two sides in relation to a solution on the problem of Cyprus. But I think we are building, step by step, confidence and creating the conditions to do concrete things to the benefit of the Cypriot people, and, with a total consensus that this process must go on.

    Question: Were you happy with the results?

    Secretary-General: I am happy, of course, I would like much more, but this is a complex issue and I think that we made progress that needs to be registered.

    Last question.

    Question: Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General, I have a question on Syria. As you know, we see another clashes between the Druze community and the new government in Syria. We saw another massacre a couple of months ago against Alawites, against Christians and the Kurds. So, the question is, in your opinion, do you think a federal system can be a solution for Syria, or do you think it’s something against its territorial integrity? Thank you

    Secretary-General: It’s absolutely essential to achieve two things. One is the unity of the Syrian state, in the respect of its sovereignty, but with the full integration of the different communities in the state of Syria, and with all communities fully respected and their rights fully respected. The second thing is the need to respect the territorial integrity of Syria. It is for the Syrians to solve the Syrian problem.

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints Guang Cong of China Special Envoy for Horn of Africa

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    SG/A/2363*

    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Guang Cong of China as his new Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa. He succeeds Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her leadership and dedicated service to the Organization.

    Mr. Cong brings decades of international affairs experience to this position, with over 23 years of service in various United Nations peace operations.  A significant portion of this time was dedicated to the broader Horn of Africa region. He currently serves as Deputy Special Representative (Political) for South Sudan and Deputy Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

    He held the position of Director of Civil Affairs in UNMISS (2016-2020). Prior to that, he was Chief of Civil Affairs in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), having previously served in the UNMISS office in Jonglei State, as well as in the Blue Nile State and Abyei offices of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

    Mr. Cong was Chief of Political Affairs/Chief of Staff in the United Nations Special Coordinator’s Office in Lebanon (UNSCOL) (2012-2014) and Head of Field Offices and Political Affairs Officer within the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) (2002-2009).

    Prior to joining the United Nations in 2002, Mr. Cong had a distinguished career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

    Mr. Cong holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Shanghai International Studies University, China, and a graduate certificate from the China Foreign Affairs University.  Besides his native Chinese, he is fluent in English.

    __________

    * This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1953 of 24 March 2020.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Guterres deplores Israeli strike on Gaza church

    Source: United Nations 2

    Three people were killed and at least 10 others were injured in the bombing of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, according to media reports.

    Stephanie Tremblay, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General, noted that the church was both a place of worship and a sanctuary for civilians.

    “Attacks on places of worship are unacceptable. People seeking shelter must be respected and protected, not hit by strikes,” she said during the daily media briefing from New York.

    “Too many lives have already been lost,” she added, before stressing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    Strikes continue amid widespread displacement 

    Meanwhile, Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours have hit sites hosting displaced Palestinians, some of whom were injured and killed.

    The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 11,500 people in Gaza were newly displaced between 8-15 July.

    Overall, more than 737,000 people have been uprooted since the latest escalation of hostilities on 18 March, or roughly 35 per cent of the population

    Furthermore, nearly everyone in Gaza has been displaced, in many cases multiple times, since the war began in October 2023.

    Ms. Tremblay reminded journalists that most housing in Gaza is flattened or otherwise unhabitable and families are staying in the open because the UN has not been allowed to bring in tents and other shelter materials since early March.

    Mediterranean swimming ban

    She also highlighted a “worrying development” as humanitarians report that many displaced people are wary of bathing in the Mediterranean Sea after Israeli reinstated a ban prohibiting swimming and fishing.

    “OCHA says that for many, the sea has been their only option to wash, as there is barely any functioning water infrastructure and almost no fuel to pump water, a much-needed outlet in the hot weather in Gaza,” she explained. 

    More fuel needed

    Humanitarians also continue to report that the amount of fuel Israel is allowing into Gaza is still nowhere enough to keep life-saving services operating and shutdowns are a real risk. 

    Ms. Tremblay mentioned “a small but important step” that occurred on Thursday, as the UN was finally allowed to bring in some benzene – used to power ambulances and other critical services – for the first time in more than 135 days.

    “That’s in addition to the limited amounts of diesel allowed over the past week. But it’s not enough,” she said.

    “We are calling for more fuel – both benzene and diesel – to come in regularly. And the ban on shelter materials needs to be lifted immediately. Lives depend on both.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Moore, Senator Hawley Introduce Resolution Condemning International Persecution of Christians

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Riley M. Moore and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced a resolution condemning the persecution of Christians in Muslim-majority countries across the globe.

    In April, Congressman Moore gave a speech on the House Floor highlighting the rampant violence and martyrdom many Christians are facing simply for proclaiming their faith in Jesus Christ.

    The bill is endorsed by ADF International, Heritage Action for America, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, In Defense of Christians, Global Christian Relief, CatholicVote, Advancing American Freedom, Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), Family Policy Alliance, Christians Engaged, and Save the Persecuted Christians.

    Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

    “Around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ face rampant persecution for simply acknowledging the name of Jesus. That is unacceptable.

    “In Nigeria alone, more than 50,000 Christians have been martyred and more than 5 million have been displaced simply for professing their faith. During a Divine Liturgy in Damascus last month, an islamic jihadist opened fire on worshippers and detonated an explosive device — killing at least 30 and wounding dozens more. These examples illustrate the violence and death Christians face on a daily basis.

    “Unfortunately, decades of U.S. foreign policy blunders have exacerbated this crisis, with ethno-religious cleansing accelerating in Iraq after our failure to stabilize the country following the 2003 invasion.

    “We as lawmakers cannot continue to sit idly by. I urge my colleagues to join me in condemning the persecution of Christians across the globe.”

    Senator Hawley added:

    “Our country was founded on religious liberty. We cannot sit on the sidelines as Christians around the world are being persecuted for declaring Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We must condemn these heinous crimes. Year after year, the number of Christians murdered by extremists in Nigeria has numbered in the thousands. Millions more have been displaced. We cannot allow this to continue. I urge my colleagues to join me in condemning the persecution of Christians around the world by supporting this resolution.”

    The Daily Wire first covered introduction of the resolution. Read more here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australian law is clear: criticism of Israel does not breach the Racial Discrimination Act

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Swannie, Senior Lecturer, Thomas More Law School, Australian Catholic University

    Earlier this month, the Federal Court found controversial Muslim cleric Wissam Haddad breached the Racial Discrimination Act.

    Justice Angus Stewart ruled a series of speeches Haddad posted online were “fundamentally racist and antisemitic [and] profoundly offensive” towards Jewish people in Australia.

    However, the court also ruled criticism of Israel, Zionism and the Israel Defense Forces are not antisemitic and therefore do not breach the law.

    This finding could help inform the current debate on how to define antisemitism in Australia.

    Antisemitism and the law

    Haddad’s sermons were found to include “perverse generalisations” about Jewish Australians made at a time of “heightened vulnerability” following the October 7 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas.

    The court’s decision is based on provisions in the Racial Discrimination Act.

    The act applies equally to all racial and ethnic groups in Australia. It does not refer directly to antisemitism, nor does it prohibit it specifically.

    But Jewish people have been recognised as a distinct ethnic group protected by the act since 2002. As such, several successful court cases have been brought by Australian Jews under the laws.

    To breach the act, speech must be likely to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” a reasonable member of the target group – in this case, Jewish people in Australia. Trivial or minor harms do not meet this standard.

    Also, the speech must have been done “because of” the race or ethnicity of the target group. This means the race or ethnicity of the person or group must be one of the reasons for the speech.

    The law protects against racial discrimination, which includes ethnicity. It does not prohibit religious discrimination. However, for Jews, Sikhs and other ethno-religious groups there is some overlap.

    There is no liability under the Racial Discrimination Act if the speech was done “reasonably and in good faith” for a “genuine purpose in the public interest”.

    This is the free speech defence.

    Other breaches of the RDA

    In 2002, the Federal Court found the act was breached by a website that denied the extent and existence of the Jewish Holocaust.

    The website’s creator, Frederick Toben, claimed the content was true and its publication was in the public interest. However, the language used by Toben was deliberately provocative. His clear intention to offend Jewish people meant no defence was available.

    In September 2023, a Melbourne secondary college breached the act by allowing Jewish students to be systematically bullied and harassed, including through the use of racial epithets and Nazi swastikas.

    The court took into account the intergenerational trauma experienced by students whose families were affected by the Holocaust. The school was ordered to pay compensation to the students totalling more than $400,000.

    Criticism of Israel does not breach the law

    Crucially, in the recent Haddad decision, the court stated “it is not antisemitic to criticise Israel”.

    Parts of a speech made by Haddad that referred directly to the conduct of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces did not breach the Racial Discrimination Act because they could not reasonably be regarded as referring to Jewish people.

    Further, references in the speech to Zionism were regarded by the court as referring to a political ideology, rather than Jewish ethnicity.

    However, the court did recognise that criticism of Zionism and Israel was sometimes coded, or included subtle references to Jewish identity.

    Under the act, courts must carefully consider the context of relevant speech, including the tone and language used. That means blaming Jewish people for the actions of Israel or the Israeli military, for example, could in fact breach the law.

    Antisemitism definition

    The Federal Court’s decision in the Haddad case preceded the proposed antisemitism strategy by Jillian Segal, the government’s special envoy on combating hatred against Jewish people.

    Her report recommends the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism be embedded in all public institutions.

    The definition is controversial because it appears to conflate criticism of Israel with racial and ethnic prejudice. Concerns have been raised legitimate criticism of Israel and its government would be stifled if the definition was widely embraced.

    A version of the definition was adopted in February by Universities Australia, the governing body for Australian universities.

    Some universities have rejected the definition on the grounds it may restrict legitimate academic freedom on campus.

    No defence available to Haddad

    Haddad argued his speeches were justified because they were based on Islamic scriptures. However, after weighing up expert evidence, the court found denigrating Jewish people was not supported by scripture.

    The speeches were not made “reasonably and in good faith”, given Haddad had used inflammatory language. He further “courted controversy” by also maligning Christians and Hindus.

    As the speeches were no more than “bigoted polemic”, no conflict between religious freedom and the Racial Discrimination Act arose.

    In summary, Haddad breached the act by making profoundly offensive speeches regarding Jewish people in Australia.

    The court ordered the sermons be removed from social media, while Haddad was ordered not to repeat them.

    The decision clarifies that antisemitic speech is prohibited by the discrimination laws, although criticism of Israel is not.

    Bill Swannie 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. Australian law is clear: criticism of Israel does not breach the Racial Discrimination Act – https://theconversation.com/australian-law-is-clear-criticism-of-israel-does-not-breach-the-racial-discrimination-act-261175

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eurojust and League of Arab States strengthen ties in fight against transnational crime

    Source: Eurojust

    17 July 2025|

    In a bid to strengthen their partnership against organised crime, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States hosted, with the support of the EU-funded CTJUST project, a high-level workshop in Cairo, Egypt, on 16-17 July 2025. The two-day meeting convened experts from Eurojust, the Arab League, and Arab League Member States to explore strategies for reinforcing cooperation between the two regions.

    The workshop’s agenda featured in-depth discussions on the role of Eurojust, cooperation with non-EU countries, and the nuances of judicial cooperation between the Arab League and EU Member States. This exchange of expertise and ideas aimed to enhance collaboration in the fight against transnational crime.

    By strengthening judicial cooperation, the EU and the Arab region can more effectively address the complex challenges posed by transnational crime, ultimately contributing to regional security, economic stability, and good governance. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK is deeply concerned by violence and attacks on civilians in Syria: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK is deeply concerned by violence and attacks on civilians in Syria: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

    I would like to make three points.  

    First, the UK is deeply concerned by the escalating violence in Suwayda. 

    We have urged all parties to de-escalate and take immediate action to protect civilians. 

    We are alarmed by reports of attacks on medical personnel and facilities. 

    Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted, and we call on all parties to ensure humanitarian aid can reach those who need it.

    We take note of President Al Sharaa’s comments on the importance of protection of Syria’s Druze community and accountability for those who have committed attacks. 

    And we urge that investigations and steps towards accountability take place swiftly.

    Second, we are deeply concerned by Israel’s escalatory strikes in Damascus. 

    We repeat our call for Israel to refrain from actions that risk destabilising Syria and the wider region. 

    Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.  

    We welcome the news that a ceasefire has been agreed. 

    And we urge all parties to commit to maintaining it.

    Third, this is a critical moment for Syria and for the stability of the region. 

    My Foreign Secretary travelled to Damascus earlier this month, where he held productive talks and heard from the Syrian Government and ordinary Syrians about their aspirations for the country. 

    A peaceful and secure future for the Syrian people requires all of Syria’s communities to be protected and fully included in the political transition. 

    So we call on the Syrian Government to prioritise genuine inclusivity and representation in the appointment and election of People’s Assembly members and in all further elements of the political transition.  

    An accountability process is also critical to ensuring stability and lasting peace. 

    We urge the Syrian Government to investigate human rights violations and abuses by all parties and ensure those responsible are held to account. 

    We look forward to seeing the Syrian Government’s report on the violence in the coastal areas in March. 

    This is a crucial step towards justice and reconciliation for the Syrian people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Registration Opens for 2025 NASA International Space Apps Challenge

    Source: NASA

    Lee esta historia en español aquí
    NASA invites innovators of all ages to register for the NASA Space Apps Challenge, held on Oct. 4-5. The 2025 theme is Learn, Launch, Lead, and participants will work alongside a vibrant community of scientists, technologists, and storytellers at more than 450 events worldwide. Participants can expect to learn skills to succeed in STEM fields, launch ideas that transform NASA’s open data into actionable tools, and lead their communities in driving technological innovation. During the NASA Space Apps Challenge, participants in the U.S. and around the world gather at hundreds of in-person and virtual events to address challenges authored by subject matter experts across NASA divisions. These challenges range in complexity and topic, tasking participants with everything from creating machine learning models and leveraging artificial intelligence, to improving access to NASA research, to designing sustainable recycling systems for Mars, and to developing tools to evaluate local air quality here on Earth. Dr. Yoseline Angel Lopez, a former space apps challenge winner and now an assistant research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, can attest that the opportunity to Learn, Launch, Lead goes far beyond the hackathon.    “The NASA Space Apps Challenge gave me and my team a meaningful opportunity to apply science to real-world problems and gain validation from NASA scientists and industry experts,” said Angel. In 2021, her team’s winning web-app prototype was adopted by Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture, connecting smallholder farmers with local buyers. The platform also supported agricultural land-use monitoring using satellite imagery. After the hackathon, project submissions are judged by NASA and space agency experts. Winners are selected for one of 10 global awards. “Participating in the hackathon is exciting on its own. But when your project can lead to greater opportunities and make a difference in your community, that’s a dream come true,” said Angel. She will return to the 2025 hackathon as a NASA subject matter expert and challenge author, giving a Golden Age of innovators the opportunity to make a difference in their communities through the use of data from NASA and 14 space agency partners. This year’s partners include: Bahrain Space Agency; Brazilian Space Agency; CSA (Canadian Space Agency); ESA (European Space Agency); ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation); Italian Space Agency; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency); Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre of the United Arab Emirates; National Space Activities Commission of Argentina;  Paraguayan Space Agency; South African National Space Agency; Spanish Space Agency; Turkish Space Agency; and the UK Space Agency. NASA Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. We invite you to register for the 2025 NASA Space Apps Challenge and choose a virtual or in-person event near you at:
    https://www.spaceappschallenge.org
    Find videos about Space Apps at:
    youtube.com/c/NASASpaceAppsChallenge

    Stay up to date with #SpaceApps by following these accounts:

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Emergency meeting on rising tensions in Syria

    Source: United Nations 2

    The Security Council meets this afternoon for an emergency session on Syria after a wave of Israeli airstrikes reportedly hit military sites and key locations in Damascus, killing and injuring civilians and soldiers. The meeting was requested by Syria and backed by Council members Algeria and Somalia. A senior UN political affairs official is expected to brief ambassadors, with regional countries also participating. Stay with us for live updates, in coordination with UN Meetings Coverage. UN News App users can follow here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Group backs more than €15 billion in new investment

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB and EIF Boards approve €15.5 billion for transport, housing, education, energy and business investment
    • EIB strengthening support for water resilience

    The European Investment Bank Group approved a total of €15.5 billion in new financing to back business growth and corporate innovation, improve transport and energy connectivity, invest in housing and strengthen water resilience.

    The decisions were made at the July board meetings of the EIB and the European Investment Fund this week. The EIB Board endorsed €14.5 billion in fresh financing and the EIF Board authorised €1 billion in new funding to support the green transition, back venture capital and private equity investment and strengthen private credit and infrastructure funds.

    “These investments are about building the future – from clean energy, safe water and smarter transport to better housing, education and innovation,” said EIB Group President Nadia Calviño. “As the EU’s financing arm, the EIB Group is delivering on Europe’s priorities.”

    EIB Group Water Resilience Programme welcomed

    The EIB Board welcomed plans to strengthen targeted financing to address water resilience worldwide.

    The EIB Group is the world’s largest multilateral financier for water investment. The new EIB Group Water Resilience Programme has been developed in coordination with the European Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy and is expected to mobilise €40 billion of global water investment over the next three years. It will increase access to clean and safe water, enhance the water resilience of communities and strengthen the competitiveness of the EU water sector.

    New projects to update water and wastewater networks in Greece and the Netherlands were also approved.

    Improving transport

    The EIB agreed to back new rail investment in Estonia, Germany and Italy, to improve road connections in Poland, Romania and Moldova and to enhance airport energy efficiency in France, Germany and Spain.

    Enhancing energy networks and energy efficiency

    New energy projects approved will strengthen electricity grids in France, Germany and South America, improve industrial energy efficiency in Portugal and accelerate biofuel production in Italy.

    Investing in affordable and energy efficient housing

    The Board approved three housing projects, enabling streamlined financing for the construction of energy-efficient homes, the energy-efficiency renovation of existing buildings and the installation of solar panels in Germany and backing the construction and refurbishment of affordable housing across Portugal.

    Backing business growth and innovation

    New financing approved by the EIB will support companies in Croatia, Italy, Poland and Spain, innovation in the Western Balkans and the reforestation of degraded forests and wetlands across Africa as well as private-sector investment by North African and Middle Eastern businesses. This includes support as part of the third pillar of the European Commission’s Multiannual Comprehensive Programme for Palestine.

    Financing for critical raw material recycling in Germany, low-carbon fertiliser production in South America, innovative waste-treatment plants across Spain and pharmaceutical innovation across Europe was also endorsed.

    The EIF transactions agreed this week include €278 million in new debt operations and €725 million in venture capital, private equity and private credit transactions. They will support private-sector clean energy, decarbonisation and biodiversity preservation investment. This includes EIF backing for funds that enable biotech companies to grow, support sustainable business investments and bolster early-stage venture capital.

    Strengthening European security and defence

    In March this year, the EIB Group agreed to expand its eligibility criteria for security and defence investment.

    The EIB and EIF Boards approved a revised list of excluded activities, broadening eligibilities and clarifying technical details to support increased financing for selected security and defence projects. These adjustments follow a thorough market assessment that identified funding needs within the EU industry while safeguarding the Group’s financing capacity.

    Background information  

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world. 

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.   

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.   

    Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers.Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average. 

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    A1 MOTORWAY EU COHESION CO-FINANCING
    Better road connections across Romania
    ©EIB
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    VALOGREENE SPAIN CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLANTS
    Backing innovative waste treatment across Spain
    ©EIB
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    VALOGREENE SPAIN CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLANTS
    Backing innovative waste treatment across Spain
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Danish Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

    Source: European Parliament

    Denmark holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2025. This text will be updated regularly as the hearings take place.

    Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the Presidency will focus on easing the administrative burden for farmers while continuing to promote the green transition and animal welfare. Concluding the current negotiations on the common agricultural policy (CAP) simplification package and starting discussions on the post-2027 CAP will also be priorities.

    Several MEPs called for fair conditions between farmers inside and outside the EU in connection with the Mercosur Agreement and animal welfare. They asked how the presidency will help guarantee the EU’s protein and fertiliser self-sufficiency and support organic farmers. Others raised the issue of ensuring that the green transition does not compromise the agriculture sector’s sustainability.

    Regional Development Committee

    On 15 July, Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre argued that cohesion policy should continue to play a crucial role in the EU budget, as the Presidency works on proposals for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). She said that funding should also support competitiveness and be flexible in the face of unexpected events. Ms Bjerre highlighted the need to strengthen rule of law conditionality in the allocation of EU funds.

    MEPs agreed on the need to modernise cohesion policy and make it more flexible, but asked for the Presidency’s support in defending the policy’s core purpose – reducing inequalities between regions – and the role of regions and local authorities.

    Legal Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stressed the need to boost EU competitiveness but also to protect common values while advancing the green and digital transition. He committed to make progress on draft bills on the protection of adults and insolvency, while promoting rules on parenthood.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, will strive to simplify existing rules for the benefit of EU businesses in the upcoming negotiations on sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations. Mr Bødskov also intends to advance the patent package and the “28th regime” initiative (a single set of EU rules to support innovation).

    MEPs inquired about plans to strengthen the rule of law, fight illegal migration and improve licensing, considering the planned withdrawal of the proposal on standard essential patents. They also asked for work to move ahead on the special tribunal for the crime of aggression, for measures to ensure that simplification does not lead to deregulation, and for efforts to balance rights and copyright in the context of new technologies.

    Foreign Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said that the Presidency wants to advance EU accession negotiations with all candidate countries. She also added that the EU must act more independently to ensure its security. The dialogue with Türkiye will continue, but its accession negotiations will remain on hold.

    MEPs called for more support for some candidate countries on their EU path. They also enquired on possible new strategic partners for the EU, given recent developments in relations with the US, and called for the deepening of relations with Latin America. They also asked what steps the Presidency intends to take to help the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    Environment, Climate Change and Food Safety Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, highlighted the need to simplify EU legislation for farmers and food producers, and to promote innovation through tools such as new genomic techniques, on which the Presidency aims to strike a deal with Parliament. He stressed the importance of making the EU’s agri-food sector more competitive while maintaining high standards of sustainability and food safety. Other priorities include an EU strategy for plant-based proteins, animal welfare, and action to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

    MEPs raised questions about the future of the CAP, demanding greater fairness, increased support for smaller farms, and clear targets for pesticide reduction. MEPs also enquired about trade agreements, such as with Mercosur, and a possible ban on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on the EU 2040 climate target, to offer clear guidance for climate action, investment, and industrial competitiveness. He underlined the need for an agreement before the COP30 in Brazil on 10–21 November 2025, to show EU leadership and unity.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about energy affordability and the social impact of the new emissions trading system, while others stressed excessive flexibility would undermine the 2040 target.

    Civil liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the Presidency would prioritise work on the fight against serious cross-border and organised crime, action to improve victims’ rights, and police cooperation to counter migrant smuggling. The Presidency will also advance work on the directive and regulation to combat child sexual abuse.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, called for implementation of the “Preparedness Union” strategy to strengthen EU security, resilience and preparedness. The Presidency will advance work on the reformed EU civil protection mechanism, the stockpiling strategy and measures to protect critical infrastructure.

    MEPs asked the Presidency about progress on the directives on combating corruption and victims’ rights. According to the Justice Minister, work on both will continue promptly as a priority. MEPs and the Ministers also discussed law enforcement access to data, and measures against terrorism and online radicalisation.

    Kaare Dybvad, Minister for Immigration and Integration, emphasised the need to implement the Asylum and Migration Pact in full. The Presidency will work on proposals on safe third countries, safe countries of origin and a common approach to returns. He also mentioned the possibility of developing external partnerships and possible return hubs in third countries, stressing the need to uphold international law and human rights. Other priorities are action to combat migrant smuggling and the EU talent pool.

    On Migration and Asylum Pact implementation, MEPs asked about the solidarity platform, protection of human dignity, and cooperation with third countries. The minister replied that priority should be given to people in need of refugee status. Economic migrants must use legal channels, and those with no right to stay need to be returned to their home countries.

    Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs, said the Presidency aimed to strengthen the link between respect for EU values and access to EU funds, enhance the Council’s rule of law dialogues, and support tools such as the Commission’s rule of law report. It will also work to reinforce the conditionality mechanism in the next long-term budget, by increasing funding for it and ensuring more automatic application.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about the situation in Hungary, and called for a stronger conditionality mechanism and better protection of media freedom and civil society. Others called for clarity on the definition of rule of law, and raised the issues of spyware use against journalists and the situation in Gaza.

    Employment and Social Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen stressed that the Presidency would focus on investing in skills, fair labour mobility, strengthening social dialogue, and occupational health. She aims to advance the revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMRD) and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers. Minister for Social Affairs and Housing Sophie Hæstorp Andersen highlighted the need to improve independent living for persons with disabilities and to improve access to sustainable and affordable housing.

    MEPs highlighted the lack of legislative proposals in social areas and voiced concern about the future of the European Social Fund+. They stressed the need to strengthen the European Labour Authority, and addressed the working conditions of non-EU nationals, the lack of skilled workers, and the migration of qualified workers. Others asked for action on employment rights for persons with disabilities, the coordination of social security systems, and the European Child Guarantee.

    Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee

    On 15 July, Caroline Stage Olsen, Digital Affairs Minister, emphasised the need for action to boost investment and cut red tape. Special attention will be given to protecting minors online through firm Digital Services Act enforcement, new age verification rules and action to tackle addictive design. She supported postponing elements of the AI Act to give business, especially smaller companies, more time to comply.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, stressed the Presidency’s intention to tackle customs challenges, unfair competition, slow growth and job loss. The minister also expressed strong support for the green transition and the need to advance work on simplification packages and regulatory burden reduction targets.

    MEPs asked about the Presidency’s plans to work on e-commerce, the posting of workers, attracting talent and the “28th regime” (a single set of EU rules to support innovation). They also enquired about digital policy loopholes and the Digital Fairness Act, and the need to advance negotiations on the late payments regulation and the European defence industrial strategy.

    Development Committee

    On 15 July, Foreign Affairs Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called for a stronger Team Europe approach, given the widening gap between humanitarian needs and the resources available. Presidency priorities include the Global Gateway, the Samoa Agreement, the EU-African Union (AU) Summit, human rights and the sustainable development goals. The Presidency will champion external action in negotiations on the next long-term EU budget.

    MEPs stressed the importance of development aid and the need to make sure foreign investment upholds human rights, while also voicing concern over irregular migration. They called for a broader EU presence at the next EU-AU Summit, and asked about the Presidency’s plan for the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    Public Health Committee

    On 16 July, Sophie Løhde, Danish Minister for Interior and Health, highlighted the need to strengthen EU preparedness through efficient medical countermeasures, ensure better access to medicines, and address antimicrobial resistance. She shared the Presidency’s commitment to finalising the Council’s position on the critical medicines act, hoping an agreement with Parliament could be reached on the pharmaceutical package by the end of the year.

    MEPs quizzed the minister on medicine affordability, rare diseases, and healthcare workforce shortages. Some called for a greater focus on women’s health, action against PFAS contamination, and improved EU coordination of health and military crisis preparedness.

    Constitutional Affairs Committee

    On 16 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said the Presidency priorities were to advance a merit-based EU accession process and uphold the rule of law. She also highlighted the need to reinforce democratic resilience, for instance through the Commission’s Democracy Shield and improved transparency of foreign interests. The Presidency is also committed to strengthening interinstitutional cooperation and pursuing institutional reforms within the existing treaty framework.

    MEPs raised questions on the link between internal EU reforms and future accessions, the use of qualified majority voting to overcome institutional deadlocks, the right of inquiry, and electoral reform. Bjerre replied that the lack of consensus among member states on possible treaty changes made that a less feasible path.

    Security and Defence Committee

    On 16 July, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that one of the priorities was to continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily and financially, and work on integrating the Ukrainian defence industry into the EU one. This includes paving the way for Ukrainian companies to set up facilities in the rest of Europe. He also mentioned the need for Europe to be able to defend itself by 2030 by increasing its defence readiness and production, and freeing up defence financing.

    MEPs questioned the minister on a range of topics, including the use of frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction, a dedicated European defence fund, removing hurdles to support the Ukrainian defence industry, and the pros and cons of non-EU country access to EU defence funds.

    Fisheries Committee

    On 16 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said the Presidency would prioritise the green transition, simplification, including for the Ocean Pact, and better regulation of fisheries. They will also focus on fishing opportunities in the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea for 2026 to allow fishers to plan early.

    MEPs highlighted fleet renewal, the Baltic Sea’s herring situation and the MFF’s role in achieving sustainability, simplification, and climate goals. They expressed concern over the 24-metre fleet renewal restriction and called for specific funding mechanisms for the Ocean Pact. Finally, they welcomed the focus on 2026 fishing quotas and sustainability objectives.

    Transport and Tourism Committee

    Boosting competitiveness, easing the administrative burden, ensuring a green transition in transport and tourism, but also military mobility, are the main drivers of Danish presidency, said Thomas Danielsen, Minister of Transport on 16 July. He hoped to start talks with MEPs on passenger rights and rules on counting CO2 emissions, as well as to finish negotiations on railway capacity infrastructure. Morten Bødskov, Minister of Business, Industry and Financial Services, added the Presidency perspective on shipping transport and upcoming EU ports and maritime industry strategies.

    The majority of transport committee MEPs welcomed the Presidency priorities, the ambition to reach a Council position on weights and dimensions rules, while some questioned the focus on the green transition. On passenger rights, MEPs were frustrated with the Council decision to force into a tight deadline to reach a deal on future rules, and asked the minister not to forget the multimodal part of the package.

    Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Environment and Gender Equality, Magnus Heunicke, outlined priorities including combating gender-based violence, promoting equal opportunities by involving men and boys, and strengthening LGBTQI equality amid rising hate and harassment. He announced that a Council meeting on 17 October would focus on equality and non-discrimination.

    MEPs raised concerns about the absence of an EU-wide consent-based definition of rape, the lack of progress on the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive, the under-representation of women in government, and the stalled horizontal anti-discrimination directive. In response, Heunicke confirmed that there would be a discussion on a consent-based rape definition, and that finalising the Victims’ Rights Directive negotiations was a priority.

    International Trade Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen named agreements on the revised general scheme of preferences (GSP) and the foreign investment screening review as being among his priorities. The phasing-out of Russian gas imports and ratification of the trade agreement with Mercosur are also high on the agenda. The Presidency will also work to negotiate a new trade relationship with the US, while being prepared for other scenarios.

    MEPs welcomed the priorities, particularly on concluding the Mercosur Agreement, phasing out Russian gas imports and concluding the revision of the GSP. Some MEPs also questioned the Presidency on how EU-Israel trade relations should evolve given the humanitarian situation in the Middle East.

    Culture and Education Committee

    On 16 July, Mattias Tesfaye, Minister for Education and Youth, said that Presidency wanted to make vocational education and training more attractive, ensure learning mobility, and focus on how the digitalisation affects learning outcomes. The Presidency will also prioritise negotiations on the next generation of Erasmus+ and on the European education area.

    Many MEPs expressed their concerns about the future of the Erasmus+ programme and enquired about the protection of children online, recognition of competences, and the safety of young students in the workplace.

    Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Minister for Culture, Media and Sports Policy, highlighted the need to prohibit the use of images, voice and other personal features in deepfakes or lifelike imitations. The EU Copyright Regulation should be updated to address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence to the cultural and creative sectors, either by guaranteeing fair remuneration for rights holders or by achieving the best possible conditions for licensing agreements. In sport, the Presidency promises to do more to uphold democratic values and integrity in the awarding of international sports events.

    MEPs asked for measures to help EU countries implement the European Media Freedom Act and highlighted the revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. MEPs also raised issues such as protecting heritage against natural disasters and gender equality programmes in sport.

    Industry, Research and Energy Committee

    On 16 July, Caroline Stage Olsson, Minister for Digital Affairs, outlined two priorities: enhancing digital competitiveness and protecting minors online. She advocated for reducing the administrative burden on business and for strategic investment for a more sovereign Europe. She also highlighted work on enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA), stricter regulations for age verification and data protection, and the establishment of a competitiveness fund.

    Some MEPs stressed the need to reduce dependency on non-European tech companies and to balance regulation with simplification, to foster innovation while protecting consumers. Questions were asked about the impact of the DSA on free speech and privacy, and about investment in less connected regions.

    Troels Lund Poulsen, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, outlined four priorities: enhancing Europe’s defence capabilities, supporting Ukraine, fostering cooperation with NATO and strengthening the EU’s defence against hybrid threats. He also stressed the importance of the European defence industry programme (EDIP) to this end.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, focused on cybersecurity and highlighted three priorities: strengthening EU cyber resilience, framing a robust EU response to cyber crises, and simplifying the EU cyber legislation framework.

    MEPs enquired about the creation of a unified European defence market, the standardisation of defence products, and the need for joint procurement to enhance defence capabilities. Questions also focused on Baltic Sea security and measures to counter potential sabotage. Concerns were voiced about Europe’s dependency on non-European defence suppliers.

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, emphasised the importance of a secure, clean and affordable energy supply, as well as of a stronger energy sector, focusing on renewable and clean energy produced locally. He called for an approach that would balance environmental protection with economic competitiveness and for Europe to phase out its dependency on Russian energy.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs focused on competitiveness and highlighted the need for increased investment in green technologies and new critical technologies such as life sciences, artificial intelligence, biotech, and quantum. Mr Bødskov also stressed the need to simplify regulations to foster innovation and growth.

    MEPs stressed the need for a more efficient regulatory environment to foster innovation and competitiveness. They expressed concerns about high energy prices and highlighted the importance of investing in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to achieve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several MEPs questioned the balance between environmental protection and economic competitiveness, and called for a more pragmatic approach to regulation that would not stifle innovation and growth.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/17/2025 Blackburn Statement on Senate Passing $9 Billion Rescissions Package to Cut Wasteful Government Spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 to cut $9 billion of wasteful government spending. With America’s national debt now sitting at $37 trillion after four years of reckless, far-left spending under the Biden administration, the rescissions package is an important step to restoring fiscal sanity.

    “The American people gave us a mandate to stop reckless spending and get our national debt under control,” said Senator Blackburn. “For years, American taxpayers have been bankrolling biased public media, foreign spending that undermines our values, and other outrageous things like electric buses in Rwanda and climate programs in Mexico. The rescissions package that Senate Republicans just passed eliminates billions in wasteful spending, and it is an important step toward restoring fiscal sanity and economic security.”

    THE RESCISSIONS ACT OF 2025

    Below are highlights of the billions in wasteful government spending the rescissions package will cut: 

    • Reckless spending on biased public media:

    o    Eliminates nearly $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization that funnels taxpayer dollars into a politically biased media system, including NPR and PBS, that has pushed left-wing ideology on the taxpayers’ dime for years. Click here for a list of examples of left-wing bias at NPR and PBS.

    • Foreign spending on programs that undermines American values and interests:
      • $3.9 million for strengthening integrity, equality, and democracy for LGBTQI+ population of the Western Balkans;
      • $2.5 million to teach children how to make environmentally friendly “reproductive health” decision;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $2.1 million for “climate resilience” in Asia, Latin America, and Africa;
      • $750,000 to “Yemen Community Resilience;” and
      • $500,000 for a gender equality and empowerment hub.
    • Funding to international organizations that work against American interests:
      • $135 million for the corrupt World Health Organization, which covered for Communist China throughout the COVID pandemic;
      • $33 million for the UN Population Fund, whose funding has gone towards providing tampons for transgender individuals in Bangladesh, a campaign to promote LGBTQ ideology in Rio de Janeiro, and “third-gender” community centers in Southeast Asia; 
      • $8 million for the UN Human Rights Council, which supports dictators and repressive regimes while demonizing our ally, Israel.
    • Funding for outrageous projects at the expense of American taxpayers:
      • $21 million for wind farms in Ukraine;
      • $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry;
      • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico;
      • $4.4 million for the “Melanesian Youth Climate Corps;”
      • $4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia;
      • $3 million for an Iraqi version of Sesame Street; 
      • $3 million for sexual reproductive health in Venezuela;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti;
      • $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda; and
      • $500,000 for Peruvian biodiversity.

    RELATED

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Holds Briefing on Situation in Syria

    Source: United Nations 4

    9960th Meeting (PM)

    Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Mohamed Khaled Khiari will give an emergency briefing to the Security Council this afternoon on the situation in Syria. 

    The meeting was requested by Syria in a 16 July letter (document S/2025/470).  Council members Algeria and Somalia supported the meeting request. 

    Hakan Fidan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, as well as representatives of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Tunisia, Iran and Jordan will participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

    Syria requested the meeting following a series of airstrikes launched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on its territory, which it claimed resulted in the killing and injury of a number of civilians and military personnel. 

    Since 14 July, the IDF has conducted several airstrikes against Syrian military forces in the southern governorates of Daraa and Suweida.

    On 16 July, heavy IDF airstrikes hit the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Defence and there were reports of a strike near the presidential palace in Damascus.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Fights to Protect America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the One Big Beautiful Bill and his work to protect America.
    Watch the video here.
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security,” said Ricketts.  “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.”
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Thank you for joining our press call today. 
    “Lasting prosperity depends on lasting security.
    “No nation can thrive without secure borders and a strong military.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill is the strongest national security and border security package in American history.  
    “This bill protects the good life in Nebraska.
    “Under the Biden Administration every state was a border state. 
    “Illegal immigration has real consequences for every state, including Nebraska.  
    “We have seen the flow of fentanyl, the rise of human trafficking, and its terrible consequences on Nebraskans.
    “We have lost young lives like Taryn Lee Griffith.
    “This bill gives law enforcement the tools to fight back and protect our communities while restoring the rule of law.   
    “Nebraska families deserve a federal government that secures our border and enforces the law.  
    “President Biden oversaw 10.5 million illegal border encounters.  
    “We are still seeing the effects of the Biden Border Crisis in Nebraska.  
    “Just last week, authorities arrested two members of the violent MS-13 gang in Omaha.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill responds with a historic investment in border security.  
    “It includes $46.5 billion to complete the border wall system, including roads, fiber, sensors, and cameras.  
    “It provides $10 billion in grants to reimburse states for the costs of Biden’s federal failure.  
    “Another $6.1 billion goes to cutting-edge surveillance tools that will give Border Patrol agents better eyes on the ground.  
    “The bill also creates jobs by providing funding for the hiring of 16,000 new immigration and customs agents while expanding detention capacity to end catch-and-release.
    “The security threats we face do not stop at our borders, we must also deter foreign adversaries and threats.
    “Nebraska’s airmen, missile programs, and military bases help defend our country every day.  
    “We are proud to host key parts of America’s defense infrastructure, and we understand the importance of peace through strength.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill includes over a $150 billion dollar in investment in America’s defense, making it clear to Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea that we will meet any threats with force and resolve.   
    “It strengthens the Defense Production Act, so our military supply chains remain resilient and ready for any challenge. 
    “It includes $25 billion for the Golden Dome, a layered missile defense shield that will protect Americans from evolving threats.  
    “It provides $29 billion for shipbuilding and expanding the maritime industrial base, that includes funds for a Virginia-class submarine, two destroyers, new oilers, and unmanned surface vehicles.
    “Our Coast Guard will be bolstered, to be able to counter drug and human trafficking as well as deter adversaries in the Arctic.
    “This is through funding for 17 new icebreakers, 21 new cutters, and more than 40 helicopters and 6 new planes.
    “There’s funding for the advanced X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, developing the B-21 bomber fleet, ramping up munitions production, and applying artificial intelligence to the battlefield.
    “Through these investments, we are demonstrating peace through strength. 
    “The bill also helps reverse dangerous recruitment trends in our military.  
    “Under President Trump, we are seeing record-breaking recruitment numbers.  
    “We are renewing the warrior spirit.  
    “That is good news for America’s readiness and morale.  
    “It’s bad news for America’s adversaries.
    “For Nebraska, the bill brings real investment.  
    “It includes $2.5 billion for risk reduction activities tied to the Sentinel ICBM program, which will be partly based in Western Nebraska.  
    “It also includes $168 million to accelerate production of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, also known as SAOC, at Offutt Air Force Base.  
    “These investments will mean more jobs, more innovation, and a stronger defense posture right here in Nebraska.
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill keeps America secure and protects Nebraskans.  
    “It honors the brave women and men who serve in uniform, defend our borders, and operate from bases across the state.  
    “As President Trump responds to rising global threats and reverses Biden’s open border policies, this bill gives our nation the resources to act.  
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill protects Nebraska and protects America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Big Roman shoes discovered near Hadrian’s Wall – but they don’t necessarily mean big Roman feet

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tim Penn, Lecturer in Roman and Late Antique Material Culture, University of Reading

    Excavations at the Roman fort of Magna near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland in north east England have uncovered some very large leather footwear. Their discovery, according to some news coverage, has “baffled” archaeologists.

    The survival of the shoes is not by itself miraculous or unusual. Excellent preservation conditions caused by waterlogged environments with low-oxygen means that leather, and other organic materials, survive in the wet soil of this part of northern England.

    Many years of excavations by the Vindolanda Trust at Vindolanda just south of Hadrian’s Wall, and now at Magna, have recovered an enormous collection of Roman shoes. These finds have provided us with an excellent record of the footwear of soldiers and the civilians who lived around them.

    The shoes from Magna stand out because many of them are big. Big shoes have also been found at Vindolanda. However, of those whose size can be determined, only 0.4% are big. The average shoe size at Vindolanda is 9.5 to 10.2 inches in length, which is between a modern UK shoe size 7 to 8.

    Big shoes make up a much larger share of the shoes at Magna. The biggest shoe is a whopping 12.8 inches long, roughly equivalent to a modern UK size 12 to 14.

    This shoe collection raises an immediate and obvious question: why did people at Magna have such large shoes?

    The possible answers to this question raise more questions and bring to the fore a central component of archaeological research: a good debate.

    Emma Frame, senior archaeologist for the Magna excavations, suggests: “We have to assume it’s something to do with the people living here, having bigger feet, being potentially taller but we don’t know.”

    This idea of bigger feet, bigger people makes a good deal of sense, though it would suggest that some of the military community at Magna were very tall indeed. And, as the Roman cemeteries of Hadrian’s Wall have been little excavated or studied, we have little information about how tall people were in this part of the Roman world.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Other ideas might be worth entertaining too, however. For example, could these be some kind of snowshoes or winter boots meant to allow extra layers of padding or multiple pairs of socks to be worn?

    A letter, preserved by similar conditions to the shoes at Vindolanda, refers to a gift of socks and underpants that was sent to someone stationed there, presumably to keep them warm during the cold winter nights. We also know from other evidence that Syrian archers made up one of the units stationed at Magna. These men would not have been used to the frosty climate of northern England.

    Could these large shoes be an attempt to cope with the bitter shock of a British winter? Or instead, could these shoes have a medical purpose, perhaps to allow people with swollen feet or people utilising medical dressings to wear shoes?

    It’s important to note, I am not claiming to have the answers. I’m simply putting out some hypotheses which could explain the extra-large shoes based on other evidence we have and potential logical explanations for such large footwear.

    These kinds of hypotheses lie right at the heart of the archaeological method. Fresh archaeological discoveries are made everyday, and they often make headlines with phrases about “baffled archaeologists.” While this language can spark public interest, it also risks giving a misleading impression of the discipline. In reality, the work archaeologists like me and thousands of my colleagues around the world do is grounded in careful, evidence-based analysis.

    The challenge lies not in our lack of expertise, but in the nature of the evidence itself. Much of the distant past has been lost to time, and what we do recover represents only a small fragment of the original picture.

    We’re not so much “baffled” as we are rigorously testing multiple hypotheses to arrive at the most plausible interpretations. Interpreting these fragments is a complex process, like piecing together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle with many of the most crucial pieces (like the edges) missing.

    Sometimes we have exactly the right pieces to understand the big picture, but other times we have gaps, and we have to put forward a series of different suggestions until more evidence comes to light.

    Tim Penn 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. Big Roman shoes discovered near Hadrian’s Wall – but they don’t necessarily mean big Roman feet – https://theconversation.com/big-roman-shoes-discovered-near-hadrians-wall-but-they-dont-necessarily-mean-big-roman-feet-256369

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Israel: Netanyahu considering early election but can he convince people he’s winning the war?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brian Brivati, Visiting Professor of Contemporary History and Human Rights, Kingston University

    Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile coalition is fracturing. Gil Cohen Magen / Shutterstock

    One of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, Shas, has announced it will resign from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The party said its decision was made due to the government’s failure to pass a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox students from military service.

    Its exit increases the political pressure on Netanyahu. Days earlier, six members of another ultra-Orthodox coalition partner, the United Torah Judaism party, also quit the government citing the same concerns. The moves leave Netanyahu with a minority in parliament, which will make it difficult for his government to function.

    Opposition leader Yair Lapid says the government now “has no authority”, and has called for a new round of elections. But even before these developments, Netanyahu was reportedly considering calling an early election in a bid to remain in power despite his unpopularity.

    To win another term he would, in my view, have to spin a narrative of victory on three fronts: securing the release of the hostages, defeating Hamas and delivering regional security. It is a tall order.

    In his visit to Washington in early July, Netanyahu emphasised his pursuit of a ceasefire in Gaza that facilitates the return of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

    Israelis have grown increasingly weary of the war, with recent surveys showing popular support for ending it if this brings back those still held captive. A ceasefire that sees hostages released would probably help Netanyahu generate support during an election campaign.

    But Netanyahu has insisted that, while he wants to reach a hostage-ceasefire deal, he will not agree to one “at any price”. This indicates not only Israel’s refusal to compromise on security but also that any deal Netanyahu does make – whether or not it sees the release of all the hostages – will be presented as a victory to Israeli voters.

    To provide the electorate with further hope of an end to the fighting, Netanyahu will also have to claim that the military campaign in Gaza is nearing its goals. Senior military officials stated recently that they have “almost fully achieved” their objectives – namely, defeating Hamas.

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

    Netanyahu has, so far, prolonged the war to remain in power. But he will now need to spin the military campaign as a victory if he wants to win votes. This will be especially hard as critics like Yitzhak Brik, a retired Israeli general, claim that the number of Hamas fighters is now back to its pre-war level.

    The hard-right members of Netanyahu’s government add another dimension to this equation. His two ultranationalist coalition partners, Jewish Power and Religious Zionism, oppose ending the war entirely. They insist on fighting Hamas to the finish.

    Netanyahu will most likely want to keep his options open during an election campaign to then form a coalition with whatever he can pull together at the time. He may calculate that a short-term pause in fighting to free hostages can be spun as a victory to win votes, after which military operations could resume to appease hardliners if he needs them.

    A final part of Netanyahu’s electoral strategy will be to push the message that he has delivered regional security. He has declared the war with Iran in June a success, saying “we sent Iran’s nuclear program down the drain”.

    And Israel has also continued its campaign of strikes to assert its military dominance in the region, the latest in Syria and Lebanon.

    Slim peace prospects

    Observers warn that Netanyahu’s approach is about political survival, and will come at the expense of long-term peace prospects for Israelis and Palestinians. According to New York Times, he seems to be “kicking the Palestinian issue once again down the road”.

    Indeed, part of Netanyahu’s mooted strategy for claiming victory in Gaza involves supporting a constrained political outcome for the Palestinians that ends the fighting without Israel conceding on core issues.

    In this scenario, the Gaza Strip would be carved up and demilitarised under prolonged Israeli security oversight. Some areas would be annexed by Israel. Remaining parts of Gaza, along with fragments of the West Bank, would be handed over to an interim authority to create the appearance of a nascent Palestinian state.

    The goal would be to declare that Israel has facilitated Palestinian statehood – but strictly on Israel’s terms – while eliminating Hamas’s rule in Gaza. The reality would probably be a designed chaos to force as many Palestinians as possible to leave.

    Such a state, lacking full sovereignty and territorial continuity, would fall far short of the independent state that Palestinians seek. Crucially, this imposed outcome would also bypass substantive negotiation of issues like borders, refugees and Jerusalem, which both Israel and Palestine claim as their capital.

    Palestinian leaders would almost certainly reject a curtailed state. And if they did not then ordinary Palestinians – reeling from the war’s devastation – are unlikely to view it as a just peace. A new cycle of violence would probably begin and the Palestinian population will have been heavily concentrated into restricted spaces that would be wide open to Israeli bombardment.



    Read more:
    Netanyahu’s occupation plan for Gaza means more suffering for Palestinians and less security for Israel

    As Netanyahu weighs pulling the election trigger, he is effectively writing the next chapter of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The outcome of this manoeuvring is highly uncertain.

    If his three-pronged victory narrative convinces Israeli voters, he could return to power with a fresh mandate and perhaps a retooled coalition. He might seek a broader unity government after an election, sidelining his most hardline partners in favour of centrist voices to navigate post-war diplomacy.

    But if the public deems his victories hollow or indeed false, an election could sweep him out of office. This would open the door for opposition leaders who may take a different approach to Gaza and the Palestinians.

    Brian Brivati is executive director of the Britain Palestine Project. He is writing this article in a personal capacity.

    – ref. Israel: Netanyahu considering early election but can he convince people he’s winning the war? – https://theconversation.com/israel-netanyahu-considering-early-election-but-can-he-convince-people-hes-winning-the-war-261141

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Will Donald Trump get Vladimir Putin (before Maga gets Trump)?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

    You know when the Kremlin is worried about something – it starts talking about nuclear weapons. And so it was, just two days after Donald Trump revealed he had decided to lift his administration’s pause on the supply of US-made weapons to Ukraine, that Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, raised Russia’s nuclear doctrine. In response to a handy question from a friendly reporter as to whether Russia’s nuclear doctrine was still active, Peskov said: “Russia’s nuclear doctrine remains in effect, and thus, all its provisions continue to apply.”

    By saying “all its provisions”, he was emphasising the changes made in December last year which significantly lowered the bar for Russia to use its nuclear deterrent. It states that Russia “reserves the right to employ nuclear weapons” in response to nuclear weapons or “other types of weapons of mass destruction” against itself or its allies.

    Whether Putin and his team consider the sorts of weapons the US is prepared to allow Ukraine to use against Russia as weapons of mass destruction is not clear as yet. The US president specifically said that a fresh supply of Patriot systems was already en route to Ukraine from Germany. But he also hinted that other more offensive weapons could also be in the mix. And in a July 4 phone call he is reported to have asked the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, whether he could hit Moscow or St Petersburg, to which Zelensky replied: “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”

    Trump is reported to have gone on to say that it was important to “make [Russians] feel the pain”.

    At the beginning of the week, the US president was also keen for Russia to feel the economic pain of indirect sanctions, with 100% tariffs promised against any country buying Russia’s oil. Could this be a turning point?

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    Interesting question, says David Dunn. Dunn, professor of international relations at the University of Birmingham, says Trump’s decision – if he follows through with it – pretty much brings the US back in line with its policy under the Biden administration. Particularly now that Trump appears to have ruled out, for the time being, allowing Ukraine to use long-range offensive missiles against targets in Moscow.

    As Dunn points out, there’s no sense that Trump has changed his overall tack on what he is looking for from Putin: a ceasefire, rather than, as Biden repeatedly insisted, a settlement that respects Ukrainian sovereignty and restores the land occupied illegally by Russian troops.

    Meanwhile the economic pain he promised to inflict on Russia has been scheduled to begin in 50 days. This – as many commentators have been quick to point out – has irresistible echoes of his off-again, on-again tariff regime. So will these sanctions actually happen?



    Read more:
    What Trump’s decision to send more weapons to Ukraine will mean for the war

    The Russian stock market certainly wasn’t that worried. Shortly after trump made his announcement, the Moscow stock exchange increased by 2.7% and the rouble strengthened. Oil markets also appear to have relaxed, suggesting traders see no imminent risks. Maybe this is another case of “Taco” (Trump always chickens out)?

    Patrick O’Shea, an international relations and global governance specialist at the University of Glasgow, believes that the markets’ reaction is more than just indifference to what Trump was threatening. It was relief.

    “Trump’s threat isn’t just non-credible, the positive market reaction in Russia suggests it is a gift for Moscow,” O’Shea writes. “The 50-day ultimatum is seen not as a deadline but as a reprieve, meaning nearly two months of guaranteed inaction from the US.”

    What has not been widely reported in the UK is that a bipartisan bill making its way through the US congress would have been far more punitive that anything Trump is threatening. Now this has been paused pending Trump’s initiative in 50 days’ time.



    Read more:
    Why Russia is not taking Trump’s threats seriously

    Back in Europe, meanwhile, Ukraine’s allies got together in Rome last weekend to discuss what will be needed to rebuild the war-torn country and how to raise the necessary funds. Stefan Wolff was watching proceedings and believes that while countries in the “coalition of the willing” are ready to open their coffers to help Ukraine get back on its feet, the funds so far pledged will not touch the sides.

    Ukraine’s allies at the conference have pledged more than €10 billion (£8.7 billion). But, Wolff – an expert in international relations at the University of Birmingham who has contributed regular analysis of the war in Ukraine – points out that this sum looks minuscule alongside the World Bank’s latest assessment that Ukraine will need at least US$524 billion (£388 billion) over the next decade to fund its recovery.

    There have been some fairly upbeat forecasts about Ukraine’s potential for growth. The IMF forecasts growth for Ukraine of between 2% and 3% for 2025, which is likely to grow to over 4% in 2026 and 2027. But it cautions that this will not happen without considerable overseas support. And an end to the war. Neither is certain anytime soon.



    Read more:
    Over €10 billion has now been pledged for Ukraine’s recovery. It’s nowhere near enough

    Maga moves – but will Trump take responsiblity?

    To Washington, where the US president is having what would probably count as the worst week of his second administration so far. Large sections of his faithful Maga base are in almost open revolt at his seeming reluctance to release what have become known as the “Epstein files”. You may remember he littered his election campaign last year with dark hints about the revelations the files must surely contain about the possible involvement of the rich and powerful in child-sex exploitation. But this week he essentially said it was old news, which was “pretty boring”, adding that “I think, really, only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.”

    This is not only at odds with what he spent much of 2024 saying. It also flies in the face of what his own attorney general, Pam Bondi, said in February when she said Epstein’s client list was “sitting on [her] desk right now to review”. Now of course, the justice department says there is no list. This is not what much of his base wants to hear.

    Rob Dover, an intelligence specialist at the University of Hull who has researched conspiracy theories and the people who obsess about them, says this is a dangerous moment for the Trump presidency. He points to Maga unrest over Trump’s decision to bomb Iran and to resume military aid to Ukraine, both of which appear to contradict his pledge to keep the US out of foreign conflicts. Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, which has cut medicaid and other benefits to the poorest people in the US, will also inflict hurt on many is his base. Even his recent musing that he agrees with his health secretary’s questionable assertion that Coca-Cola should be made with sugar cane not corn syrup to “make America healthy again” is sure to anger corn farmers in the Midwest, another core Trump constituency.

    “Maga is not a uniform group in belief or action. But if Trump loses either the loyalty of some or they refuse to flex their beliefs as they have done before, it will be politically dangerous for him,” Dover concludes.



    Read more:
    Trump’s changing stance on Epstein files is testing the loyalty of his Maga base

    Trouble brewing in Bosnia

    I had the great good fortune to visit Sarajevo in December last year where I spent a few days exploring, taking a walking tour of the old town and a wider tour of the whole city which took us across the notional border with the Republika Srpska, one of the two main constituent parts of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Sarajevo: a beautiful but troubled city.
    Julian Nyča via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA

    The country was created by the Dayton accord, bringing an end to the ethnic conflict in the mid-1990s that saw whole populations displaced as ethnic Serbs and Croats sought to create new pure mini-states by expelling mainly Muslim Bosniaks.

    When visiting, I felt a pervading sense that the two parts of the new country sit uncomfortably next to each other – and in recent months the friction has intensified considerably. Birte Julia Gippert of the University of Liverpool, who has researched extensively the conflict in the Balkans and the attempts to bring peace to the region, explains how the situation has become so tense.



    Read more:
    Bosnia and Herzegovina in crisis as Bosnian-Serb president rallies for secession

    Why is Israel bombing Syria?

    Conflict in Syria escalated again this week, with Israeli warplanes launching airstrikes against government buildings in Damascus this week. A Netanyahu government minister, Amichai Chikli, referred to Syria’s leader, Ahmed al-Shara, as “a terrorist, a barbaric murderer who should be eliminated without delay”.

    Mixed up in all this is sectarian fighting in southern Syria was has been going on sporadically since al-Shara took power at the end of last year. But, as Ali Mamouri of Deakin University explains, Israel wants to see the emergence of a federal Syria, which the new regime has ruled out. It also want to retain influence in the region and secure its northern border with Syria.

    While a ceasefire is in place for now, Mamouri sees the situation as extremely fragile with further clashes “not only possible but highly probable”.

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Will Donald Trump get Vladimir Putin (before Maga gets Trump)? – https://theconversation.com/will-donald-trump-get-vladimir-putin-before-maga-gets-trump-261416

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: Slovenia Declares Two Israeli Ministers Personae Non Grata

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    LJUBLJANA, July 17 (Xinhua) — The Slovenian government on Thursday declared Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich personae non gratae, claiming that the two far-right ministers are inciting violence and gross violations of Palestinian rights with their “genocidal” statements. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Slovenia Declares Two Israeli Ministers Personae Non Grata

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    LJUBLJANA, July 17 (Xinhua) — The Slovenian government on Thursday declared Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich personae non gratae, claiming that the two far-right ministers are inciting violence and gross violations of Palestinian rights with their “genocidal” statements.

    Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon noted that Slovenia was the first EU member state to take such measures against two Israeli ministers.

    The decision came after EU foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus on joint action against Israel during a meeting in Brussels on July 15.

    Slovenia, which officially recognized the State of Palestine in June 2024, criticizes Israel’s intense military operations in the Gaza Strip. Ljubljana calls on the Jewish state to immediately stop the offensive and allow rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Egypt: Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation inspects the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh and witnesses the delivery and maintenance of 100 prosthetic limbs for mine victims and affected people

    Source: APO


    .

    In continuation of implementing the directives of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to localize the prosthetics and assistive devices industry and support mine victims in Matrouh Governorate, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, visited the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh to follow up on its efforts to support the injured and mine victims in the governorate, in cooperation with the Armed Forces Center for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology, and witnessed the delivery and maintenance of 100 prosthetic limbs for the injured people of the governorate who were affected by the mines.

    During the visit, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat listened to the people of Matrouh who were affected by mines and held a dialogue about the mechanism for applying for a prosthetic limb, the manufacturing timeline, and obtaining it, reaffirming the government’s keenness to provide prosthetic devices with the highest levels and standards of efficiency, enabling the injured to reintegrate into society. She also emphasized the government’s interest in supporting development efforts in border governorates, whether through the investment plan or the presidential initiative “Decent Life.”

    The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation also inspected the process of manufacturing and fitting prosthetic devices at the Prosthetics Center by the center’s officials, stressing the need to adhere to the highest standards of efficiency and ensure continuous maintenance of prosthetic devices for the people of Matrouh.

    Furthermore, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the keenness to maximizing the efforts exerted by the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh, in coordination with the relevant entities, especially the Armed Forces Center for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology, to provide all aspects of support to the people affected by mines in Matrouh Governorate, by enabling them to reintegrate into society and overcome challenges that prevent their effective participation in various aspects of life.

    H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat added that the ministry, in cooperation with the relevant national entities and in implementation of the directives of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, is working on developing the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh in collaboration with the German side, in a way that contributes to enhancing its efficiency and strengthening its role in localizing the prosthetics industry in Egypt.

    Last week, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat signed the reciprocal letters for the feasibility study grant for the National Prosthetic System Development Project, amounting to 1.52 million Chinese yuan, which aims to position Egypt as a regional hub in the Middle East and Africa for providing prosthetic limbs and assistive devices for people with disabilities, as well as acquiring manufacturing capability according to internationally approved standards.

    It is worth noting that in 2007, the Executive Secretariat for Mine Clearance was established at the ministry under Ministerial Decree No. (125) to act as a national coordination and contact point among all entities concerned with mine clearance and the development of the North West Coast, whether governmental, private sector, or civil society, and to mobilize the financial resources necessary to implement its activities. Its current geographical scope of work covers the NorthWest Coast and its desert hinterland, from El-Hammam in the east to El-Salloum in the west and Siwa to the south.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senate Approves $9 Billion in DOGE Cut Savings for Taxpayers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) released the following statement on this morning’s passage of S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4, Rescissions Act of 2025. The package targets $9 billion in taxpayer-funded public broadcasting and wasteful foreign aid:

    “This is the first step in the right direction to claw back wasteful spending and programs identified by DOGE. Oklahomans sent me to Washington to fight for them and ensure their hard-earned tax dollars are being used responsibly,” said Senator Mullin. “We have a lot of work left to do and we’re just getting started. President Trump and Senate Republicans will continue to work tirelessly to deliver for the American people.”

    Below are just 10 of the cuts made by President Trump’s 2025 Rescissions Act:

    1. $1.1 Billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
    2. $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda
    3. $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico
    4. $8,000 for promoting vegan food in Zambia
    5. $3.3 million for civic engagement in Zimbabwe
    6. $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street
    7. $1 million for Voter ID in Haiti
    8. $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry
    9. $21 million on wind farms in Ukraine
    10. $882,000 to fund social media mentorship in Serbia and Belarus 

    NOTE: This first recissions package targeted one tenth of one percent of the federal budget. For additional information on S.Amdt.2853 to H.R.4, click here.

    Senator Mullin provided timely updates throughout the rescissions process in a series of social media posts, including here and here. If you missed Senator Mullin’s behind-the-scenes tours of the U.S. Capitol which he recorded last night between votes on the floor, follow @SenMullin on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, NBC News reports

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A new U.S. assessment has found that U.S. strikes in June mostly destroyed one of three targeted Iranian nuclear sites, but the other two were not as badly damaged, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing current and former U.S. officials.

    The report said that U.S. officials believe the attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility was successful in setting back enrichment capabilities there by as much as two years, citing two current officials.

    The two other facilities that the U.S. struck were not as badly damaged and may have been degraded only to a point where nuclear enrichment could resume in the next several months if Iran wants it to, the report added.

    Though U.S has nuclear weapon but it does not want others to have it.

    (Reuters

    July 18, 2025

  • US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, NBC News reports

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A new U.S. assessment has found that U.S. strikes in June mostly destroyed one of three targeted Iranian nuclear sites, but the other two were not as badly damaged, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing current and former U.S. officials.

    The report said that U.S. officials believe the attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility was successful in setting back enrichment capabilities there by as much as two years, citing two current officials.

    The two other facilities that the U.S. struck were not as badly damaged and may have been degraded only to a point where nuclear enrichment could resume in the next several months if Iran wants it to, the report added.

    Though U.S has nuclear weapon but it does not want others to have it.

    (Reuters

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mr. Guang Cong of China – Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Guang Cong of China as his new Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.  He succeeds Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her leadership and dedicated service to the Organization.
     
    Mr. Cong brings decades of international affairs experience to this position, with over twenty-three years of service in various United Nations peace operations.  A significant portion of this time was dedicated to the broader Horn of Africa region.  He currently serves as Deputy Special Representative (Political) for South Sudan and Deputy Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
     
    He held the position of Director of Civil Affairs in UNMISS (2016-2020).  Prior to that, he was Chief of Civil Affairs in the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), having previously served in the UNMISS office in Jonglei State, as well as in the Blue Nile State and Abyei offices of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
     
    Mr. Cong was Chief of Political Affairs/Chief of Staff in the United Nations Special Coordinator’s Office in Lebanon (UNSCOL) (2012-2014), and Head of Field Offices and Political Affairs Officer within the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) (2002-2009).
     
    Prior to joining the United Nations in 2002, Mr. Cong had a distinguished career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
     
    Mr. Cong holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Shanghai International Studies University, China, and a Graduate Certificate from the China Foreign Affairs University.  Besides his native Chinese, he is fluent in English.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump’s changing stance on Epstein files is testing the loyalty of his Maga base

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Dover, Professor of Intelligence and National Security & Dean of Faculty, University of Hull

    During his 2024 US presidential election campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said he would declassify and release the files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting his sex trafficking trial.

    The so-called Epstein files are thought to contain contacts, communications and – perhaps most crucially – flight logs. Epstein’s private aircraft was the means by which to visit what has been later termed “paedophile island”, where he and his associates allegedly trafficked and abused children.

    Conspiracy-minded Trump supporters, many of whom believe Epstein was murdered by powerful figures to cover up their roles in his child sex crimes, think the Epstein files will provide them with a who’s who of the supposed elites involved in child-sex exploitation.

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

    During his campaign, Trump hinted that the Epstein files would compromise powerful people – suggesting he knew their identities and what they had done. It was simultaneously a warning shot to these individuals and a way to energise his “Make America Great Again” (Maga) support base. It also validated part of the so-called QAnon conspiracy theory around a “deep-state” cover-up of an elite child sex abuse network.

    But the justice department recently announced that its review of these papers revealed no client list of politically important men, and also that Epstein had died by suicide. This struck down two of the most important beliefs of Trump’s base. For a large section of the Maga movement, this somewhat dull set of conclusions has felt like a betrayal.

    Musk smells opportunity

    Trump’s former close ally, funder and adviser, Elon Musk, has used the Epstein files imbroglio to go on the attack via social media. Musk has, without offering evidence, repeatedly insinuated that Trump’s name is in the files. Trump has responded by accusing Musk of “losing his mind” and used evidence from Epstein’s former lawyer, David Schoen, to refute Musk’s accusations.

    Musk’s allegations could be toxic for Trump. A good portion of the Maga movement think the QAnon conspiracy has some truth to it. So being potentially tied to a child sex exploitation ring would damage Trump’s reputation with his base on a subject they care about strongly. Musk has caused some Maga activists to wonder if Trump is part of a cover up.

    The Maga base largely remains loyal to Trump. But this loyalty has required considerable pragmatism since Trump was reelected. A key position supported by Maga voters, Trump’s opposition to foreign military adventures, was reversed by his attack on Iranian military sites in June.

    Maga-aligned spokespeople justified these actions on the grounds they were limited and a response to exceptional provocation. They are portrayed as a counterpoint to the near open-ended commitment of former US president George Bush in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s.

    Further Maga pragmatism has been required over the so-called Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will add trillions of US dollars to national debt, as well as the cuts to healthcare and food stamp funding. These latter actions have removed coverage and aid from a good portion of Maga-aligned voters.

    Despite the personal financial pain, Maga loyalists have couched their support in terms of reducing waste and shrinking the size of the government. These loyalists have faith in Trump’s word that they will ultimately not be disadvantaged – though the implementation phase will be the test of this.

    Trump has also stretched the patience and loyalty of corn farmers in mid-western states, a natural base for him. He has called for Coca-Cola to use cane sugar rather than corn syrup in the full-sugar version of its drink. Trump and his controversial health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, have argued that cane sugar is healthier – which is open to question – and will “make America healthy again”.

    While the question of which sweetener is used in Coke is marginal, supporting something that damages mid-western farmers will be difficult for Maga loyalists to reconcile. In having to find a way of overcoming the tensions in the policy, they may begin to question Trump’s wisdom.

    A Trump supporter sporting a red ‘Keep America Great’ hat at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa.
    Aspects and Angles / Shutterstock

    The arguments surrounding the Epstein files might be uniquely dangerous for Trump and his relationship with his Maga base. The QAnon paedophile ring conspiracy is core to a great number of Maga loyalists, and Trump was their man to reveal “the truth”.

    But the justice department has now effectively rejected that part of their world view. And the response of some has been to question whether Trump is also part of a cover up.

    Worse still, Trump has gone on the attack. He has said the Epstein conspiracy was never real and has described some of his supporters as “gullible weaklings” for continuing to believe in it. For some supporters this has been too much, and they have aired their frustration on Trump’s Truth Social media platform as well as on right-leaning blogs and podcasts.

    Trump has begun to soften his critique of those believing in the Epstein conspiracies, saying he would want to release any credible information. He has also returned to a campaigning tactic of whataboutery, pointing at what he says is the unfair treatment he receives compared to his predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

    The Epstein files episode might well pass. But the question of whether Maga is now bigger than Trump will not. For a president who once joked that his support was so strong he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” without losing voters, the loyalty and pragmatic flexibility of his supporters is important.

    Maga is not a uniform group in belief or action. But if Trump loses either the loyalty of some or they refuse to flex their beliefs as they have done before, it will be politically dangerous for him. From beyond the grave, Epstein might have helped begin a new era in American politics.

    Robert Dover 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. Trump’s changing stance on Epstein files is testing the loyalty of his Maga base – https://theconversation.com/trumps-changing-stance-on-epstein-files-is-testing-the-loyalty-of-his-maga-base-261406

    MIL OSI –

    July 18, 2025

  • Israel’s attacks on Damascus hinder chemical weapons search, Syrian official says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli airstrikes on Damascus are hampering Syria’s efforts to find and destroy chemical weapons stockpiled during the rule of toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad, a government adviser said on Thursday.

    A planned visit by inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has already had to be postponed, adviser Ibrahim Olabi, who is the legal adviser to Syria’s Foreign Ministry tasked with the chemical weapons file, said.

    The OPCW will hold an urgent meeting on Tuesday next week to discuss the situation in Syria, a document published on its website on Thursday showed. The meeting comes at the request of Qatar which represents the interest of Syria at the OPCW and which said in a letter the Israeli attacks on Damascus pose a direct threat to Syria’s capacity to meet its obligations to the chemical weapons watchdog.

    Israel launched powerful airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace, taking action it said was to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria.

    The Syrian defence ministry provided the institutional infrastructure needed to organise and secure visits from OPCW inspectors, Olabi said.

    Since March there have been several visits byinspectors to previously unseen production and storage locations for chemical weapons to prepare for the task of destroying remnants of Assad’s illegal stockpile. Syria’s interim-government has vowed to rid itself of chemical weapons.

    The OPCW, a treaty-based agency in The Hague with 193 member countries, is tasked with implementing the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.

    (Reuters)

    July 18, 2025

  • Israel’s attacks on Damascus hinder chemical weapons search, Syrian official says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli airstrikes on Damascus are hampering Syria’s efforts to find and destroy chemical weapons stockpiled during the rule of toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad, a government adviser said on Thursday.

    A planned visit by inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has already had to be postponed, adviser Ibrahim Olabi, who is the legal adviser to Syria’s Foreign Ministry tasked with the chemical weapons file, said.

    The OPCW will hold an urgent meeting on Tuesday next week to discuss the situation in Syria, a document published on its website on Thursday showed. The meeting comes at the request of Qatar which represents the interest of Syria at the OPCW and which said in a letter the Israeli attacks on Damascus pose a direct threat to Syria’s capacity to meet its obligations to the chemical weapons watchdog.

    Israel launched powerful airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace, taking action it said was to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria.

    The Syrian defence ministry provided the institutional infrastructure needed to organise and secure visits from OPCW inspectors, Olabi said.

    Since March there have been several visits byinspectors to previously unseen production and storage locations for chemical weapons to prepare for the task of destroying remnants of Assad’s illegal stockpile. Syria’s interim-government has vowed to rid itself of chemical weapons.

    The OPCW, a treaty-based agency in The Hague with 193 member countries, is tasked with implementing the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.

    (Reuters)

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Devolution plans move forward 17 July 2025 Devolution plans move forward

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    Plans to create a new Mayoral County Combined Authority (MCCA) for the region have reached a new stage, following confirmation from the government that it will proceed with the necessary legislation.

    Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council, and the Isle of Wight Council are working closely with government on the legislative framework that will underpin the new powers to formally establish the new MCCA.

    The aim is to transfer certain powers and funding to the local level, focusing on areas such as transport, housing, infrastructure, and economic development.

    If agreed by the authorities and then approved by Parliament, elections for the new Mayor will take place in May 2026.

    Today’s (Thursday) announcement follows the introduction of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to Parliament last week.

    The government’s Devolution Priority Programme aims to create Mayoral Strategic Authorities across the country.

    These bodies would take on responsibilities currently managed by national departments, while existing local councils would continue to deliver day-to-day services.

    The Isle of Wight was included in the fast-track phase of the programme earlier this year.

    It is important to note that the creation of a Mayoral County Combined Authority is not the same as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), which is a separate process currently running in parallel.

    The proposed MCCA would not replace or merge existing councils. Instead, it would operate as a strategic regional body, led by a directly elected Mayor, with new powers and funding devolved from central government.

    Local councils, including the Isle of Wight Council, would continue to deliver local services as they do now.

    Council leader, Councillor Phil Jordan, said: “I welcome the announcement from government on devolution. They have set out their approach to what they see as opportunities of additional funding and transfer of powers from Westminster heralding a new approach to localised services and decision making.

    “Working with our area partners, and this includes on crucial cross-Solent travel issues, we are committed to improving the community that is the Isle of Wight.

    “The councils involved continue to work together, as well as with government, in moving forward to understand the legal and procedural steps.”

    Isle of Wight councillors will have the opportunity to review and consider any proposed devolution arrangement later in the year.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Deputy Secretary General discusses a stronger and fairer NATO, and deterring aggression, at LANDEURO symposium

    Source: NATO

    On Thursday (17 July 2025), NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska addressed the LANDEURO symposium of The Association of the United States’ Army, discussing the role of the Allies’ armed forces and industry in deterring aggression.

    Thank you, General Brown.

    And good afternoon, everyone.

    It’s great to be here in Wiesbaden, home to the US Army’s Europe and Africa Headquarters.

    And a critical hub for America’s efforts to ensure stability across the region, but also beyond.

    Wiesbaden also houses our NATO command, the Security Assistance and Training command for Ukraine.

    With hundreds of personnel from NATO and partner countries who work hard, every day.

    To support Ukraine and to coordinate thousands of movements of military supplies, so that Ukraine can fight for it’s freedom, for peace, and for security.

    So what a better place to discuss the role of our armed forces and industry in deterring aggression.

    Let me start by thanking the organisers, the Association of the United States’ Army, for bringing us together to discuss this and many other important topics.

    Less than a month ago, leaders of all Allied nations gathered for the NATO Summit in The Hague.

    And they all had one clear objective.

    How to keep one billion people living in NATO countries safe today.

    And how to deter any possibility of aggression in the future.

    How to make sure that our Alliance can fulfil and I would say continue, in the next 75 and more years, to fulfil our sacred mission.

    What we saw in The Hague at the NATO Summit was bold decisions from our political leaders.

    A strong demonstration of our transatlantic unity and resolve.

    Allies have managed to agree on a very ambitious Defence Investment Plan, a new one, The Hague one,

    to invest 5 percent of GDP for our security by 2035.

    And this really is a game-changer.

    And I shouldn’t be saying this in this room, because you can understand how much of an impact will this have for our deterrence and our defence.

    It will massively increase NATO’s strength and war-fighting capabilities.

    And it will definitely ensure that we continue what we do best, and this is deliver peace, but through strength.

    At least 3.5% of GDP out of the 5% target will be spent on so called core miliary requirements.

    They will be spend on what one can say is the heavy metal of our armed forces — many of you here today.

    And this is the heavy metal that you all need to deter and defend.

    Among all these capability requirements that all Allies have agreed to even a month before the Hague Summit,

    What we have included in this number is a five-fold increase of our air and missile defence systems,

    thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks,

    and millions more artillery shells,

    and drones, and air jets.

    All these things contribute to the capability targets that we need, and the capability targets that require 3.5% of GDP so that they can be financed in due time.

    At the same time, Allies agreed to spend 1.5% of GDP on defence and security related expenses.

    This means more money to support our militaries and societies to become more secure.

    In a world where microchips matter as much as the latest missiles every part of our society and our economy must step up for security.

    From strong cyber defences to secure supply chains.

    From greater resilience to more investment in roads, railways and ports for the sake of our defence plans.

    This is all about making sure that we can get our forces to the right place at the right time, but equipped with the right capabilities.

    It’s also about responding to the world as it is now, not as we wish it to be.

    Preparing for war costs money, 5% is a lot of money.

    But not preparing for it will cost us far more, both in terms of money and in terms of lives. We are no longer fighting wars of choice, where everything is plannable and we set the timetable.

    It is our adversaries that are setting the pace of production and defining the moment.

    Russia is rearming faster than many people have imagined.

    It is enabled by Chinese technology, Iranian drones, and North Korean missiles but also boots on the ground.

    What’s more, Putin has shown that he will not hesitate to use military force to achieve his goals.

    China is also carrying out its own massive military modernisation.

    It is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal, completely unconstrained by any arms control agreements.

    It is flexing its muscles in the South China Sea and sharpening its tools of economic coercion in the Euro-Atlantic.

    And while all this is happening, we also cannot underestimate the persistent instability in the Middle East,

    divisive rhetoric in the Western Balkans,

    and the ongoing threats of terrorism.

    So as the world becomes more dangerous, more turbulent,

    NATO must become stronger, fairer and, and this is the right place to use the word, more lethal.

    To leave no adversary in any doubt that we will do what it takes to protect and defend each other.

    A couple of weeks ago, we bid a fond farewell to General Cavoli, who as you know wore two hats.

    He was both NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, our SACEUR, but also Commander of the US’s European forces.

    And let me use this opportunity to say that he has played really a fundamental role in transforming the Alliance, even prior to the NATO Summit.

    He has really supported us in fostering a stronger bond between NATO’s Supreme Allied Headquarters in Mons, SHAPE, and the United States’ European Command in Stuttgart.

    General Cavoli made sure that we have robust regional plans to defend every inch of Allied territory.

    And that we continue to modernise NATO’s multi-domain warfighting capabilities.

    From the seabed to outer space, we cannot afford to have any weak links.

    The conflicts in Ukraine, but also the instability and the conflicts in the Middle East have transformed modern warfare.

    In Ukraine, we have seen tactics and trench-warfare from the last world wars, combined with the completely new technology from the next.

    Ukraine has pioneered the use of drones, I was able to see remarkable examples for this, but not only in the air domain.

    But also to neutralise the threat of the Russian army in the Black Sea.

    And to strike Russian military targets far beyond the frontlines.

    Both Russia and Ukraine have carried out kinetic and non-kinetic attacks — across land, sea, air, cyber and information space — and all of this simultaneously.

    This was done to certain extent in devastating ways.

    And we need to therefore think differently about how we operate.

    Not in silos — but really seamlessly across all domains — and at the same time.

    So when we develop our capabilities, this is the thinking, this is the logic.

    This is the philosophy that we have to take into account.

    We also need to think about how we integrate the latest technologies with conventional capabilities to gain the maximum effect.

    And this was very much what SACEUR and SACT worked on in the last years.

    But this is why we were also delighted to welcome General Alexus Grynkewich as our new Supreme Allied Commander.

    He has championed innovation and developed cutting-edge capabilities for our armed forces.

    His appointment demonstrates the United States’ ironclad commitment to our shared security.

    As America continues to put forward its brightest and best in service of the United States of America, but also in the service of the Alliance.

    At the Summit, we heard really strong statements from the US leadership, from President Trump, but also from the two Secretaries and all the representatives.

    How dedicated and how committed they are to NATO and to our collective defence.

    The US continues to stand foursquare with its NATO Allies.

    Because it is good for America’s security and it is vital for the transatlantic security.

    The US has played and continues to play an indispensable role in our Alliance.

    Providing critical enablers, reinforcements, and of course its nuclear deterrence – the ultimate guarantor of our security.

    At the same time, America’s Allies, European and Canada, are stepping up.

    All Allies, all 32 of them, will spend 2 percent of GDP on defence this year, as we have agreed time ago in Wales.

    And many are already going much further and much faster.

    Some of them have stepped up and approached 5% even before the Summit. And this is remarkable leadership.

    They are making sure that we have collectively what we need to deter and defend.

    That’s why the other major focus of the Summit in The Hague was defence production.

    Because cash alone does not deter our adversaries. It does not by itself provide security.

    But concrete capabilities do.

    Our adversaries won’t be deterred just because of our statements, because of our pledges, because of our words.

    But by strong defences, well-equipped troops, and the latest weapons systems.

    This is why the Secretary General has been tireless in his efforts to engage not only with Allied leaders or with the militaries, but also with defence industries on both sides of the Atlantic.

    He has been urging them to open new production lines, put in the extra shifts, really ramp up production.

    But also to boost innovation and come up with capabilities that are actually meaningful today and tomorrow.

    And they are.

    They are really prepared for this game-changing environment around us.

    Across the Alliance, industry has opened hundreds of new production lines and expanded existing ones.

    We are now on course to produce more ships, more planes and ammunition than we have done in decades.

    But we still need to do more.

    NATO Allies today are home to world-class defence companies – some of them present today here with us – the best researchers, and the most innovative entrepreneurs.

    But we need to do these things more, better and faster to drive even more production both on the American but also on the European side of the Atlantic.

    And, again, we need to think differently about how and who we partner with.

    This means working with everyone from the defence primes to civilian start-ups to integrate the latest technologies into our defence.

    But it also means working together not among us in the Alliance, but also with our partners, from Ukraine, European Union, to the Indo-Pacific. All of them joined us for the Hague Summit and we agreed to do more, together, including or especially focusing on defence production.

    There is so much we can learn from Ukraine, and we already are learning.

    We have opened a new joint centre in Poland, the so-called JATEC [the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre] to do that exactly. To help Ukraine, but also, in the same way use the experience so that we can create stronger deterrence and defence.

    We are also determined to work even more closely with our partners — Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — including on defence production.

    They are the source of so many of today’s cutting-edge capabilities.

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    NATO is the strongest and most successful defensive Alliance in history of mankind.

    We have done that. We have secured. We have protected one billion citizens.

    Because we combine the finest armed forces, with the most innovative economies.

    And because of our solemn promise to protect and defend each other.

    So this sense of unity, solidarity, joint work is very strong and continues to be very important for us.

    So let me end by thanking all of you here for the vital role you have played in our security.

    I know I can count and we can count on you to keep our Alliance strong and our one billion people safe.

    Thank you very much for your attention and I look forward to our discussions.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 18, 2025
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