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Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lisa Cuchara, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University

    A 2023 CDC report tracked more than 200 pool-associated outbreaks over a four-year period. But a few basic precautions can ward off these dangers. Maria Korneeva/Moment via Getty Images

    On hot summer days, few things are more refreshing than a dip in the pool. But have you ever wondered if the pool is as clean as that crystal blue water appears?

    As an immunologist and infectious disease specialist, I study how germs spread in public spaces and how to prevent the spread. I even teach a course called “The Infections of Leisure” where we explore the risks tied to recreational activities and discuss precautions, while also taking care not to turn students into germophobes.

    Swimming, especially in public pools and water parks, comes with its own unique set of risks — from minor skin irritations to gastrointestinal infections. But swimming also has a plethora of physical, social and mental health benefits. With some knowledge and a little vigilance, you can enjoy the water without worrying about what might be lurking beneath the surface.

    The reality of pool germs

    Summer news headlines and social media posts often spotlight the “ick-factor” of communal swimming spaces. These concerns do have some merit.

    The good news is that chlorine, which is widely used in pools, is effective at killing many pathogens. The not-so-good news is that chlorine does not work instantly – and it doesn’t kill everything.

    Every summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues alerts about swimming-related outbreaks of illness caused by exposure to germs in public pools and water parks. A 2023 CDC report tracked over 200 pool-associated outbreaks from 2015 to 2019 across the U.S., affecting more than 3,600 people. These outbreaks included skin infections, respiratory issues, ear infections and gastrointestinal distress. Many of the outcomes from such infections are mild, but some can be serious.

    Germs and disinfectants

    Even in a pool that’s properly treated with chlorine, some pathogens can linger for minutes to days. One of the most common culprits is Cryptosporidium, a microscopic germ that causes watery diarrhea. This single-celled parasite has a tough outer shell that allows it to survive in chlorine-treated water for up to 10 days. It spreads when fecal matter — often from someone with diarrhea — enters the water and is swallowed by another swimmer. Even a tiny amount, invisible to the eye, can infect dozens of people.

    Showering before and after swimming in a public pool helps avoid both bringing in and taking out pathogens and body substances.
    Hafid Firman Syarif/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Another common germ is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that causes hot tub rash and swimmer’s ear. Viruses like norovirus and adenovirus can also linger in pool water and cause illness.

    Swimmers introduce a range of bodily residues to the water, including sweat, urine, oils and skin cells. These substances, especially sweat and urine, interact with chlorine to form chemical byproducts called chloramines that may pose health risks.

    These byproducts are responsible for that strong chlorine smell. A clean pool should actually lack a strong chlorine odor, as well as any other smells, of course. It is a common myth that a strong chlorine smell is a good sign of a clean pool. In fact, it may actually be a red flag that means the opposite – that the water is contaminated and should perhaps be avoided.

    How to play it safe at a public pool

    Most pool-related risks can be reduced with simple precautions by both the pool staff and swimmers. And while most pool-related illnesses won’t kill you, no one wants to spend their vacation or a week of beautiful summer days in the bathroom.

    These 10 tips can help you avoid germs at the pool:

    • Shower before swimming. Rinsing off for at least one minute removes most dirt and oils on the body that reduce chlorine’s effectiveness.

    • Avoid the pool if you’re sick, especially if you have diarrhea or an open wound. Germs can spread quickly in water.

    • Try to keep water out of your mouth to minimize the risk of ingesting germs.

    • Don’t swim if you have diarrhea to help prevent the spread of germs.

    • If diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, often called “crypto,” wait two weeks after diarrhea stops before returning to the pool.

    • Take frequent bathroom breaks. For children and adults alike, regular bathroom breaks help prevent accidents in the pool.

    • Check diapers hourly and change them away from the pool to prevent fecal contamination.

    • Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming to help prevent swimmer’s ear.

    • Don’t swim with an open wound – or at least make sure it’s completely covered with a waterproof bandage to protect both you and others.

    • Shower after swimming to remove germs from your skin.

    Lisa Cuchara is affiliated with American Society for Microbiology

    – ref. How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine – https://theconversation.com/how-germy-is-the-public-pool-an-infectious-disease-expert-weighs-in-on-poop-pee-and-perspiration-and-the-deceptive-smell-of-chlorine-260996

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: I teach college and report on Colorado media — there should be more professors doing the same in other states

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Corey Hutchins, Manager, Colorado College Journalism Institute, Colorado College

    Newsletters that cover a state’s media landscape are few and far between, according to a new report. iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Over the years, the crisis facing local news has meant the disappearance of reporting on the arts, politics, sports and local government.

    Newspapers have disappeared from many local communities, and the ranks of individual local journalists have plummeted over the past two decades.

    The retrenchment has also led to a loss of something else: reporters and columnists at local news organizations who decades ago regularly focused on their local media as a beat.

    There are very few of them left.

    I’m an instructor at Colorado College, where I manage the Journalism Institute. I also compulsively keep track of our state’s shifting media landscape.

    Recently, I produced a nationwide study called “Local News as a Public Good: Increasing Visibility Through University-Led Statewide Newsletters.”

    The Center for Community News at the University of Vermont solicited and published the report. The goal was to find out who is doing similar work and where.

    The Center for Community News is interested in fostering partnerships between academic programs and local newsrooms. The center is also seeking to find other ways higher-ed institutions are supporting their state’s media ecosystem — so they were especially interested in media newsletters being produced at a college or university.

    Few state-based newsletters

    The problem is, there weren’t many to track. I found just six, including my own, while researching for the report.

    Very few states, it turns out, “have a dedicated publication, site, or newsletter that regularly and independently reports on and analyzes ongoing developments in the local media scene,” the report found.

    ‘Inside the News in Colorado’ is the author’s newsletter, in which he obsessively tracks the media landscape in Colorado.
    Corey Hutchins via Substack

    My own weekly Substack newsletter is called “Inside the News in Colorado.” Each week, I report on, comment on and analyze the goings on in Colorado’s media scene. I connect local developments to what’s happening nationally, and I explore what makes the state’s local news ecosystem unique.

    My newsletter also pokes and prods, critiques and uplifts, and seeks to spark debate and a better understanding about the practice of local journalism. And it maintains a weekly running tab on the health of the state’s media landscape.

    Other newsletters across the country include NC Local, authored by Catherine Komp. The Newsroom Digest, out of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University in New Jersey, is another. Gateway Journalism Review from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Journalism, in the College of Arts and Media made the list. And Media Nation by Northeastern University professor Dan Kennedy in Massachusetts is another.

    Kennedy has been producing Media Nation for more than 20 years and writes more about national media issues. But he mixes it with plenty of local and regional happenings.

    If someone were to, say, leak an internal email from The Boston Globe, it is likely they would do so with Media Nation.

    The NC Local newsletter’s format is a mix of digestible roundups and some original reporting.

    A recurring item titled “Well Done” offers “noteworthy work from the NC news & information ecosystem.” The most-clicked links each week tend to come from a bulletin board section where Komp rounds up job postings and opportunities.

    The chunky Newsroom Digest newsletter highlights notable local journalism in New Jersey. It comes with a “Media Moves” section that introduces its audience to new local journalists and tracks newsroom personnel changes.

    While they differ in style and delivery, each is filling a gap in coverage in their state or region by reporting on an important industry: their own.

    “When I was at the (Boston) Phoenix, I think all of us at the alternative press thought big local media were a powerful local institution that ought to be held to account just like big business and everything else,” Media Nation’s Kennedy said for the report.

    Where to house the news about the news?

    I believe colleges and universities make good places to produce these kinds of state-based media newsletters.

    Journalism departments in particular are likely equipped to run them, especially if they have practitioners on the faculty. They are outside of a state’s established media organizations but also adjacent to them.

    Richard Watts, the director of the Center for Community News, commissioned the “Local News as a Public Good” study. He says there are important reasons for more newsletters consistently reporting on local media in individual states.

    “They draw attention to the key role local news plays by writing about the stories and the impact of those stories,” he said. “They help amplify and they showcase the importance of the media ecosystem for a vibrant democracy.”

    Furthermore, such newsletters can serve as the “canary in the coal mine to draw attention to media platforms in trouble, or actions by unscrupulous owners,” Watts added. “And they can share ideas and best practices across the system to help strengthen individual media platforms. And, lastly, they help create a community of stakeholders committed to the importance of a free press.”

    To that end, the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont is looking to help anyone in a higher-ed program who might be interested in launching a state-based media newsletter.

    “I think a really good person to do something like this is, first, someone who is doing more than just reporting on the industry or ecosystem,” said Komp of NC Local in the Center for Community News study.

    “It does need to be somebody who is engaging with journalists, with publishers, with journalism educators, with students, with funders, in ways that are not just reporting on what’s happening but in ways that are looking to always find solutions and address challenges.”

    Read more of our stories about Colorado.

    Corey Hutchins consults for the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont where he is working on a project to help colleges and universities create state-based media newsletters.

    – ref. I teach college and report on Colorado media — there should be more professors doing the same in other states – https://theconversation.com/i-teach-college-and-report-on-colorado-media-there-should-be-more-professors-doing-the-same-in-other-states-260891

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Caution in the C-suite: How business leaders are navigating Trump 2.0

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Erran Carmel, Professor of Business, American University Kogod School of Business

    In the first months of Donald Trump’s second term as president, his policies – from sweeping tariffs and aggressive immigration enforcement to attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion – have thrown U.S. businesses into turmoil, leading to a 26-point decline in CEO confidence.

    Yet despite this volatility, many American corporations have remained notably restrained in their public responses.

    This might come as a surprise. After all, in recent decades, CEOs have become increasingly willing to speak out about social and political issues. But while some universities and law firms have publicly pushed back against the Trump administration, business leaders are seemingly opting for caution.

    What would it take for these titans of corporate America to speak out against Trump’s policies? We are a professor and a graduate student who study business, and back in 2018, one of us – Dr. Carmel – conducted an analysis asking this very question. More recently, we gathered new data looking at how business leaders are responding to Trump’s second term.

    The 2018 analysis, involving data from about 200 leading U.S. CEOs, found that most business leaders remained publicly neutral on Trump, and only a handful expressed strong opposition. Silence was often a strategic choice, with many leaders staying mum due to fear of retaliation. The evidence also suggested that Trump could one day cross a line that would prompt a broader CEO backlash.

    Seven years later, that line hasn’t yet appeared, even as Trump’s footprint on corporate America is now far more direct and substantial.

    Most notable are Trump’s tariffs, first announced in April 2025, which have roiled global markets and unnerved CEOs. And there are many other ripples: Some companies, such as CBS’ parent company, Paramount – which is seeking the Trump administration’s approval for a merger – have decided to self-censor. Others, including Disney and Meta, gave in to Trump’s lawsuits and paid multimillion-dollar settlements, against the counsel of many outside experts. CEOs also have to deal with the threat of backlash from both the right and left.

    Against this backdrop, we collected new public data to see how corporate leaders are responding to the second Trump administration. Just as in 2018, we examined the 232 companies that make up the Business Roundtable – a club of the most powerful American businesses.

    We assessed the actions that these companies took regarding DEI and whether they experienced any backlash. We focused on these criteria as a way to assess whether CEOs are seeking either to support or placate Trump, or to stand on other principles. We also collected other data, including public statements from CEOs and campaign donations.

    DEI as a bellwether

    Corporate DEI actions were an early, useful way to gauge a business’s stances, since, from the outset, the Trump administration identified DEI as a “scourge” to be eliminated. Although the White House’s anti-DEI directives have applied to the executive branch and federal contractors, some private businesses rushed to make changes as well.

    By May, just a bit over 100 days into Trump’s second term, a significant number of companies had decided to go along with Trump’s preferences. Sixty-nine of the 232 companies in the Business Roundtable rolled back their DEI initiatives in some way, while just 20 companies announced that they kept their DEI programs in place. There’s no information either way on the remaining 61% – likely because they decided it’s better to stay out of the news.

    DEI-related actions have tapered off since May, but there’s still an impact. For example, the Federal Communications Commission pressured T-Mobile to eliminate DEI. Only then was its merger approved.

    Companies that scaled back their DEI initiatives sometimes pointed to the political environment as a factor. Meta, for example, said in an internal memo that it was ending its DEI efforts due to a “shifting legal and policy landscape.” Other companies, including Verizon and Comcast, reportedly rolled back DEI programs because they feared legal action by the federal government.

    Some corporations announced changes through internal announcements, legal filings or quiet updates to their websites, suggesting they want to stay out of the media spotlight.

    A small number of Business Roundtable companies stood firm on their DEI policies – to mixed results. When Marriott’s CEO voiced support for DEI at a corporate leadership event, he reportedly received 40,000 appreciative emails from employees. On the other hand, after Coca-Cola reiterated its “commitment to sponsoring an inclusive workplace,” the right-wing activist Robby Starbuck — who The New York Times has described as “the anti-DEI agitator that companies fear most” – said Coca-Cola “should be very nervous about continuing with its woke policies.”

    Bracing for backlash

    Overall, 22% of Business Roundtable companies saw some sort of backlash to their actions. Most came from the political right: 36 companies were called out by conservatives, another eight by progressives, and eight more faced bipartisan backlash.

    With more than three years left in Trump’s second term, it’s worth asking what lies ahead. We think the most likely scenario is that companies will continue to try to stay off the president’s radar and placate him when they must. After all, following the split with Elon Musk, Trump quite explicitly threatened to use presidential powers to hurt Musk’s businesses. Any CEO gets the implications.

    While our analysis primarily focused on social issues, policies at the business core may push U.S. companies to confront Trump. Tariff policy is a prime example. Back in April, major retailers like Walmart quietly warned Trump that tariffs could lead to empty shelves and higher prices. More recently, the CEO of Goldman Sachs publicly warned that tariffs “have raised the level of uncertainty to a degree I do not think is healthy for investment and growth.”

    These are voices of criticism – but worded quite softly.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Caution in the C-suite: How business leaders are navigating Trump 2.0 – https://theconversation.com/caution-in-the-c-suite-how-business-leaders-are-navigating-trump-2-0-260557

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: 2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Ian Smith, Research Scientist in Earth & Environment, Boston University

    Trees like these in Boston can help keep neighborhoods cooler on hot days. Yassine Khalfalli/Unsplash, CC BY

    When summer turns up the heat, cities can start to feel like an oven, as buildings and pavement trap the sun’s warmth and vehicles and air conditioners release more heat into the air.

    The temperature in an urban neighborhood with few trees can be more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 Celsius) higher than in nearby suburbs. That means air conditioning works harder, straining the electrical grid and leaving communities vulnerable to power outages.

    There are some proven steps that cities can take to help cool the air – planting trees that provide shade and moisture, for example, or creating cool roofs that reflect solar energy away from the neighborhood rather than absorbing it.

    But do these steps pay off everywhere?

    We study heat risk in cities as urban ecologists and have been exploring the impact of tree-planting and reflective roofs in different cities and different neighborhoods across cities. What we’re learning can help cities and homeowners be more targeted in their efforts to beat the heat.

    The wonder of trees

    Urban trees offer a natural defense against rising temperatures. They cast shade and release water vapor through their leaves, a process akin to human sweating. That cools the surrounding air and reduces afternoon heat.

    Adding trees to city streets, parks and residential yards can make a meaningful difference in how hot a neighborhood feels, with blocks that have tree canopies nearly 3 F (1.7 C) cooler than blocks without trees.

    Comparing maps of New York’s vegetation and temperature shows the cooling effect of parks and neighborhoods with more trees. In the map on the left, lighter colors are areas with fewer trees. Light areas in the map on the right are hotter.
    NASA/USGS Landsat

    But planting trees isn’t always simple.

    In hot, dry cities, trees often require irrigation to survive, which can strain already limited water resources. Trees must survive for decades to grow large enough to provide shade and release enough water vapor to reduce air temperatures.

    Annual maintenance costs – about US$900 per tree per year in Boston – can surpass the initial planting investment.

    Most challenging of all, dense urban neighborhoods where heat is most intense are often too packed with buildings and roads to grow more trees.

    How cool roofs can help on hot days

    Another option is “cool roofs.” Coating rooftops with reflective paint or using light-colored materials allows buildings to reflect more sunlight back into the atmosphere rather than absorbing it as heat.

    These roofs can lower the temperature inside an apartment building without air conditioning by about 2 to 6 F (1 to 3.3 C), and can cut peak cooling demand by as much as 27% in air-conditioned buildings, one study found. They can also provide immediate relief by reducing outdoor temperatures in densely populated areas. The maintenance costs are also lower than expanding urban forests.

    Two workers apply a white coating to the roof of a row home in Philadelphia.
    AP Photo/Matt Rourke

    However, like trees, cool roofs come with limits. Cool roofs work better on flat roofs than sloped roofs with shingles, as flat roofs are often covered by heat-trapping rubber and are exposed to more direct sunlight over the course of an afternoon.

    Cities also have a finite number of rooftops that can be retrofitted. And in cities that already have many light-colored roofs, a few more might help lower cooling costs in those buildings, but they won’t do much more for the neighborhood.

    By weighing the trade-offs of both strategies, cities can design location-specific plans to beat the heat.

    Choosing the right mix of cooling solutions

    Many cities around the world have taken steps to adapt to extreme heat, with tree planting and cool roof programs that implement reflectivity requirements or incentivize cool roof adoption.

    In Detroit, nonprofit organizations have planted more than 166,000 trees since 1989. In Los Angeles, building codes now require new residential roofs to meet specific reflectivity standards.

    In a recent study, we analyzed Boston’s potential to lower heat in vulnerable neighborhoods across the city. The results demonstrate how a balanced, budget-conscious strategy could deliver significant cooling benefits.

    For example, we found that planting trees can cool the air 35% more than installing cool roofs in places where trees can actually be planted.

    However, many of the best places for new trees in Boston aren’t in the neighborhoods that need help. In these neighborhoods, we found that reflective roofs were the better choice.

    By investing less than 1% of the city’s annual operating budget, about US$34 million, in 2,500 new trees and 3,000 cool roofs targeting the most at-risk areas, we found that Boston could reduce heat exposure for nearly 80,000 residents. The results would reduce summertime afternoon air temperatures by over 1 F (0.6 C) in those neighborhoods.

    While that reduction might seem modest, reductions of this magnitude have been found to dramatically reduce heat-related illness and death, increase labor productivity and reduce energy costs associated with building cooling.

    Not every city will benefit from the same mix. Boston’s urban landscape includes many flat, black rooftops that reflect only about 12% of sunlight, making cool roofs that reflect over 65% of sunlight an especially effective intervention. Boston also has a relatively moist growing season that supports a thriving urban tree canopy, making both solutions viable.

    Phoenix, left, already has a lot of light-colored roots, compared with Boston, right, where roofs are mostly dark.
    Imagery © Google 2025.

    In places with fewer flat, dark rooftops suitable for cool roof conversion, tree planting may offer more value. Conversely, in cities with little room left for new trees or where extreme heat and drought limit tree survival, cool roofs may be the better bet.

    Phoenix, for example, already has many light-colored roofs. Trees might be an option there, but they will require irrigation.

    Getting the solutions where people need them

    Adding shade along sidewalks can do double-duty by giving pedestrians a place to get out of the sun and cooling buildings. In New York City, for example, street trees account for an estimated 25% of the entire urban forest.

    Cool roofs can be more difficult for a government to implement because they require working with building owners. That often means cities need to provide incentives. Louisville, Kentucky, for example, offers rebates of up to $2,000 for homeowners who install reflective roofing materials, and up to $5,000 for commercial businesses with flat roofs that use reflective coatings.

    In Boston, planting trees, left, and increasing roof reflectivity, right, were both found to be effective ways to cool urban areas.
    Ian Smith et al. 2025

    Efforts like these can help spread cool roof benefits across densely populated neighborhoods that need cooling help most.

    As climate change drives more frequent and intense urban heat, cities have powerful tools for lowering the temperature. With some attention to what already exists and what’s feasible, they can find the right budget-conscious strategy that will deliver cooling benefits for everyone.

    Lucy Hutyra has received funding from the U.S. federal government and foundations including the World Resources Institute and Burroughs Wellcome Fund for her scholarship on urban climate and mitigation strategies. She was a recipient of a 2023 MacArthur Fellowship for her work in this area.

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

    – ref. 2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs? – https://theconversation.com/2-ways-cities-can-beat-the-heat-which-is-best-urban-trees-or-cool-roofs-260188

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How the nature of environmental law is changing in defense of the planet and the climate

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Dana Zartner, Professor of International Studies, University of San Francisco

    A 2017 New Zealand law recognizes inherent rights of the Whanganui River. Jason Pratt, CC BY-SA

    While the dangerous effects of climate change continue to worsen, legal efforts to address a range of environmental issues are also on the rise.

    Headlines across the globe tout many of these legal actions: South Korea’s Climate Law Violates Rights of Future Generations; Ukraine is Ground Zero in Battle for Ecocide Law; Paris Wants to Grant the River Seine Legal Personhood; and Montana Court Rules Children Have the Right to a Healthy Environment, to name a few recent examples.

    As an environmental lawyer, I see that most of these suits use one of five legal strategies that have been developed over the past couple of decades. These approaches vary in terms of who is filing the lawsuit, against whom, and whether the underlying legal perspective is based on protecting human rights or the rights of the environment itself. But they all share an innovative approach to protect all life on this planet.

    1. Right to a healthy environment

    In 2022, the United Nations declared that humans have “the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment … essential to protecting human life, well-being and dignity.” More than 150 countries have similar declarations in their constitutions or laws, often alongside protections for other human rights, such as those to education and medical care.

    These rights are held by humans, so people can sue for alleged violations. Typically they sue one or more government agencies, whose responsibility it is to protect human rights.

    One recent case using this approach was Held v. Montana, in which a group of young people in 2024 won a lawsuit against the state of Montana for violating the state constitution’s right to a “clean and healthful environment.” The state Supreme Court agreed with the plaintiffs and struck down a law barring the consideration of climate effects when evaluating proposals for fossil fuel extraction. Similar cases have been heard in the U.S. and other countries around the world.

    Rikki Held, the lead plaintiff in the Montana case, center seated, confers with the Our Children’s Trust legal team before the start of the trial on June 12, 2023.
    William Campbell/Getty Images

    2. The rights of future generations

    A legal concept called “intergenerational equity” is the idea that present generations must “responsibly use and conserve natural resources for the benefit of future generations.” First codified in international law in the 1972 Stockholm Declaration, the principle has been gaining popularity in recent decades. International organizations and national governments have enshrined this principle in law.

    Focused on humans’ rights, these laws allow people and groups to bring claims, usually against governments, for allowing activities that are altering the environment in ways that will harm future generations. One well-known case that relied on this legal principle is Future Generations v. Ministry of the Environment and Others, in which a Colombian court in 2018 agreed with young people who had sued, finding that the Colombian government’s allowance of “rampant deforestation in the Amazon” violated the pact of intergenerational equity.

    3. Government responsibility

    Another human-centered approach is the public trust doctrine, which establishes “that certain natural and cultural resources are preserved for public use” and that governments have a responsibility to protect them for everyone’s benefit.

    While the concept of “public trust” has long existed in the law, recently it has been used to bring suit against governments for their failure to address climate change and other environmental degradation. In Urgenda Foundation v. the State of the Netherlands, a Dutch court held in 2019 that the government has a responsibility to mitigate the effects of climate change due to the “severity of the consequences of climate change and the great risk of climate change occurring.” Since the decision, the Dutch government has sought to reduce emissions by phasing out the use of coal, increasing reliance on renewable energy and aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

    Government responsibility for the public trust was also a basis of the Juliana v. U.S. case, where a group of young people sued the U.S. government for breaching the public trust by not doing enough to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately declined to hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling, but the lack of a specific ruling by the nation’s highest court has given continued hope to new cases, which continue to be filed based on the same principle.

    A documentary examining the movement to protect the rights of nature.

    4. Rights of nature

    The rights of nature is one of the fastest-growing environmental legal strategies of the past decade. Since Ecuador recognized the rights of Pachamama, the Quechua name for Mother Earth, in its Constitution in 2008, more than 500 laws on the rights of nature have been enacted around the world.

    The principle recognizes the legal rights of natural entities, such as rivers, mountains, ecosystems or even something as specific as wild rice. The laws that grant these rights don’t focus on humans but rather nature itself, often including language that the natural entity has the right to “exist and persist.”

    The laws then provide a mechanism for the natural entity – whether through a specific group assigned legal guardianship or other community efforts – to protect itself by filing lawsuits in court. In the 2018 Colombian case, the court found that the Amazon ecosystem has rights, which must be respected and protected.

    Similarly, in Bangladesh in 2019 the courts recognized the rights of all the country’s rivers, requiring, among other things, a halt on damaging development along the rivers that block their natural flow. The court also created a commission to serve as legal guardians of the country’s rivers.

    The destruction of a dam in Ukraine, which emptied this former reservoir, is being investigated as a possible crime of ecocide.
    Tarasov/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    5. Defining a new crime: Ecocide

    In 2024, the governments of Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa formally proposed that the international community recognize a new crime under international law. Called “ecocide,” the principle takes a nature-focused approach and includes any unlawful act committed with “the knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment.”

    Put another way, what genocide is to humans, ecocide is to nature. It is being proposed as an addition to the 2002 Rome Statute, which created the International Criminal Court to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

    While the idea is relatively new, in addition to the international efforts, several countries have incorporated ecocide into their laws – including Vietnam, France, Chile and Ukraine. A Ukrainian prosecutor is currently investigating the June 2023 destruction of a dam in a Russian-occupied area of the country as a potential crime of ecocide, because of the widespread flooding and habitat destruction that resulted.

    The European Union has also incorporated ecocide into its Environmental Crime Directive, which applies to all EU member countries, providing them with a mechanism to hear ecocide claims in their national courts.

    Using these ideas

    Each of these legal concepts has the potential to increase protection for the environment – and the people who live in it. But determining which strategy has the greatest chance of success depends on the details of the existing law and legal system in each community.

    All of these legal strategies have a role in the fight to protect and preserve the environment as an integral, interdependent living thing that is vitally important to us as humans but also in its own right.

    Dana Zartner is a volunteer with the Earth Law Center assisting with the editing of toolkits and guides, but has not worked on any of its lawsuits.

    – ref. How the nature of environmental law is changing in defense of the planet and the climate – https://theconversation.com/how-the-nature-of-environmental-law-is-changing-in-defense-of-the-planet-and-the-climate-258982

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress, but the 225-year-old institution remains a ‘library for all’ – so far

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex H. Poole, Associate Professor of Information Science, Drexel University

    The main reading room is seen at the Library of Congress on June 13, 2025, in Washington. Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    Carla Hayden, the 14th librarian of Congress, who has held the position since 2016, received an unexpected email on May 8, 2025.

    “Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” wrote Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel at the White House.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later explained that Hayden, who was the first woman, Black person and professionally trained librarian to oversee the Library of Congress, had done “quite concerning things,” on the job, including “putting inappropriate books in the library for children.”

    Democratic politicians sharply criticized Hayden’s termination, saying the firing was unjust. It was actually about Trump punishing civil servants “who don’t bend to his every will,” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said.

    An information science scholar, I have written extensively about the history of libraries and archives, including the Library of Congress. To fully understand the role Hayden played for the past nine years, I think it is important to understand what the Library of Congress does, and the overlooked and underappreciated role it has played in American life.

    Carla Hayden, the recently fired librarian of Congress, attends an event in March 2025 in Washington.
    Shannon Finney/Getty Images

    The Library of Congress’ work

    The Library of Congress is an agency that was first established, by an act of Congress, in 1800. The act provided for “the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress at the said city of Washington, and for fitting up a suitable apartment for containing them.” Its chief librarian is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

    The library has six buildings in Washington that hold a print and online collection of nearly 26 million books, as well as more than 136 million other items, including manuscripts, maps, sheet music and prints and photographs.

    It also houses historic documents, like Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and James Madison’s notes on the 1787 Constitutional Convention.

    The library is the property of the American people. Anyone over the age of 16 with a government-issued photo identification can enter its buildings and read or view its materials on-site. The Library of Congress was partially designed as a research institution to suit the needs of members of Congress, and only Congress members can borrow items from the library and take them home.

    The Library of Congress has an annual budget of about US$900 million, with a staff of 3,263. In 2024, the library’s staff helped acquire 1,437,832 million new items, issue nearly 69,000 library cards and answer more than 764,000 reference requests, among other tasks.

    The library’s deep roots

    The library has evolved alongside the U.S. itself. Five years before the Constitutional Convention of 1787, future president James Madison called for a library to provide materials to help inform Congress and its members. In 1800, President John Adams signed a bill that established the institution, which began with a $5,000 government appropriation, equivalent to more than $127,000 today.

    The library’s first collection included 152 works in 740 volumes imported from England. It occupied a space in a Washington Senate office that measured just 22 feet by 34 feet.

    The British army torched the infant library and its collection that had grown to 3,000 books in 1814, during the War of 1812. In response, former president Thomas Jefferson sold his personal collection of 6,479 books to the library, which he called “unquestionably the choicest collection of books in the U.S.”

    Tragedy struck again in 1851, with a fire that incinerated two-thirds of the library’s 55,000 volumes, including most of Jefferson’s personal collection.

    The organization rebounded in the next few years, as it purchased the 40,000-volume Smithsonian library in 1866, among other new acquisitions.

    Ainsworth Spofford, the sixth librarian of Congress, boosted the library’s national image in the late 1800s when he tried to centralize the country’s patchwork copyright system.

    Spofford also successfully lobbied Congress to pass the Copyright Act of 1870, which stipulated that any party registering a work for copyright needed to deposit two copies of that work with the library.

    A growing place in American life

    As its collections burgeoned in both scale and scope in the latter part of the 19th century, the library assumed an increasingly visible role and became known by some as “the nation’s library.” By 1900, it had nearly 1 million printed books and other materials.

    The opening of a new library building in 1897, offering services to blind people with a designated reading room containing 500 raised character – or braille – books and music items, epitomized the library’s new status.

    President Theodore Roosevelt said in 1901 that the library was “the one national library of the United States” and that was “a unique opportunity to render to the libraries of this country – to American scholarship – service of the highest importance.”

    The library’s work, and global approach, continued to grow during the 20th century.

    By the late 1900s, the library held materials in more than 450 languages.

    It continued to add remarkable items to its collection, including a Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed in Europe from movable metal type, a kind of printing technology, in 1455.

    Documenting the evolution of democracy, the library also assumed stewardship of 23 presidents’ official papers, from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge, during this time frame.

    A public service

    While primarily designated a research institution for Congress, the library has also catered to a diverse range of patrons, including by mail and telephone.

    As one Science Digest writer noted in 1960, reference staff members fielded questions ranging from “What was the color of a mastodon’s eye?” to “How many words are there in the English language?” and “Could you suggest a name for twins?”

    The library’s register of copyrights received similarly diverse and even humorous inquiries. One older woman seeking to publish her poetry wrote in 1954 to request “a poetic license” to ensure her work conformed to the law.

    In the late 20th century, the library focused on a new democratic national and international mission, as it embraced a new role. Daniel Boorstin, the librarian from 1975 to 1987, termed that role a “multimedia encyclopedia.”

    A congressional resolution marking the Library of Congress’s bicentennial in 2000 noted that it was “the largest and most inclusive library in human history,” as it digitized its collections to extend its reach still further with the growth of the internet.

    As the library marks its 225th year, it continues to represent, as David Mearns, chief of the library’s manuscript division, said in 1947, “the American story.”

    The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is seen on June 11, 2025, in Washington.
    Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    A library for all

    Following Hayden’s dismissal, Trump appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, as acting librarian of Congress.

    Hayden has contended that her dismissal, which occurred alongside other firings of top civil servants, including the national archivist, represents a broad threat to people’s right to easily access free information.

    “Democracies are not to be taken for granted,” Hayden said in June. She explained in an interview with CBS that she never had a problem with a presidential administration and is not sure why she was dismissed.

    “And the institutions that support democracy should not be taken for granted,” Hayden added.

    In her final annual report as librarian, Hayden characterized the institution as “truly, a library for all.” So far, even without her leadership, it remains just that.

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

    – ref. Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress, but the 225-year-old institution remains a ‘library for all’ – so far – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-fired-the-head-of-the-library-of-congress-but-the-225-year-old-institution-remains-a-library-for-all-so-far-257508

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Pleads Guilty in Making Threats Against Palestinian Rights Organization

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – Kevin Brent Buchanan, 63, of Tooele, Utah, pleaded guilty yesterday in the District of Columbia in connection with threatening violence against the employees of a D.C.-based Palestinian rights organization, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Buchanan pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 18, 2025. Buchanan faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

                Joining in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office.

                According to court documents, between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Buchanan used his cell phone to call and leave five voice mail messages for members of the organization. In his November 2 message, Buchanan stated in part: “Your families are going to be followed and watched;” “You don’t even belong in America;” “I hope every Muslim in the United States [expletive] croaks;” and “You are all going to [expletive] die, you pieces of [expletive] traitors.”

                Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians.

                The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI Salt Lake City and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. Prosecuting the case are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Visser and Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

    24cr256

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: MARA Holdings, Inc. Announces Proposed Private Offering of $850 Million of Zero Coupon Convertible Senior Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Miami, FL, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) (“MARA” or the “Company”), a leading digital energy and infrastructure company, today announced that it intends to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, $850 million aggregate principal amount of 0.00% convertible senior notes due 2032 (the “notes”) in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). MARA also expects to grant to the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase, within a 13-day period beginning on, and including, the date on which the notes are first issued, up to an additional $150 million aggregate principal amount of the notes. The offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether, when or on what terms the offering may be completed.

    The notes will be unsecured, senior obligations of MARA. The notes are not expected to bear regular interest (other than special interest in limited circumstances) and the principal amount of the notes is not expected to accrete. Special interest, if any, on the notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2026 (if and to the extent that special interest is then payable on the notes). The notes will mature on August 1, 2032, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted in accordance with their terms. Subject to certain conditions, on or after January 15, 2030, MARA may redeem for cash all or any portion of the notes. If MARA redeems fewer than all the outstanding notes, at least $75 million aggregate principal amount of notes must be outstanding and not subject to redemption as of the relevant redemption notice date. Holders of the notes will have the right to require MARA to repurchase for cash all or any portion of their notes on January 4, 2030, if the last reported sale price of MARA’s common stock on the second trading day immediately preceding the repurchase date is less than the conversion price. The notes will be convertible into cash, shares of MARA’s common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of MARA’s common stock, at MARA’s election. Prior to May 1, 2032, the notes will be convertible only upon the occurrence of certain events and during certain periods, and thereafter, at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date. The interest rate, initial conversion rate and other terms of the notes will be determined at the time of pricing of the offering. MARA expects that the reference price used to calculate the initial conversion price for the notes will be the U.S. composite volume weighted average price of MARA’s common stock from 2:00 p.m. through 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the date of pricing.

    MARA expects to use up to $50 million of the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to repurchase a portion of its existing 1.00% convertible senior notes due 2026 (the “1.00% 2026 convertible notes”) in privately negotiated transactions with the remainder of the net proceeds to be used to pay the cost of the capped call transactions (as described below), to acquire additional bitcoin and for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, strategic acquisitions, expansion of existing assets, and repayment of additional debt and other outstanding obligations.

    In connection with any repurchase of the 1.00% 2026 convertible notes, MARA expects that holders of the 1.00% 2026 convertible notes who agree to have their notes repurchased and who have hedged their equity price risk with respect to such notes (the “hedged holders”) will unwind all or part of their hedge positions by buying MARA’s common stock and/or entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions with respect to MARA’s common stock. The amount of MARA’s common stock to be purchased by the hedged holders or in connection with such derivative transactions may be substantial in relation to the historic average daily trading volume of MARA’s common stock. This activity by the hedged holders could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of MARA’s common stock, including concurrently with the pricing of the notes, resulting in a higher effective conversion price of the notes. MARA cannot predict the magnitude of such market activity or the overall effect it will have on the price of the notes or MARA’s common stock.

    In connection with the pricing of the notes, MARA expects to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions with one or more of the initial purchasers and/or their respective affiliates and/or other financial institutions (the “option counterparties”). If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional notes, MARA expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of such additional notes to enter into additional capped call transactions with the option counterparties. The capped call transactions will cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, the number of shares of common stock underlying the notes sold in the offering. The capped call transactions are generally expected to reduce potential dilution to the common stock upon any conversion of notes and/or offset any cash payments MARA elects to make in excess of the principal amount of converted notes, as the case may be, with such reduction and/or offset subject to a cap.

    MARA has been advised that, in connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates expect to purchase shares of common stock and/or enter into various derivative transactions with respect to the common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of the common stock or the notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to the common stock and/or purchasing or selling the common stock or other securities of MARA in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes (and are likely to do so during any observation period related to a conversion of the notes, in connection with any redemption of the notes, any fundamental change repurchase of the notes or any exercise of a holder’s optional repurchase right, and, to the extent MARA unwinds a corresponding portion of the capped call transactions, following any other repurchase of the notes). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or a decrease in the market price of the common stock or the notes, which could affect the ability of noteholders to convert the notes and, to the extent the activity occurs during any observation period related to a conversion of notes, it could affect the number of shares of common stock, if any, and value of the consideration that noteholders will receive upon conversion of the notes.

    The notes will be offered and sold to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. The offer and sale of the notes and the shares of MARA’s common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes, if any, have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the notes and any such shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. Any offer of the notes will be made only by means of a private offering memorandum.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the notes, nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Nothing in this press release shall be deemed an offer to purchase MARA’s 1.00% 2026 convertible notes.

    About MARA

    MARA (NASDAQ:MARA) deploys digital energy technologies to advance the world’s energy systems. Harnessing the power of compute, MARA transforms excess energy into digital capital, balancing the grid and accelerating the deployment of critical infrastructure. Building on its expertise to redefine the future of energy, MARA develops technologies that reduce the energy demands of high-performance computing applications, from AI to the edge.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the completion, size and timing of the offering, the anticipated use of any proceeds from the offering, and the terms of the notes and the capped call transactions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the offering on the anticipated terms or at all, the other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of MARA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 3, 2025 and the risks described in other filings that MARA may make from time to time with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and MARA specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

    MARA Company Contact:
    Telephone: 800-804-1690
    Email: ir@mara.com

    MARA Media Contact:
    Email: mara@wachsman.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CertiK Skynet Report Ranks Leading Stablecoins: USDT, USDC, PYUSD, and RLUSD Among the Top

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CertiK, the largest Web3 security services company, released its Skynet Stablecoin Spotlight Report for H1 2025, detailing the current state of the stablecoin market, how the Skynet Stablecoin Rating Framework provides a tailored system for evaluating a stablecoin’s security risk profile, and recent regulatory impacts on stablecoin adoption and security.

    In this report, CertiK noted that stablecoin adoption grew significantly in the first half of 2025; as of July 2025, stablecoins represent approximately 8.9% of the overall crypto market. However, as is the case with the growth of other digital assets, stablecoin expansion has brought increased scrutiny of security, risk, and regulatory compliance. This shift was one of the driving factors behind the development of CertiK’s Skynet rating system, which brings a comprehensive framework for assessing stablecoin activity from a security and risk standpoint, aiming to protect stablecoin users.

    The report paints a detailed picture of the current state of the stablecoin market. For instance, aggregate supply of stablecoins grew from $204 billion to $252 billion in the first half of 2025, and monthly settlement volumes rose by 43 percent to $1.39 trillion. Stablecoins such as USDT (Tether) and USDC (Circle) are dominating the stablecoin market, with other stablecoins seeing a steep growth trajectory.

    Additionally, CertiK noted how recent regulatory developments are changing the stablecoin landscape. In the United States, the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act of 2025 proposes a robust federal framework for stablecoin reserve requirements and monthly audited reserve reports, among other requirements. Concurrently, the Senate passed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act of 2025, which proposes a tiered regulatory system, allowing smaller issuers (under $10 billion in circulation) to operate under state-level oversight while mandating federal supervision for larger entities. The European Union has enforced its own similar frameworks through Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA).

    These frameworks are bifurcating the market into license-ready leaders and non-compliant holdouts. Banks such as Société Générale, Santander, and Bank of America, and payment networks like Visa and Stripe, accelerated stablecoin pilots, signaling that regulated USD-backed coins are moving onto traditional finance rails.

    As stablecoin adoption accelerates, security considerations will become all the more important. Thus, the focal point of CertiK’s report is its Skynet Stablecoin Rating Framework, which combines qualitative analysis with quantitative metrics across six key domains: Operational Resilience, Governance Strength, Fundamental Health, Code Security, Market Dynamic, and Community Trust. Some of the leading stablecoins evaluated by CertiK’s framework include USDT, USDC, PYUSD, and USDS.

    CertiK’s report noted that the next wave of stablecoin innovation will likely involve the growth of two main stablecoin models: RWA-backed stablecoins and yield-bearing stablecoins. According to the report, the stablecoin market is projected to exceed $300 billion by year-end. In this evolving environment, rigorous risk management, transparent operations, and a proactive compliance posture are the critical determinants of long-term viability.

    Elisa Yiting Xu
    yiting.xu@certik.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) Sailors perform daily operations [Image 3 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    PACIFIC OCEAN (July 17, 2025) U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate Seaman Apprentice John Rafer, from Annapolis, Maryland, sorts magazine temperature reports in the armory aboard the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Indo-Pacific region on Jul 17, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance region and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Isabel Mendoza)

    Date Taken: 07.17.2025
    Date Posted: 07.22.2025 06:56
    Photo ID: 9194909
    VIRIN: 250717-N-DM179-1025
    Resolution: 2617×2094
    Size: 649.96 KB
    Location: US
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership Conducts Mission Stop in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 2025 [Image 1 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 23, 2025) – Capt. Levi Jackson assigned to the 72nd Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support unit conducts a food and water risk assessment at the Christian Revival Center in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 23, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)

    Date Taken: 07.23.2025
    Date Posted: 07.23.2025 06:46
    Photo ID: 9197303
    VIRIN: 250723-N-YV347-1026
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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Gaza: As starvation spreads, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away – joint statement

    Source: Amnesty International –

    As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families. With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.

    Exactly two months since the Israeli government-controlled scheme, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, began operating, 109 organisations are sounding the alarm, urging governments to act: open all land crossings; restore the full flow of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items, and fuel through a principled, UN-led mechanism; end the siege, and agree to a ceasefire now.

    “Each morning, the same question echoes across Gaza: will I eat today?” said one agency representative. 

    Massacres at food distribution sites in Gaza are occurring near-daily. As of July 13, the UN confirmed 875 Palestinians were killed while seeking food, 201 on aid routes and the rest at distribution points. Thousands more have been injured. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have forcibly displaced nearly two million exhausted Palestinians with the most recent mass displacement order issued on July 20, confining Palestinians to less than 12 per cent of Gaza. WFP warns that current conditions make operations untenable. The starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime. 

    Just outside Gaza, in warehouses – and even within Gaza itself – tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them. The Government of Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death. An aid worker providing psychosocial support spoke of the devastating impact on children: “Children tell their parents they want to go to heaven, because at least heaven has food.” 

    Doctors report record rates of acute malnutrition, especially among children and older people. Illnesses like acute watery diarrhoea are spreading, markets are empty, waste is piling up, and adults are collapsing on the streets from hunger and dehydration. Distributions in Gaza average just 28 trucks a day, far from enough for over two million people, many of whom have gone weeks without assistance.

    The UN-led humanitarian system has not failed, it has been prevented from functioning. 

    Humanitarian agencies have the capacity and supplies to respond at scale. But, with access denied, we are blocked from reaching those in need, including our own exhausted and starved teams. On July 10, the EU and Israel announced steps to scale up aid. But these promises of ‘progress’ ring hollow when there is no real change on the ground. Every day without a sustained flow means more people dying of preventable illnesses. Children starve while waiting for promises that never arrive. 

    Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions. It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage. The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access.

    Governments must stop waiting for permission to act. We cannot continue to hope that current arrangements will work. It is time to take decisive action: demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire; lift all bureaucratic and administrative restrictions; open all land crossings; ensure access to everyone in all of Gaza; reject military-controlled distribution models; restore a principled, UN-led humanitarian response and continue to fund principled and impartial humanitarian organisations. States must pursue concrete measures to end the siege, such as halting the transfer of weapons and ammunition. 

    Piecemeal arrangements and symbolic gestures, like airdrops or flawed aid deals, serve as a smokescreen for inaction. They cannot replace states’ legal and moral obligations to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure meaningful access at scale. States can and must save lives before there are none left to save.

    Signatories: 

    1. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
    2. A.M. Qattan Foundation
    3. A New Policy
    4. ACT Alliance
    5. Action Against Hunger (ACF)
    6. Action for Humanity
    7. ActionAid International
    8. American Baptist Churches Palestine Justice Network
    9. Amnesty International
    10. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
    11. Associazione Cooperazione e Solidarietà (ACS)
    12. Bystanders No More
    13. Campain
    14. CARE 
    15. Caritas Germany
    16. Caritas Internationalis
    17. Caritas Jerusalem
    18. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
    19. Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
    20. CESVI Fondazione
    21. Children Not Numbers
    22. Christian Aid
    23. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
    24. CIDSE- International Family of Catholic Social Justice Organisations
    25. Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
    26. Council for Arab‑British Understanding (CAABU)
    27. DanChurchAid (DCA)
    28. Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
    29. Doctors against Genocide
    30. Episcopal Peace Fellowship
    31. EuroMed Rights
    32. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
    33. Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V.
    34. Gender Action for Peace and Security
    35. Global Legal Action Network (GLAN)
    36. Global Witness
    37. Health Workers 4 Palestine
    38. HelpAge International
    39. Humanity & Inclusion (HI)
    40. Humanity First UK
    41. Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
    42. Insight Insecurity
    43. International Media Support
    44. International NGO Safety Organisation
    45. Islamic Relief
    46. Jahalin Solidarity
    47. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
    48. Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Professionals (KAMMP)
    49. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
    50. MedGlobal
    51. Medico International
    52. Medico International Switzerland (medico international schweiz)
    53. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
    54. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
    55. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
    56. Médecins du Monde France
    57. Médecins du Monde Spain
    58. Médecins du Monde Switzerland
    59. Mercy Corps
    60. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
    61. Movement for Peace (MPDL)
    62. Muslim Aid
    63. National Justice and Peace Network in England and Wales
    64. Nonviolence International
    65. Norwegian Aid Committee (NORWAC)
    66. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
    67. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
    68. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
    69. Oxfam International
    70. Pax Christi England and Wales
    71. Pax Christi International
    72. Pax Christi Merseyside
    73. Pax Christi USA
    74. Pal Law Commission
    75. Palestinian American Medical Association
    76. Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)
    77. Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
    78. Peace Direct
    79. Peace Winds
    80. Pediatricians for Palestine
    81. People in Need
    82. Plan International
    83. Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
    84. Progettomondo
    85. Project HOPE
    86. Quaker Palestine Israel Network
    87. Rebuilding Alliance
    88. Saferworld
    89. Sabeel‑Kairos UK
    90. Save the Children (SCI)
    91. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
    92. Solidarités International
    93. Støtteforeningen Det Danske Hus i Palæstina
    94. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER)
    95. Terre des Hommes Italia
    96. Terre des Hommes Lausanne
    97. Terre des Hommes Nederland
    98. The Borgen Project
    99. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
    100. The Glia Project
    101. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
    102. The Institute for the Understanding of Anti‑Palestinian Racism
    103. Un Ponte Per (UPP)
    104. United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
    105. War Child Alliance
    106. War Child UK
    107. War on Want
    108. Weltfriedensdienst e.V.
    109. Welthungerhilfe (WHH)

     

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: As mass starvation spreads across Gaza, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away

    Source: Amnesty International –

    As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families. With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.

    Exactly two months since the Israeli government-controlled scheme, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, began operating, 109 organisations are sounding the alarm, urging governments to act: open all land crossings; restore the full flow of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items, and fuel through a principled, UN-led mechanism; end the siege, and agree to a ceasefire now.

    “Each morning, the same question echoes across Gaza: will I eat today?” said one agency representative. 

    Each morning, the same question echoes across Gaza: will I eat today?

    Humanitarian agency representative in Gaza

    Massacres at food distribution sites in Gaza are occurring near-daily. As of July 13, the UN confirmed 875 Palestinians were killed while seeking food, 201 on aid routes and the rest at distribution points. Thousands more have been injured. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have forcibly displaced nearly two million exhausted Palestinians with the most recent mass displacement order issued on July 20, confining Palestinians to less than 12 per cent of Gaza. WFP warns that current conditions make operations untenable. The starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime. 

    Just outside Gaza, in warehouses – and even within Gaza itself – tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them. The Government of Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death. An aid worker providing psychosocial support spoke of the devastating impact on children: “Children tell their parents they want to go to heaven, because at least heaven has food.” 

    Doctors report record rates of acute malnutrition, especially among children and older people. Illnesses like acute watery diarrhoea are spreading, markets are empty, waste is piling up, and adults are collapsing on the streets from hunger and dehydration. Distributions in Gaza average just 28 trucks a day, far from enough for over two million people, many of whom have gone weeks without assistance.

    The UN-led humanitarian system has not failed, it has been prevented from functioning. 

    Humanitarian agencies have the capacity and supplies to respond at scale. But, with access denied, we are blocked from reaching those in need, including our own exhausted and starved teams. On July 10, the EU and Israel announced steps to scale up aid. But these promises of ‘progress’ ring hollow when there is no real change on the ground. Every day without a sustained flow means more people dying of preventable illnesses. Children starve while waiting for promises that never arrive. 

    Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions. It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage. The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access.

    Governments must stop waiting for permission to act. We cannot continue to hope that current arrangements will work. It is time to take decisive action: demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire; lift all bureaucratic and administrative restrictions; open all land crossings; ensure access to everyone in all of Gaza; reject military-controlled distribution models; restore a principled, UN-led humanitarian response and continue to fund principled and impartial humanitarian organisations. States must pursue concrete measures to end the siege, such as halting the transfer of weapons and ammunition. 

    Piecemeal arrangements and symbolic gestures, like airdrops or flawed aid deals, serve as a smokescreen for inaction. They cannot replace states’ legal and moral obligations to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure meaningful access at scale. States can and must save lives before there are none left to save.

    Signatories: 

    1. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
    2. A.M. Qattan Foundation
    3. A New Policy
    4. ACT Alliance
    5. Action Against Hunger (ACF)
    6. Action for Humanity
    7. ActionAid International
    8. American Baptist Churches Palestine Justice Network
    9. Amnesty International
    10. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
    11. Associazione Cooperazione e Solidarietà (ACS)
    12. Bystanders No More
    13. Campain
    14. CARE 
    15. Caritas Germany
    16. Caritas Internationalis
    17. Caritas Jerusalem
    18. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
    19. Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
    20. CESVI Fondazione
    21. Children Not Numbers
    22. Christian Aid
    23. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
    24. CIDSE- International Family of Catholic Social Justice Organisations
    25. Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
    26. Council for Arab‑British Understanding (CAABU)
    27. DanChurchAid (DCA)
    28. Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
    29. Doctors against Genocide
    30. Episcopal Peace Fellowship
    31. EuroMed Rights
    32. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
    33. Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V.
    34. Gender Action for Peace and Security
    35. Global Legal Action Network (GLAN)
    36. Global Witness
    37. Health Workers 4 Palestine
    38. HelpAge International
    39. Humanity & Inclusion (HI)
    40. Humanity First UK
    41. Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
    42. Insight Insecurity
    43. International Media Support
    44. International NGO Safety Organisation
    45. Islamic Relief
    46. Jahalin Solidarity
    47. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
    48. Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Professionals (KAMMP)
    49. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
    50. MedGlobal
    51. Medico International
    52. Medico International Switzerland (medico international schweiz)
    53. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
    54. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
    55. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
    56. Médecins du Monde France
    57. Médecins du Monde Spain
    58. Médecins du Monde Switzerland
    59. Mercy Corps
    60. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
    61. Movement for Peace (MPDL)
    62. Muslim Aid
    63. National Justice and Peace Network in England and Wales
    64. Nonviolence International
    65. Norwegian Aid Committee (NORWAC)
    66. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
    67. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
    68. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
    69. Oxfam International
    70. Pax Christi England and Wales
    71. Pax Christi International
    72. Pax Christi Merseyside
    73. Pax Christi USA
    74. Pal Law Commission
    75. Palestinian American Medical Association
    76. Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)
    77. Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
    78. Peace Direct
    79. Peace Winds
    80. Pediatricians for Palestine
    81. People in Need
    82. Plan International
    83. Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
    84. Progettomondo
    85. Project HOPE
    86. Quaker Palestine Israel Network
    87. Rebuilding Alliance
    88. Saferworld
    89. Sabeel‑Kairos UK
    90. Save the Children (SCI)
    91. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
    92. Solidarités International
    93. Støtteforeningen Det Danske Hus i Palæstina
    94. Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER)
    95. Terre des Hommes Italia
    96. Terre des Hommes Lausanne
    97. Terre des Hommes Nederland
    98. The Borgen Project
    99. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)
    100. The Glia Project
    101. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
    102. The Institute for the Understanding of Anti‑Palestinian Racism
    103. Un Ponte Per (UPP)
    104. United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
    105. War Child Alliance
    106. War Child UK
    107. War on Want
    108. Weltfriedensdienst e.V.
    109. Welthungerhilfe (WHH)

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Once Again Díaz-Balart Delivers for South Florida

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    MIAMI, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Dean of the Florida Delegation and House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, and Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee, issued the following statement in celebration of the groundbreaking ceremony for PortMiami’s new Phytosanitary and Cold Chain Processing Facility:

     

    “This groundbreaking is more than just a milestone; it’s a promise fulfilled. In 2020, I secured $44 million in federal funding for the Phytosanitary and Cold Chain Processing facility. This ensures that PortMiami, one of the main economic drivers in South Florida, has the capability to guarantee the safety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers from South America that transit through the port.

    This project is another example of my track record in delivering for our community and the state of Florida. I remain committed to advocating for priorities that foster economic growth, support local jobs, and enhance U.S. national security.

    The efforts today were made possible through partnership with local leaders, including former Port Director Juan Kuryla, former Aviation Director Lester Sola, and then-County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez, as well as current PortMiami Director and CEO Hydi Webb, who helped identify barriers and craft targeted solutions. I look forward to continuing this important collaboration to better serve our region.”

     

    Background

    Recognizing that U.S. ports could not fairly compete for infrastructure funding under national programs, Congressman Díaz-Balart, while Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations, created for the first time ever a dedicated federal funding stream specifically for seaports, known as the Port Infrastructure Development Program in the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations bill. From the $293 million total he secured, he ensured that $93 million would be prioritized for top-tier ports in need of critical infrastructure, like a modern fumigation facility. The funds Congressman Díaz-Balart obtained for the PortMiami Phytosanitary and Cold Chain facility are $44 million.

    The groundbreaking is taking place five years later due to the land being temporarily used for the debris removal and cleanup from the 2021 Surfside condo collapse tragedy.

    Once complete, the facility will support the safe and efficient flow of agricultural products, including the large volume of flowers Florida receives, as well as food products free from pests and diseases. It will offer specialized treatment and cold storage for a wide range of goods, including fruits, vegetables, spices, meats, seafood, frozen items, pharmaceuticals, biological samples, and cosmetics.

    The project will enhance the region’s capacity to handle sensitive commodities and expand PortMiami’s competitiveness in global trade. U.S. seaports are not only drivers of economic growth, but they are also critical to national security.

    For years, PortMiami, one of the busiest and most strategic ports in the country, had been operating at a disadvantage. While other ports could process thousands of pallets at once, PortMiami’s space was limited to fumigating just 20 pallets per trailer, and paying a U.S. Department of Agriculture fee each time. This inefficiency placed our region’s competitiveness and supply chain integrity at risk.

    Former Port Director Juan Kuryla, then-Aviation Director Lester Sola, and the County under then-Mayor Carlos A. Giménez were able to identify land at Miami International Airport for the construction of this renowned facility. A seamless transition for the Port and MIA Cargo, this facility expands capacity for the Port, reduces costs, and ensures faster, safer handling of perishable goods, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, meats, and more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Oswaldo Payá Way”: Bill Would Rename Street Outside Cuban Regime’s Embassy in Honor of the Slain Pro-Democracy Activist and Leader

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL-26) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) re-introduced a bipartisan bill that renames the street in front of the Cuban Regime’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., as “Oswaldo Payá Way,” in honor of Cuba’s slain pro-democracy activist and leader of the Christian Liberation Movement.

    Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas was murdered on July 22, 2012, in a car crash orchestrated by the Castro regime alongside young activist Harold Cepero, who also perished. Spanish activist Angel Carromero survived and has described the horrific ordeal in detail.

    Last month, his daughter, Rosa María Payá, was elected to serve as a commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). She has dedicated her life to supporting freedom for the Cuban people and others living in tyranny in our hemisphere, while ensuring that we never forget the sacrifice that so many have made, including her father, in the struggle for freedom.

    The original House cosponsors include: 

    María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Carlos A. Giménez (R-FL-28), Darren Soto (D-FL-9) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11).

    The Senate companion was reintroduced by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Rick Scott (R-FL)

    “Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas and Harold Cepero’s sacrifice serves as a harsh reminder that the ruthless Cuban regime has no reverence for human life, dignity, or fundamental rights. Renaming the street in front of the embassy in D.C. for Payá will honor those lost while ensuring that their legacy in the struggle for a free Cuba endures. The Cuban people will be free, thanks to courageous heroes who continue to risk everything in the name of freedom,” said Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart.

    “Confronted by decades of violence, threats and and intimidation, Oswaldo Payá demanded that Cuba allow more freedom to its people. I proudly join my colleagues in honoring this human rights hero by making his presence permanent, right in front of the Cuban Embassy, as a constant reminder of his work to bring justice to the Cuban people,” said Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

    Bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Díaz-Balart’s Legislation to Create a Unique ZIP Code for the Town of Miami Lakes Passes the House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Dean of the Florida Delegation, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed his legislation, H.R. 672, to create a unique ZIP code for the Town of Miami Lakes.

    [embedded content]

    “I am thrilled that my legislation to establish a unique ZIP code for the Town of Miami Lakes has passed the U.S. House of Representatives for the third time. The next step is to bring it to the Senate for a vote,” said Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart.”Residents of Miami Lakes have long faced delays and issues with mail and package delivery, as well as inaccurate census data that has negatively impacted the Town’s operating revenue. These challenges have affected vital funding intended for services such as senior programs and led to wildly fluctuating insurance rates, including for cars. Miami Lakes has been waiting for over 20 years to secure a stand-alone ZIP code, and with my bill’s passage, we’re one step closer to providing a long-overdue solution.” 

    “It’s high time communities like Miami Lakes receive their own zip code. This simple and common sense change would vastly improve life for customers of the United States Postal Service like Miami Lakers. I urge every member of Congress to continue supporting H.R. 672 to help enhance service for communities like mine. I again want to thank Congressman Diaz-Balart for all his efforts over the years to make our own zip code a reality and I also want to thank Senator Scott for his efforts as the bill makes its way to the United States Senate.” said Mayor Joshua Dieguez.

    Bill text is available here. 

    The Senate Companion bill was introduced by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Alex Padilla (D-CA). 

    Background: 

    In 2016, Díaz-Balart successfully included a provision in H.R. 6303 that would have authorized USPS to establish a dedicated ZIP code for Miami Lakes and several other municipalities. This bill passed the U.S. House and was sent to the U.S. Senate for further consideration. Similarly, in 2018, Diaz-Balart introduced a bill to designate a unique ZIP code for Miami Lakes, which also passed the House and was sent to the U.S. Senate for further consideration. Additionally, in 2019, 2021, and 2023 Rep. Díaz-Balart introduced similar legislation to address this issue.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Díaz-Balart: Doing More for National Security with Less, in the FY 2026 National Security and State Department Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP), Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), joined Cheryl Casone on Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss the NSRP Fiscal Year 2026 funding bill, concerns over a potential Democrat-led government shutdown, and allegations surrounding former President Obama’s role in the Russia collusion hoax against President Trump.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feeling the Heat: Perseverance Looks for Evidence of Contact Metamorphism 

    Source: NASA

    Written by Melissa Rice, Professor of Planetary Science at Western Washington University

    Following a short break for the July 4th holiday, Perseverance drove westward to a site called “Westport,” where the clay-bearing “Krokodillen” unit meets an olivine-bearing rock formation. It is possible that the olivine-rich rocks are an intrusive igneous unit, meaning they could have formed when molten magma from deep within Mars got pushed upwards and cooled under the surface. If that’s the case, Westport could preserve a dramatic moment in Mars’ history when hot, molten material intruded into existing rock formations.  
    Those intrusive processes are common on Earth, and the heat of the intruding magma can fundamentally alter the surrounding geology through a process called “contact metamorphism.” The heat from the intrusion will “bake” nearby rocks, creating new minerals and potentially new environments for microbial life. Conversely, the intrusive rocks get rapidly “chilled” where they meet preexisting solid rock formations. 
    At Westport, Perseverance is looking for evidence that the Krokodillen rocks at the contact were baked, and that the olivine-bearing rocks at the contact were chilled. Images from the Mastcam-Z instrument reveal that the contact is littered with intriguing dark, rubbly rocks alongside lighter-toned, smooth boulders. Both rock types are proving challenging to study. 
    The dark fragments are too small and rough for Perseverance’s standard abrasion techniques, but the rover cleared off the surface of a rock called “Holyrood Bay” with its gas Dust Removal Tool (gDRT). Perseverance also tried to abrade a nearby boulder named “Drake’s Point,” but the rock shifted to the side, causing the abrasion to stop short. The science questions here are compelling enough, however, that Perseverance will keep trying to look within the rocks at this important boundary. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4607-4608: Deep Dip

    Source: NASA

    Written by Deborah Padgett, MSL OPGS Task Lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
    Earth planning date: Monday, July 21, 2025
    Curiosity continues our exploration of the fractured boxwork terrain on the slopes of Mount Sharp. After a successful 5-meter drive (about 16 feet), our rover is resting in a hollow on its way to a boxwork ridge viewpoint. Over the weekend, Curiosity began an atmospheric observation with the SAM instrument, which will continue into today’s plan. Because the SAM instrument is complex and powerful, it uses a great deal of energy when it operates, causing what we call a “deep dip” in the battery charge level. This means that we have to wait a bit after the SAM observations complete for the battery to recharge enough for Curiosity to observe its surroundings with other science instruments, or move its arm or wheels. For this reason, the plan today does not include a drive, and contact science at this location will be done on the second sol of the plan. 
    On Sol 4607, Curiosity will begin the day with SAM atmospheric composition activity, which will run for several hours. After it finishes, we will use the rover’s navigation camera to perform a cloud altitude observation, looking for cloud shadows on the upper reaches of Mount Sharp, and clouds drifting by overhead at the zenith. Overnight, Curiosity’s battery will recharge, allowing us to perform a targeted science block on the morning of Sol 4608. This starts with Navcam observations of dust opacity across the floor of Gale Crater, then a measurement of dust in the air toward the Sun with Mastcam. Curiosity then turns Mastcam toward the ridge ahead to obtain a 15×1 mosaic on target “Cueva De Los Vencejos Y Murcielagos (Cave of Swifts and Bats).” Afterwards, Mastcam will look back along Curiosity’s tracks, hoping to see freshly broken rocks and determine the texture of disturbed ground. Next, ChemCam’s laser spectrograph will zap a nodular rock pillar named for the famous high-altitude “Lake Titicaca” bordering Bolivia and Peru. A second ChemCam observation with the RMI telescopic camera will study stratigraphy on the Mishe Mokwa butte with a 5×2 image mosaic. Mastcam will finish off this science block by looking at the pits left behind by the ChemCam laser on target “Lake Titicaca.”  
    In the afternoon, Curiosity’s arm will reach out to brush the dust from the bedrock target “La Tranquita,” then observe it with the MAHLI microscopic imager and APXS. MAHLI and APXS will also investigate plate-like rock formations at target “Aqua Dulce.” A third target with more complex rock structures dubbed “Paposo,” after a natural monument along the Pacific Coast of northern Chile, will be imaged only by MAHLI. The next morning will include another targeted science block. Curiosity will then drive away toward the next viewpoint in the boxwork terrain of Mars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brilliant Bloom in the Baltic Sea

    Source: NASA

    Most summers, phytoplankton populations explode into a full-fledged “bloom” in the nutrient-rich waters of the Baltic Sea. Summer 2025 was no exception, as the tiny plant-like organisms amassed into bright green patches that swirled with the winds and currents.
    The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9 captured these images of a bloom on July 20, 2025. They show parts of the sea south of the Swedish island of Gotland (above) and southeast of Stockholm (below). The dark, relatively straight lines crossing the detailed image below are the wakes of boats cutting through the bloom-filled waters.

    Identification of the type of phytoplankton within this bloom cannot be determined based on these satellite images alone. But experts from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) reported that surface waters that day contained cyanobacteria—an ancient type of marine bacteria that captures and stores solar energy through photosynthesis. Suspended sediment and pollen can also contribute to the yellow-green color in parts of the sea, but the SMHI maps of cyanobacteria match the locations shown in these images.
    Researchers have shown that cyanobacteria, previously known as blue-green “algae,” typically start to show up in this part of the Baltic Sea sometime between late June and mid-July. They can grow swiftly when nutrients like phosphorus are abundant in warm, stratified waters, and they can take advantage of dissolved nitrogen in the water. Cyanobacteria impact everything from nitrogen cycling and the marine food web to bottom-layer oxygen deficiencies when the phytoplankton are broken down by bacteria.
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA eClips STEM Student Ambassadors Light Up CNU’s 2025 STEM Community Day

    Source: NASA

    More than 2,000 curious visitors from Newport News and the surrounding Hampton Roads region of Virginia flocked to Christopher Newport University (CNU) on May 31, 2025 for their annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Community Day, and the NASA eClips team from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE) made sure every one of them left with their eyes—and imaginations—fixed on the Sun.
    At the heart of the NASA eClips exhibit were NIA’s STEM Student Ambassadors—a team of carefully selected high school students from the Tidewater region of Virginia who underwent extensive training with NASA eClips educators during the summer of 2024. These bright, enthusiastic young leaders are passionate about communicating about and advocating for STEM. The STEM Student Ambassador program is made possible through a Coastal Virginia STEM Hub grant from the Virginia General Assembly and is already having an impact.
    Throughout the day, the Ambassadors engaged learners of all ages with two creative, hands-on experiences that connected STEM and the arts:

    Chalk Corona – Using black construction paper and vibrant chalk, participants recreated the Sun’s corona—the super-hot, gaseous “crown” that’s visible during a total solar eclipse. While they shaded and smudged, the Ambassadors explained why the corona is so important to solar research and handed out certified solar viewers for safe Sun-watching back home.
    Pastel Auroras – Visitors also discovered how solar wind, storms, and coronal mass ejections (aka Sun “sneezes”) spark Earth’s dazzling auroras. Guided by the Ambassadors, budding artists layered pastels to capture swirling curtains of light, tying recent mid-Atlantic aurora sightings to real-time space weather.

    Throughout the day, the Ambassadors’ energy was contagious, turning complex heliophysics into hands-on fun and opening eyes to the opportunities and careers that await in STEM. Judging by the smiles—and the dusting of chalk and pastels—NASA eClips’ presence was, quite literally, the “crowning” touch on an unforgettable community celebration of STEM.
    The NASA eClips project provides educators with standards-based videos, activities, and lessons to increase STEM literacy through the lens of NASA. It is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB91A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    ST

    LOUIS – If you have applied for help after recent disasters in Missouri, stay in touch with FEMA and the U

    S

    Small Business Administration about your on-going recovery needs

    Helpful Tips: Read your letter from FEMA carefully

    Provide contractor estimates for disaster-related repairs

    Must include the contractor’s contact information

    When contacting FEMA, provide your nine-digit FEMA registration ID number

    Keep receipts for disaster-related purchases (items to make repairs to home, hotel receipts, etc

    )

    Contact FEMA if your current housing situation, phone number, or mailing address have changed

     You can stay in touch with FEMA by visiting DisasterAssistance

    gov, calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, or visiting a Disaster Recovery Center

    Visit a Disaster Recovery CenterLOCATIONSHOURS OF OPERATIONUnion Tabernacle M

    B

    Church626 N

    Newstead Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63108Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedUrban League Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center 4401 Natural Bridge Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63115Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSumner High School — Parking Lot4248 Cottage Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63113Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSt

    Louis County LibraryMid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave

    Clayton, MO 63105Tuesday-Thursday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Closing Permanently: Thursday, July 24St

    Louis County LibraryPrairie Commons Branch915 Utz Ln

    Hazelwood, MO 63042Tuesday-Thursday:  8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Closing Permanently: Thursday, July 24U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA) CentersIf you do not qualify for FEMA assistance, or to supplement FEMA assistance, a disaster loan from the SBA may be available

    SBA’s Business Recovery Centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers serve as a one-stop shop for disaster assistance

    These centers provide in-person support with SBA disaster loan applications, help applicants check their loan status, and offer guidance on funds available to businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters impacted in a declared disaster area

    SBA representatives are also in all Disaster Recovery Centers

    LOCATIONSHOURS OF OPERATIONSBA Business Recovery CenterSt

    Louis Community College – Harrison Education Center3140 Cass Ave

     St

    Louis, MO 63106Monday-Friday: 8:30 a

    m

    -6:30 p

    m

    Saturday and Sunday: ClosedSBA Disaster Loan Outreach CenterSt

    Louis County Library – Florissant Valley Branch195 S New Florissant Rd

     Florissant, MO 63031Monday-Thursday: 9 a

    m

    -6 p

    m

    Friday and Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -5 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSBA Disaster Loan Outreach CenterSt

    Louis County Library – Mid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave

    Clayton, MO 63105Opening Friday, July 25Monday-Thursday: 9 a

    m

    -6 p

    m

    Friday: 9 a

    m

    -5 p

    m

     Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

    Sunday: Closed Important Deadline – March 14-15 Missouri DisasterHomeowners and renters affected by the March 14-15 disaster in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St

    Louis, Wayne, Webster and Wright counties may be eligible

    The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is July 22, 2025

    Important Deadline – May 16 Missouri DisasterHomeowners and renters affected by the May 16 disaster in St

    Louis City, St

    Louis County and Scott County may also be eligible

    The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is August 11, 2025

    You can still ask for additional assistance, as long as you submit an initial application before the deadline

    sara

    zuckerman
    Tue, 07/22/2025 – 20:04

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Challenge Wraps, Student Teams Complete Space Suit Challenges

    Source: NASA

    After months of work in the NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) challenge, more than 100 students from 12 universities across the United States traveled to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to showcase potential user interface designs for future generations of spacesuits and rovers.  
    NASA Johnson’s simulated Moon and Mars surface, called “the rock yard,” became the students’ testing ground as they braved the humid nights and abundance of mosquitoes to put their innovative designs to the test. Geraldo Cisneros, the tech team lead, said, “This year’s SUITS challenge was a complete success. It provided a unique opportunity for NASA to evaluate the software designs and tools developed by the student teams, and to explore how similar innovations could contribute to future, human-centered Artemis missions. My favorite part of the challenge was watching how the students responded to obstacles and setbacks. Their resilience and determination were truly inspiring.”

    Students filled their jam-packed days not only with testing, but also with guest speakers and tours. Swastik Patel from Purdue University said, “All of the teams really enjoyed being here, seeing NASA facilities, and developing their knowledge with NASA coordinators and teams from across the nation. Despite the challenges, the camaraderie between all the participants and staff was very helpful in terms of getting through the intensity. Can’t wait to be back next year!”

    “This week has been an incredible opportunity. Just seeing the energy and everything that’s going on here was incredible. This week has really made me reevaluate a lot of things that I shoved aside. I’m grateful to NASA for having this opportunity, and hopefully we can continue to have these opportunities.”  
    At the end of test week, each student team presented their projects to a panel of experts. These presentations served as a platform for students to showcase not only their technical achievements but also their problem-solving approaches, teamwork, and vision for real-world application. The panel–composed of NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham, Flight Director Garrett Hehn, and industry leaders–posed thought-provoking questions and offered constructive feedback that challenged the students to think critically and further refine their ideas. Their insights highlighted potential areas for growth, new directions for exploration, and ways to enhance the impact of their projects. The students left the session energized and inspired, brimming with new ideas and a renewed enthusiasm for future development and innovation. Burnham remarked, “The students did such a great job. They’re all so creative and wonderful, definitely something that can be implemented in the future.” 

    NASA SUITS test week was not only about pushing boundaries; it was about earning a piece of history. Three Artemis Student Challenge Awards were presented. The Innovation and Pay it Forward awards were chosen by the NASA team, recognizing the most groundbreaking and impactful designs. Students submitted nominations for the Artemis Educator Award, celebrating the faculty member who had a profound influence on their journeys. The Innovation Award went to Team JARVIS from Purdue University and Indiana State University, for going above and beyond in their ingenuity, creativity, and inventiveness. Team Selene from Midwestern State University earned the Pay it Forward Award for conducting meaningful education events in the community and beyond. The Artemis Educator Award was given to Maggie Schoonover from Wichita State University in Kansas for the time, commitment, and dedication she gave to her team.
    “The NASA SUITS challenge completes its eighth year in operation due to the generous support of NASA’s EVA and Human Surface Mobility Program,” said NASA Activity Manager Jamie Semple. “This challenge fosters an environment where students learn essential skills to immediately enter a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career, and directly contribute to NASA mission operations. These students are creating proposals, generating designs, working in teams similar to the NASA workforce, utilizing artificial intelligence, and designing mission operation solutions that could be part of the Artemis III mission and beyond. NASA’s student design challenges are an important component of STEM employment development and there is no better way to learn technical skills to ensure future career success.”
    The week serves as a springboard for the next generation of space exploration, igniting curiosity, ambition, and technical excellence among young innovators. By engaging with real-world challenges and technologies, participants not only deepen their understanding of space science but also actively contribute to shaping its future. Each challenge tackled, each solution proposed, and each connection formed represents a meaningful step forward; not just for the individuals involved, but for humanity as a whole. With every iteration of the program, the dream of venturing further into space becomes more tangible, transforming what once seemed like science fiction into achievable milestones.
    Are you interested in joining the next NASA SUITS challenge? Find more information here.
    The next challenge will open for proposals at the end of August 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor – News Release – Gov. Green, First Lady, DHS Director Urge Families to Apply for SUN Bucks

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 22, 2025

    HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green, M.D., First Lady Jaime Kanani Green and Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Ryan Yamane, gathered today to raise awareness about the SUN Bucks Summer EBT program and encourage families to apply before the fast-approaching August 3, 2025 deadline.

    SUN Bucks is a new and permanent program that provides $177 per eligible child in food benefits to help families during the summer months when access to school meals is limited. The program is a joint effort between the state of Hawai‘i and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that aims to bridge the summer nutrition gap for keiki across the islands.

    “Today is about something simple, but incredibly important — making sure our children have enough to eat,” said Governor Green. “SUN Bucks is a reminder that when we invest in our keiki, we invest in the future of our state. These benefits don’t just help families — they strengthen our local economy by putting dollars directly into our grocery stores, farmers markets and food systems.”

    First Lady Green, who has championed the effort since its launch in 2024, emphasized her commitment to ending childhood hunger across Hawai‘i.

    “In Hawai‘i, we care for one another — we mālama our keiki, our kūpuna and our ‘ohana,” she said. “SUN Bucks reflects those values. It’s about ensuring every child has what they need nutritionally to grow and thrive — not just during the school year, but all year long. No child in Hawai‘i should ever go hungry and this program helps us live up to that kuleana.”

    According to DHS, more than 80,000 children statewide have already received benefits, representing over $14 million in food assistance. However, thousands more may still be eligible.

    “We’re proud of the progress so far — but we also know many families still need support,” said DHS Director Yamane. “If your child was approved for free or reduced-price meals, or your family received SNAP or TANF, you’re already eligible and don’t need to apply. But if you’re not sure, don’t wait — visit sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov or call 1-888-975-7328. We’re here to help.”

    Eligible families that don’t automatically qualify have until August 3, 2025, to submit an application. Cards are mailed to qualifying households and can be used anywhere EBT is accepted, including local farmers markets through the Da Bux program.

    For more information or to apply, visit sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov or call 1-888-975-SEBT (7328).

    Photos from today’s news conference can be found here.
    Video footage from today’s news conference can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welsh Secretary heads to US and Canada to boost trade and investment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Welsh Secretary heads to US and Canada to boost trade and investment

    This visit comes as Aston Martin resume exports to the US, protecting 600 jobs in St Athan.

    Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens with Aston Martin apprentices in St Athan in May 2025

    • The deal negotiated with the US protects thousands of car making jobs and supports growth in the Welsh aerospace industry.
    • Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, in Toronto and New York to drive further inward investment to Wales

    Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens is this week (22-25 July) travelling to the United States and Canada on a mission to boost trade and investment in Wales. The two countries are among the most significant markets for Welsh exports, with goods and services worth over £2 billion destined for the US and Canada each year. 

    Trade and investment between Wales and North America supports over 50,000 Welsh jobs. With the significant economic links between the countries, the US and Canada provides Welsh businesses with great opportunities to grow and prosper. The visit follows the signing of the UK’s economic prosperity deal with the US in May, protecting businesses and securing jobs across the country, and boosting key sectors in Wales like steel, aerospace, car making and life sciences.

    Car manufacturer Aston Martin, which has a base in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan employing at least 600 people, resumed exports to the United States following the successful trade deal. The Welsh Secretary will visit the new Aston Martin showroom in New York City and meet executives.

    Jo Stevens’ visit to North America comes after the UK Government’s publication of its Industrial Strategy and aims to highlight Wales as a key destination for inward investment into the UK.

    During the visit the Welsh Secretary will raise awareness of this December’s Investment Summit in Wales, encouraging North American business leaders and investors to participate in the event.

    Driving investment into Wales is the Welsh Secretary’s primary goal, with high profile business facing events and roundtable meetings with industry leaders and investors in Toronto and New York.

     Her programme includes: 

    • Hosting a reception for business at Aston Martin’s new showroom in New York City

    • Meeting key Canadian businesses with an interest in Wales – including from manufacturing and other sectors – at a roundtable meeting in Toronto.

    • A business breakfast with investors in sport real estate in the UK in New York. 

    Speaking ahead of the visit, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

    There are strong and important economic and cultural ties between Wales and North America and it is fantastic to be able to promote these and help strengthen them further.

    The UK Government has made economic growth our key mission and our new trade deal with the United States delivers fantastic benefits for our key businesses like Aston Martin and for working people across Wales.

    I want to build on this progress and while I am in the USA and Canada I will be discussing further opportunities for investment in Wales with companies like Aston Martin.

    My message is very clear – Wales is open for business.

    Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America, Alan Gogbashian said: 

    From sports economy firms to the automotive industry, Wales plays a key role in the UK economy, and has strong trade and investment ties with Canada and the United States.

    It’s fantastic to host the Secretary of State for Wales in New York and Toronto this week to engage with current transatlantic businesses including Aston Martin, and to connect with potential investors ahead of the Investment Summit in Wales later this year.

    The Welsh Secretary’s itinerary also includes a reception in Toronto with business and cultural groups with interests in Wales and meetings with individual investors in Wales like Vale Mining. 

    The Welsh Secretary travels to Toronto on Tuesday, 22 July and then onto New York City before returning to the UK on 25 July.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Folkestone business wins US contract through $475,000 UK Export Finance deal

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Folkestone business wins US contract through $475,000 UK Export Finance deal

    UKEF announces its support for British engineering firm Dyrhoff, enabling the company to supply key components for a large-scale water management project in the United States.

    A water control gate installed by Dyrhoff in Scotland. Image provided by Dyrhoff

    • Dyrhoff, a Folkestone-based provider of water control gates, has recently won a major export contract following support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and NatWest.

    • The business is supporting a flood protection project in North Dakota, using both UK and internationally manufactured parts.

    Dyrhoff, a provider of water control gates, has won a major contract to deliver two pneumatically operated spillway gates for a flood protection project in North Dakota, USA, following support from a government financing scheme.

    Throughout its more than 30 years, the business has specialised in the design and supply of inflatable rubber dams and spillway gates. These gates can be used to reduce flood risk and aid water regulation.

    In line with the government’s Plan for Change and its mission to kickstart economic growth, UKEF guaranteed a $475,000 finance facility to be issued by NatWest. This facility enabled Dyrhoff to meet the bonding terms required to win the contract in North Dakota.

    Dyrhoff works with UK and international partners to engineer and manufacture parts which are subsequently assembled at the project location. The majority of Dyrhoff’s business originates from overseas contracts, contributing to 156 projects in over 33 countries, including USA, Italy, Canada, Norway, Turkey, Portugal and Indonesia.

    Although Dyrhoff is a seasoned exporter, the financial support provided by UKEF has enabled the business to win one of its largest contracts to date.

    As a result of the North Dakota deal and other successful contracts, Dyrhoff is now planning to increase staff numbers at its manufacturing facility in Folkestone, Kent.

    Don Mason, Director at Dyrhoff said:

    We have been providing market-leading rubber dam and spillway solutions since 1989, but the support afforded by UKEF has enabled us to set our sights on an exciting overseas growth opportunity.

    By assisting us in winning such a significant project for the business, UKEF support has set us up to carry on building momentum in key markets like the USA. Despite economic uncertainty in the market, we are now well placed to use this project as a springboard for success.

    Lisa Maddison-Brown, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex Export Finance Manager at UKEF said:

    We are really pleased to be able to assist a business which maintains a focus on developing critical infrastructure to keep areas safe from flooding. A key goal of ours is to continue placing British engineering at the heart of vital projects worldwide, and Dyrhoff is helping to do just that.

    Ellie Morrison, Trade Finance Manager at NatWest commented:

    I’m delighted to announce NatWest’s Trade Finance support for Dyrhoff, as they secure a significant export contract creating impactful engineering solutions that serve a crucial international and domestic purpose.

    The financing package has equipped Dyrhoff to meet essential bonding requirements, thereby enabling the company to secure and mobilise on this project. This partnership, facilitated with the support of UK Export Finance, aligns with NatWest’s commitments to foster the growth of UK-based businesses and contributing to vital infrastructure projects worldwide.

    Dyrhoff are a great example of a successful UK exporter and NatWest is proud to support the business with the financial solutions they need to thrive globally.

    News of Dyrhoff’s success follows on from the recent publication of UKEF’s Annual Reports and Accounts for 2024/25. The department provided £14.5 billion in loans, guarantees and insurance in support of exporters of all sizes and supported up to 70,000 jobs.

    Contact

    Media enquiries:

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Reaffirms Commitment to Peaceful Dispute Resolution

    Source: Government of Qatar

    New York, July 23

    The State of Qatar foreign policy gives the highest priority to the peaceful settlement of disputes, particularly through mediation. This commitment is reflected in a track record of successful mediation efforts that have contributed to enhancing security and stability across various regions of the world, HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani stated.

    Delivering Qatar statement before the Security Council s high-level open debate on Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes at the UN Headquarters in New York, Her Excellency highlighted the tripartite summit held last March in Doha, during which HH the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani hosted HE the President of the Republic of Rwanda and HE the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    The summit contributed to creating favorable conditions for de-escalation, which led to the signing of the Declaration of Principles between representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and representatives of the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement, last Saturday in Doha. This declaration complements the peace agreement signed last month in Washington, D.C., between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda under the auspices of HE President of the United States of America Donald Trump, and supports the path toward a comprehensive peace agreement facilitated by the State of Qatar.

    On the situation in Afghanistan, Her Excellency reaffirmed that the State of Qatar will continue its mediation efforts to support the country in facing major challenges to achieving peace and stability. This includes hosting the UN-led Doha Process on Afghanistan, which aims to fully reintegrate Afghanistan into the international community.

    Addressing the situation in the Gaza Strip, Her Excellency stated that the outbreak of war in Gaza in 2023 posed a serious challenge to the international community. In line with its unwavering commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, the State of Qatar initiated intensive mediation efforts in cooperation with the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America. Despite the complexities, these efforts led to tangible outcomes, including a ceasefire agreement that improved humanitarian conditions and increased access to aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip, as well as the exchange of hundreds of prisoners and detainees. Mediation efforts are still ongoing to achieve a final ceasefire agreement that would bring an end to the war and its resulting humanitarian catastrophe.

    Her Excellency emphasized that Qatar has spared no effort in working with regional and international partners to prevent the further escalation and regional spread of the conflict, while consistently warning of the grave consequences of regional destabilization. Nevertheless, despite repeated international warnings, the Israeli military escalation has persisted, not only in Gaza but also targeting Lebanese, Syrian, and other territories in the region, leading to heightened tensions and threatening the stability of the entire region, culminating in a peak last June.

    She noted that the escalation on June 23 resulted in a direct missile attack on Qatari territory. However, Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted the missile, preserving the country s territorial integrity.

    Her Excellency further stated that Qatar was among the first countries to warn of the dangers of regional conflict escalation and the consequences of continued Israeli military actions. She reiterated Qatar s call for prioritizing diplomatic solutions, upholding the principles of good neighborliness, and exercising restraint over escalation. She also welcomed the ceasefire reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel, expressing hope that both parties would adhere to it and that it would serve as a foundation for meaningful dialogue and diplomacy, paving the way toward sustainable peace and stability.

    In conclusion, Her Excellency reiterated Qatar’s emphasis on the need for the Security Council to maintain its commitment to advancing peaceful processes and political solutions to avoid further human suffering and promote global stability. She called on the Council to assume its responsibilities in preventing conflicts and addressing violations of international law by enforcing its resolutions, ensuring respect for international norms, and ending impunity. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s UN envoy rejects US accusations over South China Sea

    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

    UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (Xinhua) — China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Tuesday rejected U.S. accusations against Beijing over the South China Sea issue at the Security Council open debate on multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes.

    The United States itself is creating problems, sowing discord and undermining trust in the South China Sea region, he said in response to accusations from a US representative.

    China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao (South China Sea Islands) and its adjacent waters. China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests in the SCS have sufficient historical and legal foundations, Fu Cong said.

    Beijing’s position on the SCS arbitration case has always been consistent and clear: China does not accept or recognize the so-called arbitration award and rejects any claims or actions based on it, the diplomat said.

    In reality, the overall situation in the SCS has remained stable in recent years, thanks to joint efforts with the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Fu Tsung emphasized. There are no problems with freedom of navigation and overflight, he added.

    China has been consistently working with all relevant countries to properly resolve differences over the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation based on respect for historical facts and international law, the Permanent Representative said. –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 –

  • Microsoft knew of SharePoint security flaw but failed to effectively patch it, timeline shows

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A security patch Microsoft released this month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech giant’s SharePoint server software, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage effort, a timeline reviewed by Reuters shows.

    On Tuesday, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that its initial solution to the flaw, identified at a hacker competition in May, did not work, but added that it released further patches that resolved the issue.

    It remains unclear who is behind the spy effort, which targeted about 100 organisations over the weekend, and is expected to spread as other hackers join the fray.

    In a blog post Microsoft said two allegedly Chinese hacking groups, dubbed “Linen Typhoon” and “Violet Typhoon,” were exploiting the weaknesses, along with a third, also based in China.

    Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google have said China-linked hackers were probably behind the first wave of hacks.

    Chinese government-linked operatives are regularly implicated in cyberattacks, but Beijing routinely denies such hacking operations.

    In an emailed statement, its embassy in Washington said China opposed all forms of cyberattacks, and “smearing others without solid evidence.”

    The vulnerability opening the way for the attack was first identified in May at a Berlin hacking competition organised by cybersecurity firm Trend Micro that offered cash bounties for finding computer bugs in popular software.

    It offered a $100,000 prize for so-called “zero-day” exploits that leverage previously undisclosed digital weaknesses that could be used against SharePoint, Microsoft’s flagship document management and collaboration platform.

    The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration, charged with maintaining and designing the nation’s cache of nuclear weapons, was among the agencies breached, Bloomberg News said on Tuesday, citing a person with knowledge of the matter.

    No sensitive or classified information is known to have been compromised, it added.

    The U.S. Energy Department, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on the report.

    A researcher for the cybersecurity arm of Viettel, a telecoms firm run by Vietnam’s military, identified a SharePoint bug at the May event, dubbed it “ToolShell” and demonstrated a way to exploit it.

    The discovery won the researcher an award of $100,000, an X posting by Trend Micro’s “Zero Day Initiative” showed.

    Participating vendors were responsible for patching and disclosing security flaws in “an effective and timely manner,” Trend Micro said in a statement.

    “Patches will occasionally fail,” it added. “This has happened with SharePoint in the past.”

    In a July 8 security update Microsoft said it had identified the bug, listed it as a critical vulnerability, and released patches to fix it.

    About 10 days later, however, cybersecurity firms started to notice an influx of malicious online activity targeting the same software the bug sought to exploit: SharePoint servers.

    “Threat actors subsequently developed exploits that appear to bypass these patches,” British cybersecurity firm Sophos said in a blog post on Monday.

    The pool of potential ToolShell targets remains vast.

    Hackers could theoretically have already compromised more than 8,000 servers online, data from search engine Shodan, which helps identify internet-linked equipment, shows.

    Such servers were in networks ranging from auditors, banks, healthcare companies and major industrial firms to U.S. state-level and international government bodies.

    The Shadowserver Foundation, which scans the internet for potential digital vulnerabilities, put the number at a little more than 9,000, cautioning that the figure is a minimum.

    It said most of those affected were in the United States and Germany.

    Germany’s federal office for information security, BSI, said on Tuesday it had found no compromised SharePoint servers in government networks, despite some being vulnerable to the ToolShell attack.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump says US completes trade deal with Japan

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States has reached a trade deal with Japan, which will impose a 15 percent tariff on Japanese goods.

    Japan will invest 550 billion U.S. dollars into the United States, which will receive 90 percent of the profits, said Trump, adding that the deal will create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

    “Japan will open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things. Japan will pay Reciprocal Tariffs to the United States of 15 percent,” said Trump in a post on social media.

    In a recent letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Trump threatened to raise the so-called reciprocal tariff on Japan to 25 percent starting Aug. 1, higher than the 24 percent tariff announced on April 2.

    As one of the major U.S. trading partners, Japan has been tough in bilateral trade talks.

    The United States saw 68.5 billion dollars of trade deficit in goods with Japan in 2024, with imports from Japan totalling 148.2 billion dollars and exports to Japan at 79.7 billion dollars, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

    Trump also announced a trade deal with the Philippines after meeting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier Tuesday.

    Still, the White House hasn’t released details on U.S. trade deals with the Philippines and Japan.

    On Tuesday, the White House unveiled more details about the U.S. trade deal with Indonesia, which was announced on July 15.

    Indonesia will eliminate approximately 99 percent of tariff barriers for a full range of U.S. industrial, food and agricultural products exported to Indonesia, while the United States will impose a 19 percent tariff on products imported from Indonesia, said a release by the White House.

    Indonesia will remove restrictions on exports to the United States of industrial commodities, including critical minerals, it said.

    Trump has signed an executive order earlier this month to extend the 90-day suspension of sweeping U.S. reciprocal tariffs from July 9 to Aug. 1, with trade negotiations ongoing with the European Union and other major trading partners. 

    MIL OSI China News –