NewzIntel.com

Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Global: What UK involvement in Iran could look like – and the political questions it raises

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Geraint Hughes, Reader in Diplomatic and Military History, King’s College London

    Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street, CC BY-NC-ND

    At the time of writing, US President Donald Trump is deliberating over whether to join Israel’s air campaign to destroy Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme. This is already a contentious issue within Washington DC and the Trump administration. But if the president decides to take the US into a war with Iran, it will have significant implications for the US’s allies, not least the UK.

    As the recent strategic defence review emphasises, the US is Britain’s main ally, an essential partner in defence and intelligence.

    However, the Trump administration has made clear to its European allies that it no longer regards the defence of the continent as a US national security priority. And the president’s commitment to Nato is uncertain.

    It is possible that Britain and other European allies could be publicly pressured by Trump to support any intervention on Israel’s side. The US may expect this in return for the US’s continued involvement in Nato and its readiness to honour article 5 (the collective defence principle, which obliges collective retaliation to aggression against one member) for its allies.

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

    Given the importance of American military power in deterring wider Russian aggression in Europe – and Trump’s transactional character – this would present Keir Starmer with a particularly stark dilemma.

    A purely US air campaign against Iran is feasible. The US Navy will soon have two carrier strike groups in the Middle East region. And the US Air Force’s B2 strategic bombers can launch raids across the globe from bases in the continental US.

    The US also has several military bases in the region. However, as was the case with the 1991 and 2003 wars with Iraq, Washington DC will need permission from Gulf Arab allies to use them.

    Nonetheless, the Trump administration could request authorisation from the UK’s Labour government to use US airbases in the UK and its overseas territories to support an air campaign against Iran. This would not involve the UK deploying forces, but would require the UK to approve the use of the airbases.

    The Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean would be a useful asset in this case. But its employment would reopen the controversy over its establishment in the 1960s.

    It could also call into question the diplomatic deal the UK made with Mauritius last month to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, while keeping this base open. The Mauritians are likely to oppose US airstrikes on Iran.

    Britain also has options for direct participation. RAF Typhoon jets stationed at Britain’s airbase in Akrotiri, Cyprus provided air defence support for Israel during the Iranian missile and drone strikes in April and October 2024. They could conduct similar missions now.

    But from the Royal Navy’s perspective, it would be difficult to divert the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales from its deployment to the Indo-Pacific, partly because the task group it sails with is a multinational one.

    Given that the British armed forces are already overstretched, it is difficult to see whether the UK could provide more than basing rights and air support to the Israelis (if requested).

    A discreet commitment of UK special forces (the 22nd Special Air Service regiment and the Special Boat Service) on the ground is conceivable. This can be – and indeed has been – authorised by previous governments without parliamentary debate. But any further British military commitment is likely to cause a political row.

    Legal and political ramifications

    The key question for Starmer and his ministers will not be whether Britain could back a US war against Iran but whether it should. After the debacle of the Iraq war and the ensuing Chilcot inquiry, it is difficult to see how any government – let alone a Labour one – can take Britain into a major interstate conflict on this scale without firm parliamentary support and a solid case in international law.

    To this end, the Attorney General Richard Hermer has reportedly questioned the legality of Israel’s preemptive attack on Iran, and has argued that any British military intervention should be limited to the defence of its allies.

    We should not forget that Starmer was a human rights lawyer and the head of the Crown Prosecution Service before he became a politician.

    Another legacy of Iraq is that it is customary (though not a legal requirement) for prime ministers to seek parliamentary approval for any major military operation. David Cameron lost a vote in the House of Commons to approve airstrikes against Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in August 2013. But he gained parliamentary support for Britain’s commitment to the fight against Islamic State in 2015.

    A similar debate now is unlikely to lead to approval of British military intervention in this case. Within the Labour party, there is already widespread condemnation of Israeli tactics and Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza.

    There is little popular appetite for sending British sailors and airmen into a war with Iran. And, given the US vice-president’s own dismissive comments about the military experiences of European allies, the public is also entitled to ask why British servicemen should die or risk breaching international law for an administration that probably will not appreciate their sacrifice.

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

    – ref. What UK involvement in Iran could look like – and the political questions it raises – https://theconversation.com/what-uk-involvement-in-iran-could-look-like-and-the-political-questions-it-raises-259420

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Questions Army Leaders on Munitions Production, Drone Utilization and Funding Challenges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) questioned Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George about the Army’s modernization initiative and its potential impact as well as the importance of stable funding and current and future drone capabilities at a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing.

    “I share your concerns with modernization. I share the concerns of many in Congress about the loss of the organic industrial base. Current events have made one thing clear: the commercial industrial base alone cannot meet our munitions demands. That’s why Congress has advocated for investing in Army-owned, organic industrial base facilities,” Boozman said.

    “It is – there are probably a couple of threats if we don’t figure out how to get scalable solutions together, we are going to put our Army in a bad position and that is absolutely one of them. I would be honored to work with you,” Driscoll stated.

    Boozman, along with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04), has pushed back on the Army’s intentions to potentially downsize the Pine Bluff Arsenal rather than expand its operations to help meet munitions needs. The lawmakers subsequently called for detailed plans for the future of the Arsenal as a critical element of the defense industrial base.

    As a senior Appropriations Committee member, Boozman also questioned the effect temporary funding and authorities – in the form or continuing resolutions – has on military missions and commitments.

    “We wouldn’t be able to make some of the changes because it would be based on previous years. That would obviously be a detriment to us in the Army. We know the battlefield is constantly changing,” George responded.

    “Predictable funding is a virtuous concept that helps us in a lot of different ways. When we continue to have CRs, it makes our spending decisions and the downstream effect on our suppliers even more amplified,” Driscoll continued.

    The senator concluded by pressing for details on the Army’s plan to integrate and field mass small drone technology in light of recent drone attacks abroad, including Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web that successfully targeted Russia’s air fleet.

    “We need to produce – we’re producing very few drones stateside. We need to have [that] here in our organic industrial base. That’s certainly one area where there’s an intersection where we need to improve on,” George explained.

    Boozman previously discussed the threat of drone attacks on U.S. domestic military installations and assets with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Richardson Brothers Foundation announced as sponsors for Armed Forces Day 2025 event

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The event, which has welcomed the Richardson Brothers Foundation onboard as this year’s sponsors, is on Saturday 28 June, noon to 4pm, at West Park, and will be buzzing with activities for people of all ages, focusing on free family fun throughout the day.

    City of Wolverhampton’s Mayor, Councillor Craig Collingswood, said: “It’s fantastic to have the Richardson Brothers Foundation come on board as sponsors of our annual Armed Forces Day event.

    “Wolverhampton has a special relationship with our Armed Forces as do I with my son serving in the British Army, and this fantastic, free and fun event for all the family is a wonderful way to mark this – I look forward to seeing you there, joining the festivities with you and celebrating all that the Armed Forces do to defend our nation at home and abroad.”

    Jan Jennings, on behalf of the Richardson Brothers Foundation, said: “The Richardson Brothers Foundation is pleased to be supporting Wolverhampton’s Armed Forces Day. The family’s support for the military goes back decades and Carl Richardson was appointed Honorary Colonel of 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment in 2024. We hope the day is a huge success where people can find out more about the Armed Forces and celebrate the amazing work they do.”

    Don’t miss the Armed Forces Parade at 1pm and there are also funfair rides and inflatables, street food and bar traders, free activities including face painting, smoothie bike and much more for all the family to enjoy.

    For more information, please visit Armed Forces Covenant.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stone tools from a cave on South Africa’s coast speak of life at the end of the Ice Age

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sara Watson, Assistant Professor, Indiana State University

    The Earth of the last Ice Age (about 26,000 to 19,000 years ago) was very different from today’s world.

    In the northern hemisphere, ice sheets up to 8 kilometres tall covered much of Europe, Asia and North America, while much of the southern hemisphere became drier as water was drawn into the northern glaciers.

    As more and more water was transformed into ice, global sea levels dropped as much as 125 metres from where they are now, exposing land that had been under the ocean.

    In southernmost Africa, receding coastlines exposed an area of the continental shelf known as the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain. At its maximum extent, it covered an area of about 36,000km² along the south coast of what’s now South Africa.

    This now – extinct ecosystem was a highly productive landscape with abundant grasslands, wetlands, permanent water drainage systems, and seasonal flood plains. The Palaeo-Agulhas Plain was likely most similar to the present day Serengeti in east Africa. It would likely have been able to support large herds of migratory animals and the people who hunted them.

    We now know more about how these people lived thanks to data from a new archaeological site called Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1.

    The site sits 23 metres above sea level on the southern coast of South Africa overlooking the Indian Ocean. You can watch whales from the site today, but during the Ice Age the ocean was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the site looked out over the vast grasslands; the coast was 75 kilometres away.

    Archaeological investigation of the cave began in 2014, led by Naomi Cleghorn of the University of Texas. This work shows that humans have been using the site for much of the last 48,000 years or more. Occupations bridge the Middle to Later Stone Age transition, which occurred sometime between about 40,000 and 25,000 years ago in southern Africa.

    That transition is a time period where we see dramatic changes in the technologies people were using, including changes in raw materials selected for making tools and a shift towards smaller tools. These changes are poorly understood due to a lack of sites with occupations dating to this time. Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 is the first site on the southern coast that provides a continuous occupational record near the end of the Pleistocene (Ice Age) and documents how life changed for people living on the edge of the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain.

    Before the Ice Age, people there collected marine resources like shellfish when the coastline was close to the site. As the climate began to cool and sea levels dropped, they shifted their focus to land-based resources and game animals.

    I am one of the archaeologists who have been working here. In a new study, my colleagues and I analysed stone tools from the cave that date to about 19,000 to 18,000 years ago, and discussed how the techniques used to make them hint at the ways that prehistoric people travelled, interacted, and shared their craft.

    Based on this analysis, we think the cave may have been used as a temporary camp rather than a primary residence. And the similarity of the tools with those from other sites suggests people were connected over a huge region and shared ideas with each other, much like people do today.

    Robberg technology of southern Africa

    In human history, tools were invented in a succession of styles (“technologies” or “industries”), which can indicate the time and place where they were made and what they were used for.

    The Robberg is one of southern Africa’s most distinctive and widespread stone tool technologies. Robberg tools – which we found at the Knysna site – are thought to be replaceable components in composite tools, perhaps as barbs set into arrow shafts, used to hunt the migratory herds on the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain.

    We see the first appearance of Robberg technology in southern Africa near the peak of the last Ice Age around 26,000 years ago, and people continued producing these tools until around 12,000 years ago, when climate conditions were warmer.



    Read more:
    What stone tools found in southern tip of Africa tell us about the human story

    The particular methods and order of operations that people used to make their tools is something that is taught and learned. If we see specific methods of stone tool production at multiple sites, it indicates that people were sharing ideas with one another.

    Robberg occupations at Knysna date to between 21,000 and 15,000 years ago, when sea levels were at their lowest and the coastline far away.

    The Robberg tools we recovered were primarily made from rocks that were available close to the site. Most of the tools were made from quartz, which creates very sharp edges but can break unpredictably. Production focused on bladelets, or small elongated tools, which may have been replaceable components in hunting weapons.

    Some of the tools were made from a raw material called silcrete. People in South Africa were heat treating this material to improve its quality for tool production as early as 164,000 years ago. The silcrete tools at Knysna were heat treated before being brought to the site. This is only the second documented instance of the use of heat treatment in Robberg technology.

    Silcrete is not available near Knysna. Most of the accessible deposits in the area are in the Outeniqua mountains, at least 50 kilometres inland. We’re not sure yet whether people using the Knysna site were travelling to these raw material sources themselves or trading with other groups.

    Archaeological sites containing Robberg tools are found in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, indicating a widespread adoption by people across southern Africa. The tools from the Knysna site share many characteristics with those from other sites, which suggests people were sharing information through social networks that may have spanned the entire width of the continent.



    Read more:
    65,000-year-old ‘stone Swiss Army knives’ show early humans had long-distance social networks

    Yet there are other aspects that are unique to the Knysna site. Fewer tools are found in the more recent layers than in deeper layers, suggesting that people were using the site less frequently than they had previously. This may suggest that during the Ice Age the cave was used as a temporary camp rather than as a primary residential site.

    Left with questions

    Stone tools can only tell us so much. Was Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 a temporary camp? If so, what were they coming to the cave for? We need to combine what we learned from the stone tools with other data from the site to answer these questions.



    Read more:
    Ancient human DNA from a South African rock shelter sheds light on 10,000 years of history

    Something we can say with confidence is that we have a very long and rich history as a species, and our innovative and social natures go back a lot further in time than most people realise. Humans living during the last Ice Age had complex technologies to solve their problems, made art and music, connected with people in other communities, and in some places even had pet dogs.

    Despite the dramatic differences in the world around us, these Ice Age people were not very different from people living today.

    Sara Watson works for the FIeld Museum of Natural History and Indiana State University

    – ref. Stone tools from a cave on South Africa’s coast speak of life at the end of the Ice Age – https://theconversation.com/stone-tools-from-a-cave-on-south-africas-coast-speak-of-life-at-the-end-of-the-ice-age-258317

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Stone tools from a cave on South Africa’s coast speak of life at the end of the Ice Age

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sara Watson, Assistant Professor, Indiana State University

    The Earth of the last Ice Age (about 26,000 to 19,000 years ago) was very different from today’s world.

    In the northern hemisphere, ice sheets up to 8 kilometres tall covered much of Europe, Asia and North America, while much of the southern hemisphere became drier as water was drawn into the northern glaciers.

    As more and more water was transformed into ice, global sea levels dropped as much as 125 metres from where they are now, exposing land that had been under the ocean.

    In southernmost Africa, receding coastlines exposed an area of the continental shelf known as the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain. At its maximum extent, it covered an area of about 36,000km² along the south coast of what’s now South Africa.

    This now – extinct ecosystem was a highly productive landscape with abundant grasslands, wetlands, permanent water drainage systems, and seasonal flood plains. The Palaeo-Agulhas Plain was likely most similar to the present day Serengeti in east Africa. It would likely have been able to support large herds of migratory animals and the people who hunted them.

    We now know more about how these people lived thanks to data from a new archaeological site called Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1.

    Archaeologists at Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1. Sara Watson, Author provided (no reuse)

    The site sits 23 metres above sea level on the southern coast of South Africa overlooking the Indian Ocean. You can watch whales from the site today, but during the Ice Age the ocean was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the site looked out over the vast grasslands; the coast was 75 kilometres away.

    Archaeological investigation of the cave began in 2014, led by Naomi Cleghorn of the University of Texas. This work shows that humans have been using the site for much of the last 48,000 years or more. Occupations bridge the Middle to Later Stone Age transition, which occurred sometime between about 40,000 and 25,000 years ago in southern Africa.

    That transition is a time period where we see dramatic changes in the technologies people were using, including changes in raw materials selected for making tools and a shift towards smaller tools. These changes are poorly understood due to a lack of sites with occupations dating to this time. Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 is the first site on the southern coast that provides a continuous occupational record near the end of the Pleistocene (Ice Age) and documents how life changed for people living on the edge of the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain.

    Before the Ice Age, people there collected marine resources like shellfish when the coastline was close to the site. As the climate began to cool and sea levels dropped, they shifted their focus to land-based resources and game animals.

    Archaeologists working at Knysna Eastern Heads site. Sara Watson, Author provided (no reuse)

    I am one of the archaeologists who have been working here. In a new study, my colleagues and I analysed stone tools from the cave that date to about 19,000 to 18,000 years ago, and discussed how the techniques used to make them hint at the ways that prehistoric people travelled, interacted, and shared their craft.

    Based on this analysis, we think the cave may have been used as a temporary camp rather than a primary residence. And the similarity of the tools with those from other sites suggests people were connected over a huge region and shared ideas with each other, much like people do today.

    Robberg technology of southern Africa

    In human history, tools were invented in a succession of styles (“technologies” or “industries”), which can indicate the time and place where they were made and what they were used for.

    The Robberg is one of southern Africa’s most distinctive and widespread stone tool technologies. Robberg tools – which we found at the Knysna site – are thought to be replaceable components in composite tools, perhaps as barbs set into arrow shafts, used to hunt the migratory herds on the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain.

    Stone tools, Robberg technology. Sara Watson, Author provided (no reuse)

    We see the first appearance of Robberg technology in southern Africa near the peak of the last Ice Age around 26,000 years ago, and people continued producing these tools until around 12,000 years ago, when climate conditions were warmer.

    Read more: What stone tools found in southern tip of Africa tell us about the human story

    The particular methods and order of operations that people used to make their tools is something that is taught and learned. If we see specific methods of stone tool production at multiple sites, it indicates that people were sharing ideas with one another.

    Sites in southern Africa where Robberg technology has been found. Sara Watson, Author provided (no reuse)

    Robberg occupations at Knysna date to between 21,000 and 15,000 years ago, when sea levels were at their lowest and the coastline far away.

    The Robberg tools we recovered were primarily made from rocks that were available close to the site. Most of the tools were made from quartz, which creates very sharp edges but can break unpredictably. Production focused on bladelets, or small elongated tools, which may have been replaceable components in hunting weapons.

    Some of the tools were made from a raw material called silcrete. People in South Africa were heat treating this material to improve its quality for tool production as early as 164,000 years ago. The silcrete tools at Knysna were heat treated before being brought to the site. This is only the second documented instance of the use of heat treatment in Robberg technology.

    Silcrete is not available near Knysna. Most of the accessible deposits in the area are in the Outeniqua mountains, at least 50 kilometres inland. We’re not sure yet whether people using the Knysna site were travelling to these raw material sources themselves or trading with other groups.

    Archaeological sites containing Robberg tools are found in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, indicating a widespread adoption by people across southern Africa. The tools from the Knysna site share many characteristics with those from other sites, which suggests people were sharing information through social networks that may have spanned the entire width of the continent.

    Read more: 65,000-year-old ‘stone Swiss Army knives’ show early humans had long-distance social networks

    Yet there are other aspects that are unique to the Knysna site. Fewer tools are found in the more recent layers than in deeper layers, suggesting that people were using the site less frequently than they had previously. This may suggest that during the Ice Age the cave was used as a temporary camp rather than as a primary residential site.

    Left with questions

    Stone tools can only tell us so much. Was Knysna Eastern Heads Cave 1 a temporary camp? If so, what were they coming to the cave for? We need to combine what we learned from the stone tools with other data from the site to answer these questions.

    Read more: Ancient human DNA from a South African rock shelter sheds light on 10,000 years of history

    Something we can say with confidence is that we have a very long and rich history as a species, and our innovative and social natures go back a lot further in time than most people realise. Humans living during the last Ice Age had complex technologies to solve their problems, made art and music, connected with people in other communities, and in some places even had pet dogs.

    Despite the dramatic differences in the world around us, these Ice Age people were not very different from people living today.

    – Stone tools from a cave on South Africa’s coast speak of life at the end of the Ice Age
    – https://theconversation.com/stone-tools-from-a-cave-on-south-africas-coast-speak-of-life-at-the-end-of-the-ice-age-258317

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brand Scotland takes centre stage at Royal Highland Show

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Brand Scotland takes centre stage at Royal Highland Show

    Scottish Secretary to bang the drum for Scotland’s iconic food, drink, agriculture and farming sectors at the Edinburgh event

    Fresh from new Spending Review financial backing, the UK Government’s Brand Scotland campaign to boost exports of Scottish products and promotion of inward investment takes centre stage at the Royal Highland Show from today (Thursday June 19).

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray will be in attendance and later host a reception with the Scotch Whisky Association to promote our iconic national tipple, enjoyed by tens of millions around the world.

    Exhibitors and showgoers will hear how the UK Government is working with Scottish businesses to maximise the benefits of recent trade deals with India, US and the EU to create significant opportunities at home and abroad. 

    The UK-India trade deal slashes tariffs on whisky. Meanwhile the UK-EU deal also means that British farms will be able to sell sausages and burgers to the EU for the first time in five years.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    Scotland is at the heart of the UK Government’s Plan for Change to put more money in the pockets of working Scots by investing in the country’s renewal. That’s why in last week’s Spending Review the Chancellor unleashed a new era of growth for Scotland, confirming billions of pounds of investment and creating thousands of high-skilled jobs.

    Our Brand Scotland campaign is an important part of this commitment and the Royal Highland Show is a fantastic opportunity to bang the drum for our iconic produce and help turbo-charge sales of Scottish goods and services at home and abroad. Following my recent successful trips to Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Washington and New York – and last week’s all women trade mission to Spain, led by Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill – we’re already seeing positive results from championing Brand Scotland.

    The trio of trade deals sealed by the Prime Minister is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland’s food and drink sector – from slashing tariffs on whisky and gin in India to putting Scottish burgers and sausages back on the menu for the EU. I look forward to continuing to work with Scottish businesses and other key partners as we give our country the global platform it deserves.

    The Scottish Secretary is expected to meet with NFU Scotland President Andrew Connon, Quality Meat Scotland, Lidl executives to discuss the retailers’ ambitions for growth in Scotland and support of Scottish food and drink suppliers and Graham’s Dairies to chat about export opportunities. He is also due to visit Scotland’s Larder where a huge range of Scottish food and drink producers will be in attendance.

    Other stakeholders lined up include Penicuik-based Moredun Institute which employs over 170 scientists, vets  and support staff promoting livestock health and welfare through cutting-edge research and education.

    Showgoers dropping into the UK Government marquee will be able to hear from UK Government departments and agencies about how they are delivering for people in Scotland and for our businesses across the world 

    Also present in the marquee will be exhibits from a number of exciting UK Government funded projects, including The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Scottish Football Association (grassroots football funding), Dramtubes & Project Harmless (British Business Bank funded) and Destination Tweed (National Lottery Heritage Fund).

    Other government departments and agencies in attendance will be:

    • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (promoting the UK’s extensive overseas network, which works day in day out to promote our country)
    • Department for Business & Trade (direct access to global trade expertise)
    • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
    • Department for Work & Pensions
    • Ministry of Defence (Army, Navy, RAF)
    • Department for Transport (with Northern Lighthouse Board – responsible for the waters surrounding Scotland and the Isle of Man)
    • Shared Rural Network (SRN – designed to improve mobile coverage and boost connectivity across the UK, with the biggest uplifts in rural parts of Scotland and Wales. It is jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators – EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone – with the objective of delivering 4G coverage to 95% of the UK by December 2025).

    Further information
    The Royal Highland Show is Scotland’s biggest outdoor event, attracting around 190,000 people. It runs from June 19 to 22.

    The Scotland Office’s Spending Review settlement allocates £0.75 million each year to champion our ‘Brand Scotland’ trade missions to promote Scotland’s goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment.  

    As well as the Brand Scotland visits mentioned earlier, we have also supported a trade mission from Glasgow to Shanghai and have plans for more visits during the year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Netanyahu vows to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat as conflict enters seventh day

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday reaffirmed his country’s commitment to neutralizing Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, as direct hostilities between the two West Asian powers entered their seventh day, raising fears of a broader regional war.

    Speaking in a nationally televised address, Netanyahu condemned Iran’s latest missile strikes, including a direct hit on the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. The attack, which Israeli officials labeled a violation of international humanitarian law, has drawn widespread international condemnation.

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the hospital was not the intended target, asserting that the strike aimed at nearby military infrastructure. However, the missile impact on the medical facility has intensified scrutiny over Iran’s targeting methods amid escalating violence.

    In an extraordinary move, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the elimination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is now considered a core objective of Israel’s war strategy — a dramatic shift from previous policies centered largely on containing Iran through proxy conflicts.

    Israeli military officials report that Iran has begun deploying advanced multi-warhead missiles capable of evading interception by splitting mid-air into multiple projectiles. These developments pose a significant challenge to Israel’s missile defense systems, which have been stretched thin during sustained barrages.

    In response to Israeli airstrikes on command centers and military bases, Iran has reportedly repositioned several of its missile units from western provinces to central regions of the country. Intelligence assessments suggest the move is defensive in nature, and has temporarily reduced the frequency and scale of Iranian missile attacks on Israeli territory.

    Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump has maintained a position of strategic ambiguity regarding potential American involvement. Speaking to reporters, Trump stated he had not yet decided whether the United States would support Israel militarily in its campaign against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei responded defiantly to suggestions of “unconditional surrender,” warning that any American military intervention would result in “severe consequences” for the United States.

    The United Nations has voiced deep concern over the rising civilian toll in the conflict. A UN spokesperson condemned the targeting of non-combatants and called on all parties to uphold international law, urging maximum restraint to prevent further escalation.

    In a coordinated diplomatic response, Indonesia and 23 other Muslim-majority nations — including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan — issued a joint statement under the banner of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The declaration condemned Israel’s attacks on Iranian territory and called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that continued hostilities could spiral into a full-scale regional war with catastrophic implications for global peace and stability.

    The OIC statement emphasized the urgent need for diplomacy, the protection of civilians, and adherence to international humanitarian law.

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of Annual General Meeting 10 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Oslo, 19 June 2025

    The Annual General Meeting of Interoil Exploration and Production ASA will be held at the offices of Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS at Tordenskiolds gate 12, Oslo on 10 July 2025 at 14:30 (CEST).

    Please find attached the notice for the meeting including the attendance form and proxy in English and Norwegian.

    The annual report for 2024 is available on the company’s web page here (https://interoil.no/investors/) and on NewsWeb here (https://newsweb.oslobors.no/message/649531).

    Shareholders may register their attendance digitally on VPS Investor Portal by following this link (
    https://investor.vps.no/gm/logOn.htm?token=f3ee64a6145e5f713d1b0c3cd7373dab4736755b&validTo=1754483400000&oppdragsId=20250616VPIEJXU0).

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    Please direct any further questions to ir@interoil.no (mailto:ir@interoil.no)

    About Interoil

    Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company – listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with focus on Latin America. The Company is operator and license holder of several production and exploration assets in Colombia and Argentina with headquarter in Oslo.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: NY Times Opinion: “Senator Padilla: The Trump Administration Handcuffed Me, but I Refuse to Stay Silent”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    ICYMI: NY Times Opinion: “Senator Padilla: The Trump Administration Handcuffed Me, but I Refuse to Stay Silent”

    NY Times Op-Ed

    Padilla: “If this administration is willing to handcuff a U.S. senator, imagine what it is willing to do to any American who dares to speak up.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, published an op-ed in the New York Times this morning following his forcible removal from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference, where he was thrown to the ground and handcuffed after attempting to ask a question.

    Padilla blasted President Trump’s unprecedented militarization of Los Angeles and warned against the immense consequences of the Trump Administration’s increasingly callous anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions, not only for hardworking immigrants essential to our communities and economy, but for the fundamental democratic rights of Americans across the country. He called Trump’s manufactured crisis in Los Angeles a “warning shot” and a “wake-up call” for his Republican colleagues and the American people to speak up against Trump’s egregious continued abuse of power.

    Key Excerpts:

    • If you watched what happened to me or Mr. Lander these past few days and thought this was about any one politician or altercation, you are missing the point. If this administration is willing to handcuff a U.S. senator, imagine what it is willing to do to any American who dares to speak up. If that’s what can happen when the cameras are on, imagine what is already happening in communities across the country when the cameras are off. Today, it’s immigrants on the receiving end of Donald Trump’s outrage machine. Tomorrow, it could be anyone.
    • As the proud son of immigrants from Mexico who came to California to pursue the American dream, I am living proof of the promise this country provides to all of us. Where else can the son of a housekeeper and a short-order cook become a senator? But I also know that America’s promise doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because throughout our history ordinary people have called out our country’s contradictions and called on the government to live up to the principles of equality established at our founding.
    • As we’ve seen in Los Angeles, public safety is not the point — the spectacle is. Americans are living through a historic moment of presidential overreach. With a cabinet of yes-men and underqualified attack dogs surrounding him — from the D.H.S. Secretary to the F.B.I. director to the secretary of defense — Mr. Trump is now testing the boundaries of his power. And he’s using the theatrics around his immigration policies to do it.
    • If you thought any of this administration’s theatrics in Los Angeles these past few weeks was truly about immigrants, it’s time to wake up. If federal troops can deploy to Los Angeles against the wishes of the governor, the mayor and even local law enforcement, they can do the same tomorrow in your hometown. This is a fundamental threat to the rule of law nationwide.
    • Democracy doesn’t fall from any one decision or any one attack. It falls from a thousand cuts that slowly erode our fundamental freedoms. It falls when good people see our democracy sliding backward but still choose to say nothing.
    • To any American wondering if democracy is lost or if they can ever make a difference, I’d say this: If the Trump administration was this scared of one senator with a question, imagine what the voices of tens of millions of Americans organizing will do. No one is coming to save us but us.

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in calling out the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles and Trump’s misguided deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. This past weekend, Padilla led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty servicemembers to American cities. Last week, Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) demanded answers regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to deploy approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles. Padilla has spoken at a spotlight hearing and on the Senate floor multiple times to blast President Trump for manufacturing a crisis by launching indiscriminate ICE raids across Los Angeles and deploying the National Guard and active-duty servicemembers to the region. He also joined all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats earlier this week in calling on Chairman Grassley to schedule Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem for a broad oversight hearing for testimony before the committee.

    Full text of Senator Padilla’s NY Times op-ed is available here and below:

    NY Times: Senator Padilla: The Trump Administration Handcuffed Me, but I Refuse to Stay Silent

    By U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

    Growing up in the northeast San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the 1980s and 90s, you know what can happen if you don’t completely cooperate with law enforcement.

    Even so, it was jarring last week when, despite clearly identifying myself as a U.S. senator, I was forcibly removed from a news conference at which Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, promised to “liberate” Los Angeles from our democratically elected mayor and governor. As I was thrown to the ground, handcuffed and walked down a hall while officers refused to tell me why I was being detained, my mind raced with questions.

    Where are they taking me? Am I being arrested? What will a city already on edge from being militarized think when they see their senator has just been handcuffed?

    What will my wife and our three boys think?

    I imagined similar questions were running through the mind of Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate, this week when he, too, was handcuffed by federal agents for asking them whether they had a warrant to arrest a migrant he had locked arms with. Like me, Mr. Lander had the audacity to question the legitimacy of federal actions, only to find himself pushed against a wall and detained.

    If you watched what happened to me or Mr. Lander these past few days and thought this was about any one politician or altercation, you are missing the point.

    If this administration is willing to handcuff a U.S. senator, imagine what it is willing to do to any American who dares to speak up.

    If that’s what can happen when the cameras are on, imagine what is already happening in communities across the country when the cameras are off.

    Today, it’s immigrants on the receiving end of Donald Trump’s outrage machine. Tomorrow, it could be anyone.

    We have seen this playbook before. In fact, it’s what drew me to politics in the first place, back in 1994. I had just earned my mechanical engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with my sights set on a lucrative career in engineering, but life had a different plan for me. I returned home from school to find hateful TV ads and a statewide ballot called Proposition 187, a proposal targeting immigrant families and communities like mine. It was the result of a Republican governor who was up for re-election and who had turned to scapegoating immigrants to try to improve his declining political standing.

    As the proud son of immigrants from Mexico who came to California to pursue the American dream, I am living proof of the promise this country provides to all of us. Where else can the son of a housekeeper and a short-order cook become a senator? But I also know that America’s promise doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because throughout our history ordinary people have called out our country’s contradictions and called on the government to live up to the principles of equality established at our founding.

    And so I got involved. Alongside friends and family, I marched against the vile anti-immigrant rhetoric that was growing in California. Because of the movement that started in the 1990s, a generation of diverse leaders have come of age in California. Today, we celebrate immigrants — knowing full well that California has become the fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrants but because of them.

    So when Mr. Trump began to face a groundswell of criticism a few weeks ago for his unpopular Medicaid cuts, failed tariff wars and embarrassing public breakup with a billionaire adviser, I suspected that it wouldn’t be long before he broke out the same tired anti-immigrant tactics to distract the public. Raids intensified, detentions skyrocketed and Mr. Trump’s narrative of crisis escalated in the hopes of diverting attention from his political failures.

    If the administration were primarily targeting dangerous criminals, as some White House officials have claimed, there would be no debate. But new reporting shows that less than 10 percent of immigrants taken into ICE custody since October have serious criminal convictions. They may be undocumented, but who are they? Oftentimes, they’re hardworking cooks, day laborers, carwash employees, farmworkers and construction workers. Many are the same people Mr. Trump declared essential workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    But as we’ve seen in Los Angeles, public safety is not the point — the spectacle is. Americans are living through a historic moment of presidential overreach. With a cabinet of yes-men and underqualified attack dogs surrounding him — from the D.H.S. Secretary to the F.B.I. director to the secretary of defense — Mr. Trump is now testing the boundaries of his power. And he’s using the theatrics around his immigration policies to do it.

    That’s why when Angelenos gathered to protest these injustices, the administration labeled them “insurrectionists,” deliberately twisting dissent into something dangerous to use as a pretext for repression.

    So if you thought any of this administration’s theatrics in Los Angeles these past few weeks was truly about immigrants, it’s time to wake up. If federal troops can deploy to Los Angeles against the wishes of the governor, the mayor and even local law enforcement, they can do the same tomorrow in your hometown. This is a fundamental threat to the rule of law nationwide.

    What’s happening in Los Angeles is a warning shot. But I pray it can also be a wake-up call — for my Republican Senate colleagues who have stayed silent in the face of their colleague’s handcuffing, but also for Americans of every stripe who think they’re insulated from Mr. Trump’s power grabs because they’re not immigrants or because they’re not from a blue state.

    Democracy doesn’t fall from any one decision or any one attack. It falls from a thousand cuts that slowly erode our fundamental freedoms. It falls when good people see our democracy sliding backward but still choose to say nothing.

    Even as I’ve seen the authoritarian instincts of this administration up close, I know America is not past saving. True liberation doesn’t come through military occupation. It comes through democratic participation — participation like what we saw this past weekend, when millions of Americans came out to protest this administration’s abuse of power.

    To any American wondering if democracy is lost or if they can ever make a difference, I’d say this: If the Trump administration was this scared of one senator with a question, imagine what the voices of tens of millions of Americans organizing will do. No one is coming to save us but us.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Virtru CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly Named 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year®

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtru, the leader in data-centric security, today announced CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly has been named a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for the Mid-Atlantic region. The prestigious award recognizes Ackerly’s leadership in revolutionizing cybersecurity through innovative, data-centric solutions that enable secure, compliant data sharing across commercial and government markets.

    With Ackerly’s direction over the past 12 years, Virtru has grown to serve millions of individuals, over 6,000 customers, including Fortune 500 organizations, the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and other critical federal and state agencies.

    “I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY,” said Ackerly. “This award reflects the incredible dedication of the entire Virtru team who embody our mission: To unlock the power of data by creating a world where it is always under your control, everywhere. While most vendors focus defensively on protecting data within the perimeter, Virtru has pioneered data-centric security that empowers people, enables strategic information-sharing and activates the value of data. It’s our goal to enable organizations — of every size, in every industry — to respect the data they are entrusted with.”

    The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which is in its 40th year of operation, celebrates individuals who boldly disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The Mid-Atlantic program specifically honors leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

    Redefining Cybersecurity with Data-Centric Innovation
    Powered by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) standard, Virtru’s Data Security Platform makes it easy for both commercial and government entities to securely share sensitive information. As highlighted earlier this year at RSAC 2025 and at the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, data-centric security is much more than locking data down and preventing it from being lost or stolen — it’s about giving people agency over information so they can share it freely with others, without sacrificing security, control, or privacy. Unlike traditional cybersecurity vendors that focus solely on preventing data from leaving organizations, Virtru enables data to flow freely outside the organization while maintaining complete control and security.

    Success Across Multiple Markets
    Under Ackerly’s leadership, Virtru has continued to innovate and expand from simple integrations like Gmail to develop a true platform enabling a myriad of workflows across diverse environments — from commercial business applications to custom implementations for national defense. Users can exercise the power of Virtru’s Data Security Platform seamlessly with applications like Google Drive, Outlook, SharePoint, and Zendesk, protecting their data without changing workflows and maintaining compliance with ITAR, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and GLBA regulations.

    For government environments, Virtru has developed specialized workflows that meet the unique security requirements of public sector agencies. The FedRAMP– and StateRAMP-authorized platform enables secure cross-domain collaboration and mission-critical communications that strengthen security operations.

    The Future is Data-Centric
    As organizations increasingly recognize that traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for today’s collaborative business environment, data-centric security is experiencing unprecedented momentum. Ackerly’s recognition as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year reflects not only his individual leadership but also the broader industry shift toward solutions that enable secure data sharing while maintaining control. This rising tide of data-centric security represents the future of how organizations will simultaneously share and protect their most valuable asset—their data.

    For more information about Virtru and its Data Security Platform, please visit www.virtru.com

    About Virtru
    Virtru empowers organizations to unlock the power of data while maintaining control wherever it’s stored and shared. Trusted by over 6,000 global customers, Virtru provides simple, powerful solutions for Zero Trust data-centric security, underpinned by the Trusted Data Format (TDF). Learn more at Virtru.com.

    Press Contact
    Nick Michael
    nick.michael@virtru.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Virtru CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly Named 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year®

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtru, the leader in data-centric security, today announced CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly has been named a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for the Mid-Atlantic region. The prestigious award recognizes Ackerly’s leadership in revolutionizing cybersecurity through innovative, data-centric solutions that enable secure, compliant data sharing across commercial and government markets.

    With Ackerly’s direction over the past 12 years, Virtru has grown to serve millions of individuals, over 6,000 customers, including Fortune 500 organizations, the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and other critical federal and state agencies.

    “I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY,” said Ackerly. “This award reflects the incredible dedication of the entire Virtru team who embody our mission: To unlock the power of data by creating a world where it is always under your control, everywhere. While most vendors focus defensively on protecting data within the perimeter, Virtru has pioneered data-centric security that empowers people, enables strategic information-sharing and activates the value of data. It’s our goal to enable organizations — of every size, in every industry — to respect the data they are entrusted with.”

    The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which is in its 40th year of operation, celebrates individuals who boldly disrupt markets through the world’s most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The Mid-Atlantic program specifically honors leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

    Redefining Cybersecurity with Data-Centric Innovation
    Powered by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) standard, Virtru’s Data Security Platform makes it easy for both commercial and government entities to securely share sensitive information. As highlighted earlier this year at RSAC 2025 and at the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, data-centric security is much more than locking data down and preventing it from being lost or stolen — it’s about giving people agency over information so they can share it freely with others, without sacrificing security, control, or privacy. Unlike traditional cybersecurity vendors that focus solely on preventing data from leaving organizations, Virtru enables data to flow freely outside the organization while maintaining complete control and security.

    Success Across Multiple Markets
    Under Ackerly’s leadership, Virtru has continued to innovate and expand from simple integrations like Gmail to develop a true platform enabling a myriad of workflows across diverse environments — from commercial business applications to custom implementations for national defense. Users can exercise the power of Virtru’s Data Security Platform seamlessly with applications like Google Drive, Outlook, SharePoint, and Zendesk, protecting their data without changing workflows and maintaining compliance with ITAR, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and GLBA regulations.

    For government environments, Virtru has developed specialized workflows that meet the unique security requirements of public sector agencies. The FedRAMP– and StateRAMP-authorized platform enables secure cross-domain collaboration and mission-critical communications that strengthen security operations.

    The Future is Data-Centric
    As organizations increasingly recognize that traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for today’s collaborative business environment, data-centric security is experiencing unprecedented momentum. Ackerly’s recognition as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year reflects not only his individual leadership but also the broader industry shift toward solutions that enable secure data sharing while maintaining control. This rising tide of data-centric security represents the future of how organizations will simultaneously share and protect their most valuable asset—their data.

    For more information about Virtru and its Data Security Platform, please visit www.virtru.com

    About Virtru
    Virtru empowers organizations to unlock the power of data while maintaining control wherever it’s stored and shared. Trusted by over 6,000 global customers, Virtru provides simple, powerful solutions for Zero Trust data-centric security, underpinned by the Trusted Data Format (TDF). Learn more at Virtru.com.

    Press Contact
    Nick Michael
    nick.michael@virtru.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran air strikes: Republicans split over support for Trump and another ‘foreign war’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Hargy, Visiting Research Fellow in International Studies, Queen’s University Belfast

    After returning early from the G7 summit in Canada, Donald Trump met with his national security team to be briefed on the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. It became clear that Trump was considering direct US military support for the Israelis.

    This has the potential to cause a split among the president’s supporters between the Republican hawks (traditional interventionists) on one side and the Maga isolationists on the other.

    During his three presidential campaigns, Trump condemned former presidents for leading America into “ridiculous endless wars”. This isolationist tilt won him plaudits with his base of those who supported him for his populist promises to “make America great again” (Maga).

    In their work on US attitudes to foreign policy and US overseas involvement, Elaine Kamarck and Jordan Muchnick of the Brookings Institution – a non-profit research organisation in Washington – looked at a range of evidence in 2023.

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

    They found Republicans supporting less global involvement from the US had increased from 40% to 54% from 2004 to 2017. At that time only 16% of voters supported increasing US troop presence abroad, and 40% wanted a decrease, they found. They related this change in attitudes to Trump’s foreign policy position.

    Fast forward to his second term, and many in the Maga camp are fiercely opposed to Trump’s current posturing about leading the US into another conflict in the Middle East. Over the past few days the White House has doubled down on the line that Trump keeps repeating: “Iran can not have a nuclear weapon”.

    As Trump edges closer to committing the US to joining Israel in air strikes on Iran, Steve Bannon, a staunch Trump ally, argued that allowing the “deep state” to drive the US into conflict with Iran would “blow up” the coalition of Trump support.

    Meanwhile, Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson denounced those Republicans supporting action against Iran as “warmongers” and said they were encouraging the president to drag the US into a war.

    Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene, in an unusual break with Trump, openly criticised the president’s stance on the Israel-Iran conflict, writing on X: “Foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction.”

    Other prominent Republican senators, including Josh Hawley and Rand Paul, have urged the president to avoid US involvement in an offensive against Iran.

    Another Republican congressman, Thomas Massie, has gone even further. He has joined with a coalition of Democrats in filing a House resolution under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which would seek to prevent Trump from engaging in “unauthorized hostilities” with Iran without Congressional consent.

    These Republicans may believe their views are popular with their electoral base. In an Economist/YouGov poll in June 2025, 53% of Republicans stated that they did not think the US military should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

    But Donald Trump does seem to enjoy widespread support in the US for his position that the US cannot allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. According to CNN data analysis, 83% of Republicans, 79% independents, and 79% of Democrats, agree with the president’s position on this issue. This slightly confusing split suggests there could be US voter support for air strikes, but it’s clear there would not be that same support for troops on the ground.

    Resistance from ultra-Trump die-hards, however, might put them on the wrong side of the president in the long-term. Greg Sargent, a writer at The New Republic magazine, believes that, “people become enemies of Trump not when they substantively work against some principle he supposedly holds dear, but rather when they publicly criticize him … or become an inconvenience in any way”.

    So why is Trump, to the dismay of many from within the Maga faithful, seemingly abandoning the anti-war tenet of his “America first” doctrine? Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest magazine, thinks that “now that Israel’s assault on Iran appears to be successful, Trump wants in on the action”.

    The president has several prominent Republican hawks urging him to do exactly that, and order the US Air Force to deploy their “bunker-buster bombs”“ to destroy Iran’s underground arsenals. One of these is Senator Lindsey Graham.

    Earlier this week on Fox News, he told Trump to be “all in … in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat. If we need to provide bombs to Israel, provide bombs. If we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations.”

    Former Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is also advocating US military action. He told CNN: “What’s happening here is some of the isolationist movement led by Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon are distressed we may be helping the Israelis defeat the Iranians,” adding that its “been kind of a bad week for the isolationists” in the party.

    Donald Trump talks about potential involvement in air strikes.

    The same Economist/YouGov poll mentioned earlier showed that the stance taken by these Republicans – that Iran poses a threat to the US – is a position shared by a majority of GOP voters, with 69% viewing Iran as either an immediate and serious threat to the US, or at least somewhat of a serious threat.

    Always an interventionist?

    Some believe that Trump’s evolving attitude towards American military involvement in the worsening crisis in the Middle East, however, is not a volte-face on isolationism, or an ideological pivot to the virtues of attacking Iran. Ross Douthat of the New York Times has observed that Trump “has never been a principled noninterventionist” and that “his deal-making style has always involved the threat of force as a crucial bargaining chip”.

    It is always difficult to fully determine what Trump’s foreign policy doctrine actually is. It is useful, however, to reflect on some of the president’s overseas actions from his first term.

    In April 2018, following a suspected chemical weapons attack by the forces of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in a Damascus suburb, Trump ordered US air strikes in retaliation for what he called an “evil and despicable attack” that left “mothers and fathers, infants and children thrashing in pain and gasping for air”.

    This led the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg, to describe Trump as “something wholly unique in the history of the presidency: an isolationist interventionist”.

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

    – ref. Iran air strikes: Republicans split over support for Trump and another ‘foreign war’ – https://theconversation.com/iran-air-strikes-republicans-split-over-support-for-trump-and-another-foreign-war-259314

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preventing avoidable deaths in custody

    Source: Scottish Government

    Members of expert group to oversee reforms announced.

    Details of an expert group that will help drive reforms to prevent avoidable deaths in custody have been announced.

    Justice Secretary Angela Constance is leading the Ministerial Accountability Board overseeing the implementation of actions to address the recommendations of Sheriff Collins’ Fatal Accident Inquiry report into the deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay (also known as William Brown) at HMP & YOI Polmont. The first meeting of the Board was held on Thursday (19 June).

    Bringing a wealth of experience from third sector, legal, operational, research and health backgrounds, the members of the Board will provide support to mitigate challenges and ensure action is delivered as quickly as possible. Engaging with families will also be a central part of the Board’s role, to ensure lived experience is integral to reform.

    The Board is an interim measure until the National Oversight Mechanism – an independent national oversight body for all deaths in custody, separate from the Government – is established over the coming year. It will take on responsibility for overseeing implementation of the FAI actions along with its other responsibilities.

    Ms Constance said:

    “Action is already being taken to prevent avoidable deaths in custody but it is essential that these reforms are driven at pace to make lasting change.

    “The members of the Ministerial Accountability Board are all leaders in their fields and will bring invaluable expertise and experience across a wide range of sectors to make sure the promise of reform is delivered.

    “Engaging with families will be a vital part of the Boards role to ensure that lived experience remains central to the action taken.”

    Background             

    The Ministerial Accountability Board members are:

    Sam Gluckstein, Head of the UK National Preventive Mechanism.

    Sarah Armstrong, Professor of Criminology at University of Glasgow, SCCJR researcher and co-author of ‘Nothing to See Here’.

    Phil Wheatley, British prison officer, formerly the Director General of the National Offender Management Service and before that, the Director General of HM Prison Service.

    Professor Nancy Loucks OBE, Chief Executive of Families Outside and co-chair of the Independent Review into Deaths in Prison Custody, Chair to the DiPC Family Reference Group.

    Nicky Brown, Head of Service at Public Defence Solicitors office.

    Dr Sarah Couper, Public Health Scotland, lead consultant for mental health.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Haivision Announces Availability of Latest Release of the Kraken Video Processing Platform with Shield AI Object Detection

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haivision (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, today announced the availability of the latest release of the Kraken video processing platform with Shield AI object detection, bringing the power of AI to full motion video and metadata processing, and enabling quick and life-saving decision making.

    Designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and situational awareness applications, Kraken encodes, transcodes, and transports high quality video and metadata in real-time, even in environments where network bandwidth is unpredictable or limited. The latest update to Kraken features the availability of a new option – Shield AI’s Sentient Tracker, an AI-powered software for superior object detection for multi-domain operations.

    Tracker uses AI and two decades of computer vision research and development to detect moving objects in full-motion video, turning raw data into actionable intelligence with speed and efficiency. It can detect moving objects on land such as vehicles and people and in maritime settings stationary and moving targets such as boats, vessels, individuals, and life jackets.

    Kraken’s advanced capabilities enable real-time transcoding of live video streams to ensure downstream system compatibility, while also transporting essential metadata such as object detection and tracking information within the full-motion video (FMV) stream. When integrated with Shield AI’s Tracker software, the solution can automatically detect and track objects in live video captured by crewed or uncrewed aircraft operating in complex land and maritime environments. Downstream systems can use the combined video with augmented tracking information either as overlays of tracking boxes or as inputs to common operating picture tools like TAK or ATAK. Together, these capabilities streamline the ISR workflow, enabling faster, more informed decision-making in mission-critical operations.

    “The latest release of Kraken with Tracker brings the best of breed tracking algorithms from Shield AI to real-time FMV – making it possible for our users to obtain AI-enabled insights to their streams anywhere Kraken can run – on purpose-built hardware at the tactical edge, on servers in the data center, or in the cloud,” said John Leipper, Defense Product Manager, Haivision.

    “We’re excited to collaborate with Haivision to integrate our advanced AI object detection technology with their defense-certified Kraken video processing software,” said Christian Gutierrez, Vice President of Hivemind Engineering at Shield AI. “By combining Tracker with Haivision’s trusted ISR video ecosystem, we’re enabling customers to seamlessly apply AI within existing video workflows for faster, more informed decision-making.” Kraken is a cornerstone solution in Haivision’s ISR video solutions portfolio, including the recently announced Kraken X1 Rugged video transcoder, Makito X4 Rugged video encoder, Makito X1 Rugged video encoder, and Haivision Play ISR video player, products which adhere to rigorous cybersecurity and interoperability standards for use within defense networks.

    Trusted globally to support critical missions, Shield AI is a deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defense aircraft. Shield AI’s advanced artificial intelligence and computer vision technology empower defense, government, and public safety organizations to rapidly transform raw data into actionable intelligence, enhancing decision-making and operational effectiveness. Committed to innovation, security, and reliability, Shield AI solutions integrate seamlessly into existing defense workflows, supporting mission success in complex environments worldwide.

    Deployed and trusted worldwide, Haivision’s mission-critical video solutions help aerospace, enterprise, government, military, and public safety organizations make informed decisions faster. Haivision’s video wall systems for command centers, video distribution solutions, and ISR video technology fuel real-time analysis and decision-making. To learn more about the combined Tracker and Kraken solution, watch the recent webinar with Haivision and Shield AI experts: AI Object Detection from Anywhere.

    About Haivision 
    Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision-making. We provide high-quality, low-latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open-sourced its award-winning SRT low-latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To learn more, visit Haivision at www.haivision.com.

    Contact:
    Lamia Milonas
    PR and Communications Manager 
    (514) 799-8105

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Haivision Announces Availability of Latest Release of the Kraken Video Processing Platform with Shield AI Object Detection

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haivision (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, today announced the availability of the latest release of the Kraken video processing platform with Shield AI object detection, bringing the power of AI to full motion video and metadata processing, and enabling quick and life-saving decision making.

    Designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and situational awareness applications, Kraken encodes, transcodes, and transports high quality video and metadata in real-time, even in environments where network bandwidth is unpredictable or limited. The latest update to Kraken features the availability of a new option – Shield AI’s Sentient Tracker, an AI-powered software for superior object detection for multi-domain operations.

    Tracker uses AI and two decades of computer vision research and development to detect moving objects in full-motion video, turning raw data into actionable intelligence with speed and efficiency. It can detect moving objects on land such as vehicles and people and in maritime settings stationary and moving targets such as boats, vessels, individuals, and life jackets.

    Kraken’s advanced capabilities enable real-time transcoding of live video streams to ensure downstream system compatibility, while also transporting essential metadata such as object detection and tracking information within the full-motion video (FMV) stream. When integrated with Shield AI’s Tracker software, the solution can automatically detect and track objects in live video captured by crewed or uncrewed aircraft operating in complex land and maritime environments. Downstream systems can use the combined video with augmented tracking information either as overlays of tracking boxes or as inputs to common operating picture tools like TAK or ATAK. Together, these capabilities streamline the ISR workflow, enabling faster, more informed decision-making in mission-critical operations.

    “The latest release of Kraken with Tracker brings the best of breed tracking algorithms from Shield AI to real-time FMV – making it possible for our users to obtain AI-enabled insights to their streams anywhere Kraken can run – on purpose-built hardware at the tactical edge, on servers in the data center, or in the cloud,” said John Leipper, Defense Product Manager, Haivision.

    “We’re excited to collaborate with Haivision to integrate our advanced AI object detection technology with their defense-certified Kraken video processing software,” said Christian Gutierrez, Vice President of Hivemind Engineering at Shield AI. “By combining Tracker with Haivision’s trusted ISR video ecosystem, we’re enabling customers to seamlessly apply AI within existing video workflows for faster, more informed decision-making.” Kraken is a cornerstone solution in Haivision’s ISR video solutions portfolio, including the recently announced Kraken X1 Rugged video transcoder, Makito X4 Rugged video encoder, Makito X1 Rugged video encoder, and Haivision Play ISR video player, products which adhere to rigorous cybersecurity and interoperability standards for use within defense networks.

    Trusted globally to support critical missions, Shield AI is a deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defense aircraft. Shield AI’s advanced artificial intelligence and computer vision technology empower defense, government, and public safety organizations to rapidly transform raw data into actionable intelligence, enhancing decision-making and operational effectiveness. Committed to innovation, security, and reliability, Shield AI solutions integrate seamlessly into existing defense workflows, supporting mission success in complex environments worldwide.

    Deployed and trusted worldwide, Haivision’s mission-critical video solutions help aerospace, enterprise, government, military, and public safety organizations make informed decisions faster. Haivision’s video wall systems for command centers, video distribution solutions, and ISR video technology fuel real-time analysis and decision-making. To learn more about the combined Tracker and Kraken solution, watch the recent webinar with Haivision and Shield AI experts: AI Object Detection from Anywhere.

    About Haivision 
    Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision-making. We provide high-quality, low-latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open-sourced its award-winning SRT low-latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To learn more, visit Haivision at www.haivision.com.

    Contact:
    Lamia Milonas
    PR and Communications Manager 
    (514) 799-8105

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The cost of inaction in Ukraine is much greater than the cost of support: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    The cost of inaction in Ukraine is much greater than the cost of support: UK statement to the OSCE

    UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says that our support to Ukraine is not charity – it is a strategic investment in European security. We will continue to stand with Ukraine – today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.

    Thank you, Madam Chair.

    I would like to start by offering my condolences to Ukraine. Overnight Russia staged horrific air attacks on cities including Kyiv, killing and wounding over a hundred civilians – one of the most devastating airstrikes on Kyiv since this war began.

    Madam Chair, in February 2022, President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine under the guise of a so-called ‘Special Military Operation.’ He expected a swift and decisive victory. Over three years later, that illusion has been shattered. Russia has suffered over one million military casualties – a grim milestone – and more than twenty times the Soviet losses in Afghanistan. The DPRK has suffered over 6,000 casualties – more than half of the 11,000 troops it initially deployed to support Russia’s illegal war. These losses, largely the result of high-risk, poorly-executed attritional assaults, underscore the tragic human cost of this illegal conflict. Let me be clear, we do not celebrate this statistic. Every life lost is a tragedy. Too many families, on both sides, have had their lives irrevocably change by a war of aggression that should never have been launched.

    Ukraine remains steadfast in the face of Russia’s unrelenting and illegal aggression. Through the extraordinary courage of its Armed Forces, the resilience of its people, and the unwavering support of its international partners, Ukraine has reclaimed, and continues to reclaim, its territory, and is liberating thousands of its citizens. This is not just a military achievement – it is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of a nation fighting for its survival, its sovereignty, and its future.

    At the G7 Summit in Canada yesterday, the United Kingdom and its allies reaffirmed their commitment to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Only increasing pressure on Russia will force Putin to take peace seriously. That is why our Prime Minister announced a new sanctions package to target sectors of the Russian economy critical to its war effort.

    Russia referred to Western Defence spending at last week’s FSC. To clarify – and for transparency – our new Strategic Defence Review does mark a pivotal shift in UK defence policy. It does commit to sustaining £3 billion annually in military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary. It does emphasise the importance of learning from Ukraine’s experience in modern warfare – particularly in drone technology and hybrid conflict – to strengthen NATO’s collective defence. It does signify a landmark change to our deterrence and defence posture: moving to warfighting readiness to deter our adversaries and strengthen security at home and across the Euro-Atlantic area.

    At the 4 June Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, the UK announced a tenfold increase in drone deliveries to Ukraine – 100,000 units this financial year alone – demonstrating our resolve to provide Ukraine with the tools it needs to defend itself. The UK has also committed an additional £247 million in 2025 to train Ukrainian forces under Operation INTERFLEX and pledged £40 million to NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission trust fund. These investments are not acts of charity – they are strategic imperatives. Supporting Ukraine is an investment in our collective security, in the rules-based international order, and in the principle that borders cannot be changed by force.

    We recognise that doing more will not be without cost. But the cost of inaction is far greater. If we allow Russia to succeed in Ukraine, we send a dangerous message to authoritarian regimes around the world: that aggression pays, and that international law can be ignored with impunity. We must stand with Ukraine for however long it takes to ensure that its sovereignty is restored, its people are safe, and its future is secure. The international community must send a clear and united message: we will not tolerate the use of force to redraw borders or subjugate free nations.

    Finally, we must pay tribute to the thousands of women serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and to the countless others contributing to humanitarian, political, and security efforts. Their courage and leadership are vital to Ukraine’s defence and to its future. Ukraine continues to stand firmly on the side of peace having committed to an unconditional ceasefire and to making positive progress through diplomatic negotiation. Ukraine has demonstrated resilience and a constructive commitment to international law and human dignity in the face of Russia’s ongoing devastation. We will continue to stand with Ukraine – today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Israel attacks Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israel said on Thursday it had struck Iran’s only functioning nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast, potentially a major escalation in its air war against Iran.

    Israel has struck a number of Iranian nuclear targets since launching its attacks last week. But a strike on the Bushehr plant, which is located near Iran’s Arab Gulf neighbours and employs technicians from Russia, would be widely be seen as a big step.

    An Israeli military spokesperson said on Thursday the military had struck nuclear sites in Bushehr, Isfahan, and Natanz, and continued to target additional facilities.

    Bushehr is Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant. It uses Russian fuel that Russia then takes back when it is spent to reduce proliferation risk.

    Iranian missiles hit an Israeli hospital overnight, as President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the U.S. would join Israel in airstrikes.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to press on with Israel’s biggest ever attack on Iran until his arch enemy’s nuclear programme is destroyed, said Tehran’s “tyrants” would pay the “full price”.

    His Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military had been instructed to intensify strikes on strategic-related targets in Tehran in order to eliminate the threat to Israel and destabilise the “Ayatollah regime”.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi says ceasefire an urgent priority in settling conflict in Middle East 2025-06-19 19:28:10 Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire is an urgent priority in settling the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that ceasefire is an urgent priority in settling the conflict in the Middle East, and the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes.

      During phone talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, over the situation in the Middle East, he urged the conflicting parties, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible.

      The Chinese president said that protecting civilians’ safety is the top priority amid the Iran-Israel tensions, calling on the conflicting parties to strictly follow international law, and resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians.

      Dialogue and negotiation are the fundamental way out, he said, calling on the international community, particularly major countries that have a special influence on the parties to the conflict, to make efforts to cool down the situation.

      China stands ready to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties, pool their efforts, and uphold justice, so as to play a constructive role in restoring peace in the Middle East, he said. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Treasury to allocate additional R1.1 billion for political funding 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    An additional R1.1 billion in funding will be made available to political parties over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), says Finance Minister Enoch Gondongwana.

    “Over the MTEF, an additional R1.1 billion in funding will be made available to political parties. Mindful of next year’s Local Government Elections, however, we are considering availing even further funding,” Gondongwana said on Thursday.

    The Minister was speaking at the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) Political Party Funding Symposium underway in Durban.

    In his address, the Minister said the performance of the economy and the lower revenue collection, presents serious challenges, which “may hinder the implementation of a common funding pool for political contestants supported by the fiscus”.

    “In addition to the allocations to the IEC, from 2011/12 to date, funding of R3 billion has been provided to political parties to provide a baseline of public funding to help smaller or newer parties compete more effectively against well-established and privately funded ones,” the Minister said.

    Gondongwana said a young democracy like South Africa relies on strong and independent institutions for its longevity and legitimacy.

    “These institutions are key to maintaining the checks and balances that are the backbone of any democracy.”

    Gondongwana said another equally important component is competitive elections by political parties that are not beholden to private interests and should therefore be publicly funded.

    “Political funding in South Africa has historically been opaque, with little regulation or public disclosure until recent years,” he said, adding that for much of the democratic era, political parties were not legally required to reveal their sources of private funding. 

    “This raised concern about corruption, undue influence, and lack of accountability.

    “This fundamentally shifted with the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA) of 2018, which came into effect on April 1, 2021.”

    The Minister said despite these advances, challenges remain in enforcement, local transparency and curbing illicit financing.

    “The implementation of the PPFA has in some measure led to a significant drop in private funding for many political parties, making it challenging for them to meet operational costs. There are other pitfalls to the PPFA that we must be honest about and work hard to overcome. 

    “Another challenge is that currently, the political party funding legislation does not extend to local government level. This is an area that we must address.

    “As National Treasury and government as a whole, we must commit to improving transparency and oversight of political finance to prevent abuse by illicit networks.” 

    The Minister said good progress has been made in the course to remove South Africa from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

    “We have made good progress, as seen in our most update from FATF on our journey to being removed from the grey list, where our reforms to resolve systemic weaknesses in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, and to root the links with political party funding have been recognised.”

    READ | SA completes actions to exit grey list

    Godongwana said the ability to hold free and fair elections is a vital feature of any democracy, encompassing both procedural (periodic elections) and substantive (freeness and fairness) aspects.

    “As custodians of the fiscus, we ensure IEC funding for successful elections. You are all aware of the announcement I made in the much-contested 2025 Budget Speech on funds allocated to the IEC for the hosting of the upcoming local government elections. 

    “We have allocated R885 million for the IEC and R550 million for the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force to maintain public order.”

    READ | Symposium looks into impact of political funding law

    The Minister said democracy thrives on continuous debate and a level playing field for the contestation of ideas.

    “Transparency is at the heart of party political funding. To make informed choices when voting, voters need to know who is behind the funding of political parties and what agendas they are pursuing. We must curtail opportunities for parties with questionable intentions to gain power.

    “This requires a strong fiscus and responsible public finance management, shunning wastage and ensuring traceability of all money flows,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales and Terma sign a Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation in the Air, Naval and Space domains

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales and Terma sign a Memorandum of Understanding to expand cooperation in the Air, Naval and Space domains

    Paris Air Show, Paris: Thales and Terma have signed a Memorandum of Understanding signaling their commitment to local industrial cooperation and a potential strategic partnership within the three key domains of Air and Air Defence, Naval and Space. This cooperation and strategic partnership will help to strengthen the European industrial and technological base to the benefit of local and international defence industry.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Poland’s security in the context of European defence – P-001348/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Decisions under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) are taken by the European Council and the Council acting unanimously. Pursuant to Article 31(3) of the Treaty on European Union, the decision to allow the Council to act by a qualified majority in the area of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), in cases other than those referred to in Article 31(2) TEU, is adopted unanimously by the European Council. This does not, however apply to decisions having military or defence implications. National security remains the sole responsibility of each Member State.

    Regarding the Honourable Member’s second and third questions, it is not for the Council to speculate or to comment on the positions of individual Member States.

    The Honourable Member is invited to refer to the conclusions of the Special meeting of the European Council of 6 March 2025, which address European Defence.

    Last updated: 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Commission’s call to Europeans to ‘prepare a stockpile of supplies for 72 hours’ – E-001449/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission’s advice that citizens be able to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours is grounded in existing emergency preparedness guidelines and international best practice, which suggest that individuals should be self-sufficient for a short period during potential disruptions in services or supply chains.

    This duration is recognised as critical for initial emergency response, allowing time for authorities to restore essential services and reach affected populations in a range of crisis scenarios.

    The Commission has identified several potential risks and threats, including in the Preparedness Union Strategy[1] and the Niinistö Report on Military Preparedness and Readiness of the European Union[2].

    The specific threats identified include the consequences of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, hybrid and cyberattacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, foreign information manipulation, pandemics, and the increasing frequency of natural disasters.

    The Commission acknowledges the need for transparency and detailed information on the risks and threats identified. The Eurobarometer surveys published in 2024 show that 65% of EU citizens feel they need more information to prepare for disasters and emergencies[3].

    In response, the strategy foresees to support to Member States to increase awareness about risks and threats, with measures such as annual EU Preparedness Day and targeted communication campaigns to ensure citizens are well informed about potential threats and the rationale behind preparedness measures.

    The Commission will continue to provide regular updates and practical guidance to Member States.

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/topics/preparedness_en.
    • [2]  https://commission.europa.eu/document/5bb2881f-9e29-42f2-8b77-8739b19d047c_en.
    • [3]  https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/news/new-eu-eurobarometer-disaster-awareness-and-preparedness-eu-citizens#:~:text=A%20new%20Eurobarometer%20survey%20which%20looked%20into%20the,more%20information%20to%20prepare%20for%20disasters%20and%20emergencies.
    Last updated: 18 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Government must choose human rights over war profiteers

    Source: Scottish Greens

    19 Jun 2025 External Affairs

    Scottish Greens call for update on Government funding of Israel’s arms dealers

    More in External Affairs

    The SNP must urgently update parliament on what it is doing to end Scottish Government support for companies arming and supporting Israel, say the Scottish Greens.

    Yesterday in Holyrood, Scottish Greens co-leader and Economy spokesperson Lorna Slater MSP forced a vote to ensure the Scottish Government takes urgent action on Scottish Enterprise’s failing human rights due diligence checks.

    All other parties except the Scottish Greens refused to back Lorna’s call.

    Since 2019, the Scottish Government has reportedly given at least £8 million of Scottish Enterprise grants to companies involved in arms dealing and manufacturing. This includes a number of businesses who have directly supplied weapons and military equipment to Israel during its assault on Gaza, including Leonardo and Raytheon.

    Companies receiving funds through Scottish Enterprise are subject to a human rights due diligence check, but no company has ever failed these checks. Amnesty International has condemned the process as “inadequate”.

    Following a debate forced by the Greens in February this year, the Scottish Government committed to a review of these human rights checks to ensure that Scotland is meeting its international obligations.

    However, the Government has yet failed to update Parliament on the progress of the review.

    Lorna Slater spoke in the Conservatives party debate ‘Recognising the Economic Contribution of Scotland’s Defence Sector’.

    Speaking after the vote, Lorna said:

    “Not a penny of public money should be going to arms companies that are profiting from war crimes and genocide in Gaza. But four months on from the Scottish Government’s promised review of Scottish Enterprise human rights checks, we’ve had no update and seen no changes. Ten-thousand more people have been killed in Gaza while this review has been going on.

    “Yesterday, the Parliament could have forced the Government to report on this critical review and ensure they meet their own public commitments to upholding and promoting human rights internationally. But despite voting for the review in February, the SNP, Labour and the Lib Dems refused to back our call for an urgent update to Parliament.

    “The ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza that is being live streamed on social media into our homes, is only possible because of the companies and governments arming the state of Israel to carry out the assaults.

    “Just this week, 51 starving Palestinians were killed while desperately trying to access food through a so-called ‘aid’ distribution point coordinated by the US and Israel. This is only one of several attacks at these sites, where the death toll has now reached into the hundreds, with thousands more severely injured.

    “We may not have the power to stop the UK’s active participation in Israel’s genocide, but we can control where our public money goes – and that should never be put into the pockets of companies who are profiting from some of the most horrific war crimes of our generation.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • SAIL supplies entire special steel requirement for Indian Navy’s INS Arnala

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a significant boost to India’s defence self-reliance efforts, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the complete requirement of special steel for the Indian Navy’s first indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), INS Arnala. The vessel was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Wednesday.

    The steel supplied by SAIL has been used entirely in the construction of INS Arnala, reflecting a major stride in the country’s journey towards indigenisation and reduced import dependency in the defence manufacturing sector.

    INS Arnala is the lead ship in a series of eight ASW-SWC corvettes being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. SAIL has provided the complete special-grade steel requirement for all eight vessels under this project.

    As a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking and the largest steel producer in India, SAIL has consistently supported the nation’s defence infrastructure. The company has played a vital role in several indigenous defence projects. In addition to INS Arnala, SAIL has previously supplied special steel for notable naval platforms such as INS Vikrant, INS Vindhyagiri, INS Nilgiri, and INS Surat.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Outdoor training sessions are held at the Summer in Moscow project sites

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Residents and guests of Moscow can attend free functional training classes at almost 50 addresses. Classes are held in parks, at the Summer in Moscow project sites, at the Northern and Southern river terminals and in other places within the framework of the project “Sports Weekend”. It is organized Moscow City Sports Department and government service centers “My Documents”.

    Functional training consists of cardio and strength exercises using your own body weight. During the training, all muscles are involved, which helps to strengthen and harmoniously develop the body’s muscles and increase endurance. In addition, athletes’ metabolism speeds up, which allows them to burn more calories at rest.

    You can choose suitable sites and sign up for functional training atofficial website project.

    In addition, Muscovites can prepare to meet the strength standards of the Ready for Labor and Defense (GTO) complex with the project “GTO in parks” in 10 parks of the capital. The project was created for those who like to do sports in the fresh air and want to test their physical fitness with the help of complex tests.

    “GTO in Parks” is training with professional instructors, as well as meeting standards in 10 park areas of the capital. You can find out the schedule, locations of classes and tests, and sign up for them atproject website. Free training is held every weekend throughout the summer for participants over 18 years old. Both adults and children from six years old can complete the standards.

    Project “Summer in Moscow”— the main event of the season. It brings together the most vibrant events of the capital. Every day, charity, cultural and sports events are held in all districts of the city, most of which are free. The Summer in Moscow project is being held for the second time, and this season will be more eventful: new, original and colorful festivals and events will be added to the traditional ones.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/1554446073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Muscovites and city guests are invited to an immersive open-air museum

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    From June 21 to 24, the Red Square will be open immersive museum in the open air. The large-scale exhibition is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory Parade.

    The museum will tell about the events of the Great Patriotic War. Several thematic zones are envisaged, including “Moscow Meets Victory”, the Victory Train “We Are from Berlin”, the Park of the Victors, and a theater stage. For the first time, the historical Fountain of the Victors will be recreated on the museum site, which will take you back to the distant June of 1945. The appearance of the structure will be the same as it was 80 years ago.

    “The exhibition will occupy more than 16 thousand square meters. Residents and guests of the capital will be shown how Moscow greeted the victors and celebrated the Victory. The museum will also introduce many historical facts. A unique part of the exhibition will be a copy of the historical fountain of the Victors. Such patriotic events are important for every person, they cultivate both a sense of love for the Motherland and respect for its history and culture,” shared

    Ekaterina Dragunova, Chairman of the capital’s Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy.

    The exhibition “Moscow Greets Victory” will be divided into thematic blocks, each of which will reveal one of the spheres of the capital’s life at that time – from cinema and sports to transport, trade and festive events. The illustrations will show a vivid transition from war to peace. Guests will study modules with display cases and artifacts, graphic material, maps, infographics, as well as authentic items of the Victory’s commanders.

    Sergei Sobyanin: The updated exposition of the Museum of Heroism has opened at VDNKh

    The “Shell” stage and flower kiosk will become a symbol of a peaceful and happy life. Musicians will perform on the traditional Moscow park stage. Here, everyone will be able to join the Victory Waltz accompanied by a military orchestra.

    The Victory train “We are from Berlin” will also be located on Red Square. It consists of two carriages and an open platform. Soldiers-actors will perform songs and show scenes from military life.

    As part of the exhibition, guests will be able to see 20 units of military and civilian equipment of those times from the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology. Immersive performances will be held on stage. Guests and residents of the capital will be treated to musical and poetic sketches, as well as productions.

    More than 300 Moscow volunteers will help visitors find their way around.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155442073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Angara-A5 rocket launched from Plesetsk with spacecraft — Russian Defense Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 19 /Xinhua/ — The Angara-A5 heavy-class rocket has launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome with spacecraft, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

    “On June 19, 2025, the Angara-A5 launch vehicle with spacecraft on board was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense,” the statement said.

    Angara is a family of Russian launch vehicles, ranging from light to heavy. This launch was the tenth in the history of the Angara rocket. Since 2014, five launches of the light-class version Angara-1.2 and three of the heavy Angara-A5 have been conducted from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. In addition, one heavy rocket was launched in April 2024 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Region. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Israel establishes air corridor to Tehran as Iranian missile hits major hospital

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An Iranian missile struck the main hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, inflicting extensive damage and wounding multiple individuals as the Israel-Iran conflict entered a dangerously escalated phase. The strike on Soroka Medical Center, one of Israel’s largest hospitals, marked a significant shift in targeting civilian medical infrastructure. Israeli media aired images of shattered windows, damaged wards, and thick black smoke engulfing the hospital complex.

    In response, Israel has intensified its military campaign, gaining what officials describe as decisive air superiority over Iranian territory. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported neutralizing dozens of Iranian missile launchers—accounting for more than a third of Iran’s overall arsenal—often striking them as they were being prepared for launch. This operational advantage has allowed Israel to establish a direct air corridor to Tehran, enabling a new wave of raids on Iranian military targets in and around the capital. Authorities in Iran have urged residents of the villages of Arak and Khondab to evacuate ahead of expected airstrikes on local military infrastructure.

    The conflict reached new heights overnight as Israeli aircraft launched another assault on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. The Israeli military claims the site is being used for nuclear weapons development. This marks the second such strike on Natanz within the week. Earlier attacks are believed to have destroyed underground uranium enrichment centrifuges, a claim partially corroborated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Additional reports indicate Israeli forces also targeted Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, escalating concerns over regional nuclear security.

    Iran responded by launching its 14th wave of missile attacks on Israel early Thursday morning. Over 25 missiles were fired in the latest barrage, targeting key strategic sites. According to Iranian sources, the Revolutionary Guard Corps successfully struck the Israeli army’s cyber command headquarters and an intelligence center in Gav Yam. Another missile reportedly hit a high-rise and several residential buildings near Tel Aviv.

    Israel’s national rescue service confirmed that at least 40 people were injured in the latest round of Iranian strikes. Among the damaged sites was the Israeli stock exchange building. Authorities now confirm at least 24 fatalities from Iranian missile attacks since the onset of this phase of the conflict. The hit on Soroka hospital remains the most severe blow to medical infrastructure since hostilities began.

    Despite Israeli air dominance, Iran continues to conduct more selective and targeted missile strikes. Analysts suggest that the declining frequency of Iranian launches is the result of Israel’s successful campaign to destroy missile platforms and storage sites before deployment.

    Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is reported to be evaluating military intervention options, with the crisis threatening to spill over into a broader West Asian confrontation. In a stern warning, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that any American strikes on Iranian soil would provoke “serious, irreparable consequences,” increasing the stakes of potential U.S. involvement.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Seychelles Celebrates 32nd Constitution Day with Ceremonial Flag Hoisting Across Three Islands


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    The Republic of Seychelles marked the 32nd anniversary of Constitution Day with dignified flag hoisting ceremonies held consecutively on Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. Leading the nation in this significant commemoration was President Wavel Ramkalawan, accompanied by First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, as Seychellois from across the archipelago reflected on the adoption of the Constitution of the Third Republic, a landmark moment in the country’s democratic evolution.

    Constitution Day honours a pivotal chapter in Seychelles’ history, when the nation collectively embraced a constitution that charted a new democratic course. The document enshrines the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and dignity, while establishing the shared duty of all Seychellois to uphold these core principles.

    This year’s official proceedings began with a march by the Guard of Honour, featuring distinguished units from the Seychelles Defence Forces, Police Force, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Special Operations Unit. The symbolic highlight was the hoisting of the National Flag, followed by a stirring performance of the National Anthem—a moment that echoed the solemn pride of the occasion.

    The Seychelles National Flag, with its five striking oblique bands radiating from the base, captures the nation’s dynamic spirit and progressive vision. Each colour holds deep meaning: blue for the ocean and sky, yellow for the sun as the source of life, red for the unity and passion of the people, white for peace and social justice, and green for the natural environment that sustains the islands.

    The programme also featured cultural performances by youth, celebrating Seychellois heritage and patriotism. Readings from the Constitution underscored the enduring relevance of the nation’s legal framework, while patriotic songs performed by young talents from each island added a vibrant cultural dimension to the day’s events.

    Among the attendees were Vice-President Ahmed Afif, the Cabinet of Ministers, numerous high-level government officials, and other distinguished guests.

    The 32nd Constitution Day celebrations successfully united citizens across the islands in a shared reflection on the values, rights, and responsibilities that form the bedrock of Seychelles’ democratic society. The annual observance continues to serve as a powerful reminder of the nation’s constitutional journey, and reaffirms the collective commitment to building a prosperous, inclusive, and harmonious future.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPIEF-2025: GUU and the Fatherland Defenders Foundation signed a cooperation agreement

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On June 18, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the State University of Management and the Fatherland Defenders Foundation signed a cooperation agreement.

    The document was signed by the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and the State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, Chairperson of the “Defenders of the Fatherland” Foundation Anna Tsivileva.

    Within the framework of the agreement, representatives of both organizations will prepare basic and additional educational programs and outreach activities for veterans of the special military operation and their family members, including those aimed at promoting employment and professional reintegration, and will also hold joint scientific and practical conferences, seminars, and round tables.

    The rector of the State University of Management reminded that the university regularly collects and sends humanitarian aid, holds meetings with participants in military operations and events for the families of defenders.

    “The tasks of universities include, in addition to education, the upbringing of young people. And the State University of Management is at the forefront of solving this problem. Thus, during this time, students and employees have made and sent to the SVO zone thousands of dry showers, trench candles, survival bracelets and camouflage nets, and are also purchasing other necessary things and household items. Members of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, the Moscow branch of which is based on the territory of the State University of Management, help eliminate the consequences of terrorist attacks in the border regions, restore the infrastructure of new entities,” Vladimir Stroyev emphasized.

    Anna Tsivileva noted that the signed agreement will expand the capabilities of the Fatherland Defenders Foundation in one of the priority areas of work on training, retraining and further employment of veterans of the SVO.

    “We help heroes undergo professional training and retraining at universities and institutions of secondary vocational education. Almost 5,000 defenders are already studying with our partners – the country’s leading educational organizations. As part of cooperation with the State University of Management, we will provide heroes with another opportunity to master new professions. It is important that after returning from a special operation they can work, be useful to their family and the state,” said Anna Tsivileva.

    Let us recall that at the beginning of June, another humanitarian aid was transferred to the area of the special military operation as part of the “GUU-SVOim” campaign, and in February of this year, VSKS specialists held master classes for children of SVO veterans at the GUU.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –