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Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI: Coolizi Cooling Ace: Why Coolizi Emerges as a Leading Cooling Tech AC in 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Atlantic City, NJ, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As rising global temperatures redefine daily life, a new class of personal cooling solutions is stepping into the spotlight. One product at the forefront is Coolizi Cooling Ace—a compact, bladeless, wearable cooling device designed to provide rapid and targeted relief in high-heat environments. In 2025, Coolizi is not just keeping users cool—it’s transforming how individuals manage comfort, health, and productivity during warmer months.

    A Timely Innovation: Addressing Rising Temperatures with Wearable Cooling

    From heatwaves to humid indoor spaces, consumers are increasingly seeking smarter ways to stay cool without relying on bulky, energy-draining appliances. Coolizi Cooling Ace enters the market at a critical time, offering a portable, personal cooling solution powered by advanced airflow and thermoelectric compression technology.

    With growing awareness of heat-related fatigue and wellness impacts, Coolizi is being positioned as more than a gadget—it’s a daily-use health and comfort enhancer for modern living.

    Inside the Coolizi Cooling Ace: Compact Design, Big Impact

    In the ever-evolving landscape of personal wellness technology, Coolizi Cooling Ace emerges as a standout innovation—thanks to its thoughtfully engineered, compact design. Shaped to fit comfortably around the neck, the device delivers discreet, targeted cooling to critical temperature-sensitive zones, making it an ideal solution for hot commutes, outdoor tasks, and indoor settings lacking adequate ventilation. Its form factor is feather-light, eliminating the strain often associated with neck-mounted accessories, while the airflow outlets are strategically positioned to maximize cooling efficiency without obstructing movement or conversation.
    The impact of this compact design extends beyond comfort. The wearable nature of the Coolizi Cooling Ace allows for hands-free operation, eliminating the need for handheld fans or stationary coolers. It’s engineered with lifestyle adaptability in mind—equally effective whether one is walking, working, or winding down. With a sleek, minimal aesthetic and a universally adjustable fit, it seamlessly integrates into any routine, regardless of age or occupation. In a market flooded with bulky gadgets, Coolizi’s ability to deliver precise thermal relief in a streamlined form marks it as a category-defining product. For users looking to stay cool without compromise, Coolizi is rapidly becoming the go-to wearable cooling solution of 2025.
    Visit Official Website To get More Information

    Engineering Breakthrough: How German Turbo Compression Powers Coolizi

    At the core of the Coolizi Cooling Ace is a technological advancement that separates it from standard personal cooling devices: German-engineered Turbo Compression technology. Unlike traditional fans that simply recycle warm air, this innovation actively cools the air drawn in before distributing it to the body. Through an advanced thermoelectric process, ambient air is compressed and rapidly cooled using a proprietary system, then released through bladeless, skin-safe outlets positioned along the collar frame.
    This breakthrough not only delivers a faster cooling response—it ensures sustained temperature reduction over long usage periods. The science behind Turbo Compression eliminates reliance on water tanks, ice packs, or refrigerants, making Coolizi a low-maintenance, eco-conscious cooling tool that still achieves superior results. Early users report a noticeable drop in perceived body temperature within just 30 seconds of activation, particularly in high-heat environments where traditional fans fall short.
    Furthermore, the system is whisper-quiet, registering at just ~20 decibels, ensuring that relief comes without disruptive noise. Whether used during sleep, study, or work, this engineering leap provides comfort without compromise. In the age of wearable wellness devices, Coolizi stands at the forefront, turning climate resilience into an effortless, daily reality.

    Three Cooling Modes, One Goal—Immediate Personal Relief

    As per official website, Users can toggle between the three preset modes to match their environment:

    • Cool: For mild relief during spring or indoor use.
    • Chill: For moderate summer days or post-workout cool-down.
    • Freeze: For extreme heat, including outdoor work or heatwaves.

    All modes operate at just ~20dB, making the device suitable for use during calls, sleep, or focused tasks—an uncommon feature among portable cooling units.

    Whisper-Quiet Operation: Designed for Work, Rest, and Recovery

    Noise-sensitive users—such as remote workers, students, and light sleepers—are responding positively to Coolizi’s low-decibel performance. Testimonials highlight the device’s ability to operate silently while providing real airflow and temperature reduction.

    This makes Coolizi a viable option not only for recreational use but also in workplace, wellness, and therapeutic settings where quiet environments are essential.

    Built for the Modern User: Portable, Rechargeable, and Maintenance-Free

    According to official website coolizi.com, Today’s consumers demand solutions that are not only effective but also effortlessly integrated into daily life. The Coolizi Cooling Ace is a prime example of how design and function converge to meet that need. Built for the fast-paced, tech-enabled lifestyles of 2025, this cooling device is entirely cordless, USB-C rechargeable, and free from the frequent upkeep typical of traditional air units. With a full charge, users can expect up to 8 hours of continuous cooling, making it perfect for workdays, travel, or extended outdoor use.
    The device’s portability is one of its most valued features. Whether tossed in a bag or worn in transit, Coolizi requires no installation, refilling, or cleaning, making it ideal for those who seek simplicity and efficiency. Its streamlined charging method—compatible with standard USB-C ports—means it pairs seamlessly with existing tech setups, from laptops to car adapters.
    Perhaps most notably, Coolizi is designed with durability and zero-maintenance operation in mind. Without fans, filters, or fragile blades, there’s little risk of mechanical failure. For users who want climate relief without additional chores, Coolizi provides a modern solution that respects time, energy, and convenience—hallmarks of next-generation wellness design.

    Cooling Where It Matters: From Commutes to Campsites

    From city commuters and construction crews to beachgoers and hikers, Coolizi’s versatile design supports a wide range of use cases. Its impact is especially notable in regions where temperatures often soar above 90°F and traditional AC units offer limited relief.

    The device is also gaining traction among travelers, RV users, and senior citizens looking for personal cooling without environmental noise or installation hassle.

    Healthcare Meets Climate Tech: Supporting Well-Being in High Heat

    As awareness grows around heat-induced fatigue, dehydration, and focus disruption, Coolizi is being integrated into daily health routines. Many users adopt it as a preventative tool against heat stress, particularly those with underlying health conditions, or those living in regions with poor air circulation or high humidity.

    This intersection of climate-responsive design and personal wellness support is part of what drives Coolizi’s AC growing reputation.

    What Users Are Saying: Real Experiences with Coolizi Cooling Ace

    With over 7,800 verified users and an average rating of 5.0/5.0, the Coolizi Cooling Ace is resonating strongly with consumers. Verified purchasers report “instant cooling,” “ultra-quiet airflow,” and describe it as “a lifesaver for daily commutes.”

    One user writes:

    “I was skeptical at first, but Coolizi worked straight out of the box. It’s now a daily must-have on my walk to work.”

    Visit Official Website To get More Information

    Why Coolizi Is Gaining Ground in the U.S. Markets

    As climate conditions intensify and the demand for smarter cooling solutions rises, Coolizi Cooling Ace is capturing attention not only across the United States but also in several international markets. In 2025, this wearable cooling innovation has swiftly transitioned from niche product to mainstream necessity—particularly among urban dwellers, outdoor professionals, and wellness-conscious consumers. What sets Coolizi apart in the global market is its ability to merge technology, comfort, and accessibility into a single, portable solution. In the U.S., rising temperatures have spurred a wave of interest in personal climate tech, with users seeking alternatives to energy-intensive air conditioners. Coolizi’s energy-efficient performance, paired with its maintenance-free design and silent operation, has made it a strong contender for both individual and workplace use. 
    Internationally, markets such as Australia, Canada, and parts of Europe have echoed similar praise. The device’s universal USB-C charging, lightweight build, and multi-mode functionality allow it to easily adapt to diverse climates and lifestyles. With no complicated setup or regional power limitations, Coolizi’s plug-and-go usability makes it ideal for global distribution. As momentum builds through positive user reviews and repeat purchases, Coolizi Cooling Ace is rapidly evolving into a household name in wearable comfort technology.

    Expert Insights: What Makes Coolizi Different from Traditional Mini Coolers

    Industry experts agree: while many portable coolers promise comfort, Coolizi Cooling Ace delivers it with a combination of scientific precision, portability, and long-term usability. Unlike mini air conditioners or desktop fans that rely on water tanks, external plugs, or refrigerants, Coolizi uses solid-state thermoelectric cooling paired with Turbo Compression technology. This not only reduces operating noise and maintenance—it increases real-time performance where it matters most: directly on the body.
    Another defining advantage is Coolizi’s bladeless safety design, which ensures quiet operation and makes it suitable for all age groups—including children and seniors. Experts note that many users overlook the risk of injury or discomfort with fan-based systems. Coolizi avoids this altogether while achieving cooler output in a fraction of the time.
    Its ergonomic neckband style is also seen as a functional evolution of traditional cooling formats. Experts emphasize that wearable tech should be intuitive and lifestyle-friendly, and Coolizi checks both boxes. It doesn’t just sit on a desk or require setup—it moves with the user, offering true mobility and freedom.
    As consumer expectations evolve, Coolizi has been identified by product analysts as a category leader, bridging the gap between comfort tech and wearable wellness—a distinction few brands can claim.

    Buyer Awareness: Official Site Access and Stock Availability

    To ensure product authenticity and avoid imitation units, Coolizi is currently only sold through its official website. The manufacturer does not authorize sales on third-party platforms or local retail stores.

    Users can order directly with secure checkout, email confirmation, and tracking support—providing peace of mind from order to delivery.

    A Look Ahead: How Coolizi Is Shaping the Future of Personal Cooling

    In a world where comfort technology is becoming increasingly personal and mobile, Coolizi Cooling Ace stands out for its smart engineering, ease of use, and measurable benefits. As 2025 unfolds, this compact cooling solution is expected to remain a leading force in wearable tech and thermal wellness.

    For more information, visit the official Coolizi Cooling Ace website and explore limited-time summer offers while supplies last.

    Company: Coolizi Cooling ACE
    SB Brands 78 John Miller Way Kearny,
    New Jersey 07032
    Email: Support@chillreleaf.com
    Website: https://www.coolizi.com

    Disclaimers and Disclosures 

    The information presented in this article is strictly for general informational and educational purposes. It does not, in any way, constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any medical or health condition. Please note that Coolizi Cooling ACE is not a medical device and is not intended to prevent, treat, or cure any health condition. Any references to comfort or relief are purely anecdotal and should not be interpreted as medical claims. 

    It is strongly recommended that readers consult a licensed medical professional or HVAC specialist before considering any cooling product for medical or health-related use. Please be aware that individual results may vary depending on environmental conditions, usage patterns, and personal sensitivity to temperature or humidity changes. Product specifications, features, and pricing referenced in this content are accurate at the time of publication to the best of the author’s knowledge. However, they are subject to change at the discretion of the manufacturer or vendor without prior notice. 

    Consumers should always refer to the official Coolizi Cooling ACE website for the most current information regarding pricing, warranties, and product availability. It’s important to note that this article may include affiliate links. However, these relationships do not influence the editorial content, which remains independent and impartial. The publisher may earn a commission if a purchase is made through these links, but this comes at no additional cost to the consumer. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and up-to-date nature of the information presented here, it’s important to note that neither the author nor any distribution partners assume responsibility for typographical errors, omissions, or outdated product details that may appear in the article. The publisher and its syndication partners expressly disclaim any liability for actions taken by readers based on the content provided herein. Lastly, it’s important to reiterate that all product names, trademarks, and registered trademarks used in this article are the property of their respective owners. Their use here does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by these entities. Please remember, the information provided here is not medical advice, and it’s crucial to consult a professional before making any health-related decisions.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the worsening situation for children in conflicts around the world: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the worsening situation for children in conflicts around the world: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict.

    The UK remains committed to supporting Syrians as they rebuild after years of suffering, with an inclusive transition that reflects a wide range of voices, including those of Syria’s youth. 

    I will make three points today.

    First, the United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the worsening situation for children in conflicts around the world. 

    The Secretary-General’s report highlights a shocking 25% increase in grave violations against children in the past year. 

    We call on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children. Perpetrators need to be held to account.

    We also echo the Secretary-General’s call for all listed parties to engage with the United Nations to develop and implement action plans to end and prevent grave violations. 

    Second, as we’ve heard today, cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence against children have increased by over a third in the past year. 

    In Sudan, children as young as one are reportedly subject to sexual violence.

    The United Kingdom unequivocally condemns sexual violence against children and has championed the rights of child survivors and rallied global action through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.

    Third, in too many conflicts, children are bearing the brunt of violence.

    The conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is having a catastrophic impact on children, with thousands killed and maimed as a result of Israeli military action. 

    Palestinians, desperate to feed their families, have been killed as they try to reach the few aid sites permitted by Israel. 

    This is unacceptable. 

    We call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law to protect children and urgently lift restrictions to enable aid to enter Gaza at scale. 

    Israeli children have also suffered as a result of Hamas’ despicable crimes, with children killed and taken hostage on 7 October. 

    The UK repeats its call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.

    And Russia continues to kill and maim children and attack schools and hospitals in its illegal war in Ukraine. 

    We call on Russia to cease this unprovoked war and return forcibly deported children to Ukraine. 

    President, the United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to the Children and Armed Conflict mandate and ending grave violations against children. 

    We need to do more to protect children. They are the next generation of leaders and peacebuilders. They are our future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon State Fire Marshal urges Oregonians to check fireworks restrictions, keep celebrations legal and safe

    Source: US State of Oregon

    ith fireworks sales beginning today, the Oregon State Fire Marshal is reminding people to celebrate the Fourth of July responsibly and legally. The 2025 fireworks retail sales season in Oregon runs from June 23 through July 6, and the agency’s message is clear: “Keep it legal. Keep it safe.”

    As Oregonians make plans for the holiday, they’re urged to check local rules and restrictions on both the sale and use of fireworks—whether celebrating at home or traveling.

    “Before lighting any fireworks, make sure you know what’s allowed where you are,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We want everyone to enjoy the holiday, but it’s critical to follow the law and avoid actions that could cause a fire or injury.”

    Local governments across Oregon may set additional restrictions on the sale or use of fireworks, especially in areas at higher risk of wildfires. It’s the responsibility of those using fireworks to understand and follow local laws.

    Fireworks safety and legal reminders
    Consumer-legal fireworks may be purchased only from permitted retailers and stands. These fireworks may not be used on:

    Public lands and parks
    National parks and forests
    Bureau of Land Management lands
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properties
    Oregon state beaches, parks, and campgrounds
    Private lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry

    To help reduce the risk of fire and injury, fire officials urge Oregonians to follow the four Bs of safe fireworks use:

    Be prepared: Have a bucket of water or a hose nearby.
    Be safe:     Keep children and pets at a safe distance. Never use fireworks near dry grass or other flammable materials.
    Be responsible:     Do not relight duds. Soak used fireworks in water before disposal.
    Be aware:     Use only legal fireworks and only where they are allowed.
    Illegal fireworks and consequences

    Oregon law prohibits the possession, use, or sale of any fireworks that fly into the air, explode, or travel more than 12 feet horizontally on the ground without a permit from the state fire marshal. This includes items such as bottle rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers.

    Violations are a Class B misdemeanor, with a maximum fine of $2,500. Those who misuse fireworks or are found to be responsible for them causing damage may be held financially responsible for fire suppression and other costs. Parents can also be held liable for damage caused by their children.

    Learn more
    The Oregon State Fire Marshal offers resources on fireworks laws, retail sale permits, and safety tips on its fireworks webpage. For a safe celebration this Fourth of July, know the law, check local restrictions, and always keep it legal and safe.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with President Erdoğan of Türkiye: 25 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM meeting with President Erdoğan of Türkiye: 25 June 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke with the President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in The Hague earlier this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke with the President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in The Hague earlier this afternoon.

    The leaders began by discussing the perilous situation in the Middle East. The leaders welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and agreed that negotiations must lead to the next vital step forward. 

    Discussing the conflict in Gaza, the leaders agreed that there needed to be an urgent acceleration of aid and an end to the intolerable situation.

    Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Prime Minister thanked President Erdoğan for his support to the Coalition of the Willing planning and thanked him for Türkiye’s role in peace talks.

    The leaders also welcomed the strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, and agreed on the importance of making progress in free trade agreement talks.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Island Community Explores Pathways To Strengthen Energy Reliability

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy to Communities Program Helped Edgartown, Massachusetts, Plan for a Microgrid To Support Municipal Buildings in Emergencies

    There is no bridge to the island of Martha’s Vineyard from mainland Massachusetts: If you want to get there, you have to take a ferry or plane. The island’s remote nature does not discourage tourists from visiting the small town of Edgartown—its population balloons from 5,000 to 25,000 during the warm summer months. But it does present problems for addressing power outages year-round.

    When the tourists pack up their beach umbrellas and head back home, hurricanes and nor’easters are soon to follow. Without easy access to mainland resources, residents need independent, resilient energy sources to weather such storms.

    “Our long-term plan is to make our municipal facilities sufficiently resilient so that we won’t have to worry about power during emergencies,” said Edgartown Energy Committee Associate Alan Strahler. Strahler has been working with the committee since 2017 to identify projects to enhance energy efficiency and resilience. “Our goal is to provide up to seven days of local independent operation of emergency facilities during power outages in both winter and summer.”

    To reach this goal, Edgartown plans to develop microgrids at town buildings. In a microgrid, the buildings can be powered by solar photovoltaics (PV), battery energy storage, grid power, or a backup generator. The microgrid normally selects the cheapest energy source, but when grid power goes out, it operates independently using the remaining energy sources.

    In pursuing this plan for its community, Edgartown sought expertise from researchers through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy to Communities (E2C) program. E2C’s Expert Match offers a three- to four-month technical assistance program that pairs communities with researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other national laboratories to help them address near-term energy goals.

    “Edgartown wants to create its first microgrid designed to support town buildings in power outages,” said Amanda Krelling, a researcher with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and lead for Edgartown’s Expert Match support. “Microgrids would create more security and safety for their residents while they potentially have to wait for someone off of the island to come fix the outage.”

    Generating Options Tailored to Community Needs

    The community applied to E2C Expert Match with a microgrid location in mind: the Edgartown Highway Department and its adjacent campus.

    “We wanted to understand how we could describe a project that would be worth the investment and have the proper benefits in terms of energy generation, resilience, and savings from a quantitative perspective,” Strahler said.

    The campus consists of five buildings, ranging from 300 square feet to 10,000 square feet. Krelling began the analysis process with collection and review of available building data, including utility bills, building materials, satellite imagery, and even roof color.

    “Roof color can affect energy consumption. Light-colored roofs reflect more solar radiation and dark-colored roofs absorb more,” Krelling said. “So, it is an important detail to consider when you are modeling electric loads for buildings.”

    The highway garage building is one of several buildings that can accommodate solar panels on the Edgartown Highway Department campus. Photos from Edgartown Highway Department

    The building data that Krelling collected helped her calibrate models for the Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM). DER-CAM describes changes in building energy loads through different generation options and allows users to optimize the portfolio, size, and placement of distributed energy resources based on specific goals.

    Using DER-CAM, Krelling created generation options based on four strategies, moving from lowest generation potential to the highest. The first strategy, with a PV capacity of 27 kilowatts and no battery storage, focused solely on meeting electrical loads during power outages and reducing energy cost during normal conditions. Strategy two, with 84 kilowatts of PV capacity and 62 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity, and strategy three, with 270 kilowatts of PV capacity and 40 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity, could each support independent building operation during both power outages and normal conditions. Strategy four maximized the total solar PV installation area available with a PV capacity of 429 kilowatts and battery capacity of 39 kilowatt-hours and generated excess energy to be sold to provide town income.

    “Developing solar on an island isn’t always easy because of the limited space. You have to look at the use case of the location and how you can align it with the solar project,” said Edgartown Energy Committee Associate Erich Mettler, who has a professional background in development and operation of utility-scale solar projects. “The Expert Match team did a good job of looking at those different use cases and actually finding ways to make the facility work better.”

    Providing Crucial Insight for Decision-Making

    DER-CAM modeling provided projections for energy generation, cost, and revenue for all four generation strategies, laying out how each could potentially work for the community. This data ultimately gave Edgartown the information they needed to pursue next steps for the microgrid, including studies to further explore and outline the technical feasibility and design. While Expert Match does not directly assist communities with the process of applying for grants, the analysis provided can contribute to a successful application—as it did for Edgartown.

    “We used this information in a grant application for an engineering study of the possible microgrid, and we wound up getting it,” Strahler said, referring to a $30,500 grant received through DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. “I really think one of the reasons we got it is because Expert Match had done all the homework for us. It was a wonderful education and joy for me working with the team, getting the results, and seeing how the modeling worked.”

    The energy generation projected in these strategies also provides an avenue for the community to continue building up the site with additional capabilities, such as an electric vehicle charging station. Further analysis through Expert Match showed that the microgrid’s energy resources could even accommodate a heat pump for space heating of the main building without significantly diminishing the microgrid’s renewable energy output or altering the electric load.

    “It is a very enriching experience to work with these communities,” Krelling said. “Even though this was only an initial analysis, you can see how excited they are about this idea. Our work gave them insight into how they can move forward.”

    The Edgartown energy committee hopes that the lessons learned from this project will go on to benefit the five other towns of Martha’s Vineyard.

    “The island has several energy committees, and if this is successful, I hope that they would look at doing projects similar to this,” Mettler said. “I think this effort can elevate thinking about ways to be more efficient in our energy usage in our community.”

    Expert Match applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about all of E2C’s program opportunities and apply on the E2C Expert Match webpage.

    E2C connects community-based groups, local governments, utilities, and other organizations with national laboratory experts to close the gaps between communities’ energy ambitions and real-world deployment. The technical assistance offered through E2C can offer meaningful insights around energy decision-making to help communities achieve resilient, abundant, reliable, secure, and affordable energy systems that embody local and regional priorities. For example, E2C analysis can provide insights on the costs and benefits of electric vehicles, geothermal systems, or capturing and storing solar energy. Such analysis provides community-specific information on the funding and support needed to bring energy projects to fruition.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Improving Resiliency in Westchester County

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $21 million to support flood protection and vital resilient infrastructure projects in Westchester County that will help prevent flooding in communities along Blind Brook. The projects will fix inadequately sized stream crossings by replacing two undersized bridges and restore portions of the stream to a more natural, stable condition to help better prepare for future extreme weather events in flood prone areas.

    “Communities in Westchester are all too familiar with the devastating and deadly effects of storm surges and flash flooding. That’s why New York is investing in projects that improve resiliency, advance sustainability and protect our residents from severe weather driven by climate change,” Governor Hochul said. “Providing funding and resources to help local governments get shovels in the ground for these projects is a top priority, and we’ll continue working together to modernize our infrastructure and provide common sense solutions that best position our communities for the future.”

    The $21 million provided through the ‘Restoration and Flood Risk’ category of the historic $4.2 billion Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 will support the replacement of two Westchester County-owned bridges that cross Blind Brook in Rye. Westchester County will design the Playland Parkway and Oakland Avenue bridges with significantly larger spans to address current and future hydrologic flows anticipated from climate change. The bridges will be designed to allow better flow during heavy rainfall, alleviating flooding upstream.

    In addition, Westchester County will ‘daylight,’ or uncover, a channeled portion of the East Blind Brook in Rye Brook using natural stream design techniques and expand floodplain areas with nature-based solutions, including the creation of a properly sized, multistage channel and floodplain, installation of grade control structures and scour protection measures along the restored channel to prevent channel incision and protect upstream infrastructure, and installation of native plantings.

    In Westchester, DEC is undertaking comprehensive stream studies in flood prone areas at no cost to municipalities. The studies will help protect public health and safety, habitat, and natural resources by improving community resilience to extreme weather events driven by climate change. In addition to Blind Brook, studies of the Bronx and Hutchinson Rivers, Mamaroneck and Sheldrake Rivers, and Beaver Swamp and Grassy Sprain Rivers have all been completed.

    Through Resilient New York, flood studies are also being conducted across the state, resulting in the development of flood and ice jam hazard mitigation alternatives to help guide implementation of mitigation projects.

    In addition, DEC is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Mamaroneck and other partners in neighboring municipalities along the Long Island Sound to implement similar projects that improve resilience, protect New Yorkers, and safeguard vital community infrastructure from future flooding.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Communities across New York State are facing the increasingly devastating impacts of extreme weather and flooding driven by climate change, with low-lying Westchester County towns along waterways like Blind Brook particularly vulnerable to tidal surge flooding. Through Governor Hochul’s leadership and historic investments from the Environmental Bond Act and State resources, New York is leveraging our state and local partnerships to help build more resilient communities, reduce flood risk, and restore natural resources.”

    Representative George Latimer said, “This is great news for Westchester County as we all work to plan for future extreme weather events driven by climate change. It is critical that we invest in aging infrastructure to meet the current challenges due to rain events and flooding, and plan for future risks. This is an important investment in my backyard, and I thank Governor Hochul and her team for recognizing th

    State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am so pleased that Westchester County will receive $21 million from the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 for flood mitigation investments identified by the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Blind Brook Watershed Study. This study was conducted shortly after the devastating impact of Hurricane Ida on the communities of Harrison, Rye Brook, Port Chester and Rye, as well as other communities in Westchester, and identified infrastructure investments to mitigate and reduce the likelihood of damage from future floods and additional resiliency efforts to meet the challenges of climate change. This funding will enable essential updates to key bridges and other portions of the Blind Brook watershed, reducing likely water flow during storms and ensuring safe travel for New Yorkers. DEC has been an extraordinary partner in our efforts to actively address flooding in Westchester, and I would personally like to thank them for their determination to anticipate that future storms will threaten serious damage to our region. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for allocating this funding for Westchester. In addition, I express my gratitude to every New Yorker who voted in favor of this ballot proposition in 2022, which made this funding possible.”

    Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “Governor Hochul and DEC have focused on the flooding challenges we face here in Westchester County and the resiliency needs throughout the state. The Environmental Bond Act included a major focus on storm mitigation and these Blind Brook projects are the types of infrastructure work we need to better protect lives and property. We are pleased to welcome DEC Commissioner Lefton to the Sound Shore for this announcement and to thank DEC for their ongoing commitment to Westchester flooding issues. DEC’s Resilient NY Streams Study Program has provided analysis of six stream areas in our county that is a valuable tool for local governments and state agencies in prioritizing projects such as those announced today. This work is assisting the planning for projects in the communities across the Sound Shore.”

    Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said, “Westchester County is deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation for this transformative investment in our infrastructure and our future. These projects will not only help protect families and neighborhoods along Blind Brook from devastating flooding, but also advance our shared commitment to building a more resilient, climate-ready Westchester. This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking investment the Environmental Bond Act was designed to support.”

    On Nov. 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the Environmental Bond Act ballot proposition to make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects. The Bond Act supports new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. State agencies, local governments, and partners can access this historic funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs.

    The projects announced today complement other State investments and opportunities to protect communities from flood damage. In May, Governor Hochul announced more than $78 million in funding available through the Water Quality Improvement Project Program and $22 million in Climate Smart Community grants, which both support projects that include flood risk reduction.

    Applications for these latest rounds of funding are due by July 31, 2025. In April, the Governor also announced $60 million in Environmental Bond Act funding for the next round of Green Resiliency Grants. The program supports vital stormwater management and resilient infrastructure projects in flood-prone communities across New York State. Applications for this program are due by Aug. 15, 2025. To learn more about resources available for resilient Bond Act-supported projects, visit

    environmentalbondact.ny.gov.

    New York’s Commitment to Water Quality
    New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure. With an additional $500 million for clean water infrastructure in the 2025-2026 enacted State Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017. The budget also maintains a strong commitment to environmental conservation with a $425 million Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). This funding bolsters a wide array of vital programs, including land acquisition for habitat and open space preservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, and water quality improvement projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Trump signals willingness to send Ukraine more Patriot missiles after meeting Zelenskiy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he would consider supplying Ukraine with more of the Patriot air-defence missiles Kyiv relies on to defend itself from mounting Russian strikes, after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart on Wednesday.

    Both leaders said the 50-minute meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague was a positive step in a war now in its fourth year, and which Trump described as “more difficult than other wars”.

    Trump, during a press conference, said the weapons are “very hard to get” but that “we are going to see if we can make some of them available.”

    The U.S. leader also left open the possibility of providing more military aid to Kyiv, which has struggled to fend off grinding Russian advances on the battlefield in recent months.

    Trump had previously shown no signs of resuming the donations of weaponry to Ukraine against Russia’s invasion that his predecessor Joe Biden had instituted.

    Zelenskiy described the meeting as “long and substantive”, saying it covered “all the truly important issues”.

    “We discussed how to achieve a ceasefire and a real peace,” he wrote on X. “We spoke about how to protect our people.”

    Trump added that he would speak to Vladimir Putin again soon, saying the Russian president “really has to end that war”.

    Zelenskiy has worked to rebuild relations with Washington after a disastrous White House meeting in February with Trump, whose overtures to Russia in recent months have concerned officials in Kyiv.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: AI-Generated Scams Claim 62% More Victims Year-Over-Year Despite Declining Consumer Concern, New Sift Report Reveals

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sift, the AI-powered fraud platform delivering identity trust for leading global businesses, today released its Q2 2025 Digital Trust Index, revealing a troubling disconnect between consumer confidence and actual vulnerability to AI-generated fraud. The report exposes a dangerous “confidence paradox” where scam sophistication is outpacing consumer awareness, creating unprecedented risks for businesses and their customers.

    The Confidence Paradox: When Familiarity Breeds Vulnerability

    Despite growing familiarity with GenAI, the data reveals a concerning trend: 27% of those targeted by GenAI have been successfully scammed, a 62% increase from 2024. This surge occurs even as consumer concern about AI fraud has dropped significantly—from 79% in 2024 to just 61% today, an 18-point decrease that signals dangerous complacency.

    Scam sophistication is outpacing consumer defenses. According to the Sift-commissioned survey, 70% of consumers say scams have become harder to detect in the past year. Yet paradoxically, overall fear of AI-powered fraud is declining, creating a perfect storm for cybercriminals.

    Generational Divide: Digital Natives Most at Risk

    The report reveals a striking generational paradox. Gen Z and Millennials—the demographics most comfortable with AI technology—report the highest confidence in identifying scams (52% and 44%, respectively) yet are successfully victimized at alarming rates (30% and 23%). In contrast, Gen X and Baby Boomers express lower confidence (30% and 13%) but demonstrate more cautious online behavior, resulting in lower scam success rates (19% and 12%).

    Enterprise Risk: Consumer Data Practices Expose Businesses

    Beyond individual fraud, the report uncovers significant enterprise security risks. Despite widespread privacy concerns, 31% of consumers admit to entering personal or sensitive information into GenAI tools. Among this group, the most commonly shared data includes email addresses (55%), phone numbers (49%), home addresses (44%), and financial information (33%). Most alarmingly, 14% admitted to sharing company trade secrets, creating dual exposure for both individuals and their employers.

    Behavioral Patterns Reveal Cybercriminal Operations

    Analysis of Sift’s Global Data Network, which processes over 1 trillion events annually, reveals distinct behavioral signatures that differentiate fraudsters from legitimate users. Key findings include:

    • Fraudsters use 36% more payment methods than legitimate users
    • Criminal networks employ 20% fewer IP addresses, suggesting coordinated operations
    • Peak fraud activity occurs during late-night hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time) when many fraud teams are offline


    The Business Imperative

    “AI-generated scams and deepfakes are proliferating with speed and concerning sophistication, leaving even the most informed consumers at risk,” said Kevin Lee, SVP of Customer Experience, Trust & Safety at Sift. “Businesses must fight fire with fire—using AI to secure identity trust at every customer touchpoint, which ultimately creates better consumer experiences, mitigates fraud, and fosters profitable growth.”

    The full findings from Sift’s Q2 2025 Digital Trust Index are available here

    About Sift
    Sift is the AI-powered fraud platform delivering identity trust for leading global businesses. Our deep investments in machine learning and user identity, a data network scoring 1 trillion events per year, and a commitment to long-term customer success empower more than 700 customers to grow fearlessly. Brands including DoorDash, Yelp, and Poshmark rely on Sift to unlock growth and deliver seamless consumer experiences. Visit us at sift.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact:
    Victor White
    VP, Corporate Marketing, Sift
    press@sift.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ESO’s Auto-Generated Narrative Feature Returns 35,700 Hours to EMS Professionals in First Month

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESO, a leading data services and software provider for EMS, fire departments, hospitals, and government agencies, today announced significant adoption and time-savings as a result of its new Auto-Generated Narrative feature. Launched in May 2025, the AI-powered documentation saved over 35,700 hours for EMS professionals within its first month of general availability. Over 1,670 EMS agencies have adopted the feature since May—resulting in up to 80% reduction in total documentation time.

    ESO’s first generation Auto-Generated Narrative feature, included for existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) customers, transforms the traditionally time-consuming patient care report process by generating comprehensive narrative summaries from data captured in patient records from various sources, including speech to text, while maintaining the highest standards of data security and patient privacy. Additionally, ESO’s EHR longitudinal record feature connects patient records across an individual’s medical history and hospital visits, importing medications, allergies and demographics from previous healthcare encounters.

    “Our approach to AI is fundamentally about empowerment,” said John Basmadjian, chief product and technology officer at ESO. “We developed our Auto-Generated Narrative with patients and providers in mind, ensuring it enables the expertise of EMS professionals while maintaining the highest standards of clinical accuracy and professional responsibility. This technology addresses real-world challenges our customers face daily—giving them more time for patient care while ensuring complete, consistent documentation.”

    The feature maintains NEMSIS compliance and includes built-in safeguards that require provider review and approval before finalizing any narrative. Healthcare professionals retain complete control throughout the process, with the ability to edit, augment, modify or regenerate content as needed. The feature is intentionally designed to be entirely optional, giving EMS organizations the option to implement this capability based on their preferences and internal policies.

    “The amount of time our team spends on documentation and reporting has decreased significantly—with crews now reducing their documentation time by 20 minutes per report,” said Jeff Sadtler, chief at West County Fire and EMS. “But what’s most important is that our field crews maintain complete control and responsibility over their documentation. They’re not just accepting what the AI generates, they’re using it as a foundation to supplement, creating accurate, comprehensive reports that truly reflect the care delivered to our patients.”

    The Auto-Generated Narrative feature represents ESO’s continued commitment to innovation with purpose. It accompanies other recent enhancements to ESO’s EHR platform, such as longitudinal record keeping, which enables EMS agencies to access vital patient data before, during and after care for a more holistic view of the patient’s long-term health.

    ESO’s Auto-Generated Narrative feature is now accessible across its EHR platforms, including native iOS, Windows mobile and web applications, and can be activated organization-wide through administrative settings. For more information on ESO, visit www.eso.com.

    About ESO
    ESO is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today’s global emergency response ecosystem, spanning across dispatch centers, EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and governmental offices. ESO currently serves thousands of customers across the globe with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform; ESO Fire RMS, the modern fire Record Management System; Logis by ESO Dispatch and Billing solutions; ESO Patient Registry (trauma, burn and stroke registry software); and ESO State Repository. For more information, visit www.eso.com.

    Media Contact:
    For ESO,
    Hope Sander
    Red Fan Communications
    eso@redfancommunications.com
    737-280-8783

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Secure Close to $34 Million to Support Nevada’s Rural Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of the Interior (DOI) has awarded $33,801,823 to Nevada counties under the Payments of Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. PILT payments support government services – including firefighting, law enforcement, road construction, and public education – primarily in rural counties.

    “Nevada’s rural communities rely on PILT funding to complete projects and carry out critical services,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I am pleased to announce this funding – close to a million more than last year – to ensure local governments across the Silver State can continue to deliver for families that call our rural counties home.”

    “I’m committed to making sure that Nevada receives its fair share of federal funding to help support local law enforcement, bolster public education, and fund critically-needed infrastructure repairs,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped secure more than $33 million in PILT funding this year to support rural communities across Nevada so they can afford essential services that benefit our state and help Nevadans succeed.”

    PILT payments are federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within those governments’ boundaries. PILT payments help local governments carry out vital services including firefighting and police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations. The payments are made annually for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (all agencies of the DOI), the U.S. Forest Service (part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture), federal water projects, and some military installations. A full breakdown of the FY2025 PILT payments by county is available here.

    Senator Cortez Masto is fighting to expand the PILT program for low-population counties to secure even more funding for Nevada’s rural communities in the future. In March, she introduced the bipartisan Small County PILT Parity Act, which would allow counties with populations under 5,000 to receive increased PILT payments to create parity with larger counties where per capita funding increases as population decreases. In Nevada, five counties would qualify for increased funding under that bill: Esmeralda, Eureka, Lincoln, Mineral, and Storey.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen are champions for Nevada’s rural communities, working across the aisle to deliver for families. They have also ensured rural Nevada communities have better access to federal funds and services through the Rural Partners Network. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, they secured funding for rural schools and over $460 million for broadband. Cortez Masto also made sure the law included her legislation to help rural counties with internet access at local schools and streamline federal broadband funding to improve internet access for rural areas. Cortez Masto has led legislation to support key tourism and outdoor industries in every corner of Nevada through economic development.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Our support to Ukraine remains unwavering: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Our support to Ukraine remains unwavering: UK statement to the OSCE

    Speaking at the Annual Security Review Conference, Head of Security Policy Department, Jason Rheinberg, outlines why the UK remains committed to the OSCE and its principles.

    Thank you, Mr Chair. I am pleased to be here at the OSCE, particularly on the fiftieth anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. Then, just as now, the Organisation and the Decalogue are foundation stones of strategic stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic area.

    Let me begin by reiterating the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year, remains the most serious threat to European security in decades. It is a blatant violation of the UN Charter and the core principles of this Organization – principles that every singe one of us has committed to uphold.

    Despite the immense human and economic toll, Ukraine continues to resist. And I salute their bravery. Ukraine has also shown it is committed to peace: Ukraine has agreed to a full, unconditional ceasefire, as proposed by the US. Russia has failed to agree to the same and has instead ramped up its attacks on civilians in Ukraine – including yesterday’s ballistic missile strikes on the Dnipro region, which killed at least 20 civilians and injured nearly 300 others. Hitting nurseries, apartment blocks and bakeries, as we heard earlier today from the Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister.

    Here in Vienna, the UK continues – week in, week out – to hold Russia to account at the Permanent Council and Forum for Security Cooperation. We challenge the lies used to justify this illegal war and expose the brutality with which it is being waged.

    As Chair of the Security Committee, the UK has also continued the good practice of using meetings to support Ukraine and its neighbours in dealing with the impacts of this war. Our workplan covers policing, border security, child protection and empowerment, critical infrastructure and cyber resilience. And it serves as a platform for sharing perspectives, best practice, and establishing a common security picture.

    And listening to the interventions of our distinguished colleagues from Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, we call on Russia to withdraw all of its forces from the internationally recognised territory of both States.

    Meanwhile, we are also responding to a broader and increasingly complex threat landscape. Many of the transnational threats we face are intensifying:

    Malign hybrid activities – including information manipulation – are intensifying.

    Cyber threats, in some cases enabled by AI, are targeting critical national infrastructure.

    Organised criminals – more sophisticated than ever – are smuggling drugs, weapons, cultural property, and people across borders.

    And the threat from terrorism and violent extremism has not diminished. The Islamic State Khorasan Province is growing in strength. At the same time, extreme right-wing groups are proliferating in online spaces.

    Three key themes permeate these challenges: they highlight the wide-ranging impact of emerging technologies; they do not respect borders; and they demand a coordinated, and cross-dimensional response.

    Mr Chair, the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security has therefore never been more relevant. We must remain vigilant to the full spectrum of threats facing our region; of which, Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine remains the most urgent and serious.

    Our Leaders mandated the OSCE to continue politico-military dialogue even in the hardest of times because they saw – and see – it is essential to manage risk, reduce misunderstanding and avoid miscalculation for the benefit of all our citizens. The OSCE has an extensive acquis and toolkit to do this work. But it relies on political will to be effective.

    The UK has that will. We remain committed to the OSCE and to the principles that underpin it. We believe in the potential of this Organization to do much more to support peace, security, and cooperation. We need the will of all States to be able to do that.

    And we are looking forward to continuing these conversations at the Helsinki Plus 50 forum later this summer. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Mexico home shooting kills at least 10 including children

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    At least 10 people were killed and more injured in a shooting at a home in the central Mexican city of Irapuato on Tuesday night, including children, authorities said.

    “It is an appalling multiple homicide and an investigation is being carried out,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a regular press conference on Wednesday morning, adding that children were among those killed.

    Security authorities said in a statement that they have launched an operation to find those responsible for the attack.

    Local media reported the shooting happened during a religious celebration.

    The attorney general’s office for Guanajuato, the central state where the attack took place, confirmed the attack.

    “According to preliminary data, 10 people lost their lives and several more were injured by firearm projectiles,” Irapuato’s civil security office said in a statement on social media.

    It added that the local government condemned the violence and expressed its solidarity with the victims, relatives and other citizens affected by “this cowardly act.”

    -Reuters

  • Mexico home shooting kills at least 10 including children

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    At least 10 people were killed and more injured in a shooting at a home in the central Mexican city of Irapuato on Tuesday night, including children, authorities said.

    “It is an appalling multiple homicide and an investigation is being carried out,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a regular press conference on Wednesday morning, adding that children were among those killed.

    Security authorities said in a statement that they have launched an operation to find those responsible for the attack.

    Local media reported the shooting happened during a religious celebration.

    The attorney general’s office for Guanajuato, the central state where the attack took place, confirmed the attack.

    “According to preliminary data, 10 people lost their lives and several more were injured by firearm projectiles,” Irapuato’s civil security office said in a statement on social media.

    It added that the local government condemned the violence and expressed its solidarity with the victims, relatives and other citizens affected by “this cowardly act.”

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK government gathers business and environment leaders in support of UN nature agreement

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    UK government gathers business and environment leaders in support of UN nature agreement

    UK Government hosts a major international nature finance event attended by His Majesty the King at Lancaster House.

    Secretary of State Steve Reed speaking at Nature Action

    ·        Key commitments made by the private sector to deploy millions of dollars of investment for nature.

    ·        Comes after government announces modern Industrial Strategy to make the UK the sustainable finance capital of the world.

    The UK has brought together foreign governments, Indigenous leaders, as well as leaders from business and finance representing trillions of pounds, to increase the flows of private finance to nature at an event today (25 June) at Lancaster House, London. 

    The event, called ‘Nature Action: Mobilising Frameworks and Finance’, included roundtable discussions of how to drive private-sector investment in nature, along with cross-sector announcements and commitments, and a reception attended by His Majesty the King. 

    Held during London Climate Action Week, and ahead of COP30 in Brazil in November, the event is designed to drive delivery of the deal agreed by almost 200 countries at the UN Nature summit in Montreal two years ago to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, as well as the Paris Agreement. 

    The global nature deal saw countries agree to a major increase in the amount of money invested in tackling nature loss and restoring threatened habitats. The agreement set out a target to mobilise $200 billion per year globally by 2030, including $20 billion in flows to developing countries by 2025, rising to $30 billion by 2030. 

    Private finance will play a crucial role in meeting these ambitious targets and funding the protection and restoration of nature. The event will showcase new and innovative ways to invest in nature, which is crucial to ensuring the health of our oceans and forests for the future. Raising finance for nature recovery will mean that these precious habitats continue to play vital roles in our ecosystems for future generations.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed, speaking at Lancaster House, said: 

    “Nature underpins everything. Without it there is no economy, no food, no health and ultimately no society.  

    “With this Government, Britain stands ready to lead on climate and nature. 

    “The UK is playing our part to protect nature at home and abroad. We will work with other nations around the world who commit to do the same.” 

    Ruth Davis, Special Representative for Nature, said: 

    “Nature is the bedrock of the world’s financial systems and economies. It is the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat – but it is in crisis. 

    “We can no longer rely on public finance alone to tackle the scale of the challenge before us. We must harness the potential of the private sector to drive nature restoration, super-charging opportunities for businesses to see a return on investments in a nature-positive economy – the ambition shown today is a step along that journey.” 

    Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

    “We must embrace high ambition in mobilising the finance needed to achieve nature’s recovery, ending the short termism which is leading to the destruction of the natural systems on which we depend. The web of life is in decline, and urgent action is needed to halt and reverse the process of running down nature’s capital assets.

    “Growing nature is an integral part of growing the economy; if we look after nature, it will look after us. Helpful progress has been made today and now we need to harness that for practical action”

    This builds upon actions that the Government has already taken to direct private finance towards nature. In March, The British Standards Institution launched the Government-backed Nature Investment Standards, which will help nature-friendly investments across the UK to grow by building confidence among investors. The Government is also gathering views from industry on how to support economic growth while powering nature recovery, with a Call for Evidence currently underway seeking ideas from business and investors – delivering a key recommendation of the Corry Review and the commitments made in the Land Use Framework consultation. 

    This came alongside the announcement that the UK will join a new global coalition, the Friends of Cali Fund, which brings together governments and businesses to champion the fair and equitable sharing of benefits they derive from nature. 

    Business attendees used the summit to make announcements including: 

    • Basecamp Research is expanding its biodiscovery network – adding Malawi, Hungary, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography – extending its benefit sharing to 27 countries.
    • A future contribution to the Cali Fund by Ginkgo Bioworks, a leading biotech company
    • A new collaboration between Conservation International and Silvania to deploy millions of dollars of private capital into nature-based solutions. The collaboration will unlock further funding for the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems
    • Financial Sector Deepening Africa, a specialist African development agency, will launch a Nature Finance Innovation Lab with support from the UK Government to address the urgent need to unlock private investment in locally developed nature first projects
    • Environment Bank is launching an innovative Nature Shares product in the UK as a voluntary opportunity for business to invest in. These will help restore vital habitats such as woodlands and wetlands, improve water quality, build flood resilience, and enhance community access to nature.

    London Climate Action Week brings together climate expertise and leaders from London and beyond to focus on local, national and international action to restore cut carbon emissions and keep global temperature increases below 1.5c. 

    Clean growth presents a huge opportunity for our economy and these measures come as part of a Government effort to make UK the sustainable finance capital of the world as part of our modern Industrial Strategy.

    Growth opportunities will be seen all through London Climate Action Week. The Lancaster House event follows a recent launch of a Call for Evidence on expanding the role of the private sector in nature recovery – delivering a key recommendation of the Corry Review. 

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    Tanya Steele, Chief Executive at WWF-UK said:

    “Nature underpins our lives – from our food to the economy and even our mental health. Reversing the dramatic consequences of climate change and nature loss demands urgent action to safeguard the world we love. Investing now so people and the natural world don’t pay the price later is not just the right thing for the planet – it’s smart economics. It creates jobs, builds resilience, and reduces risks for governments, people, and businesses alike. But finance alone isn’t enough – without strong policies and regulations, we risk funding solutions with one hand while driving destruction with the other. As critical climate talks in Brazil approach, WWF urges leaders in government to put the policies in place and business to unlock the finance needed to end deforestation and reverse nature loss this decade.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two citizens planning a terrorist attack have been neutralized in Russia

    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

    St. Petersburg, June 25 (Xinhua) — Russia’s Federal Security Service on Wednesday reported the neutralization of two Russian citizens who were preparing a terrorist attack in the Moscow region.

    Two Russian citizens were found near one of the gardening non-profit partnerships in the Moscow region. They were removing from a cache a homemade explosive device, which was planned to be used to commit a sabotage and terrorist act against one of the servicemen.

    When detained, they offered armed resistance and were neutralized by return fire. At the scene, law enforcement officers found Makarov pistols and ammunition for them, as well as a ready-to-use homemade explosive device and communications equipment containing correspondence discussing the planned terrorist act. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health and the Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners – Latest National Data on Substance-Related Harms

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Statement

    June 25, 2025 | Ottawa, ON | Public Health Agency of Canada

    The overdose crisis, driven by a toxic illegal drug supply, is one of the most serious public health crises our country has ever faced. Powerful drugs like fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have been flooding the illegal drug supply. The drug toxicity crisis, driven by the toxic drug supply, is a serious public health crisis, with pervasive impacts on families and communities across Canada. The tragic impacts are seen and felt among our friends, our families, and our neighbours.

    Today’s data release provides a picture of substance-related deaths and harms in 2024. From January to December 2024, there were 7,146 opioid-related drug toxicity deaths, 5,514 hospitalizations, 36,266 Emergency Medical Services responses, and 24,587 emergency department visits.

    The national data show substantial decreases for 2024 compared with 2023, while still very high compared to previous years, with a 17% decrease in the number of opioid-related deaths.

    These national trends mask important regional differences, as each community faces its own unique challenges. While British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Yukon all reported decreases in opioid-related deaths between 2023 and 2024, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island saw little or no change. The Northwest Territories, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador reported increases in opioid-related deaths over this period. Due to colonialization and continued marginalization, many Indigenous communities have also experienced increases in deaths and disproportionate harms, particularly among Indigenous women.

    Understanding the drivers of increases and decreases, as well as regional and demographic dynamics is important for tailoring prevention and intervention strategies. Some provincial and territorial public health partners note that the decrease in deaths may be attributable- at least in part- to a shift to lower toxicity of the drug supply, based on drug checking data indicating a decrease in fentanyl concentrations. Notably, some regions reported a rise in deaths involving substances other than opioids, such as stimulants or benzodiazepines.

    In 2024, an average of 20 people died every day from opioid toxicity in Canada, representing a tremendous loss. All aspects of our strategies to respond to the drug toxicity crisis should be population and person-centered. This includes working together across prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement to provide solutions. The drug toxicity crisis is complex, and continued coordinated efforts between multi-sectoral partners are key to save lives and improve population health.

    Since 2016, pan-Canadian work has been underway to collaboratively build a national  surveillance system to characterize the magnitude of the drug toxicity crisis and its impact on Canadian communities. Death investigation services collect crucial information that helps us understand the evolving nature of the crisis and inform public health action. Ongoing collaboration is essential to identify emerging needs, protective and risk factors, and to assess health inequities experienced by those disproportionately impacted by this urgent crisis.

    As key partners in national surveillance related to opioid and stimulant-related deaths and harms, the provincial and territorial Chief Medical Officers of Health, and the Chief Coroners and Chief Medical ExaminersFootnote 1Footnote 2 issued this joint statement to accompany the release of the latest data.

    The Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health includes the Chief Medical Officer of Health from each provincial and territorial jurisdiction, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, the Chief Medical Officer of Public Health of Indigenous Services Canada, the Chief Medical Officer from the First Nations Health Authority., and ex-officio members from other federal government departments.

    Provincial and territorial Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners oversee investigations into unexpected, unnatural, or unexplained deaths. Their role is crucial in determining the cause and understanding circumstances surrounding such deaths. Their work contributes to enhancing health and safety by informing legal and health policies.

    Footnote *

    With the exception of the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Alberta.

    Return to footnote 1 referrer

    While Quebec shares the concerns expressed by the CCMOH and CCCME about substance-related harms, it does not subscribe to the statement and will continue to follow its data and implement its own activities on its territory.

    Return to footnote 2 referrer

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Entire Michigan Congressional Delegation Calls on President Trump to Approve Disaster Declaration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

    Today, Rep. Jack Bergman – alongside Senators Slotkin and Peters and Reps. Barrett, Dingell, Huizenga, James, McClain, McDonald-Rivet, Moolenaar, Scholten, Stevens, Thanedar, Tlaib, and Walberg – sent a bipartisan letter to President Donald J. Trump, urging him in the strongest possible terms to approve Governor Whitmer’s May 16 request for a Major Disaster Declaration.

    The Members wrote in part, “The unprecedented storm brought record levels of snow and freezing rain to thirteen counties and one federally recognized tribe, causing widespread damage to homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. Tens of thousands of residents were left without heat or power, prompting the State of Michigan to activate the Michigan National Guard and local jurisdictions to implement emergency response efforts.

    “Although substantial progress has been made in restoring power, heating homes, clearing roadways, and removing debris, the recovery process remains far from complete nearly three months later. State and local resources have been expended, and federal support is desperately needed to continue recovery efforts.

    “Governor Whitmer’s May 16 request has received strong bipartisan support across both chambers of Congress. On May 19, Senator Peters, Senator Slotkin, and Representative Bergman wrote to you in full support of her request, and on June 9, they followed up with a letter to Small Business Administrator Loeffler endorsing the Governor’s June 5 request for an administrative declaration of disaster.

    “The counties of Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Kalkaska, Mackinac, as well as the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, can afford to wait no longer. Though they responded swiftly, and with the help of the State, and have made meaningful strides toward recovery, they cannot adequately handle this burden alone.”

    John Kran, President & CEO, Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA) noted, “In late March and early April, northern lower Michigan and part of the Upper Peninsula were hit with an unprecedented ice storm, impacting cooperative members across 12 counites. The State of Michigan’s May 16 request for a major disaster declaration is a critical step in helping our communities and cooperatives move forward after this historic event. Michigan’s electric cooperatives are incredibly grateful to Congressman Bergman, Senator Peters, Senator Slotkin and their House colleagues for strong, bipartisan support on this critical issue.”

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aaron Lee Mitter, 39, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 11, 2024, Mitter sold approximately 24.52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $280. As part of his guilty plea, Mitter admitted to the transaction. Mitter further admitted to selling an unregistered privately made firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” and a magazine capable of holding 45 rounds of ammunition that day for $400.

    On July 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Parkersburg apartment where Mitter was staying at the time. Officers seized approximately 45.67 grams of methamphetamine in the apartment during the search. Mitter admitted that he intended to use some of the seized methamphetamine and distribute the rest.

    Mitter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department.

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-182.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aaron Lee Mitter, 39, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 11, 2024, Mitter sold approximately 24.52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $280. As part of his guilty plea, Mitter admitted to the transaction. Mitter further admitted to selling an unregistered privately made firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” and a magazine capable of holding 45 rounds of ammunition that day for $400.

    On July 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Parkersburg apartment where Mitter was staying at the time. Officers seized approximately 45.67 grams of methamphetamine in the apartment during the search. Mitter admitted that he intended to use some of the seized methamphetamine and distribute the rest.

    Mitter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department.

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-182.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. 

    JOVINO RAMIREZ, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to knowingly and intentionally possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a loaded handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Ramirez to 78 months in federal prison.

    Ramirez admitted in a plea agreement that following a traffic stop in May 2024 he was in possession of a bag containing 19.1 grams of cocaine and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine, which he tried to conceal during his encounter with the police.  He also possessed a loaded handgun beneath the driver’s seat of his vehicle.  Ramirez admitted he intended to sell the cocaine that he possessed.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Rosati and Lisa R. Munch.

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. 

    JOVINO RAMIREZ, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to knowingly and intentionally possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a loaded handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Ramirez to 78 months in federal prison.

    Ramirez admitted in a plea agreement that following a traffic stop in May 2024 he was in possession of a bag containing 19.1 grams of cocaine and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine, which he tried to conceal during his encounter with the police.  He also possessed a loaded handgun beneath the driver’s seat of his vehicle.  Ramirez admitted he intended to sell the cocaine that he possessed.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Rosati and Lisa R. Munch.

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings man pleads guilty to illegal possession of firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BILLINGS – A Billings man accused of illegally possessing a firearm admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Damian Andrew Roman, 26, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Roman faces 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Roman was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that Damien Andrew Roman was convicted in 2021 of two felony offenses in the United States District Court for the District of Montana. These convictions prohibit his possession of firearms or ammunition.

    On December 18, 2024, Damian Roman was driving a car that got into a crash in Billings. Before law enforcement arrived at the crash, an eyewitness saw Roman throw a bag over a nearby fence. Responding officers walked along the fence line and found a brown Louis Vuitton bag. Inside the bag was a Glock, Model 48, 9mm caliber pistol loaded with an extended magazine with eighteen (18) rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition.

    ATF subsequently ran a check on the firearm and determined it was originally purchased by Roman’s family member. Law enforcement conducted a fingerprint analysis of the firearm and located a partial print on the magazine that was inserted into the firearm. The print was positively identified as belonging to Roman.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings man pleads guilty to illegal possession of firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BILLINGS – A Billings man accused of illegally possessing a firearm admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Damian Andrew Roman, 26, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Roman faces 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Roman was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that Damien Andrew Roman was convicted in 2021 of two felony offenses in the United States District Court for the District of Montana. These convictions prohibit his possession of firearms or ammunition.

    On December 18, 2024, Damian Roman was driving a car that got into a crash in Billings. Before law enforcement arrived at the crash, an eyewitness saw Roman throw a bag over a nearby fence. Responding officers walked along the fence line and found a brown Louis Vuitton bag. Inside the bag was a Glock, Model 48, 9mm caliber pistol loaded with an extended magazine with eighteen (18) rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition.

    ATF subsequently ran a check on the firearm and determined it was originally purchased by Roman’s family member. Law enforcement conducted a fingerprint analysis of the firearm and located a partial print on the magazine that was inserted into the firearm. The print was positively identified as belonging to Roman.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £250,000 support for Scott Street residents and businesses

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    One person died in the fire at 41 Scott Street in the early hours of Saturday morning. The building was destroyed in the fire.

    Demolition work is already underway. Several residential and businesses properties remain closed for safety reasons because of their proximity to the damaged building.

    Fifty-five households have had to be rehoused because of the fire.

    Perth and Kinross Council’s Finance and Resources Committee approved releasing £250,000 from the Communities Earmarked Reserve to support residents and businesses when it met on Wednesday 25 June.

    It follows a request from Perth and Kinross Council last week for proposals on support to be brought to this week’s meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee.

    Councillor leader Councillor Grant Laing, vice convenor of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “It is still early days, and it is likely that there will be a call for other funding, but it is important that the Council stands with our citizens and communities in their hour of need.

    “So today I am proposing the immediate allocation of £250,000 from the Communities earmarked Reserve to support those very communities.

    “Specifically, as well as augmenting the Scottish Welfare Fund and Financial Insecurity Fund, this investment will assist residents affected by rent shortfalls who are not eligible for other support.

    “For businesses directly impacted by the demolition and closures, funding to support their immediate recovery costs as well as future expenses linked to reopening or relocation.

    “Looking ahead, we may also look at how we encourage footfall back into the areas affected.”

    Finance and Resources Convenor Councillor Stewart Donaldson added: “There will be additional funding but it is vital we provide immediate support to all those impacted by the fire.

    “This was a devastating event and I would like to thank everyone who has provided support to those affected. The response from communities across Perth and Kinross has been inspiring.”

    Perth and Kinross Council hosted a drop-in session for those affected by the fire on Tuesday 24 June which offered advice on a range of issues. Partner agencies providing support also attended.

    A second session will take place on Friday. Supported by Pete Wishart MP and John Swinney MSP, it will have a focus on insurance issues. The event will be attended by representatives of Perth-based insurance firm Aviva and the Association of British Insurers.

    It takes place at Perth and Kinross Council’s 2 High Street offices from 11am to 2pm on Friday 27 June.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Checking in on New England fisheries 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ movie

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie Otts, Director of National Sea Grant Law Center, University of Mississippi

    Filming ‘The Perfect Storm’ in Gloucester Harbor, Mass.
     The Salem News Historic Photograph Collection, Salem State University Archives and Special Collections, CC BY

    Twenty-five years ago, “The Perfect Storm” roared into movie theaters. The disaster flick, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, was a riveting, fictionalized account of commercial swordfishing in New England and a crew who went down in a violent storm.

    The anniversary of the film’s release, on June 30, 2000, provides an opportunity to reflect on the real-life changes to New England’s commercial fishing industry.

    Fishing was once more open to all

    In the true story behind the movie, six men lost their lives in late October 1991 when the commercial swordfishing vessel Andrea Gail disappeared in a fierce storm in the North Atlantic as it was headed home to Gloucester, Massachusetts.

    At the time, and until very recently, almost all commercial fisheries were open access, meaning there were no restrictions on who could fish.

    There were permit requirements and regulations about where, when and how you could fish, but anyone with the means to purchase a boat and associated permits, gear, bait and fuel could enter the fishery. Eight regional councils established under a 1976 federal law to manage fisheries around the U.S. determined how many fish could be harvested prior to the start of each fishing season.

    Fishing has been an integral part of coastal New England culture since its towns were established. In this 1899 photo, a New England community weighs and packs mackerel.
    Charles Stevenson/Freshwater and Marine Image Bank

    Fishing started when the season opened and continued until the catch limit was reached. In some fisheries, this resulted in a “race to the fish” or a “derby,” where vessels competed aggressively to harvest the available catch in short amounts of time. The limit could be reached in a single day, as happened in the Pacific halibut fishery in the late 1980s.

    By the 1990s, however, open access systems were coming under increased criticism from economists as concerns about overfishing rose.

    The fish catch peaked in New England in 1987 and would remain far above what the fish population could sustain for two more decades. Years of overfishing led to the collapse of fish stocks, including North Atlantic cod in 1992 and Pacific sardine in 2015.

    As populations declined, managers responded by cutting catch limits to allow more fish to survive and reproduce. Fishing seasons were shortened, as it took less time for the fleets to harvest the allowed catch. It became increasingly hard for fishermen to catch enough fish to earn a living.

    Saving fisheries changed the industry

    In the early 2000s, as these economic and environmental challenges grew, fisheries managers started limiting access. Instead of allowing anyone to fish, only vessels or individuals meeting certain eligibility requirements would have the right to fish.

    The most common method of limiting access in the U.S. is through limited entry permits, initially awarded to individuals or vessels based on previous participation or success in the fishery. Another approach is to assign individual harvest quotas or “catch shares” to permit holders, limiting how much each boat can bring in.

    In 2007, Congress amended the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to promote the use of limited access programs in U.S. fisheries.

    Ships in the fleet out of New Bedford, Mass.
    Henry Zbyszynski/Flickr, CC BY

    Today, limited access is common, and there are positive signs that the management change is helping achieve the law’s environmental goal of preventing overfishing. Since 2000, the populations of 50 major fishing stocks have been rebuilt, meaning they have recovered to a level that can once again support fishing.

    I’ve been following the changes as a lawyer focused on ocean and coastal issues, and I see much work still to be done.

    Forty fish stocks are currently being managed under rebuilding plans that limit catch to allow the stock to grow, including Atlantic cod, which has struggled to recover due to a complex combination of factors, including climatic changes.

    The lingering effect on communities today

    While many fish stocks have recovered, the effort came at an economic cost to many individual fishermen. The limited-access Northeast groundfish fishery, which includes Atlantic cod, haddock and flounder, shed nearly 800 crew positions between 2007 and 2015.

    The loss of jobs and revenue from fishing impacts individual family income and relationships, strains other businesses in fishing communities, and affects those communities’ overall identity and resilience, as illustrated by a recent economic snapshot of the Alaska seafood industry.

    When original limited-access permit holders leave the business – for economic, personal or other reasons – their permits are either terminated or sold to other eligible permit holders, leading to fewer active vessels in the fleet. As a result, the number of vessels fishing for groundfish has declined from 719 in 2007 to 194 in 2023, meaning fewer jobs.

    A fisherman unloads a portion of his catch for the day of 300 pounds of groundfish, including flounder, in January 2006 in Gloucester, Mass.
    AP Photo/Lisa Poole

    Because of their scarcity, limited-access permits can cost upward of US$500,000, which is often beyond the financial means of a small businesses or a young person seeking to enter the industry. The high prices may also lead retiring fishermen to sell their permits, as opposed to passing them along with the vessels to the next generation.

    These economic forces have significantly altered the fishing industry, leading to more corporate and investor ownership, rather than the family-owned operations that were more common in the Andrea Gail’s time.

    Similar to the experience of small family farms, fishing captains and crews are being pushed into corporate arrangements that reduce their autonomy and revenues.

    Consolidation can threaten the future of entire fleets, as New Bedford, Massachusetts, saw when Blue Harvest Fisheries, backed by a private equity firm, bought up vessels and other assets and then declared bankruptcy a few years later, leaving a smaller fleet and some local business and fishermen unpaid for their work. A company with local connections bought eight vessels from Blue Harvest along with 48 state and federal permits the company held.

    New challenges and unchanging risks

    While there are signs of recovery for New England’s fisheries, challenges continue.

    Warming water temperatures have shifted the distribution of some species, affecting where and when fish are harvested. For example, lobsters have moved north toward Canada. When vessels need to travel farther to find fish, that increases fuel and supply costs and time away from home.

    Fisheries managers will need to continue to adapt to keep New England’s fisheries healthy and productive.

    One thing that, unfortunately, hasn’t changed is the dangerous nature of the occupation. Between 2000 and 2019, 414 fishermen died in 245 disasters.

    Stephanie Otts receives funding from the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Previous support for fisheries management legal research provided by The Nature Conservancy.

    – ref. Checking in on New England fisheries 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ movie – https://theconversation.com/checking-in-on-new-england-fisheries-25-years-after-the-perfect-storm-movie-255076

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Checking in on New England fisheries 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ movie

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie Otts, Director of National Sea Grant Law Center, University of Mississippi

    Filming ‘The Perfect Storm’ in Gloucester Harbor, Mass.
     The Salem News Historic Photograph Collection, Salem State University Archives and Special Collections, CC BY

    Twenty-five years ago, “The Perfect Storm” roared into movie theaters. The disaster flick, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, was a riveting, fictionalized account of commercial swordfishing in New England and a crew who went down in a violent storm.

    The anniversary of the film’s release, on June 30, 2000, provides an opportunity to reflect on the real-life changes to New England’s commercial fishing industry.

    Fishing was once more open to all

    In the true story behind the movie, six men lost their lives in late October 1991 when the commercial swordfishing vessel Andrea Gail disappeared in a fierce storm in the North Atlantic as it was headed home to Gloucester, Massachusetts.

    At the time, and until very recently, almost all commercial fisheries were open access, meaning there were no restrictions on who could fish.

    There were permit requirements and regulations about where, when and how you could fish, but anyone with the means to purchase a boat and associated permits, gear, bait and fuel could enter the fishery. Eight regional councils established under a 1976 federal law to manage fisheries around the U.S. determined how many fish could be harvested prior to the start of each fishing season.

    Fishing has been an integral part of coastal New England culture since its towns were established. In this 1899 photo, a New England community weighs and packs mackerel.
    Charles Stevenson/Freshwater and Marine Image Bank

    Fishing started when the season opened and continued until the catch limit was reached. In some fisheries, this resulted in a “race to the fish” or a “derby,” where vessels competed aggressively to harvest the available catch in short amounts of time. The limit could be reached in a single day, as happened in the Pacific halibut fishery in the late 1980s.

    By the 1990s, however, open access systems were coming under increased criticism from economists as concerns about overfishing rose.

    The fish catch peaked in New England in 1987 and would remain far above what the fish population could sustain for two more decades. Years of overfishing led to the collapse of fish stocks, including North Atlantic cod in 1992 and Pacific sardine in 2015.

    As populations declined, managers responded by cutting catch limits to allow more fish to survive and reproduce. Fishing seasons were shortened, as it took less time for the fleets to harvest the allowed catch. It became increasingly hard for fishermen to catch enough fish to earn a living.

    Saving fisheries changed the industry

    In the early 2000s, as these economic and environmental challenges grew, fisheries managers started limiting access. Instead of allowing anyone to fish, only vessels or individuals meeting certain eligibility requirements would have the right to fish.

    The most common method of limiting access in the U.S. is through limited entry permits, initially awarded to individuals or vessels based on previous participation or success in the fishery. Another approach is to assign individual harvest quotas or “catch shares” to permit holders, limiting how much each boat can bring in.

    In 2007, Congress amended the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to promote the use of limited access programs in U.S. fisheries.

    Ships in the fleet out of New Bedford, Mass.
    Henry Zbyszynski/Flickr, CC BY

    Today, limited access is common, and there are positive signs that the management change is helping achieve the law’s environmental goal of preventing overfishing. Since 2000, the populations of 50 major fishing stocks have been rebuilt, meaning they have recovered to a level that can once again support fishing.

    I’ve been following the changes as a lawyer focused on ocean and coastal issues, and I see much work still to be done.

    Forty fish stocks are currently being managed under rebuilding plans that limit catch to allow the stock to grow, including Atlantic cod, which has struggled to recover due to a complex combination of factors, including climatic changes.

    The lingering effect on communities today

    While many fish stocks have recovered, the effort came at an economic cost to many individual fishermen. The limited-access Northeast groundfish fishery, which includes Atlantic cod, haddock and flounder, shed nearly 800 crew positions between 2007 and 2015.

    The loss of jobs and revenue from fishing impacts individual family income and relationships, strains other businesses in fishing communities, and affects those communities’ overall identity and resilience, as illustrated by a recent economic snapshot of the Alaska seafood industry.

    When original limited-access permit holders leave the business – for economic, personal or other reasons – their permits are either terminated or sold to other eligible permit holders, leading to fewer active vessels in the fleet. As a result, the number of vessels fishing for groundfish has declined from 719 in 2007 to 194 in 2023, meaning fewer jobs.

    A fisherman unloads a portion of his catch for the day of 300 pounds of groundfish, including flounder, in January 2006 in Gloucester, Mass.
    AP Photo/Lisa Poole

    Because of their scarcity, limited-access permits can cost upward of US$500,000, which is often beyond the financial means of a small businesses or a young person seeking to enter the industry. The high prices may also lead retiring fishermen to sell their permits, as opposed to passing them along with the vessels to the next generation.

    These economic forces have significantly altered the fishing industry, leading to more corporate and investor ownership, rather than the family-owned operations that were more common in the Andrea Gail’s time.

    Similar to the experience of small family farms, fishing captains and crews are being pushed into corporate arrangements that reduce their autonomy and revenues.

    Consolidation can threaten the future of entire fleets, as New Bedford, Massachusetts, saw when Blue Harvest Fisheries, backed by a private equity firm, bought up vessels and other assets and then declared bankruptcy a few years later, leaving a smaller fleet and some local business and fishermen unpaid for their work. A company with local connections bought eight vessels from Blue Harvest along with 48 state and federal permits the company held.

    New challenges and unchanging risks

    While there are signs of recovery for New England’s fisheries, challenges continue.

    Warming water temperatures have shifted the distribution of some species, affecting where and when fish are harvested. For example, lobsters have moved north toward Canada. When vessels need to travel farther to find fish, that increases fuel and supply costs and time away from home.

    Fisheries managers will need to continue to adapt to keep New England’s fisheries healthy and productive.

    One thing that, unfortunately, hasn’t changed is the dangerous nature of the occupation. Between 2000 and 2019, 414 fishermen died in 245 disasters.

    Stephanie Otts receives funding from the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Previous support for fisheries management legal research provided by The Nature Conservancy.

    – ref. Checking in on New England fisheries 25 Years after ‘The Perfect Storm’ movie – https://theconversation.com/checking-in-on-new-england-fisheries-25-years-after-the-perfect-storm-movie-255076

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Climate Innovation Forum 2025: keynote speech by Ed Miliband

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Speech

    Climate Innovation Forum 2025: keynote speech by Ed Miliband

    Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, speaks at the Climate Innovation Forum during London Climate Action Week.

    Thank you, Mark so much for that introduction. 

    And I want to thank Climate Action for hosting us here. 

    And I’m really excited to be part of London Climate Action Week this year – this is the biggest yet.  

    700 events. 

    Nearly 50,000 attendees. 

    Governments, cities, civil society, businesses, investors and trade unions from all around the world, particularly those from overseas you are so welcome to be here.  

    And the Climate Innovation Forum, I’m told is the headline event of the week – the Superbowl of LCAW – and I’m delighted to follow the star-studded cast of speakers you’ve heard from this morning. 

    And I know you have many more ahead of you this afternoon, which I think makes me the half-time show – they tried for Beyonce but they couldn’t get her so they ended up with me. 

    The argument I want to make today is this: 

    First, in the UK we are doubling down on climate action because it is the right choice for today’s generations as well as those of the future. 

    Climate action is how we protect our way of life and make people better off today with energy security, lower bills, good jobs and economic growth.   

    Second, despite the challenges, we should be determined not defeatist about the future.  

    Many countries are acting on this crisis because they recognise the opportunities it presents, as well as the gravity of the threat. 

    Third, to keep making progress on the road to COP30 and beyond we need to build the global coalition for climate action. 

    That means the actions and voices of the people in this room – the people delivering this transition – really really matter.  

    This is a fight for the future involving civil society, trade unions, businesses, and the public at large. 

    And we intend to win it. 

    So first, just to say something about the UK, the starting point for our government here is our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by delivering clean power, a clean energy system, by 2030 and accelerating to net zero across the economy.  

    Our Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says this mission is in our government’s DNA. 

    And why does he say that? 

    Because we know the urgency of the threat to our way of life. 

    In the last decade we’ve had the 10 hottest years on record globally. 

    We should be clear what this means here and around the world: 

    Floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires. 

    Over the last week in this country, we’ve seen much hotter weather than was normal a few decades ago as many of you will have experienced.  

    Communities across the UK are already facing the consequences of flooding, including last year.  

    And we have seen thousands of heat-related deaths in recent summers. 

    So the urgency of the climate imperative is clearer than ever. 

    But that urgency is not the only reason to act. 

    It has now been matched by the urgency of an energy security and bills imperative. 

    Here in the UK, family finances, business finances and the public finances were hit after Russia invaded Ukraine and fossil fuel prices rocketed. And we’ve seen in recent weeks that instability globally breeds instability in the energy markets here at home.  

    So ours as a government is a hard-headed determination to get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets with cheaper, clean, homegrown energy that we control. This is an essential part of the argument to make for climate action and energy security that’s not just true for Britain, it’s true for many countries around the world.  

    And that’s not the only argument you can make.  

    There is also a once in a generation opportunity to create a new generation of good, well-paid jobs with strong trade unions and give existing industries a long-term future. 

    And in the UK if you’ll allow me again, it is an incredibly exciting time – we recently had our Spending Review which set spending budgets for the coming three years. Our Chancellor Rachel Reeves showed her commitment with the most significant investment in homegrown clean energy in the UK’s history. 

    We’ve got the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation. 

    With Sizewell C on the Suffolk coast. 

    Small Modular Reactors with Rolls Royce. 

    On the site of an old coal-fired power station, a new prototype nuclear fusion plant at West Burton in Nottinghamshire.   

    Britain’s carbon capture industry, I know there’ll be people here from the carbon capture industry, in Scotland and Humberside, alongside Teesside and the North West. 

    A new regional hydrogen network for transport, storage, industry and power.  

    Our new publicly owned energy company Great British Energy supporting clean energy supply chains from offshore wind to cable manufacturing.  

    A Warm Homes Plan upgrading millions of homes across Britain – delivering jobs as we cut bills and emissions. 

    And investing in tree planting, peatlands and nature recovery across our countryside and towns. 

    And the reason I say this is that this is relevant not just to the UK but also to people here from other parts of the world.  

    Place by place. 

    Town by town. 

    City by city. 

    This is the sound of the jobs of the future arriving. 

    This is how we as a government intend to win the argument for the clean energy revolution. 

    And together with you we will make it happen. 

    The second point I want to make is that, while our ambition is to lead at home it is also in our national interest to lead globally. 

    The UK is less than 1% of annual emissions. 

    But for this government, this is not an excuse for inaction but an imperative to work with other countries.  

    The UK passed the world leading Climate Change Act in 2008 when I was last Energy Secretary and now nearly 60 countries across the world have similar legislation. 

    That is the power, I believe, of example.  

    And I say to everyone in this room it’s time, if I can say this gently, to talk about the progress we have made together as a world as well as how far we have to travel. 

    Of course, we should be deeply alarmed about the scale of the climate crisis. 

    And we must acknowledge that we are way off track from where we need to be as a world. 

    But we should not be defeatist because look at the progress we have already made. 

    And the reason I say this, and I’ll talk about the progress in a minute, is because the challenge we face is no longer just responding to people who deny the problem of the climate crisis or the people wanting to delay action, but also those who say:  

    “There’s no point in acting because people have been talking about this for decades and nothing ever seems to change.” 

    We have a duty to explain the reasons for hope not despair. 

    And let me just give you some examples of why I think we can do that. Ahead of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the projections were for up to 4 degrees of warming. Actually, in 2010, up to 5 degrees.  

    Today, these estimates are no longer credible because the world has moved. 

    In 2015 when the Paris Agreement was negotiated no major economy had a net zero target, now 80% of global GDP is covered by net zero commitments. 

    At the time of Paris the majority of energy investment was in fossil fuels, last year over $2 trillion was invested in clean energy – twice as much as fossil fuels.  

    That is the progress we have made. 

    And I say this very directly, if we don’t talk about that progress, nobody else is going to – we have a duty to do so. 

    But we know how much further we have to travel. So as a country, the UK is determined to lead with the power of example again.  

    COP30 is now less than five months away and we haven’t got a moment to waste.  

    Every organisation represented in this room has a role to play. 

    Governments in providing direction and leadership. 

    Businesses in driving action in the real economy. 

    Investors in helping unlock the finance we need. 

    Trade unions and civil society in holding us all to account. And that’s a really important role.  

    A whole economy effort. 

    Working together across borders. 

    Global North and Global South. 

    And I pledge the UK will play our part. 

    That is why the Prime Minister announced an ambitious, 1.5 aligned NDC of 81% reductions by 2035 at COP29 last year. 

    That is why we are helping to scale climate finance, including through our Global Clean Power Alliance. 

    And today here at the Guildhall I can announce another step forward. 

    We will take the next steps on implementing our manifesto commitment on mandatory 1.5 degrees-aligned transition plans for major companies and financial institutions.  

    Today we are launching consultations on how transition planning and sustainability reporting can ensure public and private investors drive our country and the world towards climate and clean energy. For those of you who don’t work in this space, this is incredibly important. If we can get private finance driving in the right direction, not just in the UK, across the world including the Global South, we can make a real difference.  

    And I believe, speaking from the City of London, it is time to mobilise the City of London, secure its place, which it already has, as the sustainable finance capital of the world and drive private investment into clean energy. 

    The right thing for Britain and the right thing to do for the world. 

    Let me just end with this: 

    We obviously live in uncertain and unstable times. 

    All of us in this room are very aware of the challenge to the agenda we are talking about today. 

    But I want to end by saying to everyone here today, every one of whom can make a difference, we don’t just have a choice we have a duty to choose hope over despair. 

    There are many people in our country and our world who see the climate and nature crisis affecting their lives but have no power in their hands to make a difference. All of us in this building have the power in our different ways to make a difference.  

    Pessimism is a luxury we cannot afford.  

    To despair, to step back, to lose confidence would be to let down the people who depend on us—today and in future generations. 

    Despair and defeatism will not create a single job or protect a single person from the effects of the climate crisis. 

    And turning our back on action would not only be a betrayal of future generations but today’s generations too. 

    Now there are those in Britain who would turn their backs on the opportunities of the clean energy transition and what it can do for energy security, good jobs and doing the right thing by future generations. 

    The UK government, I pledge to you, will face down these defenders of a failed status quo in our country and merchants of misinformation. 

    And the way we will do this is show how together we can ensure better lives for people today and protect future generations. 

    Governments, civil society, businesses, trade unions. 

    This is the coalition, all of you, that gives me the greatest cause for hope about the future. 

    I thank you so much for being in London. And I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to do great things for our country and great things for the world. 

    Thank you so much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: ADF graduate Igor Mikhnevich is among the best graduates of St. Petersburg universities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    On June 25, the traditional ceremony of honoring the best graduates of higher educational institutions of St. Petersburg took place in the atrium of the Commandant’s House of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Among them was Igor Mikhnevich, a graduate of the Automobile and Road Faculty of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering.

    Recognition Ceremony

    Let us recall that this event has been held since 2003 to recognize the merits of university graduates. Its organizers are the Committee on Youth Policy and Interaction with Public Organizations and the Council of Rectors of Universities of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

    This year, 60 universities in the city selected their best graduate to participate in the ceremony. The selection criteria included academic, scientific and social success, as well as initiative and leadership qualities.

    The gathering was greeted by the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Natalia Chechina. The graduates were presented with letters of gratitude and commemorative bronze statues in the form of a sphinx – a symbol of wisdom, intelligence and fortitude.

    In honor of the graduates, a midday shot was fired from the Naryshkin Bastion cannon.

    Igor Mikhnevich: “A favorite thing always leads to success”

    Igor Mikhnevich admits that four years ago he chose his future profession and university consciously: he realized that he wanted to work and develop in the transport sector, and SPbGASU is the best specialized university that will give him the opportunity to obtain all the necessary professional competencies.

    “I chose the “Transport Process Technology” program based on my experience: I have been working at the St. Petersburg State Institution “Transport Organizer” since my first year and have worked my way up from a motor transport dispatcher to a specialist in the transport infrastructure department, so I plan to dedicate my work to the passenger transport of St. Petersburg. I got into this organization after winning the first grant competition of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Then my academic supervisor suggested taking statistical data from the “Transport Organizer”, where the head of the department where I now work not only provided me with the data, but also offered me a job. During my studies, I combined my studies with work: it was often not easy, but over the years I was able to grow professionally,” Igor said.

    The student also managed to engage in scientific work related to urban passenger transport, including rapid bus transportation and on-demand transport. Both topics are very relevant, since such services are just beginning to appear in our country. The essence of his research was to study foreign experience in implementing such transport systems, to derive certain dependencies and to assess the feasibility of implementing them in our country and in St. Petersburg in particular.

    “High-speed bus transportation is a “metro” on the ground, where instead of the usual trains, a bus rolling stock is used. This is convenient in the conditions of a modern metropolis, since less money needs to be spent on the infrastructure for such transport. The essence of on-demand transport is fast and convenient delivery of passengers by buses without a fixed route, a kind of symbiosis of taxi services and a regular bus. Such a service is convenient in suburban areas, where the frequency of public transport is low, but the demand for transportation is quite high,” Igor explained.

    He is sure that you just need to love your work, perceive it not as something due, but as a hobby, because when you do what you love, it is much easier to achieve results. And he will remember his studies for their eventful semesters and the acquisition of many new friends.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: It is completely unacceptable that Congress has not been briefed on Iran attack

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – June 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Whip Katherine Clark, Vice Chair Ted Lieu and Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force Co-Chairs Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander and Derek Tran held a press conference on the Trump Administration’s chaotic foreign policy putting American troops in harm’s way. 

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good afternoon. Members today were supposed to receive a classified briefing from the Trump Administration, but clearly the chaos and the confusion coming out of the White House made that impossible. It is completely unacceptable that Congress has not been briefed on this in a timely fashion. We need evidence, we need details and we need to know them now. There are a number of outstanding questions, including whether this attack achieved the Administration’s stated goals. Launching an attack without Congressional authorization is wrong—launching a potentially unsuccessful attack without Congressional authorization would be an administration-defining failure. And this is a defining week for the Trump presidency. He has asked Republicans to put the unpopular One Big Ugly Bill on his desk by July 4th so that he can celebrate Independence Day by throwing 16 million people off of their health insurance to pay for billionaire tax breaks that explode the deficit by over $3 trillion.  And now he’s putting American troops in harm’s way in the Middle East, after promising that he’d restore peace. The American people want a steady hand at the wheel and to fight back. 

    I’m proud to launch the House Democratic Caucus National Security Task Force, co-chaired by Representatives Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander and Derek Tran. And we want to thank Co-chair Mikie Sherrill, who can’t be with us here today. The members leading this task force will draw on their patriotism, expertise and commitment to service by providing the leadership that Donald Trump and the Rubberstamp Republicans lack the courage and moral clarity to deliver. Vice Chair Ted Lieu.

    VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. Please to be joined today by veterans Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander and Derek Tran. Like Chairman Aguilar said, it is completely unacceptable that the Administration is unwilling to brief the House of Representatives on the strikes in Iran. It has been a longstanding bipartisan goal of both Democratic and Republican Administrations to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is a theocratic autocratic regime. If they had nuclear weapons, they could launch them at U.S. bases, U.S. military interests and at Israel. And we have to make sure this regime never acquires a nuclear weapon. At the same time, I believe the Constitution means what it says: Only Congress has the power to declare war. I probably stated at the time that Obama needed Congressional authorization to strike Syria. I believe Trump needs Congressional authorization to strike Iran. My view of the Constitution does not change based on what party the President happens to belong to. 

    Now, there’s some other news that happened today, including that consumer sentiment declined again, and what we know is that the economic policies of Donald Trump and the Republicans are harming Americans. The American people know it. Inflation has increased. Grocery prices have increased. People are having difficulty making ends meet, and now we have this huge, Big Ugly Bill that’s going to cut health care for millions and millions of Americans, in service of tax breaks for billionaires. We asked the Republican Senate and House Republicans to vote no. And with that, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce Representative Jason Crow, who served our country in combat prior to joining Congress.

    REP. CROW: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar, Vice Chairman Lieu and my fellow Co-chairs of the House Democratic National Security Task Force, Derek Tran and Maggie Goodlander. I’m Jason Crow from Colorado. And even though I’m a Member of Congress now, I view this issue, like many national security issues, more through my eyes as a former Army Ranger and paratrooper and combat veteran, than just as a Member of Congress. I deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan in my early and mid-20s. And I know the true costs of war. I know what happens when unaccountable elites in comfortable, air-conditioned offices in Washington pound their chests, saber-rattle and then send somebody else to go off and do the tough work. Because the people that I grew up with, working-class kids from around the country, from the middle of the country, from small towns that people in Washington don’t pay attention to that have to go out and carry out that tough talk. So I take it pretty personally when an elite like Donald Trump makes a cavalier decision without thought, without engagement with Congress, to potentially pull us into another long-term, endless conflict in the Middle East. But don’t get us wrong, there is no appetite in America for the United States to be pulled into another decades-long conflict in the Middle East. So, there’s a lot of talk about Congress and why Congress should be involved. A lot of discussion about the Constitution, a lot of discussion about war powers, and I just want to talk about why that should matter to Americans. Of course, the Constitution matters. And of course, obeying the rule of law matters. 

    But let’s drill down into that for just one moment. We spent 20 years and $3 trillion and over 6,000 American troop lives fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, that should have ended much, much sooner and been far less costly than they were. How did that happen? Well, it happened in large part because there was just one vote the entirety of those wars, one vote and one formal debate in Congress. And then out of sight, out of mind. Congress is an essential part of this. That is what the Framers of the Constitution envisioned. That the people closest to the American people have to go home every weekend and stand in high school auditoriums, in gyms and Rotary Clubs and Friday night fish frys across America, and be held accountable and say why we should spend taxpayer dollars to send our men and women to someplace around the world into conflict. Why we should do that. And to be accountable for it in real time. That’s why the involvement of Congress matters. Because nobody will ever tell me that things would have been different in Iraq and Afghanistan had we actually had that debate, had we actually pushed that accountability. We know, we know it would have been. So, Congress needs to step up. I know House Democrats are ready to step up. We’re already leading to reinsert ourselves into matters of war and peace. It’s time for the Republicans to step up too and say enough is enough. We have an independent Constitutional obligation to support our military, to support our troops and to discharge our obligations under the Constitution, regardless of what Donald Trump says. We are not asking them to storm the beaches of Normandy or to give their lives for this country; we are asking them to step up and fulfill their constitutional obligations. And with that, it is my pleasure to introduce the intrepid Whip of the House Democrats, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts.

    WHIP CLARK: Thank you so much Congressman Crow and thank you for your service to our country, both your military service and your service. And to all of you. And thank you to our Chairman and Vice Chairman for pulling this together. Our message today is clear: the Constitution is not a document of convenience. It is there to guarantee that there is accountability, because it is the people’s voice of this country. It is American families who are feeling every day that it is hard to get ahead. Who need to be informed of when this country is going to have military strikes and go to war. And that is where representative government comes in. That is the design. That as members of Congress, we are here representing our districts and the voice of the American people. So when we have a President and an Administration and now a Republican Party in Congress that has decided the American people are not entitled to know anything. It is a trust us, we are doing what we’re doing. You are just here to pay the taxes while we debate these things internally, without your representatives involved. That is an outrage and an insult to families at home. Who, at this time, where 60% of American families are feeling they can’t provide the basics, while we are debating a GOP bill that wants to take away health care from 16 million Americans, that wants to take away food programs, and strip funding from veterans benefits. The audacity of them coming forward and saying, on top of all that, we feel that you are not entitled to the basic information around our national security and such profound decisions about whether to go to war or not. This is far beyond a briefing and what day it will be held. It is the fact that we have been demanding information on behalf of American families, of American veterans, of those who are in active duty and their families who deserve answers on what our country is committing as far as foreign action and why. Thank you. 

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thanks. Co-Chair Maggie Goodlander.

    REP. GOODLANDER: Thank you so much. I’m really grateful to our leadership and to my colleagues who are part of this task force, which I’m really proud to be part of. I represent the “Live Free or Die” State of New Hampshire here in Congress, and we’ve got freedom-loving patriots right here on this podium who believe deeply in our mission and our role. And what I’d say is, I’m about to turn it over to Derek Tran, who, like my dad, joined the military at age 18. My dad, Ted, always said he got his education in the United States Navy—and so did I. I really did. I served 11 years as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve. I learned in the Navy and saw firsthand that the United States of America has brutal and determined enemies all across the world, including in Iran. I saw firsthand how our patriotic service members, when they take an oath to this document, I bring my Constitution with me everywhere I go in this job, because it’s a useful document to have these days for questions big and small. When they take an oath to this, they mean it. I also learned in the Navy firsthand why our Framers were really smart to give Congress a central role in American national security and in matters of war and peace, because there are no more consequential decisions than can be made. What we see today is an Administration that is completely ignoring the role of Congress in matters of war and peace, and it’s having real consequences. It’s been said. We just came back. I was pounding the pavement all across New Hampshire. I heard from the families of service members who were asking basic questions, questions that this Administration should be answering to the American people, about why we went ahead and conducted a military strike without Congressional authorization? What the impact of that strike was, what damage it did to Iran’s nuclear program and their nuclear industrial base, and what is the plan now? This is why Congress has got a role in questions of war and peace, and why this administration is going to have to answer to us. I’m really proud to be in this effort alongside all of you, and delighted to turn it over to my colleague, and Army veteran. I’ll allow it. Go Navy! Derek Tran.

    REP. TRAN: Thank you so much, Rep. Goodlander. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming and thank you especially to my colleagues with whom I am so proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. I joined the Army Reserves when I was 18 years old. I walked into that recruitment office because I was committed to giving back to the country that has given me so much. My parents fled a communist dictatorship and came to the United States seeking the freedom and democracy that defined the core of our national values. I brought that background with me to Congress, and I’m so proud to lend my voice as a leader of the House Democratic Caucus on the National Security Task Force. Just this week, we learned in terrifying detail just how important our voices are at this critical moment. Iran and its proxies pose a serious threat to our nation, and American people are looking for measured, steady leadership to protect our national security. They’re not seeing it from President Trump. They’re not seeing it from Congressional Republicans, who refuse to hold this President accountable. I am proud to stand with my colleagues today to urge a stronger, more stable approach to our national security. We are committed to keeping our service members safe. We are committed to protecting U.S. global leadership and we don’t want our country dragged into another reckless war. It is critical that we exhaust all diplomatic options to de-escalate this conflict, because we do not want more of our soldiers put in harm’s way. The United States has been the sole global superpower for decades, not only because of our military might, but because of our values, our adherence to the Constitution and our respect to the rule of law. We’re here today because we refuse to stand by, while the legacy, this legacy, is under threat. Thank you so much and I’m going to turn it back to our Chairman for questions.

    Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why queer-themed shows evoke a bittersweet nostalgia for missed childhood moments

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Rena Bivens, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Carleton University

    A scene from Heartstopper — Charlie (played by Joe Locke), left, is a gay teen boy who falls in love with classmate Nick (played by Kit Connor), right.

    Imagine suddenly longing for a past you’ve only seen in a show filmed before you were born. Or, reverse that: Imagine wishing you could re-do your childhood while watching a brand new show like Heartstopper, set in the present day.

    Heartstopper is a Netflix hit series, jam-packed with queer and trans teens finding love, accented by cute cartoon leaves fluttering across the screen.

    Sounds adorable? Yes, but if you came out later in life, grew up in an unsupportive environment or never had a teen romance, the anemoia you feel may be intense.

    If you’ve yet to hear the word anemoia, forgive yourself. Anemoia was only recently defined by The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows as “nostalgia for a time you never experienced.” The growing obsession with what’s known as Y2K core — fashion, music and culture inspired by the 90s and early 2000s — by Gen Z is an example of this kind of intergenerational envy.

    Unlike other forms of nostalgia, neuroscientist Felipe De Brigard tells us that anemoia “doesn’t need real memories.” De Brigard explores the darker side of these complex feelings. He says propaganda can misinform people about the past to elicit a longing for a time that may never have existed.

    According to De Brigard, given the right material, we can create simulations of possible scenarios in our minds. We might imagine a different present or an alternative past.

    Imagining what could have been

    While watching Heartstopper’s love story unfold in our living rooms, we feel happy for the fictional characters, but anger, grief and a dash of betrayal can creep in as well.

    For many Heartstopper viewers, the series blends into memories from our real life. Watching queer and trans teens portrayed as ordinary people can feel like a breath of fresh air, especially if these scenes are inconsistent with our own adolescence. According to media studies professor Frederik Dhaenens, Heartstopper also uses cute esthetics that amplify these positive depictions while “soften[ing] the blow of negative experiences” faced by the characters.

    The season 3 cast of Heartstopper.
    (Netflix)

    Memories from our past start to flood through our minds as we watch. We may find ourselves wishing for the queer childhood we never had. If only I was born later, we might think. Viewers may imagine how their lives could have unfolded differently, if only they had better media representation or were surrounded by more liberal perspectives.

    Enter queer anemoia: nostalgia for a do-over of an earlier stage of your life in a different time or place. While commonly expressed by queer and trans folks over 40, anyone who harbours some grief over their coming-out process or the lack of acceptance they had growing up may find themselves riding this emotional rollercoaster.

    A moment of recognition

    Queer anemoia is a moment of recognition. It is the contrast between our imagined teen love and — for many, but of course not all — the real past — lonely and isolated.

    The sight of a thriving trans teen like Heartstopper’s Elle could elicit strong feelings for a viewer who transitioned later in life and missed their own girlhood.

    Maybe the word trans wasn’t even accessible to help them make sense of their identity.

    Thinking about the past is not unusual for queer and trans folks. With some sarcasm, you could call it a hobby. Hey, want to hang out tonight and subject our adolescence and coming-out stories “to the judgment of hindsight?” Media push this exercise further by helping us visualize what could have been.

    ‘I Kissed a Girl’

    Another show described similarly to Heartstopper is the reality TV show I Kissed A Girl. The Guardian described it as “a celebratory, joyful love letter to queerness” and “the sweetest, most touching” show.

    A scene from ‘I Kissed A Girl’ reunion show.
    I Kissed A Girl

    Among a surplus of straight couples in reality TV, I Kissed A Girl is one of only a handful of shows with queer cast members. But perhaps this is shifting. Sociologist Róisín Ryan-Flood and queer historian Amy Tooth Murphy argue that we are undergoing “one of the most dramatic transformations of gender and sexuality in social life in recent decades.”

    By portraying lesbians as ordinary people with ordinary desires, I Kissed A Girl contributes to this transformation. Some viewers’ might find their own ideas about what is possible, desirable and even aspirational beginning to change.

    Media can model these possibilities for us, which contributes to our identity formation. Feminist and queer theorists agree, arguing that our gender and sexual identities are collectively created, not self-made.

    For example, gender studies professor Amira Lundy-Harris explains how when we encounter others in media — novels, film, television — they can help us recognize something about ourselves.

    Therefore these mediated identities — these characters on TV — are not just ours. We co-create our identities with a variety of different forms of media, including social media and memoirs. We also do this with other people, including our families and friends. The cultural and political moment we are living in is also part of this collaborative identity-making process.

    Late bloomers may feel more anemoia

    Queer anemoia is a politically useful feeling. When we compare different cultural moments we may also recognize that we did not learn about our identity in isolation from the rest of the world. Feminist philosopher Sue Campbell has said our feelings require others to help us interpret and make sense of them. Through their characters and stories, media offer us an interpretive context for our feelings to emerge.

    Some late bloomers — especially those left feeling confused or surprised by their sexual or gender identities — may blame themselves for going along with a mainstream, heteronormative or cisnormative cultural script without stopping to ask themselves who they really are. It may be hard, at first, to see that our identities are co-created.

    A recently released film, Am I Ok? portrays a late bloomer, Lucy, who is 32 when she finally realizes she’s a lesbian. She’s frustrated and disappointed in herself as she tells her best friend, “I should have figured this out by now.”

    Unfortunately, the film does not explore other reasons for her predicament — like compulsory heterosexuality — that are no fault of her own.

    Dakota Johnson stars in a film about discovering your sexuality later in life.
    (Rotten Tomatoes)

    Naming the ‘nostalgia’

    British education professor Catherine Lee, who previously taught secondary school under the homophobic Section 28, wrote in The Conversation about how she was filled with regret as she watched the queer teachers in Heartstopper give their students the supportive environment she never could.

    Even Heartstopper director Andy Newbery felt queer anemoia before working on the third season. He said:

    “I’ve heard it many, many times since, especially from people sort of my age really, about how they wish they’d had a show like this when they were growing up.”

    Naming queer anemoia gives us language for these complex, bittersweet feelings. In today’s political climate, cute portrayals of queer and trans love may not continue to grace our screens, but taking our feelings seriously and asking what they tell us about the role of media in our lives must never stop.

    Rena Bivens 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. Why queer-themed shows evoke a bittersweet nostalgia for missed childhood moments – https://theconversation.com/why-queer-themed-shows-evoke-a-bittersweet-nostalgia-for-missed-childhood-moments-259341

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –