NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: Strengthening economies in a stormy and fragmenting world

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the ninth Annual Research Conference “Economic and financial integration in a stormy and fragmenting world” organised by the National Bank of Ukraine and Narodowy Bank Polski in Kyiv, Ukraine

    Kyiv, 19 June 2025

    It is an honour to be here in Kyiv – a city that has come to symbolise resilience, dignity and the enduring spirit of freedom. Kyiv stands not only as the heart of Ukraine, but as a beacon of what it means to hold fast to democratic values in the face of immense challenge.

    As the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko once wrote, “In your own house – your own truth. Your own strength and freedom.” Ukraine’s fight today reminds all of Europe of this powerful truth: our security and prosperity rely on unity, on integration with our neighbours.

    In the face of Russia’s unjustified war of aggression, Ukrainians have demonstrated extraordinary courage and resilience in defence of their country.

    In my remarks today, and in keeping with the theme of this conference, I would like to reflect on the historical lessons we have learned about strengthening and integrating economies in an increasingly stormy and fragmented world.

    Experience shows that closer ties with the European neighbourhood can provide a strong foundation for Ukraine to rebuild and emerge stronger. And as geopolitical tensions rise and global supply chains fragment, the case for deeper regional cooperation has never been clearer.

    Europe’s own long history of integration offers valuable insights that can help guide Ukraine’s path forwards. Two key lessons stand out.

    First, while deeper integration increases the potential rewards, it also raises the risks if not managed wisely. Sound domestic policy frameworks are essential to maximise growth and safeguard stability.

    Second, the benefits of integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Maintaining them depends on continuous reform – but reforms must also deliver tangible improvements for people’s lives, and do so relatively quickly.

    The benefits of integration in a fragmenting world

    During the Cold War, the Iron Curtain fractured the European economy. Trade between East and West fell by half. This division was like imposing a 48% tariff – leading to immense welfare losses and isolating the Eastern bloc from global markets.[1]

    But the transformation since Europe’s eastern enlargement has been nothing short of remarkable. On average, countries that joined the EU in 2004 have nearly doubled their GDP per capita over the past two decades.

    Critically, this was not just about catching up from a low base. Between 2004 and 2019, the EU’s new Member States saw their GDP per capita grow 32% more than comparable non-EU countries.[2] The difference was deeper economic integration – and those that were already highly embedded in the regional economy gained the most.

    While all new members experienced gains, countries with stronger integration into regional value chains recorded nearly 10 percentage points higher GDP per capita growth compared with less integrated peers – regardless of geographic proximity.[3]

    This difference was driven mainly by technology and productivity spillovers. ECB research shows that a 10% increase in productivity among western EU firms translated into a 5% productivity gain for central and eastern European firms linked to their supply chains.[4]

    The case for regional integration is therefore clear – and in today’s increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape, it has become even more compelling.

    First, regional integration underpins growth.

    European economies are highly open, which means a world splintering into rival trading blocs poses clear risks to prosperity. Yet Europe’s most important trading partner is Europe itself: around 65% of euro area exports go to other European countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway. For Ukraine too, Europe is the principal trading partner, accounting for over 50% of its goods trade in 2024.

    By deepening economic ties – more closely linking neighbouring economies – we can reduce our exposure to external shocks. Rising trade within our region can help offset losses in global markets.

    Second, regional integration strengthens resilience.

    One consequence of geopolitical fragmentation is the realignment of supply chains toward trusted partners. Nearly half of firms involved in external trade have already revised their strategies – or intend to do so – including relocating parts of their operations closer to home.[5] While this trend reduces strategic dependencies, it can also raise costs.

    Yet large integrated regions can mitigate these costs by replicating many of the benefits of globalisation at the regional level. Supply chains can be reorganised regionally, allowing each country to specialise based on its comparative advantage within regional value chains.

    Ukraine stands to benefit significantly from expanding these networks across the region – and the EU stands to benefit, too, from having Ukraine as a partner.[6]

    In the automotive sector, for example, Ukrainian firms already produce around 7% of all wire harnesses used in EU vehicles.[7] As the industry shifts towards electric vehicles, which require more complex wiring systems, Ukraine’s manufacturing base is well positioned to scale up and play a larger role in the EU value chain.

    Equally transformative is Ukraine’s drone industry, which has become one of the most advanced in the region. Drones are not only a critical component of modern warfare, but also a technology with substantial spillover effects and far-reaching dual-use applications.

    Indeed, the country’s ambitious goal of producing 4.5 million drones by 2025 has accelerated innovation in materials science, battery technology and 3D printing. These advances are already finding civilian applications in sectors such as logistics, agriculture and emergency response.

    In short, for both existing EU members and neighbouring countries like Ukraine, regional integration is both a path to prosperity and a strategic anchor in an increasingly fragmented world.

    Managing the risks of integration

    But examining the experience of countries that have used regional integration as a platform for growth and reform reveals two important lessons.

    The first is that if integration is not accompanied by appropriate reforms, it can create new vulnerabilities – especially in the financial sphere.

    Financial integration often brings volatile capital inflows, which can make it difficult to distinguish sustainable growth from unsustainable excesses in real time.

    One way this can happen is when productivity gains in tradable sectors, such as manufacturing, drive up wages in those sectors, which then spill over into higher wages in non-tradable sectors and push up overall inflation.[8]

    While this effect is a normal feature of catching-up, it can make it easy to mistake genuine convergence for economic overheating. If foreign capital is in fact driving financial imbalances – such as unsustainable real estate booms – countries may exhibit the same patterns of rising wages and inflation, masking underlying vulnerabilities.

    Another potential distortion is that capital inflows can significantly affect government fiscal positions by boosting tax revenues and creating the illusion of permanently greater fiscal space. This often leads to procyclical fiscal policies, with governments increasing spending or cutting taxes during boom periods – only to face fiscal stress when inflows reverse or growth slows.

    Both dynamics have been visible during Europe’s recent experience with regional integration.

    After the eastern enlargement, financial integration accelerated rapidly. Between 2003 and 2008, the new Member States experienced an extraordinary surge in capital inflows, averaging over 12% of GDP annually – twice the typical level for emerging markets globally.[9]

    Initially, this rapid financial integration brought clear benefits: it expanded access to credit, fuelled growth and enabled much-needed development. However, in many countries, foreign capital was disproportionately channelled into consumption and construction booms, while tax revenues rose sharply on the back of property transactions and buoyant domestic demand.[10] This led to widespread misallocation of private capital and inefficient public spending.

    Capital flows then reversed sharply when the global financial crisis struck, exposing these imbalances. Between December 2008 and May 2013, external bank liabilities in non-euro area central and eastern European countries declined by an average of 27% – with some countries experiencing drops of more than 50%.[11]

    Yet the risks associated with financial integration can be avoided. Not all countries in the region were affected equally. Those that performed better typically shared two key features.

    First, they had clear policies to channel foreign investment into productive sectors. Strong industrial strategies, a skilled workforce and integration into global supply chains helped direct capital towards manufacturing and tradable services – sectors that drive export growth and are less prone to unsustainable booms and asset bubbles.[12]

    Second, they maintained robust financial policy frameworks. Tighter capital requirements, active macroprudential measures and countercyclical buffers strengthened domestic banking sectors and curbed excessive mortgage lending. These tools enabled those countries to absorb large capital inflows without creating destabilising imbalances.[13]

    The lesson is clear: as countries integrate into the region, strong domestic policy frameworks are critical to ensuring that capital inflows support long-term growth rather than generating financial instability or inefficient allocation.

    This insight is especially relevant for Ukraine today as it charts its path towards recovery. If reconstruction proceeds as planned, the country could attract significant capital inflows over the next decade. But without the right safeguards, that capital risks being misallocated – undermining long-term productivity instead of strengthening it.

    There are encouraging signs. The EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area have already driven significant reforms in the financial sector. Ukraine’s banking regulation now aligns with more than 75% of EU standards, covering critical areas such as capital adequacy, governance and auditing.[14]

    The National Bank of Ukraine has adopted a risk-based supervisory model inspired by the Single Supervisory Mechanism – the system of banking supervision in Europe – markedly improving oversight. Despite extremely challenging circumstances, Ukraine is also modernising its capital markets – consolidating exchanges, upgrading settlement systems and strengthening regulatory enforcement to attract long-term investors.

    These reforms are already delivering results: in 2023, Ukraine’s banking sector remained profitable and well capitalised despite the ongoing war – an outcome that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

    Still, further progress is essential, especially in fiscal governance. Strengthening public investment management will be critical to ensure that reconstruction funds are allocated transparently and efficiently.

    This is not just about meeting external standards. It is about ensuring that every euro, and every hryvnia, delivers real returns for the Ukrainian people.[15]

    Making integration sustainable

    However, reforms cannot be treated as a one-time effort.

    So, the second key lesson is that the benefits of regional integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Sustaining them requires continuous reform – and, just as importantly, it requires citizens to see visible, tangible improvements in their daily lives.

    In this context, there are two risks to watch out for.

    The first is that institutional reform momentum can fade if economic benefits do not follow quickly.

    Deeper regional integration typically begins with aligning framework conditions, such as legal systems, regulation and public administration. These areas often improve rapidly. But for the economic gains to materialise, domestic entrepreneurs and foreign investors must respond to the new incentives created – and this takes time.

    In the long run, evidence shows that countries with initially weaker institutions benefit the most from adopting higher standards.[16] But in the short run, if people only see the effort and not the payoff, public support for further reforms can weaken, putting long-term convergence at risk.

    The second risk is that structural shifts in the economy may weaken the link between integration and economic convergence over time.

    The integration of goods markets has traditionally driven convergence almost automatically, as foreign direct investment flows to countries with lower land and labour costs, supply chains relocate and lower-income countries benefit from technology transfers.

    As I mentioned earlier, this will remain an important mechanism even in an era of supply chain reshoring. But countries cannot rely on it as heavily as in the past. Future growth in intra-EU trade is expected to depend increasingly on services – particularly digital services.

    However, research shows that services sector activity tends to concentrate in larger, more affluent urban areas that exhibit the hallmarks of a knowledge economy: high tertiary education rates, strong technology and science sectors and robust digital infrastructure.[17]

    This means that deeper integration alone will not guarantee broad-based convergence across all regions. Over time, countries will need to invest more in education, skills and digitalisation to ensure they can build high levels of human capital.

    Maintaining the path of convergence is therefore not easy. But slowing down reform efforts is not the answer – especially in the shock-prone world we face today.

    There is a clear link between strong institutions and economic resilience. ECB research indicates that, during the pandemic, regions with lower institutional quality experienced – all else equal – an additional decline of around 4 percentage points in GDP per capita compared with the ten regions with the highest quality of government.[18]

    As our economies are increasingly buffeted by global turbulence, institutional backsliding therefore risks creating a vicious circle: repeated shocks can undermine economic convergence and further erode public confidence in the reform process.

    The best way for countries to sustain reform momentum is to recognise the importance of maintaining public support and, as far as possible, pair governance improvements with a focus on sectors where they have a clear competitive edge – and where deeper integration with the region can unlock significant and rapid growth opportunities.

    This way, the benefits of reforms will be felt more quickly and more widely.

    Ukraine is well positioned to put this into practice. Its IT sector is already relatively strong: IT services exports reached nearly USD 7 billion in 2023, making it one of the country’s leading export sectors despite the war.[19]

    Ukraine also produces around 130,000 STEM graduates each year – exceeding Germany and France[20] – and it ranks among the top five countries globally for certified IT professionals.[21] Successful IT clusters are active in several cities, and major foreign firms – including Apple, Microsoft, Boeing and Siemens – have established R&D operations in the country.

    A dynamic defence tech ecosystem is also taking shape[22], with Ukrainian start-ups attracting almost half a billion US dollars in funding in 2024 – surpassing many of their peers across central and eastern Europe.[23] Experience from countries like Israel suggests that such a foundation can enable the country to emerge as a broader technology hub in the years ahead.

    If Ukraine stays the course on institutional reform and continues to adapt its economy to new opportunities, despite the stormy environment, it can emerge as a vital engine of growth and a key contributor to the region’s future.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    Ukraine stands at a pivotal moment – facing the hardships of war, the challenge of reconstruction and the opportunity of deeper regional integration.

    In a world marked by shifting geopolitical realities, such integration offers a clear path to recovery and lasting prosperity.

    The recent history of regional integration shows not only its immense benefits, but also the importance of managing transitional risks through robust policy frameworks. It also underlines the need to sustain reform over time by ensuring that people feel its benefits.

    I am confident that Ukraine will be able to fully realise its economic potential, turning the upheaval of today into the foundation for a dynamic future.

    As Ivan Franko, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets, once wrote: “even though life is but a moment and made up of moments, we carry eternity in our souls.”

    This enduring spirit captures the resilience and potential of Ukraine’s people and its economy – a spirit that will continue to drive advancement and renewal in the years ahead.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in Moscow during the day

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    According to weather forecasters, rain, heavy in places, and thunderstorms are expected in Moscow until 9 p.m. on June 19. Wind gusts during thunderstorms can reach 15 meters per second.

    Residents are asked to be careful on the streets, not to take shelter under trees and not to be near advertising boards and shaky structures.

    In an emergency, you must call the emergency services at the single number: 112 or the single helpline of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the city of Moscow: 7 495 637-31-01.

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

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155490073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Mexico Battles Wildfires

    Source: NASA

    As extreme drought gripped parts of New Mexico in June 2025, firefighters battled large wildland fires in the southwestern part of the state. The two largest were the Buck and Trout fires, which, as of June 18, had together burned more than 80,000 acres (32,000 square kilometers) since igniting on June 11 and 12, respectively. High winds, low humidity, and dry tinder—grass, brush, and timber—have fueled their rapid spread.
    The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured these images of the fires on June 14, 2025. Burned area is evident in the false-color images, which show shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (bands 7-5-4). This band combination makes it easier to identify unburned vegetated areas (green) and the recently burned landscape (brown). Bright orange indicates the infrared signature of actively burning fires. The Trout fire, burning about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Silver City, is shown above. The Buck fire, burning to the north of the Trout fire, is below.

    NASA fire tracking tools showed the Trout fire perimeter had grown significantly larger in the days after Landsat captured these images. By June 18, it had reached the edge of Lake Roberts and threatened communities along Sapillo Creek. Residents of about 2,000 homes live within evacuation zones and have been forced to leave, according to news reports. NASA fire tracking tools showed less growth of the Buck fire, which was 25 percent contained on June 18.
    On June 17, New Mexico’s governor issued an emergency declaration in response to the Trout fire, which allowed emergency responders to request additional support from federal or other entities. More than 875 firefighting personnel were responding to the fire on June 18, including hotshot crews, hand crews, dozers, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft, according to InciWeb. As of that date, the blaze was zero percent contained, though no infrastructure had been reported as damaged or destroyed. Several communities downwind of the Trout fire faced hazardous air quality.
    NASA Earth science missions have detected elevated levels of certain gases and particles around the fire that can contribute to poor air quality. The TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) mission, for instance, detected plumes of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde streaming from the fire on June 17. TEMPO is the first space-based instrument designed to continuously measure air quality above North America with the resolution of a few square miles.
    NASA’s satellite data are part of a global system of observations that are used to track fire behavior and analyze emerging trends. Among the real-time wildfire monitoring tools that NASA makes available are FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System), the Worldview browser, and the Fire Event Explorer.
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – INCREASED FUNDING, UPDATED EQUIPMENT, ENHANCED MONITORING AND ENGAGED COMMUNITIES, June 18, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – INCREASED FUNDING, UPDATED EQUIPMENT, ENHANCED MONITORING AND ENGAGED COMMUNITIES, June 18, 2025

    Posted on Jun 18, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    INCREASED FUNDING, UPDATED EQUIPMENT, ENHANCED MONITORING AND ENGAGED COMMUNITIES

    Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! Campaign Highlights New Era of Wildfire and Drought Awareness

     

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    June 18, 2025

     

    LĪHUʻE, Kaua‘i — At a news conference here today, state, county and nonprofit organizations involved in wildfire noted that since the devastating series of fires in August 2023, people are finally beginning to pay attention to the risk. They also emphasized that many parts of Hawai‘i continue to be impacted by prolonged drought conditions. Drought is already impacting an estimated 386,000 people across the state.

     

    During the 10th Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! campaign kickoff, Mike Walker, state protection forester with the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) commented, “When I started the job in 2017, DOFAW had a wildfire suppression budget of $600,000. One fire in California would use that amount in a matter of hours. By 2023, the division was able to get about $4 million for fire suppression.”

     

    It took fires on Maui and Hawai‘i Island, including the deadly Lahaina fire on August 8, 2023, to bring Hawai‘i’s overall lack of funding support for firefighting efforts, suppression and prevention costs into sharp focus. “So, unfortunately it does really take a tragedy for people to wake up and realize we have a problem and start to address it,” Walker added. DOFAW and its partners had long sought better support for wildland fire efforts.

     

    This year could see a repeat of severe wildland fire conditions due to increasing drought conditions, particularly now in the eastern part of the state.

     

    The U.S. Drought Monitor of June 12 shows extreme drought conditions on the north slopes of Mauna Kea, and a sliver of southeast Hawai‘i Island. The rest of the island is experiencing abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions.

     

    All of Maui Nui (Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Kahoolawe) is in moderate-to-severe drought. The south sides of O‘ahu and Kaua‘i and all of Ni‘ihau currently have abnormally dry conditions.

     

    Genki Kino, a forecaster in the Honolulu Office of the National Weather Service said,

    “We just had the second-driest wet season in the last 30 years. We’re already seeing vegetation dry out, turn brown and become more receptive to wildfire ignitions. Over the next few months, drier conditions will likely persist with drought conditions worsening across the entire state. We urge everyone to be aware of forecasts calling for windy and dry conditions that often lead to elevated fire danger.

    DLNR Chair Dawn Chang, who also co-leads the state drought council, echoed the concerns from a drought perspective. “This is early June, and we just saw a fire start on here on Kaua‘i last week, a larger one on Maui, just three days ago, and one on O‘ahu at Schofield Barracks. As drought conditions intensify, so too will the fire danger. The two go hand-in-hand and this is why, again this year, we continue to encourage water conservation measures, not only for firefighting purposes, but long-term for the preservation of fresh drinking water supplies.”

    The visibility of the Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO), which co-leads the Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! initiative with DLNR, has risen tremendously and internationally since the 2023 fire events.

    Elizabeth Pickett, HWMO Co-Executive Directed commented, “We’ve been on the forefront of providing science-based information, education and outreach about wildfire for the past 25 years. Until 2023, we flew under the radar, but now many people are energized about protecting the homes and communities from wildfire.”

    For example, the national Firewise USA campaign, which HWMO administers, has grown exponentially from 14 communities across Hawai‘i to more than 30 in the application process or already approved. “Clearly people are beginning to understand the risks they, their families and their livelihoods face when wildfires are looming,” Pickett said.

    The amount of financial support from state and county governments, along with new firefighting apparatus and improved technology, is a long list. But, as Kaua‘i Fire Chief Mike Gibson noted, it takes years from the time you order a new truck or pumper for them to arrive.

    “Fire engines from the time we order them, take about four years before they’re delivered. Brush trucks help us the most because they’re four-wheel drive. Over the past four years, we’ve ordered six new ones. By the end of this summer, we expect to finally get our first three,” Gibson said.

    The 2025 Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! campaign includes radio, television and social media PSAs and written and visual resources to help people, agencies and the media develop messages they can use in their communities, with neighbors, or with mass audiences. Island-specific resources are listed in the attachment.

    “This effort has always been very collaborative, with more than 30 partners across the state involved. Sharing information and resources is a critical piece toward making Hawai‘i more fire safe and aware,” Pickett concluded.

    Similarly, Chang added, “The Hawai‘i Drought Council has dozens of stakeholders including government agencies, water suppliers, private industry and agricultural interests. We’re all in this together and the more we can work together doesn’t mean we can stop natural forces, but it does mean that we can try and not exacerbate the risks or outcomes because we lacked awareness and action.”

    # # #

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

    HD video, interviews, and photographs:

    Island-specific resources and explanation attached

     

     

    HD video – Zoom recording of Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! news conference (June 18, 2025):https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/A9J7OD8ZWAYN078UTOMF6/Wildfire-and-Drought-News-Conf-Zoom.mp4?rlkey=umx1qe193atilp2bcl9ovrkls&st=6o2artdl&dl=0

     

    Links to clean HD video and photographs of the Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT news conference will be distributed separately.

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396

    Email: Dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – HUNTING SEASON AT KAʻOHE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA OPENS, June 17, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – HUNTING SEASON AT KAʻOHE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA OPENS, June 17, 2025

    Posted on Jun 17, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    DAWN N.S. CHANG

    CHAIRPERSON

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

     

    MUZZLELOADER/SHOTGUN HUNTING SEASON AT KAʻOHE GAME MANAGEMENT AREA OPENS JULY 3

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    June 17, 2025

    HILO, Hawai‘i – The Kaʻohe Game Management Area (GMA) on Hawai‘i Island will open to game mammal hunting with a muzzleloader or shotgun (with slug) on Thursday, July 3, 2025. The season will continue through Sunday, August 31, excluding August 27-28 when the area will be closed for ungulate management operations by DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) staff.

    Conditions and restrictions will apply for this hunt. The daily bag limit will be four pigs of either sex per hunter, per day. There is no limit for sheep or goat harvest. All hunters and non-hunter assistants must wear an exterior garment (shirt, vest, jacket, or coat) made of commercially manufactured, solid blaze-orange material or solid blaze-orange mesh with a maximum mesh size of one-eighth inch.

    Game law violations or any suspicious activity can be reported to the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) Hilo office at 808-974-6208 during regular business hours. To report suspected violations on weekends, holidays, or after hours, call the DLNR enforcement hotline at 808-643-DLNR (3567). Please note that the GMA may be closed to hunting and other public access at any time due to wildland fire or fire hazard. 

    For more information, contact DOFAW’s Hilo office at 808-974-4221.

    # # # 

     

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR) 

     

    Photographs – Game mammal hunting (various):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/3obg0yb7j0www6zwkx2pl/AGMqJD-rsceR_jM6Xe6SFyc?rlkey=fze15mtjgegvjjt8ltey4wnnl&st=ne7g1u3d&dl=0

     

    Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi Hunting Page: https://outdoor.hawaii.gov/hunting/

    OuterSpatial App: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/app/

     

    Media Contact: 

    Ryan Aguilar

    Communications Specialist

    Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawai‘i

    Phone: 808-587-0396

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR Media Advisory-Location Change for Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! news conference

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR Media Advisory-Location Change for Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! news conference

    Posted on Jun 17, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

    DAWN CHANG

    CHAIRPERSON

    ANNUAL WILDFIRE & DROUGHT LOOKOUT! CAMPAIGN

     

    MEDIA ADVISORY

    June 17, 2025

    What: The 10th Wildfire & Drought LOOKOUT! awareness campaign and media availability kicks-off next week with a news conference on Kaua‘i. This year, the DLNR has produced island-specific media packages which include recorded interviews, video, and photographs. This material is embargoed until 4:00 a.m. on June 18 but is being released to the media now for advance production. (Please see updated attachment)

    When: News Conference, Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

    Where: Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, 3990 Ka’ana Street, Līhuʻe

    or via Zoom:

    Who:

    • Genki Kino, National Weather Service forecaster
    • Michael Gibson, Kaua‘i Fire Chief
    • Michael Walker, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, state protection forester
    • Dawn Chang, DLNR Chair and co-chair Hawai‘i Drought Council
    • Elizabeth Pickett, Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization Co-Executive Director

    This news conference is open only to credentialed media representatives. Media are asked to join the conversation at least 5 minutes prior to the start of the Zoom.

    # # #

    Media resources:

    Attached

    Media contact:
    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawai‘i

    Phone: 808-587-0396

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Light to moderate rain likely in Delhi till June 22: IMD

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that Delhi is expected to experience generally cloudy skies with spells of rain and thunderstorms over the next four days, providing some relief from the heat.

    According to the IMD, the national capital will see very light to light rain or thunderstorms on June 19 evening/night, accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph. The maximum temperature is likely to remain between 34°C and 36°C, around 2 to 4 degrees below normal.

    On June 20, similar conditions will persist with light rain or thunderstorms expected in the afternoon/evening. Temperatures will range from 27°C to 29°C for the minimum and 36°C to 38°C for the maximum, with the latter staying slightly below normal.

    June 21, which also marks International Yoga Day, will witness light to moderate rainfall with gusty winds. Maximum temperatures are expected to be between 35°C and 37°C, while minimums may dip to 26°C to 28°C.

    The wet spell is expected to continue on June 22, with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms likely. Daytime temperatures are predicted to range between 34°C and 36°C, with winds shifting direction throughout the day.

    The IMD has advised residents to stay alert during thunderstorm activity and follow safety precautions as monsoon conditions continue to strengthen across northern India.

  • Light to moderate rain likely in Delhi till June 22: IMD

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that Delhi is expected to experience generally cloudy skies with spells of rain and thunderstorms over the next four days, providing some relief from the heat.

    According to the IMD, the national capital will see very light to light rain or thunderstorms on June 19 evening/night, accompanied by gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph. The maximum temperature is likely to remain between 34°C and 36°C, around 2 to 4 degrees below normal.

    On June 20, similar conditions will persist with light rain or thunderstorms expected in the afternoon/evening. Temperatures will range from 27°C to 29°C for the minimum and 36°C to 38°C for the maximum, with the latter staying slightly below normal.

    June 21, which also marks International Yoga Day, will witness light to moderate rainfall with gusty winds. Maximum temperatures are expected to be between 35°C and 37°C, while minimums may dip to 26°C to 28°C.

    The wet spell is expected to continue on June 22, with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms likely. Daytime temperatures are predicted to range between 34°C and 36°C, with winds shifting direction throughout the day.

    The IMD has advised residents to stay alert during thunderstorm activity and follow safety precautions as monsoon conditions continue to strengthen across northern India.

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 100 days since Ukraine offered a full, unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to choose war: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    100 days since Ukraine offered a full, unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to choose war: UK statement to the OSCE

    Acting Ambassador, Deirdre Brown condemns Russia’s continued refusal to accept the full, unconditional ceasefire proposed by Ukraine 100 days ago. Innocent civilians continue to suffer from Russia’s choice to pursue a path of war.

    Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to add our thanks to you and other Troika members for your recent statement.

    We currently find ourselves in a security situation that is more precarious, more unpredictable and more serious than any that we have experienced for decades.  We will be judged by future generations on the steps that we take to defuse tensions and restore stability to our continent and beyond.

    At the heart of the global challenges we face is Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and its assault on the UN Charter and Helsinki Final Act.  The United Kingdom will continue to stand resolutely with Ukraine as it seeks a just and lasting peace.

    We remain convinced that an immediate and sustained ceasefire is the quickest route to stopping the killing and creating the space for negotiations on a framework for a lasting peace. As we have already heard, today marks 100 days since Ukraine offered a full, unconditional ceasefire on 11 March.  During this time, not only has Russia rejected Ukraine’s offer, it has killed over 550 civilians and injured around 3000 more.  It has launched its biggest aerial attacks of the war so far. And it has not just sustained its attacks, but increased them.

    The brutal attack on residential buildings in Kyiv earlier this week, which killed 28 civilians and left a further 134 wounded, are the actions of an aggressor who thinks that the world is not watching.  They are wrong.

    The Kremlin does this while trying to convince the international community that it is serious about peace.  All of us in this room know from bitter experience how much weight we should attach to Moscow’s words.  You only need to look at the days leading up to the invasion when we heard in this room that speculation of an invasion was “unsubstantiated conjectures”.  But let us analyse their words, nonetheless.

    On 2 June in Istanbul, Russia presented its memorandum with its conditions for ending its illegal war.  In contrast to Ukraine’s own proposals, which are serious, reasonable and constructive, Russia’s memorandum calls for a complete surrender of Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory and limits on Ukraine’s armed forces.  President Putin knows that Ukraine cannot accept this: he is claiming territory his army has not been able to take in over three years of his illegal war, and trying to weaken Ukraine so he can continue the war in future.  The Kremlin’s maximalist position is clearly inconsistent with international principles enshrined in the UN Charter and Helsinki Final Act – including sovereign equality, the inviolability of frontiers, the territorial integrity of states and the non-intervention in internal affairs.  It is further evidence – in case any were needed – that President Putin is not yet serious about peace.

    Madam Chair, today also marks the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.  There is mounting evidence of conflict-related sexual violence committed by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, including from successive Moscow Mechanism reports.  We will have more to say on this in our Joint Statement under the relevant agenda item later today.

    Finally, Madam Chair, it has been 38 months since Russia detained our three OSCE colleagues, Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.  The United Kingdom again calls for their immediate release. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Southwest monsoon advances further; heavy rainfall likely in several states: IMD

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday announced that the southwest monsoon has further advanced over most parts of Bihar and some more parts of East Uttar Pradesh.

    As the monsoon gains momentum, very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places across Gujarat, north Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Odisha on June 19.

    Jharkhand is also likely to experience intense rainfall on both June 19 and 20. Meanwhile, the northeastern states are forecast to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall consistently over the next seven days.

    In Delhi-NCR, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy from June 19 to 22, with intermittent rain and thunderstorms.

    The IMD has advised residents, particularly in the affected states, to stay cautious during periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms. The advancing monsoon is expected to bring significant relief from heat, while also contributing to the seasonal rainfall crucial for agriculture.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Schools, hospitals, sports complexes: Moscow has built over 1,140 social facilities since 2011

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Since 2011, over 1,100 social facilities have been built in Moscow: schools, kindergartens, medical institutions, sports and cultural complexes. They were built both using funds from the capital’s Targeted Investment Program and with the participation of private investors. This was announced at the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum by Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “Moscow pays great attention to the creation of social infrastructure. The facilities are built at the expense of the city budget and investors. Thus, since 2011, 1,143 social facilities have been built in Moscow: 661 school and kindergarten buildings, about 175 healthcare facilities, 225 sports facilities and 82 cultural facilities. In particular, the construction of such important institutions for the capital as the flagship center of the V.M. Buyanov City Clinical Hospital, the ice palace in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain have been completed, and the first kindergarten built using modular technology has been opened in Izmailovo,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

    Work on creating social infrastructure continues. Last year alone, 49 schools and kindergartens, 17 sports facilities and nine cultural facilities were built through the joint efforts of the city and investors.

    “In the first five months of this year, developers have already built more than 10 socially significant facilities. For example, in the Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo district, an investor built a school for 825 students with an area of more than 12 thousand square meters. In the east of Moscow, a developer built a multidisciplinary medical center in the Kosino-Ukhtomsky district, and in the South Administrative District, in the Biryulevo Vostochnoye district, a sports and recreation complex with an area of over seven thousand square meters was built using extra-budgetary sources,” said the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Urban Development Policy

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Since 2011, the capital has also built such significant facilities as the flagship centers of the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care, the V.V. Veresaev City Clinical Hospital, No. 15 named after O.M. Filatov and named after S.P. Botkin, the International Sambo Center, the boxing center on the territory of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, the Sports Palace in Nekrasovka, and the educational complex of the N.E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

    The construction of social facilities in Moscow corresponds to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

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

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155483073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eastern Cape holds Provincial Day of Mourning for storm victims

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Eastern Cape Provincial Government is today hosting a Provincial Day of Mourning in honour of the victims of last week’s floods.

    Thursday’s ceremony which will take place at King Sabatha Dalindyebo Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in Mthatha will bring together government leaders and community members to pay tribute to the lives lost in the storms.

    The death toll in the tragedy currently stands at 92, including a teenage girl whose body was recovered along the Mthatha River on Wednesday. The total number of fatalities in Mthatha alone are at 68.

    “Mthatha in the OR Tambo District Municipality remain the hardest hit across the province and the number of deceased persons may continue to rise. Progress has been made with the processing of the bodies as 86 bodies have now been positively identified, with 83 collected by family members.

    “Five bodies remain unidentified. The Provincial Government is still urging members of the public to report any missing persons at their nearest police station to assist ongoing recovery and identification efforts,” provincial spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie said in a statement.

    Rantjie said the provincial government continues to work tirelessly to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to 4 308 individuals that have been left homeless across the province.

    Processes are underway to ensure the provision of Temporary Residential Units (TRUs).

    “Significant progress has also been made in the restoration of critical infrastructure. The OR Tambo District Municipality has reported steady advancements in the restoration of water supply systems. Full restoration is anticipated across all affected areas by Friday, 21 June 2025,” Rantjie said.

    READ | Death toll in Eastern Cape floods rises to 90

    In the Amathole District Municipality, operations at the Butterworth Water Treatment Works (WTW) have resumed following the successful repairs to the high lift and backwash pumps. Water supply has also been restored in most areas.

    However, the provincial government said high-lying communities are still facing limited access as the system stabilises, and this will take some additional time to recover fully.

    Authorities continue to monitor the situation and conduct assessments to quantify the full restoration across all affected communities.

    Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has commended South Africans and the world for the provision of much needed support to reach people in dire need.

    “We are encouraged by the outpouring of love and support from all corners of the globe. The Provincial Government remains committed to working alongside municipalities, national departments, and civil society to restore dignity and livelihoods across the province,” Mabuyane said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Overcrowded jails fuel prisoner violence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Overcrowded jails fuel prisoner violence

    Violence is rife in overcrowded, unsafe prisons, with offenders nearly twenty per cent more likely to be involved in assaults in too full jails, new research published today (19 June) reveals.

    • Direct link drawn between overcrowded conditions and increased violence for first time
    • Landmark sentencing reforms mean offenders who behave badly can be held in prison for longer, part of the Government’s Plan for Change
    • New £40 million investment this year to tackle violence, contraband and drones

    The rate of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in men’s prisons increased by 11 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year as they operated at over 99% capacity. The rate of assaults on hard-working prison staff rose by 13 per cent during the same period.  

    This is the first time a direct link has been drawn between increased violence behind bars and the capacity crisis inherited by the Government that put the public at risk. 

    It reinforces the need for the 14,000 more prison places and landmark sentencing reforms set out by Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood last month which will ensure prisons never run out of space again. The changes will help to cut reoffending and keep our streets safe, part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    Under these reforms, release from prison will be earned. Offenders who behave badly will be held in prison for longer – helping to reduce violence and drug use. It will mean staff can focus more time on rehabilitating prisoners to reduce the chance of them reoffending on release. 

    The Government has also announced today a £40 million investment in new security measures this year to clamp down on the contraband that fuels violence behind bars. This includes £10 million on anti-drone measures such as exterior netting and reinforced windows.  

    Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, James Timpson, said:   

    These stark findings confirm what we’ve already seen – dangerously full prisons lead to more crime and more violence. This not only risks the safety of our hardworking staff but means our prisons are failing one of their most important functions – cutting crime. 

    We must end this chaos. That is why as part of our Plan for Change we are reforming sentencing and building 14,000 extra prison places by 2031. Our £40 million new investment will also help combat the flow of contraband which creates unsafe environments in our jails.

    The research found that over a one-year period, crowded environments increase the likelihood of an offender being involved in a violent incident by 19 per cent.  

    The £40 million will fund a range of security enhancements this financial year including window replacements, CCTV and control room upgrades, vehicle gates, biometrics and floodlighting. These improved measures will boost safety, combat the influx of drone activity and clamp down on suspected wrongdoing behind bars.  

    It comes as the National Crime Agency – in conjunction with HM Prisons and Probation Service, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Regional Organised Crime Units – has launched a new initiative stepping up efforts to thwart criminals attempting to smuggle contraband into jails via drones. 

    Two senior police leads will also be embedded into the Corruption and Crime Unit within the Prison and Probation Service to enhance cooperation in tackling key areas like corruption and organised crime in prisons.  

    The investment builds on action the Government has already taken to protect staff from violence, including the rollout of protective body armour for prison officers working within high-security settings and a trial of tasers beginning later this summer. 

    The Government has set aside £7 billion to fund 14,000 extra places by 2031 to deliver the prison capacity needed to keep the public safe. 

    Background information

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Neil Hornby appointed Interim Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Neil Hornby appointed Interim Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency

    Neil Hornby will lead the agency as the recruitment process for a permanent Chief Executive continues

    The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has appointed Neil Hornby as its interim Chief Executive Officer.

    Neil’s term began on 9 June 2025. The appointment follows former RPA Chief Executive Paul Caldwell’s decision to step down and retire from the Civil Service earlier this year. The recruitment process for a permanent Chief Executive is currently underway.

    Neil brings extensive experience to the position, having previously served as Chief Executive of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), as well as in senior government roles working on marine and fisheries, nuclear energy, flood risk management, soils and animal health. 

    Neil Hornby, Interim Chief Executive of the Rural Payments Agency, said:

    I am delighted to join the Rural Payments Agency at such an important time for British agriculture.

    I look forward to working with our dedicated team to provide a great service to farmers, landowners and rural communities across the country.

    Furthermore, Adrian Belton has been appointed as Chair of the Agency Management Board. The board provides leadership to the RPA, advising on strategy and ensuring high standards of corporate governance are maintained. Adrian brings a wealth of expertise to the role, having previously served as Chief Executive of the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) for six years.

    Adrian Belton, Chair of the Agency Management Board said:

    I’m excited to begin my role as Chair of the AMB, where I’ll focus on strategically supporting the RPA in the years ahead.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: AAIB Report: ATR 42-500, G-LMSA

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    AAIB Report: ATR 42-500, G-LMSA

    ATR 42-500 (G-LMSA), engine failure during cruise, north-east of Aberdeen International Airport, 23 July 2024

    Damage to No 1 engine second stage power turbine, looking from exhaust outlet

    Whilst in the cruise, the aircraft suffered a contained failure of the No 1 engine and a subsequent fire inside its cowlings due to a leak from the fuel return line which had become sufficiently loose following the engine failure to result in fuel leakage. The flight crew correctly followed the checklist procedures to shut down the engine, and the fire was extinguished. The aircraft landed without further incident.

    Although this is the only known instance of this fuel line becoming loose, the aircraft manufacturer has commenced a safety review to identify any possible safety actions which would further reduce the likelihood of leakage from the fuel return line.

    Read the report.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New drainage standards tackle pollution in England’s communities 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New drainage standards tackle pollution in England’s communities 

    Developers encouraged to reduce pollution, protect communities from flooding and benefit nature as part of government’s ambition to build 1.5 million homes. 

    extensive wildflower green roof

    In a move to tackle water pollution and protect communities from flooding, the government is updating the national standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for the first time in a decade.  

    The new standards – welcomed by the construction industry – will give developers clearer guidance on how to create rainwater management systems that mimic the natural environment and deliver better outcomes.

    Suggested features include spaces designed to collect and filter rainwater, which will relieve pressure on our crumbling sewage system and prevent pollution overflowing into our waterways. 

    Impermeable surfaces such as roads and pavements increase the risk of flooding in heavy downpours, as the excess water has nowhere to go. By introducing materials designed to soak up water, new developments will be better protected against flooding. 

    The new standards will also encourage design features like green roofs and soakaways. These provide a place for nature to thrive and improve a building’s energy efficiency –reducing energy bills, bringing mental and physical health benefits to communities by expanding access to nature and supporting wildlife. 

    The updated standards signify the government’s ambition to build 1.5 million homes sustainably without delaying the planning process and comes following the record £104 billion secured from private sector investment to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. 

    Water Minister Emma Hardy said: 

    The Government will introduce new standards to tackle water pollution, protect communities from flooding and make our new towns beautiful. 

    Nature recovery and growth can go hand in hand, and these new standards will enable the sustainable building of 1.5 million homes as part of the Plan for Change. 

    Key features of the new standards include: 

    • Reducing flood risk by actively managing surface water on site
    • Improving water quality before it enters rivers and streams
    • Provide community benefits by creating more attractive and resilient places to live and work 
    • Prioritising solutions that enhance biodiversity and green space
    • Encouraging water efficiency, by enabling the reuse of rainwater through harvesting and collection systems
    • Emphasising long-term maintenance and performance 

    To support the government’s Plan for Change, the updated standards are aligned with the National Planning Policy Framework and will complement wider planning reforms which will take place later this year. Developers are encouraged to innovate and demonstrate how their systems meet the outcomes, rather than follow a one-size-fits-all checklist. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Structure fire – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force are investigating a structure fire that occurred this afternoon along Callistemon Drive, Katherine East.

    About 2pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of the structure fire and police and NT Fire and Rescue Service attended.

    A resident of the house evacuated before emergency services arrival and no injuries were reported.

    The Crime Command have carriage of the investigation and enquiries are continuing.

    Police are calling for witnesses from within the area between 1:45pm and 3:15pm today, particularly those who may have CCTV or dashcam footage to make contact on 131 444 and reference job number NTP2500062594.

    Alternatively, you can download your footage directly to the portal linked to the attached QR code > https://ntpol.au.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/structurefire1-66callistemon

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Police seek identity of three suspects involved in a fire at Solomontown

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police have released CCTV footage hoping to identify the occupants of a vehicle involved in a fire on Monday 16 June at Solomontown.

    Just after midnight, police were called to a report of a car on fire in Young Street, Solomontown.

    When police officers arrived, they discovered a car on fire and a fire burning at the front of a nearby residence, which they extinguished with a fire extinguisher.

    The occupants of the house were not injured during the incident.  The exterior of the house was charred by flames.

    As seen in the footage, three male suspects had attended an address in Young Street and doused the front of the residence with accelerant.

    The suspects then entered the vehicle, which became engulfed in flames.  They ran off, abandoning the car in the street.

    It is extremely likely they have suffered significant burns or injuries in the fire and police urge them to seek medical attention.

    Anyone with information about the identity or location of anyone involved in this incident is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Christine Lagarde: Strengthening economies in a stormy and fragmenting world

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the ninth Annual Research Conference “Economic and financial integration in a stormy and fragmenting world” organised by the National Bank of Ukraine and Narodowy Bank Polski in Kyiv, Ukraine

    Kyiv, 19 June 2025

    It is an honour to be here in Kyiv – a city that has come to symbolise resilience, dignity and the enduring spirit of freedom. Kyiv stands not only as the heart of Ukraine, but as a beacon of what it means to hold fast to democratic values in the face of immense challenge.

    As the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko once wrote, “In your own house – your own truth. Your own strength and freedom.” Ukraine’s fight today reminds all of Europe of this powerful truth: our security and prosperity rely on unity, on integration with our neighbours.

    In the face of Russia’s unjustified war of aggression, Ukrainians have demonstrated extraordinary courage and resilience in defence of their country.

    In my remarks today, and in keeping with the theme of this conference, I would like to reflect on the historical lessons we have learned about strengthening and integrating economies in an increasingly stormy and fragmented world.

    Experience shows that closer ties with the European neighbourhood can provide a strong foundation for Ukraine to rebuild and emerge stronger. And as geopolitical tensions rise and global supply chains fragment, the case for deeper regional cooperation has never been clearer.

    Europe’s own long history of integration offers valuable insights that can help guide Ukraine’s path forwards. Two key lessons stand out.

    First, while deeper integration increases the potential rewards, it also raises the risks if not managed wisely. Sound domestic policy frameworks are essential to maximise growth and safeguard stability.

    Second, the benefits of integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Maintaining them depends on continuous reform – but reforms must also deliver tangible improvements for people’s lives, and do so relatively quickly.

    The benefits of integration in a fragmenting world

    During the Cold War, the Iron Curtain fractured the European economy. Trade between East and West fell by half. This division was like imposing a 48% tariff – leading to immense welfare losses and isolating the Eastern bloc from global markets.[1]

    But the transformation since Europe’s eastern enlargement has been nothing short of remarkable. On average, countries that joined the EU in 2004 have nearly doubled their GDP per capita over the past two decades.

    Critically, this was not just about catching up from a low base. Between 2004 and 2019, the EU’s new Member States saw their GDP per capita grow 32% more than comparable non-EU countries.[2] The difference was deeper economic integration – and those that were already highly embedded in the regional economy gained the most.

    While all new members experienced gains, countries with stronger integration into regional value chains recorded nearly 10 percentage points higher GDP per capita growth compared with less integrated peers – regardless of geographic proximity.[3]

    This difference was driven mainly by technology and productivity spillovers. ECB research shows that a 10% increase in productivity among western EU firms translated into a 5% productivity gain for central and eastern European firms linked to their supply chains.[4]

    The case for regional integration is therefore clear – and in today’s increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape, it has become even more compelling.

    First, regional integration underpins growth.

    European economies are highly open, which means a world splintering into rival trading blocs poses clear risks to prosperity. Yet Europe’s most important trading partner is Europe itself: around 65% of euro area exports go to other European countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway. For Ukraine too, Europe is the principal trading partner, accounting for over 50% of its goods trade in 2024.

    By deepening economic ties – more closely linking neighbouring economies – we can reduce our exposure to external shocks. Rising trade within our region can help offset losses in global markets.

    Second, regional integration strengthens resilience.

    One consequence of geopolitical fragmentation is the realignment of supply chains toward trusted partners. Nearly half of firms involved in external trade have already revised their strategies – or intend to do so – including relocating parts of their operations closer to home.[5] While this trend reduces strategic dependencies, it can also raise costs.

    Yet large integrated regions can mitigate these costs by replicating many of the benefits of globalisation at the regional level. Supply chains can be reorganised regionally, allowing each country to specialise based on its comparative advantage within regional value chains.

    Ukraine stands to benefit significantly from expanding these networks across the region – and the EU stands to benefit, too, from having Ukraine as a partner.[6]

    In the automotive sector, for example, Ukrainian firms already produce around 7% of all wire harnesses used in EU vehicles.[7] As the industry shifts towards electric vehicles, which require more complex wiring systems, Ukraine’s manufacturing base is well positioned to scale up and play a larger role in the EU value chain.

    Equally transformative is Ukraine’s drone industry, which has become one of the most advanced in the region. Drones are not only a critical component of modern warfare, but also a technology with substantial spillover effects and far-reaching dual-use applications.

    Indeed, the country’s ambitious goal of producing 4.5 million drones by 2025 has accelerated innovation in materials science, battery technology and 3D printing. These advances are already finding civilian applications in sectors such as logistics, agriculture and emergency response.

    In short, for both existing EU members and neighbouring countries like Ukraine, regional integration is both a path to prosperity and a strategic anchor in an increasingly fragmented world.

    Managing the risks of integration

    But examining the experience of countries that have used regional integration as a platform for growth and reform reveals two important lessons.

    The first is that if integration is not accompanied by appropriate reforms, it can create new vulnerabilities – especially in the financial sphere.

    Financial integration often brings volatile capital inflows, which can make it difficult to distinguish sustainable growth from unsustainable excesses in real time.

    One way this can happen is when productivity gains in tradable sectors, such as manufacturing, drive up wages in those sectors, which then spill over into higher wages in non-tradable sectors and push up overall inflation.[8]

    While this effect is a normal feature of catching-up, it can make it easy to mistake genuine convergence for economic overheating. If foreign capital is in fact driving financial imbalances – such as unsustainable real estate booms – countries may exhibit the same patterns of rising wages and inflation, masking underlying vulnerabilities.

    Another potential distortion is that capital inflows can significantly affect government fiscal positions by boosting tax revenues and creating the illusion of permanently greater fiscal space. This often leads to procyclical fiscal policies, with governments increasing spending or cutting taxes during boom periods – only to face fiscal stress when inflows reverse or growth slows.

    Both dynamics have been visible during Europe’s recent experience with regional integration.

    After the eastern enlargement, financial integration accelerated rapidly. Between 2003 and 2008, the new Member States experienced an extraordinary surge in capital inflows, averaging over 12% of GDP annually – twice the typical level for emerging markets globally.[9]

    Initially, this rapid financial integration brought clear benefits: it expanded access to credit, fuelled growth and enabled much-needed development. However, in many countries, foreign capital was disproportionately channelled into consumption and construction booms, while tax revenues rose sharply on the back of property transactions and buoyant domestic demand.[10] This led to widespread misallocation of private capital and inefficient public spending.

    Capital flows then reversed sharply when the global financial crisis struck, exposing these imbalances. Between December 2008 and May 2013, external bank liabilities in non-euro area central and eastern European countries declined by an average of 27% – with some countries experiencing drops of more than 50%.[11]

    Yet the risks associated with financial integration can be avoided. Not all countries in the region were affected equally. Those that performed better typically shared two key features.

    First, they had clear policies to channel foreign investment into productive sectors. Strong industrial strategies, a skilled workforce and integration into global supply chains helped direct capital towards manufacturing and tradable services – sectors that drive export growth and are less prone to unsustainable booms and asset bubbles.[12]

    Second, they maintained robust financial policy frameworks. Tighter capital requirements, active macroprudential measures and countercyclical buffers strengthened domestic banking sectors and curbed excessive mortgage lending. These tools enabled those countries to absorb large capital inflows without creating destabilising imbalances.[13]

    The lesson is clear: as countries integrate into the region, strong domestic policy frameworks are critical to ensuring that capital inflows support long-term growth rather than generating financial instability or inefficient allocation.

    This insight is especially relevant for Ukraine today as it charts its path towards recovery. If reconstruction proceeds as planned, the country could attract significant capital inflows over the next decade. But without the right safeguards, that capital risks being misallocated – undermining long-term productivity instead of strengthening it.

    There are encouraging signs. The EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area have already driven significant reforms in the financial sector. Ukraine’s banking regulation now aligns with more than 75% of EU standards, covering critical areas such as capital adequacy, governance and auditing.[14]

    The National Bank of Ukraine has adopted a risk-based supervisory model inspired by the Single Supervisory Mechanism – the system of banking supervision in Europe – markedly improving oversight. Despite extremely challenging circumstances, Ukraine is also modernising its capital markets – consolidating exchanges, upgrading settlement systems and strengthening regulatory enforcement to attract long-term investors.

    These reforms are already delivering results: in 2023, Ukraine’s banking sector remained profitable and well capitalised despite the ongoing war – an outcome that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

    Still, further progress is essential, especially in fiscal governance. Strengthening public investment management will be critical to ensure that reconstruction funds are allocated transparently and efficiently.

    This is not just about meeting external standards. It is about ensuring that every euro, and every hryvnia, delivers real returns for the Ukrainian people.[15]

    Making integration sustainable

    However, reforms cannot be treated as a one-time effort.

    So, the second key lesson is that the benefits of regional integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Sustaining them requires continuous reform – and, just as importantly, it requires citizens to see visible, tangible improvements in their daily lives.

    In this context, there are two risks to watch out for.

    The first is that institutional reform momentum can fade if economic benefits do not follow quickly.

    Deeper regional integration typically begins with aligning framework conditions, such as legal systems, regulation and public administration. These areas often improve rapidly. But for the economic gains to materialise, domestic entrepreneurs and foreign investors must respond to the new incentives created – and this takes time.

    In the long run, evidence shows that countries with initially weaker institutions benefit the most from adopting higher standards.[16] But in the short run, if people only see the effort and not the payoff, public support for further reforms can weaken, putting long-term convergence at risk.

    The second risk is that structural shifts in the economy may weaken the link between integration and economic convergence over time.

    The integration of goods markets has traditionally driven convergence almost automatically, as foreign direct investment flows to countries with lower land and labour costs, supply chains relocate and lower-income countries benefit from technology transfers.

    As I mentioned earlier, this will remain an important mechanism even in an era of supply chain reshoring. But countries cannot rely on it as heavily as in the past. Future growth in intra-EU trade is expected to depend increasingly on services – particularly digital services.

    However, research shows that services sector activity tends to concentrate in larger, more affluent urban areas that exhibit the hallmarks of a knowledge economy: high tertiary education rates, strong technology and science sectors and robust digital infrastructure.[17]

    This means that deeper integration alone will not guarantee broad-based convergence across all regions. Over time, countries will need to invest more in education, skills and digitalisation to ensure they can build high levels of human capital.

    Maintaining the path of convergence is therefore not easy. But slowing down reform efforts is not the answer – especially in the shock-prone world we face today.

    There is a clear link between strong institutions and economic resilience. ECB research indicates that, during the pandemic, regions with lower institutional quality experienced – all else equal – an additional decline of around 4 percentage points in GDP per capita compared with the ten regions with the highest quality of government.[18]

    As our economies are increasingly buffeted by global turbulence, institutional backsliding therefore risks creating a vicious circle: repeated shocks can undermine economic convergence and further erode public confidence in the reform process.

    The best way for countries to sustain reform momentum is to recognise the importance of maintaining public support and, as far as possible, pair governance improvements with a focus on sectors where they have a clear competitive edge – and where deeper integration with the region can unlock significant and rapid growth opportunities.

    This way, the benefits of reforms will be felt more quickly and more widely.

    Ukraine is well positioned to put this into practice. Its IT sector is already relatively strong: IT services exports reached nearly USD 7 billion in 2023, making it one of the country’s leading export sectors despite the war.[19]

    Ukraine also produces around 130,000 STEM graduates each year – exceeding Germany and France[20] – and it ranks among the top five countries globally for certified IT professionals.[21] Successful IT clusters are active in several cities, and major foreign firms – including Apple, Microsoft, Boeing and Siemens – have established R&D operations in the country.

    A dynamic defence tech ecosystem is also taking shape[22], with Ukrainian start-ups attracting almost half a billion US dollars in funding in 2024 – surpassing many of their peers across central and eastern Europe.[23] Experience from countries like Israel suggests that such a foundation can enable the country to emerge as a broader technology hub in the years ahead.

    If Ukraine stays the course on institutional reform and continues to adapt its economy to new opportunities, despite the stormy environment, it can emerge as a vital engine of growth and a key contributor to the region’s future.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    Ukraine stands at a pivotal moment – facing the hardships of war, the challenge of reconstruction and the opportunity of deeper regional integration.

    In a world marked by shifting geopolitical realities, such integration offers a clear path to recovery and lasting prosperity.

    The recent history of regional integration shows not only its immense benefits, but also the importance of managing transitional risks through robust policy frameworks. It also underlines the need to sustain reform over time by ensuring that people feel its benefits.

    I am confident that Ukraine will be able to fully realise its economic potential, turning the upheaval of today into the foundation for a dynamic future.

    As Ivan Franko, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets, once wrote: “even though life is but a moment and made up of moments, we carry eternity in our souls.”

    This enduring spirit captures the resilience and potential of Ukraine’s people and its economy – a spirit that will continue to drive advancement and renewal in the years ahead.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Christine Lagarde: Strengthening economies in a stormy and fragmenting world

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the ninth Annual Research Conference “Economic and financial integration in a stormy and fragmenting world” organised by the National Bank of Ukraine and Narodowy Bank Polski in Kyiv, Ukraine

    Kyiv, 19 June 2025

    It is an honour to be here in Kyiv – a city that has come to symbolise resilience, dignity and the enduring spirit of freedom. Kyiv stands not only as the heart of Ukraine, but as a beacon of what it means to hold fast to democratic values in the face of immense challenge.

    As the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko once wrote, “In your own house – your own truth. Your own strength and freedom.” Ukraine’s fight today reminds all of Europe of this powerful truth: our security and prosperity rely on unity, on integration with our neighbours.

    In the face of Russia’s unjustified war of aggression, Ukrainians have demonstrated extraordinary courage and resilience in defence of their country.

    In my remarks today, and in keeping with the theme of this conference, I would like to reflect on the historical lessons we have learned about strengthening and integrating economies in an increasingly stormy and fragmented world.

    Experience shows that closer ties with the European neighbourhood can provide a strong foundation for Ukraine to rebuild and emerge stronger. And as geopolitical tensions rise and global supply chains fragment, the case for deeper regional cooperation has never been clearer.

    Europe’s own long history of integration offers valuable insights that can help guide Ukraine’s path forwards. Two key lessons stand out.

    First, while deeper integration increases the potential rewards, it also raises the risks if not managed wisely. Sound domestic policy frameworks are essential to maximise growth and safeguard stability.

    Second, the benefits of integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Maintaining them depends on continuous reform – but reforms must also deliver tangible improvements for people’s lives, and do so relatively quickly.

    The benefits of integration in a fragmenting world

    During the Cold War, the Iron Curtain fractured the European economy. Trade between East and West fell by half. This division was like imposing a 48% tariff – leading to immense welfare losses and isolating the Eastern bloc from global markets.[1]

    But the transformation since Europe’s eastern enlargement has been nothing short of remarkable. On average, countries that joined the EU in 2004 have nearly doubled their GDP per capita over the past two decades.

    Critically, this was not just about catching up from a low base. Between 2004 and 2019, the EU’s new Member States saw their GDP per capita grow 32% more than comparable non-EU countries.[2] The difference was deeper economic integration – and those that were already highly embedded in the regional economy gained the most.

    While all new members experienced gains, countries with stronger integration into regional value chains recorded nearly 10 percentage points higher GDP per capita growth compared with less integrated peers – regardless of geographic proximity.[3]

    This difference was driven mainly by technology and productivity spillovers. ECB research shows that a 10% increase in productivity among western EU firms translated into a 5% productivity gain for central and eastern European firms linked to their supply chains.[4]

    The case for regional integration is therefore clear – and in today’s increasingly fragmented geopolitical landscape, it has become even more compelling.

    First, regional integration underpins growth.

    European economies are highly open, which means a world splintering into rival trading blocs poses clear risks to prosperity. Yet Europe’s most important trading partner is Europe itself: around 65% of euro area exports go to other European countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway. For Ukraine too, Europe is the principal trading partner, accounting for over 50% of its goods trade in 2024.

    By deepening economic ties – more closely linking neighbouring economies – we can reduce our exposure to external shocks. Rising trade within our region can help offset losses in global markets.

    Second, regional integration strengthens resilience.

    One consequence of geopolitical fragmentation is the realignment of supply chains toward trusted partners. Nearly half of firms involved in external trade have already revised their strategies – or intend to do so – including relocating parts of their operations closer to home.[5] While this trend reduces strategic dependencies, it can also raise costs.

    Yet large integrated regions can mitigate these costs by replicating many of the benefits of globalisation at the regional level. Supply chains can be reorganised regionally, allowing each country to specialise based on its comparative advantage within regional value chains.

    Ukraine stands to benefit significantly from expanding these networks across the region – and the EU stands to benefit, too, from having Ukraine as a partner.[6]

    In the automotive sector, for example, Ukrainian firms already produce around 7% of all wire harnesses used in EU vehicles.[7] As the industry shifts towards electric vehicles, which require more complex wiring systems, Ukraine’s manufacturing base is well positioned to scale up and play a larger role in the EU value chain.

    Equally transformative is Ukraine’s drone industry, which has become one of the most advanced in the region. Drones are not only a critical component of modern warfare, but also a technology with substantial spillover effects and far-reaching dual-use applications.

    Indeed, the country’s ambitious goal of producing 4.5 million drones by 2025 has accelerated innovation in materials science, battery technology and 3D printing. These advances are already finding civilian applications in sectors such as logistics, agriculture and emergency response.

    In short, for both existing EU members and neighbouring countries like Ukraine, regional integration is both a path to prosperity and a strategic anchor in an increasingly fragmented world.

    Managing the risks of integration

    But examining the experience of countries that have used regional integration as a platform for growth and reform reveals two important lessons.

    The first is that if integration is not accompanied by appropriate reforms, it can create new vulnerabilities – especially in the financial sphere.

    Financial integration often brings volatile capital inflows, which can make it difficult to distinguish sustainable growth from unsustainable excesses in real time.

    One way this can happen is when productivity gains in tradable sectors, such as manufacturing, drive up wages in those sectors, which then spill over into higher wages in non-tradable sectors and push up overall inflation.[8]

    While this effect is a normal feature of catching-up, it can make it easy to mistake genuine convergence for economic overheating. If foreign capital is in fact driving financial imbalances – such as unsustainable real estate booms – countries may exhibit the same patterns of rising wages and inflation, masking underlying vulnerabilities.

    Another potential distortion is that capital inflows can significantly affect government fiscal positions by boosting tax revenues and creating the illusion of permanently greater fiscal space. This often leads to procyclical fiscal policies, with governments increasing spending or cutting taxes during boom periods – only to face fiscal stress when inflows reverse or growth slows.

    Both dynamics have been visible during Europe’s recent experience with regional integration.

    After the eastern enlargement, financial integration accelerated rapidly. Between 2003 and 2008, the new Member States experienced an extraordinary surge in capital inflows, averaging over 12% of GDP annually – twice the typical level for emerging markets globally.[9]

    Initially, this rapid financial integration brought clear benefits: it expanded access to credit, fuelled growth and enabled much-needed development. However, in many countries, foreign capital was disproportionately channelled into consumption and construction booms, while tax revenues rose sharply on the back of property transactions and buoyant domestic demand.[10] This led to widespread misallocation of private capital and inefficient public spending.

    Capital flows then reversed sharply when the global financial crisis struck, exposing these imbalances. Between December 2008 and May 2013, external bank liabilities in non-euro area central and eastern European countries declined by an average of 27% – with some countries experiencing drops of more than 50%.[11]

    Yet the risks associated with financial integration can be avoided. Not all countries in the region were affected equally. Those that performed better typically shared two key features.

    First, they had clear policies to channel foreign investment into productive sectors. Strong industrial strategies, a skilled workforce and integration into global supply chains helped direct capital towards manufacturing and tradable services – sectors that drive export growth and are less prone to unsustainable booms and asset bubbles.[12]

    Second, they maintained robust financial policy frameworks. Tighter capital requirements, active macroprudential measures and countercyclical buffers strengthened domestic banking sectors and curbed excessive mortgage lending. These tools enabled those countries to absorb large capital inflows without creating destabilising imbalances.[13]

    The lesson is clear: as countries integrate into the region, strong domestic policy frameworks are critical to ensuring that capital inflows support long-term growth rather than generating financial instability or inefficient allocation.

    This insight is especially relevant for Ukraine today as it charts its path towards recovery. If reconstruction proceeds as planned, the country could attract significant capital inflows over the next decade. But without the right safeguards, that capital risks being misallocated – undermining long-term productivity instead of strengthening it.

    There are encouraging signs. The EU–Ukraine Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area have already driven significant reforms in the financial sector. Ukraine’s banking regulation now aligns with more than 75% of EU standards, covering critical areas such as capital adequacy, governance and auditing.[14]

    The National Bank of Ukraine has adopted a risk-based supervisory model inspired by the Single Supervisory Mechanism – the system of banking supervision in Europe – markedly improving oversight. Despite extremely challenging circumstances, Ukraine is also modernising its capital markets – consolidating exchanges, upgrading settlement systems and strengthening regulatory enforcement to attract long-term investors.

    These reforms are already delivering results: in 2023, Ukraine’s banking sector remained profitable and well capitalised despite the ongoing war – an outcome that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

    Still, further progress is essential, especially in fiscal governance. Strengthening public investment management will be critical to ensure that reconstruction funds are allocated transparently and efficiently.

    This is not just about meeting external standards. It is about ensuring that every euro, and every hryvnia, delivers real returns for the Ukrainian people.[15]

    Making integration sustainable

    However, reforms cannot be treated as a one-time effort.

    So, the second key lesson is that the benefits of regional integration are neither automatic nor permanent. Sustaining them requires continuous reform – and, just as importantly, it requires citizens to see visible, tangible improvements in their daily lives.

    In this context, there are two risks to watch out for.

    The first is that institutional reform momentum can fade if economic benefits do not follow quickly.

    Deeper regional integration typically begins with aligning framework conditions, such as legal systems, regulation and public administration. These areas often improve rapidly. But for the economic gains to materialise, domestic entrepreneurs and foreign investors must respond to the new incentives created – and this takes time.

    In the long run, evidence shows that countries with initially weaker institutions benefit the most from adopting higher standards.[16] But in the short run, if people only see the effort and not the payoff, public support for further reforms can weaken, putting long-term convergence at risk.

    The second risk is that structural shifts in the economy may weaken the link between integration and economic convergence over time.

    The integration of goods markets has traditionally driven convergence almost automatically, as foreign direct investment flows to countries with lower land and labour costs, supply chains relocate and lower-income countries benefit from technology transfers.

    As I mentioned earlier, this will remain an important mechanism even in an era of supply chain reshoring. But countries cannot rely on it as heavily as in the past. Future growth in intra-EU trade is expected to depend increasingly on services – particularly digital services.

    However, research shows that services sector activity tends to concentrate in larger, more affluent urban areas that exhibit the hallmarks of a knowledge economy: high tertiary education rates, strong technology and science sectors and robust digital infrastructure.[17]

    This means that deeper integration alone will not guarantee broad-based convergence across all regions. Over time, countries will need to invest more in education, skills and digitalisation to ensure they can build high levels of human capital.

    Maintaining the path of convergence is therefore not easy. But slowing down reform efforts is not the answer – especially in the shock-prone world we face today.

    There is a clear link between strong institutions and economic resilience. ECB research indicates that, during the pandemic, regions with lower institutional quality experienced – all else equal – an additional decline of around 4 percentage points in GDP per capita compared with the ten regions with the highest quality of government.[18]

    As our economies are increasingly buffeted by global turbulence, institutional backsliding therefore risks creating a vicious circle: repeated shocks can undermine economic convergence and further erode public confidence in the reform process.

    The best way for countries to sustain reform momentum is to recognise the importance of maintaining public support and, as far as possible, pair governance improvements with a focus on sectors where they have a clear competitive edge – and where deeper integration with the region can unlock significant and rapid growth opportunities.

    This way, the benefits of reforms will be felt more quickly and more widely.

    Ukraine is well positioned to put this into practice. Its IT sector is already relatively strong: IT services exports reached nearly USD 7 billion in 2023, making it one of the country’s leading export sectors despite the war.[19]

    Ukraine also produces around 130,000 STEM graduates each year – exceeding Germany and France[20] – and it ranks among the top five countries globally for certified IT professionals.[21] Successful IT clusters are active in several cities, and major foreign firms – including Apple, Microsoft, Boeing and Siemens – have established R&D operations in the country.

    A dynamic defence tech ecosystem is also taking shape[22], with Ukrainian start-ups attracting almost half a billion US dollars in funding in 2024 – surpassing many of their peers across central and eastern Europe.[23] Experience from countries like Israel suggests that such a foundation can enable the country to emerge as a broader technology hub in the years ahead.

    If Ukraine stays the course on institutional reform and continues to adapt its economy to new opportunities, despite the stormy environment, it can emerge as a vital engine of growth and a key contributor to the region’s future.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    Ukraine stands at a pivotal moment – facing the hardships of war, the challenge of reconstruction and the opportunity of deeper regional integration.

    In a world marked by shifting geopolitical realities, such integration offers a clear path to recovery and lasting prosperity.

    The recent history of regional integration shows not only its immense benefits, but also the importance of managing transitional risks through robust policy frameworks. It also underlines the need to sustain reform over time by ensuring that people feel its benefits.

    I am confident that Ukraine will be able to fully realise its economic potential, turning the upheaval of today into the foundation for a dynamic future.

    As Ivan Franko, one of Ukraine’s greatest poets, once wrote: “even though life is but a moment and made up of moments, we carry eternity in our souls.”

    This enduring spirit captures the resilience and potential of Ukraine’s people and its economy – a spirit that will continue to drive advancement and renewal in the years ahead.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: UN chief calls for de-escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran, ceasefire

    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

    UNITED NATIONS, June 19 (Xinhua) — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for an immediate de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran and a subsequent ceasefire.

    “I remain deeply alarmed by the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran. I reiterate my call for immediate de-escalation leading to a ceasefire,” A. Guterres said in a statement.

    He warned against widening the conflict to involve other countries.

    “I urge everyone to avoid further internationalization of the conflict. Any additional military intervention could have enormous consequences not only for the parties involved, but for the entire region and for international peace and security in general.”

    A. Guterres condemned the strikes, which resulted in tragic and unnecessary loss of life and injury to civilians, as well as damage to homes and critical civilian infrastructure.

    He said diplomacy remains the best and only way to resolve issues related to Iran’s nuclear program and regional security.

    “The UN Charter remains our common foundation for saving people from the scourge of war,” he said. “I call on all Member States to fully respect the Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jun 19, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

     For best viewing experience, please enable browser JavaScript support.

    Jun 19, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Thu Jun 19 00:52:49 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 190052

    Day 1 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    0752 PM CDT Wed Jun 18 2025

    Valid 190100Z – 191200Z

    …THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE LOWER
    GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Severe thunderstorms, with damaging winds, will spread across
    portions of the Ohio/Tennessee Valley region this evening. Isolated
    severe thunderstorms will also continue across portions of the Red
    River region of southern Oklahoma and North Texas.

    …01z Update…

    Notable mid-level height falls will spread across the lower Great
    Lakes/Ohio Valley overnight in response to a short-wave trough that
    will advance into MI-IL by the end of the period. Synoptically, LLJ
    is strengthening across the OH Valley ahead of the main surface
    front that extends from Lake MI-central IL-central MO. While the
    primary squall line has surged well ahead of the front into central
    OH/KY, scattered convection is gradually increasing along the front
    across MO/western IL. This activity may continue to increase as the
    boundary surges southeast later tonight. Otherwise, the lead squall
    line is expected to propagate into the upper Ohio Valley with an
    attendant threat of damaging winds.

    Farther southwest into the southern Plains, 00z soundings from both
    OUN and FWD exhibit minimal CINH with seasonally high PW values and
    strong MLCAPE (>3000 J/kg). Both soundings have adequate deep-layer
    shear for organized updrafts, but the Red River corridor should only
    experience weak low-level warm advection through the overnight
    period. Isolated severe thunderstorms will be the most likely
    scenario given the weak forcing along this portion of the boundary.

    ..Darrow.. 06/19/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

    .html”>Latest Day 2 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC MD 1360

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Mesoscale Discussion 1360
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1108 PM CDT Wed Jun 18 2025

    Areas affected…portions of central Missouri

    Concerning…Severe potential…Watch unlikely

    Valid 190408Z – 190545Z

    Probability of Watch Issuance…5 percent

    SUMMARY…A couple instances of marginally severe hail may occur
    over the next couple of hours. A WW issuance is not expected.

    DISCUSSION…An embedded 500 mb impulse is overspreading MO,
    contributing to locally higher deep-layer shear (e.g. 40+ kts of
    effective bulk shear per 03Z mesoanalysis), as well as deep-layer
    ascent. As such, a few transient supercells have developed, with
    MRMS mosaic radar data suggesting that some of these storms are
    producing hail that is approaching severe limits. Mid-level lapse
    rates are not particularly steep, as shown by the 00Z SGF observed
    soundings, which depicts near 7 C/km mid-level lapse rates atop a
    stabilizing boundary layer. While an instance or two of 1+ inch
    diameter hail may be observed, the aforementioned tall/thin CAPE
    (with MLCAPE around 1000 J/kg) and modest deep-layer shear suggest
    that severe hail should be overall isolated. As such, a WW issuance
    is not expected.

    ..Squitieri/Smith.. 06/19/2025

    …Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product…

    ATTN…WFO…LSX…SGF…EAX…

    LAT…LON 37959434 38589392 38979245 38769109 38219066 37589103
    37339210 37379301 37569393 37959434

    MOST PROBABLE PEAK HAIL SIZE…UP TO 1.25 IN

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy Sector – Electricity generators collaborate to help secure New Zealand’s energy future

    Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

    Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes today’s announcement from Genesis Energy and other major electricity generators, Mercury, Meridian, and Contact, setting out a proposed long-term agreement to establish a strategic energy reserve and retain Huntly’s Rankine units to support a secure energy future for New Zealand.
    Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the proposal is a pragmatic signal that generators can work together to manage growing system risks.
    “As New Zealand navigates the challenges of declining domestic natural gas, growing but intermittent renewable generation, and highly volatile economic and geopolitical conditions, this proposal is a practical response to uncertainty.
    “Huntly has long been New Zealand’s energy security blanket. Its dual-fuel capability – capable of running on both coal and natural gas – provides the system with resilience and flexibility, with the potential to expand this to biomass in the future.
    More domestic gas supply will further enhance this capability and reduce our dependence on coal during periods of peak demand or supply shortfall.”
    “We welcome more wind and solar, but they also make the system more volatile. We need to increase our firm generation capacity even more, in the form of more gas-fired power plants, to meet demand peaks. There’s no single fix, but this proposal is a useful part of the solution as we manage uncertainty.”
    Energy Resources Aotearoa will continue to advocate for policy and regulatory settings that support long-term investment in reliable, secure and affordable energy, to power New Zealand’s future.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth to Hegseth: “Let the Military Get Back to Its Real Job Defending Americans, Not Policing Them”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    June 18, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) excoriated Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for deploying American servicemembers to police and intimidate their fellow Americans in our nation’s communities, something that actively undermines the Secretary’s own self-proclaimed goal of strengthening our military’s warfighting capabilities and protecting Americans from real foreign threats. Duckworth underscored how misusing our military for domestic law enforcement matters diverts taxpayer dollars and our Armed Forces’ attention away from the combat training that servicemembers need to face foreign enemies abroad. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

    “The unjustified, un-American misuse of the military in American cities pulls resources and attention away from our Armed Forces’ core missions to the detriment of the country, the warfighters and, yes, even the warfighting that Secretary Hegseth claims to love,” said Senator Duckworth. “The military should not be playing cop against their fellow Americans—and the longer they do, the less they’re preparing for real warfighting against real foreign threats to the American people. It’s time Mr. Hegseth let the military get back to its actual job and stop forcing them to do DHS’s. If he wants to be DHS Secretary, he can apply for it when he’s been fired from being Defense Secretary due to his incompetence.”

    During today’s Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Duckworth noted that the Trump Administration’s deployment of American servicemembers to California is just the latest in a deliberate, systematic and dangerous politicized campaign to reorient our military away from warfighting and toward intimidating Americans in their own communities. On his first day back in office, President Trump directed U.S. Northern Command to revise its Unified Command Plan and add new planning requirements to combat “criminal activities.” Trump also signed a series of executive orders redirecting the Defense Department’s priorities toward supporting domestic law enforcement, including one in April that tells the Department to “use national security assets for law and order.” This is an egregious misuse of the military that undermines its core mission to protect and defend our nation from foreign threats, and thereby makes all Americans less safe.

    Over the weekend, Duckworth joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty service members to American cities. And, while questioning the Commandant of the Marine Corps during a hearing last week, Duckworth slammed the Trump Administration’s deployment of 700 Marines into Los Angeles. The Senator said, “I don’t condone violence or property destruction, but using active-duty Marines this way sets a dangerous precedent that risks damaging public trust in our military and politicizing a military force that must remain mission-focused. President Trump is asking Marines to be away from their families for a situation that the President himself said yesterday was ‘simmering, but not very much.’”

    Since he was first nominated and throughout his confirmation hearing, Duckworth has made it clear that Pete Hegseth is manifestly unqualified to lead our men and women in uniform as Secretary of Defense. After his egregious national security breach that needlessly put the lives of our troops in greater danger, Duckworth has demanded that Hegseth resign in disgrace or be fired immediately.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Overhead power lines kill millions of birds a year. Scientists found a way to help cut the devastating toll

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Pay, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania

    Wolfram Steinberg/picture alliance via Getty Images

    Millions of birds are killed by power lines each year. Sometimes they collide with the lines when flying and are either electrocuted or fatally injured. Other times they are electrocuted when perching on power poles.

    Power line collisions are one of the leading causes of injury and death for large birds of prey. In Tasmania, an endangered population of wedge-tailed eagles lost 110 individuals to power lines between 2017 and 2023.

    New research I led, the first of its kind in Australia, used GPS tracking data to predict which power lines were most dangerous for these eagles.

    We hope the findings will help protect birds and other wildlife from overhead wires as electricity networks expand.

    Power lines and birds: a fatal mix

    Overhead power lines span more than 90 million kilometres of our planet. The network keeps growing as demand for electricity rises and renewable energy projects expand into new areas.

    In the United States alone, between 12 and 64 million birds are estimated to be killed by power lines each year. These deaths can damage populations of some species.

    Birds can also be killed when perched on poles – for example, if they stretch their wings and connect two energised parts.

    The economic costs can be considerable – disrupting electricity services, causing fires and damaging infrastructure.

    Energy companies can reduce the risks through various measures. They include attaching objects to power lines to make them more visible to birds, and redesigning poles to reduce the likelihood of electrocution.

    But these solutions can be expensive, and challenging to implement on a large scale. So, prioritising the riskiest power lines is the most cost-effective solution.

    The presence of bird carcasses has traditionally been used as a way to identify high-risk power lines. But this approach can give a biased picture, because people are more likely to find dead birds in accessible, less vegetated areas.

    New research by my colleagues and I explores a different approach.

    Tracking Tasmania’s wedgies

    We used GPS tracking of animal movements to predict which power lines were most dangerous for Tasmania’s wedge-tailed eagles.

    GPS tracking can record a bird’s location, altitude and speed – as frequently as every few seconds. This detailed information can show how birds behave around power lines, helping identify when and where they’re most at risk.

    In 2017, my colleagues and I attached lightweight GPS trackers to 23 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles, then analysed six years of tracking data. We identified more than 9,400 power line crossings at risky altitudes.

    We then linked these crossings to different landscape features. This allowed us to build a model predicting where eagles are most likely to cross power lines at dangerous heights across Tasmania.

    Power line crossings were most likely at or near open land, forest edges, rural residential developments, wet forest and freshwater sources. Risky crossings peaked in autumn and winter.

    Almost half of known collisions occurred on the 20% of Tasmania’s power line network with the highest risk.

    Importantly, we tested our predictions against locations where eagles had collided with power lines. The model accurately predicted many of these collision sites, confirming that areas with more low-flying eagle activity carry a greater risk of collisions.

    This means our model can not only pick up on known hotspots, but can reveal risky areas that would be missed if carcass records were used exclusively to identify risk. It also means dangerous power lines can be identified before birds have died.

    GPS information can show how birds behave around power lines.
    Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images

    A powerful new tool

    Our research is part of a growing number of studies examining animal movement to improve wildlife management.

    Risky animal behaviours have been monitored using GPS trackers and then used to inform models predicting the risk of wildlife interactions with road vehicles, wind turbines and aircraft.

    Recently, GPS tracking data was used in Europe, North Africa and North America to map and reduce wildlife risks around power lines.

    Like ours, these studies can help guide where devices should be attached to lines and inform where new lines are built.

    GPS tracking data offers a powerful tool to guide the sustainable design of power lines, target mitigation efforts, and make our expanding energy infrastructure safer for wildlife.

    James Pay receives funding from the Australian Research Council (LP210200539), NRM South, Woolnorth Renewables, TasNetworks, the Bookend Trust, New Forests, Norske Skog, ACEN Renewables, Ark Energy and Goldwind Australia.

    – ref. Overhead power lines kill millions of birds a year. Scientists found a way to help cut the devastating toll – https://theconversation.com/overhead-power-lines-kill-millions-of-birds-a-year-scientists-found-a-way-to-help-cut-the-devastating-toll-258295

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As the federal government fumbles on nature law reform, the states are forging ahead

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Jakub Maculewicz, Shutterstock

    The South Australian parliament today passed a new law to conserve, restore and enhance biodiversity.

    It brings together native vegetation management, protection for native species and habitat, and conservation on private land. When introducing the bill to the Parliament, Deputy Premier Susan Close said:

    Just as South Australia has led the way on climate action, committing to net zero emissions by 2050, we must now take the same ambitious approach to biodiversity. (This) crucial piece of legislation … will modernise and strengthen protections for South Australia’s biodiversity to benefit us and our future generations.

    SA is not the first state to revise its nature laws. But this is the first environment law in years to be drafted from scratch in Australia. Rather than waiting for federal reform, SA has leapfrogged the protracted process. This new legislation achieves some things no Australian law has done before.

    National environment law reform has stalled

    This all comes at a time when the federal law reform is up in the air.

    The Albanese government failed to pass new national environment laws during its first term.

    Environment protection even went backwards just before the election. The rushed amendments limited powers to reconsider certain environment approvals when an activity is harming the environment.

    Last month, the new Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said environmental law reform was a priority. Still, it may be difficult to get the essential ambitious national reforms over the line.

    In the meantime, state and territory governments are forging ahead.

    Time for states and territories to lead?

    The last state to write a new nature law was New South Wales, in 2016. But a scathing 2023 review of the law recommended a major overhaul.

    The NSW government committed to most of the recommendations, announcing big plans for nature law reforms in July last year. These plans include strengthening land-clearing codes, improving species protections and monitoring, and preparing a new “nature positive” strategy.

    So far, the NSW government has only managed to pass legislation to fix problems with biodiversity offsets. Offset schemes allow developers to compensate for their destruction of vital habitat with gains elsewhere.

    In Victoria, the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 was amended in 2019. These reforms inserted new principles around how the Act should be implemented, and a new approach to crucial habitat. The reforms also emphasised the need to improve species’ survival and adaptation to climate and environmental change.

    The Nature Conservation Act and strategy in the ACT are also due for review. Early consultation concluded in July 2024. A revised Act is likely to be released later this year.

    Does Australia really need two layers of environment laws?

    The short answer is yes, Australia needs both state and federal environment laws. But the interactions between the two could be managed better.

    The Australian Constitution doesn’t give the federal government explicit authority to make laws about the environment. That’s left to the states and territories, which means they make most laws about threatened species, waterways, native vegetation and protected areas.

    The federal government has an overarching responsibility to protect environments that are important to all of us, in national laws. We call these “matters of national environmental significance”.

    Some matters are significant because they involve Australia’s promises to the rest of the world. Australia has international obligations to protect world heritage areas and internationally significant wetlands, for example.

    Other matters cross state borders. The orange-bellied parrot, for instance, migrates across three states to find food and nesting sites.

    Individual states and territories do not have sufficient resources or the national perspective needed to protect these species and places.

    Why do the South Australian reforms matter?

    SA’s new Biodiversity Act does some things no Australian law has done before.

    For example, it looks beyond species and ecosystems, offering protection to so-called “ecological entities”. Regulations will be needed to define what an ecological entity is. But the concept may protect refuges where species shelter from extreme events. It might also offer a new way to protect important landscape features such as coastal dunes.

    Another new concept is “culturally significant biodiversity entities”. The Act defines a culturally significant biodiversity entity as:

    • a native species or ecological community
    • with cultural value to some or all Aboriginal people
    • which is critical to Aboriginal peoples’ relationships with and adaptation to Country.

    The Act also sets up a new Aboriginal Biodiversity Committee. That committee will co-develop policies with the minister. One of these policies will explain how culturally significant biodiversity entities will be identified and managed.

    Other policies will be developed in collaboration with the Aboriginal Biodiversity Committee. These include policies to guide cultural burning of native plants, or to consider and apply Aboriginal knowledge. At long last, Aboriginal people will have a “seat at the table”.

    SA becomes the third state (after NSW and Victoria) to mention climate change in its nature law. This is an important reform. Laws are needed to help nature survive more frequent and severe droughts, floods and fires.

    Environmental scientist and polar explorer Tim Jarvis on biodiversity (Department for Environment and Water)

    All hands on deck

    Australian environments are extraordinary, diverse and ancient. But Australia has long been an extinction hotspot. The continent’s ecosystems remain under serious pressure.

    Our environment laws must be clear and avoid complex clashes or gaps between national and state responsibilities. But SA, NSW, Victoria and soon the ACT show law reform can also be more ambitious. Nature laws can truly help the environment to flourish even as the climate changes.

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub and the Centre for Marine Socioecology.

    – ref. As the federal government fumbles on nature law reform, the states are forging ahead – https://theconversation.com/as-the-federal-government-fumbles-on-nature-law-reform-the-states-are-forging-ahead-257666

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow to help industrial enterprises strengthen information security

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The capital’s enterprises will be provided with modern domestic technologies and solutions in the field of information security (IS). A number of special events will also be organized for them to exchange experience and test advanced information systems. The corresponding agreement was signed at the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum by the Minister of the Moscow Government, the head of the capital’s Department of Investment and Industrial Policy Anatoly Garbuzov and the general director of the Solar Group of Companies (GC), vice president for information security of the public joint-stock company Rostelecom Igor Lyapunov.

    “Information security of the industrial sector plays a key role in ensuring national security. It is especially relevant in the context of growing digitalization of production and the increase in the volume of data processed by enterprises every day. The city’s initiative will allow industrialists to improve their competencies in the field of information security on the basis of the capital’s Bank of Technologies service and ensure reliable protection of corporate resources, technological processes, confidential data and personal information from cyber threats,” noted Anatoly Garbuzov.

    The parties will organize joint work with industrial enterprises of Moscow to inform about modern domestic technologies in the field of information security and to improve the efficiency of production processes. In addition, comprehensive solutions in the areas of information security, multifunctional platforms and systems that combine advanced Russian developments and expertise will be tested. Thematic events are also planned to develop the theoretical and practical skills of the organizations’ employees.

    In 2024, the Bank of Technologies service included nine information security solutions from the Solar group of companies for the capital’s business and the public sector. The list included a DLP platform, a next-generation firewall, and a service for controlling user access to the Internet.

    The Bank of Technologies service has been expanded with new high-tech developments

    The service also includes technologies in the field of monitoring the efficiency of employees’ working hours and protecting workstations from targeted attacks, an IdM system, a platform for managing privileged access and a solution for monitoring access to confidential information. The secure development segment features a Russian application code analyzer.

    “Moscow is home to the largest and most significant companies, federal agencies and control centers of critical information infrastructure facilities, which daily repel the most powerful flow of cyberattacks in Russia. Many of these organizations are protected by Solar Group. Our information security products are based on attack-centric technologies, deep expertise in repelling cyber threats, and experience in implementing and operating in the largest infrastructures in Russia. In this way, we help provide turnkey protection for corporations, small and medium-sized businesses,” said Igor Lyapunov, CEO of Solar Group.

    “Bank of Technologies”— a free Moscow service that helps save time and quickly select the necessary high-tech tools and innovative IT solutions for digitalization and automation of production, product lifecycle management, information security, mathematical modeling, expansion of new lines. The online registry contains over 530 advanced proven domestic developments.

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

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155459073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release: Fatal house fire, Waitara

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are now in a position to release the name of the man who was found deceased after a house fire in Waitara on Friday 6 June.

    He was 45-year-old, Jamie Elliott.

    His dog was found alongside him.

    Police extends our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.

    The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –