Category: Natural Disasters

MIL-OSI Global: Why spring 2025 is so dry

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

April showers bring May flowers according to an old English saying.

This phrase, which might have originated in a verse written by poet Thomas Tusser in 1557, harks back to a time when most people depended on rough rules that were borne of practical experience to know when to plant crops. “Such weather lore was the only forecast available”, says meteorologist Rob Thompson at the University of Reading.

Read more:
‘April showers’ – a rainfall scientist explains what they are and why they are becoming more intense

UK farmers waited in vain for showers this April. The unusually dry month gave lie to the centuries-old expression, which hints at a climate that was generally more obedient to familiar rhythms. The heating of Earth’s atmosphere and ocean, predominantly caused by the mass burning of fossil fuels, has changed that. What we can expect in each season is no longer so assured.

So, how do we keep our bearings on a warming planet?

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Forecasting chaos

Forecasters have an enormous challenge in predicting how the weather in each season will change, and in communicating the role of climate change.

“Overall, we can be confident that climate change is bringing warmer conditions in all seasons,” say atmospheric scientists Simon H. Lee and Matthew Patterson at the University of St Andrews. Europe in particular has been a hotspot for warming, with temperatures rising at roughly double the global average.

Patterson suspects that this has already warped our perceptions of what a “normal” season feels like. When a month arrives with temperatures closer to the long-term average for instance, like June 2024, people tend to experience it as unusually cold.

Read more:
Average months now feel cold thanks to climate change

“Scientists also have strong evidence to suggest that drought conditions will become more common,” Lee and Patterson continue.

The UK has had roughly half the rainfall it would usually expect for March and April, and spring 2025 is on track to be the country’s driest on record. Some of the latest research on Earth’s water cycle predicts that these dry bouts will get drier, while wet ones will get wetter, and that the switch from drought to deluge will be more sudden (“weather whiplash”, as some have called it).

Read more:
Landmark new research shows how global warming is messing with our rainfall

This doesn’t fully explain the UK’s record-warm and dry spring, however. There are also “weather blocks” to factor in.

“A blocking event is a disruption to the usual weather patterns of Earth’s middle latitudes,” explains Tim Woollings, a professor in physical climate science at the University of Oxford. In this part of the world it’s the jet stream, a river of air high in the atmosphere, that typically sets the agenda by driving transient weather over the British Isles from the Atlantic.

Since the beginning of March, a zone of high pressure has rested above the UK and blocked the jet stream like a boulder in a river, Lee and Patterson say. The weather has effectively remained “stuck”. This phenomenon is responsible for a lot of extreme weather in the middle latitudes, as blocks prevent relief from heatwaves or cold snaps, Woollings adds.

Read more:
How weather ‘blocks’ have triggered more extreme heatwaves and floods across Europe

There isn’t conclusive evidence to suggest these blocks are becoming more common as the climate warms according to Lee and Patterson. But one thing is clear: the climate is incredibly complex – and our continuing intervention in it is reckless.

High-temperature haiku

Seasons are our living world’s accommodation of the variation in day length, temperature and weather during the year.

What we perceive as seasonal features, like the shedding of leaves, the arrival and departure of migratory animals, are the adaptations species have made to the average set of conditions that have remained within a particular range for several thousands of years.

Changes in Earth’s orbit and spin axis gradually influenced the climate and seasons over millennia. More recently, fossil fuel burning has been the dominant influence.

“As such, humanity is currently on the path to compressing millions of years of temperature change into just a couple of centuries,” say ancient climate experts Dan Lunt (University of Bristol) and Darrell Kaufman (Northern Arizona University).

The seasonal signals we once thought of as immutable are changing to match these changing conditions. It’s too much, too fast for most species to deal with – including our own.

Read more:
Humanity is compressing millions of years of natural change into just a few centuries

To reorient around a rapidly changing climate, we could do as Tusser did six centuries ago, and write poetry.

Haiku is perhaps our most useful cultural barometer of climate change. These poems, which originated in 17th-century Japan, comprise three short lines and usually include a reference to the season in which they were composed.

“A successful haiku could be described as a half-finished poem,” say lecturer in publishing Jasmin Kirkbride (University of East Anglia) and creative writing PhD candidate Paul Chambers (University of Bristol). The listener must complete the scene in their head by linking it with an intense moment of perception from their own life, in which “the vast is perceived in one thing”.

Read more:
Haiku has captured the essence of seasons for centuries – new poems contain a trace of climate change

As seasons have shifted, so have their markers in haiku. Snowdrops, once a feature of February haiku, now appear close to Christmas. The language used to describe certain species has altered too, the pair say, to become “soaked in grief”. Butterflies that once formed “clouds” in earlier haiku, for example, are now “lone survivors… pushing against time”.

Kirkbride and Chambers urge a new generation of poets to continue recording these changes in haiku: “The vast climate crisis is upon us, and we should write about it.”

– ref. Why spring 2025 is so dry – https://theconversation.com/why-spring-2025-is-so-dry-256709

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Post-sepsis syndrome: when the body recovers but the brain doesn’t

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steven W. Kerrigan, Professor of Precision Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

A 3D rendering of the life-threatening condition sepsis Love Employee/Shutterstock

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition triggered by the body’s extreme response to infection. It causes widespread inflammation, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death.

Thanks to modern medicine, survival rates have improved dramatically. But for many who survive, the battle isn’t over when they leave hospital. Instead, they enter a new and often overlooked phase of recovery marked by lingering, life-altering effects.

Post-sepsis syndrome (PSS) affects up to half of all sepsis survivors and can persist for months or even years. It’s a complex mix of physical, cognitive and psychological symptoms. People may seem physically recovered yet struggle with overwhelming fatigue, chronic pain, muscle weakness and disrupted sleep.

The most profound impacts, however, often show up in the brain. Many sepsis survivors experience cognitive problems that mirror those seen in traumatic brain injury or early dementia. These can include memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, slower thinking and impaired decision-making.

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For some, these challenges are manageable. For others, they’re severe enough to interfere with work, education or independent living.

One major culprit appears to be the body’s own inflammatory response. During sepsis, the immune system floods the body with inflammatory molecules – a so-called “cytokine storm”. This can damage the blood-brain barrier, allowing harmful substances and immune cells into the brain. The resulting neuroinflammation and oxygen deprivation can injure brain cells and disrupt normal function.

Hidden psychological toll

Anyone who survives sepsis can develop PSS, but some are more vulnerable than others. Risk factors include: older age, which increases the likelihood of cognitive decline; long ICU stays or the use of a ventilator, which can contribute to physical and mental complications; pre-existing mental health or cognitive conditions; and more severe inflammatory responses during sepsis, which are linked to lasting damage.

Children are also at risk, as they may experience developmental or emotional challenges that affect their learning and social development for years.

Many sepsis survivors go on to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety or depression. These issues can be triggered by the trauma of a near-death experience, prolonged sedation, invasive treatments, or time spent in intensive care units (ICUs) – often while cut off from family and friends.

In fact, “ICU delirium”, which affects up to 80% of patients on ventilators, has been strongly associated with long-term cognitive and psychological impairment. Sepsis survivors who experience this often recall vivid, terrifying hallucinations during their ICU stay. These memories can haunt them more than the physical illness itself.

The recovery gap

One of the biggest challenges for sepsis survivors is the lack of follow-up care. Unlike heart attack or stroke recovery, which typically involves coordinated rehabilitation, post-sepsis care is often fragmented. Patients can be discharged without a recovery plan and left to navigate a confusing and lonely road back to health.

What’s needed are multidisciplinary post-sepsis clinics, where patients can access neurologists, psychologists, rehab specialists and social workers all under one roof. Early support, both psychological and cognitive, can dramatically improve long-term outcomes.

Sepsis doesn’t just take a toll on survivors – it affects families, communities and healthcare systems. Many survivors cannot return to work, require ongoing care, and face financial hardship. In the US, sepsis costs an estimated US$60 billion annually (£50.8 billion), much of it spent on post-acute care and readmissions.

A 2016 film inspired by the true story of Tom Ray, who lost his arms, legs and part of his face to sepsis.

There’s also a growing concern that sepsis may raise the risk of long-term neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. More research is needed, but the links between inflammation, brain damage and cognitive decline are becoming harder to ignore.

Read more:
Thirty years on, our research linking viral infections with Alzheimer’s is finally getting the attention it deserves

Globally, there is progress in helping people survive sepsis. But we must also ensure that sepsis survivors thrive afterwards.

Here’s what I believe needs to happen now: encourage greater awareness of PSS among clinicians, patients and families; integrate post-sepsis care into chronic disease and rehabilitation programs; and generate more funding to research how and why PSS develops – and how to prevent or treat it.

People recovering from sepsis often rely heavily on loved ones who need better support themselves. Survivors also need clearer, kinder help to get back to work and school, or just back to the everyday routines that once felt normal.

Surviving sepsis is a triumph of modern medicine – but what comes after is still a neglected frontier. For too many, life after sepsis means battling invisible wounds that affect the brain, body and soul. Recognising, researching and responding to PSS isn’t just a clinical need – it’s a moral obligation. Survivors deserve more than survival. They deserve a chance to truly recover.

Steven W. Kerrigan receives funding from Research Ireland, Health Research Board of Ireland, Irish Research Council and Enterprise Ireland. The author wishes to thank Liam Casey, a sepsis survivor, for his contribution to this article and for sharing his lived experience of PSS.

– ref. Post-sepsis syndrome: when the body recovers but the brain doesn’t – https://theconversation.com/post-sepsis-syndrome-when-the-body-recovers-but-the-brain-doesnt-256139

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Virginia, Maryland Senators Urge House to Pass D.C. Budget Fix

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) urged House Republican leadership to take up and pass the bipartisan legislation, passed previously by the Senate, to allow the District of Columbia to use its own local funding. Today marks two months since that bill, authored by Sen. Van Hollen and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) – and cosponsored by Sens. Warner, Kaine, and Alsobrooks – passed the Senate unanimously.

“It’s been two months since the Senate passed, with bipartisan support, a simple fix that allows the District of Columbia the ability make its own funding decisions, yet the House still refuses to act. Each day that this legislation stalls, we are leaving D.C. in the lurch, threatening the District’s schools, public safety, and emergency response operations. It’s well past time for the House to act,” Sen. Warner said.

“Republican House leadership’s decision to stall a bipartisan bill—which even President Trump supports—to allow D.C. to spend its own money is ridiculous and wrong,” said Sen. Kaine. “Law enforcement officers’ salaries and the quality of D.C.’s public schools and transportation have hung in the balance for months because of the House’s failure to act. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to do his job, and bring this bill up for a vote like he promised.”

“The District of Columbia should be able to spend its own revenue without Congress getting in the way. Yet by freezing over $1 billion of D.C.’s own funds through their sham funding bill in March, House Republicans are holding the District hostage – threatening the operations of local law enforcement, fire departments, schools, and more. This is all pain for D.C. residents, and no gain for federal taxpayers who aren’t saving a single cent as a result of this pointless provision. Two months ago today, the Senate unanimously passed the bill Senator Collins and I authored to fix this issue, and President Trump has urged the House to do the same. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to let this bill move forward and release D.C.’s funds,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“I worked with my fellow DMV Senators to pass a bipartisan solution to the $1.1 billion budget cuts in the disastrous CR. It has been waiting on the House’s vote for two months. At a time when our neighbor D.C. is experiencing economic hardship and hundreds of civil servants, many of whom are Marylanders, are losing their jobs in the district, we need to make sure this budget fix gets passed,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
India’s Operation Sindoor draws global support as new front against cross-border terrorism

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

In the wake of the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, India has mounted a decisive and strategic response aimed at dismantling cross-border terrorism. The attack, which drew widespread condemnation and grief across the country, prompted immediate and firm action by the Government of India, with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approving a range of diplomatic and military measures targeting Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism.

Among the key diplomatic actions taken, India placed the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan verifiably ceases its support for cross-border terror activities. The Integrated Check Post at Attari was closed, and Pakistani nationals were barred from entering India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors posted at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were declared persona non grata, while the strength of both High Commissions was halved from 55 to 30 personnel.

As part of a precise military strategy, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a calibrated campaign designed to neutralize key terror camps across the border. Based on multi-agency intelligence, nine significant terror infrastructure sites, including those in Bahawalpur and Muridke, were identified and targeted through coordinated air and ground strikes. The operation was executed with high operational ethics, focusing exclusively on terrorist camps while taking all precautions to prevent civilian casualties.

Indian strikes successfully eliminated more than 100 terrorists and destroyed 11 air bases within Pakistan. Among those neutralized were high-value individuals linked to the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, including Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmad.

The strikes marked a shift in India’s strategy by targeting deep into Pakistani territory, including critical radar installations in Lahore and Gurjanwala. Additionally, coordinated missile attacks were carried out on terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muzaffarabad and Kotli. Military bases housing Pakistan’s F-16 and JF-17 fighter jets at Sargodha and Bholari were hit, leading to the destruction of nearly 20 percent of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure.

India’s retaliatory operations were launched in response to not only the Pahalgam attack but also subsequent Pakistani provocations, including drone and missile attacks on Indian civilian and religious areas on the nights of May 7, 8, and 9. Indian forces successfully intercepted and neutralized these threats, reinforcing the country’s operational readiness and commitment to defending its sovereignty.

In a televised address on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the resolve behind Operation Sindoor, calling it not just a military campaign but a reflection of the collective sentiment of the Indian people. He reiterated that terrorism would be met with decisive force, rejecting any possibility of dialogue or trade with Pakistan until terrorism is addressed. He stated unequivocally that water and blood cannot flow together and emphasized that the only issue India is willing to discuss is the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

As Pakistani forces continued mortar shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), India responded forcefully, targeting terrorist bunkers and Pakistani army positions. Unable to withstand the Indian response, Pakistan sought a ceasefire, with its Director General of Military Operations contacting his Indian counterpart. A ceasefire was declared on May 10, but Pakistan violated it soon after, sending drones into Indian territory, which were swiftly countered by Indian forces.

Despite the ceasefire at the borders, Operation Sindoor remains ongoing. The Indian Armed Forces remain on high alert to counter any future threats, with field commanders granted operational freedom to respond to provocations.

India’s robust and restrained response has garnered wide support from the international community. World powers have condemned the Pahalgam attack and endorsed India’s right to self-defense. The United Kingdom, Russia, Israel, the United States, France, Japan, and key Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar expressed solidarity with India. European Union member states, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Panama, and even Palestine joined the chorus of condemnation.

Each expressed their support for India’s fight against terrorism, with many recognizing Operation Sindoor as a legitimate and proportionate response. Iran’s President personally conveyed condolences to Prime Minister Modi, and global leaders have emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation to combat terrorism.

May 15, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism and drug trafficking in ICE, FBI investigation

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed May 13 is the first in the nation to charge alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel with narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI are investigating this case.

“These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will not allow cartel-driven drug trafficking to threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. We are all lasered focused on a unified effort to dismantling these networks and their factions in bringing those responsible to justice.”

Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as key leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that is believed to be the world’s largest known fentanyl production network. Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over — we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

“Operation Take Back America initiatives reflect the reality that narco-terrorists operate as a cancer within a state,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “They metastasize violence, corruption and fear. If left unchecked, their growth would lead to the death of law and order. This indictment is what justice looks like when the full measure of the Department of Justice along with its law enforcement partners is brought to bear against the Sinaloa Cartel.”

“BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest-ever drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine destined for the United States,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement efforts against the Noriegas reaffirms our commitment to dismantling and disrupting this very dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating narco-trafficking.”

According to court documents, since its inception the Beltran Leyva faction has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations to operate in Mexico, engaging in shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture and violent collection of drug debts to sustain its operations. The Beltran Leyva faction controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico – including Tijuana – and operates with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while making millions of dollars from their criminal activities.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega works closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to produce and aggressively traffic fentanyl to the United States, the government has alleged. Court documents indicate that together the father and son lead one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world. Over the past several years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the father and son and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl – the largest seizure of fentanyl in the world.

These indictments follow a notable tradition in the Southern District of California for targeting leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel and now the Beltran Leyva Organization. It is the first indictment from the newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit which was established upon the swearing in of U.S. Attorney Gordon on April 11, 2025.

The indictment of Pedro Inzunza Noriega reflects the Southern District of California’s pursuit of the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal drug trafficking indictments are pending against all alleged leaders of its Beltran Leyva faction, including:

Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka “Chapo Isidro,” case number: 19-CR-1272 in the Southern District of California and 12-116BAH in the District of Columbia
Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe aka “El Musico,” case number 19-CR-3736 in the Southern District of California; 09-CR-00672 in the Northern District of Illinois; 15-CR-00195 in the District of Columbia, and
Pedro Inzunza Noriega aka “Sagitario,” case number 25cr1505.

The Southern District of California also has indictments pending against other leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including:

Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar aka “El Chapito,” case number 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California and 09-CR-383 in the Northern District of Illinois
Ismael Zambada Sicairos aka “Mayito Flaco,” case number: 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California; and
Jose Gil Caro Quintero aka “El Chino,” case number 22-cr-00036 in the District of Columbia

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.

Defendants for Case Number 25cr1505

Name	Age	Location
Pedro Inzunza Noriega \| aka “Sagitario,” aka “120,” aka “El De La Silla”	62	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Pedro Inzunza Coronel \| aka “Pichon,” Aka “Pajaro”, aka “Bird”	33	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez \| aka “Tano,” aka “Mr. Jordan”	50	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Oscar Rene Gonzalez Menendez \| aka “Rubio”	45	Guatemala City, Guatemala
Elias Alberto Quiros Benavides	53	San Jose, Costa Rica
Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez \| aka “Chopper”	47	Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Javier Alonso Vazquez Sanchez \| aka “Tito”, aka “Drilo”	31	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

Summary of Charges

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narco-Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine
Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 – International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved

The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025

Akash Missile, IACCS and Drones drive India’s defence success in Operation SINDOOR

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Operation SINDOOR has emerged as a major milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance in national security, demonstrating the country’s growing technological and operational capabilities in countering asymmetric warfare. In the wake of the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April, the Indian Armed Forces responded with precision and strategic restraint, targeting terrorist infrastructure without crossing the Line of Control or international boundaries.

On the night of 7–8 May 2025, multiple attempts were made by Pakistan to target military installations across Northern and Western India—including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj—using drones and missiles. These threats were effectively neutralised by India’s Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Grid and Air Defence mechanisms. The network of radars, control centres, low-level air defence guns, and both ground- and aircraft-launched missiles provided a coordinated and impenetrable shield, ensuring minimal damage.

In retaliation, on the morning of May 8, Indian forces targeted and disabled several Pakistani air defence systems, including a radar site in Lahore. This marked a significant operational success, achieved without loss of Indian assets. Indigenous systems, particularly the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile system, played a crucial role in neutralising threats. Designed to protect strategic locations from aerial attacks, the Akash system operated effectively in both autonomous and group modes, with the ability to simultaneously engage multiple targets. The system, fully mounted on mobile platforms, includes advanced electronic counter-countermeasure capabilities.

The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force provided the backbone for real-time coordination, enabling synchronized responses across multiple units of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Offensive operations also saw the effective deployment of loitering munitions, also known as “suicide drones,” to target high-value Pakistani assets, including airbases at Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan. These precision strikes were completed within 23 minutes, highlighting the efficacy of India’s surveillance, planning, and jamming technologies, which successfully bypassed Chinese-origin Pakistani air defence systems.

Following the operation, Indian forces recovered debris from neutralised threats, including Chinese-origin PL-15 missiles, Turkish-origin UAVs, long-range rockets, quadcopters, and commercial drones, showcasing India’s ability to counter advanced foreign-supplied weaponry with indigenous air defence and electronic warfare systems.

In a press briefing on May 12, Director General of Military Operations, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, outlined the layered defence architecture deployed during the operation. He noted that while strikes were carried out within Indian territory, Pakistan’s retaliatory response was anticipated. A combination of counter-UAS systems, shoulder-fired weapons, legacy air defence systems, and modern platforms was used to protect strategic and logistic assets. This multi-tiered approach ensured civilian and military infrastructure remained secure during attempted air incursions by Pakistan on the night of May 9–10.

India’s satellite capabilities also played a key role in the operation. On May 11, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan stated that at least ten satellites were deployed round-the-clock to support strategic operations and national security. These systems provided constant monitoring of India’s 7,000-km coastline and its northern borders.

The success of Operation SINDOOR also reflects the growing strength of India’s drone ecosystem. The Drone Federation of India (DFI), representing over 550 companies and 5,500 drone pilots, has played a key role in promoting indigenous development, manufacturing, and deployment of drone and counter-drone technologies. Indian companies such as Alpha Design Technologies, Tata Advanced Systems, Paras Defence & Space Technologies, and IG Drones are at the forefront of defence-focused drone innovation.

The Indian drone market is expected to grow to $11 billion by 2030, representing over 12 percent of the global share. This growth has been supported by policy reforms, including the 2021 ban on imported drones and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drone and component manufacturing. The PLI scheme, with an outlay of ₹120 crore across three financial years, has accelerated domestic R&D and industrial output.

India’s broader defence manufacturing sector continues to expand under the Make in India initiative. In financial year 2023–24, indigenous defence production reached a record ₹1.27 lakh crore, while exports soared to ₹23,622 crore in 2024–25—a 34-fold increase since 2013–14. Strategic reforms and robust private-sector participation have led to the development of advanced platforms such as the Dhanush and ATAGS artillery systems, Arjun tanks, Light Specialist Vehicles, LCA Tejas, ALH, LUH, Akash missile systems, and various naval assets including indigenous aircraft carriers and submarines.

The government has also implemented initiatives such as iDEX, SRIJAN, and established Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to encourage innovation and facilitate production. Major acquisitions including the Prachand Light Combat Helicopters and the ATAGS artillery system reflect India’s commitment to indigenisation.

With defence exports surpassing ₹24,000 crore in FY 2024–25, the government now aims to reach ₹50,000 crore by 2029. India continues to work towards becoming a global defence export leader by 2047, supported by record procurement contracts and ongoing investment in innovation.

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s press encounter following meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

Source: United Nations secretary general

Chancellor Merz, thank you for your warm welcome.

And I look forward to working closely with you and your new Government to build a Germany-UN partnership even stronger in the future, than in the present, knowing that in the present it is already extremely strong.

Germany is a pillar of multilateralism …

A strong and generous supporter of the United Nations…

A voice of peace and a champion of human rights…

A committed leader in the fight against climate change…

And an essential partner for peacekeeping, peacebuilding and humanitarian aid — demonstrated not least by your hosting of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting that was an exceptional success.

Germany is a leader in the humanitarian response in Lebanon and Syria, and strongly engaged on Sudan, including most recently as co-host of the recent conference in London.

German diplomacy is particularly active in addressing the two biggest challenges that affect peace in Europe and the Middle East: the situations in Ukraine and Gaza.

I reiterate my appeal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine to pave the way for a just peace. A peace based on the UN Charter and international law, namely respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

In relation to Gaza, I reiterate my call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, unimpeded humanitarian access, and an immediate cessation of hostilities allowing for an irreversible path towards a Two-State solution.

Beyond peace efforts, I see a number of other key areas where German leadership can make — and is making — a positive difference in the world.

In the global battle against climate change as we work towards maximum ambition and climate justice at COP30 in Brazil…

And at the upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, where we will push namely for debt relief and reforming the global financial architecture to support developing countries in the follow up of the Pact for the Future.

And most of all, Germany’s leadership and voice are essential in a world of growing geopolitical divides and mistrust.

This is an important year for multilateralism — the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

And we count on Germany to continue standing up for the solidarity and solutions our world needs now.

Danke schön

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Delegation: Seven Airports In State Earn More Than $22 Million in Federal Grants

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
May 14, 2025
Airports in Portland, Hillsboro, Bend, Eugene, Corvallis, Burns and Joseph secure infrastructure investments
Washington, D.C. – Oregon lawmakers today announced that seven airports in the Portland metro area, the Willamette Valley, Central Oregon and Eastern Oregon have secured about $22.7 million combined in federal grants for infrastructure improvements to taxiways, drainage, snow removal equipment and more.
“These federal investments to modernize and improve airports large and small throughout our state benefit Oregonians relying on these facilities for their communities’ economic health and for everybody’s safety during wildfires and other emergencies,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified these resources are heading to Oregon, and I’ll keep battling to provide similar funds for airports all across our state.”
“Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities, including supporting local businesses and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “This federal funding will allow several Oregon regional airports to tackle important projects like expanding taxiways, construction projects, and new equipment. I’ll continue to fight to ensure Oregon has the resources for safe and efficient travels for the folks who rely on Oregon’s airports.”
“I’m pleased to see that airports in NW Oregon and across the state are receiving federal investments to improve the reliability of our transportation system,” said Rep. Bonamici. “Because of these modernization projects, Oregonians and anyone traveling to our beautiful state for business or pleasure will be safer. I will continue to advocate for other important transportation and infrastructure projects that will help Oregonians and the Oregon economy thrive.”
“Airports are vital infrastructure for our communities—supporting local economies, emergency response, and everyday travel for Oregonians,” said Rep. Hoyle. “I’m proud to see federal investments coming to Eugene and Corvallis to improve safety, modernize facilities, and prepare these airports for future growth. These upgrades will make a real difference for our region, and I’ll keep fighting for resources that strengthen our transportation and infrastructure.”
“I’m glad to see these federal investments coming to airports across Oregon,” said Rep. Salinas. “Modernizing and improving Oregon’s airport infrastructure is critical to the safety and economic growth of communities both large and small. I’ll keep fighting to deliver the resources that Oregonians need and deserve.”
“It’s important to me that as people come in and out of our beautiful state that we give them the best possible experience,” said Rep. Bynum. “This funding provides the resources to do just that, improving safety and reliability and helping Oregon airports modernize and grow. I was ecstatic to see this announcement, and I’ll always fight for projects that improve Oregonians’ quality of life.”
“Investing in our airports means investing in the safety, connectivity, and economic strength of our communities,” said Rep. Dexter. “I’m thrilled that more than $15 million is headed to PDX. This funding—fueled by the Biden Administration’s historic infrastructure investments—is a clear example of what it looks like when the federal government shows up for local communities.”
The $22.7 million in airport improvement grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be distributed as follows:
$15.22 million to the Port of Portland for Portland International Airport to rebuild 2,700 feet of the existing paved taxiway A pavement that’s reached the end of its useful life.
$3.14 million to the Port of Portland for Hillsboro Airport to build a new 1,300-foot taxiway K to reduce delays and accommodate more aircraft operations.
$2.14 million to Bend Municipal Airport to rehabilitate 12,000 feet of the existing southwest, northwest, and west taxi lanes pavement to extend their useful lives.
$1.66 million for Eugene’s Mahlon Sweet Airport to build new airfield drainage for wetland mitigation to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.
$261,938 for Corvallis Municipal Airport to build a new 1,100-foot taxi lane to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.
$215,000 for Burns Municipal Airport to acquire snow removal equipment.
$76,000 to Joseph State Airport to reseal 5,210 feet of existing Runway 15/33 pavement and joints to extend its useful life. This project reseals 6,990 feet of the existing Taxiway A pavement and joints to extend its useful life.
“Reconstructing and adding taxiways at PDX and Hillsboro Airport is vital to maintaining the transportation system that our region relies on,” said Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director of the Port of Portland. “We appreciate the continued support of Senators Wyden and Merkley on projects that help to ensure safe and efficient operations at our airports.”
“Funding for this important airport capital improvement project will support asphalt patching, crack sealing and repair, surface sealing, and new painted striping on paved surfaces at the Bend Municipal Airport,” said Airport Manager Tracy Williams.
“On behalf of the City of Burns and the Burns Municipal Airport, we sincerely appreciate the recent grant awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration for the acquisition of essential snow removal equipment,” said City Manager Judy Erwin. “This funding will significantly enhance our operational capabilities during the winter season, ensuring safer and more reliable service for all airport users. The support from the FAA continues to be instrumental in maintaining and improving the safety and efficiency of our airport infrastructure. This equipment will allow us to better serve general aviation, emergency services, and regional operations, especially during severe weather conditions.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dstl’s pivotal role in StormShroud uncrewed aircraft capability
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Dstl’s pivotal role in StormShroud uncrewed aircraft capability

New autonomous platform set to boost UK defence capability, economic growth and job creation.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has played a crucial role in developing StormShroud, a new uncrewed aircraft system recently announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a visit to Leonardo UK’s Luton site.

StormShroud is the first of a new family of Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) designed to make RAF combat aircraft more survivable and more lethal in contested battlespaces.

The system consists of the TEKEVER AR3 uncrewed air platform integrated with Leonardo’s BriteStorm Electronic Warfare payload. It offers increased survivability to RAF jets and crew through disruption and deception of enemy radars.

Dr Paul Hollinshead, Chief Executive of Dstl, said:

“This achievement demonstrates how Dstl’s world-class research directly contributes to operational advantage for our Armed Forces.

“StormShroud represents our commitment to delivering mission-winning science and technology at pace, supporting both mission success and economic growth through close collaboration with industry partners.”

StormShroud has been a collaborative effort involving the following:

Dstl

RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S)

UK defence industry partners

RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton called the announcement:

“This is a seminal moment for the RAF to maintain our advantage in Air Combat and national security. Autonomous Collaborative Platforms will revolutionise how we conduct a range of missions, from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support.”

Dstl’s contribution

Dstl has delivered significant impact at all levels of the project through:

world-class research, technical expertise and advice on electronic warfare capabilities

embedded technical leadership within the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office and Air and Space Warfare Centre

operational analysis informing RAF requirements

trials event design, participation and analysis

Creating jobs and boosting the economy

The StormShroud project is creating significant economic benefits across the UK, which include:

supporting over 300 high-skilled jobs in the British defence technology sector

creating a supply chain involving more than 45 UK small and medium-sized enterprises

generating an estimated £175 million in economic activity over the next 5 years

establishing the UK as a global leader in autonomous defence technology, opening export opportunities

developing transferable skills and technologies with applications in civilian sectors

The announcement reinforces defence’s commitment to integrating autonomous systems in future forces, aligning with the Defence Drone Strategy, RAF Autonomous Collaborative Platforms Strategy, and across the Front Line Commands.

Dstl continues to support StormShroud development and future Air Domain ACP capabilities through various projects that aim to enhance coherence and drive exploitation of technology in this field.

Find out more about how Dstl delivers mission success through science and technology advantage.

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Published 14 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Historic air display to honour VE Day and local heroes 14 May 2025 Historic air display to honour VE Day and local heroes

Source: Aisle of Wight

As the Island marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, this year’s Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day on Sunday 29 June promises a truly stirring spectacle.

The organiser has confirmed a very special addition to the commemorations — a breath-taking air display by the renowned Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF).

In a moving tribute, two iconic aircraft — a Spitfire and a Hurricane — will take to the skies above Ryde in a full display, evoking the courage and sacrifice of those who defended our skies during the Second World War.

Ian Dore, event organiser, shared the significance of the moment: “Following the tragic loss of Squadron Leader Mark Long, the BBMF were grounded last season. Now, a year on, they are flying once more — and we are honoured to welcome them with not one, but two aircraft.

“The Spitfire and Hurricane will perform a dynamic display, one chasing the other in a rare and thrilling aerial ballet. It’s a real privilege for the Island.”

This poignant display is made possible thanks to the generous support of Fishbourne Parish Council.

Their sponsorship reflects the deep ties between the local community and the Armed Forces. Within the ward stands a war memorial bearing the names of several RAF personnel, including Sgt Edmund Eric Shepperd.

Sgt Shepperd joined the RAF in 1935 and served with distinction during the Battle of Britain as a Sergeant Pilot with 152 Squadron. He is credited with downing multiple enemy aircraft, including a Messerschmitt 109, three Junkers, and a Stuka.

Ian added: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Fishbourne Parish Council. They understand the importance of this display — not just as a tribute to the past, but as an inspiration for future generations. For heroes like Sgt Shepperd, and all who served, we remember them with pride.

“We will also be honouring the memory of Squadron Leader Mark Long, a gifted pilot who brought joy to so many. The Spitfire expected to fly — TE311 — was the one he flew the most and now bears his name along its starboard side. To see it soar, especially in his memory, will be one of the most emotional and uplifting moments of this year’s event.”

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is scheduled to appear shortly after the Remembrance segment of the day’s proceedings.

Islanders are encouraged to gather and witness what promises to be a highlight of Armed Forces Day — a soaring salute to courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.

Photo: Darren Harbar.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan national and prior felon receives over 15 years for three gunpoint robberies

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

HOUSTON – A 29-year-old legal permanent resident from Guatemala who lived in Houston has been sentenced for multiple counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Josue Castro-Gomez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2024.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Castro-Gomez to 98 months in federal prison for the robberies as well as a consecutive 84 months for the firearms conviction. He is also expected to lose his status in the United States and face removal proceedings following his total 182-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Castro-Gomez would commit the robberies by first pretending to be a customer and then taking the store employees by surprise.

In November and December 2023, Castro-Gomez robbed two gas stations and one Houston-area smoke shop at gunpoint.

On Nov. 25, 2023, Castro-Gomez entered a Korner Food Mart located in Houston, brandished a firearm and demanded the store clerk give him cash from the register. He proceeded to discharge the firearm, shooting above the clerk’s head, but fled from the scene without taking any money.

On Dec. 11-12, 2023, Castro-Gomez went to a Circle K gas station and a Vape City, respectively, and demanded cash from the register. He received money on both occasions and fled the scenes.

On Dec. 12, law enforcement located Castro-Gomez and found him to be in possession of a .32 caliber handgun.

During the investigation, authorities matched a spent shell casing from the Nov. 25 robbery to the firearm in Castro-Gomez’s possession at the time of his arrest.

Castro-Gomez has prior felony convictions from 2015 and 2017 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance, respectively. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballisticinformation-network-nibin.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Final defendant in local drug conspiracy sentenced to 10 years for trafficking meth to Anchorage
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Ohio man was sentenced May 8, 2025, to 10 years in prison for trafficking multiple pounds of meth to Anchorage.

According to court documents, Christian Landry, 32, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, repeatedly traveled to Alaska from out-of-state to distribute meth in 2022 and 2023.

The investigation started in late 2022, when an undercover officer began purchasing methamphetamine from Elzie Isley, 47, of Anchorage. Isley was a local drug dealer. Law enforcement officers identified Landry as one of Isley’s drug sources, allegedly responsible for trafficking over 20 pounds of meth from the Lower 48 to Alaska to sell.

On Feb. 9, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant on the residence where Landry was staying with another co-defendant and recovered a loaded pistol, more than $20,000 in cash and several pounds of meth.

Throughout the course of the investigation, officers seized and forfeited over $34,000 and 23 firearms connected to the drug trafficking conspiracy.

“This case is yet another example of a drug trafficking organization flooding Anchorage with dangerous narcotics from the Lower 48,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office will work with our law enforcement partners across the state to ensure that anyone who threatens the safety of our communities with these poisonous substances will serve years, and for this man, a decade, in prison.”

“Drugs and guns are always a losing combination,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “This and the other lengthy sentences are commensurate to the damage they caused the community. Mr. Landry chose to endanger Alaskans, and now he faces the consequences.”

Co-conspirators in this case are as follows:
- Isley pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2023, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on April 25, 2024;
- Antonio Wallace, 32, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Oct. 18, 2023, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on Feb. 5, 2024;
- Ricky Lokeni, 38, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on April 24, 2024;
- Ryann Hobert, 27, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2023, and was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment on March 27, 2024; and
- Jaron Steele, 34, of Paramount, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served (235 days’ imprisonment) on May 7, 2024.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Beausang prosecuted the case.

###

MIL Security OSI –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Warrant of further detention granted

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

UPDATE On Wednesday, 14 May, a warrant of further detention was obtained at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, meaning the man can be detained for an additional 36 hours.

+++

A man arrested in connection with a series of arson attacks remains in police custody.

The 21-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, 13 May on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

He was arrested at an address in Sydenham.

The man was taken to a London police station, where he currently remains in police custody.

The arrest relates to three incidents.

On Monday, 12 May at 01:35hrs, police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at a residential address in NW5.

Officers attended the scene. Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, nobody was hurt.

As a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation into this fire. Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused it.

The investigation team are also considering two other incidents – a vehicle fire in NW5 on Thursday, 8 May and a fire at the entrance of a property in N7 on Sunday, 11 May – and are investigating whether they may be linked to the fire in NW5 on 12 May.

All three fires are being treated as suspicious at this time, and enquiries remain ongoing.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “We are working at pace and continue to explore various lines of enquiry to establish the cause of the fires, and any potential motivation for these. A key line of enquiry is whether the fires are linked due to the two premises and the vehicle all having previous links to the same high-profile public figure.

“We recognise that this investigation may cause concern to other public figures – particularly MPs. The protection of MPs is something we take extremely seriously across the whole of policing and I would encourage any MP who is concerned about their own safety to get in touch with their dedicated local Operation Bridger officer, who can provide further advice and support.

“In the meantime, our investigation remains ongoing and we will continue to work closely with local officers in the areas affected. Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in those areas over the coming days, but if anyone has concerns, then please speak with a local officer, or call us.”

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should call police on 101 quoting CAD 441/12 May.

We would ask the public to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that doesn’t look or feel right, then to report it to police – either by calling police, in confidence, on 0800 789 321 or via www.gov.uk/ACT

In an emergency, always dial 999.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayfair resident ordered to restore 18th century home after unlawful basement works | Westminster City Council

Source: City of Westminster

Westminster City Council has successfully defended an appeal against enforcement action by the owner of a three-storey town house in Mayfair, who carried out unauthorised works to the Grade II listed building.

The owner’s application for listed building consent to create a sub-basement was originally refused in 2010 after the Planning Inspectorate agreed with the council that it would harm the building’s special architectural and historic interest.

In 2020, the council’s Planning Enforcement Team discovered that the owners had ignored this ruling and had excavated the existing basement to enlarge it and also created a large sub-basement underneath.

Their investigations showed the owner had also carried out extensive unauthorised alterations to all other floors of the Grade II listed building, altering floor and ceiling heights, altering fireplaces, concealing and removing historic wood panelling, joinery and cornices, and installing air conditioning units to the rear of the property.

In February 2023, the council served a listed building enforcement notice requiring the removal of the unacceptable unauthorised works, including the infilling of the sub-basement and the restoration of the floor levels of the original basement.

The owner of the property appealed the notice, however, the Planning Inspectorate have now dismissed that appeal, again finding that the works were wholly unacceptable. The owner will now have to restore the Grade II listed building and the Planning Inspectorate also made a partial award of costs to the council for the costs incurred.

Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, said:

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message: those who ignore planning rules will be held accountable. It is simply not acceptable to carry out works that have been explicitly refused listed building consent. The owner showed a complete disregard for both our decision and the historic significance of this property. We remain committed to safeguarding Westminster’s unique architectural heritage.”

The Listed Building Enforcement Notice can be found at the following link on the Council’s website:

https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/enforcementDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=LMU4ZKRP17K00

The appeal documents, including the Appeal and Costs Decision can be found here:

23/00039/ENFHB | Appeal against | 74 Park Street London W1K 2JX

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: ESFI Spreads Awareness of Overhead Power Line Safety With “Always Look Up” Campaign
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ARLINGTON, Va., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data compiled and analyzed by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) shows that the most significant category of workplace electrical fatalities is non-electrical workers coming into contact with overhead power lines. Many of these accidents involve workers with little or no electrical safety training. Contact with overhead power lines is also one of the leading causes of electrical fatalities outside of the workplace across the United States.

In fact, overhead power line contact accounts for 48% of all workplace electrical fatalities, 57% of electrical fatalities in non-electrical occupations, and 30% of all electrical fatalities that occur in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that between 2018 and 2023, there were 538 total fatalities caused by overhead power lines in the U.S. A large number of these incidents can be avoided with heightened awareness of outside surroundings. “Overhead power line contacts are unique because in many cases the fatality occurred when the power line was clearly visible,” said Daniel Majano, ESFI’s Program Director.

In response, ESFI launched an update to its “Always Look Up” campaign in May to spread awareness to key groups. This year, as part of its National Electrical Safety Month efforts, ESFI is releasing several new materials, including a new infographic, to remind the public to be aware of overhead power lines in their surroundings.

Some of the key groups targeted in this campaign are homeowners, heavy truck operators, tree trimmers, and roofers. Here are some ways that individuals can find themselves in danger due to overhead power lines:
- At home: Individuals working on their roofs or gutters or using ladders to set up decorations, such as holiday lights, can inadvertently come into contact with power lines around their home. Before starting any work around your house, be aware of overhead power lines and the electrical service entrance to your home. Stay at least 10 feet away from all power lines.
- Heavy truck operators: Workers operating trucks with extendable truck beds can unknowingly raise their truck beds into low-hanging overhead power lines.
- Tree trimmers: Tree trimming workers often perform their work using elevating work platforms or using trimming tools with long handles, allowing them to make contact with tree branches far above the ground. When tree branches grow out and become entangled with overhead power lines, trimmers can inadvertently contact the lines with their tools.
- Roofers and painters: Individuals doing work on the exterior of a building can make contact with power lines while carrying or setting up ladders.
ESFI encourages everyone to “always look up, in all ways” to avoid contact with overhead power lines. Some additional best practices include carrying ladders horizontally, avoiding touching anything in contact with power lines, and staying 35 feet away from downed power lines.

“We believe that this is an issue where we can save a lot of lives through raising awareness and emphasizing the simple principle of ‘Always Look Up’”, said ESFI Executive Director Jennifer LeFevre, adding, “It’s great advice for anyone doing work outside.”

The new materials for National Electrical Safety Month 2025 include the following, which are free to use and distribute:

ABOUT ESFI

The mission of the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is to prevent electrically related injuries, deaths, and fires through public education and outreach by being the trusted voice on electrical safety. For free safety materials that you can share throughout your community, visit esfi.org.

Contact:
Evan Jones
Electrical Safety Foundation International
703.841.3247
evan.jones@esfi.org

The MIL Network –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Russian delegation to discuss both political and technical issues in Istanbul – Russian presidential aide

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Moscow, May 14 /Xinhua/ — The Russian delegation at the talks scheduled for May 15 in Istanbul, Turkey, will discuss both political and technical issues, and its composition will be determined based on this, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a journalist with the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.

“The delegation will discuss both political and, I would say, a myriad of technical issues. So the composition will be determined based on this,” said Y. Ushakov in an interview, a video of which was published on Wednesday on P. Zarubin’s Telegram channel.

The Russian presidential aide said that Russia is ready to resume direct negotiations with Ukraine, which were interrupted in 2022. “You know the president’s statement of May 11 that we are ready to begin direct negotiations in Istanbul on May 15. Or rather, not even begin, but resume the negotiations that were interrupted by the Ukrainian side at the instigation of Western colleagues and partners,” Y. Ushakov emphasized.

Speaking to journalists in the Kremlin on the night of May 11, V. Putin proposed that the Ukrainian side resume direct negotiations, interrupted in 2022, without preconditions. It was proposed to begin the dialogue on May 15 in Istanbul. Later on May 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to V. Putin on the social network X to hold a personal meeting in Turkey on May 15 to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. He added that Ukraine also expects a full and long-term ceasefire starting on May 12. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Travelling for Victoria Day or Memorial Day? The CBSA gives tips for a smooth trip
Source: Government of Canada News (2)

May 14, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds travellers to plan ahead when crossing the border over the upcoming Victoria Day and the U.S. Memorial Day long weekends.

Every day, the CBSA works hard to protect Canadians, support the economy and ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the border. In 2024, we welcomed over 93.4 million travellers, stopped over 34,400 kg of illegal drugs from entering our communities and kept more than 17,200 weapons and 930 firearms off our streets.

The CBSA plans and prepares for long weekends and summer travel. We monitor traveller volumes and prioritize efficient processing of travellers at land ports of entry and at international airports, without compromising safety and security. If you encounter wait times at the border, it is likely because we are working behind the scenes to conduct examinations, seize drugs, firearms or stolen vehicles or prevent high-risk individuals from entering Canada.

Here are some travel tips to help you plan for your trip:
- Driving into Canada? Check border wait times to plan your route.
  - Early mornings are the best time to cross the border to avoid wait times.
  - The Monday of holiday long weekends tend to be the busiest.
  - Consider an alternative port of entry with shorter wait times or less traffic.
  - Check the port of entry’s hours of operation on the official CBSA Directory of Offices and Services.
  - If you are using a GPS application (such as Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze) to direct you to a port of entry, consider checking different navigation options (such as fastest and shortest routes) to determine the preferred route of travel.
- Have your travel documents handy. This will speed up processing times at the border.
- Be prepared to declare. Declare everything you have with you upon entry into Canada. If arriving by land, you are responsible for everything inside your vehicle.
  - Goods purchased abroad: If you are a resident of Canada, personal exemptions allow you to bring goods, including alcohol and tobacco (up to a certain value), back to Canada without paying regular duty and taxes. Make sure you know how much you are bringing back in Canadian dollars and have your receipts readily available for the officer.
  - Surtaxes on certain U.S. goods. If you’ve purchased goods in the U.S. and are bringing them into Canada, you may have to pay a 25% surtax in addition to regular duties and taxes. For residents of Canada, this surtax applies only to goods exceeding your personal exemptions limit. Consult the lists of products surtaxed: complete lists of goods subject to the surtax. Visit the CBSA website for more details on how these surtaxes apply at the border.
- Flying into Canada? Use Advance Declaration and make your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of your arrival into Canada at participating airports.
- When travelling with children, who are not your own or for whom you don’t have full legal custody, we recommend you have a consent letter from the parent or legal guardian authorizing you to travel with the child. We are always watching for missing children, and in the absence of the letter, officers may ask additional questions.
- Know before you go: review the restricted and prohibited goods to avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution. Make sure you have the information you need before attempting to bring items into Canada.
- Leave behind: firearms, weapons, narcotics, and cannabis.
We encourage you to read and follow all of our travel tips before arriving at the border.

Not sure? Ask a CBSA officer. The best way to save time is to be open and honest with the border services officer. If you are not sure about what to declare, don’t hesitate to ask!

For more information, visit the CBSA website or call us at 1-800-461-9999.

MIL OSI Canada News –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Meeks, NY Delegation Draft Letter to VA Secretary Collins to Oppose Proposed Staffing Cuts and Budget Changes

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) joined 14 of his Democratic colleagues in the New York Congressional delegation in sending a letter to Secretary Doug Collins of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and budget changes to the agency that will threaten the well-being of those who have served the nation. Standing united with his peers, Rep. Meeks demands that Secretary Collins immediately reverse course on his plans to reshape the VA to the detriment of our veterans.

“Veterans hospitals play a critical role in supporting individuals who served our country,” Congressman Meeks said. “These facilities are not just places for medical treatment, they serve as lifelines providing specialized care tailored to the unique needs of veterans. It is unfathomable that the Trump Administration is willing to cut the budget and scale back on the trained professionals who understand what patients are going through and can offer effective treatment to our war heroes.”

With plans to downsize the workforce by over 15%, proposed cuts will force veterans to withstand longer appointment wait times, benefit delays, and reduced patient-provider interactions. As healthcare, housing, and other veteran services continue to be defunded and stripped of support, these existing struggles will only be exacerbated following the implementation of Secretary Collins’ proposed changes. The lawmakers argue that these mass firings would threaten the department’s fundamental purpose—to provide veterans with timely, quality, equitable, and individual-centered healthcare, benefits, and housing resources.

The St. Albans VA Medical Center stands in New York’s 5th congressional district, providing veterans with primary and specialty healthcare services. Proposed cuts will threaten the accessibility of timely and comprehensive healthcare for constituents of the 5th District. Congressman Meeks condemns this looming threat and urges Secretary Collins to consider the consequences of his proposed changes to the VA to protect our veteran residents and those across the country who deserve efficient and stable support.

A total of 15 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Rep. Meeks, the following members joined in signing: Representatives Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), George Latimer (NY-16), John Mannion (NY-22), Grace Meng (NY-06), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Josh Riley (NY-19), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).

Full text of the letter is provided below:

Dear Secretary Collins:

We write as Members of the New York Congressional delegation to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and benefits changes to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) that threaten the well-being of those who have bravely served our nation. This proposal would cut 80,000 employees – over 15% of the VA’s total workforce – who help provide health care, housing, and other services to our veterans,[1] including more than a quarter of whom are veterans themselves.[2] We urge you to immediately reverse course on the proposed firings and ensure that the more than 688,000 veterans in New York State receive timely care, benefits, and peace of mind.

VHA facilities reported a total of 2,959 severe occupational staffing shortages nationwide in fiscal year 2024. New York facilities reported at least 143 severe staffing shortages.[3] New York’s VA facilities have already suffered after the dismissal of more than 1,000 probationary employees nationwide.[4]

These shortages and firings have directly affected care quality by leading to reduced patient-provider interaction, longer wait times for appointments, delays in benefits, and increased workloads for existing staff. Ultimately, these conditions compromise the level of care veterans receive. In February, the Castle Point VA in the Hudson Valley temporarily closed due to inadequate staffing, with employees citing the federal hiring freeze as a key roadblock to getting the providers needed for the community.[5] At the Bronx VA, 20-year veteran Luke Graziani was abruptly fired weeks before his probationary period ended, leaving a vacuum in internal and external communications for the facility. While we are glad to see Mr. Graziani reinstated, the chaos and recklessness of these actions have created a widespread atmosphere of fear and instability across the state.[6]

The PACT Act was transformational legislation that expanded eligibility for VA healthcare and benefits for veterans with toxic exposures during their military service. Since passage, over 796,000 veterans have enrolled in VA healthcare with over 4.8 million claims received.[7] To handle the surge in veterans becoming eligible for care, the VA needed to hire more employees to process claims, provide healthcare, and manage the expanded services. Cutting VA employee levels back to pre-PACT Act levels would be detrimental to veterans’ care and benefits, leading to longer wait times for appointments, claims processing, increased costs in care, and a significant decrease in mental health services.[8]

The New York Congressional delegation has consistently fought for public, high-quality, accessible health care for our veterans. In New York, we have worked to keep facilities open, expand services, and fight for critical investments to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve. These firings will threaten the agency’s core mission to provide quality healthcare, timely delivery of benefits, and housing resources for our veterans. It is the federal government’s responsibility to “honor the contract,” – we must honor that commitment by providing the care, benefits, and opportunities every veteran has earned through their sacrifice.

As Members of the New York Congressional delegation, we stand united in demanding that the administration reverse course on your proposed staffing and benefits cuts that will cripple the livelihoods of our veteran constituents.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Happy Valley-Goose Bay — Family of five stranded on Route 510 during recent blizzard safely rescued by RCMP and partners

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

A family of five who were stranded on Route 510 outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay during a severe winter storm were safely rescued on May 10, 2025. Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP, Happy Valley-Goose Bay Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR), and Grey Rock Mining worked together to respond to this challenging situation.

On Saturday, Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP responded to a report of a stranded motorist on Route 510, approximately 55 kilometers outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The vehicle, carrying five occupants, was stuck in the snow. Weather conditions were extremely poor with high winds, heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures. One of the occupants, a woman, departed the vehicle to seek help.

RCMP officers responded in two separate police vehicles, and encountered dangerous road conditions and low visibility. Police activated GSAR for assistance, who in turn engaged Grey Rock Mining to request the deployment of snowplows to support the rescue effort.

Approximately 45 kilometers outside of town, the two officers exited their vehicle and walked the highway in an effort to locate the woman. The officers located the woman a short distance away, covered in snow and extremely cold and covered her in their clothing to help shield her from the weather. She was escorted to a police vehicle, and officers contacted the emergency department at Labrador Health Centre for direction while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

A short time later GSAR and paramedics — led by snowplow — arrived at the location. The woman was treated on scene by paramedics for suspected hypothermia.

Grey Rock Mining dispatched a second snowplow to help reach the remaining four occupants of the stranded vehicle. The vehicle was freed, and all occupants were safely accounted for. The snowplows then led the convoy of all parties back to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, ensuring their safe return.

RCMP NL thanks the responding police officers, Happy Valley-Goose Bay Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) and Grey Rock Mining for their collaboration and effort in safely rescuing this family.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Engineering Team Assesses Colón, Panama’s Infrastructure Challenges, Strengthening Bilateral Partnership

Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

A team from the U.S. Army’s 553rd Forward Engineer Support Team-Advance (FEST-A) drove around important parts of the city of Colón, Panama, surveying the stormwater and wastewater systems on May 13, 2025. The survey was designed to find ways to bolster the ongoing partnership between the United States and Panama while addressing one of Panama’s largest city’s long-standing infrastructure issues.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kevin Kirkman, Professor of Grassland Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa’s rangelands have always had great value for the country. These areas offer more than just grazing for livestock. They provide services like purifying water, storing carbon and conserving biodiversity.

The grassland biome (28%), along with the savanna (32.5%) and the Nama-Karoo (19.5%), are collectively referred to as rangelands. They make up almost 80% of the land area of South Africa.

Their ecological services haven’t always been fully appreciated. Research into rangelands has evolved in response to environmental changes, human needs and scientific discoveries.

Commercial livestock production was the main concern when academics, researchers and practitioners met for the first congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa in 1966. Less than 15% of South Africa’s land surface area is arable. The only agricultural production possible on the balance of the land is livestock production from natural rangeland. Livestock production is thus a cornerstone of agriculture and food production in South Africa.

Six decades on, the Grassland Society has reflected – through a special issue of its journal, the African Journal of Range and Forage Science – on how it has tackled research challenges and adapted to shifting perceptions of rangelands.

Research has explored aspects of global change, bush encroachment and other changes in rangeland composition and function. Land transformation is another research area. Peri-urban sprawl, open-cast mining, timber plantations and other developments reduce and fragment rangeland. The result is increased pressure on the remaining, intact rangelands.

Widening scope

A review of research over the 60 years shows that early efforts focused mainly on forage production to support livestock industries. Research topics included rotational grazing and burning, as well as reinforcing rangelands by adding nutrients, forage grasses and legumes.

By the 1980s, it became clear that rangelands offered more than just grazing – they were vital ecosystems.

Rangelands in southern Africa span diverse climates and landscapes, from arid deserts to moist mountains. Kevin Kirkman, Author provided (no reuse)

In the early 1990s, around the onset of democracy in South Africa, local researchers became part of global conversations around rangeland ecology. In doing so, they started to use the international terminology, instead of the old Dutch-derived word “veld”.

This shift was not just about geography, but about scope. Rangelands were increasingly seen as multifaceted ecosystems critical in the fight against climate change. Increasing temperatures, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and changing rainfall patterns pose a threat to all ecosystems. Understanding the response of rangelands is increasingly important in devising management strategies to adapt to these changes.

Scientists expanded their attention to preserving soil health, restoring degraded landscapes, and maintaining biodiversity. Issues like overgrazing, soil erosion and invasive species gained recognition in southern Africa. Degradation of rangelands in South Africa was first highlighted in the mid 1700s, and became a “mainstream” issue in the 1930s. Replacing a diverse group of wild animals with a single species of grazer, such as cattle, is the reason generally given for degradation. Fire has also been linked to it (often unfairly).

The Grassland Society responded by promoting ideas like adaptive grazing management (making decisions in response to conditions, rather than following a recipe approach). It also encouraged integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific research to create more sustainable and resilient land-use systems. This has helped shape land management practices across the region.

Rangelands are dynamic, especially in the Karoo, where vegetation cover can shift dramatically in response to rainfall and grazing. Justin du Toit, Author provided (no reuse)

Many southern African rangelands face the challenge of balancing grazing with biodiversity conservation. Research on conservation agriculture and integrating livestock and wildlife systems is helping farmers and conservationists to find common ground. Wildlife, both in the conservation and the game production contexts, plays a critical role in South Africa’s economy. Tourism is one of the major contributors.

Land management is particularly important in the Mediterranean-climate regions of South Africa, where poor crop farming practices have damaged soil health. The research is guiding the development of more sustainable farming systems focused on soil regeneration and biodiversity.

A key indicator of ecosystem degradation is a decline in grassland forbs (herbaceous plants that are not grasses). They are highly sensitive to grazing pressure. So the role of wildflowers in ecosystem health and animal wellbeing has also become an important research area.

Climate change, fire suppression and overgrazing drive woody plant encroachment, where grasslands are turning into shrublands. This calls for integrated management approaches that consider fire, grazing and even controlled rewilding.

Fire is a natural element in many grassland ecosystems, and research has helped advance understanding of how it can be monitored and controlled to reduce risks while promoting healthy rangelands.

People and grasslands

Grazing contrast. Justin du Toit

Rangeland management has important social dimensions. Research is addressing issues such as land tenure, governance, community management systems on communal rangelands and indigenous knowledge in management decisions. These topics are essential for creating sustainable solutions that account for people’s livelihoods and needs.

In addition to these ecological, social and management advances, the Grassland Society of Southern Africa has worked to develop the next generation of rangeland scientists and practitioners. Through its congresses, workshops and journal publications, the society continues to foster dialogue across disciplines and communities. Its 60th congress will be held in July 2025.

– Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research
– https://theconversation.com/southern-africas-rangelands-do-many-jobs-from-feeding-cattle-to-storing-carbon-a-review-of-60-years-of-research-254736

MIL OSI Africa –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Light is the science of the future – the Africans using it to solve local challenges
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Andrew Forbes, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

Light is all around us, essential for one of our primary senses (sight) as well as life on Earth itself. It underpins many technologies that affect our daily lives, including energy harvesting with solar cells, light-emitting-diode (LED) displays and telecommunications through fibre optic networks.

The smartphone is a great example of the power of light. Inside the box, its electronic functionality works because of quantum mechanics. The front screen is an entirely photonic device: liquid crystals controlling light. The back too: white light-emitting diodes for a flash, and lenses to capture images.

We use the word photonics, and sometimes optics, to capture the harnessing of light for new applications and technologies. Their importance in modern life is celebrated every year on 16 May with the International Day of Light.

Scientists on the African continent, despite the resource constraints they work under, have made notable contributions to photonics research. Some of these have been captured in a recent special issue of the journal Applied Optics. Along with colleagues in this field from Morocco and Senegal, we introduced this collection of papers, which aims to celebrate excellence and show the impact of studies that address continental issues.

A spotlight on photonics in Africa

Africa’s history in formal optics stems back thousands of years, with references to lens design already recorded in ancient Egyptian writings.

In more recent times, Africa has contributed to two Nobel prizes based on optics. Ahmed Zewail (Egyptian born) watched the ultrafast processes in chemistry with lasers (1999, Nobel Prize for Chemistry) and Serge Harouche (Moroccan born) studied the behaviour of individual particles of light, photons (2012, Nobel Prize for Physics).

Unfortunately, the African optics story is one of pockets of excellence. The highlights are as good as anywhere else, but there are too few of them to put the continent on the global optics map. According to a 2020 calculation done for me by the Optical Society of America, based on their journals, Africa contributes less than 1% to worldwide journal publications with optics or photonics as a theme.

Yet there are great opportunities for meeting continental challenges using optics. Examples of areas where Africans can innovate are:
- bridging the digital divide with modern communications infrastructure
- optical imaging and spectroscopy for improvements in agriculture and monitoring climate changes
- harnessing the sun with optical materials for clean energy
- bio-photonics to solve health issues
- quantum technologies for novel forms of communicating, sensing, imaging and computing.
The papers in the special journal issue touch on a diversity of continent-relevant topics.

One is on using optics to communicate across free-space (air) even in bad weather conditions. This light-based solution was tested using weather data from two African cities, Alexandria in Egypt and Setif in Algeria.

Another paper is about tiny quantum sources of quantum entanglement for sensing. The authors used diamond, a gem found in South Africa and more commonly associated with jewellery. Diamond has many flaws, one of which can produce single photons as an output when excited. The single photon output was split into two paths, as if the particle went both left and right at the same time. This is the quirky notion of entanglement, in this case, created with diamonds. If an object is placed in any one path, the entanglement can detect it. Strangely, sometimes the photons take the left-path but the object is in the right-path, yet still it can be detected.

Read more: Quantum entanglement: what it is, and why physicists want to harness it

One contributor proposes a cost-effective method to detect and classify harmful bacteria in water.

New approaches in spectroscopy (studying colour) for detecting cell health; biosensors to monitor salt and glucose levels in blood; and optical tools for food security all play their part in optical applications on the continent.

Another area of African optics research that has important applications is the use of optical fibres for sensing the quality of soil and its structural integrity. Optical fibres are usually associated with communication, but a modern trend is to use the existing optical fibre already laid to sense for small changes in the environment, for instance, as early warning systems for earthquakes. The research shows that conventional fibre can also be used to tell if soil is degrading, either from lack of moisture or some physical shift in structure (weakness or movement). It is an immediately useful tool for agriculture, building on many decades of research.

The diverse range of topics in the collection shows how creative researchers on the continent are in using limited resources for maximum impact. The high orientation towards applications is probably also a sign that African governments want their scientists to work on solutions to real problems rather than purely academic questions. A case in point is South Africa, which has a funded national strategy (SA QuTI) to turn quantum science into quantum technology and train the workforce for a new economy.

Towards a brighter future

For young science students wishing to enter the field, the opportunities are endless. While photonics has no discipline boundaries, most students enter through the fields of physics, engineering, chemistry or the life sciences. Its power lies in the combination of skills, blending theoretical, computational and experimental, that are brought to bear on problems. At a typical photonics conference there are likely to be many more industry participants than academics. That’s a testament to its universal impact in new technologies, and the employment opportunities for students.

The last century was based on electronics and controlling electrons. This century will be dominated by photonics, controlling photons.

Professor Zouheir Sekkat of University Mohamed V, Rabat, and director of the Pole of Optics and Photonics within MAScIR of University Mohamed VI Polytechnic Benguerir, Morocco, contributed to this article.

– Light is the science of the future – the Africans using it to solve local challenges
– https://theconversation.com/light-is-the-science-of-the-future-the-africans-using-it-to-solve-local-challenges-256031
MIL OSI Africa –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kevin Kirkman, Professor of Grassland Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa’s rangelands have always had great value for the country. These areas offer more than just grazing for livestock. They provide services like purifying water, storing carbon and conserving biodiversity.

The grassland biome (28%), along with the savanna (32.5%) and the Nama-Karoo (19.5%), are collectively referred to as rangelands. They make up almost 80% of the land area of South Africa.

Their ecological services haven’t always been fully appreciated. Research into rangelands has evolved in response to environmental changes, human needs and scientific discoveries.

Commercial livestock production was the main concern when academics, researchers and practitioners met for the first congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa in 1966. Less than 15% of South Africa’s land surface area is arable. The only agricultural production possible on the balance of the land is livestock production from natural rangeland. Livestock production is thus a cornerstone of agriculture and food production in South Africa.

Six decades on, the Grassland Society has reflected – through a special issue of its journal, the African Journal of Range and Forage Science – on how it has tackled research challenges and adapted to shifting perceptions of rangelands.

Research has explored aspects of global change, bush encroachment and other changes in rangeland composition and function. Land transformation is another research area. Peri-urban sprawl, open-cast mining, timber plantations and other developments reduce and fragment rangeland. The result is increased pressure on the remaining, intact rangelands.

Widening scope

A review of research over the 60 years shows that early efforts focused mainly on forage production to support livestock industries. Research topics included rotational grazing and burning, as well as reinforcing rangelands by adding nutrients, forage grasses and legumes.

By the 1980s, it became clear that rangelands offered more than just grazing – they were vital ecosystems.

In the early 1990s, around the onset of democracy in South Africa, local researchers became part of global conversations around rangeland ecology. In doing so, they started to use the international terminology, instead of the old Dutch-derived word “veld”.

This shift was not just about geography, but about scope. Rangelands were increasingly seen as multifaceted ecosystems critical in the fight against climate change. Increasing temperatures, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and changing rainfall patterns pose a threat to all ecosystems. Understanding the response of rangelands is increasingly important in devising management strategies to adapt to these changes.

Scientists expanded their attention to preserving soil health, restoring degraded landscapes, and maintaining biodiversity. Issues like overgrazing, soil erosion and invasive species gained recognition in southern Africa. Degradation of rangelands in South Africa was first highlighted in the mid 1700s, and became a “mainstream” issue in the 1930s. Replacing a diverse group of wild animals with a single species of grazer, such as cattle, is the reason generally given for degradation. Fire has also been linked to it (often unfairly).

The Grassland Society responded by promoting ideas like adaptive grazing management (making decisions in response to conditions, rather than following a recipe approach). It also encouraged integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific research to create more sustainable and resilient land-use systems. This has helped shape land management practices across the region.

Many southern African rangelands face the challenge of balancing grazing with biodiversity conservation. Research on conservation agriculture and integrating livestock and wildlife systems is helping farmers and conservationists to find common ground. Wildlife, both in the conservation and the game production contexts, plays a critical role in South Africa’s economy. Tourism is one of the major contributors.

Land management is particularly important in the Mediterranean-climate regions of South Africa, where poor crop farming practices have damaged soil health. The research is guiding the development of more sustainable farming systems focused on soil regeneration and biodiversity.

A key indicator of ecosystem degradation is a decline in grassland forbs (herbaceous plants that are not grasses). They are highly sensitive to grazing pressure. So the role of wildflowers in ecosystem health and animal wellbeing has also become an important research area.

Climate change, fire suppression and overgrazing drive woody plant encroachment, where grasslands are turning into shrublands. This calls for integrated management approaches that consider fire, grazing and even controlled rewilding.

Fire is a natural element in many grassland ecosystems, and research has helped advance understanding of how it can be monitored and controlled to reduce risks while promoting healthy rangelands.

People and grasslands

Rangeland management has important social dimensions. Research is addressing issues such as land tenure, governance, community management systems on communal rangelands and indigenous knowledge in management decisions. These topics are essential for creating sustainable solutions that account for people’s livelihoods and needs.

In addition to these ecological, social and management advances, the Grassland Society of Southern Africa has worked to develop the next generation of rangeland scientists and practitioners. Through its congresses, workshops and journal publications, the society continues to foster dialogue across disciplines and communities. Its 60th congress will be held in July 2025.

Kevin Kirkman receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

Helga van der Merwe receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

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

– ref. Southern Africa’s rangelands do many jobs, from feeding cattle to storing carbon: a review of 60 years of research – https://theconversation.com/southern-africas-rangelands-do-many-jobs-from-feeding-cattle-to-storing-carbon-a-review-of-60-years-of-research-254736

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Light is the science of the future – the Africans using it to solve local challenges
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Andrew Forbes, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

Light-based technologies have wide practical applications. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Light is all around us, essential for one of our primary senses (sight) as well as life on Earth itself. It underpins many technologies that affect our daily lives, including energy harvesting with solar cells, light-emitting-diode (LED) displays and telecommunications through fibre optic networks.

The smartphone is a great example of the power of light. Inside the box, its electronic functionality works because of quantum mechanics. The front screen is an entirely photonic device: liquid crystals controlling light. The back too: white light-emitting diodes for a flash, and lenses to capture images.

We use the word photonics, and sometimes optics, to capture the harnessing of light for new applications and technologies. Their importance in modern life is celebrated every year on 16 May with the International Day of Light.

Scientists on the African continent, despite the resource constraints they work under, have made notable contributions to photonics research. Some of these have been captured in a recent special issue of the journal Applied Optics. Along with colleagues in this field from Morocco and Senegal, we introduced this collection of papers, which aims to celebrate excellence and show the impact of studies that address continental issues.

A spotlight on photonics in Africa

Africa’s history in formal optics stems back thousands of years, with references to lens design already recorded in ancient Egyptian writings.

In more recent times, Africa has contributed to two Nobel prizes based on optics. Ahmed Zewail (Egyptian born) watched the ultrafast processes in chemistry with lasers (1999, Nobel Prize for Chemistry) and Serge Harouche (Moroccan born) studied the behaviour of individual particles of light, photons (2012, Nobel Prize for Physics).

Unfortunately, the African optics story is one of pockets of excellence. The highlights are as good as anywhere else, but there are too few of them to put the continent on the global optics map. According to a 2020 calculation done for me by the Optical Society of America, based on their journals, Africa contributes less than 1% to worldwide journal publications with optics or photonics as a theme.

Yet there are great opportunities for meeting continental challenges using optics. Examples of areas where Africans can innovate are:
- bridging the digital divide with modern communications infrastructure
- optical imaging and spectroscopy for improvements in agriculture and monitoring climate changes
- harnessing the sun with optical materials for clean energy
- bio-photonics to solve health issues
- quantum technologies for novel forms of communicating, sensing, imaging and computing.
The papers in the special journal issue touch on a diversity of continent-relevant topics.

One is on using optics to communicate across free-space (air) even in bad weather conditions. This light-based solution was tested using weather data from two African cities, Alexandria in Egypt and Setif in Algeria.

Another paper is about tiny quantum sources of quantum entanglement for sensing. The authors used diamond, a gem found in South Africa and more commonly associated with jewellery. Diamond has many flaws, one of which can produce single photons as an output when excited. The single photon output was split into two paths, as if the particle went both left and right at the same time. This is the quirky notion of entanglement, in this case, created with diamonds. If an object is placed in any one path, the entanglement can detect it. Strangely, sometimes the photons take the left-path but the object is in the right-path, yet still it can be detected.

Read more:
Quantum entanglement: what it is, and why physicists want to harness it

One contributor proposes a cost-effective method to detect and classify harmful bacteria in water.

New approaches in spectroscopy (studying colour) for detecting cell health; biosensors to monitor salt and glucose levels in blood; and optical tools for food security all play their part in optical applications on the continent.

Another area of African optics research that has important applications is the use of optical fibres for sensing the quality of soil and its structural integrity. Optical fibres are usually associated with communication, but a modern trend is to use the existing optical fibre already laid to sense for small changes in the environment, for instance, as early warning systems for earthquakes. The research shows that conventional fibre can also be used to tell if soil is degrading, either from lack of moisture or some physical shift in structure (weakness or movement). It is an immediately useful tool for agriculture, building on many decades of research.

The diverse range of topics in the collection shows how creative researchers on the continent are in using limited resources for maximum impact. The high orientation towards applications is probably also a sign that African governments want their scientists to work on solutions to real problems rather than purely academic questions. A case in point is South Africa, which has a funded national strategy (SA QuTI) to turn quantum science into quantum technology and train the workforce for a new economy.

Towards a brighter future

For young science students wishing to enter the field, the opportunities are endless. While photonics has no discipline boundaries, most students enter through the fields of physics, engineering, chemistry or the life sciences. Its power lies in the combination of skills, blending theoretical, computational and experimental, that are brought to bear on problems. At a typical photonics conference there are likely to be many more industry participants than academics. That’s a testament to its universal impact in new technologies, and the employment opportunities for students.

The last century was based on electronics and controlling electrons. This century will be dominated by photonics, controlling photons.

Professor Zouheir Sekkat of University Mohamed V, Rabat, and director of the Pole of Optics and Photonics within MAScIR of University Mohamed VI Polytechnic Benguerir, Morocco, contributed to this article.

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

– ref. Light is the science of the future – the Africans using it to solve local challenges – https://theconversation.com/light-is-the-science-of-the-future-the-africans-using-it-to-solve-local-challenges-256031
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston’s Mayor, Councillor Phil Crowe, bids farewell

Source: City of Preston

14 May 2025

Today, Councillor Philip Crowe, the 696th Mayor of Preston, steps down from his role, making way for Councillor Sue Whittam, who will proudly take on the title of Madam Mayor.

“It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve as Mayor of Preston.”

To mark the occasion, Councillor Crowe will address fellow councillors and guests at the Mayor Making ceremony in the Council Chamber at Preston Town Hall.

Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Councillor Crowe has shared many memorable highlights, from unveiling the Feathers McGraw statue and opening the new Animate Leisure Complex, to meeting famous faces like Nick Park and Paddy McGuinness, and attending the unforgettable Radio 2 in the Park event, where he made a guest appearance on stage in front of thousands with Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox.

Speaking fondly about that weekend, Councillor Crowe said:

“That was brilliant — I was dying to see the Pet Shop Boys. We were taken to this huge tent, filled with screens, surrounded by police, fire and rescue, the ambulance service, and Preston City Council.

“Then the head of security announced, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Mayor and Mayoress of Preston,’ and everyone stood up. It was incredible.”

Throughout his mayoral year, Councillor Crowe has championed several charities, including Furniture for Education Worldwide (FEW), Let’s Grow Preston, and Disability Equality North West.

He is especially proud of his ongoing work with FEW in The Gambia.

Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Councillor Crowe said:

“Every day has brought a new highlight. The number of people who volunteer in Preston is phenomenal. In addition to my mayoral duties, I’m also honoured to serve as Honorary President of St Catherine’s Hospice, which alone has more than 600 volunteers.”

Though his mayoral chapter is ending, Councillor Crowe will continue to serve as a councillor and remain committed to supporting his community.

Councillor Crowe added:

“I never imagined becoming a councillor, let alone the Mayor. It’s been an honour and a privilege to represent the city I love.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Life and legacy’ of Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell to be celebrated on 130th anniversary of his birth
Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

Published: Wednesday, 14th May 2025
The “life and legacy” of Reginald Mitchell will be celebrated in a day of events on the 130th anniversary of his birth.

The Supermarine Spitfire designer was born on 20 May 1895 in Kidsgrove and moved to Normacot shortly after he was born.

Invited guests will gather in the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery at 10.30am on Tuesday 20 May for an event to remember his lasting contribution to engineering and the aeronautical industry.

A host of speakers have been arranged, including Julian Mitchell, Reginald’s great nephew and Paul Beaver, Trustee of the National Spitfire Project and the author of Spitfire People, Spitfire Evolution and Mitchell – Father of the Spitfire.

The event is by invitation and tickets are limited. Residents of Stoke-on-Trent can request tickets by contacting karen.convey@stoke.gov.uk

In the afternoon, the staff at the Reginald Mitchell pub in Hanley have organised an event for guests and veterans including the Tri-Services.

The team at the JD Wetherspoon pub on Parliament Row is inviting veterans to attend from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and enjoy a hot drink and a slice of a large Spitfire cake being made for the occasion.

Mr Mitchell will host a quiz for customers from 4.30pm with the winning team receiving a 12-piece vintage prints dinner set from Churchill China, the same tableware used by Wetherspoons, valued at over £150.

The pub will have a display of aeroplanes designed by children from Reginald Mitchell Primary School. The bar will be stocked with a range of beer featuring names all linked to aviation and the city’s centenary.

Guests will be encouraged to make paper aeroplanes to take part in a fun competition for charity. Entrants will launch their plane off the top bar balcony to see which one flies the furthest. Entry is £2 with proceeds going to the Young Lives vs Cancer charity.

A series of events to celebrate Reginal Mitchell’s birthday week are planned in the pub.

Cllr Steve Watkins, Deputy Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “This special day will look back at the life of Reginald Mitchell and how his work has inspired generations of engineers since he passed away at 42. He and his team led the world in aircraft design. It’s part of our centenary celebrations and will tell his story and look at how his legacy is encouraging young engineers to take up a career in the industry today.

“It’s been great to work with the staff at the Reginald Mitchell pub who are making plans to mark this occasion throughout the week with other events. They’re keen to encourage veterans to pop in and enjoy a chat and catch-up over tea and cake while learning more about Reginald.”

Julian Mitchell said: “130 years on and RJ is still making a real impact on our local community and beyond. Celebrating his engineering genius and design creativity is at the heart of our Operation Spitfire for Schools project.

“We’re helping students understand what is possible in their futures and highlight examples of local people who have done amazing things.”

Debbie Whittingham, Regional Manager and Employee Director at JD Wetherspoons, said: “It is fantastic to have the opportunity to join in the celebrations for both the centenary of Stoke-on-Trent and Reginald Mitchell’s birthday celebrations. The Reginald Mitchell is a beautiful and historic building, and we are very proud to be able to honour his name and legacy.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to share a fun week of events and to celebrate this legend of a man. We want to show our pride in Stoke-on-Trent and its incredible legacy to the world as one of the great cities of the industrial revolution.

“This was thanks to the creative, hardworking and spirited people of this city who made it all happen.”

Events in The Reginald Mitchell pub

Monday 19 May: 7pm – History talk with local social media star ‘Jenna the Red Haired Stokie’. Small charge, all going to charity.

Wednesday 21 May: 11am – History talk in the upstairs bar area from local historian Mervyn Edwards. £5 entry ‘The lost pubs of Hanley’. ‘Why were they built and how did they survive so long? Who were the landlords and patrons associated with them – and how many do you remember?’

7pm – Film night. Battle of Britain to be shown on the big screen with a 1940s fancy dress competition. Prize for the best dressed.

Thursday 22 May: 7pm-9pm Pottery in the Pub. A pottery workshop hosted by the Clay Rooms. £30 per person (£5 going to Young Lives vs Cancer charity). Visit theclayrooms.co.uk to book. Free tea and coffee.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Rising heat, rising risk: managing forest fires in a warming world

Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Wildfires are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more destructive, stretching across continents, ecosystems, and communities.

In the 2023-2024 season, 3.9 million km² of land burned globally, with carbon emissions 16% above average. Major wildfire events included Canada’s worst season, with 150,000 km² burned and 232 thousand people evacuated, Greece’s largest wildfire on record (900 km²), and deadly fires in Hawaii and Chile, claiming over 200 lives, according to the State of Wildfires 2023-24: CAMS data support assessment – Copernicus. As we approach the 2025 fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, which typically runs from June to October, California has already faced devastating fires in January, outside the usual fire season.

This growing trend of longer and more intense fire seasons highlights that wildfires are no longer confined to a specific time of year, but are now a year-round global threat.

Wildfires are escalating into a global crisis, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, public health, and the climate. They worsen air pollution, increase carbon emissions, disrupt water supplies, and increase the risk of floods and landslides, compounding vulnerabilities in both rural and urban areas.

Recognizing this urgency, the UNECE/FAO Working Party on Forest Statistics, Economics and Management, a UN expert body that facilitates technical cooperation on forest data, management, and policy, and oversees expert teams working on these topics, brought together country delegates and experts to explore what is driving this crisis, what it is doing to our forests, and what can be done to manage it.

Fire is not always an enemy. It has long played a vital role in many forest ecosystems, clearing dead vegetation, recycling nutrients, and fostering diversity. Some forest types even depend on periodic burns to regenerate. When strategically managed, including through practices like controlling and prescribed burning, fire becomes a powerful tool to maintain healthy forests and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive wildfires.

The balance, however, is shifting. Driven primarily by climate change, wildfires are now pushing ecosystems to their limits. Longer dry seasons, hotter temperatures, and erratic weather are turning manageable fires into landscape-scale disasters.

As countries prepare for the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the session emphasized that wildfire risk must be integrated into climate strategies. Forests are a key line of defense against global warming, but only if they are protected and managed sustainably.

The session concluded with a clear message: a proactive, data-driven, and climate-smart approach is essential.

Stronger forest resilience measures are needed, including sustainable management, landscape restoration, and fuel load reduction through prescribed burns. Increased investment in firefighting capacity and improved land-use planning are also crucial to protect communities in fire-prone areas.

Experts highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration, citing initiatives like the Global Fire Management Hub and tools such as EFFIS and INForest to support data collection and evidence-based policies.

The path forward must recognize fire’s dual role: as both a threat and a tool in building resilient forest landscapes.

Resources and further reading

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: New York Times “Reporting” Fails to Mention ICE Arrests of Criminal Illegal Aliens Charged with Kidnapping, Assault, Firearms Offenses, and Theft

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

The New York Times story falsely paints a narrative that ICE targeted coffee workers—the truth is criminal illegal aliens were the targets

WASHINGTON – The New York Times story falsely painted a narrative that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeted illegal alien coffee workers in Hawaii. The truth is ICE targeted criminal illegal aliens and conducted unaccompanied minor welfare checks to ensure children are not being abused, trafficked or otherwise exploited.

“Our brave ICE agents conducted operations in Hawaii to protect communities from violent criminals who shouldn’t be in our country. The targets of the operation in Hawaii included criminal illegal aliens charged with kidnapping, assault, distribution of deadly drugs, domestic abuse, and theft,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Why does the New York Times continue to peddle false sob stories of criminal illegal aliens but ignore their victims? Completely leaving out the facts and rap sheets of criminals arrested shows the New York Times’s complete bias. This story was nothing but an attempt to mislead the public.”

Below are some of the criminal illegal aliens arrested in Hawaii that the New York Times failed to report:

On January 23, 2025, HSI Honolulu administratively arrested Rescue Suda, a citizen of the Marshall Islands. The Circuit Court of Hawaii County, Hawaii previously convicted Suda of Felony Assault. Suda was also arrested for kidnapping and terroristic threatening.

On February 25, 2025, HSI Honolulu arrested Navor Salas-Cruz, 52, a citizen of Mexico. Salas-Cruz was identified as being present in the United States after a prior order of removal. Salas-Cruz has multiple immigration encounters starting in 1996 including 2 prior removals and has a lengthy state criminal history ranging from assault, DWI, forgery, driving without a license, criminal contempt of court, family abuse. Federal charges include 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and 18 U.S.C § 922(g)(l) for one count of reentry of removed alien and one count of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

On January 25, 2025, HSI Honolulu arrested RJ Marsolo, a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia. The State of Hawaii, Circuit Court of the First Circuit, previously convicted Marsolo of assault in the first degree and assault in the third degree and sentenced him to a total of 10 years imprisonment.

On January 25, 2025, HSI Honolulu arrested Herman Faamausili, A citizen of Samoa. The United States District Court, District of Hawaii, previously convicted Faamausili of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and sentenced him to 70 months imprisonment. The immigration judge ordered Faamausili’s previous removal from the United States on September 15, 2021.

On January 26, 2025, HSI Honolulu arrested Heine a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Superior Court of Guam convicted JAI of theft by receiving, sentencing him to 5 years in prison, and assault, sentencing him to 1 year in prison. The immigration judge previously ordered JAI’s removal from the United States on April 16, 2020.

###

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Attack Military Base on Behalf of ISIS

Source: United States Attorneys General 1

A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested today after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization.

Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.

“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”

“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”

“The defendant allegedly tried to carry out an attack on a military facility in support of ISIS, which was disrupted thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to detect and stop terrorist plans aimed at the American homeland or at U.S. interests overseas.”

“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats.”

According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.

On May 13 – the scheduled day of the attack – Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.

Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Marshall Man Charged with Drug and Gun Offenses

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

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Marshall, Mo., man was indicted today with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction.

James Joseph Elsea, 62, was previously charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a criminal complaint filed in Jefferson City, Mo., on May 2, 2025. According to an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Pettis County officers served a “no knock” state search warrant at Elsea’s residence on May 2, 2025. An officer was attempting to cut through a security bar on the door when four rounds were fired at the officers from within the residence. Pettis County communications subsequently received a 911 call from Elsea, who stated that he had just shot someone. Two Pettis County deputies were injured by shots fired during the search warrant.

According to the affidavit, ATF agents responded to the scene and seized a Taurus model PT111 G2A (G2C), 9mm semi-automatic handgun, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. Agents also seized a Mossberg, model MC1SC, 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Elsea is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025

Category: Natural Disasters

Forecasting chaos

High-temperature haiku

Hidden psychological toll

The recovery gap

Defendants for Case Number 25cr1505

Summary of Charges

Dstl’s pivotal role in StormShroud uncrewed aircraft capability

Dstl’s contribution

Creating jobs and boosting the economy

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Widening scope

People and grasslands

A spotlight on photonics in Africa

Towards a brighter future

Widening scope

People and grasslands

A spotlight on photonics in Africa

Towards a brighter future

Today, Councillor Philip Crowe, the 696th Mayor of Preston, steps down from his role, making way for Councillor Sue Whittam, who will proudly take on the title of Madam Mayor.

Speaking fondly about that weekend, Councillor Crowe said:

Reflecting on his time as Mayor, Councillor Crowe said:

Councillor Crowe added: