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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Precise measurement standards have revolutionized museum science, helping nail down where artifacts are from

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Edward Vicenzi, Research Scientist, Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution

    Museums and their bountiful collections are research bastions. Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images

    On a cool February morning in 1904, a spark ignited a fire in the heart of downtown Baltimore. Within hours, a raging inferno swept eastward across the harbor district, consuming everything in its path. By evening, the local firefighters were overwhelmed, and the city sent telegrams to the fire chiefs of major Northeastern cities pleading for help in battling the blaze.

    Washington, Philadelphia and New York, along with other cities, responded quickly with dozens of engine companies. Yet when they arrived at the scene, many responders could not hook up to Baltimore’s hydrants since each city had its own threading standards to connect fire hoses.

    The fire resulted in damages of over US$3.5 billion in today’s dollars. It created a call for a national standard of threads for hoses and fire hydrant outlets. These standards now improve emergency responses across the country – and the same concept of standardization allows for consistency and replicability in scientific research.

    An illustration of the aftermath of the Great Baltimore Fire in February 1904.
    Fred Pridham/Wikimedia Commons

    In science, the ideal way to evaluate data is related to the concept driving the calls for uniform fire hose equipment. When scientists compare their results to those obtained in other laboratories, or with previously published data, the comparisons are most meaningful if all datasets were made with standardized practices and reference materials.

    Museum scientists like us provide compelling insights into the natural world, prehistory and historical culture heritage. Like that of many other scientists, our work, and the measurements we take day to day, depends upon standard references.

    Here we offer two fascinating stories from the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Conservation Institute that highlight how scientific measurement standards allow for exciting new discoveries:

    You are what you drink

    In 2007, the New Mexico Bureau of Reclamation exhumed the remains of dozens of Civil War-era soldiers from the ruins of Fort Craig. They had been left behind when the fort was abandoned in 1885.

    A historical view of Fort Craig, N.M.
    Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico, CC BY-NC-SA

    Anthropologists from the Smithsonian and the Bureau of Reclamation in New Mexico identified the remains as belonging to a diverse range of people – including a few dozen African American Buffalo Soldiers, a group that made up a relatively small percentage of the U.S. military at that time.

    Historical records tell researchers that most of the military units at Fort Craig mobilized out of Kentucky and Virginia, but official records don’t always tell the full story. The group of project scientists, which included one of us, Christine France, needed a way to confirm the origin of these individuals and restore some identity to these forgotten soldiers.

    The researchers decided to use stable isotope analysis on the bones. This technique counts the number of atoms of a particular element in the sample that have one or more extra neutrons – this is the “heavy” isotope – and compares it with the number of atoms that have a normal number of neutrons – this is the “light” isotope.

    Drinking water in southern latitudes has more naturally occurring heavy oxygen atoms compared with northern latitudes. If a soldier’s bones had a relatively high ratio of the heavy to the light oxygen atoms, that soldier likely spent more time drinking water from the South.

    Researchers have measured oxygen isotopes in other archaeological remains and in water all over North America, giving us a water “isotope map.” But matching the bone isotope values to the water map is like comparing apples to oranges, and every lab has subtle variations in its instruments. The scientists needed to normalize and calibrate the isotope ratios they had measured to a reference standard.

    In this case, the standard was the average oxygen isotope value of ocean water, a convention that stable isotope researchers agreed upon as a consistent and readily available value. The researchers now had a uniform way to say how many more – or fewer – heavy oxygen isotopes the bones contained compared to the ocean water standard.

    Other archaeology labs and the North American water isotope map use that same standard comparison, allowing them to directly compare all the bone isotope values to one another, and to the North American water isotope map.

    Ultimately, the method helped the team identify several soldiers who came from quite far away to join the company, including individuals who likely grew up in the mid-Atlantic, New England and Southeast.

    The exact circumstances that brought these soldiers together is lost to history. But the researchers’ ability to assign them geographic provenance with the help of reference standards gave them further insight into this pivotal time in U.S. history.

    Volcanic glass mirrors

    Humans have always been fascinated by looking at themselves in the mirror. In Mesoamerica – modern-day central and southern Mexico together with northern Central America – archaeologists have found convex round objects so finely polished that they have been termed mirrors.

    But instead of using them for vanity, shamans from ancient times likely used them as a tool to access portals to other dimensions.

    The oldest Preclassic mirrors (2000 BCE to 250 CE) were fashioned from polished iron ores, but later Postclassic period mirrors (900 CE to 1450 CE) were made from obsidian, a typically black silica-rich volcanic glass.

    The collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian contain six large, rectangular obsidian mirrors, purchased in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their labels state they come from the “Valley of Mexico.”

    Obsidian tablets, a view of both their front and back sides, found in the National Museum of the American Indian collections.
    NMAI, Martinez et al (2022)

    Archeologists rarely find rectangular obsidian mirrors like these at pre-Columbian dig sites. So, local artisans skilled in stone polishing likely made these unusually shaped objects upon request by Spanish invaders around the time of European contact. But which Mesoamerican culture did they come from?

    Scientists from the Museum Conservation Institute, including two of us, Thomas Lam and Edward Vicenzi, and a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, worked with staff at the National Museum of the American Indian on an effort to pinpoint which volcano created the obsidian in the mirrors.

    The location of the obsidian source would indicate whether the Aztecs who controlled eastern central Mexico, or the Purépecha who controlled an area west of the Aztecs, produced the objects, as both had ample sources of obsidian in their territories.

    To conduct such a study, the researchers required two types of reference materials: obsidian that had erupted from known volcanic locations, and a reference obsidian that scientists already knew the composition of to confirm the quality of the analysis.

    The first reference obsidians, from known locations, told the researchers about the differences in geochemistry of the volcanoes in central Mexico. That information allowed them to match the mirror analyses to the known volcanic location analyses and their map coordinates. The second reference obsidian served as a quality control specimen for the analysis.

    Museum Conservation Institute scientists used a nondestructive technique called X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to analyze ratios of elements in the obsidians. The process works by “exciting” atoms in the obsidian, and a spectrum of X-ray energies is given off as the atoms “relax.”

    Scientists analyzed the obsidian shards to see which elements were present in them in which ratios, and where in Mexico obsidian contained similar elements at similar ratios.
    Sharps et al. (2021)

    The results showed that all the specimens came from a region controlled by the Purépecha, not the Aztecs. The museum curators updated their records describing the mirrors to include this new information about their origin.

    Creating standards

    Standardized measurement procedures and reference materials play a central role in museum science. Organizations dedicated to rigorous measurement science, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal government agency, help create some of these standards and research new measurement procedures.

    Without their leadership, it would be far more difficult for researchers like us to produce high-quality data and discern the relationships between specimens in the natural and cultural heritage sciences. With quality measurement standards in our toolbox, we are finding new insights into human history and the natural world.

    Edward Vicenzi is a guest researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Material Measurement Laboratory.

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

    – ref. Precise measurement standards have revolutionized museum science, helping nail down where artifacts are from – https://theconversation.com/precise-measurement-standards-have-revolutionized-museum-science-helping-nail-down-where-artifacts-are-from-254025

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: New sidewalks and ground crossings will appear near the Teply Stan station

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The project for planning the street and road network near the Teply Stan metro station has been approved. The corresponding resolution was signed by Sergei Sobyanin.

    According to the project, over three kilometers of roads will be reorganized, Projected Driveways No. 1226 (from Mikhail Greshilov Street to Projected Driveway No. 5408) and 1229 will be built. In addition, Projected Driveways No. 1224 and 5408, sections of Profsoyuznaya and Mikhail Greshilov Streets (from Novoyasenevsky Prospekt to Projected Driveway No. 1226 in the direction of Golubinskaya Street) will be reconstructed.

    Modern bus stops will be installed for passengers of ground city transport. Additional sidewalks and ground crossings will be arranged for pedestrians, and bike paths for cyclists.

    The implementation of the planning project will improve transport services for the integrated development area, bounded by Profsoyuznaya, Golubinskaya streets and the Moscow Ring Road.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12953050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Monument to Russian metro builders to be erected on Sokolnicheskaya Square

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A monument to the “Metro Builders of Russia” will be erected on Sokolnicheskaya Square in the capital. The corresponding decree of the Moscow Government was signed Sergei Sobyanin.

    The monument will appear in the Moscow Metro square – next to Rusakovskaya Street, where in December 1931, in the courtyard of house 13, construction began on the first stage of the Moscow Metro from Sokolniki to Park Kultury, which opened in 1935.

    The front part of the composition will feature two dynamic figures: one will depict a metro builder from the 1930s, the other a modern representative of this profession, which is important for the city. Both figures will be placed in a niche resembling a metro tunnel, against the background of the Metrostroy emblem. The back of the monument will feature a map of the capital from 1935 with the first scheme of the Moscow metro.

    The design and production of the monument is planned to be completed in 2025.

     

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12954050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: China is ready to cooperate with Central Asian countries to defend international justice, counter hegemonism and power politics – Xi Jinping

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Xinhua | 17.06.2025

    Key words: China, Central Asia

    Source: Xinhua

    Lightning: China is ready to cooperate with Central Asian countries to safeguard international justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics – Xi Jinping Lightning: China is ready to cooperate with Central Asian countries to safeguard international justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics – Xi Jinping

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Security law anniversary session held

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    A sharing session for the social welfare sector on the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, jointly organised by the Government and Connecting Hearts, concluded today.

     

    The event was attended by about 300 management staff of social welfare organisations, with several thousand representatives from the social welfare sector joining it online.

     

    Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said at its ceremony that with the implementation of the National Security Law, the Labour & Welfare Bureau and the Social Welfare Department have enhanced the mechanisms such as including the requirement into relevant documents for the department’s subsidised and subvented services.

     

    This is to ensure non-governmental organisations’ compliance with the security law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in the delivery of services, he added.

     

    Mr Sun also mentioned the amendments of the Social Workers Registration Ordinance, which allow prompt and appropriate actions taken on registered social workers convicted of offences endangering national security.

     

    The labour chief said that upon the implementation of these enhancements, the social welfare sector not only showed a rising awareness of safeguarding national security but also integrated such awareness into the operation of their organisations, fully demonstrating that safeguarding national security is everyone’s responsibility.

     

    Mr Sun emphasised that the bureau and the department will continue to organise activities to promote national security education and patriotism in partnership with Connecting Hearts and encourage organisations providing subvented welfare services to make use of the dedicated fund to enhance their staff’s understanding of national affairs by arranging Mainland exchange tours and studies programmes.

     

    He highlighted the overwhelming response from social workers on the Thousands of Hong Kong Social Workers Exploring the Motherland & Hong Kong Social Work Teaching Staff Exploring the Motherland tours as clear indication of the sector’s wish to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the nation’s overall development.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: German chancellor’s rebuke of Israel marks a shift in state policy that has long put such criticism out of bounds

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Elisabeth Weber, Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepare to shake hands in Berlin on May 12, 2025. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    Friedrich Merz did something unprecedented for a German chancellor in late May 2025: publicly criticize Israel in unvarnished, unequivocal terms.

    “What the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip, I no longer understand the goal,” he said in a televised interview. He added, “To harm the civilian population in such a way … can no longer be justified as a fight against terrorism.”

    A day later, during a summit with prime ministers of Nordic countries in Finland, Merz doubled down. “I take a very, very critical view of what has happened in Gaza,” he said in reference to Israel’s bombing campaign and the blockade of food and other aid.

    Merz is not alone in the German government. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also weighed in, noting that Germany’s stance against antisemitism and its “full support” for the right of Israel to exist “must not be instrumentalized for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip.”

    Criticism by outside governments of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that killed close to 1,200 people has been present since the war in Gaza began. At first, it was largely confined to countries in the Global South. But more recently it has included countries in the West.

    Still, as a scholar of the Shoah – the Hebrew term for the Holocaust – I know that this rebuke from Germany hits differently. Post-war Germany has a long-standing political commitment to Israel’s security. It is a commitment rooted in the nation’s historical responsibility for the Nazis’ annihilation of European Jews and that has been staunchly reaffirmed by German governments since the 1952 agreement of reparations between the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, and the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion.

    ‘Staatsräson’ and its critics

    In 2008, then-chancellor Angela Merkel went so far as to call this commitment to Israel’s security Germany’s “Staatsräson,” or “reason of state.” In a speech she gave to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on March 18, 2008, Merkel emphasized that “only if Germany acknowledges its perpetual responsibility for the moral catastrophe of German history can we shape the future humanely.” She went on to assert that Germany’s “historic responsibility” is “part of my country’s raison d’état.” She added: “Israel’s security is never negotiable for me as German chancellor.”

    The argument that Israeli security is Germany’s “reason of state” was reiterated by Merkel’s successor, Olaf Scholz, during his visit to Israel on Oct. 17, 2023 – just 10 days after the Hamas attack. Standing next to Scholz, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Palestinian militant group “the new Nazis.”

    Tracing back the term’s origins and history, renowned historian Enzo Traverso recently noted that theorists and practitioners of “reason of state” agree that the concept “denotes the violation by a political power of its own ethical principles in service to a higher interest, generally the safeguarding of its own power.”

    The problem with Germany’s invocation of the “Staatsräson” as prioritizing the security of Israel above other concerns is that it implies defending policies even if they contravene Germany’s foundational ethical principles, such as those declared in its constitution. Article 1 asserts that the German people “acknowledge inviolable and inalienable human rights as the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world.”

    Such principles were born out of the recognition of the horrendous violation of human rights under the Nazi regime and the acknowledgment of Germany’s “perpetual responsibility,” as Merkel put it.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks ahead of a special session of the Israeli parliament on March 18, 2008.
    Sebastian Scheiner/Pool/Getty Images

    In Germany’s public discourse, as well as school curricula, the Shoah is always described as absolutely unique.

    But as Israeli-American genocide and Holocaust scholar Omer Bartov has argued, this assertion is also open to criticism:

    “Germany’s commitment to the uniqueness of the Holocaust, from which it also derives its unique commitment to Israel, has arguably put it in a morally highly dubious position of both long denying its own past colonial crimes [in Namibia] and of denying Israel’s culpability in the present destruction of Gaza, including the killing and starvation of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians.”

    Germany’s commitment to the uniqueness of the Shoah also leaves little room for an acknowledgment of the Nakba – the violent expulsion of around 800,000 Palestinians before, during and after the foundation of the state of Israel.

    And it leaves no room for a recognition of how both catastrophes, the Shoah and the Nakba, are, as Bartov insists, “inextricably entangled.”

    Antisemitism definitions — and their critics

    As a consequence of Germany’s responsibility for the Shoah and its commitment to its uniqueness, the country has some of the strictest laws to combat antisemitism in the world. But critics also note widespread conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel.

    Germany, like the United States,
    has adopted a definition of antisemitism authored in 2004 by American lawyer Kenneth Stern and espoused in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. That definition includes 11 examples of antisemitism, seven of which pertain to Israel.

    It has been criticized for being too vague, leading to the labeling of Jewish and non-Jewish people who oppose the current Israeli war in Gaza as “antisemitic.”

    Stern, who describes himself as Zionist, has sharply criticized the misuse of his definition to stifle academic freedom and criticism of the actions of the Israeli nation.

    In an article for the conservative Germany newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Israeli legal scholar Itamar Mann
    argued that Germany “needs a new definition of antisemitism.”

    He applauded the recent adoption, by the German leftist party Die Linke, of a separate definition of antisemitism laid out in the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Formulated in 2021 by more than 350 respected scholars, many of them Jewish, the declaration rejects labeling as antisemitic political speech that “criticizes or opposes Zionism as a form of nationalism.”

    Mann calls on the German government to implement policies to “protect all Jews, including those who … reject the current Israeli government and insist on a vocabulary that allows us to be Jewish and to criticize Israel.”

    A historic shift?

    The recent remarks of Merz may represent a subtle but sure shift in Germany’s “Staatsräson” and how it engages with its historical debt, Israel and antisemitism.

    And that may be a first step in moving away from a “Staatsräson” that, in the words of scholar of Middle Eastern politics Lena Obermaier, is “detrimental for Palestinians and progressive Jews” and gives Israel international cover when accused of massive violations of international law.

    What Merkel called Germany’s “perpetual responsibility for the moral catastrophe” of the Holocaust would, from my perspective as a scholar of the Shoah, demand nothing less.

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

    – ref. German chancellor’s rebuke of Israel marks a shift in state policy that has long put such criticism out of bounds – https://theconversation.com/german-chancellors-rebuke-of-israel-marks-a-shift-in-state-policy-that-has-long-put-such-criticism-out-of-bounds-258156

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Global: German chancellor’s rebuke of Israel marks a shift in state policy that has long put such criticism out of bounds

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Elisabeth Weber, Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepare to shake hands in Berlin on May 12, 2025. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

    Friedrich Merz did something unprecedented for a German chancellor in late May 2025: publicly criticize Israel in unvarnished, unequivocal terms.

    “What the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip, I no longer understand the goal,” he said in a televised interview. He added, “To harm the civilian population in such a way … can no longer be justified as a fight against terrorism.”

    A day later, during a summit with prime ministers of Nordic countries in Finland, Merz doubled down. “I take a very, very critical view of what has happened in Gaza,” he said in reference to Israel’s bombing campaign and the blockade of food and other aid.

    Merz is not alone in the German government. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also weighed in, noting that Germany’s stance against antisemitism and its “full support” for the right of Israel to exist “must not be instrumentalized for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip.”

    Criticism by outside governments of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that killed close to 1,200 people has been present since the war in Gaza began. At first, it was largely confined to countries in the Global South. But more recently it has included countries in the West.

    Still, as a scholar of the Shoah – the Hebrew term for the Holocaust – I know that this rebuke from Germany hits differently. Post-war Germany has a long-standing political commitment to Israel’s security. It is a commitment rooted in the nation’s historical responsibility for the Nazis’ annihilation of European Jews and that has been staunchly reaffirmed by German governments since the 1952 agreement of reparations between the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, and the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion.

    ‘Staatsräson’ and its critics

    In 2008, then-chancellor Angela Merkel went so far as to call this commitment to Israel’s security Germany’s “Staatsräson,” or “reason of state.” In a speech she gave to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on March 18, 2008, Merkel emphasized that “only if Germany acknowledges its perpetual responsibility for the moral catastrophe of German history can we shape the future humanely.” She went on to assert that Germany’s “historic responsibility” is “part of my country’s raison d’état.” She added: “Israel’s security is never negotiable for me as German chancellor.”

    The argument that Israeli security is Germany’s “reason of state” was reiterated by Merkel’s successor, Olaf Scholz, during his visit to Israel on Oct. 17, 2023 – just 10 days after the Hamas attack. Standing next to Scholz, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Palestinian militant group “the new Nazis.”

    Tracing back the term’s origins and history, renowned historian Enzo Traverso recently noted that theorists and practitioners of “reason of state” agree that the concept “denotes the violation by a political power of its own ethical principles in service to a higher interest, generally the safeguarding of its own power.”

    The problem with Germany’s invocation of the “Staatsräson” as prioritizing the security of Israel above other concerns is that it implies defending policies even if they contravene Germany’s foundational ethical principles, such as those declared in its constitution. Article 1 asserts that the German people “acknowledge inviolable and inalienable human rights as the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world.”

    Such principles were born out of the recognition of the horrendous violation of human rights under the Nazi regime and the acknowledgment of Germany’s “perpetual responsibility,” as Merkel put it.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks ahead of a special session of the Israeli parliament on March 18, 2008.
    Sebastian Scheiner/Pool/Getty Images

    In Germany’s public discourse, as well as school curricula, the Shoah is always described as absolutely unique.

    But as Israeli-American genocide and Holocaust scholar Omer Bartov has argued, this assertion is also open to criticism:

    “Germany’s commitment to the uniqueness of the Holocaust, from which it also derives its unique commitment to Israel, has arguably put it in a morally highly dubious position of both long denying its own past colonial crimes [in Namibia] and of denying Israel’s culpability in the present destruction of Gaza, including the killing and starvation of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians.”

    Germany’s commitment to the uniqueness of the Shoah also leaves little room for an acknowledgment of the Nakba – the violent expulsion of around 800,000 Palestinians before, during and after the foundation of the state of Israel.

    And it leaves no room for a recognition of how both catastrophes, the Shoah and the Nakba, are, as Bartov insists, “inextricably entangled.”

    Antisemitism definitions — and their critics

    As a consequence of Germany’s responsibility for the Shoah and its commitment to its uniqueness, the country has some of the strictest laws to combat antisemitism in the world. But critics also note widespread conflation of antisemitism with criticism of Israel.

    Germany, like the United States,
    has adopted a definition of antisemitism authored in 2004 by American lawyer Kenneth Stern and espoused in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. That definition includes 11 examples of antisemitism, seven of which pertain to Israel.

    It has been criticized for being too vague, leading to the labeling of Jewish and non-Jewish people who oppose the current Israeli war in Gaza as “antisemitic.”

    Stern, who describes himself as Zionist, has sharply criticized the misuse of his definition to stifle academic freedom and criticism of the actions of the Israeli nation.

    In an article for the conservative Germany newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Israeli legal scholar Itamar Mann
    argued that Germany “needs a new definition of antisemitism.”

    He applauded the recent adoption, by the German leftist party Die Linke, of a separate definition of antisemitism laid out in the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Formulated in 2021 by more than 350 respected scholars, many of them Jewish, the declaration rejects labeling as antisemitic political speech that “criticizes or opposes Zionism as a form of nationalism.”

    Mann calls on the German government to implement policies to “protect all Jews, including those who … reject the current Israeli government and insist on a vocabulary that allows us to be Jewish and to criticize Israel.”

    A historic shift?

    The recent remarks of Merz may represent a subtle but sure shift in Germany’s “Staatsräson” and how it engages with its historical debt, Israel and antisemitism.

    And that may be a first step in moving away from a “Staatsräson” that, in the words of scholar of Middle Eastern politics Lena Obermaier, is “detrimental for Palestinians and progressive Jews” and gives Israel international cover when accused of massive violations of international law.

    What Merkel called Germany’s “perpetual responsibility for the moral catastrophe” of the Holocaust would, from my perspective as a scholar of the Shoah, demand nothing less.

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

    – ref. German chancellor’s rebuke of Israel marks a shift in state policy that has long put such criticism out of bounds – https://theconversation.com/german-chancellors-rebuke-of-israel-marks-a-shift-in-state-policy-that-has-long-put-such-criticism-out-of-bounds-258156

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Fold Secures $250 Million Equity Purchase Facility Intended to Expand Bitcoin Treasury Holdings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fold Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLD) (“Fold” or the “Company”), the first publicly traded bitcoin financial services company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement for a $250 million equity purchase facility (“Facility”), with the net proceeds primarily intended to be used to acquire additional bitcoin for Fold’s corporate treasury.

    Pursuant to the Facility, the Company, in its sole discretion, has the right, but not the obligation, to issue and sell up to $250 million in newly issued shares of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”), subject to certain conditions, including that a registration statement covering the resale of the Common Stock be filed and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company is not required to use the Facility and controls the timing and amount of any drawdown on the Facility, subject to certain restrictions under the Facility. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the Facility, if any, primarily to acquire additional bitcoin for Fold’s corporate treasury.

    The offers and sales of the Common Stock issuable under the Facility will be made in a private placement in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder, and applicable state securities laws. The Company plans to file with the SEC a registration statement relating to the resale of the Common Stock issuable under the Facility. The Company cannot draw on the Facility, and the Common Stock may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time that the registration statement covering the resale of the Common Stock is declared effective by the SEC. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities.

    Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC, served as the exclusive placement agent to the Company in connection with the establishment of the Facility.

    About Fold

    Fold (NASDAQ: FLD) is the first publicly traded bitcoin financial services company, making it easy for individuals and businesses to earn, save, and use bitcoin. With over 1,490 BTC in its treasury, Fold is at the forefront of integrating bitcoin into everyday financial experiences. Through innovative products like the Fold App, Fold Credit Card, Fold Bitcoin Gift Card, and Fold Card, the Company is building the bridge between traditional finance and the bitcoin-powered future.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including statements regarding the Company’s management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, plans, prospects or strategies regarding the future, including the anticipated use of proceeds from the Facility. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Additionally, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “predict,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” or the negative or plural of these words, or other similar expressions that are predictions or indicate future events or prospects, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include the potential benefits of the Facility and Fold’s treasury strategy. These statements are based on assumptions and on the current expectations and beliefs of Fold’s management, in light of their respective experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and their potential effect on the Company, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate under the circumstances. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it has anticipated. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Fold. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including: (i) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; (ii) the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of Fold’s recent business combination; (iii) the effect of the consummation of the business combination on Fold’s business relationships, performance, and business generally; (iv) the ability to implement business plans and other expectations after the completion of the business combination, and identify and realize additional opportunities; (v) the risk of downturns, new entrants and a changing regulatory landscape in the highly competitive industry in which Fold operates; (vi) Fold’s inability to satisfy the conditions precedent to the use of the Facility on a timely basis, if at all; (vii) the failure of Fold’s counterparty under the Facility to perform under the Facility on a timely basis, if at all; and (viii) those factors discussed in Fold’s filings with the SEC. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the management’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those presented in these forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ are discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” and in other sections of the filings of the Company with the SEC, and in the current and periodic reports filed or furnished by the Company from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based on the information available to the Company and its management team as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

    For investor inquiries, please contact:

    Orange Group
    Samir Jain, CFA
    FoldIR@orangegroupadvisors.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Locus Technologies Integrates with the Latest USGS Produced Water Database

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The enriched software drives contextual business intelligence for the oil and gas industry 

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Locus Technologies, the sustainability and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) compliance software leader, announced its new integration with the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Produced Waters Geochemical Database, simplifying compliance reporting for the oil and gas sector and enabling benchmarking against independent, scientifically validated data. Through this integration, geochemical records and water-related data from oil and gas wells across major U.S. basins—particularly those associated with hydraulic fracking—will be available to users of Locus Environmental Information Management (EIM) software, Locus GIS+, Locus Platform, and the company’s Produced Water App. The integration enriches geospatial analysis and accelerates strategic planning, placing an organization’s operational compliance and analytical data in the context of 100+ years of aggregated government records and 28 years of anonymized Locus data.

    “This is a game changer for oil and gas companies as they responsibly manage produced water,” said Neno Duplan, founder and CEO of Locus Technologies. “We are positioning enterprises to focus their resources on substantive action plans rather than on aggregating siloed information. By leveraging open data intelligently, Locus continues to lead in delivering not just software—but the knowledge and context our customers need to succeed in today’s ESG- and CSRD-driven landscape.”

    Locus software users tap chemistry sampling results from produced water and other deep formations from as early as 1905. The data spans 155 parameters, including metals, volatiles, gases, salts, radionuclides, and field readings, from 113,135 locations across the US and southern Canada. The publicly available dataset, released by USGS in December 2023, is the latest compilation and includes well descriptions, dates, rock properties, physical properties of the water, organic chemistry, and much more.

    “It’s incredibly powerful, enabling customers to instantly generate visualizations of their data compared to USGS by region, depth, and chemistry, define regional chemical profiles and reuse thresholds, or flag anomalies in water quality trends – in seconds,” said Duplan. “We’ve aggregated the largest curated dataset available for AI and machine learning in the oil and gas water quality domain, and our integrated AI tools yield unprecedented insight and predictive power for Locus customers to manage their water metrics and quality.”

    To learn more about Locus software and this integration, please visit http://www.locustec.com.

    About Locus Technologies
    Locus Technologies, the global environmental, social, governance (ESG), sustainability, and EHS compliance software leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to be credible with ESG reporting. From 1997, Locus pioneered enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) for EHS compliance, water management, and ESG credible reporting. Locus apps and software solutions improve business performance by strengthening risk management and EHS for organizations across industries and government agencies. Organizations ranging from medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises, such as Sempra, Corteva, Chevron, DuPont, Chemours, San Jose Water Company, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port of Seattle, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, have selected Locus. Locus is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For further information regarding Locus and its commitment to excellence in SaaS solutions, please visit http://www.locustec.com or email info@locustec.com.

    Media Contact:
    Brenda Mahedy
    Locus Technologies
    media@locustechnologies.net 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Värde Launches Fund Finance Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Värde Partners, a leading global alternative investment firm specializing in credit and credit-related assets, today announced the launch of its fund finance platform.

    Building on Värde’s broader asset-based finance strategy, the platform is an extension of Värde’s capabilities designed to address the increased demand for subscription lines (“sublines”) and other fund finance-related products. The firm’s fund finance strategy aims to support bank origination through natural distribution channels in addition to meeting borrower demands for more structured financing solutions, both of which will expand lending capacity to the market.

    Värde launches its fund finance platform with $300 million of strategic equity capital from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), through subsidiaries of CPPIB Credit Investments Inc., in addition to other Värde-dedicated capital. The platform has already closed a forward flow agreement with a large global bank to bolster the bank’s subline origination capacity.

    Brad Bauer, Managing Partner and CEO of Värde, said: “We deeply appreciate the support and collaboration of our longstanding partners as we developed the infrastructure to expand this offering to the broader market. The launch of this platform enables us to expand our relationships with bank partners while creating exposure to what we believe to be an attractive investment opportunity.”

    Missy Dolski, Global Head of Fund Finance and Capital Markets at Värde, said: “We see the rising demand for fund finance products as creating a durable, highly scalable opportunity as private capital and, therefore, fund financing needs continue to grow. The emergence of non-traditional long-term capital providers into the over $1 trillion subline lending market is a transformative development in a space that has not had a significant capital markets solution which we believe ultimately benefits underlying borrowers.”

    David Colla, Managing Director, Head of Capital Solutions Group at CPP Investments, said: “As demand for fund financing grows, we view subline lending markets as a compelling opportunity for investors like CPP Investments with long-term capital available for deployment. This transaction is an important and strategic step in building a strong partnership with Värde, who brings expertise in this space, and we look forward to working with them to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for the benefit of CPP contributors and beneficiaries.”

    Värde has over 30 years of experience investing in private credit markets, including originating bespoke financing solutions through contractual cash flow lending and forward flow financing. Värde is also an experienced investor in significant risk transfer (“SRT”) transactions and other private capital solutions in partnership with banks. Since 2008, Värde has deployed $13 billion through its asset-based finance strategy.

    About Värde Partners
    Värde Partners is a leading global investment firm specializing in credit and credit-related assets. Founded in 1993, the firm has invested more than $100 billion across the credit quality and liquidity spectrum and currently manages $17 billion in assets. With local investment teams and partnerships in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, Värde invests across private and public markets with a focus on real estate, asset-based finance and corporate credit. For more information, please visit www.varde.com.

    About CPP Investments
    Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments™) is a professional investment management organization that manages the Fund in the best interest of the more than 22 million contributors and beneficiaries of the Canada Pension Plan. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, investments are made around the world in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, New York City, San Francisco, São Paulo and Sydney, CPP Investments is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm’s length from governments. At December 31, 2024, the Fund totalled C$699.6 billion. For more information, please visit www.cppinvestments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or on X @CPPInvestments.

    Media Contacts

    Värde Partners
    communications@varde.com

    CPP Investments
    Frank Switzer, Public Affairs & Communications
    T: +1 416 523 8039
    fswitzer@cppib.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Built for Africa: Trinasolar Showcases Weather-Resilient Solar + Storage Solutions at Africa Energy Forum

    With over 1 gigawatt of solar equipment supplied in South Africa in the past year, Trinasolar (www.Trinasolar.com) returns to the Africa Energy Forum (AEF) reaffirming its position as a long-term partner in Africa’s clean energy journey. At this year’s event in Cape Town, the company is spotlighting its next-generation solar and battery storage solutions, designed to withstand extreme weather, harsh environmental conditions, and evolving grid demands across the continent.

    “As the energy crisis and climate volatility continue to impact South Africa and the broader African region, Trinasolar is focused on delivering real solutions that enable long-term energy security,” said Vincent Wu, Global Sales Vice President and MEA MU Head at Trinasolar. “Our high-efficiency PV modules and advanced energy storage systems are engineered to meet the challenging realities on the ground. Through our presence at AEF, we’re reinforcing our commitment to supporting Africa’s transition to a greener, more stable energy future; one built on innovation, resilience, and strategic collaboration.”

    Taking centre stage is the launch of the Vertex N 630W (NED19RC.20), Trinasolar’s newest ultra-durable solar module. Tailored for Africa’s diverse and often unpredictable conditions, the module features reinforced mechanical design, anti-dust and corrosion-resistant components, and a record-breaking 55 mm hail resistance rating, which is more than double the industry standard.

    Certified for fire safety and built to perform in environments rich in salt, ammonia, and sand, the module delivers a maximum power output of 630W and up to 23.3% efficiency. Its low-voltage, high-string design is compatible with leading inverters, while reducing system costs and installation time for commercial and utility-scale developers.

    “We’re seeing strong momentum across the region, especially in the commercial, industrial, and utility-scale sectors where innovation and ease of installation matter,” said Zaheer Khan, Regional Director for South Africa, Trinasolar MEA. “Installers and partners are drawn to solutions like the Vertex N 630W, not just for its performance, but because it addresses real operational challenges in tough environments.

    “In just the past year, Trinasolar has delivered over a gigawatt of technology solar equipment in South Africa alone,” Khan added. “It’s a milestone that reflects our growing footprint, trusted relationships, and long-term commitment to the region. And we’re just getting started.”

    Trinasolar’s growing Africa portfolio includes solar modules, smart tracker systems, energy storage solutions, and floating PV technologies. These offerings are designed to meet the continent’s diverse energy needs with quality, flexibility, and integration at the core. With local presence in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and warehouse facilities in Durban that maintain 10–20 megawatts of stock for quick nationwide delivery, Trinasolar supports rapid deployment across the region. Its expanding footprint includes commercial engagement in Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, and other strategic markets.

    Over the past decade, Trinasolar has played a key role in shaping South Africa’s solar market—driving utility-scale projects, enabling C&I growth, and supporting the country’s path toward decentralisation and clean energy. As Africa’s energy transition accelerates, Trinasolar remains focused on scaling integrated systems, expanding local talent and operations, and collaborating closely with governments, utilities, and private sector partners to deliver long-term energy resilience.

    Trinasolar will be exhibiting at Booth B15 at the Africa Energy Forum in Cape Town from 17–20 June, where its senior team will be available for business meetings and stakeholder discussions.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Trinasolar.

    For media inquiries please contact:
    Mariam Agag – PR Manager, Trinasolar MEA
    Email: mariam.agag@trinasolar.com

    Lojayne Mohsen – Senior Consultant, Fekra Communications
    Email: lojayne.mohsen@fekracomms.com

    David Gyampo, Account Manager – Razor PR
    Email: david.gyampo@razorpr.co.za

    About Trinasolar (688599. SH):
    Founded in 1997, Trinasolar Co Ltd (stock symbol: Trinasolar; stock code: 688599) is engaged mainly in PV products, PV systems and smart energy. PV products include R&D, production and sales of PV modules. PV systems consist of power stations and system products. Smart energy comprises mainly PV power generation and operations and maintenance, smart solutions for energy storage, smart microgrid, and development and sales of multi-energy systems. We are committed to leading the way in smart PV and energy storage solutions and facilitating the transformation of new power systems for a net-zero future.

    On June 10, 2020, Trinasolar was listed on the Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR Market) of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). It was the first PV and energy storage company to go public on the STAR Market providing PV products and systems, as well as smart energy. For more information, please visit www.Trinasolar.com.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How Birmingham will benefit from the Government’s Spending Review

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Access to more affordable homes, increased funding for schools and their pupils, and investment in Birmingham’s transport networks are among the Chancellor’s spending priorities.

    These headlines come from the Government’s Spending Review, which unveiled on 11 June, outlining their spending plans for the next three years.

    Finance officers are assessing what the Chancellor’s announcement means for the council’s own finances and services and the picture will become clearer later in the year.

    Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I welcome this Spending Review, and I’m encouraged the Chancellor has included funding for projects like the extension of the West Midlands Metro into East Birmingham, which will bring with it hundreds of jobs.

    “Working closely with West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, we are ambitious for Birmingham and its people, and we need a government that matches those ambitions – so I am glad to see investment in education, children and young people are among those key spending priorities,

    “With the right support, cities like Birmingham can unlock growth and tackle inequalities that continue to hold too many people back – and the Government’s commitment to invest £39 billion in affordable housing is also key to this. This funding will transform the lives of so many people.”

    In Birmingham – one of the youngest cities in Europe – children will benefit from the £4.7 billion committed to spending on schools, up by £2 billion – to improve facilities and opportunities in education by 2028/29.

    There will also be investment in amenities and activities for young people, which in Birmingham could translate into revitalising local facilities. This is part of a new Local Growth Fund and an additional Mayoral Growth Fund to help cities deliver on the Government’s Growth Mission.

    In addition £410 million will be spent on extending the Free School Meals scheme to all pupils with a parent receiving Universal Credit. This comes on top of the council’s ongoing work to auto-enrol children across the city who qualify for free school meals, but have not applied for them.

    Meanwhile school breakfast clubs will be open to all children – to ensure their school day gets off to a good start.

    Housing features highly in this Spending Review – with a £39 billion commitment to increase the provision of affordable housing across the country over the next decade.

    Being able to access this funding will help Birmingham City Council tackle the city’s housing crisis – by improving access to safe, decent and affordable housing, to those most in need.

    Extending the West Midlands Metro through East Birmingham – connecting the Birmingham Sports Quarter and investment in West Midland Rail Hub will all help create thousands of jobs and opportunities for local business as part of our ambitious inclusive growth agenda for East Birmingham.

    This investment in key infrastructure will help to deliver Birmingham’s Sports Quarter – which will be home to Birmingham City FC’s new stadium.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Lufthansa honored with World Airline Awards 2025

    Source: Lufthansa Group

    Lufthansa is the world’s most family-friendly airline. This prize from the World Airline Awards 2025 was presented today by the market research institute Skytrax at the Paris Air Show. The Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt was also named the world’s best First Class Lounge. Austrian Airlines and Eurowings also received one of the coveted prizes – the award for “Best Airline Staff in Europe” went to Austrian Airlines in Vienna and Eurowings was named “Best Low Cost Airline in Europe”. Skytrax, a market research institute specializing in aviation, had previously surveyed 22.3 million passengers from well over 100 countries worldwide.

    “Lufthansa attaches great importance to ensuring that all guests on board feel comfortable with us – from Economy to First Class. I am therefore particularly pleased that we have received the award for the world’s most family-friendly airline and at the same time for the best First Class lounge,” says Heiko Reitz, Chief Customer Officer Lufthansa Airlines. “Above all, Lufthansa’s unsurpassed hospitality is also premium. In particular, our colleagues in the cabin, cockpit and on the ground can be very proud today. They are the ones who fulfill our promise of quality day after day.”

     

    Traveling with children  

    Lufthansa attaches great importance to ensuring that its youngest guests also feel comfortable on board. The airline therefore offers specially created kids’ menus prepared by the chefs at Gate Gourmet. The menus belong to the “Special Meals” category and can be pre-ordered by passengers free of charge up to 24 hours before departure. The offer applies to all classes on long-haul flights and to Business Class on short-haul flights.

    The trays are lovingly designed with colorful illustrations of the Lufthansa mascots “Lu” and “Cosmo” and the menu card invites young passengers to puzzle and color while they playfully learn how an airplane flies.

    Lufthansa has also introduced a new range of children’s toys on board. From cloud-shaped cuddly blankets for toddlers to puzzles and the game “City, Country, Flight”, there is something for every taste and every age. There is also a portfolio of coloring pages featuring Lu and Cosmo, which can be accessed via the Lufthansa eJournals homepage. Young passengers will also find magazines for children and teenagers in various languages. The in-flight entertainment program for children includes a large selection of films, series, music, audio books and podcasts. Children can also look forward to special amenity kits and, from summer 2025, new year-round “Best Friend” children’s boarding passes.

     

    Travel in Lufthansa First Class

    The separate First Class terminal in Frankfurt with limousine transfer directly to the aircraft and personal assistant, which has been named the best First Class lounge in the world, is emblematic of Lufthansa’s premium offering.

    Since the beginning of the year, traveling in Lufthansa’s top class has become even more exclusive. The new Lufthansa Allegris First Class on long-haul aircraft can be experienced in the summer timetable on flights from Munich to San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, Shanghai and Bengaluru and sets new standards with two individual suites and the extraordinary Suite Plus: guests can heat or cool their almost one meter wide seats in the individual suites according to their personal needs. The separate cabins with ceiling-high walls and lockable door, large table and wide seat, a living room-sized screen and wireless “over-ear” headphones define a new standard in comfort and individuality. Generous storage space is provided by a personal wardrobe in the suite, so that travelers can change comfortably and have all their personal items to hand. Individual lamps allow travelers to create their very own feel-good atmosphere.

    The Suite Plus double cabin, the only one of its kind in the world, creates a special travel experience with two wide seats that can be combined to form a comfortable double bed if required. The flying private room impresses with maximum comfort and individuality. The Suite Plus offers maximum exclusivity for the single passenger and the unique opportunity to use the double cabin as a couple.

    The new First Class is part of a major Lufthansa premium offensive. Among other things, First Class guests can also look forward to renovated First Class check-in areas in Frankfurt (from late summer) and Munich as well as the newly designed First Class Lounge at Munich Airport.

     

    Skytrax

    The survey was conducted by the market research institute Skytrax. It evaluated the airlines’ in-flight offers and services at the airports. Skytrax has been conducting the annual passenger survey since 1999. All detailed results of the World Airlines Awards can be found at www.worldairlineawards.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SARS clamps down on non-compliance in the fuel industry

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is working with other law enforcement agencies to combat illicit fuel trade, which costs the fiscus approximately R3.6 billion per year.

    In the past four months, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has carried out several interventions.

    A joint intelligence team, comprising SARS and South African Police Service (SAPS) officials, has identified 23 targets across Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

    In addition, 13 criminal cases were registered with SAPS, supported by SARS trade investigators, for customs and excise contraventions, and fraud. 

    “The intelligence-driven joint enforcement interventions included search-and-seizure operations targeting certain fuel storage facilities and depots, as well as random sampling of tanker transport to test the fuel viscosity and composition. In some cases, adulterated diesel – analysed in these investigations – had up to 68% paraffin content,” SARS said.

    Over the past decade, countries along the Maputo Corridor (South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique) have become primary targets of the illicit fuel trade, which is driven by organised criminal networks that smuggle and illegally adulterate fuel. 

    SARS has established that some importers declare fuel amounting to 40 000 litres or less, whereas investigations reveal that up to 60 000 litres of fuel are actually imported. 

    “This is called under-declaration and documents are falsified to perpetuate this fraudulent activity. SARS has also detected a national trend, where many of the fuel-storage and distribution depots are involved in the adulteration of all fuel products, especially through illegal mixing of diesel with paraffin.

    “Fuel adulteration costs the fiscus approximately R3.6 billion per year, according to statistics by the International Trade Administration Commission,” SARS said.

    Faced with such carefully planned criminality, government agencies are working together more closely to detect, prevent and combat fuel adulteration, and enforce the Customs and Excise Act. 

    SARS noted that the illicit economy is a global phenomenon that threatens South Africa’s society, economy, and national security.

    “Tax evasion, smuggling, illegal transactions, illicit manufacturing and fraud undermine the rule of law, erode public trust, distort markets, deprive governments of revenue, and enable corruption and organised crime. 

    “The pervasiveness of these illicit activities in our country demands that all enforcement agencies work jointly to curb their harmful practices. The illicit economy is complex and requires a whole-of-government response among public entities, the private sector, civil society, and international partners,” SARS said.

    SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter expressed his appreciation to the SARS and SAPS teams and other government departments for their untiring efforts to detect, combat and prevent the scourge of the illicit economy. 

    “The criminal syndicates engaged in these brazen acts have become emboldened to act callously, with no restraint, in pursuit of their rapacious and criminal gains.

    “These syndicates can only underestimate our resolve to eradicate this criminality at their peril. These acts threaten the very foundation of our society. Our message is clear: we will spare no efforts to crush them,” the Commissioner said.

    Kieswetter said State agencies will collaborate and work within the law to confront illicit trade. 

    The joint intelligence team also found the following:

    • 953 515 litres of contaminated diesel fuel.
    • Six fuel depots that were in contravention of Sec. 37 of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964, as amended.
    • Assets and contaminated fuel to the value of R367 274 330, leading to further investigation, and criminal and civil liabilities.
    • Two so-called fuel “washrooms”, one of which is a rare mobile “washroom” fitted on a transport truck, used to remove paraffin markers.
    • Twelve fuel transport trucks, which were identified after suspected false declaration on importation of an average of 15 000 litres of fuel per tanker. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems join Culham fusion hub

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems join Culham fusion hub

    UKAEA’s Culham Campus welcomes Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems as its latest tenants.

    Culham Campus site in Oxfordshire – Image Credit: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

    Two pioneering companies, Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems, have joined the growing cluster of fusion technology and AI organisations at United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Culham Campus.

    The arrival of Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems marks another significant step in the evolution of Culham Campus as a community of like-minded people. The site has organisations across sectors including fusion energy, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and computing, supporting the UK’s ambition to lead the global quest for commercial fusion energy.

    Kyoto Fusioneering, a leading developer of fusion technologies, and Astral Systems, a leader in compact fusion innovations, bring cutting-edge capability to Culham, enhancing the dynamic ecosystem of science and technology tenants already based on site.

    Tim Bestwick, Deputy CEO, UKAEA, said:

    We are delighted to welcome Kyoto Fusioneering and Astral Systems to Culham Campus. Their presence demonstrates the growing momentum in the UK’s fusion technology sector and the strength of our innovation ecosystem. Culham is not just the home of the UK’s fusion programme – it is the UK’s first AI Growth Zone and is fast becoming the go-to location for industry, academia and investors focusing on high technology innovation.

    Richard Pearson, Co-founder and Chief Innovator at Kyoto Fusioneering, added:

    Being part of the Culham Campus community is an important milestone for Kyoto Fusioneering. Culham represents a world-class environment for fusion innovation, and we are excited to contribute our expertise and collaborate with the brilliant minds here to help realise a fusion-powered future.

    Talmon Firestone, Co-founder and CEO, Astral Systems, said:

    Securing space at Culham Campus marks another important step in deepening our relationship with UKAEA. With its world-class facilities and collaborative environment, Culham is the ideal home for our work on the Small-Scale Experiment for Tritium Breeding (SSETB) and future Fusion Futures initiatives. We’re excited to grow our presence here and continue contributing to the UK’s fusion ecosystem.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from the Ministry of Defence to pave way for 1,300 new homes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from the Ministry of Defence to pave way for 1,300 new homes

    Planning permission has been granted by North Yorkshire council for the new homes as part of a phased development plan

    Credit: Aecom

    Homes England and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have today confirmed that land at Ripon Barracks, a military site scheduled for closure, will be developed into 1,300 new homes following a sale between the two public sector organisations.

    The homes will be surrounded by natural green spaces and complemented by a new primary school, community centre and retail area to create a vibrant new community. 

    In March, the site was named as part of a trailblazer approach to development on public sector land, with a changed cross-government approach to MoD land providing a blueprint for accelerating housebuilding. A ‘tripartite taskforce’ of MoD, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and HM Treasury is working to deliver further planning changes

    The plans have been made possible by extensive collaboration work between Homes England, MoD, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Army Basing and Infrastructure Directorate, as part of the new trailblazer approach, with teams in all organisations working cooperatively to unlock the publicly owned site for housing delivery. The sale of Ripon Barracks is part of the MoD’s Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) portfolio, which includes investing in key military infrastructure and releasing sites that are no longer needed by the MoD.  

    The development will be delivered in phases, with initial work beginning at the vacant Deverell Barracks site to provide the first 150 new homes. The remaining areas – Claro Barracks, Laver Banks, and the former Engineering Park – will be developed following the scheduled departure of the Royal Engineers to the nearby Marne Barracks in Catterick.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary for Housing Angela Rayner, said: 

    Unlocking underused public land like Ripon Barracks is exactly the kind of practical action people want to see, and a crucial part of tackling the housing crisis we face.  

    By working with Homes England as a key delivery partner, we’re making a real difference for people in North Yorkshire by creating vibrant communities and driving economic growth. This marks another step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million homes in our Plan for Change.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: 

    We are delivering on our promise to create a new, trailblazer approach to the use of public land and unlock homeownership for working families in North Yorkshire and beyond. We are working together to speed up planning permissions and housebuilding plans. This is a truly cross-government effort to remove blockers, deliver homes and boost growth in support of our Plan for Change. 

    Alongside this, we are investing more than £7 billion this Parliament on improving accommodation for military personnel and their families, providing them the standard of living they truly deserve.

    Homes England will act as the master developer for Ripon Barracks and will coordinate delivery of the essential infrastructure needed before construction can begin. This includes the planning of site-wide drainage, supporting road networks, and other key enabling works.  

    Homes England and the MoD will work together to honour the site’s military past through appreciative design, landscaping, and interpretive elements within the new community. Core design principles will preserve and integrate notable historical features of the site, such as the linear parade ground layout and the original footpath network. 

    Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:  

    This milestone achievement is the result of government bodies uniting to drive forward this government’s mission of building 1.5 million homes this parliament. By combining MoD’s land assets with Homes England’s planning and development expertise, we’ve unlocked a site with a historic past which we’re determined will shape the development’s future.

    Deputy Head of Major Disposals for DIO, Robert Smith, said:  

    This is an important milestone in bringing forward Ripon Barracks for redevelopment and is testament to the strong collaboration between all partners involved. Ripon Barracks has a rich history and this is an excellent example of how sites that are no longer needed by the military can be unlocked to bring real benefits to the local community.

    Notes to editors: 

    1. Under current DEO Army plans, 21 Engineer Regiment will move from Claro Barracks into Marne Barracks in Catterick where they will co-locate with 32 Engineer Regiment and 5th Regiment Royal Artillery in a mixture of refurbished and modern purpose-built buildings. 

    2. As well as delivering new and refurbished accommodation for over 40,000 military personnel and their families, the Defence Estate Optimisation Portfolio will also deliver new and refurbished technical, training and office space for over 64,000 MOD personnel. 

    3. DEO is on target to release enough surplus MOD land for over 32,000 new homes to be built across the country, as well as a range of community enhancing construction projects including schools, offices, shops, parks and open green spaces. 

    4. Defence Estate Optimisation is the single biggest estates change programme within Defence, bringing together an ambitious portfolio of interdependent programmes, construction activity, unit and personnel moves, and land release. www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-estate-optimisation-deo-portfolio 

    5. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) was formed in 2011 as the Ministry of Defence’s estates arm, supporting the armed forces to enable military capability by planning, building, maintaining, and servicing infrastructure.  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-infrastructure-organisation 

    About Homes England 

    We are the government’s housing and regeneration Agency, and we’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.  

    We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built. 

    Learn more about us: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about 

    Press Office Contact Details 

    Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk 

    Phone: 0207 874 8262

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Great British Energy Lands Deal to Deliver Offshore Wind Jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Great British Energy Lands Deal to Deliver Offshore Wind Jobs

    Britain’s workers in industrial heartlands such as Teesside, Scotland, South Wales and East Anglia to benefit from a deal for the country’s industrial renewal.

    • Britain’s workers and industries supported as Energy Secretary and Great British Energy announce a major public-private deal to drive investment into offshore wind jobs.
    • Great British Energy’s initial investment of £300 million to catalyse a further £700 million from industry and The Crown Estate, taking the total pot to £1 billion as part of the Industrial Strategy.
    • Comes as Clean Industry Bonus allocations are confirmed, as government turbocharges delivery of clean energy jobs and growth through the Plan for Change.

    Britain’s workers in industrial heartlands such as Teesside, Scotland, South Wales and East Anglia are set to benefit from a major deal crowding in investment for the country’s industrial renewal.

    The government and Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly owned clean power company, have today (17 June) joined forces with industry and The Crown Estate to invest £1 billion in offshore wind supply chains. This will secure Britain’s renewal through manufacturing facilities and skilled well-paid jobs, delivering on government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

    Investment comes after the Spending Review confirmed the biggest programme of investment in homegrown energy in history and forms part of the government’s Industrial Strategy – which will include clean energy industries – sending a clear signal to the world to ‘Build it in Britain’.

    This investment will power the next generation of offshore wind in Britain, supporting British innovation from blueprint to blade. By backing the manufacturing of turbines, floating platforms, HVDC cables, and cutting-edge technologies, alongside upgrading vital port infrastructure from Leith and Teesside to Great Yarmouth and Port Talbot. This investment will unlock thousands of jobs, kickstarting growth in coastal communities and industrial towns, and secure a cleaner, more independent energy future for Britain.

    The funding is made up of:

    • £300 million announced by Great British Energy in April, which provides upfront public investment to crowd in funding from the private sector into Britain’s industrial regions.
    • £400 million from The Crown Estate, intended to support new infrastructure, including ports, supply chain manufacturing and research and testing facilities.
    • £300 million being developed by the offshore wind industry to match fund government through the Industrial Growth Plan, to deliver new investments into supply chains such as advanced turbines technologies and foundations and substructures.

    This takes the pot to £1 billion, building the industries of the future in Britain, such as floating offshore wind, and securing the UK as an attractive investment destination for international investors and existing UK companies. 

    Funding will support thousands of additional jobs – from the electricians manufacturing the turbines and blades to the engineers responsible for the construction and maintenance of wind farms. The government is giving long-term industrial certainty to hardworking British people as part of the Plan for Change.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    This is an unprecedented collaboration between public and private investors with Great British Energy crowding in millions of private sector investment from industry and The Crown Estate, to ensure that British companies and workers win the global race for clean energy.

    We are witnessing the coming of age of Britain’s green industrial revolution as we build this new era of clean energy abundance, helping deliver new jobs, energy security and lower household’s bills through our Plan for Change.

    Great British Energy Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:

    Today’s announcement highlights the unique role Great British Energy can play in the market. By providing state-backed, catalytic investment, we can deliver on our remit to crowd-in investment, giving much needed certainty to developers and investors in the clean energy sector. GBE will continue to support domestic supply chains, driving sustainable economic growth for all corners of the UK.

    RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said:

    A concerted focus from industry and Government on growing the offshore wind industry’s supply chain in the UK could deliver an extra 10,000 jobs between now and 2035, boosting the UK’s economy by £25 billion. Our sector is stepping up, working closely with the Energy Secretary and the Crown Estate to create new opportunities for manufacturing high-value goods like turbine towers, blades, foundations and cables, and providing high quality jobs building, operating and maintaining offshore wind farms.

    Our ambition is to transform quaysides around our coastline into clusters of global excellence in offshore wind, bringing new jobs and investment to communities which often badly need economic renewal.

    Richard Sandford, Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council, said;

    Growing our supply will avoid the kind of bottlenecks that push up costs and cause delays, so it is good for developers, consumers and our Clean Power Mission. We are working to match the Government’s funding to support a homegrown supply chain, and drive long-term sector growth. It’s vital that industry and Government keep working together to remove barriers so that we can get more capacity through clean power auctions and more funding to the supply chain.

    Gus Jaspert CMG, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate, said:

    The power of offshore wind is not just in secure, green energy, but also in the opportunity to create jobs, investment and support economic growth across the country.  As our ambition on renewable energy grows, so too does our ambition to grow the UK’s supply chain and infrastructure.  Scaling up investment in our domestic supply chain will propel the UK towards its clean energy goals and take our world-leading sector to the next level, supporting thousands more jobs and creating an increasingly attractive environment for investors.

    The funding comes as Great British Energy have announced that leading public finance and investment institutions have come together to accelerate the deployment of funding, supporting domestic supply chain development for offshore wind projects.

    Great British Energy will bring together the National Wealth Fund, The Scottish National Investment Bank, The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland and The Development Bank of Wales, agreeing to develop a unified public finance ‘ecosystem’ to build Britain’s offshore wind supply chains.

    The government will also allocate up to £544 million from its Clean Industry Bonus, which provides funding to offshore wind developers for prioritising their investment into some of Britain’s most deprived communities, and in cleaner supply chains. 

    Funding will go to developers investing in regions such as Scotland, the North East and the East Anglia. Subject to the outcome of this year’s renewables auction, industry estimates this could support up to 14,000 jobs, and drive up to £9 billion of private funding into these communities over the next four years.  For every £1 spent on the bonus, it is estimated to crowd in £17 of private investment.

    This means unlocking private sector investment into manufacturers of electrical equipment, heavy steel products, upgraded port facilities and the high-tech components needed to build floating and fixed offshore wind farms.

    This will support good jobs for British people in these regions – delivering the government’s mission to become a Clean Energy Superpower and Plan for Change.

    Notes to editors: 

    Offshore wind supply chains:

    • The funding comes as Great British Energy today have announced that leading public finance and investment institutions have come together to accelerate the deployment of funding, supporting domestic supply chain development for offshore wind projects.
    • Great British Energy, The National Wealth Fund, The Scottish National Investment Bank, The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland and The Development Bank of Wales have each agreed to develop a unified, integrated public finance ecosystem to support the growth of the UK’s offshore wind sector.
    • Developers are set to contribute to the pot once they have secured a Contracts for Difference in the next auction round (AR7).

    Clean Industry Bonus:

    • Industry applied for Clean Industry Bonus in their numbers, with hundreds of bids, in a major vote of confidence for the Prime Minister’s mission to become a Clean Energy Superpower.   
    • Up to £200 million has been allocated to invest in clean energy facilities in the North East, unlocking up to an additional £4 billion private sector investment into manufacturers such as electrical equipment and heavy steel products.     
    • Up to £185 million has been allocated to Scotland, unlocking up to £3.5 billion private sector investment in ports and high-tech components needed to build floating and fixed offshore wind farms.    
    • The East of England has been allocated up to £20 million and Northern Ireland has up to £25 million to develop clean energy manufacturing capacity. 

    Offshore wind developers will now go on to bid for contracts to deliver their projects, as part of the next Contracts for Difference renewables round. This means there will be some attrition in winning CIB bids. Those project that win CfD contracts can then finalise the above investments into factories, with any unsuccessful projects in the main auction able to bid again next year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Full Minnesota Delegation Statement Condemning the Politically Motivated Violence in Minnesota

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

    The Minnesota Congressional Delegation stands united in condemning the politically motivated violence in Minnesota.

    My joint statement with Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Tina Smith, Congressman Tom Emmer, Congresswoman Angie Craig, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Congressman Pete Stauber, Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach, Congressman Brad Finstad, and Rep. Kelly Morrison:

    “Today we speak with one voice to express our outrage, grief, and condemnation of this horrible attack on public servants. There is no place in our democracy for politically-motivated violence. We are praying for John and Yvette’s recovery and we grieve the loss of Melissa and Mark with their family, colleagues, and Minnesotans across the state. We are grateful for law enforcement’s swift response to the situation and continued efforts.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: International Defense Ministry Awards BIO-key over $600K in Follow-On Orders for Secure Biometric Access to Critical Information

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOLMDEL, N.J., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BIO-key® International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), an innovative provider of workforce and customer identity and access management (IAM) solutions featuring Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB) for phoneless, tokenless, passwordless and phish-resistant authentication experiences, announced that the cyber-defense unit of one of the world’s most renowned defense ministries has placed over $600K in new orders for BIO-key’s biometric user authentication solution. The orders are for additional biometric hardware and authentication software to be shipped in the current quarter.

    The defense ministry has deployed BIO-key’s biometric authentication solution into new programs delivering convenient and positive authentication access to digital services for over 47,000 users utilizing over 40,000 BIO-key fingerprint scanners. BIO-key expects additional awards in future periods as the defense ministry expands the use of its solution.

    BIO-key’s secure biometric authentication platform has proven highly reliable, less costly and more secure than hardware security keys. BIO-key worked closely with the ministry’s cybersecurity team to integrate its state-of-the-art, cloud-enabled biometric authentication with the ministry’s authentication federation platform to deliver advanced, secure biometric access to systems and applications across organizational boundaries. Because BIO-key credentials are inherent to the individual themselves, secure access cannot be shared, delegated, phished or forgotten.

    Jim Sullivan, BIO-key’s SVP Strategy and Chief Legal Officer, said, “This organization is considered one of the most sophisticated consumer and developer of cybersecurity technologies in the world. It speaks volumes about BIO-key’s relentless innovation to be a component of such a strategic and sizeable deployment. BIO-key’s unique technology provides a means to quickly add new users without the need for cumbersome token or phone provisioning steps. It is an honor to be trusted to provide the highest level of security possible by ensuring only the right user can access “for-your-eyes-only” information. BIO-key sees growing adoption for high-stakes applications in the defense vertical as we continue to expand on our base of decade-plus customers deploying secure, robust solutions in government, manufacturing, finance and retail.”

    About BIO-key International, Inc. (www.BIO-key.com)
    BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software securing access for over forty million users. BIO-key allows customers to choose the right authentication factors for diverse use cases, including phoneless, tokenless, and passwordless biometric options. Its cloud-hosted or on-premise PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy-to-deploy, convenient, and secure access to computers, information, applications, and high-value transactions.

    BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement
    All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). The words “estimate,” “project,” “intends,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the “safe-harbor” provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    Engage with BIO-key
    Corporate
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIOkeyInternational/
    LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/bio-key-international
    X: @BIOkeyIntl
    Investors
    X: @BIO_keyIR
    StockTwits: @BIO_keyIR

    Investor Contacts
    William Jones, David Collins
    Catalyst IR
    BKYI@catalyst-ir.com or 212-924-9800

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The story of the journalist on the Rainbow Warrior’s last voyage, David Robie

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    In April 2025, several of the Greenpeace crew visited Matauri Bay, Northland, the final resting place of the original flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. This article was one of the reflections pieces written by an oceans communications crew member.

    COMMENTARY: By Emma Page

    I was on the track maintenance team, on the middle level. We were mostly cleaning up the waterways. I was with my son Wilbur who’s 11, and he was there with his friend Frankie, who’s 12, and they were also knee deep in digging out all of the weeds.

    It was my first time at Matauri Bay. One of the things it made me really think about, which is not only specific to the oceans campaign I work on, was really feeling for the first time what being part of Greenpeace as a community or a movement or family means and feels like.

    Other reflections:

    1. Juan: Diving the Rainbow Warrior
    2. Emma: The story of the journalist on the last voyage, David Robie
    3. Fleur: The incredible vision of sculptor Chris Booth
    4. Moira: Connecting with the people and the land
    David Robie’s tent talk about the Rainbow Warrior on the Rongelap voyage in May 1985 . . . the two men on the sheet screen are the late Senator Jetin Anjain (left) and Greenpeace campaigner Steve Sawyer who were key to the success of the relocation. Image: Greenpeace Aotearoa

    Looking back 40 years
    David Robie gave us a really great presentation of what it was like on board the Rainbow Warrior as a freelance journalist on that final voyage in 1985. David is a journalist and was actually one of my journalism lecturers when I went to journalism school at AUT, like 15 plus years ago!

    At that time on the Rainbow Warrior he was reporting on the journey to Rongelap and helping the people move from their island home.

    When you’re hearing people like David talking about being on that last voyage and sharing those memories — then thinking about how all of us here now are continuing the work — and that in the future, there will be people who join and keep campaigning for oceans and for all the other issues that we work on — I had this really tangible feeling of how it all fits together.

    The work goes behind us and before us – I think I described it in my reflection on the day, ‘looking back and moving forward’. And that it’s bigger than me right now or bigger than all of us right now. 

    Russel [Norman, executive director] said it in a way too, about feeling the challenge from the past when you’re looking at those photos of the people who were on that last voyage, and the really brave work that they did. You see them looking out at you and it does feel motivational, but also like a challenge to keep being courageous.


    Dr David Robie’s talk about the Rainbow Warrior and Rongelap. Video: Greenpeace

    We can get caught up in the everyday of trying to do something. And this was one of those moments where you get more of a bird’s eye view, and that felt significant.

    Connecting with the people in the photos
     I think one of the most moving things was hearing David talk about the people in the photographs, making them come alive with the stories of the people and what they were like, including when he talked about his favourite photo that he thought best represented Fernando sitting on a boat with his camera in mid-conversation.

    The photographer Fernando Pereira (right) and Rongelap Islander Bonemej Namwe ride ashore in the ‘bum bum’. Born on Kwajalein, Namwe, 62, had lived most of her life on Rongelap. The Rainbow Warrior I was in Rongelap to assist in the evacuation of islanders to Mejatto. © David Robie / Eyes of Fire / Greenpeace

    David has written in his book about being on the Rainbow Warrior (Eyes of Fire), putting it in the political context of the time.

    He  talked to us about the difficulties and all the challenges back 40 years ago, getting content to the media from a boat, and sending radio reports — how important it was to get the story out there.

    The Greenpeace photographer — that was Fernando — would have to develop the photos himself on board, then transmit them to media outlets. He was one of the people who was key in getting the story of that final voyage to the media and to the wider public.

    I found it interesting also talking with David about the different struggles for journalism training these days — there’s less outlets now to train as a journalist in New Zealand.

    That’s because there’s less jobs and there’s so much pressure on the media at the moment. Lots of outlets closing down, people losing their jobs and then the impact of that in terms of being able to get stories out.

    Emma Page is oceans communications lead for Greenpeace Aotearoa. Republished with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The story of the journalist on the Rainbow Warrior’s last voyage, David Robie

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    In April 2025, several of the Greenpeace crew visited Matauri Bay, Northland, the final resting place of the original flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. This article was one of the reflections pieces written by an oceans communications crew member.

    COMMENTARY: By Emma Page

    I was on the track maintenance team, on the middle level. We were mostly cleaning up the waterways. I was with my son Wilbur who’s 11, and he was there with his friend Frankie, who’s 12, and they were also knee deep in digging out all of the weeds.

    It was my first time at Matauri Bay. One of the things it made me really think about, which is not only specific to the oceans campaign I work on, was really feeling for the first time what being part of Greenpeace as a community or a movement or family means and feels like.

    Other reflections:

    1. Juan: Diving the Rainbow Warrior
    2. Emma: The story of the journalist on the last voyage, David Robie
    3. Fleur: The incredible vision of sculptor Chris Booth
    4. Moira: Connecting with the people and the land
    David Robie’s tent talk about the Rainbow Warrior on the Rongelap voyage in May 1985 . . . the two men on the sheet screen are the late Senator Jetin Anjain (left) and Greenpeace campaigner Steve Sawyer who were key to the success of the relocation. Image: Greenpeace Aotearoa

    Looking back 40 years
    David Robie gave us a really great presentation of what it was like on board the Rainbow Warrior as a freelance journalist on that final voyage in 1985. David is a journalist and was actually one of my journalism lecturers when I went to journalism school at AUT, like 15 plus years ago!

    At that time on the Rainbow Warrior he was reporting on the journey to Rongelap and helping the people move from their island home.

    When you’re hearing people like David talking about being on that last voyage and sharing those memories — then thinking about how all of us here now are continuing the work — and that in the future, there will be people who join and keep campaigning for oceans and for all the other issues that we work on — I had this really tangible feeling of how it all fits together.

    The work goes behind us and before us – I think I described it in my reflection on the day, ‘looking back and moving forward’. And that it’s bigger than me right now or bigger than all of us right now. 

    Russel [Norman, executive director] said it in a way too, about feeling the challenge from the past when you’re looking at those photos of the people who were on that last voyage, and the really brave work that they did. You see them looking out at you and it does feel motivational, but also like a challenge to keep being courageous.


    Dr David Robie’s talk about the Rainbow Warrior and Rongelap. Video: Greenpeace

    We can get caught up in the everyday of trying to do something. And this was one of those moments where you get more of a bird’s eye view, and that felt significant.

    Connecting with the people in the photos
     I think one of the most moving things was hearing David talk about the people in the photographs, making them come alive with the stories of the people and what they were like, including when he talked about his favourite photo that he thought best represented Fernando sitting on a boat with his camera in mid-conversation.

    The photographer Fernando Pereira (right) and Rongelap Islander Bonemej Namwe ride ashore in the ‘bum bum’. Born on Kwajalein, Namwe, 62, had lived most of her life on Rongelap. The Rainbow Warrior I was in Rongelap to assist in the evacuation of islanders to Mejatto. © David Robie / Eyes of Fire / Greenpeace

    David has written in his book about being on the Rainbow Warrior (Eyes of Fire), putting it in the political context of the time.

    He  talked to us about the difficulties and all the challenges back 40 years ago, getting content to the media from a boat, and sending radio reports — how important it was to get the story out there.

    The Greenpeace photographer — that was Fernando — would have to develop the photos himself on board, then transmit them to media outlets. He was one of the people who was key in getting the story of that final voyage to the media and to the wider public.

    I found it interesting also talking with David about the different struggles for journalism training these days — there’s less outlets now to train as a journalist in New Zealand.

    That’s because there’s less jobs and there’s so much pressure on the media at the moment. Lots of outlets closing down, people losing their jobs and then the impact of that in terms of being able to get stories out.

    Emma Page is oceans communications lead for Greenpeace Aotearoa. Republished with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn to Host 57th North American Power Symposium (NAPS)

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The University of Connecticut has been selected to host the 57th North American Power Symposium (NAPS), an annual conference mainly sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The event will be held in October 2025 at Hartford Marriott Downtown, and for the first time will be co-organized with the Clean Energy Summit, an annual gathering organized by UConn’s Eversource Energy Center in partnership with Eversource Energy.

    The selection of UConn as the host institution was the result of a competitive proposal process in 2022, completed by Professor Zongjie Wang, associate director from the Eversource Energy Center, who will serve as the general chair for NAPS 2025. She will be joined by Professor Diego Cerrai, the interim director of the Eversource Energy Center, who will serve as co-chair.

    Zongjie Wang, associate director, Eversource Energy Center, will serve as the general chair for NAPS 2025 (UConn Photo)

    “NAPS has always been a student-centered conference, and for 2025 we are expanding that mission with new undergraduate-focused awards and international student engagement,” says Wang. “In past years, we have successfully supported many UConn undergraduate students to attend NAPS, where some have won Best Paper and Best Presentation awards.”

    Wang says she has seen, firsthand, how influential and valuable this platform is in shaping student careers.

    “Whether by building confidence, showcasing their research, or opening doors to internships and job offers in the energy sector, this conference provides great value for UConn and our students,” Wang adds. “As the general chair of NAPS 2025, I am committed to further expanding these opportunities by introducing additional undergraduate awards and building stronger academic/industry connections to attract a broader and more diverse pool of future power engineers.”

    Founded in 1969, NAPS is one of the longest-running power engineering conferences in North America, drawing students, faculty, and professionals from across the United States, Canada, and abroad. It serves as a launchpad for emerging scholars and a convening ground for frontier research in power systems, electric grid operations, renewable energy integration, and distribution-transmission coordination. The 2025 NAPS in Hartford will feature paper presentations, poster sessions, panel discussions, technical tutorials, and industry networking opportunities.

    NAPS 2025 will maintain its core academic focus on power systems research while creating stronger bridges to industry. UConn’s College of Engineering (CoE) enhances student experiences through new networking opportunities, career panels, and mentorship sessions involving local, regional, and national partners. The Clean Energy Summit component will showcase innovations in grid modernization, grid resilience, and workforce development, highlighting Connecticut’s leadership in energy policy and utility engagement.

    According to Emmanouil Anagnostou, executive director of UConn Tech Park, integrating the Clean Energy Summit with NAPs further establishes UConn’s key role as a leader in promoting energy conservation, utilization and research.

    “This combined event reflects UConn’s growing role as a regional hub for clean-energy research and workforce development through the Eversource Energy Center, which serves as a bridge between academic research and practical deployment across New England’s energy infrastructure,” Anagnostou says. “The summit will feature the third cohort of students participating in the Eversource-sponsored Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP). As part of this program, students research and design solutions centered around a UConn campus-focused initiative or to assist a Connecticut municipality reach their sustainable energy goals.”

    Further details—including speaker announcements, program schedule, and registration—will be posted at the official NAPS 2025 website: Summary – 57th North American Power Symposium 2025. Registration is now open.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cuts to School Lunch and Food Bank Funding Mean Less Fresh Produce for Children and Families

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The U.S. government recently cut more than $1 billion in funding to two long-running programs that helped schools and food banks feed children and families in need. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the reductions are a “return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.” But advocacy groups say the cuts will hurt millions of Americans.

    The reductions came just days before the release of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again report, an analysis of the factors causing chronic disease in children. One of those factors, the report says, is poor diet.

    Marlene Schwartz, a professor of human development and family sciences and director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health at UConn, discusses why cutting the Local Food for Schools and the Local Food Purchase Assistance programs means less fresh food will be available to children and families – and could hurt local farmers and ranchers too.

    The Conversation has collaborated with SciLine to bring you highlights from the discussion, edited here for brevity and clarity.

    Could you explain the two programs that were cut?

    Marlene Schwartz: Most schools were eligible for Local Food for Schools, a $660 million program, which has now been cut. The funds for Local Food for Schools were on top of the reimbursement that schools get for meals and would have allowed them to buy more local, fresh food.

    The Local Food Purchase Assistance program was designed primarily for food banks. Again, the idea was to provide federal money, about $500 million, so food banks could buy from local farmers and support local agriculture. But that too was cut.

    How will these cuts affect families and schoolchildren?

    Schwartz: Many children eat two of their meals, five days a week, at school. During the 2022-2023 school year, about 28 million kids ate lunch at school. More than 14 million had breakfast there.

    Having fresh, local produce in the school cafeteria provides the opportunity to introduce children to more fruits and vegetables and teach them about the food grown in their own communities. Think about how powerful a lesson about nutrition and local agriculture can be when you not only hear and read about it but can taste it too.

    How will these cuts affect farmers and ranchers?

    Schwartz: When the funding was there, the farmers and ranchers knew they had guaranteed buyers for their products. So the loss of these funds, especially so quickly, will have a very negative effect on them. Suddenly, the buyers they counted on don’t have the money to buy from them.

    How does nutritious food in schools impact kids?

    Schwartz: Both the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are required to comply with the dietary guidelines for Americans, so they’ve always had nutrition standards. These guidelines are updated every five years to reflect the most recent science and public health needs.

    The regulations on school meal nutrition were strengthened significantly with the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. We’ve done a number of studies showing that because of these changes, healthier meals are available at schools, and children eat better. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also did a large national study that reported much the same.

    Another study looked at the nutritional quality of the food at school, from home and at restaurants. It found that school food was the healthiest of all. Many people were surprised by this, but when you think about it, schools are the only setting required to follow federal and state nutrition regulations – restaurants and grocery stores don’t have to do that.

    But getting kids to eat nutritious food can be a challenge.

    Schwartz: We’ve known for decades that American children are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. We know they’re eating too much added sugar, saturated fat and sodium.

    This is due in part to the millions of dollars food companies spend to entice children to eat more sugary cereals, sweetened beverages and fast food.

    I think the best nutrition education happens on your plate. By maximizing the quality of food served in schools, policymakers can influence the diets of millions of children every single day.

    How nutritious are the foods at food banks?

    Schwartz: Food banks often measure their success in terms of the pounds of food they distribute into a community. But families relying on the charitable food system often have a higher risk of diet-related illness – like high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes – and many want healthier foods.

    In response, food banks, which nationwide serve about 50 million Americans, have made a concerted effort to improve the nutritional quality of their food. There’s now a system to help food banks consistently track the nutritional quality of what they provide.

    Watch the full interview to hear more.

    Originally published in The Conversation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Regime change wouldn’t likely bring democracy to Iran. A more threatening force could fill the vacuum

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Andrew Thomas, Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    The timing and targets of Israel’s attacks on Iran tell us that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s short-term goal is to damage Iran’s nuclear facilities in order to severely diminish its weapons program.

    But Netanyahu has made clear another goal: he said the war with Iran “could certainly” lead to regime change in the Islamic republic.

    These comments came after an Israeli plan to assassinate the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly rebuffed by United States President Donald Trump.

    It’s no secret Israel has wanted to see the current government of Iran fall for some time, as have many government officials in the US.

    But what would things look like if the government did topple?

    How is power wielded in today’s Iran?

    Founded in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has democratic, theocratic and authoritarian elements to its governing structure.

    The founding figure of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, envisioned a state run by Islamic clerics and jurists who ensured all policies adhered to Islamic law.

    As Iran was a constitutional monarchy before the revolution, theocratic elements were effectively grafted on top of the existing republican ones, such as the parliament, executive and judiciary.

    Iran has a unicameral legislature (one house of parliament), called the Majles, and a president (currently Masoud Pezeshkian). There are regular elections for both.

    But while there are democratic elements within this system, in practice it is a “closed loop” that keeps the clerical elite in power and prevents challenges to the supreme leader. There is a clear hierarchy, with the supreme leader at the top.

    Khamenei has been in power for more than 35 years, taking office following Khomeini’s death in 1989. The former president of Iran, he was chosen to become supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of Islamic jurists.

    While members of the assembly are elected by the public, candidates must be vetted by the powerful 12-member Guardian Council (also known as the Constitutional Council). Half of this body is selected by the supreme leader, while the other half is approved by the Majles.

    The council also has the power to vet all candidates for president and the parliament.

    In last year’s elections, the Guardian Council disqualified many candidates from running for president, as well as the Majles and Assembly of Experts, including the moderate former president Hassan Rouhani.

    As such, the supreme leader is increasingly facing a crisis of legitimacy with the public. Elections routinely have low turnout. Even with a reformist presidential candidate in last year’s field – the eventual winner, Masoud Pezeshkian – turnout was below 40% in the first round.

    Freedom House gives Iran a global freedom score of just 11 out of 100.

    The supreme leader also directly appoints the leaders in key governance structures, such as the judiciary, the armed forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

    The all-powerful IRGC

    So, Iran is far from a democracy. But the idea that regime change would lead to a full democracy that is aligned with Israel and the US is very unlikely.

    Iranian politics is extremely factional. Ideological factions, such as the reformists, moderates and conservatives, often disagree vehemently on key policy areas. They also jockey for influence with the supreme leader and the rest of the clerical elite. None of these factions is particularly friendly with the US, and especially not Israel.

    There are also institutional factions. The most powerful group in the country is the clerical elite, led by the supreme leader. The next most powerful faction would be the IRGC.

    Originally formed as a kind of personal guard for the supreme leader, the IRGC’s fighting strength now rivals that of the regular army.

    The IRGC is extremely hardline politically. At times, the IRGC’s influence domestically has outstripped that of presidents, exerting significant pressure on their policies. The guard only vocally supports presidents in lockstep with Islamic revolutionary doctrine.

    In addition to its control over military hardware and its political influence, the guard is also entwined with the Iranian economy.

    The IRGC is heavily enriched by the status quo, with some describing it as a “kleptocratic” institution. IRGC officials are often awarded state contracts, and are allegedly involved in managing the “black economy” used to evade sanctions.

    Given all of this, the IRGC would be the most likely political institution to take control of Iran if the clerical elite were removed from power.

    In peacetime, the general consensus is the IRGC would not have the resources to orchestrate a coup if the supreme leader died. But in a time of war against a clear enemy, things could be different.

    Possible scenarios post-Khamenei

    So, what might happen if Israel were to assassinate the supreme leader?

    One scenario would be a martial law state led by the IRGC, formed at least in the short term for the purposes of protecting the revolution.

    In the unlikely event the entire clerical leadership is decimated, the IRGC could attempt to reform the Assembly of Experts and choose a new supreme leader itself, perhaps even supporting Khamenei’s son’s candidacy.

    Needless to say, this outcome would not lead to a state more friendly to Israel or the US. In fact, it could potentially empower a faction that has long argued for a more militant response to both.

    Another scenario is a popular uprising. Netanyahu certainly seems to think this is possible, saying in an interview in recent days:

    The decision to act, to rise up this time, is the decision of the Iranian people.

    Indeed, many Iranians have long been disillusioned with their government – even with more moderate and reformist elements within it. Mass protests have broken out several times in recent decades – most recently in 2022 – despite heavy retaliation from law enforcement.

    We’ve seen enough revolutions to know this is possible – after all, modern Iran was formed out of one. But once again, new political leadership being more friendly to Israel and the West is not a foregone conclusion.

    It is possible for Iranians to hold contempt in their hearts for both their leaders and the foreign powers that would upend their lives.

    Andrew Thomas 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. Regime change wouldn’t likely bring democracy to Iran. A more threatening force could fill the vacuum – https://theconversation.com/regime-change-wouldnt-likely-bring-democracy-to-iran-a-more-threatening-force-could-fill-the-vacuum-259042

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier to attend 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

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

    Chinese vice premier to attend 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

    BEIJING, June 17 — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia from June 19 to 21, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday.

    Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was invited by the government of the Russian Federation, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily news briefing.

    The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is an important platform for discussing global economic governance and fostering international consensus on cooperation, Guo said.

    This year’s forum, themed “Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World,” will explore effective approaches to addressing global challenges, Guo noted, adding that Ding will attend forum activities and meet with relevant Russian leaders.

    China looks forward to strengthening communication and exchanges with all parties, consolidating consensus on cooperation, promoting the common values of humanity, and advancing an equal and orderly world multipolarization and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, so as to inject strong impetus into improving global governance and promoting world development and prosperity, Guo said.

    China is also willing to work with Russia to effectively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen comprehensive practical cooperation, and continuously advance the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, Guo added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Iran leader Khamenei sees his inner circle hollowed out by Israel

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cuts an increasingly lonely figure.

    Khamenei has seen his main military and security advisers killed by Israeli air strikes, leaving major holes in his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process.

    One of those sources, who regularly attends meetings with Khamenei, described the risk of miscalculation to Iran on issues of defence and internal stability as “extremely dangerous”.

    Several senior military commanders have been killed since Friday including Khamenei’s main advisers from the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s elite military force: the Guards’ overall commander Hossein Salami, its aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh who headed Iran’s ballistic missile program and spymaster Mohammad Kazemi.

    These men were part of the supreme leader’s inner circle of roughly 15-20 advisers comprising Guards commanders, clerics, and politicians, according to the sources who include three people who attend or have attended meetings with the leader on major issues and two close to officials who regularly attend.

    The loose group meets on an ad-hoc basis, when Khamenei’s office reaches out to relevant advisers to gather at his compound in Tehran to discuss an important decision, all the people said. Members are characterised by unwavering loyalty to him and the ideology of the Islamic Republic, they added.

    Khamenei, who was imprisoned before the 1979 revolution and maimed by a bomb attack before becoming leader in 1989, is profoundly committed to maintaining Iran’s Islamic system of government and deeply mistrustful of the West.

    Under Iran’s system of government he has supreme command of the armed forces, the power to declare war, and can appoint or dismiss senior figures including military commanders and judges.

    Khamenei makes the final decision on important matters, though he values advice, listens attentively to diverse viewpoints, and often seeks additional information from his counsellors, according to one source who attends meetings.

    “Two things you can say about Khamenei: he is extremely stubborn but also extremely cautious. He is very cautious. That is why he has been in power for as long as he has,” said Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute think-tank in Washington.

    “Khamenei is pretty well placed to do the basic cost-benefit analysis which really fundamentally gets to one issue more important than anything else: regime survival.”

     

    KHAMENEI’S SON AT THE FORE

    The focus on survival has repeatedly been put to the test. Khamenei has deployed the Revolutionary Guards and its affiliated Basij militia to quell national protests in 1999, 2009 and 2022.

    While the security forces have always been able to outlast demonstrators and restore state rule, years of Western sanctions have caused widespread economic misery that analysts say could ultimately threaten internal unrest.

    The stakes could barely be higher for Khamenei who faces an escalating war with Israel, which has targeted nuclear and military sites and personnel with air attacks, drawing retaliatory Iranian missile fire.

    The five people familiar with Khamenei’s decision-making process stressed that other insiders who have not been targeted by Israel’s strikes remain important and influential, including top advisers on political, economic and diplomatic issues.

    Khamenei designates such advisers to handle issues as they arise, extending his reach directly into a wide array of institutions spanning military, security, cultural, political and economic domains, two of the sources said.

    Operating this way, including in bodies nominally under the elected president, means Khamenei’s office is often involved not only in the biggest questions of state but in executing even minor initiatives, according to the people with knowledge.

    His son Mojtaba has grown ever more central to this process over the past 20 years, the sources said, building a role that cuts between the personalities, factions and organisations involved to coordinate on specific issues, the sources said.

    A mid-ranking cleric seen by some insiders as a potential successor to his ageing father, Mojtaba has built close ties with the Guards, giving him added leverage across Iran’s political and security apparatus, the people added.

    Ali Asghar Hejazi, the deputy of political security affairs at Khamenei’s office, has been involved in sensitive security decisions and is often described as the most powerful intelligence official in Iran, according to the sources said.

    Meanwhile, the head of Khamenei’s office, Mohammad Golpayegani, as well as former foreign ministers Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, and ex-parliament speaker Ali Larijani, remain trusted confidants on diplomatic and domestic policies issues such as the nuclear dispute, the people said.

    The loss of the Revolutionary Guards commanders nonetheless decimates the top ranks of a military organisation that Khamenei has put at the centre of power since becoming supreme leader in 1989, relying on it for both internal security and regional strategy.

    While the regular army chain of command runs through the defence ministry under the elected president, the Guards answer personally to Khamenei, securing the best military equipment for their land, air and sea branches and giving their commanders a major state role.

    As he faces one of the most dangerous moments in the Islamic Republic’s history, Khamenei finds himself further isolated by the recent losses other key advisers in the region as Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” coalition has been hammered by Israel.

    Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was personally close to the Iranian leader, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in September last year and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebels in December.

    (Reuters) 

  • Labour welfare schemes empower over 50 lakh unorganised workers: Govt

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Over 50 lakh workers and their families have benefitted from welfare schemes implemented by the Union Ministry of Labour & Employment, which continues to deliver critical support to India’s unorganised workforce through the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW), particularly in the Beedi, Cine, and Mining sectors.

    The flagship Education Assistance Scheme for instance offers annual scholarships ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 to the children of eligible workers. Managed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), the scheme receives over one lakh applications annually, with benefits disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for transparency and efficiency.

    The Ministry also provides vital healthcare support, including outpatient services and financial aid for critical illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and kidney transplants. Assistance under the scheme ranges from ₹30,000 for minor surgeries to up to ₹7.5 lakh for cancer treatment, offering a safety net for low-income families.

    Though the Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS) was merged with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in 2016, the Ministry continued disbursing pending installments to eligible beneficiaries until March 31, 2024, fulfilling its commitment to dignified housing.

    The welfare schemes are implemented nationwide by the Labour Welfare Organisation (LWO), operating under DGLW, through a robust network of 18 Welfare Commissioners. These initiatives focus on social protection, healthcare, education assistance, and housing support, especially in remote and underserved areas, and reflect the government’s commitment to inclusive welfare under the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Action plan of SCO member states in the field of digital transformation adopted at a meeting in China’s Xinjiang

    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

    URUMQI, June 17 (Xinhua) — The action plan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in the field of digital transformation was reviewed and adopted at the 4th meeting of heads of ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), which was held in Karamay city of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Tuesday.

    The plan aims to deepen exchanges and cooperation among SCO member states in the fields of developing digital transformation policies, building digital infrastructure, digital government, cloud computing, digitalization of small and medium enterprises, developing and applying digital technologies, exchanging digital technology experts, etc., with the aim of bridging the digital divide between member countries and enhancing regional digital competitiveness.

    Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China Xiong Jijun called promoting sustainable development and accelerating modernization common goals of the SCO member countries.

    According to him, China is ready to work with all parties to improve the quality and level of cooperation among the member states of the organization by improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening political dialogue, deepening practical cooperation in the field of digital technologies and ICT, promoting the transformation and modernization of industries, building a more just, accessible and inclusive digital world, thereby contributing to the formation of a community of shared destiny of the SCO.

    In their speeches, the participants of the meeting unanimously noted that digital transformation is an important engine for global economic development and comprehensive social progress, and declared their readiness, adhering to the “Shanghai Spirit”, to promote continuous achievement of new achievements in cooperation in the field of digital technologies and ICT.

    The parties agreed that the next meeting will be held in Kyrgyzstan in 2026. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China welcomes joint statement by 21 Arab and Islamic countries on Israel-Iran conflict

    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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — China welcomes the joint statement by 21 Arab and Islamic countries on the Israel-Iran conflict and is willing to work with relevant parties to help ease the situation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday.

    A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of 21 countries called for respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, upholding the principle of good-neighbourliness and friendship, and resolving disputes peacefully.

    In response to a reporter’s question at a regular departmental press conference, Guo Jiakun said that Israel’s attack on Iran provoked a sudden escalation of the situation in the region, which attracted increased attention from the international community.

    According to him, the main priority is to end the fire and the war, take effective measures to prevent the conflict from escalating, prevent the region from plunging into even greater unrest, and return to the path of political resolution of problems through dialogue and negotiations.

    China welcomes the joint statement and highly appreciates the efforts made by relevant countries to ease tensions, Guo Jiakun said, adding that China is willing to maintain communication with all parties concerned and play a constructive role in helping to ease the situation. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Hotdesk St Malo’ available for Channel Islands organisations to build links with Brittany stakeholders17 June 2025 Channel Islands businesses and industry groups looking to build links in Brittany are being reminded that they have free access to two meeting rooms in St Malo. The Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes, which… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    17 June 2025

    Channel Islands businesses and industry groups looking to build links in Brittany are being reminded that they have free access to two meeting rooms in St Malo. 

    The Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes, which represents the governments of Guernsey and Jersey in France, has secured two meeting spaces for any organisation in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, looking to develop economic, cultural or educational links with French stakeholders. 

    Stéphane Perrin-Sarzier, Vice-President of the Brittany region, in charge of international development, said: “We are delighted to offer government officials and businesses from Jersey and Guernsey the opportunity to use the Brittany Region’s premises at the port of Saint-Malo to develop ties with Brittany. This provision fully embodies our commitment to strengthening economic, cultural, and institutional cooperation between our territories.”

    The ‘Hotdesk St Malo’​ offers a choice of two meeting rooms in the centre of St Malo, which can accommodate up to 12 or 30 people.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –