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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Taurine could power your energy drink – and maybe cancer cells too. Here’s what you need to know

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition & Exercise Science, University of Westminster

    shutterstock New Africa/Shutterstock

    Energy drinks are big business. Marketed as quick fixes for fatigue and performance dips, energy drinks are especially popular among young people, athletes, sports enthusiasts, and so-called “weekend warriors” – people who pack their workouts into the weekend instead of exercising regularly. Gamers are now a major target too.

    But as the market grows, so do concerns about what’s actually in these drinks – and what these ingredients might be doing to our bodies.

    Many energy drinks contain some combination of three familiar stimulants: caffeine, found naturally in coffee, tea and cacao; guarana, an Amazonian plant rich in caffeine; and taurine, a naturally occurring amino acid found in scallops, mussels, turkey and chicken.

    Taurine, in particular, has drawn both hype and hope. It is credited with performance-enhancing properties and potential health benefits. But new research is raising important questions about how it behaves in the body – and when it might do more harm than good.

    In May 2025, a study published in Nature sparked headlines and unease in equal measure. It found that taurine may fuel the progression of leukaemia, a group of blood cancers that begin in the bone marrow.

    The study showed that while healthy bone marrow cells naturally produce taurine, leukaemia cells cannot. But they can absorb taurine from their surroundings and use it as a fuel source to grow and multiply. Research on mice and in human leukaemia cell samples demonstrated that taurine in the tumour microenvironment – the area around a tumour that includes blood vessels, immune cells and structural support – accelerated the progression of leukaemia.

    Crucially, when researchers blocked taurine uptake by leukaemia cells (using genetic techniques), cancer progression slowed significantly. The authors suggest taurine supplements could potentially worsen outcomes in people with leukaemia and propose that developing targeted ways to block taurine uptake by cancer cells might offer a new treatment strategy.

    Taurine: friend or foe?

    Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the human body, found in especially high concentrations in the heart, muscles and brain. In healthy people, it’s mainly obtained through diet, but the body can also synthesise taurine from the amino acids methionine and cysteine, provided it has enough vitamin B6, which is found in foods such as salmon, tuna, chicken, bananas and milk.

    Most people consuming a typical western diet take in 40mg–400mg of taurine a day from food alone. This figure refers only to taurine that is directly ingested, not including the additional amount the body can synthesise internally, which may vary depending on age, diet and health.

    Scallops contain high levels of taurine.
    barmalini/Shutterstock

    Taurine is listed on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) generally recognised as safe (GRAS) database, and according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), it’s safe to consume up to six grams per day. By comparison, a serving of Red Bull or Monster contains around one gram – comfortably below that threshold.

    Despite recent concerns about a possible link to blood cancer progression, taurine isn’t inherently harmful. In fact, some people may benefit from supplementation, especially those receiving long-term parenteral nutrition, where nutrients are delivered directly into the bloodstream because the gut isn’t working properly. People with chronic liver, kidney or heart failure may also have trouble producing or holding on to enough taurine, making supplementation helpful in specific clinical settings.

    Ironically, some research suggests taurine may actually help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy in leukaemia patients – even as emerging studies raise concerns that it could also fuel the disease. This contradiction underscores how much context matters: the effects of taurine depend not just on dosage and delivery, but also on the patient’s underlying condition. What helps in one context, could harm in another.

    But here’s the catch: taking taurine as a supplement for particular health reasons is very different from consuming large quantities through energy drinks, which often combine taurine with high levels of caffeine and sugar. This combination can put strain on the heart, interfere with sleep and increase the risk of side effects, particularly for people with underlying health conditions or those taking other stimulants.

    The latest research raises important questions about whether taurine-heavy products could be harmful in some cases, especially for people with, or at risk of, blood cancers.

    So, should you worry?

    According to the current evidence, if you’re a healthy adult who occasionally sips an energy drink, there’s little cause for alarm. But moderation is key. Consuming multiple high-taurine drinks daily or taking taurine supplements (without prior professional consultation), on top of a taurine-rich diet might not be wise, especially if future research confirms links between taurine and cancer progression.

    Until more is known, the safest approach would be to enjoy your energy boosts by consuming a nutritious diet rather than consuming energy drinks. If you have any underlying health conditions – or a family history of cancer – it’s always best to consult a healthcare professional before diving into taurine supplementation or consumption of energy drinks.

    Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum 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. Taurine could power your energy drink – and maybe cancer cells too. Here’s what you need to know – https://theconversation.com/taurine-could-power-your-energy-drink-and-maybe-cancer-cells-too-heres-what-you-need-to-know-256957

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The number of cars owned by citizens of Uzbekistan has exceeded 4.5 million

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Tashkent, July 15 (Xinhua) — As of April 1, 2025, more than 4.5 million cars owned by individuals were registered in Uzbekistan, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

    According to the agency, as of April 1, 2025, 4.5221 million cars owned by individuals were registered in Uzbekistan.

    According to statistics, the largest share of registered vehicles were passenger cars – approximately 4.2 million units.

    In November 2024, the permanent population of Uzbekistan reached 37.5 million people. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Seeding gender empowerment: Women farmers in Peru contend with climate change

    Source: United Nations 2

    Ácora, located in the southeast corner of Peru almost 3,800 kilometres above sea level, is one of the Peruvian regions which has been most impacted by climate change – endangering crop production and biodiversity in addition to worsening food insecurity.

    “It was not like this before, the climate has changed a lot,” said Pascuala Pari, head of the Sumaq Chuyma Association in Ácora.

    Around the world, women farmers like Ms. Pari, who already face a series of intersectional challenges, are working tirelessly to secure their livelihoods despite an increasingly untenable climate situation.

    “Women in particular shoulder the burden of food insecurity as traditional caregivers which is intensified during climate crises,” said Bochola Sara Arero, a youth representative from the World Food Forum, at a side event during the ongoing UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on Monday.

    Intersecting goals

    The forum in New York has been convened to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015 to promote global development for current and future generations.

    With only 18 per cent of these internationally agreed upon goals on track to being met by 2030, the Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent action and sustained multilateralism to address this gap.

    Mr. Guterres has also said that this forum is a unique opportunity to discuss the intersection between various goals, including the intersection between gender equality and climate change.

    A bipolar climate

    Last year in Ácora, dealing with a climate that oscillated between drought and torrential rains was next to impossible for the women who relied on the land.

    Crops would not grow and agrobiodiversity was under threat. In a country where 17.6 million people already experience food insecurity, this dual threat had the potential to wreak havoc on livelihoods.

    In response, Ms Pari and other women in Ácora formed seed banks. Not only do organizations like seed banks preserve indigenous agrobiodiversity, they also help sustain the livelihoods of women in the region.

    “Our crops were in danger of extinction, but now people are harvesting again and we are changing that,” said Fanny Ninaraqui, leader of the Ayrumas Carumas Association.

    Seeds that are not planted can be traded or bartered with other seed bank owners. Over 125 varieties of native crops have now been preserved across the region.

    “I am happy with my little seed bank … Now I have all kinds of quinoa: black, red, white. This supports me economically because I preserve and sell my products at local markets,” Ms. Pari said.

    © UNDP/MINAM/PPD/Nuria Angeles

    Aymara communities in Ácora are working to recover and conserve their agrobiodiversity.

    Once shut, doors open for women farmers

    In addition to climate challenges, women farmers also face a lack of legal rights. Specifically, they often do not have titles to their land.

    According to the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Report, released Monday, 58 per cent of the countries with available data lacked sufficient protection for women’s land rights.

    “Women’s land rights are fundamental for women’s voice and agency, livelihoods and well-being and resilience as well as for broader development outcomes,” said Seemin Qayum, policy advisor at UN Women.

    The in-depth report also noted that less than half of women had secure rights to land, with men being twice as likely to have land deeds and other protected property rights. [1]

    Experts say that insufficient legal protections not only negatively impact economic outcomes for women, they also sideline women’s needs and voices in policymaking. Therefore, it is essential to institute legal protections which formally recognize women as farmers.

    “When you are recognized as a farmer, a world of possibilities, a world of resources – opportunities for representation and rights – become available to you. Doors open,” said Carol Boudreaux, Senior Director of Land Programs at Landesa.

    © UNDP/MINAM/PPD/Nuria Angeles

    Another method implemented is the rehabiWaru warus in Thunco: an ancient farming technique with canals and raised beds to manage droughts and floods.

    Beyond legal protections

    While legal land rights are essential, they are not in and of themselves enough to empower rural women.

    “Initiatives that aim to change discriminatory social norms and institutions are also needed,” said Clara Park, senior gender officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

    Women in Ácora recognize that it is not just climate change which is negatively impacting their livelihoods – they are also grappling with unequal social norms.

    “When you are young and a woman, someone always tries to limit your progress,” Ms. Ninaraqui said.

    In Ácora, international and civil society organizations, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), have worked to help women establish their seed banks and ensure that these women have the capacity to manage them long-term.

    “I can lead, I can teach what I have learned, now I feel I have this capacity,” Ms Pari said.

    Intergenerational knowledge

    Women like Ms. Pari and Ms. Ninaraqui are part of the Aymara indigenous community in Ácora. For them, the seed banks are a form of innovation which allows them to build upon indigenous knowledge regarding agrobiodiversity.

    “We are recovering the seeds from our grandparents’ time,” said Ms. Pari.

    And as they save these seeds, Ms. Pari said they are also thinking of the future.

    “Today, I would tell more women to keep going, to not be discouraged by what others think, and to take initiative like I did,” said Ms. Pari.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyoming Soldiers team up with local non-profit to plant trees in Laramie

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    By Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer, 197th Public Affairs Detachment

    LARAMIE, Wyo. – On June 14, 2025,

    Soldiers from the Wyoming Army National Guard’s 94th Troop Command volunteered with Rooted in Laramie, a local non-profit organization, to support a large-scale tree planting event aimed at growing and strengthening the city’s urban forest. Rooted in Laramie is dedicated to developing a long-term urban forestry program by providing affordable access to trees for residents, along with education on tree care, according to their program.

    For just $50, homeowners receive a well-established tree, as well as planting services, mulch, and care instructions. The organization’s mission also supports broader environmental goals by promoting biodiversity and encouraging community involvement.
    The event saw more than 70 trees planted across neighborhoods throughout Laramie. Wyoming Soldiers joined dozens of local volunteers to plant a variety of tree species, highlighting the growing collaboration between the Wyoming Army National Guard and the communities it serves.

    “We’re a completely volunteer organization with people who come from all sorts of backgrounds. We usually have 70 to 80 volunteers at our tree planting events,” said Hilery Lindmier, board member for Rooted in Laramie. “It was fun to have all the Soldiers there. The board was super impressed. They worked like machines.”

    The ongoing partnership between the Wyoming Army National Guard and Rooted in Laramie reflects the positive impact of civic collaboration according to Sgt. Joseph Burns, 197th Public Affairs Detachment mass communication specialist. Through efforts like this, Laramie continues to grow greener and stronger, one tree at a time.

    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyoming Soldiers team up with local non-profit to plant trees in Laramie

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    By Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer, 197th Public Affairs Detachment

    LARAMIE, Wyo. – On June 14, 2025,

    Soldiers from the Wyoming Army National Guard’s 94th Troop Command volunteered with Rooted in Laramie, a local non-profit organization, to support a large-scale tree planting event aimed at growing and strengthening the city’s urban forest. Rooted in Laramie is dedicated to developing a long-term urban forestry program by providing affordable access to trees for residents, along with education on tree care, according to their program.

    For just $50, homeowners receive a well-established tree, as well as planting services, mulch, and care instructions. The organization’s mission also supports broader environmental goals by promoting biodiversity and encouraging community involvement.
    The event saw more than 70 trees planted across neighborhoods throughout Laramie. Wyoming Soldiers joined dozens of local volunteers to plant a variety of tree species, highlighting the growing collaboration between the Wyoming Army National Guard and the communities it serves.

    “We’re a completely volunteer organization with people who come from all sorts of backgrounds. We usually have 70 to 80 volunteers at our tree planting events,” said Hilery Lindmier, board member for Rooted in Laramie. “It was fun to have all the Soldiers there. The board was super impressed. They worked like machines.”

    The ongoing partnership between the Wyoming Army National Guard and Rooted in Laramie reflects the positive impact of civic collaboration according to Sgt. Joseph Burns, 197th Public Affairs Detachment mass communication specialist. Through efforts like this, Laramie continues to grow greener and stronger, one tree at a time.

    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cadet Samantha Butkovich)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)
    Soldiers from the 94th Troop Command volunteered their morning to plant trees in support of urban forestry in Laramie, Wyo., June 14, 2025. The unit partnered with Rooted in Laramie, a nonprofit organization focused on developing a long-term tree planting program that promotes community involvement through volunteerism and education on proper tree planting and care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Rachael Tofflemeyer)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why the Nazis stole a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Millie Horton-Insch, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, History of Art Department, Trinity College Dublin

    There was great excitement at the news this month that the Bayeux tapestry – the 11th-century embroidered epic depicting the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 – will go on display at the British Museum in 2026. However, the tapestry had already been in the news earlier this year, admittedly to much less fanfare.

    In March, it was reported that a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry had been discovered in Germany in the Schleswig-Holstein state archives. To understand how it ended up there, we must turn to a troubling and little-known episode in the tapestry’s history: Sonderauftrag Bayeux (Special Operation Bayeux), a project operated by the Nazi Ahnenerbe, the SS regime’s heritage research group.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    It has often been observed that art seems to have been of disproportionate concern to the Nazis. However, their manipulation of visual and material culture should be understood as central to – not separate from – Hitler’s genocidal regime and its efforts towards global domination.

    The Ahnenerbe, under the ultimate authority of Heinrich Himmler, was established to develop and disseminate histories in support of that mythology central to the Nazi regime: the supremacy of the Aryan race. To this end, the Ahnenerbe oversaw research that claimed to use unassailable scientific methods.

    However, it has long been acknowledged that their projects consciously manipulated historical evidence to construct fabricated histories that would support racist ideologies. To achieve this, numerous research projects were conducted. These projects saw scholars travel across the globe in the pursuit of objects that could act as monuments to the mythologies of Aryan supremacy. Sonderauftrag Bayeux was one such project.

    Nazi interest in the Bayeux tapestry may seem surprising to British people, where the tapestry is considered a symbol of a singularly significant moment in Britain’s history. However, just as politicians in modern Britain have found it tempting to reference the tapestry in the advancement of their political agendas, so too did the Ahnenerbe.

    Sonderauftrag Bayeux aimed to produce a multi-volume study of the tapestry that would assert its inherently Scandinavian character. The objective was to present the tapestry as proof of the supremacy of the early medieval Norman people, whom the Ahnenerbe claimed as the ancestors of modern German Aryans and descendants of “Viking” northern Europeans.

    By June 1941, work on Sonderauftrag Bayeux had begun in earnest. Among the team sent to Normandy to study the tapestry first hand was Karl Schlabow, a textile expert and head of the Germanic Costume Institute at Neumünster in Germany. Schlabow spent a fortnight in Bayeux, and it was he who removed a fragment of the tapestry’s backing fabric and brought it back to Germany when his research visit was complete.

    Though initial reports suggested that Schlabow removed this fragment when the embroidery was later transferred by the Nazis to Paris, it is more likely that he did so during June 1941, when he and his fellow members of Sonderauftrag Bayeux were stationed in Bayeux.

    In a sketch by Herbert Jeschke – the artist commissioned to create a painted reproduction of the tapestry – during this visit, Jeschke depicted himself with Schlabow and Herbert Jankuhn (the director of the project) hunched over the tapestry. The sketch is accompanied by the emphatic title, “Die Tappiserie!”, an expression of delight at their privileged viewing of this medieval masterpiece.

    To join the Ahnenerbe, Schlabow, like others involved in the Sonderauftrag Bayeux, was inducted into the SS. He held the rank of SS-Unterscharführer (roughly the equivalent of a sergeant in today’s British army). After the second world war many members of the Ahnenerbe denied having sympathy for Nazi policies.

    However, documents seized by US intelligence officers at the end of the second world war reveal that some were denied entry to the Ahnenerbe if they, for instance, had had Jewish friends or expressed sympathy towards communist ideas. They therefore had to (at least outwardly) appear sympathetic to Nazism to be inducted into its ranks.

    Details of what exactly the Ahnenerbe project uncovered, or even hoped to uncover, from this study of the tapestry are opaque. It appears that, to a large extent, the act of producing an illustrated study and dispatching researchers to the original textile was enough to claim the object as a monument to Germanic Aryan supremacy. It is clear that perceived Scandinavian influence within the tapestry’s designs was to be central to the study’s conclusions, but the project was not completed before Germany’s defeat at the end of the war.

    Like many other members of the Ahnenerbe, Schlabow returned to research after the war, working at the Schleswig-Holstein State Museum in Gottorf Castle.

    The discovery of even the tiniest fragment of this remarkable medieval object is cause for much excitement. However, its recovery should be framed firmly in the context in which it was removed. It should come as no surprise that Schlabow felt empowered to steal this piece of the tapestry; the regime for which he worked claimed the object as a piece of his heritage, his birthright as an Aryan German.

    This find is a timely reminder that the past is closer than we realise and that there is still much work to be done to explore the long shadows cast by previous practices in the histories we inherit. The recovered fragment is currently on display in Schleswig-Holstein, but will return to the Musée la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy in time for the museum’s re-opening in 2027 when the two elements will be reunited for the first time since 1941.

    Millie Horton-Insch receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Why the Nazis stole a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry – https://theconversation.com/why-the-nazis-stole-a-fragment-of-the-bayeux-tapestry-260048

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why the Nazis stole a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Millie Horton-Insch, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, History of Art Department, Trinity College Dublin

    There was great excitement at the news this month that the Bayeux tapestry – the 11th-century embroidered epic depicting the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 – will go on display at the British Museum in 2026. However, the tapestry had already been in the news earlier this year, admittedly to much less fanfare.

    In March, it was reported that a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry had been discovered in Germany in the Schleswig-Holstein state archives. To understand how it ended up there, we must turn to a troubling and little-known episode in the tapestry’s history: Sonderauftrag Bayeux (Special Operation Bayeux), a project operated by the Nazi Ahnenerbe, the SS regime’s heritage research group.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    It has often been observed that art seems to have been of disproportionate concern to the Nazis. However, their manipulation of visual and material culture should be understood as central to – not separate from – Hitler’s genocidal regime and its efforts towards global domination.

    The Ahnenerbe, under the ultimate authority of Heinrich Himmler, was established to develop and disseminate histories in support of that mythology central to the Nazi regime: the supremacy of the Aryan race. To this end, the Ahnenerbe oversaw research that claimed to use unassailable scientific methods.

    However, it has long been acknowledged that their projects consciously manipulated historical evidence to construct fabricated histories that would support racist ideologies. To achieve this, numerous research projects were conducted. These projects saw scholars travel across the globe in the pursuit of objects that could act as monuments to the mythologies of Aryan supremacy. Sonderauftrag Bayeux was one such project.

    Nazi interest in the Bayeux tapestry may seem surprising to British people, where the tapestry is considered a symbol of a singularly significant moment in Britain’s history. However, just as politicians in modern Britain have found it tempting to reference the tapestry in the advancement of their political agendas, so too did the Ahnenerbe.

    Sonderauftrag Bayeux aimed to produce a multi-volume study of the tapestry that would assert its inherently Scandinavian character. The objective was to present the tapestry as proof of the supremacy of the early medieval Norman people, whom the Ahnenerbe claimed as the ancestors of modern German Aryans and descendants of “Viking” northern Europeans.

    By June 1941, work on Sonderauftrag Bayeux had begun in earnest. Among the team sent to Normandy to study the tapestry first hand was Karl Schlabow, a textile expert and head of the Germanic Costume Institute at Neumünster in Germany. Schlabow spent a fortnight in Bayeux, and it was he who removed a fragment of the tapestry’s backing fabric and brought it back to Germany when his research visit was complete.

    Though initial reports suggested that Schlabow removed this fragment when the embroidery was later transferred by the Nazis to Paris, it is more likely that he did so during June 1941, when he and his fellow members of Sonderauftrag Bayeux were stationed in Bayeux.

    In a sketch by Herbert Jeschke – the artist commissioned to create a painted reproduction of the tapestry – during this visit, Jeschke depicted himself with Schlabow and Herbert Jankuhn (the director of the project) hunched over the tapestry. The sketch is accompanied by the emphatic title, “Die Tappiserie!”, an expression of delight at their privileged viewing of this medieval masterpiece.

    To join the Ahnenerbe, Schlabow, like others involved in the Sonderauftrag Bayeux, was inducted into the SS. He held the rank of SS-Unterscharführer (roughly the equivalent of a sergeant in today’s British army). After the second world war many members of the Ahnenerbe denied having sympathy for Nazi policies.

    However, documents seized by US intelligence officers at the end of the second world war reveal that some were denied entry to the Ahnenerbe if they, for instance, had had Jewish friends or expressed sympathy towards communist ideas. They therefore had to (at least outwardly) appear sympathetic to Nazism to be inducted into its ranks.

    Details of what exactly the Ahnenerbe project uncovered, or even hoped to uncover, from this study of the tapestry are opaque. It appears that, to a large extent, the act of producing an illustrated study and dispatching researchers to the original textile was enough to claim the object as a monument to Germanic Aryan supremacy. It is clear that perceived Scandinavian influence within the tapestry’s designs was to be central to the study’s conclusions, but the project was not completed before Germany’s defeat at the end of the war.

    Like many other members of the Ahnenerbe, Schlabow returned to research after the war, working at the Schleswig-Holstein State Museum in Gottorf Castle.

    The discovery of even the tiniest fragment of this remarkable medieval object is cause for much excitement. However, its recovery should be framed firmly in the context in which it was removed. It should come as no surprise that Schlabow felt empowered to steal this piece of the tapestry; the regime for which he worked claimed the object as a piece of his heritage, his birthright as an Aryan German.

    This find is a timely reminder that the past is closer than we realise and that there is still much work to be done to explore the long shadows cast by previous practices in the histories we inherit. The recovered fragment is currently on display in Schleswig-Holstein, but will return to the Musée la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy in time for the museum’s re-opening in 2027 when the two elements will be reunited for the first time since 1941.

    Millie Horton-Insch receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Why the Nazis stole a fragment of the Bayeux tapestry – https://theconversation.com/why-the-nazis-stole-a-fragment-of-the-bayeux-tapestry-260048

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why the Sycamore Gap tree provoked such strong emotional reactions – a psychologist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samuel Fairlamb, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London

    Joe Rey Photography/Shutterstock

    In September 2023, so many people were shocked when the famous Sycamore Gap tree, thriving in a dip along Hadrian’s Wall, was deliberately cut down overnight. For many, the tree symbolised British resilience, heritage and an enduring history. The public response was swift and intense, with widespread outrage and grief over the loss of this cultural landmark.

    The two men convicted of felling the Sycamore Gap tree have been sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Meanwhile, the tree lives on thanks to an AI-generated alternate world in the film 28 Years Later.

    As a psychologist, I’m interested in what inspired such a strong reaction to the destruction of a single tree. One psychological explanation, known as “terror management theory”, suggests that the emotional response reflects deeper anxieties about death – and not just about this tree.

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

    Terror management theory, developed by psychologists Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg and Tom Pyszczynski, builds on the work of cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning The Denial of Death (1973).

    This book’s central idea is simple yet profound. In it, Becker proposes that our awareness of mortality creates the potential for considerable existential anxiety.

    To manage this, we rely on cultural worldviews. These are our belief systems. These worldviews can be religious, secular, political or national. They all share a promise that life is meaningful and offer prescriptions for how we should live. When we live in accordance with our cultural values and standards – whether by being a good parent, a loyal citizen or following religious texts – we gain a sense of self-esteem and feel we are contributing to something enduring and significant.

    These worldviews also offer the promise of immortality. Some do so literally, as in religious faiths that promise life beyond death. Others offer symbolic immortality, through lasting achievements, family bloodlines, or the continuation of one’s nation. By embedding ourselves in these worldviews, we gain a sense that some part of us will continue after we die.

    Cultural symbols such as flags, religious icons, or even a tree can embody our core values and collective identity and are therefore treated with deep reverence. Throughout history, people have waged wars and shown intense emotional reactions to the desecration of such symbols (burning the American flag or the Qur’an, for example).

    The Sycamore Gap tree was cut down in September 2023.
    SunCity/Shutterstock

    The Sycamore Gap tree carried similar significance. As a centuries-old landmark, it came to represent Britain’s heritage, strength and continuity. From the perspective of terror management theory, its felling may have stirred strong reactions because it reminded people that even the symbols we rely on for a sense of permanence can be suddenly lost.

    This sense of cultural loss is also echoed by other recent events, such as Brexit and the immigration crisis. A collective fear over the erosion of British values and traditions place questions about the loss of British identity at the centre of public consciousness.

    Rooted in mortality

    Decades of psychological research support this theory’s claims. One common method (a technique called “mortality salience”) involves making participants subtly aware of their mortality (control participants are not reminded of death).

    In studies carried out in the 1990s, researchers found that when the solution to a task required desecrating a cultural symbol, such as using an American flag to separate ink from a jar of sand, participants reminded of death took longer to complete the task and experienced greater apprehension.

    Hundreds of studies also show how being reminded of death can increase anger and hostility towards people who threaten or violate one’s cultural values. One line of research examining reactions to those who commit moral transgressions may be particularly appropriate to this case.

    For instance, in one study, participants reminded of their own death were more likely to support harsher punishments for those who committed moral transgressions such as someone who destroyed an irreplaceable artefact (much like the cutting down of a tree). Other research has shown similar effects: participants (including judges!) when reminded of death gave out harsher penalties or sentencing for those who have committed a crime.

    You might question whether these effects truly reflect death anxiety or if they could be explained without invoking a desire for immortality. Research may provide compelling evidence. One study found that reminders of death increased support for harsher punishments for moral transgressors (replicating the study mentioned earlier).

    However, when participants were first presented with evidence of an afterlife, the effect of death increasing harsher punishments disappeared. In other words, the promise that death is not the end appeared to buffer from the anxiety that death arouses.

    The fall of the Sycamore Gap tree was more than a loss of natural beauty. It was, for many, a symbolic attack on permanence, on meaning, and on shared identity. Yet while such losses can stir outrage and calls for punishment, research also shows that when people endorse prosocial values like empathy, reminders of death can actually foster forgiveness towards those who commit moral transgressions.

    According to terror management theory, these responses are not just about anger, but about what it means to be human in the face of inevitable death. In this light, the tree’s felling uprooted something sacred: a collective continuity that gives meaning to our brief lives. As we grieve its loss, perhaps we’re also mourning something more elusive – the comforting illusion that some things might last forever.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why the Sycamore Gap tree provoked such strong emotional reactions – a psychologist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-the-sycamore-gap-tree-provoked-such-strong-emotional-reactions-a-psychologist-explains-257165

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why the Sycamore Gap tree provoked such strong emotional reactions – a psychologist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samuel Fairlamb, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London

    Joe Rey Photography/Shutterstock

    In September 2023, so many people were shocked when the famous Sycamore Gap tree, thriving in a dip along Hadrian’s Wall, was deliberately cut down overnight. For many, the tree symbolised British resilience, heritage and an enduring history. The public response was swift and intense, with widespread outrage and grief over the loss of this cultural landmark.

    The two men convicted of felling the Sycamore Gap tree have been sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Meanwhile, the tree lives on thanks to an AI-generated alternate world in the film 28 Years Later.

    As a psychologist, I’m interested in what inspired such a strong reaction to the destruction of a single tree. One psychological explanation, known as “terror management theory”, suggests that the emotional response reflects deeper anxieties about death – and not just about this tree.

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

    Terror management theory, developed by psychologists Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg and Tom Pyszczynski, builds on the work of cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning The Denial of Death (1973).

    This book’s central idea is simple yet profound. In it, Becker proposes that our awareness of mortality creates the potential for considerable existential anxiety.

    To manage this, we rely on cultural worldviews. These are our belief systems. These worldviews can be religious, secular, political or national. They all share a promise that life is meaningful and offer prescriptions for how we should live. When we live in accordance with our cultural values and standards – whether by being a good parent, a loyal citizen or following religious texts – we gain a sense of self-esteem and feel we are contributing to something enduring and significant.

    These worldviews also offer the promise of immortality. Some do so literally, as in religious faiths that promise life beyond death. Others offer symbolic immortality, through lasting achievements, family bloodlines, or the continuation of one’s nation. By embedding ourselves in these worldviews, we gain a sense that some part of us will continue after we die.

    Cultural symbols such as flags, religious icons, or even a tree can embody our core values and collective identity and are therefore treated with deep reverence. Throughout history, people have waged wars and shown intense emotional reactions to the desecration of such symbols (burning the American flag or the Qur’an, for example).

    The Sycamore Gap tree was cut down in September 2023.
    SunCity/Shutterstock

    The Sycamore Gap tree carried similar significance. As a centuries-old landmark, it came to represent Britain’s heritage, strength and continuity. From the perspective of terror management theory, its felling may have stirred strong reactions because it reminded people that even the symbols we rely on for a sense of permanence can be suddenly lost.

    This sense of cultural loss is also echoed by other recent events, such as Brexit and the immigration crisis. A collective fear over the erosion of British values and traditions place questions about the loss of British identity at the centre of public consciousness.

    Rooted in mortality

    Decades of psychological research support this theory’s claims. One common method (a technique called “mortality salience”) involves making participants subtly aware of their mortality (control participants are not reminded of death).

    In studies carried out in the 1990s, researchers found that when the solution to a task required desecrating a cultural symbol, such as using an American flag to separate ink from a jar of sand, participants reminded of death took longer to complete the task and experienced greater apprehension.

    Hundreds of studies also show how being reminded of death can increase anger and hostility towards people who threaten or violate one’s cultural values. One line of research examining reactions to those who commit moral transgressions may be particularly appropriate to this case.

    For instance, in one study, participants reminded of their own death were more likely to support harsher punishments for those who committed moral transgressions such as someone who destroyed an irreplaceable artefact (much like the cutting down of a tree). Other research has shown similar effects: participants (including judges!) when reminded of death gave out harsher penalties or sentencing for those who have committed a crime.

    You might question whether these effects truly reflect death anxiety or if they could be explained without invoking a desire for immortality. Research may provide compelling evidence. One study found that reminders of death increased support for harsher punishments for moral transgressors (replicating the study mentioned earlier).

    However, when participants were first presented with evidence of an afterlife, the effect of death increasing harsher punishments disappeared. In other words, the promise that death is not the end appeared to buffer from the anxiety that death arouses.

    The fall of the Sycamore Gap tree was more than a loss of natural beauty. It was, for many, a symbolic attack on permanence, on meaning, and on shared identity. Yet while such losses can stir outrage and calls for punishment, research also shows that when people endorse prosocial values like empathy, reminders of death can actually foster forgiveness towards those who commit moral transgressions.

    According to terror management theory, these responses are not just about anger, but about what it means to be human in the face of inevitable death. In this light, the tree’s felling uprooted something sacred: a collective continuity that gives meaning to our brief lives. As we grieve its loss, perhaps we’re also mourning something more elusive – the comforting illusion that some things might last forever.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why the Sycamore Gap tree provoked such strong emotional reactions – a psychologist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-the-sycamore-gap-tree-provoked-such-strong-emotional-reactions-a-psychologist-explains-257165

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province advances systemic changes to integrate social services, prevent crises

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    On the one-year anniversary of the release of the representative for children and youth’s (RCY) Don’t Look Away report, the Province is providing an update on its co-ordinated cross-government work across several ministries to better integrate social services and move to a more prevention-based model of support for children and youth.

    The report called for systemic transformation across government to better support vulnerable children and families in B.C. by detailing the devastating story of a child’s abuse and death. In response, the Province made eight key commitments and launched a cross-government deputy-minister project board to ensure a co-ordinated response to improving child and youth well-being in B.C. As part of this work, government is collaborating with Indigenous people and all partners to develop a child and youth well-being action plan and outcomes framework.

    This plan will serve as the cornerstone of the Province’s strategy to better aligning services across government, setting standards for child and youth well-being, preventing crises by prioritizing the most vulnerable and measuring the effectiveness of government programs in meeting core needs.

    “Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of Don’t Look Away, and we continue to hold the sacred stories of Colby and the other children in this report in our hearts and minds,” said Jodie Wickens, Minister of Children and Family Development. “Every child in our province deserves safety, belonging and love, and we must do better. We are working with all our partners toward a renewed model of child well-being that focuses on prevention, care and supporting families before they find themselves in crisis.”

    While the plan and framework are being developed, the Province has made improvements to the way it serves children, youth and families. The Ministry of Children and Family Development has added tools for oversight and tracking that make sure child or youth visits occur at least once every 90 days and has increased its workforce by almost 20% in the last two years. The ministry is also improving resources for kinship care providers and providing updated information about supports available.

    B.C. is leading the country with First Nations as they reclaim jurisdiction over their children, youth and families. With a unique context of 204 First Nations, the Province has already signed 12 agreements with Nations that have determined their paths forward, with dozens more to come. A major step forward on the path of lasting reconciliation, this work will improve outcomes for children and youth and reduce the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in care, and the Province is committed to consulting with Indigenous partners on its child and youth well-being action plan.

    “We hear these calls to action and are committed to continue advancing self-determination so that Indigenous children in B.C. are not only safe, supported and loved, but remain connected to their communities, families, culture and language,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.  

    Across government, several initiatives are underway to support the objectives of the plan, create strong foundations for families, and protect and uplift the most vulnerable. The stories in Don’t Look Away show that early supports are critical, and that is why government has taken action to provide more early intervention and mental-health and addiction programs for young people. 

    “Young people in British Columbia need access to age-appropriate mental-health and substance-use services that meet their unique needs,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “That’s why we’re focused on expanding prevention and early-intervention services, like Foundry Centres and Integrated Child and Youth Teams, to communities across the province. These services are vital to help young people get back on their feet, while our government continues to build a full continuum of mental-health and addictions care for everyone.”

    As recommended by the RCY, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has introduced an exemption to lift up people with disabilities and their families and to help reduce financial hardship for people with disabilities. That exemption ensures individuals and families receiving income, disability or hardship assistance can keep the full amount of the new federal Canada Disability Benefit without any reduction to their provincial benefits.

    “We want people with disabilities and their families to have access to the supports they need,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “That’s why this exemption allows people receiving provincial assistance to retain the entire amount of their federal Canada Disability Benefit, further helping them to support their children.” 

    The recommendations in Don’t Look Away address systemic issues that are directed at all of government. The RCY has acknowledged that the Province has taken action on 65% of the recommendations it is tracking from recent RCY reports, including Don’t Look Away.

    “The representative has recognized the steps we’ve taken so far and that the systemic changes we are making will take time,” Wickens said. “But we also hear the clear message that this work must continue, and it must expand. We are proud of the progress to date, but we know this is just the start and there is much more to do. Our government is determined to continue this work alongside the RCY and our Indigenous partners to change the way we work.”

    Government is committed to fundamentally rethinking how it supports children and families through improved accountability, increased oversight, enhanced safety and better co-ordination of services.

    Quick Facts:

    • Ministries involved in the development of a child and youth well-being action plan and outcomes framework include the Attorney General, Education and Child Care, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Health, Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
    • Since 2017, the Ministry of Children and Family Development has received year-over-year budget increases to significantly improve the supports and services provided to B.C.’s children, youth and families.
    • The ministry’s 2025-26 budget increased by $321.6 million to more than $2.4 billion, more than 81% of which goes directly to programs and services.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about RCY investigation and review, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024CFD0009-001124

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: England’s redesigned banknotes will reveal how the country sees itself

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pavan Mano, Lecturer in Global Cultures, King’s College London

    Richard z/Shutterstock

    The Bank of England has announced a redesign of its banknotes and invited the public to suggest new themes that might feature on them. Victoria Cleland, the Bank of England’s chief cashier, said this was as “a symbolic representation of our collective national identity and an opportunity to celebrate the UK”.

    Even though they can appear like the unifying symbols Cleland suggests, my research shows that there are contradictions that surround many national symbols. They are not as unifying as they might seem. In fact, in many cases they also work to exclude people.

    For a long time, there has been a persuasive argument about belonging and the nation. As one of the grand theorists of the nation, Benedict Anderson, once put it, the nation is an “imagined political community”.

    The idea here is that the nation is simply a collection of people who form a community together, something larger than themselves. And national symbols are supposed to represent this community. As such, national symbols are often taken as markers of belonging.

    But what is often overlooked is the exclusionary element of the nation. In my book, Straight Nation, I show how for some people to belong to a nation, others must be portrayed as not belonging. It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly how one belongs to the nation; it is far easier to point at someone else and declare that they do not.

    The invitation to contribute to the redesign will therefore show two things. It will tell us how the country sees itself. It will also demonstrate the contradictions around national symbols and the exclusions they can produce. The former perhaps more straightforward than the latter.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    How does England see itself?

    In theory, the banknote is a perfectly neat national symbol. It is an object that is only valid within the borders of the state it is issued in, so the images printed on it can be treated as representations of the nation. Current notes feature images of historically significant characters: former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, author Jane Austen, painter J.M.W. Turner and scientist Alan Turing.

    Jane Austen is one of only three women who have been on the banknote.
    Dudaeva/Shutterstock

    Indeed, the Bank of England has suggested that images should not be “divisive”. In other words, they need to be as inclusive as possible. But in the current political environment, far-right politics and division have become extremely commonplace both globally and closer to home.

    In the US, the current administration has squarely taken aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programmes and launched a massive wave of deportations. Across much of western Europe, far-right parties are going from strength to strength.

    In the UK, rightwing Reform has emerged as the party that would win the most seats if a general election were held this year. The current prime minister, Keir Starmer, recently gave a speech where he warned the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” without tougher immigration policies.

    Amid these political currents, it will be interesting to see which themes and images are eventually chosen to adorn the new banknotes from the consultation which closes at the end of July. The designs will be instructive not least because they will show how how the current climate translates onto these notes as well as how the country sees itself.

    For instance, there has never been a person of colour and only three women have previously featured on a banknote. It would be a a long time coming if this were to change.

    The exclusions at the heart of national symbols

    Perhaps more importantly, however, is the ironic contradiction around asking for the public’s views on banknotes when banknotes are disappearing from public view.

    At the start of this year, Lloyds Banking Group announced it would be closing 136 of its high street banks. This follows a broader trend. Since 2015, banks have closed more than 6,000 branches, and the number of cash machines has fallen by more than 7,000 between June 2021 and June 2024.

    Banking is becoming increasingly digital and carried out through a smartphone app. A growing number of establishments have gone entirely cashless.

    Many people are affected by this, including those with disabilities, older people, those living in rural areas and small businesses. Not only is cash no longer king, it is barely in the building.

    When it is redesigned, the new banknote will be released into an environment where it is less used and, in a growing number of establishments that have gone entirely cashless, will be almost entirely unwelcome.

    National belonging is often romanticised. There is a sense that nationalism and unity go hand in hand, and that the nation is simply a basin of belonging. National symbols are portrayed as a matter of pride.

    We do not know yet what designs they will bear when the crisp new banknotes are issued. But we do know that they will be issued in decreasing quantities and many people will find it harder to get their hands on them. That captures the contradictions of national symbols, and the exclusions they produce.

    Pavan Mano 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. England’s redesigned banknotes will reveal how the country sees itself – https://theconversation.com/englands-redesigned-banknotes-will-reveal-how-the-country-sees-itself-260842

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: England’s redesigned banknotes will reveal how the country sees itself

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pavan Mano, Lecturer in Global Cultures, King’s College London

    Richard z/Shutterstock

    The Bank of England has announced a redesign of its banknotes and invited the public to suggest new themes that might feature on them. Victoria Cleland, the Bank of England’s chief cashier, said this was as “a symbolic representation of our collective national identity and an opportunity to celebrate the UK”.

    Even though they can appear like the unifying symbols Cleland suggests, my research shows that there are contradictions that surround many national symbols. They are not as unifying as they might seem. In fact, in many cases they also work to exclude people.

    For a long time, there has been a persuasive argument about belonging and the nation. As one of the grand theorists of the nation, Benedict Anderson, once put it, the nation is an “imagined political community”.

    The idea here is that the nation is simply a collection of people who form a community together, something larger than themselves. And national symbols are supposed to represent this community. As such, national symbols are often taken as markers of belonging.

    But what is often overlooked is the exclusionary element of the nation. In my book, Straight Nation, I show how for some people to belong to a nation, others must be portrayed as not belonging. It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly how one belongs to the nation; it is far easier to point at someone else and declare that they do not.

    The invitation to contribute to the redesign will therefore show two things. It will tell us how the country sees itself. It will also demonstrate the contradictions around national symbols and the exclusions they can produce. The former perhaps more straightforward than the latter.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    How does England see itself?

    In theory, the banknote is a perfectly neat national symbol. It is an object that is only valid within the borders of the state it is issued in, so the images printed on it can be treated as representations of the nation. Current notes feature images of historically significant characters: former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, author Jane Austen, painter J.M.W. Turner and scientist Alan Turing.

    Jane Austen is one of only three women who have been on the banknote.
    Dudaeva/Shutterstock

    Indeed, the Bank of England has suggested that images should not be “divisive”. In other words, they need to be as inclusive as possible. But in the current political environment, far-right politics and division have become extremely commonplace both globally and closer to home.

    In the US, the current administration has squarely taken aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programmes and launched a massive wave of deportations. Across much of western Europe, far-right parties are going from strength to strength.

    In the UK, rightwing Reform has emerged as the party that would win the most seats if a general election were held this year. The current prime minister, Keir Starmer, recently gave a speech where he warned the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” without tougher immigration policies.

    Amid these political currents, it will be interesting to see which themes and images are eventually chosen to adorn the new banknotes from the consultation which closes at the end of July. The designs will be instructive not least because they will show how how the current climate translates onto these notes as well as how the country sees itself.

    For instance, there has never been a person of colour and only three women have previously featured on a banknote. It would be a a long time coming if this were to change.

    The exclusions at the heart of national symbols

    Perhaps more importantly, however, is the ironic contradiction around asking for the public’s views on banknotes when banknotes are disappearing from public view.

    At the start of this year, Lloyds Banking Group announced it would be closing 136 of its high street banks. This follows a broader trend. Since 2015, banks have closed more than 6,000 branches, and the number of cash machines has fallen by more than 7,000 between June 2021 and June 2024.

    Banking is becoming increasingly digital and carried out through a smartphone app. A growing number of establishments have gone entirely cashless.

    Many people are affected by this, including those with disabilities, older people, those living in rural areas and small businesses. Not only is cash no longer king, it is barely in the building.

    When it is redesigned, the new banknote will be released into an environment where it is less used and, in a growing number of establishments that have gone entirely cashless, will be almost entirely unwelcome.

    National belonging is often romanticised. There is a sense that nationalism and unity go hand in hand, and that the nation is simply a basin of belonging. National symbols are portrayed as a matter of pride.

    We do not know yet what designs they will bear when the crisp new banknotes are issued. But we do know that they will be issued in decreasing quantities and many people will find it harder to get their hands on them. That captures the contradictions of national symbols, and the exclusions they produce.

    Pavan Mano 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. England’s redesigned banknotes will reveal how the country sees itself – https://theconversation.com/englands-redesigned-banknotes-will-reveal-how-the-country-sees-itself-260842

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Halifax Marine Container Examination Facility Opening

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Halifax, NS, July 15, 2025 — The Halifax Port Authority and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are pleased to invite members of the media to the ceremonial opening of the Marine Container Examination Facility (MCEF) in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    The following representatives will be present:

    • Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
    • Jennifer Lutfallah, Vice-President, CBSA Commercial and Trade Branch
    • Dominic Mallette, Regional Director General, CBSA Atlantic Region
    • Fulvio Fracassi, President and CEO, Halifax Port Authority
    •  Juanita Peters, Executive Director, Africville Museum
    •  Jim Lambe, General Manager, Atlantic Canada, Logistec Corporation
    • Kevin Piper, President, Halifax Longshoremen’s Association

    CBSA officials will be on site to discuss detection tools.

    Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
    Time: 10:00 a.m.
    Place: 6015 Africville Rd, Halifax, Nova Scotia

    RSVP: Media who wish to participate in the event must register and provide their contact information in advance by contacting communicationsatl@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. Identification is required to access the building. Parking is limited; please carpool if possible. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment on Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

    Source: US FBI

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Essameddin Birry, age 43, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 9, 2025, to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, between May 31, 2023, and July 27, 2023, Birry distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions in the Wilkes-Barre area within Luzerne County. On September 11, 2023, Birry was involved in a motor vehicle stop in Olyphant, Lackawanna County. Birry attempted to flee on foot from law enforcement but was apprehended and found to be in possession of distribution amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessed a loaded handgun. Birry was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions. At the time of this offense, Birry was on probation for a prior drug trafficking conviction.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and Olyphant Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 07.15.2025 Cruz-Led Bipartisan Bill to Protect Livelihoods of Texas Fishermen Passes the Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate passed the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, which was introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). The bipartisan bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper and certain species of tuna imported into the United States.
    Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for red snapper and tuna. The legislation supports the development of a field test kit that can be used to accurately ascertain whether fish were caught in U.S. or foreign waters, thus allowing federal and state law enforcement officers to identify the origin of the fish and confiscate illegally caught red snapper and tuna before it is imported back into the U.S.
    The Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Act was reintroduced in January and advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee the following month. The legislation was also co-sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
    Sen. Cruz said, “Hardworking Texas fishermen in the Gulf of America are being undercut by cartel-backed entities who illegally catch and smuggle red snapper into U.S. markets, using profits to fund other illicit activities. I am proud to lead the fight on this bipartisan legislation to crack down on these corrupt operations, stand up for Texas fishermen, and protect our communities. Now, it’s time for the House to act and help us put an end to this illegality.”
    Sen. Schatz said, “Seafood that’s caught illegally or intentionally mislabeled rips off consumers and makes it harder for law-abiding U.S. fishermen to compete. Our bill will help fight against anyone who tries to pass off cheap foreign tuna for high-quality ahi from local Hawai‘i fishermen.”
    BACKGROUND
    Mexican fishermen cross the maritime border between Texas and Mexico on small boats called “lanchas” to illegally catch red snapper in U.S. waters and return to Mexico. The fish are sold in Mexico or mixed in with legally-caught red snapper then exported back into the United States across land borders. Red snapper is one of the most well-managed and profitable fish in the Gulf, but illegal fishing by Mexican lanchas puts law-abiding U.S. fishermen and seafood producers at a competitive disadvantage.
    Last year, the Coast Guard seized more than 18 tons of illegally caught fish from Mexican lanchas. As of June of this year, the Coast Guard has arrested more than 50 Mexican fishermen and seized thousands of pounds of illegally caught fish, further underscoring the need for additional measures to protect our resources.
    In Hawaii, commercial fishermen have long fought to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and human trafficking in the seafood industry. IUU fishing activities violate both national and international fishing regulations.
    Sens. Cruz, Britt, and Tuberville previously introduced similar legislation during the 118th Congress, which passed the Commerce Committee in July of last year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: CPPCC National Committee Holds Consultative Meeting on Improving, Renewing Social Governance

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) — The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held a thematic consultation meeting on improving and innovating social governance in Beijing on Tuesday.

    Speaking at the meeting, Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, called on political consultants to rely on a people-centered approach when improving social governance.

    Wang Huning called for developing a social governance system based on joint construction, joint management and joint use, shifting the focus of social governance to the grassroots level, and improving the quality and effectiveness of policy consultation and professional proposals.

    The chairman of the CPPCC National Committee stressed the need to continuously deepen research on key issues in social governance, strengthen the reflection of public opinion in social governance, and properly carry out the work of consolidating forces in social governance.

    About 100 members of the CPPCC National Committee attended the meeting, of whom 22 delivered speeches.

    Chen Wenqing, member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, also attended the event and delivered a speech.

    Chen Wenqing called for raising the level of modernization of social governance, turning the Party’s leadership advantages into the effectiveness of social governance, better responding to public concerns and protecting public interests, and enhancing the rule of law in social governance. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Leads Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Nursing Workforce 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Today, U.S. Reps. Young Kim (CA-40), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Sarah McBride (DE-At Large) introduced the National Nursing Workforce Center Act to address the nationwide nursing shortage and sustain a resilient healthcare workforce. 

    The National Nursing Workforce Center Act would establish a pilot program to support the development of state-based nursing workforce centers. These centers serve as critical hubs for research, planning, and programs that strengthen the nursing pipeline and improve workforce planning across states.  

    “Unsustainable schedules are hurting our nurses, who play a vital role in delivering care across the nation,” said Rep. Young Kim. “We must strengthen our nursing workforce to meet evolving healthcare needs. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to support these heroes who care for us every day.” 

    “This bill helps to establish and promote nursing workforce centers, as we try to address the skilled nursing shortage,” said Rep. Marilyn Strickland. “We must support nurses at all stages of their careers, so we can grow a strong nursing workforce.” 

    “State-based nursing workforce centers help improve the pipeline for nursing education programs because of the data-driven solutions they research,” said Rep. Don Bacon. “I’m thankful to join Rep. Kim on this legislation that will focus on localized research, data analysis and strategic planning to improve nursing education.” 

     “Nurses are the backbone of our health care system—and they’re burned out and stretched thin,” said Rep. Sarah McBride. “I’m proud to join Rep. Young Kim in introducing this bipartisan bill to strengthen nursing education, expand mental health support, and build the workforce patients count on. I’m grateful to Senator Blunt Rochester for her leadership in the Senate as we work to ensure nurses have the resources they need to keep our communities healthy.”  

    The National Nursing Workforce Center Act would:   

    • Create a two-year pilot program through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to help states establish or expand nursing workforce centers; 
    • Support research, planning, and programs that address nursing shortages and strengthen nursing education; 
    • Direct HRSA to create a national center focused on nursing workforce research and solutions. 

    Read the bill here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged, Another Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil Rights While Providing Off-Duty Security for Clients

    Source: US FBI

    LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors today secured a guilty plea from a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy and charged and filed a plea agreement with another LASD deputy – both of whom used their positions in law enforcement while acting as private security for their off-duty clients, including a now-jailed cryptocurrency businessman who proclaimed himself “The Godfather.” 

    David Anthony Rodriguez, 43, of La Verne, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy against rights.

    Relatedly, Christopher Michael Cadman, 33, of Fullerton, agreed to plead guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy against rights and subscribing to a false tax return. Cadman, who will face up to 13 years in federal prison at his sentencing hearing after he pleads guilty, is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in the coming days.

    Rodriguez and Cadman formerly were employed by Adam Iza, 24, who resided in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, a cryptocurrency businessman who has been in federal custody since September 2024. Iza pleaded guilty on January 30 to one count of conspiracy against rights, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15.

    According to court documents, in August 2021, Cadman and a law enforcement officer identified as “LASD Deputy 6” intimidated and threatened a victim who was one of Iza’s adversaries. LASD Deputy 6 held the victim at gunpoint during a meeting at Iza’s office inside his Bel Air mansion. Immediately afterward, the victim transferred approximately $25,000 from his bank account to Iza’s bank account in response to the threat and demand.

    In September 2021, Cadman and other law enforcement officers orchestrated a traffic stop in Paramount to arrest the same victim. Cadman admitted in his plea agreement to helping organize the traffic stop and arrest on Iza’s behalf and to receiving cash payments while he worked for Iza.

    Cadman also received income he knowingly failed to report – at least $40,500 – on his 2021 federal tax return, which he signed and filed with the IRS in February 2022. Cadman admitted to owing approximately $11,000 in federal taxes for that year.

    In a separate plea agreement, Rodriguez admitted to using his powers as a law enforcement officer in July 2022 to improperly obtain a court-authorized search warrant, lying to a judge that it was related to a robbery investigation, to obtain GPS location information associated with another victim’s cellular phone on behalf of a client – other than Iza – who hired Rodriguez as a private security guard. 

    After securing the GPS location information for the victim’s phone, Rodriguez shared the coordinates with co-conspirators, including Eric Chase Saavedra, 42, of Chino, an LASD deputy and former federal task force officer who ran a private security company, who pleaded guilty on February 6 to one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. LASD deputies and other co-conspirators would use information obtained from the court-authorized search warrant to harass, threaten, and intimidate the victim.

    Saavedra, who is free on $50,000 bond, is expected to be sentenced in the coming months.

    United States District Judge Percy Anderson scheduled a November 10 sentencing hearing for Rodriguez, who faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has assisted.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting these cases.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Calian Receives Dual Recognition for Excellence and Culture from Iconic Media Brands

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY), a mission-critical solutions company focused on defence, space, healthcare and other strategic infrastructure sectors, is proud to announce two major honours recognizing its dedication to excellence and a thriving workplace culture. TIME Magazine has included Calian in its inaugural 2025 list of Canada’s Best Companies, while Forbes announced today the company as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Company Culture.

    These prestigious recognitions underline Calian’s momentum as a leader in delivering mission-critical solutions across defence, space and health industries, while also building an empowering, supportive culture that fuels its success.

    “These honours highlight what makes Calian thrive—our people,” said Kevin Ford, CEO of Calian. “Our 5,000-strong global team lives our values every day, building not just a company, but a community committed to impact. With momentum across key industries and a strong team behind us, we’re on a clear path forward—combining purpose with progress as we grow, innovate, and continue delivering for our customers and communities.”

    The TIME Magazine recognition focused on company metrics over the last three years, including employee satisfaction, revenue growth and sustainability transparency, underscoring Calian’s steadfast commitment to driving meaningful outcomes for its employees, clients and the environment. Forbes’ recognition for company culture, based on employee feedback from across Canada, spotlights Calian as an industry leader that fosters inclusion, collaboration and excellence.

    “We recognize that employees are what make Calian a high-performing, innovative company. Our people are the backbone of everything we do,” said Sue Ivay, Chief Human Resources Officer, Calian. “Their expertise, dedication and shared drive for excellence are the reasons these recognitions are possible. Whether we are prioritizing learning and professional growth, engaging with our customers, or delivering solutions when failure is not an option, it is our people who set us apart.”

    These accomplishments reflect Calian’s motivation for focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to better serve our communities. Creating a workplace where individuals can grow, collaborate, and succeed, while continuing to deliver the critical mission-driven outcomes that our clients expect.

    For more on life at Calian and our mission to help the world communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives, visit www.calian.com.

    About Calian

    For over 40 years, Calian has delivered mission-critical solutions when failure is not an option. Trusted worldwide, we empower organizations in critical industries to overcome obstacles, manage risks and drive progress. By combining the expertise of our people, proven industry insight, cutting-edge technology, bold innovation, and global reach, we deliver tailored solutions that solve complex challenges. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with over 5,000 people around the world, Calian’s solutions protect lives, strengthen security, foster global connectivity and drive economic progress, making a lasting impact where and when it matters most. 

    www.calian.com

    Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

    Media inquiries:

    media@calian.com

    613-599-8600

    Investor Relations inquiries:

    ir@calian.com

    —————————————————————————–

    DISCLAIMER

    Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

    Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8
    Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: info@calian.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SASE Platforms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced it has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SASE Platforms and ranked #1 in the Secure Branch Network Modernization use case in the accompanying Gartner Critical Capabilities for SASE Platforms report, which Fortinet believes underscores its ability to converge advanced secure SD‑WAN, universal ZTNA, and AI-Powered threat protection into a single, flexible solution.

    “We are honored to be recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms and believe this recognition validates our commitment to organic innovation—building a unified, AI-powered platform that spans all SASE use cases,” said Nirav Shah, Senior Vice President of Products and Solutions at Fortinet. “We believe being positioned in the Leaders quadrant in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SASE Platforms affirms our strategy of blending proven secure SD‑WAN, universal ZTNA, and AI‑powered threat protection under a single operating system, FortiOS, and one license for added simplicity and faster ROI.”

    The most unified, flexible, and intelligent SASE platform
    This latest recognition, in Fortinet’s view, validates its unified‑platform strategy for secure digital acceleration. It follows Fortinet’s acknowledgement as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SD‑WAN for the fifth consecutive year—where it was positioned highest for Ability to Execute—as well as being named a 2024 Gartner Peer Insights™ Customers’ Choice for Security Service Edge (SSE), and a 2025 Customers’ Choice for SD-WAN and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

    Fortinet Unified SASE is built natively on FortiOS, delivering consistent security and user experience from campus to cloud to remote users through a single-vendor platform. Fortinet’s tightly integrated approach enables centralized management through one console and one agent, reducing complexity while streamlining policy enforcement and deployment. Fortinet offers over 160 points-of-presence (PoPs) and simplified licensing tiers to meet customer needs. Monthly product innovations, including AI-driven security workflows, keep the platform ahead of evolving threats and business needs.

    Powering High-Performance Branch Experiences and Sovereign SASE at Global Scale

    Fortinet believes the recognition in Secure Branch Network Modernization use case in the Gartner Critical Capabilities for SASE Platforms report also underscores the company’s strength in helping customers replace legacy architectures like MPLS with a simplified, high-performance branch experience. Organizations can rapidly deploy new sites using zero-touch provisioning and centralized orchestration, significantly reducing the time and effort typically required to roll out branch locations. By converging networking and security at the edge, Fortinet empowers IT teams to deliver secure, scalable access with reduced operational overhead and lower total cost of ownership with seamless integration between secure SD-WAN and SSE that can be completed in minutes.

    Fortinet continues to differentiate itself in a fast-growing market projected by Gartner to exceed $28.5 billion by 2028, with ongoing investment in its global SASE infrastructure, simplified packaging, and partner enablement. These efforts reflect Fortinet’s commitment to helping customers, channel partners, and service providers capitalize on the growing demand for hybrid work security, branch modernization, and the ability meet data sovereignty needs for regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government.

    Analyst and Customer Validation
    Fortinet’s Leader position in SASE adds to the company’s broader recognition across the cybersecurity industry, including being acknowledged in 11 Gartner Magic Quadrant reports spanning security and networking. In addition to being named a Leader in the Magic Quadrant for both SASE Platforms and SD-WAN, Fortinet remains the only vendor recognized as a Customers’ Choice across all core components of SASE—SD-WAN, SSE, and ZTNA—according to Gartner Peer Insights™. Fortinet believes these distinctions further validate Fortinet’s Security Fabric platform strategy and its ability to unify security and networking across every edge.

    Additional Resources

    Note for Gartner Peer Insights™: Reviews from vendor partners or end users of companies with less than $50M in revenue are excluded from this methodology. See the full “Voice of the Customer” methodology.

    Gartner and Peer Insights are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences, and should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

    GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

    Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

    Gartner, Forecast Analysis: Secure Access Service Edge, Worldwide, By Charanpal Bhogal, Charlie Winckless, Neil MacDonald, Andrew Lerner, John Watts, Shailendra Upadhyay, Christian Canales, Marissa Schmidt, Jonathan Forest, 05 February 2025

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), By Jonathan Forest, Neil MacDonald, Dale Koeppen, 9 July 2025

    Gartner, Critical Capabilities for SASE Platforms, By Jonathan Forest, Andrew Lerner, Charlie Winckless, 14 July 2025

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge, By Charlie Winckless, Thomas Lintemuth, Dale Koeppen, Charanpal Bhogal, 20 May 2025

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Data Center Switching, By Andrew Lerner, Simon Richard, Nauman Raja, Jorge Aragon, Jonathan Forest, 31 March 2025

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Cyber-Physical Systems Protection Platforms, By Katell Thielemann, Wam Voster, Ruggero Contu, 12 February 2025

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms, By Max Taggett, Nikul Patel, Franz Hinner, Deepak Mishra, 16 December 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Access Management, By Brian Guthrie, Nathan Harris, Abhyuday Data, Josh Murphy, 2 December 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN, By Jonathan Forest, Karen Brown, Nauman Raja, 30 September 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms, By Evgeny Mirolyubov, Franz Hinner, Deepak Mishra, Satarupa Patnaik, Chris Silva, 23 September 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Privileged Access Management, By Abhyuday Data, Michael Kelley, Nayara Sangiorgio, Felix Gaehtgens, Paul Mezzera, 9 September 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant Security Information and Event Management, By Andrew Davies, Mitchell Schneider, Rustam Malik, Eric Ahlm, 8 May 2024

    Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, By Mike Leibovitz, Christian Canales, Nauman Raja, Tim Zimmerman, 25 June 2025

    Note: Fortinet acquired Perception Point in December 2024. Perception Point was recognized in the 2024 Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms

    “Fortinet was recognized in 11 different Magic Quadrant reports including being named an Honorable Mention in Magic Quadrant for Data Center Switching, for Access Management, and for Privileged Access Management.”

    Gartner, Voice of the Customer for Security Service Edge, Peer Contributors, 27, September 2024. Gartner, Voice of the Customer for Security Service Edge, Peer Contributors, 29, September, 2023

    Gartner, “Voice of the Customer for SD-WAN,” Peer Contributors, 25 June 2025.

    Gartner, Gartner Peer Insights™ ‘Voice of the Customer’: SD-WAN, Peer Contributors, 2025, 2024, & 2023

    Gartner, Gartner Peer Insights™ ‘Voice of the Customer’: WAN Edge Infrastructure, Peer Contributors, 2022, 2021 & 2020

    Gartner, Gartner Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Zero Trust Networking, 24, February 2025

    About Fortinet
    Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

    Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Leads Legislation to Support Rural Behavioral Health by Fully Funding Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced the Farmers First Act, which would expand and improve behavioral health services in rural communities and connect those in times of crisis with trained medical professionals to receive the personalized care that they need.

    This legislation would reauthorize the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), increase funding to a total of $15,000,000 annually over the next five years, and allow FRSAN regional centers to establish referral connections with certified community behavioral health clinics, critical access hospitals, and rural health centers.

    “Agriculture is the economic engine of Iowa, and our farmers and producers work long hours and make unseen sacrifices to feed and fuel our country and the world. Those sacrifices can take a toll on our farm producers, especially when commodity prices tumble or severe weather destroys crops,” said Rep. Feenstra. “It’s why I’m glad to lead legislation to fully fund the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, providing farmers with real support in times of crisis. I will always stand with our producers and ensure that they have access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve.”

    “Dairy farmers routinely endure volatile economic environments that are naturally cause for emotional stress. The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network provides vital resources that can support producers and their families during times of crisis. We commend Representative Randy Feenstra and Ranking Member Angie Craig for leading the bipartisan Farmers First Act to continue and strengthen FRSAN for the betterment of all farmers and rural communities,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

    “On behalf of over 60,000 pork producers nationwide, we commend Congressman Feenstra and Ranking Member Craig for addressing the critical issue of mental and behavioral health in agriculture. As farmers and ranchers, we face unique stressors that are often beyond our control. By prioritizing these resources, we can strengthen the resilience of rural communities and ensure long-term support for both producers today and future generations,” said Duane Stateler, President of National Pork Producers Council.

    “Farmers face incredible stressors in their day-to-day work and often feel as though the weight of the world rests on their shoulders as they navigate tough times while maintaining farms that have been passed down through multiple generations of family members,” said Kenneth Hartman Jr., Illinois farmer and President of the National Corn Growers Association. “Yet, they often find it hard to access the mental health tools they need to cope with these challenges. That’s why we are deeply appreciative for the sponsors of this legislation for working to extend mental health resources to growers through this important legislation.”

    “From trade uncertainty to labor shortages and natural disasters, many stressors are weighing heavily on the minds of farmers and ranchers. Resources supported through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network are more critical now than at any time in recent memory. Farm Bureau appreciates Representatives Craig and Feenstra, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their tireless commitment to supporting farmer and rancher mental health across the country,” said Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation.

    “U.S. soybean farmers face serious pressures, from the impacts of ongoing tariffs to looming, unscientific threats to crop protection tools and seed oils. These policy and market challenges take a toll, not just financially, but mentally. Mental health remains an often-unspoken crisis in rural communities, and ASA is committed to addressing it head-on. The Farmers First Act of 2025 would provide critical support by reauthorizing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network and strengthening mental health resources farmers can count on. We thank Representative Feenstra for championing this legislation and standing with farm families,” said Caleb Ragland, President of the American Soybean Association and soybean farmer from Magnolia, Kentucky.

    “Farmers and ranchers across the United States face unique and extreme stresses in their work to feed, fuel, and clothe the world. NASDA applauds the bipartisan Farmers First Act, which bolsters access to critical mental health resources through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. State departments of agriculture play an important role in coordinating FRSAN operations and NASDA looks forward to continuing to support these invaluable activities,” said Ted McKinney, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

    “When farmers struggle, ag retailers feel it too—financially, emotionally, and as part of the same rural fabric. The Farmers First Act recognizes that mental health is a shared concern in agriculture, and strengthening the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network helps support not just our customers, but our communities and our own teams as well,” said Hunter Carpenter, Senior Director of Public Policy at the Agricultural Retailers Association.

    “The Farmer Veteran Coalition strongly supports the reauthorization of the Farmers First Act. Expanding and strengthening the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network is essential to ensuring farmers, ranchers have access to the mental health resources they need to thrive. We commend Representatives Feenstra and Craig, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst, for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing the well-being of those who feed our nation. This bill will provide critical support for agricultural producers facing stress, isolation, and mental health challenges, and we urge swift passage this Congress,” said Jeanette Lombardo, Chief Executive Officer of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.

    “The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Congressman Feenstra and Ranking Member Craig for their leadership on ensuring access to mental health care for rural agricultural communities. The Farmers First Act supports the continuation of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, expanding the network of rural providers to deliver critical services to farming and ranching populations. We look forward to working with Congress to continue bringing much-needed resources to our agricultural populations,” said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.

    “Farmers in rural communities face unique mental health and substance use challenges, often with limited access to care,” said Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “The reintroduction of the Farmer’s First Act by Representatives Feenstra and Craig is a meaningful step toward expanding access to high-quality behavioral health services in agricultural communities. By supporting programs that leverage proven models like Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), this bill will help ensure that farmers and their families can access comprehensive, coordinated care no matter where they live.”

    “Farming and the financial insecurity associated with farming can be very stressful. Farmers dealing with stress-related mental health challenges often feel stigmatized if they seek help, which only compounds the problem. We applaud Representatives Feenstra (R-IA) and Craig (D-MN) and Senators Baldwin (D-WI) and Ernst (R-IA) for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Farmers First Act to increase resources available to farmers and rural communities to address mental health challenges,” said Steve Etka, Policy Director, Midwest Dairy Coalition. 

    “Farmers are daily facing the changing and unpredictable weather patterns that can devastate the best laid plans. They must deal with rising cost of inputs, uncertainty about trade, uncertainty about support services, uncertainty about the role of the USDA and managing difficult financial decisions against a backdrop of uncertainty around the domestic economy. Organic dairy farmers care for the environment, care for their livestock and for the health and welfare of their family and their customers every day. Dairy farming is many times a solitary occupation and farmers need access to all the resources possible to deal with the stress and uncertainty in their lives. We wholeheartedly support the Farmers First Act and all the assistance it can provide to care for our farm families,” said Ed Maltby, Executive Director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.

    “Ensuring sufficient access to evidence-based mental health services continues to be a challenge in many rural and agricultural communities, in many cases a challenge that has endured over generations,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. (APA Services). “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network program continues to be a lifeline to many of these communities. APA Services applauds Representatives Feenstra and Craig and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their efforts to ensure adequate mental health resources in rural communities, and we ask Congress to swiftly enact the Farmers First Act.”

    “Any farmer will tell you—agriculture is an incredibly demanding and often stressful profession, especially during times of economic hardship. Tragically, suicide rates among farmers are two to five times higher than the national average. One of the biggest challenges in addressing this crisis is the persistent stigma around mental health in rural communities, which too often prevents individuals from seeking help. NAWG is deeply grateful to Congressman Feenstra for his leadership on this critical legislation and for his unwavering commitment to expanding access to mental health resources for farmers and rural communities across the country,” said Chandler Goule, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers.

    “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network helps provide essential support to our nation’s producers” said Doug O’Brien, President and CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association. “The National Cooperative Business Association applauds the bipartisan leadership to increase access to mental health services for rural communities while providing a critical lifeline to our farmers and ranchers”

    “The Organic Trade Association applauds Congressman Feenstra for recognizing that a healthy farm system begins with healthy farmers,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association. “We proudly support the Farmers First Act which safeguards the well-being of farmers.”

    “Farming is a stressful job, even in good times, and rural residents often face unique barriers to seeking mental health care,” said Christy Seyfert, Farm Credit Council President and CEO. “FRSAN brings valuable stress assistance services and expertise to the farm and ranch communities most in need of resources. Farm Credit commends Ranking Member Craig, Representative Feenstra, and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their leadership on the Farmers First Act.”

    “Since it was funded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) has been an essential lifeline for farmers, ranchers and farmworkers, who face increased levels of stress and often lack access to mental health support services,” said Hannah Tremblay, Farm Aid’s Policy & Advocacy Manager. “Farm Aid enthusiastically supports the Farmers First Act of 2025 which continues the crucial work of the FRSAN to support and strengthen the agricultural workers we all depend upon. Importantly, the increased funding will allow for deeper support networks and increased outreach to underserved farmers and agricultural workers. As farmers struggle with an uncertain farm economy, FRSAN is now more critical than ever.”

    “We are grateful to Representatives Randy Feenstra and Angie Craig for reaffirming the clear and present need for increased funding of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance network. Many reasons exist for ongoing farm stress and mental health challenges for farmers and farm workers. Continued FRSAN funding is essential to ensure critical support services and programming reach populations where the need is great, and resources are often limited,” said David Howard, Policy Development Director at Young Farmers.

    “Farming can be incredibly stressful, and too many rural communities still don’t have the mental health support they need,” said Rob Larew, President of National Farmers Union. “The Farmers First Act will help get essential resources to farmers who are struggling. We thank Representatives Feenstra and Craig and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for leading the charge and urge Congress to reauthorize FRSAN with increased funding.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Leads Legislation to Support Rural Behavioral Health by Fully Funding Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced the Farmers First Act, which would expand and improve behavioral health services in rural communities and connect those in times of crisis with trained medical professionals to receive the personalized care that they need.

    This legislation would reauthorize the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), increase funding to a total of $15,000,000 annually over the next five years, and allow FRSAN regional centers to establish referral connections with certified community behavioral health clinics, critical access hospitals, and rural health centers.

    “Agriculture is the economic engine of Iowa, and our farmers and producers work long hours and make unseen sacrifices to feed and fuel our country and the world. Those sacrifices can take a toll on our farm producers, especially when commodity prices tumble or severe weather destroys crops,” said Rep. Feenstra. “It’s why I’m glad to lead legislation to fully fund the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, providing farmers with real support in times of crisis. I will always stand with our producers and ensure that they have access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve.”

    “Dairy farmers routinely endure volatile economic environments that are naturally cause for emotional stress. The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network provides vital resources that can support producers and their families during times of crisis. We commend Representative Randy Feenstra and Ranking Member Angie Craig for leading the bipartisan Farmers First Act to continue and strengthen FRSAN for the betterment of all farmers and rural communities,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

    “On behalf of over 60,000 pork producers nationwide, we commend Congressman Feenstra and Ranking Member Craig for addressing the critical issue of mental and behavioral health in agriculture. As farmers and ranchers, we face unique stressors that are often beyond our control. By prioritizing these resources, we can strengthen the resilience of rural communities and ensure long-term support for both producers today and future generations,” said Duane Stateler, President of National Pork Producers Council.

    “Farmers face incredible stressors in their day-to-day work and often feel as though the weight of the world rests on their shoulders as they navigate tough times while maintaining farms that have been passed down through multiple generations of family members,” said Kenneth Hartman Jr., Illinois farmer and President of the National Corn Growers Association. “Yet, they often find it hard to access the mental health tools they need to cope with these challenges. That’s why we are deeply appreciative for the sponsors of this legislation for working to extend mental health resources to growers through this important legislation.”

    “From trade uncertainty to labor shortages and natural disasters, many stressors are weighing heavily on the minds of farmers and ranchers. Resources supported through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network are more critical now than at any time in recent memory. Farm Bureau appreciates Representatives Craig and Feenstra, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their tireless commitment to supporting farmer and rancher mental health across the country,” said Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation.

    “U.S. soybean farmers face serious pressures, from the impacts of ongoing tariffs to looming, unscientific threats to crop protection tools and seed oils. These policy and market challenges take a toll, not just financially, but mentally. Mental health remains an often-unspoken crisis in rural communities, and ASA is committed to addressing it head-on. The Farmers First Act of 2025 would provide critical support by reauthorizing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network and strengthening mental health resources farmers can count on. We thank Representative Feenstra for championing this legislation and standing with farm families,” said Caleb Ragland, President of the American Soybean Association and soybean farmer from Magnolia, Kentucky.

    “Farmers and ranchers across the United States face unique and extreme stresses in their work to feed, fuel, and clothe the world. NASDA applauds the bipartisan Farmers First Act, which bolsters access to critical mental health resources through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. State departments of agriculture play an important role in coordinating FRSAN operations and NASDA looks forward to continuing to support these invaluable activities,” said Ted McKinney, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

    “When farmers struggle, ag retailers feel it too—financially, emotionally, and as part of the same rural fabric. The Farmers First Act recognizes that mental health is a shared concern in agriculture, and strengthening the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network helps support not just our customers, but our communities and our own teams as well,” said Hunter Carpenter, Senior Director of Public Policy at the Agricultural Retailers Association.

    “The Farmer Veteran Coalition strongly supports the reauthorization of the Farmers First Act. Expanding and strengthening the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network is essential to ensuring farmers, ranchers have access to the mental health resources they need to thrive. We commend Representatives Feenstra and Craig, as well as Senators Baldwin and Ernst, for their bipartisan leadership in prioritizing the well-being of those who feed our nation. This bill will provide critical support for agricultural producers facing stress, isolation, and mental health challenges, and we urge swift passage this Congress,” said Jeanette Lombardo, Chief Executive Officer of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.

    “The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Congressman Feenstra and Ranking Member Craig for their leadership on ensuring access to mental health care for rural agricultural communities. The Farmers First Act supports the continuation of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, expanding the network of rural providers to deliver critical services to farming and ranching populations. We look forward to working with Congress to continue bringing much-needed resources to our agricultural populations,” said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.

    “Farmers in rural communities face unique mental health and substance use challenges, often with limited access to care,” said Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “The reintroduction of the Farmer’s First Act by Representatives Feenstra and Craig is a meaningful step toward expanding access to high-quality behavioral health services in agricultural communities. By supporting programs that leverage proven models like Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), this bill will help ensure that farmers and their families can access comprehensive, coordinated care no matter where they live.”

    “Farming and the financial insecurity associated with farming can be very stressful. Farmers dealing with stress-related mental health challenges often feel stigmatized if they seek help, which only compounds the problem. We applaud Representatives Feenstra (R-IA) and Craig (D-MN) and Senators Baldwin (D-WI) and Ernst (R-IA) for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Farmers First Act to increase resources available to farmers and rural communities to address mental health challenges,” said Steve Etka, Policy Director, Midwest Dairy Coalition. 

    “Farmers are daily facing the changing and unpredictable weather patterns that can devastate the best laid plans. They must deal with rising cost of inputs, uncertainty about trade, uncertainty about support services, uncertainty about the role of the USDA and managing difficult financial decisions against a backdrop of uncertainty around the domestic economy. Organic dairy farmers care for the environment, care for their livestock and for the health and welfare of their family and their customers every day. Dairy farming is many times a solitary occupation and farmers need access to all the resources possible to deal with the stress and uncertainty in their lives. We wholeheartedly support the Farmers First Act and all the assistance it can provide to care for our farm families,” said Ed Maltby, Executive Director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.

    “Ensuring sufficient access to evidence-based mental health services continues to be a challenge in many rural and agricultural communities, in many cases a challenge that has endured over generations,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. (APA Services). “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network program continues to be a lifeline to many of these communities. APA Services applauds Representatives Feenstra and Craig and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their efforts to ensure adequate mental health resources in rural communities, and we ask Congress to swiftly enact the Farmers First Act.”

    “Any farmer will tell you—agriculture is an incredibly demanding and often stressful profession, especially during times of economic hardship. Tragically, suicide rates among farmers are two to five times higher than the national average. One of the biggest challenges in addressing this crisis is the persistent stigma around mental health in rural communities, which too often prevents individuals from seeking help. NAWG is deeply grateful to Congressman Feenstra for his leadership on this critical legislation and for his unwavering commitment to expanding access to mental health resources for farmers and rural communities across the country,” said Chandler Goule, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers.

    “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network helps provide essential support to our nation’s producers” said Doug O’Brien, President and CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association. “The National Cooperative Business Association applauds the bipartisan leadership to increase access to mental health services for rural communities while providing a critical lifeline to our farmers and ranchers”

    “The Organic Trade Association applauds Congressman Feenstra for recognizing that a healthy farm system begins with healthy farmers,” said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association. “We proudly support the Farmers First Act which safeguards the well-being of farmers.”

    “Farming is a stressful job, even in good times, and rural residents often face unique barriers to seeking mental health care,” said Christy Seyfert, Farm Credit Council President and CEO. “FRSAN brings valuable stress assistance services and expertise to the farm and ranch communities most in need of resources. Farm Credit commends Ranking Member Craig, Representative Feenstra, and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for their leadership on the Farmers First Act.”

    “Since it was funded in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) has been an essential lifeline for farmers, ranchers and farmworkers, who face increased levels of stress and often lack access to mental health support services,” said Hannah Tremblay, Farm Aid’s Policy & Advocacy Manager. “Farm Aid enthusiastically supports the Farmers First Act of 2025 which continues the crucial work of the FRSAN to support and strengthen the agricultural workers we all depend upon. Importantly, the increased funding will allow for deeper support networks and increased outreach to underserved farmers and agricultural workers. As farmers struggle with an uncertain farm economy, FRSAN is now more critical than ever.”

    “We are grateful to Representatives Randy Feenstra and Angie Craig for reaffirming the clear and present need for increased funding of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance network. Many reasons exist for ongoing farm stress and mental health challenges for farmers and farm workers. Continued FRSAN funding is essential to ensure critical support services and programming reach populations where the need is great, and resources are often limited,” said David Howard, Policy Development Director at Young Farmers.

    “Farming can be incredibly stressful, and too many rural communities still don’t have the mental health support they need,” said Rob Larew, President of National Farmers Union. “The Farmers First Act will help get essential resources to farmers who are struggling. We thank Representatives Feenstra and Craig and Senators Baldwin and Ernst for leading the charge and urge Congress to reauthorize FRSAN with increased funding.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donalds Commends USTR For Addressing Fairness In Pharmaceutical Pricing And Putting The American People First

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) joined Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-TX), and thirty-two additional House colleagues in commending the Office of the US Trade Representative for addressing issues of fairness in pharmaceutical pricing and reciprocal trade. Congressman Donalds released the following statement:

    “Our country makes up less than five percent of the world’s population, yet we fund seventy-five percent of the world’s pharmaceutical profits. This is wrong, this is unfair, and this cannot stand. Government must put the American people first and I’m proud to join my colleagues in this critical initiative.”

    Read the full text of the letter here or below:

    Ambassador Jamieson Greer
    United States Trade Representative
    Office of the United States Trade Representative
    600 17th Street NW, Washington DC, 20508

    Dear Ambassador Greer,

    We write to applaud you for demonstrating strong leadership by issuing the “Request for Comments Regarding Foreign Nations Freeloading on American-Financed Innovation” to address discriminatory policies and practices by foreign entities that cause American patients to pay a disproportionate share of the cost of global pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). We believe this is unsustainable because it both threatens the resiliency of the U.S. biopharmaceutical supply chain and increases costs for American patients.

    The American health care system bears the burden of subsidizing pharmaceutical R&D that is used across the world. In fact, despite the U.S. having less than 5 percent of the world’s population, the American patients fund approximately 75 percent of global pharmaceutical profits.

    Pharmaceutical R&D is both a costly and risky endeavor. For example, in 2019, the pharmaceutical industry spent $83 billion on R&D, with $62 billion spent domestically across all companies operating within the U.S. When adjusted for inflation, this is 10 times what the biopharmaceutical industry spent on R&D in the 1980s. In 2023, manufacturers invested over $96 billion in R&D, with over $71 billion in U.S. investments alone. This has led to an increased number of new medicines and potential cures for patients. Yet, only about 10 percent of assets that are in development are ultimately approved by world-wide regulatory bodies, and the expected cost to develop and bring a new drug to market can range from $1 billion to $2 billion.

    The U.S. is the world leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. New medicines are most often developed and launched first in the U.S., including life-saving therapies for cancers and rare diseases. Nearly 90 percent of all medicines launched between 2012 and 2021 were reimbursed in and available to patients in America; however, fewer patients had access to the same medicines abroad—for example, 48 percent of new medicines in the United Kingdom, 24 percent in Australia and 21 percent in Canada. Anti-innovation policies in other countries not only end up costing American patients more, but they threaten global access to medicines and potential cures.

    We are encouraged by USTR’s public comment process on this important issue, and we support utilizing the full force of the U.S. government to ensure other countries appropriately value American innovation. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Executive Branch to address foreign freeloading while ensuring the U.S. remains the clear world leaders when it comes to innovative pharmaceutical products. One Congressional proposal worth considering is the creation of a Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator within USTR. This role would be specifically tasked with ensuring trade negotiations prioritize reimbursement for innovative medicines and our trading partners are held accountable when they adopt price control measures or other discriminatory practices that shift a disproportionate share of R&D costs back onto American patients.

    The price setting policies that other countries frequently adopt both undervalue medicines in the non-U.S. market and ultimately make life-saving therapies more expensive for U.S. patients. We applaud the Trump Administration for highlighting the impact foreign “freeloaders” have on drug prices for American patients. Simply put: the U.S. should not be forced to subsidize medicine costs for the rest of the world at the expense of American patients.

    Sincerely,

    Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Member of Congress 
     Jodey C. Arrington (R-TX) Member of Congress
     Byron Donalds (R-FL) Member of Congress
     Adrian Smith, (R-NE) Member of Congress
    Aaron Bean (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) Member of Congress
    Charles J. Fleischmann (R-TN) Member of Congress
    Carol D. Miller (R-WV) Member of Congress
    David D. Valadao (R-CA) Member of Congress
    Jeff Crank (R-CO) Member of Congress
    Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) Member of Congress
    Pat Harrigan (R-NC) Member of Congress
    Mike Bost (R-IL) Member of Congress
    Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) Member of Congress
    Claudia Tenney (R-NY) Member of Congress
    Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) Member of Congress
    Kat Cammack (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Rob Bresnahan Jr. (R-PA) Member of Congress
    Randy Feenstra (R-IA) Member of Congress
    Rich McCormick (R-GA) Member of Congress
    Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) Member of Congress
    Gabe Evans (R-CO) Member of Congress
    Mike Carey (R-OH) Member of Congress
    Max L. Miller (R-OH) Member of Congress
    Tim Moore (R-NC) Member of Congress
    Blake D. Moore (R-UT) Member of Congress
    Rick W. Allen (R-GA) Member of Congress
    Derek Schmidt (R-KS) Member of Congress
    Thomas H. Kean Jr. (R-NJ) Member of Congress
    Darin LaHood (R-IL) Member of Congress
    Don Bacon (R-NE) Member of Congress
    Richard Hudson (R-NC) Member of Congress
    Pete Stauber (R-MN) Member of Congress
    Mark B. Messmer (R-IN) Member of Congress
    Neal P. Dunn (R-FL) Member of Congress

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: 3 ways Canadians can take control of their finances in an age of economic uncertainty

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Omar H. Fares, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick

    Canadian consumers are beginning to move from short-term economic concerns to a more persistent mindset of financial precarity, and it’s starting to affect how they live.

    People are delaying major purchases and starting to show signs of subscription fatigue, according to recent findings. One recent survey found that 70 per cent of Canadians are deferring major life decisions, including home ownership and family planning, as a consequence of this sustained economic uncertainty.

    This anxiety is now reflected in broader sentiment. The Bank of Canada’s latest Consumer Expectations Survey found a sharp rise in economic pessimism. About two-thirds of Canadians now anticipate a recession within the year, up from 47 per cent in late 2024.

    Concerns about job security, debt repayment and access to credit are also mounting. For the first time since early 2024, more consumers report cutting back on spending. Home-buying intentions are declining, especially among those expecting a downturn, and an increasing share of mortgage holders plan to reduce expenses ahead of higher renewal payments.

    Consumers are no longer just reacting to inflation or interest rates, but adjusting to the idea that financial uncertainty may be here to stay.

    Why today’s economic anxiety feels different

    While the link between economic uncertainty and reduced spending is well established, what makes today’s situation different is the convergence of multiple pressures facing consumers.

    This includes a challenging job market — particularly for younger Canadians — concerns about the disruptive effects of AI-driven automation, the threat of tariffs from the United States, ongoing global conflicts and the growing cost of living.

    With economic uncertainty now a defining feature of everyday life for many Canadians, the sense of financial precarity is shaping how people think, plan and spend.

    Addressing this new reality will require equipping ourselves with tools and mental habits that can help develop financial stability, even in unpredictable times. Here are three research-backed ways to do this.

    A Global News segment about how half of Canadians are living bill-to-bill.

    1. Budget based on values

    With many people feeling the pinch or uncertainty around money, a more deliberate, values-based approach to personal finance is needed beyond traditional budgeting methods. If you’re looking for more control over your finances, it can help to shift your focus from just tracking where your money goes to making sure it goes where you actually want it to.

    Research in consumer behaviour supports this shift in mindset. Mental accounting, introduced by economist Richard Thaler, explains how people naturally divide their money into mental categories like stability, family or learning. Budgeting then becomes less about cutting back and more about making intentional choices.

    Studies have found that pairing this kind of values-based budgeting with simple practices, such as setting clear goals and automating transfers, can lead to lower spending and more consistent long-term behaviour. The goal is not to manage every dollar perfectly, but to make sure your money aligns with what matters most to you.

    Since values tend to guide sustainable decision-making, a practical starting point is to identify three to five core values, such as financial security, personal development or time with family. Next, review your recent transactions and group them by the value they support. This reframes budgeting as a way to assess whether your current spending aligns with what you consider most important.

    From there, assign a reasonable monthly amount to each category based on your income and fixed obligations. You don’t need to track every detail, but having value-based benchmarks will improve day-to-day choices.

    Renaming categories in your budgeting app or spreadsheet is another important approach. For example, changing “discretionary” to “family time” or “well-being” can reinforce the link between spending and values. Set up automated transfers that reflect your goals; this might include creating a savings buffer, funding education or contributing to a low-risk investment account. Automation helps reduce decision fatigue and supports consistency.

    2. Use pessimism to your advantage

    While recognizing economic risks is entirely rational, how people respond to that risk makes a significant difference. Psychologists have studied a mindset known as “defensive pessimism,” a strategy that involves anticipating potential problems in order to plan effectively, rather than being overwhelmed by uncertainty.

    Unlike chronic anxiety or fear, which can impair decision-making and lead to poorer financial and consumption choices, defensive pessimism encourages people to take a more measured, thoughtful approach. It combines realism with preparation and helps individuals stay focused and responsive in uncertain conditions.

    People are more resilient when they focus on what can be changed. In practical terms, this might include learning a new skill, starting a side project or strengthening personal or professional networks.

    To apply defensive pessimism, start by clearly identifying what could go wrong, then outline specific actions to address those possibilities. Break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps, create a backup plan and regularly reassess progress. This approach helps maintain focus, reduce surprises and turn worry into preparation.

    These small, proactive steps with detailed personal reflection can offer a sense of agency that counters feelings of helplessness. Rather than ignoring challenges, defensive pessimism coupled with consistent reflection is about figuring out how to work around them.

    3. Adopt a long-term outlook

    Despite ongoing uncertainty, maintaining a long-term financial perspective remains very important. Research consistently shows that people who engage in long-term planning tend to accumulate greater wealth over time.

    Long-term planning involves continuing to plan for future goals such as retirement or education, even when timelines need to shift due to changing circumstances.

    One of the greatest challenges with this approach is known as the “sour grape effect.” This refers to the tendency people have to downplay a future goal or reward after experiencing early setbacks or failures.

    A 2020 study with 1,304 participants in Norway and the U.S. found that setbacks can lead individuals to disengage from their goals. Participants were given either positive or negative feedback on an initial task and then asked to predict how much happiness they would feel if they succeeded in a later round.

    Those who experienced failure anticipated much less happiness from future success. When everyone actually did succeed, their levels of happiness were the same regardless of initial feedback. Setbacks can lead people to devalue their goals as a self-protective strategy. However, participants with high achievement motivation did not show this bias.

    In other words, when short-term disappointments are interpreted as failure, there is a risk that people may give up on long-term plans altogether. In these moments, the most effective course of action is staying consistent and committed, while still remaining agile enough to adapt as needed.

    Omar H. Fares 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. 3 ways Canadians can take control of their finances in an age of economic uncertainty – https://theconversation.com/3-ways-canadians-can-take-control-of-their-finances-in-an-age-of-economic-uncertainty-260785

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: 3 ways Canadians can take control of their finances in an age of economic uncertainty

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Omar H. Fares, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick

    Canadian consumers are beginning to move from short-term economic concerns to a more persistent mindset of financial precarity, and it’s starting to affect how they live.

    People are delaying major purchases and starting to show signs of subscription fatigue, according to recent findings. One recent survey found that 70 per cent of Canadians are deferring major life decisions, including home ownership and family planning, as a consequence of this sustained economic uncertainty.

    This anxiety is now reflected in broader sentiment. The Bank of Canada’s latest Consumer Expectations Survey found a sharp rise in economic pessimism. About two-thirds of Canadians now anticipate a recession within the year, up from 47 per cent in late 2024.

    Concerns about job security, debt repayment and access to credit are also mounting. For the first time since early 2024, more consumers report cutting back on spending. Home-buying intentions are declining, especially among those expecting a downturn, and an increasing share of mortgage holders plan to reduce expenses ahead of higher renewal payments.

    Consumers are no longer just reacting to inflation or interest rates, but adjusting to the idea that financial uncertainty may be here to stay.

    Why today’s economic anxiety feels different

    While the link between economic uncertainty and reduced spending is well established, what makes today’s situation different is the convergence of multiple pressures facing consumers.

    This includes a challenging job market — particularly for younger Canadians — concerns about the disruptive effects of AI-driven automation, the threat of tariffs from the United States, ongoing global conflicts and the growing cost of living.

    With economic uncertainty now a defining feature of everyday life for many Canadians, the sense of financial precarity is shaping how people think, plan and spend.

    Addressing this new reality will require equipping ourselves with tools and mental habits that can help develop financial stability, even in unpredictable times. Here are three research-backed ways to do this.

    A Global News segment about how half of Canadians are living bill-to-bill.

    1. Budget based on values

    With many people feeling the pinch or uncertainty around money, a more deliberate, values-based approach to personal finance is needed beyond traditional budgeting methods. If you’re looking for more control over your finances, it can help to shift your focus from just tracking where your money goes to making sure it goes where you actually want it to.

    Research in consumer behaviour supports this shift in mindset. Mental accounting, introduced by economist Richard Thaler, explains how people naturally divide their money into mental categories like stability, family or learning. Budgeting then becomes less about cutting back and more about making intentional choices.

    Studies have found that pairing this kind of values-based budgeting with simple practices, such as setting clear goals and automating transfers, can lead to lower spending and more consistent long-term behaviour. The goal is not to manage every dollar perfectly, but to make sure your money aligns with what matters most to you.

    Since values tend to guide sustainable decision-making, a practical starting point is to identify three to five core values, such as financial security, personal development or time with family. Next, review your recent transactions and group them by the value they support. This reframes budgeting as a way to assess whether your current spending aligns with what you consider most important.

    From there, assign a reasonable monthly amount to each category based on your income and fixed obligations. You don’t need to track every detail, but having value-based benchmarks will improve day-to-day choices.

    Renaming categories in your budgeting app or spreadsheet is another important approach. For example, changing “discretionary” to “family time” or “well-being” can reinforce the link between spending and values. Set up automated transfers that reflect your goals; this might include creating a savings buffer, funding education or contributing to a low-risk investment account. Automation helps reduce decision fatigue and supports consistency.

    2. Use pessimism to your advantage

    While recognizing economic risks is entirely rational, how people respond to that risk makes a significant difference. Psychologists have studied a mindset known as “defensive pessimism,” a strategy that involves anticipating potential problems in order to plan effectively, rather than being overwhelmed by uncertainty.

    Unlike chronic anxiety or fear, which can impair decision-making and lead to poorer financial and consumption choices, defensive pessimism encourages people to take a more measured, thoughtful approach. It combines realism with preparation and helps individuals stay focused and responsive in uncertain conditions.

    People are more resilient when they focus on what can be changed. In practical terms, this might include learning a new skill, starting a side project or strengthening personal or professional networks.

    To apply defensive pessimism, start by clearly identifying what could go wrong, then outline specific actions to address those possibilities. Break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps, create a backup plan and regularly reassess progress. This approach helps maintain focus, reduce surprises and turn worry into preparation.

    These small, proactive steps with detailed personal reflection can offer a sense of agency that counters feelings of helplessness. Rather than ignoring challenges, defensive pessimism coupled with consistent reflection is about figuring out how to work around them.

    3. Adopt a long-term outlook

    Despite ongoing uncertainty, maintaining a long-term financial perspective remains very important. Research consistently shows that people who engage in long-term planning tend to accumulate greater wealth over time.

    Long-term planning involves continuing to plan for future goals such as retirement or education, even when timelines need to shift due to changing circumstances.

    One of the greatest challenges with this approach is known as the “sour grape effect.” This refers to the tendency people have to downplay a future goal or reward after experiencing early setbacks or failures.

    A 2020 study with 1,304 participants in Norway and the U.S. found that setbacks can lead individuals to disengage from their goals. Participants were given either positive or negative feedback on an initial task and then asked to predict how much happiness they would feel if they succeeded in a later round.

    Those who experienced failure anticipated much less happiness from future success. When everyone actually did succeed, their levels of happiness were the same regardless of initial feedback. Setbacks can lead people to devalue their goals as a self-protective strategy. However, participants with high achievement motivation did not show this bias.

    In other words, when short-term disappointments are interpreted as failure, there is a risk that people may give up on long-term plans altogether. In these moments, the most effective course of action is staying consistent and committed, while still remaining agile enough to adapt as needed.

    Omar H. Fares 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. 3 ways Canadians can take control of their finances in an age of economic uncertainty – https://theconversation.com/3-ways-canadians-can-take-control-of-their-finances-in-an-age-of-economic-uncertainty-260785

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Decisions We Take Now ‘Will Shape Development Trajectories for Decades to Come’, Deputy Secretary-General Tells High-Level Political Forum

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the opening of the 2025 high-level political forum on sustainable development, in New York today:

    In 2015, the world made a landmark commitment to achieve sustainable development and ensure that no one is left behind.

    The 2030 Agenda built on previous decades of development efforts and carried forward the vision and lessons of the Millenium Development Goals.

    It framed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around a paradigm shift that integrates the three core dimensions of sustainable development — economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability — and underscored the vital role of effective governance and strong institutions.

    It carried a promise to everyone, everywhere, to live in dignity, on a safe and healthy planet.

    Today, a decade later, we meet again as the world grapples with conflicts and deepening geopolitical tensions.

    The fabric of multilateralism is fading, and the SDGs seem out of reach.  Hard-won development gains are at serious risk, as a multitude of challenges, exacerbated by the chronic shortfall in adequate financing.

    Alarmingly, half of the world’s poorest countries have yet to return to their pre-pandemic income levels.

    Inequalities have amplified.  Trade tensions are escalating.  The climate crisis is worsening.  Democracy is under threat.  And the debt crisis continues to tighten its grip on the world’s poorest countries.

    The situation is truly sobering.  Yet, the latest data show that while progress on SDGs has been uneven and limited, there is reason for hope.

    Social protection and health systems are expanding, especially in middle-income countries, where they are reaching more people.

    More mothers are surviving childbirth and more children are living beyond their fifth birthday.

    Education access is broadening, creating new pathways for young people.

    The number of girls who are in school and studying STEM subjects is higher than ever before.

    Countries are investing in better data and technology, for policies to reach the furthest behind.

    There are promised investments in digital connectivity and clean energy, to serve those in the most remote areas.

    Meanwhile, the world has united behind an ambitious global agreement to confront deep-seated structural challenges and unlock faster, more inclusive progress.

    The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, builds on existing reforms and commitments and charts a bold way forward to revive multilateralism and collective action, anchored in peace, solidarity and cooperation.

    The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development renewed our commitment to deliver on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, take forward debt solutions and tackle the international financial architecture.

    The Ocean Conference in Nice generated important consensus on critical issues, from marine protected areas to plastic pollution, illegal fishing and maritime security.

    The thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30) and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the women, peace and security agenda, reignited political drive for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    And there are many more opportunities this year to push our agenda forward:

    The Second Stocktake of the UN Food System Summit.

    The Second World Summit on Social Development.

    The Biennial Summit on Finance.

    The thirtieth UN Climate Change Conference, and ahead of that, new, updated and economy-wide nationally determined contributions to get our climate goals back on track.

    We must build on these achievements.  Make the most of the momentum and drive action — particularly through this high-level political forum.

    We are under pressure because the truth is:  expectations are high, trust is eroding and crises are deepening, as we strive to deliver on our promise of the 2030 Agenda.

    This forum is an important opportunity to reflect, exchange and course correct.  It is our space to amplify the momentum, share lessons and good practice, deepen partnerships and reignite our collective ambition to fulfil the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Over the coming days, we must reflect honestly and constructively on progress.  Particularly on SDG3 on health and well-being; SDG5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment; SDG8 on decent work and economic growth; SDG14 on life below water; and SDG 17 on partnerships and means of implementation — this all with human rights at the centre of everything we do and hope to achieve.

    And we must focus on the theme of this year’s meeting:  “Inclusive solutions, based in science and evidence,” and take heed of key findings of the Secretary-General’s Report on the SDGs.

    We need solutions that address persistent challenges, that can be adapted and applied across diverse contexts and that improve the lives of billions of people who are left behind:  the 800 million people living in extreme poverty; the 2.2 billion people without safe drinking water; the 2.3 billion suffering food insecurity; the 3.4 billion without safely managed sanitation; and the countless women, Indigenous Peoples, smallholder farmers and other marginalized groups unable to access formal health and protection systems.

    This forum will also welcome the tenth set of voluntary national reviews, or VNRs.  They present a temperature check of every country’s journey.

    Since 2016, a total of 190 countries have conducted close to 400 VNRs.

    This voluntary national exercise has been almost universally adopted:  a heartening sign of commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs and evidence that the SDGs are now deeply woven into national plans, policies and monitoring frameworks.

    These reviews are powerful road maps to achieve the SDGs and mobilize all stakeholders.  Across regions, we have seen civil society’s engagement deepen — driving progress nationally and locally.  VNRs have helped build knowledge and data and offered practical pathways to dismantle structural barriers that hold us back.  Over the past decade, they have inspired action through inclusive, scalable approaches, grounded in local realities.

    I look forward to the 37 VNR presentations at this forum, and I encourage other countries to engage and foster a meaningful exchange of experiences. It is up to all of us to build on our successes and make this forum count.

    We have come far.  And have even further to go.  But we have much further to go if we are to honour the promise of the SDGs.

    The pathway to 2030 is narrowing.  And the decisions we take now — where we invest, what we prioritize, and where we reform — will shape development trajectories for decades to come.

    With five years to go, the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative marks a historic step to build on recent reforms and ensure that the United Nations remains a trusted, agile partner, ready to tackle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties, and drive our collective push for the 2030 Agenda nationally, regionally and globally.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister Ntshavheni releases historic National Security Strategy to strengthen people-centred security

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has released the public versions of key national intelligence documents, in what she described as a historic milestone in South Africa’s democratic journey and a significant step towards greater transparency, accountability and institutional reform. 

    The Minister released the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) 2019 – 2024, the National Intelligence Priorities (NIPs), and the National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024 – 2029 during a media briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday. 

    The Minister had earlier in the day tabled the 2025 State Security Agency Budget Vote in Parliament.

    At the briefing, she underscored that this was the first time in the country’s history that such core national intelligence instruments were being published in a manner that is both transparent and structured, while preserving the integrity of national security.

    “It is not only a profound step forward, but a clear paradigm shift in how the intelligence community relates to the State, to Parliament, and to the people,” Ntshavheni said. 

    The Minister framed the public release of the NIE and NSS as part of a broader shift towards constitutional accountability, transparency and national resilience, in line with Section 198 of the Constitution and the recommendations of the 2018 High-Level Review Panel on the State Security Agency (SSA).

    “The release of the NIE, NIPs and NSS represents not only compliance with that directive but a deliberate act of democratic renewal. It is our commitment to building a modern, ethical, and professional intelligence capability, guided by law, oversight, and strategic foresight. 

    “This is part of our commitment to transform the sector to serve the Constitution, not partisan interests,” she said. 

    Key threats and priorities identified

    The NIE 2019 – 2024 provides a comprehensive assessment of the threats facing the nation, ranging from illegal migration, cybercrime, transnational organised crime, to climate and domestic instability. The Estimate is built around five core themes: threats to the economy, territorial integrity, the authority of the State, citizen well-being, and foreign influences.

    The Minister detailed how the National Intelligence Priorities were aligned with government’s Medium-Term Strategic Framework, and focused on challenges such as:

    • Countering border-based threats and foreign infiltration in strategic sectors.
    • Strengthening cyber forensic capabilities to curb illicit financial flows.
    • Investigating threats to South Africa’s sovereign economic capacity.
    • Preventing terror financing, drug trafficking, and human smuggling.

    On the foreign intelligence front, the focus includes consolidating South Africa’s continental leadership role, defending its interests in multilateral fora, and countering espionage and hostile foreign interference.

    A whole-of-society security strategy

    Central to the Minister’s announcement was the unveiling of the new National Security Strategy (2024 – 2029), which introduces a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to security.

    “The NSS is grounded in the principle that national security is inseparable from human security, economic stability, democratic governance, social justice and above all national interest,” the Minister said. 

    The strategy is underpinned by eight critical pillars, including:

    • Protection of South Africans or Public Security (Well-being of South Africans).
    • Protection of Territorial Integrity of the Republic.
    • Protection and Projection of the Country’s Sovereignty.
    • Protection of the Economy or Economic Security.
    • Protection of Cyberspace and the Environment.
    • Protection and Promotion of Technology and Innovation.
    • Protection of the Environment and Natural Resources or Environmental Security.
    • Protection of South Africa’s Culture and Heritage (Cultural Security).

    Each pillar speaks to the State’s responsibility to safeguard not only physical borders, but also economic sovereignty, digital resilience and social cohesion.

    Intelligence in Service of the People

    Ntshavheni emphasised that the publication of these documents is not the end, but rather “the beginning of a new, progressive chapter” in national intelligence.

    “We do so in a world of rapidly evolving threats, hybrid warfare, misinformation, climate-induced instability, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. Our national security response must be anticipatory, inclusive, and adaptive,” she said. 

    She concluded by honouring the national intelligence community and reaffirming the importance of principled intelligence that serves the people and the Constitution, not partisan interests.

    “Let history reflect that we chose transparency over secrecy, service over self-interest, and reform over inertia, and this is done within the constraints of our national security interests.

    “Let us now work together to protect and advance our democratic gains through intelligence that is principled, professional, and people-centred,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Lendmark Financial Services Fuels its Wisconsin Expansion Plans, Opening Four New Branches in Delavan, Janesville, Madison, and Menomonee Falls

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MILWAUKEE, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark), a leading provider of personalized loan solutions, is proud to announce the expanded access of its services to more customers throughout southern Wisconsin.

    In the past 30 days alone, Lendmark has opened four new branches in the communities of Delavan, Janesville, Madison, and Menomonee Falls, as part of the company’s long-term plans to strengthen its presence in the Midwest and meet the growing consumer demand for relationship-focused financial solutions.

    These recent branch openings bring Lendmark’s presence in Wisconsin to 16 locations, since entering the Badger State less than two years ago, and reaffirm the company’s commitment to supporting the financial well-being of individuals and families throughout the state – with plans to continue this momentum in the months ahead.

    Each branch is expected to serve hundreds of customers, retailers and auto dealerships in the first year, with the Delavan branch located at 1741 E. Geneva Street, Suite 100; the Janesville branch at 2610 E. Milwaukee Street; the Madison branch at 1 Dempsey Road, Suite 4; and the Menomonee Falls branch at N95 W18394 County Line Road. Respectively, Branch Managers Meagan Sweeney, Amy Koch, Rebecca Rogers, and Christina Muskin will oversee the daily operations of their branches, each focused on building strong personal relationships with customers and the surrounding community.

    “We’re excited to continue growing across the beautiful state of Wisconsin while proudly serving these hard-working communities that reflect the true spirit of the Midwest,” said Mike McIntire, Vice President of Branch Operations at Lendmark. “Grounded in genuine care and compassion, our number one priority is ensuring Wisconsin residents experience unmatched service and guidance from our local branch teams, with personalized loan terms tailored to meet their specific financial needs.”

    In addition to serving consumers directly, Lendmark provides financing solutions for thousands of retailers and independent auto dealerships, allowing these businesses’ customers to obtain Lendmark financing. Local businesses that are interested in partnering with Lendmark to provide financing solutions for their customers should visit the branch or call the desired location: Delavan: 262-725-8008; Janesville: 608-352-6272; Madison: 608-866-9988; Menomonee Falls: 262-293-6166.

    Lendmark’s ‘Climb to Cure’ is its signature cause-related initiative. The company has committed to raising $10 million by 2025 to mark its 10-year anniversary partnering with CURE Childhood Cancer. So far, Lendmark’s employees, partners and customers have raised more than $9 million to support CURE, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to funding targeted pediatric cancer research that is utilized nationwide.

    About Lendmark Financial Services
    Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark) provides personal and household credit and loan solutions to consumers. Founded in 1996, Lendmark strives to be the lender, employer, and partner of choice by offering stability and helping consumers meet both planned and unplanned life events through affordable loan offerings. Today, Lendmark operates more than 525 branches in 22 states across the country, providing personalized services to customers and retail business partners with every transaction. Lendmark is headquartered in Lawrenceville, Ga. For more information, visit www.lendmarkfinancial.com.

    Media Contact
    Jeff Hamilton
    Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
    jhamilton@lendmarkfinancial.com
    678-625-3128

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: VEPO Solutions Launches VEPO Valor Initiative to Expand Veteran Employment in Utility Sector

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VEPO Solutions Logo

    NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VEPO Solutions, a national provider of utility compliance services and workforce development programs, has announced the launch of VEPO Valor, a formal initiative aimed at increasing veteran hiring and long-term career integration within the utility technology sector.

    The VEPO Valor program will be implemented across VEPO Solutions’ operating divisions — including VEPO Metering, VPie, and CrossConnex — and will focus on expanding employment pipelines for U.S. military veterans. The initiative includes structured onboarding, cross-training in utility and compliance disciplines, and mentorship opportunities to support successful workforce reentry.

    As part of the program, VEPO Solutions will:

    • Prioritize recruitment of veterans into field and administrative roles nationwide
    • Establish onboarding processes that recognize prior military experience and skills
    • Offer advancement pathways through technical training and leadership development
    • Collaborate with veterans’ service organizations and state workforce agencies

    VEPO Valor reinforces VEPO Solutions’ long-term commitment to fostering a workforce that reflects service, integrity, and operational reliability — values that are foundational to both the veteran community and public infrastructure. The program also addresses an industry-wide need for highly trained personnel in utility compliance and data-driven field services.

    “Veterans bring unique experience and leadership qualities to technical industries,” said a VEPO Solutions spokesperson. “This initiative is structured to ensure those strengths are recognized and supported through practical career pathways.”

    The launch of VEPO Valor aligns with VEPO Solutions’ broader mission of strengthening municipal and utility systems through workforce readiness and utility technology innovation. The company views the integration of veterans not only as a contribution to national workforce goals, but also as a strategic investment in operational excellence and long-term employee retention.

    Interested parties — including veterans and employment partners — can learn more about the initiative at: www.veposolutions.com/valor

    About VEPO Solutions
    VEPO Solutions is a U.S.-based provider of utility technology, smart metering, and backflow prevention services. Through its operating divisions, the company delivers compliance, data management, and infrastructure support to municipalities and private utilities. VEPO Solutions is committed to innovation and inclusive workforce development across all service areas.

    Media Contact:
    VEPO Solutions
    877-860-8376
    info@veposolutions.com
    www.veposolutions.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cefcfa5d-fd05-491d-85a1-c52ead9bbfad

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Presidio Accelerates Industry Transformation with AWS: New Verticals, AI, and Co-Developed Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Presidio, a leading technology services and solutions provider, today announced a new Vertical market strategy featuring tailored industry-specific solutions and dedicated teams of industry experts. This initiative builds on major milestones in our strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) reinforcing the companies’ joint commitment to accelerating digital transformation across key verticals. This strategic shift and expansion reflect the two companies continued investment in a vertical market strategy and innovation roadmap.

    “By deepening our vertical market focus, we’re providing customers with the perfect blend of industry-specific and cutting-edge technology expertise to drive meaningful outcomes faster than ever before,” said Chris Cagnazzi, Chief Innovation Officer at Presidio. “Together with AWS we’re developing innovative new solutions, accelerating AI adoption and shaping the future of digital transformation across every industry.”

    Presidio’s expanded industry vertical market strategy includes:

    • Dedicated industry expertise: Specialized teams with deep domain knowledge are now focused on healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, sports, media, entertainment, state and local government and education.
    • Co-Development with AWS: Presidio and AWS are developing new offerings tailored to the needs of customers in each vertical.
    • Captivate for every vertical: Captivate transforms video and sensor data into real-time insights that drive engagement, efficiency, and compliance. Presidio’s AI-powered platform empowers organizations to unlock new revenue streams, streamline operations, and deliver personalized experiences at scale.

    Major milestones accomplished over the past year include:

    • Launched Presidio Captivate: This innovative audience experience solution includes accelerators that leverage AWS for scalability, flexibility, and intelligence to drive immersive experiences and dynamic monetization opportunities. The first tailored solution is specifically for the Sports, Media and Entertainment industries.
    • Expansion of AI Accelerators through AWS: Presidio HAI accelerators powered by AWS enable clients to rapidly deploy intelligent solutions that drive business outcomes. Presidio HAI combines human expertise and AI capabilities for responsible AI adoption and significantly accelerates software development and application modernization.
    • $1 Billion in AWS Marketplace Transactions: Presidio was among the first companies to achieve $1 billion in AWS Marketplace sales. This was driven by a consultative approach and comprehensive lifecycle services that help clients optimize technology investments.

    Presidio is actively hiring across its vertical practices and digital transformation teams. To explore open roles and join a company at the forefront of industry innovation, visit presidio.com/careers.

    About Presidio

    At Presidio, speed and quality meet technology and innovation. Presidio is a trusted ally for organizations across industries with a decades-long history of building traditional IT foundations and deep expertise in AI and automation, security, networking, digital transformation, and cloud computing. Presidio fills gaps, removes hurdles, optimizes costs, and reduces risk. Presidio’s expert technical team develops custom applications, provides managed services, enables actionable data insights, and builds forward-thinking solutions that drive strategic outcomes for clients globally. For more information, visit www.presidio.com.

    Contacts:

    Press: PR@Presidio.com

    Investor Relations: Investors@presidio.com

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