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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Justin Randolph, Assistant Professor of U.S. History, Texas A&M University

    The National Guard and protesters stand off outside of a downtown jail in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    President Donald Trump activated 4,000 National Guard troops on June 10, 2025, to quell protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids – without the normal request from the state. He has also sent to Los Angeles hundreds of U.S. Marines, with the goal of protecting the unprecedented deportation operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    If this all feels exceptional, it should. Governors typically activate their own state troops, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would do on June 11 ahead of expected immigration protests.

    California quickly sued the president. A federal court has sided with the state, but an appeals court will weigh the Trump administration’s use of the U.S. code on armed services to activate the National Guard, which relies on protesters constituting either an “invasion” or “rebellion.”

    “What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement – it’s authoritarianism,”
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on June 10.

    Protesters report violent responses from Los Angeles police, too. Nonetheless, Newsom’s invocation of authoritarianism is apt.

    The last example of a president federalizing troops over the objection of a state government dates to Jim Crow segregation, a period marked by legal practices that routinely denied due process and citizenship rights to Black Americans in the South. In the 1960s, numerous Black freedom struggles took stands against this authoritarianism backed by militarized law enforcement.

    As a scholar of U.S. history, I’ve just completed a book on Jim Crow policing and the ways Black Americans fought back against racist law and order. I think the militarization of policing in Los Angeles opens important questions about democracy and state violence.

    Jim Crow dreams

    During the Civil Rights Movement, the federal government activated National Guard troops over Southern state objections when those states would neither enforce court orders nor protect protesters.

    In those cases, presidents protected people with the help of troops. In Trump’s case, he’s using troops to protect the government from protesters.

    The Trump administration’s vision of law enforcement aims for the type of militarized authority that state governments institutionalized under Jim Crow policing. If your political enemy is perceived more like an enemy combatant, the rules of legal procedure, especially due process, might not apply. Policing becomes war.

    When you see the words “Jim Crow,” your mind may jump to photos of racially segregated water fountains. But Jim Crow was far more than that. It was homegrown racial authoritarianism, or the repression of freedom of thought and action.

    Before troops enforced civil rights, Black Southerners saw the National Guard as an enemy rather than a friend.

    In the words of Ida B. Wells-Barnett after a white riot against Black residents in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1917, “The police were either indifferent or encouraged the barbarities. … The major part of the National Guard was indifferent or inactive. No organized effort was made to protect the Negroes or disperse the murdering groups.”

    Eisenhower sends in the troops

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education changed things. It overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision that legalized racial segregation and ruled that segregated public school education was unconstitutional. This significantly altered the federal government’s responsibility in the South’s legal system of white supremacy.

    The first test came in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. Though numerous school districts across the South quietly desegregated, Southern governors such as Arkansas’ Orville Faubus resisted the planned desegregation of Little Rock Central High School.

    Seven of nine Black students walk onto the campus of Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., with a National Guard officer as an escort on Oct. 15, 1957.
    AP Photo/File

    Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard to stop Black children at the door. For nearly three weeks, Guardsmen blocked the small group of Black students – known as the “Little Rock Nine” – who were supposed to attend the school before President Dwight Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to stand down.

    Eisenhower deployed U.S. Army riot troops to Little Rock under the Insurrection Act. In the end, the Little Rock Nine began their studies at Central High despite the much-photographed spitting from the white mob that surrounded the school.

    State troops, state rights

    Next came the desegregation of interstate transportation.

    In spring 1961, the Congress of Racial Equality, a civil rights advocacy group, sent buses of integrated passengers through the Deep South. White terrorists attacked Freedom Riders, as these activists became known, three times in Alabama.

    But state authorities had learned from the Little Rock experience. Southern governors in Alabama and Mississippi deployed the National Guard themselves. This time they intended to only minimally protect Freedom Riders to block federal law enforcement. In Mississippi, police arrested and prison guards tortured Freedom Riders in the state penitentiary. Mob violence killed no one.

    James Meredith, center, is escorted by federal marshals as he appears for his first day of class at the previously all-white University of Mississippi on Oct. 1, 1962.
    AP Photo, File

    The same was not true during the desegregation of public universities.

    When U.S. marshals arrived to enforce the court order enrolling James Meredith at the University of Mississippi in September 1962, a white riot erupted. State law enforcement withdrew from the scene. Two men died, and many more were injured.

    President John F. Kennedy federalized the Mississippi National Guard and sent them in to restore order. The next summer, he did the same in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to preemptively halt a riot at the University of Alabama.

    The occasion became a publicity stunt for Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace. He temporarily blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium, intent on stopping the court-ordered registration of three Black students.

    “I stand before you here today in place of thousands of other Alabamians whose presence would have confronted you,” Wallace said to federal authorities. A National Guard general said, “Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States.”

    A National Guard general informs Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace that the guard was under federal control, as the two meet at Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on June 11, 1963.
    AP Photo, File

    Wallace also triggered the last federal use – until now – of the National Guard. Alabama’s Selma-to-Montgomery march began as a memorial to Jimmie Lee Jackson, a young Black civil rights activist who was killed by police on Feb. 26, 1965. The march became primarily a symbol for the year’s Voting Rights Act.

    In an important change, President Lyndon B. Johnson federalized the National Guard to protect marchers. State troopers and sheriff’s deputies had terrorized marchers, including John Lewis, who was almost beaten to death on Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965.

    Democracy is in the streets

    The history of the National Guard in the South is an important part of what’s unfolding in Los Angeles and across the nation.

    For most of the National Guard’s history in the South, political leaders used domestic military power to preserve the interests of racial authoritarians, not racial egalitarians. Little Rock, Tuscaloosa, Selma: Those moments when troops protected racial justice protesters at home stand out as some of America’s most hopeful moments.

    Recent statements by Trump administration officials help illustrate how it envisions using military power in domestic law enforcement. On June 8, 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to arrest rioters” – a request beyond the original order to protect ICE agents.

    And on June 12, Noem said that “the military people that are working on this operation … are staying here to liberate the city from the socialist and burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country.”

    The National Guard and Marines are reportedly protecting immigration enforcement. But what might happen if they directly interact with protests?

    With diverse tactics, protesters are halting business as usual because they see a mass-deportation regime terrorizing and disappearing people in their communities. U.S. courts tend to agree with their analysis but seem powerless to enforce even basic due process rights for those detained by ICE.

    These activists show the messy work of American social change. Their work may look like “anarchy” to even some Democrats. It may be maligned as “invasion” and “rebellion” by the Trump administration.

    But the calls to constrain ICE follow an American tradition of fighting authoritarianism.

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

    – ref. The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement – https://theconversation.com/the-use-of-federal-troops-to-quell-los-angeles-protests-recalls-militarized-law-enforcement-during-the-civil-rights-movement-258866

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Medical & Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act alongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators  Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.

     

    To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.

     

    The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.

     

    “If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,” said Senator Thom Tillis.

    “During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,” said Senator John Cornyn.

    “Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,” said Senator Chris Coons.

     

    “The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.

     

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,” said National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).

     

    Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced the Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Medical & Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act alongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators  Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.

     

    To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.

     

    The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.

     

    “If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,” said Senator Thom Tillis.

    “During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,” said Senator John Cornyn.

    “Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,” said Senator Chris Coons.

     

    “The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.

     

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,” said National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).

     

    Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced the Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Medical & Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act alongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators  Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.

     

    To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.

     

    The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.

     

    “If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,” said Senator Thom Tillis.

    “During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,” said Senator John Cornyn.

    “Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,” said Senator Chris Coons.

     

    “The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.

     

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,” said National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).

     

    Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced the Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Medical & Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act alongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators  Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.

     

    To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.

     

    The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.

     

    “If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,” said Senator Thom Tillis.

    “During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,” said Senator John Cornyn.

    “Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,” said Senator Chris Coons.

     

    “The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.

     

    “The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,” said National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).

     

    Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced the Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Simpson Cosponsors Bill to Address Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Rep. Simpson Cosponsors Bill to Address Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country

    Washington, June 17, 2025

    WASHINGTON—Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored the bipartisan Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act.  This bill would expand Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) to allow tribal nations to prosecute non-Native offenders for drug trafficking. It would also allow tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material to better combat drug traffickers and other criminals. This legislation is sponsored by Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Rick Larsen (D-WA).
    “The growing drug threat and deadly fentanyl crisis have devastated Indian Country,” said Rep. Simpson. “Giving Tribal communities and law enforcement the tools and resources they need to protect their people is a common sense approach to tackling this crisis. One of my top priorities as Chairman of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee has been addressing Tribal needs, including bolstering public safety. I firmly believe that between President Trump’s efforts to secure the southern border and this legislation, we can help combat the spread of dangerous, illegal drugs in Indian Country.”
    U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Tina Smith (D-MN) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Kajeet Announces Leadership Transition to Drive Future Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MCLEAN, Va., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kajeet®, a leading provider of secure, reliable, and flexible IoT connectivity solutions, today announced a strategic leadership transition to propel the company into its next phase of innovation and growth. Ben Weintraub, who has served as CEO, will step down from his role and continue to contribute as a member of the Board of Directors. Rob Adams, current Chairman, will assume the role of CEO, and Landon Garner, Chief Marketing Officer, will take on the newly created role of President, overseeing all go-to-market strategy and efforts.

    Under Weintraub’s distinguished leadership, Kajeet has grown into a trusted partner for thousands of organizations across education, healthcare, transportation, CSPs, government, and IoT, delivering reliable connectivity, advanced security, and the Sentinel® platform for real-time management. This transition aligns with Kajeet’s recently showcased brand refresh, signaling a dynamic approach to connecting critical applications in an increasingly AI-driven world.

    “Leading Kajeet for the past 22 years has been an extraordinary privilege,” said Ben Weintraub. “I am incredibly proud of the company we’ve built and the impact we’ve made. The time is right for this evolution, and I have complete confidence that Rob and Landon are the ideal leaders to guide Kajeet to even greater heights. I eagerly anticipate supporting their vision and the company’s continued success as a board member.”

    Rob Adams, who brings a wealth of experience from executive leadership roles at innovative technology companies such as RacoWireless and TruSense, steps into the CEO role poised to drive significant market expansion. “Ben’s legacy is a powerful springboard for Kajeet’s future,” said Adams. “I am thrilled to lead this talented team as we build upon that strong foundation. We will intensify our investment in our people and harness emerging technologies, especially AI, to redefine what’s possible and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

    As President, Landon Garner will lead Kajeet’s commercial strategy, sales, marketing, and customer success, using his 15 years of IoT expertise to fuel the company’s growth. With a proven track record of building high-growth organizations, Landon has held executive roles at industry leaders such as KORE, Ingenu, Taoglas, and Integron, where he played a key role in multiple successful exits and fundraisers. Notably, as CMO of KORE, he was instrumental in guiding the company to a public listing on the NYSE. His strategic vision and deep industry knowledge will be pivotal in expanding Kajeet’s market presence.

    “I am honored to take on the role of President at such a pivotal moment for Kajeet,” said Landon Garner. “With our refreshed brand, cutting-edge AI initiatives, and a clear go-to-market strategy, we are exceptionally well-positioned to empower our customers and partners. I look forward to working closely with Rob and the entire Kajeet team to execute our vision.”

    This leadership evolution underscores Kajeet’s commitment to agility, a people-first culture, and an AI-forward strategy. The company is dedicated to bridging the digital divide and transforming connectivity into inspired, intelligent solutions that power the future.

    For more information visit https://www.kajeet.com/leadership

    About Kajeet

    Kajeet provides optimized IoT connectivity, software, and hardware solutions that deliver safe, reliable, and controlled internet access to nearly 3,000 organizations worldwide. With 20+ years of experience, Kajeet’s Sentinel platform, multi-network flexibility, and advanced security empower education, healthcare, transportation, and IoT sectors to thrive. Learn more at kajeet.com.

    Media & Analyst Contact:

    Linda Jennings, Director of Corporate Communications

    ljennings@kajeet.com

    248-521-3606

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Double Deposit Bonus. 100x Leverage. No KYC. Crypto Futures Trading for Everyone on BexBack.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin returns to around $105K, the cryptocurrency market is once again in high volatility. Experienced traders know that the real opportunity lies not in holding, but in leveraged futures trading.

    In high-volatility conditions like these, spot traders often struggle to generate short-term profits. That’s why more and more investors are turning to 100x leverage crypto futures to amplify gains and capitalize on market swings.

    BexBack Exchange is at the forefront of this shift, offering powerful tools and unmatched promotions to help users seize the moment. The platform now features:

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    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e74a667b-491f-4a37-a559-d2305b0a5b42

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2276ba74-58f3-42ec-892b-86f18f7511e5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0f4d47b-304c-44f7-a8d7-73403c1de0d8

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ReconAfrica Announces Closing of C$19 Million Underwritten Offering, Including the Full Exercise of the Over-Allotment Option

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    **NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES**

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (the “Company” or “ReconAfrica”) (TSXV: RECO) (OTCQX: RECAF) (Frankfurt: 0XD) (NSX: REC) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced and upsized underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) of units of the Company (the “Units”) at a price of C$0.50 per Unit, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$19 million.

    The Offering was led by Research Capital Corporation as the lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters, including Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Haywood Securities Inc. (collectively, the “Underwriters”).

    BW Energy Limited (“BW Energy”) (OSE: BWE), directors and management of ReconAfrica and certain other investors, participated in the Offering for approximately C$4.7 million. The Units purchased by BW Energy are subject to a six-month lock-up agreement.

    Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (“Common Share”) and one Common Share purchase warrant of the Company (“Warrant”). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.60‎ until June 17, 2027. The Warrants will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) under the symbol “RECO.WT.A” on or about June 24, 2025, subject to final TSXV acceptance.

    The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration activities, working capital and general corporate purposes. The primary exploration activity to be funded with net proceeds from the Offering will be the drilling of Prospect I, which has been named the Kavango West 1X well. Work on the access road and drill site is currently being completed while the Company awaits receipt of the remaining requisite permits. The rig mobilization to the Kavango West 1X location is scheduled in late June, with drilling to begin thereafter.

    Kavango West 1X – High Potential Exploration Well

    The Kavango West 1X exploration well will be the second test in the expansive Damara Fold Belt play. The prospect is a large fold identified on modern 2D seismic data which extends over 20 kilometers long by 5 kilometers wide and is expected to penetrate a thick Otavi carbonate reservoir section, which is the primary target in the play. The Kavango West 1X well will be drilled to a planned total depth of approximately 3,800 metres (12,500 feet) and is targeting 346 million barrels of gross unrisked (30 million barrels of gross risked) prospective light/medium crude oil resources on a 100% working interest basis, 312 million barrels(1,2) net unrisked (27 million barrels net risked) to ReconAfrica’s 90% working interest as at the date of the NSAI report or 1,839 billion cubic feet of gross unrisked (133 Bcf risked) prospective natural gas resources on 100% working interest basis, 1,655 billion cubic feet(1,2) unrisked net (120 Bcf net risked) to ReconAfrica’s 90% working interest as at the date of the NSAI report), based on the most recent prospective resources report prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (“NSAI”) as at December 31, 2024, filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca (the “NSAI Report”)(1)(2).

    Damara Fold Belt Play Across 11.5 Million Acres in Namibia and Angola

    The Damara fold belt trend is identified in the subsurface by a grid of 2D seismic data, and the Company has mapped 19 prospects and 4 leads on the Namibia side of the play. The Namibia area is estimated to hold 2.6 billion barrels(1,2) of unrisked prospective light/medium crude oil resources and 157 million barrels(1,2) of risked prospective light/medium crude oil resources from the Damara Fold Belt play prospects on PEL 73.

    1. There is no certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered. If discovered, there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources. Prospective resources are those quantities of oil estimated, as of a given date, to be potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations by application of future development projects. Prospective resources have both an associated chance of discovery and a chance of development. Prospective resources are the arithmetic sum of multiple probability distributions. Unrisked prospective resources are estimates of the volumes that could reasonably be expected to be recovered in the event of the discovery and development of these prospects.
    2. Not reflective of ReconAfrica’s current working interest of 70% of PEL 73.

    Recently, the Company has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels of Angola (ANPG) ‎for a joint exploration project in the Etosha-Okavango basin, located onshore in southeastern Angola. This agreement is a strategic addition to the Company’s asset portfolio, which creates an opportunity for early entry into onshore Angola at a low cost, with minimal work commitments. It complements ReconAfrica’s activities in Namibia and highlights the potential of the Damara Fold Belt and Rift Basin by adding 5.2 million contiguous acres in Angola to the existing 6.3 million acres in Namibia in the Damara Fold Belt and Rift Basin exploration plays.

     
    Damara Fold Belt (Namibia)
    Best Estimate (2U) Prospective Light & Medium Crude Oil Resources (MMbbl)‎(1)(2)(3)
     
        Unrisked
    		   Risked
                             
                             
    Play Area/Subclass   Gross
    (100%)    		   Company
    Gross    (1)(2)(3)    		   Net(1)(2)(3)   Gross
    (100%)    		   Company
    Gross    (1)(2)(3)    		   Net(1)(2)(3)
    Damara                        
    Prospects   2,566.1   2,309.5   2,194.0   156.5   140.9   133.8
    Leads   123.2   110.9   105.3   4.1   3.7   3.5
                             

    Notes:

    1. The “Company Gross” and “Net” figures in the table above are as set out in the Resource Report (as defined below) and have not been adjusted for the 20% working interest acquired by BW Energy from ReconAfrica pursuant to the strategic farm down that closed January 29, 2025. As of December 31, 2024 (and the effective date of the Resource Report, ReconAfrica owned a 90% working interest in PEL 73. ‎As of the date hereof, ReconAfrica holds a 70% working interest in PEL 73 (with BW Energy Limited holding a 20% working interest and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia ‎‎holding a ‎‎10% carried participating interest). “Net” includes a 5% deduction for royalties.
    2. ReconAfrica engaged Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. (“NSAI”), an independent qualified reserves ‎evaluator, to provide an updated prospective resource report ‎dated March 26, 2025 (with an effective ‎date of December 31, 2024) relating to the Company’s prospective resources (the “Resource Report”). ‎The ‎Resource Report focused solely on the Company’s interest in certain prospects and leads located in ‎the Damara Fold and Thrust Belt (Damara) play area and the Karoo Rift play area of PEL 73‎. ‎The preparation date of the Updated Report is ‎January 1‎, 2025. Prospective resources are the arithmetic sum of multiple probability distributions‎. See “Disclosure of Oil and Gas Information” for further information.
    3. There is no certainty that any portion of the prospective resources will be discovered. If they are ‎discovered, there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to develop and produce any portion of ‎the prospective resources.‎

    Additional Details on the Offering

    The Offering was completed by way of a prospectus supplement to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated February 29, 2024, filed in all of the provinces and territories of Canada, and the Units were sold outside of Canada on a private placement basis. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the base shelf prospectus are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Directors and officers of the Company participated in the Offering and were issued an aggregate of 687,400 Units. Such participation in the Offering constitutes a “related party transaction” as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“61-101”). The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities issued to related parties nor the consideration for such securities exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to closing of the Offering as the participation of insiders of the Company in the Offering had not been confirmed at that time and the shorter time period was necessary in order to permit the Company to close the Offering in a timeframe consistent with usual market practice for transactions of this nature.

    The Underwriters received a cash commission equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering (other than from the sale of Units to BW Energy and purchasers on the president’s list, for which a 3.0% cash commission was paid), for an aggregate of C$1,124,936. In addition, the Underwriters were issued an aggregate of 2,124,472 broker warrants (the “Broker Warrants”), equal to 7.0% of the number of Units sold under the Offering (other than with respect to those sold to BW Energy and purchasers on the president’s list, for which no Broker Warrants were issued). In addition, the Underwriters received an advisory fee of C$95,000 (plus GST) and 121,380 advisory broker warrants on the same terms as the Broker Warrants. Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$0.50 until June 17, 2027.

    This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws.

    TSXV Final Approval of Certain Warrant Extensions

    The TSXV has approved the application for extension of certain previously issued unlisted warrants announced by the Company in a news release on May 21, 2025. The warrants with an original expiry date of September 1, 2025, and an exercise price of C$1.40 per Common Share will be extended to March 1, 2027. The warrants with an original expiry date of July 18, 2025, and an exercise price of C$1.35 per Common Share will be extended to January 18, 2027. Warrant holders will not have to take any action in connection with the extensions. The exercise prices remain unchanged.

    About BW Energy

    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block in, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil and a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy.

    BW Energy, 74% owned by BW Group Ltd., was created as the E&P arm of Oslo listed BW Offshore, a company with more than four decades of experience in operating advanced offshore production solutions and executing complex projects. Since its origin, BW Offshore has executed 40 FPSO and FSO projects.

    About ReconAfrica

    ReconAfrica is a Canadian oil and gas company engaged in the exploration of the Damara Fold Belt and Kavango Rift Basin in the Kalahari Desert of northeastern Namibia, southeastern Angola and northwestern Botswana, where the Company holds petroleum licences comprising ~13 million contiguous acres. In all aspects of its operations, ReconAfrica is committed to minimal disturbance of habitat in line with international standards and implementing environmental and social best practices in its project areas.

    Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information contact:
    Brian Reinsborough, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Mark Friesen, Managing Director, Investor Relations & Capital Markets

    Email: admin@reconafrica.com
    IR Inquiries Email: investors@reconafrica.com
    Media Inquiries Email: media@reconafrica.com

    Tel: +1-877-631-1160

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

    Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian, United States and other applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the expected use of proceeds from the Offering, the anticipated listing of the Warrants on the TSXV, spudding of the Kavango West 1X well following final completion of the access road and drill site preparation, receipt of all required permits and the rig being moved to the drilling location, which has been scheduled for late June 2025, the well being drilled to a planned total depth of approximately 3,800 metres (12,500 feet) and targeting 255 million barrels of unrisked prospective oil resources or 1,350 billion cubic feet of unrisked prospective natural gas resources, and the Company’s commitment to minimal disturbance of habitat, in line with best international standards and its implementation of environmental and social best practices in its project areas. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on ReconAfrica’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company’s actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s annual information form (“AIF”) dated April 29, 2025 for the financial period ended December 31, 2024, available under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual future results may differ materially. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to ReconAfrica. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and ReconAfrica undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

    Disclosure of Oil and Gas Information:

    The Resource Report and the prospective resource estimates contained therein and in this press release were prepared by NSAI, an independent qualified reserves evaluator. The Resource Report was prepared in accordance with the definitions and guidelines of the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook maintained by the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (Calgary Chapter)‎ and National Instrument 51-101 — Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities.

    Prospective resources are those quantities of petroleum estimated, as of a given date, to be potentially ‎recoverable from undiscovered accumulations by applying future development projects. Prospective ‎resources have both an associated chance of discovery and a chance of development. Prospective ‎resources are further categorized according to the level of certainty associated with recoverable ‎estimates assuming their discovery and development and may be subclassified based on project ‎maturity. The prospective resources included in Resource Report and in this press release should not be construed as reserves or ‎contingent resources; they represent exploration opportunities and quantify the development potential in ‎the event a petroleum discovery is made. A geologic risk assessment was performed for these ‎prospects and leads, as discussed in the Form 51-101F1 — Statement of Reserves Data and Other Oil and Gas Information (“Form 51-101F1”) dated April 29, 2025 and effective as of December 31, 2024‎, available under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Resource Report is also available under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca

    The Resource Report does not include ‎economic analysis for these prospects and leads. Based on analogous field developments, it appears ‎that, assuming a discovery is made, the unrisked best estimate prospective resources in the Resource ‎Report have a reasonable chance of being economically viable. There is no certainty that any portion of ‎the prospective resources will be discovered. If they are discovered, there is no certainty that it will be ‎commercially viable to develop and produce any portion of the prospective resources.‎

    For additional information concerning the risks and the level of uncertainty associated with recovery of the prospective resources detailed herein and in the Resource Report, the significant positive and negative factors relevant to the prospective resources estimates detailed herein and in the Resource Report and a description of the project to which the prospective resources estimates detailed herein and in the Resource Report applies are contained within the Form 51-101F1.

    The prospective resources shown herein and in the Resource Report have been estimated using probabilistic methods and are dependent on a petroleum discovery being made. If a discovery is made and development is undertaken, the probability that the recoverable volumes will equal or exceed the unrisked estimated amounts is 90 percent for the low estimate, 50 percent for the best estimate, and 10 percent for the high estimate. Low estimate and high estimate prospective resources have not been included in the Resource Report. For the purposes of the Resource Report, the volumes and parameters associated with the best estimate scenario of prospective resources are referred to as 2U. The 2U prospective resources have been aggregated beyond the prospect and lead level by arithmetic summation; therefore, these totals do not include the portfolio effect that might result from statistical aggregation. Statistical principles indicate that the arithmetic sums of multiple estimates may be misleading as to the volumes that may actually be recovered.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: South Asia celebrates World Ocean Day in solidarity with impacted communities from the Kerala shipwreck disaster

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    8th June, 2025. Greenpeace India marked World Oceans Day 2025 with a powerful celebration at Chandrabhaga Beach in Konark, Odisha, where stunning sand art featuring a majestic turtle took centre stage to highlight the critical role the ocean plays in sustaining biodiversity, regulating the climate, and supporting coastal communities. The action also comes in solidarity with the Kerala population and the urgent need for transparency, cleanup and accountability in response to the late shipwreck accident and its ongoing consequences.

    This year, World Ocean Day precedes the opening of the United Ocean Conference, from 9th to 13th June in France, where world leaders will convene to discuss their commitments for the protection of the global ocean. In the meantime, the dramatic impacts of the recent MSC ELSA 3 shipwreck offshore Kerala (on May 25th) keep unfolding with fuel and hazardous cargo threats looming at sea, while broken containers of unknown cargo and insane amounts of plastic pellets have been washing ashore in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India — amid monsoon weather conditions impeding initial environmental assessment and clean-up initiatives. Just 4 years after the X-Press Pearl disaster in Sri Lanka, the region’s marine life, unique coastal ecosystems, and fisher communities are facing yet another shipping disaster with lasting consequences, of which the scale remains to be fully understood.

    “What exactly was in the containers, and who will be held accountable for the damage to marine biodiversity and fragile ocean ecosystems, as well as the loss of coastal livelihoods and the harm to the local economy ?” said ocean conservationist and founder of Friends of Marine Life, Robert Panipilla. “We are calling on local authorities and the MSC company to release the full cargo manifest of the MSC ELSA 3. The people in South India have the right to know and expect a detailed statement on the circumstances of the accident, as well as a comprehensive clean-up and compensation plan from MSC, who have not yet communicated two weeks after the shipwreck. When the decarbonization of the shipping industry and global plastics pollution are discussed at the UN Ocean Conference, major profitable shipping companies such as MSC can no longer shy away from their responsibility in such disasters, whereas marine life is choking on plastic pellets and fishing communities are being starved out,” added Amruta S. N., Campaigner at Greenpeace India.

    In Solidarity, Greenpeace deployed a documentation team in Kerala straight after the disaster — and this past week the organisation has run several activities with ocean stakeholders, youth groups, and fisherfolks to convey the same message across the region: “One Ocean, Many Lives” in Khulna, Bangladesh; Galle and Colombo, in Sri Lanka; and Odisha and Chennai, in India.

    “With these events to celebrate World Ocean Day, we also want to deliver a joint message of hope together with our partners across the region. We demand our leaders quickly ratify the global High Seas Treaty to protect 30% of our oceans [1], as well as listen to the voice of small-scale fishers and the wisdom of coastal communities for the sustainable management of coastal resources and bottom-up profits to the local economies,” says Anita Perera, Campaigner at Greenpeace South Asia.

    Media Contacts:

    Nibedita Saha
    Media Officer at Greenpeace India
    Phone: +91 7045066118
    Email: [email protected]

    Amruta S. N., Campaigner at Greenpeace India
    Phone: +918304010458
    Email: [email protected]

    Anita Perera, Campaigner at Greenpeace South Asia – Sri Lanka
    Phone: +94773925597
    Email: [email protected]

    Greenpeace media statement following the Kerala shipwreck disaster:
    https://www.greenpeace.org/india/en/story/18544/greenpeace-india-statement-on-hazardous-cargo-ship-sinking-off-kerala-coast/

    [1] In 2022, during the UN Biodiversity COP15, states agreed on a target of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030, a figure supported by scientists for several years. 2.7% of the global ocean is currently fully or highly protected from human activities, and the figure is just 0.9% for areas of the high seas, which are beyond national jurisdiction. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell visits Hampshire coast

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell visits Hampshire coast

    The visit included viewing key sites on the Hurst Spit to Lymington coastline and meeting local campaigners to discuss climate adaptation.

    Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell , centre, with the team behind the Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy

    Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell visited the Hampshire coast on 16 June 2025 to review draft proposals for protecting a 15km stretch of coastline between Hurst Spit and Lymington from rising sea levels. 

    During his day-long visit, Alan walked along Hurst Spit to observe how the natural barrier is expected to evolve over time and discuss sustainable options for managing coastal erosion and flood risk in the area. 

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: 

    Seeing this coastline first-hand brings alive the challenges we face in protecting it.

    The Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy represents our commitment to developing solutions that work with natural processes while safeguarding homes, businesses and the environment that makes this area so special.

    Alan’s visit included hearing about  the land purchase location and discussions about strategy options for the more developed area around Bath Road. He then explored one of the coastal lagoons to gain insight into the environmental aspects of the strategy as part of the Environment Agency’s Plan for Change. 

    In the afternoon, Alan met with members of the Save Lymington and Keyhaven group (SLAK) to discuss concerns raised by some local organisations about the strategy’s potential impact on the Lymington River, which is crucial to the local marine sector. 

    Claire Francis, flood and coastal risk manager at the Environment Agency, said:  

    Alan Lovell’s visit highlights the importance of this strategy to the Environment Agency.

    Having his expertise and perspective on the ground will be invaluable as we continue developing options that balance protection of properties with environmental considerations.

    The Environment Agency is working with New Forest District Council, Hampshire County Council, Natural England, and local stakeholders to develop sustainable options for the coastline.  

    Professor Martin Hurst of the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Community, said: 

    Alan Lovell’s visit gave us a valuable opportunity to see the detailed work happening with local communities to develop this strategy.

    The strategy is taking a careful, evidence-based approach that recognises both the environmental sensitivity of this coastline and its importance to local people’s lives and livelihoods.  

    By working together with residents, businesses and partner organisations, the strategy is creating a sustainable plan that will protect this treasured stretch of Hampshire coastline for generations to come.

    Over 60 residents have participated in community drop-in sessions, with more events scheduled throughout the summer. These sessions allow members of the public to ask questions or receive clarifications relating to the strategy. 

    For more information on the strategy, visit the Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy website. 

    Background

    • Alan Lovell became Chair of the Environment Agency in 2022.  

    • The Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy covers internationally designated habitats, heritage sites and residential areas. 

    • Formal consultation on the strategy will begin in June 2026. 

    • The next community engagement drop-in session for the Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy will be held 10am to 1pm on 19 June 2025 at Bridge Community Centre Cafe in Milford on Sea.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dartford Crossing charge update

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Written statement to Parliament

    Dartford Crossing charge update

    From 1 September 2025, an increase in charges for car drivers will be a maximum of £1, with significant discounts for local residents and account holders.

    The Dartford Crossing is the only fixed road crossing of the River Thames, east of London, and one of the most important links in the strategic road network.

    To manage demand and protect the crossing’s role as a vital component of the nation’s economic infrastructure, a user charge has been collected at the crossing since 2003. In 2014, the tollbooths were removed to help make journeys smoother and the charge was increased to help manage increased demand. This was the last time that charges were increased for all vehicles.

    In the 11 years since, demand at the crossing has grown 7.5%, with the crossing now used by an average of over 150,000 vehicles every day and up to 180,000 vehicles on the busiest days. These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing’s design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities.

    Current charging levels are no longer sufficient to achieve their stated aim of managing demand so that the crossing works well for users and local people. The need to increase the charges to manage traffic highlights the need for the additional capacity that LTC, for which the government confirmed new funding yesterday, will provide.

    To secure the effective operation of the crossing, I have, therefore, decided to increase the charges for all vehicle types that currently pay to use the crossing from 1 September 2025. The new tariff is given below.

    Class Vehicles One-off payment Pre-pay account holders
    A Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes Free Free
    B Cars (including trailers), motorhomes and any minibuses that have 9 or less seats (including the driver’s seat) £3.50 £2.80
    C Buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with 2 axles £4.20 £3.60
    D Buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with more than 2 axles £8.40 £7.20

    The increase in charges for car drivers will be a maximum of £1, with significant discounts for local residents and account holders. The new charges will be significantly lower than if they had increased in line with inflation since the tariff was last fully revised in 2014.

    I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing. However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident discount scheme and I have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area. Drivers who live in Dartford or Thurrock and who have signed up to the scheme will pay £25 for unlimited annual crossings from 1 September 2025 – a small increase from the current annual fee.

    There are no other changes to the charging scheme. Journeys made between the hours of 22:00 and 06:00 will continue to be free, when there is no need to manage demand, as will those made by motorcycles at any time and the bicycle pick-up service.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rapist has sentence increased after assaulting two women

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Rapist has sentence increased after assaulting two women

    A rapist who attacked two women in the same night has had his sentence extended following the Solicitor General’s intervention. 

    Haider Ali, 31, from Middlesbrough, had his sentence extended by five years following an intervention under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme by the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP.   

    The court heard that on 7 September 2024, Ali travelled from his home in Middlesbrough to Stockton.   

    Ali followed a woman to the back of a disused building, before raping her. The attack lasted almost an hour. Ali was captured on CCTV running away.   

    Shortly after, Haider Ali raped a second woman on the Yarm Road. Again, Ali was captured on CCTV running away before the victim, who was pregnant, called the police.    

    In a Victim Personal Statement, one victim said the attack was constantly on their mind and could not carry out day-to-day activities without thinking of the attack.  

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:  

     “This was a truly horrific case, and I want to commend the brave victims who came forward to put Haider Ali behind bars.  

    “I strongly welcome the Court’s decision to extend this offender’s prison term.”  

    Ali was charged with three counts of rape. On 17 March 2025, Ali was sentenced at Teeside Crown Court to an extended sentence of 12 years compromising of 10 years’ imprisonment with a licence extension of two years.   

    On 17 June 2025, his sentence was increased to 17 years comprising of 15 years’ imprisonment with a license extension of two years a referral to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Creating a healthier Scotland

    Source: Scottish Government

    Long-term focus on prevention and service renewal.

    Supporting people to lead longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives will be at the heart of two new ten-year plans published today to create and maintain good health, prevent disease and reform health and social care services.

    The Population Health Framework aims to tackle the root causes of poor health and outlines a wide range of actions, including giving greater access to green spaces and opportunities for sport and active recreation.

    Addressing these underlying factors can increase life expectancy, reduce the gap between the most deprived communities and the national average and prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease which disproportionately affect those in more disadvantaged areas.

    The Population Health Framework includes legislating to make the balance of foods available on promotion healthier and to restrict the location of less healthy foods in stores and on websites. Targeting the location and promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar will focus on those foods of most concern for childhood obesity, which mirrors the current policy in England and Wales.

    The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework aims to ensure health and social care services are sustainable, efficient, high quality, and accessible – which includes being able to expect faster and fairer access to care. It empowers people to be more involved in and in charge of their own care and includes measures to improve access to treatment in the community; enhance preventative services and maximise the opportunities of digital innovation. There will also be a new national body called NHS Delivery, created by bringing together NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland. This will provide a focal point for training, digital and support to other health boards, with scope to deliver more national support to local services in future.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray visited Blackburn Partnership Centre in West Lothian with COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly before launching the frameworks in the Scottish Parliament. The centre includes a GP practice and community centre which promotes weight loss and healthy living through exercise and low-cost, nutritious food.

    Mr Gray said:

    “Too many lives are cut short in Scotland because of illness that is preventable. We know health is not determined solely by what happens within the walls of hospitals or care homes and we want to create an environment in which everyone can live a healthy life. Through action on early years, jobs, income and building powerful communities the Population Health Framework builds the conditions to help people thrive and prevent poor health.

    “Addressing the problem of obesity and helping people eat well and maintain a healthy weight is a public health priority. We are taking wide-ranging action to support people to make healthier food choices, recognising the contribution which poor diet makes to worsening health trends.

    “Through the Service Renewal Framework we will take action to deliver care closer to home, support people to better manage their own treatment and build on innovation, digital and treatment advances. This will help shape an efficient health and social care system that is focused on prevention and early intervention, and delivers high quality care at the right time in the right place. The creation of a new national body, NHS Delivery, will help to support that journey.

    “Refocusing the whole system towards preventing ill-health from occurring or escalating can help us ensure the sustainability of our National Health Service. I am determined to ensure the measures outlined are delivered effectively and as quickly as possible as we work to transform the health of the nation.”

    Cllr Kelly said:

    “Health is created in the communities in which we live, go to school or work, and access essential services. It is at the local level where we find the key levers to tackle the root causes of health problems and ensure people live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. Local Authorities, working with key partners, are uniquely placed to shape our communities. 

    “The Population Health Framework sets out action across every building block of health. Committing to this preventative approach requires whole system working in order to intervene as early as possible and provide support to people in all aspects of their lives.

    “Currently, people from deprived communities have less access to affordable, nutritious food. The Population Health Framework sets out a priority to improve the food environment and ensure access to a healthy, balanced diet is accessible and affordable to all.

    “Alongside this, Local Government is committed to improving public services across the whole system, and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework sets out our high level ambition for improving the sustainability of the system and services people may need in order to help them live healthier, fulfilled lives.”

    Obesity Action Scotland Chair Andrew Fraser said:

    “Obesity Action Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to taking progressive measures on retail food and drink promotions. They will improve the food environment and protect consumers from in-store choices that encourage people to purchase food that is high in fat, sugar and salt.

    “Promotions result in over-consumption of calories, and make it easy to gain weight; measures that counter this pressure on consumers will contribute to the prevention of overweight and obesity that we want to see.”

    BACKGROUND

    Population Health Framework

    Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework

    The frameworks will be implemented jointly with COSLA and build on the Operational Improvement Plan (NHS Scotland operational improvement plan – gov.scot) – launched in March – which sets out measures to improve access to treatment and lower waiting times.

    Restricting promotion of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) – Consultation on the detail of proposed regulations: Scottish Government Response – gov.scot

    Confectionary, cakes and soft drinks with added sugar will be amongst types of food covered by restrictions on promotions. They will apply in stores and online to businesses with 50 or more employees. Regulations are expected to be introduced in the Scottish Parliament this autumn.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Moscow Transport Advanced Development Center has turned 1 year old.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    During this time, the technological and comfortable space has become a place where the transport of the future is created.

    The Center’s specialists successfully:

    The first unmanned tram in Russia has been launched. This fall, it will begin to operate regularly on a route with passengers.

    We have begun preparations for the launch of an unmanned metro train. At the first stage, which is planned for 2025, we will study the process of movement, stops, as well as opening and closing doors.

    We have developed technology for an unmanned police boat that will be able to automatically record violations on Moscow rivers.

    The first ticket systems laboratory in Russia tested automatic activation of online replenishment of the Troika and Muscovite cards, as well as the virtual Troika.

    “In May 2024, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin opened the Center for Advanced Development in the Kuntsevo district. Here, professionals with experience in leading Russian and international companies are implementing the most modern innovations in urban transport. The center has become not only an IT cluster for breakthrough projects, but also an adornment of the district, a place where you can gain new knowledge and exchange experiences. Since its opening, more than 30 lectures have been held here, attended by over 1.2 thousand people. Most of the listeners were interested in the topics of creating navigation, developing passenger services, as well as the history of the capital’s transport,” added Maxim Liksutov.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Moscow Transport Advanced Development Center has turned one year old!

    In just a year, this innovative and comfortable space has become a hub for creating the transport of the future.

    The Center’s specialists have successfully:

    Launched Russia’s first autonomous tram. This fall, it will begin regular passenger service on its route.

    Started preparations for the launch of a driverless metro train. The first phase, scheduled for 2025, will study the process of movement, stops, and the opening and closing of doors.

    Developed technology for a driverless police boat capable of automatically detecting violations on Moscow’s rivers.

    Tested automatic activation of online top-ups for the Troika card and the Moscow resident card, as well as the virtual Troika in Russia’s first ticketing system laboratory.

    In May 2024, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin opened the Advanced Development Center in the Kuntsevo district. Here, professionals with experience in leading Russian and international companies are introducing the latest innovations to the city’s transport system. The Center has become not only an IT cluster for breakthrough projects, but also an asset to the district — a place to gain new knowledge and exchange experience. Since its opening, more than 30 lectures have been held here, with over 1,200 participants. The most popular topics included the creation of navigation systems, the development of passenger services, and the history of the capital’s transport, — added Maksim Liksutov.

    The Center for Advanced Development is truly shaping the future of Moscow’s urban mobility!

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Med school plans further discussed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Task Group on New Medical School today met for the second time with the universities, Baptist University, Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, that have submitted proposals for the establishment of Hong Kong’s third medical school.

    While having a focused exchange on the specific plans of their proposals, each of the three universities further presented its overall plan for implementing the new medical school proposal, including the curriculum content, clinical training for medical students, construction of teaching facilities and funding arrangements.

    The task group will enhance speed and efficiency in expediting the assessment of the proposals, with a view to completing the assessments and providing a recommendation to the Government within this year.

    Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said that the three universities have demonstrated a strong commitment to nurturing medical talent and developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, as well as responded positively to the concerns raised by the task group on the quality of medical education and clinical training.

    “As President Xi Jinping said, ‘Health is the most important indicator of people’s happiness.’ The Government strives to comprehensively deepen the healthcare system reform, and the new medical school will not only shoulder the mission of coping with the rapidly ageing population and the worsening shortage of healthcare manpower, but also pursue complementary development with the two existing medical schools to contribute to the enhancement of city’s healthcare system.”

    Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin highlighted that the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education newly released by the nation strives to accelerate the development of world-class universities and advanced disciplines.

    “We expect the selected university to take on the important task of actively promoting curriculum innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and establishing closer ties with regional partners.”

    She added that the new medical school will also be able to nurture more healthcare talent, raise academic standards and broaden the scope of medical education and research in Hong Kong.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trusted Crypto Casinos: 2025 Player Preferences Exposed in New Research Release! By All iGaming

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Martinsburg, West Virginia, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — All iGaming experts have thoroughly tested a wide range of crypto gambling platforms to reveal the top-rated crypto casinos for 2025, featured in this exclusive report. The evaluation focused on key aspects such as licensing, security, game variety, bonus fairness, payout speed, and overall user experience to curate a list of the most trusted and rewarding platforms.

    This guide is your roadmap to navigating the fast-evolving world of crypto gambling and discovering the best bitcoin casinos that suit your playing style and preferences.

    >>> Leading Casinos Listed by All iGaming – Find Out Who’s The Winner

    Why Crypto Casinos Are Revolutionizing Online Gambling

    Crypto casinos are reshaping the iGaming industry in 2025 by offering unparalleled advantages over traditional online casinos. These platforms combine cutting-edge technology with player-centric features, making them the go-to choice for modern gamblers. All iGaming team has identified the key reasons why the best crypto casinos are dominating the market:

    • Lightning-Fast Transactions

    Speed is a defining feature of the best crypto casinos. Unlike traditional platforms, where withdrawals can take days due to banking delays, crypto casinos leverage blockchain technology for near-instant transactions. All iGaming’s top-rated platforms, such as those in our 2025 list, process payouts in as little as 8–30 minutes, ensuring players can access their winnings quickly. This efficiency makes trusted crypto casinos a favorite for those who value rapid cashouts.

    • Cost-Effective Transactions

    Cryptocurrency transactions are remarkably cost-efficient, with minimal fees compared to traditional banking methods, which can charge up to 10% for international transfers or card payments. The best crypto casinos, as vetted by All iGaming, often cover network fees, allowing players to keep more of their winnings. This affordability is especially beneficial for global players, as cryptocurrencies eliminate costly currency conversion fees, enhancing the value of every bet.

    • Enhanced Privacy and Anonymity

    Privacy is a major draw for players choosing the best crypto casinos. Many platforms offer no-KYC (Know Your Customer) registration, requiring only an email address for signup, enabling anonymous gameplay. By supporting privacy-focused cryptocurrencies like Monero and ZCash, these casinos allow players to shield their transaction details, reducing data exposure risks. All iGaming prioritizes platforms that balance privacy with robust security, ensuring a safe gaming environment.

    • Provably Fair Gameplay

    A standout feature of the best bitcoin casinos is their use of provably fair games, which utilize blockchain technology to ensure transparency and fairness. Players can independently verify game outcomes, confirming randomness and addressing concerns about rigged results. Popular provably fair games like Crash, Dice, and Plinko are staples at All iGaming’s recommended casinos, fostering trust among players. This transparency sets crypto casinos apart from traditional platforms and is a key criterion in our evaluation process.

    • Global Accessibility

    Crypto casinos transcend geographical boundaries, making them accessible to players in regions with restrictive banking systems, such as parts of Asia or Africa. Cryptocurrencies bypass local currency barriers, and many platforms support VPN usage to enhance inclusivity. 

    All iGaming’s top picks ensure that players worldwide can enjoy trusted crypto casinos, regardless of local regulations, making them a truly global gaming solution.

    • Booming Market Growth

    The crypto gambling industry is experiencing explosive growth, with total bets reaching $26 billion in Q1 2025, nearly double the previous year’s volume. Industry projections estimate the crypto casino market will grow from $6.3 billion in 2023 to $55.3 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.29%. 

    All iGaming’s meticulous analysis ensures that only the most reliable and innovative platforms make our list, capitalizing on this booming market to deliver exceptional gaming experiences.

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    How All iGaming Experts Reviewed and Ranked Crypto Casinos for 2025

    To identify the best crypto casinos for 2025, All iGaming employed a comprehensive testing methodology, ensuring only the most trustworthy platforms are recommended. Our evaluation process focuses on the following critical criteria:

    1. Licensing and Security

    All iGaming endorses only casinos with valid licenses from reputable authorities like Curaçao or Malta. Platforms without clear licensing are excluded from our recommendations. We also prioritize advanced security measures, such as SSL encryption and two-factor authentication (2FA), to protect player data and funds. 

    Our top picks, including those in our 2025 list, are licensed by the Curaçao eGaming Commission and employ robust security protocols.

    2. Diverse Game Offerings

    The best crypto casinos offer expansive game libraries, including slots, table games, live dealer options, and provably fair titles. All iGaming favors platforms partnered with top-tier providers like Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, and NetEnt to ensure high-quality gameplay. Our recommended casinos boast game catalogs exceeding 7,000 titles, catering to all player preferences.

    3. Transparent Bonuses

    Bonuses are a key attraction, but transparency is essential. All iGaming scrutinizes bonus generosity, wagering requirements (20x–40x), maximum bet limits, and clear terms. Only casinos with player-friendly promotions, such as wager-free spins or high-match bonuses, qualify for our list of the best crypto casinos.

    4. Flexible Payment Methods

    Support for multiple cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and altcoins, is a must. All iGaming evaluates transaction speeds and fees, favoring platforms with instant withdrawals and minimal costs. Our top picks support a wide range of crypto and fiat payment methods to ensure flexibility.

    5. Seamless User Experience

    A user-friendly interface enhances the gaming experience. All iGaming tests platforms across desktop and mobile devices, assessing navigation, load times, and mobile compatibility. Casinos with intuitive interfaces and Telegram integration rank highly for convenience and accessibility.

    6. Reliable Customer Support

    Responsive support is crucial for resolving issues quickly. All iGaming contacts support teams to evaluate response times and assistance quality, prioritizing casinos with 24/7 live chat and clear communication. Our top platforms offer round-the-clock support to ensure player satisfaction.

    7. Industry Reputation

    Player feedback and industry standing are key indicators of reliability. All iGaming considers platforms with consistently positive reviews and no unresolved complaints. Our recommended casinos have earned high ratings and industry accolades, solidifying their status as trusted crypto casinos.

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    ⚖️Legal Landscape of Crypto Casinos

    The legality of crypto casinos varies by region, creating a complex regulatory environment. In jurisdictions like the UK and Malta, crypto casinos operate legally under licenses from authorities such as Curaçao. However, in countries with strict gambling or crypto laws, such as China or certain U.S. states, their status may be ambiguous. 

    All iGaming strongly recommends that players verify local regulations before engaging with crypto gambling sites. Choosing licensed platforms ensures compliance and enhances player safety. Our top picks display clear licensing information to prioritize trust and security.

    ️Game Selection at the Crypto Casinos

    The best crypto casinos offer diverse game libraries that cater to all player types. All iGaming’s top-rated platforms feature thousands of games across multiple categories, ensuring a thrilling experience for everyone. Here’s a breakdown of the key offerings in 2025:

    1. Slots

    Slots dominate crypto casinos, with thousands of titles ranging from classic three-reel games to modern video slots with features like Megaways, cascading reels, and progressive jackpots. Popular games like Sweet Bonanza and Book of Dead offer high RTPs (95%–97%), while exclusive crypto-themed slots add a unique flair. All iGaming’s top picks feature over 6,000 slot titles from leading providers like Pragmatic Play and BGaming.

    2. Table Games

    Classic table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker are available in multiple variants. European roulette offers better odds than American roulette, while poker variants like Texas Hold’em include side bets for bigger wins. Betting starts at $1, with high-stakes options for experienced players. All iGaming’s recommended casinos offer extensive table game selections.

    3. Live Dealer Games

    Live dealer games deliver an immersive casino experience with professional dealers streamed in real-time. Options include live blackjack, roulette, and game shows like Crazy Time, powered by providers like Evolution Gaming. Bets start as low as $0.20, making these games accessible to all budgets. All iGaming’s top platforms excel in offering high-quality live dealer experiences.

    4. Provably Fair Games

    Unique to crypto casinos, provably fair games like Crash, Dice, Mines, and Plinko allow players to verify outcomes on the blockchain. These fast-paced games combine transparency with engaging gameplay, appealing to trust-conscious players. All iGaming prioritizes platforms with robust provably fair offerings.

    5. Specialty Games

    Casual players enjoy specialty games like keno, bingo, scratch cards, and virtual sports. These low-stakes options, often under $1, offer instant results and simple fun, perfect for relaxed gaming sessions. All iGaming’s top casinos include a variety of specialty games to cater to diverse preferences.

    >>> Find the Top Crypto Casinos with the Best Game Selection at All iGaming!

    Bonuses and Promotions at Crypto Casinos

    Bonuses are a major draw for players at the best crypto casinos, and All iGaming ensures that only platforms with transparent and player-friendly promotions make our list. Here’s a detailed look at the key bonus offerings in 2025:

    • Welcome Bonuses

    Most crypto casinos provide 100%-325 % match bonuses on initial deposits, up to 5 BTC, often paired with 50–250 free spins. All iGaming emphasizes casinos with reasonable wagering requirements (20x–40x) to ensure players can maximize bonus value.

    • No Deposit Bonuses

    Some of All iGaming’s top-rated crypto casinos offer no-deposit bonuses, such as small crypto amounts or free spins, allowing players to test platforms without risking funds. These bonuses typically carry higher wagering requirements (40x–60x), but they’re ideal for exploring new casinos.

    • Reload Bonuses

    Reload bonuses, ranging from 25%–100% up to $50–$300, reward subsequent deposits. These are often tied to weekly promotions or VIP status. All iGaming prioritizes casinos with frequent and fair reload bonuses to enhance player value.

    • Cashback Offers

    Cashback of 5%–20% on losses, often daily or weekly, is a common feature at crypto casinos. All iGaming’s top picks offer wagering in an instant, and MIRAX Casino. Here’s a detailed look at each platform’s unique features, payment methods, and bonuses. 

     >>> Maximize Your Winnings with All iGaming’s Expert Tips!

    All iGaming’s Tips for Maximizing Your Crypto Casino Experience

    To make the most of the best crypto casinos, All iGaming recommends the following strategies:

    • Understand Terms: Read the bonus and withdrawal policies to avoid unexpected restrictions.
    • Manage Funds: Set a budget and wager only what you can afford to lose to maintain responsible gambling habits.
    • Use Bonuses Wisely: Leverage fair bonuses to extend playtime and increase winning potential.
    • Choose Provably Fair Games: Prioritize transparent games to ensure trust and fairness.
    • Test Support: Contact customer service before depositing to assess responsiveness and reliability.
    • Secure Your Account: Use 2FA and trusted crypto wallets to protect your funds.

    By following these tips, you can enjoy a safe and rewarding experience at All iGaming’s top-rated crypto casinos.

    Responsible Gambling at Crypto Casinos

    Responsible gambling is a priority at All iGaming’s recommended crypto casinos. Top platforms offer tools to help players stay in control, including:

    • Deposit Limits: Cap daily, weekly, or monthly deposits to manage spending.
    • Session Timers: Receive reminders to monitor playtime.
    • Self-Exclusion: Temporarily or permanently block account access for a break from gambling.
    • Support Resources: Access organizations like Gamblers Anonymous for additional help.

    All iGaming encourages players to set limits early and monitor spending to keep gambling fun and safe. If gambling feels overwhelming, seek support immediately.

    Are Crypto Casinos Worth It in 2025? According to All iGaming

    Crypto casinos in 2025 are undeniably worth exploring, offering unmatched speed, privacy, and innovative features like provably fair games and generous bonuses. All iGaming’s rigorous testing ensures that only the most reliable and exciting platforms make our list, delivering secure and thrilling experiences for players worldwide. 

    However, choosing the right casino is crucial- verify licensing, review bonus terms, and check local laws to ensure compliance. By selecting All iGaming’s trusted crypto casinos, you can dive into the exhilarating world of crypto gambling with confidence.

    >>> Start Your Crypto Journey with All iGaming’s Top Picks Today!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Why did my balance suddenly change after a game ended?

    ANS: Crypto values can fluctuate rapidly. If your casino wallet auto-converts to a stablecoin or fiat equivalent, price swings in BTC or ETH could impact your displayed balance. Also, game providers may round wins- check your transaction history for precise entries.

    2. Can I reverse a mistaken crypto transaction?

    ANS: Unfortunately, no. Blockchain transactions are irreversible. Always double-check the deposit address and amount before sending. If you sent funds to the wrong address, the casino can’t retrieve them- only the wallet owner can.

    3. My bonus vanished after logging out. What happened?

    ANS: Some promotions are time-limited or tied to a single session. If you didn’t meet the playthrough or exit during bonus rounds, the offer may expire. Always check the bonus countdown timer and wagering status under “Promotions” or “My Bonuses.”

    4. What should I do if a game loads forever or says ‘Connecting to server’?

    ANS: Clear your cache and cookies, try incognito mode, or switch browsers. If the issue persists, it could be a provider-side error- take a screenshot and report it to live chat so they can troubleshoot or credit your session.

    5. Can I play from a country with restricted access using a VPN?

    ANS: Technically, yes, but it’s risky. Many crypto casinos ban accounts caught using VPNs to bypass geo-restrictions, and winnings may be forfeited. Always check the Terms of Service- some platforms support VPNs explicitly, while others strictly prohibit them.

    6. What if I accidentally claimed the wrong bonus?

    ANS: Reach out to support immediately via live chat. Some casinos can reverse a mistakenly activated bonus if it hasn’t been used yet. Otherwise, you may need to meet the wagering requirements before claiming a different promo.

    7. Why was my withdrawal converted into a different coin?

    ANS: Some platforms automatically convert smaller altcoin balances into stablecoins or Bitcoin to streamline processing. You can usually set your preferred payout currency under account settings- be sure to check this before requesting a withdrawal.

    8. Can I recover an abandoned session from another device?

    ANS: Yes, most top-tier crypto casinos sync your sessions across devices. Just log in from your new device and reopen the game. Your state- whether mid-spin, bet placed, or free round active- should load automatically thanks to cloud sync.

    9. What happens if I try to withdraw a bonus without meeting the wagering terms?

    ANS: Your withdrawal may be blocked, or the bonus and any winnings from it could be removed. Always check the wagering progress bar- usually found in your account dashboard- to ensure you’ve met the requirements before cashing out.

    10. Are mobile crypto casinos secure for real-money play?

    ANS: Yes- if you’re playing at a licensed, reputable platform. Look for SSL encryption (padlock icon), two-factor authentication, and provably fair games. Avoid downloading sketchy apps from unofficial sources- stick to web-based mobile versions or apps from trusted links.

    >>> Get Answers to All Your Questions at All iGaming!

    Disclaimer

    The information provided about the best crypto casinos is for informational purposes only. While All iGaming strives to offer accurate and up-to-date details, online gambling involves financial risks, and all players are encouraged to proceed responsibly. We recommend that users verify the licensing, security measures, and terms of service of any crypto casino before engaging in play. Gambling may be subject to legal restrictions in some regions, so it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with local laws. All iGaming does not endorse or promote any specific casino and strongly advises users to gamble responsibly.

    Email: support@alligaming.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chief of the General Staff Speech at RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Chief of the General Staff Speech at RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2025

    The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker’s speech at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference, 17 June 2025

    Good afternoon.

    We are 54 nations, and 17 Army Chiefs taking part in this conference: that’s the power of shared missions and interests. Welcome, and thanks for coming.

    I concluded this event last year by reflecting on the grim strategic situation.

    Amongst other things:

    Russia had seemingly abandoned the principle of mutual co-existence with us here in Europe, and so we needed to prepare accordingly.

    I also said that we needed to see a fundamental shift in how we fight on and from the land.

    And that this transformation, importantly, would need to be matched by an equally transformative relationship with our defence industrial base.

    I offered a vision of how 5th Gen land forces could set the joint force up for the unfair fight.

    And I shared an ambition to double then triple the fighting power of our land forces, by 2027 and 2030 respectively.

    A year on, I think those reflections have been validated, not least by the Government’s SDR.

    Today I want to open the event with three reports: what the SDR means to us; a ‘we said – we’ve done’ look at the last 12 months; and a ‘what next – what more’ for the year ahead.

    To the SDR, whose analysis and recommendations I fully support.

    For me it’s a story of reversal and change, as well as massive collective opportunity.

    So, the reversal is really of a trajectory in defence policy that characterised the second era of NATO, that ‘peace dividend’ period that followed the Cold War. That trajectory is now shifting, definitively, as a matter of policy.

    And being in the third era of NATO, we are now in the business of focusing our preparedness and resolve to fight war at scale and over time.

    For me, as Army Chief, that means generating the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps as one of NATO’s two strategic reserve forces, in both mission and taskorg. That is why last year I put the British Army’s specialist enabling brigades under Com ARRC’s command last year, and why he now has tactical command of both the 1st and 3rd UK divisions. The Corps-level of fighting is also the focus for accelerated modernisation, alongside hardening the edge at every echelon within.

    Secondly, rebuilding a national arsenal, an ‘always on’ system of production that innovates in peacetime and scales in wartime. More of that in a minute.

    And thirdly it means strengthening our ties with society – it takes a country to fight and win a war –  which we will do through the Standing Joint Command headquartered in Aldershot, the traditional home of the British Army, to enhance resilience, prepare to regenerate force, and help defend the homeland. It takes a country to fight a war, after all.

    The change comes in the way we fight, as signalled in the SDR, as an increasingly integrated force.

    The case for integrating greater autonomy and more robotics into our fighting system is well understood, but to unlock the extraordinary power they offer, we have to digitise our system deeper and wider than we’re doing at the moment, which is why I could not be more pleased to see in the SDR the commitment of at least £1Bn for a Digital Targeting Web. We will soon get the data, the all-important commodity, moving horizontally not just vertically, at light speed, with a precision focus on the defeat mechanisms to an adversary’s fighting system, from top to bottom, from back to front, from the fundamentals of how they build that fighting system, to the frontlines where they might use it. To me, it’s an approach of corrosion and erosion from within, not just explosion from without.

    And finally, to the big opportunity, let me explain my vision for how fighting power and market power come together, with a model we call Growth Through Transformation, it’s a pitch not a plan, to make this real, from the foxhole to the factory floor.

    For the sake of argument let’s say the square on the screen represents a pair of attack helicopters, or a pair of tanks, or a pair of self-propelled howitzers. Today nearly 100% the British Army’s lethality – our ability to project destructive force over an adversary, while protecting ourselves from attack, and doing this sustainably so n+1 works for us (ie they run out before we do)– comes from these highly sophisticated crewed platforms, and nearly 100% of our equipment budget goes on sustaining those platforms we have and acquiring new ones.

    In themselves, they sustain a decent and traditional defence industrial sector, and given where we are with CR3, Boxer and AJAX, is building resilience as well as growing it. It could be more, given the total addressable market for modernising AFVs around the world is judged to be $43Bn over 10years. That’s opportunity we need to position ourselves for.

    But…if those are the only platforms we fight from the land with, no matter the wizardry of our digital targeting web, I reckon we lose. Or at the very least, it won’t be an unfair fight we’re after.

    That’s because T hey take months to produce and years to train competent crews for. They’re also increasingly on the wrong side of the cost curve when it comes to price per kill. A £20M tank and four experienced crew members lost to a £1k drone operated by kid with only a few days training – who probably isn’t even on the same map sheet as the tank.

    Let me be abundantly clear though, we are going to need survivable and lethal platforms for as long as land forces need to seize and hold terrain, which means boots on the ground to close with and kill the enemy, if it comes to it. We wouldn’t put troops there without a rifle, radio, body armour and helmet, so why would we put their vehicles there without guns, armour plating and comms?

    What we do need is to layer around them a series of attritable platforms, from which more sensors sense at greater distances, and more munitions are launched. They fly, float and drive, and are the new source of combat mass. You don’t want to lose them, but it’s not a tragedy if you do because, although sophisticated, they’re uncrewed.

    And around them is a third layer of consumable systems. These are your even cheaper single-use platforms, like one-way effectors. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

    And that’s how we are multiplying our fighting power, with a three-ring source of lethality.

    The challenge for the team her is that in the future I want 20% of our lethality to come from the survivable layer, 40% from the attritable, and 40% from consumable. That does not mean I want 1/5th the number of crewed platforms in the PoR, it’s that I want each one to be five times more lethal, survivable and sustainable. Because that’s how we’ll meet NATO’s land capability targets, as well as service our part in the regional plans.

    And I want to spend 50% of our money on the 20% of crewed and expensive, and 50% on the remaining 80% of attritable. Why the maths?

    An example. We could double the fighting power of that AH mission from 16 stowed kills from 16km standoff to 32 kills from the same distance, by buying two more attack helicopters and making it a four-ship mission. Or, for the same amount of money the two new AH cost us, we could layer attritable mule drones and consumable OWE to make that over 200 kills from over 50kms standoff. That starts to look a lot more lethal than 2x or 3x, is more survivable, and on the right side of the cost curve.

    I want to test this hypothesis with a prototype on Ex STDE27, and I’m really excited that we’re close to going to market to make this happen, and to make a market in Land ACP.

    Because here’s the strategic bit…to do this, we need to grow a completely new sector in our Defence Industrial Ecosystem. Bringing that hi/lo mix of crewed and uncrewed systems into being will, we think, as a minimum, create thousands of new highly specialised jobs in software, AI and advanced robotics.

    A lot of this is dual-use: military and civilian. Which attracts private investment because it scales. So this is not just about the 2.6% of GDP the Government has announced for UK Defence, but about making Defence a great place for venture capital and private equity to invest in.

    It allows us to access a total addressable market in drones of around £70Bn/10 for drones and £28Bn/10 for OWEs. That is pretty eye watering compared to the traditional system.

    And this is as much a system of production and stockpiles as it is developing skills and talent in society.

    This is how the necessary transformation in how we fight…becomes a virtue: an energised national arsenal stimulating economic growth, and direct benefit into society writ large.

    So, to the double!

    I described our soldiers as our competitive advantage: our point of difference. They are ingeniously creative and astonishingly resilient.

    They are enabling Techcraft at every level – the fusion of fieldcraft and technology – every day. “Give us the tools and we will finish the job” was Churchill’s shout, and it still applies today our soldiers today.

    Project Asgard is delivering. Not just our pathfinder to show we can find, fund, and fight transformative capabilities differently, better, cheaper, and faster. It’s a project that is flipping our Forward Land Forces in Estonia from a strategic tripwire into an invasion stopping capability. When Russian soldiers eventually return to barracks across the River Narva, they’re going to find the same lethal recce-strike systems there, which gave them such a mauling in the Donbas.

    Last July we talked about it…in August we decided to do it…the Defence Secretary announced it in October…January saw partners on contract working alongside us…in May we exercised it in Estonia…and next month our first public expo here in the UK.

    It’s a project that, through AI-fuelled, software defined, and network enabled capabilities we are confident has made 4 Light Brigade capable of acting 10 times faster and 10 times further than it could last year.

    It’s a project that fields the first NATO FLF equipped with one way effectors, capable of striking targets over 250km away, or from 250km stand-off.

    It’s a project that’s involved 20 industry partners, has already created 200 skilled jobs, and sees Allies looking to those same partners to build their own systems.

    It’s effects were integrated into the Estonian Ex GRIFFIN LIGHTNING, enabling the ESTDIV to find and strike deeper than ever, with much greater precision and at a higher kill rate, though I admit in a simulated exercise.

    So we’ve proved it, to a point with an MVP, now we start scaling to the Corps level, and we’ll continue to share our knowledge with our allies.

    But it’s not just about Asgard.

    A better trained force will often defeat a bigger and better equipped one. A lesson Goliath learned from David. Our new Land Training System is preparing us to do just that.

    In the last 3 months alone, 72 fighting sub-units have gone through a new intensive 10 week ‘combat training at echelon’ programme. Over the next 12 months, 400 sub-units or around 90% of the Army will complete that training, an 80% increase compared to 2020.

    We’ve trained over 3,000 drone pilots, with another 6,000 over the next year, as well as providing 200 simulators into unit lines.

    That system has improved battlegroup performance against KPIs by 30% this year, reducing sensor to shooter time by 33% already.

    That system has validated both of our divisions and seven brigades for their NATO combat tasks this year – which is an unprecedented state of readiness as judged by our peers.

    And we’re making good strides with equipment too, although there is always room for improvement.

    We’ve fielded 121 AJAX vehicles this year, expanding to 356 next year.

    We’ve begun to field Boxer this year, with 113 next.

    We’ve launched a joint c-UAS project with the US called Project VANAHEIM, involving 20 industry partners, on mission in Germany now developing the system.

    We’ve begun recapitalising our MLRS, with first variants in service next year, doubling our range from 80 to 160km.

    We’ve fielded 28,000 new SA80 assault rifles and 3,000 world-leading night vision goggles this year.

    With edge processing we’ve integrated AI into existing equipment such as our Bowman radios, reducing packet size and prioritising the flow of data for targeting purposes, and that has seen faster decision cycles, increasing by an order of magnitude our lethality.

    Our Corps HQ, on Project Convergence, with its industry partners embedded, combined three different software applications on a secret comms bearer creating a digital kill chain that made the Corps four times quicker at engaging individual targets, down from 16 mins to 4 mins for a fire mission.

    The effect over multiple missions was even greater. The software-centric solutions reduced the Corps HQ’s cognitive load between missions enabling them to kill 10 times as many targets in a day.

    That is why I welcome the SDR’s ambition to 10X our fighting power by 2035 – because with the right people, software, training, and technology it’s possible to do it.

    So, I believe we’re on track…for now…to doubling our fighting power by 2027. The results are encouraging though I absolutelyacknowledge not all soldiers in all formations are experiencing this transformation yet.

    Looking ahead, my main effort is to accelerate modernisation, prioritising the Corps and those closest to the fight, our Forward Land Forces.

    I want to deepen our integration with SMEs through Taskforce RAPSTONE, with a clearer front door, simplifying our requirements into shared problems to solve. In short, we’ll be a better customer, standing shoulder-to-shoulder as genuine mission partners, in perpetual prototyping mode.

    But finally and most importantly my focus this year is also on our people.

    It’s absolutely pointless transforming if we don’t have enough of the right people, create the right environment for them to thrive, nor teach them the right skills. This is not just about recruiting and TEAMWORK, important though they are.

    At a fundamental level, we are rethinking what it means to be a soldier in the 21st century, because 21st century soldiering is going to be different in so many ways. At the heart lies the need for strong ethical and moral values to withstand the pressures of combat, and we have a role to project that narrative deeper and wider into society, including our youth, whether through the cadets or educational pathways, or by the example of our service, not least to help protect them and ourselves from the toxic influences of racism, hate, homophobia, and misogyny, which are the antithesis of what we need in our soldiers and citizens.

    I’m reminded of Monty’s memoirs where he said I shall take away many impressions into the evening of life. But the one I shall treasure above all is the picture of the British soldier – staunch and tenacious in adversity, kind and gentle in victory – the figure to whom the nation has again and again, in the hour of adversity, owed its safety and its honour.

    That’s who we need and that’s who we want – the British soldier as the unrivalled force multiplier. And all that I have seen this year confirms the Army remains a place that creates memories for a lifetime, offering adventure, skills, camaraderie and a place of belonging – whoever you are, wherever you come from and whatever you do.

    It’s very common to find people in the Army who grew up in some of the most deprived areas of our country. Many chose to become cadets to build confidence and find new friends. Many, just six years after joining, are earning £45,000 a year, with apprenticeships under their belts and their families in good-value accommodation,. This is a story told up and down the land amongst our officers and soldiers…testament to the Army’s extraordinary record on social mobility and our status as the country’s leading provider of apprenticeships, with over 13,000 at any one time.

    So, to those who aspire to be make a difference, come and join us. Whether as a regular or a reserve, we’re making it easier and faster to do so, more digital and intuitive, and with greater choice and opportunity. You can change your life through the Army, so why don’t you? 

    To conclude this opening speech, you’d not be surprised to hear a Chief of the General Staff remind you of the uncertain and dangerous times we live in. They are, and I have.

    With the commitments outlined in the vision of the SDR, we are building ever more lethal land forces, capable of operating over ever greater distances, in ways that will make fighting us such an unfair proposition that no-one in the right mind would do so. But if they try, we would fight.

    That is the Army the Nation needs, NATO wants, and frankly, our soldiers deserve.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new PSD team leaders

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new PSD team leaders

    The Constabulary welcomes new leadership to its Professional Standards Department bringing, adding decades of experience to promote integrity and accountability

    Superintendent Alastair Stenner (left) and Chief Inspector Aidan Donohoe (right).

    The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) welcomes new leadership to our Professional Standards Department (PSD) as two new officers join, bringing a wealth of experience.

    Superintendent Alastair Stenner served for over 30 years with Gloucestershire Constabulary. During his career he has worked both in uniform and as a detective, on Counter Terrorism policing and most recently as the Head of Professional Standards, Vetting, Anti-Corruption and Public Feedback.

    Reflecting on his approach to building standards, Alastair said: “How people treat one another is key to me. It is the foundation to how we build the right environment and culture.  Alongside this, the organisation has to provide the right leadership and support so that all can flourish.

    “I would like our PSD and Vetting work to be as open as possible, and I would ask that if anyone has any questions or needs any advice that they make contact with a member of the team.”

    Chief Inspector Aidan Donohoe first served in the Royal Air Force before beginning his policing career at the City of London Police, then Thames Valley Police (TVP) where the majority of his 31-year career was spent.

    He has served as an Authorised Firearms Officer, Operational Firearms Commander, and as an armed surveillance officer. Aidan joins us from his most recent role as Detective Chief Inspector, Head of Investigations for the force’s Professional Standards Department.

    “My focus at TVP was always to try and support officers who had perhaps made genuine errors in judgement and who showed reflection and a willingness to change.  I know the importance of professional development and I’m a strong advocate of giving opportunities to learn and improve.

    “That said, for that minority who bring disgrace, at a time when trust is already low, I am committed to ensuring they have no place in policing.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has set a priority for environmentally friendly transport in public procurement

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Document

    Resolution of June 12, 2025 No. 889

    The government has adjusted the procedure for purchasing cars and vehicles for state and municipal needs, establishing priority for environmentally friendly types of transport in such purchases. A resolution on this has been signed.

    We are talking about changes to individual government regulations in the area of public procurement, which determine what goods and with what characteristics government customers can purchase.

    In particular, now, when making government purchases, they must primarily purchase vehicles that run on natural gas fuel and electric vehicles instead of vehicles that run on traditional types of fuel – diesel and gasoline.

    At the same time, purchasing petrol or diesel vehicles is permitted in exceptional cases – when justifying the impossibility of purchasing vehicles running on alternative types of fuel, for example, due to the absence of gas filling infrastructure and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the territory where the purchased vehicles are planned to be used.

    The decision will contribute to improving the environment and will support domestic enterprises producing environmentally friendly transport.

    The signed document introduces changes toGovernment Resolution of September 2, 2015 No. 926 AndGovernment Resolution of September 2, 2015 No. 927.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Parameters of REPO auctions in rubles

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia (2) –

    Date of the auction Type of tool Term Date of execution of the first part of the transactions Date of execution of the second part of the transactions Maximum amount of funds provided* (billion rubles) Minimum possible rate in the application (% per annum)
    06/17/2025 Basic 7 d. 06/18/2025 06/25/2025 1 020 20.00
    06/10/2025 Basic 7 d. 06/11/2025 06/18/2025 920 20.00
    03.06.2025 Basic 7 d. 06.06.2025 06/11/2025 620 21.00

    Data available from 24.06.2009 to 17.06.2025.

    * A dash (—) in the column means that the repo auction is carried out without setting a limit, all received applications, subject to compliance with other requirements established for the specified operations, are satisfied in full.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Interview with Alexander Novak for Vedomosti newspaper

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Alexander Novak: The main factors of economic development are within our country.

    Question: One of the key tracks of the upcoming SPIEF is: “The World Economy – a New Platform for Global Growth”. Over the past few months, the world economy has experienced not just a series of shocks, but real tectonic shifts. In your opinion, is global growth, in the context of a general movement, possible or is the world steadily moving towards regionalization?

    A. Novak: Global economic growth will continue to some extent until 2030. However, the dynamics of its growth will depend on new challenges and threats that primarily affect global trade flows. This primarily concerns the increasing economic fragmentation of global markets – when trade, investment, exchange of services and technologies are subject to the logic of “mine” and “others”. As a result, investment activity and the well-being of the world’s population are declining.

    These processes did not begin yesterday. Since the early 2000s, the economic center of the world has been shifting from the West to the East. Developing countries, primarily China, are gaining a much greater role in the global economy. Of course, this situation does not suit those who are used to dictating their terms. And we increasingly see how, in order to counteract the growing influence of developing countries on the world economy, Western countries are making active attempts to maintain the status quo on the world stage and preserve their leadership.

    As a consequence, the strengthening of protectionism in the national economy and the revision of the existing results of globalization come to the fore. The main steps in this direction were the actual destruction of the multilateral mechanisms of the WTO, unilateral tariff and non-tariff restrictions on developing countries under the pretext of “threats to national interests”, and the introduction of various sanctions against competitors.

    The current escalation of tariff restrictions is also, of course, another consequence of the confrontation between the West and the rest of the world. The desire to maintain dominant positions in the global economy is happening by “pushing” bilateral agreements instead of multilateral ones. And such steps obviously lead to a new round of regionalization, observed since 2022, and the consolidation of countries within “blocs”.

    In the current conditions, the priority for us is to ensure the implementation of the national development agenda and the construction of sustainable partnerships with friendly countries with their own infrastructure to ensure the interests of these partnerships. This concerns the economic, financial and technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation, which, in the context of involvement in global value chains, requires, first of all, a reconfiguration of foreign economic relations with trading partners.

    I would like to remind you that we took into account the trends of regionalization of the global economy when preparing the Strategy for Foreign Economic Activity adopted by the government at the beginning of last year, therefore, relations with trading partners are built and developed taking into account the influence of geo-economic fragmentation and the opportunities opening up for Russia.

    Question: One of the undisputed leaders of destabilization has become the new US tariffs, which with a high degree of probability will lead to a redrawing of trade flows. What is this primarily for Russia – a risk or an opportunity? How many percent or percentage points of Russia’s GDP can a global trade war take away?

    A. Novak: Subtract or add? No, seriously, from the point of view of forecasting, the situation in world trade is currently the largest zone of uncertainty. There are a great many development options, their implementation depends on a large number of external and internal factors.

    The world is wider than individual Western countries and their circle of partners. Most likely, the situation with trade wars will not be universal. Some commodity flows will be redirected, as usually happens in trade wars.

    At the same time, there will be no repetition of the pandemic situation, when global trade stopped and trade flows collapsed. Therefore, the baseline forecast scenario approved by the government assumes that the growth rate of global trade will slow down, but will not go into recession.

    You are right, for us there are really two sides to the coin: risks and opportunities. The risks are related to the overall slowdown of the global economy, as well as demand and prices for traditional Russian export goods. On the other hand, this is a possible reduction in logistics costs, the opening of new niches, the substitution of Russian products for goods that will leave certain markets. From the point of view of imports, risks arise for our domestic market and domestic producers.

    And yet, no matter how the situation in the world develops, the main factors of the development of the Russian economy are not outside, but inside our country. The main one, with all the importance of the proactive work of the government and the Bank of Russia, is private entrepreneurial initiative. The flexibility and adaptive capacity of national business is the key to the stability of our economy in recent years. The main task of the authorities is to develop and support these qualities in every possible way.

    However, when you think about all the changes that you said were caused by “destabilizing US tariffs,” it is important to understand that tariffs are just a tool, and the goal is not to redirect trade flows. The goal, apparently, is to return key production chains to the native territory of the United States, to return production, competencies, infrastructure. Localization of value chains is what the Trump administration wants to achieve. What level of tariffs is needed to deploy investment? This is an interesting question. I think 10-15% of the final tariff, given how many times goods cross customs borders in the modern world, will be quite enough to create incentives to redirect investment flows. And the current 50% or 100% tariffs are nothing more than a negotiating position from which negotiating tactics have begun to form.

    Question: Is the government considering measures to stimulate investment activity of Russians? Can more active attraction of citizens’ funds to the stock market help businesses solve the problem of lack of financing?

    A. Novak: Yes, of course, measures to stimulate investment activity are being taken, including, as you know, within the framework of the national project “Efficient and Competitive Economy” and the federal project “Development of the Financial Market” included in it. Also, separate support measures of the federal projects “SME” and “Technology” are aimed at the development of SMEs and small technology companies by attracting funds from the financial market, respectively.

    In the context of achieving the “May decree” indicators, our citizens have the opportunity to invest in long-term instruments. For example, one of them is the Long-Term Savings Program, LTS. It involves the state creating conditions for the formation of long-term savings, which are formed both from personal funds and from the pension savings of citizens.

    This program is a new universal savings product that will allow everyone, with the stimulating support of the state, to form capital for their priority goals. PDS is especially relevant for families seeking to provide for the future of their children, create a financial safety net, purchase housing or pay for education. Together with banks, we are trying to actively inform citizens about the availability of such programs and the opportunities they provide.

    Another tool for stimulating investment is more active attraction of citizens’ funds to the stock market, which can have a significant impact on solving the problem of lack of financing for businesses. Firstly, attracting citizens’ funds will help diversify sources of financing for businesses. This will reduce companies’ dependence on bank loans and allow them to more easily adapt to changing economic conditions.

    In addition, active participation of citizens in the stock market can contribute to increasing the financial literacy of the population. Educated investors better understand the risks and opportunities, and accordingly, they make more informed investment decisions. This, in turn, creates a healthier investment environment and promotes economic growth.

    Of course, we understand that the designated incentives will work much better with a reduction in deposit rates. This applies to interest rates on both deposits and loans. According to our estimates, a gradual, correct cooling of the economy is already underway. Citizens will eventually withdraw from deposits and consider the possibility of diversifying their savings.

    Question: What drivers do you think the capital market might have in the current geopolitical and economic conditions?

    A. Novak: There are several such incentives or drivers now. The main “driver” is macroeconomic stability. Reducing inflation expectations, consistent and predictable economic policy contribute to the growth of investor confidence in the stock and bond market.

    Controlling inflation helps reduce investment risks and increases the attractiveness of assets in the capital market.

    In the context of sanctions pressure and limited access to international financial markets, Russian companies are seeking to find new sources of financing within the country. As a result, there is demand for financial instruments such as bonds and shares, and this can contribute to the growth of the stock market. An increase in the number of issuers and an expansion of the range of financial products offered also contribute to the development of the capital market.

    The development of infrastructure for attracting investment can also be an important driver. Authorities and financial institutions can introduce new mechanisms to support business, such as tax incentives for investors, programs to improve the financial literacy of the population, and the creation of more convenient conditions for entering the stock market. This will not only increase the number of investors, but also increase their confidence in financial instruments.

    In addition, in my opinion, digitalization and the development of financial technologies, digital platforms give a significant boost to the capital market. Another plus in this regard is that digital technologies contribute to the growth of liquidity and the reduction of transaction costs.

    Question: At the recent government strategy session on the National Model of Target Conditions for Doing Business, you specifically emphasized that by 2030, Russia should be among the top 20 countries in terms of the investment climate, as assessed by the World Bank B-READY rating. This rating will be discussed at the SPIEF. What do you see as the key priorities for improving the business climate in Russia? In what aspects are there the largest “development zones” today?

    A. Novak: First of all, I would like to clarify that the World Bank’s international rating of the business and investment climate is one of the bases for the formation of the National Model of Target Conditions for Doing Business, along with Russia’s national development goals and the rating of the state of the investment climate.

    When analyzing the data of the pilot study of the business climate in Russia, conducted by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, “development zones” were identified. Within the areas of engineering infrastructure, labor standards, taxation, dispute resolution, businesses have the most difficulties with the effectiveness of law enforcement of public services, even taking into account the well-developed regulatory framework in the country. We have formed working groups that are currently developing initiatives to improve indicators, such as reducing the number of hours for preparing and submitting tax reports. We are talking about reporting, which currently amounts to about 160 hours per year. Another example: the implementation of initiatives to develop alternative forms of dispute resolution, primarily through arbitration courts and mediation.

    The opposite situation has developed in the areas of business registration, financial services, and bankruptcy procedures. The assessment shows the need to improve regulatory and legal acts in Russian legislation. For example, such initiatives as the development and adoption of norms on restructuring, on pre-trial debt restructuring in order to reduce the period of bankruptcy of companies. In addition, norms are being discussed that change the process of asset sales and asset replacement in bankruptcy proceedings.

    Focusing, among other things, on the international rating, we plan to present the key priorities and results of the formation of the National Model at the St. Petersburg Forum; we are open and will be glad to have as many interested parties as possible participate in the discussion.

    Question: Does the government have a scenario for economic development in which sanctions against Russia are relaxed? If so, which restrictions do you think would be the most realistic to lift?

    A. Novak: Such a scenario is among many forecasts developed by the Ministry of Economic Development, but it is not the main one. The basic forecast scenario approved by the government does not include any drastic changes in terms of sanctions pressure.

    Question: Oil prices are now also under the control of geopolitics. In your opinion, can we say that we are once again entering an “era of low prices”? Is OPEC’s decision to accelerate production growth relevant in this context? Is its adjustment being discussed?

    A. Novak: Global oil prices have historically been under pressure from both political factors and the balance of supply and demand. The key factor of volatility in recent years has been the situation in the Middle East and the risks of supply restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the ongoing recovery of the global economy and the risks associated with trade wars unleashed by the United States.

    Historically, affordable prices provoke additional demand for oil while global fuel competition continues. And in general, the world is experiencing a need for additional volumes of raw materials. We believe that OPEC objectively assesses the situation regarding the prospects for global oil demand, and we highly appreciate the competence of OPEC experts.

    As for the issue of adjustment, OPEC countries are in constant contact, monitor the market situation and are ready to respond flexibly and promptly to any changes in the market situation. If necessary, the parameters of the deal can be adjusted in the future to ensure an optimal balance between supply and demand.

    And in the short term, oil prices are always under the power of geopolitics. For example, the current aggravation of the Israeli-Iranian conflict. The key questions that good economists ask in such cases of external shocks are whether the shock is temporary (short-term) or permanent (permanent) and from which side is it – demand or supply? And from these options, the scenario and development of optimal policy occurs.

    Question: The SPIEF is planning to discuss the balance of interests of producers and consumers in the global fuel and energy market. You personally participated in the formation of the current architecture of balance, which allowed the markets to be stabilized. Today, do you see risks of disruption of the balance of supply and demand in the oil market in the medium term?

    A. Novak: The data show that in April, the demand for oil in the world was about 103.1 mbps with supply at 103.7 mbps. Given the current state of the oil market and its overall balance, as well as the traditionally high demand season in the summer, it is extremely important for each country to fulfill its obligations.

    The radical change in the external economic environment (I mean the growing sanctions pressure, the unstable geopolitical situation in the Middle East, as well as the high volatility in the global oil market) confirms that the current mechanism for implementing the agreement is the most effective tool. It ensures maximum efficiency of oil production and state revenues. Thus, OPEC plays and will continue to play a coordinating role in the market, as it has been for the past five years.

    Question: SPIEF is traditionally a platform for international dialogue. In your opinion, what are the most important factors that will determine future relations between energy producing and consuming countries, and how can Russia contribute to strengthening cooperation and stability in this dynamic environment?

    A. Novak: We are witnessing a transformation of the energy market, where, against the backdrop of accelerating energy consumption, accelerated growth is observed in all types of energy resources, both traditional ones – oil, gas, coal, and renewable energy sources. A renaissance in demand for the development of nuclear power plants is observed.

    The key drivers have already become the growth of the population in developing countries and the extensive development of data processing systems. And all this against the backdrop of the introduction of artificial intelligence.

    The recent major power outages in Spain and Portugal show that it is important to provide the population with electricity at economically feasible prices. Also, in addition to domestic generation and the choice of the optimal source in the conditions of inter-fuel competition, it is very important to ensure the possibility of delivering primary resources at acceptable prices.

    In this regard, I cannot help but state the obvious. Russia is a key supplier of energy resources around the world. And not only oil, gas and LNG, but also coal, which in the context of growing demand is an important competitive advantage. Russia is also a reliable partner in the supply of its energy resources, all contract terms are observed, and, given the current realities in the world, only long-term contracts and responsible relationships can become guarantors of a stable supply of energy resources.

    Question: In your opinion, in connection with recent geopolitical events, does the recently approved Energy Strategy need to be adjusted, or does it already take into account all possible risks?

    A. Novak: When developing the Energy Strategy until 2050, a pool of scenarios was considered that assumed various internal and external prerequisites and results of the development of Russian energy. In particular, the Energy Strategy until 2050 takes into account the stress scenario, which assumes a significant decrease in the production indicators of the fuel and energy complex industries against the background of a reduction in export opportunities and a general deterioration in external operating conditions.

    The calculation of quantitative indicators within the framework of the strategy’s stress scenario made it possible to identify the main challenges for the Russian energy sector in each of its sectors and to develop special measures to mitigate the consequences if such a scenario is implemented.

    But, of course, in case of significant changes not taken into account in the wide range of strategy scenarios, adjustments can be made to it. However, the main areas of work will remain the same.

    Question: Is the Power of Siberia 2 project still relevant in the current conditions? Have you managed to reach an agreement with your colleagues from China on the cost of gas? If so, when can a contract be signed for the project and what volume of supplies is currently being discussed?

    A. Novak: China is one of the largest energy consumers in the world, and its rapid economic development, industrial growth and urbanization contribute to a constant increase in energy demand. Particularly noticeable is the growing role of natural gas, which is used as a cleaner alternative to coal. In 2024, gas demand in China amounted to about 430 billion cubic meters, compared to 373 billion cubic meters in 2021, that is, an increase of 15%.

    In recent years, the role of renewable energy sources has also increased significantly in China’s energy sector – the country is the undisputed leader in terms of installed solar and wind generation capacity. If in 2021 the figure was 636 GW, then by 2024 it reached about 1400 GW. However, the growth in the use of renewable energy sources does not mean abandoning natural gas. Gas is expected to be used as a “balancing” fuel in cases of insufficient electricity generation from renewable energy sources and will remain the guarantor of China’s energy security. According to the forecast of the International Energy Agency, in the scenario of current policies, China will increase gas consumption throughout the forecast period, until 2050. By this time, gas demand in China is expected to increase by more than 30% compared to 2023.

    Russia, which is the leader in natural gas reserves (currently 63.4 trillion cubic meters), remains one of the main suppliers of this fuel to China. In this regard, the Power of Siberia 2 project undoubtedly remains relevant. As for the rest, more detailed information directly on the project itself is the subject of commercial negotiations.

    Question: Are there plans to build an oil pipeline to China parallel to Power of Siberia 2? You spoke about the possibility of delivering up to 30 million tons of oil per year through it. Has China confirmed its interest in this project? In what time frame could such a pipeline be built? Is there a preliminary estimate of its cost?

    A. Novak: I repeat: since the implementation of the project is the responsibility of the specialized companies, the details of the agreements are classified as a commercial secret and were not made public. However, I will add that, according to OPEC forecasts, China’s demand for oil in 2023-2050 will grow by an average of 2.5% per year. Against this background, the implementation of new infrastructure projects appears to be an important part of the sphere of interests of China’s fuel and energy sector.

    Question: Are there any risks for the National Welfare Fund due to the reduction in oil and gas budget revenues? The Ministry of Finance is already considering the possibility of adjusting the cutoff price under the budget rule. In this case, what are the prospects for the Russian “piggy bank”? Do you think it is important to continue accumulating the National Welfare Fund?

    A. Novak: Today, the cutoff price according to the budget rule is $60/bbl, and the average Urals FOB in January–April 2025 fluctuates in the range of $59–60/bbl.

    But current world oil prices are a short-term consequence of the current market situation, taking into account the growing factor of trade wars and geopolitical tensions, and do not suit most key oil producers. Therefore, oil prices will be adjusted as the effect of “market shocks” is leveled out and will take on an upward trend.

    As for the National Welfare Fund, it is certainly important to continue to accumulate it. The fund not only allows for the implementation of social projects and the maintenance of the well-being of citizens, but also promotes the development of industry and infrastructure in Russia.

    Question: Is there a need to replace the export of raw materials and first-stage products with new high-tech goods? Are new mechanisms of support from the state needed for this?

    A. Novak: In the context of increased sanctions pressure on the Russian fuel and energy complex, active import substitution is taking place. In parallel, work is actively underway to complete the modernization of oil refineries to improve the quality of manufactured products. The volume of oil and gas engineering currently exceeds 500 billion rubles, and by 2030 it is planned to import-substitute critical equipment by 100%.

    If we look at it from the point of view of petrochemistry, then by 2030 it is planned to increase the volume of production of large-tonnage plastics several times – up to 14 million tons. The development of oil refining will allow to fully provide the domestic market at reasonable prices. In implementing all import substitution projects, Russia is ready to start exporting services and supplying energy on a turnkey basis, that is, from raw materials to the construction of processing complexes in other countries.

    Thus, key measures to support both mechanical engineering and secondary product manufacturing are already being implemented in our country. New measures and mechanisms of support from the state require working out the effects and assessing the impact on the industry.

    Question: The key topic of SPIEF: common values are the basis for growth in a multipolar world. At the beginning of our conversation, we already discussed economic regionalization, but no less important is the division by value orientations. Until recently, carbon neutrality seemed to be a common goal for all countries: programs were adopted, significant budgets were allocated to solve these problems. But Trump’s rise to the presidency of the United States violated the status quo. He said that too much emphasis on renewable energy sources threatens the security of the United States. Do you see in this a general reversal and a paradigm shift in public and political consciousness? In your opinion, how can we maintain a balance between the world of the present and the world of the future, taking into account the priorities of all generations?

    A. Novak: Look what we see today? The aggressive policy of achieving carbon neutrality to the detriment of economic efficiency and the trend towards global replacement of traditional energy sources with renewable energy sources is gradually shifting to a more pragmatic direction. Many countries are adapting their energy policies towards an economically balanced approach to choosing energy sources.

    According to BloombergNEF’s annual report, global energy transition investment in 2024 grew by 11%, exceeding $2 trillion for the first time. However, the growth rate was lower than in the previous three years, when investment grew by 24-29% per year. Thus, to achieve carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions goals by mid-century, global energy transition investment in 2025-2030 will need to average $5.6 trillion per year.

    But investors pulled more than $30 billion out of climate-focused funds last year, ending a four-year boom that saw the value of assets increase sevenfold to $541 billion. Despite a six-fold increase in energy transition investment over the past 10 years, it is still only 37% of what is needed to achieve carbon neutrality. China was the largest such market, with $818 billion in investment.

    Factors that significantly limit the possibilities for large-scale implementation of renewable energy sources include insufficient transmission capacity of electrical networks, the expansion of which significantly reduces the economic efficiency of such generation. There are also limitations associated with the dependence of production on weather conditions. And all this against the background of a low level of maturity of energy storage technologies.

    The recent energy crisis in Spain and Portugal further confirms that today it is the grid complex that is the least prepared element of the energy system to operate in the conditions of the energy transition. Therefore, in the conditions of the current level of development of energy systems and the risks caused by this, it is necessary, first of all, to ensure a balance between economic efficiency, reliability of energy supply and the level of greenhouse gas emissions.

    Source – Vedomosti newspaper

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Startup as a diploma: projects of GUU students among the best

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Projects by students from the State University of Management were included in the TOP-50 of the All-Russian competition of final qualifying works in the format “Startup as a Diploma”.

    “Startup as a Diploma” is an all-Russian competition of final qualification works, which are real business projects created by one student or a team, demonstrating the level of preparation for independent professional activity. The purpose of the competition is to present the results of the “Startup as a Diploma” program as the potential for the development of youth entrepreneurship in the region.

    According to the results of the competition, projects by GUU students Danila Yakovlev and Mikhail Zorin were among the top 50.

    Danila Yakovlev’s project – innovative glass pebbles “

    Mikhail Zorin presented the HolterTECH wireless holter project, consisting of 12 cardiac sensors collecting and transmitting ECG to a recorder, which allows monitoring the heart from all sides and can be used in sports and medical products. The project solves the problems of both patients and clinics. Patients receive convenient and accurate methods of monitoring heart diseases, which minimizes the risk of missing disease symptoms. Clinics improve the quality of services provided to patients, which significantly increases their competitiveness.

    The authors of the best projects will take part in the Competition Final and the award ceremony for the winners and teams, which will take place on June 26-27 in Moscow at the site of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

    We congratulate our students and wish them further success!

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sparking curiosity in the future semiconductor workforce

    Source: US Government research organizations

    AI-powered virtual reality education expands access and supports engagement of high school and community college students, giving them practical skills in semiconductor manufacturing

    The United States semiconductor industry is projected to have between 60,000 and 100,000 unfilled jobs by 2030. As the need for semiconductor technicians, engineers and scientists continues to increase, there is also a growing demand for innovative ways to train this anticipated workforce. But such training typically requires expensive clean rooms and advanced equipment, resources that many schools don’t have access to.

    A team of researchers, which included high school and community college students, found a solution to this challenge by using artificial intelligence-powered virtual reality (VR) to create simulations as a cost-effective alternative for people to learn about the process of semiconductor fabrication. The results of their research, which is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Micro Nano Technology Education Center at Pasadena City College (PCC), in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine (UCI), are available in the Journal of Advanced Technological Education.

    “Many students, especially those at underfunded schools, never get to see or touch the real semiconductor fabrication tools,” said Kristal Hong, a member of the research team and a computer science major at UCI. “I, myself, was a community college student without access to a cleanroom, so I know how that gap can dampen student enthusiasm.”

    By using AI-powered VR to create cleanroom simulations, the team is offering a learning channel outside of traditional classrooms and labs for students who don’t have in-person access to semiconductor fabrications and for others who might never have considered the semiconductor field. This flexibility is crucial to growing the much-needed semiconductor workforce, Hong said. “If a student learns best by doing, VR can bridge the gap to help them grow and succeed, even when physical resources are scarce.”

    Credit: Kristal Hong

    Researchers from Pasadena City College wearing cleanroom gear while learning about semiconductor fabrication processes at UCI.

    To create the virtual simulations, the researchers regularly toured the UCI Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility, taking pictures and videos, interacting with equipment, and learning from educators, including Guann Pyng “G.P.” Li, electrical engineering and computer science professor at UCI.

    From this experience, the team manually generated a digital twin of the UCI cleanroom — a virtual representation of the real-world environment — by translating the semiconductor manufacturing process from the in-person lab into a simulation using VR, which has a similar feel to a video game. They then guided users step-by-step through the virtual semiconductor fabrication process. From there, the 29 study participants evaluated the simulation’s effectiveness.

    Credit: Ishan Jha

    Side-by-side image of the virtual spinner (left) and real spinner (right) used in the University of California, Irvine, Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility.

    “This was a peer-to-peer learning experience, where the researchers created and consumed the content with the goal of making engaging simulations for their peers,” Li said. “With these virtual experiences, more learners will have a chance to understand how the semiconductor process takes place.”

    Importantly, the researchers used the off-the-shelf GPT 4 application from OpenAI – a large language model used for natural language processing – to personalize the VR learning experience and increase the effectiveness of the virtual semiconductor training.

    “If someone has a question, they can ask the AI and get an instant answer, just as if an instructor were standing beside them,” Hong said. “We plan to continue studying AI use in the lab and in VR to refine and improve the training experience over time.”

    By using AI-powered VR, the team not only removed the physical and financial barriers to accessing semiconductor equipment, but they also found that this method provided an engaging format that kept students motivated and interested in the semiconductor field.

    “Their excitement was palpable,” said Hong. “Study participants cheered when a process worked, and they would collaborate to troubleshoot virtual errors. It was eye‐opening to watch how quickly VR could transform a student’s perception of an otherwise abstract topic into something tangible and engaging.”

    Credit: Ishan Jha

    Study participants at Pasadena City College using VR headsets to virtually interact with UCI’s cleanroom.

    By taking a fabrication environment and transporting it into a virtual environment, “it becomes much more accessible to younger students who have already been exposed to videogame-like scenarios,” said Ishan Jha, a high school student and member of the research team. “Participating in this research gives us [high schoolers] a taste of what’s happening in these industries [AI/VR and semiconductors], because a lot of us plan to attend college, and we want that prior exposure that will prepare us for success later on.”

    The team sees the potential for scaling this cost-effective experience to more learners across the country. Mercer County Community College (MCCC) approached the PCC/UCI team with interest in creating similar AI-powered VR simulations. MCCC is now working with Princeton University to facilitate this effort.

    Looking ahead, the team plans to replicate the project at additional institutions, expand partnerships to other universities and gather data from new participants with the goal to better understand if early VR exposure makes learners more likely to pursue semiconductor‐related internships or jobs, and how prepared they feel compared to peers without VR experience. And as AI capabilities continue to evolve, the team is considering additional ways to use generative AI to assist with their VR training simulations.

    While observing the researchers in his lab, Li said it gave him great hope for the future of the AI and semiconductor workforce. “These students are the future of our nation,” Li said. “When they see something that inspires them, they want to really explore it. And even if they have no prior knowledge or experience in a semiconductor manufacturing room or if they have minimal knowledge of AI or VR, when they are engaged, they are motivated, and they can make a difference.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Training AI to see more like humans

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Brown University researchers are teaching AI to see more like humans, opening doors to more accurate AI solutions.

    At Brown University, an innovative new project is revealing that teaching artificial intelligence to perceive things more like people may begin with something as simple as a game. The project invites participants to play an online game called Click Me, which helps AI models learn how people see and interpret images. While the game is fun and accessible, its purpose is more ambitious: to understand the root causes of AI errors and to systematically improve how AI systems represent the visual world.

    Over the past decade, AI systems have become more powerful and widely used, particularly in tasks like recognizing images. For example, these systems can identify animals, objects or diagnose medical conditions from images. However, they sometimes make mistakes that humans rarely do. For instance, an AI algorithm might confidently label a photo of a dog wearing sunglasses as a completely different animal or fail to recognize a stop sign if it’s partially covered by graffiti. As these models become larger and more complex, these kinds of errors become more frequent, revealing a growing gap between how AI and humans perceive the world.

    Recognizing this challenge, researchers funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation propose to combine insights from psychology and neuroscience with machine learning to create the next generation of human-aligned AI. Their goal is to understand how people process visual information and translate those patterns into algorithms that guide AI systems to act in similar ways.

    The Click Me game plays a central role in this vision. In the game, participants click on parts of an image they believe will be most informative for the AI to recognize. The AI only sees the parts of the image that have been clicked. Therefore, players are encouraged to think strategically about the most informative parts of the image rather than clicking at random to maximize the AI’s learning.

    The AI-human alignment occurs at a later stage, during which the AI is trained to categorize images. In this “neural harmonization” procedure, the researchers force the AI to focus on the same image features that humans had identified — those clicked during the game — to make sure its visual recognition strategy aligns with that of humans.

    What makes this project especially remarkable is how successfully it has engaged the public. NSF funding has allowed the team to attract thousands of people to participate in Click Me, helping it gain attention across platforms like Reddit and Instagram, and generating tens of millions of interactions with the website to help train the AI model. This type of large-scale public participation allows the research team to rapidly collect data on how people perceive and evaluate visual information.

    At the same time, the team has also developed a new computational framework to train AI models using this kind of behavioral data. By aligning AI response times and choices with those of humans, the researchers can build systems that not only match what humans decide, but also how long they take to decide. This leads to a more natural and interpretable decision-making process.

    The practical applications of this work are wide-ranging. In medicine, for instance, doctors need to understand and trust the AI tools that assist with diagnoses. If AI systems can explain their conclusions in ways that match human reasoning, they become more reliable and easier to integrate into care. Similarly, in self-driving cars, AI that better understands how humans make visual decisions can help predict driver behavior and prevent accidents. Beyond these examples, human-aligned AI could improve accessibility tools, educational software and decision support across many industries. Importantly, this work also sheds light on how the human brain works. By emulating human vision in AI systems, the researchers have been able to develop more accurate models of human visual perception than were previously available.

    This initiative underscores why federal support for foundational research matters. Through NSF’s investment, researchers are advancing the science of AI and its relevance to society. The research not only pushes the boundaries of knowledge but also delivers practical tools that can improve the safety and reliability of the technologies we use daily.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – A new documentary on the story of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon, a Korean missionary in Mongolia

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 17 June 2025

    Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Retracing the life and mission in Mongolia of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon: this is the objective of the new documentary published on the Korea Catholic Times YouTube channel, entitled in English “Who is a priest?” which traces the story of the Fidei donum missionary of the diocese of Daejeon, who died suddenly at the age of 55 in May 2023.Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Ripercorrere la vita e l’opera missionaria compiuta in Mongolia dal sacerdote coreano Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon e rispondere al quesito: chi è un prete? Proprio questo interrogativo, in lingua inglese, dà il titolo al nuovo documentario, pubblicato sul canale YouTube del Korea Catholic Times, che ripercorre la storia del missionario Fidei donum della diocesi di Daejeon, morto improvvisamente all’età di 55 anni nel maggio del 2023.[embedded content]A member of the Prado Secular Institute for Men, Father Stephano arrived in Mongolia in 2002. He founded the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption in the Khan Uul region before moving to the steppe, about 200 kilometers from the capital, and stopped in Erdenesant. There he shared the lifestyle of nomadic shepherds, living in a ger, the traditional Mongolian tent, and traveling on horseback.In 2020, Bishop Giorgio Marengo, a Consolata missionary and then newly appointed Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, elected him as his vicar. For three years, Father Stephano devoted himself intensely to the pastoral care of the cathedral’s faithful, the resident Korean community, and the many needs of the Prefecture.The documentary, co-produced by the Korean Prado Priests Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, also offers a reflection on the spirituality of Blessed Antoine Chevrier, founder of the institute. Furthermore, the documentary, available online for free, is the second audiovisual production dedicated to the missionary produced by the Korea Catholic Times.Last year, together with the Diocese of Daejeon, he presented the documentary “Wind of the Prairie – The Last Lecture of a Mongolian Missionary,” which won Best Production in the Internet Radio category at the 34th Korea Catholic Mass Media Awards for its ability to convey the profound spirituality of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – A new documentary on the story of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon, a Korean missionary in Mongolia

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 17 June 2025

    Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Retracing the life and mission in Mongolia of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon: this is the objective of the new documentary published on the Korea Catholic Times YouTube channel, entitled in English “Who is a priest?” which traces the story of the Fidei donum missionary of the diocese of Daejeon, who died suddenly at the age of 55 in May 2023.Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Ripercorrere la vita e l’opera missionaria compiuta in Mongolia dal sacerdote coreano Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon e rispondere al quesito: chi è un prete? Proprio questo interrogativo, in lingua inglese, dà il titolo al nuovo documentario, pubblicato sul canale YouTube del Korea Catholic Times, che ripercorre la storia del missionario Fidei donum della diocesi di Daejeon, morto improvvisamente all’età di 55 anni nel maggio del 2023.[embedded content]A member of the Prado Secular Institute for Men, Father Stephano arrived in Mongolia in 2002. He founded the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption in the Khan Uul region before moving to the steppe, about 200 kilometers from the capital, and stopped in Erdenesant. There he shared the lifestyle of nomadic shepherds, living in a ger, the traditional Mongolian tent, and traveling on horseback.In 2020, Bishop Giorgio Marengo, a Consolata missionary and then newly appointed Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, elected him as his vicar. For three years, Father Stephano devoted himself intensely to the pastoral care of the cathedral’s faithful, the resident Korean community, and the many needs of the Prefecture.The documentary, co-produced by the Korean Prado Priests Association, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, also offers a reflection on the spirituality of Blessed Antoine Chevrier, founder of the institute. Furthermore, the documentary, available online for free, is the second audiovisual production dedicated to the missionary produced by the Korea Catholic Times.Last year, together with the Diocese of Daejeon, he presented the documentary “Wind of the Prairie – The Last Lecture of a Mongolian Missionary,” which won Best Production in the Internet Radio category at the 34th Korea Catholic Mass Media Awards for its ability to convey the profound spirituality of Father Stephano Kim Seong-hyeon. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/VIETNAM – Eucharistic Youth Movement: A breeding ground for vocations

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Movement of Eucharistic Youth

    Ho Chi Minh City (Agenzia Fides) – “The Movement of the Eucharistic Youth in Vietnam is the hope and the future of the Vietnamese Catholic Church since it has wonderful educational methods and no any other Catholic association with the Vietnam Church is as good and lively as the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth,” said Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang at the 6th National Conference of Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth. The Archbishop noted: “the animators, catechists and children are very enthusiastic people working actively in the apostolic mission in the Church of Vietnam. This is an excellent breeding ground for vocations to the priesthood, the consecrated life, and for enthusiastic religious and lay apostles.”The conference was held at Hanh Thong Tay Church in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, South Vietnam, from June 12 to 14, 2025, in the presence of many priests and members of the Executive Board of the Diocesan Movement of Eucharistic Youth from the 27 Vietnamese dioceses.Thanks to the shining examples of virtue of the Vietnamese martyrs, the Church of Vietnam always produces Catholic families who live a devout faith, and the Catholic associations that operate positively and enthusiastically in many parishes across the country, among those is “the Movement of Eucharistic Youth”, a movement which boasts a solid organizational structure and strong operational vitality. Today, in the context of the society changing rapidly, the practice of faith in the religious life of the youth worldwide is showing sign of decline. Therefore, cultivating faith for young people in the Vietnamese Church is urgent and must be carried out strategically to educate the young generation with a solid foundation in their faith.During the conference in Ho Chi Minh City, which addressed the theme of hope, particularly in the context of the Holy Year 2025, Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Vien, Chairman of the Vietnamese Commission for Youth and Eucharistic Children, said: “Hope does not only stop at the meaning of fulcrum spiritually but ‘Hope’ here also means a guiding light to the mission of educating and accompanying the youth today.”The general Secretary of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, Father John Le Quang Viet summarized the results and fruits, as well as difficulties and concerns during the past years and expressed his wish for more attention and support from Bishops and parish priests from each diocese and parish so that it can really become a “nursery” for the future of the Vietnamese Church. A very good sign in the Vietnamese Church today is that many Minor Seminaries and Major Seminaries, and Religious Orders for men and women have officially listed the training of animators in their training program of the congregation. Hopefully this work will spread throughout the country, and that the bishops of the diocese will encourage seminarians and young priests to actively learn about the Youth and Eucharistic Movement to accompany the young generation of Vietnam where the proportion of young people is very high, especially for those between the ages of 10 and 24 account for more than 20% of the population.The children who participate in the Eucharistic Youth Movement are usually teenagers who attend weekly catechism classes and mass at parishes on Sundays across the country. Besides, they also participate in monthly activities such as charity work and recreational activities.The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth is a movement founded on the model of the World Eucharistic Youth Movement, which originated in France. This movement began in 1929 in Vietnam and gradually found a positive response among Vietnamese clergy and laity in many regions. So far, this movement is developing strongly throughout the dioceses all over Vietnam. This is a Catholic Youth organization that gathers the children around Jesus the Lord with the aim of educating them in two aspects: training them to become both good citizens and Christians. The educational foundation of the movement are the Word of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. The movement invites children to live according to the following principles: – To live following the Word of God and uniting with the Eucharistic by praying, receiving communion, and doing apostolic activity under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. – To promote humanism, preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of the Vietnamese people. (AD/PA) (Agenzia Fides, 17/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/VIETNAM – Eucharistic Youth Movement: A breeding ground for vocations

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Movement of Eucharistic Youth

    Ho Chi Minh City (Agenzia Fides) – “The Movement of the Eucharistic Youth in Vietnam is the hope and the future of the Vietnamese Catholic Church since it has wonderful educational methods and no any other Catholic association with the Vietnam Church is as good and lively as the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth,” said Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang at the 6th National Conference of Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth. The Archbishop noted: “the animators, catechists and children are very enthusiastic people working actively in the apostolic mission in the Church of Vietnam. This is an excellent breeding ground for vocations to the priesthood, the consecrated life, and for enthusiastic religious and lay apostles.”The conference was held at Hanh Thong Tay Church in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, South Vietnam, from June 12 to 14, 2025, in the presence of many priests and members of the Executive Board of the Diocesan Movement of Eucharistic Youth from the 27 Vietnamese dioceses.Thanks to the shining examples of virtue of the Vietnamese martyrs, the Church of Vietnam always produces Catholic families who live a devout faith, and the Catholic associations that operate positively and enthusiastically in many parishes across the country, among those is “the Movement of Eucharistic Youth”, a movement which boasts a solid organizational structure and strong operational vitality. Today, in the context of the society changing rapidly, the practice of faith in the religious life of the youth worldwide is showing sign of decline. Therefore, cultivating faith for young people in the Vietnamese Church is urgent and must be carried out strategically to educate the young generation with a solid foundation in their faith.During the conference in Ho Chi Minh City, which addressed the theme of hope, particularly in the context of the Holy Year 2025, Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Vien, Chairman of the Vietnamese Commission for Youth and Eucharistic Children, said: “Hope does not only stop at the meaning of fulcrum spiritually but ‘Hope’ here also means a guiding light to the mission of educating and accompanying the youth today.”The general Secretary of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, Father John Le Quang Viet summarized the results and fruits, as well as difficulties and concerns during the past years and expressed his wish for more attention and support from Bishops and parish priests from each diocese and parish so that it can really become a “nursery” for the future of the Vietnamese Church. A very good sign in the Vietnamese Church today is that many Minor Seminaries and Major Seminaries, and Religious Orders for men and women have officially listed the training of animators in their training program of the congregation. Hopefully this work will spread throughout the country, and that the bishops of the diocese will encourage seminarians and young priests to actively learn about the Youth and Eucharistic Movement to accompany the young generation of Vietnam where the proportion of young people is very high, especially for those between the ages of 10 and 24 account for more than 20% of the population.The children who participate in the Eucharistic Youth Movement are usually teenagers who attend weekly catechism classes and mass at parishes on Sundays across the country. Besides, they also participate in monthly activities such as charity work and recreational activities.The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth is a movement founded on the model of the World Eucharistic Youth Movement, which originated in France. This movement began in 1929 in Vietnam and gradually found a positive response among Vietnamese clergy and laity in many regions. So far, this movement is developing strongly throughout the dioceses all over Vietnam. This is a Catholic Youth organization that gathers the children around Jesus the Lord with the aim of educating them in two aspects: training them to become both good citizens and Christians. The educational foundation of the movement are the Word of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. The movement invites children to live according to the following principles: – To live following the Word of God and uniting with the Eucharistic by praying, receiving communion, and doing apostolic activity under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. – To promote humanism, preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of the Vietnamese people. (AD/PA) (Agenzia Fides, 17/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –