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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI: Memory Lift Supplement: Launching Our Exclusive Brand to Support Memory, Clarity, and Cognitive Function

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Memory Lift Supplement Officially Launches: A Revolutionary Step Toward Enhanced Cognitive Health in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Beyond

    In response to the growing global demand for natural cognitive enhancement solutions, Memory Lift Supplement is proud to announce its official launch across the United States, Australia, Canada, and other international markets. This cutting-edge nootropic formula is designed to support brain health, boost memory function, and enhance overall cognitive performance, offering a safe and effective alternative to traditional stimulants. For more information, Visit Official Website of Memory Lift.

    A Natural Approach to Cognitive Enhancement

    Memory Lift Supplement is a meticulously crafted blend of natural ingredients known for their cognitive benefits. Unlike synthetic drugs or prescription-based cognitive enhancers, Memory Lift relies on plant-based compounds, vitamins, and adaptogens to deliver noticeable results without harmful side effects. The supplement is suitable for individuals seeking to:

    ·         Enhance short and long-term memory

    ·         Increase mental clarity

    ·         Improve problem-solving ability

    ·         Stay focused for longer durations

    ·         Support brain health as they age

    Key Ingredients Backed by Science

    The efficacy of Memory Lift Supplement lies in its scientifically researched ingredients:

    ·         Bacopa Monnieri: An ancient Ayurvedic herb known to boost memory and cognitive function by reducing anxiety and supporting neuron communication.

    ·         Ginkgo Biloba: Improves blood flow to the brain and acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping enhance mental performance.

    ·         Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Stimulates nerve growth factor (NGF), promoting brain cell regeneration and neuroplasticity.

    ·         Rhodiola Rosea: An adaptogen that helps the body cope with stress while improving energy, mood, and focus.

    ·         L-Theanine: Enhances focus and mental clarity without the jitteriness associated with caffeine.

    These ingredients work synergistically to support neurotransmitter function, increase brain blood flow, reduce oxidative stress, promote neurogenesis, and enhance focus and energy levels.

     Visit Official Website

    A Safe and Effective Solution

    Memory Lift Supplement offers a non-habit-forming alternative to prescription medications for memory enhancement and cognitive support. It is designed to be safe for daily use, with no known side effects when taken as directed. The supplement is free from harmful chemicals, fillers, and additives, ensuring a clean, effective solution for cognitive enhancement.

    Availability and Accessibility

    With the official launch, Memory Lift Supplement is now available for purchase through its official website and various online retailers. The product will also be available at select health food stores and pharmacies in the United States, Australia, Canada, and other countries. For those looking for convenience and reliability, purchasing through the official website ensures the best pricing and access to special deals.

    Benefits of Memory Lift Supplement

    Memory Lift Supplement provides a range of cognitive benefits that can greatly enhance an individual’s daily life. Here are the key benefits that users can expect from this ground-breaking product:

    ·         Enhanced Memory Retention

    ·         Increased Focus and Concentration

    ·         Mental Clarity

    ·         Reduced Cognitive Decline

    ·         Stress Reduction

    How Does Memory Lift Supplement Work?

    Memory Lift Supplement enhances brain function by improving blood circulation to the brain, ensuring it receives the necessary nutrients for optimal performance. The supplement also promotes nerve growth factor (NGF) production, stimulating brain cell regeneration and supporting long-term cognitive health. Key ingredients, like Rhodiola Roseau and Bacopa Monnieri, help reduce stress and anxiety, enabling users to stay focused and mentally sharp, even under pressure. Additionally, L-Theanine enhances concentration and mental clarity, supporting sustained focus throughout the day. By addressing these factors, Memory Lift offers a comprehensive solution for boosting memory, improving focus, and promoting overall brain health.

    Why Choose Memory Lift Supplement?

    ·         Natural Ingredients

    ·         Backed by Science

    ·         Improves Multiple Aspects of Cognitive Function

    ·         Safe and Effective

    ·         Perfect for All Ages

    Customer Testimonials

    Early users of Memory Lift Supplement have reported noticeable improvements in cognitive function:

    ·         “I’ve been using Memory Lift for a month, and my focus and memory have significantly improved. I can concentrate better at work and recall information more easily.” – Sarah J., Professional in the U.S.

    ·         “As a student, Memory Lift has helped me retain information and stay alert during long study sessions. It’s a game-changer.” – Liam T., University Student in Australia

    ·         “In my 60s, I was concerned about memory loss. After using Memory Lift, I feel more mentally sharp and confident.” – Robert H., Retiree in Canada

    Commitment to Quality

    Memory Lift Supplement is manufactured in GMP-certified facilities, ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety. The product undergoes rigorous testing to verify the purity and potency of its ingredients, providing consumers with a reliable and effective cognitive enhancement solution.

    Join the Cognitive Health Revolution

    As we embark on this global journey, Memory Lift Supplement invites individuals from all walks of life to experience the benefits of enhanced cognitive health. Whether you’re a student aiming to improve academic performance, a professional seeking to boost productivity, or an aging adult looking to maintain mental clarity, Memory Lift is here to support your cognitive well-being.

    For more information or to purchase Memory Lift Supplement, visit [Official Website Link].

    About Memory Lift Supplement

    Memory Lift Supplement is a leading provider of natural cognitive enhancement products. Committed to supporting brain health through scientifically-backed formulations, Memory Lift aims to empower individuals to achieve optimal cognitive performance at every stage of life.

    Contact: Memory Lift Supplement

    Contact: Memory Lift Supplement

    Website: https://healthvitalitysource.online/

    Address: PO Box 90129, Lakeland, FL 33804, USA

    Phone: +1.833.746.5587

    Email: support@memoryliftsupplement.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Indicators of Global Climate Change 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Indicators of Global Climate Change 2024 is the third in a series of annual updates on the state of the climate system and human influence.

    The report, published in Earth System Science Data, was compiled by an international team of climate scientists and serves as an annual synthesis of key climate measures inbetween the IPCC assessment reports. According to the authors, they follow methods as closely as possible to those used in the IPCC AR6 Working Group 1 report.

    The report provides estimates for key climate indicators related to forcing of the climate system:

    • emissions of greenhouse gases and short-lived climate forcers
    • greenhouse gas concentrations
    • radiative forcing
    • the Earth’s energy imbalance
    • surface temperature changes
    • warming attributed to human activities
    • the remaining carbon budget
    • estimates of global temperature extremes
    • global land precipitation
    • global mean sea level rise

    Journalists came to this online SMC briefing to hear from some of the report’s authors.

    Speakers included:

    Prof Piers Forster, Director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures, University of Leeds

    Prof Joeri Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute and Professor of Climate Science & Policy at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London

    Dr William Lamb, Senior Scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

    Dr Matthew Palmer, Joint Director of the UK National Climate Science Partnership (UKNCSP) at Met Office Hadley Centre, and Associate Professor at the University of Bristol

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Inquest Into the Death of Ronald Herman

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on June 24, 2025

    A public inquest into the death of Ronald Herman will be held Monday, July 21 to 25, 2025, at the Court of King’s Bench, Courtroom #5, 520 Spadina Crescent East, in Saskatoon.

    The first day of the inquest is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. Subsequent start times will be determined by the presiding coroner.

    Herman, 36, was observed at a residence in Saskatoon in possession of a firearm on October 27, 2022. Saskatoon Police Service members attended the residence, and Mr. Herman was shot after an altercation with police. Mr. Herman was transported to the Royal University Hospital by ambulance, where he was later pronounced deceased.

    Section 19 of The Coroners Act, 1999 states that the Chief Coroner may direct that an inquest be held into the death of any person.

    The Saskatchewan Coroners Service is responsible for the investigation of all sudden, unexpected deaths. The purpose of an inquest is to establish who died, when and where that person died and the medical cause and manner of death. The coroner’s jury may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.

    Coroner Timothy Hawryluk, K.C. will preside at the inquest.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Scientists join classrooms to inspire teenagers to become innovators

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

    Peking University life sciences professor Zhang Yan, who has been researching Alzheimer’s disease for two decades, has taken on a new mission this semester: educating young teens.

    Beyond lectures and experiments, Zhang is committed to giving her young students an authentic glimpse into the world of scientific research. She believes such hands-on learning should begin early in basic education, and as a scientist, she sees it as her responsibility to contribute.

    Zhang is one of thousands of researchers to be appointed as a “vice principal of science” — a position introduced by China’s Ministry of Education two years ago, in an initiative aiming to ensure every primary and secondary school engages the services of at least one scientific researcher from a university, research institute or technology company to strengthen science education.

    Scientist-led classes

    Dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, sipping milk tea and switching seamlessly between Chinese and English, Zhang teaches her middle school students much like she does her doctoral candidates in university labs.

    This casual approach is the first message she hopes to convey: scientists are not always solemn, bookish or eccentric. During her first lecture at Beijing Guangqumen Middle School in late May, she said that in reality, many scientists have diverse interests, lead balanced lives and possess both intellectual and emotional intelligence.

    Similarly, Zhang seeks to dispel another common misconception about careers in science: success comes solely from hard work, much like scoring high in college entrance exams.

    “You may spend years with few breakthroughs, and that is the first challenge scientists must face — learning to deal with frustration,” she said in English during a recent class.

    Her students listened carefully, not distracted by phones or computers. They are preparing to enter senior high school after their summer vacation, and in three years, they will choose a university and a major.

    “The earlier they learn, the more they benefit,” Zhang said, noting that understanding scientific careers as teens will help them make choices in the future.

    Using examples ranging from the discovery of penicillin to the gene-editing of white mice in labs, Zhang also encouraged her young students to develop habits of critical thinking, questioning authority and pursuing lifelong learning.

    Next month, she plans to take them to her university lab, where they will observe and conduct basic scientific experiments.

    “They will experience real scientific work,” she said.

    National push

    To make classes more engaging, researchers nationwide are adopting diverse approaches. Besides lab experiments, some organize field expeditions or showcase models of scientific facilities such as lunar probes, submarines and large telescopes.

    The study of emerging technologies like AI and humanoid robots has also made its way into classrooms, becoming part of the content being taught by scientists.

    Tasked with more than teaching, these vice principals of science also help schools with science curriculum planning, teacher training and bringing in scientific resources, forming part of the country’s broader picture of science education.

    Since 2023, under a national “double reduction” policy launched in 2021 to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring that students face in their compulsory education years, greater emphasis has been placed on enhancing science education and nurturing young people with both the potential to become scientists and aspirations to dedicate themselves to scientific research.

    According to a January report by the state broadcaster CCTV citing the latest data from the Ministry of Education, 45 percent of primary and secondary schools have appointed a vice principal specializing in science over the past two years.

    Schools are also striving to nurture their own science teaching staff. Beijing Haidian Aerospace Tuqiang Primary School, for example, employs 15 full-time or part-time science teachers. The number of science teachers in the country’s junior high schools has increased by more than 8,400 nationwide, and by over 28,000 in senior high schools.

    And technology firms are also joining this national push for improved science education. Leading AI company iFlytek has launched study tour programs to showcase its voice-recognition tools and robots to students, and carmaker Geely has opened its workshops to students, allowing young people to learn about the manufacturing process of new energy vehicles.

    Duty of educators

    However, serving as a school educator does not offer extra pay or benefits for her research work, Zhang said. “It is purely driven by a sense of duty.”

    China has intensified efforts to encourage scientist participation in science education. A revised Science and Technology Popularization Law came into effect last year and introduced concrete measures, such as those on professional recognition and evaluation, to reward researchers for public engagement.

    Zeng Fankui, a researcher at the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is passionate about popularizing his potato studies and serves as vice principal of science at three local schools.

    He applauds the progress the country has made in science education, but points to some problems: many rural schools lack proper science equipment and specialized teachers, and traditional mindsets that prioritize rote learning over scientific thinking remain.

    Xiong Bingqi, dean of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said that the goal of the vice principal of science role is to cultivate true scientific literacy.

    “If science classes only assign mechanical exercises, AI could replace them,” he warned, adding that science education should shift focus from knowledge delivery to the cultivation of self-directed learning and nurturing innovation.

    Students crammed with scientific knowledge alone will find it difficult to adapt to the rapid changes of the future, Xiong said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s poverty eradication role model for other countries: Timor-Leste president

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

    China’s poverty eradication efforts will serve as a role model for other countries to follow suit, Jose Ramos-Horta, president of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, has told Xinhua.

    Speaking following a ceremony to mark the bestowment of an honorary professorship to him by Malaysia’s Taylor’s University here last week, Ramos-Horta also commended China’s progress in food security and the support it has extended to Timor-Leste, particularly in boosting agricultural productivity.

    During his first state visit to China last July, Ramos-Horta said, he appealed for support in improving the island nation’s poverty eradication and agricultural efforts.

    Noting “We have a strong relationship with China,” he said he believes China’s expertise can help boost Timor-Leste’s efforts in poverty reduction.

    “And in a very typical Chinese way of doing things — fast action, talk and act. (Chinese) engineers for water and infrastructure were mobilized,” he said, adding that with Chinese support, the agriculture output has increased and can go up even further. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: AIIB’s first decade marks a path of multilateral, sustainable development

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

    As the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) marks its 10th anniversary, the multilateral development bank is playing an increasingly prominent role in advancing connectivity, green growth, and sustainable development across regions.

    Founded in 2015, AIIB has grown from 57 founding members to 110 across six continents, covering 81 percent of the world’s population and 65 percent of global GDP.

    Over the past decade, it has approved over 60 billion U.S. dollars in financing for 320 projects, leveraging more than 200 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment.

    From electrifying rural Bangladesh to building roads in Cote d’Ivoire, AIIB-supported projects are narrowing infrastructure gaps and improving lives across continents.

    Infrastructure transforming lives

    In Padmo Para village near Dhaka, Bangladesh, local resident Najma Aktar recalls a time when her family studied by the light of a kerosene lamp. That changed in 2016, when the AIIB provided a 165 million U.S. dollar loan to upgrade the local power grid.

    As the bank’s first standalone financed investment, it brought electricity to 12.5 million rural residents, transforming their daily lives.

    By the end of 2024, AIIB has supported over 51,000 kilometers of transport infrastructure — enough to circle the Earth more than once — and benefited more than 410 million people.

    In Indonesia, AIIB supported the upgrading of urban slums, improving the lives of nearly 10 million people. In China’s Yunnan Province, airport expansion enhanced flower exports and boosted farmers’ incomes by 25 percent. In Uzbekistan, AIIB helped extend access to clean water for 660,000 residents.

    “AIIB’s concrete actions have effectively helped bridge global infrastructure investment gaps, advanced regional development, and contributed positively to global economic growth,” said Lu Feng, professor at Peking University.

    Multilateral platform for cooperation

    “AIIB was established on the principles of multilateralism and high international standards,” the bank’s president Jin Liqun told Xinhua in a recent interview, noting that these principles have enabled the bank to earn broad trust and participation across the globe.

    AIIB’s investments span not only Asia but also Africa, Latin America, and beyond, reflecting its commitment to promoting global sustainable development.

    “Asia cannot thrive in isolation,” Jin said, noting that while the bank’s primary focus is Asia, its work also supports broader cooperation that contributes to meaningful development outcomes around the world.

    Reflecting this vision, AIIB has actively expanded its global partnerships and collaborative financing efforts. It is now the largest co-financing partner of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and has built partnerships with over 100 organizations, including multilateral and regional institutions, policy banks, private sector players and philanthropy foundations.

    On the capital markets side, AIIB had issued over 54 billion U.S. dollars equivalent bonds in multiple currencies as of the end of May, and has consistently maintained triple-A credit ratings from Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch. Moody’s, for instance, credited the bank’s top rating to its strong financial footing, well-performing assets, and ample liquidity.

    “AIIB has become a new model for multilateral cooperation through its innovative operations and collaborative approach,” said Bai Chong’en, dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, noting its flexible and pragmatic support for infrastructure development in developing countries.

    Investing in infrastructure for tomorrow

    Amid rising global challenges, AIIB is positioning itself as a future-oriented development bank that supports both traditional and digital infrastructure for the long haul.

    In 2020, the bank launched its corporate strategy themed “Infrastructure for Tomorrow,” with priorities including green infrastructure, technology-enabled infrastructure, connectivity and cross-border cooperation, and private capital mobilization.

    By 2025, at least 50 percent of its approved financing was expected to support climate-related projects, a target the bank achieved in 2022, three years ahead of schedule.

    In Cote d’Ivoire, an AIIB-financed rural road project approved in 2023 has made it easier for villagers to reach hospitals and sell cashews and cocoa, even during flood seasons. Local project coordinator Gilbert Ekpini said residents were thrilled with the changes.

    By the end of 2024, AIIB-supported projects had added 21.3 gigawatts of installed power generation capacity of renewable energy, helping to reduce nearly 30 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually.

    The bank is increasingly helping its members embrace the digital era. Last year, AIIB launched InfraTech Portal, a digital platform that shares comprehensive, neutral and free information on infrastructure technologies.

    “Artificial intelligence holds vast potential and offers developing countries an opportunity to leap ahead in their development,” Jin said.

    “That’s why our infrastructure investments must evolve with the times. We should ensure that emerging technologies like AI help narrow, but not widen, the digital divide, especially for the developing world,” he added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – Catholic priest killed: He tried to mediate a family dispute

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – A Catholic priest was killed in Nigeria while attempting to mediate a family dispute. Father Godfrey Oparaekwe, parish priest of St. Ambrose Church in Ubakala (Umuahia South LGA), in Abia State (southern Nigeria), died on the evening of June 17. According to information from the Diocese of Umuahia and sent to Fides, the priest, accompanied by the couple’s daughter and another man, had gone to the man’s house to recover a motorcycle belonging to the girl. The couple had been in a crisis for some time, to the point where the woman and children had left the house, leaving the man alone. Father Oparaekwe had tried to mediate but was threatened by the man. On the evening of June 17, the man stabbed Father Oparaekwe several times, seriously injuring him, and then threatened other people with the same weapon. The attacker was immobilized, and Father Oparaekwe was taken to hospital. However, the priest died from his injuries a few hours after his arrival.Father Godfrey was born on October 4, 1953, in Ulakwo, Owerri, Nigeria. He was ordained priest in 1983 at the St. Joseph Seminary of Ulakwo, Oweni, Nigeria, in the Diocese of Umuahia. In 2000, he received a Master’s degree in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Arizona. From 2002 to 2012, he held various positions in the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona (USA), and then returned to Nigeria. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 24/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Connection between generations: a memorial exhibition was opened at the State University of Management in honor of the 140th anniversary of the beginning of the educational process

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On June 23, the State University of Management held a grand opening of a memorial and historical exhibition dedicated to the 145th anniversary of the founding of the Aleksandrovsky Commercial School and the 140th anniversary of the beginning of the educational process

    The tour for the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev and the university vice-rectors was conducted by the head of the Museum of the History of the University and the Development of Management in Russia Nikita Yudanov.

    Vladimir Stroev emphasized the importance of preserving historical truth in order to establish a dialogue between generations.

    “Today we are opening a permanent exhibition related to the history of the university, which has been undeservedly forgotten. And this is not because we want to increase the history of the State University of Management. We already have a glorious and long history, compared to other universities. It is worth remembering that when any historical part is forgotten, it leads to disastrous consequences. We have restored both the continuity of generations and the connection of the university with the greatest people of the era. This should not only be on posters and in history, we must also pass on this knowledge to students, that we must be worthy of our glorious ancestors. Today this is especially relevant, when we have taken a course on business and entrepreneurship. After all, representatives of all merchant families studied at the Alexandrovsky Commercial School. The exhibition is not just a tribute to memory, this is our history, let’s remember it, study it,” Vladimir Vitalyevich urged.

    Advisor to the rector’s office Sergei Chuev noted that it was the rector who acted as “the initiator, driver and inspiration for the restoration of the history of the State University of Management”:

    “The staff has done serious work on studying historical documents. We have restored dozens of names, and this research has not yet ended, this list can and should be continued. We have already added more than twenty undeservedly forgotten great figures who are related to our university to the Alley of Honor. Among them, for example, are academicians O. T. Bogomolov and A. G. Granberg, long-term head of the Department of Economics and Organization of Urban Economy (now the State Medical University) V. G. Davidovich, professor B. B. Veselovsky, born in 1880, the year the school was founded. With this exhibition, we pay tribute to historical justice,” concluded Sergei Vladimirovich.

    Olga Kharlamova, Director of the Scientific Library of the State University of Management, spoke about the history of the library’s development from the times of the Alexander School to the present day, and Sergei Chuev spoke in detail about the role of the Soviet scientist Nikolai Nekrasov in the development of science in general and the State University of Management in particular.

    You can see the exhibition stands on the first floor of the flow building from PA-11 to the cloakroom and in the hall of the scientific library of the State University of Management, and on the second floor of the building there is an alley of fame for the teachers of the State University of Management.

    On the Walk of Fame you can learn more about the lives and achievements of such outstanding scientists as:

    Nikolay Pestov is a chemist, a leading specialist in the field of mineral fertilizer technology, dean of the chemistry department, deputy director for academic and scientific work at Moscow Institute of Power Engineering (now State University of Management). Eduard Satel is the founder of the domestic scientific school of mechanical engineering technology, one of the pioneers in the development of flow production methods in the mechanical engineering industry. Under his direct leadership, the following plants were radically reconstructed and reorganized: Krasny Proletariy, Frezer, Serp i Molot, Borets, Kompressor, Krasnaya Presnya, and others. Kirill Plotnikov is a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, head of the industrial financing department at Moscow Institute of Power Engineering (now State University of Management). He developed the theory of the state budget, the theory of money and money circulation, credit, pricing, and business accounting. From the 1940s to the 1990s, he carried out management, advisory, and research work on public finances.

    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 United Kingdom: Direct support for Dundee University

    Source: Scottish Government

    Public funding in response to unprecedented situation.

    Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has confirmed up to £40 million funding in principle for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to support the University of Dundee’s recovery.

    Funding will be provided to the SFC over two academic years or three financial years. This is in addition to the £25 million funding announced by Ministers in February for the SFC to support universities facing financial challenges, of which the University of Dundee received £22 million. This means total additional funding made available for the University by the Scottish Government via the SFC is up to £62 million.

    The SFC and Scottish Government will work together to develop appropriate conditions for the funding, which is subject to further due diligence. Funding will only be released once a sustainable, long-term recovery plan is put in place by the University that leverages commercial and private investment.

    The statement follows Professor Pamela Gillies’ Independent Review into the University of Dundee’s finances, which highlighted that the University had failed to operate in line with the SFC’s Financial Memorandum and Code of Good Higher Education Governance. Ministers have held early discussions with SFC to consider options to strengthen governance in institutions.

    Confirming the funding in a statement to Parliament, Ms Gilruth said:

    “The Scottish Government is determined to do everything we can to secure a positive and thriving future for Dundee University.

    “Since issues at the University came to light in November, the thoughts of Ministers have continued to be with staff and students who have faced a period of real anxiety and uncertainty. This additional £40 million funding support will help return the university to the thriving institution it should be.

    “Scotland’s universities are independent and autonomous institutions. In normal circumstances, decisions on the allocation of funding to individual institutions are the responsibility of the SFC. However, this is a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances, which requires a unique and unprecedented response.

    “It is vitally important that the University works to secure a sustainable, long-term plan which will allow for commercial lending to support some, or all of the remaining liquidity ask. We will consider all avenues and other support we can provide to achieve that end.”

    Background

     Scottish Ministers have powers under section 25 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 to direct the Scottish Funding Council Ministers to target a direct settlement to the University of Dundee, and to place specific conditions on that funding. This is the first time that these powers have been used. Ministers will work closely with the SFC on the provision of the funding.

    £40 million in-principle funding is subject to further due diligence prior to provision of the funding. The Scottish Government is in the process of procuring expert auditors to assist with due diligence, which is due to conclude in the coming days.

    Additional funding provided to the SFC for Dundee University will not impact on the funding available from the SFC to other institutions.

    The Strategic Advisory Taskforce established by Ministers is now undertaking a series of workshops to engage in detail on themes including income generation, shared services and the city, region and community.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Double Mac success for Anglia Ruskin illustrators

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Marguerite Davidson, left, pictured with Joanna Prior, CEO of Pan Macmillan and one of the award judges

    Illustrators from the Children’s Book Illustration MA course at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) have won the top two prizes at the national Macmillan Prize for Illustration.

    First prize and a cheque for £1,000 went to Marguerite Davidson, while Carol Law, who graduated from the ARU course last summer, received the runner-up award and a prize of £500.

    Known as the “Mac Prize”, the award was established in 1985 and is open to all non-professional illustrators based in the UK. This year the prestigious competition, which is celebrating its 40th birthday, received almost 400 entries.

    Marguerite, who is originally California and holds degrees in Studio Arts and in Film Production from San Diego State University, won for her picture book Do You Want To Play? She received the award from Joanna Prior, CEO of Pan Macmillan, at a ceremony held at Pan Macmillan’s London offices and will graduate from ARU’s Children’s Book Illustration MA course next month.

    “I love creating stories with warmth, silliness, and cheeky animal characters. I work with a multitude of different media, but my current favourite is screen printing. I enjoy using a limited palette and building up layers of colour, texture, and shape.

    “The initial idea for Do You Want To Play? came from a recurring image in my sketchbook of a stampede of animals all pushing and shoving their way out of the pages. I am fascinated by books that engage the reader in surprising ways, so I set about creating a story where the reader is trying to help the characters escape the book.

    “I love to make people laugh with my stories, and that is at the heart of this project. My tutors encouraged me to enter the Macmillan Prize for Illustration, and I am thrilled to have won! It is such a great honour to win this competition especially with this project, which is so close to my heart.”

    Marguerite Davidson

    “Marguerite’s winning entry Do You Want To Play? caught the judges’ attention immediately with its vibrant colour and flowing illustration style. Add to that a concept that invites the reader to interact with the book itself made this entry irresistible fun.

    “Making a book entertaining, full of life and interactive in a physical way is ambitious, but Marguerite brought all of these aspects together in an elegant, accessible and visually stunning form. The judges all felt that this book would be a great book for adults and children to read and enjoy together, making it a joyful experience for all.”

    Chris Inns, Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Books and Chair of Judges

    “This year was another strong year for the Mac Prize with work submitted by a fabulous range of talented illustrators. As a judging panel, we enjoyed seeing the variety of styles and the many dazzling imaginations at play on the page.”

    Joanna Prior, CEO of Pan Macmillan and judge

    “As the Mac Prize celebrates 40 years, we have been delighted to see such a strong mix of voices and range of styles and themes coming through in the entries. We are always looking for picture books that speak to a child’s experience of their world and the Prize brings fantastic new talent to the surface that we are proud to publish on our Macmillan and Two Hoots lists.” 

    Alison Ruane, MD of Macmillan Children’s Books

    “The Macmillan Prize is always such a special event. Chris Inns goes round the room telling the winners why their work was chosen, which judges championed particular projects and sometimes even giving a piece of advice for the future.

    “It’s such a thrill for our students and also for us, as tutors, to see them honoured. We couldn’t be more pleased to see Marguerite and Carol recognised, and to have 14 of the 20 highly commended projects also coming from students and graduates of our course, that was the icing on the cake!”

    Shelley Jackson, Associate Professor and Course Director for the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at ARU

    Examples of Marguerite’s work are available on the MA Degree Show website here https://www.cambridgemashow.com/marguerite-davidson

    Meanwhile, Will Knight, who is also graduating from the MA course this summer, has been named as the winner of the Children’s Illustration category at the Batsford Prize 2025. And as with the Macmillan Prize, ARU enjoyed a one-two at the awards, run by independent trade publishers Batsford, with Will’s fellow student Vannysha Chang receiving the runner-up prize.

    Will impressed the judges with his work The House Dragon, a story about a child left behind accidently when his family move home, and the dragon who protects him. 

    “We’re delighted to award the children’s illustration prize to Will Knight for The House Dragon. This submission impressed all the judges with its mix of media – from a video showing a physical 3D model of the dragon, through working sketches and the final finished art. The illustrations are very accomplished, visually stunning and show an inventive range of perspectives – and it’s a funny story too.”

    Founder of Spring Literary and award judge Neil Dunnicliffe

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ICE Arrests 11 Iranian Nationals Illegally in the U.S. Over the Weekend

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Criminal illegal aliens arrested include an individual with admitted ties to Hezbollah, a known or suspected terrorist, and an alleged former sniper for the Iranian army 

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 11 Iranian nationals illegally in the United States over the weekend. ICE also arrested a U.S. citizen who threatened to kill ICE law enforcement while harboring an illegal alien from Iran. The weekend arrests reflect the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) commitment to keeping known and suspected terrorists out of American communities.  

    “Under Secretary Noem, DHS has been full throttle on identifying and arresting known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through Biden’s fraudulent parole programs or otherwise,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out—and we are. We don’t wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump’s mandate to secure the homeland.”  

    • On June 22, ICE Atlanta arrested Ribvar Karimi in Locust, Alabama. Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper from 2018 to 2021 and at the time of his arrest, in his possession, he had an Islamic Republic of Iran Army identification card. He entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, which is reserved for aliens engaged to be married to American citizens, in October 2024 under the Biden administration. Karimi never adjusted his status — a legal requirement — and is removable from the United States. He’s currently in ICE custody, where he’ll remain pending removal proceedings. 
    • On June 22, ICE Houston officials arrested Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad, an alien with a final order of removal, who was carrying a loaded 9mm pistol at the time of his arrest. Sepehrian entered the U.S. in Houston on Dec. 9, 2016, on an F-1 student visa. On Aug. 19, 2017, Harris County police arrested him for assaulting a family member by impeding breathing; his wife told the local assistant district attorney that Sepehrian was threatening her and obtained a restraining order against him. She also alleged he was threatening her family in Iran. On July 23, 2018, the University of Texas terminated Sepehrian’s status after he was placed on academic suspension. An immigration judge ordered him removed on Oct. 10, 2019, after he was released on an immigration bond; he filed a motion to reopen his case, which a Department of Justice immigration judge denied. Sepehrian is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.  
    • Also in Houston, ICE arrested Hamid Reza Bayat, an Iranian national an immigration judge ordered removed nearly 20 years ago, on Aug. 4, 2005. Twice convicted of drug crimes and once convicted of driving on a suspended license, Bayat served time before receiving his final order of removal. He’s now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.  
    • On June 22, in Tempe — a Phoenix, Arizona suburb — ICE agents arrested Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, an Iranian citizen with a final order of removal convicted of threatening a law enforcement officer and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Eidivand entered the U.S. in San Ysidro, California, in June 2012. In August 2013, an immigration judge granted him a voluntary departure, which allows an alien to leave the country without a formal ICE removal, but he never left. Eidivand will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. 
    • At the same residence, officials arrested Linet Vartaniann, a United States citizen, for threatening a law enforcement officer and harboring Eidivand, an illegal alien. Vartaniann threatened to open fire on ICE officials if they entered her home, then said she would go outside and “shoot ICE officers in the head.” ICE officials obtained a search warrant for the residence and arrested the pair, who are now charged with federal crimes.
    • On June 22, in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, ICE officers and agents arrested Yousef Mehridehno, an Iranian national and former lawful permanent resident. The U.S. government terminated Mehridehno’s residency in October 2017 after determining he lied on his original visa application and committed potential marriage fraud. In February, Mehridehno was listed as a known or suspected terrorist, and he’s now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. 
    • On June 22, in Colorado Springs, ICE officials arrested Mahmoud Shafiei and Mehrdad Mehdipour — two illegally present Iranian nationals living together. Immigration officials first encountered Shafiei in Seattle, Washington, in January 1981; a judge ordered him removed in January 1987. His criminal history includes state and federal convictions for drug crimes and arrests for assault and child abuse. U.S. Border Patrol encountered Mehdipour in June 2023 during the Biden administration near Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and processed him as an expedited removal. Both men are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. 
    • On June 22, in St. Paul, Minnesota, ICE arrested Mehran Makari Saheli, a 56-year-old Iranian national. He was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in Minneapolis, where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He is a former member of off the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with admitted connections to Hezbollah. An immigration judge ordered him removed June 28, 2022, under the Biden administration, but he illegally remained in the U.S. Saheli is now in ICE custody pending removal. 
    • On June 22, ICE San Francisco arrested Bahman Alizadeh Asfestani, a 62-year-old Iranian national, with a criminal history that includes a 1994 conviction for petty theft and a 1995 conviction of possession of a controlled substance for sale. Asfestani was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for the drug conviction and is now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. 
    • On June 23, ICE Buffalo arrested Mohammad Rafikian, a 65-year-old Iranian national convicted of grand larceny, schemes to defraud, criminal impersonation and practicing as an attorney.  
    • On the same date, ICE San Diego arrested Arkavan Babk Moirokorli, a 57-year-old Iranian national convicted of forging an official seal. Both are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. 

    You can report crimes and suspicious activity by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US approves twice-yearly injection for HIV prevention – what you need to know about lenacapavir

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Owen, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lenacapavir, an injectable drug that offers long-lasting protection against HIV infection. Administered once every six months, this new treatment marks a major advancement in expanding prevention options for people at risk of HIV infection.

    Most HIV prevention drugs are daily pills (known as PrEP), which many people struggle to take regularly for various reasons, including inconvenience, price, stigma and side-effects. Lenacapavir works differently. It’s a new type of drug that attacks HIV’s protective shell, stopping the virus from copying itself at multiple stages.

    In recent years, two other long-acting medicines have been developed for HIV, but neither of them offers protection for a full six months like lenacapavir.

    People using the long-acting lenacapavir injection take pills for a short time – either two weeks before the shot or for the first days after – to ensure they are protected while the injection starts working.

    After that, just one injection under the skin keeps the drug working and protects people for six months. This makes a big difference for those who find it hard to take a pill every day because of a busy life, forgetting or because of the stigma they face. Discretion can sometimes be an important factor, and people receiving long-acting medicines don’t need to carry pills or explain them to others.

    Even though lenacapavir is highly effective at preventing HIV, it doesn’t offer protection from other sexually transmitted infections, so using condoms and getting regular screening for sexually transmitted diseases remains important.

    Two breakthrough HIV cases in the second pivotal study of lenacapavir were linked to a virus mutation that made it resistant to the drug. That is rare, but it demonstrates why regular check-ups remain important to ensure the drug continues working effectively.

    Most people don’t experience serious side-effects when using long-acting lenacapavir for prevention. The most common side-effect is mild discomfort at the injection site – things like redness, swelling or soreness – which usually resolves quickly on its own.

    A few people have reported feeling nauseous, but this is uncommon. The drug can interact with some other medicines, so it must only be used under medical supervision.

    Lenacapavir doesn’t provide protection against STIs, so condoms should still be used.
    Wongsakorn 2468/Shutterstock.com

    Global roll out? Price will be a big factor

    Regulatory agencies in different regions work independently to scrutinise medicines and so approval by one is not a guarantee of approval by another. However, it could be approved for use in the UK later in 2025, and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is already evaluating lenacapavir.

    The price of lenacapavir will be a big factor in how widely it is used globally. In the US, it’s currently priced at around US$28,000 per year (£22,000), but the cost of medicines often differs in different countries.

    Since the overwhelming majority of people affected by HIV live in low- and middle-income countries, a twice-yearly prevention could have a profound effect and it is contingent on everyone working in global health to help ensure that happens quickly.

    Some researchers have estimated that generic manufacturers supplying low- and middle-income countries could make lenacapavir for as little as US$25 a year if it were made in large enough quantities. But achieving this will require major investment and coordination to ensure the drug reaches the regions where HIV is still a major public health challenge.

    Earlier this year, Gilead, the pharmaceutical company behind lenacapavir, also presented data on a once-yearly version of the drug, so even longer protection may become available in the future.

    Lenacapavir is a major step forward in HIV prevention. With just two injections a year, it is a simple and highly effective option for people who need protection but find daily pills difficult. It’s not a replacement for other forms of protection – condoms and regular testing are still important – but it could be life changing for many people.

    If it becomes widely available around the globe, it could help make HIV prevention more accessible, more adaptable and easier to deliver for a wide range of people.



    Read more:
    HIV prevention: why a new injectable drug could be such a breakthrough – podcast

    Andrew Owen is a Director and CSO for Tandem Nano Ltd. and a co-inventor of patents relating to long-acting medicines. He has consulted Gilead Sciences. Shionogi and Assembly Biosciences, and has been an investigator on grant income received by his institutions from from Tandem Nano Ltd., Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, and Bicycle Therapeutics.

    – ref. US approves twice-yearly injection for HIV prevention – what you need to know about lenacapavir – https://theconversation.com/us-approves-twice-yearly-injection-for-hiv-prevention-what-you-need-to-know-about-lenacapavir-259467

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Postgraduate student of SPbGASU is the winner of the All-Russian engineering competition

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Mikhail Lobovsky

    Fourth-year postgraduate student Mikhail Lobovsky became the winner of the All-Russian Engineering Competition (VIC) 2024/2025, organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    This year, 10,000 participants competed for the title of the best engineers in the country, of which only 110 made it to the final. The final stage took place in Moscow, where the finalists presented their projects to experts from leading industry companies.

    Mikhail presented research on the topic of “Improving the method for calculating the stability of through two-branch elements of steel structures”, carried out under the supervision of Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Scientist of Russia, Professor-Consultant of the Department of Reinforced Concrete and Masonry Structures of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Grigory Ivanovich Bely.

    “The existing methods for calculating the overall stability of lattice elements, presented in SP 16.13330.2017 “Steel structures”, have a number of assumptions that do not allow for taking into account the actual loading along the length of the element, the influence of defects and damage, and also lead to an underestimation of the bearing capacity of building structures. Therefore, in order to determine the actual bearing capacity of operated and designed through two-branch elements, modern calculation methods require improvement,” Mikhail said about the topic of his work.

    VIC is one of the most prestigious platforms for young engineers. Winners receive support from key industry players, including Rosatom, Roscosmos, Rostec, RusHydro, Russian Railways and other corporations. In addition to diplomas and valuable prizes, the competition laureates have advantages when entering the next level of education.

    According to Mikhail, he plans to continue research and implement developments in real projects.

    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: Nykredit Realkredit A/S – Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 June 2025 and changes to the Executive Board

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq Copenhagen

    Nykredit Realkredit A/S – Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 June 2025 and changes to the Executive Board

    At Nykredit Realkredit’s Extraordinary General Meeting held on Tuesday 24 June 2025, Lasse Nyby was elected member of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors further includes Merete Eldrup, Preben Sunke, Olav Bredgaard Brusen, Michael Demsitz, Rasmus Fossing, Per W. Hallgren, Kathrin Helene Hattens, Jørgen Høholt, Torsten Hagen Jørgensen, Vibeke Krag, Mie Krog and Inge Sand.

    At the meeting of the Board of Directors immediately following the Extraordinary General Meeting, the Board of Directors elected Merete Eldrup as its Chair and Preben Sunke and Lasse Nyby as its Deputy Chairs.

    Also at the subsequent meeting of the Board of Directors, Martin Kudsk Rasmussen joined the Group Executive Board. The Group Executive Board of Nykredit Realkredit A/S now consists of Group Chief Executive Michael Rasmussen and Group Managing Directors Anders Jensen, David Hellemann, Martin Kudsk Rasmussen, Pernille Sindby and Tonny Thierry Andersen.

    Information about Martin Kudsk Rasmussen’s education, professional experience and other directorships and executive positions is provided in Appendix 1.

    Copenhagen, 24 June 2025

    Nykredit Realkredit A/S
    Board of Directors

    Contact
    Questions may be addressed to Press Relations, tel +45 31 21 06 39.

    Appendix 1 – CV of Martin Kudsk Rasmussen

    Martin Kudsk Rasmussen
    Year of birth: 1978

    Career  
    2020 – Managing Director, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2016 – 2020 Head of Corporate Banking, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2012 – 2016 Head of Special Credits, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2010 – 2012 Managing Director, Credits, Sparbank A/S
    2009 – 2010 Head of Corporate Accounts, Sparbank A/S
    2008 – 2009 Head of Credits, Jyske Bank A/S
    2008 – 2008 Acting Head of Corporate Accounts, Sparbank A/S
    2005 – 2008 Credit Adviser, Sparbank Vest A/S
    2002 – 2005 Accountant, PwC
       
    Education  
    2019 Executive education from Insead
    2003 – 2007 Master (Business Economics and Auditing), University of Southern Denmark
    1999 – 2002 Bachelor (Economics and Business Administration), Herning Institute of Business Administration and Technology 
       
    Directorships and other positions (current)  
    Aktieselskabet Skelagervej 15 (Board Member)  
    Nærpension Forsikringsformidling (Board Member)  
    SNB IV Komplementar ApS (Board Member)  
    Vækst-Invest Nordjylland A/S (Board Member)  
       
    Directorships and other positions (previous)  
    Egnsinvest Tyske Ejendomme A/S (Deputy Chair)  
    Letpension Forsikringsformidling A/S (Board Member)  
    BI Asset Management Fondsmæglerselskab A/S (Deputy Chair)  
    BI Holding A/S (Deputy Chair)                   
    SNB II Komplementar ApS (Board Member)  
       

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nykredit Bank A/S – changes to the Executive Board

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq Copenhagen

    Nykredit Bank A/S – changes to the Executive Board

    As of 24 June 2025, Carsten Levring Jakobsen and Martin Kudsk Rasmussen have joined the Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S. The Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S now consists of Carsten Levring Jakobsen, Martin Kudsk Rasmussen, Dan Erik Krarup Sørensen and Søren Kviesgaard.

    Information about Carsten Levring Jakobsen’s and Martin Kudsk Rasmussen’s education, professional experience and other directorships and executive positions is provided in Appendix 1.

    Copenhagen, 24 June 2025

    Nykredit Bank A/S
    Board of Directors

    Contact
    Questions may be addressed to Press Relations, tel +45 31 21 06 39.

    Appendix 1 – CVs of Martin Kudsk Rasmussen and Carsten Levring Jakobsen

    Martin Kudsk Rasmussen
    Year of birth: 1978

    Career    
    2020 – Managing Director, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2016 – 2020 Head of Corporate Banking, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2012 – 2016 Head of Special Credits, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2010 – 2012 Managing Director, Credits, Sparbank A/S
    2009 – 2010 Head of Corporate Accounts, Sparbank A/S
    2008 – 2009 Head of Credits, Jyske Bank A/S
    2008 – 2008 Acting Head of Corporate Accounts, Sparbank A/S
    2005 – 2008 Credit Adviser, Sparbank Vest A/S
    2002 – 2005 Accountant, PwC
       
    Education  
    2019 Executive education from Insead
    2003 – 2007 Master (Business Economics and Auditing), University of Southern Denmark
    1999 – 2002 Bachelor (Economics and Business Administration), Herning Institute of Business Administration and Technology 
       
    Directorships and other positions (current)  
    Aktieselskabet Skelagervej 15 (Board Member)  
    Nærpension Forsikringsformidling (Board Member)  
    SNB IV Komplementar ApS (Board Member)  
    Vækst-Invest Nordjylland A/S (Board Member)  
       
    Directorships and other positions (previous)  
    Egnsinvest Tyske Ejendomme A/S (Deputy Chair)  
    Letpension Forsikringsformidling A/S (Board Member)  
    BI Asset Management Fondsmæglerselskab A/S (Deputy Chair)  
    BI Holding A/S (Deputy Chair)                   
    SNB II Komplementar ApS (Board Member)  
       

    Carsten Levring Jakobsen
    Year of birth: 1970

    Career    
    2023 – Managing Director, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2019 – 2023 Chief Risk Officer (CRO), Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2006 – 2019 Financial Manager, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2005 – 2006 Chief Controller, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2005 Business Controller, Spar Nord Bank A/S
    2002 – 2005 Business Controller, Danske Bank A/S
    1998 – 2002 Business Analyst, Danske Bank A/S
       
    Education  
    2010 – 2012 Master of Business Administration, MBA Strategy, Business Institute Denmark  
    1992 – 1998 Msc (Economics and Finance), Aarhus University  
       
    Directorships and other positions (current)  
    Aktieselskabet Skelagervej 15 (Board Member)  
       
    Directorships and other positions (previous)  
    DLR Kredit A/S (Deputy Chairman)  
       

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Canada Day: Resurrecting John A. Macdonald statues ignores critical lessons about Canada’s history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eric Strikwerda, Associate Professor, History, Athabasca University

    “We’re freeing John A.,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced, unveiling plans to return a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald to its place of prominence overlooking the south lawn of the Ontario legislature at Queen’s Park.

    The statue’s return comes five years after activists, disgusted by the first Canadian prime minister’s racist policies, sprayed pink paint over the statue’s base.

    Ford’s announcement was welcome news to the mostly conservative historians, editorialists and assorted pundits who have decried Macdonald’s “cancellation.”

    Their objections have been part of passionate debates about whether racist and harmful figures from the past should be celebrated through statues, school and state institution names and public infrastructure projects.

    For these conservatives, the issue is simple. Dismantling statues is dismantling Canada’s history.



    Read more:
    Canada needs to reckon with the relics of its colonial past, including racist statues

    On the other side of the debate are those who argue that Macdonald’s active and integral role in creating the aggressively assimilationist Gradual Civilization Act, the infamous Indian Residential Schools system, the Reserve and Pass Systems and the Indian Act were all meant to make Indigenous Peoples disappear.

    Macdonald was no man to celebrate, they contend, and his statue is nothing more than a symbol of racism and Canada’s dark colonial past.



    Read more:
    ‘Clearing the plains’ continues with the acquittal of Gerald Stanley

    Flurries of commemoration

    Both sides to the debate, of course, are correct in their assessments of Canada’s first prime minister. Like all historical figures from the past, Macdonald was a complex human being operating at a particular historical moment. And his actions had important historical implications for the way Canada developed.

    Was Macdonald, as proponents of his statue suggest, a visionary nation-builder? Maybe. But he was also a racist colonizer who used his position and his power to advance clearly racist goals in the most awful ways.

    And yet, the debate misses a deeper and much more interesting set of questions about how we understand Canadian history, how we describe Canada’s past and ultimately how Canadians tell stories about themselves to each other.

    It’s important to recognize from where and in what historical contexts Canada’s statues, commemorations and public infrastructure names come. Statues of figures like Macdonald, as well as the naming of public buildings, bridges and roads in his honour, appeared principally at two separate times.

    The first came in the late 19th century, mostly commemorating Macdonald’s death in 1891. But statues were being erected during this period amid rising nationalism. They signalled a celebration of Canada’s membership in the British Empire, then at the zenith of its power and influence.

    The second flurry of Macdonald commemoration was in the mid-1960s, another moment of heightened nationalism and Canadian pride. It coincided with Canada’s centenary in 1967, the Montréal Expo that same year, a new Canadian flag and a newfound confidence in the world through its active participation in international peacekeeping efforts.

    Canada was also at that time grappling with a deeply dissatisfied Québec and its place in Confederation, a state of affairs that eventually resulted in a divisive sovereignty referendum in 1980 that threatened the very fabric of Canada.

    Respecting the dissent

    But just as Canadians need to understand the historical contexts in which citizens of the past have celebrated people like Macdonald, so too do they need to grasp the historical contexts in which Canadians past and present have questioned his legacy.

    In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States sparked critical re-evaluations of statues of Civil War-era figures from the American South and the continued use in some southern states of the highly offensive Confederate flag, along with many other symbols of racism, division and hatred.

    The release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report a decade ago similarly forced Canadians to confront some the darkest chapters of the country’s past.

    The point often missed here is that historical markers — like the TRC Commission and the Black Lives Matter movement — themselves become artefacts of the ongoing project involving how people tell stories about themselves to themselves, what those stories say about them in the present and how they want to define themselves in the future.

    A more fulsome engagement with history demands Canadians refrain from conflating the story of John A. Macdonald, the statue, with the story of John A. Macdonald, the man, any more than we’d conflate a drawing of an apple with the one on our counter.

    A true examination of Macdonald

    It’s not a question of who Macdonald was or wasn’t. Instead, it’s about the historical context in which the commemorations of him were installed. But it’s also part of the continuing story of how we see ourselves today.

    Claims that dismantling public statues and renaming roads and schools somehow erases Canadian history are ridiculous and profoundly misunderstand how history works.

    As Canada Day approaches, it’s important to remember that Macdonald’s story and legacy live on exactly where they should — in the pages of history books, museums and classrooms, where his life and times can be examined, interpreted and debated with the kind of depth and nuance that Canadian history deserves.

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

    – ref. Canada Day: Resurrecting John A. Macdonald statues ignores critical lessons about Canada’s history – https://theconversation.com/canada-day-resurrecting-john-a-macdonald-statues-ignores-critical-lessons-about-canadas-history-259351

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Canada Day: Resurrecting John A. Macdonald statues ignores critical lessons about Canada’s history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eric Strikwerda, Associate Professor, History, Athabasca University

    “We’re freeing John A.,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced, unveiling plans to return a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald to its place of prominence overlooking the south lawn of the Ontario legislature at Queen’s Park.

    The statue’s return comes five years after activists, disgusted by the first Canadian prime minister’s racist policies, sprayed pink paint over the statue’s base.

    Ford’s announcement was welcome news to the mostly conservative historians, editorialists and assorted pundits who have decried Macdonald’s “cancellation.”

    Their objections have been part of passionate debates about whether racist and harmful figures from the past should be celebrated through statues, school and state institution names and public infrastructure projects.

    For these conservatives, the issue is simple. Dismantling statues is dismantling Canada’s history.



    Read more:
    Canada needs to reckon with the relics of its colonial past, including racist statues

    On the other side of the debate are those who argue that Macdonald’s active and integral role in creating the aggressively assimilationist Gradual Civilization Act, the infamous Indian Residential Schools system, the Reserve and Pass Systems and the Indian Act were all meant to make Indigenous Peoples disappear.

    Macdonald was no man to celebrate, they contend, and his statue is nothing more than a symbol of racism and Canada’s dark colonial past.



    Read more:
    ‘Clearing the plains’ continues with the acquittal of Gerald Stanley

    Flurries of commemoration

    Both sides to the debate, of course, are correct in their assessments of Canada’s first prime minister. Like all historical figures from the past, Macdonald was a complex human being operating at a particular historical moment. And his actions had important historical implications for the way Canada developed.

    Was Macdonald, as proponents of his statue suggest, a visionary nation-builder? Maybe. But he was also a racist colonizer who used his position and his power to advance clearly racist goals in the most awful ways.

    And yet, the debate misses a deeper and much more interesting set of questions about how we understand Canadian history, how we describe Canada’s past and ultimately how Canadians tell stories about themselves to each other.

    It’s important to recognize from where and in what historical contexts Canada’s statues, commemorations and public infrastructure names come. Statues of figures like Macdonald, as well as the naming of public buildings, bridges and roads in his honour, appeared principally at two separate times.

    The first came in the late 19th century, mostly commemorating Macdonald’s death in 1891. But statues were being erected during this period amid rising nationalism. They signalled a celebration of Canada’s membership in the British Empire, then at the zenith of its power and influence.

    The second flurry of Macdonald commemoration was in the mid-1960s, another moment of heightened nationalism and Canadian pride. It coincided with Canada’s centenary in 1967, the Montréal Expo that same year, a new Canadian flag and a newfound confidence in the world through its active participation in international peacekeeping efforts.

    Canada was also at that time grappling with a deeply dissatisfied Québec and its place in Confederation, a state of affairs that eventually resulted in a divisive sovereignty referendum in 1980 that threatened the very fabric of Canada.

    Respecting the dissent

    But just as Canadians need to understand the historical contexts in which citizens of the past have celebrated people like Macdonald, so too do they need to grasp the historical contexts in which Canadians past and present have questioned his legacy.

    In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States sparked critical re-evaluations of statues of Civil War-era figures from the American South and the continued use in some southern states of the highly offensive Confederate flag, along with many other symbols of racism, division and hatred.

    The release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report a decade ago similarly forced Canadians to confront some the darkest chapters of the country’s past.

    The point often missed here is that historical markers — like the TRC Commission and the Black Lives Matter movement — themselves become artefacts of the ongoing project involving how people tell stories about themselves to themselves, what those stories say about them in the present and how they want to define themselves in the future.

    A more fulsome engagement with history demands Canadians refrain from conflating the story of John A. Macdonald, the statue, with the story of John A. Macdonald, the man, any more than we’d conflate a drawing of an apple with the one on our counter.

    A true examination of Macdonald

    It’s not a question of who Macdonald was or wasn’t. Instead, it’s about the historical context in which the commemorations of him were installed. But it’s also part of the continuing story of how we see ourselves today.

    Claims that dismantling public statues and renaming roads and schools somehow erases Canadian history are ridiculous and profoundly misunderstand how history works.

    As Canada Day approaches, it’s important to remember that Macdonald’s story and legacy live on exactly where they should — in the pages of history books, museums and classrooms, where his life and times can be examined, interpreted and debated with the kind of depth and nuance that Canadian history deserves.

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

    – ref. Canada Day: Resurrecting John A. Macdonald statues ignores critical lessons about Canada’s history – https://theconversation.com/canada-day-resurrecting-john-a-macdonald-statues-ignores-critical-lessons-about-canadas-history-259351

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Tech poised to change the world: Top Ten Emerging Technologies 2025

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    For the 13th consecutive year, the World Economic Forum releases its report on the top ten technologies set to change the world for the better. These technologies will speed our efforts to tackle everything from the energy transition and neurodegenerative diseases. Based on expert nominations and rigorous foresight evaluation, the solutions drive home to leaders the increasing ways that technologies are converging and building on each other and showcase the importance of technology foresight as a key strategic tool to make meaningful change, integration and investment happen. Guests guiding us through this report for the fifth year include Bernie Meyerson, chief innovation officer emeritus at IBM, and Mariette DiChristina, Dean and professor of the practice of journalism at Boston University College of Communication.

    This interview was recorded in May 2025 in the New York office of the World Economic Forum.

    Top 10 Emerging Technologies for this year:
    – Structural Battery Composites
    – Collaborative Sensing
    – Green Nitrogen Fixation
    – Generative Watermarking
    – Engineered Living Therapeutics
    – GLP-1s for Neurodegenerative Diseases
    – Autonomous Biochemical Sensing
    – Next-Gen Nuclear Energy
    – Osmotic Power Systems
    – Nanozymes

    About this episode:

    Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report 2025: https://wef.ch/emergingtech25

    These are the top 10 emerging technologies of 2025: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/06/top-10-emerging-technologies-of-2025/

    Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/top-ten-emerging-tech-2025

    Mariette DiChristina, Boston University: https://www.bu.edu/com/profile/mariette-dichristina/
    Bernie Meyerson: https://www.ibm.com/history/bernard-meyerson

    Related podcasts:
    Top 10 Emerging Technologies 2024: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/top-10-emerging-technologies-2024/

    Beyond AI: the top-10 tech of 2023 set to change our lives: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/top-10-emerging-technologies-2023/The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/ 
    Twitter ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #WorldEconomicForum

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVTprDQdrZE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Shootings and Carjacking

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

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who committed an armed 2018 carjacking, a 2021 shooting and two other crimes involving guns to 25 years in prison.

    Darnell L. Clemons left a string of victims terrified and traumatized, according to testimony at Monday’s sentencing hearing.

    On May 16, 2018, Darnell L. Clemons and a nephew robbed and carjacked the manager of a University City, Missouri restaurant. Clemons stole the victim’s 2015 Toyota Corolla, cash and her phone after placing the muzzle of a handgun to her forehead and stomach.

    On July 29, 2021, Clemons’ nephew spotted a gun in a bag belonging to a customer at a Florissant, Missouri gas station and convenience store. The nephew tried to steal the gun, triggering a struggle. Clemons spotted the struggle, ran into the store and shot the victim in the back, resulting in permanent injury. He fired another shot from outside of the store.

    On Aug. 4, 2021, following a shootout with unknown individuals in a car, Clemons jumped through a stranger’s window in the O’Fallon neighborhood in St. Louis. Police found a stolen 9mm pistol with the slide locked back and no ammunition, indicating that Clemons had fired it recently. Clemons initially gave his brother’s name to police and claimed that officers planted the gun they found. A witness saw Clemons with the gun and his fingerprint was on the pistol’s magazine, however.

    On Dec. 8, 2021, Clemons was arrested on outstanding warrants by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Fugitive Unit with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. After a foot chase through the Delmar Loop, officers found a 9mm Glock loaded with a large capacity drum magazine. Clemons again gave his brother’s name and falsely claimed that police had planted the gun. He later told police he “should have shot it out with you all” rather than surrendering, and threatened to kill an officer that he recognized, and that officer’s mother.

    Clemons was a “one-man crime wave” for 20 years before that arrest, placing him in the highest criminal history category, according to a sentencing memo. That crime wave included a carjacking committed by Clemons and his nephew at a church and resisting-arrest convictions dating back to age 16. Clemons also “capped off months of domestic abuse by throwing his pregnant girlfriend through a table, causing her to miscarry his own child,” the memo says. He also shot her, the memo says. In a letter to Judge Autrey, Clemons’ former girlfriend said Clemons’ gun went off while he was pistol-whipping her on Mother’s Day. “Hurting people made you laugh, and that’s where you found your joy in life,” she wrote in her letter. “To this day, I still deal with not feeling safe, not even when the police would come, because you have successfully broken into my house countless times. Not only are you my worst nightmare, but also the mother of a child’s worst nightmare as well.”

    “This was a career criminal with no regard for human life and demonstrated a willingness to terrorize communities with violence,” said Mark Zito, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City. “This is exactly the kind of dangerous offender HSI targets: armed, repeat violent criminals who think they can operate without consequence. Let this sentencing serve as a clear warning – if you prey on the public with guns and fear, we will find you, we will build the case, and we will make sure you face the full weight of the justice system.”

    Clemons, 38, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the University City Police Department, the Florissant Police Department and the St. Louis County Crime Lab investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Matthew Martin prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Shootings and Carjacking

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

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who committed an armed 2018 carjacking, a 2021 shooting and two other crimes involving guns to 25 years in prison.

    Darnell L. Clemons left a string of victims terrified and traumatized, according to testimony at Monday’s sentencing hearing.

    On May 16, 2018, Darnell L. Clemons and a nephew robbed and carjacked the manager of a University City, Missouri restaurant. Clemons stole the victim’s 2015 Toyota Corolla, cash and her phone after placing the muzzle of a handgun to her forehead and stomach.

    On July 29, 2021, Clemons’ nephew spotted a gun in a bag belonging to a customer at a Florissant, Missouri gas station and convenience store. The nephew tried to steal the gun, triggering a struggle. Clemons spotted the struggle, ran into the store and shot the victim in the back, resulting in permanent injury. He fired another shot from outside of the store.

    On Aug. 4, 2021, following a shootout with unknown individuals in a car, Clemons jumped through a stranger’s window in the O’Fallon neighborhood in St. Louis. Police found a stolen 9mm pistol with the slide locked back and no ammunition, indicating that Clemons had fired it recently. Clemons initially gave his brother’s name to police and claimed that officers planted the gun they found. A witness saw Clemons with the gun and his fingerprint was on the pistol’s magazine, however.

    On Dec. 8, 2021, Clemons was arrested on outstanding warrants by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Fugitive Unit with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. After a foot chase through the Delmar Loop, officers found a 9mm Glock loaded with a large capacity drum magazine. Clemons again gave his brother’s name and falsely claimed that police had planted the gun. He later told police he “should have shot it out with you all” rather than surrendering, and threatened to kill an officer that he recognized, and that officer’s mother.

    Clemons was a “one-man crime wave” for 20 years before that arrest, placing him in the highest criminal history category, according to a sentencing memo. That crime wave included a carjacking committed by Clemons and his nephew at a church and resisting-arrest convictions dating back to age 16. Clemons also “capped off months of domestic abuse by throwing his pregnant girlfriend through a table, causing her to miscarry his own child,” the memo says. He also shot her, the memo says. In a letter to Judge Autrey, Clemons’ former girlfriend said Clemons’ gun went off while he was pistol-whipping her on Mother’s Day. “Hurting people made you laugh, and that’s where you found your joy in life,” she wrote in her letter. “To this day, I still deal with not feeling safe, not even when the police would come, because you have successfully broken into my house countless times. Not only are you my worst nightmare, but also the mother of a child’s worst nightmare as well.”

    “This was a career criminal with no regard for human life and demonstrated a willingness to terrorize communities with violence,” said Mark Zito, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City. “This is exactly the kind of dangerous offender HSI targets: armed, repeat violent criminals who think they can operate without consequence. Let this sentencing serve as a clear warning – if you prey on the public with guns and fear, we will find you, we will build the case, and we will make sure you face the full weight of the justice system.”

    Clemons, 38, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the University City Police Department, the Florissant Police Department and the St. Louis County Crime Lab investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Matthew Martin prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Proceedings of the extraordinary general meeting of Spar Nord Bank A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 22

            

    Proceedings of the extraordinary general meeting of Spar Nord Bank A/S and changes to the Executive Board

    At the extraordinary general meeting held on 24 June 2025, the following resolutions were passed:

    • Election of members to the Board of Directors
    • Dismissal of the auditor and election of a new auditor
    • Amendments to the Articles of Association

    Election of members to the Board of Directors
    All existing members of the Board of Directors elected by the general meeting resigned from the Board of Directors. Michael Rasmussen, Anders Jensen, Tonny Thierry Andersen, Pernille Sindby, and David Hellemann were elected as new members of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors also consists of the following employee representatives: Jannie Merete Thorsø Skovsen, Gitte Holmgaard Sørensen, and Rikke Marie Jacobsen Christiansen.

    At the subsequent Board meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself with Michael Rasmussen as Chairman and Anders Jensen as Vice Chairman.

    Removal of the auditor and election of a new auditor
    It was resolved to remove the company’s auditor, Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, and EY Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab was elected as the new auditor to audit the company’s annual financial statements and to issue a statement on the company’s sustainability reporting.

    Amendments to the Articles of Association
    It was resolved to amend the company’s Articles of Association in accordance with the proposal set out in the notice convening the meeting dated 2 June 2025.

    Changes to the Executive Board
    At the subsequent Board meeting, the Board of Directors appointed Søren Kviesgaard and Dan Erik Krarup Sørensen to the company’s Executive Board, while Lasse Nyby and John Lundsgaard resigned from the Executive Board. The Executive Board also consists of Martin Kudsk Rasmussen and Carsten Levring Jakobsen.

    Søren Kviesgaard holds an MSc (Business Administration and Auditing) from Aarhus School of Business and is a state-authorized public accountant. He joined the Nykredit Group in 2016 from a position as partner at PwC and has since held the position of Executive Vice President of Corporates & Institutions. He was previously Senior Executive Director of FIH Erhvervsbank. Søren has been a member of the Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S since 2023.

    Dan Erik Krarup Sørensen holds a PhD in Mathematics from the Technical University of Denmark and a Graduate Diploma in Finance from Copenhagen Business School. He joined the Nykredit Group in 1997 from a position as assistant professor of mathematics at the Technical University of Denmark and has, among other positions, been Vice Executive Director with responsibility for risk management, capital and regulatory affairs. Dan has been a member of the Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S since 2015.

    Spar Nord
    Martin Bach
    SVP Corporate Communication

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Proceedings of the extraordinary general meeting of Spar Nord Bank A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 22

            

    Proceedings of the extraordinary general meeting of Spar Nord Bank A/S and changes to the Executive Board

    At the extraordinary general meeting held on 24 June 2025, the following resolutions were passed:

    • Election of members to the Board of Directors
    • Dismissal of the auditor and election of a new auditor
    • Amendments to the Articles of Association

    Election of members to the Board of Directors
    All existing members of the Board of Directors elected by the general meeting resigned from the Board of Directors. Michael Rasmussen, Anders Jensen, Tonny Thierry Andersen, Pernille Sindby, and David Hellemann were elected as new members of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors also consists of the following employee representatives: Jannie Merete Thorsø Skovsen, Gitte Holmgaard Sørensen, and Rikke Marie Jacobsen Christiansen.

    At the subsequent Board meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself with Michael Rasmussen as Chairman and Anders Jensen as Vice Chairman.

    Removal of the auditor and election of a new auditor
    It was resolved to remove the company’s auditor, Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, and EY Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab was elected as the new auditor to audit the company’s annual financial statements and to issue a statement on the company’s sustainability reporting.

    Amendments to the Articles of Association
    It was resolved to amend the company’s Articles of Association in accordance with the proposal set out in the notice convening the meeting dated 2 June 2025.

    Changes to the Executive Board
    At the subsequent Board meeting, the Board of Directors appointed Søren Kviesgaard and Dan Erik Krarup Sørensen to the company’s Executive Board, while Lasse Nyby and John Lundsgaard resigned from the Executive Board. The Executive Board also consists of Martin Kudsk Rasmussen and Carsten Levring Jakobsen.

    Søren Kviesgaard holds an MSc (Business Administration and Auditing) from Aarhus School of Business and is a state-authorized public accountant. He joined the Nykredit Group in 2016 from a position as partner at PwC and has since held the position of Executive Vice President of Corporates & Institutions. He was previously Senior Executive Director of FIH Erhvervsbank. Søren has been a member of the Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S since 2023.

    Dan Erik Krarup Sørensen holds a PhD in Mathematics from the Technical University of Denmark and a Graduate Diploma in Finance from Copenhagen Business School. He joined the Nykredit Group in 1997 from a position as assistant professor of mathematics at the Technical University of Denmark and has, among other positions, been Vice Executive Director with responsibility for risk management, capital and regulatory affairs. Dan has been a member of the Executive Board of Nykredit Bank A/S since 2015.

    Spar Nord
    Martin Bach
    SVP Corporate Communication

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Regular Press Briefing of the Ministry of National Defense on June 13, 2025 2025-06-24 On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answers recent media queries concerning the military. (Photo by Sun Yue)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    Jiang Bin: First, I would like to announce two pieces of information.

    First, the third China-ASEAN Defense Think Tank Exchange will be held in Guiyang from June 18 to 20. Themed on “Jointly Promote Regional Peace and Build a Safe and Secure Home”, the Exchange focuses on topics such as innovation in China-ASEAN defense cooperation, maritime security cooperation, and crisis management, providing insights and suggestions for building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. Defense policy officials, experts and scholars, as well as think tank representatives from China, ASEAN countries, and Timor-Leste will attend the event.

    Second, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will start recruiting the 14th batch of female pilot cadets among high school graduates across 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from June 2025. The selection process will be conducted in two stages: preliminary selection and final selection. Female candidates with excellent National College Entrance Examination scores and outstanding flight potential will have the opportunity to be admitted bythe “joint degree programs”, allowing them to study both at the PLAAF academies and at Peking University, Tsinghua University, or Beihang University. We welcome more aspiring young women to apply for recruitment and join the PLAAF, a force full of honour and dreams. For more details, please visit the official website of the Pilot Selection Bureau of PLA Air Force at www.kjzfw.mil.cn.

    Journalist: It is reported that President Xi Jinping recently had a phone call with US President Donald Trump at the request of the latter. President Xi pointed out that the two sides should enhance exchanges in the fields of diplomacy, economy and trade, military affairs, and law enforcement. What are your expectations on China-US mil-to-mil relations?

    Jiang Bin: China upholds the principle of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and stays committed to promoting the stable, sound, and sustainable development of China-US military-to-military relations. It is hopedthat the US side stop hyping up the so-called “China threat”, earnestly respect China’s core interests and major concerns, work with China towards the same direction to strengthen communication and dialogue, properly manage differences, and enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, so as to jointly improve and develop relations between the two militaries.

    Journalist: It is reported that the 2025 military academy enrollment plan for high school graduates has recently been released, which has attracted wide public attention. Could you elaborate on the new features and changes in this year’s enrollment plan?

    Jiang Bin: In line with Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, the 2025 enrollment work of military academies fully implements the overarching plan for deepening the reform of military academies, focuses on the core needs of combat readiness, and integrates the needs for cultivating high-calibre military talents and developing academic disciplines.The number of high schoolgraduates that the military academies plan to admit this year is basically the same as last year.

    There are four changes in this year’s recruitment. First,there has been a change in the number of enrolling academies, which has been reduced from 27 to 22, so that the military talent cultivation systembecomes more efficient and streamlined. The PLA Army (PLAA) Special Operations Academy, the PLAA Academy of Border and Coastal Defense, the Special Police College of the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the PAP Coast Guard College will no longer directly enroll high school graduates. Instead, they will enroll students from other PLAA and PAP academies to continue their specialized military training. Second, the method ofcadet cultivation has been changed. In their enrollment plans, the military academies will no longer make the distinction between “commanding” and “non-commanding” categories. The removal of such a distinction and the resulting clarification of cultivation goals will facilitate the students to have a clearer career plan from the outset. Third, military academy graduates are allowed to directly apply for a master’s degree. Starting from 2025, allmilitary academy graduates will have the opportunity to directly apply for master’s programs in related fields, providing more diverse career paths for cadets. Fourth, a special operations talent selection program has been established. Whiling studying in military academies, those who aspire to join the special operations forces will havethe opportunity to participate in a selection program and receive professional and elite training in special operations.

    Military academies are the cradle for cultivating military talents. What’s more important is that they provide a broad stage for young students to pursue their dreams of serving the country. Here, you will be educated with cutting-edge military science and technology, grow alongside like-minded comrades, and forge an iron will and a strong team spirit. In the journey to make our armed forces strong, opportunities awaits you here. We warmly welcome young aspirants to actively apply for military academies, so as to write a magnificent chapter on strengthening the nation and the military with your passion and youth.

    Journalist: The Japanese Ministry of Defense recently stated that two Chinese aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the Pacific for the first time, and that carrier-based aircraft came “unusually close” to Japanese Self-Defense Force aircraft. What’s your comment?

    Jiang Bin: Recently, the task groups of the PLA Navy’s aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong conducted routine training in the West Pacific. During the training, Japanese vessels and aircraft repeatedly made close-in provocations, and even deliberately created maritime and air securityrisks. We are strongly dissatisfied and has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

    The Chinese aircraft carrier task groups conducted training activities on the high seas, which did not target any specific country or objective, and was in full compliance with international law and international practices. The Chinese side,in response to the Japanese vessels and aircraft’s forcible entryinto the training area, took legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrainedcountermeasures all the way through. We urge the Japanese side to stop dangerous and provocative actions, so as to prevent accidents at sea and in the air.

    Journalist: According to reports, the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation recently held an unofficial “chief-of-staff” level war-gaming on a Taiwan crisis for the first time. The former “Chief of the General Staff” of the Taiwan military, the former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the former Chief of Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces participated the event. In addition, the US and Taiwan held the so-called Defense Industry Forum in Taipei, advocating closer cooperation in weaponry and equipment. What’s your comment?

    Jiang Bin: The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, which brooks no external interference. Any action that emboldens the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces to seek secession will undermine cross-Strait peace and stability. Whoever does that is bound to get burnt for playing with fire, and taste the bitter fruit of its own doing. We urge relevant countries to truly abide by the one-China principle, and stop sending any wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. In front of the prevailing trend of the ultimate andcertain reunification of China, any scheme to solicit foreign support for independence and contain China with Taiwan is doomed to failure.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Charitable giving grew to $593B in 2024, propelled by a strengthening US economy and a booming stock market

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jon Bergdoll, Associate Director of Data Partnerships at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University

    Paul Newman, the late actor and philanthropist, co-founded Camp Boggy Creek, which children with serious illnesses and their families attend for free. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

    U.S. charitable giving increased 3.3% to US$593 billion in 2024, lifted by the strength of the economy.

    The annual report from the Giving USA Foundation, produced in partnership with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy,
    found that this was the second-highest level on record after adjusting for inflation.

    Giving grew at the fastest pace since 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic led many Americans to make larger-than-usual donations. It was also the first time since then that growth in giving outpaced inflation.

    As two of the report’s lead researchers, we see many signs of healthy growth in charitable giving in 2024. Our data shows that the strong economy, which grew 2.8% in 2024, bolstered individual and corporate giving and allowed foundations to maintain the historically high level of giving seen from them in recent years.

    It also helped that stock markets performed well in 2024, consumer sentiment was generally positive, personal income rose and inflation continued to ease.

    Donations to nearly every charitable category we track grew.

    Individuals and corporations led overall growth

    Individual donors continued to provide the bulk of the nation’s charitable gifts. The $392 billion they gave to charity accounted for two-thirds of the year’s total. Giving by individuals grew 5.1% from 2023 − a swifter pace than for all donations.

    Corporate giving rose even faster. It was up 6% to a record $44 billion.

    This growth reflects the high pretax profits earned by corporations in 2024 and the trend toward corporations donating a higher share of pretax profits in recent years.

    For example, corporations generally donated less than 1% of pretax profits from 2004-2018. But our research team started to see corporate giving rise to 1% or more in the 2019 data. This was also the case in 2024, when corporate giving stood at 1.1% of pretax profits.

    Corporate philanthropy has grown by more than 50% since 2019, a trend that has coincided with rising in-kind donations of insulin products and other pharmaceuticals. Drugmakers made an estimated $24 billion in these donations in 2024 − up 41% since 2019.

    To be sure, corporations’ donations amounted to just 7% of overall giving in 2024.

    Meanwhile, grants made by foundations exceeded $100 billion for the third straight year. Almost $1 out of every $5 contributed to charity was from a foundation in each of those years.

    Giving by foundations in the five years ending in 2024 was higher than any other period since Giving USA has tracked this data. Foundation giving, however, remained fairly flat from 2023 to 2024, at about $110 billion.

    Around 8% of all gifts made in 2024 were from bequests included in people’s wills, the same as in 2023. Bequests totaled $44 billion, down 4.4% when adjusted for inflation. But the total given through bequests varies quite a bit from year to year.

    Most kinds of donations increased

    Donations to most of the nine charitable categories Giving USA tracks increased. The one exception: Gifts to churches and other religious institutions fell 1%. But religious giving remained by far the top category, followed by human services and education.

    Religious causes received 23% of all donations, a total of $147 billion. Giving to human services nonprofits, such as food banks and homeless shelters, increased considerably during the pandemic. It now accounts for about 14% of all donations. In 2024, these gifts totaled $91 billion.

    Giving to education, which primarily consists of donations to colleges and universities has tended to grow more slowly than overall giving in recent years.

    Giving for education rebounded to a record high in 2024, however, rising nearly 10% from a year earlier. And these gifts have grown at a quick pace over the past decade, increasing by more than 22% from 2015 to 2024. The $88 billion in gifts received for education in 2024 was the third-largest of the nine categories we follow.

    Several other categories also reached all-time highs of giving in 2024: health, at $61 billion; arts, culture and humanities, at $25 billion; and environment and animals, at $22 billion.

    The increases in giving for most kinds of nonprofits, supported by strong growth in giving by individuals and corporations, indicate that the charitable sector ended 2024 in a relatively solid position.

    Jon Bergdoll receives grant funding from the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes Giving USA.

    Christina Daniken receives grant funding from the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes Giving USA.

    – ref. Charitable giving grew to $593B in 2024, propelled by a strengthening US economy and a booming stock market – https://theconversation.com/charitable-giving-grew-to-593b-in-2024-propelled-by-a-strengthening-us-economy-and-a-booming-stock-market-259221

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Diversifying the special education teacher workforce could benefit US schools

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Bettini, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Boston University

    The demographics of the special education teacher workforce have remained static, but the student population these educators serve is becoming more diverse. Courtney Hale/E+ via Getty Images

    Teachers of color positively impact all students, including students of color with disabilities. Yet, the special education teacher workforce is overwhelmingly white.

    In our recent research, we found that special education teacher demographics are not keeping pace with changes in the student population.

    In 2012, about 80% of U.S. public school teachers were white, including about 80% of special education teachers, while less than 20% were teachers of color. By contrast, in the same year, students of color constituted 47% of those diagnosed with disabilities.

    In our recent study, we examined whether these numbers have changed. Analyzing multiple national datasets on the teacher workforce, we found the proportion of special education teachers of color has been static, even as the student population is rapidly becoming more diverse.

    So, the special education teacher workforce is actually becoming less representative of the student population over time. Specifically, in 2012, 16.5% of special education teachers were people of color, compared with 17.1% in 2021. In that same span, the share of students with disabilities who are students of color rose from 47.3% in 2012 to 53.9% in 2021.

    In fact, for the special education teacher workforce to become representative of the student population, U.S. schools would need to triple the number of special education teachers of color.

    As scholars who study teacher recruitment and retention and teacher working conditions, we are concerned that this disparity will affect the quality of education students receive.

    Why does a diverse teacher workforce matter?

    Without more support from the government, the U.S. teacher workforce is likely to remain predominantly white.
    gradyreese/iStock via Getty Images

    For children of color, the research is clear: Teachers of color are, on average, more effective than white teachers in providing positive educational experiences and outcomes for students of color, including students of color with disabilities.

    One study found that low-income Black male students who had one Black teacher in third, fourth or fifth grade were 39% less likely to drop out of high school and 29% more likely to enroll in college.

    Moreover, teachers of color are just as effective as white teachers – and sometimes more effective – in teaching white students.

    Providing pathways

    The U.S. has institutions dedicated to attracting and retaining educators of color: Programs at historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions prepare a substantial number of new teachers of color annually.

    Further, many local initiatives support educators of color and attract teachers who might not otherwise have opportunities to join the profession.

    These include: Grow Your Own programs that recruit effective teachers of color from local communities, teacher residency programs that help schools retain teachers of color, and
    scholarships and loan forgiveness programs that support all teachers, including teachers of color.

    However, the U.S. educator workforce faces broad challenges with declining interest in the teaching profession and declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs. In this context, our findings indicate that without significant investments, the teacher workforce is likely to remain predominately white – at significant cost to students with disabilities.

    Anti-DEI movement cuts funding

    The Trump administration has canceled teacher preparation grants that recruit teachers of color and has taken other actions that could lead to a less diverse and skilled educator workforce.
    Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

    While there have been long-standing challenges, recent steps taken by the Trump administration could limit efforts to boost teacher diversity.

    In its push to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the administration has cut grant funding for programs designed to develop a diverse educator workforce.

    The administration has also cut millions of dollars dedicated to training teachers to work in underfunded, high-poverty schools and has threatened additional funding cuts to universities engaging in equity-based work.

    These federal actions make the teacher workforce less adept at addressing the substantial challenges facing U.S. schools, such as declining interest in the teaching profession and and persistent racial disparities in student outcomes.

    Given the strong evidence of the benefits of teachers of color and the national trends that our research uncovered, federal and state investments should prioritize supporting prospective teachers of color.

    Elizabeth Bettini’s research has been funded by the US Department of Education’s National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences, the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, and the Spencer Foundation. She is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research and Teacher Education Division, for which she edits the journal Teacher Education and Special Education.

    LaRon A. Scott has received funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. He is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Teacher Education Division and the American Association for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

    Tuan D. Nguyen receives funding from the National Science Foundation to do work around STEM teachers and computer science education.

    – ref. Diversifying the special education teacher workforce could benefit US schools – https://theconversation.com/diversifying-the-special-education-teacher-workforce-could-benefit-us-schools-254916

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Diversifying the special education teacher workforce could benefit US schools

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Bettini, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Boston University

    The demographics of the special education teacher workforce have remained static, but the student population these educators serve is becoming more diverse. Courtney Hale/E+ via Getty Images

    Teachers of color positively impact all students, including students of color with disabilities. Yet, the special education teacher workforce is overwhelmingly white.

    In our recent research, we found that special education teacher demographics are not keeping pace with changes in the student population.

    In 2012, about 80% of U.S. public school teachers were white, including about 80% of special education teachers, while less than 20% were teachers of color. By contrast, in the same year, students of color constituted 47% of those diagnosed with disabilities.

    In our recent study, we examined whether these numbers have changed. Analyzing multiple national datasets on the teacher workforce, we found the proportion of special education teachers of color has been static, even as the student population is rapidly becoming more diverse.

    So, the special education teacher workforce is actually becoming less representative of the student population over time. Specifically, in 2012, 16.5% of special education teachers were people of color, compared with 17.1% in 2021. In that same span, the share of students with disabilities who are students of color rose from 47.3% in 2012 to 53.9% in 2021.

    In fact, for the special education teacher workforce to become representative of the student population, U.S. schools would need to triple the number of special education teachers of color.

    As scholars who study teacher recruitment and retention and teacher working conditions, we are concerned that this disparity will affect the quality of education students receive.

    Why does a diverse teacher workforce matter?

    Without more support from the government, the U.S. teacher workforce is likely to remain predominantly white.
    gradyreese/iStock via Getty Images

    For children of color, the research is clear: Teachers of color are, on average, more effective than white teachers in providing positive educational experiences and outcomes for students of color, including students of color with disabilities.

    One study found that low-income Black male students who had one Black teacher in third, fourth or fifth grade were 39% less likely to drop out of high school and 29% more likely to enroll in college.

    Moreover, teachers of color are just as effective as white teachers – and sometimes more effective – in teaching white students.

    Providing pathways

    The U.S. has institutions dedicated to attracting and retaining educators of color: Programs at historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions prepare a substantial number of new teachers of color annually.

    Further, many local initiatives support educators of color and attract teachers who might not otherwise have opportunities to join the profession.

    These include: Grow Your Own programs that recruit effective teachers of color from local communities, teacher residency programs that help schools retain teachers of color, and
    scholarships and loan forgiveness programs that support all teachers, including teachers of color.

    However, the U.S. educator workforce faces broad challenges with declining interest in the teaching profession and declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs. In this context, our findings indicate that without significant investments, the teacher workforce is likely to remain predominately white – at significant cost to students with disabilities.

    Anti-DEI movement cuts funding

    The Trump administration has canceled teacher preparation grants that recruit teachers of color and has taken other actions that could lead to a less diverse and skilled educator workforce.
    Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

    While there have been long-standing challenges, recent steps taken by the Trump administration could limit efforts to boost teacher diversity.

    In its push to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the administration has cut grant funding for programs designed to develop a diverse educator workforce.

    The administration has also cut millions of dollars dedicated to training teachers to work in underfunded, high-poverty schools and has threatened additional funding cuts to universities engaging in equity-based work.

    These federal actions make the teacher workforce less adept at addressing the substantial challenges facing U.S. schools, such as declining interest in the teaching profession and and persistent racial disparities in student outcomes.

    Given the strong evidence of the benefits of teachers of color and the national trends that our research uncovered, federal and state investments should prioritize supporting prospective teachers of color.

    Elizabeth Bettini’s research has been funded by the US Department of Education’s National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences, the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, and the Spencer Foundation. She is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research and Teacher Education Division, for which she edits the journal Teacher Education and Special Education.

    LaRon A. Scott has received funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. He is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Teacher Education Division and the American Association for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

    Tuan D. Nguyen receives funding from the National Science Foundation to do work around STEM teachers and computer science education.

    – ref. Diversifying the special education teacher workforce could benefit US schools – https://theconversation.com/diversifying-the-special-education-teacher-workforce-could-benefit-us-schools-254916

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Federal energy office illustrates the perils of fluctuating budgets and priorities

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Christelle Khalaf, Associate Director, Government Finance Research Center, University of Illinois Chicago

    How much money goes into which pile often changes with the presidency. valiantsin suprunovich/iStock / Getty Images Plus

    When new presidential administrations enter the White House, federal agencies often find their funding and priorities shifting, sometimes dramatically.

    I’m a scholar who studies how policy and market shifts affect regional economies, labor markets and public systems, particularly in the context of critical infrastructure such as energy and water. I’ve seen how both of those types of changes – of funding levels and priorities – destabilize agencies and cut off long-term projects before they achieve their intended goals.

    In one research project, with co-authors Dr. Deborah A. Carroll and Zach Perkins, I took a close look at one office within a federal agency, the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. What we found serves as an example of how these changes have played out in the past, and it gives context to how the Trump administration’s changes are playing out now in that agency and across the federal government.

    The office, known by researchers and its personnel as EERE, is mainly focused on funding research and development to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and reduce the costs of those technologies to consumers. Its key efforts involve low-emission transportation, renewable electricity generation and decreasing the carbon emissions of buildings and industry processes.

    It makes grants to, and enters research and development agreements with, small businesses, industry, national laboratories, universities and state and local governments. Recipients are often required to contribute matching funds or other support to the project to complement the federal funding.

    In general, Congress appropriates funding to the office as part of the yearly budget process. However, the office also receives sporadic influxes of additional funding to stimulate the economy or address concerns related to energy security and greenhouse gas emissions. Ultimately, the amount of funding EERE gets depends in part on overall economic conditions or national crises.

    Boosting funding levels

    Some of those supplemental allocations can be significant, and many last until the funds have been spent, even if that takes a number of years. Following the energy crisis in the early 2000s, Congress allocated EERE a total of about $7 billion in funding for research and development in energy efficiency, renewable energy and biofuels.

    Then in 2009, following the Great Recession, Congress gave EERE $16.7 billion – most of which was to help low-income families pay to install efficient light sources or insulation to save them money. About $5.4 billion was for research and development.

    In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Energy Act of 2020, mainly focusing on nuclear energy and carbon capture technologies but also providing over $500 million in research and development funding for EERE.

    In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated about $16.3 billion to EERE. And in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $18 billion. As with other additional funding allocations, Congress made most of that money available until the total authorized amount has been spent.

    But the future of these allocations is uncertain. A January 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump requested that all agencies immediately pause the disbursement of funds Congress approved in both laws.

    In its 2026 budget, the Trump administration is proposing spending $900 million on EERE’s work – a 70% reduction from its 2025 allocation of $3.5 billion. This echoes a move during Trump’s first term when the White House proposed the office’s funding be cut by nearly 70% between the 2017 and 2018 budgets. However, at that time, Congress decided to keep the office’s budget largely intact. Congress will review and decide on this proposed budget as well.

    Solar energy is just one of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s areas of research.
    alexsl/iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Shifting priorities

    How those varying amounts of money are spent also changes, often based on shifts in political leadership with different views about what types of technologies are most worth investing in, and about the most effective role of government in developing new technologies.

    Our qualitative analysis has found that Republican administrations typically believe that very-early-stage research and development is an appropriate role for the federal government, but that as technologies move closer to commercialization, the private sector should take the lead.

    In contrast, we found that Democratic administrations believe that promising innovations often fail to reach the market due to insufficient private sector support during the demonstration and deployment phases. So they tend to advocate for increased federal involvement to assist with the transition from research to market-ready technologies.

    There is also a partisan difference in which technologies get financial support. Solar and wind energy technologies have historically received higher funding under Democratic administrations. In contrast, bioenergy and hydrogen technologies have received higher funding under Republican administrations.

    Funding the future

    EERE often funds projects that are considered too risky for private investors to fund alone. Expanding knowledge requires experimentation, so some EERE projects have achieved notable success, while others have not.

    For instance, the office’s investments have played a pivotal role in both spreading electric vehicle technologies and reducing their cost to consumers. Beginning with a major funding boost from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and with further allocations in subsequent years, EERE helped fund breakthroughs in battery manufacturing, power electronics and electric drive systems.

    These advancements contributed to a sharp rise in adoption: In 2012, there were just 100,000 electric vehicles registered in the U.S. By 2022, that number was above 3 million. And in 2014, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles accounted for 3% of all new light-duty vehicle sales. By 2024, that share had grown to 19%.

    EERE’s investments in electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells, by contrast, have not done so well. Despite significant government support in the 2000s, their commercial availability remains largely limited to California, where most of the country’s hydrogen refueling stations are located.

    Various aspects of electric vehicle technologies have received federal support.
    Cavan Images/Cavan via Getty Images

    A change in approach

    Our analysis of the office’s operations finds that the amount of change in funding levels and priorities can create an environment that hinders thoughtful project selection. Programs that begin under one administration can’t be counted on to continue under subsequent presidents, and dollars allocated for the future may be repurposed down the road, leaving projects only partially finished.

    Studies also find that rapidly increasing budgets can create misaligned incentives as public administrators scramble to use the funds during the authorization period. For example, some may prioritize grantees who can accept and spend money rapidly, regardless of the potential public benefit of their innovation.

    Further, the shifting priorities complicate long-term planning for government officials, researchers and businesses. Sustaining innovation over a long period takes years of commitment. Studies have shown that inconsistent or volatile government funding can hinder overall technological progress and discourage private investment. One example is the exploration of algae-based biofuels in the 1980s, which was shut down in the 1990s due to shifting federal priorities. That stalled progress in the field and led to a loss of more than half of the genetic legacy collected through the program. In the late 2000s, the federal government resumed funding algae-based biofuel research.

    Overall, research by us and others underscores the importance of sustained funding and institutional continuity to ensure the success of publicly funded research and development. That’s what other peer countries are doing: boosting long-term investments in clean energy with consistent priorities and predictable funding.

    Following that model, in contrast to the current practice of ever-shifting priorities, would create more effective opportunities to develop, produce and deploy innovative energy technologies in the U.S., helping to maintain global competitiveness and reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing.

    Christelle Khalaf received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to examine EERE R&D funding trends. She has also received funding from the Department of Energy for separate research.

    – ref. Federal energy office illustrates the perils of fluctuating budgets and priorities – https://theconversation.com/federal-energy-office-illustrates-the-perils-of-fluctuating-budgets-and-priorities-255936

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University

    The star attorneys of the Scopes trial: Clarence Darrow, left, for the defense and William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution. Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images

    Ask Americans about the Scopes trial, and they might have heard of it as the “trial of the century,” a showdown over teaching human evolution.

    Less well known are its origins. As historian Edward J. Larson observed in “Summer for the Gods,” his Pulitzer Prize-winning book: “Like so many archetypal American events, the trial itself began as a publicity stunt.”

    Held during July 1925 in the tiny railroad town of Dayton, Tennessee, located not far from the public university where I teach Appalachian studies, the trial was a “stunt” prompted by the state legislature’s passage of the Butler Act, which forbade educators in public schools from teaching “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” Tennessee was the first state to enact this type of legislation.

    This “monkey trial” – so dubbed by journalist H. L. Mencken, for humans’ common ancestor with apes – exposed a cultural rift in the United States, as many Christians wrestled with how to reconcile biblical beliefs with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. That rift would be widened by media coverage and national response. Over the past century, collective memories of the trial, as interpreted through music, film and literature, have proven a bellwether of the ongoing “culture wars” in American society.

    Publicity stunt

    In Tennessee, support for the Butler Act was hardly universal. Not in favor was George Rappleyea, manager of a Dayton-area coal and iron mining operation. Rappleyea lobbied other community leaders, some of whom supported the new law, to collectively stage a trial, hoping media attention would generate economic activity in the town.

    Those instigators approached John T. Scopes, a social science and math teacher at the local public high school who had also substitute-taught some biology lessons. The 24-year-old could not recall if his lectures had in fact violated the Butler Act, but the textbook in use at his school included evolutionary theory. Scopes agreed to participate.

    Testifying against their teacher were three students who had clearly been coached to do so. Nevertheless, the presiding judge persuaded the grand jury to indict.

    As an early indication of outside interest, Paul Patterson, the publisher of The Baltimore Sun, paid Scopes’ bail, and the ACLU announced it would defend him.

    Center of the storm

    Arguments started on July 10, 1925, at the Rhea County Courthouse. The trial may have begun as a determination of whether Scopes had violated the Butler Act, but both sides soon focused on debating the relative merits of biblical cosmology versus Darwinian theory.

    American teacher John Scopes, second from left, stands during his trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution.
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    Representing the creationist perspective was prosecuting attorney Tom Stewart, a future senator from Tennessee. Special counsel William Jennings Bryan, a former U.S. secretary of state, was included on the prosecution team at the behest of a Christian fundamentalist organization.

    The evolutionary theory position was argued by prominent trade union lawyer Clarence Darrow. An agnostic who distrusted religious fundamentalism, Darrow wrote that “there was no limit to the mischief that might be accomplished unless the country was aroused to the evil at hand.”

    A circuslike atmosphere enveloped Dayton. Embodying the “monkey trial” was the performing chimpanzee Joe Mendi, whose trainers posed him for photographs around town. More than 200 journalists attended the trial, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker and other publications around the nation.

    Joe Mendi, a monkey who performed in films and theater, was brought to Dayton during the trial.
    Looking Back at Tennessee Photograph Collection, 1890-1981/Tennessee State Library & Archives

    Receiving the most attention was Mencken, whose reportage for The Baltimore Sun did not attempt to disguise his bias against the cultural values of rural America. Dayton’s people, he wrote, “are simply unable to imagine a man who rejects the literal authority of the Bible.”

    Updates were circulated in real time via radio – the first U.S. trial to be broadcast live nationally. Filmed footage was rushed from Dayton to be shared in the nation’s theaters as newsreels.

    The trial ended on July 21, 1925, with a conviction and a fine. Scopes’ conviction was eventually overturned on a technicality. Since the trial had not challenged the legality of the Butler Act, however, that law remained on the books in Tennessee for more than four decades.

    ‘Monkey Biz-Ness’

    Commenting on the Scopes trial were two 1925 recordings by major singers of the day: a comedic jazz ditty entitled “Monkey Biz-Ness (Down in Tennessee),” performed by the International Novelty Orchestra with singer Billy Murray; and the country hit “The John T. Scopes Trial (The Old Religion’s Better After All),” sung by Vernon Dalhart. The latter song’s lyrics, composed by Carson Robison, warned listeners that “you may find a new belief, it will only bring you grief.”

    Other songs of the era – with titles such as “The Bible’s True,” “You Can’t Make a Monkey Out of Me,” “You Talk Like a Monkey and You Walk Like a Monkey” and “Ain’t No Bugs on Me” – echoed that same line of thought: “rural” skepticism toward the “urban,” pro-science perspective on the origins of humankind.

    Supporters of the ‘Anti-Evolution League’ amid the Scopes trial. From Literary Digest, July 25, 1925.
    Mike Licht/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Whereas Scopes was the subject of ridicule in those songs, he and his defenders were celebrated as heroes in “Inherit the Wind,” a 1955 Broadway play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. A fictionalized portrayal of the Scopes trial, the play powerfully defended free speech – veiled criticism of Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s recent investigations of various American citizens for their political positions and beliefs.

    “Inherit the Wind” inspired a 1960 film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kramer. Its “fanaticism and ignorance” speech depicts the character based on Darrow – played by Spencer Tracy – arguing that without science, society would regress back to a time of unconstrained bigotry. The film received its debut American screening in Dayton on the 35th anniversary of the end of the Scopes trial; Scopes himself was the guest of honor.

    ‘Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding.’

    Representations of rural Tennessee in popular culture depictions and in media coverage of the trial drew from a font of stereotypes about Appalachia that have continued into the present century. Condescending depictions of the region have been present in American culture since before the Civil War.

    Centennial commemoration

    Memory of the Scopes trial endures in popular culture. Take, for instance, a reference in Bruce Springsteen’s 1990 song “Part Man, Part Monkey,” or Ronald Kidd’s 2006 “Monkey Town,” a historical novel for young adults.

    Dayton did benefit from the notoriety of the Scopes trial, thanks to sustained cultural tourism. Proud of its unique history, the town today boasts a historical marker to alert passersby to the significance of the landmark event that took place in the Rhea County Courthouse. And in 2025, Dayton has been hosting a series of events to commemorate the trial’s centennial.

    Back in 1925, even the Baltimore journalist Mencken begrudgingly praised Dayton and its townspeople, admitting, “It would be hard to imagine a more moral town than Dayton.”

    “I expected to find a squalid Southern village … What I found was a country town of charm and even beauty,” he wrote.

    Ted Olson 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. ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since – https://theconversation.com/monkey-biz-ness-pop-culture-helped-fan-the-flames-of-the-scopes-monkey-trial-100-years-ago-and-ever-since-255946

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University

    The star attorneys of the Scopes trial: Clarence Darrow, left, for the defense and William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution. Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images

    Ask Americans about the Scopes trial, and they might have heard of it as the “trial of the century,” a showdown over teaching human evolution.

    Less well known are its origins. As historian Edward J. Larson observed in “Summer for the Gods,” his Pulitzer Prize-winning book: “Like so many archetypal American events, the trial itself began as a publicity stunt.”

    Held during July 1925 in the tiny railroad town of Dayton, Tennessee, located not far from the public university where I teach Appalachian studies, the trial was a “stunt” prompted by the state legislature’s passage of the Butler Act, which forbade educators in public schools from teaching “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” Tennessee was the first state to enact this type of legislation.

    This “monkey trial” – so dubbed by journalist H. L. Mencken, for humans’ common ancestor with apes – exposed a cultural rift in the United States, as many Christians wrestled with how to reconcile biblical beliefs with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. That rift would be widened by media coverage and national response. Over the past century, collective memories of the trial, as interpreted through music, film and literature, have proven a bellwether of the ongoing “culture wars” in American society.

    Publicity stunt

    In Tennessee, support for the Butler Act was hardly universal. Not in favor was George Rappleyea, manager of a Dayton-area coal and iron mining operation. Rappleyea lobbied other community leaders, some of whom supported the new law, to collectively stage a trial, hoping media attention would generate economic activity in the town.

    Those instigators approached John T. Scopes, a social science and math teacher at the local public high school who had also substitute-taught some biology lessons. The 24-year-old could not recall if his lectures had in fact violated the Butler Act, but the textbook in use at his school included evolutionary theory. Scopes agreed to participate.

    Testifying against their teacher were three students who had clearly been coached to do so. Nevertheless, the presiding judge persuaded the grand jury to indict.

    As an early indication of outside interest, Paul Patterson, the publisher of The Baltimore Sun, paid Scopes’ bail, and the ACLU announced it would defend him.

    Center of the storm

    Arguments started on July 10, 1925, at the Rhea County Courthouse. The trial may have begun as a determination of whether Scopes had violated the Butler Act, but both sides soon focused on debating the relative merits of biblical cosmology versus Darwinian theory.

    American teacher John Scopes, second from left, stands during his trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution.
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    Representing the creationist perspective was prosecuting attorney Tom Stewart, a future senator from Tennessee. Special counsel William Jennings Bryan, a former U.S. secretary of state, was included on the prosecution team at the behest of a Christian fundamentalist organization.

    The evolutionary theory position was argued by prominent trade union lawyer Clarence Darrow. An agnostic who distrusted religious fundamentalism, Darrow wrote that “there was no limit to the mischief that might be accomplished unless the country was aroused to the evil at hand.”

    A circuslike atmosphere enveloped Dayton. Embodying the “monkey trial” was the performing chimpanzee Joe Mendi, whose trainers posed him for photographs around town. More than 200 journalists attended the trial, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker and other publications around the nation.

    Joe Mendi, a monkey who performed in films and theater, was brought to Dayton during the trial.
    Looking Back at Tennessee Photograph Collection, 1890-1981/Tennessee State Library & Archives

    Receiving the most attention was Mencken, whose reportage for The Baltimore Sun did not attempt to disguise his bias against the cultural values of rural America. Dayton’s people, he wrote, “are simply unable to imagine a man who rejects the literal authority of the Bible.”

    Updates were circulated in real time via radio – the first U.S. trial to be broadcast live nationally. Filmed footage was rushed from Dayton to be shared in the nation’s theaters as newsreels.

    The trial ended on July 21, 1925, with a conviction and a fine. Scopes’ conviction was eventually overturned on a technicality. Since the trial had not challenged the legality of the Butler Act, however, that law remained on the books in Tennessee for more than four decades.

    ‘Monkey Biz-Ness’

    Commenting on the Scopes trial were two 1925 recordings by major singers of the day: a comedic jazz ditty entitled “Monkey Biz-Ness (Down in Tennessee),” performed by the International Novelty Orchestra with singer Billy Murray; and the country hit “The John T. Scopes Trial (The Old Religion’s Better After All),” sung by Vernon Dalhart. The latter song’s lyrics, composed by Carson Robison, warned listeners that “you may find a new belief, it will only bring you grief.”

    Other songs of the era – with titles such as “The Bible’s True,” “You Can’t Make a Monkey Out of Me,” “You Talk Like a Monkey and You Walk Like a Monkey” and “Ain’t No Bugs on Me” – echoed that same line of thought: “rural” skepticism toward the “urban,” pro-science perspective on the origins of humankind.

    Supporters of the ‘Anti-Evolution League’ amid the Scopes trial. From Literary Digest, July 25, 1925.
    Mike Licht/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Whereas Scopes was the subject of ridicule in those songs, he and his defenders were celebrated as heroes in “Inherit the Wind,” a 1955 Broadway play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. A fictionalized portrayal of the Scopes trial, the play powerfully defended free speech – veiled criticism of Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s recent investigations of various American citizens for their political positions and beliefs.

    “Inherit the Wind” inspired a 1960 film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kramer. Its “fanaticism and ignorance” speech depicts the character based on Darrow – played by Spencer Tracy – arguing that without science, society would regress back to a time of unconstrained bigotry. The film received its debut American screening in Dayton on the 35th anniversary of the end of the Scopes trial; Scopes himself was the guest of honor.

    ‘Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding.’

    Representations of rural Tennessee in popular culture depictions and in media coverage of the trial drew from a font of stereotypes about Appalachia that have continued into the present century. Condescending depictions of the region have been present in American culture since before the Civil War.

    Centennial commemoration

    Memory of the Scopes trial endures in popular culture. Take, for instance, a reference in Bruce Springsteen’s 1990 song “Part Man, Part Monkey,” or Ronald Kidd’s 2006 “Monkey Town,” a historical novel for young adults.

    Dayton did benefit from the notoriety of the Scopes trial, thanks to sustained cultural tourism. Proud of its unique history, the town today boasts a historical marker to alert passersby to the significance of the landmark event that took place in the Rhea County Courthouse. And in 2025, Dayton has been hosting a series of events to commemorate the trial’s centennial.

    Back in 1925, even the Baltimore journalist Mencken begrudgingly praised Dayton and its townspeople, admitting, “It would be hard to imagine a more moral town than Dayton.”

    “I expected to find a squalid Southern village … What I found was a country town of charm and even beauty,” he wrote.

    Ted Olson 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. ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since – https://theconversation.com/monkey-biz-ness-pop-culture-helped-fan-the-flames-of-the-scopes-monkey-trial-100-years-ago-and-ever-since-255946

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court rules Trump can rapidly deport immigrants to Libya, South Sudan and other countries they aren’t from

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eleanor Paynter, Assistant Professor of Italian, Migration, and Global Media Studies, University of Oregon

    Internally displaced people walk along a street in Juba, South Sudan, on Feb. 13, 2025. Brian Inganga/AP Photos

    For the past several months, the Trump administration has been trying to deport immigrants to countries they are not from – despite an April 2025 federal ruling that had blocked the White House from doing so.

    A divided Supreme Court decided on June 23, in a brief emergency order, that the Trump administration can, for now, legally deport immigrants to countries they were not born in – known as “third countries” – without giving them time to contest their destination. The third countries that President Donald Trump has recently prioritized, including El Salvador, South Sudan and Libya, are known for being dangerous places with weak rule of law and routine human rights violations.

    The 6-3 decision did not specify a legal rationale for the ruling. The court’s three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, all dissented.

    “Apparently, the Court finds the idea that thousands will suffer violence in farflung locales more palatable than the remote possibility that a District Court exceeded its powers when it ordered the government provide notice to the targeted migrants,” Sotomayor wrote in a 19-page dissent, joined by Kagan and Brown Jackson.

    Understanding this legal case

    The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court at the end of May to allow the rapid deportation of eight men who were convicted of crimes to South Sudan. Only one of those immigrants is from South Sudan, a politically unstable country in northeastern Africa. The rest are from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

    Brian Murphy, a federal judge in Massachusetts, had blocked those immigrants’ deportation to South Sudan on May 21, saying that this move violated his April 2025 court order. In that ruling, he stated that people being deported to third countries should have time to contest their destination if it might put them in danger.

    The flight to South Sudan was rerouted to an American military base in the East African country of Djibouti, where the men are reportedly living in a converted shipping container while they wait to hear whether they will be deported to South Sudan.

    Murphy also ruled in April that the Trump administration cannot send other immigrants to Libya if they are not foreign nationals of that North African country.

    I study how restrictive immigration policies make people’s journeys into a new country dangerous and can harm their well-being. In that research, I have interviewed African migrants who have traversed the Sahara Desert, Libya and the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe, where they seek asylum.

    The White House has not explained why it wants to send immigrants to South Sudan or Libya.

    Libya’s government has denied any direct coordination with the U.S. on this issue, and South Sudan’s government has said that any immigrants deported there with criminal records would be sent to their own countries.

    But a May federal court filing said that Trump administration officials have tried to negotiate deportation arrangements with Libya and South Sudan that give the governments money or other benefits for taking in immigrants from the U.S.

    South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, right, meets with Abdel Fattah, a general from Sudan, at a September 2024 ceremony in Juba, South Sudan.
    South Sudan Presidency/Anadolu via Getty Images

    South Sudan’s shaky footing

    Migrants can legally be deported to another nation when their country of origin refuses to repatriate them – though this practice is rare.

    Former President Joe Biden, for example, deported Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to Mexico if it was politically or logistically difficult to repatriate them.

    But the Trump administration is the first to insist on expedited removal of immigrants to countries outside of Latin America.

    South Sudan became a country in 2011, when it split from Sudan after a decades-long war. Since then, South Sudan has been led by a single president – Salva Kiir – who has been described by international critics as authoritarian, meaning he tries to centralize his own power and limit other people’s political rights. In March 2025, Kiir oversaw the arrest of vice president and opposition leader Riek Machar.

    Fighting between the government and opposition forces has prompted more than 2.3 million South Sudanese to flee to neighboring countries since 2013.

    In 2025 alone, the country’s civil conflict has prompted more than 130,000 people to become internally displaced, meaning they were forced to leave their homes and live elsewhere within the country.

    In March, Uganda deployed its troops to South Sudan to support the president, prompting concern of a full-scale civil war between forces backing Kiir and opposition forces. The United Nations then extended a U.S.-sponsored arms embargo in May to prevent weapons from reaching the region.

    The conflict has also blocked the distribution of lifesaving aid, including food and other basic supplies, to reach people in South Sudan. About 57% of the country’s estimated 11 million people do not get enough food.

    In March, the U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees to leave South Sudan.

    The State Department has also documented “significant human rights issues” in South Sudan, including threats to freedom of expression, as well as arbitrary arrests and detentions.

    Libya’s danger for migrants

    People demonstrate against the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, Libya, on June 20, 2025.
    Mahmud Turkia/AFP via Getty Images

    The Trump administration is also trying to send immigrants to Libya, which has not had a stable government since the U.S. and other countries supported the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gadhafi in 2011. Libya is currently ruled by two rival governments: the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in the country’s western region and the Government of National Stability in the east.

    The U.S. has not had an embassy in Libya since 2014 due to unpredictable and unstable security there.

    Armed militias control sections of Libya, and in some cases, they are also embedded as part of the governments.

    Libya is a significant destination for migrants from countries throughout Africa and the Middle East who want to work in, or just pass through, Libya on their way north to Europe.

    It is also a dangerous place for migrants. A 2023 U.N. fact-finding mission in Libya documented what migrants have long maintained in interviews with advocacy groups – they are regularly held for ransom by human traffickers, enslaved, and arrested and tortured in detention centers partly funded by Europe.

    A mass grave found in 2021 near the village of Tarhouna contained the bodies of hundreds of locals who had disappeared under militia rule. In February 2025, the U.N. confirmed the discovery of mass migrant graves, with bodies showing signs of gunshot wounds.

    In a May 2025 court declaration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the injunction halting rapid third-country deportations threatens “a significant commercial deal to expand activities of a U.S. energy company in Libya.” In Libya, home to Africa’s largest oil reserves, U.S. companies are actively seeking to rekindle partnerships with the country’s national oil company.

    In June, Trump included Libya on the list of countries banned from sending citizens to the U.S., citing the inability to “safely and reliably vet and screen” citizens from Libya and the other banned countries.

    Other options for Trump administration

    The U.S. is actively seeking additional countries it could send immigrants to in the future, even if they are not from those places.

    Rubio issued a memo on June 14, about expanding the list of countries in the current travel ban against foreign nationals from 12 countries, including Libya. He noted that the 36 additional countries – mostly in Africa and including South Sudan – could mitigate the harsh policy by agreeing to accept immigrants from other countries who are deported from the U.S.

    Eleanor Paynter 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. Supreme Court rules Trump can rapidly deport immigrants to Libya, South Sudan and other countries they aren’t from – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-rules-trump-can-rapidly-deport-immigrants-to-libya-south-sudan-and-other-countries-they-arent-from-258155

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