FORT BRAGG, North Carolina, June 17 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command issued the following news: * * * Army Reserve Soldier become first section to be gunnery qualified in 10 years * CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Command dismount from their High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, steam coming off their gun barrels in the cool night air. The energy among the team is ecstatic, they have just become the first section in the U.S. Army Reserve to be gunnery qualified in nearly 10 years. more PR

CANBERRA, Australia, June 19 -- The Australian Department of Defence issued the following news release: * * * Australia boosts support for Ukraine's defence The Albanese Government will provide an additional $100 million in assistance to Ukraine for critical military equipment, as the country continues its fight against Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion. Following a commitment of $50 million to the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) in December last year, Australia will make two additional $50 million contributions ove more PR

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 18 [Category: Law/Legal] -- Fortify Rights, a team of human rights defenders, issued the following news release: * * * Bangladesh Expands Labour Migration to Russia * This month, Bangladesh and Russia announced plans to significantly expand labour migration pathways, with discussions underway to increase the number of Bangladeshi workers in Russia from approximately 10,000 today to as many as 100,000. The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Moscow between Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and  more PR

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 18 [Category: Media] -- The European Broadcasting Union issued the following news release: * * * Brian Wynne from RTE elected Chair of new EBU Technical Committee * The 32nd EBU Technical Assembly has elected a new Technical Committee and Chair at its annual meeting, hosted by Spanish public broadcaster RTVE in Barcelona. Brian Wynne, Head of Technology Infrastructure at RTE, was elected Chair of the new Technical Committee (TC), taking over from Michael Eberhard, Chief Technology Officer at ARD/SWR, who led the TC more PR

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- Speaking at the Annual Security Review Conference in Vienna, Austria, British Director of Defence and International Security Ben Fender reconfirmed the United Kingdom's steadfast support for Ukraine and condemned Russia's ongoing war. Fender highlighted that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe remains a vital forum for telling truths and holding member states accountable. The director also addressed escalating regional threats, noting recent drone strikes on a Ukrainian nuclear facility and a Romani more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Center for European Policy Analysis issued the following commentary on June 18, 2026, by Elina Beketova, non-resident fellow with the Democratic Resilience Program: * * * Behind the Lines: How Deep is China's Engagement in Occupied Ukraine? Is China expanding its presence in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia? Or is it just another of the Kremlin's propaganda games? - "In the village of Urzuf, the first tourists have opened the swimming season," reports a Russian TV reporter from the Azov Sea coast in occupied D more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Center for European Policy Analysis issued the following commentary on June 18, 2026, by contributing editor Tatiana Vorozhko and contributing journalist Dinara Khalilova to the Reckoning Project: * * * Silence and Fear: Life Under Russian Occupation Evidence and stories from people living under Russian occupation in Ukraine tell of fear, intimidation, and silence. - The story of Svitlana and her husband, Petro, both in their 50s, who spent almost a year in an occupied small town in Kherson Oblast, offers insight more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news: * * * Cornyn, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Bolster Ukraine's Defense Arsenal Using Seized Russian Sovereign Assets * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today introduced the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABER) Act, which would amend current law to allow Ukraine to use assets confiscated from the Central Bank of  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary on June 17, 2026, by Deputy Director Alek Jovovic and research assistant A.J. Dilts, both with the Center for the Industrial Base. Jovovic is also a senior fellow in the CSIS Defense and Security Department. * * * Industrial Athleticism: Calibrating Defense Production to Address Evolving Threats Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific have prompted the United States to pursue a deeper invent more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary on June 18, 2026, by J. Stephen Morrison, senior vice president and director of the Global Health Policy Center, and Michaela Simoneau, fellow with the Global Health Policy Center: * * * Managing DRC's Ebola Crisis A dangerous Ebola outbreak of the unfamiliar Bundibugyo species is unfolding in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), centered in the remote, violently disordered, and difficult to access Ituri province and its n more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following Critical Questions Q&A on June 18, 2026, involving Aaron Stanley, deputy director and fellow of the Africa Program: * * * After the Supermajority: Ethiopia's Trajectory Following the 2026 Election Ethiopia held its general elections on June 1, and with the majority of votes now finalized, all signs point to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali's Prosperity Party having secured a vast majority. While many analysts confidently predicted these outcomes well  more PR

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 18 -- The European Federation of Journalists posted the following statement by President Maja Sever regarding media freedom, growing threats and the need to protect independent journalism and journalists' rights across Europe: * * * It seems to me that every year, when I stand before you at the opening of our annual assembly, there are new threats, new reasons for concern, and new examples of democratic standards being eroded across Europe. Yet every year also reminds us why journalism matters. Because when freedom and more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * Gillibrand, Suozzi, Gillen Urge Trump Administration To Boost Gas Mileage Deductions Amid Sky-High Prices At The Pump * Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), and U.S. Representative Laura Gillen (D-NY-04) urged the Trump administration to raise the federal standard mileage rates for certain business, medical, and moving uses to provide relief to New Yorkers struggling amidst sky-high gas pri more PR

ALLENDALE, Michigan, June 19 -- Grand Valley State University issued the following Q&A on June 18, 2026, political science professor Polly Diven and economics professor Paul Isely: * * * GVSU Experts: A Q&A on the U.S.-Iran agreement and its global impact Profile picture for Brian Vernellis By Brian Vernellis Polly Diven, professor of political science, researches and teaches international relations and U.S. foreign policy. She discusses the diplomatic challenges, regional dynamics and long-term implications of the agreement for U.S. forei more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on June 17, 2026, by senior fellow Liselotte Odgaard to Centrum Balticum: * * * China in Northern Europe and the Arctic The Arctic region is not high on China's strategic agenda. China has a long-standing record of engagement in Arctic scientific research, institutional cooperation, resource extraction and navigation. As a global power, China establishes an economic, polit more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on June 17, 2026, by nonresident senior fellow Can Kasapoglu: * * * Ukraine Military Situation Report | June 17 Executive Summary * Battlefield assessment. Combat activity remained intense last week, with key pressure points emerging in Huliaipole and Pokrovsk and dangerous urban combat in Kostiantynivka. * Russia targets cultural landmarks. To target the cultural founda more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: * * * In SASC Airland Hearing, Kelly Questions Army Officials on Munitions Shortfalls and Operation Modernization * This week, during a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Airland Subcommittee hearing, Arizona Senator and Navy combat veteran Mark Kelly (D-AZ), the Subcommittee's Ranking Member, delivered remarks and questioned high-ranking officials on the Army's plan to rebuild critically low munitions stockpiles, how the Army is modernizing its operat more PR

NEW YORK, June 18 [Category: International] -- The International Rescue Committee posted the following news release: * * * IRC's David Miliband in Ukraine: "Human tenacity is evident in every conversation" * Mykolaiv, Ukraine, June 18, 2026 - Ahead of World Refugee Day, the International Rescue Committee's President and CEO David Miliband visits conflict-affected communities in southeastern Ukraine, where the recent escalation lays bare the cost of the dismantling of the rules that once set limits on how wars are fought and how crises are m more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on June 18, 2026, by Paul Goble, specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia, in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor: * * * Moscow Pushing North Caucasians to Adopt a Common Civic Russian Identity Executive Summary: * Alarmed by new data showing that the non-Russian nations of the North Caucasus lag far behind Russians as a whole in identifying as civic Russians, the Kremlin is now working to force North Caucasians to adopt this broader identifica more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * Kaine, Cornyn, Coons, & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Bolster Ukraine's Defense Arsenal Using Seized Russian Sovereign Assets * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABER) Act, which would amend current law to allow Ukraine to use assets confiscated  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King Asserts Role on Armed Services Committee to Support Maine Economy and Strengthen National Security * WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), worked with his committee colleagues over the past several months, culminating in last week's full committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to secure strong investments in Maine's economy more PR

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- George Washington University posted the following news: * * * Media Tip Sheet: Leaders at G7 Summit Discuss Ukraine and Russia's Future * Leaders at the G7 Summit in France have pledged to strengthen Ukraine's air defences and tighten sanctions on Russia's gas and oil industries.  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union are open to giving Ukraine permission to manufacture their weapons domestically, rather than relying solely on imports. President Zelenskyy more PR

NORFOLK, Virginia, June 18 -- The NATO Allied Command Transformation issued the following news release: * * * From Civilian Science to Operational Impact: How AI Developed at ACT is Supporting Ukraine At Allied Command Transformation (ACT), innovation is driven by operational relevance. As the character of warfare continues to evolve, ACT is focused on ensuring emerging technologies are not only advanced, but usable, interoperable, and able to generate real effect in contested environments. In this case, that effect is not only analytical ad more PR

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 18 -- NATO issued the following news: * * * NATO Defence Ministers make good progress ahead of the Ankara Summit * On Thursday, Allied Defence Ministers had their last meeting before the NATO Summit in Ankara next month. Secretary General Mark Rutte described how the ministers made "good progress" on NATO's priorities. "Spending more, and better, on the forces and capabilities we need to defend every inch of Allied territory. Around the table today I heard Ally, after Ally, after Ally explaining how they are increasi more PR

LONDON, England, June 18 -- The British Ministry of Defence issued the following news: * * * PS750 million package to provide Ukraine with 150,000 drones and boost air defence * The UK will provide 150,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of the year as part of a PS752 million funding package to help Ukraine defend their freedom and sovereignty. Funded by the UK's PS2.26 billion Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan to Ukraine, the package provides equipment Ukraine urgently needs against Russia's war of aggression. The loan is backed more PR

SANTA MONICA, California, June 19 (TNSLrpt) -- Understanding Partner Preferences in the Selection of Defense Capabilities - A report from Rand - June 16, 2026, (209 pages) - Aidan Winn, Caitlin McCulloch, Jennifer D. P. Moroney, Beth Grill, Krystyna Marcinek, Casey Mahoney, Stephanie Pezard, David E. Thaler, Paul Cormarie Here are excerpts: * * * Exporting arms to international partners is a core component of U.S. foreign policy and U.S. Department of Defense security cooperation. However, changes in the strategic environment and global defe more PR

MANCHESTER, England, June 18 -- The University of Manchester issued the following news release: * * * University of Manchester community recognised in King's Birthday Honours 2026 Twenty-two members of the University of Manchester community have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours 2026, in addition to the three University academics announced earlier this week. The King's Birthday Honours recognise extraordinary contributions and service across the UK. This year's list highlights outstanding contributions across public service, more PR

WASHINGTON, June 19 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service issued 'Wheat Outlook: June 2026', by Andrew Sowell, in June 2026, under report number WHS-26f. The report says U.S. all-wheat production for 2026/27 is forecast at 1,543 million bushels, down 18 million from May and the lowest since 1970/71. The biggest driver is Hard Red Winter wheat, which is projected at 497 million bushels, its smallest crop since 1957/58. USDA says severe drought across the Great Plains lowered yields and increased abandonment more PR

NEW YORK, June 18 [Category: BizMedia] -- Bloomberg Media posted the following news: * * * The VivaTech x Bloomberg Award Winners Announced in Paris * Paris, June 18- Winners of the VivaTech x Bloomberg Awards, celebrating global leadership, innovation and impact in the technology sector, were announced today in a ceremony at the VivaTech Conference in Paris. The show was hosted by Bloomberg Television's Francine Lacqua and Tom Mackenzie and featured on-stage discussions with the winners. The ceremony was streamed globally on bloomberg. more PR

BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 19 -- The U.S. Department of War issued the following remarks on June 18, 2026, by Secretary Pete Hegseth at the 2026 NATO Defense Ministerial: * * * Well, Mr. Secretary General, thank you for your leadership throughout, and for this forum. And as I said, my first NATO Defense Ministerial last February, and as the Trump administration has said again and again in the last year and a half, our allies must step up. President Trump has been very clear on this point for many years, and over two administrations, and for too  more PR

NEW YORK, June 18 [Category: BizMedia] -- Dow Jones, a provider of news and business information, posted the following news release: * * * Winning in a Changing World: Dispatches from the WSJ CEO Council Summit 2026 * The atmosphere at the WSJ CEO Council Summit in London was marked by a distinct sense of realism. The boardroom narrative has shifted: speculative optimism around emerging technologies has given way to sharp, mathematical pragmatism. For two days, June 9-10, global executives navigating this complex environment did not discus more PR

MONROVIA, California, June 19 -- World Vision International issued the following news release: * * * World Refugee Day 2026: Return Does Not Equal Recovery For Children In Ukraine And Syria, Warns World Vision As the international community marks World Refugee Day, World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe (WV MEER) is calling for greater investment in children and families rebuilding their lives after displacement, warning that return alone does not guarantee recovery. World Vision MEER's latest policy brief entitled "Beyond Return: Chi more PR