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MIL-OSI China: UK sends investigation team to India after deadly plane crash: PM

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

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday that an investigation team has been dispatched to India following the deadly crash of Air India flight AI171.

In a video posted on social media platform X, Starmer said Foreign Secretary David Lammy is leading Britain’s response and that the government is working with Indian authorities to establish the facts.

Describing the reports and images from the crash as “absolutely devastating,” Starmer assured that updates would be provided as soon as possible.

Local media reported that Starmer is expected to chair a Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) meeting Thursday evening to address the tragedy, a step typically taken during major national or international emergencies.

Air India has confirmed that flight AI171, which crashed after departing from Ahmedabad Airport, was carrying 242 people. Among the passengers were 53 British nationals, 169 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. One British national has been confirmed as a survivor.

MIL OSI China News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s Village Super League denies suspension rumors

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

Recent rumors circulating online that “China’s Cun Chao football tournament has been suspended” have been officially refuted by organizers in Rongjiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province.

This file aerial photo taken on June 23, 2023 shows a view of the Village Super League in Rongjiang County of southwest China’s Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

The Village Super League, also known as Cun Chao, launched in May 2023 and has become one of China’s most prominent grassroots football events, drawing widespread attention and enthusiasm from fans around the world.

In early June, the tournament paused for a week to avoid disrupting the national college entrance examination, or Gaokao. This routine scheduling adjustment was misrepresented by some individuals who spread false information online.

“Some of these negative remarks stem from misunderstandings about Cun Chao while others are entirely fabricated rumors made up to grab attention,” said a spokesperson for the organizing committee of the Village Super League.

The competition is set to resume on June 14 with its signature “Super Saturday” lineup, featuring four official matches.

Since its inception, the Village Super League has grown significantly – from 20 participating teams in 2023 to 108 in 2025. To date, more than 1,300 teams from across China have taken part, and over 1,200 overseas players have traveled to Rongjiang for friendly matches and cultural exchange activities. From January to May 2025 alone, a total of 450 Village Super League matches have been held.

The event has also boosted local economic growth and public fitness initiatives. It attracted more than 7.6 million tourists in 2023, with attendance surging to 9.4 million in 2024. From Jan. 1 to May 5 this year, tourist arrivals reached 2.41 million, marking an 11.77 percent year-on-year increase.

In late May, Rongjiang launched the county’s first systematic football development “10-year plan.” From July to August 2025, the county will host the inaugural Village Super League National Tournament Finals and the first “Ban Chao” (Campus Football) National Championship.

MIL OSI China News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Grealish’s Club World Cup exclusion opens door for Man City exit

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

Jack Grealish looks to be on borrowed time at Manchester City after the club left him out of its squad for the forthcoming Club World Cup.

The 29-year-old player who joined for a British record 100 million pounds in the summer of 2021 from Aston Villa, has two years left on his contract, but after slipping down the pecking order with Pep Guardiola’s team last season, making just 32 appearances in all competitions, with most of those as a substitute, it now seems clear he has no future at the club.

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish (R) is challenged by Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella during the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Manchester, Britain, on Sept. 18, 2024. (Xinhua)

City’s four summer signings, goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki have all been named in the squad, along with Rodri Hernandez, although Mateo Kovacic misses out through injury and James McAtee has chosen to play for the England Under-21 side in the European Championships.

Kevin de Bruyne has also not been included, even though his contract with City doesn’t expire until the end of June, when he will move to Napoli.

Everton and Newcastle United are both reported to be interested in Grealish, although his high wages are a problem for any club looking to take him from the Etihad Stadium and a loan with City paying some of his wages is the most likely outcome.

City kicks off its Club World Cup campaign against Moroccan side, Wydad AC on June 16th, before facing Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates and Italian giant Juventus.

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Ederson

Defenders: Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Vitor Reis, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Abdukodir Khusanov

Midfielders: Nico O’Reilly, Tijjani Reijnders, Jeremy Doku, Nico Gonzalez, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Savinho, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Cherki, Claudio Echeverri, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis

Forwards: Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush

MIL OSI China News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Alexander-Arnold: Real Madrid always next step after Liverpool

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

Real Madrid presented England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold to the press at the club’s Valdebebas training ground on Thursday.

Alexander-Arnold is the club’s second signing for the summer ahead of the Club World Cup and will wear the number 12 shirt next season.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (L) is chased down by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool in Manchester, Britain, on Nov. 25, 2023. (Xinhua)

He impressed in his conference, part of which he gave in Spanish, saying that he had “known for a long time that if I was ever going to leave Liverpool then the only club I would leave them for would be Real Madrid.”

Alexander Arnold cost Real Madrid 10 million euros for Liverpool to release him a month early from his contract, after the defender ran down his deal with the Premier League champions.

“You get to a point when you have to make a decision – that wasn’t an easy decision because I have been there (Liverpool) for so long, but you have to make a decision and in my mind, I’ve made the right one,” he said.

The defender admitted he had discussed the move with his England teammate Jude Bellingham, who has just completed his second season at the Spanish club.

“Yeah, we spoke,” admitted Alexander Arnold, explaining it was “the kind of conversation you have as players and as friends.”

“You want to know what it is like, of course. In the national team, he is the only player that knew what it was like to be at Real Madrid, so everyone was asking questions.”

“It was a huge opportunity for me, it felt like it was the right time for me as well – a chance for me to go and do that,” he commented.

The Real Madrid team held its final training session after the act and flies to the United States on Friday to prepare for its opening match, which is against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in Miami on June 18th.

MIL OSI China News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Poland manager Probierz resigns after Lewandowski row

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

Head coach Michal Probierz informed in a statement that he has decided to leave the Poland team after defeat against Finland in the FIFA World Cup qualifier.

On Tuesday Poland lost to Finland 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Currently, which made it sit in the third place of Group G with 6 points behind Finland and the Netherlands.

On Sunday the Polish Football Association (PZPN) informed that Piotr Zielinski replaced Robert Lewandowski to captain the national team, a decision made by the coach. Then the Barcelona forward said he would no longer represent the national team as long as Probierz remained in charge.

“I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team is for me to resign from the position of coach. Performing this function was the fulfillment of my professional dreams and the greatest honor of my life,” coach Probierz wrote in a statement on the official site of the PZPN on Thursday.

“I would like to thank the president and board of the Polish Football Association for their trust. I would like to thank all the players I had the pleasure of meeting on this path. I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common national asset,” he added.

MIL OSI China News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supercharging residential solar power
Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

New Zealand’s residential uptake of rooftop solar is lower than many other countries. In order to shift the tide, the Government is making changes to:
- Expand the permitted voltage range from +/- 6% +/- 10% – this will help manage the changing flow of electricity sent back to the grid from rooftop solar, as well as growing levels of electric vehicle (EV) charging.
- Clarify that a building consent is not needed to install rooftop solar panels on existing residential buildings.
- Require councils to process building consents for new homes with solar panels within 10 working days, down from the standard 20 working days.
Expanding the voltage range allows the Government to future-proof New Zealand’s electricity networks in a cost-effective way by avoiding passing on significant costs of network upgrades needed to accommodate rooftop solar and EV charging on to consumers. Modelling suggests that this could boost solar investment and overall generation by 507 GWh through increased solar connections.

Meanwhile, changes to the Building Act to exempt rooftop solar installation from needing building consent aim to ensure consistent decision-making across the country and remove barriers for homeowners interesting in adopting solar. The shortened building consent process for new homes with solar panels will support Kiwis to incorporate solar into their build plans and make the most of the benefits of rooftop solar.

You can read the Ministers’ announcement here:

Supercharging residential solar power generation(external link) — Beehive.govt.nz

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public feedback received on Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Deed
Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council has received more than 2,250 submissions on the proposed Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Deed of Acknowledgement following public consultation in April and May this year.

The proposed Deed – between Auckland Council, Te Kawerau ā Maki, and the Department of Conservation – would set out a framework for working together to better protect and care for the Waitākere Ranges, recognising the enduring relationship tangata whenua have with the area and the responsibilities shared under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008.

Council staff have completed a preliminary assessment of public feedback and are now workshopping advice and options with elected members to help shape decisions on next steps. Overall, more submitters supported the proposed Deed elements than opposed them.

Ngā Mātārae Director Māori Outcomes, Nicholas Turoa, says the feedback received during the submissions process reflects strong public interest in the future of the Waitākere Ranges.

“We’ve heard a wide range of views – from strong support to a range of concerns – but the common positive thread is that people care deeply about the Waitākere Ranges. The proposed Deed is about improving how we work together for the good of the Ranges, while remaining consistent with our responsibilities under the Treaty and ensuring positive outcomes for the community as well as the Waitākere Ranges.”

The proposed Deed of Acknowledgement would include:
- A shared strategic plan for the Heritage Area
- Coordinated work programmes to deliver that plan
- Joint monitoring of outcomes
- A proposed joint committee including Auckland Council, Te Kawerau ā Maki, and the Department of Conservation.
Final decisions are expected in August 2025, following further engagement with partners and elected members.

A full report and analysis of submissions will be released publicly as part of the formal decision-making process.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local Tree Icon – A Finalist for Tree of the Year NZ 2025

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: Local Tree Icon – A Finalist for Tree of the Year NZ 2025

One week into voting for New Zealand’s 2025 Tree of the Year, and the competition is already taking root in the hearts of Kiwis nationwide and abroad. Run by the NZ Notable Trees Trust, Tree of the Year is a celebration of the iconic trees that shape our landscapes, memories, and communities.

The post Local Tree Icon – A Finalist for Tree of the Year NZ 2025 first appeared on PR.co.nz.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Police scale back search in Cradle Mountain

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Police scale back search in Cradle Mountain

Friday, 13 June 2025 – 10:12 am.

Despite extensive search efforts in the Cradle Mountain area, Victorian man Christopher Inwood has not been located.
A Tasmania Police helicopter crew worked in the northern section of the Cradle Mountain- Lake St Clair National Park on Thursday, but there was no sign of the 52-year-old.
Searches on two previous days involved police officers, SES volunteers, police drone operators, a police helicopter crew and Parks and Wildlife Service rangers.
Today, Tasmania Police made the decision to scale back the active search.
“Police will continue to follow up any new leads or information that may assist in locating Christopher,” Western District Search and Rescue Inspector Steven Jones said.
“Our thoughts remain with his family who are affected during this incredibly difficult time.”
Mr Inwood’s white Toyota HiAce van was found in the car park of a ranger station about 7.30am on Tuesday.
He had last been seen in Kindred, in the state’s north, about 8.30pm on Monday and police were operating on the belief Mr Inwood drove from Kindred to Cradle Mountain late Monday night.
“Extensive search efforts have been undertaken in the area where the missing person was last believed to be,” Inspector Jones said.
“At this stage, that area has been comprehensively searched, and all reasonable search strategies have been completed.”
Inspector Jones said Mr Inwood’s vehicle was located on the outskirts of the national park, but there was currently no further evidence to confirm his location.
“Given the length of time Mr Inwood has been missing and the harsh weather conditions in the area, if he has been fully exposed to the elements, sadly, his chances of survival are extremely low,” Inspector Jones said.
If anyone has information about the location of Mr Inwood, pictured, or his recent movements, call Tasmania Police on 131 444.

MIL OSI News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Improvements to SuperStream standard and FVS
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
Funds, and their service providers, need to review improvements to the SuperStream standard and Fund Validation Services (FVS) technical and business guidance documents.

Drafts are available on the ATO Software Developers siteExternal Link. Consider changes that impact your software and be ready by 1 July 2026.

Key changes include:
- updates to FVS to give greater visibility and traceability on fund mergers, track closed Unique Superannuation Identifiers (USIs), and help employers and funds better resolve errors with SuperStream data and payments
- improved SuperStream contributions processes to clarify error messages for employers, explaining why a fund rejected a contribution
- faster payments on the New Payments Platform will no longer require bi-lateral agreement and will become an approved payment method
- a new SuperStream message for employers to confirm an employee’s super fund will accept contributions.
Be aware there may be further changes made to the documents, or new documents added, and you should regularly review the website for the most up-to-date version.

If you have questions after reviewing the documents, please contact us.

Looking for the latest news for Super funds? – You can stay up to date by visiting our Super funds newsroom and subscribingExternal Link to our monthly Super funds newsletter and CRT alerts.
MIL OSI News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: ATO Vulnerability Framework consultation
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
We’ve developed the ATO Vulnerability Framework so we can better support people experiencing vulnerability when they interact with the tax system.

Your feedback will help make sure the final ATO Vulnerability Framework is clear, meaningful and relevant to the people it’s designed to support.

What is the ATO Vulnerability Framework?

The Framework outlines the ATO’s commitment to supporting people experiencing vulnerability. It establishes 6 guiding principles, 4 core focus areas and a clear approach to how we engage with the community. These elements are designed to help shape the way we develop policies and processes, supporting more inclusive and consistent interactions with the community.

While it may not change a tax or super obligation under the law, it serves as a guiding approach for how we listen, communicate and connect people with the right support.

Why your feedback matters

The Framework is in draft form, and your input will help shape its final version. Public consultation allows us to:
- Understand different perspectives, including lived experiences
- Identify gaps or areas that could be clearer
- Strengthen transparency and accessibility
We welcome feedback from individuals, advocates, professionals and organisations that support people affected by vulnerability. For more information, see Consultation paper – ATO Vulnerability Framework.

How to provide feedback

Submit your feedback by 18 July 2025 to VulnerabilityConsultation@ato.gov.au.
MIL OSI News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: ATO Vulnerability Framework consultation opens
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

Supporting people experiencing vulnerability is important us. We’ve developed the ATO Vulnerability Framework to better support taxpayers experiencing vulnerability so they can engage with the tax system more easily and with the help they need. Now, we need your feedback to refine the framework and ensure it reflects the needs of the community.

What is the ATO Vulnerability Framework?

The framework sets out the ATO’s commitment to fostering inclusive, consistent, and empathetic interactions with individuals experiencing vulnerability. While it doesn’t change tax or super obligations, it guides how we listen, communicate, and connect people with the right help.

Why your feedback matters

The Framework is currently in draft form, and your feedback will help make sure the final version is clear and relevant to the people it’s designed to support. Your feedback will help:
- provide a deeper understanding of various perspectives identify areas that could be clearer
- strengthen transparency and accessibility.
We encourage individuals, advocates, and professionals who support people in experiencing vulnerability to provide feedback.

How to provide feedback

You can read the draft Framework at Consultation paper – ATO Vulnerability Framework.

To provide your feedback, email VulnerabilityConsultation@ato.gov.au by Friday 18 July 2025.

Your voice can help create a more supportive system – thank you for being part of this important process.

Keep up to date

Read more articles in the Not-for-profit newsroom and, if you haven’t already, subscribeExternal Link to our free monthly newsletter Not-for-profit news to be alerted when we publish new articles.

For updates throughout the month, Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti regularly shares blog posts and updates on her LinkedInExternal Link profile. And you can check out our online platform ATO CommunityExternal Link to find answers to your tax and super questions.

MIL OSI News –
June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Cassidy Bill to Combat Illegal Fentanyl Heads to President Trump’s Desk

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

[embedded content]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today celebrated as the U.S. House of Representatives passed his Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act, which permanently schedules fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The fentanyl-related substances have been temporarily scheduled since 2018. The U.S. Senate passed Cassidy’s bill in March. It will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“Everybody watching this knows someone who has been harmed by fentanyl,” said Dr. Cassidy. “My HALT Fentanyl Act is about giving law enforcement one more tool to stop fentanyl dealers.”
Click here to watch and here to download Cassidy’s video statement.
The bill has 30 U.S. Senate cosponsors, including U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the U.S. Committee on the Judiciary, and Democratic lead Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
The bill has been endorsed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and is supported by 40 advocacy groups, including 25 State Attorneys General, 11 major law enforcement organizations, nine major medical associations and Facing Fentanyl, a coalition of over 200 impacted family groups.
The HALT Fentanyl Act built on the momentum of the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act introduced by U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI).
Background
In February, Cassidy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor amid Senate Democrat’s attempt to undermine his HALT Fentanyl Act.
Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18 to 45 years old. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for 68 percent of the total U.S. overdose deaths. In the last two fiscal years, U.S. Customs and Border Protect (CBP) seized record amounts of fentanyl—nearly 50,000 pounds—enough to produce more than 2 billion lethal doses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023 there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths—74,702 of which were attributed to fentanyl. This was primarily fueled by synthetic opioids, including illegal fentanyl, which are largely manufactured in Mexico from raw materials supplied by China. In 2022, there were over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), more than doubling the amount seized in 2021.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Celebrates His 12th National Seersucker Day

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) was joined by 12 Members of the U.S. Senate to mark the 12th annual celebration of National Seersucker Day. Cassidy has led the revival and continued observance of this uniquely American tradition since 2014.
“Today, we celebrate National Seersucker Day and the light-hearted tradition of bringing a little Louisiana charm to Capitol Hill,”said Dr. Cassidy. “There’s no better way to beat the heat than with a seersucker suit. It’s a distinctly New Orleans invention, and I’m proud to share it with my colleagues every year.”
National Seersucker Day was co-hosted by U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

Seersucker suits were popularized by a New Orleans businessman in the early 1900s. Former U.S. Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) brought Seersucker Thursday to Congress in 1996. After the tradition briefly lapsed in 2012 and 2013, Cassidy revived National Seersucker Day in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 and has kept the tradition going in the Senate with the help of late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) through 2023 and Warnock since 2024.
Last month, Cassidy and Warnock introduced a resolution to designate June 12, 2025, as the twelfth annual National Seersucker Day.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Trump Admin’s Physical Assault of U.S. Senator Was Also an Assault on Our Constitutional Principles

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) was physically assaulted, handcuffed, and forcibly removed from a press conference in Los Angeles, California, for trying to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

“The assault on Senator Padilla was an assault on our Constitutional principles.

“Federal troops have been deployed in the state Senator Padilla represents against the wishes of the people he represents and in violation of the law. Senator Padilla was in a federal building simply performing his duties as an elected official. He identified himself and was trying to ask the Secretary of Homeland Security a simple question. The Secretary could have ignored him, asked him not to interrupt, or simply responded.

“Instead, her staff aggressively assaulted a U.S. Senator while she looked on. Senator Padilla was manhandled and silenced. If they are treating Senator Padilla this way with cameras rolling, imagine how they are treating those who aren’t members of Congress.

“This is America. Dissent should not be met with violence.

“This abhorrent incident shows the Trump Administration has dropped any pretense of following the Constitution. The Administration is using the autocrat’s playbook of physical restraint to suppress its critics.

“I am under no illusion that the President or his Administration will change their behavior unless forced to do so by Republicans joining Democrats or by the courts.

“All senators should recognize that this goes beyond the mistreatment of Senator Padilla and work to stop the Trump Administration from continuing to drag America toward authoritarianism.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: US cardiovascular device market under threat from tariffs, says GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

US cardiovascular device market under threat from tariffs, says GlobalData

Posted in Medical Devices

US medical device companies continue to face uncertainty and instability as President Donald Trump’s tariffs continue to disrupt the market. Major manufacturers are currently most concerned with supply chain interruptions and cost increases, leading to constant adjustments of company forecasts. Cardiovascular devices are especially vulnerable to the impacts of tariffs, as many of these devices are reliant upon parts from multiple countries. This could cause delays in the manufacturing and distribution of life-saving cardiovascular devices, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Cardiovascular devices include equipment for structural heart conditions, cardiac rhythm management, and both arterial and peripheral vascular interventions. The largest markets within the cardiovascular space include devices such as pacemakers, transcatheter heart valves, electrophysiology catheters, and stents. The largest companies operating within the space include medical device giants such as Medtronic, Abbott, and Boston Scientific, and specialized manufacturers including Edwards Lifesciences and W. L. Gore.

David Beauchamp, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Many cardiovascular device companies rely on manufacturing outside the US to address demand, especially from the US. Tariffs are likely to cause increases in material cost and disrupt long-standing supply chains. Currently, the US does not have the manufacturing capacity to adjust to possible losses that could result from the impacts of tariffs.”

GlobalData estimates the US cardiovascular device market to be worth approximately $34.5 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2024 to 2034. Due to the impact of tariffs on cardiovascular device companies, sales and growth in the US could decrease as companies focus on other countrys’ markets or are forced to absorb the impact of tariffs on their revenue.

Beauchamp concludes: “US tariffs on other countries, especially on major manufacturing centers in Asia, could cause cardiovascular device manufacturers to see decreased revenues and growth within the US. It remains unlikely that the US can become completely self-sufficient in producing all the components required for advanced cardiovascular medical devices. Without a more concrete and stable policy on these tariffs from the current American administration, it is likely that most manufacturers will be forced to continuously change their internal forecasts and production plans.”

MIL OSI Economics –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Philippines’ annual renewable power generation to reach 69.4TWh in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

Philippines’ annual renewable power generation to reach 69.4TWh in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

Posted in Power

The Department of Energy in the Philippines has established an ambitious objective of attaining 35% renewable energy generation by 2030. Furthermore, the country is on a path to install 15GW of clean energy by the same year. It has also set a target of achieving 50% renewable energy generation by 2040. Against this backdrop, annual electricity generation from renewables in the country is forecast to reach 69.4TWh in 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “Philippines Power Market Outlook to 2035, Update 2025 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” reveals that in 2024, thermal power dominated the generation mix with 78%, followed by renewable power accounting for 15.6%. Large hydro and pumped storage accounted for the remaining 6.4% share. In 2035, thermal power is expected to continue to account for a 62.7% share followed by renewables and large hydro and pumped storage accounting for 33% and 4.3%, respectively.

To realize its renewable capacities goals, the Philippines is focusing on a 75% increase in geothermal capacity, a 160% rise in hydropower capacity, an expansion of wind power to 2.3GW, and an increment of biomass power by 0.3GW, all by 2040, using 2020 as the baseline year.

Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Senior Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The Philippine government’s dedication to renewable energy is underscored by its strategic policies and collaborations designed to augment the proportion of renewables within the nation’s energy portfolio. In line with its renewable energy objectives, there have been several noteworthy developments. For example, a $15 billion agreement with UAE-based Masdar is concentrating on the advancement of solar and wind projects, as well as battery storage initiatives, with the aim of achieving 1GW of clean energy by 2030.”

Between 2025 and 2030, a total of $26.2 billion is expected to be invested in the country’s power sector, of which solar PV is expected to account for a share of 38.8%, followed by onshore wind accounting for 19.4% share. Offshore wind power is expected to account for 17% share.

Saibasan concludes: “The Philippines is witnessing a consistent rise in electricity demand, attributable to economic expansion, urban development, industrial growth, and the broadening of digital infrastructure. In response to this escalating need, the nation is executing a range of strategies, which include the development of infrastructure, diversification of energy sources, and the enactment of policy reforms.”

MIL OSI Economics –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Under Armour YouTube ads emphasize performance, resilience, and aspirational journeys to connect with diverse athletes, reveals GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

Under Armour YouTube ads emphasize performance, resilience, and aspirational journeys to connect with diverse athletes, reveals GlobalData

Posted in Business Fundamentals

Under Armour Inc’s YouTube advertising campaigns from March to May 2025 emphasize the brand’s commitment to athletic excellence, resilience, and personal growth, targeting aspiring athletes and sports enthusiasts. They highlight the importance of hard work, teamwork, and overcoming doubt, effectively linking Under Armour’s high-performance apparel and footwear to the journey of athletes striving for greatness, reveals Global Ads Platform of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Satya Prasad Nayak, Ads Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Under Armour’s campaigns effectively combine inspiration with functionality, showcasing products like the HEATGEAR baselayer and high-performance basketball gear alongside authentic athlete stories. By partnering with entities like RDCWorld and highlighting talents such as Eli Ellis, Under Armour creates relatable yet aspirational narratives. The focus on resilience and team unity appeals to serious athletes and aspiring players alike, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to empowering individuals to overcome challenges and achieve goals.”

Below are the key focus areas of Under Armour’s advertisements, revealed by GlobalData’s Global Ads Platform:

Resilience and determination: Under Armour’s “Nothing Mad About It” basketball ad and the “Let Them Talk” campaign with RDCWorld champion resilience, inspiring athletes to defy doubters and overcome adversity. Both campaigns empower athletes to push through challenges, stay focused, and achieve success by embracing determination and perseverance in the face of obstacles.

Dedication and hard work: The advertisement featuring Eli Ellis emphasize the importance of relentless dedication and hard work, particularly during off-season training. This message aligns with the values of athletes, who are committed to continuous improvement and striving for excellence.

Innovation: The HEATGEAR base layer ad underscores Under Armour’s commitment to innovative apparel. By highlighting advanced features like sweat wicking and temperature regulation, the brand appeals to serious athletes, who seek apparel to enhance comfort and performance in demanding conditions.

Team unity and pride: The advertisements featuring teams like the University of South Carolina foster unity and pride. By emphasizing these values, Under Armour aligns itself with the collaborative spirit of athletic communities, strengthening its bond with them and reinforcing shared aspirations and collective identity.

Enhanced confidence: Under Armour gear is consistently portrayed as an essential asset for athletes striving to perform at their peak, offering improved comfort, flexibility, and support. This portrayal instills a sense of confidence in athletes, empowering them to rise above challenges and prove their capabilities through demonstrated performance.

Nayak concludes: “By aligning its message with the core values of resilience, teamwork, and innovation, Under Armour not only strengthens its emotional connection with athletes but also reinforces its brand equity in the competitive sportswear landscape.”

MIL OSI Economics –

June 13, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Bougainville legal dept looking towards sorcery violence policy

RNZ Pacific

The Department of Justice and Legal Services in Bougainville is aiming to craft a government policy to deal with violence related to sorcery accusations.

The Post-Courier reports that a forum, which wrapped up on Wednesday, aimed to dissect the roots of sorcery/witchcraft beliefs and the severe violence stemming from accusations.

An initial forum was held in Arawa last month.

Central Bougainville’s Director of Justice and Legal Services, Dennis Kuiai, said the forums’ ultimate goal is crafting a government policy.

Further consultations are planned for South Bougainville next week and a regional forum in Arawa later this year.

“This policy will be deliberated and developed into law to address sorcery and [sorcery accusation-related violence] in Bougainville,” he said.

“We aim to provide an effective legal mechanism.”

Targeted 3 key areas
He said the future law’s structure was to target three key areas: the violence linked to accusations, sorcery practices themselves, and addressing the phenomenon of “glass man”.

A glassman or glassmeri has the power to accuse women and men of witchcraft and sorcery.

Papua New Guinea outlawed the practice in 2022.

The forum culminated in the compilation and signing of a resolution on its closing day, witnessed by officials.

Sorcery has long been an issue in PNG.

Those accused of sorcery are frequently beaten, tortured, and murdered, and anyone who manage to survive the attacks are banished from their communities.

Saved mother rejected
In April, a mother-of-four was was reportedly rejected by her own family after she was saved by a social justice advocacy group.

In August last year, an advocate told people in Aotearoa – where she was raising awareness – that Papua New Guinea desperately needed stronger laws to protect innocents and deliver justice for victims of sorcery related violence.

In October 2023, Papua New Guinea MPs were told that gender-based and sorcery violence was widespread and much higher than reported.

In November 2020, two men in the Bana district were hacked to death by members of a rival clan, who claimed the men used sorcery against them.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: China to drive global propylene capacity additions through 2030, says GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

China to drive global propylene capacity additions through 2030, says GlobalData

Posted in Oil & Gas

China is poised to significantly expand its propylene production capacity by 2030, backed by strong demand for propylene derivatives such as polypropylene and propylene oxide in the building, packaging, and construction industries. Accounting for over 40% of the expected capacity additions worldwide by 2030, China is positioning itself as the dominant player in the global propylene market, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “Propylene Industry Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Active and Planned Plants to 2030,” reveals that China is likely to witness total propylene capacity additions of 22.27 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) during 2025-30 from 23 planned and eight announced projects.

Nivedita Roy, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Propylene is a highly versatile petrochemical with a wide range of industrial and commercial uses. It is also a building block for several important chemicals, such as acrylonitrile and propylene oxide, and polypropylene – a widely used plastic for packaging, automotive parts, and consumer goods. Driven by the growth of these industries that heavily rely on propylene-derived products, the Chinese market is experiencing a substantial increase in propylene capacity additions.”

In China, the highest capacity addition is expected from the “Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Longkou Propylene Plant 2”, which has a nameplate capacity of 2.0 mtpa. The plant is still in the feasibility stage and is anticipated to commence production of propylene in 2030. Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Ltd is the designated operator of this plant.

“Fujian Yongrong New Materials Company Putian Propylene Plant 2” follows next in terms of the capacity additions in the country, with 1.10 mtpa likely to be added by 2029. It is also in the feasibility stage, with Fujian Eversun New Material Co Ltd being the proposed operator.

The third-highest propylene capacity addition in the country is expected from the “SABIC Fujian Petrochemical Zhangzhou Propylene Plant” with a capacity of 1.02 mtpa. SABIC Fujian Petrochemical Co Ltd is the designated operator of this plant, which is currently under construction and is likely to start operations in 2026.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lee’s visit to Canada for G7 Summit

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea

Foreign Affairs

President Lee’s visit to Canada for G7 Summit

President Lee Jae-myung will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Alberta, Canada.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung on June 7 told a news briefing, “President Lee has accepted his invitation to attend the G7 Summit from June 15-17 in Alberta, Canada.”

The meeting will mark President Lee’s debut in summit diplomacy since he took office, with U.S. President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru and the leaders of the U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Canada to attend.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SPC MD 1265

Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Mesoscale Discussion 1265

Mesoscale Discussion 1265
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0514 PM CDT Thu Jun 12 2025

Areas affected…portions of southeast Colorado and eastern New
Mexico

Concerning…Severe potential…Watch unlikely

Valid 122214Z – 130015Z

Probability of Watch Issuance…5 percent

SUMMARY…Occasional severe gusts and large hail may occur this
afternoon across portions of southeast Colorado and eastern New
Mexico. A watch is not anticipated.

DISCUSSION…Convection has developed in weak upslope surface flow
along the lee of the higher terrain across portions of central
Colorado and New Mexico. Strong mixing on the High Plains has
resulted in inverted-V thermodynamic profiles with approximately
1000 J/kg MLCAPE per mesoanalysis and short-term RAP forecast
profiles. Generally, low-level and deep-layer shear are marginal for
supercells, particularly across northeast New Mexico and southeast
Colorado, and some transient mid-level mesocyclones are apparent on
WSR-88D radar. Some clustering of storms may occur with time given
strong cold pools, and this may result in a risk for severe gusts.
Additionally, given the weak low-level shear and low freezing
levels, some marginally severe hail may be possible. Due to the
expected sparse coverage of severe weather, a watch is not
anticipated.

..Supinie/Smith.. 06/12/2025

…Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product…

ATTN…WFO…MAF…PUB…BOU…ABQ…EPZ…

LAT…LON 37570523 38560477 38590381 38110350 36160348 34310369
33160418 32870473 32990530 33860555 35790556 37570523

MOST PROBABLE PEAK WIND GUST…55-70 MPH
MOST PROBABLE PEAK HAIL SIZE…UP TO 1.25 IN

Top/All Mesoscale Discussions/Forecast Products/Home

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Trump Signs Lummis-Sponsored Bill Terminating Ridiculous California EV Mandate

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

June 12, 2025

Washington, D.C.— Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement celebrating President Trump’s signing of legislation she sponsored ending the Biden-era California Electrical Vehicle (EV) mandates.
“President Trump is delivering for Wyoming residents today by ending the Biden administration’s unrealistic and flawed California electrical vehicle mandate,” said Lummis. “It is not the government’s job to tell Americans what vehicle you have to buy. Furthermore, failed California politicians like Gavin Newsom should not be the ones dictating emissions policy for the entire country. This disastrous policy belongs in the garbage where it started.”
Background:
Senator Lummis cosponsored all three CRA’s to repeal California’s EV mandates that President Trump signed today.
Sen. Lummis has been a leader in fighting the Biden administration’s EV agenda:
In October 2023, Lummis cosponsored the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to counter the Biden administration’s radical environmental agenda and executive overreach by preventing the implementation of a proposed rule and other regulations that seek to limit consumer vehicle choice.
In November 2023, she sent a letter to Senate and House leadership urging them to defund the Biden administration’s EV mandate.
In January 2024, she sent a letter with 121 members of Congress to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calling for them to withdrawal the Biden Administration’s proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Statement on Reports Secretary Kennedy Allegedly Rehired CDC Staff, Including Lead Prevention Staff

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS), released the following statement after reports that the Trump Administration reinstated some of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff that were previously fired as part of the administration’s mass layoffs across HHS:
“If Secretary Kennedy thinks he deserves kudos for putting out part of the fire he started, he’s looking at the wrong person. This administration recklessly fired the very experts who should have been on the ground helping communities address serious public health threats – like in Milwaukee, which is grappling with a lead poisoning crisis. I have heard the harrowing stories from Milwaukee families who have children suffering from lead contamination – and it’s simply unconscionable that this administration fired the experts who could have helped them. I have been demanding that Secretary Kennedy rehire these experts for weeks, not only because Wisconsinites need and deserve it, but also because it’s the law and this administration is not above it. This administration has shown they play fast and loose with the truth, and I will not rest until I see boots on the ground in Milwaukee – and other communities just like it – to deal with this crisis.”
In Milwaukee, lead exposure has shuttered six Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and displaced 1,800 children. However, after applying for support from the CDC to help mitigate the lead found in school classrooms, MPS was notified that their request for support was denied because the Trump administration fired the agency’s entire Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Surveillance Branch.
Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) demanded that the Trump Administration reinstate the fired CDC lead poisoning experts and approve Milwaukee’s plea for federal assistance to help keep children safe. Senator Baldwin also pressed Kennedy on the firings at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing. Senator Baldwin visited Milwaukee Public Schools’ Frances Starms Discovery Learning Center to meet with parents whose children’s health was at risk and whose schools were closed this year because of lead hazards. Yesterday, Senators Baldwin and Jack Reed (D-RI) demanded written answers from Secretary Kennedy in response to detailed questions on the Trump Administration’s firing of childhood lead experts at CDC.
Local officials continue to confirm that the requested aid is not being provided, and Secretary Kennedy has provided no documentation that the fired employees have been rehired, as Senator Baldwin demanded.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Man Arrested for Murder of Woman Whose Body was Found in Trash Dumpster

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WASHINGTON – Richard Dyson, 58, of the District of Columbia, was arrested yesterday on charges of second-degree murder while armed, for the murder of 62-year-old Donnella Bryan on or about April 15, 2025. The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Dyson was arraigned today before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Robert J. Hildum, where he entered a plea of not guilty. Judge Hildum found probable cause for second degree murder and ordered Dyson held without bond until his preliminary hearing on June 18, 2025 before Judge Michael Ryan.

On April 19, 2025, at approximately 8:00 a.m., Fifth District officers responded to the 1600 block of Maryland Avenue, Northeast, for the report of an unconscious person. Upon arrival, officers located a female victim inside a dumpster. The victim was identified as Donella Bryan of the District of Columbia. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, the victim was pronounced deceased.

This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Cocuzza.

Charges are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for trafficking illegal immigrants

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

SHERMAN, Texas –A Mexican national living in Plano has been sentenced for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Ana Maria Villa-Flores, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport aliens into the United States and conspiracy to conceal or harbor aliens. Villa-Flores was sentenced to the maximum term of 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, on June 12, 2025.

According to information presented in court, in January of 2022, twenty-four illegal aliens were located at one of Villa-Flores’ homes. During the investigation, it was determined that Villa-Flores was responsible for recruiting drivers as well as coordinating the smuggling of the undocumented individuals from Mexico to the United States, bringing them to Plano to stay until they could be transported along other routes throughout the United States. The male individuals were instructed to remove their pants to keep them from escaping. Federal agents determined that Villa-Flores was responsible for smuggling approximately 254 illegal aliens.

In 2023, Villa-Flores was prosecuted in the Western District of Texas in connection with her alien smuggling activities. She was sentenced to four years in federal prison for smuggling approximately 124 illegal aliens.

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

This case was investigated by the Dallas and El Paso Homeland Security Investigations and the Plano Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson.

###

MIL Security OSI –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Foreign Secretary’s Mansion House Speech 2025

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

The Foreign Secretary’s Mansion House Speech 2025

The Foreign Secretary delivers his 2025 Mansion House Speech.

My Lord Mayor, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen…

thank you for hosting me.

My thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad this morning.

I have been in touch with Minister Jaishankar to offer my condolences…

and the Foreign Office has stood up a crisis team to support British nationals and their families.

Tonight, I want to speak about power.

This is an audience which will understand that…

because the City’s financial power scales up every innovation…

and powers up the world economy.

Thank you for what you do.

I became MP for Tottenham 25 years ago.

I’ll be honest with you…

I didn’t feel that powerful for many of those years.

It was a long wait to become Foreign Secretary…

though not nearly as long as the wait for Tottenham to win a European trophy.

Politics and supporting Spurs…

if you stick at them…

pay off in the end.

I also want to thank the tens of thousands of diplomats, intelligence officers and development specialists…

that stand up for Britain in the world.

Together…

we’ve tackled wars, evacuations, hurricanes, …

and thanks to your work…

much of it classified…

we are all safer…

even if your Foreign Secretary is now a little greyer…

a little thinner…

and, I hope, a little wiser.

We do our work in the shadow of history.

Coming here tonight, I think of Anthony Eden, one of the first Foreign Secretaries to speak in this tradition.

But I do not think this is the new 1930s.

The more compelling reference point is 1925.

A century ago, our world was experiencing what the great historian Adam Tooze called a deluge of modernity.

New technologies…

new industries…

…shifted the balance of power.

There is a cheap reading of the 1920s…

that a Second World War was inevitable.

However, I’m not sure it was.

With the Locarno Treaties in 1925…

we almost got there.

Ultimately though, democracy failed to keep the peace.

I look back at 1925 today…

because 2025 is also a molten moment…

when the earth moves.

What we are living through is in fact a Great Remaking…

as modernity leaps forward and reshapes geopolitics.

In 2025, technology is power.

Nowhere do we see this more clearly than with China…

a great civilisation with a long history…

but today defined as much by their technological cutting edge as anything else.

Take DeepSeek…

revealing Chinese AI power.

BYD’s export boom…

revealing Chinese battery power.

And the Chang’e-6 moon landing…

revealing Chinese space power.

We cannot ignore how the West and Russia are no longer alone on the technological frontier.

Nor can we ignore the fact that China has installed more renewables capacity than the US, EU and India combined.

Britain will be dealing with the threats and opportunities Chinese technology poses for generations to come.

But it is the United States…

Britain’s closest ally….

that is the world’s leading technological power…

number one when it comes to biotech, AI and quantum.

But facing such a vast challenge, it is natural the Americans will focus more on the Indo-Pacific.

And they’ve repeatedly told us, facing Russia, we in Europe need to rely more on ourselves.

But to quote my friend Vice-President Vance:

“It’s completely ridiculous to think you’re ever going to be able to drive a wedge between the US and Europe.”

I agree with J.D. Vance…

though maybe not when it comes to his love for Diet Mountain Dew…

I prefer a full fat Coke.

The United States and China are doing remarkable things with new technology.

But this is the truth about power today…

technology is making it more diffuse.

Power is not just in the hands of the superstates…

nor the super-spoiler, Putin’s Russia.

Many powers are shaping this multipolar age.

Since 2000, Britain has more Nobel laureates for science than China, India and Russia combined.

South Korea makes more advanced semiconductors than China.

The UAE has reached Mars…

whilst Russia hasn’t been since the collapse of the USSR.

In 1997, when my party last came to power…

the US held the majority of the world’s top supercomputers.

Today, barely a third.

The cast-list of players is growing.

When the US talks to Russia, they both head to Riyadh…

when they talk to China, they both come to London.

This large group of states, together, are the new great powers.

This is also our age.

Your Excellencies, that’s why I want to work even more closely with even more of you…

some as allies, some as partners…

some of you on everything, some of you on single issues.

We are not all the same.

We do not agree on everything.

But together, we can build new constellations and coalitions which give us all a seat at the table.

This is at the heart of our offer to the Global South and our new Approach to the continent Africa.

It is the core of what I mean by progressive realism.

Cooperation, not condescension.

Listening, not lectures.

A realpolitik of progress.

For Britain, progressive realism means listening…

deepening…

and toughening up.

For years…

friends from Africa to Eastern Europe have been saying Britain needs to do more to tackle dirty money.

Kleptocrats and money launderers rob all our citizens of wealth and security.

We don’t need to wait for superpowers…

we can clamp down on blatant theft ourselves.

And so I can announce today that London will host a Countering Illicit Finance Summit…

…bringing together a broad coalition for action.

I will never allow London mansions to be the bitcoin of kleptocrats.

We will expose them.

We will punish them.

And drive them out of our city.

In the Middle East, I personally find the horrific suffering of civilians in Gaza intolerable.

We all want to see an immediate ceasefire…

the release of all the hostages…

the end of Hamas’ reign of terror.

That’s why Britain is leading efforts to break the deadlock through new coalitions.

I can hear others’ desire for peace.

With France and Canada…

we sent a clear warning in May that Israel must stop its assault on Gaza.

With Australia, Canada, Norway and New Zealand…

we’ve sanctioned those inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank…

the territory that must form the heart of a future Palestinian state.

We support the Gulf’s indispensable work on mediation and a plan for the day after.

Because the two-state solution is the only path to a lasting peace.

But progressive realism is not only about this…

but deepening Britain’s alliances and partnerships.

We actually delivered three deals in two weeks with three of the world’s greatest economies.

And that’s not all we’ve achieved – we are injecting real momentum into so many of Britain’s partnerships.

We’re delivering deals for climate…

launching the Global Clean Power Alliance in Brazil…

partnering with my friend Mia Mottley’s Bridgetown Initiative…

securing a climate tech partnership with Qatar.

Jobs in Cambridge, jobs in Southampton.

We’re delivering deals for defence…

the ITAR breakthrough with our AUKUS partners…

progress in our new fighter jet programme with Italy and Japan.

Jobs in Glasgow, jobs in Reading.

We’re delivering deals for growth…

massive investments from America’s Universal…

Japan’s car giants…

German manufacturers…

and Saudi investors.

Jobs in Bedford, jobs in north Wales, jobs in Northern Ireland.

Crucially, we’re also delivering deals on irregular migration.

Better cooperation with the Balkans…

new returns agreements with Iraq and Moldova…

the world’s first sanctions regime targeting smuggling gangs and their enablers.

This is now a priority for the Foreign Office in a way it never was before.

This is us playing our bit ensuring those with no right to be here piling pressure on our public services.

When partners step up on irregular migration…

this is transforming our wider relationship.

But if they are unwilling to do so…

then that has to have consequences for what we can offer them in return.

And finally, progressive realism is about toughening up.

I came into politics inspired by the generation who were tested by war in Bosnia and Kosovo.

My generation here in Europe is the Kyiv generation…

one that has toughened up.

The view from that night train to visit President Zelenskyy is not simply out into darkness…

…but into history in the making.

You feel what a journey Europe has been on since 2022.

Britain has toughened up.

As Secretary of State for GCHQ and SIS…

I am proud that we are investing £600 million in the UK intelligence community…

so our spies can defend our way of life.

As a result, I can confirm today that Britain will spend two point six per cent of GDP on defence from 2027.

This is a generational uplift…

keeping working people safe.

Our soldiers and our intelligence staff are ready to compete with our adversaries.

And with the new counter-hybrid taskforce I am announcing today…

our diplomats too will be ready for this murky new age of sabotage and subterfuge…

where technology is power.

And I know…

Europe has toughened up too…

switching to Putin-free energy…

as the EU goes further than ever before with common borrowing for military spending.

Putin believes that we, as Europeans, are unable to stick it out for years to come.

But just as Ukraine’s heroes have surprised the Kremlin with their endurance…

so too has Europe been astounding the Kremlin with our dogged persistence in standing with Zelenskyy.

Today, we had confirmation that Russian casualties in this senseless war have reached one million.

Every one a reminder that this war is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people…

but a waste of young Russian lives…

yet more blood on the Kremlin’s hands.

With grit, we will prove Putin wrong.

Europe is not afraid to stand up and fight.

Our Plan for Change…

our international strategy…

is delivering for working people.

I can see Britain in the years to come…

safer…

greener…

richer…

happier…

if we stick to the Plan.

For me, patriotism has always been about realism…

And, of course, football!

Taking the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.

Taking ourselves as we are, and being proud of it.

Taking actions that are both astute and bold.

This is our realpolitik.

A realpolitik of progress.

A realpolitik for Britain.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 13 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici, Takano Introduce Bill to Help College Students Access SNAP

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [6/12/25] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced legislation to reduce hunger among college students.

The Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act will require institutions of higher education to inform students who receive federal work-study or who are eligible to receive the Pell Grant that they may qualify for SNAP benefits. Institutions would also give qualifying students official documentation of their eligibility, overcoming a common hurdle students face when applying for SNAP benefits.

“Students can’t reach their full potential if they don’t have enough to eat,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “I benefited from Food Stamps while I was working my way through college, and all eligible students should have that same opportunity. I introduced this legislation to help the many college students who have told me about the barriers they face when trying to put food on the table for themselves and their families.”

“Students have enough to worry about, putting food on the table should not be one of them,” said Representative Mark Takano. “This bill would make it easier for students to have access to basic needs by notifying them of their eligibility and helping them apply for SNAP benefits. In a time when government programs are being rolled back, I am proud to introduce this bill with Rep. Bonamici that would make a noticeable difference in the life of college students.”

Bonamici and Takano first introduced the legislation in response to concerns they heard from community colleges and universities about students struggling with food and housing insecurity. According to 2023-2024 survey data from the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, food insecurity affects about 43 percent of students at two-year institutions and about 37 percent of students at four-year institutions, up from 39 percent and 29 percent respectively three years prior.

The Opportunity to Address College Hunger Act is a part of the Roadmap to College Student Success, House Democrats’ campaign to reform America’s higher education system for students and families. The “roadmap” brings together a series of bold proposals focused on bringing down the cost of college, helping students access a quality degree, and—once students are in school—providing them with the support they need to graduate. Learn more about the Roadmap to College Student Success here.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

The Government Accountability Office has recommended USDA Food and Nutrition Service improve its SNAP eligibility information for students and share best practices for notifying students of their potential eligibility.

The legislation is endorsed by Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon, Bread for the World, The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, the Institute for Higher Education Policy

The legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Becca Balint (D-VT), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), André Carson (D-IN), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), John Garamendi (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), James McGovern (D-MA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Bennie Thompson (D- MS), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: BREAKING: Rep. Miller Grills Governor JB Pritzker Over Dangerous Sanctuary Policies

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) grilled Illinois Governor JB Pritzker during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing titled, “A Hearing with Sanctuary State Governors.”

Congresswoman Miller pressed Governor Pritzker on the devastating consequences of his sanctuary policies and his failure to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

She highlighted the tragic murders committed by illegal aliens in Illinois who should never have been allowed in America, emphasizing that these policies are putting American lives at risk.

Click HEREto watch the full exchange.

“Illegal aliens in our state have overwhelmed local communities, causing untold pain and suffering, while costing Illinois taxpayers billions,” said Congresswoman Mary Miller. “Governor, from what I can tell, you are doing everything in your power to roll out the red carpet for illegal aliens and protect them, all at the expense of the working people of Illinois. Your policies have been disastrous for our state, and would be disastrous for this country.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Quigley Hosts Transparency Panel Discussion, “What’s Next in Transparency: 119th Congress”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

On Tuesday, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, hosted “What’s Next in Transparency: 119th Congress.” Moderated by Law360 Reporter Courtney Bublé, the panel discussion included three government accountability experts.

As the Founder and Chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, Quigley has spent 16 years in Congress leading bipartisan efforts to increase honesty and trust in government.

“The cost of corruption is dollars, but the real cost of corruption is the loss of public trust. That trust has been on steady decline for the last 20 years,” shared Quigley in his opening remarks. “If we can improve the openness in communication between the government and the people, we can build a government that works better for the people.”

The panel’s experts represented a diverse range of views across the political spectrum, including the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the National Taxpayers Union, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

“Another thing we need to pay attention to is the destruction of records and agencies discontinuing the practice of maintaining certain records,” said Lauren Harper, Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation. “You can not get a FOIA response if an agency has destroyed those documents. Or if it has opted to stop creating those records.”

“[Members who commit crimes] don’t lose their pensions until they’re finally convicted. That means many can sit in jail, and appeal, and still collect their taxpayer-funded pension,” said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research at the National Taxpayers Union. “The last piece of transparency we need for that is from the Office of Personnel Management, but they haven’t answered my emails since 2020.”

“Sunlight in government is essential to a functioning democracy,” said Jason Powell, Policy Director at CREW. “As part of DOGE’s efforts to reshape the government, on April 1st the CDC’s entire FOIA office was suspended without prior notice or without a plan for how the statutorily required work would continue. The CDC is now not able to respond to new [FOIA] requests, existing requests, or make statutorily-required proactive disclosures.”

To watch a recording of the event, click here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 13, 2025