NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Díaz-Balart: President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Will Boost Economic Growth and Reduce Taxes for American Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Appropriations Vice Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic H.R. 1, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”:

     “I am proud to have voted with my House Republican colleagues to send President Trump’s America First bill, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” to his desk to be signed into law. This signature domestic policy legislation will deliver on President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda and restore American deterrence, secure historic savings, lead to higher economic growth, unleash domestic energy, secure the border, and avoid the largest tax hikes to American families and small businesses in U.S. history.”

    This legislation directly benefits taxpayers in Florida’s 26thCongressional District by making President Trump’s successful 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent. Without the TCJA, the average taxpayer in Florida’s 26thDistrict would have seen a 24% tax hike by the end of 2025. It protects 21,000 manufacturing jobs and 75,220 small businesses from these tax hikes, while supporting job creation, higher wages, and innovation. This bill will continue further investments into Opportunity Zones created under the TCJA that bolster our communities, bringing new and increased economic investment into traditionally underserved areas through the OBBB. In Miami-Dade County alone, 67 Opportunity Zones have flourished under this direct investment and across FL-26 in Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, and Miami Springs. 

    Additionally, this legislation will stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics from entering our communities by making direct investments to secure our border. It will also reverse the Biden Administration’s burdensome energy policies, unleashing American energy dominance and independence. This bill supports pro-family initiatives by increasing the Child Tax Credit by $500 up to $2200. It provides greater support for paid leave and childcare by quadrupling the maximum Employer-Provided Childcare Credit and adds additional relief for small businesses providing childcare, all while simultaneously strengthening the Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit from the 2017 TCJA. The bill enhances the adoption tax credit, taking into consideration the toll Bidenflation placed on families wishing to adopt and making it more usable for American families. Our seniors will receive historic relief, with a $6,000 deduction, a deduction that will exceed the taxable Social Security income of any senior who receives the current average retirement benefit. 

    This historic tax relief not only guarantees deductions but ensures that taxpayers, especially working families, can keep more of their hard-earned money. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” 

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    For additional information on how the One Big Beautiful Bill will benefit American families, see below:

     

    • Delivers on President Trump’s promises for No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, Additional Tax Relief for Seniors, and No Tax on Car Loan Interest.
    • Carries out President Trump’s visionary Peace Through Strength mission.
      • $150B investment in our national security will restore American deterrence and build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force President Trump promised.
      • Jump-starts the Golden Dome initiative by investing $25 billion
      • Grows the U.S. Navy for the first time in years, investing $29 billion to revitalize shipbuilding in our nation.
      • Improves quality of life for our troops with $9 billion in funding to increase allowances and special pays, and to upgrade aging, moldy barracks.
    • Makes President Trump’s 2017 pro-family tax cuts PERMANENT.
      • The lower tax rates stop a $1,700 tax increase on American families.
      • Prevents a scheduled $15,000 cut in the Standard Deduction for families.
      • The doubled Child Tax Credit (CTC) stops a $1,000 per child reduction in the CTC.
      •  In fact, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act supports American families recovering from Bidenflation by increasing the CTC by $500 and indexes the CTC amount for inflation moving forward.
    • Increases access to the Adoption Tax Credit.
      • Makes the credit more usable for all families, opening up more homes to the joys of adoption and championing the sanctity of life.
    • Builds on the Trump Tax Cuts’ incentives for Paid Leave and Childcare.
      • Strengthens the Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit from the Trump Tax Cuts.
      • Quadruples the maximum Employer-Provided Childcare Credit and adds additional relief for small businesses providing childcare.
    • Lowers the cost of health care.
      • Expands Health Savings Accounts for Americans to take control of their health care.
      • Codifies Trump Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements, increasing coverage options for 350,000 individuals.
    • Tax relief for seniors.
      • Middle- and low-income seniors will be able to deduct an additional $6,000.
    • Secures Our Border with $175 billion to:
      • Hire and train 3,000 new Border Patrol agents
      • Hire and train 5,000 new Customs Officers
      • Allow for the completion of 701 miles of primary wall and the construction of 900 miles of river barriers.
      • $6B to help CBP interdict more fentanyl, deploy more border surveillance technology, and more.
    • Securing Our Skies with $12.5 billion for Air Traffic Control modernization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Tackling China’s critical raw materials export restrictions – P10_TA(2025)0166 – Thursday, 10 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to its previous resolutions on China,

    –  having regard to the upcoming EU-China summit planned for 24 and 25 July 2025,

    –  having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020(1), also known as the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA),

    –  having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724(2)(Net-Zero Industry Act),

    –  having regard to the G7 Leaders’ statement on the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan,

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

    –  having regard to the clean trade and investment partnerships being negotiated by the EU, and to the EU’s critical raw material partnerships,

    –  having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 20 June 2023 on ‘European Economic Security Strategy’ (JOIN(2023)0020), and to the speeches about de-risking given by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Policy Centre on 30 March 2023 and in Parliament on 18 April 2023,

    –  having regard to the 13th EU-China Strategic Dialogue, held between the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, in Brussels on 2 July 2025,

    –  having regard to the statements made by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the G7 summit held in Kananaskis, Canada from 16 to 17 June 2025,

    –  having regard to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, in particular the principles of non-discrimination and of transparency regarding export restrictions,

    –  having regard to WTO dispute settlement rulings DS431, DS432 and DS433 on China’s rare earth export restrictions,

    –  having regard to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,

    –  having regard to Rule 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A.  whereas on 4 April 2025, China started to enact export restrictions on 7 of the 17 rare earth elements (REEs) and on permanent magnets produced from these, introducing a system for non-automatic licences, and cited dual-use and security considerations as justification; whereas the list of items covered by the restrictions includes medium and heavy REEs (samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium);

    B.  whereas critical raw materials are essential inputs for a wide array of industrial products and processes, including in critical sectors such as clean technologies, digital technologies, healthcare and defence; whereas a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials is fundamental to achieving the Union’s climate, digital, competitiveness and defence objectives;

    C.  whereas export volumes have reportedly decreased by as much as 80 %, having a heavy impact on a wide range of sectors, including electronics and consumer tech, green energy and renewables, the automotive industry, aerospace and healthcare;

    D.  whereas the EU’s dependence on China for critical raw materials has continued to grow or, at best, remains stubbornly high; whereas the global REE supply chain is heavily concentrated in China, which has control of around 75 % of mining output and of 85 % of processing capacity, reaching more than 95 % in the case of some REEs such as terbium, yttrium and dysprosium; whereas the EU remains overly reliant on non-EU countries for the supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) and is almost entirely dependent on China for the supply of heavy REEs; whereas the EU covers 98 % of its demand for permanent magnets, and 92 % of its demand for NdFeB magnets, with imports from China;

    E.  whereas China has significantly expanded its dominance in the global mining, processing and refining of CRMs and intermediate products, creating strategic dependences along key value chains, , which have, at times, been deliberately leveraged through restrictive trade measures; whereas China first restricted the export of REEs in 2010 over a territorial dispute with Japan, and this restriction was declared incompatible with WTO rules by the Appellate Body; whereas China has also applied extensive restrictions on the export of raw minerals classified as strategic and/or critical by the EU, including gallium and germanium since 1 August 2023, graphite since December 2023, antimony products since 15 September 2024, tungsten and bismuth since 4 February 2025, and scandium since 17 April 2025;

    F.  whereas the implementation of these export restrictions has already started to cause severe disruptions to industry in the EU, including the automotive industry, with as many as 17 assembly lines experiencing temporary shutdowns in May 2025; whereas a wide array of sectors could face disruption, such as healthcare, space and defence – including fighter jets, frigates, drones and precision-guided weapons systems – wind turbines and batteries, as could the green and digital transitions more generally;

    G.  whereas China’s licensing procedure requires applicants to disclose sensitive information to the Chinese authorities, which breaches economic secrecy; whereas China’s updated export control framework of December 2024 gives greater discretionary powers to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to subject items not formally listed as dual-use goods to export controls; whereas these new regulations include measures with extraterritorial applications;

    H.  whereas the EU applies export controls to certain types of critical and advanced materials, but these controls are clearly focused on material types, with precise technical parameters relating to their use in specific military applications, do not affect trade in commercial non-sensitive products and account for only a small share of total exports of the materials in question;

    I.  whereas China has deliberately pursued a strategy of undercutting global market prices while keeping its domestic market closed, generally to the benefit of state-owned enterprises, and couples this with huge subsidy schemes, leading to significant distortions in global competition and jeopardising recent efforts by the EU and the Member States to keep the EU’s remaining mining sectors afloat;

    J.  whereas the EU adopted the CRMA in April 2024 as the starting point of efforts towards improving the resilience and autonomy of the EU’s supply of CRMs and strategic raw materials (SRMs); whereas the CRMA addresses both the supply side and the demand side, including through production targets, through resource efficiency aimed at moderating consumption, and through the substitution of SRMs; whereas circularity is at the core of the CRMA, which aims to cover 25 % of the Union’s SRM needs through recycling by 2030 and has the objective of recycling substantially larger amounts of each SRM from waste, including for permanent magnets;

    K.  whereas the upcoming EU-China summit is an opportunity to engage in dialogue while continuing to stand strong against coercion;

    L.  whereas China still has sanctions in place against a former MEP, members of Member State parliaments and European think tanks;

    1.  Strongly condemns China’s decision to enact REE export restrictions, which has halted exports and significantly disrupted supply chains vital for the automotive industry, defence manufacturers, semiconductor companies, green technologies, healthcare applications and many other sectors in the EU and across the world; considers that China’s action is unjustified and has a coercive intent, building on the enormous leverage its quasi-monopolistic position on the global market provides;

    2.  Believes that China is using these export restrictions to strengthen its negotiating position; stresses that the EU must firmly reject any attempts by China to use these restrictions to force concessions on other ongoing trade irritants, and believes that any concessions to China in this respect would harm the EU’s ability to protect itself from current and future coercion;

    3.  Underlines the importance of expressing concern regarding China’s export restrictions on REEs and the broader implications of these restrictions for global supply chains at the upcoming EU-China summit; is convinced that export controls should be part of a multilateral approach designed to protect international security and ensure a global level playing field, insists that unilateral controls must be limited to those made strictly necessary by national security considerations, with transparent and clearly defined rules, and therefore stresses that making China’s actions run counter to multilateral rules and practices, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to take a firm and unified stance, engage with China to find a structural solution and continue dialogue with China in this regard;

    4.  Urges the Chinese authorities to follow up tangibly on their proposal and fully lift the export restrictions; takes note, in the meantime, of the recent proposal by the Chinese authorities to establish so-called ‘green lanes’ aimed at simplifying procedures for European companies;

    5.  Stresses the urgent need for the EU to enhance its strategic leverage and indispensability by identifying, operationalising and strengthening areas in which it holds critical advantages over China in essential goods and technologies, with the objective of strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, or by limiting access to the EU internal market for high-risk Chinese vendors in accordance with EU and international trade law;

    6.  Considers China’s measures to be an unjustified weaponisation of its CRM supply lines, rendering it an untrustworthy source of input for critical sectors and a threat to the Union’s economic and essential security interests;

    7.  Expresses deep concern over the requirements, imposed by Chinese authorities, that applicants must disclose sensitive data when applying for export permits, and over the considerable risk of technology leaks associated with this as regards the defence industrial base value chain and national security secrets, stressing that this may be used for future coercion; considers it essential for the Commission and the Member States to assess and mitigate the security implications of such data transfers, in line with the European economic security strategy;

    8.  Urges the Commission and the Member States to accelerate the implementation of the CRMA; stresses the important role of the European Raw Materials Board and its sub-groups for the rapid and efficient implementation of the CRMA; recalls the clear and ambitious targets set to reinforce EU capacities to extract, process and recycle SRMs domestically by 2030; highlights the selection of the first 60 strategic projects under the CRMA;

    9.  Regrets the fact that the CRMA was not accompanied by a dedicated EU budget, despite the lack of funding being the main bottleneck; stresses the urgent need to secure investments in the strategic projects approved under the CRMA and in other projects to boost extraction, refining, processing and recycling that contribute to de-risking from China and to achieving the CRMA benchmarks; urges the Commission to dedicate further EU-level support to the diversification of the REE and CRM supply, and to guarantee that the forthcoming multiannual financial framework will include a budget line to foster investment in extraction, processing, circularity, research and innovation, including for the substitution of CRMs;

    10.  Underlines the need for the EU to mine domestically and re-establish processing capacity; underlines that increasing the efficiency of resource use through technological innovation is one of the objectives of the CRMA; emphasises the potential of recycling and urban mining to alleviate supply constraints in the short term and asks the Commission to take immediate measures to improve the collection and retention of REEs in the internal market;

    11.  Underlines the need to ensure the long-term business case for and the viability of investments in CRM value chains, including through financial support such as price floors, offtake support and strategic stockpiling; calls on the Member States to request that large companies producing technologies in strategic sectors duly and regularly carry out risk-preparedness activities and measures to mitigate supply shortages, including via stockpiling;

    12.  Calls on the Commission, together with the Member States, to assess the minimum level for the EU of strategic stocks of REEs listed as SRMs (neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium) and the corresponding end-use applications, including those linked to the defence industry;

    13.  Calls, furthermore, for stronger engagement to conclude clean trade and investment partnerships (CTIPs) and bilateral strategic partnerships on raw materials that are based on true win-win partnerships and meet high sustainability and human rights standards; insists on the need to move towards binding agreements on CRMs to ensure the long-term security of the EU’s supplies, guarantee more transparency and ensure that Parliament has scrutiny powers; underlines the importance of free trade agreements and the Global Gateway initiative in enhancing access to CRMs;

    14.  Encourages the use of preference clauses for sourcing REEs from EU suppliers and trusted partners in relevant procurement legislation; calls for greater coordination with like-minded international partners, particularly within the G7 and NATO frameworks and with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, in order to improve knowledge transfer, align supply chain security, joint investments and stockpiling strategies, and develop trusted-source standards for strategic sectors and projects;

    15.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the People’s Republic of China.

    (1) OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj.
    (2) OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Watch: Statements by Board of Governors in Opening Ceremony of NDB 2025 Annual Meeting

    Source: New Development Bank

    Videos

    H.E. Mrs. Dilma Rousseff

    President of the New Development Bank

    H.E. Mr. Anton Siluanov

    Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation and the NDB Governor for Russia

    H.E. Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman

    Minister of Finance of the Republic of India and the NDB Governor for India

    H.E. Mr. LAN Fo’an

    Minister of Finance of the People’s Republic of China and the NDB Governor for China

    Dr. David Masondo

    Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa and the NDB Alternate Governor for South Africa

    Mr. Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky

    Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the NDB Alternate Governor for Bangladesh

    Mr. Ali Sharafi

    Acting Assistant Undersecretary for International Financial Relations Sector, Ministry of Finance of the United Arab Emirates and the NDB Temporary Alternate Governor for the United Arab Emirates

    Mr. Atter Hannoura

    Director of the PPP Central Unit, Ministry Director of the PPP Central Unit, Ministry of Finance of Egypt of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the NDB Temporary Alternate Governor for Egyptof Finance of Egypt of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the NDB Temporary Alternate Governor for Egypt

    H.E. Mr. Abdelaziz Benali Cherif

    Ambassador of Algeria to Brazil

    H.E. Mr. Fernando Haddad

    Minister of Finance of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the NDB Governor for Brazil

    New Development Bank Tenth Annual Meeting

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Salazar Sends Letter Raising Concerns for Freedom Leader José Daniel Ferrer

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    span>WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Maria Salazar sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighting her concern that the situation of freedom leader José Daniel Ferrer has become dire. The letter asks that the Secretary of State to use the full weight of his office to fight for José Daniel. José Daniel Ferrer is not just any dissident; he is the most important and credible leader of the opposition on the island today.

    “Please do whatever is possible to achieve the liberation of José Daniel before his health gets any worse,” said Rep. Salazar. “The regime in Cuba is a paper tiger and it will fall with just a flick of the finger. Let this serve as a warning: if anything happens to José Daniel Ferrer, there must be serious consequences. The United States and its allies cannot allow another Cuban hero to die in silence.”  

    Background

    The regime thugs at Mar Verde prison in Santiago de Cuba have beaten José Daniel multiple times in two weeks. Conditions at the concentration camp are horrendous and his life is in danger. 

    The United States is the only country in the world that has the power to protect freedom fighters like José Daniel. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar urges the Secretary to do everything possible to secure the liberation of José Daniel before his health gets any worse.  

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps Ramirez, Lee, Frost Introduce Legislation to Ensure Congress’ Constitutional Duty to Conduct Oversight of the Executive Branch

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)

    Chicago, IL— Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), member of the Homeland Security Committee, joined  Representatives Summer L. Lee (PA-12) and Maxwell Frost (FL-10) to introduce the Congressional Oversight Access Act. The timely legislation would protect Members of Congress from violence, obstruction, and retaliation when conducting oversight of the executive branch. The bill comes in response to recent disturbing incidents where Members of Congress, including Rep. LaMonica McIver and Senator Alex Padilla, were arrested while performing their constitutional oversight duties, and other members suffered obstructions by ICE agents. 

    On June 18, Congresswoman Ramirez and members of the Illinois delegation, Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), and Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), were unlawfully denied entry to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Broadview, Illinois. 

    “As Members of Congress, it is our Constitutional obligation to conduct oversight and ensure the Executive Branch is held accountable for their actions, especially actions we fund through appropriations. Yet, the Administration has not only broken the law by obstructing our ability to do our job, they have persecuted those who dared to fulfill their constitutional oath,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “It goes without saying that the Administration must ensure Members of Congress can safely execute the duties of our positions, whether we are conducting oversight of an ICE detention facility or federal offices. That is why I am joining my colleague Congresswoman Summer Lee to introduce the Congressional Oversight Access Act, to remind the Administration that they will not deter us from our duty through bullying and intimidation.” 

    “It is not only our right but our constitutional duty as Members of Congress to conduct oversight of the executive branch—whether that’s a federal prison, an ICE facility, or any agency receiving public funds,” said Rep. Lee. “When Members are met with force, arrests, or retaliation for fulfilling that responsibility, it represents a dangerous abuse of power and a direct threat to our democratic institutions. These attempts to silence us, to make examples out of Members like Rep. LaMonica McIver, are meant to intimidate and suppress dissent, especially from younger, Black, and outspoken voices. But we will not normalize executive overreach, we will not stay silent in the face of injustice, and we will fight back every time, because our democracy depends on it.” 

    “From immigration detention centers to federal agencies, Members of Congress have a duty and responsibility to oversee and conduct oversight across the government,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost. “This is about ensuring our laws and human rights remain intact no matter who is sitting the in the Oval Office. Members will not be bullied or intimidated out of doing our jobs for the American people.”  

    The Congressional Oversight Access Act makes it illegal for executive branch officials to use force or obstruct a Member of Congress acting in their official oversight capacity. The bill explicitly defines protected oversight activities to include reviewing, monitoring, supervising, investigating, or visiting federal programs, facilities, or agencies to ensure compliance with laws, court orders, and the proper administration of federal policies.  Overview of the Congressional Oversight Access Act: 

    • Protects     Members of Congress from the use of force,     arrest, or retaliation while conducting oversight in their official capacity. 
    • Defines covered oversight activities to include investigations,     monitoring, visitation, and supervision of federal entities and operations. 
    • Responds to recent incidents where Members were arrested or obstructed during lawful oversight. 
    • Reasserts the constitutional role of Congress and the necessity of maintaining checks and balances between branches of government. 

    The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-8), Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-1), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rep. Troy Carter (LA-2), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-6), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Pablo José Hernández (PR-At-Large), Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-7), Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-5), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35). 

     The bill is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and Public Citizen. 

    For the full text of the bill, CLICK HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Toobit Launches Break Even Price Feature to Give Traders Instant Profit Clarity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Toobit, the award-winning global cryptocurrency exchange, today introduces its new Break Even Price feature. This innovative tool allows traders to instantly identify the exact price point at which their open positions transition from loss to profit, with all transaction fees and costs automatically factored in.

    Trading in volatile markets often involves complex manual calculations and guesswork to determine true position profitability, a process prone to errors and overlooked costs.

    The Break Even Price feature tackles this challenge, instantly displaying the precise market price needed to exit a position without loss, while intuitive green signals confirm profitability.

    Toobit’s Break Even Price feature in action on the Futures platform, providing real-time visual confirmation as a trade turns profitable and the indicator turns green.

    “We understand how important immediate, actionable insights are for traders, especially in volatile markets,” said Mike Williams, Chief Communication Officer at Toobit. “Our new Break Even Price feature empowers users with unparalleled transparency into their trade performance, fostering greater confidence and enabling truly informed decisions.”

    Key benefits of the Break Even Price feature include:

    • Fee-inclusive accuracy: Provides precise profitability calculations by seamlessly accounting for all trading and funding fees, eliminating hidden costs.
    • Real-time visual cues: Offers immediate, at-a-glance status updates as the indicator turns green upon profitability, streamlining position monitoring.

    The Break Even Price feature is now available for all perpetual contracts on Toobit’s Futures platform.

    About Toobit

    Toobit is where the future of crypto trading unfolds—an award-winning cryptocurrency derivatives exchange built for those who thrive exploring new frontiers. With deep liquidity and cutting-edge technology, Toobit empowers traders worldwide to navigate the digital asset markets with confidence. We offer a fair, secure, seamless, and transparent trading experience, ensuring every trade is an opportunity to discover what’s next.

    For more information about Toobit, visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Instagram

    Contact: Davin C.

    Email: market@toobit.com

    Website: www.toobit.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Toobit. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

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    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at :

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2668030a-5a1f-4832-8bcb-9db50a4ed4c0

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: From Challenge to Change — Implementing Gender Action Plans in Practice

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    Across governments, institutions, and organizations, gender action plans (GAPs) have become essential tools for advancing gender equality. Yet, moving from policy documents to real-world impact remains a complex task. How can implementers bridge the gap between identifying gender-related challenges and taking concrete, effective action?

    This webinar brings together representatives from national agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations that have developed and begun to implement their gender action plans. Our focus is not on the abstract or aspirational, but on the how: How were challenges identified? How were these transformed into actionable commitments in a GAP? And how have these commitments been — or are being — implemented on the ground?

    Through case-based presentations and guided discussion, participants will gain insights into:

    • The specific gender-related challenges that organizations sought to address;
    • How these challenges were translated into clear, actionable items in a GAP;
    • The strategies and tools used to implement these actions — including successes, setbacks, and lessons learned.

    Designed for implementers at the national level — particularly in government agencies and public institutions — this webinar will offer real-world examples, practical reflections, and candid insights from those working to turn plans into progress. Whether you are at the start of your gender mainstreaming journey or seeking to refine and operationalize your existing plan, this event will provide inspiration and guidance from peers who are confronting similar questions.

    This event will also mark the launch of the UNECE Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (WP.6) publication, Gender Action Plan Blueprint: A Toolkit for Gender Equality in Standards, Regulation and Public Service. The Blueprint offers a practical roadmap for integrating gender considerations into quality infrastructure and public sector institutions. Structured around a modular, customizable model, it provides actionable guidance for organizations seeking to align their gender equality efforts with national priorities and international frameworks.

    Join us for an engaging session that connects vision with action — and action with impact.

    Welcome

    • Lance Thompson, Head Regulatory Cooperation Unit (and moderator of the event)
    • Michelle Parkouda, Chair Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards

    National implementations from challenge to change

    • Canada: Michelle Parkouda, “Building gender expertise into the standardization system”
    • Rwanda: Elsa Ndibwami Tunga, “Implementing women’s empowerment in standards, certification, metrology, quality and testing services”
    • Great Britain: Stephanie Eynon, “Women inclusion in standards development”
    • Ecuador: Carla Gordon, “Code of conduct for participation in technical standardization committees, including gender equality”
    • (potentially two other examples, to be confirmed)

    Closing remarks

    • International Organization for Standardization
    • Michelle Parkouda, Chair Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Family Ties: Siblings strengthen readiness, relationships during African Lion 2025

    Source: United States Army

    Back to

    U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)

    DODJI, Senegal — For many service members, participating in an international military exercise can feel like joining a larger, multinational family. For U.S. Army Maj. Carolyn Vandeventer and her younger brother, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Stuart Vandevick, that sentiment is literal.

    The siblings were both deployed to Senegal in support of African Lion 2025 (AL25), U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint exercise. Vandeventer, a logistics officer assigned to the 79th Theater Sustainment Command (Forward), U.S. Army Reserve, based in Vicenza, Italy, and Vandevick, a key member of the exercise’s mayor cell assigned to the 561st Regional Support Group in Elkhorn, Nebraska, are sharing a rare opportunity to serve together while supporting multinational training at Centre d’Entraînement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji.

    This year’s iteration of AL25 emphasizes readiness, interoperability and relationship-building to enhance warfighting capabilities among partner nations. In that spirit, the Vandeventer siblings reinforce a core principle of the exercise: strong teams are built on trust, collaboration—and sometimes, family.

    “It started off as a joke over Thanksgiving,” said Vandeventer. “I told Stuart, ‘Hey, your new unit falls under mine now. Want to come to Senegal?’ But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.”

    What started as a joke soon turned into reality.

    “We’ve both been in the Army for over 19 years,” said Vandeventer. “But we’ve never actually worked the same mission—until now.”

    Vandevick quickly accepted the offer.

    Tasked with overseeing base operations and sustainment efforts as part of the mayor cell, his responsibilities complemented his sister’s strategic role in managing logistics at the operational level. Together, their coordination added a personal dimension to an already complex multinational effort.

    “Having Carolyn here makes the mission more personal,” said Vandevick. “It underscores how building trust and close relationships—whether with a sibling or a multinational partner—is essential to overcoming challenges and getting the job done.”

    Their shared experience also illustrates the broader objective of African Lion: strengthening ties and improving readiness across allied and partner forces.

    “African Lion thrives on personal connections that reinforce military cooperation,” said U.S. Army Col. Matthias E. Greene, the senior U.S. officer for AL25 in Senegal. “Having siblings serve side by side underscores our emphasis on building genuine partnerships at every level.”

    In Senegal, AL25 featured field training exercises, live-fire ranges and medical readiness operations conducted by troops from Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Senegal and the U.S.

    Across the wider theater, more than 10,000 participants from over 50 nations took part in coordinated activities across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.

    Vandeventer said having her brother nearby was both operationally useful and personally meaningful.

    “Because we’ve both been in the Army a long time, working together here has felt natural,” she said. “He understands how the mayor cell functions from his background in a regional support group, and that’s helped me tremendously. We’re in sync in a way only siblings can be—sometimes it feels like we can read each other’s minds.”

    Beyond the mission, she says, the deployment offered something even rarer: time together.

    “Other than Thanksgiving, I hadn’t seen him in years,” she said. “Serving overseas, I don’t get many chances like this. Getting to video call our parents from the same place—from a continent away—was something special.”

    Their bond hasn’t gone unnoticed.

    “People in the dining facility or the tactical operation center (TOC) will see us interact and ask someone nearby, ‘Wait, are they related?’” Vandevent said, laughing. “The looks on their faces are priceless. I’ll give Stuart a big bear hug—definitely not standard between a field grade officer and an NCO—and we’ll both say, ‘Yes way.’”

    African Lion 25 reinforces U.S. and partner nations’ readiness and collective resolve to ensure peace through strength.

    About African Lion

    AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.

    About SETAF-AF

    U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

    Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China edge USA to conclude women’s VNL

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

    China claimed another come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the United States on Sunday, closing the women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminaries with four consecutive wins.

    Wu Mengjie led China with 27 points on 26 kills and an ace, while Zhuang Yushan and Gong Xiangyu contributed 18 and 14 points, respectively. The Chinese team rallied past the hosts 18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 18-16 for their third five-set win in Arlington.

    Earlier in the week, China had also defeated the Dominican Republic and Germany in five sets, and Canada 3-1.

    “I am pleased with the resilience demonstrated by our players,” said China head coach Zhao Yong.

    Trailing 5-4 in the tiebreak, China went on a 5-1 run to level the score at 9-9. After Wang Yuanyuan delivered a key block to give China a 14-13 lead, the Americans fended off three match points before Wu’s smash and a final point from Zhuang sealed the win.

    China finished fifth among the 18 teams in the preliminary round, with nine wins, three losses, and 24 points. They will face Poland, the fourth-place finisher and host of the Finals, in the quarterfinals.

    The United States, led by Sarah Franklin’s 32 points, ended eighth with a 7-5 record. They will take on top-seeded Italy for a spot in the semifinals.

    Brazil, Japan, Turkey, and Germany also advanced to the Finals, which will be held in Lodz, Poland, from July 23 to 27.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne

    A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.

    This is not only important for Cambodia, but also raises important questions for atrocity sites in Australia.

    Before this, the World Heritage list only recognised seven “sites of memory” associated with recent conflicts, which UNESCO defines as “events having occurred from the turn of the 20th century” under its criterion vi. These sat within a broader list of more than 950 cultural sites.

    In recent years, experts have intensely debated the question of whether a site associated with recent conflict could, or should, be nominated and evaluated for World Heritage status. Some argue such listings would contradict the objectives of UNESCO and its spirit of peace, which was part of the specialised agency’s mandate after the destruction of two world wars.

    Sites associated with recent conflicts can be divisive. For instance, when Japan nominated the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, both China and the United States objected and eventually disassociated from the decision. The US argued the nomination lacked “historical perspective” on the events that led to the bomb’s use. Meanwhile, China argued listing the property would not be conducive for peace as other Asian countries and peoples had suffered at the hands of the Japanese during WWII.

    Heritage inscriptions risk reinforcing societal divisions if they conserve a particular memory in a one-sided way.

    Nonetheless, the World Heritage Committee decided in 2023 to no longer preclude such sites for inscription. This was done partly in recognition of how these sites may “serve the peace-building mission of UNESCO”.

    Shortly after, three listing were added: the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory, a former clandestine centre for detention, torture and extermination in Argentina; memorial sites of the Rwandan genocide at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero; and funerary and memory sites of the first world war in Belgium and France.

    A number of legacy sites associated with Nelson Mandela’s human rights struggle in South Africa were also added last year.

    Atrocities of the Khmer Rouge

    The recently inscribed Cambodian Memorial Sites include prisons S-21 (now known as Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) and M-13, as well as the execution site Choeung Ek.

    These sites were nominated for their value in showing the development of extreme mass violence in relation to the security system of the Khmer Rouge in 1975–79. They also have value as places of memorialisation, peace and learning.

    The Khmer Rouge developed its methods of disappearance, incarceration and torture of suspected “enemies” during the civil conflict of 1970–75. It established a system of local-level security centres in so-called “liberated” areas.

    One of these centres was known as M-13, a small, well-hidden prison in the country’s rural southwest. A man named Kaing Guek Eav – also called Duch – was responsible for prisoners at M-13.

    Shortly after the entire country fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Duch was assigned to lead the headquarters of the regime’s security system: a large detention and torture centre known as S-21.

    Under his instruction, tens of thousands of people were detained in inhumane conditions, tortured and interrogated. Many detainees were later taken to the outskirts of the city to be brutally killed and buried in pits at a place called Choeung Ek.

    The sites operated until early 1979, when the Khmer Rouge was forced from power.

    The S-21 facility and the mass graves at Choeung Ek have long been memorialised as the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre.

    However, the former M-13 site shows few visual clues to its prior use, and has only recently been investigated by an international team led by Cambodian archaeologist and museum director Hang Nisay. The site is on an island in a small river that forms the boundary between the Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces.

    Further research, site protection and memorialisation activities will now be supported, with help from locals.

    From repression to reflection

    The Cambodian memorial sites have been recognised as holding “outstanding universal value” for the way they evidence one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities, and are now places of memory.

    In its nomination dossier for these sites, Cambodia drew on findings from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to verify and link the conflict and the sites.

    In 2010, the tribunal found Duch guilty of crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Duch was sentenced to 30 years in prison (which eventually turned into life imprisonment). He died in 2020.

    While courts such as the International Criminal Court have previously examined the destruction of heritage as an international crime, drawing on legal findings to assert heritage status is an unusual inverse. It raises important questions about the legacies of former UN-supported tribunals and the ongoing implications of their findings.

    The recent listings also raise questions for Australia, which has many sites of documented mass killing associated with colonisation and the frontier wars that lasted into the 20th century.

    Might Australia nominate any of these atrocity sites in the future? And could other processes such as truth-telling, reparation and redress support (or be supported by) such nominations?

    The Conversation

    Rachel Hughes has consulted to UNESCO Cambodia.

    Maria Elander 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. UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict – https://theconversation.com/unesco-grants-world-heritage-status-to-khmer-rouge-atrocity-sites-paving-the-way-for-other-sites-of-conflict-260923

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Heavy rain batters UP, HP, Rajasthan as northern India braces for continued Monsoon surge

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India is currently in the midst of an active monsoon phase, with widespread rainfall and dynamic weather conditions affecting large parts of the northern and central regions on Monday.

    According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in New Delhi, the past 24 hours witnessed significant precipitation across several states, notably Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Isolated pockets in Uttar Pradesh recorded very heavy rainfall, with Mahroni in Lalitpur receiving 163 mm, Lalitpur 147 mm, and Fatehpur Tehsil (Banki) 140 mm.

    Additional heavy showers were reported in Banda, Bijnor, and Varanasi, with Beberu in Banda district recording 110 mm of rainfall.

    In Rajasthan, Manoharthana in Jhalawar received 115 mm, Sallopat in Banswara 95 mm, and Jaswantpura in Jalour 78 mm. In Himachal Pradesh, Murari Devi registered 126 mm, while Manethi in Haryana saw 82.3 mm. Thunderstorms and lightning were reported across eastern Uttar Pradesh and various parts of Northwest India, except Haryana.

    Isolated hailstorms were observed in Jammu and Kashmir, while gusty winds swept through Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

    The seven-day forecast indicates sustained rainfall across the region. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh are expected to experience fairly widespread to widespread showers through July 19.

    Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are likely to see scattered to fairly widespread rainfall, while Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi may witness scattered showers, which are expected to taper off to isolated activity later in the week.

    Rajasthan is likely to receive moderate rainfall, with eastern Rajasthan likely to see more consistent precipitation compared to the western parts.

    Maximum temperatures across the plains of northwest India are expected to remain stable over the next five days.

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) advises residents to stay updated via the MAUSAM app for location-specific forecasts, the Meghdoot app for agricultural advisories, and the Damini app for lightning alerts.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI: Ellomay Capital Ltd. Announces a Proposed Private Placement of Ordinary Shares to Israeli Institutional and Classified Investors for Approximately NIS 50 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tel-Aviv, Israel, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ellomay Capital Ltd. (NYSE American; TASE: ELLO) (“Ellomay” or the “Company”), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe, USA and Israel, today announced that it received and accepted, following the approval of its Board of Directors, commitments from several Israeli institutional and classified investors to buy 926,000 ordinary shares of the Company in a private placement (the “Private Placement”). As a result of the Private Placement, an affiliate of Menora Mivtachim Holdings Ltd. (one of Israel’s largest institutional investors), which holds securities for the benefit of members of provident funds or pension funds, is expected to become an interested party in the Company, holding approximately 6% of the Company’s outstanding shares.

    The price per share in the Private Placement was set at NIS 54 (approximately $16.3) and the gross proceeds to the Company are expected to be approximately NIS 50 million. The price per share was determined on July 9, 2025. The closing price per share on July 8, 2025 and July 9, 2025 on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange was NIS 56.88 and NIS 58.53, respectively. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes.

    The closing of the Private Placement is subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals, which are expected to be obtained during July 2025.

    The Private Placement described in this report, if made, will be made in Israel only and not to U.S. persons. The ordinary shares, if sold, will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements according to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933. Nothing in this press release constitutes a public offering or an invitation to purchase the Company’s securities.

    About Ellomay Capital Ltd.

    Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are registered with the NYSE American and with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ELLO”. Since 2009, Ellomay focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe, USA and Israel.

    To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Texas, USA, including:

    • Approximately 335.9 MW of operating solar power plants in Spain (including a 300 MW solar plant in owned by Talasol, which is 51% owned by the Company) and 51% of approximately 38 MW of operating solar power plants in Italy;
    • 9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel’s largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel’s total current electricity consumption;
    • Groen Gas Goor B.V., Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V. and Groen Gas Gelderland B.V., project companies operating anaerobic digestion plants in the Netherlands, with a green gas production capacity of approximately 3 million, 3.8 million and 9.5 million Nm3 per year, respectively;
    • 83.333% of Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., which is involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel;
    • 51% of solar projects in Italy with an aggregate capacity of 160 MW that commenced construction processes;
    • Solar projects in Italy with an aggregate capacity of 134 MW that have reached “ready to build” status; and
    • Solar projects in the Dallas Metropolitan area, Texas, USA with an aggregate capacity of approximately 27 MW that are connected to the grid and additional 22 MW that are awaiting connection to the grid.

    For more information about Ellomay, visit http://www.ellomay.com.

    Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements, including inability to receive regulatory approvals, changes in electricity prices and demand, regulatory changes increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of the Company’s facilities (such as waste and natural gas) and in the price of oil, the impact of the war and hostilities in Israel and Gaza and between Israel and Iran, the impact of the continued military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by the Company, inability to obtain the financing required for the development and construction of projects, inability to advance the expansion of Dorad, increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in exchange rates, delays in development, construction, or commencement of operation of the projects under development, failure to obtain permits – whether within the set time frame or at all, climate change, and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Contact:
    Kalia Rubenbach (Weintraub)
    CFO
    Tel: +972 (3) 797-1111
    Email: hilai@ellomay.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”) – Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo and 2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”)

    Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo

    And

    2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

    14 July 2025 – Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSXV: FO, AIM: FOG) is pleased to announce that Shenandoah S2-2H ST1 (“SS-2H ST1”) achieved an average 60-day initial production (“IP60”) flow rate of 6.8 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) over 1,671-metres (5,483-foot) across a 35 stage stimulated horizontal within the Amungee Member B-Shale in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory, Australia, making it the highest IP60 result in the Beetaloo to date.

    Points to note:

    • The average flow rate of 12.4 MMcf/d over a normalized 10,000-foot horizontal section remains in-line with an average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period. The results demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin to the Australian domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States. 
    • The exit rate maintains a steady, low-declining curve at 6.4 MMcf/d with a flowing wellhead pressure of ~720 psi and has exhibited less decline than that of the Shenandoah South 1H well (“SS-1H”) over the last 30 days of testing.
    • For further details on the SS-2H ST1 flow test including a table, and charts please refer to Appendix A.

    Drilling Campaign Gets Underway

    • The 2025 drilling campaign has now commenced targeting up to three 10,000-foot horizontal wells to be drilled back-to-back over the next few months. This will complete the drilling phase of the five well Shenandoah South pilot program.
    • As previously announced, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (“Falcon Australia”) has no cost exposure to the drilling of these three wells as it opted to reduce its participating interest in the three wells to 0%.

    Philip O’Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented:

    “The IP60 flow rate results announced today of 6.8 MMcf/d are truly stellar and mark another major data point in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, again demonstrating that it compares to the best shale wells in the United States. These results, coupled with the average 30-day initial production exceeding Falcon’s pre-drill commercial threshold of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres, all point towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo.

    The commencement of the 2025 three well drilling campaign, which is the largest drilling campaign in the Beetaloo to date, will hopefully provide further evidence of the real commercial potential of the Beetaloo.

    We look forward to updating the market as soon as these drilling results become available.”

    Ends.

    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.          +353 1 676 8702
    Philip O’Quigley, CEO +353 87 814 7042
    Anne Flynn, CFO +353 1 676 9162
     
    Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (NOMAD & Broker)
    Neil McDonald / Adam Rae +44 131 220 9771

     

    This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gábor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd’s Technical Advisor. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG.

    About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.

    For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Please visit www.falconoilandgas.com

    About Beetaloo Joint Venture (EP 76, 98 and 117)   

    Company Interest
    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) 22.5%
    Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited (“Tamboran”) 77.5%
    Total 100.0%

    Shenandoah South Pilot Project -2 Drilling Space Units – 46,080 acres1

    Company Interest
    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) 5.0%
    Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited 95.0%
    Total 100.0%

    1Subject to the completion of SS–4H wells on the Shenandoah South pad 2.

    About Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited
    Tamboran (B1) Pty Limited (“Tamboran B1”) is the 100% holder of Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited, with Tamboran B1 being a 50:50 joint venture between Tamboran Resources Corporation and Daly Waters Energy, LP.

    Tamboran Resources Corporation is a natural gas company listed on the NYSE (TBN) and ASX (TBN). Tamboran is focused on playing a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future, by developing the significant low CO2 gas resource within the Beetaloo Sub-basin through cutting-edge drilling and completion design technology as well as management’s experience in successfully commercialising unconventional shale in North America.

    Bryan Sheffield of Daly Waters Energy, LP is a highly successful investor and has made significant returns in the US unconventional energy sector in the past. He was Founder of Parsley Energy Inc. (“PE”), an independent unconventional oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin, Texas and previously served as its Chairman and CEO. PE was acquired for over US$7 billion by Pioneer Natural Resources Company.

     

    Appendix A – SS-2H ST1 Flow Test Details

    Note to reader: Please refer to the PDF attachment included at the end of this press release for further details including a table and charts related to the SS-2H ST1 flow test results.

    Advisory regarding forward-looking statements

    Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “dependent”, “consider” “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “anticipated”, “outlook”, “budget”, “hope”, “suggest”, “support” “planned”, “approximately”, “potential” or the negative of those terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes.  In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, details on the IP60 flow test results of SS-2H ST1 including assumptions that the results are in line with average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period and that they demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin in the Australian Domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States; consistency of the results of SS-2H ST1 with SS-1H; belief the average 30-day initial production of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres is a commercial threshold and coupled with the IP60 flow rate points towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo; and details on the 2025 three well drilling campaign which has commenced.

    This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results include risks associated with fluctuations in market prices for shale gas; risks related to the exploration, development and production of shale gas reserves; general economic, market and business conditions; substantial capital requirements; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of reserves and resources; extent of, and cost of compliance with, government laws and regulations and the effect of changes in such laws and regulations; the need to obtain regulatory approvals before development commences; environmental risks and hazards and the cost of compliance with environmental regulations; aboriginal claims; inherent risks and hazards with operations such as mechanical or pipe failure, cratering and other dangerous conditions; potential cost overruns, drilling wells is speculative, often involving significant costs that may be more than estimated and may not result in any discoveries; variations in foreign exchange rates; competition for capital, equipment, new leases, pipeline capacity and skilled personnel; the failure of the holder of licenses, leases and permits to meet requirements of such; changes in royalty regimes; failure to accurately estimate abandonment and reclamation costs; inaccurate estimates and assumptions by management and/or their joint venture partners; effectiveness of internal controls; the potential lack of available drilling equipment; failure to obtain or keep key personnel; title deficiencies; geo-political risks; and risk of litigation.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive and that these factors and risks are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com, including under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Information Form.

    Any references in this news release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons; however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Falcon. Such rates are based on field estimates and may be based on limited data available at this time.

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

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”) – Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo and 2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”)

    Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo

    And

    2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

    14 July 2025 – Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSXV: FO, AIM: FOG) is pleased to announce that Shenandoah S2-2H ST1 (“SS-2H ST1”) achieved an average 60-day initial production (“IP60”) flow rate of 6.8 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) over 1,671-metres (5,483-foot) across a 35 stage stimulated horizontal within the Amungee Member B-Shale in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory, Australia, making it the highest IP60 result in the Beetaloo to date.

    Points to note:

    • The average flow rate of 12.4 MMcf/d over a normalized 10,000-foot horizontal section remains in-line with an average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period. The results demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin to the Australian domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States. 
    • The exit rate maintains a steady, low-declining curve at 6.4 MMcf/d with a flowing wellhead pressure of ~720 psi and has exhibited less decline than that of the Shenandoah South 1H well (“SS-1H”) over the last 30 days of testing.
    • For further details on the SS-2H ST1 flow test including a table, and charts please refer to Appendix A.

    Drilling Campaign Gets Underway

    • The 2025 drilling campaign has now commenced targeting up to three 10,000-foot horizontal wells to be drilled back-to-back over the next few months. This will complete the drilling phase of the five well Shenandoah South pilot program.
    • As previously announced, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (“Falcon Australia”) has no cost exposure to the drilling of these three wells as it opted to reduce its participating interest in the three wells to 0%.

    Philip O’Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented:

    “The IP60 flow rate results announced today of 6.8 MMcf/d are truly stellar and mark another major data point in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, again demonstrating that it compares to the best shale wells in the United States. These results, coupled with the average 30-day initial production exceeding Falcon’s pre-drill commercial threshold of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres, all point towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo.

    The commencement of the 2025 three well drilling campaign, which is the largest drilling campaign in the Beetaloo to date, will hopefully provide further evidence of the real commercial potential of the Beetaloo.

    We look forward to updating the market as soon as these drilling results become available.”

    Ends.

    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.          +353 1 676 8702
    Philip O’Quigley, CEO +353 87 814 7042
    Anne Flynn, CFO +353 1 676 9162
     
    Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (NOMAD & Broker)
    Neil McDonald / Adam Rae +44 131 220 9771

     

    This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gábor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd’s Technical Advisor. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG.

    About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
    Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.

    For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Please visit www.falconoilandgas.com

    About Beetaloo Joint Venture (EP 76, 98 and 117)   

    Company Interest
    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) 22.5%
    Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited (“Tamboran”) 77.5%
    Total 100.0%

    Shenandoah South Pilot Project -2 Drilling Space Units – 46,080 acres1

    Company Interest
    Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia) 5.0%
    Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited 95.0%
    Total 100.0%

    1Subject to the completion of SS–4H wells on the Shenandoah South pad 2.

    About Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited
    Tamboran (B1) Pty Limited (“Tamboran B1”) is the 100% holder of Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited, with Tamboran B1 being a 50:50 joint venture between Tamboran Resources Corporation and Daly Waters Energy, LP.

    Tamboran Resources Corporation is a natural gas company listed on the NYSE (TBN) and ASX (TBN). Tamboran is focused on playing a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future, by developing the significant low CO2 gas resource within the Beetaloo Sub-basin through cutting-edge drilling and completion design technology as well as management’s experience in successfully commercialising unconventional shale in North America.

    Bryan Sheffield of Daly Waters Energy, LP is a highly successful investor and has made significant returns in the US unconventional energy sector in the past. He was Founder of Parsley Energy Inc. (“PE”), an independent unconventional oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin, Texas and previously served as its Chairman and CEO. PE was acquired for over US$7 billion by Pioneer Natural Resources Company.

     

    Appendix A – SS-2H ST1 Flow Test Details

    Note to reader: Please refer to the PDF attachment included at the end of this press release for further details including a table and charts related to the SS-2H ST1 flow test results.

    Advisory regarding forward-looking statements

    Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “dependent”, “consider” “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “anticipated”, “outlook”, “budget”, “hope”, “suggest”, “support” “planned”, “approximately”, “potential” or the negative of those terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes.  In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, details on the IP60 flow test results of SS-2H ST1 including assumptions that the results are in line with average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period and that they demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin in the Australian Domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States; consistency of the results of SS-2H ST1 with SS-1H; belief the average 30-day initial production of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres is a commercial threshold and coupled with the IP60 flow rate points towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo; and details on the 2025 three well drilling campaign which has commenced.

    This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results include risks associated with fluctuations in market prices for shale gas; risks related to the exploration, development and production of shale gas reserves; general economic, market and business conditions; substantial capital requirements; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of reserves and resources; extent of, and cost of compliance with, government laws and regulations and the effect of changes in such laws and regulations; the need to obtain regulatory approvals before development commences; environmental risks and hazards and the cost of compliance with environmental regulations; aboriginal claims; inherent risks and hazards with operations such as mechanical or pipe failure, cratering and other dangerous conditions; potential cost overruns, drilling wells is speculative, often involving significant costs that may be more than estimated and may not result in any discoveries; variations in foreign exchange rates; competition for capital, equipment, new leases, pipeline capacity and skilled personnel; the failure of the holder of licenses, leases and permits to meet requirements of such; changes in royalty regimes; failure to accurately estimate abandonment and reclamation costs; inaccurate estimates and assumptions by management and/or their joint venture partners; effectiveness of internal controls; the potential lack of available drilling equipment; failure to obtain or keep key personnel; title deficiencies; geo-political risks; and risk of litigation.

    Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive and that these factors and risks are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com, including under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Information Form.

    Any references in this news release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons; however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Falcon. Such rates are based on field estimates and may be based on limited data available at this time.

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

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER DEMANDS TRUMP ADMIN IMMEDIATELY REVERSE RIPPING AWAY FUNDING FOR UALBANY’S MESONET, NEW YORK’S STATE OF THE ART WEATHER TRACKING SYSTEM THAT HELPS KEEP UPSTATE NY COMMUNITIES PREPARED & SAFE…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Trump’s DHS Abruptly Cut Funding For NY’s Mesonet Program, Based At UAlbany, Which Covers Storm Tracking For Every County In NY & Plays Critical Role In Storm Data Gathering For Emergency Response & Safety Across The State
    After Devastating Flooding In Texas, Schumer Says We Need More – Not Less – Investment In Weather Tracking To Warn And To Mitigate Damage When Disaster Strikes; Senator Slams Dangerous Cuts That Risk Ongoing Project To Improve Storm Monitoring
    Schumer: Cutting Funding For NY Weather Tracking Is A Recipe For Disaster
    After Trump abruptly canceled a $3 million grant project for New York State’s advanced regional weather early warning systems program, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer slammed the unexplained cuts and demanded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reverse this harmful decision, which will weaken New York State’s ability to track and monitor extreme weather. As New York faces more extreme weather than ever, and in the wake of devastating flooding in Texas, Schumer said the federal government should invest more, not less, in systems that keep regions like Upstate NY safe and prepared for extreme storms.
    “Cutting funding for New York’s weather tracking system is a recipe for disaster. With a record-breaking tornado season last summer and New York seeing more extreme weather than ever, we can’t afford to rip away resources for the program that tells us when a storm is going to hit and how bad it’s going to be,” said Senator Schumer. “Our state-of-the-art network of weather observation stations gathers real-time hyper-local data that keeps New Yorkers across the state safe and informed. We need to make sure New Yorkers are prepared for whatever punches Mother Nature delivers, to hinder their advancement. I’m calling on Secretary Noem to immediately reverse these cruel unexplained cuts to keep New Yorkers safe when the next storm comes.”
    Schumer explained University at Albany’s Mesonet program was awarded a $3 million grant program in 2023 to support its Exploitation of Mesonets for Emergency Preparedness and Response in Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) program. The EMPOWER program is a partnership between researchers, higher education, emergency managers, and the federal government. This program works to upgrade technology to produce better, more accurate weather hazard impact warning and emergency response capabilities to keep New Yorkers—and ultimately the nation—safe.
    Schumer explained the University at Albany hosts NYS’s Mesonet Program, a network of weather observation stations which unlock key data from the clouds using advanced instruments at 127 sites around New York, with at least one station located in each of New York’s 62 counties, and laser technology to monitor the atmosphere. Schumer said amid record-breaking extreme weather, including devastating flooding in Texas, we need sharper forecasts to better understand storms as they develop and approach communities. Schumer warned that without upgrades or with delayed investment in NY’s system, local forecasting ability could be hampered by deferred systems maintenance and decreased federal operations support, which could impact both storm prediction and public safety. These are not the first cuts to weather forecasting in NY under the Trump Administration, earlier this year it was revealed that firings and staff reductions at the National Weather Service offices in Albany would mean they would not be able to fly all their weather balloons, among other cuts.
    According to the University at Albany, data from the NYS Mesonet informs forecasters and emergency managers (including those at the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services) to help mitigate the harmful effects from high-impact, extreme weather-related disasters. The NYS Mesonet provides real-time data to operational forecasters and emergency managers from across the state with updates every five minutes and an average station spacing of about 19 miles. These data points are combined with data from other surface networks, weather radars, and satellites to provide real-time weather information and to improve numerical weather prediction models for even greater accuracy and precision than ever before, giving emergency managers, first responders, and forecasters much greater confidence in their warning products and in subsequent protective action.
    Schumer’s letter can to DHS Secretary Noem can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Noem:
    I write to urge you to swiftly reinstate the $3 million Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant supporting the Exploiting Mesonets for Emergency Preparedness and Response to Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) project.  DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has partnered with the University at Albany (UAlbany) since 2023 to build out a better, more accurate weather hazard impact warning and emergency response capability to keep New Yorkers—and ultimately the nation—safe.  Until yesterday, the project focused on extreme weather, such as rapid and severe flooding, similar to what communities in Central Texas are tragically dealing with today, and any funding that is rescinded or stalled could put lives at risk.  
    Just last week, you acknowledged in remarks that “everybody wants more warning time, and that’s why we’re working to upgrade the technologies that have been neglected for far too long, to make sure that families have as much advanced notice as possible.”   This project – a regional pilot with the potential to be deployed nationwide – does just that.  It has been considered highly successful by DHS S&T, already having significant operational impact.  Co-developed with the NY Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (among many other engaged end-users), the EMPOWER prototype extreme weather decision support dashboard is currently operational within the New York State Office of Emergency Management Watch Center.  Furthermore, the project has brought direct access to high fidelity, real-time weather data covering all of New York State to the FEMA Geospatial Response Office for the first time.
    The New York State Mesonet is a network of 127 weather stations across the state that supplement National Weather Service modeling and observations to provide more accurate and real-time weather information, helping improve forecasts and inform weather alerts. The EMPOWER project utilizes the Mesonet’s real-time data to develop cutting-edge tools designed specifically for emergency managers and first responders. In a world with increasingly frequent and unpredictable severe weather, these new tools will provide our community safety professionals with unparalleled information to make the fastest, most well-informed decisions when disasters strike, helping to alert communities of imminent threats and better protect lives and property. 
    The EMPOWER program exemplifies a successful partnership between researchers, higher education, emergency managers, and the Federal government. This program has tangible outcomes – emergency alert systems greatly benefit the public and upgrading our technology is necessary to mitigate risk and loss of life when disaster strikes. I cannot underline how important this program is to New York’s emergency response, as well as to the entire Nation. As our researchers better develop emergency management technology, we can count on the implementation of this technology across America in the near future to save lives. Not only does the public benefit, but improved emergency warning system technology and data about weather events helps our first responders, who put their lives on the line for their communities, better determine the risk to the area they serve. This $3 million grant is essential to supporting the completion of this vital work.
    In the wake of the devastating flooding in Texas we have a responsibility to do everything we can to mitigate the risks of extreme weather and ensure that tragedies like this never happen again. The federal government should be investing in better technologies to improve hazard impact warning systems and provide emergency managers more timely and accurate information to ensure they can put out emergency alerts and evacuation orders to save lives and take other crucial actions to protect community lifelines. Cancelling this grant does exactly the opposite, and stifles emerging tools and technologies that have the potential to save lives. 
    I urge you to reinstate the $3 million DHS EMPOWER grant to support the project and its researchers so they can deliver groundbreaking technology to save Americans from avoidable weather-related harm. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Please do not hesitate to contact my staff if you have any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • EU ready to hit US with 21-billion-euro tariff list, Italy foreign minister says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union has already prepared a list of tariffs worth 21 billion euros ($24.52 billion) on U.S. goods if the two countries fail to reach a trade deal, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a newspaper interview on Monday.

    President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the EU starting on Aug. 1, after weeks of negotiations with major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive deal.

    Tajani also told daily Il Messaggero that to help the euro zone economy the European Central Bank should consider a new “quantitative easing” bond-buying-programme, and more interest rate cuts.

    The European Union said on Sunday it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement.

    Tajani said the 21-billion-euro package of tariffs the EU has already prepared could be followed by a second set if a deal with the U.S proves impossible. He added, however, that he was confident that progress could be made in negotiations.

    “Tariffs hurt every one, starting with the United States,” he said. “If stock markets fall that puts at risk the pensions and the savings of the Americans.”

    He said the goal should be “zero tariffs” and an open market among Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe.

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he would work intensively with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to resolve the escalating trade war with the United States.

    (Reuters)

  • EU ready to hit US with 21-billion-euro tariff list, Italy foreign minister says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union has already prepared a list of tariffs worth 21 billion euros ($24.52 billion) on U.S. goods if the two countries fail to reach a trade deal, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a newspaper interview on Monday.

    President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the EU starting on Aug. 1, after weeks of negotiations with major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive deal.

    Tajani also told daily Il Messaggero that to help the euro zone economy the European Central Bank should consider a new “quantitative easing” bond-buying-programme, and more interest rate cuts.

    The European Union said on Sunday it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement.

    Tajani said the 21-billion-euro package of tariffs the EU has already prepared could be followed by a second set if a deal with the U.S proves impossible. He added, however, that he was confident that progress could be made in negotiations.

    “Tariffs hurt every one, starting with the United States,” he said. “If stock markets fall that puts at risk the pensions and the savings of the Americans.”

    He said the goal should be “zero tariffs” and an open market among Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe.

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he would work intensively with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to resolve the escalating trade war with the United States.

    (Reuters)

  • Sensex, Nifty open lower amid weak earnings, US trade policy Jitters

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Sensex, Nifty open lower amid weak earnings, US trade policy Jitters

    Indian benchmark indices opened in the red on Monday as investor sentiment remained subdued following disappointing corporate earnings and renewed global uncertainty over US trade policy.

    The Sensex declined 212 points, or 0.24 percent, to 82,301, while the Nifty dropped 49 points, or 0.20 percent, to 25,104 as of 9:19 am.

    Some resilience was seen in the broader market, with the Nifty Midcap 100 rising 94 points, or 0.16 percent, to 58,736, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 advancing 25 points, or 0.14 percent, to 18,788.

    Analysts attributed the Nifty’s weakness primarily to declines in IT stocks, which were weighed down by lackluster earnings.

    “This weakness may persist, particularly since foreign institutional investors were heavy sellers in the cash market last Friday,” said VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    He added that the market has already priced in the expected net interest margin (NIM) compression for banking stocks in the upcoming Q1 earnings. “Therefore, any dip in banking stocks may present a buying opportunity,” he said.

    Sectorally, auto, PSU banks, metals, real estate, and energy were trading in positive territory. In contrast, IT, financial services, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, media, and infrastructure sectors were under pressure.

    Top gainers on the Sensex included Trent, Power Grid, Sun Pharma, Titan, NTPC, Maruti Suzuki, Axis Bank, M&M, SBI, and Tata Steel.

    On the flip side, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Bajaj Finserv, Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, L&T, HCL Tech, Tata Motors, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and HUL were among the biggest losers.

    Most Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as investors digested renewed trade tensions between the US and its trading partners.

    US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 30 percent tariff on imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1, rattled global markets. In response, the EU deferred its planned 30 percent retaliatory tariffs to allow room for further negotiations.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Trump demands more concessions as EU holds off on US tariff countermeasures

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union said on Sunday it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration demanded more concessions from trading partners.

    Trump said on Saturday he would impose a 30% tariff on most imports from the EU and Mexico from August 1, adding to similar warnings for other countries and leaving them less than three weeks to hammer out framework deals that could lower the threatened tariff rate.

    White House Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett said on Sunday that countries’ trade deal offers so far have not satisfied Trump and “the tariffs are real” without improvements.

    “The president thinks that deals need to be better,” Hassett told ABC’s This Week program. “And to basically put a line in the sand, he sent these letters out to folks, and we’ll see how it works out.”

    Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive Commission which handles trade policy for the 27 member states, said the bloc would maintain its two-track approach: keep talking and prepare retaliatory measures.

    “We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now,” von der Leyen told a press conference, adding that the bloc would extend its halt on countermeasures until August.

    Von der Leyen’s decision to resist immediate retaliatory measures points to the European Commission’s desire to avoid a spiralling tit-for-tat escalation in the trade war while there remains a chance of negotiating an improved outcome.

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday said he was “really committed” to finding a trade solution with the U.S., telling German public broadcaster ARD that he will work intensively on this with von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron over the next two and a half weeks.

    Asked about the impact of a 30% U.S. tariff on Germany, Merz said: “If that were to happen, we would have to postpone large parts of our economic policy efforts because it would interfere with everything and hit the German export industry to the core.”

    TEST OF UNITY

    The latest salvo from Trump and the question of how to respond may test the unity of member states, with France appearing to take a tougher line than Germany, the bloc’s industrial powerhouse whose economy leans heavily on exports.

    Macron said the Commission needed more than ever to “assert the Union’s determination to defend European interests resolutely”, and that retaliation might need to include so-called anti-coercion instruments.

    German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Sunday the EU should be ready to take firm action if talks failed.

    “If a fair negotiated solution does not succeed, then we must take decisive countermeasures to protect jobs and companies in Europe,” Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, also vice chancellor in the ruling coalition, told Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

    While the EU has held back from retaliating against the U.S. in the months since Trump hit the bloc with tariffs, it has readied two packages that could hit a combined 93 billion euros of U.S. goods.

    A first package, in response to U.S. levies of 50% on imported steel and aluminium that would hit 21 billion euros in U.S. goods, was suspended in April for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. The suspension had been due to expire on Monday before the extension was announced.

    A second package in retaliation against Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs has been in the works since May and was set to target 72 billion euros of U.S. goods. These measures have not been made public and the final list requires approval by member states.

    ANTI-COERCION INSTRUMENT

    Von der Leyen said on Sunday that the use of the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument was not yet on the table.

    The instrument allows the bloc to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on EU members to change their policies.

    “The (anti-coercion) instrument is created for extraordinary situations, we are not there yet,” she said.

    Possible retaliatory steps could include restricting EU market access to goods and services, and other economic measures related to areas including foreign direct investment, financial markets and export controls.

    In a sign of the EU’s desire to strike deals with more trading partners at a time of deepening uncertainty in trans-Atlantic relations, von der Leyen said a political agreement had been reached to advance an EU-Indonesia trade deal.

    France’s cheese producers warned of the damaging consequences of a 30% tariff for the local dairy industry, which exports nearly half its produce, including to the United States.

    “It’s a new environment we will have to get used to – I don’t think this is temporary,” Francois Xavier Huard, CEO of dairy association FNIL, told Reuters.

    (Reuters)

  • Palmer double fires Chelsea past PSG to Club World Cup glory

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Cole Palmer produced a scintillating first-half masterclass as Chelsea demolished a flat Paris St Germain 3-0 to win a one-sided Club World Cup final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

    The English attacking midfielder scored twice and provided an assist for Joao Pedro in a devastating display in the revamped tournament’s decider that left the European and French champions, who finished with 10 men, shell-shocked.

    After a stunning season, PSG were heavy favourites, while Chelsea arrived in the U.S. after winning Europe’s third-tier Conference League and on the back of a domestic campaign in which they just managed a top-four Premier League finish.

    Prior to the match, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he was expecting a “game of chess” against PSG coach Luis Enrique, but what transpired was a quick checkmate for the Italian who gave a tactical masterclass.

    Chelsea, who won the 2021 Club World Cup in its previous format, struck first in the 22nd minute when PSG fullback Nuno Mendes gifted possession to Malo Gusto. While his initial effort was blocked by Mendes, Gusto collected the rebound and found Palmer unmarked in the middle and the midfielder made no mistake, slotting a tidy finish just inside the left post.

    Palmer doubled the lead after the 30th-minute cooling break with a goal of sublime quality. Latching onto a precise through ball from Levi Colwill, he cut inside before faking a pass to dummy a defender and firing into the bottom-left corner.

    Palmer then turned provider, running up the channel before finding Joao Pedro, who took the ball in his stride and beat the offside trap before chipping his finish beautifully over keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

    PSG’s misery was completed when Joao Neves was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair in the 83rd minute, as PSG’s players grew in frustration as the match progressed.

    The encounter turned ill-tempered at the end, with players going at each other after the final whistle, but the flare-ups quickly dissipated as Chelsea’s players went to celebrate with their fans.

    ‘GREAT FEELING’

    “It’s a great feeling. Even better because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, it’s good,” Palmer said.

    “The gaffer put a great gameplan out. He knew where the space was going to be. He tried to free me up as much as possible and I just had to repay him and score some goals.”

    Maresca’s team employed a relentless high press and emulated the tactics used by Brazilian outfit Botafogo, who had beaten PSG 1-0 in the group stage and were the only team to score against Luis Enrique’s side in the previous eight games.

    Their press caused PSG all sorts of trouble and when Maresca’s side couldn’t regain possession, they sat deep, frustrating the European champions, who were unable to play their usual game.

    The direct and pacey football we had become used to seeing from PSG was Chelsea’s game on Sunday, with Palmer, Gusto and Joao Pedro picking apart the PSG defence, especially on the left side.

    Other than an early golden opportunity forPSG’s Desire Doue that was wasted, the first half was all Chelsea’s and, after they opened their three-goal lead, the French side could never recover.

    “Chelsea were more effective than us, they worked well on our slight weakness,” PSG captain Marquinhos said.

    “Tactically, they caused us problems in the first half and we took a while to react. These are things we’ll need to change going forward. I think all teams will now study us closely to see what we do well and what we do badly. It’s up to us now to always be at the top of our game.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Kieran Gilbert, Sunday Agenda, Sky News

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Kieran Gilbert:

    Let’s go live to Devonport, Tasmania. Joining me is the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers. Thanks for your time. The government’s spoken so much about stabilising relations with China. Is this visit about moving beyond that now?

    Jim Chalmers:

    Good morning, Kieran.

    There couldn’t be a more important time to strengthen an economic partnership and relationship which is full of opportunity but not short of complexity either. And so, these meetings between Prime Minister Albanese and President Xi and Premier Li, CEOs and businesses from both sides of the relationship is a really important one.

    It recognises that China is a big part of our prosperity. That makes it a big and important obvious focus of our economic diplomacy, and that’s what the Prime Minister’s visit is all about.

    Gilbert:

    Do you see it, though, as not just stabilising relations anymore? This is about maybe not returning it to the equilibrium we saw during the Howard years, but closer to that than what we’ve seen in recent years?

    Chalmers:

    Certainly we want to strengthen this relationship. It’s in the interests of our economy, our workers, our businesses, our investors, to strengthen this really important relationship.

    I think around a third of our exports go to China. So, it is a really crucial part of our prosperity and a big focus of our diplomacy. That’s why the Prime Minister is there for this trip this week.

    We’ve worked really hard to stabilise this relationship. We’ve worked through issues in a calm and consistent way without compromising what’s important to us. We’ve raised issues and complexities when it’s been important that we do that. But overall, our efforts to stabilise the relationship and how to strengthen that relationship in the interests of our people and their economy, there couldn’t be a more important time to do that.

    That’s why it’s so good that Prime Minister Albanese is engaging with leaders in China, businesses in China, to try to maximise these opportunities that are so central to the relationship.

    Gilbert:

    When – you spoke about the economic importance, and it is vital – I was looking through the numbers over the weekend and the amount that iron ore itself to China provides our budget bottom line is massive. It’s actually one‑fifth of our total exports is iron ore, that commodity and that market, China. Is it too risky to have so much relying on that one market and that one commodity?

    Chalmers:

    Look, it’s a really important part of the trading relationship. No doubt about it. It’s a very good earner for Australia. We’re very supportive of the industry and its efforts to create that prosperity with that trade with China.

    But it’s not the only part of the story. As Cameron rightly identified in his cross a moment ago, there are a number of elements to this economic relationship. Whether it be tourism, whether it be mining and resources.

    There are a whole range of industries where a more prosperous, a more productive, constructive relationship will bear fruit for a whole range of our industries. Not just mining, as important as that is.

    Gilbert:

    With tourism, you touched on it, the Prime Minister’s going to be overseeing the launch of that next phase of a big campaign trying to get more tourists here from China. They spend more, apparently than other comparable visitors from other nations. So, obviously lucrative to tourism in the state where you are, Tassie, and beyond. Tell me, do you think that we can get those numbers back to where they were pre‑COVID?

    Chalmers:

    It’s certainly our objective to make the most out of our wonderful tourism industry.

    I’m coming to you from Tasmania today and Tasmania’s tourism industry is world‑class. As is the industry, the tourism industry, right around Australia – my home state of Queensland, every part of our country has a good story to tell the world when it comes to attracting tourists. It’s a very important earner for our economy. It’s a very important employer. And I think it’s a terrific thing that the Prime Minister has made this an important part of the discussions that he is having in China.

    We want tourists here, we want them spending money in our economy. We want that to employ more Australians in good, well‑paid jobs. And that’s why it’s a central focus of his trip.

    Gilbert:

    You’re heading to the G20 in South Africa later this week. How crucial are those multilateral forums, those groups, now, in a very uncertain world, the world of tariffs from the United States and Donald Trump? Do you see it as even more important to try and build the ties in settings like the G20?

    Chalmers:

    More important than ever. Australia is a big believer in multinational forums and a big beneficiary of the contribution that we can make there. The global economic environment, the uncertainty, the volatility, the unpredictability in the global environment I think will be the primary influence that will shape and constrain the government’s choices in this second term.

    We are trying to navigate together a world where conflict and tension and unpredictability and volatility are the norm rather than the exception. And so, we come at this challenge of international engagement in that light.

    I’ll be at the G20 speaking with my economic ministerial counterparts in South Africa in the second half of this week. I’ll be having bilateral conversations as well as the multilateral opportunity, but discussions with my counterparts from Indonesia, from Japan, from Canada, the UK and Germany and others. Because we recognise as Australians that when the world is more fragmented, we need more, not less, engagement. And that’s what drives our efforts and motivates our efforts, whether it be at the G20, whether it’s looking for more diverse and reliable markets around the world and around the region, that’s our motivation.

    Gilbert:

    And so, on that issue of diversifying the markets, I want to pick up on that because it was a focus of the government, certainly a few years ago, when we hit the rocky period with China. Is it still a main focus for the government? I remember, again, the Prime Minister, his big visit initially and the message was all about Indonesia. Is that still on the table?

    Chalmers:

    Well, first of all, I’ll be meeting with my Indonesian counterpart. I hope to have actually a specific way to announce later in the week that we can advance that really important economic relationship, speaking with my colleague Sri Mulyani.

    But more broadly, if you think about the fragmentation in the world, you think about the uncertainty, unpredictability and volatility which defines the times in the global economy. Our strategy is more engagement, more diverse markets, and more resilience in our own economy as well. Those are the principles which drove our response to the tariff announcement out of D.C., but also which drive our trade and investment and foreign policy as well, and you’ll see that in the Prime Minister’s engagement this week.

    We believe that more diverse markets are good for Australia. In a world of more fragmentation, we need more engagement and more resilience. That’s why I’m off to the G20 to talk with my counterparts. It’s why the Prime Minister is in China talking to his counterparts, because Australia is a big beneficiary of free and fair and open markets. We’re a big believer in those things and we will advocate that cause wherever and whenever we can.

    Gilbert:

    And you sort of gave us a little bit of a hint that you’ll be announcing something with the Indonesian counterpart. Can you give us any more of a sneak peek as to what that might be to strengthen ties with Jakarta?

    Chalmers:

    There’ll be a number of elements to that discussion. Obviously, critical minerals will be part of it, 2‑way trade. But I’m particularly interested in speaking speaking with my counterpart, Sri Mulyani, about the flow of capital between our countries. This has been a difficult challenge to approach over the years, but we think there’s a good opportunity there which could benefit both sides, be of mutual benefit to Australia and Indonesia. I look forward to advancing those discussions with her and ideally, hopefully, making an announcement later in the week.

    Gilbert:

    Can you understand, if we return our focus now to domestic issues, specifically the decision by the RBA. Can you understand why many mortgage holders, many Australians, were disappointed with that?

    Chalmers:

    I can, and I made that point on the day. I don’t think it’s especially controversial to point out that the decision which came on Tuesday would have come as a disappointment to millions of Australians who were hoping for more rate relief from the Reserve Bank. And it came as a surprise to most economists and certainly the market which follows these sorts of decisions closely.

    But the Governor of the Reserve Bank made it really clear that the decision taken on Tuesday was a matter of timing, not a matter of direction. The direction of travel when it comes to inflation and interest rates is already quite clear. The Governor made that even clearer on Tuesday. We’ve already had 2 interest rate cuts in the last 5 months. That’s because of the progress we’ve made together on inflation. That’s already providing some relief to millions of people with a mortgage.

    But of course, people are looking for more rate relief where they can get it. The Governor of the Reserve Bank has made it clear that that will come at some point, but that she and her board would like more information before they make that decision to cut rates for the third time this year.

    Gilbert:

    So, do you think mortgage holders should be reassured by that message that we’re, as she put it, on an easing path?

    Chalmers:

    I think people will watch closely what the Governor of the Reserve Bank says. I think it’s a good thing that the Governor runs through the reasons for each decision, makes herself available. I’m very supportive of that, very grateful to her for doing that. And she has talked through the reasons. She’s made it clear about the direction of travel in interest rates. I think people can take some comfort from that.

    But rates have already gone down a couple of times, there’s cost of living rolling out in our community, we’ve made very substantial and now sustained progress in the fight against inflation. And I think the Governor’s approach to cutting rates already a couple of times this year and saying that there are likely to be more interest rate cuts on the way, I think that reflects that progress that we’ve made.

    Gilbert:

    On the reform roundtable, it’s coming up not that far away now, next month. I wonder, initially it was called a productivity reform roundtable, then you broadened it out to an Economic Reform Roundtable. Are you having to drag some of your senior colleagues to the table when it comes to serious reform?

    Chalmers:

    A couple of things about that. I mean, I don’t mind what you call it. I think the productivity challenge is central to our economic reform efforts. It already is, but we’re looking to build consensus on the next steps in that agenda. And so, I think productivity and economic reform are inseparable.

    I said at the Press Club, and the Prime Minister said at the Press Club, that this is all about building consensus, building on the progress that we’ve made, building on our substantial agenda. Productivity will be the major focus, but it won’t be the only focus.

    I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the last couple of weeks finalising the agenda, trying to work out how we issue the next set of invitations. It’s been difficult, frankly, because there’s been so much interest from my ministerial colleagues, from business leaders and union leaders and community leaders and others. That’s a very good thing. That’s a very welcome thing. And so, we’re almost ready to issue the next set of invitations beyond the 10 or 11 that we issued already.

    I can tell you today, Kieran, that the agenda will be 3 days. The first day will be resilience, the second day, productivity, the third day, budget sustainability. Those are the 3 priorities that I indicated at the Press Club when I fleshed out our thinking when it comes to this particular roundtable.

    Gilbert:

    And on that final one, the budget sustainability, I know you’ve got young kids, as I do. Is it a focus, is it on your mind when you think about budget sustainability? You don’t want to leave a legacy of mounting and piling debt for the next generation?

    Chalmers:

    Absolutely. We try to apply an intergenerational lens to all of our considerations in my portfolio, whether it’s budget sustainability, indeed. The productivity challenge is all about lifting living standards and sustainably lifting wages over time so people can earn more and keep more of what they earn and provide for their loved ones. And we see that in intergenerational terms.

    That is a big motivation for what we are putting together for the discussions in August. It will be a big influence on the work we do in July as well, whether it’s our international engagement, the work that I’m doing with states and the regulators, the work that I’m doing with peak organisations.

    I’ve already had good, long discussions with leaders of the business community and the union movement and others. Because we don’t want to waste this opportunity to build consensus around the next steps. And tax will be part of the discussion, productivity will be part of the discussion, you can imagine a big focus on AI and technology, attracting capital and investment, quickening approvals, better regulation, an emphasis on people and skills. These are the sorts of things that people should expect will be central at the roundtable in August.

    Gilbert:

    And finally, you’re at the Tasmanian Labor launch ahead of the election this weekend. There’s a big focus on the economy, on that stadium, but I know there’s a minerals processor, Nyrstar, that needs some federal support as well. Is it important to you to keep a sovereign minerals processing capacity in Australia, particularly there in Tasmania where you are today?

    Chalmers:

    Absolutely. You know, we’re in discussions with the company and also with the governments. It actually involves, these discussions, 3 governments: South Australia, Tasmania and the Commonwealth.

    As the Prime Minister said earlier in the week, I think it’s clear and obvious that we’re in those discussions, we’re trying to come to a good outcome here. And our support for this industry is illustrated by the fact we’ve already got $70 million jointly on the table for Nyrstar.

    We’ve got a $2 billion aluminium fund which is all about the future of smelters. And so, we come to the table in good faith. We do want to see a good outcome. We’re obviously aware of the issues there and we’re in discussions with the relevant government.

    But the reason I’m here in Tasmania today, Kieran, is because this election here in Tasmania has been made necessary by the economic mismanagement of the Rockliff Liberal government here and by the absolute disaster which is the Spirit of Tasmania program, the infrastructure program there.

    So, the election here in Tasmania is a pretty simple choice: 4 more years of farce and failure and economic mismanagement from a Liberal government stumbling from one stuff up to another, or a fresh start under Dean Winter and Tasmanian Labor.

    I know Dean Winter. I think he has all the ingredients to be a wonderful Premier. And I’m really proud to be in Devonport, Tasmania, to support him today and to help him with the formalities of launching the campaign. I encourage every Tasmanian to vote Labor at this election.

    Gilbert:

    Treasurer, thank you for your time. Thanks for joining us this Sunday, ahead of that election next week.

    Chalmers:

    Appreciate it, Kieran. All the best.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Case Completes Second Weeklong District Walk Story This Year

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

    (HONOLULU, HI) — U.S. Representative Ed Case (Hawai‘i-First District) devoted most of his July 7-11th week home from Congress to five days of walking communities across his district, talking with constituents he met along the way at their homes, workplaces and other areas.

    In his second weeklong district “Walk Story” this year, Case walked the communities of Pālolo, Kaimukī , Mo’ili’ili, Kalihi, Salt Lake, Āliamanu, Foster Village, Moanalua, Hālawa and ‘Aiea, talking with hundreds of residents wherever he found them.

    Case kicked off his Walk Stories while back home the week of April 21st of this year, when over another five day stretch he walked parts of Kalama Valley, Niu Valley, ‘Āina Haina, Wai‘alae, Nui Valley, McCully, Pearlridge, Waimalu, Pearl City, Pacific Palisades, Mililani Mauka, Waipio Acres, Waipahu, ‘Ewa Beach, ‘Ewa Villages, Kalaeloa and Kapolei.

    “I’ve always been committed to staying as close to my constituents as possible in different ways that work best for them”, said Case, who over his decade-plus in the U.S. House has hosted hundreds of live, in-person Talk Story community meetings throughout his districts as well as virtual meetings, including six in-person and one virtual Talk Story earlier this year.

    “But as this 119th Congress (2025-2027) and the second Trump administration got underway this year and the polarization and noise of anger and division on Capitol Hill and across the country reached new highs, I felt I needed to strengthen my direct connection to all of the residents of Hawaii’s First Congressional District, especially those that do not regularly engage their government or me, by reaching out and talking story in different ways when I’m home. 

    “For me, these two full weeks now of Walk Story have been incredibly valuable because I’ve been able to talk personally with a highly diverse and representative part of my constituency just going about their lives and expressing their views and concerns for our country, Hawai‘i, family, workplaces and communities.

    “After each of my Walk Story weeks, I’ve returned to Capitol Hill with a sense strong connection back home and direction for the issues I must focus on and directions I must take.

    “As for what I heard in my most recent Walk Story, like April’s, it’s no surprise that the cost of living remains a universal concern. But is not just the actual costs; it’s the uncertainty of where the costs are going that makes it so difficult to plan and adjust.

    “Closely related, most remain concerned about the direction of our country, especially under the Trump administration. What was different from my April Walk Story, though, was that more folks who had voted for President Trump were undecided to unsupportive about many of his administration’s initiatives, on both foreign and domestic policy, and there was far more concern for preservation of the rule of law. Many regardless of how they voted were especially concerned at the recent reconciliation budget law and its effects on their own families and communities.

    “Another major area of concern was our small businesses, which is virtually all of our businesses in Hawai‘i.

    “I walked into dozens and dozens of small businesses of all kinds, from eateries to vehicle repair shops, florists, financial institutions, travel agencies, insurers, remodelers, contractors, engineers, food distributors, jewelers and on and on, talking with their owners, managers and employees about their businesses and what concerned them.

    “Virtually all expressed uncertainty about their own situations, especially given the administration’s ongoing trade and tariff wars on imports from other countries which is resulting in increasing prices to their customers.

    “Although I wasn’t surprised at the big picture of what I heard from my constituents, to have it all validated with real-world stories of personal views and impacts from across the political, economic and social spectrum was deeply valuable to my responsibility to represent all of my district in addressing the major challenges we all face.

    “I’m already looking forward to my next Walk Story on one of my upcoming times home, to add again to my many other efforts to stay strongly connected with my constituents to listen to their views and concerns and answer their questions.”

    As part of his ongoing efforts, Case is also hosting another live districtwide Tele-Talk Story on Tuesday, July 29th, 6PM to 7:30PM Hawai‘i time. Details on how constituents can join and provide questions are at case.house.gov.

    Attached are samples of pictures from Case’s July Walk Story (pictures courtesy of Congressman Ed Case)

                                                                                                                                      ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why Texas Hill Country, where a devastating flood killed more than 130 people, is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Hatim Sharif, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio

    A Kerrville, Texas, resident watches the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025. Eric Vryn/Getty Images

    Texas Hill Country is known for its landscapes, where shallow rivers wind among hills and through rugged valleys. That geography also makes it one of the deadliest places in the U.S. for flash flooding.

    In the early hours of July 4, 2025, a flash flood swept through an area of Hill Country dotted with summer camps and small towns about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio. More than 130 people died in the flooding. The majority of them were in Kerr County, including more than two dozen girls and counselors at one summer camp, Camp Mystic. Dozens more people were still unaccounted for a week later.

    The flooding began with a heavy downpour, with more than 10 inches of rain in some areas, that sent water sheeting off the hillsides and into creeks. The creeks poured into the Guadalupe River.

    A river gauge at Hunt, Texas, near Camp Mystic, showed how quickly the river flooded: Around 3 a.m. on July 4, the Guadalupe River was rising about 1 foot every 5 minutes at the gauge, National Weather Service data shows. By 4:30 a.m., it had risen more than 20 feet. As the water moved downstream, it reached Kerrville, where the river rose even faster.

    Flood expert Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist and civil engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, explains what makes this part of the country, known as Flash Flood Alley, so dangerous.

    What makes Hill Country so prone to flooding?

    Texas as a whole leads the nation in flood deaths, and by a wide margin. A colleague and I analyzed data from 1959 to 2019 and found 1,069 people had died in flooding in Texas over those six decades. The next highest total was in Louisiana, with 693.

    Many of those flood deaths have been in Hill County. It’s part of an area known as Flash Flood Alley, a crescent of land that curves from near Dallas down to San Antonio and then westward.

    The hills are steep, and the water moves quickly when it floods. This is a semi-arid area with soils that don’t soak up much water, so the water sheets off quickly and the shallow creeks can rise fast.

    When those creeks converge on a river, they can create a surge of water that wipes out homes and washes away cars and, unfortunately, anyone in its path.

    Hill Country has seen some devastating flash floods. In 1987, heavy rain in western Kerr County quickly flooded the Guadalupe River, triggering a flash flood similar to the one in 2025. Ten teenagers being evacuated from a camp died in the rushing water.

    San Antonio, at the eastern edge of Hill Country, was hit with a flash flood on June 12, 2025, that killed 13 people whose cars were swept away by high water from a fast-flooding creek near an interstate ramp in the early morning.

    Why does the region get such strong downpours?

    One reason Hill Country gets powerful downpours is the Balcones Escarpment.

    The escarpment is a line of cliffs and steep hills created by a geologic fault. When warm air from the Gulf rushes up the escarpment, it condenses and can dump a lot of moisture. That water flows down the hills quickly, from many different directions, filling streams and rivers below.

    As temperature rise, the warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, increasing the downpour and flood risk.

    A tour of the Guadalupe River and its flood risk.

    The same effect can contribute to flash flooding in San Antonio, where the large amount of paved land and lack of updated drainage to control runoff adds to the risk.

    What can be done to improve flash flood safety?

    First, it’s important for people to understand why flash flooding happens and just how fast the water can rise and flow. In many arid areas, dry or shallow creeks can quickly fill up with fast-moving water and become deadly. So people should be aware of the risks and pay attention to the weather.

    Improving flood forecasting, with more detailed models of the physics and water velocity at different locations, can also help.

    Probabilistic forecasting, for example, can provide a range of rainfall scenarios, enabling authorities to prepare for worst-case scenarios. A scientific framework linking rainfall forecasts to the local impacts, such as streamflow, flood depth and water velocity, could also help decision-makers implement timely evacuations or road closures.

    Education is particularly essential for drivers. One to two feet of moving water can wash away a car. People may think their trucks and SUVs can go through anything, but fast-moving water can flip a truck and carry it away.

    Officials can also do more to barricade roads when the flood risk is high to prevent people from driving into harm’s way. We found that 58% of the flood deaths in Texas over the past six decades involved vehicles. The storm on June 12 in San Antonio was an example. It was early morning, and drivers had poor visibility. The cars were hit by fast-rising floodwater from an adjacent creek.

    This article, originally published July 5, 2025, has been updated with the death toll rising.

    Hatim Sharif 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. Why Texas Hill Country, where a devastating flood killed more than 130 people, is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding – https://theconversation.com/why-texas-hill-country-where-a-devastating-flood-killed-more-than-130-people-is-one-of-the-deadliest-places-in-the-us-for-flash-flooding-260555

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: When disasters fall out of the public eye, survivors continue to suffer – a rehabilitation professional explains how sustained mental health support is critical to recovery

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota

    In Kerrville, Texas, Leighton Sterling watches the rushing floodwaters along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025. Eric Vryn via Getty Images News

    The devastating losses from the historic flooding in Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, are still coming into grim focus, with 121 deaths confirmed and more than 100 still missing as of July 10.

    As emergency responders focus on clearing debris and searching for victims, a less visible and slower disaster has been unfolding: the need for ongoing mental health support long after headlines fade.

    This phase is no less critical than restoring power or rebuilding bridges. Disasters destabilize emotional well-being, leaving distress, prolonged recovery and long-term impacts in their wake long after the event is over.

    Without sustained emotional support, people and communities face heightened risks of prolonged trauma and stalled recovery.

    As an educator and practitioner focused on disability and rehabilitation, I explore the intersection of disaster recovery and the impact of disasters on mental health. Both my research and that of others underscore the vital importance of support systems that not only help people cope in the immediate aftermath of a disaster but also facilitate long-term healing over the months and years that follow – especially for vulnerable populations like children, older adults and people with disabilities.

    The emotional toll of disasters

    Natural disasters disrupt routines, displace families and challenge people’s sense of control and security. In the immediate aftermath, survivors often experience shock, grief, anxiety and sleep disturbances. Often these symptoms may evolve into chronic stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or a combination of these conditions.

    A 2022 study found that Texans who experienced two or more disasters within a five-year span had significantly poorer mental health, as reflected by lower scores on standardized psychological assessments, which highlights the cumulative toll repeated disasters can have on mental well-being.

    After Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans in 2005, nearly a third of survivors continued to experience poor mental health years later.

    And reports following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017 revealed surging rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, especially in areas where services remained unavailable for extended periods of time.

    There are actionable ways to make a difference in the recovery process.

    Strained recovery systems

    Disaster response understandably focuses on immediate needs like rescue operations, providing post-disaster housing and repairing damaged infrastructure. In addition, short-term mental health supports such as mobile health clinics are often provided in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

    However, although emergency services are deployed quickly after a disaster, long-term mental health support is often delayed or under-resourced, leaving many people without continued care during the recovery period, especially in remote or rural communities, exposing deep structural gaps in how recovery systems are designed.

    One year after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas in 2017, more than 90% of Gulf Coast residents reported ongoing stress related to housing instability, financial hardship or displacement. Yet less than 10% of people stated that they or someone in their household had used mental health services following the disaster.

    Hurricane Helene in 2024 similarly tested the resilience of rural mental health networks in western North Carolina. The storm damaged roads and bridges, schools and even local clinics.

    This prompted a news organization, North Carolina Health News, to warn of rising “trauma, stress and isolation” among residents as providers scrambled to offer free counseling despite legal barriers stemming from licensing requirements to provide counseling across state borders. State health officials activated community crisis centers and helplines, while mobile mental health teams were dispatched from Tennessee to help those impacted by the disaster. However, state representatives stressed that without long-term investment, these critical supports risk being one-off responses.

    These events serve as a powerful reminder that while roads and buildings can often be restored quickly, emotional recovery is a slower, more complex process. Truly rebuilding requires treating mental health with the same urgency as physical infrastructure. This requires investing in strong mental health recovery systems, supporting local clinics, sustaining provider networks and integrating emotional care into recovery plans from the start.

    In Hunt, Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to volunteers and community members during a news conference on July 8, 2025.
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images News

    Finding mental health support following a disaster

    Lessons learned from previous disasters and an abundance of research show how sustained mental health supports can help people recover and build resilience.

    These six lessons are particularly helpful for finding needed mental health support following a disaster:

    • If you’re feeling overwhelmed after a disaster, you’re not alone, and help is available. Free and confidential support is offered through resources like the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746), which connects you to trained counselors 24/7.

    • Many communities offer local mental health crisis lines or walk-in centers that remain active well after the disaster passes. Check your county or state health department’s website for updated listings and information.

    • Even if physical offices are closed, many clinics now offer virtual counseling or can connect you with therapists and medication refills remotely. If you’ve seen someone before, ask if they’re still available by phone or video.

    • After major disasters, states often deploy mobile health clinics that include mental health services to shelters, churches or schools. These temporary services are free and open to the public.

    • If someone you care about is struggling, help them connect with resources in the community. Share hotline numbers, offer to help make an appointment or just let them know it’s OK to ask for support. Many people don’t realize that help is available, or they think it’s only for more “serious” problems. It’s not.

    • Mental health support doesn’t always arrive right away. Keep an eye on local news, school updates or health department alerts for new services that may become available in the weeks or months after a disaster.

    Disasters don’t just damage buildings; they disrupt lives in lasting ways.

    While emotional recovery takes time, support is available. Staying informed and sharing resources with others can help ensure that the road to recovery isn’t traveled alone.

    Lee Ann Rawlins Williams 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. When disasters fall out of the public eye, survivors continue to suffer – a rehabilitation professional explains how sustained mental health support is critical to recovery – https://theconversation.com/when-disasters-fall-out-of-the-public-eye-survivors-continue-to-suffer-a-rehabilitation-professional-explains-how-sustained-mental-health-support-is-critical-to-recovery-260781

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: When disasters fall out of the public eye, survivors continue to suffer – a rehabilitation professional explains how sustained mental health support is critical to recovery

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota

    In Kerrville, Texas, Leighton Sterling watches the rushing floodwaters along the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025. Eric Vryn via Getty Images News

    The devastating losses from the historic flooding in Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, are still coming into grim focus, with 121 deaths confirmed and more than 100 still missing as of July 10.

    As emergency responders focus on clearing debris and searching for victims, a less visible and slower disaster has been unfolding: the need for ongoing mental health support long after headlines fade.

    This phase is no less critical than restoring power or rebuilding bridges. Disasters destabilize emotional well-being, leaving distress, prolonged recovery and long-term impacts in their wake long after the event is over.

    Without sustained emotional support, people and communities face heightened risks of prolonged trauma and stalled recovery.

    As an educator and practitioner focused on disability and rehabilitation, I explore the intersection of disaster recovery and the impact of disasters on mental health. Both my research and that of others underscore the vital importance of support systems that not only help people cope in the immediate aftermath of a disaster but also facilitate long-term healing over the months and years that follow – especially for vulnerable populations like children, older adults and people with disabilities.

    The emotional toll of disasters

    Natural disasters disrupt routines, displace families and challenge people’s sense of control and security. In the immediate aftermath, survivors often experience shock, grief, anxiety and sleep disturbances. Often these symptoms may evolve into chronic stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or a combination of these conditions.

    A 2022 study found that Texans who experienced two or more disasters within a five-year span had significantly poorer mental health, as reflected by lower scores on standardized psychological assessments, which highlights the cumulative toll repeated disasters can have on mental well-being.

    After Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans in 2005, nearly a third of survivors continued to experience poor mental health years later.

    And reports following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017 revealed surging rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, especially in areas where services remained unavailable for extended periods of time.

    There are actionable ways to make a difference in the recovery process.

    Strained recovery systems

    Disaster response understandably focuses on immediate needs like rescue operations, providing post-disaster housing and repairing damaged infrastructure. In addition, short-term mental health supports such as mobile health clinics are often provided in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

    However, although emergency services are deployed quickly after a disaster, long-term mental health support is often delayed or under-resourced, leaving many people without continued care during the recovery period, especially in remote or rural communities, exposing deep structural gaps in how recovery systems are designed.

    One year after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas in 2017, more than 90% of Gulf Coast residents reported ongoing stress related to housing instability, financial hardship or displacement. Yet less than 10% of people stated that they or someone in their household had used mental health services following the disaster.

    Hurricane Helene in 2024 similarly tested the resilience of rural mental health networks in western North Carolina. The storm damaged roads and bridges, schools and even local clinics.

    This prompted a news organization, North Carolina Health News, to warn of rising “trauma, stress and isolation” among residents as providers scrambled to offer free counseling despite legal barriers stemming from licensing requirements to provide counseling across state borders. State health officials activated community crisis centers and helplines, while mobile mental health teams were dispatched from Tennessee to help those impacted by the disaster. However, state representatives stressed that without long-term investment, these critical supports risk being one-off responses.

    These events serve as a powerful reminder that while roads and buildings can often be restored quickly, emotional recovery is a slower, more complex process. Truly rebuilding requires treating mental health with the same urgency as physical infrastructure. This requires investing in strong mental health recovery systems, supporting local clinics, sustaining provider networks and integrating emotional care into recovery plans from the start.

    In Hunt, Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to volunteers and community members during a news conference on July 8, 2025.
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images News

    Finding mental health support following a disaster

    Lessons learned from previous disasters and an abundance of research show how sustained mental health supports can help people recover and build resilience.

    These six lessons are particularly helpful for finding needed mental health support following a disaster:

    • If you’re feeling overwhelmed after a disaster, you’re not alone, and help is available. Free and confidential support is offered through resources like the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746), which connects you to trained counselors 24/7.

    • Many communities offer local mental health crisis lines or walk-in centers that remain active well after the disaster passes. Check your county or state health department’s website for updated listings and information.

    • Even if physical offices are closed, many clinics now offer virtual counseling or can connect you with therapists and medication refills remotely. If you’ve seen someone before, ask if they’re still available by phone or video.

    • After major disasters, states often deploy mobile health clinics that include mental health services to shelters, churches or schools. These temporary services are free and open to the public.

    • If someone you care about is struggling, help them connect with resources in the community. Share hotline numbers, offer to help make an appointment or just let them know it’s OK to ask for support. Many people don’t realize that help is available, or they think it’s only for more “serious” problems. It’s not.

    • Mental health support doesn’t always arrive right away. Keep an eye on local news, school updates or health department alerts for new services that may become available in the weeks or months after a disaster.

    Disasters don’t just damage buildings; they disrupt lives in lasting ways.

    While emotional recovery takes time, support is available. Staying informed and sharing resources with others can help ensure that the road to recovery isn’t traveled alone.

    Lee Ann Rawlins Williams 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. When disasters fall out of the public eye, survivors continue to suffer – a rehabilitation professional explains how sustained mental health support is critical to recovery – https://theconversation.com/when-disasters-fall-out-of-the-public-eye-survivors-continue-to-suffer-a-rehabilitation-professional-explains-how-sustained-mental-health-support-is-critical-to-recovery-260781

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI China: Telescope in world’s roof starts hunt for Big Bang’s oldest ripples

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

    High on a ridge 5,250 meters above sea level in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, a new eye onto the infant universe has blinked open.

    Scientists at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced Sunday that their AliCPT-1 telescope has captured its first crisp images of the moon and Jupiter at 150 GHz, a milestone that marks the formal opening of China’s first hunt for primordial gravitational waves.

    The ripples — faint whispers from the dawn of time — may hold the key to explaining how the universe began.

    Imagine the universe as a newborn; the primordial gravitational waves would be its very first cry. Born from quantum fluctuations in spacetime during the epoch of cosmic inflation, these elusive signals are the most pristine ripples ever etched into the fabric of the cosmos.

    Primordial gravitational-wave detection is believed to be a critical test of cosmic origin, probing inflation and quantum gravity.

    “If we successfully detect primordial gravitational waves, we will glimpse the universe in its very first instant,” said Zhang Xinmin, a researcher at the IHEP.

    “At the same time, it can drive breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies like cryogenic superconducting detectors and low-temperature readout electronics, thus propelling cosmology into an era of unprecedented precision,” Zhang added.

    Led by the IHEP, the telescope was built in eight years by a 16-member global consortium including China’s National Astronomical Observatories and Stanford University.

    Placed on the roof of the world, the telescope is designed to escape atmospheric water vapor that would drown the whisper of primordial gravitational waves.

    Only four sites on Earth are known to be viable for such observations: Antarctica, Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Greenland, said Liu Congzhan, a project manager of the telescope experiment.

    The moon and Jupiter experiment is just the beginning, said Li Hong, also a researcher at IHEP. “As the Northern Hemisphere’s first high-altitude primordial gravitational-wave observatory, the telescope fills a gap for China and, together with devices in Antarctica and Chile, completes a global, complementary network.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Presidential Message on the Anniversary of the Tragedy in Butler, Pennsylvania

    Source: US Whitehouse

    One year ago today, at 6:11 pm—eight minutes after taking the stage on the grounds of Butler Farms to address thousands of Americans gathered at a campaign rally—rifle fire broke out, and an assassin’s bullet came within a quarter inch of ending my life and silencing our movement to restore American greatness.  Yet, by the hand of providence and the grace of Almighty God, my life was spared.  As we commemorate one year since the harrowing events of July 13, 2024, we reaffirm that the American spirit has and will always triumph over forces of evil and destruction.

    Those who carry scars from that July evening defended our Republic during one of our Nation’s darkest hours—running to the injured amid chaos and uncertainty to provide comfort and lifesaving care.  Doctors and first responders rushed to help the wounded, rallygoers guided their fellow citizens to safety, and patriots raised their fists in the air in an outpouring of support and national pride.  These men and women arrived at the rally grounds as ordinary Americans, but left as heroes.  They represent the very best of our Nation, and we are forever indebted for their kindness and compassion.

    However, one name stands above all for selfless service and ultimate sacrifice on that fateful day.  The world will never forget the tragic loss of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, veteran, and devoted husband and father.  When gunfire erupted, Corey did not hesitate to protect his wife and two daughters.  He died a hero, and we are eternally grateful for his inspiring love, valor, and faithfulness.

    It remains my firm conviction that God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our Nation from those who seek its ruin.  One year after the attempt on my life in Butler, our country is in the midst of a new Golden Age.  History will remember the would-be assassin for his cowardice and failure, but the magnificent legacy of the heroes of July 13, 2024, will forever be etched upon the heart of our Nation.  Today, we pay tribute to their spirit of love, unity, and resilience—and we proclaim with one voice the epic battle cry that has reverberated all across the world: “Fight, fight, fight!”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: SUNDAY SHOWS: Trump Administration is Putting Americans First

    Source: US Whitehouse

    This morning, officials joined the Sunday shows to discuss the historic steps the Trump Administration is taking to ensure the safety and security of the American people — including the government-wide response to the devastating Texas flooding, unprecedented action to secure the homeland, and protecting our national security through supply chain resiliency.

    Here’s what you missed:

    Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

    • “Within just an hour or two after the flooding, we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security there helping those individuals in Texas … This is the fastest, I believe, in years, maybe decades, that FEMA has been deployed to help individuals in this type of a situation.” Watch
    • “This is what I think is really unfortunate is that we have a situation where so many individuals are playing politics with what happened to Texas.” Watch
    • “This week, we’ve got murderers off the street, rapists, child pedophiles. If you look at that marijuana grow facility that we recently just did an operation on, over 319 individuals were brought into custody — and 14 unaccompanied children.” Watch

    Border Czar Tom Homan

    • “If you’re in the country legally, you shouldn’t fear ICE — but what you should fear is the criminal aliens walking the communities in sanctuary cities.” Watch
    • “You didn’t see [Democrats] complaining about, under the Biden Administration, people being held in a Border Patrol parking lot surrounded by a fence in the sweltering heat. Not a word. You didn’t a word about half a million children being trafficked into the country and them not being able to locate 300,000 … They ignored four years of open borders, historic migrant death, historic Americans dying from fentanyl, historic numbers of women and children being sex trafficked, historic number of people on the terrorist watchlist coming across the border. Silence.” Watch

    National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett

    • “Tariff revenue over the next ten years — which will help reduce the deficit and secure our entitlement programs — it’s $3 trillion, and consumers haven’t seen that.” Watch
    • “We’re trying to put America First … This is about America getting itself ready for the Golden Age by getting our house in order, by getting our tariff and trade policy and tax policy exactly where it needs to be for a Golden Age.” Watch
    • “If there is a time of war, we need to have the metals that we need to produce American weapons, and copper is a key component in many American weapons. As we look forward to the threats that America faces, the President decided that we have plenty of copper in the U.S., but not enough copper production — and that’s why he has taken this strong step.” Watch

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN-backed labour standards at risk as tariff uncertainty grows

    Source: United Nations 2

    Threatened or actual tariff increases are largely focused on taxing imports into the United States and will make the products made by factories outside the country more expensive – a situation which may drive down demand.

    The ILO’s Better Work programme, a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has supported garment factories, many of which export their products to the United States.

    The ILO’s Sara Park explained to UN News what could happen next.

    Sara Park: Better Work currently operates in the garment, textile and footwear sector in 13 countries around the world.

    It was set up 24 years ago in Cambodia to monitor the working conditions in garment factories and since then has focused on improvement and capacity building of factories and our constituencies in the sector, for example occupational safety and health.

    There are other elements that support the sector to promote social dialogue, safe and decent work which includes fair wages and working hours. The programme has also helped build productivity in those sectors.

    UN News: How is the ILO involved?

    Sara Park: The ILO is a tripartite organization, so we work with governments, employers, the unions who represent workers, usually Ministries of Labour, but also with ministries of trade or commerce because the programme focuses on exports.

    © Better Work/Aron Simeneh

    A worker at a factory in Ethiopia carries out an inspection on fire safety equipment.

    But what maybe makes us different from other projects is that we have a very close collaboration with major brands from the US, UK, Europe and Japan to promote responsible business practices.

    UN News: How successful has this programme been?

    Sara Park: Our studies show that at the factory level we’ve made significant impact, for example by increasing wages and supporting gender-equality related issues, women’s empowerment and women getting more supervisory roles.

    Over the quarter of a century of its existence, Better Work has lifted millions of people out of poverty and reduced the environmental impact of the apparel sector by creating decent work in sustainable enterprises.

    It’s still hard for unions as freedom of association remains a big challenge.

    © ILO/Aaron Santos

    A woman works at a Better Work-affiliated factory in Viet Nam.

    If you’re trying to develop a whole industry and make it competitive, it takes years if not decades; however, we have seen improvements in the factories where we work.

    Better Work-enrolled factories have also reported an increase in orders from buyers.

    UN News: So, this is good for business as well?

    Sara Park: This is good for business, and productivity in individual factories. Governments also tell us that the programme supports confidence and thus growth of the industry as a whole in participating countries.

    © Better Work/Marcel Crozet

    Garment employees work on a production line of an exporting clothing plant in Jordan.

    UN News: How has Better Work been affected by recent global changes in development funding?

    Sara Park: As we know from recent developments, the US Government has cut funding and that has affected our programmes in Haiti and Jordan, which were almost fully funded by the US. The other countries have not been affected, as we are lucky to have very diverse funding.

    UN News: Why is the ILO’s ongoing support needed once the relationship between factory and the buyer is set up?

    Sara Park: The buyers, which are often well-known companies, require a sustainable way of monitoring working conditions to ensure they are in compliance with international labour standards; this is important to eliminate risk from the buyers’ perspective.

    The Better Work programme supports improvements in factories, by conducting assessments, advisory and learning sessions and helps all parties to better understand compliance with the standards. It also works with governments, workers and employers to build capacity.

    © Better Work/Feri Latief

    Workers take their lunch break at a garment factory in Indonesia.

    UN News: Currently there is widespread uncertainty about tariffs, the taxing of imported goods particularly into the United States. How is the garment sector impacted?

    Sara Park: At the moment, we don’t know what the impact will be. Governments are monitoring the situation. Employers and, of course, the unions are worried.

    It is extremely challenging for factories as uncertainty means they cannot plan even for the short term, as they don’t know what orders they will have. They are also concerned about paying workers.

    Better Work-enrolled factories are providing primarily jobs in the formal sector; if they close, then those jobs may move to the informal sector where workers have fewer protections.

    In countries like Jordan for example, migrants make up the majority of the workforce in the garment industry, most of them come from South and Southeast Asia.

    UN News: How is this uncertainty impacting investment in the global garment industry?

    Sara Park: During periods of crisis or uncertainty, investment generally pauses. One concern is that factories stop investing in improving working conditions, which could affect occupational safety and health.

    For example, heat stress is a serious issue. Recently, in Pakistan temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius so action needs to be taken to protect workers. This may not happen if investment dries up.

    UN News: What would you say to a garment worker who was worried about his or her job?

    Sara Park: We understand this is a worry for many workers. Yet the work of the ILO is continuing to ensure that workers are protected and the ILO remains in those countries and is committed to improving conditions for all workers across different sectors.

    We will continue to promote social dialogue because that’s how improvements can be made at factory, sectoral and national level.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, Welch, Van Hollen Issue Statement of Solidarity with MK Ayman Odeh Following Expulsion Efforts from the Israeli Parliament

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, July 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) today issued a statement of solidarity with MK Ayman Odeh, the chairman of the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta’al party, after lawmakers in the Israeli Knesset House Committee voted to impeach him.
    We strongly condemn the effort to expel MK Ayman Odeh from the Israeli Knesset.
    All over the world, democracy is under assault. If Israel is going to call itself a democracy, it must tolerate peaceful dissent.
    For over a decade, MK Odeh has been a leading advocate for peace, justice, and Jewish-Arab partnership. The current expulsion effort is a direct response to MK Odeh’s outspoken and brave calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the occupation, and a political solution between Israelis and Palestinians.
    This effort is not merely a personal attack on one parliamentarian – it is a grave assault on democracy, pluralism, and freedom of expression. In any free society, elected representatives must be able to speak their conscience without fear of expulsion or punishment. Suppressing dissent does not strengthen a democracy; it weakens its legitimacy.
    And this expulsion effort sends a chilling message to millions of Palestinian citizens of Israel: that their representation is conditional and their rights revocable. Such a message has no place in any democratic society.
    We strongly condemn this anti-democratic maneuver and urge all members of the Knesset to reject the petition for MK Odeh’s expulsion.
    At a time when many remain silent or resort to inciting rhetoric, MK Odeh has continued to call for an end to the violence, the protection of innocent lives, and a just and lasting peace for both peoples. He deserves the support of all those committed to democracy and freedom of expression.
    We stand in solidarity with MK Odeh and with the right of all lawmakers, Arab and Jewish, to speak freely and without fear of political retribution.

    MIL OSI USA News –