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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI China: China to hold SCO Tianjin summit from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1

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

    Leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations will attend the Tianjin summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and related events, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday.

    The SCO Tianjin summit will be held from August 31 to September 1, Wang said in Tianjin during a joint press meeting with SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev.

    On the same day, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, chaired SCO member states’ meeting of the council of the ministers of foreign affairs in Tianjin.

    Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Jeenbek Kulubaev, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, and Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Ularbek Sharsheev attended the meeting.

    Wang called on SCO member states to strive to build greater consensus on strengthening the organization in a manner that demonstrates a sense of responsibility towards history and the future. He proposed five suggestions on the organization’s development.

    He said that member states should stay true to the original aspiration and carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, consolidate the foundation of security, pursue mutual benefit and win-win results to drive the new engine of development, pursue friendship and good-neighborliness, and safeguard fairness and justice.

    Wang expressed appreciation for the support of member states for China’s role as the rotating chair, adding that the SCO is set to enter a new phase of high-quality development through member states’ joint efforts.

    The participating parties highly commended China’s outstanding work and positive outcomes as the rotating chair, and expressed their willingness to coordinate and collaborate with China to ensure the success of the Tianjin summit.

    All parties fully recognized the important role of the SCO in strengthening strategic mutual trust among member states, promoting regional development and prosperity, maintaining common security, and deepening the bonds between the peoples.

    In the face of turbulent international situations, all parties agreed that it is essential to further promote the Shanghai Spirit, strengthen solidarity and coordination, safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, fight against the “three evil forces” of terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

    They also agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields, promote dialogue among different civilizations, jointly uphold the authority of the United Nations, oppose unilateralism, and peacefully resolve hotspot issues through dialogue and negotiation, to make new contributions to world peace and development. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Twin towers combine for 36 pts as China crush S. Korea

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

    Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu combined for 36 points to lead defending champion China to a 91-69 victory over South Korea in a Group B match at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup on Tuesday.

    Both teams struggled to find their rhythm offensively in the first half. China missed several early chances under the rim, with Li Yuan, Luo Xinyu and Han all misfiring in the paint. South Korea also failed to capitalize on multiple wide-open opportunities, and the game remained scoreless for nearly two minutes before Park Ji-hyun broke the drought with a basket.

    Han Xu (L top) of China goes for a layup during the Group A match between China and South Korea at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Division A 2025 in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, July 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

    With the Chinese squad slow to settle, 23-year-old forward Luo stepped up with several key offensive rebounds and flashy dishes. 18-year-old Zhang, who stands 226cm tall, entered midway through the first quarter and remained a dominant presence in the paint, although South Korea targeted her lack of mobility on offense. An He-ji nailed a stunning long-range buzzer-beater to cut China’s lead to just three points at the end of the first period.

    In the second quarter, South Korea suffered a scare when veteran center Park Ji-su sustained a shoulder injury while defending Zhang. She was forced to the bench but returned for the second half after treatment.

    China made a crucial tactical adjustment after the break, unveiling the twin-tower lineup of Han and Zhang for the first time in the tournament. The move paid immediate dividends, as the two centers scored in quick succession to extend China’s lead to double digits. South Korea kept the margin within striking distance thanks to a flurry of three-pointers, hovering around a 10-point gap.

    In the final three minutes of the third quarter, China switched to a small-ball lineup with no traditional center. The pace picked up, and sharp drives by Jia Saiqi and Wang Siyu helped China take a 17-point cushion into the final quarter.

    China’s shooting behind the arc, which had been cold through the first three quarters (1-of-12), finally warmed up in the fourth. Huang Sijing, Yang Liwei and Zhai Ruoyun knocked down timely triples, stretching the lead. Meanwhile, South Korea struggled with fatigue down the stretch, and several smart cuts failed to produce points.

    As the clock ran out, China secured a 91-69 win to remain unbeaten in the group stage.

    Han and Zhang each scored a team-high 18 points for China, with Han also grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. For South Korea, Choi I-saem hit four three-pointers to lead her team with 16 points, while An He-ji added 15.

    “This was the most crucial game of the group stage, and we did a lot of preparation for it,” said China’s head coach Gong Luming at the post-game press conference.

    “Our young team was eager to perform well, but they were a bit anxious at the start and didn’t play up to their usual level,” he noted, adding, “But on the defensive end, the players gave good effort.”

    Speaking about the two key lineup adjustments in the game, Gong said the twin-tower combination of Han and Zhang was effective on offense, but also admitted it had defensive drawbacks.

    “The twin-tower hasn’t been used much in practice. We hope to build better chemistry between them through real-game experience – it will be an important option for us in the future,” Gong explained.

    He also emphasized that China can’t rely solely on its advantage in the paint, so he used a smaller lineup at times, aiming for faster transitions and quick scoring after securing rebounds.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 15, 2025
    CONTACT:     
    Caroline Tabler (Cotton) 202 224-2353Patrick McCann (Cotton) 202 224-2353Rachel Cohen (Warner) 202 228-6884
    Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act
    Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), and Senator Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia), Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statements after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (IAA) today on a bipartisan 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances oversight of national security threats and our United States Intelligence Community.
    “I’d like to thank my colleagues for their tireless work on this bill that will go a long way towards keeping America safer and making the intelligence agencies charged with doing so more transparent and efficient. I am pleased this bill includes needed reforms and restructuring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, restricts the travel of adversarial diplomats inside the United States, and protects Intelligence Community installations by adding further reviews to nearby land purchases which safeguards them against drone threats. This bill passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis and I hope my colleagues will support its passage by the full Senate,” said Senator Cotton.
    “This bipartisan bill provides the Intelligence Community the resources it needs to do its mission while ensuring that we maintain rigorous oversight of the IC’s activities. This year’s IAA responds to important concerns, including by enhancing protections for whistleblowers, and also safeguards our Nation’s critical infrastructure in the wake of the Salt Typhoon compromises.  At the same time, it readies the IC for the future by promoting IC energy resiliency through the deployment of nuclear technologies and enhancing the IC’s ability to detect and counter threats relating to biotechnologies and bioweapons,” said Senator Warner. 
    The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 will:
    Significantly reform and improve efficiencies and effectiveness within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the broader Intelligence Community;
    Require that visas be denied to certain nationals applying to work at the United Nations if they are known or suspected of being foreign intelligence officers or committing intelligence or espionage activities;
    Prohibit the Intelligence Community from contracting with Chinese military companies engaged in biotechnology research, development, or manufacturing;
    Codify tour and travel restrictions for Chinese, Russian Iranian and North Korean diplomats in the United States;
    Improve the Intelligence Community’s artificial intelligence capabilities and capacity and establish guidelines for the IC’s procurement and use of artificial intelligence;
    Shores up counter-intelligence risks posed by Salt Typhoon compromises of U.S. telecommunications infrastructure by leveraging IC procurement power;
    Strengthen the security of telecommunications networks by establish baseline cybersecurity requirements for vendors of telecommunications services to the IC;
    Establish authorities for protecting Central Intelligence Agency facilities from unmanned aircraft systems;
    Require the Intelligence Community to develop a policy for sharing biotechnological threats with U.S. agencies, allies, and private-sector partners, including on PRC efforts to acquire genomic data;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to identify sites for deployment of advanced nuclear technologies;
    Establish a fund to support IC efforts to acquire and integrate emerging technologies proven to meet mission needs;
    Prohibit Intelligence Community contractors from collecting or selling Intelligence Community personnel location data;
    Support the Intelligence Community workforce by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to issue standard guidelines for Intelligence Community personnel to document and report Anomalous Health Incidents; 
    Enhance protections for, and congressional oversight of, Intelligence Community whistleblowers;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to enhance efforts to counter narcotics trafficking with the Government of Mexico;
    Promote transparency by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a declassification review and publish intelligence relating to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic;
    Streamline the construction of Intelligence Community facilities;
    Amend the Spectrum Relocation Fund authorization to clarify eligibility for Title 50 agencies that utilize spectrum and whose usage could be impacted by future reallocation decisions;
    Protect Americans’ privacy by statutorily requiring procedures governing the dissemination of U.S. identities and corresponding reporting requirements, as well as prohibits the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis from collecting intelligence on Americans; and
    Provide additional reviews for foreign purchases of land near IC facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz fights Trump-backed NOAA staffing cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON >> Members of Congress are expressing renewed support for the nation’s weather forecasting system after deadly flooding in Texas and elsewhere put the focus on cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    The Trump administration proposed cutting NOAA’s fiscal 2026 budget to $4.5 billion — a 27%, nearly $1.7 billion reduction from the estimated fiscal 2025 spending.
    But Senate appropriators from both parties highlighted the importance of NOAA, and particularly the National Weather Service housed within it, in a meeting last week.
    During the Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of its draft fiscal 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science bill on July 10, Subcommittee Chair Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said the bill would spare the NWS from the proposed cuts.
    “NOAA, and particularly the National Weather Service, is a hugely important component of what this bill funds, and this bill recognizes that importance,” said Moran, adding that the “bill fully funds the (NWS) for purposes of employing people who work” and eliminates any reduction in the workforce.
    Moran said the language would require the Trump administration to maintain staffing at levels necessary to fill statutory obligations and would increase the appropriation by $10 million to accomplish that goal. Moran didn’t provide a topline figure and the committee hasn’t yet released its draft text or bill summary.
    Sen Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, expressed concern that the bill still gave too much discretion to the Office of Management and Budget to determine whether the agency has too many employees. He offered an amendment that would require the administration to maintain staffing at the same levels as they were on Sept. 30, 2024. The panel rejected the amendment along party lines.
    “It’s clear to me that this administration has already made the judgment that the National Weather Service has too many human beings,” said Schatz.
    The committee ultimately didn’t complete work on the bill last week due to an unrelated disagreement over the future of a proposed FBI campus in Maryland.
    House Republicans, meanwhile, released their version of the fiscal 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill on Monday. The bill includes a cut of $387 million, or 6%, for NOAA, taking its budget to $5.8 billion in fiscal 2026, according to the GOP summary.
    The House C-J-S Appropriations Subcommittee approved the measure for full committee consideration on a 9-6 vote today.
    Staffing ‘a top priority’
    The issue of staffing at NOAA also came up in the confirmation hearing for Neil Jacobs, Trump’s nominee to lead NOAA, in the Senate Commerce Committee on July 10. Ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said NOAA has lost nearly 1,900 employees, with 3,000 vacancies due to firings of probationary employees and buyouts, since Trump took office.
    “If confirmed, I will ensure that staffing the weather service offices is a top priority,” said Jacobs. “It’s really important for the people to be there because they have relationships with the people in the local community. They’re a trusted source.”
    Jacobs said he supported the administration’s proposal to cut NOAA’s budget by 27% in fiscal 2026, adding the cuts could be implemented by shifting work from the research to operations without impacting “mission essential functions” at the NWS.
    Monica Medina, principal deputy secretary for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA during the Obama administration and now a distinguished fellow with the environmental group Conservation International, said cuts to research would have significant implications for operations.
    “Artificial intelligence is only as good as the data you put in it,” Medina said in an interview. “We need science and research and data to inform our weather forecasts now and in the future, and what we’re doing is taking apart a system that was getting better and better and better, and putting ourselves at greater risk. And the impact on people is real and the forecast will be less accurate.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz grills Hegseth, calls on Republicans to kill the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, upped his criticism of the Trump administration Wednesday, grilling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine about the deployment of National Guard and U.S. Marine personnel to quell protests in Los Angeles during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing. He called on Republicans to kill the president’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” in a speech from the Senate floor. 
    At the subcommittee hearing, Schatz asked Caine if, in fact, the United States was being invaded by a foreign nation or if a rebellion was occurring, to which Caine responded: “I do not see any state-sponsored folks invading. There’s definitely some frustrated folks out there.” 
    Turning to Hegseth, Schatz asked, “Did you just potentially mobilize every Guard everywhere and every service member everywhere? I mean, create the framework for that?” 
    Hegseth, a frequent target of Schatz’s criticism dating back to his initial appointment, responded that the deployments were a preemptive move should protests expand to other areas.
    Schatz was more direct in his condemnation of the deployments in his Senate speech, repeating earlier accusations that the real purpose of the military intervention is to shift public attention away from a Republican legislative package he said would gut Medicaid and cut off food assistance for children and families while delivering a $600 billion tax cut for large corporations and the nation’s wealthiest 1%.
    “Trump does what he always does. He creates a spectacle out of nowhere in order to distract people from what is actually happening,” Schatz said. “They are cutting Medicaid. They are slashing nutritional assistance for children and families. They are jacking up everyone’s health insurance premiums and energy bills.”
    The Trump administration has maintained that the bill would in fact benefit nearly all Americans.
    In “50 Wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill,” an overview of benefits posted to the White House website, the administration claimed the legislation would deliver the largest tax cut in American history, with Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 paying about 15% less in taxes.
    And as the bill would make tax cuts initiated during Trump’s first term in office permanent, Americans would also be spared what the administration claimed would be “the largest tax increase in history.”
    Schatz pushed back at the administration’s claims.
    “Here’s what’s going to happen if Republicans pass this bill,” he said. “Anyone making $4 million a year or more will get a very nice tax break, and the more you make, the more you’ll get. So, if you’re a millionaire, you get close to $70,000. But if you’re a billionaire, you’re looking at $300,000. 
    “Now, if you’re wondering, ‘Well, what about me? I’m not a billionaire or a millionaire. What do I get?’” he continued. “Well, next to nothing. Worse than that, you’re going to be subsidizing these enormous tax cuts with cuts to your benefits and services 16 million Americans, including 60,000 people in the state of Hawaii, will lose coverage through Medicaid because of these cuts, meaning even when people get really sick, they’re going to avoid going to the hospital and buying medication because they cannot afford it. And then they’re going to turn to emergency care because they have no choice.”
    Schatz also noted controversial provisions tucked into the bill, including one that would prevent judges from taking action against people for violating court orders and another that would establish a tax credit for the purchase of gun silencers.
    “We’re going to fight as hard as we can,” Schatz told his Senate colleagues. “We’ve only got 47 votes. We need four Republicans to say ‘enough is enough.’”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rural News – Government delivers lifeline for flood-affected farmers – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Federated Farmers are welcoming the announcement of a $600,000 Government support package to help flood-affected farmers in the Nelson Tasman region get back on their feet.
    “This funding is desperately needed to support recovery efforts on the ground and will make a real difference for farming families,” says Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford.
    “We’re incredibly grateful that the Government have recognised this need early and taken practical steps that will allow clean-up work to get underway immediately.”
    The Government package includes $50,000 for the Farmers Adverse Events Trust, established by Federated Farmers, and will be matched dollar-for-dollar by donations from other farmers.
    Langford has visited many impacted farmers over the past fortnight, and will be on the ground again today surveying the damage and assessing what further support might be needed.
    “Each farm is completely different. Some have only had minor damage that they will be able to fix themselves, but others will definitely need some significant help,” Langford says.
    “That’s where Federated Farmers are going to be focusing most of our efforts. We need to prioritise those who have been hit hardest and then work our way out from there.
    “What this $50,000 from the Government means is that we can start work almost immediately with diggers, bulldozers and fencers from later this week.
    “That’s the kind of support these farmers need the most right now. They need boots on the ground, shovels in the dirt, and heavy machinery starting to roll in.”
    Langford says Federated Farmers will be playing a key role in coordinating this work but more donations will still be required to fund recovery efforts over the coming weeks.
    “We really need New Zealanders to get in behind these farmers with donations. It doesn’t matter if they’re large or small, every dollar counts and will make a difference.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Pushes to Boost U.S. Critical Minerals Supply Chain

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Following her House Foreign Affairs East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee hearing titled, “Breaking China’s Chokehold on Critical Mineral Supply Chains,” Chairwoman Young Kim (CA-40) joined Ranking Member Ami Bera (CA-06) and Rep. James Moylan of Guam introduced the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Authorization Act. 

    The Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Authorization Act formally authorizes the State Department to coordinate U.S. efforts across the MSP — a coalition of 14 countries and the European Union — to accelerate responsible investment in critical mineral projects around the world. Through diplomatic leadership and interagency coordination with partners like the DFC, USTDA, and EXIM Bank, the bill supports the development of secure, resilient, and sustainable supply chains. 

    “Xi Jinping should not determine whether the United States can obtain critical minerals we need to power technologies that run our lives, from cell phones to defense systems,” said Congresswoman Kim. “The United States must work with our allies to strengthen our critical mineral supply chains and protect our economy and national security from the Chinese Communist Party. The Minerals Security Partnership Authorization Act will allow us to do exactly that.” 

    “Minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential to powering our economy, clean energy future, and national defense,” said Representative Bera. “The People’s Republic of China (PRC) currently holds a near-monopoly over many of these supply chains and has shown a willingness to weaponize that control. Securing critical minerals is not just an economic issue — it is a national security imperative. That’s why it is critical that the United States lead efforts like the Minerals Security Partnership to diversify supply chains and strengthen America’s long-term competitiveness.” 

    “This bill strengthens the international and domestic efforts to secure mineral supply chains and relative advanced manufacturing, all of which are critical to our economic needs. These diversified supply chains allow for a stronger partnership between our allies, while significantly reducing outsourcing from adversarial counterparts. By forging a new database that collects information to attract investments, this bill will foster the collaboration between civil and private sectors to prioritize projects aligned with national security and environmental standards,” said Rep. Moylan. “I want to thank Rep. Bera for championing this initiative utilizing the full potential of our mineral wealth to create a clean and domestic circular economy while ensuring these practices adhere to environmental guidelines. Together, we are committed to building a self-sustaining economy with resources found at home to advance essential technology and defense.” 

    This bipartisan bill promotes international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply chains by: 

    • Provide diplomatic leadership within the MSP to identify, prioritize, and support strategic projects through every stage of the critical minerals supply chain — from extraction to processing to deployment in advanced technologies; 
    • Coordinate with partner governments and financial institutions to mobilize responsible investment and reduce dependency on authoritarian regimes; 
    • Engage with producing countries through the MSP Forum to foster transparent, high-standard investment environments; 
    • Promote environmental safeguards, labor protections, and community benefits alongside economic development. 

    Established in 2022, the Minerals Security Partnership has emerged as a key platform for aligning international investment and diplomatic engagement around critical minerals. This bill lays the groundwork for continued U.S. leadership in shaping a more secure and sustainable global minerals landscape. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    July 15, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations, with Severance leading as this year’s most-nominated series and The Studio becoming the most-nominated freshman comedy in history

    Global phenomenon Severance scores 27 nominations for hit second season, including Outstanding Drama Series and nine performance category nominations

    Breakout comedy The Studio sweeps with 23 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, making history with the most nominations for a freshman comedy and most overall acting nominations this year

    Apple TV+ leads as the only network to land multiple title nominations across Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories, as The Studio, Severance, Slow Horses, and Shrinking land top program nominations, alongside Apple’s first-ever Outstanding Television Movie nod for The Gorge

    Apple also lands the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total

    Apple Originals honored with nominations across 14 titles, including Severance, The Studio, Slow Horses, Shrinking, Presumed Innocent, The Gorge, Bad Sisters, Dope Thief, Disclaimer, Pachinko, Your Friends & Neighbors, Dark Matter, Deaf President Now!, and Bono: Stories of Surrender

    CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA Apple TV+ today earned a record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations across 14 hit Apple Original titles for this year’s 77th Emmy Awards. Severance became this year’s most-nominated series with 27 nominations, and The Studio made history as the most-nominated freshman comedy series with 23 nominations in total. Additionally, with top program nominations for drama (Slow Horses) and comedy (Shrinking), Apple TV+ became the only network to have multiple titles nominated in the Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories. Apple also landed the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total.

    “Everyone at Apple is celebrating the talent, creativity, and hard work of all of our Emmy nominees this morning,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Severance and The Studio have exceeded our wildest expectations in earning the most nominations for both drama and comedy series, alongside the phenomenal Shrinking and Slow Horses. These shows have connected deeply with audiences around the world, and we’re incredibly appreciative to the Television Academy for recognizing the breadth of storytelling that has been an honor for us to champion. We send our warmest congratulations to all of today’s nominees.”

    “This record-breaking year is a milestone for Apple, and we’re especially proud of the continued impact our outstanding series nominees — Severance, The Studio, Shrinking, and Slow Horses — are having on global culture,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s Head of Worldwide Video. “These nominations honor bold storytelling, exceptional performances, and remarkable craftsmanship, and we’re deeply grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing these visionary creators.”

    Severance dominates as the most-nominated series this year, with 27 overall nominations, including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Adam Scott, Outstanding Lead Actress for Britt Lower, Outstanding Directing for Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné, Outstanding Writing for Dan Erickson, alongside recognition for outstanding performances by Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever, as well as nods across several craft categories.

    As the most-nominated freshman comedy series in history, in addition to Outstanding Comedy, The Studio scores Outstanding Lead Actor, Directing, and Writing for Seth Rogen; Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ike Barinholtz; and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara. It also earned five of the six nominations in the Outstanding Guest Actor category, including first-ever acting nominations for directors Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, alongside Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Anthony Mackie, plus an Outstanding Guest Actress nomination for Zoë Kravitz.

    In its sophomore season, Apple’s beloved Shrinking nabs its first-ever nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Harrison Ford is recognized with his first Emmy Award nomination for his celebrated performance in the series. Jason Segel nabs Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy, alongside Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress nominations for Michael Urie and Jessica Williams, respectively.

    Following last year’s Emmy Award win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Slow Horses lands nominations for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Sir Gary Oldman, Outstanding Directing for Adam Randall, Outstanding Casting, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Will Smith.

    Apple Original Films’ The Gorge lands the first Outstanding Television Movie nomination for Apple TV+, as Apple Original documentaries Deaf President Now! and Bono: Stories of Surrender are also recognized.

    Apple TV+ series stars lead with the most performance nominations overall, earning 31 acting category nominations, including 10 top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in The Studio, nine nominations for the stars and guest stars of Severance, and four nominations each for performances in Shrinking and Presumed Innocent. Dope Thief star Brian Tyree Henry also scores a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, as Sir Gary Oldman lands his second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Slow Horses, and Sharon Horgan is recognized with her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the BAFTA Award-winning Bad Sisters.

    The nominations were announced today by the Television Academy, and the winners will be unveiled at the Creative Arts ceremonies on September 6 and 7, and the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14, 2025.

    To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 580 wins and 2,761 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

    In total, Apple scores 81 Emmy Award nominations, including:

    Severance (27)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott
    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Britt Lower
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Zach Cherry
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tramell Tillman
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: John Turturro
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patricia Arquette
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Jane Alexander
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Gwendoline Christie
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Merritt Wever
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Jessica Lee Gagné
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Ben Stiller
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Dan Erickson
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series 
    • Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming 
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series (X3)
    • Outstanding Title Design
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
    • Outstanding Stunt Performance

    The Studio (23)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ike Barinholtz
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kathryn Hahn
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Catherine O’Hara
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bryan Cranston
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Dave Franco
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Ron Howard
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Mackie
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Martin Scorsese
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Zoë Kravitz
    • Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
    • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Heck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Contemporary Costumes For A Series
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single Camera Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling 
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Shrinking (7)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Segel
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Harrison Ford
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Michael Urie
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jessica Williams
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Slow Horses (5)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Gary Oldman
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Will Smith
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Adam Randall
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series

    Presumed Innocent (4)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Bill Camp
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Peter Sarsgaard
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Ruth Negga

    Disclaimer (2)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Cate Blanchett
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie

    Bad Sisters (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Sharon Horgan

    Dope Thief (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Brian Tyree Henry

    The Gorge (2)

    • Outstanding Television Movie
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special

    Deaf President Now! (2)

    • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim

    Pachinko (2)

    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)

    Your Friends & Neighbors (1)

    • Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

    Bono: Stories of Surrender (1)

    • Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special

    Dark Matter (1)

    • Outstanding Title Design

    Nominees for Outstanding Commercial (2)

    • “Heartstrings” — Apple AirPods Pro
    • “Flock” — Apple Privacy

    Severance
    In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

    The Studio
    In The Studio, Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios. As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it’s the job Matt’s been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.

    Shrinking
    Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

    Slow Horses
    This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

    Presumed Innocent
    Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together. The star-studded ensemble cast of the thriller also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle and Renate Reinsve.

    Disclaimer
    Disclaimer is a gripping psychological thriller in seven chapters, starring Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Written and directed by five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón, “Disclaimer” is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight. Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The ensemble cast includes Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.

    Bad Sisters
    Bad Sisters season two returns to follow the lives of the Garvey sisters played by Sharon Horgan as Eva, Anne-Marie Duff as Grace, Eva Birthistle as Ursula, Sarah Greene as Bibi and Eve Hewson as Becka. Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit Garvey sisters may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust.

    Dope Thief
    Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book Dope Thief, the series follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern Seaboard.

    The Gorge
    Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

    Pachinko
    Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.

    Your Friends & Neighbors
    After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

    Deaf President Now!
    The story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard of. Deaf President Now! recounts the eight days of historic protests held at Gallaudet University in 1988 after the school’s board of trustees appointed a hearing president over several very qualified Deaf candidates. After a week of rallies, boycotts and protests, the students of Gallaudet University triumph as the hearing president resigns and beloved dean Dr. I. King Jordan becomes the university’s first Deaf president. The protests marked a pivotal moment in civil rights history, with an impact that extended well beyond the Gallaudet campus, and paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Deaf President Now! features exclusive interviews with the five key figures of the movement, including the DPN4 — Jerry Covell, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Tim Rarus and Greg Hlibok — alongside I. King Jordan, as well as archival and scripted elements. The film also incorporates an experimental narrative approach called Deaf Point of View, using impressionistic visual photography and intricate sound design to thrust the audience into the Deaf experience.

    Bono: Stories of Surrender
    Bono: Stories of Surrender is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief… As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.

    Dark Matter
    Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

    All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.

    Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

    About Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone; iPad; Apple TV; Apple Vision Pro; Mac; popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.1About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.

    Press Contacts

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government announces $600,000 support package for flood-affected farmers, growers and foresters

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is increasing its financial contribution to support rural communities in the Nelson Tasman Region, with additional funding to help farmers, foresters, growers and rural contractors recover from recent severe weather events.

    Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay speaking during a visit to the Tasman District today announced an additional $600,000 in Government and industry support, bringing the total Government financial contribution for the affected primary sector to $500,000.

    “These regions have experienced significant damage to forests, farms and rural infrastructure. This funding will help meet immediate recovery needs and help rural businesses get back on their feet,” Mr McClay says. 

    The support package includes:

    • A $300,000 Government contribution to the Mayoral Relief Fund tagged to the rural sector.
    • $100,000 contribution by the Government and Federated Farmers to the Farmers Adverse Events Trust to support with the immediate recovery needs for the most impacted pastoral farmers in the Nelson Tasman region.
    • $100,000 contribution by the Government and Horticulture New Zealand, to help the horticulture sector across the Top of the South.
    • $100,000 announced by Government in June to support and coordinate recovery efforts, including $20,000 for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust.

    “We continue to work with New Zealand Winegrowers to ensure appropriate support for affected vineyards, including the potential use of Enhanced Taskforce Green,” Mr McClay said.

    “Many farmers and growers are facing their second clean-up in a fortnight from floods and storm damage. Rural communities are resilient, but the relentless wet weather conditions have taken a toll. This support is designed to provide meaningful and direct assistance quickly,” Mr McClay says.

    MPI staff are on the ground working with the Rural Support Trust and industry groups assessing damage and coordinating assistance.

    “Farmers, foresters and growers will face many, many months of work to repair damage to their land and get their businesses back on track. We will continue to assess what further assistance might be required.”

    “Farmers and growers who need help or assistance should in the first instance contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254,” Mr McClay said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Community projects boost Sign Language

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Families of Deaf children and teenagers are among those able to take part in 11 community projects being funded to boost sign language In New Zealand.

    Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says together, the projects will receive a total of almost $250,000 to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language.

    “Each year, the NZSL Board distributes community grants to projects supporting and encouraging the use of NZSL,” Minister Upston says.

    “This year, it’s fantastic to see a particularly wide range of funded initiatives including:

    • NZSL classes for families of Deaf children and Deaf teenagers hosted by the Wellington Deaf Society
    • community events at local Deaf and NZSL clubs in Hamilton, Cambridge, Dunedin and Alexandra
    • a directory website providing a hub of information translated into NZSL
    • a review of the NZSL interpreting code of ethics from a te ao Māori perspective and a mentoring programme for interpreters
    • workshops, podcasts, and courses to develop the skills and tell the stories of the Deaf community

    “I want to congratulate the NZSL and Deaf community organisations who have been successful,” Louise Upston says. 

    “Many Deaf children are born into hearing families, so NZSL classes for these families are important to ensure these children get access to language from a young age. 

    “I am also excited to see initiatives that strengthen our NZSL interpreter workforce, help the Deaf community to find information in NZSL all in one location, and provide NZSL-first spaces at Deaf clubs.”

    NZSL is an official language used by almost 25,000 New Zealanders. The NZSL Board promotes the use of NZSL and provides expert advice to government and the community.

    The Government, through the NZSL Board, invests about $1 million each year to support initiatives and projects that maintain and promote NZSL.

    Notes for Editors

    More information about the projects being funded can be found here: 

    https://www.nzsl.govt.nz/nzsl-community-grants/previous-nzsl-community-grant-rounds/2025-recipients

    An NZSL translation of this media release can be found here: 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCjZXW-bd8

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Talisman Sabre 2025 Begins with Record Participation and Enduring Purpose

    Source: United States Navy

    SYDNEY, Australia — Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 formally commenced today from the flight deck of HMAS Adelaide in Sydney Harbor, launching military activities involving 19 nations and over 30,000 service members across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. This marks the largest bilateral military training event between the United States and Australia to date.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More international doctors to be fast-tracked

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has welcomed the announcement by the Medical Council of New Zealand that will see doctors from Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia added to the Comparable Health System pathway, which will streamline the registration process and help strengthen New Zealand’s frontline health workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “This is a practical step that will help us get more doctors into hospitals and clinics across the country more quickly,” Mr Brown says.

    “New Zealand is in an international contest to train, attract, and retain skilled medical professionals. The addition of Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia to the list of Comparable Health Systems will make it easier for qualified doctors from these countries to live and work in New Zealand.”

    The Comparable Health System pathway enables international medical graduates from certain countries to fast-track their registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand, provided their qualifications and training meet recognised standards. With this latest decision, there are now 29 countries on the list, following the inclusion of Japan and South Korea earlier this year in February.

    “New Zealand has long benefited from the skills and expertise of international medical professionals. They play a vital role in supporting our domestically trained workforce and ensuring patients can access timely, quality healthcare,” Mr Brown says.

    “This builds on other initiatives the Government has to boost New Zealand’s health workforce. Earlier this year I announced a two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand’s primary care workforce.

    “Over 180 expressions of interest were received for this programme, exceeding the number of places available. This strong response shows that there is untapped potential in New Zealand. Overseas trained doctors are eager to work where they are most needed, and this Government is opening the door for them to do so.

    “Through our record $16.68 billion investment across three Budgets, we are making sure our health system is properly resourced to meet the growing demands placed on it. That funding is already delivering results, with record funding for general practice to increase capacity, upgraded urgent care services across the country, and a new 24/7 digital health service. This is how we are putting patients first. 

    “The Medical Council’s announcement adds to the body of work the Government is undertaking to rebuild our health system around the needs of patients, so that all New Zealanders can receive the timely, quality healthcare they need.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland News – $3.8M of Regional Sporting Facilities Rate funding allocated

    Source: Northland Regional Council

    Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena will receive up to $2.6 million and Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two up to $1.2M in the latest allocations from the Northland Regional Council’s Regional Sporting Facilities Rate.
    The council’s Strategic & Commercial Projects Manager Phil Heatley says the GST exclusive sums will go to Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena in the current financial year and to Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two in 2026-2027.
    Stage One of Ruakākā Wahitakaro was a community centre completed in 2024. The estimated total project cost for Stage Two is $8.5M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces. It will also include ‘Northland’s Home of Volleyball’, a regional facility for volleyball providing training and competition opportunities and the ability to host regional, district and community events.
    Mr Heatley says Sportsville Dargaville Stage One was completed in December 2018 and involved six multi-purpose outdoor courts with a supporting multi-sport facility.
    “The estimated project cost of Stage Two is $9M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces.” “It is designed to provide opportunities for training and district competitions and the ability to host regional, district and community level events.”
    Mr Heatley says the NRC struck the targeted $14.07 plus GST Regional Sporting Facilities Rate (per SUIP/Rating Unit) in its 2024-2034 Long Term Plan to provide funding support to assist in the development of Northland sporting facilities that are of regional or district-wide benefit.
    A working group made up of representatives from the NRC, Northland’s three district council’s and Sport Northland had recommended the funding for the 2024-2027 financial years. Regional councillors had confirmed the group’s recommendation at a council meeting late last month.
    “This will give those overseeing the projects a degree of certainty to plan and a platform to apply for third party funding.”
    Mr Heatley says potential recipient projects are identified through a regionwide consultation process, initially to inform ‘Kokiri ai Te Waka Hourua’, a strategy for play, active recreation and sport. The strategy was produced in partnership by the NRC, Sport Northland, Northland’s three district councils and Sport New Zealand.
    “A proposed project is presented to Sport Northland in the first instance, by a regional or district not-for-profit sporting focussed group, for consideration and prioritisation.”
    “Substantial work by the working group sees the prioritisation of regional sporting facility projects.
    Mr Heatley says for this allocation, 16 projects had been in varying states of readiness with six being advanced enough to be able to be scored and benchmarked against council-approved criteria. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Cyber Security – Privacy Commissioner says better passwords will help fight hackers

    Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

    Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says New Zealanders need to improve how they’re using passwords.
    His warning comes because he’s concerned about the increased risk of privacy breaches caused by privacy spraying. That’s where hackers find one password and then try it on other accounts to see if it will work to open those as well. People recycling passwords for multiple accounts are falling victim.
    “Our strong suggestion is for people to have a different password for each account they have. Making a password unique means if one account is hacked then there’s no chance it can also be used to open other accounts and create even more damage”, Mr Webster says.
    “Having unique passwords is a great way to make a hacker’s job far harder.”
    There are several other things people can do to help protect their personal information. Using a password manager to store all your passwords is a good fix and there are many different options, many of which are free.
    People can also use long and strong passwords and change them immediately if they’ve been hacked. Turning on two-factor identification is another good layer of protection.
    “Having your information breached on one account is bad enough, but by using a dedicated password and adding extra security steps you can help prevent hackers accessing other accounts and causing even more harm.
    Personal information has value, so the more protection you have in place the better. Any step people can take to deter hackers is a good step to take and unique passwords are an excellent start.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland News – Learn to wipe out Northland’s worst weeds at free workshops

    Source: Northland Regional Council

    Northlanders keen to join the fight to tackle the region’s worst weeds can learn how at Northland Regional Council’s free weeds workshops next month.
    Council’s pest plant experts will be sharing tips at a series of workshops in Kaitaia, Russell, Kerikeri, Maungaturoto and Whangārei from Monday 04 August to Friday 08 August.
    Biosecurity Manager – Pest Plants Joanna Barr says the workshops are a great chance to plan ahead and get ready for the busy ‘weed knockdown period’ once the warmth of spring starts to take hold.
    “To fight the onslaught of weeds species we are facing in Te Taitokerau we need everyone to tackle the weeds in their backyard, and other special places they care about.”
    “Our workshops are a great way to remove some of the barriers to getting stuck in and are a chance to meet others who are keen to make a difference,” Ms Barr says.
    “The workshops are hands-on and delivered in a relaxed and fun way to help people learn how best to tackle a wide variety of nasties, including wild ginger, lantana, moth plant, Taiwan cherry and privet.”
    The workshops will include a short presentation, hands-on identification tips and information on control options, including chemicals and other methods.
    Two workshops will be held on Monday 04 August at Te Ahu Centre, Kaitaia (Corner of State Highway 1 and Matthews Avenue), the first from 9am-noon and the second from 1pm-4pm.
    On Tuesday 05 August, a workshop will be held at Russell Town Hall (17 The Strand, Russell) from 9am-noon.
    On Wednesday 06 August, two workshops will be held at NorthTec’s Kerikeri Campus (Room 12, Corner of Kerikeri Road and Hone Heke Road), the first from 9am-noon and the second from 1pm-4pm.
    The next workshop will be on Thursday 07 August at Maungaturoto Centennial Hall (44 View Street, Maungaturoto) from 9am-noon.
    A final three workshops will be held on Friday 08 August at Barge Showgrounds Events Centre (474 Maunu Road, Whangārei). The first will be held from 9am-noon, another from 1pm-4pm and a final session from 6pm-9pm.
    Spaces are limited. Those wanting to attend should register at www.nrc.govt.nz/weedsworkshops or contact Biosecurity Specialist Sara Brill on freephone 0800 002 004.
    General information on pests in Northland is available from the council’s website via: www.nrc.govt.nz/pestcontrolhub

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rachel Reeves Mansion House 2025 speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Rachel Reeves Mansion House 2025 speech

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her second Mansion House speech on the evening of Tuesday 15 July 2025.

    Lord Mayor, Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen.

    My thanks go to the City of London Corporation for hosting us here this evening…

    …and to the Lord Mayor for his address…

    …as well as to the Economic Secretary to the Treasury for all her hard work.

    It is a year since my party was elected to office…

    …and year since I was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

    Recently, on a visit to a primary school, a young girl asked me –

    “if you could have any job in the world, what would it be?”

    Given the events of the last few weeks, I suspect many of you would have sympathised if I had said –

     “anything but the Chancellor.”

    But I didn’t.

    Because I am proud to stand here tonight and address you for a second time at Mansion House…

    …as the Chancellor of Exchequer.

    This evening, I want to talk about the progress we have made over the past year:

    Restoring stability;

    Securing investment;

    And delivering reform.

    And I want to talk about the future:

    The economy that we are building;

    The opportunities that we are seizing;

    And the prosperity that we together are creating.

    In my Mais lecture last year, I talked about how a resilient economy must be built on security.

    And the importance of that security has been brought into sharp focus in recent months.

    As the world changes before our eyes, and global economies are becoming more uncertain.

    The job of a responsible government is not just to watch this change –  

    We must step up, not step back.

    We must build a dynamic economy on strong and secure foundations…

    …where success is not limited to a handful of sectors, a few people, or certain parts of the country…

    …but where the rewards of hard work are shared…

    …harnessing the contribution of every part of Britain.

    This is the foundation of an economy and a country that is more active and more confident…

    …where people and business look to the future and talk about hope…

    …talk about opportunity…

    …assured of their own capability, and of the ability of our country to boldly face the challenges ahead…

    …and certain in the prize when they succeed:

    Of higher wages and higher living standards;

    The renewal of Britain in every home and every high street.

    To put it simply: a Britain that is better off.

    The financial services sector is critical to my ambitions for our country.

    It is one of the largest and most successful sectors in the UK…

    …worth around 10% of total economic output…

    …and supporting 1.2 million jobs in clusters right around the UK:

    In Cardiff, and Belfast and Edinburgh where we have growing Fintechs;

    In Manchester, where BNY have their new Angel Square hub;

    And in London, the financial centre of the world.

    And financial services is also critical in people’s everyday lives:

    Whether that’s a couple looking to buy their first home;

    A budding entrepreneur wanting to start  their first business;

    Or people getting more out of the money they’re putting aside for the future.  

    And that’s what these plans, that I will set out tonight, will deliver.

    Growth must be built on a platform of economic stability.

    When we came into office…

    …it was our government, this government, that restored Britain’s reputation as a beacon of stability by putting the public finances back on a firm footing…

    …getting debt on a downward path, while investing prudently alongside business.

    That was – and still is – the right choice…

    …because there is nothing progressive – [political redaction] – about a government that simply spends more and more each year on debt interest, instead of on the priorities of ordinary working people.

    And fiscal stability is a choice that reflects economic reality.

    National debt remains at its highest level since the 1960s…

    …and globally, the cost of borrowing has increased in recent years.

    This is not the inheritance that I would have chosen…

    …but it is the reality.

    And that is why the Prime Minister, and I and this government are remain committed to our non-negotiable fiscal rules.

    The stability that we have restored is already delivering:

    Four cuts in interest rates by the Bank of England since the General Election, reducing the cost of mortgages and business lending;

    [political redaction]

    And investment is returning to our economy.

    At the Spending Review, I set out £120 billion of public investment over the next five years…

    …and last month, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK has attracted £120 billion of private investment – in just the last 12 months.

    In a globally competitive market…

    …firms all over the world are choosing to invest in Britain…

    …as one of the best places to start up, to scale up and to list:

    The FTSE is at an all-time high, today, for the first time ever, breaking 9000 points;

    London is home to the deepest equity capital market in Europe;

    It is the third biggest venture capital market globally;

    And the London Stock Exchange is the most international in the world…

    …with the FTSE soon to include shares listed not just in sterling but also in dollars and in euros.

    Last year, to ensure the UK remains competitive, we made significant changes to the listing regime…

    …for example, relaxing dual class share rules to give founders flexibility to pursue their growth ambitions.

    The FCA have today published their final Prospectus Rules…

    …simplifying the listing and capital raising processes for firms of all sizes.

    And, as I committed to last year at Mansion House, we are delivering PISCES…

    …a brand-new type of stock exchange for private company share trading…

    …with the first trading events due to take place later this year.

    And I am announcing a new Listings Taskforce with the Office for Investment…

    …to attract the best businesses in the world to IPO here in London.

    But we must do more to ensure that British savers benefit from the success of growing British businesses.

    Last year at Mansion House, I set out an overhaul of our pensions system…

    …and the Pension Schemes Bill, led by my colleague the Pensions Minister, will be signed into law in the next few months.

    The creation of Defined Contribution and Local Government Pension Scheme megafunds…

    …will mean larger and more powerful pots of funding invested productively across the country.

    Pension funds, and this government, are united in our determination to deliver higher returns for savers and more investment in the economy.

    That is why, since last year, funds covering the majority of the Defined Contribution market have committed to the Mansion House Accord…

    …pledging to invest at least 10% of their main funds into private assets such as infrastructure and growth markets…

    … with at least half of that going into UK projects.

    And I would also like to congratulate the Lord Mayor on his employer pension pledge…

    I am delighted, Lord Mayor, to see businesses such as Tesco, First Group and Octopus making this commitment…

    …and like you Lord Mayor I look forward to seeing more companies joining up.

    The UK economy is enhanced by its outward-facing approach…

    …and this year we have built on that with our new trade deals:             

    A trade deal with the United States, where we were the first country to sign a deal so that British businesses are better protected against tariffs, and where we have worked with our G7 colleagues to avert new taxes.

    I’m pleased to welcome US Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce here tonight…

    …who is driving forward proposals for greater digital collaboration between our two financial centres. Thank you for being here.

    And a trade deal with the European Union, where our strategic partnership will slash red tape and reduce costs for business…

    …as well as providing a platform to further deepen our relationship in future.

    And I am pleased to welcome the European Union’s Financial Services Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque.

    Maria Luis, we met earlier today to discuss our continued cooperation on financial services, and I look forward to working more closely with you.

    And a trade deal with India, with whom our recent FTA agreement will give us the best trading relationship of any country in the world with India.

    And we have concluded the first Economic and Financial Dialogue with China in six years.

    And we are implementing the Berne Financial Services Agreement with Switzerland too.

    At the G20 in South Africa later this week I will continue the call I made at the IMF Spring meetings –

    …for countries to come together to tackle trade imbalances and drive growth…

    …underpinned by stronger multilateral institutions.

    I look forward to hearing more on this from the Governor in his address…

    …and I would like to congratulate him on his recent appointment as Chair of the Financial Stability Board…

    …a testament to both Andrew and this government’s commitment to international standards.

    Britain is open for business;

    Open for trade;

    Open for investment.

    And that’s why we must be willing to change how we do things to stay competitive in that global economy.

    We have ripped up the planning rules;

    We have swept away regulations;

    We have published our industrial strategy;

    And today we can go further, by announcing the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy…

    …including my Leeds Reforms…

    …named after one of the UK’s great hubs for financial services…

    …and the city that I have been proud to represent as a Member of Parliament for fifteen years.

    These are the most wide-ranging package of reforms to financial services regulation in more than a decade.

    At Mansion House last year, I said we must regulate for growth and not just for risk…

    …and we are delivering on that commitment…

    …while continuing to protect financial stability…

    …so that the benefits of a thriving and growing financial services sector can be realised for people all over Britain.

    Let me set out the details of that package in four parts:

    First, I am rolling back regulation that has gone too far in seeking to eliminate risk;

    Second, I am delivering targeted changes in the areas where the UK already has particular strengths;

    Third, I am making changes to capital requirements to unlock more productive capital;

    And fourth, I am introducing measures to boost retail investment so that more savers can reap the benefits of UK economic success.

    I will begin with the biggest reforms.

    As I promised last year, I am delivering the most significant reform to the Financial Ombudsman Service since its inception…

    …including proposing to limit for ten years for claims.

    This will speed up the time it takes for consumers to get redress for their complaints…

    … returning it to its original purpose as a simple, impartial arbitration service…

    …and ensuring that it no longer acts as a quasi-regulator.

    And I welcome the announcement today, made by the Financial Ombudsman Service that will reduce the interest rate it applies before a decision from 8% to base rate plus 1%.

    I am introducing new targets for the FCA and PRA to cut times on authorisations and approvals…

    …and I have tasked the FCA with assessing the impact of the Consumer Duty and whether it unduly effects wholesale activity…

    …to ensure that regulators are really regulating for growth.

    And I am streamlining the Senior Managers and Certification Regime…

    …reducing the burdens it imposes on firms by 50%…

    …and slashing approval timelines…

    …so you can bring in talent to your business more quickly.

    My next set of reforms provide targeted regulatory support to the areas where the UK does already have a comparative advantage.

    For insurance – where Britain is the destination of choice for underwriting complex, specialised and high-value risk…

    …I am introducing a new competitive framework for captive insurance.

    For asset management – where the UK is the world’s second largest centre…

    …I am futureproofing the regulatory regime and will publish draft legislation in early 2026.

    For sustainable finance, I am determined to focus our efforts on policies that matter most to our world-leading sector and support investment in the transition…

    …so, after consultation and consideration, I have decided not to pursue a green taxonomy…

    …but instead work with regulators through the Transition Finance Council to capitalise on the £200 billion opportunity of the global transition to net zero.

    And for Fintech – where almost half of Europe’s Fintech’s are already based here in the UK…

    …the PRA and FCA are launching a scale-up unit to support innovative firms to grow in the UK, including in our world-leading payments system.

    And I will drive forward developments in blockchain technology…

    …including tokenised securities and stablecoins…

    …and an ambitious design for a new digital gilt instrument…

    …so that UK financial services can be at the forefront of digital asset innovation.

    And because I believe the UK is the best place in the world for financial services…

    …today I’ve announced the Office for Investment’s new concierge service.

    Launching by October this year, it will provide a tailored service to companies considering setting up and expanding in the UK…

    …and I am grateful to Chris Hayward from the City of London Corporation, for his work to drive this forward.

    Thank you Chris.

    Now, let me turn to the changes I am making to capital requirements…

    …to allow UK banks to do more lending and release more capital for investment into our infrastructure and into our businesses.

    First, I am supporting the Bank of England’s decision to raise the asset threshold for MREL requirements to between £25 and £40 billion.

    This will benefit the challenger banks and bring increased competition and innovation to the market…

    …and support those businesses to expand their footprint here in the UK.

    Second, I am confirming our approach to Basel 3.1…

    …implementing lower capital requirements for domestically focussed banks from January 2027…

    …while preserving flexibility on our approach for international banks to ensure the UK always remains competitive while aligning with international standards.

    Third, I have committed to meaningful reform of the UK’s ringfencing regime…

    …recognising that now is the time to go further in tackling inefficiency and boosting growth…

    …while retaining the aspects of the regime that support financial stability and protect consumer deposits.

    And fourth, following the new, growth focussed remit letter I sent in November…

    …I welcome the Financial Policy Committee’s announcement that it will review the overall level of bank capital needed for UK financial stability…

    …reporting back to me by the end of this year.

    The review will inform the work the Treasury is taking forward with the Bank…

    …to ensure the prudential framework strikes the optimal balance to deliver resilience, growth and competitiveness.

    And I welcome the recent changes the Financial Policy Committee has announced to the loan-to-income limit on mortgage lending…

    …which the PRA and FCA are implementing immediately…

    …that means tens of thousands more people could be able to get a mortgage in the next year alone…

    …with Nationwide already offering its ‘Helping Hand’ mortgage to more first time-buyers…

    …supporting alone an additional 10,000 each year.

    And my thanks to Dame Debbie Crosbie for her leadership.

    My final set of reforms are focussed on boosting savings investment.

    I recognise the potential for ISA reform to improve returns for savers…

    …and access capital for UK businesses.

    I have confirmed that Long-Term Asset Funds can be included in stocks and shares ISAs…

    …allowing long-term ISA investors to benefit from this innovative product.

    And I will continue to consider further changes to ISAs…

    …engaging widely in the coming months…

    …and recognising that despite the differing views on the right approach…

    …we are united in wanting better outcomes for both UK savers and for the UK economy.

    For too long, we have presented investment in too negative a light…

    …quick to warn people of the risks, without giving proper weight to the benefits…

    …and our tangled system of financial advice and guidance…

    …has meant people cannot get the right support to make decisions for themselves. 

    That is why we are working with the FCA to introduce a brand-new type of targeted support for consumers ahead of the new financial year.

    And I also welcome the campaign to promote the benefits of retail investment which will launch next April…

    …and the action to look at our current approach to risk warnings – and that will report back in January…

    …and I’m grateful to Chris Cummings of the Investment Association for spearheading both of those initiatives.

    Thank you very much Chris.

    Today, I have placed financial services at the heart of this government’s growth mission…

    …recognising that Britain cannot succeed and meet its growth ambitions…

    …without a financial sector that is fighting fit and thriving.

    The reforms I have set out this evening are the next chapter in how I intend to support this growth…

    …and I thank Gwyneth Nurse and her brilliant team at the Treasury for all of their hard work on this package.

    I knew that Gwyneth would get the biggest clap …

    I am also pleased to have been able to work in lockstep with our regulators…

    …and I want to extend my thanks both to Nikhil Rathi and Sam Woods for their innovation and the work they have done in response to my updated remit letters last year.

    Thank you Nikhil and thank you Sam.

    We have been bold in regulating for growth in financial services…

    …and I have been clear on the benefits that that will drive…

    …with a ripple effect felt right across all sectors of our economy…

    …putting pounds in the pockets of working people.

    Getting better deals on their mortgages…

    better returns on their savings

    and more jobs paying good wages across our country

    As I look ahead…

    …it is clear that we must do more.

    In too many areas, regulation still acts as a boot on the neck of businesses…

    …choking off the enterprise and innovation that is the lifeblood of economic growth.

    Regulators in other sectors must take up the call I make this evening…

    …not to bend to the temptation of excessive caution…

    …but to boldly regulate for growth…

    …in the service of prosperity for our whole country.

    I’m really proud of how far we have come in the last year as government and as a country.

    I know that the changes that we have made will reform and transform our economy and our country.

    And I know that you will waste no time in seizing the opportunities that lie ahead:

    To build a stronger economy;

    To deliver the renewal of Britain;

    And to make working people in all parts of Britain better off.

    Thank you very much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Electricity sector changes create more ways to save

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kiwi households and businesses will be able to save more on their electricity bills as a result of changes announced by the Electricity Authority (EA) today, Energy Minister Simon Watts and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

    “The changes today are welcome developments for consumers who are not getting a fair deal at present from the energy market,” Mr Watts says.

    “First, solar is getting another big boost – energy companies must now pay households with rooftop solar and battery who export their electricity to the grid at peak times a fair price for that electricity – this will help reduce power bills and encourage more solar installations and electricity generation.

    “The large energy companies will also need to offer time of use plans by 30 June 2026 to provide better options for customers to save money by moving their electricity use from peak periods.”

    Mr Watts says these simple solutions will help Kiwis with the cost-of-living impacts driven in part by rising electricity costs. 

    “New Zealand needs more electricity generation to power our economy, and Kiwis rightly expect abundant and affordable energy, which this government is taking action to deliver.

    “The Government is working on a review of the electricity sector, with a focus on ensuring Kiwis get a fair price and aren’t hit in their pockets, and on addressing energy shortages.”

    “The new rules announced today will give New Zealanders more ways to reduce their costs and will incentivise uptake of solar and battery systems, as well as drive power prices down over the long term. Ensuring energy companies pay a fair price for consumers exporting electricity to the network is one of the single best ways to help boost solar uptake to date.

    “I want to see more New Zealanders benefitting from the smarter use of electricity. For this to happen, the electricity sector must appropriately reward consumers for the benefits they provide when they shift their power use away from peak times. 

    Mr Jones says that as our electricity market evolves, these small-scale systems will play an increasingly important role in enabling peak morning and evening demand to be met with local supply. 

    “With new, fairer rebates in place, there will be better opportunities for people to receive income from solar electricity they sell back to the grid.” 

    The Task Force was established by the Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission, with MBIE as an observer in August last year in response to the winter power crisis. 

    The Task Force is focused on enabling new generators and independent retailers to enter, and fairly compete, in the market as well as providing more options for consumers.

    “I thank the Task Force members and the Authority for their work in reaching these decisions. There is more work to do, and I look forward to further Task Force decisions in coming weeks,” Mr Watts says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alain Guillemain, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Deakin University

    Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values. One “does philosophy” when they respond to such questions in ways that engage critical thought and inquiry.

    Many of us will often respond philosophically to the world around us without even realising it. We may do this, for instance, when we reflect on various aspects of culture and the arts.

    But does going to the cinema really amount to doing philosophy? While you may have never thought about it this way, this is exactly what one famous French philosopher named Gilles Deleuze (1925–95) argued.

    Deleuze’s movement-image

    Deleuze presents a philosophical approach to cinema that treats films not merely as entertainment, but as a medium for thinking and creating philosophical concepts.

    This creation of philosophical concepts is what he and his collaborator, Felix Guattari, prize as “doing philosophy” in their 1991 book What is Philosophy?.

    For Deleuze and Guattari, the creation of concepts is not entirely mental. It is an embodied process that involves engaging the senses – which is what cinema demands of both filmmakers and viewers. To that end, filmmakers and film viewers can both be seen as special kinds of philosophers.

    Deleuze suggests cinema is not simply leisure or culture. In his 1983 book Cinema 1: The Movement-Image, he highlights how cinema is a philosophical practice made possible though “movement-images” – cinematic images which can actively shape our perception and experience of the world.

    Great film directors can create concepts through movement-images, just as great philosophers do so through language.

    Good cinema demands viewers engage using all their senses, resulting in an embodied experience.
    Kumiko Shimizu/Unsplash

    Deleuze identified three categories of movement-images: perception-images, affection-images and action-images.

    The perception-image frames the world from a particular point of view, usually to establish context for an action. For example, at the start of a scene, the camera might pan across the contents of a room before resting on the protagonist.

    The affection-image is the cinematic expression of pure emotion. Affection-images can evoke empathy, such as when we see a character’s face overcome with sadness in a close-up. These images usually sit between perception and action images.

    The action-image embodies action and reaction within a defined situation, and usually links perception and affection images. In the horror genre, this may be the “jump scare” that suddenly reveals a killer, after a long buildup of tension.

    Deleuze’s time-image

    In his 1985 book Cinema 2: The Time-Image, Deleuze extends his film philosophy from that of movement-images to include time-images.

    The time-image is one where the experience of time is prioritised over narrative. For instance, a time-image may make use of long takes, empty spaces and irrational cuts to depict time directly onscreen, rather than represent time through props.

    Through masterfully crafting movement-images and time-images, directors can (knowingly or unwittingly) create the opportunity for audiences to think about philosophical concepts and themes.

    For example, in the trailer for Get Out (2017), director Jordan Peele uses a range of movement-images and time-images to convey the concepts of racism, trauma, social isolation and social stratification.

    Multiple closeups of main character Chris Washington’s face looking alarmed produce affection-images (a type of movement-image) that engage the viewer’s emotions.

    Peele also strategically uses time-images to intensify the themes being conveyed, such as when Rose’s mother clinks the spoon on the teacup, both moving Chris back in time and freezing him in real time.

    For Deleuze, it is these embodied, affective experiences that are the fundamental conditions for thought. By allowing the film to be sensed and felt, and by transmuting these feelings into the domain of thought, the cinemagoer can become philosophically engaged.

    Repetition is another element that can bear philosophical fruits, according to Deleuze. The more one repeats a film, whether by re-watching, or repeating certain sequences, the more they allow themselves to be affected by it in different ways. This opens up different avenues for thought.

    How to engage philosophically with films

    Cinemagoers need not be familiar with Deleuze’s ideas to engage philosophically with a film. The only thing required is an openness to the film. But if you do want to consciously approach your next viewing like a philosopher, you might consider the following steps:

    1. Feel as you watch. Open yourself up and allow cinematic moments to affect you on an emotional and bodily level, even if this is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

    2. Allow for multiple interpretations. Resist the temptation to fall into black and white thinking about which characters are “good” or “bad”. Remain open to different readings of the film.

    3. Reflect on what you felt. Allow what you experienced in your body guide your thoughts afterwards. For instance, if you experienced shock, rage, or confusion, ask yourself why.

    4. Gently arrive at some conclusions based on your multiple readings of the film. Allow for perspectives that both contribute to and challenge your worldview.

    5. Consider watching the film again, and repeating the above steps. This will likely help you feel and think new things that further enhance your understanding of the film, and your worldview.

    Ruari Elkington has received funding from The Queensland Government Dept of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Screen Queensland, The Embassy of France in Australia and Cinema Association Australasia

    Alain Guillemain 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. How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher – https://theconversation.com/how-to-approach-going-to-the-cinema-like-a-philosopher-259277

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Update 13: Alberta wildfire update (July 15, 3 p.m.)

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Wildfire Update – July 15

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 15, 2025

    As of 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 15, there are 50 active wildfires in Saskatchewan. Of those active fires, four are categorized as contained, 12 are not contained, 18 are ongoing assessment and 16 are listed as protecting values.

    Forty firefighters from Australia have arrived to assist with the wildfire efforts and another forty will be joining from Mexico later this week. This is in addition to the assistance that arrived last week from Quebec through two CL-415 aircraft and 100 wildfire personnel.

    “Saskatchewan is grateful to everyone who has helped with the unprecedented wildfire season,” SPSA Vice-President of Operations Steve Roberts said. “Thank you to everyone local and abroad for the immense support in the air and on the ground.”

    Over the past several months our province has received aircraft support from Quebec, British Columbia and Alaska, as well as wildland firefighters and personnel from Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon, Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, South Dakota and the United States Forest Service.

    Nine communities are currently under an evacuation order: Resort Subdivision of Lac La Plonge, La Plonge Reserve, Northern Village of Beauval, Jans Bay, Patuanak/English River First Nation as well as priority individuals from Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Northern Village of Pinehouse, Northern Village of Île-à-la-Crosse and Canoe Lake Cree First Nation/Cole Bay/Canoe Narrows. 

    Any evacuees should register through the Sask Evac Web Application and then call 1-855-559-5502 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to have their needs assessed and for additional assistance. Individuals who need help registering through the application can call the 855 Line for assistance. 

    Evacuees supported by the Canadian Red Cross should call 1-800-863-6582.

    As a reminder, there is a fire ban in place in the area north of the provincial forest boundary, up to the Churchill River. The fire ban prohibits any open fires, controlled burns and fireworks in the designated boundary. This includes provincial parks, provincial recreation sites and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District within the boundary.

    A full list of evacuated communities can be found on the Active Evacuations webpage.

    The latest wildfire information, an interactive fire ban map, frequently asked questions, fire risk maps and fire prevention tips can be found at saskpublicsafety.ca.

    Review the current fire bans and restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Highlights DEA Drug Seizures for First Half of 2025, Successful Operations Over the Last Several Weeks

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    WASHINGTON — Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi highlighted the great work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to get illegal drugs off our streets and protect innocent Americans from addiction, overdose, and drug-related crime and violence. Since January 20, 2025, DEA has seized approximately 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 201,500 pounds of cocaine, and made over 2,105 fentanyl-related arrests.

    “Our DEA agents are doing historic work to keep our communities safe from deadly drugs like fentanyl and dismantle the cartels selling them,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I want to remind all Americans to exercise extreme caution: a pill can kill.”

    “DEA is hitting the cartels where it hurts—with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure. From meth labs in California to fentanyl pills disguised as pharmaceuticals seized at our border, these operations are saving American lives every single day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “We are not slowing down. We are dismantling these networks piece by piece—and we won’t stop until the last brick of their empire falls.”

    Over the last several weeks, DEA has conducted a number of successful operations across the United States including:

    • In Lexington County, South Carolina,  DEA, in coordination with its state and local partners, seized over 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine, a firearm and arrested one trafficker.
    • In Gainesville, Georgia, DEA, and its state and local partners intercepted over 705 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a truckload of cucumbers and arrested two traffickers.
    • In Minneapolis, Minnesota, DEA and its federal and local partners seized 889 pounds of methamphetamine, one handgun and arrested three traffickers.
    • In Kern County, California, DEA and its local partners shut down a major methamphetamine conversion lab, seizing over 240 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 151 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, and arrested five traffickers.
    • In Fresno, California, DEA and its federal, state and local partners seized 24 pounds of carfentanil disguised as real prescription pills— the largest single seizure to date of carfentanil in Northern California.
    • In Galveston, Texas, DEA, in close coordination with its federal partners at CBP, helped uncover over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine—worth more than $15 million dollars—hidden inside a vehicle.
    • In Austin, Texas, DEA, in coordination with its FBI, state and local partners, seized 783 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a refrigerated truck carrying blueberries.
    • In a single coordinated takedown spanning Indiana, Kentucky, and Arizona, DEA, working alongside its federal, state and local partners, DEA seized 59 illegal firearms, possessed by serious violent felons—along with 74 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 pounds of fentanyl, 11 pounds of cocaine, cash, and conducted 23 arrests.
    • In Miami, Florida, DEA in coordination with its FBI partners, seized over $10 million dollars in cryptocurrency, directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel.
    • In El Paso, Texas, DEA, with the assistance of its federal partners at HSI and U.S. Border Patrol, seized 115 pounds of methamphetamine from a drug-laden vehicle outfitted with a GPS tracker.
    • In Omaha, Nebraska, DEA and its local partners seized machinegun conversion devices, AR-style pistols and fentanyl pills in a raid that dismantled a multi-state poly-drug operation.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Privacy Commissioner says better passwords will help fight hackers

    Source: Privacy Commissioner

    16 Jul 2025, 09:00

    Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says New Zealanders need to improve how they’re using passwords.

    His warning comes because he’s concerned about the increased risk of privacy breaches caused by privacy spraying. That’s where hackers find one password and then try it on other accounts to see if it will work to open those as well. People recycling passwords for multiple accounts are falling victim. 

     “Our strong suggestion is for people to have a different password for each account they have. Making a password unique means if one account is hacked then there’s no chance it can also be used to open other accounts and create even more damage”, Mr Webster says.

    “Having unique passwords is a great way to make a hacker’s job far harder.”

    There are several other things people can do to help protect their personal information. Using a password manager to store all your passwords is a good fix and there are many different options, many of which are free. 

    People can also use long and strong passwords and change them immediately if they’ve been hacked. Turning on two-factor identification is another good layer of protection. 

    “Having your information breached on one account is bad enough, but by using a dedicated password and adding extra security steps you can help prevent hackers accessing other accounts and causing even more harm.

    Personal information has value, so the more protection you have in place the better. Any step people can take to deter hackers is a good step to take and unique passwords are an excellent start.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 16, 2025
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