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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace: Ramaphosa, G20 must end financial apartheid with tax on super-rich

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Durban, South Africa, 16 July 2025 – Greenpeace Africa has demanded G20 host and South African President Ramaphosa push ahead on accelerating efforts to impose a wealth tax on the world’s billionaires and to support the UN Tax Convention for new and fair global tax rules. 

    Greenpeace Africa activists hung a giant banner with a photo of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa reading ‘End Financial Apartheid #TaxTheSuperRich’, ahead of the G20’s 3rd Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Durban. Greenpeace is demanding the G20 host push ahead on accelerating efforts to impose a wealth tax on the world’s billionaires and to support the UN Tax Convention for new and fair global tax rules. © Chanho Kondolo / Greenpeace

    Ahead of the G20’s 3rd Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting, Greenpeace Africa activists dropped a 15 metre long x 2 metre high banner from a highway bridge near King Shaka International Airport with a photo of Cyril Ramaphosa and a message that said: ‘End Financial Apartheid. Tax The Super Rich’. 

    Cynthia Moyo, Lead Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa, said: “It’s outrageous that billionaires keep getting richer off a broken global tax system while millions across Africa and the world are pushed deeper into poverty and climate chaos. This is financial apartheid. South Africa understands the cost of injustice. Just as Mandela led the fight against political apartheid, President Ramaphosa now has a chance to lead the G20 in dismantling financial apartheid by taxing the super-rich and backing the UN Tax Convention. This is a fight for justice, dignity, and a future where wealth serves people, not the powerful few.”

    The action comes after an announcement at the UN Financing for Development conference that Spain, Brazil and South Africa are launching an initiative to tax the super-rich and the recent BRICS statement in support of the UN Tax Convention.[1] [2] [3]

    Fred Njehu, Global Political Lead of the Fair Share campaign, Greenpeace Africa, said: “We are on the cusp of momentous change. There is growing public and political momentum for taxing the super-rich and new global tax rules that work for all to achieve social and climate justice.

    “This is a historic opportunity for President Ramaphosa, who must seize this chance to lead the G20 in an economic direction that will serve not only the people of South Africa and the continent, but the majority world, by redistributing funds to tackle the social, environmental and climate polycrisis.

    “We ask G20 countries to support and engage constructively in the UN Tax Convention process as a global multilateral platform that will shape and determine the future of taxation, one rooted in transparency, accountability, equity and justice.”

    Globally, billionaire wealth grew three times faster in 2024 than in 2023.[4] In Africa, the four richest people have more wealth than half of the region’s 750 million people combined. Since 2020, the average income of the richest 1% in Africa has increased five times faster than that of the bottom 50%.[5]

    ENDS

    Photos and Videos can be downloaded via Greenpeace Media Library

    NOTES

    [1] At the recently concluded 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, South Africa had joined the ranks of Spain and Brazil in forming a coalition of willing countries to work on taxing the super-rich and to support fair taxation at the upcoming UN Tax Convention negotiations. Greenpeace’s press release 

    [2] BRICS leaders’ endorsement of the UN framework for international tax cooperation. 

    [3] New global tax rules in an UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation are being negotiated, from now until 2027. It is a historic opportunity to redistribute power and wealth, and foster tax transparency and accountability. It aims to take control of global tax rules from the rich OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries to place it in the hands of the 193 member states of the United Nations. 

    [4] Oxfam report: Takers not Makers: The unjust poverty and unearned wealth of colonialism

    [5] Oxfam report: Africa’s Inequality Crisis and the Rise of the Super-Rich

    CONTACTS

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communications and Storytelling Manager, Greenpeace Africa, +254 722 505 233 , fomondi@admin

    Ibrahima Ka Ndoye, International Communications Coordinator, Greenpeace Africa, +221778437172, indoye@admin

    Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Wilshire Indexes and GCM Grosvenor Launch Private Market Infrastructure Index, Laying Foundation for Broader Strategic Alliance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON and CHICAGO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wilshire Indexes, a global leader in index design, and GCM Grosvenor (NASDAQ: GCMG), a leading global alternative asset management solutions provider, today announced the launch of the jointly developed FT Wilshire Private Markets Infrastructure Index (the “Index”). This first-of-its-kind benchmark fills a void for the asset class by providing investors with a transparent, reliable reference point based on the performance of a diversified universe of leading open-ended infrastructure funds. Until now, infrastructure investors lacked a comprehensive benchmark that truly reflected the breadth of the market. To address growing demand for passive exposure to this universe of assets, GCM Grosvenor is developing one or more investable vehicles designed to track the Index, with anticipated launches in the coming months.

    The Index was created through close collaboration between Wilshire Indexes and GCM Grosvenor, leveraging the breadth, depth, and global scale of both organizations, with support of a select group of leading open-ended infrastructure funds. Wilshire Indexes will calculate and govern the benchmark, drawing on its four-decade heritage of transparent, rules-based index methodologies and next-generation data analytics technology. GCM Grosvenor, leveraging its $82 billion alternative investments platform, will contribute ongoing private market insights and risk management expertise as the Index evolves. In addition, GCM Grosvenor is advancing plans for a single point-of-entry investment vehicle, which it will manage, that will track the Index and offer investors streamlined access to diversified infrastructure exposure.

    “This partnership brings together Wilshire Indexes’ index innovation with GCM Grosvenor’s deep private markets expertise to deliver a simple, scalable solution for infrastructure investing,” said Mark Makepeace, Chief Executive Officer of Wilshire Indexes. “We’re proud to help set a new standard for transparency and accessibility in private assets.”

    Jon Levin, President of GCM Grosvenor, added, “Institutional investors are increasingly asking for an efficient way to gain diversified infrastructure exposure. Working with Wilshire Indexes lets us answer that call today – and lays the groundwork for additional alternative investment products.”

    North Dakota Trust Lands, a longstanding collaborator with both Wilshire Indexes and GCM Grosvenor, played an instrumental role in forging the partnership behind the index and anticipated investor-focused product. “Allocators like us have long searched for a volatility-matched, risk-appropriate, and investable infrastructure benchmark, and we believe that Wilshire Indexes and GCM Grosvenor have the best expertise to help bring this vision to life,” said Frank Mihail, Chief Investment Officer of North Dakota Trust Lands.

    Following the launch of the Infrastructure Index, the Wilshire Indexes and GCM Grosvenor intend to collaborate on additional alternative investment indices and complementary investable products across the alternative investments landscape. Future initiatives will capitalize on the breadth, depth, and global scale of both organizations, leveraging advanced data analytics and scalable technology platforms to further enhance transparent access to alternative assets.

    Wilshire Indexes expects to publish the initial Index results to subscribers in the third quarter of 2025. GCM Grosvenor anticipates launching the prospective tracking vehicles later this year, subject to customary approvals.

    About Wilshire Indexes

    Wilshire Indexes is a global index provider that empowers institutional investors, asset managers and retail intermediaries with unmatched flexibility in solving benchmarking, portfolio construction, and risk management challenges. Transforming the way investors use benchmarks to realize their objectives, Wilshire Indexes provides global coverage of the markets through the leading FT Wilshire Index Series. Combining new technology and modular products in a growth-aligned commercial model designed for collaboration, efficiency, and speed to market, Wilshire Indexes offers a completely new way to work with an index provider.

    About GCM Grosvenor

    GCM Grosvenor (Nasdaq: GCMG) is a global alternative asset management solutions provider with approximately $82 billion in assets under management across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and absolute return investment strategies. The firm has specialized in alternatives for more than 50 years and is dedicated to delivering value for clients by leveraging its cross-asset class and flexible investment platform. GCM Grosvenor’s experienced team of approximately 550 professionals serves a global client base of institutional and individual investors. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney. For more information, visit: gcmgrosvenor.com.

    About North Dakota Department of Trust Lands

    The North Dakota Department of Trust Lands manages 2.6 million mineral acres, 700,000 surface acres and 13 permanent education trusts, including the Common Schools Trust Fund currently valued at over $7.5 billion. The Department operates under the direction of the five-member North Dakota Board of University and School Lands, chaired by the governor of North Dakota. Mineral royalty income, agricultural rents and easement revenues from state-owned lands are invested to provide income and grow trusts to benefit education now and for future generations. Since 2014, the Common Schools Trust Fund has distributed more than $2 billion to support North Dakota K-12 education, reducing the burden on local property taxpayers and the state’s general fund. During the 2025-2027 biennium, the Common Schools Trust Fund will distribute $585 million, translating to approximately $2,508 in funding per K-12 student and contributing 24% of the state funding share.

    Media Contact

    Tom Johnson and Abigail Ruck
    H/Advisors Abernathy
    tom.johnson@h-advisors.global / abigail.ruck@h-advisors.global
    212-371-5999

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bazaarvoice Holiday Shopping 2025 Report: 47% of Today’s Smart, Selective Holiday Shoppers Are Buying Early to Avoid Price Increases

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bazaarvoice, Inc., the leading platform for authentic ratings and reviews and social commerce solutions, today released its latest holiday shopping study based on a survey of more than 8,000 global shoppers. The results revealed that in a challenging economy shoppers are scrutinizing value, options, and convenience. They are starting to holiday shop earlier, seeking out sales and free shipping, and opting for budget-friendly brands. 

    “Holiday shopping is here,” said Doug Straton, CMO at Bazaarvoice. “Shoppers are shopping earlier, prioritizing value, and turning to the trusted voices of their peers to guide their decisions – via reviews, social posts and other types of user-generated content. As the lines between content, commerce, and community continue to blur, it’s clear that authenticity, convenience, and trust remain key for holiday retail success.”

    Global survey highlights include:

    • Holiday shoppers are getting smarter and more strategic: 38% of all shoppers start holiday shopping before October, just 9% start in December. Almost half (47%) say they’re buying early to avoid price increases, while the other half (51%) say they wait for major sales like Black Friday. When it comes to shipping, price trumps speed as 48% said they would buy another product to qualify for free shipping, while only 21% said they would do the same to qualify for faster shipping. Lastly, affordable options rule, with nearly 45% actively seeking value, budget-friendly brands/low-cost alternatives.
    • Social media is no longer just a search engine, it’s a checkout: Compared to 2024, holiday purchases on social media jumped nine points, while the number of shoppers discovering gifts on social media dropped 16 points. Social platforms are successfully converting their discovery advantage into a direct sales channel.
    • Omnichannel experiences are a shopper’s expectation: Shoppers no longer think in channels, they expect seamless journeys. While 74% are planning to buy holiday gifts online, 53% will still do in-store shopping in some capacity in 2025. Over half (56%) of those 18-34 favor online shopping, while 49% of those 35-54 value in-store experiences. 
    • Content creators are shoppers’ holiday shopping north star: Trust in creator recommendations for the holidays increased by 30% compared to last year. Shoppers are becoming less focused on the product and more focused on who’s recommending it. Those 18-34 are most open to influencer recommendations, with 55% preferring micro influencers or their friends/family over mega influencers.
    • Authenticity is still very valued: Shoppers who are checking reviews for authenticity while holiday shopping is up from 40% last year to 50% this year. On the flip side, acceptance of AI-generated social content declined from 33% to 20% year-over-year. 

    To see more about the report, visit Bazaarvoice’s Holiday Headquarters. 

    Research methodology
    The research was commissioned by Bazaarvoice and conducted in March 2025 by Savanta among over 8,000 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and Canada. 

    About Bazaarvoice
    Bazaarvoice is reshaping how brands and retailers connect with consumers by putting the consumer voice first, which includes ratings and reviews. With an end-to-end, commerce-empowered omni-channel content solutions and analytics platform, Bazaarvoice helps 14,000+ brands and retailers inform consumer decisions consistently and at scale at every stage of the shopper journey, on every platform where shoppers live. 2.5B shoppers use the Bazaarvoice Network on a monthly basis.

    Founded in 2005, Bazaarvoice is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in North America, Europe, Australia, and India. For more information, visit www.bazaarvoice.com.

    Press Contact
    Lauren Venticinque
    Lauren.venticinque@bazaarvoice.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: OPTIZMO™ Returns as the Official Email Compliance Sponsor for MailCon 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OPTIZMO Technologies, the leading platform for email suppression list management, data security, and email compliance, proudly announces its return as the Official Email Compliance Sponsor for MailCon 2025, taking place on Sunday, August 3, at Convene, Times Square, in New York City.

    Hosted and operated by Phonexa, MailCon has become the premier destination for high-volume email marketers and performance-driven acquisition professionals. It brings together advertisers, lead gen experts, and marketing technologists to explore the evolving future of email, multichannel, and compliance strategies at scale.

    This year’s event will spotlight key industry trends, including inbox engagement, the impact of AI on email strategy, compliance, and consent in cold outreach, and vertical-specific acquisition strategies across sectors like insurance, health, finance, automotive, and home services. With an emphasis on monetization, offer scaling, and long-term value, MailCon offers a one-day agenda packed with insights and tactical sessions designed for practitioners and decision-makers alike.

    MailCon 2025 also introduces several new experiences this year:

    • A reimagined exhibit hall designed to keep traffic flowing and conversations energized throughout the day
    • The launch of Amplify by Phonexa, a new live content studio spotlighting partner interviews, thought leadership, and product launches
    • The Zero Parallel Cocktail Reception, providing a casual, pre-event networking opportunity at the Convene
    • The return of the MailCon Mixer, hosted at Ascent Lounge NYC, offering attendees a signature after-party with panoramic skyline views

    As a longtime MailCon sponsor and advocate for compliant email practices, OPTIZMO is committed to driving innovation, transparency, and compliance across the industry.

    “As a long-time supporter of MailCon, it’s great to return as the Official Email Compliance Sponsor again in 2025,” said Khris Thayer, CEO and Co-Founder of OPTIZMO. “It’s an exciting time for the email industry, and we’re proud to contribute to the conversations that are shaping its future.”

    As part of the MailCon agenda, OPTIZMO’s Chief Operating Officer, Tom Wozniak, will be featured in a Fireside Chat titled “Compliance, Credibility, and the Cost of Doing Nothing”. Joined by Jack Wrigley, VP of Partner Development at Webbula.

    Attendees are encouraged to visit Booth #129 to connect with the OPTIZMO team, learn more about their flagship compliance platform, Suppress, and get an exclusive first look at OPTIZMO’s newest product. It is a platform built to bring smarter orchestration, optimized workflows, and better performance to email campaign management.

    Following MailCon, OPTIZMO will also attend Affiliate Summit East (Meet Market Table #2405), taking place August 4-5 in New York. With a full team on-site, including members from their U.S. and Australia offices, OPTIZMO will continue connecting with partners and clients, highlighting innovations in email compliance and campaign execution. 

    About OPTIZMO
    OPTIZMO Technologies is the recognized thought leader in the email and online marketing space for email suppression list management and compliance, campaign orchestration and optimization, data management, and risk mitigation services. With an expert staff in pursuit of unrivaled efficiency, innovative technology, and an insatiable desire to problem-solve, clients find a customer-centric business model that not only enhances the way OPTIZMO clients do business but drives the company forward. The company is headquartered in Austin, TX, and has offices and team members in Charleston, Denver, and Brisbane, Australia.

    Media Contact:
    Antonio Jones
    Marketing Manager
    antonio@optizmo.com

    Tom Wozniak
    Chief Operating Officer
    tom@optizmo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: YieldMax® ETFs Announces Distributions on MARO, MRNY, ULTY, NVDY, LFGY, and Others

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO and MILWAUKEE and NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YieldMax® today announced distributions for the YieldMax®Weekly Payers and Group B ETFs listed in the table below.

    ETF Ticker1 ETF Name Distribution Frequency Distribution per Share Distribution Rate2,4 30-Day
    SEC Yield3    		 ROC5 Ex-Date & Record Date Payment Date
    CHPY YieldMax® Semiconductor Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.3730 35.07% 0.04% 100.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    GPTY YieldMax® AI & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.2956 32.36% 0.00% 100.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    LFGY YieldMax® Crypto Industry & Tech Portfolio Option Income ETF Weekly $0.4799 62.40% 0.00% 90.24% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    QDTY YieldMax® Nasdaq 100 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.1906 22.29% 0.00% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    RDTY YieldMax® R2000 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.3330 38.07% 1.65% 38.62% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    SDTY YieldMax® S&P 500 0DTE Covered Call ETF Weekly $0.1481 17.13% 0.07% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    ULTY YieldMax® Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF Weekly $0.1035 85.69% 0.00% 81.67% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    YMAG YieldMax® Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1515 51.27% 63.17% 50.61% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    YMAX YieldMax® Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs Weekly $0.1041 39.01% 82.40% 76.75% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    BABO YieldMax® BABA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.3820 32.17% 3.22% 11.74% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    DIPS YieldMax® Short NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.1716 31.92% 3.59% 88.67% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    FBY YieldMax® META Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.4992 38.91% 2.87% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    GDXY YieldMax® Gold Miners Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.3321 29.03% 3.22% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    JPMO YieldMax® JPM Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.5085 38.99% 2.70% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    MARO YieldMax® MARA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $2.3718 125.17% 3.09% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    MRNY YieldMax® MRNA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $0.2004 101.03% 3.07% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    NVDY YieldMax® NVDA Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $1.0285 75.28% 2.78% 37.15% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    PLTY YieldMax® PLTR Option Income Strategy ETF Every 4
    weeks    		 $2.5602 48.72% 2.99% 0.00% 7/17/25 7/18/25
    Weekly Payers & Group C ETFs scheduled for next week: CHPY GPTY LFGY QDTY RDTY SDTY ULTY YMAG YMAX ABNY AMDY CONY CVNY FIAT HOOY MSFO NFLY PYPY
     

    Standardized Performance and Fund details can be obtained by clicking the ETF Ticker in the table above or by visiting us at www.yieldmaxetfs.com

    Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted above. Performance current to the most recent month-end can be obtained by calling (866) 864-3968.

    Note: DIPS, FIAT, CRSH, YQQQ and WNTR are hereinafter referred to as the “Short ETFs.”

    Distributions are not guaranteed. The Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield are not indicative of future distributions, if any, on the ETFs. In particular, future distributions on any ETF may differ significantly from its Distribution Rate or 30-Day SEC Yield. You are not guaranteed a distribution under the ETFs. Distributions for the ETFs (if any) are variable and may vary significantly from period to period and may be zero. Accordingly, the Distribution Rate and 30-Day SEC Yield will change over time, and such change may be significant.

    Investors in the Funds will not have rights to receive dividends or other distributions with respect to the underlying reference asset(s).

    1  All YieldMax®ETFs shown in the table above (except YMAX, YMAG, FEAT, FIVY and ULTY) have a gross expense ratio of 0.99%. YMAX, FEAT have a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.99% for a gross expense ratio of 1.28%. YMAG has a management fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.83% for a gross expense ratio of 1.12%. FIVY has a Management Fee of 0.29% and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of 0.59% for a gross expense ratio of 0.88%. “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses” are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other investment companies, namely other YieldMax®ETFs. ULTY has a gross expense ratio of 1.40%, and a net expense ratio after the fee waiver of 1.30%. The Advisor has agreed to a fee waiver of 0.10% through at least February 28, 2026.

    2  The Distribution Rate shown is as of close on July 15, 2025. The Distribution Rate is the annual distribution rate an investor would receive if the most recent distribution, which includes option income, remained the same going forward. The Distribution Rate is calculated by annualizing an ETF’s Distribution per Share and dividing such annualized amount by the ETF’s most recent NAV. The Distribution Rate represents a single distribution from the ETF and does not represent its total return. Distributions may also include a combination of ordinary dividends, capital gain, and return of investor capital, which may decrease an ETF’s NAV and trading price over time. As a result, an investor may suffer significant losses to their investment. These Distribution Rates may be caused by unusually favorable market conditions and may not be sustainable. Such conditions may not continue to exist and there should be no expectation that this performance may be repeated in the future.

    3  The 30-Day SEC Yield represents net investment income, which excludes option income, earned by such ETF over the 30-Day period ended June 30, 2025, expressed as an annual percentage rate based on such ETF’s share price at the end of the 30-Day period.

    4  Each ETF’s strategy (except those of the Short ETFs) will cap potential gains if its reference asset’s shares increase in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset’s shares decrease in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF. Each Short ETF’s strategy will cap potential gains if its reference asset decreases in value, yet subjects an investor to all potential losses if the reference asset increases in value. Such potential losses may not be offset by income received by the ETF.

    5  ROC refers to Return of Capital. The ROC percentage indicates how much the distribution reflects an investor’s initial investment. The figures shown for each Fund in the table above are estimates and may later be determined to be taxable net investment income, short-term gains, long-term gains (to the extent permitted by law), or return of capital. Actual amounts and sources for tax reporting will depend upon the Fund’s investment activities during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. Your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year to tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

    Each Fund has a limited operating history and while each Fund’s objective is to provide current income, there is no guarantee the Fund will make a distribution. Distributions are likely to vary greatly in amount.

    Important Information

    This material must be preceded or accompanied by the prospectus. For all prospectuses, click here.

    Tidal Financial Group is the adviser for all YieldMax® ETFs.

    THE FUND, TRUST, AND ADVISER ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY UNDERLYING REFERENCE ASSET.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable to all YieldMax ETFs referenced above, except the Short ETFs)

    YMAX, YMAG, FEAT and FIVY generally invest in other YieldMax® ETFs. As such, these funds are subject to the risks listed in this section, which apply to all the YieldMax® ETFs they may hold from time to time.

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Referenced Index Risk. The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Index (or the Index ETFs). This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of companies that comprised the Index or an ETF that tracks the Index, even though it does not.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way. Investors in the Fund will not have the right to receive dividends or other distributions or any other rights with respect to the companies that comprise the Index but will be subject to declines in the performance of the Index.

    Russell 2000 Index Risks. The Index, which consists of small-cap U.S. companies, is particularly susceptible to economic changes, as these firms often have less financial resilience than larger companies. Market volatility can disproportionately affect these smaller businesses, leading to significant price swings. Additionally, these companies are often more exposed to specific industry risks and have less diverse revenue streams. They can also be more vulnerable to changes in domestic regulatory or policy environments.

    Call Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s call writing strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in the positive price returns of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold call options and over longer periods.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying instrument, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of call option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in increases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Call Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, which focuses on an individual security (ARKK, TSLA, AAPL, NVDA, AMZN, META, GOOGL, NFLX, COIN, MSFT, DIS, XOM, JPM, AMD, PYPL, SQ, MRNA, AI, MSTR, Bitcoin ETP, GDX®, SNOW, ABNB, BABA, TSM, SMCI, PLTR, MARA, CVNA, HOOD, BRK.B, DKNG), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole.

    Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Indirect Investment Risk. The Index is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser, or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GPTY)

    Artificial Intelligence Risk. Issuers engaged in artificial intelligence typically have high research and capital expenditures and, as a result, their profitability can vary widely, if they are profitable at all. The space in which they are engaged is highly competitive and issuers’ products and services may become obsolete very quickly. These companies are heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by loss or impairment of those rights. The issuers are also subject to legal, regulatory, and political changes that may have a large impact on their profitability. A failure in an issuer’s product or even questions about the safety of the product could be devastating to the issuer, especially if it is the marquee product of the issuer. It can be difficult to accurately capture what qualifies as an artificial intelligence company.

    Technology Sector Risk. The Fund will invest substantially in companies in the information technology sector, and therefore the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. Market or economic factors impacting technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technological advances could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs. Stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market. Information technology companies are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights, the loss or impairment of which may adversely affect profitability.

    Risk Disclosure (applicable only to MARO)

    Digital Assets Risk: The Fund does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. The Fund does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than the Fund. Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to BABO and TSMY)

    Currency Risk: Indirect exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the U.S. or abroad.

    Depositary Receipts Risk: The securities underlying BABO and TSMY are American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investment in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

    Foreign Market and Trading Risk: The trading markets for many foreign securities are not as active as U.S. markets and may have less governmental regulation and oversight.

    Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability, as well as varying regulatory requirements applicable to investments in non-U.S. issuers. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may also be subject to different regulatory, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to GDXY)

    Risk of Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund is exposed indirectly to the securities of foreign issuers selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities.

    Risk of Investing in Gold and Silver Mining Companies. The Fund is exposed indirectly to gold and silver mining companies selected by GDX®’s investment adviser, which subjects the Fund to the risks associated with such companies.

    The Fund invests in options contracts based on the value of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX®), which subjects the Fund to some of the same risks as if it owned GDX®, as well as the risks associated with Canadian, Australian and Emerging Market Issuers, and Small-and Medium-Capitalization companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YBIT)

    YBIT does not invest directly in Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest directly in derivatives that track the performance of Bitcoin or any other digital assets. YBIT does not invest in or seek direct exposure to the current “spot” or cash price of Bitcoin. Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of Bitcoin should consider an investment other than YBIT.

    Bitcoin Investment Risk: The Fund’s indirect investment in Bitcoin, through holdings in one or more Underlying ETPs, exposes it to the unique risks of this emerging innovation. Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, and its market is influenced by the changing Bitcoin network, fluctuating acceptance levels, and unpredictable usage trends.

    Digital Assets Risk: Digital assets like Bitcoin, designed as mediums of exchange, are still an emerging asset class. They operate independently of any central authority or government backing and are subject to regulatory changes and extreme price volatility. Potentially No 1940 Act Protections. As of the date of this Prospectus, there is only a single eligible Underlying ETP, and it is an investment company subject to the 1940 Act.

    Bitcoin ETP Risk: The Fund invests in options contracts that are based on the value of the Bitcoin ETP. This subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it owned shares of the Bitcoin ETP, even though it does not. Bitcoin ETPs are subject, but not limited, to significant risk and heightened volatility. An investor in a Bitcoin ETP may lose their entire investment. Bitcoin ETPs are not suitable for all investors. In addition, not all Bitcoin ETPs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Those Bitcoin ETPs that are not registered under such statute are therefore not subject to the same regulations as exchange traded products that are so registered.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to the Short ETFs)

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    Price Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the value of the underlying reference asset. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the underlying reference asset, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, the Fund is subject to the risk that the value of the underlying reference asset increases. If the value of the underlying reference asset increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses.

    Put Writing Strategy Risk. The path dependency (i.e., the continued use) of the Fund’s put writing (selling) strategy will impact the extent that the Fund participates in decreases in the value of the underlying reference asset and, in turn, the Fund’s returns, both during the term of the sold put options and over longer periods.

    Purchased OTM Call Options Risk. The Fund’s strategy is subject to potential losses if the underlying reference asset increases in value, which may not be offset by the purchase of out-of-the-money (OTM) call options. The Fund purchases OTM calls to seek to manage (cap) the Fund’s potential losses from the Fund’s short exposure to the underlying reference asset if it appreciates significantly in value. However, the OTM call options will cap the Fund’s losses only to the extent that the value of the underlying reference asset increases to a level that is at or above the strike level of the purchased OTM call options. Any increase in the value of the underlying reference asset to a level that is below the strike level of the purchased OTM call options will result in a corresponding loss for the Fund. For example, if the OTM call options have a strike level that is approximately 100% above the then-current value of the underlying reference asset at the time of the call option purchase, and the value of the underlying reference asset increases by at least 100% during the term of the purchased OTM call options, the Fund will lose all its value. Since the Fund bears the costs of purchasing the OTM calls, such costs will decrease the Fund’s value and/or any income otherwise generated by the Fund’s investment strategy.

    Counterparty Risk. The Fund is subject to counterparty risk by virtue of its investments in options contracts. Transactions in some types of derivatives, including options, are required to be centrally cleared (“cleared derivatives”). In a transaction involving cleared derivatives, the Fund’s counterparty is a clearing house rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only members of a clearing house (“clearing members”) can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members.

    Derivatives Risk. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive value from the underlying reference asset or assets, such as stocks, bonds, or funds (including ETFs), interest rates or indexes. The Fund’s investments in derivatives may pose risks in addition to, and greater than, those associated with directly investing in securities or other ordinary investments, including risk related to the market, imperfect correlation with underlying investments or the Fund’s other portfolio holdings, higher price volatility, lack of availability, counterparty risk, liquidity, valuation and legal restrictions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The prices of options are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in the value of the underlying reference asset, including the anticipated volatility, which are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and by national and international political, changes in the actual or implied volatility or the reference asset, the time remaining until the expiration of the option contract and economic events.

    Distribution Risk. As part of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund seeks to provide current income. There is no assurance that the Fund will make a distribution in any given period. If the Fund does make distributions, the amounts of such distributions will likely vary greatly from one distribution to the next.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may actively and frequently trade all or a significant portion of the Fund’s holdings.

    Liquidity Risk. Some securities held by the Fund, including options contracts, may be difficult to sell or be illiquid, particularly during times of market turmoil.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is “non-diversified,” it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

    Price Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will participate in decreases in value experienced by the underlying reference asset over the Put Period.

    Single Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause an investment in the Fund to be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment which diversifies risk or the market generally. The value of the Fund, for any Fund that focuses on an individual security (e.g., TSLA, COIN, NVDA, MSTR), may be more volatile than a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of a traditional pooled investment or the market as a whole. Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions, if any, may decline.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to CHPY)

    Semiconductor Industry Risk. Semiconductor companies may face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, and such competition may have an adverse effect on their profit margins. Semiconductor companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. Semiconductor companies’ supply chain and operations are dependent on the availability of materials that meet exacting standards and the use of third parties to provide components and services.

    The products of semiconductor companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Capital equipment expenditures could be substantial, and equipment generally suffers from rapid obsolescence. Companies in the semiconductor industry are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights would adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

    Risk Disclosures (applicable only to YQQQ)

    Index Overview. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a benchmark index that includes 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, based on market capitalization.

    Index Level Appreciation Risk. As part of the Fund’s synthetic covered put strategy, the Fund purchases and sells call and put option contracts that are based on the Index level. This strategy subjects the Fund to certain of the same risks as if it shorted the Index, even though it does not. By virtue of the Fund’s indirect inverse exposure to changes in the Index level, the Fund is subject to the risk that the Index level increases. If the Index level increases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. The Fund may also be subject to the following risks: innovation and technological advancement; strong market presence of Index constituent companies; adaptability to global market trends; and resilience and recovery potential.

    Index Level Participation Risk. The Fund employs an investment strategy that includes the sale of put option contracts, which limits the degree to which the Fund will benefit from decreases in the Index level experienced over the Put Period. This means that if the Index level experiences a decrease in value below the strike level of the sold put options during a Put Period, the Fund will likely not experience that increase to the same extent and any Fund gains may significantly differ from the level of the Index losses over the Put Period. Additionally, because the Fund is limited in the degree to which it will participate in decreases in value experienced by the Index level over each Put Period, but has significant negative exposure to any increases in value experienced by the Index level over the Put Period, the NAV of the Fund may decrease over any given period. The Fund’s NAV is dependent on the value of each options portfolio, which is based principally upon the inverse of the performance of the Index level. The Fund’s ability to benefit from the Index level decreases will depend on prevailing market conditions, especially market volatility, at the time the Fund enters into the sold put option contracts and will vary from Put Period to Put Period. The value of the options contracts is affected by changes in the value and dividend rates of component companies that comprise the Index, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the Index and the remaining time to the options’ expiration, as well as trading conditions in the options market. As the Index level changes and time moves towards the expiration of each Put Period, the value of the options contracts, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, will change. However, it is not expected for the Fund’s NAV to directly inversely correlate on a day-to-day basis with the returns of the Index level. The amount of time remaining until the options contract’s expiration date affects the impact that the value of the options contracts has on the Fund’s NAV, which may not be in full effect until the expiration date of the Fund’s options contracts. Therefore, while changes in the Index level will result in changes to the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally anticipates that the rate of change in the Fund’s NAV will be different than the inverse of the changes experienced by the Index level.

    YieldMax® ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Tidal Financial Group, or YieldMax® ETFs.

    © 2025 YieldMax® ETFs

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCS Inc. Announces Inclusion in Russell Microcap Index

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Prestigious ranking boosts visibility for the Company’s unique growth and ETH-centric strategy

    Silver Spring, MD, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCS Inc. (Nasdaq: BTCS) (“BTCS” or the “Company”), a blockchain technology-focused company short for Blockchain Technology Consensus Solutions, is honored to be included in the Russell Microcap® Index as part of the index’s recent annual Russell reconstitution.

    The Russell Microcap® Index is a widely-recognized benchmark that measures the performance of the microcap segment of the U.S. equity market. Membership in the Index is based on a combination of market capitalization and current index membership and provides important third-party validation and credibility to the companies included.

    “BTCS’s inclusion in the Russell Microcap Index marks an important step in our growth trajectory,” said Charles Allen, CEO of BTCS. “We believe this third-party validation will help us broaden our reach and introduce new audiences to our unique story as the world’s oldest public blockchain company that’s been laser-focused on Ethereum infrastructure for nearly five years, operating at the forefront of this rapidly evolving space.”

    Being included in Russell’s prestigious index comes amid increasing market presence and the growing recognition of BTCS’s unique strategy, which combines a robust Ethereum treasury with vertically-integrated blockchain infrastructure operations, including staking and block building. The Company’s strategy is underpinned by its innovative DeFi/TradFi flywheel framework, designed to drive scalable revenue growth while enhancing ETH per share.

    Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. For more information on the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the “Russell Reconstitution” section on the FTSE Russell website.

    About BTCS:

    BTCS Inc. (Nasdaq: BTCS) is a U.S.-based blockchain infrastructure technology company currently focused on driving scalable revenue growth through its blockchain infrastructure operations. BTCS has honed its expertise in blockchain network operations, particularly in block building and validator node management. Its branded block-building operation, Builder+, leverages advanced algorithms to optimize block construction for on-chain validation, thus maximizing gas fee revenues. BTCS also supports other blockchain networks by operating validator nodes and staking its crypto assets across multiple proof-of-stake networks, allowing crypto holders to delegate assets to BTCS-managed nodes. In addition, the Company has developed ChainQ, an AI-powered blockchain data analytics platform, which enhances user access and engagement within the blockchain ecosystem. Committed to innovation and adaptability, BTCS is strategically positioned to expand its blockchain operations and infrastructure beyond Ethereum as the ecosystem evolves. Explore how BTCS is revolutionizing blockchain infrastructure in the public markets by visiting www.btcs.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 including statements regarding driving meaningful and scalable revenue and potential results from the inclusion in the Russell Microcap® Index and growth of the business. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation market conditions, regulatory issues and requirements, unanticipated issues with our At-The-Market Offering facility, unexpected issues with Builder+, as well as risks set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed on March 20, 2025. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    For more information, follow us on:
    Twitter: https://x.com/NasdaqBTCS
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nasdaq-btcs
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NasdaqBTCS

    Investor Relations: Charles Allen – CEO
    X (formerly Twitter): @Charles_BTCS
    Email: ir@btcs.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mercury Expands Processing Hardware Production Agreements with European Defense Prime Contractor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing to the edge, today announced it signed two agreements with a European defense prime contractor to expand and accelerate production of processing subsystems and components for radar and electronic warfare missions.

    In June, Mercury extended this decades-long customer relationship with a five-year agreement that will enable faster, higher-volume production of sensor processing subsystems powered by Mercury’s HDS6605 6U OpenVPX multiprocessing boards for airborne, land-based, and sea-based radar systems.

    Earlier this month, Mercury signed an expanded production agreement with the same customer to deliver Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) products that support electronic warfare sensors. Mercury’s mini-tuner modules and amplifiers deliver industry-leading price per performance, enabling the sensors to capture and convert analog RF signals.

    “Mercury is proud to expand our relationship with one of Europe’s leading providers of defense systems that are playing an active role in military operations in Europe and beyond,” said Paul Tanner, Vice President of Mercury International. “We are strengthening our commitment to the European defense sector by making investments to reduce development and production timelines for our unique processing products and solutions.”

    Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters®
    Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has more than 20 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY)

    Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the Company’s focus on enhanced execution of the Company’s strategic plan. You can identify these statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs, the timing and amounts of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of any U.S. federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in or cost increases related to completing development, engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in, or in the U.S. government’s interpretation of, federal export control or procurement rules and regulations, including tariffs, changes in, or in the interpretation or enforcement of, environmental rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company’s products, shortages in or delays in receiving components, supply chain delays or volatility for critical components, production delays or unanticipated expenses including due to quality issues or manufacturing execution issues, adherence to required manufacturing standards, capacity underutilization, increases in scrap or inventory write-offs, failure to achieve or maintain manufacturing quality certifications, such as AS9100, the impact of supply chain disruption, inflation and labor shortages, among other things, on program execution and the resulting effect on customer satisfaction, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions, restructurings, and operational efficiency initiatives or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, effects of shareholder activism, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements and impacts from any cyber or insider threat events, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, such as the deductibility of internal research and development, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, litigation, including the dispute arising with the former CEO over his resignation, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, and various other factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 28, 2024 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.

    INVESTOR CONTACT
    Tyler Hojo
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    Tyler.Hojo@mrcy.com

    MEDIA CONTACT
    Turner Brinton
    Senior Director, Corporate Communications
    Turner.Brinton@mrcy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • Archer keen to play remaining India tests, Ashes; Dawson replaces injured Bashir in England squad for fourth test

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    After missing four years of test duty due to injury, England speedster Jofra Archer is keen to make up for lost time and says he wants to play the final two tests against India and prove he deserves a place in the squad for the Ashes series in Australia.

    Archer made his test comeback at Lord’s in the third test, bowling at full tilt to claim five wickets, including three in the second innings as England clinched a 22-run victory to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

    England management, men’s managing director Rob Key in particular, have been careful about Archer’s workload since his recovery from elbow and back injuries but the bowler is raring to go.

    “I can play the other two (against India) if they let me,” Archer told Sky Sports.

    “I don’t want to lose this series. I told ‘Keysey’ I wanted to play the test summer and I wanted to play the Ashes.

    “I think one tick is already there and I will do everything possible in my power to be on the plane in November.”

    It was Archer’s first test since coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took the helm in 2022 and implemented an exciting result-oriented approach.

    Archer was happy how his reintegration into the test squad had been handled.

    “Obviously it would have been the format which would have taken the most time to come back to. So I played 50-over and T20 for the last year and a half, two years,” he said.

    “The guys have played some really exciting cricket since Baz took over. I think the mentality of the team under Baz suits the way I like to play my cricket.

    “I just couldn’t wait to get back and actually do it without having to be prompted to do it.”

    Meanwhile, Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson has replaced injured Shoaib Bashir in England’s 14-player squad for the fourth test in the five-match series against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Tuesday.

    Bashir suffered a fracture to his finger in his non-bowling left hand while attempting a low catch during his own bowling during the third test on Saturday. He is set for surgery later this week.

    The 21-year-old came back to bowl on Monday, taking India’s last wicket to ensure a thrilling 22-run victory for the hosts at Lord’s, securing a 2-1 lead in the series.

    Dawson has not played a test match since July 2017 but has represented England in white-ball cricket since then, last appearing during the Twenty20 series against West Indies last month.

    The 35-year-old has played five matches for Hampshire in the T20 Blast this month, taking five wickets.

    The fourth test against India begins on July 23 in Manchester.

    England squad: Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: Let’s get some immediate political reaction, not just to this story, but of course the broader child care crisis too and go straight to the Education Minister Jason Clare. 

    Jason Clare, lovely to have you on the show. 

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks, PK, great to be here. 

    KARVELAS: Two child care workers have been charged with assault of a toddler in Western Sydney. New South Wales Police have said the child sustained significant bruising and injuries. Of course, this is one case being handled now by the legal system, as it should be —

    CLARE: Yes. 

    KARVELAS: — but does this latest case show that we have a broader crisis? 

    CLARE: What it underlines is if you don’t care about our kids, you shouldn’t be there working in early education and care. 

    In that report you mentioned that those workers are no longer there, that’s a good thing. But we do need to put in place the sort of measures to help to weed people out that aren’t there for the right reasons, whether it’s the sort of penalties that you impose on centres that don’t act when this evidence comes to light, or naming and shaming centres, giving information to parents about the conditions that are in the centres where their children are, or putting in place things like CCTV. 

    I want to make the point if I can, PK, that 99.9 per cent of the people who care for our kids every single day in these centres love them, they care for them, they educate them, they’re great people that are doing really, really important work, and at the moment they’re as shocked and angry as everybody else in Australia. Their jobs are on TV for all of the wrong reasons. They want to make sure that we do everything we can to weed out the people that shouldn’t be there too. 

    KARVELAS: We also learnt today that the alleged Melbourne paedophile, Joshua Dale Brown, worked at an additional daycare centre that has not been listed by authorities online. That brings the total number of centres he’s worked at to 24. I mean, Minister, why – I know this a state issue in terms of the investigation, but why are we still finding out about child care centres several weeks after the first allegations? 

    CLARE: It’s a bloody good question. This is a nightmare for hundreds more parents, mums and dads who now have to go through the wringer of working out whether their kids are sick or not. And for their little kids, they’ve got to go through the trauma of testing – blood tests and urine tests – to find out whether they’ve got an infectious disease or not. 

    It strikes me when I saw this yesterday that this is another reason why we need an educator register, a database that tells us where people are working and where they have been working. The company responsible here should know this at the click of a button. But so should we. This shouldn’t be the sort of information that comes out in drip feed form, it should be information that’s easy to access quickly. 

    KARVELAS: It seems that there might be more centres. I mean, have you been briefed about whether there are even potentially more that we might find out about? 

    CLARE: No, I haven’t. The Victorian Police would be briefing the Victorian Government specifically on that. But I just make the general point, this is the sort of information that police should have at their fingertips, it’s the sort of information that we should have right now. We don’t have it, but we should do. 

    KARVELAS: Is your legislation on child care changes that you’ve been talking about ready to table into the Parliament and have you briefed the Opposition? 

    CLARE: Yeah, the legislation is almost finalised. I’ll introduce that legislation into the Parliament next week, and we held our first briefing with the Opposition on the legislation today. I want to take this opportunity to thank Sussan Ley, the Opposition Leader, and Jonno Duniam, the Shadow Minister, for the really constructive way in which they’re working with us on this legislation to make sure we get it right. You know, it’s not always the case that Labor and Liberal work together the way we should. We are here, and that’s really important with legislation like this. 

    So, as I said, I’ll introduce the legislation next week. What the bill will do is give us the power to cut off funding to child care centres where they’re not up to scratch when it comes to safety. 

    At the moment a state regulator can shut a centre down tomorrow if they think there’s an imminent threat to safety. But where they’ve identified centres that aren’t meeting the standard and repeatedly they’re not meeting that standard, this will give us the power to issue a condition to that centre, and say that if you don’t meet the standards that we’ve set for you as a nation over the course of, it might be a couple of months, then we will suspend your child care funding or we’ll cancel it. 

    And there’s nothing more important in running a child care centre than the taxpayer funding that runs it – it’s about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a child care centre, it can’t run without it. This is the biggest stick that the Commonwealth has to wield here, and putting a condition on a centre that we would provide publicly, so parents know about it, I think is the sort of thing that hopefully will lift standards to where they need to be. 

    If we get this legislation right, it won’t mean that we’re shutting centres down, it will mean that we’re lifting standards up where centres aren’t meeting the standards at the moment. 

    KARVELAS: Okay, that’s really interesting. So, you’ll issue essentially a warning that will then be publicly shared, would that be like on a central website where people can look to see ‑‑ 

    CLARE: That’s right. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ if this has been – and what’s the timeframe? ‘Cause that must be all articulated, it has to be in the legislation, for which they have to respond ‑‑

    CLARE: Yeah. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ before that money is suspended?  

    CLARE: The legislation won’t set out the specific timeframe. There will be discretion provided to the Secretary of my Department, but we’re anticipating, depending on circumstances, you’re talking about a couple of months. 

    But let me just make the point again, if we’ve identified a centre where there’s a threat to kids right now, state regulators can shut it down. This is about centres where over a period of time they’re just not meeting the National Quality Framework standard to say, unless you get there soon, the centre is not going to be funded by the taxpayer. 

    KARVELAS: So, at the moment “Working Towards,” as you know, is a rating given to a centre that doesn’t meet quality rating standards. I’m just confused about how that will work still. These centres, are they allowed to keep operating? For how long will you be able to keep operating if you’re just “Working Towards”? 

    CLARE: At first instance what we’re intending to do if we get this legislation passed is to work with the state governments and the state regulators on the centres that they’re most concerned about, that are under that category that you’ve just described where they’re concerned that they’re repeatedly not working hard enough to get to the standard they need to be under the National Quality Framework. 

    So we’ll work with states and territories on the centres that we think need to be the subject of this legislation first and set those conditions for them, set a timeframe for them, and if they don’t meet those conditions within that timeframe, then suspend the child care subsidy payment that helps that centre to operate or cancel it altogether. 

    KARVELAS: And you said this is about lifting standards rather than shutting child care centres down. Of course that would always want to have that aim, because you need children in care —

    CLARE: Indeed. 

    KARVELAS: — or the system would collapse, right? 

    CLARE: That’s right. 

    KARVELAS: But do you envisage that inevitably some child care centres will have to close down? You would think that would have to be an inevitability of a tough system.  

    CLARE: It is a tough system, and that may very well happen. We’re not putting this legislation into the Parliament as an idle threat. But these centres run – 70 per cent of the funding is based on the child care subsidy that the taxpayer provides to help child care centres run. This is the biggest stick we have to wield, to say to centres that if you want to continue to receive this support from the Australian taxpayer, then you have to meet that standard, and if you don’t, then funding will be suspended or cancelled. 

    And what I’m hoping is that that threat is going to be strong enough to get the boards of these companies or the investors in these companies to sit up and listen and realise that we’re serious here and if you don’t meet the standard, then the funding will be cut off. 

    KARVELAS: Spot checks by your Department is another issue that you’ve raised. Are they only going to be deployed for fraud, or will it be child safety as well? 

    CLARE: Principally fraud but not exclusively fraud. At the moment I’ve got a team of investigators in the Department of Education that can do checks on child care centres for fraud. Unfortunately it’s the case that this exists, that child care centres might claim a child is there for three days but they’re only there for two days, and they’re claiming funding from the taxpayer for three days. This legislation will give my officers the power to be able to go in without a warrant or without the AFP to do those checks. 

    But while they’re there, they’ll be able to also examine the safety of centres and share that information with state regulators that do the lion’s share of this work. 

    The Federal Government sets the standards, the state governments do the lion’s share of the work in terms of regulating the system and making sure that it’s safe. 

    KARVELAS: Should there be a national regulator though? Because that’s part of the issue, isn’t it, that we’ve got state-based regulation, it’s quite inconsistent across states. Is there an option for a national regulation? 

    CLARE: There’s a national authority at the moment, ACECQA, that helps to set that standard, and they work closely with the states and territories in the work that they do. 

    There’s a separate question that’s posed by the Productivity Commission’s report last year about whether we set up an Early Education and Care Commission that would look at how we reform the system over the next decade and beyond. That recommendation wasn’t principally about safety; it wanted government to look at a steward for the system to make it more accessible and more affordable. I’ve got an open mind to that recommendation, Patricia, it’s something that we’ll look at over the medium term. It wasn’t intended to be something specifically about safety, but that’s something that it could potentially include.

    KARVELAS: Oh, that’s really interesting. So, you think you could take the Productivity Commission’s recommendation and sort of morph it into something broader?  

    CLARE: Potentially. It’s the sort of thing it’s my job as a Minister to sit down with smart people and pick their brains about how this would work best in practice, people like Georgie Dent at The Parenthood I spoke to the other day about this. 

    I want to make sure that we get this right, I want to make sure that our system is affordable for mums and dads, that it’s accessible everywhere around the country, but most importantly that it’s safe. That’s what this legislation is fundamentally about. But it’s not the only thing that we need to do. 

    The other things that have got to be on the table here are this register so we can track people across the system, identify when people are moving from centre to centre to centre and whether that should be a red flag that something is wrong here, that people are just moving people on rather than reporting them to a regulator or to the police. Proper mandatory child safety training for everybody who works in our centres. 

    I said a moment ago that 99.9 per cent of people who work in our centres are fantastic people. We’ve got to equip them with the skills they need to identify the bad person that might be up to the most horrific of crimes in our centres. And then CCTV as well, which can potentially play a role in deterring somebody from getting up to no good but also help police with their investigations as well. 

    KARVELAS: Minister, if I could just ask you about the Antisemitism Envoy’s report, which of course has been handed to the government. You’ve been talking about this as well. As you know ‑‑ 

    CLARE: Yeah. 

    KARVELAS: ‑‑ your colleague Ed Husic is critical of some parts – not all – but some parts of the report, including the very definition of antisemitism that it’s using. Are you troubled by this definition? 

    CLARE: No, I’m not. I had a quick look at what Ed had to say. I think Ed was fundamentally making the point that any definition of antisemitism shouldn’t stop somebody from criticising the Government of Israel, and I think he’s right in that respect. I don’t think the definition does, by the way.

    But I’ve been critical of the Government of Israel. I think as long as you can make that point very, very clear, you’re on pretty good ground.

    KARVELAS: But it does actually, and I’m just looking at the words here, it does actually refer to the State of Israel by claiming that the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavour. Do you think that’s antisemitic? 

    CLARE: No, I think what Ed was saying is it’s a little bit different to then be called an antisemite for criticising the Government of Israel. That’s the fundamental point I think ‑‑ 

    KARVELAS: The existence of Israel is really at the heart of the question, isn’t it? That’s what some people criticise. 

    CLARE: You know my view, the view of the Government, the view I think of the overwhelming majority of people watching the tele today is that we want two countries in the Middle East that sit side by side, one’s called Israel, one’s called Palestine, and they can live together in peace and security behind secure borders and have the sort of safe life that we take for granted here in Australia and in many other parts of the world. 

    KARVELAS: How did the part of the report – this is something that Ed Husic definitely mentioned in relation to younger Australians holding views that are antisemitic. Do you think that – are you witnessing that younger Australians have higher rates of antisemitism? 

    CLARE: I was asked this question today. I said certainly social media plays a role here, and I’m hoping that the ban on access to social media for young people under 16, when that comes into force later this year, is going to have a positive impact on that, but also the mental health and wellbeing of younger Australians. 

    I was also asked about the recommendations in the report about universities. We’re considering those at the moment. We’re not making any announcements about that at the moment. But antisemitism is real, it’s a poison that we’ve seen infect parts of the community. There’s no place for it in our universities, there’s no place for it anywhere in Australia, but it’s just one type of the sort of racism that we see in our community and in our universities. 

    I made the point today that we’ve established a Student Ombudsman that provides a vehicle for students to make complaints, whether it’s about antisemitism, Islamophobia or sexual assaults, or any concerns that they’ve got about the way their university has dealt with them. 

    TEQSA, which is the federal regulator of our universities, has certain powers to intervene here and works closely with universities on this. It has the power to put conditions on universities or to go to court and issue fines. I think there’s an open question there about whether TEQSA needs more powers in this area. 

    And I also made the point today that we will shortly receive a report from the Special Envoy Combating Islamophobia, and we want to see their report as well, as well as the report that we received a few weeks ago. 

    KARVELAS: So, will they be considered together? 

    CLARE: I think that’s the way in which we should consider it, that’s probably the best way to go about this. I’ll also receive a report in a couple of months’ time from the Race Discrimination Commissioner about racism in all its ugly forms in our universities, and I’m sure there’s Indigenous Australians and Asian Australians and international students watching today that are saying, “Don’t forget about me, this affects me too”.

    We don’t necessarily need to wait for that report before we take action. You can do this step‑by‑step. But I just flag, I want to see that report from the Special Envoy on Islamophobia, and there’s also a piece of work that I’ve commissioned around the governance, improving the governance of our universities, that I’ll receive too. And I also want to think about what more powers we should properly give TEQSA, the Tertiary Education Regulator here. 

    KARVELAS: That’s really interesting. Jason Clare, Minister, it’s been great to speak to you. Thanks for joining us. 

    CLARE: Thanks PK.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards open for nominations

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The Perth and Kinross Apprentice Awards 2025, developed in partnership by Perth and Kinross Council, Skills Development Scotland (opens new window), Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities (opens new window), Perthshire Chamber of Commerce (opens new window) and UHI Perth (opens new window), opened for entries on Monday 14 July and will close on Friday 8 August 2025.

    The awards aim to highlight the value of apprenticeships to individuals, businesses and the wider economy, and to encourage more local nominations for the national Scottish Apprenticeship Awards later this year.

    Award categories include:

    • Foundation Apprentice of the Year
    • Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 5) of the Year
    • Modern Apprentice (SCQF Level 6+) of the Year
    • Graduate Apprentice of the Year
    • Apprenticeship Employer of the Year

    Winners will be announced at a celebration event in early September, ahead of the national awards.

    As of 31 March 2025, there were 981 Modern Apprentices in training across Perth and Kinross. In the past year alone, 654 new apprenticeships were supported by Skills Development Scotland, with nearly 60% of those aged 16-24. The local Modern Apprenticeship achievement rate stands at an impressive 84.1%.

    Thomas Glen, Chief Executive of Perth and Kinross, said: “The Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the achievements of our local apprentices and the employers who support them. Apprenticeships offer young people a valuable route into rewarding careers, and these awards allow us to celebrate that success and the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and our wider community.”

    A spokesperson for Skills Development Scotland said: “Apprenticeships support individuals, employers and Perthshire’s economy offering high quality opportunities for people to gain valuable skills that support them throughout their career and meet local industry demands now and for the future.”

    Vicki Unite, Chief Executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Apprenticeships are a powerful force for growth – for individuals, for businesses, and for our region as a whole. These new awards are a brilliant opportunity to shine a spotlight on the talent, dedication and potential that exists right here in Perth and Kinross. We’re proud to be part of a partnership that’s committed to celebrating the achievements of our apprentices and the employers who support them.”

    Lesley English, Regional Lead, Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities, said: “Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), is delighted to be a key partner in driving these awards forward. DYW’s continued commitment to connecting young people with meaningful career opportunities is integral to the event’s mission: to recognise and reward those making a difference across the apprenticeship landscape. This event is about more than just awards, it’s about celebrating the impact apprenticeships have—not just on individuals, but on the businesses and communities they serve. We’re proud to support the next generation of skilled professionals.”

    Sarah-Jane Urquhart, National Training Programmes Manager, UHI Perth, said: ”UHI Perth is proud to be part of the strong partnership supporting the Perth and Kinross Apprenticeship Awards, celebrating the achievements of apprentices and their employers across the region. This partnership reflects our commitment to skills development and lifelong learning, and we are excited to help shine a light on the value of apprenticeships. These awards highlight how apprenticeships not only equip individuals with practical, career ready skills but also strengthen local businesses and communities.”

    To enter the awards complete the simple online nomination form:

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA’s G20 Presidency aims for sustainable economic growth, job creation

    Source: Government of South Africa

    As the Chair of the Group of 20 (G20), South Africa’s goal is to promote mutually beneficial economic growth, create jobs and advance sustainable development for its partner nations, says Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

    Mashatile was speaking during the opening ceremony of the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing on Wednesday. The event showcases the latest developments in supply chain management.

    The Deputy President told the attendees that South Africa firmly believes that the establishment of enduring business relationships must occur within the framework of a fair, inclusive, and rules-based global economic order. 

    “This order should prioritise industrialisation, investment in green technologies, and digital infrastructure as key components of sustainable development, especially for developing economies.”

    These priorities, according to the country’s second-in-command, are reflected in the overall CISCE programme, which closely aligns with areas of potential cooperation between South Africa and China. 

    “We, therefore, invite our Chinese counterparts to support and participate in the key pillars of our G20 agenda by investing in green industrial projects, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and regional manufacturing initiatives in South Africa and across the African continent.

    “Through such collaboration, we can deepen our strategic partnership and ensure that the outcomes of South Africa’s G20 Presidency reflect the shared aspirations of the Global South,” he said. 

    WATCH | Deputy President in Beijing

    [embedded content]

    The Deputy President said South Africa looks forward to hosting Chinese and other international buyers, importers and distributors in a tailored procurement mission that will be arranged on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2025. 

    “We urge all stakeholders to seize these opportunities, foster partnerships, share best practices, and collectively shape the future of supply chain management to build a more connected, resilient, and prosperous world.” 

    READ | Rise in e-commerce activity boosts SA’s supply chain sector

    The G20 consists of 19 member countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also includes two regional organisations, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).

    The G20 members include the world’s major economies, representing 85% of global gross domestic product (GDP), over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-Evening Report: David Robie: New Zealand must do more for Pacific and confront nuclear powers

    Rongelap Islanders on board the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior travelling to their new home on Mejatto Island in 1985 — less than two months before the bombing. Image: ©1985 David Robie/Eyes of Fire

    He accused the coalition government of being “too timid” and “afraid of offending President Donald Trump” to make a stand on the nuclear issue.

    However, a spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Pacific that New Zealand’s “overarching priority . . . is to work with Pacific partners to achieve a secure, stable, and prosperous region that preserves Pacific sovereignty and agency”.

    The spokesperson said that through its foreign policy “reset”, New Zealand was committed to “comprehensive relationships” with Pacific Island countries.

    “New Zealand’s identity, prosperity and security are intertwined with the Pacific through deep cultural, people, historical, security, and economic linkages.”

    The New Zealand government commits almost 60 percent of its development funding to the region.

    Pacific ‘increasingly contested’
    The spokesperson said that the Pacific was becoming increasingly contested and complex.

    “New Zealand has been clear with all of our partners that it is important that engagement in the Pacific takes place in a manner which advances Pacific priorities, is consistent with established regional practices, and supportive of Pacific regional institutions.”

    They added that New Zealand’s main focus remained on the Pacific, “where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region.

    “We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need,” the spokesperson said.

    The cover of the latest edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: Little Island Press

    However, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, writing in the prologue of Dr Robie’s book, said: “New Zealand needs to re-emphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.”

    Dr Robie added that looking back 40 years to the 1980s, there was a strong sense of pride in being from Aotearoa, the small country which set an example around the world.

    “We took on . . . the nuclear powers,” Dr Robie said.

    “And the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was symbolic of that struggle, in a way, but it was a struggle that most New Zealanders felt a part of, and we were very proud of that [anti-nuclear] role that we took.

    “Over the years, it has sort of been forgotten”.

    ‘Look at history’
     France conducted 193 nuclear tests over three decades until 1996 in French Polynesia.

    Until 2009, France claimed that its tests were “clean” and caused no harm, but in 2010, under the stewardship of Defence Minister Herve Morin, a compensation law was passed.

    From 1946 to 1962, 67 nuclear bombs were detonated in the Marshall Islands by the US.

    The 1 March 1954 Bravo hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll, the largest nuclear weapon ever exploded by the United States, left a legacy of fallout and radiation contamination that continues to this day. Image: Marshall Islands Journal

    In 2024, then-US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, while responding to a question from RNZ Pacific about America’s nuclear legacy, said: “Washington has attempted to address it constructively with massive resources and a sustained commitment.”

    However, Dr Robie said that was not good enough and labelled the destruction left behind by the US, and France, as “outrageous”.

    “It is political speak; politicians trying to cover their backs and so on. If you look at history, [the response] is nowhere near good enough, both by the US and the French.”

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

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: David Robie: New Zealand must do more for Pacific and confront nuclear powers

    Rongelap Islanders on board the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior travelling to their new home on Mejatto Island in 1985 — less than two months before the bombing. Image: ©1985 David Robie/Eyes of Fire

    He accused the coalition government of being “too timid” and “afraid of offending President Donald Trump” to make a stand on the nuclear issue.

    However, a spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Pacific that New Zealand’s “overarching priority . . . is to work with Pacific partners to achieve a secure, stable, and prosperous region that preserves Pacific sovereignty and agency”.

    The spokesperson said that through its foreign policy “reset”, New Zealand was committed to “comprehensive relationships” with Pacific Island countries.

    “New Zealand’s identity, prosperity and security are intertwined with the Pacific through deep cultural, people, historical, security, and economic linkages.”

    The New Zealand government commits almost 60 percent of its development funding to the region.

    Pacific ‘increasingly contested’
    The spokesperson said that the Pacific was becoming increasingly contested and complex.

    “New Zealand has been clear with all of our partners that it is important that engagement in the Pacific takes place in a manner which advances Pacific priorities, is consistent with established regional practices, and supportive of Pacific regional institutions.”

    They added that New Zealand’s main focus remained on the Pacific, “where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region.

    “We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need,” the spokesperson said.

    The cover of the latest edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. Image: Little Island Press

    However, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, writing in the prologue of Dr Robie’s book, said: “New Zealand needs to re-emphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.”

    Dr Robie added that looking back 40 years to the 1980s, there was a strong sense of pride in being from Aotearoa, the small country which set an example around the world.

    “We took on . . . the nuclear powers,” Dr Robie said.

    “And the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was symbolic of that struggle, in a way, but it was a struggle that most New Zealanders felt a part of, and we were very proud of that [anti-nuclear] role that we took.

    “Over the years, it has sort of been forgotten”.

    ‘Look at history’
     France conducted 193 nuclear tests over three decades until 1996 in French Polynesia.

    Until 2009, France claimed that its tests were “clean” and caused no harm, but in 2010, under the stewardship of Defence Minister Herve Morin, a compensation law was passed.

    From 1946 to 1962, 67 nuclear bombs were detonated in the Marshall Islands by the US.

    The 1 March 1954 Bravo hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll, the largest nuclear weapon ever exploded by the United States, left a legacy of fallout and radiation contamination that continues to this day. Image: Marshall Islands Journal

    In 2024, then-US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, while responding to a question from RNZ Pacific about America’s nuclear legacy, said: “Washington has attempted to address it constructively with massive resources and a sustained commitment.”

    However, Dr Robie said that was not good enough and labelled the destruction left behind by the US, and France, as “outrageous”.

    “It is political speak; politicians trying to cover their backs and so on. If you look at history, [the response] is nowhere near good enough, both by the US and the French.”

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

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

    Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term.

    In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry said reform was needed to restore nature and power the net zero economy.

    Speaking as chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, Henry said with “glistening ambition”, Australia can “build an efficient, jobs-rich, globally competitive, high-productivity, low-emissions nature-rich economy”.

    The speech comes at a crucial time for nature law reform in Australia. The new Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to prioritise reform, after the Albanese government failed to achieve substantial changes to these laws in the last parliament.

    On Wednesday, Henry condemned previous failed attempts to reform the laws. He described delays in improving environmental management as “a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry”.

    The need for fundamental reform

    The Albanese government abandoned efforts to pass important reforms in its first term.

    Environment Minister Murray Watt has committed to achieving reforms within 18 months, acknowledging “our current laws are broken”.

    In his speech on Wednesday, Henry agreed with this sentiment. He described the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act as “a misnomer, if ever there was one”.

    Henry is both a former Treasury Secretary and former chair of National Australia Bank. He also wrote Australia’s most important white paper on tax reform.

    Henry has previously said environmental law reform could be a template for other essential, difficult law reform, such as fixing Australia’s broken tax system.

    He understands Australia’s broken environmental laws. In 2022-23, he led an independent review into nature laws in New South Wales. That review found the laws were failing and would never succeed in their current form.

    At the start of his speech on Wednesday, Henry came close to tears when he acknowledged Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Young’s support for those who look after injured and orphaned native animals.

    As a bureaucrat in Canberra, Henry also used to rescue injured animals and nurse them back to health.

    Logging and land clearing for development destroys koala habitat.
    Pexels, Pixabay, CC BY

    Big challenges ahead

    As Henry noted on Wednesday, Australia faces enormous challenges. These include the need to rapidly build more housing and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.

    But before building suburbs, wind farms, transmission lines, mines and roads, projects need to be assessed for their potential to harm the environment.

    Henry on Wednesday called for sweeping changes, drawing on Graeme Samuel’s 2019-20 review of the EPBC Act. The changes include:

    • genuine cooperation across all levels of government, industry and the community
    • high-integrity evidence to inform decision making
    • clear, strong and enforceable standards applied nationwide
    • an independent and trusted decision-maker, in the form of a national Environment Protection Authority
    • a natural capital market, which – if well-designed – could provide a financial incentive for nature restoration and carbon storage in the form of tradable credits.

    Without the reforms, Henry said, Australia would not “retain a shred of credibility” for two global commitments: reaching net zero emissions, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    The net zero commitment is at risk because existing laws are not sufficient to protect carbon sinks, such as forests. The roll out of renewable energy is also being slowed by inefficient approvals processes.

    Henry said the concept of “ecologically sustainable development”, which seeks to balance economic, social, and economic goals, needs serious rethinking. This concept has been the foundation of environment policy in Australia, including the EPBC Act, for the past 30 years.

    Henry wrote the first Intergenerational Report for the federal government in 2002. He has criticised governments for allowing environmental destruction that will leave future generations worse off.

    He has variously described Australia’s failure to steward our natural resources as an intergenerational tragedy, as intergenerational theft, and a wilful act of intergenerational bastardry – claims he repeated on Wednesday.

    Making money grow on trees

    Henry grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW where his father, a worker in the timber industry, helped log native forests.

    Land clearing is the main threat to Australian biodiversity, and preventing native vegetation loss would also cut greenhouse gas emissions.

    The foundation Henry chairs advocates for the protection and restoration of Australia’s native forests. Henry has previously backed a plan to store carbon in native forests, which would mean trees were protected and not cut down.

    In his Press Club address, Henry lamented ongoing land clearing, poor fire management in remnant forests, and logging of habitat for endangered species such as the koala and the greater glider. He also called for nature laws that enable projects to be delivered in a way that not only protects but also restores nature. For instance, he said carbon credits could help fund the Great Koala National Park proposed for NSW.

    Logging continues in old growth native forest.
    Chris Putnam/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    What’s the Australian government doing?

    Despite Murray Watt’s stated commitment to nature law reform, there are signs the environment may again come off second-best.

    At a recent meeting with key stakeholders, including industry and environment groups, Watt said compromise was needed. He warned environmental protections must come with streamlined project approvals “to improve productivity”.

    Henry on Wednesday acknowledged faster approvals were needed, saying:

    We simply cannot afford slow, opaque, duplicative and contested environmental planning decisions based on poor information mired in administrative complexity.

    But he said faster approvals should not come at a greater cost to nature. In his words:

    with due acknowledgement of the genius of AC/DC, there is no point in building a faster highway to hell.

    Henry said the current parliament has time to put the right policy settings in place. The remedies also enjoy broad stakeholder support. “We’ve had all the reviews we need,” he said. “All of us have had our say. It is now up to parliament. Let’s just get this done.”

    Phillipa C. McCormack receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the National Environmental Science Program, Green Adelaide and the ACT Government. She is a member of the National Environmental Law Association and affiliated with the Wildlife Crime Research Hub.

    – ref. Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ – https://theconversation.com/ken-henry-urges-nature-law-reform-after-decades-of-intergenerational-bastardry-261167

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Portsmouth’s Victoria Park awarded coveted Green Flag Award and officially recognised as one of the country’s best parks

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Portsmouth’s ‘People’s Park’ has been granted a Green Flag Award, making it officially one of the best parks in the UK.

    And that’s not all – three other popular areas of Portsmouth – Southsea Rock Garden, Milton Park in Southsea, and Baffins Pond – have also retained a Green Flag status – the international mark of quality for parks and green spaces in the UK.

    Portsmouth’s historic Victoria Park has recently had a £2.9m refurbishment, carried out by Portsmouth City Council and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

    Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said:

    “A huge amount of work has gone into reinvigorating Victoria Park into Portsmouth’s ‘People’s Park’, so it can continue to be enjoyed by families and people of all ages for years to come.

    “Green Flag status is the benchmark for parks and green spaces in UK, so this award is recognition of the hard work to create a park where people and nature come together in harmony. Retaining the award in our other areas also underlines our commitment to maintaining the highest standard of outdoor spaces for our residents.”

    Victoria Park was first opened in 1878, and in 2021, a four-year project began to revitalise the park. The fountain and memorials were fully restored, a new under-fives play area created, the aviary restored and new community-use building the ‘Green House’ built in the park’s centre.

    Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

    “We’re delighted to see Victoria Park receive the prestigious Green Flag Award, recognising it as one of the country’s best-loved green spaces. Thanks to National Lottery players, this historic park has been restored to its former glory while creating new opportunities for the community to connect with nature and heritage in their city.

    “This award is a testament to the dedication of Portsmouth City Council and the local community in making Victoria Park a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable space for generations to come.”

    The four Portsmouth areas are among the 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award.

    Southsea Rock Garden offers a quiet retreat for visitors and rich habitat for wildlife, and the Friends of Southsea Rock Garden volunteers play a vital role in maintaining and improving it.

    Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said:

    “Congratulations to everyone involved in Victoria Park who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.

    “Quality parks and green spaces like Victoria Park make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

    “Crucially, Victoria Park is a vital green space for communities in Portsmouth to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

    The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Stop Calling Me: How China Fights Internet Fraud and Spam Calls

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese citizens can avoid providing explicit personal information to internet service providers by using “cyberspace identifiers.”

    On July 15, 2025, China enacted the Regulations on the Public Service Related to Cyberspace Identifiers. This step is aimed at promoting cyberspace identifiers and strengthening the protection of personal information privacy online.

    According to the document, an online identifier operates in two forms: one as a set of letters and numbers, and the other as an online account. Both correspond to a person’s real identity, but exclude any information in plain text.

    If an Internet user decides to use a cyberspace identifier to register and verify his or her identity, the relevant Internet service provider shall not require him or her to provide additional information in plain text unless this is provided for by laws and administrative regulations or without the user’s consent.

    Citizens will no longer be forced to provide personal information such as ID card numbers or real names to internet service providers when they register for services or verify their identity.

    According to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), more than 6 million Chinese citizens have received and activated digital IDs since the introduction of the online service.

    HEADACHE OF THE CHINESE POPULATION

    For many years, the Chinese have suffered from telephone and Internet fraud, as well as from spam calls and spam messages. Such forms of fraud include various deception schemes, as well as auto-dialing of subscribers to random numbers: a person picks up the phone and hears a pre-recorded voice message with an offer to buy an apartment, take out a loan, and so on. Another concern is that when making calls, scammers or spammers can accurately name a person’s first and last name, and sometimes even an ID number.

    According to a 2024 study on spam calls in China by analytics company iiMedia Research, more than 91 percent of subscribers reported receiving calls from scammers and spammers.

    In particular, about 56 percent of subscribers received unwanted phone calls less than 10 times a day, and about 27 percent received unwanted phone calls 10-15 times a day. The share of subscribers who received such calls 16-20 times a day accounted for 10 percent.

    He Yanzhe, an employee of the China Institute of Electronic Technology Standardization, noted that some organizations do not implement security measures such as authentication and access control when setting up data transmission interfaces, which allows hackers to intercept the interface and obtain data in real time.

    Lao Dongyang, a professor at Tsinghua University School of Law, said some information collection agencies require users or consumers to provide “authorization packages” for various reasons including “improving service quality,” which is the main reason for data leaks.

    LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT

    The regulations on public service related to cyberspace identifiers, issued in May this year, are China’s latest effort to combat cyber fraud and spam calls.

    In June 2023, China established a government service platform for issuing digital identification documents based on the verification of their real counterparts, such as the ID card and the national demographic information database.

    The National Cyberspace Personal Identifier Platform will only collect personal information that is strictly necessary for online authentication purposes, the rules say.

    In accordance with the “minimum and necessary” principle, the cyberspace identifier platform will only provide the results of the verification to the ISPs. In cases where the retention of the user’s real identity information is required by law, the platform must do so only with the explicit consent of that user.

    According to the Ministry of Defense, the official mobile application for registration and verification of online IDs has been downloaded over 16 million times. In addition, registration of a digital personal ID is voluntary.

    In China, the Telecommunications and Internet Fraud Prevention Law came into effect on December 1, 2022.

    The law stipulates that public security organs shall cooperate with relevant government departments and enterprises to establish an early warning and suppression system for fraud, and take timely measures to prevent potential victims from falling into the traps of telecommunications and online fraudsters.

    According to the law, those who travel to regions where telecommunications fraud is serious and are suspected of being involved in fraudulent activity, as well as those who have been convicted and punished for telecommunications and online fraud, may be prohibited from leaving the country.

    THE PRACTICE OF REMAINING STRUGGLE

    In practice, the National Telecommunication and Internet Fraud Control Center of China has developed its official mobile application. This application can recognize suspicious calls, messages, websites or applications and promptly warn the user about possible data leaks.

    The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to combat fraud in China is also impressive. In one case reported to police in Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, East China, it took just 10 minutes to track the movement of funds and prevent the withdrawal of 500,000 yuan. Eight hours later, the suspects were located overseas, and 24 hours later, an online arrest warrant was issued. Using AI, police arrested nine suspects and returned more than 70 percent of the stolen funds to the victim within three days.

    According to He Yongliang, an official with the Kunshan City Public Security Bureau, police efficiency has increased more than sixfold thanks to the creation of an “AI police team” comprising 30 digital officers who assist in analyzing victim reports, tracking suspects and conducting investigations.

    “Since their implementation, 609 fraud cases have been detected, and the total amount of funds recovered was 32.47 million yuan,” he added.

    Another area of combating telecommunications and Internet fraud in China is strengthening international cooperation in this area.

    In November 2024, the PRC MoS announced that all major telecom fraud centers located in northern Myanmar near the China-Myanmar border had been neutralized.

    More than 53,000 Chinese nationals suspected of fraud have been arrested through joint efforts by Chinese and Myanmar police since the MDS launched a special campaign in 2023 to crack down on telecom fraud in northern Myanmar targeting China and its nationals, the ministry said in a statement.

    Despite all these efforts, attackers and spammers are updating their “toolkits” to include AI technologies. Several major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Hangzhou, have already reported scams that involve fake faces or voice synthesis using AI technology.

    Some experts believe that mirror measures can be taken to combat these problems – by expanding the use of AI technologies to promptly identify and stop illegal activities.

    For example, Chinese brand Honor officially launched the world’s first AI-based fraud detection technology at the device level in September last year. The technology, based on a deep learning model, can identify fake AI-generated content in real time by analyzing facial features and behavior patterns in an image. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Willis and the University of East Anglia launch wildfire risk partnership in response to escalating global threat

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis, a WTW business, (NASDAQ:WTW), today announced a new collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UEA) to deepen understanding of global wildfire risk. With wildfires now rivalling the losses caused by other perils such as hurricanes, this partnership aims to deliver credible scientific insight that helps insurers and reinsurers keep pace with a rapidly changing risk landscape.

    Wildfires have intensified in recent years, becoming larger, more destructive, and increasingly unpredictable. Shifting climate conditions are expanding fire-prone areas beyond traditional hotspots and triggering more intense and destructive fires, while urban growth and rising property values are amplifying the potential for catastrophic loss. From insured losses amounting to US$1.5 billion during Australia’s Black Summer bushfires in 2019-20 to the US$40 billion in damage caused by this year’s Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles, wildfires are no longer a secondary peril.

    This collaboration will focus on helping the insurance sector understand the shifting nature of wildfire risk, including changes in fire frequency, intensity, geography, and the growing threat of urban conflagrations. By combining Willis’ catastrophe risk expertise with the leading climate and fire science of Dr. Matthew Jones at UEA, the partnership will support clients in anticipating wildfire-related losses and responding with more informed risk strategies.

    Dr. Matthew Jones co-leads the State of Wildfires Report, an annual initiative with an international network of fire scientists from 60 institutions covering six continents. This report examines the causes of extreme wildfire events of the latest fire season, evaluates future wildfire risks under climate change, and identifies opportunities to minimise risk through climate action and land management practices.

    “The insurance industry can no longer treat wildfire as a niche peril confined to a few known hotspots,” said Dr. Daniel Bannister, Weather & Climate Risks Research Lead at the Willis Research Network. “We are seeing more frequent, fast-moving fires capable of devastating urban areas and overwhelming response systems. As insurers grapple with the mounting human and economic toll, robust and accessible insights from cutting-edge research are needed more than ever before. By partnering with UEA, we aim to distil the latest research into meaningful insights that help our clients understand and manage wildfire risk, today and into the future.”

    “Wildfires are a growing threat that will worsen as the climate warms, and societies are increasingly feeling the brunt of their impacts worldwide. It is critical that our research keeps pace with the emerging threat, for example by providing better prediction and warning systems and guiding forest management and fire prevention strategies that best protect society from wildfires,” said Dr. Matthew Jones. “UEA’s partnership with Willis represents a bridge between science and society and that will ensure that our research delivers real-world benefits that make communities more prepared for and resilient to wildfires.”

    About WTW

    At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

    Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. Learn more at wtwco.com.

    About the University of East Anglia

    The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a UK Top 25 university (Complete University Guide and HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey). It also ranks in the UK Top 20 for research quality (Times Higher Education REF2021 Analysis) and the UK Top 10 for impact on Sustainable Development Goals. Known for its world-leading research and good student experience, its 360-acre campus has won seven Green Flag awards in a row for its high environmental standards. The University is a leading member of Norwich Research Park, one of Europe’s biggest concentrations of researchers in the fields of environment, health and plant science. www.uea.ac.uk.   

    Media Contacts

    Lauren David
    Lauren.david@wtwco.com

    +44 7385947619

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: Malcolm Turnbull on Australia’s ‘dumb’ defence debate

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The Albanese government remains in complicated territory on the international stage. It has to tread carefully with China, despite the marked warming of the bilateral relationship. It is yet to find its line and length with the unpredictable Trump administration.

    Meanwhile, with the new parliament meeting for the first time next week, the federal Opposition remains in a tough spot, still reeling from a brutal election defeat. The Liberals have an untested leader and uncertainty over what policies they will keep and which they will scrap, with their future commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 yet to be reconfirmed.

    Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has personally navigated the highs and lows of these issues, and joins the podcast today.

    On AUKUS and national security, Turnbull says the debate has “never been dumber”.

    The fundamental problem with our debate about national security is a profound lack of patriotism, because not enough people are putting Australia first. I mean I’m not saying that our politicians should be like Donald Trump, in terms of his bravado and braggadocio – you know all that sort of stuff he goes on with – but they should be like Trump in the sense of putting Australia first.

    You know Donald Trump expects other countries to stand for themselves. Who is the foreign leader that is an ally that he respects the most? [Israel’s Prime Minister] Bibi Netanyahu. Bibi Netanyahu stands up for himself and brutally. And brutally. I mean, Netanyahu’s attitude is, if you’re in the Middle East, if you’re weak, you’re roadkill.

    On defence spending, Turnbull calls a proper review on what Australia needs, rather then spending a certain percent on defence.

    We’ve got to have a proper examination of what capabilities we need, and what capabilities we can afford. The point about submarines is, if you’re going have a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines – they’re literally the most expensive defence platforms in the world – then you’ve got to work out what else you need and then what that’s going to cost you. That will come to quite a lot more than [the current] 2% of GDP, I would estimate.

    Turnbull also warns of a “reckless” degree of “delusion” in Canberra about the risk of not getting nuclear-powered submarines from the US.

    On global affairs, Turnbull says the Albanese government has performed well in a time of uncertainty.

    It’s complicated, but they’re managing this disrupted global environment well. The directions they’re going in are correct. The need plainly is to strengthen partnerships, alliances, relations with countries other than the United States.

    […] There’s a degree of anxiety about China because we don’t share the same political values. It clearly wants to displace the United States as the hegemon in this region […] I think the government and certainly most Australians would recognise that the days of American primacy in this region are over and the outcome for us that we want to have is, as [a former Japanese prime minister] Shinzo Abe used to say, a free and open Indo-Pacific, a balance between the two powers. Indeed as [Foreign Minister] Penny Wong said, a region where no one dominates, nobody is dominated.

    On Albanese’s failure to meet yet with the US president, Turnbull says it doesn’t matter “a huge amount”.

    It is very important for the prime minister of Australia to have a good personal relationship with Donald Trump. It really is. When I was prime minister, my relationship with him got off to a very stormy start, but it was a very good one, because by standing up to his bullying, I won his respect.

    […] When he does meet with Trump, it’s got to be in a situation where he can have an extended discussion, where it’s a substantive meeting and they can really get to know each other. So I think it’s not just the timing of the meeting, but the quality of the meeting.

    On the Liberal Party, Turnbull is pessimistic about its chances of moderating its views, even with Sussan Ley, generally regarded as centrist, as leader,

    [Ley’s] problem, even if she was centrist, and even if was genuine about moving the party back to the centre, I would question whether she can do it. Because there are not many moderates left in the party room in Canberra. How many moderates are left in the branches anymore? Has there been a sort of self-sorting now? Essentially the party […] has moved off into that right wing.

    […] The leader has a lot of authority. However, there is the right wing of the party and you cannot separate it from the right-wing media. From the Murdoch media in particular, they’re joined at the hip. I mean, they’re almost the same thing. They operate in the context of the Liberal Party almost like terrorists. Or like terrorists in this sense: they don’t kill people or blow things up, but they basically are prepared to burn the joint down if they don’t get what they want. I mean, I experienced that.

    Despite reservations, Turnbull says quotas for women are the only way to the Liberal party to where it wants to be.

    Everything else has been tried and it’s failed […] My view is that the party has got to say, well, we recognise this is contrary to grassroots tradition. But unless we do something fairly draconian and directive, then we’re not going to be able to get to the parity of men and women that we want, that we’ve said we wanted for years, and which the electorate clearly prefers.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Malcolm Turnbull on Australia’s ‘dumb’ defence debate – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-malcolm-turnbull-on-australias-dumb-defence-debate-261178

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Air India crash rekindles debate over cockpit video recorders

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The deadly Air India crash last month has renewed a decades-old debate in the aviation industry over installing video cameras monitoring airline pilot actions to complement the cockpit voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators.

    One of the industry’s most influential voices, International Air Transport Association head Willie Walsh, a former airline pilot, said on Wednesday in Singapore there was a strong argument for video cameras to be installed in airliner cockpits to monitor pilot actions to complement voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators.

    Aviation experts have said a preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) raised questions over whether one of the pilots of Air India flight 171 cut off fuel to the Boeing BA.N 787’s engines seconds after takeoff, leading to an irrecoverable situation.

    The crash in Ahmedabad, India, killed 241 of the 242 people aboard, as well as 19 people on the ground.

    As of now, “based on what little we know now, it’s quite possible that a video recording, in addition to the voice recording would significantly assist the investigators in conducting that investigation on the issue of mental health,” Walsh said.

    Advocates for cockpit video cameras say the footage could fill in gaps left by the audio and data recorders, while opponents say concerns about privacy and misuse outweigh what they argue are marginal benefits for investigations.

    Video footage was “invaluable” to Australian crash investigators determining what led to Robinson R66 helicopter breaking up in mid-air in 2023, killing the pilot, the only person aboard, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s final report, which was released 18 days after the Air India crash.

    The video showed “the pilot was occupied with non-flying related tasks for much of this time, specifically, mobile phone use and the consumption of food and beverages,” the report said.

    The ATSB commended Robinson Helicopters for providing factory-installed cameras and said it encouraged other manufacturers and owners to consider the ongoing safety benefits of similar devices.

    In 2000, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Jim Hall urged the Federal Aviation Administration to require commercial airliners be equipped with cockpit image recorders.

    Hall’s recommendation came in the wake of 1999’s Egyptair Flight 990 crash, when the first officer intentionally crashed the Boeing 767, according to the NTSB, killing all 217 people on board.

    “In the balance between privacy and safety, the scale tips toward safety, unequivocally,” air safety expert and former commercial airline pilot John Nance said. “Protecting the flying public is a sacred obligation.”

    Another aviation safety expert, Anthony Brickhouse, said that as an accident investigator, he is in favor of cockpit video, but acknowledged that commercial pilots have real concerns.

    Video on Air India flight 171 “would have answered lots of questions,” he said.

    Air India declined to comment. India’s AAIB, which is expected to release a final report within a year of the crash under international rules, did not reply to request for comment.

    PILOT OBJECTIONS

    U.S. pilots’ unions such as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA) say the voice and data recorders already provide enough information to determine the cause of a crash and that the cameras would be an invasion of privacy and could be misused.

    Calls for cockpit cameras are an understandable reaction to “the stress of not knowing what happened immediately after an accident,” said APA spokesperson Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines AAL.O pilot.

    “I can understand the initial reaction of the more information, the better,” but investigators already have enough data to adequately determine an accident’s cause, leaving no need for cameras, he said.

    To make flying safer, current safety systems should be enhanced to record higher-quality data, rather than adding video cameras, an ALPA spokeperson said.

    There are also concerns the footage could be used by airlines for disciplinary actions or that video could be leaked to the public after a crash, said John Cox, an aviation safety expert, retired airline pilot and former ALPA executive air safety chairman.

    A pilot’s death being broadcast on “the 6 o’clock news is not something that the pilot’s family should ever have to go through,” he said.

    If confidentiality can be assured around the world, “I can see an argument” for installing cameras, Cox said.

    Cockpit voice recordings are typically kept confidential by investigators in favor of partial or full transcripts being released in final reports.

    Despite that, International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations said it was skeptical that confidentiality could ever be assured for cockpit videos.

    “Given the high demand for sensational pictures, IFALPA has absolutely no doubt that the protection of (airborne image recorder) data, which can include identifiable images of flight crewmembers, would not be ensured either,” the organization said in a statement.

    Boeing declined to disclose whether customers are able to order cockpit video recorders, while Airbus did not reply to request for comment.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop – UTAS, Sydney campus

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks very much for coming along this morning. 

    I’m here at the University of Tasmania’s campus right here in the heart of Sydney training the next generation of nurses and paramedics. And a couple of weeks ago we kicked off for the first time paid prac. That’s financial support. 

    Paid prac is financial support for teaching students, for nursing students, for midwifery students and for social work students to provide them with a little bit of financial help while they do the practical part of their training, with the practical part of their university degree. 

    Placement poverty is a real thing. As we developed the Universities Accord, one of the things that leapt out time after time talking to students was the financial challenges that come with doing the practical part of your university degree. And students over there in the background mentioned it to me just a minute ago. One student told me that she had to delay or extend her degree for a year just because of the financial challenges of doing your prac and having enough money to put food on the table, to pay your bills. This is one of a whole suite of recommendations in the Universities Accord that we’re implementing. 

    Another thing that came out of the Universities Accord was the reform that is needed to our HECS system, or what we used to call HECS – what we now call HELP – to student debt. Next week I’ll introduce two pieces of legislation into the Federal Parliament. The first cuts students debt by 20 per cent and the second one will cut funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch. 

    On the first bill, this is something that we promised the Australian people during the election campaign – that we would cut the student debt of 3 million Australians by 20 per cent. It’s worth something in the order of $16 billion dollars. And for the average Australian with a student debt it will cut their debt by more than $5,500. It will take a lot of weight off the shoulders of a lot of young Australians who are just out of uni, just getting started, just getting on their feet looking to move out of home or save up to get a mortgage. That money taken off their HECS bill will make a world of difference. 

    And the other bill that we’ll introduce next week, as I said, will cut funding from child care centres that aren’t up to scratch. This is something that we promised in the last week of Parliament before the election was called. We did that in response to the revelations that came out of the Four Corners exposé earlier this year about abuse and neglect in child care centres. 

    The truth is that if we want real reform in early education and care, if we want every child care centre to pay attention to safety, to give it the priority that it needs and deserves, then the most powerful weapon the Federal Government has to wield here is money. Child care centres don’t work, don’t operate without the child care subsidy. It represents about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a child care centre. 

    The purpose of this legislation isn’t to shut child care centres down, it’s to raise standards up. What it will do is set conditions on centres that if they don’t meet the sort of standards that parents expect and that our kids deserve, then funding will be suspended or removed entirely. And, as I said, the purpose of this is not to shut centres down but to lift standards up. It’s just one of the things that we need to do to improve the safety of children in our child care centres. 

    Today I’m also releasing this document, which is a roadmap of some of the key reforms that we will roll out in education over the next 12 months. It doesn’t set out everything, but it sets out some of the key reforms, including this legislation to cut student debt by 20 per cent, including this legislation to cut funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch. But this year we will also introduce legislation to improve the integrity of the international education system and legislation to permanently establish an Australian Tertiary Education Commission. That and much more that’s needed to make our education system better and fairer and safer. 

    Happy to take some questions. 

    JOURNALIST: Minister, on child care, when can we expect to see a national child care worker register up and running, and what’s the process from here to establish that? 

    CLARE: It’s a good question. I was asked this question this morning. Work is already underway on that. States and territories have agreed that we need one and we need to accelerate the work to stand that up. 

    The first steps are what the states are taking now – Victoria has already said that it will augment its existing teacher register to include the educators that work in their centres. They think that they can do that over the course of the next few months. What we want to do is see all states build that up and then join it up. So that work is underway with states at the moment as well as the federal authority that’s responsible in this area, called ACECQA. 

    JOURNALIST: You have acknowledged that the government has been too slow on child care reform. Who’s the minister responsible for that, and who do you hold responsible for the fact that it has been slow? 

    CLARE: I’ve been pretty blunt. I’ve said that, yes, action has been taken but more action is needed and it needs to happen quicker. I don’t think Australian parents are interested in excuses here. They want action. And action requires all levels of government to work together and the industry to join in as well. 

    Have a look at the revelations today that another 800 children have to get tested, blood tests and urine tests. Think about the anxiety that mums and dads are going through today, think about the trauma that kids are going to have to go through with all of that testing. 

    Now, the company that runs those centres should have known where this bloke was and when he was working there. The Victorian Government is working as quickly as they can to track all of this down. But it highlights to me the importance of having a national database or a national register like the one you just asked in the previous question so you can track people down when they cross borders, when they move centres. 

    JOURNALIST: And what point do you think it would become – you know, that particular case, that person moved around a lot. At what point do you think it would become suspicious if someone within the system was moving around a lot? 

    CLARE: So conscious this is a live investigation, so let’s pose this question in general terms. 

    JOURNALIST: Yeah. 

    CLARE: If we build this register the right way it helps us to identify or prompt red flags when somebody is moving for the wrong reasons. There’ll be some times people who will move between centre and centre because they’re labour hire, but there may be instances where people are moving from centre to centre because they’re quietly being moved on. 

    If the system works the way it needs to work, when something is not right, the police are called and the regulator comes in. And, if necessary, the centre is shut down. 

    JOURNALIST: We’re hearing some parents demand that centres only have female staff. What do you think of that? 

    CLARE: I think you might have asked me this question, Fiona, last week, there’s a bit of media about this. Have a look at the Four Corners evidence that shows that this is not just a problem with blokes. It’s a problem with women as well. We’ve had royal commissions. We’ve had the child safety review that I commissioned after that serial paedophile was arrested and convicted in Queensland. We know what we need to do here. In none of those reports did they recommend this. What they’re recommending is that register, they’re recommending national mandatory safety training so that the 99.9 per cent of people who work in our centres who are good, honest, hard-working people who love our kids and care for them and educate our kids have the skills they need to identify the person that’s up to no good, and things like CCTV so that we can deter bad people from doing bad things and help police when bad things happen. There’ll be individual centres that will talk to mums and dads about the way in which they operate in the system. But just cutting blokes out of it all together is not going to be the solution. 

    JOURNALIST: Is it discrimination, Minister? 

    CLARE: I don’t think there’s any example of any other profession in the country where it’s gender specific. The more important point I want to stress here is if we’re serious here about making sure that our kids are looked after and they’re safe, just identifying one gender is not the way to do it. 

    JOURNALIST: And also just on a follow-up on this matter, parents have naturally lost confidence in the system because of what’s happened. Some parents are now opting for in-home care where grandparents or relatives look after kids. Would you ever envisage a situation where the government might subsidise something like that, where parents or grandparents got paid to look after their grandchildren or – 

    CLARE: That’s not something the government is considering. 

    What we want to make sure of is that the system is as safe as it needs to be. We want it to be affordable, we want it to be accessible, but most important of all we want our kids to be as safe as they possibly can be. 

    Now, this is an essential service for mums and dads. There’s more than a million mums and dads out there today who are watching this, it might be in their own workplace. They might be working from home, but they know how important this is. They can’t live the lives that they’re living without this. But it’s also important for their kids, too. It’s providing them with the building blocks for the education they’re yet to have. 

    If you ask principals and teachers at schools, they’ll tell you that they can identify the kids when they first arrive at primary school that have been in early education and care, whether it’s sitting up straight, whether it’s listening or whether it’s having those literacy and numeracy fundamentals. All of those things make them ready to learn. 

    Now, at the moment there’s lots of kids in early education and care, but there’s some that are still missing out because they’re from really poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. And they start school already behind. So, we’ve got to make the system better. We’ve got to make the system fairer. But, most importantly, we need to make the system safer. 

    JOURNALIST: Do you support Jillian Segal’s policies to withhold funding from universities if they fail to stop or address antisemitism? 

    CLARE: So, we’re considering Jillian Segal’s report, the Special Envoy on antisemitism. I won’t respond today to those recommendations. But there are things that we are already doing in this space. I need to underline the point that there is no place for the poison of antisemitism in our universities. 

    JOURNALIST: So, you won’t say whether you support – 

    CLARE: Hang on. 

    JOURNALIST: Sorry. 

    CLARE: There’s no place for the poison of racism in all of its ugly and obnoxious forms in our universities or anywhere else. I’m not going to say today what our response to that recommendation will be. What I will say is we’ve taken a number of steps already. We’ve established a National Student Ombudsman for the first time so students that make complaints to their universities that are unheard have an independent person to complain to. And that ombudsman is up and running right now. 

    Second is TEQSA, who is the higher education regulator, already has powers in this area, whether it’s to put conditions on universities or to apply to a court to impose fines on universities. There’s an open question about the powers that TEQSA has today and whether they should be changed. That’s something that is being considered right now as part of a broader review of university governance. 

    The other thing I would say is that I don’t intend to look at this report in isolation. But next month the Government will receive a report from the Special Envoy in Combating Islamophobia, and so we wait to see what his recommendations will be. And broader than that, I’ve asked the Race Discrimination Commissioner to conduct a review of racism in our universities. The fact is it exists in our universities in all its ugly forms – ask Indigenous students, ask Islamic students, ask Asian students, ask international students, ask the people who work in our universities of different backgrounds, and they’ll tell you that it is real and that action is needed. 

    Before we consider those recommendations to their final conclusion, I want to look at the recommendations of the Special Envoy on Islamophobia, and I also want to see the work of the Race Discrimination Commissioner. 

    JOURNALIST: Just on that same topic, does that mean you probably won’t expect the Government’s response to those recommendations, including funding, until after those reports come down? And there were also some specific mentions of social media and growing antisemitism amongst young people because of social media. Would you back an awareness campaign or the report’s recommendation of a project to support trusted voices to publicly refute antisemitic views? 

    CLARE: That’s a little outside my portfolio. I’d make the general point that social media plays a role here. It’s not the only reason, but one of the benefits of removing access to social media for young people under the age of 16 might be that less of this poison enters the ears and eyeballs of our young Australians. 

    On your first question, we expect to see that report from the Special Envoy on Islamophobia next month. We’ll get the report from the Race Discrimination Commissioner later this year. But I do think I need to look at all of those reports that might make different recommendations here. I want to tackle racism in whatever form it comes. 

    JOURNALIST: So, it would be a holistic response, not just addressing antisemitism? 

    CLARE: There are recommendations in that report that apply to education. There’s recommendations that apply to other parts of government as well. 

    JOURNALIST: So, it won’t be accepted in full, the recommendations? 

    CLARE: I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth. 

    JOURNALIST: At the same time, then? 

    CLARE: I’m saying that we’re considering it carefully. We’ve got to consult as part of that. I want to see what the Special Envoy on Islamophobia has to say as well. I think that’s fair. I think that’s the right thing to do. But it’s not just antisemitism and it’s not just Islamophobia – ask Indigenous kids at university today and they’ll say, “well, don’t forget me.” 

    JOURNALIST: So next month we’ll expect – 

    CLARE: Next month, we’ll receive the report from the Special Envoy on Islamophobia. 

    JOURNALIST: And then you’ll hand down – or you’ll say whether you adopt the recommendations? 

    CLARE: Next month we’ll receive the report from the Special Envoy on Islamophobia. Later this year, we’ll get the report from the Race Discrimination Commissioner, which will look at this across the board. 

    JOURNALIST: And I do have just one more on funding and then we can go back to child care. But there have been some comparisons of this funding issue to the Trump administration, what we’ve seen with Harvard and Columbia University. Is that really something that a Labor Government would consider doing – removing funding from a public institution? So, isn’t that kind of a gross overreach, as some people have said? 

    CLARE: I’ll make no comment on that. Have a look at my previous answer. I made the point that TEQSA, the regulator, has powers here already. They’re different in kind to what’s being recommended in this report. But they enable TEQSA to go in and either put conditions on a university or to penalise them, to apply to a court to issue fines. There’s an open question about the role that TEQSA plays here. They’re already playing an important role in helping universities to lift their standards. I mentioned a couple of pieces of work that are ongoing in Government at the moment. There’s a separate piece of work on improving the governance of our universities generally. You would have seen reports today from chancellors, which I welcome, about how do we improve the way in which decisions are made about the remuneration of vice chancellors. That makes sense on its face to me, but that body that’s doing that work about the governance of our universities will present its recommendations to Government in October of this year. 

    JOURNALIST: On that, can I just ask you – this is a bit outlandish – but do you think VCs are overpaid? 

    CLARE: Well –

    JOURNALIST: Given that 

    CLARE: My answer to that is that I think it makes sense – I think it makes a lot of sense, the decisions around the pay of vice-chancellors to be considered by the Remuneration Tribunal. That’s what chancellors have suggested today. When you think about it, public universities are largely funded by public funds. Politicians’ salaries are set by the Remuneration Tribunal. So are the salaries of judges and public servants. But I will wait to see that report, which we’ll get in a couple of months, about reforms to the governance of universities, not just salaries of vice‑chancellors but also what more we need to do in areas of wage theft and making sure that everybody who works in universities are properly paid. And then broader reforms that they’re considering about the councils, the senates, the boards of universities, how they operate, who are represented on them, to make sure that our universities are fit for the future.

    Our universities are incredibly important and they’re going to be more important tomorrow than they are today, just like TAFEs. When I was a kid less than 10 per cent of people had a university degree. Now it’s almost 50 per cent. We know that by the middle of this decade even more kids will go on to uni and more will go on to TAFE, and we’ve got to make sure that our whole tertiary education system is set up for them. And this is part of it. 

    JOURNALIST: Oh, hi Minister Clare, just back to child care, we learned yesterday that accused paedophile Joshua Brown worked at an additional four daycare centres, bringing the total now to 23. My question is: does the casualised nature of the workforce pose risks to children? And how will a centralised system for monitoring workers that you have planned actually work? 

    CLARE: This question gives me an opportunity to talk about the pay rise that’s rolling out for child care workers now. My older cousin has worked in the sector for 30 years. I remember when my eldest was first in child care I said, “how do I pick a good centre?” And she said, “find a place where the team has been there forever. Where they’re permanent and where they love working there and they all know each other, and they all know the kids.” Right. One of the benefits of paying people more is more people want to do the job. And we’ve seen already with the start of the rollout of the 15 per cent pay rise, more people applying to work in the sector and drop in vacancies. That’s going to help with that balance about permanency as well as casual workers. 

    I really do worry that with all of the horror that mums and dads are experiencing that people who work in this sector are just as angry and just as horrified with what they’re seeing and that a lot of people are feeling like there’s a target on their back and that they might not want to work here. We need good people in this sector more than ever, and this pay rise is one part of that. 

    In terms of how the register will work, that’s something that my Department is working with state and territory departments on right now. We’ve agreed that we need to do it. We’re working on the system and how it should work. I talked about setting it up and joining it up. And this will be one of the things that’s considered when education ministers meet for a standalone meeting on child safety next month. 

    JOURNALIST: Can I ask one more question about the Segal recommendations? 

    CLARE: Sure. 

    JOURNALIST: Former Labor Minister Ed Husic today came out and sort of told the Government not to be too heavy-handed, is how he put it, in responding to the antisemitism crisis. Do you have any thoughts on that? And do you think the report enacted in full would be too heavy-handed? 

    CLARE: It may be an opportunity to say that Ed’s a great bloke and he’s one of my best mates, and I take his counsel and advice all the time. And I think you can see from my answer today that this is something that we’re going to give careful consideration to, having a look at it not in isolation but having a look at racism in all its ugly forms across our universities and across our community.

    JOURNALIST: Is this something that you think that federal resources should be used to police, when it comes to universities and how they deal with these things? 

    CLARE: Sorry, Fi, just explain a little. 

    JOURNALIST: Is it – so when we’re talking about universities dealing with antisemitism and other related issues, should federal resources be used to monitor how they’re going with that? 

    CLARE: They already are. They already are. When you think about the decision that I made and that I got states to agree to set up the student ombudsman, it was very much about that. It wasn’t just about that. All of the horrific evidence that came to me when I first got this position about the sexual assault and harassment of particularly female students in our universities, in particular, in student accommodation, made me believe that action was required, and action was taken. And that’s why that ombudsman was set up. 

    That involves, I think more than $50 million dollars of taxpayer money, Commonwealth money, to set that agency up, to set that ombudsman up. And we’ve given that ombudsman real teeth so that when she makes a recommendation universities have to implement it. There’ll be legislation I’ll re-introduce into the parliament around that as well when parliament returns. 

    The investment that we’ve made to ask the Race Discrimination Commissioner to conduct a review into respect at unis, into racism in our universities, I think is evidence that I do believe the Commonwealth has a role here to make sure that our universities are safe places too, that many don’t feel afraid to go to uni. We want more people to want to study at uni. These are places where people study, work and live. They’ve got to be as safe as they possibly can be. There is no place for any type of racism in our country, whether it’s in our unis or anywhere else. 

    JOURNALIST: Dom, anything from you? 

    JOURNALIST: Yes, thank you. Just want to go back to the HECS stuff. 

    CLARE: Sure, mate. 

    JOURNALIST: And ask: with the introduction of the legislation next week, after that, when can we expect the next tranche of university reforms from the Accord? Do you have – is HECS still the focus of that tranche in terms of, you know, how it’s indexed, some other tweaks that can be made, will that be looked at soon? 

    CLARE: Thanks for the question. It’s an opportunity for me to explain in a little bit more detail the bill that will go in next week. 

    Number one, it will cut student debt by 20 per cent, but it will also make structural changes to the way HECS, or student debt operates. It will increase the amount of money you have to earn before you start paying off HECS from 54,000 to I think it’s about $67,000. 

    So, in other words, you don’t start paying off your university degree until your degree starts to pay off for you. And it makes an even more important structural change to the way in which you pay off the debt. It will effectively reduce the amount that you have to pay off each and every year when you’re on a low income. 

    So, the best way to explain that is if you’re on an income of $70,000 today, when this legislation passes it will reduce the minimum amount you have to repay every year by about $1,300. So that’s a real cost of living benefit for a lot of people that are on very modest incomes. 

    JOURNALIST: Just a two-parter then, still on HECS: in terms of has any modelling been done that by raising that people are worse off in the long term? For example, less payments equals more money that then gets indexed each year, so if you don’t reach that threshold, you know, for three more years, you’ve got a higher HECS debt that gets indexed and it kind of compounds? 

    CLARE: Okay, that’s an important opportunity to make the point that this is a minimum repayment. There is nothing that stops or will stop people from making additional repayments if they choose to do so.

    JOURNALIST: And then the indexation – sorry, just to clarify – the indexation I was referring to was how HECS, the money gets taken out every month, but then it gets only subtracted, I think, from the debt at the end of each year, or in June or something like that. So, indexation is applied. 

    CLARE: Okay. 

    JOURNALIST: Is that what you’re looking at as well? Is that part of the next tranche? 

    CLARE: So, in last year’s budget we announced part 1 of our response to the Universities Accord. This is a blueprint for the next decade. It’s a big report with a lot of recommendations. We have implemented now in part or in full about 31 of those recommendations. But over the – in part with the support of the Tertiary Education Commission, which has now been established in an interim reform a week or so ago, we will now look at other recommendations in that report and what the next steps need to be in reforming our higher education system, in making it better and fairer. And in the report, I released today, it touches on some of those things. 

    One of them, which is not the sexiest thing – it won’t make the front page of the paper – but it’s a structural change which is going to be very important is changing the way we fund our universities. That will start from January of next year. And the introduction for the first time ever of real needs-based funding for our universities. 

    Last year I struck agreements with every state and territory to fix the funding of our public schools on a needs-basis, like David Gonski said we should all those years ago. Now we want to apply the same sort of model to our universities, so funding follows the students and more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, from the outer suburbs of our cities, from our regions who need more support to not just start a degree but finish a degree get it. 

    JOURNALIST: And that includes the Jobs Ready Graduate Scheme? 

    CLARE: That’s something we’re asking ATEC to have a look at. All right. Thank you.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free and low-cost things to do in Leeds over the summer holidays

    Source: City of Leeds

    Summer Reading Challenge at Leeds Libraries
    The 2025 Summer Reading Challenge has begun and is a free holiday activity for children aged 4 to 11. It’s all about reading for fun, aiming to improve children’s reading skills and confidence. Children can read anything they like and collect free rewards for their reading, including a bookmark, pop badge and wooden medal. This year’s theme is Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors and will inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature.
    Monday 7 July to Friday 22 August, various library locations, cost: free

    Butterfly Fever at Tropical World
    As part of the Big Butterfly Count 2025 enjoy a special weekend of activities on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July, inside the zoo and at the Wildflower Meadows in Roundhay Park (weather permitting). The Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire team will be on site with lots of information on these fascinating creatures. Pick up your free copy of the Butterfly ID chart and head down to the Wildflower Meadow to record the number and type of butterflies you spot in a 15-minute slot – don’t forget to submit your sightings!
    Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 July, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Big Butterfly Count at Tropical World

    A Lotherton Summer Holiday
    Enjoy all things summer at Lotherton this school holiday. With six weeks of summer fun, including a whole host of children’s entertainment, activities, and a family trail.
    Saturday 19 July to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission (some activities at additional cost)
    Find out more: A Lotherton Summer Holiday

    Summer Fun at Temple Newsam Home Farm
    Visit the farm’s adorable animals, rare breed livestock, and take in the stunning landscape of the Temple Newsam Estate. Families can make and take home their own special crafts, explore the exciting interactive trail, it’s fun for all the family. Don’t forget your camera, as there are plenty of photo opportunities!
    Saturday 19 July to Monday 25 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Summer Fun at Temple Newsam Home Farm

    Summer of Fun at Kirkgate Market
    Head to Kirkgate Market throughout the summer holidays for a range of family friendly activities, including arts and crafts, shows, circus school, bumper cars, interactive games, a climbing wall, and roller skating.
    Monday 21 July to Saturday 30 August, cost: free
    Find out more: Summer of Fun at Kirkgate Market

    Deer Tractor Tours at Lotherton
    Experience Lotherton’s herd of red deer up close as you are taken on a tour of the Deer Park in the Lotherton tractor trailer. Learn all about this magnificent species – Britain’s biggest native mammal – and discover the estate from a different viewpoint.
    Monday 21 July to Monday 25 August, cost: £7.50 per person + admission
    Find out more: Deer Tractor Tours at Lotherton

    Stories in the Streets at Abbey House Museum
    Stories from our Story Time exhibition have spilled out into the Victorian Streets! You can find Mrs Tiggywinkle doing her washing, the Hungry Caterpillar munching his way through the grocer’s shop and seagulls eating the Lighthouse Keeper’s lunch. Come along to spot the stories plus a range of trails and crafts to join in for the whole family to work together. Drop-in during normal opening hours. Don’t forget to check out our Story Time exhibition while you’re here, all about children’s books through the ages!
    Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Stories in the Streets at Abbey House Museum

    Breeze in the Park
    Breeze in the Park is back for 2025! Enjoy interactive play, arts and crafts, games, sports, food and, of course, Breeze’s famous collection of classic inflatables. Coming to a park near you throughout summer.
    Wednesday 23 July to Thursday 21 August, cost: £1 per child. Optional additional activities and food at additional cost. Inflatable fast track and various discounts available with a £5 Breeze Pass.
    Find out more: Breeze in the Park

    Story Garden – Code and Create at Leeds libraries
    To celebrate this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme, make your own Story Gardens in lots of exciting ways. Join our library team to code robot bees and programme moisture sensors to keep plants hydrated! A free family-friendly event recommended for children aged 7+. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
    Thursday 24 July to Thursday 21 August, various library locations, cost: free
    Find out more: Story Garden – Code and Create at Leeds Libraries

    A Magical Miffy Summer at Leeds City Museum
    Hop down to Leeds City Museum over the summer holidays to experience Miffy summer fun! Take part in sing-along storytimes, make Miffy-inspired wands, experience dazzling magic shows, and design interactive artwork at electric paint and animation workshops. There will also be a pop-up sensory room filled with dark tents, light-up toys, squishy floor tiles, dens and a bubble tube.
    Thursday 24 July to Wednesday 27 August, various times (booking required for some activities – please see website for more details), cost: give what you can
    Find out more: A Magical Miffy Summer at Leeds City Museum

    Steam Toys & Meccano Show at Leeds Industrial Museum
    Marvel at the displays of working steam toys and Meccano from local collectors at this fun and friendly event. Enjoy this annual event from the Friends of Pudsey Roller as enthusiasts and collectors bring in their steam toys and Meccano to share with visitors. There will also be a pop-up cafe selling delicious treats and raising funds for the Pudsey Roller.
    Sunday 27 July, 12pm to 4pm, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Steam Toys & Meccano Show at Leeds Industrial Museum

    Pot a Plant at Temple Newsam
    Head to the Walled Garden, where a friendly team will help you to pot up a stunning Coleus plant from the estate’s national collection to take home! Coleus are known for their striking, multicoloured foliage, and can thrive in both sun and shade, making them a versatile choice for any growing space.
    Wednesday 30 July, 1pm to 3pm, cost: £3 per plant (booking essential)
    Find out more: Pot a Plant at Temple Newsam

    Tooth and Claw Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre
    Discover the animal skulls in the Natural Science collection and learn about how some have adapted teeth and claws to find food. Get up close and personal to the claws and teeth in our collection! Why are they that big? Why are they that sharp?! Join us for a family workshop and tour of our amazing collection store.
    Wednesday 30 July, 10am to 12pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Tooth and Claw Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Mystery Matinees at Leeds Industrial Museum
    Enjoy a family film in the museum’s cosy, 1920s-style Palace Picture House. Please note, the museum is closed on Mondays.
    Tuesday 5 August to Sunday 31 August, cost: included in admission
    Find out more: Mystery Matinees at Leeds Industrial Museum

    Crafty in the Cloister at Kirkstall Abbey
    Take part in craft activities in the heart of the Abbey – the cloister. Every Thursday afternoon there will be new craft and colouring activities, reflecting on the nature in the abbey. The Cloister is the central courtyard in the abbey that served as a quiet area, surrounded by covered walkways to minimise noise and disruption. A quiet and meditative space for the Cistercian monks.
    Thursday 7, 14, 21, 28 August, 2pm to 4pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Crafty in the Cloister at Kirkstall Abbey

    Fladam presents…Green Fingers at Leeds libraries
    It’s Green Fingers’ first day at school, and so far nobody has spotted his bright green hands. But then… GOO! GUNK! GLOOP! What a mess! Why are they suddenly misbehaving? It doesn’t help that heinous headmaster Mr Marigold despises anything dirty… but is something magical going on? Maybe the answers can be found in the mysterious school garden? A family-friendly show recommended for children aged 3+. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
    Tuesday 12 August to Thursday 21 August, various library locations, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Fladam presents…Green Fingers at Leeds libraries

    Taxidermied! Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Join a Natural Science curator to look at how animals are taxidermied and preserved, and get up close to our animal collections. How are our animal collections preserved? Learn about taxidermy and the preservation of animals, and how they can contribute to the understanding of animals. After a tour in our store, we’ll be creating a shoebox scene of your own to take home.
    Wednesday 13 August, 10am to 12pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Taxidermied! Workshop at Leeds Discovery Centre

    Pattern Making Poetry at Leeds Art Gallery
    Creative family fun session with artist Kalisha Piper Cheddie. Use drawing and collage to make patterns on long pieces of paper that will be hung on the large walls in Central Court on the first floor of the gallery. While you’re there, take some time to find out more about Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s favourite music and poetry that inspired her exhibition, To Improvise a Mountain: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Curates. Drop-in, no need to book.
    Tuesday 19, Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 August, 11am to 3pm, cost: give what you can
    Find out more: Pattern Making Poetry at Leeds Art Gallery

    The Child Friendly Leeds 12 wishes represent the voices of 80,000 children and young people in Leeds. Working towards these wishes makes Leeds a better city for children to grow up in. This article is in support of Child Friendly Leeds Wish 7: Children and young people know about different things to do and places to go across the city. They enjoy different cultural experiences including art, music, sport and film. Read the full wish and find out more: https://wearechildfriendlyleeds.com/wish-7-things-to-do/ Child Friendly Leeds also have a great guide full of even more things to do in Leeds over summer. Take a look at their summer activities guide here.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • England fined, docked two WTC points for slow over rate at Lord’s

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    England were docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points and fined 10% match fees on Wednesday for their slow over rate in the third test against India at Lord’s.

    The hosts went 2-1 up in the five-test series with a thrilling 22-run victory but were found two overs short of target in a match where the Dukes ball went out of shape several times and had to be replaced.

    “England captain Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the International Cricket Council said in a statement.

    Players lose 5% of their match fees for every over their team fail to bowl in the allotted time. It also costs the team one WTC point.

    England slipped from second to third in the WTC standings behind Sri Lanka following the points deduction. Australia, who completed a 3-0 sweep of West Indies earlier this week, lead the standings in the new 2025-2027 cycle.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Join the celebrations! Applications now open for the 2026 National Multicultural Festival

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 16/07/2025

    Want to celebrate your culture, share your organisation’s valuable work, or take the stage at one of Canberra’s most beloved events? Applications are now open for performers and stallholders wishing to participate in the 2026 National Multicultural Festival, which will return from 6 – 8 February 2026.

    Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Michael Pettersson MLA, encouraged members of the community who are interested in being involved in the festival to participate in the open application process.

    “Canberra’s diverse community is the heartbeat of the National Multicultural Festival. I encourage individuals and organisations who want to help celebrate the ACT’s inclusiveness to apply to be part of the festivities,” Minister Pettersson said.

    “The fact that the National Multicultural Festival is community-led is what makes it such a vibrant and unique event, one that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Canberra City each year,” Minister Pettersson said.

    “Participating in the National Multicultural Festival is a fantastic way to reach new audiences and make new community connections. In 2025, more households than ever attended the festival, with 83,420 – or 41% – of Canberra households attending.”

    The National Multicultural Festival promotes equality, social cohesion and the sharing of culture through music, dance, language, cultural displays, food, learning, and interaction.

    Stallholder applicants can apply under four different categories:

    • Community (Food and Beverage; Retail Cultural Market Items; or Club – Food and Beverage)
    • Information (Multicultural; Diplomatic; or General)
    • Commercial (Food and Drink; or Retail Market Items)
    • Market Stalls (Community; or Commercial)

    The festival team, which sits within the ACT Government’s Health and Community Services Directorate, will hold information sessions over the coming weeks to help prospective applicants.

    The festival also welcomes local, national and international performer applications from a wide range of genres, including music, dance, song, spoken word, performance art, roving performers and ceremonies. Community Groups, professional and volunteer performers are encouraged to apply in the following categories:

    • Cultural showcase
    • Stage performance
    • Community workshop
    • Cooking demonstration
    • Parade participation

    Minister Pettersson said non-profit community organisations could apply for grants ranging from $100 to $10,000 for projects that promote community participation, inclusion and cultural diversity at the festival. The ACT Government’s National Multicultural Festival Grant Program is available for community organisations to assist with performance costs, materials, costumes, performer and rehearsal fees, travel expenses and Public Liability Insurance.

    Applications to participate as a stallholder or performer at the festival close on 26 August.

    More information on the application process and information sessions is available at www.multiculturalfestival.com.au.

    For more information about the ACT Government’s National Multicultural Festival, go to www.multiculturalfestival.com.au and subscribe to the newsletter.

    Quote attributable to Canberra Juventus Football Club:
    “As a first-time entrant to the 2025 National Multicultural Festival, the experience of the many volunteers of the Canberra Juventus Football Club was both a memorable and special time for the club. The festival provided the opportunity and surroundings that brought together so many families and friends, as well as both past and present members and players of the long-established Italian based heritage of the Canberra football club. This coming together is what the club believes in and shows the true essence of the ‘community of Canberra Juventus’. The opportunity allowed us to showcase our Italian heritage and passion, through our specialty food and sweets, our famous Aperol Spritz with fun Italian music. Importantly, we were able to express our passion for family and football which encapsulates the club’s objectives in strengthening community. We certainly hope to do it all again in 2026!”

    Quote attributable to Robin Zirwanda, Founder of the Assyrian Australian band Azadoota:
    “The vibe of the National Multicultural Festival is really welcoming. The festival audience is really responsive and eager to experience the culture we share through our music. And because the festival attracts people from so many different cultures, there is a real sense of collaboration and sharing between the audience and the performers. It’s a great energy.”

    – Statement ends –

    Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Grants supporting community gardens now open

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 16/07/2025

    The ACT Government has today opened the 11th round of the Community Garden Grants, which supports the growth and vitality of local gardens in the Territory.

    A total of $40,000, up to $10,000 per project, is available through this program for projects of different garden types including traditional food gardens, Indigenous bush tucker gardens, landscape gardens and sensory gardens.

    Applications for Round 11 of the Community Garden Grants program are now open and close on 5 September 2025.

    For more information and to apply, visit the Everyday Climate Choices website.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr:

    “Over the past ten years, the Community Garden Grants program has supported many projects across Canberra.

    Community gardens help reduce the urban heat island effect in our suburbs, as well as supporting the ACT to cope with the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events.

    That is why we have added the removal of artificial grass and replacement with more environmentally friendly alternatives as a priority of this program. Artificial grass can degrade into microplastics, displace natural systems that support biodiversity, and negatively impact greenhouse gas emissions and landfill.

    These grants can help with purchasing or hiring materials, equipment and tools, and to employ specialised contractors to build new gardens or enhance existing ones.

    I encourage everyone who manages a community garden or is thinking of starting one, to apply for one of these grants, which will not only promote healthy living supporting our environment, but also encourage our local communities to come together, get involved, and socialise with their neighbours.”

    Quotes attributable to Victoria Jewett and Tom Sutton, Old Narrabundah Community Centre:

    “The community garden in Narrabundah is in the heart of our suburb. The garden is overseen by the Old Narrabundah Community Council Inc which has a strong community base.

    The aim of the garden is to foster organic homegrown food and broader community involvement in the form of school participation and cooperation with local groups.

    In addition to growing vegetables, the Narrabundah Community Garden has fruit trees, berry fruits, communal plots and bee friendly areas of flowers and native habitat. Providing shelter, water and food for beneficial insects, has enriched the gardening experience in this space.

    As the gardens establish, workshops on composting, fruit tree care and soil improvement will be offered to local residents.

    Thanks to the Community Garden Grants, we have added new plots and members, repaired our shed roof and increased sustainability by installing a 5,000 Litre rainwater tank. We have also assured the future of the gardens with a new fence.

    In addition to members with plots, Friends of the Garden can also participate in working bees and growing food in some of the community plots on site. The garden is more than a place to grow food, it’s a place enjoy and be.”

    – Statement ends –

    Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Australia sign memorandum of understanding on implementation and review of free trade agreement

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — China and Australia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation and review of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    The document was signed by Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Australian Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ian Adams in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

    Since the China-Australia free trade agreement came into effect in 2015, it has greatly contributed to the fruitful development of trade and economic relations between the two countries, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.

    The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia FTA coming into force. The two sides will take this opportunity to maintain close cooperation, continue high-quality implementation of the FTA, and jointly review the FTA to identify areas for further improvement or expansion, the Commerce Ministry said.

    This will increase the level of liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, thereby providing a higher level of institutional guarantees for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, the department added. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prison (Amendment) Rules 2025 to be gazetted on Friday

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government will publish the Prison (Amendment) Rules 2025 (Amendment Rules) in the Gazette this Friday (July 18), which will take effect immediately on that day.
     
         A spokesperson for the Security Bureau today (July 16) said, “According to the Decision of the National People’s Congress on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security and the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has the constitutional responsibility to continue to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security steadily so as to continue to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security effectively. The Prison Rules (PR) have been in operation for many years. We need to review whether the PR can meet the needs of safeguarding national security and modern correctional institution management.”
     
         The spokesperson added, “Having reviewed the relevant law enforcement experience in the past in respect of custody of convicted persons in custody (PICs) and prisoners awaiting trial, potential national security risks and security threats that may be faced by correctional institutions in the future, and relevant law and practices in other jurisdictions (including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore), we propose to improve the extant PR, so as to ensure that we can effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security; continue to strengthen the legal basis for correctional officers in discharging their duties; maintain the security, good order and discipline of prisons; and facilitate the rehabilitation of PICs and protect their lawful rights and interests. We also put forward other amendments to strengthen the enforcement effectiveness of the Correctional Services Department. At the same time, we have reviewed and will amend other provisions with a view to making the PR more up-to-date and meeting the needs for the management of correctional institutions.
     
         “Amidst the present complicated geopolitical situation, national security risks still exist. It is necessary to amend the PR as soon as possible to prevent and resolve relevant risks in a timely manner, the earlier the better, for safeguarding national security effectively.
     
         “The Amendment Rules will be tabled at the Legislative Council (LegCo) for negative vetting on July 23. The Government will proactively facilitate the scrutiny work of the LegCo, with a view to further strengthening the solid defence in safeguarding national security.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Former winery lost at Nichols Point

    Source:

    A once much-loved winery at Nichols Point which was recently destroyed by fire has greatly impacted the local community.

    Around 11pm on Wednesday 9 July, CFA responded to a structure fire on Ginquam Avenue in Nichols Point.

    Crews arrived to find the winery well alight and worked hard to suppress the fire.

    CFA had eight units on scene from Irymple, Mildura, and Red Cliffs, supported by two Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews.

    Incident Controller and Captain of Irymple Fire Brigade Andrew Millen said the incident was complex and challenging.

    “On arrival the external walls had fallen in as well as the roof,” he said.

    “We requested additional resources because we knew we were in for a long fire fight.

    “The weather was also a challenge; it was sleeting with rain and a very strong wind.”

    Inside the premises were also some vintage cars and several pianos.

    The venue was a popular local spot and the impact of the fire will be felt in the community.

    Andrew said the incident required a strategic, dynamic plan to be implemented and as a result of this approach crews from CFA and FRV worked together to bring the fire under control. 

    “It was a great team effort for all involved,” he said.

    “The fire was in Irymple’s primary area of response, however given its size and complexity we were really well supported by FRV and surrounding CFA brigades.”

    The incident was declared under control at 12.14am Thursday and safe at 10.58am Friday 11 July.

    The fire was not suspicious and was deemed accidental.

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Concern for Welfare – Wadeye

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force hold concerns for the welfare of 31-year-old Ralph Amital.

    Ralph last seen at around 10am on Monday 14 July 2025, walking away from Nama Outstation, approximately 40kms inland from Wadeye community.  

    Ralph was last seen wearing dark jeans and a green sleeveless top.

    A search operation is currently being coordinated by the NT Police Search and Rescue Section with the assistance of local Police, NT Emergency Service and Rangers.

    His family and police hold concerns for his welfare and if anybody has sighted Ralph or has any further information, please contact 131 444 or visit your local station.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Stolen motor vehicle – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has charged a 23-year-old female after a vehicle was stolen from the Katherine Showgrounds last night.

    About 10:30pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received reports of a silver Toyota Hilux being stolen from the showgrounds while the owner was unloading items from the rear of the vehicle.

    Police members responded and observed the vehicle on Murray Street a short time later. A pursuit was commenced with the stolen vehicle and shortly terminated for safety reasons.

    About 12am, the JESCC received reports of a burglary at a café on Katherine Terrace. It is alleged a number of offenders forced entry and stole various items before fleeing in the silver Hilux. Police observed the vehicle travelling on Chambers Drive and attempted a traffic apprehension. A pursuit was initiated after the vehicle failed to stop; however, it was terminated not long after for safety reasons.

    Police CCTV Operators observed the vehicle travelling north over the Katherine high level bridge at 4:55am. All units coordinated an apprehension plan and tyre deflation devices were successfully deployed about 5:10am, on the high level bridge.

    The stolen motor vehicle was recovered on Riverbank Drive and police arrested a 23-year-old female as she exited the vehicle. The female was charged with Drive a motor vehicle without consent and she was bailed to appear in Katherine Local Court on 28 August 2025.

    Strike Force Cerberus has carriage of the investigation, and several alleged offenders remain outstanding.

    Acting Superintendent Warren Scott said “With the significant influx of people in Katherine this weekend for the show, we’ve increased our local police presence to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all.

    “Our officers will have a visible presence at the showgrounds and around licensed venues in the CBD to support a fun and secure environment for both locals and visitors alike.”

    Anyone with information in relation to this incident is urged to contact police on 131 444. Please reference job number P25189674.

    Anonymous reports can also be made via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –