Category: Business

MIL-OSI: Docker and WeAreDevelopers Bring World’s Largest Developer Event to North America in 2026

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BERLIN, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Docker, Inc.®, a provider of cloud-native application and AI-native application development solutions and infrastructure, and WeAreDevelopers, Europe’s leading community for developers, today announced a strategic partnership to co-host and launch WeAreDevelopers World Congress: North America, which is expected to be the continent’s largest developer-only event.

To be held in September 2026, this will be the first time WeAreDevelopers brings its wildly popular format across the Atlantic. Part tech conference, part high-energy festival, the event is designed for developers of all stripes, from AI engineers and open source contributors to backend devs and cloud-native builders. No hype. Just real tools, real stories, and real people building the future.

The event also signals a new era for Docker, blending its long tradition of engaging and community-driven developer events with WeAreDevelopers’ festival-like energy to create an experience that’s bigger, bolder, and more globally connected.

“Developers are the heart of innovation,” said Don Johnson, CEO of Docker. “We’re thrilled to join forces with WeAreDevelopers to bring this global experience to North America. This event will celebrate the energy, creativity, and ambition that make this community so powerful.”

WeAreDevelopers is recognized as Europe’s leading developer community, reaching over 2 million tech professionals through its platform. The organization is dedicated to supporting the professional and personal growth of developers by delivering valuable content, career opportunities, and outstanding events throughout the year. Among these events, the WeAreDevelopers World Congress has become a flagship gathering, attracting more than 15,000 attendees and 500 speakers, including tech legends like Steve Wozniak, Tim Berners-Lee, Amanda Silver, Joel Spolsky, and Cassie Kozyrkov, alongside rising stars and hands-on practitioners solving real-world engineering challenges.

The decision to bring WeAreDevelopers World Congress to North America for the first time reflects a shared commitment to the future of software and the people building it. As co-host and presenting partner, Docker joins forces with WeAreDevelopers to deliver something developers have been asking for: the return of a truly immersive, community-driven event in North America.

This moment is about more than scale. It’s about bringing the magic of WeAreDevelopers’ global conference to a new continent, and reigniting the spirit of DockerCon for a new era. With developers leading the charge into AI, cloud-native platforms, and open source innovation, this event will serve as a high-energy home for builders of all kind, a space to connect, explore, and shape what comes next.

“We’re excited to bring our signature format to North America—with big-name speakers, live coding, and the kind of hallway conversations that spark real innovation,” said Sead Ahmetović, CEO and co-founder of WeAreDevelopers. “Together with Docker, we’re building the most inclusive, high-impact developer event in the U.S.”

The announcement was made live at WeAreDevelopers World Congress in Berlin—first during an exclusive VIP event and then on the main stage just ahead of the European Coding Championships.

More details, including registration and speaker line-up, will be released in early 2026.

About WeAreDevelopers
WeAreDevelopers runs a global platform for software and AI expertise – connecting developers with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to grow. Through high-quality content, tailored career offerings, and world-class events, WeAreDevelopers supports the continuous development of tech talent and fosters a community of professionals who are shaping the future of the industry. The company gained global recognition as the host of the WeAreDevelopers World Congress, the world’s largest annual event for developers – bringing together over 15,000 participants and 500 speakers to share insights, exchange ideas, and explore the latest trends in technology. The international developer community gathers here alongside leading voices such as Steve Wozniak, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Joel Spolsky, Amanda Silver, Cassie Kozyrkov, Garry Kasparov, Thomas Dohmke, Stormy Peters, and many more icons of the tech world. Learn more about WeAreDevelopers at www.wearedevelopers.com.

About Docker
Docker drives modern software development by making it easy to adopt container technology to radically boost productivity, security, testing, and collaboration at every step of the developer experience, including emerging AI workflows. Embraced by over 20 million developers worldwide, Docker’s unmatched flexibility and choice make it the preferred tool for developers seeking efficiency and innovation for creating modern applications. Learn more about Docker at www.docker.com.

The MIL Network –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: International students’ stories are vital in shaping Canada’s future

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Emilda Thavaratnam, PhD student, Leadership and Higher Education, University of Toronto

Over the past decade, international students have navigated a complex and challenging landscape shaped by neoliberal policies.

Neoliberal economic and political ideology upholds entrepreneurship, individualism, free trade, open markets, minimal government intervention and reduced public services for citizens.

Read more:
What exactly is neoliberalism?

Neoliberal governance has transformed higher education into a mechanism for economic growth, shifting the burden of funding onto students.

As my doctoral research examines, international students in Ontario’s colleges of applied arts and technology face barriers related to neoliberal restructuring. Drawing on interviews with students and front-line staff, my study examines experiences across five key themes: pre-arrival, housing insecurity, pandemic survival, precarious labour and future aspirations.

Through these challenges, the resilience and drive of international students to build community reveal powerful forms of everyday resistance.

This has been seen through their front-line work during the pandemic, their persistent pursuit of education and their collective efforts to challenge marginalization. Their stories are vital in shaping Canada’s social, economic and educational fabric.

Shifts towards neoliberal education

Since the late 1970s, higher education in Ontario and elsewhere has experienced significant changes. In the province, public funding per student has steadily declined, shifting the cost onto students, with higher educational institutions adopting models of privatization and corporatization to survive.

Though higher education continues to serve the public good, these changes reflect a broader adaptation to the new economic realities driven by market principles.

As David Harvey, a scholar of urban and political economy, explains, neoliberal approaches hold that economic growth and prosperity occur when markets are allowed to operate with minimal government regulation. Over time, these approaches have shaped policies and practices globally across various sectors, including education, media, corporations and international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund.

Neoliberal policies are presented as naturally occurring or unavoidable; however, this framing prioritizes market principles over social protections and often masks the deeper political and social dynamics.

Education as a product serving the job market

Neoliberal values have reshaped the purpose and practice of higher education. The problem with this market-driven approach is it often prioritizes individual gain and profit over social equity and the public good. This shift aligns learning with market-oriented approaches.

Scholars concerned with the adverse effects of neoliberal education policy highlight how education is often treated as a product designed to serve economic interests, with measurable outcomes and links to the job market becoming the primary focus.

This shift is evident when policymakers and institutions prioritize competition, performance, metrics and individual achievement — often at the expense of collaboration, critical thinking and shared goals.

COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the effects of neoliberal ideology in higher education, revealing both the precarity of post-secondary finance and living conditions for many international students.

Read more:
The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of international students in Canada

When colleges and universities faced pandemic closures and uncertain enrolment, international students came under scrutiny as learners who pay high fees. They contribute more than $21 billion annually to the Canadian economy and pay an average of five times more than domestic students.

It also became clear that international students make significant contributions to Canada by working on the front lines in sectors such as health care, long-term care and food supply chains.

At the same time, this situation revealed broader tendencies rooted in the neoliberal market logic.

During the pandemic, the federal government acknowledged how it has positioned international students as a flexible, commodified labour resource integral to the Canadian economy and essential services. For example, in April 2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced it would “temporarily lift the 20 hour per week work restriction on study permit holders working off-campus during their academic session, provided they are working in an essential service or function.”

While international student contributions are vital, this framing begs deeper questions around the protection of international students’ labour rights, student well-being and potential exploitation.

Housing, food insecurity, high tuition

Before the pandemic, many international students struggled with housing, food insecurity and tuition payments due to work restrictions and financial constraints.

With the current cap in place as of 2024, it’s ironic that international students have been treated as both “essential” and “disposable” simultaneously.

Despite facing housing insecurity, food shortages and inaccessible health care, international students have continued to demonstrate their resilience and resistance. Their efforts extend beyond individual acts of survival.

Post-pandemic protest

International students have also organized petitions, protests and advocacy campaigns to challenge unjust policies.

For example, in November 2022, hundreds of students (domestic and international) rallied at the Ontario legislature in Toronto under the banner “Need or Greed.” A coalition of student associations representing 120,000 students united to protest.

The protests were partly a response to unfair and unpredictable jumps in already high tuition fees for international students: the average undergraduate international tuition fees in Ontario rose from about $35,000 to just under $50,000 between 2018 and 2025. The coalition urged the provincial government and Colleges Ontario to freeze tuition for international students.

Following these efforts, nationwide protests erupted in August 2024 when 70,000 international student graduates faced possible deportation due to tightened immigration rules. Students set up encampments outside the Prince Edward Island legislative assembly for three months to protest the 25 per cent cut in permanent resident nominations, which left many students in limbo.

A notable aspect of this activism was the solidarity shown from labour organizations and people across the country. Laura Walton, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, joined the protests in solidarity, stating: “Your right is our fight.”

The Naujawaan Support Network, an advocacy group for youth and international students based in Brampton, Ont., issued a statement declaring:“International students are not the cause of the crisis, but we are being made into scapegoats.”

Read more:
International students cap falsely blames them for Canada’s housing and health-care woes

Power of collective organizing

Collective organizing and calls for action are powerful acts of resistance that transcend the neoliberal ideology of individualism. Through petitions and protests, international students demonstrate a profound commitment to their education and aspirations.

As Canada continues to welcome international students, and post-secondary institutions, governments and public sector organizations navigate turbulent economic times, it’s essential to uphold the rights of international students.

It’s also essential to provide the support necessary for them to succeed and affirm their value as vital members of the community.

International students’ resilience offers a valuable lesson about the human capacity to reframe challenges and persist. Students and citizens across the country have a role in celebrating their contributions and building bridges to foster more resilient communities.

Emilda Thavaratnam 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. International students’ stories are vital in shaping Canada’s future – https://theconversation.com/international-students-stories-are-vital-in-shaping-canadas-future-258271

MIL OSI –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Gene-edited pigs may soon enter the Canadian market, but questions about their impact remain

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gwendolyn Blue, Professor, University of Calgary

The Canadian government is currently considering approving the entry of gene-edited pigs into the food system.

Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, genetic changes can be created precisely and efficiently without introducing foreign genetic material. If approved, these pigs would be the first gene-edited food animals available for sale in Canadian markets. My research examines how including the public in decision-making around emerging applications of genomics can help mitigate potential harms.

These pigs are resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a horrible and sometimes fatal disease that affects pigs worldwide. PRRS has significant economic, food security and animal welfare implications.

Read more:
What is gene editing and how could it shape our future?

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently greenlit the commercial production of gene-edited pigs. Will the Canadian government follow suit?

AquAdvantage and EnviroPig

In 2016, Canada approved the first transgenic animal for human consumption — an Atlantic salmon called AquAdvantage salmon that contains DNA from other species of fish.

This approval came more than 25 years after the genetically modified fish was created by scientists at Memorial University in Newfoundland. The approval and commercialization of AquAdvantage salmon faced strong public opposition on both sides of the border, including protests, supermarket boycotts and court battles. In 2024, the company that produced AquAdvantage salmon announced that it was shutting down its operations.

Read more:
The science and politics of genetically engineered salmon: 5 questions answered

In 2012, the Canadian government approved the manufacture of a transgenic pig known by its trade name, EnviroPig. Created by scientists at the University of Guelph, EnviroPigs released less phosphorus than conventionally bred pigs.

EnviroPig did not make it to market; the same year, the University of Guelph ended the EnviroPig project. Funding for the project had been suspended, in part because of consumer concerns.

Government regulation

Some researchers argue that government regulation of gene-edited animals should be less restrictive than for transgenic techniques. Gene editing introduces genetic changes that can occur with conventional animal breeding that is not subject to regulation. Gene-edited crops in Canada are treated the same as conventionally bred crops.

Others insist that stringent government regulation is necessary for gene editing to identify potential problems and ensure that laws keep up with industry and scientific ambition. Regulation plays a vital role in minimizing risk, encouraging public involvement and building trust.

Social science research has, for decades, demonstrated that resistance to biotechnology is not because of the public’s lack of knowledge, as is often argued by biotechnology proponents. Public resistance to biotechnology is better understood as a rejection of potential harms imposed by governments and industry without public input and consent.

Ethical, moral, cultural and political concerns

At present, little opportunity exists for public engagement in Canadian assessments of gene-edited animals.

Similar to the U.S., Canada does not have specific gene technology regulation. Rather, the federal government relies on pre-existing environmental and food safety legislation. Canadian regulatory agencies use a risk, novelty and product-based approach to assess animal biotechnology. From a regulatory standpoint, distinctions between technical processes — like transgenic modification versus gene editing — are less important than the safety of the final product.

The Canadian government has recently updated its federal environmental and health regulations. This includes introducing mandatory public consultations for animals (vertebrates, specifically) created using biotechnology.

Even with these changes, there’s still room for improvement. Public engagement is limited to consultations conducted within a short time frame. Interested parties are invited to provide scientific information about potential risks of animal biotechnology to human health or the environment, but comments that address ethical, moral, cultural or political concerns are not taken into consideration.

More broadly, regulatory and academic debates about the gene editing of animals are largely informed by scientists and industry proponents with considerably less input from the public, Indigenous communities and social sciences and humanities researchers.

Consulting the public

From a social standpoint, the process by which gene editing is assessed matters as much as the safety of the final product. Inclusive public engagement is essential to ensure that the production of gene-edited food animals aligns with societal needs and values.

Reactions to gene technologies are based on underlying values and beliefs, and sustained opportunities for public reflection and deliberation are vital for responsible innovation.

Important questions should be addressed: Who will reap the benefits of gene-editing techniques? Who will bear the costs and harms? What are the potential implications, including hard-to-anticipate social and political changes? How should decision-making proceed to ensure that Canadians have sufficient opportunities for input?

Currently, for the gene-edited pigs, members of the public can submit comments to the government until July 20, 2025.

Public reactions to previous biotech food animals in Canada — including AquAdvantage salmon and the EnviroPig — show that lack of inclusive engagement can contribute to the rejection of animal biotechnology.

Gwendolyn Blue receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. She is a member of Gene Editing for Food Security and Environmental Sustainability, a multi-university consortium based at McGill University, and funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

– ref. Gene-edited pigs may soon enter the Canadian market, but questions about their impact remain – https://theconversation.com/gene-edited-pigs-may-soon-enter-the-canadian-market-but-questions-about-their-impact-remain-260627

MIL OSI –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Returning to the office isn’t the answer to Canada’s productivity problem — and it will add pressure to urban housing

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Dilara Baysal, Research Fellow in Sociology, Concordia University

As companies face pressure to increase productivity, many are calling workers back to the office — even though there is limited evidence that return-to-office policies actually improve innovation or performance.

In cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where many major companies are headquartered, this is putting pressure on people to live near expensive downtown areas.

As of April 2025, average one-bedroom rents were $2,317 in Toronto and $2,536 in Vancouver, with North Vancouver even higher at $2,680. If return-to-office policies continue, more workers may be forced into these pricey city centres, adding pressure to already overheated housing markets.

Since early 2025, return-to-office policies have added to Canada’s housing stress. The Royal Bank of Canada, for instance, now requires staff in the office four days a week, and Amazon ended remote work in January. While rents haven’t jumped yet, similar policies in the U.S. have already pushed up demand, and may be a sign of what’s to come.

In Washington, D.C., rents rose 3.3 per cent after federal employees were called back to offices. Cities like New York and San Francisco also saw rent increases linked to companies like JPMorgan Chase, Meta and Salesforce reversed remote work policies.

The myth of office productivity

According to the Bank of Canada, Canada’s economy is being negatively affected by low productivity. Low productivity slows Canada’s economic growth and keeps wages low. It also makes inflation worse because supply can’t keep up with demand. A productive economy meets demand more easily, keeping prices stable.

In response, many companies are pushing return-to-office as the answer. RBC CEO Dave McKay endorsed a return to the office back in 2023, saying that “the absence of working together” has hurt innovation and productivity.

At Google, under mounting pressure to compete in artificial intelligence, co-founder Sergey Brin also pushed for full-time office work, calling a 60-hour week the “sweet spot” for productivity.

But recent research shows the story isn’t so simple. A University of Chicago working paper found that strict return-to-office rules can cause senior staff to leave, which hurts innovation.

Read more:
Working one day a week in person might be the key to happier, more productive employees

Another study of 48,000 knowledge workers in India found that hybrid setups — where some people are in the office and others work from home — can make it harder to share ideas and work together.

Meanwhile, a Stanford-led study found that working in the office just two days a week kept productivity strong and cut employee turnover by 33 per cent.

The determinants of productivity and their underlying factors. These determinants connect across industries, businesses and places.
(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), CC BY

Where people live matters more

Return-to-office mandates also aren’t a guaranteed way to boost productivity. A 2023 study supported by housing organizations across Canada found that affordable, well-located housing helps people find better jobs and specialize in their work.

But when housing costs are high and commutes are long, productivity drops, especially for lower-income workers. Long commutes and high living costs create stress, limit mobility and cause people to miss out on job opportunities.

Studies show that investing in technology and training workers matters much more. Research from the Canadian Research Data Centre Network finds that workplace training improves productivity in most sectors.

A recent report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation also shows that high housing costs make it harder for many people to live in big cities, which ultimately reduces diversity in the workforce and weakens the economy.

Affordable housing could boost productivity

Housing in Canada is often viewed in two ways. One treats it as a commodity, where prices follow supply and demand. In this view, policies focus on increasing supply and offering market incentives. The other sees housing as a public need and a basic right, and calls for government action to ensure affordability and stability.

Read more:
Housing is both a human right and a profitable asset, and that’s the problem

In practice, market forces can undermine policies designed to meet housing needs and ensure affordability. In Toronto, for example, developers resisted inclusionary zoning rules that require or encourage developers to include a certain percentage of affordable housing units within new residential developments. Instead, they delayed projects or chose to build high-end condos in different zones.

This tension between housing as a commodity and housing as a public good is central to Canada’s current housing strategy. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has pledged to build 500,000 new homes annually by 2035 using tools like public lands, modular housing and tax incentives.

While this supply-focused strategy targets long-term housing needs, it must also account for today’s complex economic realities such as inflation, increasing unemployment and economic stagnation due to lagging productiviy.

Without tackling affordability and access directly, building more homes alone won’t be enough.

Rising home prices and rents have played a major role in driving inflation. In Canada’s Consumer Price Index, shelter makes up about 29 per cent of overall household spending.
(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), CC BY

The real foundation of a productive economy

Return-to-office policies often focus too much on one thing: how much each worker produces. But that narrow view of productivity ignores what really supports good work: access to affordable housing, time for training and flexibility to relocate for better job opportunities.

To address productivity challenges, companies should invest in job-specific training, digital skills and ongoing learning to help employees adapt to new tools and processes, and the should offer more flexibility. What workers need most are affordable homes, shorter commutes and real opportunities to grow — not added stress and rising costs.

Dilara Baysal 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. Returning to the office isn’t the answer to Canada’s productivity problem — and it will add pressure to urban housing – https://theconversation.com/returning-to-the-office-isnt-the-answer-to-canadas-productivity-problem-and-it-will-add-pressure-to-urban-housing-260395

MIL OSI –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: ETHRANSACTION Introduces Scalable Cloud Mining Model for Everyday Crypto Enthusiasts
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LONDON, UK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin surpasses the $110,000 mark and the global cryptocurrency market reaches new milestones, ETHRANSACTION is making digital asset participation more inclusive with its fully automated, AI-driven cloud mining platform. Designed for ease, security, and global accessibility, ETHRANSACTION is changing the way people approach crypto income, without hardware, trading stress, or technical know-how.

Founded with the mission of making mining accessible to all users, ETHRANSACTION operates as a cloud-based AI mining pool and data center. With over 63% of the crypto market dominated by Bitcoin alone, ETHRANSACTION enables everyday users to participate in mining leading assets like BTC, LTC, and DOGE—all with just a few clicks from a smartphone or browser.

Why ETHRANSACTION Resonates with Global Users

What makes ETHRANSACTION stand out in a crowded field is its combination of simplicity, automation, and transparency:
- No Hardware Required: Users do not need to purchase or manage any mining equipment.
- One-Click Setup: Easy onboarding from any device—ideal for users of all skill levels.
- Round-the-Clock Mining: AI optimises performance and selects the most efficient cryptocurrencies to mine in real time.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Users can track mining output and platform performance via intuitive dashboards.
- Global Reach: Open to users across all regions, designed to scale with increasing adoption.
“We believe crypto mining should be inclusive, effortless, and sustainable,” said a company spokesperson. “Our AI-backed infrastructure and clean user experience are built to support both beginners and experienced crypto users looking for a steady, low-friction alternative to trading.”

Commitment to Security and Reliability

ETHRANSACTION emphasises safety as a core part of its user experience. All user data is secured with SSL encryption, and the platform maintains a long-standing partnership with Legal & General Insurance Company to provide additional reliability through insurance-backed support.

The platform also allows users to monitor plan performance and data integrity in real time, supporting full transparency in all operations.

Built for Flexibility and Everyday Use

Unlike traditional mining operations or speculative trading platforms, ETHRANSACTION is built to fit into everyday life. Its cloud-first, mobile-compatible approach allows users to activate cloud mining and track progress in just minutes—no complex installations or energy bills involved.

ETHRANSACTION continues to develop user-centric features, including
- Seamless mobile integration
- Scalable participation models
- Multilingual support for global accessibility
  Enhanced educational tools for new users
About ETHRANSACTION

ETHRANSACTION is a global cloud mining platform combining artificial intelligence, automation, and accessibility to provide a secure and intuitive way to mine popular cryptocurrencies. Based on a commitment to transparency and scalability, ETHRANSACTION aims to empower users with low-barrier entry to passive crypto participation, without the volatility or complexities of traditional crypto investments.

To learn more, visit: https://ethransaction.vip

Media Contact
Name: Georgina Godfrey
Email: info@ethransaction.vip
Website: https://ethransaction.vip
Location: London, United Kingdom

Attachment
- ETHRANSACTION
The MIL Network –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: ETHRANSACTION Introduces Scalable Cloud Mining Model for Everyday Crypto Enthusiasts
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LONDON, UK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin surpasses the $110,000 mark and the global cryptocurrency market reaches new milestones, ETHRANSACTION is making digital asset participation more inclusive with its fully automated, AI-driven cloud mining platform. Designed for ease, security, and global accessibility, ETHRANSACTION is changing the way people approach crypto income, without hardware, trading stress, or technical know-how.

Founded with the mission of making mining accessible to all users, ETHRANSACTION operates as a cloud-based AI mining pool and data center. With over 63% of the crypto market dominated by Bitcoin alone, ETHRANSACTION enables everyday users to participate in mining leading assets like BTC, LTC, and DOGE—all with just a few clicks from a smartphone or browser.

Why ETHRANSACTION Resonates with Global Users

What makes ETHRANSACTION stand out in a crowded field is its combination of simplicity, automation, and transparency:
- No Hardware Required: Users do not need to purchase or manage any mining equipment.
- One-Click Setup: Easy onboarding from any device—ideal for users of all skill levels.
- Round-the-Clock Mining: AI optimises performance and selects the most efficient cryptocurrencies to mine in real time.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Users can track mining output and platform performance via intuitive dashboards.
- Global Reach: Open to users across all regions, designed to scale with increasing adoption.
“We believe crypto mining should be inclusive, effortless, and sustainable,” said a company spokesperson. “Our AI-backed infrastructure and clean user experience are built to support both beginners and experienced crypto users looking for a steady, low-friction alternative to trading.”

Commitment to Security and Reliability

ETHRANSACTION emphasises safety as a core part of its user experience. All user data is secured with SSL encryption, and the platform maintains a long-standing partnership with Legal & General Insurance Company to provide additional reliability through insurance-backed support.

The platform also allows users to monitor plan performance and data integrity in real time, supporting full transparency in all operations.

Built for Flexibility and Everyday Use

Unlike traditional mining operations or speculative trading platforms, ETHRANSACTION is built to fit into everyday life. Its cloud-first, mobile-compatible approach allows users to activate cloud mining and track progress in just minutes—no complex installations or energy bills involved.

ETHRANSACTION continues to develop user-centric features, including
- Seamless mobile integration
- Scalable participation models
- Multilingual support for global accessibility
  Enhanced educational tools for new users
About ETHRANSACTION

ETHRANSACTION is a global cloud mining platform combining artificial intelligence, automation, and accessibility to provide a secure and intuitive way to mine popular cryptocurrencies. Based on a commitment to transparency and scalability, ETHRANSACTION aims to empower users with low-barrier entry to passive crypto participation, without the volatility or complexities of traditional crypto investments.

To learn more, visit: https://ethransaction.vip

Media Contact
Name: Georgina Godfrey
Email: info@ethransaction.vip
Website: https://ethransaction.vip
Location: London, United Kingdom

Attachment
- ETHRANSACTION
The MIL Network –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: JA Mining Expands Global Reach with Eco-Friendly, Hands-Free Cloud Mining Platform
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LONDON, UK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a world where digital assets continue to gain mainstream traction, JA Mining is redefining how individuals and institutions engage with cryptocurrency mining. By combining clean energy, automation, and an easy-to-use interface, JA Mining offers a forward-thinking alternative to traditional crypto mining and speculative trading.

Built for global accessibility, JA Mining allows users to participate in cryptocurrency mining without hardware ownership, technical setup, or ongoing maintenance. With thousands of users joining monthly, the platform is quickly becoming a trusted solution for anyone seeking a secure, transparent, and environmentally conscious entry point into the crypto ecosystem.

A Green Future for Crypto Mining

What sets JA Mining apart is its commitment to sustainability. The platform’s operations are powered by solar and wind energy facilities across Europe, North America, and Asia. By reducing dependency on fossil fuels, JA Mining not only lowers its carbon footprint but also aligns with growing demand from ESG-conscious investors seeking ethical and scalable digital income models.

“We believe cryptocurrency mining should be both profitable and responsible,” said a JA Mining spokesperson. “Our mission is to create a mining experience that respects the environment while remaining accessible to all.”

Technology-Driven, User-Centered

JA Mining is designed to work for everyone—from curious beginners to advanced investors. Key features include:
- One-click mining activation
- Intuitive, mobile-friendly dashboard
- Automated backend infrastructure management
- Energy optimization handled fully by JA’s clean-powered data centers
- Global access and multilingual support
Users can monitor performance, manage accounts, and access support—all through a clean, simplified interface that removes the learning curve often associated with mining.

Security and Certification

Headquartered in the UK, JA Mining operates under UK-certified regulatory standards and deploys enterprise-grade encryption to ensure user data and asset protection. The platform is continuously monitored and upgraded to maintain peak uptime and reliability across its mining infrastructure.

Shifting From Trading to Mining

As volatility and market fatigue increase among speculative crypto traders, JA Mining’s steady and transparent model is attracting a new wave of interest. Retail users and institutional partners alike are turning to cloud mining as a more predictable, hands-off income path in the digital economy. JA Mining’s growing adoption reflects a broader shift toward platforms that offer stable, ESG-compliant alternatives to high-risk strategies.

About JA Mining

JA Mining is a leading UK-certified cloud mining platform dedicated to delivering accessible, green, and secure crypto mining services. With global operations powered by renewable energy and automated systems, the company empowers users to participate in digital asset mining without complexity, while aligning with ethical and environmental priorities.

To learn more, visit www.jamining.com

Media Contact
Name: Anna W Hitchens
Email: info@jamining.com
Phone: +44 7751696528
Website: www.jamining.com
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom

Download App:https://jamining.io/jamining/

Company Address:
JA Financial Services Limited, 11 The Elms, Leek Wootton, Warwick, England, CV35 7RR, London, UK

Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, legal advice, or investment recommendations. Stock Trading involves risk and market volatility. Please research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions. Jamining.com and associated parties are not liable for any financial loss incurred.

Attachment

The MIL Network –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: Five Star Bancorp Announces Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release Date and Webcast

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Five Star Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSBC) (“Five Star” or the “Company”), a holding company that operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank (the “Bank”), expects to report its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, after the stock market closes on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Management will host a live webcast for analysts and investors to review this information at 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT) on July 24, 2025.

The live webcast will be accessible from the “News & Events” section of the Company’s website under “Events” at https://investors.fivestarbank.com/news-events/events. Please pre-register for the event using this link. The webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for a period of 90 days.

About Five Star Bancorp
Five Star is a bank holding company headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California. Five Star operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank. The Bank has eight branches in Northern California. For more information, visit https://www.fivestarbank.com.

Investor Contact:
Heather C. Luck, Chief Financial Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 626-5008
hluck@fivestarbank.com

Media Contact:
Shelley R. Wetton, Chief Marketing Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 284-7827
swetton@fivestarbank.com

The MIL Network –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: Five Star Bancorp Announces Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release Date and Webcast

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Five Star Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSBC) (“Five Star” or the “Company”), a holding company that operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank (the “Bank”), expects to report its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, after the stock market closes on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Management will host a live webcast for analysts and investors to review this information at 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT) on July 24, 2025.

The live webcast will be accessible from the “News & Events” section of the Company’s website under “Events” at https://investors.fivestarbank.com/news-events/events. Please pre-register for the event using this link. The webcast will be archived on the Company’s website for a period of 90 days.

About Five Star Bancorp
Five Star is a bank holding company headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California. Five Star operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank. The Bank has eight branches in Northern California. For more information, visit https://www.fivestarbank.com.

Investor Contact:
Heather C. Luck, Chief Financial Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 626-5008
hluck@fivestarbank.com

Media Contact:
Shelley R. Wetton, Chief Marketing Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 284-7827
swetton@fivestarbank.com

The MIL Network –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of CJS, Ag-FDA, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider draft fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch appropriations acts.

Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:

“Thank you very much Chair Collins, and congratulations to you on your first markup as Chair. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with you on this committee. I also want to thank Senators Moran and Van Hollen—our CJS subcommittee leaders; Senators Hoeven and Shaheen—our Ag Subcommittee leaders; and Senators Mullin and Heinrich for your work on the Leg branch—and for all the work that went into these bills today.

“We have an important job here today, to come together and work through our differences, so we can fund the government, help our families, and make our country safer and stronger. Help people, solve problems. That’s the job that I’ve been here for, for a long time.

“And over the past few years, we have—together in this committee, as Chair Collins alluded to—established a strong track record on this Committee of coming together, despite serious disagreements, to do just that with strong bipartisan bills.

“Now, the challenges we face—and the threats to this very process—are greater than ever before with a president and an administration intent on ignoring the laws that we write and seizing more power for themselves.

“And of course, for the first time ever, we are operating now on a partisan, full-year continuing resolution for all twelve of our funding bills, which turned over more say on how our constituents’ taxpayer dollars get spent to unelected bureaucrats than any of us should be comfortable with.

“In the face of these immense challenges and threats, I believe it’s more important than ever that we ensure our constituents’ voices are heard, by passing these bipartisan, full-year spending bills. We cannot afford another disastrous slush fund CR that lets political appointees and bureaucrats—who have never been to any of our states—call the shots.

“So, I’m glad we are here today taking an important step to do the hard work of finding common ground and advancing three funding bills that provide crucial investments to our country.

“These are not the bills I would have written my own. I’d like to do a lot more to help our struggling families and rural communities, and develop cutting-edge technologies and science here in America. And I will obviously keep pushing to do as much as I can, at every opportunity.

“But I also want to say that it is important that we do understand that we work together on this committee, do compromise, and pass our bills together.

“I also want to say at the top that I share Ranking Member Van Hollen’s outrage that this administration has—on a dime—attempted to reprogram funding secured for the FBI headquarters after this committee provided funds and a competitive selection process was run.

“It is emphatically not how things should work. But, yet again, we are seeing this President thumb his nose at Congress and do what he wants. This is really something that we should have been able to address in this bill—along with a lot else—and I am really disappointed that we could not.

“So, while I will be voting yes to advance this bill and keep the conversation going, and support this bipartisan process, it is an issue that I will continue to press on with Ranking Member Van Hollen.

“And I just say, I would caution this committee—if my Republican colleagues simply stand by and watch this, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to envision a future Democratic President who decides we don’t need to fund an FBI agency or building in another state and change the funding around, so I hope none of us want to help set that precedent for future presidents or generations.

“But at the end of the day, I do believe these bills are all a good compromise starting point—delivering critical resources to continue key programs and make targeted new investments, rejecting some of the truly harmful proposed cuts by the President, and steering clear of the extreme partisan policies he’s requested and that we’ve seen in some of the House bills over the last few years.

“At the end of the day, there is no question in my mind: these compromise bills offer a far better outcome for families back home than the alternatives of either the House, or another disastrous CR.

“The three bills before us reject efforts to slash meals for hundreds of thousands of seniors, funding to keep people safe, investments in cutting-edge scientific research, and a whole lot more.

“And more than that—these bills make essential investments to keep our country strong: from funding that keeps our families fed, food supply secure, and farms flourishing to funding that drives cutting-edge scientific research that is happening in our states, or fuels growing industries and small businesses.

“There is also funding for our communities to keep our families safe.

“There is funding to help each of us serve the folks who sent us here—investments in staff who help with constituent services, experts who provide crucial insights into legislation, Capitol operations and security that protect everyone who works here and comes to visit, and important investments in member security, as well.

“In light of the tragic assassination and attack on lawmakers in Minnesota recently, it is painfully clear we must do more to address the threat of political violence that really tears at the heart of this democracy. So I’m pleased to see some progress and new investments there—it is clear we’ve got to do more, I will make sure we continue that conversation.

“Bottom line, what we are doing here today is how the process should work: members coming together, writing bills with bipartisan input—and I hope we can continue this process with all of our bills.

“The challenges that we face are really immense, and it is so important that we do the job that we were sent here to do.

“But for us to be able to work in a bipartisan way effectively, that requires us to work with each other. To not just write bipartisan funding bills—but to defend them from partisan cuts sought by the President and the OMB director.

“We need to make sure decisions about what to fund—and yes, what to rescind—are made here in Congress, on a bipartisan basis, and within our annual funding process.

“We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work.

“And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues: my colleagues and I on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills—as part of these bills. And just as this committee has always done. Working together across the aisle to look where it makes sense to cut, or rescind, or reform. I believe that is the path to our collective success, and I hope my colleagues work with us on this offer and reject the rescissions package next week.

“So as we mark up this legislation today, I hope we all keep our eye on what comes next. We have nine more bills to get across the finish line, and these are decisions that will help us get there. And there are decisions that will make that task a lot harder—if not impossible.

“I spoke about this last week at the hearing with Director Vought.

“This mark up, these bills—they show the potential of this Committee when it works best.

“We have a powerful role here, where we can do a lot of good for the communities we represent.

“But I will warn everyone again, this Committee is not powerful just ‘because.’ It is powerful because we are able to work together to secure investments that actually become law.

“But if we choose to ignore that, this Committee can, and will, lose its power.

“If we start passing partisan cuts to bipartisan deals—how are we ever supposed to work together?

“That is not hypothetical—that is a real question that will be posed by any party-line rescissions package.

“There are two roads before us right now: there is the road we peered down at the last hearing. The road where this becomes the Rescissions Committee—looking at package after package of cuts, fighting over how much of the last deal that we will unravel, fighting over whose projects gets canceled, whose community gets robbed.

“And there is the road that we are taking a step down today—the bipartisan road. Where we actually work together—where we stand together—and get investments back home to the people who sent us here. I know where I want us to go.

“And so, as we vote on these compromise bills today, I hope all of my colleagues will not just join me in advancing these bills, but also join me in reflecting on how we got here, and how we can best move forward.

“We cannot take for granted the spirit of trust—the spirit of trust—that makes it possible for us to write bills together. It’s easy to damage, pretty hard to repair.

“Thank you, Madam Chair.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-France Leaders Declaration
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

UK-France Leaders Declaration

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the French Republic met today in Downing Street for the 37th UK-France Summit.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the French Republic met today in Downing Street for the 37th UK-France Summit.

The United Kingdom and France share a commitment to peace, democracy, the rule of law, the rules-based international order, and human rights. In an international context in which these values are increasingly jeopardised, France and the United Kingdom share a responsibility to stand up for these aims and values, as major European countries, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, major world economies, and open democracies. Our relationship and cooperation are fundamental.

Our two countries share a unique friendship, an intertwined history and profound connections between our people, businesses, and communities. As we open a new chapter in our bilateral and European ties, also building on the outcome of the first EU-UK Summit held in May 2025, we want to make our people safer and more secure, champion fair and lasting peace worldwide, deepen our defence and security collaboration, support competitiveness and growth for our economies, providing jobs, and prosperity to our countries.

Foreign Policy/Global Issues

We reaffirm our determination to ensure Russia does not prevail in its illegal war of aggression, as well as our commitment to lasting support to Ukraine, including security assurances that safeguard its independence and sovereignty. Today we convened the Coalition of the Willing bringing together more than thirty nations committed to Ukraine’s long-term security. We welcomed the development of mature operational plans to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased, and to help secure Ukraine’s skies and seas and regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces. We have agreed to launch a Counter-Shadow Fleet Partnership to crack down on dangerous Russian-backed vessels in the Channel, reduce Russian oil revenues via these vessels, and safeguard our maritime security. Alongside this, we commit to seeking a lowering of the crude oil price cap, further depriving Russia of the oil revenues it uses to fund its barbaric war. We will strengthen our joint efforts to prevent the supplying of dual-use components and weapons to Russia by third countries’ entities. We reiterate our readiness to step up pressure on Russia as it refuses to commit to peace. We are committed to defending democracy and stability in the wider European neighbourhood and have agreed to work together on new support to strengthen resilience in the Western Balkans and Moldova. We welcome the conclusion of the negotiations on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and urge the parties to sign this agreement as soon as possible

We reaffirm our determination that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. We will continue our cooperation, including in the E3 format with Germany, working with the US to ensure a robust deal on Iran’s nuclear programme that takes into account our shared security interests. We will continue to advocate for the resumption of Iran’s full cooperation with the IAEA. We are committed to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pushing for an immediate ceasefire, and the release of all remaining hostages. We reaffirm our commitment to recognising a Palestinian state, as a contribution to a peace process. We will work together to support its development and the realisation of a Two-State Solution. We are also stepping up our coordination on security and humanitarian challenges in support of wider regional stability in Syria and Lebanon.

Beyond Europe, we share a responsibility and resolve to defend our values and interests. As demonstrated by the actions of Russia’s enablers, our security is inextricably linked to the Indo-Pacific. We will strengthen our coordination and work together for a free, open, and sovereign Indo-Pacific through new joint maritime security training, reciprocal base access, and joint support to regional organisations. We will launch a Global Maritime Security Dialogue. We jointly reaffirm our commitment to peace and stability in the Korean peninsula, in the South and East China Seas, and in the Taiwan Strait, where we call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. We will keep coordinating efforts and initiatives to address peace and security challenges in Africa and their humanitarian consequences, in particular regarding Sudan and the Great Lakes.

We will continue to act through the European Political Community to respond to common security challenges, including irregular migration, and promoting stability and democratic resilience, competitive and economic growth throughout the continent.

We share a commitment to strengthening the multilateral system and working together for reform across the three pillars of the UN. We have today agreed to expand our cooperation on humanitarian disaster preparation and responses, and to coordinate our work on global issues such as climate change, poverty and promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights. We support the next phase of the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits by each committing seed funding to unlock philanthropic finance and sustainable nature-positive outcomes.

Defence And Security

The return of conventional warfighting at scale in Europe, combined with hostile state actors, hybrid warfare and disinformation, requires a new, whole of society and government approach. As Europe’s two nuclear powers and leading militaries, we share responsibility for the continent’s defence and security. We are united in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the immediate and pressing threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security.

Today we announced Lancaster House 2.0 to modernise our cooperation. Through this we agree to deepen and broaden our unique defence and security partnership enshrined in the 2010 Lancaster House Treaties, a core pillar of security in Europe, complementing our cooperation in NATO and reinforcing Europe’s contribution to it, as well as the UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership.

Deepening our longstanding and resolute commitment to cooperation of our independent nuclear deterrents, we have agreed to set out, in a specific statement, our contribution to the defence of European partners and NATO allies, and that whilst our nuclear forces are independent, they can be coordinated. We have decided to establish a UK-France Nuclear Steering Group that will coordinate policy, capability and operation.

We will launch the Combined Joint Force, to build a shared capability of sufficient scale for warfighting, and ready to operate in all domains, including space and cyber, in the defence of Europe. This evolution of the existing Combined Joint Expeditionary Force will continue to be at the forefront of Coalition of the Willing planning. We have also agreed the path for new military capability projects, including the next generation of our Deep Strike and Air-to-Air missiles.

We will deepen our cooperation on cyber issues, tackling the proliferation and irresponsible use of commercial hacking capabilities. We will address emerging threats, including in the hybrid domain, whilst harnessing the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies. We will maximise our impact against the highest-threat terrorist groups including deepening our counter-terrorism cooperation in Syria.

We are committed to redoubling our collaboration to ensure the Euro-Atlantic security architecture remains fit for purpose, with European allies both shouldering their existing obligations and fully involved in shaping any new arrangements. We will intensify our cooperation with Germany and other partners to this end.

Irregular Migration

The cruelty of organised gangs who smuggle individuals across the Channel at great risk to life blights both our societies. Today, we announce a strengthening of our cooperation to tackle illegal Channel crossings, focused on reducing the risk to life at sea, breaking the criminal gang networks through law enforcement cooperation, and working upstream to tackle the root causes and smuggling networks.

We continue to work together on novel and innovative approaches to intercept boats, exemplified by the ongoing French Maritime Review supporting enhanced Maritime co-operation, to ensure we adapt as the criminal gangs change their approach. We seek to use all the tools at our disposal, including both existing and new sanctions, to tackle people smuggling, trafficking, and organised immigration crime. In parallel, the United Kingdom is intensifying its efforts to reform its domestic asylum system, deliver on increasing returns and tackle illegal working.

France and the UK have agreed to trial a pilot to deter illegal journeys across Europe to the UK and dangerous small boat crossings while saving lives, as an innovative approach to break the business model of organised gangs. It will provide for the readmission of migrants directly to France after an illegal journey by small boat to the United Kingdom and will also offer a reciprocal legal route to the UK for migrants in France, with a principle of equivalence between the number of readmissions to France and the number of legal admissions to the UK. The agreement will be finalised and signed subject to completing prior legal scrutiny in full transparency and understanding with the Commission and EU Member states as this initiative is related to an EU external border, and implemented within a few weeks, subject to the above processes, with real-time monitoring. We are pursuing an ambitious approach that complements wider European cooperation on irregular migration, including working together to prevent irregular Channel crossings within the Common Understanding agreed at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May.

In this context, building on the Sandhurst Agreement, the United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to fund Maritime action, increased law enforcement response onshore and inland, alongside new joint upstream working to tackle the issue at source and in transit, through the existing financial agreement through to March 2026, and through the finalisation of a new three year cycle (2026-2029) as soon as possible.

Growth

We will ensure continued cooperation and leadership on economic sectors of the future, leading to more growth, skills, and high-quality jobs for our people. This collaboration will make us stronger, remove barriers, and boost our collective resilience and cooperation on economic security, including on critical minerals. We will lead Europe on safely harnessing AI to the benefit of our people and economies, partnering our supercomputers and incubators, and combining the forces of our world-leading universities and research.

We are committed to protecting our Critical National Infrastructure that underpins our thriving economies. Satellite connectivity is strategically important to Europe’s security and resilience and the UK’s investment in the Eutelsat Group is a demonstration of our commitment to this important technology, alongside the French Government and other existing shareholders. The UK will thus join, prorated to its current stake, the capital increase led by the French State and other existing shareholders of Eutelsat announced on June 19 – taking the total amount of capital raised to €1.5 billion. In the context of European Space Projects, we welcome UK suppliers bidding for supply chain commercial contracts when conditions are met. We will also work towards a resilient terrestrial alternative to Global Navigation Satellite Systems.

Together, we will lead the way for Europe’s transition to net zero, creating the green jobs of the future and securing affordable energy supplies for our people. Today we reassert our resolve to diversify civil nuclear supply chains from Russia, upskill our nuclear workforces, and manage a responsible nuclear legacy. We welcome the confirmation by EDF of a 12.5% stake in Sizewell C post Financial Close and the proposed issuance of a €6 billion/£5 billion debt guarantee facility to Sizewell C from Bpifrance Assurance export.

Today, we have agreed that our regulators will move forward in assessing interconnection projects under proportionately-agreed cost and revenue sharing arrangements between beneficiaries, aiming at delivering 1GW further interconnection by 2035. The delivery of further interconnection will be considered in line with national strategic plans. We will continue to work together on key technologies, including offshore wind, carbon capture, usage and storage, and hydrogen.

We agree to deepen our collaboration on transport, particularly across the Channel, seeking ways to support decarbonisation, protect maritime workers’ pay and conditions, and support growth in the international rail sector. We also welcome the newly-adopted full bilateral framework on the Channel Tunnel, supporting the continued flow of passengers and goods.

People-to-People

We are delighted to announce an exceptional cultural partnership with the unprecedented loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK, for an exhibition in the British Museum between September 2026 and July 2027, and the loan of the Sutton Hoo Treasures among other masterpieces from the British Museum, for exhibitions in the Museums of Rouen and Caen, recalling the deep historical ties between our two countries. This exchange will feature as part of the 2027 European Year of the Normans which will celebrate the millennium of William the Conqueror, through cooperation, cultural and educational activities that will recall the strength of our links, past, present, and future. We will celebrate artistic, educational, and community-driven activity through events and initiatives that will support our creative industries. We will also work together to celebrate the 2027 Grand Départ of the Tour de France from the UK.

We welcome the decision by the French government to facilitate the recognition by local authorities of UK blue badges throughout France for disabled drivers. We will expand connections between UK and French schools, supported by an extension of the arrangements we have made to facilitate school trips in both directions. We will maintain our working relationships on the introduction of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) within the agreed EU framework and timetable to assure security and fluidity across our common border crossing points. Finally, we welcome further constructive exchanges between our Parliaments.

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Published 10 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Titus, Cohen, Ciscomani Introduce Bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

WASHINGTON – Today Representative Dina Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus, reintroduced the bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, along with Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ).

In efforts to control equine populations, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently directed to “humanely capture” wild free-roaming horses and burros and set them up for adoption. To assist in the roundup, or “gathering”, of wild horses and burros, the BLM contracts directly with private enterprises, including helicopter companies, to pursue equines over long distances, creating situations that can be frightening and even deadly to the animals.

These roundup practices also come at a steep cost to taxpayers. In the past five years (2020-2024), at least $36.7 million has been spent on roundups, including over $6 million paid to helicopter roundup contractors in fiscal year 2022 alone. Scientific research has shown that more humane and cost-effective alternatives, like fertility control, are equally effective in controlling equine populations. The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, however, currently spends less than four percent of its budget on these methods. Rep. Titus’s Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 would more effectively advance the BLM’s directive to humanely capture horses while providing significant savings for taxpayers.

“Nevada is home to more wild horses than any other state in our country. Tragically, these animals are subjected to taxpayer-funded helicopter roundups and removals that are all too often costly, ineffective, and inhumane,” said Rep. Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus. “My legislation would eliminate the use of helicopters in BLM wild horse gathers and require a report to explore the benefits of alternative methods for humanely gathering horses and the workforce opportunities for traditional cowboys. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan proposal that would protect these icons of the American West which remain a source of pride for Nevada residents.”

“As one of the founding co-Chairs of the Wild Horse and Burro Caucus, I’m pleased to co-lead the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act to improve accountability and transparency of how these icons of the West are managed by the Bureau of Land Management,” said Rep. Cohen.

“For too long, wild horses and burros have been subjected to dangerous, cruel, and costly roundups that often result in the death of the animal,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus, I’m proud to support this common sense, bipartisan legislation that would eliminate the use of helicopters during Bureau of Land Management roundups and encourage more humane and cost-effective alternatives to manage these iconic animals.”

“The Bureau of Land Management is charged with humanely managing our nation’s federally protected wild horses, yet every year we see horrific fatalities during helicopter roundups — from wild mustangs running for their lives on broken legs to foals dying from exhaustion,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., equine program director for the Animal Welfare Institute. “Taxpayer dollars should not be funding this abject cruelty. We are grateful to Reps. Titus, Cohen, and Ciscomani for their leadership on this critical bill that would end the use of helicopter roundups and prioritize a more sustainable, humane path forward.”

“We commend Representative Dina Titus for her leadership in introducing the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025. This bill is a critical step toward ending the cruel and unnecessary use of helicopters in wild horse roundups and bringing long-overdue transparency to the Bureau of Land Management’s operations through immediate implementation of onboard cameras,” said Suzanne Roy, executive director of American Wild Horse Conservation. “The American public overwhelmingly supports humane, accountable management of our iconic wild herds, and this legislation delivers just that.”

The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 has been endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute and the American Wild Horse Conservation.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Titus, Cohen, Ciscomani Introduce Bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

WASHINGTON – Today Representative Dina Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus, reintroduced the bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, along with Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ).

In efforts to control equine populations, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently directed to “humanely capture” wild free-roaming horses and burros and set them up for adoption. To assist in the roundup, or “gathering”, of wild horses and burros, the BLM contracts directly with private enterprises, including helicopter companies, to pursue equines over long distances, creating situations that can be frightening and even deadly to the animals.

These roundup practices also come at a steep cost to taxpayers. In the past five years (2020-2024), at least $36.7 million has been spent on roundups, including over $6 million paid to helicopter roundup contractors in fiscal year 2022 alone. Scientific research has shown that more humane and cost-effective alternatives, like fertility control, are equally effective in controlling equine populations. The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, however, currently spends less than four percent of its budget on these methods. Rep. Titus’s Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 would more effectively advance the BLM’s directive to humanely capture horses while providing significant savings for taxpayers.

“Nevada is home to more wild horses than any other state in our country. Tragically, these animals are subjected to taxpayer-funded helicopter roundups and removals that are all too often costly, ineffective, and inhumane,” said Rep. Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus. “My legislation would eliminate the use of helicopters in BLM wild horse gathers and require a report to explore the benefits of alternative methods for humanely gathering horses and the workforce opportunities for traditional cowboys. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan proposal that would protect these icons of the American West which remain a source of pride for Nevada residents.”

“As one of the founding co-Chairs of the Wild Horse and Burro Caucus, I’m pleased to co-lead the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act to improve accountability and transparency of how these icons of the West are managed by the Bureau of Land Management,” said Rep. Cohen.

“For too long, wild horses and burros have been subjected to dangerous, cruel, and costly roundups that often result in the death of the animal,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus, I’m proud to support this common sense, bipartisan legislation that would eliminate the use of helicopters during Bureau of Land Management roundups and encourage more humane and cost-effective alternatives to manage these iconic animals.”

“The Bureau of Land Management is charged with humanely managing our nation’s federally protected wild horses, yet every year we see horrific fatalities during helicopter roundups — from wild mustangs running for their lives on broken legs to foals dying from exhaustion,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., equine program director for the Animal Welfare Institute. “Taxpayer dollars should not be funding this abject cruelty. We are grateful to Reps. Titus, Cohen, and Ciscomani for their leadership on this critical bill that would end the use of helicopter roundups and prioritize a more sustainable, humane path forward.”

“We commend Representative Dina Titus for her leadership in introducing the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025. This bill is a critical step toward ending the cruel and unnecessary use of helicopters in wild horse roundups and bringing long-overdue transparency to the Bureau of Land Management’s operations through immediate implementation of onboard cameras,” said Suzanne Roy, executive director of American Wild Horse Conservation. “The American public overwhelmingly supports humane, accountable management of our iconic wild herds, and this legislation delivers just that.”

The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 has been endorsed by the Animal Welfare Institute and the American Wild Horse Conservation.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
July 10, 2025 202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands:

“Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections. While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.

“My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.”

Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce. Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory.

“Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).

“That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period. We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added.

“Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories. Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico. I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.”

“While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
July 10, 2025 202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT ADDRESSES FEDERAL RECONCILIATION BILL IMPACTS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS RECOVERY PRIORITIES

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the federal reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump and its potential impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands:

“Last week President Trump signed into law his tax and spending bill, H.R. 1, which passed the House and Senate narrowly with solely Republican votes and several Republican defections. While the inclusion of permanent rum cover-over in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, represents a major win for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the culmination of years-long efforts by elected officials and stakeholders, as I have consistently indicated from the beginning of the year, the bill will also bring significant challenges to our territory through cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and other critical programs.

“My office has reached out to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and the Government of the Virgin Islands finance team to share our concerns and offer our support as we hope the local government will begin the efforts to prepare for these impacts over the coming years. It will be imperative for the Virgin Islands local government to focus on finding new revenues and act creatively to remedy the impacts of federal cuts locally. This legislation will require us to find additional sources for increasing revenues to the general fund to continue providing support to families—supporting new businesses, jump starting local small businesses and training our own local workforce to support the rebuilding and construction projects that must come online.”

Congresswoman Plaskett emphasized the importance of the Government of the Virgin Islands taking advantage of the rebuild to create additional revenue, ancillary businesses and increased workforce. Doing so means capitalizing on the cost-share waiver granted by the Biden-Harris administration, which has allocated billions of federal dollars for recovery projects across the territory.

“Seven years ago, our community’s infrastructure was devasted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, leaving our critical infrastructure decimated. Out of devastation came the opportunity to transform our territory and rebuild our critical infrastructure in a more resilient manner with profound funding from the federal government. In the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, I obtained provisions to allow the Virgin Islands to rebuild critical infrastructure with resilient design and features, up to the latest industry building standards and notwithstanding pre-disaster conditions in the Virgin Islands (the standard that normally applies).

“That change in law has meant the Government of the Virgin Islands has been allocated billions in federal funding for our schools, hospitals, water systems, power grid, communications infrastructure, and other critical projects. In 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that rebuild projects approved before September 30, 2024, require only a 2 percent local match instead of the original 10 percent, with other projects requiring just 5 percent – projected cost savings for the local government of almost $1.5 billion. This represents an unprecedented opportunity to complete our hurricane recovery while stimulating economic growth. However, the cost share is for a ten-year period. We must capitalize on this timeframe and utilize this opportunity not only to rebuild our infrastructure but also to attract small businesses and other industries to our territory,” Plaskett added.

“Now that the battle for the permanent increased rum cover-over rate of $13.25 is over, we need to focus on two critical areas related to the rum cover over: ensuring the Virgin Islands receives our fair share of worldwide rum cover-over revenue and working with rum companies to understand the utilization of funds for marketing and potentially increase the amount that comes directly to the Virgin Islands Government. Under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), rum produced outside the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and then imported into the US also has a rum cover over that is divided between the two territories. Under the CBI, that ratio should be based upon the rum produced by each, however there was never a change in ratio made when Diageo came to the Virgin Islands from Puerto Rico. I previously engaged both the Mapp-Potter and Bryan-Roach Administrations on this issue, and it is my hope that the Bryan Administration will take this matter up so the Virgin Islands will receive its fair share of the cover over. Additionally, we need to ensure the rum companies are utilizing these funds for the maximum benefit for our community.”

“While federal cuts will create challenges, we also have untapped resources and underutilized opportunities at our disposal. The key is acting decisively during this critical recovery window while building sustainable economic growth for our future. My team and I remain ready to work with Governor Bryan and his team along with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to ensure that we can not only weather these changes but emerge stronger.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today led 11 bipartisan members of Congress in introducing the PBM Reform Act, which protects patients and pharmacies from the harmful and anticompetitive business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).

“It’s time to bust up the PBM monopoly, which has been stealing hope and health from patients for decades. As a pharmacist, I’ve seen how PBMs abuse patients firsthand, and believe that the cure to this infectious disease is transparency, competition, and accountability, which is exactly what our bipartisan package provides,” said Rep. Carter.

The PBM Reform Act will:
- Ban “spread pricing” in Medicaid and move to a transparent system that ensures pharmacies are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
- Establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency.
- Promote transparency for both employers and patients in their prescription drug plans, with semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations.
- Require Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations.
Original Co-Sponsors include: Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rick Allen (R-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Rose (R-TN), Derek Tran (D-CA), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).

“For too long, pharmacy benefit managers have been allowed to operate unchecked, raising prices and preventing many patients from getting the medications they depend on,” Rep. Debbie Dingell said. “I hear from too many Michiganders, especially seniors, who can’t conveniently access the prescriptions they need, due to exploitative PBM practices complicating access to their local pharmacies. Their harmful, aggressive tactics are only getting worse, and we must take action now to protect pharmacies and lower patient costs. I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this across the finish line.”

“Unaffordable health care, unclear pricing practices, and a burdensome system that is difficult to navigate has created life-threatening barriers to care for Americans,” said Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. “At the heart of this problem are pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who withhold money from independent pharmacies, obscure drug costs, and make out like bandits, all at the expense of patients. This corruption of the health care delivery system must stop. For years, we have heard from small business owners, physicians, and patients about the damage greedy PBMs have inflicted. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to put an end to the extortion and lower drug costs through increased transparency and competition.”

“For too long, PBMs have served as unregulated middlemen, driving up prices for life-saving medications for patients,” said Rep. Deborah Ross. “Nobody should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table. Our bipartisan PBM Reform Act will protect Americans from abusive practices that raise prices and reduce fairness. I’m proud to work with Rep. Carter on these long overdue reforms. It’s past time to hold PBMs accountable and ensure every American can access the medications they need.”

“It’s time to put an end to the shady and manipulative practices of pharmacy benefit managers. For too long, PBMs have driven up drug prices and padded their pockets while independent community pharmacies are being pushed to the financial brink. My colleagues and I are committed to changing that. This legislation delivers long-overdue accountability, increases transparency, lowers out-of-pocket costs for families, and saves taxpayer dollars. Local pharmacies and the patients they serve are at a breaking point, and they deserve relief. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill and look forward to passing real PBM reform that will deliver for both patients and providers,” said Rep. Diana Harshbarger.

“Pharmacy Benefit Managers line their pockets and drive up the cost of life saving drugs at the expense of South Texans and the community pharmacies they depend on — this is shameful, dangerous, and must be stopped,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Buddy Carter that puts patients first, increases price transparency, and holds PBMs accountable.”

“PBM reform has long been a pressing issue, not only in rural Georgia, but across the nation. I am proud to work with Representative Carter on this commonsense package to eliminate the use of spread pricing, make prescription drugs more affordable, and establish rigorous oversight over PBM tactics that threaten access to care. Our health care system is in need of patient-centered, cost-effective, market-driven solutions and this package delivers,” said Rep. Rick W. Allen.

“I’m proud to co-lead the PBM Reform Act to crack down on abusive practices by pharmacy benefit managers and drive down the cost of prescription drugs for working families,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said. “This bipartisan legislation brings long-overdue transparency and accountability to the prescription drug supply chain, ensuring patients, not middlemen, come first.”

“Seniors should be able to fill the prescriptions they need without having to drive long distances or pay exorbitant costs,” Rep. John Rose said. “For far too long, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have favored large chains and driven away customers from independent pharmacies, especially those in rural communities. I am proud to co-lead this legislation, which will be a gamechanger for countless Tennesseans.”

“Southern California families are seeing their cost-of-living skyrocket, especially the cost of essential health care. I’m laser-focused on bipartisan, common-sense solutions that bring down costs and ensure that our economy works for working families. My experience running a community pharmacy with my wife showed me firsthand the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in how Pharmacy Benefit Managers operate. That is why I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort with Representatives Carter and Dingell to reform PBM practices, increase transparency, and put patients first,” said Rep. Derek Tran.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this critical PBM reform package, which cracks down on the exploitative pricing tactics of pharmacy benefit managers to make prescription drugs more affordable,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “PBMs’ shady practices have left consumers footing the bill and are driving many ‘Mom & Pop’ pharmacies in my district out of business. Our legislation will deliver long-overdue reforms to increase price transparency and protect patients. Now is the time for Congress to act and get PBM reform across the finish line.”

Background

Pharmacy benefit managers were created as middlemen to reduce administrative costs for insurers, validate a patient’s eligibility, administer plan benefits, and negotiate costs between pharmacies and health plans. Over time, PBMs have been allowed to operate virtually unchecked as they consolidated to where three companies now control 80% of the prescription drug market.

Vertical integration and a lack of transparency have led to pharmacy closures and higher costs for patients across the country.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

Headline: Carter introduces bipartisan PBM reform package

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today led 11 bipartisan members of Congress in introducing the PBM Reform Act, which protects patients and pharmacies from the harmful and anticompetitive business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).

“It’s time to bust up the PBM monopoly, which has been stealing hope and health from patients for decades. As a pharmacist, I’ve seen how PBMs abuse patients firsthand, and believe that the cure to this infectious disease is transparency, competition, and accountability, which is exactly what our bipartisan package provides,” said Rep. Carter.

The PBM Reform Act will:
- Ban “spread pricing” in Medicaid and move to a transparent system that ensures pharmacies are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
- Establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency.
- Promote transparency for both employers and patients in their prescription drug plans, with semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations.
- Require Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations.
Original Co-Sponsors include: Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rick Allen (R-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Rose (R-TN), Derek Tran (D-CA), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).

“For too long, pharmacy benefit managers have been allowed to operate unchecked, raising prices and preventing many patients from getting the medications they depend on,” Rep. Debbie Dingell said. “I hear from too many Michiganders, especially seniors, who can’t conveniently access the prescriptions they need, due to exploitative PBM practices complicating access to their local pharmacies. Their harmful, aggressive tactics are only getting worse, and we must take action now to protect pharmacies and lower patient costs. I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this across the finish line.”

“Unaffordable health care, unclear pricing practices, and a burdensome system that is difficult to navigate has created life-threatening barriers to care for Americans,” said Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. “At the heart of this problem are pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), middlemen who withhold money from independent pharmacies, obscure drug costs, and make out like bandits, all at the expense of patients. This corruption of the health care delivery system must stop. For years, we have heard from small business owners, physicians, and patients about the damage greedy PBMs have inflicted. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to put an end to the extortion and lower drug costs through increased transparency and competition.”

“For too long, PBMs have served as unregulated middlemen, driving up prices for life-saving medications for patients,” said Rep. Deborah Ross. “Nobody should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table. Our bipartisan PBM Reform Act will protect Americans from abusive practices that raise prices and reduce fairness. I’m proud to work with Rep. Carter on these long overdue reforms. It’s past time to hold PBMs accountable and ensure every American can access the medications they need.”

“It’s time to put an end to the shady and manipulative practices of pharmacy benefit managers. For too long, PBMs have driven up drug prices and padded their pockets while independent community pharmacies are being pushed to the financial brink. My colleagues and I are committed to changing that. This legislation delivers long-overdue accountability, increases transparency, lowers out-of-pocket costs for families, and saves taxpayer dollars. Local pharmacies and the patients they serve are at a breaking point, and they deserve relief. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill and look forward to passing real PBM reform that will deliver for both patients and providers,” said Rep. Diana Harshbarger.

“Pharmacy Benefit Managers line their pockets and drive up the cost of life saving drugs at the expense of South Texans and the community pharmacies they depend on — this is shameful, dangerous, and must be stopped,” said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Buddy Carter that puts patients first, increases price transparency, and holds PBMs accountable.”

“PBM reform has long been a pressing issue, not only in rural Georgia, but across the nation. I am proud to work with Representative Carter on this commonsense package to eliminate the use of spread pricing, make prescription drugs more affordable, and establish rigorous oversight over PBM tactics that threaten access to care. Our health care system is in need of patient-centered, cost-effective, market-driven solutions and this package delivers,” said Rep. Rick W. Allen.

“I’m proud to co-lead the PBM Reform Act to crack down on abusive practices by pharmacy benefit managers and drive down the cost of prescription drugs for working families,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said. “This bipartisan legislation brings long-overdue transparency and accountability to the prescription drug supply chain, ensuring patients, not middlemen, come first.”

“Seniors should be able to fill the prescriptions they need without having to drive long distances or pay exorbitant costs,” Rep. John Rose said. “For far too long, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have favored large chains and driven away customers from independent pharmacies, especially those in rural communities. I am proud to co-lead this legislation, which will be a gamechanger for countless Tennesseans.”

“Southern California families are seeing their cost-of-living skyrocket, especially the cost of essential health care. I’m laser-focused on bipartisan, common-sense solutions that bring down costs and ensure that our economy works for working families. My experience running a community pharmacy with my wife showed me firsthand the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in how Pharmacy Benefit Managers operate. That is why I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort with Representatives Carter and Dingell to reform PBM practices, increase transparency, and put patients first,” said Rep. Derek Tran.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this critical PBM reform package, which cracks down on the exploitative pricing tactics of pharmacy benefit managers to make prescription drugs more affordable,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “PBMs’ shady practices have left consumers footing the bill and are driving many ‘Mom & Pop’ pharmacies in my district out of business. Our legislation will deliver long-overdue reforms to increase price transparency and protect patients. Now is the time for Congress to act and get PBM reform across the finish line.”

Background

Pharmacy benefit managers were created as middlemen to reduce administrative costs for insurers, validate a patient’s eligibility, administer plan benefits, and negotiate costs between pharmacies and health plans. Over time, PBMs have been allowed to operate virtually unchecked as they consolidated to where three companies now control 80% of the prescription drug market.

Vertical integration and a lack of transparency have led to pharmacy closures and higher costs for patients across the country.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom

Source: ASEAN

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this evening engaged with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, The Rt Hon David Lammy MP, on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They discussed the latest developments and progress in ASEAN-UK cooperation and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Signs Legislation into Law Promoting Economic Development
Source: US State of Missouri

JULY 10, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, at bill signing ceremonies in St. Louis, Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bills (HB) 199 and 1041 into law.

Governor Kehoe joined St. Louis local business and community leaders and elected officials at Union Station to sign HB 199, which allows a special entertainment district to be established in downtown St. Louis. The legislation, sponsored by Representative Bill Falkner and Senator David Gregory, also modifies over 30 additional provisions relating to political subdivisions.
- Allows the St. Charles Conventions and Sports Facilities Authority to receive a state tax incremental financing (TIF) district without first having a local TIF.
- Allows Benton, Camden, Miller, and Morgan counties, as well as the City of Lake Ozark, to establish entertainment districts.
- Extends eligibility to the St. Louis Port Authority for the Waterways and Ports Trust Fund.
- Clarifies that the Kansas City Mayor must appoint commissioners to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority from candidate panels submitted by the Clay or Platte County Commissions when their respective seats on the board become vacant.
- Enables the establishment of a Clay County Sports Complex Authority, with similar powers and processes to those of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.
“I’m proud to be born and raised in St. Louis and remain committed to revitalizing downtown,” said Governor Kehoe. “This special entertainment district marks a new chapter for business and community leaders to promote tourism, public safety, and economic growth in St. Louis.”

At Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis Brewery, Governor Kehoe joined Missouri brewers from across the state to sign Representative Dane Diehl’s and Senator Kurtis Gregory’s HB 1041, which modifies regulations for alcoholic beverages.
- Reduces the malt liquor tax from $1.86 per barrel to $0.62 per barrel for all malt liquors produced at American Breweries.
- Expands current law to allow wine, beer, malt liquor, and spirits to be donated by manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and unlicensed persons to charitable or religious organizations and educational institutions for auction or raffle.
- Expands current law to allow cash rebate coupons for wine and liquor sales.
- Increases revenues deposited into the Missouri Wine and Grape Fund from $0.12/gallon of wine sold to $0.21/gallon, allowing the Missouri Wine and Grape Board to use the additional revenue to support the University of Missouri’s Grape and Wine Institute.
- Allows entities licensed to sell liquor by the drink for consumption on their licensed premises to be open 24 hours a day and serve alcohol from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m. the following day during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“We are proud to sign this legislation today, rightly branded as the American Beer Act, to help support and strengthen Missouri breweries, farmers, suppliers, and retailers who brew and sell American beer,” said Governor Kehoe. “Our state has a long history of being home to some of the best brewers in the nation, and by taking this action today to support breweries at a state level, Missouri is setting an example of supporting companies that are investing in American manufacturing, jobs, and communities.”

For more information on the legislation and additional provisions signed into law, visit house.mo.gov and senate.mo.gov. Photos from the bill signing will be uploaded to Governor Kehoe’s Flickr page. Additional bill signings will continue to take place over the next several days. For more information on the bill signings, view Governor Kehoe’s schedule.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 11, 2025

MIL-OSI: BJMINING Announces Global Expansion Initiative as Cloud Mining Surges in Popularity

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BJMINING, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency cloud mining platforms, today announced the next phase of its international expansion, following a surge in global user growth and mining demand. With over 5 million users and operational presence in more than 180 countries, the company is now expanding its data center capacity and launching a new set of global partnerships to meet increased demand from both institutional and retail clients.

The announcement comes as the global crypto mining market sees a renewed wave of interest, driven by rising Bitcoin adoption and increasing demand for energy-efficient, hardware-free mining solutions. Cloud mining continues to gain traction as a more sustainable and user-friendly entry point for investors looking to participate in blockchain ecosystems.

“We are seeing significant demand across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East,” said a BJMINING spokesperson. “This expansion enables us to serve emerging markets better while delivering consistent, high-performance cloud mining services at scale.”

Driving the Global Cloud Mining Movement

Founded in the UK, BJMINING operates more than 60 global mining farms, supporting a wide range of cryptocurrency assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Its cloud-based approach allows users to mine digital currencies without purchasing or maintaining physical hardware—making it more accessible and environmentally sustainable.

Key Highlights of the BJMINING Platform:

Five Core Advantages of BJMINING

Global Scale and Reliability

With more than 60 mining farms across the globe, BJMINING operates one of the largest and most robust cloud mining infrastructures in the industry, ensuring consistent hash power output and high operational performance.

Presence in Over 180 Countries

BJMINING’s expansive global network serves users in over 180 countries, demonstrating its operational stability and ability to meet the diverse needs of various markets.

User-Friendly Platform

The platform features an intuitive user interface, allowing investors to easily purchase mining contracts and track their earnings in real time. It’s designed for both beginners and seasoned professionals.

Transparency and Trust

BJMINING provides clear operational data, fee structures, and earnings reports, empowering users to make informed investment decisions with confidence.

BJMINING offers mining contracts for every budget—from as little as $100 to large-scale investments. Below is a sample earnings table:

Contract Project	Investment Amount	The term	Total revenue
WhatsMiner M50S+	$100	2days	$100+$6
WhatsMiner M60S++	$600	7days	$600+$52.50
Avalon Miner A1566	$1,200	15days	$1,200+$234
WhatsMiner M66S+	$5,800	30days	$5,800+$2,610
Antminer L7	$12,000	40days	$12,000+$8,160
ANTSPACE HD5	$96,000	54days	$96,000+$119,232

A Scalable Platform for a Global User Base

BJMINING’s platform is built for both novice and professional users, with intuitive dashboards, multi-currency support, and integrated performance analytics. As cloud mining becomes a more viable solution amid rising energy and hardware costs, the company is focused on building long-term partnerships with regional energy providers and data infrastructure stakeholders.

This expansion announcement reaffirms BJMINING’s mission to democratize access to crypto mining through innovation, scale, and security. The company has plans to add three new data centers in Q3 and is exploring joint ventures in renewable-powered mining operations.

About BJMINING

BJMINING is a global cloud mining company dedicated to making cryptocurrency mining more accessible and sustainable. With over 5 million users, 60+ mining farms, and a presence in 180+ countries, BJMINING leverages cutting-edge infrastructure to deliver efficient, hardware-free mining services.

Website: https://bjmining.com
App Download: https://bjmining.com/xml/index.html#/app

Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

The MIL Network –

July 11, 2025

MIL-OSI: Global Bioenergies: takeover bid deadline extended to 18 July 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PRESS RELEASE

Global Bioenergies: takeover bid deadline extended
to 18 July 2025

Evry, 10 July 2025 – 05:45 p.m.: Potential buyers of Global Bioenergies’ activities expressed their interest yesterday at noon at the deadline that had been set. Two offers and three letters of intent have been sent to Maître Joanna Rousselet¹. The candidates have expressed a wish for more time to conduct their study. The date for submission of preliminary bids has therefore been postponed to 18 July 2025 at noon. Postponing will potentially allow other parties to position themselves.

The review hearing at which potential final offers would be presented to the Evry Commercial Court could take place in September or October.

As a reminder, the pre-pack sale only provides for the sale of the Company’s assets. Global Bioenergies’ shares will not be taken over: the liquidation of the Company will follow the asset sale transaction, and the value of the ALGBE shares will become zero. It is still theoretically possible that the actions will be taken over, but the probability is extremely low today, and no discussions in this regard are currently taking place.

Marc Delcourt, co-founder and CEO of Global Bioenergies, comments: “We had no choice but to launch this pre-pack sale process a month ago, which aims to maintain business activities and all or some of the jobs, but which does not provide any compensation for the shareholders, including myself, who will therefore have lost their investment. Despite a promising partnership project with a major industrialist wishing to remain undisclosed at this stage, with which a non-binding term sheet was signed in February 2025, the Company was unable to finance the next chapter in its current configuration as a listed company, with significant debts (€13M). Of course, we regret not having been able to bring our solution to the SAF market, and thus make a significant contribution to the environmental transition. We hope that others will be able to do so, based on the acquisition of the Company’s assets. We remain more convinced than ever of the urgent need to develop solutions aiming at curbing global warming, against the current global trend which sees efforts in this area diminishing.”

About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

As a committed player in the fight against global warming, Global Bioenergies has developed a unique process to produce SAF and e-SAF from renewable resources, thereby meeting the challenges of decarbonising air transport. Its technology is one of the very few solutions already certified by ASTM. Its products also meet the high standards of the cosmetics industry, and L’Oréal is its largest shareholder with a 13.5% stake. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris (FR0011052257 – ALGBE).

Contacts

1 Interested candidates are invited to submit their offer to: Maître Joanna Rousselet – SCP Abitbol et Rousselet, joanna.rousselet@fajr.eu.

Attachment
- Global Bioenergies_Takeover bid deadline extended to 18 July 2025_10072025_VEN
The MIL Network –
July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: Floorstocks Releases Exclusive Nasdaq MarketSite Interview with Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX)

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Floorstocks, a financial media platform with over 1.2 million active retail investors, has released an exclusive CEO interview filmed at the Nasdaq MarketSite with Brian Norton, CEO of Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX). The full interview is now available on YouTube and Floorstocks.com, offering investors a front-row look at one of healthcare’s most disruptive emerging growth companies.

Watch the full interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/gJJlbqd7Mv8

Also streaming at Floorstocks.com:
https://www.floorstocks.com

Hosted by market veteran Kenneth Polcari, the interview unpacks how Wellgistics is modernizing the $600+ billion U.S. prescription drug market—eliminating intermediaries, restoring transparency, and enabling faster, compliant fulfillment from manufacturer to patient.

“This is the kind of story our audience responds to—real revenue, strong leadership, and a disruptive path forward,” said Richard Davis, CEO of Floorstocks. “The Wellgistics message is timely, clear, and rooted in solving systemic inefficiencies that the market can no longer ignore.”

The conversation highlights Wellgistics’ vertically integrated tech stack, growing national footprint, and its AI-powered infrastructure supporting pharmacies, providers, manufacturers, and employer groups.

“We appreciated the opportunity to speak directly to the investor community through Floorstocks,” said Brian Norton, CEO of Wellgistics Health. “They have our full permission to distribute, quote, and promote this interview. We believe transparency builds trust—and this conversation lays out our vision clearly: fixing a broken system with scalable solutions built for today’s healthcare challenges.”

This feature is part of a larger investor education campaign aimed at bringing institutional visibility to Wellgistics Health as it scales its direct distribution network, expands employer carve-out programs, and doubles down on compliant, tech-enabled pharmacy solutions.

About Floorstocks
Floorstocks is a financial media platform connecting high-growth public companies with the next generation of investors. Through exclusive interviews, omnichannel storytelling, and high-impact distribution across YouTube, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and email, Floorstocks is redefining how public markets are explained to the modern investor. Learn more at www.floorstocks.com.

About Wellgistics Health Inc (NASDAQ: WGRX)
Wellgistics Health moves medications from maker to taker—faster, cheaper, and smarter. Its platform spans wholesale distribution, digital script routing, and hub services like eligibility, prior authorization, adherence, and direct-to-patient fulfillment. A PBM alternative—but PBM-agnostic—WGRX empowers manufacturers, providers, pharmacies, and employer groups with transparent, end-to-end medication access.

Media Contact
Richard Davis
Chief Executive Officer, Floorstocks
media@floorstocks.com
(212) 555-0192
www.floorstocks.com

Disclaimer: Floorstocks Inc. was engaged by Wellgistics Health Inc. (WGRX) for a paid investor awareness campaign valued at $75,000. This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security.

• Floorstocks Inc. was compensated $75,000 by Wellgistics Health Inc. (NASDAQ: WGRX) for this investor awareness campaign. All content was independently produced and distributed under full editorial control by Floorstocks.
• Floorstocks interviews are conducted by financial media professionals with backgrounds in capital markets, including Kenneth Polcari (former NYSE floor trader and CNBC contributor).
• For high-resolution images, video clips, or interview segments for media coverage, contact: inquiries@floorstocks.com

The MIL Network –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Superman wasn’t always so squeaky clean – in early comics he was a radical vigilante

Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Caro, Principal Lecturer, Film and Media, University of Portsmouth

Superman was the very first superhero. He debuted in Action Comics issue #1 which was released in June 1938. Over time, the character has been assigned multiple nicknames: “The Man of Steel”, “The Man of Tomorrow” and “The Big Blue Boy Scout”. However, in his first appearance in ravaged Depression-era America, the byline used to announce Superman’s debut was: “The Champion of the Oppressed”.

Created by the sons of Jewish immigrants, writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman is an example of youthful male wish fulfilment: an all-powerful figure dressed like a circus strong man, who uses brawn to right wrongs. However, Siegel and Shuster’s initial version of the character was a more flawed character.

Appearing in a 1933 fanzine, Siegel’s prose story The Reign of the Superman with accompanying illustrations by Shuster, featured a reckless scientist whose hubris is punished when he creates the telepathic “super man” by experimenting on a drifter plucked from the poverty lines. Echoing Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the creator is dispatched by his creation.

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Siegel and Shuster had some early success selling stories to National Allied Publications, the forerunner of DC Comics. At this time, comic books were mainly collections of newspaper cartoons – the “funnies” – pasted together to create more portable anthologies. They featured the escapades of characters like Popeye and Little Orphan Annie.

Inspired by the heroic tales of derring do of pulp fiction adventurers such as Johnston McCulley’s Zorro (1919) and Philip Wylie’s 1930 science fiction novel Gladiator, Siegel and Shuster further developed their Superman character. They transformed him into a hero and added the now familiar cape and “S” logo.

Having no luck selling their superhero to the newspapers, they eventually sold the rights to Superman to DC Comics, where Superman achieved huge success. Within a year, there was a syndicated newspaper strip and a spin-off Superman comic book featuring the first superhero with their own exclusive title. Along with extensive merchandising, there was a 1940 radio show, followed by an animation series in 1941, with the inevitable live action serial in 1948.

In this early example of a property crossing multiple media platforms, Superman’s apparent appeal lay with the fantastical aspects, as he battled mad scientists, criminal masterminds and giant dinosaurs.

But in the early issues, Superman’s enemies were noticeably more earthbound and reflected the concerns of an audience reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. In an early story, War in Sante Monte, Superman confronts a corrupt Washington lobbyist, Alex Greer, who is bribing a greedy senator. It transpires that Greer represents an arms dealer who is profiteering by manipulating both sides in an overseas war.

In a later tale, Superman Battles Death Underground, our hero challenges the owner of a dangerous mine who is cutting corners with safety precautions.

In 1932 Siegel’s father, a tailor, died following the attempted robbery of the family shop – so it is no surprise that Superman had a low tolerance for crime and its causes. In the story Superman in the Slums, dated January 1939, the social commentary is plain. When teenager Frankie Marello is sentenced to reform school, Superman acknowledges the impact of the boy’s social environment:

It’s these slums – your poor living conditions – if there was only some way I could remedy it!

His solution is to raze the dilapidated buildings to the ground, forcing the authorities to replace them with modern cheap-rental apartments. In creating new construction work, here is Superman’s extreme version of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

In the 1998 forward to Superman: The Action Comics Archives Volume 2, former DC Comics editor Paul Kupperberg comments this is a Superman “who fought (mainly) guys in suits out to screw over the little guy”. The form that the fight took is of interest, for this Superman has no time for niceties or due process, as he gleefully intimidates and bullies anyone who gets in his way.

A man caught beating his wife is thrown into a wall and warned that there is plenty more where that came from. The corrupt lobbyist is dangled over power cables until he reveals who he is working for. Any police officers that attempt to obstruct Superman’s personal quest for justice are brushed aside with annoyance.

Refining Superman

Through his appearances on mainstream radio and cinema, Superman softened and became more patient. In popular culture, concerns about the depression and social injustice shifted to efforts to encourage a national consensus as the United States moved to a war footing in the early 1940s.

Post-war, there were occasional returns to the more radical interpretations of Superman, but generally it is the clean cut, fantastical Big Blue Boy Scout perception of the character that has dominated.

The new Superman film appears to be maintaining that image. In the trailer, actor David Corenswet’s Superman tackles various super-villains and a destructive Kaiju (a Godzilla-like skyscraper-sized monster) – although there is the suggestion that behind them all is the corrupt industrialist, Lex Luthor.

The trailer for the latest Superman film.

Fittingly, it is in the pages of comic books that a more progressive, militant representation of Superman has emerged. In 2024 DC rebooted its familiar superheroes with its new grittier “Absolute” universe.

Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval’s Absolute Superman comic (2024) emphasises the character’s status as an isolated blue-collar immigrant from the doomed planet of Krypton. This is a youthful, less seasoned Superman who is quick to anger and less likely to pull his punches. Their interpretation is closer to Superman’s early vigilante roots, including a storyline where he liberates the workers in a Brazilian mine from the clutches of exploitative big business.

Perhaps – in the comic books at least – the Champion of the Oppressed has finally returned.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

John Caro 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. Superman wasn’t always so squeaky clean – in early comics he was a radical vigilante – https://theconversation.com/superman-wasnt-always-so-squeaky-clean-in-early-comics-he-was-a-radical-vigilante-260721

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: The Salt Path scandal: defending a memoir’s ‘emotional truth’ is a high-risk strategy

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Eaglestone, Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought, Royal Holloway University of London

Raynor Winn, author of the award-winning memoir The Salt Path, which was recently adapted into a film, has been accused of “lies, deceit and desperation”. Writing in The Observer, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou claims that Winn left out significant facts and invented parts of the story.

The Salt Path follows a transformative 630-mile trek along England’s South West Coast Path that Winn took with her terminally ill husband Moth after they lost their home and livelihood.

The Observer article claims that aspects of both the story of losing their home and Winn’s husband’s illness were fabricated. In a statement on her website, Winn has defended her memoir, calling the claims “grotesquely unfair” and “highly misleading”.

There’s a long list of memoirs which have been shown to be problematic. James Frey’s recovery memoir A Million Little Pieces (2003) was allegedly exaggerated. In 2006, he apologised for fabricating portions of the book. Worse, Binjamin Wilkomirski’s feted Holocaust survivor memoir Fragments: Memories of a Wartime Childhood (1995) was completely fake. Wilkomirski’s real name was Bruno Dössekker and he was not a Holocaust survivor, he had simply invented his “memories” of a death camp, though he seemed to believe they were true.

But, for readers, how much does this matter? Novelist D.H. Lawrence wrote that readers should: “Never trust the artist. Trust the tale.” As readers of The Salt Path, we fear for Raynor and Moth as they desperately try to escape drowning from a freak high tide at Portheras Cove. We are relieved when we hear that Moth’s terminal disease was “somehow, for a while, held at bay”.

The origin of the word fiction is from the Latin fingere, which means not to lie, but to fashion or form. All memoirs – indeed, all texts, from scientific articles to history books to bestselling novels – are “formed” or “shaped”. Writing doesn’t just fall from a tree, we make it, and it reveals the world by mediating the world.

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But this idea, that writing is a “shaping”, is why this case matters. Writing, done by oneself, or by a ghostwriter (or even by AI) has conventions, not-quite-rules that underlie its creation and reception. Some of these are in the text (the enemies eventually become lovers); some are outside the text itself (you really can judge a book by its cover). But most conventions are both inside and outside at the same time.

Works by historians have footnotes to sources, so you (and other historians) can check the claims. Each scientific article refers to many others, because each article is just one tiny piece of the whole puzzle on which a huge community of scientists are working, and the extensive references show how this piece fits (or doesn’t). Non-fiction follows conventions, while novelists can do whatever they want, of course, to challenge or obey the conventions (that’s one reason why novels are exciting).

Memoir has a particularly important convention, revealed most clearly by the historian Stefan Maechler’s report on Wilkomirski’s fraudulent memoir. Maechler argued that Wilkomirski broke what the French critic Philippe Lejeune called the “autobiographical pact”, a contract of truth between the author and the reader.

For Lejeune, however, this pact is not like a legal agreement. A memoir, unlike a scientific article, need only put forward the truth as it appeared to the author in that area of their life. While the information needs to be accurate to some degree, its level of verifiability is less than a legal document or work of history. Much more important for Lejeune is the harder-to-pin-down fidelity to meaning.

After all, many meaningful things – falling in love, for example, or grief – happen mostly inside us and are hard to verify. Even more, the developing overall shape of our life as it seems to us is not really a historical fact, but our own making of meaning. For Lejeune, in a memoir, this emotional truth is more significant than the verifiable truth.

Playing with ‘emotional truth’

The author of The Salt Path seems to have leaned into this idea. In her first statement after The Observer’s piece she claims that her book “lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives … This is the true story of our journey”. How, after all, could one verify a “spiritual journey”?

However, I don’t fully agree with Lejeune. Perhaps our inner and outer worlds are not as separate as he supposes. Our public actions, including sharing facts, show who we are as much as our words describing our inner journeys.

In a memoir, the verifiable truth and the emotional truth are linked by a kind of feedback loop. As readers, we allow some degree of playing with verifiable truth: dialogue is reconstructed, not recorded; we accept some level of dramatisation; we know it’s from one person’s perspective. But we also make a judgment about these things (there’s no fixed rule, no science to this judgment).

If there’s too much reconstruction, too much dramatisation, we begin to get suspicious about the emotional truth too: is this really how it felt for them? Was it honestly a spiritual journey? And, in turn, this makes us more suspicious of the verifiable claims. By contrast, the novelist’s pact with the reader admits they fake emotional truth, which somehow makes it not fake at all: that’s one reason why novels are complicated.

This is why defending a memoir’s “emotional truth” is a high-risk strategy. We know from our own lives that people who are unreliable in small (verifiable) things are often unreliable in large (emotional, meaningful) ones.

So, for readers, the facts behind The Salt Path matter less in themselves and more because each question points to a larger issue about the book’s meaning. When you call someone “fake”, you don’t really mean that “their factual claims are inaccurate”, but that they are somehow inauthentic, hollow or – it’s a teenager’s word, but still – phoney. Once the “autobiographical pact” looks broken in enough small details, the reader no longer trusts the teller or the tale.

In a lengthy statement published on her website in which she addresses the allegations in detail, Winn said that the suggestion that Moth’s illness was fabricated was an “utterly vile, unfair, and false suggestion” and added: “I can’t allow any more doubt to be cast on the validity of those memories, or the joy they have given so many.”

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Robert Eaglestone 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. The Salt Path scandal: defending a memoir’s ‘emotional truth’ is a high-risk strategy – https://theconversation.com/the-salt-path-scandal-defending-a-memoirs-emotional-truth-is-a-high-risk-strategy-260937

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Superman: James Gunn’s prolonged punch-fest falls flat

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Crossley, Senior Lecturer in Film, Bournemouth University

The first two superhero movies of the year examined the morality of power and politics (Captain America: Brave New World) and mental health and personal accountability (Thunderbolts*) in thoughtful and often nuanced ways. It is rather depressing, then, that the third act of Superman is largely a prolonged CGI punch-fest that lacks any narrative or visual vigour to make it interesting.

There is a lot riding on the success of the DC Universe (DCU), now under the creative stewardship of director James Gunn and producer James Safran. After the varied fortunes of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), this iteration of Superman marks a reboot of DC properties and is the introductory instalment of the first phase, or “chapter” as they are being called, with the subtitle Gods and Monsters.

The films also marks a shift from the “Snyderverse” – the series of interconnected films made under the oversight of director Zack Snyder – which were characterised by the darkness of both their themes and their aesthetics.

This darkness, and the attendant moral ambiguity, of the Snyderverse has been replaced by a more optimistic tone. This new Superman film is more simplistic and clear-cut, with good versus bad and a bright, comic-book design.

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Anyone familiar with Gunn’s previous superhero offerings (The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy; The Suicide Squad) will recognise much of the tone and the look. This is very much the Superman movie that Gunn wants to make. And therein lies part of the problem.

As the opening film of chapter one, this effectively sets the tone for all that is to come across the DCU. But that raises the question of how Gunn’s overall approach will work with future properties that will have (or should have) very different styles, narrative themes and concerns.

This film is deliberately not an origin story. We meet Superman (David Corenswet), bloodied and battered after having lost an off-screen fight. He’s already an established superhero in a world accustomed to them after approximately 300 years of “metahumans” – as the opening exposition dump helpfully informs us.

Superman then returns to the icy Fortress of Solitude, complete with robot staff and adorable CGI super-dog, Krypto. We are, in effect, entering the middle of the story, with Superman’s dual identity as Clark Kent already known to his girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).

The pair have a fun, palpable chemistry. In an early stand-out scene, Lois, in journalist mode, grills Clark/Superman on the finer points of superhero accountability and responsibility after he single-handedly – and without any form of legal jurisdiction – stops a war between the fictitious countries of Boravia (eastern European, evil) and Jahanipur (a south-east Asian/Middle Eastern mash-up in which the people are impoverished and entirely agency-free), just before the movie begins. Sadly, these valid and deeply relevant questions remain unexplored for the rest of the film.

The trailer for Superman.

Brosnahan is a spiky, intelligent and self-assured Lois Lane who is not given enough to do, partly because this “starting in the middle” approach robs her relationship with Clark/Superman of any real tension and complexity. But also because the film is so overstuffed that there is little room for any meaningful character development.

What we do have is incoherent plotting, clunky dialogue and exposition and too many characters who are too thinly drawn.

The gang’s back together

Corenswet is a fine Superman, commandingly heroic and believably vulnerable when required. However, there is not much opportunity for him to explore his Clark Kent alter-ego before he is in full superhero mode, thereby denying the character time to establish the humanity that is core to Superman’s personality.

Lex Luthor (Nicholas Holt), the quintessential Superman villain, is supposed to be brilliant but here is rendered more as an Elon Musk-like figure with hints of Trump. He’s a megalomaniac with a populist touch with motivations that are so unclear as to be nonsensical.

We also get members of the Justice Gang, including a horribly bewigged Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi).

Gathegi steals almost the entire movie with a charismatic, laid-back turn that is crying out for his own standalone entry. Mister Terrific gets the movie’s most fun set piece: a single-handed fight against multiple goons choreographed to an upbeat pop soundtrack that is straight out of the James Gunn playbook.

As is the Justice Gang’s fight against an inter dimensional giant squid, which plays out as the comedic backdrop visible through a window during a pivotal scene with Lois Lane, and in which a depressed Superman takes no part. Any moments of seriousness are immediately undercut by on the nose and often cheap jokes.

The lack of narrative focus and character development results in a story that does not give us any tangible reasons to care about these characters beyond the fact that they are already well-established cultural icons. The lack of scaffolding means that when we reach what should be the emotional turning points, there is no heft to these moments.

The phoney war between Boravia and Jahanipur also provides problematic optics. The people of Jahanipur are an anonymous mass of peasants armed only with sticks who get a single word of dialogue shared between them (“Superman!”). They are at the mercy of their warlike neighbours in Boravia, whose evil is made evident through the grotesque physicality of their leader (Zlatko Buric).

This plot device seems to be making a passing reference to both the war in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, without having anything of value to say about either. The situation is resolved by the arrival of the American Justice Gang (because all metahumans are exclusively based in America, apparently) and then we’re on to the next joke.

In this Superman reboot, the humanity of the character is largely lost, something we are told about rather than see. This is ironic given that truth, justice and humanity are supposed to be the guiding principles of the Superman story.

Laura Crossley 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. Superman: James Gunn’s prolonged punch-fest falls flat – https://theconversation.com/superman-james-gunns-prolonged-punch-fest-falls-flat-260940

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system shows we still can’t replace human judgment

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Feng Li, Chair of Information Management, Associate Dean for Research & Innovation, Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London

The Wimbledon tennis tournament in 2025 has brought us familiar doses of scorching sunshine and pouring rain, British hopes and despair, and the usual queues, strawberries and on-court stardust. One major difference with this year’s tournament, however, has been the notable absence of human line judges for the first time in 147 years.

In a bid to modernise, organisers have replaced all 300 line judges with the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling (ELC) system powered by 18 high-speed cameras and supported by around 80 on-court assistants.

It has been sold as a leap forward but has already caused widespread controversy. In her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was forced to replay a point she had clearly won, because ELC had failed to register that a ball had landed out. Furious, Pavlyuchenkova told the umpire: “You took the game away from me … they stole the game from me.”

British players Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have also voiced concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the technology.

We have seen this before in business, government and elite sport (think VAR in football). Promising technologies fail, not necessarily because the systems are flawed – though some are – but because the institutions around them have not kept up. The belief that technology can neatly replace human judgement is seductive. It’s also deeply flawed.

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Systems like Hawk-Eye at Wimbledon offer measurable gains in accuracy, but accuracy is not the same as legitimacy. People don’t just want correct decisions, they also want understandable and fair ones. When human line judges made mistakes, they were visible and open to appeal. When a machine fails, with no explanation and no route for redress, it breeds confusion and frustration.

Consider Formula 1. At the 2025 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, driver Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty by race stewards for erratic braking during a safety car restart. He called it inconsistent and harsh, and many fans agreed.

The key difference? We knew who made the call. There was someone to question, and a process to scrutinise. With machines, however, there’s no one to challenge. You can’t argue with a black box, or hold it to account.

Beyond performance

Technology is usually introduced to improve performance or reduce costs, but the full story is rarely made explicit. Wimbledon’s adoption of the new system was framed as a move towards greater accuracy and consistency, but it was also likely driven by the desire to speed up matches, cut costs, and reduce reliance on human labour.

Yet sport is not just about accuracy. It is entertainment. It thrives on emotion, tradition and theatre. For 147 years, line judges were part of Wimbledon’s identity. Their posture, uniforms, gestures, indeed even the drama of a close call, added to the spectacle. Removing them may have improved accuracy (and cut costs), but the atmosphere was also changed.

Tradition is often dismissed as nostalgia, but in institutions like Wimbledon, tradition is part of what makes the experience legitimate and enjoyable. When it’s stripped away with only a token explanation, players and audiences can lose trust, not just in the change, but in the institution itself. It is a cultural change, which is never easy.

One common solution is to combine human judgement with the technology especially during the transition period, but hybrids rarely work well in practice as responsibilities get blurred.

In business, this is known as the “hybrid trap”: bolting new technologies onto old systems without rethinking or redesigning either. Instead of the best of both worlds, the result is often confusion, duplication and failure.

Wimbledon did not seem to offer a formal challenge system or human override during matches. Although 80 former line judges were retained as on-court assistants, their role was not adjudicative. This might speed up play, but it leaves the system brittle. When something breaks, there is no immediate redress. We have seen this elsewhere.

What this tells us about AI

Wimbledon’s failure was a textbook case of poor tech adoption. Hawk-Eye did what it was designed to do, but the institution wasn’t ready, least of all the players, umpires and spectators.

The same pattern is playing out with artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, from customer service bots to healthcare triage systems. These tools are being rolled out at speed, often with minimal oversight. When they hallucinate, embed bias or produce erratic results, there is rarely a clear route to appeal, and often no one to hold accountable.

The real problem is not just technical but institutional. Most organisations aren’t ready for what they’re adopting. Instead of transforming themselves to harness new technologies, they bolt them onto legacy systems and carry on as before. Key questions go unanswered: Who decides? Who benefits? Who is accountable when things go wrong? Without clear answers, new technologies don’t solve dysfunction, they entrench it. Sometimes, they hardwire it.

If we want technology to improve how the world works, we can’t just automate tasks, processes or jobs. We need to rethink and redesign the institutions these systems are meant to serve, using new capabilities these technologies make possible. Until then, even the best systems will continue to fall short, both quietly and occasionally spectacularly.

Feng Li 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. Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system shows we still can’t replace human judgment – https://theconversation.com/wimbledons-electronic-line-calling-system-shows-we-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-260845

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: The Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Md Sarwar Hossain, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science & Sustainability, University of Glasgow

The Ganges delta in Bangladesh. Emre Akkoyun/Shutterstock

Bangladesh is known as the land of rivers and flooding, despite almost all of its water originating outside the territory. The fact that 80% of rivers that flow through Bangladesh have their sources in a neighbouring country, can make access to freshwater in Bangladesh fraught. And the country’s fast-growing cities and farms – and the warming global climate – are turning up the pressure.

In a recent analysis, my colleagues and I found that four out of the ten rivers that flow through Bangladesh have failed to meet a set of conditions known as their “safe operating space”, meaning that the flow of water in these rivers is below the minimum necessary to sustain the social-ecological systems that rely on them. These rivers included the Ganges and Old Brahmaputra, as well as Gorai and Halda.

This puts a safe and reliable food and water supply not to mention the livelihoods of millions of fishers, farmers and other people in the region, at risk.

Water flow on the remaining six rivers may be close to a dangerous state too, due to the construction of hydropower dams and reservoirs, as well as booming irrigated agriculture.

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The concept of a safe operating space was devised by Stockholm University researchers in 2009 and typically assesses the Earth’s health as a whole by defining boundaries such as climate warming, water use and biodiversity loss which become dangerous to humanity once exceeded. A 2023 update to this research found that six of the nine defined planetary boundaries have been transgressed.

Since the Bangladesh delta is one of the world’s largest and most densely populated (home to around 170 million people), we thought it prudent to apply this thinking to the rivers here. We found that food, fisheries and the world’s largest intertidal mangrove forest, a haven for rich biodiversity, are all under strain from water demand in growing cities such as Dhaka.

The knock-on effects

During all seasons but winter, river flows in the Bangladesh delta have fallen over the past three decades.

No river in the Bangladesh delta is within its safe operating space.
Kabir et al. (2024)

Our analysis highlights the limits of existing political solutions. The ability of the Ganges river to support life and society is severely strained, despite the Ganges water sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh, which was signed in 1996.

Rivers in Bangladesh have shaped the economy, environment and culture of South Asia since the dawn of human civilisation here. And humans are not the only species suffering. Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha), related to the herring, is a fish popular for its flavour and delicate texture. It contributes 12% to national fish production in Bangladesh but has become extinct in the upper reaches of the Ganges due to the reduction of water flow.

Excessive water extraction upstream, primarily through the Farakka barrage, a dam just over the border in the Indian state of West Bengal, has also raised the salinity of the Gorai river. A healthy river flow maintains a liveable balance of salt and freshwater. As river flows have been restricted, salinity has crept up, particularly in coastal regions that are also beset by sea level rise. This damages freshwater fisheries, farm yields and threatens a population of freshwater dolphins in the Ganges.

Low river flows and increasing salinisation now threaten the destruction of the world’s largest mangrove forest, the loss of which would disrupt the regional climate of Bangladesh, India and Nepal. It would also release a lot of stored carbon to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and the melting of snow and ice in the Himalayan mountain chain.

Resilience to climate change

Solving this problem is no simple task. It will require cooperation across national boundaries and international support to ensure fair treaties capable of managing the rivers sustainably, restoring their associated ecosystems and maintaining river flows within their safe operating spaces.

The mighty Ganges is running dry in some parts of Bangladesh during the hotter months.
Md Sarwar Hossain

This is particularly challenging in the Bangladesh delta, which contains rivers that drain many countries, including China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The political regimes in each country might oppose transboundary negotiations, which could nevertheless resolve conflict over water which is needed to sustain nearly 700 million people.

There have been success stories, however. The Mekong river commission between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam is a useful template for bilateral and multilateral treaties with India and Nepal for the Ganges, and China and Bhutan for the Jamuna river.

Tax-based water sharing can help resolve conflicts and decide water allocation between countries in the river basin. The countries using more water would pay more tax and the revenue would be redistributed among the other countries who share rivers in the treaty. Additionally, water sharing should be based on the historical river flow disregarding existing infrastructure and projections of future changes.

Reducing deforestation, alternating land use and restoring wetlands could enhance resilience to flooding and drought and ensure water security in the Bangladesh delta. Ultimately, to secure a safe operating space for the rivers here is to secure a safe future for society too.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Md Sarwar Hossain 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. The Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals – https://theconversation.com/the-bangladesh-delta-is-under-a-dangerous-level-of-strain-analysis-reveals-241097

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Five unusual ways to make buildings greener (literally)

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Dobraszczyk, Lecturer in Architecture, UCL

Belgian architect Luc Schuiten’s vision of ‘the Vegetal City’. Luc Schuiten

Buildings adorned with plants are an increasingly familiar sight in cities worldwide. These “green walls” are generally created using metal frames that support plastic plates, onto which pre-grown plants are inserted. These plants are able to survive without soil because they’re sustained by nutrient-packed rolls of felt and artificial sprinklers.

Some are fabulously rich tapestries of luxuriant vegetation, like French botanist Patrick Blanc’s coating of part of the Athenaeum hotel in London. Here, small shrubs sprout from an almost tropical green wall, with an abundance of mosses and ferns. In summer, butterflies peruse the flowers. All this next to Piccadilly, one of the busiest streets in central London.

Others are objects of ridicule: the sadly common outcome of poor design and a lack of maintenance (all green walls need careful planning and a great deal of care). If they’re not carefully tended, green walls will quickly turn into brown ones, with the plastic supports all too visible beneath the dying plants.

But there are many others ways of integrating plants into buildings beyond simply trying to grow them on walls. Here are five examples that straddle the mundane and the marvellous.

A wilted green wall in Tokyo, Japan.
Wikimedia Images, CC BY

Growing buildings

German architectural practice Baubotanik (a word that means “botanic building”) has taken the radical step of creating buildings that flout the conventional idea of architecture as static and inert. After all, plants grow – they are living organisms.

Baubotanik uses pre-grown trees to create multi-storey structures, with trees replacing the conventional steel girders of most tall buildings. Its Plane-Tree-Cube in Nagold, begun in 2012, is made of plane trees supported on a steel scaffold, with a built-in irrigation system to water the trees until they’re large enough for the steel to be removed.

Baubotanik’s Plan-Tree-Cube is intended to grow into a usable structure.
Baubotanik

It’ll probably be another ten years before this structure is ready to be used, but as what? It’s hard to imagine making a home in such an unruly structure, let alone plugging in your internet or other electrical appliances.

Building in trees

Baubotanik takes grafting, an age-old horticultural technique, and uses it to create structural frames for buildings. Grafting joins the tissue of plants so that they can grow together (it’s most commonly used in the cultivation of fruit trees).

As the architects themselves acknowledge, there are many interesting historical precedents, such as the Lindenbaum concentrated in a small region of rural Germany in northwestern Bavaria.

These are accessible platforms built into large lime (linden) trees to accommodate dancers in a yearly ritual known as the Tanzlinden (“dance linden”), which originated in the middle of the 17th century and still happen in early September.

In the surviving Lindenbaum in the small village of Peesten (one of around 12 that are still around), a stone stairwell spirals up to the wooden platform built inside the tree: dancing happens on this platform, while musicians provide accompaniment beneath.

Lindenbaum in Peesten, Germany.
Wikimedia Images, CC BY

Weaving buildings

It’s possible to take this practice of integrating buildings and trees one step further and imagine whole cities redesigned in this way. This has been the lifelong preoccupation of Belgian architect Luc Schuiten, particularly in his speculative drawings of “vegetal cities”.

These are urban environments in which the branches of trees and the stems of climbing plants have become completely enmeshed with buildings made of steel and glass. One of his designs, called Habitarbres, imagines a house constructed within a living tree. The structure would flex as the tree grows, while hot-air pipes and other infrastructure would be embedded in the trunk. It’s an attempt to envisage how the infrastructure of our buildings – pipes, wire, cables and the like – can be accommodated in a living structure with its own vascular network.

With Habitarbes, Schuiten proposes a house built within a living tree.
Luc Schuiten

It’s a speculative proposal, but perhaps not so different from a common building type normally associated with enterprising children, namely treehouses. Schuiten is merely taking a human desire – to live in a tree – and suggesting how it might be squared with our equally strong desire for comfort.

Architecture as compost

When plants die and decay they create the conditions for the next cycle of vegetal growth; they are sustainable in a way that the vast majority of our buildings are not. While there is a drive to recycle existing building materials (metals and plastics mostly), it’s another thing entirely to make buildings truly regenerative.

Martin Miller and Caroline O’Donnell’s “Primitive Hut” project from 2017 created a building that does just this. They made a wooden lattice structure to support the growth of four red maple saplings. Another lattice decomposed over time, providing food for the growing trees. Eventually the whole structure was overwhelmed by the trees.

Martin Miller and Caroline O’ Donnell’s ‘Primitive Hut’.
OMG!

In calling this a primitive hut, the architects questioned how western architectural thinking tends to see indigenous architecture as both an origin point and a model for more sustainable forms of construction. It asks whether the industrial technologies that dominate construction in the global north should be more informed by architects that have continued to build with natural and compostable materials for centuries.

Letting be

It’s worth remembering that we don’t have to design green buildings; given enough time, they will happen anyway.

Moss on the roof of the Sandringham estate’s visitors’ centre in Norfolk, eastern England.
Wikimedia Images, CC BY

The sloping roof of my house, directly below the window where I’m writing this article, is gradually acquiring its own green patina of lichen and moss. The roof is old and I’ve been told it needs to be replaced soon. A cloud of spores and seeds peppers this and every single roof every day with the prospect of new life.

Without any human intervention whatsoever, this process of vegetal succession can produce a complex ecosystem of not only plant but also animal life (from microbes to insects). That architects so rarely call such a surface “green” betrays something that’s deep-seated in ideas about green design. For it is precisely the absence of human control that allows vegetation to colonise a building; there is, in effect no design involved at all – unless, of course, we accept that plants have designs of their own.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Paul Dobraszczyk 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. Five unusual ways to make buildings greener (literally) – https://theconversation.com/five-unusual-ways-to-make-buildings-greener-literally-259721

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Tackling the chaos at home might be the secret to a more successful work life

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yasin Rofcanin, Professor of Management Strategy & Organisation, University of Bath

Maria Svetlychnaja/Shuttersotck

In a world of hybrid working and four-day weeks, most workers are asked to be agile, creative and strategic – not just at work but also at home. But what if the energy and focus workers invest into solving family life challenges could actually make them better at adapting and innovating in their jobs?

Our recent study suggests that managing household life – what we call “strategic renewal at home” – doesn’t just benefit family functioning. It also boosts employees’ ability to generate ideas, reshape their roles and respond effectively to change at work.

In short, proactively adapting and reorganising your home life could be a hidden asset for your career.

“Strategic renewal” is a concept long associated with business transformation – think of a company reinventing its operations to respond to shifts in the market. But we argue that this same concept can apply to people managing life at home.

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Imagine a working parent who streamlines their childcare routine, redistributes chores with their partner or introduces a new system for managing family meals. These efforts – far from mundane – are proactive, forward-thinking moves to adapt to a changing environment. That’s strategic renewal, just in a different setting.

Our findings show that when people engage in this kind of domestic renewal, it creates powerful ripple effects, shaping how they think, feel and perform at work.

The hidden power of home life

We followed 147 dual-earning couples in the US over six weeks. Each week, employees reported how much they engaged in strategic renewal at home and at work. We also captured their experiences of “flow” at home (those rare, deeply focused and enjoyable moments).

For instance, when someone is completely absorbed in gardening, painting a room, or even following a complex recipe – activities that are both enjoyable and require focus – time seems to fly. We also captured their confidence in handling challenges (self-efficacy), and their partner’s view of how well they were managing work–family balance.

We uncovered several interesting points. Employees who took proactive steps to improve family routines felt more “in flow” at home.

These moments of flow built their confidence (self-efficacy), making them feel more capable of tackling future challenges – not just at home, but at work too. That confidence translated into more strategic renewal at work. Employees were more likely to change how they approached tasks, pitch ideas or redesign their roles.

Crucially, their partners also noticed. Employees high in self-efficacy were rated as better at balancing work and family, as well as being more effective in family life.

In other words, strategic behaviour at home doesn’t stay there – it travels with us. What happens at the breakfast table can spill over into the boardroom.

But not all environments are equal. The benefits of home-based strategic renewal were much stronger when the family was supportive of creativity. When people felt free to try new things, take risks and share ideas at home, the gains from their efforts were amplified.

This could be as simple as trying out a new meal, brainstorming weekend plans together or encouraging a partner to experiment with a new hobby. These activities reflect openness, curiosity and support for creative expression in everyday life.

The same was true at work. Employees who felt their organisations fostered a climate of creativity – valuing new ideas, experimentation and autonomy – were more likely to act on their confidence and engage in strategic behaviour.

We found a big takeaway for workers. Cultivating open, creative climates in both domains makes all the difference. Encouraging new ideas at home or at work doesn’t just make people feel good – it helps workers to be flexible and adaptive.

What employers can do

There’s a crucial lesson here for organisations too. The home is not a “black box” – some kind of impenetrable space that has no bearing on work. Instead, home life can play an active and meaningful role in shaping employees’ energy, confidence and creative capacity. Home can be a source of renewal, resilience and even innovation.

Forward-thinking companies should avoid treating home and work as separate silos. Instead, they can invest in developing self-efficacy in employees. This could be providing training, coaching and feedback that reinforces workers’ belief in their ability to handle challenges.

They should also encourage family-supportive leadership. Managers who ask about employees’ home life, support flexible arrangements and accommodate caring responsibilities help create the space for home-based renewal to thrive.

Celebrating employees – for things beyond their professional achievements – is important.
La Famiglia/Shutterstock

And they should recognise “off-the-clock” moments. Celebrating life milestones, offering childcare support or simply acknowledging the mental load of home life all signal that organisations value the full person, not just the professional.

For decades, companies have looked inward for solutions to innovation and adaptability – to things like better tech, better processes and better metrics. But our study found leaders should instead look outward — toward employees’ lives beyond work.

When employees reorganise their domestic life, they’re demonstrating foresight, adaptability and leadership. These are precisely the qualities workplaces are looking for in a world of constant disruption.

When workplaces start seeing the home not just as a stressor but as a source of strength, they can open the door to smarter, more sustainable strategies for resilience, creativity and growth.

So the next time you redesign your morning routine, don’t think of it as just surviving the chaos. You might just be sharpening your edge for the workday ahead.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Tackling the chaos at home might be the secret to a more successful work life – https://theconversation.com/tackling-the-chaos-at-home-might-be-the-secret-to-a-more-successful-work-life-258487

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Statement on Cascades Containerboard’s Niagara Falls Facility Closure

Source: US GOIAM Union

“The IAM Union is deeply disappointed to learn of Cascades Containerboard’s decision to close its Niagara Falls, N.Y., facility, which will impact approximately 50 IAM District 65 members. We want to assure our members and the community that we will do everything in our power to vigorously defend their rights and interests throughout this process.

“We recognize the long and hard-fought efforts of our members to organize and secure their first contract, and it is a privilege to represent them. We are committed to negotiating strongly during effects bargaining to secure a fair and comprehensive severance package.

“This announced closure occurs during broader economic uncertainties, including tariffs on our ally, Canada, which has impacted the business environment for Cascades, a Quebec-based company. We will continue to call for an immediate end to job-killing tariffs on Canada.

“We urge Cascades management, and our state, local and federal partners, to work with us cooperatively during this difficult time.”

The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.

goIAM.org | @IAM_Union

The post IAM Union Statement on Cascades Containerboard’s Niagara Falls Facility Closure appeared first on IAM Union.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 11, 2025

Category: Business

Shifts towards neoliberal education

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COVID-19 pandemic

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Post-pandemic protest

Power of collective organizing

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Government regulation

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Consulting the public

The myth of office productivity

Where people live matters more

Affordable housing could boost productivity

The real foundation of a productive economy

UK-France Leaders Declaration

Foreign Policy/Global Issues

Defence And Security

Irregular Migration

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Updates to this page

Refining Superman

Playing with ‘emotional truth’

The gang’s back together

Beyond performance

What this tells us about AI

The knock-on effects

Resilience to climate change

Growing buildings

Building in trees

Weaving buildings

Architecture as compost

Letting be

The hidden power of home life

What employers can do