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  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: We’re Not Tired of Winning

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins the Brian Kilmeade Show to Discuss Trump Trade Deals, the MAHA Movement, and Democrats Obstructing Confirmations
    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Brian Kilmeade on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio to discuss President Trump’s historic trade deals and what they mean specifically for Kansas agriculture, MAHA movement momentum, China deterrence, and Senate Democrats’ attempts to obstruct the confirmation process.

    Click HERE or on the image above to listen to Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On President Trump’s trade deals:
    “Brian, I mean, we’re ecstatic, absolutely ecstatic. Every time I see the President, I’ll tell him we’re not tired of winning. But you know, who’s excited about these trade deals are my Kansas farmers and the aerospace industry. What Kansas exports are agriculture products and airplanes, and jets. So just ecstatic about these deals. The President removing these non-trade barriers all these countries, in addition to giving us basically zero types of penalties going into their country’s tariffs, but they’re also opening their markets, and they’re moving investment into America. Just this past week, I had several of the large pharma companies who make their drugs overseas, very popular, very successful [say that] they’re moving that manufacturing here, so we’re all excited about them.”
    On Fed Chair Powell and interest rates:
    “I sure hope so. Jerome “too late” Powell, he is too late, kind of like “too tall” Jones. This is Jerome “too late” Powell. He should have cut it a quarter point, some time ago, a quarter point now, half point in the future. He’s a lame duck, and I don’t know what he’s going to do. If he doesn’t drop something today, I just have to think it’s politically or emotionally motivated.”
    On the progress of the MAHA movement:
    “Yeah, we’re making great progress. Making incredible progress. We have a group of bills that will help support that movement as well. A group of bills that’s going to make our soil healthier, help our farmers grow more with less pesticides, and with less fertilizers. The thing I’m worried about right now, which is coming to my attention, Brian is China continues to make a lot of knockoffs. So, for instance, China is making a knockoff of a GLP-1, that they’re sending to the US, that’s compounded into a pharmacy. 14 people have died from that. So, one of my big emphases here is moving all that supply chain back to the United States. It’s easier said than done.”
    On U.S.-China trade deals:
    “The big picture is that with China, we have a $270 billion trade deficit to address. I think that people missed the calculated way that the Trump administration is doing this. Basically, they boxed in China. Think about it. They’ve done the EU. They’ve done Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and Australia, so that by having bilateral trade agreements with them, it’s putting a lot of pressure on China. One other thing China does to cheat is they’ll send a bunch of T-shirts that they made or tennis shoes, and they’ll send them to Vietnam, and then Vietnam is getting them in at their lower tariff rate. So, the President is doubling up on that type of transaction to make sure that those are tarred appropriately. So, we absolutely are getting there. To your point, I’m much more concerned about fentanyl poisoning, their intellectual property theft, the counterfeits they make, all those things. But I have faith in Scott Bessent. This guy is one of the sharpest people I’ve ever met.”
    On Democrats stalling nominations and spending bills:
    “I think this is the big political picture here, and you get this, but what’s driving the Democrat Party right now is the far left. Chuck Schumer is scared to death of AOC on the far left, so they’re demanding he’s got to do something. He’s got to do something. So, he’s doing everything in his power to gum up the process, whether it’s nominations or appropriations bills as well. He’s in a panicked mode right now, and he’s lashing out, slowing up what is traditionally done. People that would pass with unanimous consent and take zero floor time, we’re having to vote on them three times and spend two hours or more on each one of them. So, if they’re going to keep doing that, then we just need to stay here in August till we get more of these people confirmed.
    On the Senate delaying recess until nominations are confirmed:
    “The Democrats secretly want to all go home, right? That is their number one priority. These people are professional politicians; they’re used to having all summer off. And by the way, when I go back, I’m going to work harder back in Kansas than I do here. Then, at the same time, their leader is scared to death. I can’t believe he’s still there. Their leader hasn’t been fired yet, but he’s scared to death to be in a primary. So it’s all about his political legacy right now, keeping that together. But I just have to emphasize, Brian, yes, I want to go home, but I’ve done four telephone town halls up here with people back in Kansas in the last two weeks, with over 5,000 people on each one of those calls. You can go home on weekends. We’ve had significant, strong events as well. We could stay for easily two weeks, and still go back and accomplish that mission of targeting the great things about the Big Beautiful Bill, whether it’s the biggest tax cut in American history or no tax on tips, all those types of things. So, I think we can walk and chew gum. But, what we could do most to help the people of America is get President Trump’s nominations confirmed so they can execute his agenda.”
    On Democrats battling each other on bipartisan bills:
    “First of all, the one thing I learned politically up here is when your opponent is forming a circular firing squad, don’t hop in the middle of them. So, I think we need to give them all the rope we can on this. This kind of takes us back to what I was talking about earlier. The far left of the Democrat Party is the tail wagging the dog. Here’s Cory Booker running for president, right? He’s trying to reach that primary base, saying he’s the most radical, progressive person up here. That’s what he’s doing right there. And again, this is a party that won’t stop digging. They’re in this hole. They have no respect for law and order. They he just keep digging and digging. These bills that she’s proposing are bipartisan, stronger law and order support the police. He’s out there still shouting like this mayor candidate from New York that wants to defund the police. So, I think this is all political. They’re more interested in running for president, Cory Booker is. Then here, you have Amy Klobuchar, who’s one of the most moderate Democrats, level-headed people up here. And to be honest, it’s just been a joy to get to know and work with her. We’re in bipartisan prayer breakfast together. It’s something you’ll never see, but she gave just an incredible lesson to us today about life in our bipartisan prayer breakfast.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: The USDA is Coming to Kansas City

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Questions Deputy Secretary of Agriculture About the USDA Reorganization
    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), questioned Deputy Secretary of Agriculture,The Honorable Stephen Alexander Vaden, during a recent Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hearing focused on the recently announced USDA reorganizational proposal.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full exchange.
    Highlights from the hearing include: 
    On why the USDA relocation to Kansas City makes sense:
    Senator Marshall: “Mr. Vaden, welcome. Glad you’re here today. In your testimony, you were mentioning some of the advantages of moving to some of these communities. And I would just point out that you failed to mention that moving to Kansas City that suddenly you would have the advantage of being a Chiefs fan, rather than suffering through another year here with the Washington Commanders. You failed to mention, to be within an hour of the most storied basketball program in the nation, and just barely two hours away from the first land-grant university in America.
    “And I just would want to give you a chance to talk a little bit more. You think about the Kansas City Metro, within a two-hour drive of the Iowa State University, the Nebraska University, Missouri, Arkansas…. How far away is Auburn? Not too far. So, my point is, you know what? You can’t coach talent. You have to have talent, and within just miles of there, some of the greatest ag research in the world. How important is that to American agriculture to have, let alone the affordability issues you mentioned?”
    Deputy Secretary Vaden: “It’s vital. And I want to add to the mix, NBAF. We haven’t forgotten about that. You haven’t either. I know there’s some unfinished business left there. But when you think about the potential that facility has and the technology and level of research that can go on there that are vital for the future of American agriculture, you’ve pointed to many of the reasons why Kansas City also joined as one of our five hubs.
    “The Department put some thought into this. We want to spark that level of collaboration that you have noted, whether it be with our land grant and non-land grant university partners, whether it be with individual farmers, whether it be with the local Chamber of Commerce in an area that is driven and motivated, even though it may be in an urban setting, by agriculture.
    “I know that you’re well aware that the Federal Reserve has a location in Kansas City, and that we’re looking at the shape of the agricultural economy for inclusion in the Beige Book, so we look to what the Kansas City Fed has to say. USDA will be able to take advantage of all of these synergies, and not only Kansas City, but the other hubs that we have laid out.”
    On the USDA’s right to reinitiate the relocation process:
    Senator Marshall: “Over the past four years, it was reported that only 6% of USDA employees were in the office as well. And more and more, just a crescendo of complaints from my ag producers back home that they could work with their local FSA officer or their conservation officer, but then that report would get somehow clogged here in DC. I want to compliment the White House on the $10 billion that was appropriated in [the] spring; within days, my farmers had the help that they needed.
    “And then, more recently, I think it was a $16 billion, so something is working, right from a standpoint of customer services. And I just can’t help but think when you’re when you have people working for USDA out there, going to church, going to the soccer match, all those type of things with the local farmers and ranchers, is going to be a better service of wealth. So just talk about customer service, how that was going to be impacted by these people, the net, net moving out into the hinterlands, as we call it.”
    Deputy Secretary Vaden: “Well, I don’t consider it the hinterlands, I consider it home, Senator. But with regard to having more people in the field, we agree with you that we think the level of service will improve. Not only do we agree with you, even if we had a disagreement, the Congress has legislated on this point, and this is another matter that drove our consideration of this plan, and that’s looking at USDA reorganization authority, which was granted to us by the Congress in 1953.
    “And if you actually look at the statute, I’m a former judge, so I tend to look at statutes. What does the statute say? The statute says, in carrying out this law, quote, ‘the Secretary shall seek to simplify and make efficient the operation of the Department of Agriculture, to place the administration of farm programs close to the state and local levels,’ close quote from the statute. This is exactly what Congress intended: the maximum amount of USDA resources dedicated out in the field, not in Washington, D.C.”
    Senator Marshall: “Just want to make one last point, President Trump’s tariffs are working. He has made incredible trade deals that are going to open up markets that we never had access to before. We’ve never sold a cheeseburger in all of Europe. Ethanol: 40% of our corn crop goes to ethanol. Suddenly, the EU, UK, and all these countries are going to be buying ethanol as well. We’re seeing manufacturing jobs move back to this country because of these tariffs as well. American agriculture will benefit significantly from long-term trade. Agreements for long-term success as well, and we can’t wait to see what’s next coming out of the White House and the tariffs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: HERE and EROAD Deepen Collaboration to Transform Trucking in Australia and New Zealand

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • EROAD to launch first-ever vehicle-aware navigation application in Oceania, powered by HERE’s advanced platform and vehicle-specific data.
    • Partnership addresses critical challenges in the freight sector, including safety, productivity and compliance.

    Australia – HERE Technologies, a global leader in digital mapping and location data, is expanding its collaboration with EROAD, a leading provider of fleet management and telematics solutions, to power EROAD’s first vehicle-aware navigation application for Oceania. The solution will be available in Australia and New Zealand and is designed to enhance driver safety, fleet efficiency and regulatory compliance. The new solution will be built on the HERE platform, leveraging advanced routing services and truck-specific data. 

    This deepened partnership reflects both companies’ shared commitment to delivering innovative transport solutions tailored to the needs of commercial vehicle and fleet operators globally. By combining HERE’s location intelligence with EROAD’s operational expertise, the partnership aims to improve delivery accuracy, simplify route planning, and elevate the day-to-day experience for both drivers and fleet managers.

    Built for Fleets, Designed for Drivers

    EROAD’s new vehicle-aware navigation application draws on key capabilities from HERE WeGo Pro, a mobile-first, professional-grade application that transforms centrally planned routes into real-time, turn-by-turn guidance. Designed specifically for commercial fleets, the new solution offers:

    • Truck-specific routing that considers vehicle dimensions, cargo type and road restrictions.
    • Real-time traffic updates are refreshed every five minutes across the entire road network.
    • Multi-stop tour planning and predictive ETAs for SLA-compliant deliveries.
    • Offline functionality for uninterrupted service in remote areas.
    • Driver-centric design that reduces stress and supports retention.

    “Our partnership with EROAD is critical in shaping the future of truck-specific navigation in the region,” said Deon Newman, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific at HERE Technologies. “With the HERE platform at its core, the vehicle-aware navigation application enables fleets to gain real-time insights, optimised truck routes, and critical alerts to prevent incidents like bridge strikes. It also helps operators remain compliant with road regulations, avoid costly fines and reduce operational risks. This level of intelligent navigation empowers fleets to operate more efficiently while enhancing safety and elevating the driver experience.”

    Growing Demand in Oceania for Smarter, Connected Vehicle Technologies

    The launch comes at a critical time for Australia and New Zealand’s transport and logistics sector. According to a recent report by ResearchAndMarkets.com, the installed base of fleet management systems in ANZ is projected to reach 2.7 million units by 20281, reflecting the growing demand for smarter, more connected vehicle technologies.

    Meanwhile, the industry faces mounting pressure from a looming driver shortage. A report by The International Road Transport Union highlights that 47% of Australia’s truck drivers are over the age of 55, with more than 21% expected to retire by 20292. The country is already short nearly 28,000 heavy vehicle drivers, underscoring the urgent need for tools that can support both new and experienced drivers on the road.

    “Oceania’s transport and logistics sector is under immense pressure – from driver shortages to rising delivery demands and increasingly complex compliance requirements,” said Mark Davidson, Chief Product Officer at EROAD. “With our expanded partnership with HERE, we’re equipping our customers with a solution that not only helps them navigate these challenges, but also positions them to operate more safely, efficiently, and competitively in a rapidly evolving market.”

    To learn more about HERE’s truck-optimised navigation capabilities, visit https://www.here.com/products/wego-pro

    Media Contacts 

    EROAD
    Rich Llewellyn
    027 523 2362
    richard@shanahan.nz

    HERE Technologies
    Vanessa Lee
    +65 9188 6199
    Vanessa.lee@here.com

    About EROAD

    EROAD (NZX/ASX: ERD) is a hardware-enabled SaaS company delivering safety, compliance, sustainability and efficiency solutions for complex fleets.
    Its connected platform is used by commercial and government operators across New Zealand, Australia and North America to manage vehicles, assets and drivers with greater visibility and control. EROAD supports demanding, highly regulated fleet operations, including those moving food, concrete and aggregates, enabling them to operate smarter, safer and more sustainably. EROAD’s platform is built on a foundation of regulatory expertise, having delivered the world’s first GPS-based road user charging system in New Zealand, where it remains the market leader today.

    About HERE Technologies
    HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for 40 years. Today, HERE’s location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com.

    1Fleet Management in Australia and New Zealand – 9th Edition
    2Global Truck Driver Shortage Report 2024

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Optus partners with Nokia to strengthen reliability of Voice with cloud-native solution supporting the deployment of new 5G enhanced voice services

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Optus partners with Nokia to strengthen reliability of Voice with cloud-native solution supporting the deployment of new 5G enhanced voice services

    • Optus to utilize Nokia’s cloud-native Cloud Native Communication Suite (CNCS) to drive the deployment of new highly resilient 5G voice services and streamline network activities, enhanced automation and reduced manual interventions.
    • CNCS will be deployed on the Red Hat OpenShift.
    • Deal swaps out competitor and is the latest Nokia Core win in the Oceania region.

    31 July 2025
    Espoo, Finland – Optus, the second largest operator in Australia, is extending its existing partnership with Nokia and has contracted the company to refresh its Voice Platform (IP Multimedia Subsystem – IMS) and deliver highly resilient cloud-native voice services. Voice is an important service for Australia, and with this new platform Optus will deliver highly reliable and efficient 5G voice services to over 10 million customers.

    Nokia’s IMS platform (Cloud Native Communication Suite – CNCS) is cloud native, operationally efficient and has lower energy consumption, making it the right platform for addressing the needs of Australian consumers.

    “Reliability is the cornerstone of Optus’ Network strategy, and Voice is one of the most critical services provided by Optus. Nokia CNCS provides us with a new and highly flexible pathway that will allow us to improve network resiliency, security and enhance the subscriber experience with better and faster time-to-market services, through both on-premise and cloud deployment that assists in better quality and customer experience through a matrix of intelligent automation tools,” said Tony Baird, Chief Technology Officer at Optus.

    The containerized CNCS will be run on Red Hat OpenShift, the leading hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes, which is also Optus’ preferred CaaS provider.

    “We are pleased to further expand our Optus collaboration with Nokia’s cloud-native CNCS architecture and accelerate the delivery of new 5G services in multi-cloud environments with intelligent automation and intent-based operations. By simplifying network complexity, CNCS allows operators to respond faster to customer needs and deliver a superior, frictionless experience,” said Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia. 

    The Nokia Core Network portfolio is fully cloud native which makes it much easier for operators to run their full 4G/5G Core in cloud-native network functions.

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom strengthens local control in Los Angeles burn scar areas

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 30, 2025

    What you need to know: In response to concerns from local elected leaders and community members about the potential for widespread SB 9 development concentrated in areas rebuilding from destructive fires and crowding evacuation routes, the Governor today issued an executive order that will give local government the discretion to limit SB 9 development in very high fire hazard severity zones within the rebuilding areas.

    LOS ANGELES — Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order providing local governments with stronger authority to limit Senate Bill 9 development in high fire hazard severity zones in Los Angeles County that fall within the burn scar areas. The executive order continues the Governor’s efforts to help respond to local concerns, provide tools to address rebuilding, and ensure that communities can recover safely. Read the executive order here.

    “We will continue to assist communities in rebuilding safely in ways that are responsive to local concerns. This executive order responds directly to requests from local officials and community feedback, recognizing the need for local discretion in recovery and that not all laws are designed for rebuilding entire communities destroyed by fires overnight.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The executive order remains in effect as long as the state of emergency remains active. The order:

    • Grants local governments authority to adjust rules for SB 9 development (lot splits and duplexes in single-family residential zones) in very high fire severity zones within the LA fire burn scars. This order affects the entire Palisades within the city of LA, the eastern foothills portions of Altadena, Sunset Mesa, and Malibu. 
    • Includes a seven-day pause on SB 9 development in these specific areas while locals develop their own standards. 
    • Provides local governments with the flexibility to tailor standards based on community needs. For example, local officials could add additional mitigation requirements or designate areas within the affected zones where SB 9 development is or isn’t allowed. It allows local officials to make determinations as to what best serves their community — balancing the needs of their community and fire-resilient, safe recovery.

    The executive order is consistent with the state’s commitment to increasing the state’s housing supply and its unwavering dedication to supporting local officials in rebuilding their communities. It leaves the SB 9 framework in place everywhere other than very high fire hazard severity zones in the burn scar, and within those zones allows local leaders discretion to ensure that SB 9 development in the rebuilding areas appropriately accounts for fire safety concerns.

    Helping communities rebuild

    Today’s announcement adds to recent orders by the Governor to help the Los Angeles community recover and rebuild, including another order fast-tracking rebuilding the homes and schools affected by the disaster by suspending permitting laws and building codes, which adds to earlier orders cutting red tape and streamlining the rebuilding of homes and businesses destroyed — suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The Governor also issued an executive order further cutting red tape by reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders. The Governor also issued an executive order removing administrative barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly.

    California’s all-in efforts

    Since the first day these firestorms ignited, Governor Newsom has been on the ground leading an all-in state response and recovery. 

    The Governor deployed resources before the hurricane-force fires broke out – growing to over 16,000 boots on the ground at the peak of the state’s response. And in the hours that followed, Governor Newsom launched historic recovery and rebuilding efforts to help Los Angeles get back on its feet, faster. 

    Even before the fires were out, Governor Newsom worked closely with outgoing President Joe Biden to secure a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration and then coordinated with the Trump Administration to ensure comprehensive federal support for Los Angeles. 

    That work has paid dividends as the current pace of debris and hazardous waste removal is months ahead of the cleanup timeline for the Camp, Woolsey, Hill fires in 2019 and Tubbs Fire in 2017/18, which at the time were themselves the fastest of their kind. 

    State and federal officials worked hand in glove to clear hazardous waste from 9,000 homes in less than 30 days. At the project’s peak, as many as 500 crews of expert heavy equipment operators from the Army Corps of Engineers worked around the clock to rapidly clear ash, soot, and fire debris from structures damaged by the Eaton and Palisades fires. 

    By the numbers 

    • 16,000 first responders and recovery personnel deployed
    • $2.5 billion in Small Business Administration Assistance approved. 
    • $144.2 million in individual assistance disbursed
    • $100 million in dedicated community partnerships through LA Rises
    • 40,000 totals visitors to disaster recovery centers 
    • 30 days to clear properties of hazardous waste
    • 9,195 properties cleared of debris 
    • 2,300 homes cleared of debris 
    • 12,500 right of entry forms submitted 
    • 8 of 8 schools resumed in person instruction 
    • 9 of 9 water systems reactivated  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Opening Remarks on Protecting Online Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, delivered the following opening statement at the subcommittee hearing titled “Protecting the Virtual You: Safeguarding Americans’ Online Data.”

    Testifying at the hearing was Alan Butler, Executive Director and President of the Electronic Privacy Information Center; Samuel Levine, Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice; Kate Goodloe, Managing Director at the Business Software Alliance; Paul Martino, General Counsel at the Main Street Privacy Coalition; and Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute.

    A rough transcript of Klobuchar’s full opening statement is available below and a video can be downloaded here.

    Senator Klobuchar: Well. Thank you very much, Chair Blackburn, and thank you to all of our witnesses, and I’m really grateful for your leadership on these issues, Madam Chair, and your willingness to work with me and Senator Blumenthal and many others. 

    We all know new technologies have made it easier for people to monitor their health, collaborate with colleagues, communicate with loved ones, and more. But federal law doesn’t do enough, as we all know, to address the privacy that comes with these innovations, the privacy concerns.

    Technology companies collect an enormous amount of personal information about our daily lives. They know what we buy, who our friends are, where we live, where we work and travel, even how much we would be willing to pay for something. Yet, for too long, the big tech companies, many of which dominate the market that they operate in, have been telling American consumers, “Just trust us,” even though their business models are designed to collect personal information and to use it for profit. 

    The bottom line is that we are the product, we are, and that’s how many tech companies make their money, and a lot of it. In 2024, Google and Meta earned a combined $420 billion in advertising revenues alone. And they made a lot more money because Americans lack privacy protections. An American’s data earned Meta $68 in a single quarter last year. Think about that, all these people who don’t realize that they’re being tracked. But a European Facebook user with a comprehensive privacy protection only generated $23, and that money can be used for a lot of other things that people need right now.

    And it seems like every day we hear a new story about companies playing fast and loose with data and taking advantage of customers. Earlier this year, a whistleblower from Facebook, now Meta, testified to another subcommittee about how the company would track users so closely that it could identify when teenage girls felt emotionally vulnerable and then target them with ads exploiting these emotions. For example, when a teenage girl would delete a selfie, Facebook might serve her an ad for diet products. 

    Criminals also view huge troves of data as attractive targets for hacking. We’ve seen major data breaches ranging from the 2017 Equifax database breach that exposed sensitive financial information from more than 140 million individuals to the hack of Change Healthcare, affecting 190 million people and causing more than 100 electronic systems vital to the U.S. health care system to be shut down. 

    On my way here, I was on the phone with the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, because they, like so many other jurisdictions, are responding to a targeted cyber-attack on their IT infrastructure, which has shut down some of the city’s digital services and may have compromised city employee data. 

    Once in the hands of criminals, data can be used for everything from identity theft to more serious crimes. And we all learned too tragically with the horrific murders in my state of my good friend Melissa Hortman, the former Speaker of the House, and her husband Mark how accessible personal data is, including people’s addresses, because the murderer only killed the people and went to the houses of the people whose addresses he had. 

    Businesses are also using personal data collected across the internet in novel ways, such as to set individualized prices designed to increase costs for consumers.

    Should a person, and this is a question we have to ask as Senators, really have to submit to this kind of intrusive data collection just to send a message to a friend online, to book a flight, or to order some diapers? I don’t think so. 

    That’s why more than 20 states have stepped in. I suspect today we’ll hear from some of our witnesses about the patchwork of state laws. I agree it’s a problem, but I believe we should have passed privacy legislation many, many years ago. I advocated for it back then. We tried, and in fact, in [2024], I [worked on] a comprehensive privacy bill with Senator Cantwell and Kathy McMorris Rogers, a former Republican House member. The bill would have required companies to collect only the information necessary to provide the goods and services that consumers sought, ensured consumers consented before their personal data was shared with third parties, and put consumers in control of their data by allowing them to access, correct, and even delete personal data. 

    But many of the businesses that today complain about the burden of complying with the patchwork of state laws, I have the advantage of having been there then, even before Maria Cantwell’s bill was introduced, when the companies were lobbying against a federal privacy law, and now they’re back complaining about the patchwork of laws. And I would like to change that, but I do think it’s important to know that’s why we’re in the position that we are and to understand why some of these states are looking at this going, “Wait a minute.”

    The need for federal privacy reform is even more urgent as AI continues to expand its role in to our lives. Data is both the gasoline and the engine for AI models. That means that demand for our data is skyrocketing, so it is critical that we set guardrails to ensure the data that powers AI is responsibly sourced and used for legitimate means and protected when you want to have it protected. 

    Luckily, there is a bipartisan agreement that Congress needs to act. The Commerce Committee, on which Chair Blackburn and I also sit, has seen strong bipartisan, bicameral proposals for federal privacy reform. Not everyone agrees with all of them, but there has been some start out of that committee, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about why we need these guardrails now. 

    Thank you, Senator Blackburn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Cotton Back Effort to Establish Drone Production Facility at Red River Army Depot

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) joined Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce the SkyFoundry Act of 2025, legislation to establish a Department of Defense drone production facility at the Red River Army Depot to develop, produce and field drones for the Department of Defense.

    “The men and women of the Red River Army Depot are committed to providing our servicemembers with the tools they need to defend our nation,” said Boozman. “With unmanned aircraft systems playing an increasingly prominent role in modern warfare, tasking them with developing and sustaining an adequate supply of drone systems would be a win for this skilled workforce and our armed forces. I am pleased to join my colleagues to champion this effort and the Arkansans whose vital contributions to Red River support our national security and local economy.”

    “Large-scale manufacturing of small drones is critical to the Army’s current and future operational capability,” said Cotton. “This bill is a win for national security and for Arkansas as the Skyfoundry program presents a unique opportunity to more fully utilize the Army’s organic industrial base by positioning Red River Army Depot to meet the Army’s emerging requirements.”

    “Establishing a drone manufacturing facility at the Red River Army Depot will help ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of drone production,” said Cruz. “I’m proud to see the Lone Star State continuing to lead in defense innovation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to swiftly pass this legislation.”

    “Russia and China are currently outpacing America in scalable drone production and investment, making us vulnerable to national security threats if left unmatched,” said Cornyn. “This legislation seeks to close this gap and help ensure America remains competitive with our foreign adversaries by establishing a new innovation and production facility that would rapidly improve our ability to develop, test, and mass-produce small unmanned aircraft systems.”

    Specifically, the SkyFoundry Act of 2025 will:

    • Establish a production facility and innovation facility for the manufacturing and development of small unmanned aircraft systems;
    • Utilize a Government-Owned, Government-Operated Contractor Augmented (GOGO/CA) model, blending military, civilian and contract personnel; and
    • Encourage public-private partnerships with industry, academia and nonprofits.

    Boozman has continually championed efforts to support the Red River Army Depot,  successfully securing $47 million in 2024 for workforce support and recently advancing an additional $93 million in funding through the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee as part of the FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Act.  

    This legislation is supported by the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce and the TexAmericas Center.

    Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10).

    The bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to allocate 90 billion yuan for nationwide childcare subsidies

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

    China’s central budget will allocate 90 billion yuan (about 12.6 billion U.S. dollars) this year to support the issuance of childcare subsidies, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday.

    A woman and her child have fun at a park in Zaozhuang, east China’s Shandong Province, June 1, 2025. (Photo by Sun Zhongzhe/Xinhua)

    The fund, which is a transfer payment from the central budget, will assist local governments in issuing the subsidies, covering nearly 90 percent of the total amount distributed, ministry official Guo Yang told a press conference.

    The move follows the country’s recent introduction of a nationwide childcare subsidy program, which sets a standard of 3,600 yuan per year for each child under the age of three, and is expected to benefit more than 20 million families each year.

    The finance and healthcare departments are actively advancing the calculation and distribution of the fund, Guo said, emphasizing that through comprehensive oversight, every penny will safely reach those eligible for the support.

    According to Wang Haidong, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC), childcare subsidy applications will be gradually rolled out across China in late August, with full access expected by Aug. 31.

    EASY ACCESS TO CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES

    The subsidy can be applied for online through a unified national information system, allowing everyone to submit applications without leaving home, while offline channels and in-person services will also be in place, Wang said at the press conference.

    Those who are unable to apply online due to special circumstances can do so by going to the township or subdistrict office where the infant is registered, he added.

    Measures have been introduced to make the application process easier. Applicants, notably, only need to submit essential materials that verify the infant’s identity and caregiving relationship — such as the birth certificate and household registration book.

    A wide range of application channels will also be available, including provincial-level government service platforms and third-party platforms such as Alipay and WeChat, which are all commonly used and can be conveniently accessed online using mobile phones, Wang said.

    Guo Yanhong, deputy head of the NHC, said the subsidy is available to all eligible children, regardless of whether they live in urban or rural areas, their ethnicity or region, or whether they are the first, second, or third child in the family.

    She noted that the subsidy standard was set based on factors such as childcare costs and fiscal capacity, while also drawing on international practices, as direct financial support is a common policy tool to encourage childbirth globally. In China, some local governments have piloted similar programs, which have been well-received by the public.

    EXPANDING BIRTH-FRIENDLY POLICIES

    According to Liu Hongmei at the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, China has intensified efforts to protect the maternity rights of working women.

    At the press conference, Liu said that from 2022 to 2024, the organization allocated 22.5 million yuan in employer subsidies to expand workplace childcare, making these services more accessible and affordable for working parents.

    Trade unions nationwide are encouraged to foster family-friendly workplaces through multiple measures, such as providing breastfeeding rooms for female employees, the official said.

    Liu Juan, an official of the National Healthcare Security Administration, said that a total of 253 million people were covered by China’s maternity insurance by June 2025, including rising numbers of flexible employees and migrant workers.

    Since 2021, the country’s maternity insurance benefits have been accessed 96.14 million times, with cumulative fund expenditure totaling 438.3 billion yuan, she added.

    Notably, assisted reproductive services are now covered by medical insurance across 31 provincial-level regions and in the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and painless delivery services are also covered in certain regions, according to Liu. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Average small business tax refund tops $5k: Tax tips and traps for business owners filing their tax return – CBA

    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

    With CommBank data showing most small business tax refunds are processed in the first quarter of a financial year, here are some tax tips for business owners on staying financially fit and scam aware.

    Key facts:

    • New CommBank data shows on average, small business owners received a tax return of around $5,000 for financial year 2024.
    • The number of refunds processed between July and September in 2024 are 75 per cent higher than the average number processed in the prior three quarters.
    • Mining contractors, electricians, plumbers, manufacturers, small agribusinesses, and wholesale traders can expect to get the highest tax returns this year. 

    According to the data, based on funds deposited into small business customer accounts by the Australian Tax Office (ATO), states with the highest average tax refunds are ACT and Queensland ($5,700), followed by Victoria ($5,300), NSW ($4,900) and WA ($4,800).

    Interestingly, electricians and plumbing businesses top the list for average tax returns in NSW and TAS, mining contractors unsurprisingly for WA, and education and communication services for VIC, while small agriculture businesses top the average tax return in Queensland.

    Mixed emotions as tax time rolls around

    Drew Campbell, co-founder of boutique travel company Reveling – Nestled on the Gold Coast, Reveling is redefining luxury travel with a focus on immersive, small-group and private experiences across Australia and Africa. Co-founded by a team of passionate adventurers, the company is powered by a growing collective of guides, hosts, artisans, and creatives who share a love for meaningful connection through travel.

    “There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing people connect deeply with nature and community,” said Drew Campbell, co-founder of Reveling.

    Since its inception, Reveling has carved out a niche in the high-end travel space, offering curated experiences that blend authenticity with elegance. But behind the scenes of dreamy destinations and bespoke itineraries lies the reality of running a small business – especially during tax time.

    “Honestly, it’s a bit of both stress and excitement,” Mr Campbell admits.

    “It’s a good checkpoint to assess how we’re tracking and tidy up any loose

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Chief Information Officer Announces the State’s First Chief Privacy Officer

    Source: US State of Oregon

    regon Chief Information Officer Terrence Woods, Director of Enterprise Information Services (EIS), has appointed Nik Blosser as the state of Oregon’s first Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategist. The CPO will be charged with crafting the strategic vision for the state of Oregon relating to privacy, data protection, and AI. As the first-of-a-kind position in Oregon state government, the CPO must make strategic judgements and decisions relating to developing policy and as the AI Strategist, Nik will play a pivotal role in shaping Oregon’s AI landscape.

    “Adding a Chief Privacy Officer and AI Strategist to the team at EIS has been a goal of mine for a few years and I am excited to bring Nik onboard,” said Woods. “Nik will significantly enhance our ability to safeguard data, ensure compliance with privacy regulations, prioritize workforce AI literacy, and lead efforts to promote a culture of awareness across all state agencies, ultimately making Oregon a leader in data protection, privacy management, and AI Governance.”

    Blosser brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career to his new role. A Stanford University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Aeronautical Engineering and English, he has a diverse educational background.

    He has worked in both private and public sectors, with his career highlights including serving as Chair and Board Member of Sokol Blosser Winery for 22 years, one of the oldest family-owned and operated wineries in Oregon. Blosser also held significant roles in the Executive Office of the President, Portland General Electric, The White House, and served as Chief of Staff for Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

    Blosser co-founded Celilo Group Media, Inc., a company focused on sustainable products and services, and has been actively involved in numerous volunteer roles, including board memberships with Literary Arts, Oregon Business & Industry, and the Oregon Environmental Council.

    Nik Blosser’s leadership and dedication to public service and sustainability make him an invaluable asset to EIS and the state of Oregon.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Chief Information Officer Announces the State’s First Chief Privacy Officer

    Source: US State of Oregon

    regon Chief Information Officer Terrence Woods, Director of Enterprise Information Services (EIS), has appointed Nik Blosser as the state of Oregon’s first Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategist. The CPO will be charged with crafting the strategic vision for the state of Oregon relating to privacy, data protection, and AI. As the first-of-a-kind position in Oregon state government, the CPO must make strategic judgements and decisions relating to developing policy and as the AI Strategist, Nik will play a pivotal role in shaping Oregon’s AI landscape.

    “Adding a Chief Privacy Officer and AI Strategist to the team at EIS has been a goal of mine for a few years and I am excited to bring Nik onboard,” said Woods. “Nik will significantly enhance our ability to safeguard data, ensure compliance with privacy regulations, prioritize workforce AI literacy, and lead efforts to promote a culture of awareness across all state agencies, ultimately making Oregon a leader in data protection, privacy management, and AI Governance.”

    Blosser brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career to his new role. A Stanford University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Aeronautical Engineering and English, he has a diverse educational background.

    He has worked in both private and public sectors, with his career highlights including serving as Chair and Board Member of Sokol Blosser Winery for 22 years, one of the oldest family-owned and operated wineries in Oregon. Blosser also held significant roles in the Executive Office of the President, Portland General Electric, The White House, and served as Chief of Staff for Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

    Blosser co-founded Celilo Group Media, Inc., a company focused on sustainable products and services, and has been actively involved in numerous volunteer roles, including board memberships with Literary Arts, Oregon Business & Industry, and the Oregon Environmental Council.

    Nik Blosser’s leadership and dedication to public service and sustainability make him an invaluable asset to EIS and the state of Oregon.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Delivers Floor Speech on Need for Bipartisan Permitting Reform Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    To watch Chairman Capito’s floor remarks, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, delivered remarks on Senate Floor outlining the need for comprehensive, bipartisan reforms to our nation’s environmental review and permitting processes.

    “The opportunity is here, this is right in front of us, and I can guarantee you that I will be at the forefront of these efforts to make sure that these reforms can become a reality. I encourage my colleagues to heed the importance of this moment,”Chairman Capito said.

    Below are the floor remarks of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “As we both know, for too long, critical projects central to American energy development, infrastructure improvement, and economic development have been trapped in a cycle of redundant reviews, shifting goalposts, endless red tape, and regulatory uncertainty.

    “Businesses large and small, looking to build things in our country again, really need certainty that is necessary for long-term investments, and projects needed to deploy new energy technologies, and efforts to restore the environment, have been caught in the same regulatory swamp as well.

    “This has been loaded on for years. Years of changes in guidance have created a complex web of ever-expanding, duplicative, and contradictory requirements, while Congress has not stepped in to provide the clarifications that our country needs. All this has led to lost jobs, missed economic opportunities, and higher prices across America, underpinning the importance of comprehensive reform to our environmental review and permitting processes. I can tell you, I get asked about this consistently, every day, more than a few times a day.

    “So, let me talk a little bit about my home state of West Virginia. I’ve seen firsthand how projects that our communities rely on face needless delays and how costs are then shifted to our families who pay more for energy, housing, transportation, and basic goods as a result.

    “These types of delays nearly stopped what will become one of the most environmentally friendly steel production facilities in the world that will employ over a thousand people in Mason County.

    “Top highway projects, like Corridor H that would improve both safety, mobility, and create economic development, have encountered multiple permitting delays and uncertainty under a litany of environmental statutes. Even West Virginia water extensions, broadband deployments, and bridge replacements have all faced delays from the federal permitting process.

    “If you’ve spent time in my state, visited our communities, or traveled across our mountains, it’s obvious how important these projects are to our state of West Virginia. They impact everything from how we heat our homes, to how we connect our schools with internet, and maintain the roads and bridges that our residents travel on every single day.

    “Point blank, these delays are holding our state and every state back from reaching our full potential, robbing our people of investments and economic development that would improve the quality of their lives. I believe it is time for Congress act.

    “Clearly, I am no stranger to the ever-illusive topic of permitting reform. Throughout my time in the Senate, I have introduced multiple bills on the subject and have been involved in the regulations on this topic, and while we were able to include some reforms in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act, it is very clear that much more needs to be done.

    “The fact of the matter is, each one of us in this chamber has a critical need in our state that could be addressed by improving our permitting and environmental processes. Like building more housing, we always hear about a housing shortage, or bringing energy projects online, we hear about the expansions of nuclear, that are going to be held in the permitting process, or improving the conditions of surface transportation infrastructure, just to name a few. No matter what our constituents need, we all know that permitting reform is needed to deliver projects more quickly and more efficiently.

    “In my role as the Chair of the EPW Committee, where we have jurisdiction over the laws that set the framework for our environmental review and permitting processes, I could not be more earnest in my desire to lead this effort with our Ranking Member. Our Committee’s involvement on this issue remains apparent by the delivery of not just this speech we’re doing together, but as we continue to work together with the goal of crafting bipartisan legislation.

    “Together, we started bipartisan conversations in our Committee in February, when we held a hearing to gain the perspectives of leaders who are directly involved with navigating these processes.

    “To ensure that we would gather a complete look at all of the issues, we kept the hearing record open for over a month to give all stakeholders the opportunity to share their experience with these existing environmental review and permitting processes, and identify challenges and recommend possible solutions to this Congress.

    “From this record, we garnered 107 submissions representing 146 individual organizations, and an additional 854 individual requests on how to improve the federal environmental review and permitting process.

    “These responses have helped the EPW Committee identify the challenges that persist across the wide variety of projects and to identify consensus on the potential solutions to address these challenges.

    “While we’ve talked about the issue of permitting for a number of years in Congress, it’s important that we currently find ourselves, I think, in like-thought all across the spectrum. Each branch of the federal government, from the Executive, to Congress, and the Judiciary, are united in our dissatisfaction with the current permitting and environmental review processes.

    “The Trump Administration has taken numerous actions to cut red tape and to put the United States in the best possible position to grow our economy and create jobs.

    “The Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision in the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition case in May that validated what many of my colleagues and I have long been saying, and that is the responsibilities of federal agencies under the [National Environmental Policy Act] have evolved beyond what Congress intended, creating roadblocks instead of considering the environment in federal decision-making.

    “Right now, we have the momentum, I believe, needed to deliver meaningful and lasting reforms to the environmental review and permitting process, and I believe this is an unprecedented opportunity and something we can truly accomplish.

    “I do believe, and we know this well, Senator Whitehouse and I know this well, that there are areas of strong disagreement in this area between the two of us, and what we’re going to try to do is to find those areas of like-thinking, that moves the process along. No matter how difficult it might be, this is the only way we get a permanent solution, so we don’t see the swings of the environmental process that we’ve seen over the last few years.

    “To start, durable and implementable reforms need to be successful, they have to be bipartisan. Legislation that the Senate crafts must take into account all types of projects, not just politically favored projects no matter who is favoring them, or projects that will support the infrastructure needs of some Americans but not others. We must provide clarity and transparency in these processes, and be thoughtful in the way we craft the legislation.

    “We need to address every stage of these processes to find efficiencies while balancing public health, the environment, and the needs of our economy, and our legislation must establish guardrails that cease the endless amounts of agency delays and litigation that stunts the development of our projects. I’ve seen investments in my state collapse under the weight of legal challenges, denying benefits to those that needed it the most.

    “I want to stress that modernizing these processes does not mean cutting corners or weakening our environmental and public health protections, and this is exceedingly important to all of us and to the process. It means focusing the government on meeting the needs of the American people, ensuring the quality of our environment for generations to come, and making the processes more efficient, predictable, and transparent so that they’re not stuck in a bureaucratic purgatory of endless litigation.

    “The reality is this, hardworking Americans want a government that works for them, not one that keeps them waiting for the benefits that many of these projects promise to their communities. What happens when you wait, if the project still goes forward? It gets more and more and more expensive with time.

    “I was encouraged to see bipartisan efforts from our colleagues in the House of Representatives, as last week, Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Representative Jared Golden announced a proposal to address many of the concerns I just laid out.

    “As negotiations continue in the Senate, we must remember that it will take the collaboration of both chambers [of Congress] and the Administration to get impactful legislation across the finish line.

    “The opportunity is here, this is right in front of us, and I can guarantee you that I will be at the forefront of these efforts to make sure that these reforms can become a reality. I encourage my colleagues to heed the importance of this moment, and many of our colleagues are talking about this and have great expertise in this area, and we need your help.

    “With that, I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito: The OBBB Delivers Tax Relief for West Virginians

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The One Big Beautiful Bill prevents what could have been the largest tax increase in history for working- and middle-class Americans. By permanently extending and expanding on the successful Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed during President Trump’s first term, Senate Republicans are delivering on their promise to foster an environment of economic growth and increase affordability for American families.

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers the largest tax cut in history to hardworking people in West Virginia and across the country. That means that West Virginia families not only get to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, but they will see their take-home pay increase by thousands of dollars. These tax cuts will also help small businesses grow and hire more people, leading to greater economic growth and more opportunity,” Senator Capito said.

    West Virginia Wins:

    • Around 400 thousand seniors in West Virginia could benefit from the no taxes on social security.
    • 5% of the labor force is employed in occupations that will benefit from the no taxes on tips.
    • Establishes a $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors. 
    • Establishes a permanent small business deduction and increases Section 179, Small Business Expensing Cap from $1.25 million to $2.5 million. 
    • Extends the Hydrogen Tax Credit (945V) until January 1, 2028, which will save Hydrogen Hubs across the country, including West Virginia’s ARCH2 project. 
    • Permanently restores 163j interest deductibility beginning after December 31, 2024, which will provide West Virginia’s small business owners the tools they need to compete, grow, and hire.

    What Others Are Saying:

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a landmark victory for West Virginia’s small businesses. By making the Small Business Tax Deduction permanent, Congress delivered the certainty that Main Street needs, allowing small business owners to continue to create jobs, grow their business, and invest in their communities. With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Senator Capito along with both Chambers of Congress, have strengthened the foundation of our economy and provided a boost not just for small businesses, but a boost for the entire country,” Gil White, NFIB West Virginia State Director, said.

    “Senator Capito has always been a champion and leader for West Virginia’s hospitality and tourism industry, which is an economic driver that employs thousands of West Virginia workers and welcomes millions of visitors to our great state annually. We are thankful for Senator Capito’s support of key provisions in the One Big, Beautiful Bill that will positively impact our restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry members. Important policies included in the bill – such as ‘no tax or tips’ and ‘no taxes on overtime,” full expensing of capital equipment purchases, qualified business income deductions, and permanent family and medical leave credits – provide much-needed benefits to hospitality and tourism employees and regulatory and tax certainty for small business owners that will allow tourism to continue as an economic powerhouse for West Virginia,” Richie Heath, Executive Director of the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with James Glenday and Emma Rebellato, News Breakfast, ABC

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    James Glenday:

    Welcome back to the show. On this Thursday morning, you’re watching News Breakfast. It is always lovely to have your company.

    Emma Rebellato:

    We’ll get an update on the latest with the global tsunami alerts in just a moment. But first, borrowers will be hoping the latest inflation data will be the confirmation the Reserve Bank needs to cut rates next month.

    Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, joins us now from Canberra. Treasurer, thanks for joining us this morning.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Thanks for having me back on, Emma.

    Rebellato:

    So homeowners are hoping for a rate cut. Are you worried though that if there is a cut it will encourage more investors into the market, and that will price out people wanting to buy their own home?

    Chalmers:

    I’m not going to pre‑empt decisions that the Reserve Bank takes independently. I think rate relief is welcome, certainly when interest rates were cut twice already this year, that provided some very, very welcome rate relief for millions of Australians with a mortgage. That’s how we see it, but I don’t want to make predictions or pre‑empt the decisions that the Reserve Bank will take.

    What yesterday’s numbers showed when it comes to those inflation numbers is really quite remarkable progress. The progress that Australians have made together over the course of the last 3 years on inflation has been outstanding because we’ve been able to get inflation down at the same time as we deep unemployment low, we’ve got real wages growing again – but it’s never mission accomplished, because the global environment’s uncertain, we’ve got some persistent structural issues in our economy, growth in our economy is soft and people are under pressure. And that’s why the primary goal, the main priority of the first 2 weeks of the parliament sitting has been to roll out more cost‑of‑living help.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, your productivity roundtable is on in just a few weeks. Will you be looking – and we know housing going’s to be on the agenda – will you be looking specifically at property investors. Do you want to change the capital gains tax discount?

    Chalmers:

    That’s not why we’ve put this Economic Reform Roundtable together. It’s all about making our economy more resilient and more productive, and our budget more sustainable.

    I expect and I hope that building more homes is one of the central considerations of the Economic Reform Roundtable. I’ve been working very closely with Minister Clare O’Neil with a number of people who will be at the roundtable and with a whole range of people around the country.

    We’ve all got an interest in building more homes sooner; that’s the government’s priority. The primary focus there, I think, at the roundtable will be around how we speed up approvals and get the zoning for housing right, because we desperately need more homes. The Commonwealth government has come to the table with tens of billions of dollars in investment, our political opponents want to cut funding for housing, but overwhelmingly, people want to see where there’s common ground to build more homes, and that will be the focus.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, one of the stories we’re following today is the latest Productivity Commission report on closing the gap. Again, so many targets are showing so little progress, and some are worsening. How would you characterise this? Is this a failure by governments?

    Chalmers:

    We need to do much better. I think from memory, 10 of the 15 measures, we’ve seen a little bit of progress in the report released overnight, some have gone backwards in worrying ways.

    I think every member of the government, and I think many Australians would acknowledge that we need to do better, and the reason why these reports are so important is because they make sure that we keep governments and the community more broadly up to the mark. We need to do better when it comes to closing the cap.

    Minister Malarndirri McCarthy is working in her characteristically diligent way with all of the stakeholders, all of the communities to try and turn these numbers around. There has been progress in 10 of the 15, there has been some worrying outcomes in the rest, but overall, we need to do more and we need to do better.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, we know the issue in the Middle East is a big talking point in parliament and in the government at the moment. Is it now inevitable that Australia will recognise a Palestinian state; do you want to see that happen?

    Chalmers:

    I do, and I think it’s a matter of when, not if Australia recognises a Palestinian state for a long.

    Rebellato:

    So could we see it before September, before that UN meeting?

    Rebellato:

    I don’t want to put a timeframe for it, it’s been a long‑standing bipartisan policy that we see a two‑state solution in that part of the Middle East. From my point of view that progress that has been made, that momentum that we’re seeing in the international community is welcome, but it’s also conditional.

    There are a number of obstacles still in the way to recognition of a Palestinian state, for example, the treatment, the release of the hostages, making sure that there’s absolutely no role for Hamas. These are the sorts of things that the international community is working through.

    That statement that came out yesterday that we signed as Australians via our Foreign Minister Penny Wong is a really important one. It condemns the terrorist act on 7 October, it demands a ceasefire, the release of hostages and access for humanitarian aid; it encourages countries to work towards recognition as a really important part of that two‑state solution, and the reason we want to see a two‑state solution is because Israeli families and Palestinian families need and deserve to be able to raise their kids in peace, and that’s what this is all about.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, let’s stay with issues overseas, and the issue of tariffs. Now, Donald Trump has now said if he’s not negotiated with a country that they’re now looking at between a 15 and 20 per cent tariff. Is that what you’re working towards now; forget about 10 per cent, it’s now looking 15 to 20?

    Chalmers:

    We haven’t heard differently from the 10 per cent baseline that’s been levied on Australia; obviously we continue to engage with the Americans on this. It’s one of the main issues playing out in the global economy, it’s a major source of uncertainty in the economy, whether it’s what’s been said overnight about India, whether it’s the back and forth between the US and China or the tariffs levied directly on Australia. We’ve got the baseline rate as far as we are aware, and as we understand it, which is 10 per cent.

    Rebellato:

    So you don’t expect that to move?

    Chalmers:

    I think it would be a brave person to assume that there won’t be – whether it’s with other countries or – there will always be more announcements about this. These tariff announcements are a moving feast. But our understanding, our expectation is we get the baseline.

    We think that the best outcome is zero because these tariffs are an act of economic self‑harm. We see inflation is going up in the US. Earlier in the year they had slowing growth, interest rates on hold again in the US overnight, they’ve got higher interest rates than we do in Australia.

    We think these tariffs are bad for the American economy, certainly bad for the global economy. We’re better placed and better prepared than most countries to deal with that, but we won’t be immune. We’ll continue to engage with the Americans on it.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, just to change things up a little bit, this is possibly the hardest question you’ll be asked today, we’ve been talking about theme songs. Do you have a favourite theme song?

    Chalmers:

    It’s hard to go past the themes – the 2 theme songs in the Rocky movies, or the theme song to that great Eminem movie, 8 Mile. I’m a hip‑hop guy –

    Rebellato:

    Oh, yeah.

    Chalmers:

    – as James on the couch knows, but I think the best theme song, now that you put me on the spot, the best theme song I can remember is when Powderfinger, These Days kicks in during that wonderful Australian movie, Two Hands.

    I think These Days by Powderfinger came in at number 14 on the week in the Triple J Hottest 100 Australian songs. Like everyone who loves Powderfinger, I think that should have been higher. But that’s an amazing theme song, and that’s an incredible, Two Hands, Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown, Rose, all the great Australian actors and a wonderful Australian theme song too by Powderfinger from Brisbane.

    Rebellato:

    Treasurer, thank you so much for joining us this morning, we appreciate it.

    Chalmers:

    Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington, Sunrise, Channel 7

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Natalie Barr:

    For more, we’re joined by Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Good morning to you.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Morning, Nat.

    Barr:

    So, when the godfather of AI begins to regret his contribution to the invention, should we be concerned?

    Chalmers:

    I think there’s a whole range of views about artificial intelligence. I’m optimistic that it will be transformational in a good way in our economy but only if we manage the risks right. And so our government is doing a heap of work, including with Scott Farquhar and others who will be part of our Economic Reform Roundtable, to make sure that we maximise the opportunities of AI at the same time as we manage the risks. The risks can be substantial in our labour market and more broadly as well. We need to manage those. But overwhelmingly, I think AI will be transformational in our economy and in our society, and we need to make it work for us, not against us.

    Matt Shirvington:

    It’s moving so fast, isn’t it, Treasurer? Let’s talk about that roundtable. You said tech billionaire Scott Farquhar is going to be a part of that. He’s for this. He wants more productivity, more investment to expand AI in Australia. Is that required? Is that what we’re going to do? Are we going to take advantage of the time being now?

    Chalmers:

    I think there are broadly 3 schools of thought here. There’s a group of people who say, let it rip. There’s a group of people who, I think unrealistically, say that we should kind of turn back the clock and pretend these technological developments aren’t happening. And then there’s a responsible middle path, which is the approach that the government intends to take. And that’s all about making sure that our people are beneficiaries, not victims of these big technological changes. This will be seismic. Artificial intelligence will have a massive impact on our economy and on our society. And it’s up to us as governments and as societies to work out how we make that work for us, not against us. To make people beneficiaries of these changes rather than victims of it.

    Barr:

    So this is the guy who resigned from Google because he wanted to warn the world about the dangers. Are you confident that our country has the safeguards against the bad parts of AI?

    Chalmers:

    I’m confident that we can manage the risks, but it won’t be easy. And something that is changing this quickly, the pace of change, the accelerating pace of these technological changes, is a big challenge because we need to catch up and keep up with the way that it’s changing our economy and our society. And we need to make sure that its impact is positive, not negative.

    The risks are there, they are substantial. We focus on the risks, for example, in the labour market, but also more broadly, and we need to manage that. Every country in the world is grappling with this challenge. Trying to work out how AI can be a force for good in our economy, making us more productive, making our work easier, augmenting some of the tasks that people do at work. Those are the upsides of AI.

    There are potential downsides as well, and that’s why we work so closely with the tech industry and with others – my colleague Tim Ayres and Andrew Charlton and Ed Husic before that. It’s a big focus of the government. It’ll be a big focus of our efforts at the reform roundtable next month as well.

    Shirvington:

    It’s good to hear, because you just don’t want to miss the boat. Just quickly on inflation figures. You know, you’ve been at the helm, you’ve seen them go down and down and down. Low 2s now, paving the way potentially, for a rate cut next month. What do you think?

    Chalmers:

    I try not to make predictions about decisions that the independent Reserve Bank will take about interest rates, but I’m really pleased that inflation has come down so substantially. It’s a powerful demonstration of the progress that Australians have made together in the fight against inflation. When we came to office 3 years ago, it was higher than 6 per cent and absolutely galloping. We’ve got it down now into the low 2s. That’s a good thing. But the job’s not finished. It’s not mission accomplished.

    We know that people are still under pressure and that’s why the main goal of the parliament the last 2 weeks since it’s returned after the election has been to deliver all kinds of cost‑of‑living relief to help ease some of these pressures. But inflation coming down is a very good thing. The unemployment rate staying relatively low is a very good thing. Real wages are growing as well, but we know there’s always more work to do.

    Barr:

    Treasurer, thank you very much for your time.

    Chalmers:

    Appreciate it, guys.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: South East women stepping up

    Source:

    Trailblazing women across the south east region are stepping up into roles which have only ever been held by men.

    Deputy Chief Officer South East, Trevor Owen, said it was amazing to see dedicated women taking on the challenge of leadership roles.  

    “These women are bringing fresh perspectives, strength, and dedication to their positions and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in CFA,” he said.  

    In Golden Beach Paula Grosveld is stepping down as Captain of the brigade after 20 years and will be stepping into the role of Group Officer for Banksia Group.  

    Her new role will involve supporting the brigades in her group to deliver the best for their communities as well as supporting members to achieve their personal goals within CFA.  

    “I hope I can bring a real sense of respect, kindness, and commitment to the role so that all the brigades know that if they need anything from the group, we will be there to support them,” she said.  

    Paula has been involved with CFA for 39 years and throughout that time has held various roles.  

    Paula is passionate about young people getting involved and hopes she can inspire those coming through the ranks to step up into leadership roles.  

    “Hopefully I can just carry on from the last few group officers and build on what we already have,” she said.  

    Golden Beach sits in CFA’s District 10 in East Gippsland and Paula said she is really proud to be from an area that has over 90 group management and brigade management positions filled by women.  

    “In District 10 we have huge representation of women in Brigade Management Teams and in group management teams,” she said.   

    ‘It is just amazing that the women here put up their hand and they have a crack and it’s awesome to see these women grow and learn alongside them.” 

    Next door in District 11 Bronwyn “Bronnie” Jonkers from Wairewa brigade is the secretary, treasurer and now the fourth Deputy Group Officer of Orbost Group. 

    Bronnie is the first female DGO in Orbost Group. Bronnie has been a volunteer for just over five years, starting in Wairewa before moving to Stratford and then back to Wairewa.    

    Since then, Bronnie has been on a whirlwind of a ride, completing Women’s Challenge Camps, doing lots of training and was elected to the position of 4th Lieutenant at Stratford Brigade along with Fundraising Coordinator role before moving back to Wairewa. 

    As a mum of three kids Bronnie knows about keeping busy but hopes she can continue to learn and push herself in her new role.  

    “I have grown to love being able to help as much as I can,” she said.  

    “I signed up thinking I would just be a firefighter and fight fires but since being in CFA I have just continued to grow.” 

    She encourages all girls and women to think about getting involved in CFA.  

    “It is a great community to get involved in and you make a lot of new friends, all the women are supportive and you will be really supported in pushing yourself,” she said.  

    CFA’s District 8 is getting two new lieutenants, Alida Goodchild at Tyabb and Claire Maloney at Carrum Downs.  

    Stepping into the role of fourth lieutenant for the Tyabb brigade is an exciting new step for Alida Goodchild.  

    “There has never been a female lieutenant at Tyabb,” she said.  

    Alida said she is proud to be stepping into this role and hopes she can bring her strengths to the forefront. 

    “There are more women in the brigade than we have ever had,” she said 

    “I really want to lead by example and show that they too can enter these roles and step up in the brigade to take on leadership roles.”  

    In her role as fourth lieutenant Alida will be supporting the brigades mental health program, helping with fundraising and social events like brigade dinners, hydrant maintenance, and social media.   

    “They really tailor the portfolios to what you are good at and they move around depending on who is in the role so you can really thrive in your areas,” she said.  

    Claire Maloney is not only the first female lieutenant in the Carrum Downs brigade but she is the first fifth lieutenant the brigade has ever had.  

    On top of this she is stepping into the role of protective equipment manager, which is also a first for the brigade as they prepare to welcome a new breathing apparatus (BA) truck to their brigade.  

    “It’s fun to be at the decision table with the brigade management team and get a peek behind the curtain.” 

    Claire said over the years she has been involved with CFA, the desire to take on more challenges and leadership has developed. 

    “I don’t think I started off with that in mind but it has definitely grown on me,” she said.  

    The confidence Claire gets to take on leadership roles she attributes to developing and running a confidence course for crew trainers. 

    “I definitely learned lots through that and it helped me to get the confidence to step up into other roles.” 

    • Paula Grosveld
    • Claire Maloney
    • Bronwyn Jonkers
    • Alida Goodchild
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Sporty spice: how romance fiction is adding a new dynamic to sports fandom

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University

    Sports fans might love their teams, cheer or curse each game’s result and admire their favourite athletes, but we rarely associate sports with romance.

    However, that may be slowly changing thanks to the recent spike in the popularity of romance fiction, which has created an unlikely sub-genre.

    A genre on the rise

    Romance fiction sales in Australia are up, with an average growth rate of 49% over three years.

    Dedicated romance bookstores are popping all over the world thanks to the visibility of social media communities such as “BookTok” and “Bookstagram” and the avenues digital and self-publishing are creating.

    Sports romance titles are contributing to the growing romance numbers and are helping to attract new and non-traditional fans to sport.

    Sports bringing the spice

    Sports romance fiction is not a new phenomenon. But it has gained popularity in the past few years, predominantly through ice hockey titles.

    Ice hockey romance has a growing, passionate following. Authors such as Elle Kennedy, Hannah Grace, Tessa Bailey and Emily Rath – all New York Times-bestselling writers – bring a wide-reaching visibility to the sub-genre.

    Kennedy’s Off Campus series is currently being developed as a TV series.

    Formula 1 romance fiction also has a strong following, while football (soccer) is popular too. Meryl Wilsner’s soccer-based romance Cleat Cute is also getting the TV treatment through sporting legends Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird’s production company A Touch More.

    You name the sport and there will be a title for you: golf, chess, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, pickleball, Australian rules football, swimming, ballet, baseball and e-sports, the list goes on.

    Something for everyone

    While a majority of sports romance texts reflect heteronormative relationships and depict some of the more stereotypical, idealised body types and aesthetics often associated with the romance genre and athletic bodies, there are also diverse titles. These explore relationships across genders, sexualities, ethnicities, body shapes and different sports.

    The ability to self-publish and reach an audience through social media allows sports romance authors and the creator community to be responsive and representative.

    Authors are motivated to create narratives that reflect their own experiences and identity or contribute perspectives they feel are missing in the sporting landscape.

    Happily ever after?

    What makes these diverse contributions significant is how the authors present their sporting narratives within the romance genre storytelling structure. This means the majority of texts conform to what romance readers call, the “HEA”: the happily ever after.

    While some narratives will have drama, tension and tragedy, the “happily ever after” framework allows for stories and relationships to end on a happy note.

    In sports romance, there are many authors using this approach to challenge social norms, restrictive sporting environments and advocate for inclusion by presenting narratives where these tensions are resolved and everything works out.

    Examples include K.T. Hoffman’s The Prospects, which features a trans man as the protagonist who makes it onto a Major League Baseball team and finds true love. Esha Patel’s Offtrack presents a Middle Eastern woman as the first woman driver for a Formula 1 team this century — who also finds true love. Australian author Abra Pressler’s Love and Other Scores shares the coming out journey of a professional male tennis player while competing at the Australian Open — after he finds true love. You get it.

    The romance genre allows these fictional stories to play out with the authors placing love and care for diverse communities at their centre, showing us a world where the inclusion for these diverse lived experiences are possible in sport.

    Risks and rewards

    There are opportunities for sports organisations to think more creatively about connecting with fans who may be interested in different elements of sporting culture and fandom.

    That could be through sports romance, new forms of narrative storytelling such as docuseries like Netflix’s Drive to Survive, or intersections with pop culture such as Taylor Swift’s recent impact on NFL fandom.

    What is important is understanding the community and serving that community rather than trying to retrofit diverse fans into preexisting fan engagement strategies.

    Sports should understand fans are not a homogeneous group, and not all diverse fans will respond to and connect with this content.

    There are also risks for sports that try to shoehorn non-traditional fans into their space without fully understanding the community, such as when the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken targeted the sports romance audience in 2023. The initiative went horribly wrong when the organisation misguidedly promoted social media engagement which led to some users crossing the line and allegedly harassing players.

    But there are rewards when it is done right. Australian Ice Hockey League discovered this after developing a genuine connection with author Emily Rath and facilitating welcoming and safe spaces for romance readers at games. The result? A surge in attendances and fan connection.

    The sports romance genre is a space for sport to pay attention to, and with the second annual Sports Romance Convention taking place in Minneapolis next year, its community will continue to grow.

    Kasey Symons has received funding from the Victorian Government, and national and state sport governing bodies, including the Australian Football League and the National Rugby League. She is also one of the co-founders of Siren: A Women in Sport Collective.

    – ref. Sporty spice: how romance fiction is adding a new dynamic to sports fandom – https://theconversation.com/sporty-spice-how-romance-fiction-is-adding-a-new-dynamic-to-sports-fandom-261569

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, US should respect each other’s core interests, avoid conflicts: Chinese FM

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

    China and the United States should respect each other’s core and major interests, and avoid falling into confrontation and conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council in Beijing, capital of China, July 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

    He called on the two sides to establish more channels for communication and consultation, view each other with an objective, rational and pragmatic attitude, and foster correct strategic perceptions.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC).

    He said that no matter how the situation changes, China has maintained the continuity and stability of its policy towards the United States, and China will handle and advance its relations with the U.S. in accordance with three principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

    China is willing to strengthen contact with the United States to avoid misjudgment, control differences, explore cooperation, implement the consensus reached between their two heads of state, and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, he said.

    He also urged adhering to the principles of respect, equality and reciprocity and refraining from unilateral hegemony, calling for doing more big, practical and good things for the benefits of the two countries and the world.

    Wang noted that China will expand its high-level opening-up and build a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized. China hopes that U.S. companies will continue to be optimistic about China and invest in the country to achieve mutual benefits and common growth, he added.

    China hopes that the U.S. business community will take on the role of conveying correct perceptions of China, cultivate friendship between the Chinese and U.S. peoples, and practice mutually beneficial cooperation, making new and positive contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations and the friendship between the two peoples, he said.

    The delegation included USCBC Board Chair Rajesh Subramaniam; Thermo Fisher Scientific Chairman Marc N. Casper; Otis Worldwide Corporation Chair Judy Marks; Goldman Sachs President and COO John E. Waldron; Senior Vice President of the Boeing Company and President of Boeing Global Brendan Nelson; founder and Vice Chair of United Family Healthcare Roberta Lipson; Apple Inc. COO Sabih Khan; and USCBC President Sean Stein.

    They said that the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world today, and that the good, far-sighted interaction between the two countries’ heads of state has provided guidance and impetus for the development of bilateral relations.

    The U.S. business community will continue to take root in China and deepen its presence, expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, technological innovation, green development and health care, they said, noting that they will participate in China’s high-quality development and promote further connectivity between China and the world.

    USCBC is committed to actively leveraging its influence to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchange, enhance mutual understanding, and advance the U.S.-China relationship towards a more vigorous, balanced and mutually beneficial direction, they said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leading National Security Dems Alarmed by Trump’s Steep Concessions to China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senate Armed Services Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) joined Ranking Senate Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and several other key members of the Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Intelligence Committees raised the alarm over public reporting that President Trump is pausing export controls on critical technology sold to China and undermining relations with Taiwan as part of an effort to secure a trade deal with Beijing.

    The Senators are deeply concerned that President Trump’s desire for a perceived “deal” is clouding crucial U.S. export control decisions that could imperil national security, threaten U.S. artificial intelligence advantages, and put other American-generated emerging technologies critical to military programs at risk.

    The twelve U.S. Senators, who also included Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senate Armed Services Committee member Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senate Intelligence Committee member Michael Bennet (D-CO), Senate Armed Services Committee member Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Senate Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance Ranking Member Andy Kim (D-NJ), issued the following joint statement:

    “President Trump has spent the past six months eroding our advantages over China, but recent developments make clear how willing his administration is to sacrifice American economic and technological leadership for symbolic “wins” with China in Trump’s self-inflicted trade war.

    “In just the last two days, we have seen reporting that the Trump administration has cancelled a long-planned high-level security dialogue with Taiwan and denied the president of Taiwan the ability to transit the United States—a longstanding tradition respected by administrations of both parties. These developments come right on the heels of a decision to pave the way for the sale of advanced AI chips to China and to freeze export controls on additional American technologies enabling them to now flow to China, even as Beijing tightens export controls on the United States. Independent media reports today suggest these moves are an attempt to secure trade concessions, curry favor with President Xi Jinping, and ensure President Trump gets a visit to China. The president is demonstrating to Beijing that he can be cajoled into giving up America’s core interests.

    “In the face of lackluster domestic economic forecasts and anemic interest from Beijing in achieving a real breakthrough in talks, President Trump and his economic team have ceded leverage and negotiating power to Beijing in a desperate attempt to lure President Xi to a meeting with President Trump. Even more dangerously, they risk putting American national security, technological advantage, and economic prosperity on the chopping block in order to do so.

    “President Trump is handing our primary geopolitical adversary the keys to the castle of 21st century global technological dominance. Doing so will enable Chinese leadership in artificial intelligence, infusing the Chinese military with the technological advantage it needs to continue hostile operations across the globe. He is signaling his ambivalence about standing with Taiwan, our long-term partner in the region and a powerhouse of the global economy. And he is emboldening Beijing to take aggressive actions and seek even more aggressive concessions in whatever trade negotiations may follow.

    “President Trump and this administration must reset their dangerously weak approach to China and make clear they will no longer accept symbolic wins in exchange for steep American concessions. An administration convinced it can renegotiate the world order needs to stop negotiating against itself.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leading National Security Dems Alarmed by Trump’s Steep Concessions to China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senate Armed Services Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) joined Ranking Senate Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and several other key members of the Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Intelligence Committees raised the alarm over public reporting that President Trump is pausing export controls on critical technology sold to China and undermining relations with Taiwan as part of an effort to secure a trade deal with Beijing.

    The Senators are deeply concerned that President Trump’s desire for a perceived “deal” is clouding crucial U.S. export control decisions that could imperil national security, threaten U.S. artificial intelligence advantages, and put other American-generated emerging technologies critical to military programs at risk.

    The twelve U.S. Senators, who also included Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senate Armed Services Committee member Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senate Intelligence Committee member Michael Bennet (D-CO), Senate Armed Services Committee member Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Senate Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance Ranking Member Andy Kim (D-NJ), issued the following joint statement:

    “President Trump has spent the past six months eroding our advantages over China, but recent developments make clear how willing his administration is to sacrifice American economic and technological leadership for symbolic “wins” with China in Trump’s self-inflicted trade war.

    “In just the last two days, we have seen reporting that the Trump administration has cancelled a long-planned high-level security dialogue with Taiwan and denied the president of Taiwan the ability to transit the United States—a longstanding tradition respected by administrations of both parties. These developments come right on the heels of a decision to pave the way for the sale of advanced AI chips to China and to freeze export controls on additional American technologies enabling them to now flow to China, even as Beijing tightens export controls on the United States. Independent media reports today suggest these moves are an attempt to secure trade concessions, curry favor with President Xi Jinping, and ensure President Trump gets a visit to China. The president is demonstrating to Beijing that he can be cajoled into giving up America’s core interests.

    “In the face of lackluster domestic economic forecasts and anemic interest from Beijing in achieving a real breakthrough in talks, President Trump and his economic team have ceded leverage and negotiating power to Beijing in a desperate attempt to lure President Xi to a meeting with President Trump. Even more dangerously, they risk putting American national security, technological advantage, and economic prosperity on the chopping block in order to do so.

    “President Trump is handing our primary geopolitical adversary the keys to the castle of 21st century global technological dominance. Doing so will enable Chinese leadership in artificial intelligence, infusing the Chinese military with the technological advantage it needs to continue hostile operations across the globe. He is signaling his ambivalence about standing with Taiwan, our long-term partner in the region and a powerhouse of the global economy. And he is emboldening Beijing to take aggressive actions and seek even more aggressive concessions in whatever trade negotiations may follow.

    “President Trump and this administration must reset their dangerously weak approach to China and make clear they will no longer accept symbolic wins in exchange for steep American concessions. An administration convinced it can renegotiate the world order needs to stop negotiating against itself.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz-Collins Bipartisan Legislation To Reform Disaster Recovery Passes Key Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs yesterday unanimously voted to advance a bipartisan housing package which included the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act. The provision, authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), would help communities recover from major disasters.

    “Right now, each time a disaster happens, communities in crisis are forced to wait for Congress to pass a disaster funding bill before HUD can help. Our provision changes the law so they no longer have to wait. As soon as a disaster strikes, HUD will be able to help communities begin the process of recovery,” said Senator Schatz.

    “With natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity—as we saw earlier this month with the devastating floods in Texas—it is critical that states have the necessary resources to respond in order to protect public safety, property, and our economy,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan legislation would allow communities to immediately focus on helping families and local businesses recover instead of waiting on the federal bureaucracy in the wake of a natural disaster.”

    The Schatz-Collins measure addresses long-standing recommendations from the HUD Office of the Inspector General and Government Accountability Office to establish a permanent and predictable funding process. The bill accelerates assistance to disaster-impacted communities by:

    • Creating a disaster recovery fund to allow HUD to predictably assist communities;
    • Authorizing HUD to issue regulations to codify program requirements and reduce unnecessary red tape, delays, and unpredictability that stems from the current process;
    • Supporting resilience as a part of – rather than separate from – disaster recovery;
    • Authorizing “quick release” funds to support grantee capacity right after an event;
    • Improving federal coordination by establishing an office at HUD devoted to disaster recovery and resilience; and
    • Reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and interagency requirement conflicts.

    The full text of the provision is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Electronics Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025.
     
    The Company posted KRW 74.6 trillion in consolidated revenue, a decrease of 5.8% compared to the previous quarter. Operating profit decreased to KRW 4.7 trillion.
     
    The Device Solutions (DS) Division reported an increase in revenue on the back of expanded sales of high density, high-performance memory products, but inventory value adjustments in memory and one-off costs related to the impacts of export restrictions related to China in non-memory had an adverse effect on profit. In the Device eXperience (DX) Division, operating profit declined quarter-on-quarter due to a sequential decline in sales volume following the launch of new smartphone models in the first quarter.
     
    Looking ahead to H2, the DS Division plans to proactively meet the growing demand for high-value-added and AI-driven products and continue to strengthen competitiveness in advanced semiconductors. The DX Division will seek to minimize the impact of uncertainties stemming from tariff policies that are likely to persist.
     
     
    Semiconductors Expected To Proactively Meet Continued AI Demand
    The DS Division posted KRW 27.9 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.4 trillion in operating profit for the second quarter.
     
    In Q2 2025, the Memory Business proactively addressed robust server demand by expanding HBM3E sales and by expanding the proportion of high-density DDR5 products. Also, with the resumption of datacenter projects that were previously delayed, sales of server SSDs increased, helping NAND inventory to decrease significantly. However, earnings were impacted by one-off costs such as inventory value adjustments.
     
    In H2 2025, AI demand is expected to remain robust due to continued investments by major cloud service providers, and therefore server demand for both DRAM and NAND is expected to stay strong.
     
    To align with solid AI-server demand for DRAM, the Memory Business will proactively address the need for high-density products and diversify product offerings through HBM, server LPDDR5x, high-density DDR5, 24Gb GDDR7 and other products. For NAND, the Memory Business plans to increase sales of high-density and high-performance SSDs while accelerating the transition to 8th Generation V-NAND across all applications.
     
    The System LSI Business generated solid revenue from shipments of flagship systems-on-a-chip (SoCs) using the Gate-All-Around (GAA) process, but earnings improvement was limited due to higher costs of developing advanced products.
     
    In H2 2025, the System LSI Business will focus on improving Exynos competitiveness to ensure its adoption in 2026 flagship mobile lineups of a major customer and expanding the sales of ultra-high-resolution and nano-prism sensors.
     
    Despite significant growth in revenue from the first quarter, earnings for the Foundry Business remained weak due to the impact of inventory value adjustments that stemmed from US export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China, as well as a continued low utilization rates at mature nodes.
     
    In H2 2025, the Foundry Business will ramp up mass production of a new mobile SoC with the 2nm GAA process. It also aims to improve factory utilization and profitability through expanded sales to major customers.
     
     
    SDC To Further Accelerate Leadership By Differentiating and Enhancing Display Technologies
    Samsung Display Corporation (SDC) posted KRW 6.4 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.5 trillion in operating profit for the second quarter.
     
    For the mobile display business, SDC saw a revenue increase based on the response to new smartphones of major customers as well as the expansion of sales in the IT and automotive segments. The large display business experienced continued growth in sales of QD-OLED monitor displays, driven by robust demand in the gaming market.
     
    In H2 2025, the mobile display business expects sales growth from major customers’ new smartphone launches amid ongoing market uncertainties. It also aims to strengthen market leadership with differentiated technologies and the continued expansion of sales beyond smartphone displays. The large display business will seek to maintain a stable supply of TV panels while continuing to accelerate the penetration of QD-OLED monitors by enhancing the product lineup.
     
     
    MX Grows Revenue and Operating Profit YoY, Will Focus on Flagship Sales and AI Capabilities
    The Mobile eXperience (MX) and Networks businesses posted KRW 29.2 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 3.1 trillion in operating profit for the second quarter.
     
    In Q2 2025, the MX Business experienced a decrease in smartphone shipments compared to Q1, when new models were released, but both revenue and operating profit grew YoY through robust sales of the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy A series and Galaxy tablets. The Business also maintained solid double-digit profitability via efficient resource management.
     
    In H2 2025, the MX Business plans to continue a flagship-first approach for smartphone sales focusing on foldables and the Galaxy S25 series — while emphasizing the AI functionality of the Galaxy A series — to increase market share. It will also reinforce the AI capabilities of tablets and wearables and expand the Galaxy ecosystem with the launch of products with new form-factors, including extended reality (XR) and TriFold devices, and contribute to maintaining solid profitability despite market uncertainties and rising bill of materials (BOM) costs.
     
    The Networks Business improved profitability in Q2 2025 by expanding revenue in overseas markets and enhancing cost efficiencies, and in H2 2025, it will focus on achieving revenue targets and regaining competitiveness by securing new orders with optimized costs.
     
     
    Visual Display Enhances Sales Mix, Targets the Capture of Peak-Season Demand in H2
    The Visual Display and Digital Appliances businesses posted KRW 14.1 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.2 trillion in operating profit in the second quarter.
     
    In Q2 2025, the Visual Display Business improved the sales of premium products, such as Neo QLED and OLED TVs, but earnings declined due to stagnant demand and intensified competition.
     
    In H2 2025, the Business plans to reinforce revenue growth by capturing peak-season demand, based on a strengthened lineup of high-value-added TVs offering superior viewing experiences with enhanced AI features. In addition, the Business will drive solid profitability and growth through its differentiated experiences and services including SmartThings, Samsung Knox, Samsung Art Store and Samsung TV Plus.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, U.S. should respect each other’s core interests, avoid conflicts: Chinese FM

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

    China, U.S. should respect each other’s core interests, avoid conflicts: Chinese FM

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council in Beijing, capital of China, July 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, July 30 — China and the United States should respect each other’s core and major interests, and avoid falling into confrontation and conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on Wednesday.

    He called on the two sides to establish more channels for communication and consultation, view each other with an objective, rational and pragmatic attitude, and foster correct strategic perceptions.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC).

    He said that no matter how the situation changes, China has maintained the continuity and stability of its policy towards the United States, and China will handle and advance its relations with the U.S. in accordance with three principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

    China is willing to strengthen contact with the United States to avoid misjudgment, control differences, explore cooperation, implement the consensus reached between their two heads of state, and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, he said.

    He also urged adhering to the principles of respect, equality and reciprocity and refraining from unilateral hegemony, calling for doing more big, practical and good things for the benefits of the two countries and the world.

    Wang noted that China will expand its high-level opening-up and build a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized. China hopes that U.S. companies will continue to be optimistic about China and invest in the country to achieve mutual benefits and common growth, he added.

    China hopes that the U.S. business community will take on the role of conveying correct perceptions of China, cultivate friendship between the Chinese and U.S. peoples, and practice mutually beneficial cooperation, making new and positive contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations and the friendship between the two peoples, he said.

    The delegation included USCBC Board Chair Rajesh Subramaniam; Thermo Fisher Scientific Chairman Marc N. Casper; Otis Worldwide Corporation Chair Judy Marks; Goldman Sachs President and COO John E. Waldron; Senior Vice President of the Boeing Company and President of Boeing Global Brendan Nelson; founder and Vice Chair of United Family Healthcare Roberta Lipson; Apple Inc. COO Sabih Khan; and USCBC President Sean Stein.

    They said that the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world today, and that the good, far-sighted interaction between the two countries’ heads of state has provided guidance and impetus for the development of bilateral relations.

    The U.S. business community will continue to take root in China and deepen its presence, expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, technological innovation, green development and health care, they said, noting that they will participate in China’s high-quality development and promote further connectivity between China and the world.

    USCBC is committed to actively leveraging its influence to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchange, enhance mutual understanding, and advance the U.S.-China relationship towards a more vigorous, balanced and mutually beneficial direction, they said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: OZZY fans say final farewell as thousands line streets to witness cortege

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Birmingham City welcomed thousands of Ozzy Osbourne fans who flocked to watch an emotional cortege wind through the city in honour of the rock legend who died last Tuesday (July 22).

    Ozzy Osbourne’s family including wife Sharon followed a hearse and brass band along the route in memory of the Aston-born star.

    The public show of respect in his hometown has been arranged and funded by the Osbourne family and has been supported by partners, including Birmingham City Council.

    Ozzy and fellow Black Sabbath band members received Freedom of the City for their significant contribution to the musical and cultural identify of Birmingham, during a civic ceremony held at Council House on Saturday, June 28. He was therefore one of the city’s most recent Freeman.

    It was just weeks before Ozzy’s last charity gig on July 5 at Villa Park, a stone’s throw away from where Black Sabbath was originally formed.

    Today, thousands of fans lined the streets to watch as the musician’s hearse passed slowly through the city, along Broad Street, Black Sabbath Bridge, and the Black Sabbath bench, to the beat of a brass band.

    The Osbourne family were able to witness the flowers and tributes along the route laid by fans from all over the world ever since the news was announced last week.

    A book of condolence has been opened for people to sign at Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery’s (BMAG) Round Room and which now contains thousands of signatures. The book will close on Sunday, August 3. Fans can also freely visit the exhibition ‘Ozzy Osbourne (1948 – 2025) Working Class Hero’.

    An online book of Condolence is also available for fans to send messages and can be accessed and signed here Book of condolence and will close on Friday, August 1.

    Birmingham City Council and BMAG will work behind the scenes to ensure that all messages are collected for the family to read, including cards and messages laid with flowers and other memorabilia.

    Birmingham’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal, said: “Once again, Ozzy has put Birmingham firmly on the map. His sad passing has evoked a sense of pain and pride in the city and the world has watched as we have said our final farewell.

    “We have been supporting the family with behind-the-scenes operations, such as ensuring the city is safe and secure for the fans who have made their way here for this sad occasion.

    “It was only right to honour Ozzy as our latest Freeman to the city and my thanks go to the staff at Birmingham City Council who have made this event possible with our partners in such a very short space of time.”

    Deputy Leader, Councillor Sharon Thompson, added: “Never before have I witnessed such passion from the people of Birmingham for a musician. They have lost their ‘Prince of Darkness’.

    “We all know that Ozzy was an exceptional human being who was driven to entertain and ensure his city of Birmingham was never forgotten, along with his passion for charitable causes. ‘Birmingham Forever’ as he would say.”

    The Osbourne family plan to hold a private funeral for the star.

    Birmingham City Council would like to thank all of its partners for their hard work in bringing together a team to ensure the event ran smoothly.

    Thanks in particular to: Opus Events, Brindley Place business community, West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, West Side Business Improvement District, West Midlands Combined Authority, the Ambulance Service.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Duos Technologies Group, Inc. Announces Pricing of $40 Million Upsized and Oversubscribed Public Offering of Common Stock

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    With over $40 million in expected cash on hand, Duos is now fully capitalized to fulfill its $50 million revenue pipeline and advance deployment of an additional 65 Edge Data Centers

    Offering included primary participation from fundamental institutional investors, including a leading long-only mutual fund, several preeminent global investment managers, and existing investors

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (“Duos” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DUOT) a provider of adaptive, versatile and streamlined Edge Data Center (“EDC”) solutions tailored to meet evolving needs in any environment, today announced the pricing of its upsized and oversubscribed underwritten public offering of 6,666,667 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $6.00 per share, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and offering expenses. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 838,851 shares to cover over-allotments at the public offering price.

    With over $40 million in cash now expected on the balance sheet, Duos is now fully capitalized to fulfill its $50 million revenue pipeline and advance deployment of 65 additional Edge Data Centers. The offering included primary participation from fundamental institutional investors, including a leading long-only mutual fund, several preeminent global investment managers, and existing investors.

    The net proceeds from the offering will be used to expand, accelerate, and further commercialize the Company’s Edge Data Center business. With this funding, the Company is now fully capitalized to execute on its $50 million revenue pipeline and advance to Stage 2 of its EDC strategy, which is the development and deployment of 65 edge data centers.

    Titan Partners Group, a division of American Capital Partners, is acting as the sole bookrunner for the offering.

    “We are excited to announce this offering and the strong support from both new and existing investors,” said Charles Ferry, CEO of the Company. “Their commitment reflects confidence in Duos’ future and the transformational growth we are now positioned to unlock, with a strong cash position and accelerating demand from our Edge Data Center customers.”

    The offering is expected to close on or about August 1, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    The offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-272603) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 12, 2023, and declared effective by the SEC on June 21, 2023, and a registration statement on Form S-3 filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, was filed with the SEC and became effective on July 30, 2025.

    A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering have been filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. A final prospectus supplement will be filed with the SEC. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering, when available, may also be obtained by contacting Titan Partners Group LLC, a division of American Capital Partners, LLC, 4 World Trade Center, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10007, by phone at (929) 833-1246 or by email at prospectus@titanpartnersgrp.com.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Duos Technologies Group, Inc.

    Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT), based in Jacksonville, Florida, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Duos Technologies, Inc., Duos Edge AI, Inc., and Duos Energy Corporation, designs, develops, deploys and operates intelligent technology solutions for Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) applications including real-time analysis of fast-moving vehicles, Edge Data Centers and power consulting. For more information, visit www.duostech.com, www.duosedge.ai and www.duosenergycorp.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding, among other things our plans, strategies and prospects — both business and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “estimated,” and “potential,” among others. Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements as to the completion of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering, are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this news release include market conditions and those set forth in reports or documents that we file from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to Duos Technologies Group, Inc. or a person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Choose Transformation over Dependency’, With Scaled-Up, Coordinated Investment to Make Food Systems Resilience, Sustainable, Deputy Secretary-General Urges

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s keynote remarks, as prepared for delivery, on food systems transformation in complex settings, in Addis Ababa today:

    I am honoured to be here today.  I thank our co-hosts Ethiopia and Italy and the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the HDP Nexus Coalition for organizing this important conversation.

    And I thank all of you present today for your commitment to putting an end to hunger and transforming our food systems, making these work even in the most dire and complex circumstances.

    Communities are trapped around the world in relentless cycles of hardship.  Over 37 million children under five will face acute malnutrition this year — almost the entire population of Canada.  Of those, nearly 10 million will suffer severe wasting — the deadliest form of undernutrition.

    In many countries facing the greatest challenges, courage is on display at all moments.  But, we must ensure that the courage is matched with long term solutions that can result in resilience and sustainability.  Short-term interventions dominate, with little connection to longer-term development planning are not the solution we are seeking.  We must choose transformation over dependency.

    We have good examples.  Nations are embedding resilience into national strategies.  Leaders are refusing to accept hunger as inevitable. Instead, they are combining local, indigenous and traditional knowledge with science to accelerate action towards inclusive and resilient food systems while rebuilding their nations.  These Governments are not waiting for permission, they are leading.  But, leadership cannot succeed alone, it must be built on a solid foundation rooted in adequate finance, partnership and inclusion.

    First, finance.  We need finance that multiplies impact, catalytic investments that invest in local capacity, patient capital that waits for transformation, not quick returns.  The World Bank has committed to this approach, we must encourage others to follow.

    Second, we need coordination that serves people, not bureaucracies.  Humanitarian response linked to long-term development.  Climate action connected to food security.  Competing mandates replaced by shared purpose.

    Third, we need to place communities at the centre of our efforts.  Women grow 60 per cent of Africa’s food but own less than 20 per cent of the land.  Young people are at the vanguard of innovative agriculture but cannot access the financing that supports them.  This is especially the case in complex settings where perceived risk is higher and the options fewer.

    Yet, investing in the transformation of food systems is especially critical in complex settings where equitable and sustainable food systems do more than feed people — they drive food security, strengthen resilience, enable stability and promote inclusive economic growth.

    This transformation must be guided by local innovations and proven strategies, rooted in data and the lived realities of crisis-affected communities.

    We have the tools, and we have inspiring examples from countries leading change, many of which we will hear in this room today.  What we need now is accelerated action at scale.

    Food systems hold the key to sustainable development.  Let us use that key to unlock opportunity, stability, and hope for and with those who need it most.  And let us not forget that we need to strengthen our multilateral system to make peace and sustainable development a reality for all communities around the world.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Secures Provisions to Reestablish NADBank Water Infrastructure Fund in Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today celebrated the inclusion of his provisions on the 1944 Water Treaty in the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2026 to reestablish the North American Development Bank (NADBank)’s Water Infrastructure Fund and require a report on improving water storage and systems:

    “The South Texas agriculture community has suffered due to Mexico’s refusal to comply with the Water Treaty, and they deserve relief and solutions,” said Sen. Cornyn. “My provisions to reestablish NADBank’s Water Infrastructure Fund and require a water systems report are an important step in the right direction to make Texas whole, and I’m grateful to the committee for including this critical language in the appropriations bill.”

    Background:

    Sen. Cornyn has led the charge in Congress to boost Texas’ water supply and ensure Mexico fulfills its treaty obligations to provide annual deliveries of water to South Texas farmers and ranchers. In addition to successfully securing more than $280 million in emergency assistance for Rio Grande Valley farmers and producers affected by the water shortage, he led a request earlier this year to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for renewed efforts to push Mexico to comply with the 1944 Water Treaty while also securing Secretary Rubio’s commitment to hold Mexico accountable for delays.

    Last year, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to NADBank urging for the restoration of their Water Infrastructure Fund, raised alarms after a Rio Grande sugarcane mill closed due to acute water shortages, cosponsored a resolution supporting diplomacy, and sent a letter to then-U.S. Secretary of State Blinken urging the Department to engage on Mexico’s violation of the intent of the treaty. Senator Cornyn also led a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on State and Foreign Operations urging them to withhold designated funds from Mexico until they enter into an agreement with the U.S. to balance the deficit of the water deliveries, which the House Appropriations Committee included in their funding bill.

    Under the Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, Mexico is obligated to deliver an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water annually over a five-year cycle as its contribution to the Rio Grande’s water supply. However, Mexico has consistently delayed fulfilling its water obligation until the end of the five-year cycle, which hinders South Texas farmers’ ability to plan for and grow crops as well as ranchers’ ability to provide water to livestock. The current cycle ends in October and so far, Mexico has paid less than 700,000 acre-feet of water — less than half of what it owes, according to IBWC data.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Staff Issues No-Action Letter on SEF Order Book

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    CFTC Staff Issues No-Action Letter on SEF Order Book | CFTC

    /PressRoom/PressReleases/9101-25
    Skip to main content

    July 30, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Market Oversight today issued a no-action letter stating that it will not recommend the Commission commence an enforcement action against a swap execution facility (SEF) that does not provide a central limit order book as set forth in CFTC Regulation 37.3(a)(2), in connection with swap transactions executed on the SEF that are not subject to the trade execution requirement in Commodity Exchange Act section 2(h)(8).

    -CFTC-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Cre8 Enterprise Limited Announces Full Exercise of Over-Allotment Option

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Hong Kong, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cre8 Enterprise Limited (Nasdaq: CRE) (the “Company”), a Hong Kong-based integrated financial printing service provider, today announced the full exercise of the over-allotment option (the “Over-allotment”) by American Trust Investment Services, Inc., the representative of the underwriters of the Company’s firm commitment initial public offering (the “Offering”), to purchase an additional 217,500 Class A ordinary shares (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) of the Company at the public offering price of US$4.00 per share, and the closing of such issuance.

    The Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company commenced trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on July 23, 2025, under the ticker symbol “CRE.”

    The gross proceeds from this Over-allotment closing were US$0.87 million and the aggregate gross proceeds from the Offering increased to approximately US$6.67 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and other offering expenses.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds for upgrading the Company’s office in the Central District in Hong Kong and expanding its business, expanding its workforce and staff training, upgrading and/or acquiring equipment and information technology systems, and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

    The Offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis. American Trust Investment Services, Inc. acts as the representative of the underwriters, with Prime Number Capital, LLC acts as the co-underwriter (collectively, the “Underwriters”) for the Offering. Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP acts as U.S. securities counsel to the Company. Winston & Strawn LLP acts as the legal counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the Offering.

    A registration statement on Form F-1 relating to the Offering has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (File Number: 333-281629) and was declared effective by the SEC on July 22, 2025. The Offering was made only by means of a prospectus. A final prospectus relating to the Offering was filed with the SEC on July 23, 2025 and may be obtained from American Trust Investment Services, Inc. by standard mail to 1244 119th Street, Whiting, IN 46394, by telephone at +1 (219) 473-5542 or via email at IB@amtruinvest.com; or from Prime Number Capital, LLC by standard mail to Prime Number Capital, LLC, 12 E 49 St, Floor 27, New York, NY 10017, by email at info@pncps.com, or by telephone at +1 (516) 717-5671. In addition, a copy of the final prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained via the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and other documents the Company has filed or will file with the SEC for more information about the Company and the Offering. This press release has been prepared for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, and no sale of these securities may be made in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Cre8 Enterprise Limited

    Cre8 Enterprise Limited provides 24/7 integrated financial printing services for listed companies, IPO applicants and private companies in the finance and capital market in Hong Kong under its brand, “Cre8”. The services cover concept creation and artwork design, typesetting, proofreading, translation, printing, binding, logistics arrangement, uploading or making e-submissions of customers’ financial reports and compliance documents and media placements. In addition to these core services, it has expanded its offerings to include complementary design services such as website design, branding, and content creation for marketing materials. Moreover, it is now providing technological support to its customers by disseminating and publishing announcements, circulars, financial reports, and industry news feeds through a website of its “Cre8IR” brand.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s statements regarding its intended use of proceeds from the sale of the Company’s Class A Ordinary Shares in the Offering. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.  

    For more information, please contacts:

    Cre8 Enterprise Limited

    Email: ir@cre8corp.com
    Phone: +852 3693 2688

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ChainIntellect Launches HAIN Token Presale at Just $0.000000001 Per Token

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ChainIntellect, a forward-thinking AI-powered blockchain ecosystem, has officially launched the public presale of its native token HAIN at the introductory price of $0.000000001. This marks a major milestone in the project’s roadmap as it moves toward building a decentralized, intelligent Web3 infrastructure.

    With a bold vision to redefine the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, ChainIntellect’s HAIN token is engineered to power a suite of advanced AI tools, autonomous data systems, and decentralized applications built on Ethereum.

    Tokenomics That Inspire Early Adoption

    At the current presale price of $0.000000001, early adopters have an unprecedented opportunity to acquire HAIN at a valuation designed for maximum growth potential. According to the team, the presale is structured in multiple stages, with the next price jump to $0.0000001, followed by a planned public listing at $0.001.

    “We’re offering HAIN at its lowest price to reward our earliest believers,” said Val Andrew, CEO at ChainIntellect. “This presale stage is a rare opportunity to get in at the ground level of a token designed to power the future of AI in Web3.”

    About HAIN and ChainIntellect

    ChainIntellect is developing a decentralized ecosystem where AI agents and smart contracts work seamlessly to enable intelligent decision-making, data processing, and autonomous applications. The HAIN token is the utility and governance token for the ecosystem, allowing holders to:

    • Access AI-powered tools and data services
    • Participate in decentralized governance
    • Stake tokens for yield and AI resource rewards
    • Pay for computation within ChainIntellect’s smart agent networks

    Transparent & Secure Presale Structure

    The HAIN presale accepts ETH, USDT, USDC, providing flexibility for a wide range of crypto investors. All funds are securely processed through audited smart contracts with full Web3 wallet support.

    Contract Address (Ethereum): 0xA6BF4a22E19ED9241d74eB3c77A8451f0fA2cfff
    Official Payment Receiver: 0x212ba4E6B103e20B052c2d528A2aec66dD8d27b4

    There is no set end date, and tokens will remain on sale until sold out. Admins retain the ability to pause or update presale parameters for security and demand responsiveness.

    Join the Movement

    Crypto enthusiasts, early adopters, and AI believers are invited to participate now before the next pricing tier is reached. With strong community backing, technological innovation, and a clear roadmap, HAIN aims to become a leading AI-integrated crypto asset in the Web3 revolution.

    For more information or to participate in the presale, visit:
    https://chainintellectcoin.com
    Twitter: https://x.com/HAINCoin
    Telegram: https://t.me/haintoken

    Media Contact:
    Val Andrew, CEO
    support@chainintellectcoin.com

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

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3dc3003f-6dfc-4605-b210-c1197c14ffe1

    The MIL Network –