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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI: TORRAS Personal Cooling with Coolify Series: A Tech-Driven Solution for Comfort, Wellness, and Women’s Health

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, June 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As global temperatures continue to rise and daily comfort becomes a growing concern, TORRAS is making waves with its innovative Coolify series—a wearable air conditioner engineered to deliver rapid, personal cooling through cutting-edge semiconductor technology. But beyond its impressive specs and sleek aesthetics, Coolify is also gaining recognition for another powerful role: providing much-needed relief to women experiencing hot flashes and hormonal imbalances, especially during menopause.

    TORRAS, a technology brand known for blending innovation with lifestyle-driven solutions, believes that technology should serve real human needs, and Coolify is a perfect reflection of that mission.

    A Breakthrough in Personal Cooling Technology

    Coolify isn’t just another neck fan—it’s a wearable air conditioning system designed for next-generation, body-centered comfort. At its core lies an advanced semiconductor cooling plate embedded within the collar, capable of dropping the skin temperature on the neck by up to 18°F (10°C) within just 3 seconds. Unlike traditional fans that simply circulate ambient air, Coolify creates a genuine cooling effect that users can feel immediately.

    Engineered with ergonomics in mind, Coolify fits snugly around the neck and targets the sides and back of the neck—areas rich in arteries that play a crucial role in regulating core body temperature. By focusing cooling power on these critical zones, the device ensures rapid and efficient heat relief without compromising comfort.

    Additional features include:

    Three-speed smart temperature controls for customizable comfort
    8-hour battery life for all-day usability
    Ultra-quiet operation for discreet use in workspaces, social settings, or while sleeping
    Lightweight and travel-friendly design with a stylish, minimalist look that complements any outfit

    With its combination of advanced engineering and sleek design, Coolify has quickly become a favorite among tech-savvy consumers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. But some of its most impactful use cases come from a group that isn’t always the center of tech innovation: women in midlife.

    Supporting Women’s Health: A Lifesaver for Hot Flashes and Hormonal Spikes

    For women going through menopause, hot flashes are among the most common and disruptive symptoms. Sudden spikes in body temperature, facial flushing, sweating, and anxiety can make everyday life—whether at home, work, or out in public—uncomfortable and overwhelming. Traditional solutions like hormone therapy or cooling gels are either invasive or short-lived.

    This is where Coolify is quietly changing lives.

    Through direct customer feedback, TORRAS has discovered that a significant portion of Coolify users are women managing menopause-related symptoms. One user shared: “I was waking up drenched and exhausted every night. Coolify changed that. I wear it before bed, and I finally sleep through the night.”

    Another wrote: “It’s discreet and stylish—I can wear it in the office or on walks without drawing attention. Most importantly, I feel like I have control over my body again.”

    Because the neck houses multiple arteries that influence body temperature, cooling this area directly helps reduce hot flash intensity and duration. Unlike fans or ice packs, Coolify is hands-free, consistent, and wearable throughout the day or night.

    By offering a non-invasive, drug-free, and dignified solution for a problem that affects millions of women, TORRAS is proud to be supporting a demographic often overlooked in the tech innovation space.

    Everyday Comfort, Anywhere and Everywhere

    While its impact on women’s wellness is significant, Coolify was also designed for a wide range of everyday scenarios, making it a multi-purpose companion for the modern lifestyle.

    1. Daily Commutes & Urban Life Subways, buses, traffic-filled streets—urban environments can feel stifling in the summer. Coolify ensures personal climate control with a simple press of a button, making rush hour more bearable and sweat-free.
    2. Travel & Theme Parks From family vacations to amusement parks like Disney, Coolify has been praised as the ultimate travel essential. A recent user blog even hailed it as the “best neck fan for Disney,” helping visitors beat the heat while enjoying outdoor attractions.
    3. Outdoor Adventures Whether hiking, biking, or camping, Coolify is a powerful yet compact cooling device for those who love the outdoors. With no external fans to hold and no cords to manage, it allows full freedom of movement while keeping body temperature in check.
    4. Office & Remote Work Environments In offices where thermostats can’t be adjusted or in shared workspaces, Coolify provides personalized cooling without disturbing colleagues. Its low-noise operation makes it perfect for Zoom calls, deep focus sessions, and quiet rooms.
    5. Nighttime Use & Sleep Quality Some users incorporate Coolify into their nighttime routine, using it before sleep or even throughout the night to prevent heat spikes, leading to better rest and reduced sleep disturbances.

    Tech with Purpose: TORRAS’s Vision for Human-Centered Innovation

    More than a cooling gadget, Coolify represents a new frontier of wearable wellness tech. By marrying scientific design with empathy for daily challenges—like menopausal discomfort, urban heat stress, and the need for discreet comfort—TORRAS has crafted a product that is both technically advanced and emotionally intelligent.

    “We didn’t just want to create a product that cools the skin,” says a spokesperson for TORRAS. “We wanted to create a product that elevates how people feel, improves their day-to-day lives, and empowers them to move freely, comfortably, and confidently—no matter the temperature or stage of life.”

    As TORRAS continues to expand its innovation pipeline, the company remains committed to addressing real human needs with high-performance, beautifully designed solutions. Whether you’re managing hormonal transitions, chasing your kids through a summer park, or just trying to stay cool on the subway, Coolify is here to offer a smarter, kinder, cooler experience.

    About TORRAS TORRAS is a global lifestyle technology brand dedicated to enhancing everyday life through smart, human-centric design. From award-winning smartphone accessories to cutting-edge wearable devices, TORRAS blends function and form to create thoughtful solutions for modern living.

    For more information, visit: https://coolify.torraslife.com

    Media Contact

    TORRAS Marketing: marketing@torraslife.com
    TORRAS PR Manager: Ray@torras-global.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: National Anti-Scam Centre calls for stronger business role to disrupt scams

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The National Anti-Scam Centre is calling on businesses to join the fight against increasingly sophisticated scams by partnering and sharing data after Australians reported about $119 million in scam-related losses in the first four months of 2025.

    The statistics, sourced from reports to Scamwatch, show that despite a 24 per cent drop in overall scam reports to 72,230, reported losses increased by 28 per cent to $118,993,148 compared to the same time last year.

    However, the reported losses for early 2025 were 38 per cent below the $193.2 million in reported losses in the first four months of 2023.

    The biggest increase in reported losses in 2025 came from phishing scams, which involve scammers impersonating entities such as government agencies or financial institutions, which accounted for $13.7 million in financial losses, compared to $4.6 million in early 2024.

    “Scams are affecting Australians of all ages, often beginning with an unprompted or unexpected contact via social media and other digital platforms,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “Our approach to scam prevention is grounded in partnership. Sharing information is a key step towards improving community safety – organisations, such as banks, digital platforms, and telecommunication companies, can help disrupt scams faster and reduce the harm they cause.”

    “The work of our fusion cells has demonstrated that a piece of data that may be unremarkable on its own, when joined with other pieces of data, can form powerful intelligence. With data held across the ecosystem, sharing data with the National Anti-Scam Centre enables those vital connections to be made,” Ms Lowe said.

    The number of people reporting financial loss to social media scams increased by almost 50 per cent to 3,336 (up from 2,232 in 2024) and overall losses to these scams increased by 30 per cent to $23.4 million. Increases in the number of people reporting loss were also reported where initial scam contact occurred via digital channels including websites, email and mobile apps.

    Phone scams appear to be declining, with an 11 per cent drop in reports compared to early 2024; however, they still account for the highest overall financial losses of any contact method, with $25.8 million lost in the first four months of 2025.

    “While the average and median losses per victim have slightly decreased, the rise in overall financial loss and the number of people being impacted is a reminder to stay alert. We encourage all Australians to report suspicious scam activity, even if no money is lost as you can provide us with vital intelligence, and talk to friends and family to help spread awareness,” Ms Lowe said.

    “Businesses in all industries also need to stay alert to the risk of scams and adapt their systems to keep customers safe.”

    Scam Trends

    • Phishing scams had $13.7 million in financial losses reported to these scams, compared to $4.6 million in early 2024.
    • Investment scams also remain a significant issue, accounting for over half of all reported scam losses. In the first four months of 2025, Australians lost a total of $59 million to investment scams, a slight decrease of 1.4 per cent compared to last year. Despite this, investment scams continue to target vulnerable individuals with promises of high returns.
    • Scams through social media have increased considerably. There was a 50 per cent increase in people reporting financial loss through social media, with 3,300 reports totalling $23.4 million.
    • Older Australians aged 65 and over reported the highest total losses of any age group, totalling $33.1 million. However, younger Australians aged 25 to 34 (1,504 reports) and 35 to 44 (1,678 reports) were the most likely to report having lost money.

    How to spot and avoid scams

    STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say ‘no’, hang up, delete.

    CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not.

    PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. If you have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. The more we talk the less power they have. Report scams to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service at scamwatch.gov.au when you see them. If you’re contacted on a messaging platform like WhatsApp or iMessage, please also report the scam in the app.

    Background

    The ACCC runs the National Anti-Scam Centre, which commenced on 1 July 2023, and Scamwatch service. The National Anti-Scam Centre is a virtual centre that sits within the ACCC and brings together experts from government, law enforcement and the private sector, to disrupt scams before they reach consumers.

    The National Anti-Scam Centre analyses and acts on trends from shared data and raises consumer awareness about how to spot and avoid scams.

    Scamwatch collects reports about scams to help us warn others and to take action to stop scams. It also provides up-to-date information to help consumers spot and avoid scams.

    MIL OSI News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Cenovus Energy provides operations update on impact of Alberta wildfires

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX: CVE) (NYSE: CVE) is providing an update on its Oil Sands operations following ongoing wildfire activity in northern Alberta. Cenovus is focused on the safety of its people and the integrity of its assets, and all staff are safe. Based on the inspections the company has completed to date, it is not aware of any damage to its infrastructure and would anticipate a full restart of Christina Lake operations in the near term.

    As a precaution, currently only essential personnel are at the Christina Lake oil sands asset, where the company began safely and methodically shutting in production on May 29. Operations will resume as soon as it’s safe to do so. Approximately 238,000 barrels per day of production have been impacted, and the company will provide an update when it is in a position to restart.

    Cenovus is closely monitoring the overall wildfire situation in Alberta. The company is grateful for the efforts of its teams who are working tirelessly to keep the company’s people and assets safe, and for the provincial emergency management teams and firefighters keeping communities safe.

    Advisory
    Forward-looking Information
    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to as “forward-looking information”) about Cenovus’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the future, based on certain assumptions made in light of experience and perception of historical trends. Forward-looking information in this news release is identified by words such as “focus”, “anticipate” and “will” or similar expressions, including, but not limited to, statements about: safety; asset integrity; production impacts; and resumption of operations.

    Except as required by applicable securities laws, Cenovus disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists are not exhaustive and are made as at the date hereof. Events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward‐looking information.

    For additional information regarding Cenovus’s material risk factors, the assumptions made, and risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to “Risk Management and Risk Factors” and “Advisory” in Cenovus’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the periods ended December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 and to the risk factors, assumptions and uncertainties described in other documents Cenovus files from time to time with securities regulatory authorities in Canada (available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at sec.gov and Cenovus’s website at cenovus.com).

    Cenovus Energy Inc.
    Cenovus Energy Inc. is an integrated energy company with oil and natural gas production operations in Canada and the Asia Pacific region, and upgrading, refining and marketing operations in Canada and the United States. The company is committed to maximizing value by developing its assets in a safe, responsible and cost-efficient manner, integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into its business plans. Cenovus common shares and warrants are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, and the company’s preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit cenovus.com.

    Find Cenovus on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

    Cenovus contacts

    Investors Media
    Investor Relations general line
    403-766-7711    		 Media Relations general line
    403-766-7751

    The MIL Network –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Statement by IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva on the Passing of Former IMF FDMD Stanley Fischer

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Statement by IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva on the Passing of Former IMF FDMD Stanley Fischer

    June 1, 2025

    Washington, DC: Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today after news of the death of Mr. Stanley Fischer, former IMF First Deputy Managing Director:

    “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend Stan Fischer, who among many career achievements, served as the First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF between 1994 and 2001. Stan will be remembered for his enormous influence on the economics profession, first as a leading academic and teacher, then as an accomplished policymaker across many prominent posts. During his time at the IMF, he helped lead the Fund’s response to a number of significant challenges, including the Mexican crisis of 1994 and the 1997 Asian financial crisis. To this day, Stan is deeply admired by Fund staff, management and the membership for his intellectual leadership, personal integrity, and dedication to public service. He believed strongly in the Fund’s core mission, as he put it: ‘to promote principles of good economic citizenship, and provide a forum for countries to discuss issues of mutual interest.’

    “As an academic at the University of Chicago and MIT, Stan’s research had a profound effect on the field of macroeconomics, becoming a leading figure in the New Keynesian movement. Stan taught, mentored and influenced many leading policymakers and thought leaders. During his extraordinary policymaking career, he served as Chief Economist of the World Bank before becoming First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF. From 2005 until 2013, he served as Governor of the Bank of Israel, helping to steer the Israeli economy through the global financial crisis. He then became Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in 2014, serving in that role until 2017. As a central banker, he was a staunch proponent of inflation targeting frameworks, transparency, and central bank independence.

    “On behalf of the IMF, I extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Fischer’s three children Michael, David and Jonathan and their families. Stan led a life of exemplary public service, matched only by his innate goodness as a colleague, friend and human being.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Brian Walker

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/01/pr-25169-statement-by-imf-md-kristalina-georgieva-on-the-passing-of-former-imf-fdmd-stanley-fischer

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scandalous mormons, dystopian Buenos Aires and Nicolas Cage down under: what to watch in June

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne

    As we head into a new month of streaming, here’s a fresh wave of TV ready to challenge, transport and entertain you.

    This month’s picks span genre and geography, from an eerie dystopian Buenos Aires, to a witty, awkward cyborg hero. Reality TV also gets a scandalous twist with the return of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. And Deaf President Now! delivers a powerful documentary on a historical milestone for Deaf rights.

    There’s something for every kind of viewer — and every kind of mood.

    The Eternaut

    Netflix

    Argentine sci-fi The Eternaut opens with a group of old friends in Buenos Aires meeting to play the card game truco on a hot summer night – when things suddenly get eerie.

    The power goes out and a poisonous snowfall starts to blanket the city, killing thousands of people instantly. The survivors must get answers, quickly, as they start to grasp the true strength of their invisible enemy.

    Based on Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s 1950s comic of the same name, The Eternaut portrays apocalypse through a deeply local and political lens – and in doing so has struck a chord in Argentina.

    Directed by Bruno Stagnaro and led by Argentine film icon Ricardo Darín, as protagonist Juan Salvo, the series emphasises the power of collective heroism, and subtly critiques the current government’s uncompromising neoliberal approach.

    It also pulses with national pride. Buenos Aires is not glamorized; real neighbourhoods are shown as classic Argentine tango, rock and folk plays in the background. Most importantly, Argentine identity is celebrated through themes of community spirit, grassroots resistance, and ingenuity in times of crisis.

    The Eternaut feels both timely and timeless. Its slogan, “no one survives alone,” resonates for a country that has been long marked by both trauma and resistance efforts.

    Its emotional weight is further deepened by Oesterheld’s legacy, including the tragic disappearance of him and his family members under the military rule of the 1970s.

    With a second season on the way, this series is a powerful ode to Argentina.

    – Claudia Sandberg



    Read more:
    Why Netflix’s The Eternaut is one of the most important shows to come out of Argentina in recent years

    Murderbot

    Apple TV+

    Murderbot, Apple’s adaptation of Martha Wells’ science-fiction novella, All Systems Red (2017) is a satisfying combination of action, sci-fi and comedy. The show centres on a security unit (SecUnit) – an indentured private security cyborg – who secretly cracks the programming of its governing chip, granting itself autonomy.

    Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård), as it dubs itself, is both horrified and fascinated by humans. It’s far more afraid of eye contact, emotions and direct conversation than any physical danger. It’s also obsessed with mainlining media, particularly the ridiculous soap opera The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

    Murderbot is hired, reluctantly, by some hippy scientists from a group of “freehold” planets – ones that exist outside the Corporation Rim – to act as protection on a scientific expedition. It goes quickly awry.

    Wells’ award-winning novella, the first in an equally good series, limits us to the first-person perspective of the sarcastic cyborg. The series expands this frame beautifully, building on the source material’s dry humour to create a world that is both goofy and grounded.

    And while there are serious themes at play, such as the way SecUnits are effectively enslaved, and the violent capitalist dominance of the Corporation Rim, the show is not heavy. Skarsgård offers a pitch-perfect performance of the awkward, anxious robot – its eyes flickering in horror as the scientists try to befriend it.

    The opening minutes of the first episode are clumsy and on-the-nose, but ignore them. This otherwise well-designed and well-directed show cracks along with brisk, highly-entertaining 22-minute episodes.

    – Erin Harrington

    The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, season two

    Disney+

    Season one of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had us hooked at the end of 2024. Now, the women have returned for an explosive 10-episode second season.

    The reality series follows a group of Mormon women living in Utah. While the title may have you anticipating stories of faith and motherhood, the show is more focused on the personal lives of Mormon mothers who rose to TikTok fame due to scandal and infamy.

    Season one saw the women grapple with balancing traditional Mormon values with their online lives and subsequent businesses (along with the fallout from a “soft-swinging scandal”). Season two further highlights infidelity, jealously and money.

    Old characters are brought back, with finger-pointing ex-husbands and former alienated friends adding to the fray. Police are called, insults are thrown and many of the women delve deeper into their pasts.

    The show flips flops between difficult moments such as processing the death of loved ones and difficult pregnancies, with parties and poorly executed party games. At one point the women play pregnancy roulette (a game no one should recommend), and take pregnancy tests which are anonymously read out to the group. Chaos ensues.

    And after watching, you can search for the TikTok accounts of the stars and watch new drama unfold in real-time – or watch them “correct” and expand on past situations based on their own perspectives – far removed from show’s editors.

    – Edith Jennifer Hill

    Deaf President Now!

    Apple TV+

    Deaf President Now! is a stirring documentary about an iconic student uprising at Gallaudet University, the world’s only Deaf university, in 1988. The film chronicles how Deaf students – tired of being led by hearing leadership – decided to take things in their own hands come the 1988 Gallaudet presidential election.

    With two of the three candidates being Deaf, the appointment of Elisabeth Zinser, a hearing candidate unfamiliar with Deaf culture, sparked outrage. Fuelled by decades of marginalisation, the students barricaded campus gates, burned effigies of Zinser and marched to the Capitol, calling for Deaf leadership in Deaf spaces.

    It worked. The protest forced Zinser’s resignation and ushered in Irving King Jordan, Gallaudet’s first Deaf president.

    The film juxtaposes historic footage with present-day interviews with key leaders of the movement, allowing them to tell their stories their own way. These reflections, delivered in American Sign Language (ASL), underscore how storytelling itself can become an act of resistance for Deaf people.

    At the same time, the documentary wrestles with a paradox. Co-directed by Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco and hearing filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, the film exemplifies how Deaf storytelling still often has hearing involvement, especially when the story is packaged for a mainstream audience.

    Nevertheless, the release of Deaf President Now! couldn’t have been more timely. With disability rights in the United States threatened under Trump, the film is a call to action. It reminds us Deaf culture isn’t just about language: it’s about Pride, self-determination and visibility.

    – Gemma King, Samuel Martin and Sofya Gollan



    Read more:
    Deaf President Now! traces the powerful uprising that led to Deaf rights in the US – now again under threat

    The Surfer

    Stan, from June 15

    In Lorcan Finnegan’s The Surfer, our unnamed protagonist (Nicolas Cage) is returning to his former Australian home from the United States. He is newly divorced, and trying to buy a beachside property to win back his family.

    He takes his teenage son (Finn Little) for a surf near the property, but they are run off by an unfriendly pack of locals.

    Returning alone to the beachside car park to make some calls, he is besieged there by the same gang, and this continues over the next several days. The gang is led by a terrifying middle-aged Andrew Tate-esque influencer, Scally (Julian McMahon), who runs the beach like a combination of a frat bro party and wellness retreat.

    It is impossible to think of an actor other than Cage who could make a character like this so enjoyable to watch. Cage’s distinctively American confidence has no resistance to the terrifying switches of Australian masculinity from friendly to teasing to violent.

    The Surfer is an absolute blast. A lot of the fun is in anticipating each dreadful humiliation – and it somehow turning out worse than you could have expected.

    The Surfer beautifully captures the natural surroundings, stunning views and shimmering heat of Australian coastal summer. At the same time, a confined, semi-urban feature like a beachside car park feels bleak and uninviting.

    As a film setting, it is both a spectacular wide-open vista and stiflingly claustrophobic – a perfect mechanism for The Surfer’s psychological horror.

    – Grace Russell



    Read more:
    Dishevelled, dehydrated delirium: new Aussie film The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, is an absolute blast

    Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story

    Netflix

    The story of serial killers, Fred and Rose West, has been highly narrativised since their shocking crimes were discovered in Gloucester in 1994. The horror of the Wests lies in the juxtaposition of their seemingly ordinary suburban family and what was hidden beneath the foundations of their home.

    Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story takes us back to the moment of that revelation via previously unheard interview tapes and recordings of the property search – and of Rose while she was kept in a safe house. Family home videos add to the disturbing sense of the couple’s duplicity.

    Interviews with the family of some of the victims emphasise the ongoing pain caused by the Wests, who preyed on vulnerable young women. Meanwhile, Fred’s interviews reinforce his determination to protect his wife: “I trained Rose to do what I wanted. That is why our marriage worked out so well.”

    Many details of the Wests’ true horror, however, are absent: the incredible torture suffered by the victims; Fred and Rose’s own childhoods of abuse and Fred’s earlier assault of young girls, including his own sister; and any reference to the couple’s surviving children and the extraordinary abuse they suffered.

    The horror of this new documentary is present in the couple’s habitual lies, their casual attitude to violence and murder, and their refusal to take responsibility for their many crimes. Yet it only scratches the surface of the Wests’ true horror story.

    – Jessica Gildersleeve

    The Four Seasons

    Netflix

    The Four Seasons follows three 50-something affluent couples as they holiday together over the course of a year.

    Friends since college, the group’s easy camaraderie is upended by Nick’s (Steve Carroll) bombshell decision to leave his seemingly unsuspecting wife, Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), after 25 years of marriage. The announcement sends shockwaves through the other couples, testing their own relationships.

    Adapted from Alan Alda’s bittersweet 1981 comedy of the same name, the series preserves the film’s narrative conceit, unfolding over four seasonal mini trips. Episode one opens in full spring at Nick and Anne’s bucolic lake house.

    Given the luxury on display, you’d be forgiven for mistaking The Four Seasons as another entry in the “rich-people-behaving-badly” genre. But while there’s plenty of quips and snarky humour, what unfolds is ultimately much kinder – less a scathing indictment of wealth and more a gentle exploration of the banalities of love and middle age.

    The show’s creators make the most of the expanded running time to humanise the sextet. The open marriage between gregarious Italian Claude (Marco Calvini) and husband Danny (a marvellous Colman Domingo) updates the source material without sliding into tokenism or homonormativity.

    The prickly Type-A Kate (Tina Fey) and peacekeeper Jack (Will Forte) provide the series’ beating heart, in a relationship that feels lived-in and familiar.

    Despite its focus on ageing, loss, mortality and grief, The Four Seasons offers comfort viewing at its finest, best enjoyed with a cup of tea and a loved one who’s known you for decades.

    – Rachel Williamson

    Gemma King receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Claudia Sandberg, Edith Jennifer Hill, Erin Harrington, Grace Russell, Jessica Gildersleeve, Rachel Williamson, Samuel Martin, and Sofya Gollan do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Scandalous mormons, dystopian Buenos Aires and Nicolas Cage down under: what to watch in June – https://theconversation.com/scandalous-mormons-dystopian-buenos-aires-and-nicolas-cage-down-under-what-to-watch-in-june-257549

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: With interest rates on the way down, could house prices boom? Here’s what research suggests

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney

    Jenny Evans/Stringer/Getty

    With the Reserve Bank of Australia easing monetary policy, interest rates are on the way down.

    Already this year, mortgage pre-approvals had begun to rise, suggesting many aspiring home buyers are excited by the prospect of cheaper home loans.

    With further cuts expected before the end of the year, some economists are predicting we could be on the cusp of another house price boom. Lower interest rates enable people to borrow more and potentially spend more on homes, bidding up prices.

    So, how might the Reserve Bank’s actions affect home buying behaviour and the housing market more broadly? Research offers us some clues.

    How rates affect prices

    Research shows that when a central bank lowers its benchmark interest rate, mortgage interest rates usually follow suit.

    We saw this following the Reserve Bank’s May decision to cut rates. Australia’s big four banks immediately announced similar reductions in rates for new and existing borrowers.

    Lower rates reduce the cost of servicing a loan. This is a big deal for Australian home buyers, whose mortgages can be very large.

    With the average house price in Australia now hitting about $1 million, an 80% loan saddles the typical home buyer with $800,000 in debt.

    Back in March, the average interest rate on new mortgages was 6%. For the average million-dollar house, this implies a monthly repayment of around $4,796, using the standard formula for amortising loans.

    After the Reserve Bank cut the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points, this implies a new monthly repayment of $4,669 – $127 less. That’s a small, but surely welcome, relief for mortgage holders.

    Combined with the Reserve Bank’s prior rate cut in February, such borrowers are now saving more than $250 a month relative to the start of the year.

    Everyone can borrow more

    Lower rates can also improve the borrowing capacity of new home buyers.

    Before a bank issues a new mortgage, it weighs the ability of a borrower to service the loan. It does this by considering the amount of income they’ll have left over after meeting typical expenses.

    This is known as a borrower’s “net income surplus”, and the proportion of this that is used to service a loan is known as the “net surplus ratio”.

    The maximum ratio is capped at 90%, but the typical mortgage is lent against a ratio of less than 70%.

    If a household earns $100,000 per year and allocates 25% to expenses, it can afford $4,375 in monthly mortgage repayments at a 70% net surplus ratio.

    Given the previous interest rate of 6%, this maximum monthly repayment implies the household can afford to borrow $680,000. But after a 0.25 percentage point rate cut, this household can now afford a $695,000 home loan.

    And following the 0.50 percentage points of cuts we’ve seen since January, this household’s borrowing capacity is up by $30,000.

    Pulling up the ladder

    For an individual home buyer, this extra borrowing may be enough to secure that dream home. But the rate cut affects everyone at the same time, increasing the borrowing capacity of home buyers all over the country.

    All of this extra mortgage credit feeds housing demand, which is likely to pour more fuel into an already overheated market.

    Indeed, recent research indicates that a 0.25 percentage point cut in the cash rate will likely lead to a 1.5–2% increase in average house prices over the following one to two years.

    That’s an extra $20,000 on the current $1 million average home value.

    Research also suggests the impact of interest rates across local housing markets may be strongest where housing supply is tightest and houses are already more expensive.

    Mortgages get bigger

    While lower rates reduce the cost of a given mortgage, the average mortgage size needs to grow to keep up with higher prices.

    Recall that the monthly payment associated with an 80% loan on a million-dollar home at 6% interest was $4,796. If the interest rate falls by 0.25 percentage points but house prices rise by 2%, the new monthly payment is little changed, at $4,762.

    On top of this, the 20% down payment on that new home will now have increased – by $4,000.

    Rate cuts increase borrowing power, but this can put upward pressure on house prices.
    myphotobank.com.au/Shutterstock

    Is there hope for first home buyers?

    Despite the initial excitement of lower rates, aspiring home buyers may be disappointed to see the price of their dream home climb further out of reach. Some may end up no better off than they had been previously.

    Others might try to snap up a home before lower rates are completely priced in – motivated by a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO). Research suggests it can take a year or more before house prices peak following a rate change.

    And others still may decide to keep renting for the time being. Fortunately for them, recent research shows that changes in interest rates do not materially affect the rents that landlords charge their tenants.

    Finally, one option is holding savings in the stock market while they wait, perhaps diversified via exchange-traded funds, as these assets usually rise in value following an interest rate cut.

    It’s never a good idea to panic. It’s always important to think through your options before diving into the market. And remember, our discussion here is only for general information and is not intended to be financial advice. All investments carry risk.

    James Graham has received research funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and is a member of Sydney YIMBY.

    – ref. With interest rates on the way down, could house prices boom? Here’s what research suggests – https://theconversation.com/with-interest-rates-on-the-way-down-could-house-prices-boom-heres-what-research-suggests-257724

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: These 5 roadblocks are standing in the way of energy-efficient homes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jaime Comber, Senior Research Consultant in Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney

    Westend61, GettyImages

    We all want homes that keep us warm in winter and cool in summer, without breaking the bank. However, Australian homes built before 2003 have a low average energy rating of 1.8 stars out of 10. This means they’re often uncomfortable to live in and expensive to run.

    There’s a strong case for a “renovation wave” of home energy upgrades across Australia. Reducing the use of fossil gas and improving the energy efficiency of existing housing by nearly 50% is also central to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

    Energy-saving upgrades such as solar panels, batteries, insulation, draught-proofing and hot water heat pumps also reduce the cost of energy bills. So while there’s an upfront cost, upgrades can reduce household expenses in the long run.

    We wanted to find out what’s holding people back from getting energy-saving upgrades. We surveyed 100 Australian households and interviewed 19 people about their experiences. Our new research revealed five major barriers that stop these upgrades from being accessible to most households. Suppliers, governments and community organisations can all help overcome these barriers.

    Embarking on home energy upgrades can be an emotional rollercoaster ride.
    RACE for 2030

    1. Information about upgrades is confusing and overwhelming

    Households told us the amount of information out there about energy saving upgrades is overwhelming and sometimes conflicting. There are many different types of upgrades and product choices, making it challenging to identify which options provide the best value and what to do first. People found it difficult to know what information and which suppliers to trust.

    Households need clear information from a trusted source about what their homes need. Many governments internationally, such as Scotland, provide online resources and tools to provide tailored advice to help with this.

    Energy upgrade programs run by neutral community organisations and councils can also help, such as Rewiring Australia’s Electrify 2515 or Geelong Sustainability’s Electric Homes Program. These programs use their expertise to vet suppliers and ensure households receive good deals and high quality products.

    2. Homes need to engage multiple suppliers and tradespeople

    Many households worked on their home gradually, one upgrade at a time. Each upgrade involved a labour-intensive process of researching products, selecting companies, getting quotes and managing the disruptions caused by the installation. One Sydney homeowner told us:

    The process of needing both a plumber and an electrician to change to induction cooking was frustrating. [We had to] to coordinate availability times and appliance delivery.

    Australians need companies that can do multiple upgrades at once, to simplify and streamline the process. In Ireland, the government helped stimulate a market for organisations that can cover all the upgrades needed by a household.

    Ireland has “One Stop Shops” for home energy upgrades (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland)

    3. Households are losing opportunities for straightforward upgrades

    Every year, Australians invest billions in home renovations. They spent more than A$3 billion in the December 2024 quarter alone.

    One of the best times to improve your home is during major renovations or when old appliances, such as hot water systems, break down. If you’re already facing disruptions and need to spend money, it can be an easy and more cost-effective way to increase your home’s energy efficiency at the same time.

    Yet our research found advice on energy-saving upgrades was rarely provided to people undertaking major renovations or emergency replacements unless they asked for it. Households needed to seek out builders, architects and tradespeople who specialised in sustainability to get advice on an energy-saving renovation.

    Providing energy upgrades to homes should be a standard component of modern renovations. Otherwise, households are missing out on easy and more affordable opportunities to get these upgrades.

    4. Many tradespeople lack knowledge of energy-saving upgrades

    Our research found tradespeople are the most common point of contact for households. They can be a valuable source of information and advice to facilitate upgrades. However, many households reported difficulty finding tradespeople knowledgeable about – and willing to install – energy-saving upgrades.

    Some upgrades, such as solar panels, require specialised workforces. Others, such as hot water heat pumps are usually installed by regular plumbers and electricians.

    Some tradespeople lack the knowledge to advise on energy-saving upgrades or need training to install new technologies to a high standard. This situation leaves households vulnerable to misinformation, with a shortage of skilled workers to do their upgrades.

    Tradespeople require increased support and incentives to make energy-saving measures part of their skill set. This is especially true in regional areas, where there are fewer products and workers available.

    5. The costs are too high for many households

    A final, significant barrier was the cost of home upgrades, which often caused households to drop out early in the process. Australian households, particularly those with less disposable income, need more help with the upfront cost.

    One way to do this is through targeted government rebates, which are currently only available in some regions. Another is affordable and accessible financing, like that available in Tasmania and the ACT. The national Home Energy Upgrades Fund could also be extended to make sure available finance matches the scale of the challenge.

    Also needed are long-term reforms such as mandatory disclosure of energy performance when homes are sold and minimum energy standards for rental properties, which are currently only required in some jurisdictions in Australia. When these are both addressed we can make comfortable, and affordable homes the norm rather than the exception.

    Keeping warm in winter and cool in summer is the number one motivation for energy saving upgrades.
    RACE for 2030

    A worthwhile journey

    Roadblocks aside, households also shared the joy and satisfaction of completing home energy upgrades. While the journey was often difficult, those who reached the end of the road were overwhelmingly pleased with the results. A homeowner who had installed solar panels and undertaken draught-proofing and insulation in Adelaide said:

    It’s nice not to have huge electricity bills, and but I find it’s that day to day stuff of actually being comfortable that makes the biggest difference.

    This research was undertaken by Jaime Comber, Kamyar Soleimani, Ed Langham, Nimish Biloria, Leena Thomas and Kerryn Wilmot from the University of Technology, Sydney.

    Jaime Comber received funding for this research as part of the Energy Upgrades for Australian Homes (EUAH) initiative – a national collaboration between research, industry and government partners to enable scalable, community-led energy upgrades. EUAH is funded through the RACE for 2030 cooperative research centre, which includes contributions from the NSW Government, Government of South Australia and Knauf Insulation. The project is led by Climate-KIC Australia and Monash University.

    Ed Langham undertakes contract research for government, community and consumer advocates, and the clean energy industry. This research was funded as part of the RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre’s Energy Upgrades for Australian Homes project, which is co-funded by Australian Government, NSW Government, Government of South Australia and Knauf Insulation. Ed is also affiliated with Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems, based in the UK.

    Nimish Biloria receives funding through the RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre. This research was undertaken as part of the Energy Upgrades for Australian Homes initiative, which is funded in part by the NSW Government, the Government of South Australia, and Knauf Insulation. Before this, Nimish Biloria has received funding from various governmental bodies, not-for-profit organizations, and the Industry such as the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), City of Sydney, AusIndustry Smart Cities and Suburbs Program, Transport for New South Wales, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Leigh Place Aged Care, Sydney, NSW, HMI Technologies.

    – ref. These 5 roadblocks are standing in the way of energy-efficient homes – https://theconversation.com/these-5-roadblocks-are-standing-in-the-way-of-energy-efficient-homes-256906

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Police aren’t properly trained for mental health crises – but they’re often the first responders. Here’s what works better

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panos Karanikolas, Research officer, Melbourne Social Equity Institute, The University of Melbourne

    Rosie Marinelli/Shutterstock

    In an emergency, police are often the first called to the scene. But they are rarely equipped to deal with complex mental health crises.

    Following recent parliamentary inquiries and royal commissions there has been a push – led by researchers, advocates and some senior police officials – for a shift to a health-led and paramedic-first response.

    South Australia is one of a number of states trialling a program based on a “co-responder” model. This means trained specialists accompany police to some mental health call-outs in the community.

    So, how do co-responder programs work? And are they effective? Here’s what the evidence says.

    The current situation

    Mental health legislation in all states and territories gives police the power to use “reasonable force” to transport people who “appear to have a mental illness” to hospital to prevent harm.

    In most cases, this involves police taking people experiencing mental health crises to hospital emergency departments, without help from mental health clinicians or paramedics.

    Overburdened emergency departments have long wait times for mental health and are often inadequate at responding to people experiencing distress.

    Those who need mental health support may not need a hospital stay.

    One study found only one in five (23%) of those taken to emergency by police – usually after expressing intention to self-harm – were admitted.

    The strain on police resources is also significant. For example, in New South Wales, police now respond to triple zero calls about mental health crises in the community every nine minutes (in Victoria it’s every ten).

    Criminalising mental health

    The mere presence of police alone can escalate already heightened emotional situations.

    Police frequently lack training in mental health, with combative police culture and the militarisation of police training presenting significant problems.

    Police often acknowledge they are ill-equipped to intervene in a mental health crisis.

    Yet, about one in ten people who access mental health services have previously interacted with police.

    These encounters can be risky and even deadly.

    People who experience mental health issues are over-represented in incidents of police use of force and fatal shootings.

    Police involvement can also lead to the criminalisation of people with mental health issues and disability, as they are more likely to be issued with charges and fines or be arrested.

    Yet the main reason police take people to hospital is for self-harm or suicidal distress, and most are not deemed to be of risk to others.

    What do people with mental health issues want instead?

    In our research, conducted in 2021–2022, we interviewed 20 people across Australia who’d had police intervene when they had a mental health crisis.

    Those we spoke to often had multiple experiences of police call-outs over their lifetime.

    They told us excessive use of force by police had traumatising and long-term effects. Many were subject to pepper spray, tasers, police dogs, batons, handcuffs and restraints, despite not being accused of committing criminal offences.

    For example, Alex*, said:

    I was having an anxiety attack, and they pepper sprayed me. I had bruises all over my hands from the handcuffs they put on really roughly, even though I wasn’t under arrest. Then they took me to hospital.

    In our study, people with mental health issues said they would prefer an ambulance-led response wherever possible, without police attending at all.

    They also wanted to be linked to therapeutic and community-based services, including mental health peer support, housing, disability support and family violence services.

    What are co-responder programs?

    Co-responder programs aim to de-escalate mental health incidents, reduce the number of emergency department presentations and link people experiencing mental health crises with services.

    These programs, such as the one being trialled in South Australia, mean mental health clinicians (for example, social workers, counsellors or psychologists) attend some mental health incidents alongside police.

    Peer-reviewed research shows these kinds of responses can be effective when compared to traditional police-led interventions.

    An evaluation of a co-response program in Victoria found the mental health response was quicker and higher quality than when police attended alone.

    The success of programs in the United States and Canada shows many mental health crises can safely managed without police involvement, for example by addressing issues such as homelessness and addiction with health workers, and reducing the number of arrests.

    Limited by a lack of resources

    While the evidence shows co-responder schemes are valued by people with lived experience, they are often limited by under-resourcing.

    Co-responder programs are not universally available. Often, they do not operate after usual business hours or across regions.

    There is also a lack of long-term evaluations of these programs. This means what we understand about their implementation, design and effectiveness over time can be mixed.

    More broadly, the mental health sector is facing significant and ongoing labour shortages across Australia, posing another resourcing challenge.

    How can responses to mental health crises be improved?

    Last year, the final report from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recommended paramedics should act as first responders in mental health crises wherever possible, instead of police, diverting triple zero calls to Ambulance Victoria.

    However that reform has been delayed, with no indication of when it may be implemented.

    A 2023 NSW parliamentary inquiry also remarked on the need to explore reducing police involvement.

    Co-responder and ambluance-first models offer an improvement.

    But our research suggests people with lived experience of mental health issues want more than ambulances replacing the police as crisis responders.

    They need a mental health system that supports them and provides what they needed, when they need it: compassionate, timely and non-coercive responses.

    *Name has been changed.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    Panos Karanikolas is a member of the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC). He received funding for this research from the National Disability Research Partnership as part of a partnership with VMIAC.

    Chris Maylea receives funding from the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, and national and state legal aid commissions.

    Hamilton Kennedy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Police aren’t properly trained for mental health crises – but they’re often the first responders. Here’s what works better – https://theconversation.com/police-arent-properly-trained-for-mental-health-crises-but-theyre-often-the-first-responders-heres-what-works-better-257641

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Three years after the Jenkins report, there is still work to be done on improving parliament culture

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Maley, Senior Lecturer in Politics, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

    Three and a half years ago, then-sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins’ Set the Standard report was handed to federal parliament, commissioned after Brittany Higgins’ allegations of sexual assault in Parliament House, which had shocked the public and politicians alike. Since then, work has been underway to implement its 28 recommendations.

    The report found unacceptable levels of sexual harassment, bullying and misconduct in parliamentary workplaces, and laid out a radical plan to create a standards regime. The plan would provide tools to deal with such conduct, and try to prevent it by changing the culture of parliament.

    In 2025, parliament’s implementation of the Jenkins review is due to be evaluated by an external independent reviewer. Have the recommendations been implemented? What are the prospects for continued reform of conduct in the parliamentary workplace? Will the election of an historic number of women into parliament create pressure for further reform?

    Action after the review

    On February 8 2022, the first sitting day of federal parliament after the Jenkins review had been handed down, both houses of parliament made an historic statement of acknowledgement and apology to the victims of misconduct in its workplace. It stated:

    We say sorry. […] This place and its members are committed to bringing about lasting and meaningful change to both culture and practice within our workplaces. We today declare our personal and collective commitment to make the changes required.

    Parliamentarians committed to implement all 28 recommendations of the Jenkins review. A cross-party body was created to lead the implementation process.

    Known as the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce, it had members from both houses of parliament, ministers and legislators, Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and one independent parliamentarian. It worked hard for three years to design and put in place the rules and mechanisms laid out in the Jenkins review, before disbanding in September 2024.

    The magnitude of the changes parliament had to make should not be understated. Among many ground-breaking reforms, it involved developing codes of conduct and a body to enforce them by investigating complaints about breaches of the code.

    In February 2023, both houses of parliament agreed on codes of conduct. In October 2024, an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission was established to receive complaints, investigate and make findings about misconduct. There are seven commissioners, appointed from outside parliament, who are lawyers, former public servants, tribunal members and ex-ombudsmen. For the first time, there will be external independent review of parliamentarians’ conduct.

    An independent human resources body for the parliamentary workplace was also created, known as the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service. These are huge achievements and represent historic reforms.

    In line with Jenkins’ recommendations, the taskforce committed to an external independent review of parliament’s implementation of the Jenkins report.

    But has it been effective?

    It is hard to evaluate new rules, systems and bodies that are in their infancy, but one part of the new standards architecture does not represent best practice. After the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission has completed an investigation of a parliamentarian’s conduct, made findings and recommended sanctions, it will hand its report to the privileges committee in each house.

    The privileges committees are made up of parliamentarians, almost exclusively members of the major parties. It is up to these committees to decide on any action to be taken. We won’t know if they depart from the commission’s recommendations, as standards commission reports are not public.

    In the United Kingdom House of Commons, which represents best practice in this area, independent investigation reports are handed to a parliamentary committee called the Committee on Standards. Half the members of that committee are MPs, but half are “lay members” – that is, appointed members of the community, including lawyers and HR professionals.

    The House of Commons established its standards regime in 2018, and has reviewed and improved it over time. Lay members were placed on the committee because it was evident MPs found it difficult to judge the conduct of their peers and struggled to hold them accountable.

    Unfortunately Australia’s new standards system leaves decisions in the hands of parliamentarians, without the corrective and robustness that members of the public would provide. Will the federal parliament continue to reform and reshape its arrangements if they prove not to be robust enough?

    Ongoing leadership is needed if parliament is to continue to address conduct issues, drive culture change and refine and develop its new standards regime. Some believe the culture of parliament has improved since the Jenkins review. Others disagree.

    There are still recommendations of the review that have not been addressed. These include developing a ten-year strategy to increase diversity in the workplace, establishing a health and wellbeing service in parliament, and introducing an alcohol policy. Now that the Parliamentary Leadership Taskforce has disbanded, who will continue to advance the reform process?

    In October 2024, parliament decided to create a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Parliamentary Standards. Its functions include reviewing the operation of the new codes and the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.

    This committee should play a leadership role on conduct and culture issues, but its membership is tightly restricted. The government dominates positions and all members must also be members of the privileges committees. Presiding officers are not permitted to sit on the committee, despite their important leadership roles and responsibilities in parliament. Crossbenchers and independent parliamentarians are largely locked out of the committee (only two positions are reserved for them), despite the fact they have often been the leading voices calling for culture change.

    With the influx of many more women and new faces into the parliament after the election, there is an opportunity to press for continued reform and for membership of the joint committee to include diverse voices from across the parliament.

    In 2021 Maria Maley worked as a consultant to the Jenkins Review.

    – ref. Three years after the Jenkins report, there is still work to be done on improving parliament culture – https://theconversation.com/three-years-after-the-jenkins-report-there-is-still-work-to-be-done-on-improving-parliament-culture-257810

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s plan to protect its trade in war is flawed. We can’t do it with nuclear submarines

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Palazzo, Adjunct Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra, UNSW Sydney

    If war breaks out someday between the United States and China, one of the major concerns for Australia is the impact on its trade.

    Our trade routes are long and exposed. Every year, thousands of merchant ships — bulk carriers, tankers, container ships and other types — visit Australian ports to deliver imported goods and pick up exports for delivery at distant ports.

    When a cargo ship of petroleum leaves the Persian Gulf for refining in East Asia, then sails for Australia, the total trip is approximately 20,000 kilometres. The ship passes through lonely stretches of sea and numerous choke points, such as the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia, often within range of missiles and other weapons.

    Such attacks could come from Chinese ships in the event of a war, or as we’ve seen in the Middle East with the Houthi rebels, they could also come from militants seeking to disrupt global shipping.

    Australia’s current defence strategy cites the security of our “sea lines of communication and maritime trade” as a priority. The aim is to prevent an adversary from cutting off critical supplies to our continent in a war.

    To achieve this, the government has embarked on the lengthy process of expanding the Royal Australian Navy surface and sub-surface fleet, including the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.

    As I explain in my forthcoming book, The Big Fix: Rebuilding Australia’s National Security, the problem with the government’s maritime plan is that it is built on a deeply flawed foundation and cannot deliver what it promises.

    A flawed maritime plan

    Defence documents insist on a need for the Australian Defence Force to be able to project naval power far from Australia’s shores in order to protect the nation’s trade. The presence of these warships would ostensibly deter attacks on our vital shipping.

    However, those who developed the maritime plan do not appear to have considered whether the merchant ships delivering this trade would continue to sail to Australia in the event of a war — presumably with China.

    The reality is that Australia’s A$1.2 trillion of exports and imports are carried in ships owned by non-Australian companies, flying foreign flags and largely crewed by citizens of other countries.

    Decisions about whether to continue sailing to Australia during a conflict would be made in overseas boardrooms and capitals. The Australian government has no leverage to force the owners of these ships to continue to service our continent. Australia’s national interests may well not be the paramount concern.

    Nor does the Australian government have the option to turn to Australian-flagged vessels. Australia’s shipping list contains only a handful of domestically owned and flagged cargo ships available in case of war.

    In fact, the biggest vessel (by length) that the government could take into service is the Spirit of Tasmania IV ferry.

    If all goes according to schedule, at some point in the 2040s, Australia will have at most 26 surface warships and perhaps eight nuclear-powered submarines the navy hopes to acquire through the AUKUS deal.

    Due to training and maintenance requirements, the total number of vessels available at any one time would be more on the order of ten.

    In other words, the government’s future maritime plan — costing hundreds of billion dollars — may result in just ten available ships at any given time to protect the nation’s trade over thousands of kilometres.

    What could work instead

    Fortunately, Australia has other options for safeguarding its trade that don’t necessitate the building of warships.

    Our first investment in security should be diplomatic. The government should prioritise its investment in diplomacy across the region to promote security, including trade security.

    Regional countries are best placed to secure the waterways around Australia, particularly from the most likely future threat: Houthi-like militants.

    The Australian government should also modernise its shipping regulations and include in the budget provisions for war-risk insurance. Such insurance could compensate owners for the potential loss of ships and cargoes as an inducement for them to sail to and from Australia during war.

    The government must also encourage greater investment in our national resilience. Currently, the biggest risk during a conflict is an interruption to the nation’s liquid fuel supply. We must greatly expand our on-shore reserves of fossil fuels in the short term, while initiating a nation-building project to electrify the economy in the long term. Electrification would eliminate a considerable vulnerability to national security.



    Read more:
    Fuel shortages and bare pharmacies: we need to talk about what a possible war with China could look like

    Additionally, the government should identify and subsidise vital industries, such as fertilisers and certain medicines, which are essential to the continued functioning of our society in the event of a war. This would reduce our reliance on imports of critical materials.

    Lastly, Australian industries, with the government’s assistance, should further diversify their trading partners to reduce over-dependence on one or two main destinations.

    Trade is undoubtedly important to Australia and the government is correct to protect it. But it is also true that not all security problems are best answered by the military.

    This is particularly important since the size of our planned fleet is obviously insufficient for the enormous task it will face. Either Australia invests in impossibly large numbers of warships or it takes a different path.

    The art of war requires a balance between the desired ends and the means to achieve them. This simple statement underpins the formation of all good strategy, which a state ignores at its peril.

    Unfortunately, in the case of the nation’s maritime plan, the ends and means are seriously out of whack. Instead of setting itself up for failure, the government needs to put aside its ineffectual maritime plan and choose the means that do align with the ends. Only then will it be possible to protect Australia’s trade.

    Albert Palazzo was the long-serving director of War Studies for the Australian Army.

    – ref. Australia’s plan to protect its trade in war is flawed. We can’t do it with nuclear submarines – https://theconversation.com/australias-plan-to-protect-its-trade-in-war-is-flawed-we-cant-do-it-with-nuclear-submarines-256557

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Morocco Joint Communiqué: Strategic Dialogue 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK-Morocco Joint Communiqué: Strategic Dialogue 2025

    The Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom enter an Enhanced Strategic Partnership and sign a series of agreements driving mutual growth and security.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita received the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon David Lammy MP, in Rabat on 1st June 2025. Mr. Bourita and The Rt Hon David Lammy co-chaired, on this occasion, the 5th session of the Morocco-UK Strategic Dialogue. Following productive talks between the two Ministers, the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have secured a historic agreement to enhance their bilateral relationship.

    A historic partnership between two Kingdoms rooted in shared values

    1. The Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are bound by one of the world’s oldest diplomatic relationships, dating back over 800 years. From the first recorded contact between both Crowns, in the early 13th century, to present day exchanges, the longstanding and enduring ties between Moroccan and British Sovereigns have formed the bedrock of this unique alliance.

    2. Their Majesties King Mohammed VI and King Charles III continue to anchor Moroccan-United Kingdom ties. Their leadership has continuously fostered the stability and high-level commitment necessary to develop an ambitious, forward-looking strategic partnership.

    3. The privileged ties between both Kingdoms rest on a solid foundation of shared values and converging interests. From the Treaty of Peace and Commerce, signed over 300 years ago, to the UK-Morocco Association Agreement, which passed into effect in 2021, trade and economic cooperation continue to grow from strength to strength. People-to-people connections and flourishing cross-cultural exchanges nurture the bonds of friendship and mutual respect that ensure the resilience and growth of this relationship.

    4. Both countries reaffirmed the paramount importance of a rules-based international order and the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and their constant position on respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries, the non-use of force for the settlement of conflicts and their support for the principle of respect for self-determination.

    Securing a Historic Agreement: Ushering in a New Era of Bilateral Relations

    1. Building upon this exceptional shared history and its many bilateral achievements, the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland seek to usher in a new era of comprehensive and genuine strategic partnership. To this effect, both Ministers reaffirmed their mutual commitment to deepening collaboration across all dimensions: political, diplomatic, security, economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

    2. Marking a significant step towards a pioneering partnership fit for the future, the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reaffirm their shared objectives in the realms of security, conflict resolution, green growth and socio-economic development, for the mutual benefit of their peoples.

    3. The Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland pledge to act as partners to jointly address regional and global challenges, and to uphold the principles ​​of peace, security, tolerance, and human rights. In this spirit, the two countries intend to optimize existing bilateral frameworks and adopt an ambitious, enduring roadmap across issues of common interest.

    Western Sahara: Supporting Morocco’s Autonomy Plan

    1. The UK recognises the importance of the question of Western Sahara for the Kingdom of Morocco and follows closely the current positive dynamic on this issue under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

    2. As a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom agrees with Morocco on the urgent need to find a resolution to this long-held dispute, which would be in the interest of the parties. The stalled nature of the political process and ongoing conflict prevents the region from realising its full social and economic potential and hampers regional integration, security and development. The time for a resolution and to move this issue forwards is long-overdue, and would strengthen the stability of North Africa and the relaunch of the bilateral dynamic and regional integration.

    3. Both countries support, and consider vital, the central role of the UN-led process to bring the parties together and move the issue forward to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution and reaffirm their full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura. To this end the UK is ready, willing and committed to lend its active support and engagement to the Personal Envoy and the parties to reach such a solution to this dispute.

    4. In that context the UK, in encouraging the relevant parties to engage, urgently and positively, with the UN-led political process, considers Morocco’s autonomy proposal, submitted in 2007 as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the dispute.

    5. The UK and the Kingdom of Morocco expressed their shared conviction that renewed efforts were urgently needed to support the PESG in the search for a solution, underlying that the only viable and durable solution will be one that is mutually acceptable to the relevant parties, and is arrived at through compromise. They committed themselves to this goal, in the belief that, with goodwill on all sides, a solution could be found very soon. To that end, the UK will continue to act bilaterally, including economically, regionally and internationally in line with this position to support resolution of the conflict.

    6. The two Ministers discussed how to move the question forward, and, in that context, the UK welcomed Morocco’s willingness to engage in good faith with all relevant parties, to expand on details of what autonomy within the Moroccan State could entail for the region, with a view to restarting serious negotiations on terms acceptable to the parties.

    Enhancing bilateral cooperation: strengthening collective security, advancing green growth and deepening people-to-people bonds

    1. The Kingdom of Morocco and the UK agree to strengthen their bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Strategic Dialogue, the Association Council, the Security Dialogue and the informal Human Rights Dialogue.

    2. In the field of security, the Kingdom of Morocco and the UK commit to enhanced efforts to address national security concerns. Both parties committed to increased collaboration on counter-terrorism and its root causes, including the return and rehabilitation of foreign terrorist fighters, tackling online radicalisation, counter-unmanned aerial systems (drones), cybersecurity and risks posed by Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies in particular their potential malicious use, security of critical infrastructure and major international events. Ministers agree that strengthened security cooperation in counterterrorism, illegal migration and serious organised crime will enhance mutual resilience from these threats and that this will be underpinned by an agreed information and intelligence exchange. In this regard, the UK welcomes Morocco’s election as Interpol Vice-President for Africa, reinforcing its role as a key player in both regional and international security efforts.

    3. In the field of Defence, the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will continue to work together to strengthen their defence cooperation, built upon the foundations of a dynamic programme of activity, agreed at the annual Joint Military Commission.  With both the Kingdom of Morocco and the UK being Atlantic maritime nations, the two countries agreed to look for opportunities to strengthen maritime collaboration. Both sides agreed to deepen Defence industry cooperation and partnership, including investments in industrial projects, leveraging UK Defence industry expertise and resources to deliver cutting-edge capabilities.

    4. On bilateral trade, the Ministers applauded the expansion of economic ties, which reached £4.2 billion in 2024, doubling since the entry into force of the UK-Morocco Association Agreement in 2021. Building on this positive momentum, both parties expect this new partnership to drive further trade growth, create quality jobs and reduce costs for consumers.

    5. The Parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintaining and expanding economic ties, paving the way for deeper collaboration and continuity of trade. The UK especially welcomes the support to strengthen public procurement co-operation between the parties.

    6. They acknowledged the importance of intellectual property to the UK’s export economy, and expressed support of efforts to safeguard the Moroccan market from counterfeit and low-quality imitation goods.  In this regard, the two sides agreed to examine the registration of a list of UK geographical indications in Morocco, ensuring the protection of emblematic quality products.

    7. Both parties welcomed the efforts to reach a decision on rules of origin and the progress made on the agricultural review, aimed at improving market access and enhancing trade. Their finalization will mark a major step in strengthening the UK-Morocco Agreement and deepening a fair and mutually beneficial partnership.

    8. Both Ministers recognise the untapped investment potential between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and agree to work together to unlock new investment opportunities. In this context, they commit to establishing a Morocco Business Alliance, driven by the private sector.

    9. Morocco also welcomes UK Export Finance’s £5bn commitment to support new business across the country. The UK and Morocco discussed the coverage of UK Export Finance. The UK can consider supporting projects in Western Sahara subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements. The UK recognises Morocco as a key gateway to Africa’s socio-economic development and reaffirms its commitment to deepening engagement with Morocco as a partner for growth across the continent.

    10. Regarding the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the UK reiterates its congratulations to Morocco on its successful bid to co-host the tournament. Morocco welcomes the UK Government’s technical support and efforts to promote associated commercial opportunities for UK businesses across the value chain. Both Ministers expressed their commitment to collaborate on priority infrastructure projects ahead of the tournament, including by utilising support from the UK Government, where relevant and jointly agreed, as well as expertise from the UK supply chain.

    11. In the field of water, climate and energy transition, both parties will enhance efforts to unlock green growth projects, remove barriers to clean energy deployment and connectivity, and mobilise climate and sustainable finance, including through the Energy Transition Council, the Breakthrough Agenda, and the Powering Past Coal Alliance. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recognises Morocco’s pioneering leadership in renewable energy and sustainable development, and its strategic efforts to become a regional energy and sustainable mining and fuels hub. Both sides commit to work closely on sustainable water management, building on Morocco’s national strategy for water resilience, and jointly encourage broader international financing and political backing for water security and climate action ahead of COP30. The UK welcomes Morocco’s support for, and participation in, the UK-led Clean Power Alliance. Both countries welcome the new collaboration of the UK Met office and Morocco’s Direction Generale de la Meteorologie as a positive example of collaboration on climate and related environmental services.

    12. In the healthcare sector, the Ministers discussed Morocco’s ambitious plans to expand its national capacity and to achieve universal health insurance. Morocco welcomes the UK’s support in advancing this goal, noting agreements between public and private bodies to strengthen partnership across hospital  building, medical equipment supply, and teaching links.

    13. Both parties commit to further deepening their cooperation in education, scientific research, and innovation, including through the promotion of mobility for students, researchers, and faculty, the establishment of co-financing mechanisms for joint research, and the expansion of British university campuses in Morocco. The UK welcomed Morocco’s announcement of automatic recognition of UK higher education qualifications for Moroccan students studying in the UK, as well as its intention to facilitate the establishment of UK higher education institutions and recognise UK degrees delivered in Morocco. Morocco recognises the UK as a partner of choice in its efforts to expand English language education and will match-fund the UK’s current annual investment in British Council pre-service training programmes for English language secondary school teachers and inspectors.

    14. They welcomed the Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) which will give new impetus to the bilateral partnership and deepen collaboration in several areas of common interest including healthcare, water, energy, transport, defence and procurement.

    15. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomes and is supporting the major reforms undertaken by Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for a more open and dynamic society and economy. Both countries note the constructive cooperation between the Bank of England and Bank Al-Maghrib in areas such as cyber security, regulatory alignment, and Central Bank Digital Currency. Both parties will continue to collaborate – alongside relevant multilateral institutions – by sharing expertise and advancing cooperation in financial policy reforms, climate risk, financial stability, and economic diplomacy.

    16. Furthermore, the UK commends the progress achieved by Morocco in the field of human rights under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, both at the national level and on the international stage. The UK congratulated Morocco on its successful presidency of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council in 2024, and both Ministers welcomed Morocco’s participation at the UK’s Wilton Park Conference on Women’s Political Empowerment in January 2025. They also welcomed the second UK-Morocco Informal Dialogue on Human Rights, held in Rabat on 30 April 2024, during which the two countries discussed areas of mutual interest, including freedom of expression, empowerment of women, media freedom, and judicial reforms. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to empowering women and girls across all areas of bilateral cooperation and confirmed their intention to hold a third session of the dialogue before the end of 2025 in London.

    17. Both parties welcome the burgeoning cultural and sport exchange, and the people-to-people ties that underpin this partnership. Both nations will support emerging cultural spaces and festivals, youth and community engagement, and friendly matches between their national football teams.

    18. The two Ministers celebrated the increase in people-to-people contacts between the two kingdoms. Given the record number of Moroccan and British visitors in both directions, and in line with the strengthening of bilateral relations, they agreed to build on existing visa processes and to make meaningful improvement for visitors from both countries.

    Fostering cooperation on regional and international issues of common interest

    1. The UK regards Morocco as a credible and trusted partner, playing a key role in promoting stability and development at both the regional and international levels.

    2. The UK welcomed Morocco’s efforts through initiatives launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to progress peace, stability and socio-economic development in Africa, notably, notably, “the Initiative of the Atlantic African  States Process”; and the “International Royal Initiative to facilitate access for Sahel countries to the Atlantic ocean”. Both parties expressed their concern about security threats in the Sahel region, the proliferation of non-state actors, and reports of multiple human rights violations. Both parties consider that the fight against violent extremist organisations in the Sahel requires a holistic response that includes development, trade and investment and the protection of the civilian population alongside security. Both parties agreed to explore cooperation on these issues in this regard.

    3. With regard to the Middle East, the UK commends the key role played by His Majesty King Mohammed VI as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee. Both countries reaffirm their shared commitment to advance a comprehensive peace in the region, including by building on our close cooperation to support regional stability. Both sides reiterate their support for a two-State solution, leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state, based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as a shared capital.

    In the context of the UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to Morocco, and following the Strategic Dialogue with His Excellency Nasser Bourita, several agreements have been signed to deepen ties between the two kingdoms, driving mutual growth and security.

    The following have been agreed:

    1. 2030 World Cup Government to Government Partnership Agreement, signed between the UK Department of Business and Trade, and Morocco’s Minister Delegate of Budget, to progress UK-Morocco collaboration on critical infrastructure projects ahead of tournament.

    2. Memorandum of Understanding signed between the UK Department for Business and Trade and Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water to strengthen bilateral cooperation on water and ports infrastructure, promoting UK expertise in sustainable water management, smart logistics, and green port technologies.

    3. Agreement between the UK Department for Business and Trade and Morocco’s Ministry of Interior to advance sustainable infrastructure and partnerships between the UK and Moroccan local authorities across several priority sectors, including water management, sustainable waste management, and urban mobility.

    4. Noting the ongoing strength of the UK Morocco Association Agreement, driving record bilateral trade volumes, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the UK Department of Business and Trade and Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade to promote procurement co-operation.

    5. A Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Morocco covering higher education, scientific research, and innovation.

    6. Memorandum of Understanding signed between the UK Department for Business and Trade and Morocco’s Ministry of Health to enable UK private sector engagement to support Morocco’s healthcare transformation programme. confirming comms lines

    7. UK Export Finance Memorandum of Understanding with SGTM to explore opportunities of partnership in Morocco and wider Africa

    8. UK Export Finance, and TAQA Morocco have signed a memorandum of understanding to support TAQA Morocco’s transition to a low-carbon power generation portfolio in line with the sustainable roadmap of the Kingdom of Morocco. This will contribute to give additional access to competitive, innovative and accelerated financial conditions to enhance the Kingdom of Morocco’s competitiveness.

    9. A Memorandum of Understanding on climate collaboration and related environmental services between the UK Met Office and Morocco Meteorological Office

    10. A intent to collaborate with Vicenne to introduce UK digital health solutions to the Moroccan market and support innovation in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

    11. A intent to collaborate with the Mohammed VI Foundation of Health and Science aims to promote UK expertise in medical equipment, hospital design, and academic partnership to support healthcare development in Morocco.

    12. An invitation to the Moroccan Airports Authority to visit the UK and explore partnership opportunities amidst Morocco’s airport transformation plans.

    The following agreements will be agreed and signed in the coming days:

    • A Memorandum of Understanding between UK defence and security trade association ADS Group and the Moroccan Agency of Investment and Export Development to strengthen links between UK and Morocco defence industries.

    • A Memorandum of Understanding between BAE Systems and the National Defence Administration of Morocco and the Moroccan Agency of Investment and Export Development on investment and capability across the defence sector.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 1 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: PITTSBURGH – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Significant Proposed Investments in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Workforce

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 02, 2025 – Pittsburgh, PA

    ADVISORY – PITTSBURGH – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Significant Proposed Investments in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Workforce

    Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh will visit the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center to tout how Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 Budget Proposal builds on his Administration’s work to make child care more affordable while expanding and strengthening the child care workforce.

    Investing in the child care workforce ensures that families can continue working while children receive the foundation they need to succeed. The Governor’s proposed budget makes major investments in the child care workforce through competitive wage increases and retention bonuses for child care workers, including:

    $55 million to give child care providers in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works Program at least $1,000 per employee in recruitment or retention bonuses; and

    An additional $10 million through DHS to increase Early Intervention (EI) provider rates, to ensure every Pennsylvania child has the support and resources needed to succeed – regardless of family income.

    WHO:
    Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh

    WHEN:
    Media Availability: Monday, June 2, 2025, at 11:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
    5324 Penn Ave
    Pittsburgh, PA 15224

    MEDIA RSVP: Press interested in attending must RSVP with the name of photographer/reporter to ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Dozens of Palestinians massacred at US-Israel backed food distribution sites

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Jerusalem – Dozens of Palestinians were killed and hundreds more injured today, 1 June, as they waited for food at the newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centres in Rafah and close to the Netzarim Corridor, according to the Ministry of Health. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams joined the mass casualty response in Nasser hospital, Khan Younis. Patients told MSF they were shot from all sides by drones, helicopters, boats, tanks and Israeli soldiers on the ground. 

    “Today’s events have shown once again that this new system of aid delivery is dehumanising, dangerous and severely ineffective. It has resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians that could have been prevented. Humanitarian aid must be provided only by humanitarian organisations who have the competence and determination to do it safely and effectively,” states Claire Manera, MSF emergency coordinator.

    MSF teams at Nasser hospital treated patients with serious injuries today. Some patients in critical condition are still undergoing surgery. But with the blood banks almost empty, medical staff themselves have had to donate blood.

    “The hospital corridors were filled with patients, but unlike what I have witnessed before, where most of the patients were women and children, today it was mainly men. They lay in their beds in the hallways because the rooms are already packed with injured people. They had visible gunshot wounds in their limbs, and their clothes were soaked with blood,” says Nour Alsaqa, MSF communications officer. “They looked shattered and distraught after trying to secure food for their children, returning instead injured and empty handed. Outside, there was shouting, sirens, a constant rush of new arrivals to the emergency room. Amid the chaos, we received confirmation that a colleague’s brother had been killed while attempting to collect aid from the distribution centre,” she adds. 

    Mansour Sami Abdi, a father of four, described the chaos: “People fought over five pallets. They told us to take food—then they fired from every direction. I ran 200 metres before realising I’d been shot. This isn’t aid. It’s a lie. Are we supposed to go get food for our kids and die?”

    This is the second time this new system of aid distribution has led to bloodshed. On 27 May, the first afternoon of distribution in Rafah, Israeli forces shot dozens of people as wholly insufficient amounts of basic lifesaving supplies were distributed amid chaos.

    As a result of the total siege that was imposed by the Israeli authorities on 2 March, 100 per cent of Gaza is now at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. Since 19 May, the few hundred food trucks brought in – an insufficient fraction of what is needed – have spread despair among the 2 million plus people who have been largely deprived of food, water, and medication for three months now. Totally or partially blocking humanitarian aid to enter Gaza has aggravated the situation of all Gazans. 

    MSF reinforces that, along with displacement orders and bombing campaigns that kill civilians, weaponising aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity. Only a lasting ceasefire and the immediate opening of Gaza’s borders for humanitarian aid – including food, medical supplies, fuel and equipment – can ease this man-made catastrophe.

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    MIL OSI NGO –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock on MTP: “This Big Ugly Bill is Going to Strip People of their Health Care”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock on MTP: “This Big Ugly Bill is Going to Strip People of their Health Care”

    Today, Senator Reverend Warnock joined Kristen Welker on Meet the Press to outline the consequences for Georgians if the Senate passes the GOP billionaire tax giveaway bill
    The Senator laid out a vision for a tax code that uplifts ordinary people: “Here’s a proposal. How about [allowing] the tax cuts to expire for people making over $500,000 a year? If they did that, they wouldn’t have to have these draconian SNAP cuts and cuts on health care”
    Watch the full interview HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined Kristen Welker on Meet the Press to outline the consequences for Georgians if the Senate passes the GOP billionaire tax giveaway bill. The GOP tax bill is expected to kick as many as 13.7 million people off their health care and risk up to 42,000 good-paying Georgia jobs, all to pay for a tax cut for the ultra-wealthy. Senator Warnock is a member of the Finance Committee, which oversees taxes and revenue. The full interview is available HERE.
    “The Republicans are trying to push forward this Big Ugly Bill that’s going to literally cut as many as 7 million Americans [on Medicaid] off of their health care. It is a drag, not only on their health care, it is a drag on the American economy. They want to cut some $290 billion out of SNAP,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This is an unfunded mandate at a time when Donald Trump’s tariff tax is literally raising the cost of groceries, and so I’ve got my sleeves rolled up, and in front of me is the American people, the people of Georgia, and doing everything I can to save them from Trump’s Big Ugly Bill.”
    “Here’s a proposal. How about [allowing] the tax cuts to expire for people making over $500,000 a year? If they did that, they wouldn’t have to have these draconian SNAP cuts and cuts on health care,” continued Senator Reverend Warnock.
    Key excerpts of the interview are available below:
    Senator Warnock on work reporting requirements:
    “Listen, I am a big advocate for work. I have a fierce work ethic. It was something passed on to me by my late father, who was a preacher and a junk man… I believe in work and I recently released a study in Georgia that shows that this work reporting requirement, because that’s what we’re talking about, not work requirements, work reporting requirements, are very good at kicking [working] people off of their health care. It’s not good at incentivizing work at all… The data clearly shows that if you want to get people to work, the way to do that is to provide them just basic health care so that they don’t get sick. And what they’re trying to do now is take this terrible experiment in Georgia, force it on the whole nation, and what we will see as a result of that is a workforce that is sicker and poorer and an economy that’s weaker.”
    Senator Warnock on consequences of the GOP tax bill:
    “We are headed into a very critical week. The Republicans are trying to push forward this Big Ugly Bill that’s going to literally cut as many as 7 million Americans [on Medicaid] off of their health care. It is a drag, not only on their health care, it is a drag on the American economy. They want to cut some $290 billion out of SNAP. This is an unfunded mandate at a time when Donald Trump’s tariff tax is literally raising the cost of groceries. And so I’ve got my sleeves rolled up, and in front of me is the American people, the people of Georgia, and doing everything I can to save them from Trump’s Big Ugly Bill.”
    “I’m laser-focused on doing everything I can for the people of my state, particularly children. You’re looking at somebody who grew up in public housing, the 11th of 12 children, but through good government programs, Pell grants and low-interest student loans, because of Head Start, which the Republicans want to cut. You are you looking at someone who is the first college graduate in his family, the 11th out of 12 children, who is now a United States Senator. I’ll tell you what keeps me up at night. It would be harder for me to do right now what I did as that 17-year-old kid all those years ago. That is an indictment on this moment. That’s an indictment on our leadership. And what the Republicans want to do this week will take us further back in the wrong direction. Which is why I’m going to do everything I can, not only to save us from this awful bill, but to put forward programs like workforce development programs so that our children can find their wings for their dreams. I want to do everything that I can for working-class people.”
    Senator Warnock on his vision of a tax code that uplifts ordinary people:
    “Here’s a proposal. How about [allowing] the tax cuts to expire for people making over $500,000 a year? If they did that, they wouldn’t have to have these draconian SNAP cuts and cuts on health care.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Statement from U.S. Senators Graham and Blumenthal on Visit to France

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) today made this joint statement on their visit to Paris, France. 
    “Congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain for winning the Champions league and making history. We learned firsthand that the French are good at soccer and have amazing endurance when it comes to celebrating. Also during our time in Paris, we had worthwhile meetings with France’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance and President Macron’s national security advisor, and a lengthy and productive phone call with President Macron. 
    “As authors of the bone-crushing Russia sanctions bill that now has 82 Senate cosponsors, we assured President Macron and his team that we believe Putin is playing games regarding peace and is actually preparing for a military offensive in the late summer or early fall. 
    “President Macron shares the view that Putin’s behavior demonstrates that he is not interested in peace. Macron is also very determined to unite Europe, working in coordination with the U.S., to change the calculation for Putin. Importantly, we all agreed that if China and India stopped buying cheap Russian oil, Putin’s war machine would grind to a halt. 
    “President Macron supports lowering the price cap for Russian oil, which will hit Putin in the wallet, and working with his team, he committed to try to deliver a forceful message to China and India regarding their financial backing of Putin’s war. It is our hope that Europe will move forward together on lowering the price caps, and join together to send a clear message to China and India that they must change their behavior. 
    “Europe and the United States are holding all the cards and can make meaningful efforts to change China and India’s behavior. 
    “We are also hopeful Europe will up their game regarding the seizure of frozen assets of those who are benefiting off of Putin’s illegal invasion. President Macron was very open to that idea. 
    “We also discussed Russia’s kidnapping of approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children over the course of the war.  President Macron has been a clear, moral voice against this barbaric kidnapping and other Russian atrocities. 
    “France has been terrific in supporting Ukraine. In many ways, this has been President Macron’s finest hour. 
    “We will be pushing the Senate to take action by using the expedited Rule 14 process to bring the sanctions bill to the floor. By the G7 summit, we hope to have sanctions put in place —  in coordination with Europe —  to deliver an unequivocal message to China. 
    “The theme of this engagement was that we appreciate President Trump’s earnest efforts to bring about peace and entice Putin to come to the table. It is our view Putin is not responding in kind, he is not interested in peace and that he plans to continue to dismember Ukraine. We appreciate that President Zelensky will send a delegation to Istanbul, which is a clear sign that he is earnestly seeking peace. Unfortunately, we believe Monday’s meeting will result in another demand by Russia that will be unrealistic. 
    “An end of the war that rewards Putin’s aggression will create a ripple effect around the world, which will be catastrophic in every corner. Bad actors will be emboldened, and those who want to align with the West will be deterred.
    “If we can have a just and honorable peace, it will reset the world in all the right ways. History is watching.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Central Bank of Bahrain signs MOU with National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic

    Source: Central Bank of Bahrain

    Published on 1 June 2025

    Manama, Bahrain – 1 June 2025: The Central Bank of Bahrain announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic. The MoU was signed by HE Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, and HE Melis Turgunbaev, Chairman of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic.

    Commenting on this occasion, HE Khalid Humaidan said: “We are honored to embark on this official partnership, which represents a strategic step toward strengthening bilateral relations and expanding opportunities for the advancement of the financial services sector, contributing to the growth and prosperity of both brotherly nations. We remain firmly committed to fostering such partnerships as part of our ongoing efforts to support the financial services ecosystem and to further solidify the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a leading global financial center.”

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    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Pax Americana’ in Toronto: How speculative art can help us navigate threats

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Pascal Michelberger, Postdoctoral Scholar, Western Academy for Advanced Research, Western University

    Artist Dara Vandor’s futuristic, commemorative historical plaques on Toronto streets project a U.S.-annexed Canada. (Dara Vandor)

    As part of her ongoing public art series, Pax Americana, Toronto visual artist Dara Vandor has been posting aluminum signs in public spaces.

    These are plaques that reimagine, as the artist writes, the city as “a site of future conflict and occupation” by the United States. The signage, in the style of commemorative historical markers, echoes U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent and repeated threats to annex Canada and “is meant to serve as a dark warning, inviting contemplation on the fragility of nationhood.”

    For example, one plaque, posted on a bridge on Spadina Ave., informs passersby:

    “This spot served as the center of operations for United States Army snipers during Operation McKinley, the campaign to liberate the northern territory formerly known as Canada. From February to May 2035, this site, code-named ‘The Hot Dog Stand,’ served as a concealed sniper’s nest, providing precision fire support, disrupting insurgent movements, and protecting advancing American units.”

    Vandor’s thought-provoking project, which she told CBC News was sparked by anger at Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty, underlines how storytelling can be a powerful tool in times of conflict, especially when it affords itself the artistic freedom to envision potential futures before they can become reality.

    Psychological effects

    In order to understand how exactly stories such as the one portrayed on Vandor’s plaques can make a real impact on the way we navigate moments of crisis, we can turn to the work of conflict analysis experts such as Solon Simmons.

    In his recent book on conflict storytelling, Simmons introduces the concept of post-plot pressure.

    The term describes the psychological effect that a story can have on its readers after they finish reading. As Simmons puts it:

    “What makes stories so important (as opposed to just interesting or entertaining) is the effect of the story, and this effect doesn’t end when the story ends. It leaves the viewer/reader/listener with a feeling.”

    Simmons also explains that the kind and amount of post-plot pressure placed upon an audience depends on the type of story being told.

    Projected unhappy ending exerts pressure

    A story, for example, featuring a struggle in which the antagonist eventually triumphs over the protagonist is what Simmons calls a “satirical struggle story.”

    “Satirical” in this context does not necessarily mean that stories of this kind include elements of mockery or sarcasm. Rather, the label goes back to the influential research contributions of Canadian literary theorist Northrop Frye and American historian Hayden White, from which Simmons derives his own framework.

    This is exactly how to understand the story told over its several episodes on Vandor’s Pax Americana plaques: the U.S., as the story’s antagonist, abuses its power and ends up getting away with it, defeating Canadian resistance and annexing what is now only referred to as the “northern territory.”

    As Simmons suggests, conflict stories like this one, where what is viewed as injustice is allowed to prevail, exercise a relatively high level of post-plot pressure. This is mainly because the unhappy ending leaves audiences dissatisfied and with a sense of loss to grapple with.

    Reader reactions

    Simmons also explains that not all readers react to this particular kind of post-plot pressure in the same way. Vandor’s project, for example, has brought out some critical and upset responses.

    As the artist told Toronto Today, some people have called the plaques pro-American propaganda; one online commenter said they should be taken down.

    Julian Bleecker — a researcher, author, designer and engineer with a PhD in history of consciousness whose design studio offers services around future imagining and planning — voiced his objection to the project in a blog post.

    In his opinion, the antagonistic and fatalistic vision of the future portrayed on the plaques runs the risk of “playing into the hands of the very forces that are at work to make the world a less habitable place.”



    Read more:
    The theatre we want in 2040? We used ‘strategic foresight’ to plan on the Prairies

    But, as Simmons argues, conflict stories in which the happy ending never comes can also leave readers with a productive sense of post-plot pressure. In that case, feeling dissatisfied with the story’s outcome can instead motivate people to mobilize and strategize against the perceived injustice.

    Seen in this light, the plaques’ imagined collapse of Canadian sovereignty can therefore also serve as a stark and urgent inspiration, begging response.

    A sign in an alleyway says 'let go of your past, and welcome to our united future.'
    In Dara Vandor’s speculative future, U.S. President Ivanka Trump, standing on a tank, exhorts Torontonians to ‘Let go of your past, and welcome to our united future.’
    (Dara Vandor)

    A cautionary tale

    Fictional storytelling is often viewed as a useful tool that allows us to make sense of real moments of conflict that happened in the past. Think, for example, of Erich Maria Remarque’s famous war novel All Quiet on the Western Front, which was turned into an Oscar-winning film directed by Edward Berger in 2022.

    Our understanding of these kinds of stories as useful comes with the acknowledgement that there is nothing we can do to prevent past conflict. At the same time, the underlying assumption here is that by learning about the past, we can learn from the past and hopefully stop similar crises from ever happening again.



    Read more:
    How stories about alternate worlds can help us imagine a better future: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 7 transcript

    What makes Vandor’s ongoing project especially valuable is that it moves its reflections on the past into an imagined future. The actual conflict that the plaques refer to is still part of the present, and its future still undecided. Whatever lessons we draw from their cautionary tale about Canadian annexation, we still have time to act upon them before that imagined future can become reality.

    Importance of resistance in the present

    This is exactly what leads historian Camille Bégin to conclude that the project’s appeal to the importance of resistance in the present is particularly strong:

    “It really shows us that the future is not written, that it’s in our hands to act in the present to forge the future that we want.”

    Even though Vandor’s project tells a story of Canadian defeat, it also highlights that Canadians did resist, a thought that should appeal to anyone opposed to Trump’s vision of territorial expansion.

    Or, and this is perhaps the most hopeful reflection coming out of the project, if Canadians come together and resist now, Trump’s threat of annexation may never get that far.

    The Conversation

    Pascal Michelberger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Pax Americana’ in Toronto: How speculative art can help us navigate threats – https://theconversation.com/pax-americana-in-toronto-how-speculative-art-can-help-us-navigate-threats-256755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: At least 31 killed in Israeli shelling near aid center in southern Gaza – health directorate

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    GAZA, June 1 (Xinhua) — At least 31 Palestinians were killed Sunday in Israeli shelling near a humanitarian aid center in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said.

    At least 31 people were killed and dozens of others were seriously wounded this morning when Israeli troops opened fire near a humanitarian aid distribution point in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip where residents had gathered to receive aid, the Gaza Health Authority said in a statement.

    Most of the wounds were to the upper body and the death toll could rise due to the severity of the injuries, said Mohammed Abu Afash, director of the Gaza Medical Aid Organization, adding that ambulances were having difficulty reaching the scene due to ongoing Israeli military action.

    Eyewitnesses told Xinhua that thousands of people arrived at the aid center in the early morning hours when gunfire and explosions began.

    Calling the incident part of a “series of repeated attacks” by Israel on aid distribution points, the Hamas-controlled Gaza government’s press office said in a press statement that the work in the area was carried out in coordination with a US-Israeli company and under the supervision of the Israeli military.

    Also on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it was not aware of any casualties in the attack on the aid distribution site and that the matter was still under review.

    Israeli media, citing military sources, claim that the target of Israeli military operations in the area were “terrorist elements.”

    Israel closed border crossings and reduced humanitarian aid into Gaza on March 2. Limited access has been allowed since May 22. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Experimenting with generative AI to kibbitz and futz towards more inclusive futures

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nathaniel Laywine, Assistant Professor, Communication and Media Studies, York University, Canada

    Generative AI draws from limited datasets, often reproducing errors and bias. (Shutterstock)

    What does it mean to think, act and work as a Jewish professor when human freedoms are under siege and authoritarian power gains ground? And how can we draw on our Jewish identities to navigate the sweeping encroachment of new technologies like AI?

    As communication scholars, colleagues and collaborators, we have spent a lot of time trying to answer these questions in our scholarship by taking cues from the intellectual lineage of our shared culture.



    Read more:
    Philosopher Hannah Arendt provokes us to rethink what education is for in the era of AI

    Lately, Donald Trump’s administration has demonstrated a heavy investment in cataloguing and categorizing Jewish professors. In April, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sent text messages to the personal cellphones of faculty and staff at Barnard College, asking them to self-identify as Jewish and/or Israeli. The text message also asked them to disclose any instances of antisemitic discrimination or harassment they had experienced.

    Presumably, the text message inquiry itself was not recognized by its senders as an instance of such harassment.

    We do not believe being a Jewish professor means silencing our students as they protest atrocities in Gaza, and it certainly doesn’t mean revoking their visas or deporting them. Rather, it means drawing upon the tools of our forebears to question systems of oppression, wherever and however they may arise.

    We simultaneously occupy both privileged and marginal positions within the university and North American society at large. This makes us acutely aware of how fragile conditional tolerance is, and how quickly a list of names can be used to justify repression or violence.

    Collection and use of data

    As communication and media scholars, we’re often critical of how data are aggregated, stored and disseminated. The EEOC questionnaire concerns us because it reduces the complexities of Jewish identity and the profound harms of antisemitism to a handful of abstract and ideologically determined data points.

    Our recent research on generative AI (genAI) and its incompatibility with Jewish cultural expression shows that meaningful efforts to combat antisemitism — and other forms of oppression — must centre the knowledge and experiences of affected communities.

    Our research found that outputs of chatbots such as ChatGPT are unable to tell jokes in a Jewish comedic style without resorting to offensive tropes. In another forthcoming study, we argue that genAI is equally incapable of representing the multifaceted “intersectional identities” of Jewish people except by smashing together rudimentary cultural signifiers (such as rainbows for queerness or bagels for Jewishness).

    In each case, these platforms rely on datasets to determine what Jewishness is, and these datasets originate from the narratives that other people tell about Jewish people, rather than the ones we tell about ourselves.

    Futzing is a Yiddish word that means messing around via hands-on experimentation.
    (Shutterstock)

    Critical strategies

    These platforms have increasingly become parts of daily life and communicative infrastructure. To investigate them, we adopted two critical strategies from our shared heritage as Ashkenazi Jews: kibbitzing and futzing.

    Both terms are Yiddish. Kibbitzing is a lively, informal way of thinking and talking together. It’s somewhere between joking, arguing and exchanging ideas. It is grounded in our relationships, histories and biases; kibbitzing is how we make shared meaning together through many voices.

    Kibbitzing values contradiction, humour and the messiness of human conversation. Unlike AI chatbots, which follow scripted, dialogic, question-and-answer routines based on quantifiable patterns in data, kibbitzing is unpredictable, non-linear and intentionally disorganized.

    When we kibbitz, we build understanding by challenging one another and reflecting on what each of us brings to the table. In the age of genAI, kibbitzing offers a way to talk that is full of friction, laughter and deep, collective insight.

    Futzing means messing around via hands-on experimentation, with no set agenda and no official guidance. This unstructured inquiry is an acknowledgement of Jews’ historical role as outsiders within European society. As we write in our forthcoming article, these practices reflect what social theorist Michel de Certeau calls “making do,” a tactical means of collective empowerment in a hostile society.

    Using futzing as a methodology, we started exploring genAI, drawing on our curiosity to see what might happen by playing, testing and responding in real time.

    Futz first, then kibbitz

    Each of us futzed on our own at first, with no ambition to crack the code or reverse-engineer the algorithm. Later, when we began kibbitzing together, we realized our scattered efforts were actually circling around shared concerns. Futzing helped us see patterns, surprises and contradictions — things we might have missed with a more rigid approach. Kibbitzing helped us connect those patterns and reconcile the contradictions.

    Drawing on our culture this way allows us to imagine inclusive, anti-oppressive Jewish epistemologies that respond to the complexity of the current political moment. Jewish identity — like all identities — is porous and resistant to fixed form. Our shared North American Ashkenazi identity is just one of many possible perspectives that comprise a broader identity of Jewishness.

    That is not a problem to be solved. Rather, it is a strength and a bond between us. Readers may well see their own cultural traditions, vernaculars and ancestral practices in this light too, as techniques of resilience and joy in the face of hardship and oppression.

    There is an irony here. The deeper we dig into the intellectual roots of our own culture, the more common ground we might discover with everyone else’s. And that makes us feel a whole lot safer than getting a text from the EEOC ever could.

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

    – ref. Experimenting with generative AI to kibbitz and futz towards more inclusive futures – https://theconversation.com/experimenting-with-generative-ai-to-kibbitz-and-futz-towards-more-inclusive-futures-252553

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Pax Americana’ in Toronto? Speculative art can help us navigate threats

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Pascal Michelberger, Postdoctoral Scholar, Western Academy for Advanced Research, Western University

    Artist Dara Vandor’s futuristic, commemorative historical plaques on Toronto streets project a U.S.-annexed Canada. (Dara Vandor)

    As part of her ongoing public art series, Pax Americana, Toronto visual artist Dara Vandor has been posting aluminum signs in public spaces.

    These are plaques that reimagine, as the artist writes, the city as “a site of future conflict and occupation” by the United States. The signage, in the style of commemorative historical markers, echoes U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent and repeated threats to annex Canada and “is meant to serve as a dark warning, inviting contemplation on the fragility of nationhood.”

    For example, one plaque, posted on a bridge on Spadina Ave., informs passersby:

    “This spot served as the center of operations for United States Army snipers during Operation McKinley, the campaign to liberate the northern territory formerly known as Canada. From February to May 2035, this site, code-named ‘The Hot Dog Stand,’ served as a concealed sniper’s nest, providing precision fire support, disrupting insurgent movements, and protecting advancing American units.”

    Vandor’s thought-provoking project, which she told CBC News was sparked by anger at Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty, underlines how storytelling can be a powerful tool in times of conflict, especially when it affords itself the artistic freedom to envision potential futures before they can become reality.

    Psychological effects

    In order to understand how exactly stories such as the one portrayed on Vandor’s plaques can make a real impact on the way we navigate moments of crisis, we can turn to the work of conflict analysis experts such as Solon Simmons.

    In his recent book on conflict storytelling, Simmons introduces the concept of post-plot pressure.

    The term describes the psychological effect that a story can have on its readers after they finish reading. As Simmons puts it:

    “What makes stories so important (as opposed to just interesting or entertaining) is the effect of the story, and this effect doesn’t end when the story ends. It leaves the viewer/reader/listener with a feeling.”

    Simmons also explains that the kind and amount of post-plot pressure placed upon an audience depends on the type of story being told.

    Projected unhappy ending exerts pressure

    A story, for example, featuring a struggle in which the antagonist eventually triumphs over the protagonist is what Simmons calls a “satirical struggle story.”

    “Satirical” in this context does not necessarily mean that stories of this kind include elements of mockery or sarcasm. Rather, the label goes back to the influential research contributions of Canadian literary theorist Northrop Frye and American historian Hayden White, from which Simmons derives his own framework.

    This is exactly how to understand the story told over its several episodes on Vandor’s Pax Americana plaques: the U.S., as the story’s antagonist, abuses its power and ends up getting away with it, defeating Canadian resistance and annexing what is now only referred to as the “northern territory.”

    As Simmons suggests, conflict stories like this one, where what is viewed as injustice is allowed to prevail, exercise a relatively high level of post-plot pressure. This is mainly because the unhappy ending leaves audiences dissatisfied and with a sense of loss to grapple with.

    Reader reactions

    Simmons also explains that not all readers react to this particular kind of post-plot pressure in the same way. Vandor’s project, for example, has brought out some critical and upset responses.

    As the artist told Toronto Today, some people have called the plaques pro-American propaganda; one online commenter said they should be taken down.

    Julian Bleecker — a researcher, author, designer and engineer with a PhD in history of consciousness whose design studio offers services around future imagining and planning — voiced his objection to the project in a blog post.

    In his opinion, the antagonistic and fatalistic vision of the future portrayed on the plaques runs the risk of “playing into the hands of the very forces that are at work to make the world a less habitable place.”



    Read more:
    The theatre we want in 2040? We used ‘strategic foresight’ to plan on the Prairies

    But, as Simmons argues, conflict stories in which the happy ending never comes can also leave readers with a productive sense of post-plot pressure. In that case, feeling dissatisfied with the story’s outcome can instead motivate people to mobilize and strategize against the perceived injustice.

    Seen in this light, the plaques’ imagined collapse of Canadian sovereignty can therefore also serve as a stark and urgent inspiration, begging response.

    In Dara Vandor’s speculative future, U.S. President Ivanka Trump, standing on a tank, exhorts Torontonians to ‘Let go of your past, and welcome to our united future.’
    (Dara Vandor)

    A cautionary tale

    Fictional storytelling is often viewed as a useful tool that allows us to make sense of real moments of conflict that happened in the past. Think, for example, of Erich Maria Remarque’s famous war novel All Quiet on the Western Front, which was turned into an Oscar-winning film directed by Edward Berger in 2022.

    Our understanding of these kinds of stories as useful comes with the acknowledgement that there is nothing we can do to prevent past conflict. At the same time, the underlying assumption here is that by learning about the past, we can learn from the past and hopefully stop similar crises from ever happening again.



    Read more:
    How stories about alternate worlds can help us imagine a better future: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 7 transcript

    What makes Vandor’s ongoing project especially valuable is that it moves its reflections on the past into an imagined future. The actual conflict that the plaques refer to is still part of the present, and its future still undecided. Whatever lessons we draw from their cautionary tale about Canadian annexation, we still have time to act upon them before that imagined future can become reality.

    Importance of resistance in the present

    This is exactly what leads historian Camille Bégin to conclude that the project’s appeal to the importance of resistance in the present is particularly strong:

    “It really shows us that the future is not written, that it’s in our hands to act in the present to forge the future that we want.”

    Even though Vandor’s project tells a story of Canadian defeat, it also highlights that Canadians did resist, a thought that should appeal to anyone opposed to Trump’s vision of territorial expansion.

    Or, and this is perhaps the most hopeful reflection coming out of the project, if Canadians come together and resist now, Trump’s threat of annexation may never get that far.

    Pascal Michelberger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Pax Americana’ in Toronto? Speculative art can help us navigate threats – https://theconversation.com/pax-americana-in-toronto-speculative-art-can-help-us-navigate-threats-256755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kids care deeply about our planet, so adults need to start listening

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jen Kostuchuk, PhD Candidate, Sociology, University of Victoria

    “I wish adults knew that I really care about the environment and want to help, but I sometimes feel like my ideas don’t matter because I’m just a kid.”

    This is what a nine-year-old respondent told us when we asked how they feel about the environment.

    In today’s current political climate, many adults seem resigned to climate catastrophe and even dabble in climate change denialism. However, our survey of 1,000 youth aged eight to 14 from Canada and the United States found that children care deeply about the planet and are ready to take action.

    The findings from our report were produced as part of an ongoing study with the Humanity in Motion Society, a Canadian non-profit organization focused on engaging youth as key stakeholders in advancing environmental stewardship.

    Almost 90 per cent of the kids we spoke to recognize climate change as a real and urgent problem, calling for intergenerational collaboration and bolder environmental mitigation and adaptation commitments.

    It turns out that our nine-year-old respondent speaks for many children. Kids know what’s at stake, want a seat at the table and need adults to act with them.

    What kids told us

    Some of the kids in the survey talk about the action they want adults to take to tackle climate change. (Humanity in Motion Society)

    Many of the kids told us they regularly take action to mitigate their carbon footprint, including recycling, embracing reusable items and conserving energy. Their accounts are consistent with numerous academic studies on youth involvement in environmental citizenship.

    However, many understand individual action alone is not enough. In fact, most kids recognize that systemic accountability is necessary to tackle the climate crisis. As one kid in Grade 6 shared:

    “I wish big industry and governments would stop asking us to do something when they continue to fly in private jets [and] drill for oil and more; we are asked to recycle.”

    Kids have a deep understanding of current political issues, including the cost-of-living crisis and the harmful “drill baby drill” sentiments, but also underscore a stark disconnect: while we instil environmentally responsible values in our children, elected leaders remain consistently inactive on these very same issues.



    Read more:
    The oil and gas industry has been lying about global warming for decades — accountability is long overdue

    Kids play active roles in knowledge sharing

    The kids in this study display impressive knowledge about the steps that need to be taken to address the climate crisis. Our findings demonstrate that youth are not just passive recipients of knowledge but, rather, play an active role in being climate communicators.

    For example, two thirds of our respondents say their friends learn about climate change directly from them. Even though many children note that they do not have climate clubs at school, they are curious about the role of big oil, deforestation and corporate greed in the ongoing climate crisis.

    In addition to teachers and parents being the most influential sources of knowledge for children, social media content has an impact on kids’ environmental behaviour and feelings of empowerment.

    Specifically, our data shows that talking to others online has a significant positive relationship with reported sustainable behaviour, and that watching videos has a significant positive relationship with how much kids feel they can make a difference. One young girl reflected on using Tiktok for insights on climate change while also capturing an awareness among her generation:

    “I would say if there’s a really big issue, like, I know there’s something called the Climate Clock in New York…I mean, the thing with social media, you never know what’s true and untrue, but that thing [Climate Clock] came on my ‘For You’ page…and everybody in the comments, they were saying ‘this is very real, we have to do something about it.’”

    This shows that kids would benefit greatly from spaces to continue in-person environmental discussions with adults in the room. One young respondent captured the potential for meaningful engagement:

    “There are a lot of things that can be done, curriculum integrations…sustainable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and maybe explore the ecosystems and biodiversities and actually encourage students to design and implement climate-friendly projects and carry out field trips and organize visits to renewable energy sites or environmental organizations and sometimes, maybe occasionally, the school can invite climate experts, activists or scientists.”

    These ideas were shared by others who called on adults to lead more experiential approaches to climate education inside the classroom and beyond.

    Adults can help by providing opportunities in the classroom and beyond for kids to discuss cliamte change.
    (Shutterstock)



    Read more:
    Teachers need bolder action from our school boards to educate in and for a climate emergency

    Five calls to action

    Here are five ways to help bring about change:

    1. Adults need to step up. Adults play a critical role in shaping how youth engage in climate action. Our report found that teachers and parents, in addition to the internet, are among the most influential learning sources for youth today. Kids often take pro-environmental values, actions and cues from their parents.

    2. Apathy is not an option if we want change. Youth are looking to leaders and elected officials to invest heavily in infrastructure and education to improve our environment.

    3. Intergenerational collaboration promotes better environmental values. Despite the consequences of climate change, youth share a sense of optimism and emphasize the need for intergenerational responsibility.

    4. Provide spaces for youth to take leadership roles and engage in climate dialogue. Kids want to do more to build a sustainable future, but don’t know where to begin. Providing opportunities in the classroom and beyond are critical next steps to raise the next generation of climate leaders.

    5. Promote bold action. Kids should be able to answer the call of many climate activists who recognize the need to pursue a greener economy by working together.

    Our survey findings highlight a hopeful message about young people’s engagement in climate action, underscoring their impressive knowledge of the systemic changes required to address the crisis.

    As adults across the political spectrum bicker about climate policy, young people are growing impatient and hoping to lead the way. Our results refocus attention on the future we’re creating and challenge us to listen seriously to children when they seek to address what may be their generation’s greatest crisis.

    Sean Lyons has received funding from Mitacs in support of an earlier iteration of the study discussed here.

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

    – ref. Kids care deeply about our planet, so adults need to start listening – https://theconversation.com/kids-care-deeply-about-our-planet-so-adults-need-to-start-listening-257304

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Preventing urinary tract infections after menopause: What every woman should know

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Erin A. Brennand, Gynecologist & Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

    There is more information available about urinary tract infections today than ever before. (Shutterstock)

    After menopause, urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be more frequent, yet most Canadian women (82 per cent in a recent survey) don’t realize the two are associated.

    At the Sex, Gender and Women’s Health Research Hub, our team’s advocacy aims to increase awareness and highlight proven strategies to help prevent UTIs for women later in life.

    Why are UTIs more common after menopause?

    The main culprit for increased UTIs in menopausal women is the drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining urinary tract tissue health.

    As estrogen declines, the lining of the urethra — the tube through which urine flows out of the body — becomes thinner and more fragile. Also, there are fewer infection-fighting blood cells in the urinary tract, and mucosal immunity — the specialized immune defences present at the mucosal surfaces lining the urinary tract that include physical and chemical barriers, cellular receptors and antibodies — is reduced.

    This weakens the local immune response, making it easier for bacteria to cause infections. Additionally, changes in vaginal flora — the bacteria that naturally protect against infections — results in the urinary tract being vulnerable.

    Knowledge is power during menopause.
    Servier Medical Art, CC BY

    Other factors can contribute to UTI risk at this stage of life, too. Women whose bladder muscles have weakened with age, or who have developed pelvic organ prolapse, can experience incomplete bladder emptying. This leads to urine retention and an increased chance of bacterial growth.



    Read more:
    Women having surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse don’t always need a hysterectomy

    Similarly, if women experience urinary incontinence, the leakage and moisture on incontinence pads or underwear can create an environment where bacteria thrive. And while sexual activity itself does not directly cause UTIs, it can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract, increasing the risk of infection.

    Signs of a UTI

    Bacteria in the urine without symptoms is called asymptomatic bacteriuria. It is not a UTI and should not be treated; a UTI is only diagnosed when bacteria and symptoms are both present. The most obvious symptoms include:

    • A new, strong, persistent urge to urinate;
    • A burning sensation while urinating;
    • Frequent urination in small amounts;
    • Pelvic discomfort or pressure.

    In severe cases, UTIs can lead to kidney infections, so when symptoms include fever, chills and back pain, it is essential to seek immediate medical attention.

    For women in their 80s or older, or sometimes younger women who are living with medical conditions such as dementia, urinary tract infections can manifest as behavioural changes such as confusion, withdrawal or reduced appetite. However, new onset delirium should always be investigated by a medical team rather than assumed to be a UTI.

    Evidence-based strategies to prevent UTIs

    Several medical and lifestyle interventions can make a significant difference:

    1. Vaginal estrogen therapy

    One of the most effective ways to prevent recurrent UTIs in postmenopausal women is vaginal estrogen therapy, which delivers small doses of estrogen directly to the vaginal tissues through creams, tablets or rings. Studies have shown that vaginal estrogen can restore the natural protective barrier of the urinary tract, reducing UTI risk significantly. It can be used by breast cancer survivors as it does not have the same risks associated with menopause hormone therapy (MHT).

    2. Non-antibiotic prevention

    Methenamine hippurate (one gram orally, twice-a-day) is effective in reducing UTIs by creating an environment that prevents bacterial growth. In Canada, women need to obtain this medication from a compounding pharmacy.

    3. Low-dose antibiotic
    Doctors may prescribe low-dose antibiotics – about half the standard dose – for several months. If sexual activity is a trigger for UTIs, antibiotics can be used episodically after sex. However, antibiotics can cause side-effects and create antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
    4. Diet supplements
    Scientific evidence on consuming cranberry-based products to prevent UTIs is mixed. Some studies suggest that certain compounds in cranberries (proanthocyanidins, or PACs) prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder lining, while others show no benefit. If trying these products, women should choose brands with high concentrations of PACs, the active ingredient.

    Similarly, probiotics, especially those containing Lactobacillus strains, may help maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome, which in turn can lower UTI risk. However, research is still evolving.

    5. Hygiene and lifestyle habits
    Though there is limited evidence, simple everyday habits may help in preventing UTIs:

    • Staying hydrated – Drinking water helps to flush bacteria from the urinary tract. For women who drink a low volume of fluids each day (less than 1.5 litres), increasing water intake may help.
    • Urinating regularly – Avoid holding urine for long periods and aim to void every three to four hours during the day.
    • Urinating after sex – This helps clear bacteria introduced during intercourse.
    • Choosing breathable underwear – Cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes reduce build up of moisture, which in turn reduces bacterial growth.

    More innovations on the horizon

    Vaccines are one of the most promising developments for preventing recurrent UTIs. In one early trial, overall recurrences decreased by 75 per cent for women given an oral vaccine, with no major side-effects reported.

    Trials are currently under way in Canada, and researchers hope vaccines will provide a more effective and long-term solution.

    Treatment and support for UTIs.
    People illustrations by Storyset, CC BY

    When to see a doctor

    Any woman who is experiencing frequent UTIs — defined as two infections in six months or three in a year — in menopause should talk to their doctor or primary care provider. Together, they can determine the best preventive targeted strategies.

    Knowledge is power, and there is more information available today than ever before. UTIs are not an inevitable part of aging. With the right combination of medical treatments and lifestyle changes, women can reduce postmenopausal risk.

    Erin A. Brennand receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Calgary Health Foundation, and the MSI Foundation (all paid to institution).

    Jayna Holroyd-Leduc has received funding from CIHR and Alberta Innovates. She holds the BSF Chair in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Calgary.

    Pauline McDonagh Hull does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Preventing urinary tract infections after menopause: What every woman should know – https://theconversation.com/preventing-urinary-tract-infections-after-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know-255762

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Blind box toys are booming: Are they just child’s play or something more concerning?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eugene Y. Chan, Associate Professor of Marketing, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Collectible figurines on display at Pop Mart in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, on April 29, 2025. (Shutterstock)

    If you’ve seen videos of people tearing into tiny toy packages online, or noticed teens obsessing over pastel-coloured figurines at the mall, you’ve probably encountered the global craze for blind box toys.

    These small collectibles — usually figures of cartoonish characters — are sold in sealed packaging that hides which specific item is inside. You might get the one you want, or you might not. That uncertainty is part of the thrill.

    Unlike traditional toys, these figures are marketed as collectibles. Many are part of themed series, with some designs labelled as “rare” or “secret,” appearing in as few as one in every 144 boxes. This sense of exclusivity fuels repeat purchases and has spawned a resale market where rare figures can command hundreds of dollars.

    Popular among children and adults alike, blind box toys have grown into a billion-dollar industry. One of the more popular brands is Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company founded in 2010 known for its collectible designer toys sold in mystery packs.

    Gen Z consumers, in particular, have embraced blind box toys both as a nostalgic pastime and as a form of legitimate collecting. The proliferation of unboxing videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where creators open dozens of blind boxes on camera, has added to their appeal.

    For many fans, these toys offer more than just cuteness: they also provide suspense, surprise and a rush of dopamine with every box opened. But how did this niche product become a global obsession?

    From Tokyo streets to western malls

    The origins of blind box toys trace back to East Asia. Capsule toy vending machines called gashapon originated in Japan in the 1960s. By the 1980s, they had become a cultural fixture. These machines dispense small toys in opaque plastic balls, with customers never quite sure which item they’ll receive.

    In the early 2010s, Chinese companies like Pop Mart adapted the gashapon model for the mainstream retail space. Instead of vending machines, they began selling artist-designed vinyl toys in blind boxes at dedicated boutiques.

    A tourist uses a gashapon machine in Osaka, Japan, in 2024. Gashapon machines are similar to the coin-operated toy vending machines seen outside grocery stores and other retailers in North America.
    (Shutterstock)

    Pop Mart’s success helped transform the blind box into a mainstream commercial phenomenon. Characters like Molly, Skullpanda and Dimoo became instant hits, combining Japanese kawaii esthetics with western pop art sensibilities.

    Pop Mart figures have since developed a cult-like following. Many consumers treat the toys as affordable art objects, displayed in cabinets, on purses or traded online.

    Today, blind box retail stores have expanded globally from Asia to Europe and North America. In October 2024, Pop Mart opened its first store in the Midwestern United States, located on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile at The Shops at North Bridge. The store offers exclusive products and taps into the growing demand for collectibles among American consumers.

    The psychology behind the mystery

    What makes blind box toys so hard to resist?

    Their success relies on a psychological principle known as variable-ratio reinforcement — the same reward pattern that makes slot machines so addictive.

    You never know exactly when you’ll score the item you’re after, but the possibility that the next box might contain it keeps people coming back. This unpredictability keeps people engaged, especially when the potential reward is framed as rare or valuable.

    Cconsumer psychology research also suggests that anticipation plays a major role. Studies show that dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, spikes not just when we get what we want, but when we anticipate it. The sealed packaging, the suspense of unwrapping and the hope for a rare figure all heighten this effect.

    Sonny Angels on display in a store in Shenzhen, China, in March 2019.
    (Shutterstock)

    For younger collectors, the excitement of “the chase” can foster compulsive buying habits. This effect is amplified by the social influence of watching unboxings online or seeing friends complete their sets, and it becomes a powerful loop.

    Even when buyers don’t get the figure they want, the sunk cost fallacy — the feeling that they’ve already invested too much time or money to walk away — keeps them buying more.

    The hidden costs of blind boxes

    As blind box toys surge in popularity, they have drawn criticism from consumer advocates, psychologists and environmentalists alike.

    Some worry that blind boxes normalize gambling-like behaviours, especially among children. The randomness, excitement and promise of rare rewards closely mirror the mechanisms behind loot boxes in video games — another product that has sparked global concern over youth exposure to gambling psychology.

    Several countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, have regulated loot boxes under gambling laws. Blind boxes, though currently unregulated, may be next in line for scrutiny.



    Read more:
    Blind bags: how toy makers are making a fortune with child gambling

    There are also environmental concerns. Many blind box toys come in excessive packaging — plastic wraps, foil bags, cardboard boxes — most of which is discarded immediately. The collectibles themselves are often made of non-recyclable plastics, raising questions about sustainability in an era of rising consumer awareness over waste.

    Even among adult fans, some critics question whether blind boxes are designed less to bring joy and more to trigger compulsive consumption. The joy of collecting, they argue, is increasingly overshadowed by the mechanics of engineered desire.

    What should we make of the blind box boom?

    Blind box toys are not inherently harmful, and for many, they’re a source of fun, nostalgia and self-expression. They also offer an accessible way for consumers to engage with designer art in a collectible, miniature form, as many of them are created by individual artists.

    But blind box toys also raise deeper questions about how modern marketing leverages psychological triggers associated with gambling, especially when it comes to children.

    As these toys continue to gain traction in the West, it’s worth asking more critical questions, like: are we buying into mystery or are we being sold obsession and compulsion?

    The blind box trend reflects broader shifts in how products are marketed, how value is perceived and how consumer behaviour is shaped in a digital, attention-driven economy. Understanding the forces at play may be the first step toward more informed — and perhaps more mindful — collecting.

    Eugene Y. Chan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Blind box toys are booming: Are they just child’s play or something more concerning? – https://theconversation.com/blind-box-toys-are-booming-are-they-just-childs-play-or-something-more-concerning-257611

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle: Bitcoin Solaris Presale Phase 5 Ends in Hours—Mobile Mining App Nears Launch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLINN, Estonia, June 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The window is closing. Bitcoin Solaris (BTC-S), the fixed-supply, mobile-mining blockchain, is now in the final hours of Presale Phase 5. With over $1.2 million raised and 11,000+ participants, BTC-S is giving everyday users the opportunity to start building wealth—directly from their smartphones.

    The Difference Between Waiting and Winning

    Every altcoin season brings two types of people. Some sit on the sidelines, watching videos, reading predictions, and waiting for the “perfect moment.” They plan, but they never move.

    Then there are those who act. They discover Bitcoin Solaris and realize the cycle won’t break itself. They start mining, investing, and building—while everyone else hesitates.

    That’s why BTC-S isn’t just another token. It’s a lifeline for those ready to stop waiting and start winning.

    Mining That Works From Your Pocket

    Traditional crypto mining was built for the elite—expensive rigs, massive electricity bills, and a steep learning curve.

    Bitcoin Solaris flips the model on its head.

    Using the upcoming Solaris Nova App, users can mine BTC-S from:

    • Smartphones (Android & iOS): Adaptive energy-saving algorithms keep devices cool and battery-friendly.
    • Laptops & PCs: Balance productivity and mining with adjustable settings.
    • ASICs or GPU rigs: For advanced users, Solaris optimizes output with its hybrid consensus system.

    Checkout Bitcoin Solaris Mining Calculator Here!

    And all of this is backed by a hybrid Proof-of-Work + Delegated Proof-of-Stake system, which processes up to 10,000 transactions per second, finalizes in 2 seconds, and consumes 99.95% less energy than Bitcoin.

    Final Hours of Phase 5

    The presale phase ends in less than 15 hours. Here’s what early participants need to know:

    • Current Price: $5
    • Next Phase Price: $6
    • Public Listing Price: $20
    • Early-Bird Bonus: 11%
    • Presale Ends: July 31, 2025
    • Total Token Supply: 21 million BTC-S
    • Presale Allocation: 20% (4.2 million tokens)

    This 90-day presale ends on July 31, 2025, and already over $1.8 million has been raised, with 11,000+ users jumping in early.

    The projected 1,900% return isn’t some exaggerated hope—it’s calculated potential based on limited token supply, product readiness, and surging demand during altcoin season.

    Road Ahead: This Isn’t a Meme Project—It’s a Blueprint

    Bitcoin Solaris isn’t just here to pump and vanish. Its roadmap is one of the most comprehensive, structured, and ambitious in the space:

    • Q3 2026: Full mainnet and public launch of the Nova App with AI optimizations
    • Q4 2026: Launch of the Mining Power Marketplace and hardware wallet integration
    • 2027: Layer-2 scaling, Bitcoin Solaris DEX, quantum-resistant security upgrades
    • 2028+: Government-level collaborations, AI integration, and global blockchain education

    BTC-S isn’t just changing how people mine—it’s reshaping what’s possible with a smartphone and a plan.

    Conclusion: You Don’t Need to Wait for a Raise—You Need a Reset

    While millions are stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck loop, a new class of users is quietly mining wealth from their phones. Bitcoin Solaris is giving people the power to create financial freedom—not five years from now, but during this altcoin season.

    BTC-S Is Built for Mass Adoption—Be Among the First

    For more information on Bitcoin Solaris:
    Website: https://www.bitcoinsolaris.com/
    Telegram: https://t.me/Bitcoinsolaris
    X: https://x.com/BitcoinSolaris

    Media Contact
    Xander Levine
    press@bitcoinsolaris.com
    Press Kit: Available upon request

    Media Contact
    Xander Levine
    press@bitcoinsolaris.com
    Press Kit: Available upon request

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by Bitcoin Solaris. 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.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5697e19-4208-4ae2-817f-e7ead2c403de

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0bb86756-a409-4687-b3d1-1848d6b55171

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37811ece-e5ef-4547-a2d8-a2568796b906

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/25ccb91f-2e4a-4feb-a0b6-2dad13665b9b

    The MIL Network –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump to Announce New NASA Administrator Nominee

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump will soon announce a new candidate to lead the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after his decision to withdraw the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a close ally of Elon Musk, the White House said Saturday.

    “After careful review, I am withdrawing Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead NASA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I will soon announce a new nominee who will live up to the mission and put America first in space.”

    Late last year, Trump named billionaire and amateur astronaut J. Isaacman as his candidate to head NASA. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved his nomination in late April.

    J. Isaacman, a close associate of I. Musk and a major client of his company SpaceX, has purchased several private space flights from the company for hundreds of millions of dollars. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s trade-in consumer goods sales exceed 1.1 trillion yuan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) — China’s trade-in consumer goods sales totaled 1.1 trillion yuan (about 153.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of this year, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed Sunday.

    According to the department, during the reporting period, the nationwide program to replace old consumer goods with new ones led to a significant increase in the number of transaction volumes, including 4.12 million vehicles, 77.62 million units of home appliances and 56.63 million units of digital products such as mobile phones and others.

    The program, part of China’s broader efforts to boost domestic demand, has contributed to a robust rise in consumer spending in the country, the ministry said.

    As noted in the Government’s March 2025 work report, stimulating consumption was identified as one of the top priorities for the year.

    Retail sales of consumer goods, a key measure of the country’s consumption, rose 4.7 percent year-on-year in January-April 2025, faster than the 4.6 percent growth recorded in the first quarter of this year, official data showed. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 2, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Phil Goff: Israel doesn’t care how many innocent people, children it’s killing

    COMMENTARY: By Phil Goff

    “What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy — knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated.”

    This statement was made not by a foreign or liberal critic of Israel but by the former Prime Minister and former senior member of Benjamin Netanyahu’s own Likud party, Ehud Olmet.

    Nightly, we witness live-streamed evidence of the truth of his statement — lethargic and gaunt children dying of malnutrition, a bereaved doctor and mother of 10 children, nine of them killed by an Israeli strike (and her husband, another doctor, died later), 15 emergency ambulance workers gunned down by the IDF as they tried to help others injured by bombs, despite their identity being clear.

    Statistics reflect the scale of the horror imposed on Palestinians who are overwhelmingly civilians — 54,000 killed, 121,000 maimed and injured. Over 17,000 of these are children.

    This can no longer be excused as regrettable collateral damage from targeted attacks on Hamas.

    Israel simply doesn’t care about the impact of its military attacks on civilians and how many innocent people and children it is killing.

    Its willingness to block all humanitarian aid- food, water, medical supplies, from Gaza demonstrates further its willingness to make mass punishment and starvation a means to achieve its ends. Both are war crimes.

    Influenced by the right wing extremists in the Coalition cabinet, like Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s goal is no longer self defence or justifiable retaliation against Hamas terrorists.

    Israel attacks Palestinians at US-backed aid hubs in Gaza, killing 36. Image: AJ screenshot APR

    Making life unbearable
    The Israeli government policy is focused on making life unbearable for Palestinians and seeking to remove them from their homeland. In this, they are openly encouraged by President Trump who has publicly and repeatedly endorsed deporting the Palestinian population so that the Gaza could be made into a “Middle East Riviera”.

    This is not the once progressive pioneer Israel, led by people who had faced the Nazi Holocaust and were fighting for the right to a place where they could determine their own future and be safe.

    Sadly, a country of people who were themselves long victims of oppression is now guilty of oppressing and committing genocide against others.

    New Zealand recently joined 23 other countries calling out Israel and demanding a full supply of foreign aid be allowed into Gaza.

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters called Israel’s actions “ intolerable”. He said that we had “had enough and were running out of patience and hearing excuses”.

    While speaking out might make us feel better, words are not enough. Israel’s attacks on the civilian population in Gaza are being increased, aid distribution which has restarted is grossly insufficient to stop hunger and human suffering and Palestinians are being herded into confined areas described as humanitarian zones but which are still subject to bombardment.

    People living in tents in schools and hospitals are being slaughtered.

    World must force Israel to stop
    Like Putin, Israel will not end its killing and oppression unless the world forces it to. The US has the power but will not do this.

    The sanctions Trump has imposed are not on Israel’s leaders but on judges in the International Criminal Court (ICC) who dared to find Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu guilty of war crimes.

    New Zealand’s foreign policy has traditionally involved working with like-minded countries, often small nations like us. Two of these, Ireland and Sweden, are seeking to impose sanctions on Israel.

    Both are members of the European Union which makes up a third of Israel’s global trade. If the EU decides to act, sanctions imposed by it would have a big impact on Israel.

    These sanctions should be both on trade and against individuals.

    New Zealand has imposed sanctions on a small number of extremist Jewish settlers on the West Bank where there is evidence of them using violence against Palestinian villagers.

    These sanctions should be extended to Israel’s political leadership and New Zealand could take a lead in doing this. We should not be influenced by concern that by taking a stand we might offend US president Donald Trump.

    Show our preparedness to uphold values
    In the way that we have been proud of in the past, we should as a small but fiercely independent country show our preparedness to uphold our own values and act against gross abuse of human rights and flagrant disregard for international law.

    We should be working with others through the United Nations General Assembly to maximise political pressure on Israel to stop the ongoing killing of innocent civilians.

    Moral outrage at what Israel is doing has to be backed by taking action with others to force the Israeli government to end the killing, destruction, mass punishment and deliberate starvation of Palestinians including their children.

    An American doctor working at a Gaza hospital reported that in the last five weeks he had worked on dozens of badly injured children but not a single combatant.

    He noted that as well as being maimed and disfigured by bombing, many of the children were also suffering from malnutrition. Children were dying from wounds that they could recover from but there were not the supplies needed to treat them.

    Protest is not enough. We need to act.

    Phil Goff is Aotearoa New Zealand’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs. This article was first published by the Stuff website and is republished with the permission of the author.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mining in Motion to Host African Ministers Driving Extractive Sector Growth

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ACCRA, Ghana, June 1, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The upcoming Mining in Motion summit – Ghana’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders, scheduled for June 2 – 4, 2025, in Accra – will feature local and regional ministers who will participate in panel discussions, investment forums and exclusive networking sessions aimed at showcasing opportunities within the artisanal gold mining sector.

    The event will feature local ministers including Hon. Emmanuel Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ghana; Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Ghana and Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation Ghana. Their participation showcases Ghana’s commitment to engaging with international stakeholders to support mining sector growth, job creation, and GDP expansion.

    Regional ministers include Colonel Ousmane Abarchi, Minister of Mines, the Republic of Niger; Hon. Wilmot J. Paye, Minister of Mines and Energy, Republic of Liberia; Hon. Godard Motemona Gibolum, Deputy Minister of Mines, Democratic Republic of Congo; Hon. Abdiwahab Abdi Omar, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Petroleum, Republic of Somalia; Hon Dr Keneth Zikhale Ng’oma, Minister of Mines, Malawi; Kourouma Aboubacar, Vice Minister of Mines and Geology, Guinea-Conakry. Their participation underscores the commitment by African mineral-rich countries to strengthen cooperation on mining sector growth.

    The summit will also welcome ministerial-level figures such as Moses Michael Engadu, Secretary-General, Africa Minerals Strategy Group and Ousmane Mbaye, President of Chamber of Mines, Senegal.

    Organized by the Ashanti Green Initiative – led by Oheneba Kwaku Duah, Prince of Ghana’s Ashanti Kingdom – in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, World Bank, and the World Gold Council, with the support of Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the summit offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders.

    Stay informed about the latest advancements, network with industry leaders, and engage in critical discussions on key issues impacting small-scale miners and medium- to large-scale mining in Ghana. Secure your spot at the Mining in Motion 2025 Summit by visiting _www.MiningInMotionSummit.com. For sponsorship opportunities or delegate participation, contact Sales@ashantigreeninitiative.org.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 1, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Best SEO Tool (June 2025): Moz Named Top SEO Software by Software Experts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK CITY, June 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Software Experts has recognized Moz as the Best SEO Tool of June 2025, highlighting the platform’s continued leadership in delivering accessible, data-driven tools for modern SEO strategy. The recognition comes amid growing demand from businesses and agencies for solutions that can navigate the increasingly complex landscape of search engine optimization.

    Best SEO Tool

    • Moz – provides SEO software that helps marketers, agencies, and brands improve their visibility in search engines through tools grounded in data, research, and usability.

    Moz’s flagship product, Moz Pro, stood out in the rankings for its breadth of features and clarity in execution. In a space crowded with overcomplicated platforms and fragmented toolkits, Moz Pro offers a consolidated experience that brings together keyword research, rank tracking, technical audits, and competitive insights in one centralized platform.

    Built specifically for marketers aiming to generate leads and increase conversions, Moz Pro focuses on delivering actionable insights rather than vanity metrics. The software helps users understand their audiences, prioritize keyword opportunities, and optimize website performance in a way that aligns with long-term business goals.

    As SEO continues to evolve, digital marketers are under increasing pressure to make smarter decisions in shorter time frames. Search engine algorithms are more dynamic than ever, with regular updates that shift how pages are ranked and how visibility is earned. In response, companies are seeking SEO platforms that not only provide data, but also translate that data into strategic direction. Moz Pro addresses this need with a suite of AI-powered tools that streamline core tasks while offering nuanced insights.

    Among the platform’s standout features is the Keyword Explorer, which enables users to discover new keyword opportunities, filter by difficulty and relevance, and plan content that aligns with search intent. The Keyword Suggestions tool helps teams save time by surfacing relevant alternatives based on search behavior patterns and industry trends. Search Intent data allows marketers to align content more effectively with what users are looking for, improving relevance and conversion potential.

    Another valuable set of metrics includes Moz’s proprietary Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Brand Authority scores, which offer a comprehensive view of how a site is performing across key SEO dimensions. This helps pinpoint areas of strength and weakness, making it easier to allocate resources where they will have the most impact. Meanwhile, the Competitive Research and SERP Analysis tools provide deeper context into how a brand stacks up against key rivals in real time.

    For agencies managing multiple clients or campaigns, Moz Pro offers the scalability and structure needed to deliver high-quality service at scale. The software’s reporting tools and dashboard design allow for clear communication of performance metrics and progress, supporting client transparency and long-term engagement.

    While Moz Pro leads the platform’s commercial offerings, Moz also provides a range of free SEO tools that have become widely used among small businesses, freelancers, and educators. These include the Domain Authority Checker, Keyword Explorer (limited version), and Link Explorer. The platform’s Chrome extension, MozBar, brings key metrics directly into the browser, enabling quick, on-the-fly analysis of any page.

    Moz’s value also lies in its commitment to education. Beyond its resource library and blog, Moz offers structured training through Moz Academy, which provides certifications and expert-led courses to help users master SEO concepts and stay current with industry shifts. For many, Moz serves not only as a software provider but also as a trusted educational partner in navigating the ever-evolving world of organic search.

    The recognition from Software Experts comes at a time when SEO is a priority investment area for businesses across sectors. As competition in digital marketing intensifies, platforms like Moz that emphasize clarity, usability, and reliable data are increasingly favored by professionals looking for long-term, sustainable growth.

    For teams seeking to consolidate their SEO efforts into one comprehensive platform, Moz offers a well-established alternative that balances simplicity with depth. The combination of AI-powered insights, intuitive user experience, and continuous product development positions Moz Pro as a practical tool for marketers and agencies looking to scale their digital presence.

    Moz offers subscription plans that cater to a wide range of needs. Moz Pro starts at $49 per month, while Moz Local, tailored for businesses with physical locations, starts at $16 per month. For high-volume tracking and enterprise-grade needs, STAT offers daily rank tracking and segmentation tools, beginning at $720 per month. Developers and data teams can also leverage the Moz API, which starts at $5 and enables scalable custom applications powered by Moz’s SEO dataset.

    The full review is available now at Software Experts.

    About Moz:

    Moz is an authority in online search with powerful SEO and Local Search platforms to help marketers improve the position of their brands, business locations, and competitive rank in search results. Moz’s platforms are powered by world-class quality data, both robust and fresh enough to serve as the foundation upon which critical business decisions are made. For both large enterprises looking to gain an edge in the increasingly complex and ever-changing world of search or agencies seeking an SEO platform to accelerate client growth, Moz has a solution. To learn more, visit moz.com.

    About Software Experts: Software Experts provides news and reviews of consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided. 

    The MIL Network –

    June 1, 2025

  • GIFT Nifty hits record $102.35 billion turnover in May

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    GIFT Nifty recorded its highest-ever monthly turnover of $102.35 billion (₹8,75,098 crore) with 2.10 million contracts traded in May, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) announced on Sunday.

    Marking a new milestone, GIFT Nifty continues to establish itself as a benchmark in India’s equity market growth story. This achievement surpasses its previous record of $100.93 billion set in April this year.

    “This milestone reflects the growing global interest and trust in GIFT Nifty as a benchmark for India’s growth story. We are glad to witness the success of GIFT Nifty and express our sincere gratitude to all the participants for their overwhelming support in making GIFT Nifty a successful contract,” the NSE said in a statement.

    Trading volumes on NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) have seen exponential growth since the full-scale launch of GIFT Nifty operations on July 3, 2023. Since then, GIFT Nifty has recorded a cumulative volume of over 43.28 million contracts, with a total cumulative turnover of $1.93 trillion as of May 2025.

    NSE IX, an international multi-asset exchange set up at GIFT City on June 5, 2017, is regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). The exchange holds a dominant market share of over 99 per cent in GIFT IFSC, highlighting its strong leadership position.

    NSE IX offers a diversified portfolio of products, including Indian single stock derivatives, index derivatives, currency derivatives, depository receipts, and global stocks.

    Meanwhile, the NSE has achieved another significant milestone—becoming the largest unlisted company in India with over 100,000 shareholders, according to recent industry data.

    For the financial year ending March 31, 2025 (FY25), the NSE reported a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated total income, reaching ₹19,177 crore.

    —IANS

    June 1, 2025
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