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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Murkowski Introduce Bill to Strengthen Maine’s Coastal Workforce, Fisheries and Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation that would lay the groundwork to boost the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Maine and across the country. The Working Waterfronts Act, which is also co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), is comprised of more than a dozen provisions, would support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and strengthen federal conservation research projects. Included in the legislation is Senator King’s Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act which would allow businesses that provide direct assistance to fishing operations — like gear producers or cold storage — to access loans from the Farm Credit System (FCS) that are already offered to service providers for farmers, ranchers and loggers. 
    “Maine’s coastal communities are changing. From a warming climate to an evolving economy, the Gulf of Maine faces both historic opportunities and challenges that will define our state’s success for generations,” said Senator King. “The Working Waterfronts Act would provide Maine’s working waterfronts up and down the coast with the necessary financial, energy and infrastructure resources to adapt to the rapidly shifting dynamics of natural disasters affecting economic and tourism operations. It would also help support the necessary workforce to sustain our coastal businesses. Thanks to my colleagues for working with me to ensure our waterfronts have the necessary tools and resources to thrive for years to come.”
    “One of my priorities this Congress was reintroducing the Working Waterfronts Act, a comprehensive and collective effort to harness the potential of the blue economy for Alaska’s coastal communities,” said Senator Murkowski. “With 66,000 miles of coastline, it is vital Alaska strengthens our shoreside infrastructure and supports workforce development to ensure the sustainability and growth of our fisheries, tourism, and mariculture sectors. This legislation will provide essential resources for alternative energy initiatives, improve community processing facilities, and promote safety and wellness in the maritime workforce. Together, we can build a resilient future for our coastal communities while addressing climate change and preserving our precious marine ecosystems.”
    “The men and women who make their living in Maine’s blue economy face growing challenges, including rising costs, workforce shortages, and changing ocean conditions,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would help address these issues by improving shoreside infrastructure, supporting the next generation of maritime workers, and investing in ocean ecosystem maintenance to ensure that Maine’s coastal communities remain strong for years to come.”
    Bill Highlights:
    Investing in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure
    Tax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.
    Fishing Vessel Alternative Fuels Pilot Program provides resources to help transition fishing vessels from diesel to alternative fuel sources such as electric or hybrid, and funds research and development of alternative fuel technologies for fishing vessels.
    Rural Coastal Community Processing and Cold Storage Grant increases support for community infrastructure such as cold storage, cooperative processing facilities, and mariculture/seaweed processing facilities by establishing a competitive grant program through the Department of Commerce for rural and small-scale projects.
    Working Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.
    Boosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy
    Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act strengthens financial support for fishery operations by expanding Farm Credit eligibility to fishing industry support businesses.
    Maritime Workforce Grant Program establishes a Maritime Workforce Grant Program, directing the Maritime Administrator to award competitive grants supporting entities engaged in recruiting, educating, or training the maritime workforce.
    Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fishing Safety Research and Training (FRST) Grant Program to include projects supporting behavioral health in addition to the projects currently supported dedicated to occupational safety research and training.
    Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act establishes at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions, as well as the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico regions. The ocean cluster model fosters collaboration between different sectors – including public, private, and academic – within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.
    Supporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems
    Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act enhances collaboration on ocean acidification research and monitoring through ongoing mechanisms for stakeholder engagement on necessary research and monitoring. This provision would also establish two Advisory Board seats for representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
    Vegetated Coastal Ecosystem Inventory establishes an interagency working group for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive national map and inventory detailing vegetated coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. This inventory encompasses habitat types, species, ecosystem conditions, ownership, protected status, size, salinity and tidal boundaries, carbon sequestration potential, and impacts of climate change.
    Marine Invasive Species Research and Monitoring provides resources and tools to mitigate the impact of invasive species and help limit their spread by authorizing research and monitoring grants for local, Tribal, and regional marine invasive prevention work. This includes training, outreach, and equipment for early detection and response to invasions.
    Senator King is a longtime supporter of working waterfronts and small businesses. He previously introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act to reauthorize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Pilot Program, which would give small businesses the opportunity to take out low-interest loans for the purpose of proactively implementing mitigation measures that protect their property from future disaster-related damage. He also led a bipartisan bill to provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually. In 2024, he was named a Hero of Main Street for his support of small businesses across Maine.
    Senator Collins has consistently fought to strengthen Maine’s working waterfronts. Earlier this year, she successfully pushed the Department of Commerce to restore full funding for Maine Sea Grant, ensuring continued support for coastal research and marine industries in Maine. She secured $15 million in federal funding in the 2024 funding package to help coastal communities recover from storm damage and to launch a new grant program at the Economic Development Administration for working waterfronts. She previously introduced the bipartisan Working Waterfront Preservation Act to create a $20 million annual grant program to support working waterfronts nationwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Faculty of Architecture took part in the VIII All-Russian Festival “Architectural Heritage”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the round table “Preservation and restoration of military memorial complexes and military burials”: Head of the Department for the restoration of cultural heritage sites of the Leningrad Region State Autonomous Cultural Institution “International Restoration Center” Tatyana Afanasyeva; Director of the Leningrad Region State Budgetary Cultural Institution “International Restoration Center “Road of Life” Olga Asanidze; Deputy Chairman of the Leningrad Region Government – Chairman of the Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Vladimir Tsoi; Nadezhda Akulova; Head of the Directorate for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Leningrad Region Oleg Stepanov

    From June 5 to 7, the VIII All-Russian Festival “Architectural Heritage” was held in Ryazan. The festival is an annual national event with foreign participation, a review of achievements in the field of preserving the architectural and urban heritage of our country.

    SPbGASU was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Head of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Ekaterina Voznyak, Associate Professors of the Department Nadezhda Akulova, Nina Petukhova, Evgeniya Shuvaeva, Alexander Gorshkov, Senior Lecturer of the Department Maria Kolesova. Our teachers acted as moderators, speakers, and active participants in the dialogue.

    The theme of the festival this year was: “The architectural heritage of ancient cities – the cultural code of memory and its role in preserving the spiritual integrity of Russian historical settlements.” Representatives of government bodies, cultural heritage protection bodies, restoration, design and research organizations, experts in the field of architecture, urban planning, restoration took part in the discussion.

    Participants of the round table “Preservation and restoration of military memorial complexes and military burials”: Head of the Department for the restoration of cultural heritage sites of the State Autonomous Cultural Institution of the Leningrad Region “International Restoration Center” Tatyana Afanasyeva; Director of the State Budgetary Cultural Institution of the Leningrad Region “International Restoration Center “Road of Life” Olga Asanidze; Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Leningrad Region – Chairman of the Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Vladimir Tsoi; Nadezhda Akulova; Head of the Directorate for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Leningrad Region Oleg Stepanov

    Nadezhda Akulova became a speaker at a round table on the topic of “Preservation and restoration of military memorial complexes and military burials”, which is especially relevant in the year of the eightieth anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

    “We talked about the importance of preserving the intangible in the tangible. I informed about the final qualification works of the students of our department, in which the concepts of development and preservation of the historical territories of a number of memorial complexes are deeply worked out. I shared the experience of involving students in a team of architects-restorers to prepare design documentation, which was implemented, using the example of the memorial complex “In Memory of Shot Childhood” in the village of Kirkovo, Tosnensky District, Leningrad Region,” said Nadezhda Akulova.

    Another round table in which Nadezhda Aleksandrovna took part was “Recreation of Lost Architectural Monuments: Experience of Recent Years and Prospects.” The teacher introduced the participants of the meeting to the experience of final qualification works on temple architecture and preservation of historical heritage in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

    “I presented to my colleagues an object that was a shrine and a stronghold of Orthodoxy on the border with Swedish lands – the Makaryevskaya Pustyn monastery, located in the Tosnensky district of the Leningrad region. Currently, comprehensive work is being carried out on the monastery with both students and professionals. In 2030, the monastery will turn 500 years old, it is very important for the return and strengthening of Orthodoxy on this land and the preservation of the spiritual and historical heritage of these territories,” said Nadezhda Akulova.

    Ekaterina Voznyak, as a moderator, conducted a discussion on “Features of the educational process within the framework of the specialty “Reconstruction and restoration of architectural heritage”.

    Evgeniya Shuvaeva held a round table “Preservation of wooden architecture objects. Theoretical recommendations and practical experience”. Experts and teachers discussed theoretical and regulatory aspects of restoration and adaptation of wooden objects, as well as the features of their use.

    Participants of the round table “Preservation of wooden architecture objects”: head of the architectural workshop ARM2 OOO “NIiPI Spetsrestoratsiya” Maria Shapchenko; chief architect for restoration of the architectural bureau “Studio 44” Ilya Sabantsev; deputy director for restoration of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve Yulia Alipova; chief architect of the project of the Project Group “Rieder” Maya Rieder; Evgeniya Shuvaeva

    The Silver Diploma in the nomination “Best Textbook on Architectural Heritage” was awarded to the work “History of Protection and Restoration of Cultural Heritage Sites”, published by SPbGASU. The authors of the textbook are the chief architect of the State Museum-Reserve “Tsarskoye Selo”, a graduate of SPbGASU Maria Ryadova, the first deputy chairperson of KGIOP of St. Petersburg Ekaterina Kozyreva and Evgeniya Shuvaeva.

    According to Nadezhda Akulova, important issues of further development of SPbGASU in the field of architectural restoration were discussed outside the round tables. Together with representatives of the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, the Union of Restorers of Russia, the Union of Restorers of St. Petersburg, the Russian Association of Restorers, and the chief architect of the Central Scientific Restoration Design Workshops Sergei Kulikov, plans were outlined for the development of professional and federal state educational standards in restoration areas.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA News: The Largest Tax Cut in History for Working and Middle-Class Americans

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Even Democrats admit the tax policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill are needed and popular — but they still oppose the bill.

    To be clear, that means they’re opposing:

    • The largest tax cut in history for working and middle-class Americans.
    • A 15% tax cut for Americans making between $30,000 and $80,000 per year.
    • NO TAX ON TIPS and NO TAX ON OVERTIME.
    • Boosting the Child Tax Credit to $2,500 for 40 million families.
    • Historic tax cuts for seniors.
    • No tax on car loan interest for American-made cars.
    • Preserving the doubled standard deduction for 91% of taxpayers.
    • Expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to give Americans greater choice and flexibility in how they spend their money on their health.
    • Investment savings accounts to set all newborn American kids on the path to financial security from the very beginning.
    • Increasing the Death Tax exemption for two million family farms. 

    Failing to extend the Trump Tax Cuts alone would stick Americans with the largest tax hike in history.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Strikes Engagement Table to Address Gender-Based Violence

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The government is taking further action to prevent gender-based violence across Nova Scotia and better support those affected with the establishment of an engagement table led by Attorney General and Justice Minister Becky Druhan.

    The table, which will have up to 25 members, will include representatives of front-line service providers and community organizations, survivors, family members and academic experts.

    “Nova Scotians have told us that gender-based violence supports and services need to be more connected, more responsive and easier to access,” said Minister Druhan. “We need to work together with the people providing support and the survivors who access those services. It’s about understanding needs as they evolve, getting help to people faster and working together to stop violence before it starts.”

    A call for applications to join the table, which will also include people from equity-deserving communities, will be issued in the coming weeks. The group will meet at least every three months.

    Taking a whole-of-government approach, the engagement table will be supported by the Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women as well as the ministers of Opportunities and Social Development, Health and Wellness, Addictions and Mental Health, Education and Early Childhood Development, L’nu Affairs and African Nova Scotian Affairs.

    Quotes:

    “We are incredibly fortunate to have a strong sector working on the front lines to support those impacted by violence. They are passionate, committed and have a deep understanding of what is needed in the communities they serve. Gender-based violence is a complex issue, but it’s one I know we can solve if we listen to the experts and find solutions, together.”
    — Leah Martin, Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women

    Quick Facts:

    • in September 2024, the government declared intimate partner violence an epidemic in Nova Scotia
    • the 2025–26 provincial budget allocates more than $100 million across various departments to address gender-based and intimate partner violence, including $17.8 million in core funding for transition houses and women’s centres, the largest increase in two decades
    • the Province has introduced domestic violence court programs in Halifax and Sydney, and legal changes that allow victims of domestic violence to take leave from work without fear of losing their jobs

    Additional Resources:

    News release – Funding to Support Gender-Based Violence Initiatives: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/04/03/funding-support-gender-based-violence-initiatives

    Domestic violence resources: https://women.novascotia.ca/domestic-violence-resource-centre

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Royal Canadian Navy to commission His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Frédérick Rolette

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 10, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Media are invited to attend the commissioning ceremony of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Frédérick Rolette. This ceremony marks the formal welcoming of HMCS Frédérick Rolette into service with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). It is the fifth Harry DeWolf class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel delivered as part of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.

    When: June 13, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

    Where: Port of Quebec, Wharf 22

    Notes to editor

    All media interested in attending are asked to contact Naval Reserve Public Affairs,

    Captain Guy Fahé at 514-216-8891, or by email at guy.fahe@forces.gc.ca

    Media are requested to arrive at Wharf 22 of the Port of Quebec, 40 Dalhousie St., Quebec, QC, with photo identification no later than 9:30 a.m. EST where they will be greeted and escorted to the event site.

    Following the ceremony, members of the RCN will be available for interviews, including Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the RCN. The guest of honour at this ceremony will be Her Honour the Honourable Manon Jeannotte, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. Also in attendance will be the Ship’s Sponsor and descendant of Lt Frédérick Rolette, Madame Hélène Châtillon, and her family.

    Associated Links

    Backround – Harry DeWolfe Class
    HMCS Frédérick Rolette

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister Gull-Masty on the Auditor General’s Report of Registration Services under the Indian Act

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, Ontario (June 10, 2025) — The Minister of Indigenous Services, Mandy Gull-Masty, issued the following statement today:

    “I welcome the Auditor General of Canada’s report of Registration under the Indian Act and appreciate the opportunity to strengthen how we serve First Nations individuals. Registration services are foundational to First Nations individuals’ access to a range of services and programs across Canada. I agree with the Office of the Auditor General’s recommendations and see this audit as a constructive and valuable tool to enhance the fairness, efficiency, and responsiveness of Indigenous Service Canada’s registration processes.

    “While the audit highlights areas for improvement, I want to emphasize that important work is already underway in many of the identified areas. Most notably, the Department is transitioning from a paper-based application system to a more modern, digital format — an initiative that will reduce processing times, minimize errors, and improve client service for the issuance of the secure status card. Last month, I also announced the introduction of Bill S-2 into the Senate, which addresses some of the remaining inequities in the registration and band membership provisions of the Indian Act.

    Indigenous Services Canada is working in partnership with First Nations communities to make sure that registration services are delivered with integrity, respect, and a strong focus on client service. ”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1150 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Second Week in June as part of Operation Take Back America

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 1150 defendants with Criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed a total of 202 cases in immigration and border security-related matters. The filed cases include seven involving human smuggling. A total of 129 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 63 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes. One such person charged this week is Luis Humberto Gonzalez-Sanchez who was arrested for allegedly harboring 16 illegal aliens in his home in Mercedes. The criminal complaint alleges he harbored over 100 aliens in the last six months for whom he was paid $150 each. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

    The Western District of Texas filed 410 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. Among the new cases, Mexican national Albert Sanchez-Jaimes was charged with one count of illegal re-entry in Austin. Sanchez-Jaimes was encountered at the Burnet County Jail, where he was booked for alleged charges of boating while intoxicated and marijuana possession. Sanchez-Jaimes has lengthy immigration and criminal records that include four prior removals, a deadly conduct conviction in 2020, multiple convictions for assault on a family member, and two prior convictions for illegal re-entry. In Waco, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Team arrested Mexican national Daniel Edgar Perez-Cortez on June 5 as the result of an investigation stemming from a Waco Crime Stoppers referral. Perez-Cortez has a prior conviction for illegal re-entry in 2024, as well as convictions for Driving While Intoxicated and possession of prohibited weapons, and a conviction for deadly conduct discharging a firearm. He’s now federally charged with illegal re-entry and, if convicted, faces up to 20 years in prison.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 199 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 74 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 104 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 20 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Border Patrol Agent.

    The Southern District of California filed 131 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. A sample of border-related arrests this week: On May 31, 2025, Brenda Esmeralda Sanchez and Marlen Yamille Salmoran, United States citizens, were arrested and charged with False Personation of Immigration Matters and Aggravated Identity Theft. According to a complaint, Sanchez and her adult daughter, Salmoran, attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with an unaccompanied undocumented child from Mexico by presenting Customs and Border Protection officers with a genuine U.S. birth certificate belonging to Sanchez’s son. Sanchez has two prior arrests for alien smuggling. On May 31, Ricardo Cuevas Diaz and Luis Armando Bojorquez Cazarez, Mexican citizens with border-crossing cards, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, when the two men attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection Officers found 128 packages containing 133 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the air filter, firewall, roof, quarter panels and rear bed of the vehicle.

    The District of New Mexico filed 211 criminal charges related to immigration and border security-related matters. the following criminal charges: 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 5 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324). 50 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), and 88 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sentencing of man for the manslaughter of Gordon Ogunmuyiwa

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been jailed for 21 years with a five-year extended license after beating a man to death and then leaving him to die in an address south east London.

    Paul Campbell, 43 (03.04.79) of Dunheved Road West, Thornton Heath, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of the manslaughter of 62-year-old former doctor Gordon Ogunmuyiwa. The sentence followed a three-week trial that concluded on Thursday, 8 May.

    The court heard that on Saturday, 24 December 2022, Campbell had brutally assaulted Gordon who had visited him at his property. Before fleeing, Campbell had called the paramedics, however, by the time they had arrived Gordon was already dead.

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who led the Met’s investigation said: “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Gordon’s family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour.

    “Gordon was a gentle man with no history of violence. Ill-health, however, had seen him become increasingly vulnerable – something Campbell – a selfish and self-serving man – took advantage of.

    “It is hard to make sense of Campbell’s actions however, I can only hope that today’s sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Gordon’s family.”

    On the day of Gordon’s death, police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 11:00hrs to a report of a man who had died in a house of multiple occupancy in Dunheved Road West, Thornton Heath.

    Officers attended and were informed by paramedics that Campbell – the registered tenant of the address – was not present.

    Detectives attempted to contact him but were unsuccessful. This led officers to make enquiries into Campbell, which resulted in a murder investigation being launched.

    Police interviewed fellow residents at hostel and quickly established a pattern of behaviour that saw Gordon suffer brutal beatings by Campbell.

    A financial search also uncovered that Campbell had been using Gordon’s credit cards. He had bought an iPhone from a second-hand shop, using those cards, a week after Gordon died.

    On Wednesday, 11 January 2023 Campbell was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged the next day.

    A post-mortem examination was conducted and it was clear that Gordon had multiple injuries borne over time.

    However, the assault, heard by neighbours on Saturday, 23 December 2022, was declared to have been particularly vicious and ultimately led to his death.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Melbourne Man Sentenced to Five Years for Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge John C. Antoon II has sentenced Thomas Gaffney (59, Melbourne) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $487,750, which represents the amount of proceeds the defendant obtained from the wire fraud conspiracy. Gaffney pled guilty on January 23, 2025.

    According to court documents, between 2018 and 2021, Gaffney and others co-operated VerdeGroup as an investment fraud scheme. In furtherance of this scheme, Gaffney solicited investors primarily though advertisements for VerdeGroup in various local and national newspapers across the country. 

    The advertisements solicited would-be investors to provide funds for private loans to fund businesses engaging in legal marijuana cultivation, technologies, and pharmaceuticals in states where doing so was legal under state law. In exchange, investors were promised a 12% annual return on their investment.

    The statements in these advertisements were false and fraudulent. In reliance on the information in the advertisements, investors called the listed number and spoke, most often, with co-conspirator-1. In concert with and at the direction of Gaffney, co-conspirator-1 would repeat and add to the false and fraudulent information about VerdeGroup and the state of its business to entice victims to invest with VerdeGroup. Once a victim expressed an interest in investing, co-conspirator-1 or Gaffney would send promotional materials to the victim about VerdeGroup, including brochures and a term sheet with instructions for how to invest with VerdeGroup. Co-conspirator-2 received the investments from the victims and then remitted the funds to the defendant and other co-conspirators. 

    After victims invested with VerdeGroup, Gaffney and co-conspirator-1 continued to make false and fraudulent statements to investors about how their money was being used and the state of VerdeGroup. Instead of using the money to fund private business loans as promised, VerdeGroup never provided any loans to any businesses or individuals. Rather, the conspirators used a small portion of the money to make the “Ponzi” type payments to investors. The rest of the funds were used for the personal benefit of Gaffney and his co-conspirators. Specifically, Gaffney received $487,750 as proceeds of the scheme. He used this money to pay for personal expenses, including cruises and expensive jewelry. He also used a significant portion of the funds to cover costs at a pizza restaurant that he helped operate.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Dallas Men Charged with Assaulting a Federal Agent with a Deadly Weapon and Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Andres Saucedo, Jr., of Dallas, was charged and arrested on June 4, 2025, for shooting at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer who was surveilling Saucedo to interrupt and stop a robbery of methamphetamine from another individual in the Dallas, Texas area, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

    According to a criminal complaint filed June 3, 2025, Saucedo and another individual, Angel Flores, were involved in importing and trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin obtained from a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization.  Court documents reveal that Flores sold undercover agents a kilogram of heroin for $7,200 in the Dallas area late last year.  Flores, Saucedo, and others working with them continued selling kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to numerous other individuals from that time until Flores was arrested on May 21, 2025.  The two even orchestrated the sale of two kilograms of methamphetamine on May 20, 2025, the day before Flores was apprehended by FBI SWAT.  

    During the investigation, according to court documents, agents discovered that Flores, Saucedo, and others plotted to rob another drug trafficker of thirty to forty kilograms of methamphetamine on May 19, 2025.  While surveilling Flores and Saucedo to prevent this robbery, Flores and Saucedo realized they were being followed and attempted to lure two federal agents to a place where other coconspirators in their group would ambush and shoot them.  Before reaching the planned ambush location, Saucedo fired a gun at an undercover FBI Task Force Officer in one of the vehicles.  The undercover officer was an FBI Task Force Officer with the Dallas Police Department who was working with the OCDETF North Texas Strike Force.  The Task Force Officer was not struck by the gun fire but had to abandon surveillance at that time for safety.  

    The complaint charges Saucedo with his role in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, as well as assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal agent by using a dangerous and deadly weapon.  Flores was also charged by complaint with similar crimes in May 2025.

    Saucedo was previously convicted in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division in December 2011, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.  He was sentenced to serve 144 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Terry Means in 2012.  Court documents reflect that in that case, Saucedo also conspired with a group of individuals who not only distributed cocaine, but also robbed other drug traffickers as well.

    At his initial appearance on Friday, June 6, 2025, in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay, Saucedo was detained in federal custody.  Flores previously appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Friday, May 23, 2025, and was also detained in federal custody.  If convicted, Saucedo and Flores face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    “We are fighting drug trafficking on multiple dangerous fronts, as demonstrated by this case,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “Beyond the tragic effects of the illegal drugs that cross our country’s border and flood our communities, drug traffickers unleash significant violence on each other, in our neighborhoods, and against the brave law enforcement officers attempting to stop them.  The full prosecution of those in the drug trade and the violence they bring is a top priority for the safety of our law enforcement partners and our citizens.”

    “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the danger agents and task force officers face every day,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands by our colleagues as they carry out their duties to keep our communities safe and pledge to investigate those who use violence against law enforcement.”

    “Assaulting a Federal Agent can never be tolerated and undermines the very fabric of our ability to conduct drug investigations safely and effectively,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “We do our jobs to make our community safer, and we will use every tool available to investigate and prosecute those who feel violent acts against our agents are held accountable.”

    “The Dallas Police Department could not be more proud of the work that was done by the women and men of not only our department, but our Federal partners as well,” said Chief of Police Daniel Comeaux of the Dallas Police Department.  “These joint task force and collaborations are essential in keeping our community and its members safe.”

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  

    This operation was conducted by the OCDETF North Texas Strike force with Special Agents and Task Force Officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, the Dallas Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department and Coppell Police Department all participating.
    Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Coker is prosecuting the case.

    This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Arrest Made Following Montgomery Dry Cleaner Business Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the arrest of a second man in connection with the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery, Alabama dry-cleaning business. On May 22, 2025, a criminal complaint was filed in the United States District Court in Montgomery charging 57-year-old Spencer Thomas, a resident of Prattville, Alabama, with armed robbery and carjacking. Law enforcement arrested Thomas on May 27, 2025, after locating him in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thomas’s charging documents were unsealed late last week.

                Thomas is the second individual charged in the case. Previously, 58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes was also indicted on charges of armed robbery and carjacking.

                The arrests follow a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Thomas is scheduled to be arraigned in Montgomery on June 17, 2025. Zedekiah Sykes’ trial is currently set for August 11, 2025.

                A criminal complaint and indictment are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

                If convicted on all charges, Thomas and Sykes each face up to 25 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T. Paul Markovits and Brandon W. Bates.

                This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EBA publishes No Action letter on the interplay between Payment Services Directive (PSD2/3) and Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA)

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) published today a No Action letter advising the EU Commission, EU Council and EU Parliament to ensure that, in the long term, EU law needs to avoid a dual authorisation under two pieces of EU law for the activity of transacting electronic money tokens (EMTs). While the existing Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) still applies, the letter advises national competent authorities (NCAs) to enforce authorisation of PSD2 for a specified subset only of crypto asset service providers (CASPs) that transact EMTs, to do so only after a transition period that ends on 2 March 2026, and then to deprioritise specified PSD2 provisions.

    The letter assesses the provisions set out in MiCA and PSD2 and advises NCAs under PSD2 to view the transfer of crypto assets as a payment service under PSD2 where they entail EMTs and are carried out by the entities on behalf of their clients. It sets out provisions to regard the custody and administration of EMTs as a payment service and to regard a custodial wallet as a payment account where the wallet is held in the name of one or more clients and allows to send and receive EMTs to and from third parties.

    For these services, the No Action letter advises NCAs to require an authorisation under PSD2 only from 2 March 2026 onwards and, during the authorisation process, to apply streamlined procedures that make maximum use of information that legal entities provide during their CASP authorisation process.

    Once an authorisation as a payment services provider is held, NCAs are advised not to prioritise the supervision and enforcement of several elements of PSD2, such as safeguarding, the disclosure of information to consumers (pertaining to the level of applicable charges, the maximum execution time of payment transactions, the unique identifier such as IBAN, and open banking). However, NCAs are also advised to insist on the compliance with other PSD2 provisions, such as strong customer authentication (SCA) for accessing custodial wallets that qualify as payment account and the initiating of EMT transfers, the reporting of payment fraud, and the cumulative calculation of own funds requirements. This is to ensure equally high standards of consumer protection regardless of whether a consumer is using EMTs or more traditional funds as a means of payment.

    Furthermore, NCAs are advised not to consider as payment services (and therefore not to subject to the application of PSD2, including its provisions on licensing) the ‘exchange of crypto-assets for funds’ and ‘exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets’ as defined in MiCA. Additionally, the EBA advises NCAs not to regard as a payment service cases where crypto-asset service providers intermediate the purchase of any crypto-assets with EMTs, and, therefore, not to enforce the application of PSD2 nor to require an authorisation under PSD2 in such cases.

    This advice will result in a large number of EMT transactions not being subject to PSD2 requirements during the intervening period while the Directive still applies. The EBA bases this advice solely on the acknowledgement that any alternative advice would require a much larger number of CASPs to obtain a second authorization. The EBA considers such an alternative to be undesirable, given the burden that dual authorisation would impose on CASPs.

    By contrast, the EBA does not base this advice on the conviction that an authorisation as a CASP under MiCA is sufficient to address the risks that arise from EMT transactions. On the contrary, the success of PSD1, PSD2 and EMD over the past 15 years in bringing about a secure and competitive market for payment services in the EU has shown that for retail payments to be able effectively to fulfil their role in a modern society, consumers and other market actors should be adequately protected and have a high degree of confidence in the stability of the market and the reliability of payment transactions.

    Legal basis and background

    The EBA has issued the letter in response to a request received from the European Commission in December 2024 to address, in close cooperation with ESMA, issues arising from the interplay between MiCA and PSD2. The EBA’s competence to deliver the letter in the form of an Opinion is based on Article 9c of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) Completes Patrol with Newly Awarded Combat Action Ribbon

    Source: United States Navy

    NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain on Jun. 10, 2025 with a Unit Combat Action Ribbon following completion of her first Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet areas of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new barring list legislation

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new barring list legislation

    The CNC has welcomed new legislation which will prevent disgraced officers from re-joining the police service.

    The Civil Nuclear Constabulary has welcomed new legislation which will introduce measures preventing CNC officers dismissed for gross misconduct from being employed again elsewhere in law enforcement agencies and local police forces.

    The Home Office has today (10 June) tabled amendments to the flagship Crime and Policing Bill which will establish new barred and advisory lists for the National Crime Agency (NCA) and also for specialist police forces including the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), British Transport Police (BTP) and the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP).

    This new measure will ensure that individuals dismissed for gross misconduct are prevented from re-entering policing or any other law enforcement role.

    Where an individual is on the barred list, law enforcement agencies will not be able to employ them, and where an individual is named on the advisory list, the employer will be obligated to take this into consideration as part of the recruitment.

    Each force’s list will be maintained by its respective authority, and law enforcement employers across England and Wales will be required to check these lists before hiring.

     Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “The public deserve to know that those tasked with protecting them meet the highest standards.

     “Under our Safer Streets mission, we are restoring confidence in policing by removing those who undermine it.

     “This new measure ensures that officers who abuse their position in the CNC cannot resurface in other areas of policing — we will continue taking every possible step to protect the integrity of our law enforcement agencies.”

    Assistant Chief Constable Kerry Smith, lead for Professionalism, said: “We welcome the Government’s move to close this legislative loop-hole. It will prevent those officers who fail to uphold our rigorous standards from being employed again within policing and law enforcement.

    “We maintain robust vetting and professional standards, but in the rare instance of one of our officers being dismissed for gross misconduct, these measures will ensure that there is a process to ensure the public are protected and we can maintain trust and confidence in policing.”

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    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The policy of blockade and pressure is not capable of stopping the scientific and technological development of China – Consul General of the PRC in Yekaterinburg

    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

    Moscow, June 10 /Xinhua/ — The success of the Chinese language model DeepSeek proves that the American policy of blockade and pressure is not able to stop the scientific and technological development of China. This is stated in an article by the Consul General of the PRC in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg Luo Shixiong, published on Tuesday in the “Oblastnaya Gazeta” of the Sverdlovsk Region.

    As a breakthrough technology based on the Transformer architecture, DeepSeek not only provides a leap in algorithm efficiency and application scope, “but also promotes a paradigm shift in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) from ‘instrument support’ to ‘cognitive synergy’,” writes Luo Shixiong.

    According to him, DeepSeek’s success was made possible by China’s institutional advantages and large-scale talent training. “In China, technological innovation is regarded as a key driving force for high-quality development and is enshrined in the national development strategy. In recent years, China has consistently issued and steadily implemented such policy documents as the “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan”, “Three-Year Action Plan to Promote the Development of the Next-Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry /2018-2020/”, “National Guidelines for the Establishment of a Comprehensive Standardization System for the Artificial Intelligence Industry”, etc.,” the Chinese diplomat noted.

    The US government has already tightened export controls on semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China four times, and in January 2025, it introduced global restrictions on AI chip exports, seeking to increase pressure, cut off China’s access to high-performance chips and advanced computing power, and limit the development of Chinese AI technologies, Luo Shixiong recalls.

    In response, Chinese companies were forced to find alternative ways to train AI models. It was DeepSeek that developed a highly efficient AI model based on limited-performance chips, proving that the US technological blockade only encouraged China to breakthrough in independent innovation.

    DeepSeek’s success has become a powerful impetus for achieving global “tech equality,” the article says. DeepSeek has broken the US scientific and technological monopoly in this area, making AI accessible and applicable to all countries.

    The policy of blockade and containment will not only fail to reduce any threats, but, on the contrary, will undermine the global competitiveness of the United States, writes Luo Shixiong.

    “The US must realize that by setting a ceiling for other countries’ development, they are ultimately sealing their own growth space. If they really want to maintain their leading position in high-tech industries, they should accept and respect the principles of fair competition,” the Chinese diplomat emphasizes. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A chance to spend an unforgettable autumn: the competitive selection for the 11th shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” has started

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The State University of Management announces the start of a competitive selection for participation in the additional general development program “Course on Business and Entrepreneurship”, implemented within the framework of a thematic shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” from September 29 to October 19, 2025.

    The program is being implemented by the State University of Management on the initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, with the support of the regional social programs fund “Our Future” and PJSC Sberbank of Russia.

    The “Business and Entrepreneurship Course” is designed for students aged 14 to 17 years and is aimed at developing project thinking, forming entrepreneurial competencies, as well as motivation for making an informed professional choice in the field of business and management.

    Implementation stages: — The first stage of the competition will be held online from June 1 to June 22, 2025. Participants must register in the Personal Account of the State University of Management and complete competition tasks, including tests, open-ended questions, and essays. Total time for completion is 240 minutes. — The results of the first stage will be summarized by July 21, the results will be published, and certificates will be sent to the participants. — The second stage will be held from July 28 to August 10, 2025 — registration of winners in the automated information system “Putyovka”. — The final list of participants who have passed the shift at the All-Russian Children’s Center “Ocean” will be published by August 15.

    The shift program includes: – educational seminars, master classes and business games from teachers and experts of the State University of Management; – project sessions and development of own initiatives in the field of business; – meetings with entrepreneurs, mentors and representatives of the professional community; – defense of projects before an expert committee; – a rich cultural and team program.

    Participants who successfully complete the program receive a certificate, which gives additional points for the Unified State Exam when entering the State University of Management.

    Detailed information about the program and conditions of participation is available on the official website of the project.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games

    June 10, 2025

    UPDATE

    Introducing the Apple Games app: A personalized home for games and playing with friends

    At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled Apple Games, an all-new destination designed to help players jump back into the games they love, find their next favorite, and have more fun with friends, turning even single-player games into shared experiences. The Games app makes it easier than ever for players to enjoy all their games in one convenient place and see what’s happening across their games, including major events and updates, so they never miss a moment.

    Here’s what developers are saying:

    “As my friends have grown up and moved away, I miss hearing about what they’re playing on their phones, and the Games app is a great way I can get a window back into their gaming worlds. The app also helps us seamlessly integrate and extend all of the social community features we’ve built into Puzzmo directly into the center of our player’s existing daily play routine.” — Zach Gage, indie developer and cofounder of Puzzmo

    “The introduction of challenges and a new social layer marks a major leap forward for both developers and players. While creators stay focused on gameplay, these features bring people together in just a few taps, effortlessly deepening player engagement — especially important for games like Thronefall.” — Glib Platonov, cofounder of Doghowl Games

    “The Games app is going to be a game changer for playing on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The app makes it easy for us to create moments just for groups of friends. The new challenges feature works great and feels natural for our games on Apple Arcade, including our latest release, WHAT THE CLASH?, and we’ve been having a lot of fun with it!” — Tim Garbos, creative director and cofounder of Triband

    The Games app is also the best way to experience Apple Arcade, Apple’s subscription service with more than 200 award-winning and highly rated games for the whole family, including Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Sneaky Sasquatch, and Mini Motorways.

    Launch Favorite Games, Discover New Ones

    The Games app allows players to see all the games they have ever downloaded from the App Store for their iPhone and iPad, and brings together all the games they have on Mac.

    They can connect any compatible game controller for easy navigation around the app and to launch right into their games. Players can explore personalized recommendations based on games they’ve played, games their friends are playing, and games supporting Game Center features, that can be played together.

    Editorial collections also appear in the app to help players find new games, including some of the most exciting games on the App Store, such as Balatro, Crashlands 2, and DREDGE. If they are an Apple Arcade subscriber, players will see curated collections of the best games included in the catalog that help them get the most out of their subscription.

    Play Together 

    Players now have all their Game Center friends and groups they’ve played with in one place, so they can easily enjoy their games together. They can see their shared gaming history, compare achievements, and send friends invite links and party codes using any messaging app, bringing them right into a competition or multiplayer match.

    The Games app introduces challenges, a new way to compete with friends in score-based showdowns. Developers that have Game Center leaderboards for their games can add these unique challenges that are catered to a smaller group of friends. Challenges can turn single-player games into shared experiences with friends, giving them even more ways to rally a group, crown a winner, and have a rematch.

    Players can invite friends to challenges by selecting their friends or contacts. Whether competing to see who can survive the most waves of enemies in Thronefall, or who can rack up the highest score in each week’s featured course in Skate City: New York, challenges unlock a whole new level of friendly competition.

    Stay Up to Date with In-Game Events

    The Games app introduces new features to help developers keep their players in the know about the latest game updates and can’t-miss events. Game pages in the app come to life, highlighting the latest activity for that specific game. Players can see what’s most relevant to them and the games they’re actively playing, front and center, like updates, live events, and timely activity from their friends.

    Availability

    The Games app is available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The Games app will be released with the launch of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26 this fall as a free software update. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

    Press Contacts

    Peter Nguyen

    Apple

    pete_nguyen@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairmen Guthrie and Bilirakis Announce Release of E&C NIL Discussion Draft

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    Post navigation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, released the following discussion draft as part of a tri-committee effort to stabilize the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace and strengthen college athletics.

    “As a part of a coordinated multi-Committee effort to improve the student-athlete experience and preserve the educational mission of the institutions they represent, Energy and Commerce plans to consider a discussion draft to help address the broad set of challenges facing college athletics. NIL presents outstanding opportunities for student-athletes, but the volatility and frequency of changes have left both teams and players without a reliable foundation on which to plan,” said Chairman Guthrie. “I want to thank Chairman Bilirakis for his hard work on this issue and this draft, and I am hopeful that upcoming conversations can build a strong coalition and make college athletics the best it can be.”

    “College athletics are a cornerstone of American culture, and it’s clear from student-athletes and universities alike that we need a national framework for name, image, and likeness that ensures fairness, consistency, and opportunity,” said Congressman Bilirakis. “The SCORE Act will create stability and transparency while empowering student-athletes to benefit from their own NIL without compromising their academic mission or reclassifying them as employees. It’s a balanced, modern approach that protects the integrity of college sports and honors both the student and the athlete.”

     Background:

     

    CLICK HERE to read the discussion draft.

    CLICK HERE to read more in the story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal, Ezell Bipartisan Bill to Bolster American Shipping Fleet Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Chair Mike Ezell (R-MS-04) announced their bipartisan American Cargo for American Ships Act passed the House of Representatives. The legislation will strengthen U.S. cargo preference laws to stop the ongoing decline of U.S. flagged ships engaged in international trade. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

    “American cargo transported on American ships strengthens our economy, creates jobs, and protects our supply chains from external threats,” said Rep. Carbajal. “My bipartisan bill will strengthen the U.S. shipping fleet by ensuring that taxpayer-funded cargo is moved on U.S.-flagged ships. I’ll continue working across the aisle to get this bill across the finish line and signed into law.”

    “This is a major victory for American workers, our national security, and our economy,” Rep. Ezell said. “The American Cargo for American Ships Act strengthens our maritime capabilities and ensures we’re not dependent on foreign vessels to move U.S. goods—especially during times of crisis. A strong U.S.-flagged fleet means a more secure and self-reliant America. I’m proud to see this bill, which keeps American cargo on American ships, restores fairness to our system, and gives our mariners a fighting chance against heavily subsidized foreign competitors, pass the House. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act swiftly and send it to the President’s desk.”

    The American Cargo for American Ships Act would increase cargo preference for all U.S. Department of Transportation cargoes to 100 percent. The Cargo Preference Act of 1954 requires that 50 percent of Civilian Agencies cargo and Agricultural Cargo be carried on U.S.-flagged vessels – it is the maritime industry’s “Buy America” law. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is the lead federal agency that manages Cargo Preference activities and compliance.

    In 2022, MARAD testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and highlighted the decline of U.S. flagged ships. Per MARAD, there were 106 ships in the foreign trade flying the U.S. flag in 2012. Four years later, there were just 77 vessels. Today, from that low point, we have grown back to 87 foreign trading ships under the U.S. flag.

    In 2022, Carbajal, as Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation subcommittee, sent a letter to the MARAD Administrator Rear Admiral Ann Phillips asking them to do more to encourage compliance with U.S. cargo preference laws.

    The American Cargo for American Ships Act is supported by: American Maritime Congress, American Maritime Officers, American Maritime Officers Service, American Roll-on Roll-off, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, Maritime Institute for Research and Industrial Development, Sailors Union of the Pacific, Seafarers International Union, Transportation Institute, U.S. Ocean, Waterman Logistics, Hapag Lloyd USA, American President Lines LLC.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: French Polynesia president announces huge highly protected marine area

    RNZ Pacific

    French Polynesia’s president has announced his administration will establish one of the world’s largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs).

    The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 sq km of remote waters near the Society Islands and 680,000 sq km near the Gambier Islands.

    Speaking at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, President Moetai Brotherson pledged to protect nearly 23 percent of French Polynesia’s waters.

    “In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory — it’s the source of life, culture, and identity,” he said.

    “By strengthening the protection of Tainui Atea (the existing marine managed area that encompasses all French Polynesian waters) and laying the foundations for future marine protected areas . . .  we are asserting our ecological sovereignty while creating biodiversity sanctuaries for our people and future generations.”

    Once implemented, this would be one of the world’s single-largest designations of highly protected ocean space in history.

    Access will be limited, and all forms of extraction, such as fishing and mining, will be banned.

    Highly protected
    The government is also aiming to create a highly protected artisanal fishing zone that extends about 28 km from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 55.5 km around the Society Islands.

    Fishing in that zone will be limited to traditional single pole-and-line catch from boats less than 12m long.

    Together, the zones encompass an area about twice the size of continental France.

    President Brotherson also promised to create additional artisanal fishing zones and two more large, highly protected MPAs within the next year near the Austral and Marquesas islands.

    He also committed to bolster conservation measures within the rest of French Polynesia’s waters.

    Donatien Tanret, who leads Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy’s work in French Polynesia, said local communities had made it clear that they wanted to see stronger protections that reflected both scientific guidance and their ancestral culture for future generations.

    “These protections and commitments to future designations are a powerful example of how local leadership and traditional measures such as rāhui can address modern challenges.”

    Samoa announces MPAs
     Before the conference, Samoa adopted a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan — a step to fully protect 30 percent and ensure sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean.

    The plan includes the establishment of nine new fully protected MPAs, covering 36,000 sq km of ocean.

    Toeolesulsulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa’s Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, said Samoa was a large ocean state and its way of life was under increased threat from issues including climate change and overfishing.

    “This Marine Spatial Plan marks a historic step towards ensuring that our ocean remains prosperous and healthy to support all future generations of Samoans — just as it did for us and our ancestors.”

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Y Tenkorang, Professor of Sociology,, Memorial University of Newfoundland

    Intimate partner violence is controlling behaviour that results in harm to victims. This can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, economic or spiritual harm. Women are overwhelmingly the victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.

    Globally, about one third of women have experienced some type of intimate partner violence. In Ghana too, one third of women have experienced physical and sexual abuse.

    Research has linked women’s experiences of intimate partner violence to their socio-economic marginalisation, although it can happen to wealthy women too. Beyond the socio-economic reasons, some also make cultural arguments.

    One such factor is lineage: lines of ancestry. Lineage is a major source of wealth, privileges and responsibilities in Ghana and more broadly in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Some people trace their ancestry through maternal kin members. Women in these matrilineal societies wield socio-economic and cultural power because inheritance goes through the female line. As carriers of the lineage, women have some cultural value.

    In a patrilineage, people trace their ancestry through men. Inheritance goes through the male line. Women cannot source wealth from the lineage. There is noticeable gender ordering and hierarchies in patrilineal societies. Male children are considered the carriers of the lineage.

    Despite these two predominant lineage systems, there is also bilateral descent. In bilateral systems, kinship is traced to both maternal and paternal sides of the family.

    Recent studies have suggested a link exists between lineage and intimate partner violence. But there is limited evidence as to why this might be the case.

    One of my research interests is violence against women in African cultures and I have published extensively on this subject. For a recent study, my team collected survey data, including in-depth interviews, from the three ecological areas of Ghana – coastal, middle and northern. These reflect differences in ecology, culture and modernity.

    About 1,700 women responded to our survey questions on lineage and intimate partner violence. Of these, about 30 women were followed up for an in-depth interview.

    We found differences in experiences of violence between women depending on the lineage system they were part of. Awareness of this pattern could inform efforts to prevent violence and empower women.

    What we found

    A major finding was that women in matrilineal communities experienced lower levels of intimate partner violence than women in patrilineal communities or bilateral ones. Part of the reason is women’s access to resources.

    We also found that bride price payments elevated patrilineal women’s risks of experiencing intimate partner violence. Bride price payment is an exchange of resources from the groom to the family of the bride. This is in acknowledgement that marriage has taken place. Women in patrilineal systems were more likely to experience physical, sexual and emotional violence when bride price was fully paid than when it was partially paid.

    Unlike patrilineal women, matrilineal and bilateral women only experienced emotional and physical violence when bride price was fully paid.

    The backdrop

    Ghana passed its landmark Domestic Violence Act in 2007. It criminalises acts that are likely to result in intimate partner violence. This opened the door to the establishment of a Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit to prosecute perpetrators. Structures are also in place to provide support for victims of abuse.

    But criminalising intimate partner violence offers only a partial remedy to the problem. This is particularly true when behaviours that lead to such acts of violence are deeply rooted in inequality, culture and patriarchy.

    Despite recent efforts to bridge gender inequality, Ghana continues to lag behind other societies in this area. Ghanaian women are discriminated against socially and culturally. They are excluded from participating in major decisions related to their households and communities. They are also marginalised economically, creating less opportunity for upward mobility.

    The patriarchal nature of Ghanaian society has not helped. It has worked in tandem with existing social arrangements to deepen inequality and further render women powerless.

    In my view, part of matrilineal women’s reduced risk of experiencing intimate partner violence may be explained by access to maternal resources, where they benefit more than their patrilineal and bilateral counterparts.

    This background also helps explain why bride price arrangements make a difference. Contemporary feminist analysis of the payment of bride price suggests it may be interpreted as “wife ownership and purchase”. This can be a tool for oppressing and controlling women.

    These findings support the argument that bride price payment may have negative consequences for Ghanaian women. This is especially so for those in patrilineal cultures where the norms and expectations associated with these payments are stronger.

    A path to safety

    Establishing cultural reasons why some women are at greater risk than others of experiencing intimate partner violence is important for policy in Ghana and has implications for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Our research findings point to the need to empower women by providing them with the resources they need to flourish and fight abuse. It shows lineage can be a conduit for resource exchange and distribution.

    Also, public education can help correct narratives of ownership and purchase which are linked to intimate partner violence. Bride price payments should have symbolic, not commercial, significance.

    – Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study
    – https://theconversation.com/violence-against-women-in-ghana-is-deeply-rooted-in-culture-and-family-ties-study-257947

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rachel Silver, Assistant Professor, York University, Canada

    Coverage of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns on girls in Malawi emphasised the risks they faced as a result of not attending school. In particular, concerns about pregnancy garnered significant media attention.

    The United Nations Children’s Fund, for example, published an article in March 2021 entitled “Schoolgirl shakes off COVID-19 regret: Lucy’s return to school”. Under a glossy photograph of a smiling girl, readers learn about 16-year-old Lucy, one of 13,000 Malawian students who became pregnant during COVID-19 school closures. The story went on to detail the dire consequences of sexual activity to Lucy’s well-being, and the redemptive power of an eventual return to school.

    The Unicef piece echoed thousands of similar publications circulated after March 2020 that analysed COVID-19’s unique risk for girls in the global south and lamented lost returns to girls’ education.

    In response to COVID-19 surges, Malawian schools closed for over seven months, during which the percentage of pregnancies to young women aged 10-19 did increase from 29% to 35% of total pregnancies.

    Yet, our research has demonstrated that international development organisations and media outlets focused mostly on narrow, sexualised framings of risk to African girls and women rather than on the many intersecting and ongoing barriers to their well-being and school retention. These challenges both predate and extend beyond COVID-19.

    As scholars of international development education who have conducted research in Malawi for over a decade, we decided to join Malawian educational activist and collaborator Stella Makhuva to research how girls themselves narrated their experiences of the COVID-19 years. What did they consider a risk to their schooling?

    Together, we designed a longitudinal study from 2020 to 2023 that included multiple rounds of interviews and participatory journalling methods with 22 upper primary and secondary school girls in southern Malawi.

    We found that for girls in our study, COVID-19 was less a rupture – an unusual event that threatened their education in unprecedented ways – than an added variable in the already complex calculations girls and their families made about whether and how to remain in school.

    We argue that it was not pregnancy itself, but escalating resource constraints, that kept girls from school. And that interventions must do something about the real problem: inequitable systems.

    The stories told by the girls illustrate this. (All the names are pseudonyms.)

    Their stories

    When Faith joined our study in 2020, she was attending a peri-urban primary school near her home. She lived in a mud and grass-thatched house with her parents, both subsistence farmers who supported Faith’s and her siblings’ education. During school closures, she studied with friends to keep up with academic content when she was not helping with her parents’ farm.

    Yet school costs threatened Faith’s return to school upon reopening. Despite primary school being officially “free” by government mandate, students at her school were required to contribute 800 Malawi kwacha (close to US$1 at the time) per term to a school fund for infrastructure projects and upkeep. Not paying into the fund resulted in exclusion from classes.

    Read more: Does free schooling give girls a better chance in life? Burundi study shows the poorest benefited most

    When Faith eventually passed the Primary School Leaving Certificate Exam and enrolled in secondary school, the costs to schooling rose from 5,000 kwacha (about US$6.50 in early 2021) to 20,000 kwacha (about US$19 in late 2022). Faith worried about whether her parents, whose maize and tomato yields suffered from poor rains, would be able to pay.

    On top of this, Faith paid other costs, from exam fees and bicycle rental fees to supplemental lessons in which she learned material never covered during school hours. She said she and her family often sacrificed eating sufficiently to save money.

    Still, Faith was repeatedly pushed out of school until her fee balance was met. Before, during, and after COVID-19 school closures, girls like her were pushed out of school for a lack of regular fee payments.

    Faith’s school-going was also threatened by warming temperatures and new rain patterns that left her family with diminished food and income. Added to this were volatility in government agricultural subsidies to small farmers, inflated school fees, and the increasing privatisation of public education in Malawi.

    Read more: Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done

    Like Faith, all of the girls in our study worked to supplement their schooling with part time lessons, holiday classes, or by repeating grades given educational quality concerns. Based in under-resourced schools with low exam pass rates, girls knew that they were provided an incomplete education.

    According to Brightness,

    We do not learn fully what we are supposed to cover, and some teachers tend to be absent during their lessons. This makes us lag behind … As a result during exams they ask some questions which some of us … did not learn.

    Empirical evidence has shown how teacher engagement has long been influenced by the region’s high disease burden, especially due to HIV/Aids. This has left teachers both ill and caring for ill relatives.

    While teacher disengagement, therefore, reflected factors such as competing care responsibilities, professional dissatisfaction and stress, girls were deeply frustrated by what felt like abandonment.

    Rethinking pregnancy and parenting

    Mainstream discourses that missed key barriers to girls’ school retention and performance, such as privatisation and food insecurity, misrepresented student pregnancy as an emergent “crisis”.

    Prior to the pandemic, sexuality and school-going already overlapped for many girls in Malawi, where adolescent pregnancy rates were threefold the global average. Still, girls in our study countered the idea that schooling and sex were incompatible. They also challenged the idea that school was inherently safe and that it was pregnancy that kept them from school.

    Read more: Education and gender equality: focus on girls isn’t fair and isn’t enough — global study

    Many of the girls’ stories emphasised continuity with what came before the pandemic.

    We have found this in past research. Schooling and sexuality are not necessarily opposed; but parents and teachers try to protect girls from sexuality; and parenting and non-parenting girls alike face significant resource-related barriers to schooling.

    Conclusion

    If girls’ choices, particularly around sexuality, do not represent the greatest or only source of risk for girls’ schooling, interventions must respond to this reality. They should support well-being and address the broader conditions in which girls live and learn. The problem is inequity, not pregnant girls.

    – What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy
    – https://theconversation.com/what-keeps-girls-from-school-in-malawi-we-asked-them-and-its-not-just-pregnancy-258401

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: PLA Navy aircraft carriers conduct training in the Western Pacific 2025-06-10 21:37:37 Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific and relevant sea areas in recent days.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      The image shows the moment when a J-15 fighter jet took off from the aircraft carrier Liaoning. Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Sun Xiang)

      BEIJING, June 10 — Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific and relevant sea areas in recent days to test the troops’ capabilities in far-sea defense and joint operations, said Senior Captain Wang Xuemeng, spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Navy, in a written statement released on Tuesday.

      “This is a routine arrangement included in the annual training plan, aiming to improve the Chinese PLA Navy’s ability to fulfill missions. The training complies with relevant international law and practice, and is not targeted at specific countries or entity,” the spokesperson added.

      The image shows the moment when a J-15 fighter jet took off from the aircraft carrier Shandong. Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Huiquan)

      The image shows the alongside replenishment-at-sea between the comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu (Hull 901) and Type-055 guided-missile destroyer Wuxi (Hull 104). Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Jing Gang)

      The image shows the moment when a J-15 fighter jet took off at night from the flight deck of aircraft carrier. Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wang Jian)

      The cockpit-view image shows a pilot in flight training. Aircraft carriers Liaoning (Hull 16) and Shandong (Hull 17) attached to the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Lu Shouyuan)

    loading…

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Y Tenkorang, Professor of Sociology,, Memorial University of Newfoundland

    Intimate partner violence is controlling behaviour that results in harm to victims. This can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, economic or spiritual harm. Women are overwhelmingly the victims and survivors of intimate partner violence.

    Globally, about one third of women have experienced some type of intimate partner violence. In Ghana too, one third of women have experienced physical and sexual abuse.

    Research has linked women’s experiences of intimate partner violence to their socio-economic marginalisation, although it can happen to wealthy women too. Beyond the socio-economic reasons, some also make cultural arguments.

    One such factor is lineage: lines of ancestry. Lineage is a major source of wealth, privileges and responsibilities in Ghana and more broadly in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Some people trace their ancestry through maternal kin members. Women in these matrilineal societies wield socio-economic and cultural power because inheritance goes through the female line. As carriers of the lineage, women have some cultural value.

    In a patrilineage, people trace their ancestry through men. Inheritance goes through the male line. Women cannot source wealth from the lineage. There is noticeable gender ordering and hierarchies in patrilineal societies. Male children are considered the carriers of the lineage.

    Despite these two predominant lineage systems, there is also bilateral descent. In bilateral systems, kinship is traced to both maternal and paternal sides of the family.

    Recent studies have suggested a link exists between lineage and intimate partner violence. But there is limited evidence as to why this might be the case.

    One of my research interests is violence against women in African cultures and I have published extensively on this subject. For a recent study, my team collected survey data, including in-depth interviews, from the three ecological areas of Ghana – coastal, middle and northern. These reflect differences in ecology, culture and modernity.

    About 1,700 women responded to our survey questions on lineage and intimate partner violence. Of these, about 30 women were followed up for an in-depth interview.

    We found differences in experiences of violence between women depending on the lineage system they were part of. Awareness of this pattern could inform efforts to prevent violence and empower women.

    What we found

    A major finding was that women in matrilineal communities experienced lower levels of intimate partner violence than women in patrilineal communities or bilateral ones. Part of the reason is women’s access to resources.

    We also found that bride price payments elevated patrilineal women’s risks of experiencing intimate partner violence. Bride price payment is an exchange of resources from the groom to the family of the bride. This is in acknowledgement that marriage has taken place. Women in patrilineal systems were more likely to experience physical, sexual and emotional violence when bride price was fully paid than when it was partially paid.

    Unlike patrilineal women, matrilineal and bilateral women only experienced emotional and physical violence when bride price was fully paid.

    The backdrop

    Ghana passed its landmark Domestic Violence Act in 2007. It criminalises acts that are likely to result in intimate partner violence. This opened the door to the establishment of a Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit to prosecute perpetrators. Structures are also in place to provide support for victims of abuse.

    But criminalising intimate partner violence offers only a partial remedy to the problem. This is particularly true when behaviours that lead to such acts of violence are deeply rooted in inequality, culture and patriarchy.

    Despite recent efforts to bridge gender inequality, Ghana continues to lag behind other societies in this area. Ghanaian women are discriminated against socially and culturally. They are excluded from participating in major decisions related to their households and communities. They are also marginalised economically, creating less opportunity for upward mobility.

    The patriarchal nature of Ghanaian society has not helped. It has worked in tandem with existing social arrangements to deepen inequality and further render women powerless.

    In my view, part of matrilineal women’s reduced risk of experiencing intimate partner violence may be explained by access to maternal resources, where they benefit more than their patrilineal and bilateral counterparts.

    This background also helps explain why bride price arrangements make a difference. Contemporary feminist analysis of the payment of bride price suggests it may be interpreted as “wife ownership and purchase”. This can be a tool for oppressing and controlling women.

    These findings support the argument that bride price payment may have negative consequences for Ghanaian women. This is especially so for those in patrilineal cultures where the norms and expectations associated with these payments are stronger.

    A path to safety

    Establishing cultural reasons why some women are at greater risk than others of experiencing intimate partner violence is important for policy in Ghana and has implications for sub-Saharan Africa.

    Our research findings point to the need to empower women by providing them with the resources they need to flourish and fight abuse. It shows lineage can be a conduit for resource exchange and distribution.

    Also, public education can help correct narratives of ownership and purchase which are linked to intimate partner violence. Bride price payments should have symbolic, not commercial, significance.

    Eric Y Tenkorang received funding from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

    – ref. Violence against women in Ghana is deeply rooted in culture and family ties – study – https://theconversation.com/violence-against-women-in-ghana-is-deeply-rooted-in-culture-and-family-ties-study-257947

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rachel Silver, Assistant Professor, York University, Canada

    Coverage of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns on girls in Malawi emphasised the risks they faced as a result of not attending school. In particular, concerns about pregnancy garnered significant media attention.

    The United Nations Children’s Fund, for example, published an article in March 2021 entitled “Schoolgirl shakes off COVID-19 regret: Lucy’s return to school”. Under a glossy photograph of a smiling girl, readers learn about 16-year-old Lucy, one of 13,000 Malawian students who became pregnant during COVID-19 school closures. The story went on to detail the dire consequences of sexual activity to Lucy’s well-being, and the redemptive power of an eventual return to school.

    The Unicef piece echoed thousands of similar publications circulated after March 2020 that analysed COVID-19’s unique risk for girls in the global south and lamented lost returns to girls’ education.

    In response to COVID-19 surges, Malawian schools closed for over seven months, during which the percentage of pregnancies to young women aged 10-19 did increase from 29% to 35% of total pregnancies.

    Yet, our research has demonstrated that international development organisations and media outlets focused mostly on narrow, sexualised framings of risk to African girls and women rather than on the many intersecting and ongoing barriers to their well-being and school retention. These challenges both predate and extend beyond COVID-19.

    As scholars of international development education who have conducted research in Malawi for over a decade, we decided to join Malawian educational activist and collaborator Stella Makhuva to research how girls themselves narrated their experiences of the COVID-19 years. What did they consider a risk to their schooling?

    Together, we designed a longitudinal study from 2020 to 2023 that included multiple rounds of interviews and participatory journalling methods with 22 upper primary and secondary school girls in southern Malawi.

    We found that for girls in our study, COVID-19 was less a rupture – an unusual event that threatened their education in unprecedented ways – than an added variable in the already complex calculations girls and their families made about whether and how to remain in school.

    We argue that it was not pregnancy itself, but escalating resource constraints, that kept girls from school. And that interventions must do something about the real problem: inequitable systems.

    The stories told by the girls illustrate this. (All the names are pseudonyms.)

    Their stories

    When Faith joined our study in 2020, she was attending a peri-urban
    primary school near her home. She lived in a mud and grass-thatched house with her parents, both subsistence farmers who supported Faith’s and her siblings’ education. During school closures, she studied with friends to keep up with academic content when she was not helping with her parents’ farm.

    Yet school costs threatened Faith’s return to school upon reopening. Despite primary school being officially “free” by government mandate, students at her school were required to contribute 800 Malawi kwacha (close to US$1 at the time) per term to a school fund for infrastructure projects and upkeep. Not paying into the fund resulted in exclusion from classes.



    Read more:
    Does free schooling give girls a better chance in life? Burundi study shows the poorest benefited most

    When Faith eventually passed the Primary School Leaving Certificate Exam and enrolled in secondary school, the costs to schooling rose from 5,000 kwacha (about US$6.50 in early 2021) to 20,000 kwacha (about US$19 in late 2022). Faith worried about whether her parents, whose maize and tomato yields suffered from poor rains, would be able to pay.

    On top of this, Faith paid other costs, from exam fees and bicycle rental fees to supplemental lessons in which she learned material never covered during school hours. She said she and her family often sacrificed eating sufficiently to save money.

    Still, Faith was repeatedly pushed out of school until her fee balance was met. Before, during, and after COVID-19 school closures, girls like her were pushed out of school for a lack of regular fee payments.

    Faith’s school-going was also threatened by warming temperatures and new rain patterns that left her family with diminished food and income. Added to this were volatility in government agricultural subsidies to small farmers, inflated school fees, and the increasing privatisation of public education in Malawi.



    Read more:
    Malawi faces a food crisis: why plans to avert hunger aren’t realistic and what can be done

    Like Faith, all of the girls in our study worked to supplement their schooling with part time lessons, holiday classes, or by repeating grades given educational quality concerns. Based in under-resourced schools with low exam pass rates, girls knew that they were provided an incomplete education.

    According to Brightness,

    We do not learn fully what we are supposed to cover, and some teachers tend to be absent during their lessons. This makes us lag behind … As a result during exams they ask some questions which some of us … did not learn.

    Empirical evidence has shown how teacher engagement has long been influenced by the region’s high disease burden, especially due to HIV/Aids. This has left teachers both ill and caring for ill relatives.

    While teacher disengagement, therefore, reflected factors such as competing care responsibilities, professional dissatisfaction and stress, girls were deeply frustrated by what felt like abandonment.

    Rethinking pregnancy and parenting

    Mainstream discourses that missed key barriers to girls’ school retention and performance, such as privatisation and food insecurity, misrepresented student pregnancy as an emergent “crisis”.

    Prior to the pandemic, sexuality and school-going already overlapped for many girls in Malawi, where adolescent pregnancy rates were threefold the global average. Still, girls in our study countered the idea that schooling and sex were incompatible. They also challenged the idea that school was inherently safe and that it was pregnancy that kept them from school.



    Read more:
    Education and gender equality: focus on girls isn’t fair and isn’t enough — global study

    Many of the girls’ stories emphasised continuity with what came before the pandemic.

    We have found this in past research. Schooling and sexuality are not necessarily opposed; but parents and teachers try to protect girls from sexuality; and parenting and non-parenting girls alike face significant resource-related barriers to schooling.

    Conclusion

    If girls’ choices, particularly around sexuality, do not represent the greatest or only source of risk for girls’ schooling, interventions must respond to this reality. They should support well-being and address the broader conditions in which girls live and learn. The problem is inequity, not pregnant girls.

    Rachel Silver has received funding from the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Alyssa Morley 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. What keeps girls from school in Malawi? We asked them and it’s not just pregnancy – https://theconversation.com/what-keeps-girls-from-school-in-malawi-we-asked-them-and-its-not-just-pregnancy-258401

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is Israel’s interception of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla legal?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Priya Gupta, Associate Professor of Law, McGill University

    Israel’s interception of a ship launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) — a grassroots group that campaigns in solidarity with the Palestinian people — in international waters approximately 185 kilometres from Gaza has raised serious questions about the legality of its actions.

    The Madleen — a small, British-flagged civilian vessel named for Gaza’s first fisherwoman — was carrying 11 activists, one journalist and a small cargo of humanitarian aid, including flour, baby formula and children’s prostheses. Israeli forces detained all passengers, including well-known Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French European Parliamentarian Rima Hassan.

    The FFC uses non-violent direct action to attempt to break the blockade Israel has imposed on Gaza since 2007, and to raise awareness about the “ongoing brutality inflicted upon civilians in Gaza.”

    At approximately 3 a.m. local time on June 9, Israeli forces rammed and boarded the Madleen. Shortly before that, military drones hovered above it and the activists took video of Israeli forces of spraying a white substance on board that “caused burning eyes and general discomfort.”

    Israel says it intercepted the Madleen to enforce “a legal naval blockade.” The FFC, however, has called Israel’s actions an “illegal attack” and “a small extension of their war crimes in Gaza.”

    Past attacks on humanitarian flotillas

    Israel’s interception of the Madleen is not without precedent. On May 2, the FFC ship Conscience was seriously damaged during a drone attack while carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza. The attack ended its journey.

    In 2010, a group of six vessels called the Gaza Aid Flotilla sailed to Gaza to breach the Israeli blockade. The largest of the ships, the Mavi Marmara, was carrying more than 500 passengers when it was raided by Israeli forces in international waters, killing 10 people and wounding 56.

    Israel’s attack on the Mavi Marmara triggered international legal scrutiny and condemnation. The United Nations secretary-general immediately established an inquiry that determined the Israeli attack had resulted in “unacceptable” death, injury and mistreatment of detainees.

    Additionally, the UN Human Rights Council established a fact-finding mission that found that “no case can be made for the legality of the interception.”

    The Union of the Comoros, where the vessel was registered, referred the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity. A chamber of the court found there was evidence Israeli soldiers committed “systematic abuse” of detained passengers.

    In the end, the case did not proceed because the prosecutor decided the incident was of “insufficient gravity,” in part because they could not identify a plan or policy on the part of Israel to carry out war crimes on a large scale.

    Israel’s ongoing crimes in Gaza

    It would be difficult to make the same conclusion regarding the situation in Gaza today.

    Israel is downplaying the severity of its attack on the Madleen, casting it as a sort of rescue mission as the Israeli foreign ministry posted a photo of activists being offered sandwiches. But Israel’s actions must be evaluated within the context of legal findings that have already been made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the ICC.

    In January 2024, the ICJ found there was a “real and imminent risk” that Israel would commit genocide in Gaza. Two months later, it ordered Israel not to impede the provision of humanitarian assistance.

    In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant based on reasonable grounds that they “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival” and that this deprivation “created conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population.”

    In separate proceedings in July 2024, the ICJ found that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, including Gaza and its surrounding waters, was unlawful and must come to an end “as rapidly as possible.”

    Against this backdrop, the interception of the flotilla could be seen as furthering Israel’s unlawful blockade, occupation and attack against the civilian population of Gaza, in addition to constituting unlawful targeting of the civilians on board. Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, has accused Israel of once again flouting “its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip” with the interception of the boat.

    Arbitrary detention, degrading treatment

    Thunberg, along with four other activists, has already been deported from Israel. Eight passengers who Israel says chose not “to sign deportation documents” remain in detention in an Israeli prison and will soon appear in court.

    Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said they would be forced to watch video footage of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel. He later said they refused to watch the video.

    This detention and its circumstances may constitute violations of the protection against arbitrary deprivation of liberty under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Israel is a signatory.

    Israel cannot legally block aid

    Israel is not permitted to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ has ordered Israel to “ensure the unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed humanitarian assistance” and not do anything that would constitute a violation of the Genocide Convention “including by preventing, through any action, the delivery” of aid.

    The Geneva Convention also outlaws collective punishment of civilian populations and requires free passage of aid.

    Israel seemingly anticipated these arguments. Israeli officials mocked the Madleen, calling it a “selfie yacht” carrying a “tiny amount of aid” and proclaiming that “the show is over.” These statements could serve to cast the FFC as a disingenuous humanitarian mission.

    Israel also claims that the aid on board will be distributed through “real humanitarian channels.” This is likely an attempt by Israel to signal it’s not violating international humanitarian law by blocking assistance.

    These arguments, however, fail to acknowledge that the size of a humanitarian mission is irrelevant to the protection accorded to civilians and the requirement to allow delivery of aid.

    Disregarding the courts

    Israel has disregarded the ICJ’s orders to facilitate the delivery of urgently needed food and supplies to Gaza and has been accused of gunning down starving civilians at aid distribution centres.

    The Madleen’s mission was to force the world to acknowledge, in real time, Israel’s disregard for international law. In this aim, it succeeded. Israel’s interception of the Madleen could end up being prosecuted in the domestic courts of the passengers’ home countries, in the United Kingdom — where the boat was registered — or at the ICC.

    Humanitarians have vowed to continue to try to breach Israel’s blockade on Gaza. The Madleen’s voyage is a precursor to the March on Gaza scheduled for June 15, where thousands of activists will attempt to reach the Rafah crossing. The world will be watching.

    Heidi Matthews receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and is an advisor to the Legal Centre for Palestine.

    Priya Gupta 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. Is Israel’s interception of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla legal? – https://theconversation.com/is-israels-interception-of-the-gaza-freedom-flotilla-legal-258511

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council to consider findings of independent review into handling of misconduct allegations

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The findings of an independent review into how the Council handled allegations of misconduct have been published today (10 June).

    The findings of an independent review into how the Council handled allegations of misconduct have been published today (10 June).

    Led by former Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, the investigation focused on how the Council handled any allegations made, the policy and procedures in place to deal with similar types of allegations and what improvements, if any, could be made to safeguard against any inappropriate behaviour in future.

    Following his appointment in February, Mr Dunion carried out a detailed review of relevant council policies, reports and other documents, webcasts of council meetings and 35 structured interviews. He also received 20 written representations from current and former councillors and staff.

    In his report, which will be considered by councillors at a council meeting next Thursday (19 June), he concludes that complaints were, for the most part, handled properly and that the policies and procedures in place are broadly effective. In particular, he states that the recent allegations were ‘well handled and properly considered in line with the Council’s policies’.

    However, he did identify issues with how previous concerns were dealt with and makes a series of recommendations around the Council’s complaints procedures and whistleblowing policy – in particular around the safeguarding of victims and/ or those making a complaint.

    He also recommends further consideration of councillors’ conduct, their interactions with staff and the appropriateness of some social events in the City Chambers.

    Chief Executive Paul Lawrence said: “I want to thank Kevin Dunion for leading this sensitive review and for his report, not least given the complexity of the brief and tight timescales.  

    “I know this must have been challenging and a difficult experience for many people and I particularly want to thank those who came forward to be interviewed or provided information to the review. Your input is very much appreciated.

    “Subject to approval by councillors next Thursday, we will bring a further report back to the Policy and Sustainability Committee in August, outlining our proposed actions in response to Mr Dunion’s recommendations.”

    -ends-

    Published: June 10th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour’s nuclear plans won’t cut household bills

    Source: Scottish Greens

    10 Jun 2025 Energy

    Scotland’s future lays in renewable energy, we must reject new nuclear plans.

    More in Energy

    The UK Government’s plans to spend billions of pounds of taxpayers money on new nuclear power stations across the UK will not cut energy bills, and will only line the pockets of profiteers, warns Scottish Greens co-leader and energy spokesperson Patrick Harvie MSP.
     
    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and MP Michael Shanks have been touting building so-called ‘small modular reactors’, despite the catastrophic failure of the nuclear power industry running over schedule and over budget in the UK, and a long record of nuclear accidents and near misses; such as fires and radiation leaks.
     
    The first nuclear power plant to be built in the UK for over 30 years, at Hinkley Point, is nearing £28 billion over its original budget and despite the construction phase beginning in 2016, it will likely not generate any electricity until at least 2029 but possibly 2031.
     
    Mr Harvie said:
     
    “The only people set to benefit from new nuclear power are the shareholders and executives of big energy companies, not the families who urgently need support with energy bills.
     
    “Nuclear power takes decades and billions of pounds to construct, as we’ve seen with the shambles of Hinkley Point. Households need help with energy bills now, and we have renewable energy sources in Scotland already generating abundant, cheap-to-produce energy. People can’t afford to wait twenty years for a new power station to come online.
     
    “Without real action to fix the broken energy market, bill payers will continue to come second to energy company profits.
     
    “Scottish Greens are clear that we want to see real investment in cheap, clean renewables such as wind, solar and tidal to bring down household bills and create green jobs without the extreme cost, time or safety risks of nuclear power.
     
    “Scotland already produces a majority of our energy from cheap, clean, renewable sources, and we have so much potential to go even further. What governments need to do is end our reliance on fossil fuels, cut the artificial high price of electricity, and commit to a renewable future, not toxic, dangerous, expensive nuclear power.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alibaba’s Grand Plan: Express Delivery Around the World by Rocket

    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

    BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese private rocket company SEPOCH recently completed a successful experiment to transport packages from the country’s largest e-commerce platform Taobao, owned by tech giant Alibaba, using a reusable rocket. The rocket was retrieved from seawater after the test, symbolizing China’s major breakthrough in commercial space logistics.

    SEPOCH, a Beijing-based startup, carried out its first “rocket delivery” experiment on May 29 when the XZY-1 test rocket blasted off from the east China coast with 20 kg of cargo parcels on board.

    During the test, the 26.8-meter-long, 57-ton stainless steel rocket flew for 125 seconds and reached an altitude of about 2.5 kilometers, after which it made a successful vertical landing on the sea surface off the coast of Shandong province.

    It took only 18 hours to remove the missile from the water, clean it and transport it to the maintenance plant. According to the preliminary inspection, there was no damage or leakage on the missile’s steel body, and its engine and electrical devices were in good condition, SEPOCH reported.

    Unlike other missiles, the test prototype’s warhead is equipped with a 120-cubic-meter cargo compartment, which is designed to carry up to 10 tons of cargo, so theoretically it can even carry a passenger car or a small truck.

    The experimental cargo in the recent launch included products from two stores on the Taobao marketplace, including products from the National Library’s official flagship store and commemorative cards specially dedicated to the launch.

    Alibaba’s Taobao platform’s partnership with the rocket company demonstrates China’s commitment to aggressively developing the promising field of point-to-point rocket cargo transportation, in which a connection is established directly between two endpoints without intermediate hubs or intermediaries. The practice, industry experts say, will revolutionize global logistics by cutting the time it takes to ship goods transcontinentally from one region to another from days to minutes.

    While express delivery for ordinary consumers using a rocket is expensive, SEPOCH founder Wei Yi acknowledged, noting that the rocket is initially intended for scenarios such as emergency delivery, delivery of humanitarian supplies to help eliminate natural disasters, and airlifting goods to remote and hard-to-reach areas.

    “As reusable rockets become more common and stainless steel is widely used in their construction, the cost of rocket delivery is expected to drop significantly,” Wei Yi said.

    Before the launch of the “rocket delivery” services, numerous tests are still required, including tests on the reusable rocket’s return technology, as well as the strength and durability of its body, said aerospace expert Cao Meng.

    SEPOCH has now announced plans to launch its rocket into orbit and return by the end of 2025, where it will carry seven tons of cargo into orbit 1,100 km from Earth using a liquid oxygen and methane engine.

    The company is further prepared to expand the range of goods transported by rocket, including fresh food and fragile items, as well as to develop an evacuation system to ensure the safety of cargo. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Spokesperson on the Tragic Migrant Deaths Off Egypt’s Coast

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva/Cairo, 10 June 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is deeply saddened by media reports of the discovery of the bodies of ten migrants of various nationalities that have washed ashore near Marsa Matrouh, Egypt over recent days.

    These individuals are believed to have departed from Libya.

    This tragedy is yet another painful reminder of the high cost of irregular migration and the urgent need for coordinated international efforts to provide inclusive, safe and regular pathways for all.

    IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented more than 32,000 deaths in the Mediterranean Sea since 2014, with an unknown number still missing.  

    Behind each life lost is a story: broken dreams, grieving families, and futures that will now never be realized. Our thoughts are with their loved ones.

    IOM commends the Government of Egypt for handling the situation in a humane and dignified manner, applying the highest standards of International Humanitarian Law.  

    We renew our call for collective action to address the root causes of irregular migration and protect the lives of those on the move.

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 11, 2025
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