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  • Analysis – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for July 23, 2025

    Analysis: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on July 23, 2025.

    MIL-Evening Report: Auckland is NZ’s ‘primate city’ but its potential remains caged in by poor planning and vision
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images The recent report comparing Auckland to nine international peer cities delivered an uncomfortable truth: our largest city is falling behind, hampered by car dependency, low-density housing and “weak economic performance”. The Deloitte […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Climate disasters are pushing people into homelessness – but there’s a lot we can do about it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Heffernan, Lecturer in Anthropology, Australian National University Almost half of all Australian properties are at risk of bushfire, while 17,500 face risk of coastal erosion. By 2030, more than 3 million will face riverine flood risk. Meanwhile, housing demand continues to outpace supply. With climate-related disasters […]

    MIL-Evening Report: UK bans Gaza protest group – could the same thing happen in Australia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University More than 100 people were arrested in the United Kingdom on the weekend for supporting Palestine Action, a protest group that opposes Britain’s support of Israel. Palestine Action was recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation, placing it in the […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Lachlan Goold, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, University of the Sunshine Coast Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991. Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for […]

    MIL-Evening Report: The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lachlan Goold, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, University of the Sunshine Coast Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991. Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for […]

    MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Eat the rich’ — Why horror films are taking aim at the ultra-wealthy
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Heather Roberts, PhD Candidate in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies, Queen’s University, Ontario Samara Weaving in the horror film ‘Ready or Not.’ Weaving plays Grace, a bride who must survive until dawn on her wedding day as her in-laws hunt her down. (Searchlight Pictures) This story contains spoilers […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Could the latest ‘interstellar comet’ be an alien probe? Why spotting cosmic visitors is harder than you think
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Comet 3I/ATLAS International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/K. Meech/Jen Miller/Mahdi Zamani, CC BY On July 1, astronomers spotted an unusual high-speed object zooming towards the Sun. Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the surprising space traveller had one very special quality: its […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Should Australia lower the voting age to 16 like the UK? We asked 5 experts
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University The government in the UK is introducing legislation into parliament to lower the voting age to 16. If passed, the new age rules will be in place for the next general election, expected […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne HRAUN/Getty A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Ultra fast fashion could be taxed to oblivion in France. Could Australia follow suit?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Ryan McVay/Getty For centuries, clothes were hard to produce and expensive. People wore them as long as possible. But manufacturing advances have steadily driven down the cost of production. These days, […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Central bank independence and credibility matters. Here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Simon, Adjunct Fellow in Economics, Macquarie University Olga Kashubin/Shutterstock In the United States, President Donald Trump has been pressuring the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, to slash interest rates. This is partly to ease the interest payments on the ballooning US government debt. […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Kneecap’s stance on Gaza extends a long history of the Irish supporting other oppressed peoples
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciara Smart, PhD Graduand in Australasian Irish History, University of Tasmania Love them or hate them, there’s no doubt Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap are having a moment. Their music – delivered in a powerful fusion of English and Irish – is known for its gritty lyrics about […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change. It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international […]

    MIL-OSI Submissions: Yellowknife’s Giant Mine: Canada downplayed arsenic exposure as an Indigenous community was poisoned
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Arn Keeling, Professor, Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland Giant Mine, just north of Yellowknife, N.W.T., in September 2011. The gold mine officially opened in 1948 and was operational for over 50 years before it was closed in 2004. (John Sandlos) Decades of gold mining at Giant […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Popular Tunisian island’s cultural heritage at risk due to tourism, neglect and climate change
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Majdi Faleh, Academic Fellow & Lecturer in Architecture and Cultural Heritage, Nottingham Trent University The Sidi Yati mosque in Djerba, which dates back to the 10th century, has been damaged by coastal erosion. Mehdi Elouati, CC BY-NC-ND Nestled in the southern Mediterranean, off the south-east coast of Tunisia, […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Farewell to summer? ‘Haze’ and ‘trash’ among Earth’s new seasons as climate change and pollution play havoc
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Felicia Liu, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Sustainability, University of York Throughout history, people have viewed seasons as relatively stable, recurrent blocks of time that neatly align farming, cultural celebrations and routines with nature’s cycles. But the seasons as we know them are changing. Human activity is rapidly transforming […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: A Philosopher Looks at Clothes by Kate Moran is engaging and unpretentious – we need more philosophy books like this
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sarah Richmond, Honorary Associate Professor of Philosophy, UCL With a few exceptions, philosophers have had little to say about clothes. Maybe this is because the topic seems frivolous, or feminine, unworthy of the attention of a predominantly male collection of thinkers. Perhaps, too, the transience of fashion, and […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Hosepipe ban survival guide: which garden plants to save and which to sacrifice
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alastair Culham, Associate Professor of Botany, University of Reading Studio 37/Shutterstock With hosepipe bans in force across several English regions and more restrictions likely to follow, gardeners face some tough choices. When every drop counts, which plants deserve your precious water from the water butt, and which should […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: As Sri Lanka’s economy pivots from tourism, it’s well placed to benefit from global trade and geopolitical jostling – new research
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hemamali Tennakoon, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Management, Brunel University of London Dmytro Buianskyi/Shutterstock With its natural beauty, wildlife and culture, Sri Lanka is known as the “pearl of the Indian Ocean”, and attracts millions of tourists every year. But my research suggests that the country might not […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: A global treaty to limit plastic pollution is within reach – will countries seize the moment?
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Winnie Courtene-Jones, Lecturer in Marine Pollution, Bangor University Bandung, Indonesia. Sony Herdiana/Shutterstock Representatives from 175 countries will gather in Geneva, Switzerland, in August for the final round of negotiations on a legally binding UN treaty to end plastic pollution. Non-governmental organisations, academics and industry lobbyists will also be […]

  • Technology – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for July 23, 2025

    Technology News – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for July 23, 2025

    MIL-OSI China: China’s large scientific facility attracts global scientists for cutting-edge research
    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News China’s large scientific facility attracts global scientists for cutting-edge research BEIJING, July 22 — The Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility (SECUF), a major scientific infrastructure in Beijing’s suburban district Huairou, has attracted scientists from multiple countries to conduct cutting-edge research with its exceptional experimental conditions. A […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Kim Introduce Bill to Combat AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) today introduced the Preventing Recurring Online Abuse of Children Through Intentional Vetting of Artificial Intelligence (PROACTIV AI) Data Act, which would encourage artificial intelligence (AI) developers to identify, remove, and report known child […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect State and Local Judges
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act, which would establish a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource […]

    MIL-OSI: reAlpha Tech Corp. Announces Closing of $5 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-The-Market Under Nasdaq Rules
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) DUBLIN, Ohio, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced the closing of its previously announced registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules for the purchase and sale of 14,285,718 shares of its common stock at […]

    MIL-OSI: Altucher Releases Urgent Presentation Potentially Linking August 13 to Starlink’s Global Pivot
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Austin, TX, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A newly released presentation by bestselling author and tech entrepreneur James Altucher is drawing attention for spotlighting a potential turning point in the rollout of Elon Musk’s satellite network, Starlink. Altucher outlines a series of developments—some public, some behind closed doors—that appear to be converging […]

    MIL-OSI: Pulse Seismic Inc. Reports Strong Q2 2025 Financial Results and Declares Special and Regular Quarterly Dividends
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) CALGARY, Alberta, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pulse Seismic Inc. (TSX:PSD) (OTCQX:PLSDF) (“Pulse” or the “Company”) is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025. The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, accompanying notes and MD&A are being filed on SEDAR+ […]

    MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan: UN scales up response plan as humanitarian needs spiral in Tawila
    Source: United Nations 2 Over 380,000 people are currently displaced there, and the plan aims at increasing assistance for communities over the next three months. It focuses on food, healthcare, water, sanitation, shelter and protection, and requires $120 million for implementation, according to the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA).  Spread of diseases The health […]

    MIL-OSI: Timberland Bancorp Third Fiscal Quarter Net Income Increases to $7.10 Million
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Quarterly EPS Increases 22% to $0.90 from $0.74 One Year Ago Quarterly Net Interest Margin Increases to 3.80% Quarterly Return on Average Assets Increases to 1.47% Quarterly Return on Average Equity Increases to 11.23% Announces New Stock Repurchase Program HOQUIAM, Wash., July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Timberland Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSBK) […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intelligence Authorization Bill Advances with Key Provisions Authored by Senator Collins
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins Published: July 22, 2025 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that the Committee advanced the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 by a 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Introduces African Diaspora Investment and Development Act (AIDA)
    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district)) Unlocking the development potential of diaspora communities and helping reduce reliance on foreign aid WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Rep. Jonathan J. Jackson (D-IL) introduced the African Diaspora Investment and Development Act (AIDA), groundbreaking legislation that harnesses the […]

    MIL-OSI: iDox.ai Announces Launch of iDox.ai Privacy Scout: AI-Powered Solution That Goes Beyond DLP to Protect Sensitive Data in Real Time
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Fremont, California , July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iDox.ai, a U.S.-based provider of AI-powered document compliance tools, announces the launch of iDox.ai Privacy Scout, an advanced Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution engineered to detect and protect sensitive information in real time, particularly in environments deploying Generative AI. iDox.ai As organizations adopt […]

    MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR BUILDING NEW CAPITAL DISTRICT ARMORY FOR NY ARMY NATIONAL GUARD’S 42ND INFANTRY DIVISION HEADQUARTERS
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer Current 42nd Infantry Division HQ Armory Built in 1971 Has Long-Been Running Out Of Space, Technology, And Infrastructure Needed To Maintain US Army Division HQ And Support Training, Readiness, And Mission Requirements After Months Of Work, Schumer Just Secured New $90M Authorization […]

    MIL-OSI: Baker Hughes Company Announces Second-Quarter 2025 Results
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Second-quarter highlights Orders of $7.0 billion, including $3.5 billion of IET orders. RPO of $34.0 billion, including record IET RPO of $31.3 billion. Revenue of $6.9 billion, down 3% year-over-year. Attributable net income of $701 million. GAAP diluted EPS of $0.71 and adjusted diluted EPS* of $0.63. Adjusted EBITDA* of $1,212 million, up […]

    MIL-OSI: First Busey Corporation Announces 2025 Second Quarter Earnings
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) LEAWOOD, Kan., July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Busey Corporation (Nasdaq: BUSE) Announces 2025 Second Quarter Earnings. Net Income   Diluted EPS   Net Interest Margin1   ROAA1   ROATCE1 $47.4 million   $0.52   3.49%   1.00%   11.24% $57.4 million (adj)2   $0.63 (adj)2   3.33% (adj)2   1.21% (adj)2 […]

    MIL-OSI: FS Bancorp, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Net Income of $7.7 Million or $0.99 Per Diluted Share and Declares 50th Consecutive Quarterly Cash Dividend in Addition to a Special Dividend 
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash., July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FS Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSBW) (the “Company”), the holding company for 1st Security Bank of Washington (the “Bank”) today reported 2025 second quarter net income of $7.7 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, compared to $9.0 million, or $1.13 per diluted share, for the comparable quarter one year […]

    MIL-OSI: Weatherford Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Second quarter revenue of $1,204 million increased 1% sequentially Second quarter operating income of $237 million increased 67% sequentially Second quarter net income of $136 million increased 79% sequentially; net income margin of 11.3% Second quarter adjusted EBITDA* of $254 million was flat sequentially; adjusted EBITDA margin* of 21.1% decreased 11 basis […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Ultra fast fashion could be taxed to oblivion in France. Could Australia follow suit?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Ryan McVay/Getty For centuries, clothes were hard to produce and expensive. People wore them as long as possible. But manufacturing advances have steadily driven down the cost of production. These days, […]

    MIL-OSI Security: Former Taney County Volunteer Firefighter Sentenced to 180 Months for Child Pornography
    Source: US FBI SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Hollister, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for sharing child pornography over the internet. Cameron Allen Ryan, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Ryan to 10 years of supervised release […]

    MIL-OSI Security: Five Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Operating One of the Largest Illegal Television Show Streaming Services in the United States
    Source: United States Attorneys General Yesterday, the final judgments were issued for five Nevada men, including a citizen of Germany, who were sentenced on May 29 and 30 to terms of up to 84 months in prison for running Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in the United States. “The defendants operated […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Five Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Operating One of the Largest Illegal Television Show Streaming Services in the United States
    Source: US State of North Dakota Yesterday, the final judgments were issued for five Nevada men, including a citizen of Germany, who were sentenced on May 29 and 30 to terms of up to 84 months in prison for running Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in the United States. “The defendants […]

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Announces Another Trump Cabinet Member as Featured Speaker at Entrepreneur Expo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin will be a featured speaker at her upcoming Entrepreneur Expo.
    The third annual event, taking place at Iowa State University on Tuesday, August 12, will provide Iowa small businesses an unparalleled chance to learn about opportunities across the federal marketplace with networking and hands-on instruction.
    “Administrator Zeldin has been a champion for small businesses in Washington, and I have proudly worked with him to reform the harmful WOTUS rule and slash costly red tape,” said Ernst. “His work has empowered entrepreneurs to be able to spend less time sorting through a mountain of paperwork and more time on the shop floor, out in the fields, or serving their customers. His expertise will be invaluable to expo attendees, and I am excited to welcome him back to the great state of Iowa!”
    “Senator Ernst is a fierce advocate for Iowa small business owners and farmers. I am very excited to join her Entrepreneur Expo next month,” said Zeldin. “In the first six-months of the Trump Administration, we have been full steam ahead working hard to provide relief for Americans by protecting our precious environment while rolling back onerous regulations that have held back our economy. EPA’s goal is to get out of the way and make it easier, not harder, for American businesses to prosper. I look forward to meeting many hard working Iowans and am eager to solicit their feedback and input as we Power the Great American Comeback.”
    Click here to learn more and RSVP for the event.
    Background:
    Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler will also be a featured speaker at the expo.
    Last year, 40 federal and state entities came to Ernst’s Expo to connect with small businesses on opportunities in federal contracting and innovation programs.
    Hundreds of Iowans attended Ernst’s 2023 Expo, which featured 31 federal and state entities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: West Virginia Delegation Applauds Disaster Declaration Approval for Ohio and Marion Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), as well as U.S. Reps. Carol Miller (W.Va.-01) and Riley Moore (W.Va.-02), applauded President Donald Trump’s approval of a Major Disaster Declaration and an Emergency Declaration for Ohio and Marion counties.

    “The West Virginia Congressional Delegation is grateful to the Trump administration for the major disaster declaration and emergency declaration giving the approval of our state’s request for federal disaster aid. The flooding that occurred saw devastating loss of life and property, and we are glad that much-needed help is on the way to help these communities recover and rebuild. We commend the bravery of the first responders who sprang into action and the local leaders, churches, and charities who have been on the ground helping victims begin to rebuild their lives,” the lawmakers said. 

    The Major Disaster Declaration means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance program will be able to provide financial aid to homeowners and renters affected by the June flooding. 

    The delegation sent a letter to President Trump and FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Hutchinson expressing strong support of the governor’s Major Disaster Declaration request in Ohio and Marion counties. You can view a copy of that letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Meets with UTEP President Heather Wilson

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    July 22, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) met today with University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) President Heather Wilson to discuss breaking down barriers to education, supporting UTEP students, and advancing their top-tier academic programs in fields ranging from biological sciences and nursing to education and engineering. See photo below.

    This image is in the public domain, but those wishing to do so may credit the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect State and Local Judges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act, which would establish a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to provide technical assistance, training, and threat monitoring for state and local judges and court personnel:

    “With threats against judges and their families increasing at an alarming rate, more must be done to protect them,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would establish a much-needed resource center to identify and respond to bad actors, ensuring our nation’s courts and the Americans who work in them every day are safe.”

    “Public servants should be able to do their jobs free from threats to themselves or their families – and that includes our state and local judges,” said Sen. Coons. “Our nation has seen increasing political violence that has too often ended in tragedy – threatening those just trying to serve their country and threatening our democratic system built on respect for the rule of law. I’m proud this bipartisan bill unanimously passed the Senate last year and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill to the president’s desk.”

    “Judges perform a critical community service at every level of our justice system,” said Sen. Moran. “Regardless of how a judge rules on a case, any form of harassment or intimidation is unacceptable. In response to growing threats and attacks against members of the judiciary, this legislation would provide needed resources and support to local law enforcement tasked with protecting judges and courthouses.”

    “Online mobs have increasingly lobbed violent threats against judges, including in Rhode Island, for ruling against the Trump administration.  Judges and court officials must be able to conduct their work without fearing for their lives or their family’s safety,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “This timely bipartisan bill would bolster security at courthouses and judges’ homes to help protect the integrity of our judicial system.  We also need to make sure that orchestration of threats is properly investigated.”

    “We’re seeing an alarming surge of dangerous threats and actions targeting judges across this nation – stoking the flames of violence towards public servants and their families,” said Sen. Shaheen. “Our bipartisan legislation offers a commonsense solution to this troubling trend by establishing a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to implement enhanced security measures to keep judges, their families and their staff out of harm’s way.”

    U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced companion legislation in the House.

    Background:

    The Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act would create a State Judicial Threat Intelligence and Resource Center to:

    • Provide technical assistance to state and local judges and court personnel around judicial security;
    • Provide physical security assessments for courts, homes, and other facilities where judicial officers and staff conduct court-related business;
    • Conduct research to identify, examine, and advance best practices around judicial security;
    • And be housed within the existing State Justice Institute, a private nonprofit and nonpartisan corporation established by Congress in 1984.

    The legislation is supported by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal (CCJSCA), National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), National Center for State Courts (NCSC), American Judges Association (AJA), National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), and National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Kim Introduce Bill to Combat AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) today introduced the Preventing Recurring Online Abuse of Children Through Intentional Vetting of Artificial Intelligence (PROACTIV AI) Data Act, which would encourage artificial intelligence (AI) developers to identify, remove, and report known child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the datasets they compile or obtain for use in training AI models to help proactively stop AI image generators from creating child pornography:
    “Modern predators are exploiting advances in AI to develop new AI-generated child sexual abuse material, and technology companies are often unwittingly giving them the tools to do so,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By encouraging tech companies to proactively screen their datasets to remove and report explicit images of children, this legislation would mitigate the risk of AI platforms unintentionally enabling the creation of new content depicting child sexual abuse and better safeguard children online.”
    “As we develop AI models, it is important that we establish critical protections to look out for the most vulnerable in digital spaces,” said Sen. Kim. “This bill is an opportunity for Congress and AI developers to take an important step forward together and implement the necessary safeguards to keep our children safe from future misuse or exploitation.”
    Background:
    Foundational AI models require large amounts of data for training purposes. Given the size of these datasets and the amount of compute needed to work through them during training, many companies do not screen content for harmful materials. Recognizing the potential for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to unintentionally work its way into these datasets given the methods of collection, researchers at Stanford University screened multiple data sets, including the LAION-5B data set used to train many of the leading image-generating models. Their work identified more than 3,000 data entries of likely CSAM in the dataset. This is troubling, not just because of the accessibility of known CSAM, but because many products and tools now have content from which to draw if asked to generate new CSAM by users. Left unaddressed, foundation models can be corrupted by CSAM data and make it possible for them to be coopted by predators.
    According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, AI-generated material has proliferated at an alarming rate in the past year with nearly half a million incidents of AI-related CSAM reported in the first half of the year, compared to fewer than 70,000 reported for all of 2024.
    The PROACTIV AI Data Act would:
    Direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to issue voluntary best practices for AI developers to screen their datasets used for training AI models for known CSAM;
    Direct the National Science Foundation to support research into innovative methods and technologies for identifying, removing, and reporting CSAM from datasets;
    And provide limited liability protection to AI companies that follow the new best practices so those acting in good faith aren’t legally punished for accidentally handling CSAM via automated data crawlers on the internet.
    This legislation builds on First Lady Melania Trump’s efforts to combat the rise of AI deepfake pornography and keep children safe online.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Chairs Biden Border Betrayal Hearing, Calls for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Facility in Texas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today delivered the following opening remarks during the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing he chaired entitled, “Biden’s Border Betrayal: Criminal Aliens in America.” Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.

    “Media outlets have spread misinformation allowing harmful, false rhetoric to dominate the airwaves.”

    “The first false narrative I want to address is a claim that illegal aliens are not criminals, but law-abiding individuals.”

    “At the moment an alien illegally enters the United States, they have committed a crime.”

    “By the time any alien has received an order of removal, they have had all the due process they are owed under the law.”

    “Many have had the opportunity to have their day in court – the very essence of due process that they neglected to show up.”

    “As we speak, there are 291,141 criminal aliens in the United States today who have final orders of removal.”

    “I want to remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that there was a time in the not so distant past when they agreed that criminal aliens should be deported, but it seems like amnesia has set in, especially because we now happen to have a President in office who has restored the rule of law.”

    “American voters know full-well that deterrence is an important part of immigration enforcement and preventing the flow of criminal aliens into the United States, which means swift apprehension, detention, and deportation.”

    “The State of Florida has stepped up to the plate recently, helping the administration to open a detention facility that’s come to be known as Alligator Alcatraz. I’m hopeful that other states will step up to help in similar ways. If we could find a way to make something like this work in Texas, I would strongly support it, and I’d encourage our Governor, as well as Secretary Noem, to explore the possibility of locating future detention facilities in Texas.”

    “We’re here today to remind the public of the real tragedy of President Biden’s open-border policies, the hundreds of victims of criminal illegal aliens – crimes that could have been avoided if the laws on the books had simply been enforced.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ADB Lowers Economic Growth Forecast for Asia and the Pacific

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    ADB has lowered its growth forecasts for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific this year and next year. The downgrades are driven by expectations of reduced exports amid higher United States (U.S.) tariffs and global trade uncertainty, as well as weaker domestic demand.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Outlook (ADO) July 2025: Slower Growth Amid Tariffs and Uncertainty

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Tariffs and trade uncertainty are dampening the outlook for developing Asia and the Pacific, with growth forecasts downgraded to 4.7% for 2025 and 4.6% for 2026. Risks include renewed tariff hikes, geopolitical tensions, and further property market weakness in the People’s Republic of China.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Auckland is NZ’s ‘primate city’ but its potential remains caged in by poor planning and vision

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    The recent report comparing Auckland to nine international peer cities delivered an uncomfortable truth: our largest city is falling behind, hampered by car dependency, low-density housing and “weak economic performance”.

    The Deloitte State of the City analysis was no surprise to anyone who has watched successive governments treat the city as a problem to manage, rather than an engine to fuel.

    The report’s findings were stark: Auckland rates 82nd out of 84 cities globally for pedestrian friendliness, and its car-dependent transport system is more carbon-intensive and slower to decarbonise than peer cities.

    This is the direct result of decades of planning failures, including what urban researchers call the 1970s “great down-zoning” which halved central Auckland’s housing capacity.

    This isn’t just Auckland’s problem. When we mismanage what geographers call a “primate city,” it reveals our fundamental misunderstanding of how modern economies work.

    The concept of the primate city was formalised by geographer Mark Jefferson in 1939. Such cities are defined as being “at least twice as large as the next largest city and more than twice as significant”.

    Auckland fits this definition perfectly. With more than 1.7 million people, it is over four times larger than Christchurch or the greater Wellington region. The city accounts for 34% of New Zealand’s population and is projected to hit 40% of the working-age population by 2048.

    Auckland contributes 38% of New Zealand’s gross domestic product and its per-capita GDP is 15% higher than the rest of the country’s. Its most productive area, the central business district, enjoys a 40% productivity premium over the national average.

    To economists, these numbers represent the “agglomeration benefits” research shows primate cities generate. It is the economic effect of combining businesses, talent and infrastructure.

    Yet New Zealand systematically underinvests in the very place generating this outsized economic contribution.

    A pattern of infrastructure failure

    Auckland’s infrastructure deficit follows a predictable pattern. The City Rail Link, while progressing, has grown from an initial budget of NZ$2-3 billion to $5.5 billion, with opening delayed until 2026.

    Light rail was cancelled entirely after years of planning. A second harbour crossing has been studied for decades without a shovel hitting dirt. Each represents billions in opportunity costs while congestion worsens.

    This goes well beyond project mismanagement. It is a deep structural problem.

    The Infrastructure Commission-Te Waihanga identifies a $210 billion national infrastructure shortfall, with Auckland bearing a disproportionate burden despite generating a disproportionately high level of revenue.

    International research by the OECD shows successful countries treat metropolitan regions as engines of national growth, not a burden.

    The ‘Wellington problem’

    Public policy expert Ian Shirley called it the “Wellington Problem”: the way Auckland’s governance became an obsession for politicians and bureaucrats based in Wellington.

    The tension dates to 1865 when the capital was moved from Auckland to Wellington, establishing a pattern where political power was deliberately separated from economic power.

    Auckland loses an estimated $415.35 million annually in GST collected on rates. This goes to Wellington and into government revenue rather than being reinvested locally. Central government properties in Auckland, worth $36.3 million in rates, are exempt from payment while still using Auckland’s infrastructure.

    When Auckland speaks with “one voice” through its unified council, Wellington responds with legislative overrides.

    The recent National Land Transport Programme, for example, cut Auckland’s transport funding by $564 million. Mayor Wayne Brown said the government’s transport policy “makes zero sense for Auckland”.

    Learning from others

    The contrast with international approaches reveals just how counterproductive New Zealand’s approach has been.

    London has an integrated Transport for London authority with congestion charging powers, generating £136 million annually for reinvestment. Paris is investing more than €35 billion in the Grand Paris Express transit project.

    Japan’s “Quality Infrastructure Investment” principles include ¥13.2 trillion in regional infrastructure investment. Australia’s A$120 billion infrastructure programme explicitly recognises its largest cities contribute over 50% of GDP and require proportional investment.

    Research has shown excessive urban concentration in one country can create problems. But denying the primate city resources only leads to a “deterioration in the quality of life” that drags down the entire national economy.

    The solution lies in making strategic investments that maximise the benefits of agglomeration while managing any negative costs to the national economy.

    Growing pains

    Auckland isn’t a problem to be managed, it is an asset to be leveraged. Every successful developed economy has learned this lesson. Paris generates 31% of France’s GDP and gets treated accordingly.

    Seoul produces 23% of South Korea’s output and receives massive infrastructure investment. Tokyo drives Japan’s economy.

    The international evidence is unambiguous: countries that strategically invest in their primate cities achieve higher productivity growth and maintain competitive advantages.

    Auckland doesn’t need sympathy or special treatment. It needs what every primate city in every successful economy gets: infrastructure investment proportional to its economic contribution, governance structures that reflect its scale, and political leadership that understands agglomeration economics.

    The question isn’t whether Auckland is too big. The question is whether New Zealand is big enough to nurture its primate city.

    Timothy Welch 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. Auckland is NZ’s ‘primate city’ but its potential remains caged in by poor planning and vision – https://theconversation.com/auckland-is-nzs-primate-city-but-its-potential-remains-caged-in-by-poor-planning-and-vision-261176

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – ABC RN Breakfast with Sally Sara

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    SALLY SARA, HOST: Legislation aimed at stripping funding from child care centres that fail to meet minimum standards will be introduced to the Federal Parliament today here in Canberra. Child care safety has been pushed to the top of the agenda following a string of shocking allegations of child abuse. In the latest development, lawyers for former child care worker Joshua Dale Brown have told a Melbourne court yesterday they expect the alleged child abuser will be hit with further charges on top of the more than 70 he already faces. Jess Walsh is the Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education and Senator for Victoria. She joined me a short time ago.

    SENATOR DR JESS WALSH, MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND MINISTER FOR YOUTH: Thanks for having me, Sally.

    SARA: Tell me about this legislation that’s going to be introduced today. What’s in it exactly?

    WALSH: We’re introducing tough new legislation today, Sally. I think people have been hearing a lot about the safety issues facing children and their families in early childhood education, and this legislation will give us a tough new lever to make sure that children are kept safe in our early learning settings. What it will allow us to do for the first time is withdraw Commonwealth funding from those providers who fail to put child safety ahead of profits.

    SARA: And so, what is the threshold there, what sort of incident or systemic incidents would need to happen in a child care centre for the Government to withhold funding?

    WALSH: Yes, we are looking at serious repeat offenders here when it comes to breaching our National Quality Standard when it comes to serious incidents and when it comes to complaints. So, services and providers who are failing to meet the standards that children need and the families, that families expect, they’re the services and providers that we’re looking at with this legislation.

    SARA: To be clear, are we talking about centres failing to meet expectations or will funding only be withheld if there’s been an actual incident there?

    WALSH: So the legislation gives us the ability to put all of that information and for the secretary of my department to make a decision to identify those repeat offenders, those providers, those services that persistently and consistently fail to meet standards and fail to keep our children safe. From there, there are a number of steps that the legislation gives us. We can start by issuing a show-cause notice as to why that provider, that service, should maintain their Commonwealth funding through the Child Care Subsidy. And we can make that show-cause notice public. We think that is a really strong step that will drive change. At that point, we think that those providers who are doing the wrong thing regularly will make the investments that they need to keep our children safe.

    SARA: Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that transparency for families who are trying to make decisions about the safety of their infants, of their kids, in the middle of all of this. What kind of information will be available so that parents can make an informed decision?

    WALSH: Yeah, that’s right, Sally, and I do want to reassure families that the vast majority of early childhood and education providers are meeting and exceeding our National Quality Standard, over 90 per cent. We are talking here about a minority of repeat offenders, a real minority of providers here. If families are in the services of those repeat offenders, they will be notified when we issue show-cause notices.

    SARA: What about the public generally? If I’ve got a child and I’m looking at that centre, will I know that something’s happened there?

    WALSH: Yes, those notices will be public. But you’re also raising a bigger issue there, Sally, about the next tranche of work that is underway as well, which is the child safety package that we’re putting together with education ministers who are meeting in just a couple of weeks’ time. So there are measures beyond this legislation as well. When education ministers come together, we want to announce the first-ever nationwide register of early childhood educators. We want to do work on mandatory child safe training, and we also want to provide much more transparent information to parents, so they know what the quality is and whether there are any issues in the services that they’re thinking about or currently sending their children to.

    SARA: So, at the moment, can parents see the quality assessments of child care centres?

    WALSH: Yes. What they can see is the national quality rating. They can see that.

    SARA: Can you see the reports of inspections?

    WALSH: You can’t see at the moment, Sally, compliance issues that may have been taken against your provider. And we think that families have the right to know if there are issues in their services. That’s one of the big pieces of work that we’re doing with the states and territories. And I do want to say, Sally, we’re working shoulder to shoulder with the states and territories on what we see as being a really strong and significant package to bring forward on quality and safety in early learning.

    SARA: So, we’re talking, I guess, with an assumption here that with information, parents can make an informed choice or decision, but in plenty of parts of the country, particularly in regional areas, there is no other centre. Is this part of the problem – the demand exceeds the supply of child care? What do parents do if there are concerns about their only centre?

    WALSH: So, if we get this right, Sally, this is going to drive more investment in quality, safe early learning. We are giving ourselves a big stick to wield here in being able to stop providers from opening more services, and indeed to be able to shut down existing services. We don’t expect that it will get to that because we expect, as soon as those providers get those show cause notices, that they will make the investment that children and families need to provide that quality and safe early learning.

    SARA: Is there a concern, though, that investors and companies might not want to come into this sector, given there’s going to be more regulation and compliance costs money for child care operators?

    WALSH: Well, there needs to be more regulation, Sally. I think we’ve been really open that the current sector settings are not strong enough to keep children safe. We’ve seen that in the really distressing reports that we’ve had. That’s why strong action is needed. And there are really two sets of actions we’re taking. One is the legislation that we’re introducing this week into the Parliament today, and that will allow us to withdraw Commonwealth funding from those providers who don’t do the right thing. And the second part of the action is the big package of reforms we’re working on with the states and territories.

    SARA: Labor’s already had control in the previous term of government, three years – why weren’t these measures put in place during the previous term?

    WALSH: I think we’ve been really open, Sally, that more needed to be done over a period of time.

    SARA: Did the Government fall short in your view?

    WALSH: I think we’ve been open that more needed to be done, and we’ve had recommendations for many years, almost a decade, that have sat there, and we are expediting those recommendations. One of the recommendations that’s been there for a while is that we do need to know where our early childhood educators are actually working. That’s why we want to develop the first-ever nationwide register of early childhood educators.

    SARA: When will that come into effect?

    WALSH: So, we’re having our next meeting, a stand-alone meeting, an urgent meeting of education ministers from around the country. We’ll have more to say about that then. What we’re working towards is getting agreement that all states and territories will participate in that nationwide register. We do need information about where our educators are working. We do need to know whether there are red flags that are being raised.

    SARA: But just to bring you back to the question, when will that be in place?

    WALSH: So, Sally, we have a meeting in just a couple of weeks’ time. We are working really hard on that register. We’ll have –

    SARA: By the end of the year, do you think?

    WALSH: We’ll have more to say on that, Sally, in a couple of weeks.  It is an absolutely urgent item that we are all working on.

    SARA: Jess Walsh, Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education and Senator for Victoria, thank you very much for your time this morning.

    WALSH: Thanks, Sally.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: UK bans Gaza protest group – could the same thing happen in Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University

    More than 100 people were arrested in the United Kingdom on the weekend for supporting Palestine Action, a protest group that opposes Britain’s support of Israel.

    Palestine Action was recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation, placing it in the same category as Hamas, al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

    Many of those arrested were simply holding signs that read: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. They were predominantly aged over 60.

    In recent weeks, an 83-year-old vicar, a former government lawyer and various pensioners have been taken into custody and could be jailed for up to 14 years if found guilty of belonging to the protest group.

    Simply holding a sign or wearing a T-shirt with the words “Palestine Action” could be punishable with a six-month jail term.

    The protesters say they refuse to be silenced:

    If we cannot speak freely about the genocide that is occurring […], if we cannot condemn those who are complicit in it […] then the right to freedom of expression has no meaning, and democracy and human rights in this country are dead.

    Police arresting protestors calling for the terrorism ban to be overturned.

    So what is Palestine Acton and why is “middle England” up in arms over its designation as a terrorist group?

    Activist network

    Palestine Action is a UK-based activist network founded in 2020 with the stated aim of “ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

    The group views the British government as complicit in Israeli war crimes in Gaza. It also aspires to halt UK arms exports through disruptive protests and vandalism.

    Members have generally targeted Israeli-linked businesses, such as defence company Elbit Systems, by damaging equipment or blocking entrances.

    Supporters include grassroots activists, civil liberties advocates, health professionals, clergy and prominent figures such as Pink Floyd musician Roger Waters.

    Serious concerns

    Palestine Action was officially proscribed in the UK on July 5, after campaigners sprayed paint into the engines of two Voyager aircraft at an air force base.

    The final vote was overwhelming: 385 MPs supported the ban, while just 26 opposed it.

    Under the Terrorism Act 2000, membership, support, or public endorsement of a proscribed group is a criminal offence punishable by sentences up to 14 years.

    The UK government argues the group’s actions exceeded legal protest and raised serious security concerns.

    Since then, scores of people have been searched and arrested at rallies in support of Palestine Acton.

    Blurring the lines

    Critics, including Amnesty International, civil liberties groups and The Guardian editorial board warn the ban blurs the line between non-violent civil disobedience and terrorism. They argue it also threatens democratic dissent through a statutory abuse of power.

    Counter-terrorism laws permit extraordinary interference in due process and other fundamental human rights protections. Consequently, they must always be used with the highest degree of restraint.

    The UK already had legislation in place to deal with criminal damage and violent disorder.

    United Nations legal and human rights experts have spoken out against treating the actions of protesters who damage property without the intent to injure people as terrorism:

    According to international standards, acts of protest that damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people, should not be treated as terrorism.

    Abuse of power

    Designating Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation appears to be aimed at curtailing free expression, the assembly and association of those who support the protest action against Israel’s war on Gaza.

    Placing it in the same legal category as Hamas seems designed to reduce public sympathy for the group.

    Palestine Action is challenging its proscription in the UK High Court. Lawyers for the group argue the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has assessed the vast majority of its activities to be lawful:

    On nature and scale, the home secretary [Yvette Cooper] accepts that only three of Palestine Action’s at least 385 actions would meet the statutory definition of terrorism […] itself a dubious assessment.

    The lawyers further argue proscription was “repugnant” and an “authoritarian abuse of power”.

    Australian version?

    There are no indications from the intelligence community that any direct affiliate of Palestine Action (UK) operates in Australia.

    However, there are pro-Palestinian activist organisations, including a Palestine Action Group Sydney, which is part of the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN).

    Broader solidarity movements such as Students for Palestine, are active in protests on university campuses and against arms shipments to Israel.

    Domestic terrorism powers

    Traditional boundaries between “activism”, “extremism”, “hate-crime” and “terrorism” are rapidly blurring in Australia.

    The attorney general may list (“proscription” is a UK term) any organisation as a “terrorist organisation” if they are satisfied it is “advocating terrorism”. This would mean criminalising the expression of support, instruction, or praise of terrorist acts or offences.

    The latest addition to the 31-member list is Terrorgram, an online terrorism advocacy chatroom.

    Australia’s extensive definition of “terrorist act”, currently under review, expressly excludes

    advocacy, protest, dissent or industrial action and which is not intended to cause serious or life-endangering harm or death or to create a serious risk to the safety or health of the public.

    This suggests an Australian version of a Palestine Action undertaking similar conduct to its UK cousin would not meet the legal threshold for listing.

    However, the recent Terrorgram listing makes reference to advocacy for “attacks on minority groups, critical infrastructure and specific individuals”.

    This suggests the UK and Australian governments are becoming more aligned in interpreting “violent” protest to include violence against property, rather than just against people.

    Short of listing, a significant suite of investigative, coercive and preventative executive exists that could be deployed if a similar organisation appears in Australia.

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

    – ref. UK bans Gaza protest group – could the same thing happen in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/uk-bans-gaza-protest-group-could-the-same-thing-happen-in-australia-261562

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Climate disasters are pushing people into homelessness – but there’s a lot we can do about it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Heffernan, Lecturer in Anthropology, Australian National University

    Almost half of all Australian properties are at risk of bushfire, while 17,500 face risk of coastal erosion. By 2030, more than 3 million will face riverine flood risk.

    Meanwhile, housing demand continues to outpace supply. With climate-related disasters projected to increase in frequency and severity, the task of ensuring safe and adequate housing for all Australians remains a challenge.

    In other words, disasters are worsening the housing shortage, rendering more people at risk of homelessness.

    There is growing consensus in the homelessness and emergency management sectors that Australia needs a national policy response.

    We must ensure secure and safe housing options are a disaster planning priority.

    Like ‘living a disaster every day’

    Climate disasters displace 22,261 Australians on average each year. People with the lowest incomes make up 80% of this. The very poorest 3%, despite being small, make up 14% of displaced households.

    Australia is not alone. Globally, 70% of internal displacement in 2024 resulted from disasters, often disproportionately affecting low socioeconomic areas.

    Loss of housing affects everything from a person’s health and employment to education and relationships. One person who’d experienced disaster-related housing loss said it was like

    living a disaster every day, but without the assistance and support given to most disaster survivors.

    Renters, rough sleepers and people living in unattached dwellings are most vulnerable.

    Slipping through the cracks

    The catastrophic Northern Rivers floods in 2022 provide an instructive example.

    The floods rendered over 3,500 homes uninhabitable and more than 8,000 were damaged. Over 1,400 people were displaced and offered emergency accommodation by the New South Wales government.

    The total number of people experiencing homelessness post-floods remains unclear. This is due to existing overcrowding and because people left the area or became uncontactable.

    Recent research colleagues and I conducted with homeowners and renters, commissioned by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, examined 17 people’s experiences of securing shelter after disaster.

    In Lismore, a key barrier was poor communication and increased competition for rental housing. One person told us:

    The real estate basically dropped the ball after a month. I had to chase them up, and the return of my bond and all that. […] I applied for ten different properties and never heard back. […] I ended up sourcing my own accommodation, a camper trailer, and camped out at the local showgrounds.

    For renters, the disaster couldn’t have come at a worse time. A preexisting rental crisis across the region meant the private market was already tight.

    Homeowners, by contrast, were able to use insurance to cover transitional housing costs or were eligible for several funding sources to repair properties. This highlights a policy emphasis toward homeowners.

    In this context, people can slip through the cracks, increasing the risk of homelessness.

    Post-disaster housing can compound vulnerability

    Temporary shelters – such as crisis shelters, motels, short-term rentals, pods, cabins and caravans – can be a stop-gap against the risk of homelessness after disaster. However, temporary shelter comes with trade-offs and downsides.

    Crisis and commercial options can be damaged during disaster, limiting their use. Pod villages provide mass shelter but are costly, slow to deliver, and there’s often no meaningful plan for people to transition out of them.

    Some 18 months after the 2022 Northern Rivers floods, 1,021 people were still living in temporary pod villages and 257 people remained in caravans.

    Rent is not usually charged. When relied on beyond the immediate term, this can compound vulnerability by creating gaps in people’s rental history.

    A NSW government audit found 724 households were on the waitlist for temporary housing a year after the floods, though this list was rarely updated.

    Overall, relatively few households have secured long-term housing solutions. This year, four pod villages will be demobilised amid the region’s ongoing rental crisis.

    This comes at a time when Australia is facing a shortfall of 640,000 social and affordable homes.

    Around 110,000 requests for homelessness services go unassisted annually.

    A national framework is needed

    In 2024, a national symposium, convened by the Australian Red Cross, Homelessness Australia and UNSW Sydney’s HowWeSurvive initiative, brought together 125 professionals from the housing, homelessness, emergency management, government and academic sectors.

    The report, released in June 2025, called for a national framework focused on disasters, housing and homelessness.

    Several policies deal separately with these areas at the Commonwealth, state and territory levels. A unified approach, however, would reposition shelter after disaster from a stop-gap to a central part of disaster planning.

    The aim is to strengthen housing options before a natural hazard occurs and prevent disaster-related homelessness.

    Australia needs a coordinated strategy and taskforce to align housing, homelessness, and disaster policies and programs. Homelessness planning should be part of disaster planning, and vice versa, to ensure housing type and tenure does not place people at risk of homelessness when disaster strikes.

    This requires going beyond just linking displaced households with crisis services.

    We must plan for each stage of housing before and after a disaster and anticipate diverse needs, especially for renters and those at risk of homelessness.

    Responses should be trauma-informed and able to adapt individual experiences.

    Now is the time to act – before the next disaster strikes.

    This article was developed with the Australian Red Cross and Homelessness Australia, co-facilitators of the Housing, Homelessness and Disasters National Symposium held in Melbourne in 2024. The symposium was supported by National Shelter and the Community Housing Industry Association, and event funding was provided by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

    Timothy Heffernan has received funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), the NSW government and the National Health and Medical Research Council. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at HowWeSurvive, UNSW Sydney.

    – ref. Climate disasters are pushing people into homelessness – but there’s a lot we can do about it – https://theconversation.com/climate-disasters-are-pushing-people-into-homelessness-but-theres-a-lot-we-can-do-about-it-259149

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Calls on Senate Republicans to Reject Trump Administration’s Devastating Housing Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) called on the members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing housing funding to reject the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to affordable housing programs. The proposed 44 percent cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) budget in the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request would eliminate or severely reduce funding for critical programs that Nevadans and Americans nationwide depend on.
    “The Trump Administration’s proposed cuts threaten many of the key housing programs Nevadans depend on to be able to afford a home,” wrote Senator Rosen. “HUD programs have helped build thousands of homes in Nevada, with CDBG assisting nearly 4,800 low-income households and the HOME program building or preserving nearly 9,000 homes in the state. With Nevada facing the largest shortfall of affordable housing nationwide, eliminating these successful programs will undoubtedly worsen the current housing shortage.”
    “If enacted, it is clear the Trump Administration’s proposed housing cuts would have catastrophic impacts in Nevada – hindering affordable housing development, threatening the housing security of thousands of Nevadans, and crippling the ability of Public Housing Agencies and nonprofits to provide housing resources,” she continued. “To avoid these consequences, I call on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development to reject President Trump’s harmful proposed cuts and fully fund the proven federal affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs communities in Nevada and across the country rely on.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has long championed efforts to make housing more affordable for hardworking Nevadans. She helped introduce the Housing Choice Vouchers Fairness Act, which updates HUD’s outdated voucher allocation formula to ensure rapid-growth cities like Las Vegas receive more funding. Senator Rosen is also a co-sponsor of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to raise low‑income housing tax credits by 50 percent to spur new affordable developments across the state. Last year, Senator Rosen celebrated securing over $43 million in HUD housing grants for Nevada, which helped fund Community Development Block Grants and HOME Investment Partnership Program investments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Colleagues Push to Prevent Corporations From Using Trump’s Chaotic Tariffs as Cover to Price Gouge Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and stop corporations that may be using Donald Trump’s tariffs as a cover to raise prices on all goods, regardless of whether they are actually subject to new tariffs, and increase prices above and beyond what is necessary to cover any additional costs. In June 2025, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released new survey results showing that “a significant share” of companies raised prices of goods and services that are not subject to tariffs.
    “This Administration’s reckless approach to trade is spiking costs for small businesses and creating opportunities for billion-dollar companies to grow their profits and take advantage of consumers,” wrote the lawmakers. “The FTC should be utilizing its full authority to prevent these unfair practices.”
    Senator Rosen has helped lead the fight opposing Trump’s reckless tariffs and defending consumers. She helped introduce the Tariff Transparency Act, which would require the U.S. International Trade Commission to study and publicly report on the economic effects of tariffs on Canada and Mexico– key trading partners for Nevada industries. She’s also repeatedly pushed back against price gouging, calling on the DOJ to curb price gouging at the gas pump and in the housing market.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transportation Leaders to Fischer: EVs Must Pay Their Fair Share

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, pressed key transportation leaders on whether electric vehicles (EVs) should contribute to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which supports the construction and maintenance of U.S. roads and bridges.

    While drivers of gasoline-powered cars pay into the HTF through the federal gas tax, EVs currently do not contribute at all – despite weighing significantly more due to their large batteries. The added weight contributes to greater wear and tear on roads and bridges, increasing maintenance costs.

    Fischer’s Fair SHARE Act would require EVs to contribute to the HTF, helping offset the damage they cause to America’s infrastructure.

    Click the image above to watch Fischer’s line of questioning.

    Click here to download audio.
    Click here to download video.

    On EVs Paying Their Fair Share:

    Fischer: I want to be able to discuss with you both the Highway Trust Fund. Though the fund is outside this committee’s jurisdiction, I remain concerned about its solvency and the impact that insolvency would have on our entire system, infrastructure around this entire country. Though not a silver bullet, we need to get electric vehicles paying into the fund. Currently, electric vehicles don’t pay a dime. They are heavier. They cause more damage to roadways without paying for the repair, for the maintenance. They impact new construction as well. I have legislation that requires electric vehicles to contribute to the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and I know [Transportation & Infrastructure Committee] Chair Graves in the House has a proposal as well, and I appreciate his work to address this important issue. From your perspective, gentlemen, why is it important for EVs to contribute to the trust fund and for Congress to step up and address the fund solvency in our upcoming surface reauthorization?

    Spear:     So, I would just say that all users have to pay. They do. If you’re on the roads, you’re on the bridges, you should pay. EV’s don’t, and they’re heavier. It’s a developing technology that we need to capture and ensure that our roads and bridges remain a priority, and that those using them are contributing to that.

    …

    Fischer: Mr. Pugh, I’d like to hear your thoughts as well. 

    Pugh: Yeah, we definitely support some sort of registration fee or something going to the Highway Trust Fund with electric vehicles. I mean, by all means, why shouldn’t they pay? They use the highways, and they should. We should also make sure we’re not giving them special carve outs for hauling them or transporting them because they’re heavier loads to haul and transport. We should make sure we’re not doing that as well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier calls for strengthened agricultural production, poverty alleviation work

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

    Chinese vice premier calls for strengthened agricultural production, poverty alleviation work

    NANNING, July 22 — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has urged efforts to strengthen China’s production of key agricultural products, and to consolidate and expand the achievements of the country’s poverty alleviation campaign continuously.

    Liu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region which began on Sunday and ended on Tuesday.

    During his tour, Liu learned about rice production, the cultivation of sugar plants and the construction of high-standard farmland. He stressed the importance of harvesting early-season rice in a timely manner, of boosting late-season rice yields, of stabilizing the production of sugar plants, and of continuing high-standard farmland development.

    With the ongoing threat of typhoons and flooding, Liu urged immediate action to manage waterlogging and implement measures such as crop replanting to minimize damage.

    He emphasized the need for targeted poverty alleviation measures focusing on stable employment for migrant workers and people who have emerged from poverty. He also highlighted the importance of tapping local strengths to develop rural industries that boost farmers’ incomes.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s tech SMEs receive stronger credit support: central bank

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

    BEIJING, July 22 — China has stepped up credit support for technology companies this year, with half of the sector’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receiving loans by the end of the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday.

    The proportion of tech SMEs receiving loan support increased 3.2 percentage points compared to the same period last year, according to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s central bank.

    Outstanding loans to tech SMEs in both local and foreign currencies stood at 3.46 trillion yuan (about 484 billion U.S. dollars) by Q2, surging 22.9 percent year on year. This growth rate outpaced overall loan growth by 16.1 percentage points, the PBOC said in a report.

    Outstanding loans to high-tech firms in both local and foreign currencies rose 8.2 percent year on year, 1.4 percentage points higher than the overall loan growth rate, the report showed.

    The report also indicated stronger credit support for the country’s green transition, with outstanding green loans in both local and foreign currencies reaching 42.39 trillion yuan by the end of the second quarter, an increase of 14.4 percent from the beginning of this year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China strengthens disability support systems in 14th Five-Year Plan period

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

    A sign language interpreter works at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Millions of people living with disabilities have seen their lives improve as China made major strides in accessibility, inclusion and support during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

    At a press conference held in Beijing on Tuesday, senior officials from the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) outlined the major achievements in disability support during the period and shared new goals for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

    “The enrollment rate of children and adolescents with disabilities in compulsory education in China has reached 97 percent, with over 30,000 disabled students entering universities each year,” said Cheng Kai, chairman of the CDPF, at the press conference.

    The next five-year plan is set to prioritize high-quality development in the disability sector, according to the press conference.

    Learning and earning

    According to Cheng, China’s education system for individuals with disabilities has undergone further improvement. Currently, 75,800 students with disabilities study in secondary vocational schools nationwide, while 59,800 attend regular high schools.

    Li Dongmei, vice chair of the federation, noted that a special campaign was launched to equip school campuses with assistive devices, benefiting nearly 100,000 students with disabilities. Standardized textbooks have been developed for special schools, as well as sign-language textbooks for nine subjects.

    Financially, in 2025, the per capita subsidy for students with disabilities receiving compulsory education was increased to more than 7,000 yuan (about 980 U.S. dollars) per year. Those whose families have financial difficulties are eligible to receive 12 years of free education from primary school to senior high school.

    With stronger educational and financial support, individuals with disabilities are better equipped to enter the workforce. The annual net income of families with disabled members in China grew at an average rate of 6.9 percent per year from 2020 to 2023, roughly matching the pace of the country’s GDP growth, according to Cheng.

    During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, more than 400,000 persons with disabilities were newly employed every year, Li said. The employment rate of the disabled population grew by nearly 5 percentage points.

    Better access, better care

    The participation rate of persons with disabilities in China’s basic medical insurance has remained above 95 percent. Meanwhile, over 90 percent of persons with disabilities in China are covered by basic pension insurance for both urban and rural residents, said Cheng.

    By June 2025, living allowances for the disabled in financial difficulty and nursing subsidies for the severely disabled had benefited 11.88 million and 16.4 million, respectively.

    A total of 10.5 million persons with disabilities are covered by the country’s subsistence allowance system, Cheng added.

    Public services have also been enhanced to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. A nationwide campaign for barrier-free home renovations benefited 1.28 million households with severely disabled members during the period, surpassing the original target of 1.1 million, Cheng said.

    China is also exploring the use of advanced technologies such as smart bionic hands and guide robots to improve the well-being of persons with disabilities, ensuring that scientific and technological progress benefits this community.

    Zhou Changkui, chairperson of the Board of Executive Directors of the CDPF, said that the federation and some other governmental departments have jointly issued a guiding document to promote the use of technology in supporting persons with disabilities. It is also collaborating with universities, research institutes and high-tech companies to boost the development of relevant technologies and industries.

    Toward a fairer, smarter future

    As China charts a path for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the emphasis on high-quality development in the disability sector remains central, with a focus on stronger support systems and innovation-driven solutions.

    A key focus will be improving livelihood security for persons with disabilities. Efforts will include refining basic, inclusive, and guaranteed social protection systems, as well as better support for persons with disabilities in rural areas, said Zhou.

    Public services will also see significant upgrades. Zhou noted that long-term care for the severely disabled and rehabilitation programs for children with autism will be expanded in the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

    Zhou said that to safeguard equal rights, China will revise and step up enforcement of key disability-related laws. Enhanced legal services and stronger judicial protections will help ensure that persons with disabilities can fully enjoy fairness and justice.

    Moreover, during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will continue to promote the application of artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies to serve persons with disabilities, and ensure that advanced technologies better meet their needs, according to Zhou.

    The plan will also highlight cultural and spiritual wellbeing. Community-based sports and cultural programs will be expanded, while greater support will be extended to persons with disabilities in artistic creation and cultural industries. As Zhou emphasized, achieving a better life for people living with disabilities means enriching both body and spirit. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese scientist details first planned Mars sample-return mission Tianwen-3

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

    Photo released on June 11, 2021 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shows a selfie of China’s first Mars rover Zhurong with the landing platform. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s first Mars sample-return mission, Tianwen-3, is scheduled for launch around 2028, with the goal of returning no less than 500 grams of Martian samples to Earth by around 2031, according to the mission’s chief scientist.

    Hou Zengqian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of the Tianwen-3 mission, together with his collaborators, recently published an article in Nature Astronomy, systematically outlining the overall plan and scientific objectives of the mission for the first time.

    “The mission will be a critical step in China’s planetary exploration. We hope to provide the international community with an unprecedented opportunity to understand Mars,” Hou said.

    The Tianwen-3 mission will involve two launches, and the spacecraft will take seven to eight months to reach Mars. It will operate on Mars for about one year and then return to Earth, with the entire process spanning over three years, according to Hou.

    Life on the Red Planet?

    “We aim to unravel the mystery of whether life ever existed on Mars,” Hou said.

    He introduced three primary scientific objectives for the Tianwen-3 mission: searching for potential signs of life on Mars, including biomarkers, fossils and archaea; studying the evolution of Mars’ habitability, such as changes in water, atmosphere and oceans; and investigating the geological structure and evolutionary history of Mars, from surface features to internal dynamics.

    These three objectives are interconnected. The origination of life requires a habitable environment, the proliferation of life evolves in tandem with the environment, and habitability is closely linked to geological processes, Hou explained.

    To address these objectives, nine research themes have been established, covering aspects such as life-related elements, environmental conditions and geology, in order to “enhance our understanding of this Earth-like planet in our solar system,” Hou said.

    How will samples be collected?

    The mission’s engineering team has preliminarily designed three sampling methods: surface scooping, deep drilling and drone-assisted collection to ensure sample diversity and scientific value.

    Tianwen-3 will not carry a Mars rover. Instead, it will use a drone to collect samples from locations within several hundred meters of the landing site, Hou said.

    He noted that Tianwen-3 will be the first mission internationally to conduct 2-meter-deep drilling for sample collection on Mars.

    Previously, NASA’s Perseverance rover collected shallow surface samples, and will rely on a follow-up mission to return them to Earth. In contrast, Tianwen-3 aims to accomplish both sampling and return in a single mission.

    Hou emphasized that planetary protection is a major issue in deep space exploration, and that contamination control is a critical challenge that must be addressed. Strict measures are required to prevent the contamination of Mars by the spacecraft and the potential contamination of Earth’s biosphere by Martian samples.

    China will adhere strictly to the planetary protection policies of the Committee on Space Research to safeguard Mars from terrestrial contamination and protect Earth from potential Martian life, ensuring authentic and reliable scientific results, Hou said.

    The Tianwen-3 mission will establish a complete chain in the sample preservation process, from collection and sealing on Mars to transportation and analysis on Earth. Additionally, a high-security Mars sample laboratory will be constructed, featuring ultra-clean and biosafety areas, where returned samples will undergo strict sterilization, unsealing, processing and biological risk assessment, Hou said.

    Where will samples be sourced?

    “The selection of the landing site on Mars is crucial, as it directly impacts the achievement of the mission’s scientific objectives. From an initial pool of over 80 candidate sites, we have narrowed it down to 19, and by the end of 2026, three final candidate sites will be selected,” Hou said.

    This selection must balance engineering constraints and scientific priorities. Due to engineering limitations, the landing site must be located between 17 degrees and 30 degrees north latitude on Mars. Scientifically, the site should offer the highest potential to harbor and preserve traces of life, the scientist said.

    This is akin to mineral exploration on Earth — it requires the establishment of theories and models to guide predictions, and to then search for a needle in the haystack.

    Similarly, identifying a suitable landing site requires a study of the conditions needed for the emergence, proliferation and preservation of life, and the development of predictive models, Hou noted.

    If there is or was life on Mars, it would be or have been the result of the interplay of multiple factors, such as liquid water, atmosphere, temperature, magnetic field and internal structure. An ideal landing site should meet the requirements for habitability and life development, Hou said.

    Open collaboration

    China has adopted a fully open and collaborative approach to the Tianwen-3 mission, from the formulation of scientific goals and the development of payloads to the joint research to be conducted on returned samples.

    “We aim to build a global platform for scientific collaboration through planetary exploration, advancing humanity’s shared scientific endeavors,” Hou said.

    “During the scientific goal-setting phase, we hosted an international conference, inviting global experts to participate in the discussion. For payloads, China issued an international call for proposals. After the samples are returned, China will open access to international scientists, provided safety is ensured,” Hou said.

    He added that some key technologies for the Tianwen-3 mission remain under development. The scientific team is leveraging Martian observational data to advance landing-site selection. Meanwhile, to achieve its primary scientific objectives, the team is intensifying full-chain research on the search for life on Mars.

    Liu Jizhong, chief designer of the Tianwen-3 mission, said in an earlier interview that the retrieval of samples from Mars is the most technically challenging space exploration mission since the Apollo program, and such a retrieval has never been realized.

    To meet this goal, Chinese space engineers have to tackle key tasks such as collecting samples on the Martian surface, taking off from the Red Planet, rendezvousing in the Mars orbit, and protecting the planet from contamination, Liu explained.

    The entire process of the mission plan is very complex, involving 13 phases and utilizing in-situ and remote-sensing detection technologies. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New law to support safe, responsible space use

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Legislation regulating ground-based space infrastructure to deter foreign interference and protect New Zealand’s national interests has passed all stages under urgency in Parliament, Space Minister Judith Collins says.

    “The Outer Space High Altitude Activities Amendment Bill is a significant milestone and enhances New Zealand’s national security with immediate effect,” Ms Collins says.

    “It supports New Zealand’s interest in the safe, secure and responsible use of space and stop any attempts by foreign entities that do not share our values or interests.

    “Ground-based space infrastructure in New Zealand plays a vital role in supporting global satellite operations and space activities, but without regulation, it can also pose risks to national security, and other national interests.

    “The global space sector continues to push the boundaries of satellite technology, space communications and orbital operations. As this sector evolves, so too must our regulatory settings.

    “From 29 July, when the legislation takes effect, ground-based space infrastructure such as satellite tracking stations and telemetry systems will be subject to appropriate oversight and safeguards.

    “While all in-scope operators will be treated as having a transitional authorisation from the end of July, as the Minister for Space I will be able to vary, suspend or revoke these authorisations on national security grounds.”

    MBIE will be the administrator, backed with enforcement powers and able to take action to stop malicious activity. 

    Regulations will be developed later this year setting out further requirements for ground-based space infrastructure authorisation, under which operators will need to implement security and due diligence systems.

    A transition period for operators to implement the necessary systems for successful registration will apply until the regulations come into force in the first half of next year. 

    “This system helps maintain New Zealand’s reputation as a trusted and capable space-faring nation, one that takes its responsibilities seriously and is prepared to manage the risks and opportunities of space activity,” Ms Collins said.

    Information about the ground-based space infrastructure regulatory regime is available on the MBIE website.

    Notes to Editors

    From 29 July 2025:

    • Anyone operating ground-based space infrastructure (GBSI) for certain activities, such as communicating with satellites or tracking space objects, will be considered to hold a transitional authorisation.
    • When seeking authorisation, applicants will need to confirm with MBIE as the regulator that they have appropriate protective security arrangements in place, and due diligence systems to assess any partners they provide GBSI services to, such as customers or research collaborators.
    • The Minister for Space can decline applications if they are not satisfied the authorisation is in the interests of national security.
    • The Minister for Space will have the power to vary, suspend or revoke authorisations, where national security concerns arise.
    • Following the entry into force of regulations next year the Minister for Space’s power to vary, suspend or revoke authorisations will expand to include national interest considerations beyond national security.
    • Enforcement officers will be able to inspect facilities, assess security arrangements and, where necessary in the national interest, the Minister will be able to issue disposal orders requiring a person to divest their interest in GBSI.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Heritage NZ – Altared States concert series coming up at Old St Paul’s

    Source: Heritage New Zealand

    Wellington’s iconic Old St Paul’s (OSP) is partnering with Pyramid Club to present Altared States – a transcendent new series of concerts featuring electronic music by some of Wellington’s leading artists.
    Inspired by Brian Sweeney’s New York-founded Ambient Church, Altared States promises an immersive sonic experience that invites audiences to explore sound in a deeply personal and transformative way.
    Set within the chancel of the venue’s altar, the historic building – cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – will host a series of 60-minute immersive sound experiences, with each artist redefining ritual in a contemporary light.
    The four Friday night concerts will feature different artists beginning with Ludus on August 1, followed by Stephen Gallagher with David Long and Jules Desmond (August 8); Oghum (August 15); and Dream Chambers (August 22).
    Altared States marks a milestone in the property’s story according to Old St Paul’s Event Coordinator Jane Nye.
    “We’re weaving OSP’s heritage with the progressive energy of Pōneke’s Pyramid Club together with leading producers and composers to create an event that reflects both venerable architecture and iconography, as well as contemporary vision,” she says.
    Versatility is one of OSP’s outstanding virtues, according to Jane, where events range from funeral services, weddings and incredible drag shows through to film and photography shoots, themed Gothic film nights, and now electronic music.
    “The Altared States series reaffirms that Old St Paul’s isn’t stuck in history – it’s defined by ongoing rejuvenation,” she says.
    “I want to surprise audiences with versatile programming that breaks down stereotypes about what’s ‘appropriate’ in a heritage building – especially one with so many pews!”
    For more information about Altared States including artists, concert times and tickets: www.undertheradar.co.nz/gig/96944/Altared-States-Electronic-Soundscapes-In-A-Divine-Place.utr

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – EPA approves new fruit fungicide

    Source: Environmental Protection Authority

    The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved a fungicide with a new active ingredient that controls blackspot and powdery mildew on apples and pears, and Botrytis on grapes.
    UPL New Zealand Limited applied to import or manufacture Rhapsody, a fungicide containing 218 g/L ipflufenoquin, a chemical new to New Zealand.
    UPL says Rhapsody gives growers an alternative to other products that may be becoming less effective due to increasing resistance, gives another option for late season use, and is lower risk to human health.
    “This approval means growers will have access to an innovative tool with a new mode of action, helping protect crops vital to New Zealand’s primary sector,” says Dr Lauren Fleury, EPA Hazardous Substances Applications Manager.
    The apple industry contributed almost $2 billion to the New Zealand economy last year, and the wine export value reached approximately $2.4 billion.
    The decision to approve Rhapsody was made following a rigorous assessment and consultation process, says Dr Fleury.
    “As this product contains an active ingredient that is new to New Zealand, we assessed the scientific data and evidence, as well as economic and local information, to enable access to new chemistry while continuing to protect people’s health and our unique environment.”
    Ipflufenoquin has been approved in other countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan and the USA.
    This decision is the latest for the EPA, which has reduced the queue of hazardous substance release applications by almost 21 percent since 1 July 2024. The EPA has set ambitious assessment targets for the coming year, including increasing the number of assessments for substances containing new active ingredients.
    “We understand the importance of timely access to new products. Continuing to reduce the queue and assess new active ingredients is a top priority for us.”
    The substance can only be used by professionals in commercial settings, and users must comply with specific controls.
    As an agricultural compound, Rhapsody must also receive approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) before it can be used in New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Aggravated robbery – Daly River Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The NT Police Force are calling for information in relation to an aggravated robbery that occurred in the Daly River Region on Tuesday morning.

    Around 8am, police received reports that an 84-year-old male had been assaulted and had his vehicle stolen approximately 1 kilometre from the Woolianna Road and Daly River Road intersection.

    It is alleged that a group of four youths threw rocks at an 84-year-old and his vehicle after her refused to give them a lift.

    The victim exited his Toyota Hilux, and one male youth entered the vehicle and attempted to drive away from the location, but the vehicle stalled. At this time the victim attempted to remove the keys from the Hilux; however, the group allegedly began assaulting him before stealing the vehicle and fleeing the scene.

    Daly River Police attended, and the 84-year-old male was transported to the Daly River Clinic for assessment with minor injuries.

    The vehicle and the alleged offenders remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

    Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444, quoting reference number NTP2500073955. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Arkansas Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by April Storms and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Arkansas small businesses, private nonprofits and residents affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2‑22. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Sarah Sanders on July 18.

    The disaster declaration includes the Arkansas counties of Cross, Hempstead, Lawrence and Little River.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Sept. 22, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications April 22, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Nomination Hearing, Warren Secures Agreement from Trump Treasury Nominee to Work on Raising Deposit Insurance Limits for Business Transaction Accounts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 22, 2025
    “Raising FDIC insurance limits is a common-sense policy that levels the playing field for the small and mid-sized banks that actually lend to small businesses.”
    Watch here (YouTube)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Finance Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, secured an agreement from Jonathan McKernan, nominee to be Undersecretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, on working together towards increasing the limit for deposit insurance for business transaction accounts to help level the playing field in our banking system. Republican Senator James Lankford had a similar exchange with Mr. McKernan at the hearing, underscoring the bipartisan interest in deposit insurance reform.
    Below is the full transcript of Ranking Member Warren’s questioning with McKernan:
    Ranking Member Warren: FDIC insurance is limited to $250,000. Above that, customers with bigger deposits are supposed to wait in line and hope they can recover a portion of their funds when a bank fails.
    In March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank blew up, creating the third- and fourth-largest bank failures in U.S. history. In order to prevent additional bank runs and a full-blown financial crisis, the Fed, FDIC, and Treasury took the extraordinary step of guaranteeing all—ALL—uninsured deposits at those banks. That meant that huge companies, like the venture capital firm Sequoia, crypto company Circle, and electronics company Roku, had billions of dollars in deposits and they didn’t lose a penny. FDIC made good on all of it.
    Now I want to contrast that with what Senator Lankford said about the treatment of two small bank failures in Oklahoma and Texas in the years after SVB crashed. Local small businesses, like pharmacies, grocery stores, and construction companies that kept payroll and other money at these community banks, got $250,000 in FDIC coverage and lost millions of dollars of the uninsured balance.
    People understand which banks will—and won’t—get bailed out if there’s trouble. In the week following SVB’s crash, $100 billion in deposits left smaller banks, while the largest 25 banks saw $120 billion in new deposits.
    Mr. McKernan, you were a Board Member at the FDIC in 2023 when SVB and Signature collapsed and you saw some of these dynamics up close. Has it become clear to the market that, in the event of failure, depositors at giant banks will get fully reimbursed while depositors at small banks may not?
    Jonathan McKernan: Senator I was at the FDIC during those events. What I would say is, by law, uninsured depositors are at risk of loss. There has been a developing market expectation to the contrary at least with respect to large banks. The events around SVPB and signature may have reinforced that market expectation
    Warren: Mr. McKernan, can you explain the implications of this two-tier system on both the banking system and broader economy?
    McKernan: As the Secretary said, he is focused on the mainstream. What that means as a practical matter for me is it will focus on community banks and on every main street there is a community bank all too often that is a community bank under pressure whether from a mounting compliance burden or this market perception that may advantage the largest banks. So I think a central issue for financial regulation is how we ensure community banks continue to play a role in the financial system of the future
    Warren: One way to help level the playing field is to increase deposit insurance limits for business transaction accounts – bank accounts that businesses use to make payroll and rent. Banks that benefit from the increase would pay for this expanded coverage ahead of time through their regular deposit insurance premiums.
    This would help smaller banks compete. It also would require big banks to start paying for some of the insurance coverage they’ve been implicitly receiving for free. If small and mid-sized businesses are protected, this could also limit the government’s impulse to bail out giant banks whenever trouble hits.
    Mr. McKernan, this idea has received broad bipartisan support. Do you believe that Congress should increase deposit insurance limits for business transaction accounts?
    McKernan: Senator, as I was discussing with Senator Lankford, the Secretary has spoken on this and expressed a real interest in exploring an increase in the cap on deposit insurance for business, payment accounts, that would obviously require legislation, that would require congressional action. But I did recently discuss this issue with him. He’s heard this issue over and over again from many, many community banks that he’s met with inside the Treasury and outside the Treasury. The bottom line here is the Secretary would be very eager to see legislation to that effect to move the cap up on deposit insurance for business and community banks.
    Warren: Will you work with me and Chairman Scott on the Banking Committee to get this done?
    McKernan: Yes, Senator.
    Warren: Great. The giant banks don’t need another subsidy. Raising FDIC insurance limits is a common-sense policy that levels the playing field for the small and mid-sized banks that actually lend to small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Sets the Record Straight on Trump Administration’s Harmful Mass Deportation Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Sets the Record Straight on Trump Administration’s Harmful Mass Deportation Agenda

    Highlighted testimony from Alejandro Barranco — a veteran and the son of Narciso, who was violently detained by masked CBP agents in Orange County

    WATCH: Padilla criticizes Trump and Republicans for backtracking on pledge to target violent criminalsWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing to set the record straight on President Trump and Stephen Miller’s cruel mass deportation campaign, blasting the Administration for intentionally stoking fear and scapegoating immigrants.
    Padilla emphasized that far from the Trump Administration’s stated plan to target violent criminals, less than 10 percent of immigrants whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken into custody have serious criminal convictions, and there has been a staggering 500 percent increase in the number of arrests of noncitizens without criminal records. He stressed that these ICE sweeps often illegally profile and target people based on their race, accents, or occupation, while hurting the economy by ripping away farm workers, service industry employees, and other essential workers.
    Padilla called out Republicans for attempting to distract from the sharp turn in public opinion away from the President’s immigration policy by relitigating complaints from the Biden presidency more than six months into Trump’s second term. An all-time record 79 percent of Americans believe immigration is a good thing for the country.
    He also criticized the $150 billion funding surge to carry out Trump’s enforcement agenda in Republicans’ billionaire-first reconciliation bill, underscoring that ICE’s budget is now larger than the budget of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Prisons combined.
    “It’s clear why we’re here today: we’re here because Donald Trump is scapegoating immigrants,” Padilla said in committee. “It’s always been his outlet. This is their break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option when public sentiment turns against them and their agenda. It hasn’t been about only targeting violent criminals and it’s certainly not about fixing or modernizing our immigration system.”
    Padilla questioned three witnesses on the Trump Administration’s harmful immigration enforcement. He asked Deborah Fleischaker, a former ICE Acting Chief of Staff and longtime Department of Homeland Security official, to set the record straight that the Biden Administration encouraged ICE to do its job to detain violent criminals. He also highlighted the need for additional funding beyond immigration enforcement to support the hiring of more immigration judges and asylum officers.
    Padilla heard further from Alejandro Barranco — a Marine veteran and the eldest son of Narciso Barranco, who was violently detained by masked Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Orange County — about the dangers of indiscriminate immigration enforcement, including sweeping up hardworking people with no history of violent crime.
    PADILLA: The way they present it, the way they talk about President Biden’s administration and prior Democratic administrations is like it was never a priority for Democratic administrations to go after criminals, and that Democrats and Democratic administrations just didn’t care about the presence of dangerous people in our communities. Simply not true. … Ms. Fleischaker, you were in ICE leadership. In your view, in your experience, did the Biden Administration ever restrain ICE from pursuing serious criminals?
    FLEISCHAKER: We absolutely did not stop ICE agents from enforcing the law and going after public safety threats. In fact, we encouraged them to do so. We very much want to want to find and arrest public safety threats in the community. […]
    PADILLA: I don’t think anyone here would disagree with the idea of rooting out the ‘worst of the worst,’ even if we disagree over what immigration policy should be, but I believe it’s unacceptable that these raids are so indiscriminate that they end up sweeping up people with no history of violent crime, hardworking people trying to give their children a better life, like Alejandro’s father, Narciso. Alejandro, question is for you. … Is there anything else that you would like to share about the cruelty with which your father was treated or what your family’s gone through?
    BARRANCO: I think that the way they treated him and the way they handled that situation was very unprofessional. It showed men who were not trained. It doesn’t seem like it. … They were running with guns in their hand, with fingers on the trigger, pointing it at civilian vehicles. And honestly, I don’t think that’s for the best of public safety, and I believe that they should have better training and go out and chase after the real criminals.
    PADILLA: Well, I couldn’t agree more, and the more resources, personnel, funding, and otherwise that’s directed at again, just broad-based enforcement is less focus, less prioritization of those violent criminals that we know are out there, the Administration knows are out there, but they’re not the clear priority or focus.
    Padilla also expressed concern about indiscriminate immigration raids creating widespread fear, keeping people home from work, businesses, church, and public spaces, while limiting the reporting of crimes. He heard from Dr. Giovanni Veliz, a retired Minneapolis Police Department Commander, about the importance of building trust with immigrant communities to combat crime and keep police officers safe.
    Video of Senator Padilla’s opening remarks is available here, and his questions are available here.
    More information on the hearing is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Lachlan Goold, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991. Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images

    Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham in England.

    His family posted a brief message overnight: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.”

    John Michael Osbourne changed the sound of rock music and leaves behind a stellar career spanning six decades, numerous Grammy awards, multiple hall of fame inductions – and a wave of controversy.

    An agent of change

    In 1969, from the ashes of various bands, Geezer Butler (bass), Tony Iommi (guitar), Bill Ward (drums) and Osbourne formed the band Earth.

    Realising the name was taken, they quickly changed their name to Black Sabbath, an homage to the 1963 Italian horror anthology film.

    With the Summer of Love a recent memory, Black Sabbath were part of a heavy music revolution, providing an antidote to the free loving hippies of the late 60s period.

    Despite making their first two albums cheaply, Black Sabbath, released in February 1970, and Paranoid, released September that same year, they were a global success.

    Their approach was laden with sarcasm and irony. American audiences mistook this for satanic worship, positioning them as outsiders (albeit popular ones).

    Black Sabbath pose for a group portrait with gold discs, London, 1973, L-R Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler.
    Michael Putland/Getty Images

    After Black Sabbath’s early successes, they were managed by the notorious Don Arden, whose daughter Sharon Levy was the receptionist. More than any musical bond Osbourne had in his life, Sharon would be the most influential character throughout his life.

    Osbourne recorded eight albums with Black Sabbath (some to critical acclaim) and was then kicked out (by Sharon) due to his troubles with drugs and alcohol.

    Ozzy solo

    Osbourne’s solo career has always been managed by Sharon. While recording his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, guitarist Rhodes died in a tragic light plane crash. Osbourne was close to Rhodes and fell into a deep depression, after never having lost someone so close.

    Sharon and Osbourne married only months after this incident. His struggle with drug use did not stop him from making further solo records alongside various guitar players, continuing with moderate success throughout his career.

    On the road, Osbourne put the John Farnham’s last tour trope to shame.

    He held his last ever gig more times than one can count with names like No More Tours (1992–93), Retirement Sucks (1995–96) and No More Tours 2 (2018–19).

    Osbourne ‘retired’ many times over 30 years. Here he performs in California in 2022.
    Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

    This lament for touring led to the most successful era of Osbourne’s career. After being rejected for the 1995 Lollapaloza festival bill, Sharon (and their son Jack) started Ozzfest; initially an annual two-day multiband festival headlined by Osbourne, held in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California.

    Subsequently becoming a national – and then international – tour, Ozzfest led to a successful partnership with MTV, which led to the reality TV show The Osbournes premiering in 2002. Here, his previous and ongoing battle with drugs was obvious, proudly on display – and ridiculed – to huge global audiences.

    The spectacle of a rich rockstar and his family featured a constant barrage of swearing, battles with lavish TV remotes, canine therapy, never-ending chaos, and Osbourne constantly yelling “Sharrrooon” like a twisted maniacal loop of A Street Car Named Desire.

    Struggles and controversies

    Osbourne suffered multiple health conditions over the years, rarely concealing the state of his physical or mental wellbeing.

    Notably he’s struggled with drug and alcohol abuse his whole career with drug recovery centres using Osbourne as an exemplar. In 2007 he disclosed he suffered from the Parkinson’s adjacent condition Parkinsonian syndrome. In 2019 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

    Black Sabbath photographed in the 1970s. Left to right: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne.
    Chris Walter/WireImage

    This resulted in him being unable to walk for his final Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham on July 5 2025.

    And Osbourne’s career had more than its fair share of controversy. He bit the head off a dove and a bat (celebrated with a commemorative toy), and urinated on the Alamo cenotaph. He was taken to court multiple times, but was never convicted.

    Ozzy and me

    As a white middle-class boy growing up in the Brisbane suburbs in the 80s, heavy metal music appealed to my testosterone and pimple filled body.

    Exploring the secondhand record shops of Brisbane, I would’ve bought my first copy of Black Sabbath around 1985. The sound of thunder and a distant church bell before the first drop-D riff enters seemed like the antithesis to sunny Queensland and 80s pop.

    As my life became obsessed with the recording studio and the vociferous music scene in Brisbane in the post-Joh era, and those drop-D riffs influenced a new style that swept the world in the early 90s.

    Osbourne’s influence was huge and through grunge, his sound was reborn. Grunge was a marriage of the Sabbath-like drop-D riffs with the energy of punk and the melody of the Beatles.

    Listening to Black Sabbath and Ozzy records, equipped me with a sonic palette ready to capture the wave of alternative music emmerging from the Brisbane scene.

    While Ozzy’s death is no surprise (except for those who never thought he’d last this long), we should take pause and remember an icon with an endless energy for entertaining, a passion for music, and changing the expectations of popular culture for more than 50 years.

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

    – ref. The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours – https://theconversation.com/the-incredible-impact-of-ozzy-osbourne-from-black-sabbath-to-ozzfest-to-30-years-of-retirement-tours-258820

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – Government’s Jewish Muslim ‘Harmony Initiative’ helps Israeli campaign to redefine Palestine conflict – PSNA

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

    The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says a just-signed government-produced ‘Harmony Initiative’ will help in Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s recently announced ‘Eighth War Front’.

    This is an Israeli government propaganda campaign to present Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinians as a response to global antisemitism.

    Netanyahu has likened Israel’s worldwide ‘information war’ to its physical attacks on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, neighbouring Arab countries, and Iran.

    The Israeli aim is to silence its overseas critics.

    Some Jewish and Muslim groups have signed onto the ‘Harmony Initiative’ which describes its purpose as to foster ‘positive relationships’ and set up a Muslim-Jewish Council.

    The government says it wants to avoid what it calls ‘domestic impacts resulting from overseas conflicts’.

    But PSNA CO-Chair Maher Nazzal says that is code for the government trying to defuse protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

    “You can’t see any references in this ‘Harmony Initiative’ to supporting the implementation of international humanitarian law or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for example.”

    “Instead, we get the Muslim-Jewish Council having an obligation to ‘publicly challenge expressions of hate’.”

    “There will be some people sitting on that Council who believe any expressed support of Palestinian rights is hate speech. One of the ‘Harmony Initiative’ signatories is the Holocaust Foundation.  The Holocaust Foundation is funded by the Israeli embassy.”

    “If you put various government moves together, there is a clear agenda to stifle criticism of Israel.”

    “Amendments to the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 are under secret consultation, but with a clear signal that the recent draconian suppression of free speech on Palestine we have just seen in the UK is very much a model on the list for us too.”

    “The Human Rights Commissioner, a self-confessed Israel supporter, wants to appoint an Antisemitism Envoy because they have one in Australia.  But the antisemitism test they are using there is a list of examples of criticising Israel.”

    Nazzal says he can understand why some community groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have signed on to the ‘Harmony Initiative’.  

    “The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand for instance, quite rightly believe that if they are not on this ‘Muslim-Jewish Council’ then the government would simply create and appoint another Muslim body to purportedly represent Muslims.  That would leave FIANZ with no input.”

    Maher Nazzal
    Co-chair
    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –