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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Worker groups demand polluters pay for lost income, amid deadly South Asia heatwave

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    New Delhi, 01 May 2025 –  As a life-threatening heat wave unravels in South Asia,  more than 10 groups representing at lakhs of workers across Indian, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal have signed a Polluters Pay Pact, calling on governments to introduce new taxes on oil, coal and gas corporations to fund solutions and help communities worldwide. 

    A Greenpeace India’s qualitative research report titled “Ground Zero: Climate Experiences among Informal Workers in Delhi,” released on this occasion found that street vendors suffer from immense productivity loss and health risks during peak summer months. The study noted that for every 1°C rise in temperature, informal workers’ earnings can fall by up to 19%, with income losses reaching up to 40% due to unbearable midday heat and reduced business. Simultaneously, medical expenses increase by around 14%—illustrating the devastating climate-health-economic nexus. The report mentions that street vendor’s daily earnings, once averaging Rs. 1000, now fluctuate between Rs 300-1200 due to climate disruption and market instability. 

    Workers across South Asia observed the International Workers’ Day, in a series of simultaneous events where they wrote messages about the impacts of extreme weather and their demands on sarees, a six-yard-long unstitched cloth draped by women in South Asia. The initiative, titled ‘Sarees for Solidarity’, carries messages of workers union leaders addressing the role of oil and gas corporations and their responsibility for the climate crisis which will be taken to the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP30), scheduled to be held in Balem, Brazil. 

    An event held today in New Delhi also marked the launch of the Workers’ Collective for Climate Justice – South Asia, which emerged as the key outcome of the discussions by worker groups and civil society organisations on growing threats to workers from extreme weather events, fuelled by the oil and gas industry. Participants included the Youth Organization for Democratic Development and Help in Action (YODDHA) and Joint Hawker Action Committee for street vendors, the Basti Suraksha Manch union for waste pickers, the Telengana Gig and Platform Workers Union, Amazon Workers’ Union,  domestic workers, construction workers and indoor-based factory workers. 

    “As temperatures rise, we must do the same. City infrastructure needs to match the adaptation needs of everyone. Vendors, who work outside through the heatwave, are in urgent need of cooling centers, shaded areas, water, and medical care to survive this heatwave season,” said Sandeep Verma of the Youth Organisation for Democratic and Help in Action (YODDHA). “In the scorching heat, Indian workers have nowhere to hide, while the oil executives fueling this crisis are safely seated in air conditioned offices. This injustice must end by applying the polluter pays principle to those responsible for the climate crisis we’re in.”

    “When the heat rises, it’s not the CEOs of oil and gas companies who suffer—it’s the informal workers out on the streets, with little infrastructure and safety net for adaptation. Our Ground Zero report shows just how devastating this is: income drops, health risks soar, and yet no one’s held accountable. That’s why we’re backing the Polluters Pay Pact, said Amruta S. Nair, Climate and Energy campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Governments must impose taxes on Big Oil, the proceeds of which should be redirected for inclusive adaptation measures for vulnerable communities. Climate justice must begin by protecting those who are least responsible for this crisis, but who pay the heaviest price every day.”

    ”As momentum builds up to make oil and gas corporations pay for a crisis fuelled by their emissions, the industry responds with attacks against those calling them out. Emblematic of this assault on free speech is a multi-millions US$ meritless lawsuit by U.S. company Energy Transfer against Greenpeace U.S. and Greenpeace International. The Polluters Pay Pact shows that while polluters engage in intimidation, the climate movement can’t be silenced. Greenpeace organisations worldwide are committed as ever to resist the corporate polluters and the billionaire takeover of democracy.

    Read Report Here

    Notes:

    Find more about the workers group and unions here

    [1] “Weather Status” – India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences. https://internal.imd.gov.in/section/nhac/dynamic/extended.pdf .  

    [2] “Climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people across Asia more frequent and extreme” – World Weather Attribution https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-made-the-deadly-heatwaves-that-hit-millions-of-highly-vulnerable-people-across-asia-more-frequent-and-extreme/ 

    Contacts:

    Nibedita Saha,
    Media Officer, Greenpeace India  ,
    [email protected] 

    Tal Harris,
    Greenpeace International,
    Global Media Lead – Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign,
    +41-782530550,
    [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Citizen Groups Urge 16th Finance Commission to Prioritize Climate Adaptation

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    New Delhi, February 18, 2025:  In response to the sixteenth Finance Commission, headed by Arvind Panagariya, inviting public suggestions on its mandate set for it by the Central Government, a coalition of 12 citizen groups, led by Greenpeace India, has urged the commission to prioritize climate adaptation in India’s financial policies, focusing on climate impacted communities. The commission, constituted in December of last year, is expected to submit its recommendations by October 2025, which will be valid for five years starting April 1, 2026.  These recommendations from the coalition, agreed upon through multiple stakeholder consultations, represent a comprehensive civil society input at this crucial time. 

    The groups sounded an urgent alarm about the escalating climate crisis, revealing that extreme weather events claimed 3,238 lives in the first nine months of 2024 alone—an alarming 18% increase compared to 2022. Data from previous years (2015–2022) also highlights a consistent rise in climate-related human and economic losses, reinforcing the urgent need for climate adaptation. Heat-related productivity losses alone could slash India’s GDP by up to 4.5% by 2030, while inadequate adaptation measures over the years have compounded economic vulnerability.

    Beyond the direct loss of lives and economic damage, the crisis has also led to missed opportunities for climate-sensitive communities. Many who depend on agriculture, fisheries, and informal labor could have experienced greater economic security and resilience if proactive adaptation investments had been made earlier. The lack of preparedness has not only intensified the immediate impact of extreme weather events but has also limited the long-term livelihood potential of millions, highlighting the need for urgent, forward-looking climate action. 

    Ahead of the union budget, India’s Economic Survey(IES) for 2024-25 points out a growing problem: we’re not spending enough to adapt to climate change.  Although spending on adaptation has increased from 3.7% of our GDP in the 2015-16 financial year to 5.6% in 2021-22, it’s still not enough.  India is the seventh most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change, this poses a significant risk.The survey emphasized that effective adaptation strategies require a multi-faceted approach, including policy initiatives, sector-specific strategies, resilient infrastructure, research and development, and securing financial resources. These measures should also be tailored to India’s diverse geographic and agro-climatic conditions.

    “Despite the IES recommendation, the 2025 Budget doesn’t include specific funding for adaptation.  While we appreciate the focus on reducing emissions (mitigation),the urgency of need for climate adaptation cannot be ignored.  This lack of budgetary support for adaptation puts climate impacted communities at a much higher risk, threatening lives, livelihoods, and the economy”, says Selomi Garnaik, Climate Justice Campaigner, Greenpeace India, who led the stakeholder consultations.

    Key Recommendations:

    The coalition’s demands include

    1. The 16th Finance Commission must urge the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to officially recognize heatwaves as a national disaster.
    2. Establish a Dedicated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Fund for Marginalized and Vulnerable Communities:
    3. Devolve funds to state governments for managing extreme weather events, with allocations based on updated epistemological evidence such as the Climate Vulnerability Mapping Atlas. 
    4. Recommend the Center to create provision for Climate Damage Tax (CDT),in order to hold the big polluters accountable. 
    5. India should adopt a national framework aligned with loss and damage principle and provide Adequate compensation for losses and damages due to climate change should be provided to impacted states, with special focus on marginalized and impacted communities.

    A Call for Climate Justice

    The coalition emphasized that these recommendations are not just policy changes but steps toward achieving climate justice for the most vulnerable populations. They urged the Finance Commission to take immediate action to build a sustainable and equitable future.

    The recommendations letter  is prepared by diverse coalition of 12 citizen groups, led by Greenpeace including Poovulagin Nanbargal, RIGHTS, Basti Suraksha Manch, VAN Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sangathan Uttarakhand, Justice in Mining Network, Mukti, Youth For Climate India, Heatwave Action Coalition India, Janpahal, HeatWatch, People for Himalayan Development, and Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. Together, they represent a wide range of stakeholders committed to advancing climate resilience and justice.

    For more information please free to reach out to

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • Solar Orbiter spacecraft obtains first images of the sun’s poles

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The robotic Solar Orbiter spacecraft has obtained the first images ever taken of our sun’s two poles as scientists seek a deeper understanding of Earth’s host star, including its magnetic field, its 11-year cycle of activity and the solar wind.

    The European Space Agency on Wednesday released images taken in March using three of Solar Orbiter’s onboard instruments. They show the sun’s south pole from a distance of roughly 40 million miles (65 million km), obtained at a period of maximum solar activity. Images of the north pole are still being transmitted by the spacecraft back to Earth.

    Solar Orbiter, developed by ESA in collaboration with the U.S. space agency NASA, was launched in 2020 from Florida.

    Until now, all the views of the sun have come from the same vantage point – looking face-on toward its equator from the plane on which Earth and most of the solar system’s other planets orbit, called the ecliptic plane.

    Solar Orbiter used a slingshot flyby around Venus in February to get out of this plane to view the sun from up to 17 degrees below the solar equator. Future slingshot flybys will provide an even better view, at beyond 30 degrees.

    “The best is still to come. What we have seen is just a first quick peek,” said solar physicist Sami Solanki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, who heads the scientific team for the spacecraft’s Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager instrument.

    “The spacecraft observed both poles, first the south pole, then the north pole,” Solanki said. “The north pole’s data will arrive in the coming weeks or months.”

    Solar Orbiter is gathering data on phenomena including the sun’s magnetic field, its activity cycle, and the solar wind, a relentless high-speed flow of charged particles emanating from the sun’s outermost atmospheric layer that fills interplanetary space.

    “We are not sure what we will find, and it is likely we will see things that we didn’t know about before,” said solar physicist Hamish Reid of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UK co-principal investigator of Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument.

    The sun is a ball of hot electrically charged gas that, as it moves, generates a powerful magnetic field, which flips from south to north and back again every 11 years in what is called the solar cycle.

    The magnetic field drives the formation of sunspots, cooler regions on the solar surface that appear as dark blotches. At the cycle’s beginning, the sun has fewer sunspots. Their number increases as the cycle progresses, before starting all over again.

    “What we have been missing to really understand this (solar cycle) is what is actually happening at the top and bottom of the sun,” Reid said.

    The sun’s diameter is about 865,000 miles (1.4 million km), more than 100 times wider than Earth.

    “Whilst the Earth has a clear north and south pole, the Solar Orbiter measurements show both north and south polarity magnetic fields are currently present at the south pole of the sun. This happens during the maximum in activity of the solar cycle, when the sun’s magnetic field is about to flip. In the coming years, the sun will reach solar minimum, and we expect to see a more orderly magnetic field around the poles of the sun,” Reid said.

    “We see in the images and movies of the polar regions that the sun’s magnetic field is chaotic at the poles at the (current) phase of the solar cycle – high solar activity, cycle maximum,” Solanki said.

    The sun is located about 93 million miles (149 million km) from our planet.

    “The data that Solar Orbiter obtains during the coming years will help modelers in predicting the solar cycle. This is important for us on Earth because the sun’s activity causes solar flares and coronal mass ejections which can result in radio communication blackouts, destabilize our power grids, but also drive the sensational auroras,” Reid said.

    “Solar Orbiter’s new vantage point out of the ecliptic will also allow us to get a better picture of how the solar wind expands to form the heliosphere, a vast bubble around the sun and its planets,” Reid added.

    A previous spacecraft, Ulysses, flew over the solar poles in the 1990s.

    “Ulysses, however, was blind in the sense that it did not carry any optical instruments – telescopes or cameras – and hence could only sense the solar wind passing the spacecraft directly, but could not image the sun,” Solanki said.

    (REUTERS)

  • MIL-OSI: Korean telco KT selects the Digital Vending Machine® from Bango to power next-gen subscription bundles

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bango PLC (AIM:BGO, OTCQX:BGOPF), the leader in subscription bundling, today announces a strategic partnership with KT, a leading telecommunications provider in the Republic of Korea, to deliver subscription services to its 13.5 million customers. Leveraging the Digital Vending Machine® (DVM™) from Bango, KT customers will benefit from new and exciting subscription services. This is the first major DVM agreement for Bango in Korea, building momentum for further expansion into the East Asia telco market.

    KT will use the Bango DVM to seamlessly integrate a wide array of third-party services into its subscriptions hub and its customer bundled offers. This will include AI, language and translation subscriptions – responding to the rising consumer appetite for next-generation digital experiences.

    KT is leading the development of AI solutions across telecommunications and other industry sectors in the Republic of Korea. With AI subscriptions emerging as a standout category in the fast-evolving subscription economy, KT is now extending that vision to give customers access to groundbreaking AI services that enhance productivity, creativity, and learning, all through the Bango DVM.

    The Bango DVM simplifies the complexity behind subscription bundling, transforming a traditionally technical and operational challenge into a seamless, scalable business model. With a single integration, KT gains access to a growing global catalog of subscription services. New offers can be deployed quickly and flexibly, giving customers access to the latest services while providing KT with deep insights to personalize and optimize bundles over time.

    “This collaboration will be a turning point for KT’s subscription platform to expand as a global subscription service hub,” said Younggeol Kim, Head of KT’s Service Product Division. “We want to meet the evolving needs of our users, whether that’s the latest entertainment or cutting-edge AI subscriptions, and the Digital Vending Machine from Bango gives us the agility to do exactly that.”

    “KT is a leader in its field and now, also in the subscription space, taking bold steps to offer customers a wide and modern mix of digital services,” said Paul Larbey, CEO of Bango. “With the Bango DVM, they can move faster, launch smarter, and deliver the high-demand subscriptions people are asking for, from SVOD to AI.”

    About Bango

    Bango enables content providers to reach more paying customers through global partnerships. Bango revolutionized the monetization of digital content and services, by opening-up online payments to mobile phone users worldwide. Today, the Digital Vending Machine® is driving the rapid growth of the subscription economy, powering choice and control for subscribers.

    The world’s largest content providers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft trust Bango technology to reach subscribers everywhere.

    Bango, where people subscribe. For more information, visit www.bango.com

    Media contact:

    Anil Malhotra, CMO, Bango
    anil@bango.com
    Tel: +44 7710 480 377

    The MIL Network –

  • Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson dies at age 82

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson, who created some of rock’s most enduring songs such as “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows” in a career that was marked by a decades-long battle between his musical genius, drug abuse and mental health issues, has died at the age of 82.

    Wilson’s family announced his death in a statement on the singer’s website.

    “We are at a loss for words right now,” the statement said. “We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

    The statement did not disclose a cause of death. Wilson had suffered from dementia and was unable to care for himself after his wife Melinda Wilson died in early 2024, prompting his family to put him under conservatorship.

    Starting in 1961, the Beach Boys put out a string of sunny hits celebrating the touchstones of California youth culture – surfing, cars and romance. But what made the songs special was the ethereal harmonies that Wilson arranged and that would become the band’s lasting trademark.

    Wilson formed the band with younger brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine in their hometown, the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne. They went on to have 36 Top 40 hits, with Wilson writing and composing most of the early works.

    Songs such as “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “California Girls,” “Fun, Fun, Fun” and “Help Me, Rhonda” remain instantly recognizable and eminently danceable.

    But there were plenty of bad vibrations in Wilson’s life: an abusive father, a cornucopia of drugs, a series of mental breakdowns, long periods of seclusion and depression and voices in his head that, even when he was on stage, told him he was no good.

    “I’ve lived a very, very difficult, haunted life,” Wilson told the Washington Post in 2007.

    In May 2024, a judge ruled the 81-year-old Wilson should be put under a conservatorship after two longtime associates had petitioned the court at his family’s request, saying he could not care for himself following the death of his wife, Melinda.

    By 1966 touring had already become an ordeal for Wilson, who suffered what would be his first mental breakdown. He remained the Beach Boys‘ mastermind but retreated to the studio to work, usually without his bandmates, on “Pet Sounds,” a symphonic reflection on the loss of innocence.

    The landmark “Good Vibrations” was recorded during those sessions, though it did not make it on to the album. Though “Pet Sounds” included hits such as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Sloop John B” and “God Only Knows”, it was not an immediate commercial success in the United States. There also was resistance to the album within the band, especially from singer Love, who wanted to stick with the proven money-making sound.

    ‘IT’S LIKE FALLING IN LOVE’

    “Pet Sounds”, which was released in 1966, later would come to be recognized as Wilson’s magnum opus. Paul McCartney said it was an influence on the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” “No one’s musical education is complete until they’ve heard ‘Pet Sounds’,” McCartney said.

    In 2012 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it second only to “Sgt. Pepper” on its list of the 500 greatest rock albums.

    “Hearing ‘Pet Sounds’ gave me the kind of feeling that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and you say, ‘What is that? It’s fantastic,’” George Martin, the Beatles’ legendary producer, said in the liner notes of a reissued version of the album. “It’s like falling in love.”

    Released as a single that same year, “Good Vibrations” drew similar plaudits. On hearing the song, which would become the Beach Boys‘ greatest hit, Art Garfunkel called his musical partner Paul Simon to say: “I think I just heard the greatest, most creative record of them all.”

    Stars of the music world paid tribute to Wilson on Wednesday.

    “Anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson’s genius magical touch!!,” Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood said on social media.

    Nancy Sinatra, who recorded a cover of “California Girls” with Wilson in 2002, wrote on Instagram that Wilson’s “cherished music will live forever.”

    Sean Ono Lennon, a musician and son of John Lennon, called Wilson “our American Mozart” and “a one of a kind genius from another world.”

    The Beach Boys soldmore than 100 million records.

    Wilson’s career would be derailed, though, as his use of LSD, cocaine and alcohol became untenable and his mental state, which would eventually be diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder with auditory hallucinations, grew shakier.

    He became a recluse, lying in bed for days, abandoning hygiene, growing obese and sometimes venturing out in a bathrobe and slippers. He had a sandbox installed in his dining room and put his piano there. He also heard voices and was afraid that the lyrics of one of his songs were responsible for a series of fires in Los Angeles.

    UNORTHODOX THERAPY

    Born in June 1942, Brian Wilson, whose life was the subject of the 2014 movie “Love & Mercy,” had two controlling men in his life. The first was his father, Murry Wilson, a part-time songwriter who recognized his son’s musical talent early. He became the Beach Boys‘ manager and producer in their early years but also was physically and verbally abusive toward them. The band fired him in 1964.

    About a decade later, as Wilson floundered, his then-wife, Marilyn, hired psychotherapist Eugene Landy to help him. Landy spent 14 months with Wilson, using unusual methods such as promising him a cheeseburger if he wrote a song, before being dismissed.

    Landy was rehired in 1983 after Wilson went through another period of disturbing behavior that included overdosing, living in a city park and running up substantial debt. Landy used a 24-hour-a-day technique, which involved prescribing psychotropic drugs and padlocking the refrigerator, and eventually held sway over all aspects of Wilson’s life, including serving as producer and co-writer of his music when he made a comeback with a 1988 solo album.

    Wilson’s family went to court to end his relationship with Landy in 1992. Wilson said Landy had saved his life but also would later call him manipulative. California medical regulators accused Landy, who died in 2006, of improper involvement with a patient’s affairs. He gave up his psychology license after admitting to unlawfully prescribing drugs.

    Wilson’s return to music was spotty. He appeared frail, tentative and shaky and none of the post-comeback work brought anything close to the acclaim of his earlier catalog.

    One of the best-received albums of his second act was the 2004 “Brian Wilson Presents Smile,” a revisiting of the work that had been intended as the follow-up to “Pet Sounds” but which was scrapped because of opposition from bandmates.

    Wilson’s brothers had both died by the time of the Beach Boys‘ 50th reunion tour in 2012 but he joined Love, who became the band’s controlling force, for several shows. At the end, Wilson said he felt as if he had been fired but Love denied it. Wilson last performed live in 2022.

    Wilson and his first wife, Marilyn, had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who had hits in the 1990s as part of the group Wilson Phillips. He and second wife Melinda, whom he met when she sold him a car, had five children.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Jack’s Law expansion is a symbolic step – it’s not a solution to knife crime

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Ransley, Professor, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University

    khak/Shutterstock

    Laws just passed in Queensland give police unprecedented powers to scan people with a handheld wand and potentially search them in all public places, without needing a warrant or reasonable suspicion.

    Earlier versions of “Jack’s Law” were copied in other jurisdictions, such as New South Wales, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Queensland’s expanded laws may flow on to them now, too.

    However, while the newly expanded Jack’s Law may detect more weapons, there’s no evidence it reduces violent crime. It may, in fact, do more harm than good, while putting human rights at risk.

    What is Jack’s Law?

    Jack’s Law is named after 17-year-old Jack Beasley who was stabbed to death outside a convenience store in Surfers Paradise in 2019.

    Passed in 2021, the law resulted in a time-limited trial allowing officers to “wand” people with metal detectors in some entertainment precincts.

    Since then, the trial was expanded twice to include public transport, stations, shopping centres and licensed entertainment venues.

    In a little more than two years, Queensland police conducted 116,287 scans and removed 1,126 weapons – a detection rate of about 0.9%.

    The majority of charges that followed were for minor drug offences, or breaches of knife-carrying bans.

    The trial was set to expire on October 30, 2026 after another mandatory review.

    Instead, the law has now been made permanent with the scope extended again to allow wanding in all public places.

    The changes also remove safeguards, such as the need for senior officer oversight, reporting requirements and a further review of the impact of wands on crime and on civil liberties.

    Our research into Jack’s Law

    Our review of the 12-month trial of Jack’s Law on the Gold Coast in 2021–22 is the only publicly available evidence about the impact of metal detector wanding on knife violence in Queensland.

    We found there was no reduction in violence as a result of the use of the hand-held scanners.

    There’s also potential for bias when officers using the wands are influenced by factors that aren’t related to evidence. This includes the unfair targeting of minorities. More people could also be caught up in the justice system for minor, non-violent breaches.

    What’s needed to reduce knife violence are evidence-based programs addressing underlying causes such as mental health, poverty, child maltreatment and domestic and family violence.

    Wanding has no impact on these underlying causes and diverts resources and police attention from where they’re really needed.

    Does the law reduce knife crime?

    While the intention behind Jack’s Law is to enhance public safety by deterring knife-related crimes, the evidence suggests this is unlikely to happen.

    Our study found that although the use of metal-detecting wands can lead to increased detection of weapons, there is no evidence this in turn reduces violent crimes involving knives.

    Confiscated knives are easily replaced and we found no evidence that scanning deterred people from carrying weapons.

    This is consistent with research from the UK showing “stop and search” laws had no effect on violent crime, and Victorian research showing no effect of similar stop and search laws on violent crimes.

    Concern over human rights

    The expansion of police powers under Jack’s Law raises human rights concerns.

    The ability to stop and search people without reasonable suspicion may lead to racial profiling and erode public trust in law enforcement.

    A 2022 independent inquiry into the Queensland Police Service highlighted issues of systemic racism and sexism within the force, underscoring the potential risks of granting broader discretionary powers without adequate oversight.

    Our review also found evidence of police wanding decisions being based on discriminatory stereotypes. This makes the removal of oversight and review mechanisms of particular concern.

    Additionally, searches for knives following wanding have led to a rise in minor drug charges. This funnels more young people into the criminal justice system, which increases their risk of re-offending and also places more pressure on an already overburdened criminal justice system.

    While the expansion of Jack’s Law is a visible response to public concerns about knife crime, it is essential to recognise such measures are not a silver bullet.

    Further erosion of the already tenuous trust in the police service among minority communities in Queensland, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, could lead to reduced public trust and have long-term negative impacts on public safety.

    Why a holistic approach is needed

    Addressing the root causes of knife violence requires a comprehensive approach that includes investment in support services and community programs.

    We also need to recognise around 50% of serious violent crime occurs in the context of domestic and family violence, in private settings. Wanding does nothing to help those victims.

    Understanding why people carry knives and implementing targeted prevention strategies are crucial steps toward creating a safer society.

    While Jack’s Law serves as a symbolic gesture honouring the memory of Jack Beasley, its efficacy in reducing knife crime remains unlikely and will now not be reviewed.

    Policymakers must balance the desire for immediate action with evidence-based strategies that address underlying factors contributing to violence.

    Only through a holistic approach can we hope to achieve lasting change and truly honour the lives lost to such senseless acts.

    Janet Ransley receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Paul Ramsay Foundation. The Queensland Police Service funded the research referred to in this article.

    – ref. The Jack’s Law expansion is a symbolic step – it’s not a solution to knife crime – https://theconversation.com/the-jacks-law-expansion-is-a-symbolic-step-its-not-a-solution-to-knife-crime-258804

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How visionary Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson changed music – and my life

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jadey O’Regan, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney

    The Beach Boys in 1962 in Los Angeles, California. Brian Wilson is on the left. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    Brian Wilson, leader, songwriter and producer of the Beach Boys, has passed away at age 82.

    He leaves behind a legacy of beautiful, joyous, bittersweet and enduring music, crafted over a career spanning six decades.

    While this news isn’t unexpected – Wilson was diagnosed with dementia last year and entered a conservatorship after the loss of his wife, Melinda – his passing marks the end of a long and extraordinary chapter in musical history.

    A life of music

    Formed in the early 1960s in Hawthorne California, the Beach Boys were built on a foundation of family and community: brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and school friend Al Jardine.

    Growing up, the Wilson household was a turbulent place; their father, Murry Wilson, was strict and at times violent. Music was the one way in which the family could connect.

    During these early years Brian discovered the sounds that would shape his musical identity: Gershwin, doo wop groups, early rock and roll, and, a particular favourite, the vocal group the Four Freshmen, whose tight-harmony singing style Wilson studied meticulously.

    The Beach Boys in rehearsal in 1964; Brian Wilson sits at the piano .
    Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    It was an unexpected combination of influences for a pop band. Even from the Beach Boys’ earliest recordings – the surf, the cars, the girls – the stirrings of the complexity and musical adventurousness Wilson is known for is audible. Listen to the unexpected structure of The Lonely Sea (1962), the complex chords of The Warmth of the Sun (1963), or the subtle modulation in Don’t Worry Baby (1964).

    These early innovations hinted at a growing creativity that would continue to evolve over the rest of the 1960s, and beyond.

    A story of resilience

    In later years, Brian Wilson often appeared publicly as a fragile figure. But what stands out most in his story is resilience.

    His ability to produce such an expansive and diverse catalogue of work while navigating difficult family relationships, intense record label pressures, misdiagnosed and mistreated mental health conditions, addiction and much more, is extraordinary. Wilson not only survived, but continued to create music.

    Brian Wilson on the piano and Al Jardine on guitar perform in Los Angeles in 2019.
    Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

    He eventually did something few Beach Boys’ fans would have imagined – he returned to the stage.

    Wilson’s unexpected return to public performance during the Pet Sounds and SMiLE tours in the early 2000s began a revival interest in the Beach Boys, and a critical reconsideration of their musical legacy. This continues with a consistent release of books, documentaries, movies and podcasts about Wilson and the legacy of the Beach Boys’ music.

    The focus of a thesis

    I grew up near Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Their early songs about an endless summer had a particular resonance to my hometown, even if, like Brian Wilson, I only admired the beach from afar.

    I chose to study the Beach Boys’ music for my PhD thesis and spent the next few years charting the course of their musical development from their early days in the garage to creating Pet Sounds just five years later.

    The Beach Boys perform onstage around 1963. Brian Wilson is on the left.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    I was fascinated by how a band could create such a groundbreaking volume of work and progress so quickly from the delightful, yet wobbly Surfin’ to the complex arrangements of God Only Knows.

    To understand their music, I spent years listening to Beach Boys’ tracking sessions, take after take, to hear how their songs were so cleverly and delicately put together.

    What struck me just as powerfully as the music itself was the sound of Brian Wilson’s voice in those recordings. Listening to Wilson leading hours of tracking sessions was to hear an artist at the top of their game – decisive, confident, funny, collaborative and deeply driven to make music that would express the magic he heard in his mind, and connect with an audience.

    One of the more unexpected discoveries in my analysis of the Beach Boys’ music came from their lyrics. Using a word frequency tool to examine all 117 songs in my study, I found that the most common word was “now”.

    The Beach Boys pose for a portrait around1964. Brian Wilson stands at the back.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    In many cases, it appears in a conversational sense – “Well, she got her Daddy’s car, and she cruised through the hamburger stand now” – but on a broader level, it perfectly encapsulates what Brian Wilson’s music offered so many listeners.

    He created an endless present: a world where the sun could always be shining, where you could feel young forever, and you could visit that world any time you needed to.

    Jadey O’Regan with Brian Wilson, Enmore Theatre, Sydney 2010.
    Jadey O’Regan

    In 2010, I had the remarkable experience of meeting Brian Wilson in his dressing room before his performance at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney. He was funny and kind. He sat at a small keyboard, taught me a harmony and for a moment, we sang Love and Mercy together.

    It was one of the most magical moments of my life. It is also one of Wilson’s most enduring sentiments: “love and mercy, that’s what we need tonight”.

    Farewell and thank you, Brian. Surf’s up.

    Jadey O’Regan 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. How visionary Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson changed music – and my life – https://theconversation.com/how-visionary-beach-boys-songwriter-brian-wilson-changed-music-and-my-life-258794

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How visionary Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson changed music – and my life

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jadey O’Regan, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney

    The Beach Boys in 1962 in Los Angeles, California. Brian Wilson is on the left. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    Brian Wilson, leader, songwriter and producer of the Beach Boys, has passed away at age 82.

    He leaves behind a legacy of beautiful, joyous, bittersweet and enduring music, crafted over a career spanning six decades.

    While this news isn’t unexpected – Wilson was diagnosed with dementia last year and entered a conservatorship after the loss of his wife, Melinda – his passing marks the end of a long and extraordinary chapter in musical history.

    A life of music

    Formed in the early 1960s in Hawthorne California, the Beach Boys were built on a foundation of family and community: brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and school friend Al Jardine.

    Growing up, the Wilson household was a turbulent place; their father, Murry Wilson, was strict and at times violent. Music was the one way in which the family could connect.

    During these early years Brian discovered the sounds that would shape his musical identity: Gershwin, doo wop groups, early rock and roll, and, a particular favourite, the vocal group the Four Freshmen, whose tight-harmony singing style Wilson studied meticulously.

    The Beach Boys in rehearsal in 1964; Brian Wilson sits at the piano .
    Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    It was an unexpected combination of influences for a pop band. Even from the Beach Boys’ earliest recordings – the surf, the cars, the girls – the stirrings of the complexity and musical adventurousness Wilson is known for is audible. Listen to the unexpected structure of The Lonely Sea (1962), the complex chords of The Warmth of the Sun (1963), or the subtle modulation in Don’t Worry Baby (1964).

    These early innovations hinted at a growing creativity that would continue to evolve over the rest of the 1960s, and beyond.

    A story of resilience

    In later years, Brian Wilson often appeared publicly as a fragile figure. But what stands out most in his story is resilience.

    His ability to produce such an expansive and diverse catalogue of work while navigating difficult family relationships, intense record label pressures, misdiagnosed and mistreated mental health conditions, addiction and much more, is extraordinary. Wilson not only survived, but continued to create music.

    Brian Wilson on the piano and Al Jardine on guitar perform in Los Angeles in 2019.
    Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

    He eventually did something few Beach Boys’ fans would have imagined – he returned to the stage.

    Wilson’s unexpected return to public performance during the Pet Sounds and SMiLE tours in the early 2000s began a revival interest in the Beach Boys, and a critical reconsideration of their musical legacy. This continues with a consistent release of books, documentaries, movies and podcasts about Wilson and the legacy of the Beach Boys’ music.

    The focus of a thesis

    I grew up near Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Their early songs about an endless summer had a particular resonance to my hometown, even if, like Brian Wilson, I only admired the beach from afar.

    I chose to study the Beach Boys’ music for my PhD thesis and spent the next few years charting the course of their musical development from their early days in the garage to creating Pet Sounds just five years later.

    The Beach Boys perform onstage around 1963. Brian Wilson is on the left.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    I was fascinated by how a band could create such a groundbreaking volume of work and progress so quickly from the delightful, yet wobbly Surfin’ to the complex arrangements of God Only Knows.

    To understand their music, I spent years listening to Beach Boys’ tracking sessions, take after take, to hear how their songs were so cleverly and delicately put together.

    What struck me just as powerfully as the music itself was the sound of Brian Wilson’s voice in those recordings. Listening to Wilson leading hours of tracking sessions was to hear an artist at the top of their game – decisive, confident, funny, collaborative and deeply driven to make music that would express the magic he heard in his mind, and connect with an audience.

    One of the more unexpected discoveries in my analysis of the Beach Boys’ music came from their lyrics. Using a word frequency tool to examine all 117 songs in my study, I found that the most common word was “now”.

    The Beach Boys pose for a portrait around1964. Brian Wilson stands at the back.
    Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    In many cases, it appears in a conversational sense – “Well, she got her Daddy’s car, and she cruised through the hamburger stand now” – but on a broader level, it perfectly encapsulates what Brian Wilson’s music offered so many listeners.

    He created an endless present: a world where the sun could always be shining, where you could feel young forever, and you could visit that world any time you needed to.

    Jadey O’Regan with Brian Wilson, Enmore Theatre, Sydney 2010.
    Jadey O’Regan

    In 2010, I had the remarkable experience of meeting Brian Wilson in his dressing room before his performance at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney. He was funny and kind. He sat at a small keyboard, taught me a harmony and for a moment, we sang Love and Mercy together.

    It was one of the most magical moments of my life. It is also one of Wilson’s most enduring sentiments: “love and mercy, that’s what we need tonight”.

    Farewell and thank you, Brian. Surf’s up.

    Jadey O’Regan 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. How visionary Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson changed music – and my life – https://theconversation.com/how-visionary-beach-boys-songwriter-brian-wilson-changed-music-and-my-life-258794

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • Trump met with cheers, boos at Kennedy Center as he attends ‘Les Miserables’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted with a high-volume mix of boos and cheers on Wednesday as he took his seat for his first production at the Kennedy Center, the performing arts facility he has subjected to a conservative takeover.

    The mixed reception for Trump and his wife Melania as they arrived in the presidential box before a performance of “Les Miserables” reflected the heightened emotions that have been unleashed by his overhaul of the cultural center.

    Trump has pushed out its former chairman,fired its longtime president and pledged to overhaul an institution that he criticized as too liberal. The center, a leading U.S. arts facility, had long enjoyed bipartisan support.

    Ticket sales have fallen since and some shows, including the hit “Hamilton,” have canceled their appearances at the 2,300-capacity theater.

    At Wednesday’s performance, several drag queens in full regalia sat in the audience, likely in response to Trump’s criticism of the venue for hosting drag shows.

    One person shouted “Viva Los Angeles” as Trump stepped out of the presidential box at the intermission. Trump has sent military troops to quell protests against his immigration raids in that city.

    Trump’s appearance was meant to boost fundraising for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and he said donors raised over $10 million.

    “We’re going to make it incredible. We have all the funding. We raised a lot tonight, and we’ll put in a lot of money to bring it back to the highest level,” a tuxedo-clad Trump told reporters after other administration officials arrived on the red carpet.

    SUBSCRIPTIONS DOWN

    Still, overall year-on-year subscription revenue was down 36% to $2.8 million as of early June for next season, which begins in the autumn, according to a person briefed on the data. Theater subscriptions, normally a major revenue driver for the center, were down 82%.

    A Kennedy Center official said the comparisons reflected in those subscription sales were not accurate because the center had launched its subscription renewal campaign later in 2025 than 2024.

    “Our renewal campaign is just kicking off,” Kim Cooper, senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement. Cooper also noted the center had launched a new subscription option that allowed customers to “mix and match” genres and said more announcements of shows were coming.

    The Kennedy Center depends on revenue from tickets and subscriptions as well as donations to operate. Ticket sales for “Les Miserables” have been robust, according to another Kennedy Center official.

    Donors who pay $100,000 to $2 million got to attend a reception before the show, receive a photo with the president and be seated in good locations in the theater.

    “We’ve raised a little more than $10 million for tonight, which is pretty remarkable, and it’s an organization that needs the money right now,” said Ric Grenell, a close Trump ally and former ambassador to Germany who now heads the Kennedy Center.

    Under his leadership, the center has sought to add more conservative-leaning programming, including a show that Grenell has described as a celebration of the birth of Christ.

    Trump said he particularly enjoyed “Les Miserables,” a musical about citizens rising up against their government. “I’ve seen it many times, it’s one of my favorites,” he said.

    Along with the first lady, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also attended.

    Vance was likewise met with boos when he attended a Kennedy Center show with his wife earlier this year.

    Trump has zeroed in on drag shows to argue that the Kennedy Center had lost its way before he took office. But multiple upcoming musicals on the Kennedy Center’s agenda include characters dressed in drag, such as “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Chicago.”

    Other musicals have pulled out, according to a former Kennedy Center official.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ASEAN TVET Council advances inclusive skills development for rural and regional communities

    Source: ASEAN

    MELAKA, 12 June 2025 -The 4th Regional Policy Dialogue of ASEAN TVET Council on “TVET for Rural and Regional Advancement” was successfully convened on 11–12 June 2025 in Melaka, Malaysia. The Dialogue brought together approximately 220 participants both onsite and online from ASEAN Member States and partner organisations, representing ministries of labour, education, and economic planning, TVET institutions, industry leaders, and international development partners.
     
    Hosted by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development of Malaysia with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat, Aus4ASEAN Digital Transformation and Future Skills Initiative (funded by the Government of Australia), and RECOTwin (funded by the Government of Germany), and the Dialogue provided a platform for participants to exchange strategies and good practices on how TVET can serve as a driver of inclusive, sustainable growth in rural and regional communities across ASEAN.
     
    Key discussions focused on expanding access to TVET, fostering technopreneurship, promoting green and digital skills, and aligning curricula with the demands of high-growth, high-value sectors. The Dialogue concluded with actionable insights and recommendations to guide ASEAN’s collective efforts toward enhancing employability, productivity, and socio-economic resilience through skills development.
     
    During the Dialogue, the Study Report on the Promotion of Business Engagement Models for Upskilling and Reskilling of the ASEAN Workforce was launched on 12 June 2025. Coordinated by the ASEAN Secretariat under the guidance of ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM) and with the support of the Aus4ASEAN Digital Transformation and Future Skills Initiative, the Study explores how ASEAN businesses are adapting to rapid changes in technology, Industry 4.0, and the green economy by investing in workforce upskilling and reskilling. It emphasises the importance of inclusive training and stronger engagement between governments, businesses, and TVET institutes. Find out more about the Study here.
     
    ###

    The post ASEAN TVET Council advances inclusive skills development for rural and regional communities appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Griffin Global Asset Management Announces the Delivery of Six Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft to United Airlines

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Griffin Global Asset Management (“Griffin”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into long-term lease agreements for six new Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft to United Airlines. The aircraft delivered over the course of April and May 2025.

    “We are thrilled to partner with United and welcome them as a new customer. These six new technology Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft are key to United’s fleet plan and we look forward to building on our long-term partnership with the United team in the years ahead,” said Eric Hild, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Griffin Global Asset Management.

    “We are pleased to work with Griffin on this transaction, as we grow our Boeing MAX 9 fleet in accordance with our United Next plan. They provide increased gauge, a great customer experience and will contribute to higher margins,” said Mike Leskinen, Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines. 

    This transaction is consistent with United’s fleet plan and aircraft delivery expectations as outlined in its 1Q25 investor update on April 15th, 2025.

    About Griffin Global Asset Management

    Griffin is a commercial aviation leasing and alternative asset management business with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and Los Angeles, CA. Griffin’s team of professionals works closely with airlines, manufacturers, maintenance providers, and financiers to deliver innovative capital solutions globally.

    For more information visit www.griffingam.ie or www.griffingam.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Indecent assault and burglary – Larrakeyah

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Police attended a residence in Larrakeyah overnight following an indecent assault and urge the community to remain vigilant.

    Around 10:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report of a male intruder at a unit complex where a female had allegedly been indecently assaulted while in bed.

    It is alleged the victim woke to a hand across her mouth before she pushed the hand away and called for help. The offender subsequently fled the scene.

    The victim described the offender as neatly dressed in all black, wearing a full-face balaclava mask. He was approximately 190cm tall, slim build, with tanned skin and long eyelashes.

    Upon police arrival, it was reported the male had allegedly entered a second apartment and stolen multiple personal items.

    Detectives from the NT Police Force Sex Crimes Section have carriage of the incidents and investigations remain ongoing. At this stage, it is unknown whether the incident is linked to the recent indecent assault that occurred in Parap; however, police are investigating all possibilities.

    The offenders involved in both incidents remain outstanding.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Toby Wilson said, “The nature of these incidents are understandably concerning to the community.  

    “NT Police Force takes these matters extremely seriously, and the Sex Crimes Section are working closely with Strike Force Trident, CCTV operators and other police units and agencies to identify the offenders and bring them before the courts.

    “It is unfortunate that with incidents like this we have to encourage the community to take safety precautions, such as securing doors and windows where possible, and to report any suspicious activity to police.”

    Police urge anyone who has information about the incident or CCTV in the area to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference P25157813. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra Hospital Opens New Veterans Lounge and Refurbished Foyer

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 12/06/2025

    Canberra’s veteran community now has an upgraded space at Canberra Hospital with the opening of a new Veterans Lounge. This purpose-built area provides a welcoming, quiet place for current and former military members who are patients, visitors and their families.

    Located in the newly refurbished Building 2 foyer, the Veterans Lounge is designed to support the connection and wellbeing of veterans at the hospital, providing a tranquil environment, comfortable seating and thoughtful amenities to help veterans feel at ease.

    Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the new space was an important step in recognising the unique needs of Canberra’s 22,000 veterans and their families accessing public health services and was another key part of the largest-ever investment into the Territory’s health infrastructure.

    “This is a significant space that shows that veterans and their families are welcome and supported here at Canberra Hospital,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “The Veterans Lounge reflects our broader commitment to creating inclusive, accessible and person-centred health facilities for every member of our community.”

    There are opportunities for quiet reading, a TV for entertainment and a workspace in the lounge area to support the needs of veterans while they are at the hospital.

    The Veterans Lounge complements other new features in the upgraded Building 2 foyer, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Welcome Lounge, the refurbished Yamba Cafe, and the new Canberra Hospital Foundation Gift Shop and Volunteers Hub.

    The foyer connects to the new Critical Services Building, improving navigation and access for patients and visitors. The foyer also features new flooring, seating, signage and indoor plants that reflect the contemporary design seen across the hospital’s recent developments.

    Minister Stephen-Smith said the upgrades marked a significant milestone in the final stages of the more than $660 million Canberra Hospital Expansion Project.

    “I’m pleased to see these internal foyer areas now complete. Later this year, as part of the Yamba Drive entrance redevelopment, dedicated outdoor spaces for veterans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will also be established,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “This is part of our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive environments that reflect the needs of our diverse community.”

    Redevelopment works continue at the Yamba Drive entrance to deliver further upgrades, including improved public transport links, new seating, landscaping, and courtyard spaces.

    The Yamba Drive entrance remains closed, with patients, visitors and staff advised to use Hospital Road to access the Canberra Hospital’s Main Entry, Reception and Emergency Department.

    For more information visit: Canberra Hospital getting here & getting around – Canberra Health Services.

    Quote attributable to Minister for Seniors and Veterans, Suzanne Orr:

    “I know this facility at Canberra Hospital is highly valued by veterans and their families. I am very pleased to see additional resources available to support healthcare access.”

    – Statement ends –

    Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Stars light up China’s summer cinemas as market seeks rebound

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

    Actress Zhang Ziyi poses during a photocall for the film “She’s got no name” at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    After a notable box office boost over the Duanwu Festival holiday — powered by Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” — and with a wave of high-profile films like star-studded “She’s Got No Name” joining the schedule, China’s summer movie season, running from June 1 to Aug. 31, is heating up alongside the weather.

    With the Aug. 8 release of Guan Hu’s “Dongji Island” announced on Wednesday, the three-month window — seen by industry observers as China’s most important movie period second only to the Spring Festival holiday — now boasts a lineup of more than 70 domestic and foreign films, ranging from crime thrillers and historical features to animated fantasies and Hollywood imports.

    But beneath the packed schedule lies an urgent question: which ones will be this year’s runaway hits? It’s more than a popularity contest. After a 44 percent drop in 2024’s summer takings from the year prior, the Chinese film market is looking to the season for signs of resilience and perhaps revival. That rebound, if it comes, may hinge on whether one or several high-performing films can once again galvanize the public and drive momentum across the board.

    Some in the industry see “She’s Got No Name,” set for release on June 21, as the season’s first real momentum builder. “If ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,’ which opened on May 30, served as a soft launch,” film critic and Shandong-based cinema manager Dong Wenxin told Xinhua, “then ‘She’s Got No Name,’ packed with stars, may be the one to spark the summer’s first real surge.”

    Directed by Peter Chan and starring Zhang Ziyi, Jackson Yee, Zhao Liying and Lei Jiayin, the highly anticipated noir-tinged thriller is based on a sensational 1945 murder in Shanghai. A sharp re-edit of the 150-minute Cannes version that drew polarized responses last year, the upcoming release runs 96 minutes, now promoted as the first installment of a two-part series. Anticipation remains high: Chan spent eight years on the script, rebuilt historic Shanghai alleyways for the shoot, and framed the story through the lens of gendered violence.

    Dong sees the next major box office surge arriving in late July, driven by the release of period comedy “The Lychee Road” on July 25 and historical feature “731,” currently titled “731 Biochemical Revelations” in English, on July 31. In an interview with Xinhua, Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, also expressed particular interest in the two titles, as well as “Dongji Island.”

    The Zhao Linshan directed “731,” which stars Jiang Wu and Wang Zhiwen, revisits the horrific World War II-era human experiments conducted by Japan’s Unit 731, documenting a painful chapter of history while portraying the Chinese people’s heroic resistance. Leading all summer titles in advance interest with over 600,000 “want to see” clicks on film platform Maoyan, the film could emerge as a cultural flashpoint for both its emotionally charged subject and patriotic undertones.

    Also grounded in history, “Dongji Island,” starring Zhu Yilong, recounts the true story of Chinese fishermen rescuing over 300 British prisoners of war in October 1942, after the Japanese transport ship “Lisbon Maru” was torpedoed and left to sink, despite being secretly packed with more than 1,800 prisoners. The same events were previously explored in Fang Li’s critically acclaimed 2024 documentary, “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru.”

    Comedy remains a genre with mass appeal. Based on a popular novel by Ma Boyong, “The Lychee Road” is directed by comedian Da Peng, who also stars in the lead role. The film follows a Tang Dynasty (618-907) official tasked with the near-impossible mission of transporting fresh lychees — typically perishable within days — on a grueling 2,500-km journey from Lingnan in southern China to the capital, Chang’an. His desperate ingenuity in overcoming the logistical challenge becomes a sharp satire of bureaucratic absurdity.

    Rao said the film’s source material already boasts a strong fan base, and its TV drama adaptation has helped warm up audiences ahead of the theatrical release. “Comedy films are almost a necessity during summer,” he added, noting the film’s box office potential.

    Also among the anticipated local releases are the mystery drama “Malice,” written and supervised by Chen Sicheng, known for his commercial instincts and previous hits in the suspense genre; an animated fantasy from Light Chaser Animation adapted from the Qing Dynasty short story collection “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio;” “The Stage,” a big-screen adaptation of the comedy of the same name by comedian Chen Peisi; and the animated drama “Nobody,” which adapts an episode from the acclaimed “Yao-Chinese Folktales” animation series.

    Hollywood titles, despite their waning allure in China, remain an essential piece of the competitive puzzle this summer. “Jurassic World Rebirth” (July 2) brings back dinosaurs and picks up the story after the events of 2022’s “Jurassic World: Dominion.” The franchise’s popularity in China, where each of the three previous entries surpassed 1 billion yuan (139 million U.S. dollars) in box office takings, makes it one of the few American titles with breakout potential.

    Other high-profile imports include “How to Train Your Dragon” (June 13), “F1 The Movie” starring Brad Pitt (June 27), and James Gunn’s “Superman” (July 11).

    Voicing “cautious optimism” over the summer box office, Rao said the Chinese film market is undergoing structural changes, and that only films with truly “hardcore” cinematic elements, the kind that can only be fully appreciated in a theater for their uniquely immersive audiovisual power as a modern technological art form, can effectively draw large audiences.

    From 2017 to 2019, China’s summer box office each surpassed 16 billion yuan, with 2023 setting an all-time seasonal high of 20.62 billion yuan. But 2024 saw a steep drop to 11.64 billion yuan.

    “Based on the current slate, this summer is unlikely to reach the heights of 2023 or the pre-pandemic years,” noted industry blog Yingshi Fengxiangbiao. “Still, if a breakout hit surpassing 3 billion yuan emerges, the season could yet outpace last year.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Spotlight Forum, Cortez Masto Highlights Struggles Small Businesses Face Due to Trump Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

     ***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

    FTPs for TV stations is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) hosted a Spotlight Forum titled “Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs” to examine how President Trump’s tariff policies fuel economic instability, raise costs on working families, and harm the travel and tourism sector. During the forum, Cortez Masto asked small business owners to describe the impacts of the tariffs on their individual businesses.

    Senator Cortez Masto highlighted the concerns she has heard while traveling across Nevada – the effects on tourism, the rising costs for families, and the squeeze that small businesses across the state are feeling. 

    “Let me ask you, because I think…some of this is also getting lost, not only the additional costs that you are incurring because of these tariffs [but] the additional opportunities,” she said to Preston Martin, CEO of Bicycle Technologies International who was planning to open a 29,000 square foot warehouse in Reno and had to cancel the contract because of additional costs brought on by tariffs. “What we also are missing out on here are the jobs that are created, the opportunity to put people to work. Mr. Martin, if you were able to open that warehouse in Reno, how many people would you have employed in Nevada?” she asked.

    Martin confirmed in his response that he would have been able to increase his workforce in Nevada by 50 percent.

    “Our policies should be congressionally-driven in the sense that we want to grow this economy and create jobs,” the Senator continued. “And the policies are just the opposite…People want a good life. They want less stress. They want to be able to work. They want a good economy. They want everybody to thrive. And that’s where our policies should be, but this [trade] policy is not there.”

    Senator Cortez Masto has continued to push the Trump Administration to address the impacts of Trump’s tariffs on working families and Nevada small businesses. Last week, Cortez Masto led the Nevada delegation in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to reverse his blanket tariffs that have had harmful impacts on Nevada. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Cortez Masto pressed U.S. Trade Representative Greer about the impacts of President Trump’s blanket tariffs on Nevadans, particularly those employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. The Senator introduced the Tariff Transparency Act to require the U.S. International Trade Commission to publicly investigate how Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will impact the American people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Shaheen, Castor, Evans Intro Bill to Reverse Trump’s Cuts to Key ACA Program That Helps More Americans Sign Up for Health Insurance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans work to gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) introduced legislation today in the Senate and House to restore a key program of the health care law that helps American families navigate the ACA marketplace and connect them with high quality, affordable health care plans. The Expand Navigators’ Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity (ENROLL) Act would ensure the Navigator program, which was established under the ACA to help Americans navigate, shop, and enroll in affordable health care plans, will continue despite the Trump Administration cutting funding by 90 percent in February.

    “We have seen this movie before: when he doesn’t get his way to fully repeal it, Donald Trump tries every which way to chip away at the Affordable Care Act and kick Wisconsin families off their health care, and sadly, it works. At a time when Wisconsinites are worried their care is on the chopping block under Republicans’ plan to give tax breaks to the wealthy, the Trump Administration is also gutting a key program that helps our neighbors find health care coverage that they can afford,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin’s Navigator has connected thousands of families with good health care coverage, ensuring more Wisconsinites can access the care and treatment they need to stay healthy. We should be investing in bringing the cost of care down for Wisconsinites, not jacking up costs and eliminating proven resources that connect more families with affordable insurance.”

    “We’ve seen this before: When the first Trump administration slashed funding for the navigator program, ACA health care enrollment shrank by more than 2.5 million – and when that funding was restored, enrollment rose and reached historic levels. Despite the hard facts that it helps everyday Americans access critical health care, the administration is gutting the navigator program again and leaving Granite Staters in rural and underserved areas behind,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our ENROLL Act is urgently needed to restore this funding so Granite Staters—and all Americans—have access to the help they need to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage.”

    “Florida families value and appreciate affordable health coverage. In fact, over 4.7 million Floridians selected an affordable marketplace plan for 2025—almost one-fifth of the nation’s 24.2 million enrollees. Robust outreach and assistance by navigators is vital to families so they can evaluate options and choose a health plan that is right for them. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has slashed navigator support and complicated the lives of families who need advice on lifesaving health coverage,” said Representative Castor. “President Trump and Congressional Republicans appear dead set on making Affordable Care Act coverage more expensive, driving up premiums and putting hardworking families at risk. I am proud to work with Senator Baldwin to protect American’s health, well-being and pocketbooks by ensuring navigators stay on the job.”

    “The Affordable Care Act Navigators program provides free, objective, expert advice and information to Americans in red, purple and blue states alike to help them find affordable health coverage that meets their needs. A similar cut to the program in President Trump’s first term resulted in more people being uninsured, and letting his new cut stand is likely to raise costs for working-class Americans at a time when the cost of living is already high,” said Representative Evans. “One of the ways the Navigators program has helped American families is by helping hundreds of thousands of eligible consumers in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. President Trump recently promised not to touch Medicaid, and keeping people who qualify for Medicaid from getting covered breaks that promise, as far as I’m concerned.”

    In 2017 and 2018, the first Trump Administration cut funding for the Navigator program by 84 percent, contributing to 2.5 million fewer people accessing healthcare through the ACA Marketplace over the course of the first Trump Administration. Navigator funding was restored in 2021, and enrollment reached historic levels for the 2025 plan year. In February 2025, the Trump Administration slashed nearly 90 percent of funding for the Navigator program, threatening to leave millions of Americans without critical assistance to access health insurance.

    In 2024, Covering Wisconsin (CWI), Wisconsin’s only federal navigator program, helped process nearly 100,000 applications for ACA Marketplace and Medicaid coverage, answering questions about coverage, and navigating the marketplace to ensure families get quality care and a price they can afford. From 2019 to 2024, CWI has seen a 163% increase in Marketplace and Medicaid enrollments completed directly by CWI Navigators. As of August 25, 2025, CWI anticipates their funding will be reduced by 90 percent. This is especially harmful to Wisconsinites in rural communities who already lack access to in-person assistance for shopping and enrolling in quality, affordable health insurance coverage.

    The ENROLL Act would:

    • Ensure that Navigators have the resources they need to assist Americans in finding affordable health care coverage and restore funding for the program to $100 million annually;
    • Promote efforts to ensure that Navigators provide public education and assistance that helps consumers, including those who may need extra help signing up, find coverage, rather than prioritizing application numbers;
    • Clarify that Navigator responsibilities include enrolling consumers in Medicaid and CHIP coverage;
    • Promote efforts to provide Americans with information on comprehensive health insurance that protects individuals with pre-existing conditions.

    In addition to Senators Baldwin and Shaheen, the ENROLL Act is also co-sponsored in the Senate by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Angus King (I-ME).

    The ENROLL Act is supported by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Federation of Teachers, American Heart Association, American Public Health Association, Community Catalyst, Epilepsy Foundation, MomsRising, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, National Health Council, National Immigration Law Center, National Kidney Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Psoriasis Foundation, and Young Invincibles.

    “Marketplace navigators are a crucial resource for the more than 24 million people who access their health coverage through the ACA Marketplace and anyone who has questions about their coverage options. Appropriately funding health care navigators is essential for making sure consumers—especially those with complex medical conditions like cancer—can get access to the most appropriate health insurance coverage that will meet their needs. We commend Senator Baldwin, Senator Shaheen, and Representative Castor for acting to reverse the significant and damaging funding cuts that were enacted earlier this year and urge the Senate and House to pass this legislation quickly,” said Lisa Lacasse, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

    “At a time when health care is under relentless attack, advancing the ENROLL Act is a clear signal that there are leaders in Congress committed to putting people over profit. The current administration has gutted funding for Navigators, trusted community members who guide people through the daunting, complex process of enrolling in coverage. Restoring that funding is essential to ensuring everyone, especially those facing the greatest barriers, can enroll in the most affordable, comprehensive options for their families. We thank Senator Baldwin and Representative Castor for their leadership and for standing with communities who depend on this trusted, unbiased help,” said Mona Shah, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy at Community Catalyst.

    A one-pager on this legislation is available here. Full bill text of this legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Currency Exchange International Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Currency Exchange International, Corp. (the “Group” or “CXI”) (TSX: CXI; OTCQX: CURN), today reported net income of $1.98 million for the second quarter of 2025, 291% higher than the prior year (all figures are in U.S. dollars except where otherwise indicated). This 2025 reported net income reflected $2.7 million net income from continuing operations and a net loss of $0.7 million from Exchange Bank of Canada, the Company’s Canadian subsidiary which was classified as discontinued operations effective the second quarter of 2025. These results include restructuring charges of $0.2 million, pre-tax, related to discontinued operations in Canada and certain one-time charges of $0.1 million, pre-tax. Excluding these items, the Group’s adjusted net income1 increased by 18% compared to the prior year and adjusted diluted earnings per share1 (“EPS”) was 24% higher than the prior year. The completed condensed interim consolidated financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) can be found on the Group’s SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Q2, 2025
    Reported Results    		 EBITDA $4.9 million
    Up 10% YoY    		 Net Income $1.98 million
    Up 291% YoY    		 Diluted EPS $0.31
    Up 288% YoY    		 Annualized ROE 5%
    Down 50% YoY
    Q2, 2025
    Adjusted Results1    		 EBITDA1$5.1 million
    Up 15% YoY    		 Net Income1$2.3 million
    Up 18% YoY    		 Diluted EPS1$0.36
    Up 24% YoY    		 Annualized ROE112%
    Flat YoY

    Below is a reconciliation of reported results to adjusted results based on non-recurring items:

      Three-month
    period ended
    April 30, 2025    		 Three-month
    period ended
    April 30, 2024    		 Six-month
    period ended
    April 30, 2025    		 Six-month
    period ended
    April 30, 2024
    Reported results $ $ $ $
    EBITDA 4,901,810 4,470,061 8,755,560 7,755,158
    Group net income 1,983,025 506,522 2,795,555 1,356,397
    Pre-tax adjusting items        
    Specified item: Restructuring charges 229,404 – 229,404 –
    Specified item: Advisory costs* 145,452 – 425,513 –
    Specified item: Deferred tax assets reversal* – 1,427,600 – 1,429,850 
    Total pre-tax adjusting items 374,856 1,427,600 654,917 1,429,850 
    Impact of income tax (72,073) – (80,647) –
    Adjusted results**        
    EBITDA 5,131,214 4,470,061 8,984,964 7,755,158
    Group net income 2,285,808 1,934,122 3,369,825 2,786,247
    Group Diluted earnings per share        
    Reported 0.31 0.08 0.44 0.21
    Adjusted** 0.36 0.29 0.53 0.42

    *These adjustments are reported within the results from discontinued operations.

    **These are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios. For further details, refer to the key performance and non-GAAP financial measures section below.

    Total revenue was 3% lower than the prior year due to a decline in consumer demand for foreign currency as travel activity tapered during the current quarter. Although revenue declined, the Company’s net income for the second quarter rose compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to the favorable impact of a weaker U.S. Dollar on the revaluation of foreign currency banknote holdings. The Group’s capital position remained robust, and liquidity was strong with $81.2 million in total equity and $60.4 million in net working capital as of April 30, 2025 ($79.4 million and $55.9 million as of October 31, 2024, respectively). All reported amounts are based on the Group’s condensed interim consolidated financial statements presented in compliance with International Accounting Standard 34 Interim Financial reporting, unless otherwise noted.

    On February 18, 2025, the Group announced its decision to cease the operations of its wholly owned subsidiary, Exchange Bank of Canada. This strategic decision and operational plan for restructuring were communicated to all staff of EBC on February 19, 2025. Following the cessation of operations, the Bank intends to apply to the Minister of Finance in Canada to discontinue from the Bank Act. The application to discontinue is expected to be made in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the actual discontinuance of the Bank being subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Following the Group’s decision, management has commenced implementation of the restructuring and planned discontinuance of the Bank. Management anticipates that certain operating expenses and personnel costs, that are currently shared with EBC, will be 100% borne by the continuing operations of CXI, subsequent to the exit of EBC from Canada, and the current annualized estimate of these costs is approximately $3 million after tax. In the second quarter of 2025, Exchange Bank of Canada was classified as a discontinued operation in the Group’s condensed interim consolidated financial statements.

    On May 20, 2025, CXI upgraded its U.S. securities listing with the Company’s shares commencing trading on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol CURN.

    Randolph Pinna, CEO of the Group, stated, “The second quarter showed continued growth in the payments business, while with the current political and economic uncertainties, international travel activity to and from the United States decreased banknote revenues. CXI’s diversified business model in the United States allows for continued new client growth in the payments business complemented by successful multi-channel banknotes offerings for both our U.S. Financial Institutions in branch or online as well as the Direct-to-Consumer customer offerings through online, agent and physical branch locations. CXI’s management team and I remain committed to executing CXI’s strategic plan which is focused on revenue and earnings growth as well as the return on capital and creating value for our shareholders resulting from providing leading FX technology and transaction processing solutions”.

    Financial Highlights for the three-month periods ended April 30, 2025 and 2024:

    • Revenue decreased by 3% or $0.5 million to $15.9 million compared to $16.4 million. Banknotes revenue decreased by 5% or $0.6 million over the prior period while Payments revenue increased by 5% or $0.1 million;
    • Reported EBITDA increased by 10% or $0.4 million to $4.9 million from $4.5 million. Adjusted EBITDA2 was $5.1 million, 15% higher than the prior period;
    • Reported Group net income was $1.98 million, a 291% increase compared to the prior period. Adjusted Group net income2 increased 18% or $0.4 million to $2.3 million from $1.9 million in the prior period;
    • Reported earnings per share were $0.32 and $0.31 on a basic and fully diluted basis, respectively, compared to the prior year’s reported earnings per share of $0.08 on both a basic and fully diluted basis. Adjusted earnings per share2 were $0.37 and $0.36 on a basic and fully diluted basis, respectively, compared to the prior year’s adjusted earnings per share of $0.30 and $0.29; and
    • The Group maintained a strong financial position, with net working capital of $60.4 million and total equity of $81.2 million as of April 30, 2025.

    Financial Highlights for the six-month periods ended April 30, 2025 and 2024:

    • Revenue increased by 3% or $0.8 million to $31.3 million compared to $30.5 million. Payments revenue increased by 11% or $0.5 million and Banknotes revenue increased by 1% or $0.3 million over the prior period;
    • Reported EBITDA increased by 13% or $1.0 million to $8.8 million from $7.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA3 was $9.0 million, 16% higher than the prior period;
    • Reported Group net income was $2.8 million, a 106% increase compared to the prior period. Adjusted Group net income3 increased 21% or $0.6 million to $3.4 million from $2.8 million in the prior period; and
    • Reported earnings per share were $0.45 and $0.44 on a basic and fully diluted basis, respectively, compared to the prior year’s reported earnings per share of $0.21 on both a basic and fully diluted basis. Adjusted earnings per share3 $0.54 and $0.53 on a basic and fully diluted basis, respectively, compared to the prior year’s adjusted earnings per share of $0.44 and $0.42.

    Corporate Highlights for the three-month period ended April 30, 2025:

    • The Group continued its growth in the direct-to-consumer market through its network of company-owned branch locations, agent relationships, and in the majority of states where it operates its OnlineFX platform. During the second quarter of 2025, the Group added the State of Mississippi to its OnlineFX platform network, now operating in 45 states and the District of Columbia;
    • The Group increased its banknotes market penetration into the financial institutions sector in the United States with the addition of 124 new clients in the second quarter of 2025; and
    • The Group continued to grow its Payments product line benefiting from the recent investments in core banking platform integrations which enabled the Group to expand its reach and increase its volumes in the United States. The Group processed 45,788 payment transactions in the second quarter compared to 37,781 payment transactions in the prior period.

    Selected Financial Data

    The following table summarizes the performance of the Group over the last eight fiscal quarters:

      Results of Continuing Operations – Reported Group Net Results – Reported Group Net Results- Adjusted3
    Quarterly Results Revenue Net income Earnings per
    share (diluted)    		 Net income
    (loss)    		 Earnings/(loss)
    per share
    (diluted)    		 Net income Earnings per
    share (diluted)
      $ $ $ $ $ $ $
    Q2 2025 15,865,150 2,674,849 0.42 1,983,025 0.31 2,285,808 0.36
    Q1 2025 15,450,861 1,694,672 0.26 812,530 0.12 1,092,648 0.17
    Q4 2024 18,460,390 3,313,852 0.50 (2,817,897) (0.45) 2,780,445 0.42
    Q3 2024 19,961,122 5,122,815 0.77 3,935,350 0.59 4,644,984 0.69
    Q2 2024 16,358,796 2,731,629 0.41 506,522 0.08 1,934,122 0.29
    Q1 2024 14,141,018 2,020,274 0.30 849,874 0.13 849,874 0.13
    Q4 2023 18,742,856 3,467,825 0.52 2,303,822 0.34 2,303,822 0.34
    Q3 2023 19,416,155 4,650,604 0.69 4,056,478 0.60 4,056,478 0.60

    Earnings Conference Call Details

    CXI plans to host a conference call on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 8:30 AM (EST).

    To participate in or listen to the call, please dial the appropriate number:

    Toll Free – North America: (+1) 800 717 1738

    Conference ID Number: 21262

    About Currency Exchange International, Corp.

    Currency Exchange International is in the business of providing comprehensive foreign exchange technology and processing services for banks, credit unions, businesses, and consumers in the United States and select clients globally. Primary products and services include the exchange of foreign currencies, wire transfer payments, Global EFTs, and foreign cheque clearing. Wholesale customers are served through its proprietary FX software applications delivered on its web-based interface, www.cxifx.com (“CXIFX”), its related APIs with core banking platforms, and through personal relationship managers. Consumers are served through Group-owned retail branches, agent retail branches, and its e-commerce platform, order.ceifx.com (“OnlineFX”).

    Contact Information

    For further information please contact:
    Bill Mitoulas
    Investor Relations
    (416) 479-9547
    Email: bill.mitoulas@cxifx.com
    Website: www.cxifx.com

    KEY PERFORMANCE AND NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

    The Group measures and evaluates its performance, as presented in this document, using a number of financial metrics and measures, such as adjusted net income, which do not have standardized meanings under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and may not be comparable to other companies. The Group’s management believes that these measures are more reflective of its operating results and provide the readers of this document with a better understanding of management’s perspective on the performance. These measures enhance the comparability of our financial performance for the current year with the corresponding period in the prior year. For further information, including a reconciliation, refer to key performance and non-GAAP financial measures in the MD&A.

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

    This press release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This forward-looking information includes, or may be based upon, estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management’s expectations with respect to, among other things, demand and market outlook for wholesale and retail foreign currency exchange products and services, future growth, the timing and scale of future business plans, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Forward-looking statements are identified by the use of terms and phrases such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “predict”, “preliminary”, “project”, “will”, “would”, and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions.

    Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date such information is provided, and on information available to management at such time. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Group’s actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in such forward-looking information. Actual results may differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking information due to a number of factors including, without limitation, the competitive nature of the foreign exchange industry; evolving worldwide geopolitical developments and pandemics including COVID-19 all of which may continue to have a material adverse effect on global economic activity, and may continue to result in volatility and disruption to global supply chains, operations, mobility of people and the financial markets which impact personal and business travel, tourism and factors relevant to the Group’s business; global economic deterioration negatively impacting tourism in general; currency exchange risks, the need for the Group to manage its planned growth, the effects of product development and the need for continued technological change, protection of the Group’s proprietary rights, the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Group and the industry in which it operates, network security risks, the ability of the Group to maintain properly working systems, theft and risk of physical harm to personnel, reliance on key management personnel; volatile securities markets impacting security pricing in a manner unrelated to operating performance and impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital as well as the factors identified throughout this press release and in the section entitled “Risks and Uncertainties” of the Group’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three and six-month periods ended April 30, 2025 and 2024. Forward-looking information contained in this press release represents management’s expectations as of the date hereof (or as of the date such information is otherwise stated to be presented) and is subject to change after such date. The Group disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws.

    The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this press release.

    1 These are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios and are not standardized financial measures under IFRS, they are based on management-determined non-recurring items. For further information, refer to the key performance and non-GAAP financial measures section on page 4 of this document.
    2 These are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios and are not standardized financial measures under IFRS, they are based on management-determined non-recurring items. For further information, refer to the key performance and non-GAAP financial measures section on page 4 of this document.
    3 These adjusted results are non-GAAP financial measures and ratios and are not standardized financial measures under IFRS, they are based on management-determined non-recurring items. For further information, refer to the key performance and non-GAAP financial measures section on page 4 of this document.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Criminal damage – Wadeye

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Police are calling for information after three separate incidents occurred in Wadeye on Sunday.

    Around 3:50pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports that a male entered the Wadeye clinic yard and allegedly used a rock to smash the windows and side mirrors to two government vehicles before fleeing fled the scene.

    The incident resulted in approximately $20,000 worth of damage.

    Police attended and reviewed CCTV footage and have since identified a person of interest.

    Later in a separate incident, around 10:30pm, police observed a suspicious vehicle driving through Wadeye community. The vehicle began flashing its lights at police and upon police approach the vehicle drove into nearby bushland.

    A short time later, police attempted a traffic apprehension; however, the vehicle failed to stop, and a short pursuit ensued. The offending vehicle then turned around and drove back in the direction of police, swerving toward their vehicle. Police withdrew from the area and returned to the police compound.

    Later, in a third incident, around 12:40am, one male attended the police compound and began throwing projectiles in the direction of the officers. Officers deployed OC spray before the male fled the scene.

    The first and third incident are believed to be linked; however, investigations are ongoing to identify those involved in the traffic incident.

    Police urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 or you can report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s illegal military deployment cuts into firefighting resources, Governor Newsom launches new CAL FIRE recruiting effort

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 11, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is launching a new CAL FIRE recruitment drive – at JoinCALFIRE.com – as President Trump’s illegal military deployment impacts firefighting resources already seeing cuts by the U.S. Forest Service.

    LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of a new effort to recruit for one of the world’s leading firefighting departments, CAL FIRE.

    The effort comes as President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles cuts into valuable firefighting resources. Roughly 300 California National Guard fire crews have been diverted to armories in the Los Angeles region — cutting CalGuard’s firefighting force by three-quarters. This impact is on top of the Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the states.

    As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually – nearly double that from the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.

    As California contends with rising wildfire risks, increasing demands for emergency services, and the need to fast-track mitigation and prevention efforts, recruiting mission-driven professionals across all disciplines has never been more critical. The state’s new website launched today, JoinCALFIRE.com, empowers prospective applicants with comprehensive information about the department’s diverse career paths— from firefighting and natural resource management to land use planning and information technology.

    With peak fire season just now getting underway, we can’t let our guard down. President Trump’s political stunt is now impacting our resources – with three-quarters of the National Guard’s firefighting crews diverted to Los Angeles armories. We’re ramping up our efforts to recruit for CAL FIRE to keep our communities safe – especially as the federal government makes conditions even more dangerous.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    With the scale of hiring underway, JoinCALFIRE.com is launching at a pivotal time to streamline recruitment, improve public access to career information, and ensure the department attracts the qualified, mission-driven professionals needed to strengthen statewide readiness and response capabilities.

    “As our state faces unprecedented challenges, we are committed to building a team that not only meets but exceeds the demands of today’s emergencies,” said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “Whether you’re launching your professional journey or looking to make a transformative career change, JoinCALFIRE.com offers the tools and resources to take that first step.”

    Building on unprecedented progress

    Late last month, the Governor announced $72 million for projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. Governor Newsom also announced 13 new vegetation management projects spanning nearly 7,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under his new streamlining initiative.

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom announced in April that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Highlights of achievements to date include:

    • Historic investments — Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion to be allocated from the 2024 Climate Bond.
    • On-the-ground progress — More than 2,200 landscape health and fire prevention projects are complete or underway, and from 2021-2023, the State and its partners treated nearly 1.9 million acres, including nearly 730,000 acres in 2023.
    • Increasing transparency — The Governor’s Task Force launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard to display wildfire resilience work across federal, state, local, and privately managed lands across the State. The Dashboard, launched in 2023, provides transparency, tracks progress, facilitates planning, and informs firefighting efforts.
    • Hardening communities — Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety  standards, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. Since 2019, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects across the state and conducts Defensible Space Inspections on more than 250,000 homes each year.
    • Leveraging cutting-edge technology — On top of expanding the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, CAL FIRE has doubled its use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and the state is utilizing AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 11, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES – President Trump continues to violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law by turning the military into his own personal police force against American citizens. As Governor Newsom said in his address to Californians and the American people…

    Jun 11, 2025

    News Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on the passing of Brian Wilson, singer-songwriter and Beach Boys co-founder:”Jennifer and I join the world in mourning the death of Brian Wilson, a musical genius and California…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News Los Ángeles — En un discurso pronunciado esta noche ante casi 40 millones de californianos y estadounidenses en todo el país, el Gobernador Gavin Newsom condenó la militarización ilegal de Los Ángeles por parte del Presidente Trump y advirtió que las acciones del…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 06/11/2025 Blackburn Introduces Bill to End Taxpayer Funding for NPR and PBS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Free Americans from Ideological Reporting (FAIR) Act to stop federal taxpayer dollars from being sent to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) after years of left-wing politically biased reporting under the guise of public broadcasting. Senator Blackburn has long pushed to ensure taxpayers are not footing the bill for biased media, and this bill would codify the executive order President Trump issued on May 1, 2025.

    “For far too long, American taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for NPR and PBS while they push left-wing propaganda,” said Senator Blackburn. “The FAIR Act would cut off taxpayer funding to these partisan outlets, ensuring the American people aren’t forced to subsidize media that disparages conservatives and does the left’s bidding.”

    • NPR and PBS have benefited from taxpayer dollars for years while showing a consistent pattern of editorial bias, left-leaning political slant, and a lack of public accountability. NPR and PBS have violated the spirit of public broadcasting by forcing American taxpayers to fund content that misrepresents and excludes conservative viewpoints.
    • Last year, Senator Blackburn called for NPR to lose its funding after it suspended an editor who exposed the outlet’s partisan bias.
    • NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, testified before Congress where she admitted to botching coverage of Hunter Biden’s laptop and was grilled about the bias in the organization. Maher has also made statements calling President Trump a “fascist” and a “deranged racist sociopath.” PBS has pushed radical leftist gender ideology, releasing a movie called “Real Boy,” about a transgender teen.
    • President Trump issued an executive order on May 1, 2025, preventing federal dollars from funding NPR and PBS directly through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) or indirectly through member station dues.

    THE FAIR ACT

    The FAIR Act would:

    • Permanently bar CPB from directly funding NPR and PBS;
    • Permanently bar CPB from indirectly funding NPR and PBS by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use federal funds for NPR and PBS; and
    • Require the heads of all agencies to identify and terminate direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS. 

    Click here for bill text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom statement on the passing of Brian Wilson

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 11, 2025

    Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on the passing of Brian Wilson, singer-songwriter and Beach Boys co-founder:

    “Jennifer and I join the world in mourning the death of Brian Wilson, a musical genius and California icon. Wilson fundamentally changed modern music, helping make the Beach Boys not only the defining American band of their era, but also the California band to this day. He captured the mystique and magic of California, carrying it around the world and across generations. Wilson did not lead an easy life, but he persevered through the trials he faced to find peace with his family and his music. He leaves a legacy that, like any one of the Beach Boys’ hits, will not be forgotten.”

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 10, 2025

    News Los Ángeles — En un discurso pronunciado esta noche ante casi 40 millones de californianos y estadounidenses en todo el país, el Gobernador Gavin Newsom condenó la militarización ilegal de Los Ángeles por parte del Presidente Trump y advirtió que las acciones del…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES – Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are standing up all states by filing a lawsuit and request to block President Trump and the Department of Defense’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles and the takeover of a California National Guard (Cal…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra

    Higher productivity has quickly emerged as an economic reform priority for Labor’s second term.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid down some markers for a productivity round table in August, saying he wants it to build the “broadest possible base” for further economic reform.

    The government is right to focus on productivity. Improving economic efficiency will increase real wages, help bring down inflation and interest rates, and improve living standards.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers is flagging a broad productivity agenda, but acknowledges the rewards will take time to percolate through the economy:

    Human capital, competition policy, technology, energy, the care economy – these are where we are going to find the productivity gains, and not quickly, but over the medium term.

    Making the economy operate more efficiently is simple in concept. But Albanese and Chalmers would be well aware productivity is hard to measure, and even more difficult to shift.

    The numbers are fraught

    What do we mean by productivity growth? And how will it help lift the economy? The authors of the bestselling new book Abundance offer this neat explanation:

    People need to think up new ideas. Factories need to innovate new processes. These new ideas and new processes must be encoded into new technologies. All this is grouped under the sterile label of productivity: How much more can we produce with the same number of people and resources?

    At its most basic, productivity measures outputs divided by inputs – what we produce compared to the resources such as labour and capital used to produce it.

    But large parts of the “non-market” economy including the public service, health care and education are excluded from the official productivity figures.

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics is working to address the gap in the data. For example, it is developing “experimental estimates” for the health sector, which suggests hospital productivity has fallen.

    However measurement is fraught. If a nurse, for instance, who previously cared for four patients now looks after eight, is that a productivity improvement? Or a drop in standard of care?

    Flatlining productivity

    Australian productivity growth has averaged just 0.4% a year since 2015 – the lowest rate in 60 years.

    The exception was during COVID, when industries with low productivity, such as accommodation and food, were shut down and those with high productivity – such as IT and communications – thrived.

    The objective must be to return to, or even surpass, historical levels of productivity. However, it won’t be easy given economists have no clear idea why productivity growth has fallen in Australia and overseas.

    Theories include:

    • measurement problems
    • new industries
    • decline in business investment in equipment and technology
    • more service industries, where productivity is lower
    • the easy reforms have all been done.

    No shortage of advice

    Productivity is multidimensional, with an absurd number of moving parts. It depends on skills, technology, investment, knowledge, management, and a host of other factors. Like the movie, it’s “everything, everywhere all at once”.

    The government has a plethora of advice on how to improve productivity. Scientists argue for more scientific research; business lobbies for more investment breaks;
    innovators for more technological advances.

    This poses a dilemma for the Treasurer. Most suggestions on their own would make some difference. Doing all of them would make a huge difference. Alas, government cannot do everything. It must choose where to apply its limited resources.

    Beyond money and time, the government must also have appetite for the fight.

    Interest groups typically support productivity reforms in principle, but resist them if they are directly affected. Every inefficient regulation or program has a supporter somewhere.

    Five pillars

    Jim Chalmers does not need another shopping list. He needs help to sort through options and set priorities for which fights to pick. To this end, in December year he tasked the Productivity Commission with new inquiries into the five main drivers – “pillars” – of higher productivity.



    Read more:
    Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial

    Yet the Albanese government has already been handed a comprehensive blueprint for productivity reform.

    In March 2023, the Productivity Commission released the Advancing Prosperity report, which it described as a “road map”.

    However, it had more of a shopping list feel, incorporating 71 recommendations and 29 “reform directives”. Many were of the “should” variety, lacking a detailed plan of how to do them.

    Roughly speaking, any government only has bandwidth for one big and a few small reforms a term. It cannot implement more than 70, even if that’s ideal.

    Productivity reform will succeed if it involves only a few changes – preferably those that deliver the most improvement for the least complaint.

    Some proposed measures are desirable but controversial. The tax system, for example, is crying out for improvement, but the government is unlikely to take it on.

    Reforming occupational licences to make it easier for tradies to move states is a more modest aim. It would not generate the same productivity gains, but politically would be simpler to implement.

    Nothing to fear

    Finally, some words of caution.

    Productivity is not code for exploiting workers. As The Guardian recently noted:

    When most people hear the word ‘productivity’ they think of their boss wanting them to take on more duties for the same pay. That’s not the case. It’s about getting more out of the hours you work.

    Working harder to get the same result is in fact a drop in productivity. Working shorter hours for the same outputs is productivity growth, with the benefits seen in better work-life balance.

    Nor is productivity just about producing more outputs. Who needs more useless stuff?

    And statistics can mislead, because they measure the value of production, not the quality. A broader accounting for production, incorporating society and the environment, would help the productivity debate avoid this trap.

    Albanese and Chalmers readily acknowledge the government can do more on productivity. Anyone with an interest in driving a more efficient economy, higher real wages and better living standards will hold them to their word.

    This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the productivity dilemma.

    Stephen Bartos 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. ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge – https://theconversation.com/hard-to-measure-and-difficult-to-shift-the-governments-big-productivity-challenge-257968

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and African First Ladies mark World Hypertension Day 2025 by launching their Annual Awards for Best Media, Fashion, Song, and Film to raise awareness on hypertension, diabetes and importance of healthy lifestyle

    Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks ‘World Hypertension Day 2025’ in partnership with Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Medical Societies and Academia through their “Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program, by reinforcing its commitment to improving cardiovascular and diabetes care across Africa, and beyond.

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation stated, “At Merck Foundation we observe “World Hypertension Day” by expanding access to quality and equitable care in Hypertension, Diabetes, Endocrinnology and Cardiovascular preventive care, which are all co-related, by providing scholarships for young doctors from across Africa and beyond.

    “Together with our Ambassadors, The First Ladies of Africa, and partners like Ministries of Health, Medical Societies and Academia, we have till today provided more than 860 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries, of One-Year Online PG Diplomas and Two-Year Online Master’s Degrees in Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Cardiology, and Obesity & Weight Management, as well as One-Year Clinical Cardiovascular Care and Clinical Diabetes Onsite Fellowship Programs in India, a special 3-month Diabetes Mastercourse in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish languages.

    What is special about these scholarships is that they have been provided not only to doctors from capital cities, but also to those from across the country — ensuring wider geographic coverage of healthcare capacity. We remain committed to continuing our efforts to improve healthcare capacity and access to hypertension and diabetes care.”

    Merck Foundation has in total provided more than 2270 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.

    Dr. Dzifa Ahadzi, Merck Foundation alumnus from Ghana shares, “I have completed my Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiology and currently pursuing MSc in Cardiology. Being a practicing cardiologist, this program has provided me with the opportunity to consolidate my knowledge and apply current advances in cardiovascular care to my clinical practice. Since completing the PG Diploma in Cardiology, I have been involved in establishing a Heart Failure clinic in my hospital that caters to the needs of a diverse population of Heart Failure patients including women with Postpartum cardiomyopathy and Cardio-oncology patients.

    I am extremely grateful to Merck Foundation for the support and exposure it has provided me. It has inspired me and helped me to improve cardiovascular care amongst the population that I serve.”

    Merck Foundation scholarships are of great value, given that as per WHO data, the African region has the highest prevalence of hypertension, with approximately 27% of adults affected.

    Therefore, Merck Foundation has launched several community awareness programs to emphasize on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about diabetes and hypertension prevention, early detection and management.

    Merck Foundation, together with The First Ladies of Africa has launched a storybook and its adapted animation Film “Mark’s Pressure”.

    “I believe early education is key to building a healthier community. Through our storybook and animation film “Mark’s Pressure”, we aim to instill healthy habits in children and youth — like reducing salt and sugar, eating well, exercising, and avoiding smoking. I believe that this is the only way to to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes, which are major risk factors for many serious complications and illnesses.”

    Watch the “Mark’s Pressure” Animation Film here:

    https://apo-opa.co/45pQuid

    Moreover, Merck Foundation’s pan African TV program “Our Africa” conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation has episodes dedicated to raising awareness about Diabetes and Promoting Healthy Lifestyle.

    Watch the Episodes here:

    https://apo-opa.co/4jMij7M

    https://apo-opa.co/43VGaf9

    “Our Africa” TV Program has been broadcasted on National and Prime TV stations of many African countries like Burundi, Botswana, Ghana, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia and is currently on social media handles of Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej [Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4jMijEO), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/4jPaTkd), Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/43XKSco) and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/4l3tpX8)] and Merck Foundation [Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok), Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb) and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz)].

    Additionally, Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies, also launches annually, their Awards for best Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, Musicians/ Singers, and new potential talents in these fields from African countries to Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    1. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    2. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    4. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to:

    submit@merck-foundation.com

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

    Contact:
    Mehak Handa
    Community Awareness Program Manager 
    Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
    Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

    Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard:
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G
    X: https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb
    YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz
    Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok
    Threads: https://apo-opa.co/4l5X9CL
    Flickr: https://apo-opa.co/4jMiwrA
    Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
    Download Merck Foundation App: www.Merck-Foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection

    About Merck Foundation:
    The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G), X (https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/4l5X9CL) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/4jMiwrA).

    The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wasilla man indicted for distributing carfentanil resulting in two overdoses, one fatal and one non-fatal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment yesterday charging a Wasilla man with distributing carfentanil to two individuals, resulting in the non-fatal overdose of an adult victim and the fatal overdose of a minor.

    Per court documents, the Alaska Bureau of Investigations (ABI) discovered that between Nov. 14 and 15, 2024, Sean Mobley, 45, allegedly distributed what appeared to be powder fentanyl to two different people, one adult and one minor. Both victims allegedly used the substance and overdosed. The adult victim was successfully revived by Narcan, but the minor victim died.  Further analysis revealed that the substance causing the overdose and death was not fentanyl, but carfentanil. Carfentanil is a highly potent opioid not approved for human use. It is used by veterinarians to sedate large animals and is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    Court filings indicate that on Nov. 14, 2024, Mobley and an unnamed individual allegedly sold a small quantity of what appeared to be powdered fentanyl to the adult victim. Later that night, the unnamed individual received a telephone call informing them that the victim was overdosing. The individual returned to the victim’s residence where Narcan was administered to revive the victim.

    These same court documents further allege that Mobley later distributed the same carfentanil to a minor victim, causing her to overdose and die. Specifically, during the late evening of Nov. 14, 2024, Mobley drove to a gas station and met the minor victim. The minor victim entered Mobley’s truck, and at roughly 11:54 p.m., texted a friend that she was, “banging one out with Sean” (a slang phrase that allegedly means using drugs).

    The court records then allege that Mobley drove the minor victim to a remote ATV trail in Wasilla, arriving around midnight on Nov. 15, 2024. While at the trail, the minor victim used some of the carfentanil that Mobley allegedly provided to her, which resulted in the minor victim fatally overdosing in his truck.  He then allegedly dumped her body at the trail, all between 12:00 and 12:13 a.m.  Court documents additionally allege that after discarding the minor victim’s body, Mobley left to distribute more narcotics.

    On Nov. 15, 2024, a man walking his dog found the body of the minor female on the ATV trail. The state medical examiner found the minor’s cause of death as acute combined toxic effects of carfentanil and methamphetamine. 

    “Unfortunately, this indictment marks a troubling milestone – the first federal prosecution in Alaska for the distribution of poisonous carfentanil. To make matters worse, Mr. Mobley is accused of distributing this toxic substance to two people, resulting in the near deadly overdose of one and the heartbreaking fatal overdose of a local minor whose body he then dumped onto a secluded trail in the middle of the night,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Aggressive prosecutions of individuals peddling deadly drugs to our communities, including our children, is a national priority, especially when those narcotics kill and the perpetrator acts with callous disregard for his victims. I want to commend the ABI and the DEA for their diligent investigation, and to the Alaska Department of Law for their continued collaboration as we pursue justice for the victims and loved ones impacted by this tragedy.”

    “The callousness and cowardice of poisoning then dumping a young woman goes way beyond the pale, even for an alleged drug distributor,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This case cries for justice and I am proud that DEA and our partners helped bring federal charges in this case.”

    “This is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of dangerous drug use and distribution in our great state—especially when it involves our youth,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “Your Alaska State Troopers remain committed to holding those accountable who deal deadly drugs like carfentanil. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and disrupt drug trafficking in Alaska no matter where it occurs.”

    “The tragedy of this case highlights the urgent need to protect our Alaskan communities from the deadly impact that the illicit sale of controlled substances has on our state,” said Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor. “The Department of Law is resolved to aggressively prosecute those who traffic in these dangerous drugs and to work closely with our criminal justice partners to deter anyone who seeks to bring this harm into Alaska.”

    Mobley is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury and death, one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of twenty-one. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 20 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA Anchorage District Office and the ABI are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case, with assistance and collaboration from the State of Alaska Department of Law.

    Learn more: Carfentanil: A Synthetic Opioid Unlike Any Other

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuning a NASA Instrument: Calibrating MASTER

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley houses a unique laboratory: the Airborne Sensor Facility (ASF). The engineers at the ASF are responsible for building, maintaining, and operating numerous instruments that get deployed on research aircraft, but one of their most important roles is instrument calibration.
    Think of calibration like tuning a piano between performances: A musician uses a tuner to set the standard pitch for each string, ensuring that the piano remains on pitch for every concert.
    The “tuners” at ASF include lasers, mirrors, and a light source called an integrating sphere – a hollow sphere about 36 inches in diameter that emits a set amount of light from a hole in the top. By checking an instrument against this baseline between each mission, engineers ensure that the instrument sensors provide accurate, reliable data every time.
    In the photo above, electrical engineer Nikolas Gibson performs calibration tests on the MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) spectrometer, co-developed by NASA Ames and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
    A spectrometer separates light into individual wavelengths, providing researchers with information about the properties of whatever is creating or interacting with that light. The MASTER instrument measures about 50 individual spectral channels, providing data on wavelengths from the visible spectrum through the infrared.
    When it comes to calibration, each of these channels functions like a specific key on a piano and needs to be individually checked against the “tuner.” By pointing the instrument’s sensor at a known quantity of light coming from the integrating sphere, the team checks the accuracy of MASTER’s data output and repairs or adjusts the sensor as needed.
    In this image, MASTER had returned from an April 2025 scientific campaign observing  prescribed fires in Alabama and Georgia with NASA’s FireSense project. It was recalibrated before heading back into the field for the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment, or GEMx,  mission in late May 2025, which will use the instrument to help map critical minerals across the southwestern United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: 1-Hour Payday Loans with No Credit Check & $100 Guaranteed – A New Feature by Wizzay

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NJ, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Wizzay.com has announced improvements to its web-based lending platform, allowing consumers to obtain 1 hour payday loans through a network of partner lenders. The platform establishes borrowers in contact with direct lender partners who offer payday loans no credit check, guaranteeing same day funding for emergency cash needs. The service responds to increasing consumer demand for expedited access to short-term financial options without conventional credit checks.

    The upgraded platform provides borrowers with loan values between $100 and $5,000, for which approval is usually made available within minutes of request submission. Wizzay is an intermediary service that links customers to lenders who offer payday loan online services and instant approvals for approved customers.

     <<< Start your 1-hour loan request and access guaranteed $100 support >>>

    Wizzay Launches Fast 1-Hour Payday Loan Approval System for Emergency Cash Needs

    Wizzay is an online market that brings buyers and lenders into contact with each other to obtain 1 hour payday loans using automatic approval platforms. The site uses safe technology to link borrowers with suitable lenders depending on eligibility criteria and state laws.

    The platform prioritizes accessibility and speed, with lenders providing participating loan no credit check products that depend on employment verification and income evaluation instead of credit scores. This makes it possible for bad credit borrowers to be able to secure emergency loans as and when they are required.

    Some of the major Wizzay features are:

    • Minute lender matching online
    • 256-bit SSL data encryption
    • Direct deposit funding capabilities
    • State-licensed lender network in several states
    • Mobile-friendly app interface

    The website overcomes typical obstacles in conventional lending by doing away with prolonged approval times and lowering documentation obligations. Consumers can fill out applications online fully without making physical visits or waiting for mail-based correspondence.

    It should be clarified that Wizzay.com is not a direct lender, but an online loan match platform providing access to screened payday lenders.

     <<< Get moving on fast funds—no credit check standing in your way >>>

    How Wizzay Connects Borrowers with Licensed Payday Lenders

    Wizzay.com was created to make it easier to link consumers to lenders to meet urgent money demands. The website is an intermediary that makes connections between borrowers and partner lenders who provide payday loan services.

    The business is based on a technology-oriented model that simplifies the application process as well as approval. Instead of being a direct lender, Wizzay has partnerships with licensed lenders who actually offer real loan products and services to consumers.

    Wizzay’s network consists of lenders that are specialized in different products of loans, such as:

    • Short-term payday loans
    • No credit check loans
    • Same day funding opportunities
    • Small dollar loans ranging from $100 to $5,000
    • Emergency cash advances

    The system handles applications via secured online forms that gather required borrower details for lender consideration. Applications after submission are forwarded to suitable lenders within the network depending on borrower location and the type of loan sought.

    The firm indicates that it processes thousands of loan requests every month, most of which are approved applications getting funded within 24-48 hours of approval. Wizzay is in continuous compliance with all relevant state and federal regulations covering online lending marketplaces.

    Wizzay Streamlines 1 Hour Payday Loan Process

    Working through a streamlined process aimed at reducing the application time without compromising security standards:

    • Application Process: Borrowers fill out one online application with minimal personal and financial data, such as employment history and banking details.
    • Lender Matching: Wizzay’s technology instantly assesses applications against lender requirements in its network based on borrower location and loan amount sought.
    • Approval Timeline: Lenders participating in Wizzay generally respond with approval or denial within hours of receipt.
    • Funding Process: Disbursing parties issue loan agreements to approved borrowers directly from the matched lender, with funds deposited usually through direct deposit into the borrower’s checking account.

     <<< Take the first step toward urgent cash with a 60-minute turnaround >>>

    Wizzay’s 1 Hour Payday Loans Online Feature With No Credit Check & Instant Approval

    The 1 hour payday loans online no credit check instant approval aspect responds to the needs of borrowers for quick financial support without standard credit checks. Participating lenders in the Wizzay network make use of different verification processes instead of traditional credit checks.

    1. Alternative Verification Methods

    Lenders emphasize employment validation and income stability over credit score evaluation. This method allows for the qualification of borrowers who do not qualify through standard credit-based lending. The validation process normally involves:

    • Employment validation
    • Bank account confirmation
    • Income documentation confirmation
    • Procedures for identification verification
    1. Instant Approval Process

    The instant approval system runs on automated underwriting that compares applications against pre-set measures. Approval is given quickly, with most borrowers getting back within minutes of application.

    The lenders use technology-based scoring tools, which review employment history, income patterns, and bank relationships, in order to gauge loan eligibility. This eradicates the need for manual underwriting evaluations that have a tendency to prolong approval timelines.

    How Wizzay Provides 1 Hour Payday Loans No Credit Check Alternatives

    Instead of conducting standard credit checks, direct lenders use income verification instead of credit history evaluation. This approach is centered on borrower repayment capability in terms of current financial conditions and not previous credit behavior.

    The method favors borrowers who have unfavorable credit histories or do not have established credit profiles. Lenders are able to conduct soft credit inquiries that don’t affect credit ratings, while staying away from hard credit checks that are reflected in credit reports.

     <<< See how simple emergency help can be with Wizzay’s newest feature >>>

    Wizzay Makes No Credit Check 1 Hour Payday Loans Accessible for All Borrowers

    No credit check 1 hour payday loans with Wizzay offer emergency funds access to borrowers who encounter difficulty in conventional credit-based lending. The service is accommodating to several types of borrowers, including those with bad or poor credit or with a short credit history.

    Borrower Eligibility:

    Intermediary lenders set up eligibility based on working financial capability in preference to credit history. Common requirements are:

    • Minimum age of 18 years
    • U.S. permanent residency or citizenship
    • Sustained employment for a minimum period of 90 days
    • Gross monthly income of around $1,000
    • Active checking account under borrower’s name
    • Valid contact information

    Benefits for Bad Credit Borrowers:

    The no credit check strategy presents chances for bad credit borrowers to acquire emergency cash. These are people with earlier bankruptcies, late payments, or other credit issues that normally lead to conventional loan rejections.

    Subprime borrowers with poor credit can receive payday loan approvals by income and employment verification instead of credit history. This practice increases access to financial services for traditionally underserved segments of borrowers.

    Wizzay’s Guaranteed $100 Loan No Credit Check Serves as Emergency Safety Net

    The assured $100 loan no credit check facility offers a minimum funding level for borrowers experiencing minor-scale financial emergencies. This facility covers typical scenarios such as electricity bill payments, doctor copayments, car repairs, and overdraft protection.

    The lower loan size tends to come with easier approval procedures and quicker approval rates. The majority of loans come with repayment schedules at the borrower’s subsequent payday, resulting in predictable payment schedules.

     <<< Secure your $100 payday solution without worrying about your credit >>>

    More About Wizzay’s Same Day Pay Day Loans Feature

    Same day pay day loans offer quick access to urgent funding for applicants who require instant monetary help. Member lenders provide same day funding for applications received within business hours with documentation completed.

    The online same day payday loan service is carried out exclusively over digital platforms, removing the need for physical paperwork. Successful borrowers get money deposited directly into their respective bank accounts, usually done within hours of approval.

    Wizzay’s Payday Loans Online Same Day Platform Ensures Security & Speed

    Online payday loans same day via Wizzay provide convenience alongside extensive security features. The site has industry-standard security features such as 256-bit SSL encryption for transmitting data and secure server infrastructure for storing information.

    24/7 availability of online applications facilitates application submission anytime, and processing initiation during business hours. Electronic applications eliminate geographical restrictions and instant confirmation of receiving the application.

    Why Wizzay Has Become a Go-To Platform For Payday Loans Online Same Day Guaranteed Approval

    Wizzay’s place in the online lending market is based on its emphasis on matching borrowers with suitable lenders in a streamlined manner. The platform solves everyday consumer pain areas in conventional lending while upholding required security and compliance standards.

    1. Platform Benefits:

    The Wizzay platform has several operational benefits, which work in favor of borrowers and lender participants alike:

    • Single application for multiple lender consideration
    • Automated qualification-based matching
    • Clear fee and term disclosure
    • Secure data handling and transmission
    • Customer support services with prompt response
    1. Lender Network Quality:

    Wizzay has relationships with licensed lenders who adhere to governing state and federal laws. The network consists of lenders that have expertise in different types of loan products and borrower profiles.

    The criteria for selecting lenders are their licensing status, compliance history with regulations, and service quality measures. The screening procedure ensures borrowers get connected to quality lending partners.

    1. Technology Integration:

    The technology infrastructure of the platform supports effective application processing and lender matching. Computerized systems perform mundane functions while ensuring human control for sophisticated applications.

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    Media Details:
    https://www.wizzay.com
    support@Wizzay.com
    Customer Acquisition LLC, Springates Building, Lower Government Road, Charlestown,

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Castor, Evans, Baldwin and Shaheen Intro Bill to Reverse Trump’s Cuts to Key ACA Program That Helps More Americans Sign Up for Health Insurance

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    As President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans work to gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (FL-14) and Dwight Evans (PA-03) and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (NH) introduced legislation today in the House and Senate to restore a key initiative of the health care law that helps American families navigate the ACA marketplace and connect them with high quality, affordable health care plans. The Expand Navigators’ Resources for Outreach, Learning and Longevity (ENROLL) Act would ensure the Navigator program, established under the ACA to help Americans navigate, shop and enroll in affordable health care plans, will continue despite the Trump Administration cutting funding by 90 percent in February. 

    “Florida families value and appreciate affordable health coverage.  In fact, over 4.7 million Floridians selected an affordable marketplace plan for 2025—almost one-fifth of the nation’s 24.2 million enrollees. Robust outreach and assistance by Navigators is vital to families so they can evaluate options and choose a health plan that is right for them.  Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has slashed Navigator support and complicated the lives of families who need advice on lifesaving health coverage,” said Representative Castor. “President Trump and Congressional Republicans appear dead set on making Affordable Care Act coverage more expensive, driving up premiums and putting hardworking families at risk. I am proud to work with Senators Baldwin and Shaheen and Representative Evans to protect American’s health, well-being and pocketbooks by ensuring Navigators stay on the job.”

    “The Affordable Care Act Navigators program provides free, objective, expert advice and information to Americans in red, purple and blue states alike to help them find affordable health coverage that meets their needs. A similar cut to the program in President Trump’s first term resulted in more people being uninsured, and letting his new cut stand is likely to raise costs for working-class Americans at a time when the cost of living is already high,” said Representative Evans. “One of the ways the Navigators program has helped American families is by helping hundreds of thousands of eligible consumers in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. President Trump recently promised not to touch Medicaid, and keeping people who qualify for Medicaid from getting covered breaks that promise, as far as I’m concerned.”

    “We have seen this movie before: when he doesn’t get his way to fully repeal it, Donald Trump tries every which way to chip away at the Affordable Care Act and kick Wisconsin families off their health care, and sadly, it works. At a time when Wisconsinites are worried their care is on the chopping block under Republicans’ plan to give tax breaks to the wealthy, the Trump Administration is also gutting a key program that helps our neighbors find health care coverage that they can afford,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin’s Navigator has connected thousands of families with good health care coverage, ensuring more Wisconsinites can access the care and treatment they need to stay healthy. We should be investing in bringing the cost of care down for Wisconsinites, not jacking up costs and eliminating proven resources that connect more families with affordable insurance.” 

    “We’ve seen this before: When the first Trump administration slashed funding for the Navigator program, ACA health care enrollment shrank by more than 2.5 million – and when that funding was restored, enrollment rose and reached historic levels. Despite the hard facts that it helps everyday Americans access critical health care, the administration is gutting the Navigator program again and leaving Granite Staters in rural and underserved areas behind,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our ENROLL Act is urgently needed to restore this funding so Granite Staters—and all Americans—have access to the help they need to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage.”

    In 2017 and 2018, the first Trump Administration cut funding for the Navigator program by 84 percent, contributing to 2.5 million fewer people accessing healthcare through the ACA Marketplace over the course of the first Trump Administration. Navigator funding was restored in 2021, and enrollment reached historic levels for the 2025 plan year. In February 2025, the Trump Administration slashed nearly 90 percent of funding for the Navigator program, threatening to leave millions of Americans without critical assistance to access health insurance at a time of increased uncertainty due to Congressional Republicans’ sabotage of the ACA. 

    The ENROLL Act would:

    • Ensure that Navigators have the resources they need to assist Americans in finding affordable health care coverage by restoring funding for the program to $100 million annually;
    • Promote public education and assistance that helps consumers, including those who may need extra help signing up, find coverage rather than prioritizing application numbers;
    • Clarify that Navigator responsibilities include enrolling consumers in lifesaving Medicaid and CHIP coverage;
    • Provide Americans with information on comprehensive health insurance that protects individuals with pre-existing conditions.

    The ENROLL Act is supported by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Federation of Teachers American Heart Association, American Public Health Association, Community Catalyst, Epilepsy Foundation MomsRising, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, National Health Council, National Immigration Law Center, National Kidney Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Psoriasis Foundation and Young Invincibles.

    “Marketplace Navigators are a crucial resource for the more than 24 million people who access their health coverage through the ACA Marketplace and anyone who has questions about their coverage options. Appropriately funding health care Navigators is essential for making sure consumers—especially those with complex medical conditions like cancer—can get access to the most appropriate health insurance coverage that will meet their needs. We commend Senator Baldwin, Senator Shaheen, and Representative Castor for acting to reverse the significant and damaging funding cuts that were enacted earlier this year and urge the Senate and House to pass this legislation quickly,” said Lisa Lacasse, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

    “At a time when health care is under relentless attack, advancing the ENROLL Act is a clear signal that there are leaders in Congress committed to putting people over profit. The current administration has gutted funding for Navigators, trusted community members who guide people through the daunting, complex process of enrolling in coverage. Restoring that funding is essential to ensuring everyone, especially those facing the greatest barriers, can enroll in the most affordable, comprehensive options for their families. We thank Senator Baldwin and Representative Castor for their leadership and for standing with communities who depend on this trusted, unbiased help,” said Mona Shah, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy, Community Catalyst.

    A one-pager on this legislation is available here. Full bill text of this legislation is available

    here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Privacy & National Security Implications Of The 23andMe Bankruptcy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    June 11, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy.” Today’s hearing will examine the bankruptcy of 23andMe, Inc., and the potential sale of the company’s database of customers’ personal genetic information. The hearing also will provide an opportunity to examine policy and ethical issues associated with the collection and use of personal genetic information, the need for a comprehensive federal data privacy law in the United States, and the treatment of consumer data privacy in the bankruptcy process.
    Key Quotes:
    “In short, 23andMe has access to deeply personal information about you and your health. Information that you would normally want to keep private—between you, your family, and your doctor. Yet no federal law—no federal law—prevents 23andMe from sharing this data with others, including insurance companies, future employers, and law enforcement. Rather, a patchwork of state laws and [23andMe’s] privacy policy are the only things protecting the genetic information of millions of Americans.”
    “If 23andMe’s customers are anything like [their] fellow Americans, they likely didn’t read this privacy policy. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, more than half of Americans say they always, almost always, or often agree with privacy policies without ever reading them. Who can blame them?” 
    “When 23andMe filed for bankruptcy on March 23, a lot of people suddenly became interested in that privacy policy. Because, buried in the fine print of their privacy policy is the following, listen carefully: ‘If we are involved in a bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction.’”
    “So 23andMe’s 15 million customers were left wondering: Who is going to get access to my genetic information? What are they going to do with it? What rights do I have to stop it?”
    “Thankfully, 23andMe’s privacy policy gave its customers the right to delete their data upon request. And millions have done so—so many, in fact, that 23andMe’s website crashed with the traffic. But again, this wasn’t required by federal law.”
    “There are very few federal guardrails to protect your most sensitive data, including your DNA and who can share it. It’s time for Congress to put some protections in place for Americans.”
    “The American people deserve to have faith that their sensitive information will be in—and stay in—the right hands before they agree to share it. Yet, nearly 20 years after 23andMe came on the scene and at least that long since the surveillance industrial complex started taking over the Internet, America still lacks a comprehensive federal law to protect our privacy.”
    “There have been signs of hope, including in 2022 when the American Data Privacy and Protection Act passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a broad, bipartisan vote of 53-to-2. But the American people are still waiting.”
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US abuse of tariffs has resulted in global retaliation – Chinese Ambassador to Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 11 (Xinhua) — The unilateral imposition of customs duties by the United States has caused widespread opposition around the world, not only causing systemic damage to the American economy, but also seriously damaging the international reputation of the United States, as a result of which the process of “de-Americanization” is taking place at an accelerated pace in many countries around the world, according to an article by China’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Zhang Hanhui published in the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

    The article notes that dissatisfaction with the government’s tariff policy continues to grow in the United States. It is noted that, according to polls, most Americans believe that the government’s economic policy will lead to a recession in the short term, since, on the one hand, the tariff burden significantly reduces the profits of enterprises and exacerbates the difficulties of doing business, and on the other hand, the abuse of duties has led to a sharp increase in the cost of living for the American population.

    Zhang Hanhui notes that the abuse of tariffs has caused discontent and resistance among US allies. The introduction of “mirror tariffs” has seriously damaged the US’s international reputation and deepened its rift with its allies. “A wave of boycotts of American goods is growing around the world. Following the “Buy Canadian” movement that began in Canada in February 2025, tens of thousands of people in Sweden, Denmark, France and other countries have called on social media to “not buy American goods,” while many Europeans have canceled subscriptions to Netflix, Disney and other American platforms,” the article states.

    According to the diplomat, the main victims of the US tariffs are the countries of the Global South, as the abuse of tariffs deprives these countries of economic sovereignty. Such a policy is outright “neocolonialism,” the ambassador said.

    The US tariff policy encourages the countries of the Global South to unite, accelerate the deepening of cooperation with each other and economic relations with other countries. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Zhang Hanhui recalls, said that the BRICS countries have the right to create a trading system completely independent of the US dollar.

    “China has repeatedly said that tariff and trade wars cannot be won, and that protectionism will ultimately harm the interests of all parties and will not find support,” the article says.

    According to the diplomat, China is ready to deepen cooperation and interaction with developing countries and emerging market countries together with Russia, strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of such mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. China is ready to “unite to counter economic blackmail by the United States, resolutely defend the common interests of the countries of the Global South, protect international justice and the international free trade system, and promote the construction of a more just and rational global governance system,” Zhang Hanhui emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A portrait taken in North Philly in the 1980s reconnects poet with cherished memories of her own beloved father

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, Professor of Theater, Temple University

    Local residents sitting on the steps in the shade at 3106 N. Broad St. in North Philadelphia in 1986.
     Joseph V. Labolito/Philadelphia Collections

    To celebrate Father’s Day, The Conversation U.S. asked Philadelphia anthropologist, playwright and poetic ethnographer Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon to reflect on a poem she recently performed to accompany a 1986 photograph by Philadelphia photographer Joseph V. Labolito.

    Williams-Witherspoon, who also serves as senior associate dean of the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University, shares how the collaboration came about, and why one of Labolito’s photos in particular brought back a rush of cherished memories of being a little girl hanging out with her dad.

    Local residents sitting on the steps in the shade at 3106 N. Broad St. in North Philadelphia in 1986.
    Joseph V. Labolito/Philadelphia Collections

        There Are Black Fathers 
    To Daddy, Father’s Day, June 19, 1983

    I’ve known men 
    Who rise at dawn 
    To run a sort of race; 
    Working through sleep 
    Stopping long enough to yawn
    Providing for their families Just a little      
    place. 
    Black men going, going, going 
    (sometimes, till their gone.) 

    I’ve known men 
    Who trudge home after long hours 
    And an even longer pain, 
    And still manage to smile, 
    Warmed by the voice of a child. 
    "Hi, Daddy!" 
    "How was your day?" 

    I’ve known men Who take care 
    Even when Mommy can’t. 
    And, even though they can only 
    Cook hamburgers really good, 
    They put band-aids on awfully well. 

    I’ve known men 
    Who loving replace lost teeth 
    With shiny new dimes; 
    Remember birthdays and Christmas’. 
    Dutifully repair 
    Old, broken toys And, even, sometimes, 
    Wipe away salty tears. 

    I’ve known men 
    Who reprimand, 
    Teach us values 
    And, if we’re lucky, 
    Along with Mom, 
    Help us take a stand. 
    Who calm us when we’re frightened; 
    Scare us when we’re bad — Hold our hands. 

    I’ve known men, 
    Not just as Fathers; 
    But, more so, as "Dads" — 
    Who give us what we get 
    And gave us what we had. 
    Loving and kind; 
    Stern, yet strong, 
    I’ve known men 
    Who’ve guided generations along 
    As provider, supporter, parent — Pop, Dad! 

    There are Black fathers 
    Who would gladly do it again 
    Parenting future generations. 
    Yes, I have known These men. 

    © 2025 Kimmika L. H. Williams-Witherspoon

    What do you want people to take away from the poem?

    The whole poem is a tribute to my father, Samuel Hawes Jr., who lived from 1920 to 1989, and the many men like him who were always present and participatory in the parenting of their children and the providing for their families.

    Because of stereotypes and popular culture – media, movies, news stories – that tend to demonize and pathologize Black men, there’s a myth that men in our communities are all cut from the same cloth.

    For me, the poem discounts that stereotypical narrative and celebrates the African American men that I knew growing up – Daddy, my uncles, the deacons in our church, the neighborhood dads on my block.

    The men in this photograph represent men like Daddy, who at one point worked two jobs to provide for his family. He drove a yellow cab and worked the graveyard shift as a presser at the U.S. Mint. He took me to school every morning when I was in high school. He made it to every school function or occasion, drove me to and from parties so I could hang out with friends, took me to church every Sunday morning and on those special road trips to Cleveland, Akron, Ohio, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, throughout my life.

    Tell us about your collaborator for this piece

    Joe Labolito is a Philadelphia photographer whose work, I believe, is visual ethnography at its best. Throughout the ‘80s, ’90s and 2000s, he documented the people, streets and neighborhoods of Philadelphia. His photographs are housed in several public and private collections, including the Special Collections Research Center at Temple University and the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Print and Picture Collection.

    About a year ago, I saw an exhibit of Joe’s work at Temple. Since that time, I have been using some of his photographs as a visual prompt for my students, while he and I talked about doing something together down the road.

    When I was asked to participate in Temple University President John Fry’s investiture events in March 2025, I asked Joe if he wanted to do something with me. Right away he said “Yes … whatever it is.” I asked him to send me maybe 25 of his favorite photos, and instead, he sent me about a hundred. When I got a minute to sift through them, there were 11 that, as soon as I looked at them, immediately prompted lines of poetry.

    This photograph of the two men and the little girl, however, made me remember an old poem, “There Are Black Fathers,” I had written a long time ago – on Father’s Day on June 19, 1983 – for my father before he passed away from prostate and bone cancer. I went digging through my old journals until I found the poem that I had written for Daddy, and I performed that poem to this photograph at the event.

    What stood out to you about this photograph?

    The juxtaposition between the men and the little girl – their beautiful, bright smiles, the joy they seemed to radiate – it all made me think about and remember how much I loved Daddy my entire life but especially as a little girl.

    That’s the power in these kinds of artistic, material and visual artifacts. This photograph transported me right back to my childhood, filled with the warmth of a summer’s day, hanging out with my dad, and the promise of a banana Popsicle later in the afternoon.

    What is your process for writing a poem to accompany a photograph?

    Whatever the prompt – a photograph, a landscape, a person I’ve passed on the street, a word or phrase – the first draft is a free-write sensory download dump. I ruminate and then write down everything that comes to me in whatever order it comes.

    And then with each subsequent draft or pass at it, I start reading the poem out loud and tweaking it, making edits, moving and changing things while crafting lines that frame and build the story. I read the piece aloud over and over and over again until the poem tells me when I’ve got it right. I don’t know how, but my ear will tell me when it’s done and right with my spirit.

    What is poetic ethnography?

    Ethnography is an area of anthropology. From the Greek word “ethnos,” ethno simply means people or culture, and graphy, from the Greek word “graphia,” is the writing about said people or culture.

    Traditional ethnographies are usually written in a diarylike journal form. You end up jotting things down – thoughts, feelings, expressions, verbatim texts from interview participants – alongside bits and pieces of theory that correlate. Field notes are a combination of prose and scientific inquiry. I am a proponent of compiling poetic ethnographies – turning my observation and investigation of cultures, communities, and my field notes, into poetic form.

    Growing up in Philadelphia and a product of Philadelphia public schools, my primary language is mainstream U.S. English, but I tell people that my actual language is poetry. I see the world through poetry, and through the medium of poetry, I think I am better able to articulate the world I see.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

    Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon has received funding from Lumena Foundation’s Fund for Racial Justice and Equity (2018-19) and PEW Charitable Trusts Arts Grant (2020).

    Joseph V. Labolito owns the copyright to Philadelphia Collections. Philadelphia Collections research and operations is supported and partially funded by the Bridge award; an internal grant provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) at Temple University for the 2024 – 2025 year.

    – ref. A portrait taken in North Philly in the 1980s reconnects poet with cherished memories of her own beloved father – https://theconversation.com/a-portrait-taken-in-north-philly-in-the-1980s-reconnects-poet-with-cherished-memories-of-her-own-beloved-father-255810

    MIL OSI Analysis –