Category: Europe

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Due to popular demand, Council’s In-House bus team launches additional service to beauty spot

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

This week The Highland Council’s In-House Bus team have launched an additional service to transport passengers from the city centre to Dores.

The journey, which will run Monday – Friday will be known as the 302A service. The existing full 302 service allows passengers to travel beyond Dores to Foyers where they can enjoy the beautiful “Falls of Foyers” and stroll along the hillside path beside Loch Ness.

Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “Due to an unprecedented number of visitors who want to go and see Loch Ness we have created this additional run during the summer season. This gives the visitors time to spend walking and admiring the lovely shores of Loch Ness trying to find that elusive monster.

“For our regular customers who live along that beautiful shoreline we now offer the great value 10 journey ticket which gives substantial savings on our single journey ticket price.”

Passengers can opt to use online ticket purchases for all of the In-house bus service through the MyTrip app

Timetables for all routes can be found on The Highland Council Website by typing “buses” into the search bar.

Staff look forward to welcoming visitors to the city and regular users onboard one of the services soon.

11 Jun 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney announces a change in the leadership of the public service
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced his intention to name Michael Sabia as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, effective July 7, 2025.

Mr. Sabia brings over three decades of expertise across the public and private sectors, including as President and CEO of Hydro-Québec, President and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Canada’s Deputy Minister of Finance, and Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. He has also held senior roles at Bell Canada Enterprises, as President and CEO, at Canadian National Railway, and in the Privy Council Office. In recognition of his leadership across business, finance, and public service, Mr. Sabia was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

As Canada’s new government builds the strongest economy in the G7, Mr. Sabia’s leadership will be key to this mission. Canada’s exemplary public service – with Mr. Sabia at the helm – will advance nation-building projects, catalyze enormous private investment to drive growth, and deliver the change Canadians want and deserve.

The Prime Minister thanked John Hannaford for his service as Clerk of the Privy Council and congratulated him on his upcoming retirement. Mr. Hannaford joined the federal public service in 1995 and has served in a number of senior roles, including as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Deputy Minister of International Trade, and Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister. From 2009 to 2012, he was Ambassador of Canada to Norway.

Mr. Hannaford’s leadership has helped guide Canada’s response to a wide array of new trade and security challenges, and supported Canada’s new government in passing a middle-class tax cut, introducing stronger border security measures, and tabling legislation to build one Canadian economy. His expertise during the new government’s transition period has been invaluable. As Head of the Public Service, he also led a renewed dialogue on values and ethics to guide public servants as they deliver results for Canadians during these extraordinary times. To recognize his contributions to public service, Mr. Hannaford will be appointed as a member of the King’s Privy Council for Canada prior to his retirement.

The Prime Minister also thanked the public service for their unwavering dedication at this important moment for Canada’s future.

Quote

“As Canada’s new government moves with focus and determination to build the strongest economy in the G7, bring down costs for Canadians, and keep communities safe, Mr. Sabia will help us deliver on this mandate and our government’s disciplined focus on core priorities. I congratulate Mr. Hannaford on his retirement as the Clerk of the Privy Council and for his steadfast dedication and service to Canada.”

Quick Fact
- The role of the Clerk of the Privy Council is to advise the Prime Minister and elected government officials in managing the country, from an objective, non-partisan, public policy perspective. The Clerk also ensures Canada’s federal public service is managed effectively and follows a code of value and ethics in its work to design and deliver high-quality services and programs for Canadians.
Biographical Note

MIL OSI Canada News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Case Opposed Proposed Funding Bill That Shortchanges Critical Military Infrastructure Needs In Hawaii, The Indo-Pacific and NATO

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, early this morning voted against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations funding measure.

The measure (MILCON-VA) would fund worldwide military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and various small agencies and programs supporting our nation’s some 19 million veterans, including some 112,000 throughout Hawai‘i, and their families.

The bill is the first of twelve separate bills developed by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1^st of this year.

“While the measure does have positive provisions including funding for essential veterans programs, I regrettably had to vote against it because it kicks critical military infrastructure projects down the road yet again, pursues the Project 2025 goal of privatizing VA medical care, shortchanges dedicated funding for Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cleanup, eliminates climate resiliency efforts and excludes important VA infrastructure funding,” said Case, who is in his seventh year on Appropriations and previously served on the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs for four years. He currently serves on its Subcommittees on Defense and Homeland Security.

Case spoke to his Appropriations Committee colleagues on the serious deficiencies in the bill that fail to address critical military infrastructure needs throughout the Indo-Pacific (speech here). He stated that only one milcon project is located in the Indo-Pacific despite critical needs in meeting the challenge of the People’s Republic of China. The bill also fails to provide funding for infrastructure in Europe to support U.S. servicemembers working to bolster NATO and deter Russia.

Case further said that the funding measure specifically advances the privatization of veterans health care by proposing vastly larger increases for medical care provided in private sector compared to shorfunding the government’s VA healthcare system, a key goal of the Project 2025 plan being followed by the Trump administration. By vast margins, veterans oppose privatizing the VA and want to receive their medical care at VA clinics and hospitals with a direct mission to care for veterans and their families as opposed to the private sector.

Despite these and other significant problems with the bill, Case highlighted positive provisions he requested, including fully funding the budget request for veterans’ medical care at $131.4 billion and for veterans’ toxic exposures-related needs under the PACT Act.

It also includes $1.3 billion for specific care for women veterans, and supports the Office of Women’s Health, including its childcare initiative. These funds will allow the VA to continue hiring women primary care providers and to increase the number of peer support specialists for women veterans. These efforts have become even more critical as the number of female veterans using VA health care services has increased.

“Women veterans often require specialized care due to unique health needs stemming from their military service and gender,” said Case. “With sustained support from my Committee over multiple years, Congress is working to ensure the VA set the standard for women veterans care, ensuring consistent, high-quality services across all facilities.”

The measure also continues support as Case requested for the VA Center for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and United States-affiliated Pacific Islander (NHPIUSAPI) Veterans. The center’s doctors and scientists coordinate research from all over the Pacific Islands and the United States to specifically address veterans’ healthcare in the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific. The center works with the University of Hawai‘i, and the bill encourages the VA to continue partnering with universities in the Pacific region focusing on issues unique to the NHPIUSAPI community.

Further details follow:

Veterans-Related Programs

The bill provides $133.7 billion in discretionary spending for veterans-related programs, an increase of $4.7 billion above the FY 2025 enacted level

“Our Hawai‘i veterans and their families make up one of the largest percentages of any state in our nation including in such key areas like women and minority veterans. I continued to focus especially on the often unique challenges of delivering full veterans’ health and other benefits in a diverse island state,” said Case.

Specific veterans-related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·        $12 million for the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program, which is $6 million above the FY 2025 level.

·        Contracting preferences for Native Hawaiian owned business that work with the VA.

·        Directing the VA to continue supporting the VA Center for NHPIUSAPI Veterans.

·        $1.5 million for a pilot project using the most advanced technology to identify the remains of unidentified fallen servicemembers buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

·        Directing the VA to develop a plan for more fully providing VA benefits for veterans living in the Freely Associated States.

·        $106 million for the American Battle Monument Commission, which manages the Honolulu Memorial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

·        $60 million for the VA Grants for the Construction of Veterans Cemeteries Program, which regularly provides fundings to support Hawaii’s state cemeteries.

·        $233 million for substance-use disorder (SUD) efforts to ensure veterans can receive timely SUD specialty services.

·        $3.4 billion for the Veterans’ Homelessness Program Resources Account for our nation’s veterans. This funding will enhance homeless veterans service providers ability to provide high demand care such as health services, substance use disorder programs, compensated work therapy and other supportive services.

·        $342 million for Rural Health Initiatives, $5 million above FY 2025 level. This will improve access and quality of care for the more than 3 million enrolled veterans residing in highly rural areas.

Military Construction

The bill provides $453.6 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) military construction and family housing, $480 million above the FY 2025 enacted level.

Specific military construction programs and provisions requested and secured by Case critical to Hawai‘i include:

·         $634 million for the Energy Resiliency and Conservation Investment Program, which funds projects that save energy and water, reduce DoD energy costs and improve energy resilience.

·         Directing the DoD to identify the Army’s investment needs in order to support the wildland firefighters located on Schofield Barracks.

·         Directing the DoD to provide a report on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam infrastructure development plan, to address ongoing concerns of the aging water and wastewater facilities on the installation.

·         Directing the DoD to assess the aging infrastructure that houses the headquarters of the Marine Corps, Space Force and Special Operations Commands on O‘ahu.

·         Directing the DoD to assess the requirement for a floating drydock at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

·         Directing the DoD to assess the capacity for battle damage repair of all public shipyards and how to prepare these shipyards for conflict requirements under the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). SIOP is a multi-billion multi-year effort to upgrade the Navy’s four public shipyards, including Pearl Harbor.

·         Directing the DoD to assess the infrastructure needs and shortfalls for 3^rd Marine Littoral Regiment on Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i.

·         Directing the DoD to study the impacts of unexploded ordnance on military construction sites in Guam.

·         Directing the DoD to study the necessary steps and what actions would be required to begin construction on port improvements on Tinian Island.

·         Directing the DoD to study the necessity and feasibility of establishing a biosecurity inspection facility to combat invasive species on the Northern Mariana Islands.

·         Directing the DoD to study the impact and develop a plan to address growing solid waste management issues on Tinian Island.

The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.

A summary of the VA-MilCon funding bill is available here. The committee report explaining the full bill in detail is available here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: New Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard Over the Counter for 2025 – Latest OTC MouthGuard and Mouthpiece for Sleep Apnea OSA from AirSnore
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Glasgow, United Kingdom , June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Finding an effective, accessible solution for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be life-changing. While CPAP machines are often prescribed, they’re not always comfortable or convenient for everyone.

Over-the-counter oral appliances for sleep apnea have emerged as a practical and popular alternative, and among these, AirSnore stands out as a highly recommended option that has been introduced to the market.

Designed to help users breathe more easily at night, AirSnore combines an easy-to-use mouthpiece with a unique blend of natural drops, offering a two-part system for enhanced results.

Sleep better tonight with AirSnore, the over-the-counter answer to sleep apnea!

AirSnore: A Highly Recommended Over-the-Counter Mouth Guard for Sleep Apnea
- Comprehensive two-part system: AirSnore tackles sleep apnea and snoring by combining a dentist-inspired mouthpiece with therapeutic natural drops.
- Opens the airway for better breathing: The mouthpiece gently moves your jaw forward, helping to prevent the airway blockages that cause sleep apnea.
- Simple at-home fitting process: Easily mold the mouthpiece with the boil-and-bite method—no specialist appointments needed.
- Supports restful sleep for sleep apnea sufferers: AirSnore is designed to reduce nighttime breathing interruptions, helping you wake up refreshed.
- Natural, calming drops: The AirSnore Drops use eucalyptus, lavender, and other essential oils to clear nasal passages and make breathing easier.
- No bulky machines required: Enjoy an effective sleep apnea solution without the discomfort of masks, hoses, or forced air.
- Backed by user success stories: Many people with sleep apnea and snoring have reported quieter nights and more energetic days after switching to AirSnore.
- Buy with confidence: Order directly from the official AirSnore website for authentic products, special offers, and a 60 day money-back guarantee.
Say goodbye to restless nights—choose AirSnore for a simple, effective sleep apnea solution!

What is AirSnore?

AirSnore is a mandibular advancement device (MAD) available without a prescription. This mouthpiece is engineered to gently move the lower jaw forward while you sleep, helping to keep the airway open.

Unlike some competitors, AirSnore is designed for comfort and easy customization at home, making it ideal for those looking for an effective but non-intrusive solution to OSA and chronic snoring.

How Does AirSnore Work?

Sleep apnea, especially obstructive sleep apnea, is often caused by the soft tissues in the throat relaxing and collapsing during sleep, which blocks the airway and disrupts breathing.

The AirSnore mouthpiece addresses this by gently repositioning the lower jaw forward. This slight adjustment prevents airway obstruction, allowing air to flow freely to the lungs throughout the night.

The AirSnore mouthpiece is made from medical-grade materials and is molded at home using a simple boil-and-bite process. This ensures a secure, personalized fit for maximum comfort and effectiveness. The device is also designed to be easy to clean and maintain.

Tackle sleep apnea with an easy, over-the-counter solution—try AirSnore!

Unique Two-Part System: Mouthpiece and Drops

One of AirSnore’s standout features is its two-part system. In addition to the mouthpiece, AirSnore offers a proprietary blend of natural drops. These drops are applied to the chest, neck, and under the nostrils before bedtime.

The AirSnore Drops are formulated with a combination of essential oils, including sunflower seed oil, eucalyptus leaf oil, lavender oil, peppermint leaf oil, and Scots pine leaf oil.

These ingredients are well-known for their soothing, anti-inflammatory, and decongestant properties.

The drops open up the airways, relieve sinus congestion, and promote relaxation—making it easier to breathe and fall asleep, especially for those with nasal congestion or mild respiratory issues that may worsen sleep apnea symptoms.

The Science and Clinical Evidence

While AirSnore itself is an over-the-counter device and not a prescription medical treatment, the principles behind mandibular advancement devices are well-supported in clinical literature. Numerous studies have shown that MADs could significantly reduce the severity of OSA, decrease snoring, and improve sleep quality—particularly in individuals with mild to moderate OSA.

As for the drops, the essential oils in AirSnore Drops have been the subject of various clinical studies:
- Eucalyptus oil is known for its decongestant and anti-inflammatory effects, which clear nasal passages.
- Peppermint oil has shown promise in reducing upper respiratory tract congestion.
- Lavender oil is widely recognized for its calming and sleep-promoting properties.
- Scots pine oil and sunflower seed oil have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory and soothing effects in studies of respiratory health.
Together, these ingredients may support easier breathing and deeper, more restful sleep.

What Do Users Say About AirSnore? Customer Reviews

Many users report positive experiences with AirSnore, noting both the comfort of the mouthpiece and the soothing effects of the drops:

“I’ve tried several anti-snoring products, but AirSnore is the only one that actually worked for my sleep apnea. It’s comfortable to wear, and I wake up feeling rested.”
— James P., AirSnore customer

“The drops are a game changer for me. I used to wake up stuffy every morning, but now my sinuses are clear and I sleep through the night.”
— Rebecca L., AirSnore user

“I was skeptical at first, but after a week with AirSnore, my partner says my snoring has almost disappeared. I feel more energetic during the day, too.”
— Chris T., Verified Purchaser

Over-the-counter relief for sleep apnea is here—get AirSnore now!

Why AirSnore is Highly Recommended for OSA

AirSnore’s combination of a clinically proven mandibular advancement device and a unique blend of natural, science-backed drops makes it a top choice for those seeking relief from OSA symptoms. Its over-the-counter availability, ease of use, and positive customer feedback set it apart from other mouth guards on the market.

While severe sleep apnea should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional, AirSnore offers a practical, affordable, and effective solution for many who suffer from mild to moderate OSA or disruptive snoring. For those looking to improve their sleep quality and overall well-being, AirSnore is a product worth considering.

Where to Buy AirSnore

AirSnore is available for purchase exclusively through the official AirSnore website. Buying directly from the manufacturer ensures you receive a genuine product, access to the latest deals or bundle offers, and full customer support.

Currently, AirSnore is not available in pharmacies, retail stores, or on major third-party marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. Purchasing from unofficial sources exposes you to counterfeit products or void any money-back guarantees and warranty protections.

When ordering from AirSnore.com, you benefit from:
- Secure online ordering and multiple payment options
- Discreet shipping to protect your privacy
- Frequent discounts and bundle deals (mouthpiece and drops together)
- A 60-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try AirSnore risk-free
- Responsive customer support for any product or order inquiries
To ensure you receive the authentic device and the best possible customer experience, always purchase AirSnore directly from its official website.

Introduction to Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is much more common than many people realize. It silently affects millions of adults, often going undiagnosed. If you have OSA, your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night—sometimes without you even knowing.

This can leave you feeling groggy, unfocused, or irritable during the day, and it’s not just about being tired. Left untreated, sleep apnea could raise your risk for serious health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, and even diabetes.

The most common treatment for sleep apnea is something called a CPAP machine, which uses gentle air pressure to keep your airway open while you sleep. While CPAP can be incredibly effective, not everyone finds it comfortable.

Wearing a mask all night and dealing with the noise or maintenance can be overwhelming for some people.

That’s why more and more people are turning to oral appliance therapy—like mouth guards—especially if their sleep apnea is on the milder side.

These devices are small, easy to use, and don’t require electricity or a mask. If you or someone you love is struggling with sleep apnea, understanding all your options—including mouth guards, help you make the best decision for a healthier, more restful sleep.

What are the Sleep Apnea Treatment Options?

A range of effective treatments are available for sleep apnea, each designed to keep the airway open and improve sleep quality. The main options include medical devices, dental appliances, and lifestyle changes. Here’s a brief overview of the most common approaches:

CPAP Machines

The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is often considered the gold standard for treating moderate to severe sleep apnea. This device works by delivering a steady stream of air through a mask, which keeps your airway open throughout the night. While highly effective, some people find CPAP machines cumbersome or uncomfortable to use, especially at first.

Oral Appliances

For individuals with mild to moderate sleep apnea, or those who struggle with CPAP machines, oral appliances are a popular alternative. There are two main types:
- Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs): These are custom-fitted dental devices that gently push your lower jaw forward. By repositioning the jaw, MADs keep the throat muscles and tissues from collapsing, which reduces airway obstruction.
- Tongue Retaining Devices: These appliances hold the tongue in a forward position, preventing it from blocking the airway while you sleep. They are less common than MADs but can be helpful for certain individuals.
Oral appliances are less intrusive than CPAP machines and are often preferred for their comfort and portability. Research shows they can significantly improve sleep quality, reduce loud snoring, and ease symptoms like daytime sleepiness.

Lifestyle Changes

In some cases, simple lifestyle modifications make a big difference. These may include:
- Weight Loss: Excess weight, especially around the neck, increases the risk of airway obstruction.
- Changing Sleep Positions: Sleeping on your side rather than your back can help keep the airway open.
- Avoiding Alcohol and Sedatives: These substances relax the muscles of the throat, making airway collapse more likely.
- Quitting Smoking: Smoking irritates and inflames the airway, worsening sleep apnea symptoms.
Consulting a Sleep Specialist

It’s important to remember that sleep apnea treatment is not one-size-fits-all. Consulting with a qualified sleep specialist or dentist trained in sleep medicine is the best way to determine the most effective therapy for your unique situation.

A professional will assess the severity of your condition and guide you to the options—whether medical devices, dental appliances, or lifestyle changes—that will offer the greatest benefit.

Types of Mouth Guards for Sleep Apnea

If you’re exploring mouth guards as a way to manage sleep apnea, you’re not alone. Many people are turning to these small, simple devices for a better night’s rest. There are two main types you’ll come across:

Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) are the most common. These mouth guards work by gently moving your lower jaw forward while you sleep. That slight shift opens up your airway, making it less likely to collapse and interrupt your breathing. If you snore or have mild to moderate sleep apnea, a MAD might be a great fit.

Tongue Retaining Devices (TRDs) take a different approach. Instead of moving your jaw, they hold your tongue in place so it doesn’t slide back and block your throat. This is especially helpful if your tongue is the main culprit behind your snoring or apnea.

Some mouth guards are custom-fitted by a dentist, which means they’re made just for you and your unique bite. Others, like AirSnore, are available over the counter is fitted at home. While custom devices tend to be more precise, many people find over-the-counter options comfortable, affordable, and convenient.

How Sleep Apnea Mouth Guards Work

You might wonder how such a small device can make such a big difference. The answer is surprisingly simple. Sleep apnea mouth guards either move your jaw forward or keep your tongue from falling back. This helps keep your throat open while you sleep.

When your airway stays open, air flows smoothly—snoring is reduced, and those scary pauses in breathing are less likely to happen. People who use mouth guards often find they wake up less groggy and feel more refreshed during the day. It’s a low-tech solution with real, noticeable results.

What are the Benefits of Using a Mouth Guard for Sleep Apnea

One of the best things about mouth guards is how easy they are to use. Unlike CPAP machines, which can be bulky and require a power source, a mouth guard just slips into your mouth before bed. No hoses, no noise, no fuss.

Here are some of the benefits people appreciate:
- Comfort and convenience: Tiny, portable, and easy to clean.
- Better sleep: Less snoring and fewer interruptions mean deeper rest.
- More energy during the day: Improved sleep quality leads to less tiredness.
- Healthier heart: Treating sleep apnea lower blood pressure and reduce other health risks.
- Customizable fit: Especially with custom-made devices, you get a fit that’s tailored to you.
If you travel often or don’t like the idea of wearing a mask at night, a mouth guard might feel like a breath of fresh air—literally!

How to Choose the Right Mouth Guard for OSA

Picking the right mouth guard is a personal decision. Start by thinking about what matters most to you: Is comfort your top priority? Are you hoping to save money? Do you need something you can buy right away, or are you willing to wait for a custom device?

It’s also important to consider the severity of your sleep apnea. Mouth guards work especially well for mild to moderate cases, but might not be enough for severe cases.

Talking to a sleep specialist or dentist can be a big help. They will guide you through the pros and cons of each type, offer advice on fit and materials, and help you avoid common pitfalls. Their experience can make your search a lot less overwhelming.

Getting a Custom-Fitted Mouth Guard for Sleep Apnea

If you decide to go the custom route, here’s what you can expect. First, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth—think of it like making a mold for a retainer or sports mouth guard. These impressions are sent to a lab, where your mouth guard is crafted just for you.

When it’s ready, you’ll try it on and your dentist will make sure it fits just right. Sometimes it takes a few tweaks to get the comfort and effectiveness spot on. Follow-up visits ensure everything stays comfortable and keeps working over time.

Mouth Guard Effectiveness and Safety

Mouth guards are life-changing for many people. They’re proven to help with snoring and mild to moderate OSA, and lots of users report feeling more rested and alert.

However, they aren’t the answer for everyone. If your sleep apnea is severe, or if you have dental issues like loose teeth or jaw pain, you’ll want to talk to a professional before trying a mouth guard. And even after you start using one, regular check-ins with your dentist or sleep doctor keeps things on track and catch any problems early.

With the right guidance and a little patience, a mouth guard could be the simple, effective solution that helps you finally get the restful sleep you deserve.

Don’t let sleep apnea disrupt your life—discover how AirSnore can help you sleep soundly again.

FAQ on OTC Sleep Apnea Mouth Guards

1. What is the best mouth guard for sleep apnea?

The best mouth guard is usually a custom-fitted mandibular advancement device, but high-quality options like AirSnore can also be effective.

2. Can a mouth guard help with sleep apnea?

Yes, mouth guards can help by keeping your airway open and reducing breathing interruptions while you are asleep.

3. Does a mouth guard help with sleep apnea?

Mouth guards are proven to help many people with OSA, especially in less severe cases.

4. Does mouth guard help sleep apnea?

Yes, specially designed mouth guards are a recognized treatment for sleep apnea.

5. Are mouth guards effective for everyone with sleep apnea?

Yes, for most people. They may not work for everyone, especially those with severe sleep apnea or certain dental conditions. Consult a healthcare professional for advice.
- Company: AirSnore
- Contact: Don England
- Email: support@airsnore.com
- Phone Support:UK: +44 20 4572 4051 (9am–11pm GMT) US: +1 888-823-5131 (4am–6pm EST)
- Address: 12 Payne Street Glasgow G4 0LF United Kingdom
Attachment

The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meets Officials on Sidelines of Oslo Forum for Peace

Source: Government of Qatar

Oslo, June 11, 2025

HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi held separate meetings today with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Espen Barth Eide, HE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic Asaad Al Shibani, HE Minister of International Development of the Kingdom of Norway Asmund Aukrust, HE State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway Andreas Kravik, HE Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Burhanettin Duran, HE Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, and HE Commissioner for Human Rights in the Ukrainian Parliament Dmytro Lubinets.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the annual Oslo Forum for Peace held in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

During the meetings, the parties reviewed bilateral cooperation and ways to support and enhance it, in addition to discussing a number of regional and international issues.

MIL OSI Africa –

June 12, 2025
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 –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: S. 259, Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act

Source: US Congressional Budget Office

S. 259 would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publish annually a list of entities with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia that hold licenses or authorizations granted by the commission.

Based on information from the FCC, CBO expects that the agency would need five employees, at an annual average cost of $225,000 per employee, for the first two years, to review existing grants of authority, and two employees after 2027 to review new applications and changes in ownership. On that basis, CBO estimates that it would cost the FCC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue rules and identify whether any of those four nations hold equity or a voting interest in organizations that have an authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the commission. Because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority.

If the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing provisions in the bill, S. 259 would increase the cost of an existing private-sector mandate on entities required to pay those fees. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

The bill contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.

The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Margot Berman (for federal costs) and Rachel Austin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Spending review delivers big boosts for health and defence – but Rachel Reeves is focused on investment

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Linda Yueh, Fellow in Economics/Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the government’s spending review, setting out its plans and priorities for the next three years. The aim of the review is of course to allocate spending over that time period – but this government is keen for economic growth and so has directed the funds to try to boost GDP. This approach could work but is particularly challenging in an uncertain global environment.

The parameters of the UK’s fiscal policy were set in the budget last October and the spring statement in March when the chancellor confirmed her fiscal rules, which allowed borrowing only for investment. Day-to-day spending on public services like the NHS and schools has to be met by tax revenues.

As a result of an earlier tweak to the fiscal rules, public investment – spending on things like roads and hospitals – will total about £113 billion from now until nearly the end of this parliament.

Many investors and creditors will have been looking out for this boost, as the UK has lagged behind comparable economies partly due to its lower levels of investment. The announcements have the potential to bring in private funding if more investors see an opportunity to benefit from increased economic growth, particularly if the UK’s relatively high energy costs are also addressed.

Also in line for government investment is social and affordable housing. The announcement of £39 billion for this sector in England was a centrepiece of Reeves’ announcement. Coupled with planning reforms, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) judged in March that this could indeed boost growth.

There will be more money for social housing – £39 billion over ten years in England.
Irene Miller/Shutterstock

In terms of day-to-day spending, health and defence received the biggest increases among government departments because of, respectively, pressures on the NHS arising from COVID-19 and the ageing population, and from geopolitical challenges like the war in Ukraine.

Both departments, though, also have the potential to raise economic growth. Rates of economic inactivity (people who aren’t in paid work, for example) in the UK have not fallen back to their pre-COVID levels as they have in other major economies such as the US, France and Germany. Improving health services, cutting waiting lists and widening access to mental health support could help get more people back to work, which would boost employment and support growth.

And on defence, spending in this area has the potential (depending greatly on the type of spend) to create technology that could eventually boost the nation’s productivity. GPS, for example, was developed by the US Department of Defense, as were many innovations now used in smartphones. Boosting UK defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and investing in technology has the potential to unlock advances in equipment for the UK.

Who loses out?

This is not to say that increasing the settlements to other government departments would not support growth too. But some of those departments, including the Home Office, Foreign Office and transport, are now facing cuts in real terms to their spending. And they may find themselves under even more pressure should GDP growth slow.

This is because of the chancellor’s fiscal rule about funding current spending from taxes. This would mean cuts if these receipts fall as a result of slowing growth, since Reeves has very little “fiscal headroom” (spare cash) to ensure she can meet her rules – only £9.9 billion.

But the reverse may also prove to be true. Should investment in research and development (£22.6 billion per year by 2029‑30), renewable energy and infrastructure, alongside planning reforms, increase GDP growth, then the chancellor may find that she has more funding to allocate to day-to-day departmental spending to support public services.

However, it takes time for investment to generate growth. OBR forecasts only expect increased growth of around 1.7% to 1.8% in the second half of this parliament. But those growth forecasts pre-date the US president Donald Trump’s tariffs announced in April, which are causing turmoil in global trade.

This is why it is even more important for the UK to raise domestic economic growth through investing in people, technology and productivity. To govern is to choose, as the saying goes, and the government will hope that these are the right trade-offs to have made in order to grow during such shaky times. Despite the uncertain global picture, the chancellor has laid some promising foundations. Now the challenge will be delivering the growth.

Linda Yueh 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. Spending review delivers big boosts for health and defence – but Rachel Reeves is focused on investment – https://theconversation.com/spending-review-delivers-big-boosts-for-health-and-defence-but-rachel-reeves-is-focused-on-investment-258746

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: E-bikes are becoming e-waste – here’s how to reduce the environmental cost

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yvonne Ryan, Associate Professor in Environmental Science, University of Limerick

Electric e-bikes make cycling easier, faster and more accessible. They are already playing an important role in reducing the environmental impact of transport, particularly when they replace a trip in a private car.

But when you scrap an e-bike, you also have to scrap its battery. And these batteries can be particularly dangerous and tricky to dispose of. This means the growth of e-bikes is leading to at least one related environmental problem: a rise in electronic or e-waste.

The sector needs stronger regulations to encourage it to cut its waste. This includes encouraging bikes to be designed to be easier to repair or recycle, and establishing universal standards that allow parts to work across different brands and models, so components can be reused instead of thrown away.

However, e-bikes often fall between legislative cracks, and their exclusion from the priority products under the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, introduced in 2024, was unfortunate.

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

At the University of Limerick in Ireland, colleagues and I have been researching the environmental impact of e-bikes. We’re interested in their full lifecycle, from metals in rocks to extraction, manufacturing, years of use and eventual disposal – to see if there are ways to reduce the materials they use.

We interviewed retailers and people who work in waste management. They expressed concerns about online sales of lower-quality e-bikes with easily broken components, as well as the high turnover rates of e-bikes.

E-bike rental services like this one in Dublin, Ireland are growing fast.
Brendain Donnelly / shutterstock

Using data from the fleet of e-bikes loaned out at our university, we noted issues with design and compatibility of components. Bike tyres, for instance, have become increasingly non-standard and specialised.

Additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing, may become more important for bike retailers and repairers, who could use it to “print” themselves replacements nuts, screws or even seats. This may be particularly needed in island states such as Ireland, where there are often delays in sourcing parts.

But first, the e-bikes must be of sufficient quality to be repaired. Then, to create the replacement parts, people will need to access the necessary data – digital files with precise designs of objects such as a bicycle tyre or handlebar.

Keeping e-bikes in use

New business models are emerging. Some companies are lending e-bikes to their employees, with a management company taking care of maintenance and repair.

There are also a growing number of mobile e-bike repair services, and specialist training for e-bike repair and retail through manufacturer platforms like Bosch and Shimano.

E-bike brands are shifting from a focus on selling bikes towards offering ongoing services. For example, e-bike retailer Cowboy offers a subscription to mobile bike mechanics, and VanMoof partners with authorised repair services. But while these models work well in big towns and cities, they may not be suitable for rural and smaller urban areas.

Care needs to be taken to ensure that consumers are not disadvantaged or locked out from repair options. In the US, e-bike manufacturers have been requesting exceptions to laws designed to make products easier to repair – while urging that the public should not be allowed to access data needed to make repairs.

E-bikes can be hard to spot

On the waste handling side, some of the innovations that have made e-bikes more accessible are also creating new problems.

For example, e-bikes have evolved to be sleeker and sometimes indistinguishable from regular bikes. This makes it easier for them to end up in regular waste management facilities that aren’t equipped for electronic waste. If a lithium-ion battery inside an e-bike still holds charge and gets crushed or shredded, it can start a fire.

But this is a problem we can solve. Computer vision and other AI technologies could help to recognise e-bikes and batteries at waste management facilities. QR codes on bike frames could be used to provide information on the entire product lifecycle, including repair manuals and service history – just like the EU’s proposed product passports.

Consumer awareness, choice and education are key. While it’s up to consumers to initiate the maintenance and repair of e-bikes, policymakers need to ensure these options are available and affordable, and that consumers are aware of them.

Retailers need support to embed “repair and reuse” in their business models. This includes cycle-to-work schemes for people to buy e-bikes, as well as better access to insurance and legal protections for selling refurbished e-bikes, and a workforce with the skills to repair these bikes.

Across the world, bike libraries and “try before you buy” schemes are helping consumers make better decisions, as people can test an e-bike before committing. Moving away from traditional ownership – especially for expensive e-bikes – could make active mobility more accessible.

Policies that drive sales, such as grants and incentives for new bike purchases, can work against efforts to reduce waste. We need more policies that support refurbished and repaired e-bikes.

The e-bike sector is one with great potential to improve both environmental and public health. But to realise these benefits, we need to focus on making them last longer and use less resources.

Yvonne Ryan 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. E-bikes are becoming e-waste – here’s how to reduce the environmental cost – https://theconversation.com/e-bikes-are-becoming-e-waste-heres-how-to-reduce-the-environmental-cost-258367

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Foreign Minister strengthens relationship with Italy
Source: New Zealand Government

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a constructive visit to Italy, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations.

Mr Peters and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met in Rome overnight and confirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship that New Zealand and Italy share.

“New Zealand and Italy are long-standing partners,” Mr Peters says. “We have agreed to work more closely together, in order to expand strategic and trade and economic relations.

“We work closely in Antarctica and have shared interests in supporting the rules-based international order and multilateral system, including cooperation on human rights and UN reform,” Mr Peters says.

Mr Peters signed an arts, science and sport arrangement with Minister Tajani, which supports cooperation between New Zealand and Italy in these areas.

While in Rome, Mr Peters also met:
- a range of Italian businesses with investment and commercial interests in New Zealand; and
- Elizabeth Dibble, the Director-General of the Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO), the international peace monitoring organisation in the Sinai which New Zealand has supported since its inception in 1982.
Mr Peters now travels to Jakarta, to attend the annual Indonesia-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission meeting.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Global Civilization Initiative Will Serve the Benefit of All Humanity – Consul General of China in Yekaterinburg

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Moscow, June 11 (Xinhua) — The Global Civilization Initiative has become another important public good that China has offered to the international community following the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, said Luo Shixiong, China’s Consul General in Yekaterinburg.

“On March 15, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative, calling on the world to actively promote exchanges and mutual enrichment among civilizations, and promote the progress of human society,” Luo Shixiong recalled in his article published on Wednesday in the newspaper “Sovetskaya Sibir” / Novosibirsk Region/ on the occasion of the International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations, which is celebrated on June 10.

It is stated that this initiative advocates respect for the diversity of world civilizations, adheres to the principles of equality, mutual enrichment, dialogue and inclusiveness, and strives to ensure that exchanges and mutual enrichment between different civilizations, as well as their coexistence, prevail over mutual alienation and clashes between them, and over the feeling of superiority of one civilization over another.

The article emphasizes that the Global Civilization Initiative advocates the promotion of universal values: peace, development, justice, democracy and freedom. It calls for a broader outlook on the various ideas about the essence of values in different civilizations, rather than imposing one’s own model and values on others. In addition, the initiative advocates the preservation and development of cultural heritage, encourages the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional cultures of all countries in the process of modernization, and calls for strengthening international humanitarian exchanges and cooperation, bringing peoples of different countries closer together and jointly promoting the progress and development of human civilization.

“This initiative complements China’s response to the key question of our century, ‘What is happening to the world and what should we do?’, demonstrating China’s global vision and sense of responsibility as a responsible great power,” the diplomat added.

According to the author of the article, the resolution proposed by China to establish the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, which was unanimously adopted last June at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, marked China’s intellectual contribution to achieving inclusive coexistence and mutual enrichment among various civilizations. “This symbolizes the successful construction of a new bridge for human exchanges and civilizational interaction by mankind, and also means that the Chinese concept has become a global consensus and will be further transformed into global practice,” the article emphasizes.

Luo Shixiong believes that the emergence of the Global Civilization Initiative and the establishment of the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations are very timely. “Looking at the world today, we see that changes unseen in a century are accelerating, the deficit of peace, security, development and governance is deepening, and the human community is facing many challenges to coexistence,” he notes.

According to the diplomat, finding a path for harmonious coexistence among civilizations has become the most important task for human society. By proposing the Global Civilization Initiative and the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, China aims to raise global awareness of the value of civilizational diversity and the importance of inter-civilizational exchanges, strengthen unity in finding solutions to global challenges, and inject positive impetus into humanity’s collective confrontation with common threats.

“We have every reason to believe that the Global Civilization Initiative and the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations will certainly serve the benefit of all mankind,” Luo Shixiong concluded. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: President of Uzbekistan meets with EBRD head

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

Tashkent, June 11 (Xinhua) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Wednesday received a delegation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) led by its President Odile Renaud-Basso, the presidential press service reported.

“On June 11, on the eve of the third meeting of the Foreign Investors Council, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development headed by its President Odile Renaud-Basso,” the statement said.

It is reported that issues of further expansion of strategic cooperation between Uzbekistan and this authoritative international financial institution were discussed.

“We are pleased to note the expansion of the portfolio of joint projects: EBRD investments in Uzbekistan have already exceeded EUR 5.5 billion. Plans for the current year include attracting another EUR 1.1 billion, a significant portion of which will be directed to support the private sector,” the statement says. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Tu-22M3 long-range bombers carried out a planned flight over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea — Russian Defense Ministry

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/ — Tu-22M3 long-range bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

“Fighter escort was provided by the crews of Su-30SM and Su-27 aircraft of the Aerospace Forces. The flight duration was more than four hours. At certain stages of the route of the long-range bombers, they were accompanied by fighters of foreign countries,” the statement said.

“Long-range aviation crews regularly fly over neutral waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Baltic and Black Seas. All flights of aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces are carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,” the Russian Defense Ministry emphasized. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leader’s Report – June 2025

Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

Latest news from the Council Leader Jane Meagher.

Driving attainment in our schools

As we near the end of the school term, I want to begin by recognising the hard work and achievements of our children, young people, teachers and school staff throughout the year.

I was particularly pleased to hear that the attainment of our school leavers has improved across almost all measures, with the gap narrowing between the performance of the most and least disadvantaged young people in our schools.

These results are due, at least in part, to our curriculum pathways programme, which offers our secondary pupils the opportunity to enjoy a varied and engaging school day while seeing clear connections to future career opportunities.

Our construction, roofing and stone carving courses, for example, help students in S4 to S6 to develop practical skills while also gaining qualifications that help them to map out a career path beyond school. It’s testament to this work that 95% of our school leavers are now going on to positive destinations.

To all of our pupils who recently sat their exams, I wish you all the best of luck with your results in August. Pupils, teachers and staff have put in a tremendous amount of hard work preparing for exams and I know many parents, carers and wider family members will also have been encouraging their children to do their best.

And to our school leavers, I wish you the very best as you embark on your next journey, whether in the workforce or further education.

Cleaner, greener travel

Earlier this month we marked one year since we began enforcement of our Low Emission Zone (LEZ). With Clean Air Day (19 June) coming up next week, this anniversary is a timely reminder of the importance of restricting the most polluting vehicles and improving air quality in our busy city centre.

Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK alone, with both the World Health Organisation and the UK Government citing it as the largest environmental threat to our health. It was reassuring then to hear both NHS Lothian and Asthma + Lung UK praising our scheme.

The good news is we’re seeing wider benefits across our network with the Institute of Occupational Medicine finding a statistically significant shift towards active travel and public transport in the six months following LEZ enforcement.

Recent data suggests further positive outcomes from new active travel projects such as Leith Connections (20% increase in pedestrian numbers) and Leith Walk (40% increase in cycling numbers), with Cycling Scotland also reporting record journeys on the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and at Picardy Place.

Meanwhile Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses both continue to report improving passenger numbers and performance following their respective Operator of the Year accolades at the National Transport Awards 2024.

Building a strong and stable third sector

Tackling poverty remains a key priority for us – but we can’t achieve this without the third sector. Yet worryingly, with funding becoming ever scarcer, our population growing and more people struggling with the cost of living, many charities are in a precarious position.

It’s clear to me that we need to find a more sustainable way forward for a sector that brings so much good. That’s why we’ve asked the Edinburgh Partnership to conduct a review of how it supports and works with third sector organisations across the city, and ultimately to find solutions for improving funding certainty in future years.

We want to hear about how we can make it simpler, provide more stability, and collaborate to help those who need this sector’s support most. Please share your views on our Consultation Hub. Results will be shared with everyone who takes part and with the third sector, before being reported to our next Policy and Sustainability Committee in August.

Farewell Sir Tom

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Tom Farmer last month. A proud Leither, generous philanthropist and true son of Edinburgh whose influence reached far beyond our city’s boundaries.

Sir Tom was a recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and his handprints remain immortalised in the City Chambers Quadrangle, a lasting tribute to a life of service, innovation, and generosity. Best known as the founder of Kwik Fit, he transformed the automotive industry, building a business that grew to over 2,000 locations across 18 countries and, of course, owned a majority stake in Hibernian FC for 28 years. I have no doubt he was looking down proudly as Hibs Ladies clinched the league title for the first time in 18 years.

Yet, his legacy extends well beyond his entrepreneurial success. Born in Leith in 1940, his roots in the community remained strong throughout his life. His service was recognised with a knighthood in 1997, and again in 2009, when he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for his charitable work. He also received the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy and was named a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great, an honour bestowed by the Pope.

Sir Tom’s final journey took him through the streets of Leith, past Easter Road Stadium, where hundreds of Hibs fans gathered to pay tribute to a man whose kindness, leadership and civic pride have left a lasting mark.

Summer in the city

The busy summer season is upon us once more. The city has already enjoyed the Edinburgh Children’s Festival, with the ever-popular Meadows Festival taking place last weekend.

Looking ahead, the city is gearing up for a colourful and joyful celebration next weekend as the annual Pride Edinburgh march brings thousands together in the heart of the Capital. Pride is an important date in the city’s calendar and honours the diversity, history and dignity of our LGBT+ community.

Then, later this month, all eyes will turn to Ingliston for the Royal Highland Show (19–22 June), a highlight of Scotland’s summer and a showcase of rural life, food, and culture.

The coming weeks will see the city filled with music, art, and performance, starting with the Edinburgh Castle concert series and the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in July. As we move into August, the city becomes the world’s stage with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – boasting 3,350 shows and 265 venues this year – the International Festival, Book Festival, Art Festival, Film Festival, and the iconic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

I’m also very much looking forward to the reopening of the Filmhouse on 27 June following a lengthy and well-coordinated campaign to save and refurbish it. I know this was a cause very close to the heart of our late friend and colleague, Val Walker, and how much joy this would have brought her.

Our world-renowned festivals and events sustain our reputation as a global cultural capital, with the positives extending well beyond entertainment. You need look no further than the £200 million our Winter Festivals brought to the local economy last year.

They also bring real energy and excitement to the city, alongside lasting benefits to our businesses, communities and local charities. From next July, they will help to raise even more (as much as £50 million per year) for the city, courtesy of our visitor levy. We’re continuing to make good progress towards its introduction and have just given our views to the Scottish Government on a potential Cruise Ship Levy, which could be worth a further million pounds to the city each year.

Stay Different

Of course, these events require meticulous planning and coordination to limit the inevitable pressure on the city and our residents – and I want to extend my thanks to the many colleagues across events, waste, public safety and our partner organisations, for ensuring they remain safe, inclusive, and successful.

Another way we can relieve the pressure is to encourage visitors (and residents!) to leave the beaten track and explore the many other wonderful attractions we have across the city. That’s the message of our new destination visitor marketing campaign Stay Different, which reminds visitors that Edinburgh is a year-round destination and there is much to discover in our local neighbourhoods and beyond.

A revealing glimpse into our past

As if we didn’t have enough to do this summer, I’m very much looking forward to exploring three standout shows that offer powerful glimpses into our past.

At the St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh’s First Burghers: Revealing the Lives and Hidden Faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval Citizens presents an extraordinary mix of science, history, and storytelling. Marking the joint 900th anniversaries of Edinburgh and St Giles’ Cathedral, this unique exhibition brings to life the medieval citizens buried at the site and allows us to see the faces and learn the stories of some of our earliest residents.

At the City Art Centre, meanwhile, John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture showcases more than 80 works by one of Scotland’s most important modern artists. With never-before-seen sketchbooks and artworks displayed across two floors, this is a compelling insight into a life lived through art.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Canadian Online Casinos That Are Making Waves in the 2025 Gambling Scene – Findings Released by All iGaming
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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Email:support@alligaming.com

Attachment
- All iGaming
The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: UK 🔴 LIVE: Prime Minister’s Questions + Spending Review with British Sign Language (BSL) – 11 June 2025

Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYOzDzhz3mE

MIL OSI Video –

June 12, 2025
India bats for global action in fighting terrorism during key East Asia Summit meeting

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

India on Wednesday called for collective action in addressing the menace of terrorism that poses a serious threat to peace, security and development of the entire region.

Addressing the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) in Malaysia’s Penang, P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, underlined the important role of EAS towards promoting free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Kumaran, who led the Indian delegation at the summit, shared New Delhi’s position on regional and international issues as the premier leaders-led mechanism marks its 20th anniversary this year.

Secretary (East) P. Kumaran also met with Amran Mohammed Zin, Secretary General at Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) SOM in Penang.

“Held discussions to fully realise the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during the visit of PM YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, to India in August 2024. Congratulated Secretary General on successful adoption of ‘ASEAN Community Vision 2045’ under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN. Also discussed ways to widen India’s engagement with ASEAN in the context EAS and ASEAN-India Summit framework to strengthen the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and exchanged views on other regional and multilateral issues,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X.

The MEA official also met Chung Byung-won, Deputy Minister of Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting. He congratulated the Deputy Minister on the successfully-conducted Presidential elections in South Korea, and discussed ways to strengthen India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership and impart renewed momentum to the bilateral agenda.

On Tuesday, Kumaran met Hajah Johariah Binti Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, on the margins of the meeting with the two sides discussing ways to further deepen the enhanced partnership between India and Brunei Darussalam bilaterally, as also cooperation under ASEAN and other frameworks.

Kumaran also held discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest with Australia’s Michelle Chan who heads the Office of Southeast Asia.

Earlier on Monday, he interacted with Ambassador Kung Phoak, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. Underlining the close partnership between India and Cambodia, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation bilaterally and under the ASEAN framework.

The East Asia Summit (EAS) Senior Officials’ Meeting, attended by EAS Senior Officials and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community, reviewed the progress of implementation of the EAS Plan of Action (2024-2028) and exchanged views on regional and international developments. The meeting also discussed preparations for the 15th EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July and the 20th East Asia Summit in October 2025.

The EAS is the premier leaders-led forum in the Asia-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia. It comprises 18 participating countries.

Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the EAS includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.

(IANS)

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to Czech government statement on Chinese cyberattack against Czech foreign ministry
Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MOFA response to Czech government statement on Chinese cyberattack against Czech foreign ministry
- Date：2025-05-29
- Data Source：Department of European Affairs
May 29, 2025

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) notes that in a statement published on May 28, the government of the Czech Republic said it had identified the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as being responsible for a malicious campaign of cyberattacks targeting one of the unclassified networks of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It said the campaign had been carried out since 2022 through the cyberespionage actor APT31. Strongly condemning this action, the Czech government called on the PRC to adhere to international rules and take all appropriate measures to address the issue. In a post on the social media platform X, Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavksý said that China was interfering in Czech society through manipulation, propaganda, and cyberattacks.

Taiwan is subjected to millions of cyber intrusions per day, the majority of which originate from China. This number is increasing daily. Taiwan is thus particularly capable of empathizing with the Czech Republic and other democracies facing similar threats. China has long employed cyberattacks, information warfare, and other forms of gray-zone tactics to infiltrate and harm Taiwan and democracies around the world, drawing widespread concern and condemnation from the international community. MOFA strongly urges the Chinese authorities to immediately halt these types of malicious cyberactivity targeting democratic countries and to respect international rules and its associated responsibilities.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung reiterates Taiwan’s support for and solidarity with the Czech Republic. He emphasizes that cyberattacks and similar behavior committed against sovereign nations represent a grave violation of national security and freedom of information and threaten the stability and working of the global democratic community. As a responsible member of the global democratic camp, Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the Czech Republic, the European Union, and other like-minded partners, deepening information security exchanges and defensive capacity and jointly working to resist the threats to the democratic system and information security posed by China and other authoritarian regimes.

MIL OSI China News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to UK Ministry of Defence’s expression of concern over cross-strait peace and stability in Strategic Defence Review
Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MOFA response to UK Ministry of Defence’s expression of concern over cross-strait peace and stability in Strategic Defence Review
- Date：2025-06-03
- Data Source：Department of European Affairs
June 3, 2025

On June 2, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of the United Kingdom published its Strategic Defence Review, which stressed that the Indo-Pacific was strategically important to the United Kingdom and that growing Chinese assertiveness was a key driver of regional and global instability. The report also emphasized that China’s military exercises around Taiwan risked dangerous escalation in the Taiwan Strait and that its aggressive actions were fueling tension in the South China Sea. Moreover, the review stated that the MOD would continue strengthening regional partnerships and protecting freedom of navigation so as to further defend and shape international rules and norms.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, Admiral Tony Radakin, UK Chief of the Defence Staff, publicly stated that upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principles of freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific mattered greatly to the United Kingdom. He added that Royal Navy ships had therefore been exercising the right of freedom of navigation in the region, including in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. The fact the MOD’s Strategic Defence Review once again expressed grave concern over the Taiwan Strait and clear opposition to China’s provocative military actions demonstrates the United Kingdom’s consistent stance regarding the need to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly affirms and appreciates the UK statements.

The United Kingdom, a like-minded partner, shares with Taiwan such universal values as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. It also plays a key role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan will continue to engage in close cooperation with the United Kingdom and other democratic countries, taking concrete action to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, defend the rules-based international order, and jointly advance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and throughout the world.

MIL OSI China News –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Opening Statement at SAC-D Hearing on FY 26 Budget Request for the Department of Defense

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, convened today’s hearing “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Defense”. Prepared text of his opening statement follows:

“Secretary Hegseth, General Caine, Ms. MacDonnell, welcome. My colleagues and I are looking forward to your candid testimony.

“There’s no doubt that the global threat environment demands from us an uncompromisingly lethal force. And your efforts over recent months to renew the Department’s focus on lethality – and your attention to the concerns of servicemembers at the tip of the spear – are worthwhile and appreciated.

“Of course, sustaining this shift requires a clear strategy and adequate investments in capabilities. So we’re looking forward to hearing, in detail: What, exactly, the Office of Management and Budget is requesting on behalf of the Department of Defense for the coming fiscal year…And whether this budget flows from a strategy or instead defines and limits a strategy.

“This hearing will be the first public demonstration of what we hope to be a productive relationship between the Subcommittee and the Department. In the past, this relationship has functioned best when it’s been based on timely and forthcoming communication.

“Last year, details from the Department and the services about their growing requirements informed the Subcommittee’s efforts to mark up a bill to provide the military with $18.8 billion in resources above President Biden’s FY25 request. But that didn’t become law. Regrettably, the CR we’re under right now was yet another missed opportunity that compounded the constraints facing the Department today.

“On this subcommittee, you’ll find plenty of support for the Department’s efforts to – for example – improve air and missile defense systems, grow the pipeline for unmanned technologies, modernize our nuclear triad, and expand shipbuilding capacity. But lumping reconciliation spending in with full-year appropriations risks conflating different objectives. Chairman Wicker and his House counterpart have pointed out already that even an important, one-time investment in military modernization is not a substitute for steady growth in the annual budget topline. In fact, it may well end up functioning as a shell-game to avoid making the most significant annual investments that we spent years urging the Biden Administration to make.

“I struggle to understand why the Administration would cut procurement funding in the base FY26 budget by $14.4B and move funding for programs that have strong bipartisan support to a simple-majority reconciliation bill. The FY26 annual request seems to do just this for Virginia class submarines, Arleigh Burke class destroyers, and B-21 bombers. Like with critical munitions, we should send the Services and industry a sustained demand signal by incorporating them into annual appropriations.

“If we’re really serious about making the sustained, long-term investments in our military, then let’s do more than a one-time injection of funding. If the Administration wants to request a trillion-dollar defense budget for FY26 and make a full-year investment in urgent priorities and new programs, they ought to do it.

“In the meantime, let’s not overstate the FY26 request. The Administration’s requested base defense budget is lower than fifteen of the last twenty annual requests…including President Biden’s request for FY25. In fact, FY26 extends your predecessors’ streak to five straight base budget requests that would fail to keep pace with inflation – let alone with the pacing threat of China. But say we do take reconciliation into account. Even then, this is hardly the largest funding request for the Department of Defense.

“In constant dollars, the FY26 Department of Defense budget request still falls short of the annual funding requests from FY08, FY09, FY10, and FY11. As a share of GDP, even including reconciliation, the FY26 request is still just around 3%. That’s not just half the level of the Reagan buildup that secured peace through strength… it’s even less than the 4.5% of GDP requested for defense under President Carter.

“Why should we expect our allies to spend 5% of GDP on defense if we’re investing barely half that share? The failure to spend more on defense is compounded by another dynamic. Every year, a greater share of the defense budget goes to cover costs other than modernizing and procuring new weapons and equipment for our fighting forces.

“Without additional resources, rising Personnel and Operations & Maintenance costs risk crowding out new capabilities. How we allocate taxpayer dollars is an expression of our political will. We can’t expect our adversaries to take American hard power seriously if we don’t put our money where our mouth is. But as I mentioned, we’re also interested in your articulation of the strategy that informs – or is informed by – the Administration’s budget. How does that strategy account for adversary alignment? How does it address not only the threat of conflict in the Indo-Pacific, but the reality of conflict and military threats to our interests in Europe and the Middle East?

“Most of us on this panel believe that Russia’s war in Ukraine, its alignment with the aims of other U.S. adversaries, and its eventual outcome are profoundly important to American interests and offer more than just a glimpse into the future of warfare.

“I’d like to hear your views on this conflict. Who is the aggressor? What are the stakes for America and the West? What is the return on investment of our assistance to Ukraine? I don’t see funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative in your budget request. Is it the Administration’s view that terminating security assistance to Ukraine will make lasting peace more or less likely?

“What lessons is the U.S. military learning from the conflict? How will the Department or industry continue to learn if we cut off our partnership with the world’s leading battlefield innovators? Why would Asian partners trust us if we abandon partners in Europe? What lessons are China, Iran, and North Korea learning? And how much more will they benefit if Russia prevails?

“I’d like to hear your views on the impact of war in Europe on other theaters. The Asian and Pacific allies you just met with recently are under no delusions about how unchecked Russian aggression influences the calculus of Xi Jinping. They understand that strategic alignment among adversaries is global.

“America must recognize, in turn, that the risk of simultaneous conflict on multiple fronts is real and growing. Your Undersecretary for Policy acknowledged this reality in his confirmation hearing this spring. But the capabilities America needs to prevail in such a conflict do not seem to be reflected in the request we’ve received from OMB.

“So, there’s a lot we need to cover today. We’ll invite you to make opening comments in just a moment. But first, I’ll recognize Ranking Member Coons.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s commitment to heritage shown with investment in Portsmouth’s historic cemeteries
Source: City of Portsmouth

In line with the council’s heritage strategy and to ensure that important historic structures within these spaces can be enjoyed for years to come, the council is prioritising their preservation. Since 2012, the council has invested almost £14.5 million into heritage projects across the city.

Currently, repairs are being made to the Dissenter’s Chapel in Highland Road Cemetery as part of a £65,000 project. Designed by the renowned architect Thomas Ellis-Owen, this Grade II listed building is a unique Byzantine style brick cemetery chapel. Repairs are being made to the roof, walls and rendering, and floor joists are being repaired.

The council is also planning an investment of £200,000 to restore the Grade II listed neo-Gothic West Chapel in Kingston Cemetery, which will bring this building back into use.

At Milton Cemetery, plans are underway to sensitively dismantle the cemetery lodge, which is not listed and has been empty for over a decade as cemetery managers no longer live on site. The building has also been deemed unsafe to be used as an office for the cemeteries team, and in its current state does not give a good impression to those entering the cemetery.

Many options have been explored to bring it back into use, but the position within the cemetery means these are impractical, and the dangerous condition of the building means it must be removed. The space can then be used for burials, ensuring that the residents of Portsmouth can continue to choose their preferred funeral ceremony for years to come, as developing a new cemetery in the city will be difficult due to lack of available sites.

An ecological survey has been carried out, and the garden of the lodge will remain as it is during the work to minimise disruption. In the future, work will take place to tidy this area up so the public can enjoy it, whilst minimising the impact on wildlife habitats. The toilet block behind the lodge will be kept, with investment sought in the coming years to improve it.

Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council said:

“The city has a duty to its heritage, one that the council takes seriously. Our heritage strategy builds on the other recent heritage projects in the city including the redevelopment of the D-Day Story, the arrival of LCT 7074, the renovation of Victoria Park and the Hotwalls Studios project. More recent investment has seen repairs made to the Kings Theatre, Fort Widley and also the renovation of Hilsea Lido.

“In an ideal world, the council would be able to invest in all of the buildings in its care but after seeing over £110 million cut from our budget over the last 15 years, we have to make choices. The heritage strategy was specifically devised to help us make the best choices for the right reasons, to protect those buildings which have the most significance and the ability to be repurposed for future uses”.

The council’s heritage strategy uses a scoring system to decide which heritage projects to support. This was used to determine where this investment into the city’s cemeteries was made. Each project is rated from 0 to 10 in three areas:
- Status (how officially recognised or protected the site is),
- Condition (how much repair or attention it needs), and
- Potential Impact (how much benefit the project could bring socially, economically, culturally, and environmentally).
The higher the total score, the higher the priority for support. This helps the council focus on projects that are both important and in need, and that can make a real difference to the community.

Milton Cemetery Lodge scores low across all three categories of the heritage assessment formula. It lacks official heritage status, is not listed on any ‘at risk’ registers, and offers minimal social, economic, or environmental impact if restored. As a result, investment in the building cannot be justified.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Urges Immediate Action by Meta to Prevent Investment Scam Advertisements on its Platforms

Source: US State of California

Meta must do better to protect consumers from financial harm

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general, today sent a letter to Meta expressing deep concern regarding a flurry of investment scam advertisements (ads) running on its platforms — including Facebook newsfeeds. These investment scam ads threaten the pockets of consumers nationwide and Meta’s existing systems have been shown to be insufficient to address the problem. In response to this concerning trend, the attorneys general ask Meta to take immediate action to improve its capabilities to detect and respond to these ads.

“It’s alarming to see how easy investment scam ads — which have cost some consumers their life savings — can be created and disseminated on Meta platforms. This growing trend, combined with Meta’s inadequate method of identifying these ads and its significant delay in removing them, makes this a recipe for disaster,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today, I urge Meta to prioritize the safety of its users against investment scam ads — Meta can and must do right by the millions of people that use its platforms.”

Investment scam ads running on Meta’s platforms deceive consumers with images of well-known investors. Upon clicking on the ads, users are prompted to download WhatsApp and become members of groups that are not in fact sponsored or affiliated with the investors identified in the ads.  They are then targeted in an illegal investment scheme, commonly known as a “pump and dump” scheme. As part of the scheme, scammers encourage users to invest in penny stocks, thus inflating or pumping up the stock price. Then the scammers quickly sell the stocks — leaving the users holding worthless stock that they can no longer sell to recover their losses. In some cases, these scams have resulted in users losing their life savings. The impact on victims is devastating, leading not only immense financial losses, but also significant psychological and social consequences.

In the letter, the attorneys general urge Meta to adopt protocols to properly tackle this pervasive issue — or otherwise ban all investment ads on its platforms. Although Meta uses a combination of automated systems and occasional human review to try to detect, block, and remove these advertisements, these systems do not work and allow vast numbers of scam ads to get through to publication.

The letter sent today highlights the latest way Meta fails to protect its users against harmful content. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta, along with a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, sued Meta for its role in designing and deploying harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment. This lawsuit remains ongoing. Last year, Attorney General Bonta sent a letter to Meta expressing concern regarding the increase in account takeovers and lockouts on Facebook and Instagram and the inadequacy of the company’s response to prevent and address consumer harm from these takeovers.

In sending today’s letter to Meta, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washinton, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: Game-Changing Crypto Casinos Recognized in All iGaming’s 2025 Gambling Report! (Expert Findings)
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor pledges at least £445 million of rail investment as part of biggest ever Welsh funding boost
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Chancellor pledges at least £445 million of rail investment as part of biggest ever Welsh funding boost

Major transport upgrade to drive growth and unlock economic potential across Wales, as UK Government delivers on Plan for Change.  
Spending Review: Investing in Wales’ future.

Investment is part of comprehensive spending package to invest in UK’s renewal, creating thousands of jobs in clean energy, manufacturing and defence 

The Welsh Government will receive the largest real terms settlement since devolution began in 1999, with an average settlement of £22.4 billion per year, enabling the Welsh Government to deliver for working people in Wales.

Working people across Wales will benefit from better access to jobs and opportunities thanks to a Welsh rail investment worth at least £445 million announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today as part of the UK Government’s Spending Review which will invest in UK’s renewal.

The transformative rail package will reconnect Wales’s industrial heartlands, improve commuter journeys and drive economic growth in communities that have long suffered from poor transport links. 

The package will invest in both north and south Wales, fixing level crossings, building new stations, and upgrading existing lines 

This strategic rail investment forms the cornerstone of the UK Government’s plan to reconnect, reindustrialise and renew Wales – addressing decades of underinvestment in critical infrastructure that has held back the Welsh economy. 

The rail upgrades will specifically link centres of advanced manufacturing excellence in North Wales and improve vital connections between Cardiff and Bristol, making it easier for businesses to invest and for workers to access employment opportunities. 

Alongside this major transport investment, the Spending Review delivers significant backing for Wales’s key industrial sectors. 

In Port Talbot, a combined investment of up to £580 million will secure the future of steelmaking while transforming the port into a clean energy hub. Within this, £500 million for Tata Steel’s new Electric Arc Furnace will protect 5,000 jobs while reducing carbon emissions. 

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said: 

This UK Government is investing in Wales’ future and driving economic growth across the country. 

We promised we would deal with the historical under-investment in Wales’ rail network and the funding announced today in this Spending Review shows we are delivering on that pledge. 

Along with a record financial settlement for Welsh Government to improve public services, £118m more to help keep coal tips safe and investment in growing industries like aerospace, we are backing Wales’ potential and delivering for working people.”   

Growing Wales’ domestic aerospace and defence industries 

Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Chancellor reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, backing our Armed Forces, creating British jobs in British industries, and prioritising the security of Britain when it is most needed. 

The Spending Review also backed Welsh industry by continuing investment in the defence industry right across the UK, including Wales. 

Wales’s aerospace and automotive industries, already employing over 15,000 people, also stands to gain through UK-wide funding announced for the advanced manufacturing sector, enabling the development and delivery of ultra-low and zero-carbon emission vehicles and aircraft.  

Coal tip safety  

The Spending Review also confirms a further £118 million between 2026-27 and 2028-29 for the Welsh Government to maintain the safety of disused coal tips, on the back of £25 million already committed in 2025-26 during 2024 Autumn Budget. The money will see tips secured, homes protected and land unlocked for housing, industry and recreation.  

The UK Government also pledged continued support for Welsh Investment Zones in Cardiff City Region and Wrexham and Flintshire, which will receive £160 million each over 10 years, driving growth and jobs. 

Supporting Welsh businesses 

The new Industrial Strategy and Public finance Institutions will collaborate with the devolved governments and local stakeholders to drive growth across the UK. Through the Nations and Regions Investment programme the British Business Bank is delivering £130 million across Wales to break down access to finance barriers and drive economic growth. 

Local growth funding 

A new local growth fund, and investments in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, will maintain the same cash level as in 2025-26 under the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Wales Office will work with local partners to ensure money goes to projects that matter to local people. This investment will help drive growth and improve communities across all parts of Wales. 

A record settlement for Welsh public services 

The Welsh Government will receive the largest settlement in real terms since devolution in 1999, with an average settlement of £22.4 billion per year to deliver against the priorities of working people in Wales. 

This comprehensive investment package is further delivery of the UK Government’s promise to invest in Britain’s renewal and ensure that economic growth benefits every part of the United Kingdom.

ENDS

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Published 11 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Springwood Leisure Centre’s outdoor pitches to get major upgrade

Source: City of Derby

Derby City Council’s Springwood Leisure Centre is delighted to announce a major refurbishment of both its outdoor 3G football pitches, thanks to the successful acquisition of £147,000 in Section 106 funding. The funding will enable a comprehensive upgrade, including the installation of a state-of-the-art artificial playing surface, permanent line markings, and brand-new fencing around the pitches, to be completed at no cost to the Council.

Work will start at the end of July and is expected to take five weeks, which means the refurbished pitches will be fully operational in time for the winter sports season, providing a much-improved playing experience for local clubs, teams, schools, and recreational users.

This is the second time Springwood Leisure Centre has successfully secured Section 106 funding for infrastructure improvements. In 2023, the Centre received £190,000 to develop its immersive Spin Studio, which has been widely praised for its innovative design and contribution to local health and wellbeing. Together, these investments reflect the Centre’s growing role as a cornerstone of the local community and its commitment to expanding the range and quality of sports and leisure opportunities available to residents.

In celebration of this latest milestone, Springwood Leisure Centre is also planning to launch its first-ever Springwood Community Cup. The tournament aims to showcase the upgraded pitches and create a legacy of community engagement through sport. Full details of the Community Cup will be shared in the coming weeks.

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure, said:

This is great news for the local community. The new pitches will support grassroots sport, improve facilities for residents, and it’s all been achieved at no cost to the Council. I look forward to seeing the pitches in use and to the first Springwood Community Cup. Investments like this show our commitment to accessible, high-quality leisure for all.

The upgraded facilities will support increased participation in grassroots football, provide a safe and durable all-weather playing surface, and accommodate a wide range of users, from casual kickabouts to league matches and school sports programmes. The work will be carried out by S&C Slatter, a leading UK specialist in sports construction and artificial pitch installations.

Nathaniel Leney, Business Development Manager at S&C Slatter, said:

S&C Slatter are proud to have been appointed by Derby City Council to deliver the resurfacing of the 3G pitches at Springwood Leisure Centre. As a valued community facility, it deserves a first-class refurbishment, and we are committed to providing a safe, high-performance all-weather surface that will support and inspire local players, teams, and residents for years to come.

Working in close partnership with the Council, we’ve developed a specification that meets the latest industry standards and ensures long-term performance and durability. We’re excited to begin work on this important project and contribute to the continued growth of sport and recreation in Derby.

The Centre welcomes casual and block bookings for the new pitches. Whether you’re part of a club, organising a tournament, or just looking for a space to play, Springwood Leisure Centre offers a welcoming and professional environment.

For booking enquiries or further information, please see our website or contact: springwood.sports@derby.gov.uk

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI: AVAILABILITY OF THE 2024-2025 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

AVAILABILITY OF THE 2024-2025 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

Bernin (Grenoble), France, June 11, 2025 – Soitec (Euronext Paris) announces the filing today of its 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document in European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers – AMF) under number D.25-0439.

The 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document is made available to the public in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and a French and English version is available for consultation on the Company’s website (www.soitec.com under Investors section – Regulated Information – Financial reports and results & other regulated releases). A French version is also available on the website of the AMF (www.amf-france.org).

The 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document, comprising the annual financial report, notably contains:
- the management report, the consolidated and statutory financial statements and related Statutory Auditors’ reports, the information on the fees paid to the Statutory Auditors and the declaration by the person responsible for the Universal Registration Document ;
- the Board of Directors’ report on corporate governance;
- the description of the share buyback program ;
- the sustainability report;
- the explanatory notes and the draft resolutions submitted to the approval of the Annual General Meeting of July 22, 2025.
*****

Agenda

First-quarter 2025-2026 revenue: July 22, 2025, after market close.

Annual General Meeting: July 22, 2025.

*****

About Soitec

Soitec (Euronext – Tech Leaders), a world leader in innovative semiconductor materials, has been developing cutting-edge products delivering both technological performance and energy efficiency for over 30 years. From its global headquarters in France, Soitec is expanding internationally with its unique solutions, and generated sales of 0.9 billion Euros in fiscal year 2024-2025. Soitec occupies a key position in the semiconductor value chain, serving three main strategic markets: Mobile Communications, Automotive and Industrial, and Edge and Cloud AI. The company relies on the talent and diversity of more than 2,200 employees, representing 50 different nationalities, working at its sites in Europe, the United States and Asia. Nearly 4,300 patents have been registered by Soitec.

Soitec, SmartSiC™ and Smart Cut™ are registered trademarks of Soitec.

For more information: https://www.soitec.com/en/ and follow us on LinkedIn and X: @Soitec_Official

*****

Media Relations: media@soitec.com

Investor Relations: investors@soitec.com

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- Communiqué de mise à disposition_EN
The MIL Network –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Exciting new future for leisure unveiled
Source: Scotland – City of Perth

The updated proposals include two exciting options for the new PH2O facility at Thimblerow in Perth city centre — both of which include flumes and enhanced leisure water features. These options respond directly to the instruction of Councillors to explore leisure water provision at the site, while still being affordable and aligned with the Council’s strategic priorities.

Council Leader Grant Laing said: “This is a really positive step forward. We asked officers to explore how we could deliver a leisure water offer that meets the ambitions of our communities — and they’ve delivered. These proposals show that we can do that while staying true to the principles agreed by Council last September: delivering the greatest impact from our capital investment and ensuring best value for our residents.

“PH2O at Thimblerow will be a fantastic new facility for Perth, and we should never lose sight of the fact that building there means that we can continue to keep Perth Leisure Pool open and maintain access to swimming in Perth right up to the moment it transfers to the new facility.

“And by making the most of the funding previously allocated for PH2O, we’ve also created the opportunity to do even more to secure the future for sport and leisure across Perth and Kinross. The proposals being put before Council will also allow us to identify the funding to progress with much-needed upgrades and improvements to the pools in Kinross and Crieff, as well as providing a funded pathway to a sustainable future for Bell’s Sports Centre.”

The report also outlines a proposal to allocate part of the Glover Street site — which will be freed up once PH2O at Thimblerow opens — to Capability Scotland. This would allow the charity to relocate from its current Upper Springland site, securing its future in Perth and offering new supported accommodation in the city centre.

Depute Leader and Convener of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee Eric Drysdale said: “This is a great example of how joined-up thinking can deliver real benefits for our communities. Not only are we investing in leisure and wellbeing, but we’re also creating an opportunity for the valued service provided to residents and other clients at Capability Scotland to thrive in the heart of our city.

“This is about more than buildings — it’s about creating a supportive and welcoming environment in our communities where everyone can live life well.”

The proposals will be considered at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council on Wednesday 18 June 2025, and include:
- £74m for PH2O at Thimblerow with:
  
  25m 8-lane swimming pool with movable floor
  
  12.5m x 8.5m teaching pool
  
  5.5m flumes
  
  Extended splashpad/aquatic children’s play space
  
  Holiday and weekend inflatables in the main pool
  
  Indoor play area (Clip n’ Climb/ soft play or other family play activity)
  
  Games hall (6 court)
  
  Fitness gym
  
  Studio 1,2,3 (flexible)
  
  Café
- £10m for Bell’s Sports Centre to fund delivery of the transformed facility, including the costs of essential RAAC and asbestos removal work. Confirms that the development and future use of Bell’s Sports Centre should be as an unheated, covered sports pitch/ events space as supported by 60% of respondents to a public consultation on the subject.
- £13.2m investment in energy efficiency and building upgrades at Live Active Loch Leven (Kinross) and Strathearn Community Campus (Crieff) to sustain the life of of both facilities for a further 20 years, and reduce the emergency consumption by 75% and 80% respectively.
Together, these proposals represent a sustainable, future-focused investment in leisure across Perth and Kinross — one that supports health and wellbeing, strengthens communities, and brings new life to the city centre.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China supports Panama in upholding independence and protecting its legitimate rights – Chinese Foreign Ministry

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) — China supports Panama, as a sovereign and independent country, in upholding its independence and self-reliance and firmly safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday.

The Chinese diplomat made the statement at a regular briefing for journalists, commenting on the statement by the head of the Panama Canal Authority regarding the sale of its port assets related to the canal by the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison.

On June 10, the head of the Panama Canal Authority reportedly noted that “there is a potential risk of excessive concentration of ownership of the ports if the deal goes ahead as currently structured, which would harm Panama’s market competitiveness and would be contrary to the principle of neutrality.” He also said that it would be impossible to comply with the U.S. demand to allow U.S. government vessels to transit the canal without paying customs duties.

Lin Jian recalled that the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China and Chinese relevant departments have repeatedly commented on the sale of CK Hutchison’s overseas assets.

“I would like to emphasize that China has always been firmly opposed to economic coercion, dictatorship and bullying,” the official said.

On the issue of navigation of ships of relevant countries, China will, as always, respect Panama’s sovereignty over the canal and recognize its status as a permanently neutral international waterway, Lin Jian added. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Bodies of 1,200 Dead Soldiers Returned to Ukraine

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

KYIV, June 11 (Xinhua) — The bodies of 1,212 servicemen killed in the conflict with Russia have been returned to Ukraine, the Ukrainian coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war said on Wednesday.

The repatriation of the bodies was made possible by the joint efforts of the Coordination Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other structures, the headquarters said.

Ukraine expressed gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance in returning the bodies of the fallen servicemen. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 12, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Orange Middle East and Africa and risingSUD join forces to facilitate the establishment and development of startups in the South of France

At the Viva Technology trade show in Paris, Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) (www.Orange.com), represented by its CEO Jérôme Hénique, and risingSUD, represented by its President Bernard Kleynhoff, signed a strategic partnership to support the establishment and growth of African startups in the Orange Digital Center network in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in the South of France.

This three-year partnership aims to bring together innovation ecosystems in Africa, the Middle East, and the South of France. Specifically, startups from the Orange Digital Center network will benefit from tailored support from the teams at risingSUD, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region’s economic attractiveness and development agency, to establish themselves in the South of France. They will thus join a dynamic region that is already home to 500,000 companies, including global leaders and startups that are inventing the world of tomorrow.

With this partnership, OMEA strengthens its support for the internationalization of startups from Africa and the Middle East and reaffirms its commitment to developing the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystems. Deployed in 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and eight countries in Europe, the Orange Digital Center network is a free and accessible ecosystem for all. It brings together, in one place, digital skills training for young people, support for project leaders, incubation, acceleration, and startup financing.

In 2024 alone, risingSUD supported the establishment of 14 African companies in the South of France, including the startup from the Orange Digital Center in Tunisia, Guépard, which opened an office in Marseille. This partnership will allow more startups from Africa and the Middle East to benefit from risingSUD’s expertise, ranging from project development to access to financing and networking with international partners. It will also facilitate access for talent and startups from the South region to the Orange Digital Centers network.

Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, commented: “This partnership with risingSUD marks a key step in our ambition to promote African innovation internationally. It is a continuation of the support we offer startups through our Orange Digital Centers. By facilitating their establishment and acceleration in France, particularly in the South region, we are giving young African companies the means to accelerate their growth.”

Bernard Kleynhoff, President of risingSUD and President of the Economic and Digital Development, Industry, Export, Attractiveness and Cybersecurity Commissions of the Sud Region, added: “Thanks to its strategic position, its historical trade flows and its commitment to innovation, the South of France is a natural bridge between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It is now the leading French region for hosting African investment projects. This partnership opens up new economic opportunities and constitutes a real springboard for the development of businesses on both sides of the Mediterranean.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

MIL OSI Africa –

June 12, 2025