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  • MIL-OSI Banking: Everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2025

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2025

    And there were a lot of games on show, with players getting a look at just some of the games they can look forward to this year. From our first-party studios, we saw a world premiere for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, an unexpected Obsidian double-bill in the form of The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2, a world premiere of Double Fine’s otherworldly Keeper,a first look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Order of the Giants DLC, and got new gameplay from Ninja Gaiden 4, and Gears of War: Reloaded. Looking further ahead, we also saw extended gameplay for Clockwork Revolution, showing us more from inXile’s most ambitious game yet.

    And from our partners, there’s even more to look forward to. New studio Quarter Up brought us a wonderful surprise in the form of Invincible VS, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XVI arrives for Xbox today – with Final Fantasy Remake Intergradeto come later this year – and Atlus introduced us to Persona 4 Revival.

    We also saw follow-ups to indie hits like Super Meat Boy 3D, High on Life 2, and Planet of Lana II as well as world premieres and new looks at some incredibly exciting new ideas, including The Blood of Dawnwalker, Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation, and At Fate’s End, the new game from the creators of the beloved Spiritfarer – among many others.

    And after a huge 2025 filled with games from today’s double feature, there’s so much more to come. Phil Spencer closed the show by speaking about the upcoming 25th anniversary of Xbox, with the exciting proclamation that, in 2026, Xbox players will celebrate a quarter-century of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War E-Day, and, “The return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning…”

    And the fun only continued in The Outer Worlds 2 & Grounded 2 Direct, which followed immediately after Xbox Games Showcase concluded. Presented by the developers at Obsidian Entertainment, the show offered brand new information and gameplay for the sequel to the award-winning RPG, and also offered up some details on a whole other game arriving this year after the surprise announcement of Grounded 2. Make sure to check back for full rundowns on what was announced in the second part of our enormous double feature.

    Want to catch up on everything from the show? Read on for every single announcement and reveal from the Xbox Games Showcase 2025:

    Introducing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X Handhelds

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    The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are two new handhelds that combine the power of Xbox with the freedom you expect from Windows. Both launch holiday 2025 in select markets, with availability to follow for other markets where ROG Ally series are sold today.

    Together with ASUS, we’ve combined our strengths and technical expertise to provide a premium gaming experience that travels with players wherever they go. With the Xbox Ally, it’s never been easier to access your favorite games – from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading third-party PC storefronts – all from a single device.

    Find out more about both handhelds – including specs, features, the new Xbox full screen experience, and more – in our dedicated Xbox Wire article. Pricing, pre-orders and more will follow in the coming months.

    Welcome to 2035 — Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Brings the Most Mind-Bending Action to Date

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

    For the first time in Call of Duty history, developers Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players Black Ops titles back-to-back with the confirmation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

    The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by conflict and psychological warfare following the narrative events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. With cutting-edge technology in hand, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.

    Squad up with friends or play solo in the innovative Co-op Campaign, harness near-future weaponry in the signature Multiplayer mode packed with brand-new maps, and descend into the next twisted chapter of Round-Based Zombies in the heart of the Dark Aether.

    This tease is just the beginning. Don’t miss the official reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this summer.

    Extended Look at Steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution in New Trailer

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day on with Game Pass – also available on Steam

    Clockwork Revolution—the time-bending RPG from inXile entertainment – debuted a new trailer, revealing the grittier side of the steampunk city of Avalon. This is where the downtrodden steal to survive, gangs prey on the weak, and where our hero Morgan calls home. After discovering that history has been carefully crafted by the city’s ruler, Lady Ironwood, you’ll use a time travel device to go into the past and set things straight – in whatever way you see fit.

    We have an exclusive interview from inXile on what makes the game tick, from reactive storytelling to weapon crafting, and why this is their most ambitious project yet.

    Gears of War: Reloaded – New Trailer Revealed, Multiplayer Beta Announced

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5

    Gears of War is coming to more players than ever before with the upcoming release of Gears of War: Reloaded on August 26, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam and PlayStation 5.  

    An all-new trailer showcases the iconic gameplay and cinematics that changed gaming forever, now lovingly remastered. This is the definitive release, optimized for each platform, featuring 4K textures, 60 FPS in Campaign, 120 FPS in Multiplayer, cross-play, cross-progression and more.  

    Additionally, a two-weekend Multiplayer Beta begins June 13, taking place across all platforms, for Game Pass Ultimate/Game Pass PC members, owners of the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those with Gears of War: Reloaded preorders.

    Be sure to check out our Xbox Wire feature, which includes an Official Xbox Podcast interview with The Coalition, as well as details of how to participate in the Beta.

    Grounded 2 Heads to Game Preview and Steam Early Access July 29

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    Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam Early Access

    Grounded 2 steps out of the backyard and into the suburban wilderness—new bugs, new biomes, same tiny chaos. Set in the all-new Brookhollow Park and featuring the return of our teen heroes, this continuation brings major quality-of-life upgrades like the all-in-one Omni-Tool and delivers on one of the community’s most requested features: rideable Buggies. It’s not just a sequel—it’s the follow-up fans were hoping for, packed with sharper tools, weirder bugs, and enough callbacks to make you wonder if we’ve been lurking in your forum threads (spoiler: we have).

    Built in partnership with Eidos-Montréal and launching into Game Preview on July 29, Grounded 2 brings more story, systems, and surprises from the very beginning—shaped by over 25 million players and counting. Whether you’re returning or just jumping in, wishlist today on Xbox and Steam, and get ready to ride together, survive together, and help shape this world with us.

    For a full breakdown of new features, Buggies, story details, and what to expect in Game Preview, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.

    Keeper: A Beautiful, Otherworldly Adventure from Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Arrives October 17

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam

    Keeper – the beautiful, otherworldly third-person adventure from Double Fine Productions – was announced during the show with a somewhat psychedelic and mysterious first trailer. And we don’t have long to wait – it arrives on October 17.

    We encountered a Lighthouse that, after eons of standing dormant, falls to the ground, breaking into heaps of rubble, but then reassembles and stands up again on newly formed legs. It has awakened.

    Yes folks that’s right, in Keeper you play a walking Lighthouse, able to shine a beam of bright light that affects the world around it, with a spirited seabird companion coming along for the ride. The trailer takes us on an epic adventure into a strange unknowable island, joining the Lighthouse on a journey toward the center of the island.

    Find out more about the story in the game, and the story behind the game, in our Xbox Wire article.

    The Path to Master Ninja Begins: Ninja Gaiden 4 Emerges from the Shadows October 21

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5

    The legendary ninja action franchise returns in Ninja Gaiden 4, a high-octane fusion of Team Ninja’s signature combat and PlatinumGames’ dynamic flair. The trailer that debuted during the show provides a deeper look at Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy, and an array of new weapons at his disposal as he battles through hordes of enemies.

    From seamless weapon switching and obliteration techniques to the explosive return of Bloodbind Ninjutsu and Ninpo arts, the trailer teases a brutal, stylish evolution of the series. With a sneak peek at new characters like Seori, massive boss battles, the mysterious connection to the legendary Ryu Hayabusa, and a near-future Tokyo struggling in the grips of an overwhelming evil, Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to deliver a legacy reborn when it launches October 21. We went hands-on with the game for the first time and interviewed its director – find out much more in our article.

    The Outer Worlds 2 Gets a New Trailer and a Huge Deep-Dive

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5

    The Outer Worlds 2 pulls you into Arcadia – a colony isolated from the rest of the system, fought over by power-hungry factions, and on the brink of near to mid-term collapse by rifts forming in the space around it. With the future up for grabs, survival might depend on your choices, your alliances… and maybe a few well-placed deals along the way. Featured in the Xbox Games Showcase and expanded in today’s The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, this bigger, bolder sequel builds on everything fans loved about the original: deeper RPG systems, sharper satire, and wildly reactive storytelling. With new companions, enhanced movement and combat, science weapons and armor, and full character customization, The Outer Worlds 2 puts you at the center of a chaotic struggle for Arcadia’s future. Launching October 29, 2025, it hands you the chaos and asks: what are you going to do with it? The world needs a hero. You’ll have to do.

    For a full breakdown of factions, features, editions, and pre-order details, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.

    Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Foundry Demo Out Today!

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4. Foundry demo not available on Nintendo Switch platforms

    The Birdman returns along with a host of legendary and new parks, skaters, tricks, and more with the upcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 on July 11. The remake brings a robust Career mode across two tours, Single Sessions and Speedruns, and Free Skate to help nail those tricky combos without the heat of a timer.

    Play the Foundry Demo now with a pre-order (see available platforms here), PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate and shred across the Foundry and College parks as Tony Hawk and Rayssa Leal. Digital Deluxe Edition purchasers will exclusively have access to skate as The Doom Slayer! For the latest news, visit tonyhawkthegame.com.

    Aniimo Is a Beautiful New Creature Collecting Action-RPG

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    Revealed for the first time today, Aniimo is a ground-breaking open-world ARPG where players are invited to join in the exploration of a living and dynamic world, and meet the magical Aniimo that inhabit it. Instead of waiting for someone else to create their dream game, the Aniimo team did it themselves. Travel across a beautiful new world, meeting, learning about, and capturing the Aniimo that inhabit it. Battle Aniimo in real-time, or use the Twining system to become an Aniimo, and experience the game in a whole new way. Aniimo will arrive in 2026, but a closed beta begins for PC players later this year – find out how to join in here.

    Aphelion Is a Sci-Fi Adventure Grounded in Real-World Science

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    Aphelion is a third-person sci-fi adventure from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant). After crash-landing on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must navigate brutal terrain and shifting realities to rescue her injured partner, Thomas. Blending exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay, Aphelion delivers a cinematic, emotionally charged journey through an uncharted world. Play as both characters to understand the mystery of the planet Persephone in a story grounded in real-world science, and made in partnership with the European Space Agency. Aphelion arrives in 2026.

    At Fate’s End Is the Captivating New Game from the Spiritfarer Team

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    Thunder Lotus proudly revealed At Fate’s End, an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Wield the legendary God Sword Aesus as Shan, the deft young heiress of the Hemlock clan. Solve intricate narrative puzzles, uncover painful truths, and hone both your blade skills and knowledge to face your estranged siblings in intense, emotional duels – and ultimately decide your family’s fate. From the award-winning team behind Spiritfarer, At Fate’s End weaves tight, visceral action with rich narrative depth, exploring the complicated bonds between brothers and sisters in a world where swords clash and family wounds run deep.

    Game Freak & Fictions Reveal Beast of Reincarnation

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    The show revealed the first trailer for Beast of Reincarnation, a new action-RPG from revered developer Game Freak. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, the world has become consumed by corruption and overtaken by formidable beasts. Play as Emma, a cursed outcast, and her loyal dog Koo as they journey through a dangerous, ever-shifting world that demands precision and mastery of technical combat. Uncover what it means to be human at the edge of extinction in Beast of Reincarnation.

    The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveals its First Gameplay Trailer

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    From Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment, comes a brand new dark fantasy role playing saga: The Blood of Dawnwalker. You play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker: half-man, half-vampire, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Fight for your humanity or embrace the cursed powers to save your family. Whatever your choice, the question stands: is your soul worth the lives of those you love? Coming in 2026, wishlist now on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox on PC.

    Cronos: The New Dawn – New Survival Horror from Bloober Team Arrives This Fall

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    Get ready to embark on a haunting journey this fall as Cronos: The New Dawn arrives. In this gripping third-person survival horror, step into the shoes of the Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, whose mission is to salvage what remains of humanity. In the time-warped nightmare of the future, monsters known as Orphans stalk the land. Emerging from the downfall of mankind, these grotesque creatures can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.

    In the gameplay trailer, we witnessed the Traveler descending into an Orphan nest, confronting the twisted creatures that inhabit its depths. The corpses of fallen Travelers tell a grim tale, yet their final recordings offer crucial warnings. Can you succeed where others have failed?

    Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Is Coming to Xbox

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    The beloved, expanded remake of the genre-defining Final Fantasy VII is on its way to Xbox this Winter. Relive the first act of the iconic 1997 game as Cloud Strife, the legendary hero, meets unforgettable allies and explores the dystopian city of Midgar. Culminating in a dramatic escape, this pivotal chapter sets the stage for one of gaming’s most legendary stories.

    Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade includes both the base game and Intermission—a story episode starring Yuffie Kisaragi, the spirited ninja from Wutai. Her episode offers a different perspective on the events of the main game, expanding the world and deepening the lore. Relive one of gaming’s greatest stories on Xbox.

    Final Fantasy XVI Comes to Xbox Today

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    Surprise! Final Fantasy XVI, the iconic (or should that be Eikonic?) action-RPG comes to Xbox platforms today. With an enormous medieval fantasy world, a dramatic, mature storyline, and lightning-fast action combat, this is a true gaming epic. Its release means that every mainline single player Final Fantasy game is now playable with Xbox.

    Fans can purchase either the Standard or Complete Edition, with the latter boasting all expansions and DLC. Plus, as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, one purchase lets you play across all Xbox platforms, with full cross-save. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article.

    High On Life 2 Comes to Game Pass This Winter!

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    High On Life returns, as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through weird alien worlds across the galaxy to blow up an evil pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting a price tag on human life!

    Wreak havoc at the galaxy’s biggest convention, an alien zoo for humans, and a luxury futuristic cruise liner on your cosmic quest to take down big pharma. And stay tuned for an exclusive trailer breakdown with Squanch Games on the Xbox YouTube channel.

    Invincible VS: Quarter Up Reveals 3v3 Tag Fighting Game – Coming in 2026

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    Quarter Up, Skybound’s first in-house gaming development studio, revealed Invincible VS. The trailer reveals a brutal, tournament-quality superhero 3v3 tag fighting game set in the award-winning Invincible Universe. It also showcases: fan-favorite superheroes Mark (Invincible), Thula, Bulletproof and Atom Eve; iconic arenas; the high-stakes of bloody superhero battles; and an authentic depiction of battle damage and bloody combat fans know and love. Invincible VS will launch in 2026.

    Mudang: Two Hearts Is a Cinematic Tactical Action-Adventure Arriving in 2026

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    Mudang: Two Hearts is a third-person tactical action adventure set on the Korean Peninsula after reunification. Revealed for the first time today, it blends stealth, close-quarters combat, and emotionally driven storytelling into a seamless cinematic experience.

    Players experience the story through two distinct perspectives: Ji Jeongtae, a North Korean special forces operative dispatched to the South, and GAVI, a K-pop idol whose past holds a dangerous secret. As a new wave of terrorist attacks fractures the fragile illusion of peace, the two become entangled with an enigmatic militant group known as Byeolmuban.

    Built in Unreal Engine 5 and using our proprietary performance capture pipeline, Mudang delivers a deeply immersive combat system rooted in authentic special forces tactics and is set to launch in 2026.

    The Midnight Channel Returns: Persona 4 Revival Officially Announced

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    A remake of the modern classic JRPG, Persona 4 Revival received a debut trailer, showing off the game’s gorgeous updated visuals within the rural town of Inaba. Arriving as a transfer student, you’ll experience an unforgettable year with new friends you meet along the way. However, rumors of bizarre murders and a mysterious TV channel quickly disrupt your peaceful everyday life. A door to another world opens, awakening your Persona abilities: it is time to fight alongside your trusted allies to uncover the truth.

    Planet of Lana II Revealed – Double the Size, and Deeper than Ever

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    Revealed today, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is an ambitious cinematic puzzle adventure that doubles the size and scope of the original. Launching in 2026 and day one with Game Pass, this highly anticipated sequel revisits Lana and Mui’s profound bond as they navigate a changed world after the robot invasion of the first game.

    With new and improved mechanics for Lana and Mui, as well as brand new abilities to control the creatures and robots around you, prepare to unravel a deeper, longer sci-fi story where Lana confronts her own demons and unveils the planet’s darkest secrets, as a new threat puts their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.

    Wishlist Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf today on the Xbox Store and follow @PlanetOfLana on social media to stay up to date!

    Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Expands the Universe in New Ways

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    This new game from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment expands the universe of A Plague Tale with an original story set 15 years before the events of the last game, A Plague Tale: Requiem. With a new action-adventure approach, players are invited to dive into Sophia’s past and journey with her to the Minotaur’s Island, outsmart deadly foes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront the creature at the heart of a devastating curse. Her sword in one hand and light in the other, Sophia will plunge into the myth of the macula, until she understands why it resonates so intimately with her.

    Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be released in 2026 – you can wishlist the game today on the Xbox Store.

    Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Transforms the Hit Webtoon into an Action-RPG

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms

    The global phenomenon Solo Leveling makes its debut on Xbox! Based on the hit webtoon, ARISE OVERDRIVE is an action-RPG that lets you experience overwhelming power and thrilling combat. Master a dynamic action system, block deadly attacks, and counter with perfect parries. Unleash the Monarch’s Awakening to transcend limits and dominate the battlefield. Feel the intensity as you wipe out enemies in style. Team up with friends in multiplayer mode to conquer powerful stages and enjoy the thrill of true growth and cooperation. It’s time to rise, fight, and prove your strength. The Xbox PC version arrives fall 2025, with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud versions to follow in 2026.

    Super Meat Boy 3D Revealed with a New Trailer

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    Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    Gaming’s most iconic chunk of meat is back! Today’s Showcase revealed Super Meat Boy 3D from Sluggerfly and Headup Games, who are taking Team Meat’s indie darling into the third dimension. The game arrives in early 2026.

    Super Meat Boy 3D is exactly what you love about the series: a challenging platformer where you guide a cube of meat on a mission to rescue his bandage-made girlfriend from a villainous fetus in a jar—now in 3D! You’ll wall-jump through buzzsaws, collapsing caves, and fiery forests, dying countless times along the way. With old-school difficulty, fast-paced gameplay, tough bosses, and plenty of secrets, it’s a new dimension for Meat Boy. Wishlist Super Meat Boy 3D today on the Xbox Store and get ready to die again and again and again when you play it day one on Game Pass.

    There Are No Ghosts at The Grand: Become Decorator by Day and Ghost Hunter by Night in a Cozy, Spooky Musical Mystery

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms

    Inherit a crumbling English hotel and restore it by day while battling ghosts by night in There Are No Ghosts at The Grand. With a sardonic cat, a talking power tool, and a twisting supernatural plot, this is a spooky, cozy, musical mystery unlike any other. You have exactly 30 days and 30 nights to restore the crumbling hotel and explore the surrounding seaside village for eerie supernatural secrets. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, and available on Game Pass… just don’t believe them when they tell you that There are No Ghosts at the Grand.

    Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear Brings the Japanese Pantheon, Coming Fall 2025

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5

    Age of Mythology: Retold will make room for more gods, more heroes and more legends this Fall with the Heavenly Spear expansion. An all-new Japanese pantheon introduces 12 new gods with unique powers, divine technologies and myth units drawn from centuries of legend. Players can embark on a 12-mission campaign following Yasuko, a humble farmer’s daughter who discovers a magical spear and is swept into a mythic war. Wishlist now! Already own the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition? Heavenly Spear is yours at no additional cost – jump in and play on day one!

    The Elder Scrolls Online Shows Us the Return of the Worm Cult

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud – also available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Mac

    ZeniMax Online Studios premiered a gameplay trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online,revealing the adventures to be found in Western Solstice during Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1, a continuation of ESO’s main quest storyline from over 10 years ago. Releasing in tandem, the Update 46 base-game patch adds character Subclassing, the Hero’s Return system for returning players, and many more quality-of-life updates. The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and Update 46 are available now on PC and Mac, andwill arrive for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18.

    Fallout 76 Shows Off its Fin-tastic Fishing Update

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

    Bethesda Game Studios unveiled the launch trailer for Fallout 76’s latest update, Gone Fission. This fin-tastic update introduces fishing to the Wasteland, revealing a cozier side of Appalachia away from the guns and ghouls. Players can experiment with bait, weather conditions, rods, and locations to catch a variety of fish, – including prized Axolotls that change each month – and Local Legends. Gone Fission is available across all platforms for free, letting every Fallout 76 player enjoy the relaxing summer pastime. Find out more about fishing in the Wasteland on Xbox Wire.

    Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC Launches September 4

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5

    The latest Indiana Jones adventure is getting a DLC chapter in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of the Giants! Indy’s new journey will take him deep into unexplored territory as he dives beneath the bustling streets of Rome to investigate a dark and twisted new mystery.

    This DLC is set during the main game and expands on the story of the Nephilim Order. Face off against old threats and new foes, navigate Rome beyond the walls of Vatican City, and uncover the legend of a colossal beast. Maybe some ancient secrets are better left undisturbed…

    Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants will be available on September 4, 2025. For those who purchased the Premium Edition, Premium Upgrade or Collector’s Edition, the DLC is included. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article about The Order of Giants.

    Sea of Thieves: Season 17 Sets Sail on a Smugglers’ Tide

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    Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5

    A new gang of nefarious troublemakers have infiltrated the Sea of Thieves! Known as The Smuggler’s League, they’re recruiting pirates willing to deal with dangers others are afraid to handle, including weapons and some of the most powerful explosives ever seen on the seas. Crews that think they’re up to the challenge can embark on new Smuggler’s Voyages to salvage — or steal — these hot properties and see them safely into the wrong hands, but one false move could spell disaster. Sparks are sure to fly when Season 17: Smugglers’ Tide launches in August, free for all players.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Protect Women’s Sports at Military Service Academies 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced legislation to prohibit men from participating in women’s athletic programs or activities at U.S. military service academies. This is the next step in Senator Tuberville’s years-long fight to protect women’s sports and preserve Title IX, which came under attack during the Biden administration. Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act came to the Senate floor for a vote and every single Democrat voted against it. 

    As Alabama’s representative on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Chairman of the SASC Personnel Subcommittee, Senator Tuberville has been a fierce advocate for getting woke politics out of the military. 

    “Our service academies should be focused on preparing the next generation of leaders, not woke indoctrination,” said Senator Tuberville. “Unfortunately, under Joe Biden and radical Democrats, the woke mind virus made its way into our great military. Thankfully, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have refocused the Pentagon on lethality. Allowing men to compete against women in sports at any level is wrong—and it’s especially wrong to use taxpayer dollars to pay for it at our service academies. As a proud grandfather to Rosie Grace, this is personal for me. I won’t stop fighting until the rights of females in this country to enjoy safe, fair competition are protected.” 

    Read the bill text here.

    BACKGROUND:
    As a former educator, mentor, and coach for more than 40 years, Senator Tuberville is concerned about the future of girls’ and women’s sports. Senator Tuberville has been leading the fight to protect Title IX in the Senate since he was first sworn in, over four years ago. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order protecting women’s sports. But unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed in future administrations. 

    In January 2025, Senator Tuberville re-introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, to preserve Title IX protections for female athletes. It was brought to the Senate floor for a vote, but every single Democrat voted against it. 

    In February 2025, Senator Tuberville re-introduced the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to prohibit any governing body recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee from allowing men to participate in any athletic event intended for females. This bill comes ahead of the U.S. hosting the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. 

    MORE:

    ICYMI: Tuberville in OutKick: Defending and Protecting Women and Girls’ Sports

    Tuberville Thanks President Trump for Signing Executive Order Protecting Women’s Sports, Urges Senate to Bring Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to the Floor for a Vote

    Tuberville Discusses Importance of Protecting Women’s Sports, Boosting School Choice

    Tuberville, Risch Send Letter Urging Governors to Comply with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Women’s Sports

    Tuberville Sends Letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom Urging Him to Protect Women’s Sports in California Ahead of 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles

    Tuberville: “Every Republican Voted to Protect Women, Every Democrat Voted Against It”

    Tuberville Continues Fight to Protect Women’s Sports and Female Athletics, Applauds House Passage of his Hallmark Title IX Legislation

    Tuberville Introduces Hallmark Legislation to Preserve Title IX, Protect Women’s Sports

    Tuberville Sponsors Resolution to Overturn Biden’s Attack on Title IX, Save Women’s Sports

    Tuberville Demands Answers on Biden Administration’s Radical Rewrite of Title IX

    Tuberville Demands Answers From NCAA, Dept of Ed on Title IX

    Tuberville Leads Roundtable on Protecting Title IX and Saving Women’s Sports

    ICYMI: Tuberville Recognizes 51st Anniversary of Title IX with Op-Ed in 1819 News

    Tuberville Op-ed in 1819 News: Title IX must be Protected to Keep Female Athletes on the Winning Side

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £13.6 million to help families and charities reap benefits of surplus farm produce

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    £13.6 million to help families and charities reap benefits of surplus farm produce

    Grants to ensure more than 19,000 tonnes of surplus food will be redistributed to homeless shelters, food banks and charities across the country

    A handful of potatoes

    Thousands of tonnes of nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste will help families facing food insecurity, thanks to new grants offered today (Tuesday 10 June 2025).

    Grants totalling £13.6 million have been offered to 12 food charities across England – including City Harvest, Food in Community and FareShare – to redistribute an estimated 19,000 tonnes of food directly from farms to help families and fight food poverty in communities.

    Under the Government’s Plan for Change, the Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme was set up to help charities in England boost their relationships with farmers. This will see more farm gates opened to organisations who will ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the nation’s plates.

    Community kitchens, food banks, shelters and cookery projects across the country are all set to receive food through these organisations thanks to the grant scheme.

    Successful redistribution organisations who applied for funding through the grants include:

    • City Harvest, a food charity which rescues surplus food and delivers it to more than 130,000 people a week, which will benefit from more than £303,000.  
    • A consortium bid led by FareShare UK and its network partners, including Felix Project, which will receive more than £9.2 million.
    • Food in Community, based in Devon, which has secured more than £1.5 million to partner with local farmers and food producers to redistribute surplus food.

    Waste Minister Mary Creagh said:

    This Government’s Plan for Change is acting on food poverty and tackling Britain’s throwaway culture, ensuring more good food ends up on plates and not in bins. 

    I am delighted to see this support go to 12 outstanding redistribution charities to form closer relationships with our hard-working farmers, and ensure their good food goes to those in need.

    Sarah Calcutt, CEO of City Harvest, said:

    We grow a frankly amazing range of fruits and veg in this country, from berries to spuds and brassicas to salads; but the truth is, as any farmer will testify, that a significant percentage of the food we grow will go to waste; and the reasons for this waste are often around shape and size not meeting retailer specifications rather than anything to do with health or nutrition.

    This new funding will allow us to increase the amount of food we pick-up directly from farms, reduce farm costs and increase further the amount of fresh food we can offer our customers.

    Catherine David, CEO of WRAP, said:

    Food waste happens wherever food is grown, made, sold and consumed – from farm to fork.

    Redistributing surplus food from retail and manufacture is a real success story, stopping thousands of tonnes of good food from going to waste every year. In 2023, 191,000 tonnes was redistributed worth £764 million – enough to make 456 million meals. Redistributing from farms isn’t so advanced.

    These Government grants will go a long way to supercharge more charitable networks to capture some of the estimated 330,000 tonnes of food that could be redistributed from UK farms every year – and use it for good – in communities around the country.

    To tackle the nation’s throwaway approach further, an independent Circular Economy Taskforce has been established to bring together the brightest minds from industry, academia and civil society to tackle this challenge.

    The Taskforce will focus on five priority sectors to begin with – including agri-food – to create a series of specific roadmaps to improve and reform the approach to using materials, underpinned by a Circular Economy Strategy which will be published in Autumn.

    This is alongside continued support for the UK Food and Drink Pact, managed by environmental NGO WRAP, which looks to deliver a more sustainable supply chain and reduce food waste in the home – tackling food waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Keynote speech: WasteMINZ conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kia ora tatou. My warmest greetings to you all.
    It’s a pleasure to be here with you at this year’s WasteMINZ Conference — the flagship event for New Zealand’s waste, resource recovery, and contaminated land sectors.
    For over 30 years, this conference has been a space for industry leaders and innovators to come together — to be inspired, to share ideas, and to shape the future of this essential work.
    Thank you for the opportunity to join you today. 
    As I begin, I’d like to acknowledge Parul Sood, Chair of the WasteMINZ Board, along with the board members, CEO Nic Quilty and her team, and all of today’s delegates.
    I also want to recognise the ongoing work of WasteMINZ members — your contribution to the sector is important and appreciated.
    Today, I’d like to update you on several key areas I’m working on as Minister for the Environment.
    Over the past year and a half, I’ve been focused on delivering the Government’s priorities for waste, contaminated sites, and broader environmental challenges.
    We know the waste sector has long-standing issues.
    But these challenges come with opportunities to improve outcomes for both the natural world and our communities.
    Before I expand on the Government’s work on waste, I’d like to start with some announcements.
    Last year, as part of Budget 2024, I announced the Government has changed the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to allow the waste disposal levy to be spent on a wider range of activities.
    As part of this, levy funds were allowed to support local authorities with the costs of managing waste from emergencies.
    We know the frequency and magnitude of emergency events are increasing, partly due to the rise in severe weather events.
    Emergency events often generate large volumes of waste, which needs to be dealt with quickly. 
    Today, I am pleased to confirm that we have now established emergency waste funding.
    The funding will support councils with the cost of managing waste following an emergency, including repairing or replacing damaged waste infrastructure.
    The Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes, recent cyclones, the Auckland Anniversary floods, and many other large-scale events have underscored the importance of resilient waste management and minimisation facilities and services. 
    So far, the costs of managing waste caused by these events have been dealt with on an ad-hoc basis, with no standing funds available to support councils.
    The emergency waste funding will give councils timely access to funding to deal with waste in the aftermath of emergency events. 
    This will reduce the financial burden of these events on central and local government.
    The simple application process means councils will be able to quickly and easily access funding.
    Waste management in emergency events is a critical service to get up and running quickly, to reduce public health risks and support communities to get back on their feet. 
    This new funding will help councils and communities when they need it most.
    Now, I would like to draw your attention to a new report on construction and demolition waste, which I know is a topic you will be keenly interested in. 
    Construction projects are essential to growing our economy. 
    However, they also leave behind a staggering amount of waste, which places a burden on New Zealand’s landfills and the environment.
    Yesterday, the Ministry for the Environment published the first national baseline report for construction and demolition waste.
    This baseline measure is the first of its kind in New Zealand. 
    It will help us evaluate the state of construction and demolition waste, giving us a starting point for comparing changes over time. 
    The national baseline report provides an overview of how much construction and demolition waste New Zealand is sending to landfill, and what materials make up this waste stream.
    The results show that construction and demolition waste is New Zealand’s largest waste stream and highlight the significant role that surplus soil and rubble play.
    To cover off a few key statistics from the report:
    An estimated 5.25 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste was disposed at levied facilities (class 1-4) in 2023. This represents almost 70 per cent of all waste disposed at levied facilities.
    Of all levied construction and demolition waste disposed, nearly 80 per cent of that waste is soil or rubble.
    Of the remaining construction and demolition waste, timber, plastics, plasterboard and textiles (i.e. carpet) make up notable proportions of the overall waste stream. 
    Further to these findings, as many of you will know, last month I met with the WasteMINZ sector group on surplus soils.
    This was to discuss the group’s proposal to develop a national soils management framework through a Waste Minimisation Fund grant.
    I would like to thank Nic Quilty, Parul Sood, Rod Lidgard and James Corbett for taking the time to meet with me to discuss this important issue. 
    I understand managing surplus soils is a long-standing challenge, with no national rules or clear guidance on how to reuse them.
    The national baseline report highlights the scale of the problem. 
    Valuable soil resources are being lost to landfill, with clean or slightly contaminated soils often unnecessarily landfilled.
    This contributes to landfill overuse, emissions, and high project costs.
    For these reasons, I am pleased to confirm today that I support the WasteMINZ proposal to fund a national soils management framework. 
    Ministry for the Environment officials will be working with WasteMINZ to develop a phased approach for addressing these issues. 
    Details are still to be finalised, and the sector will be kept updated.
    Following these announcements, I’d like to now move on to our waste strategy and work programme.
    You may be aware that I recently launched the Government’s strategy to reduce waste and improve how it’s managed in New Zealand. 
    The strategy sets out the Government’s approach to reducing the environmental and economic harm caused by waste.  
    Alongside that, I confirmed a comprehensive waste work programme to implement the strategy’s goals.
    You’ll be aware of some changes made late last year to existing waste policies. 
    We’re reducing costs to ratepayers by leaving decisions about kerbside collections, including food scraps, up to local councils. 
    The Waste Minimisation Fund will continue to support councils that choose to adopt these services.
    We’ve also removed the 2025 deadline to phase out all PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging. 
    We have had a positive response from industry on this decision as it gives them more time to adopt alternatives, while ensuring that new regulations are practical and workable.
    These adjustments support our waste strategy while minimising cost-of-living pressures.
    Our waste work programme is well underway, and I’d like to start by highlighting the proposed amendments to our waste legislation.
    These changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, with the aim of reducing inefficiencies and providing greater clarity around the roles of central government, local government, and the wider waste sector.
    We recently consulted on these proposals, which aim to make the legislative framework clearer and more effective.
    Consultation closed on 1 June, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to make a submission.
    Officials are now carefully considering that feedback to help inform the policy development.
    The aim is to introduce the new legislation before the next general election.
    We also recently asked New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations to improve the way waste from commonly used farm plastic products is managed. 
    We’re proposing new regulations to support a national product stewardship scheme covering agrichemical containers and other farm plastics, such as bale wrap. 
    As someone who has lived on a farm almost all my life, I know how important this is.
    It would bring together the services of existing schemes Agrecovery and Plasback, simplifying recycling and disposal for farmers and growers, and expanding access into a nationwide service.
    This scheme would be funded through an advance disposal fee and offer free, nationwide take-back services. 
    And it won’t just benefit farmers—sectors like forestry, tourism, hospitality, and manufacturing could also participate.
    We have had strong engagement and feedback throughout the consultation process. 
    Thank you to everyone who shared their valuable insights. 
    In addition to the consultation on farm plastics, I’d like to provide a brief update on the progress of other product stewardship schemes.
    Product stewardship schemes are designed to ensure everyone in a product’s life cycle shares responsibility to reduce its environmental impact at the end of its life.
    The Tyrewise scheme is a strong example of this principle in action.
    Tyrewise addresses the estimated 6.5 million tyres that reach end of life in New Zealand each year.
    Since going live last September, the scheme has collected and repurposed more than 2.8 million tyres into fuel and other useful products.
    It is also on track to exceed its first-year targets – an incredible achievement. 
    I commend everyone involved in the development and daily operation of the scheme for their dedication and impact.
    I also want to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved in the accredited synthetic refrigerants scheme, known as Cool-Safe.
    This scheme has been operating since 1993 and has now successfully collected over 600,000 kilograms of synthetic refrigerants, significantly reducing their environmental impact.
    We are actively working with this scheme and the wider industry to support the responsible end-of-life management of these gases.
    Earlier this year I received the Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship scheme co-design recommendations report.
    I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this report – it represents the culmination of over two years of dedicated work.
    We will carefully consider the recommendations and continue to work with stakeholders to plan the next steps in developing this important scheme.
    Work is also progressing on electrical and electronic products (e-waste).
    I’m aware safe battery disposal is a growing concern for the sector, as improperly disposed of batteries pose significant fire risks.
    There is currently a high level of activity in the battery space, with multiple stakeholders across industry and government actively engaged.
    This momentum is encouraging, and I look forward to seeing continued progress toward a safe, more sustainable approach to managing e-waste in New Zealand. 
    Another area of focus focuses is remediating contaminated sites, including historic landfills vulnerable to weather events.
    Historic landfills can be compromised by erosion, storm surges, rainfall events, high river levels and flooding.
    There are hundreds of historic landfills and contaminated sites around New Zealand vulnerable to severe weather.
    Remediating these sites is vital for protecting our environment from harm. 
    No-one wants a repeat of the Fox River landfill event in 2019.
    Communities should not be left dealing with the aftermath of old landfill breaches.
    Acting early to remediate these sites also saves money in the long run. 
    Councils have been asking for more support – and now they have it.
    Last year, I opened the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, a $20 million fund to support councils and landowners.
    This fund replaces the previous Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and significantly increases support.
    Regional, unitary and territorial authorities can now apply.
    The Ministry is actively supporting councils with applications.
    There has been great progress already, like the remediation project at Tāhunanui Beach in Nelson where $2.9 million of Government support has helped remove more than 10,000 cubic metres of contaminated material from underneath the beach carpark.
    This project is a great example of what this new fund can support.
    More information is on the Ministry for the Environment website.
    I would like to now move onto our work in improving recycling.
    Standardising the materials accepted in kerbside recycling was a vital first step — sending a clear signal to businesses and households about what can be recovered through kerbside systems across New Zealand.
    Thank you to everyone who helped develop this policy.  
    There is still work to do, but the new Recycling Leadership Forum is a great next step.  
    The forum is exploring challenging kerbside issues, including the tricky items that don’t currently fit the system.  
    I’m watching their work with interest and expect to receive their first report on potential solutions soon. 
    Plastic is part of daily life, and while it has benefits, it creates far-reaching waste problems.
    On the international stage, New Zealand is playing a part in negotiating a treaty to tackle plastic pollution globally. 
    Our delegation is heading to the next round of negotiations in Geneva in August.
    Domestically, we continue to reduce waste and support recycling innovation. 
    The latest Our Environment 2025 report shows that our landfills received 11 per cent less waste per capita in 2023 than the peak in 2018.
    The Waste Minimisation Fund is providing grant funding to upgrade resource recovery centres, transfer stations, and materials recovery facilities to increase the volume and quality of recovered plastic materials. 
    The fund is also supporting the construction of processing infrastructure to facilitate the reuse of this recovered material, stimulating the local economy and reducing our reliance on overseas markets.
    We’re managing hard-to-recycle plastics and working with industry to move away from problematic packaging like PVC and polystyrene.
    Thank you for your efforts. 
    I understand that tomorrow, Ministry for the Environment officials will be speaking to the waste work programme in more detail.
    I encourage you to attend and ask any questions you may have.
    In closing, I want to thank you for your time, for your contributions, and for your commitment to innovation. Your leadership matters.
    Together, we are building a more resilient and sustainable New Zealand—for our people, our economy, and our environment.
    I wish you all the very best for the rest of the conference. 
    Thank you. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Legislation introduced to restrict farm-to-forest conversions

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Today Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay introduced long awaited legislation that will put a stop to large-scale farm-to-forestry conversions – delivering on a key election promise to protect the future of New Zealand food production.
    “For too long, productive sheep and beef farms have been replaced by pine trees in the race for carbon credits. That ends under this Government,” Mr McClay says.
    “The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme – Forestry Conversions) Amendment Bill will restrict wholesale conversions of farmland to exotic forestry by stopping LUC 1-5 land from entering the ETS and capping new ETS registrations on LUC 6 land.
    “It will also protect farmers’ ability to diversify – allowing up to 25 per cent of a farm to go into trees, while stopping the kind of blanket ETS planting that’s been gutting rural communities in places like the East Coast, Wairarapa, the King Country, and Southland.”
    As previously announced the new restrictions will take effect from 4 December 2024. The law will:

    Restrict farm conversions to exotic ETS forests on high-to-medium versatility farmland (LUC classes 1-6)
    A limit of 15,000 hectares per year for exotic conversions on medium versality farmland (LUC class 6)
    The annual limit of 15,000 hectares for LUC 6 farmland will be allocated by a ballot process, including a reserved quota for small block holders, with the first ballot proposed to be held in mid-2026.
    Allow for up to 25 per cent of a farm’s LUC 1-6 land to still be planted in exotic forestry for the ETS, ensuring farmers retain flexibility and choice.
    Protect specific categories of Māori-owned land, in line with Treaty obligations
    The Bill proposes time-limited transitional exemptions in rare cases for people who were in the process of afforestation prior to these changes originally being announced on 4 December 2024.
    To be eligible for a transitional exemption, applicants need to show sufficient evidence that they made a qualifying forestry investment between 1 January 2021 and 4 December 2024.
    Transactions that commenced after this date will not be eligible to register in the ETS.  
    The applicant will need to demonstrate that the investment relates to the specific Land Use Capability (LUC) class 1–6 land they are applying to register in the ETS.
    Registry of 25 per cent of LUC 1-5 land will be registered against the properties title to restrict further planting as a result of subdivision. 

    “Labour’s careless ETS settings turbocharged the sell-off of our farming base. They let speculators put short-term profits ahead of long-term food production. That was careless – and it ends now,” Mr McClay says.
    “This Government is backing farmers, restoring balance, and making sure the ETS doesn’t come at the cost of New Zealand’s rural economy.
    “This policy is pro-farming, pro-food production, pro-commercial forestry and pro-rural New Zealand.”
    The legislation is now before Parliament and is to come into force October 2025.
    For more information: Forestry ETS Changes

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unexpected path to study at EIT helps T&G employee

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

    1 minute ago

    An offer to support a friend’s studies unexpectedly set T&G’s Malandi Fourie on her own path of horticulture education through EIT.

    The South African-born assistant manager at T&G Global in Hawke’s Bay has completed levels 3 and 4 of the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Production (Fruit Production) and is now working towards the NZ Diploma in Horticulture Production (Level 5).

    Although she had experience working with plants through her family’s nursery in South Africa, Malandi never imagined she would formally study horticulture, until a friend, feeling nervous about classroom learning, needed support.

    Malandi Fourie is studying the NZ Diploma in Horticulture Production (Fruit Production) at EIT while working full-time at T&G.

    “I started the level 3 qualification two years ago just to help a friend who didn’t feel comfortable being in class alone. I ended up loving it and decided to carry on for myself.”

    She has now been in the industry for eight years and has worked her way up through various roles at T&G over the last six-and-a-half years from orchard hand to senior leading hand, then block lead, and now assistant manager.

    “It’s a very humble feeling, working outside in orchards. Being a Christian, I believe we were told to work the soil. But more than that, I’m here for the people, because I believe people grow the trees.”

    That people-first mindset has shaped her leadership style. Malandi says supporting others, especially women in the industry, is one of the most fulfilling parts of her job. From mental health struggles to financial hardship, she’s seen how practical skills, and a sense of purpose can help people reclaim confidence and direction.

    “They learn new skills, gain confidence, and feel proud of what they’re doing. It’s like they can breathe again.”

    As a mother of two children aged 17 and 20, Malandi admits balancing work, study and family life has been challenging. But completing her qualifications means a great deal.

    “I never finished my studies in South Africa, so this feels like closing a loop. It’s also about inspiring others. If I can do it, they can too.”

    She describes her experience at EIT as supportive and hands-on. “The tutors are passionate. They treat you like adults. It’s not just sitting in a classroom, they get you up, get you outside, and keep it practical.”

    Lisa Turnbull, Assistant Head of School Primary Industries, said Malandi’s journey is a wonderful example of personal and professional growth.

    “Her dedication to learning, leadership in the workplace, and commitment to supporting others embody values we strive to nurture at EIT.

    The team is proud to have been part of her journey thus far and looks forward to seeing her continue to make a meaningful impact in the industry.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANCSHARES, INC. DECLARES CASH DIVIDEND OF $0.34 PER SHARE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMPSTEAD, Md., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On June 9, 2025, the Board of Directors of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., the parent of Farmers and Merchants Bank, declared a cash dividend on the common stock of $0.34 per share, which will be paid on July 25, 2025 to stockholders of record on July 11, 2025.

    Please visit the investor relations section of our website, www.fmb1919.bank. It includes press releases, financial information, stock information, peer analysis, and information about Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc.’s officers and directors.

    About Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc.

    The Company is a financial holding company and the parent company of the Bank. The Bank was chartered in Maryland in 1919 and has over 100 years of service to the community. The Bank serves the deposit and financing needs of both consumers and businesses in Carroll and Baltimore Counties along the Route 30, Route 795, Route 140, Route 26, and Route 45 corridors. The main office is located in Upperco, Maryland, with seven additional branches in Owings Mills, Hampstead, Greenmount, Reisterstown, Westminster, Eldersburg, and Towson. Certain broker-dealers make a market in the common stock of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., and trades are reported through the OTC Markets Group’s Pink Market under the symbol “FMFG”.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Mr. Gary A. Harris
    President & CEO
    (410) 374-1510, Ext. 1104
     
    Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc.
    4510 Lower Beckleysville Rd, Suite H
    Hampstead, Maryland 21074

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: HDFC ERGO General Insurance Wins Duck Creek Standard of Excellence Customer Award at Formation ’25

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, today announced HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited (HDFC ERGO), India’s leading private sector general insurer, as a 2025 Standard of Excellence Customer Award winner at Formation ’25, its flagship customer conference held in Orlando, Florida. A digital-first company, transforming into an AI-first company, HDFC ERGO is a leading general insurer of India, which is known for introducing pioneering and futuristic tech solutions in the Indian insurance landscape to offer its customers the best-in-class service experience.

    The Duck Creek Standard of Excellence Customer Awards recognize customers who have achieved the highest level of excellence through their implementation of Duck Creek solutions and who have a vision to advance their business, while reimagining the future of insurance. HDFC ERGO earned recognition for accelerating product launches, streamlining system integration, and increasing market agility using Duck Creek’s solutions, including Policy, Billing, Rating, and Insights.

    The Indian insurance market is undergoing a major transformation with a growing customer demand and the need for hyper-personalized services. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has also been encouraging the insurers to develop agile and customer-centric products so as to fuel insurance inclusion among diverse demographics and across the diverse geographies in the country. HDFC ERGO’s adoption of Duck Creek’s low-code, highly configurable platform to design a pioneering AI-enabled, real-time policy issuance system marks a significant milestone, where now the insurer has transformed the end-to-end process for its Health and Fire lines of business.

    “At HDFC ERGO, our endeavour has been to offer best-in-class solutions and experience to our customers. The behaviour and requirements of today’s customers have evolved to a great extent, where they expect dynamic, hyper-personalized, and innovative solutions, and the insurance industry is not an exception in this changed ecosystem. Hence as a customer-focused organization, we were looking for a technology partner, who would enable us to offer innovative products, efficient services, and better analytical insights in an integrated manner to provide a seamless experience to our customers. The tech enablement from Duck Creek matched perfectly to this requirement,” said Sriram Naganathan, President & CTO at HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited. “We are happy and honored to receive the Duck Creek Standard of Excellence Award. We believe with these new tech enhancements we will set a new benchmark in the insurance industry and propel the cause of insurance inclusion in India — thus also supporting the vision of ‘Insurance for All by 2047’ of IRDAI— the Indian insurance regulator.”

    The scale of the project was massive, involving over 45 business users, 150+ IT developers working in parallel across seven systems integrator partners, designing 300+ product covers, 300+ business rules, and executing 10,000+ test scenarios. The solutions were delivered in only nine months, with their commercial fire product first to go live, followed by their health product soon thereafter. Key results include:

    • Product launch time reduced from 4-5 months to just four weeks, allowing rapid response to market demands and regulatory changes.
    • Dramatic productivity gains for agents with quotes generated almost instantly and agents able to offer 4-5 alternative product options rather than just a single choice.
    • Operational efficiency and risk reduction by drastically reducing manual data entry, minimizing compliance risks, and improving accuracy. Straight-through processing completed tasks in just 3-4 minutes, instead of hours or days.
    • Elevated customer experience driven by policies now being processed in near real time, instead of in hours and days. Customers are now also offered data-driven product recommendations and better-suited options, leading to improved engagements.

    “We are proud to honor HDFC ERGO General Insurance with the 2025 Standard of Excellence Customer Award,” said Christian Erickson, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at Duck Creek Technologies. “HDFC ERGO’s digital transformation stands as a benchmark for innovation and execution in the insurance industry. As our first customer in the in India market, we are thrilled to be HDFC ERGO’s strategic partner, with our suite of products helping drive meaningful business outcomes and value for the business, their customers, and shareholders. HDFC ERGO exemplifies the forward-thinking, customer-focused approach that defines the future of insurance. We congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”

    About Duck Creek Technologies   
    Duck Creek Technologies is the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and X.

    Media Contacts:   
    Marianne Dempsey/Tara Stred   
    duckcreek@threeringsinc.com 

    About HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited:

    HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited, one of the leading private sector general insurance companies of India, whose promoters are HDFC Bank Limited, one of India’s leading private sector banks, and ERGO International AG, the primary insurance entity of Munich Re Group.

    A digital-first company, transforming into an AI-first company, HDFC ERGO is a leader in implementing technology to offer customers the best-in-class service experience.

    HDFC ERGO offers a complete range of General Insurance products including Health, Motor, Home, Agriculture, Travel, Credit, Cyber and Personal Accident in the retail space along with Property, Marine, Engineering, Marine Cargo, Group Health and Liability Insurance in the corporate space.

    The Company has created a stream of innovative & new products as well as services using technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Processing Language (NLP), and Robotics. HDFC ERGO offers a range of general insurance products and has a completely digital sales process with 299 branches and 600+ digital offices across India. HDFC ERGO’s technology platform has empowered the customers to avail services digitally on a 24×7 basis, with 70%+ claims for retail products intimated digitally and over 80% of service interactions are catered digitally of which 10% are AI led. The Company issued ~3.4 crore policies in FY25 and has one of the best claims payout ratios in the General Insurance industry.

    Be it unique insurance products, integrated customer service models, top-in-class claim processes or a host of technologically innovative solutions, HDFC ERGO has been able to delight its customers at every touch-point and milestone to ensure consumers are serviced in real-time.

    Social Media:

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hdfcergo

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/hdfcergogic

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hdfcergo

    YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/hdfcergo

    Media Contacts:
       
    Shilpi Bose
    Shilpi.bose@hdfcergo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Lauren Underwood Delivers Remarks at Agriculture Subcommittee Markup to Highlight How Republicans are Increasing Costs for Farmers and Rural Communities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

    During today’s House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development,  Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill, Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) delivered the following remarks: 

    ““Mr. Chairman, I strongly oppose the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA Appropriations bill we are considering today. 

    While the Trump Administration and my Republican colleagues on this Committee like to talk about reducing chronic disease and protecting children’s health, their actions speak louder.   

    With the dangerous funding cuts in this bill, they are turning their backs on working families, rural communities, and public health.  

    At a time when tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in America and poses a grave threat to American youth – with over 2 million middle and high school students reporting tobacco use in 2024 – we should be prioritizing the data-driven public health investments that are proven to work, not undermining FDA’s power to regulate Big Tobacco. 

    This bill is yet another example of the Trump Administration’s focus destroying the tools that help FDA hold Big Tobacco accountable to the American people.  

    This bill is so extreme that it even blocks FDA from finalizing a commonsense rule to ensure that tobacco products are not contaminated with foreign substances like glass, fingernails, rocks, direct, and mold.   

    If my Republican colleagues cannot even take a stand against cigarettes with fingernails in them, then their position is clear — they are not willing to regulate the President’s friends and donors in the tobacco industry and they are not serious about protecting public health.  

    So instead of devoting FDA resources to regulating tobacco, this bill proposes to waste agency resources—and taxpayer funds—on an unnecessary review of mifepristone. 

    We already have decades of evidence showing that mifepristone is a safe and effective medication that safeguards women’s health and lives.  

    Medical experts describe mifepristone as among the safest medications being used today.   

    Yet FDA Commissioner Makary has recently “committed to conducting a review of mifepristone,” and this bill includes report language supporting this wasteful review that is based on fraudulent junk science.  

    So, let’s be honest about what this bill does. It’s not going to make women safer. It’s a waste of taxpayer resources and another attack from this Administration on our bodily autonomy.  

    Throughout this appropriations process, we have heard so much about using federal dollars wisely, controlling costs, and supporting everyday Americans. 

    Yet another way that this bill fails to deliver on those goals is by flat-funding the WIC program despite rising costs for the mothers and children who rely on it. 

    WIC is one of the most cost-effective public health programs we have. If my Republican colleagues actually cared about government efficiency, they would invest in programs like WIC that we know improve health outcomes for families.  

    Instead, this bill reverses the progress we have made on child nutrition and puts eligible moms and kids on waiting lists. That’s not efficient—it’s just irresponsible. 

    This bill slashes the cash-value benefits for fruits and vegetables, cutting access to healthy food for children during their most critical growth years while hurting American farmers. 

    Under this bill, a toddler’s fruit and veggie benefit is lower than it was last year. That’s not fiscal discipline—it’s nutritional sabotage. You don’t balance a budget on the backs of babies.  

    Let’s be clear: this isn’t saving money long-term. When we deny healthy food to pregnant moms and young kids, we increase the risk of preterm birth, developmental delays, and chronic illness. That’s more hospital visits, higher Medicaid costs, and worse outcomes for families.  

    WIC needs to be fully funded—not frozen—and benefits need to reflect the science. That’s what the families we represent deserve.  

    So I urge my colleagues to reject this misguided bill, and to work together on a smarter funding plan that genuinely supports American families and protects public health”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Codere Online Announces 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, June 9, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. (Nasdaq: CDRO / CDROW) (the “Company” or “Codere Online”), a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, today announced that its 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (“AGM”) will be held on June 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM CET at the registered office of the Company.

    The convening notice of the AGM, including the agenda, proposed resolutions, and voting instructions, is available on the Shareholders Meetings section of the Company’s website at codereonline.com and is being furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 6-K.

    Shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 4, 2025 are entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.

    About Codere Online

    Codere Online refers, collectively, to Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries. Codere Online launched in 2014 as part of the renowned casino operator Codere Group. Codere Online offers online sports betting and online casino through its state-of-the art website and mobile applications. Codere currently operates in its core markets of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Argentina. Codere Online’s online business is complemented by Codere Group’s physical presence throughout Latin America, forming the foundation of the leading omnichannel gaming and casino presence.

    For more information, please contact:

    Investors and Media
    Guillermo Lancha
    Director, Investor Relations and Communications
    Guillermo.Lancha@codereonline.com
    (+34) 628.928.152

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As livestock numbers grow, wild animal populations plummet. Giving all creatures a better future will take a major rethink

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clive Phillips, Adjunct Professor in Animal Welfare, Curtin University

    Toa55/Shutterstock

    As a teenager in the 1970s, I worked on a typical dairy farm in England. Fifty cows grazed on lush pastures for most of their long lives, each producing about 12 litres of milk daily. They were loved and cared for by two herdsmen.

    About 50 years later, I visited a dairy farm in China. There, 30,000 cows lived indoors. Most of these selectively bred animals wore out after two or three years of producing 30–40 litres of milk every day, after which they were unceremoniously killed. The workers rarely had contact with the cows. Instead, they sat in offices, programming machines which managed them.

    This speaks to a huge and very recent shift in how we treat animals. Over the last half century, the human population has soared – and so too our demand for meat, milk and many other animal products. As a result livestock populations have ballooned while living conditions for animals permanently kept inside have drastically worsened.

    Even as farmed animals have multiplied, populations of wild animals have crashed. The two trends are deeply connected. Humans convert wildlife habitat into pastures and farms, expanding living space for farm animals at the expense of many other animals.

    This cannot continue. Humans must reckon with how we treat the myriad other species on the planet, whether we rely on them or not. As I argue in my new open access book, the growing scarcity of animal species should make us grasp our responsibility towards the welfare of all animal species on the planet, not just those in farms.

    Efforts to enshrine rights for animals is not enough. The focus has to be on our responsibilities to them, ensuring they lead good lives if in our care – or are left well alone if they are not.

    Should we care?

    In the last 50 years, two-thirds of all wild animal populations have been lost.

    The main cause is habitat loss, as native forest is felled to grow grass for cattle or corn and soya for livestock.

    By weight, the world’s farm animals and humans now dwarf the remaining wild animals. Farm animals weigh 630 million tonnes and humans 390 million tonnes, while wild land mammals now weigh just 20 million tonnes and marine mammals 40 million tonnes.

    Wildlife numbers have fallen off a cliff across many kingdoms of life. Three quarters of flying insects are gone from monitored areas of Western Europe. One in eight bird species is threatened with extinction worldwide.

    Insect populations are plunging, endangering the many animal species who rely on them.
    David Pineda Svenske/Shutterstock

    On animal welfare, philosophers have long argued one of two positions. The first is known as “utilitarianism”. This approach argues for minimising the bad things in the world and maximising the good things, regardless of who benefits from them, humans or other animals. This theory-heavy approach does little to restore our relationship with wild animals because of the difficulties in deciding what is good and bad for animals.

    The second has more to recommend it. This is the view that animals have the right to be looked after well. This approach has also been used to give rights to rivers, nature and even the atmosphere.

    But this doesn’t recognise the fact that only humans can attribute such rights to animals, who themselves do not have any concept of “rights”. It also doesn’t tackle the issue that most humans would not accord the same rights to a blue whale and an insect.

    A better approach might be to recognise our responsibilities to animals, rather than attribute rights to them.

    This would acknowledge the increasing rarity of animal species on Earth and the fact that – as far as we know – they’re unique in the universe. So far, no reliable signs have been found indicating life evolved on any other planets.

    Earth formed just over 4.5 billion years ago. Some evidence suggests simple animal life began just 400 million years later.

    The evolution of complex multicellular life on earth probably only happened once when a single celled organism – one of the ancient archaea, perhaps – engulfed a bacterium without digesting it. Instead, it found something better: putting it to work as an internal energy factory as the first mitochondrion. After that came life’s great flowering.

    But now we’re currently losing between 0.01–0.1% of all species each year. If we use an average species loss rate of 0.05% and assuming human pressures remain similar, life on Earth could have only 2,000 years left.

    Do we have responsibility to care for something just because it’s rare? Not always. But life is beautiful. We marvel when we are able to connect with wildlife. Other social animals also appear to derive pleasure from such relationships.

    If we destroy wild animal life, we could undermine the natural systems humans depend on. Pollinators are essential for orchards, forests protect topsoil and produce clean drinking water and predators prevent herbivore populations from soaring out of control and destroying crops. As wilder areas shrink, the chance of another animal virus spillover into humans increases.

    The habitat available for many wild animals has shrunk rapidly in recent decades.
    MohdFadhli_83/Shutterstock

    From small scale to industrial

    For almost all of human history, livestock herds were small enough that people could build relationships with the animals they depended on.

    But in only a couple of human generations, we’ve turned farm animal production into a factory process with billions of animals.

    For centuries, farm animals were walked to market. That, too, has changed. In 2005, I was undertaking research on a livestock ship alongside 80,000 sheep being transported from Australia to the Middle East. Hundreds of sheep die from the stress of these journeys, while many survivors arrive exhausted and terrified.

    These changes have made it possible for humans all around the globe to eat meat or dairy products at every meal. But it has come at a real cost to livestock and wild animals.

    Correcting this will not be easy. We have to learn to eat fewer animals or preferably none at all, restore habitat for wildlife and curb our consumption of the world’s natural resources.

    It’s not too late to restore animal habitat. Rewilding efforts are drawing back long-missing wild animals. There are hopeful signs for farm animal welfare too. The live export of Australian sheep will end in 2028. Battery cage production of eggs is dying out.

    These are big issues. But to paraphrase a quote reputedly by Confucius:

    The man who asks big questions is a fool for a minute. The man who does not ask, is a fool for life.

    Clive Phillips has received funding from several not-for-profit groups, including Voiceless and AnimalKind, to help make this book open access. He has previously had funding from several government and livestock industry organisations, as well as the World Organisation for Animal Health and Open Philanthropy. He was, until recently, a director of Humane Society International and chair of the Queensland and Western Australia government animal welfare boards. He is editor of the animal welfare book series of Springer Nature and another book series, Letters in Animal Welfare and Ethics for CABI, as well as editor-in-chief of the journals Animals, and Animal Behaviour and Welfare Cases.

    – ref. As livestock numbers grow, wild animal populations plummet. Giving all creatures a better future will take a major rethink – https://theconversation.com/as-livestock-numbers-grow-wild-animal-populations-plummet-giving-all-creatures-a-better-future-will-take-a-major-rethink-256891

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Vermont Edition to Discuss Trump’s Trade War and Taxes on Hardworking American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    COLCHESTER, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today joined Vermont Public’s Vermont Edition to discuss how harmful cuts in Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ to vital programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will hurt the economy and hardworking Americans across the country.  
    “This legislation, the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ that is going to inflict bipartisan suffering. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a red state or a blue state—you lose your health care, you lose your community hospital, you start paying higher tariffs, you see your colleges that are dependent on some of these grants and it’s integrated and that’s getting taken away—that’s going to hurt all of us,” said Senator Welch. 
    In the interview, Senator Welch highlighted how President Trump’s trade war and disastrous budget will make it harder for Vermont farmers, businesses, and families to make ends meet.  
    Mikaela Lefrak: “We’ve heard many Democratic critiques of this bill, particularly around its historic reductions in Medicaid spending…do you expect the Senate version of this bill to differ significantly from the House’s in terms of Medicaid cuts?” 
    Senator Welch: “Well, my hope is that we kill the bill. I mean, there will be some adjustments that some of my Republican colleagues try to make to mitigate the damage, but this bill is very damaging to individuals in Vermont…First of all, Vermonters don’t believe they’re going to get a tax cut out of this deal. You know, the tariffs are increasing costs for them and making it very, very tough for business. So, inflation is going to be going up…It’s a huge addition to the debt, where interest rates are going up so your credit card costs will go up, if you’re trying to get a mortgage—and they’re already high rates—they’ll be higher.  
    “From an actual impact on Vermonters, we’ve got thousands of people who get their health care through Medicaid, and that includes disabled kids. And the parents are taking care of those kids and Medicaid’s a lifeline—they can lose that health care. Two out of three seniors who are in nursing homes, that is paid for by Medicaid, and they can be kicked out of those homes with these cuts. So, it’s very damaging there. Also, Vermont has strongly supported nutrition programs—farm to school, Meals on Wheels, school lunch. Also the SNAP program, it’s about six bucks a day for families that are eligible and it really makes a difference. There’s going to be billions of dollars cut from both Medicaid and the SNAP program, Meals on Wheels.  
    “And why in the world are we going to do that when the benefit is essentially going to be higher debt and some significant tax cuts to some very, very wealthy people who don’t need them and aren’t asking for them, and corporations that are already paying record-low tax rates?” 
    ■■■
    Mikaela Lefrak: “As a Democrat in the Senate, you and every single other Democrat can vote against this bill, and it can still pass. So, the goal here it seems is to try to convince a handful of Republicans—I think you need at least three or four—to vote no. How do you do that?” 
    Senator Welch: “The most comprehensive way I’ve approached trying to deal with this budget disaster and this bill is by getting the information out—and the same thing with tariffs, which I think are having a detrimental impact on Vermont businesses, Vermont farmers and Vermont consumers. So, a lot of what I’ll do is have roundtables where we will have people who are going to be affected by the tariffs, or be affected by these Medicaid cuts, to be able to talk about that and get that information out.  
    “And what I do with my Republican colleagues is I don’t give them a lecture, but I’ll find out about the community hospital situation in their district or their state, and I’ll ask them: ‘What’s going to happen if this bill passes to your community hospitals?’ And then the reality is that those hospitals in their district are going to be really hurt. So, what I’m trying to do is encourage them to have more deference to the needs of the people they represent than they do to the will of President Trump.” 
    Listen to the episode here: 
    Last week, Senator Welch took to the Senate floor to slam Republicans’ tax bill, which will rip away health care coverage for more than 16 million Americans, including 29,000 Vermonters. The Republican bill will hike health care costs, close rural hospitals, and force millions of middle-class families to lose their coverage altogether, all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.  
    Senator Welch also recently joined his colleagues for a spotlight hearing examining Republicans’ efforts to gut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as 3Squares in Vermont, which is a critical anti-hunger program that helps more than 41.6 million Americans—including over 65,000 Vermonters—put food on the table.     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Ricketts Reintroduce Legislation to Codify Oversight on Foreign Purchases of American Farmland

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    Alabama has fourth-highest amount of foreign owned farmland with 2.2 million acres

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) to reintroduce the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure (AFIDA) Improvements Act to bolster reporting requirements for foreign owners of American farmland. The legislation would codify recommendations to the original AFIDA of 1978 that were published in January 2024 by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) after it found that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is not prepared to fully combat foreign ownership of American farmland by foreign adversaries.

    “Over the past several decades, China has been buying up American farmland in an attempt to infiltrate our agriculture supply chains,” said Senator Tuberville. “Food security is national security, and we cannot give the CCP a foothold. Thankfully, President Trump and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins are working to make American Farmland American Again. I’m proud to join this legislation with Senator Ricketts to update our reporting requirements for foreign purchases of our farmland for the first time in nearly 50 years. As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Ag Committee, I will always support our great farmers and work to protect them from bad actors like China.”

    “Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska and of America,” said Senator Ricketts. ”American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers and ranchers, not foreign adversaries. Food security is national security.”

    U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    BACKGROUND:

    According to USDA data from December 2023, foreign investors own more than 45 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. And in Alabama, we have the FOURTH-HIGHEST amount of foreign-owned land in the U.S. with 2.2 million acres.

    Senator Tuberville has been a staunch leader in protecting America’s farmland and agricultural supply chains from foreign influence. Earlier this year, he reintroduced two pieces of legislation—the Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act and the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act—to further safeguard our domestic agriculture resources.

    The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure (AFIDA) Improvements Act would:

    • Increase information sharing between the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and USDA
    • Require updates to the AFIDA handbook
    • Establish a deadline by which USDA must set up an online AFIDA system
    • Require AFIDA reporting for foreign persons holding more than 1% interest in American agricultural land

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Banks Move to Protect Americans’ Financial Data from the CCP

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) took action to ensure Americans’ financial data is protected from exposure to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through popular financial trading platforms.

    In a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins, Senators Tuberville and Banks asked that the SEC ensure two Chinese-linked companies are complying with American laws and regulations. The companies, Webull Financial, LLC (Webull) and Moomoo, Inc. (Moomoo), are widely-used stock trading platforms operating within the United States.

    “The biggest threat facing our country today is communist China,” said Senator Tuberville. “Thankfully, we now have a Commander-in-Chief in President Trump who is taking the threat of China incredibly seriously. China doesn’t need a spy balloon to steal our information — they’ve got spies in the smartphones of millions of Americans, harvesting valuable information every second. The United States must protect the personal data of our citizens from falling into the hands of our greatest adversary.”

    “Webull has a track record of collecting highly sensitive personal data from American consumers, including Social Security numbers,” said Senator Banks. “We cannot allow any platform like this tied to the Chinese Communist Party to sidestep our rules and jeopardize Americans’ personal data. That is why I am demanding the SEC ensures that any foreign platform is complying with American regulations, so long as they have access to our financial markets.” 

    The full text of the letter can be found here and pasted below.

    “Chairman Paul Atkins

    Securities and Exchange Commission

    100 F Street NE

    Washington, D.C. 20549

    Chairman Atkins:

    Congratulations on your confirmation as the 34th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Over the last four years, your predecessor, Gary Gensler, mismanaged the SEC and pushed a radical anti-business, anti-investor, and anti-innovation agenda that stifled our financial markets, harmed retail investors, and made America less competitive. Fortunately, President Trump is acting quickly and decisively to reverse the Biden administration’s many failures and restore the American economy to greatness. Your pro-growth, pro-investor leadership is needed now more than ever to reestablish the SEC’s credibility, unleash the full power of America’s financial markets, and provide more opportunity for millions of Main Street Americans who want to invest for the future.

    While former Chairman Gensler prioritized multiple regulatory solutions in search of problems, such as his illegal “climate change” disclosure rule and his enforcement program designed to systematically destroy the cryptocurrency industry in the U.S., he ignored the very real threats against retail investors that we and our colleagues repeatedly brought to his attention related to the infiltration of our capital markets by Chinese-owned broker-dealers with possible ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including Webull, MooMoo, and Prometheum.[i]  For example, in May 2023, then-Congressman, now Senator, Banks and I wrote to Chairman Gensler and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) CEO Robert Cook:

    As you are aware, Webull and Moomoo collect highly sensitive personal information from millions of their U.S. customers, including personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers, mailing addresses, and financial account data. . . . In light of Beijing’s increasingly strict privacy laws barring many Chinese companies from sharing data with Western regulators, the presence of Webull registered representatives in the PRC raises serious concerns regarding (1) Webull’s ability to meet its supervisory obligations under SEC and FINRA rules; (2) the SEC’s and FINRA’s ability to oversee and examine Webull and its registered representatives and associated persons located in the PRC; (3) the adequacy of Webull’s compliance with all SEC and FINRA recordkeeping requirements; (4) the ability of the SEC and FINRA to adequately enforce federal securities laws, including the ability to obtain documents and information from Webull employees located in the PRC; and (5) the potential for U.S. customer PII to be shared or exfiltrated to Webull employees or affiliated entities located in the PRC.[ii]

    Since then, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (Select Committee) and several State Attorneys General, led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, have opened separate inquiries into Webull’s ties to the CCP and have exposed troubling facts which call into question the safety of these platforms for U.S. retail investors.[iii]  For example, the Select Committee discovered that an affiliate or subsidiary of Webull (Hunan Weibu Information Technology Co., Ltd., ) “received multiple grants from the Changsha Municipal Government’s special fund to optimize foreign investment through cost offsets supporting offshore service outsourcing,” pursuant to which “recipients of this special fund are required to ‘support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.’”[iv]  Similarly, the State Attorneys General inquiry found that “Webull appears to have an affiliated research and development facility (R&D Facility) with hundreds of employees in Changsha, China. SEC filings indicate that the R&D Facility may provide services or support to Webull’s US brokerage operations.”[v]  In fact, Webull’s May 9, 2025, Prospectus states:

    “[O]ur mainland China subsidiary, Hunan Weibu Information Technology Co., Ltd., employs 731 employees, representing 61% of our employees as of December 31, 2024, and is subject to the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China. We cannot be certain that future laws, rules, or regulations will not be drafted in a way that brings us within their scope and that such laws will not materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.”

    We were disappointed to see that earlier this year, the SEC approved Webull to proceed with its Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) transaction, which now allows Webull to fully exploit U.S. markets – and, by extension, American investors who put their hard-earned money to work in these markets – as a public company listed on Nasdaq. Webull’s March 2025 Investor Presentation filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, and its May 2025 Prospectus, appear to contain many of the same troubling connections between Webull and the CCP that legislators and law enforcement authorities have repeatedly raised to your predecessor, including continued ownership and control by individuals and entities that appear to be domiciled in China.[vi]The SEC should not allow Chinese companies to list on U.S. exchanges and enjoy the benefits of our capital markets, while failing to adhere to U.S. law. As Senator Rick Scott noted in a letter to you earlier this month, “These companies consistently fail to meet the requirements of our markets – misleading American investors and putting their investments and U.S. national security and economic security at risk[.]” The risks posed by Chinese companies listed in the U.S. were the recent subject of an April 9, 2025 joint House-Senate hearing titled, “Financial Aggression: How the Chinese Communist Party Exploits American Retirees and Undermines National Security.”[vii]   

    Relatedly, the notion of registering broker-dealers with ties to the CCP – especially firms with affiliates, operations, and owners based in China – is entirely inconsistent with the federal securities laws, FINRA rules, and the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act of 2020.[viii]  As you know, neither the SEC nor FINRA have the authority to conduct examinations or enforcement investigations of Webull’s substantial operations and employees in mainland China which, as noted above, may support the U.S. brokerage.   

    We urge you to take immediate action to delist all Chinese companies from the U.S. markets and rescind Chinese-owned broker-dealers’ licenses to operate in the U.S.

    Sincerely,”

    BACKGROUND:

    Webull and Moomoo are two widely-used stock trading platforms operating in the United States that are registered with the SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The parent companies of Webull and Moomoo are owned by Chinese entities with close ties to Chinese telecom giants Xiaomi and Tencent, which have reportedly aided the Chinese Communist Party in its efforts to surveil and suppress its citizens.

    Despite their ties to China, the SEC and FINRA allow Webull and Moomoo to operate as registered broker-dealers in the United States and to freely collect and store personally identifiable information — including Social Security numbers, mailing addresses, and sensitive financial account data — for millions of U.S. citizens.

    Senator Tuberville first called for an investigation into Webull and Moomoo in July 2022. In a letter to SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, Senator Tuberville and his colleagues Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) expressed concerns over these firms’ data sharing practices and ties to the CCP – both of which could put U.S. investors at risk.

    Senator Tuberville and Senator Banks sent a similar letter to the SEC and FINRA in 2023.

    Senator Tuberville believes the Communist Chinese Party seeks to overtake the United States as the top global superpower and that America must face China’s growing military and non-military threats with clear-eyed resolve.

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Honors Curt Griffith of Florence as June “Veteran of the Month”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Marine Corps Seargent Curt Griffith as the June “Veteran of the Month.”

    Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and complete remarks can be found here. 

    “Our veterans have a unique way of turning hardship into opportunities. No one displays that better than Sergeant Curt Griffith of Florence, Alabama.

    Curt experienced tragedy at a young age, losing his dad when he was only six years old. Despite growing up in a single-parent household, he found a sense of community and purpose in the Marine Corps. And now, he helps bring that same feeling of community to children in the Shoals.

    […]

    Curt also put his military skills to use—particularly getting involved with the local Marine Corps League and Toys for Tots charity. Thanks to Curt’s leadership, the program has expanded to five counties in Northeast Alabama: Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Winston, and Marion. The program helps meet needs of children in the local community, especially at Easter and Christmas. Through Curt’s leadership, the children Toys for Tots serves has grown its reach from 200 to almost 2,000 children in just a few short years. He works around the clock each year, to help remind children they are not alone.

    Curt is a great example of what strong leadership and a will to serve those in need can do. It’s my honor to recognize Curt Griffith as the ‘June Veteran of the Month.’”

    Senator Tuberville recognizes a different Alabama veteran each month for their service and contribution to their community. Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to Senator Tuberville’s office for consideration by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov. 

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Seeks to Block Trump-Republicans Plan to Take From the Needy to Give to the Greedy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    ***WATCH THE SPEAKING PROGRAM HERE***

    PROVIDENCE, RI – U.S. Senator Jack Reed today joined with faith leaders and hunger prevention advocates at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to demand action against a House Republican-passed tax bill that will make the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in American history.

    Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a 1,000+ page bill to take nutrition assistance from the needy in order to give billionaires a bigger tax windfall. Their so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” includes nearly $300 billion in cuts targeting SNAP, which helps millions of working families and low-income seniors afford groceries. 

    With over $85 million in annual nutrition assistance for Rhode Island at stake and approximately 17,000 Rhode Islanders at risk of losing access to nutrition assistance, the Republicans’ House-passed tax bill would devastate essential SNAP benefits at the same time that President Trump’s tariff taxes are adding over $200 to grocery bills for average American families.

    According to an analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the Trump-Republican tax bill would result in 7 million people nationwide losing food assistance.  The House-passed SNAP cuts would be a disaster for hungry families and for states – permanently saddling states with extra costs and reducing nutrition assistance that millions of low-income Americans rely upon.

    “SNAP is a proven, cost-effective lifeline for more than 144,000 Rhode Islanders, especially low-income children and seniors. When Republicans threaten to cut SNAP benefits, they’re really threatening public health, working families, and our economy.  Access to food is essential for everyone.  The Republican plan would mean less food for the poor, fewer jobs, and less economic activity in the community.  It would increase hunger and hardship,” said Reed.  “Every dollar in federal SNAP investment generates over $1.50 in economic activity.  If you start taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of the local economy, it means stores close, farms go under, and food prices keep going up. Ultimately, the Republican plan would make it harder for Rhode Island families to afford their grocery bills.  I will do everything I can to block these devastating cuts from becoming law.”

    “The impact that this cut will have on families, children, seniors, and veterans will be catastrophic,” said Lisa Roth Blackman, Chief Philanthropy Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “Kids will be less ready to learn in school. Working adults won’t have the energy to work. Seniors will be forced to make terrible choices about whether to pay for prescriptions and healthcare or food. And veterans and people with disabilities will struggle to get the food they need to survive and thrive.”

    “Every month, an average of fifteen new households come through our doors for the first time because they cannot afford to put enough food on the table to meet their family’s needs,” said Kate Brewster, CEO of the Jonnycake Center for Hope in South Kingstown. “The ripple effects of the proposed SNAP cuts will be devastating at an already uncertain time. I’m grateful to Senator Reed for standing up against these cuts to the most basic human need – nourishment.”

    “We have 1,000 children who receive food at our pantry – just at one pantry,” shared Reverend Maryalice Sullivan of Pete & Andy’s Food Pantry at St. Peter & St. Andrew’s Church in Providence. “The need is already so high. We simply can’t afford a catastrophic cut like the one the administration is talking about.”

    Not only would the House-passed Republican plan cut SNAP by roughly 30 percent, it would reduce monthly nutrition assistance for children from low-income families, seniors, disabled Americans, and veterans below what is necessary to maintain a healthy diet while placing a greater burden on states while adding red tape and harsher work requirements for caregivers.

    Over 144,000 Rhode Island residents receive SNAP benefits, and the state receives roughly $343.5 million annually in SNAP benefits.  A recent analysis by Trace One placed Rhode Island 15th in the nation based on its share of individuals receiving SNAP benefits. 

    In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, SNAP participants in Rhode Island received an average of $198.52 per month in SNAP benefits.  This averages $6.52 per person per day.

    In addition to increasing hunger for people with lower incomes who are already struggling, Senator Reed warns that the Republican plan to shift the program’s cost to states will hurt taxpayers, farmers, grocers, delivery drivers, and other small businesses.  Senator Reed noted SNAP’s role in supporting public health is critical and the House-passed Republican cuts would be devastating to families and communities across Rhode Island. 

    The House-passed Republican bill would require all states to pay a 5 percent cost-share, shifting the burden from the federal government to the states.  States with higher payment error rates would have to pay even more. 

    SNAP helps ensure strong, consistent sales for American farmers by boosting low-income families’ purchasing power and demand for agricultural products. In addition to traditional retailers, SNAP directly supports local farmers through demand for produce, meat, and dairy products at farmers’ markets and through initiatives such as Bonus Bucks, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match for purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables.

    Reed emphasized that the entire state would be impacted by these SNAP cuts through lost productivity and increased expenditures in other public areas, such as health care.

    “The irresponsible Republican plan to gut SNAP would increase poverty and make people less healthy more food insecure.  That impacts recipients, neighbors, communities – all of us.  As food insecurity goes up, productivity goes down and health care costs go up,” said Reed.  “We live in the greatest country on Earth and can afford to ensure people don’t go hungry.  Funding this program is a moral, economic, and public health imperative.”

    Rhode Island food pantries have reported a spike in demand recently. Several food pantry operators across the state have put out the call for increased food donations as demand increases beyond usual expectations for this time of year, and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs could exacerbate the demand for food aid.

    The Rhode Island Community Food Bank distributes food through its 147 member agencies, reaching approximately 89,000 food-insecure Rhode Islanders each month.  The non-profit provides nutritious staples and fresh produce to food pantries, meal sites, shelters, youth programs and senior centers.  In FY2024, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank distributed 18.3 million pounds of food.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Body in Hampshire confirmed to be Yajaira Castro Mendez

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives can confirm the body found in Hampshire on Saturday, 7 June is sadly that of Yajaira Castro Mendez from Ilford.

    Yajaira was last seen in Camden on Thursday, 29 May. Following extensive enquiries by officers a murder investigation was launched.

    Detectives carried out urgent enquiries and during searches in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire, they found a body.

    Formal identification has now taken place. Her family continue to be supported by specialist officers.

    Acting Detective Chief Inspector Sean Beasley, who is leading the investigation, said: “This is a very sad development in the investigation and our thoughts are very much with Yajaira’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

    “Officers have been working around the clock and continue to investigate the circumstances.

    “There are still crime scenes in place and we’re working closely with Hampshire Police. We thank the community for their patience as we carry out our investigation and we continue to appeal to anyone with information that could assist the investigation to please come forward.”

    On Friday, 6 June, Juan Francisco Toledo, 51 (17.10.1973), of Lambeth appeared at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court charged with murder.

    He was remanded in custody to next appear on Tuesday, 10 June at the Old Bailey.

    He had been arrested on Wednesday, 4 June in Lambeth.

    Anyone with information relating to this investigation is asked to contact police via 101 or @MetCC quoting CAD 3020/06JUN2

    To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Oklahoma Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Oklahoma small businesses, private nonprofits and residents to offset physical and economic losses from severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding occurring May 19. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Kevin Stitt on June 4.

    The declaration covers the Oklahoma counties of Atoka, Coal, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, McIntosh, Pittsburg and Pushmataha.

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

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

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

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

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

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.81% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”

    Beginning Tuesday, June 10, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operations are listed below.

    PITTSBURG COUNTY

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center

    Pittsburg Public School

    Old Gymnasium

    200 West Grand St.

    Pittsburg, OK  74560

    Opens at 12 p.m., Tuesday, June 10

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    Closes at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 2

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

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Aug. 5, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 6, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nine Defendants Arrested for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FARGO – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that beginning on May 15, 2025, a multi-state law enforcement operation resulted in the arrests of nine defendants following their indictment by a federal grand jury in the District of North Dakota for roles in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy with ties to the Almighty Latin King Nation criminal street gang.

    The defendants arrested are:

    Ricardo Jaquez, 46, Oakes, North Dakota

    Israel David Flores, a/k/a Izzy, 45, Audubon, Minnesota

    Michelle Lee Fuller, 38, Audubon, Minnesota

    Jose Manuel Jaquez, a/k/a Cash, 36, Oakes, North Dakota

    Jacob Edward Lambert, 37, Oakes, North Dakota

    Ashley Marie Bleecker, 40, Belcourt, North Dakota

    Alfredo Hernandez Jaquez, a/k/a Freddy, 47, Wells, Minnesota

    Wesley Wayne Tolleson, 37, Wells, Minnesota

    Jason Leonard Gulden, 44, Aberdeen, South Dakota

    All defendants have made appearances in federal court in North Dakota and face up to life in prison with a 10-year minimum mandatory if convicted.

    This case is part of Operation Crown Down, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in North Dakota and other states. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    An indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Drug Enforcement; Homeland Security Investigations; the Oakes Police Department; the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; the Cass County Drug Task Force; the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force; the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force; the CEE-VI Drug Task Force; the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Brown County (South Dakota) Sheriff’s Office.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew P. Kopp.

                                                                                                                                         # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids Announces New Federal Grant to Lower Energy Costs in Franklin, Anderson Counties

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced a federal grant to help two rural Kansas nursing and rehabilitation centers lower their energy costs through solar power. The investments, totaling nearly $200,000, are part of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which helps small businesses and farms in rural areas make energy-efficient upgrades. Davids was the only member of Kansas’ Congressional Delegation to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which supports this program. “High energy bills are one of the biggest costs for Kansas businesses, especially in rural areas,” said Davids. “This funding helps local facilities save thousands of dollars each year—money they can reinvest into their operations and community. I’ll keep working to bring down costs and make smart investments like this across our state.” Recover-Care Richmond, a nursing and rehab facility in Franklin County, received $99,995 to install new solar technology. This is expected to save the facility over $13,000 a year and cover 51 percent of its total energy use. Parkview Heights Nursing & Rehab Center in Anderson County also received $99,995 for new solar technology. This will replace nearly 95,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year — enough to power eight homes — helping the facility save money and reduce its reliance on the grid. Davids has made it a priority to lower energy costs for Kansas businesses and families. Through tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, which she voted to pass, 3.4 million American families have already saved more than $8 billion on their utility bills. The law also caps the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors and finally lets Medicare negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, saving 74,000 Kansans on Medicare up to 79 percent on certain medicines. REAP provides grants and loans to rural small businesses and farms to help them install renewable energy systems or improve energy efficiency. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is part of a broader effort to invest in rural communities across the country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Applauds the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Wins for America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    [embedded content]

    CLICK HERE to download Rep. Mann’s opening remarks.

    CLICK HERE to watch Rep. Mann’s opening remarks on YouTube.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) spoke on the U.S. House floor in support of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed in the House with a vote of 215-214 on May 22, 2025. During the speech, Rep. Mann highlighted his priorities in the bill, which include advancing the largest tax cuts in American history, historic investments in the nation’s border security and air traffic control systems, and long overdue relief for the nation’s agriculture community.

    Rep. Mann’s Remarks as Prepared:

    Mr. Speaker, over the Memorial Day recess, Rasmussen found that a majority of Americans say the country is on the right track. Under President Trump, America just keeps winning, again and again and again. Promises made, promises kept.

    77 million Americans trusted President Trump to restore common sense to our nation’s capital by bringing down everyday costs, reining in our federal spending, lowering taxes, rolling back burdensome regulations, strengthening our nation’s border security and getting our fiscal house back in order. President Trump has already begun delivering on that mandate, and Congress is helping him advance his agenda.

    Just a few days ago, here in this chamber, House Republicans voted to deliver the largest tax cut in American history. We made long overdue investments into our nation’s border security by funding the completion of the border wall, investing in modern technology to assist with intercepting drug and human smuggling, and increasing detention capacity for Immigration and Customs Enforcement as they work to deport violent criminals and gang members who are in the country illegally.

    Our bill supports America’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers like those in the Big First District of Kansas who want to see the farm safety net strengthened by expanding crop insurance and updating reference prices. We permanently expanded the death tax exemption, saving two million family farms and saving those families more than $10 billion. We supported President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s request to make much-needed investments into the Federal Aviation Administration to modernize our air traffic control technology and infrastructure and to uphold the Gold Standard of American aviation.

    The One Big Beautiful Act strengthens our social safety net while better stewarding the tax dollars of hardworking Americans. Americans are generous people, but we cannot allow the government to abuse that generosity. Programs like Medicaid and SNAP were intended for the most vulnerable populations in the country—pregnant women, single parents with kids too young for school, low-income Americans, disabled individuals, and the elderly. Over the years, those programs have been exploited and expanded beyond their initial intent, causing the cost of these programs to skyrocket exponentially.

    If taxpaying Americans can get up every day and go to work, why shouldn’t we ask the same thing of those who benefit from that generosity? Our bill requires that able-bodied adults without kids too young for school, work, or volunteer at least 20 hours a week. This includes volunteering at a food pantry, a local church, or giving back to their community. It’s disheartening that so many of my Democrat colleagues would prefer to lie about what our bill does and limit Americans to a permanent destination of government assistance rather than empower them returning to the ladder of opportunity. That is not the American dream.

    I am hopeful that the Senate will move quickly to get it over the finish line and on the President’s desk. The country cannot afford for us to get this bill wrong, and I trust that every single Republican is committed to getting it to the President as soon as possible and helping America win yet again.

    ###

     

    For more information about Representative Mann, visit: www.mann.house.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Altus Group Celebrates Winners of the 2025 ARGUS University Challenge

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altus Group Limited (ʺAltus Group”) (TSX: AIF), a leading provider of commercial real estate (“CRE”) intelligence, today announced the winners of its 16th annual ARGUS University Challenge – a milestone that reflects both the longevity of the program and Altus Group’s continued leadership in the CRE sector during its 20th year as a public company.

    The ARGUS University Challenge is an annual global competition organized by Altus Group to immerse university students in the complexities of CRE investment analysis. Students apply ARGUS software to tackle complex CRE investment cases, where they model financial projections, assess risk, and develop investment strategies for hypothetical CRE portfolios. Winners qualify for a scholarship and gain valuable industry exposure, along with the opportunity to showcase their skills to potential employers.

    The 2025 winners were selected from more than 124 students representing 24 universities globally. The teams demonstrated their ability to identify and present compelling investment opportunities using industry-leading ARGUS Enterprise, now part of ARGUS Intelligence – which brings together data and advanced analytics for more powerful decision-making.

    Each team was challenged to analyze a hypothetical real estate scenario and present a comprehensive investment case. Submissions were evaluated by a panel of industry experts on how effectively students applied ARGUS’ valuation modelling, discounted cash flow analysis, and performance forecasting capabilities – tools that shaped CRE performance analysis for over 30 years and are taught at more than 200 academic institutions worldwide.

    “We’re proud to provide students with the opportunity to develop the real-world skills they’ll need as they enter the industry,” said Rich Sarkis, President of ARGUS Software and Data at Altus Group. “This year’s participants demonstrated how quality data and analytics are critical to effective investment decision-making. Our new ARGUS Intelligence platform was built with their generation in mind – designed for a new era of data-savvy professionals who demand deeper insights, faster workflows, and smarter decisions.”

    The 2025 ARGUS University Challenge winners are:

    1st place: IREBS, University of Regensburg

    • Team: Lea Lott, Leon Mayer, Maximilian von Berger, Moritz Kluge, Viola Schadde
    • Professor: Wolfgang Schaefers

    2nd place: University of San Diego

    • Team: Jackson Gebhardt, Jason Santos, Rodrigo Soler, Ryan Groleau, Tom Sears
    • Professor: Charles Tu

    3rd place: NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate

    • Team: Valeria Burga-Cisneros Vega, Lana Alexander, Colin Dallas-Wu, Sam Wimpfheimer, Thomas Jordan
    • Professor: Hillman Lam

    4th place: London School of Economics and Political Science

    • Team: Stuart Teng, Eryu Ma, Jiani Zhang
    • Professor: Rebecca Campbell

    The ARGUS University Challenge is part of Altus Group’s broader commitment to cultivating future CRE leaders. Through its academic program, Altus Group provides software and training to over 200 institutions globally, equipping students with the technical expertise and analytical mindset to thrive in a data-driven market.

    For more information on the ARGUS University Challenge, please visit: https://www.altusgroup.com/education/argus-university-challenge/

    About Altus Group

    Altus connects data, analytics, applications, and expertise to deliver the intelligence necessary to drive optimal CRE performance. The industry’s top leaders rely on our market-leading solutions and expertise to power performance and mitigate risk. Our global team of ~2,000 experts are making a lasting impact on an industry undergoing unprecedented change – helping shape the cities where we live, work, and build thriving communities. For more information about Altus (TSX: AIF) please visit www.altusgroup.com.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    Elizabeth Lambe
    Director, Global Communications, Altus Group
    (416) 641-9787
    Elizabeth.Lambe@altusgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • Northeast charts 11-year journey of human-centric development

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

     
    Northeast India has emerged as a model of inclusive and sustainable development over the past 11 years, with remarkable progress in agriculture, healthcare, literacy, and social empowerment. Between 2014 and 2025, targeted government schemes and grassroots participation have helped bridge the development gap between the Northeast and the rest of the country.
     
    Sikkim led the charge by becoming the world’s first 100% organic state. Building on its success, the central government launched the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), under which over 200,000 farmers transitioned to organic farming between 2015 and 2025. The establishment of 434 Farmer Producer Companies has facilitated access to national and international markets.
     
    Mizoram set another benchmark in May 2025 by becoming India’s first state to achieve 100% functional literacy under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) mission, which focuses on adult education and community learning.
     
    Healthcare infrastructure has also advanced significantly. Assam now houses 15 medical colleges and 15 cancer hospitals, forming the largest cancer care network in South Asia. These facilities, developed over the past decade, have enhanced access to specialized and affordable treatment for millions in the region.
     
    To measure and guide progress, the Ministry of DoNER launched the North East District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index in collaboration with NITI Aayog and UNDP. This tool tracks district-wise performance on key indicators, helping tailor development policies to local needs.
     
    Together, these milestones represent 11 years of purposeful, people-first growth—transforming the Northeast into a beacon of inclusive and sustainable development.

  • MIL-OSI Global: The path to conserving protected areas in the Amazon lies in uniting public policy with traditional local knowledge

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Everton Silva, Doutorando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA)

    Despite serving as crucial guardians of biodiversity, traditional communities continue to be systematically excluded from developing and managing protected areas. This often subtle, silent exclusion has fueled persistent, complex socio-environmental conflicts, harming both conservation and the welfare of Indigenous peoples, riverside populations, Afro-Brazilian quilombola communities, and smallholder farmers.

    A recent study, “Socio-environmental Conflicts and Traditional Communities in Protected Areas: A Scientometric Analysis,” published in the Journal for Nature Conservation, mapped how scientific literature has examined these conflicts over time.

    Researchers from the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), the University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (UNILAB), and the Vale Institute of Technology (ITV) collaborated on the study as part of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Synthesis of Amazonian Biodiversity (INCT-SynBiAm) and the Eastern Amazon Biodiversity Research Program (PPBio-AmOr).

    The team reviewed 263 scientific articles published worldwide between 1990 and August 2024, sourced from Scopus and Web of Science. Their analysis revealed significant gaps in research on this topic and offered recommendations for more just, inclusive, and effective management of protected territories.

    What does science reveal about these conflicts?

    The research shows not only a rise in conflicts involving traditional communities and protected zones, but also their diversity. The main sources of tension are:

    1. Access to subsistence resources: Local prohibitions—often unilaterally enacted—restrict fishing, hunting, gathering, and subsistence agriculture, all vital for food and income. These constraints sever longstanding traditions of sustainable resource use, leading to food insecurity and marginalization.

    For example, in Ethiopia’s Nech Sar National Park, new conservation policies have curtailed local residents’ access to nature, sparking community tension and resistance.

    2. Exclusionary management of protected areas: Community voices are rarely included in decisions about protected area creation or management. The absence of prior consultation and disregard for traditional knowledge often yield policies disconnected from local realities. Such centralized management breeds resentment and undermines conservation; participatory governance is essential to socio-environmental justice.

    A study in Chile involving Aymaras, Atacameñas, and Mapuche-Huilliches communities found that while participatory practices and technical support from the CONAF forest agency improved perceptions, dissatisfaction persists due to initial exclusion. Many continue to assert ancestral land rights and demand meaningful input, highlighting the urgent need to build trust and align conservation with social justice.

    3. Conflicts involving wildlife: Local communities contend with damaged crops, attacks on domestic animals, and even threats to personal safety. Large mammals such as elephants, lions, jaguars, and buffalo are the main culprits. Habitat loss and depleted food sources exacerbate these incidents. Peaceful coexistence requires inclusive, context-specific solutions.

    A study from Ethiopia highlighted rising human-wildlife conflict in Chebera Churchura National Park: crop invasion, livestock predation and disease, and increased risks to human life were all reported.

    4. Territorial disputes and land rights: Many protected areas overlap with territories long used by traditional peoples. Disavowed land rights provoke legal battles, forced displacement, and greater insecurity, compounding social challenges. Formal recognition of collective land title is key to reducing conflict and ensuring autonomy; these disputes exemplify the global fight for territorial justice.

    In Mexico, a recent study documents the impact of land privatization, livestock expansion, plantations, and urbanization in the protected areas of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Morelos. It generated a land market that is disrupting Indigenous and peasant communities and threatening both their territories and forest conservation.

    5. Cultural and socioeconomic disruption: Establishing protected areas can upend ways of life rooted in symbolic, generational relationships with nature. Prohibiting customary practices disrupts rituals, beliefs, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, silently eroding local cultures.

    In the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, studies have noted frequent friction between Indigenous groups, recreational visitors, and managing agencies. Issues include access to sacred sites and resources on traditional lands, visitor infrastructure, permitted activities, and even place names.

    6. Lack of recognition and real participation: When communities are denied a voice in decisions, historical inequities deepen, fueling conflict. Despite legal progress, many traditional groups remain excluded from governance. Without meaningful participation, environmental policy fails to address local needs—highlighting the urgent need for community leadership and real power-sharing in conservation.

    Italy’s Monti Sibillini National Park in the Central Apennines offers an instructive case: rural depopulation has coincided with rising friction between environmental managers and locals. Imposed bureaucratic guidelines, unresponsiveness to community aspirations, and challenging collaboration between the park and municipalities have generated mutual frustration and hostility. This underscores the need for “knowledge democracy” and truly participatory stewardship that respects diverse ways of living on the land.

    Within Brazil, the same types of socio-environmental strife observed worldwide are especially acute in national protected areas. Research shows that even in sustainably managed zones like Extractive Reserves, communities regularly face resource restrictions and limited decision-making power—a recipe for lingering resentment and compromised conservation. Centralized authority and denial of customary land rights often lead to drawn-out disputes, mirroring patterns across the Global South.

    These findings highlight Brazil’s urgent need for strong co-management models—mechanisms that value local knowledge and foster territorial justice.

    Such tensions cluster in nature reserves and national parks, where regulatory regimes often disregard local lifeways and worldviews. Although the law guarantees consultation and participation mechanisms like free, prior, and informed consultation, they are often ignored or implemented ineffectively.

    Another key finding: 66.54% of studies focused on non-Indigenous populations, while only 16.73% examined Indigenous peoples exclusively. This imbalance exposes the under-representation of research attentive to the full range of traditional communities.

    Such gaps hinder efforts to understand these peoples’ rich cultural and ecological realities—and in turn, weakens recognition of their expertise and the value of their knowledge for global biodiversity conservation. Scientific consensus now affirms the vital role these communities play in preservation, yet too often they are treated as problems to be managed, not as collaborative partners.

    Why does conservation demand inclusion?

    Ensuring traditional communities participate in planning and stewarding protected lands is not only a matter of justice, but fundamental to effective conservation. Sustainable outcomes depend on their involvement. This study underscores the urgent need for public policies that are both inclusive and tailored to local conditions, embedding traditional knowledge as an indispensable part of conservation solutions, not as an obstacle.

    Worldwide, co-management experiments show that community involvement fosters compliance with conservation rules, improves governance, and delivers stronger socio-environmental benefits.

    Shifting the focus to Amazonian science

    While most studies reviewed focus on countries in the Global South—like Brazil and India—research production is dominated by institutions in the Global North. This reflects persistent “parachute science”: fieldwork by foreign scientists in rich biodiversity zones, often excluding local scientists and communities from the research process. Such projects often leave little local benefit, treating Amazonian residents as data collectors or study subjects.

    To address this, efforts must shift toward empowering Amazonian scientific institutions and researchers, strengthening their role in shaping conservation and research agendas, and realizing epistemic justice. Investments are especially needed in institutions serving remote, often overlooked regions of the Amazon.

    With robust support, these institutions can fill crucial gaps—producing research attuned to local realities, expanding our understanding of Amazonian ecosystems, and inspiring new generations of scientists.

    Researchers living and working in the Amazon possess deep, context-sensitive knowledge of the territory, enabling them to pose more relevant questions and craft solutions suited to regional challenges and opportunities. Their scholarship, in ongoing dialogue with both environment and community, enriches global science and yields practical advances that matter for daily life in the forest.

    Proximity to Indigenous, riverside, and urban populations also enables more authentic community participation in research. When research projects originate from local priorities and perspectives, they strengthen communities, help protect biodiversity, and affirm the possibility of uniting science, social justice, and climate action.

    Leandro Juen has a productivity grant from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), research projects funded by CNPq, the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), the Amazon Foundation for Studies and Research (FAPESPA) and the BRC Biodiversity Consortium.

    Everton Silva, Fernando Abreu Oliveira, Fernando Geraldo de Carvalho, James Ferreira Moura Junior, José Max B. Oliveira-Junior, Karina Dias-Silva e Mayerly Alexandra Guerrero Moreno não presta consultoria, trabalha, possui ações ou recebe financiamento de qualquer empresa ou organização que poderia se beneficiar com a publicação deste artigo e não revelou nenhum vínculo relevante além de seu cargo acadêmico.

    – ref. The path to conserving protected areas in the Amazon lies in uniting public policy with traditional local knowledge – https://theconversation.com/the-path-to-conserving-protected-areas-in-the-amazon-lies-in-uniting-public-policy-with-traditional-local-knowledge-258348

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why Israel’s ‘humane’ propaganda is such a sinister facade

    COMMENTARY: By Cole Martin in Occupied Bethlehem

    Many people have been closely following the journey this week of the Madleen, a small humanitarian yacht seeking to break Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza with a crew of 12 on board, including humanitarian activists and journalists.

    This morning we woke to the harrowing, yet not unexpected, news that the vessel had been illegally hijacked by Israeli forces, who boarded and took the crew captive into Israeli territories, in contravention of international law.

    Yet another on the long list of war crimes Israel has committed over the last 20 months of genocide, and decades of illegal occupation.

    Communication with the crew was lost after the final moments of tense onboard footage as they donned lifejackets, threw phones and other sensitive data overboard, and raised their arms in preparation for whatever might come next.

    Israel has a detailed history of attacking all previous freedom flotillas — including the 2010 mission aboard the Mavi Marmara in which 10 crew were killed and dozens more injured when Israeli forces hijacked the humanitarian vessel.

    Another mission earlier this year was cut short when it was targeted by an airstrike in international waters, injuring crew.

    The next updates were scenes filmed by Israeli forces which appear to show them calmly handing bread rolls and water to the detained crew, painting a picture which immediately recalled my own experience last year being unlawfully arrested in the southern West Bank.

    Detained while documenting
    I was detained while documenting armed settler violence, taken illegally to a military base where myself and three other internationals were given a bathroom stop, bread and water.

    While we ate, they filmed us, saying “You are unharmed, yes? We are looking after you well?”

    We were then loaded into a police van where a Palestinian farmer sat blindfolded, in silence, with his hands zip-tied behind him.

    Eleven of the 12 crew members on board the humanitarian yacht Madleen before being arrested by Israeli forces today. Image: FFC screenshot APR

    Israel loves to put on a show of their “humane treatment” when internationals are present and cameras are rolling, but it’s a shallow and sinister facade for their abusive racism and cruelty towards Palestinians.

    It appears their response to the Madleen’s crew over the next few days will be exactly that. Don’t buy into it; this is no more than deeply sinister propaganda to cover state-backed racism, supremacy, and cruelty.

    Families in Gaza are still facing indiscriminate airstrikes, continuous displacement, forced starvation, and the phony Israel/US “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” which has led to more than 100 civilians being shot while desperately seeking food.

    Thousands of trucks still wait at the border to Gaza, barred entry by Israeli forces, while Palestinians face severe malnutrition and a man-made famine.

    The New Zealand government has still not placed a single sanction on the Israeli state.

    Cole Martin is an independent New Zealand photojournalist based in the Middle East and a contributor to Asia Pacific Report.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Why You Don’t Need Permission to Get Moving: UConn Experts Call for Sweeping Changes to Exercise Participation Guidelines

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    It is well-established that exercise has tremendous health benefits in terms of preventing and managing a host of diseases. But current recommendations don’t fully reflect this.

    A group of medical professionals and experts have published a paper in Current Sports Medicine Reports urging the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the premier sports medicine professional organization, to lighten up their recommendations for medical clearance prior to exercise, including individuals considered “high-risk.”

    Authors on the paper include Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Linda Pescatello from the Department of Kinesiology (College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources) and Dr. Peter Robinson, assistant professor of cardiology at UConn Health.

    The writing group emphasizes the significant benefits of exercise for all people, including those deemed “high risk.” High-risk individuals include those with cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease such as diabetes.

    “We’re trying to loosen up potential challenges that people may have for moving,” Pescatello says.

    This recommendation differs from the current ACSM guidelines, which state all healthy adults should engage in 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise weekly or a combination of the two, and engage in muscle strength and endurance building activities twice a week.

    The key word here is “healthy.” The authors of the new paper advocate for a change that would encourage all adults, including those with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to engage in appropriate levels of physical activity, which can actually help to manage disease.

    “Physical activity is the best thing for your health,” Pescatello says. “Exercise is medicine, and it has numerous health benefits.”

    There is only one cardiovascular event per every 1.5 million hours of vigorous intensity exercise, according to the paper, meaning the risks are extremely low, but the benefits are great.

    “Exercise is not risky,” Pescatello says. “The riskiest part of exercise is when you’re not a regular exerciser and you exercise rigorously suddenly.”

    Research has shown that the greatest benefits of exercise are seen when those who are sedentary begin exercising.

    “At an individual level, this transition away from sedentary behavior has been shown to have numerous benefits. In addition, if large numbers of individuals are able to make this transition, possibly by removing barriers and alleviating unfounded fears, we could see tremendous health benefits at the population level,” Robinson says.

    “If you’re sedentary, if you’re not regularly physically active, the greatest health benefits are getting off the couch and doing something instead of doing nothing,” Pescatello says.

    The authors encourage a change that would indicate that even individuals with cardiovascular disease or diabetes can begin light-level physical activity without the need for a medical evaluation.

    They emphasize the importance of switching from a model in which people must seek medical “clearance,” a term without a specific medical definition, before participating in exercise to one that assumes light-to-moderate physical activity is healthy and beneficial for all.

    However, people should still consult a physician if they begin to experience new or changes to signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, Pescatello says.

    “Our message is to get people up and moving and not stopping that unless absolutely necessary,” Pescatello says.

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: Nimanode Presale Explodes Past 11% of Softcap as Major Whale’s move in to Buy NMA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The XRP Ledger is experiencing a surge of renewed momentum as Nimanode the first AI agent platform with a no-code builder on XRPL advances through its high-demand $NMA Token Presale raising over 11% of its soft cap target and the excitement just intensified.

    Join $NMA Presale

    All Eyes on Nimanode – Dont Miss Out

    FOMO is already building up as the Nimanode Presale momentum indicates strong confidence from early investors citing a belief in the project.

    Demand for the NMA token has also surged as tokens are set to be listed at an upward 25% price from presale prices at top XRPL exchanges like Magnetic, instant returns for early investors.

    How to Join in the Nimanode Presale

    Joining in the NimaNode Presale is quite straightforward

    Purchase XRP: Acquire XRP from reputable exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Bybit.

    Setup an XRP-Compatible Wallet: Send your XRP to an XRP compatible Wallet (e.g. Xaman).

    Participate in the Presale: Visit the NimaNode presale page (https://nimanode.com/presale), send your XRP to the provided presale address, and secure your $NMA tokens.

    There is a Limited Time Period of 30 Days for the Presale and it’s pricing is going at 1 XRP = 450 $NMA

    As Nimanode Presale gains momentum, now is a perfect opportunity to position at the next wave of Blockchain innovation poised for massive gains through the integration of Web3 and AI.

    Why Investors are Scooping Up $NMA

    From the desk of the development team at Nimanode, they are set to deliver an Agentic workforce handling various tasks autonomously. Features of these Ecosystem include but not limited to

    Zero-Code Agent Builder: Create and launch AI agents through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface
    Autonomous On-Chain Agents: Agents can interact with dApps, execute logic, and respond to events
    Decentralized Agent Marketplace: Allows the community to deploy and monetize AI Agents
    Cross-Chain & Off-Chain Integration: Enable automation across multiple networks and external APIs

    $NMA – Fueling the Nimanode Ecosystem

    With 90 million $NMA tokens representing 45% of the total supply allocated for the presale, early birds have a rare opportunity to seize the advantage and invest in $NMA before its DEX Listing at 25% higher value mainly because of it various utilities in their ecosystem which include:

    Agent Deployment – Launching agents when holding a minimum $NMA balance

    Agent Upgrades – Skilled developers can hold $NMA to build custom agents and upgrades to them

    Agent Marketplace – Use $NMA to access premium agents or receive exclusive discounts

    Staking Benefits – Stake $NMA to earn passive income through the platform’s reward pool

    Governance Access – Participate in protocol decisions and vote on proposals that shape Nimanode’s future

    Join $NMA Presale

    Nimanode is a decentralized AI agent platform built on the XRP Ledger, offering no-code and developer tools to deploy on-chain AI agents that automate blockchain activity, optimize protocol interaction, and monetize intelligent services. By bridging AI with decentralized infrastructure, Nimanode is building the next evolution of digital work and Web3 automation.

    Connect with Nimanode

    Website: https://nimanode.com

    Twitter/X: https://x.com/nimanodeai

    Telegram: https://t.me/nimanodeAI

    Documentation: https://docs.nimanode.com

    Contact:
    Nick Lambert
    contact@nimanode.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by Nimanode. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f4d8a2c4-5eb2-4c9b-a124-568ba7ae7f8c

    The MIL Network –

  • Political Parties Must Lower Temperatures; Dialogue Cannot Be Confrontation: Vice-President

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>Federal Polity Requires Centre-State Sync, Nationalism Must Prevail Over Partisanship, highlights VP
    Emergence Of Greenfield Projects Is Not Taking Place At The Pace It Should, cautions VP
    Farmers Have To Be Hand-Held; Agripreneurs Cannot Emerge On Their Own, says VP
    Time Has Come For Corporates To Share Their Profits With The Farm Sector, says VP
    Peace Comes From Strength; Research Is Critical For Ensuring Security, says VP
    Vice-President Interacts With Industry Leaders And Entrepreneurs In Bengaluru

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said, “Political parties in the country will have to bring down the political temperature. The dialogue between political parties cannot be a confrontation — the dialogue has to be soothing. Democracy is defined, friends, by dialogue and discourse.”

    He further added, “India is a thriving federal society where there has to be sync between the Centre and the States. Dialogue between leaders and political parties is vital — absence of dialogue will not be good for our national mindset.”

    Interacting with industry leaders and entrepreneurs in Bengaluru today, he stated, “Issues of national security, issues connected with our nationalism, and issues connected to our development must be viewed from a national prism, not a partisan one. I do not doubt the political sagacity of people across the spectrum — they are available in all political parties.”

    Invoking the Vedantic principle of freedom of expression, the Vice-President remarked, “Democratic values cannot be described without freedom of expression and debate. If someone attacks, frustrates or regulates your right to expression, then there is a deficiency in democracy.”

    Commenting on industrial trends, he made a sharp observation, “People in industry, unlike politics, are satisfied by balance sheets. But greenfield projects are not emerging at the pace they should. Please think, converge in clusters to ensure equitable employment and growth.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1931364104855531846

    Calling on the corporate sector to share their profits with the farm sector, Shri Dhankhar said,“Time has come for corporates to share their profits with the farm sector. Your investment in research or farmland is not charity — it is a gainful investment.”

    Speaking on farm-sector integration with industry, the Vice-President, drawing from his own background, said, “I come from a farming community. The farm sector plays a critical role in the nation’s growth trajectory. But at the moment, it is only producing agro-products — it is not part of the marketing chain.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1931364367016267894

    Calling for industry-farm convergence, he added, “Industry must brainstorm to bring greater synergy with the farm sector. Farmers need to be hand-held; agripreneurs must emerge, but they cannot do so without support.”

    On the future of India’s growth, Shri Dhankhar underscored the role of research and innovation, “We must engage in research of the highest order. Our research capacity will define Bharat’s global standing. Our technological innovation will define how secure we are.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1931346050591178991

    Touching upon strategic peace, he observed, “Peace is fundamental to business and people’s harmony. But peace is never bargained — it comes from strength. The greatest peace is secured when we are ever prepared for war.”

    Highlighting the evolution of industry’s role in national security, he noted, “There was a time when industry only manufactured armoury. Now, it must lead in technology. Research is the spine of long-term growth.”

    Declaring that Bharat is on an unstoppable rise, the Vice-President stated, “Bharat is no longer a country of potential — it is a country on the rise. ‘Viksit Bharat’ is no longer our dream — it is our objective. But we must take a quantum leap by increasing per capita income manyfold.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1931354355657331041

    Urging a practical outlook, he added, “We must juxtapose our economic status with our demographic size — 1.4 billion people. On empirical estimates, there must be an eightfold increase in per capita income.”

    Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thawarchand Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri D.K. Shivakumar, MP Shri Lahar Singh, Minister, Govt of Karnataka, Dr M.C. Sudhakar, and other dignitaries were also present.

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Our Living Soils’ by Emma Rosen and Rhiannon Thomas out now

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    ‘Our Living Soils’ by Emma Rosen and Rhiannon Thomas out now

    Natural England has commissioned a children’s illustrated book to teach young children about soil.

    ‘Our Living Soils’ written by Emma Rosen and illustrated by Rhiannon Thomas was commissioned by Natural England to teach children about soil.

    Young children love to jump in muddy puddles and roll on grass, but are unlikely to think about what is going on in the earth underneath them. Now a new illustrated book aims to dig into just what is happening in the soil beneath their feet.

    ‘Our Living Soils’ was commissioned by Natural England to explore soil health in a way that appeals to four to seven-year-old children. It highlights just how much is going on in our soil and focuses on the creatures that make it their home.  It was written by author and schoolteacher Emma Rosen, and illustrated by fine artist and illustrator, Rhiannon Thomas.

    The team behind ‘Our Living Soils’. From left: Jonny Griffiths, Matthew Shepherd and Eleanor Reed of Natural England, author Emma Rosen and illustrator Rhiannon Thomas.

    The book was launched during the weekend at the sold out Open Farm Sunday event at Springwater Farm in Exeter, with both Emma and Rhiannon in attendance, along with Natural England’s soils team. The team hosted a series of activities including round the campfire storytelling; soil minibeast drawing and writing activities; and the very popular exploration of soil dwelling organisms through the microscope.

    Eleanor Reed, Natural England principal soil specialist, said:

    From soil formation to soil function, this visually engaging book aims to raise the awareness of soils to young children and their parents alike.

    We hope it engages young children and develops their curiosity about the fascinating, but hidden, world beneath their feet.

    ‘Our Living Soils’ was launched at Open Farm Sunday in Exeter where children could look at soil-based organisms under the microscope.

    Neal Layton, author and illustrator of some of the Eco Explorer series of children’s books, endorsed ‘Our Living Soils’, saying it is ‘a brilliant book for muddy boot wearers big and small’.

    Alongside the paperback, which is available to buy at Our Living Soils – Emma Rosen, or from Waterstones and Amazon, there will be a PDF edition which can be distributed by Natural England. A Kindle version will also be produced and put on the Kindle Unlimited subscription service so subscribers can read it for free.

    A narrated video of ‘Our Living Soils’ is available on YouTube.

    Our Living Soils, written by Emma Rosen and illustrated by Rhiannon Thomas

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lurgan Show serves up a celebration of local food and farming

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Thousands of visitors packed into the picturesque Lurgan Park on Saturday 7th June for this year’s Lurgan Show – a vibrant celebration of food, farming, and agriculture that firmly underscores the ABC Borough’s status as Northern Ireland’s Food Heartland.

    Now a flagship event in the agricultural calendar, the show proudly showcased the very best of the borough’s award-winning food and drink producers, agri-businesses, and farming excellence.

    This year’s Food Heartland stand, supported by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, attracted crowds keen to sample the finest produce from local favourites including Peggy’s Family Farm, Ballydown Milk, Rosemount Cottage Farm Meats, Glorious Bakes, Long Meadow Cider, Apple Tree Farm, the Hemp and Honey Farm Co Op, and Moo Valley gelato.

    From artisan jams and farm-fresh milkshakes to sizzling meats and handcrafted bakes, the local offering was second to none.

    Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Alderman Stephen Moutray, said:

    “Lurgan Show is a shining example of what makes our borough so special – a deep-rooted connection to our agricultural heritage and an unwavering passion for food excellence. I was delighted to see so many producers and visitors enjoying the day. This event is a true celebration of our Food Heartland, and I commend all those who work hard year-round to make our borough a place of taste, talent, and tradition.”

    Organised by the Lurgan & District Horse and Cattle Society, the Show also featured equestrian and livestock championships, vintage farm machinery, family activities, and more – offering something for everyone.

    The summer show season continues with the Armagh County Agricultural Show and Country Festival taking place this Saturday 14th June at Gosford Forest Park. For details, visit www.armaghshow.com

    To learn more about the Food Heartland and its producers, contact:

    *protected email*

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –