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  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Sorensen Tours Rock Island Arsenal with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll to Highlight its Importance to America’s National Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) joined Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, and other senior military and elected leaders to tour the Rock Island Arsenal amid concerns that hundreds of jobs may be cut. During the visit, Congressman Sorensen highlighted the work of the men and women at the Arsenal who do critical jobs to safeguard our national security.

    “It was an honor to have the Army Secretary come visit the Rock Island Arsenal so early into his tenure to come see with his own eyes the amazing work the men and women at the Arsenal do to protect our national security,” said Congressman Sorensen. “The visit was another opportunity for me to share the serious concerns I have with job cuts at the Arsenal directly with Secretary. I will always fight for the people who work at the Arsenal who help power our regional economy, ensure our military’s readiness, and keep Americans safe at home and abroad.”

    During the visit, the Congressman had a chance to meet with leadership from First Army, the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, in addition to Army Sustainment Command and Joint Munitions Command, which is being merged by Army leadership. Also participating in the visit were Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) and Lieutenant General Christopher Mohan, the acting Commander of Army Materiel Command.

    Since joining the House Armed Services Committee this Congress, Congressman Sorensen has been pushing the Army to pause it’s plans to cut hundreds of jobs at the Arsenal. In April, he joined regional leaders in sending a letter to Army leaders demanding answers and transparency around proposed jobs cuts the Arsenal. Earlier this month, he confronted Army Secretary Driscoll about jobs cuts at the Arsenal during a House Armed Services Committee hearing.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: OEUK news Offshore Energies UK urges more action to reach government Clean Power 2030 target 11 July 2025

    Source: Offshore Energy UK

    Headline: OEUK news

    Offshore Energies UK urges more action to reach government Clean Power 2030 target

    11 July 2025

    Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has today proposed key reforms to accelerate offshore wind generation following the government’s publication of its Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA).

    OEUK says the decision to take a national approach to pricing will encourage more wind energy investment to help the government hit its Clean Power 2030 targets and boost growth in the critical offshore energy supply chain.

    The National Energy System Operator has given 5,000 energy projects in the queue for grid connections until 29th July to submit evidence for preferential treatment.

    The move is intended to prioritise “shovel-ready” projects and scrap the first-come, first-served approach, which has allowed speculative schemes to delay viable clean energy developments.

    This proposal must be matched by reforms to the Contacts for Difference (CfD) scheme and planning system to ensure the next allocation round – AR7 – delivers the scale and pace needed.

    OEUK’s analysis shows that to meet the CP30 goal of 95% clean power by 2030, the UK must deliver half of this target from offshore wind. This means at least 43 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity must be installed by 2030, but current projections fall short at just 35GW. The next three CfD rounds must therefore secure an additional 20GW- equivalent to powering around 15 million homes.

    Only two offshore wind generation projects – GreenVolt in Scotland and East Anglia Two – have been supported by the government’s CfD scheme since 2022.

    A clear regulatory framework that secures investment and maintains the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind is now imperative.

    Offshore wind is one of the UK’s greatest energy success stories – generating low carbon electricity at scale, creating jobs, and revitalising coastal communities.

    Fixed-bottom turbines, with so-called monopiles attached to the seabed in shallower waters, have driven the UK’s rapid growth of wind energy generation to date but floating wind turbines using newer technologies, can be anchored in deeper waters with stronger wind resources, opening new areas for development.

    The also have fewer environmental constraints than fixed-bottom projects and can progress more smoothly through the consenting process.

    Speed and clarity to reform grid access and a more transparent approach with equal treatment for fixed and floating wind farms would give developers and the supply chain greater confidence to invest.

    OEUK’s key recommendations for AR7 and beyond:

    • Support for offshore wind: Provide assurance that sufficient funding is available for both fixed and commercial floating wind projects over the next three years, including projects to decarbonise offshore oil and gas operations, strengthen the UK supply chain, and create export opportunities.

    • Grid and consent reform: Improved risk sharing between developers and grid network operators plus increased administrative capacity and streamlined planning to reduce delays to grid connection. Compensation should be offered for unexpected hold ups.

    • Eligibility and investment: Reform eligibility criteria to allow both fixed and floating wind projects that have not received full consent to bid in the auction, extend CfD contracts from 15 to 20 years and introduce a well-balance cap and floor to transmission charges to improve investor confidence, lower subsidies and reduce costs to consumers. Introduce a well-balanced cap and floor to transmission charges.

    OEUK’s Wind Energy Manager, Thibaut Cheret, said:

    “AR7 must be the turning point in making UK wind ambitions a reality. That means enabling floating wind to compete on equal footing, unlocking grid access, and giving developers the confidence to invest at scale.

    “We’re calling for clear eligibility rules that allow well-progressed but unconsented projects to bid, longer CfD terms to reduce costs to consumers, and a firm commitment to grid and consenting reform – including compensation for delays. These are the changes our members need to deliver the next 20GW.

    “At the same time, we are working with our members to reduce project risk and borrowing costs as well as improving contractual relationships and promoting standardisation of modular wind turbine components to make them cheaper and faster to install.

    “There is only one energy supply chain for offshore wind and oil and gas – and it cannot be allowed to decline. With the right reforms and a pragmatic energy strategy which supports homegrown oil and gas alongside the acceleration of UK renewables, the North Sea can remain a global energy powerhouse, supporting economic growth, jobs, and our climate goals.”

    ScotWind: OEUK supports the ambition of the ScotWind leasing round and is calling for clarity on delivery timelines, grid access, and supply chain investment to ensure projects can rapidly move forward.

    INTOG: OEUK backs INTOG schemes using wind energy to decarbonise offshore oil and gas production. We are urging government and regulators to ensure these projects are prioritised for grid access and CfD eligibility, and that planning processes reflect their dual role in emissions reduction and clean power generation.

    Celtic Sea Round 5 of Celtic Sea wind auctions held last month (June) aims to unlock the potential for floating offshore wind off the coasts of South Wales and Southwest England. The Crown Estate has selected Equinor and Gwynt Glas to develop two 1.5GW floating wind farms. The leases come with grid connections already approved, but only two out of three leases on offer have been taken up.

    TNUoS: Transmission Network Use of System Charges. Transmission has a cost which is paid by the generator and the user which appears in electricity bills. This cost is expected to increase dramatically in future years as more energy is brought from Scotland to England. The connection cost for the generator rises for remote areas but in heavily populated areas generators are paid to connect. The price difference must be adjusted with a proposed cap and floor system that would introduce an upper maximum cost to Scottish projects.

    Review of electricity market arrangements (REMA): The government is still to announce the full outcome of its REMA consultation beyond the already published decision on zonal pricing. OEUK is calling for introduction of ‘deemed contracts for difference’ (based on potential, not actual output). This would mean wind energy producers being paid according to their potential capacity in a system that would give producers the opportunity to benefit from high global wind energy prices when they are available and keep a proportion of the additional profits

    For more analysis please see OEUK’s 2025 Offshore Wind Insight  

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    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Dextall Closed $15M Series A as Leading Developers Back AI-Powered Prefab To Tackle Housing Crisis

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dextall, the construction technology company integrating design software with off-site manufacturing, has closed a $15 million Series A round to scale its AI-powered prefabrication platform nationwide.

    The round was anchored by industry powerhouses whose balance sheets and project pipelines rival those of major venture firms:

    • L+M Development Partners – a national leader in affordable and mixed-income housing, responsible for over $20 billion in development and more than 55,000 residential units built, preserved, or under construction.
    • Essence Development, founded by former NFL safety Jamar Adams, manages a $6 billion pipeline including nearly 4,000 affordable and workforce housing units and 3,000 market-rate units across the Northeast corridor.
    • Simpson Strong-Tie (NYSE: SSD) – the global leader in structural connectors, with $2.2 billion in 2024 revenue and a worldwide materials supply network spanning more than 50 facilities.

    L+M and Essence bring high-volume affordable housing projects where speed and cost certainty are critical. Simpson Strong-Tie strengthens Dextall’s global supply chain and supports its scalable model for distributed fabrication by leveraging its international footprint in material supply. This support, which also included participation from Winklevoss Capital, reflects growing investor demand for scalable technology that can modernize outdated industries.

    Dextall’s vertically integrated platform combines Dextall Studio, proprietary software that converts schematic designs into fully detailed architectural and fabrication drawings in under a week (a process that traditionally takes up to 36 months), with a modular façade system manufactured by certified regional partners and delivered through Dextall’s AI-powered operating system.

    This not only presents unprecedented efficiency, but addresses a critical moment for housing. Over 6 million people have applied for just 10,000 affordable units in New York City. Vacancy rates are at a record-low 1.4%, and average rents have surpassed $3,500/month. Affordable housing no longer lives within the standard two-story model, with buildings towering up to 50 in urban areas. Escalating costs, labor shortages, and supply chain delays have made many of these projects financially unfeasible.

    Dextall’s system removes those barriers, enabling large, complex developments to move forward where they would otherwise stall. By reducing the design-to-install timeline by up to 80%, onsite labor by up to 87%, and lowering operational energy costs by 20%, Dextall presents a solution to the affordable housing crisis facing America’s densest cities.

    Dextall also enables faster, safer, high-quality construction that aligns with Local Law 11 and decarbonization targets. Its model emphasizes a system for dismantling building in components, reducing landfill waste for a more sustainable approach.

    After four years of strategic execution, the company has built a $110 million project backlog and signed $50 million in new contracts during 2024 alone—demonstrating strong market adoption, commercial traction, and demand, even before securing institutional capital.

    Industry leaders are already engaging with Dextall: SOM and SLCE Architects are specifying Dextall panels on upcoming designs, while Turner Construction and Suffolk Construction are actively installing the panels on high-rise projects currently underway. These collaborations highlight that off-site fabrication can meet the industry’s highest design and performance standards without prolonging design cycles.

    “With investors who control tens of thousands of units, a global supply partner, and the top builders and architects already onboard, we’re not speculating about disruption—we’re delivering it at scale,” said Aurimas Sabulis, Dextall founder and CEO. “We’ve found clear product-market fit and built a model that is as scalable as it is practical—delivering real value where the industry needs it most.

    The Series A funding will accelerate the development of Dextall Studio, expand sales operations to Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Chicago, support the global expansion of fabrication capacity to meet growing demand, and lay the foundation for additional prefabricated building components.

    About Dextall
    Dextall is reshaping how mid- and high-rise buildings are designed and delivered—starting with exterior walls. By combining intelligent design automation with scalable prefabricated systems, Dextall shortens construction timelines, locks in project costs, and significantly reduces embodied carbon. The company’s goal is to eliminate 1 million days of coordination and construction time by 2030. Headquartered in New York City, Dextall is rapidly expanding across key U.S. markets.

    Media Contact
    media@dextall.com | +1 352 282 1294

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank’s Johannesburg Deal Signals a New Era in City-Led Urban Investment (By Bleming Nekati)

    Source: APO

     Bleming Nekati is the Regional Head for Private Sector Operations in Southern Africa at the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org).

    In June 2025, a quiet but important decision marked a real turning point in African urban finance. The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved a ZAR 2.5 billion ($139 million) corporate loan for the City of Johannesburg, marking the first time the Bank has extended financing without a sovereign guarantee to a subnational government in Africa.

    This funding will have a direct and tangible impact on the daily lives of Johannesburg residents by strengthening basic services and expanding economic opportunities. Residents can expect fewer power outages, improved water supply, more efficient waste collection, and increased industrial productivity, all of which contribute to broader economic growth. Importantly, these improvements are being financed through a more sustainable, market-based model that reduces reliance on national subsidies.

     The deal is more than just a funding breakthrough; it validates the growing view among investors and development professionals alike that, when well-managed, African cities can and should access capital markets on their own terms.

    A Market-Ready Metropolis

    Johannesburg isn’t just South Africa’s largest city. It is a major economic hub and powerhouse. With $67 billion in economic output, and housing at least 6.44 million residents, the city generates more wealth than many African countries.

    However, like many fast-growing African cities, the City of Johannesburg is under pressure.

    Legacy infrastructure is aging. Its electricity and water systems suffer significant losses, at rates exceeding 30% and 46%, respectively. Sanitation and waste services are overwhelmed, particularly in underserved communities. Population growth is intensifying these challenges. Yet these constraints also represent opportunities: Johannesburg has unmet demand, real scale, and crucially, a clear willingness to reform.

    From Municipal Risk to Bankable Asset

    Historically, African municipalities have struggled to attract direct capital investment due to legal constraints and concerns about credit risk. The City of Johannesburg has now defied this trend through a decade of governance, budgeting, and financial reforms that have strengthened its independently verified credit profile and inspired investor confidence.

    The African Development Bank loan is tied to over 100 capital projects spanning four critical sectors:

    • Electricity: Grid upgrades, smart meters, renewables, and 3,200 new household connections
    • Water & Sanitation: Pipeline repair, water treatment, and a plan to reduce losses to 37%
    • Solid Waste: More efficient collection, landfill upgrades, and recycling expansion
    • Revenue-Generating Utilities: All investments are linked to tariff-backed revenue streams for repayment

    Economic Stimulus with Returns

    The infrastructure program is designed to deliver both economic and social returns:

    • Job Creation: Nearly 2,900 construction jobs and 592 permanent roles, with gender and youth inclusion targets
    • Procurement Opportunity: ZAR 500 million in contracts allocated to SMEs, half to youth-owned businesses
    • Productivity Gains: More reliable services for industrial users support operational efficiency
    • Service Equity: 160,000 low-income households will receive improved access to utilities

    The partnership has embedded strong governance practices into the program, including independent oversight, transparent procurement, and financial safeguards, key criteria for future capital access.

    Momentum Beyond the City of Johannesburg

    While the City of Johannesburg may be the first African city to secure a non-sovereign guaranteed loan from the African Development Bank, it is not alone in its efforts to achieve financial independence. Other cities, such as Dakar, Cape Town, Nairobi, and Kigali, have also made significant progress towards attaining more autonomy and accountability in their financing mechanisms.

    These cities share a common understanding that urban growth must be matched by fiscal capability, and that capital markets, not subsidies, will drive the next generation of infrastructure investments.

    Investor Takeaway: Cities Are the Next Frontier

     Johannesburg’s breakthrough isn’t just a local success; it’s a signal to the market. African cities are increasingly proving themselves as bankable partners. For investors, lenders, and infrastructure firms, the rise of creditworthy municipalities is an untapped opportunity.

    The trend is clear: well-managed cities are evolving from mere service providers. They are also infrastructure clients, capital partners, and engines of inclusive economic growth.

    As Africa continues to urbanize, cities such as Johannesburg are showing that the future of investment is increasingly rooted in local contexts. When the appropriate financial architecture is established, cities are well-positioned to lead and drive sustainable development.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramkalawan Honours Mahé Skimmers Swimming Club Following Outstanding Performance at Mauritius Championships

    Source: APO


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    President Wavel Ramkalawan welcomed members of the Mahé Skimmers Swimming Club to State House on Friday morning for a courtesy meeting, celebrating their exceptional performance at the Winter National Championships held in Mauritius from June 19-22, 2025.

    In a proud moment for the nation, a 24-member delegation of young athletes, accompanied by their parents, coach, and committee officials, was officially recognised for an outstanding performance at a high-profile regional competition, where they clinched a total of 108 medals, including an impressive 46 golds.

    During the meeting, President Ramkalawan congratulated the swimmers and commended their outstanding performance, which demonstrated strong will and competitive spirit. “These swimmers have given us hope, proving what can be achieved through hard work and the unwavering support of their parents,” the President stated.

    The discussions focused on the athletes’ experiences, highlighting personal bests achieved and new records established, showcasing the continuous improvement in their performance levels. As a gesture of appreciation, the delegation presented President Ramkalawan with a commemorative t-shirt and token, while the President gifted each member a small Seychelles flag as a symbol of motivation and continued success.

    Speaking to the local press after the meeting, Coach Mr. Barnsley Albert praised the high level of competition, noting that it has allowed the team to measure each athlete’s progress according to their age group, with remarkable improvement demonstrated throughout the years. He particularly highlighted the strong performances of the Boys Under-12 and Girls 13-14 age groups.

    The presidential meeting holds special significance as the Mahé Skimmers Swimming Club prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of nurturing young aquatic talent in Seychelles.

    The club’s success at the Mauritius Championships reinforces Seychelles’ growing reputation in regional swimming competitions and demonstrates the potential of the local athletes as they prepare for upcoming major competitions including the CJSOI Games, World Championships, and World Junior Championships.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Homegrown innovation leads Africa’s agrifood transformation

    Source: APO

    African-led science and innovation are at the heart of efforts to transform agrifood systems across the continent. That was the central message of a dedicated side event held during the Regional Policy Dialogue on Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Africa, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

    The special side event, Scaling Science and Innovation for Resilient Agrifood Systems: African Solutions through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, took place on the second day of the Dialogue and comes in the lead-up to the Science and Innovation Forum during the FAO World Food Forum in October. It brought together African experts, researchers, and policymakers to explore how homegrown innovations can drive agrifood systems transformation across the continent.

    Opening the session, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel underlined the power of science and innovation in transforming agrifood systems in Africa. He urged countries to scale up successful practices through strengthened partnerships and better policy alignment.

    “Africa stands today at a defining moment. Our agrifood systems face immense pressure from intensifying climate change, growing scarcity of land and water, frequent pest and disease outbreaks, and persistent post-harvest losses that undermine productivity and incomes. Yet, amidst these challenges, a new generation of African scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators is reimagining agriculture, its business model, mechanisms of knowledge sharing, and scaling up technologies,” he said.

    In the keynote address, Professor Anthony Egeru of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) highlighted Africa’s untapped potential in homegrown scientific knowledge and innovation. He called for stronger collaboration among African research institutions, noting that intra-African cooperation in science remains limited and must be strengthened to support agrifood system transformation and reduce the continent’s growing food import bill.

    Two expert panels followed. The first highlighted scalable technologies already benefiting smallholder farmers. The second explored how science-policy partnerships can create enabling environments for innovation uptake.

    Among the innovation champions featured was Innovative Solutions for Decision Agriculture (ISDA), a pan-African company pioneering digital agricultural tools. Their flagship product, the Virtual Agronomist, is a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot that provides farmers with instant, tailored advice on soil health and fertiliser use. The company has already seen a 60 percent yield increase among farmers who use the tool, and their goal is to reach 10 million farmers over the next five years with this context-specific, science-backed guidance.

    FAO also showcased its innovation in plant protection through the eLocust3, a real-time data transmission tool used by national locust officers to monitor and control desert locust outbreaks. The tool feeds directly into FAO’s global Desert Locust Information Service, which supports early warning and coordinated response systems across affected countries.

    Young innovator Joseph Kawaya from Rwanda (pictured) also presented his work. Initially focused on manufacturing solar-adapted chicken incubators, his business now supports rural cooperatives through a franchised network of hatching stations. “We’re not just selling machines, we’re building rural systems that tackle both malnutrition and lack of access to poultry production,” he said.

    FAO South-South Cooperation Officer Peter Anaadumba underscored the importance of enabling environments to support innovation. He stressed that innovators must be supported by strong policy frameworks, sustained financial commitments, and partnerships. South-South and Triangular cooperation, he noted, offers a platform for exchange, but results will only follow when national systems are ready to absorb and scale innovation.

    The event reinforced FAO’s commitment to advancing African-led solutions and fostering cross-country learning, setting the stage for deeper engagement at the upcoming Science and Innovation Forum later this year. Science and innovation are central themes in the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, which aims to support countries in transforming agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 1 residential site to be sold

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    (To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

    Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn today announced that the Government will put up for tender a residential site in Tsuen Wan that can provide about 780 flats.

    Unveiling the Land Sale Programme for the second quarter of this financial year, Ms Linn said the site is situated in a mature neighbourhood with comprehensive surrounding facilities and traffic network.

    “It is relatively still small in scale and located in a mature urban area with good transport connections. So we think this kind of site will be of interest to the developers in the current climate of the property market.”

    Additionally, residential land supply will stem from private development and redevelopment projects requiring lease modification, of which six cases are expected to complete the land administration procedures in the second quarter, providing a total supply of around 4,170 flats.

    “Regarding the overall supply for the second quarter, taking into account this Tsuen Wan site, together with six other cases involving lease modifications, we should be able to turn out land capable of supplying (about) 4,950 units in this quarter.”

    She pointed out that one is a land exchange case at Hung Shui Kiu Area 34B in an area of high development potential in the Northern Metropolis and would foster the development of the area along with the planning of Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area.

    The development chief also said that taking into account the supply from the first quarter, the total private housing land supply of the first half of this financial year will reach about 6,000 units, which is around 45% of the annual supply target.

    “I think it suggests that we are moving in a stable manner towards our annual target,” Ms Linn added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: IRS says churches may endorse political candidates despite a decades-old federal statute barring them from doing that

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame

    Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a church in Harlem during his failed campaign to become the Democratic nominee in the 2025 New York City mayoral race. Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images

    Churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates without risking the loss of their tax-exempt status, the Internal Revenue Service said in a legal document the tax-collection agency filed on July 7, 2025. This guidance is at odds with a law Congress passed more than 70 years ago that’s known as the Johnson Amendment and applies to all charitable nonprofits, whether they are secular or religious.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a law professor who has studied the regulation of churches’ political activities, to explain what this statute is, how the IRS seeks to change its purview and why this matters.

    What’s the Johnson Amendment?

    The Johnson Amendment is a provision that Lyndon B. Johnson added to a tax bill passed by Congress in 1954, when he was a senator. It says that any charity that wants to be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code cannot “participate in, or intervene in … any political campaign on behalf of … any candidate for public office.” In the U.S., all houses of worship are designated as charities by the IRS.

    The IRS has interpreted the Johnson Amendment for more than 70 years to mean that charities cannot speak in favor of political candidates or take any other action that supports or opposes them.

    The IRS is prohibited from publicly disclosing audits of specific tax-exempt nonprofits under taxpayer privacy laws, so there’s no way to know the extent to which the law has been enforced. The public only learns about audits tied to possible Johnson Amendment violations if the nonprofit discloses that information or the IRS revoked their tax-exempt status.

    However, the IRS did conduct a broad enforcement campaign in the 2000s known as the Political Activity Compliance Initiative. The reports it issued for 2004 and 2006 stated that it had audited hundreds of charities, including churches, for possible Johnson Amendment violations. The IRS generally found that most violations were minor and often inadvertent – warranting no more than a warning letter.

    It’s unknown whether any nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status as a result of this initiative, which the IRS appears to have ended in 2008.

    There’s only one known instance of a church losing its tax-exempt status because it violated the Johnson Amendment. In that case, a church in Binghamton, New York, published full-page newspaper ads criticizing Bill Clinton during his 1992 presidential campaign.

    Why does the Trump administration want to change its enforcement?

    The National Religious Broadcasters, two churches and another religious nonprofit sued the IRS in 2024, challenging the constitutionality of the Johnson Amendment on First Amendment free speech and free exercise of religion grounds and on Fifth Amendment due process grounds. The plaintiffs also argued that applying the Johnson Amendment to religious nonprofits violated the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

    The plaintiffs and the IRS filed a joint motion on July 7 to settle the case. They asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to order the IRS not to enforce the Johnson Amendment against the two church plaintiffs. They also asked the court to incorporate in its order a statement that the Johnson Amendment does not apply to “speech by a house of worship to its congregation, in connection with religious services through its customary channels of communication on matters of faith, concerning electoral politics viewed through the lens of religious faith.”

    This represents the first time the IRS has said there’s an exception to the Johnson Amendment for houses of worship. While lawmakers have periodically sought to repeal or modify the statute, neither chamber of Congress has ever passed such legislation.

    President Donald Trump asserted during his first term that he had “gotten rid of” the Johnson Amendment. But that referred to his 2017 executive order that directed the Treasury Department – to which the IRS belongs – to respect freedom of religion with respect to religious organizations speaking about political issues as “consistent with law.”

    Under the IRS interpretation of the Johnson Amendment at the time, it would not have been consistent with law for churches or other religious nonprofits to support or oppose candidates for elected public office.

    How might the IRS treat religious political activity differently?

    If the court approves this new joint motion, that order will only apply to the two churches that are plaintiffs in the case – not other religious nonprofits or the National Religious Broadcasters that joined them in suing the IRS. But the filing tells other houses of worship that the IRS will not enforce the Johnson Amendment against them for speech to their congregations, at least not during the Trump administration.

    I think that the government may have a hard time applying this exception for several reasons.

    The IRS will have to determine when a charity is a “church,” the term the IRS uses for a house of worship of any faith. That has become increasingly difficult in recent years, as some organizations that stretch the conventional definition of a church have won IRS recognition as such.

    The IRS will also have to clarify what constitutes speech made “in connection with religious services” and what are “customary channels of communication.” For example, it’s unclear whether inviting a political candidate to address the congregation about how their religious faith relates to their candidacy falls within the exception.

    Donald Trump participates in a community roundtable at a church in Detroit during his successful 2024 presidential campaign.
    Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    Will only conservative politicians benefit?

    Establishing this exception does not necessarily give conservative politicians any advantages.

    It is true that recent attempts to repeal or modify the Johnson Amendment are associated with conservative Christian groups such as the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the plaintiffs in this lawsuit.

    But historically, many progressive houses of worship have also pushed against the Johnson Amendment, including Black churches that often serve as political as well as religious centers for their communities.

    A Texas Tribune and ProPublica investigation documented apparent violations of the Johnson Amendment in the 2022 midterm elections by almost 20 churches in Texas from across the political spectrum. Interestingly, most of the church leaders involved were aware of the amendment.

    Many said they were not violating it because they avoided explicitly endorsing candidates, while at the same time clearly expressing their support for specific candidates by, for example, praying for an individual who was identified to the congregation as a candidate.

    How could this new guidance change political campaigning?

    Americans generally don’t want to see churches get involved in politics, including majorities in most denominations. Nonetheless, church leaders of all stripes who were already inclined to support particular candidates will probably feel emboldened to explicitly endorse candidates when preaching to their congregations.

    There are two ways that this new exception could do more than that.

    First, it isn’t limited to sermons by pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and other religious leaders. It extends to any speech to a house of worship’s congregation “in connection with religious services through its customary channels of communication on matters of faith.” It therefore almost certainly includes church bulletins and other written materials distributed as part of a religious service.

    What’s less clear is whether “customary channels of communication” includes people who watch religious services streamed over the internet or on TV, rather than just those who attend services in person.

    Second, the change will increase pressure on church leaders to support candidates.

    For example, George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign reportedly sought to recruit thousands of congregations to distribute campaign information. It’s natural to expect such efforts to multiply and become more direct for both Democratic and Republican candidates from now on.

    And church leaders will also likely face pressure from politically active congregants to endorse candidates, and have a harder time resisting it.

    Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer previously worked at the law firm of Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered, including when the firm represented All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena, California with respect to an IRS audit of the church for allegedly violating the Johnson Amendment. He was not personally involved in this representation.

    – ref. IRS says churches may endorse political candidates despite a decades-old federal statute barring them from doing that – https://theconversation.com/irs-says-churches-may-endorse-political-candidates-despite-a-decades-old-federal-statute-barring-them-from-doing-that-260854

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Muscle weakness in cancer survivors may be caused by treatable weakness in blood vessels – new research

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Jalees Rehman, Department Chair and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois Chicago

    Poorly functioning blood vessels lead to the characteristic muscle weakness that so many cancer patients experience. Artur Plawgo/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    Tumors can destroy the blood vessels of muscles even when the muscles are nowhere close to the tumor. That is the key finding of a new study that my colleagues and I recently published in the journal Nature Cancer.

    Muscle loss in cancer patients is a major health problem, but the exact causes of how precisely tumors affect muscles remain an active area of research.

    Scientists in my lab were curious whether one explanation for the muscle loss in cancer patients could be that the cancer impairs the blood vessels that are necessary to supply nutrients and oxygen to muscles. Healthy blood vessels ensure that blood containing oxygen and nutrients is transported from the heart to all tissues and organs in the body, and then circulates back to the heart. Unhealthy blood vessels lose the ability to circulate sufficient blood and develop leaks, with nutrients seeping into the tissue prematurely and thereby cutting off the supply of nutrients to tissues that are further downstream.

    To tackle this question, my colleagues and I worked with several other scientific research teams with expertise in advanced microscopy, cancer research and metabolism. We used animal models to study several kinds of tumors – lung cancer, skin cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. We consistently observed that the blood vessels in the muscles became fewer and leakier even before the muscle weakness set in.

    We also found that tumors release a protein called Activin-A, which acts on blood vessels to cause the leakiness and, ultimately, loss of blood vessels in the muscle. When we used a gene therapy to restore blood vessel health by counteracting the effects of Activin-A, we were able to prevent the muscle loss.

    So we examined the muscles of patients who had passed away because of cancer and found that the muscles of cancer patients contained fewer blood vessels than expected.

    Why Activin-A matters

    Millions of cancer survivors struggle with muscle weakness, which can be so profound that they may have difficulties walking up a couple of flights of stairs or going shopping for groceries on their own.

    Severe muscle weakness and muscle loss during cancer is called cancer cachexia, which occurs in up to 80% of patients with advanced cancer.

    Recent research indicates that cachexia is far more common among cancer patients than previously suspected, with approximately half the patients who see their cancer doctor for the first time already showing signs of muscle weakness.

    Importantly, cachexia can persist even after the cancer is successfully treated and cured. This can have a devastating impact on the quality of life for cancer survivors.

    Our discovery that the loss of blood vessel function in the muscles occurs early on during the progression of the cancer suggests that fixing blood vessels in cancer patients and cancer survivors could be a new way to prevent or reverse cachexia.

    The reasons for the muscle loss in cancer are complicated and involve poor nutrition due to loss of appetite and inflammation, which are initially caused by the tumor but persist even when the tumor is removed.

    New research shows that lack of sufficient blood vessels could explain why many cancer survivors still experience muscle weakness even after the tumor is removed.
    FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

    What other research is being done

    There are currently no treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration for cachexia, but new therapies are on the horizon.

    One such therapy is an antibody drug that targets the molecule GDF-15, a protein that is thought to suppress appetite.

    Other studies are using a combination of targeted nutrition and exercise programs to help patients with cancer cachexia regain muscle mass and muscle strength.

    All these studies suggest that we will need a combination of approaches to enhance exercise, nutrition, appetite, muscle regeneration and – as we propose – blood vessel health.

    What’s next

    We are now evaluating drugs and exercise programs that are known to improve blood vessel health. Repurposing these treatments that are traditionally designed for cardiovascular patients could be a rapid way to help cancer patients regain muscle strength.

    We hope that our work highlights how important it is for cancer patients to receive comprehensive medical care, which includes improving cardiovascular health and overall quality of life.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Jalees Rehman receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.

    – ref. Muscle weakness in cancer survivors may be caused by treatable weakness in blood vessels – new research – https://theconversation.com/muscle-weakness-in-cancer-survivors-may-be-caused-by-treatable-weakness-in-blood-vessels-new-research-259765

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: The Voin Center will present two large-scale sites at the EEF-2025.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Voin Center will take part in the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The organization’s sites will be presented both on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University and, for the first time, at the Far East Street exhibition. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “The Military-Sports Training and Patriotic Education Center for Youth “Voin” was created by order of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in 2022 to teach young people military-tactical skills and the ability to apply them in practice. Currently, branches of the center are open in 21 regions of Russia, including five subjects of the Far East – in Buryatia, Yakutia, Khabarovsk Krai, Sakhalin Oblast, and Kamchatka. Over 95 thousand cadets have already been trained at the Voin centers. More than 8 thousand teachers of basic military training have been retrained at the center. The work of the center and the training of the younger generation make our country stronger,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Voin center Yuri Trutnev.

    An outdoor area of over 500 sq. m will operate in the format of a military sports town, where anyone can take master classes in the training areas of the “Warrior” center. In the tactical medicine zone, guests will study cardiopulmonary resuscitation, learn how to apply a tourniquet and a tourniquet, and master the algorithm for evacuating a wounded person from the battlefield.

    Visitors will also be able to learn how to operate a ground drone and an unmanned aerial vehicle in a special cube, test their skills in shooting from different types of laser weapons and disassembling and assembling AK-74M, AK-12 assault rifles and a Makarov pistol. In addition, a laser tag game will be organized for participants and guests of the forum.

    The Russian Union of Martial Arts (RUMA) will take part in the program of the Voin center. Representatives of RUMA will conduct master classes and demonstration performances in hand-to-hand combat, karate and other types of martial arts.

    Four federations will join forces to conduct a series of self-defense classes. Among them are demonstrations of effective techniques from participants of the Kyokushinkai Academy, practical advice from the Sambo Federation, training under the guidance of representatives of the Kendo and Kickboxing Federations.

    Also on the outdoor area of the Voin center there will be an exposition of the Patriotic TOR – products of KhabinnoTech. The space will house modern samples of UAVs for both civilian and military purposes.

    At the Voin Center stand on the FEFU campus, which will be located in Building A on level 3, forum participants will be able to get acquainted with the activities of its branches using an interactive multimedia panel. Guests will also have the opportunity to take part in master classes on tactical medicine, UAV control on a domestic simulator, and disassembly and assembly of a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

    Both venues will host military-sports quests, and their participants are guaranteed valuable prizes from the Voin center.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition “Far East Street” will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Math Circles of Chicago Receives the SBB Research Group Foundation Grant

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Math Circles of Chicago received a $5,000 grant from the SBB Research Group Foundation, which awards monthly grants to support impactful organizations. 

    Math Circles of Chicago, a nonprofit , is reimagining how students experience math by creating spaces where curiosity leads, challenges are embraced, and problem solving becomes a source of confidence and creativity. Through free, high-quality programs open to students in grades 3–12, the organization fosters a love of math that extends far beyond the classroom.

    Serving over 4,000 students across 150 schools, Math Circles of Chicago focuses on reaching communities that have historically been excluded from enriching STEM opportunities. With more than 60% of participants coming from low-income households, the organization works to ensure that every young person, regardless of background or test scores, has access to meaningful, joyful math learning.

    The core of the program is the Math Circle: a small group of students led by a passionate and skilled educator who guides them through challenging and thought-provoking activities. These sessions go beyond worksheets and memorization. Instead, students explore deep mathematical ideas, tackle complex problems, and build critical thinking skills in a supportive environment where questions are encouraged, and persistence is celebrated.

    “Our program is about creating joyful, meaningful experiences with math, something too many kids miss out on. We want students to have fun, to be challenged, and to discover that math can be both exciting and empowering,” said Doug O’Roark, Executive Director.

    For many students, Math Circles provide a transformative experience. They develop not just stronger math skills, but also greater self-confidence, perseverance, and the ability to work collaboratively with peers.

    Math Circles of Chicago is committed to closing opportunity gaps and making rich, empowering math experiences accessible to all students across the city. By investing in young people’s potential and creating inclusive spaces to explore math deeply and joyfully, the organization is helping to shape a future where every student can thrive.

    “We are happy to support Math Circles of Chicago in their mission to create inclusive spaces where students can explore, enjoy, and excel in math,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation.

    About the SBB Research Group Foundation 

    The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, which supports students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees. 

    Contact: Erin Noonan 
    Organization: SBB Research Group Foundation 
    Email: grants@sbbrg.org 
    Address: 450 Skokie Blvd, Building 600, Northbrook, IL 60062, United States 
    Phone: 1-847-656-1111 
    Website: https://www.sbbrg.org 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: MAAS Announces Signing of Acquisition Framework Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHENGDU, China, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Maase Inc. (NASDAQ: MAAS) (“MAAS” or the “Company”) today announced that it has signed a non-binding framework agreement with certain shareholders of Qingdao Youdian New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Youdian”) and Qingdao Huijulaixi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (“LaiXi”) to acquire 100% equity of Youdian and 49% equity of LaiXi. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, marking a pivotal step in MAAS’s strategic expansion into new energy technology and intelligent service sectors.

    Youdian is an innovative technology company focusing on the new energy sector, with two primary business areas: electric vehicle (EV) services and residential energy solutions. With strong research and development capabilities and an end-to-end service ecosystem, Youdian has established itself as an industry leader. Its “Xiaoli Charging” mobile charging robot has been launched in the market, offering a variety of models including 20kWh, 50kWh, 60kWh, 100kWh, and 150kWh intelligent charging options, effectively addressing the challenges posed by fixed energy replenishment systems. In the residential energy sector, Youdian has introduced a range of innovative products aimed at consumer needs (C-end), including 3kWh, 5kWh, 10kWh, and 16kWh outdoor mobile energy storage units, as well as portable charging/discharging devices such as 7kW, 20kW, and 40kW units. Youdian also provides small, medium, and large photovoltaic energy storage systems and balcony power station solutions. These products are designed with high compatibility, portability, and safety, catering to the diverse energy needs of both households and outdoor environments.

    LaiXi is a high-tech enterprise recognized for its innovation and growth potential. Since its establishment in 2021, LaiXi has specialized in developing intelligent unmanned systems and has become a leader in the domestic unmanned car wash industry, as well as a pioneer in mobile in-car charging technology. LaiXi operates an automated manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of 1,200 car washing machines. Its fully automated intelligent unmanned car wash equipment is equipped with advanced features such as an ICS IoT system, photoelectric sensors, automatic fault avoidance, and vehicle model auto-mapping, maintaining a fault rate below 0.1%. LaiXi’s patented low-temperature car wash system operates at temperatures as low as -13°C without freezing, providing a key competitive advantage. In addition, its intelligent water recycling system reduces water waste, greatly improving car wash efficiency and enhancing the overall user experience.

    Min Zhou, CEO of MAAS, commented, “This acquisition represents a key milestone in the strategic upgrade of MAAS. It not only enhances our competitive position in the new energy and intelligent service sectors but also creates long-term value for our shareholders. We are excited to welcome Mr. Liu Guotao, the founder and chairman of Youdian and LaiXi, and his team to the MAAS family. We are particularly optimistic about Youdian and LaiXi’s innovative capabilities in the fields of smart charging and mobile energy storage. This collaboration will generate a synergistic effect, as we work together to expand the global new energy technology market.”

    Mr. Liu Guotao, founder and chairman of Youdian and LaiXi, stated, “We are thrilled about this transaction with MAAS, which marks a new beginning for Youdian and LaiXi’s international development. Moving forward, we will accelerate the deployment of 100,000 service stations across 300 cities nationwide, with the goal of serving 50 million vehicle owners within the next five years, thereby creating sustained growth value for our investors.”

    The framework agreement does not contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached in order to consummate the proposed acquisition, nor does it create any binding rights or obligations of any person. The parties will be bound only upon the execution of mutually agreeable definitive documentation. There can be no assurance that the framework agreement will result in completion of the proposed acquisition or any similar transaction, or as to the terms upon which any transaction, if a transaction is completed, may occur. MAAS does not undertake any obligation to provide any update with respect to the proposed acquisition or any other transaction, except as required by law.

    About Maase Inc.

    Founded in 2010 and formerly known as Highest Performances Holdings Inc., we have evolved with a vision to become a leading provider of intelligent technology-driven family and enterprise services. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for families worldwide by leveraging two primary driving forces: technological intelligence and capital investments. We are dedicated to investing in high-quality enterprises with global potential, focusing on areas such as asset allocation, education and study tours, healthcare and elderly care, and family governance.

    We currently hold controlling interests in two leading financial service providers in China. The first is AIFU Inc., a technology-driven independent financial service platform traded on the Nasdaq. The second is Puyi Fund Distribution Co., Ltd., an independent wealth management service provider.

    Forward-looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When MAAS uses words such as “may”, “will”, “intend”, “should”, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “project”, “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from MAAS’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: MAAS’s ability to obtain proceeds from the Agreement; MAAS’s goals and strategies; MAAS’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the third-party wealth management industry in China; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and the international markets MAAS serves and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by MAAS with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in MAAS’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. MAAS undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Brag House to Be Featured on RedChip Small Stocks, Big Money™ Show on Bloomberg TV

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH) (“Brag House” or the “Company”), the media-tech platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and Gen Z engagement is excited to announce that CEO and Co-Founder, Lavell Juan Malloy II, will be featured on the RedChip Small Stocks, Big Money™ show, airing on Bloomberg TV this Saturday, July 12, at 7 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Bloomberg TV reaches an estimated 73 million homes across the United States.

    Watch the full interview at:

    Brag House: Setting the New Standard for Gen Z Brand Engagement

    Brag House is revolutionizing how brands capture the attention and loyalty of Gen Z, leveraging a cutting-edge social gaming and data-driven platform that seamlessly fuses college sports rivalries, casual gaming, and vibrant community interaction. In an exclusive interview, CEO and Co-Founder Lavell Juan Malloy II reveals how Brag House is not just connecting brands to Gen Z, it’s creating immersive digital experiences that drive authentic engagement and measurable results.

    What sets Brag House apart:

    • Elite partnerships with industry giants like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, the Denver Broncos, and Learfield, validating our platform’s reach and effectiveness.
    • Unrivaled engagement metrics, consistently achieving CPC and CPM rates far below industry norms, delivering superior value to brand partners.
    • A powerful national expansion, propelled by our strategic alliance with Learfield, now spanning more than 200 universities across the country.
    • A robust, multi-tiered monetization strategy and scalable B2B data solutions that unlock new revenue streams and actionable insights for partners.
    • A unique position at the crossroads of gaming, advertising, and analytics, enabling Brag House to shape the future of digital brand engagement in three explosive markets.

    About Brag House
    Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. For more information, visit www.braghouse.com.

    Media Contact:
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    Director of Media Relations
    fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey
    VP, Investor Relations
    ir@thebraghouse.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Nathan Meyers, Ph.D. candidate in sociology (September 2025 degree conferral), UMass Amherst

    Demonstrators march outside the U.S. Capitol during the Poor People’s Campaign rally at the National Mall in Washington on June 23, 2018. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    America has never been richer. But the gains are so lopsided that the top 10% controls 69% of all wealth in the country, while the bottom half controls just 3%. Meanwhile, surging corporate profits have mostly benefited investors, not the broader public.

    This divide is expected to widen after President Donald Trump’s sweeping new spending bill drastically cuts Medicaid and food aid, programs that stabilize the economy and subsidize low-wage employers.

    Moreover, the tax cuts at the heart of the bill will deliver tens of billions of dollars in benefits to the wealthiest households while disproportionately burdening low-income households, according to analyses by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation. By 2033, the bottom 20% will pay more in taxes while the top 0.1% receive $43 billion in cuts.

    I am a sociologist who studies economic inequality, and my research demonstrates that the class-based inequalities exacerbated by the Trump bill are not new. Rather, they are part of a 50-year trend linked to social cleavages, political corruption and a declining belief in the common good.

    The roots of class-based inequality

    The decades following World War II were broadly prosperous, but conditions began changing in the 1970s. Class inequality has increased enormously since then, according to government data, while income inequality has risen for five decades at the expense of workers.

    Economists usually gauge a country’s economic health by looking at its gross domestic product as measured through total spending on everything from groceries to patents.

    But another way to view GDP is by looking at whether the money goes to workers or business owners. This second method – the income approach – offers a clearer picture of who really benefits from economic growth.

    The money that goes to labor’s share of GDP, or workers, is represented by employee compensation, including wages, salaries and benefits. The money left over for businesses after paying for work and materials is called gross operating surplus, or business surplus.

    The share of GDP going to workers rose 12% from 1947 to 1970, then fell 14% between 1970 and 2023. The opposite happened with the business surplus, falling 18% in the early postwar decades before jumping 34% from 1970 to today.

    Meanwhile, corporate profits have outpaced economic growth by 193% since 1970. Within profits, shareholder dividends as a share of GDP grew 274%.

    As of 2023, labor had lost all of the economic gains made since 1947. Had workers kept their 1970 share of GDP, they would have earned $1.7 trillion more in 2023 alone. And no legislation or federal action since 1970 has reversed this half-century trend.

    When more of the economy goes to businesses instead of workers, that poses serious social problems. My research focuses on three that threaten democracy.

    1. Fraying social bonds and livelihoods

    Not just an issue of income and assets, growing class inequality represents the fraying of American society.

    For instance, inequality and the resulting hardship are linked to worse health outcomes. Americans die younger than their peers in other rich countries, and U.S. life expectancy has decreased, especially among the poor.

    Moreover, economic struggles contribute to mental health issues, deaths of despair and profound problems such as addiction, including tobacco, alcohol and opioid abuse.

    Inequality can disrupt families. Kids who experience the stresses of poverty can develop neurological and emotional problems, putting them at risk for drug use as adults. On the other hand, when minimum wages increase and people begin saving wealth, divorce risk falls.

    Research shows inequality has many other negative consequences, from reduced social mobility to lower social trust and even higher homicide rates.

    Together, these broad social consequences are linked to misery, political discontent and normlessness.

    2. Increasing corruption in politics

    Inequality is rising in the U.S. largely because business elites are exercising more influence over policy outcomes, research shows. My related work on privatization explains how 50 years of outsourcing public functions – through contracting, disinvestment and job cuts – threatens democratic accountability.

    Research across different countries has repeatedly found that higher income inequality increases political corruption. It does so by undermining trust in government and institutions, and enabling elites to dominate policymaking while weakening public oversight.

    Since 2010, weakened campaign finance laws driven by monied interests have sharply increased corruption risks. The Supreme Court ruled then in Citizens United to lift campaign finance restrictions, enabling unlimited political spending. It reached an apex in 2024, when Elon Musk spent $200 million to elect Trump before later installing his Starlink equipment onto Federal Aviation Administration systems in a reported takeover of a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon.

    Research shows that a large majority of Americans believe that the economy is rigged, suggesting everyday people sense the link between inequality and corruption.

    Demonstrators gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington as the court heard arguments on campaign finance in 2013.
    AP Photo/Susan Walsh

    3. Undermining belief in the common good

    National aspirations have emphasized the common good since America’s founding. The Declaration of Independence lists the king’s first offense as undermining the “public good” by subverting the rule of law. The Constitution’s preamble commits the government to promoting the general welfare and shared well-being.

    But higher inequality historically means the common good goes overlooked, according to research. Meanwhile, work has become more precarious, less unionized, more segmented and less geographically stable. Artificial intelligence may worsen these trends.

    This tends to coincide with a drop in voting and other forms of civic engagement.

    The government has fewer mechanisms for protecting community when rising inequality is paired with lower taxes for the wealthy and reduced public resources. My research finds that public sector unions especially bolster civic engagement in this environment.

    Given increasing workplace and social isolation, America’s loneliness epidemic is unsurprising, especially for low earners.

    All of these factors and their contribution to alienation can foster authoritarian beliefs and individualism. When people become cold and distrustful of one another, the notion of the common good collapses.

    Inequality as a policy outcome

    News coverage of the Trump bill and policy debate have largely centered on immediate gains and losses. But zoomed out, a clearer picture emerges of the long-term dismantling of foundations that once supported broad economic security. That, in turn, has enabled democratic decline.

    As labor’s share of the economy declined, so too did the institutional trust and shared social values that underpin democratic life. Among the many consequences are the political discontent and disillusionment shaping our current moment.

    Republicans hold both chambers of Congress through 2026, making significant policy changes unlikely in the short term. Democrats opposed the bill but are out of power. And their coalition is divided between a centrist establishment and an insurgent progressive wing with diverging priorities in addressing inequality.

    Yet democratic decline and inequality are not inevitable. If restoring broad prosperity and social stability are the goals, they may require revisiting the New Deal-style policies that produced labor’s peak economic share of 59% of GDP in 1970.

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

    – ref. Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy – https://theconversation.com/inequality-has-risen-from-1970-to-trump-that-has-3-hidden-costs-that-undermine-democracy-259104

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/BRAZIL – Missionary life is itinerant: Consolata novices between rivers and hopes

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 11 July 2025

    IMC

    Manaus (Agenzia Fides) – “The mission not only leads to Jesus, but also discovers him already present in every smile, in every stroke of the oar, in every simple gesture of love.” Sérgio Warnes, a novice at the IMC Novitiate in Manaus, recounts the experience shared by a group of Consolata Missionary (IMC) novices, who found themselves, as he himself says, “living one of the most demanding and enriching experiences of our formation: visiting the ‘ribeirinhas’ communities of the Amazon.”“The greatest lesson of this experience was the time shared with the community, with creation, and with God,” he writes. “The generosity of people is something that moves the soul. They offered us the little they had, and that little became much.” Despite the difficulties they face, their faith is alive and dynamic, expressed in fraternity, devotion, and hospitality,” the novice emphasizes.“They are witnesses that poverty is not synonymous with sadness and that spiritual wealth is real and abundant even in the midst of the jungle.”“In this Jubilee Year, we recognize with profound admiration the journey of so many men and women who, even in the midst of the jungle, walk, row, and cross entire rivers just to encounter the mystery of our existence: Jesus in the Eucharist. It is our duty as Christians to bring Jesus to the riverbanks, to the wooden houses, in the middle of the jungle, crossing rivers, enduring the heat, mosquitoes, and humidity,” adds Sérgio. “It is difficult, yes, but it is worth it. So that the Gospel may not remain confined within four walls, but may travel and reach the ends of the earth, to proclaim salvation to humanity.”“Missionary life is itinerant. In this mission, we sleep in one house, drink coffee in another, celebrate in different places, and bathe in the river water. We will return, without a doubt. Because the mission continues. And the river never stops. Where there is a community waiting, Jesus also waits for us.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 11/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – Three Bishops of war-torn regions address the faithful in a joint pastoral letter: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    diocese of Myitkyina

    Myitkyina (Agenzia Fides) – In the face of terrible events such as the bloody civil war and the earthquake that devastated central Myanmar, the three bishops of the Burmese dioceses of Myitkyina, Banmaw, and Lashio (in north-central Myanmar) address the faithful in a joint pastoral letter: “The Lord Jesus told us: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me!’ (John 14:1). And further: ‘Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me (Mt 16:24).” The pastoral letter, sent to Fides, is signed by the three bishops: Msgr. John Mung-ngawn La Sam, M.F., of the diocese of Myitkyina; Msgr. Raymond Sumlut Gam, of the Diocese of Banmaw; and Msgr. Lucas Dau Ze Jeimphaung, SDB, of the Diocese of Lashio, all three often forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere due to insecurity and fighting in their territories.”Over the past four years,” the bishops lament, “the fighting has led to the destruction of lives, families, farms, and land, as well as the displacement of thousands of people to refugee camps.” People are “worried about their safety and their children’s education.” The wounds of war were aggravated by the powerful earthquake that “once again shook central Myanmar, collapsing houses, and injuring and killing many people.”In this situation of uncertainty and distress, the bishops wish to assist the faithful and write: “No matter how difficult our situation may be, if we pray to God every day with faith and love, we will be able to endure all difficulties and become bearers of the Cross with Jesus Christ, receiving his grace of consolation and encouragement.”In this context, the bishops recall the sufferings and tribulations of many saints who, in their experience, accepted suffering out of love for Christ and lived the spirit described by St. Paul in his Letter to the Corinthians, which the bishops cite and apply today to the Burmese people: “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9).The bishops remind the faithful that other peoples of the world are also experiencing the same situation of extreme hardship, which is why they should feel united in this trial: “Many countries in the world are suffering from natural disasters, terrorism, wars, death, illness, and infirmity,” and everyone is called to live this situation in faith and not to lose hope and charity. “Therefore, dear faithful, let us, without becoming discouraged, pray for a lasting peace and implore peace from God with all our heart, mind, and strength,” the three bishops conclude. “Let us pray, encourage, console, and help one another in this Holy Year, which, despite everything, is full of hope.” “May God bless you with physical, mental, and spiritual health and grant you His grace and the strength of the Holy Spirit.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 11/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – Three Bishops of war-torn regions address the faithful in a joint pastoral letter: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    diocese of Myitkyina

    Myitkyina (Agenzia Fides) – In the face of terrible events such as the bloody civil war and the earthquake that devastated central Myanmar, the three bishops of the Burmese dioceses of Myitkyina, Banmaw, and Lashio (in north-central Myanmar) address the faithful in a joint pastoral letter: “The Lord Jesus told us: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me!’ (John 14:1). And further: ‘Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me (Mt 16:24).” The pastoral letter, sent to Fides, is signed by the three bishops: Msgr. John Mung-ngawn La Sam, M.F., of the diocese of Myitkyina; Msgr. Raymond Sumlut Gam, of the Diocese of Banmaw; and Msgr. Lucas Dau Ze Jeimphaung, SDB, of the Diocese of Lashio, all three often forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere due to insecurity and fighting in their territories.”Over the past four years,” the bishops lament, “the fighting has led to the destruction of lives, families, farms, and land, as well as the displacement of thousands of people to refugee camps.” People are “worried about their safety and their children’s education.” The wounds of war were aggravated by the powerful earthquake that “once again shook central Myanmar, collapsing houses, and injuring and killing many people.”In this situation of uncertainty and distress, the bishops wish to assist the faithful and write: “No matter how difficult our situation may be, if we pray to God every day with faith and love, we will be able to endure all difficulties and become bearers of the Cross with Jesus Christ, receiving his grace of consolation and encouragement.”In this context, the bishops recall the sufferings and tribulations of many saints who, in their experience, accepted suffering out of love for Christ and lived the spirit described by St. Paul in his Letter to the Corinthians, which the bishops cite and apply today to the Burmese people: “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9).The bishops remind the faithful that other peoples of the world are also experiencing the same situation of extreme hardship, which is why they should feel united in this trial: “Many countries in the world are suffering from natural disasters, terrorism, wars, death, illness, and infirmity,” and everyone is called to live this situation in faith and not to lose hope and charity. “Therefore, dear faithful, let us, without becoming discouraged, pray for a lasting peace and implore peace from God with all our heart, mind, and strength,” the three bishops conclude. “Let us pray, encourage, console, and help one another in this Holy Year, which, despite everything, is full of hope.” “May God bless you with physical, mental, and spiritual health and grant you His grace and the strength of the Holy Spirit.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 11/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Letting Agent fined for “recklessly” putting tenants at risk

    Source: City of Derby

    A city letting agent has received a significant fine for failing to meet health and safety standards and endangering vulnerable tenants.

    Steadwall Properties Limited of Normanton Road was fined £14,000 after pleading guilty to renting out accommodation deemed unsafe by Derby City Council.

    The property on Osmaston Road, located above a pharmacy, had been made the subject of a Prohibition Order in August 2023.

    This was in response to an inspection by the Council’s Environmental Health team, which uncovered significant safety hazards, including a compromised flat roof, and risks of structural collapse.

    The property had been converted into two flats, but the building work had not been certified. Tenants living there at the time were rehoused by Derby Homes.

    The Prohibition Order, issued under the Housing Act 2004, meant no one could live there until work had been done to make the flats safe.

    A routine check of the properties in August 2024 and a subsequent criminal investigation found that the flats had been rented out to new tenants in contravention of the Prohibition Order, and that serious safety hazards remained in the property. The letting agents had been receiving rent payments for eight months.

    At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on 7 July 2025, Steadwall Properties Limited of Normanton Road Derby pleaded guilty to the offence of knowingly permitting occupation of a prohibited property contrary to section 32 of The Housing Act 2004,

    The company was fined £21,000, reduced to £14,000 because of an early guilty plea, and ordered to pay £1750 costs.

    In summing up the case, the Magistrates commented that Steadwall Properties had recklessly permitted occupation and placed vulnerable tenants at risk of considerable harm.

    Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services said:

    We’re committed to ensuring everyone in Derby has a safe place to call home.

    While most private landlords are responsible and provide good quality housing, our dedicated team works tirelessly to identify and pursue those, whether they are landlords or letting agents, who disregard the health and safety of their tenants.

    We simply won’t tolerate substandard accommodation and will continue to use every tool at our disposal – from prosecution to civil penalty notices and rent repayment orders – to hold them accountable.

    I would encourage anyone with concerns about their rented property or their landlord to report this to our team.

    Tenants can contact the Housing Standards team via the Derby City Council website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • India’s Rise As A Global Power Must Be Accompanied By The Rise Of Its Intellectual And Cultural Gravitas: Vice-President

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>The Strength Of A Nation Lies In The Originality Of Its Thought And The Timelessness Of Its Values, urges VP
    India Is A Civilizational Continuum—A Flowing River Of Consciousness, Inquiry, And Learning, says VP
    Indigenous Insights Were Dismissed As Relics Of The Primitive Past; Selective Remembrance Continued Even After Independence, Highlights VP
    Western Constructs Were Paraded As Universal Truths. There Was An Architecture Of Erasure And Decimation, says VP
    Colonization Produced Clerks And Yeomen Instead of Thinkers; Grades Replaced Critical Thinking, highlights VP
    A Genuine Indian Knowledge System Ecosystem Must Honour Both Text And Lived Experience, Emphasises VP
    Vice-President Addresses The Inaugural Annual Conference On The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) In New Delhi

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said, “India’s rise as a global power must be accompanied by the rise of its intellectual and cultural gravitas. This is very significant as the rise without this is not lasting, and the rise without this is not in harmony with our traditions. The strength of a nation lies in the originality of its thought, the timelessness of its values, and the resilience of its intellectual traditions. That is the kind of soft power that endures, and soft power is potent in the world we live in”, he said.

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943205424314093944

     

    Reaffirming India’s identity beyond the confines of post-colonial constructs, the Vice-President observed, “India is not just a political construct formed in the mid-20th century. It is a civilizational continuum—a flowing river of consciousness, inquiry, and learning that has endured.”

    Critiquing the historical sidelining of indigenous wisdom, he said, “While indigenous insights were dismissed as relics of the primitive past, it was not an error of interpretation. It was an architecture of erasure, destruction, and decimation. What is more tragic is that the selective remembrance continued even after independence. Western constructs were paraded as universal truths. To put it more bluntly, untruth was camouflaged as truth.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943197937783443838

    “What should have been our fundamental priority was not even on the radar. How can you not be cognizant of your core values?” he questioned.

     

    Reflecting on the historical ruptures in India’s intellectual journey, the Vice-President remarked, “The Islamic invasion of India caused the first interlude in the glorious journey of Bharatiya Vidya Parampara (भारतीय विद्या परंपरा). Instead of embrace and assimilation, there was contempt and destruction. The British colonization brought forth the second interlude, when the Indian Knowledge System was stunted, stymied, and subverted. Centers of learning changed their motives. The compass was moderated. The North Star was changed. From bearing Sages and Savants, it started producing clerks and yeomen. The needs of the East India Company to have brown babus replaced the need of the nation to have thinkers.”

     

    “We stopped thinking, contemplating, writing, and philosophizing. We started cramming, regurgitating, and swallowing. Grades, unfortunately, replaced critical thinking. The great Bharatiya Vidya Parampara (भारतीय विद्या परंपरा) and its allied institutions were systematically drained, destroyed, and decimated.”, he mentioned.

     

    Addressing the inaugural Annual Conference on the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in New Delhi as the Chief Guest today, Shri Dhankhar said, “Long before the Universities of Europe came into being, Bharat’s universities had already established themselves as thriving centers of learning. Our ancient land was home to luminous centres of intellectual life—Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramashila, Vallabhi, and Odantapuri. These were the towering citadels of knowledge. Their libraries were vast oceans of wisdom, housing tens of thousands of manuscripts.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943199467899084921

    He added, “These were global universities, where seekers came from lands near and far, such as Korea, China, Tibet, and Persia. These were the spaces where the intellect of the world embraced the spirit of Bharat.”

     

    Calling for a more holistic understanding of knowledge, the Vice-President said, “Knowledge resides beyond manuscripts. It lives in communities, in embodied practices, in the intergenerational transmission of wisdom.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943202799141146817

     

    He emphasised that, “A genuine Indian Knowledge Systems research ecosystem must honour both the written word and the lived experience—recognizing that insight emerges as much from context as it does from text.”

    Calling for focused action to strengthen Indian Knowledge Systems, the Vice-President remarked, “Let us therefore turn our attention to tangible action because that is the need of the hour. The creation of digitized repositories of classical Indian texts is an urgent priority covering all classical languages such as Sanskrit, Tamil, Pali, and Prakrit, to name just a few.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943222130579247548

     

    He added, “These repositories should be made widely accessible, enabling scholars in India and researchers around the world to engage meaningfully with these sources. Equally essential is the development of training programs that empower young scholars with robust methodological tools, blending philosophy, computational analysis, ethnography, and comparative inquiry to deepen their engagement with the Indian knowledge system.”

     

     

    Quoting renowned scholar Max Müller, the Vice-President said, “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant—I should point to India.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943192673076285954

     

    “Friends, it was nothing but the articulation of eternal truth,” the Vice-President said.

     

    Touching upon the dynamic relationship between tradition and innovation, the Vice-President stated, “The wisdom of the past does not obstruct innovation—rather it inspires it. The metaphysical can speak to the material. Spiritual insight can coexist with scientific precision, but then you have to know what spiritual insight is.”

     

    He continued, “The Rigveda’s hymns to the cosmos can find new relevance in the age of astrophysics. The Charaka Samhita can be read alongside global debates on public health ethics.”

     

    “As we navigate a fractured world, we are stunned by global conflagration. So we are faced with a fractured world. Knowledge systems that have long reflected on the interplay between mind and matter, the individual and the cosmos, duty and consequence, become relevant and vital to shaping thoughtful, enduring responses.”, he concluded.

     

    Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Govt. of India, Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Prof. M. S. Chaitra, Director- IKSHA, Akhil Bharatiye Toli Sadasya, Prajna Pravah, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

  • India’s Rise As A Global Power Must Be Accompanied By The Rise Of Its Intellectual And Cultural Gravitas: Vice-President

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>The Strength Of A Nation Lies In The Originality Of Its Thought And The Timelessness Of Its Values, urges VP
    India Is A Civilizational Continuum—A Flowing River Of Consciousness, Inquiry, And Learning, says VP
    Indigenous Insights Were Dismissed As Relics Of The Primitive Past; Selective Remembrance Continued Even After Independence, Highlights VP
    Western Constructs Were Paraded As Universal Truths. There Was An Architecture Of Erasure And Decimation, says VP
    Colonization Produced Clerks And Yeomen Instead of Thinkers; Grades Replaced Critical Thinking, highlights VP
    A Genuine Indian Knowledge System Ecosystem Must Honour Both Text And Lived Experience, Emphasises VP
    Vice-President Addresses The Inaugural Annual Conference On The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) In New Delhi

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said, “India’s rise as a global power must be accompanied by the rise of its intellectual and cultural gravitas. This is very significant as the rise without this is not lasting, and the rise without this is not in harmony with our traditions. The strength of a nation lies in the originality of its thought, the timelessness of its values, and the resilience of its intellectual traditions. That is the kind of soft power that endures, and soft power is potent in the world we live in”, he said.

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943205424314093944

     

    Reaffirming India’s identity beyond the confines of post-colonial constructs, the Vice-President observed, “India is not just a political construct formed in the mid-20th century. It is a civilizational continuum—a flowing river of consciousness, inquiry, and learning that has endured.”

    Critiquing the historical sidelining of indigenous wisdom, he said, “While indigenous insights were dismissed as relics of the primitive past, it was not an error of interpretation. It was an architecture of erasure, destruction, and decimation. What is more tragic is that the selective remembrance continued even after independence. Western constructs were paraded as universal truths. To put it more bluntly, untruth was camouflaged as truth.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943197937783443838

    “What should have been our fundamental priority was not even on the radar. How can you not be cognizant of your core values?” he questioned.

     

    Reflecting on the historical ruptures in India’s intellectual journey, the Vice-President remarked, “The Islamic invasion of India caused the first interlude in the glorious journey of Bharatiya Vidya Parampara (भारतीय विद्या परंपरा). Instead of embrace and assimilation, there was contempt and destruction. The British colonization brought forth the second interlude, when the Indian Knowledge System was stunted, stymied, and subverted. Centers of learning changed their motives. The compass was moderated. The North Star was changed. From bearing Sages and Savants, it started producing clerks and yeomen. The needs of the East India Company to have brown babus replaced the need of the nation to have thinkers.”

     

    “We stopped thinking, contemplating, writing, and philosophizing. We started cramming, regurgitating, and swallowing. Grades, unfortunately, replaced critical thinking. The great Bharatiya Vidya Parampara (भारतीय विद्या परंपरा) and its allied institutions were systematically drained, destroyed, and decimated.”, he mentioned.

     

    Addressing the inaugural Annual Conference on the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in New Delhi as the Chief Guest today, Shri Dhankhar said, “Long before the Universities of Europe came into being, Bharat’s universities had already established themselves as thriving centers of learning. Our ancient land was home to luminous centres of intellectual life—Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramashila, Vallabhi, and Odantapuri. These were the towering citadels of knowledge. Their libraries were vast oceans of wisdom, housing tens of thousands of manuscripts.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943199467899084921

    He added, “These were global universities, where seekers came from lands near and far, such as Korea, China, Tibet, and Persia. These were the spaces where the intellect of the world embraced the spirit of Bharat.”

     

    Calling for a more holistic understanding of knowledge, the Vice-President said, “Knowledge resides beyond manuscripts. It lives in communities, in embodied practices, in the intergenerational transmission of wisdom.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943202799141146817

     

    He emphasised that, “A genuine Indian Knowledge Systems research ecosystem must honour both the written word and the lived experience—recognizing that insight emerges as much from context as it does from text.”

    Calling for focused action to strengthen Indian Knowledge Systems, the Vice-President remarked, “Let us therefore turn our attention to tangible action because that is the need of the hour. The creation of digitized repositories of classical Indian texts is an urgent priority covering all classical languages such as Sanskrit, Tamil, Pali, and Prakrit, to name just a few.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943222130579247548

     

    He added, “These repositories should be made widely accessible, enabling scholars in India and researchers around the world to engage meaningfully with these sources. Equally essential is the development of training programs that empower young scholars with robust methodological tools, blending philosophy, computational analysis, ethnography, and comparative inquiry to deepen their engagement with the Indian knowledge system.”

     

     

    Quoting renowned scholar Max Müller, the Vice-President said, “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant—I should point to India.”

     

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1943192673076285954

     

    “Friends, it was nothing but the articulation of eternal truth,” the Vice-President said.

     

    Touching upon the dynamic relationship between tradition and innovation, the Vice-President stated, “The wisdom of the past does not obstruct innovation—rather it inspires it. The metaphysical can speak to the material. Spiritual insight can coexist with scientific precision, but then you have to know what spiritual insight is.”

     

    He continued, “The Rigveda’s hymns to the cosmos can find new relevance in the age of astrophysics. The Charaka Samhita can be read alongside global debates on public health ethics.”

     

    “As we navigate a fractured world, we are stunned by global conflagration. So we are faced with a fractured world. Knowledge systems that have long reflected on the interplay between mind and matter, the individual and the cosmos, duty and consequence, become relevant and vital to shaping thoughtful, enduring responses.”, he concluded.

     

    Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Govt. of India, Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Prof. M. S. Chaitra, Director- IKSHA, Akhil Bharatiye Toli Sadasya, Prajna Pravah, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sudan: Surge in Darfur displacement pushes Tawila into full-scale crisis, cholera spreading

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    A massive increase in people fleeing to Tawila in North Darfur over the last three months is propelling the small town into a full-scale humanitarian crisis. With the rainy season starting, hundreds of thousands of people who just barely escaped horror are bracing themselves for torrential storms, cholera outbreak and spiralling hunger.

    Since April 2025, Tawila, has absorbed nearly 379,000 people fleeing repeated campaigns of mass destruction and year long siege on Zamzam Camp and Al Fasher, where famine has also been confirmed. Most are women (70 per cent), children, and people with disabilities, arriving into camps, mostly on foot after days of fleeing for their lives. Four new camps were set up to cope with the spiralling numbers and humanitarian organisations are overwhelmed, with prepositioned aid ahead of the rainy season already depleted. 

    “The situation in Tawila is collapsing,” said NRC’s Sudan Country Director Shashwat Saraf. “Families are surviving on scraps, sleeping in the dirt under roofs made out of straw, with barely any access to clean water and toilets. Cases of cholera are rising, and the rainy season is approaching fast, making living conditions more miserable.” 

    NRC’s June 2025 assessment across four new camps in Tawila housing 213,000 people confirms: 

    • Lack of access to water: only 21,000 people, or 10 per cent, have reliable water access. 
    • Latrine shortages: approximately 2,684 households, or less than 10 per cent, have access to latrines, while 31,238 households are without access. 
    • Severe food shortages: most families report that they are eating one meal a day or less. 
    • Lack of schools: only 11 temporary learning spaces means that many children are unable to attend classes. 
    • Major protection concerns: 39 per cent of women are pregnant or lactating, 22 per cent of households include persons with disabilities, and there is a lack of proper services and support 
    • Uncertain future: 60 per cent of the people in the camps say they are intending to stay long-term, yet 27 per cent have no plan, reflecting fear and uncertainty. 

    The families in the camps have been fleeing scenes of extreme violence: April’s raid on Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps left up to 400 dead, many raped, aid workers killed, and survivors risking their lives to flee into Tawila in desperation. Since April 2023, 782,000 people have been displaced from Al Fasher and Zamzam, including nearly 500,000 in April – May 2025 alone.  

    A separate assessment by aid agencies and local authorities in Al Fasher found 38 per cent of children under 5 at displacement sites suffer from acute malnutrition, 11 percent with severe acute malnutrition.  

    “The window for saving thousands of lives is closing fast,” Saraf added. “We need funding and decisive action from the world’s leaders to get aid trucks and relief teams to Tawila – without delays and restrictions from the warring parties – before this spirals completely out of control.”

    – on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cape Town carries out temp repairs on potholes

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Officials from the City of Cape Town have undertaken temporary pothole repairs in Gugulethu, Manenberg and Newlands, as wet conditions persist.

    “During winter, and as a result of heavy and ongoing rains, water seeps into cracks on the road surface. These cracks widen, and turn into potholes that damage tyres and cause accidents. 

    “Permanent pothole repairs require dry, warm conditions, thus during the wet months, we have to do cold mix asphalt repairs. 

    “In summer, we will return to monitor the performance of the cold mix and do permanent repairs with hot mix asphalts, where needed,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas.

    READ | Western Cape concerned at 23 deaths on province’s roads in one week

    Quintas joined the city’s Roads Infrastructure Management team this week as they embarked on temporary pothole repairs.

    Excessive mountain run-off has also led to flooding in some areas. In Gugulethu and Manenberg, the city found that illegal dumping of household items into stormwater drains increased the severity of flooding, as the drains were blocked.

    “Another issue is illegal outlets or the dumping of greywater which contains chemicals that damage road surfaces and causes potholes. This greywater contains detergents and comes from baths, clothes, dishes and car washing. 

    “Our teams are working hard to clear blocked drains and keep roads safe this winter, but we need your help. 

    “Please dispose of greywater properly through the sewer system so it can be treated and re-used, and keep it off our road surfaces. Together, we can reduce winter flooding and prevent the forming of new potholes,” said Quintas.

    Residents are encouraged to report incidents of flooding and related issues to the city’s call centre at 0860 103 089, via the City App, or alternatively via email on transport.info@capetown.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Del Rio, federal partner investigation results in sentence for illegal Honduran alien for alien smuggling conspiracy

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN ANTONIO — A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced July 9 for his leadership role in a massive alien smuggling conspiracy that spanned three years and involved thousands of aliens from over 11 different countries. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Del Rio and various federal and state law enforcement agencies in South Texas conducted the investigation.

    A federal judge sentenced Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga, also known as Chino, 34, of Olancho, Honduras, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in smuggling thousands of aliens into the U.S. for financial gain. He was also ordered to pay a $4,500 fine. Mejia-Zuniga pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing an alien to the U.S. for financial gain and aiding and abetting.

    Co-defendants Monica Hernandez-Palma, 33, of Mexico, and Allyson Elsires Alvarez-Zuniga, 26, of Honduras, entered guilty pleas on April 7 and Aug. 21, 2023, respectively, and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Genyi Arguenta-Flores, 32, of Comayagua, Honduras, was sentenced to five years in prison on May 12. A final co-defendant is in custody in Mexico pending an extradition request from the U.S.

    “This sentence sends a clear message to those who exploit our immigration system for personal profit,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “For more than three years, these individuals operated a transnational smuggling ring driven by greed, moving illegal aliens from 11 countries in blatant disregard of the law. The sentencing in this case is a testament to HSI’s commitment to upholding national security. Human smuggling undermines the security of our borders and disrupts lawful immigration processes. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to protect our national security.”

    “Mejia-Zuniga and his co-conspirators made millions of dollars off the backs of thousands of people whom they smuggled into the U.S,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case represents the epitome of the ruthless and sophisticated criminal organizations that exploit our borders for personal financial gain. The Criminal Division will not stop investigating these cases until all human smuggling organizations are eradicated and the criminals who operate them are prosecuted.”

    “In an effort to satisfy his greed, Mejia-Zuniga facilitated the illegal movement of thousands of Middle Easterners into the U.S,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “His actions put our national security at risk. However, thanks to our many federal law enforcement partners, Mejia-Zuniga will no longer be allowed to enrich himself to the detriment of this country.”

    “U.S Border Patrol’s Intelligence and Information Task Force played a critical role in supporting Operation Red Tide through extensive research and analysis,” said Chief Scott Good of the Border Patrol’s Law Enforcement Operations directorate. “Our team’s exploitation of subpoena returns and identification of key financial patterns helped bring these smugglers to justice. The USBP will continue working with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad to dismantle criminal networks and secure our nation’s borders.”

    According to court documents, from November 2020 through March 2023, the Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization smuggled aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan and Colombia through Eagle Pass. Aliens primarily contracted with a Pakistani smuggler based in Brazil to be transported to the U.S. In turn, the Brazil-based smuggler worked with Mejia-Zuniga, who was based in San Antonio, to facilitate the aliens’ travel from South America to the U.S. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations of the ASO and paid drivers, armed “coyotes” and stash house operators.

    Mejia-Zuniga admitted to smuggling between 2,500 and 3,000 aliens into the U.S in just two years. The organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien. Mejia-Zuniga admitted that he made $30,000 for every 10 illegal aliens who made it to the Rio Grande River and another $30,000 if those 10 illegal aliens made it to San Antonio.

    One of the smuggled aliens reported paying the organization $20,000 to be brought illegally into the U.S with his brother. The Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization directed that alien to a stash house in Monterrey, Mexico, where it housed him with 10 other aliens. The organization later moved the same alien to a stash house in Piedras Negras, Mexico, with another 20 to 25 aliens. Ultimately, an armed coyote guided the group of aliens across the Rio Grande River. Once across the Rio Grande, the Mejia-Zuniga ASO transported the aliens to a hotel in San Antonio.

    In addition to witness statements, other evidence gathered during the investigation included wire transfers, customer ledgers, foreign identification documents and photographs of members of the Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization with firearms.

    HSI Del Rio engaged in an extensive, yearslong investigation in Operation Red Tide, which led to the development of this case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector, HSI Monterrey, HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center’s International Interdiction Task Force.

    Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Matt Kass are prosecuting the case.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

    For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manchester welcomes Oasis fans from around the world to the city for epic homecoming concerts

    Source: City of Manchester

    With the first of Oasis’ homecoming gigs now only a matter of hours away, Manchester is going all out to extend the biggest of Mancunian welcomes to all fans of the legendary band who were lucky enoug

    The sold-out shows will see 340,000 fans from across the globe descend on Manchester over the course of the next week and city bosses have pulled out all the stops to both dress the city and help make sure everyone has a great time, with a packed programme of fantastic music themed events and activities across the city centre as part of its MCR Live ’25 campaign.

    Music fans with or without tickets to see the boys from Burnage are invited to get themselves into the city centre this weekend and over the next few weeks and enjoy everything on offer.

    There’s block parties in the Northern Quarter with live music and djs, a fantastic market selling all music related stuff on St Peter’s Square, pop-up live music performances, the Manchester Live hub bar with its Manchester themed drinks and stage with live acts and DJs in Piccadilly Gardens, and a whole week of Oasis themed stuff going on at Manchester’s award-winning Central Library. 

    Plus there’s an absolutely brilliant guitar trail Music for the Senses now open across the city – with fabulous guitars that have been turned into stunning works of art by some amazing artists, including ‘Guitar Street’ a whole street that has got guitars strung across it like bunting, each one with the face of an up-and-coming young Manchester musician on it, and ‘Cathedral of Sound’ in St Peter’s Square – an incredible huge metal dome structure that’s been completely covered in real guitars by artist Lazerian, that you can walk around and walk through and is both beautiful and awe-inspiring.

    There’s also a whole bunch of guitars to see as part of the trail that have been donated by famous faces – including of course one from Oasis which has been signed by Liam and Noel and is going to be auctioned off at the end of the summer along with all the others, to raise money for grassroots music projects and venues in the city.

    So whether you’ve got your ticket and are looking for something to do on your way through to the big gig, or you’re one of the unlucky ones without, the centre of Manchester is where it’s at. There’s a brilliant atmosphere right across the city, and with pre-show parties, after-shows, and a whole lot more going on, it’s definitely the place to be, especially for anyone who doesn’t have a ticket to the big gigs this weekend themselves. 

    Music fans who don’t have tickets shouldn’t travel to Heaton Park – they should come instead to the city centre and enjoy what’s on offer there.

    There are no facilities for them at the park and they will not be able to see the concert or get into the event arena – which is double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round and in excess of 2000 event security staff and police officers on duty around the site to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticketholders and that only those who have tickets access the concert.  Measures will also be in place to clear the park of all non-ticket holders before the concert gets properly underway.

    Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is known the world over for our fantastic music scene which this summer alone will see 1.3m music tourists visit the city.

    “The additional boost to the city’s economy – already one of the fastest growing in Europe – from music fans is huge and is felt right across the hospitality and retail sector, with hundreds of thousands of pounds spent by them in our hotels, bars, restaurants, and shops.  

    “We’re all set to welcome music fans from across the globe into Manchester today and this next week for what is going to be a supersonic string of hometown dates from Liam and Noel.

    “The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time. We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they have tickets for the Oasis gigs or not. Anyone without a ticket though shouldn’t travel to Heaton Park, there’s nothing for them to see or do there. They should get themselves into the city centre instead where there’s a fantastic atmosphere with an absolute ton of things happening on gig days to get involved in and enjoy, and to make sure everyone has a brilliant time.”

    Find out the full lowdown on everything that’s happening as part of MCR Live ’25 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Republic of Korea rice donation provides critical boost to WFP’s emergency response for refugees in Kenya

    Source: World Food Programme

    NAIROBI – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of 23,268 metric tons of rice from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of the Republic of Korea, valued at US$18 million, to support the food needs of refugees in Kenya.

    This contribution – the largest from the Republic of Korea since it began supporting refugees in Kenya in 2018 – will  support the food needs of 720,000 refugees in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps and Kalobeyei settlement for six months.

    “This generous contribution is vital as we work to respond to the needs of an increasing number of refugees in Kenya, while the resources available to support them are decreasing,” said Baimankay Sankoh, WFP’s Deputy Country Director in Kenya. “Most refugees are unable to work or return home and are entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive. This generous rice contribution from the Republic of Korea is more vital than ever for WFP to continue supporting the food needs of hundreds of thousands of refugees. And we sincerely hope that this expanded rice contribution will continue in the future.” 

    Over the past five years, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya has increased by over 70 percent – from around 500,000 to 843,000 – as people have fled conflict in neighbouring countries like Somalia and South Sudan. But, despite the generous support from many donors, funding shortfalls have forced WFP to reduce food rations for refugees to one-third of a ration.

    Korean rice is known for its high quality, while the reliable delivery from the Republic of Korea on a fixed annual schedule, allows WFP to plan effectively and respond flexibly to shifting needs on the ground. This predictable support contributes to safeguarding the dignity of refugees by ensuring access to sufficient and nutritious food.

    “The Republic of Korea is proud to stand alongside other nations in responding to the rising hunger crisis and providing hope to thousands of families in the eastern Africa region,” said H.E. Kang Hyung-shik, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kenya. “Our history is deeply rooted in global solidarity, and we remain committed to standing with those in need.”

    The Republic of Korea is a significant donor to WFP in Kenya, providing annual rice contributions that help WFP maintain consistent humanitarian operations. Between 2018 and 2025, WFP has received rice contributions to the value of US$ 88 million through MAFRA in support of refugees.

    #                 #                   #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X @wfp_kenya, @wfp_africa, @wfp_media 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government announces quarterly land sale programme for July to September 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government announces quarterly land sale programme for July to September 2025 
    The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said in the second quarter of 2025-26, the Government will put up for tender a residential site at the junction of Wing Shun Street and Texaco Road, Tsuen Wan. The site is able to provide floor space of around 39 000 square metres and can provide about 780 flats. It is selected from the Annual Land Sale List announced in February this year and situates in a mature neighbourhood with comprehensive surrounding facilities and traffic network. The rezoning procedures for the site from “Government, Institution and Community” use to “Residential” use have recently completed. 
     
    Furthermore, residential land supply this quarter will also stem from private development and redevelopment projects requiring lease modification, of which six cases are expected to complete the land administration procedures in the second quarter, providing a total supply of around 4 170 flats. These cases include a land exchange case at Hung Shui Kiu Area 34B under the Enhanced Conventional New Town Approach and earlier announced by the Development Bureau (2 300 flats). The project situates in an area of high development potential in the Northern Metropolis and would foster the development of the area along with the planning of Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area. It is worth noting that as at the second quarter of this financial year, the land supply from this source has exceeded the full-year estimation in the beginning of the year, reflecting increasing activities in the market.
     
    Ms Linn said that, taking into account the site to be put up for tender by the Government and the six cases of lease modification, the total private housing land supply in the second quarter of this financial year would support the development of around 4 950 units. Together with the supply from the first quarter, the total private housing land supply of the first half of this financial year is expected to support some 6 000 units, which is around 45 per cent of the annual target of private housing supply. This figure has not yet reflected private development projects not requiring lease modification from the second quarter, as such figures are only available at a later stage. The Government considers the land supply for this financial year reasonable, and expects to maintain stable land supply in this year.
     
    As regards the private housing land supply for 2024-25, taking into account private development and redevelopment projects not requiring lease modification captured in the fourth quarter, the actual supply is adjusted upwards to around 10 030 flats, which is around 75 per cent of the supply target.
     
    The Government will continue to sustain our effort in rolling out land in a prudent and pragmatic manner, and flexibly adjust our land disposal strategy according to market situation, in order to meet the development needs of society.
     
    The list of the site to be tendered in July to September 2025 is in the Annex. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will announce the detailed land sale arrangements before the site are put up for tender.
    Issued at HKT 20:11

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for victims after Brixton shop owner jailed for rape and sexual assault

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A ‘spiritual healer’ known as ‘Papa B’ who ran a shop in Brixton for over 30 years has been jailed for rape and sexual assault

    following an investigation led by Met Police detectives.

    The Met is now appealing for other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    Bernard Williams, 77 (21.05.48) of Burrells Wharf Square, E14 was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, 11 July at Harrow Crown Court, sitting at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

    He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

    Williams was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault on Thursday, 29 May at the same court following an eight day trial.

    Detectives are now appealing to further victim-survivors, as they believe Williams’ offending has the potential to have been more widespread.

    Detective Inspector Tom Palmer, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Williams’ offending is shocking. He abused the trust of the victim, which was built on the respect he had gained within the community, to get close to them and commit the offences.

    “I would like to commend the victim on her strength throughout the investigation and thank her for her support throughout the court processes.

    “Every woman deserves to feel safe and the Met is dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by hunting down predatory men.

    “We are concerned given the number of clients ‘Papa B’ may have assisted, his position the community for 30 years and his distinctive methods, there may be further victim-survivors who have not yet come forward.

    “I would encourage anyone affected to get in contact with us if you feel able – you will be listened to and receive specialist support and guidance, not only from the police but independent charities and services.”

    The offending

    The Met’s investigation was launched in January 2021, after officers received a report of rape and sexual assault from the victim which occurred at her home address.

    Williams was arrested on 21 October 2021 following the report being received and an investigation was launched.

    In November 2020 the victim had become unwell and was recommended a spiritual treatment and visited Williams at his shop, ‘Original Products’, Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams told the victim there was a spirit inside of her which would eventually kill her. Over the coming months, Williams convinced the victim of his ‘healing capability’. The victim purchased a guard ring and healing bath from Williams, and her mother’s house was ‘cleaned of spirits’. These acts cost the victim and her family over £13,000.

    After these measures were unsuccessful, Williams began referring to the need to have sex to remove the spirits.

    On 12 January 2021, Williams turned up at the victim’s house unannounced to ‘anoint’ her where he proceeded to sexually assault and rape the victim.

    Following the attack, Williams maintained contact with the victim, eventually telling her the process had not worked, and the spirit was back inside her.

    The appeal

    Following Williams’ sentencing, detectives are appealing for any other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have bought services from Williams at his store in Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams was seen as an elder who was widely known in the community having owned a shop that had been established for 30 years. Detectives suspect that he may have abused this position to offend against other women in the way he did in this case.

    Williams is also known to have visited the homes of other customers.

    Support for victim-survivors

    The victim-survivor involved in this case has been given specialist support and guidance by officers throughout the investigation and court process.

    Survivors are encouraged to contact the police by reporting online, or by emailing NWMailbox.Sapphire@met.police.uk who will arrange contact with them.

    Alternatively, they can call 0208 733 6311 (0700-2300hrs Mon-Fri) to speak with an officer.

    The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is a free phone and online chat service for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didn’t want, didn’t consent to or are feeling confused about – no matter when or where it happened. Specialist staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support. They can be contacted through their website on 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk or by calling 0808 500 2222.

    The Met is dedicated to improving our response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). Every woman and girl in London deserves to feel safe, walking home at night, travelling on public transport, at home, or simply going about their daily lives.

    The Met is using a number of tactics including our V100 project which targets predatory offenders who are the greatest threat to women, leading to over 100 convictions. We have also rolled out training to 20,000 frontline officers and added 565 specially trained officers and staff into teams tackling VAWG which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 Stalking Protection Orders.

    For more information on the Met’s work on VAWG, read our Action Plan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for victims after Brixton shop owner jailed for rape and sexual assault

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A ‘spiritual healer’ known as ‘Papa B’ who ran a shop in Brixton for over 30 years has been jailed for rape and sexual assault

    following an investigation led by Met Police detectives.

    The Met is now appealing for other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    Bernard Williams, 77 (21.05.48) of Burrells Wharf Square, E14 was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, 11 July at Harrow Crown Court, sitting at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

    He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

    Williams was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault on Thursday, 29 May at the same court following an eight day trial.

    Detectives are now appealing to further victim-survivors, as they believe Williams’ offending has the potential to have been more widespread.

    Detective Inspector Tom Palmer, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Williams’ offending is shocking. He abused the trust of the victim, which was built on the respect he had gained within the community, to get close to them and commit the offences.

    “I would like to commend the victim on her strength throughout the investigation and thank her for her support throughout the court processes.

    “Every woman deserves to feel safe and the Met is dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by hunting down predatory men.

    “We are concerned given the number of clients ‘Papa B’ may have assisted, his position the community for 30 years and his distinctive methods, there may be further victim-survivors who have not yet come forward.

    “I would encourage anyone affected to get in contact with us if you feel able – you will be listened to and receive specialist support and guidance, not only from the police but independent charities and services.”

    The offending

    The Met’s investigation was launched in January 2021, after officers received a report of rape and sexual assault from the victim which occurred at her home address.

    Williams was arrested on 21 October 2021 following the report being received and an investigation was launched.

    In November 2020 the victim had become unwell and was recommended a spiritual treatment and visited Williams at his shop, ‘Original Products’, Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams told the victim there was a spirit inside of her which would eventually kill her. Over the coming months, Williams convinced the victim of his ‘healing capability’. The victim purchased a guard ring and healing bath from Williams, and her mother’s house was ‘cleaned of spirits’. These acts cost the victim and her family over £13,000.

    After these measures were unsuccessful, Williams began referring to the need to have sex to remove the spirits.

    On 12 January 2021, Williams turned up at the victim’s house unannounced to ‘anoint’ her where he proceeded to sexually assault and rape the victim.

    Following the attack, Williams maintained contact with the victim, eventually telling her the process had not worked, and the spirit was back inside her.

    The appeal

    Following Williams’ sentencing, detectives are appealing for any other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have bought services from Williams at his store in Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams was seen as an elder who was widely known in the community having owned a shop that had been established for 30 years. Detectives suspect that he may have abused this position to offend against other women in the way he did in this case.

    Williams is also known to have visited the homes of other customers.

    Support for victim-survivors

    The victim-survivor involved in this case has been given specialist support and guidance by officers throughout the investigation and court process.

    Survivors are encouraged to contact the police by reporting online, or by emailing NWMailbox.Sapphire@met.police.uk who will arrange contact with them.

    Alternatively, they can call 0208 733 6311 (0700-2300hrs Mon-Fri) to speak with an officer.

    The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is a free phone and online chat service for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didn’t want, didn’t consent to or are feeling confused about – no matter when or where it happened. Specialist staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support. They can be contacted through their website on 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk or by calling 0808 500 2222.

    The Met is dedicated to improving our response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). Every woman and girl in London deserves to feel safe, walking home at night, travelling on public transport, at home, or simply going about their daily lives.

    The Met is using a number of tactics including our V100 project which targets predatory offenders who are the greatest threat to women, leading to over 100 convictions. We have also rolled out training to 20,000 frontline officers and added 565 specially trained officers and staff into teams tackling VAWG which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 Stalking Protection Orders.

    For more information on the Met’s work on VAWG, read our Action Plan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for victims after Brixton shop owner jailed for rape and sexual assault

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A ‘spiritual healer’ known as ‘Papa B’ who ran a shop in Brixton for over 30 years has been jailed for rape and sexual assault

    following an investigation led by Met Police detectives.

    The Met is now appealing for other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    Bernard Williams, 77 (21.05.48) of Burrells Wharf Square, E14 was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, 11 July at Harrow Crown Court, sitting at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

    He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

    Williams was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault on Thursday, 29 May at the same court following an eight day trial.

    Detectives are now appealing to further victim-survivors, as they believe Williams’ offending has the potential to have been more widespread.

    Detective Inspector Tom Palmer, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Williams’ offending is shocking. He abused the trust of the victim, which was built on the respect he had gained within the community, to get close to them and commit the offences.

    “I would like to commend the victim on her strength throughout the investigation and thank her for her support throughout the court processes.

    “Every woman deserves to feel safe and the Met is dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by hunting down predatory men.

    “We are concerned given the number of clients ‘Papa B’ may have assisted, his position the community for 30 years and his distinctive methods, there may be further victim-survivors who have not yet come forward.

    “I would encourage anyone affected to get in contact with us if you feel able – you will be listened to and receive specialist support and guidance, not only from the police but independent charities and services.”

    The offending

    The Met’s investigation was launched in January 2021, after officers received a report of rape and sexual assault from the victim which occurred at her home address.

    Williams was arrested on 21 October 2021 following the report being received and an investigation was launched.

    In November 2020 the victim had become unwell and was recommended a spiritual treatment and visited Williams at his shop, ‘Original Products’, Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams told the victim there was a spirit inside of her which would eventually kill her. Over the coming months, Williams convinced the victim of his ‘healing capability’. The victim purchased a guard ring and healing bath from Williams, and her mother’s house was ‘cleaned of spirits’. These acts cost the victim and her family over £13,000.

    After these measures were unsuccessful, Williams began referring to the need to have sex to remove the spirits.

    On 12 January 2021, Williams turned up at the victim’s house unannounced to ‘anoint’ her where he proceeded to sexually assault and rape the victim.

    Following the attack, Williams maintained contact with the victim, eventually telling her the process had not worked, and the spirit was back inside her.

    The appeal

    Following Williams’ sentencing, detectives are appealing for any other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have bought services from Williams at his store in Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams was seen as an elder who was widely known in the community having owned a shop that had been established for 30 years. Detectives suspect that he may have abused this position to offend against other women in the way he did in this case.

    Williams is also known to have visited the homes of other customers.

    Support for victim-survivors

    The victim-survivor involved in this case has been given specialist support and guidance by officers throughout the investigation and court process.

    Survivors are encouraged to contact the police by reporting online, or by emailing NWMailbox.Sapphire@met.police.uk who will arrange contact with them.

    Alternatively, they can call 0208 733 6311 (0700-2300hrs Mon-Fri) to speak with an officer.

    The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is a free phone and online chat service for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didn’t want, didn’t consent to or are feeling confused about – no matter when or where it happened. Specialist staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support. They can be contacted through their website on 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk or by calling 0808 500 2222.

    The Met is dedicated to improving our response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). Every woman and girl in London deserves to feel safe, walking home at night, travelling on public transport, at home, or simply going about their daily lives.

    The Met is using a number of tactics including our V100 project which targets predatory offenders who are the greatest threat to women, leading to over 100 convictions. We have also rolled out training to 20,000 frontline officers and added 565 specially trained officers and staff into teams tackling VAWG which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 Stalking Protection Orders.

    For more information on the Met’s work on VAWG, read our Action Plan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for victims after Brixton shop owner jailed for rape and sexual assault

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A ‘spiritual healer’ known as ‘Papa B’ who ran a shop in Brixton for over 30 years has been jailed for rape and sexual assault

    following an investigation led by Met Police detectives.

    The Met is now appealing for other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    Bernard Williams, 77 (21.05.48) of Burrells Wharf Square, E14 was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, 11 July at Harrow Crown Court, sitting at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

    He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

    Williams was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault on Thursday, 29 May at the same court following an eight day trial.

    Detectives are now appealing to further victim-survivors, as they believe Williams’ offending has the potential to have been more widespread.

    Detective Inspector Tom Palmer, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Williams’ offending is shocking. He abused the trust of the victim, which was built on the respect he had gained within the community, to get close to them and commit the offences.

    “I would like to commend the victim on her strength throughout the investigation and thank her for her support throughout the court processes.

    “Every woman deserves to feel safe and the Met is dedicated to tackling violence against women and girls by hunting down predatory men.

    “We are concerned given the number of clients ‘Papa B’ may have assisted, his position the community for 30 years and his distinctive methods, there may be further victim-survivors who have not yet come forward.

    “I would encourage anyone affected to get in contact with us if you feel able – you will be listened to and receive specialist support and guidance, not only from the police but independent charities and services.”

    The offending

    The Met’s investigation was launched in January 2021, after officers received a report of rape and sexual assault from the victim which occurred at her home address.

    Williams was arrested on 21 October 2021 following the report being received and an investigation was launched.

    In November 2020 the victim had become unwell and was recommended a spiritual treatment and visited Williams at his shop, ‘Original Products’, Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams told the victim there was a spirit inside of her which would eventually kill her. Over the coming months, Williams convinced the victim of his ‘healing capability’. The victim purchased a guard ring and healing bath from Williams, and her mother’s house was ‘cleaned of spirits’. These acts cost the victim and her family over £13,000.

    After these measures were unsuccessful, Williams began referring to the need to have sex to remove the spirits.

    On 12 January 2021, Williams turned up at the victim’s house unannounced to ‘anoint’ her where he proceeded to sexually assault and rape the victim.

    Following the attack, Williams maintained contact with the victim, eventually telling her the process had not worked, and the spirit was back inside her.

    The appeal

    Following Williams’ sentencing, detectives are appealing for any other potential victim-survivors to come forward.

    They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have bought services from Williams at his store in Market Row, Brixton.

    Williams was seen as an elder who was widely known in the community having owned a shop that had been established for 30 years. Detectives suspect that he may have abused this position to offend against other women in the way he did in this case.

    Williams is also known to have visited the homes of other customers.

    Support for victim-survivors

    The victim-survivor involved in this case has been given specialist support and guidance by officers throughout the investigation and court process.

    Survivors are encouraged to contact the police by reporting online, or by emailing NWMailbox.Sapphire@met.police.uk who will arrange contact with them.

    Alternatively, they can call 0208 733 6311 (0700-2300hrs Mon-Fri) to speak with an officer.

    The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is a free phone and online chat service for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has experienced something sexual that they didn’t want, didn’t consent to or are feeling confused about – no matter when or where it happened. Specialist staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support. They can be contacted through their website on 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk or by calling 0808 500 2222.

    The Met is dedicated to improving our response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). Every woman and girl in London deserves to feel safe, walking home at night, travelling on public transport, at home, or simply going about their daily lives.

    The Met is using a number of tactics including our V100 project which targets predatory offenders who are the greatest threat to women, leading to over 100 convictions. We have also rolled out training to 20,000 frontline officers and added 565 specially trained officers and staff into teams tackling VAWG which has doubled charges for rape since 2022 and secured 389 Stalking Protection Orders.

    For more information on the Met’s work on VAWG, read our Action Plan.

    MIL Security OSI –